Hazel

Hazel

Hazel had worked for the same Fortune 500 Company for almost 15 years. Although thecompany had gone through some tough times, things were starting to turn around. Customer orders were up, and uality and producti!ity had impro!ed dramatically from what they had "eenonly a few years earlier due to a companywide uality impro!ement program. #o it came as areal shock to Hazel and a"out $00 of her coworkers when they were suddenly terminatedfollowing the new C%&'s decision to downsize the company. After reco!ering from the initial shock, Hazel tried to find employment elsewhere.(espite her efforts, after eight months of searching she was no closer to finding a )o" than theday she started. Her funds were "eing depleted and she was getting more discouraged. *here wasone "right spot, though+ #he was a"le to "ring in a little money "y mowing lawns for her neigh"ors. #he got in!ol!ed uite "y chance when she heard one neigh"or remark that now thathis children were on their own, no"ody was around to cut the grass. Almost )okingly, Hazelasked him how much he'd "e willing to pay. #oon Hazel was mowing the lawns of fi!eneigh"ors. &ther neigh"ors wanted her to work on their lawns, "ut she didn't feel that she couldspare any more time from her )o" search. Howe!er, as the re)ection letters "egan to pile up, Hazel knew she had to make adecision. &n a sunny *uesday morning, she decided, like many others in a similar situation, to gointo "usiness for herselftaking care of neigh"orhood lawns. #he was relie!ed to gi!e up thestress of )o" hunting, and she was e-cited a"out the prospect of "eing her own "oss. ut she wasalso fearful of "eing completely on her own. /e!ertheless, Hazel was determined to make a goof it. At first, "usiness was a little slow, "ut once people realized