If this is how you’re approaching it… scammed.
People looking for a place to spend/invest soon get swindled.
Step back and figure out what skills you have, what skills you need, if business is even a fit for you. Meantime, conventional investments such as are made in a retirement fund are a good idea.
There is no One Formula. You have to find what motivates you, what provides you what you need.
My schedule and hobbies now are different than they were when my kids were still living at home. I have the luxury of working out out every morning and commuting by bike, all of which helps me feel great but would not have been possible when caring for kids. I’m just getting back into my favorite hobby which I won’t mention because it’s a pretty small field and would out me. But it takes time and money, which again, I am fortunate to have now.
For me, being able to regularly exercise (cardio, weights and HIIT) is a huge part of helping me feel good, as is eating fresh foods. But again, when the kids were at home, time was scarce so those things often were abbreviated. You do what you have to do to get by at the time.
You’re going to need some significant skin in that game. What $ amount can you personally put up? In addition to your $, do you have any collateral? What experience do you have in running that type business? What general management and financial background do you have?
As for the business, what is the valuation based on? Does it have a 3-5 year track record of profit that supports that valuation? Any assets that can be collateralized?
And BTW, there are numerous “Bay Areas”. You’ll want to specify which bay you’re near.
No matter what business you own, people won’t always want to pay you full price.
You’ve identified this is an issue with your family, so it’s up to you to put appropriate boundaries in place. Less a business issue than a relationship one. And the boundaries will start with you agreeing on price before you agree to do the work.
Example
Dad: I’d like you to do a huge snowy scene that looks exactly like our downtown.
You: Sounds great! That’s a lot of detail work, will take me about 4 days to complete. I can do it for $X.
Then dad can either agree or not. But all this should be taking place before you start work since you already know there’s commonly a disagreement about what your work is worth.
Your other option is to adopt a rich person hobby which is social. My suggestion is sailing, a membership can be pretty cheap, and once you know how to do it you can crew on other people’s boats. Those people are rich.
This does work but you have to be a very skilled sailor to be invited. Rail meat need not apply. Easy to get on sailboats if you’re a master level tactician (the owner will always want to skipper and most are smart enough to know that they perform better with a tactician calling the actual moves), rigger or have another skill that can be hard to find.
Definitely. Regular exercise is key for me, not just managing health but how I feel and function.
Since breaking a leg at the ankle at the beginning of the year, I had to find a new cardio since running was out, so I started bike commuting. Enjoying it more than I thought I would. By the end of the year, I’ll have done over 3000 miles on the ebike and another 1000+ on the regular cruiser bike. Cardio is as good or better than when I was running.
During the week, I also do Crossfit a couple of times, HIIT or functional weight training three times and Pilates 5-6 times. Plus my hobby is a sport that’s physical - usually I get to do that a couple of times a week. All do different things for me physically and mentally.