I took the bus today. Well, home. I got a ride to my AM meeting on Franklin St, walked to my MFA class, and at 4pm ZW caught the CW back to DSI Headquarters. It was great. I didn’t need to take the bus. I could have driven myself, paid for parking and drove home, but I chose to get a ride and take the bus.

Now up until recently my life was dependent on rides, bus schedules and rental cars; I did not have my own car from July 2000 – April 2010. Four years of that was in Chicago, but the last 6 were a personal choice so that I could focus and bootstrap DSI Comedy Theater. I moved back to North Carolina in April 2004 and decided (after completely mastering Chicago public transit**) I didn’t need a car, that I could forego the car payment and insurance, which would allow me to manage my expenses and be strategic about my time.

It was hard for friends and clients to wrap their heads around ME, the owner of a local business, not owning a car. But it paid off. The theater was able to weather a couple very difficult years because I worked to keep business and personal overhead as low as possible. And when I did make the decision to get a car my time without one (and my HIPPIE town) influenced my choice. I got a prius. The Ninja. And I love it.

I’m curious what personal sacrifices you’ve made to get ahead in business. Where can you make changes in your daily schedule to give just 10 extra hours per week to develop your passion? How can you manage your expenses to bootstrap and afford to see your dream take off? Startups take the bus. What do you do?

** I only fell asleep on the 22 (Clark Bus) ONCE, Just once. I’ll probably tell that story soon.