I've had my business downtown in a storefront for almost 3 years, in a town of about 8000. I am proud to be a small business owner and talked about it to whoever I could. I was happy to get a contract worker to work for me 40 hours a week.

I got a big head about it and strutted around town, bragging about how good business was. The chamber of commerce was glad to have me at first, and encouraged me to talk about it at their Friday morning breakfasts.... I was also arrogant and very rude to a couple of bank employees for reasons that made sense to me at the time, but was really uncalled for. I feel embarrassed about the arrogance I showed, and am really trying to pull back a little and just be a regular guy again. It got so bad, that one of the local business owner's accused me of thinking of myself as the president. No one really bought it, and I was harassed and mocked almost from the beginning. The extra help had only planned on staying a year, so he's gone now, and it's back to just me. That part is really no big deal to me, but people see it as a setback... The business is going fine, but I struggle to deal with the backlash caused by my behaviors.

I know I'm getting what I deserve, but I also have a business to run, and a wife and child to support.

What I really want help with, is the questions that sound innocent, but when I reflect upon them further, I suspect I'm being baited.
It's also frustrating to find that I'm under close scrutiny (at least it feels like I am), and that some people let me know that they think I'm a joke.

Anyone else been there?

The one positive is that it's helped me to see the flaws with myself and my business and this situation has given me the opportunity to work on those.