Before achieving success, entrepreneurship, and failure often go hand in hand. Getting started and not giving up are more related than you think. Everybody has a story. But Legends… before becoming a Legend, these entrepreneurs had the guts to start and the will to persevere. They were often unconventional but refused to call it quits and reached new heights. Here are seven inspiring stories.
No matter how an entrepreneur gets started in life – a happy, easy beginning… a rough beginning… a beginning that tested the very heart and soul of the young person they were…
They took that first step. And what then? Every founder’s story is different. Their hurdles were different. The length of time was different. The common theme: they did not give up. Perseverance was key.
Legends Don’t Quit.
7 Legends. In no particular order of amazement.
- Howard Schultz
- 50 Cent
- Charlize Theron
- Larry Ellison
- Tyler Perry
- Oprah Winfrey
- Simon Cowell
Blockbusters change up their game, yes. Such founders have setbacks, sure. Many. Like MANY. They might overinvest. They might underinvest. They might wait too long. But they commit. They arise. Maybe they try an unconventional approach. Maybe they are spurred by innovation, or a desire to win a Nobel prize. Whatever their personal reason, they get up, the show up day after day, and THEY KEEP GOING, until their target market embraces their idea, allowing them to transform and reach new heights.
They have a burning desire to succeed! They start with an idea – a consumer need – a problem to solve – and then they create a solution. While getting through the early stages of new business, they may not feel secure. They may or may not feel like an inventor, or an engineer or a CEO along the way. Their credibility, their clout and influence – and pay back – most often come later. They are all illustrative of great idea backed by great decision making and a successful launch.
Everybody’s story is special. Everybody’s story is different. Know this. Then get started.
TAKE ACTION. Leave the comfort zone.
Success isn’t all about hustle. The hustle is a dance, in case you don’t know. So do the dance, make the effort, sure, but No, your ultimate success is not just about effort. It’s Effort+
The effort includes gaining business knowledge and then using that knowledge to plan, then taking your belief to the next level.
“I failed: but I did the hustle. I got an A for Effort.”
Effort is incredibly important, but effort alone doesn’t pay the bills. You gotta keep going. Stumbling is normal. After you stumble, you breathe, you bellyache if you want to, but then you stand back up and move forward.
A failure to plan is planning to fail.
DO NOT accept this fact when it’s too late. You know those sayings, “you don’t know what you didn’t know,” and “hindsight is 20/20.” Old saying are sayings for a reason.
Do not learn everything the hard way.
FAILURE
So what’s this about stumbling?
It’s tough to maintain your confidence when you are on your butt, on your knees, berating yourself, all busy losing confidence…
Insert pic1 stumbling
Stumbling is normal. Expect it.
So you fell. Won’t be the first time. What are you saying to yourself? “I’m stupid,” “I didn’t try hard enough,” “I am a failure?”
Stop. No. Give yourself credit. In the beginning, after multiple failures, and all along the way, it’s about the planning – the due diligence. The homework, and the continuation of that planned effort. The lessons you’ll learn are invaluable. Planning determines where you invest energy and dollars and the execution required. Your planned outcome is a breakthrough and the story about your successful career!
If you thought there was no work in this “I want to be an entrepreneur” thing? If you thought it was easy? Thought you were done learning? Thought you knew it all?
Um yeah, well, you were wrong. Another Fact. Accept it. Then get ready or get going. Not a joke. If you are not ready, come back when you are. It’s your business. You determine the timing.
Do know, every time you plan, it’s not about failure, being wrong or starting over.
Planning is a basic part of both a fledgling and successful business. It’s about:
- adding to your plan
- developing your next step
- your next set of moves
You are at the helm, and your plan is adjusted all along the way. You’ll be met with inefficiency and could even find yourself in precarious position. That’s true of every business. Life changes. Resources change. Consumer mindsets and needs change. You are simply doing the hustle. It’s good. It’s necessary. It’ll keep your brain going, your creative juices flowing, and keeps the fun alive.
THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT IS TOUGH
Take it from proven success stories. In addition to being Incredibly Inspirational – these people have at least one other thing in common – over the years – not days – over the Many Years – they didn’t give up.
These 7 individuals created their own magic.
How many more such individuals exist? MILLIONS – INCLUDING YOU.
Stumbling is normal. Expect it.
So you fell. Won’t be the first time. What are you saying to yourself? “I’m stupid,” “I didn’t try hard enough,” “I am a failure?”
Stop. No. In the beginning, after a stumble, and all along the way, it’s all about the planning – the due diligence. The homework and the continuation of that planned effort, where your investment in energy and dollars is put toward the tasks that matter and drive a planned outcome.
If you thought there was no work in this “I want to be an entrepreneur” thing? If you thought it was easy? Thought you were done learning? Thought you knew it all?
Um yeah, well, you were wrong. Another Fact. Accept it. Then get ready or get going. Not a joke. If you are not ready, come back when you are. It’s your business. You determine the timing.
Do know every time you plan, it’s not about failure, being wrong, or starting over.
Planning is a basic part of a successful business.
It’s about:
- adding to your plan
- developing your next step
- your next set of moves
Your plan is adjusted all along the way. That’s true of every business. Life changes. Resources change. Consumer mindsets and needs change. You are simply doing the hustle. It’s good. It’s necessary. It’ll keep your brain going, your creative juices flowing, and keeps the fun alive.
Take it from proven success stories. In addition to being Incredibly Inspirational – these people have at least one other thing in common – over the years – not days – over the Many Years – they didn’t give up.
These 7 individuals created their own magic.
How many more such individuals exist? MILLIONS – INCLUDING YOU.
Ever been turned down and wanted to quit? Ever been turned down 5 times? Count to 217. One by one. Do it. Feel it. 217. And now we have Starbucks.
Feel like a lost cause? Feel like you can’t rise above your circumstances? He discovered his talent, started small and kept going.
Her dream was shattered. Which dream? Exactly.
No family support. No, “you can do anything, son.” He didn’t know exactly what to start. Now, all we can say is “wow.”
His movies (and so much more) make us smile and laugh… and they teach us something about life. How easy it would have been for a person in these circumstances to never start in the first place – maybe easy for those who don’t have “it” inside them. Do you have “it?” You know you do. Let Tyler Perry inspire you!
Do. Yes. Do. Please. Cry me a river. Absorb all it has to offer. Then use that strength and fortitude to build yourself a bridge and get over it. You’re worth it. This world needs you.
In a word. Just one word. And it happens to be her name. Oprah.
SOLVE A PROBLEM
Got a problem? Got a hidden talent? Not sure of where you’re going? Need to move back home? Maybe you never moved out? First of all, thank your parents. Now, put all those gifts to good use. Simon Cowell did.
Lesson learned: No frills, No literal lightning bolt, No magic needed.
Speaking of talent, creativity – and brains – thank you @infused.xyz for opening our eyes to the stories of such incredible humans. Humans. Like you. Check out their posts for additional inspiration.
Now back to you.
You know it won’t be easy. You know it’s worth it though.
What’s next:
VENTURE OUT
HOW TO GET STARTED?
Ever hear the saying, “you know what you know?”
Or “you don’t know what you don’t know?”
Start there.
Take the idea for your product or service and create your business plan and consider:
- What you know
- Want to know
- Need to know
- What you know you do not know
What you don’t know you don’t know, will kick your butt at some point. How hard?
Depends upon the extent your research and planning and if you earned an A for effort.
Start your entrepreneurship journey!
Start anywhere – just start.
What’s your reality? What are you working with? What’s factual? What’s theoretical? Where are you going?
- Generate ideas.
- Know your industry. Consider consumer adoption. Consider sustainability.
- What idea can you advance? As a customer, how it would improve your life?
- What are your obstacles?
Your choice. Maybe…
- Start reading. Get your facts straight – who, how, what space you need, & the costs.
- Start with a whiteboard and write down all of your thoughts.
- Start with the end in mind.
- Start by describing your ideal situation.
- Start with the many notes you’ve jotted down and put them together like a puzzle.
Do your research. You’ve done some. Then, Do MORE.
Create your business plan.
1) Knowing your reality, 2) Doing your research, and 3) Creating your plan are the most important steps to take when you are starting out. These 3 steps work hand in hand. They develop and change as your business grows and changes.
What’s research? Research tells you about your market, the cost of bringing your product to market, and helps you determine the steps you’ll take. You must know how you are developing this product and who is going to buy it.
Even if money was no object and/or if you are donating the product or service, fine, but you still must know who needs, will need and/or wants, or will want, your product; then you need to know how you are delivering it to them. (of course there’s a lot more – but you need a starting point.)
This is not rocket science. Create a basic business plan:
- Take out whatever you are comfortable writing on – paper, your laptop, whatever.
- Download a form. Use ours. Make your own.
There are many beautiful forms, lots of fancy words, and you can pay for them and for assistance in doing this. You can. You do not have to. You do not need to.
Again – no mystery here. No magic. Nothing to buy. No special way to do anything.
YOU JUST NEED TO DO IT. Get your details captured in pen or some sort of text. See it.
Now:
- Look for the holes. Have answers to every basic “how will I” question.
- Then look for the holes.
- Fill them.
- Then look for hurdles.
- Objectively determine how you’ll get over them.
EVERYONE IS SMART ENOUGH TO DO THIS. School, No school. Experience, No experience.
Formal education, and job and life experience all help a great deal IF you apply what you learned.
Use it or don’t, but no excuses.
Start writing.
Complicate it all later, but for today – consider your business as a full-time job and give your plan some consideration. Figure out a new way to solve the problem and just start writing. It’s your roadmap. Your future success will stem from your business plan.
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