Something From Nothing, With Something To Share
Betrayal, it can hit you like a load of bricks falling from the sky, leaving you with a pit in your stomach that no pill can cure.
Starting your own business is hard enough, however when your inside people are working against you as well, it can make the toughest of souls weak at the knees.
Let me take you back a few years, and share a little story with you.
There I was, a fledgling in the corporate world, I had just quit my (steady) job and sold everything I had to venture out into entrepreneur life, when "it never could happen to me" happened.
My closest friend and business partner wiped out our bank account balance, leaving me with debt up to my eyeballs, and a lesson to be learned.
I come from one of those attitudes that believe that everything happens for a reason, so what could this reason be, I pondered?
It was tough; let me tell you - faced with the biggest crossroad of my life.
A failing business with no cash to save me, a close friend's betrayal, and two roads leading into separate directions.
One, Go after the person who did me wrong, obviously having a slam dunk case and would win in any court, or Two, use that same precious time and energy to focus in a more positive manner on rebuilding what I once had, and learn from the experience, if nothing else, what I would never tolerate again.
What would you do?
For myself, I chose the second of the two, knowing darned well, that by wasting my (thoughts and energy) on ways to get back at this person, and how I could make them suffer as I, there would be little left to focus on what really mattered most.
Creating the business model and dream that I had began on in the first place.
What made me take this route, you ask?
There is an old saying that goes 'many receive good advice, yet few actually profit from it.'
Since I chose to succeed, I went back and listen to all my old motivational tapes, thumbed through the books, and messages, got my focus back and quickly realized that we are all dealt obstacles in this world.
I mean, there will always be stumbling blocks in our lives, that's just part of life itself.
It's our "Attitude" toward these events that show the world who we are as a person.
For, it's been said: we learn more about someone on one bad day, then on all their good days put together.
Have you ever wondered why some people seem to always have drama in their lives, while others simply go with the flow? Or why one group of people are happy and content most the time, while some seem to only attract anger and chaos into their lives?
I believe it's because what we feel and how we see ourselves on the inside is the direct reflection on how we feel and see the world around us.
Someone once said to me, "we can't control our circumstances all the time, but we can control our attitude toward them." A true statement I know, but come on - I was stuck in a tight spot here.
So, there I was - with a BIG decision to make and decided to take on this challenge as just that.
A challenge.
I figured, if I could overcome this situation that seemed so grave at the time, and not only make it through it, but actually grew from it, perhaps, maybe - just maybe my business partner didn't fail me after all.
Here's what I did.
I moved on, and buried the past. I went into the office the next day, changed the locks on the door, rolled up my sleeves and never looked back.
It's amazing what a new coat of paint can do to a dreary old room, and that's what I did for my business and attitude toward it. Out with the old, and in with the new.
When I called all my customers and explained what had happened, you wouldn't believe the response. It was like a brotherhood of business people. Each person I spoke with having more advice that the last. It was strange how I felt all-alone, and ashamed for letting someone take advantage of me, while others saw me as a new start up, and simply green behind the ears. Remember, we all make mistakes.
There were many lessons learned that month, and I took the advice given to me by these people, by hiring the best accounting person I could find, and then one of the best of Tax firms to oversee their numbers as well.
By doing so, guess what happened?
My business rose to the highest of dimensions, allowing me to set my sights on growth rather than setbacks, and on the future rather than the past.
That was many, many years ago, the company became a corporation, and eventually the corporation was sold to another.
Now I find myself here, writing this story as if it were yesterday, remembering one of the greatest lessons I've learned.
In life - things will happen, both for the good and the bad. It's the way we handle these situations that make us who we are.
It's all right to feel anger; it's OK to sense pain, but in the end, when the story is written, which path will you have chosen?
Live in the past, or live FOR the future.
Best wishes, and what ever you do?
Keep smilin',
Gregory Scott Reid - The Millionaire Mentor
Gregory Scott Reid, #1 best-selling author, Speaker and Radio personality.
Please visit my site and sign up for my free monthly newsletter at http://www.AlwaysGood.com
Best wishes, and Keep smilin'....
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Business Planning Overview
The successful entrepreneur is generally more inclined, once a business idea is selected, to sharpen the concept by a detailed planning process. The result of this step is a comprehensive business plan, with its major components being the marketing "mix," the strategic plan, operational and logistical structures, and the financial proposal. The purpose of the business plan is to recognize and define a business opportunity, describe how that opportunity will be seized by the management team, and to demonstrate that the business is feasible and worth the effort.
Applying The Daffodil Theory into Business Practice
At times all of us need a bit of inspiration to add to our day. When I first read this
article, I had started my own home based business and was in a bit of a slump. This
inspirational story was exactly what helped spring me into action and keep on
going.
The 5 Senses of an Entrepreneur
If you have seen me speak you will know that I believe the word 'entrepreneur' is used way too much these days. People seem to wear it as a badge instead of just getting out there and doing entrepreneurial things.
Just because you run or own a successful business doesn't necessarily mean that you an entrepreneur.
An Entrepreneurs Challenge
Living in the twilight zone has its advantages. In the early days of starting my business, I found the limitations of living in a rural area to be restrictive. However, later I realized that those limitations were not an obstacle that could stop me; they were only a challenge that would strengthen me. Since my business would be smaller, I would have the advantage of fewer employees and less strife in the processes of doing business.
Meet Success: Business Profile of Sylvia Acevedo, Communicard Owner
Sylvia Acevedo needed a break from her technology job so she bought an old Victorian house to remodel into a bed and breakfast. "Being an engineer working in technology, I really felt I didn't do a lot of tangible work. But with the bed and breakfast, at the end of the day, I felt like I had actually done something."
PR That Entrepreneurs Often Overlook
If that sounds like you, here's what you may be missing once the new enterprise is launched
3 Essential Elements of Operating a Successful Business
Have you ever imagined what it would be like to live your dream? A good place to start would be to recognize that there are three elements, and only three elements, that separate success from failure. If you exercise one of the elements, you might just be successful. Two and you will probably succeed. Three, and you can practically guarantee your success.
Business Start Up Tips From Some Hearty Entrepreneurs
When's the last time someone asked you: "What's new?"
If you're starting or growing a business, an e-business, or a web site, the answer is: "Everything!" ? especially on the inside.
Outcomes - Thats What You Need to Focus On
Successful business owners and managers need to be very
clear about what outcomes they want.
Whether you call them goals, objectives or targets, these
are the factors that you're ultimately judged on.
Outcomes determine whether your business is a success or a
failure.
Oil Change Guys History; Part I
How do franchise companies come to be? How do they start. What type of a person or entrepreneur becomes a franchisor? Below is the story of how one small company became a franchisor in the mobile oil change business. The story is written from our point of view and opinion. We claim freedom of speech, of the press in its entirety since a good part of it is opinion based.
Think - Dont React
How you think, your relationship with yourself is what decides how well you communicate with your customers and relate to your team.
Leadership Attributes for Business Success
Business success is essentially the result of successful
leadership. Contrary to the popular myth, leaders are not
just born. Leadership skills can be learnt and developed.
A business is a distinct reflection of the leader, who may
be the owner or manager. A business is never successful
despite the leader, it is always successful or otherwise
because of the leader.
Vendor Relations
Communication is the key to vendor relations. In your small business, you will be in need of many products and services. Unfortunately, not every company that provides these products and services will have their act together as much as you do. You, as a small businessperson, were able to carefully study each purchase because it was your money. You knew exactly when, where, how and at what price you were willing to partake in those purchases. Not all vendors you deal with will have such savvy folks working for them.
Solo Mojo for Solo Entrepreneurs --- Where?s Your Juice?
I recently read a magazine article about Andrew, a 42-year old businessman. He gave up a demanding law practice in the Northeast, moved South to launch a new furniture and interior-design store, and wrote his first fiction novel in the midst of that transition. He persevered with his passion for writing, buoyed by the love and support of his family, by drafting ten pages daily for two years. Since the completion of his novel, he started a new advertising business and is co-authoring a non-fiction tale on top of his other interests.
How To Find Focus And Turn Your Talent Into A Thriving Professional Business
There are tons of books and articles available to help professionals start up their business, but few that give practical insights on how to nurture your business once it's out of its infancy. At some point, every self-employed professional reaches the same dilemma: how to build a strong brand and grow their business without taking on too many clients, undervaluing their expertise, or sacrificing their lifestyle.
Do You Have What it Takes to be a Successful Entrepreneur?
Print off this page, take the quiz and find out if you've got what it takes! See the scale at the bottom to mark yourself.
Executive Suites - A Way To Save Cash
Cash is one of the most important resources to a new business. One of the best ways to conserve cash for a startup business that is in need of office space is to rent an executive suite rather than to rent traditional office space. Most people don't even know this little secret. In fact, most people don't even know what an executive suite is.
Starting a Company on a Shoe-String Budget
A lot of people never start businesses because they believe they don't have enough money to do so. Unfortunately, these same people don't realize that many of the world's most successful companies were started on a shoe-string budget by an entrepreneur with limited resources. Below is a list of tips to help you save money when you're first starting a company: Manage your finances in MS Excel, not Quickbooks.
Manage your contacts in MS Outlook, not ACT.
Get free legal and accounting advice from law/business students or lawyers/accountants who are willing to do pro-bono (free) work.
Look for and join organizations that support youth entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Hire unpaid interns and make their job exciting.
Partner with somebody instead of paying them.
Use credit cards.
Get free, professional advice from SCORE, Teachers, and Professors.
Get investments from family and friends.
Find organizations who incubate startup companies or companies who might have office space that might be willing to let an aspiring entrepreneur use it. Perhaps, your school will let you use their copy machines and phone lines.
Swap services with a company instead of paying them.
Learn how to do graphic design and web design yourself. If you have these two skills, the startup costs of every business you have in the future will be dramatically reduced.
Competing With The Big Dogs
You run a small consultancy. You're well qualified, experienced and dedicated. Yet you can't get a meeting with the corporate decision-maker.
Will Your Business Survive Without You?
I had a health scare in December.
|