The Journey of an Entrepreneur…Doing Whatever it Takes

The Journey of an Entrepreneur…Doing Whatever it Takes

I don’t remember exactly when I decided I wanted to be an entrepreneur, but I do know that being surrounded by them while working at the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce sparked my interest in business.  I was always fascinated by the different kinds of businesses people had and why they decided to get into that line of work.

From the outside looking in and with little business experience it seemed so…well…glamorous.  I’d meet people and they’d tell me that they owned “XYZ Company” and I would immediately have a certain respect for them.  I mean, they owned a business…how cool is that!!  I quickly learned how easy it was to start a business and call yourself an entrepreneur.  Who knew that setting up a corporation only took about ten minutes and a few clicks of a button. Yep, simply starting a business is easy.

Actually running a successful business?  Well, that’s a different story.

I started talking to entrepreneurs about their journey.  How did they start their business and what do they do every day to ensure its success.  This is how I finally discovered the truth.  I learned that some people had a business, worked like a maniac and still barely made enough to survive.  I met people who somehow managed to build a reputation as a successful entrepreneur, but discovered that they were all talk.  I was also fortunate enough to meet truly successful entrepreneurs.  The ones who worked hard, endured many challenges, never quit and built a sustainable business.

I’m always meeting people who talk about starting a business.  They have an idea and they want it to happen right now.  They want all of the circumstances to be perfect.  You know…enough capital to get started, a huge network of people who will immediately purchase your product or service, an awesome website with the latest technology and while we’re at it let’s throw in office space with a gorgeous view.  Clearly if we all waited for the perfect conditions to start a business, we’d probably never get started.

I just read this article What Are You Willing to Do to Launch Your Business from Entrepreneur Magazine and it’s a great (and quick)read.  It’s true, entrepreneurs don’t always want to talk about the challenging times they go through and admit to having to work a job while getting their venture off the ground, but it’s important for aspiring entrepreneurs to know that things aren’t always going to be bubble gum and roses.  Things will get tough, but as long as you keep going, never quit and believe in the power of your ideas, you’ll get there.  And then your story will help lift someone else up at the exact moment they need something inspiring to get them back on track.

What does your journey look like?  What challenges did you encounter (or maybe you’re going through them now) and what did you do to keep going?  Comment below.  🙂

 

Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net