Unstoppable You - A personal story
My story:
My entrepreneurial spirit began early in life when I rode my Red Flyer wagon around the neighborhood collecting pop bottles for the bottle deposit. Winters were spent shoveling sidewalks, selling seeds and mowing lawns. This continued into adulthood, and while at college I worked in a lumber yard. When the manager left, I approached the owner and asked for the management position. This meant that at the age of 23 I took the reins and turned it into a money maker for the owner by boldly taking the initiative in finding ways to increase profits.
Points to Ponder:
Overcoming fear starts with the first step
Look for opportunities - each one leads to the next
Don't be afraid of stepping up to the plate
Initiative leads to boldness - the results larger paychecks
Later in life I found myself working in construction sales. Again, when the sales manager left the company, I stepped up and asked for the position. It happened, and it allowed me to expand my knowledge, skills and understanding of what it takes to be successful in this endeavor. Curiously, I learned that it's just as easy to close the big deals as it is to close the small ones. In the end, my team and I secured $2.8 million in contracts within 9 months.
Points to ponder:
We all sell ourselves - if you don't ask nothing happens
Growth takes place when we invest into ourselves
Big deals are just as easy as little ones - it's a mindset
Then things took a turn, and it was time to strike out on my own. I started my own business as an architect. It was a whole new experience; all my failures and successes took me to a whole new level. I started my architectural practice four different times in different parts of the western US. The first time was in Southern California, the second and third were in Southern Utah and Northern Utah. My most recent experience was in the Northwest. Each time I gained invaluable experience and deepened my understanding of what it takes to run a successful business.
Points to ponder:
First things First - everything is important
Remember failure leads to success
If you can do it once it's repeatable - Experience is the best teacher
My last experience in the States was setting up a precious metals buying company. Of all the businesses I have built, I am most proud of the last one. I worked in the industry to get a good understanding of what it would take to turn it into my own business. Once I had deciphered what it would take, I found a partner and went out and found the right location and went straight in. The reason this business was so successful was because of the due diligence that was put into it. Knowing that it's all about timing, I took a bold step. The success of this deal depended on getting investors on board. I spent a lot of time putting together a well thought out business plan. It worked! Within 3 months of trading, the business was in the black financially. We ended up with 3 sites and big plans. The unfortunate part was that one of my partners became a problem. I learnt a very important point when going into business, be very careful who you choose as a business partner.
Points to ponder:
Do your due diligence - Investors are paying attention
Creating a business plan - It's like taking out a Insurance plan it leads to business success
Choose your partners carefully - In all areas of life
Fast forward to the present, having spent the last 10 years teaching, I realized that the sum of my past experiences could help others with their own businesses. For the last four years I've had the unique opportunity to travel around Europe teaching English to professionals. More often than not, I would find myself discussing my own past experiences in business. I realized that these experiences qualified me to move in a new direction. Over the last few years, I have made a conscious decision to become a business coach. Now it's time to apply everything I've learnt throughout my life so that I can use my knowledge and experience to help others.
Points to ponder:
Perseverance counts - Success can come at any time.
What ever you put out - comes back tenfold
The past doesn't equate the future - keep moving forward
Conclusion:
It's interesting as I look back over each experience, failure, success, there is one thing in common. At the end of each experience was a certain amount of pain. Twice I had no control of the outcome, yet I pressed forward. Failure doesn't come in a neatly wrapped package, it is messy. Yet, I chose to pick myself back up and move forward. The last time was due to the fact that I understood it wasn't what I truly wanted. It was a conscious choice. Life is full of bumps and mountains to climb yet I decided it was worth it. Be careful what you choose to focus on, keep moving forward, life is short. Don't regret the past - Live it to it's fullest.
Link to Business Coaching package: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/gold-standard-unstoppable-you-business-coaching-english-steve-hague
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