I love reading storied about how people started their businesses. It’s great to read about the lessons they learnt, the mistakes they made (that’s the best way to learn) and how something grew from a glimmer of a concept in someone’s mind to a large self-sufficient organisation.
Today I came across a post called: Belisi – How it Started which is all about how a fashion designer (Peter Belisi), made the transition from bartending to the fashion market. I think the most poignant part is the drive that Peter had:
Struggling to support my wife and newborn baby with no savings, I wanted to start a business; to do something I enjoy and provide a better life for my family.
That pretty much sums it all, the determination that an individual has to better himself and provide a better future for his family. Some strike it lucky, others not so lucky; Peter seems to be one of the lucky ones. But this sort of luck doesn’t just fall out of the sky. My boss Garth once shared some wisdom with me. He said:
Yes, I was lucky, but I worked darn hard to become this lucky.
Luck isn’t all you need in business, perseverance, raw determination and instinctive leadership skills are also critical factors that no entrepreneur should be without.