Inspirational story for 2013

As we go into 2013 there is a true story I have to share with you. I have commented on it already but based on even more recent developments, I think I should expand it.

About 2 years ago I spoke to someone who was an office help, and told her that she should think about starting her own business. At the time she kept saying she wanted to get another job as her contract would soon be up. I kept talking to her and told her that what she would earn rom a job would be insignificant in comparison to having her own independent income. This is a fundamental principle mentioned in the book “Achieving Life’s Equilibrium”, as it is truly the only way to true financial independence.

If you think about it this person had everything working against being a business person. She was not highly formally educated, has always had a job, was a typical person who splurged on new hairstyles and nails every week, and just was not thinking about any form of business.

She eventually came to me about 9 months ago and said she wanted to try her own business but had no capital. As I also explained in the book, I told her that capital was overrated. I sat down with her and discussed what she had a passion for, and she said it was food, as she thought that she could start a business with food. I then explained to her that she should start with no overheads and start small.

Therefore guided her to start with selling slices of a cake. So she started her business with one cake. She did that for about two weeks and then moved to two cakes, then three, and so forth. What it did was to transform her way of thinking, as she stooped going to the hairdresser frequently, as she said she needed to save capital for her business. She also (through discussions with me) started to think about new business ventures. Every day she would come to me and talk to me about a different idea she had. Soon her business expanded to the point where she was dealing with different products, her customer base is growing, and she is now making more money than when she was under contract.

I saw her recently and she has got a mortgage to purchase a piece of land and is starting to build her own home soon. She currently lives in the inner city but says that she wants to move, not because she is ashamed of where she is from. She says that there is a lot of business potential there but what kills it is the violence and the many young boys just sitting on the corner everyday. She says that the environment is disrupting her ability to expand.

I expect that soon she will be looking to hire someone to assist her as she is extremely busy these days and pops in to see me only to discuss new ideas and get guidance as to how to approach her business.

I truly am proud of her, as the transformation has been nothing less than magnificent. I have spoken to many well educated persons, who have been in financial trouble and they were not able to overcome. Why. Because of an attitude and just believing and having the discipline to realize goals.

I am trying to get her to tell her story but she is shy about doing so. I am sure that one day she will be contributing to the employment of the country and paying her taxes as she is organizing her company affairs now.