At the other side

It is not the first time that I begin or try to begin my own business. I actually have tried four times and this is the fifth one. I never registered these experiences and maybe this is a good chance to do it.

The first time that I tried to star my own business was two months after I returned from my mission, it was on January 2010, and it was about ice-cream distribution. The second one was a little company of cleaning services for offices and big houses. They both totally failed. I know perfectly why I failed and what I had to have done different; I have pondered a lot about those experiences, and for now I don't want to deepen to much in that, but what I can say is that there was a constant thought and feeling in me while I was doing those two businesses: I was thinking too much in not to fail and I was very afraid of doing so. Now, I think that if my thinking would have been better how to succeed and imagine the feeling of achievement, probably my results would have changed too. I attracted those results.

Then, some friends introduced me to the Network Marketing or MLM, and this is how I started-up the third business, with a company named Xango. At the beginning I was really excited, and I was very determined to succeed. I loved the system of MLM, I remember that I read many books about it, among them; a book of Robert Kiyosaki named The School of Business. I really did match with MLM because I think it has a lot to do with my personality. I consider myself a person who focuses his energy into people and that his main concern in life is for the well-being of their friends and MLM has a lot to do with that. So I had some sort of success but not the one that I was expecting. I found that I was really convinced with Network Marketing but not with the product, so it was being very hard for me to persuade people to work with something that I didn’t believe in. Among with those friends an opportunity was presented to us to participate in the birth of a new MLM company named ZOWA, and this is how we started with the fourth business. It was a company of water purifiers that worked with ozone.  Due to we were very involved with the first important events of the company, we had to put a little more of our own money and I even took a debt with a bank. Suddenly, we had a very bad new; the business associate producer was reselling the same purifiers with other brand and with a lower price out of the proper agreed network. It was a tremendous hit to the company, and meanwhile it was being restructured and they looked for a different producer; we couldn’t continue working, so I didn’t have where to bring money out and that is how I ended up working at Herbalife; another MLM company, but me in the other side of the desk.   

I took the job because I felt that it would be the safest way to have money and pay my debt.  I remember how I felt, like if I were betraying my dreams and killing my goals, but I also didn´t feel enough confidence to start over again. It had been four failures in a row! I started wondering if I would really be capable to start a business, I started doubting it a lot. But I also didn´t feel comfortable behind of a desk with no excitement and nine hours just sited there – I am not saying that it is wrong or bad, simply, that’s not me!- I started feeling very anxious and I even gain weight (like 23 pounds) and again I was so afraid. Finally, I resisted one year and five months working at Herbalife, there was a point in the journey when I noticed that I could take advantage of being there, so I could learned a lot of business methods, leadership, marketing, human resources, time management and client service. It was great!

The last Wednesday, on April 30, 2014, I made the last payment of my debt (I owed a lot); that same day I went to my boss’ office and I renounced.  Time before I knew that I was doing it, so I left all prepared. My last day working was on Friday. That day I was coming home, walking through the road to get here, carrying a box with all my stuff (papers, ornamentation, medicines, just stuff) and I started having that feeling of excitement and looking forward to know what is coming on. I like to think that I was actually carrying in that box my dreams and illusions and that I’m giving them an opportunity again.

During this week the lessons helped me to believe again.  Randy Pauch mentioned in his last lecture that “the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show us how badly we want something and to let us show our dedication.” I will let myself be the person in the other side of that wall.    

Beginning the Journey

I am so excited to start with this class and with this journey. Taking this class has matched perfectly with the stage of my life that I’m living. I am about to start again the adventure of starting my own business and I feel so happy because I am finding that the course will be a perfect guideline for my start-up.

The activities of this week, even it was the introduction week, were very inspiring; specifically, the video activities. I was watching the videos at eCorner and the speaker, Guy Kawasaki, helped me to remember my purposes, so it helped me to feel more confident with my decision of trying again building a business. He said (I paraphrase) – whatever you’re doing do ti for passion, do it because you love it. Don’t do it just because you want to be rich; it has to be about changing the world!-

“Changing the world”… That phrase mad wonder: The business that I’m doing can really change an impact people’s lives? What is the real deep motivation in my heart to create wealth?

Definitely, for me, it is about helping others and having the time to serve better God’s children. I found when I was in my mission that it was the action that really made feel complete and happy.

I feel so blessed with this course, in the very first day it helped me to remember and set steadier my foundations for this journey; it only remains to GO FOR IT!