Introduction: My Entrepreneurial Journey
I started my entrepreneurial journey rather early, tracing it back to my third-grade adventures where the first taste of enterprise seeped into my life. This journey has been quite the ride with its share of highs, lows, lessons, and triumphs.
Seeds of Entrepreneurship
It all began in elementary school when I inadvertently sold a picture drawn by my friend to another classmate. Realizing that I could get my friend to draw more pictures that I could sell, I found myself delving into the realm of entrepreneurship. The idea of generating profit from a simple exchange fascinated me. Thus, my entrepreneurial journey started on a school playground.
As I grew older, I gained more exposure to the world of selling through my parents. They ran summer fireworks stands and craft fairs, where I learned the art of retail. My mother taught me how to properly count change back to customers, a skill that left people amazed when executed by a young boy. While I wouldn’t categorize my parents as entrepreneurs in the traditional sense, their side hustles laid a foundation for my understanding of business operations.
My Entrepreneurial Journey From Lawn Care to Religion
In my teenage years, I launched my own lawn care business, expanding it to include painting, landscaping, and all-around home maintenance. After high school, I chose to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Mexico, where I learned the art of selling a religion. This experience taught me that convincing people to believe in something is indeed a form of selling, and it significantly sharpened my persuasion skills.
The Sandwich Shop and Marketing Career
Returning home, I joined a friend’s lawn care company and helped expand it to its maximum capacity. After its sale, I embarked on another venture – opening a sandwich shop adjacent to a local high school. Simultaneously, I undertook marketing clients, replicating our lawn care business’s success. This decision eventually led me to leave my day job and dive headfirst into marketing, leading to the birth of Morphed Tech, a software development firm.
The Reality of Entrepreneur‘s Journey
Despite the thrill of my entrepreneurial journey, I soon realized that entrepreneurship was more demanding than liberating. The illusion of working less and having more control over my time quickly shattered as I found myself toiling longer hours for less pay compared to a conventional job. This lifestyle took a toll on my personal life, causing strains in my marriage that we had to navigate together.
Essential Traits for the Entrepreneur’s Journey
If I were to distill my experiences into entrepreneurial wisdom, I’d highlight three crucial traits: unwavering work ethic, courage to ask, and consistently over-delivering. These are the cornerstones that have underpinned my entrepreneurial journey.
Why Entrepreneurs Should Put Family First On Their Journey
Prioritizing family is another crucial lesson that my entrepreneurial journey has ingrained in me. Initially, I struggled to balance work and family, but over time, I learned to choose my family over potential clients or extra revenue. While this choice slows down business growth, it prevents irreparable damage to my personal relationships.
The Entrepreneurs Journey Thrives on Over-Delivering and Constant Learning
Consistently over-delivering, combined with continual learning, is a strategy I’ve found beneficial. I aim to always do more than expected, which creates happy, loyal clients. In addition, I prioritize health, exercise, and continued education to stay sharp and ready for the challenges of my entrepreneurial journey.
Sharing My Entrepreneurial Journey
I share my journey in the hopes of resonating with budding entrepreneurs and helping them understand the realities of entrepreneurship. My stories offer lessons, guidance, and the reassurance that you are not alone in the challenges you face.
Conclusion
Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart, but the journey, with all its hardships and triumphs, can be rewarding. I hope my entrepreneurial journey provides insights to aspiring entrepreneurs and equips them with realistic expectations and the courage to embark on their own journey.
