Motivational stories for entrepreneurs

The cosmetics saleswoman who didn't practice her profession.

For many years I heard successful people say that patience and perseverance were the keys to reach the top.

I also heard my family asking me why I had not found a "decent" job.

My grandma always found the way to talk about my graduate cousins who were already working in "well-known" enterprises.

"She did know how to do the things", she told me once, referring to an older cousin.

«She did? », I thought.

"She has a car, a house and a steady job..." she continued.

I know she did not want to be mean, she did not want to hurt me maybe she only wanted me to "reconsider" the idea of looking for a job.

"The thing is that you need social security to have a good future, what are you going to do when you get old?"

«Millionaire», I thought.

I wanted to scream out loud but I kept my mouth shut and I let her lecture me.

I clearly knew my cousin who had "the perfect life", hated her job, but mostly her coworkers who made her life impossible, because she had told me so but she had a car, her own house, and a permanent job. Her calmness and her future were sold, I mean, safe.

Every time we had family reunions, they always end up talking about jobs, which was irritating to me.

"I work in the Human Resources Area...". "I work in a customs department...". "I work in the tourism sector...". "I am the executive in a bank...". "I am a newspaper editor...".

"And you?". They could not wait to ask me.

"I am a cosmetic seller", I answered a bit ashamed and intimidated.

"But... did not you study to be....".

"Yes, I have a degree in economics," I rushed the somewhat hostile response.

"Yeah right, so... how is that business going?"

They never criticized me (not in my face at least), I saw their faces: they thought: «poor her», they probably saw me as a pathetic girl but it was normal, I guess, everyone has this idea of getting a degree and then working their whole life; the fact that I didn't exercise my career was a mortal sin and I deserved to be poor, to be criticized and to hold the unworthy title of "black sheep" of my family.

Years went by and I was still sweating cold every time I was asked about my job while they rejoiced for the same reason.

I worked silently, some days I did not have nothing to eat and others I used to spent the whole night awake trying to think how to solve something, how to make it better, how to be a better seller, how to have new clients or how not to lose one.

I learned a little bit of everything: design, marketing, sales, accounting, administration and so much more.

One day, I arrived at my grandmother's house in my Shelby Mustang GT500. two years had passed since my last visit; the one which I promised myself that I would come back to «shut some mouths», but with actions.

My grandma's husband was watching through the window and announced to everyone who the surprise visit was.

"How? In that car?". Someone asked surprised.

I entered and greeted everyone with so much joy. I really had missed them so bad.

I seemed to be under interrogation: "how did you do it?". "What do you do?". "What's your car's model and brand?". "How much did it cost to you?". "Where do you live?". "How much did your house cost?". "How come you're your own boss?".

"Pass the recipe!".

"Well, it turns out that I did build my own fortune selling cosmetics. And now I can tell that it's not about what you sell, it's not about your profession but the effort you put on it. It is about all the hours you spent thinking how to become better at that, simple as that...".

As I said: I heard successful people say that the key of success were patience and perseverance and I heard my family say that there was nothing better than a steady job to be secure. Needless to say who I heard and who was right.

Every entrepreneur dreams about the day when he is able to demonstrate that was right, the day people ask: "How did you do it? And just answer: "I had already told you but you did not believe me".

That day you achieve your dreams. That day you turn around and realized that the suffering was worth it. That day you dreamt about for months and years. That day you visualized night after night and day after day.

I am going to tell you something: that day DOES exist.