Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

When did the light bulb turn on in your head that you were cut out to be an entreprenuer?

Entreprenuers are different. Just watch the Trump show and you`ll know. But you know already ... otherwise, you wouldn`t even be here.

Thought I`d start this thread so fellow SuN members can share their "light bulb" moments. Only fair I should start. Here ya go:

It was when I was twelve years of age. 1963. I had been cutting grass for pay for a couple of years. I had regular customers. Business was growing. In `63, I couldn`t keep up with demand for my services. So I hired that year about 3 helpers. That season, I netted about $2000 (research the average wage during that year ... it was a lot of money for a 12 year old kid).

The light bulb went off. I knew I was cut out to own my own business one day. It took about 25 more years before I made the first giant leap ... but during that time I was preparing and researching and getting myself ready to do IT.

I honestly believe entreprenuers are born. How? I don`t know. Maybe with all of this new gene research they will discover the "whys."

What was your "light bulb" moment?

Let`s hear from everyone. Share. It`s fun!

R@

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Richard Arnold · Key Concept Writers · Business Communication: The "Key" To Success· Law of Attraction Blog · Life Ain`t Brain Surgery Blog

I was about 10 years old and I saved my money from cutting grass and ran an ad in the paper instructing them to send me $5 to teach them how to start their own lawn cutting business.

I received 8 letters in the mail, all containing $5 buckaroos...

At that moment, I realized it was much easier to make money running ads, versus cutting grass and decided to learn mail order. I took my money and purchased the book "How to Get Rich in Mail Order" by Melvin Powers.

When I got out of high school I joined the Air Force. It was then I realized I didn`t want to work for anybody.

So while in the service, I spent all my money learning mail order. I spent every last penny running ads on everything imaginable just to test and see what happened. There were times I made a ton of money and then there were times when I was trying to figure out how I`d eat the next day

It was then I realized I was hooked! It became an obsession

Cartess

I am not sure I had a lightbulb moment.  I think my light just got brighter over time.  In every job I had, I always ended up in management of some sort, but always middle management, where I had to buffet the workers from upper management or vice versa.

I could never really manage the way I wanted to, but I couldn`t let the workers know that I didn`t agree with what I had to tell them to do or how to do it.  I love mangement, but I wanted the opportunity to do it my way where I could contribute to the success of the individuals, not just get the work done.

Now, I have no one to manage but myself, and it works out pretty well.

Kind of along these lines, I am curious as to where entrepreneurs fall in line in birth order.  Does birth order have an effect on desire to be an entrepreneur?

I`m a middle child with three older siblings and two younger.

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The Anniversary Shop, online store for traditional and modern anniversary gifts Plug-In Profit Site Work at Home Ideas and Opportunities

This goes to the "entrepreneurs are born, not made" idea, which I happen to agree with. LOL! I was about 8 and marched into the kitchen one afternoon to tell my mother she had to bake chocolate chip cookies. Because I wanted them.

She marched me right back out again, and "suggested" that I come in with a better way of asking. Little did I know it was a lesson in sales pitch.

Anyway, she made the cookies and I helped. But at that moment, I realized that if I wanted cookies whenever I felt like it, I`d better learn how to make them myself.

From that point forward, I`ve always remembered that lesson. If I want something whenever I want it, then I`d better go out and get it, build it, cook it, bake it, or otherwise make it for myself. As soon as I was old enough, I got a paper route so I`d have the money to buy candy, comics, slingshots, and other weaponry. Plus, I wanted my own little portable TV. (Never bought all that, `cause I liked having the money instead!) :-)

I hated the idea of being dependent on my mom for chocolate chip cookies. So too, I never liked being dependent on someone else`s opinion of what was good or bad, for my paycheck.