Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

How many of you have that deep rooted nagging feeling that you absolutely have to start your business?

Sometimes I let doubt get in my way. I`m 24 year-old student who has had a bad past with credit (like many college students do). It has hurt me, but I believe that some lessons are best learned by experience.

I came up with the idea of my business while in the heart of my credit reconstruction. Now, I`m trying to rebuild my financial life, and I`m starting a business?

I don`t know how it works for you all, but my nervous feelings about whether or not I can handle starting a business are always overcome by the feelings that I am sitting on an unbelievable idea. I don`t wake up EVERY morning with a killer instince for competition and thick resilient skin for rejection... however, my thirst for accomplishment keeps me overcoming enough of my difficulty to try try try.

I guess what I`m saying is this; when all is said and done, do you feel that your ambition and belief in your business supercede any of the fears that come associated with starting a business?

I`ve had many weeks of eating plain pasta and cereal, living a life of sacrifice while trying to start my business. Now that it`s started, I make enough money to live, be we`re growing.. The satisfaction at the end of the tunnel is not about making a lot of money for me, but it`s about the opportunity to say "I did it!". It`s the feeling of knowing that I made something out of nearly nothing, and something that is impressive.




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Collin Cummings
President, Drop Box, LLC
dropboxmail@gmail.com

Hi Collin:

Yes, ambition and belief in your ideas can overshadow the fears.  They do for me, most of the time. 

some unsolicited comments.......

Ahhh.... said in the true bootstrapper spirit.  Just don`t forget~ to be successful a company has to generate $$`s to fund growth.  Passion will only go so far.

You`re getting ready to build a team.  Know who you need, know your weaknesses and theirs, your strengths and theirs.  Put together a great team and you`re 1/2 way home. 

Your passion may indicate you`re better in an evangelistic role.  Get others involved such as a Relator (the who person) and a Maven (the how person) and since passion doesn`t carry you the full trip, get the Maven working on finding the funding.

You`re growing, that`s good.  But other`s won`t risk that which you`re not willing to.  Sacrificing is what we do to fuel the dream.  It`s not easy to find those willing to believe in the dream and keeping it alive as much as you do, much less expect them to sacrifice.

Your belief will keep you on the path, hopefully for the long haul.  Your preparation and ability to build a good team around a good product/service will get you home.

Age is just a number I`m young but look younger than I really am which is 29. When I was 25 I developed a new website Marthasflowers.com for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Which ended up making them millions in its first year. They had made their own flower site which was failing and loosing money and asked the company I worked for to develop a new site and close down their old operations and website.

My employers trusted me with her website, but her GM took one look at me and was like "arent you a little young to be in charge?" My CEO told him I was the only employee of his he could afford to give up so it was me or nothing.We were out to dinner at a posh restaurant in Del Mar, California celebrating the singing of the contract. It was a Wednesday night. He then asked me to have a complete business plan for him by the next Monday ...4 days later. I knew he thought I could not do it, so that if I failed he could ask for a different project manager from my companies CEO. After dinner after working a 14 hour day, plus 2 hour dinner..They asked me what I was doing over the weekend..I told them I would be at the office if they needed me...I went back to the office RIGHT after dinner to start on the plan..and turned in the complete business plan monday morning.

If you in your gut know you can develop the business, don`t let age or anyone tell you otherwise. I knew I could create a successful company for Martha Stewart..I had developed about 10 websites prior to hers for bigger companies than hers like Kroger and SearsFlowers. The secret to being successful is execution and planning. Take the time to develop a good business plan and follow it as a guide to success.

Listen to the show today for my hot elevator pitch.

p.s. Vote for me Rocknroll333 for the Vacation Contest!

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Laurie Champagne
CMO
Groove Rock Gear, Inc.
grooverockgear.com
grooverockmusic.com
grooverockradio.com



email: laurie[at]grooverockgear.com

That deep-rooted, nagging is the true entrepreneurial spirit! I think it`s an important component to being successful. You feel like you HAVE to start your business. It isn`t really a choice.
Congrats on getting your business off the ground! It sounds like you`re on your way. It is an incredible feeling, like you said, to say "I did it!".
As for age... by the age of 27 I had two US patents (that I wrote myself) under my belt and successfully licensed one. QVC flew me to PA and another company flew me to GA. I was wined and dined. It was amazing to be doing that so young!
So, young age or not, it doesn`t matter. If you have the drive and the creativity, you can go as far as you wish. Good luck to you!

Good for you!  Many would not go as far as you did.  People I`ve talked with indicate the want to start a business but it`s just talk.  I hope you`re doing very well.

I too have started a business, a Home Based Business, which has allowed me to retire early, have a new home built and to move, with my family, out of CA to OR and believe me, being born and raised in CA and moving to OR was never in my "to do" list. 

Good luck in your business.

Ron

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