I was a 22 year old ambitious college graduate ready to take on the world. I wanted to build an empire but honestly, my first business failed. I mean horribly failed. It was a Corporate Relocation Service. Working in corporate America I saw how people would relocate or have to move for a position. I wanted to be that third party organization that helped with that relocation for the person or the family that had to relocate due to work. What made me interested in this? I went on interview for a position at a company like this. I did tons of research on the industry and the company and just KNEW I would get the position. I didn’t get the position. But I learned about the industry and looking back, I think I was just mad at them and thought, “I’ll show you”. LOL! Don’t judge! It was an honest thought! I have a background in Finance & Accounting and I know how business works. And being that my step-dad owned 23 investment homes and my mother started a few businesses herself, I saw entrepreneurship work in my home. Even with all my knowledge, I still felt the need to take a Small Business Development Certification Course through my local small business association. I went through the course, graduated and thought "With all this I’m ready!" So what went wrong?
1.) At the time, I did not foresee how “passion” or even “interest” in a business had a TON to do with the success. I had a great idea, but I had NO interest in it. I just saw how it could make me a ton of money. It was all about the money. Let’s be real. I had student loans to pay off, and that was the motivation behind my love for money. The time came for me to push past the MANY barriers in entrepreneurship and I kept on thinking “I could care less!”. I did not even like the topic! LOL! Oh…young Bridgette, so many things I would share with you.
2.) I had no strong “WHY”. Again, when the hard times came, which in business, hard times WILL come, your WHY will carry you through and give you the motivation to push past the issues!
3.) My personal life was in shambles and I was totally distracted. I had just gotten out of a horrible break-up and relationship that left me emotionally withdrawn and completely distract. The lesson I learned here is your personal life plays a MAJOR role in staying focused. You need to try your best to be balanced and live a healthy lifestyle both physically and emotionally so no distractions will keep you from focusing. Building a business takes a ton of hard work and focus. But you can do it, if you focus.
4.) Mental Barriers. I did not realize I had them until I completed my first Triathlon. That is when I realized my mind had the power to physically keep me from achieving things that my body was able to complete. I’ll share more on this later, but the question you have to ask yourself is, what mental barriers exist in my mind causing me to not achieve my desired results.
5.) Lastly, probably the most important of them all. I did not consult God. I loved God and was active in my church, but for some reason I tried to do it without Him! I laugh now looking back thinking, oh you thought you could something without God. Truth is, I am NOTHING without Him. The faster I realized that on any thing I do.....the better things got. Needless to say, that business failed for my good.
There is more…but I’ll stop there. I want you to know that I have failed….MANY times. I have also succeeded. Let’s go higher together! You ready?