On being an Entrepreneur February 9, 2008

When I was younger, I looked up to those individuals who owned their own businesses – I thought they were the rich, the powerful and the brilliant  – and they had that cool title of “Entrepreneur”.

I never thought I would be one of those elite cool named people. I really never knew what I wanted to be when I “grew up”.  ( Truth be known, my teenagers are probably a tad more conservative than I am – so I guess I’m still in that growing stage).  I remember taking one of those tests in high-school, you know the ones that tested all your skills, added up all your interests and told you what you should do?  Well, I was a nerdy good student who excelled in math and science, I also like biology.  I was to be a doctor. I entered college pre-med. Changed my major a million times and never found myself at the University of Connecticut.

I got married, had children and when my youngest went to pre-school, I got a temp job at a printing company doing customer service. Mr. Art Weber, the owner of Sir Speedy Printing in Winston-Salem NC told me printing was an ugly business, that most people hated it and frankly most people don’t last but a few weeks.  That job changed my life.  I admired Mr. Weber – and I liked him and he liked me.  He took me under his wing and taught me how to be a sales person, and damn it I was pretty good at sales!  I found myself.

 I won’t fill in the next 10 years – but a lot changed. I ended up leaving my sales career to go into business with a friend. We all know where that ended up, because you aren’t suppose to go into business with friends.  When that ended – I started Brookhollow Marketing, my very own advertising firm.  I was an Entrepreneur.

I wasn’t rich, I wasn’t powerful and everyone told me I was far from brilliant…but I showed them.  I persevered through many a hard time, sleepless nights and damn near poverty. I simplified my life, worked hard and decided that “I can do it”.  There were many days – hell many months – of self doubt. I had some key people in my life who made me look in the mirror and see the eternal optimist, the go getter and the NON QUITTER that I am.

Brookhollow Marketing isn’t a multi-million dollar company – yet. I love what I do, and I’m proud of my accomplishments.  I actually, for the first time in 6 years, took a mini vacation. It was wonderful.  I’m almost there.

The moral - Don’t give up on your dreams, Don’t listen to people when they tell you that your idea won’t work, Do what you love and love what you do.  All will add up to success.

See you at the top!

Cindy