Dec 09
11
Do you remember the day you made your first sale as an entrepreneur?
I do.
I sold bootleg music tapes (you remember them right?) in school at the tender age of 13.
I was a shy kid in a pretty tough CBS school in Crumlin, Dublin. To make matters worse, I didn’t go to the same primary school as the other kids. Being shy AND the new guy in a class of 34 sure gets you a lot of unwanted attention.
Times were tough.
The previous Christmas my sister got a ‘boom box’ double tape track radio with high-speed recording. This was a huge leap in technology at the time. Imagine, recording an album tape at twice the play speed and at the low cost of a blank tape. Wow.
I had a small music collection I recorded for my friends and they recorded tapes for me. I realised between the three of us we had a lot of varied music.
That’s when I had my first entrepreneurial idea:
- Make a list of our combined music
- Pitch the list to the kids in my school
- Take orders
- Copy the tapes
- Deliver the tapes
- Turn a profit
It’s like I was struck by lighting! I was obsessed, on fire!
I headed up the business and took on my friends as partners – one equal, the other more a supplier (he had the most music but would not be selling or getting involved with production etc.)
I wrote a list out by hand and had several grainy photocopies made. I sourced ‘six packs’ of really cheap 60 minute tapes and blew all my pocket money on a pack. All I needed to do now was overcome my shyness the next day at school.
Easier said than done I can tell you…
But that faithful Monday morning, before first class, faced with ridicule and beatings, I mustered up all my courage and made my pitch, and handed out the list of music for sale…
The inevitable happened. Some of the lists were ripped up, the laughing began and I had the sinking feeling that this was going to be a tough week. What had I gotten myself into?
Then it happened.
One of the biggest ‘head-cases’ I have ever had the pleasure to meet in my entire life made an order. I still remember the band, ‘S-Express’. That was the first. I sold about 10 tapes that day, my pal Stephen (a natural salesman) probably sold more.
After costs we were making around £1.50 profit per tape! Over the next few weeks we kept selling and the orders kept coming in!
We were in business, and more importantly for me, something changed. I had become an entrepreneur. I could make things happen. I could find things that other people want and pitch it to them and get paid for doing something I loved. I could also overcome my fears to make that happen.
I hope you’re doing something you love doing today.
I hope you still feel the buzz of being an entrepreneur. I hope you remember that you are a person who can make things happen.
And if things are tough right now – like your overdraft(s) is overdrawn, or Christmas is coming and your goose is already cooked – remember this, you’ll find a way through.
You always do.
Make 2010 YOUR Year.
Regards,
Peter.
P.s. Years later and I’m still an entrepreneur and I’m still finding ways to help people add value to their business. My Affordable Starter Websites have proven popular in my nine months of trading. I’m delighted to have been able to help so many people promote their business ideas online.
I will be making some changes to Starter Websites for 2010. Prices will be going up (a little) and I’ll have a couple of new online marketing packages to compliment the websites.
If you want to start promoting your business online from 1st January 2010, I’m afraid I won’t be able to help you as I’m fully booked up for December. But if you want your website to go live early/mid January, then give me a call/email.
All orders made and paid for in December will be at 2009 prices. The sooner you place your order the sooner your new website goes live in 2010, so contact Starter Websites today.
P.p.s. I’d love you hear your story about how you became an entrepreneur. Email me or leave your comment below.
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