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Dear Fastlaners,
You have permission to be you.
Since my startup a year ago, I have learned a lot from business. It is amazing what business can teach you in terms of how to live, and how to be a person - and how to contribute.
Some may remember that a year ago, I started a business that eventually generated $100,000/mo in about 3 months. Since that thread, we have actually experienced ups, and also downs. At some point, sales dropped to almost half, and remained that way several months. Today, we've done six figures again, and slightly broke the previous year's record in December 2013.
The venture started online. We were dependent upon Google, and SEO. We had been entering products from China, through Alibaba. Our industry was in infancy. Then the industry matured. Competitors increased. Profit margins drastically reduced. And Google's algorithm changed.
We were glad we focused on building a brand. We were glad we focused - and this is very, very important - on being absolute in contributing value. Our brand today serves a lot of celebrities, and helps a lot of people to live better lives. It just didn't come easily - as all successful businesses face. Running a business places all factors of determination within our hands, and you have to decide correctly at every turning point over a long journey to succeed.
So what we have done is to go retail after a year. Since October, we have rented a retail, invested six figures in its renovation and further established our brand's presence. Please take note: we didn't do this blindly. We had competitors who had proven to us that a retail presence is profitable. Worse than that is that they run their business without high standards, and they're doing much better than us when we were just online. To contribute more value, we had to invest in a retail presence.
Please note that last sentence. Yes, I can't deny that we were also concerned about sales, and money. However, our thinking can affect a lot of results in the things we do. If we think the wrong way, and are only motivated by money, we're bound to experience life the way life rewards that kind of thinking.
That's where I want to refer back to the title of this thread.
"You Have Permission to Be Yourself"
I realized that our brand is currently the absolute #1 brand in our industry. News media managers and executives, celebrities, radio DJs & etc. are just some of our customers. We have lots of customers as well who come by our store in Porsches & etc. - who are leaders in the fields of business they're in, and even politicians.
Competitors are in it for the money. They want profits. They think only about how they can increase their money. They started retail stores, and branched them fast. And they're doing well. Some serve multiple times more customers than we have. Sales is their #1 focus. Most have retail stores that look like poorly-run convenient shops. They are dedicated to profits. Dedicated to presently available customers within the industry who are proven to be willing to spend, and squeeze the same crowd.
Our store is built to inspire comfort. Design is made classy. The atmosphere serves to heighten customer experience and encourage confidence. And it is dedicated to the general public and to new customers whose lives can be positively improved through the value we provide.
They did whatever they can to take people's cash. We did whatever we can to further the positive aspects of the industry and reach more people.
And it pays. Our customers are more loyal. They recommend people and friends. And our brand better flourished. January 2014, at its current pace, may be able to set a new record.
After a year in business, I am truly stunned with what I'm able to learn from running it as an owner. I am sincerely grateful. A year ago, I was still a kid. A year after, it felt as though I'm much more capable of handling responsibility over my life. Business enables one to grow, materially, mentally and spiritually. Running a business can make you a much better and stronger person, if you would allow yourself to learn with that line of thought.
I've grown much more capable to care about people. I realized I am more able to be filial to my parents. I've been blessed to stay, more on a mindset of abundance and allow my presence to contribute value. I realized that I'm blessed with more stability in the state of my mind.
This comes not as a result of just enjoying running the business - but as a result of having to deal with a lot of shit (please do not be offended, this is the most straightforward way of describing it). Some things remain the same. For example, in the thread I started a year ago - I mentioned that failure is very valuable. I would add to that, disappointments. Some people will read this thread and go, "He is so lucky." "What business are you in?" What they don't realize is that, success don't come by shortcuts, and most of the time is not easy when starting. It comes as a result of taking massive action and dealing with lots of things along the way, and doing it non-stop. Every week can have something that weighs a lot. The challenges can weigh a huge load, and break a person's spirits. Hopefully, what you can have is blessed with more great times, and your intention is positive - that allows for greater contribution of value to the people and the world. More often than not however, if you're a startup you're in an uphill swim for your life - but just remember, you CAN succeed. You just have to swim and swim through all that swamp - swamp itself is abundant, and the other side is also abundant. Take both in, and keep swimming for your goals.
You have permission to be you.
Since my startup a year ago, I have learned a lot from business. It is amazing what business can teach you in terms of how to live, and how to be a person - and how to contribute.
Some may remember that a year ago, I started a business that eventually generated $100,000/mo in about 3 months. Since that thread, we have actually experienced ups, and also downs. At some point, sales dropped to almost half, and remained that way several months. Today, we've done six figures again, and slightly broke the previous year's record in December 2013.
The venture started online. We were dependent upon Google, and SEO. We had been entering products from China, through Alibaba. Our industry was in infancy. Then the industry matured. Competitors increased. Profit margins drastically reduced. And Google's algorithm changed.
We were glad we focused on building a brand. We were glad we focused - and this is very, very important - on being absolute in contributing value. Our brand today serves a lot of celebrities, and helps a lot of people to live better lives. It just didn't come easily - as all successful businesses face. Running a business places all factors of determination within our hands, and you have to decide correctly at every turning point over a long journey to succeed.
So what we have done is to go retail after a year. Since October, we have rented a retail, invested six figures in its renovation and further established our brand's presence. Please take note: we didn't do this blindly. We had competitors who had proven to us that a retail presence is profitable. Worse than that is that they run their business without high standards, and they're doing much better than us when we were just online. To contribute more value, we had to invest in a retail presence.
Please note that last sentence. Yes, I can't deny that we were also concerned about sales, and money. However, our thinking can affect a lot of results in the things we do. If we think the wrong way, and are only motivated by money, we're bound to experience life the way life rewards that kind of thinking.
That's where I want to refer back to the title of this thread.
"You Have Permission to Be Yourself"
I realized that our brand is currently the absolute #1 brand in our industry. News media managers and executives, celebrities, radio DJs & etc. are just some of our customers. We have lots of customers as well who come by our store in Porsches & etc. - who are leaders in the fields of business they're in, and even politicians.
Competitors are in it for the money. They want profits. They think only about how they can increase their money. They started retail stores, and branched them fast. And they're doing well. Some serve multiple times more customers than we have. Sales is their #1 focus. Most have retail stores that look like poorly-run convenient shops. They are dedicated to profits. Dedicated to presently available customers within the industry who are proven to be willing to spend, and squeeze the same crowd.
Our store is built to inspire comfort. Design is made classy. The atmosphere serves to heighten customer experience and encourage confidence. And it is dedicated to the general public and to new customers whose lives can be positively improved through the value we provide.
They did whatever they can to take people's cash. We did whatever we can to further the positive aspects of the industry and reach more people.
And it pays. Our customers are more loyal. They recommend people and friends. And our brand better flourished. January 2014, at its current pace, may be able to set a new record.
After a year in business, I am truly stunned with what I'm able to learn from running it as an owner. I am sincerely grateful. A year ago, I was still a kid. A year after, it felt as though I'm much more capable of handling responsibility over my life. Business enables one to grow, materially, mentally and spiritually. Running a business can make you a much better and stronger person, if you would allow yourself to learn with that line of thought.
I've grown much more capable to care about people. I realized I am more able to be filial to my parents. I've been blessed to stay, more on a mindset of abundance and allow my presence to contribute value. I realized that I'm blessed with more stability in the state of my mind.
This comes not as a result of just enjoying running the business - but as a result of having to deal with a lot of shit (please do not be offended, this is the most straightforward way of describing it). Some things remain the same. For example, in the thread I started a year ago - I mentioned that failure is very valuable. I would add to that, disappointments. Some people will read this thread and go, "He is so lucky." "What business are you in?" What they don't realize is that, success don't come by shortcuts, and most of the time is not easy when starting. It comes as a result of taking massive action and dealing with lots of things along the way, and doing it non-stop. Every week can have something that weighs a lot. The challenges can weigh a huge load, and break a person's spirits. Hopefully, what you can have is blessed with more great times, and your intention is positive - that allows for greater contribution of value to the people and the world. More often than not however, if you're a startup you're in an uphill swim for your life - but just remember, you CAN succeed. You just have to swim and swim through all that swamp - swamp itself is abundant, and the other side is also abundant. Take both in, and keep swimming for your goals.
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