Success Stories of Small Business Owners

Success Stories

There's something compelling about other people success stories… and failures. They are interesting, sometimes inspiring, and there's something to learn from each one.

For these reasons and others, I asked my subscribers to submit their stories. I hope you will take the time to read them. You'll learn that most of these folks didn't let fear, their lack of knowledge or experience stop them. They wanted success badly enough to just go for it.

David-Gerrard's Story

Hello, I am David-Gerrard.

I have been working for myself for the last 7 years in different businesses ranging from the traditional bricks and mortar, business of mobile catering, franchise business, and the delivery and distribution business.

I have since progressed forward into e-commerce selling items on eBay, building my own website, and I am now focusing my efforts to create an online business where the possibilities are endless.

I have gained good experience and insights about business and myself, of which I will gladly share with you. I have found these three lessons to be the most important to me. Maybe they can help you.

Lesson 1 – Passion. I would say one of the most important lessons that I have learnt is to do a business around what you love and know.

Take me, for instance. I had a great mobile catering business (loved cooking), hardly any overhead, but it was a 1-man business.

So I got to thinking… if I was ill or wanted a holiday, my earnings would stop. Sure, I could hire someone, but with food, I didn’t want to take the chance. Also, I wanted a business where I would still receive an income regardless if I was there or not.

So I brought a cleaning franchise… hated cleaning… hated the smell of chemicals…but hey! — I was thinking of the money and long-term benefits. I hired staff to do the cleaning, and in the summer I went on holiday… much easier than my catering business and I didn’t have to do everything myself.

But there was one BIG problem… I was not passionate about my business. I didn’t look forward to each day and it certainly wasn’t fun. Gradually I started loosing enthusiasm [and my business] sort of reminded me of working for someone.

This is the jist of the story — pursue a business that you are passionate about and not on what money you can make as you hope to be doing it for many years to come.

Lesson 2 – Courage. Another good lesson I learnt is to be fearless… take calculated chances with business.

I had no idea about cooking when I started my mobile catering business. All I knew is that it was a good idea and there was a gap in the market. So, I did some research, purchased the equipment and taught myself how to cook.

My first day of business and cooking for the public was daunting to me, but I over come my fear by telling myself fear can’t kill me… just do it!

When you push yourself and go beyond your comfort zone you acquire more self confidence and a certain amount of personal satisfaction — like WOW! I did that!

Lession 3 – Persistence and Positive Mind Set. I have since moved on seeking better business opportunities, but persistence has been the backbone of what drives me. If something does not work out for you, persist — try another way to get what you want.

Work on things that you have direct control over and don’t worry about the things outside your control. Keep a positive mind set and problems become easier to resolve. Persistence will help you achieve everything you set out to accomplish.

I hope these three lessons may help you in some way. We all have to start somewhere and the saying "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" has never been more accurate.

The full story of my cleaning franchise experience, my mobile catering business and how I started quite by accident my eBay business can be read in full on my website at –

http://www.small-business-family-resources.co.uk

Hope to see you there.

Visit David's site now ››