What does a successful entrepreneur look like? I believe very much in beginning at the beginning. This means that you really need to know the business that you’re entering; you can’t operate in an industry you know nothing about. For instance, I began in the tire industry when I was 15 years old and by the time I was ready to open my business, I had learned pretty much everything about the automotive repair industry that I could learn.
Another great example is a guy I met in Canada who runs a fantastic southern style barbeque restaurant. Well there’s not a whole lot of “southern barbeque” in Canada…so when he decided he wanted to open his restaurant, he first moved down to Alabama to work at 10 different barbeque restaurants for no wages for a year and a half. He did this so he could learn how to barbeque, the recipe to good sauce, and to discover what made the “Best Barbeque in the World” the best barbeque in the world! After dedicating himself to the art of barbecuing, he moved back to Canada and opened his very successful barbeque shop. I was there for lunch a few months ago and the lines were out the door!
So if you’re interested in being an entrepreneur, I recommend for you to begin at the beginning. Learn your craft – put in the time, sacrifices, learn all the nuances, and it will pay off in the end.