THE IMPORTANCE OF STARTING AT AN EARLY AGE
I’ve always been very driven. I’m one of those people that’s on a constant quest for self-improvement. This is evident by early life successes, such as accomplishing the prestigious and hard to accomplish position of Eagle Scout, let alone at the age of 13; a feat to my recollection only one other has accomplished: Sam Walton - founder of Walmart. At the time I didn’t think much of it, but looking back I realize, I was innocently following in the footsteps of one of history’s most prominent businessmen.
That same year, I stumbled upon an online marketplace called eBay (which at the time was the hip market to shop at), and had early successes. In my first year in business online, I had the good luck and strong market positioning to sell in excess of $24,000 USD in cell phone cases in a single month. By the time I entered the University of Florida as a freshman a few years later, I had already sold in excess of $100k USD in electronic accessories, and trading cards. While most kids were trying to play there way through child-hood; I was busy trying to self-study my way to be an entrepreneur.
What’s the greatest part about having an overflowing drive and ambition? I’ve got plenty to spare. I love to share my drive and ambition to help others succeed. Let’s put it this way. If I did it, at 13 years old, then so can you!
AN EARLY YEARNING TO GROW
During my time at the Warrington School of Business, University of Florida, I won Student Leader of the Year. But more than that -- I helped Entrepreneurship Club win several awards, including the Student Organization of the Year.
It wasn’t enough.
So I started mentoring other students. I conducted one-on-one meetings with other students to assist them with their career and future goals. I even had the opportunity to co-instruct an intro to Warrington College of Business semester long class.
It still wasn’t enough. I participated in the Startup Weekend Competition. The 54-hour-long competition pits budding entrepreneurs together in an intense tournament. We pitched ideas, formed teams, and worked together to develop a prototype, which we presented in the final hour.
That same year, I was picked to participate in the StartupBus North America. It’s one of the more intense entrepreneurship competitions.
I even had an opportunity to lead UF’s Entrepreneurship Club (for 3 consecutive terms), turning it from one of the poorer performing organizations with single digit attendance, into the #1 student organization in the Warrington School of Business, and the runner-up for the #1 entrepreneurship club in the USA in 2015.
Thanks to my experience with the Entrepreneurship Club, I was able to meet and learn from venerated entrepreneurs:
Rob Carter (EVP of FedEx)
Kevin Turner (former COO of Microsoft)
Bo Peabody (founder, Tripod.com)
Mike Delazzer (founder, RedBox)
Daymond John (Shark Tank & FUBU)
Multiple ABC Shark Tank competitors
Clearly, my passions surrounded entrepreneurship. I lived it and breathed it. I was lucky. At an early age, I already knew what I wanted to do, and how to go about it.
I WAS BORN FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP. YOU COULD SAY IT’S INSTINCTUAL.
I had the opportunity to intern for Google as an Account Manager, a company that at the time of going into it I would have thought I would have retired with.
However, I quickly found myself craving for more and knowing that a group of entrepreneurs would be leaving soon for an annual sourcing trip, I knew the right decision would be to join them.
So I convinced my University to allow me to embark on “distance learning status”. And off I flew to China, where I remotely finished my last 6 months of course work that I had with the university. I didn’t speak Chinese, and had so many opportunity costs that I would sacrifice. At the time, my circle of friends and family counseled me against going. But I knew if I didn’t take this opportunity I would forever ask myself, what if? I would forever regret not taking that leap. To cut a long story short, 6 months later I had learned the basic building blocks of education of how sourcing & manufacturing with the Chinese worked.
By now it was clear to me that business was in my blood. I realized that I wasn’t cut out for Google. I wanted the entrepreneur’s life of uncertainty, risk, and high reward when you’re right :)
