Realizing Your Dream

I was in Denver, Colorado giving a seminar last week to a wonderful group of business professionals. At the break a woman by the name of Lena approached me and introduced herself.

She told me that she had written me an email five years ago after reading my book Starting Your Own Business, and that I had helped her start a business of her own. I did not remember her or having any contact with her at first.

Then she started to tell me how she had been working in the banking industry for seven years in the Denver area and new she wasn’t going to go much further in that industry, so in order to control her own future she would have to start her own business.

At this point I started to remember her. Lena had no real business experience except what she had gained from working at the bank and she only had 2 year of college, but she was full of energy and desire to learn.

I remembered helping her narrow down her choices as to the type of business she wanted to start, set up a program for her to set goals, and a model for a business plan once she decided which business she wanted to start. Most importantly I advised her to find a mentor.

After that I never heard from her again. I simply thought that she had given up on her dream of starting her own business and just kept working at the bank.

I was happy to find that she followed my advice and kept going. She explained to me during the break that after much thought and preparation she decided to take the plunge. She started a direct sales business in conjunction with a national corporation.

Lena told me that she remembered how I had told her to tune out all the negativity she would probably receive in pursuing her dream and stick to her goals. She told me how true that was because her family and friends gave her about three months or until her savings ran out and she would be begging the bank for her old job back.

Well that was five years ago, and after struggling through some lean years, her business is now generating $600,000 annually in gross sales! Her sales force consists of 35 topnotch consultants. Her company has won eight national awards and dozens of local sales awards. She is now in the process of going International.

She thanked me for giving her the initial encouragement and guidance that she needed to begin pursuing her dream and apologized for not staying in touch. I told her I was glad that I was able to help her but she did it all herself.

I am always happy to hear success stories like Lena’s whether I was ever involved or not. Lena’s story shows that anyone can make their dreams become a reality. When you have a strong belief in yourself, set goals and have a well thought-out plan to achieve them anything is possible.

The key is; you have to want it bad enough. Obviously Lena did.