Why I Chose To Be A Entrepreneur Instead Of Working A 9 to 5er (Reloaded)
Entrepreneurs have crossed “the risk line” from the “Time-and-Effort Economy” to the “Results Economy.” For them, there’s no guaranteed income, no one writing them a paycheck every two weeks. They live by their ability to generate opportunity by creating value for their clientele. Sometimes, they — and you — will put in a lot of time and effort and get no result. Other times, they don’t put in much time and effort and get a big result. The focus for entrepreneurs always has to be on results or there’s no revenue coming in. If you work for an entrepreneur, guess what! This is true for you, too. Though you probably have a guaranteed income, it’s important to understand that the business you work in exists inside The Results Economy, even if you’re sheltered somewhat from seeing that. I say this not to make you feel insecure, but to show you how to succeed in this environment: by maximizing your results while minimizing the time and effort it takes to get them.-Dan Sullivan
Original Article Here. This is a lot shorter than this update, so if you want to start here feel free. I’m warning you this article is long.
I was at a convention in LA recently, and an older guy questioned why I would still pick entrepreneurship over a stable job, despite me making 6 figures plus in entrepreneur . Being younger and him being older, he assumed that he knows more about life than I do (and in certain areas he does). But I can also tell really quickly when I'm talking with someone like minded or someone that isn't open to it. I told him the same thing that I'm writing here: entrepreneurship is not for everyone. Some people don't have the mindset, perseverance, or grit to do it. Some people are 9 to 5 people, and that's ok. In these conversations and these posts, I don't try to sway someone into entrepreneurship. It's a decision that you have to make for yourself. If you read and resonate, cool. If not, cool. It's all love! I'm not everyone's cup of tea and that's ok.
New Update: (Basically what I told the guy) (7/25/2018 up to the time I published this article.)
A. The one thing I hated in school was people always labeling, stereotyping and treating like I’m stupid (unfortunately it still happens in school). I hated how the guys got the benefit of the doubt while the girls had to run twice or five times just to be a president. Many were more comfortable with putting me in a box, and sticking with perceptions and assumptions because they were more comfortable with me staying in my place (being a woman and poc). Because I didn’t stay in my place and didn’t follow societal rules, I took flack for it. Since I blaze my own trail and don’t give zero shits about what people think of it, entrepreneurship is meant for me. I don’t seek approval, and what people see is what they get. I’ll have to be honest and say if I went along to get along, I probably would have had a easier a time in school. Since I was in tech, trying to lead, it rubbed people the wrong way because I wasn’t staying in my place. People fear what they don’t understand. Entrepreneurship embraces and rewards people who don’t fit in. Popularity, likes, and thumbs up are not business strategies. It’s a tactic that might get you in a popular friend group in school, but it fades quickly.
Just to add a little note, I’m totally into admitting my mistakes and learning from them, even back then. But you can sense that you are not being treated like a human being, and to sit there and let people keep treating you with disrespect is another thing. If you want to tolerate something, keep dealing with it and hope that things get better, go for it. If you don’t like something, change it. And that’s exactly what I did.
B. People change when you have something they want (but entrepreneurship puts you a position to give back and do great things!)
(I get off topic here but it all ties in with what I’m trying to say. Hang on for the ride! :D)
P.S. The same police who patrol communities of wealth do not patrol communities of color or lower income. TRUE STORY. They do treat you nicer in wealthier areas and if they think you have money. If me or my mom drives a fancy car in a wealthy community, we fit right in. I remember my mom getting pulled over twice (once as a young teenager) and another time 6 months ago when we were in a fancy car (a new 2018 car mind you). The police officer had no reason to pull my mom over, but just to say “wanted to check out your driving record.”
What the hell?
That hasn’t happened too often, but when it does, we note it.
Entrepreneurship gives you a path to wealth. It gives you a platform and a tribe. It’s not get rich quick. Starting a business will not automatically improve the quality of your life the same day you start it. (I will explain more in point c).
In my situation, I have noticed a change in people, especially if you have something they want. Many people only want to be around you when there’s something in it for them. When you are down and out, many will avoid you when you need help or ask for money. But when you have the money? You are suddenly a bank and many will be in your face to use you. If they can’t use you they don’t want to be bothered. I used to watch people in the Catholic church I grew up in flock to people who had money and suck up to their commands. Even the priest went along with the money folks to keep them happy and broke rules and bent over backwards to do so. You don’t have money? You don’t matter and you don’t have a voice. I didn’t come from a rich background so I wasn’t treated the nicest.
Entrepreneurship has changed my position and allows me to see things from a different perspective. 1 of 3 things happen.
“When someone moves up the food chain, it’s considered a threat and people want to keep you under their thumb. -Steve Bello
Either you’re seen as a threat. People want to be around you for what you have. Or people admire and respect you.
You should be nice to everyone you meet. You never know when the tables could turn and what people can grow into. Be careful about underestimating people!
You are valuable regardless of the amount of money you have. Stick to the people who want to help and be around you regardless of your status.
C. Just because I’ve had a few successful ventures doesn’t mean I know it all about entrepreneurship. This is the mistake that people make, especially when they look on Instagram and see millionaires in their lamos or sitting on the beaches of Virgin Islands (or wherever in the hell they are). They think they can hop into entrepreneurship and three weeks later they are going to have a Yacht sailing from Italy with 200 friends. Entrepreneurship is not get rich quick. It’s a lifestyle and a mindset. I have millionaire friends who travel the world like crazy who post their fancy cars on Insta (personal decision haha). I learn from my wealthy friends all the time. Being around them is a education.
College story 1: In school, when I looked up to a few friends in a sorority and a few other organizations, they took it the wrong way and became very mean girl over it. What it boil down to was I was very misunderstood.
“Girl why are you following me around.”
At the time, a few friends passed away in school. They were accomplishing a lot and my thinking was to look up to them to get my mind off things. If you know me, I’m not the jealous type.
Entrepreneurship takes you as you are. There’s a lot of like minded people that will be happy that you want to learn from them.
“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”- ― Rob Siltanen
D. I met with some old college friends in September 2018, and it amazes me how much they put themselves down. I simply asked "Hey where are we going to eat." The only thing they said was "Let’s not go to those fancy restaurants, because it will break my budget." I didn’t mention to them that I go to those fancy restaurants all the time for business meetings. It’s like a mini dilemma. I want to keep my college friends in my life, but sometimes that negative talk destroys the positive vibration. If you keep calling yourself negative things, it will materialize. If you call your positive things, positive things will materialize in your life. Part of success is how you think and your mindset. Instead of talking about what you can’t afford, why can’t you figure out how to afford it? I’m not going to lecture this to my college peeps, and I just hope one day they will figure it out. I’m around entrepreneur friends all the time. I would never hear that come out of their mouths. Instead, they would just be there. Instead of putting yourself down and talking about what you can’t do, start saying what you can do.
Check out 3.45 in this marker. There’s college peeps who stopped talking with me because I wanted to work on a startup instead.
This doesn’t mean that everything else becomes secondary.
But it does mean that there will be times when you can’t be as available as others would like you to be.
This is something most people can’t accept. Most people, being employees themselves, don’t really understand the level of commitment, focus, and obsession an entrepreneur needs to have.
It takes a very understanding partner, and very understanding friends / family to accept that you’re never going to be as available as most ‘normal’ people are.
Getting to a place where we’re no longer living paycheck to paycheck — that is freedom, and it takes a while to achieve.-Shani Silver
E. I’m an actress and musician. I act in films and record music. But I also have a portfolio of businesses that gives me residual income streams. Like Tai Lopez says below, it amazes me how people don’t understand the power of multiple income streams. You can be multiple things, and you don’t have to be defined by one thing.
So to make it clear, this is not my life.
1st income: 9 am to 5pm job.
2nd income: 2nd job where I have to go from 6 pm to 11 pm.
3rd income: 12:00 am to 6:00 am.
Alesha,
One of the most-common questions I get is:
“Tai, what do you do for a living?”
It blows my mind how many people don’t understand the concept of having multiple streams of income.
First of all, I’m not your mom or dad. You think I work a standard 9-5 where I only do 1 thing?
The simple answer is:
I have multiple flows of income.
Because I don't do just one thing, you can’t clearly define me.
As Jay Z says,
“I’m not a businessman. I’m a business, man.”
I hope you get to the point where you’re making so much money, people can’t figure out what you do.
Remember in entrepreneurship, you can be multiple things, and you don’t have to be defined by one thing.
Oprah Winfrey is a American media executive, actress, talk show host, television producer and philanthropist.
George Clooney is a American actor, filmmaker and businessman.
Jennifer Lopez is an American singer, actress, dancer and producer.
Remember in life, you can be multiple things, and you don’t have to be defined by one thing.
But no matter what, the income needs to keep moving up. Grant Cardone sent this in an email as a friendly and humbling reminder.
I don’t care how good my acting gigs are. I’m still on the journey of growing my wealth every single day.
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E1. YOU GET TAX BREAKS THAT YOU WON’T GET UNDER YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER.
Word of advice for new up and coming entrepreneurs, ESPECIALLY those starting to make some real money. Get you an LLC or an S-Corp (corporation) for tax purposes. Otherwise, Uncle Sam is gonna get you with taxes.
Not only do I pay SIGNIFICANTLY less in taxes (percentage wise) with a corporation than I would at my old job but I also pay WAY less in taxes than I would if I filed for taxes as a sole proprietor (using my ssn and not my corporation).
Learn something tonight and save yourself TENS of thousands if not HUNDREDS of thousands in taxes by talking to your accountant. Invest in a corporation. Trust me, it’s worth it.-Rey Alecio
Warren Buffet pays less taxes than his secretary.
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F. I keep hearing people say this.
“I have a degree, yet people without them is making more money than me. I don’t get it”
Even Ernst & Young is now hiring people right out of high school….
There’s an old saying….
“History is filled with the sound of silken slippers going downstairs and wooden shoes coming up.”
The old tricks people used to use to succeed in this industry do not work any longer.
Qualifications and experience aren’t what they used to be….-Andrew Argue
Here’s the thing I learned on this journey. College has it’s uses, but it teaches you how to conform and to work for someone else. If you are a doctor, lawyer or engineer you need college. I’m not having a college dropout operate a surgery on me. Lol. If you want to create a business however, let’s go! I do notice that people are credential focused. I always hear people bragging about their degrees and don’t spend enough time adding on more knowledge. I didn’t like my college experience that much and that’s the reason why I don’t talk about it in day to day conversation (I doubt I’ll ever get to the point where I will talk about it face to face). If you take what you know, apply it and get results, that trumps all. I don’t talk about my background, I apply it.
If I was at a job, there’s always that chance of running into cliques, office politics, harassment and so on. You keeping a job can depend on people liking you. If the economy changes, they can get rid of you at anytime for any reason despite you putting your blood, sweat and tears into a company. Why make another company rich and they can throw you away at anytime? They are millionaires and your salary doesn’t change with the growth! I explain more of this in the original article below but geez. Being at a job is not as secure like everyone said growing up. (And entrepreneurship is not a job, you cannot approach a business the same way you approach a job.)
Go to school get good grades.
Then go to college, get married, punch in a time clock. You gotta save up and wait until your 65 AND only then you can travel the world.
Hope and pray that the plan you made for your life doesn’t fall through.
Or if you try to move up the corporate ladder?
“You gotta go through this, have these credentials or hold this position before you can run for that”
“Does so and so like you”
“You didn’t go out with Suzy for lunch that one time so she thinks you don’t like her. She’s the daughter of the boss too and you need her vote to get elected as this”
Yada, yada, yada.
I had this happen to me in school. I’ve seen it happen to people (esp women) in the real world. Before running for president, you got to get these signatures, talk to these people. Have these credentials, hold these previous positions. Be in the organization for a while. You’ll get voted in for being liked or being it the “it” clique.
If you don’t and try to take shortcuts? The nerve of you. Who in the crap do you think you are?
The pressure is especially on women. This happens to guys I’m sure. But as women we are taught that we have to qualify in order to be qualified. You have to have this on your resume and you have to have these experiences. ONLY THEN are you ready for the big dog positions.
Wait.
Wait.
Wait. Be vice president first. That dude who has less experience? He will be president first. You will be a good president someday. But better luck next time.
Wait.
Wait.
Wait.
“So and so’s husband looking at you?”
Forget being president at all. Why would you want to be that anyways and do that to yourself?
Guys generally speaking are encouraged to be leaders right away and isn’t expected to have the qualifications. (Guy friends love ya to pieces but I watched how some of you got leadership positions with ease.)
In a startup, regardless if you are man or woman you can be your own boss and guess what? YOU END UP DOING MOST OR ALL THE POSITIONS ANYWAYS AS THE HEAD OF THE BUSINESS, and you get the experience and learn as you go. I’m thinking why go through all the grief and headache of trying to get people on your side and playing popularity contests? Instead of spending the hamster wheel of trying to prove your worth to people who don’t value your worth or what you bring to the table, entrepreneurship stretches you, challenges you and rewards you. (With work, perseverance and grit of course.)
Entrepreneurship itself isn’t sexist. It’s people and the attitudes in this world that’s sexist.
When I wrote this in January a Real World Example happening right now in front of our eyes. The US government is shut down, and there is people who is not getting paid because of the actions of other people (to put verbs my sentences Donald Trump and according to who you talk to, throw in the Democrats and the Republicans). Why in the world does your pay have to be affected by what someone else does? CREDITORS don’t CARE about the situation, they want their money-although this is a great idea (and I wonder how it’s working out for people). This is the risk I want to avoid, period.
G. If you just say yes
I’ve had so many learning experiences in entrepreneurship by just saying yes. Because I had successes at some of the companies I started, I was invited to others. Even the ones that bombed? I took my experiences from it and kept creating.
Check out the 2.34 marker here.
For me personally if you focus on solving problems, you will earn wealth. You learn then you drop the l to earn.
In some cases it is helpful to have experience in the area or bring in someone that does. For example, if I wanted to create a start-up with a medical device, I would definitely partner with a doctor. They have the background, expertise and experience that I don’t have.
I would have never moved up this quick at a regular job.
“Aw you’re such a babyface and you will have time.”
Yeah, heard that enough times to just do my own thing.
I forget where I saw this on Facebook, but same thing happened to a 19 year old entrepreneur. He walked into a car dealership wanting to buy a BMW and they blew him off. The comments on that were excellent.
People under estimated me in school, and I still have to put my foot down sometimes.
Entrepreneurship doesn’t size you up, judge you on how you look, or question you because you live in a different reality. People do.
H. Mistakes are welcomed.
I mention this below also, but mistakes are to be embraced.
I have made several mistakes in my businesses, to the point that it makes the ones I made in school look like child’s play. Looking back, I realize how silly it was for the people around me to overreact to it like they did.
I. I don’t like being labeled, and entrepreneurship doesn’t label or stereotype.
I read articles like this. While they bring up good points, they also make me cringe inside.
Growing up, people in grade school stereotyped and labeled me. To suggest that I’m someone that was less than because of my skin color was unforgivable. To not treat me like a individual and get to know me as a human being made me cringe.
To try to keep me in my place because I had ambition and wanted more out of life mind boggled me.
I do get that racism does happen and when it’s time to address it. Address it. If you know me, I’m not a race card person.
I’m not their opinion of me and I never was. I control my own destiny.
No it’s not easy to become wealthy.
No it’s not easy being a entrepreneur (I’ve said this tons of times in this article and many others).
But when I weigh the pros and cons of holding 9 to 5 jobs and being a entrepreneur, I’ll stick with being a entrepreneur. (The closest thing to a job I will take is acting jobs. I will take acting jobs).
J. Entrepreneurship gives me a peace of mind that I can’t describe in words.
I bolded this bullet point for a reason.
College Story #2: I was in a position once where I depended on a scholarship. When things got bad (some of my friends passed away, some family members passed away, I was sick from illness which turned out to be a tumor later on among other things) my school turned on me and took my scholarship away.
The same people that said:
“You’re a minority in technology and we are going to help you as much as possible.”
Nah, I was just someone that was used as a pawn to get government funding and to report numbers to say that they had diversity in the school of technology.
At the time my scholarship was taken I was holding a pledge trainer position in Alpha Phi Omega. And getting more involved in church and dance marathons. It was a lot of weight to carry. I was trying to navigate my friends' deaths. I didn’t tell anyone in my friend groups because I got scared. Being vulnerable once got me thrown away like trash. I didn’t want to risk opening up again so someone else can use my vulnerability against me or worst someone saying something cruel about my friends' deaths again (and in 2019 as I write this sadly some college friends and bros ended up dumping me after I started my entrepreneurial journey anyways.) Hoda Kotb said something on the Today Show that was really profound (if I can find the clip I will): It’s ok to be the person that is vulnerable at work, but make sure this person doesn’t use the information against you to move up in a company. I was the person that got burnt when I showed my vulnerable side and my situation was in school. And yes ma’am, it is the worst.
The only power I took out of that situation?
Personal Thought 1: Alesha, why in the hell did you accept that scholarship? Did you really believe that you are getting something for nothing? Most of the time there’s gonna be strings attached. READ THE FINE PRINT WOMAN.
Personal Thought 2: Instead of depending on people for money, why not put yourself in a position where you don’t have to depend on people again? Damn it Alesha take your power back. NOW.
Personal Thought 3: Entrepreneurship is forgiving. I can get turned down from a regular job by having student loan issues (or bad credit for that matter.). Entrepreneurship doesn’t care about that. It’s there to pick up right where you left off. When people give up on you and run for the hills, entrepreneurship stays. Plus I can become financially free with entrepreneurship quicker. Why not?
Personal Thought 4:
Look at the 8.13 marker.
To prove my point further.
The government doesn’t care about me. Look what depending on them got you to at this point. Look at how they treated you when they said they would be there for you. No one in office is going to look out for you. Just put yourself in a better position, period.
People look at my LinkedIn and wonder what college did for me? They think my college experiences helped with my current business ventures. They did not.
They (meaning some professors) didn’t do nothing but discourage me and they did what they could to kick me out the major. Some of them were great, but how can you teach me out to be a millionaire when you’re not one yourself? The organizations I loved were great but didn’t offer many opportunities for me to be a president. It was secretly frustrating that the growth opportunities were limited knowing I would be creating and running my own companies one day soon (see clique section in my f. paragraph. I wasn’t a favorite in the cliques lol.)
The minute I left I co-founded and founded so many companies that old school friends (that are still around) got in touch and wondered how I’m doing it.
- I’m learning from the millionaires that came before me. I learn from my Medium family on here through the articles I read (hey I love ya!) The path is already carved, why reinvent the wheel?
- I ALWAYS believed in myself even when nobody did.
- And I’m always reinventing myself.
- If the business bombed? Cool. I go back to creating. Messing up doesn’t scare me away. IT EXCITES ME TO LEARN MORE.
My mother claims that I will use my college knowledge one day. I doubt it. It was fun to learn how to drink and meet people I guess! :D
And of course they always tell me back home in Indiana:
“why don’t you get a husband, he will take care of you.”
The easy way out. Mrs degree eh? I was asked about marriage around the age of 22 by a guy, and I said no, you got to be kidding me. Nah. I’ll get my own, because people are people. He might try to tell me what to do like I’m a child. He might leave like my school when things get bad. Get mad because he thinks I’m not paying enough attention to him when I’m just living out my purpose. It’s good to have options when people get flakey like Frosted Flakes. Your businesses will never wake up and tell you it doesn’t love you anymore. I’m for romance, but I’ll share what one of my favorite mentors told me once: As women some of us are taught to be stupid about money and depend on men for it. (And I’m not trying to offend anyone who is married. Marriage is not for me at this point, if ever. My guy wants to but I’m saying no.)
Me excited for wedding bells? For the 100th time, not me. Happy for others who walk down the aisle. Swear I’ll buy a wedding gift for you and I don’t have to be invited to the ceremony. I’ve been burnt too many times to ever rely completely on someone outside myself again.
People tell me that I’m hard on myself, and my school was cruel. Well.
At this point I really don’t trust easily. I made up my mind to blaze my own trail.
And I was looking over this article. If I had someone that would give me $500 dollars to start a business to see if it would work or not, that would be cool beans. If I borrow $20 from some of my family members, it’s told to everyone and I’m reminded about it for the rest of my life. In other words, we are not supportive of each other (love yall to pieces but I’m keeping it real).
Every time I depended on people in my life, it resulted in me getting burned (with a FEW exceptions).
(I’ll admit it gets really dicey when I have surgeries. Doctors made me sign something saying you will not drive or do these things when I go under a procedure. The first time I was out for months, and I was no good to anyone in this state. If my mom can’t or won’t do it I’m screwed. I’ve had a time finding people I can really trust and rely on.)
Now I’m on this journey of entrepreneurship. Good, bad and downright ugly. The bruises that entrepreneurship throws at me is nothing in comparison to some of the experiences I had in life. Bring it sexy entrepreneurship, bring it. Punch me in the face and do whatever you want entrepreneurship honey because I’m not going nowhere.
The one thing about entrepreneurship. You have to be secure, confident, and be OBSESSED. You do have to have tough skin, because people do start getting jealous of you and your successes, friends start changing because of insecurities (misery loves company), and people will kick you down until you make it (then act like they supported you when you get it).
I’m doing this for me. Not for him. Or them. I’m not competing with no one but myself.
H. If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
I don’t want to make this article any longer than it actually is. It’s already 30 minutes the last time I checked so I’m creating a spinoff.
The one thing I’ve learned about starting startups is that they force you to always be learning. You might be a super-smart engineer, ace designer, or distinguished MBA grad, but no matter how fluent you are in your craft, in startup land you will find yourself in uncharted territory daily. -Tyler Tate
Extraordinary minds do not need to seek validation from outside opinion or through the attainment of goals. Instead, they are truly at peace with themselves and the world around them. They live fearlessly-immune to criticism or praise and fueled by their own inner happiness and self-love. -Vishen Lakhiani
My definition of financial freedom? Losing it all and getting it right back. Having the millionaire mindset period.
Original Article Below. If you made it down here you’re awesome.
If you know me personally, I'm a goofball. I'm a foodie, laid back and I like to have a great time. In school, my mistakes weren't embraced. I noticed if did something, it was noted and remembered. And may times it was used against me when voting time came around when it electing people for president (my memory is very good, and they tap into this while on acting sets.)
I was not picked to lead. And in some cases I wasn't wanted ( harsh but just keeping it real). Which blows because I really wanted to grow at the school level, find a team to learn with, and be apart of something bigger than myself. But popularity contests, who's in who's clique, who had sex with who last week, who donated the most money, and going with who they knew won a lot of times, . It took me dozens of organizations rejecting me before I found a fit. (Apo, church and Riley Hospital For Children)
Fast forward to my real world life, as a entrepreneur and creative, I make mistakes. I take the driver's create my own companies instead of waiting for someone else to ask me to join their organization (and if i'm invited that's cool too). Entrepreneurship allows me to step into my own power. If I fall flat on my face, in business or on set this could be the best thing that could happen because it can lead to successes (and I had it actually happen to me). I'm not going to get thrown out as president or ceo of a company because of a mistake. We talk about it honestly and move forward (unlike some past organizations who talked about it behind my back, and expected me to be a mind reader). Doing that in school? Speaking for myself only HELL no. Forget being the head of an org at that point. Or being seen as a leader. Or being picked in class when you raise your hand. That really blows because life isn't always perfect. Entrepreneurship is very forgiving to you when life isn't perfect. As many entrepreneurs reading this know, it isn't always easy. But it's worth it.
If I waited on everyone else to vote me in as president or leader, i would be still waiting. Other people's perceptions of you are not necessarily true nor is people's opinion of you true. Just because they don't see you as a president doesn't mean you aren't cut out to be one. Maybe you are around jealous people who don't want to see you do anything. Give yourself permission to be great. If They claim that people in middle school are bullies and mean, but I also found this to be the case in adults in college and 20 somethings. And I read stories of on the job bullying. If I were to list every mean thing that 20 somethings did, you would be here for days reading this. If I went back further, i would have enough stories for a 16 book series (
And sometimes you have to read the writing on the wall and realize when you are not wanted, taken for granted and being wise enough to cut your losses and to take your talents elsewhere.
From What We Should Have Learned in School But Never Did by Srinivas Rao
True confidence is being more invested in your perception of yourself than someone else’s perception of you. — Mark Manson
From What We Should Have Learned in School But Never Did by Srinivas Rao
How someone else perceives us should never be the determining factor in our self-worth.
From What We Should Have Learned in School But Never Did by Srinivas Rao
There are few things more liberating in life than giving up the need to be liked by everyone. Not only is this impossible and out of your control.
rom What We Should Have Learned in School But Never Did by Srinivas Rao
You get to show up in the world as a non-apologetic, no bullshit version of who you are. This, in turn, increases your sense of self-worth because your value is no longer dependent on whether or not someone else approves of you. Your attitude becomes “this is who I am, take it or leave it.
Who does she think she is?
She's someone who's living her life unconcerned with who you think she is. And you reach a dangerous level of freedom when you don't care about what others think of you.
I remember being in school having an conversation with a higher up in my major. Unfortunately, there was (and still is) a lot of racism, stereotyping, and labeling. No matter what I did, certain people saw me a certain way. I told this person that I hate being labeled and stereotyped. If they really want to help me, they should quit treating me like a victim and treat me like a student. [1] Every chance I could, I addressed it. It struck a chord with this person, because they didn’t know how to respond to me. I have never seen someone go so pale white in my whole life. Can you imagine a 20 something shutting down a 50 year old with racist ways of thinking? For the rest of the time I was in school, this person avoided me in the hallways and acted like I didn’t exist. Entrepreneurship doesn’t discriminate, it doesn’t care if you have a degree or not, it doesn’t care about your back ground or skin color. The amount of income you make is up to you (and how much you are willing to learn). I really love that you can control your own destiny.
I’ve seen too many stats on people getting paid less because they are a woman or a person of color. I hear the horrible stories from family members about the office politics, cliques, bosses with these huge egos, and people taking credit for your hard work. Ive watched people be loyal to companies for years just for them to be dumped out the door because of a bad economy, or simply because a boss wants to give their friend a job instead of keeping you. Instead of just hoping it will work out for the best at a regular job and leaving it to fate, I make my own fate. Again, entrepreneurship doesn’t judge you because of race or where you come from. If you know me personally, I'm not a race card person or use race as a clutch but will acknowledge when it happens. Ironically, the most racism I experienced was in the formal education system, and I can venture to say I’m learning more about financial freedom as an entrepreneur than I ever did in school.
With a regular 9 to 5er, there’s a limit to how much you earn. You exchange time for money instead of money for time. I usually don’t have this conversation with most of my family and friends because they don’t understand it and I suspect they think I think I’m better. No, it’s not that. And no I don’t have everything figured out. Entrepreneurship provides a flexible lifestyle. I can partake in a bar crawl during the week or take a vacation on a Tuesday. I don’t have to wait until the weekend to have”fun”. It provides you with opportunities to multiple income streams: to make money while you sleep, eat, and play. Instead of worrying about how I’m going to pay this, I have time to give back to causes that mean a lot to me.
I had my experience of losing a main income stream through a scholarship in school, and I promised myself from that day forward to never rely on a single income stream ever again. It takes you being burned in that capacity to understand that there’s no such thing as job security, you can be fired for any reason, and the landscape has changed. And the way to financial freedom is not working for someone else. It’s not saving, working 2 to 3 jobs and going along with the old school model that we are being taught in school. The reason why I lost the scholarship? Because of medical issues and family deaths. Recently, I had medical issues and had to take a lot of time off. Do you think if I was working a regular job, can you realistically look me in the eye and tell me that I would still have my job 4 months later? I’ll be replaced and forgotten about by the next warm body they could find. Entrepreneurship will still be there providing means instead of a nagging boss asking when I’ll be back or asking me to work when I’m not healed yet. Or expecting me to be sharp right away after losing someone close to me. This experience really taught me that most people don’t care about your problems. And if I had to slow it down on the entrepreneur side of things? It will be there for me to pick up right where I left off.
Being an entrepreneur allows me to mingle with some heavy hitters (won’t name drop lol). If an issue arises in any project, I can approach someone who’s been there and done that for advice.
Most people conform to whatever environment they are in, even if that environment directly contradicts their value-system. Are you doing things because people in society (family, friends) told you to do that, or are you genuinely being your authentic self? Have you forgotten who you truly are because the world told you how to be? In entrepreneurship, you have full permission to go against the status quo because you are surrounded by people trying to accomplish similar goals. By surrounding yourself with people on the same wavelength, it’s easier to be successful. It’s counter-productive as entrepreneurs to continue to surround ourselves with people on a less-productive frequency who ultimately hold you back. Many times, the people that you hang around can hold you back from growing and you don't even realize it. Yes, I have my fair share of friends not in the entrepreneur world and like I said above, I don’t approach them with it. I approach my entrepreneurship friends with it lol.
Along with #6, this video and this video explains perfectly why it was easier for me to cut off a few schools.
I left this blank. Comment below if you're an entrepreneur.
I had my fair share of working for others, and I always used to notice people took me for granted or tried to walk all over me. I'm a fun person that loves to post food photos. Too many times in my life people have mistaked my kindness for weakness. Just because I'm nice does not mean I'm stupid. I've found that this happens less frequently when I run in entrepreneur circles.
Disclaimers: Entrepreneurship is not for everyone, and my response is not meant to make fun of anyone. Have I worked for others? Yes. Infact, when I book an acting gig, that’s a job. Is entertainment and entrepreneurship easy? No. But I love them both.
If you want to learn how I walked on my journey to entrepreneurship and entertainment, go here [2].
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Hello There! I’m Alesha! I’ve been involved in different businesses in several different capacities from being ceo, coo, co-founder, and more. I’ve learned so much from creating businesses, and I look forward to all the learning experiences I will have from starting new ventures. 2019 I’m excited to announce that I’m going to add more businesses to my portfolio. STAY TUNED! I’m going to introduce them sometime next year!
With one business I was involved with, we made it possible to install a little device with customized hardware and a SaaS solution implemented to the router, the business owner was able see live data about social media info collected.
With another company, we had professional internet marketing company that focus on digital marketing campaigns, services and jobs such as SEO, PPC, Online Reputation Management, and social media marketing.
With EYT, I oversaw day-to-day operations and keeping the CEO apprised of significant events;Yes I actually talk with my business partner on a daily basis. I created operations strategy and policies; Communicated strategy and policy to employees and interns; Fostering employee alignment with corporate goals; and overseeing human resource management. I also delegated tasks to my team.
With Bones’ Custom Guitar. We created custom guitars for musicians with imported wood. No one Bones’ guitar is the same.
The Wish Benefit Concert is a concert founded by Ayana Carter, Mel Sexton and Alesha Peterson. It’s privately held at Riley Hospital For Children.
