As kids, my sister and I enjoyed playing “grown-up.” We would take on roles like businessperson or teacher and set the stage for hours of elaborate make-believe. One of us would dress up in Dad’s sports coat or Mom’s skirt, and we would surround ourselves with stuffed animal co-workers or classmates, piles of paperwork and files, toy phones, chalkboards and cups of “really hot” pretend coffee. Our concept of work mirrored our parents’ career paths. In fact, entrepreneurship never even crossed our minds—it was seen as unstable and too risky. Our path to success was clear and never questioned: graduate high school, attend a good college, get a degree or two, or maybe even three, and land a respectable job. And that’s exactly what I did… at first.
Hitting a ceiling
Within a couple of years of diving into my first real job, I hit my first real ceiling. I worked fast, was driven by my own creativity and regularly pushed the boundaries of my corporate role and title. But there were no opportunities for growth, my compensation was fixed and, worst of all, I felt utterly uninspired. One afternoon, overcome with boredom, I resorted to playing chess online just to pass the time. That was the breaking point—I refused to spend one more minute watching the time tick by. I wanted to do something with my life that was meaningful and filled with purpose that leveraged my skills and passion and would push me out of my comfort zone. I was determined to forge a path where personal growth and earnings potential knew no boundaries. I decided to go into business for myself.
As a young entrepreneur, I had grand visions and ambitious goals. I had no idea how I was going to make my business work. But I believed in myself. I tried and failed many times. I learned from those around me. I also experienced incredible successes, all of which shaped me into the leader I am today.
Twists and turns on my path to success
Over the years, I’ve worn multiple hats—switching between entrepreneur and employee—always guided by a singular mission: to make a meaningful impact on people’s lives. When I am tapping into my overarching purpose of leading, inspiring, providing value and empathizing, the way I file my taxes becomes inconsequential.
Through it all, I’ve come to realize that the path to success is anything but straightforward; it’s riddled with twists and turns, setbacks and triumphs. And, now, as I watch my own children play “grown-up,” my heart is full. They create clever roles as entrepreneurs, inventors, artists and social influencers. Will they follow the traditional path of higher education and conventional careers? Who knows? What truly matters is that they dare to dream big, set their sights high, push boundaries and understand that with unwavering determination and perseverance, any goal is within reach.
This article originally appeared in the July/August 2024 issue of SUCCESS magazine. Photo by Mike D’Avello.
