It’s high time to Climb Out of This Pit!

Right now I’m reading Business Stripped Bare by Sir Richard Branson. It’s a fascinating read about how the Virgin Group has evolved from a humble mail-order music retailer to one of the world’s most recognised brands, along with all the trials and tribulations it has faced along the way.

But a particularly inspiring story caught my attention in the early chapters of the book. Sir Richard was visiting his private game reserve in South Africa. A village woman came up to him and asked to borrow $300 to buy a sewing machine and employ six people so she could kick start her business. Moreover, she promised to return the money in 3 months.

Impressed by her focus and determination, he gave her the $300, expecting to never see it again. He was wrong.

To his surprise, a few months later, when he returned to visit again, six women came up and presented him with gifts of exquisite cotton pillows and tribal robes, and the $300 he had lent to the entrepreneurial seamstress. She, herself couldn’t make it, for she was too busy selling the products at the markets.

There is a very strong entrepreneurial movement in Africa at the moment. People are taking responsibility for their own welfare and empowering themselves and others.

They are starting their own businesses with the benevolent help of banks who lend small amounts of money at low interest rates.

Meanwhile, in the Western world, it seems capitalism has been brought to its knees. The very industry that is helping Africans climb out of poverty, has corrupted the economic powerhouses with their greed.

Fellow blogger, Peter Fuller recently wrote an excellent article about shaky retirement plans of many middle aged people.

They simply don’t have enough. And the Government is not coming to the rescue because it can’t.

Starting your own business is pretty much the only way out of oblivion. By the time you realize where you’re headed, it’s too late for anything else. You’ve reached the end of your employable life – there are younger, cheaper people who can do the same job.

The word “entrepreneur” has been considered a dirty word in the past – often associated with greed, monopolies, money getting and to hell with the rest.

Now, many people don’t have a choice. It’s either fall into poverty, or to be so driven to avoid poverty that you risk everything, and work like a maniac for 17 hours a day for months at a time with absolutely no promise of success.

It’s crazy, irrational, and totally misunderstood by people closest to you. But it’s worth it.

Fortunately, there has never been a time human history where it’s easier for an individual to start their own business. The internet will be the saviour.

Downside risks have been all but eliminated. If you know what you’re doing, you can test if a new business idea will work in a matter of days, before you go all in.

If you’re an absolute beginner, there is no better business school than network marketing, in my opinion. It’s not that you have everything setup for you already from the products to the compensation, as great as that is, but it’s the people you meet that make all the difference.

So if you are building yourself a business, or struggling to put one together, I honour you. As long as you are honest, you are doing a very noble thing.

The world needs YOU. Never give in.

To your MLM success,

Wayne Wu

 

P.S. I would love your input! If you have an opinion that would contribute to this discussion, please leave me a comment below.

P.P.S. Share the love. If you enjoyed reading this article and think others will get value from it, please share it on Twitter or Facebook by clicking on the "Tweet" or "Share" buttons at the top of this post. Thank you.

No related posts.

Tagged as: Retirement Plans, Richard Branson, Starting Your Own Business, Taking Responsibility, Virgin Group