3 of 13

Write now Article Tools

I love having my own business. I feel many should have their own business no matter how big or how small. September 11th proved to many how unsecured their jobs are. Why not start your own business and be your own boss.

Ever since I was a child, I loved having a business. Started out with a drink stand on our side walk. I learned to diversify into licorice and penny candy. I bought the licorice for a penny a strand and cut it in 2 and sold it for a penny a piece. The penny candy, I would sell for 2cents. Kids around the neighborhood who couldn't go to the store thought this was convenient. I had a paper route and build that into a success. It was a morning route before school. This was when I learned about hiring employees. I had a friend who helped me deliver the papers before school. If only he knew, I paid him 1/3 of the profits and kept 2/3 for myself. Course I did the collecting and had the newspapers folded by the time he showed up so I figured it was fair.

Then my business dealings went into a shady time in my late teens and early 20s. I was dealing Marijuana. But even then I made sure my product was of good quality and to keep my customer base I would never pinch on quantity. I was not a big time dealer. But enough to pay rent, pay bills, buy food and have a little fun.

I am not proud of my dealing past. My goal now is to show dealers how much business experience they have. I am amazed what dealers have said when I suggest starting a legit business. "Oh I could never start my own business. I don't know how". I think to myself are your in business already. You are dealing in a product that is illegal and cannot be advertised. Your clientele is questionable to say the least. You could be busted anytime and be put out of business in a blink of an eye. You can do this but yet, you doubt that you could start your own business?

A few years after I quit dealing, I found what was my business destiny. I was a jewelry sales man at a mini mall. It was basically a glorified flea market. The mini mall had very little customer traffic even though it was a good place and in a great location. My step father was in barber shop quartets. One of the songs they sang was send in the clowns. They did this in clown costumes. I joked that I should get in that costume and go jump around on the corner and attract customers to come into the mini mall. So I did. I put that costume on, put on a weird hat my mom had. Painted my face up and I went crazy on the corner jumping around.

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Starting a business from humble roots?
We want to hear your view. Write now!