Robb Report, one of the most expensive magazines to advertise for the last 30 years started as an 8 page newsletter for people who own, buy and sell classic cars.
Dominos did so poorly in its first 10 months that Tom Monahan's partner, his own brother, sold him his share of the business in exchange of Tom's old car.
Subway sandwiches started in Brooklyn and did extremely poorly. All of the owner's family and friends suggested shutting down the business. He believed in his sandwiches and instead opened up another location in Brooklyn which took off from Day 1.
Google started in a rented garage. Made no money for three years because they had no idea how to make money out of this search engine they have built. They went to AOL, Microsoft and Yahoo trying to sell their company and they all rejected them. Both founders Sergi and Brian wrote later about sitting in their offices late at night depressed at 'wasting' two years of their lives building this search engine that nobody wanted. In a fit of desperation, they decided to start selling advertising.
Oprah started in as a local TV anchor in Chicago. By her own admission, 'not very good in front of the camera."
Rachel Ray did demo's of making 30 minute meal, standing up on her feet, in NY supermarket aisles.
Weight Watchers was started by a housewife, holding small group meetings in her living room.
Tony Robbins used to go door to door, selling tickets to goal-setting seminars for another speaker in California.
Zig Ziglar sold pots and pans door to door.
My friend Dean Killingbeck who runs a widely successful business in Howell used to sell roses to nurseries. Before that he was a second generation farmer for 10 years.
My first job at age 14 was an in neighborhood store, 9,000 miles away. Pay was around $1 per month. I put myself through school by loading chemicals, surgical equipment and olive oil in trucks in 100 degree heat, went back to the office, took my soaked shirt off, poured cold water on my head, put the spare shirt on, and went to night school. Took a bus for 2 years in Ypsilanti to work. Learned how to drive at 28, because I never had a car before. I started my first business in my apartment in Novi. I bought my first house on Nora's credit card. Got my first private investor with a $40 classified ad in Detroit News. Lived in a one bedroom $400 apartments for six years straight before building a house in West Bloomfield. It was strange walking into a house. I had never lived in one.
Everybody starts at pretty much the same way. With nothing. The big list of resources: money, assistants, offices... typically comes much later. Everybody stands one time or another at the STARTING LINE.
If you are there and feeling just a little down... DON'T. Just look at the list above. You are in good company.
Instead....
START Somewhere (now)
The place where all 'losers' come from
