Sadly, rather than letting a person follow their dreams, many choose instead to judge, discourage, or ridicule the mere fact of daring to try. (Photo: 123RF)
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GUEST BLOG. I became an entrepreneur a few days after graduating from college. A few years ago, from the first second I realized you could build an empire with a tiny idea, I knew I was an entrepreneur. I knew full well that the chances of success were microscopic, however, being able to build, step by step, an idea so that it would someday come true was the real reason I fell in love with entrepreneurship.
To be honest, I would have liked to be an architect. Unfortunately, my general average was very far from the minimum required to be accepted into the program. Finally, it was by starting a business that I became an architect … of my ideas!
Those who know me well know how catastrophic my first business experience (in catering) was! However, it was thanks to this failure that I discovered the popularity of vodka and it was by experiencing this personal and professional setback that I discovered the importance of having, if only one person who believes in you.
Indeed, entrepreneurial loneliness does exist. A bit like any person who decides to go against the grain of what is “normal” to do, to go into business, therefore in the most complete unknown, is a decision that many people fail to do. understand.
“You have no chance”, “it’s really too risky”, “you don’t know anything about this industry”, “you have no money to be able to make your place” … Phrases like those I have heard hundreds, if not thousands, over the years. For many, seeing a person take a risk, follow their passion, and risk everything is simply inconceivable.
Dare to try
Sadly, rather than letting the person follow their dreams, after all it is their life, many choose instead to judge, discourage or ridicule the mere fact of daring to try. The reasons are always the same. “I tell him that so that he or she does not lose everything”, “it is just to help him realize that it is going to be difficult”, “I tell him, because he is my friend and I do not want to not to see him lose everything ”… As Dalida would say,“ words, words, words ”.
Fortunately, in these times of stress, filled with uncertainties, questions and doubts as much towards our idea as towards us, there is, sometimes, a friend, a member of the family or a co-worker who believes almost surprisingly , in you and your idea.
Without knowing it, these people are often the one and only reason behind the fact that despite the difficulties, we continue to want to break down the doors, that we rush without looking back and that we accept, in a way, our comes out.
Over the years, the reasons for our stress change, the difficulties are experienced as a team and the challenges are much better managed. However, what made it all possible is often in the shadows.
Once you have achieved a certain degree of success, you are congratulated for having rushed, for having persevered or for not having listened to the thousand people who tried to “help you” by discouraging you. However, the spotlight is rarely on those shadowy “guardian angels” who made it all possible through their love, encouragement, belief in us and their resilience to accept to endure whatever one has chosen as theirs. living a sport as extreme as becoming an entrepreneur.
For my part, I was lucky to have had a few followers around me when we decided, with Karo, to found Pur Vodka. The vast majority of people who tried to “help” us by discouraging us or shutting the door on us in order to get funding or help were, however, absolutely right.
We didn’t have a cent in our pocket, we didn’t know anything about the industry, we had no way of financing ourselves other than our student “jobs”, we had no business experience and no contact. Worse, the spirits industry in Quebec did not exist and buying local seemed to be more of a philanthropic gesture than a real economic choice for the consumer.
Despite all these indisputable truths, my parents, my sister or my in-laws have all made the choice to believe in us, to support us and to live this crazy adventure by our side. Without any hesitation, I can confirm that without them, absolutely nothing of everything we have built would have seen the light of day.
Happy birthday mom!
On this very special day, I would like to conclude my column by wishing one of these faithful, my mother, the most wonderful birthdays. You dreamed that I was studying at MIT in order to become an engineer or that I would become a basketball player. Despite the fact that I had neither the grades for one nor the work ethic for the other, you still accepted my choice to throw myself into the void.
I know you had a lot of sleepless nights in my early years in business. I could feel your stress and your fear of seeing me fail once more. However, just knowing that you believed in me made me believe that anything was possible. Thank you.
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