I've
often said I am unemployable. That's because I have such a terrible Resume/C.V.
I got fired from my last four jobs in Toronto, and have no formal qualifications or skills.
I got fired from my last four jobs in Toronto, and have no formal qualifications or skills.
I
always told myself I don't need a piece of paper to know I am smart or I can
be a success. I have
life experience, experience that has come from failures. And boy have I made
some dumb mistakes. Learning from dumb mistakes makes you wiser. Smarter. You educate yourself. And
when you succeed, that's the best graduation you can get.
My
"timeline" looks like this:
·
Sept
2009
- Let go from my job of two years at a toy company.
·
All
of 2010 - Received funding to start my own company selling
unique embroidable toys called Cubbies (named after my pet dog).
o
Was a complete disaster. Factory made
very poor products. Website was a joke. Wasted a lot of time and money. #Fail
·
November
2010
- Used up a lot of time looking at becoming a licensed agent selling mutual
bonds and insurance.
o
The company were cowboys. My
"mentor" was a great salesman. He had me convinced for a while I was
making a good career move. #Fail
·
Jan
2011
- Invested another chunk of cash (and a parental financial gift) becoming a
licensed mortgage advisor in Ontario, Canada.
o
Never made a cent! My broker had no
intention of helping me. Nor did my "friends" who didn't come to me
for a mortgage loan. #Fail
·
Spring/Summer
2011
- Spent more of my original Cubbies loan to create organic toys for children
and high end crochet animals.
o
Never got off the ground. Competition
too fierce. Not enough funding or connections to make it work. #Fail
·
Winter 2011 - Formed a website
promoting "premium incentives" to businesses, in particular, car
dealerships.
o
Business partner was a bum. Wasted more
time and energy. Never got off the ground. #Fail
·
Jan
2012
- Started working on Cubbies again, but only researching options. Avoid any
financial commitments.
·
Spring
2012
- Researched and formed a business plan making a brand of raw dog food for a
local butchers.
o
Unrealistic. Out of my knowledge zone.
#Fail
·
April
2012
- Got a "real job" working for a large manufacturer producing and
designing insulated bags.
o
Released after my three month probation.
Was never given a chance. My supervisor was a sociopath (again) #Fail
·
Summer
2012
- Put 100% of my attention in re launching Cubbies, spending every cent as if
it was my last.
o
#Success
What I
am saying is this. All my failures provided fantastic knowledge, insight and wisdom.
You should always remember your mistakes and remember the reasons why they
happened. You educate yourself in not making that same mistake again and you
can't learn this in a classroom. No business degree guarantees you will avoid failure or
helps you deal with falling down. But determined people with an entrepreneurial
spirit learn to pick themselves up again.
'Tis a
lesson you should heed:
Try,
try, try again.
If at
first you don't succeed,
Try,
try, try again.
W. E. Hickson
