I have always been a dreamer.
Always imagined myself on top of the pyramid. It wasn’t the lust of power or fame – only the pursuit of self-actualization. I have read much about the great men of the past as well as those of the present and have always tried to emulate their lives, career choices and the leaps of faith that they took.
But this is mindset is best suited to intellectuals and dreamers or so I had been told since I was a child.
“You should concentrate on your studies,” they said. “your grades should be top-tier, nothing else matters for now.”
But those dreams did matter to me and they still do – for I have a long journey ahead of me and time remaining feels short.
So, I still read a lot: novels, biographies, magazines, and comic books more than anything else. When I first started reading, the genre of wealth and business started to appeal to me, and it helped me to look at the world more pragmatically. But it was not until I discovered the novel ‘Carpetbaggers’, written by Harold Robbins, that I found my true inspiration. Within it, I saw the makings of an empire and the mind of an enterprising genius.
As I walked in the shoes of the many characters living in similar pieces of literary art, the courage to dream big swelled within me. I too wanted prosperity but with recognition—to be called an “expert” in the field and the “must-be-followed” guy.
My surroundings also helped nurture my mindset:
- The business-oriented family environment.
- Afternoons spent at my father’s office, everyday after school.
- The way my father and my uncle conducted business – dealings and negotiations.
- And the mindless sales calls, which I had to endure as I accompanied the sales guys on their visits just to step out of the office.
Even at home, the endless discussions they had about the events of the day made an impact on me.
Over time, I did what I was “supposed” to do—got a MBA degree in Sales & Marketing (which by this time had become a second nature to me), and found a decent employment where I stayed a couple of years until I was summoned to take a position in the family’s business.
Fate, it would seem, had preordained my path.
And then I came across what I now recognize as a
“Moment of Destiny”.
Within the first few years, my fast-paced work ethic and thirst for change did not sit well with my elders, and I was made to choose:
Comply with the decadent styles of the previous generation and become a cog in the system
OR
Retain my agency in this world, to adopt innovations in business and break free.
I opted for the latter, and became a partner in an SME.
Instead of being a boss behind a desk, I chose to lead from the front and threw myself into Sales and Marketing—working directly on-ground. It was overwhelming at first, but eventually I embraced it and have never regretted it since. I have learned a lot too—personal selling, building rapport, analyzing the buyers’ psyche, negotiating, pricing, market research, and brand building. I worked on both B2B and B2C products, and built fledgling brands around them which, I believe, will become stronger with time.
I have encountered a few more of those “Moments of Destiny ” since, all appearing in times of great upheaval and uncertainty. Each time, offering options that would lead to paths which would alter my reality—never to be the same again.
One of these moments came very recently, when the Covid pandemic hit and brought the world to a standstill. It created a global economic depression like never seen before. The recession that followed reduced booming economies into debt traps, and changed forever the way businesses would operate.
I believe that eventually, the need for real skills will rise and all gimmicks would soon become unwanted.
Like many others, my little enterprise felt the sucker-punch, and once again, I had to make tough but informed decisions. I decided to learn new skills; copywriting and digital marketing. This knowledge, I would harness to better my sales and marketing and overall business performance.
But the biggest challenge came in terms of personal development and only a drastic change in mindset would make any difference. It is never wise to believe life will ever be stable, and the words of Heraclitus kept running through my mind:
“The Only Thing Constant is Change.”
The true reality is that I am an enterprising human being, through and through. The only way forward for a person like me and someone with a mindset scarred with ambition and experiences, is to keep moving in the forward direction, to keep evolving, learning and innovating.
A business organization is like a massive steam engine that keeps roaring and moving forward and it takes not one or two but many specialized people to keep it running.
But,
Its not everybody’s cup of tea. It is true that everyone should try (many times) in their lifetime to break from the every revolving hamster wheel and become free and choose their own destinies. Financial independence is a very difficult task and many falter and stumble over. I, too, have stumbled more times than I’d care to admit. But I was lucky to get help in the of guidance and moral support.
Since I had been fortunate enough to build a business around me that supports my lifestyle, I have wish to write and talk about my own experiences so that even others who are in doubt or despair could get inspiration to carry on. It would like a small beam of guiding light for someone stuck in the tall grass. I want to be remembered as a friend to those who could not find honest council when they needed help in building their businesses and make a life that they desired.
My cousin, a published author himself, is one of my most ardent supporters who encouraged me to start writing. He once said that writing is a noble field that lives on. I believe that now.
The writer may be forgotten but their words keep them alive.
And I want to live forever!
