Читать книгу Dear Entrepreneur - Danny Bailey - Страница 4

Hi, my name is Danny and my name is Andrew.

We are the same as you.

I have never started a business but have always had the ambition to. I have always done the ‘normal’ thing of working 9-5 and moaning about not having enough money. I never had the motivation to get off my arse and change things – until now.

I decided to ask people that have started businesses how I should go about starting up and also to ask for any advice they could give me. After receiving an amazing response, and having worked in publishing for most of my working life, I decided to publish their advice in a book for the world to see.

I don’t mind working 9-5, I actually quite like it, but my issue is the future and how I can make extra money to enjoy my personal life; I suppose it’s about working to live rather than living to work. I am the youngest of three. I am a final year university student studying Finance and Business with the ambition never to start the 9-5 slog. Ever since I can remember I have wanted to be my own boss. I have never envisaged myself working the normal 9-5; I just don’t think it is for me. I’m not the kind of person who ponders over things for a long time. I usually go on gut instinct and give 100% commitment, or I just don’t bother.

Business in general is a topic I enjoy and I guess that is why I have continued to study it. I was under the impression you needed a degree to get somewhere in life, however the more I have thought about it the more I start to question it. What is worth more, a degree or four years experience on my CV? I am not really sure anymore.

The thought of working for somebody else doesn’t motivate me or get me excited. Who would be reaping the rewards for all my hard work and effort? It wouldn’t be me. I need more to motivate me than a fixed monthly pay slip. I love the idea of creating and nurturing an idea into something I am proud of. I relish the thought of having the flexibility to work when I want to and having the responsibility to make the decisions.

I haven’t really done that much with my life so far. I’m a 21-year-old who hasn’t particularly stepped off the increasingly routine educational path. For my placement year I worked in London – which was pretty cool and an extremely useful experience – but the four-hour a day commute was torture and did almost kill me. Sitting on a train for almost 20 hours a week gave me a lot of thinking time: Do I really want to be stuck in an office every day for the rest of my life from 9am to 5pm? The answer was a categorical NO. In all honesty I can’t really get my head around the thought of giving up 40+ years of my life to be part of a corporate machine, being a numbered part in a well-oiled engine. I guess this might be where I differ. But then perhaps not, as YOU have chosen to pick up this book…

I am quite different to Andrew. He wants to be the next Alan Sugar or Peter Jones (nothing wrong with that!), but I have quite different ambitions. To me, achievements are completing the Marathon des Sables, the Three Peaks Challenge, an Iron Man or cycling from Land’s End to John o’Groats. What I aim for is to be able to achieve these things – and believe it or not they cost money why would someone pay to do these things?!) I know it sounds crazy but I love the feeling I get when completing these types of challenges. My entrepreneurial side funds the things I enjoy doing. It’s not about making a billion pounds or having offices in every major city in the world, it’s about having the financial freedom to live the life I want.

What I am trying to say is that while it is great to aim high, also aim for what you want and with the right attitude you will achieve it, against all odds. Read inspiring books, listen to motivational speeches, anything that will change your attitude and get you motivated to achieve what you want. You will never be happy until you know what you want out of life. Remember, we aren’t here for a long time; we’re here for a GOOD TIME!

This is the start of what we hope to be both your journey and ours. Remember, it is never too late or too early, lessons will be learnt and adventures will be had. We hope that this manages to help you on your way. Enjoy.