Todos nós já falhamos. Já erramos e definitivamente vamos errar.

E se isso fosse absolutamente essencial e espectacular? E se esse falhanço fica-se para a história?

Danny Bailey e Andrew Blackman decidiram criar o InspireStart. O InspireStart é uma plataforma de partilha de histórias sobre fundadores de novas empresas e projetos. O conceito é parecido com a famosa conferência Failcon, mas ao contrário de talks, temos histórias com as quais nos podemos inspirar…

Aqui fica uma bastante interessante de Oliver Luke:

At 19 years of age, I returned to the UK after spending a year in Australia. For three weeks, I spent all my savings living like a rock star and slowly crumbling back into my place in society, in a small town on the outskirts of Manchester.

A skint, no hoper.

Now, I made mistake number one at this stage, I listened to the wrong people. You know the type, the negative, poor, 9-5′ers .And at the age of 19, you take any advice you can get – I was told, and for some reason believed, that the only thing I could do is get a job, ideally something safe with a pension (don’t ask!).

Now, I love my family and friends, but they’re not always right and this was one instance.

I remember going for an interview for a low paid apprenticeship in Science testing something or other which I had no interest in, it was about 20 miles from my home, and I didn’t get it – at that point I was absolutely broken and upset, I thought I was a failure, and I was for about ten minutes – but these ‘at the time’ disasters turned out to be some of the real drivers that made me who I am today.

I reached a point where I had zero money and I had to make some – or else I would have to sign on the dole – which is something that would of really killed me inside.

So, I rushed into an industry which I knew was a cheap start-up. All in all, I set up with only 50 quid – I started a print business and my marketing budget went as far as 100 leaflets.

The second big lesson in this, is to just do it – don’t mess about trying to perfect this and that, just get it done and get it out there. Perfection is a waste of time.

I set up in 4 intensive coffee filled days (and nights!) and emerged with a website, leaflet – the whole stripped-bear startup! I was proud.

I told my family, they laughed it off and told me that ‘Co-op are advertsing for jobs’ – I told my friends and they poked fun at it. Once again, it would have been easier to believe them and give in – but you need to have that determination and belief in yourself.

I got my first customer (through a friend) and then went from there, I got some big press in some impressive papers, mainly because my press release landed the same time as youth unemployment figures were announced. But hey-ho it made me a few grand.

My business ran for the next 12 months and went from strength to strength and made me a living, I was never rich or even well-off. I was always struggling but I had freedom and that’s what I loved.

I left my business in December 2012 because I was offered a job working for one of the UK’s top marketing consultancies which moved me to Birmingham, where I am today.

The reason I got this job? To learn. What have I learnt? Shit loads.

Will I be an employee forever? LOL NO!

I laugh at my old self, I was the worst business owner ever – I’ve grown, learnt, and I feel I am equipped to go into almost any industry and could make it work, because I am now shit hot at marketing.

Will I be here in 12 months time, maybe?

Will I be here in 5 years time, unlikely.

Will I be here in 10 years time. No chance.

Will I become a Millionaire one day. Definitly, I won’t rest until I am.

My big lesson here is, you can plan and try to perfect everything – but get stuck in, make stuff happen because things will change.

Just power your way through every situation and never let anything hold you back. I’m no genius and why should you take advice from me? Because right now, I’m just an employee.

But at the end of the day, I got where I am in only 18 months by believing in myself and making shit happen.

Enjoy your journey, never let anything hold you back.

 

Oliver Luke