From Stuck to Unstoppable: An Entrepreneur Shares Her Journey

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by Kristie Kennedy 

As a first generation entrepreneur I have experienced a gamut of amazing adventures in pursuit of my purpose and passion. In retrospect, I see glimpses of what I was predestined to become in this world. I remember having a vivid imagination as a child. My childhood friends and I had our own shoe store called the Kangaroo Company.

One of my favorite aspects of entrepreneurship is the endless possibilities that rest at the tip of our fingers. Success is not as complex as we typically make it to be. It comes in various forms and each of us must define what that 7 letter word means in order to guarantee internal fulfillment. We must ever be reminded that we possess the power to design a magnificent life!

In my teenage years, I was never a top performing student and found myself frequently in the Principal’s office. Subsequently, during my early adult years I was more comfortable being a wall flower than the centerpiece which is quite common for many women who have not realized their unique power and worth.

The most powerful lesson that I have learned as I reflect on my life is that your start is not indicative of how you will finish. My world began to take on new meaning once I granted myself permission to be great and to abhor mediocrity. It is this desire to be more than I was and I am that keeps me soaring beyond my own expectations.

Top Lessons Learned in Life as an Adventure Seeking Entrepreneur:

1. Do it now: We are often waiting for the perfect set of circumstances and they almost never arrive. I personally, do not want to have any regrets during my last days on earth. Most everything that I have accomplished to date when presented with an opportunity, I often didn’t have all the money I needed, the resources, the man power, the knowledge and you name it. Yet, one thing that I did have was VISION!

 You must see it before you can see it or you will never be able to see it. I remember envisioning traveling out of the country and before the year ended I purchased a passport from the money a close friend invested into me. I found an opportunity online to travel to Bangkok, Thailand and participate in a women in leadership conference. I submitted an extensive proposal and was selected as one of only fifty chosen. I remember that day at the airport, my heart was beating fast as I journeyed alone to a foreign country with no family or friends there to rescue if needed.

2. Failure is not final: Many individuals allow mistakes, setbacks and hardship keep them stuck in a rut. I have experienced a gamut of emotional rollercoasters in this entrepreneurial voyage. I remember when I left my job to operate my business full time. I was told that when searching for optimum real estate location is everything. After moving into the building I discovered; immediately, thereafter was I departing as there was not enough traffic (clients) to keep the doors open.

That was an internally devastating year for me as I wrestled and played the beginning, middle and end over in my mind while hiding under the covers of failure. When you are experiencing a trail of successes to fall into the quick sands of disappointment it takes fortitude beyond your own natural powers to rise to the challenges of life again.

3. Attitude is everything: All that we are and all that we are able to evolve into hinges on this one small factor that makes a huge impact. Our attitudes can make us or break us. They allow us to reach immeasurable heights as a result of the innate belief that anything is possible. A positive attitude is an undeniable force that has the ability to conquer terminal illnesses. If my attitude was rooted in pessimism I would never have climbed from the mires of despair and darkness after five years of extreme financial lack. There were days when I didn’t know if I was coming or going. All I knew was that if I kept fighting long enough I could make it through the wilderness into a land of wonderment. It has been said, “Tough times don’t last, tough people do!” I am a living example that you overcome the odds stacked against you when you learn how to stack them in your favor.

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