The Ultimate Target Audience!

Hi Mike!

Thanks... Another very true post!

This is a common theme.... People often have their big successes NOT with what they start with, but with what that leads to....

For example, take the British entrepreneur, Richard Branson. Many think his first business was "Virgin Records" - but they'd be wrong.

His first business was in fact, "Student" magazine. It didn't survive, but while he was running that, he decided to place some ads in his own magazine to sell cheap music records to students by mail order. THAT succeeded, and Virgin Records was born!

If Richard Branson hadn't started "Student" magazine, would he have ended up starting Virgin Records, Virgin Airlines, and all his other businesses? It's hard to say, but it shows that to succeed, you have to start SOMETHING, but also keep your eyes and ears open for new opportunities. Starting SOMETHING will help to open new doors to you, because everyone will start to take you more seriously.... You've become more than just another "wannabe".

Some more examples....

Bill Gates and Paul Allen, who started "Microsoft", started by creating computer language software (such as BASIC). Although they still ended up succeeding in software, they found their BIG success with computer operating systems, like DOS and Windows.

Michael Dell started in direct response with a small mail order stamp business (for stamp collectors). He applied his direct response experience to creating "Dell" computers.

Joe Sugarman had numerous failures at the beginning - the "Teeny Boppers," the "Batman credit cards", to name a couple. Finally, he had his big success with a calculator sold by direct mail. (Read his book, "Success Forces" - it's a real eye-opener!)

The evidence supports what you say, Mike... You've got to start SOMETHING in order to succeed - since just by starting, you put yourself "in the game" and open yourself up to new opportunities. Thanks for sharing this. :)

- Dien Rice