مقدمه

INTRODUCTION

THE TICKET BOOTH: TO RIDE OR NOT TO RIDE.

In the summer of 1989, at the ripe old age of eighteen, I became an entrepreneur.

Let me be clear: This wasn’t on purpose. That summer started for me the way summers start for many eighteen-year-olds. I had just finished high school and was gearing up to do exactly what was expected of me, which was to go to college.

My plan—or my father’s plan, to be more accurate—was for me to spend eight years walking the historic hallways of UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles), after which I’d walk out, waving a law degree or a “meal ticket for life,” as my dad put it. It was a pretty straightforward plan: I’d get a degree, get a great job with great pay, and get ahead in life. (Actually, doctor was my dad’s first choice, but after watching me faint repeatedly at the sight of blood—mine or anyone else’s—he settled for number two on his list.) In truth, I’d always been attracted to doing things outside the traditional structure. I had other ideas for getting ahead in life, and working for someone else was not one of them. But my dad had been preparing me for this plan all my life, and eventually, despite my inner rebel, I fell in line. That summer, the last thing I expected was anything… unexpected.

One warm afternoon I got a call from a good friend with an irresistible offer: “My brother has this video he keeps waving around excitedly. He says it’s amazing. He said to invite all the guys over to watch it. We’re even ordering pizza and getting a keg!” Beer, pizza, and an “amazing,” probably not-so-PG, movie? I was an eighteen-year-old male. This was my trifecta of a good time.

“Count me in!” I told my buddy.

THE MOMENT OF UH-OH!

I arrived at my friend’s house ready for “guys’ night.” As planned, there was pizza and beer. But the movie? It was nothing like what I had expected.

I was entranced, though, and for twenty minutes I couldn’t pull my eyes away from it. When it ended, I looked around the room to find my buddies staring blankly at the television screen—clearly they were expecting a different show, too. But while they appeared unaffected by what they had just witnessed, I thought it was totally rad! (Remember, it was the ’80s.) The video came from a company that offered you the chance to buy home water filtration systems at wholesale, then sell them at retail prices and earn yourself a profit. It offered, essentially, a chance to be in business.

Wait a minute, I thought. I can do that. Heck, this was right up my alley. Champion something worthy? Make a profit? Be in charge? Do something different?

The idea touched something deep inside me. Even as a kid, I had a tendency to see opportunity when others stared blankly ahead. In the summers when my friends worked McJobs, I did things differently. I took odd jobs, like mowing lawns and collecting nails at construction sites for a penny apiece. I was commissioned by a local trade school to get strangers to fill out surveys at bus and rail stations as a recruiting strategy. I worked hard, but I marched to my own beat and learned things on my own.

This idea of running your own business? Of controlling your own future and not being constrained by minimum wages and pointless rules? My inner rebel jumped out of line. It was like someone had just turned on the world’s brightest light bulb. I was in!

The cost to sign up and buy your inventory was $5,000, and I didn’t even blink. I immediately wrote a check for the full amount, drawing on the savings I’d earned lawn-by-lawn, nail-by-nail, and survey-by-survey. A few short days later, my dad’s garage filled up with two tall pallets worth of water filters. I had no idea what to do with them, but that didn’t matter because I was in business.

I can still remember how psyched I was. I stood in that garage, hands on my hips, staring up at the mountain of home water filtration systems, and just kept nodding my head. I was going to dominate filtered water.

Then, just three hours into my new business, I received my first rejection: My dad couldn’t get his car into the garage.

“Get this crap out of here,” he said.

“But… where am I supposed to put them?”

“How about you get out and sell them, Darren?”

Left with no other choice, I hit the streets 20 minutes later. I didn’t normally take that long to get dressed, but suddenly I was feeling something different. Nervousness had set in. But I took a deep breath and began to work my way from house to house through our neighborhood.

I pushed myself to knock on every door and ring every bell. To everyone who answered, I delivered my world-dominating pitch for better water, straight from their own tap. “Right there in your kitchen!” I’d tell them. “No more lugging heavy water jugs back and forth from the store. Can you believe this option even exists?” It was a long first day in business. With every door that opened, I tried a new angle. I scared them with facts about the disgusting water they were currently feeding their families and pets. I inspired them with visions of a world where water was clean, fresh, and limitless. I used charm (or so I thought). I used compelling statistics. I used selling techniques that had never been used before (and probably never will be again). But I was determined, and I was focused. I persevered even when things looked bleak. And at the end of the day, I had sold… nothing.

I couldn’t believe it! How was that even possible? I had 40 water filters in my father’s garage at the beginning of the day and 40 sitting there when I got back. As the garage door shut that evening with my father’s car parked outside, I knew I was in Big Trouble.

Worse still, it was the first time I thought maybe I wasn’t “cut out” for being in business for myself. Maybe my dad was right. Maybe college and a good job really was the right path.

Stressed, disillusioned (and a little afraid of my father), I did what any rejected teenage businessman does when confronted with failure: I called my grandmother.

I was raised without a mom. My dad wasn’t exactly the nurturing type either. He was a “stop crying, or I’ll give you something to cry about” kind of guy. If you remember the Stanley Kubrick movie Full Metal Jacket, you’ll understand that growing up in my house was like being in Gunnery Sergeant Hartman’s platoon.

My grandmother, however, was a calm spot in the storm. She was the woman in my life who helped me become the man I am today. She provided the warm, gushy, I-can-do-no-wrong unconditional love that I needed. She thought I was wonderful even when I wasn’t. All she had to do was smile and call me “darling!” and I knew I was loved.

It was my grandmother who taught me about money. She helped me open my first bank account. She taught me to save and encouraged me to “make it grow.” All of these things made my grandmother a great inspiration. They did not, however, make her a tough customer. Which meant that on that particularly trying first day in the water filtration business, she was just what I needed. I called her and arranged to “visit.” During my “visit,” I gave her my well-polished, clean-water-for-pennies-a-gallon pitch. But before I could use my triple tie-down, Jack Benny close, my grandmother interrupted.

“That sounds great, dear,” she said. “I’ll take one.”

I tried not to look surprised. Did she just say she’d take one?

Inspired, I pressed on. I explained the silliness of the basic model and that of course she should upgrade to the Cadillac model in my arsenal: the under-the-sink water unit. No unsightly containers on the counter, no mess. Just filtered water, on demand, straight from your tap.

She asked, “But who’s going to install it? You know you don’t want me asking your grandfather to do it. We’ll never hear the end of it.” “No problem, GramZ!” I said. “I’ll install it. It’s no sweat.”

“Okay then, dear, I’ll take whichever one you suggest,” she said.

With those nine little words, I had my first sale. And an upsell, at that!

While grandma went to get her checkbook, I started the installation. Less than an hour later, I was down one filter and up one customer.

Glowing with success, I took that natural next step of all successful salespeople: I asked for referrals.

It was too easy. My grandparents lived in a 50-plus retirement community. A nice place filled with nice people, each of whom was delighted to meet my grandmother’s perfect grandson. Did they want a water filter? Why, of course they did! And, of course they all wanted the same model my grandmother had.

In no time, going door to door with my grandmother in tow, I sold and installed eighteen water filters in my grandmother’s building. I was killing it! I was an entrepreneurial sensation!

I was flying high. Based on my success, I ordered more water filters—clearly, my biggest problem would be keeping inventory on the shelf! I’d be able to go to school (to do that “lawyer” thing, and keep dad happy), and build my water filter empire on the side. I had it all figured out.

A few days after my inaugural sale, my grandparents went on vacation to Hawaii, and I left for college. While sitting on a lanai sipping Kona coffee one morning, they received a phone call from one of the neighbors in their complex. They lived on the first floor directly below my grandparents’ unit.

There seemed to be a problem. A very, very wet problem.

The downstairs neighbors explained that as they were sitting in the living room watching Wheel of Fortune, they noticed a small drip coming from the light fixture above them. After the first spin of the Wheel but long before the contestants solved the puzzle, that drip had turned into a stream, and moments later a deluge of water pouring from the ceiling. Panicked, the neighbors had called maintenance and raced upstairs to find the entire apartment filled with several inches of water.

My grandparents’ home was flooded.

The carpets, the furniture, the walls. Books, boxes, shoes, clothes, appliances, and more—all were ruined. The place was a disaster. And the source of the leak? The under-the-sink Cadillac of water filters, courtesy of yours truly.

I was horrified. That lousy water filter was to blame, and I immediately began mentally rehearsing the heated conversation I would have with the water filter higher-ups. What irresponsible manufacturing practices! Allowing faulty filters of destruction to enter the homes of innocent, unsuspecting victims! The outrage!

But before I could make the call, things got worse. It appeared as though the flooding wasn’t the result of a malfunctioning filter. It took a qualified plumber less than a minute to conclude that whoever had installed the water filter had made a rookie mistake, putting a critical gasket in backward.

That rookie mistake-maker was, of course, me. My grandmother’s perfect grandson.

It was entirely my fault. And not just for what happened at my grandparents’ apartment but for what was no doubt about to happen in eighteen other units! I had installed every single one of the filters I sold. (“One-stop-shop here folks! See how easy this is?”) Before I went away to college feeling like a big shot, I’d placed eighteen ticking time bombs in a building full of my grandparents’ friends.

In the end I didn’t defuse the “bombs.” It was my grandfather and a plumber (or as my grandfather said, “someone who knows what the hell he’s doing.”). Together they went to every unit and re-installed the water filters properly. Afterwards, tail between my legs, I timidly asked my grandfather what I owed him. He simply replied, “Consider it our contribution to your college tuition.” While I never finished “official” college, looking back now, it was money well spent toward my tuition in the Entrepreneur School of Hard Knocks.

In time, thanks to the insurance my grandfather was “smart enough to have,” as he put it, my grandparents’ home was repaired and renovated. I was able to pick myself up, dry myself off, and continue my water filter career. And, just as I had proclaimed that first day while staring at the boxes of filters in my father’s garage, I totally dominated (well, kind of).

That was many, many years ago. But even now, as I tell you the story, I can remember that first night watching the “movie” like it was yesterday. I remember how I felt—the excitement of seeing a unique opportunity and the joy of discovering something that fit me, that suited my drive and affinity for doing things differently from everyone else.

I remember the initial anxiety of taking the leap and investing my hard-earned cash, and the moment of fear when I considered I might not be cut out for this business and might lose my savings.

I remember the thrill of seeing my first products arrive, and the deflation I felt when my father was nothing but annoyed.

I remember feeling the optimism that everyone would buy, the hollow pit in my stomach when everyone said no, the elation of selling that first product (even if it was to my grandma), and the exhilarating blur of the sales streak that followed.

And of course I’ll never forget the shame, the embarrassment, and the struggle to overcome the failure that flooded my first few weeks in business.

The summer I became an entrepreneur by accident was a gut-wrenching, unpredictable ride of euphoric highs and terrifying lows.

It was an emotional roller coaster.

And I. Was. Hooked.

Despite all of the twists and turns, I soon found I simply couldn’t live any other way. As I moved on to other successful ventures (and other not-so-successful ones), I learned what every business owner knows: This is what business is like. This is what business is. It is a frightening, exhilarating, and totally addictive thrill ride.

SUCCESS RESOURCE

Listen to my SUCCESS magazine interview where I reveal many of the best life-changing lessons I gained on my own wild and thrilling entrepreneur roller coaster ride. Free at RollerCoasterBook.com/Resources.

NOW IS THE TIME TO RIDE

Right now, as you hold this book in your hand and read these words, I believe we are living in the greatest era of opportunity in all of human history. It’s never been this good, and it likely never will be again.

This is not hyperbole, and no, I’m not making this up. SUCCESS magazine is designed to serve the entrepreneur, and that means we spend our days studying the business and financial landscapes. We have access to the best and brightest business minds in the world. We see all the latest economic news, press releases, and trend data. And we’re sitting on the greatest success archives ever collected in business history.

With that as background, here’s my summary report:

THIS is it!

Right now.

Unlike any other time in human history.

But you better hurry.

For far too long, the odds have been stacked against new entrepreneurs. For decades, only those in the ivory towers of big corporations had access to the essentials for business success. They controlled the raw materials and resources needed to create products. They controlled money and talent. They controlled the shelf space in stores, and the ships, trains, and trucks needed to fill them. And they controlled all the media and marketing, from newspapers and magazines to radio and TV.

It was a game where they made the rules, ran the board, and reserved victory for themselves.

But that was the Industrial Age game. And now? It’s Game Over.

We’ve reached a tipping point in technology, and it’s shaking the ivory towers right down to their foundations. Every one of those points of control, once held in the unrelenting grasp of the corporate few, has been liberated by technology. They’re now available to the enterprising many. So with control in the palm and in the lap of every ambitious individual with an idea and some sweat on their brow, the playing field has truly been leveled. The world’s marketplace is at everyone’s fingertips—literally.

And the payoff is astonishing.

In the past decade, global wealth has risen by 69 percent. In 2013 alone, the number of millionaires grew by two million. A report published by Deloitte recently predicted the number of new millionaires would reach unprecedented growth, doubling by 2020.

But recent trends show that the report is wrong. Their estimate was too low. The number of new millionaires is skyrocketing. Never before has the average person, without privilege, special education, training, previous wealth, or connections, been offered the unlimited opportunity and financial abundance that are available today. Never before has the average person been offered such a unique opportunity to join the elite ranks of millionaires.

And what will all those new millionaires have in common?

Almost all of them will be entrepreneurs. Just like you.

DECISION TIME

The first moment of the entrepreneur roller coaster is right now, and it’s a choice. One that only you can make.

You’re standing at the ticket booth. You can choose to seize the moment and pass through the turnstiles, or you can turn and walk away.

What will it be?

Before you decide, I want you to envision something. It’s 20, 30, or 40 years from now, and you are bouncing your great-grandchild on your knee. She looks around your house in awe and then up at you with big wide eyes and asks, “What did you do? How did we end up like this?” You will be able to say, “I was there, my child. I was there at the critical juncture in time, when the Industrial Age ended and the Connected Age began, and…” How will you end that sentence?

Do you want to say, “I took full advantage of that incredible moment in history, and my choices made possible the full, prosperous lives we love so much.” Or do you want to say, “But I missed it. I didn’t do anything about it. It passed me by, and that’s why we’re stuck.” Don’t miss out. Take the ride with me.

There will be people who recognize the opportunity, who stand up, take notice, and take action. Why not you?

People far less smart, capable, talented, or hardworking will stand up.

People with lower education, social standing, or family connections will take notice.

Hey, even people not as nice, kind, or generous as you will take action.

People all around you will become millionaires before your very eyes. Why not you? You could be one of those new millionaires. What’s stopping you?

Is it your friends? Your family? Your co-workers? Maybe it’s the haters, doubters, naysayers, and skeptics who won’t do it themselves and don’t want you to?

Or are you stopping yourself? Is it fear of financial insecurity? Your supposed lack of time or money? Or maybe it’s the voice in your head that keeps telling you that you’ll never make it.

Now is the time of great opportunity. I’m here to ensure you don’t miss it. I’m here to help you rise above the doubts and seize the opportunity for yourself. While I might not know you personally, I know you are capable of being a great entrepreneur. How can I know? Because we all are. We started out as entrepreneurs, and in reality we always have been. This book is about helping you embolden that fiercely independent and powerfully self-reliant spirit that already resides inside you.

I want to inspire you with what’s possible for you, your family, and your future once you step onto this ride. I also want to warn you about the loop de loops, twisters, and death drops you’ll find on the track ahead. I’ll even show you how to love them, as they’re what make the ride so awesomely thrilling. And I will help you master the few critical skills you’ll need to turn this roller coaster car into a rocket ship that you can ride to the moon—far beyond what you can even dream possible.

I know you wouldn’t be holding this book in your hand right now if the idea didn’t already speak to you. We are attracted to our talents, to our greater inner potential, to our destiny. Even if you don’t consciously know it at the time, unconsciously you are being guided. This book found its way to you with purpose. It is not an accident. This is the ride you were meant to take. This is the life you were meant to live.

WHAT THIS BOOK WILL DO

I believe that we all have entrepreneurial roots, but that doesn’t mean the ride isn’t challenging. I know because I’ve experienced it, and I know because I see it every day.

I’ve seen too many people struggle with their businesses because no one helped them with things that really matter. I’ve seen too many businesses fail that shouldn’t have, all because they lacked the clarity and support they needed to stay on the rails and master the ride.

That ends now.

This book is about learning to ride the entrepreneur roller coaster successfully. If I’ve done my job right, by the end of this book three things will happen: You’ll be a lot tougher. I’m a big believer in telling it straight. The first thing you need to know as an entrepreneur is what to expect, both from the road ahead and from yourself. No sugar coating. I’m going to build up your immunity to rejection, negativity, and doubt. You’re going to face those things along the way, and I want to ensure that you can stare them down without flinching.

You’ll be well-equipped for the ride. Entrepreneurship might be an emotional ride, but it also happens in the real world. So you need real skills. From sales to leadership to productivity, you’re going to get a crash course in how to get the job done.

You’ll be more confident than ever. Everyone starts out scared. We all doubt ourselves. And we all skin our knees along the way. Everyone does. But not everyone gets help. You will. You are capable of far more than you can imagine, and by the time I’m done, you’re going to believe it.

Take the ticket. Pass through the turnstiles, step into the car, and take the seat next to me. We are about to take the ride of your lifetime.

Welcome to The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster.

Are you ready to ride?

Okay, put a smile on your face, your hands in the air…

… and S-C-R-E-A-M!!!

SUCCESS RESOURCE

The 8 Tragic Mistakes Most Entrepreneurs Make—And How You Can Avoid Them. Free at RollerCoasterBook.com/Resources.