Something “shifts” the day you decide to jumpstart your own business.

Maybe you were born to drive your own venture or several speed bumps along the way forced you to get into the driving seat. But it’s only when you look back in the rearview mirror, you clearly see all the reasons that led to that monumental “shift” months or years ago.

We all love to hear those “why did I start my business” stories. From Alibaba founder Jack Ma realizing that Chinese products weren’t available to a global audience online to Fubu founder Daymond John being rejected by 27 banks for a business loan, our heroes or heroines saw the vision before everyone else did and persevered until they finally built it.

This article is about those monumental “shifts” that our users experienced that led them to take the leap.

Take, for instance, Tink Taylor who seemed to be business-minded from the time that he was just a kid. Having started his car cleaning business with his buddy while still in school, Taylor ended up employing other kids to help him out.

Then, he learned to code but ended up becoming an instructor at one of the best windsurfing schools in Greece instead. When it wasn’t windy and the crowds thinned out, Taylor used his downtime to design the school’s website. His windsurfing clients liked what he did and asked whether he would do the same for them. The more he spoke to his clients, the more he realized they needed something much more from his company than just creating websites.

Today Taylor is the Founder & President of DotMailer that specializes in Email Marketing Software and Marketing Automation for SMEs, retailers and big brands. It has over 70000 users in 150 countries.

It’s so strange how many twists and turns life takes you on until you find that one thing that makes you truly passionate.

In another country closeby to Greece, Italian entrepreneur Alberto Gerli had sifted through thousands of reasons not to start his own business and yet found one that still made him want to brave this journey. It was a desire to change the world and leave an indelible personal mark when he left the world. Gerli is now the founder of Arianna, which is an industrial lighting startup that has a 10M+€ turnover.

For one to fully believe that they can change the world with their idea, there has to be a certain amount of optimism in their overall outlook on life. Founder of Inksmudge Journals, Gemma Williams had exactly that. She knew that the first journal that she designed was pretty good and could be sold to a larger audience. But this wasn’t the only reason – she also wanted to prove to her family of worriers (who stay safe in their comfort zones) that anything was possible and that they must take on more risks. That risk paid off and in March 2018, Williams led her first Kickstarter campaign and successfully reached its funding goal.

If you are currently considering taking a leap into entrepreneurship, and need some virtual handholding or business advice, Lama users are always there to listen to your questions and provide you with nuanced feedback. Download the app and connect with our ever-growing community of successful founders and industry experts.
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