MODERN-DAY MINERS?

Inspiring Entrepreneurs of Today Who Mined Diamonds In Their Own Backyards

This post highlights some successful modern day miners who utilized the wisdom, whether consciously or not, to mine the diamonds in their own backyards. Although, their success may seem larger than life to us now, you’ll note that their stories began on quite humble paths. This lets us know that we needn’t be endowed or blessed with super-human abilities to achieve greatness. If they can do it, you can too!

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Sir Richard Branson —  is a British business mogul, best known for the Virgin group of over 400 companies. His first successful business venture was a magazine called Student at age 16. In 1970, he set up an audio record mail-order business. In 1972, he opened a chain of record stores, Virgin Records, later known as Virgin Megastores. Branson’s Virgin brand grew rapidly during the 1980s—as he set up Virgin Atlantic Airways and expanded the Virgin Records music label.

Branson started business after he travelled across the English Channel and purchased crates of cut-out records from a record discounter. He sold the records out of the back of his car to retail outlets in London. He continued selling cut-outs through a record mail order business in 1970. Trading under the name “Virgin,” he sold records for considerably less than the “High Street” outlets. The name “Virgin” was suggested by one of Branson’s early employees because they were all new at business. At the time, many products were sold under restrictive marketing agreements that limited discounting. In effect, Branson began the series of changes that led to large-scale discounting of recorded music. [Reprinted courtesy of: wikipedia.org]

Oprah Winfrey — an American television host, actress, producer, and philanthropist, best known for her self-titled, multi-award winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011. She has been ranked the richest African-American of the 20th century, the greatest Black philanthropist in American history, and according to some, the most influential woman in the world.

Winfrey was born into poverty in rural Mississippi to a teenage single mother and later raised in an inner-city Milwaukee neighborhood. She experienced considerable hardship during her childhood, claiming to be raped at age nine and becoming pregnant at 14; her son died in infancy. Winfrey landed a job in radio while still in high school and began co-anchoring the local evening news at the age of 19. Her emotional ad-lib delivery eventually got her transferred to the daytime talk show arena, and after boosting a third-rated local Chicago talk show to first place she launched her own production company and became internationally syndicated. [Reprinted courtesy of: wikipedia.org]

Mary Kay Ash — Mary Kay Ash was born Mary Kathryn Wagner in Hot Wells, Texas. While her husband served in World War II, she sold books door-to-door. After her husband’s return in 1938, they divorced and Ash went to work for Stanley Home Products. Frustrated when passed over for a promotion in favor of a man that she had trained, Ash retired in 1963 and intended to write a book to assist women in business. The book turned into a business plan for her ideal company, and in September 1963, Mary Kay Ash and her second husband began Mary Kay Cosmetics with a $5,000 investment. [Reprinted courtesy of: wikipedia.org]

Wil Smith — Actor, film producer and rapper, Wil Smith has enjoyed success in music, television and film. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood. In the late 1980s, Smith achieved modest fame as a rapper under the name ‘The Fresh Prince.’ In 1990, his popularity increased dramatically when he starred in the popular television series, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which ran for nearly six years (1990–1996) on NBC and has been syndicated consistently on various networks   since then.

In the mid-1990s, Smith transitioned from television to film, and ultimately starred in numerous blockbuster films that received broad box office success. In fact, he is the only actor in history to have eight consecutive films gross over $100 million in the domestic box office as well as being the only actor to have eight consecutive films in which he starred open at the #1 spot in the domestic box office tally. [Reprinted courtesy of: wikipedia.org]

This list is by no means exhaustive. There are countless other popular entrepreneurs who achieved their success via talents and means readily available to them. I mention these individuals just as a reminder that it is indeed possible to pursue your passions and use the talents you already possess to add immense value to the world, and by doing that you are sure to uncover your own ‘acres of diamonds.’

If you’d like to add to this list,  add your comment to this “Modern-Day Miners” post…

“Success is not something you pursue. What you pursue will elude you. It can be like trying to chase butterflies. Success is something you attract and accumulate by the person you become.”

— Jim Rohn

Success is not the result of luck or an accident.

Success is not fast.

Success is the culmination of countless failures and endless hours of study.
 
But most of all… Success is worth the sacrifice.

— Mike Dillard

When you stumble… make it part of the dance.

~Author Unknown

In the City of Bagdad lived Hakeem, the Wise One, and many people went to him for counsel, which he gave freely to all, asking nothing in return.

There came to him a young man, who had spent much but got little, and said: “Tell me, Wise One, what shall I do to receive the most for that which I spend?”

Hakeem answered, “A thing that is bought or sold has no value unless it contains that which cannot be bought or sold. Look for the Priceless Ingredient.”

“But what is this Priceless Ingredient?” asked the young man.

Spoke then the Wise One: “My son, the Priceless Ingredient of every product in the marketplace is the Honor and Integrity of him who makes it. Consider his name before you buy.”

— Author Unknown

“Fast wealth is created exponentially, not linerly.”

—MJ DeMarco

I just saw this video in TED Talks by Drew Dudley, “Leading with Lollipops” on leadership and wanted to share it with you. His perspective on leadership is quite inspiring and puts it in the hands of everyday people like you and me. All of us have the potential to be leaders yet sadly don’t give ourselves permission to do so. What a shame…

Freelancer vs. Self-Employed vs. Independent Contractor…what’s the difference? Are you really an entrepreneur or just avoiding getting a “real job?” Battle-tested ‘treps share their stories in this insightful documentary…

Watch Shine: The Entrepreneur’s Journey

If you’ve been tuning in to my blog for awhile, you’ve noticed how I like to talk about the entrepreneur’s journey and staying motivated & encouraged along what often seems to be a lonely road. While reading a copywriting e-newsletter, I came across this interesting excerpt from six-figure copywriter, Mindy Tyson-McHorse, and thought it would be good to share here. Some really great lessons for those still on the road to financial freedom. Read on…

Admit It: You’re Already An Entrepreneur

If you’ve found yourself fretting lately about how far away your goals seem and how hard it is to get started, take a step back for a moment. Look at what you have accomplished.

Honestly, not a lot of people have the guts to do what you’re doing. For one, you’ve stepped up and said, “Hey, I’ve got what it takes!” You won’t settle for a status quo lifestyle.

Instead, you recognize there’s more to life than just “getting by” and you’ve put yourself in a position to not only enjoy but command your reality.

Plus, you’ve got all the makings of a great entrepreneur. After all, you get to:

• Do what you most enjoy
• Determine how you spend your time
• Take charge of your money
• Choose the people with whom you work
• Become a known expert
• Control your schedule
• Decide who gets access to you
• Be perceived as a visionary
• Be admired by people who feel “stuck” in their jobs
• Have the freedom to follow your passions

Entrepreneurs aren’t just born. The qualities you need to be successful can be developed through hard work and application. You can cultivate what it takes to succeed just as you can resign yourself to working for someone else the rest of your life. [end]

Which will you choose?
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Mindy is a working mom who earns six figures writing copy from home. For more details about her journey to financial freedom on her own terms, click here…

Join us in the comments to tell us about your journey and what inspires you to keep going…