Guided Business Plan
Entrepreneur Inspiration
(excerpts from the Guided Business Plan™ book written by Melanie Rae) www.guidedbusinessplan.com
Chris Gardner
Any struggling entrepreneur who watched the movie The Pursuit of Happyness probably had tears in their eyes as they related to Chris Gardner’s plight. It is often a string of unfortunate circumstances that changes a person’s definition of “home” from a house to an apartment to a motel to a shelter. After a chance encounter, he was offered the opportunity to pursue a career as a stock‐broker even though he didn’t have relevant professional experience or education. The catch? He had to work with barely any pay while he studied and proved himself. While he probably could have obtained an entry‐level office position with his sales acumen, he seized the moment. He went from a tough situation to a dire one. He found himself masking his lifestyle from the other interns vying for the same stock broker position while he raised his toddler son on the street. Today, Chris Gardner is a self‐made multi‐millionaire and has received many prestigious awards for his philanthropic and entrepreneurial endeavors. Chris Gardner is a true American entrepreneur who exemplifies how success sometimes means living uncomfortably while pursuing your dreams.
Linda Alvarado
Linda Alvarado is the first woman to own a major league baseball team. She is co‐owner of the Colorado Rockies. Ms. Alvarado grew up with her five brothers in a three‐bedroom home that her father built. It did not have indoor plumbing or heat. Her parents juggled multiple jobs and household chores so Ms. Alvarado could focus on her one job: studying. She left Albuquerque, New Mexico to attend Pomona College in California where she studied economics. In 1976 she was inspired to start her own construction management firm but was turned down by multiple banks. Her parents borrowed $2,500 against their home for her start‐up costs. She grew Alvarado Construction Inc. slowly by taking projects that other contractors did not want. Gradually she was awarded larger contracts with municipalities and large corporations. She seized an opportunity to open a Taco Bell® franchise that became the first of 150 that she would own under her new company, Palo Alto Inc. Ms. Alvarado sits on numerous corporate boards and meets often with school groups to inspire their dreams. As she climbed higher, she always held the hand of someone else to help them succeed. Linda Alvarado is a true American entrepreneur who embodies the spirit of ‘each one reach one’.
Source credits available upon request
guidedbusinessplan.com
Russom Keflezighi
Russom Keflezighi literally walked for miles through the elements of Sub‐Sahara Africa and then flew between continents to achieve the American dream. During the mid 1980’s, he worked manual labor jobs in Sudan and Italy in order to scrape up enough money to liberate his wife and six children from war‐torn Eritrea. The family landed in San Diego, California in 1988. Russom Keflezighi worked as a taxicab driver and learned English to support his family that had grown to 11 children. Two decades later he and his wife Awetash reflect on what their sacrifice produced: an electrical engineer, an MBA, an Olympic Silver Medalist (Athens’ Marathon), a doctor, a lawyer, a college graduate, a Stanford University scholar, a UC‐San Diego scholar, a UC‐Berkeley scholar, and a high school honor student. For the past few years Russom Keflezighi has chronicled his life in a forthcoming book to inspire others that the America dream of opportunity is attainable. The Keflezighi family portrays true American and Eritrean determination.
Jean Nidetch
Jean Nidetch is among an elite few who have created a billion dollar enterprise from their apartment. Ms. Nidetch struggled with her weight as a child and into her teens. She carried the burden of excess weight while she held several administrative positions in the 1940s and 1950s. After having children she became a full‐time homemaker who still struggled with her food obsession. When her 5’7 frame supported 214 pounds, she turned to a doctor to subscribe a diet regimen. It worked but she felt herself reverting to her old ways. She enlisted other overweight friends to come speak about their feelings which became a support group. They met in her apartment. As word spread, they had to have meetings in public locations. This was the start of the Weight Watchers® program. Ms. Nidetch set up the company in 1963 with a business partner. Five years later it had 81 franchises in 43 states and 10 more overseas. By 1973 over 5 million people had enrolled in the program. In 1978 her company was bought for $71.2 million. In 2007, Weight Watchers International had 49,000 employees and $1.5 billion in revenue. Jean Nidetch is an American entrepreneur who proves that a simple idea can be a successful business model.
Tyler Perry
In October 2008, Tyler Perry opened the doors to the first full‐service movie production studio owned by an African‐American. Rewind and you’ll see that the studio is a culmination of his past milestone achievements: the TV SHOWS that he executive produces; the MOVIES that he writes and directs; the PLAYS that he writes and acts in with his iconic Madea character; and the success of the re‐release of his first play after a disastrous failure. He had invested his life savings along with investments from his family into producing his first play that only 30 people paid to see during the first weekend. Mr. Perry spent a period as a homeless man living in his car only to be more driven to succeed. Hundreds of million dollars later Tyler Perry proves that you can get up after falling and become a true American entrepreneur.
guidedbusinessplan.com