Failure friend or foe?

Your friend, your competitor’s foe. Just think about it... you are one step ahead by failing earlier than your competitor. You know which marketing campaign doesn’t work. Which product will not be accepted by the marketplace -the list goes on and on. If you haven’t failed miserably in life or business you are at a strong disadvantage!

Last summer I failed miserably while trying to start a local publication like Coffee News in the city of Waltham, MA. While my other classmates were taking internships with big shot corporate companies I was sweating it out on the muggy streets of Waltham going door to door selling advertisement spots. After two months selling I netted just the right about to break even with a whopping $800. I heard the NO so many times but I told myself if I try hard enough I could get this publication off the ground -boy was I wrong. When I look back at it now I laugh and reminisce on those days, somehow I missed the $25 weekly budget I had for food and entertainment.

It was all worth it. I now know how NOT to run a publication and that my friends can't be found in any textbook or magazine.