As anyone in business can attest, the road to success isn’t always smooth. Actually, sometimes it’s chock full of obstacles, road bumps, and business potholes.
When successful entrepreneurs face these obstacles, they don’t shake their fists at the sky and turn around. They find ways to adapt, overcome, and get right back on track.
Here are two female entrepreneurs who encountered a really rocky road to success. Hopefully, you can get some insight and inspiration from them while you’re becoming just as successful.
“Success isn’t about the end result, it’s about what you learn along the way.” – Vera Wang
Vera Wang originally tried to become a member of the U.S. Figure-Skating Team, but was rejected. Not one to be a quitter, she became an editor at Vogue, only to eventually get denied her request to be editor-in-chief a few years later.
Lastly, at age 40, she began designing wedding gowns. Now, millions of dollars later, her namesake company is synonymous with “I do”. In the end, her persistence paid off (heavily) and Vera Wang is one of the most successful fashion lines in the universe.
What Wang realized, and what you should realize too, is that the path to success is sometimes really arduous, so you have to learn to love the journey, not just the destination. And while some would consider her a late-bloomer in entrepreneurship, she knew that age is just a number, and that it’s never too late (or too early) to become successful.
“For every failure, there’s an alternative course of action. You just have to find it. When you come to a roadblock, take a detour.” – Mary Kay Ash
After spending a quarter of a century in the sales department at Stanley Home Products, Mary Kay Ash was still getting denied and passed up for promotions. She finally resigned in 1963, frustrated that the firm overlooked her for promotions even as men she trained rose through the ranks.
Ash channeled her frustration, and began writing an advice book for businesswomen. Then, she quickly realized that she was writing a business plan for herself. Mary Kay Cosmetics was born, and the rest, as they say, is history.
While Ash’s initial career track might’ve looked like a failure, she realized that no plan is set in stone, and that “failure” can always be redefined by switching paths.
First business models rarely pan out, but successful owners don’t throw up their hands and accept defeat when that happens. They adjust. They adjust thousands of times if they have to, until it works.
Even if your plan fails, it can still have an impact. By modifying it, you can make it successful, even if it isn’t what you originally intended.
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Have you overcome failure or developed an inspirational attitude to get through anything? The Tribe wants to hear from you! For even more inspiration, check out some of their stories!
