The Entrepreneurial Spirit Burns Brighter Than Ever
The Entrepreneurial Spirit Burns Brighter Than Ever
During a recent quick business trip to New York City a normal everyday travel occurrence ignited a recurring observation I enjoy more and more frequently. The Entrepreneurial Spirit is booming in America!
While sitting in a dank Yellow Cab crawling in the normal snail paced city traffic I struck up a conversation with my driver. His name was Aquil and he was a native of Pakistan. After the normal chatter I asked Aquil how long he had been driving. “Three years” he said “but I am really not here to drive I am setting up animport/export business“. We talked about his goals and dreams why he chose America likes and dislikes until I reached my destination. I left a business card with Aquil and told him to call if he needed any guidance and to keep me posted on his progress.
Upon leaving the cab I realized again that in this brief meeting I had met the heart soul and future of America. And it has always been so. No other country in the world provides the energy creativity and resources necessary for its citizens and those from the worldwide Diaspora to make unlimited attempts at the pursuit of opportunity prosperity and fulfillment.
I enjoy a variant of my chat with Aquil on an everincreasing basis. The volume of exciting business opportunities inventions new products and product enhancement available in the 21st Century marketplace is stunning. While success is not a given result the opportunity to try is. Real entrepreneurs keep trying work harder and do not flee upon hearing the dreaded word: NO! They are inevitably optimistic positive and see the glass as always more than halffull.
Unexpectedly I received a call from Aquil about two months after our brief taxi cab meeting. He quickly brought me up to date on his progress. He had incorporated negotiated an exclusivedistribution agreementproviding his new business the exclusive rights to distribute a line of artisan crafted marble tabletop accessories for the United States market. I was able to introduce him to a showroom that has undertaken sales of his beautiful products. He is still driving the cab but each month he comes closer to being in position to devote all of his time to his new enterprise and achieving his dream.
One of Americas first great entrepreneurs was Ben Franklin. Today we mainly remember Ben Franklins staggering importance as a Founding Father of our nation. Though born into poverty and a family of 15 children he achieved great wealth from hisinventionsand business acumen and retired from commerce at age 42. He devoted the rest of his long life to statesmanship. We still enjoy the benefits of his creativity publications and ideas both commercially and politically.
About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Geoff Ficke has been a serial entrepreneur for almost 50 years. As a small boy earning his spending money doing odd jobs in the neighborhood he learned the value of selling himself offering service and value for money.
After putting himself through the University of Kentucky B.A. Broadcast Journalism 1969 and serving in the United States Marine Corp Mr. Ficke commenced a career in the cosmetic industry. After rising to National Sales Manager for Vidal Sassoon Hair Care at age 28 he then launched a number of ventures including Rubigo Cosmetics Parfums Pierre Wulff Paris Le Bain Couture and Fashion Fragrance.
Geoff Ficke and his consulting firm Duquesa Marketing Inc. www.duquesamarketing.com has assisted businesses large and small domestic and international entrepreneurs inventors and students in new product development capital formation licensing marketing sales and business plans and successful implementation of his customized strategies. He is a Senior Fellow at the Page Center for Entrepreneurial Studies Business School Miami University Oxford Ohio.
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