From Frustrating Business Owner to thriving Multi-Business Entrepreneur

This is my story of how I got transformed from being an ordinary business owner, working a boring and frustrated nine to five earning an average income with little to no work satisfaction, to a successful Entrepreneur with multiple thriving businesses and loving it!

As a young and enthusiastic entrepreneur I started my first business in 2001 merely as a passion for the Music Technology Industry. At the time I had no skills, no experience in running a business nor did I had a mentor or any coaching in order to show me what to do or to direct my management decisions.

As the business grew over the years I’ve learned through trial and error — made my share of life lessons and mistakes but somehow managed to keep things afloat. Fifteen years later the business outgrew my one-man-band management style and it got more difficult and harder to keep track of everything and as manager I wanted to have a hand on everything.

Not knowing better, I got stuck in a boring and frustrated daily routine and lifestyle with a mindset of: “You need to work hard, endure the frustrations of life and make sure that everyone else is happy even at the cost if my time, money and happiness”

I was lost and did not know how or where to start changing my situation, and to make it worse, even though I tried very hard, everything did or promised got me a lot of opposition from friends and family and caused a lot of negativity and frustration. Boy it was killing me.

So I signed up for a small JT Foxx event not even knowing anything about the speaker or what the event was about. All I can remember is that I was either ignorant or desperate, but it was that one sentence that started my journey of change:

“Stop blaming your situation, pointing finger to others and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT”

Having an open mindset, the very next day I started making lists of things I wanted to change in my life. I write down personal qualities and things I always wanted to do an be. I think the best thing that happened in the months to come was the personal growth I’ve experienced and the personal investments I’ve made that grew my self-image and belief by getting rid of any aspect that was hindering me to growth.

I’ve decided to start living again and doing things like sky diving, extreme sports and other activities I always wanted to do without any having to have an excuse not to do so.

I quickly changed my perception about money and looked at spending as a mere investment and the value I get, rather than something that is scares or expensive.

So, during my first one-on-one session with JT, I clearly remember he’s words to me: “You are one of those special cases we had in a very long time, but I will make sure to give you the right coaching and you will become one of my best students”

Other than the fact of being overwhelmed with the information overload I got in a very short time with JT, the one thing that clearly remembered was the sincerity and the way I could see he meant every word he said and not just trying to get the session over.

As a former International athlete I know the importance of trust and belief that needs to exist between coach and athlete that can make or break the end goal. With my own past experience it is important that the coach sometimes belief in the capabilities of the athlete more than what the athlete believe in himself.

To fast forward, during the next six months I got coaching on Marketing and Branding that at at the time was non-existent in all of my businesses, but now has become one of my core strengths to the extend that I have started my own Marketing and Branding company specializing in quality business and personal brand building solutions and SEO.

What happened over the next few months was an explosion of growth within my existing businesses, new business ideas and self growth.

I scouted and hired an A-player key person that was needed to take over allot of my admin work that kept me busy most of my day. Suddenly I had something I never had — TIME.

With extra time on hand I made sure to use every second to learn, grow and most of all appreciate life. I developed an inquisitive hungry mindset like never before and I become very selective in what and with whom I spend my time with.

And as I grew so did my business ideas and focus.

Don’t get me wrong — this is not a Cinderella story and I went through some rough times, tough decisions and a lot of hard work to the extend that I constantly have to time out for a while to get perspective and make sense of everything. Looking back in a period of one year since I’ve met JT Foxx and his super coaching programs and coaches, I would say that I have grown more than I did the past ten years of my life.

As the saying goes: “There is no escalator to success — you need to take it step by step. But with the right coaching, it is like taking an elevator.”

The one thing I still don’t understand though is that people think that by just by showing up, their lives will change.

You don’t have to be smart nor does it matter what your background or past experiences are — you can make a difference and strive beyond your situation and become successful by making a decision, then just start DOING IT!

All good things do not come easy or cheap. But it takes the right mindset and ATTITUDE to make the difference. You need to be coachable and open minded to accept your mistakes, learn and apply from someone who knows what to do better than you.

So here’s my list for year one since I sat in a room listening to JT Foxx telling about his success stories and that results don’t lie:

I managed to re-brand myself, create my personal brand website and social brand pages, re-structure and re-brand my existing Multimedia Technology Higher Educational College, Brick-and-Mortar Music Technology and Online Shop, got rid of the clutter and B and C player employees, and literally more than double the college intake and shop sales.

I started three new Web Development, Branding and Marketing businesses and bought my third real-estate property.

I own a successful Game Farm with over 18 different game species and recently started a Remedial Sports Massage Studio, a web-based wedding invitation design business, and Upmarket Food guide website listing, a fully equipped and successful Radio Station with over 15 DJ’s featuring local unsigned artists and an online platform for Audio Visual Freelancers to showcase their work and businesses to hire their services.

As I am writing this blog post I am working on launching five other business to add to the list.

The message to you is that it does not need to be hard to come up with a great idea and convert it into a value-adding-profit-generating and successful business. All you have to do is START — and if you fail, fail fast, learn and grow.

I belief that there are lots of opportunities and market share out there. It’s a matter of who is going to grab the opportunity first and doing it the best.

I love what I do and and I am grateful for every opportunity that passes my way.

As JT says: “It take one person, with one opportunity or deal to make it” In my case it took one sentence — Thank you JT FOXX.

“THE POWER OF YOUR IMAGINATION” - Martin Willemse -