Starting From Zero
It was a meeting of the minds. The energy in the room was electric. Entrepreneurs from around the world gathered in Berlin to talk shop about their big life goals and how they made them a reality. Meet Up Group — Starting From Zero. The name of the event AND the name of the game.
Steve Jobs was one of the greats who not only formulated brilliant ideas but took the necessary next steps to bring them to life. A lesser known fact about Jobs’ success? He bootstrapped his startup. Bill Gates, Bob Evans, Michael Dell, William Hewlett, Sean Harvey, and Nathan Yates are just a few others in that same category.
I kicked off the night by sharing some background on We Roam. (Visit we-roam.com to learn more!) What started as an idea to show people the world, became something much bigger — a remote work movement. Remote workers and entrepreneurs are traveling around the world with us and taking their careers and businesses to the next level.
I started in admissions for We Roam back in the spring. For the past six months, I’ve heard countless success stories from remote workers, business leaders, and aspiring entrepreneurs from around the world. And I’ve learned a great deal about the entrepreneurial process and the pain points in bringing big things to life.
We all came into the Starting From Zero event with a question. And left with an answer.
Think you can’t start a successful business without huge rounds of funding? Think again.
Three digital nomad entrepreneurs provided us with three invaluable lessons in starting a business, moving it forward, and plowing through hiccups along the way.
Lesson 1. There is no secret. Just keep going.
First up was one of our Orion Roamers, Betsy McCue. Betsy started a photography business, La Vida Creations in 2005 with her husband Jeff McCue. Tragically, Jeff passed away unexpectedly in 2016. At this point, Betsy had a choice. She could back away from her business or she could lean into it. Betsy chose the latter and now leads the business and vision forward in his honor. Betsy’s business continues to thrive as she captures meaningful and candid imagery from all around the world.
She left us with a valuable perspective — when you think you can’t, you can. Play to your strengths AND recognize your weaknesses. Find people who can help you move the needle forward. There is no secret. Just keep going. The human will is stronger than anything else and if you want something bad enough, you can make it happen.
Lesson 2. Start with a strong mission and proceed with an even stronger will to see it through.
Mohamed M Jimale grew up in a multi-generational nomadic livestock farming family in Somalia. Jimale moved to Sweden as a refugee in 2010. In 2016, after hearing news of droughts devastating his home country, he decided to do something about it and created an app (ari.farm) which allows anyone to invest directly in the local livestock economy of Somalia. With a strong mission and a willingness to see his vision through, Jimale has turned his dream into a six figure company, in just one year.
Even more impressive? Mohamed’s created a brand new market. He believes deeply in the work that he is doing and his passion guides his mission. Mohamed has truly lived what he created.
Lesson 3. Small investments in your employees and customers go a long way.
Years ago, Damian bootstrapped Picasso Suites — a car rental and property development venture in Barcelona. He now manages his thriving business remotely from Berlin.
His message to prospective entrepreneurs? Oftentimes, life can look a lot like an obstacle course. In order to maximize success, you can spend a good deal of time discussing what stands in the way of it. Rather than dwelling on those factors, maximize what you have. If you can’t shower your employees with costly perks, offer what you can — the ability to work remotely or in an environment where they feel most comfortable and efficient. It’s important to get creative in your investments and show your people that you care.
People that stay in his accommodations are always treated to the little things — a six pack in the fridge and automated friendly text messages checking in on their stay. He personalizes the experience for his customers and in ways that are the result of just a little extra effort without breaking the bank. These small added benefits have enabled him to scale much faster than he anticipated.
Overall takeaway? With the right tools and strategies in place, it’s possible to bootstrap your way to profitability. Be open minded to advice and tips. The reward of creating something great, starting from zero, is unparalleled.
