I listened to How I built this NPR: Serial Entrepreneur: Mark Cuban podcast and became fascinated with the way he was always prepared for the opportunities that came across his path. Many say to be an entrepreneur you must be willing to take greater than normal risk. An entrepreneur takes initiative when business opportunities arise. They take this opportunity and make things happen.
Mark has done this many times successfully. In one of his first positions at a bank, he noticed a gap in information flow and took the initiative to use his skills and passion of problem solving to write an employee newsletter. He was problem solving for the bank although he got fired for taking initiative.
Later, Mark moved to Dallas and taught himself on personal computers and learned how the computer business works. Because of these skills, developed from self-teachings, he was able to start anew business that he later sold for millions of dollars. Now, Mark has the skills and assets that catapulted him into his next ventures. From here on, due to his business skills and assets, he took advantage of numerous opportunities and always tried to be one or two steps ahead of what was needed. Mark never knew when an opportunity would arise but was prepared for it with a variety of skills and assets.
As aspiring entrepreneurs, we should be prepared to use these skills and assets we acquire through life to opportunities as they arise. Many of us strive to do this, but we must first determine what experience and skills we bring to the table. We also should combine this with our passion. The challenge is to combine our skills and experience with our passion.
I asked myself this question for many years. I finally came across a gap at work that provided an opportunity for me to use my skills and experience. The United States provides humanitarian assistance through the Department of Defense to developing countries by building schools and clinics in remote areas. Although the Department of Defense can build the schools and health clinics, funding restrictions prevent them from providing the supplies and equipment to furnish these new buildings. Because of my skills and experience I recognized this opportunity to capitalize on.
I started an international (non-government) non-profit organization to support the United States by providing the equipment and supplies necessary to finish the schools and health clinics in remote areas. This will allow children to have the equipment they need to learn in school and the health clinics will support their local villages with care.
Cuban, M. (2016, Dec. 5). How I built this NPR: Serial Entrepreneur: Mark Cuban. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this