Failure is not Final

Sometimes we believe that we are the only one that has had failures. Many successful entrepreneurs used their failures to move them forward. If we can see failures as lessons we can learn and move forward. I believe you fail when you give up on your dream or business ideas. Yes, we should have a plan to succeed and collaborate with others that can assist in our success, but never allow failure to stop you.

Famous Dave Anderson 

I remember Dave Anderson founder of Famous Dave’s BBQ telling my son Roland at age 12 about his failures as an entrepreneur during a Youth Entrepreneurship Summit where they spoke on stage together.  My son is now 26 and that wisdom has stayed with him as he makes his path as a leader and entrepreneur. Failures allow us to learn lessons that will help in each step of our business journey.  In 1994, Dave Anderson was one of the first investors in Rainforest Café, a theme restaurant chain, and in October 1994, Dave Anderson opened the first Famous Dave’s in Hayward, Wisconsin.

Walt Disney

Walt Disney is the businessman behind the very successful theme park “Walt Disney World “.  Walt Disney was reportedly fired by a newspaper editor for not having good ideas and no imagination.  Disney World is currently valued at $35 Billion dollars.

Steve Jobs

Was actually fired from Apple Computers, the very company that he is responsible for making it the success it is today.  When Jobs was fired from Apple, he was quoted stating “I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.”

Oprah Winfrey

Hailed as the “Queen of Daytime Talk TV” Winfrey was fired from her news reporter gig at a Baltimore news station.  Oprah went on to build a successful following from her daytime talk show “The Oprah Winfrey Show”.  Oprah’s net worth is currently valued at 2.7 billion dollars.

Vera Wang

The famous fashion designer (pictured above) wasn’t always known for her high-end wedding gowns. In fact, Wang was once a figure skater. But she failed to make the U.S. Olympic figure skating team. She then moved on to work for Vogue but was turned down for the editor-in-chief position before leaving to become a designer

Milton Hershey

Hershey’s is one of the most recognized names in chocolate. But before founding the company, Milton Hershey was fired from his apprenticeship with a printer. And then he tried to start three different candy companies, all of which failed, before starting the Lancaster Caramel Company and the Hershey Company that made his sweet confection a household name.

Richard Branson

Virgin Cola was the most highly-publicized of Virgin’s failed businesses. The drink, which was soft-launched exclusively on Virgin’s planes and in its cinemas, managed to peak at a small but significant 0.5% market share in the US, according to The Guardian. Production of the drink stopped in 2012 after the US soft drink giants fought back.

Jeff Bezos

Amazon is one of the biggest success stories of the online era. But before Amazon became a household name, the company’s CEO had several failed ideas. One of the most notable was an online auction site, which evolved into zShops, a brand that ultimately failed. Still, CEO Jeff Bezos would repurpose the idea into what would eventually become the Amazon Marketplace.

 

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. Winston Churchill

 

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