Numbers. I’ve always been drawn to working with numbers. They’re solid, concrete. I can take numbers and plug them into formulas and equations and define values. I can use them to determine what direction a business should take, or how early a client could retire, or how large of a tax return that client can expect. But one thing to which I will never be able to assign a numerical, monetary value, is time. People say, “Time is money,” but how much money? And what if the greatest investment we can make is not found in our financial portfolio, but rather into whom we are investing? I want to share a story about a man who gave me his time, and although he didn’t charge me a dime for it, I have been reaping the profits ever since.
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Mr. Lewis ran a floral shop. I first met him when I was about 7 years old. It was my birthday, and we were celebrating with members of our church, one of whom was Mr. Lewis. For the occasion, I was wearing an authentic African outfit, complete with a kufi. Mr. Lewis was very interested in the entire ensemble; he wanted to know what had made me so drawn to the outfit, and complimented my style. From that day on, he became a mentor for me. Sometimes during the summer, I would just hang around his shop, watching him interact with customers, or playing on his computer. When I got older, I would ride along on some deliveries with him and his team. Seeing his business sense, the way he cared about his customers and genuinely engaged with them, and how he got to be his own boss…all of these things affected me to such a degree that I knew that one day, I wanted to have my own business. Be my own boss. Help others meet their goals and really enjoy life.
Mr. Lewis is just one of many individuals that have given me the precious investment of time, and now, I want to invest my time into you. That’s what this blog is about – sharing things I’ve learned along this journey to fulfilling my dream of becoming a business owner. I hope it inspires you. I hope you learn from my mistakes. Most of all I hope it helps you along your path to achieving your goals, whether they involve running a financial firm, finishing school, taking that trip you’ve always dreamed of, or even raising a family. Life’s too short to waste doing what doesn’t make you happy.
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