Let’s face it, everybody dreams of leaving their cubicle
behind and instead controlling your own destiny. It's not uncommon to hear
about entrepreneurs who used the wealth they made from a previous endeavor to
build a thriving new startup, or about seasoned business owners who took over a
decades-old franchise and transformed it into something new. These stories are
inspiring in their own way, but to me, it's even more inspiring to hear about
people who started with nothing. Entrepreneur Jeremy Abelson started his
journey with no significant capital and no funding, yet despite the odds was
still able to build great successes. So, how did Jeremy Abelson accomplish such
unlikely feats, and what can we, as entrepreneurs, learn from him?
After two successful exits in the digital media space,
Jeremy Abelson founded his own company Irving Investors in 2009. In order to
find long-term sustainable investments in the public and private markets, he
cleverly used his experience as an entrepreneur with institutional investing. After
achieving a certain amount of success in marketing, Jeremy Abelson decided to
focus on high growth companies and disruptive technologies.
The path to starting your own business isn’t always
smooth—just ask Jeremy Abelson. Even the most successful businesses, small,
medium, and large alike, went through their share of challenges. When you’re
deep in the weeds of starting up, it can be easy to think about quitting. It can be helpful to remind yourself you’re
not the only one feeling overwhelmed. Every entrepreneur has to deal with a
unique set of circumstances and factors that are specific to their business.
For Jeremy Abelson there’s no wrong way to go about starting
a business as long as you follow your heart, use your common sense, and manage
your stress in a healthy way. You need to invest in yourself before you invest
in anything else, by focusing on improving your skills, education and
experience. Without self-investment, you won't be able to build a business, let
alone sustain one. Also, don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and look
to the future. Jeremy Abelson didn't enter a market that already existed, he created
new ones, and made bets on how current markets would evolve. Future-focused
strategies always win out over present-focused ones.
