Entrepreneur success stories

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There are members at WP who are entrepreneurs/have their own business but I don't recall seeing a thread about it.

If you are an entrepreneur/have your own business, share a few of your success stories and add a little inspiration to the day here at WP.

Last edited by Blindspot149 on 31 Jan 2010, 8:41 am, edited 1 time in total.

i have an IT consulting bus, work for myself. my success in computing is a direct result of my aspergers. the first time i got a computer i became obsessed. its been almost 20 yrs and i still can be obsessed with certain projects. i love it. its a completely accidental career. i get to work at home alot, i like that

Officially, I am the sole owner and of a specialist training business, and I am also the person whose work brings in the bulk of our income; but in reality I am not "self-employed". The Operations Director ensures that we actually function as a business, and he is also the person who must manage the issues and work-related risks surrounding my psychiatric problems. It's a bit like having a business built around a rockstar: the rockstar goes out and sings, and there's a whole support infrastructure behind him. We also have another full-time employee, some part-time employees, and some external associates who work with us on projects.

However, unlike the typical rockstar who checks into recovery centre following some kind of breakdown, I can't afford to collapse or to be out of action for more than two or three days at the very most. The Britney merchandise will still be sold and will keep the empire going if Britney isn't singing, but in my case the company's other sources of income are not enough to provide breakeven earnings. My mental and physical health are therefore imperative to the company's survival. I hope that that will change within a year or so, so that I can have a well-deserved breakdown!

I also own a manufacturing business which will make a small niche range of interior construction products. It's a startup, and we're still refining the products and brand, therefore not yet producing. The ownership is, however, merely a matter of convenience for the real owner, who can't have the company registered in his own name for various reasons. I am involved, though, when he makes major decisions, as I would be financially liable if something were to go wrong with the business.

I got a huge headful of creative ideas whilst lying down at home due to sensory overload one day, and started writing and sketching ardently as the ideas just kept on coming. This flood of ideas continued as I was driving to the office, and eventually it turned into an exhausting full-scale meltdown within about half an hour after I arrived there. The result of this crazy event was that we have made plans to add an additional low-risk line of other products under a different brand, but using some of the same infrastructure.

It is to my advantage that I am not terribly money-hungry, as it takes time to build up a business, and the salary I draw is low compared to what one might expect based on my title and on the respect which the company has amongst competitors. There are clerks and junior programmers in other organisations who earn the same as I do, and where I work I am (theoretcially!) the top dog.

I am not a good manager, either of my own time, or of other people's work; I am, however, probably a better manager than most aspies. My aspie-score is 123 and my neurotypical score is 90 on the Aspie Quiz at http://www.rdos.net/eng/Aspie-quiz.php and I think this is an indication of why I am able to integrate to some degree in the neurotypical world. My "achievements" (if you could call them that) would absolutely and undoubtably not have been possible without the support of specific people in my life -- in spite of the fact that some of them have at times made things very hard for me too, in situations where understanding me was essential to assuring my effectiveness.

The unique competitiveness of our business is due to a combination of my aspie and ADHD skills and the support infrastructure provided by the Operations Director, who is also my best friend. (We've worked together in some form or fashion for more than 10 years.) No other organisation would be able to do what we do so cost-effectively, because they would have to employ seperate people to fulfil all the roles currently fulfilled by my own skills. Aspie stereotypes refer to a narrow focus and a single interest. I have many skills and many interests. I'm just not interested in what interests most people -- such as which team won the game last Saturday.

If my current support structures were to collapse -- for example, if the Operations Director died -- I would probably wrap up the business and apply for a regular job in one of the fields where I have expertise and which I enjoy, such as publishing. I would not be able to bear the strain of responsibility in a proper management position. Leadership and management are not the same; I may have a leading role now, but I couldn't manage on my own.

Thanks for the sharing the story.

Have you read 'The Cashflow Quadrant'? You might find it useful.

I'm 15, and starting a business making iPhone apps. I'm still learning the programming language and making the apps, though, so I have yet to turnover any cash.

However, that's just the beginning. I plan to start many business ventures and become rich, and by rich I mean properly rich, as in having a net worth of over £100,000,000.

BTW, I'm reading How To Get Rich by Felix Dennis at the moment, and I recommend it to anyone else with plans like mine too.

If you want, I'll post back and tell you how I got on 10 years later, probably while sitting in my appartment in Monaco, typing on a solid gold laptop

Asp-Z -- are you planning on inventing any apps that might be of particular use to the Aspergers/autism population? I'm very interested in what you might have available, and I'm sure there might be other parents/people on the spectrum who would be interested as well.

I have a (neurotypical but geeky) friend called Wessel who is developing an app for aspie teenagers to learn social conventions, and I think it also has a module for neurotypical people to understand aspies -- not really sure about the details. He took on the project as a suggestion from his university lecturer, who has an aspie son.

This is kind of a coincidence because when Wessel started the project it was quite foreign to me, as neither of us knew at the time that I was an aspie too. Since my diagnosis, he has occasionally asked me for specific input, but I have never seen the work in progress.

You can find him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/wessven

I cannot comment on future products... But let's just say there may be something in the works which could interest you

I learned to sew when I was 8 yrs old in 4H club. I've been sewing everyday ever since. I also have been collecting fabric for many years. I have always earned a living with my sewing for 30 plus years. I also hand dye and screen print silk and velvet and organic cotton. I sell my work at galleries and craft shows. Artists are expected to be odd so it works for me. I suck at all other social things but I'm ok at craft or most art shows. If I need to talk to a group of more than 3 I'm not effective. The first few years of craft shows were difficult but I'm used to it now, for the most part I'm comfortable. I've learned some canned phrases that I say over and over. The only drawback is that when I'm tired I repeat my phrases to the same customers, I get odd looks then. Really it's all ok tho. I'm very glad and lucky to earn a living this way.

I'm sure there is more to tell but that's all I've got for now. I know this is dry but I write like I talk.