After having no idea what I wanted to be when I “grew up” I ended up getting a BAH in Criminal Justice by 21, simultaneously working retail jobs and having no major thought to the direction I wanted to go in my life. I knew a few things about myself:
1. I was really good at sales. It didn’t matter what I was selling (at the time, I was selling skateboards).
2. I had the gift of gab, and was thus a networking master.
3. I loved new things, and got bored very quickly of working in the same place for too long.
4. I didn’t like being micro-managed.
My parents were always extremely concerned with my job turnover rate. It seemed as though whenever I had worked at a store for 6 months, was exceeding at sales, and was being valued by management or owners, I left. I became manager at my first retail location. I dove right into my work – I went above and beyond. I created events, managed social media, changed store operations, hired staff, and created new marketing plans. I increased the store’s sales, and its’ reputation in the city. After 6 months, I found myself bored again. As you can imagine, the cycle continued for quite a bit longer, until I had my “aha!” moment.
At the last retail store I managed, I continued to exceed expectations in my position, to the point where I got asked to join the Business Improvement Area Board of the area I was working in. As it became my new project, I got excited and began to work hard on improving the BIA and businesses within the BIA’s social media. I was 23, and all the business owners were dying to get me into their store for a “Dani-makeover”. Until it hit me – why was I doing all this work for free? I had something people valued, and I wasn’t charging for it!
Starting my own social media curation company at 23, was a scary thing, but I knew I had to do it. As soon as I put the idea out there, work started coming at me from all angles, and my company was growing at an alarming rate before I knew it! I always look back at the creation of my business, and compare it to diving into a pool (I promise this is a useful analogy.) Some people check the water out with their toe before jumping in; some people check the thermometer; other people walk in slowly from the shallow end. I think the best way to become successful in business is by diving in head first, with no turning back or dabbling into other things. Know your idea, know your niche, know your target market and best of all, know yourself. If you can own your idea, learn it, and master it, there is nothing that will stop you from making an “aha!” moment, into a business success story.
Dani Gagnon is CEO of The Like Button – a social media curation company, based in Toronto, Canada. Contact: dani@thelikebutton.ca.
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July 26th, 2011 at 4:23 pm
Awesome! Love this article!
September 12th, 2011 at 8:29 am
This is so true! I love that you had the self-awareness to see what patterns you were continually drawn to and went for it. Best of luck to you!
November 7th, 2011 at 11:47 pm
It takes a lot for someone to have the courage to do what you have done. I think most people are afraid of the unknown and not having a regular pay day and can ever build up the gusto to as yo put dive in head first!
Great job and Keep up the great work!