”Moving to another country was a hard transition for me. I could not speak English, and barely had any friends.” – Marcel Badia
The journey of entrepreneurship is not always an easy ride. You have to go through unfavourable transition. If care is not taking, you could rise or sink.
Marcel Badia shared his entrepreneurship journey and how he overcame.
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In my interview with him, he shared his true-life story.
How did you become an entrepreneur?
I had never thought of being an entrepreneur while growing up, just like nobody is born to become a lawyer or an uber driver. We all make certain choices as we grow.
How did you overcome the language barrier?
Learning a new culture, system, and language takes time but when you have the passion to be better or help others become better, that passion makes you overcome any challenges.
How were you able to make a living in a new environment?
Once I set up myself here in the United States, I started working at a small restaurant and that was a lifesaver. While working I knew I could do something bigger, and between working and learning English.
I thought about selling things online since people buy things online.
Can I sell some of those items cheaper?
Yes, I can.
Always thinking outside the box is what can make you see what others can’t.
You have to try if your gut tells – you are right.
But hold on, I’m not saying you can do any random business without making research.
Ask strangers and don’t limit your research to your family alone because they will always say it is a good idea.
Have you ever experienced failure as an entrepreneur?
Some of my early ventures fail, even now, I still make mistakes but I am human. I don’t know it all.
How did you handle it?
At some points in life, we have to sit back and analyze what we are doing and where we are going to have a better perspective. And sometimes we have to reinvent ourselves and come back stronger.
At a point, I said to myself – “Marcel you can do it”. Mistake after mistake will teach you the right way to build a business. When everything fails, we need to think again because it’s failing for a reason and after missing it many times, you will finally get it right.
Going forward – I drafted a plan and designed a deck. I looked for a team. I built everything from scratch. I hired advisors, marketing associate, and a co-founder, they all came onboard without a salary scale because they believed in my vision.
Nothing is impossible!
Before your startup kick-started, how did you survive in that period considering the financial constraint?
I am not ashamed to say that I had full-time jobs to support my family and my venture but I never let my paycheck distracted me. Instead, it fuels the passion to carry out my goals and made me stronger.
What keeps you going everyday?
I am not a millionaire. In fact, I don’t have one hundred thousand followers but I will always answer you.
Why? Because my soul and my gut tells me every day – “Marcel let’s do something today to help others”, even if it is getting a bottle of water and an energy bar to a homeless person and his dog.
I know in my skin how it feels to be ignored by someone you ask for help to mentor you, to help you validate your idea, or to give you feedback.
The will to help others keeps me going in life.
What advice do you have for people who want to embark on the entrepreneurship journey?
Don’t be a loner. If someone reaches out to you, answer them. You can have a quick chat. Networking in any way is the bread and butter of any entrepreneur.
For those that are struggling with their ventures, I am here to help and guide you on your entrepreneurship journey.
Thanks for your time Marcel Badia.