Bad Breakups Build Billion Dollar Brand

Bad Breakups Builds Billion Dollar Brands

It might seem quite arbitrary how a bad break up can lead to success. But believe me, after months of grieving, aimless jogs in the park, and sleepless nights a brand was born. It's funny how life works sometimes.

It is as if every success story is backed with some type of hardship, for some its building software in your dorm room, for others manufacturing and sewing cloths in your mothers basement for me it was losing my first love. Without struggle how is one to appreciate the success? Steve Jobs, Damon John, and myself have all felt these growing pains not only have we felt them but we embraced them and from them we birthed our hearts desires. 

Confucius wisely stated "Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life". People often think building your own brand is the easy way out and that the beauty of being an entrepreneur comes in the form of material possessions, adequate finances, and magazine covers. The beauty of being an entrepreneur is like the rose that grew from concrete "Proving nature's law is wrong".(Shakur).

The beauty of being an entrepreneur comes in the form of long hours spent developing your product, crafting your sales pitch, and seeking opportunities. It is the sacrifice of fun, relationships, and friends. It is that little voice in the back of your head that constantly questions if this could actually work. It is the first thing you think about when you wake and the last thing you think about before you sleep. Entrepreneurship creates frustration, anxiety, and hardship all while building character at the same time. Without fear and pain what can we really gauge happiness and success on. Embracing the struggle is the only way, there are no shortcuts to life and its only under heat and immense pressure that a lump of coal is turned into a diamond.

                Shun Not The Struggle

I vividly remember each day waking up questioning myself image. I didn't care to get dressed, I forced myself to brush my teeth, and shaving was out the question. By the end of the first month my 5 o clock shadow and slowly grown to thick stubble. And like most men, boy did it itch. It got to the point I had to cut my nails because my veracious scratching was too much for my face to bare.

I began reading all types of D.I.Y. home remedies, medical web pages, and even bought a couple aromatic oil books to see how I could fix my irritable stubble problem. That's when it hit me! I was going to craft myown beard serum. For the next 6 months I began to do just that. Testing different oil components on myself, family and friends. Through this I learned to master mix oils and began to really appreciate the hidden value each oil had to offer. For instance, one of my favorite oils to use is known as Jojoba Oil (ho-ho-ba). "It is a good conditioner for all skin types, especially mature skins. Jojoba is also effective for dryness and dandruff and can be massaged on its own into the hair and scalp"   Understanding the uniqueness each oil has to offer is what separates my product from the rest. My breakup taught me what it means to pay attention to the smallest details, that is why I focus intently on what my customers needs and how I can exceed their expectations.

 Protect Your Brand

Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing." Lincoln. There's not enough that can be about branding and reputation. Your name is the most important asset your business can have, protect it with your life.

I myself made the cardinal mistake of allowing people (other women) to create a this overzealous, mac from way back,  Don Juan facade about me. While some might view  think this as admirable it ultimately became my demise. When you allow other to create a reputation outside the mission and vision of your brand, you run the risk of alienating customers and losing credibility. Once trust is gone in a relationship, business, or brand it almost impossible to get it back. You're only as good as your last product. You could provide thousands of jobs, help the needy, send kids to college, and deliver a perfect quality product 99 times but it only takes 1 bad experience for a customer to never support you again. However some brands such as Blue Bell Ice Cream and Chipotle

are exceptions to these rules of loyalty. In spite recent health concerns many customers remain loyal to these brands because not only has their product surpassed their customer expectations in the past but, their brand is genuinely honest and wholesome. So whether you're in a relationship or in the checkout line, honesty in a person or a brand goes along way.