Sponsored – 1062 Cents and a Dream

The Power of Perseverance in the Face of Impossible Odds

Contributed By: Outsideagents.com 

“25 years and my life feels still, trying to get up that great big hill of hope to my destination.”  -4 Non Blonds 

I’d bet anything that you’ve felt overwhelmed and alone more than once starting your own home-based agency.  Self-doubt, setbacks, time constraints, mistakes, and missteps have made that great big hill feel like Everest more than once.   In fact, I’d wager you’ve considered throwing in the towel more than once. If this sounds familiar, congratulations!  You’re not delusional, and you have a strong chance of getting to your destination.  Every entrepreneur experiences it.  The successful ones embrace it as part of their journey to the top. 

You may be thinking, “This guy owns a billion-dollar-a-year agency.  What does he know about my struggles?”

In 2008, we were within hours of closing the doors.  The Great Recession had kicked our butts like it had so many other business owners.  In fact, we came to the point where if a big commission check from our top supplier didn’t arrive the next day, Wednesday, there would be a Thursday for us or our company.  Luckily, it arrived at 3:08 pm on that fateful Wednesday.  After paying the crew, laying off my mom and my wife, and skipping yet another paycheck, we were nearly a million dollars in debt as the Great Recession raged on around us.  We have 1062 cents to our names.  That day, I split my last cheese sandwich with my cousin, business partner, and best friend, Steve Muraca.  The only thing we really had was each other.  We never said it, but that day, we committed ourselves to each other’s future.  After all, we couldn’t give up; we’re family, and family doesn’t walk away when the going gets tough.  

Look, we’re not geniuses.  We didn’t go to Harvard.  We aren’t special.  We started exactly where most agents do, at the bottom of a great big hill with pockets full of more hope than cash.  So, how on earth did my cousin Steve and I manage to turn $10.62 and hope into the largest and most successful host agency in America?  We fell forward.

Humans don’t have big teeth or sharp claws, don’t run or swim particularly well, and have virtually no natural defenses.  Still, we are earth’s ultimate apex predator.  How can this be?  You may be thinking it’s our big brains and opposable thumbs.  While those things help, it’s the way we walk that puts us at the top of the food chain.  Huh?

Humans walk by falling forward.  Think about it: with each step, we lean forward and put our legs under ourselves before we fall.  This makes us extremely efficient at traveling long distances.  We don’t need to kill our food in combat.  We just need to wound it and follow it until our prey runs out of energy.

Steve and I kept falling forward.  Often, we couldn’t see the path ahead.  More often than not, we were making educated guesses and hoping for the best. We were sleeping like babies – waking up every two hours crying.  Each step was riskier than the previous one, and despair was always just a heartbeat away.  We kept falling forward because there was no other option.

I share this bit of the history of OutsideAgents.com to inspire you, encourage you, and elevate you.  If a couple of average shmoes like Steve and me can succeed, so will you.  All you really need is an abundance of hope and someone who understands you, and you can count on, even if you’re that person. 

At OutsideAgents.com, Steve and I are deeply committed to being that partner to our agents.  That’s why we give our personal cell phones to all 11,000 of our agents.  It’s why we treat every agent partner like a top producer.  It’s why we invest so heavily in technology and education.  It’s why we choose to care every single day.  We genuinely want to see our partners keep falling forward.  Our biggest reward in life is helping an agent partner get to the top of that great big hill of hope and come back down with a huge bag of success.