As someone who has always been passionate about entrepreneurship and taking risks, I wanted to share a personal story with you all about a time when I was in Bangkok and took a huge risk that changed my life.
It was a sunny day in Bangkok, we just came to this big city and I was 25 years old, excited to start a new chapter in my life with my future wife. I was young, passionate, and had a company in Estonia that provided marketing services for other businesses. We had one big client who had been with us for about two years, and I was waiting for them to pay our monthly service fee. That payment would cover my employees’ salaries, as well as other bills.
So for my last money I rented an apartment in the local area of Bangkok, where nobody spoke English, and I had only $25 left in my pocket with a responsibility to pay bills tomorrow for around $15,000. In the evening while checking my email online, I received a note from the company I was waiting payment from, saying that they were going bankrupt and couldn't pay the bill. That moment I felt sick to my stomach from the stress that rushed through my body, but I couldn’t sit back and do nothing. I just felt that I had to act quickly... I gave my wife all cash we had to buy us dinner from the local market, and as soon as she left, I started planning my next move.
First, I put my motorbike for sale on the online auction platform and in next hours was lucky enough to get some of the money for it, with a huge discount of course.
Secondary, my brother agreed to give me a small loan. Still, all the money combined was not enough.
Next, I put my head down and started contacting potential clients for my marketing agency. We made our job clear enough and have a great reputation, but we always had not enough employees to take additional work. So a few hours later and multiple calls I was able to secure a new customer who agreed to pay for our services UPFRONT!
Combined with the money I made from selling my motorbike and a loan, I was able to close all our bills and pay my employees on time. This experience made me realize that I needed to expand my client base and not rely solely on one big client.
This story might sound like a routine, but imagine a 25 years old teenager, who just came to one the biggest cities in the world, with $25 in a pocket, in the local community where nobody speaks English and where we have zero clue on how to live even the next day. The easier option was to cry, call parents and friends and try to find money for a plane back home. But I couldn’t do that, I didn’t feel such fear. I just needed to focus, accept the situation and make this step to unknown. And you know what!? That was one of the most memorable moment of my life, that teached me to take risks and enjoy the process. And my wife firstly heard about this story after around 5 years from this journey.
Of course this situation was unpredictable and didn’t depend from me, but in next life moments I started to create similar experience already myself. For example, I left a company that I knew will become a unicorn, where I was one of a key executive and when my first daughter was just born. I left this company to start a new venture - without experience, without investment, without money for employees. In next year this company earned $5,000,000 in net revenue, but even before that I told everyone around me that it was one of the best decisions in my life. In the next example, I decided to move out from my home country and start a new chapter of my family’s life in Silicon Valley. Without friends, without experience, without knowing the future. And I know for sure that this is also one of the best decisions in my life. Even while I can’t predict the future…
As entrepreneurs, we need to embrace the idea of taking risks. We need to be comfortable with the possibility of failure, and we need to understand that sometimes things won't go as planned. But, in those moments, it's important to stay focused, consistent, and look for opportunities to turn things around.
For me, taking risks has always been about pushing myself to learn and face challenges head on. It's about believing in myself and my abilities, even when things are tough. And, it's about being willing to take a chance, even when the outcome is uncertain.
I hope this story inspires you to take risks in your own life, and to see them as opportunities for growth and development. Remember, there is always a way out, and if you move forward, you’re already on your way to reaching the next level of your self growth and development.
P.S. This article was written automatically from a 10-minutes video I recorded on Wois.io
