My grandfather used to clean offices as a part-time job. He passed the business on to my uncle. When I was 12, my uncle would take me to work with him. I had to put that hot vacuum on my back and clean floors. I remember days like today, a hot sunny day, I would leave the house and go to the basketball court. And here my uncle would come around the corner and I would have to go to work. That taught me work ethic.
When I was 17 years old, my uncle turned all the offices over to me. For the next eight years, I had a part-time job doing janitorial service. My next job was working as a dishwasher at a wine-and-cheese in Annapolis. I always worked more than one job. I always had a check coming in. At an early age I learned the value of work and, as a result, I was able to sustain myself.
In 2001, my wife and I formed our own company, the Stanton Group, which provides management consultation. The pro of working for yourself is a sense of accomplishment and the ability to be creative and innovative. The cons to being an entrepreneur are the risks, but the risks are not greater than working for someone else. When you work for someone else, they can tell you, ‘Tomorrow, you don’t have a job.’ The pros of being an entrepreneur far outweigh the cons.
Originally Published by The Washington Post
