Dreams Are Contagious!
Episode Two
Next: Music to Television Producer
I had just completed my business plan, bursting with excitement and optimism, only to face a stark reality: I had nowhere to go with it. My initial hopes of finding investors among my friends, family, or connections quickly fizzled out. I had to find a way to break through, and that meant changing my daily routine entirely.
Breaking the Routine
Typically, my days started with coffee at a local shop, breakfast, and then getting on with my day, often having lunch at the same diners and hanging out with the same people. While comfortable and familiar, this routine did nothing to advance my ambitions. It was time for a drastic change.
Venturing into New Environments
I decided to venture out and network into upper-class neighborhoods, seeking new places to eat and socialize. This wasn’t an easy task. I had to force myself out of my comfort zone, sit down in these new environments, spread my colorful materials across the table, and pretend to be engrossed in them. My goal was simple: attract attention and spark conversations.
The Turning Point
For the first three or four weeks, nothing happened. I felt like an imposter, wasting time. But then, things started to shift. People began to notice my presence and inquire about my project. One day, an elderly man approached me and asked what I was doing. I told him about my idea for a children’s television show and mentioned that I was looking for investors. He introduced himself as Buck Rogers, and I couldn’t help but think I was in a twilight zone episode. However, Buck Rogers turned out to be the real deal. He scrutinized my illustrations and gave me a contact – a guy who owned a large restaurant chain. Buck told me to call and mention his name.
A Glimmer of Hope
Skeptical but hopeful, I made the call. To my surprise, the owner immediately asked, “How the hell is Buck?” I couldn’t believe it. The old guy wasn't from mars. After a few minutes of conversation, the owner asked me to send over my business plan and promised to get back to me. Within two weeks I started calling and leaving messages and I honestly pursued him every month for about a year and a half, never giving up. He obviously wasn't interested, but I wanted to hear that from him, instead being ignored. Eventually, through a retired bank broker, he came through but it was three years later.
My First Investor
As luck would have it, I met a guy named Anthony, who happened to be building a million-dollar home. I talked to him about my show idea and presented him with my promotional materials. He was so impressed that he shared it with his brothers and a few others, then invited me to his office to pitch my concept to his group. As requested, I prepared six business plans for the meeting, and when I got there, something incredible happened. After reviewing the business plan, Anthony’s father looked at my work, slammed his hand on the conference table, and declared, “This is gonna go.” Everyone was excited. I left that meeting feeling like my whole world was about to change.
National Tragedy Strikes
We scheduled a follow-up meeting for Friday, September 15, 2001. But then, on Tuesday, September 11, everything changed. The Twin Towers fell. In that moment of national tragedy, my initial selfish thought was, “Not now.” It was a haunting realization that this wasn’t just about me. The following day, I received the call that the meeting was canceled. Everyone was scared, uncertain about the future, and the potential of investing was definitely off the table. Everyone was devastated and lost.
National Tragedy Strikes
We scheduled a follow-up meeting for Friday, September 15, 2001. But then, on Tuesday, September 11, everything changed. The Twin Towers fell. In that moment of national tragedy, my initial selfish thought was, “Not now.” It was a haunting realization that this wasn’t just about me. The following day, I received the call that the meeting was canceled. Everyone was scared, uncertain about the future, and the potential of investing was definitely off the table. Everyone was devastated and lost.
A Ray of Light
It was a dark time. I was on the verge of giving up on the show when, two weeks later, I received a call from Anthony. He said, “We need something good to happen. Come by on Friday and pick up a check.” I was ecstatic and when I picked up that $20,000 check, I knew there was no turning back. I had just taken someone’s money, and now I was up to my eyebrows in commitment.
Gaining Momentum
Determined to succeed, I continued pitching to anyone who would listen to my spiel. Gradually, I picked up another investor who gave me $10,000, and then another. Within about three months, I had raised about $150,000 collectively. But I still needed to raise just over a million dollars to achieve my estimated goal of $1.2 million. I was in for a long haul and it was time to find a building to start assembling my production company. i needed to show progression to potential investors. I knew that once the building was leased, and I went to work on constructing the main stage area. The fifteen foot walls, a huge twelve foot high door with a door knob the size of a kitchen plate, a giant fourteen-foot by ten-foot bed, would either provide a sense certainty or insanity. The bed frame was actually a deck on wheels with four queen sized mattresses. Somehow I had all the dimensions in my head and had to work my ass off and pinched every penny to get where I needed to be. Fortunately, word was traveling throughout the community and this didn't appear to be too insane.
Lessons Learned
Facing the stark reality that my initial excitement and optimism for my business plan were met with the harsh truth of no immediate investor interest taught me a crucial lesson about resilience and adaptability. By changing my daily habits, venturing into unfamiliar environments, and actively seeking out new social circles, I learned the value of persistence and the need to constantly adapt to new challenges. This experience underscored that success often requires continuous effort, creativity, and the willingness to engage with uncertainty and discomfort. Ultimately, the journey reaffirmed that perseverance and openness to change can lead to unexpected breakthroughs and opportunities, even in the face of initial setbacks. It’s incredible how changing a routine can open doors and create opportunities in the most unexpected ways.
"Thank you for tuning into Episode Two of my Journey. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with fellow entrepreneurs. Stay tuned for a new episode each week and until next time, keep innovating and stay inspired!"
Persistence and the Unexpected
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