Rags to Riches
I call this MY rags to riches, but it spans two generations. My mother and father were born in Laventille and George Street, South Port-Of-Spain, respectively. These areas still live below the poverty line. I have parents who grew up with just a pot to piss in. They washed this bedpan using dirt because they could not afford the luxury of soap, which defines dirt-poor. They did well to become self made entrepreneurs. Today I consider myself very distant from any such memories having as many amenities as I desire.
I want to share my story, but more importantly, I hope my stories may inspire your life.
I will tell three stories along with three themes: WIN, TEAM, and EXECUTE. These themes recur in my life and are the bedrock of my rags-to-riches story.
My First Team, My oldest Team
My father was a competent entrepreneur, and my mother valued God and charity above all else. They implicitly taught me how to work in uncertainty and be caring. Their decisions and actions in life circumstances reflected their words.
I am an introvert, born the first of six children. My birth order thrust me into a leadership position by default. My mother wanted me to unite all the kids, which put external self-pressure on me.
I suffered a lack of formal parental teaching for various reasons. I wanted each sibling to learn more effortlessly and better than I did. I wished each of them to be as successful or achieve more than I have and in a more effortless manner. This wish fueled my intention to become a genuine leader.
The lesson here is that you will never have followers unless you are competent, genuinely wish their success to be equal to or greater than yours, and authentically care. Competency, Character, and Caring are my definitions of leadership.
Since then, I have formed many teams, and this is at the core of my success. If you want to go fast, go alone, and go far by building a team.
