Thirteen years ago, I met the first entrepreneur I can remember. He and his business partner were in the process of growing a custom plastic molding service in South Florida. To my knowledge, that business ended up winning contracts from the government, those contracts were sold quite handsomely, and the business shifted towards the biomedical field. A slightly larger company bought the business and rebranded as InNeuroCo (Innovative Neurovascular Concepts), specializing in the development and manufacturing of neurocatheters.
Ten years after I met this entrepreneur, when the company had established itself as InNeuroCo, he found out about my interest in engineering and offered me the opportunity to learn about the business during a summer – an insanely incredible offer to make to a 15-year-old. That summer, I spent eighteen hours a week, filing papers, inputting data, asking questions, being intimidated by the professional engineers, and learning all I could. The following summer, I did the same thing again, this time taking on more responsibility. I continued doing so, even during the school year, throughout my last two years in high school.
During my time at InNeuroCo, I not only worked with other employees, I had the chance to talk and brainstorm with the entrepreneur: a man who had created a multimillion dollar company. Through these encounters, I realized something profound. Here was a man who had a degree in Plastics Technology, from a community college, and who had spent a significant portion of his work experience, prior to his current business, in sales. And yet, he had created quite a successful company! The realization was this: he had gotten to where he was by
It is my hope that ENT3003 will teach me a few skills and build the confidence to make connections, recognize opportunities, and surround myself with people who can act on those opportunities.
Ten years after I met this entrepreneur, when the company had established itself as InNeuroCo, he found out about my interest in engineering and offered me the opportunity to learn about the business during a summer – an insanely incredible offer to make to a 15-year-old. That summer, I spent eighteen hours a week, filing papers, inputting data, asking questions, being intimidated by the professional engineers, and learning all I could. The following summer, I did the same thing again, this time taking on more responsibility. I continued doing so, even during the school year, throughout my last two years in high school.
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| The Manufacturing Facility on my First Day at InNeuroCo |
During my time at InNeuroCo, I not only worked with other employees, I had the chance to talk and brainstorm with the entrepreneur: a man who had created a multimillion dollar company. Through these encounters, I realized something profound. Here was a man who had a degree in Plastics Technology, from a community college, and who had spent a significant portion of his work experience, prior to his current business, in sales. And yet, he had created quite a successful company! The realization was this: he had gotten to where he was by
- Making connections
- Recognizing an opportunity (which stemmed from his connections)
- Surrounding himself with people who could act on that opportunity.
It is my hope that ENT3003 will teach me a few skills and build the confidence to make connections, recognize opportunities, and surround myself with people who can act on those opportunities.
You had a great opportunity! I agree with your 3 "steps" to success and acting on a certain opportunity. I believe that everything starts small as an idea and eventually more and more people come together to make an opportunity successful. It's very important to surround yourself and network with the right people that can help you accomplish your goals.
ReplyDeleteI mean that opportunity is honestly something to never forget about. Individuals who understand when an opportunity comes and grab it are the same individuals whom are most likely to make it in this world. A very important idea I took from this is when the "man" saw the need a nourished it. It makes me wonder how I want to be as a wealthy man with connections like that.
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