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Are your underestimating your entrepreneurial power?

by Donna Johnson

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Yesterday's CBS Sunday Morning reported that 20% of Americans thought that they could not last two weeks if they lost their job. Statistics being what they are, I take this with a grain of salt, but the number is concerning because to me, it means that 20% of Americans are completely underestimating themselves. Consider 21-year old Alex Tew of Great Britain. Faced with a desire to attend college, but not the matching bank account, Alex wracked his brain for ways to make money online. His idea was nothing short of brilliant.

He created a website page, then divided it into 10,000 squares of 100 pixels each. He sold each pixel for a dollar, allowing the buyers to place their graphics and website links there. According to Wikipedia, the site ultimately grossed $1,037,100.00.

It's true that ideas like that don't come around every day, and not everyone is capable of such brilliance, followed by swift and certain execution. But it's also true that unless you take the chance, you'll never really know what you're capable of. Your idea may not be as splashy as Alex's, but it doesn't have to be. All you need is a product or service that fills a legitimate need in the marketplace, the passion to fill that need and the guts to ask people to pay for it. If you think about it, that's what business really boils down to anyway — being passionate about filling a need and being fairly paid for it. And no matter what situation you now find yourself in, you can do it!!

Question: Does Alex Tew's courage, timing and stroke of brilliance and execution inspire you?

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posted on March 16, 2009 ·

Facebook comments:

  • http://www.awildsoapbar.com/ maggie, soap bartender @ a wil

    Wow, that’s cool. I kept expecting to find Waldo in there somewhere!

  • http://www.awildsoapbar.com maggie, soap bartender @ a wild soap bar

    Wow, that’s cool. I kept expecting to find Waldo in there somewhere!

  • http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/ Donna Maria @ Indie Business

    @Maggie: LOL! I found myself having to tear myself away too. When it opens up again, we should see how we can get a big fat bar of handmade soap up there!

  • http://www.indiebusinessblog.com Donna Maria @ Indie Business

    @Maggie: LOL! I found myself having to tear myself away too. When it opens up again, we should see how we can get a big fat bar of handmade soap up there!

  • http://profile.typepad.com/1213752492s3199 PRIIA Cosmetics

    Wow! So that’s all it took to make a million, huh? Sheesh, maybe I’m in the wrong business! LOL! =-)
    -Kelley

  • http://profile.typepad.com/1213752492s3199 PRIIA Cosmetics

    Wow! So that’s all it took to make a million, huh? Sheesh, maybe I’m in the wrong business! LOL! =-)
    -Kelley

  • http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/ Donna Maria @ Indie Business

    @Kelley: Ahem, you are most definitely in the right business, Missy. And your launch yesterday proves it!

  • http://www.indiebusinessblog.com Donna Maria @ Indie Business

    @Kelley: Ahem, you are most definitely in the right business, Missy. And your launch yesterday proves it!

  • http://www.lemon-lollipop.com Michelle Gephart

    Yes! I was SO inspired, I bought 400 pixels! I wanted to be part of something that was a once in a lifetime thing and I really wanted him to succeed! Can you find SparklePuss on the Million Dollar Home Page?

  • http://www.lemon-lollipop.com/ Michelle Gephart

    Yes! I was SO inspired, I bought 400 pixels! I wanted to be part of something that was a once in a lifetime thing and I really wanted him to succeed! Can you find SparklePuss on the Million Dollar Home Page?

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