Special offer

Just When They Said It Could Not Be Done

By
Services for Real Estate Pros

I have a friend. Scary huh? Ok, I'll wait for the jokes to finish.

He came here from a Latin American country as a LEGAL immigrant. Just for the record. No money, no car, just trying to check out the land of opportunity. He speaks decent English and is getting better all the time. He is working on it by taking classes and listening to tapes.

He worked in construction for a bit. Got himself an apartment and lived real tight financially. Worked like a dog and saved like a squirrel is his moniker. Rode the bus or a taxi everywhere. Or just walked. Bought himself a camera before he got a car. In good weather he would walk around the town and take pictures of businesses. Inside and out. The owners, the employees, the customers. Take the pics and show them to the owners. They liked them. He has a good eye. He then took the pics and created little flyers and brochures with the business name on them as well as his. He spent hours per day, on his days off, walking around passing them out. Everytime one of those brochures made it back to the business that was featured on it, they knew where it came from. He would stop by to see if the brochures were working. Yes in most cases. "I can make more... for a fee".

He started up a marketing business. Then he started doing more photo work. Portraits, sports stuff, weddings, etc. Both of his businesses flourished. He has a good personality and a keen business sense. Plus he is very honest. Now he is getting ready to start a third business. He won't tell me what it is but it is coming he says. I believe him.

This is still the Land Of Opportunity. You gotta work and you can't expect handouts. But you can do it. He did!

 

 

Mitch Gover
BidOnRealty.com - Orlando, FL

Great story Kevin.  There really is no reason an individual cannot be successful in this country.

Mar 24, 2011 04:31 AM
Ron Tarvin
Residential, Investment properties, rehab projects, property management, luxury homes, new construction! - Katy, TX
Broker, Katy, Houston, Cypress 77450,77494,77095

Wait...you lost me at "I have a friend"....

LOL! Just kidding.  Seriously, I there is NO underestimating the power of work ethic!

Mar 24, 2011 04:31 AM
Melanie Hedrick
Elite Texas Properties, the best homes from McKinney to Dallas! - McKinney, TX
972-816-7205

"You gotta work and you can't expect handouts. But you can do it" -- Exactly!  This is the land of opportunity -- we just have to do the actions that get the results and many people aren't willing to participate in the "actions" part of the formula.  The "living like a squirrel" your friend did also sounds very similar to the many success stories I hear. 

Mar 24, 2011 04:32 AM
Karl Hess
Keller Williams Shore Properties - Barnegat, NJ
on The Jersey Shore

I love American success stories....but why did you have to put this negative spin on the whole thing.  Your last sentence implies that if you're not a success, you don't work hard.  There are plenty of hard working poor folks out there just able to get by.

It gets a little tiring...I wonder how much each individual "gets" from Uncle Sam.  I don't mean in check form, but in other ways.  Hey, you're from Idaho, do the farmers in Idaho get government subsidies?  That money matriculates through the economy and some of it ends up in YOUR pocket.

Mar 24, 2011 07:14 AM
Yolanda Hoversten
Self Employed - O'Fallon, IL
Referrals for O’Fallon, IL & the Metro East

Kevin, this is the kind of story that truly inspires because it does happen, it is possible, if one were to work hard... very, very hard in most cases.

Who wouldn't want to be a friend with a guy who owns a pink car?  LOL

Mar 24, 2011 07:30 AM
Kevin Robinson
Twin Falls, ID
Fractional Developer

What gets a little tiring?

Karl -I am against handouts of any type. I have argued with many of my so called conservative farmer friends here that take gov't handouts. They are not true conservatives in my book. You can put a negative spin on it but it ain't gonna happen. I agree that lots of hard working folk are not successful financially. I know many. They work in the wrong direction usually. That would make a great blog.

Mar 24, 2011 07:49 AM
Kevin Robinson
Twin Falls, ID
Fractional Developer

Yoli- Hi. It is a great story because Albert keeps telling me how many folks told him to just get a job, or that it will not work, or that he should sign up for gov't assistance. He did none of the above. He simply worked his rear end off, day after day, night after night. When something did not work out he adjusted to make it work. He never complained while he worked days for me and nights and weekends at his other business. Even after he started making good money at his biz, he kept working as a day laborer in construction. The best part is that he is over 50. Not a spring chicken.

It is funny to me that Karl, above, is trying to put some kind of negative touch on the story. Sorry Karl. All positive.

Mar 24, 2011 07:57 AM
Yolanda Hoversten
Self Employed - O'Fallon, IL
Referrals for O’Fallon, IL & the Metro East

Kev - This is a classic American success story that is inspiring and worthy of emulating.  Your friend might not become a gazillioner, but he can be happy to know that he has achieved what some may never realize... of being a business owner... independent of handouts.  :)

Mar 24, 2011 09:07 AM
Mike Frazier
Carousel Realty of Dyer County - Dyersburg, TN
Northwest Tennessee Realtor

Kevin, if the government hand-outs end, we will start seeing more examples of this. I am featuring this on silent majority!

Mar 24, 2011 09:25 AM
Melissa Anderson
Be My Neighbor Mortgage - San Antonio, TX
Your Texas Lender

I love to hear of a great success story that is based on hard work.  I'm happy for your friend & hope through his success he encourages others to work & make a great life for themselves her in America.

I also LOVE the fact that he came to America legally!!!!  May God Bless Him :)

Mar 24, 2011 11:56 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Of course this is why he, and so many others, came to the US.

And Karl, money doesn't "matriculate..."  It does trickle down though.

Mar 24, 2011 11:29 PM
Raylene Estabrook
Signature Homes Real Estate Group - Yarmouth, ME

Now that is the american dream as I remember it being told to me.  Thanks for sharing...

Mar 25, 2011 02:14 AM
Kevin Robinson
Twin Falls, ID
Fractional Developer

Ask a lib and they will tell you it cannot be done. Too bad. It was accomplished and will be  accomplished by many more.

Mar 25, 2011 03:08 AM
Dale Terry
Yadkinville, NC

No system is perfect but ours is close.  It is special interests that mess it up.

Mar 25, 2011 09:28 AM
Janna Scharf
Keller Williams Realty Coeur d'Alene - Coeur d'Alene, ID
Coeur d'Alene Idaho Real Estate Expert

Just like the old saying, The harder I work, the luckier I get!

Mar 25, 2011 06:12 PM
Rob Arnold
Sand Dollar Realty Group, Inc. - Altamonte Springs, FL
Metro Orlando Full Service - Investor Friendly & F

Every time I hear somebody on the news complain that there are no jobs out there or how hard it is to find work, I think of all the entrepreneurs out there that create their own jobs.  Your friend sounds like a real hard working guy.  Good for him.  He deserves the best this country has to offer.

Mar 29, 2011 01:31 AM
Anonymous
Georgia

What a heart warming story!  This guy is the type America was founded on and became GREAT with!!  I wish him all the best the world has to offer!  =))

I laughed when I read the post about hand outs.  We pay far more in taxes every year than most people earn...yet you have airheads trying to convince me that "everyone gets handouts"?  Riiiight.

Mar 29, 2011 03:23 AM
#17