Family. Friends. Sleep. Time to play.
For many people, these are the fundamental joys of life. But if you dream of being a entrepreneur, get ready to sacrifice them all.
That’s according to self-made millionaire Marcus Lemonis, a self-made millionaire and the star of CNBC‘s “The Partner.”
“When people are worried they will burn out, about their work life balance, about quality of life, I am like, ‘Okay, then go work somewhere and have a 9-to-5,'” says Lemonis, who was speaking at the SXSW Festivals and Conferences in Austin, Texas, on Saturday.
“The thing this country and maybe other countries don’t understand enough about the small business entrepreneur is that you are not just risking your money. You essentially make sacrifices. You lose relationships, spouses, you get divorced. Your relationships with your kids aren’t what they should be. Your relationship with your faith aren’t necessarily what they should be. Your relationship with your neighbors aren’t what they could or should be,” says Lemonis.
Lemonis was born in war-torn Beirut, Lebanon in 1973; and, at nine months old, was adopted by a Lebanese and Greek couple living in Miami, FL.
As a young child, he was exposed to positive and prosperous business values at his family-owned Anthony Abraham Chevrolet. His entrepreneurial spirit bloomed at age 12, when he started a lawn mowing service in order to generate money to open a candy business. He graduated from Christopher Columbus High School in Miami and moved to Milwaukee, WI to attend Marquette University, where he studied, Political Science, Criminology and Economics.
Lemonis held several automotive sales and managerial roles, but it was a conversation with family friend and former Chrysler CEO, Lee Iacocca, who advised him to get into the camping and RV business, which put him on the path to eventual chairmanship at America’s #1 source for RV’s, camping accessories, RV maintenance and repair, Camping World and Good Sam.
The post Marcus Lemonis: Don’t Start Your Own Business Unless Ready to Sacrifice Joys of life appeared first on The National Herald.