10.27.17
4 Principles of Life for Entrepreneurs
Tammy Y. Allen, Director, Marketing & Programs, The NIIC
Four principles of life help guide Jamal Robinson, Founder and President, Desiar Handcrafted Eyewear. At an event co-sponsored by The NIIC and Indiana Wesleyan University, and made possible through grant funding by The Lilly Foundation, he shared about his experiences launching his company. He encouraged young entrepreneurs with four principles or four words to live by: dream, believe, do, repeat.
- Dream. Your vision starts with a dream. That dream begins with you. Don’t expect to have it all figured out when you start. “You’ve got to jump and grow your wings on the way down,” said Robinson.
- Believe. If you’re going to make it happen, you have to believe in it. If you don’t believe in what you’re doing, how can you convince others to believe in it? Robinson believed he would have a successful company. What drove him? “Shifting his family tree,” being able to financially support his family.
- Do. “Do” your dream. Even if you don’t know exactly what it means yet, always be working toward it. “Get plugged in—everyone should be connected to The NIIC and other resources available,” said Robinson. “Desiar will meet its goal of manufacturing 10,000 units a year from now, and it will happen next year.” He has been doing—working toward realizing his vision.
- Repeat. Robinson says, “Always better your best.” Dream, believe, do, and then repeat. Again and again.
“You have two choices in life: do something or don’t do something. It’s up to you,”—said Robinson.
