“Being an entrepreneur is not something that is discussed a lot in school. There are no real foundational subjects on entrepreneurship at this level. Until recently, it was not really a suggested career choice either. No one really says become an entrepreneur, they rather say become an engineer or an accountant, something stable”
Becoming an Entrepreneur was not Kyle’s first career choice however he knew that trying this route early on in life would give him an advantage at a time where he had less responsibilities and a good support structure. He set forth. A creative thinker fueled with many ideas, Kyle explored a fair few, some worked, others not, but one in particular moved from concept into noticeable traction with customers. Today he is making great strides in his current venture: a scheduled luggage storage and delivery solution.
“A key time we learn is when things don’t work out. Yes, some ideas fail because they simply don't work. Others may fail because the market isn't ready, too soon for their time. But you don't know what you don't know… till you give it a try. Take those lessons you learn and implement them into what you do next”.
Entrepreneurship is not for everyone, many prefer the stability of a normal day job, to avoid the ups and downs that come with being a Founder. There are many people who have great ideas, but it's only entrepreneurs who are willing to actually give it a try. It takes a lot of work upfront to achieve this, expending a lot of what many would deem as personal non work time.
“When you work with your own money in your business, you learn to spend it wisely with no wastage where what you spend needs to generate some form of value for your business.”
Kyle has faced the funding challenge head on and found creative ways to work around this ever challenging issue for many a Founder. He believes there are various pathways to explore outside of VC funding which we all need to be brave enough to try (as treacherous as it may be!). Grants, bootstrapping, partnerships and relationships with entities that can exchange value, and a business that brings in enough money to fund next phases, are the many ways that have kept him going. His business is now fully self sustainable and the only funding required is for growth, not for survival.
“When I walk the journey with our customers, when I witness the expression on their face, this new way that they have discovered, this keeps me going. Without having to ask for users to share a review, we get a constant flow of referrals and reviews simply from a customer who feels they need to share something positive.”
Kyle believes that empathy is a key trait for any entrepreneur, the ability to sense and feel others emotions in order to really understand the problem we are building a solution for. It is his very patrons who keep this Founder inspired. Kyle reminds us that when we really are doing a good job and making some sort of difference in the world, it doesn't go unnoticed and the word will naturally spread. One cannot put a price on that feeling it creates for a Founder when this feedback lands.
“I can't imagine not having the support I have, I don't think I would have survived. I’ve had to be talked out of a few tough spots mentally, my support base has been invaluable. Creating an environment of helping one another is to be applauded in the tough state that us Founders sometimes function in.”
The journey for entrepreneurs is an emotional one, Kyle believes the journey is that much sweeter when we have a support structure in place. From his father’s advice to tread the entrepreneurial path, to his mother’s creativity put to task in helping brand their very first luggage delivery vehicle, to the business collaborators, and to the fellow entrepreneurs who cross his path with shared wisdom, Kyle continues to find ways to grow his venture from strength to strength. We admire his strong and down to earth mindset that continues to help him make that dent in the universe.
“Solving niche challenges Founders face”.
Illustrator: Lisa Williams (Instagram: @artist_llw)