Inspired! That is the one word that kept creeping into my head during my first Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour event in Southern California on June 17th, 2013. I could have never imagined that I would be joining an organization and event that I had been following for four years and wanted more then anything to get involved with.
Just four short years earlier I was handed a book titled, The Student Success Manifesto written by Michael Simmons. I of course wanted to be a successful student so I read the book in two weeks, and took notes in three different notebooks because the content was so relevant to my personal story.
My Story
Bitten by the entrepreneurial bug when I was 17 I knew entrepreneurship and being my own small business owner was the path I needed to pursue. I knew I could be a successful entrepreneur; I had all the characteristics of an entrepreneur, hard working, challenged the status quo, natural leadership abilities, and a belief in myself that I could do anything.
Now, flash-forward four years, I still possess all those characteristics, and a few added skills along the way. I started with a teen-friendly protein bar, the Busko Bar, and now I am a youth inspirational speaker, speaking to youth audiences about the importance of discovering and pursuing their goals, dreams, and passions.
As Steve Job’s mentioned in his famous Stanford commencement speech:
“…you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”
I guess that’s what I did this past week when I had the opportunity to join the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour. I started with Michael Simmons book, I followed the tour as it journeyed across the U.S. and now I am a part of it. Only because I trusted in my desire to become a young entrepreneur.
THE MAIN EVENT!! EET Goodwill Southern California
The tour made a stop at California State-Dominguez Hills in Carson, CA! Over 100 young adults were brought together by Goodwill Southern California from various communities across the Southern part of California.
As the students filed into the ballroom, I could tell they were excited to learn, and to learn about something new and interesting. Their eyes lit up when Duane Spires the event moderator started talking about his personal story, how he discovered entrepreneurship, he then followed by talking about what entrepreneurship is.
The students welcomed each speaker and many approached the speakers after their presentation was finished.
Steven Washington, an event speaker talked about his challenging upbringing and how he escaped from a rough neighborhood to now as a successful “middle man” in the real estate industry.
Max Durovic, the creator of the sport sign spinning had the young adults on the edge of their seats as himself and his business partner performed sign spinning tricks during their presentation. Many young adults approached Max and his team afterwards, looking for a job as a sign spinner.
The Results
The young adults were very inspired to adopt the entrepreneurial mindset and to look for ways to start their own businesses at the ripe ages of 14-21. I was inspired, immediately inspired. Many of the young adults I talked to had more drive, and more determination than I have ever witnessed.
As we wrapped up the event, and the students exited the ballroom and back home to their different communities in Los Angeles, I knew that many of the students that were in the audience were going to go home and write down their goals and post them on their mirrors, just like Duane talked about. I knew they were going to begin testing out different business ideas. I had a gut feeling that I would soon be seeing these young adults on magazines, on interviews, and on podcasts.
The appreciation, gratitude, and heartfelt joy I received from those young adults was a feeling that no one can take away from me. It was an incredible day. I cannot wait to be a part of the tour again.
Written by Marc Busko, Assistant Tour Manager of the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour
Extreme Entrepreneurship Event at SEMCA
