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Americans love the overnight success story. It plays right into the American dream narrative. If one individual can get rich quickly, so can you. But what really happens when you are an overnight success?
Don’t believe the hype.
Too many entrepreneurs — especially, young entrepreneurs — get caught in a vicious mind game. They become their own worst enemies and the devastation can be catastrophic for their businesses. So how did I go from working at a Chick-Fil-A at 16, a kid with zero power, to running my own seven-figure e-commerce agency? I’ll tell you how.
I asked myself a simple question, “Why shouldn’t it be me?” This question alleviates a lot of pressure when it comes to tackling the mind and reaching for the stars. Some might call it the secret to my success, but if you were to ask me, I would tell you the real secret to my success is keeping an open mind.
Books and Self-Education
To keep my story honest, I need to take you back to when my mindset shift occurred. When I was 16 and working at a Chick-Fil-A, my dad, who is an entrepreneur himself, gave me Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad. This book literally changed my life, it shifted my perspective on money and what the best path to finding success was.
I examined my situation. I was working for minimum wage with managers who made slightly more than minimum wage and who clearly had no idea how to operate a business. This is what first prompted me to ask myself, “Why shouldn’t it be me?”
Remember, there is no one above or below you who doesn’t have the capacity, the intelligence or the guts to dream big and find success. But there are many people who keep themselves small through ignorance.
What’s the difference between people who play small and me? I dreamed big. That’s all. I created a path for myself where I knew I would utilize social media to help boost e-commerce businesses and I executed on my plan. I began researching, educating and teaching myself how to write my own success story.
You’re the Author of Your Life
So, if you listen to only one thing I say here, know that you are the author of your life. No one has the power to tell your story — unless you give it to them. I didn’t focus on how impossible the road ahead of me was and, quite frankly, I didn’t listen to the opinions of others unless they were in the arena fighting alongside me. I chased what I wanted, I put in all my effort and success followed.
Also, I don’t chase success. That comes through passion. I chase the freedom that comes from being your own boss. I chase the ability to write my story day after day.
I hope my story shows that no matter how young you are, you have all the tools and resources within you to write your story. Is it hard? You bet it is. But is the pay off worth it? Absolutely! I will live a laptop lifestyle. I will be as successful as Grant Cordone. Simply because I can.
You Can Do Whatever You Want
Most importantly, I don’t want to be one of the few young people who found overnight success. I want every kid growing up in America to know no one gets to define your limits, except you. I need you to know your worth and chase it like nothing else, because I’m telling you right here and now, you’re worth it.
I didn’t create Scope 16, my ecomm agency, hoping it would be able to generate four, five and seven times return on ad spend (ROAS). I created it for the client. I created it for you. My business is for the young professionals who are just starting out making their first $5K and looking for a return on their ad spend. I’m on a mission to show you all you need to do is open your mind to the possibilities.
What I know is that the future is digital. We live in an era where you can make $10K from your kitchen table, at 9 a.m., sitting in your boxers. Scope 16 has already redefined marketing agencies, so what’s next?
I’m continually striving to break down the artificial ceilings and walls that adults create for themselves. So, let me say it one more time for the people in back: don’t believe the hype. You’re the only one who gets to define your possibilities.
So dream big, and if someone is insecure enough to tell you your dream is impossible, you get to choose whether that impacts your day or not.
My eyes are set on sitting across from Grant Cardone as an equal. Where’s your head at?
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Jared Curry is a 19-year-old business owner and CEO of Scope 16. As CEO of Scope Marketing, he oversees a team of completely remote digital marketing geniuses.
