Building your startup from scratch isn’t easy, especially when you look at statistics that show that your chances of succeeding aren’t very high. However, there are success stories that prove you should never give up. As history shows, some people manage to succeed with their startup even despite the fact that they start with more challenges than the average aspiring entrepreneur. The story of Bernard Groves and his Baby Brat Inc. is a good example and it can teach you some very important lessons.

Who Is Bernard Groves and Why His Story Matters:

Bernard Groves wasn’t your average guy even before his jump from a homeless man to a successful entrepreneur. It seems that his life was harder than most from the very beginning. Bernard lost almost all of his family while young. No doubt that this affected him deeply.

Tragedies kept piling up in Mr. Groves’ life culminating with his loss of a job, a girlfriend, and a home in quick succession. Yet, even finding himself on the streets, where he had to struggle for 13 months, Bernard didn’t give up on life and future as so many people do. Instead of succumbing to depression, he kept looking for ways to get off the streets.

The fact that the Bernard Groves’s success story exists proves that he succeeded. And considering that his business has recently gone international, there is sure to be even more inspiring continuation to it.

What’s more surprising is that he found the chance to bring his ideas to life in a homeless shelter. Getting support and advice, as well as financing from his pastor, which could see the promise of the project, allowed Bernard Groves to launch a small company manufacturing diapers and an assortment of other products.

Not only is Mr. Groves off the streets now, he runs a business which was born from his own innovative designs. That’s why this is such an inspiring a story for entrepreneurs in particular.
It’s a beacon for all who have ambitious ideas but lack the confidence or drive to pursue them.

Most importantly, this isn’t a romanticized story like the tale of Colonel Sanders and his infamous chicken recipe. KFC has taken that story and turned it into one of the most successful marketing projects in history by basically turning its founder into a mascot. Bernard Groves isn’t Colonel Sanders and no one will be looking at him as an industry icon ten years down the line. However, this is exactly why his story is so valuable as a learning opportunity for other aspiring entrepreneurs. It’s ‘real’, which means that it shows you realistically achievable success and actual steps you need to take in order to get it.

There is no magical coincidence or a stroke of luck involved in the success of Bernard Groves. It’s all hard work and relentless pursuit of opportunities, no matter how elusive those are. This story also shows that ‘success’ doesn’t always end up giving one a celebrity status. In the beginning, Bernard’s nascent company did very poorly, so there wasn’t much chance for him to change his circumstances.

However, Bernard just kept working and learning from his mistakes and improving. As a result, today he runs a business that spans several countries, yet he isn’t on his way to becoming a billionaire. He makes about the same amount of money as the average small business owner does and he has to work extremely hard to keep it. He does that and more, which one can see by the growth of his business.

Lessons to Take to Heart from the Success Story of Bernard Groves:

The main lesson an aspiring entrepreneur can learn from Bernard Groves’ story is, of course, to ‘never give up!’ Another, no less important lesson is to put in a lot of work into developing a business proposition that will impress your investors.

However, the lesson that startup owners often overlook in Bernard’s and other similar success stories, is that there is a huge pool of dormant talent you can hire from. Not having the right team is one of the leading causes of startup failure. But what exactly constitutes the ‘right team’ for you?

Many business owners are looking at a degree as the main determinant of a prospective employee’s suitability. However, Bernard Groves and dozens others like him prove that you don’t have to come from one of the Ivy League schools to be a good entrepreneur and a great employee.

What one truly needs to succeed in business are determination and hard work. Having raw talent is also good, but it’s extremely rare even among those Ivy League graduates.

Therefore, when looking for employees, you should look everywhere, homeless shelters included. Focus on an applicant’s personal qualities and assess their ability to do the actual work through a trial period. Don’t let the shine of a degree blind you and look at the person behind it instead.

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