Their achievements don't just come out of nowhere one day. They spent much of their earlier lives compounding their skills, even if that meant failure.
> Wang was a figure skater and journalist before entering the fashion industry.
“Accomplished nothing”
I feel like no successful person would describe what they did before they became successful as "nothing"
These are not solopreneurs. They’re entrepreneurs.
I wonder if there are any recent examples.
Sam Walten owning numerous supermarkets was "nothing"?
There are plenty of people who work until they’re able to take a risk without destroying their family’s well being.
We don’t hear about the failures because it’s a tragedy. But I’ve worked with a lot of failed entrepreneurs in their 40s. It’s clear they aren’t happy in their jobs but also have no choice now.
This feels like the usual "overnight success, 30 years in the making" kind of stuff.
>Sanders started franchising Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) at the age of 62, using his first Social Security check to fund the business.
That seems like not much funding! Looking at Wikipedia:
>Sanders believed that his North Corbin restaurant would remain successful indefinitely; however, he sold it at age 65 after the new Interstate 75 reduced customer traffic.[29][30][5] Left only with his savings and US$105 a month from Social Security (equivalent to $1,147 in 2022),[5] Sanders decided to begin to franchise his chicken concept in earnest, and traveled the US looking for suitable restaurants. After closing the North Corbin site, Sanders and Claudia opened a new restaurant and company headquarters in Shelbyville in 1959.[31] Often sleeping in the back of his car, Sanders visited restaurants, offered to cook his chicken, and if workers liked it negotiated franchise rights.[5]
I don't think anyone could fund a business on $1,147 a month. Then again Wikipedia talks about unspecified savings. Those should be substantial after selling a restaurant?