The old cliche of "a new year and new resolutions" seems very appropriate to this blog. However, I want to share with the world my fight to become wealthier, my struggle on the road and of course my accomplishments.
I don't know weather I will succeed or fail in my goal, but one thing I know for sure, and that is, I will give my very best to get there as quick as I can. I hope that whoever reads this blog benefits from my findings and avoid the mistakes I will certainly make along the way. Also, whoever is reading and have a recommendation to make me please do so, I am a good listener (reader in this case) and a good advice is always well appreciated.
So, let me start by telling you who I am; My name is Adrian Gomez, I was born from working class parents (low middle class), which both live and are divorced. My mother has been recently diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and we are in the process of a second opinion. My father is a custodian (janitor) at a school district in south Texas . I am a Tax Professional and Bookkeeper, have my own office and expect to expand in the near future. I recently got engaged to the most beautiful human being I've ever came across. We have an 8 year old daughter and we live together at an apartment complex, which by the way I'm two months behind on rent.
I have been an Entrepreneur for most of my life, starting at the age of 8 when, in a small town in Mexico I used to make "bollitos" (a name us Mexicans use to call little bags filled with Kool-Aid and and then iced) and sell them at my Grandma's corner store. Then, at age 11 while at junior high, I learned how to twine and make sheathed pens but with anyone's name on it, and sold them.
I went on to open a Video Club when I was about 18, where I had a huge success, bringing in about 600 members in less than 5 months. However, my inexperience in the business and the fact that I had two other partners made me fail and ultimately sell and dissolve the partnership.
Many other businesses I tried and failed at, among them, taquerias, hot dog stands, snack bars, etc. I wouldn't say I am a looser even though many acquaintances and people who have met me may say so. I tend to think that in order for me to succeed I must first fail and learn something to apply next time.
And success I have tasted as well. My most thriving business so far has been a trucking company. I started it almost by mistake. I had a chance to work for a trucking brokerage firm, and because of a difference of opinion with my then boss I had to quit the job. Since I had made a lot of money (at least for me it seemed a lot) about $1000 on average a week, and given my entrepreneurial spirit I decided to start my own.
It was easy to start, with a loan of $15,000 and a very high interest coupon on it (13% a month) which of course I didn't care at the time to pay an astronomically high interest rate because I was sure I could handle it and make even more. And so it happened, within a year I had started, I was already bringing in revenue of 2.5 million a year for about 5 years, about 35 employees, 28 trucks (18 wheeler) and some 35 trailers leased from an important company. Then the 2008 recession came and with it my first big challenge, since I had no background on a business this magnitude and no proper staff in place it was just natural my business and my life took a dive and within 5 months of the "official" start of the recession I was out of business.
I lost my mother's house that I had given her as a gift because business was good (I was single at the time and living there with her), lost my business, my truck, my then girlfriend (I lost her some 8 months after she got tired of seeing me so depressed and not giving my best to get back on my feet), I lost many friends (many of them weren't after all) and ultimately I lost my pride.
After that, it took me a while before I got back on my feet and started to plan once again my future and a business to start. As you may imagine, fear was always my company and every step I took was always thinking I was going to once again fail.
It has been 2 years since I started my Bookkeeping and Tax Service office and I must admit that even though it is not a get-rich-quick business I am once again enjoying the peace of mind I once had. So here I am, fighting to get back at the helm of my life and struggling to make and follow a plan to a wealthier life.
Thanks for reading and see you next time!
Adrian Gomez.
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