Heroes, Role Models, Icons

Rich

I recently posted a blog entry about certain kinds of entrepreneurs who have "hero" or "muse" status for me.here`s an excerpt:
As I think about my muse--my heroic entrepreneur--my mind immediately moves to three kinds of people as options:
1) Someone who gutted it out to make things a success and whose story i know personally. In my case, Grandpa.
2) Someone who is a HUGE success with equally huge vision, ambition,
and willingness to take risk. That would be Ted Turner. I know... very
outdated.
3) Someone who has turned success into a social mission. For that I
think of Mike Korchinsky, who`s featured in our book, who created
WildlifeWorks, and through that business has transformed Africans`
lives and preserved habitat in unprecented ways.
I`d love to learn who your heros or role models are in business. ???

Rich

who else has a hero, role model, or icon to share?!!?

KarelG

Rich,
As I`ve mentioned before I`m not the entrepreneuial type by nature.  But it is a topic I like to explore just for it`s possibilities.  My hero is my Uncle Tony.  He is a retired Army General.  For as long as I`ve known, he has owned a pawn shop.  But he saw a street sweeper machine one day.  He researched it and shortly thereafter, he bought a street sweeping machine.  Now he owns the only street sweeping business in his town and has lots of contracts.  A few years later, he saw a parking lot being re-striped.  So he researched it, and shortly thereafter, he bought a striping machine.  Now, not only does his company clean parking lots and streets, they also paint stripes for parking lots.
What impresses me is that he started all of his businesses just based on observation and research.  And he did most of his reseach before the Internet was available.
So it gives me hope that if I strengthen my ability to observe and develop good research skills, I`ll eventually find the business the ignites my passion.
 
 

drvag

Hello Rich.  Nice topic.  I am fairly new to your site and would like to say, you have done a nice job.  It`s a great resource.  There seem to be a lot of people on here that really care about the success of others and give up their time to offer advice and feedback.
My hero and inspiration has always been my dad growing up.  He had his own business for 23 years until he sold it and retired.  I remember he used to always tell me when I was much younger and working for someone else, "To use your job as a stepping stone to get where you want to go".  And "Don`t be afraid to take risks.  But don`t take stupid risks."  So therefore, I have had my own businesses for the last 25 years now.
Not so much a hero of mine, but I always like what Ben Franklin has done and he certainly turned his success into a social mission.  One of the greatest minds, with many inventions, writings, and a public servant and the inventer of the lightning rod who donated it to the world for free to save lifes.   And of course, he is the man on our one hundred dollar bill, AND the only non-president on our currency.    Sacagawea and Susan B Anthony are the only other non-presidents, but they are on commemorative coins.
The reason, he was the first US millionaire.  What an entrepreneur!
 
 drvag2007-6-16 9:27:43

jp2007

drvag, that`s a really cool fact about Ben Franklin.  Great trivia question.  Unfortunately, I don`t get too many of those bills, so can`t say that I really even knew he was on there.
But, I hope to change that soon.  Thanks for all the help on here so far. 
JoAnne.

Mrbusiness

Hey
I`m still with Donal Trump.  I read his book years ago and I was hooked.  So my vote is Donald Trump.
P.S i even named my dog TRUMP...

sokogoose

Richard Banson. I know, not as popular as the fore mentioned Grandpa, but he has something that most self made individuals lack. Serious guts. If you you want to talk about "gutting it out" how about a guy that makes a fortune, if not by luck, in the music business to take his amassed fortune and dump it into of all thing the airline business. Talk about the most competitive and costly industry to get into as a "startup" he decides to venture his fortune in the airline business merely based on the idea that he can do it better than anyone else. That`s an entrepreneur!! But in fact he was right. No matter what business you decide to get in to you can be successful as long as you are willing to go the extra mile, so to speak, and do something the competition never imagined.