The School of Hard Knocks: Hustle Culture is Alive and Well
Part II
In Part I, I told you about why I decided, really early, to become an entrepreneur. That story wouldn’t be complete without me telling you about my entrepreneurial pursuits, would it?!
Here are some of the hustles/entrepreneurial ventures I’ve dabbled in while finding my true north star to wealth building and success and some of the challenges and lessons I’ve taken from them.
Buying/Selling True Religion Jeans
The phrase side-hustle has become more and more popular, and for good reason. According to Merriam-Webster, a side-hustle is “work performed for income supplementary to one’s primary job”. As our socio-economic dynamics evolve, so too, does the definition and value of work. People feel they want more or need more money while others just enjoy the pursuit of entrepreneurship as a way of life. Shortly after I graduated college over 15 years ago, I had a 9-to-5 as a recruiter but always had the entrepreneurial itch. I came across designer warehouse sales in Los Angeles. Back then True Religion jeans were a thing and very popular; Nordstrom would sell them for $300-$500 a pair. So for about 3 years, I would go to the warehouse sales and buy enough inventory to last me a year at a 60–80% discount and then turn around and sell them to…
