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My dad left when I was 11 years old. I watched my mom struggle to pay bills and provide for my sister and me. I decided that I would find a way to help.
It wasn’t my first time getting a job, and it definitely wouldn’t be my last. But with every new position I took, I had to prove my worth. I had to convince managers and people in charge why a child was a valuable hire.
This education in promoting myself and conveying my value allowed me to understand how others perceive worth in the world.
Related: 7 Ways to Know Your Worth and Shake the ‘Poverty Mindset’
It started with weeds
The first job I had to take was with the apartment manager of the complex I lived in. I did some landscaping, cleaning and other random handiwork for much-needed cash. I was too young to work officially; the funny part was that this was my second job.
This job wasn’t being promoted; it didn’t exist. They weren’t looking for someone to fill in the gaps I found. Chances are, the apartment manager wasn’t aware of the need for the work I provided. I could see what needed to be done and communicated compellingly to the apartment manager.
I was able to showcase my ability to see problems and offer solutions, as well as my willingness and desire to work. There is great value in someone willing to identify and complete the work that needs to be done. This was my first experience understanding my value.
Then came pizza
My next job was more official, but I had to fight for it. The pizza shop was not legally allowed to hire anyone under 15. I was 13 and needed a job. I was unwilling to take “no” for an answer, so I understood that I would have to convince the manager of my value.
I came in day after day asking for a job. Eventually, the manager said he could not hire me because anyone under 15 could not work with the food. So, instead of selling him on the idea that I would join the kitchen crew, I sold him on the idea that I could man the phones. He couldn’t argue with that, so he gave me the job.
By thinking outside of the box and refusing to give up when it got challenging and didn’t look like it was going to happen, I was able to own my worth and reach my goals. This early lesson gave me powerful confidence to move forward throughout the rest of my life.
Related: Don’t Just Sell Yourself, Communicate Your Value: 6 Valuable Tips
There’s power in creating opportunities
When I needed to create income for my family so young, there weren’t opportunities being advertised that I could grab. I had to identify where I could offer value to others and create the opportunity I sought. In a study from MIT, researchers found that immigrants are actually “job creators,” creating more firms of every size, large and small, than people born in the U.S. While there are several reasons why this might happen, researchers cited the lack of opportunities available to immigrant workers as a core catalyst for why these businesses would be started.
Another study explored the connection between adverse childhood experiences and creativity. According to the research, the group with the highest amount of adverse experiences also had the highest amount of creativity. By harnessing my creativity, despite facing adversity, and having the fortitude to create my own opportunities, I was able to move beyond the circumstances I was born into.
High-value person, high-value assets
When you continually have to showcase your value confidently, you stop questioning it. It’s much easier to own your value when you consistently make a case for why you are deserving, helpful and an asset to any team or situation.
Working with high-net-worth individuals requires the utmost confidence. It is impossible to help people manage their valuable assets without first valuing yourself. You have to be able to walk into a room and advise some of the wealthiest, most brilliant and most insightful people on the planet without hesitation.
By advocating for myself since I was a child and consistently showcasing my value to people who had more power, money and influence than I did back then, I have been able to own these rooms and situations with unflinching, unwavering confidence. You create significant change when you have the confidence to advise and provide solutions along with the experience and know-how to deliver results.
Related: 10 Ways to Build and Boost Your Confidence
I made a habit of looking for the things that needed to be done back when I was 11 — that skill is exactly what built my business. The market was crying out for something different, and it was clear that high-value Asset Management needed a mobility makeover.
Once I realized that high-net-worth individuals needed more mobility for their assets, I was able to build a platform that increased each asset’s deployability. That meant people no longer had to hold on to assets that weren’t working for them and could trade for something that would enrich their lives.
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