Granted, entrepreneurship can be highly frustrating, demoralizing even. There are periods of uncertainty—sales slumps, losses, and just plain old mistakes. One significant challenge that we continue to face as entrepreneurs is finding the right people to bring into our organization. On several occasions, we’ve been very disappointed with the personnel we’ve hired. It seems like just when we think we’ve found the right person, something (i.e. lack of integrity, falsified experience and credentials, or laziness) goes wrong. As a result, money is wasted, time is lost and projects are jeopardized.

Still, there are so many great aspects of entrepreneurship. Making your own rules, setting your own schedule, having limitless earning potential and doing something you love for a living—these factors make the risk and frustration of entrepreneurship worth it.

We at the 135th Street Agency have a passion and drive for what we do. We learn from our mistakes, we adapt quickly to change, and we are experts in our craft. We also believe that we have the best jobs in the world and that no matter what we go through in our business, we will excel!

The most important lesson that I've learned is no matter what it is that you want to have or accomplish, it's going to take a certain amount of investment and time to achieve it. It's a tough journey. Along the way, you have to know in your heart and mind that what you're doing is the right thing. There's going to be plenty of times when you'll doubt yourself; when you're not sure you're chasing the right dream. You might feel like, 'It shouldn't be this hard.' Or ask yourself, 'Am i doing the right thing? Is this venture possible? Will I succeed?' However, you can't seek validation anywhere outside of yourself. You have to be a person of conviction and know for sure that as long as what you feel in your heart is sincere and that you're working hard, you will succeed. A favorite quote of mine is, "Your dreams minus your doubts equals your reality.-- Ralph Marston."

I want to encourage you to find your bliss, find your passion. Whatever it is. Tune out the entire world around you -- your family, friends, videos, music -- and find out what it is that you've always had a passion for or wanted to know about. Whether a pilot, a train conductor, architect, or a doctor, go after your dream with everything you've got. Because we live in such a celebrity-obsessed culture, everybody wants to do the same thing. Everybody wants to be a rapper or an actor or just plain famous. Why not be different? Why not put out fires or dissect things or invent cures for diseases rather than choose a career based on what the latest rapper says is cool? It's important to find what motivates you from your core. When you pick your dreams based on what's popular now or what other people say is "hot," you set yourself up for failure. More than anything, you'll be like everybody else. Basing your existence upon the approval of others never works. Remember, the people who've changed history and made huge contributions to the world were often unaccepted by their peers.