We’ve all had experiences in life when some twist of fate has brought us some good fortune. But, for most of us, it doesn’t result in us owning a multi-million dollar business. However, there are some great examples of famous entrepreneurs who’ve had an element of luck in their success. And, sometimes, it can even be a case of bad luck that leads to bigger and better things.
Dr Dre had made his name as a rapper and record producer long before one of the most successful elements of his career developed. That, of course, was the moment when he went into the business of making headphones and founded the company Beats with his friend Jimmy Iovine.
Beats by Dre
Faced with plummeting sales in the music industry sales because of music piracy, the two were looking for a new business idea. Dre was also aware that millions of people had an Apple iPod but, also, had their listening experience marred by the cheap earbuds the iPod came with. What was the point in having all the music in the world at your fingertips if the sound quality was mediocre at best? His eureka moment was in deciding to design and sell premium headphones so that music lovers could play music in the way it was intended to be heard.
As well as having a great idea, luckily for Beats, they had great connections in the music and celeb world. Who better to trial their new product than the world’s hottest music artists like Pharrell Williams or Will.i.am? Basketball player LeBron James was sent a pair to try and he called back asking for fifteen so that he and the rest of the US basketball team could use them at the Shanghai Olympics in 2008. Beats took off – without missing a beat! And, to bring the tale full circle, in 2014, Dre actually ended up selling Beats to Apple, the company whose shoddy earbuds had inspired him to set up the company in the first place.
Dre is just one example, of course. Take a look at this post by Lottoland to read about a string of famous celebrity entrepreneurs who can cite an element of luck playing a part in their path to success.
For instance, pure chance led to the creators of Google – Larry Page and Sergey Brin – studying at Stanford at the same time. It was there that they began work on the concept of Google in a class project. But there was a bit of fate in their getting to know each other in the first place. Sergey had been asked to give Larry a tour and show him around the college. Had someone else been asked to do the tour, the two might never have become buddies, and we might all still be using another search engine like AskJeeves!
Yankee Candles
We all love creating a calming atmosphere with a bunch of scented candles but did you know it’s really down to luck that Yankee Candle turned into the multi-million dollar business it is today? Founder Michael Kittredge made his prototype scented candle using melted wax crayons as a DIY gift for his mom. Only when a friend suggested buying one from him did his business plan begin to take shape.
Perhaps the most famous and successful entrepreneur on the planet thus far has been Apple’s founder, Steve Jobs. Being fired by his own company must have felt pretty bad at the time but he actually turned it into his biggest opportunity. Jobs said the experience freed him from the shackles of success and allowed him to tap into his creativity. Not only did he have the chance to work on new projects such as Pixar but, when he went back to Apple, he brought it even greater success through products such as the iPhone.
Of course, none of us ever feel bad about a bit of good luck. But, the next time you have a piece of bad luck, don’t stress about it. It may not feel like it at the moment but it might just lead to your next success in life!