Frankie, our driver-tour guide today in Puerto Rico, has good reason to look so happy. He’s his own man.

Frankie use to work as a concierge at a major hotel here. He worked there for 5-years. and by his own admittance, he was doing well and got really comfortable. He asked himself, why leave all of this? A good job and decent pay, tips and commissions (like a second income source)? great benefits, including medical and dental. And a great working environment. So what gives, why leave?

Well, partly because he knew that he was getting too comfortable for his own good, he knew he needed to make a change. And partly because he heard his mission in life — calling his name from the distance.

When Frankie was in college, his professor asked him to identify his passion, and then suggested he make his passion — which was then his hobby — his main work. And then, make his work at the time, his hobby.

In other words, work his main job enough to fund the business idea, but focus his real heart and energy on the business of his own that he loved And if he did this, he would be happy forever.

And his professor was absolutely correct.

As a result, after being a waiter, a bartender and a hotel concierge, Frankie now owns his own tourism business in Puerto Rico — doing what he loves.

He also decided to go ‘all in,’ buying not just one 7 passenger van, but another 17 passenger van for future expansion. He’s both thinking big and thinking ahead.

But Frankie is also practical, staying within his budget and building his business with a solid financial plan.

When I asked Frankie why he loved being a small business owner, his response was just like that Gallup small business data from my previous articles was speaking back to me. He said, “John, it’s freedom. I can do as I like.” Precisely.

Frankie is the future for Puerto Rico.

Small business owners and entrepreneurs, who create local jobs, pay their taxes, and grow a nation with a new type of role models, is exactly what Puerto Rico and many places like it need.

If you want to support Frankie’s business, contact Puerto Rico Tour Desk here. And tell him I sent you. He will smile just like in his picture. A great guy.

Let’s go…

John Hope Bryant is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE and Bryant Group Companies, Inc. Magazine/CEO READ bestselling business author of LOVE LEADERSHIP: The New Way to Lead in a Fear-Based World (Jossey-Bass), and is the only 2010-2012 bestselling business author in America who is also African-American. Hisnewest book, due out June, 2014, is HOW THE POOR CAN SAVE CAPITALISM, and will be published by Berrett Koehler Publishing. Bryant is a Member of the U.S. President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability for Young Americans,and co-chair forProject 5117, which is a plan for the rebirth of underserved America.

Follow John Hope Bryant on LinkedIn Influencers here.

 

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