My Inspirations: My Dad

The “My Inspirations” series is my opportunity to highlight specific people, books, or resources that have helped lead me to where I am today and inspired me to take on the challenge of starting a computer business. No journey is ever taken alone.

It’s Thanksgiving here in the US and I’m currently spending time in Connecticut with family. I’m thankful for alot of things, including the opportunity to start this blog and learn so much from all of my readers! I’m off to a great start with my computer business and it’s thanks to your input that I’ve been able to get this far with my blog and business.

This is the perfect day to post the latest entry in the “My Inspirations” series. This time I’ll focus on someone who could not be here on the east coast with us today. That person is my dad, who currently resides on the West Coast in California.  My dad and I have had our differences. I must admit that we have different religious and personal philosophies and this has caused a lot of tension in our relationship over the years. But there are many things about my dad that have inspired me to be the person I am today. I’d like to concentrate on those things today.

First and foremost in my mind when I think about my father is his inventiveness. When I was a kid I remember seeing him work on, and test out on the family, different inventions he built. A solar food dehydrator, a mushroom transportation trailer (don’t ask), an outhouse that turned waste into fertilizer, a contraption that turned a mixture of dirt and cement into bricks, a toilet add-on that prevented splash-back when going #1, a built-in back scrubber for your shower…the list goes on. Of course, at first glance these inventions may seem strange and impractical, but to me as a kid it was always fascinating to see what he’d come up with next. This curiosity and innovative attitude has stuck with me to this day. I’m never happy simply being a consumer of goods or entertainment, I’m always driven to create and invent. That drive lies at the core of my aspirations to start a business.

One thing you may notice about a lot of my dad’s inventions is that they are eco-friendly and energy efficient. My dad is a big proponent of green technology, and has always been that way, well before it was popular or mainstream to do so. He’s always pushed for using solar technology and finding ways to be energy self-sufficient. Because of the determination he had to be environmentally responsible in his own life, and the positive effects that I saw as a result of this, I will always strive to operate a greener business and I have plans to offer energy efficient service options to my customers.

My dad has also had his share of failures in life. Nobody is perfect and it’s the tenacity to pick yourself back up after a mis-step and continue to persevere that defines true entrepreneurship.I also have learned from the mistakes my dad made in his ventures and I hope to avoid some of the pitfalls the he endured because he didn’t have a mentor or example to model his efforts after. That’s why I’ve created this blog as a way to reach out to others and find mentors. And that’s why I’m taking my time in careful planning of my business.

I would never have had the drive to start a business if it weren’t for my dad. And hopefully I’ve learned enough from him to make my business a success. I owe it to him to do my best.

How have your parents helped shape the success you’ve seen as an adult?

Check out previous posts from the “My Inspirations” series:

My Inspiraitons: The Blog-o-sphere
My Inspirations: My Mom