Go For It; Only You Can Make it Happen

By Eirc M. Meyer, Lessons Learned as a Young Entrepreneur

As the boat pulled closer the sun peered through a few clouds in the sky.  The water showed its true color as it turned a vibrant aqua-blue and became clearer than a swimming pool.  The island of Jost Van Dyke was the most beautiful place I had ever experienced, and the people who lived there made it truly majestic.  My time there was short, but I decided immediately that I would come back to this special place, somehow someway. 

My family and I spent a few hours on the island while on a vacation to St. Thomas that we had been saving up for for years.  I knew it would not be possible for my parents to return there the following year and would never have been so selfish to ask as they struggled to put their kids through college, pay off a mortgage, save for retirement and make ends meet at the end of the day.  But I was not going to let that stop me; there had to be another solution other than secretly auctioning off my mother’s useless collection of antiques.  And there was.

The first thing I did after arriving back in the States was log on to Google and search for “Sandcastle Hotel, Jost Van Dyke.”  This was the quaint beachfront hotel that caught my eye on the island.  It wasn’t much, but situated 10 steps from the world’s most beautiful beach, the location was in a league of its own.

284-495-9888. I dialed the numbers into my phone and waited.  A woman answered and a shot of adrenaline was sent rushing through my body; this was my chance and I didn’t want to blow it.  I introduced myself to her and explained that I had visited the island a week ago and had noticed her hotel.  I then proceeded to inform there that I owned a video company (this coming from someone who sounded like a 12-year old girl couldn’t have been too reassuring, but somehow she stayed on the line).  I presented her with my plan; a barter of a promotional video for her hotel in exchange for accommodations at the Sandcastle Hotel for a week.  She said she was very interested, so I offered to send her an e-mail with additional information, samples of my work and a link to my web site.

A few days later I had a new message in my inbox; it was from Sandy at Sandcastle (yes, that is her real name).  She had said yes!  I was going back to the place I loved most, and couldn’t have been happier.  Now I just had to inform her that I was a sixteen year-old kid who couldn’t drive after 9:00pm.

Next June spirits were high as we journeyed back to Jost Van Dyke.  I met Sandy on the beach who was surprised at my age but also very impressed.  Throughout the week I captured the beauty of the island while enjoying its charm and beauty.  When I returned to New York I produced a 4-minute video showcasing the hotel.  They loved the product and spread the word throughout the islands.

Today I have produced promotional videos for a variety of business in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, North Carolina, etc. and it all stemmed from that phone call I made when I was 16.  I had nothing to lose and I went for it.  I realized that I had gotten so much more out of this deal than just a vacation; I now understood the importance and the value of being the catalyst for achieving what it is you are after.  I didn’t sell a video to Sandy, I sold her an idea.

She could have rejected me, and we both would have probably been just fine; but if you never ask, you never know.  As the famous basketball saying goes, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”  Go for it.  You are the only one who can make it happen, whether you want to start a business, expand your business, or take a tropical vacation.  You have the power to realize your dreams; you just have to have a positive attitude.  Often times, our biggest obstacle is ourselves.  Get of your own way, take a risk and go for it.