When I was 25: billionaire Mark Cuban of the important lessons of his youth

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After working as an operator of data, bartender and manager of sales, Cuban realized that hates typical of directors, and created his own business.

When I was 24, I left Indiana and went on his way to his Fiat X19 1977 release.I went to Dallas.The floor had a hole in my car.I needed to add oil every 60 miles.My college friends advised me to go to Dallas, saying that there is great weather, it is possible to find a job, and local women are stunning.The first two statements, I turned a deaf ear, but definitely heard the third.

But first, back a bit.Before that, I spent several months in Indiana, working in the company under the name Tronics 2000. Before that I lived in his hometown of Pittsburgh, where he worked at Mellon Bank after in 1980 at the age of 22 he graduated from the University of Indiana.While small, local banks still led all the documentation on paper.The Mellon was the separation that introduces all of the data from paper to computers.I'm doing.Many of my peers were just happy that they got a job Mellon.And I wanted to start a business.I took the initiative.I sent the note by the Executive Directors of the Bank.Once I cut out from a magazine article about how corporations can save money by not paying social security benefits.He sent me a letter of thanks.I founded something called the "Club of recruits."I'm invited to the leaders of the bank that they informally communicated with the young officers like myself, who were in their twenties.Then I went further.I began producing a newsletter.I reported the news about current projects.I tried to do it with some humor.I thought that my boss will like my work.

Instead, the chief once called me into his office and broke into pieces."What are you, bl * qb, I have imagined?" - He shouted.I said that I'm trying to help Mellon to earn more money.He replied that I would never be able to get around it or be above it, and if I try, I will crush it.Then I realized it was time to get out of there.So I was back in Indiana, and then on the way to Dallas.

later revealed that it was not the last one in my life encounter with the boss.

In Dallas I stayed with five friends in a tiny apartment in a place called The Village.At that time it was the largest apartment complex in the country, which is filled with 20-year-old.I was the last person who moved there.We only had three bedrooms and three beds.I slept on the floor.I had no wardrobe, no table.I just piled their belongings in the corner.This place was a real dump, and we even more disorganized.None of us had any money, but we had fun vengeance.To save money, we organized a party at home.When we left the city, they set a rule states that no one can spend more than $ 20.We went to a store called Fast and Cool and each bought champagne for $ 12 per bottle.We went out there pretending to millionaires.We did not realize what a good Champagne is different from the bad.

We paid for a flat $ 750 per month for six.To a little time to delay payment of the apartment, we wrote out checks payable to one of us, and this guy was collecting checks, opened a deposit, and then pay rent.One neighbor who lived with us named Dobby gathered all the checks and fled from the city.More we have never seen.

guy who lived with us, selling window bars in one of the worst areas of Dallas.The other was a waiter.Another worked at a construction site.I first got a job as a bartender in a steep club called Elan.But I did not want a lifetime to be a bartender.I wanted to start their own business.

I was standing behind the bar, and in his spare time, was looking for a new job.I was invited for an interview at the company, which was called Your Business Software.They sold software for computers and individual users.I just bought a computer for $ 99 Texas Instruments and independently develop programming.They were impressed.And they were impressed by the fact that I was really ready to read all the manuals on the use of programs.I got the job.Now I was getting $ 18,000 a year plus commissions.

I was happy.I worked in sales and make money.And what was even more important, I learned the mechanism of selling computers and software and learning to create a customer base.Nine months later, I had the opportunity to receive an order for $ 15,000 from a guy named Kevin.I had to get a commission of $ 1,500, an incredible sum in those days.This would give me the opportunity to move out of our apartment and, perhaps, make the bed.

I asked my colleague to work for me in the office.I called his boss, CEO, named Michael, and said that I go for the check.I thought he would be delighted.Not at all.He said that I did not.I thought, "Are you kidding me?" I decided anyway to pick up the check.I thought I saw a check for $ 15,000, he will be delighted.

But when he returned to the office, he fired me immediately.After all, I did not listen.He was a typical general manager, is incredibly formal, one of those people who seem to be all kind say: "Do not you know who I am?What do I do? "He struggled to properly perform the role of director.He wore regular suits.But he had one big drawback: it has never worked.He never takes the initiative, leading to the expansion of sales.By the time I realized that "everything is decided by the sale."I use this phrase to the present day.This CEO was my teacher, but not in the sense as it is commonly understood.Even now I remember what he did and always do the opposite.And he instilled in me a bias against important positions.I have never served as CEO in their companies.I have no CEO.I - the president.

dismissal of that company determined my future life in business.It was then that I decided to establish his own business.I had nothing in particular to lose, and I knew that I had to do it.I was 25. I went to the person who made the order of $ 15 thousand, and told him that now I have no money, but if it will save your order and does not require their money back, then I will do the work, and it will help meto create his own company.And the guy said, "Yes, of courseĀ»

I founded a company called MicroSolutions.I was a computer consultant, selling software, conducted trainings and collecting computers.I wrote my own program.I am completely immersed in the computers studied Microsoft and Lotus and watched that did the most intelligent people in order to have everything worked.I remember once I had to go to Austin to pick up some details in the company called PCs Limited.It was headed by a guy who was even younger than me.We talked with him for a few hours.He made me a very strong impression.I remember I said to him: "Dude, I think we both succeed."This "dude" named Michael Dell.

In that year, I decided that I should go MicroSolutions local computer networks.We are equipped with computers and network equipment for small and medium sized firms.We were among the first who did it.We resell products TeleVideo and Novell.So I'm in the most literal sense laid the foundation for his future career.MicroSolutions grown into a company with annual revenues of $ 30 million. A few years later I sold it to CompuServe.This gave me the opportunity, along with his partner Todd Wagner found a company AudioNet, which then became Broadcast.com.Four years later, I sold it to Yahoo for $ 5 billion. Well, and then it was the turn Dallas Mavericks and all the rest.

Oh, almost forgot.Several years ago I received a letter from his old flatmate Dobby.He wrote: "Man, how are you?" I replied that I would not talk to him until I get back that $ 125 he owes me for the rent in The Village.He sent me a check.And I cashed.

Articles Source: forbes.ru