J. K. Rowling is the English writer who has authored all
seven beloved and widely read Harry Potter novels. At age
41, her rise to fame and fortune is inspiring. She has sold
over 325 million books. The final book in the series, Harry
Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was the fastest-selling
book of all time.
Her fortune is estimated at $1 billion. She is ranked as
the 136th richest person in the world. In 2006, Forbes
named Rowling the second richest female entertainer in the
world and ranked her as 48th on the 100 most powerful
celebrities list of 2007.
When this all began in 1990, however, things were very
different for J. K. Rowling. She was not a published
author. She did not have a lot of money. She was living in
London, working as a researcher and bi-lingual secretary
for Amnesty International, and her mother had just died.
How she got from there to where she is today is a story
filled with invaluable tips for small business owners.
Tip # 1: Don't Rush to Roll Out Your Product.
Destiny is a name often given in retrospect to choices that
had dramatic consequences. - Rowling
Although J. K. Rowling had been a writer all her life, she
was slow to publish. "I had written two novels before I had
the idea for Harry, though I'd never tried to get them
published (and a good job too, I don't think they were very
good)."
All too often, as small business owners, we rush to get a
product out before its time, before it's been fully
considered or tested. Rowling sets a great example of
getting a product just right before presenting it to the
world.
Tip # 2: When a Great Idea Grabs You -- Grab Back.
You sort of start thinking anything's possible if you've
got enough nerve. - Rowling
Great ideas are unmistakably powerful in their announcement
and come when least expected. Rowling says:
Where the idea for Harry Potter actually came from, I
really couldn't tell you. I was traveling on a train
between Manchester and London and it just popped into my
head. I spent four hours thinking about what Hogwarts would
be like. By the time I got off at King's Cross, many of the
characters in the books had already been invented.
As small business owners, we know when a great idea is upon
us. The problem is, we often question it, second-guess it,
and rationalize it away. Not Rowling. She recognized the
mark of a powerful idea, seized upon it and went with it.
Tip # 3: Persevere, Persevere, and Persevere.
It is our choices . . . that show what we truly are, far
more than our abilities. - Rowling
Rowling moved to Portugal to teach English as a Second
Language in 1991 and married her first husband in 1992.
They divorced in 1993. The next year, she moved to
Scotland. At this point, she was an unemployed single
mother living on welfare. In 1995, she completed her
manuscript for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone,
typing it out on an old manual typewriter. She handed in
the book to twelve publishing houses. They all rejected it.
Rowling never gave up. She did not stop just because life
was hard. Despite all the changes and setbacks she was
experiencing, she carried on. She persevered. As small
business owners, we would do well to keep her example in
mind.
Tip # 4: Don't Let Anyone, Including Yourself, Sidetrack
You from Your Goal.
If you're holding out for universal popularity, I'm afraid
you will be in this cabin for a very long time. - Rowling
Finally, Bloomsbury, a small publisher, agreed to publish
the first book. Her editor, though, says that he "advised
Rowling to get a day job, since she had little chance of
making money in children's books."
It's a good thing she didn't listen. All seven volumes of
the Harry Potter series have broken sales records and have
been translated into 65 languages. What a shining role
model Rowling is for small business owners. She didn't let
anyone stand in the way of her goal-not even herself.
Tip # 5: Each of Us Has a Unique Contribution to Make to
the World.
I just write what I wanted to write. I write what amuses
me. It's totally for myself. - Rowling
J. K. Rowling never went searching for the kind of success
she's received. "I just wrote the sort of thing I liked
reading when I was younger (and still enjoy now!). I didn't
expect lots of people to like them, in fact, I never really
thought much past getting them published."
It wasn't fame or wealth that J. K. Rowling sought. No. She
simply wanted to contribute to the world in general, and to
children specifically. As small business owners, this is so
important to learn. Focus on the unique something we have
to offer to the world. The rest will surely come, in ways
we may not even be able to imagine.
----------------------------------------------------
Susan L Reid, MS, DMA, Small Business Start Up Coach,
Consultant & Accidental Pren-her™ is the soon-to-be
published author of The Entrepreneurial Woman. She
provides value, inspiration and direction for
entrepreneurial women starting up and launching small
businesses. For your free e-Zine full of ideas and start
up tips, visit http://SuccessfulSmallBizOwners.com .
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