I never thought I was smart enough to start a business…
I never thought I was smart enough or had what it took to launch a business.
That’s me with the red circle around my face. I was eleven years old. School for me was always a struggle. I was most likely dyslexic ( had to google the spelling) but was never diagnosed back then. I just thought I wasn’t as smart as everyone else. I couldn’t spell and still have lots of trouble today. I also had trouble reading and understanding what I was reading. I thought I wasn’s smart because of my academics and the fact I couldn’t spell. If only I had all the help my daughters have today.
My father use to return the letters I wrote to him from summer camp with big red circles around all the words I spelt wrong. You can imagine what that did for my self esteem back then. So I decided to stop writing all together. It was too embarrassing.
I manage to get through school and high school by the skin of my teeth. You only needed a 50 back then to pass.
All my friends got good grades and applied to college and got in easily. I ended up studying creative arts because at the time I thought it was the only program that would accept me, then went in to do a BFA at university.
I never took a business class or marketing class. The first time I ever stepped foot into a business class, was when I was asked to give a lecture at The Molson School of business’s graduating class on entrepreneurship.
I was also most likely the one not to succeed but I did.
I overcame all of my challenges and eventually realized that I was not only really smart but also a pretty good writer once spell check came along.
Failure and challenges are what made me become the business woman I am today.
I persevered and launched my business Anna Goodson Illustration Agency in 1996 with no formal education, no money, no mentors and no artists to represent. Today our illustration agency is one of the most respected international illustration & animation agencies in the world.
We all can do hard things and overcome obstacles that we thought we never could.
Never doubt yourself because one day you could wake up and realize you’re that one person who could change the world.
