3 Things That Pursuing My Passion are Doing for Me & How They are Guiding Me to the Obvious Outcome: ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Two years ago, I took a leap of faith. I left the safety of a job I could have had for life, with a great company. I joined Collinson Group because it allows me to be back in the travel industry. Those of you that know me know that I am passionate about making the travel experience better. My goal is to improve the quality of life of people that travel. During the last two years, I realized that pursuing your passion has one obvious and almost inevitable outcome: Entrepreneurship.

The beauty of working for organizations like FedEx, Enterprise, and Quorum is having the opportunity to learn how organizations that are the best at what they do are run. These organizations reward people that commit to work hard for them with successful and rewarding careers. Furthermore, you can take the things you learn working at big, successful organizations and apply them when opportunities present themselves with smaller yet promising organizations.

Our organization is global, yet much smaller than the ones I worked for before. I am applying all the things I learned from my time with the bigger organizations. It allows me to bring significant value to my current organization. With the support of a talented team with similar backgrounds, we are making a positive, long-lasting impact. The first thing that pursuing my passion is doing for me is allowing me to make a lasting impact in a smaller organization with great potential. I get to share and transfer valuable knowledge to make us better.

Another exciting thing about smaller/younger organizations is that you are free from “the box.” What is “the box”? In bigger/mature organizations, roles are clearly defined. As a result, employees have a “box” where they can maneuver. It is an excellent thing in a mature organization as it allows for a focused approach. For example, in FedEx, salespeople have a structured sales process. Marketing provides all the sales/messaging material, and subject matter experts come in as needed. Salespeople are not creating copy, developing a strategic message, or experts on warehouse optimization.

There is, however, a downside to being in “the box.” It can be exhausting and frustrating for some people—particularly the creative and curious types. Don’t get me wrong; a lot of people prefer a structure. A clear example of that is people who like to hire a tour company when traveling versus planning their trip. I am OK with structure; I think it is necessary to bring focus. I did not realize that being “in the box” also meant that I could not learn enough about other areas of the business. I am not saying you can’t do it at a large/mature organization. However, it is more difficult to get out of “the box,” and unless you are passionate about the industry, not worth the hassle.

In my current organization, I am so grateful to have access to all parts of the business. It is excellent to understand the impact of what you do in all aspects of the company. It is particularly valuable with our strategic planning. However, the best part of it is how much I’ve learned. I can work on other areas of great interest, like strategic messaging, B2B marketing, and context translation. The second thing that pursuing my passion is doing for me is learning and understanding the impact we have in all aspects of a business. It makes me a more robust and more well-rounded professional.

One of the great “perks” of working with big organizations is that it opens doors for you. When I cold-called or prospected with unannounced visits, mentioning that I was with FedEx or Enterprise was great. Because of the power of the brand, very rarely was I turned down. When you work with a brand that does not have the same brand power, you learn how important having a relationship is. Relationships are essential. Not just from a professional standpoint but also a personal one.

Working in the travel industry makes connecting and developing relationships easy. I attribute it 100% to the fact that I am in the industry I am passionate about. It is easier to establish a relationship with somebody if you share the same passion, regardless of where you work. I don’t think I can speak about logistics with the same enthusiasm as I do about the airport experience. The third thing that pursuing my passion is doing for me is establishing and fostering excellent relationships in the areas I am passionate about. It allows me to access the knowledge and have the ear of some great leaders in the industries I love. It also allows me to find additional growth opportunities.

Joshua Davidson is an entrepreneur I follow on Twitter. He posted this quote recently:

“Success is different for everyone. For some, it’s wealth. Others, it’s family. For a few, impact”

I want to make an impact. I want to improve the quality of life of people that travel. And I want to do something about it. Where is pursuing my passion taking me? It is taking me to the obvious outcome: Entrepreneurship.

There will be more to come about the projects we are working on, and I cannot wait to share them with you. I am not leaving Collinson Group. There is a lot of exciting work left to do in our organization, and I am excited to contribute. Entrepreneurship is quite an adventure, and I am very enthusiastic about it. In the meantime, please visit my website: www.jorgeantonioenriquez.com. There, you will find more information about what I am passionate about. Also, you can see my posts and join my entrepreneurship adventure. And other information that you might find interesting (or not, it’s a work in progress, and your feedback is welcome).

One lesson I took to heart about entrepreneurship is: “You cannot do it alone.” To get to this point, I am grateful for the support of my wonderful family. I am also thankful for the help of several people that are always encouraging me. They also provide great constructive feedback and great ideas. And, of course, those mentors who share in the passion for improving the quality of life of people that travel. In some cases, becoming partners and provide excellent guidance, knowledge, and encouragement.

I said it a year ago, and I repeat it today with an extra thought at the end: To all those who are not sure if you should jump, my advice is, if it feels right, I invite you to, as Steve Jobs said: “have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” I did it two years ago, and I am thrilled I did. It helped me find my purpose, and because of entrepreneurship, I have the opportunity to fulfill it.