Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Rick Ornelas, Founder of I Spark Change, located in Montgomery, TX, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Our organization is I Spark Change, and we are in the business of amplifying the positive work of others and spreading positive change. Our purpose is to empower and connect humanity to spread positive change and elevate social impact.

Tell us about yourself

In mid-2020, when the world was in crisis, I was suffering myself. I had just been laid off and was anxious and hopeless, not knowing what the future held. So, I decided to stop being a volunteer victim and looked for ways to help those far less fortunate than I was. This led me to write a blog article about using the pandemic as an opportunity to be grateful for all that I had and focus on ways to impact others positively. My first idea was to start writing a book that had been swirling around in my head for nearly twenty years. I decided that the time to act was now, so I began writing what would soon become 12 Hours of Heaven: Lessons for a Better World. I started my writing journey in April 2020, intending to give others hope and inspiration in a time of need.

I started writing very methodically, committing to 500-1000 words per day. I figured I would finish the book in about six months. All of this changed after a couple of months when someone higher up had bigger plans for me. As I wrote, I went through a period of intense spiritual connection where I had dreams and visions of what the future could become if I did far more than only write a book. It was then that I felt called to create a community to connect and empower those who want to make the world a better place but don't know where to turn or how to get there. This calling was the birth of the I Spark Change movement. This was when I decided to devote my life to spreading positive change and elevating social impact.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment is creating an incredible team to work on the vision for I Spark Change. While it's not always easy to do all the work yourself, you only have to worry about one person and not take care of and support others. I have thoroughly enjoyed building a small and mighty team with the same passion I do in growing I Spark Change.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

Understanding that everything takes time and a ton of hard work to build. Social media would like us all to believe that everyone can be an overnight success. In reality, anyone who has achieved success has put in the work to get there. This can be extremely rewarding and difficult to navigate at the same time. You must keep plugging away each day, knowing you will not reach the rainbow's end for a very long time.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Starting and running a business can be one of the most challenging things you will ever do and one of the most rewarding, but it's all worth it. Here are my top three tips for anyone looking to start.

  1. Know your "Why" for doing what you do – There is a reason that you decided to start a business. This reason should be the driving force for all of your actions in your business. Your "why" will motivate you to make one more call when you're too tired or give 100% to the last client of the week. Your "why" will inspire you to do whatever it takes to grow your business. Let this lead you, and you will be successful.
  2. Understand you will have to work your tail off – A lot of people think that working for yourself means working a couple of hours a day and becoming ultra-successful. In reality, most entrepreneurs work 60-80 hours per week, so they don't have to work 40 hours per week for someone else. Sure, it has its benefits, like setting your own schedule, but just know that everything falls on your shoulders, so when there is work to be done, you will be the one to do it.
  3. Be Grateful - It's easy to focus on everything going wrong when times get tough. Being like Eeyore and living as if things are terrible will only attract more of what you don't want. By practicing gratitude for anything in your life, you refocus on the positive and gain abundance. This is something I had to learn the hard way. I was selfish and focused on myself when I was just starting my business, always wanting more. My actions led to short-lived success in areas that didn't matter. Being grateful for anything that comes your way shows you the true value of life.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.rickornelas.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rick.ornelas/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rickornelas/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/isparkchange
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickornelas/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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