Exclusive Interview: D’Vaughn Bell reveals tips for aspiring CEOs
After a meeting with D’Vaughn, we saw a different side of entrepreneurship. “No one wants to see the struggle or the work it takes,” says the young business owner.
He has been operating his businesses for over five years, is the chief executive for companies like Global Currenciez LLC, Body By Bell and Marqui Management.
What stood out was his aspiration to help others. D’Vaughn has shown a sincere effort of helping people turn their ideas into brilliant businesses as well as giving back to the community. “That’s sort of what I was aiming for when I started my scholarship. I called it the D’Vaughn Bell Scholarship, I believe knowledge is essential plus I wanted to help people,” explains the entrepreneur
The 23 year old holds experience in personal training, consulting and finance. “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. It’s a good concept to be diversified, and in this way, you won’t lose passion in what you do.”
These are some of the questions we had for D’Vaughn:
Q1: What are some milestones in your career that you are most proud of?
A: Some say I am modest and that I don’t share my major accomplishments, but there is one that puts a smile on my face every morning. I was interviewed by a writer from Forbes and featured on Forbes. That’s always been one of my dreams, that and appearing on Men’s Health or Men’s Fitness magazine.
Q2: Are there any particular challenges that once overcome, have helped you achieve your milestone?
A: Of course! Every day is a new challenge. In the world of entrepreneurialism, the driving factor is never to have to work for someone else again. You’ll never want to go back. However, with that comes a huge responsibility. You have to consider the costs of living, doing things you enjoy to relieve stress and one thing many people don’t examine are the costs of healthcare. Once someone gets over the fear of losing everything they have worked towards, and the fear of not being able to pay their bills they will start to see results.
Q3: How long does it typically take for someone new to see results while working for themselves?
A: Everyone and every market is different. Someone starting a brick and mortar store would take far longer than someone starting an online business. Someone starting a service-based business would take longer than someone starting a company based on a product. There are so many unique factors, but one of the determining factors is the type of person you are. If you are constantly going out there and marketing your brand on social media and reaching out to your friends and family, you will see success much quicker. If you are just sitting back, waiting for things to happen, waiting for someone to find your business, if you ever see success – it will be a very long time.
Q4: What advice do you usually give for others that are looking to do what you do?
A: Grow thick skin! You have to be able to deal with criticism and feedback from many people, regardless of how you feel. If you take everything personally, you won’t last. You don’t have to completely change your business structure around every time someone complains, but over time you’ll want to make slight adjustments in favor of the majority of the positive feedback you receive. I also tell everyone to research. You need to know the ins-and-outs of the market you are in. Know how many people, your target audience and what you and your company can accomplish for them. Without that, you won’t have structure, and your income will be random and not steady.
Thank you for your time D’Vaughn. He replies with, “It’s me who should be thanking you. I hope this will inspire people.”
He continues to focus on helping others while growing his businesses, setting an excellent example for millennials seeking to start their own companies.
