October 19, 5:26 am
Sometimes being laid off is a good thing
In 1890, J.C. Newman was only 14 years old and an immigrant to the United States. He took an apprenticeship as a cigar maker and worked in the trade for five years – until a recession resulted in massive layoffs within the industry.
At 19, the unemployed young cigar maker took a risk by borrowing $50 for tools and supplies, and began his own cigar company—in Cleveland (not exactly the cigar Mecca of the world).
Five years later Newman employed 70 people and his business continued to grow, even through the depression. And the company hasn’t stopped growing (pun not intended). Today the J.C. Newman cigar company is still a thriving business, with J.C.’s grandson Eric at the helm.
This would all be a very different story today if more than 100 years ago an unemployed teenager hadn’t shown some initiative—seeing opportunity where many others saw gloom and doom.
And perhaps if Newman had never been laid off, he’d have stayed working as a cigar roller his entire life.
The moral of the story
If you ever find yourself laid off, it doesn’t do much good to sit in a corner and wait for things to get better. Not if you want to come out ahead. With many of the people I’ve talked to, getting laid off from a job was the final push that got them started in their own business.
In the face of trouble, people with vision examine the field, look for opportunity, and consider their options. They seek a foothold while others are stepping back. This mindset, I believe, is a key differentiator between victims and victors.
The questions, I suppose, are which one do you want to be, and which are you modeling for your family and friends?
Filed in Work, Business, Management, Leadership, Workplace
Discussion
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