I recently watched an update from a show I came across last year called Undercover Billionaire. The series followed a man who had made it big as he set out on a quest to prove that the American dream was alive and well. To prove it, he had to use himself as the test subject.

He chose Erie, Pennsylvania as the city, and he went there in the spring of last year. To make it a challenge, he flew into Erie with access to an old pickup truck and $100 in cash. His mission was, in 90 days, to create a business worth at least one million dollars. If he failed, he would put in one million dollars himself.

The setup for the show was that he had a camera crew following him around documenting his journey as he tried to start a business. He had to sleep in his truck a few times, and once he had a room to rent, he had to sleep on the floor. He only had $100 dollars, and he couldn't use a credit card or any of his connections.

I won't go into all of the details of the show, but here are a few of the things that impressed me.

He found old tires and sold them using his cell phone. He got a job mopping and cleaning to earn cash. He met and recruited people to work with him as he built the business.

The biggest part of his plan was to start a BBQ restaurant, and to get publicity and some seed money, he entered a BBQ competition. He had to enlist someone to build him a smoker, and he had to hire staff and a really good BBQ expert. It was amazing to see how he had a no quit attitude, and to see how he overcame the obstacles and setbacks and kept himself and his crew on track.

The restaurant is still thriving after a year, even with the pandemic.

What impressed me were the lessons that this show provided that any business could use. The persistence to do what it takes, to never quit, and to adapt to every situation. This rich guy, who had no reason to do what he did, except to prove a point, also provided a lot of good people the opportunity to get ahead.

It takes some nerve and a belief in yourself to do what he did. He led his team, and took chances. He didn't let fear, worry, or doubt get in his way.

For me, this reminds me to not put off doing what I need to do, and to not be afraid that I'm not good enough. The most important thing is to get going. Start doing the things that will get me ahead. Not waiting until I go through another course, listen to another podcast, until I get that software or plugin that I need. It means that every day, I am going to do the things that get me closer to my goal.

Guess that means that watching TV isn't always a waste of time...