miracles happen . . .

"Out of difficulties grow miracles"

Jean de la Bruyere

In my newly painted office which I had just rented, my attorney asked me if I had a plan should I not have sales for my first year of business.  Of course, I did not have such a plan.  I was absolutely certain of sales; in fact, I had some purchase orders on my desk.  Filled with optimism, I opened my new company.

One year later, after great effort, I had no sales.  A former business partner, had spread some damaging comments about me which cancelled my first orders and prevented my sales contacts from working with my new company.  Try as I did, new clients were taking time to acquire and I could not confirm any sales with my previous clients.  Out of time and money, I made a very painful decision to close my company the next day.  

Filled with despair, I walked two miles home to my empty apartment that bitter cold night, slept in my coat and gave in to utter defeat.  When I awoke the next morning, I found the courage to get to my office and prepare to terminate my assistant, cancel my lease and find a job.  Although devastated by these unjust circumstances, calmly I plodded through my day.

At 2pm that afternoon, just minutes before shuttering my company, a fax popped out of my machine.  It was a sales order for nearly one million dollars!  Knowing that had to be a mistake, I called the fashion buyer who had just sent this fax.  She answered her phone with the words, "Are you surprised and happy?".  In shock and tears, I realized that a miracle had happened.  I was in business with a very large order and enough profit to see me through the long term.  From that point on my business grew steadily.

Little did I know at that time that it takes at least two years to get a business started.  But, with only one year, it still happened.  Through extreme difficulty a miracle happened.  Never give up!

barr + barr showroom