What I learned about entrepreneurship from selling guavas in my barrio in Santo Domingo

My first entrepreneurial calling involved street-vending the extra guavas that grew from two trees in our backyard. I’d set up a stand in front of our house along a moderately busy road with mostly motorbike taxis (motoconchos) and other traffic. Occasionally, someone would stop and purchase my wares: 10 cents for green guayabas and 25 cents for the pink, ripe ones. Having researched market prices while shopping with my mom, I knew exactly how much to charge, and I took pride in my 100 percent profit margins. When my brother was old enough—about five or six—I brought him into the business, turning our family’s surplus fruit into pocket change. 

Sometimes our profits helped stock candles or other essentials. Since electricity went out so frequently, we spent most evenings under candlelight, and when running water worked, we hoarded it for later. Showers involved pouring bucketfuls of cold water over our heads, but if we were lucky, we could wash off outside in the warm, tropical rain.

I learned that the best way to get started with any entrepreneurial dream is to just use whatever resources you have right in front of you. Stop waiting for things to be perfect and give yourself permission to mess up. That’ll make it easier to just start and continue to grow and learn along the way.