December 1, 2022 — Hello New York City! 🇺🇸 Exactly 541 days ago I initially came to NCY as a tourist not knowing how much my life was about to change.
I’m Liesa — a passionate and creative German woman who used to live a life feeling limited almost cages by what I thought was the way life is supposed to be. Moreover, I used to try to fit in with what society considers “normal”, e.g. School, University, 9–5 with a renowned company, and suppress my drive to be dancing to the beat of my own drum as good as I could.
Today, a lot has changed. I am my own person walking on a unique pathway while dancing to the beat of my own drum.
My goal is to inspire you to listen to who you truly are, to assure you that once you do, stepping out of your comfort zone and taking risks for the benefits of forging you own path will be the most rewarding and freeing thing you ever do.
Therefore, I will share my 541 days of lessons learned in a series of articles with you while I take you with me on my entrepreneurial journey that unfolded when I unexpectedly found my home in NYC.
The Step into the Unknown
Many of you might have dreamt about moving to another country, starting a business or doing both.
— I have dreamt about living abroad having my own business multiple times!
Even though moving abroad was not a novelty for me; I have lived and worked in different European countries over the span of the past 10+ years, moving to NYC was different. It was more than just relocating within Europe; it was a major leap of faith. Deciding to move was not just taking a step into the unknown and out of my comfort zone. It meant being fully committed, financially as well as mentally, with no turning back.
In all honesty, I was terrified about what I was about to do.
My journey into entrepreneurship really began when I asked myself one question:
— How do I want to live my life in NYC?
The answer was simple:
— I want to create my own path moving forward, not depending on anyone but myself.
The Visa-challenge
It all sounded great, but there was one tiny problem…
How to get a U.S. work visa without being dependent on anyone or having to invest min. $900,000 for the EB5 Immigrant Investor program?
After some research and a great conversation with an immigration lawyer the solution was obvious — Entrepreneurship and an E2 Visa.
That was the moment when the founding process of Witt Collective, my Consulting firm, started.
But wait a moment! ⚠️
At the time, I didn’t even have the min. $ amount that I needed to be considered for an E2 Visa and equally important I barely understood what entrepreneurship truly meant.
My mindset was on the right path, but I was far from grasping the full extent of the challenges that lay ahead…
541 days of lessons learned | no. 1
5 Lessons Learned from 0 to Entrepreneur
I failed so many times, screwed up, hit rock bottom, even went through heartbreak. In the beginning however, I did not acknowledge the value of failing or saw that the only real failure is inaction. As a result of that I went through the process of failure and lessons learned at an incredible low pace.
- Lesson 1: Fail fast, fail often
- Lesson 2: Keep an open mind and learn from every experience
- Lesson 3: Pivot when needed
- Lesson 4: Don’t give up — stay resilient
- Lesson 5: It is okay to ask for help
My knowledge and understanding of entrepreneurship are vastly different from what they were 541 days ago. Nevertheless, I know that it is vital to continue to learn and grow day by day. I am still at the beginning of this beautiful journey and I am looking forward to sharing my experience and all the lessons that I have and will be learning with you!
If you liked this story and want to learn more about the Visa Process check out From Zero to Entrepreneur: 541 Days of Lessons Learned | №2.
Last but not least a callout to all future, current, seasoned entrepreneurs and world travelers:
— I’d love to connect with you, hear your story, share lessons learned and find ways of supporting each other.
Hi, I am Liesa, the founder of Witt Collective, consultant and coach specialized in knowledge and process management.
I am an advocate for simple and innovative solutions that are driven by creativity, made for humans to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
You can connect and collaborate with me.
LinkedIn | X | 1:1 Session
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