The decision to start a business often punctuates a journey filling with planning, soul searching, and hardship. Andrea Dolci Baldini, owner of Ultimate Financial Help and an area manager for PRMG, has known hardship from a young age and has overcome it time and again on her entrepreneurial journey. She joins The CoLab hosts Megan Marsh and Andres Munar in sharing stories of business failure and triumph.

Finding success meant taking a big step for Andrea Dolci Baldini. Without knowing a word of English, she set off to the United States from Brazil in search of opportunity. She got her start flipping burgers and delivering pizzas before an opportunity to co-own a nail salon presented itself. The business’ success and ultimate closure taught Andrea the lessons she needed to pursue entrepreneurship opportunities that have led to her owning a business and making her mark in the mortgage industry.

Andrea has overcome many challenges that threatened to derail her dreams, and she joins The CoLab hosts Megan Marsh and Andres Munar to pass on lessons learned and advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Ready to dive in? Here’s what we’re covering in this episode of The CoLab:

• [03:45] With dreams of making enough money to live comfortably in her home country of Brazil, Andrea set off to the United States as a young adult to find work. She had no idea a fast food job would be the first in a series of steps toward business ownership.
• [11:03] “There’s a purpose for everything. You know, at the beginning, you don't understand. I went through hell, it was hard. I didn't have money for anything. And I had no money to buy a box of diapers for my son who was about to born. But it was worth it.” —Andrea describing the fallout of losing her first business.
• [17:03] A key part of business success is the ability to learn something new in an industry you think you know everything about.
• [19:39] If you want to reach a goal and if you want to be successful in the pursuit of that goal, you have to do more than everyone else is doing.
• [25:56] Bringing in others to mentor and coach you can help you be successful in business. Even if it’s listening to a podcast or reading a book, the lessons others have learned can help you

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