Most entrepreneurs don't start with a golden spoon or high powered-connections. At least, those who built a successful business story.
The entrepreneurs begin with a small germ idea, a side hobby that becomes a side hustle, or a series of jobs that converts into a successful business. They add a little snap to their idea, a little effort to their dreams. Then after about years of efforts, their seedling ideas grew into a tree.
Sophia Amoruso, the former CEO of Nasty Gal & Founder of GirlBoss, is an inspiration for many others to grow into greatness. Or in her words, " Each time you show up to work and work hard and do your best at everything you can do, you're planting seeds for a life that you can hope will grow beyond your wildest dreams."
Childhood Struggle
Born on April 20, 1984, to the middle-class in San Diego, C.A. Her family attended the Greek Orthodox Church- both parents worked in traditional jobs to support the family.
"I wasn't a happy kid," she told a reporter. For a while, the doctor thought she had Tourette's Syndrome, but they later determined she had Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and depression.
These challenges never stopped her innovative mind and opened a lemonade stand at age 9, worked at ten different jobs by the time she was 22, including a dry cleaner, a mobile plant shop, and has stints at the subway.
Dropping Out of Community College
After her parent's divorce, she headed for Portland, Oregon, at the age of 17. She gave community college a spin but decided it wasn't for her. After dropping out of college, she lived with her step-aunt and tried to make living.
Sophia started down the road to wealth when she picked a book Starting an eBay business for dummies.
Launching on eBay
Still holding her job as a security guard at San Francisco's Academy of Art University, she opened an eBay Shop to work in her spare time. She named it "Nasty Gal Vintage" after the 1975 album by singer Betty Davis.
The shop sold vintage clothing and other used items. In fact, the first piece sold was one she'd stoled. After she didn't have much time to look out in eBay Shop, she started with her new business with gusto, styling, photography, and shipping the products by herself.
Bouncing Back from Bankruptcy
Nasty Gal grew astonishingly. Sophia's skill with brand and product marketing ramped up her sales. In 2008, Nasty Gal pulled in $223,000 in revenue. The company was ranking at $23 million after three years.
However, Sophia lacked the necessary management skill to run a company. Large layoffs made team members skittish. Employees were fired for getting pregnant, while other employees told the media that companies environment was toxic for work.
By the end of 2015, Sophia resigned as CEO but kept the executive senior post. The next year, Nasty Gal entered into chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. Though she lost $280 million in the collapse of Nasty Gal, she got on her feet within five months.
But bouncing back from Nasty Gal wasn't the only thing Sophia did the bounce back. She also started working on her fresh idea - Girlboss Media. This new company provided her platform to speak with other women like her who needed support on their way to the top.