Should we teach children to gamble?
Walking away from the casino still buzzing from his big win at the poker table, Mike Reifeiss caught a glimpse of his next big gamble.
And, as he studied the beautiful lines of this black limo, gliding by… decided then and there to lay it all on the line – one more time.
After his brand new, 2005 Lincoln Town Car stretch arrived a week later, everyone said he’d fail.
You can be lucky once. But changing careers from Real Estate to the world of running your own limousine company, on a whim, was just too much.
Maybe that’s why he went ahead and named his new business “Aall – in – limo”… to show everyone the kind of guts it takes to make it… and to give you a taste for what’s really involved…
Because going “All – in” it’s all about luck…
My wife and I on our way up for a beautiful Sunday tour of the wineries
After 8 years of success, Mike tells me it’s about;
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Doing good marketing
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Providing great customer service
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Anticipating needs
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Staying 3 steps ahead of the market – at all times
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And working hard
Life is a gamble. But it’s a calculated one.
To prove this point, Mike and his business partner Jason Siegrist raised the stakes just this year, buying a brand new $60,000 party bus (in cash) to take enthusiasts on day trips around the vineyards of Temecula.
Temecula wine tours
Enjoying the ride, our group was able to view the wine making process at the Dante Del Sol vineyard.
I learned how the volatile aromatics in wine develop to trick the senses into imagining hints of fruit… or wood… and how the surgery phenols make you smile…
And realized something very important about “the good life”.
Don’t sit there in the sun, sipping your Tempranillo, dreaming about what it would be like to quit your day job and own you own vineyard… without taking the time to really measure the stakes.
I know it’s a weakness we all have
We start new projects or business and only focus on the pay-off… only to end up suffering the real costs.
Danza Del Sol Vineyard
Take this Forbes magazine report for example.
Better know as “farming for masochists”, starting a vineyard can cost upwards of $15M and take 7 years before you sell your first bottle.
And they warn, “However much money you think you’ll need – you’ll always need more.”
So much for dreaming of becoming the next Mondovi.
But this proves an important point.
Real entrepreneurs can’t bluff
They have to know they’ve got “what it takes” to do big things.
And have the kind of iron-clad belief in themselves it takes to pull them through in the face of every problem, and naysayer.
So if you just think Mike Reifeiss has good luck, you’re wrong.
There is very little luck involved with starting your own business… or running a vineyard.
It’s about understanding the balance between risk and opportunity… and making sure you’re holding the winning cards.
And then, when the moment’s right, knowing how to act without hesitation.
The next time you tell your children to “be careful”, realize – success and caution don’t always go hand in hand… and that there are tens of thousands of “cautious” business men and women that fail every year – simply because they don’t risk enough.
Gamblers and entrepreneurs know better
You have to take a chance on a good thing when you see it.
Because when you’re lucky enough to find what you really want to do in life, and you’ve got the resources and dedication to back it up – risking everything you’ve got might just be the smartest move you’ve ever made.
– Jeremiah
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