How an “Average” Guy Built 75 Businesses — And What It Really Takes to Make Your Dream a Reality

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Good morning Grinder,

Have you ever wondered what separates someone who dreams about success from someone who actually builds it?

Have you ever asked yourself, "Is it luck? Is it connections? Is it some secret elite only top entrepreneurs know?"

What if I told you that the barrier to your first successful business isn't talent, education, or funds - but mindset?

Imagine a man who didn't come from Wall Street, didn't inherit wealth, and didn't have an MBA from an Ivy League school. Instead, he started with a simple belief: "If I can figure it out, anyone can."

That man has launched more than 75 businesses, some earning seven figures, others failing spectacularly - but all teaching lessons no classroom ever could.

Today, I want to share his story - not because it's a fairy tale of overnight success, but because it's a powerful mirror for all of us who are still asking the big questions: "What now? Where do I start? What really matters?"

He’s name is Chris Koerner.

From Average to Endless Trial

The first thing you should know is this: Chris didn't start with brilliance - he started with action.

He didn't wait for the perfect idea or the perfect moment. He simply started. Each business began like a question: What if I try this? What if I learn as I go? What if the first failure teaches me something vital?

That's one of the deepest lessons he shares with anyone willing to listen:
Your journey isn't defined by the successes you celebrate - it's defined by the lessons you collect from every misstep along the way.

This isn't a message about luck. It's about persistence. It's about getting your hands dirty in the weeds of your business long before you can delegate anything. It's about understanding the foundation before building the roof. This is a founder's truth many never learn - you must know the game to win the game.

The "Make It Happen" Gene

There's a phrase he uses that sticks with you:
"MIH - Make It Happen."

Think about that for a moment. It's not about talent. It's not about environment. It's about attitude.

When a customer walked into his first phone repair shop with a broken device he had never fixed before, he didn't say, "I don't know how." He said, "Give me a few hours." And then he learned how. He taught himself under pressure - with the customer's device in hand. That level of commitment is the kind that builds real businesses, not fantasies.

MIH isn't a slogan. It's a muscle. And it's something you develop by doing, not planning.

What Nobody Tells You About Entrepreneurship

Here's something that shakes most first-time founders:
Entrepreneurship isn't glamorous.

People imagine big launches, viral moments, and exponential growth. They don't imagine the uncertainties, the pivots, the moments where you have to choose between urgency and patience.

Chris learned things many successful founders only share late in life:

You have to know every aspect of your business before you can hand it off.

You need to protect your people and your culture, especially when the numbers are good - because when they turn bad, that's the real test.

Running multiple businesses doesn't mean doing everything at once - it means mastering the fundamentals so you can replicate success.

These aren't sexy truths. They're lessons forged in real adversity.

The Role of a "CEOwner"

One of the most eye-opening ideas Chris shares is his redefining of leadership. He calls it "CEOwner" - Chief Everything Owner.

Why?

Because in early businesses, you don't have a team. You don't have assistants. You don't have departments. You have you. You are the sales team, the customer service rep, the marketer, the bookkeeper, and the problem solver.

Being a CEOwner means you don't just delegate - you understand. You dive into the weeds so deeply that when a challenge arises, you don't outsource the solution - you own it, first.

And paradoxically, once you understand every part of your business, only then can you effectively let go of it.

Fail Fast, Learn Faster

Here's something that might surprise you:
Some of his ventures that seemed successful on paper weren't smart moves at all. One business hit huge revenue numbers but was fundamentally built on a model that could never sustain profit. Another exploded because of timing and external conditions rather than strategy - and then flipped overnight when the environment changed.

These experiences taught him something critical:
Vanity metrics don't matter. Revenue without profit and sustainability is just noise.

This lesson is gold for anyone building a business right now. The world is filled with shiny numbers. Don't be distracted. Focus on what matters - customers who pay, systems that scale, fundamentals that endure.

Why This Matters to You

Many people feel stuck, not because they lack ideas, but because they haven't been told what really matters:

Your business isn't a reflection of luck.
Your ideas aren't judged by educators or peers.
Your path isn't dictated by perfect timing.

Your likelihood of creating something meaningful depends on one thing:
Your willingness to start, learn, adjust, and keep going.

If you walk away from this story with just one insight, let it be this: Every business starts with courage and a willingness to begin - imperfectly.

And if someone who started 75 of them can do it - with lessons learned, mistakes survived, and wisdom gained - then you, yes you reading this, can begin yours today.

Good luck,

N. Amadeus

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