#12 From Fired to Founder: Entrepreneur’s Comeback Story & The Power of Resilience | Andrew Ricci

In this episode of Business Savages, host Olya Grovel sits down with entrepreneur Andrew Ricci to explore how he turned the low point of being let go from his job into a thriving business. Andrew shares his journey of launching his company just days after his dismissal and discusses the personal growth that came from facing failure head-on. From learning to separate his personal and professional identity to embracing uncomfortable situations, Andrew reveals the secrets behind his seven years of entrepreneurial success. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or someone navigating career transitions, this episode is packed with insights on resilience, mental health, and business innovation.

Learning Takeaways:

1. The Power of Resilience: Andrew’s journey highlights the importance of bouncing back quickly after setbacks. Starting his business just days after losing his job shows how resilience and determination can lead to success.

2. Decouple Personal and Professional Identity: Andrew stresses the need to separate your worth from your career achievements. He explains how this mental shift helped him thrive as an entrepreneur.

3. Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable: Success requires stepping into discomfort. Andrew shares how embracing failure and discomfort led to personal growth and business breakthroughs.

4. Small Changes Lead to Big Results: Andrew’s approach to making small, consistent adjustments in his routine, like minimizing distractions and scheduling focus time, is key to long-term success.

5. Prioritize Relationships Over Ego: Andrew emphasizes the importance of reliability and collaboration over ego, which has helped him retain clients and grow his business.

Homework:

1. Embrace Failure: Identify an area in your life where you're avoiding failure. Challenge yourself to actively engage with it this week, whether it's in your career, personal life, or a passion project.

2. Decouple Your Identity: Reflect on how much of your self-worth is tied to your job. Write down one thing outside of work that defines you, and spend time nurturing that part of your life.

3. Implement a Small Habit: Start by changing one small thing in your routine to boost productivity. It could be as simple as putting your phone away for 30 minutes during lunch to read or focus on creative work.

4. Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable: This week, take a small step outside your comfort zone. Whether it’s making a bold career move or trying something new, challenge yourself to embrace the discomfort and learn from it.

   Episode Highlights:

1. Starting a PR Firm After a Layoff (02:00 - 04:37):

• Andrew discusses how he quickly transitioned from being laid off to launching his own PR business and the steps he took to secure his first clients.

2. Navigating Mental Health in a Toxic Work Environment (11:14 - 12:28):

• The conversation shifts to how Andrew dealt with the mental strain of working in a toxic environment and the relief he felt upon leaving.

3. Overcoming the Fear of Business Development (07:46 - 09:57):

• Andrew shares his initial discomfort with client development and how he gradually built confidence in this area.

4. Managing Work-Life Balance with a Family (22:19 - 29:23):

• Learn how Andrew balances running a business with family life, including his unique work schedule that maximizes productivity wh