Sitting at home in 1997 I never thought I would be a business and marketing consultant helping thousands of people transform their business and personal lives.
I was going through a goal setting exercise, writing my mental, physical, financial, relationship, spiritual, social and vocational goals. I had big dreams, with no idea how I would actually achieve them. I sat back and thought, How the heck am I going to achieve that? I'd never earned over $25K per year how could I afford these dreams?
I'd been involved in business since the around the age of 16. I'd start a new business enterprise, get some people together have some fun and make some money. It was usually small backyard type businesses. It wasn't until 1999 though that the things really started to happen.
The company I was working for as a sales representative wasn't doing to well. It had lost money for 5 years in a row and it was coming down to decision time. I'd always felt as though I had a lot of ideas that would get the business going, I just never had the chance to exercise them.
I didn't want to loose my Job so I bought the company!
I approached my my boss (The owner of the company) and put forward a proposal to buy the company. It didn't take long for the answer to come back, and before I knew it I was the proud owner of a failing business!
I can still remember the first day that we took over. I was putting the key in the door to open up and I was shaking like a leaf and had butterflies in my belly. All I kept thinking was How were we going to pay our bills?
I knew we had to get the business moving, there were 4 of us all together, myself, my business partner and 2 staff. We doug our heels in and started working.
We Broke even in the first 12 months.
We worked solidly for 12 months, I devoured ever piece of business and personal development material I could get my hands on and tried every tip, idea and strategy I could find. The result? After 12 months we had taken the company from loosing large amounts of money to breaking even.
It only grew from there. We employed more staff, moved to larger premises, employed more staff again, and moved premises again. Before I knew it I had 12 staff working for me around Australia and overseas.
I started to discover the fundamental principles of building a hugely profitable business
- Get more customers
- Increase the profit per sale
- Get your customer to buy more often
I also uncovered the most fundamental principle to creating a successful business. (You can find more about that here)
I was working every spare minute I could find
The business was growing rapidly and making great profits. We were literally turning over millions of dollars. I was working every spare minute I could find. I would work 15 hours per day Monday through Saturday and around 9 hours on Sunday. Then something profoundly life changing happened for me.
A friend of mine who I had gone to high school with called me on the phone, I thought it was a bit odd since we hadn't seen each other for a few years until he told me that his wife and recently left him and their young son. He was feeling lonely and depressed and wanted a chat.
I had no idea of the impact that call was going to have in my life
We spoke a few times and had dinner together. I didn't have much time for socializing outside of my circle of business associates. He called once and left a message. He told me he wanted to talk to me. As usual I was caught up with work and thought I'll call him back a few days later.
A few days later I got a call from my mother. She asked me how I was and then told me to sit down. Then she hit me with it. My Friend had hung himself in his garage. It completely floored me. My mind was racing at a million miles per hour. I thought of his young son who was now fatherless, I thought of my 2 young boys and how they never saw their father, I realized an awful truth. I hated who I had become. I didn't even have 10 minutes to spare for a friend in need.
I started questioning the life I was living
I started to realize how much of my life I was missing. I had virtually no friends left outside of business, my kids would ask their mother if dad is ever coming back home, all the wealth, success and status I had meant nothing. I was totally unfulfilled. I began questioning the life I was living, and life in general. Surely there had to be more to life than this?
Over the next 12 months I began to loose interest in my business, I was burnt out, stressed and depressed. The years of long hours and mental strain had taken their toll.
Then I made one of the hardest decisions of my life...
I walked away from my business.
I walked away from the money, the excitement, the traveling, the status. My business partner was totally shocked and once he was over the shock, the anger set in. He refused to pay me anything for my share of the business. I simply gave it all to my business partner and walked away without a dollar profit. It was time for me to move on.
So much of my focus had been on my business that I didn't take the time to notice what was happening at home. The relationship between my wife and I was at breaking point and it wasn't long before that was over too...
The end result? I had gone from having a family, house, profitable business, security and certainty to nothing.
I was broke and alone with no home, furniture, money or friends. I was afraid, lonely and depressed. I'd hit rock bottom. I spent months trying to figure out exactly what had happened and how I had gotten to this place.
I got to the point where I couldn't see any purpose with in life. The future seemed empty, dark and lonely and one day I just simply had enough. I jumped in my car, drove up a mountain into a forest and tried to end my life. Luckily for me, I couldn't even get that right! I ended up in hospital under 'observation'.
A friend heard about what I'd done and gave me tickets to a seminar. He told me it had deeply impacted his own life and suggested that I go. I went and was blown away. I began to realize there was something much greater going on in my life than I realised.
I started to see things in a completely new perspective. Slowly it all started coming together. I read more books, did more courses and took time to learn about myself and the world around me.
Then I discovered the missing piece of the puzzle
Then I discovered the missing piece of the puzzle. I discovered something that the business and personal development books and seminars didn't tell me. I discovered why I had been sabotaging myself and setting myself up for failure. I discovered the missing pieces that brought purpose to my life and meaning to my work. Through this new awareness I found my mission in life.
I now dedicate my life to the study of universal laws and principles and how they apply to my personal and business life, I apply them within my own life and share them with others.
Through my work I share a new awareness with people opening their minds and hearts and creating transformation in their lives by bringing together the often separate worlds of business and self development, effectively...
Transforming Lives Through Better Business
I had effectively brought two of my passions together. There was still one piece missing though, my passion for wellness. I love to stay fit, do exercise, nurture my body and stay healthy. How was I going to bring these all together?... Then it hit me like a bolt of lightning.
I would work with Fitness Professionals
By working with fitness professionals I bring these three passions of mine together. Personal development, Wellness and Business! These three area's of life are so deeply related yet seldom explored together. By assisting fitness professionals create the business and lifestyle of their dreams I in turn touch the life of every person that comes into contact with them! What an incredible life I get to live!.
I still wanted to reach more people, touch more lives. So I started working online.
Today I work with fitness professionals and ebusinesses world wide open hearts and minds and transforming lives.
Through My work I touch the lives of millions of people all over the world
So are you ready to transform your life and create the lifestyle and business that you deserve? I'm opening the door for you to discover the strategies, knowledge and secrets that I uncovered over 16 years, through trial and error, success and failure, excitement and heartache. It's up to you to take the first step.
That's my story. If your reading this you're meant to be. That's why your here, that's why this web site is here and that's what my purpose is in life.
Live Life with Passion
Mark Kostner |
