what is the American dream – American dream still lives

The process of business development and growth has been repeated throughout history. Start working for someone as an apprentice, sharpen their skills, and move up through the ranks. The best of the best can start their own business or become the owner of the company in which they were once just a low-level worker.

The ideal situation

An Irish immigrant, Paul Finn, came to America and started working for a painting company in 1987. Being naturally handy he perfected his craft and earned the respect of the family-owned company. When the owner was ready to retire in 2003, he left everything to his most trusted employee, Paul. This was a seamless transition for Paul, other than learning how to get painting leads, because of the depths of his involvement. He was even able to withstand the recession of 2008 in which 170,000 small businesses were killed. This shows that Paul means business but other positive things are in the details of this story.

American dream definition

American dream alive

Everyone knows the basics of what the American dream definition is and this story embodies everything about it from the beginning to now. An Immigrant came, worked hard, developed his skills and it paid off when he became a business owner. Everyone, the American dream articles provides all information of except native Americans of course, came from immigrants. We all came here to learn, grow, work hard, and use those refined skills to become successful.

According to sba.gov, there were 30.2 million small businesses in 2018 and this shows the work that everyone has been contributing! Things get tough and no one knows what is on the horizon but the business will always continue.

Troubles in the water

Once again a crisis has hit globally and everyone is affected, COVID-19. Fortunately, our small business owner Paul has found a way to stay afloat during these times. He is focusing on doing outdoor painting jobs and only does indoor work when the house is vacant. At this point, he has been running this business for 17 years and has learned to adapt to stay successful during these trying times. Other small businesses have not been so lucky to have the ability to work in these conditions. CNBC stated that over 60% of businesses that closed won’t be able to reopen. There’s no telling what else is to come in this global pandemic but Paul has found a way to remain open for business.

More than one way to reach success

Although this story is honest, inspiring, and heartwarming it is not the typical sequence of events that most people think result in success. Today’s world has the “normal order” of graduate from high school, graduate from college, get an internship, get a job, then work up the corporate ladder. However, this path is not exactly guaranteed either.

According to nces.ed.gov, there was an 87 percent unemployment rate amongst people between the ages of 24 & 35 who had graduated with a bachelor’s degree. This story breaks the mold but in reality, it should happen more often. In the ’80s and ’90s, trade schools were more popular and beneficial to the masses. The purpose of college is to help people build their knowledge to aid in their career progression. This guy Paul found something he was good at and bypassed the whole system while dodging the hefty student loan debt.

What can be learned

The key is to find an enjoyable craft and get good at it. It sounds simple but what makes this essential to life is that everyone finds joy in different ways. The benefits of those two will pay rewards that are worth more than money. College degrees are great and necessary for some careers but it is not the only way to reach success. Sure Paul may have a stressful day from time to time but he gets to spend his workdays using his natural talents for money. That kind of life is usually reserved for athletes or actors. His story should be told to all to show that hard and loyalty still pays dividends in 2021.