Hopefully, this post also shows that you can use one tool for a different job and make it work to your (financial) advantage! AJC.

I love these stories. I will share one that makes the round at the Fisher College of Business (MBA program) at The Ohio State University. Hopefully, I will get the details close enough that the person whose story it is (and who is still living) will be happy with this version. It’s a good one.

The man’s name is Les Wexner. He was a 21-year-old undergrad at FCOB at the beginning of this story. His Dad (and Mom) had a family-owned women’s clothing store in Columbus OH (where OSU is located) and finally decided to take a vacation one winter after about 30-50 years of no vacation. Dad left Les in charge; it snowed. The snow storm meant no customers and idle time for an active mind. Les had a lot of ideas of how to “improve” his Dad’s business. When his parents returned, Dad disagreed.

Apparently, Les felt strongly enough about his ideas to go about proving his Dad wrong. This is where it parallels your stories above.

Les decided to open up his own – competing, I assume – store, but as a college student had no money. So he convinced an aunt of his to loan him $5000, but she put the stipulation on the loan that he could borrow the money AS LONG AS HE DID NOT SPEND IT. So he put it in the bank, which then lent him the money he needed (agaist the $5k as collateral, and perhaps with a business plan as well…)

Les Wexner is the founder of Victoria’s Secret and The Limited, plus a few other boutique-like ladies stores that cater to other-sized women. He’s still a great supporter of OSU and the FCOB, too. We love him!!!

Thanks for sharing your stories, AJ. Stories like this prove that believing in yourself is the best step to making dreams come true.