Two childhood friends partner to start a business together after terms in the military. Their first enterprise is to start a local aviation service they named "Wolverine Air Service". Neither were experienced pilots, had no particular business experience, no airport, but they pressed on despite the obstacle. After a year, they looked for another business opportunity.

"Quitters?"

They immediately sought a new enterprise in pursuit of success. The next venture, a restaurant in their town. They called it "Riverside Drive-Inn Restaurant". Once again, as with the air service, neither of the guys had experience in running a restaurant. They continued to explore other options.

"Quitters?"

Here is a list of some of the other businesses these two friends started together –

Canoe rides
Flight school
Charter Service
Repair Service
Aircraft and Gasoline Sales
Boat Rental and Charter
Restaurant

They had also tried there hand at toy-making by marketing a wooden rocking horse for children.

Eight different business interests but none of these would be the enterprise that would bring them the success they had dreamed about for so long. EIGHT failures by prevalent standards? These guys were eight time losers if you were to buy into the critics pronouncements.

These gentleman would later start one of the largest and one of the oldest direct marketing companies in the world. They would eventually play a very significant role to the growth and expansion of their hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

You have probably guessed the names of these persistent entrepreneurs.

Richard DeVos and Jay VanAndel (founders of Amway and what is today’s Quixtar.)

MLM Today: A Tale of Two Quitters