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Jungle Gold: The Quintessential Entrepreneurial Spirit

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Posted by John Beveridge on Nov 27, 2012 5:08:00 PM

I've been fascinated by the new Discovery reality show, Jungle Gold. As an entrepreneur, I have a great deal of respect for Scott Lomu and George Wright, the two protagonists of the show. Here's a description of the show from Discovery's website:

With little money and everything on the line, rookie American gold miners George Wright and Scott Lomu beg and borrow anything they can to succeed after losing it all in the 2008 U.S. real estate crash. After securing $150,000 from an investor, the pressure is on from the very start to find gold to pay back this loan, as well as their other debts. Against stacked odds, their stakes have never been higher. Armed neighbors, illegal miners, and escaping with the precious metal (and their lives) are among their biggest challenges.

Jungle Gold Entrepreneurial Spirit

Image Credit:  DCL

To my mind, Lomu and Wright are carrying on the American entrepreneurial tradition as established by entrepreneurial pioneers like John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie. While Rockefeller and Carnegie were ruthless capitalists, they both started with nothing and changed our country with their vision, drive and spirit.

 

So here's why I have such great respect for the entrepreneurial spirit of Scott Lomu and George Wright.

They're All In

With hundreds of thousands in debt and young families to feed, Lomu and Wright view their quest for gold in Ghana as their only way out. There's no Plan B. They believe in their vision and are willing to do what it takes to get back on their feet. Like many entrepreneurs, they're at their best when their backs are up against the wall. 

They Do What Needs to Be Done

No job is too big or small for Lomu and Wright. Whether it's digging an 18-foot ditch by hand to test for gold, negotiating with Ghanan tribal chiefs for mining rights or dealing with their investors back in the States, Lomu and Wright do it all. As an entreprenuer, you do what's necessary to succeed.

They Hire Good People to Execute Their Vision

Realizing that they don't have the local knowledge and connections to operate effectively in Ghana, they hire a Ghanan mining foreman and trust him to do his job well.  He in turn helps them to navigate the Ghanan culture and treat people respectfully. Without their foreman, they would undoubtedly fail and they know it.

They Don't Give Up

Being an entrepreneur means dealing with emotional highs and lows.  Most of the great entrepreneurs experienced failure before they achieved success.  What separates entrepreneurs from the rest of society is that they embrace failure and readjust their strategy until they succeed.  Lomu and Wright experience disappointing gold yields, unhappy investors and persistent bill collectors.  Regardless of what they come up against, Lomu and Wright find a way to adjust and overcome.  They just keep on keeping on.

The Believe in Themselves and Each Other

Lomu and Wright are driven by an unshakable belief in themselves and each other. Every entrepreneur faces moments of doubt - what keeps them going is their belief in their vision.  They are realistic optimists. This is what keeps them going when things seem bleak.  They also have faith in each other.  It's easy to blame your partner when things aren't going well.  Lomu and Wright support each other and create synergy with their partnership.

As I write this, it's unclear exactly how things will turn out. However, I'm confident that things will turn out well based on the character traits Lomu and Wright have shown so far. In any event, they've inspired me to keep following my dream in building my business.

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Topics: Business Management

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