We recently connected with Billy Wright and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Billy , thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
Like many things, I think a lot of traits people have are hardwired from birth. My father was in the military my entire childhood, so I grew up in a fairly strict family environment. This would have been the initial introduction and teachings of all my ethics and morals. Then I joined the military right when I was 18 years old and that definitely forces a kid to accept discipline and order. So with my fortunate up bringing and a 20 year career in the military, there was no other option than to have outstanding work ethic. And what a blessing that trait has been now that I am on my own business venture, with only myself to hold myself accountable.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
During my 20 years in the military, I had the opportunity to be stationed in Melbourne Australia for almost 4 years. As a socialite during that time, I noticed the espresso martini had a different vibe there, more than anywhere I’ve ever seen. It was an absolute culture, almost a religion! They had espresso martini festivals, and even served on tap at popular locations. The best part was how standardized the cocktail was, no matter where you were, you were served “the” OG espresso martini. When I return to America, I noticed ordering an espresso martini at 10 different bars, you will receive 10 different cocktails. At that time there were a few, if no RTD espresso martinis on the market. So that’s why I wanted to create an espresso martini made with the OG ingredients of espresso, vodka and coffee liqueur. I called the company Martini Mates as an ode to my realization of love for espresso martinis discovered in Melbourne Australia. So right now I am 100% focused on Martini Mates, so much that I barley have a social life at the moment and it is 100% worth it!!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Prior to creating Martini Mates, I was a Supply Officer in the US Navy. As logistics and supply chain management with over 20 years professional experience specializing in supply chain operations, logistics transformation, policy development, strategic planning, and project management. This specific expertise, along with discipline and tenacity, have been paramount in being successful on this journey. I would advise anyone wishing to start their own business to just absolutely commit! Start, and never look back. There are so many obstacles and unforeseen problems that make it very tempting to just quit, but having that tenacity to persevere through those times will pay off in the long run. Do not rush anything, take a logical timeline of completion and double it for realism. Probably safe bet to assume the same with capital…
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
“Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter. This wasn’t as prominent when I was creating the business, but it was a huge part in wanting to take an entrepreneurial path instead of a 9-5 path… For the last five years of my military career, I only knew one thing, and that was when I got out of the military I would never work for someone else again. I never had an exact plan of what I was going to do in regards to creating my own company or investing, but I knew an entrepreneurial path was what I wanted. Having gone through so many dire problem-solving, moments throughout the military, I had a vast recognition that I can handle most situations if not all. With that inner confidence to know that I have the ability to succeed, I knew the biggest hurdle would to just get started. And once I was on a path, I knew I could overcome any obstacles that were surely (and oh have a been) going to arise. The biggest lesson learned so far has to not get a head of the process. Too many things can go wrong that if you get too far ahead of yourself, you’ll lessen the chances of being able to recover from a minor obstacle. But as long as you have the knowledge that you will never quit, then you can internally have the ability to find a solution for any problem.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.martinimates.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martinimates
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/martinimates/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wrwright1/
Image Credits
Photos by me, Billy wright
