At a recent event, I met an entrepreneur in the real estate space. I love learning about company origin stories, so I asked for his. He said that after the Global Financial Crisis, his financial services career was uncertain because no Wall Street banks were hiring. In fact, many were firing employees and trying to stay afloat. He used his relationships with his previous banking customers and his curiosity to learn about a real estate problem that others were unaware of. He researched the space for over two years and then launched his company.

I love his story because it demonstrates how focus, creativity, and drive can help entrepreneurs do their best work, even in the worst of circumstances.