The experiences of our childhood help shape and define the adults we will become. For eight-year-old Kamil Misztal it was the hardships and poverty his immigrant parents faced upon arrival in the U.S. that would foster within him an entrepreneurial spirit that passionately craved and planned for a better life.
Kamil’s ambition, work ethic, tenacity, and resilience were forged in the fires of his early experiences, and as the successful businessman admits, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I’m extremely thankful for my childhood and the life lessons my parents instilled in me,” explained Kamil. “It was tough when we first moved to the States. You’re a stranger in a strange land and you have to work ten times as hard just to prove yourself.”
Working hard was something at which Kamil has always excelled. From the age of 13, he was working in grocery stores and car detailing shops. He admits he valued the experience more than the wage and saw the employment as an investment in his future.
The self-made millionaire explained, “I used the lessons learned to open my own detail shop at 17. At 18 I obtained my CDL and sold the shop to start my own trucking company. Although I hired some drivers, I did a lot of driving myself to maximize profits.”
Ten years later the business was a huge success but Kamil had a hunger for moving to new pastures. He sold his trucking company and partnered up to open an exotic car rental company in Florida. Once again, Miztal proved he had the Midas touch, but with the restlessness common to all entrepreneurs, he decided he needed a new challenge and moved back to Chicago where he relocated his exotic rental company and focused on expanding it
Kamil explained, “The business I’m now in is a lot different to the areas I’ve worked in before, but the same rules still apply. You need to be consistent, willing to take risks, and be afraid of setbacks. All my life I’ve prided myself on being ready to step out of my comfort zone and embrace the unknown. It builds character and leads to growth. Without such learning curves, there would be no evolution and no accomplishment. Being a self-made man means everything to me. It’s why I worked so hard at that grocery store all those years ago. In this life, you are your own biggest investment, and you only get out what you put in. Fate is fickle but fortune is yours for the taking.”
