As per Mirror Online, 22-year-old Harry Sanders from Australia was a homeless kid at 17-years-old. Having no place to go he spent over a year on the streets.
Occasionally he would sleep on the couches of his friends and family and even slept in homeless shelters. “The first night of being homeless was the worst. I had no idea where to go or what to do,” said Harry.
He was so ashamed to ask other people for help that he chose to sleep under a bridge.
“I spent my first few nights under a bridge, unsure of what to do and honestly feeling terrible asking anyone for help. It can be dangerous, as there are territories amongst the homeless. I had no idea bout that going in, so I got into a lot of trouble at the start,” Sanders said.
He depended on soup kitchens for food and even ate leftovers from food outlets. “I would also usually ask different food outlets if they had any leftovers that they didn’t sell for the day, and most would happily give me things to eat,” reminisced the young man. Though conditions were tough, Harry believes it helped him reach a certain maturity.
“Although there were a lot of negative moments, I think the experience of being homeless taught me a lot of resilience and matured me greatly,” said Harry. He was determined to change his life and strived towards it.
Being a tech-savvy kid, Harry had launched a specialist agency called Studiohawk at the age of 16. The agency is focused on search engine optimization and helped in increasing the visibility of websites helping them gain more exposure and, in turn, businesses. Though he had to give up his dream at 16 due to financial problems, Harry was still an expert with his technology.
“I started really hustling to get my first few clients, telling them I would get them to the top for free, and they could pay me after. I was regularly putting in 100-hour weeks getting them top rankings so that I could get some money coming in,” said Harry to Forbes.
Fortunately, he managed to make a portfolio of clients, who spread the word about his expertise. The young man then relaunched Studiohawk in 2017. Harry’s life turned upside down, and he became the CEO of his own business. Moreover, his million-dollar company is now global with an office in London.
With so many experiences and life lessons, Harry hopes to inspire young entrepreneurs like him. He is also convinced that his homeless phase allowed him to become, who he is today.
“I wouldn’t be the same person if it were not for that. Going through a hardship like that also made me a lot more confident when dealing with stressful situations,” said Harry.
He continued, “I owe my success to being homeless. Without it, I wouldn’t have been as pushed or as pressured to succeed as I had been. The determination was fierce as I knew that if it didn’t work, I wouldn’t have any backup plans.”
The accomplished young man has a set of rules that he follows in his life. “I think the most important thing you can do is dress to be yourself. I never wear suits. If I am heading into a meeting or have a long day at the office, I wear whatever I like and what makes me feel comfortable. I think that being 21 and wearing an expensive, custom-tailored suit is a red flag for many and can give off the wrong impression,” said Harry in 2019.
Besides dressing, he believes it is important for people to have enough sleep and rest to run a successful business. “Many people also think that they need to be awake and working all night to be successful. But you can’t deprive yourself of sleep for the sake of your business. I always sleep eight or more hours each night so I can be at the top of my game. You can’t run a business if your head is in a fog. Stop checking your email until 3am and rest so you can be your best,” said the man.
