There are very few people who can endure prison, integrate back into society, and maintain a happy, healthy lifestyle. There are even fewer people who can not only endure prison and reintegrate into society, but start a business from absolutely nothing and turn it into a worldwide empire.
Austin Walker has done just that. Rising from the pain and adversity of prison, and being almost homeless after he was released, Austin found a way to begin a small Airbnb business. Soon, he went from nothing to 12 units, and then from 12 units to 150 units, and is still steadily expanding with worldwide reach.
“I just trusted my vision and knew that my formula could work if I just pushed through. One’s definition of success is directly related to how you were doing before taking on the project. Prior to doing Airbnb I was fresh out of prison living at my mother’s house and doing yard work to keep my stay. [But] I had a game to play everyday and I became addicted to it. Within a year’s time I had 12 apartments and was making over $20,000 a month profit.”
Austin is a prime example that the direction of your life will generally go according to the story you tell yourself about who you are. Austin could have easily resigned to tell himself that he was damaged goods, a failure, and that no one would accept him. However, Austin didn’t take this route, and decided instead to blaze a trail with relentless passion to ensure that he would build a fantastic life for himself and the ones he loved, with nothing standing in his way.
“I just needed a space that I could win in and I happened upon Airbnb,” explains Austin.
Austin created a formula and a strategy, fine-tuned it, went through trial and error, and managed to capitalize on what he learned. He stuck to his instincts and persevered through doubts and guilt and fear, only to begin creating the rare, prized entrepreneurial momentum that creates significant change in someone’s life.
For Austin, prison is a part of the past, something that has no power over his current narrative and current direction. And the sky’s the limit.
