my public list of failures

"Turn your wounds into wisdom."
- Oprah Winfrey

Some people are embarrassed about failure; some attribute their success to it. Others pretend like they never fail at all. And some folks, like billionaire investor and author of Zero To ONE, Peter Thiel, believe that failure is entirely overrated.

Personally, I’m grateful for my failures because each one of em’ taught me an important lesson that I was able to build upon for the next venture.

Whether in life or in business, I like to think of my failures sort like a scar. A good kind of scar.

That said, this page will serve as my public list of failures. I'll be editing + updating as necessary.

Be sure to subscribe so you can come along for the ride.

Failure #1. iStyle

At 19 years of age, I launched my first company, iStyle Accessories. I sold iPod, iPhone, and mp3 accessories (like armbands and water resistant cases) to marathon runners at health & fitness expos. This would become my first 6-figure company. I was crushing it. So much so that I even thought about quitting school (but I didn’t). I hired employees. I started expanding. The business grew too fast. And so did my ego. Less than two years later, I had driven the business into the ground.

Failure #2. Passion Press Magazine

I thought I could start a magazine about passionate people doing passionate things. Ultimate failure.

Failure #3. Jaguar headbands

I wanted to start a company that sold headbands for athletic dudes with longer hair (because it was a problem for me in the gym). I wanted to make them out of the same fabric Under Armour tank tops are made of… People were called. Prototypes were made. Fabric was ordered. Websites were started. And not a God damn thing got launched. I remember waking up one morning to a fleet of men’s headbands and saying to my self, “bro, what the f*ck are you doing right now?”… I scrapped the project the same day.

Failure #4. Gluten Free TV

An online web-show dedicated to spreading the word about Gluten-Free restaurants and foods in LA and Orange County.

Failure #5. My first book

(Flip The Switch: Why Meaningful Work Matters)

LIVE LIKE YOU GIVE A DAMN,
Dean Bokhari

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