Serge Bagdasarov was happy. He had a wife he adored, a healthy baby boy, a brand new home, and a job he loved – working as a telemarketer in the mortgage industry.
Unfortunately, Serge’s accomplishments, and happiness were hijacked by financial strain and emotional upheaval. At the very moment he thought he had it all, he faced two life-changing crises in quick succession.
First, the subprime mortgage crisis hit, causing Serge to lose the job he loved. Then, when he already felt extremely vulnerable, he was diagnosed with third-stage brain cancer.
Serge was left unemployed and battling for his life.
It was at this point he realized he had two options: he could succumb to the challenges thrown at him; or he could do everything within his power to overcome his physical, mental, and emotional obstacles.
Thankfully, Serge had always been motivated by a challenge. After several arduous years, he recovered his health and beat cancer.
Serge’s cancer-free status made him determined to start a new life. But, like 79 million other Americans, his ongoing health problems had left him with huge medical bills and bad credit. Instead of letting the banks and bureaus trap him and his family in the cycle of debt, Serge saw another chance to turn adversity into opportunity: he could start a credit repair business.
Since starting LSI Credit Solutions, Serge has not only saved himself and his family from debt, he’s also helped 4,000 people improve their financial wellbeing through credit repair, earning millions in the process. Read on to discover how you, like Serge, can transform adversity into a million-dollar credit repair opportunity.
1. Reframe Your Adversities
In the book, The Happiness Advantage, Harvard lecturer Shawn Achor relays findings from the largest study ever conducted on happiness and human potential. He discovered that happiness begets success – not the other way around.
You might find this information positive or negative, depending upon how happy you’ve been feeling recently. But his research suggests this is positive news – regardless of your current disposition. Why? Because Shawn is not recommending that you “fake happiness until you make it”. He suggests that we don’t become happy despite adversity, but because of adversity.
What matters more than negative experiences is how we interpret them.
If you survived a bank robbery but were shot in the arm and no one else was injured, would you consider yourself lucky or unlucky?
According to Shawn’s research, 70 percent of people would think of themselves as unlucky, citing reasons such as: “Why did I have to go into the bank that day? I usually go on Mondays.” And “Of course I’m unlucky! No one else was hurt. Why did it have to be me?”
The remaining 30 percent of people considered themselves to be lucky. Some of their reasons included “I got shot in the arm but it could have been my heart.” And, “I’m happy that nobody else was hurt. It could have been much worse.”
While it’s important to acknowledge the pain of the negative experience – giving ourselves the freedom to discuss and explore it – we can also scan the world for the positives. Searching for the silver lining allows us to experience happiness, gratitude, and optimism which are all vital components of success
Credit repair isn’t difficult to learn, but it does take heart to master. Credit repair millionaires like Serge forged their paths by using past hardships to find purpose through their work – turning adversity into opportunity.
2. Define Your Priorities
After Serge had identified opportunity in adversity, his priorities changed drastically. What was important to him in the past, like settling for a 9-to-5 job and working long hours to move up the corporate ladder, no longer served him in his new life. Instead, Serge decided he wanted to become a credit repair hero. By building his own business he found he could:
- Spend more time with family and friends
- Transform people’s lives through credit repair
- Prioritize his health
- Contribute to something greater than himself
- Spend less time at work
- Prioritize health
- Spend more time with family
Though your backstory will be different to Serge’s, you can take control of your own future by knowing your priorities. Building your own credit repair business allows you to build a life around what’s important to you while making an incredible impact on other people’s lives.
Watch Serge discuss his inspiring journey surviving third-stage brain cancer and building a successful credit repair business here:
If you want more time for yourself, your family and your dreams, then define your priorities and goals now and find a way to make them happen.
3. Surround Yourself with Support
Credit repair business owners support each other in our online community. They also talk in-person at events like the Credit Repair Expo. Some of our Millionaires Club members spent time together at the Expo’s Rockstar Dinner, pictured here.
Your passion to start a credit repair business is the spark that ignites your business. In order to maintain your fire for changing lives through a successful credit repair business, you need to fuel your growth with a team of people who support you, challenge you, and work with you as you go forward. Serge attributes his ability to stay on track and meet his goals to the support he receives from his faith, his wife, and his community.
As a Credit Repair Cloud user, Serge also has access to a private community of credit repair business owners who build on each other’s knowledge and experience. On any given day, new credit repair business owners pose questions and experienced business owners freely dole out valuable advice. It’s not uncommon for Millionaires Club credit repair business owners to hop on and speak directly to new business owners. This network provides more than an online forum for fellow credit repair business owners. It is a source of support, inspiration, business ideas as credit repair business owners push through the trials and tribulations of entrepreneurship.
As you start to develop your own credit repair business, find a support network to help you throughout the journey.
Some common ways locate a support system include:
- Attending networking events filled with professionals in your industry
- Reaching out to a mentor who has worked through the same challenges you face
- Join a support group or a Meetup group that shares your business values
- Attending networking events filled with professionals in your industry
- Reaching out to a mentor who has worked through the same challenges you face
- Join a support group or a Meetup group that shares your business values
For many entrepreneurs, finding like-minded individuals who understand their perspectives is a great way to stay energized throughout the process of building and growing a business.
4. Build Brand Values
Most credit repair business owners are first-time entrepreneurs with little to no business knowledge. They build successful companies by establishing brand values that match their core values. Core values are the motivation under everything you do. Even if you aren’t thinking about them, you are making choices every day based on what matters most to you.
Your credit repair company brand values may include some of these:
- Financial education over profits
- Social impact (making a difference in your community)
- Operating with integrity
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Pay It Forward
- Every idea deserves to be heard
- Family-first
Serge’s brand values are a blend of his family-first mentality and a deep passion for helping his community. By defining his vision based on core values, Serge has been able to forge better connections with clients, build client loyalty, and work in harmony with his staff.
You can do the same.
Your credit repair company’s brand values help you connect with your customers and staff members on a deeper level. Here’s why it’s important to shout out your values:
- Customers want to know that the company they do business with has a similar set of beliefs as themselves
- Your staff will always know what your driving force is; if they are on the same page, they will press forward to ensure you’re all achieving the common goal
- Core values attract similar people and allow you to work with people you want to work with — your ideal client
- Customers want to know that the company they do business with has a similar set of beliefs as themselves
- Your staff will always know what your driving force is, and if they are on the same page, they will press forward to ensure you’re all achieving the common goal
- Core values help shape the type of clientele you have and allow you to work with people you want to work with — your ideal target buyer
With strong brand values, your clients and team will work hard to make your business goals come true. As a credit repair business owner, you’ll have access to a network that continues to fuel the passion that inspires your vision.
5. Celebrate Milestones
Every entrepreneur, including Serge, goes through growing pains when they are building their credit repair company.
Don’t let your struggles overshadow your victories.
Pause and recognize the little things that prove your credit repair company is trending upward. Celebrating milestones:
- Reinforces your success
- Keeps you passionate about your vision
- Releases endorphins in your body and makes you feel great
- Brings your team closer
Success begets more success, which means celebrating the successes achieved with your credit repair business can help you and your team build upon existing momentum. Celebration also reinforces the positive aspects of what you are doing. As a result, others are more likely to associate themselves with you.
Serge’s path toward success is not only inspirational but repeatable. Learn more about Serge and other inductees to our Millionaires Club.
Ready to grow your own million-dollar credit repair company? Take advantage of our free web training to begin your own journey toward happiness and success.
