Neighbors “laughed” when he filled his yard with tires. Two years later, they were working for him.

Bad things happen in everyone’s life sometimes. A series of challenges and setbacks can make even the strongest and most successful person feel like a loser. Unfortunately, these aren’t rare examples. However, there are also plenty of examples when circumstances put people in a certain position from which they are forced to grow, from someone poor and indecisive into an ambitious and powerful person. And that’s exactly the kind of story you are about to hear.

So now, we’ll get transferred to hot Africa where our hero, Malcolm, lives. The beginning of his story dates back to 2012 when a simple boy from an uneducated and poor family that lived with no electricity found himself in a very difficult situation. I think it’s no secret that the standard of living on this continent is extremely low, and the boy’s family was no exception. People had to work hard to survive in his small town. Every dollar earned was seen as success, and most likely, his life would have continued that way if it wasn’t for one incident that changed everything.

Malcolm’s family was very poor, which was only aggravated by his father’s gambling addiction to which he often lost the family’s last money. And the money that was left wasn’t enough to make ends meet. It was barely enough to get food. But one day, the head of the family lost big, so the family’s budget got a huge dent in the form of a large debt that had to be paid off. The family had big problems, and someone else would have probably given up, accepting their miserable existence. But not Malcolm.

One night, he got to thinking about his life, about how he could improve his situation, and the whole thing pushed him to start a business. Soon, Malcolm took his last savings and spent them on some old tires and got to work. He would sort through old and bald tires in his backyard on a daily basis, causing some genuine confusion not only among his relatives but also among the neighbors. Everyone was wondering what it was going to be and why would the poor guy with no money start all this up and flood the yard with useless waste.

But pretty soon, he made his first product: rubber flip-flops made from old tires. Yes, friends, this kind of shoes exists in the poorest countries of the world, where most people simply can’t afford to buy factory flip-flops. On top of that, there are also logistical problems. It all makes the poor people find new and creative ideas, and that’s exactly the niche that our hero was looking to fill.

Malcolm worked very hard. He was so consumed by his work that he would often stay up late or even work through the night. He tried out many different options, meticulously processing and skillfully cutting out the sizes. And he ended up making some very decent shoes. The soles were made of old tires, carefully processed and cut in various sizes, while the chamber, which was thinner and more elastic, served as straps. The parts were skillfully glued together and sold on one of the busiest streets of the city.

And of course, the shoes sold well among the locals. The cost of the miracle flip-flops was between one and three dollars, and his product was sold out quickly, which only motivated the man to buy even more tires.

Malcolm’s flip-flops were very durable, and since there was a shortage of shoes in Africa, the product became very popular. After the initial success, when potential customers, who were mostly women, had voiced their wishes, the man even came up with several other models, such as sandals of various colors and designs. Malcolm was looking to meet the demand and to boost sales, and he did it so skillfully that it was nearly impossible to identify what these shoes were made of. You could even say they were actually pretty, at least to some extent. But most importantly, they were durable and affordable, and this is exactly what his customers expected.

His first efforts and all the shoes he sold gave him hope for a successful future and a while later, the man decided to scale up his production and started a small shoe factory. If you can even call it that, it was rather a small workshop in one of the dilapidated buildings. But he still got to be an employer and hire locals, thereby providing jobs. At the best of times, Malcolm employed up to 10 people, and all his shoes sold successfully, not only on the streets of his hometown, but also across the county.

It took some time, but starting his business allowed the man not only to pay off his family’s debts but also to make good money. His merchandise was sold to the neighboring towns and cities. Of course, this simple idea got quickly adopted by many others, and similar shoes were now made in virtually every courtyard. But nevertheless, it didn’t prevent our hero from solving his financial problems and raising enough capital to start a new business, which is currently booming. He’s got a few small spots on the market, and things are looking up for him.

Malcolm says that there is so much waste in his country that everyone can make a good living off of it. His plans for the nearest future involve making furniture and even interior decorations, all of it from the old tires.

He believes that one could make virtually anything out of this kind of material, thus not only making money, but also helping clean up their hometown. In any case, Malcolm’s attempt to get out of poverty was a success. He now has a goal, a good understanding of business processes, and of course, a desire to succeed.

This seemingly simple story shows us once again that if you choose not to settle but rather work hard and believe in yourself, you will succeed.

So, friends, what do you think about this man? Be sure to write your opinion in the comments below. But that’s probably all for today. Like the video if you enjoyed watching it, and see you soon.