Justin Gilmore has come a long way since his first startup as a teenager. From selling on eBay to his current role as founder of the highly successful ATMMachines.com, there have been difficult times as well as hits and misses. But for anyone like Justin, “under pressure” is where they tend to shine.

Don’t Listen to the Critics

Justin was always told he would be a failure. While some would have caved and believed the sentiment, Justin did the opposite. He pushed himself to prove his critics wrong. As a teenager, he created businesses for himself and played with models that brought him success. The businesses may have seemed menial, such as when he bought pizzas from an Atlanta shop for well below the market price and sold them for double the cost, but they taught Justin the true meanings of the words “hustle” and “creativity.” These words were a big part of the early and continued success of ATMMachines.com.

Be Ready for the Pivot

Adapting is a necessary skill to build a startup. When Justin Gilmore was running very small businesses as a teenager, he played with ideas along the way and found better ways to meet his goals. He was constantly pushing himself to learn and grow.

Realize What Doesn’t Work Can Be Used as a Powerful Lesson

Before landing on the idea for ATMMachines.com, Justin tried his hand at several money-making ideas, like selling vitamins and flipping domains, but he soon found these were not successful models. Still, he took them for what they were: lessons about what he actually should be doing. Constantly researching ways to build a startup, he found two successful streams of income and eventually landed on the idea of starting an ATM business. Almost two decades later, he still sees those missteps as an important part of the journey.

When You Think You’re Done, Realize You’re Not

There are always opportunities to take a business in new directions, which will re-energize the company while providing increased income. In addition to selling and processing ATMs, Justin began to offer courses to customers to help them build their own collections of ATMs. Not only is he helping his customers to thrive, but he’s also increasing his own income.

This drive to continually improve business fuels entrepreneurs. Traditional retirement is not in their vocabulary. Justin Gilmore says being in a position to retire is a goal, but he doesn’t see himself not actively earning money. It’s a powerful feeling to know that not only are you not a failure, but you’re continually building your business acumen and growing your business. This is what the entrepreneurial spirit is all about.