There are many pathways up the mountain of entrepreneurship. Some seem born knowing their destinies. Others take some time to begin their journeys. While some people may be born into a path of success, others have to fight tooth and nail for everything they receive. Caleb O’Dowd says he falls into the latter category. However, this has not stopped him from making his own mark on the world.
That said, O’Dowd didn’t achieve success on his own. He benefited from not only his brother but also the advice, guidance and decades of experience offered by a mentor. The entrepreneur attributes a significant degree of his accomplishments to that powerful encounter.
A rocky road at first
O’Dowd has seen his fair share of challenges. Growing up in Limerick, Ireland, he was not a fan of school. He recalls dropping out of high school to become a carpenter. But it did not take O’Dowd long to realize that this was not the journey he wanted. He considered starting a business with his brother, but he recognized that he sorely lacked the relevant experience and skills. To address this gap, his brother recommended finding a mentor.
Recognizing his burning passion to succeed despite his shortcomings, O’Dowd pushed himself to reach out to Gary Halbert, someone he says is one of the most recognized figures in the direct response marketing industry. There was no reply, however.
Though there had been no response, O’Dowd refused to give up. He called Halbert’s office day after day and left message after message. Eventually, Halbert’s receptionist relented and shared her boss’s personal mobile number. O’Dowd continued to try contacting Halbert over phone, email and even letters.
Though Halbert initially rebuffed his efforts to get in touch, O’Dowd persisted until one day, he received an offer from his future mentor—either pay a steep fee and go to Miami for three weeks or stop reaching out. O’Dowd opted for the former.
But there was a major problem. O’Dowd didn’t have the money to pay Halbert or to fly to Miami. He ended up turning to his brother, who took out a second mortgage on his home so that O’Dowd could grab ahold of what he saw as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
The journey from mentee to mentor
Once O’Dowd arrived in Miami, he spent three intense weeks with Halbert. At the end of that initial training, the marketing professional felt O’Dowd showed promise and offered an air mattress on the floor of his personal office so the budding entrepreneur could stay and continue learning. O’Dowd recollects being broke with no income then. With no way to repay his brother, he decided to accept his mentor’s offer.
According to O’Dowd, under Halbert’s tutelage, he began earning enough money to rent his own apartment within two years. Another year later, he had learned everything his mentor could teach him, compelling him to branch out on his own.
O’Dowd says his success sparked interest in more than just what he was selling. He received calls from aspiring business owners and entrepreneurs who wanted his help so they could achieve similar levels of growth. This led O’Dowd to the next stage of his career—professional coaching.
The entrepreneur started a new endeavor—helping individuals learn how to acquire customers and clients and how to increase their profitability. With coaching as his sole focus now, O’Dowd feels that he has truly found the path that’s right for him and credits his determination to succeed as well as the invaluable aid of his mentor.
What’s next for O’Dowd? He plans to continue mentoring and helping others discover their hidden potential and harness the power necessary to grow. One way the entrepreneur is accomplishing this is through his new book, Monetization: How to Optimize Sales Funnels and Skyrocket Backend Profits.
O’Dowd believes the relentless determination that has carried him throughout his journey is a testament to his commitment to success and his ability to take action. He hopes to inspire entrepreneurs to achieve amazing things through passion and dedication and pivot their businesses as needed while playing to their strengths.
