Why You Should Be Willing to Eat DirtFormer NFL player Hakeem Valles explains why being willing to eat dirt is actually a good thing.

ByDavid Meltzer•

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

On this episode ofThe Playbook,retired NFL tight end and real estate investor Hakeem Valles talks about some of his early entrepreneurial ventures when he was younger, including selling candy and fixing iPhones and more.

Valles sheds light on:

  • How he started a lucrative phone repair business while in college [4:49]
  • The impact of his first mentor and what he taught him about being willing to "eat dirt" [8:27]
  • How he leveraged his position as an NFL player to network with local real estate investors [13:49]
  • Why a terrifying missionary trip to Haiti changed his outlook on life and business [16:28]

Related:Authenticity Can Sell Even Better Than a Great Product

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David Meltzer

Entrepreneur Leadership Network® Writer

Co-Founder of Sports 1 Marketing, Speaker, Author and Business Coach

David Meltzer, co-founder of Sports 1 Marketing and host of Entrepreneur's podcast, “The Playbook”, is a Top 100 Business Coach, global public speaker and three-time international best-selling author who has been honored by Variety as “Sports Humanitarian of the Year”.

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