I recently came across one of John Maxwell’s podcasts on failure...
And it really made me pause.
He spoke about how important it is for us to fail,
not just in business, but in life...
personally and professionally.
And it hit me...
We don’t talk about failure enough.
We share the wins.
The progress.
The moments we’re proud of.
But we stay quiet about the setbacks...
The disappointments...
The times things didn’t work out.
Yet those are the moments that shape us the most.
John Maxwell teaches that we need to fail forward - to learn, to grow, and to keep moving despite it. And the truth is... Every step forward I’ve taken came after something didn’t go as planned. Being a foreigner in South Africa has, at times, held me back in ways I never expected. It took me a long time to begin understanding the culture, and even now, I still find myself navigating the richness and complexity of so many different backgrounds and perspectives. Language, too, remains a daily challenge - I still make mistakes, misunderstand meanings, or interpret things differently, simply because my mind has been shaped elsewhere.
Building a business here has been another significant hurdle. There isn’t a single day where I feel completely comfortable or as though I’ve fully “arrived.” It’s a constant journey of learning, adapting, and stretching beyond what feels familiar. But through it all, I am deeply grateful. I have an incredible husband who stands beside me, guiding me in business, believing in me even when I doubt myself, and gently pushing me forward.
As challenging as this path can be, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It has shaped me, strengthened me, and continues to teach me more than I ever imagined possible. So if you’re in a season where things feel hard, where you’re questioning yourself... Maybe you’re not falling behind. Maybe you’re growing.
Failure isn’t the end of your story, it’s part of how your story is built.
Andrea Stevens
Franchisee, Just Property Port Elizabeth
#FailForward #GrowthJourney #RealTalk#justproperty
