CrawfordTimes 16 online (1)

ELIZABETH BLACKWELL
Elizabeth Blackwell desperately
wanted to go to medical
school, but back in 1849
women couldn’t become
doctors! She applied to 29
medical schools and received
29 rejections. So, she visited the
schools in person to convince them to admit
her. She was told to dress like a man, but this
woman wasn’t going to pretend to be anyone
she was not!
A funny thing happened… she was eventually
accepted by accident. Her candidacy went up
for a vote with the 150 men already enrolled.
They all thought it was a joke and unanimously
voted to accept her — as a joke! Her anatomy
professor suggested that she excuse herself
from the training, and men regularly refused to
work with her during training. She went on to
become the first woman to receive a medical
degree in the US in 1849! It’s powerful when you
believe in yourself! Source: bradaronson
“It is not easy to be a pioneer - but oh, it is fascinating! I would
not trade one moment, even the worst moment, for all the riches
in the world.” – Elizabeth Blackwell
MICHAEL JORDAN
Michael Jordan is
a sporting legend.
Isn’t it crazy to think
that he was cut
from the varsity
basketball team
in his sophomore
year? There was no
conspiracy involved;
he simply wasn’t
good enough.
This is said to be the launch pad of his
basketball career. He practised harder,
played ferociously and didn’t stop for
anything or anyone until he dominated
basketball at the highest professional level.
His NBA records are as unreachable as his
vertical leap. Source: Business Insider
“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost
almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game
winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over
again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan
KFC’S COLONEL SANDERS
Colonel Sanders’ persevered
through business and
personal trials until he hit the
big time! He dropped out of
school, took on many jobs,
endured a divorce and the
passing of one of his sons. He
suffered severe depression.
When most people would be
getting comfy in their retirement shoes, Sanders,
who at the time was over the age of 60, was only
just getting started. While running a gas station
he began to cook and sell meals to make ends
meet. Yes, he cooked fried chicken, of course!
He spent years travelling across the US visiting
potential franchisee restaurants offering them
his chicken recipe in return for 4 cents on every
chicken sold. It is believed that he was rejected
more than 1,000 times, but he persisted and by
the age of 74 he had franchised 600 outlets! His
now famous “Kentucky Fried Chicken” recipe
expanded internationally, and he sold the
company for US$2 million (US$15.3 million today).
Sanders died at age 90, but he was proud of
the then 6,000 KFC locations in 48 countries.
By 2013, there were an estimated 18,000 KFC
locations in 118 countries! Source: Mashed
“I was 66 years old. I still had to make a living. I looked at my social
security check of US$105 and decided to use that to try to franchise
my chicken recipe. Folks had always liked my chicken.”
– Colonel Sanders
DEBONAIRS PIZZA
We all know Debonairs! This famous South African
pizza franchise was founded in 1991 by two lads
in Pietermaritzburg. On their first day trading, the
company sold a whopping six pizzas out of a bakery,
but they grew to more than 500 stores and 27.5 million
pizzas a year! Did you know that Debonairs was the
first pizza brand in Africa to offer free delivery, online
and mobile ordering, and the first to offer peppadews
as a pizza topping? To give back they started
Doughnation, where leftover pizza dough is made into
flatbreads to feed millions more. Amazing! And while
Debonairs confidently put peppadews on a pizza, the
debate around pineapple’s rightful place on a pizza
rages on!
Every child a masterpiece | 31