Many young people growing up in the internet age are exposed to thousands of articles on entrepreneurship. They have access to countless success stories of individuals who have become successful from various online channels such as vlogging, blogging, and affiliate marketing. However, many often feel that they are very different from those individuals and cannot achieve such greatness.
Stories like that of Lourissa Setu are told to help inspire those who may feel misunderstood. She is a New Zealand-based 6-figure affiliate marketer, mentor, and coach supporting people to transform their lives and finances by activating their potential. Lourissa has credited her entrepreneurial success to her early days growing up in New Zealand. The 26-year-old who considers herself to be an "old soul at heart" grew up on the North Island of New Zealand. She spent most of her life in Taihape, Upper Hutt, and Palmerston from humble beginnings, to now thriving in her success and inspiring others to do the same.
Early Life in New Zealand
"I loved living in Taihape. I would explore every inch of my grandparent's farm, dig for insects and loved animals, and riding my horse. I loved pretending I was on missions, like in a game, out on my pony."
The highly motivated female entrepreneur shares that she was very adventurous as a child and was curious about many things most children probably didn't think about too deeply. "I wanted to know how everything worked, and I was fascinated by animals, dinosaurs, and space. I just wanted to know how on earth we as humans got here and how we were formed. I also had a wild imagination and believed anything was possible. I was even so convinced in my mind that humans could fly. I even thought that Avatar and Pokémon were real somewhere on another planet and that they would possibly come here!”
Evidenced by her love of Avatar and Pokemon, Lourissa admits, "I was a real tomboy when I was younger. As a child, I often felt very misunderstood by those around me, especially because my imagination was so wild." Despite this feeling, Lourissa would often try to fit it.
"When I was about ten years old, I decided to make a Pokémon shop in my dad's sun house at the front of his home, and I sold Pokémon cards. I would also see if a few kids wanted to battle each other on their Gameboy consoles. We all made it a rule that the winner of each game would win $2. I was very strategic and put a lot of time, energy, and thought into my Pokémon team, so I always won."
From Pokémon to Affiliate Marketer
As Lourissa grew older, her path to becoming an entrepreneur became even more apparent when she fell into her first business in the network marketing industry at 23 years old. "I had never really done any personal development up until that point. This is where my vision came to life. I never knew anything outside of the 9-5 job. But I always knew I wanted to do something big, something purposeful, and feel important and capable. This was where it all began."
While Lourissa is no longer in this business, it was from that point she quickly gravitated to the online business industry and learned how to create her own self-made success. "In 2018, I won an all-expenses-paid trip to America and Fiji and was widely recognized for this success.”
Lourissa's Success and Accomplishments
Lourissa has since gone on to become a highly successful and respected 6-figure affiliate marketer, mentor, and coach. When asked about her success and most significant accomplishments, she states, "my immediate thought that comes to mind is my resilience despite whatever comes up in life. I know it's still and always going to be a process, but the lives I have changed so far, people leaving their jobs, relationships with those around them, and seeing them experiencing change are motivating. I'm also proud of my growth over the years, especially from where I was just a few years ago."
Lourissa now feels far more comfortable in being different from her peers and family, because she doesn’t feel like she needs to be someone she isn’t. "I feel so much inner freedom with this that I never have before, and I have experienced and seen so much self-acceptance in myself and other people. Parts of myself I used to hide or be a little bit embarrassed at have now become parts I love and which makes my business unique."
Entrepreneurs like Lourissa are often misfits who have seen a way to improve processes and services in ways that very few do. Individuals who are experiencing this can take heart that they too can become successful despite their differences. After all, why fit in when you were born to stand out.