The Cost Of Starting Up

By Steve Suarez Rivera

A book by Steve Suarez about his struggles getting started in his career and achieving personal goals. Raised in a small farming community with no goals or way of thinking further than a high school education, a young man figures out his journey to higher education and beyond.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Cost Of Starting Up
• Release date: Jan 15, 2024
• ISBN: 9798218359454

Book preview

The Cost Of

Starting Up

By: Steve Suárez Rivera, MPH

For my family, city, and teachers.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Getting Started

Chapter 2: Business First

Chapter 3: Dad’s Influence

Chapter 4: Expanding My Values

Chapter 5: Accomplish & Adjust

Chapter 6: Network for Net Worth

Chapter 7: A Challenger’s Mindset

Chapter 8: Time is Borrowed

Chapter 9: Health Is Wealth

Chapter 10: Understand Your Progress

Chapter 11: Live With Love

Chapter 12: Forget Regret

Chapter 13: Opportunity Ready

Chapter 14: Conclusion

Author’s Notes

About: A book by Steve Suarez about his struggles getting started in his career and achieving personal goals. Raised in a small farming community with no goals or way of thinking further than a high school education, a young man figures out his journey to higher education and beyond.

12/25/2022

Chapter 1:

Getting Started

My name is Steve Suarez Rivera. I was raised in Soledad, a small farming town, about 25 miles south of where I was born, in Salinas, California. The population of my hometown is around 25,000 people whose primary incomes consist of agriculture, farm working operations, and family-run businesses. There are a few businesses in town, including a high school and an elementary school, but there is little more. 

I was the youngest of four. I grew up on a ranch where I was active and played. I enjoyed my childhood, and my family could travel to Mexico to visit relatives. We had a carefree environment but lacked discipline and routine. I was a troublemaker and disrespectful to my parents if I could get away with it. 

My parents provided for our family and always wanted what was best for us in their eyes. There was plenty of parental guidance, and our family was close overall.  My mother was nurturing, sensitive, and affectionate, while my father was stern and practical, showing little emotion. My siblings and I got along with each other. We had disagreements but stayed protective and still have a special bond.

Since my parents only spoke Spanish, our household spoke Spanish. It was up to my brothers, sister, and me to learn English independently. This contributed to the delay in my academics beginning in grade school. I was a below-grade-point average student, and even though my parents were unable to help me with my studies, they always hoped that one of their children would one day aspire to attend college. I struggled in school and failed subjects without motivation or desire to improve. My family's cultural and generational dynamics impacted my goals and future, limiting me from reaching my full potential.    

Around fifteen years old, I realized my friends and older siblings were on a different path than I wanted. I observed their actions and goals, primarily those a few years older than me. Based on their good or bad decisions, I decided I needed to make changes for my future. I struggled to identify what I wanted to be and what I had to do to get there. However, in my orbit, I had no mentor to turn to or resources that could help guide me during this time of introspection. 

Being isolated in a farming town was becoming a struggle. It was challenging to stay motivated in school, and my life. There needed to be more drive to do better academically. Growing up in a small community only offered a little to do for kids my age. This limited my advancement in society and academics. I did not choose to live here, which was out of my control. 

I had to figure out a plan. I needed to look at what I had to change to create a better future for myself. I saw a problem in the future, and I