WHEN I first came to South Africa they said to me that if you are successful they are going to want to chop your head above the weeds.
It is why there are so few entrepreneurs that are celebrated here.
Tycoons like Robert Gumede, Patrice Motsepe, Cyril Ramaphosa, the Ruperts and many more should be praised and admired, yet they are torn down because we are told they made it because of BEE or that they took advantage of the system.
It saddens me to see some of the comments that appeared in a story in which I was interviewed, saying I don’t own many businesses or I have not done anything for South Africa.
I love this country probably more than most and even though people say it's a third world country.
WATCH: JT Foxx: Visa rules throttling small business
WATCH: Stop complaining and start doing - JT Foxx
WATCH: JT Foxx on being bullied at school
An example of comments from his first story:
South Africa is a third-world country with first-rate people. South Africa's great resource are its people and not its minerals.
I know no matter what I do or say, there will always be haters, which is the problem in South Africa. Rather than build this country up, we want to tear down its people or whoever is trying to do good here. Mindset is the biggest problem here. Many people say they CAN'T do this, rather than finding a way they CAN succeed.
The problem with negative people is that they have a problem for every solution. They point the finger at everyone else rather than come up with solutions for South Africa and act upon them.
Former US President John F Kennedy once said: "Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country".
Here are some of things I have done in South Africa:
1) Started and bought companies here
2) Invested in property
3) Donated to the Nelson Mandela Foundation
4) Raised lots of money to the Salvation Army of South Africa
5) About to fund a wing for a Children's Hospital in South Africa for kids with cancer
6) Created thousands of successful South African entrepreneurs
7) Helped many South Africans to quit their job and start their own business
8) Help inspire youth in SA as well as the Branson Entrepreneur Centre
9) Helped entrepreneurs take their business across Africa
10) Helped SA entrepreneurs take their business global
11) Brought US celebrities to South Africa to help brand entrepreneurs (Wozniak, Stedman Graham, George Ross, Wayne Allyn Root)
12) Brought hundreds of South Africans to America to meet with celebs like Al Pacino, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jack Welsh)
13) Many clients and their success story have been featured in the media
14) I was asked to write a chapter in a book about Nelson Mandela's legacy because of my contribution to this country
15) I spoke to 12 000 poor youth in Nelspruit to inspire them for a better future in Africa
My love for this country will force me to continue inspiring the youth, find a way to cure children's cancer in this country and inspire any and all entrepreneurs in this country.
Success is not final, failure is not fatal, but it is the courage to continue that counts, despite the haters, winners and finger pointers.
Those who dare to criticize, please share what you have done for this country or stop hating. Start loving your country like I have and create your own economy.
Small businesses will save South Africa’s future. If we kill that and its spirit, South Africa will forever be a third-world country.
You can all watch my life story at www.MillionaireUnderdog.com so you can truly see what I have done, so we can put all the doubters to rest.
* JT Foxx is a serial entrepreneur and motivational speaker.