--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had never gone to college. I was not…" description: "\"I had never gone to college. I was not from a politically connected family. I had no money of my own. Who is going to do business with you?\" — Chris Ga..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/chris-gardner-3822_business_i-had-never-gone-to-college-i-was-not-fr_304221.png" --- # I had never gone to college. I was not from a politically… ![“I had never gone to college. I was not from a politically connected family. I had no money of my own. Who is going to do business with you?” quote by Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/chris-gardner-3822_business_i-had-never-gone-to-college-i-was-not-fr_304221.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/chris-gardner-3822_business_i-had-never-gone-to-college-i-was-not-fr_304221.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/chris-gardner-3822_business_i-had-never-gone-to-college-i-was-not-fr_304221.png) > “I had never gone to college. I was not from a politically connected family. I had no money of my own. Who is going to do business with you?” [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Lack of formal education and connections creates barriers to business opportunities, demanding perseverance and alternative routes. **In simple terms:** Without degree or connections, business is hard. Key Takeaway Seek mentors, build networks, and prove value. Themes education networking perseverance entrepreneurship Mood determined optimistic Type motivational practical When to use this quote - career start - entrepreneurial ventures - financial independence Key Concepts social mobility self‑reliance resourcefulness Questions to Reflect On - What can you do to build credibility? - How can you leverage experience over credentials? A Different Perspective Connections can sometimes substitute for formal education. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [College Politically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-politically-2899586/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Going Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-business/) [Gone College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gone-college-932330/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) ## Related quotes > [The student community of Presidency College was also politically most active.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/the-student-community-of-presidency-college-was-also-politically-most/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [On 'Undeclared,' I was actually the only person who had gone to college. 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But he has a lengthy history of claiming otherwise,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mollie-hemingway/joe-biden-is-not-the-first-person-in-his-family-to-have-gone-to/) [Mollie Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mollie-hemingway/) > [No one in my family had ever even gone to college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searles/no-one-in-my-family-had-ever-even-gone-to-college/) [John Searles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searles/) > [There is no point in going into a business unless you can make a radical difference in other people’s lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/there-is-no-point-in-going-into-a-business-unless-you-can-make-a/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [The chances of a bank going out of business are extremely slim, but it's always a good idea to spread around major sums so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/the-chances-of-a-bank-going-out-of-business-are-extremely-slim-but-it/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [I'm going to go about my business the way I like to go about it. Hopefully, that's good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chase-elliott/i-m-going-to-go-about-my-business-the-way-i-like-to-go-about-it/) [Chase Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chase-elliott/) ## More by Chris Gardner > [Be bold enough to find the one thing that you are passionate about. It might not be what you were trained to do. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/be-bold-enough-to-find-the-one-thing-that-you-are-passionate-about-it/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [Others may question your credentials, your papers, your degrees. Others may look for all kinds of ways to diminish your worth. But what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/others-may-question-your-credentials-your-papers-your-degrees-others/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [Walk that walk and go forward all the time. Don't just talk that talk, walk it and go forward. 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Until a salesperson gets an order, nobody in the company has a job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/salespeople-are-the-most-important-people-in-any-organization-until-a/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [You're never too old to do something new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/you-re-never-too-old-to-do-something-new/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [It's ok to FAIL it's not ok to Quit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/it-s-ok-to-fail-it-s-not-ok-to-quit/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [“It’s okay to fail, it’s not okay to quit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/it-s-okay-to-fail-it-s-not-okay-to-quit/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [I have one of those old-fashioned mothers who told me every single day, 'Son, you can do or be anything that you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/i-have-one-of-those-old-fashioned-mothers-who-told-me-every-single/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [You know how mountains get moved? Everyone who can move a couple, move a couple. Those who can move rocks, move rocks. Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/you-know-how-mountains-get-moved-everyone-who-can-move-a-couple-move/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [I had spent years in the United States military. Specifically in the U.S. Navy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/i-had-spent-years-in-the-united-states-military-specifically-in-the-u/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [I've never been big on sports coats and pants. I'm a suit guy. It makes it clear who's in charge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/i-ve-never-been-big-on-sports-coats-and-pants-i-m-a-suit-guy-it-makes/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [Still a dreamer, yet more of a realist than ever before, I knew this was my time to sail. 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