Rick Jackson knows hardship. That’s what drove his self-made success.

Recently, Mary McCartin Wearn wrote a guest opinion column in the AJC, challenging readers to “unpack” the so-called self-made myth tied to Georgia Republican gubernatorial nominee Rick Jackson.

First, I believe strongly in Wearn’s chosen field — humanities — and, in fact, have donated to Georgia Humanities, the very organization she once led.

However, as a citizen, entrepreneur and founder of cliffco, the largest membership of category business leaders in the country, virtually all having one common trait: self-made.

Seeing self-made in action every day, I feel Wearn, with great intentions, is unpacking the attributes of self-made from a professor’s desk rather than the real world of work and success, as in entrepreneurship or family farms.

Wearn proclaims that Jackson did not build his empire from scratch alone, having mentors and help along the way.

Of course, he did. All self-made entrepreneurs would be the first to say it takes a team, luck and infrastructure to even survive. Without the U.S. Postal Service, there would have been no Netflix.

With a team and a lot of Atlanta support, like from former Metro Atlanta Chamber President Sam Williams and UPS, I could not have built STI Knowledge from scratch.

Entrepreneurs who survive endure tough circumstances

“Alone” is the wrong attribute to define “self-made.” “Without” is where self-made starts.

And that’s why Rick Jackson has every right to the word “self-made,” as well as a multibillion-dollar empire.

He knows what it feels like to be without, not just resources but life basics as the natural love of parents kissing good night.

He knows “without,” but more importantly, what to do about “without” to help many more people be self-made.

Ironically, in the study of entrepreneurial success, we have found these bleak, adverse “without” circumstances create the most creative, principled entrepreneurs — if they can survive it.

“Alone” is the wrong attribute to define “self-made.” “Without” is where self-made starts.

And that’s why Rick Jackson has every right to the word “self-made,” as well as a multibillion-dollar empire.

He knows what it feels like to be without, not just resources but life basics as the natural love of parents kissing good night.

He knows “without,” but more importantly, what to do about “without” to help many more people be self-made.

Ironically, in the study of entrepreneurial success, we have found these bleak, adverse “without” circumstances create the most creative, principled entrepreneurs — if they can survive it.

Wearn also contends the self-made man might not be a good fit for the modern-day legislature and the nuances of governing.

Truthfully, she has a valid point. Like most of the huge entrepreneurial successes, such as Rick Jackson, we see a hyper-focused, benevolent, bullish leader in front of it, leading the charge.

How both Republicans and Democrats will benefit

My limited recent government experience was trying to offer a hand in protecting the Okefenokee Swamp.

Special thanks to Cox Enterprises Chairman Emeritus and James M. Cox Foundation Chair Jim Kennedy. It worked out in a land/business/nonprofit deal — no thanks to the state government, which I perceived to be overwhelmingly and squarely on the side of the Alabama mining company and its lobby.