Despite what many high school and college students may believe as they desperately cram for their next major examination, your trajectory in life doesn’t necessary have to correlate with which letters are written down on your report card.

For testament of that fact, one needs to simply look at the life of former business owner Charlie Gratz, whose path to success was paved with knowing when to take advantage of a handful of opportunities given to him while pushing past many difficulties along the way.

“You don’t have to be an academic or have a high IQ to succeed in the business world,” Gratz said.

The owner of the former Gratz Chevrolet dealership, and a longtime member of the Dowagiac Rotary Club shared his the ups and downs of his professional life to the rest of the club during their weekly meeting on Thursday at the Elks Club.

A native of Ohio, Gratz learned from an early age the importance of seizing whatever opportunities come your way, while working as paperboy when he was just 10 years old.

“My route downtown was kind of interesting because it met the train, and on the train was almost all military people,” he said. “My paper cost a dime, they would give me a buck and tell me to keep the change. I was rich those days.”

When he was older, Gratz received the opportunity to attend Muskingum College, a private institution in New Concord, Ohio. Despite only having $600 in cash and a $250 1932 Chevy in his name, the college’s admissions office still took a shot with him.

To make some money to afford his schooling, Gratz began selling programs for the college football team. Despite only having five home games to sell them at, he ordered the most amount to print for sale, even though he would have to pay back all those he didn’t sell.

“I made enough money selling those programs to pay for one year of tuition and room and board,” he said.

After college, Gratz went to work in the fledging computer programming business, designing parts for car dealerships in the Cincinnati area. He started a business between him and a handful of friends, which eventually dissolved to his great disappointment.

Despite the setback, he eventually picked himself back up, moving to Dowagiac to start a his own dealership using the money from stock options from his previous business venture, along with a $50,000 loan from the bank. Gratz operated the dealership for 13 years, before selling it to Haggin-Wimberley.

Despite his achievements, Gratz was never a stellar student in school. But through sheer determination, he achieved success in life, which he continues to enjoy the fruits of to this day.

“All you have to have is some common sense, hard work, and dreams,” he said.