Podcast 016 “Entrepreneurship is a little bit of a sickness and a disease,” says Mitch Gordon, founder of GoOverseas, “but it’s one that I’m happy to have.” When Mitch said this on the podcast, I couldn’t help but laugh because that’s exactly how I feel most of the time. Plus, I know that many of my fellow entrepreneurial friends can relate. When you have that innate entrepreneurial “bug” or “disease”, you KNOW it. And there’s no doubt that Mitch Gordon knows it and has truly embraced it. Mitch is one of those really cool entrepreneurs with a “pay it forward” attitude. Even with his super busy schedule and successful business with 20 employees, he’ll still genuinely ask you, “What can I do for you?” and find a way to help you out. After quitting his corporate job in consulting and auditing for PwC in 2005, Mitch moved across the world to Taiwan to start his first full-time entrepreneurial venture—Reach to Teach. When funds started running low and credit card bills began piling up, Mitch didn’t throw in the towel. Instead, he’s propelled his life forward and has taken his business ideas to the next level. Today, Mitch is the founder of GoOverseas which is a website dedicated to providing resources for meaningful travel abroad—including teaching, studying, volunteering, and interning. The site connects all types of students, travelers and volunteers to reputable programs all over the world and also have built an incredible online community of travelers as well. Mitch is also the Entrepreneur in Residence at Berkeley and works with anyone in the student body who wants to start a business or entrepreneurial venture. It’s great to have him on the show because he shares what he’s learned from his own experiences quitting his secure job and launching two “lean” startup businesses and also relates some of the great advice that he gives to Berkeley students every day. If you like the show, don’t forget to share it on FB and Twitter using the links below! In this episode of The Day I Quit, you’ll discover… Why Mitch says “My soul died a little bit every day when I was working a job” How an entrepreneur who designed cat furniture helped him gain the confidence he needed to quit his job What made Mitch feel like it was the right time to take the plunge, quit his job and move halfway across the world to start his first full-time business Why Mitch claims it was “really really hard” and “stressful” to make his first business work How he used the stress of credit card debt to motivate him to make his business successful instead of scaring him into surrender What he did to break even with his business in the first year and start making a substantial income in his 3rd year How his 1st business became the largest education recruitment company in Asia The importance of figuring out what customers actually need vs. what you think that they need How focusing on long-term goals (instead of short-term money makers) helped ensure the longevity of Mitch’s business Why having the confidence in yourself and your business is truly critical Mitch’s top tips and advice for entrepreneurs who want to take their businesses to the next level Why it’s vital to the success of your business to consider ALL feedback, even if it’s negative and it hurts The #1 criteria that any good business idea has to fit if it’s going to be successful   Items mentioned in this podcast include: GoOverseas.com Reach to Teach The Refined Feline The Lean Startup by Eric Ries Optimizely [email protected] @mitchgordongo  

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