In this episode, Jim Barnish joins me and we talk about an alternative to climbing the career ladder. We also talk about how careers no longer follow straight lines; Jim shares how his career didn't follow a traditional straight line either. 

Jim has spent the last two decades growing tech companies as an entrepreneur, operator and consultant. Jim now runs Orchid Black, a growth services firm complete with growth experts, just like Jim, that share an incredible track record for making technology companies worth so much more.

Key Takeaways

• When considering job opportunities, don't only dwell on the functional aspects of the job but look closely at the company culture
• Sometimes your dream job isn't your ideal job
• Don't underestimate the value of having a coach
• When looking for your ideal role, look beyond the career and personality tests
• Ikigai is a fantastic tool to help find your purpose and ideal role
• Success is not built on success. It's built on failure. It's built on frustration. Sometimes it's built on catastrophe
• It is okay to make mistakes, as long as you are learning from them
• Perseverance and working hard are the basic skills that everyone should develop
• Wherever you are on your career or entrepreneurial journey, there is always help available
• Even if you are not a project manager, having those skills is important
• Key transferable skills are communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving
• Being a team player means that you don't always get the wins yourself, but you help others to achieve those wins
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Resources 

We discussed the following resources on the show:

• Ikigai on Wikipedia
• The Squiggly Career: The No.1 Sunday Times Business Bestseller - Ditch the Ladder, Discover Opportunity, Design Your Career by Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis
• How Successful People Lead: Taking Your Influence to the Next Level by John C. Maxwell
• Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Handbook of Silicon Valley's Bill Campbell by Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg, and Alan Eagle
• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
• How to Ikigai: Lessons for Finding Happiness and Living Your Life's Purpose (Ikigai Book, Lagom, Longevity, Peaceful Living) by Tim Tamashiro

Connect with Jim

Listeners can learn more about and connect with Jim by visiting his LinkedIn page or the Orchid Black website.

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