Personal Development Interviews

Think back to your high school days. Remember the cool kids? Wonder what they are doing now? Well, cool can be a curse and often prevents people from taking a leap due to a fear of failure. However, the uncool people get on with their lives and inherit the Earth!

Uncool people are often branded outsiders. They may feel like outsiders in their own peer group. They feel like they don’t belong – at work or with family and friends. This can be debilitating. Many outsiders fail due to various traits, including a lack of confidence, poor self-esteem, and distorted empathy (having empathy for the wrong people).

Those who are told they are outsiders often deviate from a natural seed of talent and put up a wall to be what they think people want them to be. That reduces their chance for achievement. Basically, it is a defense mechanism. Also, they sometimes develop a “rock star” attitude that is disabling. Then, people just walk away from them.

You need to be aware of these negative traits in order to retain that outside edge that helps you to succeed instead of fail.

Many successful people are considered outsiders, but what traits give them the edge that helps them succeed when so many outsiders fail? Being creative, original thinkers, and having an entrepreneurial spirit. You can use those outsider traits to your advantage to be successful.

Embrace being an outsider in a positive way. Find meaning in your life, focus on your goals, and keep moving forward.

About Robert:

Robert Kelsey is known for actionable advice and helping people in their day-to-day lives. His new book, The Outside Edge, helps those who feel like they are outsiders find their edge and explains how they can succeed in a world made by insiders.

Challenged Issue:

In this podcast, we challenge the issue of taking the outsider within you and making it successful.

Robert’s Actionable Tips:

* Find meaning

* Develop growth mindset

* Progress toward goals 

Top Quotes:

* “There is always going to be occasions where everybody feels like an outsider.”

* “To be successful in life, you need to be an outsider. You need to think outside of the box. You need to think differently … Well, that’s all very true.”

* “99.9 percent of outsiders all fail because they are outsiders. So how do you turn yourself into the.1 percent?”

* “Wisdom does probably give you some confidence.”

* “You’re slamming the door in people’s faces with your (rock star) attitude.”

* “You’re almost rejecting society before, in your head, society rejects you.”

* “What you are doing is you’re shutting the world out.”

* “It’s a curse being cool.”

* “I think it can completely disable your chance for achievement.”

* “The older you get, the more pathetic it (being cool) looks.”

* “You understand what drives bad behavior.”

* “There’s an entrepreneurial revolution going on and that absolutely suits the outsider.”

* “You can find meaning for your life.”

* “There is something out there that will give your life meaning.”

* “If you give your suffering meaning, it ceases to be suffering.”

* “Half the time I feel frustrated about things. But I am frustrated about meaningful things.”

Guest Links:

* Robert Kelsey (http://www.robert-kelsey.co.uk/)

* The Outside Edge (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Outside-Edge-Outsiders-Succeed-Insiders/dp/0857085751)

Resources:

* A guide to Overcoming Decision Making Paralysis (https://www.excellence-expected.

Many people are so focused on just being able to pay their bills and get ahead in their business. But you must have the right mindset and be receptive to ideas/opportunities; you must be happy and not focus on fear – can you honestly say that describes your approach to doing business?

Transform and shift your beliefs and everything will fall into place. It will manifest and attract what you want to achieve in your business. How do you do this? Freedom.

You must have freedom in your life to achieve what you want. Here are a few tips:

* Make sure what you are doing is for the right reasons. That will make you unstoppable to achieve whatever success looks like to you.

* Believe in yourself and things will happen.

* Get together with like-minded people. Participate in a collaborative space that offers a sense of community.

* Take action to make things happen because you truly believe in what you are doing.

* Create successful rituals and habits. You will see results fast in your business!

* What are you grateful for? A lot of people neglect the true power of gratitude.

* Help others. In return, that will help you. It’s called karma.

Instead of being an entrepreneur, become a freedompreneur!

About Justin:

Within two years, Justin went from barely being able to pay his rent to creating a blossoming seven-figure business and becoming a successful speaker.

He is known as a “Freedompreneur” and the “Hippie Jedi.”

Challenged Issue: 

In this podcast, we challenge the issue of how to create a mindset to be successful - especially if you suffer from a poor self-image.

Justin’s Actionable Tips:

* 30-Day Mental Fast: Listen to inspiring audio, read personal development books, and unplug from regular news and media.

* Think BIG! There is no limit to how big you can think.

* Meditate every day. Let go of the negative and free your mind. There are so many reasons to meditate.

Top Quotes:

* “I represent freedom in three aspects/three elements of life (monetarily, spiritually, and mentally).”

* “By creating freedom in your life, you create a story that people can connect and resonate with.”

* “What changed everything for us is realizing the belief in our self – having a certainty aspect in your mind that this is going to happen.”

* “All of this stuff (rank a blog post, make a Facebook ad, etc.) is cool to learn … but if you don’t have your foundation square … your house (business, happiness, etc.) will collapse.”

* “As entrepreneurs, we’re all weird in our own unique ways that God made us.”

* “When you are in a state of gratitude, that’s the type of energy that’s going to accelerate the law of attraction with what you actually want to attract in your life.”

* “Once you get in that fear state of consciousness, it’s like kryptonite to Superman.”

* “It all stems down to belief.”

* “Belief is the #1 determining factor to your success.”

Guest Links:

* Weird Entrepreneurs (http://weirdentrepreneurs.com/)

* Weird Entrepreneurs iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/weird-entrepreneurs-***inspiring/id958829608?mt=2&ign-mpt=uo%3D4)

* Hippie Jedi (hippiejedi.com)

* Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/justinverrengia)

Resources:

* Google (google.com)

* Facebook (facebook.com)

We all do jobs for the wrong reasons – you don’t want to let people down, perhaps you don’t know how to say ‘No’, and hey, doesn't everyone need cash in the bank?

However, if you are unhappy and frustrated, stop what you are doing – even if it is your own business. Stick to your guns, follow your dreams, and aim for your goals. Make sure you are going in the right direction!

Even if your company is growing and generating money, you may be left feeling lost and realise it was not what you wanted. You may no longer have a passion for what you are doing. Owning a business can be overwhelming and stressful. It often means working twice as long and twice as hard for half the pay. Don’t go rushing into your own business. It can be a headache. You are constantly trying to get to the next level and find reliable people to work for your company. This is definitely not the dream of owning a business!

It is a very difficult and hard decision to leave your business, but it could be the right answer. It can be a big relief to walk away - less stress, less work. You can focus on your trade and not have to worry about the rest.

Build something that works for you. Build something that you enjoy and gives you the lifestyle you want. That is being an entrepreneur!

About Daniel:

Daniel comes from a small trade-based business. Then he set up his own business, only to become burnt out, end up really disliking what he was doing for himself and in the end, he simply left.

As a result, he became more productive and profitable.

Challenged Issue: 

In this podcast, we challenge the issue of those of you who have a small business – does that mean you are an entrepreneur or did you just create a job for yourself? And you treating yourself and the business you are in with the respect that you and the job deserves?

Daniel’s Actionable Tips:

* Put a value on your time. Then compare how long and how much it will cost to do a task to determine whether you should do it or if you should hire someone to do it.

* Learn to tell your story in a way that you are not hard selling, but involving your customers.

* Learn from the experience of others by investing in yourself. 

Top Quotes:

* “Most of us at this level never really … we don’t even plan to have a business in the beginning.”

* “Overnight, you realise … I am now a business owner.”

* “It’s an overwhelming process that sneaks up on you.”

* “They are not really reaping the rewards of being a business owner.”

* “Be careful of what you wish for.”

* “No one sets up in business to not be happy.”

* “Get help early on and figure out the direction you want to go.”

* “Years later, we look up and we’re surprised at where we end up.”

* “Learning when to say ‘No’ is key.”

* “Why are we even here?”

* “You need this pride, you need to build a business, you need to build something – but you don’t.”

* “There’s no real pride in being a small business owner.”

* “I must do everything, and that is when people burn out.”

Guest Links:

* Blog (danielericbowling.com)

* Podcast (smartradesmen.com) 

Resources:

* The Essential 14–Day Guide to Cutting Your Working Hours and Increasing Your Impact (https://www.excellence-expected.com/cwh/)

Key Timestamps:

* 0:37 Challenged issue

* 1:07 Introduction and background of guest

* 2:55 Realization of being a business owner

* 3:43 Decision to leave your own company

* 6:57 Transition from worker to business owner
...

There's no doubt that when you have an idea and want to take it to the next level, you need buy in and people to support you. You need to be perceived as someone that people know, like, and trust. As you develop those three pillars – you become a person of influence.

But are you willing to be patient? Influence does not happen overnight. It takes times. You need to be consistent with the people you want to serve, connect with, and sell to – that will lead to success.

There are several existing influencers. People are successful for a reason. It is wise to learn different models of success. However, do not do everything exactly like someone else. Then you are not being authentic – you are not being yourself.

Instead, focus on growing your own influence. Focus on your own dreams and passions. Besides focusing on yourself, focus on the people you want to serve and help. Treat your followers like friends, not numbers.

Create conversations with them to build influence. People will notice you, talk about you, and tell others about you. Some of those people can become your best allies.

Find your own voice to achieve influence!

About Jared:

Jared is known as the Zig Ziglar of the podcasting world. Also, he is an author, podcaster, and co- founder of largest international podcasting conference called Podcast Movement.

Challenged Issue:

In this podcast, we challenge the issue of growing your influence and determining whether it is beneficial to follow someone influential and match what they are already doing.

Jared’s Actionable Tips:

* Stop chasing influencers. Instead of focusing on someone else’s dream, focus on your own dreams and passions.

* Collaboration is essential. Strategically align with other people.

* Be the noticer. If you want to be noticed, you need to notice others. Express general interest in others. 

Top Quotes:

* “I want to continue to do work that I enjoy and try to do it on my own terms.”

* “How can you take the skills that you have and how can that translate into a contracted role where you have more flexibility with your time to build what you feel compelled and led to build on the side?”

* “Influence does not happen right out of the gate. You have to earn it. You have to grow it.”

* “Convenience is King.”

* “Those who are diligent - prosper.”

* “Grow your influence. And don’t focus so much time on what the big boys are doing.”

* “Collaborating with other people increases the visibility of what you’re doing, and it increases the likelihood of success.”

Guest Links:

* Podcast Movement (podcastmovement.com)

* Starve the Doubts Podcast (starvethedoubts.com) 

Resources:

* Pat Flynn (http://patflynn.com/)

* Lewis Howes (http://lewishowes.com/)

* John Lee Dumas (http://www.entrepreneuronfire.com/)

* Michael Hyatt (http://michaelhyatt.com/)

* Richard Branson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Branson)

* Twitter (twitter.com)

* Facebook (facebook.com)

* Tony Robbins (https://www.tonyrobbins.com/)

* The Essential 14–Day Guide to Cutting Your Working Hours and Increasing Your Impact (https://www.excellence-expected.com/cwh/) 

Traditional routes into business are starting to fade. In the next 10 years, millennials will make up 75% of the workforce. What can millennials do to make themselves more employable in tomorrow’s business? They are going to play an important role in business!

How do companies engage them and get them excited to work so they stay at a company? Businesses now want intrapreneurs – entrepreneurs within a company.

Many millennials don’t know what they want to do, but they know they want to do something fulfilling. They want more than just a job. Millennials want to achieve greatness. They are bold and ballsy. They are not satisfied with just being successful. They want something more.

However, they need to build a plan that is going to take them there!

About Peter:

Peter works with young professionals and entrepreneurs to create plans of action to achieve greatness.

Challenged Issue:

In this podcast, we challenge the issue of how millennials can understand where they fit in and what they can do in the world of business.

Peter’s Actionable Tips:

* Understand your value-add. Whose need does it meet? They are exchanging their time for dollars, and that does not work for millennials. Make sure your value-add meets a company’s needs.

* Become an intrapreneur. Manage your brand and focus on the parts of your business: P = performance; A = accessible; R = reliability; T = testimonials; and S = scalability.

* Uncover your purpose and passions, and then align them with your profession. This is the way to find fulfillment. 

Top Quotes:

* “This generation is the generation that’s now starting to become the leaders in business.”

* “The world, frankly, is your oyster.”

* “I had this vision that we, as human beings, are going to need to evolve pretty soon.”

* “People want to achieve a little past success.”

* “Technology is simply an enabler for passion.”

* “We’re a generation that grew up with technology.”

* “Life looks very different in our eyes than it does in yours.”

* “That’s what the millennials are about – there are just no boundaries.”

* “You have to manage your brand as a professional business.”

* “Technology has become so infused in our culture. Become an intrapreneur – focus on your personal brand. You are now in business.”

* “What lights your heart on fire?”

Guest Links:

* Powered Life (http://www.thepoweredlife.com)

* Peter Yobo International (http://peterfyobo.com/)

* Facebook (facebook.com/peteryobo)

* Twitter (https://twitter.com/PeterYobo)

Resources:

* Ryan Jenkins (https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode17a/)

* University of Southern California (http://www.usc.edu/)

* WordPress (wordpress.com)

* Alan Arlt (https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode60)

* LinkedIn (linkedin.com)

* Daniel J. Lewis (https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode42/)

* John Lee Dumas (https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode42/)

* The Essential 14–Day Guide to Cutting Your Working Hours and Increasing Your Impact (https://www.excellence-expected.com/cwh/)

Books have become the new business card. Books are something that people keep, they can use them, and they make people think of you! People are likely to throw away business cards, but not books.

However, a lack of confidence, insecurities, doubts, and other factors keep people from writing books. Who’s gonna buy it? Who’s going to listen to what I have to say?

Writing and publishing a book can be a scary and intimidating process for most people. They may have the drive and ambition to write a book, but they don’t have a publishing formula to follow.

Fortunately, the publishing industry is much easier these days. Plus, Chandler Bolt is here to help entrepreneurs with self-publishing books to build their business and increase business leads.

Self-published books offer entrepreneurs a source of passive income. But they also serve as a powerful marketing and networking tools. They open so many doors and help you build a following for your business. By writing books and self-publishing them, you become known as an expert and grow your personal brand and business.

Self-publishing is a lot easier than people think, and it allows you to be in a position of power if you do it well!

About Chandler:

Chandler is an entrepreneur and author of best-selling books. He first started businesses while still in high school. He enjoys the freedom of being an entrepreneur! The first book he wrote focused on productivity for entrepreneurs.

Challenged Issue: 

During this podcast, we challenge the issue of helping people gain exposure so they can grow their businesses quickly through authoring/self-publishing.

Chandler’s Actionable Tips:

* Done is better than perfect: Don’t expect your first book to be your best and to be perfect. Just get a book done and make it available.

* Be consistent: Spend time regularly writing and set a goal to write so much each day. Plug away!

* Be accountable: Hold yourself accountable, but also get an accountability partner. They will help you keep on track!

Top Quotes:

* “I’ve always kind of had this hunger for entrepreneurship.”

* “I just kind of stumbled into writing my first book.”

* “I really realized the power that books give you.”

* “Drive tons of business and tons of leads to the business…through books.”

* “Anyone can do this.”

* “It’s (self-publishing) a way to prove yourself and then have more leverage with publishers.”

* “This is a game changer. Now I have all these people coming to me, instead of me banging on their doors.”

* “Most people have a book inside them.”

* “The self-publishing route is so much more attractive.”

* “The option of failure was not an option.”

Guest Links:

* Self-Publishing School (self-publishingschool.com)

* Email: [email protected]

Resources:

* David Allen (http://gettingthingsdone.com/)

* Amazon (amazon.com)

* Guy Kawasaki (http://guykawasaki.com/)

* Gary Vaynerchuck (https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/)

* Justin Mares (http://justinmares.com/)

* Tim Ferriss (http://www.timothyferris.com/)

* Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

* Facebook (facebook.com)

* The Essential 14–Day Guide to Cutting Your Working Hours and Increasing Your Impact (

Most people have a sexy, romantic view of becoming an entrepreneur – quit your day job and be happy and live your dreams.

Well, being an entrepreneur actually involves hard work, early mornings, tough days, etc. It is not for everyone. Sometimes you get hit hard and don’t get back up. Your business fails.

Instead, you should have a side business. That offers more freedom, leverage, and insurance in case you lose your day job.

A great way to grow your side business is to build an online community. This allows you to communicate and work with people all over the world. You can bring value, share passions, and inspire them.

Who does your business serve? What are they interested in? What can you provide that people can benefit from? By offering value-added content via an online community, you are giving your business a voice and helping people. You are letting people know that you care about them and that they are important to you.

Do not focus on return on investment (ROI). Just give and give and give. Find ways to be more valuable than other businesses. Don’t focus on success, but on value!

Your online community should focus on the following:

* Give people a place to talk: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, LinkedIn, etc.

* Give them something to talk about: Engage them with questions, tips, and other content. You will gain incredible feedback about product development and other areas of your business.

Spend 20 percent generating valuable content, and 80 percent engaging with your online community. Now, get going and tweet away! 

About Brendan:

Brendan has been an entrepreneur since the fourth grade! Entrepreneurship is just part of his nature.

He has his own podcast series titled, “Entrepreneurs and Coffee.” The series focuses on talking shop, getting actionable advice, and asking questions.

Challenged Issue:

In this podcast, we challenge you to build on online community that drives your business forward and allows you to try new things to lead to greater sales, customer retention, and success.

Brendan’s Actionable Tips:

* Learn people’s names and stories. Then invest in them and put value into their lives. Engage and help them whenever and wherever possible.

* Become a media company. Use pictures, videos, and other media items that are empowering, entertaining, and educational to share with others.

* Bring value beyond your brand. Help people with things that don’t matter. Ask about things that do not relate to your brand.

Top Quotes:

* “I am very much wired for this.”

* “I don’t think being an entrepreneur is for everybody.”

* “We’re more connected today than we were yesterday.”

* “Online community can bring you a lot of things. I think it is incredibly valuable.”

* “At the end of the day, we all want to feel valued.”

* “You need to be talking to people.”

* “That media that you create around your company is really valuable.”

* “In the end, you’ll see a lot more sales, you’ll see a lot better business, and people are going to become repeat customers over time.”

Guest Links:

* Brendan Hufford (http://brendanhufford.com/)

* The 10 (FREE!) Tools I Used To Start My Business and Grow it to $100k in Revenue (www.brendan hufford.com/ee)

* Entrepreneurs and Coffee Podcasts (http://www.eandcoffee.com)

* OK! Kimonos (http://www.okkimonos.com/)

* Gi Reviews (gireviews.net)

* HustleHeart.Co

Feel like you are in a rut? Is your business facing a plateau or roadblock? When you hit a plateau, how do you make progress and reach the next level?

Symptoms of a plateau include being stressed out and anxious; not prioritising tasks but only dealing with urgent matters; having self-doubt and no one to talk to; and you do too much rather than delegating work to others.

These are all common symptoms that take you on a road to failure. Let go of your control and perfection issues.

You will have to deal with internal (retiring employees) and external issues (technological advancements). There may be things missing in your business that you have to fill in. You will be challenged. How are you going to deal with these issues? Be agile, respond, think, plan, and react.

Understand what you are trying to create. What is your definition of success? Think as big as possible!

About David:

David is president of TEND Strategic Partners and host of the business podcast series, Smashing the Plateau.

Challenged Issue: 

In this podcast, we challenge the issue of plateau. Get past that roadblock in your business and make progress!

David’s Actionable Tips:

* Define success for yourself before doing anything else. Do you want achieve a specific market share in your niche? Do you want a healthy work/life balance? Determine what success means to you!

* Create an action plan and determine how often you need to refine it. You always need to be planning, and you need to take action. Identify what needs to be done! Don’t let your action plan go out-of-date.

* Implement, measure, learn, and improve. Follow this 4-step system using metrics to determine how things are going with your business. 

Top Quotes:

* “Our emotions will really prevent us from overcoming roadblocks.”

* “The stress really manifests itself in a really apparent way.”

* “Understand that perfection is the enemy of the good.”

* “Different people will have different measures of that success.”

* “That action plan is your kind of…roadmap to that success.”

Guest Links:

* TEND Strategic Partners (http://www.tendstrategicpartners.com/)

* Smashing the Plateau (smashingtheplateau.com)

* LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/davidshrinercahn)

* Twitter (twitter.com/tendsp) 

Resources:

* The Essential 14–Day Guide to Cutting Your Working Hours and Increasing Your Impact (https://www.excellence-expected.com/cwh/) 

Key Timestamps:

* 00:48 Challenged issue

* 01:01 Guest introduction

* 01:34 Guest’s background

* 03:36 TEND system

* 06:04 Symptoms of a plateau

* 10:08 Culture of positivity

* 13:55 Reasons for roadblocks

* 17:15 Actionable tips

* 26:16 Guest’s links

Don’t forget, the more you expect from yourself the more you WILL excel!

Scaling your business is a nice problem to have, yet it is still a problem.

Entrepreneurs get so focused on delivering one thing that they can’t see other options. They need to learn how to pivot their businesses. How can they grow into something more?

When scaling a business, entrepreneurs need to measure results and focus on what’s working and what’s not working. Listen to what the market is telling you. Continually review your systems and strategies.

Also, practice smaller and slower progression in your business to make it sustainable. Ultimately, this is the right move to make.

When scaling your business, make sure to maintain excellent customer service. Customers are aware when a business shifts direction. You want to consistently create a special experience and sense of place for your customers.

About Katie:

Katie started a bricks-and-mortar business specializing in sandwiches and craft beer. She took that business and scaled it up successfully using tried-and-tested methods.

George Bowers Grocery is a walkable neighbourhood destination that serves food and other retail specialties.

Katie wrote a book that focuses on various business pieces, including scale, systems, and strategies. It is titled, “Per-Money: Permaculture Thinking for Indie Biz Growth.”

Challenged Issue:

In this podcast, we challenge the issue of scaling your business safely.

Katie’s Actionable Tips:

* Look at your market, and pivot to fit your market. Focus on best sellers and listen to feedback!

* Bigger is not always better! Instead, grow from within at a slow and steady pace. That protects your cash flow, and your sanity.

* Systems and strategies should be interconnected. Build them so they support each other. How are your tactics interlocking? 

Top Quotes:

* “What we started with vs. what we’ve become is a lot different. And it required that attention to scale.”

* “Every piece of the puzzle needs to fit together and work for the other pieces of the puzzle.”

* “Naturally, we’re a bit stubborn. We all have egos involved.”

* “Rapid feedback is king.”

* “Move into a direction that works.”

* “When our customers come in the door, they know what to expect.”

* “I’m pretty gung ho on Main Street businesses.”

* “Indie businesses have such an awesome role to play as far as really creating ‘place’.”

* “It’s true that you can buy almost anything online. But you can’t buy a sense of ‘place’.”

Guest Links:

* Katie McCaskey (http://katiemccaskey.com/)

* George Bowers Grocery (http://www.georgebowersgrocery.com/)

* Twitter (twitter.com/katiemccaskey)

* Per-Money: Permaculture Thinking for Indie Biz Growth (http://katiemccaskey.com/permie/)

Resources:

* Amazon (amazon.com)

* The Essential 14–Day Guide to Cutting Your Working Hours and Increasing Your Impact (https://www.excellence-expected.com/cwh/)

Key Timestamps:

* 00:36 Introduction of guest

* 01:41 Guest’s background

* 02:48 Bricks-and-mortar businesses

* 03:15 George Bowers side projects

* 03:41 Permaculture

* 05:02 Actionable tip #1

* 05:31 Pivot your business

* 07:25 Challenging of pivoting

* 08:46 Actionable tip #2

* 11:33 Systems and strategies

* 12:45 Experience

* 14:35 George Bowers personality

* 16:50 Actionable tip #3

* 20:18 Learning curves

To be successful in business, a university degree is not necessarily required! School is not for everyone, and entering the business world right away may be a better option.

Get a job. Build your skills. Gain hands-on experience. Rather than taking the traditional route of going to university, it is education from another perspective.

Getting a job at a young age will provide you with experience to call upon in the future. It offers guidance on how to approach and adapt to any situation. You will learn what it is like to be in the pressure cooker environment of the business world.

Going to university is beneficial, as well. You gain valuable education and skills. However, by the time you are approaching 30 years of age, you have not had any serious experience with business decision making or understanding of risks and rewards. Also, you probably don’t know how to handle an office environment or how to interact with co-workers at all levels.

What’s the best path for you to take? There is no right or wrong answer. Chose whatever best suits you!

Education is key - whether you gain it at a university or a workplace. Don’t just stick with what you know. Challenge and better yourself. Be well-rounded: both personally and professionally.

About Sam:

Sam is a successful entrepreneur and the youngest externally appointed CEO in the United Kingdom.

He runs a taxi company in London called Climate Cars, which uses hybrids and electric cars to drive people around.

Sam decided not to go to university because that would have lobbied him with major debt. Instead, he chose to get a job and learn a skill. He picked up new skills with every job and role he took on. As a result, that helped him to land the job he has today.

Challenged Issue:

In this podcast, we challenge the issue of whether a university education equals entrepreneurial success. You can succeed in business without a university degree.

Sam’s Actionable Tips:

* Keep learning: Try to better yourself. There are so many resources available to continue your education and learn new skills. Keep your mind active!

* Meet everyone that you possibly can. Interact with people. You can discover new things and make new connections.

* Believe in yourself. Don’t have a fear of failure. Believe that you can do things. Keep trying until you succeed. 

Top Quotes:

* “It was a conscious decision not to go to university.”

* “I’ve apparently transformed myself into a fairly rounded business person.”

* “By not going to university and diving straight into the world of work, I think I gained experience at a much younger age than most would otherwise have done.”

* “A lot of university students come out there with the skills but not necessarily the commercial attributes that they need to be able to dive into that (business) environment.”

* “One of the main things that graduates tend to struggle with is being comfortable around senior management.”

* “We’ve never lived in a more connected world. It’s a great time to be alive, and everything is at your fingertips online on the Internet.”

* “Everyone you meet is an opportunity.”

* “If you close the door on yourself, you will never go through it.”

Guest Links:

* Climate Cars (https://www.climatecars.com/)

* LinkedIn (http://uk.linkedin.com/in/samuelcropper)

Resources:

* TED (http://www.ted.com/)

* Khan Academy (https://www.khanacademy.org/)

* Coursera (https://www.coursera.