After quitting his job at age 23 so that he didn’t have to work for “nob heads” any longer, Mark decided to try his hand at digital product development and began working with some of the UK’s biggest organisations, including the NHS, JCB and the Ministry of Defence.
But that wasn’t enough and decided that the only way to actually control his own lifestyle was to work truly for himself.
So, in 2008 he set up his first “real” business.
Less than 12 months later he royally screwed it up, having only £60 in the bank and having to let his whole team and his offices go.
Since then, he has learned his lesson and has gone on to found a globally successful design agency, a SaaS business, the UK’s #1 business podcast and a personal brand that has created an audience of worldwide fans of his “no shit” attitude.
He is a regular speaker across the world at tech, business and media events, particularly in the United States.
KEY EPISODE INFO
Mark’s Key Challenges
* Overcoming my impatience
* The constant battle with stigma
* The attitude of the general populous
* Actions have consequences
* Say yes to the right things
Takeaway
You have to do what stimulates you, overall you’ll be a much better person and learn to tip the scales in your favour.
Guest links
* Twitter – https://twitter.com/mrasquith
* Excellence Expected – http://www.excellence-expected.com/
* HACKSAW™ – http://www.hacksawstudio.com
* Podcast Websites – https://podcastwebsites.com/
Top quotes
* “I left, got a job and lasted 2 days.”
* “You think nothing’s changed that much but actually everything has changed.”
* “It’s a tough ride up but it’s a good one.”
* “It was probably the turning point, back when I was a kid.”
* “I didn’t have much cash when I was a kid.”
* “I remember thinking that I never wanted to feel that de-powered ever again”
* “The ability to do something is dictated by the possession of money”
* “I jumped ship, I quit this, I quit that, that’s not the story.”
* “I turned up and it was the same lack of personality”
* “Why are you leaving your job? This is not a thing people from Barnsley do.”
* “People are scared to death of losing that control.”
* “People are afraid of what’s uncomfortable”
* “No one turns up to work to underperform”
* “You either decide to grow or not to grow”
* “The discomfort is the growth”
* “I always draw back to how I feel”
* “Do you want to live your life or follow the notion”
* “You have to do what stimulates you because it will feed into everything else you do.”
* “Everyone’s a ‘gunna'”
* “I’m 23, I go from earning £1100 a month to earning £1100 in 3 days.”
* “I realised I just sold myself for a higher price.”
* “We set this business up and we just didn’t do it right.”
* “There are always cycles of shit.”
* “People are sold the dream.”
* “The barrier of entry has never been lower.”
* “A lack of action has consequences.”
* “So many people just do not do.