Latest / Shed Talk with Kevin Halliday / Life After Exit | Danijel Slisko, Owner of Brand Magazine | Shed Talk Ep. #116

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Life After Exit | Danijel Slisko, Owner of Brand Magazine | Shed Talk Ep. #116 · Shed Talk with Kevin Halliday

• Kevin: What happens when you finally Kevin: achieve the success you spent your Kevin: whole life chasing, but without Kevin: your business, you no longer know Kevin: who you are? Kevin: Well, welcome to Shed Talk with Kevin: Kevin Halliday. This podcast is Kevin: where we ask better questions about Kevin: health, wealth, mindset, and Kevin: building an extraordinary life Kevin: after 50. Kevin: Now, today's guest, Daniel Slisko, Kevin: started his first business at just Kevin: 20 years old, but he built Supreme Kevin: Windows Group into one of Alberta's Kevin: largest commercial coatings, with Kevin: approximately 200 employees and Kevin: more than 200 million in completed Kevin: projects. Kevin: Then after almost three decades, he Kevin: sold the business to the people who Kevin: helped build it. Kevin: Today, we're going to be talking Kevin: about the price of ambition, the Kevin: courage to let go, and how to Kevin: create a new identity and purpose Kevin: after you exit. Kevin: Daniel, welcome to Shed Talk. Kevin: Thanks for coming in. Guest: Thanks for having me, Kevin. Guest: How are you doing, Kevin: Oh, you know what? I got to say, Kevin: because we'd met a little bit Kevin: earlier today, and we were talking Kevin: about the new Shed Talk, and where Kevin: you came from and an entrepreneur Kevin: owning a bunch of businesses Kevin: because what you did before was Kevin: absolutely amazing. Kevin: So I want to tell the listeners a Kevin: little bit more about your past. So Kevin: I'll get you to get into it because Kevin: we talk about mental health and Kevin: then entrepreneurship. Kevin: both new yeah Kevin: So tell me a little bit about you Kevin: as you got started. Guest: I started really young at the age Guest: of 20 um my first business and uh I Guest: just developed the hustle and I Guest: think over the years and starting Guest: so young I I uh developed this Guest: serial passion about business and Guest: um I was you know I but I was very Guest: curious and I felt like Like I just Guest: needed to learn as much about other Guest: industries. Guest: And I felt like I never really Guest: filled my passion cup. Guest: I chased money a lot in my younger Guest: days. So then I think that also Guest: fueled the reason I became so Guest: serial. Because it's just like, I Guest: want to do that maybe not for Guest: money. Maybe I just want to do that Guest: for community building. Or maybe I Guest: want to do that because it's Guest: something I always wanted to do. Guest: Or it was on my bucket list. um so Guest: it was yeah so over the years Guest: business was my passion and i just Guest: got involved with Guest: every aspect of it i started uh Guest: construction business that was my Guest: first uh first business at 20 and Guest: got involved with my family Guest: business i you know i i took that Guest: over Guest: and i expanded that before right Guest: when the time my parents retired um Guest: you know it i got involved involved Guest: with it and then develop an ERP Guest: these are the thing I thought that Guest: was Guest: always trending and these things Guest: were always so fascinating and I Guest: wanted to be involved with all of Guest: it right Kevin: so when you're looking because Kevin: you're just talking right now and Kevin: you're asking you're were talking Kevin: and say, well, the driving force Kevin: was I was to make some money, lots Kevin: of money. But then, you know what, Kevin: I had to give back or do that. Now, Kevin: when you're young, okay, 20 some Kevin: odd Kevin: years old, you started a business Kevin: up. And I'm assuming as young Kevin: entrepreneurs, your ups and downs Kevin: and you're going through it. Was Kevin: there that moment in time that all Kevin: of a sudden you had to think about, Kevin: all right, I got to start to give Kevin: back? Or was that just kind of like Kevin: a buzzword Kevin: back then? Because I know when I Kevin: was younger, I wanted to make as Kevin: I want to make, I'm retired, or Kevin: much money. I'm retiring when Kevin: I'm 45, I'm going to do this. We Kevin: community even, Kevin: didn't even think of charity or Kevin: even giving back. Guest: and to be honest, like, yeah, I Guest: think it was just the hustle and Guest: trying to survive, and in my case, Guest: I had no safety net, right, I Guest: didn't have anyone that could catch Guest: me if I failed, so failure wasn't Guest: an option, so you just started Guest: grinding it, and Guest: And you just, you know, I had, I Guest: was signaling. I had full focus all Guest: times about being successful. Guest: And there were things that meant Guest: things to me. And there were causes Guest: that were close to me. And I found Guest: ways to connect with that community Guest: and to give back. Guest: Like, you know, being an immigrant Guest: and my family coming from Croatia, Guest: from the ex -Yugoslavia I always Guest: had a soft spot for immigrants and Guest: trying to help them get started Guest: so newcomers were one of my big Guest: things right watching my parents Guest: come to this country and not having Guest: a chance we had our community but Guest: like you know the people our church Guest: or our cultural Guest: club those that was our community Guest: those were the people that helped Guest: us and then that just kind of of Guest: something that uh stuck with me so Guest: outside of surviving and grinding Guest: it out and um and trying Guest: to connect and supporting people Guest: that I knew that needed the support Guest: uh usually through a job or Guest: sometimes just mentorship or Guest: encouragement because it was very Guest: starting Guest: difficult to um kind Guest: of find you know find themselves Guest: imagine imagine what they were Guest: going through leaving everything Guest: they know and everyone they know Guest: behind and starting completely Guest: to really Guest: fresh in a new city and sometimes Guest: not even speaking Guest: the language so I've always found Guest: that so brave and I felt like it Guest: was my obligation to help but yeah Guest: outside of that I felt like yeah it Guest: was just the money especially in my Guest: 20s I was grinding Guest: it and uh and I would take on some Guest: pretty and pretty not so flattering Guest: projects just for the the money but Guest: then again eventually you know you Guest: get a little bit of success and um Guest: you're not Guest: worrying about surviving as much Guest: and then you're always thinking Guest: about that itch that passion you Guest: wanted to try that I wish I tried Guest: that or so I never wanted to have Guest: regrets really that's basically Guest: why I I wanted to try all these Guest: different projects and start all Guest: these companies and get involved Guest: with these partnerships it's just I Guest: wanted to look back on my career Guest: and say oh I can't I got no no Guest: regrets I tried it all Guest: so Kevin: yeah Kevin: when you're looking at and you're Kevin: talking about so you started your Kevin: business off you're you're you're Kevin: successful going into it like just Kevin: like every entrepreneur we're doing Kevin: it and then Kevin: you decide i want to try something Kevin: else i want to try this because you Kevin: seem to be dialed in okay Kevin: serial entrepreneur you'll try Kevin: something else you'll do it not Kevin: that it fails or doesn't because it Kevin: really doesn't matter if it fails Kevin: who cares because you get to look Kevin: at it again and build off of Kevin: somebody else Guest: looked I look Phil you pivot from Guest: your failures so yeah you fail you Guest: pivot and you find success so it's Guest: not about being afraid to go for it Guest: it's Guest: just about pivoting and finding Guest: that right channel um and and it is Guest: it's it's not impossible it's just Guest: something really hard to do but not Guest: impossible to do i always felt Guest: anybody could do it Guest: if they're willing to do hard Guest: things and figure out those things Guest: so Guest: right Kevin: let's ask this question give me an Kevin: example of something that was Kevin: really hard and that you actually Kevin: had to get through and you Kevin: succeeded with it Guest: the Kevin: hardest thing one of the hardest Kevin: Tell me a story. Guest: Well, listen, at 20 years old, Guest: talking to the gatekeeper, the Guest: receptionist at those days, that Guest: was hard, right? I had to overcome Guest: that. Guest: I had to walk in and introduce Guest: myself to a stranger and try to get Guest: past her to actually meet the Guest: person I wanted to meet. or you Guest: know in that in those days that was Guest: impossible uh thing that you have Guest: to overcome Guest: and that's a challenge that um that Guest: that was very hard but that it Guest: might sound simple but you're going Guest: in there you're soliciting someone Guest: you're out there trying to um Guest: basically hustle Guest: to get you know it's almost like a Guest: job interview and how many job Guest: interviews and how many layers of Guest: these things that you have to do Guest: just to get a little bit success Guest: it's a lot right so what about Kevin: So take that, that experience that Kevin: you did then. Okay. Get past the Kevin: gatekeeper, hard to get past. Now, Kevin: fast forward to here you are now Kevin: out of the total industries that Kevin: you are, like you went in from Kevin: construction. Okay. Doing that. Kevin: Then with your parents come, then Kevin: all of a sudden now you're on a 180 Kevin: into the marketing, into the Kevin: branding, into, into that that Kevin: business. Tell me a little bit Kevin: about that, that transition. Kevin: yeah Guest: and i don't think you know today Guest: i'm seasoned so 30 years old so I'm Guest: I I don't look at it as hard Guest: anymore I just I just know I have Guest: to do it right but back Guest: you know but it took me a 30 -year Guest: journey to get that but things I Guest: know today that I didn't know back Guest: then is like people do business Guest: with who they know who they like Guest: and who they trust and Guest: that receptionist my consistency of Guest: just showing up eventually she got Guest: to know me and eventually Actually, Guest: she liked me enough to introduce me Guest: to the person I wanted to meet, Guest: and then I built enough rapport and Guest: trust, and those are the things I Guest: know. So no matter what I do today, Guest: I know the first time I go and meet Guest: somebody Guest: or engage with someone or solicit Guest: someone, they're not going to buy Guest: from me. Guest: That's not my intention. My Guest: intention is they just need to know Guest: me. I just want exposure. Guest: I'll just get out there and meet Guest: everyone I possibly can, and then i Guest: know the next step is okay i i i Guest: have to build chemistry and Guest: sometimes that doesn't happen and Guest: you just have to recognize that and Guest: move on and find someone you do Guest: have chemistry Guest: So with right Kevin: the question I have then, so we go Kevin: back then, you had to get through Kevin: the door, they had to let you, Kevin: because you got through them, you Kevin: were young, okay, aggressive, Kevin: motivated, that there was no, Kevin: no is not an answer, it's going to Kevin: happen. Now, fast forward to here Kevin: we are today, and I'm going to go Kevin: back to this, because back then we Kevin: didn't have influencers. Kevin: Okay, you created influence because Kevin: you got her to like you. So she's Kevin: got you into the door to the next Kevin: person. So every time you see her, Kevin: you'll bring her a cup of coffee, Kevin: you'll do that. So kind of a Kevin: different way of influence. Kevin: And here you are, you have people Kevin: you do events with, you see them, Kevin: same people, Kevin: but they become what we call their Kevin: influencers, not necessarily Kevin: gatekeepers. They actually open Kevin: gates for you and opportunity. Guest: Yeah, for people to refer you, Guest: they've got to do the same thing, Guest: right? They need to know you. they Guest: need to like what you're about or Guest: like what what you're offering and Guest: they need to trust you Guest: in order for for them to introduce Guest: themselves or introduce you to Guest: their network right so 100 % like Guest: I'm just listening to us talk I'm Guest: thinking of another example um I Guest: used to do work for a Guest: fellow named Martin from Fancy Guest: Shack Homes he was the founder and Guest: this this guy built the biggest Guest: houses I've ever known in, in Guest: Calgary. They were like 10 ,000 Guest: square foot, 20 ,000 square foot Guest: bungalows up in, in the Southwest Guest: side of Calgary. And I Guest: got my first contract with that Guest: guy, with Martin by calling him Guest: every 90 days for two and a half Guest: years. You know what happened? Guest: Eventually Guest: I got a call from Martin. He just Guest: out of the blue phones me and he Guest: asked me to go look at something Guest: for him. And the very first thing I Guest: looked at for him was the biggest Guest: dab house I ever paid it. It was Guest: like a 15 ,000 square foot, um, Guest: bungalow that literally, um, yeah, Guest: but if I wasn't consistent enough Guest: to go through that hole and I Guest: didn't know that formula, I didn't Guest: know. I just knew I'm just Guest: going to keep bugging them and I'm Guest: going to keep being consistent. And Guest: I had a schedule to phone him and Guest: He was going to come to work every Guest: he got a phone call from me every, Guest: every 90 days. So I built some kind Guest: 90 days. Guest: of rapport Guest: poor. And then sure enough, he Guest: needed me. There was a timing was Guest: there. He needed me because his Guest: other provider couldn't provide the Guest: service. Guest: So, so yeah, so I guess, and again, Guest: that, that was a very hard thing to Guest: do. Like he wasn't, he was a very Guest: successful human being, super Guest: successful. Guest: And I was a nobody. I was a 20 some Guest: That was a no -budget. Guest: year old kid bugging him and he Guest: gave me a shot. Guest: I built enough enough rapport, and Guest: enough for him, you know, enough Guest: conversation back and forth for two Guest: and a half years for him to Guest: actually give me a shot. Kevin: so a question because we did the on Kevin: the intro was one of the questions Kevin: i wanted to to get to because a lot Kevin: of people ask we have successful Kevin: businesses our businesses define us Kevin: for who we are, and we only know Kevin: one thing is our business. Kevin: Then all of a sudden, you turn Kevin: around at a young age, okay? You're Kevin: not 50, 60 years old. All of a Kevin: sudden, look, I'm going to retire Kevin: and not do anything, and turn Kevin: around and sell your business. Kevin: How did you find identity with Kevin: that, or find identity, actually Kevin: lose your identity? Like, what was Kevin: that going through your head? Kevin: Because it's pretty powerful stuff. Guest: that's a great question um i go Guest: back and you know i've i've Guest: I transacted, I thought the ball Guest: transacted i've got involved with Guest: was going, Guest: small Guest: projects or you know i've started Guest: things i've got out of things so Guest: and i always thought oh i'm not not Guest: attached to any of it like it like Guest: i've got no nothing attached to Guest: these businesses it's just Guest: a vehicle to make money but the Guest: truth was when i sold united um i Guest: walked out i saw i signed it Guest: over i'll never forget i signed it Guest: over uh walked out of the uh Guest: lawyer's office i was quite excited Guest: it was the first time in almost 30 Guest: years that I wasn't responsible for Guest: anything and I was like so that Guest: that felt so good and I felt so Guest: relieved because I didn't have like Guest: I just sold it all Guest: all my responsibility out and then Guest: it then it was about a week after Guest: that like the excitement kind of Guest: died off and then the reality kind Guest: of kicked in and I wasn't the Guest: center of everyone's you know Guest: know wasn't responsible for Guest: everything anymore um the Guest: responsible responsibility moved on Guest: and then I was just a regular bloke Guest: again and then my identity like as Guest: much as you want to believe Guest: it's not attached to your career Guest: and the things that you do and you Guest: know it was it was something I had Guest: to kind of you know took a few Guest: months for me to shake off and I Guest: had to really find myself Guest: myself again to like like the Guest: person the person I am to to kind Guest: of to step back and move on with So Guest: from I guess my my past career Guest: right Kevin: how did you find yourself? Because Kevin: here you are, you're excited, Kevin: money's transferring, and you're Kevin: not a part of the business because Kevin: you're not consulting. I'm sure Kevin: they had consulting somewhere in Kevin: there, how that ever worked. But Kevin: all of a sudden, you're out of the Kevin: business. Kevin: this and then how did you really Kevin: find yourself like what were you Kevin: doing to find yourself because at Kevin: that point you can't golf every day Guest: or Kevin: you can i guess Guest: the truth is it was my wife like Guest: she was the one constant personal Guest: thing. So outside of my career, my Guest: identity was connected to my family Guest: and my relationship with Guest: my wife, right? So that meant that Guest: was basically my way out. And I Guest: found myself just focusing on Guest: my relationship with my family, my Guest: relationship with my wife, and then Guest: just dreaming about the Guest: possibilities of what I'm going to Guest: do next. That Kevin: were what was the next possibility Guest: you know, so, you know, a lot of Guest: people assumed I was going to be a Guest: consultant or, you know, I guess Guest: that's the trendy thing to do when Guest: people exit. I didn't, that wasn't Guest: me. I didn't, I'm not a consultant. Guest: I'm an entrepreneur. I'm a Guest: businessman. So I just decided to Guest: focus on my creativity, my past, my Guest: background. Guest: I have a graphic design background. Guest: So I decided to just stick with Guest: that, get back into that. And being Guest: being a businessman, I think I have Guest: a lot to offer my clients versus my Guest: competitors who are trained in Guest: marketing or trained in, in, but Guest: they're not entrepreneur. So I have Guest: a connection Guest: with my, um, my small or medium Guest: sized business clients that my Guest: competitors never will. Cause I Guest: know, I know where they want to go. Guest: I know what they're trying to do Guest: and I'm in like, Guest: like let's do it i'll i'll be the Guest: first put me let me into your inner Guest: circle and i'm in let's let's make Guest: this happen and and we'll let's Guest: scale your business right so Kevin: it's interesting because you talk Kevin: about that here you are you're Kevin: you're gonna go you're in the Kevin: marketing side of it as i use that Kevin: or say because those who can't Kevin: teach okay you ever hear that and Kevin: so okay here we go you're gonna be Kevin: a life coach you're gonna be a Kevin: consultant because Kevin: the business is done but you're you Kevin: were mentioning that your wife is a Kevin: big part of it okay now we haven't Kevin: really talked about this because Kevin: it's kind of super superficial and Kevin: superficial levels here is that Kevin: about peaks and valleys because Kevin: once you sell you're at your Kevin: highest then you start coming down Kevin: and then you become your lowest yes Kevin: your your wife brings you Kevin: in and gives you substance okay Kevin: then you talk to other business Kevin: owners entrepreneurs that their Kevin: There are highs and lows. Kevin: Where in that becomes mental health Kevin: issues where you start talking Kevin: about creating purpose for Kevin: Yeah, Kevin: yourself? Kevin: Where did purpose come into your Kevin: life? Guest: it was, I guess, you Guest: know, I guess for me, it was, I Guest: think I do a very good job of Guest: looking at myself first and looking Guest: I Guest: within and constantly reinventing Guest: put it Guest: and keep looking Guest: And, you know, to put it best, we Guest: live in environments, three Guest: environments to be exact. One is Guest: ourselves, and that's that voice in Guest: your head. Guest: So I spend a lot of time with that Guest: person in my head, and I get things Guest: cleared out. So the second Guest: environment I find is our life, the Guest: people in our life. Guest: We can't control the people in our Guest: lives, but we can influence them, Guest: and they can influence us. so but Guest: we can choose who's in that Guest: environment and who we let let in Guest: and I think that was a big Guest: part of my journey and then the Guest: third environment is the world and Guest: I decided a long time ago that I Guest: was going to take Mother Teresa's Guest: attitude and and that was just help Guest: the person next to you Guest: the world's too big of a place for Guest: me to try to conquer or help Guest: everybody but if I see someone in Guest: need, and they're next to me, I'll Guest: help them. Guest: But throughout that whole kind of Guest: point of view that I created and Guest: discovered for myself is I realized Guest: that we're all the same, that I Guest: wanted to Guest: leave this planet with as many Guest: friends as I possibly can. So I Guest: have a personal mission to make a Guest: friend a day. And that's not as Guest: easy as people think, you know, I Guest: don't run around saying, Guest: saying hey do you want to be my Guest: friend so you have to court people Guest: you have to get to you have to Guest: allow them to get to know you and Guest: see if there's chemistry and and Guest: you have to have some value you Guest: all Guest: have to give them some value but i Guest: think that's really kind of uh what Guest: helped me Guest: keep my mental health stable right Guest: i'm constantly out there i'm Guest: constantly talking to people all Guest: different Guest: different friend groups i have like Guest: very successful entrepreneurial Guest: friends i've i have Guest: I have fitness friends. I have Guest: spiritual friends. I have Guest: relationship friends. And I think Guest: having all these different groups Guest: of friends Guest: grounds me and gives me that peace Guest: of mind where I feel like I'm Guest: grounded. Guest: And then all I can do is now, at Guest: this point in my life, after going Guest: through everything I've gone Guest: through, and honestly, it wasn't Guest: both Guest: easy. Guest: You know, life is a bitch, and Guest: it'll punch you in the face. and Guest: not just once a couple of times Guest: both both like you Guest: know both mentally and physically Guest: sometimes you get exhausted and Guest: burnt out so I always found that um Guest: yeah life's not hard and if we Guest: don't kind of keep ourselves in Guest: check we can really lose ourselves Guest: and then so I'm always working on Guest: myself and I think that's super Guest: important and community community Guest: uh like i'm publishing uh you know Guest: i started publishing it last year Guest: so that's going Guest: on my second year now i'm Guest: publishing a family psychology Guest: magazine and to me that was my way Guest: of being able to give back is Guest: creating a channel it's not hard Guest: it's hard to talk about uh these Guest: personal feelings and things that Guest: we go through and um you Guest: know so i felt that having Guest: something something published and Guest: having a channel where people can Guest: find resources and Guest: bringing all these experts together Guest: is my way of kind of giving back to Guest: so Guest: that, Guest: just to people in the community. Kevin: why so why there because all of a Kevin: sudden we're talking about and i'm Kevin: asking that question is to to drill Kevin: down a little bit deeper yes you're Kevin: socializing yes you got a great Kevin: network work of friends yes you Kevin: wanted to go in into the family Kevin: psychology okay you hit you're Kevin: hitting a Kevin: whole different demographic why not Kevin: just do your other magazine which Kevin: is brand okay you've got that Kevin: All right. Kevin: so there's the brand but why family Kevin: psychology what was the one thing Kevin: that made you actually go into that Kevin: that realm not because of Kevin: advertising dollars but where did Kevin: it become heart sent for you Guest: mental health touches all of us Guest: every single human being on the Guest: planet it connects us so our Guest: struggles in life is what connects Guest: us so some Guest: of my colleagues in the space say Guest: say it well they asked me what Guest: what's my relationship to mental Guest: health and that was like good Guest: question Guest: I have a list I have I have a list Guest: that like so long that that um I Guest: can relate to almost anybody Guest: because I've been punched so hard Guest: so many times and I've got past it Guest: and moved on but that was Guest: such an excellent excellent Guest: question and it made me think Guest: what's everyone's relationship Guest: what's your mother's relationship Guest: to mental health what did she go Guest: through in her life she had her low Guest: low moments, just like everybody, Guest: or even if you're the perfect Guest: person, and you've never had a low Guest: moment in your life, and if that Guest: person exists, I will give you the Guest: medal, but you'll also, you'll Guest: know someone who actually, you'll Guest: be touched by mental health through Guest: your network, through the Guest: relationships that you have, you Guest: could be perfect, you could have Guest: nothing wrong with you, you could Guest: could not have you could be this Guest: person that's never had a low Guest: moment in your life but then you Guest: you're not gonna you're not gonna Guest: not know someone that hasn't right Guest: so so that's that Guest: was the exciting part for me it was Guest: like um knowing that that's you Guest: know surviving in the tough times Guest: is what really connects us and it's Guest: the unspoken thing people don't Guest: like talking about Kevin: because you're right nobody likes Kevin: to talk about it no one here here Kevin: we are like so i'm 58 years old so Kevin: i'm doing the podcast health wealth Kevin: minds whatever Kevin: okay here we are we talk about Kevin: mental health oh i recognize it me Kevin: personally i recognize it at 50 I Kevin: went oh well wait a second I didn't Kevin: know I was in jail until I broke Kevin: out I didn't even know mental Kevin: health was actually an issue an Kevin: issue Guest: then Kevin: all of a sudden I'm in it and now Kevin: that I'm I'm talking about it I see Kevin: I go wow it's everywhere is it a Kevin: buzzword is it this no it's not I'm Kevin: not using this as a buzzword as it Kevin: as downplaying it but I'm looking Kevin: at it when did it become an issue Kevin: or Kevin: recognized so let's go go back when Kevin: you were younger you're 20 you Kevin: started a business you're you're Kevin: 30, you're doing the next, you got Kevin: your business. Mental health was Kevin: never, ever talked about that. Kevin: no Guest: and my elders they were tough as Guest: nails those guys were like the ones Guest: that that, like, mentored me and Guest: brought me up, they never talked Guest: about their emotions, they just Guest: grit Guest: right through it, whatever's Guest: happening, whatever they're going Guest: through, whatever, when life hits Guest: them, they just keep going, right, Guest: and then, and that's, that's what Guest: most men over 50 don't, Guest: that's our era, right, like, so Guest: for, so Guest: I still think there's a stigma Guest: that, I don't know if if the stigma Guest: is ever going to really go through. Guest: bit of vulnerability. I think it's Guest: a trust thing. I think you have to Guest: open up to people you know and Guest: trust, right? Guest: That you know you're going to have Guest: that vulnerability hangover Guest: after you tell someone something. Guest: Oh, my God, why did I share that, Guest: right? Guest: And I think that becomes harder, Guest: easier and easier, I mean, when you Guest: know the person and you can trust Guest: the person, right? Kevin: So it's interesting. thing Kevin: and I keep going back to this I Kevin: want to get back to it because you Kevin: mentioned a couple things about Kevin: getting slammed in the face and you Kevin: get hit hard right now getting Kevin: slammed in the face and getting Kevin: hit hard today okay talking about Kevin: mental health okay yes I have Kevin: supports I have this that I can get Kevin: through it being slammed in the Kevin: face back then where you didn't Kevin: have it and you had to build Kevin: endurance to it can you give me an Kevin: example of one of your experiences Kevin: that you had actually you've gone Kevin: through, an example. Kevin: well yeah Guest: well my brother committed suicide Guest: and you know he's 13 months younger Guest: than me that was i fell on the Guest: floor like the one i got a phone Guest: call and when i got i was i was Guest: with a Guest: colleague working at the time it Guest: was a monday long weekend monday Guest: may may long weekend and my Guest: colleague he was working with me Guest: didn't know what the hell was going Guest: on i just there's me on Guest: the floor screaming like i lost my Guest: best friend like and Guest: it was it was like it's still to Guest: this this day it it it's hard to Guest: accept right but um that's a great Guest: example and um um and all the Guest: people that we lose when you know Guest: death takes people um away from us Guest: it's an and you know my my father Guest: died young i had colleagues at work Guest: that died each like my like mark Guest: helping was a Guest: close friend he died at work like Guest: it was a very tough moment so just Guest: death alone is a tough thing um my Guest: mark was my best friend like the Guest: guy we worked together side by side Guest: for for a decade Guest: and then losing him was just as Guest: hard as losing my brother and my Guest: father right so um yeah so just Guest: those that those are examples and Guest: everyone goes through something Guest: similar everyone loses Guest: grandparents or parents or or you Guest: know people have health issues they Guest: lose people to health so So I find Guest: that, for me, that was the big Guest: thing. Like, I'm almost numb to it Guest: now. Guest: Like, if I got a phone call today Guest: and saying someone passed, I'm Guest: like, oh, okay. Guest: You know, I hate to say it, but Guest: it's just like once you've got hit Guest: in the face, you're almost, like, Guest: used to it. You're ready for the Guest: next punch. Like I said, I've got a Guest: So, how Guest: list of things Guest: that I can go through to share, Guest: right? Kevin: did you... in going into your Kevin: brother Guest: you're Kevin: on the floor okay and you're you're Kevin: broken like you're there Kevin: because there's a lot of people Kevin: that have a lot of suit because Kevin: suicide's so prevalent out there Kevin: and a lot of people are looking for Kevin: help and they and they need that Kevin: first question and you're going Kevin: through the after effects of this Kevin: where did you go from there after Kevin: that like because you're Kevin: down what's the what was your next Kevin: Good question. Kevin: course of actions from there Guest: It took a long time to accept it, Guest: right? Guest: I think I struggled with accepting Guest: it. And then I Guest: think once I accepted it, I allowed Guest: myself to move on. but it took me Guest: years to accept it and some people Guest: never do like my mother hasn't Guest: accepted it to this Guest: day and I can't blame her because Guest: she lost I lost a brother and I I Guest: felt I had to accept that and move Guest: on but she lost a child and I don't Guest: think she was prepared to lose a Guest: child she you know Guest: like nobody is right so for my mom Guest: if I would compare like she she to Guest: this day she hasn't accepted it and Guest: I don't blame her like like you Guest: don't some people just won't move Guest: on right and I Guest: think that's the struggle between Guest: you're essentially a victim to what Guest: happened to you you lost some a Guest: loved one and then you you're the Guest: one bearing the the guilt and why Guest: and the questions and you have Guest: to sort through those things out Guest: and that can be very difficult and Guest: and a journey like some like I i Guest: said some people just never accept Guest: it right Kevin: i Kevin: how did you get through that Kevin: journey Guest: none Guest: just like i don't know what this is Guest: going to sound like but i just Guest: accepted that it was a decision Guest: that he made and then that's it was Guest: his decision and i just respected Guest: it and i moved on i'd like it was Guest: something i didn't i couldn't Guest: control none of us could have Guest: something that he decided to do Guest: right Kevin: that pretty powerful for yourself Kevin: and internally because when you Kevin: talk to people out here that are Kevin: listening going through something Kevin: similar and say okay here i am and Kevin: it's not me it's not me it was his Kevin: decision i can't control Kevin: his decision and I'm okay with Kevin: myself when did that become that Kevin: it's okay and that's like people Kevin: need to hear that out there and Guest: sure and and just to be fair to Guest: say so Guest: people it's in stages it's not like Guest: that it's like you know you Guest: might go through one year two years Guest: and you accept a portion of it and Guest: then you think about it and and you Guest: reminisce about it, and then you Guest: might get to another stage, and Guest: then you're letting go a little Guest: more. Guest: And eventually you just look back Guest: now Guest: at all the stages of what you went Guest: through, Guest: and then you've accepted every Guest: stage of it. And then you finally Guest: just decide to say, okay, I can – Guest: like when you talk about it, I Guest: think you've moved on. You're open Guest: about it. Guest: And then not everyone's comfortable Guest: talking about it or hearing about Guest: it. So it's a tough one to – Kevin: So now Kevin: I'm going to jump up jump ahead Kevin: back into your business's aspect of Kevin: Sure. Kevin: it because you're in the marketing Kevin: side of it as an entrepreneur in Kevin: the Kevin: marketing side as an influencer Kevin: because you're you're well Kevin: socialized out there okay would you Kevin: call it I'd say Google famous so Kevin: that you that you're playing your Kevin: your cards right meaning you have Kevin: it there what have you found has Kevin: been Kevin: the greatest challenge in the Kevin: marketing and branding business Kevin: that you're in and Guest: Well. Kevin: And your brand, it's the Cisco, Kevin: correct? Guest: Yeah, it's Chirico. Terco. Guest: Yeah, so it's Italian to look for. Guest: Ah. Guest: so I help people find their way Guest: it's kind of my attitude right um Guest: yeah I think like any traditional Guest: business I think it's people um you Guest: know I have a grand vision I'm Guest: seasoned I know Guest: the moves I'm going to make are Guest: people going to be willing to make Guest: the same moves or I know what's Guest: coming sometimes the people that Guest: work with me my colleagues don't um Guest: I interviewed somebody and it Guest: it was a great question um they Guest: asked me what would be the Guest: challenge working with me and i Guest: said to keep up with my crazy ideas Guest: right because like it's one thing Guest: to have an idea it's it's it's Guest: I've been Guest: another to execute and actually Guest: make that idea come to life right Guest: like even publishing magazines it's Guest: not that easy it's like there's Guest: there's a whole a whole there's Guest: a whole collaboration of people Guest: that need to happen and uh and it Guest: has to be done on schedule and you Guest: you need to have all these Guest: different skill sets and it has to Guest: be delivered and then and then Guest: somebody puts it Guest: together and throws and sends it to Guest: print and then you and then even Guest: with the digital age then you gotta Guest: um you gotta take that printed Guest: editorial piece that you created Guest: and then um repurpose it Guest: for digital that's another group of Guest: people with different skills right Kevin: So then let's get into this Kevin: start because we just glazed over Kevin: question, Kevin: this. Kevin: Why did you start this, Guest: what yeah Guest: Terco? Guest: no yeah no Guest: Why? Guest: because you know for me it was it Guest: was being being able to be creative Guest: still having uh stake in maybe Guest: somebody else's game and and Guest: helping others scale and and it Guest: felt like um it felt more Guest: Or, like, I could still advise, I Guest: could still do, I could still be my Guest: best by helping others. Guest: And I felt that it was a, also was, Guest: to be completely honest, it was a Guest: vehicle for opportunity. Guest: It was like, hey, this is going to Guest: lead me to meet other people, get Guest: to see what they're doing, how they Guest: make money, how they scale. Guest: scale um you know being so seasoned Guest: i can you know i can see i can see Guest: who has the magic touch and who Guest: doesn't have the magic touch who's Guest: just wanting to grow a business or Guest: who want who really Guest: wants to scale something right i Guest: get i so i'm in that unique this Guest: gives me that unique ability to see Guest: that and i'll tell you kevin Guest: there's a lot of people out there Guest: doing amazing things and just to Guest: To have the opportunity to be in Guest: the same room with them is, Guest: I don't think I would get that Guest: being a consultant. Kevin: You know what Kevin: it's interesting because you call Kevin: I'm saying? Kevin: it like a life hack. Kevin: here's this business that you're Kevin: creating you know the things you Kevin: know that you don't know the Kevin: Right. Kevin: brand the book the jericho the Kevin: everything you're doing then all of Kevin: a sudden you're able to go into a Kevin: business see how they operate and Kevin: tell their story Guest: Totally. And even learn about Guest: things. Like, you know, I have one Guest: client that I just started working Guest: with in waste management. Guest: And I was so excited. I was like, Guest: oh, we could do this. We could do Guest: that. and he grabs me and he's like Guest: slow down i didn't realize what it Guest: costs to expand it's a quarter Guest: million every time he has to hire a Guest: person not for the person but just Guest: to support the person so just to Guest: acquire equipment and the things Guest: that he needs so every time he Guest: scales he needs to invest Guest: a quarter million dollars so i was Guest: like whoa like i didn't see like i Guest: didn't think about that aspect of Guest: things like what it really takes to Kevin: and that's interesting because in Kevin: my business or as a lump and i'll Kevin: just talk about other businesses Kevin: it's kind of it's kind of Kevin: interesting we're talking about Kevin: this is that every time i do Kevin: a hire it's a minimum sixty Kevin: minimum $60 ,000 Kevin: thousand dollars you've got three Kevin: months you got training right Kevin: away you hire them you got three Kevin: months they got to learn all right Kevin: so productivity is down then from Kevin: that three months they got to go Kevin: the next then you got to do this Kevin: with them you got to train By the Kevin: time they're productive to make you Kevin: they make it Kevin: money, it's six months. Kevin: so Kevin: So every time you do, it's like, Kevin: let's keep that revolving door Kevin: going because totally and Kevin: they've got to flow through it. Guest: he taught me his strategic growth Guest: you know i'm kind of you know very Guest: ambitious and i want to move Guest: quickly but working with him was Guest: like oh wow this guy is so smart Guest: like he's very strategic it's it's Guest: strategic growth it's like hey Guest: we're going to grow but Guest: but we're going to be ready to Guest: provide that, right? Guest: Provide that. So it's like Guest: basically growing by the person, Guest: not by income, right? So it's Guest: like... Kevin: interesting because you would come Kevin: from a different mindset. Kevin: So here you are, you have trades, Kevin: suppliers that you did, and you're Kevin: going in and you're knocking on the Kevin: door again, okay, more people I can Kevin: get, I'll just hire trade, they Kevin: move for a dollar, okay, this guy Kevin: moves for this guy, this guy moves, Kevin: here it is, okay, we got to get Kevin: guy, Kevin: Bob steals Peter, okay, moves them Kevin: the Hills Peter, Kevin: over Kevin: and then as that's, everybody's Kevin: That's what he's... If you're Kevin: interconnecting Kevin: connecting from yourself Kevin: from themselves versus all of a Kevin: sudden, Kevin: talking from experience, because Kevin: I'm talking Kevin: Totally, yeah. Kevin: about myself because this is how Guest: You relate to it, Guest: this is done, I Guest: yeah. Kevin: totally relate and then having Kevin: people that talk strategic, I have Kevin: a hard time with that because how Kevin: do you do fast growth if you're Kevin: strategic? Guest: Yeah, and honestly, I came from the Guest: mindset of say yes and then figure Guest: out how we were going to do it Guest: later. Guest: So I'd commit to all kinds of crazy Guest: things, and it did get me into a Guest: lot of trouble a lot of the time, Guest: but it did propel my growth, right? Guest: But not everyone's ready to take Guest: those risks, right? Guest: Right. And so they want to say yes Guest: when the time's right. And but Guest: that's super strategic. And I think Guest: but again, I ran a different Guest: business. Guest: I didn't have as much equipment Guest: overhead than, you know, the Guest: example of the company I just gave. Guest: But, you know, this marketing Guest: company, you know, gave me that Guest: vehicle to work with people like Guest: that to see like, OK, okay, let me Guest: think about this a little. I'd walk Guest: away from that meeting thinking Guest: differently Guest: about how we're going to grow this Guest: business, right? Kevin: would you grow your business? Ten Kevin: times it. Guest: I'm just doing what my clients Guest: want. Kevin: That's a cop -out. Kevin: So, Guest: no, it's like, yeah, well, like, Kevin: But what do you want? Guest: you know, I'm pivoting into a new Guest: career. Guest: I'm doing everything to the max. Guest: Like, not everyone starts a Guest: magazine. There's not that many out Guest: there. Kevin: And not too many people, all of a Kevin: sudden you say, I'm just listening Kevin: to what my customers, but you said Kevin: it just before this as well, okay? Kevin: You're going in there. I'm Kevin: listening to what today. I get to Kevin: meet all these people, and I get to Kevin: give them ideas. The guy put his Kevin: hands on my shoulder and says, oh, Kevin: slow down, right? Guest: Right. Kevin: Well, wait a second. Kevin: Isn't that you that's actually Kevin: going in there and saying, no, I'm Kevin: not slowing down. I'm going after Kevin: it. Kevin: So you're that guy. Guest: Totally. But you've got to do Guest: respect people's pace. Guest: And what I liked about that Guest: individual, Guest: he doesn't want any lending. Guest: So he'd rather have growth with, I Guest: guess, security. he's not going to Guest: find himself in financial trouble Guest: where he goes and uh you know gets Guest: too Guest: much lending and then he finds Guest: himself exposed right so i like Guest: that about uh that situation but Guest: yeah to go back to that question Guest: like what do i want it's like yeah Guest: i'm ambitious i still got like i'm Guest: 51 i just turned 51 so i still have Guest: a good Guest: 50 Kevin: Three years. Kevin: i Kevin: Yeah, I like that. Kevin: don't know like Kevin: Three years. Guest: No, a lot, it's Guest: yeah i got 15 20 years Guest: 10. Guest: i've got a bunch of children that i Guest: like they're my legacy essentially Guest: so i feel like i'm positioning Guest: myself that not only am i helping Guest: my community and and my clients and Guest: the people that um that Guest: want my help and they see value but Guest: i get to help my children like Guest: they're going to get to a point Guest: well they're going to want to do Guest: something and whatever it is i Guest: definitely going to be there Guest: to support that and um hopefully Guest: it'll be starting something like um Guest: my older one is talking about he's Guest: in he's studying sports medicine Guest: and he's talking about opening a Guest: gym opening a clinic like Guest: uh my other one my younger one is Guest: uh i think he's got the bug Guest: entrepreneurial bug in him already Guest: he's he's just about to turn 18 and Guest: he's graduated high school he's Guest: just started secondary Guest: post -secondary and he's ready to Guest: he's already talking about what Guest: he's going to start as a business Guest: right and he's playing with uh he's Guest: already built himself a website Guest: he's already doing these things Guest: that he needs to learn how to do Guest: right so i think that for me is Guest: like yeah i Guest: gotta if you don't earn you burn so Guest: you know i've got 20 i don't know Guest: how many more years i'm gonna live Guest: i know my wife's gonna live till Guest: she's 95 like she's italian but as Guest: long as i'm still here Guest: i gotta i you know i gotta pay for Guest: things i still have to earn um or Guest: i'm just gonna start building in a Guest: hole and get into my savings and Guest: and spend what I've got so so Guest: essentially but I don't know Guest: any other way who'd hire me I went Guest: did that? Guest: Nobody. Guest: out yeah like I'm like I put on my Guest: resume like all these Guest: accomplishments and like what would Guest: they say like I just can't see that Guest: happening so for me it's just a Guest: natural fit so hey I gotta go build Guest: gag. Guest: a lifestyle business and something Guest: that's gonna keep me Guest: engage with the community and and Guest: i'll tell you this honestly is one Guest: of the best kind of careers i've Guest: i've really put myself out there Guest: and i just continue to do it like Guest: kevin like we're both part Guest: parties know Guest: of eo and that whole experience Guest: how Guest: rich and how Guest: share that i've learned through Guest: entrepreneur organization Guest: i i it doesn't stop with me anymore Guest: i don't you could be a complete Guest: stranger and i'll still share with Guest: you because i've learned that you Guest: know i'm providing i'm exposing Guest: myself to the community and Guest: i get to put myself out there to Guest: see if anybody needs help or or or Guest: crazy it is. Guest: is even interested in Guest: the experience i have right Kevin: And it's interesting because you Kevin: just brought in EO, okay? Kevin: Okay. And I get a lot of people on Kevin: here. We talk about EO and there's Kevin: guys that belong to tech, McKay, Kevin: all these business organizations Kevin: and young entrepreneurs out there. Kevin: And, and, and I said to Kevin: you, would anybody hire you? They Kevin: would never hire you. Why? Kevin: I love you. Kevin: Because, Guest: but Guest: You're so honest with me. Kevin: no, but it's true. I, I, there's no Kevin: way I could hire you. And the Kevin: reason is because once you've had Kevin: dog food, okay or you have steak Kevin: you'll never go back to dog food Kevin: there's entrepreneurs they get that Kevin: urge Kevin: that they it's great that scratch Kevin: That's scratchy. Kevin: you talked about earlier I got to Kevin: do the next got to do that and Kevin: it's in a good way because you're Kevin: going to build something that's Kevin: great all entrepreneurs need to Kevin: build something that's great for Kevin: themselves now we talked to you Kevin: tech like I said McKay the Kevin: interesting part about that whole Kevin: aspect right there when you talk to Kevin: somebody that has an an Kevin: organization behind them. As an Kevin: entrepreneur, not your friends, not Kevin: your family, everybody's Kevin: conversation changes. And it's Kevin: interesting because you brought it Kevin: a few times and you said you're Kevin: able to talk to other companies Kevin: about their businesses opened up Kevin: because of the training and the Kevin: experience that you have behind Kevin: you. There's other entrepreneurs Kevin: that don't have Kevin: like EO or tech and all these Kevin: organizations behind them that they Kevin: use their parents or their friends Kevin: and family for advice they become Kevin: close -knit and they think you're Kevin: competitors they think oh no why Kevin: are you asking me that question you Kevin: shouldn't be asking oh you want Kevin: my business versus anyone that's an Kevin: eos eo we ask ourselves how are you Kevin: growing your business how did you Kevin: do that Kevin: Yeah, Kevin: oh wait Guest: you're experience sharing, yeah. Kevin: and it's interesting you can tell Kevin: Yeah. Kevin: somebody that doesn't have that Kevin: kind of a mind, Kevin: background behind them because they Kevin: think people are trying to get them Kevin: versus us having this conversation Kevin: i want to know more i want to i Kevin: want to dig down deeper how can how Kevin: can you help me Kevin: grow my business here's my ideas we Kevin: talked about ai and we talked about Kevin: how you're branding how we how do Kevin: we take this in 10 times that which Kevin: Yeah, Kevin: means a lot to us but other people Kevin: would be like whoa Kevin: you're stealing from me Guest: so Guest: I think that's something you... Guest: I've completely learned to give my Guest: trust away 10 out of 10. If I don't Guest: know you, I will trust you 10 out Guest: of the 10, and it'll be up to you Guest: to lose my trust. So instead of Guest: going the other way, where most Guest: people start from one or zero, Guest: And then you got to earn their Guest: trust up to 10. I think it's a lot Guest: faster and a lot more. Guest: If you go out and say, okay, I'll Guest: trust you 10 out of 10, but it's up Guest: to you to lose my trust. And you Guest: can lose it really quick. Guest: Every time you do, do me wrong or, Guest: or do something, you just start Guest: going to down the, down, you know, Guest: the countdown to down from 10, Guest: right. Till you're gone and you're Guest: so who give Guest: out of my life. Right. Kevin: me an experience that you actually Kevin: had somebody that you believed in Kevin: yeah Kevin: and then all Kevin: of a sudden they became zero and Kevin: you're going i can't believe that Kevin: happened to me i got hacked on Guest: that or Guest: it happens all the time vendors Guest: maybe colleagues like staff members Guest: right like yeah they're just not Guest: into or they just don't resonate or Guest: they don't have chemistry with you Kevin: acquaintances let's talk Kevin: right yeah could Kevin: acquaintances like Guest: guys that Guest: be your neighbors like sometimes Guest: i'm careful how i talk to my Guest: neighbors because i recognize that Guest: we're not the same breed and i Guest: gotta i you know i can't be i can't Guest: essentially Guest: be myself you can't not with Guest: everyone right so knowing that i Guest: could easily like we're neighbors Guest: so maybe i got two out of ten i can Guest: lose that two really fast um out of Guest: ten just by saying something you Guest: know trying to be myself and uh Guest: so Guest: saying something that might not Guest: have they might not Guest: have any interest in right Kevin: what's one of your biggest Kevin: challenges with everybody like in Kevin: the business that you're in you're Kevin: going into other people's Kevin: businesses you're opening the door Kevin: you're opening that pandora box and Kevin: saying here's how i can help you Kevin: what's one of the challenges there Kevin: and I can go the other way too Kevin: that's where I'm getting at these Kevin: guys are coming in do they trust Kevin: you believe in you of course but Guest: No, Kevin: then all of a sudden it's like well Kevin: why are you asking that question Guest: I think my biggest challenge is Guest: just finding Guest: the people that are willing to Guest: invest, right? Like, you know, for Guest: me to start a magazine, I had to go Guest: and invest in it. I had to go and Guest: invest in this initiative. Guest: appreciative um and not everyone is Guest: willing to they might think it's Guest: too big or they might think Guest: it's um you know so some of the Guest: ideas that we may present or Guest: suggestions or some of the advice Guest: advisory work that i do might just Guest: be too much for or maybe i move too Guest: fast so some some of the clients Guest: are i've learned to go okay hold on Guest: a second i gotta go at their pace Guest: um others i spotted Guest: it in a minute like wow this guy's Guest: got what it takes it's like i gotta Guest: help them i gotta fuel them so um Guest: yeah so i think it would be just Guest: the chemistry that you find with Guest: people um yeah they Guest: and they've done a lot of times Guest: they've done what they've been Guest: doing very successful before they Guest: met you they're they're achieving Guest: income they're making um it's just Guest: my job to to show them how Guest: we can do it better right or more Guest: efficient or let's take the burden Guest: off you let's 10x what we're doing Guest: right but not everyone's up for it Guest: so that's that's my biggest Guest: challenge right Kevin: you have a group that you bring Kevin: together, the exchange. Kevin: yeah Kevin: So tell me a little bit about that, Kevin: and what's the importance of that? Guest: exchange um that was i think it was Guest: eo inspired like there's a level of Guest: So Guest: I guess privacy and exclusivity Guest: being a part of EO so it was my way Guest: of just bringing I guess I don't Guest: know any other way so I'm out there Guest: in the community I'm meeting all Guest: I'm like, it Guest: these great peers and Guest: how do I keep this going how do I Guest: keep connecting with them how do I Guest: so I it was actually my friend Guest: was actually a very, Guest: and swan from um north water was Guest: her idea and the very very very Guest: very, very personal thing Guest: first one that i ever did had 20 Guest: people i invited 20 people between Guest: the two of us and we stayed at this Guest: This is Guest: it was from five to seven Guest: we stayed there till 11 that night Guest: we had so much fun and then marco Guest: so Guest: from burwood distillers was there Guest: he was one of the 20 he goes this Guest: is so much fun let's do it again um Guest: but let's do it at my Guest: my place so we invited everyone so Guest: i'm like okay so i followed up with Guest: marco and we did the second one at Guest: burwood and then and then i just Guest: decided after the second one i'm Guest: just going to keep this Guest: thing going and yeah we've grown Guest: we've grown the invite list up to Guest: 500 people um we hosted one Guest: together you and i uh last february Guest: bit now. Guest: and that was you know we had 300 Guest: people show up that Guest: was it was a really uh so that was Guest: one of the bigger ones that we did Guest: but But yeah, I generally have Guest: about 70, 80 people on average that Guest: show up throughout the year. And I Guest: tend to want to spotlight somebody Guest: that needs it. Guest: So somebody doing something great Guest: or somebody that needs a little bit Guest: of attention. Guest: So it's not always about me or my Guest: guys or my team. It's about someone Guest: else. Sometimes they're clients. Guest: Sometimes they're colleagues. Guest: Sometimes they're just friends Guest: doing great, cool things. I'm like, Guest: you know, launching a business or Guest: something thing or um they're Guest: really so how how can i give back Guest: let's spotlight you let's host an Guest: event or Guest: in your case we did one with you Guest: and you did a ted talk and uh and Guest: right away we we were just chatting Guest: and it was like how like we don't Guest: do any business together we don't Guest: transact but you're a Guest: friend and you're doing something Guest: and i'm like well let me help you Guest: so do Guest: and then and we essentially Guest: just you know put everyone together Guest: to spotlight your ted talk and what Guest: you were doing so to me that was Guest: that's the fun part that's uh we're Guest: kind of giving back and um allowing Guest: this Guest: event to be uh and again it's Guest: you Guest: exclusive it's it's something it's Guest: an invite only event so it's it's Guest: nice to you know when i meet you Guest: i'm like oh you're a cool guy or a Guest: cool person and you should come you Guest: know like let's stay in touch like Guest: i'll keep inviting you and then a Guest: lot of times i'll see these people Guest: once or twice a year just because Guest: of that private exchange right Kevin: see when you do these your private Kevin: exchange and all the people do you Kevin: see a common thread because i'm Kevin: going to talk about downtown Kevin: because the majority of your work Kevin: and everything that you're down Kevin: your your advertisers or people Kevin: there are mainly downtown do you Kevin: see a common Kevin: thread that it's a lot of the same Kevin: people go to the same events Guest: business, right? Someone that would Guest: hire them, for example, or somebody Guest: that they, so yeah, they're trying Guest: to build their network essentially Guest: and you usually, right? But the Guest: to build their businesses. That's Guest: what I see Guest: ones that are successful at it, I Guest: think are the ones that just keep, Guest: they're consistent, like me and my Guest: phone call to Martin, they just Guest: keep showing up, right? Guest: And then you tend to navigate the Guest: brought Guest: community and you know where to go, Guest: right? Guest: You know where where your people Guest: are, whatever that looks like. Kevin: And you brought Kevin: up and i love this the need and the Kevin: when you talk Kevin: want and we talked about Kevin: that people need to be around and Kevin: they want to be around people and Kevin: we take covid where they were Kevin: before and then here they are you Kevin: Yeah. Kevin: have given the exchange you've Kevin: given that place because you do a Kevin: lot of events downtown okay and and Kevin: things. Kevin: you do these places and yes there's Kevin: a lot of the same people Kevin: but it's amazing how all of a Kevin: sudden from covid the needs and Kevin: wants where you just brought in and Kevin: then it builds up on that because Kevin: i've had a lot of people on my Kevin: podcast that have attended Kevin: your events and it's amazing and Kevin: now I see them on social media and Kevin: how well they're connected as the Kevin: majority of our influencers Kevin: yeah Guest: i think i think the ones you're Guest: talking about are the regular the Guest: ones that are consistently going Guest: out and they have a a passion to Guest: meet people and the passion to Guest: connect with Guest: people but there are people there Guest: are people that you'll meet that Guest: don't go out as much but if you're Guest: consistent enough you'll meet those Guest: people right and that's the thing i Guest: i find it's Guest: like oh you're you're not the yeah Guest: you do walk into a room with 100 or Guest: 200 people and you You may know 50 Guest: of the people and you tend to Guest: gravitate to the people you know, Guest: but there's always going to be Guest: people you don't know, right? Kevin: and it's interesting because a lot Kevin: of those people that you know in Kevin: here are all influencers and it's Kevin: interesting i mean influencers in a Kevin: good way because they get put Kevin: themselves out there to talk to Kevin: more people just like you do i Kevin: Yeah. Kevin: would call you an influencer of Kevin: people and making people Kevin: better and then people don't Kevin: realize being out there being Kevin: connected is so important because a Kevin: lot of people don't do what you do Kevin: it. Guest: to Kevin: own a business to create a business Kevin: to blow up in business you have to Kevin: be out there especially with what's Kevin: happening Guest: Yeah, I feel like you have to have Guest: the fundamentals figured out. And I Guest: don't think, you know, just by Guest: being a marketing professional, I Guest: meet a lot of people, I see what Guest: they're doing, I kind of look under Guest: the hood. Guest: And a couple things, there's a lot Guest: you're Guest: of gaps in what they're doing. And Guest: there's, there's also, there's Guest: inconsistencies, and then they Guest: just aren't consistent enough, I Guest: guess. Kevin: being politically correct because Kevin: you're you're stalling to go in Kevin: other words Guest: go Kevin: at least every weekend and do Kevin: something they're not consistent Guest: a week Guest: once Guest: once a week i would go at least a Guest: yeah so Guest: minimum once a week Guest: and go to your favorite events and Guest: then when you peak and you're like Guest: okay i've gone enough of these go Guest: find another one right like make a Guest: shift and find another one and then Guest: you created Guest: a reputation within each of these Guest: groups that you've kind of shuffled Guest: to right Right? Kevin: so what would be your advice to Kevin: these people young entrepreneurs or Kevin: young businessmen young people that Kevin: just want to let's talk about like Kevin: speed dating okay guys or girls Kevin: that want to get out there and meet Kevin: people in a different way not a Kevin: little a lot of alcohol and get Kevin: hammered up or anything like this Kevin: there's no sports but ways to meet Kevin: other people for events like what Kevin: would you suggest in tell young Kevin: people. Guest: Well, it really goes down to that Guest: three, the formula. There's two Guest: things. One is, like, people do Guest: business with who they know, Guest: so you have to go out there and Guest: introduce yourself. You have to Guest: break the ice. Guest: They do business with people they Guest: like, or they might not have to Guest: like you as a person. and they Guest: might not like what you're about or Guest: what you're offering, and they have Guest: to trust you. They have to trust Guest: that you're going to take care of Guest: them Guest: and they need to know you're Guest: competent. Guest: So that trust needs to be there. Guest: So I think that, at its own, just Guest: have the consistency to go through Guest: that. Guest: And then timing. Guest: They might not need you right away. Guest: So if you're consistent and you're Guest: going down through that and, you Guest: know, don't hit them with the pitch Guest: whiplash and try to sell them every Guest: time you see them. Guest: They're going to know what you do. Guest: Eventually, they're going to meet Guest: you five times and, you know, small Guest: talk, and they know what you do. Guest: When they need someone that does Guest: what you offer, Guest: they're going to come find you. Guest: Or they have an existing provider Guest: that is keeping them satisfied, but Guest: maybe they break up one day, but Guest: so Guest: then who else do they know? Guest: they know another provider that Guest: could be you right so it's timing Guest: is important so Kevin: with everything that you're doing Kevin: so Kevin: and would Kevin: you consider yourself a disrupter Guest: oh yeah for sure i am and like 100 Guest: i'm like like 100 i i'm very serial Guest: actually one of my Guest: eo mates um mike russell shout out Guest: to him he was i was in foreign with Guest: him made me i didn't even even know Guest: this about myself he was the one Guest: that like pointed it out he he told Guest: me i have the Guest: ability to figure out what the dots Guest: are and then connect them but once Guest: i figure out that watch out right Guest: like what like like whoever i'm Guest: competing with is watch out because Guest: it's because i won't Guest: give up i'll be consistent and i'll Guest: just keep going until the success Guest: starts coming right um and then um Guest: yeah so then yeah so Kevin: It sounds like you're being more Kevin: politically correct here because Kevin: you said three things. Kevin: no i on this, but. Guest: Yeah, Guest: think Kevin: There's a but here, okay? Kevin: yeah Guest: i am very disruptive and i do Guest: compete so it's like i will compete Guest: yeah Kevin: it's interesting. So what would you Kevin: say the definition of disruptor is Kevin: then? Guest: disrupting your competitors my mom Guest: taught me this she she's she's been Guest: she's i don't even know how how Guest: I don't Guest: long my mom's been in business Guest: she's still like my mom ever since Guest: she came to this country Guest: had her own business and she taught Guest: me not to care about what your Guest: competitors are doing Guest: just compare just just make sure Guest: you care about what your customers Guest: are doing so I only only focus on Guest: the customers and that alone will Guest: disrupt you know whoever has the Guest: even Guest: voice of the customer has Guest: I don't even know. Guest: how's the market so i just keep my Guest: head right my ear right to the Guest: I don't even know. Guest: I don't even know. Guest: ground focused on the customer Guest: and that's going to disrupt the Guest: market Kevin: and with your experience have you Kevin: oh Kevin: ever learned anything that's Kevin: from your competitors that you know Kevin: that you disrupted them Guest: yeah you could tell sometimes they Guest: don't even talk to you at events um Guest: you know they might have been Guest: chummy with you at one point and Guest: then that you know you could just Guest: feel when you when you or you know Guest: it's a small community sometimes Guest: you just Guest: here but that's okay you know like Guest: um this this isn't in business Guest: sometimes this is in Guest: business you have to compete right Guest: we're all trying to survive and and Guest: ultimately i have my group of of my Guest: network i have to take care of and Guest: they have their network and you Guest: know i always believe there's Guest: and Guest: enough to go around for everybody Guest: anyway so Kevin: it's just a good question because Kevin: here's the one people say hey, Kevin: there's enough to go around with Kevin: everybody when we appreciate, as in Kevin: AI is changing the way the model is Kevin: working. Kevin: Everything's changing. Is there Kevin: enough to go around? No. And then Kevin: from my experience, because I want Kevin: to get back to, there's two parts Kevin: because I don't believe it. I Kevin: believe there's enough to go Kevin: ensure, Kevin: around. Kevin: Sure, if you want it to be. Kevin: As in, I always say when you're a Kevin: disruptor, it's kind of that Kevin: question of, it's like, obviously Kevin: if my competitors like me, my Kevin: prices are too high, my service Kevin: sucks, and that's Guest: it. Kevin: and you're messing up right so Kevin: right there we know so when they Kevin: don't when they don't like you know Kevin: your price is excellent the service Kevin: is great and quality is good so and Kevin: they don't like you said they don't Kevin: talk to you and and being very Kevin: aggressive because a disruptor gets Kevin: it on both Kevin: sides like they're good and they're Kevin: bad okay because they're the Kevin: they're changing the way business Kevin: has been done now ai's in here you Kevin: are in a media business that now Kevin: has ai Guest: wow Kevin: Wow. Is that a disruptor AI? Guest: Oh, 100%. That's it, and I think Guest: it's a unique Guest: place. I don't know what's going to Guest: happen, right? AI is disrupting the Guest: world. I don't have the answer for Guest: you. Guest: I can't say, Kevin, like, hey, but Guest: I'll say one thing. Guest: It's not going to replace people. Guest: You can't talk to it. The minute Guest: somebody knows they're dealing with Guest: AI, they lose all interest in Guest: people, So there's always going to Guest: be a place for a person. Guest: I believe the future is going to be Guest: boutique, smaller groups, smaller Guest: companies, the powerful individuals Guest: that all have skill sets, that have Guest: AI behind them, supporting them, Guest: doing all the heavy lifting. Guest: But you still need an expert to Guest: tell AI what they need to do, Guest: right? Guest: Will it cut down? Guest: Yeah, it's going to be a funny, Guest: interesting. I hope to see it in my Guest: lifetime, the mass unemployment or Guest: this universal income, you know, Guest: people, maybe shorter work weeks. Guest: I don't know. I don't know what the Guest: future is going to hold. I'm Guest: watching it just like everyone Guest: else. but i do i do i'm not Guest: emotional about change like we Guest: talked about before the podcast Guest: started Guest: but i think ai is really Guest: challenging people's emotions Guest: around it because there's this Guest: thing Guest: out there that has made people Guest: in real Guest: realize like you know there's Guest: people that have gone to school Guest: spent hundreds of thousands of Guest: dollars spent tens you know years Guest: learning then getting into an uh a Guest: career spending another 10 or 20 Guest: Oh, Guest: years in it and now there's a thing Guest: that comes in can do it Guest: better than they can but and Guest: they're salty like a lot of them Guest: Yeah. Guest: are and then but the ones that are Guest: embracing it um unfortunately i i Guest: think it's the younger people that Guest: they're you know i don't think they Guest: know any better they just see it as Guest: like they're being introduced to it Guest: the same time as Guest: the seasoned professional that has Guest: been doing it for you know 20 30 Guest: years but i i feel that Guest: You just need to embrace it. And if Guest: you can get your salty emotions out Guest: of the way and really just look at Guest: it and then be honest, that's Guest: another thing I find that we Guest: mentioned that, we were talking Guest: about that earlier too. Guest: People aren't honest what they Guest: actually know, right? Or they're Guest: not being honest about the Guest: technical abilities of what AI Guest: could actually do in their Guest: industry. So that's another thing Guest: I'm finding too, Guest: like finding a real advisor that's Guest: going to tell you the truth about Guest: what's in front of us um and from Guest: what i see it's from what like from Guest: the advisors that Guest: have presented and and some of Guest: these guys are like world class Guest: yeah like there's there's a big Guest: huge Guest: tsunami coming at us but i'm not Guest: too concerned i'm still going to be Guest: and i don't think ai is going to be Guest: strategic or they're not going to Guest: be able to analyze what's in the Guest: moment and what you Guest: You know, those are the human Guest: elements that you still need people Guest: for that. Kevin: Yeah, it's interesting. AI Kevin: you're Kevin: is definitely going to have, well, Kevin: it definitely has a change, It has Kevin: a change on my business, and I'm Kevin: looking at it. Kevin: And the thing about it is we don't Kevin: know what we don't know. So it's Kevin: kind of like people go, oh, we're Kevin: going to lose business. Oh, this is Kevin: changing. Well, the guys that all Kevin: of a sudden, when we talked about Kevin: that, building out a company, and Kevin: here they are building a company Kevin: out Kevin: because they've been an engineer Kevin: for 20 years, did this, did this, Kevin: they understand the code, and then Kevin: all of a sudden you come in with AI Kevin: and does this part. Now we can Kevin: build faster, quicker, better, and Kevin: create different jobs that we Kevin: didn't even know we had. Guest: so Guest: that's true Kevin: how crazy is that Kevin: yeah Guest: no Guest: it's going to be interesting to see Guest: what the future holds for sure Guest: that Kevin: is awesome well you know what Kevin: daniel thanks for coming on shed Kevin: time listen like subscribe hit the Kevin: button see where we're at here on Kevin: shed talk thanks for joining me Kevin: daniel one last question if you Kevin: were to say anything to an Kevin: entrepreneur or anyone out there Kevin: what would it be Guest: just do it take action all the Guest: planning and And all the vision Guest: means absolutely nothing if you Guest: thank Guest: don't take action. Kevin: you daniel all right we'll see you Kevin: guys on shed talk Guest: Amazing.