Latest / Don Talk - Conversations with Mike Turner / The Hidden Cost of Success: Building a Business, Losing Yourself | John Rossiter

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The Hidden Cost of Success: Building a Business, Losing Yourself | John Rossiter · Don Talk - Conversations with Mike Turner

• John Rossiter: if you're not if you're not at your best, you're giving other people and your business a lesser version of you. And if you really care about those things or those people around you, they deserve nothing but your best. So you're doing a disservice not just to you, your business, but also those who who who stand by you as well, who's most important. Mike Turner: Welcome everybody to another episode of Don Talk Conversation with Mike Turner. We got a good one here today. Today's subject is the hidden cost of success. And then the question that we want to answer today by the time this is all over and said and done is what happens when success becomes the way a man proves that he belongs, and the pressure to keep proving himself becomes a heavy becomes heavier than the business he's trying to build. So hopefully we'll get to answering that question by the end of this episode. But let's start off our guest. Here. We have John. This is our first intercontinental interview here. So we appreciate you jumping on this one. We got Manasseh joining us as usual. John, without going over like your full background, here's a question that we have to ask right off the back. Who is John? Before the entrepreneur, John Rossiter: Yeah. Mike Turner: before you know, you're the successful businessman. Who is John? John Rossiter: Yeah, absolutely. So I grew up in a place called Wrexham, which is in North Wales here in the UK. And Yeah, that's it, man. That that's the one. That's the one. You know, Mike Turner: Welcome to Wrexham. I watch that all the time. R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. John Rossiter: it's funny because like especially we're speaking with so many people across the pond, they'll often say to Wrexham, where's where's Wrexham? Like, you know the guy who plays Deadpool? like, yeah, the guy took Mike Turner: Yeah. John Rossiter: over your football club, you know, so I'm like, Yep, that's the one. So yeah, I grew up in Wrexham. yeah, just kind of took the the conventional path really. you know, went to, you know, school and and college as you do. but I went, I was never, never academically proven. I was just a kid who's, you know, selling sweets and and different drinks on the on the schoolyard. R. Manasseh Thornton: Okay. John Rossiter: you know, making money out of the school, right? You know, I'm kind of stealing all the all the pennies from the school. So You know, I've got like lines of kids just, you know, trying to offer me money for things and my bag and stuff. And yeah, I was had a little bit bit of a business going when I was literally like twelve years old. And I didn't recognise the fact that that was maybe like an entrepreneurial seed that I started to unintentionally nurture. and so anyway, one thing led to the next. I came out of school really with with no grades, like no GCSEs, no no nothing. I pretty much bottom set for everything. And you know, all I really cared about was just getting home and playing on the on the Xbox and my PlayStation, right? So that was it. And if I wasn't, I was thinking about it, I was talking about it. That's really all that mattered in my life at that point. So somehow got through it. went into college for for a couple of years, studied business, studied a bit of IT, public services. didn't really know what I wanted to do. And I think because of that at such a young age, you know, I I felt like almost the the the the black sheep of the family really. all my entire family is very much academically proven. You know, they've they've traveled the world, project managers, lawyers, this, that, and the other, doctors. And here I am kind of spinning my wheels for, you know, knocking on the door of twenty years. And yeah, there was a lot of pressure coming from that. So, you know, I learnt a skill. Mike Turner: So talk about that talk about that part right there because like that's the that's key. Everybody's a academic and you're here taking a different route. Like, what how did that feel? What was your family saying about you not following everybody else's footsteps? John Rossiter: Yeah, it was The the the pressure wasn't like I wouldn't say like a vocal pressure, like people weren't letting me know that the pressure was on, but I could feel it. You know, like when I was in certain conversations, I couldn't really relate. I couldn't really add a lot to a conversation. whenever we spoke about academic paths, I just kinda switched off and went somewhere else. If I could just leave the room or whatever it may so I never really truly fit into that type of conversation. And that you know, it was playing on my on my mind. Like I I knew that I knew that it was a thing, you know. And I think especially as guys, right, I think you you want to make your parents proud and you want to make yourself proud. And when someone looks at you, or they look at your parents, you think, you know what, he's he's done well. John's done well for himself. I was never in that position. You know, so like I had a little bit of pressure there too. So yeah. Mike Turner: I I've definitely John Rossiter: But Mike Turner: felt that pressure and I I think I put it on myself too. It's like I think my parents wanted us to be successful, whatever the definition that was, but I put more pressure on myself to like prove to my father that that I was somebody. You know. I don't think John Rossiter: Mm. Mike Turner: he naturally put it on me, but it was like I think I feel like every guy wants to show their dad that he made it. You know, thanks to you, Dad, and where you brought us up, I made it. And that was I don't know if that's a good pressure to for us to put on ourselves. You know, 'cause I don't think our parents John Rossiter: Hmm. Mike Turner: really have that type of or they didn't vocal at least mine didn't vocalize it. Is that something that we put on ourselves, you think? R. Manasseh Thornton: Mm. Well, I think that it's important that I mean, I think there's pressure No matter what, right? You're gonna find some form of that pressure, whether it's through your peers, right? You're in school and this your peers are graduating and they're going to this university, they're going to this place, they're doing this. And and you know, if you're not in that conversation, that there's pressure there. There's pressure, obviously, like you said, even if it's not always spoken amongst your family, everybody expects you to be successful. Now, what it what's the definition of that success is, you know, obviously each individual has to kind of create that on their own, but you know, societal pressures are there. You know, you're supposed to have a job, you're supposed to graduate from university, you're supposed to, you know what I mean, you're supposed to make a certain amount of money. you know, those things are there because it's just like what you're supposed to do. But when you do find yourself in a position where you, you know. Maybe that's not the route, or maybe you had a I when I graduated from college, I went straight into to grad school and I left grad school after a semester. You know what I'm saying? And I felt it was so hard for me to do because I think people in my mind I thought people just expected me to come back with a degree, you know, another degree. And I'm like, who what am I, you know, what are they gonna think of me if they you know, what if I come back with my tail between my legs, you know, with no degree. And so it took me like that whole semester, I kept saying, I don't wanna be here. I don't want I don't want to do this. Like, this ain't for me. And it's like, but but what are people gonna think? You're gonna be a failure. Like, you know, like people expect you, you're supposed to be smart. People expect, man, it was tough. So then yeah, you come home and it's like, even though ain't nobody saying it, I feel like people are looking at me like, man, look at what you doing back here? Why you, you know, where your degree at? Like, you know, so I I feel that pressure, John. I know that it's there even though it's not always spoken. John Rossiter: Yeah, exactly. And I I think it's it's very common as well. You know, I don't know about you guys, but yeah, I I think there was a certain pressure that if you haven't got all your I don't know if you can cuss on this, but all your stuff figured out Mike Turner: Curse curse, say what you gotta say. John Rossiter: if you haven't got all your stuff figured out, Mike Turner: All your shit together. R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. John Rossiter: All your all your shit together by thirty years old. I mean you were cooked. Like that was R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. John Rossiter: it. Like game over for you, you know? But especially as we're now in twenty twenty six, almost twenty seven, you know, it's just it's just so far from the truth now. You know, it's so much can change in the space of twelve months. Like it you know, thirty is i is you're just getting it no one has their stuff figured out. It doesn't matter whether you're R. Manasseh Thornton: Right. John Rossiter: you know You've just come out of the wound or you're a hundred and one years old. Like no R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. John Rossiter: one has everything figured out, you know. So yeah. R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. And and I think also again, like the the the switching of Mike Turner: I'm Ford I'm R. Manasseh Thornton: of ideologies of this, you know, what what it means to be successful. I think if no other time like especially now in twenty twenty six, I think everybody has to redefine what you know what success really means for you. Because, you know, I know people, you know, we all know people who are the doctors and who, you know, have all of the degrees and they make a ton of money or whatever. And they're miserable. These people are miserable. They either don't like their job or they don't like their circumstances. They don't like the mares they're in. You know, they're not as happy as you think just because you go this route that they, you know, they're supposed to be the you know the way that everybody goes. I think everybody has to redefine what that means. because financially you're not gonna make as much money as everybody, but it doesn't mean that you can't be as happy. It doesn't mean that you can't be content and satisfied in what you do. It just means that I don't make a million dollars a year. But you know, who needs that when I see people making a million dollars a year and are absolutely miserable? Like it doesn't always Mike Turner: I know. John Rossiter: Yeah. R. Manasseh Thornton: equate. Mike Turner: Yeah. I'm I'm a firm John Rossiter: Exactly. Mike Turner: believer that it like not education, formal education isn't for everybody. I'm a firm believer in that. I think it is a means to an end for certain professions. So, John, like at the time, were you just not you felt like you just school wasn't for you, you just had a different route. Like you've talked about being the black sheep. Talk about that for a sec. Like was school did you feel school just wasn't your route? You could do something different and be s and be your level of success without going to school? Like, what was that thought process? John Rossiter: Yeah, that's a really good question. I think I went through a stage where it was I wouldn't really label it as like rebellious. I just didn't take it seriously. and I've I I don't know again, I don't know if it's the the problem or issue, maybe the word an observation. I I think I've I've I've observed the fact that I d I have a bit of a tough time if this is even making sense. Like being auth Basically what I'm trying to say is like I've got a bit of a tough time with authority and people telling me what to do, when I can do it, where I can go, what like like I just completely turn the other direction and I think it may come from my dad, I think, because he's very much like that as well. you know, he's he's run his own couple of businesses and stuff. And I think that's maybe where it comes from. And so whenever someone was trying to put me in a in a box in a vehicle and saying, All right, you've got to be here at this time, this is when you can take a break, this is when you can do that, this is when you can do this, I was just like, get out of here, man, like out of my face. I don't wanna hear it, I wanna you know, so it's again it's not I wasn't like a naughty kid in school. I just didn't do what I was told, if that makes sense, you know. So I I I always knew that there was something deep within that I could do something on my own, you know. R. Manasseh Thornton: I mean, it sounds like you've been a hustler since, you know, since you can remember. I mean, you know, you talk about the, yeah, the selling the candy, you know, Mike Turner: Some slangin' them drinks. John Rossiter: Yeah. R. Manasseh Thornton: at 11, 12 years old, like just finding a way, your niche, which it's it's it's funny because, you know, like we talk about the the stereotypes of what you're supposed to do in life, you know, if somebody sees that at an early age and starts feeding that, you know what I mean, who knows where you you know, how much further you could have been, you know, with with your where you are in your entrepreneurial, you know, journey. Because, you know, to see that you that means that you're charismatic. That means that you know that you you know, when you can sell to kids like that, no matter what it is, that means you're charismatic, you have a way with words, you know, you're you know personable, you you know, you have some kind of decorum. Those things are are super important. One of the questions that I had, I don't know Mike if I'm if I'm jumping too fast, but with that entrepreneur like That entrepreneurial kind of spirit, like what made you feel like you needed to bet on yourself instead of like going the route of just getting a job and working for somebody else, even if it wasn't something that you may really, really love and enjoy? What made you want to bet on yourself instead? John Rossiter: Yeah, that's a good question. I'd probably say if it wasn't if I you know, if we were to remove the little gut feeling I had and put it to the side for the moment, I think if I was to be completely honest, I'd say ego. Like I had a bit of an ego and I thought, you know what? Screw this, like I I can go and do something else Mike Turner: Yeah. John Rossiter: on my own and I'm gonna show everybody that I can do it. And you know, don't get me wrong, man, it's took it's took a long time. You know, I've been in entrepreneurship and business now since I was 17 years old and 29 now, 30 in April next year. So it's been a long time. And you know, it's only up until the last I'd say twenty twenty twenty three, I think, twenty twenty two, that people actually start to pay attention and you said, you know what? This this guy's actually gonna do it. Mike Turner: Yeah. John Rossiter: but up until that point, it was, you know, I was cooked in everybody's eyes. Everyone everyone was looking at me and thinking, yeah, this this this guy's, you know, taking a different path. He doesn't know what he's doing, he's he's gonna be this, he's gonna be that. So I think R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah, yeah. He's all over the place. John Rossiter: it was yeah, exactly, man. I think it was a bit of a case of like, well, you know what, I'm gonna show you type of thing. You know, like R. Manasseh Thornton: Mm-hmm. John Rossiter: and I think it's it's tapping into that that little bit of a an ego thing, I think. R. Manasseh Thornton: So the ego and you say there was a there was a feeling in the p like you had a feeling that that this was something that was drawing you to to kind of independence and freedom, right? John Rossiter: Yeah. I mean I'd always been interested with business. Like and I never knew it was called business back then. I was just doing my thing. I was just learning my thing, listening to my thing. you know, and I take into consideration like a lot of the the shows that I used to watch growing up, a lot of the books that I used to read, the people I used to hang around with, like when I look back at it now, I think, huh, do you know what it all kind of makes sense? R. Manasseh Thornton: Mm-hmm. John Rossiter: And I think it's just compounded over and over and over and over for again like the last like twelve years, thirteen years, whatever it's been. So yeah. It's it's it's interesting. Mike Turner: So so do you think that it was innate desire to hustle or was it fear? Like that's the big question. Which one was it? Was you was just John Rossiter: Mm. Mike Turner: a natural born hustler? Were you so scared that if you failed that everybody else was gonna be right and you should have followed their path? John Rossiter: I definitely say it's the former. Like I've always been you know, I've always had the entrepreneurial sphere, I've always had that that that sort of hustle muscle. and you know, like I mentioned before, like I wanna I wanna pair that with the idea of turning around and saying, Hey, you know what, I've done it. kind of silence the haters type attitude, right? So R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. Mike Turner: Right, yeah. John Rossiter: yeah, that's that's kind of the the the I guess the spearhead for me into into that. R. Manasseh Thornton: I think that's the spirit though. I mean, I think with true entrepreneurship, like that's the spirit you kinda gotta have, right? Like just the, you know, a little bit of irrational confidence, a little bit of, you know, a little ego and a little bit of let me show you, I can show you better than I could tell you kind of thing. So I man, I I take my hat off to you John Rossiter: Yeah. R. Manasseh Thornton: because you can see now in our in our in our society and all of that, that, you know, everybody is trying to, you know, do some kind of hustle. Somebody's trying to, you know, and and and we call it hustle, but I also I really believe it's like, you know, betting on yourself. You know, we we think that you have to be with an organization or a corporation to give you validity. But the reality is if I can do this thing and I can do it at a high level, why not do it myself? Why not bet on myself and and try to be my own boss, create a an atmosphere freedom and and build the rules around this shit the way that I want to see it you know look instead of somebody else and you know having to try to cut through the red tape of somebody else's company to get the thing done that I want to get done. You know what I mean? So I think when you can really bet on yourself, I think that that's just an awesome thing, man. Like, you know you may fail, but shit it'll build you up in ways that you would never even imagine. Mike Turner: Yeah. John Rossiter: Yeah, that's exactly it, man. I mean it's it is a case of like why not? You know, why not me? That that's a big thing. R. Manasseh Thornton: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mike Turner: Yeah, and I think the the natural tendency for anybody that's that's wanting to be an entrepreneur is at some point in time, we have to admit, I I will hope so. Not that it's healthy, but fear does set in at some point in time. Like, at what point in time was that for you? And and and like what was the instance that was like, man, fear's starting to set in, but you you and what did you do to turn it around? Because that's the key point. Like everybody goes through fear. And whether we admit John Rossiter: Yeah. Mike Turner: it or not, we go through it, but then we also do we stay in it or do we move and adjust to get out of it as quickly as possible so we don't fet so does so it doesn't fester. R. Manasseh Thornton: Fear gotta be when you ain't making money, John Rossiter: Yeah. R. Manasseh Thornton: right? Mike Turner: Yeah. John Rossiter: yeah, yeah, literally. Yeah, and and that's that's that's a good point. you know, back in twenty twenty three I was working a full time job and running the business at the same time. So like I was working just like crazy hours and I knew that one of them had to drop for me to excel in the other. it was just it was just constant. literally seven days a week, sixteen, seventeen hour days. And just so much in my mind. And anyway, I I I kind of pulled a plug on my full time job and I I I literally used every single penny from my last paycheck to invest into a a mentor. and this wasn't a f my f you know my first mentor, I've had them years prior. but to hit on the point of fear here. it I I wasn't fearful. I mean, it was a pretty hefty price tag, you know, it was pretty much everything I had at the point, and more. and I was really kind of just paying for that continued tuition through the sales I made through my business. Like I was like back against the wall type thing. and you know, I had some good clients, had a good client base, and I could feel myself just every single day just getting closer and closer and closer to burnout. And I think it was the second time I'd burnt out. And you know, I I was running the business as you guys know, right? You gotta do the marketing, the sales, the content, the coaching, like the the accounting, the tax stuff like you've got to do everything. Then you put financial pressure on top of that as well. And every single month, you know, to trying to pay for this tuition, you see, you know, four and a half thousand dollars come out. It's like Grant, I'm really s feel like I'm spinning my wheels here. So like it was it was pretty heavy, and then so I pulled out the mentorship and then I was back to square bottom. I was like, Well I'm on my own again. And you know, I looked at my my bank account and I was like, Man, I'm finished. Like I've got these clients, but I've got this business, I've got nothing to show for it. sleepless nights, my emotions were all over the place. And this is the point where I'm starting to think, is this really something I wanna do? because I can't really manage it right now. Like my like I'm not really spending present time, and I think this is all something I'm sure we'll we'll get into, but present time with with family, friends, my my girlfriend I wasn't there. Like I was in a call that I maybe had four hours ago. so it was kind of having a knock on effect and everything. And that's when I started to think, you know what? Is it really what I want to do? Like, because I could go and get a job with the skills I have and, you know, do pretty well. you know, work my way up the ladder. I've got that entrepreneurial spirit, I've I've got the resilience, I've got the things I can do. But I just didn't really see a way out. And Yeah, I mean I was just I had pressure coming in from all angles. And that's that's when I started to think to myself, you know what, like I need to take a break for a bit. But because you've got nothing to to fall back on, because you haven't built a career, you haven't built, you know, like a a like a I guess a traditional path to fall back on, you really do feel like you're starting from from square one again, you know. So it's just kind of letting letting go of everything and being okay with the fact that it's okay to start over. And I think through that transition, you will have that fear. But you know, as Manes, like as as you said, like you've got to be able to bet on yourself. And what I did, I think, as the as the pivotal piece from to move from A to B was I looked at the great stuff that I'd done and and I'd used that as validation. And I thought, you know what, I can do this, and it's okay. A a great mentor of mine, James, he once said to me, He's like, Look, every single winning Formula One driver needs a pit stop. They don't just go around fifty-two laps or seventy Mike Turner: Mm. John Rossiter: seventy laps of the track, just constant. They need R. Manasseh Thornton: Right. John Rossiter: to take a pit stop movement, change their tires, change the this, change the that, check on your suspension, check on this. Then they go again. And I R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. John Rossiter: took that into consideration. I was like, you know what? Okay, let's just truly dive into this break. Like what will be will be. And I know for a fact, because I've done X, Y, and Z, I'll get back into it. And I'll as you said, you know, if it was failures through failures. you you learn lessons and then you just compound those lessons and then you bet it again next time. So I think you've you've just got to have an inner confidence and almost delusional confidence. so even when you don't have the validation, you can do it, you know? So yeah. R. Manasseh Thornton: Okay. Irrational confidence for sure. Yeah. That was that was Mike Turner: Mm-hmm. So talk about that pitch stop, like like hold on, R. Manasseh Thornton: one of the quick go ahead, Mike. Mike Turner: like that pit stop analogy. I like that analogy. So you took a break. John Rossiter: Right. Mike Turner: What did you change during that time? Like like you said, if the Formula One drivers gotta get the tires John Rossiter: Mm-hmm. Mike Turner: changed, gotta get more fuel. Like a break isn't just sitting back and not doing nothing. You have to work on something. You have to take a break from the the the work and do some inner work. So what did you work on? What changed? That got you moving again. John Rossiter: So I'm a big believer, man, and like there's there's there's a there's a foundation to everything. And I believe that the foundation is sleep, nutrition, and training. Like if you don't I always say this is the big that you know I stung a lot of my clients in the past, but they they've realized the value of it. but your business is always a direct reflection of you. So if you are all over the place, so is your business. Like your sleep is the biggest superpower ever. And I think Yeah, I don't know how much we want to go into this, but the whole hustle culture thing, like people will always say, you know, go and go with the sleepless nights and and sacrifice your sleep. You don't need to do it. You got work to do, man. It's like, dude, that's so immature because like you need sleep. If you don't sleep well and get a good night's sleep, everything you do when you are awake will be that will be of sacrifice. it won't be as efficient, it won't be as productive. So to answer your question, man, like I would say, you know, it's just taking a step back, it's beginning to eat right. fueling my body correctly, getting my sleep nailed in, so having a a good predictable routine, a bed at eleven PM, awake at seven thirty or eight a.m. whatever it may be for you. and then train. Like put your body under some good, healthy stress and pressure. Go and lift some weights. You know, like you can do some body workouts at home. Just get something in, start picking up your wins again and start rebuilding. You know? I mean and then when you're at your best, everything else will take care of itself. Again, I'm a big believer in like your external is represented by your internal. So you talk about the inner work, right? It's like if you don't take care of of of the inner, you look around you and you think, why is everything in chaos? Well R. Manasseh Thornton: Right. John Rossiter: look at yourself first. Like anything happens in our business, I don't go in ahead and and you know, go completely like balls deep and figuring out okay what's happening inside of the business. I look at myself first. Is my sleep in check? Is my nutrition in check? Is my training in check? Am I you know do I have a good home life? Is the relationship I have with my girlfriend good? My family, my friends? And if it is, nine times out of ten, it's gonna be a business thing. Because I've I've checked myself before I wrecked myself type thing, you know? So that that's that's kind of R. Manasseh Thornton: Mm. There you go. Mike Turner: Yeah. I love it. John Rossiter: it. Yeah. R. Manasseh Thornton: That there was one of my favorite rappers, Fontaine, talks about the cult the grind culture John Rossiter: Mm. R. Manasseh Thornton: and he says well well oil machines don't grind. You know, we talk about grinding, like you were saying, John Rossiter: Yeah. R. Manasseh Thornton: like this kind of grind, grind, hustle, grind. Well oil machines don't grind. They you know I mean you gotta you have to be able to take care of the the inner person. You've I mean you said it so well, man. Like working out gives you a little bit of that push and pull, some of the resistance that you need to kind of start building your inner strength up. And and the same with your mental, you know, when you talk about you know, eating right and and and making sure your nutrition is right and sleeping, all of that. is mental health. All of that is physical and mental health stuff. And and and if you do those three things, you know, like John said, I mean you you're you're at least recalibrating your engine, your your machine, so that the things around you or the things connected to you can actually work appropriately as well. That that was just well said, John. Mike Turner: Yeah, I I like John Rossiter: Let me show you. Mike Turner: that. Taking care of taking care of yourself. A a lot of us don't do that. R. Manasseh Thornton: And the the the you know, I was gonna ask about, but you already touched on it, like the sacrifices. That that's to me a another big thing that is rarely discussed. Like you said, missing out on you know, birthdays or dinner parties or you know, having you know a true relationship with your significant other. you know, being able to go, you know, look in on your parents and things like that. Like all of those things kind of go by the wayside when you're grinding and you're, you know, hustling trying to make your your your you know your dream come true but in the process a lot of those things are sacrificed in that and and you do have to kind of make that way you have to weigh it what's more important at this point you know what you know if I get this you know company off the ground but I lose everything that I love around me like What is there to gain, you know, if you lose everything? You know what I mean? So I was glad that you also talked about some of those sacrifices and and being able to make that transition when you took your break, I think you probably helped a lot of that too. John Rossiter: Yeah, you you absolutely have to, man. And one of the one of the things that I think is so big, so so so big and important for entrepreneurs these days is like habits. like I've got my phone next to me, so I'll give you a quick demonstration. But like whenever I was like out for dinner, let's say with a family or friends or my partner, you know, they'd be speaking, like they'd be sitting in front of me and I could see my phone like lighting up. I I was like, I it's it's either a client, it's my business partner, it's something I've got to get to. And It's it it could take someone saying, Hey John, can I book a call with you? Right? It's something like that. And I'm like and even it j all it needs to do is just get my attention and I'm automatically no no longer fully present in the conversation I'm having in real time. And our last one I'll Hey, you know what? Sorry, or sorry mate, can I just get back to this? And I'll I'll mess and I'm messaging at the dinner table. I'm just thinking like you can't you can't do that. like yeah Yeah, I know sometimes it's tough and not expecting everything to be perfect. things happen. But like I would just say, do your very best to to make a habit. Put your personal time in first. Like put a date night in your calendar. Like if you do not have a date night and you make time for your for your significant other, it's game over. You're finished. So like put that in and then then put your business around your personal life, you know? and when you're on, you're on. And when you're with, you're with. You know, that that's the biggest thing I would if I if I could go back in time, that's that's one of the many things I would change. Mike Turner: Yeah. So you talked about too, like, you know, in previous John Rossiter: Okay. Mike Turner: conversations, you you said you've burnt out twice. You've experienced burnout twice. Like, John Rossiter: Yeah. Mike Turner: what ha what didn't you do the first time? What didn't you did you not correct the first time to experience it the second time? And what's the lesson of like, dang, I should have noticed that you could tell talk to everybody. When you get to this point, you know something's wrong so people could not experience burnout. Does that make sense? John Rossiter: Yeah. So first time I didn't really have a a vision. I didn't have a plan. I didn't have any direction. I was just kind of looking back, you know, I was just kind of I was trying, but I was winging it. And I think I was okay with the fact I was winging it and I didn't have a vision and I didn't have a plan and I didn't have form of accountability around me either. So like over time. when you just keep trying and trying and trying and trying and trying and trying and you have no vision and you have no direction, you have no accountability, you feel like you're doing a lot, but you don't nothing really comes of it. So again, one of the James, the same guy, one of my mentors said, There's nothing more foolish in business than applying enthusiastic force in the wrong direction. And that's exactly what I was doing back then. so I was thinking, Well I'm doing all this sort of stuff on a day to day basis. The months go by, the years go by, what have I got to show for it? You know, and and that's that hit. so that was the first time. You know, and as we talk about sacrifice, you know, I was sacrificing everything. Like from the minute I woke up, I was working. So the minute I went to sleep, I was working. Like I missed out on meals, I didn't go to the gym. I didn't even I didn't even know what day of light was. You know, I I was just sacrificing everything. And but yeah, second time around it's just taking care of myself. You know, you have to come first, you have to be your top priority. Yeah, 'cause I I don't think if you're not if you're not at your best, you're giving other people and your business a lesser version of you. And if you really care about those things or those people around you, they deserve nothing but your best. So you're doing a disservice not just to you, your business, but also those who who who stand by you as well, who's most important. Mike Turner: That's some good you dropping some good nuggets here, man. I'm loving it, dude. R. Manasseh Thornton: Okay. John Rossiter: Hi, I appreciate it. I'm glad. R. Manasseh Thornton: John, with with the with your company, and and any business that you're doing, what is what is the end game for you? Like what is what is the the the thing that you're actually trying to accomplish and and when do you know that you've made that when you've made it to that that pinnacle, John Rossiter: Mm. R. Manasseh Thornton: that that that summit. Mike Turner: So yeah, answer that question but like to say what your business is and lead into answering that in game question. John Rossiter: Yeah, sure. So so I I got two right now. So one I acquired last year, which is pretty much hands off. but the one I've recently co founded is called Zolato, spelled Z O L A T O. And you know, originally we started off with a real kick ass C R for home service businesses because that's the one that you know we we bought a co we co-own and co-acquired a home service business so it makes sense for us and my business partner's been in home service for the past you know fifteen years so it was a natural transition. So we built a CRM, now we're adding automation, now we're adding AI into it, and we're building a community, we're building what we're now calling Zolato Apex, Zolato Summit. And we're bringing the best of the best in the industry to make sure that every single box is ticked. So if you're a home service business owner, you walk into the world of Zolato and you have every single problem solved from your business to your health, your wealth, your relationships, everything. So it's it's just it's more than just a product. And so I think the vision is being able to be the Amazon of home service. Like Amazon started off with, you know, just books, now they sell everything. and I'm pretty sure at some point if th if not already, they're gonna come out with some sort of car or like TVs or you know, just anything and everything is possible with those guys. but I mean eventually they like we wanna we wanna go ahead and, you know, try and exit the business, you know, and sell it and and and wrap things up. And so for us it's just being able to truly experience like peace, stability. True freedom, options and fulfillment. And I think through that, I think happiness is a choice in my opinion. It was a little bit controversial, but you know, you can you can you can more easily choose to be happy because you you've you've done the things that you wanted to do. and just just, you know, give everything I can to my partner and I know our future family, so and friends and just be someone of great use. Like I th I get it my I get a lot of my fulfilment through helping people. so I'll always find a way to help people and give back and make use. But that's kind of where the vision is right now for sort of long story short. R. Manasseh Thornton: So do you not no so let me ask you with with being a small business owner and being being an entrepreneur and this being kinda like your baby, there's no Do you ever fear or wonder or question like that the whole sellout thing from small business to just like giving that away to the, you know, Amazon comes and sees what you're doing, is like, hey, yeah, we we'll take that over. Is that is that considered, does that ever cross your mind or the end game is just to be able to do that? Big business comes, they wants to buy, they want to buy, we want to sell, and and that's just kind of where it's at. John Rossiter: yeah, I think that's just kind of where it's at, really, man. Mike Turner: Yeah. John Rossiter: I think as as business owners and entrepreneurs, like there'll always be something that you R. Manasseh Thornton: Mm. John Rossiter: want to get your teeth into, but it's it's no longer at that point an obligation, like it's it's a it's a choice. you know, I wanna I'll do it because I would I want to do it, not because I have to, you know, and I think that's a big thing. So R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. Yeah. John Rossiter: you know, when when we get the when we get the the the the sellout You know, we'll make sure that every single person involved is completely taken care of. our business is going into the right hands. Hell no, man. Hell no. R. Manasseh Thornton: Don't forget about us, John. Don't forget about us over here across the pond, buddy. Mike Turner: Right. John Rossiter: I mean, like this is another point, right? It's that you know, y you build relationships, you you you network really well. And all I ever try to do is is bring people up with me. Like If I climb two steps, there's one person behind me that's got one extra to do. like I'm trying to get some of my extended family and and close friends into the world of remote working right now. So like I'm tapping into my network and relationships that I've built up over the years and saying, Hey, give this guy a shot. I I you know, I I would and it it it it's working. Yeah, so I I don't think you y you never forget the people who who have given you a opportunity. R. Manasseh Thornton: Mm-hmm. That's John Rossiter: Yeah. So yeah, a hundred percent. R. Manasseh Thornton: that's dope, yeah. Mike Turner: When you're talking about like the burnout, I kinda like I don't know why I'm stuck on this, because it's interesting. But think we we a lot of us experience it. Some of us just don't admit it. I guess that's why. I know I've experienced it and I don't think I realized I was going through it, but work was being affected, personal life was being affected. Is there anything that your partner, your friends, your girlfriend that they noticed that they had to like say, Hey John, what's going on here? Or was it you just recognizing that in yourself? John Rossiter: Yeah, that's a another great question. irritability is is one. R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. Mike Turner: Mm-hmm. Yeah. John Rossiter: like how how low is your patience for things? yeah, I can I can see by the big smiles, you know, like you guys have been through the ringer. So Mike Turner: Yeah. John Rossiter: I think irritability, your patience decreases. Your you start to kind of let yourself go a little bit, you stop taking your yourself seriously meaning like your training and and your your your nutrition your sleep your sleep goes out the window and you start breaking habits you start breaking promises that you've made to yourself like I said you become a little bit more snappy to those around you your focus goes you can't sustain working on a task for long periods of time I I I mean man R. Manasseh Thornton: Stops being fun. Like, you know what I mean? Like it it stops being fun where you don't enjoy even getting up to go do that thing anymore. John Rossiter: Yeah, exactly. That that's the thing. When you s when you start seeing the things when you when you stop having fun or experiencing happiness through the things that you usually like having fun with, that's also a sign. when you start isolating yourself as well, that's a big one. when you start pushing friends and family away, because they do nitpick and they nitpick because they they give a damn, you know? So like yeah, I think to answer your question really, it's irritability, sleep, training. nutrition. And I don't know how much this this resonates to to relates to the question, but I always I was always told that business is never like ups and downs. It's always on an incline. But within that incline, there's what we call a feedback loop. And so when you're in that feedback loop, that's when you feel like you don't know what the answer is. You don't know what that next step is. You don't you're spinning your wheels. You don't know where to go next. And it's kind of like a video game. Like you can't progress to level two unless you've collected X, Y, and Z in the previous level. So it just means that you're not quite ready for that next level. Now the pain of that is unfortunately you don't know what it is. It could be a personal thing, it could be a business thing, you don't know. Which I think is here's another one for you, right? I think again, James is full of full of the quotes, but he said you can't see the picture when you're in the frame. Meaning that when you're too close to the problem or too close to an issue or too close to something, you can't see it for what it really is. So that's why you have to take a step back. Observe, reflect, and then usually you'll find the answer. So but yeah, answer your question, man. Irritability is the first thing for me. Irritability impatience. Mike Turner: Yeah. We gotta get we gotta get James on this call 'cause like you pumping James R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. Mike Turner: up, man. Like John Rossiter: Yeah. Yeah, he He R. Manasseh Thornton: James is the guru. John Rossiter: yeah, dude. Like he he was I mean, you speak about, you know, given opportunity and stuff. Like I he was the person that gave me my first shot at working remotely. so like I was with a company called Remote Fit Pro for two years. I came in as like a remote appointment setter, and then I went into an advisory role and then I became head coach of all of our clients at the business that I was massively inspired by for years beforehand. Which is crazy to me. And throughout that entire time I had to become that person to do that thing. And James played a huge part in that. So like, yeah, it's I'll I'll speak about James and George to the minute I'm six feet under man. He's a great guy. Mike Turner: That's awesome. What's the so you talked about taking care of yourself, you work out, creating a routine, putting you first. What's the one healthy thing that you realize I have to sacrifice this to make it to get to that next step, whatever that next step was for you? John Rossiter: Hm. Hold on eat sa sacrifices a healthy thing. Usually the first thing that goes for me is my nutrition. I don't think it's wise to let go of it. But I think I mean I'd rather let go of that than sleep or training. for a certain period of time. I don't think I'd be willing to sacrifice like the healthy habits and routines that I have with my partner. So yeah, I would say nutrition. Which is again for a lot of I mean, I've got a lot of health and fitness coaches in my in my network as well. That would probably, you know, be like nails on a chalkboard to those guys, but probably my nutrition would R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. John Rossiter: would would go first. Mike Turner: That makes that makes sense because I know sometimes like like I'm in this part where I'm learning that food is fuel, you know, and you're not necessarily eating everything because it tastes good. You know, but I've been on this like this strict diet, I went n I went ten days with no meat and then I started introducing like fish back into the to the diet. But then yesterday, man, I just wanted a burger, man. Like I just R. Manasseh Thornton: Hey man, you gotta you gotta listen to your body though. You know what I'm saying? I think Mike Turner: I just needed a big John Rossiter: Sure. R. Manasseh Thornton: that, you know, everything in moderation. I don't think we should be Mike Turner: Mm. R. Manasseh Thornton: eating any of that stuff all day, every day. But I think that you, if you listen to your body, your body will tell you what you need for sure. I I think I even John Rossiter: Yeah. R. Manasseh Thornton: heard Erica Badu mention that. She, you know, people think she's vegan or something. She's like, no, if I need a steak, if my body tells me to eat a steak, I'll eat a steak, but I don't eat it all the time. It's just, you know, you just kind of listen to your body and what your body tells you you need. John Rossiter: Exactly, exactly. Yeah. Mike Turner: So talk about the the difference between like you know going through this phase of like trying to do it all by yourself, but you know you need help. So what's that that whether it's through your your business partner, your girlfriend, a family friend, or just a friend, period, support? No I I'm none of us can make it alone. Like at some point we need help. So talk about those times where you've been lonely trying to figure it out on your own, do it by yourself, but you've realized well, I cannot do this on my own. I need help. What's that support group looking like around you? John Rossiter: Yeah. So the time where I really needed people was you know, we go back to the time where I quit my job to go all in on my business. Like that was the time where I really needed people. Mike Turner: Yeah, and I meant to sorry, I meant to ask you that question, 'cause during that John Rossiter: Yeah. Mike Turner: time when you was when you first brought that up, where was you living at when you when you had your last check and you just dumped it all into your your business? Were you on your own? Was you living with parents, friends? What was going on during that time? John Rossiter: Yeah, definitely living my parents, man. Like I'd have to be a little bit more calculated if I had my own space. But Mike Turner: Yeah. R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. John Rossiter: you know, I I I think I would have just bit the bullet and just tried to run to as much as I could and just live below my means, save up every penny I had. To give myself a bit of a blanket. and it goes back to the point again, you know, that that that we made is that you've gotta bet on yourself. So I think as long as you if I w If I wasn't living with parents and had a you know a place my own at the time, I would have definitely been a little bit more calculated in in my approach. 100%. I think usually give yourself like a six month blanket, reduce all your overheads to near minimal as much as you can. if you really want to take the extreme, sell things. Like sell things that will give you money back because money will buy you time and time will buy you more money. So like it's just a bit of a trade off. but that that's R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. John Rossiter: that's personal opinion, you know. I'm not saying, you know, sleep on a hard wooden floor or anything, but it's you know, just be sensible in your approach, really. but yeah, I I think having having people around me at that point would would have been key. you know, we had a community element in the mentorship that I had, but I never really utilized it. and again this be Go back to the ego thing, I I may have thought to myself, R. Manasseh Thornton: Master. John Rossiter: well, I'm ahead of those people. I don't need to speak to those people. Like I've done this before. I'm not a newbie to the game, like where a lot of these people are. Like I was very ignorant of that. But, you know, I don't know if you guys are Marvel fans, but you Mike Turner: Yes. John Rossiter: know, we've created something, right? So we've created something called it's artificially home service avengers. So we've brought the best of the best, you know, in in in marketing and sales and and bookkeeping. And that's between, you know, us Oleg and I, my co-founder and myself and and the Avengers, we're bringing everybody together and just supporting the industry as best as we can. And I think it goes goes to your point as well, man, is that if you want to go fast, go along. If you want to go far, go together. And you have to you absolutely have to surround yourself. with people who are growth minded, who are ambitious, who see the world in a different way. that you can call up in the middle of the night saying, Hey man, like I feel like crap. Like this has gone down in my business. Hey dude, talk to me, what's up? Like you need people around you. R. Manasseh Thornton: Are you are you better at asking for the help now, John, than you were then? Or I'm you know, I know that that's not always a easy thing to to turn into a person that, you know, doesn't ask for help then it turns into the person that does. But are you any better at asking for the help now? John Rossiter: I'm very I'm very much better at it, yeah. 'Cause I used I used to see it as a weakness. R. Manasseh Thornton: Mm-hmm. John Rossiter: but I think now it's just immaturity. Like if you don't ask for help, it's either an e again, I'm talking from my personal experience, I'm not saying this is universal, but like it was if you if you don't ask for help then you're stuck. It's a I think it's an element of like ego, pride, self image, and ignorance and immaturity. R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. John Rossiter: Like if you can just get that Bullshit to the side that doesn't matter and R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. John Rossiter: get straight to the truth to actually help you move along, like you'll be fine. You know? So R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah, it's a weakness for sure. John Rossiter: Yeah. Yeah. Mike Turner: And now is there a difference between like first of all, your girlfriend, same girlfriend, John Rossiter: Mm-hmm. Mike Turner: how long y'all been together? John Rossiter: Eight years now. Yeah. Mike Turner: Okay. So is do you think there's a difference between asking her to support you or suffering through the process of you becoming successful? Is there a difference between the two? John Rossiter: So I still haven't quite nailed the answer to this. Mike Turner: Yeah. John Rossiter: I think I think at the start, like just because she liked me, it was like, yeah, sure, that'll help. You know, like a a general thing. Mike Turner: Right. John Rossiter: And as she saw I started to take it more seriously, it was it kind of transitioned to a little bit of like But then from that it then transition into like, huh? Yeah, like this this is actually working. And I think validation plays a huge part. It's that if you want anybody to believe something that you're doing, you have to show them validation. Like whether you've made a dollar online or a million, it's it's a form of validation. Something it's it's an it's an incline that something can go somewhere. So I think having that relationship where you know, it's again it's it you it's trying to find that balance between I don't want to swarm our entire conversation with all business stuff, but I wanna keep you updated. So it's like you you update your partner and because you know that she'll support you and and I was never expecting that support to happen overnight. it it takes time. it's kinda like you almost have to try and convince them in a way, you know, to to think otherwise, right? Like you've got to show them something. You can't just say something. 100%, R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. You gotta make believe in a dream too. John Rossiter: right? And when when they start it it really is like it's exactly it. Like you've when you start to see validation, you start to believe. But when they see validation too, they start to believe. Now you come together and you think you know what? Shit. Like we can we can do this. R. Manasseh Thornton: We might be able to do this. John Rossiter: We can do this, right? And so you know, you just keep at it and you keep at it and you keep at it and you you gain some confidence and they'll see you work in a way like a like a madman. And then they start paying R. Manasseh Thornton: It's it's contagious. John Rossiter: interest. It's contagious, yeah. And then you know, they you know they they're curious, they're interested. they start to challenge themselves. And I think in relationships, man, like again, especially as guys, and I can't speak from a woman's standpoint, but from from a guy's standpoint, like you've gotta lead by example. Because your partner is oftentimes a reflection of you as well, in my experience. Like, you know, if I was a completely obese, overweight, slob who didn't do anything with his life, didn't have any any any goals or ambition, zero interest, if I'm not losing her, she will turn into the same thing, and vice versa. Right? Because it's as you said, contagious. If you if if you put you know a bad apple into a basket of five healthy ones, the rest of them are gonna turn wrong as well. So Like you've got to lead by example and you've got to inform them that, hey, you know what, this is working. Here's a little bit of validation for you. So it's just drip feeding it over time and it's really indoctrinating them into the idea that you have. and then one steck, I mean, sales I think is the best skill anybody can have on the planet. I think maybe bar networking, from my experience. But like if if you almost have to sell them on your your vision and when they go, you know what, this is better than mine, all right, or like whatever it may be, sometimes they don't have a vision. So I didn't have a vision. some people don't really think about it. But if if you can step up and be a leader and be like, hey look, this is where we're going, this is why we're doing it. This is how it's going to benefit other people. It's going to benefit us. If they like it, they'll go, Okay, you lead the way. And say, All right, I'll put us on the I'll put it I'll put both of us on our shoulder and I will lead us the way. You know, and then again validation, validation, validation. So yeah. It's a good question. R. Manasseh Thornton: That's awesome, yeah. Mike Turner: Mm. Okay. All right. Let's get to this. We're gonna talk about entrepreneurial confessions, alright? So go a couple statements, and you just kinda let it flow with with what you feel about these. So the biggest lie entrepreneurs tell themselves is John Rossiter: Mm. That's a good one. I think the first thing R. Manasseh Thornton: Not doing it for the money. John Rossiter: that comes to mind, yeah, literally. I think the first thing that comes to mind is I can do it on my own. Second is I'll start tomorrow. R. Manasseh Thornton: Mm, that's a good one. John Rossiter: That is that is the k that is the biggest killer of them all. R. Manasseh Thornton: That's a good one. That's a good one. John Rossiter: You know. Mike Turner: I I say that all the time, so I need to stop that, is what you're saying? R. Manasseh Thornton: Uh-huh. John Rossiter: Yeah. Maybe I'm all guilty of it. Mike Turner: I R. Manasseh Thornton: No better time but the present. Mike Turner: right. I so John Rossiter: Yeah. Mike Turner: you know you're stressed when John Rossiter: you become irritable. I I I'm just you know talking from experience. Like when you start losing patience very easily, when you when you can't be as present in things that you're doing, when you stop taking care of yourself, I think that's usually a pretty good indication. I think a little bit of stress is healthy. But unhealthy stress where things turn into chaos is yeah, it's it's it's not good. But yeah, irritability, patience. R. Manasseh Thornton: Irrit irritabil yeah, irritability is big. That's I I know immediately when I get to snapping on people like yeah. It's and it because I'm John Rossiter: Mm-hmm. R. Manasseh Thornton: just not that's not my character to just kinda, Mike Turner: Yeah. R. Manasseh Thornton: you know, not John Rossiter: Right. R. Manasseh Thornton: to be impatient like that. But when I'm when I am, I know that there's something on my nerve that I Mike Turner: Yeah. You talked you when you were talking about John Rossiter: Yep. Mike Turner: that earlier, I noticed that's when I realized looking back, I like I burnt myself out because I wasn't taking vacations. I was just grinding and working. And I put work before everything and I I just slowly started losing myself to the point where everything was irritating me and I was snapping and and I couldn't tolerate any B BS. So it's like I definitely burnt myself out. Yeah. R. Manasseh Thornton: That's sure fuse. But like what John said earlier, I think you know, if people take this concept that he said earlier a little more seriously, where it's you take the the one or two things that you know are super important to you and then you build yourself out around that. You know what I mean? Like whatever business, whatever, but you the if there's your marriage is your core, if your family is your core, if it, you know, I mean, if it's you build around that. In that way that's it's at least somewhat protected or insulated instead of you trying to find your way back to it. You know what I mean? So I think that was a a bar right there for sure. Mike Turner: Yeah. Okay, John, what's what's something that John Rossiter: Yeah, yeah, it's huge funny. Mike Turner: you spent your money on that you absolutely didn't need to for the business? That you look back and was like, I didn't need that shit. R. Manasseh Thornton: Or regret. Yeah. John Rossiter: man, that's that's a hella easy question. easy answer. mentorship. Like I I know it sounds crazy, but that that specific scenario where I spent like every last penny, I really didn't need to because I knew everything that they were teaching me. And that's not an ego thing, that's not an ignorant thing. Like it was pure facts. Like I'd R. Manasseh Thornton: Mm-hmm. John Rossiter: I'd been through that for years. everything that they were teaching me, I already knew what to do. I just literally bought accountability. R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. John Rossiter: So if I was learning if if I knew how to hold myself accountable, I would have saved myself sixteen thousand dollars. R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. John Rossiter: That was a massive Mike Turner: Right. John Rossiter: massive mistake. Like they had a great time, they were great people, helped me a hell of a ton. But that was just completely unnecessary. Yeah. Save your friggin' money and stop being lazy. Yeah. R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah, you you almost paying for the validation, like you said. You you're paying for somebody to give you a certification at the end to say you actually did it, but I already knew this stuff. Mike Turner: Yeah. John Rossiter: Yeah, and you're also you're paying for certainty as well. You know, like sometimes I think in entrepreneurship you can be uncertain. And I think when you're uncertain, you lack confidence. When you lack confidence, you dip in action. And when you dip in action, you dip in results. So I think paying for certainty, being like, if I don't have certainty, they do. So I'm gonna borrow theirs. Just tell me what to do and I'll do it. But you don't truly believe in what you're doing, you're believing in someone else's process, you know. So like I did not need to spend that money. That's an easy one. Mike Turner: Yeah. John Rossiter: Yeah. Mike Turner: All right, so we'll end off if if you don't mind us getting personal and we you can say heck no, I don't wanna talk John Rossiter: Hell yeah. Mike Turner: about this this subject. But your your mom John Rossiter: Mm-hmm. Mike Turner: passed away at age of eleven, correct? Yeah. John Rossiter: Yeah. Mike Turner: So so talk talk us about talk us through that process. do you think that experience Her departure had an effect in a positive way on the drive for your independence to become who you are today. John Rossiter: Hmm. Yeah man. that's a good question. something I definitely thought about. I Mike Turner: 'Cause like my I'll I'll give you an example. Like my mom passed away John Rossiter: Yes, I Mike Turner: in twenty twenty, right? And I've always you know, we talk about I was a mama's boy. I'm not afraid to admit that. I was a straight mama's boy. So part of me has this Then I still wanna make her smile. 'Cause she was the one person that always like was like, Michael, I'm proud of you. You're doing so well, you're doing this. So there's this part of me that's still trying to ensure and make that she's looking down upon me with Michael, you're doing good. That she always has a smile and she's happy with with what I'm doing and achieving in life. John Rossiter: Yeah. I mean that that I mean that yeah, I mean that that's that's a great drive to have. I don't think it's a case of helping me be more driven. but I think it's kind of it's it's it's built me in a way that anything that else that that life throws at me, I know I can handle it. Because I've been through the worst. Like as an 11 year old kid, like I'm still a kid. Like I need my mom, you know? but there's nothing so far in life that remotely comes close to that. So like when I'm faced with an with a problem, I go, All right, cool. Yeah, Mike Turner: Yeah. John Rossiter: I always think I think the problem is like opportunities anyway, right? But I think it's allowed me to not just be better in business, but it's also allowed me to be better because I can be a rock for people. Like when when when they haven't been through the same thing, specifically, like they you know, people have obviously been through a lot of stuff. We we've I I understand, but in s in terms of the isolation of your question here, I would say if they haven't been through that specifically. They they they're they they're comfortable turning around and being like, you know what, I'm gonna lean on John. And they're they're absolutely okay to do that because they can I'm like this and they can lean on me as much as they want. I won't topple over because I've been through the worst thing that can ever happen. So I think just being a rock for people, no matter what life throws at you, you you can be that rock for yourself as well. I also think it's Allowed me to I think it's a lot of me maybe in a I don't know how or why, but I'm very grateful for it. It's it's kinda open up my I mean, I think I speak for all of us here and I I know I'm I'm opening up a can of worms in this one, but like I think it's allowed me to be comfortable with my feminine side as well. Like, you know, I think when you're with the boys, when you're with the guys, you know, you you wanna be this this dude, right? But like behind the scenes, when you're with your girlfriend or your wife, your partner, whatever it might be, You know, you are oftentimes the the guy who's, you know, getting cuddled, right? You're the little soft Mike Turner: Yeah. R. Manasseh Thornton: Mm-hmm. John Rossiter: guy, you're the one that's going like this. And Mike Turner: Yeah. John Rossiter: I think that's allowed me to be like that. because like I'm very, you know, I got brought up with a lot of affection. I'm very grateful for it. And I think I've I've transitioned that into my relationships as well, because that's that's how I love people. and so I think I I had a I mean that's man as a question I can I can I have so many answers to it. I also would say that in a way you don't look for a replacement, but you look for something similar. because you find comfort in it, you find peace in it. And my partner to me is that. Like she's the the you know, for me she's literally perfect. Could not ask for a better partner, but she's also my safe place. she's my place of peace and stability. and when I'm with her, my brain just goes. You know, so when it's been you can throw R. Manasseh Thornton: Man, that's awesome. John Rossiter: a crazy day at me, like, but the second that we're together, my brain just shuts off. You know? So that that's another thing as well. I find a lot of comfort in her too. R. Manasseh Thornton: That's safe feminine energy, bro. I get it. John Rossiter: Yeah. Yeah. It's it's really healthy. Mike Turner: Awesome, man. Thanks for answering that, man. Appreciate it. I know it's always a tough subject for me to talk about, so thanks for being open with us on on that. So appreciate it. Yeah. John Rossiter: Yeah. Of course, man. Absolutely. Mike Turner: Any any last words of wisdom? I know our our our allotted time is up. Any anything you gotta get off your chest and and say? R. Manasseh Thornton: Also, John, make sure you let people know where you are and how to reach you and and and get your information. John Rossiter: Yeah, well do man, absolutely. yeah, so you can get me on all social medias at John Rosseter. That's spelled R O D S I T E R. Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram is John Rossiter Official. Yeah, I'd probably save that. But I think the last words of wisdom, man. I would say. for any entrepreneur or aspiring entrepreneur listening back to this, Relationships equals leverage is one thing I'd learn. Is that if you want to achieve anything in life, you need good people around you. You need a place of, as we said, right, peace, stability, support. You need a place of knowledge, experience, expertise. You need like a you you need your own Avengers, is what I'm trying to say. let's see. in terms of like business specific, which is something that we we're doing right now that I'm really grateful for, is that you have to build something so you so unique that the market simply cannot ignore. I think that there's so many things in the market right now that are just same old, same old. And you have to take a step back and figure out what I can do or who can I be. It's why people are putting so much money into branding right now. But who can I be or what can I do? Or both to give me a actual USP. what do I want to be known for? And usually it's attached to your values. speaking to the same type of avatar here as well. If you're starting off, don't jump into all right, let's just go and take some crazy action. Let's go and build a website, let's go and learn the skill of sales. Like that stuff does not come first. Like what comes first is understanding. what you value. and then second to that is understand your vision. Because I always say as well, right, it's that it doesn't matter where you want to go, if you don't have the vision, no map in the world is going to get you there because you don't know where you're going. Mike Turner: Mm. John Rossiter: So understand your values, have a vision, become the person that you want to become before you even got there. So usually that's training, nutrition, sleep. Learn a skill, know it's gonna take years. but truly invest into the power of relationships, network like crazy, and give more than you take. That's what I would say. Give, give, give, give, give in any way, shape that you can, more than the next guy. Because there's a thing called reciprocity, and it is truly real. So R. Manasseh Thornton: Yes, sir. Yes, sir. John Rossiter: yeah, and then I'd say be present, If everything was taken away from you, what would what are some of the things that you'd appreciate having? Well, it's your friends and your family and your loved ones. So never always put them second after you. And again, it goes back to the point of if you're not at your best, that whole thing, right? They don't they don't deserve anything less than your best. So you as number one, them second, and they will feel the benefit of putting yourself, putting yourself first. So yeah, a few little gems that's all that helped me. Mike Turner: That's awesome, man. Dude, thank you so very much for your time. This this this conversation's John Rossiter: Okay. Mike Turner: probably spoke to me more than you ever realize. So I appreciate you taking time and and the wisdom that you shared, man. So yeah, R. Manasseh Thornton: Very wise thirty year twenty nine year old. Very wise. Mike Turner: right. I know I'm we got I'm right. I'm gonna have to come out there and John Rossiter: It's it's all the James and the old legs of the world. Yeah. R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. Mike Turner: s and celebrate your dirty thirty with you. Like, come on, let's go. I I'm in R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. John Rossiter: Hell yeah. Hell yeah. But where are you guys based? Where are you guys based? Mike Turner: I'm in Maryland right now. R. Manasseh Thornton: I'm in Miami. I'm in Miami, Florida. Yeah, Miami, Florida. I actually studied John Rossiter: All right. Okay. Wyoming. I've got some R. Manasseh Thornton: in Lancaster, England, at Lancaster University when John Rossiter: there we go. R. Manasseh Thornton: I was in back back when I was in college a a whole a whole nother lifetime ago. But yeah, I I was John Rossiter: Yeah. R. Manasseh Thornton: over there for a little bit, about four months. John Rossiter: Okay, nice. Yeah, I mean I've got I've got some some good friends and mentors actually. My first ever mentor, there there was a pair of them, so the Steven and Stevie. they're still knocking around today. They run a really successful business, but they're based in Miami, Florida. you know, so you got those guys and then I think I don't know, I I don't know about geographical in in in the States and stuff, but how far is Maryland from from Oregon or Portland? Completely other side. Mike Turner: completely opposite side of the country. R. Manasseh Thornton: yeah. Oregon is more west, mo northwest and in Maryland is is far east. Mike Turner: Yeah. Oregon, yeah. I'm I'm dead center east coast John Rossiter: Okay. Got it. Mike Turner: dead center on the east east east side. Oregon is John Rossiter: Science. Mike Turner: on the west side of the country R. Manasseh Thornton: Mm Mike Turner: for sure. John Rossiter: Gosh yeah, gosh yeah. Okay, how about R. Manasseh Thornton: yeah, two different lifestyles. John Rossiter: how about Tennessee? Where where's that? How far is that away from you guys? Mike Turner: Kinda the middle, middle ground. Closer. R. Manasseh Thornton: N not as far, yeah, not as far. Kinda in the middle. John Rossiter: Not as far. Okay. I'm asking R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. John Rossiter: because we we're likely gonna be opening an office in Tennessee next year. so R. Manasseh Thornton: Tennessee is a hot bed, man. That's a hot spot. Mike Turner: Yeah, it is. John Rossiter: As a as a guy living in the UK, it's yeah I I it's game over for me. It's game over that. R. Manasseh Thornton: Right. John Rossiter: Yeah. I I I I hate the heat, I hate feeling sweaty, I hate it. Like give me R. Manasseh Thornton: Okay, yeah, yeah. John Rossiter: rain, thunder, wind, any day of the week. So R. Manasseh Thornton: Bro, it just rains too Mike Turner: Yeah. R. Manasseh Thornton: much out there. I can't take it. John Rossiter: It does. It's raining right now. It's been raining the entire time I've been speaking to guys. So R. Manasseh Thornton: I could when Mike Turner: Was it R. Manasseh Thornton: I when I was there, I was in Lancaster in '98 and I remember it rained like 16 days straight. And I I was calling back home John Rossiter: Yeah. R. Manasseh Thornton: and was like, yo, this is the most depressed I've ever been in my life. Like, what is going on? John Rossiter: Yeah. Sixteen days that it sixteen days? Is that it? R. Manasseh Thornton: Sixteen days. I counted 16 days straight. It rained every day for 16 straight days. I was like, this is insane. Good stuff, man. John Rossiter: Yeah. Yeah. That's that's Mike Turner: Now John Rossiter: crazy, man. I think also, by the way. Mike Turner: now you're not you're not in Rex of many more, right? John Rossiter: Yeah, yeah, still in Rex, man. Yeah, we're be moving Mike Turner: Are you still a vaccine? John Rossiter: out. we're gonna be moving out into an into a new place and probably next year. it's nothing like maybe like 10, 15 miles down the road, but it's more of a more of a a countryside type deal, you know, away from all the noise. But R. Manasseh Thornton: Do you come here, Mike Turner: I need to get out there. R. Manasseh Thornton: John? Do you come do you come to America at all for your businesses and stuff? I know like you have one in Iowa and if you're opening one in in Tennessee, are you do you come here often? John Rossiter: no. No, I don't. But next year that will change. For sure. Like literally I it's got to a point, like I've built so many connections, relationships with people in the States that I genuinely feel like a US person living in the UK right now. Mike Turner: Yeah. John Rossiter: it's it's it's crazy. I I I know more US people than I do UK UK right now. So R. Manasseh Thornton: Go. John Rossiter: and that's who I speak to every day. You know, our entire client base is in in in the States, so Yeah. gotta work some late hours every now and then. But I think also guys, if if if I can maybe just drop one more last little Mike Turner: Yeah, sure. John Rossiter: gem for you. and I think you've gotta create yourself almost like a like a video game character. Like how do you want yourself to look? How do you look want yourself to feel? Like you know, like this it's the earrings. You know, it's the tattoos, it's it's the it's the going to the gym, it's little things, we talk about validation. Like I painted an entire picture of how I want to look and who I wanna be. And when I start filling in those gaps, when I get a new tie or when I change my earring, whatever it may be, or get a fresh haircut, it's validation that I'm becoming that person. It's almost kind of hard wiring your subconscious to think, I actually am that person. Right? So then when you are that person, you do those things that that person does. So that's also something from James Allen. So yeah. Yeah. All right. R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. Yeah. Mike Turner: That's dope. Yeah, I love it. I got well I gotta come out there to Rexham before you leave 'cause I wanna go to a football game, you know, and then John Rossiter: Yeah. Mike Turner: go to the pub right outside the stadium. So I'm I'm I'm gonna have to go out there. R. Manasseh Thornton: Hey man, you better be ready. You better be ready. Hey, that John Rossiter: Yeah, they yeah, these guys are R. Manasseh Thornton: hey, it's hey those those those clubs are worse than Crips and Bloods, man. These cats get to fight before the game starts. John Rossiter: Yeah, man, we that they are so dire. Like I I used to be a football fan, but like you see them walking through the town center with like all their drums and their flags and like it's R. Manasseh Thornton: It is insane. John Rossiter: they are ready. You know, they are fully ready. So R. Manasseh Thornton: Hey, listen, man, as a as a black man that was over there, and I didn't really, I knew about soccer, but I didn't know like about football. And then, you know, to get John Rossiter: Mm. R. Manasseh Thornton: that crash course on a day of a of a of a match, man. Like you said, these guys are walking down. They've already been drinking, I mean, pint after pint after pint for hours. John Rossiter: Yeah. R. Manasseh Thornton: And now they're on their way to the game and it's like pandemonium. I was like, I'm not ready for this. I was not ready. John Rossiter: Yeah. You know, it's it's like they can be intimidating, but like if if you if they're they're really really nice people. Really nice people. Like we've got a lot of R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. John Rossiter: sports bars here, you know, and for anybody, anybody who's new, like you walk in, you feel all eyes on straight away. But you know, the the second you get yourself a drink and you're like, Hey man, like what's the score? Or like you you are instantly best friends of people, you know, so it's how it goes. But yeah. R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. They took care of me, man. They they made sure nothing happened to me and they they I had the the scarves on and I had all of the all of the garb on. So they were they were good. John Rossiter: Yeah, and we got a we got a good friend that lives in Toronto who's like I'm a big festival goer, a big raver. and he'll come over sometimes for Greenfield Festival. And we've met up like you know four or five times now from from him coming over and we've seen him again in December. And we he always tested me, he's like, Hey, like, am okay? I'm like, dude, what do you mean you're okay? Like you you're the VIP. Like R. Manasseh Thornton: Okay. Mike Turner: Ha ha R. Manasseh Thornton: Heh. John Rossiter: everyone's gonna love you, right? So it's just Mike Turner: Yeah. John Rossiter: if you've got something different. about you, whether it's a look or a or a a a a vibe or an accent, like man, you the you're the you're the vip right there R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah, yeah. John Rossiter: and then, you know? So yeah. It's a nice place, R. Manasseh Thornton: Good signs, good signs, good signs. John Rossiter: man. It's it's a decent place. It's a decent place. Mike Turner: We definitely gonna stay in contact 'cause I'm gonna make my way over there before you come over here and don't leave, so John Rossiter: Hell yeah, man. I R. Manasseh Thornton: Yeah. John Rossiter: mean, definitely I'd love to love to connect you guys. I mean, Facebook's like my main platform. I can't add friends, but that's how my Facebook is, it sucks. But yeah, I mean if you guys want to drop me a Facebook friend request, just anytime and and anything you need from me as well, let me know. I've got some real awesome guys I would love to be on this show as well. obviously, make a connection or whatnot, but yeah, I'd I'd love to support any way that I can. Great conversation, man. It's actually one of the best conversations R. Manasseh Thornton: Man, appreciate it, bro. Mike Turner: Yeah, that's let's yeah, yeah. John Rossiter: I've had, so great questions. R. Manasseh Thornton: Thanks, man. Mike Turner: Awesome, man. Yeah, let's connect it. Connect us with those folks and and we'll make it happen for sure. all right, John Rossiter: Well thank you. All right. Mike Turner: appreciate your time, man. Thank you. Until next time, everybody, we'll see ya.