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Feb 14
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Pushing Through Sir Galton’s Wall

By Business Coaching Entrepreneur Motivation No Comments

Think about this scenario for a second: there are two people, each with an exact set of circumstances in a closed environment; both the same race, age, gender, living in the same city, with the same education and the same opportunities decide to start the same business and provide the same service, but in a period of 2-3 years only one of them does incredibly well and the other fails dismally.

Even though every person is unique and capable of doing similar things, the greatest and best business owners have an inherent drive that differentiates them from others.

At the end of the day, it’s all about who the person is that determines their success.

A Wall Of Limitation 

Around the late 1800s, Sir Francis Galton proposed in his book Hereditary Genius that individuals could progressively improve until they hit a wall of limitation, regardless of education or determination to keep pushing beyond it.

He recognised that people were limited to a certain level of skill, abilities or talent and that once coming into contact with that wall, there was no surpassing it; however, most people never quite get to that wall, instead coming to a place called the “OK Plateau”.

It’s something that I’ve noticed in coaching my different clients and there’s a lot of solid and interesting theories to back it up.

Psychologists in the 1960s discovered three unique stages that we all go through in our journey to learning a new skill or ability and that there is a stage that everybody inevitably reaches called the “OK Plateau”, where we get comfortable and stuck in the process of mastering that particular skill or ability.

This is a prominent feature in all of us and in particular, business owners.

Similar to the process of learning how to drive a car, we start off with complete and total awareness and heightened cognitive function in the way that we process and learn how to make efficient use of the new skill we’re attempting to master, while progressively getting worse at the skill with time after a certain level of understanding and control is attained.

In these three stages that psychologists have discovered, we reach a stage of relaxation and autonomy in the way that we manage a skill, leaving the final steps of mastery or expert-level status to slowly fade from our sights.

The Three Stages Of Skill Acquisition

By taking a look at these three stages, we can see exactly how we move from the unknown to the known, to doing great until a certain point and then to doing a shit job, thereafter.

The first stage, known as “the cognitive stage”, is where we begin learning with great amounts of effort and ability, using strategies and tactics to navigate the new skill in the most effective way, while keeping a high level of awareness on rectifying mistakes that we make while processing this new information.

Similar to the learning phase in driving a car, where we’re alert, aware and constantly engaged in how to best apply this skill, so that we can take the necessary steps to mastery.

Move forward to the second stage, the “associative stage”, where we make errors and mistakes, rectify them and develop better ways to use the skill efficiently and effectively. We start becoming far more adept at the skill and it starts becoming easier to handle.

Again, with the car analogy, we’re going through repetitive sequences and begin forming a sense of comfort in the way that we drive, while not needing as much attention to be paid as it becomes a bit easier for us.

In the third stage, “the autonomous stage”, we’ve come to our most comfortable level in making use of the skill that we’re learning; basically taking the step from ‘learning’ to ‘learned’. In this stage, we act through muscle memory and begin to develop habits that have us finding shortcuts and loopholes in the way we operate the skill. This is where it becomes dangerous for us.

As with driving, when we reach that stage of autonomy, we tend to feel supremely comfortable in making use of the skill, that we recognise when to change gears through sound, we engage in multitasking by listening to music, making and taking phone calls, use one hand and are capable of conversation during this important task.

It’s at this point that we reach the “OK Plateau”, becoming autopilot in our control of the skill and feeling a massive sense of comfort in how we make use of that skill.

This becomes dangerous for business owners and entrepreneurs in particular, as they become relaxed and lose the original sense of focus that they had in the early stages of starting their business. Once money is flowing, the workload is easier to manage and control and learning becomes a thing of the past; the growth and potential of the business becomes stunted.

Everything becomes easier, so you take your foot off the gas and decide to coast, rather than keep pushing towards the wall of limitation; to the point of true potential that you possess.

Don’t Stop At Mediocrity

During this crucial stage, it’s so important to keep away from the mediocrity that comes with being highly-autonomous and in a perpetual mode of being in autopilot mode.

The psychology shows that it’s possible and highly rewarding to push past that plateau and strive towards even higher levels of success. Once you’ve learned how to drive, it doesn’t quite end there, as professional or expert-level driving is a skill that can also be added to that existing repertoire.

 

In the same way, business owners should take themselves above and beyond to the next level and become experts in their field, instead of resting and relying on a state of comfort.

By refreshing yourself, you can push through the limitations that you’ve made for yourself and create an environment of exponential growth and dominance in more than one field, expanding yourself to better and even more promising rewards.

Many entrepreneurs in that stage can often begin developing a nasty bias, known as the Dunning-Kruger effect, where they believe they are the absolute best at what they do, absent of the skills and talents necessary to actually launch themselves past the stratosphere. It’s absolutely crucial to become aware of the limiting self-belief that you actually load on yourself and begin the process of learning and education all over again.

Don’t stop at a point that you think is ultimate success, as it’s more than likely that you haven’t even reached that wall of limitations, just yet.

Your journey just begins when you find autonomy, ease and comfort in the skill you’ve developed. That’s when you take on the next chapter, the next level and enter new arenas to conquer.

I know that I, myself, haven’t quite reached my wall of potential, so I’m still constantly learning and open to as much new information as possible.

In taking this stance, I want to learn exactly what it takes to convince amazing people like yourself to take me on as a business coach – what it will take to make you my client, so I can be pushed even closer to my wall of limitation, while helping you reach yours.

Teach me! Show me the way to your pocket, I mean your heart. (Just Kidding!)

 

This is how you can find me; catch me; cook me; and enjoy me:

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

I take Whatsapps, Calls, SMS, Emails, DMs (that’s what the kids call it, right?).

 

 

 

 

 

Feb 07
Love0

Seeking Out Talent And Culture In Hiring New Staff

By Business Coaching Interviews Motivation No Comments

In most businesses you’ll find a lot of emphasis put on skills and experience during the hiring process and in selecting the most ideal candidate to employ.

As a coach that works closely with business owners and entrepreneurs, I always recommend that my clients widen their scope a little bit more and pay attention to a few important aspects to consider when employing new people into their businesses.

We know that skills and experience are tried and tested – it gets the job done and gets the position filled – but, it isn’t enough to find employees that can really make a true impact.

 

Talent, Culture And A Paradigm Shift 

If you’re building a business that requires people, which most businesses do, one of the most important processes will be your ability to find and hire quality people and retain them for a long time.

It’s certainly a crucial part of running a business, but what tends to happen is that most businesses will only interview for both skills and experience – which, we can all agree, is a bit outdated.

Skills refer to what the person studied, learned and whether or not they can do what it takes to produce results in their field; while experience refers to what jobs they’ve had, how long they’ve been in the workforce, which businesses they’ve worked for and what they’ve been exposed to in those environments.

It’s easy to measure these two attributes, as you can check who they’ve worked for and the duration; you can take a look at their body of work to get a sense of what they’re able to produce; and you can check their character through references.

But what often tends to happen is that when these people join the business, there comes a realisation that they’re not a good fit, culturally speaking and that they don’t have the right talent often required by the business. Talents can be considered one’s ability to do things naturally, their ability to learn and ability to take and adapt to criticism.

These attributes need to be paid far more attention when choosing the right staff and during the hiring process to get the best out of the people that help operate the business.

 

Incorporating Value Into Your Business Through It’s People 

The first step that needs to be taken is to identify what your business culture is and what your company values are and being aware of this will allow you to have a stronger sense of the people you require to complement your business.

In the second step and during the interview process, you need to figure out how to test the culture and value that the person can bring to your business – figuring out whether they’re a great fit and that the candidate and company will comfortably dovetail; you need to ensure that you’re inclusive of both talent and culture.

I’m not saying that you should discard the current factors that are looked for in potential employees, but to pay more attention to attributes that might bring extra added value to your business. Make use of all four (culture, talent, skills and experience), rather than the traditional two.

If you had to do a proper test for these pieces, you could make the final decision as to how you would implement them: my suggestion being 25% for talent, 25% for culture and 50% for skills and experience – you decide what becomes more important in the right fit for your company.

By taking the traditional route, you could run into the risk that you employ someone who can do the work, but can’t communicate; or that can do the work, but doesn’t want to learn more; or who can communicate really well, but doesn’t want to do as much work.

You’re trying to find people with a natural ability to learn and adapt to new processes, that take on challenges and learn from them; what you’ll find is that talent and culture can’t really be taught, where skills and experience absolutely can.

More often than not, you can teach people the skills of the job that need to be done, but the ability to be a self-starter, to be autonomous, high-performing and to have a strong work ethic – are all things that can’t be taught; they either have it, or they don’t.

 

Honesty, Hunger, Humility, Happiness

 The email delivery powerhouse, SendGrid, applies a healthy combination of what they call the “4 H’s” when hiring new staff and it’s worked wonders for them.

There are 4 cards and each one is rated from 1-5 to measure where they fit in with those attributes in the company. It makes the hiring process a lot easier and you’ll find more emphasis put on talent and culture, rather than just skills and experience.

In the workplace, you should look at employees that bring, or have a sense of:

Happiness;

Hunger (enthusiasm);

Humility;

Honesty.

These are obviously not the be all and end all in measuring who should or should not be an employee, but it is a pretty good start.

 

The Rotting Banana In The Car 

A story that is etched into my brain, which gave me a nice chunk of insight into how skills and experience don’t necessarily correlate with values, talent or culture is the rotting banana story.

A few years back, I had a national key accounts manager that sat in on an interview with a potential employee that he considered hiring. The interview went well, I thought she had all of the necessary skills and experience for the job, so naturally thought that she’d be a great fit.

This is when it got interesting. Instead of simply thanking her, finishing the interview and letting her be on her way, he insisted that he walk her to her car.

I was expecting him to come back up to the office saying how brilliant she is and that we should pull the trigger and hire her. To my surprise, he said without hesitation, “we’re not hiring her.” I thought why not? She has the right talent, skills, a great network and ticked all of the proverbial boxes.

He said that I had to see the state of her car; that a black, rotting banana peel sat on the front seat and was just baking in the sun, probably emitting all sorts of foul odours. He was horrified at the state of her car and said that it meant she was disorganised, messy, can’t keep her head clear, that she doesn’t represent herself well in front of clients and that she’s put on a really good sales front for the interview and that deep down the car is a reflection of who she is.

I thought to myself, “that’s madness”, then he asked me if I saw her nails, which he pointed out were half-painted and half-worked. He firmly said, “she doesn’t take care of herself.” He pointed out that you want someone in sales that takes care of themselves, as they also represent you, or the company and judging by the state of her grooming and car, she’s not a good culture fit for the company.

This taught me the valuable lesson of always paying attention to how well potential employees take care of their car and of themselves. Sure, some people might have an off-day, but those small things can tell you a lot about a person and how they would fit in with your company.

Just in case you were wondering:

I keep myself well-groomed, healthy and fit and know how to best represent you and your business.

So if you’re in need of a great business coach, that also rocks up fresh and energetic – get in touch.

 

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

 

Shit! This just reminded me that I need to go get that damn banana out of my car.

The joke is on you, because I have a kickass motorbike, just so I can avoid bananas.

Feb 07
Love0

To Be, Or Not To Be A Family-Run Business

By Business Coaching Entrepreneur Strategy No Comments

Family is a beautiful and sometimes icky subject to approach when business is involved, as there are so many arguments for and against the involvement of family in forming any kind of business.

In my years of coaching a diverse variety of clients, I’ve found that a number of them run family-owned businesses and that there is a certain level of both ease and discomfort that come with making such an unpredictable choice.

As with everything in life, there’s always a lurking list of pros and cons that can be used to spark either healthy debate or ignite a scorching argument – so get your pitchforks and flamethrowers ready, as we take a look at some of them.

Is Blood Always Thicker Than Water? 

In breaking down the different arguments for and against having a family-run business, I often run into both plenty of benefits and detriments in the situations that my clients often come to face.

These family-owned businesses come in different shapes and sizes: a husband and wife partnering up to conceive a healthy, young startup; a father and son building towards a timeless legacy; sometimes 3rd generation families that start with the grandfather and trickle all the way down to the grandchildren, exist, as well.

There is a lot of conversation around how to run the dynamics of a family business and a lot of business owners will often run into the decision whether or not to include or employ family.

Usually in those family-oriented businesses, there’s a tendency to employ family members that are either unemployed, miserable in their current jobs, or that they could trust in building a great business that will last. Most of the time it’s done out of love, but sometimes because employing family can work out as a nice, cheap option.

Some of the biggest advantages of having a family-run business would be more empathy all the way through the company, as there is an extra level of care; you often know who or what you’re dealing with in an employee and understand the person better; the opportunity of a faster start-up, because you avoid the process of sifting through people that you don’t know, avoiding tedious interviews and background checks; and family tends to be a bit more united from the get-go, having more motivation to succeed with and for one another.

Take a look at some of the most powerful family-run businesses like Nike, Walmart and Samsung – they are amazing at what they do and provide a pretty solid defence around family involvement.

Get your fire extinguisher ready – because on the contrary, Harvard research has proven that family-run businesses have a success rate of around only 30%. A scary statistic that should be paid more attention to, as 70% of these businesses fail, get bought out, or never make it past the 2nd generation.

It’s not difficult to find arguments against having a family-run business, as it’s not always a peachy and pleasant road to go down.

You’ll find that those high levels of comfort ultimately slow down the company growth, with a reduced sense of drive and professionalism; conflicts don’t necessarily stay business-related, but can carry through into personal affairs; often blatant levels of unfairness on staff that aren’t considered family, as promotions and progress in the company become a contentious issue; deciding which family members deserve leadership roles and raises certainly push buttons; and often a lack of accountability follows if management doesn’t want family who are in the wrong left feeling butthurt.

It can often change family dynamics quite quickly, creating resentment and rifts that were never there before.

 

Blood and Business Can Be Like Oil And Water 

One of the saddest things that I come across in my experience coaching is the disjointing and disruption of families that can often be found in running a family business.

Quite often, married couples might partner-up in starting a business and pretty much all of their energy, time and efforts are spent on making that vision work in the best possible way. Waking up together, going to work together and all that is ever discussed is the business – creating an imbalance between their relationship and business-relationship.

As the proverb goes: “familiarity breeds contempt”.

All of that time spent on work and business, without enough focus on love, ends up eating away and destroying a marriage faster than a divorce lawyer with bills to pay. The power dynamics in family-business relationships often shift, too – the water gets murky and power becomes an issue between couples, parents, children and even grandchildren. It doesn’t always work out for the better when the kids take over the business, kick mommy and daddy to the curb and play with their budgets, while partying away the profits.

There’s a funny saying that’s echoed through time: “the grandfather started it, the father built it and the children spend all of the money.”

My stance is that if you don’t need to employ family or friends, simply don’t.

It’s not always worth the risk of burning bridges, creating rifts, starting fires and ruining the precious gem that is family. Love your family, take care of and respect them enough not to bring them into a potential and likely mess.

It’s impossible to go back in time and make your amends when the damage has already been done.

For more polarising and hard-hitting thoughts on your business decisions, tactics, ideas and plans:

Feel free to get in touch with a business coach that actually gives a shit, We can have a chat, grab a lunch, maybe a warm beverage, You know exactly how to reach me:

 

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

 

 

 

 

Feb 03
Love0

Work-Life Balance – The See-Saw Analogy

By Business Coaching Entrepreneur Lifestyle No Comments

Finding the right balance in work and life can often be quite difficult, especially in this day and age.

With social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook giving us a glimpse into the lives of celebrities that live in complete leisure, or family and friends that are constantly embraced in fun and having a good time, it’s easy to hit the brakes on responsibility and accelerate towards trying to live like royalty.

During a podcast with KungFu Digital’s Chief Excitement Officer, Matt Brown, we briefly touched on the topic of work-life balance and my beliefs on the subject and while I don’t necessarily agree with the approach, or scope of a day-to-day view on the matter, I certainly believe in looking towards the future and the balance you’ll find in your later years if you can manage to put in the energy, focus and hard work during the first half of your life so that you can achieve an easier and far more comfortable life in the future.

 

Like a See-Saw, There’s a Point of Balance 

In my early 20’s, I was honestly making far more money than I actually needed. I felt invincible and like the immortal jellyfish – as if I would live forever.

Working 6.5 days a week for 6 years straight, I had my candle burning at both ends. I pushed through every Christmas and drilled through every New Year’s Day. Working early mornings and late nights, barely seeing the light of day, I worked my hardest and the best that I could. I was pretty much unstoppable.

By the time I was 22, I had paid for a house in the upper suburbs of Parkhurst, possessed 2 German cars and owned a motorbike. While my friends were either at home or still studying, I was hosting extravagant parties to blow the excess cash that I had. I felt rich.

Looking back, I wasted a lot of my hard-earned cash on some pretty ridiculous things and I would have definitely put away some for the future.

However, this did teach me a valuable life-lesson: through focus, hard-work and dedication on my career earlier-on in life, I’ve come to find the right balance in the present.

 

If You Want to be in the Top 1% – Give-up on the Work-Life Balance Myth 

If you imagine a see-saw and put on one side your work and career, and on the other side everything else in life, you can determine the balance. By focusing and pushing down on your career and working hard for the first half of your work-life, you will achieve balance in the 2nd half; if you focus on all the comfort and relaxation on the first half, the 2nd half will leave you with the burden of working your arse off playing catch-up.

Even though you pay the price of the present, you bring forward all of the future pain in order to have more balance and less pain in your later-life. You take on all of the extra responsibility with the promise of a better future.

Successful people (the 1%) have a tendency to carry far more responsibility than others and seek to carry a heavier load on their shoulders, as they instinctively understand the long-term benefits. They tend to become career-obsessed in order to achieve far greater results down the road and go on to enjoy the final chapters of their lives far more.

 

Comparing my Early 20’s to my 40’s 

If I compare my life back then to the life that I have now, there is definitely a noticeable difference in my lifestyle. Yes, I’m older with a lot less hair on my head (okay, not much hair at all) and far more all over my body, but I am more relaxed now and am able to explore new passions, interests and frontiers with the peace-of-mind that I am wealthier than I have ever been.

At 45, I only own one car, one awesome property and plenty of cash in the bank that sustains all of my daily living expenses.

I am far richer now than I was at 22 – even though I have less net assets than I had back then.

In order to have a better understanding of a healthy work-life balance, one needs to understand wealth, as being wealthy is what ultimately gives you true balance in life.

 

Rocket Science? I think Not.

So, if you haven’t already done so, figure out where your priorities lie and give that see-saw a solid ride, decide where to put your time and energy so that you have a far better balance in the future. Push down hard on your work and career, making it your priority.

The harder you work in the present will determine your comfort and ease in the future.

All the comfort, relaxation and wealth awaits you. Just so long as you are willing to take on the responsibility of working hard and to your best ability.

Remember that successful people shoulder more responsibility than others and seek more to shoulder as they instinctively understand the long-term benefits that come with it.

Seriously, it’s not rocket science.

If you’re in need of some direction, just a few pointers on navigating that see-saw: Then do yourself a solid and get together with me for a one-on-one and let’s make some magic!

You can always reach me on 083 253 3999

Or, brent@spillly.com

 

 

 

 

Feb 01
Love0

The Myth of Partnerships (Why Ownership is Everything)

By Business Coaching Consulting Entrepreneur No Comments

In starting a business, many would consider having a partner as necessary, helpful and a way to allow you more opportunity further down the line. You’ll find that costs are shared and will find it easier to navigate through rough times with a trustworthy companion.

But, does it really make life easier?

Quite honestly, I’d beg to differ.

Maybe I’ll rub you the wrong way, but I couldn’t really care less.

I’ve come to find that in the 8+ years of experience coaching business owners, there is far too much time spent on dealing with partner-related issues, instead of focusing enough energy on growth and strategy in the business.

 

You Don’t Rush Into Marriage – So Why Would You Do It In A Partnership?

Sure, there are definitely a whole lot of benefits that you could find in starting a business with a partner, but they tend to be very surface-level; you eventually find the pool runs extremely deep and you’re only just learning how to swim.

I cannot even fathom the amount of conversations I have as a coach around business owners having to deal with pesky partners – it’s both scary and hilarious acting as a sort of marriage counsellor to clients that have to deal with this.

There are so many issues brought up, it’s almost not even funny.

When partners don’t pull their own weight and the burden is left on only one capable individual; when partners get paid high salaries, without a certain level of responsibility and accountability; when partners’ spouses get involved and make life unbearable for everyone else – it can often be a bitch to deal with a bitch.

More often than not, having a partner – sometimes two – ends up being a burden on the most involved business owner. Going in with the idea that 1+1= 3, is hardly ever the case. That addition of a partner doesn’t always necessarily result in better outcomes.

If you’re looking at it from the perspective of comfort, then get a damn business coach (like me), or find yourself a husband or a wife; all the comfort you need can be found there without the risk of an unpredictable ally.

People often rush into taking on a partnership without stopping to think about the future and the possible repercussions. You wouldn’t just find someone and then marry them from the get-go, would you? You would take the time, get to know them, discover their vices and develop a lasting relationship before getting down on one knee.

Why, then, do people rush into partnerships, only to find resentment further down the line. It just ends in a nasty divorce, filled with resentment.

1+1 ≠ 2. It Just Doesn’t.

When starting a business, you should employ the skills that you require versus partnering with them. There are often situations where it might be a bit expensive to pay for a particular skill that is required, so the business owner will cut costs by offering shares, instead.

This is a very dangerous mistake.

There comes the quick realisation that great skill doesn’t necessarily translate to a great partner. They often don’t go hand-in-hand and that’s why it’s far easier to employ the required skills to do the work.

It needs to be said that separating ownership from employment is vital to a better working system – just because a particular skill is provided, it doesn’t mean that you should be paid a high salary; the skills provided and offered should be an indicator of the profit you get to pocket.

I’ve also found that one of the biggest losses that come with the decision to partner-up is that of freedom. Your freedom is the perceived option of choice and partners tend to pluck those choices away from you. Leaving you with little, or no leverage when it’s absolutely essential.

In losing some of that freedom, you don’t always take on just the partner, but also their spouse. A husband, or wife of a partner can wreak complete havoc on the business in bringing personal issues to the equation.

Jealousy often comes up (“why does he get to drive that car and you don’t?”); or even vengeance can play a role (a partner is caught-up in an affair and gets caught, now there’s money being siphoned from the company to pay for silence and to save their reputation). Oh, sweet blackmail.

So many things can go wrong and often do.

I believe that ownership is everything. Having ownership means better control and ease of leveraging when it’s required; employees are far easier to make decisions around, where partners – and even minority partners – make it difficult.

 

Sometimes, Just Sometimes, It’s Forgivable To Partner-Up 

In going against what I’m preaching, I do find that there are specific conditions that warrant the use of a partner. Although I’m primarily against having a partner when running a business, I do believe that sometimes (only sometimes) it’s forgivable to work together with one.

There are certain provisions that need to be made and specific things that need to be adhered to when making the commitment of partnering up.

Get your pen and paper ready; write this down.

So in certain cases like Sergey Brin and Larry Page, or Wozniak and Jobs, you’ll sometimes find that the right partnerships can exist. Which can produce massive results and skyrocket you way past the stratosphere.

When looking for the right partner, then you need to find a polar-opposite in skills, to complement both of your abilities. If you’re creative and a designer, then seek to partner up with someone that has an MBA, or who’s involved in law; with an analytical skill set that can help in the decision making, or vice versa.

You need someone that you work well with to divide and conquer the business, have separate roles and responsibilities and both have a keen desire to grow the business to the best of your abilities.

It CAN be advantageous to have the opportunity to go on holiday from time to time with the comfort of a partner that has the company’s best interests at heart – one that would be able to run things smoothly if either one of you had to be away for whatever the reason.

However, I will say that it isn’t easy to find a perfect match; Cupid doesn’t waste any time on business partnerships, he’s got his own industry to run.

 

So you can walk away from this red in the face with rage, because you’ve already made the mistake of finding an insignificant other, or you can heed my warning and be very careful about taking on the tremendous risk of a partner.

They might act as a band-aid, but might also be infected; waiting to give you gangrene.

Dealing with these relationships can be quite difficult, so if you’re in need of some partnership counselling and more perspective from somebody who’s seen this far too many times, someone who has sound advice: I’m a ring, or email away:

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

 

 

Jan 24
Love0

Retirement On The Horizon – The Perfect Time To Start a Business

By Business Coaching Entrepreneur Motivation No Comments

Aging is so much fun, isn’t it? Getting slower and sluggish with far less energy to spare; finding irritation in the small things (like bread crumbs on the counter); or arthritis and other health issues paying you an unsolicited visit with no indication of when they’re leaving.

It can be a bit of a bitch, but wouldn’t you say it’s the best time to become an entrepreneur and start a business? I believe so.

You might be asking, “Spillly, what drugs are you taking?”

I might tell you that I’m snorting… the beautiful, fresh air outside and getting high on some life.

Because, with age comes a wonderful, novel perspective on life and the ability to move swiftly into the future with all of that hard-earned knowledge, expertise and a network worth its weight in gold.

 

Are You In Your 50s, Yet? Hurry, There’s So Much Potential! 

When you reach an age going past 40, you’re sitting on a goldmine of potential that could see you making your very own business and conquering a whole new dimension of your reality.

As time goes by, sure, you’re becoming more tired, have a greater aversion to taking risks and seek the comfort you’ve been waiting so long for.

But, you’re now in your prime – able to see and cut through the bullshit, know exactly what it is that you don’t want and have a strong network of people that can propel you to extreme heights far quicker than when you were in your 20’s.

You’re well-connected, you’ve got the wisdom and the knowledge of seeing it all. You know what you want in life and have a better idea of how to get exactly what you’re looking for.

The biggest difference between that age bracket and someone in their early 20’s and 30’s is that of the deadline. There is a due-date and it lingers over you, like the grim reaper; it waits patiently for your demise, eager to present you with an invitation to death, itself.

I don’t mean to be morbid, but when you’re young, you feel as if you’re bulletproof, unbreakable and like you’re going to live forever; the understanding that there is a time-limit, one where everything slows down, tends to be but an afterthought.

When you’re young, you can start a business, crash and burn in 5 years and get right back up to go for another round (ah, those were the days – limitless stamina and a soaring libido).

Also, your risk profile is far different to that of someone older – without a family to support, with heaps of energy, with self-delusion and minimum responsibilities, you’re far more at ease when taking a route to a successful business; where failure is an option.

However, when you’re in your 50’s, you become far more aware of the fragility of life and the pressure that it comes with. Time is of the essence, you have a blatant deadline looming, but most importantly, you have the right tools and means to get you going way faster than anyone else.

 

The Asset of Age

 In reaching an age beyond your 40’s, your risk profile tends to change in a number of ways.

When taking the early steps into your 30’s, there was a different kind of pressure – one to settle down and find comfort in a spouse. Taking on more risk, you get a bond for a home, get dogs or pets, have cars to maintain and bills to pay (medical aid, insurance, etc.).

Your time is spent and you’re unable to put in the energy to now create a business with all of these responsibilities that need your constant attention.

Fast forward a few more years and as the age of 50 draws nearer, you’ve found ease in navigating and delegating those tasks. Life becomes a little bit easier. Which is why it proves itself to be the perfect time to introspect, to look at yourself and how valuable you are.

You know exactly what you don’t want; you have a strong network of people that you can rely on, work with, sell to, get referrals from; you’re aware of the deadline and that you need to execute your idea well and to the best of your ability – these are the perfect tools to start a business. To become a successful entrepreneur.

Your age is ultimately an asset that can be used to bring about far more benefits than if you were to retire and give up on everything that you’ve accumulated.

A Lesson For The Youth To Take Away

I always say that I’d much rather back a 50-year-old entrepreneur over one half his/her age. They have all the right attributes and assets to see a successful business through.

This doesn’t mean that it should be limited to that age. There’s a lesson to be learned there and if you’re young, then take into consideration the deadline; look past your perceived invincibility and come to terms with how short this life can be.

IF you can apply the pressure and put in the hard-work, then you can make something powerful with a shelf-life that can withstand a nuclear threat.

As the great Jazz composer, Duke Ellington once said, “I don’t need time. What I need is a deadline”.

Face that deadline head-on and put the pressure on max.

Apply as many life-lessons from the older-generation as you can and reap the benefits, rather than wrap yourself up in the same repetitive cycles.

Being old can be extremely beneficial – sure, it won’t be as easy to accumulate all the network and credibility that someone that age has, but you can approach it from a place that pushes for strong connections, credibility and trust from the people that will ultimately carry your business.

If you’re above the age of 50, keen to get started on a business, become an entrepreneur, ready to squeeze your network for what it’s worth:

Hit me up! Let’s talk. Let’s get right into it. I’m here to nudge you in the direction you’ll need.

I also don’t discriminate. I’m no ageist. So if you’re still young and know that you need the guidance, the motivation and a plan to get you on track to success in your business, feel free to contact me, anytime:

+2783 253 3339 brent@spillly.com

Jan 05
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What To Do When Your MOM Is SAD

By Business Coaching Coaching Skills No Comments

Something that is extremely important in creating a strong sense of customer satisfaction, loyalty and love for your business and brand is through doing things that are out of the ordinary; above and beyond what your client or customer expects of you.

Through these techniques, you etch an incredible impression on not only the minds of your clients, but also their hearts – creating a sense of wonder and joy when they think about you.

These two awesome acronyms will have you remarked on and scoring tonnes of brownie points from your clients, trust me.

SAD And MOM Are Basically One In The Same

 I’m sure that you’re a bit confused now: all of this shit about mom being sad and a sad mom, what am I even going on about?

Let me explain:

SAD stands for Surprise and Delight, while MOM stands for Moments of Magic. Both of these are basically one in the same and are methods to get your clients to fall in love with you, regardless of your USP.

As a matter of fact, acting on these methods become almost as important as the product or service that your business offers and I encourage all of my clients to make use of these techniques at any and all times.

What it basically refers to is creating exactly those things for your customers – moments of magic that they are attracted to and enamoured by that will have you win them over and spread your brand like warm butter to all who they are capable of influencing.

A moment of magic can come in many different shapes and forms, such as: sending hand-written notes, gifts, coupons, tickets; involving them in your social media through competitions, prizes, retweets, rewards; and even some personal interaction from on top through phone calls, emails, video messages all by the CEO, owner, or managers.

These moments of magic will end up creating a surprise and a sense of delight for your clients, which strengthens their bond, loyalty and trust in your business and the brand as a whole.

In this day and age, customer satisfaction is bigger than ever and creating a delightful or magical experience for them will ultimately shoot your business into stardom or have it dragged down into the fiery depths of hell to suffer for the rest of eternity. (Indeed a gross exaggeration, but some great hyperbole where it’s needed).

At the end of the day, your customer or client makes your business, well, a business, and without them you’d be left to struggle on your own. So plenty of emphasis needs to be placed on their value and how better to show them that you value them through these magic words.

 

Under promise And Overdeliver

This focus and intention on bringing amazing service that your customer or client doesn’t expect will only yield better results for you and your company.

You should be implementing these tactics from the beginning of your journey with the client, as well – being aware of trying to surprise them from the early exposure that they have of your business; from the Instagram ads, to the billboards, to the first time they spend money with you.

And bear in mind that these moments of magic shouldn’t be ad-hoc, either, but should be built into your customer-engagement process; they should be part of the customer journey, by creating magical moments at every stage to surprise and delight them.

Through my journey as a business coach, I’ve come across some amazing ways that entrepreneurs do this in the most remarkable and awe-inspiring methods you can think of – and they are all very simple.

At the very basic level, do what you say that you’re going to do and deliver the product or service to the best of your ability; do what they expect and then give them more than what they’re expecting (deliver more, or earlier, or under-budget, or anything that gives them a positive reaction toward that which they weren’t expecting).

Give them something that they didn’t know they needed and always thank them for being a client of yours.

Take the time to figure out what makes them excited, happy or brings them joy and be the first to act on it. You’ll end up becoming that much more remarkable in their eyes and they’ll absolutely adore you for it.

 

Almost Like A Fright, Make It Memorable

I sometimes like to give my daughter a small fright, waiting around the corner and surprising her with a tiny jolt of adrenaline. It’s not to be malicious or sadistic in any way, but after the small surge of adrenaline, the dopamine kicks in and we both have a good giggle.

There’s a small moment that the surprise has us both bonding and laughing at the outcome and I’m sure that she’s going to get me back very soon; in the end it becomes a memorable moment of surprise that we both look back at, laugh about and enjoy.

I’m not recommending spooking your clients or customers into moments of magic, but those surprises work in wonderful ways that are both memorable and impressionable.

It is often more important to surprise and delight or present moments of magic for your client than the actual product or service that you provide; as bad as that might sound, some clients don’t care that much about the work you’re doing, but will certainly care about being surprised and delighted at any given moment.

A huge part of winning loyalty, keeping yourself relevant to the market and building relationships with the client – using this tactic is so powerful in and of itself.

You can find loads of ways that this tactic is used by massive businesses that don’t even need to bother doing it, but it always ends up working in their favour. Most making use of social media campaigns like Mercedes-Benz sending branded gifts to clients; or Mastercard sending out concert tickets, coupons and celebrity meet and greets.

Steal this tactic and use it in your business, reap the benefits of unending loyalty from your clients – you can thank me later.

OR! You can thank me now, by considering me as your business coach.

I make great coffee, give good back rubs and the banter is always on point. Jokes aside, I will surprise and delight you in helping you develop your business and aid you in forming the greatest, most impactful entrepreneur you weren’t aware you could be.

Make a moment of magic for us both and get in touch with me:

 

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

Jan 05
Love0

Bringing It All Together In The Reuleaux Triangle – The Psychology of Business (Pt.4)

By Business Coaching Business Management Motivation No Comments

In this four-part series on buzzing business psychology, it’s important to tie the three previous concepts together and form one, solid entrepreneurial machine out of you, the business owner.

A Reuleaux triangle is very similar to a Venn diagram, where two circles coincide and have a common thread in the centre, but includes a third, bottom circle which forms a central piece that a triangle can be extracted from.

This triangle is the convergent point of all three circles and shares traits from all of them; these three circles being Imposter syndrome, Authority syndrome and Delusional Self-Belief.

“There’s A Sucker Born Every Minute”

 

In taking a good look at how psychological biases not only affect us as individuals, but also as business owners and entrepreneurs, it becomes easier to make practical use of that information and make our minds work for us, rather than being slaves to those thoughts and subconscious mishaps.

It becomes increasingly important to understand the world we live in, especially when working with and through people. The science exists and it’s far from a wacky bouquet of horoscopes with generic Barnum statements that falsely determine personalities and the traits that come with them.

For those of you that don’t know, P.T. Barnum was a famous showman, politician and businessman that came up with something we now call the Forer Effect. It basically refers to generalised statements made about people’s personalities that seem to ring true to them on a profound level, but can actually be applied to everybody.

I might be pissing off a whole lot of fortune cookie-eating, horoscope-loving suckers (he called you suckers, first) out there, but statements like this include: “I sense that you are sometimes insecure, especially with people you don’t know very well”; “you’re having problems with a friend or relative”; “you’ve got a bubbly personality, but you can be serious, too.”

A famous quote attached to him is, “there’s a sucker born every minute,” and almost anyone is susceptible to these not-so-profound insights about themselves, as they’re all generic and can have you fooled upon hearing such revelatory ideas about who you are.

It’s so important to understand yourself, especially on a psychological level, to not only prevent being tricked or manipulated; but rather to manipulate or trick yourself into achieving amazing results in any and all areas of your life.

So by taking the knowledge that I’ve shared with you on Imposter syndrome, Authority syndrome and delusional self-belief; you can form a Reuleaux triangle of those three concepts, take the best aspects of all three and thrive.

 

A Threesome With Anxiety, Creativity And Confidence

Starting with the anxiety-driven biases like Imposter and Authority syndrome, there’s a great sense of humility, empathy, creativity and innovation that comes from having them as a part of your mental state.

Humility becomes so powerful in combating the ego and developing trust with the people that you work and interact with. As a character trait and business tool, people will develop far more trust in you, making you more likeable and attractive – especially in having amazing skills, talents and abilities, while avoiding boastfulness and arrogance.

Empathy has already become recognised as a form of emotional intelligence that makes leaders fantastic and being able to understand, relate to and sympathise with people on a profound level will make you so much more enjoyable, respectable and revered among clients, staff and anybody that you work with. Coupled with humility, the rapport and remarkableness make you stick out like the perfect Black Friday special that nobody can resist.

In Authority syndrome, you have heightened levels of creativity and innovative ways of looking at the world around you. You see the beauty in everything and see the world as a gallery or museum for your artistic endeavours. Producing content, ideas and strategies to navigate your business, your staff and shape society as a whole, is poetic in itself. Sharing life-changing ideas and concepts bring growth to those who are stunted; strength to those who are weak; and power to those who feel powerless.

Bringing innovation to stagnant waters, brings life and a dynamic novelty to the world around us. You’ll be credited, referred to, praised and if not, you’re always still making some sort of a difference and impact on some person’s life. That, in itself, is power.

Finally, delusional self-belief can be used as a powerful weapon to attract and manifest all of your goals, desires and dreams into reality. With the supreme ability to bring about certain outcomes and stunning results in life, based on the thoughts and energy you put out into the world – your posture, body language, engagement and attitude plays a huge role in getting what you want for yourself and your business.

Minus the grandiose and pompous nature of extreme belief in one’s abilities and self-esteem, you create an attractive and awe-inspiring atmosphere that people are drawn to; putting staff, clients, shareholders, partners and anybody else in that awkward position of loving and caring about you, while finding it difficult to hate or dislike the person that you are.

When those three biases converge, that Reuleaux triangle contains within it the best ingredients to make you tenacious and addictive in people’s eyes and their thoughts of you.

Taking note and being aware of these three psychological concepts will help you discern and decide what aspects should stay and what should be done away with. Not everything is dark, gloomy and sad, especially when dealing with struggle, anxiety and grandeur; there is always a silver-lining and a collection of unique and profound attributes to take away and apply to oneself.

Join me in the centre of the Reuleaux Triangle and together we can ignite a wildfire of change and excitement in our offerings to the world around us.

We certainly don’t need to change the whole world, but our circles of influence are malleable enough and highly capable of receiving the vision, love and ecstasy that you, as an entrepreneur and me, as a business coach, have to offer.

I’ll continue to strive to be a gift that keeps on giving: So I’ll give to you my number and email address and we can get into the details together:

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

 

 

Jan 05
Love0

Delusional Self-Belief – The Psychology of Business (Pt.3)

By Business Coaching Business Management Coaching No Comments

I almost never know what I’m doing, but I absolutely know that I’ll figure it out and that whatever I set my mind and intentions on, I can (and most likely will) achieve it.

These words echo in the minds of those that have a strong belief in their abilities and the great outcomes that they are capable of producing, carrying with them a powerful aura that demands the world’s attention.

 

Coming across people with these levels of self-assurance can be both frightening and refreshing; frightening, because you’re forced to reflect on how afraid you are of your own power and refreshing because you see that you’re just as capable of such thought and control.

 

Delusions Of Grandeur

After taking a look at the more anxiety-driven cognitive biases that appear in part 1 and part 2, there’s always room to find select people that have what seem like a never-ending supply of self-determination and confidence – no matter the consequences they’re faced with.

Some of the clients that I work with and coach carry with them a sense of this somewhat delusional self-belief and the people that they are surrounded by are generally in awe of how they manage to expand their networks, extract opportunities and succeed without a sense of fear for judgement or debilitating criticism.

Sure, there definitely are cases where the Dunning-Kruger effect can be seen taking the wheel and driving some of the hubris that can come with having such high-levels of confidence. However, some people are so highly self-motivated and carry intense levels of a well-endowed self-esteem.

The Dunning-Kruger effect refers to when that delusional self-belief is coupled with an actual inability to get many of the goals done, lacking the talent, logic, skills and abilities required to see things through. People dealing with this bias tend to have extreme levels of high self-esteem and delusions of grandeur, but struggle to achieve anything, due to an actual lack or limitation of ability.

In the case of delusional self-belief, you’ll sometimes find a distinct level of hubris, but there’s logic, reason and rational thought behind the decisions that are taken. There’s a certain level of confidence within them that makes you wonder where exactly to get some of that magic potion.

 

Like A Magic Potion Brewed By Getafix

Similar to when Asterix, or Obelix take some of that magic potion, the famous one brewed by Getafix, there erupts a boost of invincibility and a certain lack of inhibitions; if you desire a result, you’ll go and get it and make shit happen.

Some people have a built-in reservoir for this kind of heightened self-esteem and unfettered determination, which is both desirable and certainly fear-inducing.

It’s not always easy to deal with, as with any cognitive bias there are subconscious defence mechanisms at play. This kind of thinking often sidelines any negative news, observations, or thoughts and replaces them with mostly positive ones; which can often damage relationships and perceptions, or have you make hasty decisions that can bring about more harm than good.

That’s why it’s important to not get wrapped up in self-delusional thinking, but rather to use it wisely and with a much-needed dose of realism. By incorporating the two, you can make wise, confident and bold decisions that could turn your life into something utterly profound.

It will act as a sort-of self-fulfilling prophecy, by managing to work out that which you desire and by giving it the necessary time to simmer in your subconscious, allowing you to manifest and breathe life into your thoughts and your reality.

The self-fulfilling prophecy is an innate ability within each and everyone of us to create an idea in our mind that will have an externalised effect on our behaviours and actions and therefore affect the way that people choose to interact and engage with us. A simple example of this is by going to a party with the idea that you’re not going to have a good time, you’re not excited about going and you’re reluctant to meet new people; you end up prophesying your time at the party, engaging in closed-off body language, avoiding opportunities and forming a cold and distant attitude that nobody wants to be a part of – you end up doing it to yourself.

The same can be said about using that psychological observation in the opposite way; going in with the right attitude and mindset will bring about a natural change in body language and behaviour that will have you appear far more attractive and enjoyable.

In taking a healthy dose of that potion; use the rhyme “fake it ‘til you make it”, or the Jewish aphorism “deed before creed,” which says to start acting and behaving in a certain way and the rest will surely follow.

The mind is capable of utterly incredible operations and what you tell yourself can make or break who you are.

 

Just Make Use And Don’t Abuse

Using a healthy mix of delusional self-belief, coupled with the right reason, logic and abilities – you can go very far as a leader, entrepreneur or in any field you choose.

The best entrepreneurs and business owners have these attributes carefully wound together and it carries their success to great heights. No matter how old they might be, these (often, great) people maintain a steadfast and unshakeable faith that they are immune to the discouraging and intimidating nature of business success and longevity.

Armoured with that type of deepened belief in themselves, they shape the company culture in such a way that it produces fantastic results in their products, customer service and overall impression that lends to their success.

Sure, there might be some crazy egomaniacal tendencies that sit right at the top, but the determination and high levels of quality and power of these businesses tend to stand out from the crowd and always do far better.

Steer clear from misinformation, arrogance and self-indulgence; keep educating yourself and sprinkle some of that delusional self-belief on your breakfast in the morning to keep you motivated and luring in the best outcomes for you and your business.

Like I’ve mentioned in Part 1 and Part 2: I deal with my own sense of imposterism and creative anxiety from time to time, but I always make sure to throw some magic potion into the mix, so I can dilute the fear with a bit of fervour for the world.

I kind of, sort of have a secret recipe that I’m more than happy and willing to share with you:

Only on one condition, though!

You have to call me, Whatsapp me, or email me for a sagacious chat – it’s there that I can unwrap my master plan to become your business coach and confidant.

 

This how to reach me:

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

You know you want to.

Jan 05
Love0

The Authority Syndrome – The Psychology of Business (Pt.2)

By Business Coaching Motivation Strategy No Comments

Have you ever had the motivation, courage and determination to be highly creative and put your amazing idea or concept out there, only for you to be riddled with the anxiety that nobody will see or hear it, or even worse – not care, at all?

In taking note of how the imposter syndrome and one of its closest counterparts, creative anxiety, both work; I’ve come up with a blended form of the two, which I call authority syndrome.

 

Noticing it in particular clients that I work with and even in myself, it’s an interesting cognitive bias that leaves you in fear of not being recognised for a creative endeavour that you’ve put out into the world.

 

“If A Tree Falls In A Forest…”

There’s an interesting philosophical thought experiment that questions human perspective and existence: “if nobody knows it’s there, or that it happened; does it even exist?”

In looking at the authority syndrome, I’ve often found myself in fear and wondering whether or not anybody will even see, recognise or pay attention to some of the creative ambitions and endeavours I want to put out for the world to engage with.

With enough confidence and motivation to create content, generate ideas and formulate concepts, I find that a sense of anxiety follows the desire to put it out there for display – not necessarily because it won’t be good enough, but that nobody will even care to engage with it, or worse: be totally unaware of its existence.

The desire for such recognition is rooted in all of us and social media proves this through our dependency and need for engagement through likes, comments and shares. There becomes a clear distinction between the comfort that comes with creation and the reluctance that comes with putting it out there.

Nobody wants to deal with the harrowing silence that might follow all of the hard-work and effort one puts into something so close to their heart, especially when countless hours and love are put into that process.

This fear spills over into moments that you feel most in control, leaving you with a set of expectations, which in turn extract feelings of being judged; being seen for who you really are; taking criticism; and dealing with any negative feedback from others.

 

Fighting Through A Lack Of Self-Belief

Both imposter and authority syndrome come from a place of a deep-rooted lack of self-belief; while imposter syndrome has you convinced that your voice does not matter, authority syndrome has you believing that your voice does matter, but that nobody cares and there is no real point in even bothering making use of it.

And as with all of these biases: they’re simply different forms of psychological self-defence mechanisms that try to protect and prevent you from the inevitable unpredictability that life can present you. Safety and security become a necessity, so our minds work to protect us from any potential threats or danger to our mental well-being.

It’s a difficult and painstaking process to deal with mentally, but it is important to remember who the common denominator is: Yourself.

You are the common thread in those thinking processes and need to be self-aware of the contradictory fact that you believe you matter one day, but don’t believe it the next day; you’re in possession of the power to break that vicious cycle.

Growth isn’t about resources, but rather resourcefulness and by taking the decision to grow, rather than struggle – you’ll find success in seeking ways to create a base of fans and interest inside and outside of your business. By understanding the psychology behind how, what and why you do things, you won’t only have insight about yourself, but insight into those that you work with and have in your business.

At the end of the day, you can’t please everybody and by finding acceptance in the fact that there will always be people that criticise the work that you do, everything becomes a lot easier. In order to build something of value, you have to trust yourself to put out the hard-work and energy, regardless of whether or not it’s seen, heard, criticised or loved.

By learning how your thoughts and emotions operate, you’re granted the ability to see that you’re not alone in dealing with the tumultuous environment that your powerful mind can often abandon you in.

You can carry these psychological insights through to the way that you motivate your employees; in hiring the right people; negotiating contracts with clients effectively; improve performance in you and your staff; market in better ways; and achieve your goals far more effectively.

Aristotle’s wise words echo through the ages: “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” So in understanding how you think and coming to terms with your own psychological drawbacks, you can make the best decisions for yourself and your business moving forward.

Nobody really cares if you fail and you certainly won’t be punished for making mistakes in your own creative space, so don’t shy away from yourself and the stunning abilities that you gift to the world. Keep on creating, formulating and share it until nobody can look away.

 

Hopefully this resonates with you on some level and it hasn’t fallen on deaf ears, or ended up a fallen tree in a forest;

 

If it didn’t matter at all, I’m still fine with that; If it did and meant something to you: give me some feedback, or criticism. I’m still on my journey to becoming the best business coach that I can be, especially for someone like you.

Let me know how you feel and together we can come up with a way to turn that fallen tree into a loud and captivating euphony that you can be proud of:

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com