Skip to main content
+27 83 253 3999
Category

Lifestyle

May 26
Love0

7 Great Reasons To Start A Business Today!

By Business Coaching Entrepreneur Lifestyle Motivation No Comments

Sure, starting a business is no easy task and it certainly comes with its struggles and challenges, but the bulging benefits of starting one are far too many to ignore.

From the freedom and autonomy that comes with becoming an entrepreneur, to the skills, experience and purpose that you’re able to develop along the way – starting a business will open up new, empowering horizons that you never thought possible.

Freedom And Autonomy

 In starting a business, you’ll find that you take away the pain of working for a boss or within a hierarchy that might have an uncomfortable culture to deal with or operate in.

You allow yourself to feel the independence and freedom to do as you please when creating the environment of your choice. Have you always wanted to be a better leader, have a better system for employees, or a peaceful and productive environment to work in?

If that’s the case, then by creating your own business, you take control of the steering wheel and make the decision to operate in a better way for everybody. This will give you a strong sense of control in your ability to create change and mould something incredible for people to respect and admire.

You’re free to be who you want to be and make the right changes, while enhancing the lives of those around you. You’re free to play golf all day or spend time with your family and go on extravagant vacations.

Achievement And Pride

By taking that level of control in building out a business, whether big or small, you’re left with a level of pride around the hard work that you’ve put in to achieve something memorable and impactful.

You can rest with a clear conscience around the fact that you’ve taken the risk, effort and time to create something from nothing. The improved self-esteem that will come with that drive and ambition will give your ego a facelift and have you feeling like a king or a queen.

It goes without saying that humility is always one of the best traits to keep in touch with, so avoid arrogance, but embrace the fact that you will certainly be dripping in confidence and come out looking and feeling sexier than ever. Just like building anything from scratch, you’ll be proud and feel great about what you’ve achieved and succeeded in doing.

A Healthy Bank Balance 

It pretty much goes without saying that running your own business will help you in achieving far more financial freedom than you would by working a normal job.

Obviously the responsibilities that come with paying employees on time, taxes, rental fees and other costs will take away from your earnings, but when going about it the right way – you have a world of potential profits to look forward to.

The money that comes with running a successful business can help you build even more businesses, retire early or live the lifestyle of your choice. It ties back to having a sturdy level of freedom and autonomy in your life, which gives you peace of mind when doing what you want to do.

Skills And Development 

As great as the freedom, money and pride that come with running your own business can be, you’re able to develop a wide range of skills and abilities that you simply can’t put a price on.

While building your business, you learn more and more about the different approaches, models, strategies and tactics used to take your business to the top. This allows you to view everything around you in a completely new way; seeing opportunity in places you wouldn’t have expected, spotting marketing strategies that you were unaware of before, developing your insight and mind’s eye to take on and navigate through uncertainty.

You grow in ways that you wouldn’t have expected and as you explore new avenues of interest, you begin mastering the many different facets that come with all of this dynamic and constantly progressing information.

Learning how to use technology and infrastructure to your advantage; understanding how the laws around particular industries and markets operate; and the knowledge of your own potential and limitations provides insight into the person that you are.

Meaning And Purpose

We live in an age with so much to offer, with plenty of paths to choose from and without any direction or purpose it can be disheartening and somewhat demotivating when we run into existential crises; left confused and battered by unfulfillment.

By starting a business where your passion can be the driving force or even in discovering new interests through this process, you find purpose in the world and see that it’s far easier to navigate through life knowing that you’ve left a positive impression and footprint for everyone to see and feel its impact.

This sense of meaning can bring about wonderful changes in confidence, self-esteem and balance in your life as you know that you’ve done something meaningful on this earth, while taking away loads of skills, insight and a developed character.

It’s difficult to find meaning and purpose, so starting a business can certainly be rewarding in that sense. You’re kept busy with growth and improvement, becoming more fulfilled by the day.

Causes & Charity

One of the more philanthropic and selfless reasons to start a business is the fact that you can make a significant contribution to the causes and charities of your choice, especially as a reputable business. You’re able to make more impact and a greater difference in people’s lives and contribute to the movements that you see fit.

Fighting for a particular ideal can give you plenty of joy and happiness in different areas of your life, again raising self-esteem and confidence in yourself.

Your business can also act as a sign of hope and relief to the different charities and organisations that seek to make a difference and better the lives of people. PR might not be on the top of your list when doing good for others, but you will naturally become recognised for the good that you do and it will be far more rewarding to yourself and others.

If you’re a person that wants to help make a difference in huge and meaningful ways, but find it difficult to do this on your own, then starting a business can push you to make better changes for those that you see fit.

New Experiences 

Working on your own business will bring about new experiences and viewpoints on reality and the world around you. Opening your doors to new situations allows for better personal growth and a deeper level of understanding around the way that life works.

With these new experiences, you’re always kept busy and constantly engaging with so many new perspectives, leaving you with knowledge and wisdom on a wide variety of subjects.

You will encounter numerous personalities that you need to work well with and understand, industries and markets that operate in certain ways and people from all walks of life that open more doors of opportunity to you.

This will force an evolution and a valuable change in your emotional intelligence as you begin to view people and situations differently than you had before, allowing more experiences and moments of magic to come into contact with.

Bonus Reason No.8 

There you have it, 7 great reasons to start a business.

But, there is an 8th that I’d like you to be aware of.

If you start a business, you’ll have the opportunity, nay, the advantage of the advice, knowledge, experience and insight of a brilliant balding bearded business coach.

Not all business coaches come with that alliterative function, so I’d definitely recommend checking him out.

He has what it takes to have your business blossom with all of the right strategies, tactics and research you could ever need; he is trustworthy, credible and driven; he is motivating, energetic and creative.

As I unmask and reveal to you, while no more referring to myself in the third person, that I, Spillly, am the best business coach for you, do yourself a favour:

Start a business and get into contact with me.

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

Mar 04
Love0

Credibility – Your Success Currency

By Business Coaching Lifestyle Strategy No Comments

Perception is everything. All that we see and interact with is affected by our judgements and personal evaluations of people, places, brands and our surroundings.

Whether conceived or pre-conceived, our notions about people are a staple to our survival as human beings. We need to judge and discern whether something is right or wrong for us in any given situation and as humans, we tend to be both horrible and remarkable at doing just that.

That is why credibility is just so important. People will always have lasting, if not life-long impressions of you and your character, deciding whether or not you are deserving of their love or their hatred. Trust is fundamental in building a strong network of followers (and no, I’m not talking about Instagram).

 

Build and Become the Brand 

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, an employee and regardless of whether you’re 20, or even 50 years of age, building a brand is one of the most important things you could possibly do to serve you well.

A brand is not to be mistaken with simply having a logo or a website, but how your customers perceive you and ultimately how you have affected them. It is so important to be aware of the impression that you leave on your customers and people in general, because it will ultimately lead to what they spread through word of mouth.

Recently, in a state of frustration, I put out a tweet that said:

Ask yourself the question, “what brand am I building and putting out there?”

Do you leave a positive and lasting impression on every person that you meet? Yes, every person that you interact with becomes important, as you never know where that person might end up tomorrow.

The people that you went to school with, the family that you grew up around and the people that you work with from the very beginning, all have the possibility of impacting your life in some way later on in life. Always be aware that a person’s status or influence in the present could be changed in the future – the junior staff that you started out with could someday end up being CEOs, high-ranking officials, or even your boss. Imagine that nightmare.

The impression you leave can last a lifetime.

 

Start Filling Your Bank With Credibility 

One of the most powerful ways to leave a strong and lasting impression, one that is impactful and unforgettable, is to develop your level of credibility.

Credibility is your ability to leave a positive and memorable point-of-view on your identity, one that says you’re an honest and remarkable person that people can respect, trust and admire.

Through this, you will have the ability to create a strong network of support and a following that you can be proud of. If you’re seen as honest, impressionable, hard-working and capable, you sign-up for unwavering respect and the power to have people follow and look up to you.

In order to grow a successful business, especially in South Africa, you need to have a strong network. This network starts at school and keeps growing all the way through to your employers, colleagues and even your opposition; everyone can be your network.

The power and size of your network is directly proportional to your success.

People don’t necessarily remember the work you do, but rather how you did the work. Were you trustworthy, honest, diligent in every move you made? You become a merchant that trades in trust, giving others the opinion that you are credible; and dare I say it, incredible.

 

Become Viral Like The Coronavirus

Seth Godin, writer of the Ideavirus has an excellent take on marketing and how important the customer is when spreading your brand to more and more people. He talks about becoming like a virus – contagious to your customers, so that they spread your product or service to as many as possible.

Your credibility should do the same thing. You should become contagious in the way that you disseminate yourself, as a brand and as a business owner. Let the love and respect of your character spread like wildfire, so that as many people want to be involved with you.

Apply it to your daily diet and ask yourself, “who am I meeting today and what will those people be saying about me in the years to come?”

Build yourself a trail of ambassadors that will follow you on your journey and share your virus with the rest of the world.

Sharing is caring, after all.

 

Be The Leader That Keeps On Leading

By becoming the leader of your own personal brand, you begin a trend that will open up more networks and a stable, unbreakable following. By taking on the responsibility of reliability and trust, you open the doors to becoming more respected, admired and remarkable.

It starts with one follower that will invite and inspire many more to join in on your mission. I quote Derek Sivers, “the first follower is what transforms a loon into a leader.”

You become like the Pied Piper, leading and gathering people with your harmony of trust and honesty – strengthening relationships and forging an undying perspective on the amazing person that you are.

Are you unique and remarkable?

Or are you forgettable and easily replaceable?

I sometimes find that being trustworthy and honest starts with a firm kick to the groin.

We could also just start out with a strong-ass cup of coffee, so join me for one, we can discuss how to shove you in the right direction. Or if you’re a little bit shy, too afraid to catch the Covid:

 

Call me on 083 253 3999 or email me: brent@spillly.com, Let’s plan a risk-free Zoom meeting, sometime soon.

Feb 14
Love0

Howling at the Money Storm – “What Is Wealth?”

By Business Coaching Lifestyle Motivation No Comments

Wealth is a funny concept. There are many different ways to view it, so to get one universal definition can be just a little bit difficult.

Although it can be defined as how much you have sitting in the bank, or how well you’re doing financially; it can also extend to your levels of happiness in life, with family, comfort or your lifestyle.

In discovering the meaning of wealth, the last thing you should do is compare yourself to anybody, at all. It’s never fair to compare, as it can be so easy to find people that are far richer than you, living a better life – whether for real, or faking it on Instagram – and who are ultimately happier than you are able to be in the present.

So, How Does Spillly Define Wealth?

Great question!

I know people that many would consider ‘rich’, earning close to R500,000 a month, with the best car and access to almost anything you could ever desire; but find themselves so unhappy and miserable in their personal lives: living life divorced with two kids, with maintenance-bonded houses (some on their 2nd and 3rd properties), cars and assets that they can’t afford, private school bills, parents and siblings that are financially dependent on them.

These are people who are capable of going on over two overseas holidays a year and have lives surrounded by complete luxury, but still live on edge and in constant fear of financial insecurity.

A friend of mine is an example of this, earning a massive salary, owns the latest BMW 3 Series, and loves the extravagant lifestyle; however, as soon as Covid shattered life as we knew it, his business was struggling and he barely had 6 weeks’ worth of cash in the bank to pay for that lifestyle and all of those expenses.

From the outside, these people seem rich, but are certainly not wealthy and lack a certain level of financial freedom in their minds.

In contrast, my mother is almost 70, earns roughly R40k per month and spends around R30k every month on her lifestyle costs (car, rent, medical aid, etc), but her investments and assets give her more than her annuity every month. Her interest and rentals that she gets from her properties cover more than her monthly expenses. She is an example of what I would call wealthy – her monthly burn (expenses) is covered, while making more money than what she spends.

The fallacy is that just being rich results in being wealthy.

I define wealth as passive income greater than your burn. The key is to avoid measuring revenue, but rather the burn – what you spend your money on is just as important as what you earn.

Are you bringing in more than what you spend?

Now, how wealthy do you want to be?

If your answer to that question is to be R100 Million richer in the next 10 years and you’re just an employee, then do yourself a favour and just resign today.

It’s simply not going to happen.

The chances of you succeeding as a business owner are also very low. For the most part, the odds are stacked against you. The stats prove just how few businesses last past 3 years in this day and age, especially in a BEE-regulated, post-covid environment and research has proven that most entrepreneurs have a 1 in 5 chance of succeeding.

You need to be aware of where you are in the world and have realistic expectations. It’s impossible to become an overnight success. It may seem like some may achieve such a feat, but the anecdotes tell you how they’ve been around for many years before that success came knocking.

In order to get to a stage of being wealthy, there are certain measures that need to be taken. This starts with setting a financial goal that relates to savings, or annuity structures that will eventually produce more passive income than what you spend.

Pick a lifestyle that you believe is reasonable and in harmony with what you earn.

Identify how much wealth you need and by when, then work backwards and reverse-engineer those numbers.

I’ve come up with an easy and practical equation to help find the answer to your desired wealth:

If, A = Work;

And, B = Life;

Then, X(t) = Projected Wealth by when.

We have the equation A+B = X(t)

By starting with and setting a number for your wealth and when you want to have it by, you can work backwards to plan A (cash, revenue, savings, investments) and how much B (life balance) you will get out of it.

Plan Ahead to Achieve Your Goals

 Unless your plan is to become an earth-foraging hippy, or live in an Israeli kibbutz ( which I’m sure as hell you aren’t, as you’re here right now), then understanding exactly what you need to do today in order for you to lift yourself up for tomorrow and achieve your financial goals – should be a priority.

While salary is comfort; equity is wealth. 

Always try to find what brings the most equity in your life (investments, assets, etc), try not to focus and rely on the comfort of salary.

As with my theory of work-life balance: put in the hard work now to reap the balance later on in life. Pay close attention to what will bring you a passive income, long after salary has reached its due date.

Plan ahead.

Think it through.

And if you’re feeling a little bit anxious, anxious about where you’re heading and how big your X(t) is, you know how to reach me:

083 253 3999

brent@spillly.com

I promise you: My X(t) isn’t as big as yours.

 

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

 

 

 

 

Nov 18
Love0

It’s Been One Hell Of A Year, So Stop Punishing Yourself.

By Business Coaching Lifestyle Motivation No Comments

 

So the year is fast approaching its apex and although there is a massive pressure built-up to get as much done as humanly possible in this final stretch – it should be said that it’s okay to start taking it easy and right before tinnitus kicks in, to turn down the volume just a little bit.

We can all agree that this year has been extremely unpredictable, to say the least and (without any lube) it’s taken almost every business for a rough ride; leaving many limping away in shame.

I’m usually one for telling my clients to end the year off on a high note, with high-energy and a force not to be reckoned with, but this time is a little bit different.

It’s been tough. So don’t push yourself to the edge, we’ve made it through one crazy year.

 

Fight, Flight, or Just Chill 

Other than the fact that the year has been emotionally taxing on everyone, dealing with a crisis that nobody could have foreseen, there are numerous reasons to be counting your blessings and taking joy in the fact that you’ve made it this far.

With a barrage of complications putting us on edge, Covid has certainly left behind a rotting and pungent smell.

When Ramaphosa pops up on TV, we’re left with surges of stress and adrenaline – what now? Another lockdown, more regulations? Constantly in a state of uncertainty, we find ourselves causing more harm than good.

In typical situations that call for a fight or flight response, our bodies produce the hormones cortisol and adrenaline. We’re forced to make quick decisions that cause a momentary stress for us and have to deal with the outcome as quickly as possible.

However, this pandemic has forced us on a slow-drip of these stress hormones; giving us short doses every time a new rule, regulation or barrier is presented to us. This cannot be healthy and certainly creates high-levels of discomfort in our psyche.

This slow release of hormones makes us anxious, edgy and hypersensitive (almost like a bunch of crack addicts) which in itself is physically and psychologically draining, taking a hefty toll on our minds and bodies.

We’re certainly not getting enough of the feel-good hormones, serotonin and dopamine, and need to seek out some of that good shit to find some balance amongst the chaos rummaging through our bodies.

That’s why it’s so important to ease off on yourself, a little bit more than usual. Take a bit of a chill pill and relax. I’m not saying drop everything, say “fuck it, I’m done” and walk away. Just don’t be so hard on yourself to reach unrealistic expectations for yourself, or your business.

 

A Three-Phase Plan to Find A Bit Of Solace

In the struggles that businesses are facing, there needs to be some sort of comfort found.

By constantly attempting to seize the day, ‘carpe diem’ acts as an anchor and defence mechanism, instead of a motivator. If I stay as busy as possible, I don’t need to face the guilt and think about all the stress that wants to give me an ass-kicking.

Don’t be trapped by the guilt of being highly productive; being a little bit useless or lazy is OKAY. It doesn’t have to be binary – either keep producing (1), or I’m useless (0).

You’re only human.

Take a little break and think about these three phases to deal with the end-of-year demand:

Phase 1: Is to understand. Become aware of the circumstances and understand the threat to your well-being. We all know that Covid is a huge reason for our current state of stress and this can extend to financial insecurity, guilt and anxiety around what could come next.

Phase 2: Show compassion (to yourself). There’s no better time to take a step back and show a degree of love towards yourself, be compassionate towards the hell that you’ve gone through, at least you can rest assured knowing that you’re not the only one. Give yourself time to rest and recover a little bit. Find the dopamine and serotonin in life to bring back some of that swagger.

Phase 3: Be a little bit fatalistic. I don’t generally believe in fate and prefer knowing that I have control over my circumstances, but it’s important to sometimes go with the flow, instead of trying your hardest to swim upstream. What are you constantly fixating on in your head? Let it go. Not being aware of the future reality that awaits is perfectly okay. It doesn’t serve you to wonder “what if?” rather deal with what is.

A quote by Eckhart Tolle, that certainly resonates with me, “life will always give you the experience that is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience that you need? Because this is the experience you are having at the moment,” goes to show that certain things happen for a reason and are meant to shape and mould you into a better person and business-owner at the end of the day.

Being present, living in the moment and finding acceptance of the current circumstances we’re being faced with will bring you far more peace-of-mind, than by needlessly stressing and wondering about what could be.

It’s okay not to over-work yourself over the next few weeks. Don’t push yourself too hard and have the burden of unnecessary pressure on yourself. You’ve done your best.

Focus on the easy high-impact work in the final stretch of the year and don’t bother working too hard on difficult low-impact work that will keep you in a state of crazy.

 

I leave you with this final quote:

“We suffer more often in imagination than in reality,” Lucius Annaes Seneca.

 

I’ve been working hard to find inner peace and to be guilt-free in this time of intense change. It can be difficult to ease the mind.

If you’re facing that crunch and have an outpour of stress that your business is suffering, don’t hesitate to contact me. Sometimes it helps to have someone that has your back and understands what you’re going through and that you can talk openly to:

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

 

 

 

 

Apr 23
Love0

Business, Bikes and Breakfast – a Radical Accountability Program. Jo’burg April 2019.

By Business Coaching Lifestyle Mentoring Motivation Motor Bikes Photography No Comments

This month 10 business owners shared insights into their big ambitious business goals and how to start with a strategy to deliver this.

Some of the tools used included a Value Proposition canvas and a customer window matrix.

Unsure what these are? Contact us to find out more brent@spillly.com

All pics with love from Brandon.hinton.jpeg

Oct 01
Love0

Are you becoming a Betterman?

By Business Coaching Lifestyle Mentoring Public Speaking No Comments

About a year ago I was fortunate enough to coach Erik Kruger from Betterman and have remained in contact over the past few months, watching his business grow and define its position in the market.

Betterman is a website dedicated to the thinking man. The man who lives with intention. The man who takes action. It’s a gathering place for those who seek influence and those who seek to make an impact in the world.

Under the Betterman umbrella is the Apex Club, an event that happens for dapper men who want to learn about life, entrepreneurship and leaving an impact. Last week I was asked by Erik to tell my story and share knowledge and learnings about my businesses and experiences. It was a pleasure to have 35 men who genuinely cared about the organisation engage with me and each other at the Maxim Lounge in Sandton.

Here are some pics taken during the event, where I was seen in a jacket [a rare thing indeed!]