Why startups are changing our generation - The Doxia Network
That. We decided, that we could do this I'm actually trying to think about the exact moment and I don't know if they were like there's a few different moments that I can think of I got three different conversations. I can think of yeah, I don't even think there was a moment I remember, um I remember. Us having the conversation, when we were a lot younger about, our one day we might start a business together not knowing what it would be being financial, or whatever I, never thought we were gonna run an, accounting, or financial advice business for that matter but I remember talking a lot about it when we started a business in high school it was only it was a one day or they think so, don't get too excited like. We did all right though I think we did all right it was called La Manga so, we did it with two Italian, people was asked to that's right and we. Cooked the meat at my parents house the night before we did it was good he's good in Seoul middle school we didn't make good money no we did we had played a so it was so popular that, the last of lucky went on auction because everyone in the school but $10, yeah we gotta fit $9 aton dollars or something and in Dandenong and you know in a in a public high school $10, it was good there's a lot of money. Currency. So we started like yeah, from a young age we started thanks your honor a business but that was a big other different business or any hospitality. Probably. Gonna make more money. I I. Speak. To people all, the time be it friends be a family barbecues, be at work about trying, to start a business and, about. How. Hard it is and why and all the reasons why not I. Am. Really. Passionate about, businesses. Changing, people's lives and I know that, just sounds horrible but. Business. Is about opportunity because, it can go anywhere, don't take the Hollywood connotation, that comes with business the concept of it being all about money and all that that's. Money. Is, one, of the things that's low on most people's lists is up there's definitely a top 5 of course we're doing for Miami native paid bills we do whatever we need to buy cars we buy houses I could clearly understand that but you're gonna get that from your new job so if you're leaving for the market you're not gonna find what you're looking for whereas. Everything, else, everything. Else if you want to have a more flexible work life because you have a child or are planning to have a child and you want to be able to work with that if you want to have a more flexible work life because you have a big social group and you want to play golf with your mates or if you okay there's nothing wrong with that there seems to be some sort of negative. Connotation. To people playing golf on a frequent Tuesday I we. Were not put on this earth beard evolving from monkeys or by some sort of divine intervention. None. Of this happens so that we can be inside, concrete, walls long hours a day so, to me you should be building your life around. What. You want your passions are and what you want to be doing of course within reason so if that means that, flexibility. In your job is important, of which most jobs. That came out of the Industrial Revolution a nine-to-five which, leaves very little flexibility, particularly when winte you go you come to work in the darkness and leave work in the darkness that's a dangerous time it's, time where depression, rates are skyrocketing people, have all sorts of issues to, me having flexibility, and the thing that we're going to spend most of our awake time every week that. Is what a business is to me and that is what's so powerful so that it allows if, one, particular Wednesday. We want to take the entire day off to do something that's ok and we don't have to have pretend, to take a sickie and hand in a note to our manager, we're, adults we're all working towards. More positive future for ourselves personally, I'm for work so I don't see why we have to adhere to such, regimented. Hours, and work styles and time sheets and things so, to me that. Part, of a business is the most powerful part a part that allows you to. Change. The way that you structure your life so that you are happier overall and you're more in control and that's what I think Kristin I've been trying to teach people and trying, to achieve. We. Talk to clients all, the time about retirement, and and.
I've Defined retirement, as the. Day that you can wake up and decide, to do whatever you want and you've hit on a lot of these points whether it's go, and play golf whether it's seeing, friends whether it's traveling with us being with your family or whether it's doing what, I cannot put that in inverted commas because I feel. Like when I wake up I do whatever I want most of the time I come here because that's what I want to do sometimes, I won't sometimes old see, friends I have to run errands you know being an adult that's what you have to do right so sometimes. I, will. Go. Away like I am next week to, me I actually, feel like I'm retired, and we get so many clients who come to us saying John, Chris we want to retire as soon as we can but on the work we're going to be bound by office. Hours or whatnot right and it's so so common I feel, like as a, business. Owner you kind of get that a lot earlier, I'm not saying there's not hard times and you don't have to work long days and you got to do what you got to do to make things work right but you. Make that choice subconsciously. You're doing it because you want to do it therefore, in my for, me anyway and then I think John you told me this really from the beginning you said to me that you. Wake up and you go to work because you want to go to work you don't go there because it's your job in you have to do it you've got timesheets to do in there not right and I think that's so powerful there's not freedom. And flexibility, in that so. In. A way it's not work you don't define it as work it's just what is the word work is horrible, but Hank the word work obviously, is. Rubbish days this, week alone I've done a couple of 14-hour, days they're not pretty you go home you're tired as hell you're trying to watch a World Cup game you fall asleep it's no good right but at. The same time this, place for us and for me particularly, has unlocked, a different path for my wife. Myself, my wife even my friends, we're going in a different direction from, two, aspects, number one your. Ability to make money in different times to work extra hours if you want to or not and shift, money around that way and secondly, to. Think differently. To not worry, about, what my boss thinks constantly, yes I have hundreds. Of bosses now because they're clients and each client can have the new ones but it's. Not a box you can think oh that's great anything conforms, as some structure. Or time. You know what is cafe you'll meet them at home you can eat them in your tracksuit pants you can meet them in a suit it doesn't like it she doesn't matter people come to people. Come to us, and or, you regardless.
Of What you're doing for what you do whether it's advice or whether it's a product or Evert expertise, whether it's a service it doesn't matter right so be, yourself and I think you'll attract, more. People you'll, attract people like you, if you will find that we're, all human beings are all very very similar and you just want to be be, a normal, relatable. Person ie yourself, and I think you'll be fine yeah, and I think that the reason we've got the big rules and a big corporates is because there's a lot of there's. A lot of us right they need to control from you four hundred a thousand people of course you have to put rules and I'm not saying don't standardize, standardization. Can lead to a lot of efficiencies, in different types of businesses right so I understand, that there's going to be policies, and I understand that there's gonna be procedures and I can appreciate that but, you. Can control, them if, one Monday morning you find the procedure doesn't work by by one o'clock Monday, it speaks and that's very powerful and I think it, allows you to react to staffing issues, better if if we have a staff member who is, depressed or something is wrong or something's happening in their lives or whatever we, can react to that so much faster because I think work is a lot more than, timesheets. And money and things like that I think if we invest in the people that we have into their lives. I think we get a lot more even, out of us coming to work not just them us I enjoy working with the people we work with we, don't work with anybody we don't like no one with worked with us that we don't like it doesn't happen and when we even hire people we even involve the staff in that RN process because you, can turn it into kind of like a family that makes money instead. Of a work. I'll. Be and I remember. When. Because. I left I left dreadful. Time where I was what four years ago now yeah, yeah four, and a half maybe even five years ago and we were talking about starting our own thing but um I started. On my own and it wasn't the same I, knew. That it was definitely worth giving it a crack definitely, worth sort, of getting out of the the big firms but then something was sort of missing from the perspective, of what we were how.
We Were servicing our clients and at the same time just. Day. To day believing. A big firm doesn't necessarily, mean you leave a lot of the corporate, crap, that comes with fire so I remember, we used to talk almost almost, daily effectively, and you were telling me about you wanting to leave and try different things from yeah I for. Me it was. You. Know my last term was a great business really good people really good clients, I learned a lot I got started there when I was 21, still, pretty green. But. I think my. Values. Maybe, where I was going, and that big, business, they, they were really well aligned at the start but I think they started to drift, as the business got really really big and then, obviously I had John that. Is a big support, and we talked a lot hearing. What he was going through with, Grant, Thornton but then also starting. His own business and, how that was working and then I reckon. From, at least from my side there was one, or two clients that we started working together on and, we, realized okay she's not actually working, pretty well a lot of stuff you can do that I can't and vice versa okay, well maybe we can see. How these guys we can just sort of play. It by ear let's meet more people together let's have drawn meetings together, I don't let's just see what happens yes, exactly pretty much yeah. When. We for. Me and anybody who says that they've started a business without bumps, or without anything is either really lucky or a liar, we. Had. Ideas, of starting businesses and I went. Out alone initially, and started tried to start something in accounting I actually. Had no idea. What. An accounting businessman or how what running a business meant even though in my industry we're meant to be seen as business advisers right so, I, thought. I'll start an accounting business let's just see what happens I had a couple of mates who said to me our dough. I John come with us rent free for a couple of months if it doesn't work don't worry about it and I thought doesn't matter what's, gonna happen why there's nothing to lose but. Then you give it a go and you start a business and you get business cards and you start a website and you tell all your friends so there's an element of pride that's involved, isn't you know you don't want it no one wants to start something purposefully. So they can fail right so it's one of those things that you. Want to give it a bit of a go so your friends are excited. About it they start telling everybody else when you're introducing yourself to friends or hey I'm Johnny you, know what do you do I run.
A Business all that's really cool and something. That starts to settle into your mind as it becomes part of your identity right, so then you what you don't want is six months later to tell them or not I'm, actually pretty crappy to accounting and everything fail so, you. You, know but there are never really gonna be bumps in the road and doesn't matter how many university, degrees you get nothing is gonna prepare you for that crap. The. Within, three. Or four months I went, through all my money I had, spent everything on things that were a lot more expensive than I or computers, laptops, remorse we can battle at desks, all that sort of stuff you, know the person on the website will say aw do you want links to your the. Google Maps address yeah of course I do okay so you add that in do you want two screens of course I do do you want you know this sort of special wham-bam keyboard, that has a little bit of course that do you waste all your money and there, was one particular day, I went to work and. I, was sitting in front of our computer obviously there's nowhere to, and. I. Was looking at my bank account and it had a hundred. And eighty three, dollars and 64, cents or something they're very very close to that number and I can remember seeing it and I, remember thinking to myself that's it it didn't work I'm done and. The, things that run through my mom would ran through my mother sorry where how. Am I going to tell everyone, what. How am I going to explain myself, what am I gonna do Nick's obviously I could go into accounting again but that defeats, the entire purpose of, going on the journey of leaving and trying do anything, and. So. I remember I went to one of my friends and. I said to him Luca I don't know if I'm going to do this anymore etcetera etcetera and it gets to me look I've got, one client it's just a bit of bookkeeping it's like really basic work. And. I thought okay you know what I'll do it it's boring it's time-consuming and. It wasn't a lot of money but I thought it's better than nothing, did. That job for, him I completed, that job I mean the only reason he gave it to me cuz the end is own business so he gave to me stinking, for doing it because a lot of money so. We did it we finished it and then. I build, that work and I remember it was drew two weeks we had the 14th date terms on the 14th day I was like emailing, the client ID you excuse me but keep a freaking, pool because like I want to eat and stuff so, and. The client replied to me in, a day saying God John Ghul fixing it up today kind of relax and it was actually quite an embarrassing, moment because I realized, then how desperate, I was for these people to give me some money yeah but. Then from there it was all a blur right since then I don't know what happened that was enough money to tide me over for another two three weeks in, those two three weeks I wouldn't know one another client that would have distracted me, from strength to strength and I think the, only thing I would. Have thought that. Seven. Out of ten businesses would have stopped at that point not necessarily failed, but stopped because, if. You don't have a good support network if you don't have friends encouraging, you if you don't have people around you just sort of say here's, a small client work on there well don't worry about it this will come around all that's good it's networking a bit together or whatever it might be I can. See well a lot of people give up but. I I would I would say to you in a small business a true small business it's one or two or three people your. Support network is one of the only things is going to get you through kind of the hard stuff particularly, initially in my experience, anyway it. Was, easy enough to get things set up I. Think the challenge for me was getting the confidence being, able to say now. This is okay I can, easily do what I was doing my last business together with John I think, the other challenge for, me was changing, I think working, in a big corporate firm has some really good positives, and I learnt a lot I worked with some really great people but. I felt like it did change me as well some things for the better some things not so much so it was really cool there was one thing I did not expect to come in working.
With Johnny and to be sitting down together and realizing. Okay. I've. Definitely changed in. Some ways for the better in. Some ways not so much and to be able to bounce off each other I think and and just bring out different parts of our personality that. You. Know perhaps I couldn't really do in my last film you see we can start off the clients, or management, or whatnot I think that was for me was one. Of my biggest challenges last year I don't really remember a moment where I looked, at my bank account like John had and and I thanked him probably for that because we were able to prepare I mean a lot better for you yeah when you were to expect in some way we knew okay well we need to get through a period of time to, give ourselves a chance and that's one thing I'd say give yourself time. Don't rush if you need to give yourself two years where you're living off-grid, or not, I think it's worth it like don't stress about that it's. Hard but, chilled pizza yeah absolutely I think it's really important notes. On. Your desk. I'm. With my best mate we, can have a lot of fun and, from. A client's perspective I don't think you're going to get a much better outcome because of event they told us literally, talk every single day so, yeah. We, Johnny, I think from. From. His side he he'd. Been doing it for two or three years before I made the decision, to say you know I'm gonna join a jump, ship I'm gonna join you so you've been through the ups and the downs already, so you already knew what, you had had, experienced. You already position that with me but, you're so very encouraging, as well and I think we both could see you. Know we can see where the, potential, was, if we could make it work so I was very lucky to have you as a support, network as, well as some of the other professionals, that I worked with you I sort, of trusted. With a lot of this information. But. Because of this guy right here I think that made it a lot easier to be able to say well you know what, we've. Already been doing this in. Our own we'd, sort away whilst are still an, employee why, can't we just continue to do this separately. We, can come up with our own name we can put our own flavour on things and I think that. That. To me helped. Me a lot having said that that, doesn't. Mean that there, weren't some times especially, in the first 12 months where it was it was pretty tough like we put a beat we had a great plan you. Know had a bunch of cash saved, you. Know I was lucky that, I'm. Brought up in a time where it's actually not that hard, to start, at least the, financial, advice business right. I think. The. Most, important. Bit of advice that I, think has resonated, with me the most is, to, back yourself and, have, confidence, in what. You want to do have, some conviction, in your. Experience, your skillset in. Whatever. Your profession, is that you're, looking at going out and doing on your own I think that's really very important, as as, cliche. As it is I've heard people say this a lot in particular with sporting. Teams right it's its, back yourself in have confidence, in yourself right and it did become really, really cliche, for me at least I used to hear anything but that mean of course I've backed myself right I'm. Talking about truly. Ignoring. The noise and having, that really good support, network that is, really really important, because they're the kind of people that will help you when, you're in the downtime, to say you know what no I should. Still be backing myself and, expect. To hear advice from a, lot of people people who maybe, haven't done this themselves maybe haven't started a business themselves maybe, people who have right take it all in but. Don't let it steer, you away from whatever your passion is whatever your your, strong. In. Your beliefs about and for, us that. Might be the type of culture we want to create the type of experience. We want for our clients, we might be controversial. In the way we dress around the office every day or, you, know that the type of interactions, we have with clients but for, us we don't care we're setting up the foundations, for something that we want something that we really, believe in, passionately. And I think if you stick to that it'll. Come out in the way you talk, to people and, I think you will yeah, you hear people say write down your goals right because if you write them down and more likely to happen and now it's a similar concept to that stays. True to yourself, and true to who you are and and, I think what you want will eventually come of everything, in all the effort you put in I think.
If Someone. Wants, to start a business for, whatever reason, number, one the primary motivator can't be money if money is your reason, don't try it alright I know it sounds cliche and I'm sure you've read Facebook post with pretty background to say the same thing but it's true if mind is your primary driver there are so many other things to business the, don't makes sense financially and, they're not going to agree with your value system so if, you think that it's going to be super easy and 9:00 to 5:00 and you're going to do exactly what your boss is doing at paper money it's that's not work if, you want to do it because there's a passion, element it will work if you want to do it because you, want freedom, you can make it work my, advice to people wanting to start up businesses have realistic expectation. Do, not focus on the money because if you have a good product and it's well put together the money will come pending you have basic financial knowledge and advice surround. Yourself by people who support you and support you thing you don't support you because they want a percentage of your business eventually, don't support you because they think that when you make some money they're gonna borrow. Your Lamborghini I'm saying, find. People who support you for who you are who will pick up the phone at eight nine o'clock at night and will, say to you don't, worry it's okay, that you'll be fine keep going that's, what I think works for any business that doesn't matter if it's accounting, if you're running a florist, if you're running. Anything. That you would want to work on that's what I think is most important, and don't be afraid this is gonna sound like a self don't be afraid to pay for good advice go, to a good lawyer go to a good accountant, work out where do I go to a good financial advisor these, people, do that 24, hours a day people like me do nothing else but this you're not going to get the.
You're Not going to be able to google it and figure it out that part of it surround, yourself by good strong people to know what they're doing make. Sure that their value systems or systems are the same as yours if you're starting a small little shop somewhere don't, go to a massive, top accounting, firm because they're, not gonna charge you what you want and they're not gonna give you the service that you might work with people who are in similar worlds or similar beliefs and I, will, not guarantee success but, I'm telling you it will set the same for success and then the difference between you and where you want to be is, completely, effort and making. Sure you piece for works thank. You very much. Would. You like a leading, news, reporter, food and really, we need papers to shuffle. Yeah. Would. You like us to get some papers on. Compendium. And lock up at a pad yeah cuz not two companions, too much poop Indians I don't, have too many continues, you want. At. The moment I, thought wait laughing don't laugh like that you threw me off the roof to my channel wait okay. Okay. Real. Talk. Break. That, plate.
2018-08-24 03:45
