and we’re live welcome everybody to
another YouTube hang out I’m super
excited to have my friend and special
guest back with us again today Stephen
Kelly who is the CEO of sage the
accounting software company and an
overall champion and ambassador of
entrepreneurs and today we’re talking
about how to overcome adversity as an
entrepreneur Stephen welcome aboard
granted be here again ever excited about
the high out today and enjoying the
series lot of fun lot of questions a lot
of debate lot of great income from
everybody out there thank you every time
Steve me joins is in a different country
the first one was in London last time
was in Canada and now he’s in were you
in Portugal hey learn photo in Portugal
beautiful weather here it’s like 80
degrees Fahrenheit or 27 degrees
centigrade beautiful know anything could
be as beautiful as Toronto that great
city of me oh it’s great a bit
unfortunate lovely people right place
cool so today we’re talking about
adversity and for those of you guys
watching there’s a chat window on the
side and if you want to ask a question
there Steven and I are going to answer
them but before getting to the questions
Steven here it is entrepreneurs to get
started and there’s going to be so many
obstacles in front of you to try to
build the business what advice do you
have for business owners to overcome
those adversities I think in so much
place to go step back to step forward
and you gotta really hang on to your
dream your passion and you gotta have
that word that’s behind you ever believe
you got to believe and in an inevitable
let’s be really clear about this I don’t
know anybody who’s built a great
business who’s gone from a start-up and
been living the life of an entrepreneur
for months years who hasn’t been here
you know probably sometimes when they
least expect it all crashed in tool or
had a chronic issues have blown them
away or the market change so the loads
of things that will pop up probably
sometimes when you least expect them so
I think the reality is point number one
you got
and when you kind of expect stuff to go
wrong and you ask yourself what could go
wrong you got to be prepared for it and
we’ll talk about some of those sort of
strategies to overcome those adversities
and drive on to success cool I agree and
I you think of any anybody who’s had
success in any field they’re gonna face
adversity and I think just understanding
that you’re going to come up against
obstacles and it’s totally normal I
think that’s your ticket in and and it’s
also a test I think it’s really a test
of how dedicated you are to your
business to your idea because when
things get hard that’s where a lot of
people will quit because it didn’t have
enough passion for what they were doing
and you have to be a little bit crazy
you have to be so in love with what
you’re doing that it forces you to want
to continue on and continue on did you
want to get to some of those points you
how do you want to jump into the
questions that people are asking you
know I tell you you’ve got a full of
school that there are some parallels
here with sports so if you follow great
coaches like Vince Lombardi at these
sort of guys and around the whole
mentality a lot of it is about you know
the Karma a lot of success so you know
quit it quit you know but fundamentally
winners never quit they just kind of
find resilience to overcome the
adversity of stuff that’s kind of
slapped him on the face you know just
when you think you’ve made it I think
reality really supports too many
business person any entrepreneur is you
know just when you think you’ve made it
that’s your biggest risk time because
you and I know success is never fun you
never done in never touch perfection
you’re always trying to improve and when
you’re feeling complacent and
comfortable that’s actually when you
could kind of slid back and face a real
adversity and at that point if you’re
not mentally prepared you’re in a bad
place because you’re not ready to tackle
it overcome it and clear the road blocks
out so yeah let’s take the questions
till then a really open up a fish come
so so Justin started it off he’s talking
about staying focused on the dream the
prize and I’m so curious what is what is
your big goal your big dream and then
how do you stay focused on that prize um
so
yes our businesses say this really great
question and it kind of does generally
get me up in the morning a crazy ass
like five o’clock the people we serve
our entrepreneurs their people have been
talked to every day that you glide
culture there are loads of them in the
office fish think our customers
entrepreneurs building their business
and why is this important there’s two
reasons one is these guys you guys are
the powerhouse of income you know Canada
the moment in election fever USA let’s
get back to reality two-thirds of all
the jobs created I’m created by
entrepreneurs building the business of
thinking that extra employee on and that
absolutely she watches you both in over
the models and in the rural economies
around the world so number one the
ground source is you guys a powerhouse
economy number two everything about
entrepreneurship sometimes is a story of
human sacrifices a very human give you
too David of the research we’ve got
about our customers are it’s staggering
over 120 world more than 70 hours a week
so fundamentally it really kind of
brings it home they’re sacrificing and
balance in their family life to really
follow their passion for their drinks
the only thing this standard is against
seventy percent of our custom to runners
about my they use their life savings or
mortgage or remortgage their homes to
fund their dreams and build their
businesses so when you know that
effectively entrepreneurs of the live
load of the economy and it’s a genuine
story of human sacrifice there is no
noble cause greater than this and that
makes us feel edgy humbled fills a
tremendous sense of responsibility to do
the right thing and to serve the
entrepreneurs and allowed to really be
more successful where their businesses
get time back on their calendar and also
be disruptive in the marketplace for
them and really serve their customers
better so so that’s our mission and its
really clear that’s our vision and
therefore we feel we’ve got a
responsibility
to beat the champion of entrepreneurs to
be sometimes with people like you ever
the voice of entrepreneurs to make sure
our voices heard because the value
entrepreneurs drive the company’s up
here but the voice is not heard often
and I think you are you know chambers of
commerce all the people around the world
want to close that gap so that
entrepreneurs really become part of the
DNA of every every economy I love it
hello I always loved seaweeds passion
for entrepreneurs I I need to add to
that I think it’s important to have that
big why write the big wire gets you
going in the morning gets you excited ah
mine is I want to help a billion
entrepreneurs it gets me fired up juiced
up to have a big impact helped a lot of
you guys that and so having that big why
for your business helps keep you on
track helps keep you staying motivated
even when these are really dark um next
question coming from help her desk what
was the worst day in business for you
both and how did you overcome it that’s
a great question that this odd set has
not been one there’s been a lot so um
actually one of the times was when I
when I started a business out in
California and I knew at that point in
time this is back almost 18 years ago if
we want a big order we’d expand and we
take on more employees if we didn’t win
it we’d have to look at let some of our
friends go and these are friends of mine
who I had in my backyard with their kids
in the summer party because we didn’t do
big hotels and stuff like that we just
said come round we’ll get a few kegs of
beer bring your kids will get a couple
of magicians well have some fun so again
no this is a very personable
relationship where you’re attractive
friends to the company and literally a
pivot point of either we would have big
customer or we don’t you’re facing
binary decisions as to expansion or
contraction traction so you know that
that just generally maybe at the time
almost loosely so I just cast on my mind
forward that was probably my one of my
worst days of my life
it was very personal I was gonna have to
let friends go ah if we weren’t
successful and you know that really
broke my heart for me it was when I told
my business partner that I quit because
I’m I’m not a quitter and in my first
software company we just you know we
were just sucking hard you know we put
in so much effort in time and resources
and energy and just weren’t getting the
traction that we needed and I told them
that I quit and then bawled my eyes out
barely slept that night and the next day
I just woke up and said I can’t quit I
got it I gotta keep doing this and
showed up at his apartment the next day
and if you walk me back and thankfully
didn’t bring up the story and we just
went back to work and I think it was
just again remembering that what’s the
big thing that we’re trying to do you
know keeping the big picture in mind can
help save you from the day-to-day
negativity that will come and be a
thrown at you marieke is asking about
communication how do you how do you
improve your communication skills maybe
a little off topic but interesting since
we’re doing communication or what have
you done Stephen obviously a great
communicator amazing speech deliverer
what would you what would you advise
ventures improve your communication
skills I think you know things really
well on communication probably the key
word is authenticity garden um actually
also in a mobile social world you know
the world of our world Evan where with
reactive in social media I think
generally people are looking for
authentic visionary leaders with high
integrity and comes back to you know
what is the mission the purpose the
common sense of verbiage we have and
then you know I think the other thing
that’s really about the communication is
relentless consistency there near in
this is our mission this is our noble
cause this is what really kind of grabs
as he gets us up our passion and
treating true to that and actually never
true the communication sometimes is
really good well message and
inconsistent never worry about because
there’s a voice always detractors as
always may says and part of that is it’s
worth it’s worth calibrating the nay
says and surrounding yourself with a few
optimises good communicators who
canceled coach you and just keep your
spirits up but I think communication is
key and both traditional and social
communication I thought it’d be India
with authenticity yeah I love it um you
know along with authenticity are the
word that came to mind for me was
honesty which is very similar um you
don’t just like what I share on my
channel is what I honestly feel if I
don’t know the answer I’ll say I don’t
know everything I share is based on my
experiences to add to that I would also
say one of the hardest things that I’ve
had to do is learn how to have tough
conversations with people to not let
something just slide because I’m afraid
to have that conversation or might be
awkward and as an entrepreneur you
talking about adversity that’s going to
come up a lot you’re going to have
employees who you might need to get rid
of customers who you might need to have
conversations with and the sooner that
you can approach that and again with
authenticity and honesty and maybe
admitting that you made a mistake I find
that that really helps and that’s part
of my progression as leader something I
wasn’t very good at earlier on in my
career actually ever gone we also really
important ones for the selling number
one uh yeah being wrong sort of
expressive ability sometimes I like that
but on that I think legal honesty
fantasy allows us to always say you know
what Wow 30 years I never met anybody
would work with me or for me who’s ever
ever come to work to try and do a minute
job everybody wants to do this for every
job everybody wants to love customers
everybody wants the law coins they
really live close though our league is
kind of getting in the way which is nice
and kind of you would say in Canada get
the moose on the table you know getting
the elephant in the room and talk about
what stuff and has been successful and I
think we are like people to remember and
it’s important on communication if
always be compassionate on the
individual always supportive of the
person because they’re good people but
always be root issue what’s stopping us
bit and separately almost with men are
all separated this individual great
person but actually the performance
isn’t going as well as we want all the
products not good all the presentations
basket or whatever it is and let’s deal
with it and be very specific I think
people respond to ironic late people
respond really well to feedback so many
tranxene specially bigger companies they
don’t get any feedback and there’s no
honesty and people just tell them what
they want to hear and then all of a
sudden there’s some big thing called a
performance review and all this stuff
comes tearing out of the cupboard that
wow this is great they know where’s that
come from and I just think we saw again
our own responsibility for continually
keeping people connected with a mission
and the only way we do that is to
honesty and we say great guy but let’s
just talk about some of the things in
terms of the performance that we need to
raise the bar to do a better job for
customers and that manas t actually
builds great teams and as you build from
start up and you take the fifth employee
and tenth employee and all these sort of
things it creates the culture and the
DNA at the company that’s really
compelling and allows you to scale yeah
I love it as a follow up on the
communication question John Holt is
writing in asking about becoming a
public speaker wants to be a speaker
wants to find places to speak and fail
as a beginner but in places i won’t ruin
his credibility in the future when he’s
awesome so any what advice you have
about becoming a speaker and failing at
the start and finding places to get some
experience so you can overcome those
early adversity um well you kind of said
it’s a gum in terms of the question is
all about practice you know was another
day some famous golfer named gary player
who said kind of the more practice the
luckier i am the more you practice the
better speak he will be and i just think
it’s a gift but it’s a gift that can be
taught and learned and it’s an area
where you know we talk about ministry
before it’s an area well i’ll start you
wanted to get into it go into an area
actually which is sometimes the most
difficult area people when should know
you sometimes you will feel that it’s
easier to present to complete strangers
than people who know you but actually if
you work and start presentations with
people who know you then it could be
like I don’t you community group or you
go back to your school if you’ve got a
job where you’re a startup or decoder
you go back to talk to the computer
science um kind of high school kids and
do a presentation about why should they
be excited about what computer science
and coding and that’s a great way and
then you can kind of go along to the
teacher used to teach and say Harry that
Dean what could’ve done differently what
correctly but after Lou when you’ve done
a presentation then it’s about those
magical open questions those friends of
yours like what could have done better
what could have done differently you
know didn’t walk messages to be kind of
resume and and I’m so kind of just
always ask for feedback feedback is
absolutely the food of improvement so
that’s what I’m test-driving exactly
what you say don’t worry about failure
there is no failure it’s just our
practice yeah I totally agree I would
also start a YouTube channel get used to
speaking in front of a camera and having
people see your opinions and maybe it’s
a little less intimidating than speaking
in front of an audience at the start I
get a lot of maybe most of my speaking
gigs through my youtube channel people
see me talking and they want to hire me
to speak at different events and you
talk about the question talked about
places to speak word ruinous credibility
in the future I don’t think
does that many places you really have to
worry about ruin your credibility you
know the first place I spoke at was the
YMCA and three people showed up at my
free event uh you know not not the
biggest start but does it look bad on my
résumé that I’ve started the YMCA you
know I don’t think there’s that many
places that really would be a knock
against you that’s what you started so
just start to all the Stevens wants
reach out to your network places that
you work before teachers clubs that
you’re a part of and just offered to do
a speech you get some practice and and
also get on youtube film those features
do your own sessions just one on one
with the camera and the more practice
you get like Steven said the better
you’re gonna get it speaking I love it
the other thing further get back to your
business your dream following your
dreams Trump picks on me you pensioner
bail because people when they’re
listening to you will fill that kind of
infectious contagious energy that
passion and that will travel across and
it will be absolutely propelling so
trying you know if ever through a great
motivational speaker because you’re
passionate about if you believe you’ve
got loads of experience relevant but
your heart is totally aligned to the
passion and that’s why you’re such a
compelling speaker and I kind of think
you have to be something that you really
care about and that always helps to give
you that energy and and the motivation
people to this oven and it ties well
into the next question comes from
Michael who’s from Toronto he says he
has some money saved up and he wants to
start a business but isn’t sure what the
were to put the money into and do we
have any suggestions for him well I
think you kind of let it and by the way
just to cut a little plug good luck Blue
Jays with crazy I love you um so I’m
saying because we did this and a great
hangout as probably worth watching but
it’s fine something that really
frustrates you because there’s probably
a business idea there secondly fine what
you’re really passionate about because
there’s definitely
bush’s idea there and then test drive it
test drive it you know prototype it talk
to your friends talk to now what tool to
potential customers and you can do it
through social media now the great news
is you can create companies like the
speed of light come up and running in
weeks and you can even be selling
products and services to overseas you
know jurisdictions and consumers outside
Canada or the US in this case Canada
because the web is just a small window
on the world so if you’re out there on
sochi around on the web you know you can
move really quickly and what that gives
you is the opportunity to kind of do
graphic course correction as you find
stay true to your passion but what is
the value you’re going to create so it’s
all about what’s the value creation from
the solving a problem making people’s
lives easier or enhancing people’s lies
with the product or services that you
really care about and then kind of get
it to market test drive it as much again
and pursue it and then you know put the
foot on the gas when you’ve got when you
hit the kind of silver bullet yeah yeah
I don’t think anybody can tell you what
businesses start I you know I have my
opinions of what businesses i want to
start but i think one of the biggest
mistakes that entrepreneurs make is they
pick up ink magazine or entrepreneur
magazine there’s the list of the 50
hottest businesses that you got to get
into and maybe apps is on the top of
that list and today i’m going to get
into apps because it’s a huge
opportunity there but you have no
passion for apps and you know nothing
about apps and you’re not a programmer
and and so a lot of people jump into
these businesses because they think it’s
hot but they always fail because they
don’t have that passion that keeps
things alive when things get tough when
you have to face massive adversity and
so the best businesses start is the one
that you are most excited about passion
about keeps you awake like Steven said
you solve the problem for yourself that
now you want to share with other people
and all the steps that he talked about
we’re great practical akiri of
step-by-step to get started and it all
begins with having that deep core
passion for what you doing don’t just
chase the opportunities will just chase
where you think the dollars are going to
be do something that makes you come
alive
the money will follow um Peter how do
you know when it’s time to quit your
business and start something else would
quitting be a sign of defeat yeah really
used to say we want to go Brown used to
fail and the kind of that tremendous
tenacity and perseverance to overcome
adversity yeah i think you know reality
is if it’s a in the end you’ve gotta
work it’s a dumb idea there’s no value
for the customers of the market then
it’s really important to say actually
stop that idea but the experiences I’ve
gained will pound me into a different
idea of where my passion is and i’m
actually an angel investor in two
businesses where they have brilliant
ideas for the market just changed
against him and they actually had a
fantastic you know startup management
team loads of innovation in the business
but the market just wasn’t there but
having said that the third time that
then she went and became successful
refocus in their ideas on a new market
they were passionate about they’ve had
success so I kind of think there’s two
things one is kind of pursue when you
determine you’re going to quit the best
way to validate that is honest socially
or directly to consumers talk to the
customers you’re trying to serve if they
say it’s a crazy idea and there’s nobody
or it might be too early to the market
loads of ideas are too early for the
market and then all ready for prime time
um then kind of pause to course
correction determine where you can move
get back to your passion and come up
with an idea it’s going to work e i
guess my curve balance would be up in
your business then it’s time to move on
and that may not be quitting the
business i could be selling the business
to there’s loads of entrepreneurs who
build it up their company to a certain
size and then they get bored and then
they start looking for other things to
do whether it’s invest in a new
companies to start if you know when that
happens your current business just kind
of stagnates because you’re not pulling
the
of energy patch that you were born in
before and so the answer for me is if
you lose the fire it’s time to move on
if it’s at the point where you can sell
it to somebody else great do that and
makes do something that makes you come
alive again and it’s at the point where
it’s not something that anybody would
want to take on because it’s to
embryonic and the market wasn’t there
you couldn’t get customers then close it
down and go do something else and
there’s there’s lots of failures that
you’ll have along the path failure isn’t
the enemy the enemy is keeping on doing
something because you feel you should
but you don’t have passion for you’re
never going to be able to build anything
great if you don’t have that energy
excitement that weeks yep I’ve been
wanting to go and pour into your company
um char is asking how do you keep a
daily routine going Steven Kelley Steven
Kelley has an insane daily routine tell
us about your daily routine oh good
don’t your passion you building your
business I think cadence is really
powerful and karma and that comes from
routine in structure so I’m a massive
fan of routine structure and discipline
you have to be put into it self
discipline because you know reality is
all the entrepreneurs we serve people
like Evan at me you work long hours so
you want to be as productive as you can
in those hours and find out kind of what
your body pockets so whatever it is
honestly I’m pick up a routine that you
follow work for you and for me you know
I get up this morning I got up walked
five o’clock went for a run I had a car
drop me got on a budget airline came out
of Portugal and I’ve done my email or
the way I’ve done some Twitter on the
way you know all that it’s just part of
my routine other people I know or a huge
respect for kind of would meditate for
15-20 minutes so so whatever works for
you but I kind of think really important
pick a routine that works to you hits
the nail on the head and allows you to
become really productive and when you’re
in the zone being an entrepreneur you’re
really a desert you’re not kind of
drifted off toilet no not listed
I have a usual morning routine i usually
wake up now I don’t wake up that early
that’s crazy for me I’m I’m a salsa
dancer so we’re up late at night so I’m
up at seven forty-five in the morning
with my wife and i’ll usually you know
make her breakfast and lunch for the day
that she can go to her normal job i’ll
do a little bit of meditation and then
kind of figure out what i’m going to do
for the day just a little action plan
and then do a run as well work out one
thing I find hard though is when when
I’m traveling it always falls apart and
I know Stephen you’re you’re an insane
traveler every day you’re in a different
country almost how do you keep that
going when you’re traveling so much well
I think the great great you know needs
shrunk the world so I can be connected
here anywhere in the world and available
potentially 24 x seven ish if i choose
to something that is really important to
me and it sends a message right across
the company you know we definitely a
passion about entrepreneurs grow their
businesses so every time i come to a
sage office wherever it is around the
world with janice berg toronto out here
in porto i want to structure and the
structure is really simple first people
i see a customers so we get and we had a
loaded customers in here when we talk
about stuff in their business what the
chances are what your first desire
become a more we can do better have we
can raise our game then we have our
partners we have people a counter to
help businesses and then we always do an
all-hands meeting and then I’ve got to
meet the management team last thing said
literally we do an answer session with
customers and partners accountants do
all hands meeting is all our colleagues
get to listen to me for 5-10 minutes if
they’re still awake at the end of that
which I pray they are then and all I
talk about is again in contraband to
felicity because i just say what did the
customers say water on the customers
minds and how do we do a better job for
our customers how do we get the great
thing i’ll be honest the great thing
about being a chief executive is
everybody overcome
stuff the great thing about
entrepreneurs is actually business is
pretty simple and entrepreneurs we
should seek to simplify things you know
I see running a business it’s almost
like two perfect sides of a coin you’ve
got customers and you got your
colleagues and the people you are and if
you actually get real focus clarity
alignment with your colleagues can get
really energized they will make magic
happen for customers and you know it’s
contagious and then customers grant all
their friends and then you all of a
sudden credits or volunteer army who are
on your crusade and it’s very very kind
of high energy so when I go travelling I
have a kind of again routine a structure
is kind of the same routine i’ll spend
five hours here then back on doing
social catching up on emails catching up
with documents reading or lots of stuff
so it does damar quite strong discipline
but i just think guarantees your your
most productive you’re always in the
zone when you need to be I love it I can
learn from that i remember when i went
down the siege summit in New Orleans I
think I just lived on Twitter for those
three or four days just lived on the
iPad the laptop is on Twitter because it
was so much excitement and happening and
that my regular schedule routine got
thrown out the window so next time I
travel I gotta stay more on track I like
it a follow-up question carrabba’s
asking how much do you sleep um and
you’re gonna kill me you’re gonna kill
Mr Sanders I kind of think this is a bit
you know a bit much okay sir I say
sleeps for the next life we get plenty
of time but in reality again it is
structure of balance and everybody you
know some people need for our seats on
need a taxi so your body’s talking to
you gotta listen to your body and for me
personally if I get anything between 4-6
hours sleep I’m fine and then you know
I’ve got home later catch up and stuff
like that but but in reality i think
this point is it’s not how much think
how much sleep do you need and it’s a
very personal thing
and Evans point I’m probably more a
morning person Evans a salsa dance he’s
our rock in the halls and making magic
happen self so wise you know learn the
top and nice so we’re just chemically
different and you got to respect that
and you got to listen to your body
interesting do you plan if you’re a
morning person if you try to plan your
day around the mornings and have
meetings in the mornings if you know you
might fall off later at night the try to
structure your day around who you are as
an individual yeah I tend to do the
probably higher intensity stuff in the
mornings and then stuff like really
catching up and that stuff is are the
weekends or evens so the later in the
day so yeah and actually something I do
if I’m in one of our sage offices which
is kind of quite often the case tivity
in the afternoon what I love to it it’s
just Magic this is magic it’s just doing
a walkabout you know the old kind of
management by walking about stuff it’s
amazing what you learn when you go and
just chat people sit across the desk to
what’s going on you know maybe talk
about the football game at weekend but
then get on to you know what’s going out
there with customers what problems we
face it today you know what what’s on
your mind what worries you you hear all
this stuff from Stephen Kelly about is
translating the rhetoric to hitting the
road I’m making sure when the robber
into the road you know there’s no gap so
I think ink comes back if you’re honest
and authentic it’s amazing what people
tell you and actually this I’ll maker a
ball so you don’t need fancy consultants
reading The Watcher tell you the time
and charge it for it just go and talk to
your customers go and talk to friends
network mentors and when you kind of
hard a few people those people care
passionately about success your business
and they’re the best calibration and the
most honest conversation you can act as
to what we do better so you’ve got such
a rich network of people who are
absolutely rooted your success your
business’s success in your passion
especially customers they you know what
I do in the afternoon is I’m just going
to walk about this girl and talk to
people fine I was happy
and it’s just a conversation or what we
do better and you always always find
gold nuggets you find amazing things
just literally diamonds in the rough
that you can try and say well it’s a
really good idea I love it I love it
next question is Evan and Steven what do
you do when you are depressed wow that’s
a great question um do you know I’m
pretty lucky I guess because if if I had
bad days we talked about this but I tend
to have some optimistic people around me
and I say you know this is an iShare von
built it and I have an honest
conversation and I always think they’re
actually you know the thing that grounds
me most of all is just how lucky I am
and I never forget that you know I came
from nothing in terms of what I started
life I know I end with nothing because
we all go the same way and we’re just on
a journey where we’ve got to do the best
we can make a difference and follow an
all-star so when I look at you know I
looked across Europe of them over to the
stuff that’s happening and the people
who were kind of leaving their homes and
picking up their bags and their kids and
you think well Steven you depressed for
a nanosecond just left SRAM yourself
hard and just think of some of the other
people out there switch switch CNN on
and you’ll think wow there’s Stephen
you’re a lucky boy and I think that is
children said I said it when i joined
our said honestly dream job luckiest boy
in the world and i never forget that I
always hang on to that I think if you
don’t know you following your dreams
doing what you love building something
special and sustainable certain people
you really care about wow that’s a huge
privilege and a responsibility there’s
just so many people you can look over
your shoulder down any Main Street thing
yet there’s thousands of people less
fortunate than me and that’s the best
biggest kind of injection of optimism
that kind of Liddy’s depression behind
ya I love the idea of injecting more
gratitude it’s something I feel like I
can
do a better job of as well uh I think
depression is a big word that’s a heavy
word and I honestly don’t think I really
get depressed because of create an
environment that supports me right I’m
doing things that I love I’m surrounded
by people who i love and who love me who
are optimistic we’re trying to do things
and both in my personal and professional
lives and that’s been by design and so
because because I have that support
system and I’m doing something that I
love I don’t really get depressed uh now
i do have bad days and i can get down
and what honestly helps me is is you
guys looking at my youtube comments if i
ever am down i had a bad day I’ll just
go to my YouTube comments and see all
the awesome things you guys are saying
about the videos that we’re making and
how it’s impacting you and that makes me
feel like I’m doing something meaningful
and I’m having an impact on the world
somehow and so I call those little wise
and maybe there’s a correlation somehow
in your business to look at who are some
individual customers that you’ve helped
out you know you know that you’ve had a
meaningful impact on them whether it’s
reviewing all the emails or having a
phone call with somebody just knowing
that you’re making a difference in an
impact can really help you kind of rise
up a little bit and not be as as sad but
if it’s like hardcore depression that I
think there’s something wrong with your
environment you they’re not doing
something that you love and or the
people around you I’m supportive of what
you’re trying to do ya think Evan and I
would probably both feel we’re both very
lucky if I have a bad day like heaven
I’ll probably go down the gym i’ll get
on the treadmill i’ll listen on my
iphone to the killers and I’m come out
of gym feeling what you’re lucky boy
just go for it but you know we would
totally recognize if people have got
serious kind of clinical depression then
you know we’re not the guys to come to
they should go now get help get medical
help get counseling support because you
know that’s I think that’s outside the
scope of this hangout but we’re talking
about bad days but we totally sympathy
folks generally have a medical
depression that’s a lesser different
feel yeah um Jeff was writing in Evan
and Stephen how do you overcome the
crushing feeling of despair while
running and trying to grow a business
you no longer like her enjoy oh that’s
wow that’s that’s it because I think the
reality is being an entrepreneur it is a
roller coaster ice water ups and downs
is a day of fantastic achievements you
go on YouTube channel you go on your
facebook you feel invigorated the next
day something wax you some resins
someone comes after your competitor or
you lose a couple something happens well
yeah bad review on social media and you
know it can be crushed I kind of think
that’s what we talked about you gotta
pick yourself up dust yourself off from
crack on because you we’re all
passionate about fun but if it’s
genuinely kind of despair then I think
if it’s got to a stage you’ve got to ask
yourself am I still passionate about
this business if not think about well
what’s the appropriate exit because
again what do we do we spent two-thirds
three-quarters of our conscious lives
working working for them in our dreams
we’re not being true to ourselves if we
know what we’re seeing is something when
I’m a Shannara so you know ultimately if
someone comes along else to buy the
company that’s probably a good exit and
you should do that go and start a new
gig of something you’re passionate yeah
I totally agree the key thing in the
question there was at the end so running
the business that you no longer like her
and joy you know if you don’t like her
and her we’re doing you’re never going
to be great at it so get up if it’s at
the point you can sell it great salad if
not then didn’t close shop and go do
something that that makes you come alive
when you are passionate about it because
the feeling is only gonna get worse if
you feel like it’s despair and crushing
right now it’s only going to get worse
too long you keep doing something that
you are not in love with I think we have
time for one more I know your kind of
cut against the clock here today
hang is writing in Ivan and Stephen I
don’t know what I want I feel
impertinent how do I find myself in my
dream ah I think you’ve got to think
about what I love do it what do I really
get excited about what am I passion you
know what is it I could do where we
could create some batting in the
business that means we can materially
improve the well-being and by the
consumers business customers or whatever
the community the transfer then that’s
kind of the key thing if you don’t know
that test drive try a few things try and
try stuff that you know you really
believe in and you could become
passionate about and see if you come
absolutely overwhelmed and you find them
these are these are the things to strike
up a true mojo if they are then thought
so I think with this sort of thing think
about it sit back reflect asking buddies
find stuff you really love try some
stuff test drive some stuff and if its
work and do more of it on the gas if
it’s not kind of reflect again think
about what is it on national I totally
agree i think if you don’t know what you
want to do you have to just exploring
just say yes to things start exploring
see what makes you come alive and
whatever you feel excited about just do
more of that and don’t put this huge
expectation like this has to be my next
big thing because you’re setting
yourself up for failure just go try a
bunch of things see what you love see
what excites you and then take that and
the next step in the next step and
you’ll find that you follow a certain
path and if you put too much pressure on
yourself and you probably won’t won’t
get there see what I know we’re at a
time so many great comments a lot of
people saying thank you so much really
helpful really appreciate it somebody
really like that you plug the killers ah
for people as little then they’re going
to be working out to it with you in the
mornings now I for people to find you i
know we have your twitter handle in the
description is there any kind of last
message you want to leave people with
yeah i think on Evan you kind of said
it’ll but it really is six seats as this
you know follow your dreams find your
passion well that will get you
really so excited building a fantastic
business achieving things that will say
were possible and the pessimists kind of
left behind when it hits roblox pick
yourself up dust yourself down because
tenacity and persistence you know is
absolute key requirement a great
entrepreneurs and I don’t know any
entrepreneur that you know made it that
hasn’t literally ran head-on into
concrete walls bounced off dust
themselves off go up again and pursue
their dreams and people come with you
and they you know that’s a real son of
leadership people follow your customers
will follow all the people who want you
to be successful we are kind of
community network back and you can do it
you gotta believe in yourself comes down
to what’s in here when you wake up in
the morning the passion of which you
pursue your dreams i love it great final
words steven thank you so much for
spending your time again with us today
thank you guys so much for watching
continue to believe and we’ll see you
soon thanks so much thanks guys ready to
another YouTube hang out I’m super
excited to have my friend and special
guest back with us again today Stephen
Kelly who is the CEO of sage the
accounting software company and an
overall champion and ambassador of
entrepreneurs and today we’re talking
about how to overcome adversity as an
entrepreneur Stephen welcome aboard
granted be here again ever excited about
the high out today and enjoying the
series lot of fun lot of questions a lot
of debate lot of great income from
everybody out there thank you every time
Steve me joins is in a different country
the first one was in London last time
was in Canada and now he’s in were you
in Portugal hey learn photo in Portugal
beautiful weather here it’s like 80
degrees Fahrenheit or 27 degrees
centigrade beautiful know anything could
be as beautiful as Toronto that great
city of me oh it’s great a bit
unfortunate lovely people right place
cool so today we’re talking about
adversity and for those of you guys
watching there’s a chat window on the
side and if you want to ask a question
there Steven and I are going to answer
them but before getting to the questions
Steven here it is entrepreneurs to get
started and there’s going to be so many
obstacles in front of you to try to
build the business what advice do you
have for business owners to overcome
those adversities I think in so much
place to go step back to step forward
and you gotta really hang on to your
dream your passion and you gotta have
that word that’s behind you ever believe
you got to believe and in an inevitable
let’s be really clear about this I don’t
know anybody who’s built a great
business who’s gone from a start-up and
been living the life of an entrepreneur
for months years who hasn’t been here
you know probably sometimes when they
least expect it all crashed in tool or
had a chronic issues have blown them
away or the market change so the loads
of things that will pop up probably
sometimes when you least expect them so
I think the reality is point number one
you got
and when you kind of expect stuff to go
wrong and you ask yourself what could go
wrong you got to be prepared for it and
we’ll talk about some of those sort of
strategies to overcome those adversities
and drive on to success cool I agree and
I you think of any anybody who’s had
success in any field they’re gonna face
adversity and I think just understanding
that you’re going to come up against
obstacles and it’s totally normal I
think that’s your ticket in and and it’s
also a test I think it’s really a test
of how dedicated you are to your
business to your idea because when
things get hard that’s where a lot of
people will quit because it didn’t have
enough passion for what they were doing
and you have to be a little bit crazy
you have to be so in love with what
you’re doing that it forces you to want
to continue on and continue on did you
want to get to some of those points you
how do you want to jump into the
questions that people are asking you
know I tell you you’ve got a full of
school that there are some parallels
here with sports so if you follow great
coaches like Vince Lombardi at these
sort of guys and around the whole
mentality a lot of it is about you know
the Karma a lot of success so you know
quit it quit you know but fundamentally
winners never quit they just kind of
find resilience to overcome the
adversity of stuff that’s kind of
slapped him on the face you know just
when you think you’ve made it I think
reality really supports too many
business person any entrepreneur is you
know just when you think you’ve made it
that’s your biggest risk time because
you and I know success is never fun you
never done in never touch perfection
you’re always trying to improve and when
you’re feeling complacent and
comfortable that’s actually when you
could kind of slid back and face a real
adversity and at that point if you’re
not mentally prepared you’re in a bad
place because you’re not ready to tackle
it overcome it and clear the road blocks
out so yeah let’s take the questions
till then a really open up a fish come
so so Justin started it off he’s talking
about staying focused on the dream the
prize and I’m so curious what is what is
your big goal your big dream and then
how do you stay focused on that prize um
so
yes our businesses say this really great
question and it kind of does generally
get me up in the morning a crazy ass
like five o’clock the people we serve
our entrepreneurs their people have been
talked to every day that you glide
culture there are loads of them in the
office fish think our customers
entrepreneurs building their business
and why is this important there’s two
reasons one is these guys you guys are
the powerhouse of income you know Canada
the moment in election fever USA let’s
get back to reality two-thirds of all
the jobs created I’m created by
entrepreneurs building the business of
thinking that extra employee on and that
absolutely she watches you both in over
the models and in the rural economies
around the world so number one the
ground source is you guys a powerhouse
economy number two everything about
entrepreneurship sometimes is a story of
human sacrifices a very human give you
too David of the research we’ve got
about our customers are it’s staggering
over 120 world more than 70 hours a week
so fundamentally it really kind of
brings it home they’re sacrificing and
balance in their family life to really
follow their passion for their drinks
the only thing this standard is against
seventy percent of our custom to runners
about my they use their life savings or
mortgage or remortgage their homes to
fund their dreams and build their
businesses so when you know that
effectively entrepreneurs of the live
load of the economy and it’s a genuine
story of human sacrifice there is no
noble cause greater than this and that
makes us feel edgy humbled fills a
tremendous sense of responsibility to do
the right thing and to serve the
entrepreneurs and allowed to really be
more successful where their businesses
get time back on their calendar and also
be disruptive in the marketplace for
them and really serve their customers
better so so that’s our mission and its
really clear that’s our vision and
therefore we feel we’ve got a
responsibility
to beat the champion of entrepreneurs to
be sometimes with people like you ever
the voice of entrepreneurs to make sure
our voices heard because the value
entrepreneurs drive the company’s up
here but the voice is not heard often
and I think you are you know chambers of
commerce all the people around the world
want to close that gap so that
entrepreneurs really become part of the
DNA of every every economy I love it
hello I always loved seaweeds passion
for entrepreneurs I I need to add to
that I think it’s important to have that
big why write the big wire gets you
going in the morning gets you excited ah
mine is I want to help a billion
entrepreneurs it gets me fired up juiced
up to have a big impact helped a lot of
you guys that and so having that big why
for your business helps keep you on
track helps keep you staying motivated
even when these are really dark um next
question coming from help her desk what
was the worst day in business for you
both and how did you overcome it that’s
a great question that this odd set has
not been one there’s been a lot so um
actually one of the times was when I
when I started a business out in
California and I knew at that point in
time this is back almost 18 years ago if
we want a big order we’d expand and we
take on more employees if we didn’t win
it we’d have to look at let some of our
friends go and these are friends of mine
who I had in my backyard with their kids
in the summer party because we didn’t do
big hotels and stuff like that we just
said come round we’ll get a few kegs of
beer bring your kids will get a couple
of magicians well have some fun so again
no this is a very personable
relationship where you’re attractive
friends to the company and literally a
pivot point of either we would have big
customer or we don’t you’re facing
binary decisions as to expansion or
contraction traction so you know that
that just generally maybe at the time
almost loosely so I just cast on my mind
forward that was probably my one of my
worst days of my life
it was very personal I was gonna have to
let friends go ah if we weren’t
successful and you know that really
broke my heart for me it was when I told
my business partner that I quit because
I’m I’m not a quitter and in my first
software company we just you know we
were just sucking hard you know we put
in so much effort in time and resources
and energy and just weren’t getting the
traction that we needed and I told them
that I quit and then bawled my eyes out
barely slept that night and the next day
I just woke up and said I can’t quit I
got it I gotta keep doing this and
showed up at his apartment the next day
and if you walk me back and thankfully
didn’t bring up the story and we just
went back to work and I think it was
just again remembering that what’s the
big thing that we’re trying to do you
know keeping the big picture in mind can
help save you from the day-to-day
negativity that will come and be a
thrown at you marieke is asking about
communication how do you how do you
improve your communication skills maybe
a little off topic but interesting since
we’re doing communication or what have
you done Stephen obviously a great
communicator amazing speech deliverer
what would you what would you advise
ventures improve your communication
skills I think you know things really
well on communication probably the key
word is authenticity garden um actually
also in a mobile social world you know
the world of our world Evan where with
reactive in social media I think
generally people are looking for
authentic visionary leaders with high
integrity and comes back to you know
what is the mission the purpose the
common sense of verbiage we have and
then you know I think the other thing
that’s really about the communication is
relentless consistency there near in
this is our mission this is our noble
cause this is what really kind of grabs
as he gets us up our passion and
treating true to that and actually never
true the communication sometimes is
really good well message and
inconsistent never worry about because
there’s a voice always detractors as
always may says and part of that is it’s
worth it’s worth calibrating the nay
says and surrounding yourself with a few
optimises good communicators who
canceled coach you and just keep your
spirits up but I think communication is
key and both traditional and social
communication I thought it’d be India
with authenticity yeah I love it um you
know along with authenticity are the
word that came to mind for me was
honesty which is very similar um you
don’t just like what I share on my
channel is what I honestly feel if I
don’t know the answer I’ll say I don’t
know everything I share is based on my
experiences to add to that I would also
say one of the hardest things that I’ve
had to do is learn how to have tough
conversations with people to not let
something just slide because I’m afraid
to have that conversation or might be
awkward and as an entrepreneur you
talking about adversity that’s going to
come up a lot you’re going to have
employees who you might need to get rid
of customers who you might need to have
conversations with and the sooner that
you can approach that and again with
authenticity and honesty and maybe
admitting that you made a mistake I find
that that really helps and that’s part
of my progression as leader something I
wasn’t very good at earlier on in my
career actually ever gone we also really
important ones for the selling number
one uh yeah being wrong sort of
expressive ability sometimes I like that
but on that I think legal honesty
fantasy allows us to always say you know
what Wow 30 years I never met anybody
would work with me or for me who’s ever
ever come to work to try and do a minute
job everybody wants to do this for every
job everybody wants to love customers
everybody wants the law coins they
really live close though our league is
kind of getting in the way which is nice
and kind of you would say in Canada get
the moose on the table you know getting
the elephant in the room and talk about
what stuff and has been successful and I
think we are like people to remember and
it’s important on communication if
always be compassionate on the
individual always supportive of the
person because they’re good people but
always be root issue what’s stopping us
bit and separately almost with men are
all separated this individual great
person but actually the performance
isn’t going as well as we want all the
products not good all the presentations
basket or whatever it is and let’s deal
with it and be very specific I think
people respond to ironic late people
respond really well to feedback so many
tranxene specially bigger companies they
don’t get any feedback and there’s no
honesty and people just tell them what
they want to hear and then all of a
sudden there’s some big thing called a
performance review and all this stuff
comes tearing out of the cupboard that
wow this is great they know where’s that
come from and I just think we saw again
our own responsibility for continually
keeping people connected with a mission
and the only way we do that is to
honesty and we say great guy but let’s
just talk about some of the things in
terms of the performance that we need to
raise the bar to do a better job for
customers and that manas t actually
builds great teams and as you build from
start up and you take the fifth employee
and tenth employee and all these sort of
things it creates the culture and the
DNA at the company that’s really
compelling and allows you to scale yeah
I love it as a follow up on the
communication question John Holt is
writing in asking about becoming a
public speaker wants to be a speaker
wants to find places to speak and fail
as a beginner but in places i won’t ruin
his credibility in the future when he’s
awesome so any what advice you have
about becoming a speaker and failing at
the start and finding places to get some
experience so you can overcome those
early adversity um well you kind of said
it’s a gum in terms of the question is
all about practice you know was another
day some famous golfer named gary player
who said kind of the more practice the
luckier i am the more you practice the
better speak he will be and i just think
it’s a gift but it’s a gift that can be
taught and learned and it’s an area
where you know we talk about ministry
before it’s an area well i’ll start you
wanted to get into it go into an area
actually which is sometimes the most
difficult area people when should know
you sometimes you will feel that it’s
easier to present to complete strangers
than people who know you but actually if
you work and start presentations with
people who know you then it could be
like I don’t you community group or you
go back to your school if you’ve got a
job where you’re a startup or decoder
you go back to talk to the computer
science um kind of high school kids and
do a presentation about why should they
be excited about what computer science
and coding and that’s a great way and
then you can kind of go along to the
teacher used to teach and say Harry that
Dean what could’ve done differently what
correctly but after Lou when you’ve done
a presentation then it’s about those
magical open questions those friends of
yours like what could have done better
what could have done differently you
know didn’t walk messages to be kind of
resume and and I’m so kind of just
always ask for feedback feedback is
absolutely the food of improvement so
that’s what I’m test-driving exactly
what you say don’t worry about failure
there is no failure it’s just our
practice yeah I totally agree I would
also start a YouTube channel get used to
speaking in front of a camera and having
people see your opinions and maybe it’s
a little less intimidating than speaking
in front of an audience at the start I
get a lot of maybe most of my speaking
gigs through my youtube channel people
see me talking and they want to hire me
to speak at different events and you
talk about the question talked about
places to speak word ruinous credibility
in the future I don’t think
does that many places you really have to
worry about ruin your credibility you
know the first place I spoke at was the
YMCA and three people showed up at my
free event uh you know not not the
biggest start but does it look bad on my
résumé that I’ve started the YMCA you
know I don’t think there’s that many
places that really would be a knock
against you that’s what you started so
just start to all the Stevens wants
reach out to your network places that
you work before teachers clubs that
you’re a part of and just offered to do
a speech you get some practice and and
also get on youtube film those features
do your own sessions just one on one
with the camera and the more practice
you get like Steven said the better
you’re gonna get it speaking I love it
the other thing further get back to your
business your dream following your
dreams Trump picks on me you pensioner
bail because people when they’re
listening to you will fill that kind of
infectious contagious energy that
passion and that will travel across and
it will be absolutely propelling so
trying you know if ever through a great
motivational speaker because you’re
passionate about if you believe you’ve
got loads of experience relevant but
your heart is totally aligned to the
passion and that’s why you’re such a
compelling speaker and I kind of think
you have to be something that you really
care about and that always helps to give
you that energy and and the motivation
people to this oven and it ties well
into the next question comes from
Michael who’s from Toronto he says he
has some money saved up and he wants to
start a business but isn’t sure what the
were to put the money into and do we
have any suggestions for him well I
think you kind of let it and by the way
just to cut a little plug good luck Blue
Jays with crazy I love you um so I’m
saying because we did this and a great
hangout as probably worth watching but
it’s fine something that really
frustrates you because there’s probably
a business idea there secondly fine what
you’re really passionate about because
there’s definitely
bush’s idea there and then test drive it
test drive it you know prototype it talk
to your friends talk to now what tool to
potential customers and you can do it
through social media now the great news
is you can create companies like the
speed of light come up and running in
weeks and you can even be selling
products and services to overseas you
know jurisdictions and consumers outside
Canada or the US in this case Canada
because the web is just a small window
on the world so if you’re out there on
sochi around on the web you know you can
move really quickly and what that gives
you is the opportunity to kind of do
graphic course correction as you find
stay true to your passion but what is
the value you’re going to create so it’s
all about what’s the value creation from
the solving a problem making people’s
lives easier or enhancing people’s lies
with the product or services that you
really care about and then kind of get
it to market test drive it as much again
and pursue it and then you know put the
foot on the gas when you’ve got when you
hit the kind of silver bullet yeah yeah
I don’t think anybody can tell you what
businesses start I you know I have my
opinions of what businesses i want to
start but i think one of the biggest
mistakes that entrepreneurs make is they
pick up ink magazine or entrepreneur
magazine there’s the list of the 50
hottest businesses that you got to get
into and maybe apps is on the top of
that list and today i’m going to get
into apps because it’s a huge
opportunity there but you have no
passion for apps and you know nothing
about apps and you’re not a programmer
and and so a lot of people jump into
these businesses because they think it’s
hot but they always fail because they
don’t have that passion that keeps
things alive when things get tough when
you have to face massive adversity and
so the best businesses start is the one
that you are most excited about passion
about keeps you awake like Steven said
you solve the problem for yourself that
now you want to share with other people
and all the steps that he talked about
we’re great practical akiri of
step-by-step to get started and it all
begins with having that deep core
passion for what you doing don’t just
chase the opportunities will just chase
where you think the dollars are going to
be do something that makes you come
alive
the money will follow um Peter how do
you know when it’s time to quit your
business and start something else would
quitting be a sign of defeat yeah really
used to say we want to go Brown used to
fail and the kind of that tremendous
tenacity and perseverance to overcome
adversity yeah i think you know reality
is if it’s a in the end you’ve gotta
work it’s a dumb idea there’s no value
for the customers of the market then
it’s really important to say actually
stop that idea but the experiences I’ve
gained will pound me into a different
idea of where my passion is and i’m
actually an angel investor in two
businesses where they have brilliant
ideas for the market just changed
against him and they actually had a
fantastic you know startup management
team loads of innovation in the business
but the market just wasn’t there but
having said that the third time that
then she went and became successful
refocus in their ideas on a new market
they were passionate about they’ve had
success so I kind of think there’s two
things one is kind of pursue when you
determine you’re going to quit the best
way to validate that is honest socially
or directly to consumers talk to the
customers you’re trying to serve if they
say it’s a crazy idea and there’s nobody
or it might be too early to the market
loads of ideas are too early for the
market and then all ready for prime time
um then kind of pause to course
correction determine where you can move
get back to your passion and come up
with an idea it’s going to work e i
guess my curve balance would be up in
your business then it’s time to move on
and that may not be quitting the
business i could be selling the business
to there’s loads of entrepreneurs who
build it up their company to a certain
size and then they get bored and then
they start looking for other things to
do whether it’s invest in a new
companies to start if you know when that
happens your current business just kind
of stagnates because you’re not pulling
the
of energy patch that you were born in
before and so the answer for me is if
you lose the fire it’s time to move on
if it’s at the point where you can sell
it to somebody else great do that and
makes do something that makes you come
alive again and it’s at the point where
it’s not something that anybody would
want to take on because it’s to
embryonic and the market wasn’t there
you couldn’t get customers then close it
down and go do something else and
there’s there’s lots of failures that
you’ll have along the path failure isn’t
the enemy the enemy is keeping on doing
something because you feel you should
but you don’t have passion for you’re
never going to be able to build anything
great if you don’t have that energy
excitement that weeks yep I’ve been
wanting to go and pour into your company
um char is asking how do you keep a
daily routine going Steven Kelley Steven
Kelley has an insane daily routine tell
us about your daily routine oh good
don’t your passion you building your
business I think cadence is really
powerful and karma and that comes from
routine in structure so I’m a massive
fan of routine structure and discipline
you have to be put into it self
discipline because you know reality is
all the entrepreneurs we serve people
like Evan at me you work long hours so
you want to be as productive as you can
in those hours and find out kind of what
your body pockets so whatever it is
honestly I’m pick up a routine that you
follow work for you and for me you know
I get up this morning I got up walked
five o’clock went for a run I had a car
drop me got on a budget airline came out
of Portugal and I’ve done my email or
the way I’ve done some Twitter on the
way you know all that it’s just part of
my routine other people I know or a huge
respect for kind of would meditate for
15-20 minutes so so whatever works for
you but I kind of think really important
pick a routine that works to you hits
the nail on the head and allows you to
become really productive and when you’re
in the zone being an entrepreneur you’re
really a desert you’re not kind of
drifted off toilet no not listed
I have a usual morning routine i usually
wake up now I don’t wake up that early
that’s crazy for me I’m I’m a salsa
dancer so we’re up late at night so I’m
up at seven forty-five in the morning
with my wife and i’ll usually you know
make her breakfast and lunch for the day
that she can go to her normal job i’ll
do a little bit of meditation and then
kind of figure out what i’m going to do
for the day just a little action plan
and then do a run as well work out one
thing I find hard though is when when
I’m traveling it always falls apart and
I know Stephen you’re you’re an insane
traveler every day you’re in a different
country almost how do you keep that
going when you’re traveling so much well
I think the great great you know needs
shrunk the world so I can be connected
here anywhere in the world and available
potentially 24 x seven ish if i choose
to something that is really important to
me and it sends a message right across
the company you know we definitely a
passion about entrepreneurs grow their
businesses so every time i come to a
sage office wherever it is around the
world with janice berg toronto out here
in porto i want to structure and the
structure is really simple first people
i see a customers so we get and we had a
loaded customers in here when we talk
about stuff in their business what the
chances are what your first desire
become a more we can do better have we
can raise our game then we have our
partners we have people a counter to
help businesses and then we always do an
all-hands meeting and then I’ve got to
meet the management team last thing said
literally we do an answer session with
customers and partners accountants do
all hands meeting is all our colleagues
get to listen to me for 5-10 minutes if
they’re still awake at the end of that
which I pray they are then and all I
talk about is again in contraband to
felicity because i just say what did the
customers say water on the customers
minds and how do we do a better job for
our customers how do we get the great
thing i’ll be honest the great thing
about being a chief executive is
everybody overcome
stuff the great thing about
entrepreneurs is actually business is
pretty simple and entrepreneurs we
should seek to simplify things you know
I see running a business it’s almost
like two perfect sides of a coin you’ve
got customers and you got your
colleagues and the people you are and if
you actually get real focus clarity
alignment with your colleagues can get
really energized they will make magic
happen for customers and you know it’s
contagious and then customers grant all
their friends and then you all of a
sudden credits or volunteer army who are
on your crusade and it’s very very kind
of high energy so when I go travelling I
have a kind of again routine a structure
is kind of the same routine i’ll spend
five hours here then back on doing
social catching up on emails catching up
with documents reading or lots of stuff
so it does damar quite strong discipline
but i just think guarantees your your
most productive you’re always in the
zone when you need to be I love it I can
learn from that i remember when i went
down the siege summit in New Orleans I
think I just lived on Twitter for those
three or four days just lived on the
iPad the laptop is on Twitter because it
was so much excitement and happening and
that my regular schedule routine got
thrown out the window so next time I
travel I gotta stay more on track I like
it a follow-up question carrabba’s
asking how much do you sleep um and
you’re gonna kill me you’re gonna kill
Mr Sanders I kind of think this is a bit
you know a bit much okay sir I say
sleeps for the next life we get plenty
of time but in reality again it is
structure of balance and everybody you
know some people need for our seats on
need a taxi so your body’s talking to
you gotta listen to your body and for me
personally if I get anything between 4-6
hours sleep I’m fine and then you know
I’ve got home later catch up and stuff
like that but but in reality i think
this point is it’s not how much think
how much sleep do you need and it’s a
very personal thing
and Evans point I’m probably more a
morning person Evans a salsa dance he’s
our rock in the halls and making magic
happen self so wise you know learn the
top and nice so we’re just chemically
different and you got to respect that
and you got to listen to your body
interesting do you plan if you’re a
morning person if you try to plan your
day around the mornings and have
meetings in the mornings if you know you
might fall off later at night the try to
structure your day around who you are as
an individual yeah I tend to do the
probably higher intensity stuff in the
mornings and then stuff like really
catching up and that stuff is are the
weekends or evens so the later in the
day so yeah and actually something I do
if I’m in one of our sage offices which
is kind of quite often the case tivity
in the afternoon what I love to it it’s
just Magic this is magic it’s just doing
a walkabout you know the old kind of
management by walking about stuff it’s
amazing what you learn when you go and
just chat people sit across the desk to
what’s going on you know maybe talk
about the football game at weekend but
then get on to you know what’s going out
there with customers what problems we
face it today you know what what’s on
your mind what worries you you hear all
this stuff from Stephen Kelly about is
translating the rhetoric to hitting the
road I’m making sure when the robber
into the road you know there’s no gap so
I think ink comes back if you’re honest
and authentic it’s amazing what people
tell you and actually this I’ll maker a
ball so you don’t need fancy consultants
reading The Watcher tell you the time
and charge it for it just go and talk to
your customers go and talk to friends
network mentors and when you kind of
hard a few people those people care
passionately about success your business
and they’re the best calibration and the
most honest conversation you can act as
to what we do better so you’ve got such
a rich network of people who are
absolutely rooted your success your
business’s success in your passion
especially customers they you know what
I do in the afternoon is I’m just going
to walk about this girl and talk to
people fine I was happy
and it’s just a conversation or what we
do better and you always always find
gold nuggets you find amazing things
just literally diamonds in the rough
that you can try and say well it’s a
really good idea I love it I love it
next question is Evan and Steven what do
you do when you are depressed wow that’s
a great question um do you know I’m
pretty lucky I guess because if if I had
bad days we talked about this but I tend
to have some optimistic people around me
and I say you know this is an iShare von
built it and I have an honest
conversation and I always think they’re
actually you know the thing that grounds
me most of all is just how lucky I am
and I never forget that you know I came
from nothing in terms of what I started
life I know I end with nothing because
we all go the same way and we’re just on
a journey where we’ve got to do the best
we can make a difference and follow an
all-star so when I look at you know I
looked across Europe of them over to the
stuff that’s happening and the people
who were kind of leaving their homes and
picking up their bags and their kids and
you think well Steven you depressed for
a nanosecond just left SRAM yourself
hard and just think of some of the other
people out there switch switch CNN on
and you’ll think wow there’s Stephen
you’re a lucky boy and I think that is
children said I said it when i joined
our said honestly dream job luckiest boy
in the world and i never forget that I
always hang on to that I think if you
don’t know you following your dreams
doing what you love building something
special and sustainable certain people
you really care about wow that’s a huge
privilege and a responsibility there’s
just so many people you can look over
your shoulder down any Main Street thing
yet there’s thousands of people less
fortunate than me and that’s the best
biggest kind of injection of optimism
that kind of Liddy’s depression behind
ya I love the idea of injecting more
gratitude it’s something I feel like I
can
do a better job of as well uh I think
depression is a big word that’s a heavy
word and I honestly don’t think I really
get depressed because of create an
environment that supports me right I’m
doing things that I love I’m surrounded
by people who i love and who love me who
are optimistic we’re trying to do things
and both in my personal and professional
lives and that’s been by design and so
because because I have that support
system and I’m doing something that I
love I don’t really get depressed uh now
i do have bad days and i can get down
and what honestly helps me is is you
guys looking at my youtube comments if i
ever am down i had a bad day I’ll just
go to my YouTube comments and see all
the awesome things you guys are saying
about the videos that we’re making and
how it’s impacting you and that makes me
feel like I’m doing something meaningful
and I’m having an impact on the world
somehow and so I call those little wise
and maybe there’s a correlation somehow
in your business to look at who are some
individual customers that you’ve helped
out you know you know that you’ve had a
meaningful impact on them whether it’s
reviewing all the emails or having a
phone call with somebody just knowing
that you’re making a difference in an
impact can really help you kind of rise
up a little bit and not be as as sad but
if it’s like hardcore depression that I
think there’s something wrong with your
environment you they’re not doing
something that you love and or the
people around you I’m supportive of what
you’re trying to do ya think Evan and I
would probably both feel we’re both very
lucky if I have a bad day like heaven
I’ll probably go down the gym i’ll get
on the treadmill i’ll listen on my
iphone to the killers and I’m come out
of gym feeling what you’re lucky boy
just go for it but you know we would
totally recognize if people have got
serious kind of clinical depression then
you know we’re not the guys to come to
they should go now get help get medical
help get counseling support because you
know that’s I think that’s outside the
scope of this hangout but we’re talking
about bad days but we totally sympathy
folks generally have a medical
depression that’s a lesser different
feel yeah um Jeff was writing in Evan
and Stephen how do you overcome the
crushing feeling of despair while
running and trying to grow a business
you no longer like her enjoy oh that’s
wow that’s that’s it because I think the
reality is being an entrepreneur it is a
roller coaster ice water ups and downs
is a day of fantastic achievements you
go on YouTube channel you go on your
facebook you feel invigorated the next
day something wax you some resins
someone comes after your competitor or
you lose a couple something happens well
yeah bad review on social media and you
know it can be crushed I kind of think
that’s what we talked about you gotta
pick yourself up dust yourself off from
crack on because you we’re all
passionate about fun but if it’s
genuinely kind of despair then I think
if it’s got to a stage you’ve got to ask
yourself am I still passionate about
this business if not think about well
what’s the appropriate exit because
again what do we do we spent two-thirds
three-quarters of our conscious lives
working working for them in our dreams
we’re not being true to ourselves if we
know what we’re seeing is something when
I’m a Shannara so you know ultimately if
someone comes along else to buy the
company that’s probably a good exit and
you should do that go and start a new
gig of something you’re passionate yeah
I totally agree the key thing in the
question there was at the end so running
the business that you no longer like her
and joy you know if you don’t like her
and her we’re doing you’re never going
to be great at it so get up if it’s at
the point you can sell it great salad if
not then didn’t close shop and go do
something that that makes you come alive
when you are passionate about it because
the feeling is only gonna get worse if
you feel like it’s despair and crushing
right now it’s only going to get worse
too long you keep doing something that
you are not in love with I think we have
time for one more I know your kind of
cut against the clock here today
hang is writing in Ivan and Stephen I
don’t know what I want I feel
impertinent how do I find myself in my
dream ah I think you’ve got to think
about what I love do it what do I really
get excited about what am I passion you
know what is it I could do where we
could create some batting in the
business that means we can materially
improve the well-being and by the
consumers business customers or whatever
the community the transfer then that’s
kind of the key thing if you don’t know
that test drive try a few things try and
try stuff that you know you really
believe in and you could become
passionate about and see if you come
absolutely overwhelmed and you find them
these are these are the things to strike
up a true mojo if they are then thought
so I think with this sort of thing think
about it sit back reflect asking buddies
find stuff you really love try some
stuff test drive some stuff and if its
work and do more of it on the gas if
it’s not kind of reflect again think
about what is it on national I totally
agree i think if you don’t know what you
want to do you have to just exploring
just say yes to things start exploring
see what makes you come alive and
whatever you feel excited about just do
more of that and don’t put this huge
expectation like this has to be my next
big thing because you’re setting
yourself up for failure just go try a
bunch of things see what you love see
what excites you and then take that and
the next step in the next step and
you’ll find that you follow a certain
path and if you put too much pressure on
yourself and you probably won’t won’t
get there see what I know we’re at a
time so many great comments a lot of
people saying thank you so much really
helpful really appreciate it somebody
really like that you plug the killers ah
for people as little then they’re going
to be working out to it with you in the
mornings now I for people to find you i
know we have your twitter handle in the
description is there any kind of last
message you want to leave people with
yeah i think on Evan you kind of said
it’ll but it really is six seats as this
you know follow your dreams find your
passion well that will get you
really so excited building a fantastic
business achieving things that will say
were possible and the pessimists kind of
left behind when it hits roblox pick
yourself up dust yourself down because
tenacity and persistence you know is
absolute key requirement a great
entrepreneurs and I don’t know any
entrepreneur that you know made it that
hasn’t literally ran head-on into
concrete walls bounced off dust
themselves off go up again and pursue
their dreams and people come with you
and they you know that’s a real son of
leadership people follow your customers
will follow all the people who want you
to be successful we are kind of
community network back and you can do it
you gotta believe in yourself comes down
to what’s in here when you wake up in
the morning the passion of which you
pursue your dreams i love it great final
words steven thank you so much for
spending your time again with us today
thank you guys so much for watching
continue to believe and we’ll see you
soon thanks so much thanks guys ready to
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