Being an entrepreneur is a tough business. Almost immediately, the odds are stacked against you:
- The hours are long
- The pay is sporadic
- You have to fight your demons
- The gatekeepers happily tell you -- "You not good enough!"
So while Hollywood makes being an entrepreneur sexy -- the truth is, it's the furthest thing from sexy.
"The journey to create true freedom in every area of your life is hard."
-- Kimanzi Constable
Entrepreneurship is less about building a business and more about creating the freedom you want for your life.
Kimanzi Constable was trapped in a job that he hated, working 60+ hours a week and 170 pounds overweight. Until one day, Constable decided to stop living a life that sucked.
Kimanzi made the choice to take massive action, so he:
- lost 170lbs
- saved his marriage
- left a job he hated
- paid off180, 000 of debt
- started an online business
- moved to Hawaii
Constable gave himself and his family a better life. Let me show you how Kimanzi achieved these big goals.
The Interview
So who was Kimanzi Constable before he became a published author and coach?
He was and still is a regular guy. The difference is now I'm living my dream as a regular guy.
For 12 years, my life could best be described as "existing." I was 170 pounds overweight, working a job I hated, and living in a place I wanted to escape. Life sucked! The only thing that got me through some rough days was my amazing wife, beautiful children, and supportive friends.
For over a decade, you explained that you just "existed." What was the catalyst that made you want to live a life of purpose?
In 2011, we were $180,000 in debt; I was dealing with the weight issues and the terrible job. That year my wife and I separated. I wanted to win her back, but I knew words weren't good enough; I had to show her action.
That started me on a journey to radically change my life.
You have mentioned the phrase "negative people" a number of times. Why is it important that you identify and remove negative people from your life?
The journey to create true freedom in every area of your life is hard. You battle doubt and fear. Negative people feed into the struggle you already have going on inside of you. They make your self-limiting beliefs seem logical. They try to bring you down to their level.
To make real change, you need to cut anything negative out of your life.
Why is creating a passive income strategy important to any online business especially if you want the maximum amount of "freedom" in your life?
It's simple: time.
Time is the one thing none of us will ever get back, which makes time our most valuable resource. We can spend that time doing what we value the most in this world, or spend it trading time for dollars.
The passive side of things gives you time back. As you grow, so will the sales of your passive products.
When did you know it was time to leave your day job for your dream job? Was there a strategy?
At the end of 2012, my online business was generating $5,000 a month consistently. We had a large emergency fund just in case and had a healthy amount of events booked for 2013.
The plan was to pay off the debt, get some consistent income, and build that emergency fund. We took an entire year to make sure this was the right move for our family.
What advice can you give the aspiring entrepreneur that wants to be the next Kimanzi Constable?
Figure out what value you want to add to the world.
Figure out what you're passionate about and have interest in.
Research. Don't blindly follow popular advice just because someone else has had success doing it.
Keep it simple and don't wait until you have everything in place.
Focus on producing great content. Create things that people buy, and sell those things.
Build a loyal following around what you do.
So what can a former bread delivery guy teach you about entrepreneurship?
Everything!
The Remarkable Few
Kimanzi Constable hated his work, and it negatively affected all parts of his life. Constable could have continued "existing" and remained a member of the unremarkably average.
But Kimanzi had another plan, he decided to join the ranks of the remarkable few. How -- Constable dedicated himself to grow intentionally.
Kimanzi studied entrepreneurs like Pat Flynn, who gave him the knowledge to launch a writing career and an online business. Constable's success has allowed him a great deal of freedom one of the most impressive has been his recent move to Hawaii.
Question: If you want a life of more freedom, it starts with you. You must get up and do it because it's necessary -- don't wait for motivation. What is something that you will do today to move closer to your dreams? Share your answers on Twitter.
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