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In this episode you’ll learn:
- The trap that every small business owner and creative entrepreneur falls into
- How Tony kept himself together during one of his most challenging times
- How Tony’s mindset has changed towards money
- How Tony planned his finances before he left his steady job
- How Tony was able to travel around Jamaica and run his business
- The power of having of a blog and a podcast
If you’re a creative entrepreneur or business owner you could be at great risk of getting trapped.
In this episode, Standard Procedure author, Tony Brown, shares what he knows about scaling ideas and business in a world full of challenges, fear and ego.
Having taken the leap from local authority employee to full-time freelancer when faced with budget cuts and challenging circumstances, Tony shares how he has created his own success through the power of connections, a blog and a podcast.
Tony shares his experience as a strategy coach and director of three businesses: revealing what he has learnt so far. He highlights the great benefits of sharing what you know, and working with the right people.
Items mentioned in this episode (quick access):
Youth work without a safety net
[00:41] Introducing Tony Brown.
[03:20] Tony describes how youth work is a big part of his life today.
[04:38] Challenging times when Tony experienced losing most of his work force.
[05:27] When Tony’s job was at risk.
[06:02] Advice from a former colleague about taking the leap.
Youth Work Toolbox
[07:05] Where Tony’s entrepreneurial journey began.
[07:43] Tony shares the reality of making the transition from corporate employee to self-employed freelancer.
[09:35] The power of having a blog and a podcast. Scary moments.
[11:11] How Tony kept himself together during one of his most challenging times.
[13:45] How Tony’s mindset has changed towards money.
[15:17] How Tony planned his finances before he left his steady job.
“The workload was huge…I thought…If I can work at this level in my own business I must be able to create something…that can feed us and sustain us” – Tony Brown
Standard Procedure
[15:55] Who Tony’s new book, Standard Procedure, is for.
[16:50] The major challenge and breakthrough Tony had as a business owner.
[18:30] How Tony was able to travel around Jamaica and run his business.
[19:15] Tony shares the story of someone who hadn’t had a holiday for five years.
[20:20] The trap that every small business owner and creative entrepreneur falls into.
[22:18] Ego. Fear. Tony talks about being meticulous about his brand.
Long-term mindset
[23:40] How standard procedures can help you to scale your business.
[25:38] How having a robust recruitment process can benefit you and others.
[26:40] Your role as a business owner. Being clear on the roles of others.
[28:20] Tony describes his use of software to automate pieces of his recruitment process.
[30:20] Using Google Hangouts to have team catch-ups.
“It’s about equipping people…we’re investing in people’s lives” – Tony Brown
Tools, tips and resources
[31:00] Tony shares his best tips for anyone looking to scale their business.
[32:30] The problem with keeping everything in your head.
[34:00] Tony’s best tool for mapping out your tasks, procedures and processes.
[35:35] What Tony learned from writing his new book, Standard Procedure.
Learning curves
[37:35] Why writing and publishing is different from marketing and promotion.
[38:24] Tony shares what excites him most about his work today.
[40:19] Tony reveals news about his new podcast, Business Systems Explored.
[42:25] What’s next for Tony.
[43:14] Where you can learn more about Tony and his new book.
Links and Resources:
Other quotes from this episode (click to tweet:)
- “I’ve now got to make this work”
- “I’ve done it…so can you”
- “There will be times when money’s not coming in but money’s going out…”
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Thanks for listening
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