86: The Badass Who Makes the Impossible Possible, Steve D. Sims

This week’s Misfit Entrepreneur is Steve Sims. Steve is the founder of Bluefish, the world’s first luxury concierge that delivers the highest level of personalized travel experience to corporate execs, celebrities, pro-athletes, and those looking to live life to the fullest. Looking to be James Bond for a weekend in Monte Carlo? No problem. Or maybe, you want to have a private dinner in a museum for you and your friends in front of Michaleangelo’s David and have Andrea Boccelli serenade you – Steve and Bluefish have made that happen too.

Steve has been featured in everything from Forbes to the Wall Street journal and is the master at figuring out and creating the perfect experience. But, you wouldn’t be able to tell if you saw him on the street. With his shaved head, body piercings, and imposing frame, Steve looks more like the head of a biker gang.

But, beneath all of that is a driven, what you see is what you get entrepreneur that doesn’t mince words, but at the same time is a remarkably open, engaging, and generous man who has a mission to share everything he has learned about being successful professionally and personally.

www.SteveDSims.com

www.TheBluefish.com

Steve was a bricklayer from east London and left school at 15. He tried a whole bunch of things from a keg delivery man to selling insurance. He then somehow talked himself into a job to be a stock trader in Hong Kong from London. They flew him out and he partied with the group Saturday and Sunday, did one day of orientation and then was fired on the next day.

He didn’t know what to do, but ended up working the door of a club and started to network and get to know influential people. He became somewhat of a fixer creating events and access to parties and other unique experiences for people - someone who could make things happen.

As it grew, requests got bigger and more outlandish and he became the go-to guy. That was 23 years ago and now today, the business is known as the world’s top concierge service, Bluefish.

• How did it all come together and how did you figure out how to make the magic happen?
• Steve says he was both uneducated and ignorant and that was a benefit
• Steve didn’t recognize that he couldn’t do anything – he didn’t have the fear
• He simply started asking and he did it in a way where they couldn’t answer “no.”
• He acted like he was supposed to be there and was brazen
• He would take care of the little guy – the guy at the door, the gatekeepers, etc.

“Never ask a question where they can answer “no.” If they say no, you are asking the wrong question or asking the wrong person.”

• What can entrepreneurs do to set their business apart through the experience of working with them?
• The experience of working with you is critical to success
• You must have a secret sauce in you, the entrepreneur - you will build loyalty.
• Don’t conform to the perceptions of the industry you are in. Be you.
• Staying true to who you are takes zero effort
• Be more interested than you are interesting – pay attention to the little details and show that you care.

At the 14 min mark, Steve talks about how to make things happen and what you can do to create more opportunity in your life.

• It’s only impossible until someone does it
• The biggest obstacle for Entrepreneurs is them – we mess with the wheel when it is going smoothly and then mess things up.
• An entrepreneur can be the best and worst part of the business
• Stop emailing – it’s not how you build a relationship. Video text, call, have coffee, send things like magazines and other items. This fully engages people – not an email.
• Be yourself, stand for value – credibility is king and communicate in ways that really engage and separate you from the masses. 

Advice for getting out your own way and removing your limiting beliefs?

• People have to realize that they are good at only one thing, maybe two
• Look at what you do every day and ask if someone else could do those tasks as good as or better than you, because you need to focus on the one or two things you are absolutely brilliant at.
• You have a gift – focus on it and keep doing it.
• When you find success or have success, be careful not to distance yourself from what really makes you special.
• It should be no surprise that in order to grow to higher levels you will have to outsource and delegate.

What is something that everyone needs to hear, but don’t want to hear?

No one ever drowned by falling in the water. They drowned by staying there.

Wear failure like a badge of honor

Failure doesn’t define you - it refines you

At the 24 min mark, Steve talks about the time he changed to be what he thought people thought he should be and what he learned from it (he changed back to himself pretty quickly).

“Never settle for what is achievable – always stretch yourself.”

At the 28-min mark, Steve talks about the power of building a referral based business and how you can get your first few clients in a business.

• Design your avatar – your ideal client. Know them as well as you know yourself.
• You have to be where the clients are, so make sure you are putting yourself in a position to meet those you want to do business with.
• Don’t market to get likes – market to get clients

What is the most important learned about yourself that has helped you to be consistently successful?

• Steve says he learned early on that “he had a low IQ, but a massive I CAN”
• You need something to drive you. It could be the naysayers. It could be competition. But you need something that keeps you driven
• It's tough to succeed as an entrepreneur if you are not a fighter

At the 37 min mark, Steve talks about what is next for him and Bluefish…

 

Best Quote: "Screw Bitcoin. Relationships will always give you the best ROI."

 

Steve's Misfit 3:

1. Forget email for 24 hours. Try every other type of communication to get in touch with your clients. Try it.
2. Fire the vampires. Get rid of all the negative detractors in your life and business. Remove those people.
3. Accept challenges like they are race fuel. Rise to the challenge.