This week’s Misfit Entrepreneur Brian Scudamore. Brian is the founder of O2E Brands, the banner company for 1800-Got-Junk, WOW One Day Painting, You Move Me, and O2E. O2E Brands offers franchise business ownership opportunities in the home services industry. The company currently has over 250 franchise owners throughout North America and Australia.

I’m sure you’ve heard of Brian’s companies as they have been featured everywhere from CNBC, FOX, Entrepreneur, Fortune, Forbes, INC, and in addition to that, they’ve won numerous awards including:

• CEO of the Year
• Canada’s Top Small and Medium Employers
• E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year
• Startup Canada Entrepreneur of the Year
• Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Culture
• And many others ​

This year Brian published his first book, a best-seller called WTF, Willing to Fail: How Failure Can Be Your Biggest Key to Success. It’s the principles of this book and what Brian’s learned about building successful businesses that I’m excited to explore in this episode.

@BrianScudamore on Instagram

www.O2Ebrands.com

Get WTF on Amazon

Everything started with Brian trying to pay for college because all his friends were going, and he wanted to be able to do the same. He had to talk his way into college and try to find a way to pay for it. Brian’s parents couldn’t afford to send him. He was in a McDonald’s parking lot where he saw a beat up old pickup truck filled with junk that said “hauling” on it. He had $1000 in the bank and put $700 into a beat-up truck, called it the Rubbish Boys, and within a week, had a business going.

He had vision for something bigger and started knocking on doors, drove down streets and offered to haul things for people, and that business model became 1-800-Got-Junk. And 3 years into college, it had grown so much and was learning more about business running one, he left and went full go at it.

At the 6 min mark, Brian explains how after 22 years into building 1800-Got-Junk, they had sold out in North America and Australia, so he decided to start another home service business, WOW One Day Painting – which is now doing over $30 million.

Can you share the system or set of principles that you consistently use to build these businesses?

• The # thing is the ability to see things differently. To see a beat-up truck in a McDonald’s and see a larger vision.
• Seeing what others do not see is the key.
• Taking a risk, doing something that has never been done before has to happen at some point.

Tell us about franchising….

• It took 8 years to get to $1 million in revenue in 1800
• That time helped Brian to figure out the proven recipe/model that can replicated to scale.
• If you have a business that you want to franchise, you should have at least 5 years under your belt to show that the recipe works and is repeatable, proven, etc.
• You must know your business intimately inside and out to franchise properly. It is a different world that a partnership. You can’t afford to get it wrong.
• Leadership is critical to succeeding in any business, especially franchising. What does it mean to you to be a leader?
• To be a leader you have to followers. Otherwise, you are not a leader, you are a loner.
• You have to people following your vision, passion, and path that you are taking them down.
• It starts with vision. The painted picture. A clear vision of what the future will look like.
  • Take out a sheet of paper and fill it up with everything you want and believe is possible.
  • Put it in writing and share it with others.
• Leadership is having a clear compelling picture of the future – not necessarily how to get there, but a good idea of what the future looks like.
• Everything begins with and follows a vision. To truly lead, you must develop your vision and share it with infectious passion.
• If you want an example of a painted picture, Brian is happy the share theirs. You can get it by messaging him @BrianScudamore on social.

What are some of key element that are part of a vision?

• It’s the vivid picture you see in your own brain.
• You must take it from your head to a clear, concise, understandable, written form.
• It’s not so much what’s in it, but who it connects with and getting them to be a part of it.
• The power is in the ability to see something and be able to articulate what you see, people start paying attention in making decisions into what is important in the daily role in their business.
• A good vision will separate those that are with you and not onboard very clearly and that is good, as you want the ones who are on board to be a part of it with you.

WTF has become a huge best-seller. Can you share some of your favorite and most important lessons from the book?

• You must work with the right people for you and your business.
• A company or brand is only as strong as the people you empower.
• You can do tremendous damage to your company just by having one wrong person on your team. Brian had to let go of a leader who was running the business, an ex-Starbucks president, that just wasn’t a fit and it almost sunk to business. They had to re-build and Brian had to get over his bad decisions.
• Going through the experience taught Brian to be grateful because it led him to the President he has in charge of things today and the brand is doing the best it ever has.
• Be grateful for your missteps, but realize you have to keep going after them to see the benefits of going through them down the road.

Why are people so afraid to fail?

• No one likes to get hurt, physically, or emotionally, or the stress of not succeeding
• Being a leader requires courage and stepping up and owning it.
• You must know going in that you are going to fail and have missteps and not be afraid to admit them, but have the courage to overcome them, learn from them, and keep going, etc.
• People aren’t afraid to be vulnerable and that keeps them from truly growing. Be open, be vulnerable, wear your failure and share it with others. It is how you grow.
• What makes things incredible and creates success that everyone wants to be a part of is the ability to keep going despite setbacks and push through – to be relentless in pursuit of the vision.

What is the most important thing you’ve learned about life in going through your journey?

• Gratitude – being grateful for everything you go through, the good, the bad, etc. because it will lead you on the path to success and fulfillment in your life.
• Brian tells the story of how he went through the Starbucks exec situation and how it caused him to look closely at himself and ultimately do what needed to be done to find the right person.
• Every failure is a chance for gratitude. It is a chance to look at a situation that is seemingly bad and find the one or more things in it that can be a gift – sometimes in disguise.

What other habits have you put into your life that you have found are very helpful to success?

• Brian starts his day by putting down in a note on his phone his #1 thing to be intentional about. The one thing to keep in his mind.
• Brian ends his day with gratitude. When he lays down in bed, he thinks of at least 5 things he’s grateful for.
• “It’s like magic…”

What is the best advice you can give to an entrepreneur just starting out?

• Many don’t have a clear direction. You need to have a vision and painted picture for those that will come along with you to follow.
• New entrepreneurs can get scared writing down the vision because they start thinking about how they’ll get there. Don’t think about the how or the possibility of things, just get the vision out of you. Just dream.
• When you are done and read it – if it gives you chills, you are on the right track.
• You won’t get it right the first run-through…and that is OK.
• Entrepreneurs need to think what the future looks like, put it in writing, and don’t worry about how they’ll get there.
• Find the direction…. ​

What does O2E stand for?

• Ordinary to Exceptional
• The name states the purpose and what drives the business

Best Quote:  “To be a leader you have to followers. Otherwise, you are not a leader, you are a loner...”

Misfit 3:

1. Have a vision, a painted picture, of what your future looks like.
2. Find your daily keystone habit, the #1 thing that if you do every day, you will get closer toward your vision and painted picture.
3. There is a massive difference between building a living and building a life. Be driven to build a life. Drive your passion forward and share you purpose with others.

Hello Misfit Nation! Welcome to another edition of "Lessons for Hannah!"

In November of 2016, we introduced a new format that we are putting alongside our regular episodes called “Lessons for Hannah.” Hannah is my daughter and one of the main inspirations for the Misfit Entrepreneur. I wanted to have a place where she could go and learn from her daddy and his Misfit friends throughout her life….even after I am gone. If you haven’t listened to the first episode of "Lessons for Hannah," I urge you to as it gives some more background and tells the amazing story of how Hannah came to be in our lives.

"Lessons for Hannah" are short, very useful, and sometimes comical lessons, that I have learned which I want to share with you and give to Hannah to help in your lives. Because I want Hannah to have these for her life, I’m going to speak as though I am talking directly to her. These episodes are a lot of fun and if you think there is a lesson that we should include in these episodes, please don’t hesitate to send it over to us at support@misfitentrepreneur.com. We’d love to share it.

This Week's Lesson for Hannah

Hannah, This is a very special episode, not just in that is the 150th episode of the Misfit Entrepreneur, but because today’s lesson may be the most important one I ever give you. In this episode, I want to talk to you about love – what it means to me, to you in your life, to the world, and the power that it has.

When most people hear the word “love,” they think of romantic love, which is an amazing form of love, one that I cherish with your mother. But that is a small part of what it means to truly love holistically.

And the thing that I have found over the years is that you have to learn to love in a larger way. The capability is born with us, but we have to learn how to bring it out.

What do I mean? When I speak of love. I mean it in all forms. Loving holistically means loving every aspect of life. It means loving your fellow man, regardless of how flawed they are. It means, loving yourself, no matter how flawed you are. It means creating a loving relationship with God in a way only you can. And, it also means acting with love in all these areas.

Let me give you an example. The other day, you came home from school and were sad and had tears in your eyes as you told your mother and I that you got laughed at by a bunch of kids at school. You said, you weren’t paying attention walking through your class and hit a chair and tripped and fell…and most of the kids laughed at you. You were upset about them laughing, but I think you were even more upset that out of all the kids, only one of them asked if you were OK.

At a time like this, it is hard to “love” your fellow man. It is hard to set aside your feelings of embarrassment, sadness, maybe even anger (at them and yourself for falling), but the best thing you can do is love them. Love them all. Love them for who they are and understand that they, like you, are just another person with their own issues, fears, insecurities, embarrassing times, and challenges. And always remember that, no one can make you feel bad without you letting them. But, also remember, instead of feeling bad, use love to make the situation better.

As I mentioned, it also important to love yourself. I don’t mean that you become self-obsessed or arrogant. I mean learn to love your strengths and your weaknesses. Learn to love your talents. Learn to appreciate yourself and love the gifts you have. And most importantly, love the miracle that you are and the fact that you have the amazing gift of life. Remember, the chances of you being alive are infinitely small. For you, me, or any of us to be here today means that billions, maybe trillions that might have been – are not. Develop a healthy love for yourself and all that you are.

Most importantly, strive to develop a loving relationship with God. God loves you unconditionally. God created you and God’s love runs deeper than any earthly imagination of it that we have in this world. But, we need to hold up our end of the bargain and learn to love back. To me, while this should be the easiest form of love, I think it is the hardest. God is all around us, in everything and everywhere, but most don’t see it that way. They think of God as a single being, like a person and thus when we cannot see God physically and have to go on faith, it is not as tangible to us. Learning to love something on faith and faith alone is tough. You have to become strong inside and bring out the most powerful form of love there is. And furthermore, you have to do it all that time. It is a lot harder than it sounds. But, you must make it a mission in your life to develop your loving relationship with your maker.

It took me a long time to begin to understand what it means to fully love and I still probably haven’t scratched the surface of what it means, but I understand more today than yesterday. I now understand what Jesus meant when he told us to “Love our enemies” and why. I understand what John Lennon was saying when he said, “Love is the answer.” It is much deeper than we all realize.

The last thing I want you to know is that it is not enough to love and love unconditionally, you must show it in your actions as well. This is the hardest part of it all. Acting in accordance with love. It is one thing to love and tell yourself internally, but another to show it and live it. It is very hard to stand up in front of your classmates that are laughing at you after you fall down, and tell them, “I forgive you. I love you.” But, you must. You must unleash the power of the love you have inside you and share it with the world.

Hannah, It’s the greatest power of them all.

I love you, Daddy

Best Quote: “You must unleash the power of the love you have inside you and share it with the world."

Misfit 3:

1. Love is learned throughout life.
2. Loving holistically means loving every aspect of life. Loving your fellow man, yourself, the world around you, and most importantly, God.
3. It is not enough to love on the inside, we must show it in our actions.

This week’s Misfit Entrepreneur needs no introduction as he has probably influenced all of us in some way in our lives at this point. I’m excited to welcome Michael Gerber. For those that maybe know the name, but not so much about him, Michael is the author of The E-Myth, the e-Myth Revisited which have been awarded New York Times best-seller status each year for over two consecutive decades. Michael and his ideas are featured everywhere from INC, Forbes, Entrepreneur, and just about every other top business outlet.

He is also the founder of Michael E. Gerber Companies which do everything from things like his Radical U Entrepreneurship school to Masterminds and Prodigy Business Books, the publisher of now 19 e-myth entrepreneurial development books.

Michael’s brand has touched the lives of over 5 million readers and small business owners transforming how they do business. Needless to say, over 45 years Michael has pretty much seen it all, done it, and probably invented a lot of what you are using in your business today, so I’m very excited to have him on and share his wisdom.

www.MichaelEGerber.com

www.ProdigyBusinessBooks.com

www.RadicalU.com

Freebook.MichaelEGerber.com

Michael didn’t start his entrepreneurial career until he was 40 years old. He didn’t ever plan on being an entrepreneur, nor had much interest in business. The only reason he became involved was because his brother-in law roped him to speaking to one of his clients of his advertising firm. The client was having trouble converting leads to sales for their high-tech business.

Michael didn’t have a clue what to talk to the client about but went anyway. The client was confused as to what they were talking because Michael didn’t know anything about their business. They both had no idea how to proceed but did.

It was that meeting that shaped the rest of Michael’s life and the lives of millions because by the time they were done talking, Michael was able to help the client understand that they needed a system to sell their solutions. Michael had learned that many years earlier when he sold encyclopedias for a stint. Michael succeed because he followed a system and the big “aha” for him with the client was that the systems were key and what were needed for the business, any business to succeed.

The client then asked Michael if he could create a system and Michael said, “Yes,” and hired Michael on the spot. That was the beginning of everything and birth of the ideas that became the E-Myth.

For those that have never read the E-Myth or E-Myth books, can you give the central tenants of the books and why they are so important?

• The E-Myth is the entrepreneurial myth that describes why most small businesses don’t work and never will.
• Small businesses are products of people doing everything from HVAC to Chiropractors that are working in someone else’s company that get the great idea that they can do it on their own.
• They go to work in their business, building a business that depends on them. They are chief, cook, and bottle washer. They essentially create another job for themselves.
• What they didn’t learn is the “business of business.”
• As they get more successful at “doing it, doing it, doing it,” they suddenly become aware of all the things they don’t know.
  • They don’t know the money of business
  • They don’t know the management of business
  • They don’t know the leadership of business
  • They don’t know the people of business
  • And on and on….
• What they really don’t understand is the system of business. Lead generation, lead conversion, client fulfillment, finances, management reality, etc. The total integrated system structure that exists in highly successful businesses.
• As a small business owner, you must transform yourself from a technician doing a job in your business to a true entrepreneur.

What are the 4 hats that every entrepreneur must wear?

• They are the 4 definitive personalities within an entrepreneur
• An entrepreneur is really 4 people:
  • Dreamer – Dreamers have a DREAM
  • Thinker – Thinkers have a VISION
  • Storyteller – Storytellers have a PURPOSE
  • Leader – Leaders have a MISSION
• These are the most critical things a business must have to survive. If they don’t, it is an accident waiting to happen – the lack of these are why 90% of all businesses fail.

“It’s not the money, it’s the meaning that truly satisfies…”

What is your advice to bridge the gap of those that have a dream and mission, but fail in really executing to make it come to fruition?

• Let’s challenge this theory. It is the opposite. Most people don’t get the Dreamer, thinker, Storyteller, and Leader side of things and fail to appreciate how these are the absolute foundation of everything.
• They are more critical than execution because until they are truly internalized, almost like a religion or foundational belief system for the entrepreneur, they can’t survive execution.
• If you don’t have a profound belief in what you are doing, it won’t last and it will fail.

7 Essential Steps to Creating a Great, Growing Company

1. Primary aim
2. Strategic objective
3. Organizational strategy
4. Management System
5. People development system
6. Marketing system
7. Systems of systems

People always rush by their “primary aim.” They focus on the money, making money, and miss the most critical aspect and underpinning of what it take to truly make the money – the anchored, aim that pushes them through to get to the dream.

At the 25 min mark, Michael goes more in depth on what it means to have a “dream.”

• In the discovery of your dream, you will understand that it is to transform the state of something worldwide.
• Your dream is and should be much bigger than you realize.

“It’s never a people problem, it’s always a systems problem.”

Of all the you have created, done, and been part of, what is the most important business less you’ve learned along the way? Life Lesson?

• That is the big question
• Michael doesn’t read business books
• The most important book Michael has read and tells others to read is “I Am That” and at the 37 min mark, he explains why….
• If you are passionate about the questions asked here, you will seek to find the true answer to “I am….”
• The most profound thing for Michael has been to watch the ordinary person, who is consumed by life (doing it, doing it, doing it), with no dream, vision, purpose, or mission except to maybe make more money, etc. change their life with simple knowledge that Michael has shared.
• We are born in God’s image which means we are born to create and pursue and do the right things.
• Your dream, purpose, mission, and vision give you the “right thing.”

Tell us about Radical U…

• Radical was created transform the state of small business world-wide by transforming the state of entrepreneurship world-wide in order to transform the state of economic development worldwide.
• Radical is the system to do this. It is the only entrepreneur development school on the planet that someone can go to online and complete the 8-fold path.
• It designed to take anyone and walk them step by step to build a successful business from scratch.

You can get the 8-fold path for free at Freebook.MichaelEGerber.com

Best Quote: “It’s never a people problem, it’s always a systems problem”

Michael's Misfit 3:

1. It is not about us. Every single one of us are here to create a world fit for God. It is about your impact for them.
2. It is never personal, it is about the system. Become a systems thinker and a systems creator.
3. We must commit our everything and our all to the process of transformation in life, business, and all areas.

This week’s Misfit Entrepreneur is Niajae Wallace. Niajae has an amazing story that I don’t want to spoil for you. But, let’s just say she started out with nothing and by age 19 had started her first business and the success grew from there.

She had so much success that she was able to free herself to work when and how she wanted and now travels the world teaching people what it truly means to live an abundant life.

This is going to be an interesting and possibly controversial episode, because we are not only going to talk about how to create your own abundant life, but we are going to discuss some major topics on what truly holds people back, especially in inner city and underprivileged areas. Niajae and I both have strong feelings about how to best help these areas and they are built on principles tested throughout time. I knew when we connected on this level and were able to discuss these topics, I had to have her on the show and share her wisdom with you.

www.Niajae.com

The Abundance Hack Podcast

Niajae was born in the Bronx to a single mom. Her dad didn’t know if she was his. As she says, she has the typical inner city single mom story where people expect her to have the stereotype of “daddy issues” and multiple kids by different fathers, government assistance, etc. But that is not the case. Niajae looked at her life and said, “This will not be my story…”

She buckled down and found a different mindset than those around her. She spent more time in the library while others were running the streets. She also found a mentor at SCORE which led to her starting her first business at 19. She learned a lot and 5 years later opened another business which she grew and was able to sell. This allowed her to transition to be fully remote and travel the world working where, when, and how she wants.

She now focuses on teaching people how to shift out of the mindset of not falling victim to their circumstances and their upbringing. She helps them re-write and live their story.

What does it mean to live and abundant life?

• Finding your purpose and living it.
• Finding that fulfilling feeling by serving and helping others with your purpose.

Is there a framework that you use or steps you coach people on to find the abundance of their life?

• First, you must become self-aware.
• You must get a good idea of what you want.
• You must also have a good idea of what you feel are your limiting beliefs, your blocks and the pain/trauma you have suppressed.
• To find out what you truly want, ask yourself “What do I truly want..” 3 times.
  • The first time will be what you feel you want…what society has led you to believe.
  • The second time you will dig a little deeper and question if what your first response was is true or if it is different. This is where you may find some limiting beliefs and question if you can have what you want.
  • The third time is to remove all barriers and pretend you have a magic wand and could have anything you want – no limitations. That is what you truly want.
• Next you must then isolate and remove the limiting beliefs, your blocks.
• There is no upper limit.
• Things can go great and continue to be great in your life as long as you get out of the way and allow it to happen.

How do you coach people to push through and take the action needed to truly find abundance?

• It is amazing how most people know what they need to do, but won’t do the work required.
• The reality is that people have to ditch the excuses.
• We all have the same 24 hours in a day. Some people spend that time within 24 hours binge-watching Netflix while others spend that time building an empire. Which would you rather be?
• People may not like perspective, but they need to hear it. There is no excuse if you truly want to make a change.
• It ultimately comes down to how bad they want it. If you want it bad enough, you will get it.

What was the hardest or darkest moment on your path to success? How did you overcome it and what did you learn from it?

• Niajae had to battle through a lot of limiting beliefs (blocks).
• No one in her family had ever had a business.
• The hardest thing was not having any support. She had to shift her mindset because she always felt alone. Her family and friends did not think like her.
• The more you shift your mindset for success, the less you have in common with those around you that do not.
• It took going to groups, seminars, and entrepreneur focused events to find new friends and surround herself with those that are operating on the same levels.
• One of the hardest things to get over is being OK with outshining those around you.
• Many times, we dull our own “shine” for the people that we love and it stunts our growth. Beware of this trap.
• Her first business did not last very long, but she took what she learned and re-opened a few years later and made it a big success.
• You must also learn how to outsource and delegate. Trying to do everything herself is what sunk her first venture.

At the 20 min mark, Niajae talks about her business that she sold…

• Big Lesson Learned: There is a huge difference between owning a business and owning a job.

What have you learned about business and life after selling the business, going remote, etc.?

• Chasing financial freedom is kind of a dead-end road.
• It’s not the money, it’s the experience that it will give you that matters most.
• Fulfillment doesn’t come from the material – it comes from tapping into your purpose at the highest level.

At the 30 min mark, Niajae and I talk about a real problem – how to truly help those in the inner cities

• Throwing money at the problem is a “band-aid.” It doesn’t heal anything.
• What is needed is good role models and mentors.
• Spend money on getting quality teachers instead of a rec center.
• The conditioning of thought is the other big area that must be looked at – at home and in the community. People are taught that they cannot succeed when that is not true. This can only change when the influences of that thought are taught there is another way and they can change.
• For example, Niajae’s mom used to tell her that her “head was in the clouds” and that what she wanted wasn’t realistic. For most people, if told something like that enough, they give up on their dream(s).
• Struggle is a mindset and it is pervasive. But, it does not have to be.

Talk to us about victimology…

• We have it so good.
• Playing the victim is making excuses.
• We must take responsibility for our lives and not let ourselves be a victim to our circumstances.
• 20% of life is what happens to us, 80% is how we react to it. You control 100% the way you react.
• We repeat the same patterns over and over until we learn from them and finally break them.
• If you are someone who has really had a traumatic experience – please ask for and seek help to get through the trauma and pain. You can overcome it, but don’t go it alone.
• Never be embarrassed with who you are and your story.

At the 46 min mark, Niajae talks about “upper limit problems” and for the first time how her relationship with her mom, and now her dad have been affected by her confronting things and choosing to succeed with no limits. This is a very powerful segment for anyone.

Best Quote: “We all have the same 24 hours in a day. Some people spend that time within 24 hours binge-watching Netflix while others spend that time building an empire. Which would you rather be?”

Niajae's Misfit 3:

1. Believe in yourself. Life will tell you that you can’t. Believe in and love yourself. Have unwavering faith.
2. Choose to be happy. Don’t just exist. Life is meant to be enjoyed. Happiness, regardless of circumstance is a choice.
3. Self-care is a must. You cannot pour from an empty cup, so you must take care of yourself first. The only way you will do your best is if you feel your best.