The Entrepreneur Start-Up Series Week 5 -

These Entrepreneurs truly know their “Why”!

Ep #21: Mike Belsito Loves Starting Things from Scratch

Ep #22: Jeremy Ryan Slate can Create Your Own Life

Ep #23: Walter O’Brien is The Real Scorpion

Ep #24: Don’t Be A Donkey with Aiden Fishbein

Ep #25: David Mead is The “How” Guy to Simon Sinek’s “Why”

The Daily Grind Business Podcast interviews successful business owners and people in hopes to inspire the next great entrepreneur.

Welcome to The Daily Grind Business Podcast Weekly Summaries. Each week the interviewees impart their wisdom by sharing their experiences. Learn from them. To connect with them and to receive some free information please click on the links below.

There is a common thread with all successful entrepreneurs and that is the importance of investing in both your business and personal growth. So each week we also share with you titles of books that either these entrepreneurs have written or suggested that you read.

Its host, Colin Morgan, interviews entrepreneurs 5 days a week and in those interviews, he tries to find out what made them successful entrepreneurs. He asks the following questions:

1. How they got started. What was their first entrepreneurial experience and what led them to becoming an entrepreneur.

2. What were the obstacles they had to overcome to get where they are today and what lessons they had to learn along the way?

3. Who had the biggest impact on them?

4. What were their daily behaviors when setting up their business?

5. What motivates them to keep grinding?

6. If you could ask their “younger self” one piece of advice what would that be?

The people who Colin interviews didn’t just make a million dollars. They persevered. A lot of them failed; but they got back up, dusted themselves off and got back in the race. They had an undying belief that what they were doing was the right thing and would eventually take off – it just needed time and more hard work. In the process, they reached out to mentors, read books, listened to podcasts and audiobooks and attended seminars. They got rid of their egos and they learned from people who were doing exactly what they wanted to do.

We are passionate about helping entrepreneurs get started in their businesses so this is why we have compiled weekly notes from our weekly podcasts. The entrepreneurs who so graciously offered their time to be interviewed are passionate about giving back and helping others as we do.

Week 5

1. Mike Belsito is a start-up product and business developer who loves starting things from scratch. He’s currently the Co-Founder of Product Collective — a community for product people and Organizers of INDUSTRY: The Product Conference, the fastest growing product management summit anywhere in the world.

Mike has worked in technology start-ups as a founder, early employee and executive for the past 12 years. Apart from helping run Product Collective, Mike is an Adjunct Professor at Case Western Reserve University, serves as his hometown’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence, and is Co-Host of Rocketship.FM, The New Economy, and Build Launch Scale… all podcasts relevant to entrepreneurs and product people.

2. Jeremy Ryan Slate runs Command Your Brand and Slate Media Productions – a digital marketing company. He finally found his place in marketing. He is also the host of his own podcast Create Your Own Life, he started in late 2015. Through his podcast and blog, he seeks to help people build the business and the life they dream of. Jeremy has interviewed over 250 entrepreneurs he greatly admires including Grant Cardone, Tucker Max, and Robert Greene.

At 19, Jeremy tore three major ligaments in his knee and had what was supposed to be an easy surgery. Turned out not to be so easy and after being out for three days, he received last rites from a priest. This should have been a life-changing event for him, but it wasn’t. He went on to receive his master’s degree in ancient history from Seton Hall University, studied literature at Oxford University and graduated into one of the worst job markets in history.

His intention was to get his Ph.D. and teach college, but he didn’t see a way to get a job as a professor at the time. He ended up continuing as the weekend manager at the same gym I worked at for 8 years. He took on a job painting houses which led to about 8 months of 16-hour days. He then took a position as a high school history teacher and it turned out to be exactly what he didn’t want his life to be. He resigned from teaching to start a personal training company, MLM business and sell life insurance at the same time. That was the start of his entrepreneurial journey.

3. Walter O’Brien (hacker handle: “Scorpion”) was a high IQ child prodigy who started programming computers at age nine. Walter founded “Scorpion” when he was 13 years old as he recognized that he could bring together other smart talented engineers from around the world and using a little E.Q. (Emotional Intelligence) and a scientific project management approach they could solve not only technical problems but life problems. By age 16, He was known as a hacker and a national coding champion.

By 18, He competed in the World Olympics in Informatics and has ranked as high as the sixth-fastest programmer in the world.
By 21, He graduated with honors with a degree in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence.
By 26, The U.S. Department of Homeland Security certified Scorpion as being of National Interest to the US by granting him an “Extraordinary Ability” EB 1-1 Visa.
By 36, He created over 150 unique technology inventions and won Most Innovative Product Award for ScenGen his Artificial Intelligence engine that was used to protect United States war fighters in Afghanistan
By 40, He became the Executive Producer of the hit CBS-TV drama “Scorpion” inspired by his life with over 26 million viewers in the US and airs in 188 countries. Walter founded Scorpion Studios and was later credited as Technical Advisor on the blockbuster Spiderman: Homecoming co-produced by Sony’s Columbia Pictures and Disney’s Marvel Studios. The Northeast Indiana Defense Industry Association recognized Walters tremendous support of defense initiatives and Walter was also recognized by the Fort Wayne Base Community Council for saving countless lives, awarded a member’s Combat Infantry Badge and Battle Dress Uniform from Operation Desert Storm.
By 42, He was the youngest recipient of Unite4: Good’s Celebrity ICON Humanitarian Lifetime Achievement Award and his company won the LA Business Journal award for most innovative company. He appeared twice on Fox and CNBC to up to 320 million households on the topic of Cyber Warfare. For the 3rd time in 18 months he has received a commendation from the Mayor’s office, this time for his work promoting World Peace. O’Brien was the keynote speaker at MENSA’s Annual Gathering, won C-Suite Quarterly’s Visionary award and provided the seed funding for TaxiWatch, a suicide prevention program that has saved over 130 lives to date.

O’Brien is a frequent public speaker for IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) and teaches as a mentor with the Founder Institute, the world’s largest idea-stage incubator. O’Brien has worked with the world’s largest mutual fund company, Fujitsu, Microsoft-Trados, Oracle Corporation, Baltimore Technologies, and Critical Path. Walter serves as chairman or board member for Strike Force Solutions, Talentorum Alliance, Law1oop and previously has served on the boards of Houston Technology Center, American Environmental Energy, Starglobe, Toin Corp and Board Advisor to Whitehouse initiated Department of Defense funded STARBASE Program.

In addition, O’Brien is frequently called on by news media, the government, and the federal court system for his technology expertise.

4. Aiden Fishbein is the cofounder with two partners of https://vitals.agency – a global marketing and Brand Consulting Agency. Aiden has been telling other people what looks like shit and how to fix it long before he was ever hired to do it.

They developed a 3 step process that helps owners dig deep to create an outstanding identity. Take this and run with it across all channels. You will be happy with the results for years to come.

5. David Mead specializes in organizational culture and leadership. He started this business because he became frustrated with poor leadership in the workplaces where he worked.

David has now taken his years of practice and co-authored with Simon Sinek, Find Your Why, and a step-by-step, practical guide on how to discover the Why for any individual, team or organization. David is globally recognized as the “How” guy to Simon’s “Why.” David has presented these simple, inspiring ideas on 5 continents to over 150 organizations in a wide range of industries such as athletics, technology, retail, healthcare, finance, government and hospitality. Regardless of the organization’s size, industry or country, David finds that these ideas resonate with those who want to find meaning in what they do and are committed to creating a culture where people come before profit.

There is a common thread with two of these entrepreneurs – they realize the importance of having a great workplace. To help push you ahead and to help you build your brand the other three entrepreneurs have proven marketing expertise.

“The first step if you have a great business idea and you think it is a million dollar idea, is to break this idea into manageable chunks. Ideas are just an idea. They are assumptions.” By Mike Belsito
“In the beginning you may feel that you are falling apart. You can’t seem to get it going because other competitors just opened the same idea. Do not let these feelings hold your business back. Keep moving forward and try to focus on only three things at a time.” By Mike Belsito

“Figure out when you are most productive. Then build your schedule in increments.” By Jeremy Ryan Slate
“I had been listening to podcasts for years. During that time I always thought that I could do that but I never really did it. I then decided to start my own podcast in May 2015 and it was atrocious. It was a poorly done podcast. I was convinced I had fans that didn’t exist. So I quit after 20 episodes. I started again with a new podcast but this time as a professional and this is how I got the results I am having. A lot of times we are just impatient.” By Jeremy Ryan Slate

“I started conciergeup.com. – a business that solves other problems. For example, I had a client that had a daughter with anorexia, so they wanted us to find all food that is odorless and tasteless but is high in calories and fat. Another client’s mother had throat cancer. They asked if there was any way we could solve the cancer without removing her jaw and find a non-DNA solution outside the US. Another client was writing a book and wanted to figure out how to get on the New York’s bestsellers list.” by Walter O’Brien
“The success of my business is honing and working on the balance of my employees IQ and EQ.” by Walter O’Brien

“We work with start-ups to help them establish their brands. You need to profile your users before you pick a colour on your logo for example. You need to determine what your users want before you form a lot of your decisions.” by Aiden Fishbein
“Plan from an intentional-user-focused perspective with regards to your brand, your brand strategy, and your marketing campaigns. It will save you a lot of pain and time.” by Aiden Fishbein

“Most organizations start with what they do. Shift that focus to “why” you are doing it. Ask yourself “what is the belief that drives what you do.” by David Mead
“It doesn’t matter how small or large your business is it is the leaderships responsibility to create a healthy culture in your business.” by David Mead