232. Success Means a Life of Freedom

At 15, Andrew was named the top student in his school year for business studies. At graduation, he recalls, “I didn’t have a clear path as to what I wanted to do, but my biggest passion was for video production. I didn’t go to college or university because I felt I could learn what I needed to learn on my own. That’s exactly what I did.” After spending hours and hours in the library, soaking up all he could, “I started my own video production business doing weddings, documentaries and corporate videos.”

“Through a weird set of circumstances I worked on some freelance projects with Paul Daniels, someone I’d grown up watching on TV as a kid. Basically he was the Johnny Carson of England, with a prime time show in England and Europe. After working with Daniels for a couple of years, his longtime manager died quite suddenly and he asked me—completely out of the blue—if I would like to be his personal manager. It was a wild ride and I learned a lot from him. He was definitely a marketing genius himself, which is part of the reason he became famous in the first place.”

“I’ve never been motivated by a specific monetary figure. Success for me means a lifestyle of freedom to do what I want to do. I work hard, but I like to enjoy the journey. I’m a lifestyle entrepreneur. Life’s not about ‘I’ll be happy when….’ I want to enjoy the rewards of what I do now. I like to enjoy vacations and travel.”

1. Be persistent. Many people just give up too soon.

2. Surround yourself with like-minded people who understand and support you.

3. Learn to be a marketer. The idea, product or service is important, but the winner will always be the one with the best marketing skills.

4. Work hard but enjoy the journey.