I recently gave a talk in a wood in Warwickshire.
I was at the Also Festival and my talk was titled “How to start a business in 30 days”. It was quite a setting for a talk:
I was worried I’d only have a handful of people who would schlep into the woods on Sunday afternoon to listen to me (there are 6 or more stages at this small festival) but in fact there was a really good turnout.
People were up for interaction as well, as I helped them turn their business into a ’30 day play project’. Lots of people came up to talk to me afterwards to ask more questions, including the young lad on the far left of this photo in the black top and blue shorts:
Luckily he caught up with me as I walked back to the main festival area and he said he wanted to ask something.
He said that he was reselling sneakers online and wanted advice on how to sell more. He’s buying vintage sneakers and selling them at a markup on eBay and Vinted.
I suggested he tell the story of the sneakers, particularly on TikTok. If he can say this pair of sneakers are the same ones as in a famous rap video (or something similar), people will be more eager to buy and more willing to pay a higher price. He really listened and then thanked me.
I turned to my friend Nick walking back with me and said “that kid’s going to be a millionaire”.
Here are 6 lessons I reckon we can all learn from him:
- He didn’t wait for permission or sit around thinking. He just started something
- He turned up to my talk without his parents and really listened
- He came up to ask me a question at the end of my talk (there are adults who won’t even do this)
- He ran after me when I didn’t see him – how’s that for persistence?
- He asked a smart, specific question really politely
- He listened to what I said rather than dismissing it or hoping for a different answer
That’s a great entrepreneur right there!
