Q&A: Starting over, the ideal employee, success and happiness, and selling the company
Sep 12, 2023
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Personal updates, starting a business today, ideal employee, reflecting on progress, selling the company, lake houses, home gyms, strength standards, hobbies and purchases, hiring mistakes, luck in business, qualities of an ideal employee, attention to detail, challenges of delegation and balancing success and happiness.
An ideal employee should be proactive, take ownership of their work, and propose innovative solutions.
An ideal employee should communicate directly, provide honest feedback, and address challenges head-on.
An ideal employee should be reliable, accountable, and deliver on their commitments.
Deep dives
Taking Initiative
One important quality in an ideal employee is taking initiative, acting as if it's their own business and showing ownership over their work. This includes being proactive, proposing and leading projects, and coming up with solutions to problems.
Direct Communication
An ideal employee should be direct and honest in their communication. This includes providing feedback, giving hard truths, and being willing to address challenges and issues head-on.
Reliability and Accountability
An ideal employee should be reliable and accountable. They should follow through on their commitments and communicate openly if they are unable to do so. They should also take responsibility for their work and deliver on their promises.
Big Picture Thinking
Ideal employees should have a big picture mindset, thinking beyond just their immediate tasks and considering the overall goals and objectives of the company. They should propose innovative ideas and solutions that align with the organization's vision.
Reflecting on How Far We've Come
The podcast hosts discuss the challenge of reflecting on their progress and expressing gratitude for their achievements. They note that it's easy to get caught up in the daily tasks and stresses of running a business, but they recognize the importance of taking moments to appreciate how far they've come and the reasons to be grateful. They mention the practice of gratitude journaling as a helpful tool in recognizing the things they tend to overlook, such as the absence of certain problems that other businesses face. Reflecting on their journey and expressing gratitude is an ongoing goal for both hosts.
The Complexity and Challenges of Running a Company
The podcast hosts delve into the complexities and challenges of running a company and the impact it has on their happiness. They discuss how as the company grows and evolves, the problems become more complex, which can be mentally and emotionally draining. They note that happiness and satisfaction with the business is not a constant upward trend, but rather a series of highs and lows. Despite the challenges, they recognize that they are grateful for the opportunities and flexibility that running their own businesses provide. They acknowledge the need to find a balance between constantly striving for growth while also appreciating the present moment.
In this episode, Adam and Ben share some personal updates on lake houses, gym equipment, and luxury electric vehicles, and answer listener questions on topics like things they'd change when starting over, how to be more valuable as an employee, the point in their businesses that had the biggest impact on their happiness, and would they ever sell their companies.
