This weeks interviewee is Andy McGrath, owner of EndGame Creative in Cambridge. They create content for businesses who want to engage their customers. Andy wants to help business owners win new business through creative content.

1. Biggest mistake of your career & how you fixed it?

I have made a lot of mistakes, but I think the biggest mistake of my career initially was finishing University and then thinking that I was owed something. Something that I wasn’t aware of at the time but I guess I had the idea that I was entitled. So, I think my biggest mistake was getting sucked into the social media world, thinking that you simply build a budget website put a few products together and money is just going to flow into your bank account. This led me to start a gentleman’s fashion line and I completely underestimated the sheer hard work and graft that entrepreneurs put in behind the scenes in order to position themselves where they rightfully are, (again entitlement).

How I fixed my problem was I sold what I could, cut my losses, swallowed my pride and learned from the situation. At first, it was a swift kick In the balls, but over time I’ve learned to be cool with it. I must add before point two, I’m not some rich kid, I come from a working-class background, my parents just did everything and anything they could for me.

2. A lightbulb moment

This leads me to my lightbulb moment. Well, two moments but the first one is the most important

1. The thought that you are entitled or the term entitlement is nothing but a complete weakness. The day you realise this is not the case, is a lightbulb moment for anyone! Failure taught me that I’m not “the man” and that no one including me is entitled to anything! To succeed at anything takes extreme graft and hard work. Like super hard work!

2. My second lightbulb moment was to play to your strengths, work with what you enjoy doing and what you are good at. The industry I’m in now, I actually know what I’m talking about! And If there’s something I can’t do, I bring someone on board who can. I used to think that was a weakness but it is the complete opposite. To call in help is a strength.

3. Tip for tomorrow

My tip for tomorrow, is, be you. What I mean by this is I listen to podcasts every day. 99.9% of entrepreneurs are like “I wake at 4 am. meditate for half an hour, then get in the zone”. My tip is to be who you are. For me, I’m not a morning person, I have never been. I’m a night owl, I come alive at night. So that’s when I’m in the zone and work at my best. What works for one person doesn’t necessarily mean it works for you. If I was to meditate at 4 am I’d fall back asleep at 4 am! Learn what you do best, and repeat!

Another important tip; If you’re 17/18years old and reading this, have a real think about Uni and if you are going to go. Are you going to go to Uni because you want to? Or are you going to Uni because someone else wants you to? Ask yourself that question before you make a decision.

A book I highly recommend is a book called the “Subtle art of not giving a fuck” by Mark Manson. It’s a fun read and it really helps put into perspective the things in life that actually matter. It’s not directly business orientated, but the book is open to interpret it however you want.

My final tips for tomorrow are;

• Who cares if you fail?
• Stay humble.

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