Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Brian Bergford, Founder of Bergford Performance Systems, located in Thornton, CO, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I specialize in the art and science of performance maximization. I’m a professional speaker and coach, and I build customized performance strategies and systems for accomplished individuals and organizations. This includes high-performing executives, business owners, companies, artists, athletes, and sports teams.

Tell us about yourself

My website goes into greater depth about my background, but in short, I’ve spent over 25 years deeply fascinated by - and cultivating an expertise in - psychology and peak human performance. I learned very early on in life what constant emotional and psychological turmoil felt like. I didn’t like it one bit. And so, I originally started down this path as a means to understand the nature of trauma and why people do the things they do. I felt this would help me elevate my own life and heal from the past. If I could do that, I figured, maybe I could help other people as well.

One thing I learned very quickly was that the quality of a person’s performance and their experience of life were determined almost entirely by the mental programs they run day in and day out. That fascinated me. And I was inspired by anyone performing at, or near, the peak of human potential. Elite athletes really captured my attention in that regard. It’s one of the reasons I love working with athletes and teams to this very day.

I also learned that the principles that were working for the world’s greatest athletes were the same ones being harnessed by the world’s greatest business owners, professionals, and artists. Since I’m surrounded by aspiring people committed to world-class performance every day, I can’t help but be inspired myself. It’s an honor to serve my clients because they refuse to settle for less than they are capable of becoming.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Constantly helping people close the gap on their ultimate potential – what could be more rewarding than that??

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

Making sure YOUR psychology, mindset, and well-being are spot on... every day. You also have to be constantly learning, evolving, and innovating so you can inspire your people and serve your clients at the highest level possible.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Make sure you have the mindset of an entrepreneur. There’s no chance of succeeding without that. None. There are numerous facets to the mind of an entrepreneur, and they’re all absolutely crucial if you are going to make it. Being a business owner can be absolutely brutal. So if, for example, you have even the slightest inkling of blaming others for things going wrong in your life, stick to being an employee. Once you’re a business owner, there’s no room for that nonsense whatsoever. You’re the only one to blame. So you have to have a solid “chin,” and you have to love taking responsibility WHILE giving away all the credit possible for the good things that happen at your company to your employees and/or the people that have made your success possible.
  2. Make sure you are absolutely clear on the type of business you want to build, which includes what you DON’T want. If you build a successful business without being highly strategic about its structure from the very beginning, it can ruin your life. If you put appropriate measures in place, it can enrich your life in ways you’ve never even imagined. I bring this up because business can become all-consuming (in a very unhealthy way) if you don’t have appropriate boundaries. It’s similar to a relationship – if you are fully committed and have appropriate boundaries and expectations, it makes your life amazing in the long run. If you don’t, it can pull you down quicker than anything else. So, for example, if you value raising your kids and being really involved in their lives, you can’t simultaneously work within a business model/industry that requires constant travel. Don’t build a business that’s ultimately incompatible with the life you want to live.
  3. Make sure you get appropriate coaching/mentorship/advising. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. You can save yourself untold amounts of time, money, and energy – not to mention avoiding entirely preventable catastrophes – by heeding this advice. Even the chest-pounding, “self-made,” look-at-me-I’m-so-awesome entrepreneurs have this going for them. Having the humility to acknowledge that fact is obviously an entirely different matter. But they definitely have great coaches and/or mentors and/or accomplished friends they learn from that make their success possible. Being an entrepreneur is guaranteed to make your life an adventure. Make sure you seek out the expert guidance you’ll need to ensure it’s one you’ll not only never forget but one you’ll actually love for decades to come. I’m an athlete and a business owner myself, and I have coaches in both of those areas for a good reason. If you’re serious about succeeding in athletics, the arts, or business, you owe it to yourself and to those you serve to get the best possible support for your efforts and long-term success.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.bergfordperformance.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bergfordperformance/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianbergford/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/brianbergford
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-bergford-35158912b/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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