Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Michael Ivanov, a Motivational Speaker, and Author, based in Vancouver, WA, USA.

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

I am an Author & professional Keynote Speaker inspiring people to discover a better way to live! My customers are schools, corporations, and associations that are having major meetings & events all over North America.

Tell us about yourself

My family immigrated to the United States just before the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, and I am the grandson of a 'Siege of Leningrad' and Dachau camp survivor. I grew up in a big family. We had very little in those early days because my dad was the only one working when we were little, trying to provide for a family of 13 kids. I have 7 brothers and 5 sisters. I know what you're thinking; that's crazy! Growing up, we were raised with the mindset that we were in the "Land of Opportunity," so it was always "Work, work, work, take advantage of this opportunity." My parents wanted us kids to understand the opportunity we had here in the states, and we did. But because there was always a push for us to work hard and study so that we could succeed, I never spent much time exploring my unique gifts, talents, and abilities. I never understood my purpose and never allowed myself to dream big because I was always focused on passing tests, getting decent grades, and finding a good, "safe" career. Eventually, I ended up with a degree and a job, but I hated it. I hated what I did for work, I hated sitting in a cubicle, and there was no meaning behind what I was doing. I became depressed, and I was miserable. That's when I discovered a book called "A Better Way to Live" by Og Mandino.

That book changed everything for me. It woke me up. It allowed me to dream and created a desire in me to do something extraordinary with my life. That very day I decided to become a writer and speaker because I wanted to do for other people what Og Mandino did for me and because he was a writer and speaker, I knew that's what I had to do. My only problem was that I was no writer and was deathly afraid of public speaking. In fact, I once dropped out of my speech class in college because I blanked during a three-minute presentation. I dropped the class and never came back. But even though I didn't know where or how to start, I had a dream, and it was all I needed. I forced myself to sit and write, and I started putting together "Inspirational Events" so I could practice speeches.

Today, I have four published books, all of which were Amazon best-sellers. I speak to audiences all over the country, reminding folks that there is a better way to live! I know there are people out there in every school, city, office, and cubicle in the country who are playing small and not living to their greatest potential, so knowing this keeps the fire under my butt and reminds me that there is work to do!

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

As an author, I published four Amazon best-sellers, two of which I wrote and released during the pandemic! But my biggest accomplishment in business by far is that I learned how to market myself as an author & keynote speaker. I learned how to build websites, edit marketing videos, create online courses, and run paid advertising on Facebook and other social media platforms. You can have gold to offer to people, but if you don't find a way to get it in front of them, you have nothing. Marketing is everything in the business world.

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

Staying positive and staying consistent when things don't go my way! For me, one of the hardest things was learning to trust myself and the process. Transitioning from my corporate job with a safe and consistent paycheck to working full-time on my business was not easy. It is scary and uncertain, and I lost a lot of sleep at night, but it is worth every bit of the sacrifices you will have to make. The pain of regret is worse than the pain of growth!

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

  1. Commit to the goal, and don't give yourself a "Plan B." If you have a backup plan in case your dream doesn't work out, you will revert to it when things get hard. Change the process and the strategy if you have to but don't change the goal!
  2. Don't reinvent the wheel. Study the people/businesses who are already successful at what you want to do, and copy them, then make it better when things are rolling. Everyone thinks they have a new genius idea that will make them successful overnight, but what they are really trying to do is find a shortcut and avoid the work. I'm not saying don't be innovative; I'm saying do the work!
  3. Don't get stuck in a comfort zone! Just because it's working today doesn't mean it will work tomorrow, and just because it's sort of working doesn't mean there isn't a better way to grow your business.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Don't bury your dreams. This life is not a practice run; it's all we get, why not go out there and push yourself to your limits and beyond? Why not you!? You will never do anything extraordinary by accident, but you sure as heck aren't any less capable than anyone out there already doing incredible things!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.speaklife365.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaelvictorivanov
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themichaelivanov/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-v-ivanov-b24371133/

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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