Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Elan Marko, founder of Deep Work Sprints, located in Toronto, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Deep Work Sprints is a virtual co-working accelerator for entrepreneurs. It's for the entrepreneur who's working alone or has a small team—someone who works better alongside others. Someone who keeps working on the busy work and client work in the business keeps putting off working ON the business.
We help you get laser-focused and give you the space to work your magic. We're like a group fitness gym, but for business owners. Come in, and get your deepest work done.
Tell us about yourself
I'm a serial entrepreneur who has been working from home for the past decade.
The virtual co-working accelerator was started so that I could help myself get more of what I needed to be done in a day, and it wasn't intended to be a business. But as I started inviting entrepreneurs to come work alongside me in virtual co-working sprints, seeing the results people were getting became contagious.
There's nothing more exciting than seeing a group of peers gains momentum every day as they stick to their deep work. What keeps me motivated is seeing people complete their projects, write books, create courses, launch podcasts, land new clients. It's all exciting, and let's be honest, some things are just more fun to do with other people.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I haven't had a real boss for almost a decade. I get to call the shots. This past year, I bought a Sprinter Van and converted it into my remote office so I could do Sprints from the Sprinter. Summers now involve working remotely while traveling for two months with the love of my life Caitlyn.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Wearing so many hats and working so close to the snack cupboard.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Give yourself permission. Permit yourself to find your flow. I mean that you can now make your schedule, which means you can work any hour of the day. Permit yourself to work on your schedule. If that means taking a mid-day workout because it'll boost your afternoon's productivity, do it. It'll be important for you to find the hours that are your most productive and take advantage of those.
- Find your team. Find mentors and peers to learn from. People who can be honest with you and that you can trust. When you're starting out, it helps to get advice from people doing what you are doing. Not all advice is equal, so you're going to hear tips from all sorts of people like friends and family who may not have any experience in what you're doing.
- Learn quickly. Learn about what you're good at and what you need help with. The sooner you can figure this out, the sooner you'll stop struggling with things that you shouldn't be doing.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
To join our mailing list of co-working events, where you can get great work in and meet some great peers and clients, visit www.deepworksprints.com
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: www.deepworksprints.com
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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