Ken Keis

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TRANSCRIPTION WITH SPEAKERS
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[00:00] SPEAKER_01: It's Vancouver's Podcast on the Canada's Podcast Network.
[00:18] SPEAKER_00: Hello, this is Robert Smil, coming to today with Vancouver's Podcast, a member of the
[00:23] SPEAKER_00: Canada's Podcast Network, where we talk to the entrepreneurs who are making it happen
[00:27] SPEAKER_00: here in Vancouver, British Columbia.
[00:30] SPEAKER_00: Dr. Keys is President and CEO of Consulting Resource Group International, which has served
[00:36] SPEAKER_00: thousands of companies, associations, industry groups, and leaders in over 30 countries.
[00:42] SPEAKER_00: In the past 29 years, Ken has personally conducted more than 3,000 presentations and 10,000
[00:49] SPEAKER_00: hours of coaching and consulting.
[00:51] SPEAKER_00: He is a highly sought-after author, speaker, trainer, podcast host, TV and media guest.
[00:59] SPEAKER_00: His latest books include Why Aren't You More Like Me, Deliberate Leadership, and The
[01:04] SPEAKER_00: Quest for Our Purpose.
[01:06] SPEAKER_00: Well, Dr. Keys, welcome to the show.
[01:08] SPEAKER_00: Thanks for taking the time today to be here for all our listeners.
[01:12] SPEAKER_01: Well, my pleasure, Robert, and thanks for having us on the show.
[01:15] SPEAKER_00: Okay, do you like to go by Dr. Keys or Ken, which you'd like to go by?
[01:18] SPEAKER_01: It's Ken's fine.
[01:20] SPEAKER_01: If we want to say Dr. that's okay, Ken is fine as well.
[01:24] SPEAKER_01: I grew up in a dairy farm, so we say Dr. Keys so people know that I actually did some
[01:29] SPEAKER_01: work.
[01:30] SPEAKER_00: Okay.
[01:30] SPEAKER_01: And then as far as the relationships go, it's Ken.
[01:33] SPEAKER_00: Okay.
[01:34] SPEAKER_00: So you grew up in a farm, but tell us a little bit more about yourself, where you're from,
[01:38] SPEAKER_00: give us the details on your current business.
[01:40] SPEAKER_01: Well, I actually grew up here in Abysford, which is an hour out of Vancouver.
[01:46] SPEAKER_01: And as I mentioned, I grew up on a dairy farm, and after working with my dad for a couple
[01:50] SPEAKER_01: of years coming back from egg college, it didn't go so well.
[01:53] SPEAKER_01: So it went off and got my own jobs in sales and actually worked for the federal government
[01:58] SPEAKER_01: for a while in that space.
[02:01] SPEAKER_01: And then I actually started way back in the 80s, my own sales training company.
[02:05] SPEAKER_01: And that is really progressed to where we are now, where I'm the owner of Consulting
[02:10] SPEAKER_01: Resource Group founded 40 years ago by Dr. Anderson.
[02:12] SPEAKER_01: And we create psychological tools and assessments to help create self awareness, so that people
[02:19] SPEAKER_01: can have professional mastery so they can live an intentional life.
[02:24] SPEAKER_01: And that's what we do better than just about anybody else out there as far as helping people
[02:28] SPEAKER_01: to create that awareness, that connection to who they are and where they need to go.
[02:32] SPEAKER_00: Okay.
[02:33] SPEAKER_00: Did you need financing to start your company and how do you currently make money in the
[02:37] SPEAKER_00: business now?
[02:38] SPEAKER_01: I didn't need financing to get the company.
[02:41] SPEAKER_01: We created a buy-in from Dr. Anderson.
[02:44] SPEAKER_01: I bought the company 15 years ago, but I've been connected to the company since 1990.
[02:49] SPEAKER_01: And so I self-financed that, and then I also created an agreement that I would pay them
[02:53] SPEAKER_01: over profits over time in terms of how we make money.
[02:57] SPEAKER_01: Well, two or three different ways.
[02:59] SPEAKER_01: All our tools and assessments are for a fee purchase.
[03:02] SPEAKER_01: So if somebody wants to buy one of our personality assessments, it's $45, and there's that
[03:07] SPEAKER_01: margin there in an online world.
[03:10] SPEAKER_01: Professional services, so if you want to go out into a training or a keynote or a consulting
[03:15] SPEAKER_01: or coaching, and then we're now building in another sort of legacy side where the online
[03:20] SPEAKER_01: courses are now being launched with our company as well.
[03:24] SPEAKER_00: Okay.
[03:25] SPEAKER_00: What is the long-term vision and what will your company look like in the future?
[03:29] SPEAKER_00: Do you see the company expanding into other areas and where?
[03:32] SPEAKER_00: Beyond Vancouver, BC or even Canada?
[03:35] SPEAKER_01: Well, we're global already.
[03:36] SPEAKER_01: We have all our tools translated in Chinese, and so I have a partner on the ground in Beijing.
[03:41] SPEAKER_01: So how I see the company growing is the online space.
[03:45] SPEAKER_01: I think about it, Robert.
[03:46] SPEAKER_01: I started in this industry before there was even email.
[03:49] SPEAKER_01: Whoa, wow.
[03:50] SPEAKER_01: I know that people are listening to this.
[03:52] SPEAKER_01: When I first got into this business as a trainer, I actually commuted and was the senior consultant
[03:58] SPEAKER_01: for Chrysler.
[03:58] SPEAKER_01: And I was commuting from Vancouver to Detroit every week for a year because we didn't have
[04:05] SPEAKER_01: virtual business.
[04:07] SPEAKER_01: So here's this podcasting we're doing right now.
[04:09] SPEAKER_01: We're in one part of the world.
[04:11] SPEAKER_01: I'm in another.
[04:11] SPEAKER_01: This was not possible.
[04:13] SPEAKER_01: So our vision is, okay, technology now is allowing us to do things that we couldn't
[04:18] SPEAKER_01: even fathom.
[04:19] SPEAKER_01: So creating online legacy courses and product and processes with all our content.
[04:27] SPEAKER_01: We have 4.5 million words of content with 12 core assessments.
[04:31] SPEAKER_01: So I'm building content around all of that.
[04:32] SPEAKER_01: So we have this legacy.
[04:34] SPEAKER_01: So that's leveraged out there 24, 7, just like this podcast can be listened to once we've
[04:39] SPEAKER_01: done it once anytime, anywhere for anyone.
[04:42] SPEAKER_01: And that's really what we're going to do with our content while we're doing with our
[04:45] SPEAKER_01: content already.
[04:46] SPEAKER_01: And then we're moving into as many languages as possible.
[04:49] SPEAKER_01: So we're already in 12 different languages with our core tool, but we'll expand, you know,
[04:54] SPEAKER_01: globally from there.
[04:55] SPEAKER_01: In fact, that was just in a call.
[04:57] SPEAKER_01: Prior to this podcast to the Middle East and how, you know, we already have some tools
[05:03] SPEAKER_01: in Arabic, how that would be leveraged into the entire area there.
[05:07] SPEAKER_00: Okay.
[05:08] SPEAKER_00: Interesting.
[05:09] SPEAKER_00: Okay.
[05:09] SPEAKER_00: We've learned a little bit about you and we've learned about your company.
[05:12] SPEAKER_00: Let's talk about Vancouver now.
[05:14] SPEAKER_00: What are the biggest benefits for you in being an entrepreneur here in Vancouver, BC?
[05:18] SPEAKER_00: I want you to give us some of the good points about starting a company here, but I also want
[05:22] SPEAKER_00: you to give us some of the tough things or challenges for listeners so they can keep
[05:26] SPEAKER_00: an eye out for them.
[05:28] SPEAKER_01: Well, I think for Vancouver, of course, those of us that are here, it's just lifestyle.
[05:32] SPEAKER_01: It is a city that is vibrant, that has energy, that really there's a mix between where
[05:38] SPEAKER_01: companies understand that I want to have lifestyle with business, meaning working 20 hours
[05:43] SPEAKER_01: a day is not necessarily acceptable in this environment.
[05:48] SPEAKER_01: It's very entrepreneurial.
[05:49] SPEAKER_01: So it's open to that.
[05:51] SPEAKER_01: So you have those things that are going on.
[05:53] SPEAKER_01: Now on the other side, the challenge is it's so darn expensive to live here and getting
[05:58] SPEAKER_01: the right kind of quality people, I have a team or a staff around me, you know, sometimes
[06:04] SPEAKER_01: as many as 10, maybe sometimes as low as 7.
[06:07] SPEAKER_01: And so getting the right quality individuals to work with you is a very expensive proposition
[06:13] SPEAKER_01: as an entrepreneur and as a business owner.
[06:16] SPEAKER_00: Trying to get them to come work for you and knowing that they know the cost of living
[06:22] SPEAKER_00: in here in Vancouver is going to be a factor.
[06:26] SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
[06:27] SPEAKER_01: And also just enough qualified people.
[06:29] SPEAKER_01: I, for a while, we had a position open for nearly two months and never even had an
[06:34] SPEAKER_01: applicant.
[06:35] SPEAKER_01: So that is part of where there's a labor shortage of, it's really an employee's marketplace
[06:42] SPEAKER_01: right at the moment from quality point of view.
[06:45] SPEAKER_01: Yes, there are some people that are out there, but for those of us on a partnership and
[06:49] SPEAKER_01: looking for one of the people that have the skills, it is a little bit thinner than it
[06:55] SPEAKER_01: has been in the past.
[06:56] SPEAKER_00: Okay, we do some of our best work outside the office.
[06:59] SPEAKER_00: Is there a place in the lower mainline close to where you live or work, where you like
[07:02] SPEAKER_00: to go recharge or get inspired or think about ideas and your business?
[07:07] SPEAKER_00: And does it change with the season considering all the rain we get here?
[07:11] SPEAKER_01: I does because I'm a motorcyclist, Robert, and I love my motorcycle when I go for rides
[07:17] SPEAKER_01: and I'm just an hour at Vancouver.
[07:19] SPEAKER_01: Some of the best motorcycle riding in the world is here.
[07:22] SPEAKER_01: So I go for a ride.
[07:23] SPEAKER_01: What I did in the fall just before the weather turned, I went for two or three nine hour rides.
[07:31] SPEAKER_01: And just, I mean, totally just sort of in my space on my own, don't ride with anybody
[07:37] SPEAKER_01: else.
[07:38] SPEAKER_01: And so I do that through, you know, within four or five hours of this location here in
[07:42] SPEAKER_01: the winter.
[07:43] SPEAKER_01: Less so, I don't get to enjoy my motorcycle.
[07:46] SPEAKER_01: I haven't really thought about what is it I do except block when it's not raining.
[07:51] SPEAKER_00: Okay.
[07:52] SPEAKER_00: Now we have a lot of international listeners.
[07:54] SPEAKER_00: So this next question, I want you to speak to them.
[07:57] SPEAKER_00: If you were to start all over again and you just moved here to Vancouver, BC, but this
[08:01] SPEAKER_00: time you don't know anyone, knowing what you know now, what would you do and how would
[08:06] SPEAKER_00: you go about starting all over again as an entrepreneur?
[08:10] SPEAKER_01: Well, the key today is a network.
[08:13] SPEAKER_01: You have to get plugged in in some kind of community.
[08:15] SPEAKER_01: So if it's the Vancouver Board of Trade and one of the networking groups, you can't do
[08:20] SPEAKER_01: it on your own.
[08:22] SPEAKER_01: And like you said, if I don't know anybody, it really is about connections.
[08:25] SPEAKER_01: Just as we got to know each other online and then had a conversation on Skype, but it's
[08:31] SPEAKER_01: funny how autopreneurs really collect and then we support one another.
[08:36] SPEAKER_01: The other one is get a mentor, get a coach or get into another mastermind group of other
[08:41] SPEAKER_01: entrepreneurs to be able to kind of grow because they have the connections that you need
[08:45] SPEAKER_01: and want to grow your business.
[08:47] SPEAKER_01: And it's interesting.
[08:48] SPEAKER_01: We really do want to help each other.
[08:50] SPEAKER_00: Yes, we do.
[08:51] SPEAKER_00: Obviously, I mean, the purpose of podcasting themselves is to kind of get the word out there
[08:56] SPEAKER_00: about you and let Canada know in the rest of the world.
[09:00] SPEAKER_00: So these are the tools that you can use by networking, by meeting these people.
[09:03] SPEAKER_00: So what does the first hour look like for you when you get up in the morning?
[09:08] SPEAKER_00: Do you have a specific routine or a ritual that helps you get motivated to start your day?
[09:13] SPEAKER_01: Well, I do about 10 to 25 hours a week of reading and podcast listening myself.
[09:23] SPEAKER_01: So not me doing my podcast, but listening to somebody else's podcast.
[09:26] SPEAKER_01: So every morning, I have three or four newsletters that come in that I go through, leadership,
[09:33] SPEAKER_01: spiritual matters because that's an anchor point for me, health and wellness, which we're
[09:38] SPEAKER_01: an expert in as a health coach.
[09:41] SPEAKER_01: And so I have specific things that come in as far as just getting up and being connected
[09:46] SPEAKER_01: to that.
[09:47] SPEAKER_01: And I just allow myself to kind of ease into the day.
[09:51] SPEAKER_01: I don't kind of so I got to get going on this.
[09:53] SPEAKER_01: I just, I ramp up over time.
[09:55] SPEAKER_01: And then by, you know, 830, I'm just already flying for an hour.
[09:59] SPEAKER_00: Do you think entrepreneurs have to be weird or unique in a positive way or are wired differently?
[10:06] SPEAKER_01: I do believe that if you're wired or not, one of the things that entrepreneurs need to
[10:11] SPEAKER_01: have, one of the, one of the characteristics and traits.
[10:14] SPEAKER_01: So we teach this and we have an assessment of entrepreneurs is you just have to have
[10:19] SPEAKER_01: resilience.
[10:20] SPEAKER_01: You have to have passion, you have to have connection to what you're doing.
[10:23] SPEAKER_01: One of the mistakes sometimes Robert, entrepreneurs do is they get into a business that has potential
[10:30] SPEAKER_01: but they have no love or passion of that business.
[10:33] SPEAKER_01: Well, that, that, you can't sustain that engagement.
[10:36] SPEAKER_01: And those of us that have been in business, there's moments when you say, man, is this really
[10:39] SPEAKER_01: all worth it?
[10:40] SPEAKER_01: And you have to be connected to what you're doing.
[10:43] SPEAKER_01: There's to be sort of meaning in it for you to be able to kind of move forward.
[10:46] SPEAKER_01: So that would be my thought on that.
[10:49] SPEAKER_00: What books are you reading now and why are you even audiobooks and can you recommend any
[10:53] SPEAKER_00: books for our listeners who are also aspiring entrepreneurs?
[10:57] SPEAKER_01: Well, my books are mostly in the leadership space.
[11:00] SPEAKER_01: So Dr. Lance Sekerton has a new book called, and because these are my podcast guests as
[11:05] SPEAKER_01: well, you know, the bell weather effect and what he was talking about is a lot of leadership
[11:10] SPEAKER_01: myths that are out there.
[11:12] SPEAKER_01: The best book for behavioral change for self and others that I've ever read is actually
[11:17] SPEAKER_01: my colleague, Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, and that book is called, Triggers.
[11:22] SPEAKER_01: It really is number one executive coach in the world.
[11:25] SPEAKER_01: So those are two that are kind of on my plate.
[11:27] SPEAKER_01: Now, when you think about personal professional development, I love Brendan Bouchard's work
[11:32] SPEAKER_01: and his latest one on high performance habits.
[11:35] SPEAKER_01: And he identified in that book, you know, when you think about entrepreneurs, what are
[11:38] SPEAKER_01: the six habits of high performers?
[11:40] SPEAKER_01: And so, and we're congruent and agreement of the research that came out of that work
[11:45] SPEAKER_01: as well.
[11:46] SPEAKER_00: Any online or offline tools that you use on a daily basis?
[11:51] SPEAKER_01: Well, I use our own assessments and tools and knowledge of those.
[11:55] SPEAKER_01: So at the peril of being self-promoting.
[11:58] SPEAKER_01: And as far as I have been using the triggers online process, I did that for about six months.
[12:04] SPEAKER_01: I'm not using it right now.
[12:05] SPEAKER_01: And that's a daily email of key goals that you have set as part of it.
[12:10] SPEAKER_01: And that is through Marshall Goldsmith's work.
[12:13] SPEAKER_01: And then I use our own assessments as far as our clarity of our values in my personal
[12:17] SPEAKER_01: style and my wellness.
[12:19] SPEAKER_01: All those are check marks that I have within the assessments that we have produced.
[12:23] SPEAKER_00: If you weren't doing what you do now, what would you like to do for a profession?
[12:29] SPEAKER_01: I'd probably be in ministry.
[12:31] SPEAKER_01: So I would be out there.
[12:32] SPEAKER_01: I just think that, you know, we have an eternal part of who we are.
[12:36] SPEAKER_01: And there's that we're not physical people.
[12:38] SPEAKER_01: I would hear where spiritual people having a physical sort of manifestation.
[12:44] SPEAKER_01: And so I just, that's where I would be at and said, Hey, there's, there's a bigger
[12:47] SPEAKER_01: picture that's going on and has eternity in it's midst.
[12:52] SPEAKER_00: What kind of job would you not like to do?
[12:54] SPEAKER_00: Couldn't do it.
[12:56] SPEAKER_01: Oh, software writing.
[12:58] SPEAKER_01: Anything to do with IT, but never, never, never, please.
[13:02] SPEAKER_01: You even try to learn new software.
[13:04] SPEAKER_01: I said, Oh, fine, I'll do it.
[13:07] SPEAKER_01: But it's just it's not my favorite thing at all.
[13:10] SPEAKER_00: You wouldn't create the next Windows 95.
[13:13] SPEAKER_01: I don't think it's going to happen, Robert, not anytime soon in business.
[13:18] SPEAKER_00: What is your favorite word, quote, or sentence that you like to use?
[13:23] SPEAKER_01: Well, I signed just about every one of my books that I send out that people keep
[13:27] SPEAKER_01: living on purpose.
[13:29] SPEAKER_01: So, you know, part of our belief system, you know, my purpose in life is to help
[13:33] SPEAKER_01: others to live, lead and work on purpose.
[13:36] SPEAKER_01: And so that's our work that's so if I don't know my purpose, Robert, you
[13:41] SPEAKER_01: know, as an on a printer, then my purpose is to find my purpose.
[13:45] SPEAKER_01: And so to kind of filter through it and it takes work and it takes effort,
[13:49] SPEAKER_01: but that's my quote is just keep living on purpose.
[13:52] SPEAKER_01: And if you don't know what it is, then go find out and make that the priority.
[13:56] SPEAKER_00: What is your least favorite word or sentence you do not like to hear?
[14:02] SPEAKER_01: People that are critical in toxic, toxic people have zero space for them.
[14:11] SPEAKER_00: People who are negative?
[14:13] SPEAKER_01: Yes, absolutely.
[14:15] SPEAKER_01: I'm not seeing not being real, but negative draining critical spirit, toxic.
[14:21] SPEAKER_01: No, no, no, no, negativity.
[14:24] SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
[14:25] SPEAKER_00: Okay.
[14:25] SPEAKER_00: If you had to pick one or two words to describe yourself, what would it be?
[14:29] SPEAKER_00: And why
[14:32] SPEAKER_01: energetic and encourager?
[14:34] SPEAKER_01: I think I even got a little plaque way back in the early and the late 80s when I
[14:40] SPEAKER_01: worked in the sales rep.
[14:41] SPEAKER_01: They called me Mr. enthusiasm.
[14:43] SPEAKER_01: So it was just part of what I have as a like I've done other assessments out
[14:49] SPEAKER_01: there.
[14:50] SPEAKER_01: This is, can you have a lot of faith in what's possible?
[14:53] SPEAKER_01: So optimistic traits to say to encourage people that no matter what,
[15:00] SPEAKER_01: there is a positive thing here.
[15:03] SPEAKER_01: And hopefully if we've had it in our action, that you feel more encouraged about
[15:08] SPEAKER_01: the opportunity or who you are or what you bring every person matters.
[15:14] SPEAKER_00: What keeps you up at night if anything?
[15:17] SPEAKER_01: Uh, just keeping the business going in, in what I mean by this is, is that a
[15:25] SPEAKER_01: lot of time does on a perners, we build our business around us.
[15:29] SPEAKER_01: And, you know, I teach not to do that, but even in my own business, how can I
[15:33] SPEAKER_01: create a business that's independent of me showing up?
[15:37] SPEAKER_01: So if I want to be and go down and visit you, which is a few hours flight from
[15:42] SPEAKER_01: where we are right now in the sun and the fun for a month without worrying about
[15:47] SPEAKER_01: the business or the business continuing to have legacy or leverage, that's what
[15:52] SPEAKER_01: really keeps me thinking.
[15:54] SPEAKER_00: Okay.
[15:55] SPEAKER_00: I want you to give us the top three things on your inspired lifeless.
[15:59] SPEAKER_00: This could be if you want to travel more at TEDx talk, write more books, philanthropy,
[16:04] SPEAKER_00: anything like that.
[16:06] SPEAKER_01: I love giving to individuals.
[16:09] SPEAKER_01: And of course, I talked earlier about my desire around ministry.
[16:12] SPEAKER_01: So I still do some of that work and help people in that space.
[16:16] SPEAKER_01: But if I was thinking about the top three things is really want the company to
[16:21] SPEAKER_01: grow into a fiscal place that when there is a need, when because we're really,
[16:27] SPEAKER_01: you have to be careful how you do this, but we do have a generous heart.
[16:31] SPEAKER_01: And we like to be able to give when a need is there to help others.
[16:35] SPEAKER_01: Then that's for sure.
[16:36] SPEAKER_01: The other side is to create the business.
[16:39] SPEAKER_01: Now I've traveled a lot is really creative business in a structure and a format and
[16:44] SPEAKER_01: a flow that if I was to go away for three months or even six, I would come back as
[16:48] SPEAKER_01: worth more or doing more than when I left it.
[16:52] SPEAKER_01: And that allows this independence to kind of go and be and do certain things
[16:57] SPEAKER_01: that I want to do as far as just being able to give or to travel with my wife as
[17:01] SPEAKER_01: we move not to retire because we're just moving into our six decade and
[17:08] SPEAKER_01: we're not there yet, but close is to be able to have some flexibility to do
[17:12] SPEAKER_01: these trips when and where I want rather than, okay, well, I really can't go
[17:16] SPEAKER_01: right now because there's some projects on the board.
[17:20] SPEAKER_00: But you want to you're aiming for that flexibility to be almost digital,
[17:25] SPEAKER_00: digital nomad like or be able to work away or would you take or you just check out
[17:29] SPEAKER_00: in travel.
[17:30] SPEAKER_01: Well, I think digital go wherever I want to mean you're podcasting from another part
[17:36] SPEAKER_01: of the world.
[17:36] SPEAKER_01: You're not I mean, Cooper right now.
[17:37] SPEAKER_01: Sorry to disclose your secret.
[17:40] SPEAKER_01: You're able to do that.
[17:41] SPEAKER_01: Same thing with me is that for the most part, if I'm on the road, I'm online just
[17:45] SPEAKER_01: about every day, but be able to have the business grow without my presence here
[17:50] SPEAKER_01: and having the team, the leadership around me and grow to a size that I could have
[17:55] SPEAKER_01: that kind of quality of person lead the company instead of me doing that.
[17:59] SPEAKER_01: And so I really then get into the creation side of more content, more delivery,
[18:05] SPEAKER_01: and then really the operation side and the growth and the business development
[18:09] SPEAKER_01: left to some for another group to do it within the vision of the company.
[18:14] SPEAKER_00: Okay.
[18:15] SPEAKER_00: Do you have any advice that you may have received that you can pass on to
[18:20] SPEAKER_00: entrepreneurs throughout British Columbia?
[18:22] SPEAKER_01: Well, one of the advice I hired, you know, a lot of times we try to do too much
[18:27] SPEAKER_01: all at once is entrepreneurs.
[18:28] SPEAKER_01: Okay.
[18:28] SPEAKER_01: We're the bookkeeper.
[18:29] SPEAKER_01: We're doing over the sales rep or the developed product developer is, you know,
[18:34] SPEAKER_01: one of the things that we teach is play to your strengths.
[18:37] SPEAKER_01: Now, that doesn't mean when you first start that you can't, that you're not doing
[18:41] SPEAKER_01: stuff you dislike, but understand what your strengths are and then hire your
[18:45] SPEAKER_01: weaknesses or get advice or get mentoring or get coaching on those areas that
[18:50] SPEAKER_01: you don't want to serve.
[18:51] SPEAKER_01: Because here's the reality is that if I'm not playing with my strengths,
[18:54] SPEAKER_01: then my energy is not sustainable.
[18:58] SPEAKER_01: And so when I first got into this business, I was doing everything plus Robert,
[19:02] SPEAKER_01: which we didn't talk about earlier.
[19:04] SPEAKER_01: I had seven different businesses at one time.
[19:06] SPEAKER_01: It was absolute mistake.
[19:08] SPEAKER_01: And the reason being I was trying to get my creativity met by having all these
[19:13] SPEAKER_01: different businesses rather than having variety within the business that I was
[19:17] SPEAKER_01: creating.
[19:17] SPEAKER_01: So I sold them all all of my gone, except for this one business now.
[19:22] SPEAKER_01: And so just my encouragement, you know, stay focused, get people around you
[19:26] SPEAKER_01: who can compliment you.
[19:28] SPEAKER_01: And in many cases, they're different and even irritating because they're not
[19:31] SPEAKER_01: you and his pay attention to that and also get a mentor or coach that can help
[19:35] SPEAKER_01: accelerate you, keep you on track and go forward.
[19:38] SPEAKER_01: It's not, it's completely okay to ask for help and to have people around you
[19:43] SPEAKER_01: to take you to the next level.
[19:45] SPEAKER_00: And I think delegate is the big message here too.
[19:47] SPEAKER_00: I think this is one of the things that if you starting a business, you don't
[19:50] SPEAKER_00: want to be doing all the bookkeeping, all the human resources, you know, and do
[19:55] SPEAKER_00: you work. You want to do what you're good at and accept.
[19:58] SPEAKER_01: Absolutely, Robert.
[19:59] SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
[20:00] SPEAKER_00: Okay.
[20:00] SPEAKER_00: Can you read apps and fun?
[20:02] SPEAKER_00: Apps.
[20:03] SPEAKER_00: I'm here.
[20:03] SPEAKER_00: Are we not having fun?
[20:05] SPEAKER_00: No, we're having fun.
[20:06] SPEAKER_00: But now we're going to step it up a notch.
[20:08] SPEAKER_00: Okay.
[20:09] SPEAKER_00: Okay.
[20:09] SPEAKER_00: There's a small tropical island just off of Fiji that only has one phone booth
[20:13] SPEAKER_00: there. There is no internet.
[20:14] SPEAKER_00: This place does exist.
[20:16] SPEAKER_00: We're going to drop you off there.
[20:18] SPEAKER_00: You won't have a computer or a smartphone or tablet.
[20:19] SPEAKER_00: You can use the phone booth located there any time to call the boat.
[20:23] SPEAKER_00: We'll come pick you up.
[20:24] SPEAKER_00: How long would you last before you made that call?
[20:27] SPEAKER_00: What would you do while you were there?
[20:30] SPEAKER_01: I probably last a month.
[20:32] SPEAKER_01: I think as long as the food was there at least a month, maybe two.
[20:36] SPEAKER_01: And what would I do?
[20:37] SPEAKER_01: I would just contemplate.
[20:38] SPEAKER_01: I'd probably be prayerful.
[20:40] SPEAKER_01: I'd probably be reflective.
[20:42] SPEAKER_01: I probably would write in a journal and maybe be writing some books.
[20:46] SPEAKER_01: If I didn't have a computer, I would hand right with a notebook.
[20:48] SPEAKER_01: If you gave me permission to have one of those and just really be thinking about
[20:53] SPEAKER_01: the next level that's possible and also just be thankful for all the things that have happened.
[20:58] SPEAKER_00: So a good month before you call it.
[21:01] Speaker UNKNOWN: 
[21:02] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, absolutely.
[21:03] SPEAKER_00: So we'll be out there for a while.
[21:06] SPEAKER_00: We'll be okay.
[21:08] SPEAKER_01: But I'm getting I'm getting a suntan.
[21:09] SPEAKER_01: I just love relaxing and just getting in some vitamin D.
[21:12] SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
[21:12] SPEAKER_00: Good idea.
[21:13] SPEAKER_00: Okay.
[21:14] SPEAKER_00: How can I listen to get a whole of you?
[21:15] SPEAKER_00: And is there anything you'd like to add before you leave us today?
[21:19] SPEAKER_01: Well, first of all, we have a gift for our listeners.
[21:22] SPEAKER_01: And so they can go to my speaker site, which is KenKees.com.
[21:27] SPEAKER_01: So K-E-N-K-E-I-S.com.
[21:31] SPEAKER_01: And then slash YVR, which stands for this podcast Vancouver YVR being the airport signature.
[21:39] SPEAKER_01: And they'll be able to find out more about myself.
[21:42] SPEAKER_01: But also we have a free gift for them.
[21:44] SPEAKER_01: My book, The Quest for Purpose, The E-Download, The Full Book.
[21:48] SPEAKER_01: Not just a little short white paper.
[21:51] SPEAKER_01: It's everything they'll be able to get that free book there at KenKees.com slash YVR.
[21:57] SPEAKER_00: Fantastic.
[21:58] SPEAKER_00: Okay.
[21:59] SPEAKER_00: Well, Ken, thank you for coming on the show.
[22:00] SPEAKER_00: I've learned a lot about you.
[22:02] SPEAKER_00: And I'm sure our listeners have as well.
[22:04] SPEAKER_01: Well, thank you.
[22:05] SPEAKER_01: Appreciate it, Robert.
[22:06] SPEAKER_00: Okay.
[22:06] SPEAKER_00: We'll see you next time.
[22:09] SPEAKER_00: Hey there.
[22:10] SPEAKER_00: Thanks for taking the time today to listen to Vancouver's podcast on the Canada's podcast network.
[22:15] SPEAKER_00: We hope you enjoyed this show today.
[22:17] SPEAKER_00: Make sure you sign up for our newsletters and write a review for us on iTunes.
[22:21] SPEAKER_00: And then connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at Canada's podcast.
[22:26] SPEAKER_00: You can also check out what other entrepreneurs are doing across the country.
[22:30] SPEAKER_00: See you next time.