how did I get started so I got a great question from one of my readers Dennis
question from one of my readers Dennis
question from one of my readers Dennis love you guys
love you guys
love you guys Dennis wrote in to me he’s on my
Dennis wrote in to me he’s on my
Dennis wrote in to me he’s on my newsletter list and I wrote in to say
newsletter list and I wrote in to say
newsletter list and I wrote in to say Evan you didn’t tell me how you got
Evan you didn’t tell me how you got
Evan you didn’t tell me how you got started with what you’re doing man so
started with what you’re doing man so
started with what you’re doing man so would you care to tell me a short tale
would you care to tell me a short tale
would you care to tell me a short tale on that dude
on that dude
on that dude Dennis thanks for the question so quick
Dennis thanks for the question so quick
Dennis thanks for the question so quick story I’ll put together when I was in
story I’ll put together when I was in
story I’ll put together when I was in university I had job offers from
university I had job offers from
university I had job offers from companies that I thought would be
companies that I thought would be
companies that I thought would be awesome to work with a couple years ago
awesome to work with a couple years ago
awesome to work with a couple years ago and I felt like I wanted to better
and I felt like I wanted to better
and I felt like I wanted to better myself and just try my own business and
myself and just try my own business and
myself and just try my own business and I had a biotech software company with
I had a biotech software company with
I had a biotech software company with two friends and we struggled in the
two friends and we struggled in the
two friends and we struggled in the beginning I was making nothing and we
beginning I was making nothing and we
beginning I was making nothing and we turned it around and in a couple years I
turned it around and in a couple years I
turned it around and in a couple years I got the company acquired and my partners
got the company acquired and my partners
got the company acquired and my partners went to California as part of the deal I
went to California as part of the deal I
went to California as part of the deal I stayed here and that’s when I I
stayed here and that’s when I I
stayed here and that’s when I I struggled to figure out what am I gonna
struggled to figure out what am I gonna
struggled to figure out what am I gonna do next you know I’m like I’m in my
do next you know I’m like I’m in my
do next you know I’m like I’m in my early 20s I had two success with this
early 20s I had two success with this
early 20s I had two success with this company I didn’t want to go get a job
company I didn’t want to go get a job
company I didn’t want to go get a job but I didn’t have a burning idea for
but I didn’t have a burning idea for
but I didn’t have a burning idea for what to do with my next company and I’ve
what to do with my next company and I’ve
what to do with my next company and I’ve always been a big believer that if
always been a big believer that if
always been a big believer that if you’re not sure what you want to do next
you’re not sure what you want to do next
you’re not sure what you want to do next you don’t have a burning passion for
you don’t have a burning passion for
you don’t have a burning passion for anything yet go out and explore try
anything yet go out and explore try
anything yet go out and explore try stuff and a lot of it won’t work and you
stuff and a lot of it won’t work and you
stuff and a lot of it won’t work and you get a sense of that pretty quickly and
get a sense of that pretty quickly and
get a sense of that pretty quickly and some of it will stick and you’ll love it
some of it will stick and you’ll love it
some of it will stick and you’ll love it and opportunities will come from that
and opportunities will come from that
and opportunities will come from that they’ll try to force an idea all right I
they’ll try to force an idea all right I
they’ll try to force an idea all right I know that’s hard like that was me I’m
know that’s hard like that was me I’m
know that’s hard like that was me I’m like I want to do something now I got to
like I want to do something now I got to
like I want to do something now I got to figure this out now you know I’d always
figure this out now you know I’d always
figure this out now you know I’d always had an interest in venture capital I
had an interest in venture capital I
had an interest in venture capital I never needed it for my business but I
never needed it for my business but I
never needed it for my business but I wanted to learn about it so through a
wanted to learn about it so through a
wanted to learn about it so through a connection I ended up with a position at
connection I ended up with a position at
connection I ended up with a position at a venture capital company in Toronto
a venture capital company in Toronto
a venture capital company in Toronto helping companies raise half a million
helping companies raise half a million
helping companies raise half a million to 15 million dollars for companies and
to 15 million dollars for companies and
to 15 million dollars for companies and I learned how the process worked and I
I learned how the process worked and I
I learned how the process worked and I connected with the three founders who
connected with the three founders who
connected with the three founders who are all in their sixties or seventies
are all in their sixties or seventies
are all in their sixties or seventies and had all the experience in the world
and had all the experience in the world
and had all the experience in the world and I had a position with them as an
and I had a position with them as an
and I had a position with them as an associate wasn’t it wasn’t a formal
associate wasn’t it wasn’t a formal
associate wasn’t it wasn’t a formal employee relationship I could still do
employee relationship I could still do
employee relationship I could still do whatever I wanted
whatever I wanted
whatever I wanted but I help bring in deals and I learned
but I help bring in deals and I learned
but I help bring in deals and I learned the process cuz I wanted to learn about
the process cuz I wanted to learn about
the process cuz I wanted to learn about it I didn’t think this would be a
it I didn’t think this would be a
it I didn’t think this would be a long-term thing for me but it was
long-term thing for me but it was
long-term thing for me but it was something I was curious about at the
something I was curious about at the
something I was curious about at the same time I was I was in the media lot I
same time I was I was in the media lot I
same time I was I was in the media lot I was asked to speak at events because I
was asked to speak at events because I
was asked to speak at events because I was a young entrepreneur so the business
was a young entrepreneur so the business
was a young entrepreneur so the business had that success and my first speaking
had that success and my first speaking
had that success and my first speaking gig in Toronto was at the YMCA they had
gig in Toronto was at the YMCA they had
gig in Toronto was at the YMCA they had a group of entrepreneurs who were I
a group of entrepreneurs who were I
a group of entrepreneurs who were I think fired or laid off from their jobs
think fired or laid off from their jobs
think fired or laid off from their jobs and they want to start their own company
and they want to start their own company
and they want to start their own company as a way to create their own pack for
as a way to create their own pack for
as a way to create their own pack for themselves and so I said sure I’d be
themselves and so I said sure I’d be
themselves and so I said sure I’d be happy to come and speak and share my
happy to come and speak and share my
happy to come and speak and share my lessons what I’ve learned that it love
lessons what I’ve learned that it love
lessons what I’ve learned that it love to help and I spent a lot of time
to help and I spent a lot of time
to help and I spent a lot of time figuring out everything I wanted to say
figuring out everything I wanted to say
figuring out everything I wanted to say and all the things that I had learned
and all the things that I had learned
and all the things that I had learned through my failure and then success and
through my failure and then success and
through my failure and then success and I remember the day came and I was
I remember the day came and I was
I remember the day came and I was promoting it for two weeks to my you
promoting it for two weeks to my you
promoting it for two weeks to my you know friends and circles and and the
know friends and circles and and the
know friends and circles and and the YMCA was pointing it to their audience
YMCA was pointing it to their audience
YMCA was pointing it to their audience and I spend so much time on this concept
and I spend so much time on this concept
and I spend so much time on this concept the presentation and I was nervous you
the presentation and I was nervous you
the presentation and I was nervous you know I wanted to be perfect and I you
know I wanted to be perfect and I you
know I wanted to be perfect and I you know come up on that day and remember
know come up on that day and remember
know come up on that day and remember going through the doors and my heart’s
going through the doors and my heart’s
going through the doors and my heart’s beating I’m starting to sweat like oh my
beating I’m starting to sweat like oh my
beating I’m starting to sweat like oh my god it’s coming I’ve been working so
god it’s coming I’ve been working so
god it’s coming I’ve been working so hard for this moment and I go out
hard for this moment and I go out
hard for this moment and I go out familiar with this huge room ready to go
familiar with this huge room ready to go
familiar with this huge room ready to go tons of chairs and I walk into the room
tons of chairs and I walk into the room
tons of chairs and I walk into the room open the door and I just sink for a
open the door and I just sink for a
open the door and I just sink for a minute because after all of this work
minute because after all of this work
minute because after all of this work three people showed up to listen to me
three people showed up to listen to me
three people showed up to listen to me and I’m wow
and I’m wow
and I’m wow like I I was promoting this for two
like I I was promoting this for two
like I I was promoting this for two weeks and the YMCA was pointing it to
weeks and the YMCA was pointing it to
weeks and the YMCA was pointing it to their audience and they had a student
their audience and they had a student
their audience and they had a student base already who was interested in this
base already who was interested in this
base already who was interested in this and I felt like such a failure you know
and I felt like such a failure you know
and I felt like such a failure you know like I spent all this time on something
like I spent all this time on something
like I spent all this time on something and for a free event and I could I can
and for a free event and I could I can
and for a free event and I could I can only get three people to come out and
only get three people to come out and
only get three people to come out and that was a big turning point for me
that was a big turning point for me
that was a big turning point for me because I could have given a crappy
because I could have given a crappy
because I could have given a crappy presentation and and felt like this
presentation and and felt like this
presentation and and felt like this wasn’t for me and tried something else
wasn’t for me and tried something else
wasn’t for me and tried something else but what I discovered was I was there we
but what I discovered was I was there we
but what I discovered was I was there we had three people like I’m gonna I did
had three people like I’m gonna I did
had three people like I’m gonna I did all this work on the presentation so I’m
all this work on the presentation so I’m
all this work on the presentation so I’m gonna make it the best presentation the
gonna make it the best presentation the
gonna make it the best presentation the three people have ever seen
three people have ever seen
three people have ever seen and it ended up being amazing and those
and it ended up being amazing and those
and it ended up being amazing and those sweeper board changed that day and I
sweeper board changed that day and I
sweeper board changed that day and I felt a way that I had to keep doing this
felt a way that I had to keep doing this
felt a way that I had to keep doing this it felt so natural felt so amazing on
it felt so natural felt so amazing on
it felt so natural felt so amazing on such a high helping these people out and
such a high helping these people out and
such a high helping these people out and change in their lives that I felt like I
change in their lives that I felt like I
change in their lives that I felt like I had to keep going and doing this even
had to keep going and doing this even
had to keep going and doing this even though anybody who looked at this woulda
though anybody who looked at this woulda
though anybody who looked at this woulda said everything you’re crazy would you
said everything you’re crazy would you
said everything you’re crazy would you want to turn this into a business you
want to turn this into a business you
want to turn this into a business you this is gonna be your thing now you
this is gonna be your thing now you
this is gonna be your thing now you can’t get more than three people to come
can’t get more than three people to come
can’t get more than three people to come to a free event man what are you doing
to a free event man what are you doing
to a free event man what are you doing this is stupid and by all logical
this is stupid and by all logical
this is stupid and by all logical reasoning it was right it was it was
reasoning it was right it was it was
reasoning it was right it was it was stupid to think that I could turn this
stupid to think that I could turn this
stupid to think that I could turn this into a business and yet I loved it and
into a business and yet I loved it and
into a business and yet I loved it and so I knew I had to find a way to keep
so I knew I had to find a way to keep
so I knew I had to find a way to keep going and if you talk to successful
going and if you talk to successful
going and if you talk to successful entrepreneurs that’s what you’ll often
entrepreneurs that’s what you’ll often
entrepreneurs that’s what you’ll often find is they’d love what they did so
find is they’d love what they did so
find is they’d love what they did so much that they had to find the way to
much that they had to find the way to
much that they had to find the way to keep going and people would do it even
keep going and people would do it even
keep going and people would do it even if they weren’t getting paid because
if they weren’t getting paid because
if they weren’t getting paid because they loved it so much like I love
they loved it so much like I love
they loved it so much like I love helping entrepreneurs and I do a lot of
helping entrepreneurs and I do a lot of
helping entrepreneurs and I do a lot of it without getting paid just because it
it without getting paid just because it
it without getting paid just because it brings me happiness and then I found the
brings me happiness and then I found the
brings me happiness and then I found the way to turn it into a business
way to turn it into a business
way to turn it into a business eventually right it wasn’t I wish I said
eventually right it wasn’t I wish I said
eventually right it wasn’t I wish I said I had this whole plan worked out like I
I had this whole plan worked out like I
I had this whole plan worked out like I sat down and I wrote my plan and this is
sat down and I wrote my plan and this is
sat down and I wrote my plan and this is how it’s gonna work I had I didn’t have
how it’s gonna work I had I didn’t have
how it’s gonna work I had I didn’t have a plan you know I was following my
a plan you know I was following my
a plan you know I was following my passion and tried to find something that
passion and tried to find something that
passion and tried to find something that would take me in a direction that I
would take me in a direction that I
would take me in a direction that I would enjoy doing and it turned from the
would enjoy doing and it turned from the
would enjoy doing and it turned from the speaking into my website that I used to
speaking into my website that I used to
speaking into my website that I used to say where I was speaking and then people
say where I was speaking and then people
say where I was speaking and then people started asking could they share content
started asking could they share content
started asking could they share content on there it said sure you can write an
on there it said sure you can write an
on there it said sure you can write an article for my website this is a time
article for my website this is a time
article for my website this is a time before article marketing was anything
before article marketing was anything
before article marketing was anything people want just to be on my site and I
people want just to be on my site and I
people want just to be on my site and I used it as lead generation for the
used it as lead generation for the
used it as lead generation for the venture capital business that I was part
venture capital business that I was part
venture capital business that I was part of then I started talking about modeling
of then I started talking about modeling
of then I started talking about modeling the Masters and I started talking about
the Masters and I started talking about
the Masters and I started talking about how to raise capital put those articles
how to raise capital put those articles
how to raise capital put those articles up there realizing I could sell
up there realizing I could sell
up there realizing I could sell advertising against that and then
advertising against that and then
advertising against that and then started making money from advertising it
started making money from advertising it
started making money from advertising it was a little side thing I’m just
was a little side thing I’m just
was a little side thing I’m just whatever it’s something I was having
whatever it’s something I was having
whatever it’s something I was having some fun with
some fun with
some fun with and then more and more people started
and then more and more people started
and then more and more people started writing into me and saying we want to
writing into me and saying we want to
writing into me and saying we want to know more about your story wanna know
know more about your story wanna know
know more about your story wanna know more about what got you here and your
more about what got you here and your
more about what got you here and your advice and at that time everything was
advice and at that time everything was
advice and at that time everything was behind the scenes for me I was always
behind the scenes for me I was always
behind the scenes for me I was always sharing stories of famous entrepreneurs
sharing stories of famous entrepreneurs
sharing stories of famous entrepreneurs and their success and showing examples
and their success and showing examples
and their success and showing examples but not too much about my story and I
but not too much about my story and I
but not too much about my story and I was shocked like why do people care
was shocked like why do people care
was shocked like why do people care about my story so I started sharing it
about my story so I started sharing it
about my story so I started sharing it more and more you know my face wasn’t
more and more you know my face wasn’t
more and more you know my face wasn’t even on the homepage and so it got more
even on the homepage and so it got more
even on the homepage and so it got more and more me telling my story and then I
and more me telling my story and then I
and more me telling my story and then I got invited to do more speaking and then
got invited to do more speaking and then
got invited to do more speaking and then I started my youtube channel and social
I started my youtube channel and social
I started my youtube channel and social media and Twitter and all that stuff and
media and Twitter and all that stuff and
media and Twitter and all that stuff and it’s it’s built it’s built in this
it’s it’s built it’s built in this
it’s it’s built it’s built in this amazing community right every video I
amazing community right every video I
amazing community right every video I put up we get comments we get views and
put up we get comments we get views and
put up we get comments we get views and get subscribers I love it like the best
get subscribers I love it like the best
get subscribers I love it like the best part of my day now is being I wake up in
part of my day now is being I wake up in
part of my day now is being I wake up in the morning I grab my bowl of lentils
the morning I grab my bowl of lentils
the morning I grab my bowl of lentils and I go to the computer and look at the
and I go to the computer and look at the
and I go to the computer and look at the comments that I get from YouTube and my
comments that I get from YouTube and my
comments that I get from YouTube and my social media channels I love that stuff
social media channels I love that stuff
social media channels I love that stuff and it all came out of following what I
and it all came out of following what I
and it all came out of following what I love doing having the courage to not
love doing having the courage to not
love doing having the courage to not know where I’m going and just explore
know where I’m going and just explore
know where I’m going and just explore things and when I found something that I
things and when I found something that I
things and when I found something that I really liked to do even though it made
really liked to do even though it made
really liked to do even though it made no sense to continue doing it I
no sense to continue doing it I
no sense to continue doing it I continued on and found a way to turn it
continued on and found a way to turn it
continued on and found a way to turn it into a business and something I’m still
into a business and something I’m still
into a business and something I’m still passionate about I don’t know 12 years
passionate about I don’t know 12 years
passionate about I don’t know 12 years later 11 usually there 12 weeks till
later 11 usually there 12 weeks till
later 11 usually there 12 weeks till whatever doesn’t matter still pass him
whatever doesn’t matter still pass him
whatever doesn’t matter still pass him about it so that’s my story
about it so that’s my story
about it so that’s my story I don’t know hopefully that helps give
I don’t know hopefully that helps give
I don’t know hopefully that helps give you some inspiration or helps answer
you some inspiration or helps answer
you some inspiration or helps answer your question let me know what you guys
your question let me know what you guys
your question let me know what you guys think you know if you want more videos
think you know if you want more videos
think you know if you want more videos like this leave a comment below let me
like this leave a comment below let me
like this leave a comment below let me know what are the questions you have I’m
know what are the questions you have I’m
know what are the questions you have I’m happy to do a video for you if you like
happy to do a video for you if you like
happy to do a video for you if you like the video give it a thumbs up click on
the video give it a thumbs up click on
the video give it a thumbs up click on my face there subscribe to the channel
my face there subscribe to the channel
my face there subscribe to the channel thank you so much I’ll see you soon
”
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