What is success to you?
It's a good question. I think success is different to everyone and I think it depends where you are in life in age
Success used to be to me
It used to be financial. I used to get off on
The numbers, you know how much I was turning over that made me feel good. That made me feel great
Things have changed now as you get older in life, you know when you set that foundation where you don't have to strive
for every dollar a pound to come in
Success for me now is more
Having the time to spend with family
My children
We recently got a horse
Which is I've never been into horses, but my daughter
Wanted a horse and just to be the joy that she got
And just to be the joy that she gets from that and the family
You know, it's it's really rewarding
I remember I used to work
I felt like 25 hours a day eight days a week
Used to make a lot of money so
Some people might say you're successful
But I wouldn't stop that now for having the time and the work-life balance that comes with that so success for me is
It is balance time
And you know having that comfortable foundation um to go from
um
When did you realize that?
The other parts warns and success to you
and how
well, it's
Another really good question. I remember once my business one of my business partners. He said to me Sean
He said, you know, this was in a different business
He says, you know, you're doing really well. You're working really hard. You're making lots of
Lots of money
What and what's it all for?
I thought it's great. I'm able to
Give some money to my children help them have a better start in life
Set them up for the future put a nice pension away all of this sort of thing
And he sat there and he listened to me
And he was quiet
What happens when?
It comes to the age where you say to your kids there's x amount of thousands of pounds
you know
That i've managed to put away and save for you and he says that's great. But what happens when?
They actually look at you and say dad. That's brilliant. Thank you very much
But all we wanted was your time
And it really hit hard because you know a lot of my
Life job and profession being from the military and working as a bodyguard previously all my time was away from home
You know, so it was a lot of time from home come back
And when he said that it really hits home
um, so I
I thought
I need to look at this and kind of create some more time
And what happened was my business got even more successful so it took more of my time and more of my time
and I kind of got sucked in and it was hard to let go because
The rewards that were coming. I thought you know
I'm not going to be able to make
This money again. It's a a career as a bodyguard is what I was at the time
on a shelf life
Like a football player, you know
You're not going to be a 55 year old
Striker playing for Manchester United, you know, you've got a shelf life and
I had to make that money whilst I was there. So I got sucked into it and I made the money
So, you know
Put money away for the kids, but the thing that changed for me
And what I see with a lot of people who get hooked on the
The money and the rewards and I was
It's something that happens that totally changes and it could be something like a global event like
COVID it could be losing a family member could be anything and for me my
And for me my business service tie network rushing individuals. I think we spoke about this last time
I was on
When russia invaded ukraine, it really hit my business as one client coming a sanction then the next one then the next one
So it was forced upon me
And I do think back to myself now would I have
stepped away
To kind of enjoy some of the fruits of my labor
I'd like to think yes, I would but I don't know because you kind of get sucked into that
I don't know that
The thirst for more and I guess that's where I help people now because i've seen both sides of the fence, you know
When you're getting them big rewards and then i've seen the side where you know, you have that bit more time. Maybe you don't make
What the business used to make but
I wouldn't trade it in for the world
It's awesome. Thank you for sharing that with us
Sean what would you say that is our qualities that you see of a great leader?
That one that you might inspire to be or that you might want your kids to be
I've worked under some great leaders. I've worked under some bad leaders
I like to think
A great leader somebody was a vision
Someone who can empower and motivate the team around that vision and then
Empower and motivate the team around that vision and common goal
I'm making people feel good at the same time, you know to sort of form a paratrooper and
You see different kinds of leaders, you know the carrot in the stick the people that give you that kick up the backside
To get there, you know the people who motivate you in a different way
And i've always seen myself as the kind of leader who will
Lead by example, you know, I would never ask people to do the things that I haven't done
You know, I remember in the military you'd have the instructors that would stand at the bottom of the hill
And they'd send you to the top of the hill with the big pack and your rifle above your head
While they'd sit at the bottom and drink a
cup of tea
And they're watching you go up and down and up and down
And
Whilst that's current at the link at the time when you you're joining the military
I don't think it honoured
It gone out of respect
So when I was in the military, you know, if you've got recruits going up and down the hill you're doing it as well because you're setting that example of what
They should be looking at you, you know
If don't do it and so can I if the instructors do it and I think that's what every good leader should do, you know
Putting the right people in the right places
Not hogging the spotlight and all of the credibility and
Credit for the different wins the team may have it's shining the spotlight on those that
Deserve it shined on them
Are there any
stories related to this this incident that you'd like to share where maybe someone
Did that for you and that made an impact on your life?
I actually remember I worked
For a security company
Back at the time so I was I was a
Body got self-employed bodyguard and I used to work with a lot of high net worth
individuals
Really famous individuals well-known personalities. I used to work for this company and every time they're big
major clients come in
They say like Sean, can you be available to go and work with such and such a person? I agree. Yeah, absolutely
But being self-employed back at the time I only got paid for the days
That I worked and I would invoice for the services I provided for them days
And at the time I think it just started
Young family and what I wanted at the time what I crave was stability
And you know regular income when you're first starting out in an industry, it's hard
and
So used to get put on all of these great tasks
and when permanent type role of permanent contract came up, I'd say
I'd really like to be concerned about this opportunity this vacancy
and
I
Remember the guy bringing people in that never worked for the organization and put them on the full-time jobs
so he says Sean, I can't put you on these jobs because
When somebody comes in
You know, they're not going to be able to get in
When somebody comes in, you know, the wife of such as a person comes in
They all say can I have Sean because they did work with me before because my big skill was
My first impression
You know turned up on time looked the part
with the right gear and
I thought to myself that that's great, but that's
Impacting me
Moving forward, you know, I want stability
And yes, it's great doing this work for you
but
It stopped it became a bit of a other a victim of your own success almost
I remember he looked at me and he said, okay
We've got nothing in this week
I want to send you on this this driving course advanced driving blah blah blah go do it. I'm going to pay you to do it
And I thought myself so you're going to send me on this
Course you're paying for the course you're paying for the training and i'm doing an employee of you. You know, I'm just a
outside contractor coming in and he says yeah
And then the next time it was a advanced medical course
So there were courses around the services that I was delivering at the time
And I just thought to myself, you know that that was great leadership because he seen
Someone who had real value as in the value I was bringing to his team his business
And he invested in me and by him doing that
It made me want to run through walls on all of the other tasks that I deliver for that company and it's one of the things that
I bought when I formed my
Company so it was the same thing all of the guys and girls that I employed. I enjoyed them. I paid well
You know a good time off
I invested in their training in their well-being
And that's why you know, company grew so rapidly. There's a bit of luck there as well
But I think I also you create your own luck
You know by putting yourself in more places you give yourself more opportunities for that look or that opportunity to happen
And it's just one it was just a great lesson of leadership. I learned you know investing in your people
Seating them with respect showing them that you're valued
And you know, they'll run through brick walls for you. Oh, it's like I couldn't have said it better. Thank you for sharing that Sean
No problem
What would you say? This is the last question for today
What would you say that it is one of the stories that leads to your why?
That that that has helped you solidify your why or connects to your why?
I think in life
Going back to
When I went to join the military
And I think it was on the video that we watched before we recorded this, you know, I joined I wanted to become a paratrooper
and
I remember coming home and speaking to my parents and saying
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry
I'm sorry
and I remember coming home and speaking to my parents and saying
I'm going to be a part of I'm going to
do this and
There was almost a bit of laughter there from the family I was a you know, I was a typical
Teenage boy, you love playing football computer games all of that sort of thing
and I
seen a bit of
Not doubt but a bit of ridiculous, you know
someone a paratrooper
And that got my I thought
Maybe I don't know
Maybe stand up a little bit and I thought there's a bit of a seed of doubt there
So I had that
Almost because I had to go right. Okay. I am going to be a part of it
I'm going to show you and I'm going to do it and
So I did that
And it was the same so once I became a part of it, the family were really proud. They're like, well, you know, you you did that
Um, but when I decided I was going to leave the military
You know, the family were really proud and I remember all my friends
I remember my dad said to me what are you going to do?
I'm going to become a bodyguard
It was almost like
You're leaving this
Really good career you've got in the military
um
Who's a bodyguard? You know, it's not a very well-known profession back in the time
And I said, you know, I don't know but I'm going to make it work but it was almost that doubt again that
made me
Fuel the fire as such and it was the same starting a business. It was almost
you just
get a job
I was like no i'm going to start this business and I think it was always the
Anywhere where i've been doubted because I believe
And it's why i'm passionate about working with business owners. I think too many business owners work so hard
They have a dream
They have a passion, you know, we don't create a business to fail they create it because they want to make it a success
and I feel
When you do that
Everyone has the tools to make their businesses a success. Maybe they just they take a wrong turn
They're not guided correctly
Maybe there's things that they're unfortunate. They're focusing in the wrong areas
But I really feel once you've got that dream that you should be able to
You can achieve that as long as you're consistently taking them steps towards reaching that goal
and unfortunately for a lot of business owners when they start and they don't
See that progress quickly
It's it's not that they fundamentally have a bad business idea
Maybe they just run out of runway to make that work because of the the savings they've set aside
Or whatever it is
So I think something like having you know, getting a coach someone who you know, hold you accountable and keep you
on track
It's focusing on the right things. You're giving yourself a lot better chance
Of success, so I guess it's the the story behind my why is
when I felt
Doubted it's made me step up and step up to the place step up to the mark and as I've evolved in life
I've realized I can achieve things I have achieved things
I feel like now's my time to
Give back and inspire that same sort of motivation drive and desire
In others achieving their goals
Yeah, thank you for sharing that shan. Um
Yeah, we all gotta
Because if someone has given it to you and someone has given it to me like it's I think it's it should be
everyone's desires to give it back to other people because
I found it makes people happy. It makes you happy. It's serving others is something that will
Essentially would be the happiest you'll ever be
Is helping and seeing people grow?
Yeah, you're absolutely right. I mean one of the things I really changed a lot for me. Um
Um attending tony robbins unleashed the power within event in the uk
So I heard about tony robbins, but I didn't know a lot about him, but I went to this event in birmingham
I remember just being in an arena with like 12 000 people that were all
on a path of
Bettering themselves furthering themselves and just the energy in the room have been surrounded by people who are so like-minded and
um
On a pathway to somewhere better. It just felt amazing. Um
You know, it all had people giving back to others. I just thought it was it and it did it changed a lot
A lot for me moving forward. It's helped me to reshape my business
Change goals that I had um, I just realign everything in my life
You know a story comes to my mind
And it's a very simple story
um, I was a i'm born and raised in india and I was in india was visiting a family and
This family was from united states and they were in india for I think a few months
I think was a trip. I don't know what it was exactly was why were they were there maybe just visiting india for something
and we were having this game nights slash like
Get get together at their at their house and then they shared this story
about
um how
one of the teachers
um and the daughter got knocked up points because
um, she wanted to they were giving some candy out and
The the daughter was like can I have two for for my family as well?
They're like why and the teacher couldn't gasp at that
and
The story behind the moral was that when you care
About yourself, there's one person caring about you, but when you care about everyone else, but you
And there was a family of five or a family of six. So you have five people caring for you rather than one
and I think that's where that's where we all we gotta
Come together because I think it's amazing what what can accomplish when you care for other people
Yeah, I'll always remember as a child as well, you know, even as a kid
You absorb so much, you know from parents conversations and things like that and I remember
My father being out of work
I remember it was a worry or a strain on the family at the time. I always remember it was a school trip
To in Northumberland like a camping trip and it was a couple hundred pound or something for the to send your child
And the whole class went and I remember
The form came home from school for the parents to sign to say yes
And I said I don't want to go and I agreed no go go and they were trying to make me go and I didn't want to go
But I didn't want to say it's because I knew I heard the conversations that they were struggling for money and
so it's these things that
even as a
seven eight year old kid
I felt like I was helping the family support my family by
Not going on a trip. It's a small thing, but
Yeah, it makes you feel good
Yeah, it makes you feel good when you when you help on that. I think I've always
Sad from being a child, but I think one of the things you said there as well about
You can help in lots of others but
Remember you have to look after yourself as well. And sometimes a lot of people forget that they give so much
and burn themselves out completely and it is
Very important look after yourself because if we can't look after ourselves
And you can't support them without people also right? Thank you for being here today
I'm really happy that you tuned in to vision pros live
I'm looking forward to seeing your reactions as these episodes continue to move forward
It's going to get more and more fun. We'll have more and more engagement as well
We'll invite people to participate in the show and thank you for giving us your time and attention
Have an excellent time building out your vision and becoming a vision pro yourself