A couple of weeks back I was asked to give a presentation to a class of high school kids about what it was like to start a business. If anyone knows me I can speak for hours on the topic, but, only had about 45 minutes. For those of you who have started a business you might find some empathy for what you do. And for those of you who haven't started a business, this could be a little glimpse into that world. Either way I hope you enjoy it and perhaps get something out of it too. Cheers Simon

1. HELLO

3. “Why can’t I find someone like me, who will work just as hard
and be as dedicated to the success of this agency?”

4. ...if an employee had the same drive, ambition, and
entrepreneurial spirit that you do, that employee would have
his or her name on the door and own the place.

5. ...it takes a special risk-taking quality to make the leap from
employee to owner.

6. Starting and building an agency from
concept to full-blown maturity
requires a special breed of individual
- someone who doesn’t believe
others who say it can’t be done,
someone who sees the opportunity
in every problem, someone who
won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.

7. Someone like me...

8. There’s never a good time to start a business:
- Our first child was born in August, 2000
- My father died 2-weeks before that
- We had also signed off on a rather large house renovation
- We didn’t have spare cash lying around

10. So...
- Started a business November, 2000
- Wanted to become one of the best agencies in the industry
- Wanted it to be personal, small and hands-on
- Wanted to be in charge of my own destiny
- Thought I could do a better job

11. Two things you will always get wrong:
1) You will over estimate your income
2) You will under estimate your expenses

12. Things that make it difficult:
1) Banks won’t lend you money (request a detailed bus. plan)
2) Every supplier wants references OR cash up front
3) Simple things like computers, telephones and an internet
connection can be a drawn out and complicated process
4) The phones won’t automatically ring with customers
wanting to give you work
5) Will you work from home, office???

13. It’s up to YOU to make things
happen...If it was that easy
THEN..

15. Who am I?
- Born to a pair of unmarried grad. students
- Put up for adoption (blue collar working class family)
- Dropped out of college
- Slept on friends floors, recycled coke bottles for money
and ate for free at the local Hare Krishna Temple.

16. Who am I? Cont..
- I made my first million at aged 23
- I made over 10 million at 24
- And then 100 million at 25
...and it wasn’t that important because I never did it for the
money..

18. Who am I?
- My parents were Jewish immigrants
- My original surname was Lifshitz
- I sold ties at school
- I wrote in my yearbook that I wanted to be an millionaire
- Originally I worked at Brooks Brothers..but then went on
to start my own business...

20. FIN