Being an Entrepreneur Couple, with Masa Cemazar and Miguel Montero, Ep. 19

11/09/17 • 41 min

Just The Tips, with James P. Friel and Dean Holland

As you know, and as many of our guests on Just the Tips have said before, being a successful entrepreneur is difficult, consuming work. The same could be said about being in a successful relationship. That makes it all the more fascinating that the guests on today’s show are doing both of those things so well. Masa Cemazar and Miguel Montero have launched dozens of successful businesses and two years ago embarked on their latest and largest endeavor, Pyjama Bosses, their software and training company for network marketers. Dean and I had a lot of fun talking with this power couple, and you’re going to appreciate how open and honest they are not only about their business but how they make it work balancing startups and matrimony.

How “Desperation” turned a pilot and a geneticist into an entrepreneur couple

Dean and I enjoyed hearing how Masa and Miguel first met, on a plane ride to Australia. The international couple—she’s from Slovenia, he’s from Spain—decided to make that country their home. But Miguel had difficulty finding a job as a pilot due to visa issues, while Masa held down a six-figure job as a geneticist. But she told us that she was frustrated with her own job, too, discovering her work did more to benefit pharmaceutical companies than it did people. So the two of them decided to go into business by themselves, for themselves. On this episode of Just the Tips, You’re going to be inspired by how thoughtful and mindful they are about how they made that transition and how they’re always pushing themselves—and each other—to grow.

In Australia, if you argue with your wife, you sleep with the snakes

As I said, Masa and Miguel lay it all out for listeners of Just the Tips, so when I asked them what it’s like when they have a disagreement, Miguel didn’t hesitate to share a surprising story about how they make it work. One night, he and Masa were arguing, and Miguel felt he needed to take a breath and take a walk, so he ambled down the street to a park bench to cool off. He decided to lay down on the bench and, with the beautiful Australian weather providing a comfortable spot, decided to sleep off the fight. But then, he remembered that the poisonous snakes of Australia would have other ideas, so he hurried back to his wife, and made up. As Masa told us: “Certainly there have been very hard times. But you have to get your minds really clear and really together.” You’re going to want to hear how they do that.

What is work/life balance when work is your life?

Just like any entrepreneur, Masa and Miguel face the difficult task of separating their work from the rest of their life. It goes double for them since they are business partners and husband and wife. But you’ll be able to learn a lot from how they toss aside the conventional wisdom that says you need that bright line between your work and your home life. As you hear Masa explain their routine of starting the day, walking the dog, discussing what’s coming up for the day in their business and what they hope the outcomes will be, you’ll see that if you’re already living your passion, there’s no need to compartmentalize them.

Being an entrepreneur “compresses a 40-year career into three months”

Masa and Miguel are so smart about starting a business and so focused on personal growth, it’s no wonder that things have moved quickly for them. They started Pyjama Bosses two years ago and it’s grown exponentially since. Masa talks about how it’s important to not fall in love with your own idea and ensure there’s a market for your product before pursuing it. She talks about one fateful conversation that kickstarted their new venture and set them on a path to success. You’re not going to want to miss this episode of Just the Tips, which more than fulfills the promise of providing useful tips for any entrepreneur

Outline of This Episode

[2:36] How Miguel and Masa met
[6:52] The factors that led to their lives as entrepreneurs
[10:38] How they started Pyjama Bosses
[14:51] The good, the bad and the ugly of working as a couple
[20:00] The stresses of growing a business together
[26:53] Balancing work and life as an entrepreneur couple
[32:16] Finding they’re suddenly software developers

Resources & People Mentioned

Music for “Just The Tips” is titled, “Happy Happy Game Show” by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

Connect With James and Dean

James P. Fri...

How “Desperation” turned a pilot and a geneticist into an entrepreneur couple

In Australia, if you argue with your wife, you sleep with the snakes

What is work/life balance when work is your life?

Being an entrepreneur “compresses a 40-year career into three months”

Outline of This Episode

[2:36] How Miguel and Masa met
[6:52] The factors that led to their lives as entrepreneurs
[10:38] How they started Pyjama Bosses
[14:51] The good, the bad and the ugly of working as a couple
[20:00] The stresses of growing a business together
[26:53] Balancing work and life as an entrepreneur couple
[32:16] Finding they’re suddenly software developers

Resources & People Mentioned

Music for “Just The Tips” is titled, “Happy Happy Game Show” by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

Connect With James and Dean

James P. Fri...

Previous Episode

The Power of Hiring a Business Coach, with Mike Arce, Ep. 18

When Dean and I invited Mike Arce, founder of Loud Rumor, onto the show, we knew were getting a dynamic guest. And when you have a guest like Mike, you never know where the conversation is going to go. As the founder of Loud Rumor and a leader in fitness and wellness marketing, Mike has an incredible story to share about how he got his start, the trials and tribulations of trying to get the company up off the ground while your own family is just starting out, and the key role coaches have played in his success. You’re going to want to hear not only his story but the very practical, actionable tips he provides throughout the interview.

Forget the serial entrepreneur, how about the serial employee?

Mike’s story is one that a lot of our listeners may relate to, but also one that doesn’t get as much attention. While you’ll hear a lot of entrepreneurs talk about being “serial entrepreneurs,” Mike is actually more of a “focused entrepreneur”: Aside from a small personal trainer business, he’s started one business and grown it and expanded it in super-smart ways. Mike tells us how, before he started Loud Rumor, he worked 22 different jobs, often running sales floors for other companies. But then his wife, incredibly, was let go from two different jobs once her bosses found out she was pregnant. When that happened, he hired her as his first employee, making sales calls from their house. And that was what showed him he had a winning formula.

From the “Mac ’n Cheese Diet” to more than 400 clients

The work Mike’s wife did for him as someone with no sales experience, landing eight clients in just a couple weeks through cold calls, showed him there was something there. So in 2010, he quit his job and started Loud Rumor, building websites for fitness and wellness companies. Mike tells the story of how for the first few years they ate mostly mac ‘n cheese, had their car repossessed, and generally had a very difficult time growing their business and keeping the family afloat. It was years before he went on a vacation, but ironically, it was being told to go on a vacation that changed his fortunes forever. Find out how on this episode of Just The Tips.

How hiring a business coach transformed his business

On this episode of Just The Tips, Mike Arce told us about how he was able to find a mentor to help him solve some of his business’s growth problems. One of those suggestions—aside from requiring him to take a vacation and get his mind off work—was to read more. Reading more led to Mike growing as an executive, but it was really when he went one step further and hired a coach that he took off. Mike stresses that although books may seem like an inexpensive way to improve, the ROI on a coach is infinitely greater because he can “implement the next day” what he’s told by his coach. But you can’t just hire a coach and boom: problem solved. It takes a bit more than that, and Mike has great advice for how to get the most out of your coaching experience.

Be your business coach’s best client

Mike talked about how every time he hires a business coach, he tells him or her the same thing: I’m going to be your best client. He told us how he works openly and closely with his coaches and often ends up in testimonial videos for those coaches on their websites. He also provides very specific, fascinating tips for what he would do if he was starting all over again. You’ll want to hear them.

Outline of This Episode

[1:40] Mike Arce asks for his own personal trumpet player
[3:30] Mike talks about how he actually didn’t have the bug to be an entrepreneur
[6:45] How Mike and his wife got started with Loud Rumor
[9:40] The first three years of running the business
[10:30] How a mentor changed his trajectory
[13:43] The economics of hiring a business coach
[17:20] Surround yourself with the best people
[21:10] Getting the most out of a coach
[27:30] Some of Mike’s best, most practical tips for marketers

Resources & People Mentioned

Music for “Just The Tips” is titled, “Happy Happy Game Show” by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

Connect With James and Dean

James P. Friel:

AutoPilot Entrepreneur Program: www.jamespfriel.com/autopilot
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autopilotentrepreneur
Site: www.jamespfriel.com

Dean Holland:

Next Episode

Investing in Yourself as an Entrepreneur with Trey Lewellen, Ep. 20

On this week’s episode of Just the Tips, Dean and I welcome my good friend Trey Lewellen to the show, and it’s safe to say that you are going to be blown away by the insights he shares. Trey is one of the most generous entrepreneurs out there, and also works harder on improving himself and investing in himself than almost anyone I know. Trey has made a huge name for himself as an e-commerce expert, and launched a fantastic podcast called Kommerce Kings. In our chat he talks about some of the mistakes he’s made in business, some of the crucial pivot points when he’s seen his success take off, and he shares a riddle that will have you thinking for days.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, even ones that result in calls from the police

Trey told us some hilarious stories on this week’s episode, two of which (two!) involved the police. One time they discovered their email was on a shared server with a local police station, and the station had to stop taking 911 calls because so many emails were coming in the servers were heating up. Another time a police officer walked into Trey’s office and declared, “You’re under arrest...nah I’m just kidding.” A customer had bought something from Trey online and called the police to make sure it was a real operation. Even if the cops aren’t knocking on your doors, you’ll be able to learn a lot from what Trey says on this episode about overcoming obstacles.

Invest in yourself, be the $30 million racehorse

Trey is such a successful entrepreneur in part because he knows that he needs to continually grow. He told us about a mastermind class he once attended, where the speaker said a fateful sentence to him: “You’re a $30 million racehorse.” In other words: If you bought a racehorse, you would feed it right, train it right, take care of it around the clock to make sure it’s performing. For Trey, the same goes for himself. In this week’s episode of Just the Tips, Trey talks about a variety of life changes that are just little tweaks to how he goes about each day, but have made a huge impact on his life.

The riddle of success

Trey shares so many of his secrets to success in our conversation, from finding motivation to wake up early every morning (hint: treat yo’self) to investing in a proper mentor. But, in the middle of this week’s episode, Trey sprung a brain teaser on us: Without using any of the resources you have now, how would start a million-dollar a year company on just one hour a week. This one stumped both Dean and I, and Trey admitted that he had to take some time to think it through. But once he did, he actually came up with an ingenious plan that is paying dividends for him now. Sorry, you’ll have to listen if you want to hear it.

Trey answers the famous three questions

On his podcast, Trey asks each of his guests three questions: What is one book that changed your life; what is one event that changed your life; and who is one mentor who changed your life. So I flipped the script and posed the questions to Trey, and his answers were surprisingly personal, giving us some great insight into not only how Trey has become so successful, but how he thinks about his own work and the world around him. We’ll tease you a bit and say that his favorite book is Think and Grow Rich, but his reasons for liking that book, along with so much of what he says in this interview, will likely surprise you.

Outline of This Episode

[3:45] Introduction to Trey
[9:47] The $30 million racehorse
[15:41] Trey poses a riddle
[20:41] How the advice he’s received on Kommerce Kings has changed his life
[22:02] What book changed Trey’s life?
[26:37] What event changed his life?
[35:05] And finally, what mentor changed his life

Resources & People Mentioned

Music for “Just The Tips” is titled, “Happy Happy Game Show” by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

Connect With James and Dean

James P. Friel: