Mike Shoreman suffered from Ramsay Hunt Syndrome resulting in lack of balance, a challenge for a paddleboarding coach – thus, a business pivot.
What is your business all about?
I would call myself a heart-centered service-driven entrepreneur. I am an author, a keynote speaker, athlete, and advocate for several national nonprofit organizations. I help people achieve more faster. Whether it’s speaking at a conference, in a board room, or in a school, my ultimate goal is to motivate and inspire audiences, readers to go become changemakers, to step outside of their comfort zones, and tackle projects that seem insurmountable and daunting.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you started your company
I fell into entrepreneurship as many do, it chose me. I come from a family of legal professionals so when I told them I was abandoning my post secondary formal education in marketing to pursue a career as a professional paddle boarding coach they were surprised but supportive. I built a business from that business from the ground up turning it into the #1 paddle boarding tourism destination in the province by the beginning of the second season. I used most of my learned skills from school to position myself in an over saturated market by working with blogs, social media influencers and the media, building up a base of support and a good clientele of Olympic athletes, notable tv stars and musicians. Most people don’t think star power and paddle boarding but it’s a fun thing to do in the warm weather and by working with influencers and marketing myself this way it became the place people wanted to go.
In 2018 I developed a neurological condition quite suddenly causing me to lose my sense of balance. I spent most of that year retraining my brain how to walk properly again and in 2019 I started transitioning into coaching on land rather on water, corporate speaking and then the release of my book Crash and RISE this year.
What would you say are the top 3 skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur, and why?
Adaptability comes to mind first. I always say have four backup plans for your original plan because what we envision when planning something often doesn’t go to plan flawlessly. There are going to be hiccups, obstacles, fires to put out that we didn’t anticipate or we didn’t entertain enough. Become adaptable and become okay with that. Show up messy and imperfect and build as you grow.
Leadership — be willing to do the things that no one else is willing to do. You can’t expect others to do tasks and handle projects in a way you expect if you wouldn’t do it yourself. This is not an eight hours a day, five days a week thing we have signed up for. This involved sacrifice, long hours and the willingness to leave ego at the door and with persistence, strategy and hard work there will be success.
The third I want to touch on is communication and listening skills. Entrepreneurs need to be willing and able to listen effectively and take in what’s coming from their advisors they surround themselves with, their team they have assembled and the audience they are targeting. What are their needs, what are their wants, what are they asking for? You won’t hit a grand slam if you don’t listen to what the batting coach is telling you.
What are your plans for the future, how do you plan to grow this company?
It’s interesting when I transitioned to corporate speaking I never entertained how that would work and it was a door that opened for me unexpectedly. I didn’t plan for it and in many ways, I have had to navigate that as I went.
“You can’t connect the dots looking forward, only looking back” Steve Jobs famously said.
As this grows, I have more opportunities that become available. Partnerships with brands, with other companies, I am currently building an online coaching program for entrepreneurs which keeps me up at night- in a good way!
How have the pandemic and lockdown affected you or your new business?
The pandemic affected every business around the world in every industry from legal to technology to manufacturing. Everyone has had to make adjustments in a way that we never have before. But if you take a look at many industries- they have pivoted their businesses practices and there has been growth like never before. I launched my book, “Crash and RISE” this year in a pandemic and it has done well, I have switched to speaking virtually and formed new partnerships that are incredibly valuable during this time period. I will say I do miss live engagements and interactions with people. Connecting with people is something that comes naturally and is enjoyable for me. I will be very happy as the world starts opening up again and we can do live in-person events although virtual events are here for good now.
How do you separate yourself from your competitors?
It’s so funny I talk about this in Crash and RISE, what we have to do to stand apart from our competitors and how to position ourselves using different methodologies. Whether it’s paddleboarding or a mining or oil company we all need to have a solid business identity. I separate myself from my competitors by being making sure every action from my business is one of integrity, by building and nurturing valuable relationships with every person I meet, and leveraging my personality. At the end of the day though, we are our own greatest competition. Let what you accomplished yesterday motivate you today to go a little bit further.
What were the top three mistakes you made starting your business, and what did you learn from them?
With my first business, I created my business plan very late in the game, and although it worked it wasn’t as tight or organized as it should have been. I was a beach guy focused on fun and providing fun. I wish I could have a chat with that guy now, we’d have a lot to talk about. Clearly defining Not making sure I had enough money to get it off the ground was another thing I wish I could have done differently.
Ensuring you have enough capital for a proper launch takes the burden of stress away and finally “trying to do everything myself.” At some point and hopefully, it’s sooner rather than later for most, you will have to become comfortable with letting go.
Hire someone to do your social media, your marketing, your public relations, your operations, and so on. I for many years felt like I had to do it all which in my book led to the significant crash.
Tell us a little bit about your marketing process, what has been the most successful form of marketing for you?
The most successful forms of marketing are when we combine them. Just like with public relations, when we bridge different elements to work together you have effective results. When we combine SEO marketing with social media, event, email marketing a campaign runs successfully. My personal favorite continues to be social media marketing.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
The biggest challenges were mental and emotional that came with the collapse of an identity I held with what I did professionally. When I lost my business it crushed me. I had no idea how I would rebuild or what I would build. A lot of doors opened and I trusted in others people’s belief in me when I wasn’t quite there yet. The wins were small and then I leveraged those wins for other wins with myself and everything grew organically.
What was your first business idea and what did you do with it?
My first business idea was a potpourri business when I was in elementary school. I used to take flowers and crush them up and dry them and then I would sneak into my mom’s perfume collection when she wasn’t around and I would spray them with different scents, package them in these paper cups you would find at a dentist, and then sell them to girls at school. It was a creative outlet and fun and I made a bit of money which I thought was great.
What are you learning now? Why is that important?
The most successful people are the ones who are lifelong learners. The ones who read, take courses, invest in their own development. I just finished an 8-week media amplification mastermind course for entrepreneurs, focusing on relationship development with the media. It has been one of the most interesting courses I have ever taken and incredibly useful with brand visibility.
If you started your business again, what things would you do differently?
I would have acted faster by bringing in mentors, advisors, and people who could have helped me scale and build faster rather than doing everything on my own. I think we all like to think we can do everything ourselves and no one can do it better than we can but that’s the farthest thing from the truth. You grow faster when you bring in people who specialize in areas we don’t.
What’s a productivity tip you swear by?
Time is so valuable, it’s our currency. I have learned to set boundaries over the last year and what I am willing and capable to give. Living a healthy work/home balance is crucial for the success of any entrepreneur. My favorite tip is setting boundaries with myself and others. If I am going to work eight hours, I stick to that. If I am overstretched, I am not going to take on extra and put myself in a position I can’t take on other projects or meet deadlines on projects I have already committed to.
Can you recommend one book, one podcast, and one online course for entrepreneurs
- The University of Adversity Podcast with Lance Esshios recently hit Business Insiders top 21 podcasts to listen to in 2021 and you will hear great interviews from entrepreneurs speaking to entrepreneurs.
- I am a big fan of the book Lead, Sell Grow by Gay Hendricks. I think for many how to build the confidence to take the next leap when they are in a period of growth this is a great read
- And finally is Kevin Dubrosky’s Proven Profit Intensive Mastermind for scaling your business, earning more, and working less. You will find a lot of gold in here and be surrounded by hundreds of others who are making big moves and planning so they can step back and live life more.
If you only had $1000 dollars to start a new business, knowing everything you know now, how would you spend it?
If I had $1000 to invest in any new business I would spend it by investing it in tech start-ups, specifically, an app forecasted to do big things and have a big reach. There are so many amazing ones out right now, I recently became involved in an app project that is just about to launch and it’s a pretty exciting venture.
What helps you stay driven and motivated to keep going in your business?
I think what drives me most is seeing how fast this has grown in a short period and knowing that if you keep at it that it can continue to grow and the idea of where that will lead.
What is your favorite quote?
“The night is darkest just before the dawn”
Showing that you can comeback form hardship from struggle, and you can emerge victorious.
What valuable advice would you give new entrepreneurs starting out?
I talk about the importance of mentorship in “Crash and RISE” and what it can do if it’s done right. Guidance from someone who has walked the road before you is so important when we are starting out. A bit of hand-holding is okay! I also would suggest building a team of advisors that you trust and respect who have your best interest at heart. And lastly, invest. Invest in your personal development, take workshops, take courses, take masterminds. Do the work — see the results.
What is your definition of success?
I think success for me would be knowing that I have given it all my all in all aspects of my life. With work, with people, with family. Always put your best effort. Be the best friend that listens and holds space, be the employer who is fair, be the romantic partner who shows up for the things that are important to them. If we put forth our best effort, we will lead a happy and fulfilled life.
How do you personally overcome fear?
When I think of something that scares me I think of myself at the end of my life. Meeting that person who didn’t do that thing, or take that chance or opportunity and how meeting that person would make me feel. Would it be disappointing, would it be a letdown?
How can readers get in touch with you?
You can connect with me by visiting MikeShoreman.org and follow me on social media Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.
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