Feel the fear and do it anyway.
With over 25 years of experience, entrepreneur, Graham Zahoruiko has worked as a transformational growth leader aiming to better the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and developmental leadership within companies. As an Independent Management consultant, Graham helps improve leadership and shareholder value through strategic tactics such as transformations in culture, entrepreneurship, innovation, and growth.
In his current professional role, Graham leverages his early roots as a startup entrepreneur, having previously founded two Software and IT services companies – Refresh Software and Spaceweb Corporation. Utilizing his creative thinking and out-of-the-box mindset, Graham has acquired innumerable skills through the founding of startups, adjustment making, fundraising, product development, marketing, and sales strategy, and the ability to create innovative business models.
Graham helps companies develop their leadership and culture for the overall improved value of the company and it’s work environment. The end result of utilizing Graham’s knowledge and skills is to help companies unlock unprecedented growth and disproportionate shareholder value. Graham believes importance of surrounding yourself with a quality team and working together to achieve success. He also believes that the success of a team is more rewarding than any one individual. This wide array of talents can subsequently be applied to almost any business, and to any department within it.
Extending beyond his business experience, Graham Zahoruiko has roots connecting to humanitarianism and philanthropy. His passion and drive to participate and give back to causes started at a young age, even before he received the Boy Scout’s “Eagle Scout Award” in 1987. One cause Graham is dedicated is the fight for the civil rights of the voices of children, whom he believes are greatly vulnerable in today’s society.
He is the Director of Organizational Effectiveness, Public Benefit Corporation who’s own advocacy efforts focus on families, children and disadvantaged. From a childhood dream, Graham has developed that passion and molded it into an action plan. He promotes the cause of families and children through his active efforts to transform our justice system through greater independent oversight.
Where did the idea for Organizational Effectiveness, Public Benefit Corporation come from?
One of my childhood dreams was to become the CEO of a charity organization focused on solving some of the grave issues suffered by children (society’s most vulnerable) including malnutrition, due process and legal rights.
I was introduced to the Public Benefit Corporation format via a friend, Cole Stuart, who runs the California Coalition for Families and Children, Public Benefit Corporation. The purpose of a “Public Benefit” Corporation is a for profit entity but allocates some of its resources to a chosen social cause in a similar fashion as a charity organization.
Based on a desire to help children, Organizational Effectiveness came about with the desire to cleaning up governmental (organizational) agencies through greater “effectiveness” (e.g. “drain the swamp”). The chosen sector is to obliterate the corrupt family court system which leverages illegal racketeering techniques to destroy America’s families by separating (“kidnapping”) children from one parent (90% are fathers) to gain access to federal Title IV funds and then extort money for the states to receive matching federal funds on child support collections.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
Furthering the Public Benefit efforts on behalf of our children through research, legal action and publicity which is targeted at judges, governmental agencies and state legislators in order to expose racketeering practices.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Think in an abstract way. Take a problem and follow it backwards. In the case of family law, find the flow of money to expose “behind the scenes” corruption. By leveraging this approach one can expose the drivers that lead to the reasons why bad things happen to good people.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
As the pressure mounts on family court judges, via numerous litigation efforts led by parents rights groups and fathers, judges are being exposed and slowly being held accountable for their crimes.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
A relentless and fearless assault against corruption and predators who aim money making schemes by stripping the due process rights of children. Children are unable to represent themselves in court and can only be represented by appointed “guardians” who work in the back pocket of judges, gouge parents and generate revenue for the states and family court system.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Speak up and get involved in social causes much earlier, even if it’s a small percentage of your time. Hold ethics and morals higher than personal prosecution.
Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on?
People, in general, are kidding themselves by doing more “thinking” about solving injustices vs. actually “doing” something about it.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Feel the fear and do it anyway.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business? Please explain how.
Truly listen to your customers, repeat the problem back to them and carve out a value-add solution specific to the requirements of that customer. Don’t try to “invent” a new problem.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
Where do I start, there are many! Failure = personal growth leading to personal learning. Sharing that learning with others is highly satisfying and helpful.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Find a cause dear to your heart and fight relentlessly to further a social cause. It’s good for personal satisfaction and it’s good for business.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
Helping my son pay for his insurance after buying his first car (which he made the money all by himself after he worked at his job tirelessly for one year.
What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Apple iCloud calendar and reminders allow me to keep my life organized and to forget (hence the reminders) what I need to do in order to clear my brain for more important things.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
I must recommend 2:
“Management in Small Doses”
Ackoff, Russell L.
Mastering Change: The Key to Business Success
Martel, Leon
Both books offer ingenious insight into thinking in an “abstract” way to solve problems in reverse.
What is your favorite quote?
Feel the fear and do it anyway
Key Learnings
- Feel the fear and do it anyway.
- Truly listen to your customers, repeat the problem back to them and carve out a value-add solution specific to the requirements of that customer. Don’t try to “invent” a new problem.
- Find a cause dear to your heart and fight relentlessly to further a social cause. It’s good for personal satisfaction and it’s good for business.
Connect:
Graham Zahoruiko on linkedin:
Graham Zahoruiko on Twitter: @zahoruiko
Graham Zahoruiko on Facebook:
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.