Griffin Ainsworth

Griffin Ainsworth is a New York business consultant who uses data to give excellent results. Aside from business consulting, he also offers marketing and financial consulting services and SEO and website development.

Griffin Ainsworth uses data to drive his business to success and makes it a point to get to know his clients. He believes any businessman should work hard to get to know their clients because it breeds a healthy networking environment that drives a business’s growth.

Where did the idea for your career come from?

I have always been a big people person. I enjoy helping others. As a young man, I watched my friends grow up and adjust to the real world. Some of these friends went on to start their businesses but were shocked at how much there was to learn about being an entrepreneur. I did my best to help them, to research what they needed to know, and I got pretty good at it. One of those friends mentioned that I should do it for a living, so I did.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

First, I make sure I grab an excellent, healthy breakfast. You can’t expect yourself to be able to form all of these great ideas and put in a full day’s work without properly fueling your body first. But after that, I always head straight to the office to start my work day. I spend my days talking to clients, and using a task manager like Asana helps me to keep track of my meetings and stay productive.

How do you bring ideas to life?

About mid-day, every day, I use my lunch break to get outside for a walk. This gives me time to think, to get my blood flowing, and is usually when I come up with my best ideas. Something about the fresh air and exercise helps me to meditate on my current workload. Afterward, I feel refreshed and put together so I can put the rest of my energy into whatever idea I have cultivated.

What’s one trend that excites you?

One trend that I love and that I believe every business should invest in is the growing world of E-commerce. With the rise of more and more people joining the internet, it would be foolish for anyone to knowingly miss out on this opportunity to reach a broader audience.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

As I’ve stated previously, my daily walk helps me to be a productive businessman through and through. It leaves me feeling refreshed and full of ideas.

What advice would you give your younger self?

My younger self should be prepared to make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, and that’s okay. We can try our best in business, but no one is perfect. That is the one constant that you can rely on. At some point, you will do something wrong. That you cannot control. What you can control is how prepared you are for something to go wrong. Make sure you research to be fully prepared for your future, good or bad.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

I fully believe that employees who work from home are happier and more productive, which I bring up with all of my clients at some point. To each their own, of course, but this is my personal and usually controversial opinion.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

Daily affirmations. Some may think this is a sign of weakness or something unnecessary; however, I believe that the little voice in our heads controls more of our actions than we give it credit for. One way to become successful is to feed that little part of us nothing but positive energy and thoughts. We are what we think, after all.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

As I’ve stated previously, I am a people person. This has encouraged growth within my business because I enjoy networking and talking to people about what I do. Word of mouth is big for me; the only way to do that is to talk to people.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

In the beginning, I was not as organized as I am now. I would always go with the flow, fly by the seat of my pants, etc. I never took the time to sit down and sort out my day, which harmed my productivity. I learned about management software and immediately changed how I did business.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

We need a new line of laptops tailored explicitly for the new businessman, complete with built-in reminders to drink your water and take a break.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

I spent $100 and made my office more comfortable. I invested in a small coffee maker, a heated back pad for my computer chair, and a couple of book ends for my bookshelf. I believe having a comfortable work environment is paramount for success.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

I mentioned it earlier, but Asana helps me to keep everything organized. An organized work calendar allows me to be more productive.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

True North by Bill George and Peter Sims is an excellent book for new entrepreneurs struggling to figure out how to lead and what type of leader they are. Leadership is only a tiny part of being an entrepreneur, but it is essential.

What is your favorite quote?

“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” — Henry Ford. Like I’ve said before, big or small failure is inevitable. I like how Mr. Ford explains that even in failure, there is success as long as you try again.

Key Learnings:

• The organization is key to a successful business. Without organization, you will not be productive.
• Failure to some degree is inevitable, but your willingness to be prepared and persevere despite it will set you apart from the rest.
• Leading a healthy life with good nutrition and mental affirmations is essential for optimum performance