I want to forever improve my focus. Focus is a skill that helps me personally and professionally. Meditation is something that I do every morning that helps me improve on my focus.
Mazdak Mohammadi is the owner of blueberrycloud, a fantastic web design shop based in Vancouver, Canada. Mazdak’s company works mainly with small businesses however, blueberrycloud has had the privilege of working with big guys like Rogers Foods, Glacier Media, Cushman & Wakefield and the Canadian government.
Before starting blueberrycloud, Mazdak worked in sales at a software company serving communication software to HR departments across North American, Europe and Asia. And before that, Mazdak attended British Columbia’s Institute of Technology and received a Diploma of Technology in Computer Information Technology.
Mazdak was born in Saskatoon, Canada and raised there until he was eight years old when his mother finished studying commerce at the University of Saskatchewan and moved the family to Vancouver, Canada. In highschool, Mazdak enjoyed spending his time playing Rugby, wrestling and doing martial arts. Mazdak originally had planned to play Rugby for a local club and work construction however, shortly after Mazdak’s 19th birthday an injury sent that dream sideways. It is at that point that Mazdak decided to focus on investing his efforts in to a life of professional success.
Mazdak is a hard-working, passionate person who takes pride in helping improve the lives of those people who enter his sphere.
Where did the idea for blueberrycloud come from?
I started blueberrycloud to create a rare business, a business that truthfully placed people before profit as a matter of principle. It was only after years and years of working for other businesses that I came to the desperate realization that the world needs a business like mine.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
I work with people, that’s what my job is. The start, middle and end of my day involves me managing people over email, over the phone and in-person. My measure for success is dependent on my ability to communicate to people properly and foster environments which allow everyone in my working sphere to “win” on their own terms. I set a high standard for myself, my company, my team and even my clients. Productivity is essential to achieving the type of environments I have spoken about, my self-esteem depends on it. I work hard to maintain focus, I have many ways of keeping my head in the game so to say. I exercise, I meditate, I read and do my part in maintaining positive relationships with my girlfriend, family and friends. In essence, I take good care of myself and it allows me to be as productive as I can possibly be.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I have ideas all the time, it’s how I am, I’m always thinking about possibilities whether related to my work or other things. Differentiating good ideas from bad ideas is a challenge because I an optimistic person who can find good in every thing. Exploring my ideas in depth before acting on them is important, and often this requires a clear mind and focus. I do not act on any ideas until I know I have explored them adequately and that they fit within my overall life vision. After choosing to accept an idea as something that is worth pursuing further, I create a path for achieving the desired outcome. I set time on a regular basis (daily, weekly, monthly, whatever is required) to work on the idea until it becomes a reality.
What’s one trend that excites you?
Artificial Intelligence. As someone who is a value-centric worker, I believe people should be doing jobs that are aligned with their values. As artificial intelligence eradicates more and more jobs it’s going to force people to find new ways of spending their time. I hope the new ways are less focused on profit and getting “more”, and more focused on following true interests irrespective of pay.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
I want to forever improve my focus. Focus is a skill that helps me personally and professionally. Meditation is something that I do every morning that helps me improve on my focus.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Get after “things”. You do not have to wait until you are “ready”, you will never be “ready”.
Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.
We don’t have control over our destiny. We have control over what we choose to do, the actions we get to take. However, it’s life that presents us with the opportunities that we get to act on. We don’t have control over the opportunities that get presented to us and therefore we do not have control over our destiny. So… enjoy the ride.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Make promises you can keep, and then, keep them.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?
Meeting and getting to know people face-to-face. The growth my business has seen is due to my ability to create good first impressions and maintain relationships with people. As a solopreneur who is starting out, the resource you usually have the most of is time. That being said, you should still be efficient with your time. The most efficient usage of time is meeting the right people at the right time, making a good first impression and nurturing a long term relationship. You can see aggressive and quick growth with this idea.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
I chose to bite off more than I could chew with a project that almost bankrupted me. My mentality has been to say “yes” to projects that come my way and figure it our later. It works well so long as you can recover if you are unable to keep your promise. I can’t say that I overcame it… I simply weathered the storm – not fun.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
A simple matchmaking website for couple with an interest in reading.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
I recently spent over $100 dollars on jewelry for my girlfriend. It was the first time I bought jewelry for her and it showed that she was important to my life and she appreciated it.
What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Toggl. I track my time no matter what I am doing. I track my time working on separate projects, answering emails and business development. At the end of the year, I know how many hours I dedicated to my business and how much I made, I can divide the two and see how much I generated in profit per hour. I use this information to set my revenue / profit goals for the following year. I can also use this to see where I can trim costs and waste less time.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
“Losing my Virginity” by Richard Branson. Richard is both a source of inspiration and provides great lessons. Richard is proof that only doing work that you consider to be “fun” can lead to a lot of success. Additionally, his general zest for life is amazing and infectious. It has stuck with me for many years now.
What is your favorite quote?
“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind“. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Key Learnings:
– Take care of your body, mind and spirit.
– Be critical and evaluate the merit of your ideas before pursuing them.
– Prioritize people over profit to create the best kind of business.
Connect:
Mazdak Mohammadi on Facebook:
Blueberrycloud on Twitter:
Mazdak Mohammadi on LinkedIn:
Carlyn runs the day-to-day publishing operation here at ideamensch and interacts with our awesome customers and entrepreneurs. She is likely editing this with a cat on her lap.