Nick Durst is the VP of Fisher Capital, the fastest-growing and best-reviewed conservative precious metal retailer in America. Original from Frazier Park, California, Nick joined the Army as a Paratrooper and served for a complete term. Following his governmental obligation, Nick decided to pursue his interests in the world of finance and moved to Irvine with 5 other veteran friends once a job opportunity came up.
In an interview, Nick credited himself to be “boring” and “simple,” but his work ethic and rapid advancement in the financial world prove contradictory. In less than two years, he has become the VP of a leading gold brokerage company, a feat far from simple. Nick credits his success to consistency and structure in the form of hard work and grit.
Aside from work, Nick travels and spends time with his girlfriend of two years, in addition to actively participating in physical training and martial arts.
Where did the idea for your career come from?
I’ve always been intrigued and wanted to work in finance, so when an opportunity came up in Irvine, I made the move from Frazier Park. It didn’t take long before I started making good money and fell in love with the process. I’ve been there ever since.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
I wake up at 5 am every morning and head to the gym until 8 am. I’ll then work from 8 am to as late as 8 pm before heading to bed and repeating the same process the following day. Sticking to a routine and staying active allows me to enter a flow state and stay productive.
How do you bring ideas to life?
With a bit of help from my friends. I have the best crew of people who all support and inspire each other. Their influence makes it easy to bring ideas to life.
What’s one trend that excites you?
Being a VP of a leading gold brokerage organization is exciting, considering how well gold has held its value throughout time. On the flip side, I’m excited to see all the good things that will bloom following all the chaos that’s been going on in our world today. Tough times are temporary, so I’m excited about some relief.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
Grit. Grit got me through special forces selection. Grit got me through poverty as a kid. and it got me to become a VP at Fisher Capital.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Hang in there and keep doing what you’re doing. Everything will all work out. Also, remember to be more kind and know there’s more to be happy about than sad.
Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.
Things always get better with time. Also, there’s nothing new under the sun.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Living life in alignment with my goals. I’ve learned that to become a millionaire, I need to be doing things that attract a million. Sobriety and physical training has really helped me on my way to becoming a millionaire.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?
Hard work. I put in 12-16 hours every day and just grind it out. It gets repetitive and boring at times but if it’s proven to make money, I’ll keep doing it and become a master at it.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
What failure I haven’t had is a better question. Most failures I’ve faced came when I tried to make things happen too fast. That’s taught me not to outsmart my common sense and just do the work. Consistency and patience pay off.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Anything involving Web3. It’s the future. Try and find your niche in it now.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
I got my Pitbull from Craig’s list for $100. He’s my best friend now. It’s the best deal I’ve ever made.
What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?
Trello. It simplifies work and keeps me on track.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
How to Win Friends & Influence People, by Dale Carnegie. Anyone who hasn’t read this is setting themselves up for social failure.
What is your favorite quote?
Fortune favors the bold.
Key Learnings:
- Work hard to get many blessings
- Don’t worry about making the perfect decision; just don’t make the obviously bad ones
- Be grateful for everything
Steve (Stefan) Junge hails from Germany and helps with the day-to-day publishing of interviews on IdeaMensch. While he and Mario don’t share a favorite soccer club, their enthusiasm to help entrepreneurs is a shared passion.