Fail. It is like seeing a pretty woman and not talking to her because you’re scared. If you do not try, you can not succeed.
Paul Nute graduated from Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA in 1997. He majored in Philosophy with a minor in creative writing. After graduating and traveling a bit, Paul managed and grew an internet marketing firm with great success. Shortly after he launched his first company and continued to implement strategies that would allow him to buy and sell many new businesses over the years. Paul splits time between Florida and New York. He enjoys competitive fishing and traveling to new locations around the world.
Where did the idea for growing your Internet marketing business come from?
Ever since I was a little kid I wanted to own my own business. Once I had a little bit of money, I started my first. From there one thing led to another and I never looked back. It wasn’t one idea, it was the drive and motivation to employ people and build businesses.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
A typical day for me is getting up early to meditate as the sun rises and visualize my day. This really centers me and clears my head. I also make sure to eat healthy (lots of nuts and fruits throughout the day). Every night I write down a prioritized list of things I need to get done the next day.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Everything I have ever built started with an idea and a plan. I really like to work through a thought by putting it on paper and trying to see every angle. One of my favorite processes for launching a new product or business is lean canvas. It keeps me focused and saves time.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
Native advertising is one trend that excites me. It is new and there are more and more targeting options becoming available. It also allows you to tap into consumers who are engaged and actively reading about certain topics.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
Every single night I write down my goals and hit list for the next day. By prioritizing and separating absolutely necessary with what can wait it makes everyday very productive. Simple rule to live by: WIN THE DAY!
What advice would you give your younger self?
I think every Internet entrepreneur would tell their younger self to take more of an interest in computers. I would have studied computer science or engineering. Basically, I would have told my younger self that being into science and computers does not make you a geek.
Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on?
I once caught a shark that almost bit off my hand. When we pulled it onto the boat to unhook it, the thing snapped at me and just in time a pulled my hand out of reach.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Fail. It is like seeing a pretty woman and not talking to her because you’re scared. If you do not try, you can not succeed.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business? Please explain how.
Hiring an accountant is the best thing I ever did. Helping me keep the companies finances in an easy to read format allow us to make predictions and plan for the future.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
It is tough to pick one but I do recall moving into a new office that at the time was way to big for our needs. Rent was high and not even 6 months in we had to move out and break the lease early. Luckily, I was able to work a deal with the landlord to provide web services in exchange for exiting the lease early.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
I always wanted to build a give-a-way app that everyday the users could login and see if they won. If they don’t win, the users still get a coupon based on their interests. I would use it.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
I just bought some wireless headphones for around $100. They are amazing and sync seamlessly with my phone and computer. I do not know how I lived without them.
What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
I use visual studio code when editing web files. It is synced with FTP and is a clean easy to use file editor. I couldn’t imagine using anything else.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
I really like the book “Bold”, by Peter Diamandis. This book helped me see the bigger picture in business and inspired me to do more. Solving a specific problem for the masses and my mind shifting toward that is due largely in part to reading this book.
What is your favorite quote?
“It’s not how good you are, it’s how good you want to be.”
Connect:
Website:
Twitter:
Facebook:
LinkedIn:
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.