Connor Beaton offers the perfect example of one’s possibility to completely turn their life around for the better. Even more inspiring, he shares his journey and empowers others to do the same through his career work with ManTalks…
Elevator Pitch: Describe your job in a nutshell.
I connect with high-performing men in various fields from around North America who are making a difference and give them a space to share their personal story to inspire others and set an example for what is possible.
Why did you start working at your company? What was the inspiration for this career route?
The inspiration for my company and career was my second chance at life. During my 20s I built a life that looked amazing from the outside: I had a gorgeous girlfriend, fast motorcycle, career that let me travel around the world, I got to artistically express myself, and it seemed as though I was making decent money. But I was miserable. I was lying to everyone I loved and cared about, cheating on my girlfriend of four years, broke, and not actually enjoying the career I was in as it gave me massive amounts of anxiety. Not to mention the fact that thought I was basically a monster for all of the lies I spewed out on a daily basis. As you can imagine, living life this way will inevitably lead to a disaster, which happened in 2011 when I found myself single, even more broke, jobless, on the verge of quitting my career and living out of my car for a few weeks until I could finally tell some of my close friends what was actually happening.
I then spent 10 months reading, studying and learning about why we make these crazy decisions that lead us to these dark places. It wasn’t until after this period of time that I realized how isolated I had made myself from the people who cared about me because I was ashamed of my actions, didn’t want to be seen as a failure, and wanted to succeed so badly that I wouldn’t let anyone help me because it would mean that I was less of a man.
I thought to myself, ‘If I felt that way, there must be a lot of guys in the same situation who desperately want and need help, but are too proud to seek it out or let anyone in.’
So, I started ManTalks.
What is the best part of what you do on a day-to-day basis? The most challenging part?
Best part is definitely meeting and speaking with amazing men from around North America who are creating positive change. I thrive off of sharing ideas with them, connecting them with other people to help support them in their efforts, and giving them a space to share their voice if I think they are in a place in their life where their journey can positively impact the lives of others.
The most challenging thing for me is taking steps in the present moment so I can get to where I want to be in the future. I have a wildly creative mind that is always at work and sometimes I can get lost in creating big ideas that could have a big impact. I have corrected this by asking myself everyday: “Is what I do today going to move me towards or away from my goals and dreams?” It helps to filter all of the daily choices and thoughts, focusing them on what is really important.
What is one sign that you’ve seen over the years to suggest that your work/life balance is off?
My daily habits fall apart. Meditating, journaling and the time I take for self-reflection always seem to be the first things that get left behind. When I have gone 2-3 days without meditation or writing out some daily wins, or just ‘Brain Dumping’, I know that things are out of balance. This usually creeps up when I am the busiest.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I both love and loath this question, mostly because life changes so rapidly and if you came to me five years ago and told me that I would be running a company which promotes personal growth for men, I would have laughed. Really hard.
But to answer the question, ideally I see myself hosting events all over the world, leading courses for men to be better fathers, husbands and leaders. By then we will have launched the scholarship aspect of the company that can benefit younger men and provide mentorship for the male youth in their late teens and early 20s.
What is one major challenge that you’ve had to overcome in your career? How did you overcome it?
Being OK with asking for help. In the past I had what I like to refer to as “A Superman Complex.” This meant that I tried to do everything by myself because I wanted to appear as though I was super-human and didn’t need anything from anyone. I would spend countless hours trying to figure something out that I knew nothing about just so I didn’t need to let someone else support me.
To be honest, I started to overcome it when I became present to the fact that there were some things that other people did a lot better than me. At first I was frustrated, but I quickly realized that other people want to help.
When I let myself see the value that other people can bring and the fact that I can empower them to share their natural gifts and passions, it changed everything.
What does success look like to you? Does Money = Happiness?
Success to me is holistic. I am a firm believer in the idea that everything is interconnected. If your home life is out of balance, your work life will inevitably be out of balance as well. Imagine a table with four legs: Self, Home, Community & Career. To me a successful table is when all the legs are the same length and are strong enough to hold up the weight of the top. This might seem obvious, but so many people are trying to build a table with one giant leg while the others are short and stumpy.
Does money = happiness? Absolutely not. You can be happy with or without money, just like you can be miserable with or without money. It’s your perception of money and what you make it mean to you. During my early and mid 20s I thought that money meant happiness. If you have to buy happiness, you really haven’t found the core of happiness.
What is the most memorable milestone in your career?
I have to share two:
Singing backstage at the Metropolitan Opera in New York with one of my idols.
Having Indochino & Hootsuite host and sponsor our events. It is a sign to me that the work we are doing is meaningful and is something that people and brands alike find value in.
Do you have any advice for other young professionals?
I’ll keep it simple: Use every opportunity as an education. Most of the things you need in order to succeed aren’t taught in school, but if you pay attention in your everyday life, all of the lessons are there in order for you to grow and be the leader you are meant to be.
Where is your favourite place to wine/ dine in your city and why?
This is a tough one… I’m going to go with Minami in Vancouver. I love sushi and this place does it right.
When you’re not working how do you love to spend your “Me” time?
Hiking the Grouse Grind in North Vancouver or the Chief in Squamish (while listening to Chopin of course). Or a yoga class followed up by a homemade smoothy.
Where is your favourite place to travel? Why?
So far my favourite is Italy. It is a stunning country full of kind people, incredible food, delicious wine, ancient buildings and a deep connection to family.
If you had to choose a theme song, what would it be?
Danger Zone – Kenny Loggins.
If you weren’t doing what you’re doing, what would you be doing?
Probably a different form of what I am doing, like leadership consulting.
Or maybe an F1 racecar driver. It’s always been my backup plan.
Do you support any charities? If so, which one(s) and why is that important to you?
Absolutely, a charity called Music Heals. It is based out of Vancouver and run by a friend of mine, Chris Brandt. It is important to me because music is such a powerful tool that truly has the ability to transform and heal lives. Music has fundamentally changed who I am so I know how valuable it can be for others. I would encourage you to check it out.
What to you is notable?
People who aren’t afraid to share their voice and story with the world. These are almost always the same people who are fulfilled by being of service and contributing to the lives of others.
Blackberry, iPhone, Android, or Other?
iPhone all the way.
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