Today’s Notable Young Entrepreneur is Mastermind Talks Founder Jayson Gaignard, whose business connects entrepreneurs to like-minded leaders and gives them direct access to brilliant minds. What was the inspiration behind the idea? Find out in today’s profile…
Elevator Pitch: Describe your business in a nutshell.
Mastermind caters to entrepreneurs who want to transition from working on their businesses to working on themselves. Through our invite-only annual event, MastermindTalks, and intimate Mastermind retreats, we connect entrepreneurs to like-minded leaders and give them direct access to brilliant minds like Tim Ferriss, Marc Ecko and Tony Hsieh. We help entrepreneurs better their businesses through bettering themselves. After all, your business is simply an extension of who you are.
Why did you start your business, what was the inspiration?
I’ve always been a firm believer that your network is your net worth, so for the past three years I’ve focused on building deep and authentic relationships with fellow entrepreneurs.
After suffering the isolation and disconnect that many entrepreneurs feel, I decided to start Mastermind Dinners where I invited six to eight interesting entrepreneurs to share war stories and connect over dinner. The value created over those dinners was incredible. A few months, the opportunity to do an event with Tim Ferriss fell into my lap and I saw it as a chance to apply the concept on a larger scale. From that, MastermindTalks was born.
What is the best part of what you do on a day-to-day basis? The most challenging part?
My number one role in the business is to identify incredible people who are about to hit the tipping point and do something really big.
At MastermindTalks, 15 speakers competed to give the best talk as voted by the audience for a large cash prize. We had big name speakers at this event, but when the votes came in the six highest-rated talks were from speakers who were “unknown.” There are so many future leaders out there who are going unnoticed, and the best part of my job is putting them in the spotlight. This can also be the most challenging part, as there are so many great minds out there that I haven’t met yet.
Where do you see your business going in five years?
Anybody who’s been an entrepreneur long enough knows that nothing goes as planned, but I know I’ll be in a business that I love, surrounded by people I love, making an impact in the lives of those who play the game of life at the highest level.
What does success look like to you?
To me, success is building enough passive income streams to support my lifestyle, avoiding being a slave to any business, and continuing to travel the world and connect with some of the brightest people on the planet.
What is the most memorable milestone in your career?
At MastermindTalks, someone made a surprise toast to me and there was a standing ovation that included many of my heroes like Tim Ferriss, Marc Ecko, Dan Martell, James Altucher and others. Having my wife by my side was the icing on the cake.
Do you have any advice for other young professionals?
Don’t be a slave to your business. So many entrepreneurs fall into this trap. A few years back I grew a successful business at the expense of my health, my family and my relationships. I was doing very well financially but money and happiness scale very differently. Up until that point I was sold on the old adage that success, in the traditional sense, leads to happiness. But look around you at any traditional business event, and you’ll see just how unhappy and unfulfilled most “successful” people are.
Once your basic needs are met financially, more money won’t necessarily increase your happiness. So ask yourself: “Why are you in business? What is the end goal? Are you working for your business, or is your business working for you?”
Do you support any charities? If so, which one(s) and why is that important to you?
I love what they do over at Charity Water and I am obviously a huge supporter of entrepreneurs who are doing great things in the community.
What is Notable to you?
Connecting like-minded people to help everyone achieve success.
Blackberry, iPhone, Android, or Other?
iPhone (although it’s off most of the time).
How do you keep active, energetic, and vibrant?
I’ve always been into boxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but Ameer Rosic’s work really got my health back on track when I needed it most. There are also other important things that I’ve implemented to keep me energetic throughout the day including morning rituals, the five-minute journal and waking up EVERY DAY at 4am!