The webinar business I co-founded over 14 years ago just completed due diligence and closed its sale to a $100 million private equity fund that specializes in SaaS (Software as a Service), and now that particular part of my life is done. Even though I exited an active role with the company several years ago, I still retained 50% ownership and monthly dividends from that. It feels good to have achieved this bit of closure. Every story needs an ending, and as a storyteller, I’ve landed on a good one.
What was surprising to me though was at an event only a few weeks ago someone had approached me wanting to “pick my brain” about SaaS and I felt an immediate recoil, and less than excited to do that. Fortunately, over the next 24 hours I realized what my response was – there was still an imposter within me. Despite my undeniable success, and money made, I still felt like I had gotten here through good luck and nothing anyone could learn from.
No matter how much work I’ve done on myself, and literally wrote a book about overcoming imposter syndrome, here it was again.
However, what’s different is I can catch it quickly, and use my tools against it.
I’ve felt shame in the past of my success, feeling it was unearned. So now I use the shame as a way to illuminate the problem.
What am I feeling shame about?
The shame I feel is fueled by my unconventional story, and how I accomplished what I did, the way I did.
I know now to turn that immediately on its head. That exact story, is what makes me great. Every rule I broke, or didn’t even know existed, and yet found my way to success, is my true value.
I then wrote a list of what I actually accomplished:
- I’m the co-founder and 50% owner of a SaaS webinar business that operated for 14 years.
- I originated and hand-built the automated webinar concept in 2010.
- 60 million people attended webinars on the system.
- 18,000 paying customers generated $1.7 billion in sales with it.
- I made $6 million personally in dividends and earn-outs.
- I exited an active role and remained 50% owner for 6 years, earning dividends passively.
- We self-financed from profits and never took investment, keeping 100% ownership.
- We sold to a $100 million private equity fund for a final exit.
And the thing I most proud of: My business partner and I maintained a relationship for 14 years with no paperwork between us. Millions of dollars passed between our hands and not a signed agreement. That is possible when 2 people of high integrity work together. Like most amazing things from the stories in my life, this is possible because I have lived it.
I accomplished the above with no formal training or education, with my background being a best-selling DJ, world-famous rave promoter, and years as a comedy stage hypnotist.
The above list didn’t just happen. I made it happen. “Luck” doesn’t explain 14 years of business success.
I broke every rule there is. Instead of being ashamed of it, I am proud of it, as I should be.
I will find ways to share my story with more people, and even if people can’t do what I did, because they aren’t me, they can take inspiration to find their own way.
I will do this by telling my story first, and answering questions after. The questions people will ask me will be different at the end of my story than before. I don’t want to be seen as simply a tech guy to have their brain picked but they need to learn first why I’m not.
With the sale of the business I have realized I’ve been living with this particular story on autopilot, but not actually completed. This story now has an ending.
Having this story conclude, catching those imposter feelings and turning them around is another contributing piece to answering “What’s next?”
My story is my story, but I’m curious what jumps out at you from hearing it that can impact your own story?
