Paul Higgins – Build Live Give, live a great life and give back

Derek:    Hi, and welcome to another episode of the Outsource Accelerator Podcast. My name is Derek Gallimore, and this is episode number 163.

So today, we are talking to Paul Higgins again of ‘Build Live Give.’ We had Paul back on episode 157. So if you want to hear his journey and story, then go back to listen to that podcast.

Today, we deep dive into ‘Build Live Give’ and how he enriches people’s entrepreneurial journey. He specifically focuses on the people that have left the corporate world and helps them get into entrepreneurial world. And, one of those major strategies is by utilizing outsourcing; so, really interesting conversation.

If you want to get in touch with Paul or want to know any more about this episode, then of course, just get around with show notes, which is at outsourceaccelerator.com/163.

Enjoy.  

Derek: Hi, and welcome back everybody. Today, I am happy to be joined by Paul Higgins of ‘Build Live Give.’ We spoke with Paul previously about his corporate and outsourcing experience. And now, we’re gonna deep dive into ‘Build Live Give,’ which is a business community for people breaking away from the corporate lifestyle.

So, thanks for joining us Paul and I suppose, do you want to just give a brief background for those that didn’t listen to earlier podcast about what you do and how you got here?

Paul: Yeah. Thanks, Derek, great to be on again.

So, I spent eighteen years in Coca-Cola and had a bright career there, I think, it’s one of the best running companies in the world. And, we have lots of small businesses that were effectively consulting to living in that environment. And, in 2011, I was told that my inherited condition was getting worse and I needed to stop flying around the world, being in stressful situations, and do something different. So I left and then, I started series of companies which is sort into now helping people go through similar journey. Maybe not leaving corporate because of the reasons I did. I know there’s a lot of people that are seeking the freedom and the security running their own business and that’s what we help them do.

Derek: Right. And isn’t it the dream? I mean, you maybe consulting people with above average careers narrow down to they probably have above average incomes. But aren’t they living the dream and is this a time old thing or you seem more of the movement now from people being in the corporate world over to running your own shop?

Paul: Look, I do see a trend and now I can only talk for maybe key English speaking countries – Australia, Canada, US, UK. They’re the ones that I deal minding with, but I think there’s a whole lot of people that were growing up that you just risk life with the company and so you travel the world; you work incredible hours. And to be honest, you didn’t spend a lot of time with your kids. I have a great father; he loves his corporate career. He was pretty good, but he travels and wasn’t there a lot for us. Now the demand for spending time with your children has never been higher, so I think there is that tension is getting higher. I think you can be very successful in corporate and also be there for your family, but I think it’s getting harder and harder. So, that’s why I think the trend is coming in. And also, there’s just never been the man of technology that’s launching now and the opportunities to going to run your own business, do your own startup, and serve people around the world through technology, I think, is really opening up windows that weren’t available. And it used to be the corporates that gave you the global experiences, whereas now, I think you are actually running your own business. You can get them. Like us, you’re in the Philippines, I’m here in Melbourne, but all day I talk to people all over the world, and that used to only be available for the corporates, whereas now, it’s available for everyone.

Derek: Yeah. It’s incredible, isn’t it? Before I think there are only any opportunities for the big corporates because they had the infrastructure, they had the scale, they had the global reach. But now, it’s actually a liability for them isn’t it because but they have the heavy cost of infrastructure not as nimble. And now, you can be entrepreneur with half an idea set up for $5 and you’re up and running testing ideas, a lot fall for the wayside, and there are successes. It’s a brand new exciting world, isn’t it?

But how do you?  There is one definition of entrepreneur which is they work twice the hours for half the pay. It’s not necessarily an easy road, is it? But, is this what you do? You approach people to sort of find the easy road and still balance the important aspects of life?

Paul: Yes. Spot on. And look, I spent five years really floundering. To be honest, I have the lifestyle that I wanted, so I spend more time with my family — took them overseas, had wonderful trips. That was great, but I just didn’t get the money in the door. So, my wife would look at me each month and said, “Well, come on, we can’t dip in the savings again.” And I did okay, but it took me a long time to really crack the code; what we do now is really help people crack that code. So, we talk about the two twenties. So, the first one is $20,000 in monthly revenue. So that’s the first one and then, the next one is that you start to scour once it get $20,000 in monthly profit. I think if you get those two numbers, then you can do more of the living and the giving, once the build is right. And, we’ve just got a five step methodology that’s been really come about from myself going through heartache and a lot of struggle, but also working with some brilliant people that thought that leaving corporate going into their own business, so they just fall in to their laps and unfortunately, it’s not that simple. And all I said to someone, “If you gave a small business owner, took them off the street, and drop them to a CEO board meeting and said go for it, they would be completely out of depth, so there is no different going the other way. So, you need a supportive community; you need a good methodology that is proven to help you.”

Derek: That said surely true, isn’t it? It’s completely different language between corporate and SME. But also start up, it is very different phases to take, very different skillsets and you found a fantastic-niche in this part of the startup scene, because there’s so much focus on the kids in Silicon Valley that work in garages but they don’t have a family to feed, they don’t have a wife showing concern glances over to them every month. This is maybe you can come in to this more. This is why people get caught in the corporate trap because it’s too difficult to leave, isn’t it?

Paul: Yeah. That’s true and I think that’s why outsourcing is so important, so you can actually balance that. So, I do work from home, so during the day, I will put the washing on. I’ll take the dog for a walk. I go pick my kids up. Today, I’m going to take my daughter to the doctor because she is not well. So, there’s a lot more things that I’ll do that I wouldn’t do in corporate, but you still need a support to be able to do those. The five key drivers that I spoke up before; the first one is run a personal productivity, getting more time, and the number one thing there, I think, is getting a virtual assistant. I think every small business owner – yes, you need a computer; yes, you need a fire; and I think the third essential least needs is you must have a virtual assistant, so that you can still not work ridiculous hours like you do in corporate but not getting paid as much. Because most people, if you look at corporate, if you look at the salaries they get paid minus the tax and the amount of hours I work on a per hour rate is actually not that high. So, what I say to people, “In small business, you won’t work the total amount of hours. But what we want to do is get you a higher rate per hour and then, use your VA to do other activities. Then you can, in a way, have the lifestyle you want, plus you can have the financial security.

Derek: Yeah it’s the best of both worlds isn’t it, because you’re getting assistants when you are able to and it’s incredibly, financially viable, isn’t it? And so, 20 grand a month, which Australia is a very expensive place. And, you kind of made it on 20 grand a month or certainly you are out of that danger zone, aren’t you?

So, you have a program. You’ve developed this program over your years in business, and you have good success rate with that? That sounds fantastic.

Paul: Yeah, yeah! Look, we get great results because it is proven. I have gone through but also, we have other members that have gone through it. And I’ll just quickly sum it up, so the first one is personal productivity, like I said; second is picking your ideal client; third is getting the right business model; the fourth is around sales focus because really referrals and sales is where to all that to your first million dollars; and finally, the high performing team. The key component of the outsourcing is one and five really. Get a VA, so that you can spend more on travels. And as you get the demand and it starts happening, then you’ve got them start to build a team, and that team is normally getting outsourcing so it is low risk as I mention in the previous episode to the incoming supplement as you grow. ‘Cause most business ideas, once it gets traction, it’s not the idea that stops the growth. It’s actually the owner’s capacity to keep up with demand. So, we make sure you’re bringing in the right team to support that.

Derek: Yeah, it’s a lot about the execution and as you mention in the last episode as well. And especially when you do outsource you have teams of assistance, it’s about the processes, and getting the processes in place so they’re working when you are not. Yeah?

Paul: Yeah. Exactly. And these days, you can run a 24/7. I think it’s a combination of technology and outsourcing and if I look at the Coke company, as I said in the previous, 126 years old, it’s not a great product. I’m not proud of the product to say, but the system was brilliantly run, and it was really down to technology and people with the two key components. So, these days in a small business, it’s never been a better time to tap into those and it used to be only for the corporates, but no, that’s no longer it’s actually I think the other way that they normally got dinosaurs system that are flexible and we can be very agile and use most current apps in type into bringing people all over the world.

Derek: And I think its key as well is to think on a global scale like coca cola did and again, it was only available to the massive industries back then. And, that’s why they have such an advantage. But now, the global market is available to everyone, isn’t it? And, it’s available to both in terms of staff and in terms of human resource, but in terms of your clientele and your consumers, it’s all out there, isn’t it? And, there are seven billion people out there that you can use as resources but also sell to, so it’s a huge market.

Paul: Yeah, exactly.

Derek: Fantastic. So, thank you so much, Paul, and if people want to get in touch with you and learn more if they are stuck in a corporate role, how can they do that?

Paul: Yes. So, they can go to our website buildlivegive.com, and they can also find me on LinkedIn @paulhiggins555.

Derek: Fantastic. Thank you, Paul.

Paul: Thanks, Derek.

Derek: Okay. That was Paul Higgins of ‘Build Live Give.’ I have a great conversation with him, really enjoyed that. So if you want to get in touch with Paul and if you want to know any more about ‘Build Live Give’ or anything we mentioned in the podcast, just go to our show notes at outsourceaccelerator.com/163. And of course, if you want to ask us anything then drop some email to [email protected].

See you next time.