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The Magic of Luck and Grit in Business with Guy Kawasaki

With Guy KawasakiEP 203
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Guy Kawasaki shares his inspiring trajectory, beginning with his early days in the jewelry business, where he honed essential selling skills that set the foundation for his future endeavors. Recruited by his college classmate, Guy made a pivotal transition to the Apple Macintosh Division, marking the start of his significant contributions to the tech world.

  • This episode sheds light on Guy’s philosophies, including the realistic outlook on pursuing interests that may eventually transform into lifelong passions. We also delve into the nuances of career transitions, the vital role of empathy and resilience in sales, and the modern landscape of democratizing design through tools like Canva.
  • Guy reveals the serendipitous journey that led him to Canva and his mission to make design accessible to all. Through his extensive experience and captivating anecdotes, Guy imparts practical advice on innovation, product development, and the entrepreneurial mindset. Moreover, Guy Kawasaki opens up about his podcast, “Remarkable People,” featuring stories that inspire and motivate listeners through the achievements of extraordinary individuals.
  • Gain insights into Guy’s meticulous preparation for interviews, his favorite podcast moments, and episodes that left a lasting impact.
  • Tune in for a conversation that promises to elevate your understanding of business dynamics, spark innovation, and inspire you to embrace luck and resilience on your entrepreneurial path.
Transcript
  • 00:04:23 – Standout: Learning sales from unconventional experiences in life.
  • 00:08:24 – Upgrade proposals with Pandadoc: organized, professional, efficient.
  • 00:11:04 – Innovation essential; focus on customer needs, not product.
  • 00:16:09 – Innovation through personal desire and empathy works.
  • 00:17:26 – Customer feedback, talent, mission-driven work foster success.
  • 00:22:49 – Guy Kawasaki became chief evangelist of Canva unexpectedly.
  • 00:25:18 – Remarkable podcast featuring in-depth interviews with luminaries.
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Practical Pointers
Embrace the role of luck in success. Kawasaki suggests that luck often trumps intelligence when it comes to achieving remarkable outcomes, so put yourself in situations where luck can find you.
To excel in sales, truly understand and empathize with your customers' needs. Building great products and resilience against rejection is also key.
A crucial piece of advice is to never ask someone to do something you wouldn’t be willing to do yourself. This fosters respect and credibility as a leader.
Like with Apple, don’t rely solely on current customer needs to inspire innovation. Sometimes, customers don’t know what they need until they see it.
Always aim to hire people who are more talented than yourself. This brings new perspectives and enhances the overall capability of your organization.
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Guest Bio
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Guy Kawasaki

Guy Kawasaki, is the Chief Evangelist at Canva, a title that he explains can only work if the product can change the world—or at least a significant part of it. He’s the host of the Remarkable People Podcast, an executive fellow of the Haas School of Business (UC Berkeley), author of 15 popular books, and an adjunct professor of the University of New South Wales. As a former revolutionary at Apple, Guy popularized the concept of evangelizing in the technology business, and his ideas behind this concept have spread like wildfire.  

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