Everyone, no matter what line of business they reside in, secretly hopes that they will be the recipient of a Cinderella story miracle. That they will somehow launch a business and seemingly avoid any and all failures, propelling themselves immediately into absolute success. This surely was the mindset for some of the millions who launched businesses in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. Statistics saw a massive rise in business start up applications mid-2020. By July of that year, applications had completely skyrocketed and hit an all-time peak. For every month to follow between August 2020 and April 2021, the gross total was higher than any of the months between 2004 and the onset of the pandemic.
Entrepreneur Travis Chappell makes a strong case to prove against the Cinderella story narrative, that utilizing one's failures in turn directly points one to the pinnacle of success. Of the droves who launched businesses since the pandemic started, many of them were podcasts. Chappell himself is a seasoned veteran in the podcast industry, helming a widely acclaimed show entitled, Build Your Network, with a vast 2 million downloads. His 46.5K following on Instagram represents a large portion of his loyal fanbase tuning into his show and following along his social media for his content. Chappell's passion for networking has driven his show into the field of success, hosting a variety of top name guests including Shaq, Rob Dyrdek, Matt Barnes, Tomi Lahren, and hundreds of others. Conversations surrounding controversial subjects of topical interest alongside his reliable demonstration for encouraging community and building personal growth with valuable and practical advice are just some of the reasons why Chappell's audience is so widely diverse and sustained. Though in spite of the immense success Chappell has seen, it certainly has not come without failures in their own rites.While spending 6 years doing door to door sales, Chappell learned tremendous value when it came to managing a group of people. When reflecting on some of his largest mistakes Chappell offered that, "The lesson I learned was that the difference between a leader and a manager is that a manager tells you what to do from the back. A leader shows you what to do from the front. Be the leader." Chappell would have the opportunity to put this into practice again and again as he would continue to master and hone his personal brand as it grew, with no example greater to share than that of the launch of his software, Guestio.
Guestio is a marketplace designed by Chappell to connect businesses and show hosts alike looking to promote and expand the growth of their businesses. Podcast show hosts are given the opportunity to book sponsored guests of high credibility and talent that they wouldn't be able to otherwise book, and in addition to that are able to build revenue based on booking the sponsored guests. Guestio was, and currently remains, the only solution of its kind, making things incredibly easy for those in the position of either just starting out or those looking to take their show to the next level. Taking that step to utilize the tools Chappell has thoughtfully curated and designed for users is not only a gift, but also a daunting step for many. Chappell affirms that, "Mindset is everything. Whether you believe you can or you can't, you're right. It all starts in your mind. This is why networking is so important. The number one factor that contributed to my ability to think bigger than myself was getting around high level people and being a fly on the wall. The way they communicate, the numbers they talk about, the people they know-it's all way bigger than I had ever thought. You can only achieve to the level that you believe you can." The weaving together of building the software in a network based strategy combines the benefits of building relationships alongside opening your mind to be impacted by the opinions and encouragement of others. The app has not only thrived since its launch but flourished, as users have access to all the necessary tools to contribute substantial fruitful growth to their business.
Chappell's final piece of advice for those wanting to take the step is this: "Action alleviates anxiety and provides clarity. When in doubt, take action. Yes, you'll fail...probably a lot. But successful people take action anyway, then they adjust, gain clarity, and take more action. Don't be afraid of failure. Expect it, and take action anyway." Focusing the mind on taking failure head on and using it as a means to re-evaluate and move forward knowing better is likely the greatest thing one can do, and all one has to do is peer at Chappell's credentials to realize that he knows what he's talking about.
