Creating freedom and reframing failure with Jakub Zajicek
Jakub Zajíček shares what inspired him to become a tech entrepreneur straight out of college and how he overcomes challenges as a young startup founder.
Some key take outs from this episode are:
- Common fears people have when looking to make the leap from employment into entrepreneurship
- How to take criticism and turn it into solutions
- The key to building momentum as a startup entrepreneur in the face of failures and other stumbling blocks
In this episode we discuss:
00:30 Introduction to Jakub Zajíček
- Jakub’s background [00:35]
- What Jakub is focusing on right now [01:04]
03:37 What inspired Jakub to become an entrepreneur immediately after graduation
- The moment Jakub decided that employment wasn’t for him [04:56]
07:49 Why Jakub started his podcast
09:57 How Jakub felt when Steven Bartlett shot down his pitch for an app
12:41 Jakub’s biggest failure as an entrepreneur
14:44 Habits and natural strengths that helped Jakub get ahead in business early on
15:39 Things that Jakub had to work on in order to improve
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- How Jakub became aware of the things he had to work on [16:55]
Quick Juice Questions
18:07 What is your best tip for those thinking about leaving full-time employment?
Don’t have conversations in your head about what your colleagues or boss would say about you leaving. That was one of the things that was holding me back the most. When I pulled the trigger and told them that I was leaving, their reaction was completely different. You cannot know what their reaction will be unless you do it. Don’t waste your mental capacity thinking about the possible outcomes, because you just don’t know.
18:47 What are the first steps that aspiring entrepreneurs should take?
I would start by building my business on the side while I’m still working for a company. When I feel confident that my business is generating enough revenue or I’m feeling more confident in my skills, I would leave my company and start focusing on my business.
19:23 What has inspired you the most in your journey and where are you most inspired?
The direct impact I see when I deliver for my clients—when I can see that they’re actually happy with the stuff that I do. And of course, the personal growth that I see in myself. I find myself most inspired after I accomplish something that wasn’t very easy. It doesn’t have to be on a macro level, like hitting a financial goal or a target weight. It can be as simple as going for a run in the morning right after waking up even if I’m not feeling motivated to do it.
20:19 Which book has inspired you and changed your thinking the most?
I’m not really a big reader. I’m a podcast lover; so I would say Real AF by Andy Frisella or the GaryVee Audio Experience. But I just finished reading the book Discipline Strategy by Timothy Coomer.
20:59 If there’s one last bit of Executive Juice you can share for people who want to get to the top of their property game, what would it be?
I think that what most people lack when it comes to leaving their 9 to 5 is clarity. They just don’t know if they will be able to do it on their own. What helped me a lot was finding somebody who had done something that I wanted to achieve. So I found a coach, and I’m working with this coach who is guiding me through this whole process. You can build the skills you need on your own, but it’s even better to find somebody who’s already done it. Don’t be afraid to pay someone to help you make that leap of faith because it’s worth it.
Links Mentioned:
Books Mentioned:
Quotes
- When I’m building something, if I should fail, I need to fail fast.
- Whenever I feel that something is getting uncomfortably difficult, then I know I’m on the right track.