Yesterday I attended the Mining Expo at Nasrec in Johannesburg, and what an experience it was. My first impression when we entered was: “Wow. This is where the heavyweights of the industry are.” The size of the exhibition, the displays, the machinery and the businesses represented were incredible. I went there with one main goal: to practise starting one-to-one conversations and see if I could introduce people to our September event at Heartfelt Arena. It was definitely more difficult than I expected. I started conversations by asking people how they currently market their businesses. What I quickly realised was that many of these established companies rely heavily on their websites, word of mouth and their existing customer bases. They are already well established in the industry. But then I started noticing something very interesting. They were actively collecting customer information. They had games, competitions, QR codes, forms and giveaways. Coffee, popcorn, merchandise and other freebies were being used to attract people to their stands. Companies such as Cartrack and UVEX had interactive games where people could win prizes. I even managed to win a little Volkswagen-shaped mouse, UVEX protective sunglasses and a golden ticket! But there was a lesson behind the fun: Before you could play, you had to provide your information or scan a QR code. That immediately made me think about what we are learning about lead generation and value stacking. They were giving something of value in exchange for information and an opportunity to start a relationship. I also used every opportunity I could to practise one-to-one engagement. Whenever I was speaking to someone and the conversation naturally opened up, I introduced our September event and shared my QR code. I managed to share it six times. Was every conversation perfect? Absolutely not. Was I comfortable? Definitely not. But that wasn't the point. I went there to get the reps in, and I did. Another thing I realised is that this wasn't my niche at all. I was speaking mainly to salespeople representing some of the biggest businesses in the mining industry, and that made me feel very uncomfortable.

Day 59/365 Mindset Your first Reel may feel awkward. Your first sales conversation may feel uncomfortable. Your first funnel may not be perfect. Your first offer may need improvement. Your first attempt at understanding your audience may be wrong. That's okay. You're learning. James Clear's Atomic Habits teaches how small, consistent actions can compound into meaningful results over time. Today's Starting Over Principle "You don't have to master it today; you just have to practise it enough to become better tomorrow." Inspired by the principles in Atomic Habits by James Clear. Online business is built through iteration: Create. Publish. Measure. Learn. Improve. Repeat. Every repetition gives you another opportunity to become better. Don't wait until you're an expert. Don't wait until everything is perfect. Practise the skill. Because the skill you practise today can become the confidence you rely on tomorrow. Question: What is one business skill you need to practise more consistently?

Given my day job, I thought I'd never have the time to build a business. All it really comes down to is effective life management skills. One cannot manage time. It marches on regardless! I've learned that one has to manage one's life through thoughtful prioritisation and effective systems. Here we grow again!

You have the power to choose... Sometimes we forget just how powerful those four words are. Every day, we make choices. What we focus on. What we learn. What we believe. What we do with our time. What we are willing to change. What we are willing to risk. And ultimately... What kind of life we're willing to build. You may not be able to control everything that happens around you. You can't control every opportunity. Every setback. Every person's opinion. Every result. But you can choose how you respond. You can choose whether you keep learning. You can choose whether you take another step. You can choose whether you stay comfortable or challenge yourself to grow. And perhaps most importantly... You can choose what you're working toward. More freedom? More time? Financial independence? A business of your own? The ability to work from anywhere? More choices for your family? More confidence? More purpose? Or simply the satisfaction of knowing you didn't settle for the life you could have changed? There isn't one right answer. Your choice is yours. But here's the question I want you to sit with tonight: If you genuinely believed you had the power to choose... what would you choose? And then ask yourself something even more important: What is one choice I can make tomorrow that moves me closer to it? Because a different life rarely arrives because of one giant decision. It is built through the small choices we make repeatedly. Choose to learn. Choose to act. Choose to grow. Choose to believe that something different is possible. Then make another choice tomorrow. You have the power to choose. What will you choose? ❤️ Francois

Sometimes the hardest decision isn't deciding what to do next. It's deciding not to quit when the journey hasn't yet produced the results you hoped for. There are days when the easier option looks very attractive. Stop learning. Stop building. Stop putting yourself out there. Go back to what feels familiar. And perhaps nobody would blame you for doing it. But before you make that decision, ask yourself something: What if you're walking away just before you discover what you're capable of? Think about the person who started this journey. You're not that person anymore. You've learned things. You've developed skills. You've faced uncertainty. You've made mistakes. You've had setbacks. You've probably discovered strengths you didn't know you had. That's not nothing. That's growth. And the person you're becoming may be capable of things the person you were couldn't even imagine. So don't trade your future potential for the temporary comfort of quitting today. You don't need to know exactly where this journey will take you. You don't need every answer. You don't need guaranteed results. But you do need to give yourself enough time to discover what happens when you keep learning, keep adapting and keep showing up. Because six months from now, you could look back at today and be grateful you continued. A year from now, you may understand things that are completely unclear today. And two years from now... You may be living a reality that the version of you sitting in today's uncertainty couldn't yet see. So if you're tired, rest. If you're confused, learn. If you're stuck, ask for help. If something isn't working, change your approach. But before you quit... Ask yourself: "Am I really ready to give up on the person I could become?" You may be closer to discovering your potential than you think. Don't sacrifice tomorrow's possibilities for today's comfort. Keep going... ❤️ Francois