Episode 96: Unconventional is Not Just a Buzzword -- It's a Way of Life, with Brian Scudamore

Brian Scudamore is a serial entrepreneur and passionate people-person. Known for pioneering the professional junk hauling industry with 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, Brian started out as a scrappy kid in Vancouver, BC, with ambition and a big idea. Since then, he’s adapted the success of his first company to launch three additional brands in the painting, moving, and home-detailing industries, with WOW 1 DAY PAINTING, You Move Me, and Shack Shine. Together, Brian’s companies form O2E Brands, a franchising powerhouse providing business opportunities to aspiring entrepreneurs across North America.

His companies have been in the limelight for decades, on shows including Oprah and CNBC. Brian is a regular contributor to Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and Inc. Magazine, and his story has been featured in noteworthy publications nationwide. A strong believer in ongoing personal and professional development, Brian regularly attends programs at MIT. If he’s not launching a new brand or coming up with a new, big idea, he’s crossing another 101 Life Goal off his bucket list, biking, or hanging out with his family in Vancouver.

What you'll learn about in this episode:

• The key to Brian's success is something he refers to as WTF - Willingness to Fail
• Why a formal education is not always the key to success as an entrepreneur
• How the McDonald's franchise model became the standard for 1-800-Got-Junk
• The role skeptics play in creating a successful business plan
• How to take a simple and ordinary business concept and revolutionize it through exceptional customer service
• Why firing all of the wrong employees and hiring the right ones causes short-term pain but long-term gain
• How a single sheet of paper changed the way Brian envisioned what he could accomplish
• Why the difficult decision to part ways with a business partner is often the key to moving the organization forward
• What a "Go Dark" Vacation Policy is and why it is the key to an energized staff
• What the "Beer and BBQ Test" is and why you should be implementing it in your hiring practices
• The role taking time for yourself plays in personal and professional success
• How balance is key to success
• Advice for new entrepreneurs

Ways to contact Brian:

• Website: www.o2ebrands.com
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/bscudamore
• Instagram: @brianscudamore
• Twitter: @brianscudamore