Investing With Purpose With Mark Aardsma

Entrepreneur and investor – Mark Aardsma

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Here’s what you’ll learn from Mark about Investing With Purpose:

– Why it’s important to have congruent beliefs right from the start. (Even if you’re NOT making any real money yet.)
– How to get clear on your true values.
– How simple journaling can be the best “tool” for your reflective process? and the beneficial effect it can have on your brain.
– The “trick” to becoming a better leader when your analytical and engineering-oriented brain gets in the way.
– The simple “secret” to finding trusted mentors.
– How to figure out your true key differentiator even if you have no idea where to start.

Tune in and listen: Investing With Purpose With Mark Aardsma

Mark’s Website:

AllWhoAspire.com – The All Who Aspire Campaign

Transcript: Download

Video Transcription provided by GMR Transcription Services.

Jaime Masters: 	Welcome to Adventure Millionaire. I'm Jaime Masters and today on the show, again, we have Mark Aardsma. Now, he runs an awesome company and business coach consultant but also has a brand-new book coming out called Investing with Purpose, and you can get it at allwhoaspire.com. Thanks so much for coming back on the show today, Mark. 

Mark Aardsma: 	Hey, thanks for having me back. Good to talk to you again. 

Jaime Masters:	So, what's funny is we were just talking about how it's not totally a new book but I couldn't squeeze you in when the book DID come out, so I'm calling it new anyway because everybody should go get it. Can you sort of tell us the premise of the book? 

Mark Aardsma:	Yeah, the book came out of my experiences. Actually, as I was starting companies and doing entrepreneurial things with limited resources really. I always made some notes for myself about what are the principles that I really believe? When I had a tough decision that I was anxious about, I would kind of get my little notepad out and look at, okay, am I doing what I believe? And, eventually, I started to share those at talks and things and people said, "This is good. You should do something with it." So, I said, okay, I'll make a brochure and it got a little bit longer and turned into a book. 

Jaime Masters:	How awesome is that? It's always good when people say you NEED to get your message out there. Let me ask you about those beliefs. Do you think it's as important when you're NOT making money as when you ARE making money to make sure that the beliefs are congruent throughout? 

Mark Aardsma:	That's an interesting question. I think it's important all the time that, in fact, having a lot of money or a little money - I don't think it changes people's values the way maybe some people expect. Kind of who you are and what you believe tends to stick in my opinion. So, yeah, I think kind of being true to what you believe is wise through the whole process and I definitely wouldn't want to start trying out new values and principles when I was doing it with large amounts of money that affect a lot of people's lives. So, yeah, I'd say be consistent. 

Jaime Masters:	Very valid point. It's funny how you hear people say the money just sort of levels up who you are, so if you're already greedy, then it just makes you more greedy and if you have those core principles with integrity and that sort of thing, it just continues. But when somebody is looking at some of this, when we're so busy in our entrepreneurship game, at the beginning especially, we're so working on the money side of things that sometimes we forget to even LOOK at the value side. Do you think it's important for us to make that time at the beginning? 

Mark Aardsma:	Yes, I think that - well, the very first starting point in the book is about knowing what you want and being honest with yourself about what you want. I think there is no better time than the beginning, as soon as possible, to have those conversations with yourself and maybe with others who can help you have them really honestly. And kind of know, okay, if I want to make money, which many of us do, and it's very helpful in many ventures and many goals in life, why? What do I believe will happen after I have more money? Does money actually fit well with accomplishing that? 

	You know, if I want to be respected by my friends - well, let's be really honest then. That's something that I'm looking for and money could have a role in that but it's probably not the core of that. So, I like to say, "Be honest about what you're looking for and make sure that you're not just saying, well, I know I want something more and it must be money." Then once you have that, you know, chances are money will help and go for it in a way with your eyes really open.

Jaime Masters:	So, how do you pick them? Like, your values and beliefs? Because we probably have then innately in core but, to me, it's hard to go, okay, here's a list of them. Figure out which Top 5 are yours. How do you suggest people go about and really get clear on what theirs are? 

Mark Aardsma:	That is a good question. It's self-knowledge. It's observing the world. So, the book isn't exactly like a list of values as much as it is a list of maybe wise behaviors and practices but they're informed by values. 

Jaime Masters:	Well, because what I noticed is what you said and even if we just tell YOUR story. You said, "I kept writing these things down that kept coming up over and over and over again."

Mark Aardsma: 	Uh-huh.

Jaime Masters:	Which I think is amazing that you did that being that you were able to innately sort of know what those are and I feel like most people don't do that and can't figure it out as easily as you, I guess. So, give us sort of the thought process that you went for to refine what they were. 

Mark Aardsma: 	That's, I think, yeah, that's a good question and a good topic that part of leadership, or part of strategy, is doing things intentionally and then seeing what happens and reflecting and I think I'm probably excessively reflective because I guess I enjoy that and there's something about kind of getting to know myself better and trying to understand the world that is insatiable for me. So, yeah, reflecting on, okay, that didn't work. Why do I think that didn't work and taking some time? 

I guess I did a lot of that and if something kind of struck me as, okay, this is an important theme. This didn't work for a reason. That applies to a lot of other ventures, then write it down. That's where that came from. 

Jaime Masters:	Well, how did you do that? What's your reflective process? Do you have journals? Where do you write it so you remember to go back later? 

Mark Aardsma:	That's interesting because it's so native to me. I'm not sure I've ever reflected on that. How does my reflective process work' Boy, that's an interesting question. In practice, I think I'm moved by the things that happened, so it probably starts with some kind of an emotional experience of, wow, I'm disappointed by that or I'm thrilled by that. Then that leads me to want to kind of understand. So, then I guess I set aside time. I think if I'm in the office and I'm like, wow, that thing really went well yesterday, I would like to understand why. 

I will get out, like, a Google doc and start to kind of make a little bit of an outline of what are the possibilities? What seems important about this? What am I observing and is there a theme? So, I guess it's just - it feels like it's just thinking but I guess it's a type of thinking. It's a very curious type of examination and it helps to have as nonjudgmental of a posture as you can. It's not - because the more you feel like, okay, that was BAD or I feel guilty about what happened, the less you'll be able to investigate with curiosity about maybe I screwed that up and I want to know what did I do wrong? So, kind of that opening of no shame, let's just look at what happened. 

Jaime Masters:	See, that's really interesting because when you were talking about thinking about it or doing this process, in my head I'm like do you just sit there at your desk and think about it? Do you write it - so, it's interesting. Do you have lots of Google Docs that are like that and do you - like, how do you take all this information in learning and actually use it? 

Mark Aardsma: 	I actually have one running Google Doc that's like - it's called Miscellaneous Notes. I put stuff in there every day, just because - I don't know - I think as I've gotten older or something, I have a hard time thinking about complex topics without something to outline or kind of mime that a little bit. So, I use it all the time. I can't say that I really go back and look at it but I tend to work by concept so once I feel like I've understood the concept, I'll probably never forget it. 

Jaime Masters:	Wow! So, it solidifies. You're like the act of actually going through reflecting solidifies it in your brain, so next time it's going to be different. 

Mark Aardsma:	Right. I'm thinking it would be cool if there was a concrete example. You know, there's many, I guess, but I'll have to think - for example, I guess, a principle of kind of do your homework before you get into something. That's something I talk about a little bit in the book. I'm not a real patient person and I like to move forward quickly. I love the energy of just diving into things. And sometimes I had to learn the hard way that not everything is as it seems, due diligence has a reason, not everyone is trustworthy and honest in this world. 

And so that's probably an example where maybe after a really tough firing of an employee that didn't act with integrity, who I trusted in the beginning - I'm sitting there and that's that emotion side I was talking about. Of course, it's not a good feeling and be like, wow, I just got kind of ripped off and I should have known better. Why didn't I know better? What did I miss? Am I okay with the fact that I gave that person the benefit of the doubt? 

So, then this process is kind of rolling and then eventually it boils down to a principle of take the patience to do some due diligence even when everything looks okay, and then I'll just write it down and remember it. 

Jaime Masters:	And then live by it, but that's the impressive thing, right? 

Mark Aardsma:	Yeah, to live by it, which is the hard part. 

Jaime Masters:	Yeah, right. When you should be like, oh, that's a good one. I should write that down. Oh, wait? now next time? shoot, I'm doing it again. That awareness in advance is tough. 

Mark Aardsma: 	That's so normal. Well, you're a coach so I'm sure you've heard this stuff. You know -

Jaime Masters:	People are all the same in so many ways. Yes, exactly in SO many ways, you know. I actually want to bring this up, especially as far as the leadership stuff that you were talking about beforehand because as a leader you do the best you can and it IS this ever-evolving process of getting better and better and better, which I know you have, especially because you've invested in other companies, and you've had a lot of large companies. So, you tell me, what was the best learning moment of you sort of stepping into the leadership role? 

Mark Aardsma: 	Oh, there's lots of moments. 

Jaime Masters:	That I'm sure you reflected on in your career.

Mark Aardsma:	I'm sure I did. You know, it's good because I was kind of engineering-minded as I started in business. So, things like getting the accounting right and getting the R&D to work were fairly natural to me but leadership and the complexity of human interaction, I was behind the curtain. So, I had a LOT of moments of saying I need to learn here. I kind of had this mindset of I've learned a lot of things in science and engineering-type subjects. I'm sure I can learn this too. 

I recognize that I'm behind the curve but it can't be rocket science. There's got to be a way and that was true, even though maybe it was a little humbling to have to come at it that way. It can be learned and I think most of my learning came, actually, from mentor-type relationships where I needed someone to imitate. I think, even though trial and error, kind of showed me where the pain was or where maybe I wasn't holding people accountable enough or something like that. 

But it was really a mentor who said, you know, you can do this and you better have a meeting with that person and get this straightened out and who believed in me, I guess, and told me THEIR stories of doing that on a grander scale sometimes. That gave me the confidence and the clarity to go. So, I would say it's all the moments of watching and learning from those that have gone before that influenced me the most. 

Jaime Masters:	That's awesome. How do we find people that are like that though? Because the hard thing is that there?s books on leadership. Very different to read a book than to actually like implement and do, especially because I feel like you're right. I'm a data person. I love engineering and all that sort of stuff. It's easy to know the black or white side and leadership and this is sort of more gray, in general, and there's different nuances, yeah. 

So, it was different for me to interpret a lot of the stuff too, so when you were looking at somebody and finding a mentor that can show you: (a) how do you trust that they're good at what they do, right, with integrity and all that sort of stuff and the day-to-day aspects, and (b) do they just tell you what to do and you go do it? Like, how does that work? 

Mark Aardsma: 	No, usually they won't give much by way of direction, actually, if they're good at it. So, my example may have been a poor choice. It would be rare for one of my mentors to kind of strongly say an opinion about what I've got to do. But they will tend to ask questions that make me say myself what I already know I need to do and then it comes out of my own mouth. How do you find those people? That's a great question. It's something I get asked a lot and all I really know is my own experience that I had to be pretty proactive. 

	My theory is that people who are really admired and successful and kind of awesome to be around are pretty busy and they're probably not going to just get bored and come find you. So, you have to kind of raise your hand and stand out from the crowd a little bit and whether that's emailing an author. I've done that. You know, people that I admire, like, they're probably NEVER going to write me back but I'm going to put this out there anyway. Usually they do. 

Not everybody, but my experience is that even people who feel quite a bit above my paygrade place a lot of value on paying it forward in their lives and sometimes they charge. Usually, they charge actually. But oftentimes they have some type of coaching program or some type of way that you can engage with them. So, I guess, kind of stretch beyond maybe where you feel worthy of being mentored and take that risk and I think you'll find that most people kind of smile upon that. 
Jaime Masters:	I think it's so important for you to say that too, especially coming from YOU because most people that are listening are like, well, he's worthy to ask for a mentor, right. Of course, who wouldn't want to be mentoring with him? But, in general, everybody has got that inner self-worth that's not usually as good as what everybody else sort of sees on the outside. 

Mark Aardsma:	Very true. 

Jaime Masters:	So, stepping into that is really huge because, I mean, that's what changed my life too. I wouldn't be where I am today without a mentor, in general. So, how do you know, especially on the leadership side, that you're getting better at it? 

Mark Aardsma:	That's a great question actually because the way life works - by analogy maybe it's kind of like working out at the gym. You know, you get strong enough to lift one weight and you move right up to the next one and you always feel like, man, I'm sweating just as much as I did. I think leadership is kind of like that because the company grows, the challenges grow, I'm willing to tackle more as I get stronger, and so I always feel like I'm right on the edge of what I can handle. 

Actually, one of my mentors is really good at sometimes saying, hey, look back and remember what you were struggling with a year ago or two years ago and how that's second nature for you now and you deal with those on a regular basis. Like, for me, one that I always think of the first time that I ever got sued I was like freaking out. I'm like we were getting sued by a large company. They were mad at us and I was like I don't know how to handle this. 

I'm super stressed and I talked to him about it at that time and he was like - the company that he was running has about 100 concurrent lawsuits at a time. He was like you're going to be able to deal with this. And that was cool. I was like, okay, there's a higher level. I can deal with this but then, you know, it did come to a point where I get a letter from a lawyer and it's like, okay, there is a process. I know what to do and what scares me now is something higher. So, I think that looking back kind of reminds me. 

Jaime Masters:	I remember one of my friends said that who had an amazing company. I have actually interviewed him on the show and he was like you're not a true entrepreneur until you've been sued. I was like, I have not heard it that way before. Sure, everybody is just waiting to raise their hand on that one. 

Mark Aardsma:	Right. You know, thankfully, we've never had any legal situation end badly but it's one thing that scared me, you know, so it comes up. 

Jaime Masters:	What roller coaster ride did we get on as entrepreneurs to have to deal with crap like this often, right? 

Mark Aardsma:	Right. 

Jaime Masters:	It's amazing what we deal with. Right? 

Mark Aardsma: 	I also remember - I mean, people come into your office with just the most random things. One that always sticks out in my mind - this was a LONG time ago when I was more directly involved in running a manufacturing business, but an employee came into my office and they were like the dumpster is on fire. I'm like, okay, I guess we have to deal with this situation. I don't really have a plan right now. 

Jaime Masters:	Good thing you're a problem-solver, right? Like, okay, great. 

Mark Aardsma:	Right. Like, get the hose or something? I don't know. So, you never know what you're going to get and I think it's part of what I love really, because more than anything I hate to be bored. If I wake up and I basically know what's going to happen today and I know that it's not going to be challenging, I don't have a lot of energy in that. So, I need the stimulation and that's one thing that's really cool about what I do, especially with the investing side now. It's that kind of the playground is really big and I think a lot of entrepreneurs share that quality. 

Jaime Masters:	Yeah, new, exciting, adventurous like when, fortunately, boredom is like our death, which I think is a good thing right now though sometimes it's not necessarily a blessing with what you deal with, like fires in dumpsters. 

Mark Aardsma:	It's true, actually. I guess on the other side of the coin, I think part of my learning in the last few years is to be at peace with moments in life that are a little slower, whether it's a relationship moment or something that requires being quiet and it's hard for me and I'm glad that I get to do fast-paced things as well. But I guess the ideal in growth, a concept that I believe in is that I don't want to become like a medium-paced person and find the right balance. I want to be able to be fast when the situation calls for it and slow when the situation calls for it. It's that range and that flexibility and I'm working on the slow. Not good at it. 

Jaime Masters:	Most of us feel the same way and to revel in both of them, right. So, to be happy that when you're fast, you're fast and to be happy when you're slow, you're slow.

Mark Aardsma:	Yeah.

Jaime Masters:	Instead of, like you said, just being one constant. So, how do you deal with, especially because we were talking about bringing the idea of strategy in this too. I know you're really good at this. This is what you're doing with a lot of the companies that you're working with and you're investing in. When you have dumpster fire issues and sued issues and all sorts of other stuff, how do we see the forest for the trees? 

How can we really look at where the ship is going strategy-wise and make sure that we have that bigger picture when all of these things are being thrown out at us constantly? 

Mark Aardsma:	Yeah, that's a very good question because it arises out of real life that things never go according to plan. There's ALWAYS curve balls. There's always fires. Yes, I'm trying to think about - I think part of it is that I know in myself and I think entrepreneurs in general have a very persistent stubborn kind of a streak that I am going to get where I'm trying to go, you know, no matter what? hell or high water, I guess. I think that's helpful and kind of like, okay, we're going to deal with the distraction of the day but I'm not giving up on what I wanted. 


So, that drivenness and that determination, I think, is key because there WILL be just obstacles and brick walls and all types of problems and you have to be willing to, I guess - it's not willing - you have to have the quality of, I guess, optimism and determination, so that's part of it. Then I think it is wise in practice to say even when there is a crisis, even when there is something that's very stressful, as a leader I'm not going to let it consume me. We will fight this fire but it's not going to become and eight hours a day or a 24/7 activity that there are other things that need to happen. 

Actually, it's a really strange thing as a leader of anything that's starting to get a little bit bigger. I call it emotional multitasking that has to happen, that maybe I just came from opening a letter that I'm getting sued, since we're using that example today. Then my next task is to go welcome a new employee to orientation. That is a totally different emotional thing and I've got to be able to do both in the same day. So, I think that's part of it. It's like, okay, we're going to solve this problem but it's not going to overwhelm me and I'm going to remember what are the big goals and why am I doing this? 

Jaime Masters:	That's awesome. So, let's say especially when you're working and starting to invest in a company - we were talking about getting into the strategy side and this is sort of what you do, right? Like, when we go into a market or I'm assuming when you're jumping or are already into a company that's already existing, how do you determine what the most - I was going to say efficient, but I'm not sure efficient is the right - the correct path that you're going to go through, especially if they already have a lot of things set? company values potentially and a bunch of other things. 

Mark Aardsma:	Yeah.

Jaime Masters:	I'm thinking like key differentiator. Like, do you actually change what they do based on when you go in? Or you tell me more about how that works for you. 

Mark Aardsma:	Yeah. So, in my own companies where I have 100 percent ownership, I can change whatever I want, which is great. It's sort of new for me at this stage where I'm tending to be making investments in other people's companies where I don't own 50 percent plus of the stock, that I don't get to go in and say, you know, here's my strategy. In either case though, I guess the questions are the same. It's kind of what are the ultimate outcomes that we're looking for here? I guess everybody wants to make money but it also is important to be clear - do I want to sell this business at some point? 

Are we trying to grow it and run it for a long time? Do we want a lot of market share? Do we want to be a -? you know, those goals need to be defined; otherwise, it gets fuzzy. Sometimes it is ongoing where we don't quite know the answers to those questions. Then kind of what is a plausible path from where we are now to that future state, you know. It's got to at least work on paper to be able to say then this happens and then this happens and then that happens and those are reasonably logically connected and no miracles have to occur in between those. So, it's just kind of like is there a path? What levers do we think are going to influence where we want to go? So, it's very cause and effect, I guess, always thinking about what are the key causes in the effects that we want? Then how does that come down to some kind of measurable execution? What do we actually need to do today and this month and this quarter that's really key to where we want to go? 

If I had that conversation with the leaders of a business that I'm invested in, hopefully I was looking at that before I made an investment and I have a pretty degree of alignment with that. Yep, I think that they've got the right ideas in mind. If I don't like the direction that they're going, I'm usually happy to call the CEO and say, "I have this concern." My experiences are tough for them because they have a lot of people talking in their ears? a lot of other investors and everybody, BCs, and everybody else. 

Then it's my job to let them do their job and run the company and just try to be supportive and give my input. 

Jaime Masters:	Just be tough, as somebody who has run companies and who feels it's this way. 

Mark Aardsma: 	Yes.

Jaime Masters:	Sitting back and not necessarily having your brilliant ideas, which you know will probably work to get done, right? 

Mark Aardsma:	True. 

Jaime Masters:	I mean, it is funny.

Mark Aardsma:	And I'm not always right. I've noticed some - 

Jaime Masters:	No, but they're probably very brilliant ideas either way. That's the thing that's so funny. Of course, it's our perspective on how this goes anyway, but still, we think we're right; otherwise, we wouldn't come up with these solutions, right? Then to be able to let go enough, I'm sure, is a total different mindset shift to go from running your own thing to investing in somebody else's company. 

Mark Aardsma:	Yeah, and it's an act of leadership to recognize that there's a relationship here that has value beyond the immediate strategic plan that I may be wrong, so bring some humility to it, that there is time, you know. If the ship is going the wrong direction, time will probably make that more apparent. If it's going the right direction, it will make it more apparent to me that I need to get behind it. 

Jaime Masters:	This is a slow practice that you were just talking about, wasn't it? 

Mark Aardsma:	Yes, have some patience, yes. Even thinking in the really big picture that the relationship goes probably beyond the company, that if it's a startup its lifetime MAY not be that long. That CEO will probably go on and do other things. I'm going to go on and do other things. I would like to get referrals. So, it's kind of - let's not die on this hill if we don't agree because it's actually their call anyway. So, that's a good example, I guess, of leadership skills versus just being a smart person who has got a strategic idea and kind of bringing those BOTH together. 

Jaime Masters:	Yeah, and those are those nuances that you've learned over - because if you're not good at them at first - like you said, the leadership side of things. It sounds like you've gotten better and better and you're like, okay, this is the mode where I have to now back off. 

Mark Aardsma:	Right.

Jaime Masters:	Right? 

Mark Aardsma:	For sure, yep. 

Jaime Masters:	Lesson learned. Principle written in the Google Doc. Good to know.  Right? 

Mark Aardsma:	Right. Right, yeah. 

Jaime Masters:	As best we can. I want to ask you before we have to start wrapping up - I know this goes by really quick - because you?ve been in so many different types of markets also - I'm reading your background - we can link back to your other interview, so they can listen to all your background that you have from before. But how do you figure out - and maybe even have these companies that you are investing in or clients of yours - how do you figure out your key differentiator and how do you know if it's enough? Right? 

That USP when sometimes we're refining, right. It doesn't mean that you have it right the very first time when you put the stake in the ground, so how do we figure out where in the market we should be raising a stake, I guess? 

Mark Aardsma: 	Yeah. That is very hard. It's kind of the core of the long-term sustainable profits of a business. It's how do we actually do what we do better than the other choices that our customers have? And it's one of like three or four key questions about a business. It's so hard because we have pretty free markets and other people are welcome to imitate and, you know, sometimes there's patents or something but even those expire and there's ways around them, so the hard work of saying how are we different and how are we better and how do we protect and sustain that? 

	I guess my advice on how to do it is start with the customer. How can we be a better choice in a way that matters to the customer? That's essentially empathy, putting yourself in someone else's shoes who maybe doesn't think like you do, isn't motivated, you know. If I'm an engineer starting a company, my motivations are probably VERY different than my customer who might use that service. So, the more I can get into their head and understand what they value about this particular service or segment or product, and what bothers them about it and where the pain points are? 

	So, it's interesting because it's almost like a selflessness of saying if I'm not doing this for me and I'm really doing it for THEM, how would I make it better? I've noticed that consistently that people who have a passion for serving a set of customers and improving their experience, tend to make a lot of money. And people who say, how can I make a lot of money? Nothing wrong with that question. It's just that you do that by understanding the needs of someone else and needing them. So, be as empathetic as customer-focused and customer-informed as you can. 

Jaime Masters:	I agree. How do you know if it's good enough though? The reason why I'm asking too is because I have a mastermind group and one of the guys has an amazing weirdo - I have a weird company clients in mudjacking and foam concrete leveling, because that's sexy, right? 

Mark Aardsma:	Uh-huh.

Jaime Masters:	But they're not cookie-cutter but it's hard to find key differentiators for things when you're like our competition here is also amazing. He also has integrity. He also has - and they start listing all the things and he is doing everything. He is doing EVERYTHING! So, we were trying to go through and figure out what those pieces were and IF they were enough. Of course, we also said, "Go talk to your customers because that also matters. What they care about does matter." Right, and having the data back from them but how do we know if that's going to be enough in people's eyes? 

Mark Aardsma:	That's - it is very tough and I have been in some businesses where I wasn't able to generate the kind of advantage that I want to have where just my competitors are good. We're imitating each other. Innovation is going quickly. A lot of it has to do with the behavior of the customers. So, there's not always an answer for how you can have a huge advantage in that business. I would think outside the box, I guess, and be willing to maybe get out of that business or get into a very different aspect of that business if you find that you CAN'T create a significant advantage. 

	If you can't, it doesn't mean that you will go out of business or that you can't make a very nice profit. It just means that your margins are always going to be tight and you'll have to be more of a cost-conscious business if you don't have other significant advantages. Sometimes there's a HUGE amount of business that gets done in that way, you know, contracting and the whole construction business, in general, kind of works that way for the most part. It's not a death now. How do you know if it's enough? If it matters to the customer to the point where they will pay extra for it then that's a good sign.

Jaime Masters:	Oh, good point, yeah. So, it is not just competing on price and stuff like that anyway. Okay, I like that a lot. We also suggested too, like one is in your own little niche and then when you start going a little bit bigger and wider, the competition changes everywhere, thankfully. When you're dealing with local stuff versus NOT local, we can go after and look after lots of other different potentialities - is that even a word - to try and figure out where there are different nuances because it's not always - like, sometimes we're in our own little bucket or own little world.

	Then we're like, oh, my gosh, my competition is amazing! Then you go like three cities over and you're like, oh, wait, the competition there sucks? or whatever it is. 

Mark Aardsma: 	Yeah. No, that's true. I hate looking at my competition. It's a weakness of mine. I tend to overestimate them and when I go look, oftentimes it's like, okay, we're doing all right. I like where we stand here, so it's a good practice whether it comes naturally or not. 

Jaime Masters:	It's always good to have an advantage no matter how we try and find them and to keep looking at it over and over and over again. It just makes things, hopefully, a little easier. So, dealing with all the other crap that you do - oh, dumpster? All I can think of is the dumpster on fire. I'm sorry I keep going back to that. 

Mark Aardsma:	Yeah.

Jaime Masters:	I'm so thankful I have not had that one on my list so far. I love this though, Mark, and everybody needs to make sure they check out your book, Investing with Purpose, which I think is extremely important because it does feel like you live your values, even if we don't know exactly how we pinpoint all of it. I think it's the mark of a true leader that really shines through without even realizing that they're making it into a habit, which is really awesome. So, I'm going to ask you the last question and it's - 

Mark Aardsma:	Sure.

Jaime Masters:	I say this at the beginning and all my guess are like I don't remember what you said last time. They don't remember what you said last time either. Well, just say whatever you want and we'll go compare it later. No, I'm kidding. We won't really go compare it later. What is ONE action listeners can take this week to help move them forward towards their goal of a million? 

Mark Aardsma:	Yeah, I bet I did say something similar last time but I don't remember. I would say, you know, kind of just what the title of the book is about. Be honest with yourself about the purpose. Maybe sit down with a Google Doc and write out a little bit of when I make more money, here is what I hope happens. Clarify that vision and kind of how it connects to what you're doing. I think that might be motivating or it might inspire some rethinking and also, I think it might take some of the fear or the desperation out and say, well, this is what I want and this is what I really value for my life. 

	And maybe I already have more of that that I think. If it is to be respected or to be loved or something like that. Maybe I can take a deep breath and just go do my work with a little more confidence that it's going to be okay and that I'm not lacking. I don't need to be more or do more in order to be okay today. Maybe that's sort of different advice for a millionaire show but the book kind of hits on that and I think it's wise. 

Jaime Masters:	Me too. I love how internal it is because this is an eternal game and we kind of forget that. Yeah, money extra and all that fun stuff but it really is the internal stuff that really makes all the difference in the world. Thank you so much, Mark. I really appreciate it. Tell us where we can get the book and everybody make sure to go check out the book and check out Mark online. So, give us whatever links we can to go follow up with more on you. 

Mark Aardsma:	Yeah, thank you. I really appreciate you helping spread the word about the book. You said it. It's Investing with Purpose. If people go to allwhoaspire.com, I have a thing going on where if you buy the book from anywhere? Amazon, or whatever, and you read it and you think of someone who you want to encourage, you can go to that allwhoaspire.com and nominate them and I will send the book with a little message from you to them and say, hey, go after your dreams. 

Jaime Masters:	See, you CARE! I love talking to people who actually will do stuff because of that. That doesn't make you really any more money. It takes away your money. Yes, it spreads your message but still, it's like you going out and actually caring about more people reading this and I think that's really awesome. Thanks so much for coming on the show today, Mark. I appreciate it.

Mark Aardsma:	Yeah, thank you. I appreciate it too.

Tags: Analytical, business coaching, business goals, business philosophy, business processes, business relationships, business tools, business venture, critical success factors, Determination, entrepreneur podcast, finances, finances and investments, financial analysis, financial leverage, financial management, how to be a leader, jaime masters, key differentiator, leadership development, Long-term profits, Mark Aardsma, Markestshare, millionaire entrepreneurs, millionaire habits, most profitable businesses, professional development goals, professional development plan, questions to ask a mentor, sales and marketing, strategic goals, top entrepreneurs, what does success mean to you

Categories: All, Featured Millionaire Interview, Finance, Finances, Key Differentiator, Leadership, Millionaire Interviews, Personal Finance/Wealth, Wealth Building

Hi I’m Jaime. Each and every week I bring you the top business advice from the people who know best.

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