Ep. 073 – James Arthur Ray “Forget about money. A business is in business to provide service and value. When we provide service and value, the money comes as a byproduct.”
James Arthur Show Notes
James Arthur Ray is considered one of the world’s foremost leadership and performance advisers, coaches and consultants.
James’s company has been on the INC. 500 LIST as one of the fastest growing businesses in the industry. He has taught over 1 million individuals in 145 countries over the course of 20 years. Then in 2009, in what began as a very routine sweat lodge-like ceremony outside of Sedona, Arizona, 3 of the 53 participants lost their lives from complications. The incident was deemed an accident and James was found to be negligent.
He spent the past 4 years creating and refining a new set of teachings that we have listed above. Each of his talks has a detailed curriculum that audiences both learn from and enjoy. He emphasizes gaining personal clarity, recognizing each person’s unique gift, and better understanding about how to avoid the mistakes that are avoidable. James is high- energy and truly inspirational.
Most passionate about
- I have some big intentions and goals. My big, bold, what I call PTP: Powerful Transforming Purpose, is to impact, influence, guide, and direct the infinite potential and the destiny of the entire human race. I know that’s bold, and I also know it may not be accomplished in my lifetime, but that doesn’t mean I’m not gonna give it everything I have.
James’ best advice about approaching customers
- I have a two-pronged answer for that question.
- The first prong: Forget about money. Easier said than done, I’m not saying money is not important; of course it is. One of my mentors taught me, ‘No margin, no mission.’ Put all of your focus on providing value, because most of us have been conditioned to believe that a business is in business to make money. That’s wrong. A business is in business to provide service and value. When we provide service and value, the money comes as a byproduct.
- The second prong: Know specifically who your customer is, presupposing that you know what your unique customer avatar is. Who is your market, who are you going after, who is your customer, and then how do they want to be served? Because, so many times, we tend to come to any kind of relationship, and your customer is a relationship, from our perspective and we attempt to serve them in the way we want to be served vs. joining their perspective and serving them in the way they want to be served.
Biggest failure with a customer
- Without any hesitation whatsoever, my biggest failure, and anyone who knows my history, knows that in 2009, my company and I conducted an event in Sedona, Arizona and three people ended up losing their lives in an activity we were doing. Yeah, it was horrible, and it was the antithesis of everything I’d ever stood for or ever attempted to accomplish. I’m sure you can imagine, I mean, if you’ve ever lost anyone you cared about, you know what the anguish is on that. On top of that, you have it happen on your watch and you’re the leader… So, anyway, that was my biggest failure.
Biggest success due to the right customer approach
- My team and I were inducted into the Inc. 500 in 2009, with one of the fastest growing, most successful privately held companies in the nation, if not the world. When Inc. Magazine interviewed me to ask how I did it, my response was ‘I didn’t do it, my team did.’ I’m also wise enough to know that I had the wherewithal and the skills to build a high performing team, and yet, one of the ways I do that, is playing you’re a game. I’m incredibly clear about what I’m good at. I’m also really clear about what I’m horrible at. So play to your greatness, and build a team whose greatness are your weaknesses.
James’ most recommended tool
- Social media is a great way to build relationships. If we pay attention to the messages that are coming in, the questions, the conversations that we can build with clients; it gives us a tremendous amount of data.
James’ key success factor
- Easy answer! Grit. Grit is my key factor. I find it so limited in today’s world. If you look at Angela Duckworth’s research on grit, she’s done a tremendous amount of research. I define grit as founded in purpose, grit is a choice to persevere, because you are continuing to fulfill a purpose. It takes grit to continue. The reason I think it’s so lacking in today’s world is because we live in a quick-fix mentality.
James’ Mountain
Since we believe that the best way for entrepreneurs to get a fast, big, and sustainable success is by leading your (new) market category, and the entire entrepreneurial journey reminds me of mountaineering, or conquering the mountain; I want to ask you if there is a mountain you dream of climbing or a mountain you have already climbed?
- One of my spiritual teachers was a shaman that was out of the Peruvian tradition, one of the Quero, who are descendants of the Inca. I went with him years ago, to spend two weeks climbing Salkantay, which is the highest peak in the Vilcabamba mountain range, part of the Peruvian Andes. It is located in the Cusco Region, about 60 km west-northwest of the city of Cusco. So, the traditions maintain that you meet your higher self in the accent of this mountain. Climbing that mountain for two weeks was a bear; we were camping in glaciers and it was not easy at all.
The best way to connect with James
Jame’s Book
Harmonic Wealth by James Arthur Ray
More resources for Entrepreneurs
- Don’t Miss – Customer Focus Strategy & Execution: Market Analysis for Fundraising
- Hayut Yogev’s Latest post: The three free, most practical steps to researching and locating your market
- Former interview: How successful entrepreneurs find their best customers?
