Business Beyond Business

by Paul Edwards

  If you’re going to pursue this way of life, I’ll further shrink the candidate pool by telling you that whatever you do for living will clash if your income depends on getting as many clients as you can. The greatest and most valuable people on the face of the Earth do not exist in plentiful supply, and they tend to withdraw if you are scattered all over the place, chasing a horde of cheapskates like I did with insurance.

  It’s perfectly okay not to proceed at all, or to take this book with a grain of salt and not take any action. I don’t make money getting it into your hands, so I hope you don’t feel ripped off. But beyond these pages lies a private, exclusive network of influencers, entrepreneurs, executives and high performers who gather periodically to share knowledge and get power … while also engaging in radical generosity and sacrificial love, to the degree that many question our sanity.

  You must love people merely because they are, to be part of this. Merit and performance are unquestionably important. Business Beyond Business, however, deliberately interrupts the emphasis on profits and influence – by the seeming silliness of grace and extravagant generosity. My inner circle is filled with people who understand that the crème-de-la-crème of our quarterly meetings are the times and days we devote to serving – for no money, no publicity and no write-offs. Earned or not, deserved or not, beautiful or ugly. You can’t even bring your smartphone to take a selfie or group photo to show the world what a good person you are.

  You can’t truly be in business in the Kingdom of God and simply say you’re interested in helping the poor or disadvantaged. (Or even do it from a safe distance … we’re not a “check-writing” club). To show the love of God to people – and really, can we do it in one day? – you must be with them. You must be where they are, standing with them to face the issues they face and provide them with the very opposite of what the world, or even they, think they deserve. See the famous scene in Les Miserables when Bishop Myriel gives Jean Valjean the exact opposite of what anyone and everyone would think he deserved – and watch what it unleashes in his life.

  You must work their menial jobs or do things for them they can’t do for themselves … in full view of their weary faces and broken hearts. You must restore and rebuild just a little bit of hope and faith in them by walking with them side-by-side … without regard for their current state, because you know that just as one day isn’t nearly as powerful as a decade, so it is that judging a person’s life by a single encounter is folly.

  Enter, therefore, at your own risk – to the world of the Radically Generous Entrepreneur.

  CHAPTER 1

  My Beginnings

  (An Awkward, Pushy Salesman)

  It was August of 2013, in the office of Liberty Mutual Insurance in Tumwater, Washington. As a rookie agent, I was going over my marketing plan with Abrann Harris, my branch manager. Abrann told me something I never forgot. “We don’t want you sitting around in this office,” he said, bluntly. “The majority of your time should be spent out in the field - networking, doing community events, being visible. If you’re here, it should be because you’re binding coverage on new policies or because the client wants to meet you here.”

  I had clear marching orders – but no knowledge of how to execute, except to show up and learn by trial and error. Come to think of it, I wasn’t even sure where to begin showing up … but it didn’t take long to figure out. By asking around and researching, I discovered plenty of places to become known.

  Networking was where this all started, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle.

  The (Long) Road to El Dorado

  It took a while to arrive at three words to establish my all-important client avatar. I don’t know of a business coach or marketing expert today who doesn’t emphasize how important it is to be as granular and microscopic as you can in defining it. I had some idea of who I wanted. What I observe is that people manufacturing or marketing a product have something that can, in many cases, speak for itself. The counterpart who is marketing a service, however, is selling themselves … and no amount of highbrow mumbo-jumbo about the superiority of the service you sell makes anything like the difference it used to.

  With that in mind, I knew I was likelier to attract service-based professionals – accountants, insurance agents, fitness trainers, life coaches, financial advisors and so on. However, my experiences networking as an insurance agent showed that among those groups, there would be an equal distribution of people I did not want to waste time trying to reach. The color of your collar is no indication of the state of your soul, and I would rather have a city maintenance worker with a Kingdom heart than a massive influencer with an even bigger ego.

  I’m after a very rare breed of person. They share some qualities of the “average” target client. However, they also have attributes that cost way too much trying to find by putting up an ad on Facebook or Instagram.

  The term I’ve coined for this person is the Radically Generous Entrepreneur. This usually applies to business owners, but we also welcome entrepreneur-minded employees, government officials and nonprofit/religious workers. We’re talking mainly of a spirit rather than a title. You can be employed by a company, elected by the people or nominated by a board, and still be a Radically Generous Entrepreneur.

  Common to these men and women are certain values and beliefs that usually align with the following phrases I’ve written to describe my skill and value to humanity and the marketplace:

  It’s not what I do.

  It’s not even who I know.

  It’s who knows me, followed by who I know, that forms the entire basis of what clients stand to gain by working with me.

  Radically Generous Entrepreneurs usually possess some degree of the six qualities you’ll discover in the ensuing chapters. I want to emphasize that these are not “uniform standards,” nor does the absence of mastery indicate the lack of potential. I was once a shallow, pushy salesman; then I became a skilled networker and did business 100% through referrals and word-of-mouth.

  Monastic Heart

  All my life, I’d viewed my tendency to “walk away” from people, places and situations as a liability. I thought it made me capricious and fickle. To be honest, there’s truth to that; I have abandoned people and things I shouldn’t have, at a record pace. But one day, as I pored through the rewriting and editing of this book, I heard it distinctly in my heart, from God: “I will make your greatest strength from the very quality you’ve decreed a curse.”

  In an interview with my mentor Morgan Snyder, he spoke of the qualities of the “Move Away” relational style: “These people have a reflective heart and soul; they’re contemplative, and comfortable in their own skin. They’re at peace, they welcome stillness, they don’t agree with a spirit of false urgency or a compulsive need to ‘come through’ for people. They model self-care and have healthy boundaries.” I learned, through possessing a significant measure of this in my own personality, that the ability to sacrifice dreams, worldly ambitions, cultural norms and even one’s own life – to “walk away” from everything the world holds dear – is a critical trait of the Radically Generous Entrepreneur.

  Pro Bono Publicist

  There’s never been a time in my life where “tooting my own horn” seemed to work, except when I was doing it tongue-in-cheek to laugh at my own self-confidence. Other than that, I’ve gone to the mat every time I’ve become a braggadocio. Boasting simply doesn’t work.

  Putting the spotlight on my allies and friends, however, is massively rewarding. Going to bat for another person, recommending them without a second thought, profiling them in an interview, posting a recommendation or a shout-out on social media – these are ordinary, daily habits of Radically Generous Entrepreneurs. They use their voice to elevate the people around them, because they know that giving someone a boost “on your way up” means (among other things) that you can rely on helping hands “on your way down.”

  When I was mercifully fired from Insurance Services Group in 2018, a
tidal wave of support came sweeping into my inbox. Even though I’d personally say that I did a mediocre job at best of being a pro bono publicist for my network, they responded with overwhelming sympathy and compelling interest in picking me up as a free agent.

  Not-for-Profit IS For-Profit

  I’ve never met someone I’d classify as a Radically Generous Entrepreneur who restricts themselves to purely for-profit commercial activities. It’s out of character.

  However, there are plenty of people who disqualify from this category even though they’re active with charitable institutions. You can be part of a “check-writing club” or just seeking tax shelter from Uncle Sam. There’s nothing wrong with that, in my opinion; it’s just that by itself, it doesn’t help anyone but you. Radically Generous Entrepreneurs do more than sign checks and ask for tax receipts.

  Meet some people in this category and you’ll notice the difference. My friend Tina Torfin has been president of the Lacey Subchapter of the Association of the US Army for as long as I’ve known her. She serves, in and out of season, flush with cash or hustling to raise funds. Her husband Greg is not a soldier, and she doesn’t seem to have much family connection to the armed services. She just cares beyond caring about soldiers and military families. It’s who she is, and the cost in time or money is irrelevant to her.

  Dream Networker

  You’ll read about a specific, strategic method I’ve used to build connection with prominent and high-performing people. Notice, however, it’s bracketed by an emphasis on practicing with ordinary folks you meet in the course of your day. Radically Generous Entrepreneurs do these things, whether they’re meeting a global celebrity or a mom-and-pop couple who own a local convenience store.

  In an interview, my friend Alan Shimamoto explained how he did this with me. He began our business relationship by inviting me to an NFL football game instead of trying sell AdvoCare products. “If I would have led with the product, we could have had a ‘one-and-done’ conversation,” he said. “Chances are, we wouldn’t have had the strong relationship we have. Instead, we developed a friendship first, and then later, you did end up doing business with me.”

  Persuasive in Print

  Occasionally, I muse about how much meaningless, useless and un-read information there is (in written form) on the internet. If the Bible said in the time of King Solomon that there’s no end to making many books, what do you think it would have to say about websites?

  Radically Generous Entrepreneurs are neither wasteful nor whimsical about their written correspondence. Intentionality guides their writing. They think about how words can be perceived and misinterpreted. More importantly, they think about how their writing can be overwhelming, obnoxious or easily discarded as “white noise.” Watching these people write a message would probably make the average person scream, because they take longer to send a much better message.

  The Curator

  Finally, Radically Generous Entrepreneurs are selective and protective of their hearts, their time, their energy and their relationships. They don’t associate with just anybody – not out of pride, mind you, but because saying “yes” to one thing means you say “no” to another. Usually, if you choose to embrace a person, philosophy or activity, you must (by definition) reject others – and that means they lack you.

  My coach Rob Kosberg has absolutely zero time for hate-filled comments on social media. In case you wonder if this is true, I’ve personally watched him delete them during live coaching calls where he discusses online sales funnels. He doesn’t even read the comments, except the first few words to determine if they’re positive. As soon as he detects negativity, he hits “delete” without reading the message and blocks the sender.

  Another mentor, Jayson Gaignard, is a master of curating groups. He’s been on my list of people I’d most like to meet for a while. As the head of Mastermind Talks, Jayson became successful by doing the same things I do – assembling groups by invitation only, and researching and interviewing candidates at a deep level before admitting them. Radically Generous Entrepreneurs are as attuned to the needs and interests of those within their ranks as they are to the world around them.

  Okay, this is starting to make sense, but …

  “Where did he get all this information, anyway?”

  I’ve eaten humble pie realizing how little I’ve invested in people. When contemplating what I could have invested, I shudder.

  To some degree I was compelled to learn; none of it occurred to me naturally. That’s the best news of all – these are learned skills and behaviors, not inborn greatness. You too can go from being quite self-absorbed or awkward to being a prince (or princess) to the people around you by learning these traits and habits.

  Digital Advantage

  In 2014, with business still lagging and not performing like I’d hoped, I joined the Agency Alliance mastermind program, hosted by Sean Matheis and Jonathan Garrick. This was my first exposure to 21st-century online business coaching. Together with ad copy strategies that brought in viable leads, following their advice catapulted me to the very top of the entire Liberty sales force for social media engagement.

  Jonathan Garrick’s influence on me was very powerful. Unlike the lead generation techniques Sean taught, Jon’s emphasis was on relationship-building, through whatever means most enabled it. He taught me the importance of video marketing. He also showed me how to fly in the face of the way most insurance agents were likely to do it. During a coaching session one day, Jon said, “If you’re going to make a video, DO NOT talk about insurance coverages, rates, whatever. Nobody cares about that stuff.”

  When I enquired as to what should take its place, Jon said, “People want a chance to get to know you. Talk about your family, your hobbies, your interests, places you go, people you meet, anything that is of human interest. They already know what you do for a living; they can look it up if you’ve got it listed on your profile. What they don’t know is what kind of man you are.”

  I’ve never looked back from his advice. It was the most potent ingredient I could use, right under my nose. You’d think it was glaringly obvious … but I’m good at being oblivious. That summer I began to release videos every few days on Facebook, and it led to an expanding and engaged following that lasted a long time. Suddenly, everywhere I went, people I met said, “I love your videos,” or “I feel as though I already know you, even though we’re just meeting for the first time.”

  Through this digital expansion, social media eventually made me a published author. In 2016 I wrote my first article for Insurance Business America. An article I published on LinkedIn caught the eye of one of their senior correspondents, Libby MacDonald.

  Boards of Education

  Civic involvement also played a huge role in establishing my brand identity. The best thing about nonprofits and community associations? Their boards and volunteers are usually chock-full of entrepreneurs and leaders. The higher you go in terms of the organization’s prominence, the likelier you are to run into the biggest “power players” in town.

  Jayson Gaignard wrote that “the way to a rich man’s heart is through his charity.” I discovered this was true with some of Olympia’s prominent, well-to-do families. I scratched their backs to help them raise funds, and they would turn around and do business with me or elevate me into rooms where, apart from their invitation, I had no business being there.

  When I started volunteering with boards, it was awkward. Another task you simply tackled head-on and learned as you went. No two boards or organizations are exactly alike, no matter what their bylaws say. You can’t turn a board into a leads group, so don’t go there with your “me first” hat on. I made it a habit to use my knowledge and experience to be resourceful to the committee members I served with.

  From there, people will often assume you’re an expert in your field. It shortens the steps they take when they need help: “Where will we get the right insurance coverage for this event?” There are fewer questions to puzz
le over when a very natural fit with the right answer is in the same room with them. All the associations and boards I joined helped me make wonderful strides, land great clients and open new relationships.

  Preach and Teach

  I found momentum in violating every established business “rule” I could during these days. Let’s take the “information business,” for example. Clearly, in this century, we don’t simply need more information; we’ve had more of it disseminated in the last 20 years than in the previous 10 centuries, and we still don’t know what to do with our problems and difficulties.

  As you can imagine, the old maxim “the teacher becomes the student” quickly began to apply. Teaching adults didn’t differ from teaching children in this respect. I began to learn even while preparing to teach. It forced me to think about what I would say, how I’d say it and what illustrations I could use to drive a point home. I researched more, considered more points of view and consulted more sources and references for accuracy and creativity.

  Advancement for Dummies

  In an interview, my friend Brittany Michalchuk said, “I always aim to be the dumbest person in the room. It’s how you grow, because if you take the lowest seat at the table, you can learn a lot from everyone else.” In the last two years, this has characterized my life and work more than anything.

  I gained networking “muscle” in the last two years. Studying under the mentors I did helped me make more progress than in six years of mostly self-guided insurance hustle. Joining masterminds where you pay premiums to get access to the most successful people in the world is just like what Brittany described. You make yourself the dumbest person in the room.