Finding Your Pickle by Russell Perry

FINDING YOUR PICKLE•HOW AUTHENTICITY SCALES STARTUPS

Russ Perry@russperry

#OBEYTHEPICKLE

COOLAGENCY DUDE

August 15th, 2014

September 1st, 2014

$4,000

($4,000)

A whole lot of nada

A whole lot of questions

A whole lot of failure

A whole lot of WTF

Why?

How?

FEAR

#1

FEAR OF STAYING AFLOAT

#2

FEAR OF THE MARKETS

#3

FEAR OF LETTING MY FRIENDS DOWN

#4

FEAR OF FAILING MY PARTNER

#5

FEAR OF BECOMING MY DAD

#6

FEAR OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL

#7

FEAR OF DIVORCE

#8

FEAR OF THE APOCALYPSE (SERIOUSLY)

WHY SO MUCH FEAR?

TOO MANY LIES

TOO MANY STORIES

TOO MANY ZOMBIE SHOWS

BUT ULTIMATELY

I LACKED AUTHENTICITY

I WAS TOO BUSY FOCUSED ON

BEING…

COOLAGENCY DUDE

I COULDN’T ANSWER A

SIMPLE QUESTION:

WHAT DID I WANT?

(CRICKETS)

WITHOUT AUTHENTICITY

WE LACK CLARITY

WITHOUT CLARITY WE OPERATE IN DARKNESS

DARKNESS BREEDS FEAR

BUT THERE’S GOOD NEWS

DARKNESS FEARS THE LIGHT

“WALK BY THE LIGHT YOU HAVE SO DARKNESS DOESN’T DESTROY

YOU. IF YOU WALK IN DARKNESS, YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING. AS YOU HAVE THE LIGHT, BELIEVE IN THE LIGHT.

THE LIGHT WILL BE WITHIN YOU, SHINING THROUGH YOUR LIVES.”

- JOHN 12: 35-36

LIGHT = CLARITY

CLARITY = AUTHENTICTY

AUTHENTICTY =

It took me 10 years to get this authentic.

AUTHENTICITY IS THE X

FACTOR

WHEN YOU’RE CLEAR YOUR

BUSINESSFAMILY

LIFE

IS LIVED AUTHENTICALLY.

HOW DID I GET CLEAR&

CONQUER FEAR?

1. WHAT DO YOU WANT?

ANSWER:

DON’T KNOW?

HIRE A COACH.

TAYLORPEARSON.mevanessashaw.comdenapatton.comgarrettjwhite.com

$26,100 2014-2015

$50,000+ 2015-2016

2. CREATE YOUR DECISION MAKING FILTER

Answer:

3 years from now where will I have to be personally and professional to be satisfied with my progress?

• Focused around my strengths• Another, and final kid• 3 month’s cash flow in savings• Purchased dream home• Spending 2+ months a year abroad• Summer in Japan• Time to game regularly (RPG /

tabletop) • Ample time running non-profit

program• House in Italy• Mission trip with my family• Paid speaker

2. Create a list of “filters” that must be true to accomplish your previous list.

VERSION 1 (2014) 

• Residual income component (selling a software/platform) • High value consulting components (builds my brand) • Able to be executed remotely  • Virtualized teams for support on implementation • There is a niche I can be an expert in  • Friendly to monatizable content

3. Create space to remain clear

BUSY is the DEATH of CLARITY

No life changing events?Manufacture space to get clear.

BIG ASS THINGS HAPPENTO THOSE WHO LIVE

AUTHENTICALLY

$0 MRRJanuary 2015

$18k MRRApril 2015

$30k MRRJuly 2015

$56k MRRNovember 2015

2015 Revenue - $499,469

High Monthly Revenue (2015) - $101,229.81

Self-Funded

$63k MRRFebruary 2016

$416k MRRJanuary 2018

1. Uncertainty (aka Darkness) breeds fear

2. Clarity (aka Light) kills fear

3. Clarity is THE path to your Authentic Self.

4. Your Authentic Self is the best, most productive and focused

version of you.

A simple formula for authenticity:

1. Know what you truly want2. Define the “must haves” for that to exist (aka your decision making filter)3. Create space in your life to remain clear

OBEY

YOUR

PICKLE!

russ@designpickle.com@russperry

@designpickle#obeythepickle