Shownotes
It’s pretty cool when you think about creating a business, wait it’s really cool when you think about creating a “Successful” business and that is what Craig has done. Four years strong and Craig is humble enough to admit he doesn’t have it all figured out yet. But he has figured out what he doesn’t want to do and he out sourced that. He also has pulled back and used some of his experience and new found confidence to wade through the ever-changing, fast-paced world of Ecommerce. I love that he knows his “why” and that is what gets him to push through in the tough times.
Mentioned:
Craig’s previous interview with his backstory #89
Craig’s Facebook contact
Sponsors:
Gaye’s Million Dollar Arbitrage List
Transcript: (note- this is a new tool I am trying out so it is not perfect)
Stephen: [00:00] I’m excited to tell you about galas B’s million dollar arbitrage edge analyst group that’s a lot to say but there’s a lot in it. And guess what. It’s closing it’s closing this week it’ll close for Q4. It will not open up until next year. She started a third group. And so there’s only 50 in it. So you don’t have to worry about deal with hundreds of other people buying the same thing. So you’re going to get daily actionable items delivered to you five days a week. You’re going to get the mentorship of being in the million dollar arbitrage group and you’re going to be able to ask questions ask for help get whatever you need. But again get those opportunities join me in this group because I’m in this group and you’ll see me in there. The only way you’re going to get to join this week is if you click on the link that’s in this episode and also in a gay’s interview number 238 38 was Episode 2 38 and she explains a lot of what it is and their only chance you’re going to have to get in there.
Stephen: [00:54] Second I want to make sure Scott from solar labs I was just with Jeff. They are just killing it with this product. It is just not going to dead because you get to see the keywords that are important for your listing. Why go trying to figure it out. You already know an item is selling. So you go and find their keywords and you put them in your listing. It’s a smart move. You already got a proof of concept and scope does that for you. So it’s Sellar labs dot com slash scope.
Stephen: [01:22] You’re going to use the code word momentum and are going to save 50 bucks. It’s awesome awesome deal. I was just with Karen Lochore also and we we spent some great time talking about you know what’s going on in her business and it’s just incredible solutions for e-commerce. Great group you’re going to save 50 bucks if you come through my listings. Right. Remember these people pay me so I don’t want to mislead anybody. They pay me. But you’re going to say$50 and she’s still doing that inventory health now says this is the perfect time to get yourself right. Storage expensive member it’s triple triple storage fees. So get your inventory right get it correct. I just had to create 68 variations of a listing if you heard my interview with her at [2:45] you heard that 68 variations.
Stephen: [02:08] They went live today. Products went in today as day I’m recording this and I am so excited. I just I’m so excited because I’ve got another order of them coming in next week. And so I already have the listings up. They look beautiful. It’s everything that I needed and it’s just such going above and beyond. That’s why I love solutions for e-commerce Eco Solutions for e-commerce dot com slash momentum and you’re going to get that benefit are going to save your money at the lowest price say 50 bucks and you get the inventory Health Report. Go Daddy dotcom you want to try try. Go Daddy dot com slash momentum and you’re going to save 30 percent on all your Go Daddy needs. I use them for all my domains that I buy have for a long time now I get to save 30 percent just like you try.
Stephen: [02:56] Go Daddy dotcom slash momentum. And last but not least this grasshopper I saw somebody just bought it this past week and I can’t wait to hear how it goes for them because it allows you to be the professional that you want to come across as right. You want to have really strong features especially as you’re building customer service. I think a great program for anybody who’s selling a Wal-Mart you need a customer service program. You can use Google Voice it’s free but it’s definitely not as professional and you’re not going to be able to have the flexibility. Imagine one phone your personal phone and that app on there allows you to have all those lines set up you can have it forwarded to other you can you can do custom vanitie numbers you know 880 [6:03] whatever you want. Great program. Try grasshopper dot com slash momentum. Try grasshopper dot com slash momentum. Save 50 bucks there too. All right let’s get into the podcast.
Cool voice guy: [03:50] Welcome to the e-commerce momentum podcast where we focus on the people the products and the process of e-commerce selling today. Here’s your host Stephen Peterson.
Stephen: [04:04] Welcome back to the e-commerce momentum podcast. This is episode 246. Craig Maxwell I’ve had Craig on before it was episode 89 and that’s where you go back and hear his story. But it’s so cool to see somebody just kind of find their lane. And he talks about focus and the things that he’s given up to help him stay focused. I think that’s part of it. Right. You’ve got to have a little more confidence in yourself you’re going to start believing that you know what you’re doing because you do right if you’ve had if you made it for a year and you’re still selling and things just you figured it out. Now have confidence and move forward and pull back from these other distractions and finish right get to that place where you’re in that stride where things are just seemed to come natural to you. You will get there and Craig is a great example that let’s get into the podcast. All
Stephen: [04:54] right welcome back to the e-commerce momentum podcast. Very excited to bring back a guest and a guest who I’ve admired just because I think the consistency.
Stephen: [05:03] When I look for you know this is not an easy business but I look for people who give a consistent effort and who are going to be here for the long haul. And
Stephen: [05:11] I think this is a great example of someone who’s got a long term plan and it’s his family first and will be successful because he puts his family first and is very I guess you know the thing that excites me about Craig and his is Craig makable I’m bringing in is that he is very clear that again his family is first. This is a business as is a great opportunity but his family is first. Welcome Craig Maxwell.
Stephen: [05:38] Stephen good to be here. Is that is that a fair statement what I just said.
Craig: [05:42] It is. It is. And you know since we last spoke I think a year and a half ago at least in an interview. A lot has changed in some of it was evaluating where I was and we talked and where I gone and some of it I didn’t like and so and I had to go back and look at that as you know it is family first for me that’s the whole reason I’m doing this. And what do I need to do to make sure that it stays that way.
Stephen: [06:09] This was episode 89 where Craig and I last talked soakaway way back and the Craig story I mean he’s got six kids right. Yes. Six kids and he is an involved dad. You’re not you know this is you know it’s funny I kind of razz myself because when I grew up when I was in my corporate career and it’s not that my family wasn’t first. It’s just that I had such made such a huge commitment that you know lots of times I couldn’t make the soccer games. I couldn’t make all those things and times were different then there weren’t as many. But I kind of raised myself like like feeling guilty about it. But that’s that’s what it was at that time in your world that’s not happening period.
Craig: [06:52] Well I tried to make it not happen. I mean I certainly not perfect with it. And there have been times where I was very disappointed at the choices I made in regards to you know maybe I needed a child that needed spending time with me. You know that was and I focused on something else and sometimes that’s not always possible. I don’t think it’s wrong all the time but I wanted it to at least be my highest priority.
Stephen: [07:16] So you go back and that’s a learning moment right. That’s one of those adjustments that you make it so you know what I wouldn’t. I mean for me and I think about myself and my career and all the different things there are some absolutes. But I didn’t know they were absolutes until I tried it or tried something else and then I’m like OK I’m not doing that again. Now that’s an absolute. I’m never going to do that again. Right. Is that where you end up on some things.
Craig: [07:36] Yeah a lot of trial and error. There are things I’ve tried and I said this isn’t what I want to be. This is what I want to do. I don’t love this. And I know that you can’t love everything you do when it comes to your work life. But I try to at least make the most of it something I love to do or enjoy doing.
Stephen: [07:54] Well because you didn’t love it even when you were in your corporate life. I mean there were things I mean I told everyone there is it.
Stephen: [08:01] It’s a four letter word it’s called work you know. And so sometimes it’s not fun and it’s not enjoyable and that’s no matter what so even the downtime. I just give a talk and I was talking about how in an hour you’re sitting there saying man this is the best business I have made the right. This is incredible.
Stephen: [08:19] And five minutes later you’re this is the worst thing in the world what did I do. Right. Right. And you do that in an hour you know 20 times right. I mean can you really.
Craig: [08:29] Yes. I think this is the most. I don’t know if the right word is manic but it’s a good career in the world you know because there are days I’m flying high like this. The greatest thing ever. And then the next day I mean I feel like I’m in panic mode. How am I going to make this work. You know.
Stephen: [08:44] And so yes if that’s what pushes you through there Craig because that’s a good example because you’ve been doing this for a long time full time and you’ve got the pressure of seven other people on your back. Right. It’s not like it’s just you going it alone. Make it or break it. You’ve got seven people you’re responsible for and with to make a go of it because you. So you’ve got to push through. How do you do that sometimes.
Craig: [09:08] Well that’s the first thing. I have seven people. OK. And you know even when I first started out my motivation was like if we want to eat I’ve got to get out and work. And but I think you know going deeper than that I would say for me one of my greatest strengths would be you know what we call grit. I just I can dig in. I can persevered and even in the down times I can usually you know get my rear end out of bed and go double down if we need it. And that really has served me well in my life. And I think that doesn’t mean to say that I don’t have days where I’m mope around and I’m not at my best. But overall you know and I use the word great. I just read the book called grit fantastic read and I could identify a lot with it.
Craig: [09:58] You know and it’s even qualities that we’re trying to focus and help develop in our children. Because I think it’s great to be smart. It’s great to be talented. But in the end I think grit is greater than all of those things. If you can you know just stick with it and work hard. And that’s what I do.
Stephen: [10:18] So this just occurred and this is really timeless timely timely for what our conversation is. So my new warehouse where they’re putting in new things and we’re delayed and blah blah blah blah blah. So the guy next door to us is putting in a service business one where he’s treating his time for money and his daughter is going to be in there. And he said you know Steve I’m trying to create something for her and I’m trying to create you know a future for her and that’s what he thinks this is and because he knows this particular subject well and it’s a skill set and he’s transferring it onto his daughter so it’s going to work and she’s going to be incredibly successful. And then we are talking about my my younger son and my older sons already got his career been through with education.
Stephen: [10:55] Now in a just a great role my younger son still in college and I said you know I said well you know we got him through college without debt or anything but I’m trying to teach him a skill set. And I said you know it’s interesting he can do product photography now he know list ebay items like crazy. He’s now working on Amazon stuff. So he’s doing product photographer Amazon and he’s doing buying certain things you know starting to work his way through and he’s in school and he’ll be home shortly and we’ll take him to the next level. And I said I’m trying to teach him about you know Teach a man to fish right. I’m trying to teach him that so he could be self-sustaining. So he’s not tied to a location or if he got injured you know whatever.
Stephen: [11:39] And I’m thinking about the difference between the two. And you know when you think about your six kids I mean of course she wanted to do what they love and all the rest of that stuff. But which way are you leaning are you leaning towards helping them get career and get a job and go to college and be that way or hey that’s great but be more independent because ultimately you’re responsible for yourself not a company where you add in that with the six.
Craig: [12:04] Well I think I want to encourage them to follow their passion for sure. And a lot of them don’t know what that is yet they’re still very young. My oldest will be 14 0. And so he’s starting to really get more into that. And so he and I have that discussion a lot more than than others you know and sometimes it’s like I want to you know be an engineer or something like that. And and that’s great if that’s really what he wants to do. I realized that a lot changes between where he’s at now and when he finishes college age you know and we all encourage our kids to go get a college education. But that’s not the end all for us if they don’t want to. I really am. You know you had mentioned earlier the story the exchanging your time for money.
Craig: [12:48] And I’ve done that and I feel like I’m in a different phase of my life where I’m trying to not exchange so much time for money where I fall into that trap a lot you know every few months it’s a reboot. It’s a recalibration. And I’m trying to teach my son that right now it’s you know what can you do to make your money work for you or to make your knowledge work for you where you’re not so dependent on putting in so many hours a week to provide for your family or to pursue your needs and dreams.
Craig: [13:19] And so that’s what I’m trying to teach that you know in trying to get them to focus on things that they create cash flow. You know if they’re going to look at a career like that’s one reason I like the entrepreneurial lifestyle I’ve chosen as I can choose those opportunities. And I hope they adopt that. I
Craig: [13:37] mean I would love to pass on what I do to them but I also know that you know they see what I’m doing and I think they get tired of it.
Stephen: [13:45] It’s not easy. Yes. You make it look easy and it and you know I think about this a lot because we get to travel a lot. Right
Stephen: [13:53] . And so you know we’re over here we’re jet setting around the U.S. Well what you don’t see is I was in Chicago for four days and all I saw was the airport and the hotel and maybe the parking lot you know that was about it. It’s not like I’m in downtown Chicago you know skipping through...