Andrew and Pete
Stumbling on to Andrew and Pete as they prefer to be called, was like a breath of fresh air! They were young, fresh and fun! With the launch of their online conference Rule Breakers, I was excited to see what they were doing and even more excited to participate. It wasn’t long before I was following them online and learning everything about the ways to stand out in an already very busy and overly saturated, marketing space.
From University students with big dreams to hosting a conference with some of the biggest names in Social Media Marketing these guys can teach us a thing or two about never giving up and following our Entrepreneurial Dreams.
The 18 Questions series features an awesome group of up and coming, as well as seasoned Entrepreneurs, who give us a glimpse behind the scenes. A sneak peak into their lives and into their businesses. Their stories are meant to inspire and encourage us. Today we meet Andrew and Pete.
Can you describe yourself in 3 words?
Andrew: Ambitious, Fun, Stubborn.
Peter: Creative, Fun, Rule Breaker.
What was your first job?
Andrew: This! Only ever been Self Employed.
Peter: Promotions for a nightclub!
When did you know that you wanted to be an entrepreneur?
Andrew: Can't nail down an exact time, but the idea of running my own business has always been my goal since I was a kid.
Peter: For as long as I can remember!
What was your first business venture?
Andrew: Cloud9Texts. Me and Pete had a text message company, sending jokes, riddles, quotes etc. We set it up between our second and final year of university and ran it as a test project before we graduated. It was great - learnt from many mistakes before we relied on our business to feed us!
Peter: Selling motivational texts.
When it comes to your business, how do you deal with rejection?
Andrew: Rejection can be tough, and in the moment it can really hurt, however I know that I either have to keep trying again, as good things are worth fighting for, or look at is as a compliment. I believe great brands are divisive, so if somebody doesn't get what we're all about and therefore gives us a 'No' - we are doing something right. The last thing we would want to create a brand that people didn't care enough to love or hate.
Peter: I try harder or quickly move on.
What’s the best advice you ever got?
Andrew: Our Business Coach and Friend Lesley Calland told us straight away, that if we wanted to be entrepreneurs, we had to start behaving like them. We were fresh out of university (in the Uni time zone), so needed to start getting up earlier, working more productively and acting like we were businessmen. This was great advice to 2 young kids.
Peter: Try to be more realistic with your goals.
What’s the worst advice you’ve ever received?
Andrew: In a workshop once - the trainer told us our goals weren't realistic so we changed them. Then felt really crap about them. Only you can say whether your goals are realistic or not, because if you want it hard enough, you'll make it happen. No trainer knows that.
Peter: Try to be more realistic with your goals ;)
Can you describe a moment or day when you felt like giving up?
Andrew: We've done a couple things that haven't inspired the reaction we would have hope (or that we had built in our heads). That's always going to happen, and it SUCKS! But you have to pick yourself up, work our why and try again.
Peter: When you put your blood sweat and tears into a product and you get no reaction. It's incredibly frustrating and you think, what the point is. Especially at the early stages in business - you might as well get a minimum wage job and earn more.
What or who motivates you to keep pressing on?
Andrew: So many people / things motivate me! I motivate myself, Pete motivates me when we are working, my other half Vicky keeps me going, my parents and my goals excite me. Even things like music, books and TV. I find motivation there too.
Peter: My best friend and business partner Andrew. The mastermind groups that I am a part of, my mentor, my coach, our online community and of course the fans that support us. Our atomic members, without these people, we could not have survived. But also the people I know who just don't do anything with their lives - they spur me on because I don't want to be like them haha!
If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
Andrew: Ed Sheeran - You need me, I don't need you.
Peter: Work B*tch - Britney Spears haha :-) or some kind of dance music!
If you were left on a deserted island for a month and could only bring three things, what would you bring?
Andrew: Paper, pen, chocolate - lots of chocolate. I would write a book to pass the time.
Peter: The internet, Laptop, a friend!
Team Cats or Team Dogs? ;-)
Andrew: I have 2 cats and 1 dog, but #TeamDog if I had to decide. Peter: Dogs
Morning person or late night?
Andrew: Morning for Work, Night for Play. I don't like working late.
Peter: Late night, slowly becoming the other way round!
Briefly describe your morning or night time routine?
Andrew: Morning Routine - get up - wash face and brush teeth straight away to de-zombie-fy me. Then either work or exercise for 60 mins, get showered, dressed and have breakfast before picking Pete up at 8 AM.
Peter: Up at 5:30 AM, high intensity exercise, protein shake, breakfast, shower, dress etc. then meditate before heading to work.
Beach or the Mountains?
Andrew & Pete: BEACH!
Proudest Business achievement thus far?
Andrew & Pete: Winning Digital and Social Media Company of the Year at Newcastle Business Awards.
What advice can you share with an up and coming entrepreneur?
Andrew: It's not easy in the beginning, but enjoy the ride, set your goals, stick to them and don't be afraid of doing things differently. Be a Rule Breaker! Peter: Use your youth to your advantage rather than using it as an excuse.
And our last question: Where do you see your business in the next 5 years?
Andrew & Pete: In the next 5 years, we want to be speaking all over the world, and have a tribe of Small Business Rule Breakers inspiring us on how Small Businesses can rock. The place to be for entrepreneurs and small businesses to grow their business. International Speakers. Be on TV as business personalities!
Andrew and Pete are a multi award winning company specializing in helping small businesses and entrepreneurs be more creative with their content and marketing. To Reach Andrew and Pete click here: Website , Twitter: Snapchat: