We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Samuel Bushi. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Samuel below.
Samuel, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Almost all entrepreneurs have had to decide whether to start now or later? There are always pros and cons for waiting and so we’d love to hear what you think about your decision in retrospect. If you could go back in time, would you have started your business sooner, later or at the exact time you started?
I don’t think when you start your business matters as much as how you start your business. Do you have business plan? Having an intimate understanding of the market and your ideal client is paramount. Knowing who your competition is and what your niche is will help keep you focused on the right details. Once you have a blueprint in place, execution will follow naturally. A business cannot be run just on hopes, aspirations and dreams.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’m a multifaceted entrepreneur. At my core I am a Lifestyle Strategist. I help other entrepreneurs and creatives bring their vision to fruition. I do this by helping them define “the dream” and any obstacles that might be preventing them from achieving it. We then formulate a plan that best suits their needs and leverages their values. Then we set goals and targets that align with their calibre and are attainable.
My evolution into this role started many years ago. I spent the better part of high school years pursuing my dream of racing motorcycles in India. I learned how to race dirt bikes under the mentorship of a 14 time National Champion -Joshua Pramod. This experience was priceless. Unbeknownst to a lot of people, racing is a very mental sport and requires an incredible amount of mental strength and resilience. There is a huge physical component to it as well and to be successful one must be able to be extremely mentally and physically fit to meet the grueling demands of the sport. This period of my life gave me the blueprint to be successful in anything I pursued in life.
I can apply this “racing formula” to any business/creative endeavor. It allows me to define clearly all the aspects that need to be taken into account to take a dream and bring it to life while methodically addressing every single obstacle and challenge that we encounter along the way.
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How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
When I got the opportunity to move to the U.S. in 2011 I had give up on my racing dreams -or at least thats how it seemed. I took it in my stride and pivoted into photography, which was something I had a natural affinity and talent for. I spent the next decade honing my photography skills (I have a bachelors degree in Communication with a focus on film and media production) and gaining invaluable experience working in the industry. I was able to transpose everything I learned in my race training back in India into how I approached my photography and subsequently how I setup my business to be a success.
When the pandemic hit, I once again pivoted. I dropped the idea of pursing a career as a photography professor at the college level and dived back into my original love of cars and motorcycles. Considering I was 27 at the time, it was a much more challenging pivot than when I switched to photography. It was incredibly hard, but the payoff was sweet.
I currently work as an Automotive Technician and build cars that I’ve always dreamt of owning. Everything I learned from when I trained to race to when I was a professional photographer enhances my ability to run this business successfully. Once the cars are built/restored/repaired -I sell them. My racing experience helps with build aspect and my visual arts background with the marketing of the builds. I would have never thought that I would end up doing what I loved the most. It is very important to follow your heart and trust that it is leading you to where you will live out your potential and maximize it.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Being intentional and honest goes a long way. While it may cause some short term grief when you are unable to meet a deadline or if you dropped the ball in some aspect. If the client has trust in your integrity and trustworthiness they will happily continue to work with you even if things did not go as planned.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.revelectric.wtf
- Instagram: @bushifilmco
- Other: @electricbushi
Image Credits
Portrait of me with camera – Mary Brown (@ogrenbrown)