Brian Linton - Founder of Sand Shack
Contact: linton.brian [at] gmail.com
Twitter: @brianlinton
Websites: http://brianlinton.com/, http://sandshack.com/, http://dailyentrepreneurtip.com/
Career: Founder of Sand Shack
Passions: “Travel, the ocean, writing, language, and business. ”
I first met Brain Linton through my blog. I think he happened to comment on one of my posts and I followed the link to his website. I was super impressed with his blog because his writing style and creativity is very similar to mine. In his posts, he gives you a real, unfiltered view of the entrepreneurial world. He also started his own online video show that has taken off and is very fun to watch.
This is by far one of my favorite interview so far. The quote from the video that stands out the most is “I feel guilty when I’m having fun.” This sums up the stress of the entrepreneurial life so well.
There are times when I’m hanging out with my friends or playing basketball when I think, “Man, this is gonna be like 2 hours of hanging out. I could be spending this time looking for clients, building relationships, or branding Viralogy.” Not a moment goes by that I don’t feel stressed about my startup and that I’m not doing enough to become successful. Brian shares my exact mentality and I feel awesome knowing that he is in the trenches with me trying to build a successful company.
After watching the video, I highly recommend that you contact Brian. The guy is super friendly, but more importantly, he is more than happy to help you start your own entrepreneurial venture.
Conversation Breakdown
2:51 - Why did you start your company as an undergrad and why didn’t you follow the corporate route?
Brian never felt compelled to do corporate. He was going to school in Michigan, and all of a sudden he felt very bored with life. Brian started reading business books and Rich Dad Poor Dad inspired him to use his connections overseas to start importing products that he could sell for a profit here in the US.
5:19 - Is your blog meant to brand Sand Shack or is it meant to build your personal brand?
The goal of Bryan’s blog is personal branding. He doesn’t plan to continue doing Sand Shack in ten years, but he does plan on still being Brian Linton in ten years.
6:12 - Where did the inspiration for the Entrepreneurial Road Show come from?
Inspiration: Living the Startup Life
7:27 - In the episode “A Different Life,” you talk about feeling out of place amongst your friends. What did you mean by that?
This part of my interview is so important. If you listen to nothing else, you need to listen to this part.
9:40 - Are you happy? Are you living passionately or is the startup life too much pressure and stress?
Brian does miss the “party” life. But he now knows the adventurous, exciting part of the entrepreneurial life. Brian would rather work hard, party less, and chase his passion than work a normal 9-5 corporate job and do something he hates.
10:34 - What advice would you give young aspiring entrepreneurs
Start off small. Work during your summer break and make sure to leverage the resources you have at your university.
12:00 - You have a blog, company, another blog, and a girlfriend; how are you balancing everything?
Brian has no idea how he’s balancing everything. Everything he does is interconnected, but recently he has been feeling overwhelmed.
This is why Brian is such a good guy; he is tranparent, honest, and tells you in blunt detail what the life of an entrepreneur is like.
14:22 - For 2009, what is in store for Brian Linton?
With BrianLinton.com, he wants to keep it growing and get more readers.
The economy is super tough and it is hard to grow Sand Shack, so his goal is to survive. Those who do well in 2009 will do amazing in 2010!
Haha, Great Video Jun!
I’m all geared up to battle people who will say that it’s unnatural and problematic to feel guilty when “having fun” while being an entrepreneur
Work is play. Work is fun. Work is life. That’s the E lifestyle.
Great interview Jun and Brian. I know exactly how it is to feel ‘out of place’ in the college community, and I think a ton of us can relate to being ‘bored with life’. Kudos to you (Brian) for stepping away from the mold and pursuing a passion. I’m not there (yet) but I’m getting there - I think I’m now starting to actually ‘break away’ and pursue my passions as much as possible (while remaining fiscally realistic) - so I’m getting there, one day at a time!
As for work/life balance - I’m starting to think it’s a myth. At least for people pursuing the start-up life and an entrepreneurial state of mind. For us, there does not need to be a balance so much as there needs to be INTEGRATION. The life of a entrepreneur is consumed by work - so it’s absolutely crucial that you are passionate, that you love what you do, and that you’re having fun. Being a workaholic should be ok - obviously you have to maintain relationships, but work has to be something that can be integrated naturally into your lifestyle - that’s the overwhelming key to success for any entrepreneur.
Awesome interview, awesome blogger, Jun, keep rockin’ it out man, and Brian - let’s link up via Twitter & the blogosphere!
Haha, yea. In entrepreneurship, you are not paid to give face time. You are pushing an empire. If someone is suing your company and if your website server is down, it doesn’t matter if it is a weekend, holiday, or valentines day, you gotta go deal with it (and get it trouble with the loved one afterwards…quite torn).
The fact is that entrepreneurship is an all or nothing deal. If you work your butt and beat your competitors, you can retire early (not that you want to). If you perform just like everyone else, all your non-paid hard work for years will become nothing.
Would you rather fail every start up you work on with a work-life balance, or would you put in your ALL for one chance, just one chance, to make an impact in this world and carve out your own legacy?