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Joel Capperella Joins Us On The Steve Jobs Inspired Join Up Dots Podcast
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Introducing Joel Capperella
Joel Capperella is our guest today on the Steve Jobs inspired Join Up Dots free podcast interview.
He is a man who can beat me hands down in one key area of his life.
He is the father of eight children!
Yes, eight…even more than I have wrapped up in my fatherly grip.
But what makes this guy even more remarkable is when he makes decision, he goes for it big-time, such as quitting his corporate job to finally chase his dream of entrepreneurship as soon as his twins were born.
Yes, at that time when most people would just get their heads down and think “I can’t take a risk like this now” he was throwing it all up into the air and flexing the old hustle muscle.
How The Dots Joined Up For Joel
However as he says “Out of the gate it didn’t really work out very well, and the entire first year was more or less a wash.
I pivoted early in ’16 and am still at it, gaining traction and more revenue daily. Is it risky? Hell yes.
Could I wake up on the other side of this and look at my self in the mirror as if arising from a bad dream asking myself “My God, What have I done”, perhaps.
But those risks pale in comparison to looking back on my professional life and holding the regret of never trying.
What I have found since being on my own is that you never really truly know what it is going to be like until you are in it, and that the most difficult things you’ll face are hidden in the details of the fact that you are solely responsible for your own success or failure. “
But he is getting there, and now spends his time helping people in business tell a bigger story that gets them more awareness and speeds up their sales process.
He builds up the confidence to talk to more people which leads to more business, and more clients to sell more products and services to without hard sell techniques.
So why did he take such a bold risk when the kids were born, and was this one that he would go back in time and change?
And is there a key element to building success that he can see so clearly now, but was 100% hidden to him at the start?
Well lets find out as we bring onto the to start joining up dots with the one and only, Joel Capperella
Show Highlights
During the show we discussed such weighty topics with Joel Capperella such as:
Why it is so important to get yourself out there and connect and network with people in your business space to fast track your way to a better future. They know as they have been there first!
Why building a business is the hardest thing you can ever do in your life, and you will never know that you are truly making the right decisions. But don’t stop making decisions ever!
Why its such a truth in life, that if you find yourself 100% satisfied in your business, then it might well be an indication that you are not in a business that is big enough for you.
and lastly….
Why so many people struggle to get their personalty into social media. and they really need to learn the skills to be relaxed and themselves every time they broadcast to the world.
How To Connect With Joel Capperella
Return To The Top Of Joel Capperella Interview
If you enjoyed this episode with Joel Capperella why not check out other inspirational chat with Shaa Wasmund, Dan Chan, David Bain and the amazing Aaron Anastasi
You can also check our extensive podcast archive by clicking here – enjoy
Full Transcription Of Joel Capperella Interview
Intro [0:10]
When we’re young we have an amazing positive outlook about how great life is going to be. But somewhere along the line we forget to dream and end up settling. Join Up Dots features amazing people who refuse to give up and chose to go after their dreams. This is your blueprint for greatness. So here’s your host live from the back of his garden in the UK. David Ralph.
David Ralph [0:35]
Yes, hello there hello there every single person who listens to Join Up Dots on a daily basis. Thank you so much for being part of the show and making it what it is and giving me an income that’s what I want because when you start something you don’t know if it’s gonna pan out. You just have to do it with trust and belief in yourself. And little by little you get there and then you look back and you think I would never have gone I would never gone back on this. This is where I should be. And I think today’s guest is is he’s part of that he’s on that journey. And he’s part of that kind of that belief that we have that yes, this is for me and I’m not going to be employed anymore and he is a man who is busy and you can actually beat me hands down in one key area of his life. He’s the father of eight children yet get that I even more than I am wrapped up in my fatherly grip. But what makes this guy even more remarkable is when he makes a decision, he goes with big time such as quitting his corporate job to finally chase his dream of entrepreneurship. As soon as he’s twins were born yet at a time when most people would get their heads down and think I can’t take a risk like this. Now, he was throwing it all up into the air and flexing the old hustle muscle. However, as he says, and again, it didn’t really work out very well. And the entire first year was more of a less a washout. I pivoted early in 16. And still, I’m at it today gaining traction and more revenue. Is it risky? Hell yes. Could I wake up on the other side of this and look at myself in the mirror as if rising from a bad dream, asking myself No, my God. He doesn’t sound like that. But this is my acting bit. Well, well, perhaps, but both risks power in comparison to looking back on my professional life and holding the regret of never trying. What I found since being on my own is that you never really truly know what’s going to be in your life until you’re in it. And that the most difficult things you’ll face are hidden in the details of the fact that you’re solely responsible for your own success or failure. Read that back in, you are solely responsible for your own success or failure. But he’s getting there now spends his time helping people in business, the biggest story that gets them more awareness and speeds up their sales process, he builds up the competence to talk to more people, which leads to more business and more clients to sell more products and services to without hard sell techniques. So why did he take such a bold risk when the kids were born? And was this one that he would go back in time and change? And is there a key element to building success that he can see so clearly now, but was 100% hidden to him at the start? Well, let’s find out As we bring them to the show to start joining up dots with the one and only Joel Capperella. Good morning to you, Joel. How are you sir?
Joel Capperella [3:10]
I’m good David. I stepped on I stepped on you saying hello, my apologies. But listen, your acting was phenomenal. Just and I didn’t know you had that in you. So I appreciate that.
David Ralph [3:18]
I can do any voice as long as it’s a 60 year old Butle, bit Scooby Doo actually now with yourself sir. You have got a voice. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting you to have you started off when I first introduced introduced you going? Yeah, yeah, like a weird German. And and then now you your voice doesn’t quite match your face. And everyone’s gonna go and Google you now Joel Capperella. unusual. I was expecting somebody with a deep gravitas kind of voice.
Joel Capperella [3:51]
Well, well, look. I don’t know what to say to that. I’m glad that people will Google me right. I guess that’s part of the game right?
David Ralph [3:57]
as well. It’s all about traffic. It doesn’t matter how happens it’s all about traffic getting them across. So you are a listener of Join Up Dots. And you asked to come on the show and why I wanted you to be on the show is that you’re in it at the moment, aren’t you? What we talk about on Join Up Dots is the journey, you’re actually part of that journey. You are hustling on a daily basis. Are you exhausted? Sir? Obviously, you mix you can’t be that exhausted because you’ve banged out eight kids. So you’ve had a little bit of time in your life, but are you exhausted?
Joel Capperella [4:27]
You know, it’s funny as your father David, so I’m sure you could relate. I think once you once you have that first child and add a second to the mix, I mean, fatigue is all relative at that point, right? So am I exhausted? I mean, I’m actually more energised today in this point in my life than I’ve ever been, in my least in my professional career. That said, bedtime at my house can be a bit of a battleground. So I’m exalt you know, talk to me at around 930 at night when I’m trying to chase the last ones off to bed and it might be a different answer, but generally thrilled and excited with what I’m doing and having a big family actually adds a lot To that,
David Ralph [5:01]
how do you balance it then because I find it a struggle, three of mine have moved out now about the two younger ones here. And even the other night, I had this big block of work I needed to do for Join Up Dots. It was integral to the programme. And I ended up having to do maths homework with my daughter because she was in tears and anguish. How do you balance it all with eight kids trying to get your time?
Joel Capperella [5:25]
Well, my wife is probably the biggest balancer, right? I mean, she she takes on the lion’s share of the responsibilities that although they’re not compensated properly, should be because they’re far more important than the things that I do on a daily basis. So, you know, I’d be remiss if I didn’t give her their proper due, you know, but that said, I think look might look, I’ll be honest, the day my biggest challenge is just the workspace. You know, our house accommodates all of us very well. But especially during the summertime, when the kids are all at home and I work out of the house, it could be a challenge. So you know what, again, I’m sure those that you’ve had in your show that maybe don’t have a office space except for their home. You think of creative ways to go out and find a place to work. There’s a community college nearby, I’ll do some work there. But as far as the effort and balancing it, you know, chunking up my day in the right way, knowing what I’m going to do at particular times. And look, I actually host a podcast myself and I recorded out of the home, so I have to be creative. When I’m doing the recording as well, or else you’ll hear some voices in the background, no matter how good my microphone might be. So you know that that’s some of the things that I do to help even out and make sure that we’re focused and heading the right direction.
David Ralph [6:33]
I love that podcast, we’re in the back, you can hear, boom, you’re gonna be in the toilet for and you’ve been in there for ages. That is what makes a podcast in my view.
Joel Capperella [6:43]
Well, good, then you would like mine.
David Ralph [6:45]
That’s the way to do it. Now it does give you that flexibility. And that’s what the show is all about of creating your own environment. And when you make these decisions, you have to be flexible. You have to be creative you but you can end up working in a library you can end up working instead A bunch you can take your laptop around. It is amazing what opportunities we’ve got to do that where maybe 1015 years ago or not even that maybe five years ago would have been very difficult, wouldn’t it to be able to go by, I’m going to take my work somewhere else. I used to work in the library because it was really quiet. It was free Wi Fi. And then I started doing this and my life changed somewhat, but it is a world apart isn’t in the last five years.
Joel Capperella [7:24]
Absolutely. You know, there’s like, again, the flexibility is huge. And plus it you know, David, I’d be curious to see what you had to say about this too, as, as you’re kind of venture out on your own the way you’re the way you kind of connect with other people and to be a lot more valuable as well. I think I kind of took it for granted when I was in my corporate gig, but now you’re you know, you’re it’s those connections, those professional connections are kind of like fuel to your every day and that’s been a good thing too is that I’ve got a lot of great people that I know I live in the Philadelphia area in Pennsylvania, and those friends of mine that have workspace or resources that I need Because you know, we help one another out that’s also another avenue for me to really just kind of stay connected and extend my network. And again, it’s it’s funny cuz I used to hate talking about all your professional network and all that I really get it. But like you said in my intro when you’re you’re kind of out on your own, it’s like, Man, you are the, you can’t run from anything, you’re responsible for all of it. And if you’re not, again, exercising that effort to go out and connect with those that are there in the same game you’re in or and even secondarily connected to it, then you’re not really good, you’re missing a big part of what you need to do, you know, because
David Ralph [8:34]
I don’t understand too much about connecting with people who are in the same game as you. I get a lot of requests to go to podcasting conferences, and more often than not, I refuse them. I’m going to run in a Weber my Florida in February because the lady who asked me is a great friend of mine, so I said yes, but I don’t understand the point in connecting with people who are doing exactly the same thing as you. I would always want to be going to conferences about Have nothing to do with me. So I can sort of, you know, branch out somewhat. What what are your feelings on that?
Joel Capperella [9:06]
Yeah, you know, that’s, that’s so it’s interesting question actually. Because I think, you know, for me and again, I can’t speak for anybody else I can only talk about my experience, right? You know, there’s a lot of people just locally so let’s just like focus it on the, you know, the immediate region, right? There’s people that you know, I respect that have a different take and perspective on on what I do because when you think about Look, what I’m doing is I’m trying to help companies take their marketing game and up at a level right. And I’m a firm believer that no one’s the master or the the owner of all great ideas out there. So it’s, it’s more like a collaboration. I hate it. I hate to use buzzwords there because the only thing I could think of at the moment here more of a way to kind of connect and and see Hey, what are you doing? Let’s look at the podcast for instance. Now I use my pipe I my podcast is a little utilitarian in a way right because I use it to develop business as well. Don’t get me wrong, I love I love doing the podcast. It’s called leading matters. By the way, do you guys want to go out there and look it up. But I do two things with it. One, I try to make it as diverse as possible because I want to bring other voices into whatever we’re talking about. And I talk about the mission, the values and the purpose of kind of driving a business forward. So I try to pick a diverse crowd into the mix to get different perspectives. But then also, I use it as a way to reach out to companies that I might think there could be potential business there for me, right. So I’ll invite their leaders onto the show for no other reason. That’s just half of them on the show, because I think they have something interesting to say, but then it gives me an opportunity to, to speak with them a little bit more right now. Why I brought that up is, you know, that’s one way on using one piece of content. You know, now I might talk to you, David after this. You might say, well, that’s great job. But did you realise that these other three things we’re not even considering it or podcasts could be valuable to you? Well, if we never connected because, you know, I thought maybe you didn’t have anything new to say to me that I’m never going to learn that piece of information. There’s a long kind of winding explanation but that’s it. That’s my answer.
David Ralph [11:01]
I think it’s a very good answer. And one of the things that I teach so many people is at the beginning, when you’ve got that feeling in your stomach, I don’t like this anymore. I want to do something new. But I don’t know, I don’t know what I need to do. It’s awareness, isn’t it? It’s awareness of what is out there and sort of spend some time googling and looking at things and jotting down what you really like the look of them what looks enjoyable, and what would play to your skills. And say that you’re saying that when you connect with people, you, you ask them the kind of questions that maybe you couldn’t even follow because they’re so ingrained in it, aren’t we? We’re so ingrained at doing it our way. I did something the other day, Joe, actually, I’ve just recorded what 600 and your 606 is 607 something over 608 You are so you they’re speeding on. And after 600 shows I looked at what I was doing, and I suddenly thought, Oh my God, why am I doing it this way? Now, that’s after 600 shows. I should have stopped I should have pivoted a lot earlier but I’ve just made that decision from that point onwards to learn from my mistakes and move forward. Now, if I had been more willing to touch base with a lot of people in my environment, I suppose at the beginning, I could have nipped that in the bud after 50 shows or 100 shows, whatever. So you’ve now converted me, I now think the way forward is to spend time with people who are in your environment asking the right kind of questions to fast track. Yeah.
Joel Capperella [12:24]
Well, you know, as you’re speaking there today that I would actually encourage you to look I I listen to a lot of podcasts, right. And when I came across yours, who was the gentleman I forget the the gentleman you interviewed he, Matt Ma, what was his name? He loved Wonder Woman. Forget. Ma. Yes, that was that was a great I love that episode better. I would encourage your audience to go listen to that episode because he’s an interesting guy in general, but he was such a sincere conversations like, I felt like I was actually literally sitting at sitting at the bar with you just kind of listening in on a great conversation. But when I came away from that, and again, knowing that I listened to a lot of podcast years absolutely different than anything I’ve listened to this entire year. That’s just the truth. Right? So for me, as I hear you say, Why don’t go to these podcasts conference, you really ought to go to this podcast conference, right? Because part of what I’ve learned about doing my own thing is like, I have this talent, and I’m trying to make money off of it, for sure. Because I think that’s gonna, you know, be something good for me. But I also feel this responsibility to give that talent away a little bit, right? So for me, I’m thinking, Wow, you have this great unique take on podcasting, you want to you want to give that away a little bit cuz it’s going to help somebody out there that just hasn’t been able to figure it out. So here’s my challenge to you, David. Next time you get invited to one of these podcasting conferences, you need to go
David Ralph [13:34]
Oh, your business coach, do you see what you’re doing? You’re giving me You’re giving me free coaching. I’m gonna put the check straight in the post and we’re, we get that through to you.
Joel Capperella [13:42]
So make sure there’s lots of zeros, okay?
David Ralph [13:44]
Always Always that can be very small zero. zeros on it anyway. So let’s talk about you and your your child producing we want to talk about the moments but we will talk about that that moment. When your wife comes up to you. She’s probably waiting Don’t do a paddle or a stick or something. It’s turned pink or there’s a line on it. And she’s waving it in front of your face. And you think, Oh my god, and then a little bit later you find out there’s bears too. On the way that time did you go? Well, great news darling, loved this, but actually, I’m going to quit my job, or did you leave it to a bit later? How long was that thought in your mind knowing that the twins were born because I bet your wife three, didn’t she?
Joel Capperella [14:26]
Yeah, well? Well, it’s funny, we had been talking about me going to kind of do my own thing for a while. And this is while the twins were percolating, right, actually, before we found out so she, you know, we we’ve had our family kind of well planned out. And I’ll be honest with you and your audience, these last two, and they’re two years old, by the way, so that the youngest of eight wasn’t exactly in the cards. So the fact that she was pregnant was kind of a surprise. And then she called me when I was at work one day, and we always had this joke. Oh, this twins joke. You know, her night is running joke. So she called me up and she says she’s actually On the table just taking having the ultrasound done and, you know with with your this was going to be our seventh child, so I didn’t bother going to the ultrasound anymore because I don’t how many? How many times do you see that that little shadowy figure that the doctor says is a baby but you just take their word for it. So yeah, I didn’t feel the need to go to the ultrasound. So she called me with the ultrasound table just just still being there and said, Listen, it’s twins. And I’m not kidding. And I literally thought she was kidding. But you’re soon I heard her voice that no, indeed, we are going to be the parents of twin soon. And David, I got to tell you it was probably at that moment. It was not a young man by any means. I’m 48 years old today. And this isn’t your birthday today.
Not today actually. Today as we speak, but
David Ralph [15:43]
the audience to sing for you Justin.
Joel Capperella [15:47]
Now, but anyway, I was like, this is it. This is now I’m going to do this today or I’m never going to do it. So we spoke about a property that evening after we got over the shock of pending twins and we just decided together that Yeah, we’re going to go ahead and give this a shot. And like I said to you in our first exchange, doesn’t this could work out phenomenally or could be, could be a strategy, but it doesn’t matter. We’re going to we’re going to go ahead and do it.
David Ralph [16:12]
So when you make that decision, because I think that that’s the perfect time now for many years, I would have said, all just play safe, play safe until the kids IV is older, whatever. But now I’ve been through it myself. I think that you need that kind of urgency so that you don’t just come home and think oh, I just watch a film tonight. I think you need to be able to get that side hustle, going. I think it’s the perfect time to have something bigger than yourself to drive you forward. Because it’s difficult to do it building a business on your own is very difficult without something bigger than yourself, isn’t it?
Joel Capperella [16:46]
Yeah, and that’s for sure that’s funny. And you know, it’s I’m sure I get I’ve listened to a lot of your guests and and it always comes off your guests seems like what it always seems so like okay, it’s not that hard to do, but it which is probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Right, because I don’t think you realise Oh, my God, this is like every single thing I’m responsible for. So to answer your question, yeah, I mean, if I, if it were just me, I don’t know, I don’t know what it would be like, but the fact that look, we’ve got older children, and we’ve got younger children all across the board, and we’ve got a house and bills and all that stuff. So yeah, there’s, it defines urgency. So I think it certainly helps. Is it make it easier? No, it makes it a little bit more challenging. But you know,
David Ralph [17:25]
let’s play some words. Now. Then we’re gonna delve right back into this moment in your life because I think it’s the key point that so many people are at, should I do it? Should I not? Oh, I don’t know, is Oprah.
Oprah Winfrey [17:36]
The way through the challenge is to get still and ask yourself, what is the next right move? not think about, Oh, I got all of this too. But what is the next right move? And then from that space, make the next right move and the next right move and not to be overwhelmed by it because, you know, your life is bigger than that one moment, you know? You’re not defined by what somebody says is a failure for you, because failure is just there to point you in a different direction.
David Ralph [18:07]
And when you look at the building the business that you’ve done the day the process of building the business, do you have moments when you think, Oh God, I wasted money or Oh, I should have done it differently or as it been sort of nice step by step decisions all the way.
Joel Capperella [18:25]
Now it’s certainly not nice step by step decision. I you know, it’s funny I I worry less about the nickels and the dimes during the day, right because I think like I when I started off, David, I was having be frozen in silly little decisions about you know, this, like I use I use this WordPress plugin for my website, and I think it was like a couple hundred dollars and I think it’s like an annual membership thing. And I can’t tell you how long I was kind of wrestling over what you know, should I use WordPress? Should I go buy a bigger tool or should I go get a cheaper tool and then finally, My wife actually, I think I keep referring to I guess, at this moment, I honestly got to realise how much she helps me. But, you know, she came in and I was explaining to her what I’m doing. She’s like, What the hell are you doing? Like just pick one drop the money and move on, you know, because we
David Ralph [19:12]
like to shop though Joe women like test shop, you should have a man next year.
Joel Capperella [19:19]
Well, it’s true. It’s true. But that said that she is, you know, does like to help you spend my money a little bit every now and again. It was it was a help because it’s like, Look, get get get over yourself this little small thing and in hindsight, it’s not gonna be much of a deal with anything. So just do what you needed to do to go to that next step. So that’s that’s one thing I did but is it perfect now? I mean, there’s there’s always things that I’m wrestling with and decisions to make, you know, small things and big things every day. So yeah, it’s it’s it’s never paint by numbers.
David Ralph [19:48]
Because I can’t stop breaking my system. I’ve got this belief that if I break the system enough, I’m gonna find some kind of utopia some magic path that nobody’s ever found. So when You’re growing anything if they say, Oh, you’ve got to promote here, you’ve got to do this, you’ve got to do that. And in the very early days, you kind of do what people have done before. But I just can’t stop breaking it. And people keep saying to me just leave it. It’s doing really well just leave it. And I kind of go, Yeah, I know it’s doing really well. But there might be something else in there. Yeah. But if you break it, you may not get it back. Oh, yes, you can, you can always backtrack. And so it might lose you a couple of months. But at least you know, is that a good way of building a business in your way to think No, it’s never perfect, but you can make it perfect. Or should I just step away and let it?
Joel Capperella [20:35]
Yeah, you know, what if that’s, you had, one of the reasons I started listening to your show is you had Selena Suwon quite a while ago, and a fan of her work and what I like about what she does, and for those of you that don’t know where you should look Selena up, she’s, she is one of these kind of business coaches that exists out there, but she’s really quite good at it. And one of the things I like about her approach is she takes a very kind of product management approach to it almost. And that matters to me because, you know, early in my career, I was a Product Manager for large software company here in the States. And when you’re in that game, it’s actually both end, right? So is it a good way to kind of break and continue to test and do things differently? Absolutely. But I think there’s also a pragmatic element to how we develop our product or our service. And if you care about your revenue growth, and we’ll get into in the corporate talk here, but, you know, there’s always kind of, okay, you can get this revenue percolating over here, but you can’t stop it, how can I, you know, increase it? What are the additional offerings? What are the other product angles? So I think, yeah, to your point, what you’re speaking about is, hey, how do I do that continuous development of my product or service to see what and how, and in what manner it can bring new opportunities to me, right. And that’s why I mentioned Selena, because she takes that if you listen to her speak about what she does even her own work, actually, I just listened to her episode on your show again last night in prep for today. Now she talks exactly that way. Okay, here’s how I’m going to develop my new courses that I’m going to offer Here’s what I’m working on. So it’s, it’s a constant push forward, we can never kind of stay in the past. Not that it doesn’t matter that, hey, this thing we build generates a lot of our business. That’s great. But what is the next thing? How do you kind of sustain yourself moving forward here? And also I’m kind of going on now. But should you know I got the mic. So I’m gonna keep talking. I think this is a this one a lot of people face with. With media, right? We have so many media options, and none are exercised well, because no one’s seen the people that I help especially businesses. They love what social media brings to them, but they never want to double down on the consistency or try new things or be a little bit more transparent or personal, on their social feeds. And it always perplexes me because the media options that they had, they could literally own a slice of their trade market industry as far as media is concerned, but they never figure out a way to do it because they’re not willing to take those risks and try new things and break what’s already working. outreaches concerned today So, again, a little long answer for you, David. But that’s that’s kind of how I look at breaking things to see what else is out there.
David Ralph [23:08]
If I can kind of understand what you’re saying about them with social media because there’s so much out there isn’t it you got Facebook, you got Instagram, you got Pinterest, you got Twitter, you got all these kind of things. And most of it, especially if you’re a solopreneur, you will look for ways of automating A lot of it. So that is going out. Now it took me a long time. And recently I have just hired a lady who is my first full time member of staff on the show called Sarah Harrison. She’s based in Miami, very, very lovely. And she is helping me with my social media. One of the things she said to me is David, you’re not putting any personality into it. It’s almost spammy. And I was just sort of setting up the tweets and I was sort of going out going out going out. Now I find it very easy to be myself on the microphone. I can turn a video camera on and be absolutely relaxed. I can be myself, but writing tweets and all those kind of things. It’s just not me. So I’ve been Now totally decided that I am going to build a team around me where I have one Instagram Expert, one, Twitter expert, one whoever, and I will work with them so that they can understand my sense of humour they can understand the way that I operate because I just think there’s too much out there and for a solopreneur like you are and like I am, it’s it’s almost a constant battle to keep that consistency in that flow going out. It drives you mental. At the end of the day, Joe, I’m sure all you want to do is like me talking to a microphone, coach, the people you want to coach and then sort of go and sit in the garden with a nice Shandy. What do you think?
Joel Capperella [24:40]
I don’t know what the Shandy part, but I would certainly sit in the garden maybe with a habit of scotch with a cigar. Is that okay? Would you do that with me?
David Ralph [24:47]
You’re a heavy drinker, especially oh six in the morning. I know what you’re like over there. Yeah, I will sit there and do that. Because that is the dream, isn’t it? The dream is that you create a business where you have your own time and you have the passion flexibility. And unless you automate a lot, you just can’t do it you can dip trapped, and certainly in the first year of Join Up Dots, it did. And I say this all the time, because I never want people to think it was easy. It almost killed me. I never wanted to stop, but it almost killed me. And that was the key thing were other jobs that I’ve done. Because I didn’t like it. I’ve gone are screwed. So I’m quitting. And I sort of walked away from it. This was the first thing ever, but the task was bigger than the the effort that was required. You know, I loved doing it, even though it was killing me. Yeah, but there’s still so much to do. You You beat yourself up, don’t you, Joe?
Joel Capperella [25:38]
Yeah, you know, you know, like you do and I know exactly what you’re talking about. It’s funny because I think people want to do their own thing right and I think more people today than ever before, but no, and you can gain a lot of information from people that have done it but until and unless you actually take that step into trying to do it on your own. You really don’t understand that feeling. So I completely get it cuz I think Look, I’ve never had more professional fulfilment ever in my life than I have right now. But that said, it’s also it’s incredibly it can be scary, right? It can be frightening. It can. It’s, it’s a challenge is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. So, you know, my biggest fear is like, Listen, there’s always the financial loss that you’re worried about. But beyond that, it’s like, man, I would hate to have to wake up to go back to a job one day, you know, because I don’t I, you know, I don’t know if I could do that again, after having tasted this life of really making a living off what you love doing not that you can’t do it in a corporate job I do, but I absolutely do believe you can. But there’s so much more here for me professionally to kind of, again, build my town up and give it away. So I completely understand what you’re saying. So, you know, be able to
David Ralph [26:44]
disagree with you. I don’t think really you can do it in a corporate you might, you know, you know, I don’t I think if you’re in a corporate gig, even if your career is going very well, and you’re climbing up the ladder, it’s still not yours. I think at the human level. We Want to create something that’s what we’re here for, you know, but difference between us and dolphins is that we can use our hands, basically. So you know, we can we can make a business. And I think that it doesn’t matter if it’s a business or it’s a sculpture or it’s whatever, it lights you up as a human, you always like it when you step away from something and you think that’s good, even if it’s, you know, a business that’s going well, if it’s not your business, I don’t think you’re going to feel that way.
Joel Capperella [27:26]
Yeah, but you know what, though, David, I hear what you’re saying. But I think, look, I have a lot of business leaders on my show. And we talk a lot about like employee engagement. I can’t speak for the UK. But here in the States employee engagement is a big term that’s being discussed over the last probably five to eight years. And this whole notion of employee engagement is how do I as a leader of a business, get my employees to feel as though they’re they’re part of what I’m doing right. And there’s so much nonsense around it and kind of, you know, Bs ways to do it. But the really good leaders that I’ve had on the show talk about helping their employees find that intersection of Their passion and their purpose, right. So is it theirs? Do they own that business? No, they don’t. But do they own the part of their contribution to the business? Absolutely. And they own it in a unique way that, that maybe no one else can do. And for them for those employees that Listen, you know, entrepreneurial world isn’t for them, but they’re going to stick with their corporate gig, and they’re going to have a really long, healthy career. They find that fulfilment in that intersection, hey, this is what I’m passionate about. Here’s the purpose of what I’m doing. Here’s the purpose of what the company is doing, here’s how it impacts. In other words, here’s how the customers get impacted. And I learned a lot about that when I was in my product management and product marketing gang, because to really create marketing, well, you have to ultimately understand the dramatic impact that it has on a person’s life. So you know, I you know, I think we’re maybe splitting hairs a little bit but I do think you can gain that level of personal fulfilment from your corporate gig and own the piece that you’re responsible for, if that makes sense.
David Ralph [28:55]
Right. Okay, we’ll get one of your thought leaders in a bar sir. like you and me. Wait, we’re sitting in stores in front of them. And you give that speech and you say, right, you’re in the business, and you’re supporting your member of staff, and you’re really developing your part. And when I will say, Look, I’m gonna give you a whole company, but you can do whatever you want. You can develop your staff, you can, it’s your business. They’re gonna go with a business. I don’t know if it’s bears, but they actually have carte blanche to do what they want, no matter who the leader is, if you give them the opportunity to sort of run with it, they’re gonna do that. And they
Joel Capperella [29:33]
it depends on the leader. I think a you know, will they do it? Yeah, if they if that’s what they if that what you define is what is ultimately their goal. Sure, absolutely. But I think there’s leaders across all sizes of business that are content with where they’re at, you know,
David Ralph [29:46]
Oh, you’re so intuitive. Joe. Yes. So argumentative. I don’t know how your wife puts up with you.
Unknown Speaker [29:53]
Well, David, we could just agree with each other all day or we could actually make an interesting show. What What do you think
David Ralph [29:59]
let’s just get Drunk that was the basis of the whole show anyway, wasn’t it? So, so would you at a moment where you are now, if I had you in a bar, and I said to you, right, you can either do what you’re doing now, or I can give you 300 employees, you can go in there and you can do your thing, and you can be the leader, but everybody would love you to be, would you take out? Or would you go? No, I’m quite happy where I am now.
Joel Capperella [30:24]
Well, no, for me, I’m quite happy where I am right now. So now I would, I would stay the course for sure.
David Ralph [30:29]
Because that is when you know, isn’t it? That is when you know, and where you are now? how satisfied are you with it? Because I find talking to people know it myself. It’s very difficult to actually relax and go, Oh, this is good. I really like this because you always think about the things that you haven’t quite done or needs to be done. And as it gets bigger and bigger. There’s things that come into your world that you didn’t even know you should be doing at the beginning of anything. Oh God, I’ve missed a trip. how satisfied are you where you are at the moment?
Joel Capperella [30:59]
Yeah. You know, that’s a good question too, that there’s, there’s a certain insatiability that I think you have to have when you’re doing this. In other words, if you, if you find yourself satisfied that I don’t think maybe it’s not necessarily for you. Because what I find in what I’m doing is I’m never like, at the end of the day, I’m always like, wow, I wish I would have done those three more things, you know what I’m saying? In other words, even if close a new client, it’s a nice client, and the engagement goes well, and you know, I get a referral out of it. That’s all great, and I love doing it. But it’s never seems to be enough. So and I don’t mean from a money perspective, because what I also find in this world, too, is that this effort is rarely motivated by money. In other words, if you’re getting into this, because you think you’re gonna make a lot of money. And what I mean by getting into this, this entrepreneurial spirit of things, that certainly helps, right, but what I find I find the really successful people that are out there solopreneurs or entrepreneurs are motivated by their talent and what their town does for others, you know, And the money comes along with it. So I find that I’m insatiable with my, what I’m doing and what I’m trying to get done. So again, I’m not sure if that makes sense, but I’m never satisfied, right? You will always want to improve it, you always want to get better, you always want to get a bigger, you know.
David Ralph [32:13]
So would you say then to sort of summarise that, but if you find yourself 100% satisfied in your business, you’re either not dreaming big enough, or it’s the wrong business for you, you’re saying that you should always be going for something bigger?
Joel Capperella [32:27]
Yeah, you know what I would and again, so I’ve connected with a lot of other, you know, entrepreneurs as well to kind of see what they’ve got going on. And I love when you speak with them. And they’re at that they’re exactly at that point, where there may be content with whatever they’re charging today, but when I hear them speak, it’s like, you know what, that’s like you You should think even bigger than that. Because the way you’ve packaged your service up, what you’re delivering for people, the impact that it makes them on their business, there’s no reason why you can’t, you know, do more of that or increase the the volume or the scale of your business. So now Completely agree with that is that, you know, if you’re if you’re satisfied, then there’s probably more to be had. And again, not from it. I think it’s important. This is just me personally, but not from a more money sort of way. But hey, where’s the greater impact? Where’s the where’s the? Where’s that PR? Like I was saying to you earlier, it’s like, Hey, where’s that podcaster out there today made entire living out of it. But, you know, David might have the keys to help them unlock why they’re not thinking big enough, if that makes sense.
David Ralph [33:24]
Yeah, I think you absolutely will. And so it takes us back to the task again, doesn’t it? Because I started it as a show. I started Join Up Dots as a show which was gonna take me to global success and oodles of money. And then after about, I don’t know about 100 shows or 150 shows, I suddenly clicked into wanting to understand the nuances that make a good show. Why some shows I would listen to and after three minutes I turn off, and others I would stay there for an hour and 20 minutes, you know, and it was that studious approach that kicked in with me and when By I suddenly became obsessed by sound quality, editing, recording all these extra things, which funnily enough, has now become my business, because then they went that extra mile and really learn how to record an edit live and do post production. So that’s non existent all the things that hold people back from starting a podcast and if anybody’s out there and you’ve got a business I tell you get a podcast on it because it’s a great way of expanding your knowledge and your your personality and people buy from people so it’s a great way of doing it. But so many people struggle with the things that technicality things. And by getting that extra desire to really drill down into it, which I didn’t have in the first hundred and shows it was pretty much just record it and get it out to the world. I built my whole business and my whole business is built around that passion of trying to become as good as I can become.
Joel Capperella [34:53]
So you see what you’ve done there. David, you’ve just written your first podcast conference keynote speech.
David Ralph [34:58]
Yeah, absolutely. He’s gonna go with how to be a UK sexy podcaster that drives the women while that’s Is that too shallow is that I should have gone deeper on that.
Joel Capperella [35:09]
I’ve seen your photo I’m not sure if that how credible that would be. How dare you?
David Ralph [35:14]
How dare you because I started off with your voice wasn’t deep and manly wasn’t it right at the very beginning? You’re turning nasty now, sir.
Unknown Speaker [35:21]
Well, Mikey did start it right.
David Ralph [35:23]
Did I always started, I always started. But let’s play some more words now. And they’re gonna lead us on to the last part of our conversation and we have to listen to these every single day. never get bored of them. Steve Jobs.
Steve Jobs [35:35]
Of course, it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards. 10 years later. Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something, your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well worn path. And that will make all the difference.
David Ralph [36:10]
Now those words hit home for me again, you know, I don’t listen to them all the time, you know, obsessively. But every now again, I’d really stop and listen to them a deep vein, and they they, they’re bigger than the words because there’s meaning behind them. Isn’t there? There’s a whole future. He’s talking about opportunities.
Joel Capperella [36:30]
Yeah, that’s from his Stanford addresses. Mm hmm.
David Ralph [36:32]
Yeah, absolutely.
Joel Capperella [36:34]
Yeah. I love that address. You know, there’s so much packed in in that talk. And I agree with you and I love that. That’s the essence of what I’m trying to do right is just trust a little bit. I mean, where’s that trust lie lies and whatever you believe in it lies in the belief in yourself and not again, not like it I feel goodie rah rah sort of way, but hey, here’s the talents that I have and I could make something. Work with them. Right. Am I going to Am I going to see with clarity exactly where that’s headed today. I think that’s nearly enough. possible for anyone you know, I could try to plan it and structure it out right but I have to trust in my ability to to eventually look back in the rearview mirror to see where you know to you Steve Jobs words there, how those dots all connected to get to me get me where I’m at where I’m at, right but that can’t happen unless you have that that that trust I think and you know it’s funny I I know that your podcast is motivated and you call it Join Up Dots I know it’s motivated from that speech and there’s one part of that speech that really lovely talks about calligraphy and how he learned calligraphy early on in his career and if you remember you know you and I are probably old enough to remember when the Mac first came out and and that was so revolutionary right this this this fonts that you could do on the Mac that you couldn’t do anywhere else digitally and with with ease, right? So that small thing seemingly small thing here’s this guy taking a calligraphy course, and it has a huge impact on not just his his life but indeed the world. Right. And and I think that’s the point is that to him, and I love his biography By the way, I think his biography is probably the best read out there on business. Because, you know, it’s not about technology by any means, but it’s by, you know, his passion was lied to in design, and also in not just in a design for the sake of aesthetics and making things look good, but design in a way that’s actually going to be profitable, right in a way that’s going to serve people. And oh, by the way, is going to make money off of it. So that’s, that’s one thing people don’t talk a lot about Steve Jobs is he was a unabashed businessman, right. In other words, he didn’t you know, he wasn’t afraid to make $1 right with his town. So, again, I’m kind of going off on that, but I love that biography. I love that talk. So that’s kind of how how it impacts me as far as having the trust in your ability to know that when you arrive at the destination that it was a logical steps that led you there.
David Ralph [38:43]
Well, yeah. And in another way of saying is every single person out there listening to this show today, you have been in training for something that could occur today. You have the skills built up, and they might have come from crappy jobs that you just bought a waste of space or It’s all leading you to that point. And you’ve just got to look at yourself carefully and go, what skills have I got? And what things do I really love? And how can I use those two things to solve problems for people? And it is, it is as simple as that. It’s difficult. We’ve been talking about how hard it is to actually do the practicalities of building a business, but the essence is, what I love doing, what am I good at and how I can solve problems? Is that my job?
Joel Capperella [39:27]
Yeah, I think you’re spot on that you’re spot on, David.
David Ralph [39:30]
Hey, you got a business coaching for you, sir. Yeah, so yeah, I’ve got that check back. I have that check back. And I reckon you’ll keep a few of those zeros. So when you look at the Steve Jobs story, and the words that he said, question we always ask all our guests is when was your big dots moment but you really knew what you wanted to do for the rest of your life.
Joel Capperella [39:52]
You know that it’s funny because I have to remind myself every day that the talent that I have is unique and few people have it. I mean that in a braggadocious sort of way, but just to react, I think there’s certain towns that we all have, that others don’t possess in the entirety that you might possess them. So for me, you know, early in my career around midway through, I guess, I started to get in a little bit more into Product Marketing and product marketing in the early 2000s. In the software world was all about telling the right story. In other words, you know, the bits and the bytes of the software, do X, Y, and Z or Zed as they may say, and but you know, what, what does that matter? Like? What’s the impact? What’s the reality for the person using the software? And you know, I just kind of went along doing it. But what I found was I was able to really understand what the user was trying to accomplish with the software and what it meant to them and, you know, whether or not it was going to make their day better when they left the office and the greater impact to, to to the world in general because what they were doing, so I started to really hone in on that right. So, you know, for me, it was kind of a it wasn’t like a moment, but it was a accumulation of seeing my ability to kind of tell a tale in a way that’s not, you know, again, not utilitarian, you know, not an easy sort of way. But in a dramatic fashion that’s going to help people see where they should head what they should do with this product or software, what’s the difference they can make. So if I had to pick a moment, there was in 1998, I was at a wedding in Miami, there’s a beautiful hotel in Miami called the Biltmore. If you ever get to Miami, you should check out the Biltmore Hotel. We were standing on this broad balcony, it was August of all times have a wedding in Miami, which is very hot in, in summer in Miami, but a friend of mine, were sitting on the balcony, and I was kind of complaining about my job at the time. And he said, Now you’re looking at her all wrong, right? Because what you do is you do this and the software changes in that way. And if it changes in that way, and the guy who’s using your software is able to do more with his job and on and on. So you’ve got to let me get this whole path of, Hey, your efforts on what you’re doing on the day to day. They have a huge ripple effect out into new Not just your life, but the lives of the people that are using your product. So that was really a kind of like, that was like a lightbulb moment. I, it’s probably my best friend in the world. We grew up together this guy and I, and I look back at that. I’m thinking, Man, that was that was definitely one of those dots, if you will, that says, Well, that’s kind of helped me co last night at that moment, mind you, okay? Because I was like, whatever. We had a couple beers most of the time. So the truth, so I was like, just talk, but I could look back at all of the steps after that to see Wow, that made a huge impact on me, and helped me kind of discern, you know, what I’m good at, and how I can help others with my town.
David Ralph [42:32]
And so if we sort of put those stones those dots and lead them forward, you know, where’s your talent going to go in the next sort of five years? Is it business as usual? Have you got plans already in your head?
Joel Capperella [42:44]
Yeah, I do have plans and it’s actually something I’m working on right now. So I sell my services to businesses selling to other businesses, and most of that’s because what I know so but what I’m doing right now, as I’m actually kind of dabbling in, in helping you know, other coaches, celebrate and whatnot, because what I’m finding is I didn’t realise how big the market was to the truth. But it’s huge markets a $2 billion market this solopreneur and coach world. So I’m actually starting to start to structure some one on one work that I’m doing there. I want to increase the the b2b work, because that pays the bills right now. But I also want to add an event to this at some level, and I’ll do it regional here in the Philadelphia region first, and then hopefully grow that. And then eventually, some assets around information products and whatnot. So in my mind, I see it as a product service service product structure where I, because my b2b services are well defined. I’m going to build out more for the solopreneurs and coaches of the world. And then they want to eventually add information, product and assets to it around an event. So that’s kind of where I’m at. So if we talk in five years from now, hopefully it’s all it’s all come together data.
David Ralph [43:47]
We will have you back on the show your books, I don’t know Episode 2000 or something, but we will still be here. We’ll still be here. So Joe, this is the end of the show. And this has been that we’ve been leading up to when we’re going to send you back in time to have a one on one with your younger self. And if you could go back in time and speak to the young Joe, what advice would you give him? What age would you choose? Well, we’re gonna find out because we’re going to play the theme. And when it fades Europe, this is the Sermon on the mic
Unknown Speaker [44:20]
with the best bit
Unknown Speaker [44:21]
of the show, man, my man.
Joel Capperella [44:36]
So I would speak to probably a fourth grade, fifth grade year old Joe, who was taking piano lessons and was actually quite good at the piano had a natural kind of musical ability. But he was on his way home from Pakistan, maybe a little older because I’m home from junior high school. And he missed his piano lesson that day and it was the final straw for his mother. His mother was not going to invest in these piano lessons anymore if he was going To be dawdling on the way home from school and not take them. And what I would do is I couldn’t remember the path distinctly on which I was walking. And I would, it would probably be a little creepy forJoel Capperella because to have a 47 year old man come out of the woods without the path he was taking home might have been a little alarming to him. But once we got over that, I would encourage him to hustle home and get to the piano lesson. And even though sometimes, again, probably 13 years old, I want to say, even though we might not listen to adults at that age, I would try to impress upon him at Listen, this is a natural thing that you’re good at. And you will be incredibly thankful that you are able to play the piano when you’re my age number one, and more importantly, this ability of yours to tap into something that is naturally given to you this talent, and this musical ability to play. The piano is going to open up a lot of opportunity for you not by playing the piano, but by understanding the need and the necessity to embrace that which with what you’re good at. If I had that conversation because the truth of the story is I didn’t make it home, my mom did cancel the piano lessons and I cannot play like a tune the piano today. And it’s probably one of my larger regrets because I would love to sit down and be able to play. And I was pretty good at it right. But more importantly than that, is that’s a habit, you know, we have to be habitual about how we nurture our talents and our abilities. So if I had earned and develop that habit earlier, I might not have waited until my twins were born, to go out and venture on my own. And, more importantly, some of the things I struggle with today, the habitual obstacles that get in the way of my success may have been removed if I had stuck with those piano lessons. Oh, so many years ago. So again, I hopefully wouldn’t scare the young Joel, but I would tell him and encourage him to go and hustle home to get to that piano lesson.
David Ralph [46:45]
Yeah, absolutely. Or don’t go for the lesson. Just sit sit there and practice because I can play the piano and I never had a lesson in my life. I just kind of sat there for hour upon hour, trying to sort of fly and it’s two ways you either get tall or you’ve got the hassle to make it happen. You Isn’t it?
Joel Capperella [47:01]
That’s right. That’s absolutely right.
David Ralph [47:03]
Well, Joe, what is the number one best way that our audience can connect with you? Because I believe you’ve got a free gift for them.
Joel Capperella [47:09]
I do actually I want to send people to Joel cap.com. That’s JOEL ca p comm forward slash dot DTS. So it’s Joel cap, comm forward slash dots. And what you’ll find there is a webinar about using your content development to actually increase some of the competence sorry, improve your confidence, some of the areas where maybe you think you’re a little bit challenged, or more importantly, you’ll get a lot more out of the content you’re already producing. You know, we talked earlier about hey, there’s so many media options, what do I do and how do I invest in those and get more out of them. So I think this is going to help your your folks so again, it’s Jo cat comm forward slash dots, otherwise, I think best way to get me is on my Facebook page. You can just look for Joel cap and you’ll find me there. And I’d listen send me a message. I’m always happy to connect and give you my two cents on things. So That’s best way to reach me.
David Ralph [48:01]
Right Joe will have all the links in the show notes. Thank you so much for spending time with us today. joining up those dots and please come back again when you have more dots to join up because I do believe that by joining up the dots and connecting our past is the best way to build our futures Joe Thank you so much.
Joel Capperella [48:17]
David, thank you for having me on.
Outro [48:20]
Joel Capperella, yes Joel Capperella and properly Italian name or something. I don’t know. I should have asked him in the interview. Well, a novice mistake to make but he’s somebody as you could hear, he’s in the midst of it. He’s hustling. He’s getting it going. He’s networking. He’s doing it every day. He’s worrying about the pennies. He’s he’s on the journey. And that’s what Join Up Dots has always been about it’s not just bringing people that are a listers but have sort of been there and almost untouchable is about the people that can inspire you to go on and do great things. Hopefully that episode will and what I’m gonna do now I’m gonna actually finish with something but I will apply to you. This is me play the piano live so hope you enjoy not too many complaints. And we’ll see you again soon. Cheers, bye.
David doesn’t want you to become a faded version of the brilliant self you or wants to become. So he’s put together an amazing guide for you called the eight pieces of advice that every successful entrepreneur practices, including the two that changed his life. Head over to Join Up dots.com to download this amazing guide for free and we’ll see you tomorrow on Join Up Dots.