Today’s guest is a friend and fellow Wisconsinite whose recent project took him on a 29-day and 6,978-mile journey through 19 states in his Audi A4. Our conversation took place less than one week after the completion of his road trip. We talk about what surprised him, what went well, and how he handled the mounds of fear he felt from day 1 to day 30. You don’t want to miss this episode with Jim Raffel.
Watch the show (uncensored & unedited)
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Share Some SHUT UP Love:
Sometimes you just have to sit at your desk knowing you gotta do what you gotta do on the day you gotta do it. @raffel #shutupshow (click to tweet)
Fun Facts:
- Jim Raffel is a small business owner and content creator who writes about the successful use of social media and storytelling to grow your business online.
- Jim is a veteran of the printing industry and graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology’s acclaimed printing management program.
- Jim launched ColorMetrix Technologies, LLC after conceiving the idea to make color measurement and evaluation easier by creating easy-to-use software solutions.
- Jim also runs SheHe Media with his partner Shelby Sapusek where they specialize in executive level social media engagement strategies to grow your business.
- Jim chronicled the planning and execution of a 6,000-mile, 30-day journey in his Audi A4.
- Jim’s son and Berni’s son went to the same school district for 10 years, in the same grade, before Jim and Berni came to know of and meet each other online.
Defining SHUT UP Moment:
ON BECOMING A YOUNG SALESMAN:
My family owned a retail furniture store so by the time you were 17 or 18, you were on the floor helping them sell. I learned sales techniques which were, in fact, social engagement techniques today. I got to see all kinds of social engagement styles and I kept trying things out so I could sell furniture and essentially go to college. When I finally went to college, I remember thinking I could meet people the same way I learned selling furniture. Today, even social media can be frightening at times like these situations, but you have to put yourself out there.
ON TAKING THE JOURNEY OF HIS LIFE:
My idea for #6K30Days goes back about 3 or 4 years ago. There has always been two driving forces: I travel so much anyway, I am convinced I can work from anywhere. And, the older I get, I’m sick and tired of winters in Wisconsin.
It was supposed to be more of a quiet escape for me but it would have been quite disingenuous if I wouldn’t have made a big deal about it. Though the trip wasn’t tightly scripted from day one, there were certain points where I had to be on certain days or it wouldn’t work. They were key focal points that made the trip justifiable from a final financial and business point-of-view.
SHUT UP Tips:
What makes me uniquely successful is that I learned how to be regimented and also fly at the seat of my pants. – Jim Raffel
I had no idea how frickin’ big the state of Texas is. Until you drive through it, you can’t. – Jim Raffel
If anything surprised me, it was my ability to drive over 750 miles by myself without feeling exhausted, burned out or tired. – Jim Raffel
There was a section I drove through where you pass a gas station and the next one is not for about another 90 miles. At that point you start thinking, “What if I break down here and now?” – Jim Raffel
On days I didn’t want to be alone anymore, I pulled out my phone and looked at the weather update in Wisconsin to remind myself why I did this trip to begin with. This was the first February I didn’t suffer from seasonal affective disorder. – Jim Raffel
Getting back into the routine is harder than I thought it woudl be. A big part of my DNA is a nomad or wanderer. I fall into the routine of being on the road more naturally than I fall into the routine of being home. – Jim Raffel
Jim Recommends:
Colormetrix is redefining two existing products and repositioning. Jim is looking for a great PHP programmer to help with an upcoming project. Contact Jim here.
Find Jim:
Jim is @raffel on Twitter
Check out #SheHeChat Thursdays nights at 8pm CT on Twitter (see shehemedia.com for more info)
Jim’s blog is JimRaffel.com