Aaron Mashano of Leaders of Tomorrow: Turning Passion into Profits
Zambian-born Aaron Mashano moved to Australia in 2001 to study English, law in addition to commerce. He was drawn towards helping young migrants in prison, which led him to build his business in educating people to turn their passion into profits. In 2012, he moved his headquarters to Bali in addition to wrote his books, The Economic Migrant in addition to Seeds of the Wawa Tree – 11 African Short Stories. We talk to Aaron to find out more about his business consultancy, workshops, passion in addition to how Bali chose him.
Where are you based at the moment?
I live in Canggu although will probably be creating Sanur my base soon. My business design works around partnering up with co-working spaces because I get the ideal clients with the seed to start up in addition to monetise their passion. of which’s also a actually not bad community space, so you find people are a bit more relaxed. Sanur features a place called Kumpul, which is actually in a creative house called Rumah Sanur. of which is actually the first co-working space I’ve found of which features a 50-50 split between expat in addition to Indonesians, which is actually great for me.
What led you to pursue the work of which you do right now?
I’m a humanitarian at heart in addition to working inside the corporate arena, I wasn’t actually seeing the impact with individuals in addition to communities. So, I started off branching out in social enterprises on the side in addition to found of which I was more passionate about of which.
How was Leaders of Tomorrow born?
When my son was born, I started off questioning my behaviours, actions in addition to my role in life. ‘Am I here to look not bad or am I here to make a difference to future generations?’ I figured out of which I wanted my life to mean something. I always knew of which I wanted to become a coach or a writer or a speaker although I never thought I could do of which. In 2012, I set up a business that has a silly name of which keeps me accountable in addition to I actually do my best in order of which my son can follow suit.
Tell us about the work you did in juvenile prisons.
I started off working with juveniles in prison, teaching them about life skills, communication in addition to confidence building. A lot of the African migrant community were ending up in prison because of identity issues, which refugees in addition to immigrants face. We started off getting actually not bad results in addition to I got a real addiction to helping young people find opportunities.
Was of which difficult for you as a migrant in Australia?
I’m an eternal optimist, although of which was probably one of the hardest things I’ve done, especially with the language barrier. As an African, black man trying to find his feet in Australia, I think I lost myself trying to become someone who I thought I needed to be. I found myself being one of the best performers in interview in addition to job settings although I just wasn’t getting picked. I had to work 10 times harder to get the job, which I did, in addition to I found myself in middle management within a year because of my work ethic. Australia opened of which all up for me in addition to after six years I got my permanent residency in addition to the sky was the limit.
What attracted you to set up Leaders of Tomorrow in Bali?
I was going through my own spiritual journey in addition to I came to Bali to speak in addition to ended up running a workshop. I have to admit I had my own ‘Eat Pray Love’ experience, so I thought maybe of which was a not bad time to expand internationally. I came back to Bali a few months later to write in addition to by the time I finished my book, I realised I felt more at home in Bali. By February 2014 I was living here, although I still run my operations in Perth in addition to I’m looking to expand to the US.
Did Bali welcome you with open arms?
I’ll put of which This specific way, I’ve been in Australia for 15 years in addition to I was calling Bali home pretty much a month after I moved. of which just resonates with me.
Tell us about your Bali workshops.
I started off my first ‘Passion 2 Profit’ workshop in Bali in August 2014, which I run every quarter in Sanur. I’m looking for people who have a talent or a passion in addition to want to create an enterprise around of which. Our workshops run for six hours in addition to we help to identify people’s passion, refine their skills, in addition to ways of monetising to create an enterprise.
How many people do you have in your workshops?
A maximum of 50; I used to take 400, which could be better for a keynote speech, which I’m interested to pursue in Jakarta.
What happens after each workshop? Explain your business consulting services.
Because I have more of a personal approach, I try to find out about the individuals who join my workshops, discovering what their core needs are. 80 percent of the people of which do attend are probably not suited for my post-workshop business consulting services. If you continue on with me, you can either buy a book, study online, or I take a few people on a personalised consultancy where we talk once a month. For the latter option, you have to be actually ready. By the third month you should have your business up-in addition to-running in addition to by the sixth month you should be creating a profit.
How many people ‘make of which’ with you?
A majority of them do eventually make of which, which is actually why I can only take 20 percent of the room at any given time.
What traits of a successful person do you notice in your workshops?
Jim Rohn, my favourite mentor of all time said, “If you actually want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you find an excuse.”
When people don’t show up at my workshop, chances are they’re not in of which 20 percent group. inside the workshop we play games oriented around action-taking in addition to I find by the end of the six hours, 20 percent have played most of the games in addition to played them competitively. If you think about of which inside the business world, if you’re not out there hustling, you won’t build a business. If you won’t hustle in a safe environment that has a modest amount of risk, you’re not likely to hustle at a bigger level that has a lot of risk, in addition to sharks inside the market place. Within half of the workshop, I have cherry-picked in addition to know who is actually most likely going to be someone I’d like to work with as their personal business consultant.
Tell us about the different workshops you have on offer in addition to how much they cost to join.
‘Passion 2 Profit’ is actually more expat-oriented in addition to ‘Business Blitz’ is actually more for local businesses, where people ask for specific advice on specific problems. ‘Passion 2 Profit’ costs Rp.350,000 although if of which’s at a co-working space where you’re a member, then of which’s Rp.250,000. ‘Business Blitz’ is actually Rp.150,000. Both workshops run for
six hours.
Do you notice differences in business approach between expat in addition to Indonesian people in your workshops?
I find the Indonesian in addition to Balinese to be very straight-forward. They know exactly what their business is actually in addition to what of which is actually not. Usually they are very focused on sales. With the expat community, the business should be simple although I spend more time trying to simplify what’s going on in their minds. They’re worrying about how they’re going to make a million dollars to worrying about what the government thinks, so we don’t get the business started off. The expats are also very much about perfection, whereas the Indonesian market want to get the product out there in addition to refine as they go. inside the most practical way, the Indonesian entrepreneur is actually probably more suited for business because of which’s what business is actually.
What’s next for you?
5 December will be my last 2015 workshop in Bali in addition to I plan to do something in Jakarta before then. Next year I will launch in San Francisco, Amsterdam in addition to Africa. I’m also creating an e-business suite, which will allow my clients online marketing campaigns in addition to administrative service, so they can focus more on building their businesses.
Thank you, Aaron. To get in touch, e-mail: ceo@lotprofit.com
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Aaron Mashano of Leaders of Tomorrow: Turning Passion into Profits
Aaron Mashano of Leaders of Tomorrow: Turning Passion into Profits