Are you choosing to live a happy, fulfilled life?
That’s right, studies have proven that ninety percent of the factors that make the difference between a happy life and an unhappy life are factors within your control. One life hack proven to help unlock your best life is setting, pursuing, and achieving goals.
Yes, you can choose a happy life, but don’t take my word for it! Here’s an example of how other people – people just like you – are choosing to achieve happiness through their goals.
Amuse-Bouche Before we jump into today's post, I offer you this "dad joke" as a light "amuse-bouche" to entertain your mind before we get serious. Like any other amuse-bouche, you may hate it, but it is worth every penny you paid for it, right? I got the best deal at the barbershop today… I paid to get A hair cut and they cut them ALL for the same price!
Bringing A New Style To Epic Goal Success (Interview)
Welcome to this week’s Interview with a Goal-Crusher. In these interviews, I sit down with someone accomplishing big things by setting and achieving their goals to learn their secrets. Then I share those secrets with you. It’s like free mentoring from someone already on the road to success. Who doesn’t want that?!
Like many guys, I spent most of my life getting my hair cut at one of those chain barbershops at the strip mall. They were cheap and easy, and I didn’t really think much about it … it’s just hair. That kind of thinking ended on a chilly January morning in 2017 when I first walked into Goodfellows Tonsorial Parlor.
Goodfellows was a personal care experience like I had never had before. The vibe in the building was amazing – vintage chairs and equipment, unique and carefully curated music, drinks and incredibly welcoming. It felt like the place for me from day one, and I can’t imagine going back to the strip mall barbershop.
For this month’s Interview with a Goal-Crusher, I had the opportunity to talk with the hard-working owner and creative mastermind behind Goodfellows to learn more about his journey. So, grab a bourbon, take a seat in a comfy leather chair, turn on some Postmodern Jukebox in the background and read on.
Please introduce yourself and tell Operation Melt readers what you do.
Hi! My name is Dale Grinstead-Mayle, and I own Goodfellow’s Tonsorial Parlor in Columbus, Ohio and White Salmon, Washington.
What motivated you to start a business? What was your vision for Goodfellows? Can you share some/all of your story?
Honestly, I’ve had so many jobs in so many industries. I loved every one of them for different reasons, but I always worked so hard to make someone else money.
Time moves quickly the older you get. I didn’t want to lose the chance to try to do something that was a reflection of myself and my ideals – something truly mine.
I always envisioned Goodfellow’s as a warm, welcoming space that provided upscale services in a comfortable atmosphere. I wanted my business to feel like anyone could walk right in. The biggest goal for the business was to provide my employees with benefits. Something not common in the barber industry.
What were your biggest challenges in starting Goodfellows? How did you overcome them?
Start-up costs! My husband and I did not have a lot of money at the time. Our savings were almost non-existent. I knew I would have to get a loan from somewhere and didn’t know the first place to start. I got a referral for ECDI (Economic Community Development Institute), where I took a four-week Small Business Start-up Class.
The class taught me the pitfalls of starting a small business and how to put together a business plan. Afterward, I took my business plan to the SBDC (Small Business Development Center). This non-profit organization provides free assistance for start-ups and helps find lenders.
I found the space we are still in and immediately fell in love with the three-story Victorian. The problem was I was turned down by two banks and was afraid I wouldn’t get it.
At the time, I was bartending at The Sycamore, a restaurant in Columbus’ German Village. One of our regulars asked me how the progress was going. I told him about my stress of wanting this building and not having funding. He asked, “How much do you need?” I told him, and we met for breakfast the next day with my business plan and projections. After that, he lent us the money!
We were extremely lucky!
What goal success tips and techniques have worked well for you that you would like to share with my readers?
Go in with a goal and stick to it.
Have a clear idea of what you want your business to be but be willing to make adjustments as you go. If you don’t have the finances to open with your vision, set up a plan to reach it, a little at a time and stick to the little goals.
Don’t give up!
It’s hard and scary and unknown. Nothing in this world is worth anything unless you have to work for it.
What else would you like my Operation Melt readers to know about you, Goodfellows or goal success in general?
I could not have been successful without the support of my friends, family and community. They are why I am where I am today and why I keep striving to be the best I can… as a thank you for believing in me.
How can people learn more about you?
Learn more about the Columbus location of Goodfellow’s Tonsorial Parlor at our website, Facebook or Instagram.
Learn more about the White Salmon location of Goodfellow’s Tonsorial Parlor at our website, Facebook or Instagram.
Dale said his original goal was to create someplace that was “a warm, welcoming space that provided upscale services in a comfortable atmosphere” and to feel “like anyone could walk right in.” I can tell you firsthand that he nailed it. Plus, Goodfellows just keeps growing and improving: he has tripled the number of stylists, added a bar and added a massage therapist (I finally got my first massage the week I ran a half marathon!)… not to mention opening a second location on the other side of the country! He is a truly impressive goal-crusher!
I am always amazed by the uniqueness of the goals and goal-crushers I meet every day. Needless to say, Dale’s goal and vision were different than Lindsay’s, which was very different than Teresa’s. Despite the differences in each person’s goals, a handful of nearly universally applicable techniques keep coming up that have helped each person succeed. Here are some highlights of the techniques Dale mentioned:
- Set SMART Goals: Dale knew what he wanted to create and had the courage to try.
- Build a plan that works for you: While Dale knew what he wanted to build, knowing how to get there required a lot of work. His path was unique to him, and someone else’s plan simply wouldn’t have worked. He did his homework and built a plan that worked for who he was and where he was in his journey.
- Don’t go it alone: Dale didn’t try to achieve his goal without help; he relied on the expertise and support of others to get to the finish line. He certainly built his team of experts.
- Enjoy the journey: when you meet Dale, you immediately know he loves what he is doing. He puts in countless hours to continually improve his business and to provide his customers with the best possible experience. But, no matter how hard he works, he does it with a smile on his face because his goal, his dream, is a labor of love.
Do you have a dream inside of you that is begging to be let out? Are you ready to turn that dream into a goal and then into a success? No matter your dream, these techniques make you more likely to accomplish it.
Need a little help finding the best strategy to turn your dream into a reality? I am a certified Master Life Coach, and Operation Melt coaching can help you create attainable goals, build plans to accomplish them and gain the momentum to carry you to the finish line. Let’s work together.
I believe in you; let me help YOU believe in you!
Meet Coach Tony
My name is Coach Tony, and I am a coach, author and project manager on a mission. I am working to build a world where no goal ever dies of loneliness.
I almost allowed one of my biggest life goals to die without ever being attempted for forty years. My goal almost died, not of failure but of loneliness. But, I took a risk and leveraged a simple, logical process that helped me wildly exceed my goal.
I transformed my life, and you can do the same with the help of Operation Melt.
Operation Melt provides engaging, practical content and hands-on coaching to inspire, motivate and equip project managers and other left-brained high-achievers to pursue and accomplish their biggest goals.
Breathe new life into your goals
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