Episode 157: Winning at Business and Life with Justin Rule

This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast, where business leaders share their insights. It is 6 questions in 7 minutes because successful business leaders are busy and rarely have more time to spare. So let's get to it. Question number 1: In a few sentences, please tell me who you are and what you do.

Hey, my name is Justin Rule, and I'm a 3.5-month-early, 2-pound premature baby survivor. I was born deaf with cerebral palsy, and now, by God's grace and miracles later, I now own a web design company.

Justin, it's so great to have you on the show. Question number 2: What's the best thing about working in your industry?

The best thing for me, uh, is working with entrepreneurs and startups. I get to meet with people across the country and hear, uh, mostly good ideas, some crazy ideas, but meeting people that are just passionate about helping the people around them and have an idea of product they want to share.

I love it, and I can hear that passion in your voice. It's wonderful. Question number 3: I have a fictitious book with all the answers for business. What chapter would you think most companies should read?

Oh, that's funny. I didn't know it was fictitious. I thought it was the real deal. Um, I think they should read the chapter on why you shouldn't define yourself by your business, um, and helping people understand that whether your business succeeds or fails, whether your idea flops or not, it's not a reflection on you personally. Don't take it personal if people get frustrated with your service and your product. It's not about you. And so that's what I've learned the hard way, but hopefully that's a good chapter to read.

I like that too, because if you take that idea that you're talking about, it also will reduce your stress. Because if you take it personally, I'm assuming that you're going to end up feeling so stressed out about worrying about what people think of you personally versus what, what happened with your business. Am I reading you right?

No, you're totally right. I used to sometimes tell people, you know, work like it depends on you, but rest like it depends on God. And somewhere in there you figure out that stress balance.

That's great. Question number 4: Other than the generic work harder, have a great attitude, and care for customers, what advice or insight would you give to other business leaders?

I think the best two cents I would toss in the cup would be to consider the way you serve people and the way you'd want to be served. And it certainly goes back to ancient, you know, Jewish carpenter man who said, you know, treat others as you wish to be treated. But when it actually comes down to the nitty-gritty in business, I feel like sometimes if I'm attempted to react a certain way or respond a certain way, but I pause and say, hold on a second, I was in their shoes, What would I want someone to do? At the end of the day, in my business, it's not going to sink or fail based on how I respond to any single moment. But if I really think, you know what, how do— how would I want to be served in this situation? It just changes how I respond and react. And it's not cliché because it does change your business and it marks you as someone who truly cares about others.

I love that. So the way I'm hearing that is treat, like, treat your customers the way you would want to be treated as a customer.

Yeah, absolutely. And even just think of the experience of your company and brand and interaction in that same light as well. Like, don't just think your, I don't know, your website or your entryway or whatever is great because you love it, but think, hold on a second, if I put my customer hat on, does this even make sense how it's laid out or working?

Yeah, that's great. Thank you for that. Question number 5: What other business leader like yourself would you like to acknowledge and invite to be on my podcast?

Oh man, I gotta give my hat off to Adam Grimm. He's this guy that eats numbers for breakfast and dreams about conversion metrics, and he's just a nerd, but he's down to earth, and he takes these complex things in his business of digital strategy and makes them layman. And I've benefited tremendously from them and just appreciate his insights.

Wonderful. I'll reach out to him. Thank you for that referral. And our final question, question number 6, please tell me about your first job.

My first job that I'll admit was doing an early morning Columbus Dispatch paper route where I'd have to get myself up at age 13 and walk around my streets in Columbus, Ohio and deliver papers. And you know what? I learned that I I need my brothers and sisters to help me get up, like literally and figuratively, you know, at 5:30 in the morning, what 13-year-old wakes up? But I also learned just the value of routine and hard work and like, hey, let's just get the job done. I saw a lot of beautiful sunrises that I would have missed. And yeah, I got the first dibs on the leftovers in the fridge as well, 'cause no one else had woken up yet. So it was a good gig.

I love that silver lining on it too. You know, I was a paperboy as well. And so, I could appreciate everything that you're saying there. So, Justin, thank you so much for being on the show. How can people find you?

Yeah, just, uh, Google Sparrow Websites, and if I've done my job at all well, you'll find us.

Perfect. This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast. Thanks for listening.