I am an owner/operator of Polished Paper, along with my partner Colin Winterton. Polished Paper is an online, English-language document editing company providing services to academics and businesses around the world. Colin sort of runs the day to day editing aspect of it, while I make the grandiose strategy decisions and generally try to shipwreck the whole company every 6 to 12 months.
2: What is your biggest life lesson?
“Flammable” and “inflammable” mean the same thing.
3: What is your biggest achievement?
I don’t really know that I have anything worth bragging about. Colin has two kids. I’m, like, 50% sure that he’s proud of that. He goes on about them all the time. I was the first person to pass assessment and selection for Marine Special Operations when they stood that up in 2006, so I guess that might be something to be proud of.
4: What is currently the most challenging part of running your business?
There isn’t a part that isn’t challenging. It’s all just one giant kick in the ass. Like, if you aren’t actively busing your ass to get ahead, you’re falling behind. So there’s that, and there is also the fact that I have no idea what I’m doing. So that presents some challenges from time to time. 😉
5: What was the biggest hurdle you had to overcome to get where you are now?
I’m not really sure. But I do know that I have serious hurdles to overcome if I want to get to where I want to be. I need to get past the idea that success can be achieved simply by being friggin’ awesome, without applying a level of work so crazy that, when you tell people about it, they think you are lying.
And organization. My organization skills suck.
6: What is your favorite book?
Does a collection of Calvin and Hobbes cartoon strips constitute a book? Probably Gates of Fire or Virtues of War by Stephen Pressfield. At least, those are the two that I’ve read the most.
7: If you could have anyone educate you who would it be?
Socrates seems like he had his stuff together. Don Corleone?
8: What is your deepest regret?
That’s going to take longer than 20 minutes…
9: What is your favorite podcast?
I don’t have one. I’m new to the whole “podcast” thing. I am a fan of Gary Vaynerchuk.
10: How people can get in contact with you?
Email, twitter, our website.
11: What is your YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts?
Twitter: @PolishedPaper
FB: Polished Paper
12: Who inspires you on social media and why?
Dwayne Johnson, Gary Vee, Kevin Hart. They understand the importance of having a goal to drive action.
13: What is your favorite tech tool that you use in the your business?
I don’t have one. I have been looking for the longest time, but cannot seem to find something that has really allowed me to transcend to the next level of “getting shit done.”
14: How would you help people with disabilities?
I don’t know. It seems a little pretentious to think that they need my help.
15: What is the hardest part of your job that you have to face everyday?
The soul-crushing reality of where I could be versus where I am. A lot of mistakes have been made. Mostly by me. The knowledge of this fact cold crush me, if I let it.