Like many millionaires, Niall Harbison didn’t do well at school.
The 34-year-old Irishman, who failed the same year three times and left school at 17, is quick to point out that Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey and Lady Gaga all succeeded without university.
But when Niall first left school, he had no plans of becoming an entrepreneurial millionaire. His father insisted that he learn a trade and so Niall became a chef, working his way up the restaurant ladder.
Even within the kitchen, Niall felt trapped. “I quickly realised that being a chef is a particularly tough job. It’s really hot, you never see the outside world, there’s a lot of pressure,” he says.
So he moved out of Michelin-starred restaurants and on to yachts, cooking for Bill Gates, Paris Hilton, U2 – “basically anyone who’s been at the Cannes film festival".
After travelling the world and acquiring a taste for a luxurious lifestyle, Niall built his first business, a cookery tutorial website, in 2007.
That business failed, but he went on to build Simply Zesty, a social media marketing company that helped brands create viral campaigns. One thousand days after he founded the company, Simply Zesty was bought by UTV for £1.8m in 2012.
And now Niall has published a book, “Get sh*t done”, with some of the key lessons he’s learnt. Here’s how to follow in Niall’s footsteps
We’re always told that we need to follow the set path in order to succeed, but Niall says that isn’t the case: school and university needn’t be the right choice for everyone. “It’s important socially and helps you figure out what you want to do next in life, but there are other options," says Niall. Instead, every time a choice presents itself that involves a risk, you should take it - think unconventionally and be more spontaneous, says Niall. “Everybody’s got this world mapped out for you where you finish school and college, go into the working world, have a family and get a mortgage. I say just flip that around, travel, or open something when you’re stuck in a dead end job,” he adds.
After his first business, iFoods, failed, Niall says he was embarrassed to face his family and friends. But the experience, he says, “was like an MBA in college. It teaches everything you need to know.” Michael Jordon - who has missed the game-winning shot 26 times and lost 300 games - is his prime example of why failure leads to success.
“Once you start to get mortgages and a family, it’s definitely harder," says Niall, who's aiming to get married aged 40.
In his book, Niall says, every night he asks himself: “If today was my last day on earth, would I be happy with what I have achieved so far?” The answer's not always yes, but it's a strong motivator.
Before publishing his book, Niall says he announced his goals on Twitter. “I am publishing a book, it will be in shops in nine months and it will be a bestseller,” he wrote. The public expectation spurred him to succeed.
After losing three big clients in three days, Niall hand wrote 30 letters to his existing clients, updating them on the company and thanking them for their business. Simply Zesty didn’t lose another client for a year. “I’m currently writing 200 personal notes to go into books for certain people,” says Niall.
In his book, Niall writes that “you can’t come to the table thinking, ‘I am going to screw these guys and get everything I want.'” You have to have a good relationship with the people you do business with, so be prepared to compromise.
Christmas Eve is the best day for shopping; you should book flights depending on the cheapest deal on the day, and never book hotels online: simply arrive at the hotel were you want to sleep, and say a competitor offered you a room for less. The worst case scenario, Niall writes, is that you have to stay up all night.
It can add up to more than £1,000 per year. And be careful with all your spending, writes Niall. He tells the story of one multi-billionaire who spent the equivalent of an average year’s salary on expensive champagne - which he mixed with Red Bull - but still didn’t have fun that night. Some things just aren’t worth the money.
Sales pitches will be rejected nine out of 10 times but are essential. The brand is one of the most important elements of a company - but don’t be a slave to feedback, focus on your own vision. And coding is the new Latin, writes Niall: you absolutely must learn.
You’ll be more productive in meetings if you focus on what people are saying instead of checking your emails. And Facebook can invade your life and waste time - it might be worth deactivating your account.
Money isn’t necessarily the best metric, says Niall. You should focus on what you want to get out of life and pursue it. For example, if you’re a lawyer and want to open a café, Niall says, you should work evening shifts, learn about cooking, or start a food blog. “A lot of people don’t end up actually following their dreams and are risk-averse. Someone might want to open a cafe but they spend their whole life as a lawyer without actually loving what they do,” he says. “It’s just really about taking action and doing something about your dreams and admitting them to yourself.”
The 34-year-old Irishman, who failed the same year three times and left school at 17, is quick to point out that Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey and Lady Gaga all succeeded without university.
But when Niall first left school, he had no plans of becoming an entrepreneurial millionaire. His father insisted that he learn a trade and so Niall became a chef, working his way up the restaurant ladder.
Even within the kitchen, Niall felt trapped. “I quickly realised that being a chef is a particularly tough job. It’s really hot, you never see the outside world, there’s a lot of pressure,” he says.
So he moved out of Michelin-starred restaurants and on to yachts, cooking for Bill Gates, Paris Hilton, U2 – “basically anyone who’s been at the Cannes film festival".
After travelling the world and acquiring a taste for a luxurious lifestyle, Niall built his first business, a cookery tutorial website, in 2007.
That business failed, but he went on to build Simply Zesty, a social media marketing company that helped brands create viral campaigns. One thousand days after he founded the company, Simply Zesty was bought by UTV for £1.8m in 2012.
And now Niall has published a book, “Get sh*t done”, with some of the key lessons he’s learnt. Here’s how to follow in Niall’s footsteps
Step 1. Ignore conventional routes
We’re always told that we need to follow the set path in order to succeed, but Niall says that isn’t the case: school and university needn’t be the right choice for everyone. “It’s important socially and helps you figure out what you want to do next in life, but there are other options," says Niall. Instead, every time a choice presents itself that involves a risk, you should take it - think unconventionally and be more spontaneous, says Niall. “Everybody’s got this world mapped out for you where you finish school and college, go into the working world, have a family and get a mortgage. I say just flip that around, travel, or open something when you’re stuck in a dead end job,” he adds.
Step 2 Fail
After his first business, iFoods, failed, Niall says he was embarrassed to face his family and friends. But the experience, he says, “was like an MBA in college. It teaches everything you need to know.” Michael Jordon - who has missed the game-winning shot 26 times and lost 300 games - is his prime example of why failure leads to success.
Step 3. Get married later
“Once you start to get mortgages and a family, it’s definitely harder," says Niall, who's aiming to get married aged 40.
Step 4 : Dream big
In his book, Niall says, every night he asks himself: “If today was my last day on earth, would I be happy with what I have achieved so far?” The answer's not always yes, but it's a strong motivator.
Step 5 Announce goals in public
Before publishing his book, Niall says he announced his goals on Twitter. “I am publishing a book, it will be in shops in nine months and it will be a bestseller,” he wrote. The public expectation spurred him to succeed.
Step 6 Go Old School
After losing three big clients in three days, Niall hand wrote 30 letters to his existing clients, updating them on the company and thanking them for their business. Simply Zesty didn’t lose another client for a year. “I’m currently writing 200 personal notes to go into books for certain people,” says Niall.
Step 7 Compromise
In his book, Niall writes that “you can’t come to the table thinking, ‘I am going to screw these guys and get everything I want.'” You have to have a good relationship with the people you do business with, so be prepared to compromise.
Step 8 Shop last minute
Christmas Eve is the best day for shopping; you should book flights depending on the cheapest deal on the day, and never book hotels online: simply arrive at the hotel were you want to sleep, and say a competitor offered you a room for less. The worst case scenario, Niall writes, is that you have to stay up all night.
Step 9. Don’t spend money on tea or coffee
It can add up to more than £1,000 per year. And be careful with all your spending, writes Niall. He tells the story of one multi-billionaire who spent the equivalent of an average year’s salary on expensive champagne - which he mixed with Red Bull - but still didn’t have fun that night. Some things just aren’t worth the money.
Step 10. Sell, brand and code
Sales pitches will be rejected nine out of 10 times but are essential. The brand is one of the most important elements of a company - but don’t be a slave to feedback, focus on your own vision. And coding is the new Latin, writes Niall: you absolutely must learn.
Step 11. Step. away from your phone
You’ll be more productive in meetings if you focus on what people are saying instead of checking your emails. And Facebook can invade your life and waste time - it might be worth deactivating your account.
Step 12. Don’t worry about the money
Money isn’t necessarily the best metric, says Niall. You should focus on what you want to get out of life and pursue it. For example, if you’re a lawyer and want to open a café, Niall says, you should work evening shifts, learn about cooking, or start a food blog. “A lot of people don’t end up actually following their dreams and are risk-averse. Someone might want to open a cafe but they spend their whole life as a lawyer without actually loving what they do,” he says. “It’s just really about taking action and doing something about your dreams and admitting them to yourself.”