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Episode 11| June 17, 2023

Pivot Like a Pro: Agile Strategies for Success w/ Cameron Black

He Launched His Company Five Days Before the World Shut Down.

Cameron Black poured his own money into Swiftly, a twenty-four-hour concierge platform, and launched it in the UK.

Five or six days later, the world shut down.

The pandemic he did not see coming lasted close to three years, and it nearly took the business with it.

So he did what he does best. He treated it as a lesson and pivoted.

In this episode of the Happy Healthy Hustle Podcast, Swiftly founder Cameron Black shares why he reframes every failure as a lesson, how he rebuilt his company across an ocean, and the pillars he says every entrepreneur needs.

He relaunched in North America with a bigger, better team.

If you are staring down a setback, this one is for you.

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“We don’t call them failures. We call them lessons.”

– Cameron Black

Fast Skim & Timestamps

0:00 Meet Cameron: The CEO of Swiftly
1:12 His Superpower: Fail Fast, Succeed Faster
2:34 There Are No Failures, Only Lessons
3:00 Finding His Niche in Tech
4:30 The Pandemic That Nearly Ended It
6:27 The Pillars Every Entrepreneur Needs
7:29 How He Stays Well
9:56 Books, Podcast, and Where to Find Him

Key Takeaways

Reframe failures as lessons. What you learn becomes the next opportunity.
Fail fast so you can succeed faster. Trying things is how you find your fit.
You may not find your niche where you started. Cameron studied computer science and hated it.
A setback can force the pivot that grows you. Swiftly came back bigger after the shutdown.
Every entrepreneur needs pillars: a wellness, relationship, business, and finance coach.
Stay well with what restores you: fresh air breaks, reading, and people who ground you.

Three Petite Practice® Questions

1. What recent failure could I reframe as a lesson, and what did it teach me?

2. Where am I stuck in my own head, when the only thing stopping me is me?

3. Which pillar, wellness, relationships, business, or finances, is missing support right now?

Transcript Chapters

0:00 Meet Cameron: The CEO of Swiftly

[00:00:44] Cameron Black: My name is Cameron. I am the CEO and founder of Swiftly, a twenty-four-hour on-demand concierge platform we developed here in the UK and have since transitioned to North America.

1:12 His Superpower: Fail Fast, Succeed Faster

[00:01:12] Cameron Black: My biggest superpower is to fail fast so I can succeed faster, trying all the new things and never being afraid of losing determination. [00:01:43] Cameron Black: Nothing is perfect, but to find that equilibrium, you have to dig out the weeds in the garden so you can see the grass really clearly.

2:34 There Are No Failures, Only Lessons

[00:02:34] Cameron Black: We do not believe in failures, personally I do not. We call them lessons, as a team as well, because you learn from these things. We put together opportunities through the lessons we learn, and that helps us grow and develop.

3:00 Finding His Niche in Tech

[00:03:00] Cameron Black: I studied computer science at university, and it was the hardest thing I have ever done. I hated computers, and I struggled to find my niche in the tech. So I veered into IT consultancy, sales, and advisory, and that is where I got my strength, seeing big companies I worked for and supported do things and make mistakes. Through that I learned to build my platform.

4:30 The Pandemic That Nearly Ended It

[00:04:30] Cameron Black: The biggest challenge was COVID. We launched about five or six days into what we did not know was going to be a pandemic. We had poured our own assets into the business, not knowing there would be a worldwide shutdown that lasted close to thirty-six months, and that we would barely have a business. The challenge was understanding what we did right, what we did wrong, and where to go next. We pivoted and relaunched in North America, and now we have a bigger, better team and product.

6:27 The Pillars Every Entrepreneur Needs

[00:06:27] Cameron Black: I believe every entrepreneur should have pillars: a wellness coach, a relationship coach, a business mentor, a finance coach. Only with all of those people in your pyramid can you set yourself up for success. My business mentor always tells me, Cameron, you need to get out of your head, because the only person stopping you is yourself. Anytime I have a challenge, I know he is one call away, and that one call can set me up for the next three months.

7:29 How He Stays Well

[00:07:29] Cameron Black: One of my biggest cheerleaders has always been my mom. It was through her that I got into real estate, and conversations with her keep me well and give me good reflection. What sets me up for success is reading a lot, which is one reason I got into podcasting, I consume audiobooks when I travel. And yoga, meditation, and fresh air breaks to clear your mind. Most importantly, do things you enjoy, because that is what makes you happy and successful.

9:56 Books, Podcast, and Where to Find Him

[00:09:56] Cameron Black: I have gone back to reading Who Moved My Cheese and The Magic of Thinking Big. [00:10:46] Cameron Black: You can email me directly at cameron@swiftlyteam.com. My podcast is called The Entrée, as in the menu, and if you connect with me by email we will send you the particulars. [00:11:09] Dr. Christiane Schroeter: Thank you so much, Cameron.

Meet My Guest

Cameron Black

CEO & Founder of Swiftly

Cameron Black is the CEO and founder of Swiftly, a twenty-four-hour on-demand concierge platform he built in the UK and relaunched in North America. He is known for reframing failures as lessons and pivoting his way through setbacks.

He also hosts a podcast and shares his approach to building an agile business. Reach him at cameron@swiftlyteam.com.

Meet Your Host

Dr. Christiane Schroeter

TEDx Speaker & Leadership Strategist

I’m Dr. Christiane Schroeter, TEDx speaker, leadership strategist, and host of the Top 1% ranked Happy Healthy Hustle Podcast. I help leaders think clearly, speak with conviction, and take the next step during change.

About Dr. Christiane

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