Sir Darren Jacqueline: The Journey of an Opportunity Maker | OM035

Hey, opportunity makers. Welcome back to another episode. And I'm really excited about this conversation that we have today that you're going to witness and be able to see. Because this person is somebody who has been very important to me been in my life for a long time, I met him in 2008. At a fundraiser, this was a charity fundraiser for some alternative medicine experts who, who are doing so well, and so successful with alternative treatments to cancer, that it was literally had been banned from the UK, he was in the process of being banned from the United States, and banned and I believe from, from Australia as well. And the only time people do that is when there's they're afraid that you're so close to the truth, that they don't know what to do with this. So they want to push you out. That's usually what censorship is about, is they don't want you to speak because you're speaking to truth. And we were at this this fundraiser in this mansion with a friend of ours estate. And there were room was filled with it was about 50 people there, collectively, about a billion dollars or more worth of revenue, huge, just a lot of big players. And I was just a fledgling coach, I would just just left the mortgage industry and just started my own coaching business and just trying to you know, at the time, I'm charging $50 an hour, I'm like, I'm a nobody, I'm just just trying to figure out, I knew how to sell, and I knew how to help people. So I had no clue how to actually be in a business of help of, of selling my services. And we're, we're, we're watching this, this, this dialogue happen. And there's this gentleman who kept making questions, making comments and asking questions, and everything was centered around legacy. And you could tell he had this air of, I want to know what's going to how am I going to be represented beyond myself, that was kind of he was saying that without saying that. And I was sitting with Darren, and I just met him that night. And he's like, look, go talk to that guy. And you'd go talk to him, and he would tell him, I think you have something going on here, I can see that you're really concerned with your legacy, you've accomplished a lot in your life. And I specialize in helping people like you put together a plan of action that will leave your legacy greater than you than you left behind. Right. So this is 2008. And when I start at $100,000, my consulting and you know, we can go up from there. And I was like, Dude, I charge $50 an hour, right? So anyway, muster myself up, walked up, went up, said some version of that. fairly confident, apparently came out of my mouth and an okay, level. And I presented myself well, as he said, Hey, great to meet you. And here's my card, on my system, get a time on my calendar. I'd love to hear more. And, you know, if I'd walked up and said, Yeah, for $50 an hour, or for $5,000, he probably wouldn't even have taken me seriously. Right. But it was a huge milestone moment. That's one of there are several times in your life when you have a hockey stick curve growth. And that was one for me. And then I've just been, you know, in and out of Darren's life for many years. And you know, we've been in masterminds together and he's somebody that I just I follow, I can engage with I call him a friend, a colleague, and just somebody I respect immensely. He has accomplished so much. He has seen billions of dollars of business and transact. He has sits on boards of big companies. He's involved in huge deals, putting together he's been on NASDAQ to ring the bell more than a couple of times. He is instrumental in some many, many growth of many companies and many opportunities, pulled together deals together and be part of incredible exits, and more importantly, just changes people's lives. As such a giver, and someone who makes a difference in the world for himself. And for the people who are around him. He is the ultimate definition of an opportunity maker. Enjoy this conversation with Sir Darren Jacklin. And I'll love to hear what happens on the other side. Make sure you rate review and subscribe. We'll see you soon. What do you most excited about right now?

Sir Darren Jacklin: You don't already know there's a lot of things going on so busy with you know acquisitions of accounting firms and bookkeeping firms across North America. We're doing a roll up strategy right now with our company called profit. I've got a couple partners that we've got with that. And it's going well, there's a big problem right now we're solving for across North America. The average CPA, Chartered Professional Accountant is 61 years of age. They're a baby boomer, and these men and women between now in the year 2030, about 100,000 licensed CPAs are set to retire as baby boomers. And the challenge is if you look at the universities and colleges today, the men and women come in through, you know that process. It's a challenge. We're not seeing second third generation CPA families like we used to years ago. So we're acquiring those firms and rolling them up. And then we'll do an exit five years ago to win a $50 million company and revenue annual revenue. We'll offer ancillary services and we'll exit with that. So I'm busy with that. And then I'm always looking for, you know, I've got a couple partners, we're always looking at different deals in various different sectors, because I've got a big network and resource a lot of people. And so I love doing that we're very action oriented, we're very practical, very results oriented, and some of that so we look at all different kinds of things all the time. And then busy with, you know, our foundation, Link Foundation, and E to elevate to educate so we do the hiking fundraisers, which I love, because it just brings people out and connects with the community and, and a lot of things happen when people come in on a hiking trail. It's pretty cool, Jim, it's, you know, all the collaboration and networking, capital raising opportunities, you know, people that are single meet potential people they can date, people that are looking for business partners, or raising financial capital can find the right people, because we've been from all walks of life, all different age groups, from all different backgrounds, from people just starting off in life to high net worth ultra high net worth a celebrity, you name it, we get the comes out to for hiking fundraiser. So it's a lot of fun. Yeah,

yeah, like I said, you're busy, you're all over. But it's also it's all in service to greater cause greater purpose and where you're headed.

Sir Darren Jacklin: It's very well coordinated, it's fertile. systemize is real organized. I've got great teams of people that run on a day to day operations. So I play more the visionary role, Jim. And then I have people that are really good at day to day operations when all the day to day operations of stuff, which is great. It's a great collective team of people to make things happen. But we have a lot of fun doing it and make a big difference in the world as well. Yeah.

Yeah. And that's, you know, that's part of the reason that I wanted to invite you here on the opportunity makers podcast, because that's been the focus. You know, we had our sales team ready podcast, which is primarily about sales and scaling, tactical strategy and whatnot. But the opportunity makers podcast I have opportunity makers is a term that that means a lot to me. In that, you know, I see people who create opportunities for themselves and others, that are people who make the world go round. And so it's people who are able to turn, you know, lemons into lemonade, look at the problems that exist and seize the moments to be able to turn those overcome those and turn those into opportunities. And with all this going on in the world right now, a lot of entrepreneurs and people who are a little hesitant, a little scared, a little frayed to take a chance or a risk, they're trying they're becoming much more on defense than on offense. And so bringing people on like you've exited companies who've, who are acquiring or playing the acquisitions game, we're just playing the game at a different level. You're You're, you're see things differently, you're not operating from a place of fear you're operating from, you're leaning into opportunities, like you said, moving quicks you know and swiftly and and with a purpose and getting great results. What do you what do you think is the as has gotten you to that place? What do you what would you say if there's a specific skill set? Or, or just asset in you, that helps you see the world that way?

Sir Darren Jacklin: You know, I think some of it comes from childhood trauma, I was younger, right? failing grade one, a public school being misdiagnosed a learning disability to read disability, you put in the special education classes from grade one to grade 12. It was a survival mechanism for me to survive. And so when I was seven years old, I quit my first company called Renta kid, I got cut grass, shovel snow in the wintertime deliver newspapers six days a week. But I realized when I was a kid that you know, as human beings, all we are, Jim is a network of conversations. Like you and I are having a conversation right now you'll be out at the grocery store at the gas station. It's a network of conversations. And opportunities live inside of a network of conversations. And so when I get people who call me or text me or email me or I'm at an event and people like Jana, real term, a mortgage broker, man, it's so tough to market. Listen, people are always buying, selling and investing in real estate, no matter what the state of the economy, the market is. We're dealing with human beings that have life issues, there's things going on, people are getting married to get divorced, or their newborns that people are dying away. There's always events going on in people's lives, right people are, they're coming for a problem, we're in a problem or we're heading towards a problem. And that's what happens over a seven day week with people is we're coming for a problem in a problem we're heading towards a problem. So what I find is that, you know, in life, we don't have money problems in life, we are thinking problems in life, there's no lack of financial resources on this planet. The key thing is, is find a way to solve a problem. So when I've learned from you know, making mistakes and screwing up in the past is that when I would see somebody that was successful, my mindset was what can I get from that person? How can I pitch and sell that person? And it was transactional, not relational. And then when I learned of murder of after I got beaten up a few times the business financially broke and not know the next dollar is gonna come from and just desperate. Right? And when the students ready the teachers appear why blessed to have some phenomenal mentors showed my life and like Darren, you need to stop, stop pitching and selling and start educating and informing. When you're dealing with a high net worth or ultra high net worth investor that man or woman is sitting across from you. On the other side of the table or computer screen. They have more Are history and experience in you, because they're in a different position than you are. Right? So you need to listen to ask questions and educate them and inform them. That was a major turning point in my life was to stop pitching and selling and start educating, informing, listening, asking questions. So a lot of times, you know, we would go to these live events or virtual events today. And you can always tell we're getting close towards the end, the month people got conditioned breath, right? They're trying to pitch yourself to close deals to hustle and grind. And I've been there been there many times in my 20s and 30s. But now what I realize now the approach I take now is I'll take people hiking, and you know, I'll do a walk and talk meeting or a hiking walk meeting, where I take the bus, I'm getting physical exercise and being out in nature. So rather than sit in a coffee shop or a restaurant for breakfast, lunch or dinner, I'm like, how do we took them take this into a walk. So if I'm traveling, and there's a seawall or a hiking trail, or walking trail, I'm walking and talking, and having my meetings are akin, and having my meeting. So I'm getting physical exercise at the same time, and you'll learn a lot from my experience, when you take somebody out in nature, and they're out in the wildlife, you know, the nature of the wild wildlife. People say to me, oh, my gosh, these are wild animals out here, we're sure. And so then you see people's fears, doubts, worries, insecurities. And I find that you build an authentic and vulnerable relationship with people. Because when people are out there, you know, you're not gonna play pickleball, or golf or tennis, and it's great. But when I take you out into the wildlife, and well, you know, nature there, it's a different experience when you're out there in the nature, and you realize, oh, my gosh, things can happen. So I like, to me, it's about authentic and vulnerable relationships, where, who gets to know me, like me, and trust me, but also creating long term for the long term, not short term. So I'm more relational versus transactional. my earlier days, I was more transactional, but now more relational.

Yeah. Yeah, like, I'm definitely, you know, much more, much more prone to relationship and long term, I don't like to do transactional, or strive by, you know, opportunities with people like so, you know, I like to do business with people that I'm going to know, for a long time. And I wouldn't have known that we, you and I were going to be, you know, so it connected for so many years, you know, but in the intro, you know, a talked about, you know, how, how we met. And at that fundraiser, when, when, you know, I've shared this story a few times and other other environments, but it's in even in that, I mean, there was nothing in it for you, you know, you were just you were just pointing me in some wisdom, game changing opportunity. For me, it was literally one of the one of the benchmarks and milestones on my career, that, you know, that represented a bit of a hockey stick growth and me. So, it's just been nice to be able to stay connected with you, you know, for us, it's been 15 years now been years. Yeah. So, as you're, you know, I know, you know, your partners and the things that you're doing, you're also one of the people, you know, you've got to ring the bell on the NASDAQ, and, you know, those, those are more like, milestones. But what's the journey when people look at, you know, people are listening, and they're going, Okay, well, you've already got, you've made millions, you've bet, you know, you've been involved in billions. You're doing all these things. Once you get going, it's easier to keep going. But what about the journey to getting there and people? What are the things that you would recommend people need to think about if they want to be an exponential opportunity creator, you know,

Sir Darren Jacklin: you know, keeping is is to look at what you do during the waking hours of your day, and deconstruct that. So what I realized some as I reflect on a 51 years of age now, and I reflect on my life of high wasn't my teenage years, my 20s, my 30s, my 40s, and on the come up, and I had my peaks and valleys. So in my life, what I go back to in terms of what are my daily habits, were my daily routines. Were my systems, my processes and the structure. And so I'll be more practical, more specific versus general. I always share with people if it's not structured into your calendar, there's no evidence exists in your life. So a lot of times people have all these grandiose goals and dreams and things that they want to achieve per se in their lives. But unless so for example, you say, you know, I want to release 20 pounds? Well, if I open up your phone, and I look at your calendar, the next seven days, what do you have structured in your calendar is physical exercises. And what do you do in terms of, you know, cardio, weight training, hiking, aerobics, yoga, Pilates? What are you doing, that your life will demonstrate that you're actually committed to that? Or somebody says to me, you know, I want to become financially successful and create generational wealth. Well, how many workshops are you attend on generational wealth, what books you read in podcasts or listen to? What courses are you taking? What Who are you masterminding with who you're collaborating with, who you haven't breakfast lunches and dinners with, so that you're in that ecosystem that your life will demonstrate it? And so that's a key thing is if it's not structured or counter doesn't exist in your life, that's a big, big thing. Another thing is too is I used to do everything by mine. Self, right? I can outwork people and get up earlier go to bed later, I can grind, I can hustle. But what I realized was I was working hard, but not working smart. And like I have over 7000 goals for my life. Now that's taking me years to accumulate all those goals, I'm always checking off and adding more goals daily, okay, but what I've realized, and I talked about this in my book until I become most of our goals and dreams do not require our actions. And when I say to people, it's like a light bulb moment goes off in people's minds, that most your goals and dreams do not require your actions. Most your goals and dreams do not require your actions to like, What do you mean by that? It's all about creating teams of people in teamwork. So I started, I had no money. So what I did is I went to colleges, universities and high schools where I live. And I went and spoke to people in person, I said, Listen, you have students here that are networking experts, and he practically mentorship guidance coaching, I have a small business and I'm getting off the ground, it's a start up, and I need people to help me in terms of human resources, I'm willing to coach and mentor these people, and give them some practical in the trenches on the court experience. And so they would come and volunteer their hours of time with me during the semester in exchange for a letter to use for a resume or CV or to use for a job interview or to help them get their degree or diploma in college, university, or simply High School. And so what technology today is that we're in a situation where, you know, artificial intelligence, we've got virtual assistants, you can use work experience programs, there's so many different tracks that you can go down, where you can get human resources to people to work with you today, whether she's an AI of technology, or people that actually help you to facilitate to achieve your goals and dreams.

Yeah, and, you know, sometimes, though, I think what I see a lot in people is that the biggest challenge is not to what to find it's which one, right? Because, like you said, that kind of assistance is more readily available than it's ever been. Absolutely. So how do you know, do I do I create an AI tool? Do I go to VA? Do I, you know, how do i Where do I find the funds? Do I self fund? Do I find an investor? Do I use other people's money? All of these options are available? So how do you make a decision around

Sir Darren Jacklin: that? Well, the key thing is you have a team of people around you. So this is your inner circle that you create, right or you you belong to a small group people could be a rotary club Chamber of Commerce, women in business, YPO Toastmasters, or can be a some mastermind group, or three, or four or five people who are doing better than you, they're at the next level that you because you always want to be around people. You never want to be the smartest person in the room. You always I always go into rooms where I feel uncomfortable, I feel intimidated. I feel like oh my gosh, I'm not succeeding. Now, these guys are a whole nother level. Right? You know, when I make it a month these people spend on jet fuel for their, you know, jet Right? and stuff. And so it's always it's a game, right? So let's play a different level. And so what I find is that just a collective intelligence of clarity with like minded people, I also find working with a lot of women or having women around because of female intuition. Right in my early 20s and 30s. I didn't listen to women intuition. I thought it was a bunch of Kumbaya, and I when I started having to write checks for big mistakes and realizing, oh my gosh, this has cost me a lot of money, and embarrassment and mistakes and pain, sleepless nights and stress. I thought, Okay, I need to surrender. And I have to trust the process and listen. So now my 40s and 50s. Now I trust women listen to women's intuition. And we do a three step process. Jim, step one is my ask women will work with me in person or virtually I say, Okay, let's example we're interviewing somewhere looking at some opportunities, some deal work, the discovery and due diligence process. I'll ask her when I sent her step one is Are you calm? Are you cautious? Or are you nervous with your intuition? So calm, cautious or nervous? To one two or three sending if you have to invest in some business opportunity, and you have to write the check. Are you calm, cautious or nervous? Somebody buddy calls up next week. It's like, Hey, man, I'm in a tough spot financially pinion, can you spot me $5,000 You got to catch up on two bills. I'm gonna get evicted. Be on the streets. You're like, Oh, okay. Do I send the money? Right? I'll give you an example. I had a situation one time where somebody came to me, and they're like, Hey, can you help me out? I've known this person for many many years. So I wired the mic is there three months behind almost four months behind on mortgage payments, and they're gonna use their house they're gonna get evicted and get their home repossessed and go back to the bank. So what I did is I set these people some money, wire them $10,000 And I hear nothing from the crickets. And they went dark on me. I didn't hear it get a text and get an email didn't get a phone call. No updates of what was going on. I thought it was weird. Why would they give you some updates? So then I talked to somebody they're like, Yeah, did you know so and so went down to Cuba to an all exclusive resort. I'm like, will they don't have any money? They don't have any points no credit. You know, they don't have any points for credit cards on their credit cards or punch or draw. They get done early getting the money. So if I like ketchup, do I get a whole mess? Like how did you guys go to Q But Well, we were so stressed out, we were so grateful that you give us the $10,000. Well, I'm it takes a lot to upset me that I was triggered, and boy did I get upset, I was angry. So I've called one of my mentors is good friend of mine. He's much older than me. 30 years older than me, I call him up just to vent on the telephone. I'm upset, Jim. And he says, we don't stop, stop, stop. It's all your fault. Pick 100% responsibility accountable for your actions. I'm like, why is this my fault that they just moved $10,000 and went to Cuba. He goes, Darren, you gave people money who are not responsible at managing money. This is a situation they're in. They're out of integrity. They don't manage money wisely. I said, so what should I do? He goes down, when you get when you manage money wisely, you get more money to manage. They're not managing money wise, this is not getting more money to manage. I said, so what should I have done? What would have been my options? He said, what you should have done ask what is the financial institutions name that they're dealing with? That they owe money to? Who's the contact person, get a phone number and email address and contact the person directly and then send the money from from your account to the institution's account and leave them out of it? And I'm like, Oh, my gosh, I never even thought about that. So that mistake cost me $10,000.

Right. So that would be like nervous energy. When when that kind of if when that kind of invite opportunities ends up you're like, Okay, I knew

Sir Darren Jacklin: I knew Jim because when friends or family or people come to you for money, especially like it's really interesting, what the more money you make, the more people want to put their hands in your pockets. There's more hands in your pockets. And what I find is, is that if you're going to give money to people consider it a gift. If it comes back to you great, if it doesn't get back to you great, but you're not attached to it. Because otherwise it'll drive you nuts because the majority of you know from my own experience, because I used to be the ATM for a lot of people and you have a lot of people the majority of the money never comes back to you. I've lost some relationships and some friends with that because I've helped them out in tough spots financially and then they just go dark and they ghost you Yeah, I'll give an example. I had a guy 15 years ago I give him $4,000 Well side of bag $4,000 in cash guy moved to the Philippines haven't seen them in 10 years reached out to me about a month ago. And one of I want to get involved in this opportunity which didn't pass discover your due diligence. And the other guy on my partner's only call it goes wasn't that so and so Mike. Yeah, because we're on a Zoom video call. He's like, doesn't that guy deck I Stiffy for four grand? Why would the guide resurface you come back you're trying to get involved with something else? Like there's an out of integrity there.

Right? Yeah, yeah.

Sir Darren Jacklin: He doesn't remember I brought up Tony on a private one on one call. So I didn't embarrass him from the top on the on the Discovery call. And just remember every balmy $4,000 A fight believable.

Yeah, I guess that speaks to you know, the the cart, the character or that what's going on in the heart? Because I have certainly not done everything well or right in my life. But even people even though they've forgiven, I never forget. And I know when I know when I've done something wrong to somebody.

Sir Darren Jacklin: Yeah, absolutely. Well, you're certainly consider this is a principle I live by. And this is something I want people to remember for the rest of the lives write it down. Teach this to your children, your grandchildren in life, time will either promote you, or time will expose you. It's just a matter of time when you get promoted, you get exposed. So you can go do drugs, you can smoke lots of cigarettes, you can booze cruise, you can eat all kinds of crap, food, whatever it is, you can neglect your finances, your relationship, whatever it is, pick an area of your life per se, especially, and timeline to promote your total expose me. So just before COVID broke out globally, COVID-19 I got exposed. I was 43 pounds heavier. I was in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada speaking to a real estate counselor, the 1200 people getting changed in my hotel room that morning, and a brand new suit brand new dress shirt. And I was about to pop the buttons on my dress shirt. And I was embarrassed. In my own affair. I got so disgusted with myself, Jim, they can how they let my life get there. Because the results of our lives today is what we've done in the last 10 years. Like I had somebody just two days ago called me up and oh my gosh, I don't have enough money to retire and like to sell my house and downsize and all this stuff. I said listen, I said listen, Brian, this has been going on for years with you. This isn't new. This is just the result of what surfaced over time. Right? See my life today. Right if you want Yeah, but she wants success. But it's compounded over the last several years like things didn't really change for me until I was 38 years of age. When I was so sick and tired of being up and down financially, not living the way I wanted to live my life. I got so disgusted with myself. And by the way, most people will not make a change in their lives until a crisis occurred. Right. Right, a crisis has to occur in people's lives. And we drove him to make a change. Well, 38, I had a crazy period of my life, I was sick and tired of being sick and tired of being flat broke all the time and being lawyers, and I got so disgusted myself. And what happens is, you got to get discussed with yourself, you got to say enough is enough and draw a line in the sand that you don't want to live your life this way anymore. And for most people, they don't have that that disgusting compensation themselves, or they're like, stand for the mirror and say mas sick and tired of looking at this fat, overweight body. Right? I'm so disgusted to look naked in front of a mirror. And that was a turning point for me a few years ago. And that's why

people often confuse that with pain. Because people will say, well, when the pain is big enough, say, I don't know, I've seen people endure an incredible amount of pain before they change, that Disgust is a certain level that has to be achieved, because you're finally fed up. Finally done enough

Sir Darren Jacklin: was enough, game over, write done. And there's a turning point your life where Enough is enough. And I always say get discussing? Well, I think we go hiking all the time. I'm like, You know what, you're not discussed enough in your life. It's too comfortable for you. You're just comfortable where you're at. Right? And you you want to become the victim versus the victor. And you're just comfortable, right? until something happens in your life where you have to change. See, see, we'll give you an example I had, I was doing this trend development seminar a few months ago with this financial services company. And I had these financial advisors, financial planners in a room and they're like, you know, we want to raise our bar in terms of how much income we want to make as financial and financial advisors. And I'm like, Okay, how committed are you on a scale from one to 10? One being the lowest immunized? We're all tans wallet calls. We're competing really? Okay, great. Let me ask you in the group, are you a homeowner? Do you rent your homeowner? Do you own the car? Okay, but here's the thing. I'm going to have every one of you in this room, that's a homeowner, sign over your home to me, everyone that is a renter, if you have a vehicle, you're gonna sign over your automobile to me, if you don't achieve your target by this specific, measurable actual date. I know take possession of your home your automobile is collateral. Everything what do you mean? You come get come take the keys to my home. Yeah. You see, now you've got some skin in the game. Now you're all in Do or die. Like when I was in my 20s I was flat broke financially. My next meal of garbage dumpster living homeless on the streets, collecting welfare. I had I appear to my life, right? It was really dark for me. really depressed, suicidal, you managed to have a garbage dumpster. And I got a job as a telemarketer making 400 cold calls a day 2000 cold calls a week. But the challenge was I realized in my life, when I realized that my back's against a wall. And I had to it was not a I want to do this. I have to do this. Right. And that's the thing is, is survival is that if you have to take your shots to must. And so me like something's in my life. I don't set goals. I set new standards. It's not a goal. It's a standard. It's a mass. Like I understand why they don't take drugs never done drugs, my life. It's a standard. It's a non negotiable, right? For me. Some people might choose that I don't I just do it. I do. Right. So the thing is, it's a standard in your life. It's a must. And that's the key thing is in life is that when I realized, Hey, enough is enough. I'm going for it. And so I made you know, I made over 100,000 cold calls over a five year period. I didn't want to 90% rejection, Jim, tremendous amount of rejection, beating up on the phone all the time every day. 400 cold calls a day. Now, I was doing on the telephone books, people didn't have technology and the software and all that kind of stuff today. I was old school.

I remember those days walk in, they give you a script and a phone book and say There you go produce

Sir Darren Jacklin: dollar for dollar. Right, fallen down. Exactly.

Well, you know, you've been you've been doing some things that have been pretty awesome. Of late I know you had a big milestone event with your with your climb. And and I would love to not you know, share what what you did. But also what's been what's how does that showing up in other areas of your life as, as an entrepreneur, as just as a man as a as a human? You know, how was that elevated how you show up in the world?

Sir Darren Jacklin: So I got a phone call almost two years ago from a buddy of mine who's turning 1420 23. And he has ever been four years of age and 2023. I want you to come climb Mount Kilimanjaro with me. I said absolutely not. And he's like, What do you mean? I said, I'm 100% out? No, no. Why would you even call me and have this conversation with me? I don't have the DNA. I'm not wired that way. And that athlete that way. He goes there and those are all excuses. He goes you're an overachiever in business and finance. He goes, you can trade this. So I trained for a year. And so I put myself in high performance peak shape as an athlete, I now identify myself as a new standard as an athlete. We're all throughout my life. You know, I never did myself as an athlete. So we arrived. I say we myself and there's 20 climbers 10 mountain guides and 70 porters in Tanzania East African July of 2023. And I arrived there I'm in the best shape of my I live like I am today, and I'm even getting in better shape. And we're on a bunch of Zoom video orientation calls in preparation for mountain Kilimanjaro, this is 19,340 feet in elevation 5008 or 95 meters, right, almost 20,000 feet and you know, high altitude sickness and all these kinds of things that we got a scenario planning mitigate risk with, right. So they tell us on our last Zoom video, call our team call before we take off to fly to Tanzania, that when we arrive in Tanzania, East Africa, and we get prepared, none of us are going to pay attention to our mountain guides or a porous rock. And listen, we're not coachable. We're totally uncoachable. Because we're in the best shape of our lives. We've trained for several months, and we're going to do something really epic. And we're just in the zone. So I get to monkey Hill and Gerald and day one, day two, day three, I realized how slow what they call pulley pulley. I'm walking, like children in elementary school crucial could walk faster than me that we're walking. And these other hikers from all over the world are passing. And now I'm getting triggered. And getting impatient because I'm again, I don't want these fields to pass. I'm getting internally competitive. And as I start to speed up to pick up the pace of hiking, my guy just saying you just slow down and think listen, I didn't spend all this money. All this time, all this energy and all this you are training to come here and go so freakin slow. And I'm triggered. Right? And they go Darren, you just slow down trust the process. And then one of my guides Angela, she says Darren, some of the a lot of these people that are passing you. They're not going to summit on night five, from 15,000 feet to 19,003 and 40 feet. I like what you talked about, why would you make that claim these people are incredibly in shape. It's these people that are obese, obese, I'm not going to Summit. She's like No, Darren, you can be very overweight, and you still suck if you go really slow and regulate and climatized your body. Well guess what? Jane, I learned that I was impatient. And I learned with some people that I bring on to my teams to work with me. But I get impatient because I'm a results, different personnel I make things happen, get things done, right. Sometimes when people are going very slow, step by step, which is great, but too slow. For me. It's like come on, like get off the off ramp or speed up, let's go. Right, we got things to do. Let's make things happen. So I really become compassionate of how much of a driver I am sometimes an intense driver towards results in the finish line. Whereas slow, steady and consistent pulley pulley got me to the top. And then I saw some people are professional athletes that never got to the top because they raced too fast and didn't climatized and got altitude sickness. Yeah.

So what's the big takeaway for you in that as a leader, as and not just as a leader in business, but somebody who is leading leaders, I mean, you're experienced a levels of success in your life that most people just never will. And that a small percentage get to? What's the difference in that? And how does this help you there?

Sir Darren Jacklin: You know, your question briefings and debriefings check ins. So what I realized was we were doing Mount Kilimanjaro and I'm trained from out visiting Antarctica, the coldest place on earth to summit that is the check ins, the briefings just I do law enforcement or military first as far as the briefings and debriefings. So when you do the briefing and check in, you haven't formed a circle, and you check in, where are you at with this goal with this project with this acquisition, but this, this thing you're wanting to achieve, and you actually check in? And when we first checked everybody's pretty surface, right? They want to look good, don't wanna look bad. But as you sit with it, and you just slow things down and say, Jim, listen, we're taking on this big project right now. And we've got some serious deadlines happening here in 90 days, right? And there's some big rewards and some big consequences if you don't pull this off. How are you feeling about this right now? I like well, you know, I've got man, I'm ready to go. But yet in the background, you know, you're going to be away from your kids for the next 90 days are quite a period of time. And it's gonna affect if you like to be home with their kids, and they play with sports and cuddling them and hugging them and read the bedtime stories. And that has an impact on your life. But you may not show that. So when I find out, when I get more relate to you in terms of the briefing, you say, you know, Jim, I think he's home with your family. I think it's always the way how things always are kids by man, you know, we're taking this big project, I'm gonna really miss my kids. And now there's a personal relatable side. So now I know Oh, my gosh, okay, I gotta make sure that we spend time you check in with your kids on FaceTime or video calls. So rather you just masking it. And that's all I really learned in life was checking in with your team, making sure you've got their backs. You're in it to win it, you're in it together. But also check in like, so when I was on killing General for the first few days. I was calm, constipated. Okay, I didn't say to anybody. There's my own business. And on the day three of our safety briefing check in one of the guys when they were on the room, one of the guides called me out for the whole group. He said, Darren, are you constipated? Yes or no? Like, well, we could have a private sideline conversation. We'll have to do some real group, right? I want to punch him in the face, right? Like, why are you gonna tell me for the whole group? He goes stand up. You're constipated? Yes, Mike. Yeah, they did monitor me because I'm in the bathroom for three days, right? And because we have portable toilets, we're not kombucha. So he says, Jeremy uses an example, how many other people in the room are constipated? There's like a half a dozen of us are all constipated. And because we're taking a drug called Diamox, pharmaceutical joining, we got constipated. Right? So the thing was, I was embarrassed by that. But he was using me as an example in front of the team to break the ice and other people were also costly, but they weren't coming forward. I'm like, why do we have to talk about being constipated right now. And we do this one on one privately. He said, because as we get higher elevation, if you don't discuss what's going on internally with you, it can become vital organs, it can affect you, and now becomes a greater risk for you in the team. There's the visibility and exposure of risks, until something happened to you medically at a higher elevation, and you expose yourself and your teammates to that potential risk. So that was a big learning lesson for me.

On that note to you. Obviously, with all the different ventures and projects you have, there's for sure there's crossover with leaders, mentors, teams, to use specifically put accountability teams or support 14 board advisors, whatever you would call them different based on each project, just whose deal support structure for this project. Yeah,

Sir Darren Jacklin: like I have daily accountability, responsibility. I have two apps I do with my train right now from Mount Vinson in Antarctica. I have Stephanie, I've Jo to people that are new to my life. And I introduced you in the last few months in my life that are with me now for the whole 15 months of training for Mount Vinson. And I have daily check ins. And so for example, earlier today, I didn't do my measurements, and I didn't do my take my shirt off and take pictures from back inside. Because you have to have small stuff the camera. I know, we were only one camera early today. And so I didn't. I'm out of integrity. So I didn't do my my wins by when I did on the Apple check everything checks in on the app. And because this is the body that I'm actually working towards, okay. Okay. So that's what I'm committed to getting that body. And so these people hold me to a higher standard, because I have to restore my integrity, and learn today. And I will restore that and I'll get I'll get it done. So it makes me uncomfortable all the time. It's like, oh, my gosh, what are they on me, because I gave my word that I want to have this body in 15 months. And that's what I'm working towards.

So for the people that are listening here, that are sold out to the exponential version of themselves, like like that body, that body is an exponential version of you that you are striving for

Sir Darren Jacklin: totally reinventing myself to get that body to. So for the

people who are sold out to that there's people who are listening, who are hoping, and that's great, God bless them. But there's another group of people here that are that really want it, but to just know, how is really the challenge? What would you say, now that you've been out and on many of these journeys, you've experienced a great amount of success. In the last, you know, last couple of decades. I've been very blessed man, and you bless so many others. What's the key? What do you say? What's What's your wisdom to the people who are? No, they're ready for that they're on the edge of their breakthroughs. They just are still trying to figure out the how

Sir Darren Jacklin: well so there's the who in the house, right? So what I realized is that, like, I forgot to pick up that out and they get stuck in analysis, paralysis, or indecisive or they get stuck in the process, but not execution. It's all about the Who Who do you have access to. So the key thing is staying in your lane. So if you're studying behind the scenes, I do what I do what I do best at and when my weaknesses are delegated right to other people. So I focus on my strengths, Delegate my weaknesses. That's the key thing, right? So and then I also focus on what am I doing best in my life, and then consistent check in. So another thing I learned too, is over communicate, right? Always over communicate. So what if you're raising money and you got to start a business, and you're out there with investors, if they write a check and get involved in your deal over communicate to them to the point where like, Hey, Jim, listen, this is this is too much, man. I know you're excited about this opportunity, but then you're over too much communication. So you say great, well, we're doing monthly, quarterly, semi annually or yearly, and let them choose six every six months. Just check in with me, give me an update and give me a status update. So that way you manage the expectations. Another thing is to is integrity. So I first got started my life, I didn't have any integrity, but I had selective integrity, based on who I was, who I was interacting with and what I can get from you, my 20s my 30s I would have high levels of accountability and integrity. Today I've realized in my life that without integrity, nothing works. Now the bigger the game you play in life, you'll be out of integrity, but the key thing is constant restoring your integrity, right what we give our words to because behavior never lives. And always remember this people Always watching observing us never assume we're not being observed. Okay, so I see people all the time as I'm traveling out there. And I see people, you know, I was I was with a guy the other day, who's very elementary, but he's very visible, very high profile on social media, about mergers and acquisitions. And behind the scenes, the guy that guy's just selling coaching programs and courses, guys, actually, the guy's made all this money on selling information. Because the guy doesn't eat his own dog food. He doesn't even do mergers and acquisitions. But he sells it plays his big grandiose game does great videos, sells all this rah rah the sizzle. But behind the scenes, I don't know the guys that put together acquisition and do it. But he's got a lot of stuff through Artificial Intelligence and Research and hire MBAs to click all the information put together course information on how to do all this stuff. But he has no portfolio mergers and acquisitions. If you think he's genius on social media, because he runs great ads. To me, it's all about integrity. Right?

Yeah, it definitely you gotta be careful the words, what you give your words to, that's something I've learned over the years because I, I used to be really big people pleaser. And so I would say, Yeah, because and I meant, Yeah, cuz I wanted to try to get it done. But then I recognized I just didn't have the time or the bandwidth to get it done. And so I gave it my, you know, what I could, but it wasn't my best.

And I've met people, Jim, who, who can

Sir Darren Jacklin: really impress us, like they, they they taller, so smart, they're educated, they talk all these grandiose things, but there's no follow through. There's no execution. But you use it rationally. Oh, my gosh. And you start to realize every time you get together, they're talking about these big visions and goals and audacious dreams. But there's no follow through. There's, there's no there's no consistency. So I'll talk but they're not moving their feet. And a lot of people as you're buying it is oh my gosh, you need so and so yeah, I had somebody call me the other day and said, Hey, I'm looking to do a deal with Sony. So what do you think I said this, I've known the person for 23 years, you're wasting your time, you're wasting your energy. Why? I said for 23 years, I've never seen this person ever close a deal. Never get to the finish line. But I tell you in verses people will take you for lunch and dinner and impress you. And I said his card and credit cards are maxed out number of times, I've been with over 23 years. And then every once in a while he'll raise some money. And you know, I saw some people here. Earlier this year, I went to an investment event, people raising money, and they clicked all this money, then what brand new automobiles. And I think wait a second here. You just went and bought brand new automobiles with investors money in a startup venture? Are you kidding me? Right? You don't do stuff like that. You got to be very disciplined with people's money. Right?

Yeah, well, before we close up here, you know, it kind of opened with a thought around the calendar, right your calendar has to drive, your account has to be set up to be able to help you achieve your goals. I actually just did a video on that just yesterday, saying that if you don't if you're if you have a specific goal, whether it's health, financial, maybe your calendar, at the bare minimum, should set up support enough activity to at least achieve that if you don't have that you have no chance of achieving it anyway. But then the other part of that is, is here too is like as you're, as you're setting these goals, and you're moving to people's like you have to, you want to make sure that you are moving through time in a way that honors the integrity. Too many times we put stuff on our calendar that we never do.

Sir Darren Jacklin: I color code, that's my counter, I color code, everything. That's my I live by that is all color coded. Right. And my team has access to my calendar, so they know what I'm scheduling all that stuff. But that's that's my color I structured with color coded means different things. So I can look at it, but it is not in your calendar does not exist in your life. So people always want to make more money or somewhere real estate, sell more mortgages, do more insurance closes. Okay, great. What were the schedule revenue, Jeremy activities? Where are you following up? Where are you doing income producing activities? Right? Where are you actually doing the activities and the actions to make things happen? Right. And most people don't?

Exactly they hope to intend to, but they don't

Sir Darren Jacklin: you ever gonna be uncomfortable? You're never gonna be comfortable. Like, I'm uncomfortable all the time in my life daily. I'm uncomfortable doing things. And there's a lot of things I don't want to do. But I've committed to dues discipline, as long as I don't want to do because nothing's in there. Yeah, like, I don't want to be on these conference calls or phone calls or meetings. I don't want to do that stuff. But it's part of the game. It's part of if I give my word like, you know, to me to get the body I want to get to mount Vincent train. There's a lot of stuff I don't want to do. I don't want to go in freezing cold weather and hike, pause, please, I don't want to go by the cost plus or minus 70 below freezing and risk frost by being on the call center to go hiking for two weeks in a tent. I don't want to do that, to be able to go to the bathroom outside. You know me, I don't want to do that. But I'm doing it for two things, self actualization of human growth and potential. And I'm doing it to build schools around the world with the most impoverished children the planet to help them to alleviate different poverty. And just so we can build the next generation as a lady All right, so I'm doing it to dedicate my life to cause reversal. But I don't have the light. But it's crazy. It's really crazy, because most people would never do something like that. But I'm doing it because I want to make a bigger difference in the world. And I want to grow and expand myself because the pushers are giving a good example, as I call Rotated one of my mentors, the great guy, and he's I'm looking at looking at things I can adjust in terms of habits and routines I'm doing on my life. And he goes down he goes, Listen, the next time you brush your teeth, but I want you to do is when you're brushing your teeth stand for the first few weeks for brushing up your teeth stayed on your left leg. For balance, though your bottom teeth, step on your right leg. And it goes, it doesn't take any more time you should when you brush your teeth, because you got to stand up, brush your teeth anyways. So start building your balance while you're brushing your teeth. And he goes down when you're in an elevator at a hotel or parboiling. When the other when you push the button, if you know the result, go down, do a squat squat until the elevators open up. If somebody joins you in the elevator, then stretch your leg up in the elevator that 1520 seconds. didn't take any more time. So it's efficiency of time. I thought wow. So what I've been doing today, they just started this today, but a few times, right? Because I'm brushing my teeth, I stand on one leg, I changed one leg. And I'm not oh my gosh, I'm wobbly. But guess what, in a few months now I'm going to develop some pretty strong core balance. Yeah.

Yeah, it's crazy the games that we play, but it's necessary, because it is I say I'm literally doing the same thing, not with the teeth brushing. But when like when I'm changing my clothes. I'm consciously trying to balance on one leg, making sure you know, how much can I put all of this on? Can I do this while I have one leg? And then Can I switch on the other side? Like just just to increase and enhance my balance? Right? Just literally intention? Nothing that anybody asked me to do, or whatever it was just like how can I? How can I optimize more? What can I do to increase what I'm doing? And, and like I said, it's all about how you move through what to through time. That's what I see with people who are most successful, they have mastered the art of the request. And they've there's a lot there's a big portion of self mastery and how you move through time. And everything else falls under that. Yeah,

Sir Darren Jacklin: well comes down to things requests and promises. So I always ask people, What do you give your work to this year? What are your goals and dreams? Like? What are your top 10 Personal promises below putting in a personal promise? Well, you said news goals news resolutions that you want to release 10 pounds in weight, right? Not really not lose weight is the elusive you go find it again. When you release it, it's gone for good or gone forever. It's how you language things right? You release weight, not lose weight. And people say well, why do they always say these weight loss commercials because they want monthly recurring revenue? Right? These these diet programs don't want you to go in and get results and never come back. Because it's hard to get a new customer client. They want monthly recurring revenue. And so the key thing is, is I always say to people when you're doing something really focus on am I doing this due complete work? Okay, because a lot of times people start something but they don't finish it. So commit to your commitments.

Yes. Most people never even start and then even fewer finish. Correct? Yeah, absolutely. So what's what can how can people get a hold of you or follow you or what's what's the best place to

Sir Darren Jacklin: keep it fun and leisure.com hiking fundraiser.com We do. We're doing these ETV elevate to educate hiking fundraisers. If you want to be in a great community, a great vibe, a great tribe, what we do is we people come out, they register for a hike, we do heights that are coming towards, you know, family friendly people all walks of life. And we do them all over. And if you just go hiking fundraiser.com And then you'll get a chance to spend time with me because I'm always there, but you get a chance to be part of the incredible ecosystem and environment. And I always say when people when you come to things look for return on life return on energy, right? When you're around successful people. Two things happen, a knowledge transfer and energy transfer happens, right? So if you want to level up and skill up, get around people who are doing better than you, whether it's with their kids, their family, their finances, or health, spirituality, career, business, whatever in their lives, get around fuel for the knowledge transfer the energy transfer, so we created hiking fundraiser.com, which is a way to educate every time we do a hiking fundraiser, people come out, we collect the money from hiking, registration and from corporate sponsorship, that money gets collected. And then we build a school for some most impoverished children around the world and all over the world. And you also get a tax receipt. So the cool thing is, is you come out for a few hours, but that few hours of effort energy come in on hiking, you know the physical bricks and mortar building for many, many years, which is the new school that we build around the world that you get a chance to be a part of. And it's a great conversational piece and so I like to do things to create memories create life experiences, so come out, go into hiking fundraiser.com Come join us with he'll fly drive travel and fall over and you'll build a kit if you're single you'll meet people that can be Mr. Writer are the right one the man or woman if you're raising money for a group if you're want a job or career change everything you need through a network of conversations in our environment with Elevate to educate come in and be of service and be a Go Giver, not a go getter come in and say how can I provide value and be a go giver to the community, and you watch when you're not attached the outcome, how the abundance of overflowing opportunities will come your way, because you're a Go Giver, not a go getter.

And I can tell you from experience, that's the way Darren lives his life every time I witnessed him and experience Him, whether it's in a mastermind event, or just moving through life, he's constantly looking for ways to give, serve and support. And I know everybody says, well, it's easy to do that once you've attained, but everybody that I know who's experienced any levels of success, they've done it by giving first they've learned that lesson. The more people you help, the more the more rewards you're going to get. It's just simple laws of nature, you can break a lot of laws, you can't break the laws of nature. And that's just how. So Darren, I love you, man. I really appreciate you being here to be here. Yeah, I you know, thought there's so many nuggets of wisdom. Any final thoughts for of encouragement as, as we're approaching? 2024?

Sir Darren Jacklin: You're giving us making requests. So the giving is a measure of promises and requests is for every question. I don't ask the answers always no. And through a network of conversation, start making requests. Sometimes it's a bold request and unreasonable requests and a rageous request and powerful requests. Let's start making requests. And when you make requests to other people, right can be for an endorsement can be a recommendation, it could be a restaurant or you're traveling somewhere, start making requests through a network of conversations, because everything gets everything gets solved through a network of conversations. And because that's where opportunities are. And when you make requests people we do one of three things we'll accept the request, they'll decline the request with a counteroffer the request. So accept decline or counteroffer, but start making requests. You know, like when I go to hotels, I was making requests for commentary upgrade. Okay, presidential suite, honeymoon suite executive floor? No, no, I get 100 some time No, I go to restaurants, I make a request for competent dessert. And I get 100% No, but yeah, six or seven out of 10 times just by making the request. So start making requests in 2024 and you'd be amazed by consistently making requests the more requests you make, the more opportunities you'll create. And the more things that you'll start to happen in your life it's amazing what happens when you start making requests.

Awesome. So you've heard it here guys, there's so much wisdom in this conversation. Darren is somebody that I respect immensely and can you learn a tremendous amount from from him not just from what he says but from who he is being a great person to be able to follow? So connect check it out. Let's let's all go do a hike together you know, if I do, go check them out at at hiking fundraisers.com And let's see if we can get together here as the opportunity makers tribe and go get on a hike together that'd be awesome. I'd love to see you on one make sure you like and share in this with anybody that you see is going to be of benefit and value and and reach out to me and let me know what you thought what you takeaways are and what I can do for you and who else you want to hear what problems you want solved and the opportunity makers podcast. Till then we know that you could be anywhere on the planet and you chose to be here so I thank you so much. always humbled to be part of your success team. So you guys go Make it magical. Go seize the mountain. Make the opportunities happen.