In this interview Saul effuses about the joys of working at FreshBooks, the dedication they have for their customers, his goal for this year (with plug) and his favorite kicks. Enjoy!

[interview]

The Interview

[twitter::saulcolt]

Name: Saul Colt (Damn what a cool name! Sounds like a star!)
Age: 36
Occupation: Head of Magic @ FreshBooks, Marketing & Communications, Nighttime SUPERHERO!

What challenges do you face in your line of work, and have you ever felt like giving up?::

My job is full of challenges (even though it is the greatest job in the world) because I have accepted the challenge of teaching creative professionals and freelancers that there is a better way to invoice and get paid than the way they are doing it currently. FreshBooks is an online invoicing and time tracking service designed to help freelancers make more money, get paid faster and look more professional!…and no I have never considered giving up, too exciting much work to even think about that.

What does your work environment look like?::

What do you consider greatest failure and why?::

Failure is a harsh word and I don’t think anything we have done falls under that category. We have had some learning experiences that have been very helpful in rethinking how we would do things in the future…but no failures!

What do you consider your greatest achievement and why?::

Our greatest achievement so far has been our RoadBurn tour where we rented an RV and drive from Miami Florida to Austin Texas having 2-3 meals a day with FreshBooks Customers and getting a up close look at the lives of the people who use our service. This was an amazing adventure as well as learning tool for what we need to do to continue to serve our customers in a superior way…and we made a splash http://www.freshbooks.com/blog/2008/03/25/10-ways-to-become-an-unofficial-sponsor-of-sxsw-interactive-2008/

How have you thrived despite negative comments from others?::

We don’t get a lot of negative feedback but when we do we try to build off of it and turn it into a positive. Things can be learned from every experience (good or bad) and that is what we try to do.

Who (and or what) inspires, motivates you?::

People like William Gaines inspire me, Conversations inspire me, [pqr]Pretty Women, Summer Weather, Balloons, Cereal, Television, Bad Television, Dolemite Movies [/pqr]. Basically what I am saying is that inspiration is everywhere and you just need to look for it.

Do you have any favorite quotes, pictures, internet links that you would like to share?::

My favourite two quotes are:

• “Luck is just probability made personal” – Penn Jillette
• “Be the Change you want to see in the world” – Ghandi

I love these two quotes because they make me seem smart and they speak to me.

What have you learned in your life so far?::

Jealousy is a wasted emotion.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?::

Creativity and Water

What are you goals for the future?::

To be named Marketer of the Year for some fancy magazine (or internet website *HINT HINT*)

What are some things that people might not know about you?::

I buy shoes (Nike AF1’s) and keep them on a shelf for years so when I do wear them I will be the only person with those shoes in those colors.

[sources]

FreshBooks – The Fastest Way to Time Track and Invoice Your Clients [Website]

FreshBooks Roadburn [FreshBooks Road Tour - FUNNY!]

Saul Colt – The Smartest Man in the World! [Online Blog]

FreshBooks on Flickr [Online Images]

[/sources]

[/interview]

• Interview with Noah Kagan – The Amusing Entrepreneur
• Interview with Neil Patel – Internet Marketing Guru
• Interview with Craig Newmark – The People Person
• Interview with Professor Walter Lewin – The Physics Magician
• Interview with Zack Domes – Disciple of Simplicity

In one of his recent posts on his personal blog, Quick Sprout, he says, “One thing I get asked frequently is how did you become successful. Usually when people ask this they are looking for 1 answer, but the truth is there are a lot of factors that caused my success.” His keys to success are no secret because he’s willing to share them with you.

[interview]

The Interview

[twitter::neilpatel]

Name: Neil Patel
Occupation: Marketing, Entrepreneur

What items do you always carry with you?::

I like to keep my pockets light, so I try not to carry much with me. I usually just carry a small card holder which fits 4 credit cards, a Blackberry cell phone, and chap stick. And if I am traveling I also carry a money clip.

What challenges do you face in your line of work, and have you ever felt like giving up?::

The main challenges I face is to keep clients happy. In my line of work everything is results driven and that is what clients expect. And even if results are provided some clients want more (which is natural). Due to this it is difficult to set costumer expectations from the start because even if a client says they understand everything, they usually do not. As for giving up, I never feel that way.

What does your work environment look like?::

My work environment is simple. I work in a small office with a handful of people. I have a macbook laptop, a small desk, and a small chair.

What do you consider greatest failure and why?::

As for the greatest failure in the world, I am not sure. But my greatest failure is when I first started out, I lost hundreds and thousands of dollars. I was young and had little knowledge in what I was doing. The bright side of it is that it taught me many lessons and because of that I am some what successful.

What do you consider your greatest achievement and why?::

My greatest achievement is helping non-profit organizations succeed. Such as the liver society which help kids get free liver transplants. There is nothing better I enjoy doing in this world, than to help others in need.

Who (and or what) inspires, motivates you?::

A lot of people inspire me. My parents always push me to do better and make more money. Other than that, my business partners always motivate me.

What have you learned in your life so far?::

I have learned a lot of important things in life and probably too many to list out. But a few of the things are:

1. Don’t always listen to others. Sometimes you just have to do what you want to do.
2. You should always take on risk. If you don’t you probably will not succeed in life.
3. Sometimes you just need to give up. Not all businesses are worth fighting for.
4. Always be willing to listen to others. Even if you think the advice is crap, one day they may tell you something useful.
5. You are never to big to help out others for free. The little guys are the most important people out there.

Do you have any favorite quotes, pictures, internet links that you would like to share?::

“Be careful of the toes you step on today, for they might be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow.” – Christopher Rees

[sources]

Si1very on Flickr – “Neil Patel on Flickr” [Online Image]

labnol on Flickr – “Neil Patel on Flickr” [Online Image]

Quick Sprout – “8 Reasons Why I am Successful And You Are Not” [Online Article]

[/sources]

[/interview]

• Interview with Craig Newmark – The People Person
• Interview with Jimmy Wales – The Knowledge Benefactor
• Interview with Noah Kagan – The Amusing Entrepreneur
• Interview with Zack Domes – Disciple of Simplicity
• Interview with Tim Brownson – The Goal Specialist