Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Josh Farr, Founder of Campus Consultancy, located in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Campus Consultancy specializes in leadership and career development, and they employ a diverse team of expert facilitators and program managers. The entire team, including Josh, deliver fun, educational solutions, but more importantly, they deliver long-term results. They can design and deliver tailored programs to fit clients' needs and take their performance to the next level, all the while increasing student engagement and retention for a clear business ROI. When Campus Consultancy first started, it focused on the niche of university student clubs. Since then, they have expanded to over 100 unique clients, and they sometimes work with more than ten departments simultaneously at a single organization.

Tell us about yourself

My name is Josh Farr, and I am the founder of Campus Consultancy, which has helped thousands of students break free of this quiet quitting mentality. He does so by increasing student engagement through engaging, hands-on, community focussed personal and professional development programs. When the business began, I focused on developing the leadership skills of student club executive committees, so they could help other students find more fulfilling university experiences. We did so through the following model better leaders = better university experience for all students = better engagement of students = better retention of students.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

With 45 workshops on offer, the Campus Consultancy team are confident they can boost student motivation and eradicate quiet quitting in students. They have already made a positive change by reducing university dropouts, which account for about 50,000 Australian students per year. With international education valued at $40.3b in 20212, improving conditions for students, so they want to stay and thrive during and after study is crucial to the success of the Australian economy, Australian international relationships, and the development of our cities and communities nationwide.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Extreme ownership. As a business owner, you are responsible for everything; you don't have to DO everything, but you are responsible. You hired the staff member, you agreed to the contract, you said the words, created the photo, filmed the video... or you approved it. This is empowering when you realize that you have your hands on the levers and can make life better for everyone your clients, your staff, and yourself. But, it's a big step up to shift from the mindset of an employee to an owner.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Model someone successful. As Tony Robbins shares, proximity is power. Find someone who has already achieved what you want to achieve and connect with them on LinkedIn, write them a letter, attend their event... do whatever it takes to get close to them (legally, ethically, and without being creepy!) so you can learn what they did. Then, if they say to read a book, read it. If they say do a course, do it. At the start, take advice and act on it. Some won't turn out to be right, but the time spent deciding is much better spent learning. The worst case scenario is that you'll learn what NOT to do, and that can then inform your path forward.
  2. Constantly innovate and grow. Every day - as Jim Rohn said - work harder on yourself than on your job. Keep learning, reading, doing courses, and meeting new people who challenge you.
  3. Obsess adding value to the customer. Check out Alex Hormozi's 'value equation' to see four simple ways to do this through creating better outcomes, increasing customer confidence, reducing the time to receive value, and reducing effort/sacrifice on behalf of the customer

Where can people find you and your business?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/campusconsultancyAU
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/campusconsultancy1/
LinkedIn (Personal): https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshdfarr/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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