Power of Two: James Chartrand and Harrison McLeod
July 14, 2008 by akemi
Welcome to the Interview With Successful Entrepreneurs series! This is where we learn the startup secrets from those who actually took the leap. Before becoming entrepreneurs, they were professionals and managers, or college students, just like you. From there, they made the changes. . .
Milestone in this Interview With Successful Entrepreneurs series
This is the 10th post of the series! I’m so grateful for all the interview guests who so gracefully took the time to do this with me.
Today’s guests are the gorgeous duo from Men With Pens. What is remarkable is they each have special roles in the team that make the pair far more than the sum of the two. Thinking back, I have already interviewed two pairs of entrepreneurs, Kim & Jason, who are married couple, and Skip & Yasmine, who started off as a solo entrepreneur and college intern. Further, Monica, Naomi, and Laura each have their partners in business. Is two better than one to succeed as entrepreneurs? Read on.
1. Tell us a bit about your business and why you started it.
James: Our business offers full-service web presence to individuals, the self-employed and businesses that want to get online. We provide website creation, design services, content writing services, WordPress installation and setup services… If it’s written or needs to look good, we’re the guys for the job. In short, we help people earn a living through the web. Feels good to do that.
Harry: We started our business years ago out of strict need. James had left his job and faced a long, hard winter with no income and two children to feed. I suggested poking around online for work. He found it, and within three months, I left my full-time job to step into working in our own business.
James: That’s the boring answer. We find that many people are much more interested in how we became the daring duo taking the blogosphere by storm.
Harry: It all started with creative writing and role-playing games (RPG). We met on an RPG forum and became close friends very quickly. Our skill sets were completely different and yet those skills meshed so well together that they created a strong foundation for massive potential.
We saw the opportunity for a rocking partnership, and we seized it. We haven’t looked back since.
2. What were the three biggest challenges when you were starting as new entrepreneurs?
Harry: Learning the ropes had to be number one. We had the skills and the business knowledge we needed, but we knew very little of bringing this to the virtual world. We learned many lessons the hard way, invested a ton of time to understand web working and we spent a great deal of money on self-education. It was a long, rough ride and it took a lot of dedication to make it work.
James: The problem was that most of what we found was garbage information. We were taken for a ride many times because of poor advice. That’s why we made it our vision to offer better to people so that they didn’t have to make the same mistakes we did (hence, our blog offering solid, reputable advice).
Harry: Another challenge was creating a solid system that allows us to fully share and collaborate from a distance of 3,000 miles. It isn’t easy to work together in an office that doesn’t really exist. We tapped into every resource possible to create a virtual office that lets us work side by side, no matter how far apart we are.
James: I have to say that a definite challenge I believe many people overlook is adapting to cultural differences and international business. When you look at the virtual world only from your country’s perspective, you find out quickly that there’s much more than you out there – and you need to change your ways and methods to welcome all people with their differences.
I’ll toss in a bonus challenge, too: Realizing that your life has completely changed is a huge wake-up call. Being an entrepreneur is more than just working on your own for a living. You suddenly wear many hats and you suddenly have to be an expert at everything, from salesperson to customer service representative to accountant to business CEO.
Harry: Yeah, that was a huge wake-up call for me. It’s hard to run a business and I think many people feel it’s so easy. It isn’t. Your business hours rise and your personal free time dwindles – and I think these reasons cause many new businesses to fail. People are unprepared to overcome these obstacles and aren’t ready to step into such big shoes.
3. And how did you work through these challenges?
James: I think that it’s a combination of too many factors to list here. I do know that you have to know your strengths and use them while recognizing your weaknesses and finding ways to work around them.
We’re lucky to be two people that work together, because we complement and enhance each other’s ability.
Harry: I think we’re also lucky in that we’re very different people and our personalities, strengths and weaknesses balance each other nicely. That’s important – if you don’t have balance, the whole venture becomes that much harder and you burn out quickly.
4. What is the best part of being an entrepreneur for you?
Harry: I don’t consider myself an entrepreneur at all. James is the front man with the visions. He’s out there chasing the dreams. I’m working behind the scenes to support him and help make those dreams a reality. That isn’t entrepreneur in my definition of the word. But what I do is a very important part of the business.
James: That’s true. I need him, he needs me, and when we make it work, it’s fantastic. Knowing that we are able to reach any goal we want and having the confidence to do so is the best feeling in the world.
Also, it’s extremely fulfilling to know that we can help others reach their goals. Having our business lets us reach that vision every day.
5. Any advice for people who dream to have their own business and yet find it hard to make the leap?
James: Establish a Plan B. And C. And D and all the way to Z. Never leap without a safety net, and at the same time, always be ready to seize the opportunities you have and take the plunge. There’s no such thing as failure – there is only learning experiences.
My Takeaway
Wow, partnership is attractive. I guess it can make the business a lot stronger if I can find the right partner.
I also find James’ comment on cross-cultural understanding interesting. He is English – French bilingual, and I’m English – Japanese bilingual. It makes me think maybe there are more ways I can utilize my special background that typical Americans don’t, or help people who only speak English. Not necessarily translation . . . something bigger . . .
Are you a solo entrepreneur or do you have a partner? If you are looking to start a business, do you intend to go by yourself or do you want to find a partner?
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Hey Akemi,
Thank you for inviting us to this interview. I hope your readers find it valuable, and I invite anyone to share any points or ask any questions they might have. I’ll do my best to answer.
Cheers!
James,
You are such a good person! Blessings.
Thanks for this interview. It’s reassuring to know that these successful bloggers had a tough time learning the ropes too, and are willing to share what they’ve learned. Maybe I need a partner too!
I think this interview is a great example of the benefits of playing computer games. You just might meet your future business partner that way!
But it does seem an unlikely way to meet a partner. You’re 3,000 miles away - have you ever met in person? Were the two of you really just perfectly compatible right from the start, or did you ever have personality conflicts to work through?
Hunter Nuttalls last blog post..How To Finally Find What You Love To Do And Get Paid For Doing It
Unlikely way? Not at all. I have more chance of meeting people walking down the street than I do of meeting people on the Internet, I feel.
Harry’s been up here a few times (he has less fears of flying than I do) and yeah, I’d say it was good compatibility from the start. We both admired each other and sized up each other’s benefits quickly. We got along right away, never fought and it was all good.
Personality conflicts? Hooo yeah, we had those too, but they came later. Cultural differences were a big one. Personality differences were as well. We’re polar extremes - quiet and energized, calm and impulsive, thoughtful and oblivious… but we balance each other out and have the same vision. Two James’ or two Harrys? Wow. Chaos.
We do have our share of disagreements, like any two people. It’s being able to meet in the middle that matters.
I’m curious to see what Harry says.
If we were both like me nothing would have gotten off the ground.
In this day and age it’s not so unusual for two people to meet over the net and end up with a lasting relationship of any sort. This was something that didn’t happen over night. James and I gamed for a full year or so before we started thinking in terms of a business.
The best things in life are the ones you have to work for, and believe me, this has all been a lot of work with a lot of moments that were beyond fantastic and other that sucked like you wouldn’t believe.
Then again, if it were all so easy, everyone would be doing what we do.
Harrison McLeods last blog post..Do Blogs Really Earn Business?
Good interview. You guys definitely have it working.
When was it that you knew you had turned the corner with your business? How long did it take for you to say with any confidence that you could make a living at it over the long haul?
Bill K.s last blog post..On $3 posts and Google the tyrant
A very interesting and entertaining interview. Great job Akemi.
Bamboo Forests last blog post..Be Embarrassed about Nothing
These two are great guys, and I know them both well.. but I’m just surprised they didn’t give any credit to the monkeys they trained to fetch coffee. How rude!
Poor monkeys.
@ Bill - Very good question and a thinker. November 2007 we knew we had to rebrand strongly, and we did. New name, new look, better fit, casual tone, new domain… everything. That was one key moment.
December 2007 was the last month I had to go looking for work.
February 2008, we launched our rebranded business. Within a month, we were celebrities.
As for knowing we can make a living at *this* for the long haul? I don’t think we’ll ever reach that level of security, and honestly, I don’t want to. The minute you get complacent and take what you have for granted, that’s when you might lose it all.
We stay ever-conscious that this could all disappear tomorrow, and that’s okay. What’s important is that we know that we can always reach this point of success again, even if we have to start over. Made it this far, and next time we’ll be wiser.
@ Bill K: The corner happened earlier in this year when we put up our new blog design and started getting work without having to go look for it. Since then, it’s been non-stop.
But before that, we had our moments of doubt, it’s only natural, every new business does. We couldn’t let go, we had to keep trying just one more time even when things looked thin.
Harrison McLeods last blog post..Do Blogs Really Earn Business?
What a brilliant interview Akemi. I think Harry and James have a great partnership. I’m a customer of theirs and they certainly provide an excellent service and produce great results. They just seem to work really well together. I guess that’s the great thing about the Internet - it makes it far easier to connect with people we work well with.
I have had two business partnerships. And now, I really want to work on my own for a while. The only time I can see me going into a partnership in the future is if I met someone who was passionate about the business we were going to start and willing to invest lots of time and their own money. Also, I would want a partner who had skills that I don’t have, so we would compliment each other. That seems to work really well for James and Harry.
Interesting interview Akemi. Harry mentions that James is the the guy with the vision, while he supports James behind the scenes. Would be interested in a few examples of the type of stuff James does vs. what Harry does.
@ Sterling - I’m the front man. I’m the one who goes out and interacts, marketing us around the blogosphere. I like people and social situations, so I speak up often and help people notice us. Harry prefers to be quiet and doesn’t like “noise”. He speaks up when he has something important to say.
Here’s more. I’m the writer; Harry’s the designer. I’m the negotiator; Harry’s the shrug-”okay” guy. I’m sneakier; he’s straightforward. I’m exuberant, he’s calm. I’m the visionary and know exactly what needs to happen to reach that vision - I’m GREAT at planning and reaching goals or managing projects. But I’m not so good at the “doing” part, because it requires focus and attention, where Harry excels. He’s more grounded and able to look at the here and now.
Gosh. I can go on for days. I’ll stop now.
James Chartrand - Men with Penss last blog post..When You Lose a Different Kind of Everything
@James - thank you for info. With the name MWP I figured you both wrote, but was wondering who was stronger in design, technical stuff, business, etc. Sounds like a powerful partnership where you both can led with your own individual strengths.
Hi, Akemi is here.
I’m just so impressed with the respect and trust James and Harry have for each other. I believe this means they both are mature and have healthy self-respect in themselves.
Thank you, James and Harry, for responding to the comments. Your answers further deepen the interview.
And thank you, everyone. It takes courage for me to go around and ask for interviews. Like with these Pen Men, I didn’t have any prior connection at all — I was a reader of their blog, I may have left a few comments, and that was all. And they responded to my inquiry with a big YES. Great guys. Chivalry is not dead ^_^ I’m glad you liked the article.
Akemi thank you for this interview. I was totally absorbed reading about their partnership and the comments have also added a lot. Those of us who thrive on community are always looking for alliances, I think. Even though my coaching practice is solo I am currently in the midst of co-authoring a book with one project partner and building a joint blog with another. Synergistic creating is so darn attractive I can’t resist the urge to partner up!
Tom Volkar / Delightful Works last blog post..The Missing Key to Success
Akemi, thanks for this great interview. I discovered Men with Pens a few months ago and enjoy their well-done work.
The key to their partnership, as they point out, is finding the right partner. They have been blessed to do so.
Another key is having a Plan A through Z. While you seldom have to go all the way to Plan Z, it makes it comfortable having that safety net.
Tom,
The word synergy is a standby now, but when we actually see it working like this, it’s impressive, isn’t it? I’m glad to hear you are venturing into new possibilities in partnership.
Flora,
They are great, aren’t they? I’m so glad I interviewed them!!
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