Oct 20, 2017
Shownotes and links for this episode can be found at http://sarahsantacroce.com/episode39
Gavin Zuchlinkski was perfectly happy to put his head down and build the product that became Acuity Scheduling. Like most introverted entrepreneurs, Gavin didn’t feel a need to build his personal brand or seek external validation, so he spent his time early on focused on perfecting the product itself. But now that Acuity has grown to support over 50,000 businesses of all sizes, Gavin is stepping into the spotlight as the human face behind the product. Gavin built the scheduling tool in 2006 to save his mom a little time. She was frustrated by the hassle of dealing with appointments for her massage therapy business, so Gavin created Acuity to save her the headache, automating the process by allowing clients to schedule themselves online. The app grew organically as other small businesses got on board, and by 2009, Gavin realized that Acuity was big enough to be his day job. He quit a career he enjoyed at Berico Technologies to devote his energy to Acuity full-time, with the goal of providing unmatched, one-on-one customer support to clients. Today Gavin explains how Acuity Scheduling allows businesses to offer and manage appointments online, freeing them up to focus on doing what they love. He shares how his ability to be happy in the moment keeps him from being consumed by the business and why he is an advocate of the six-hour workday. Listen in and learn how being ‘media shy’ actually served him well in the early stages of Acuity and how he ensures that his time spent making public appearances is genuinely valuable!
***
Become a VIP of my community
Be the first to know whenever I release a new podcast or host a special webinar for introverts. And as a welcome present get my '4-part Guide 'How Saying 'NO' Can Help You Grow! http://sarahsantacroce.com/sayno/
***
In this episode you’ll learn…
- How Gavin built Acuity Scheduling for his mom’s business.
- His reluctance to be the ‘human face behind the product.’
- How Acuity Scheduling helps businesses manage appointments online.
- How Acuity generates revenue via a monthly subscription model.
- The most useful features of Acuity.
- How the scheduling tool integrates with Zapier to give users additional flexibility.
- How Gavin’s initial focus on the product over building a personal brand served him well.
- Why he prefers more curated relationships like podcast interviews over networking events.
- The ‘tipping point’ when Gavin had to make a choice between his full-time job and Acuity.
- The benefits of building your business as a side gig.
- Why Gavin advocates six-hour workdays.
- How he leverages Trello to manage long-term tasks, take notes and organize research.
- The way personal goals affect your business.
Other links and resources mentioned in this episode:
Pitching for Introverts Training Program Acuity Free Trial for IBG Listeners Acuity Scheduling Acuity on Facebook Acuity on Twitter Gavin on LinkedIn Zoom GoToMeeting ActiveCampaign Zapier Trello Todoist Anything You Want: 40 Lessons for a New Kind of Entrepreneur by Derek Sivers Donate to the IBG Podcast
***
Sponsor> Deep Dive Mastermind Retreat in Sicily
My Mastermind Retreat in Sicily is all about creating success on your own terms - and finding your people! Join us!
***
Thanks for listening !
Thanks so much for listening to this episode. If you enjoyed it, I would be super grateful if you'd share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. And if you don’t have it yet, get your free 4-step Guide on How to Say no to Grow. You'll be added to my list as well so I can share the latest episodes and other introvert related resources with you. Also, please leave a review on iTunes. I'm told that they really matter so if you'd take a minute I'd appreciate it. And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes or on Android to get notified for all my future shows. Warmly Sarah