Idea Generation: Follow your passion, the Tribe Digital case study

blog 2017
Written By Andrew Ford

I'm an ideas guy, a creator. Way back in 2012 I had several ideas that I was working on since finishing my Masters of Entrepreneurship; one was a beer app called Closest Beer(in the app store now), one was Social Star (my current company) and one was Tribe (owned and run by Jules Lund). 

I met Jules through a mutual friend and what an engaging guy! So respectful of learning from others and a sponge for my personal branding information. I gave him a manuscript for my book (now published 'Creating a Powerful Brand') and on a hunch pitched him, Tribe.

My pitch went a bit like this: "Imagine Tinder for celebrities and brand managers." He was a celebrity and I was the brand manager, a perfect fit. We worked on the idea together for 18 months and it grew and grew. I was full time in Social Star at this stage and didn't have the time or funds to devote myself to Tribe as it was required. 

In late 2014 Jules wanted to take the business further, it was only an idea at this stage, so I exited the business and wished him all the best. Ideas are free, execution is where the value is created and he created the value that Tribe is today.

Friends ask me why I didn't pursue the idea further knowing that it could be a global company. My response is simple. I am more passionate about helping small business owners build their brands and live a more fulfilling life and spend more time with their family than I am about helping famous people make more money. It all comes down to being true to your own values.

Jules is the heart and soul of Tribe, and although, I had the idea first and pitched it to him. He was the man that put his time, money and significant effort into what the business is today. 

I sat on this idea for over a year before pitching it to Jules. My mate, Sacha Mcmonagle-ihasz, and I built out the strategy, played around with concepts, but it never made much ground until Jules became involved. Jules made it happen because he is more passionate about the idea than I.

My advice for entrepreneurs is this. Share your ideas freely. People may try to copy your idea, but most will give it up when presented with a challenge as they are not as passionate about it as you are. Don't do it for the money or success, do it for the people you want to help the most. 

If I didn't share the Tribe idea on a whim all those years ago, it would probably have been gathering dust in my ideas book and someone else would have created the business. Share and collaborate. I would rather see the idea come to life with a guy that I respect and call a friend.

I wish him all the best with the business and know he will make it a massive success.

Follow your values,

Andrew

P.S. If you want to peek inside my ideas book just shoot me a message, I have heaps!

Andrew Ford
Marketing expert Andrew Ford, the founder of Social Star, has discovered the secret of ‘Powerful Branding’. With a fire for unleashing people’s inner brand and developing business models to generate profit from an individual’s passions, Andrew leverages ground-breaking digital and social media marketing techniques to create digital strategies for clients to attract maximum opportunities. Having established a strong name for himself in the field, Andrew blends traditional business techniques with now-necessary tools for entrepreneurs to achieve scale, quality, and influence in their niche. Andrew’s comprehensive business background and qualifications consist of a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) (RMIT 2003), a Graduate Certificate in Management (MBA Executive Program, University of Sydney 2005), and a Masters of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (Swinburne University 2011). Continually on the cutting edge of his own education, Andrew has tested his marketing theories in forums such as the BCG Business Strategy Competition, which he won in 2005 against all Victorian MBA schools, and the Venture Cup Business Plan Competition (Swinburne University 2003), which he won in the Masters category. With experience working at Hewlett-Packard, Sensis (Telstra) and IBM, Andrew also has mentored dozens of junior staffs to help them achieve their professional goals. Meeting and influencing high-profile public figures helped Andrew to realise just how many professionals require more understanding and control of their public brands or appearance, and need help with the skills to use the many amazing free tools at their disposal to generate success. At Social Star, Andrew consults with clients to uncover their personal brand – both where it is today and where it can be tomorrow – and refine and define how that should be displayed in social media in order to attract their perfect target audience. Andrew mentors his clients to rapidly grow their business’ audiences, resulting in larger potential client bases and higher revenue. Applying formulas that integrate over twenty years of Andrew’s business experience and fifteen years of formal business education, Social Star specialises in building clarity and velocity for clients’ brands using the ‘Understand, Build and Leverage’ methodology. ‘Having a Personal Business enables people to have an authentic, congruent connection with their valued clients and partners, using their brand as the bridge,’ says Andrew. ‘I’m highly driven to work with the new breed of entrepreneurs and small business owners – people who have a passion for making the world a better place. Traditional business models are stepping aside as people follow their innermost dreams and my role is to see them operate within their values while creating wealth. Some people think you have to sacrifice what you love to be successful in your business, yet it is actually the opposite. Follow your passion and success will come.’ Lecturing at Swinburne University from 2009 to 2011 on brand dynamics and digital marketing, presenting at numerous conferences, and consulting to hundreds of clients, Andrew has seen his philosophy work that if you follow your unique path, based on your skills, experience, values and goals, you will automatically attract the opportunities you desire and achieve the success you deserve. Living his mantra, Andrew has created a successful business and attracts high-profile clients including musicians, athletes, authors, models, entrepreneurs, professionals and small business owners, helping them find their ‘why’ in their business and fulfilment in their lives. Business for Andrew is more than work, it’s personal. Running a personal business means that he is able to fulfil all of his values rather than separating his life from work. It supports his two boys while providing social opportunities, educational development, fitness opportunities, spiritual fulfilment and many valuable friendships. Social Star has now become the vehicle for Andrew to crystallise his mission in the world, to help people love what they do, supporting his ‘why’, that if more people loved what they did, the world would be a better place.
http://www.andrewford.com.au/
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