When there’s something you’re passionate about getting done, you’ve got to be bold and share your vision. Whether it’s a side project, an initiative at the office, a career advancement or a business, you’ve got to be vocal about it. You want everyone around you to catch your enthusiasm and to want to help you, even if it’s just in minor ways. External help can make a big difference. If you’re generally shy, focus on showing your passion for what you’re working on and people will be drawn to you.

When I was washing windows as a kid I approached strangers nonstop, enthusiastically helping them carry their shopping bags and asking if they wanted their windows cleaned. I would have had zero customers if I hadn’t been bold. Likewise, when I began OTG I couldn’t stop talking about it! It was — and still is — my baby. How do first-time parents react when you ask about their child? They gush and shower you with pictures! They tell you how beautiful and perfect the baby is, and how he or she is developing. You want to do the same with what you’re working on.

Self-promote

We all are a brand. Whether you’re building a company, a charity or your career, people will judge what you’re doing and the value of it. Promoting yourself, your cause, your path or your start-up is one of the most important things you can do to grow it without the traditional means of massive advertising. Hands down, self-promotion can make or break your endeavour in the beginning. It’s vital to positively self-promote wherever possible. As Richard Branson says, the best ambassador of your cause is you!

I’m often referred to as a self-promoter; it always came naturally to me. Maybe because I have insecurities that make me want everyone to know what I’m doing, and to see my hardships and growth in order to inspire them. I know it doesn’t come naturally for everybody, but everything is a learnable skill (there are many, many things that didn’t come naturally to me that I’ve had to learn!).

Self-promotion is not pounding your chest and saying, ‘Here I am!’ and ‘Look at me!’ It’s easy to confuse it with that behaviour, but for me self-promotion means being positive about what I’m doing, and from that positive feeling I follow the natural desire to share it with the world at every appropriate moment. Think about it: when you found that person who made your heart beat faster, didn’t you want to share them with the rest of the world? Or when you discovered some latent talent inside yourself? Or perhaps when someone helped you out, didn’t you want to praise their work to the world?

We’re social creatures. Sharing is not only good for us, it can also be interesting and inspiring for others. Great self-promotion can be as simple as sharing what you do, with passion and energy, to a taxi driver. You never know what might come of it! In 2015 OTG had been operating for three years. I was in a taxi in Hong Kong, and I got chatting to the driver. He was from Pakistan and he was interested to learn more about OTG because, as it turned out, his brother was running a substantial factory in Pakistan. He introduced me to his brother, and today his is still one of our biggest factories. Incredible!

I’ve met many people in hotel lobbies, on planes, and simply out and about who have become customers. In fact, I recently met someone in a hotel lobby who is on the board of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL), and we got chatting. Since that initial chat, he has introduced me to the owner of the NBL. My general manager, Caggi, and I recently met him and his son on their multimillion-dollar private yacht. We were pinching ourselves walking onto the yacht. Now, OTG is making some training and playing apparel for the NBL. The lesson there is: you never know where your next major client, mentor or friend will come from. Get out there and promote yourself and be confident to talk to anyone.

Be coachable

Part of being bold is being coachable. You need to be bold not only in your actions, but in how much you seek feedback and opportunities for growth. It’s important that we acknowledge that we actually don’t know much, and that we have heaps to learn. I certainly didn’t know much, but I was coachable. We sometimes mistakenly think that ‘successful’ people have it all figured out, but that’s not the case at all. Most people who have made a name for themselves in their chosen field are as knowledgeable as they are because they sought, and still seek, coaching from those who know more than they do. Nobody who is successful today was successful when they began (and most weren’t even successful after five years, 10 years or more!). Being coachable is not only about seeking out coaching; it’s also about listening to feedback when you haven’t asked for it. If you have people in your life willing to confront you on things you’ve done, or ways you’ve communicated, and who show you how you could have done it better, that’s special. Rather than getting offended and upset, give them a massive hug! They just helped you on your journey of their own volition.

Believe passionately

To successfully promote yourself you need to believe, whole-heartedly, in what you’re doing. Jeff Bezos of Amazon believed firmly that people would buy books online and that he could offer them more cheaply than their bricks-and-mortar counterparts. Starbucks chairman and CEO Howard Schultz believed that premium coffee could be sold in franchises. Steve Jobs of Apple believed passionately that the average person would utilise computing power to their advantage, in their own home, each and every day. My team at OTG is extremely supportive of me because they believe in my abilities and see real progress. My investors and stakeholders in the company are passionate about me being the face of OTG because they see someone who believes firmly in what he’s doing. It’s super important you believe wholeheartedly in your vision.

If reading this has made you realise you don’t believe passionately in what you’re doing or in your vision, then move on and find something you can get behind 100 per cent.

Change it up

There’s a fabled experiment about five monkeys in an enclosure that has a ladder with a banana at the top of it. When the monkeys run up the ladder to get the banana they are sprayed with water, which they dislike, and they quickly learn not to go for the banana. One monkey is then taken out of the enclosure and a new one is put in. It immediately runs up the ladder to get the banana, only to be pulled back by the others. Then another monkey is taken out and replaced, until all five monkeys in the enclosure have never actually experienced the water being sprayed, yet they all still avoid the banana and stop newcomers from climbing the ladder.

How often do we do things just because we always have, without re-examining why? I see change as a good thing. A very good thing. And it’s something you must instil in your life if you want to grow and evolve. It’s important to change things up regularly: to really examine why you’re doing things, and whether it still makes sense to do them. Is that habit of drinks every Friday night helping you get where you want to go? Is it time to try Coles Delivery so you can go for a walk rather than do the grocery shopping? The small things count.

Actively do things that will make you see life through a new, different lens. Whether that’s travelling, enjoying books, documentaries, or movies from other cultures or perspectives, putting your hand up for different tasks at work, or applying for new roles to broaden or deepen your skillset, have an attitude of changing things up and it will help move your career forward.

When I took on my first big order for the 400 cycling jerseys it was a massive change, and the rush of being so far in the deep end became an addiction. It was all new and different and exciting. I’ve since built the habit of constantly thinking, ‘I’ve got to change; don’t get too comfortable, Mick’. If you don’t change anything in your life for a period of time, you get stuck. Focus on making changes week to week. Not necessarily big changes — small iterations of change are powerful. Maybe spend less on clothes, or go away one weekend a month, or take lessons to learn a new language. You could start by doing something once a month that you know is going to scare you a bit. Something that’ll keep you on your toes. Something different. Whatever works best for you, build the regular habit of changing things up.

Learn to network

At school I could barely see the blackboard, but I didn’t want to be ‘that guy’ sitting up front. Who does at that age? So in high school I identified who the smart kids were and asked them to explain the concepts we had just been taught in class, in their own words. Some of my classmates were willing to lend me their notes, which helped even further. This early foundation in networking, and not being afraid to ask people for advice, has helped me tremendously. My sister, Alicia, calls it my ‘fearless capability’!

Part of the importance of promoting yourself and passionately sharing what you’re up to at every appropriate opportunity is how it can build your network. There’s a great book called Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi that talks about the power of networking to propel your career forward. The saying, ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know’ still applies today. Yes, you need to know your stuff. But unless you know people who can introduce you to people who can mentor you, or refer your work, or offer you a job, it’ll take much longer for you to get where you want to go.

In the early days I networked like mad to make sales, and it worked really well. I’d go to a lot of networking events where I was located, and as I progressed in the business I started travelling farther to go to events more specific to my industry.

Back it up

The essential ingredient of self-promotion is being able to back up what you say. You have to walk your talk. If you’re passionately sharing how your endeavour is changing things, make sure you’re able to demonstrate what and how you’re changing things. Self-promotion isn’t just talk: it’s talk about real action and results you’re achieving. People want to see progress: to build trust in your cause. Often there are too many ‘get rich quick’ schemes or ‘wannabeprenuers’. Be real. One currency you can’t get back is respect. Show people what your initiative looks like in action. Show them the culture behind the brand. Show them how you’re getting stakeholders on board at the office to change things. Show them your failures and your results after learning those hard lessons. Back up your vision with results.

Ignore the naysayers

Naysayers. We all come across them, and we’ve all been one at some stage. There will always be some naysayers who talk you down — there’s no way around it. The only thing in your control is whether you listen to what they say or not, whether you let it affect you or not, and how you build your network of supportive people who do have your back. My mentor Hap Klopp (founder of The North Face) told me that ‘as an entrepreneur, more people will misunderstand you than understand you. Just get used to it’. He was spot on. I’m constantly misunderstood by people who don’t personally know me, sometimes in a good way and often in a bad way, but I’ve gotten used to it. I don’t let it affect me.

Naysayers are typically pretty unhappy with their lives; often the first thing they’ll say is, ‘Well he’s showing off a bit, isn’t he?’ What happy, fulfilled, purpose-driven person ever felt the need to talk negatively about someone else? People’s negative words might be a jealous response to you having figured things out and building your dream. They’re oblivious to the stress you live with, unaware of the hours you spend working while they’re hanging out with friends at the bar, or playing PlayStation, or travelling on holidays. The first three years that I ran my business, no-one knew me. I was working seven days a week. I had no money. It was a tough slog, but I could see what we were building and I loved it. Only now is OTG becoming well known. As the saying goes, it takes five to 10 years to become an ‘overnight’ success. Block out the naysayers and keep working on what makes your heart come alive. In Dr Seuss’s words, ‘Those who matter don’t mind, and those who mind don’t matter’.

When I started OTG, pretty much none of my friends at the time understood why, and they thought I was stupid. Why would someone drop out of university to pursue building a business with absolutely no capital in a horrible economy? They said, ‘Why don’t you go work with your dad’s building company?’, or ‘Why don’t you finish your uni degree and then do something?’ It didn’t make sense to them, and so none of them supported me. I lost a lot of friends due to their lack of understanding and support, which made it a lonely journey. But on the way I’ve found many new friends who are there for me, and I am there for them.

As I’ve gotten older and have experienced countless naysayers, I’ve found that I care less and less about what people think of me. Ratan Tata says it perfectly: ‘Take the stones people throw at you and use them to build a monument’. Today I only care what the people I respect, and who are important to me, think. It’s freeing. You are your environment, so be careful of the energy around you.

The tall poppy syndrome

In Australia we have what’s referred to as ‘tall poppy syndrome’, which is when successful people are resented, attacked, cut down and criticised because of their success and progress in their chosen field. We’ve typically been a society that wants everyone to be on the same, equal level. The positive side of this is that we’re hugely supportive of the underdog, and we rally together and help each other in the aftermath of a crisis or natural disaster like nowhere else. We have a great sense of mateship: of helping a mate (who is often a stranger) out. The negative side of this desire to be on the same level is that we cut down anyone who tries to be a bit too successful, a bit too innovative, a bit too clever or a bit too rich. Things are changing with the rise of the ‘hustle’ attitude or ‘entrepreneur’ career, but there’s still a way to go before there will be acceptance of achiever peers. As I’ve achieved more and more, I’ve had people shoot me down more and more. It’s why my daily habits are so important — they keep me centred and balanced. People will often see the publicity, the awards, the contract winnings, the investment deals or networking I’ve done (which, mind you, I never thought I would have!). What they don’t see or don’t think about is the times of stress and worry, not knowing how I’m going to get a project completed. The stress on a Friday night about cash flow. The 12- to 18-hour-long days, including travel. The friends and family members’ birthdays I’ve missed out on. Going to buy basic groceries hoping my debit card has enough funds on it, waiting in anticipation for an ‘approved’ or ‘declined’. The multiple weeks and years I worked with no break. Some call it ‘living life on the edge’. My brother, Nathan, once said, ‘People misunderstand Mick’s enthusiasm and what he was doing in the early years. They mistake it for jealousy and bragging. And I stick it to them now. When I’m hanging around in a new Aston Martin my brother just bought, I make sure they get a text’.

Being shot down and judged negatively again and again doesn’t feel nice. We all have that fear of judgement. Laurence Olivier, a famous English actor who was universally lauded, said that stage fright is ‘always waiting outside the door, waiting to get you. You either battle or walk away’. He feared being judged constantly throughout his career. We all experience that fear, no matter our personality or upbringing, or our level of ‘success’. We’re all unsure of ourselves at times. The goal is to not let that fear stop you from taking action: focus on what’s important to you. Remind yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing. And don’t refrain from talking about your progress — just be real, humble and down-to-earth when you share what you’re achieving. Remember that what you have to offer can bring good not only to you but to others, through employment, through charity, or through a product or service that’s exceptional. People won’t stop talking about you, and that’s fine.

Self-promotion never ends

In today’s world, if you want cut-through, self-promotion never ends. The story you passionately share will change as you progress, your industry will change over the years and in business your customers’ expectations will change. But through your whole journey you need to keep self-promoting. We’re in an age where anyone can become an expert in their field quickly. With social channels and the internet, we can reach literally anyone. Be ready to answer questions enthusiastically. And sometimes it’ll be tough. You’re totally exhausted when you bump into someone who wants to talk to you about what you’re doing, and you have to dig deep to find the energy to be present and engaged with them. Put in that extra effort and you’ll be amazed at what comes out of it. Believing in your brand (personal or business), owning your story, guarding your reputation and learning how to communicate it with others always reaps rewards. So take risks; knock on doors; keep self-promoting.

Promote, but be wise on social media

Social media is a tool that can further your personal brand and your career. We’re fortunate today that we have tools to spread our message far and wide; the barriers to connecting with people are dropping, and you can use that to your advantage.

When used effectively, social media can be very powerful in bringing momentum and growth to what you’re working on. However, it can also be dangerous. It affects people’s emotional state, in some cases with severe consequences. Photoshopped images shared on social media inspire deep insecurities in some viewers, even causing eating disorders for some. There are cases of people becoming depressed from viewing other people’s ‘perfect’ lives online, and feeling inadequate in comparison. They forget that what people share online is unrealistic and edited, only showing the happy, good moments; only showing the successes, not all the moments of disappointment and setbacks.

The other negative side of social media is the distraction it brings. People waste an insane amount of precious time scrolling endlessly. It’s hard to become the best version of yourself when your mind is cluttered by everyone’s filtered life on social media. So use social media for your benefit, and be wary of its negative effects on your life.

Social media do’s and don’ts

The first thing people do is search your name. What do you look like if someone searches you on Google or opens your Facebook profile? Before anyone works with anyone, they do some research online. This happens in recruitment too! Employers are hiring on the basis of what people look like on social media, so make sure you look good. If you’re behind a cause (like your own business), use it to its advantage and make sure you come across exactly as you want your personal brand portrayed.