IAM850- Digital Marketer Helps People Make Money Online

Intro 0:02
Do you want to learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales and grow your business from successful entrepreneurs, startups and CEOs without listening to a long, long, long interview? If so, you've come to the right place, Gresham Harkless values your time and is ready to share with you precisely the information you are in search of. This is the I am CEO podcast.

Gresham Harkless 0:29
Hello, hello. Hello, this is Gresh from me, I am CEO podcast and I have a very special guest on the show today. Roget here's home of real digital success. com Roget, it's awesome to have you on show.

Rogier Giersthove 0:40
Yeah, thanks. Really excited to be here.

Gresham Harkless 0:43
No problem super excited to have you on as well. And before we jumped in, I want to read a little bit more about Roget so you hear about all the awesome things that he's doing. And Roger is a digital marketer podcaster and the founder of Real digital success, an initiative that helps people with making money online, while giving them a realistic look at what it takes to create a successful online business at the moment, Roget is based in the need in the Netherlands, and is mostly busy with creating content that tries to show the size of online entrepreneurship that often isn't talked about rajaiah. Great to speak to the imcl community. Yes, 100%.

Rogier Giersthove 1:15
Ready? Let's do it.

Gresham Harkless 1:17
Let's do it. So to kick everything off, I wanted to hear a little bit more on how you got started. Can you take us through what I call your CEO story? And what led you to all the awesome things you're working on now?

Rogier Giersthove 1:25
Yeah, sure. So basically, I've always wanted to have my own company, because I really looked up to my dad, and he had his own urban planning company. And basically, I just want it to be exactly that. So I studied the architecture and building Sciences at the Technical University in Delft. But after going through it, I kind of realized that I still wanted my own business. But I didn't want it to do that into in that sector, because I felt like I was basically copying my dad and wasn't really being myself. And after just trying out a lot of things, I just stumbled on online marketing, and then started doing that in, I think 2018 after testing out a lot of other stuff. And then basically created real digital success, after seeing a lot of people online talking about how great internet marketing and online entrepreneurship is, but realizing that when you're in it, that there's also all kinds of other sites to it, that people often don't talk about enough. Because they're just trying to sell their products. So basically, I made it my model to show the real site of online entrepreneurship instead of only the highlights that everybody shows you. And yeah, I've been rocking with it ever since. Nice. I

Gresham Harkless 2:49
absolutely appreciate that. And it sounds like you have entrepreneurship and business in the vein, since you've been able to not do the exact same business as your dad, but do and have your own kind of venture. And I think I appreciate you for kind of charting your own path. Because I think so many times, we think that we should go a very specific way. And sometimes the hardest thing to do is to pivot and change to something else. So it's awesome that you've been able to do that and you're providing so much value for people.

Rogier Giersthove 3:12
Yeah, it's a it really is a game changer is the moment you become aware of what actually is something that's basically suits you instead of trying to please others, just doors open up and everything just becomes so much easier.

Gresham Harkless 3:27
Yeah, absolutely. I always say if you run your own race, you can never lose. If you run somebody else's race, that's when you start to lose, you start to get out of your own lane. So it's so true and bad. And so I know you touched a little bit on what we can find in your site and what you're doing. Could you take us through a little bit more on what we can find there and how you serve the clients you work with?

Rogier Giersthove 3:45
Yeah, so basically, as I said, I create a lot of content showing the the maybe not so pretty sites of online entrepreneurship. And what I do is I connect people that come to my website to online courses that are like legit and give a realistic view of what you can expect to prevent people from going into the wrong direction. So basically, I just work as a facilitator for all these other for all these other companies and then basically just get affiliate commissions from it.

Gresham Harkless 4:22
Nice, absolutely love that and there's there's such a great I think opportunity from being the facilitator as you said, sometimes like the I'm a big basketball guy to the point guard or football, the quarterback being able to to not do everything but be to kind of be that facilitator and I love how you kind of talked about really getting to know the nitty gritty of what it takes to run the business because as you said so well. A lot of times we see the the lights and the glamour and the highs of the roller coaster but we never hear the lows. We never hear the process. So I love that you're actually giving that real story and real actionable information as well to on how people can be successful in business. All marketing.

Rogier Giersthove 5:00
Yeah, cuz it's crazy. I've been the member of a few communities and then there are people are offending about their stuff a year people actually getting the press because they had this idea of how entrepreneurship should be, and they're not getting those results or they're not seeing it. Yeah, the fellow in the time they thought they would, and they actually get the press. So I felt like it's very important for people to know actually what you what you're in for when you go into online entrepreneurship.

Gresham Harkless 5:34
Yeah, and I appreciate you for doing that so much, because I always had myself if, you know, if I could tell myself something I wish that I knew at an earlier period, like the true path of success is not a straight line. It is now Yeah, you don't just wake up and you become successful. There's a whole process to that. And there's definitely a there's some highs, but there's definitely probably a lot more lows, nine times out of 10. So you're giving light to that is, I think also going to help people not to always be successful, but to understand that there's going to be ups and downs. And I think that people will stick with it longer if they understand exactly what they're getting into.

Rogier Giersthove 6:11
Yeah, exactly. It's like in architecture, we have this saying, I don't know if I'm saying it right in the English way. But they say like architecture is a iterative process. So there is no straight line. There are highs, there's lows, there's extreme lows, there's extreme highs. But eventually if you stick to it, you'll get to that end product. Where do you need to be?

Gresham Harkless 6:33
Yeah, absolutely. So many times people there's there's a lot of lot more information about grit and determination and relentlessness and kind of sticking with it. There really is the great indicator of success, not so much as waking up and things just happening, which I think so many times, it looks like that's what success is. So I wanted to ask you now for what I call your secret sauce. And this could be for you personally, or your business or combination of both. But what do you feel kind of sets you apart and makes you unique?

Rogier Giersthove 7:00
Well, I think in my case, it's basically my motivation. Because as I said, a lot of people are just trying to sell things. And my main goal is just to show people actually how it goes and just give them an honest feel about it. And then that way they can decide for themselves if they want to buy the products or not. So I think that I would say that is my secret sauce that differentiates me from a lot of other people in the online marketing game.

Gresham Harkless 7:33
Yeah. And I think it's so huge. It's so weird to me. And I love you know that you've been able to create that you stand for that. But it's so kind of, you know, weird again, that we live in a world, especially online where people aren't really telling the entire truth of what it takes to get there. And I think that's why you know, what you're doing is so remarkable, because so many times we don't get the true story. And people are purposely national in the true story. Because they're wanting to get a quick buck, they want you to join their community, or they want you to get on their mastermind or do all of those things. So that's why I love you know, what you're saying for what you're building in what you're doing, because I think it's creating a realistic look. And I think there are people will be a lot more successful as a result of that.

Rogier Giersthove 8:12
Yeah. And I think people also that put this stuff out there and they over exaggerated, they aren't realizing the ramifications that it can have for people that are looking at that stuff. Because for Yeah, it could be that online entrepreneurship isn't maybe a thing for you. And you could basically bloom in something else. But you're forcing yourself into entrepreneurship and just having negative emotions while you shouldn't have been. So I think i think it's it's so important for people to know what they're getting into, and if it's a great fit for them.

Gresham Harkless 8:47
Yeah, and that's so huge. I'm glad you brought that up. Because so many times we forget that when we make a decision about something, we're automatically saying no to other things. And so if you're choosing a path that you don't really understand as far as like doing online marketing or online business, and that's not really the path that you want to choose, or even you're calling on an even deeper level. Not only does that hurt you there but also hurts you from what could be your calling and the thing you should be doing even more of.

Rogier Giersthove 9:15
Yeah, I totally agree. Even though I also think it's you're never too old to start. Yeah, just doing the thing that is meant for you. The time that you lose is still valuable, because I think the enjoyment is in the process. And you basically deprive yourself from sometimes maybe years of going through that process, and just finding the joy in what you're doing.

Gresham Harkless 9:40
Yeah, absolutely. Because there's false expectations. Yeah, we might make in that be making that decision on. So I appreciate that. And what I wanted to do is switch gears a little bit, and I wanted to ask you for what I call a CEO hack. So this could be like an apple book or a habit that you have, but what's something that makes you more effective and efficient. I think

Rogier Giersthove 10:01
My willingness to basically pick a lot of people their brain, and just finding in this finding tip, so it's not specifically wanted, that helps me be better as a CEO. But it's mostly my willingness to just approach others, and just ask them about anything. Because I remember when I was young, I kind of had a little bit of an ego, especially when I was studying and that kind of stuff. So you were like afraid to ask people for help. But the moment I just started doing it, like an entire room opened up, it's also one of the biggest reasons that I started the podcast because you can interview all these people and get so many tips from them. So I think that is basically what I would consider that the special nugget that helps me become a better CEO, just making stuff up to get to pick people's brain,

Gresham Harkless 10:57
I wanted to ask you now for what I call a CEO, nugget. And this could be a word of wisdom or piece of advice, it might be something you would tell a client or if you have to do a time machine, you might tell your younger business. So

Rogier Giersthove 11:08
I think the my seal nugget was not to underestimate negligence. If you're, if you have if you have the habit that you are negligent. So basically what I mean is, in the past, I would treat my business more as a hobby. And I would let all kinds of things go. And because of that, there were essential steps that I missed in my process that cost me to set that basically set me back for maybe like six months or something I remember, for example, when it came to links to my offers that some of them weren't even working. But I never noticed that because of typos or anything like that. So I think negligence is basically poison to entrepreneurship. And you just need to have everything just tight and in tip top shape. And if you need to just look over everything just four times, just to make sure that everything just works properly. So my SEO nugget would be to not be negligent, and just have everything tight.

Gresham Harkless 12:17
Exactly, exactly. So now when asked me why absolute favorite question, which is the definition of what it means to be a CEO, and we're hoping to have different, quote unquote, CEOs on this show. So Roger, what does mean a CEO mean to you.

Rogier Giersthove 12:30
For me, a CEO means having the responsibility for everything in your life. Because a lot of people when they think of CEO, they think about company, but I also think you can be a CEO of your life. And it's basically a lifestyle, where you take when you take responsibility for everything, you are in control of everything, and you can dictate which way you can go. So that's basically what the CEO means for me being able to choose your own direction by by taking all the responsibility on you.

Gresham Harkless 13:06
Yeah, absolutely. And I think having that opportunity to really have the responsibility and also execute on that responsibility is so huge. And like you said, so many times we you know, we talk about business, we almost forget about that life part, and how they go hand in hand. Because I think if you understand that, and you execute and, and I guess handle yourself from a life perspective, as a CEO, as I said, manifests itself into all the different aspects, all the different titles and things that we have. But again, it's it's about being able to make those decisions, carry that responsibility and execute on that responsibility, which is so huge. So I love that definition.

Rogier Giersthove 13:41
Yeah, because in the end, even though, as a CEO, you are kind of seen as the boss. in same way, you could also almost see yourself mostly as the servant to your business and your clients. I don't know what it was, I think it was like, they were talking about their what's the Roman times or something? I remember, like fakely that I saw something on TV about the leader. They're basically the leader was basically the slave to the people, but they named it the leader, but it was actually somebody that works in surface of the crowd instead of him just ordering other people to do what they do.

Gresham Harkless 14:27
Awesome, awesome. Awesome. Ro j truly appreciate that. I appreciate your time, even more, what I wanted to do with passion that might so to speak. Just see if there's anything additional you can let our readers and listeners know and of course, how best they can get a hold of you and find out about all the awesome things you are working on.

Rogier Giersthove 14:42
Well, I would give us advice for people that are interested in online entrepreneurship, to try out a lot of different things. Because most of time nowadays, the only thing that people see that's very popular things like drop shipping, or affiliate marketing or Day Trading. But there are so many other things out there that you can do everything outside. Basically, what you see is is a business. So start looking for start looking for more things. You don't have to be specifically in those three areas to succeed. Everything around, you can be turned into a million dollar business, if you put in the work and if it fits with you, of course. But yeah, I would just say try everything out. And then in terms of how people can get in contact with me, you can go to my website, real digital success.com. That's basically my headquarter where all my content is. And you can come in touch with me and we can have a nice talk. Or maybe you could come on my podcast. Absolutely,

Gresham Harkless 15:47
why I appreciate that Roget, we will definitely have the links and information in the show notes for your podcast and everything. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to be a guest too. I appreciate that. And I appreciate that reminder as well, too. I think one of the biggest benefits I got especially getting started with just trying a lots of different things as you've been able to do as well too. And kind of find your space and find what you want to do. So I think Don't get so locked into doing X, Y and Z because someone so it says it's important do it because it's your calling your gift and the thing that you want to do so, love that reminder. I appreciate it and I hope you have a great rest today.

Outro 16:21
Thank you for listening to the IMC o podcast powered by Blue 16 Media Tune in next time and visit us at I am ceo.co I am CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community. Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes Google Play and everywhere you listen to podcasts, subscribe and leave us a five star rating grab CEO gear at WWW dot CEO gear.co This has been the I am CEO podcast with Gresham Harkless Thank you for listening.