Welcome to our monthly leadership series – In The Cage With MC.
In June, I had the opportunity to interview Dimitrious Vrousgos. He is an entrepreneur who I had the privilege of meeting and getting to know while we were both training for our first MMA fight.
Quick Bio
Hi, I'm Dimitri. Like many people, I have ideas. Why am I different? I turn my ideas into reality: I am an entrepreneur!
I have over 14 years of experience in multiple professions in a diverse range of industries across the world: sales, public speaking, education, clinical practice, dietetics, cookery, disability and App development.
Having an entrepreneurial and creative mind, I have created a number of ventures, all with the purpose to make life & health more effective.
Matthew Cossens (MC) - What are you working on at the moment?
Dimitri (DV) - I am a co-founder of a company named Sendayo.
Sendayo is the APP for people with special needs (disability support services). We serve people with special needs by providing staffing solutions for businesses and individuals. It is a service that connects those that seek support with those that offer support.
MC - What habits/rituals do you believe drive your success?
DV - If I was to put my personal success in any area of life into one word, it would be “determination”. The main ritual I follow is to obsess over a goal. I obsess over it so much that I think about reaching this goal 24/7.
My day/night is broken down into 8 hours of sleep, 12 hours on working on my dream, 2 hours on leisure and 2 hours on personal development. During my 12 hours of work, I think about my dream and act on it all the time, so much that I even dream about it in my sleep.
I often wake up during the night having come up with a solution to a problem I am facing. I work constantly, while I am shopping, while I’m driving (I don't recommend that to anyone). The only time I do not work, is when I train in martial arts. That is the only time I truly shut off from work. The 2 hours I spend on myself, includes martial arts training, watching a series (even then I work), getting a massage, chiropractic care, audio listening on personal development, motivational audios and reading up on specific topics I can improve on.
Besides this routine, I act on my thoughts and plans right away. This is what leads to success. An idea without action remains simply an idea. You must act to turn the idea into reality!
MC - What would you consider your most significant career accomplishment to date?
DV - I strongly believe that the most significant career accomplishment to date is that I've always been curious and not afraid to continuously explore new worlds and opportunities.
Today, I'm extremely proud of the development of Sendayo. Sendayo has had so many challenges along the way, however, we kept going! My team and I have been developing the platform for over a year and a half before it was launched. It's a beautiful thing to see an idea come to life over time. I believe the key to any start of something big is to act now. Because something magical happens at that moment you take your first action.
MC - What are your thoughts on failure?
DV - Failure is only considered failure if you perceive it that way.
I personally believe that no matter the circumstances, I always win. It's during the times of failure or uncertainty where I find myself moving in a different direction - often the right direction to success!
For example: I was in my first MMA fight and lost, which resulted in frustration. I turned this frustration and feeling of defeat into hunger and desire for success. This hunger can take you anywhere, for me, it resulted into the creation of Sendayo.
MC - What sacrifices have you had to make to be a successful leader?
DV - I've made many... and expect many more to come. 'No excuses' is a motto I live by. If I have a goal, I have to work towards it - no matter at what cost. Any sacrifice I make will be made to invest in that goal.
To get to where I am now, I have invested not just the obvious time and money, but also the latest Netflix craze, dinners with friends and family, birthday celebrations, weddings, you name it.
I'm investing in these sacrifices to ensure I leave the legacy I want to leave behind. I can die forgotten, or I can die remembered. I choose remembered!
MC - To what do you attribute your success?
DV - Posture, Passion, Determination and Trust.
Posture: have a posture of confidence, even though it's scary at times
Passion: loving what you do, always!
Determination: Obsess about achieving your goal and keep going, even if things do not go as planned.
Trust: Our actions in life build trust with people. It therefore is important to treat others in the way you would like to be treated. You should help others without expecting something in return.
MC - What is the biggest lesson you have learnt in your professional or personal life?
DV - To not take things to heart! Everything always works out in the end.
MC - Who has been your greatest inspiration?
DV - I always looked up to my father and he always made me believe that I was unique and could achieve what I wanted. My childhood hero was Alexander the Great, and I loved the stories my dad used to tell me about him. I remember one story in particular; the story about the Gordian knot.
Story was famous for - he was given a rope with a knot - the Gordian knot. Whoever was able to 'free the knot', was going to be king. Many men failed to untie it.
An oracle had declared that any man that could unravel the elaborate knot was destined to become the ruler of all of Asia. Many men failed to untie it. After Alexander the Great tried to unravel the knot without success, he stepped back, drew his sword and sliced the knot in half with a single stroke.
Moral of the story is, that one must look beyond the obvious to succeed.
MC - Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?
DV - I love Apple products and am fascinated by Steve Jobs and his story.
MC - If you could talk to one person from history, who would it be and why?
DV - As I mentioned before;
Alexander the Great is the most inspiring historical figure that I was influenced by from a young age. He inspires me because of his leadership - he was always on the front line and had a unique, global vision.
At 10 years old, I wrote on a piece of paper what I wanted to be when I grow up: “I want to become a "global Greek", just like Alexander the Great!"
And here I am, in Australia, so I guess that dream has come true :).
MC - What business-related book has inspired you the most? (OR What is your favourite book?)
DV - Jonathan Livingston Seagull by R. Bach is the first book I read that truly impacted my life and changed the course of it. When I was 19 years old, I was stuck in a very bad situation that I thought I could not escape from. I felt like I was in prison. When I got to the last page of the book, I made the decision to change my life. From that day and on, I was free.
MC - If you had the chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?
DV - In all honesty; I wouldn’t change a thing.
I have experienced a great journey so far that I’m proud of.
I have experienced the army, tertiary education in health, health practitioner, cookery, disability care, lecturing, public talks, other entrepreneurial start-ups such as a tea company, herbal app, online diet plans, online consulting, building a travel club globally, participated in Master Chef Greece and even been in an MMA cage fight!
MC - If you were conducting this interview, what question would you ask? Please answer that
DV - What would you advise your young self?
Dream big and don't let anyone steal your dream.
MC - Thanks Dimitri for taking the time for this interview
DV - Thanks Matt
This article is originally published at www.matthewcossens.com/blog/
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