Community of Cultivators: Edition 66

Here at GCUC we are immensely fortunate to cross paths and work with so many amazing people. Through our work, we’ve cultivated a global community of people we think you should know about.

Community of Cultivators is a blog series we created to introduce you to coworking game changers and connectors. Each month, we’ll release new interviews that we hope will inform and inspire you.

This weeks interview is with content and marketing expert, Taylor Mason. Taylor is the Founder and Principal at Talemaker, a content marketing agency specializing in the flexible office space industry. After nearly a decade of working in public relations, Taylor knew it was time for a change. He left the PR world and opened his own content marketing shop. Talemaker was founded in a coworking space, so coworking is in the company’s DNA. Taylor immediately saw the positive impact that coworking spaces could have on professionals and made it his mission to do his part to help drive the industry forward.

So, for the past six years, he has been working with coworking operators from across North America to turn their websites, blogs, email lists, and social media into magnets for members and commercial landlord leads.

Get to know Taylor in the interview below.

What in your life are you most proud of cultivating or creating? Why?

Professionally, starting and growing Talemaker is the highlight of my career. After working in senior management in public relations for nearly a decade, I knew I wasn’t meant to be A) an employee (apologies to all of my past managers) and B) working tirelessly on projects that had no real meaning to me. Building this business and focusing on the coworking/flexible office world has allowed me to be the “master of my own destiny” (please forgive my tackiness) and create opportunities for the people who work with me. Equally as importantly, it has infused my work with meaning and personal connection—becoming part of our industry community, helping some incredible flexible office space operators to grow their businesses, and helping professionals discover these workspaces that will help them get more enjoyment, fulfillment, and success from their work.

Personally, I’m incredibly proud of the community of people I’m surrounded by—an amazing partner, friends since childhood, and family I’m incredibly close with. That’s what it’s all about.

Where do you personally feel the most sense of community?

This might sound cliche, but I feel like I have multiple communities in various facets of my life—my family and friends, my clients and colleagues, and those I’m connected to through my personal pursuits and interests. So, I’m lucky enough to feel a deep sense of community in a variety of places.

What podcast would you recommend to others and why?

I’m actually more of an audiobook guy but, for entrepreneurs, I would absolutely recommend The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber (it single-handedly changed my approach to business) as well as The Gap and the Gain by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy (for all the never-satisfied-high-achievers out there).

What is one piece of advice you give everyone that works with and/or for you?

If you’ve got a sense of imposter syndrome, take it with a grain of salt. It means you’re striving for bigger and better things. That feeling will keep you honest, focused, dedicated, curious, and eager to learn and grow. Keep asking questions, sharing your opinion, advocating for yourself, and going for what you want. Plus, you’re probably doing a million times better than you think you are—and that’s what the people around you see.

If you had $500 to spend- what would you buy?

A consultation with a business coach. From a professional perspective, it’s the best money I have ever spent (and continue to spend). The right person can help you see things in a different way and overcome obstacles, and that pays off over time.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of becoming an entrepreneur?

I would tell them to just go for it. Plan, strategize, and make sure it’s viable, but don’t overthink yourself out of something great. It’s hard work but, if it works out, I can’t think of anything more rewarding. If it doesn’t, you can always find a job—and the fact that you tried to start a business will probably impress prospective employers.

What is the best habit you ever started? What habit do you want to start but haven’t yet?

The best habit I ever started was beginning my days with 60 minutes of proactivity vs. reactivity. For example, I’ll dedicate the first hour of my day to business development tasks or learning something new before I start responding to emails or answering Slack messages. I find this is great for creating a productive mindset rather than starting your day feeling like you’ve got pressure looming.

One habit I want to start is allowing myself to better balance all of the great things there are to enjoy in life.

If you had to put a quote on your gravestone what would it be?

“Eighty percent of success is showing up.” – Woody Allen

Personally and professionally, when it’s all said and done, I just want people to remember me as a guy who always showed up when he said he’d show up.

What is the most expensive mistake you have ever made?

Staying in my PR career for two years when I knew I didn’t want to be there anymore but didn’t have the nerve to quit and build my own business. Time is a resource you can never replenish.

You can find Taylor here.

If you want to get to know lots of industry players and experts- join us at our next conference. Tickets to GCUC Salt Lake can be found here.  Come back next week for another community interview.