Anna Akbari is a sociologist, writer and entrepreneur. She is the founder of Sociology of Style, an image and life coaching company, and a partner in HVCK, a Silicon Valley innovation consultancy. She is a frequent public speaker and media personality and has written for and been featured by Forbes, CNN, The Atlantic, The Economist, and dozens more. Her new book is Startup Your Life: Hustle and Hack Your Way To Happiness.

Subscribe to EOFire

Apple | Spotify | iHeart

Resources Mentioned:

Your Big Idea: Successful Entrepreneurs have One Big Idea. Follow JLD’s FREE training & you’ll discover Your Big Idea in less than an hour!
Audible – Get a FREE Audiobook & 30 day trial if you’re not currently a member!
Shyp, Instacart, UberEATS, Hotel Tonight, Bloom That – Anna’s small business resources
Tribe by Sebastian Junger – Anna’s Top Business Book
Anna Akbari, Sociology of Style, HVCK – Anna’s websites
Startup Your Life: Hustle and Hack Your Way To Happiness – Anna’s book
Gift for Fire Nation! 30% discount on online video courses: StartUpYourLife, SociologyOfStyle, and WinHackAthons – (Sorry! This link was active when this episode was first published in 2017 but is no longer an active offer.)
Free Podcast Course – A free 15-day course on how to Create, Grow & Monetize YOUR Podcast!
How to Finally Win – Create your dream life one step at a time!

3 Key Points:

Invest and work on the company you keep, as they reflect who you are.
In work and in life, operate from your heart.
Find a place for altruism and ambition to co-exist — it’s definitely possible.

Time Stamped Show Notes

(click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode.)

[00:15] – Free Podcast Course – A free 15-day course on how to Create, Grow & Monetize YOUR Podcast!
[00:32] – JLD introduces Anna
[01:13] – Anna used to focus on being an academic, but is now focusing on being an entrepreneur and writer
[01:29] – Anna was a guest on Episode 118 of EOFire!
[02:03] – One BIG and Unique Value Bomb: My general expertise is sociology, but it can be divided into different camps
- [02:19] – Anna channels the Sociology of Image in different entrepreneurial ways
- [02:31] – The application of the Sociology of the Workplace for corporations
[02:47] – Applying the discipline in personal life to self-optimize
[03:15] – Anna thinks it is important for entrepreneurs to surround themselves with the right people and to invest in relationships
[03:40] – In a chapter of her book, Anna discusses the importance of creating Life Venture Capitalists (Life VC’s)
[04:00] – The phenomenon of “ghosting” is when a person just completely disappears
[04:30] – “Ghosting” is cutting off the opportunity for someone to become a Life VC
[05:25] – You are only as good as the company you keep and it is important to keep working on the company you choose to keep
[05:48] – JLD ends with the same quote every episode: he calls on Fire Nation to not “ghost”
[06:30] – Anna is challenging everyone to have a No Ghosting Policy in business and in life
[08:05] – Worst Entrepreneurial Moment: The worst was working on a startup for 18 months that did not push through
[08:34] – I realized that there was another company and it was Sociology of Style
[09:06] – The second worst moment was after relaunching Sociology of Style and Anna acquired an existing company in Silicon Valley, but the deal halted after 6 weeks
[10:11] – Anna got to keep her company and they expanded to the digital realm where they were able to scale their services
[10:44] – Anna got to create another income stream, which was innovation consulting
[10:57] – JLD says the diversification of income streams is so valuable for entrepreneurs
[11:50] – Greatest AH-HA Moment: I stopped doing exclusively what seemed most practical, professionally, and started operating from my heart
[12:36] – Anna imposed a 6-month deadline to shake up her life
[12:55] – Anna considered working in Afghanistan as a social scientist, but the program closed — it helped Anna change her mindset
[13:25] – Moving to California helped Anna become the best version of herself and helped her grow her company
[14:01] – Anna says everyone should have a self-mantra that will help guide you to work for what you’re seeking
[15:20] – Anna stayed in San Francisco first, and when the business was established, she moved to Los Angeles where she really wanted to be
[17:03] – What is the one thing you are most FIRED up about today? – Anna’s book launched last month
[18:06] – Anna is working with current and formerly incarcerated people to help them become entrepreneurs
[19:05] – The Lightning Round
- What was holding you back from becoming an entrepreneur? – “I underestimated how much I never ever wanted to work for someone else again”
- What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? – “Do not let ambition confuse you into thinking you can’t also be kind and to find a place for ambition and altruism to co-exist”
- What’s a personal habit that contributes to your success? – “I make my own breakfast and lunch + my habit of mixing business with pleasure”
- Share an internet resource, like Evernote, with Fire Nation – Shyp, Instacart, UberEATS, Hotel Tonight, Bloom That
- If you could recommend one book to our listeners, what would it be and why? – Sebastian Junger’s Tribe
[24:40] – Live for the every day – for the small stuff
[24:58] – Connect with Anna via her website, Sociology of Style, or on HVCK.

Killer Resources!

1) The Common Path to Uncommon Success: JLD’s 1st traditionally published book! Over 3000 interviews with the world’s most successful Entrepreneurs compiled into a 17-step roadmap to financial freedom and fulfillment!

2) Free Podcast Course: Learn from JLD how to create and launch your podcast!

3) Podcasters’ Paradise: The #1 podcasting community in the world!

Hustle and Hack Your Way to Happiness with Anna Akbari

Subscribe to EOFire

Resources Mentioned:

3 Key Points:

Sponsors

Time Stamped Show Notes

Killer Resources!

Subscribe to EOFire!