Meet Jeffrey Azan | Business Consultant, International Transformational Speaker, Author, Distinguished Toastmaster and Martial Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jeffrey Azan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jeffrey, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Starting my business was the destination that a path of life changes led me to. At 17 it came to light that my dad was having an affair. That affair eventually did irreparable damage to his marriage, to his business and ultimately to the family. For me it hit a little bit harder, because I measured myself against my dad. So when he fell short that was a testimony to me that i would never be able to achieve anything worthwhile, because if he couldn’t do it , how could i? As life would have it i eventually ran into someone who would inspire me to make some radical life changes and those changes eventually led me to be a motivational speaker. From there the lack of companies that focused on the service of motivational speaking in Jamaica were zero as far as my research indicated and i made the decision that this was the path my life would take so why not go all in. Since then the company and myself have grown way beyond motivational speaking and now include services such as workshop facilitation, success coaching, publishing of books and programs and business consultation.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
There are a number of things to be proud of looking back on the journey that has led me to where i stand today. Our “Change your Game” philosophy which is our personal development strategy and methodology which we have taught to over 15,000 people so far and refined from a seed of an idea to a system which has helped a number of individuals begin to make the changes they wanted to see in their lives. There is the “Structuring an Effective Business Guide” which we use in our approach to business consultation. It’s a tool to assess and guide business owners and managers to establish a strong foundation or assess and correct business operations holistically. Plus its a tool that can be used for start ups as well as multi-national organizations. We’re proud of the sponsored work we’ve done in schools and charitable organizations across the island, most notably, the Kingston YMCA Leadership Development Program and the University of Technology’s Professional Development Seminar. Both programs we’ve been a part of for over 5 years each. Not to mention how excited we are for the plans we have for the future to digitize a lot of our material and make it accessible to anyone, anywhere at any time, so they too can Level Up, Change their Game, and ultimately, Change their Life.

We are where we are today thanks to two key words, Service and Value. The core of our operations is how can we be of service and how can we add value. By doing so we are more than a bill or an expense, we’re even more than an investment, but we are a company you can lean and rely on. Our mission is not to show up, do a job and leave, but to really help you the client in every way we can (even if it’s outside of our scope of work) simply because being of service and adding value are the pinnacle of our belief system. Did that make the journey any easier, absolutely not. Like many businesses we had a number of dry spells, and in those times it was increasingly difficult to be of service and add value. But the belief paid off. As we would serve one client, without requesting it or pushing for it, they would refer us to another. In many circles it has been shared with us that when it comes to helping people shift their perspective we’re always top of mind because we do our best to do the things we talk about.

There are many lessons i could share about the journey in developing this business, brand and career but i would boil it down to three things, two of which i have spoken about already: Service, Value and the last one Relationships. We need to take care of people, see past the uniform and job title. Treat the receptionist with the same respect as the CEO, Give the sponsored event the same energy and effort that you would your top paying client. Build your relationships and maintain your integrity while doing so. Also when it comes on to relationships, we don’t believe in forcing it, there are some clients that are yours and some that are not. If a client is meant for you and believes what you believe you’ll have a very mutually beneficial relationship. If you have to force the client to use your company and services it’s going to be a fight every day right up until the relationship fizzles out.

It’s hard to put a single point on what i would want the world to know about our brand or story. If i had to sum it up I’d say, we were inspired by childhood passions, we believe in love and service, and we’re here to help those who are ready to shift their perspective and tap into more of their potential.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a simple guy and a homebody at heart. Having done a battery of personality tests i believe i’m a highly social skilled introvert. That being said there are a few key places that are their own slices of paradise for me. First is Old Fort Bay, in Ocho Rios, that was my childhood beach growing up and it has never lost it’s appeal, For me it’s one of the most magical beaches around. From the beach the next stop would be the mountains, Hollywell National Park located in the Blue Mountains gives a whole different view and appreciation of the island of Jamaica. Of course, a south coast drive out to Negril and then a north coast drive on the return leg about 3.5 to 4 hours each way, would provide a number of sites, wonders and experiences. I would also try and get a reservation for Stush in the Bush a most exquisite and unique culinary experience.

In terms of food the menu would be short, we would have to make a trip to Gloria’s in Port Royal for some fish. As well as, any number of Jamaican Chinese Food restaurants. As told by a friend from Hong Kong, Jamaican Chinese food rivals that back in Hong Kong. A trip to Cafe Blue also located in the Blue Mountains for a cup of Jamaican Coffee with a breath taking view and another stop at Ragamuffin Cafe to spark a little creativity and shift in perspective. We would have to make a stop for some Devon House Ice Cream at some point, the best ice cream in the world by my opinion. Of course a fresh coconut here and there. Outside of those key places, I would ensure they got to try pan chicken one of our most popular street foods, and they would have to try some ackee and saltfish, if i could get some with corned pork that would be an extra treat. Red Stripe for the beer drinkers and Appleton Rum and J Wray and Nephew white rum for the liquor drinkers. Finally i would do my best to ensure i was well stocked up on fruit, a simple delight, that I’ve come to realize not a lot of the world can enjoy.

There would be dances/sessions in the mix all depending on what’s hot at the time, but for sure, a lot of house calls, for dominos, cards and chilling.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There is a huge list of people i would have to give shoutouts to: my mom who supported me through my lowest moments, my business partner Conrad Mathison who stepped in as a coach and teacher when i didn’t know which way to go, Robert “Kibo” Thompson who served as my first business mentor and Nneka Alveranga my partner who pushed me to offer new services outside of my comfort zone, a decision which has radically transformed and improved the business. All of the mentors who don’t know they have mentored me through the books they have written, speeches they’ve given and YouTube videos they’ve put out. All starting with “Who moved my cheese” by Dr. Spencer Johnson. Every client that has given me the opportunity to work with their team, and every event planner that has put me in front of an audience. My mentees who continue to challenge and push me to grow. The International Shotokan Karate Federation and my instructor Sensei Bellamy who serve as a constant training ground for improvement, And lastly, Toastmasters International which gave me my first steps into the world of professional speaking.

Website: https://selectnstart.com/

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