Mindset
How do you stop caring what people think of you?
Three people who built Montreal companies on what it costs to put yourself out there, and how they got through it, in their own words.
Press play to hear each answer. Jake’s five clips come first, then Erica and Lora. Each is about a minute or less; all of them take about 6 minutes.
- 01I love trolls
Jake Karls
Co-founder, Mid-Day Squares
“Then I realized that it's actually a them problem, not a me problem.”
Jake used to get angry at cruel comments, and hit back.
Now he checks in on the person instead. Six times out of ten, he says, they were having a bad day.
Watch the full interview with Jake → - 02The more you put yourself out there
Jake Karls
Co-founder, Mid-Day Squares
“The more you decide to put yourself out there, the more attacks you're going to get.”
People will go after anything, Jake says: the way you look, the word you use, “for me, my slanted teeth.”
His line: it's okay to be going through something, but it's not okay to attack others.
Watch the full interview with Jake → - 03It took three and a half years
Jake Karls
Co-founder, Mid-Day Squares
“The moment you do that is the moment you access the ability to finally have your superpower, which is you.”
One mean comment at 10 AM, and Jake was not ready to function again until 4 PM.
Getting past it took three and a half years of therapy, and learning to believe in himself.
Watch the full interview with Jake → - 04I burnt out this year
Jake Karls
Co-founder, Mid-Day Squares
“I burnt out this year. I went depressed. I was really lonely.”
Cathy asks how he balances it all, and Jake answers plainly.
He goes with the flow, he says, and tries to be a good person on the way.
Watch the full interview with Jake → - 05Be okay with being misunderstood
Jake Karls
Co-founder, Mid-Day Squares
“If you want to be an entrepreneur, be okay with being misunderstood for a very long time.”
Even with TV, radio and awards, Jake says he still feels alone at times.
People around you may not get it, he says. You are building something few people have done, so how could you blame them?
Watch the full interview with Jake → - 06If it looks silly, it looks silly
Erica Diamond
Workplace wellness strategist and speaker
“If I kept caring what people were thinking, I never would've had a business the way I have today.”
When Erica started blogging, her friends didn't understand what a blog was.
She let go of other people's opinions. If it looks silly, she says, at least it's done with honesty and truth.
Watch the full interview with Erica → - 07On the days you don't believe in yourself
Lora Cerulli
Founder and President, Personnel Chez-Vous
“I know now you're not feeling confident, but I'm confident you're going to find that confidence again. So just do the next step, please.”
Lora built her own recruitment firm, Personnel Chez-Vous.
Being an entrepreneur takes a lot of self-talk, she says, because some days you ask yourself: can I really do this?
Watch the full interview with Lora → - 08Don't let anybody discourage you
Lora Cerulli
Founder and President, Personnel Chez-Vous
“And don't let anybody ever discourage you. And those that you feel wouldn't support you, don't tell them.”
Lora's advice is to keep your dream to yourself sometimes, and find a mentor you trust.
Then ask the right question: not “do you think I could do it?” but “what does it take?”
Watch the full interview with Lora →
Each clip comes from a full interview on The Vault MTL. The link under it opens the guest’s page, with the whole conversation.