#013 | From Counter Terrorism to Entrepreneur – Adam Goldberg Interview

February 3, 2020

Episode Summary 

On this episode we interview Adam Goldberg.  Adam has a fascinating career background, and shifted from a career in counter-terrorism to corporate America as a consult to a professional photographer and instagram influencer.  Adam shares his view on finances and how it gave him the freedom and cushion to make some big career changes in his life, and how he’s grown since then.  

Episode Notes

We are back in Mike’s closet recording this interview with Adam.  We first explore what guys actually talk about, but Mike and Adam couldn’t quite answer that one.  

Adam shares his background with us, and why he made some of the career choices he did over the years.  After a number of years working in government and Corporate America, Adam made the leap to pursue his passion in photography as a career path.  

Adam shares his view that a lot of people are “just fine” in their jobs and lives, but may want something more.  The way Adam treated his finances gave him the financial cushion and freedom to make a big change in his life. It also helped that his wife had a steady job that provided them solid insurance.  

Adam talks about all of the items he considered when starting his own business, from start-up costs to equipment to business insurance.  He also said he went into this career change knowing he would make less money than he did in his corporate jobs, but he was okay with that.  His income now can fluctuate from year to year, but he plans his finances accordingly.  

We discuss a number of other topics with Adam:

  • How he got into instagram and now has over 100K followers, and the importance of differentiating yourself and being authentic.  
  • He suggests having a “no thanks” fund so you can afford to say no to certain things if they don’t bring you joy. 
  • How much time he spends hustling for new clients vs. doing the work itself.  
  • How your initial dream and vision might adjust as you learn more about things and start to explore your passions.  

Show References

Adam’s Instagram Page

Adam’s Website

Matt D’Avila’s YouTube Video – The Three Year Rule

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