“I don’t believe in doing a job that you don’t love or doing a job purely for money.” ~Adriaan Pienaar
The Renegade Spotlight on DaveUrsillo.com is a new feature that showcases the biographies and real-life stories of everyday “Renegades” — men and women who, while brandishing a defiantly positive and determined mindset, are pursuing their dreams in spite of criticism, cynicism, and being misunderstood by those around them.
Today, I’d like you to meet my friend Adii, a talented web designer and inspiring young entrepreneur from South Africa. I had the pleasure of connecting with Adii through Twitter in 2009. His “Adii Rockstar” persona is what helped shape and inspire my own “Renegade” branding initiative here on DaveUrsillo.com. When I first started blogging, Adii was kind enough to offer helpful advice to me by email when I asked him the most rudimentary questions on branding, blogging, Twitter and more. Over a year later, I helped Adii edit his new book, Rockstar Business.
Together on DaveUrsillo.com, we are building an inspired community of genuine dream-pursuers — the Ranks of the Renegades — who are striving to change the world. We are the Renegades. Are you among our ranks?
1.) Introduce yourself!
I’m Adii, general entrepreneur guy with a passion for businesses that may change the world. Part of these passions involve WooThemes, a premium WordPress theme design company (where I’m co-founder), as well as two other organizations that I both founded: Radiiate, an international team of creative professionals; and, The Rockstar Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping underprivileged young girls in South Africa by providing them with funding for a top-quality education and personal mentoring.
I don’t believe in doing a job that you don’t love and doing a job purely for money, as that has never been a motivating factor for me. Instead I absolutely love all of life’s challenges and I believe in trying to conquer those in my own unique way. :)
2.) What dreams are you pursuing?
I love the concept of creating a lifestyle business in the sense that I can create a business, where I can practice my passion and get the opportunity to pay my bills. So, in the short term I’d love to learn more and develop as an individual so that I can pursue this dream of a lifestyle business in the long-term. And along the way, I’d love to change the world and make it a better place; even if it is only one “Rockstar” girl at a time. :)
3.) What effects have these pursuits had on your life?
I’ve learned quite a bit about myself, as the journey has had quite an introspective element to it. I know now that I can’t motivate myself with money and that I have this inherent need to add value wherever I can. I’ve also learned that I’m not the most patient person and that sometimes I just need to sit back and chill out. Regardless of whether I’m a worse or better person as a result of these pursuits, I’m a much happier person. I wouldn’t exchange my existing life for anything else in the world and I guess that this is probably my greatest “achievement” to date: a combination of being happy, content and feeling self-fulfilled.
4.) What has pursuing your dreams taught you about yourself? About others? About life?
I guess I kinda answered this in the previous question. I could probably write a book about how much I have learned about myself in the context of others and the world. And whilst everything I’ve learned about life and myself haven’t always been positive, I do feel that I’m better equipped to face the challenges that tomorrow may bring.
5.) Do you have any special methods or practices that help you along the way? What are your sources of inspiration?
When I’m down, I rely heavily on the people that are closest to me in life to provide a trigger that could be the “pick-me-up” that I need. In this regard, my wife, my family, my siblings and then also my friends and business colleagues all provide unique input and help. And over-and-above that, I’m a Christian who believes in practicing an integrated faith — I thus try to always evaluate my actions in terms of loving my neighbor as I would myself. This is a constant source of inspiration and one that will never run dry.
6.) Do cynics, doubters and pessimists affect you and your pursuits? If so, how? If not, do you avoid them, tune them out, use them to your advantage, etc.?
Yep, I guess it would take super-human effort not to listen to the negative stuff in life. So just like everyone else, I’m most definitely affected by that as well. I do however believe not to dwell on the past and focusing on doing things differently and/or better in future. :)
— Adii
Check out Adii’s personal website, Adii.me; his WordPress theme design company WooThemes (WooThemes designed this theme for DaveUrsillo.com called Aperture); his team of creatives at Radiiate; and please consider donating to the Rockstar Foundation. Don’t forget to follow Adii on Twitter!
Are you or is someone you know a “Renegade”? Your story could be shown here on DaveUrsillo.com in the new Renegade Spotlight feature! Send me an email! Tell the world your story, inspire hundreds of men and women, and get your name and face known by thousands of fellow Renegades across the world!
