Jaco Van Wyk is Co-Founder of SnapBill an automated billing system. He is also in the process of developing a white-label reseller hosting solution, HostDeploy to run on the Amazon Web Services cloud. Jaco started up his own creative media agency while studying called 4Design Creative Media. The company grew rapidly over the years and serviced some of the largest commercial, government and academic institutions in South Africa. Teaming up with Josh Yudaken he set out to market and grow Lusion Technologies amongst web development companies and freelance designers. Using his knowledge in usability design, functional testing, branding and marketing, Jaco assisted Josh in creating Lusion Technologies flagship reseller hosting software and sourcing South African design and development businesses to utilise this software and increase their bottom line. Up to now, this system has been extremely well received.
My Definition Of Success | I used to believe that success meant achievement, reaching a goal or finally getting to some end destination, but that’s not success. That’s only a possible result of success. Success to me means doing what you love, doing it consistently everyday without getting discouraged or distracted. Live successfully now, stop aiming to become a success.
I Am Driven By | The ability to dream, imagine and create is an amazing quality found in us all and it’s what drives me to keep innovating. Once you realise you have it in you to do amazing things it’s hard not to be motivated to keep doing more.
My Highlights | Personally I feel my greatest achievement was staying true to myself despite the criticism and negativity of others. I knew from an early age that I could never work for someone and I haven’t. I walked my own path from the start and even though it turned out to be an incredibly challenging journey the knowledge I have gained along the way shaped me in to who I am today. A free thinker who lives without limitation.In my career life am most proud of having grown multiple, successful, businesses without external investment. I did things on my own terms even when others kept saying it couldn’t be done. I am currently involved with a SaaS billing solution called SnapBill and we have, up to date, helped businesses globally bill in excess of 2 Billion USD. It is truly liberating to realise that money does not create value, but that this power lies within us all.
The Difference Between good And Great | The level of your obsession with and dedication to your craft will set you apart from others. Many people don’t realise what it takes to achieve greatness and unfortunately it is not within everybody to dedicate so much of their time to becoming truly great at what they do. What may appear supernatural to some took someone else decades of sacrifice and hard work to achieve. I believe that people who are truly great are those that never stop trying to be better, they don’t give up, they stay hungry. These people know that we are only limited by our beliefs.
A Key Talent | Patience is key. In a world which is constantly speeding up you need to remain calm and most importantly patient. The winner is not the first one to get there, but rather the last one to fail. Take the time to do things properly, stop worrying about others and focus on being the absolute best.
Principles I Live By | The principles I believe are most important to live by are honour, loyalty, persistence and endurance. I actually have these tattooed on me, in case I ever forget :).
How I Use My Mind | I believe I use my mind in a very flexible manner to create connections. The more information I feed into my brain the more links or connections I can create. Having the ability to put together solutions and innovate stems from the ability to piece together arbitrary information in order to create something more, something of greater value.
Lessons I Have Learnt | Preconceived notions are dangerous. So is having unreasonable expectations. You should live your life desiring to be the best version of yourself. This will guide you in making the correct decisions without having to analyse and over think potential outcomes. Over thinking I believe is the number one cause of failure to act and to attain success you will need to act swiftly and decisively.
Dealing With Doubt | In my opinion most fears are irrational, created within the mind, but these are powerful forces which will hinder your ability to progress in life. I force myself to be positive at all times, I’ve always been a very confident person, but I still actively work on growing my confidence and facing my fears. Overcoming fear is a journey we all need to take to grow both physically and spiritually. There is nothing wrong with being afraid, just don’t let it hinder your ability to act. Once you realise your are your own biggest limitation, it is easy to see the benefits of “getting over yourself”.
Performing At My Peak | I exercise my body and mind regularly. I eat healthy and ensure I get more than enough sleep. There is a big difference between working hard and working smart. In my early startup days I made the mistake of putting in excessive hours of work (80+ per week). Now I work less than 35 hours a week and tend to be considerably more productive and balanced in my approach to my business and personal life.
The Meaning Of Life | The meaning of your life is simple, just be, while being true to yourself.
The Best Advice I’ve Received | Don’t look at others for approval. What matters is that you approve of yourself.
Advice On Building Wealth | Wealth isn’t attained overnight, it is built over time. Stop chasing riches and focus on living a life where you create value every single day. Doing this will inevitably lead to building wealth in the long run.
On Inspiring Others | People are probably the single most complex variable in any equation. You have to be likeable and understand what motivates people. Then realise that those with the same motivation and desires will most probably find you long before you find them. Stop searching so hard, rather focus on creating the environment most suited to you achieving your goals and let those with the same vision find their way to you.
I Am Inspired By | Nikola Tesla, Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Elon Musk
