Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Colin Hughes. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Colin, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
I don’t think anyone overcomes imposter syndrome so much as you learn to live with it and learn to find ways to let it help inform your decisions. There are certain people, many in the entrepreneurial space, who are seemingly immune to imposter syndrome, those that believe nothing bad can happen to them or that they are uniquely destined for greatness. I have worked for many of these people. Though, despite their bravado I never really bought it. Inside, we’re all scared and doing the best we can. I think, more than anything, as you age you see people with far less ability, drive, talent, or what-have-you, succeed. If they can succeed why can’t I?
I never worked in a coffee shop before buying a coffee shop. But I never tried comedy before I stepped on stage for the first time. I never hit a baseball in a game before I walked into the batter’s box at 7 years old, although, in fairness, I rarely hit a baseball during those 10 years I played baseball either. Throughout my life I was in sales and I would sell to the head of a corporation or an assistant manager of a little mom and pop shop that was barely surviving and the differences between those people was always razor thin.
Whenever I feel like a fraud I remember that so does everyone else. And for those who don’t believe that, those seem to be the ones who are most likely the real frauds. And if you feel like a fraud or an imposter there are so many resources out there to educate you on whatever gap in knowledge has you believing that. I would love to let my imposter syndrome steer me towards a life where I am continually educating myself.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’ve been lucky enough to live the kind of life that allowed me to chase many dreams down. I was an actor and a comedian in Los Angeles for 10 years and fairly successfully at times. I was a woodworker and builder who had my work featured in Architectural Digest and one of the rooms I designed and built was tweeted about by Oprah. I coached and taught improv comedy. I’ve written commercials. I’ve acted in national commercials. I was a freelance writer. And all the way back when MySpace was a thing, I was a top unsigned folk artist.
All of this to say that I’ve dipped my toes into a million different pools. There’s the well known saying “jack of all trades, master of none,” but I’ve always preferred the version that says “surrounded by swords, none too sharp.” And that’s how my life has felt. I have all these really cool swords that are pretty dull. It looks great to have the ability to build a built in book case but it’s back-breaking and the physical toll it takes will have you shelving that sword quickly. Telling people you did stand up comedy sounds so glamorous until you tell them you were doing open mics under a bridge on Sunset Blvd. or in the basement of a wine store.
However, all these experiences have driven me to where I am. I find myself producing events, just like I had produced comedy shows. I find myself having to make posters, which I made to promote improv teams years ago. I find myself whistling a lot so I don’t scare my employees when I come into the kitchen, okay, that’s a stretch to relate it to music but I tried.
The thing I love more than anything about running a coffee shop/cafe/bar inside of a 105 year old house is that everyday is a different challenge. Sometimes, it’s a broken window and other days it’s that we’re slow from 2pm-5pm. There are a million puzzles to put together and some of them are impossible while others are extremely easy.
My focus is on turning our cafe into a hangout spot for the types of creatives who need a home in our small town. We want to create an atmosphere of playfulness and joy in everything we do. It’s easy for me to over-romanticize what a coffee shop can mean to a town but even in my most negative moments I still believe we are an important part of the town.
I also love focusing on the future of my employees. They’re incredible. They deserve wonderful lives. I strive to be the kind of boss that will ruin all future employers for them. If nothing else, I hope my employees leave here knowing their worth as a human.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. “We cannot control what happens to us, we can only control how we react,” is something I think about daily. If we are slow and it corresponds with a day when I have to run payroll, buy groceries, order coffee, order to go cups, etc. It could be stressful but only if you allow it to be. Also, if you have a bad customer who upsets you that initial anger is uncontrollable, it will arise, but staying angry is a choice. Let it go. Be water.
2. “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast” so often we rush to get things done and we leave a large wake behind us. If you slow down and do things deliberately and smoothly you will get them done faster and better.
3. “80% of success is showing up.” Just show up. Do the best you can. Be or leave your space 1% better every day. You’ll never have a perfect day but if you make one small improvement every day, within a few months you’ll be in a much better place.
My advice is to meditate and allow yourself to be bored. Be bored more often. I’m 44 so I didn’t get the internet until I was 17, I didn’t have a cell phone until I was 20 or 21 and even then I think I got rid of it for a few years until I was about 24. My small town didn’t have cable growing up. I was bored a lot. And it was incredible. Everyone thinks it’s strange that epiphanies come in the shower but that’s because the shower is the one last place we allow for a momentary lapse from the constant onslaught of media we’ve surrounded ourselves with.
If you want to be creative you must first be bored. If you have a problem that you cannot solve, the answer probably isn’t 20 minutes deep into TikTok. It’s probably on a blank wall that’s just begging for a tennis ball to be bounced off of it. Paint a room in your house! With a brush and no music or tv on. Get lost in your head. At this point I’m just reminding myself/giving myself this advice.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
Go for a walk, preferably in the woods. Listen to the birds and the steps on the ground. As soon as you realize you’re thinking about something just focus on hearing the birds and your steps again. 10 minutes in the woods is better for your soul than a week at a retreat.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foresttrailhouse/
Image Credits
Amy Stewart
