We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Henry Woodman. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Henry below.
Hi Henry, 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 think everyone struggles with imposter syndrome, and I don’t think I ever truly overcame the feeling, but I’ve developed a few tricks along the way that have helped. I was bullied and ridiculed in grade school. I tried to avoid social situations out of fear.
A saving grace was the discipline in swimming. I swam competitively, and most of my friends were on the team. That was the first trick. Surround yourself with supportive people with whom you’re able to share your feelings. The saying that you are the average of the five people you hang out with holds true—hang out with people who will inspire you.
If I set goals and celebrate my accomplishments, it brings confidence. The obvious goals were in the pool, winning, and breaking records. As I got older, I kept a gratitude journal that helped me celebrate little wins and focus on the good stuff. It made me more confident.
It hit home when I presented myself and my company to a group of CEOs. Around the room were about 20 MBA students from a local university who were learning from the entrepreneurs there presenting. I stood before the group, looked around at the students, and thought: I’m a fraud; seriously, these kids probably know more about business than I do, and they want to learn from me. As Homer Simpson would say, Dough!
That motivated me to return to school and get an MBA in Entrepreneurship. I applied what I learned to the business and eventually joined that forum as well as EO (Entrepreneurs Organization). Now I understand that surrounding yourself with inspirational people will elevate your game!
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
It began 40 years ago. I moved to move to Los Angeles and carve out a career in movie production and direction. Like any optimistic college graduate, I assumed it would be straightforward. It was anything but. My father, a bestselling non-fiction travel writer, once penned a love story, he said, “to memorialize a friend.” This manuscript lay forgotten in his garage until the early ’80s when my sister stumbled upon it, read it, and immediately fell in love with its tale of reincarnated love. She insisted I read it, suggesting it could be a hit film. Initially dismissive, I finally gave in and was moved to tears upon reading it. I promptly asked my father if I could acquire the film rights, given he had no intention of publishing it. I passed it to a producer friend, who, despite being swamped, called me three days later, captivated by the story.
Four decades have passed—a period of growth and introspection. Now, we’re publishing and marketing “The Reincarnation of Marie.” This book traverses time to tell a poignant tale of Yann Roussell, a soldier enthralled by the diary of Marie Bashkirtseff, a late French-Russian artist. His obsession with her spirit leads to a complex relationship with Marya, an art student bearing an eerie resemblance to Marie. Roussell’s conviction of finding Marie reincarnated culminates in a bittersweet romance framed against his impending war deployment.
Inspired by a semblance of truth and suggesting my father’s infatuation with Marie, this story weaves historical facts with ethereal love. It raises the enduring question: Can love overcome death?
Set for publication in June 2024, to coincide with my father’s birthday, I’ll narrate the audiobook, complemented by my nephew’s piano renditions of Chopin, echoing the book’s references. A dedicated website for the book (www.MarieTheStory.com) and a new production company (www.AnemoiaMedia.com) are in the works to support the book’s launch. Following its release, we plan to adapt it into a compelling streaming series, with a target launch in 2026. This ambitious project is a testament to our commitment and vision, acknowledging the journey’s challenges and the time it demands.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The interplay of luck and mindset is crucial to anyone’s path. I often contend that success finds you at the intersection of preparation and fortune—if you’re unprepared, success might never find you, and without luck, well, you can imagine. It’s important to note that success is subjective. For many, having shelter, food, and safety constitutes success. Yet, equating success with happiness is common, a misconception I’ve also embraced. I believe several skills and pieces of knowledge have enabled me to lead a fulfilling life and be “prepared”: adaptability, tenacity, and a curiosity to learn. A saying I encountered recently illuminates a profound truth: while a beginner pursues the correct answers, a master seeks the right questions. Ultimately, mindset is a pivotal element in a rewarding journey.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
I’d describe myself as a hedonistic entrepreneur, initially drawn to ventures that piqued my interest. This changed when I had to pivot from creating content to developing technology for delivering digital content. This change revealed two significant gaps in my skill set: a lack of coding knowledge and a complete absence of business acumen. I found myself navigating unfamiliar territory, struggling with fundamental and foundational business concepts such as Mission, Vision, Values, and KPIs—all of which were as foreign to me as Greek.
Everything changed when I was introduced to Gino Wickman’s book, “Traction.” It was as if a light bulb went on above my head. I purchased copies for my small team, declaring it our new guidebook. The book was transformative, providing a clear overview and roadmap for implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). It outlined six key components that empowered us to design and grow our business strategically. The impact was so profound that we even adopted the author’s name as our backdoor password for our tech stack.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.anemoiamedia.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_n_e_m_o_i_a_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/henry.woodman
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hwoodman/
Image Credits
credit my wife Hellevi 🙂
