The co-founder of Irish whiskey brand Proper No. Twelve talks about his business partner, MMA fighter Conor McGregor, and gives advice for going the extra two percent.
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Ken Austin is the co-founder of Proper No. Twelve, an Irish whiskey brand. In this episode of #ThePlaybook, he talks with host David Meltzer about launching the business with Irish MMA fighter Conor McGregor, his “Rule of 101” mindset and how Millennials are right to prioritize happiness at work.
Austin talks about the beginnings of Proper No. Twelve, relating the Irish whiskey category to tequila ten years ago — a category initially dominated by just a couple of brands but now is booming. He talks about seeing the “white space” of a category with no clear number two or three. Later in the interview, he talks about reaching out to McGregor after the fighter said he intended to launch an Irish whiskey during a televised post-fight press conference.
Austin discusses his “Rule of 101,” explaining that most people operate at a 95-to-99 percent effort but that all-star entrepreneurs put in an additional two percent. He suggests putting in the extra, believing in yourself and the people around you and never giving up are the keys to success.
Austin also talks about the importance of not taking yourself too seriously, humility and the Millennial mindset that prioritizes happiness. He says that Millennials are 51 percent correct to want to be happy at their jobs and that they would be happier overall if they also put in the work.
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