Finder co-founder Fred Schebesta reveals his five tricks for success, launches a new book

A young rich list entrant worth more than $200million says following the advice of school teachers is a recipe for being stuck in a boring job and not reaching your potential.

Fred Schebesta, the co-founder of financial comparison site Finder, ranked 26 on The Australian Financial Review’s league table of entrepreneurs aged 40 or younger. 

Having turned 40 in March, Mr Schebesta has written a new book, ‘Go Live! 10 Principles to Launch a Global Empire’.

The entrepreneur, running a business employing 450 staff in 80 countries, said too many people followed the advice of their teachers and made that their life strategy.

‘In school we are taught to be risk-averse, to follow rules and get a job,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.

A young rich list entrant worth more than $200million says following the advice of school teachers is a recipe for being stuck in a boring job. Fred Schebesta, the co-founder of financial comparison Finder, ranked 26 on The Australian Financial Review’s league table of entrepreneurs aged 40 or younger

Five tips for life success

1. Say ‘yes’ to a new challenge

2. Push on, don’t give up

3. Add an extra 2 per cent effort

4. Thank people for their feedback

5. Celebrate successful people

‘It’s not very entrepreneurial and there is far less support for business owners. 

‘So it’s natural for most people to follow this path and get stuck in jobs that they aren’t happy in and avoid taking risks.’

Mr Schebesta and his schoolmate Frank Restuccia started a digital marketing business in 2001 called Freestyle Media.

They later sold that and set up Finder in 2006 which in 2012 evolved into the Finder financial comparison site, with Mr Schebesta’s share worth an estimated $214million.

After two decades as an entrepreneur, starting when he was a Bachelor of Finance student at Macquarie University, Mr Schebesta said hesitation was the enemy of success. 

Say ‘yes’ 

He is instead an advocated for the ‘yes’ principle. 

‘This is all about seizing every opportunity. Saying “yes” to things you normally wouldn’t do can be a liberating experience,’ he said.

With his 40th birthday looming this year, Mr Schebesta has written a new book, 'Go Live! 10 Principles to Launch a Global Empire'. The entrepreneur, running a business employing 450 staff in 80 countries, said too many people followed the advice of their teachers and made that their life strategy

With his 40th birthday looming this year, Mr Schebesta has written a new book, ‘Go Live! 10 Principles to Launch a Global Empire’. The entrepreneur, running a business employing 450 staff in 80 countries, said too many people followed the advice of their teachers and made that their life strategy

‘It’s empowering and the best part is that you never know what you will end up learning, what doors will open or who you might meet that will help you on your journey of success.’

Push on, don’t give up

Mr Schebesta said continuing with a difficult task no matter the cost was the key to achieving goals.

‘It’s about never quitting. It’s when you need to push through your mental and physical barriers that are telling you to stop,’ he said.

‘When things get hard, this is when you need to remind yourself that you can do it, you can get through to the other side and you will always come out stronger from the experience.’

Add an extra 2 per cent effort to everything

Adding just two per cent more effort is the key to exceeding personal expectations.

‘I love this rule because it’s about honing in on your mastery,’ Mr Schebesta said.

After two decades as an entrepreneur, starting when he was a Bachelor of Finance student at Macquarie University, Mr Schebesta said hesitation was the enemy of success. He is instead an advocated for the 'yes' principle

After two decades as an entrepreneur, starting when he was a Bachelor of Finance student at Macquarie University, Mr Schebesta said hesitation was the enemy of success. He is instead an advocated for the ‘yes’ principle

‘Learning that little bit more, making something that little bit better, pushing your benchmark higher. 

‘It lifts the quality in everything you do and your expectations of yourself and your work rise as a result.’

Thank people for their feedback

While criticism is often hard to accept, Mr Schebesta said thanking critics helped him grow psychologically. 

‘A growth mindset requires you to be ok with rejection and the way I deal with feedback is to thank people,’ he said.

‘It gives you gratitude for the opportunity to learn from other perspectives and it reminds me that it’s not personal.’

While criticism is often hard to accept, Mr Schebesta said thanking critics helped him grow psychologically

While criticism is often hard to accept, Mr Schebesta said thanking critics helped him grow psychologically

Even unsolicited advice that isn’t followed is still worthwhile. 

‘You don’t have to take on every piece of feedback you receive but you should be thankful for it,’ he said.

Celebrate successful people

Jealousy is a natural instinct when we see other people succeed when we fail.

Instead, Mr Schebesta said celebrating the success of others was a way to learn.

‘I used to find this rule hard to do because I compared myself to other people’s success and felt down on myself,’ he said.

‘I have learnt to embrace others’ success and it’s enabled me to learn more from them.’

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