Who is Claude Fullinfaw?
Let me tell you about him!
Claude now runs a global marketing company since 2003. You can learn more about what he does by following his blog here.
Claude Fullinfaw now lives in Brisbane, Queensland in Australia. He migrated in 1984 from Mumbai (once known as Bombay) in India and settled in the river city of Brisbane.
Today he is happily married with his beautiful wife Vicki Parker Fulinfaw. Claude has two handsome sons.
Claude mentors, motivates and coaches people in business today. He helps mentor countless people through his blog that he writes daily on how to build a home based business in network marketing. His passion is seeing people succeed. One of his favorite past times is traveling to countries such as US, Malaysia, Singapore, Canada, Indonesia and Philippines.
He also has a keen interest in marketing on the Internet and using Social Media. He uses a formula of clever marketing by combining the one with the new with old fashion ‘face to face‘ approach as well as reaching out to people through the Internet via Facebook, blogs and emails.
He calls this the “Hybrid Formula” where technology and social skills merge to give the best result. He teaches this extensively on his blog for free. If you are looking for a mentor, someone you can trust then consider reaching out to Claude Fullinfaw.
The information is totally free. Lets get Claude to tell you his story now …
Let Me Tell You My Story
It all starts in India. I grew up in India and spent most of my early years there. I was one of 7 children and being the eldest was exposed to more responsibility than my younger siblings. Both dad and mum were employees and I learned some good work ethics from both of them. but what I found years later was they made me think and behave as a good employee. Though it was great to get me a good job and later a small business it certainly did not help me create a dream life. In fact I began to live a life of paying bills, working hard for less. Living pay-check to pay-check.
I was able to get a very good education at one of the best schools in the country, St. Joseph’s B H School in Bangalore, India. It was there I learned discipline as I grew up under the strict supervision of the Jesuit priests that ran the school. I was also exposed to boys who had parents who were more affluent than my parents. I saw the advantages of money and what money could buy.
I Was Just An Ordinary Kid!
Shy & Nervous I was shy, nervous and not bold back in 1975. One of the reasons was the fact that I had no confidence back then as I came from an ordinary middle class family. I lacked confidence as I felt inferior as I had less money than my classmates.
The Year My Life Took A Positive Turn! It was in 1976 I read a great story in the Readers Digest in Pune, India. Flipping through the chapters of this book in my grandparents home I read how an ordinary boy from Sicily became a millionaire in the mid sixties just with determination, focus and persistence. That man built his fortune in selling a burger called the “Hero” burger in NY. He became my ‘hero’ from that moment on. I somehow did not want to be like my parents – working hard for someone else. I wanted more. 🙂
The Hero In My Life!
How A Simple Story Change The Way I Thought That short story set the ball rolling and was my guiding light to stir me towards my present destiny. I must thank that old man back then for his awesome story. A story that changed the way I looked at life forever.
I set about creating plans. I realized that I needed somehow to get overseas, gain the experience necessary and get into business. This very thought was exciting back then. Though it sounded great it was also quite frightening as none of my peers were business minded. In fact in 1985 I was cautioned not to get into business all because they, my parents, said it was “too risky”. Employment was more secure and safer I was told. Those were the wise words of my good old mother. Though I respect her deeply I discarded her advice and followed my heart and my dream of business. I am happy I did.
The Book That Helped Me!
Rich Dad Poor Dad Years later I would read Robert Kiyosaki’s Book – “CASH FLOW QUADRANT” and realize that my decision of not wanting to be an employee was a sound one.not following my mother’s advice was good. But was it really? Lets find out what I learned next.
Being Self Employed Is Not The Answer
Being Trapped In The S-Quadrant What I did not know back then and for many years later I went from the hot pan into the fire by being a sole trader or self employed. I did not realized back then that being self employed is also too risky, with no time freedom and restricted movement both physically as well as financially.
I learned from the book mentioned above that BIG Business is what one must aspire to have. I was trapped in the E and S Quadrants, the Active income sectors of work where people worked for their money. Where they traded time for income. 95% of people are stuck here spending all their lives working hard to make ends meet. This is where I had found myself trapped ever since leaving college.
Leaving school … After finishing school I enrolled in to the Catering College in Dadar, Mumbai, India, to do my Hotel Management. This was part of my plan to seek work overseas. It worked as after I passed the third year of college I found myself working at the Taj Mahal Inter-Con in Mumbai in 1982. Here I got grounded in working in a 5 Star Hotel. Soon I got the experience I so badly wanted and was accepted to work in Brisbane, Australia in 1984 for a restaurant chain.
Australia Brisbane 1984 onward
I arrived in Brisbane on a Monday in the early hours of 31st October 1984 by British Airways from Bombay (as it was called in those days). I started to work immediately soon after I landed. In-spite of being jet lagged I managed to do a full 10 hour shift that day. Soon I realized that I would be working long hours each day.
Most often I put in 12 to 15 hour days in the kitchens of the restaurant I worked in for my bosses. The work ethics from my dad helped me… Working hard did not worry me back then. I was young, energetic and eager to gain experience. I took all the work I was given even though I worked on a fixed salary of just $250 AUD in 1984.
It was the experience I so badly wanted. When ever I was asked to do extra jobs I grabbed them all. Every job took me further and higher into learning curve closer to my dream of owning my own business – being self employed. I was gaining knowledge in the area of business fast. I knew back then I had to learn fast if I was to earn well. I was hungry for success.
The Year I Got Into The S Quadrant
Its now 1986 …
Eighteen months later it all paid off for me as I started my own eating house in a small inner city suburb, Red Hill in Brisbane. I named the restaurant- NATARAJA Indian Restaurant. This place soon became the talk of the town and I was racking in money week after week. That was more money I had ever seen in my life. That was way back in 1986.
I Then Got Married!
A year before in 1985 I got married. Its seemed the best thing that happened to me back then. We stayed married for 12 years.
The saddest thing is in all that time I could hardly give my marriage a fair go as I was too busy working hard for my family. Imagine getting what you want and then that very thing you wanted so badly robs you of cherished times with loved ones. This is one lesson I will remember all my life. Being self employed has its limitations. You just don’t have time freedom even though you have independence from being overseen by a boss.
The Dream Had Turned Into A Nightmare
What started off as a dream to be rich and comfortable had actually made my life uncomfortable and sad. Looking back I wished I had some good fun memories to cherish, something I don’t sadly.
So if you are thinking of going into business for yourself look and see how this would impact on your family life. After all you want a business to create a lifestyle for you and your family. Giving you time freedom and happiness.
Business Must Be Around Lifestyle!
And Family! Not just money. It’s not about money! It’s about family. Remember that!
Remember that we do everything for our families. We start the business or even get a job so we can give our family more. Never ever forget that. It will cost you dearly if you don’t. That’s is my advice to you today. Learn from my mistakes and you will be a success in your life.
Since those dark days of my so called super growth, I now know that our businesses should work for us. It’s not the other way round. Don’t get caught holding on to the ‘tiger’s tail’.
Learn From My Mistakes
I started to get well known and success came easy. But does success stay? Now during my 12 years being married I ran three different food businesses. It was in mid 1996 things started to sour. I had just started my third business called Ghandhi’s in West End in Brisbane.
From Day One things were not moving smoothly. To top it off my failing marriage as well as the choice of a bad location of the third business caused me to loose everything. This was the most humbling experience of my life. Losing not one but two important things, your loved one as well as your livelihood at once was devastating.
My Wake Up Call!
Something always wakes you up. Now that was my wake up call. I realized that somehow I needed to do something urgently. I had to pay off a huge debt caused by the failed business. I concentrated on doing that as I wanted not to declare bankruptcy. I wanted to save our family home so my ex still live there with my two sons. That I did with some hardship during 1997-2002 and I am proud I did it.
Now For Things To Change I Had To Change!
It was while I was paying off this debt through my fourth business, another food outlet called Salaam Bombay, I met Vicki in 1999. This is where I had the most important revelation. I realized that if I was to have a successful business I needed a happy marriage. I needed to change what I was doing.
Something had to change – I had to change. And Change Is Never easy. I knew that I deserved better. But if I deserved better I needed to give as much or more to the person who would share my life. I knew I could not change anything if I stayed in the food business.
The Moment I Decided Things Started To Change!
Something had to change. I realized I had to change! This was so hard back then as I only knew one thing and that was running food outlets. I had to make a decision fast. I did not want to loose my chance with Vicki. This is what I did in 2003.
I made a fast decision and have since stuck to it 15 years later (it’s 2015 as I write this story). I sold out of restaurants in 2004 and have ever since been so happy. My marriage is fantastic and I have so many friends now from all over the world.
Was It Ever Easy? It certainly was not easy way back in 2004 when I decided to make that change. Nothing in life is easy at first. But if you badly want something you will make it happen. I had to find a vehicle that could give me as much or more without sacrificing my time with family. I did not want compromise and so went searching for answers as to what I could do that would challenge my mind, make me creative, forge new friendships, make me a fortune as well as I could do everything or accomplish everything without sacrificing what’s now so precious to me, my family.
Fast Forward 2012…
The morale of my story is if you are going to “do the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result then it’s a form of insanity“
~ Albert Einstein.
So True.
Some Advice Given To Me Years Ago
Now You must make a fast decision and stick with it. If you have to change your mind do it slowly and see how best you can make changes.
Don’t make drastic changes immediately. Rather tweak and change things gradually until you come to the best outcome for you and your family.
How Did You Enjoy My Story.
This is my story in a nutshell! Contact me if you feel this story has touched your heart and I promise you one thing I will help you change your life in a 24 to 48 month time frame. Question To You Today…
- Would you like to earn a 6 figure income matched with
- Time freedom and
- Have the best health in the world.
Then lets partner up and help play it forward by helping change others too.
Claude Fullinfaw
