You Can Make Everything You Want Come True – With Maria Sipka
on Sep 25, 2009 - 7:00 AM PSTI based the title of this post on comments by two Mixergy viewers who saw an early version of this interview and were moved by Maria Sipka’s entrepreneurial story. (Thanks Sloan & Michael!)
What I think is most inspiring about Maria is how she sees a goal and systematically finds a way to achieve it. I’d sum up her approach using a quote that I pulled from the interview: “Who you become depends on the books that you read and the people that you meet.”
When she started a marketing consulting company, she gobbled up every book on sales that she could. When she got into real estate, she turned to an investor who was further ahead than she was for advice. As you listen to her story, you’ll see how much you can achieve with the right influences.
The full program
About Maria Sipka
Maria Spika is the CEO and founder of Linqia – an online marketplace connecting key decision makers of social networks to commercial partners.
At the age of 18 Maria set a goal to become financially independent by 30. She built four businesses over 10 years including a property portfolio of more than 35 properties. By the time Maria was 28 she realized that life wasn’t just about making money. She set out to go in search of her life purpose and embark on the next chapter – a life rich with meaning and inspiration. She joined the Young Entrepreneur Organization, traveled the world and met 100’s of entrepreneurs including founders of XING, who invited Maria to become an ‘entrepreneur in residence.’ (bio via LinkedIn)
Transcript
This is a raw transcript. Want to edit it? Click here.
Full program includes
- Hear about the books that helped Maria become a marketing expert.
- See how she built up her real estate business.
- Learn why she gave up her businesses and went off to find her life’s purpose — and what she discovered.
- Learn how she’s landing top brands at her current company.
Suggested comments
- Is the way I included the full transcript helpful? Are there any changes I can make?
- What did you learn from this interview?
- What was most inspiring to you about this interview?
I met Maria thanks to Jared Goralnick, Founder of AwayFind.com
View Comments to “You Can Make Everything You Want Come True – With Maria Sipka”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
September 25th, 2009 at 8:35 am
Maria is super charismatic – a great interview
All these stories end of the same though.
“chasing tails”
“what have I done with my life?”
“not feeling fulfilled”
“what the real point”
It's great that she stopped, took stock early on and made big changes
September 25th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Fantastic interview… really inspiring. She reminded me of this excellent interview with Yogi Seane Corn http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs.... Thanks again for sharing.
September 25th, 2009 at 11:14 am
An amazing interview; this one made me laugh and smile more than any other interview you have done. I loved hearing about her two year life journey. It is refreshing to hear about her disconnect between money and life. I think many entrepreneurs get caught up with the final $ amount, and forget that this crazy life only happens once.
September 25th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Great interview Andrew.
Very inspiring. I would love to learn more about how to meet other entrepreneurs in my local area. I have found that to be a REAL challenge. Im surrounded by people that just dont “get it”.
Its a struggle and a lonely path to rise above mediocrity.
Also, loved the way you had yourself in a larger picture now. Its more engaging.
Thank you once again
September 25th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Another good one.
It's so important to have parents who believe in the dream!
September 25th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
She couldn't have said it any better, her last quote that is. Discipline is the key to everything..it's when we irrationally think with our emotions that we typically get caught in the crossfire of mistakes.
Great interview with Maria. LIAD…you're right…she is a very charismatic person…most tech entrepreneurs are pretty bland in terms of personality. Woot! Great job Andrew!
I'd love to see an interview of her friend. It would be an inspiration if a different kind (in reference to being trapped in the Amazon and possibly referencing that to being an entrepreneur – keeping hope alive no matter how screwed you are!
September 25th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Thanks. I'm glad that came across in the video.
September 25th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
I really enjoyed the banter back & forth between you and Maria. Great questions!
The split screen video is fantastic… If pics are worth a 1000 words, then video is priceless!
Andrew, thanks for sharing! I always walk away with atleast one gold nugget of info!
Cheers, James
PS. I am fairly new to your site… you requested a few ideas for interviews. Off the top of my head, I would be interested in 1. Mark Burnett, author of Jump In, 2. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, author of Good Business, and 3. Patagonia founder, Yvon Chouinard! (I am not positive, but I think all of these guys live in your neck of the woods…Los Angeles)
September 25th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
When you mentioned in the beginning, about this being a story, I was wondering whether you'd be able to deliver. I'm glad I watched this interview.
The sharing of the specifics of her story (and your's in a big way) is pretty inspiring. I need to reflect on this to realise its true value.
Other than that, I agree with the rest of community. Great work Andrew! I should make arrangements to watch these live despite being in Australia.
September 25th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
I appreciate that you said that means a lot to me.
Andrew Warner
(sent from my mobile)
September 26th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Wauw, what a great interview. Normally I watch the Mixergy interviews while doing some work on the side, but I paused the video, grabbed something to drink and just enjoyed the whole conversation. Thanks Maria for sharing, you are a true inspiration.
Can't wait to see your next interview, thanks Andrew. It's Saturday (Sunday) 0.40 am and I'm back to work;). Have a good weekend!
September 26th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
A few things that resonated with me were:
To grow a *big* business you must be able to scale.
You can learn your way to wealth. (Her comment about books)
Find a system that works, then duplicate it. (as she did with the properties)
Don't be attached to the product. (“…get rid of the dogs.”)
Outsource!
Be selective about the people you choose to spend time with.
Celebrate your successes.
Plus, some really great points about social networking online, among other gems.
As soon as she said Jay Abraham's name I knew she probably ended up making a multimillion dollar company! Here's a 5 part video course from him:
1. http://www.viddler.com/explore/richschefren/vid...
2. http://www.viddler.com/explore/richschefren/vid...
3. http://www.viddler.com/explore/richschefren/vid...
4. http://www.viddler.com/explore/richschefren/vid...
5. http://www.viddler.com/explore/richschefren/vid...
Here's another video worth watching: ***17 Strategems of Success recorded live at the Jay Abraham BBBT event***
What she said about who you are being dependent on the books you read and the people you know has the ring of truth. The whole Truth is that *who you are* is unchangeable, but what *personality* you have is largely dependent on the books you read and etc. Personality is useful, but it's not who we are. Who you Truly are cannot be given to you or taken from you or learned; you simply are… But, yes, great point about books and learning being of value; after all, many words point the the Truth.
I appreciate the openness and authenticity of you both! Great interview :)
September 27th, 2009 at 4:13 am
I totally understand her concerns. Who in the world wouldn't want to be economically independent at the age of 30? After all, at that age you start thinking that it's not all about money in life.
Well done Maria and keep smiling.
Thanks,
Chris @ http://www.tipsonconsulting.com
September 27th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Hey Andrew, fairly new to your site (only watched two other videos so far!) but after watching this interview I just had to register with you and just say how much of an amazing job you are doing – and I've only just scratched the surface of your site!
As for this particular interview – how inspiring!
The main point that I got from this interview was that people should concentrate on defining their passions, then working towards and with them. Business, money and hard work should not be classified as passions, its the mission statements behind the business or work that should include and be your passion. Hope that other agree with me there ;-)
I love how you asked Maria who you should interview next. Wise move especially when you find someone as good as this!
You now have one more loyal fan and champion for Mixergy! Look forward to the next interview. Cheers Andrew.
Lee
(Twitter) @A2Seditor
September 27th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Excellent interview! So many parts of this video stuck with me and hit home! Keep em coming!
September 27th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
Great interview. Down to earth and experiences I think most can relate to.
September 27th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
That was an amazing interview and the little details like the 5-1 leveraging ratio make the interview much more interesting. I love reading transcripts because I don't have time to watch long interviews but I do read quite quickly so I can pile through a huge amount of information in 1/3 of the time. Thanks for this Andrew, I've been reading your interviews for quite some time but I haven't found much reason to post until now.
September 28th, 2009 at 7:13 am
Maria,
So much truth and candid sharing…thank you. The very essence of you comes across just as is.
I have learned much, most of all I am encouraged by – (i) your courage to seek and discover yourself when the going seemed good in the eyes of the world and (ii) your ability to self educate and create businesses of a diverse spectrum. There are lessons for all in this interview – entrepreneurs and the rest, alike!
Fantastic…an hour well spent. And, you have an unforgettable smile guapa, I lost track of time!
September 28th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
I really enjoyed listening to this. Her energy is contagious. She had the courage to take action when she realized something was wrong or when she saw a flaw in her life and business. She didn't accept her situation and instead changed it for the better. Inspiring indeed. So much information to absorb though, its not for everyone but, I really agree with placing yourself in a culture rich environment to work on your goals. You only live once. I live in Japan and have found real inspiration and direction here though I also think it takes discipline to stay focused.
Great move to put this on a split screen and I think it added to the interview.
September 29th, 2009 at 10:58 am
Nice interview. Very inspiring! Much more detailed information in this interview.
September 29th, 2009 at 11:38 am
When we first started out, for us it was all about the money. We were quickly exposed to a rich lifestyle and that's what we focused our attention on. We found our selves straying from our passion. After a while chasing money wears you out and you then decided to make a decision to focus on your passion. Once we made that decision our lives began to have meaning and purpose. We are now to this day focused on our works that lead to our happiness. We believe that the key is your passion, once you find that it will lead you to your purpose. Money naturally will just fall into place.
Keep moving forward !
Trigeia Twins
September 29th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Andrew,
I don't comment much but love what you're doing with Mixergy. Wanted to give you some props because your chat with Maria was I think the best I've see yet. What was great was that it was both inspiring and had a good mix of specifics, involving her goals and values for her work life and personal life.
It's totally true that you can be defined by the books you read and the people you keep close.
Additionally her comments about what she's doing to help brands engage rather than market to groups was brilliant and gave me plenty of actionable items to use at the agency. Well done!
September 29th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
You just made my whole commenting system worth while. If I got nothing else out of having comments except what you just posted, it'll be worth having them.
Thanks. I'm going to check out your links now.
September 29th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Thanks. I'm glad I got to do this.
September 29th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
It's amazing how many viewers think this is my best or most inspiring interview. Thanks!
September 29th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
You know, when I read Maria's LinkedIn profile and saw how much she raved about EO, I didn't get it. Why would anyone want so much of their profile to be about some group. Then I heard her talk, and I remembered the importance of being surrounded by good people.
I wonder if there are groups like EO for entrepreneurs who are starting out.
September 29th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Yeah. Because this was done by video, I got to see the sparkle in her eye when she talked about the investment that her dad made in her and how it sparked a passion for business.
September 29th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Vak! So good to hear from you buddy.
I appreciate the compliment.
September 29th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Great suggestions James!
I'll see what I can do. I'm actually moving to Argentina for a bit. When I get there, I'll put up a post on Mixergy with a list of the people I like to interview. I'm finding that the best interviews come from viewers.
September 29th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
Love the time stamp on this!
September 29th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
Well-done is right!
September 29th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Thanks! Referrals are a great way to grow.
September 29th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
Glad you commented.
I hope you'll comment when you don't like something too. I know many people do't like doing that, but I can only get better if you help me identify what's missing from my work.
Thanks for being a part of it.
September 29th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
I check out your work all the time. Your interviews are awesome. The best part now is the Freshbooks sponsorship….”Boom!!”…reminds me of John Madden. You and Olivia make a great team in that commercial :) I love the program flow…”see you in the comments”, that's just genius :)
Keep up the great work Andrew.
September 29th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
I like the video style side-by-side, rather then picture-in-picture. I think of the picture-in-picture style being more like someone at a podium in a room getting asked questions from the audience, and we are a part of the audience. In that sense it felt like the side-by-side style was more like a group discussion around a table. I found the side-by-side more personable and engaging like the kind of discussions you'd end up having at a dinner or party just visiting with people.
The amount of energy she puts out is great, it makes you want to do something.
September 30th, 2009 at 12:56 am
Actually, interestingly enough. I just met another viewer of yours that happens to live in the same city as me. We met yesterday and decided to have a weekly brainstorming session. Got off to a good start last night. I think thats all i needed, because he understands my situation and i understand his.
It would be awesome if Mixergy had some sort of basic platform that allowed people in the same geographical location to connect with each other.
I've tried doing it online, and while it can and does work, being able to connect with people offline is also good because it gets you away from the computer and out of your immediate environment, which can be good for renewal in my personal opinion.
Just a suggestion. ;-)
October 1st, 2009 at 8:29 am
WHOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Excellent Interview form someone walkin' the talk. SOOOOOOOOOOO refreshing and inspirational…
Keep it up Andrew!
best, Knox
October 1st, 2009 at 8:49 am
This is one of the best interviews you had.
I'm listening to your podcast from Indonesia, while visiting my family (it took me close to 1 h to download each interview… the internet speed here is horrible). I was hoping that I can actually download the video as well?!
LOVING the transcript !!!
Thanks Andrew. :-)
October 1st, 2009 at 9:07 am
That's the kind of excitement I want my work to generate!
October 1st, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Keep does great interviews coming.
October 2nd, 2009 at 8:07 am
Andrew,
I have just discovered Mixergy and I want to congratulate you on creating such a valuable and outstanding resource. My passion is studying online publishing, the 'nichification' of content and the many ways people are commercialising their knowledge and expertise on the web. I keep telling publishers they need to give away free premium content to build credibility, authority and trust and then, only then, should they focus on monetisation. Your site is a fantastic example of how an individual can provide visitors/prospects/customers with real value that builds trust and goodwill. When the time comes to take this site to the next level I have no doubt that it will be a stunning commercial success because your fans and followers will want you to succeed.
Good luck and keep up the great work.
October 3rd, 2009 at 1:07 am
Wow, what a badass chick.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Andrew, I found you on Twitter as a mention by one of my contacts. I normally do not check a persons website right away, but this time I did..I then found myself watching your interview with Maria and about an hour later, I'm typing out a comment..what a fantastic interview. It worked because it felt like I was in a living room engaged in conversation with two friends whom I'd known forever. I call this the 'Oprah Effect'..the magic dust. You have to keep up this energy..you've started. All the Best from a New Friend!
October 7th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
Never commented on here before but I loved Maria's interview and story. You did a great job as interviewer, Andrew, and I've enjoyed many of your other interviews, but this was my favorite alongside Tim Ferriss'!
The only thing I would've liked to hear more of was how Maria deconstructed her plans (whether business plans or personal escape plans) in order to make each step doable.
Thanks so much for the interview though, and I'll second the vote for a Yvon Chouinard interview!
October 8th, 2009 at 2:54 am
THAT was absolutely fantastic. I'm finding myself spending more and more of my spare time on Mixergy with stuff like this!
October 8th, 2009 at 8:01 am
Great interview. Just wish that Maria Sipka's audio was better.
Also kinda random but something on your site crashes Safari for me everytime…
October 9th, 2009 at 11:48 am
Andrew & Maria Spika,
Thank you x 1000 times… Yet another awesome, awesome interview. Everyone should listen til the end for the quote. Gives me chills.
October 10th, 2009 at 4:03 am
I really enjoyed this interview. It was both inspirational and refreshing. Both of you came across as honest human beings who want to do something constructive and purposeful in life.
I look forward to more interviews on Mixergy :-)
October 10th, 2009 at 4:03 am
I'm getting married this week, so I'm taking time away from email.
If you need to reach me, please email me after Monday, Oct 19th.
–Andrew
October 11th, 2009 at 10:10 am
most sincerely, this interview is a super-dose of inspiration and so addictive. Its a precious gift to have the charm of inspiring people and clearly Maria has it sprinkled all over.
I really like your interviews. Kudos to your passion to help aspiring entrepreneurs learn from real examples. Thanks a much Andrew!
October 18th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Tremendous interview! One of your best! Maria just oozes passion. She is a great example of someone who is living intentionally, loving her life, and living it to the fullest. She has discovered her purpose, she's living life with passion, and she's making a positive difference in the world. What a great way to live life!
October 19th, 2009 at 12:21 am
[...] is also a great interview of her and Andrew Warner on mixergy.com, which goes over her inspiring story to the creation of Linqia and more! Here is an introduction by [...]
November 8th, 2009 at 5:43 am
hi Andrew, just wanted to say that I love your interviews and am listening them while I code for past few weeks. This was the one that really turned the ball around and turned me from listener to believer ;) … Maria, kudos!
January 7th, 2010 at 7:57 pm
This was the best interview I have heard so far. She was so open and willing. She did not hold anything back. She was very authentic.
January 27th, 2010 at 6:21 am
ditto. andrew, we want a community where we can meet offline too. mixgery.meetup.com?
January 27th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
ditto. andrew, we want a community where we can meet offline too. mixgery.meetup.com?