Ian Denholm is the CEO & Co-Founder of Conquistador Capital, Ian is a thought leader, influencer, visionary, and successful entrepreneur. Ian provides the leadership and energy that has inspired the creation of Conquistador Capital.
Ian Denholm joins other leading Bestselling Authors, International Speakers & entrepreneurs, CEOs, and Founders taking part in our Leader Roundtable Interview Series. The DotCom Magazine editorial team is delighted to have Ian join us for our Leader Roundtable Interview.
Let us start by telling us about your business.
Entrepreneur & Investor providing accounting and financial support to early-stage companies with an ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) initiatives. It’s important as companies start to grow from an early stage that they have their books organized and can make better financial spending decisions based on where their money is best spent and where they can cut back spending. Also as we cross into this new era of CSR it’s important to see that paired with our services of ESG.
Q: Please tell us how you make sure your customers will become raving fans of your company?
Service oriented entrepreneur focused on solving problems for customers and providing innovative solutions. As we provide these solutions for clients they are able to expand their business and as they grow we get to grow with them. This formula has worked in my past ventures and I hold the principle true today.
Q: Please tell us the one thing that separates your business from the competition.
We focus not just on profit, and not just on ESG, but marrying the two, setting out to prove that sustainable stewards of the environment can be sustainable businesses. With proper controls and taking on socially responsible principles not only in our business but also in our clients sets us up for long term success with clients that will be in business for the foreseeable future. It’s important to put ethics above profits internally and with the clients we help.
Q: And to finish this section, please tell us what the one major key to your company’s success is?
One major key to success is to cut out the noise and distractions by surrounding yourself with people passionate about achieving results. We’re results driven and we don’t get caught up in the noise that slows so many companies down today in the world of never ending distractions.
Q: For our readers just starting to build a company, what advice can you give entrepreneurs just starting out with a new venture?
Make sure you have a supportive family and friends that understand the amount of time it will take to incubate great ideas and commercializing those ideas into a business. Starting and growing a business is no small feat and it takes commitment. If you’re going to go into something to be successful you need to take the time and put forward the effort to get there.
Q: For entrepreneurs seeking to build a business as successful as yours, what big piece of advice can you give them when times get a little challenging?
Keep your head down and keep the focus on what matters. In the world of Tiktoks, Instagram Reels, political discourse, and Snapchat Stories it’s easy to get distracted and lose focus. The amount of productivity lost to this is an opportunity to those who can stay focused and concentrate on their business and their clients.
Q: In today’s fast changing business environment, how do you stay abreast of things?
Reading in small doses at a time via apps, online, youtube or listening to podcasts and audiobooks. You can become an expert in a lot of subjects for very cheap online and on youtube. These are on demand compared to years ago you had to find a textbook and track down the information you’re trying to learn. Now it’s at your finger tips it’s just important to not get distracted with all the other noise.
Q: What is your “Why”? In one sentence, why do you get up in the morning?
My family and faith first and foremost. Again this goes back to ethics and corporate social responsibility internally and externally with clients.
Q: In one sentence, what is the most important thing one has to do to be a great leader?
Open-mindedness. Be prepared to accept (and embrace) your team’s ideas that lead to a better result than the ones you had on your own. Knowing that you don’t know all the answers is okay but having a team around you that does and acts in good faith is a formula for a successful company.
Q: In one sentence, describe how important your customers are to your business?
Humbly find solutions for problems and you will have happy customers.
Q: In one sentence, describe a positive way that technology can make the world a better place?
Technology and innovation can provide sustainable and cheap energy to underserved populations all across the world and can lead the next industrial revolution as we are seeing now.
Q: In one sentence, tell us how something positive to motivate our readers?
Keep reading, keep learning. Find your passion and innovate, then commercialize your idea.
Q: In one sentence, tell us how you start your day to get ready?
I spend time reading to level set my day.
Q: In one sentence, describe how you handle rejection and setback?
By trying again, dust yourself off and try again. “If at first you don’t succeed dust yourself off and try again.”
Q: In one sentence, describe what your hiring philosophy is?
Try to hire people who want to improve themselves and those around them. Team players are always the best hires and hiring A+ team members you can accelerate past your competition as a whole.
Q: In one sentence, describe how you keep your sanity in a competitive business environment?
My family and amazing wife keep me focused on making sure family comes first while still being supportive of personal ambitions.
Ian Denholm, thank you so much for participating in the DotCom Magazine Leader Roundtable Interview Series. We appreciate you participating in this important roundtable interview series, and helping our readers learn more about what it takes to build a great company and become a great leader. We wish you, your family, and of course Conquistador Capital, nothing but the best.
