This week’s Misfit Entrepreneur is Isaac Morehouse. Isaac is creator and founder of Praxis, a really unique startup that has created a solution for the new world of an old and tried and true path to success - apprenticeship. Praxis connects potential employers with people to apprentice with them starting their careers and getting them a full time job in 12 months or less with no degree required.
In the information age, the old advice of go to college, get good grades, find a safe-secure job, and work for 40 years just doesn’t fly any more. We are in the age of the entrepreneur and being an apprentice is one of the best ways to learn the systems and path to success where you can eventually go out on your own. For me and probably you, the word apprentice conjures up visions of blacksmiths and bricklayers with their apprentice in tow, but in reality, they are mentorships, a sort of one of one mastermind.
And in today’s world, it’s not blacksmiths anymore, it’s is building businesses and systems online, creating new solutions, apps, and a host of other things.
And that is why Dave wanted to have Isaac on the show. Praxis is bypassing college as the best way to get from student to career. They train young people with an intensive 6-month professional bootcamp, then place them in startups for a 6-month paid apprenticeship.
Praxis grads have a 98% employment rate out of the program, with average pay over $50k. And most of them do not have degrees entry level roles like sales, marketing, and operations.
It started for Isaac while he was in college. Isaac worked for a telecommunications company installing cable 3 days a week while going to school. And while in school he was hit with a realization. He was making good money in his work and turning around and spending it all on school to get a piece of paper that basically says because you have it, you are statistically better than someone without it to higher. You can get all of the things that go into the piece of paper for free – just not the paper. He thought, there has to be a way to be able to do the same thing without the cost of getting the piece of paper and that is how the idea for Praxis was born. Over the next decade, he brought it to fruition.
At the 7 min mark, Isaac talks about the mental journey and the winding random road that weaves through the way to creating and bringing an idea to reality. He goes into the way the subconscious helps us to achieve the goals we give it.
Isaac goes on to talk about learning and makes some good points:
What should people know about apprenticeships today?
Isaac finds that young, raw talent is the best fit. He uses the “sleep in your car” test. If you are willing to sleep in your car and do what it takes to get what you want in life, you are the type of person that is most successful in an apprenticeship role.
At the 27 min mark Isaac and Dave talk about the shift happening with the way jobs are viewed and how we approach work.
What have you learned about taking effective action and overcome fear and inertia?
Thoughts on Entrepreneurship
Lesson Learned?
Don’t do stuff you hate. Period. And there is a difference between hate and hard. Don’t be afraid of hard work or things you want to do. The things you truly hates drain your energy and stifle your growth. Removing them forces you to find things or people to better fill the gaps and take on the areas that you are not fond of. This allows you to focus better and maximize your talents.
At the 44 minute mark, Isaac talks about overcoming the challenge of going a different direction than people think you should go.
Book Recommendation: The Act of Creation by Arthur Koestler
Best Quote: “Don't mistake hate for hard...Don't do what you hate, but do what you love, even it is hard.”
Isaac's Misfit 3: