Who?
Aaron Frazin, founder and CEO of Charlie
Where?
Chicago
What?
Frazin created the Charlie app, which creates one-pagers to brief people on someone they’re about to meet. Charlie is a personal assistant that prepares people before meetings so they can make a strong impression.
What things do you never leave the house without?
I always carry a pingpong paddle in my briefcase. I’m always playing pingpong with people, even at other startups with executives.
What’s your favorite quote?
“Listen to the Mustn’ts, child. Listen to the Don’ts. Listen to the Shouldn’ts, the Impossibles, the Won’ts. Listen to the Never Haves, then listen close to me… Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.” —Shel Silverstein
What are you currently watching on Netflix?
I just watched The Get Down. It blew me away. It’s such a good show.
What’s your favorite feel-good movie?
Good Will Hunting.
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What’s your favorite podcast?
I love Radiolab. It’s incredibly well-produced. They’re always about an interesting topic, and they do a great job covering things related to SUCCESS—like how to be better—or things in science like why the mind is the way it is.
What is something you think everyone should try?
I remember watching this TED Talk about rejection therapy, which means every day for 30 days you should put yourself in a position where you get rejected. I think if everyone does that, they will be surprised that most people say yes to everything.
Who is your must-follow Twitter account?
Sam Altman (@sama), who runs Y Combinator. He gives great advice. He watches hundreds of companies a year create their own businesses, so he has a lot of experience in what makes businesses succeed.
What do you do to relax?
I try to make sure that as many days as possible I’m either doing some physical activity or doing something really thought-provoking, like a great conversation with a friend. Those are the things that balance me out.
What’s the last gadget you bought that changed how you do things?
I’m not sure that this counts as a gadget, but it’s the ENO Hammock. It shrinks down to the size of two fists, and you can put it up anywhere you want in 15 seconds. Anytime I’m on an adventure, I always carry a hammock with me.
How do you handle disappointments?
The most important thing to do is to not push that emotion away by trying to avoid it or trying to distract yourself. Acknowledge it. Once you have it in front of you, then you can face it.
Who inspires you?
My wife is the most loving person, not only to me but to everyone. She’s very aware of what is going on with people, and she’s able to make them feel related and connected to; she makes it her mission to do that.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned?
Sometimes you have to slow down to speed up.
What was your aha moment?
I went on this retreat through this thing called the ManKind Project. Everyone challenges each other and has deep, authentic conversations. Going through that made me realize that we’re so much more alike than different. I came out of that feeling incredibly connected with the world.
What’s your next big goal?
To stay intentional. It’s to continue to be aware of what I want and stay true to that intention.
Related: My Way: 12 Things That Give Me Strength
This article originally appeared in the December 2016 issue of SUCCESS magazine.
