As leaders, it's easy to get caught up in the pursuit of success and recognition. We can become so focused on protecting our image and maintaining control that we lose sight of what truly matters — authenticity, connection, and empowering those around us.

In this episode, Adam Hill sits down with entrepreneur James Bates as he shares his powerful journey of embracing authenticity and overcoming the challenges of pride and insecurity. His story is a testament to the transformative power of self-awareness and the courage to be true to yourself, even in the face of adversity.

Here are some power takeaways from today’s conversation:

• Empowering visions through technology

• Embracing authenticity in fatherhood

• Overcoming the pitfalls of pride

• James’ strategic budgeting system: the 80-10-10 rule

• Authenticity leads to transformation

• Establishing a culture of mentoring

• Leaving a legacy of impact

Episode Highlights:

[17:13] Empowering visions through technology

James expresses his passion for using technology to enable and empower people's visions and missions, seeing himself in the "people business" rather than just the technology business.

[22:57] Embracing authenticity in fatherhood

After his divorce when his son was two ywars old, James Bates became a more authentic and intentional father, prioritizing a deep bond with his son over perfection.

[32:12] Overcoming the pitfalls of pride

James reflects on how his pride and insecurity previously led him to damage relationships and fail to lead with integrity, as he prioritized results and protecting his own identity over truly serving and empowering the people around him.

[35:50] Businesses should have IT that actually cares about their mission.

James was motivated to start his IT services company Data Path because he saw a need for businesses, schools, and organizations to have IT support that truly cared about and aligned with their mission and goals, rather than just focusing on the technology itself.

[40:44] James’ strategic budgeting system

James developed the "80/10/10 rule" - where 80% of any raise or additional income would go towards paying down debt, 10% would go to savings, and 10% would be used to increase their lifestyle.

[42:53] Authenticity leads to transformation.

James’ anger and need for control previously caused him to treat people poorly when mistakes were made, as he had let his identity become too tied to the success of his business. But he has since learned to let go of that anger and control through a journey of authenticity and self-awareness.

[44:38] How his perspective shifted after facing adversity

James shares how his thyroid cancer diagnosis in 2022 was a profound wake-up call that helped him instantly reprioritize his life, relationships, and what truly matters most.

[48:19] Establishing a culture of mentoring

While James Bates believes coaching can be done on a larger scale, he has found that deep, personalized mentorship is what truly transforms individuals and creates lasting impact.

[57:34] Leave a legacy of impact

James believes that your legacy should be – How are you going to impact people along the way?

Resources Mentioned:

www.mydatapath.com

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