Investor and entrepreneur Fred Cary began his business long before social media was even a factor. However, even when attending business school at the prestigious University of Liverpool, his final dissertation was entitled, Born Global, and argued that future entrepreneurs would be able to conduct business all over the world from the moment they launched through this fledgling new thing called the Internet. Needless to say, he graduated with top honors. Always ahead of the curve, his understanding of today’s technologies has helped him evolve his online presence to reach and teach hundreds of thousands of people on various platforms. He sees social media as an excellent way to spread positivity and encouragement to those who are starting out in business or feeling stuck and seeking advice.
“If I’m being honest, right now Instagram is at the heart of everything that we do. There are hundreds of thousands of people following me there and I’m thrilled to be able to spread positivity and advice. I like to give back and to provide value to anyone who tunes in to my channel and this is reflected very clearly on my Instagram,” Cary says.
His Facebook has become a thriving place for motivation as well. Fred holds weekly live events where he answers questions and shares his knowledge that he has accumulated over decades of work in the business and investment spheres. “I like to share my expertise with people. They keep coming to the live events every week on Facebook and, essentially, we are answering every burning question that pops up. I like to keep those events consistent and be of service to anyone who needs guidance,” Cary explains.
Cary also shares daily advice so that people can feel better about themselves and have a positive mindset. On top of that, Cary also believes that social media helps long-distance business relationships thrive. Social media is a double-edged sword, and thanks to people like Fred Cary, this powerful weapon can be used in the best way possible. “When you’re doing business with someone and they are on the other side of the world, you feel much better when you are able to check their social media and see what they’re all about. The mystery is removed from the equation and replaced with confidence,” he says.
Some of the lessons that Cary shares online have to do with switching industries. Fred has worked across multiple industries, from real estate to hospitality – finance to e-commerce – consumer goods to huge business to business sectors. He makes it known that switching between industries is not as hard as people may think, “What I do is I look for a spot that has not been well-served up to this point and I fulfill the need that is not being met. I don’t get bogged down thinking about the industry, per se,” he shares.
To Cary, identifying demand and fulfilling it is the recipe for success in any industry. He points out that no entrepreneur needs to go it alone and advocates for recruiting top talent who is already familiar with the industry in question. “It’s much easier to find a new field where there’s demand and go from A to Z if you find people who already know what’s needed and how to deliver it. This way, you become the leader of a team that can revolutionize that particular space,” he says. Social media is a fantastic place for recruitment, as it allows a deeper look into people’s qualifications and allows entrepreneurs to find top talent.
Just as he predicted the future business potential of the internet, Cary now makes bold statements about the future of social media. “The ability to reach people all over the world has been wasted on trivial content, 15-second clips, and pictures showing the photo-shopped faces of people providing nothing to the betterment of the world,” Cary observes. “Look for a future where the new social is Business Social, where people go to learn, get inspired, connect and build successful relationships.” As with the internet, we think he may just be right about this as well. And don’t be surprised to see him leading the charge!
For more advice and tips from Fred Cary on social media and building businesses, follow his Instagram.
