Recognizing that the traditionally espoused path to wealth and financial freedom was not necessarily ideal for a large percentage of the population, Jon Giaan set out to prove that there were many different ways to achieve the same goal while utilizing a non-traditional approach. Without any kind of formal training, Mr. Giaan relied on self-education while focusing on property investing as the means through which to amass substantial wealth. Applying the concepts he taught himself and modifying them to yield increasingly exceptional results, Mr. Giaan was ultimately able to put together a real estate investment portfolio valued at over $35 million and still growing.
The path to his current status as a self-made multimillionaire was not without its challenges, as Mr. Giaan encountered a number of obstacles and suffered several failures before creating the approach that would eventually enable him to enjoy a true sense of financial freedom. Recognizing the lessons and utilizing the feedback found in those failures allowed Mr. Giaan to achieve his goals, but it also inspired him to create Knowledge Source, the company for which he continues to serve as managing director.
After securing his own financial freedom, Mr. Giaan came to the realization that he was surely not alone in seeking an alternative approach to creating wealth. With a clear understanding of the best investing and self-improvement practices, Mr. Giaan made the decision to develop a platform through which he could share his experiences with others so that those aspiring investors could avoid or at least easily navigate all of the difficulties they are likely to encounter as new property investors.
Now the number-one education and training company in all of Australia, Knowledge Source has grown at a significant rate since Mr. Giaan initially founded it. With nearly 220,000 subscribers, investors throughout Australia and beyond have reaped the rewards of a unique and highly effective approach to investing and self-improvement.
1. What was your best/favorite subject in school?
I took an advanced history class in which our teacher asked us all to create the curriculum for the last quarter of the course, and we then collaborated with each other on a final version. I discovered how much more I enjoyed the subject matter because of the role I played in selecting it.
2. What was your first job?
I had a fairly ordinary corporate job that promised quite a bit of upward mobility over the course of a career, but I quickly realized I did not want to allow someone else to determine how much I would advance as a professional. I wanted to be in total control over my future.
3. Where and how did you first get into the industry you currently work in?
I got into this industry through a deep and ongoing commitment to self-education and self-improvement.
4. How have those jobs prepared you for what you do now?
My previous experiences played a role in shaping who I am today and prepared me to help others deal with the challenges I had already faced and overcome.
5. Describe the best day of work you’ve ever had.
The best day of work I’ve ever had was the very first time a Knowledge Source subscriber crossed the threshold representing her ultimate financial goal and thanked us for providing the information she needed to succeed as an investor.
6. How do you keep yourself motivated?
It is not often that I lack motivation, but I do remind myself of the sense of pride I felt in helping that first subscriber achieve their individual wealth-creation goals.
7. What kind of business ideas excite you most?
I find that the most exciting business ideas are those that are oriented around the goal of working far less than ever before while simultaneously earning substantially more than ever before.
8. Have you ever tried any unorthodox techniques to attract attention to your business?
No, I have not tried anything too unorthodox thus far. I have some experience with direct marketing and have been able to reach a wide audience through traditional marketing methods.
9. What personal achievement are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the fact that my property investment success has allowed me to experience so much that I would have never been able to experience had I stayed in a traditional work environment.
10. What wisdom you would have liked to share with yourself when you first started out?
I would have liked to let myself know how important it is to take advantage of every possible educational or self-improvement opportunity the moment it presents itself.