The Human Kind series is thankful to interview Alex Searle, a global digital entrepreneur with roots in Cape Town, South Africa – Alex also runs a podcast that gives the listener very helpful tips on making the complex simple in communications and business . In this interview, Alex shared some of his perspectives regarding personal transformation, leadership and Kindness.

Was there a childhood memory that shaped your personal transformation?

My parents are musicians and artists. We travelled a lot, which meant that I went to several different primary schools abroad, and had plenty of early exposure to different cultures, languages and people. There was indeed constant change and a lot of love. These early experiences, courtesy of my parents and their travels, gave me the confidence to be bold.

How have you navigated personal change to become successful?

Firstly, I don’t like the word success as it brings up the feeling of never having (or being) enough. For me, progress is defined by the quality of my relationships, my ability to listen and developing a healthy mindset towards making and managing money.  I moved to Spain a few years ago with my wife and 2 kids to embark on a new entrepreneurial and life journey. That was a great lesson in balancing the need to plan with allowing the unexpected to take its course.

How has kindness showed up in your life?

When I moved to Valencia with my wife and young son, I reached out to people on LinkedIn who lived in the area. So many people were open to having conversations with me and helping out in those first few weeks. I learned that kindness indeed leads to gratitude. So now when I have an opportunity, I also pay it forward. Another act of kindness that remains with me is how people made the time to listen to me when I was growing up. Learning to listen is an invaluable life skill.

What is your productivity tip in achieving progress in your life?

Go for runs… plan your day the night before, so you know what to wake up to the next day.

Family: I always try to sustain a relationship with my son, daughter and wife by being there – listening, making time for conversations, making space for each other.

Any words of wisdom you’d like to give entrepreneurs?

I would say, don’t silo or obstruct communication for its own sake. The faster direct communication flows, the better, especially in startups. Find a way to involve people and put them to action, and fast. Speak directly to your team. When a company is young, it needs a mechanism that can quickly trade information across. Too much structure has a slowing effect. My advice is to resist the urge to become too corporate too quickly. When people communicate less – the cracks start to show, and your product suffers. Overall, be clear and explicit in your communication, and the rest will follow.

Thank you Alex

One life live it kinder.

Charlotte x