Christophe North is an entrepreneur, advertising executive, and Professor, who understands that becoming a refined gentleman is the journey of the everyday man. I had the pleasure to chat with Christophe as he opened up more about his brand A Gentleman’s Journey, his entrepreneurial endeavors, and his passions and accomplishments ultimately leading to success.
Tell us more about A Gentleman’s Journey and your other endeavors.
CN : “A Gentleman’s Journey is all about understanding that becoming a refined gentleman is a constant journey of the everyday man. It shines a spotlight on products and services that serve as a tools to enhance a man’s lifestyle and make the evolution from man to gentleman a seamless one.”
When did you know you wanted to be an entrepreneur? What was your first step in achieving this goal?
CN: “Honestly, I don’t know when, specifically, but I knew that I wanted to pursue my passion of creating a spotlight that shines on the lifestyle of the everyday man. I have since created a digital company, Oribi Digital, that provides digital services for Fortune 50 companies. For me, entrepreneurship is layered. My first step in creating any entrepreneurial venture is to ensure that it passes my why/would test. I ask myself the following critical questions:
- Why is this business venture important? Once I get my answer, I ask why is that important? (Digging deep)
- Why are you driven and motivated by this endeavor?
- If this business venture made zero dollars, would you still be happy running the business?
If the business venture passes my why/would test, I move forward with starting the business.”
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received when you were starting out in your career?
CN: “The best advice I received when I first started was from Dr. Randal Pinkett. He simply stated: “be excellent because there is no denying excellence.” That’s my mantra to this day. Everything I put out must pass the excellence test.”
Name some accomplishments or highlights in your career that you’re proud of?
CN: “I have learned to be proud and highlight every part of my journey. Nothing I do is small or insignificant to me, but there are moments I still look back on with excitement.
I am proud to have completed my Global MBA. I had the opportunity to have some experiential learning abroad for business school. One of the key takeaways of learning business in 3 different countries is not only learning global business, but also learning cultural intelligence and sense of global community.
In fact, that was the single most awakening and empowering thing that I’ve ever done. It opened my eyes to the differences that make each of us so unique but, more importantly, it’s been the best teacher of the commonalities that unite us. “
What does success mean to you? Has a mistake ever led you to success?
I define success as passionately pursuing purpose. For me, success is the journey and the building blocks of my success are the tasks that I previously failed at. Failure is often the key to lasting success.”
In moments of adversity, how do you build your back up?
CN: “I have a close network of friends and family. And if needed, I use them as a resource to build myself back up.”
Your style is amazing! How would you describe your personal style? Who are some of your favorite designers?
CN: ” Thank you. I just try to be organic in what I wear. What I mean by that is how I feel daily drives what I wear. It’s instinctual and authentic to who I am. As for designers, I’m into Brunello Cucinelli, YSL, Hevo, Zara and a few others, these days.”
What keeps you going on days you wanted to give up in entrepreneurship?
CN: “Wow… Entrepreneurship is not for the weary. When I am experiencing a bit of uneasiness, I remind myself of those three critical why/would questions I previously noted. The answers to those questions keep me motivated and engaged.”
What’s your biggest goal this year?
CN: “This year will be spent continuing to create a platform that caters to a man’s lifestyle. I want to be a resource for men evolving into gentlemen.”
What’s the best advice you have for new entrepreneurs?
CN: “Stay the course, success is the long game and it is the journey! You can’t get to success without first successfully navigating the journey. Honor it, learn from it, grow from it, and don’t forget to enjoy it. I am excited about my own Gentleman’s Journey and I’m excited about the content I’m creating.”
About Christophe North
Christophe North holds a Global MBA with a concentration in Business Strategy and Global Business, from Rutgers Business School in partnership with France’s ESCEM School of Business Management and Germany’s number one ranked, European Business School. His studies there included in depth looks into the global business strategies of multi-national firms operating in China, Germany and France including Harley Davidson Shanghai, Carrefour, Audi, Neckarsulm, SPX Corp., Siemens China and Lights Medical.
Christophe brings his intellectual capital to bear on behalf of clients, using his insights and knowledge to help build on success as they navigate towards dominance in the global market.
LinkedIn.com/in/Christopherswhyte
IG: @christophenorth
oprahzipbradford.com 