Meet The Identity Archaeologist — Josh Zepess

I had to bring my genius to the world. — Josh Zepess

In a world where dreams are crushed, souls are forgotten, and rust never sleeps, Josh Zepess (the Identity Archaeologist) is on a mission to ensure talented solopreneurs turn every business first impression into a second impression (where the sale happens!) by raising their ROC — Return on Conversation — so they can profit more without grinding more. After decades on the corporate farm as a shy, introverted engineer, he realized that the cubicle could no longer contain him. So he escaped. It was a rocky road through entrepreneurship in the financial and gym industries until he finally stopped ignoring his genius. Now he plays in it, profitably, every day. When he’s not digging for business gold, he flies airplanes, brews beer, runs long-distance obstacle course races, and creates literary masterpieces.

Now if we can, I’d like to go way back for a little while. Where did you grow up? What was it like to grow up in Florida?

It was a middle-class adventure with a lower-class mindset. I grew up as a good soldier. I did everything I was told to do. It was 30 years later that I realized everything I thought was right, wasn’t so right. My favorite F-word changed from <I’ll let you guess> to Freedom.

What inspired your entrepreneurial journey or event?

Several wake-ups calls after 20 years as a shy, negative, skeptical, engineer in corporate America.

Tell me about what problem your business solves?

Solopreneurs and professionals are lost in the sea of sameness. They are all selling commodities in crowded industries and wonder why they can’t get the time of day from their ideal prospect. I show them how to shine above the noise with an authentic personal brand and a compelling first impression.

What do you define as a failure?

The unknown number of steps before success.

What have you felt you have failed at? What might you have done to prevent those failures?

I’ve failed at everything…at least once. The only things we can’t fail at are those things we never attempt.

What kind of impact do you want your service to leave on your client?

I want to see a world of personal free trade — you do what you do best, I do what I do best — and we create so much abundance that we have to share. Scarcity necessarily goes away, along with hunger, homelessness, racism, hate, and unnatural stressors.

What is your why? Why did you start your journey?

I had to bring my genius to the world. After escaping corporate, I felt a responsibility to help others do the same.

What hurdles did you personally face and how did you overcome them?

Mostly mental hurdles — the employee mindset.

Find out more about Josh by visiting his website.