Malcolm Crawshay
Home of Poi Ltd.
Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand
"I was doing it for love sort of thing, and I wanted to help people juggle because it just increased your self-esteem and made you feel so good about yourself."
Career Roadmap
Malcolm's work combines: Acting & Theatre, Entrepreneurship, and Accomplishing Goals
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Day In The Life
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
Originally wanted to be an electrician-worked as a tradesman, then set up his own business.
2.
Says he wasn't especially successful, but it wasn't about money for him-it was about doing the job right.
3.
One day, he saw one of his workers juggling three stones; Malcolm was fascinated and spent months teaching himself to juggle.
4.
He'd practice after work when it was dark, but the balls kept dropping because it was too dark outside.
5.
He used his electrical skills to develop balls that would light up to facilitate juggling at night.
6.
Started selling his product and developing new ones; eventually opened his own business and started teaching lessons.
7.
For the first few years, he didn't make any money, and as he sank into debt, he started having panic attacks and bouts of depression.
8.
As soon as he turned a corner and paid off his debts, his whole life seemed to open up and he could focus on helping others develop a passion for poi.
Defining Moments
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
The first few years I didn't make a cent, I was in debt horrendously. I got under so much pressure I had a few depression episodes, ended up in hospital. But I came through that, worked my guts off.