Hayes Barnard, the founder of US fintech Goodleap, tested a theory about successful entrepreneurs during a football match with a fellow CEO. He asked whether success came from “daddy issues, near-death experience or learning difficulties.” The CEO revealed his drive to succeed came from a troubled relationship with his father and a brush with disaster. Barnard himself had a tough upbringing as a dyslexic child raised by a single mother who struggled to pay the rent. These challenges created a drive and ambition to prove himself, leading to the creation of Goodleap, a fintech that finances US residential solar installations. Previously, Barnard had a figurative near-death experience during the financial crisis of 2008, losing his first business, Paramount Equity Mortgage. However, he envisioned an opportunity to apply his skills to the growing home solar industry, leading to success with his current venture.
Barnard acknowledges that most people don’t have an entrepreneurial inclination, estimating that 80% “don’t have an entrepreneurial bone in their body.” He learned the hard way that he cannot force others to be like him and his drive must come from within. To motivate his team, he focuses on talent and creating a sense of mission. He developed a philanthropic agenda for Goodleap which includes the non-profit group GivePower, deploying solar-powered water and energy systems worldwide. Barnard hopes to instill a sense of purpose and drive in his own children, who are motivated by the mission rather than fear. Despite his success, he remains aware of the possibility of failure and has learned to “dance with his fear a little bit.”
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