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- Sep 30, 2023
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Hello everyone,
My name is Martijn. I hereby introduce myself by explaining where I come from, the goal I am working towards and which means of transport I use to get there.
Background
37 years old, living in Rotterdam - Netherlands
Married – very happy
4 children – 6, 3, 2 and 2 years ols.
1986 - born (Another bad childhood story)
My childhood was quite turbulent and at the age of 14 I was introduced to the situation where my mother no longer wanted me at home. In my search for who I am and where I wanted to go, I was mainly looking for confirmation that I could be there, and I was also looking for excitement and adventure. I quit school at 16.
2005 – Airbourne (Army)
I found adventure and excitement in the army, specific infantry. My unit taught me norms and values here. I got a good push in the right direction and it felt like home. The feeling that I was allowed to be her on this world also grew. Here I discovered that I was using my brain far too little. At the time I was still very insecure about my intelligence, which made it impossible to really dare to dream.
2008 – Start of parallel studies (Army)
I started studying in the army in parallel. A period where I learned to do many things at the same time. I combined working up for deployments in Afghanistan, among other deployments, with study (and going out). In 2012 the result was a propaedeutic year in economics (switched to BA 2008) and a bachelor's degree in Business Administration. I learned that my drive can yield me something.
2012 Royal Military Academy (Army)
The army was like a tailor-made coat that made me become an officer. I wanted to gain the experience of leadership because in my mind I was already looking for a lucrative job in civil society. I had the bizarrely nonsensical dream of having a lease car. Countless times I walked exhausted with a 60 kilo pack through a forest at the edge of a highway, and saw all those warm luxury cars driving past on the road home. I thought... I want that too... haha. I didn't know the Rat Race or the meaning of this yet.
2017 Operations director
I left the army and started working at an IT company (45 FTE) as a project manager and quickly became operations director. And yes, my dream came true..a lease car! I still can't believe this was a dream.
The company was a super environment where I could shape the teammembers to my will. Things can't get much better as an employee. But then..
2022 Revelation
I woke up in the dark in the middle of the night. As if I hadn't slept, my eyes shot open to the sealing and I thought: “I'm going to take control of my life”. That is not possible in a company where I am not the owner. This is where the process of change started. From then on I work on myself to get myself into position.
2022 Start Business A and B
Business A (Sidepath)
I offer my project management services to double my income with relatively simple work for me.
Business B (Fastlane)
An online travel organization that focuses on the road trip niche market
Result of working one year:
There is not yet an iconic company for Roadtrips in the Dutch and European market. There are many small entrepreneurs who do “something” with road trips. But in my opinion, the implementation of their services is not innovative and easy. There is always a travel agent involved or a semi-automatic solution, instead of fully automatic. With today's technology, I want to automatically link APIs of accommodations, activities and electric charging station infrastructure to create two products.
1. Road trips off the shelf as a product, that can booked directly (due to automation) and
2. A road trip planner in which you can easily put together your trip and book it immediately
In order to fully attract this niche market, I expect to have to implement two more important aspects:
3. Valuable content (travel blogs for inspiration) witch is connected with the planner where you can book.
4. Community
The profit comes from a margin that I put on the package holidays. In the Dutch market, car travel alone (couples without children) amounted to 2.71 billion in 2022. My goal is to become the market leader for selling Road Trips first in the Netherlands and later in Europe. The model I make in the Netherlands is easy to scale. If the software is in place, boundaries actually have no limitations. I expect it to take 3 to 4 years to have the company set up the way I want it, only in the Netherlands.
My first big Fail, check!
I started implementing this vision in 2022. It is now October and I am in the middle of liquidating the 2022 company. Last month I had 3 weeks of pure disappointment when I realized I wasn't on the right path. But I resigned myself to it. I take my vision with me, I leave the written code and other assets behind to avoid discussions with my partner that cost me too much time. Why am I pulling the plug after I had the automation with 1.5 million APIs (accommodation) fully in production?
• My partner (Full stack developer) was not dedicated enough. And the will to understand the customer was not there. I think I could have made a profitable business with him, but would definitely have run into problems at some point where I would have had no control over achieving my goal. In the army I learned a lesson: Trust is more important than performance. The outcome of this lesson is that I pulled the plug last month.
Successes last year:
New start
I am literally starting again now at 0. But not completely at 0. I bring valuable knowledge with me from last year in which I did not deal with sales pragmatically. The customer was at the back of the check queue. This must be at the front as soon as I check hypotheses. First check, then build. I am now going to make a demo first and test it with customers. Implement feedback. Then create a second demo or an MVP that should generate sales as soon as possible.
Challenges.
• Time.
My eyes were opened when I was in the middle of the RatRace with already a house and lease car. I realized that my approach to money was hopelessly wrong. I started self-employed in 2022 so that my income now has more than doubled (150K/a year now). I am looking for the balance between allowing my family to function normally and spending as much time as possible in the fastlane. I (must) have trust that the financial proces my wife and I designed now, must result in a 100% time for fastlane in 2 - 3 years.
• IT.
I have a great preference for IT oriented business ideas. The scalability is easier and the creation infinite. But I can't program myself. I am still looking for my path. I often ask myself the questions:
o Should I give programmer shares? Low costs, but control risk
o Should I give an assignment to an IT company? Very high costs, risk of running out of money when the created product does not generate enough returns to continue.
o Should I give a freelance assignment? (average costs, average quality risk))
o Do I have to learn basic programming myself? (High time investment, high quality risk)
Current plan
- I do the demo design myself
- Have the website created by a freelancer
- Finding a technical partner for creating an MVP
- Create MVP
- Generate first sales
- Develop a further plan with the knowledge I have by then
Means of transport
I can be simple about this. That's me. And I am not enough yet. This is not because of an inferiority complex (which I have had), but reality. Since 2021, I have come to realize the power of reading. The power of development is immense and gives me a very satisfying feeling. On my route to my goal I naturally encounter my limitations. This could be anything. Consistency, use of alcohol, sales knowledge, market knowledge, financial knowledge, customer contact. I could go on forever. I tackle the problem in front of me by finding the best books and reading them. The tools to take on the challenge are often there. I feel like a Neo in the Matrix who keeps getting new software submitted. Just like the millionaire Fastlane .
My current challenge is customer contact with an initial call or email. Even though I am quite strong socially and communicatively, I notice that I find it difficult to approach unknown people who I need something from. I feel like a beggar. I have to improve this topic myself. And then many more as I go through my process towards my goal.
Planning in time
2023
October: Starts new company. (Ai says to me that what i'm building in the Netherlands is called Limited Liability Company in the US)
November: Demo Model ready
December: Results/customer feedback
2024
January-February: Building MVP
March: MVP online
Closing
If anyone reading my introduction has made it this far, I consider it an honor, and I would like to sincerely thank you for taking the time to read this.
I will quickly continue my work in the fastlane and if I get stuck somewhere again I will look at this forum for inspiration or exchange ideas.
Looking forward meeting new passionate people who do what they say.
My name is Martijn. I hereby introduce myself by explaining where I come from, the goal I am working towards and which means of transport I use to get there.
Background
37 years old, living in Rotterdam - Netherlands
Married – very happy
4 children – 6, 3, 2 and 2 years ols.
1986 - born (Another bad childhood story)
My childhood was quite turbulent and at the age of 14 I was introduced to the situation where my mother no longer wanted me at home. In my search for who I am and where I wanted to go, I was mainly looking for confirmation that I could be there, and I was also looking for excitement and adventure. I quit school at 16.
2005 – Airbourne (Army)
I found adventure and excitement in the army, specific infantry. My unit taught me norms and values here. I got a good push in the right direction and it felt like home. The feeling that I was allowed to be her on this world also grew. Here I discovered that I was using my brain far too little. At the time I was still very insecure about my intelligence, which made it impossible to really dare to dream.
2008 – Start of parallel studies (Army)
I started studying in the army in parallel. A period where I learned to do many things at the same time. I combined working up for deployments in Afghanistan, among other deployments, with study (and going out). In 2012 the result was a propaedeutic year in economics (switched to BA 2008) and a bachelor's degree in Business Administration. I learned that my drive can yield me something.
2012 Royal Military Academy (Army)
The army was like a tailor-made coat that made me become an officer. I wanted to gain the experience of leadership because in my mind I was already looking for a lucrative job in civil society. I had the bizarrely nonsensical dream of having a lease car. Countless times I walked exhausted with a 60 kilo pack through a forest at the edge of a highway, and saw all those warm luxury cars driving past on the road home. I thought... I want that too... haha. I didn't know the Rat Race or the meaning of this yet.
2017 Operations director
I left the army and started working at an IT company (45 FTE) as a project manager and quickly became operations director. And yes, my dream came true..a lease car! I still can't believe this was a dream.
The company was a super environment where I could shape the teammembers to my will. Things can't get much better as an employee. But then..
2022 Revelation
I woke up in the dark in the middle of the night. As if I hadn't slept, my eyes shot open to the sealing and I thought: “I'm going to take control of my life”. That is not possible in a company where I am not the owner. This is where the process of change started. From then on I work on myself to get myself into position.
2022 Start Business A and B
Business A (Sidepath)
I offer my project management services to double my income with relatively simple work for me.
Business B (Fastlane)
An online travel organization that focuses on the road trip niche market
Result of working one year:
- Website was well designed based on SEO
- A portfolio with many travel blogs written by authors from the relevant countries
- A automised working roadtrip planner connected with 1.5M API's in accomodations
- 0 sale
- Experience
Goal
There is not yet an iconic company for Roadtrips in the Dutch and European market. There are many small entrepreneurs who do “something” with road trips. But in my opinion, the implementation of their services is not innovative and easy. There is always a travel agent involved or a semi-automatic solution, instead of fully automatic. With today's technology, I want to automatically link APIs of accommodations, activities and electric charging station infrastructure to create two products.
1. Road trips off the shelf as a product, that can booked directly (due to automation) and
2. A road trip planner in which you can easily put together your trip and book it immediately
In order to fully attract this niche market, I expect to have to implement two more important aspects:
3. Valuable content (travel blogs for inspiration) witch is connected with the planner where you can book.
4. Community
The profit comes from a margin that I put on the package holidays. In the Dutch market, car travel alone (couples without children) amounted to 2.71 billion in 2022. My goal is to become the market leader for selling Road Trips first in the Netherlands and later in Europe. The model I make in the Netherlands is easy to scale. If the software is in place, boundaries actually have no limitations. I expect it to take 3 to 4 years to have the company set up the way I want it, only in the Netherlands.
My first big Fail, check!
I started implementing this vision in 2022. It is now October and I am in the middle of liquidating the 2022 company. Last month I had 3 weeks of pure disappointment when I realized I wasn't on the right path. But I resigned myself to it. I take my vision with me, I leave the written code and other assets behind to avoid discussions with my partner that cost me too much time. Why am I pulling the plug after I had the automation with 1.5 million APIs (accommodation) fully in production?
• My partner (Full stack developer) was not dedicated enough. And the will to understand the customer was not there. I think I could have made a profitable business with him, but would definitely have run into problems at some point where I would have had no control over achieving my goal. In the army I learned a lesson: Trust is more important than performance. The outcome of this lesson is that I pulled the plug last month.
Successes last year:
- Lesson If you take a partner, you must trust him 100%.
- Establish customer contact as quickly as possible (my biggest lesson)
- I now know everything about SEO Marketing
- I can design a website myself
- Found suppliers for accommodations
- Found off the shelf planner software
- The travel market was a black box for me. I guess I opened 60% this year.
- I don't drink alcohol anymore
- I get up at 5:00 every day and are more productive (it can a bit better)
- I exercise every day
- Thanks to MJ DeMarco: Finance processes are now designed for fastlane.
- Thanks to MJ DeMarco: Commitment is not 5-2 or 6-1 anymore. I'm on it 7-0 now. My wifes thank you too MJ De Marco
- Income doubled, and profit from company A (slowlane) i can put taxfree in to company B (fastlane).
New start
I am literally starting again now at 0. But not completely at 0. I bring valuable knowledge with me from last year in which I did not deal with sales pragmatically. The customer was at the back of the check queue. This must be at the front as soon as I check hypotheses. First check, then build. I am now going to make a demo first and test it with customers. Implement feedback. Then create a second demo or an MVP that should generate sales as soon as possible.
Challenges.
• Time.
My eyes were opened when I was in the middle of the RatRace with already a house and lease car. I realized that my approach to money was hopelessly wrong. I started self-employed in 2022 so that my income now has more than doubled (150K/a year now). I am looking for the balance between allowing my family to function normally and spending as much time as possible in the fastlane. I (must) have trust that the financial proces my wife and I designed now, must result in a 100% time for fastlane in 2 - 3 years.
• IT.
I have a great preference for IT oriented business ideas. The scalability is easier and the creation infinite. But I can't program myself. I am still looking for my path. I often ask myself the questions:
o Should I give programmer shares? Low costs, but control risk
o Should I give an assignment to an IT company? Very high costs, risk of running out of money when the created product does not generate enough returns to continue.
o Should I give a freelance assignment? (average costs, average quality risk))
o Do I have to learn basic programming myself? (High time investment, high quality risk)
Current plan
- I do the demo design myself
- Have the website created by a freelancer
- Finding a technical partner for creating an MVP
- Create MVP
- Generate first sales
- Develop a further plan with the knowledge I have by then
Means of transport
I can be simple about this. That's me. And I am not enough yet. This is not because of an inferiority complex (which I have had), but reality. Since 2021, I have come to realize the power of reading. The power of development is immense and gives me a very satisfying feeling. On my route to my goal I naturally encounter my limitations. This could be anything. Consistency, use of alcohol, sales knowledge, market knowledge, financial knowledge, customer contact. I could go on forever. I tackle the problem in front of me by finding the best books and reading them. The tools to take on the challenge are often there. I feel like a Neo in the Matrix who keeps getting new software submitted. Just like the millionaire Fastlane .
My current challenge is customer contact with an initial call or email. Even though I am quite strong socially and communicatively, I notice that I find it difficult to approach unknown people who I need something from. I feel like a beggar. I have to improve this topic myself. And then many more as I go through my process towards my goal.
Planning in time
2023
October: Starts new company. (Ai says to me that what i'm building in the Netherlands is called Limited Liability Company in the US)
November: Demo Model ready
December: Results/customer feedback
2024
January-February: Building MVP
March: MVP online
Closing
If anyone reading my introduction has made it this far, I consider it an honor, and I would like to sincerely thank you for taking the time to read this.
I will quickly continue my work in the fastlane and if I get stuck somewhere again I will look at this forum for inspiration or exchange ideas.
Looking forward meeting new passionate people who do what they say.
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