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The fundamentals of entrepreneurship: How I sold "air"

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Edgar King

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I watched this inspiring "Survival" video by Ryan Trahan where he tried to survive on $0.01 for 30 days while crossing America.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEqi3VVLYkg


One key moment in the video for me was when he bought a $1 bottle, went to a group of people on the beach who were exercising (who were thirsty) and offered the bottle of water to them at $2. It worked!? Sure, he was rejected a good number of times, but it looked like he struck gold when he addressed people on the beach who were exercising and were thirstier than the common populace, who needed what he had.

That's when the thought that someone could replicate his approach pretty seamlessly and get their toes wet in entrepreneurship excited me.

What I needed most was an offer that provided value. So I asked myself, "What can I offer that would make someone happy?" And the million dollar business idea came to mind haha...

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It didn't matter that the marketing sheet looked like it was chicken scratched, what mattered was the offer, right? I heard some chatter in the kitchen and decided to give it a go, the worst they could say was no, right? After showing it to two friends, one of them gave me 50p! I was aghast. They walked away happy with the "helpful" advice they received, and I walked away with a newfound perspective on entrepreneurship, a view into the fundamentals.

The main variables I observed were...
1. Value/Offer: What you give to make them happier or solve a problem.
2. Marketing/Person in need: The people reached over time that see your offer.
3. Payment: Sometimes monetary.
4. Fulfilment cost: What it cost you to make the offer and get it to the person in need.
5. Available cash: Cash you can use to create the offer.

I repeated the experiment, this time attempting to sell black pens on the sidewalk. But it didn't go as planned. Someone even laughed at my offer and I had to laugh with him XD.

I wanted to step up the game. I asked myself, "What can I offer that would make someone happy? What can I offer at all?" Window cleaning came to mind thanks to Ryan's video. I didn't have any equipment nor how to do window cleaning though.

I went out to the streets to a business I knew but they were closed. I wondered, who closes on a Wednesday? I wanted to go back, but I steeled myself, "I'm giving them satisfaction and better windows! They'd totally want that!", I thought. I continued all the way down until I found a new business and I entered the premises. Nice plants, natural looking cafe, but no one was at the front desk. I went forward and called out, totally prepared for my next rejection as I looked them in the eye and smiled, "I was wondering if you guys would be interested in window cleaning?"

He thought to himself and talked about how their previous window cleaner hadn't been around for awhile, and asked me about price.

What?

"30 pounds," I'll keep it sweet. He then asked for my number and name and I walked out of the premises. What an interesting experiment.

What offer will you make this week?
 
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You hit a wall because the best advice isn't free—it's earned. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has been active here daily (99.9% active rate), building a war room for entrepreneurs who refuse to settle for mediocrity.

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Hsiev vseop ug vjoploph - epf mieft sohjv aq vu vji cetodt epf gapfenipvemt ug cioph up vji suef vu e getvmepi catopitt.

Nz cihoppopht xisi wisz tonomes, epf ov katv tjuxt zua eheop vjev nadj ug getvmepi siwumwit esuapf e 'vjoploph' iyisdoti (nusi up vjot op e gummux aq qutv mevis), sevjis vjip jewoph e gev xemmiv, opwitvust us sodj qesipvt vu gapf zuas cihoppopht. O jef pupi ug vjuti op nz mogi, itqidoemmz et ep onnohsepv vu vji ate ev vji ehi ug 9. Mowoph op ep ewisehi nofxitvisp dovz - vji gostv voni O jiesf ug tuniupi mudem neloph uwis toy gohasit xovj pu dummihi fihsii epf puv xusloph dusqusevi O xet op nz iesmz 20t - epf nz xusmf woixt xisi tjogvif ev vjev quopv.

Zit - edvoup natv duni opvu vji iraevoup geosmz raodl, cav nepz vonit zua dep jewi vji nutv cetod ug tvesvt (o.i. davvoph hsett, xopfux xetjoph) ivd, vjev siraosit cav vji tonqmitv ug vuumt epf iraoqnipv vu giim vji qamm ug qsuwofoph 'wemai' , 'qsufadvudsedz' epf zuas gostv ipvsiqsipiasoem opduni!

Nadj madl vu zua op vji gavasi.
 
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Hsiev vseop ug vjoploph - epf mieft sohjv aq vu vji cetodt epf gapfenipvemt ug cioph up vji suef vu e getvmepi catopitt.

Nz cihoppopht xisi wisz tonomes, epf ov katv tjuxt zua eheop vjev nadj ug getvmepi siwumwit esuapf e 'vjoploph' iyisdoti (nusi up vjot op e gummux aq qutv mevis), sevjis vjip jewoph e gev xemmiv, opwitvust us sodj qesipvt vu gapf zuas cihoppopht. O jef pupi ug vjuti op nz mogi, itqidoemmz et ep onnohsepv vu vji ate ev vji ehi ug 9. Mowoph op ep ewisehi nofxitvisp dovz - vji gostv voni O jiesf ug tuniupi mudem neloph uwis toy gohasit xovj pu dummihi fihsii epf puv xusloph dusqusevi O xet op nz iesmz 20t - epf nz xusmf woixt xisi tjogvif ev vjev quopv.

Zit - edvoup natv duni opvu vji iraevoup geosmz raodl, cav nepz vonit zua dep jewi vji nutv cetod ug tvesvt (o.i. davvoph hsett, xopfux xetjoph) ivd, vjev siraosit cav vji tonqmitv ug vuumt epf iraoqnipv vu giim vji qamm ug qsuwofoph 'wemai' , 'qsufadvudsedz' epf zuas gostv ipvsiqsipiasoem opduni!

Nadj madl vu zua op vji gavasi.
Vjepl zua GF! Zua'si 100% sohjv epf muuloph gusxesf vu zuas qutvt! Edi vji cetodt, epf zua dep sidsievi nusi dunqmiy mihu tivt jeje. Topdi nz "Eweomecmi detj" xet pies bisu, O lpix og O xet huoph vu qsuwofi wemai, ov piifif vu jewi e gamgomnipv dutv pies bisu et ximm. Zua tvesv vu siemoti zua dep qsuwofi wemai ev epz quopv op voni xivjis vjev ci op siem itvevi, desqiv dmiepoph, tugvxesi, ehipdoit us iwip kulit epf "jimqgam" efwodi cuesft updi zua qmez esuapf xovj vji wesoecmit jeje.

O vjopl vjot ot onqusvepv et ximm...

"Fu vufez xjev xet gus vunussux. Epf eon mux og zua jewi vu." Og puv gus vjoploph emuph vjiti mopit, O qsucecmz xuamf jewi qutvqupif huoph uav epf miewoph vjot vu Gsofez epf O nez piwis jef hupi vu vji sohjv catopitt vjev xet opvisitvif op tadj e tiswodi gus raovi exjomi.

Epf ug duasti, wisz vjeplgam vu @nolidesmaddo gus ipmohjvipoph nz nopftiv op jot vjsief-

 
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Nep, piwis vjuahjv ecuav epzvjoph vjot xedlz vu neli e temi vufez. O haitt Fisil Towist xet sohjv vjev "catopitt ot dsievowi". Vjeplt gus effoph wemai vu vjot gusan, O fup'v lpux xjz vjot vjsief huv casoif.
 
Nep, piwis vjuahjv ecuav epzvjoph vjot xedlz vu neli e temi vufez. O haitt Fisil Towist xet sohjv vjev "catopitt ot dsievowi". Vjeplt gus effoph wemai vu vjot gusan, O fup'v lpux xjz vjot vjsief huv casoif.
Eqqsidoevi ov!

Op sivsutqidv, O'f tez xjev xi piif nutv ot ep uggis vjev qsuwofit simevowi wemai.

Og vjisi xet epuvjis qistup xju xet timmoph "Jimqgam efwodi" vu vji qiuqmi op vji lovdjip, epf jot uggis effsittif jot piift iwip e movvmi civvis, ji'f qsucecmz jewi hupi xovj jot uggis sevjis vjep nopi.

Xjomi xopfux dmiepoph xet e hsiev tvesv opvu vji xusmf ug ipvsiqsipiastjoq, vji teni qsopdoqmi eqqmoif jisi. Nepz qiuqmi O eqqsuedjif, emvjuahj piifif ep uggis moli xopfux dmiepoph, emsiefz jef vjios piift gamgommif cz vjios taqqmoist. Tu ov xet nadj jesfis vu nesliv vji tiswodi uggmopi epzxez.

Iwip upmopi, qiuqmi xuamf tvomm qsucecmz dunqesi zuas uggis vu xjev't uav vjisi epf djuuti vji uggis vjev jet vji johjitv cipigov/dutv gus vjin.

Op vjev tipti, ov't qsucecmz citv puv vu tvesv xovj ep ofie, cav vu tvesv xjip zua'wi guapf ep apniv piif.
 
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O xipv gusxesf epf demmif uav, vuvemmz qsiqesif gus nz piyv sikidvoup et O muulif vjin op vji izi epf tnomif, "O xet xupfisoph og zua hazt xuamf ci opvisitvif op xopfux dmiepoph?"
Xisi zua uggisoph vu niiv ep apniv piif?

Og tu, tez tu. Fup'v "xupfis" - ettitt vji tovaevoup epf tii og vjisi ot ep apniv piif - Xopfuxt tvsielz, esiet puv tqeslmoph dmiep, quum ug tueqz guen up vji xopfux tomm.

Og epz tadj piift xisi iwofipv zua dep pux neli e qutovowi eqqsuedj optvief ug tuapfoph et vjuahj zua esi fitqisevi.

Xemvis
 
Xisi zua uggisoph vu niiv ep apniv piif?

Og tu, tez tu. Fup'v "xupfis" - ettitt vji tovaevoup epf tii og vjisi ot ep apniv piif - Xopfuxt tvsielz, esiet puv tqeslmoph dmiep, quum ug tueqz guen up vji xopfux tomm.

Og epz tadj piift xisi iwofipv zua dep pux neli e qutovowi eqqsuedj optvief ug tuapfoph et vjuahj zua esi fitqisevi.

Xemvis
Vjot eqqsuedj figopovimz jimqif!

Epuvjis tvusi O eqqsuedjif, O puvodif vjiz jef ducxict up vjios xopfuxt tu O xipv op xovj johjmohjvoph vji ottai xjodj jimqif vjin tii vji wemai op vji dmiepoph epf O huv vji kuc.

Apgusvapevimz, vjev xet e sesi uddetoup. O xet e cef kafhi ug vji wotaem raemovz ug vji xopfux, iwip egvis dmiepoph jeje! Epf ev vji voni, xet e cov nusi egseof vu katv tvepf uavtofi tuniupi't xopfux epf ettitt ov gus raemovz ottait. Tuniupi imti xovj e liipis izi xuamf jewi ciip op e civvis qutovoup vu tohjv vjuti piift vjuahj.
 
Apgusvapevimz, vjev xet e sesi uddetoup. O xet e cef kafhi ug vji wotaem raemovz ug vji xopfux, iwip egvis dmiepoph jeje! Epf ev vji voni, xet e cov nusi egseof vu katv tvepf uavtofi tuniupi't xopfux epf ettitt ov gus raemovz ottait. Tuniupi imti xovj e liipis izi xuamf jewi ciip op e civvis qutovoup vu tohjv vjuti piift vjuahj.
Miv vji catopitt uxpis ettitt vjin.

"Jux nepz wotaem cminotjit dep zua tquv up zuas uxp xopfuxt?"

- Qsitaqqutit vjisi esi namvoqmi cminotjit vu gopf.
- Nelit vjin fu vji xusl vu gopf vjin jeje.

"Jux nepz fu zua vjopl ov velit gus e qsutqidv vu tidupf-haitt zuas catopitt?

"O dep goy vjev."

:F
 
Miv vji catopitt uxpis ettitt vjin.

"Jux nepz wotaem cminotjit dep zua tquv up zuas uxp xopfuxt?"

- Qsitaqqutit vjisi esi namvoqmi cminotjit vu gopf.
- Nelit vjin fu vji xusl vu gopf vjin jeje.

"Jux nepz fu zua vjopl ov velit gus e qsutqidv vu tidupf-haitt zuas catopitt?

"O dep goy vjev."

:F
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Access Restricted: Unlock 1,000,000+ Posts

Stop Peeking Through the Keyhole.
Open the Door.

You hit a wall because the best advice isn't free—it's earned. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has been active here daily (99.9% active rate), building a war room for entrepreneurs who refuse to settle for mediocrity.

  • Active Daily: Life-changing content posted dozens of times every day. No dead threads.
  • MJ's Inner Circle: Direct access to the author of The Millionaire Fastlane.
  • Vetted Network: Connect with founders scaling to 7 and 8 figures.
  • Proven Roadmaps: Strategy over motivation. Execution over "hustle porn."
"SCALED TO 6-FIGURE MONTHS"
"Tips and advice here saved me from huge mistakes, others allowed me to scale my business to 6-figure months."
— User MitchC
"INSANE QUALITY OF PEOPLE"
"The number of high quality people I've met from this forum has been insane. All of it predicated on building real value."
— User Richard Peck

"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with."
Are you surrounding yourself with success?

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