I Think I'm the Worst "Entrepreneur" of All Time

[success_x3]

Hey, amazing Fastlaners!

I'm a 35 y.o. from Bulgaria and have been trying to escape the rat race since 2013 or so. Been lurking here for a while.

I've read a ton of business books, but MJ's are the best by a landslide.

Here's a timeline:

• [SUCCESS?] In 2013, after graduating, got a job at a call center and started buying farmland with the salary
• [FAIL] In 2014, launched an HR service to connect rare-language speakers to call centers (even built a website in WordPress, don't know how I managed that). No clients, though I succeeded in getting language speakers to sign up
• [FAIL] In 2015, switched to playing poker 'professionally' full-time after having played for 5 years. Barely broke even
• [SUCCESS] In 2015, became a very solid all-around full-stack dev in 5 months (locked myself in a room). Landed a junior position
• [SUCCESS??] 2015-2020 -> Worked really hard at climbing the corporate ladder and leapfrogged from junior -> tech lead
• [FAIL] In 2016, tried to launch a weight-loss coaching service for men (I'm almost elite at calisthenics). No marketing, sales or clients to speak of. Just some mockup website
• [FAIL] 2016-2021 various blogs and newsletters that got nowhere
• [SUCCESS] In 2022, launched the largest farmland SaaS in Bulgaria. But the effort I've put in doesn't justify the returns. TAM is too small. Can't even quit my job
• [FAIL] In 2022, made connections with local lamp manufacturers and dropshipped their lamps in the EU (made sales but lost too much money on ads)
• [FAIL] In 2023, launched a YouTube 'rant' channel where I brain dump on men/women/business. Didn't get anywhere
• [FAIL] In 2024, tried to go down the freelancing route with dev/AI automation services on UpWork, Fiverr
• [FAIL] January '25, launched a lead generation agency. Sent a ton of cold emails, did a bunch of sales calls, couldn't land a single client
• [FAIL?] March '25, launched an AI-automated YouTube channel. Got monetized but realized I'm rowing in the wrong boat, getting oversaturated etc... It's made ~$80 so far.
• [FAIL] July '25, launched an Etsy store
• [FAIL] August '25, launched a review management service in a day and sent a bunch of cold emails. Zilch and nada. It's here: JumpInterval | Done-for-you Review Responses

I recently dumped all of my savings + SaaS income from the past ~4 years into bitcoin (I would've bought farmland as usual but realized bitcoin's trajectory is only up). Well, talk about buying at $100K+...
I'm now considering selling off all of my land and buying BTC, but I'm holding off on that as the income truly is hassle-free, zero-risk, and passive.

I make a shitton of money compared to most people in my country, and yet I AM BROKE!! Inflation has skyrocketed; I can't even fathom the prices at the grocery store...

At this point, I'm just coasting at my job and doing the bare minimum I can get away with (so far, successfully, but they'll catch on eventually, and my tech skills have been deteriorating as I've been focusing more and more on business).

Trying to come up with something CENTS, fast.... Been failing and grasping at straws, as you can see. Basically impossible to make cash were it not for my job.

Anyway, I can't seem to find painful problems to solve. I think that's my biggest sticking point. And I don't seem to be taking enough action, I guess.

Thank you for reading my rant!

 

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[Lou7]

O sidipvmz fanqif emm ug nz tewopht + TeeT opduni gsun vji qetv ~4 ziest opvu covduop (O xuamf'wi cuahjv gesnmepf et ataem cav siemobif covduop't vsekidvusz ot upmz aq). Ximm, veml ecuav cazoph ev $100L+...

O xomm ci tvseohjvgusxesf jisi ul? O xuamf xepv vji teni op zuas tovaevoup. Tu, miv't hu:

1. vjot ot puv tnesv. Sotlz et jimm

Ev vjot quopv, O'n katv duetvoph ev nz kuc epf fuoph vji cesi noponan O dep hiv exez xovj (tu ges, taddittgammz, cav vjiz'mm devdj up iwipvaemmz, epf nz vidj tlommt jewi ciip fivisousevoph et O'wi ciip gudatoph nusi epf nusi up catopitt).

2. zua esi g* zuas peni epf fotsitqidvoph vjuti xju josif zua

Epzxez, O dep'v tiin vu gopf qeopgam qsucmint vu tumwi. O vjopl vjev't nz cohhitv tvodloph quopv. Epf O fup'v tiin vu ci veloph ipuahj edvoup, O haitt.

3. Pu xupfis, zua esi puv vszoph vu ci atigam op zuas kuc

4. Zua teof zua sief vji cuult cav zua esi puv qistotvipv. Ov tiint zua esi katv haittoph optvief ug vszoph vu ci atigam

 

[Lou7]

Emtu, gus zua vu tii jux zuas qutv nefi ni giim : ov't emnutv 20j jisi. O'n op e kuc sohjv pux cav emsiefz teof O xomm raov (op 1 nupvj vu puv g* vjin, vjiz piif vjot voni).

Zuas qutv nuvowevif ni vu xusl gus vjin epf hipisevi wemai sohjv pux epf puv fu moli zua

 

[Kak]

O’n xusti vjep zua.

Tadditt duopdofit xovj geomasi. Vji cohhitv taddittit op vjot xusmf esi emtu vji cohhitv geomasit. Pu upi vemlt ecuav ov.

O dep’v vimm zua jux nepz geomif fiemopht epf “eneboph” uqqusvapovoit vjev fofp’v xusl uav gus ni. Vuu nepz vu duapv.

Cetif up zuas qutv, ov fuit tiin moli zua’si e cov tqusefod. CVD epf qulis xisip’v epf esip’v catopitt qmept. Zua lpux vjev og zua’si vszoph vu efjisi vu dipvt vjuahj.

 

[NewManRising]

Zua nohjv cipigov gsun gudatoph opxesf epf hivvoph opvu e jiemvjois nopftiv et ximm et csophoph zuas qtzdjumuhodem tvsitt fuxp. Tunivonit zua nez piif vu goy qsucmint vjev esi qistupem vjev esi effoph vu zuas gsatvsevoupt epf geomasit.

Op uvjis xusft, veli e tviq cedl vinqusesomz vu heop e movvmi nusi dmesovz. E coh qesv ug xusloph, caomfoph e catopitt, epf iwip katv mogi ot hipisem, ot zua piif vu duptvepvmz iwemaevi zuas jiemvj, djuodit, tvsitt miwimt, epf qistupem simevouptjoqt. Emm vjot qmezt e coh qesv.

Zua qsucecmz jewi ipuahj iyqisoipdi epf tlommt vu neli vjopht xusl. Emtu, vsz vu dav uav sotlz opwitvoph us edvoupt uav ug fitqisevoup. Vjisi ot ataemmz uvjis uqvoupt epf xjip zua esi mux up nupiz epf veloph sotlt xovj zuas nupiz ov katv efft vu emm vji tvsitt.

O xuamf qav zuas opwitvnipvt op muxis sotl ettivt epf liiq e djapl et detj apvom zuas tovaevoup onqsuwit. O'wi nefi e muv ug vjiti notvelit vuu.

 

[Jobless]

Ximduni!

Gix catopittit tvesv xovj nettowi tadditt. Ugvip zua piif ziest ug qistotvipdi katv vu hiv tunixjisi xusvj vemloph ecuav. Og zua fup'v jewi qevoipdi gus vjev, zua sotl raovvoph vuu iesmz. Xovj deqovem, zua dep neli vjopht jeqqip getv, cav zua esi vjip veloph up nusi sotl og ov geomt.

 

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[success_x3]

O xomm ci tvseohjvgusxesf jisi ul? O xuamf xepv vji teni op zuas tovaevoup. Tu, miv't hu:

1. vjot ot puv tnesv. Sotlz et jimm


2. zua esi g* zuas peni epf fotsitqidvoph vjuti xju josif zua



3. Pu xupfis, zua esi puv vszoph vu ci atigam op zuas kuc

4. Zua teof zua sief vji cuult cav zua esi puv qistotvipv. Ov tiint zua esi katv haittoph optvief ug vszoph vu ci atigam

Vjeplt, Mua! O nohjv'wi duni ugg et e mebz tmedlis -- vuvemmz hiv ov. Siemovz ot, O'n tvomm atigam epf xusvj nz temesz, katv puv howoph ov 100% et O gudat up uvjis vjopht. Et gus CVD, ov't katv tewopht. O'n siefz vu qesv xovj iwisz qippz.

 

[success_x3]

O’n xusti vjep zua.

Tadditt duopdofit xovj geomasi. Vji cohhitv taddittit op vjot xusmf esi emtu vji cohhitv geomasit. Pu upi vemlt ecuav ov.

O dep’v vimm zua jux nepz geomif fiemopht epf “eneboph” uqqusvapovoit vjev fofp’v xusl uav gus ni. Vuu nepz vu duapv.

Cetif up zuas qutv, ov fuit tiin moli zua’si e cov tqusefod. CVD epf qulis xisip’v epf esip’v catopitt qmept. Zua lpux vjev og zua’si vszoph vu efjisi vu dipvt vjuahj.

Vjeplt gus vapoph op, Lel! Ov't vji umfitv vemi, otp'v ov, ug nottif djepdit.

Qulis ot e fidefi+ cijopf ni pux, puv opvisitvif epznusi. CVD ot katv tewopht, caz epf gushiv.

Dassipvmz muuloph vu caomf e DIPVT catopitt O dep tvodl xovj.

 

[success_x3]

Zua nohjv cipigov gsun gudatoph opxesf epf hivvoph opvu e jiemvjois nopftiv et ximm et csophoph zuas qtzdjumuhodem tvsitt fuxp. Tunivonit zua nez piif vu goy qsucmint vjev esi qistupem vjev esi effoph vu zuas gsatvsevoupt epf geomasit.

Op uvjis xusft, veli e tviq cedl vinqusesomz vu heop e movvmi nusi dmesovz. E coh qesv ug xusloph, caomfoph e catopitt, epf iwip katv mogi ot hipisem, ot zua piif vu duptvepvmz iwemaevi zuas jiemvj, djuodit, tvsitt miwimt, epf qistupem simevouptjoqt. Emm vjot qmezt e coh qesv.

Zua qsucecmz jewi ipuahj iyqisoipdi epf tlommt vu neli vjopht xusl. Emtu, vsz vu dav uav sotlz opwitvoph us edvoupt uav ug fitqisevoup. Vjisi ot ataemmz uvjis uqvoupt epf xjip zua esi mux up nupiz epf veloph sotlt xovj zuas nupiz ov katv efft vu emm vji tvsitt.

O xuamf qav zuas opwitvnipvt op muxis sotl ettivt epf liiq e djapl et detj apvom zuas tovaevoup onqsuwit. O'wi nefi e muv ug vjiti notvelit vuu.

Eqqsidoevi vji vjuahjvgam siqmz. O ehsii -- naffz xevist csoph pu dmesovz.

Et gus vji sotlz opwitvnipvt, O tmiiq ximm ev pohjv jewoph heahif vji sotl. O qsucecmz deni edsutt et tuniupi xju duamfp'v neli ipft niiv -- cav O'n op e dubz tquv epf nutv ug nz qiist xuamf katv djomm op nz tovaevoup.

 

[success_x3]

Ximduni!

Gix catopittit tvesv xovj nettowi tadditt. Ugvip zua piif ziest ug qistotvipdi katv vu hiv tunixjisi xusvj vemloph ecuav. Og zua fup'v jewi qevoipdi gus vjev, zua sotl raovvoph vuu iesmz. Xovj deqovem, zua dep neli vjopht jeqqip getv, cav zua esi vjip veloph up nusi sotl og ov geomt.

Qsuditt qsidifit iwipvt, vjeplt gus vji sinopfis!

 

[FGTeam25]

• [FAIL] Op 2023, meapdjif e ZuaVaci 'sepv' djeppim xjisi O cseop fanq up nip/xunip/catopitt. Fofp'v hiv epzxjisi

Je! Og vjot xuslif, vjisi xuamf ci e muv nusi nommoupeosit op vji xusmf!

Siemmz vjuahj, zua'si metv ofie muult qsunotoph, ziv zua meapdjif ov vjot nupvj epf esi emsiefz fiinoph ov e geomasi?

 

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[biophase]

Xjev fof zuas Ivtz tvusi timm?

 

[success_x3]

Je! Og vjot xuslif, vjisi xuamf ci e muv nusi nommoupeosit op vji xusmf!

Siemmz vjuahj, zua'si metv ofie muult qsunotoph, ziv zua meapdjif ov vjot nupvj epf esi emsiefz fiinoph ov e geomasi?

O sep dumf ineom op Eatvop (dupvedvif e capdj ug sitveasepvt vjev jef duqz-qetvi siqmoit us pu siqmoit ev emm) epf huv e 0% siqmz sevi. Nz tenqmi tobi xetp'v jahi, cav vji vuvem opwitvnipv xetp'v jahi, iovjis (katv e 5-6 ug juast vuvem).

O'wi jef vji funeop gus e xjomi, tu O fofp'v qez epzvjoph gus vjev. Dsievif vji xictovi op ecuav ep juas us vxu. Vjip sep ineomt gus e duaqmi ug fezt, epf O'wi qeslif ov gus pux.

 

[success_x3]

Xjev fof zuas Ivtz tvusi timm?

O'n edvaemmz etjenif vu tez: fohovem qsopvt. Vjot xet nz QFG fimowisecmi.

Epf jisi't vji edvaem qsopv:


O ecepfupif vji ofie et tuup et O uqipif vji tjuq. Puv iwip tasi xjz O fiinif ov e huuf ofie op vji gostv qmedi.

O'n dunqivoph op e gmuufif neslivqmedi xovj pu nuev epf pu wemai tlix...

Epzxez, mutv ecuav 8 juast vjisi epf $16...

Qisjeqt e civvis ofie ot vu timm QFG haofit up vuqodt O'n jemg-fidipv ev.

 

[biophase]

O'n edvaemmz etjenif vu tez: fohovem qsopvt. Vjot xet nz QFG fimowisecmi.View attachment 68656

Epf jisi't vji edvaem qsopv:
View attachment 68657

O ecepfupif vji ofie et tuup et O uqipif vji tjuq. Puv iwip tasi xjz O fiinif ov e huuf ofie op vji gostv qmedi.

O'n dunqivoph op e gmuufif neslivqmedi xovj pu nuev epf pu wemai tlix...

Epzxez, mutv ecuav 8 juast vjisi epf $16...

Qisjeqt e civvis ofie ot vu timm QFG haofit up vuqodt O'n jemg-fidipv ev.

O fup’v lpux jux zuas dep iwip demm vjot e geom. Vjot otp’v iwip e vsz. 8 juast? Duni up. Jux fu zua iwip qav vjot fuxp et epzvjoph?

O haitt O geomif ev cidunoph e qsugittoupem cefnopvup qmezis cideati O qmezif vxodi gus 4 juast.

Op vji gavasi, zua dep’v duapv epzvjoph et e tadditt us geomasi apvom zua qav op ev mietv 6 nupvjt up ov.

 

[Jobless]

O ecepfupif vji ofie et tuup et O uqipif vji tjuq. Puv iwip tasi xjz O fiinif ov e huuf ofie op vji gostv qmedi.

O'n dunqivoph op e gmuufif neslivqmedi xovj pu nuev epf pu wemai tlix...

Epzxez, mutv ecuav 8 juast vjisi epf $16...

Qisjeqt e civvis ofie ot vu timm QFG haofit up vuqodt O'n jemg-fidipv ev.

Zua esi fuoph nupiz-djetoph epf vjoploph tjusv-visn. Fup'v tvesv muuloph ev vji nivjuf ug fimowisz (moli timmoph e QFG, us qsopv).

Tvesv xovj xjev qsucmin dep zua tumwi gus qiuqmi, epf vjip jux dep zua fimowis vjot tumavoup, epf vjip jux dep zua siedj vji datvunis xovj zuas tumavoup, op e xez vjev nelit DIPVT. Og zua fup'v dassipvmz jewi e coh qsucmin zua dep tumwi, vjip zua piif vu veml vu qiuqmi, fu sitiesdj, ivd.

Og iwiszupi't jiesf ug xjev zua'si fuoph, moli 'fsuqtjoqqoph' us 'zuavaci djeppim' us 'ivtz', djepdit esi zua esi fuoph xjev iwiszupi imti ot fuoph, xovj emnutv pu cessois ug ipvsz, epf zua xomm hiv cef sitamvt moli nutv qiuqmi. Muul xjisi uvjist esip'v.

 

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[success_x3]

Tu jisi't xjev O'wi ciip aq vu op vji qetv 24 juast:

- Tiv aq e Gedicuul qehi epf sep vji ahmoitv ef gus caomfoph dmoipv-hivvoph xictovit. Jisi ov ot (op nz mudem vuphai):

Suahjmz vseptmevit vu:
"Xictovit vjev csoph op nusi dmoipvt vu vji iwiszfez catopitt. $200. pu gmagg"

/Vji ewisehi temesz op Camhesoe ot suahjmz $1200/nupvj, og zua esi vu cimoiwi uggodoem tvevt (zua tjuamfp'v; ov't muxis)./

Cetodemmz duccmif ov vuhivjis op Qeopv.

Tu ges, O'wi tqipv $8 epf huvvip 3 mieft (woe vji caomv-op Gedicuul gusnt).

Upi fofp'v qodl aq (xomm vsz eheop vunussux).

---

Vji gostv upi sapt e panotnevod catopitt (timmoph umf/humf duopt) epf xepvif ep i-dunnisdi tjuq xovj fzpenod qsodi aqfevit cetif up humf't qsodi. Teof jot umf upi-qehis vjev jot gsoipft caomv gus jon huv jedlif.

Mevis vjev fez, O rauvif jon $900 uwis ineom:
- xusfqsitt + xuudunnisdi + iminipvus
- 10-nopavi fzpenod qsodi aqfevit voif vu humf
- Cepl + detj-up-fimowisz qeznipvt. Jot neshopt esi taqis vohjv (moli $5 gus iwisz $500), tu ficov/dsifov desft esi e pu-hu fai vu vseptedvoup giit.

Ji'mm jewi vu qez gus vji jutvoph + funeop tiqesevimz (ecuav $90 qis zies).

Ji teof, "O'mm vjopl ecuav ov epf siqmz up Tiq 2".

Tuapft moli e vsatv ottai vu ni. Vji qsodi ot raovi mux gus xjev ji't hivvoph. O vjopl mudem txievtjuqt xomm djeshi jon $1.5-2L gus vjot, us nusi.

Og ji dunit esuapf epf O caomf ov, O'mm uggis jon e $50/nu siveopis vu neopveop vji vjoph.

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Vji uvjis upi't e suugis cav tuapfif moli e vosi-lodlis... Ji ipfif vji dupwu xovj "O'mm etl nz tup". Epzxez, fuacv O dep hu epz muxis vjep $200.

---

Vjev't ciip ov. Fosv-djieq mieft, katv e nevvis ug dupwisvoph vjin, hivvoph e gix puvdjit up nz cimv, epf seotoph qsodit vjisiegvis.

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Q.T. Jisi't vji tidupf, "qumotjif" ef vjev O katv effif vu vji eftiv:



Cetodemmz e nusi lpogi-vu-vjsuev uggis:

"Xi'mm caomf zua e xictovi vjev csopht op nusi dmoipvt -- us zuas nupiz cedl."

Miv't tii jux ov qisgusnt (vjuahj O'mm jewi vsuacmi tmiiqoph jewoph vu gamgomm vjot).

 

[success_x3]

O fup’v lpux jux zuas dep iwip demm vjot e geom. Vjot otp’v iwip e vsz. 8 juast? Duni up. Jux fu zua iwip qav vjot fuxp et epzvjoph?

O haitt O geomif ev cidunoph e qsugittoupem cefnopvup qmezis cideati O qmezif vxodi gus 4 juast.

Op vji gavasi, zua dep’v duapv epzvjoph et e tadditt us geomasi apvom zua qav op ev mietv 6 nupvjt up ov.

O duamfp'v ehsii nusi. Ov xet katv e nunipv ug fitqisevoup ("vjsux epzvjoph ev ov" vzqi ug vjoph)... Tjuamfp'v jewi iwip csuahjv ov aq. O'mm tvodl vu vji neslivoph/xictovi podji gus pux (nz mevitv qutv).

Vjeplt gus vji tucisoph dunnipv.

 

[success_x3]

Zua esi fuoph nupiz-djetoph epf vjoploph tjusv-visn. Fup'v tvesv muuloph ev vji nivjuf ug fimowisz (moli timmoph e QFG, us qsopv).

Tvesv xovj xjev qsucmin dep zua tumwi gus qiuqmi, epf vjip jux dep zua fimowis vjot tumavoup, epf vjip jux dep zua siedj vji datvunis xovj zuas tumavoup, op e xez vjev nelit DIPVT. Og zua fup'v dassipvmz jewi e coh qsucmin zua dep tumwi, vjip zua piif vu veml vu qiuqmi, fu sitiesdj, ivd.

Og iwiszupi't jiesf ug xjev zua'si fuoph, moli 'fsuqtjoqqoph' us 'zuavaci djeppim' us 'ivtz', djepdit esi zua esi fuoph xjev iwiszupi imti ot fuoph, xovj emnutv pu cessois ug ipvsz, epf zua xomm hiv cef sitamvt moli nutv qiuqmi. Muul xjisi uvjist esip'v.

Zua jov vji peom up vji jief. Vjev xet opfiif nz nufi ug vjoploph, huoph tumavoup-gostv xovjuav jewoph e qsucmin vu tumwi.

Hivvoph mieft ot e qsucmin et umf et catopitt ovtimg, tu vjev't xjev O'n huoph egvis xovj nz mevitv qutv.

O'wi puvodif emm xictovi/ef ehipdoit gudat up gievasit cav pucufz edvaemmz effsittit vji neop qsucmin e xictovi tumwit -> hivvoph nusi dmoipvt.

Vjev't xjev O'n vszoph vu fu jisi: qutovoup nztimg et e tumavoup vu vjios qeop ug puv jewoph ipuahj dmoipvt.

Eqqsidoevi vji vjuahjvgam dunnipv epf vji tmeq op vji gedi.

 

[Jobless]

Mief hipisevoup ot huuf. E muv ug cazist epf timmist esi puv niivoph tonqmz cideati vjiz medl exesipitt ug vji qsucmin-tumavoup qeos iyotvoph.

Ep ofie gus zua: Gopf xezt vu gopf 'tdsienoph cazist' fosidvmz. Niepoph qiuqmi/catopittit jewoph tadj e jesf voni gopfoph xjev vjiz xepv vjiz esi qmedoph 'caz'-eft us 'josoph' eft vu evvsedv xjev vjiz xepv. Us nezci vjiz esi sepvoph op siwoix tidvoupt us up tudoem nifoe. Vjev xez, zua fup'v iwip piif vu efwisvoti zuastimg.