Progress of creating a comprehensive portfolio

[Niptuck MD]

This is a long overdue progress thread; I dont want to procrastinate further; I read fastlane and unscripted and then something about being an audio-visual person got me to Listening to the audio versions of it; i processed things differently (which was weird but thats just me) and delved deeper and deeper into the process concepts;

2017 has been a tumultuous year; everything that started off so well (being in biophases program, job security and then had many sales lined up for my actual business) and then somewhere around mid april all went to . after losing 13K due to theft and false promises, and then being laid off in september whilst taking care of a loved one, all seemed like the receiving end of the domino effect (murphys law).... I have been working gigs and really got to working more flexible hours; (heck I am writing this whilst at work hehe). I was fortunate to get a five month gig in quality engineering at a plant literally walking distance from my abode.. The skills that I have picked up on this year have been saving grace IMHO. I am almost done getting my CDL through a local area mentor that has made his fortune in earth-moving business. Also delved into the realms of that industry which tied in to my product that I came up with the help of @biophase. Also getting more certs in logistics and shipping through my sponsor in 2018 helps me in that realm as well; through my shipping/global trade mentor he has introduced me to good companies and a network that will help me in the future...
I foresee 2018 to be a much better year as I am pushing forward in all my endeavors and luckily got a laid back job to help me do what i need to do. Already started taking several Udemy courses to help me with other parts of my business and started saving hustling up to continue back on my FBA brand.
I anticipate this to be a journey that will be documented and may help others that are in similar situations (i.e working menial jobs and or dead end jobs in stagnated industries etc)
I appreciate the support and the virtual mentors I have found through this site and cannot wait to learn more from other people's mistakes and trials and tribulations.





heres to the process and heres to the grind.

 

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[Niptuck MD]

today, spoke to my local area mentor and he mentioned to me about rigging and hoisting and will be practicing that this weekend;

the plant I am at is shutting down and shifting to mexico (@Eskil yes kongsberg ha) and there was no exit strategy; lesson learned here: even the big businesses struggle even when they know of the outcome (in this case 15 months ahead of time)... NOthing is ever set in stone and nothing is secure; never be complacent is what I gathered. Always be nimble and adaptable.

After work, i intend to go to the library and continue my udemy coursework and also work on finding more suppliers through @Walter Hay 's advice from his book;

 

[Eskil]

Nice to see you decided to make that progress thread, buddy. I know you had a rough year from what you told me, but you're also one of those guys who won't let anything get in your way.
You will do well in 2018 I am sure!!

 

[Niptuck MD]

Nice to see you decided to make that progress thread, buddy. I know you had a rough year from what you told me, but you're also one of those guys who won't let anything get in your way.
You will do well in 2018 I am sure!!

Yes sir and forgot to mention that you being one of my future mentors should help as well. thanks

 

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[Niptuck MD]

Yesterday, finished a good udemy course on electronics;

finished a module of PHP programming;

after working 6am to 6pm went striaght to library did the aforementioned and then went to the gym

full day of productivity (6am-1145pm)

today hopefully will be as productive.... I will have two modules to complete.

Still waiting for my samples to come from china for FBA project. But the communication is there and the chinese suppliers have been responsive and I asked them for numerous photos and continuous communication.

- I think one of the most important and yet difficult things is finding like-minded individuals that understand the process with you; i tried getting a family member on board but he still remains "SCRIPTED" and a sucker for the monotonous servitude that he will have to deal with for ages to come.

heres to the process as we keep on grindin'

 

[Niptuck MD]

Woke up early this morning (430am) couldnt sleep much was thinking all night about my suppliers and products (dont know if this is a good thing or not )

Communicated with @Shreyas Nampalli about venture

Waited anxiously as my direct deposit came through (finally) from work so i can set aside more funds for samples etc

Applied for some weekend shift work (need more funds for business - dead end jobs but FASTLANE mentality)

Finished another module of PHP programming (via udemy this guy is the best PHP from the ground up : Fundamentals | Udemy


Spent some more time at the library last night studying up on freight and incoterms;

and probably the most important thing i did in terms of self control was ; AVOIDING going to the bar and watching the Football game whilst drinking beers)


Cant wait for the summit: hopefully this weekend can buy a good ticket via www.skyscanner.com

 

[Niptuck MD]

Snow has hit the southern states and the whole populous has become frantic! Haha

Seriously though little bit of snow and the masses cave right in... people caged up and not doing anything i see opportunity... business and schools shut down i dont get it....

@Scot any snow hit ya’ll?

 

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[Niptuck MD]

Tried to be as productive today as possible despite the weather.

Finished another module of PHP via udemy

Picked up were i left off on my Russian. Spoke with my global mentor that told me to study and take the CLTD in 2018 to help me in my consultancy.

Emailed my main supplier for one of my items for FBA; Chinese restrictions have been imposed on environmental standards and they are amping their environmental efforts it seems; (i guess that is a good thing it just takes longer for me to get my sample but oh well) slowly coming back on together...

Tomorrow will be more studying and skill development as usual; hoping my samples come next week.

 

[Niptuck MD]

one of my suppliers finally got back to me and said shipment is on its way. this is going to be good if I can get it by the end of this week. Start small and then scale big.

going to take some photos of the product with some bootleg lighting to make it look good when it gets here.

Had another lesson with my Russian tutor and it went really well. She is the best.

Finished a gruelling workout thanks to my army ranger buddy who I’m trying to persuade to get on the FLF.

And finally folks, you are what you eat. I cant do supplements no more so I just focus on ole’ faithful

 

[Niptuck MD]

Well so far been a busy week at work. Nonetheless the supplier got back and sent me some good news. Half of my samples for my KIT that im selling on FBA has arrived with the remaining components en route (god willingly). the designs and patterns all custom and swatches as well. Thanks to @biophase for leading me in the right direction after some hardship. Starting small and working my way upwards

Should be good; will have to just figure out the cost per unit and work out better deals with my suppliers.

[GALLERY=media, 104]43751CEE-A0FA-4CE9-B9CD-85A54B88E154 by Arun Siva posted Dec 13, 2017 at 6:00 PM[/GALLERY][GALLERY=media, 98]237CABF4-3EC2-43A6-8CC8-2446ACAB7448 by Arun Siva posted Dec 13, 2017 at 6:00 PM[/GALLERY][GALLERY=media, 103]EC4E199D-5EC0-4FD8-903F-813EC7EFDEFB by Arun Siva posted Dec 13, 2017 at 6:00 PM[/GALLERY][GALLERY=media, 101]D415B2F8-F512-4616-97FF-2F70AB66A3DE by Arun Siva posted Dec 13, 2017 at 6:00 PM[/GALLERY][GALLERY=media, 100]424BE775-6B7D-41BD-BB48-FAD77F894EB3 by Arun Siva posted Dec 13, 2017 at 6:00 PM[/GALLERY] [GALLERY=media, 113]1409FEDA-F68C-45DB-9B45-ED05EEBE66EE by Arun Siva posted Dec 13, 2017 at 6:06 PM[/GALLERY][GALLERY=media, 114]FA2183BC-822C-4EEC-BAA6-C59532AD658F by Arun Siva posted Dec 13, 2017 at 6:06 PM[/GALLERY][GALLERY=media, 115]9331BDC9-2AE5-4353-A689-A20E8B12FB16 by Arun Siva posted Dec 13, 2017 at 6:06 PM[/GALLERY]

 

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[Niptuck MD]

Checked a couple of investments today and luckily amidst all the political hullabaloo everything is on track... multiple vehicles is a good thing IMHO...

still awaiting shipments from china; seems like due to the holidays nobody seems to put any effort into figuring out what the holds are; some of it is due to regulations and new rules implemented over there... oh well. clocks ticking....

still just developing and honing skills; hustling as usual more craigslist/facebook marketplace arbitrage at the least....

am sure the next few days will be moving due to xmas coming up; a lot of lower income families will want stuff on the quick

 

[AgainstAllOdds]

One thing that stuck out to me: You need to focus.

Maybe you're at the start of your journey, and just throwing things at the wall to see what sticks... if so, that's fine, but only for now.

Once something starts working, you need to focus.

Here's some of the things you're doing:

• Learning PHP
• Learning Russian
• Learning trucking (CDL)
• Starting an Amazon product business

Have you stopped to ask why you're doing all of that?

Have you thought how all of that ties in together?

Are you going to be a programmer?

Are you going to do business in Russia that you can't do in English speaking countries?

Are you going to be a trucker and start a business around operating heavy equipment?

Are you going to be a successful product entrepreneur that sells through Amazon?

You need to focus. It's cool to be ok at a lot of things, but it's not profitable unless those things are related.

I don't know your full story, but at quick glance, here's some advice: The easy money is in the boring things without glamour. If I was you, I'd look at getting into the earth-moving business with help from your mentor, then on the side work on a product based business, cut out the PHP and Russian.

You decide what's best for you, but make sure to focus.

 

[Niptuck MD]

@AgainstAllOdds im just learning new skills because i need capital to fund my amazon business.... i dont want to wait as 6 months go by and my niche is taken over;

The PHP programming is for me to just build my own site (a supplement private label site for my FBA products)

Ive been studying russian for a year now, dont want to lose that; my jobs so far hvae been contractual not permanent so I dont have a steady income; I have interest in sourcing from there as well about something specific.

CDL wise i have an opportunity to get one for free basically; it may be of use plus I have a dually right now and I may be able to hustle more with that in 2018 .

thank you for the input ; i know i need focus, but i need $$$ and doing one thing hasnt been working; i tried working two jobs and a gig too but always something gets in the bloody way... one thing isnt enough to cover my living expenses (which isnt many just rent and food and phone bill) etc

it is disheartening to focus on one thing when you got all this other $h*t to deal with and nothing (income) is enough to achieve the big pictures

 

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[AgainstAllOdds]

The PHP programming is for me to just build my own site (a supplement private label site for my FBA products)

If you have time to learn it, then learn it. But note that the majority of people that do FBA don't know how to code and just build on top of services like Shopify, or platforms like WooCommerce. You don't need special skills to make a private label site, just $30 a month.

CDL wise i have an opportunity to get one for free basically; it may be of use plus I have a dually right now and I may be able to hustle more with that in 2018 .

Start hustling with the CDL asap. Insurance rates on new drivers are really high. If you want to use the CDL for your own future ventures, then it's helpful to get that rate down (we're calculating costs on a friend to drive for us and the quotes we're getting are ridiculous).

I don't know much about the trucking industry, but know there's really high pay for certain types of trucking (six figures for over the road). Maybe you can get a job in one of those areas and use that cash for growth.

I have interest in sourcing from there as well about something specific.

This is an excuse. You almost never need the local language to source from anywhere if you have English. Most factories will have an English speaking rep. And if they don't, then you just have to hire a local translator at $10 an hour to get the translation done.

 

[Niptuck MD]

I hear you with the CDL; I have not considered using that for on the road but just something to have in the tool chest helps...

In regards to russian, its like any other course people on here are taking whether it be udemy or somewhere else; just something I enjoy and challenges me.. Doesn’t cost much via italki neither.... I think i will try my best to hustle two gigs and just save up as much as i can in 2018.

 

[Niptuck MD]

hope everyone has had a great holidays;

i was off this week from the plant so i was focusing on hustle (clist etc) made some $$ to put aside to the long term goals..
i had made some money with my local area mentor he asked me if i was willing to work on xmas day i said "you bet your a$$ i wouldnt mind!" got paid on the spot (wasnt much but i was learning if anything)... a lot of housing developments are popping up in the upstate of south carolina (due to influx of manufacturing plants and people moving from out of state) so there is a lot of work for earth movers, excavators; i have also witnessed a lot of storage unit complexes opening up in the counties surrounding mine...

I am making my moves since my contract for my current job expires in march; since it is going to be moving overseas to mexico i qualfy for TAA (trade adjustment assistance) and will be doing some follow up training in my field to make me more credible in 2018. Even though its not much its a good program that covers some classes and expenses...

apart from that, my main FOCUS (@AgainstAllOdds ) will be saving of liquid $$$ so by any means necessary.

my goal is to make 1000$ in three days by december 31st from just hustling and selling things around the house; so far i sold two phones and a monitor and have gain 420$

580$ to go shouldnt be a problem

 

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[Niptuck MD]

Happy new years new you blah blah im sure everyone was out hustling and bustling and those that are already fastlaners hope you spent it with family friends comapnions mistresses etc haha

january 2nd, 2018; already 48 hours into the new year; im trying to utilize each and every minute to the best of my ability.

as the countdown begins to 11:59:59 of 12/31/2018, I am starting to plan around this time constraint; hopefully this will bring out the very maximum output.

as I worked a bit yesterday (my local mentor said yet again "just another damn day" he gets to charge triple his hourly rate because of the work that needs to get done NYE and NYD because no other contractors are working) today when I return to my normal job I hear the complaints of everyone saying their holidays came by and went too soon; how many of them splurged on their cards how many of them wanting plentiful overtime.... Im sitting to myself saying, i didnt spend anything on me and I made $$$ in addition to getting paid holidays off the clock. the little battles seem to help mentality.

biggest goal for 2018 is to save save save up for right transactions; cant wait for the summit and whatever else 2018 ready to throw at me; (just hope its nothing like 2017) but then again " Hope is a dangerous thing my friend,it can kill a man..."

like Redding said: "GET BUSY LIVING OR GET BUSY DYING"

 

[Niptuck MD]

been a while,

sold one of my businesses this past week to another fellow fastlaner; hopefully they will grow it and reap benefits and value from it.

right now continuing the grind saving up $$$.

2018 starting off with somewhat of lucrativeness