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Yoann, 41, a frog lost in the darkness

Yoann

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Hello everybody !

Thanks for reading my introduction, I know I'm another random guy for now, but let's get started !

Let's start with what sucks with me : I'm French. Yeah, that I know what you already think : "This guy won't speak proper english in our forums, he'll be rude and I'm sure he smells bad.". Except for the bad smell, it's not true. (Just kidding, I take a shower every 3 month, I'm a clean guy.)
I try not to be the standard french most people hate, so don't worry about this.

For my story, since I wad a kid, I knew something was awfully wrong in my life, I coulnd't fit in school, college or high school. I had friends and a good social life, but was bored, out of my element, got average to (very) bad grades, but I eventually managed somehow to get a Master degree in Web Marketing... That I almost never used in my life.

This got even worse when I started a job in a company. Not fitting, eventhough I was really appreciated by my colleagues as I found tons of ways to help them in their job, it never ended well as I was either hated by the boss or got bored after a year.

Before I read UNSCRIPTED , I wondered why I was not fitting, why I never had any interest in what other people liked, nor why I could not stand TV, entertainment (don't even ask me the name of any soccer or tennis player) or Medias. (oh well, except my long lasting love for videogames). The SCRIPT doesn't seem to like me neither if I consider how it treated me during all these years.

I love science, inventions, physics, chemicals, design, graphical creation, to understand how things are made... But I never managed to make this curiosity a way to professionnaly exist. So since my young age, I've been searching for my use and reason to exist in this world.

I am about to get married soon and I have a awesome 5 years old kid who has Asperger Syndrome (High-level autism).

Now I'm one step beyond the start line as an entrepreneur, now that my mind knows what's wrong and now I recently said F*ck you to my employeer (contract ending in one month, what a pleasure...), I'm willing to start my REAL life. I've come in the Fastlane forum to find answers, and to answer questions if I can.

I don't know how to start, I'm a bit lost for now, but the Fastlane forum may be the lighthouse I needed to see in the darkness !

If you read till the end, thank you, and enjoy your life !

Yoann
 
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Late Bloomer

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Hi Yoann, welcome!

No need to apologize for your English. You started with a very fresh metaphor. I don't think I've ever heard a story about a frog in the darkness before! :smile2:

I love science, inventions, physics, chemicals, design, graphical creation, to understand how things are made...

That's interesting. I would enjoy a conversation with someone who likes all that.
Aha, I'm having one now!

I am about to get married soon and I have a awesome 5 years old kid who has Asperger Syndrome (High-level autism).

Congratulations on your marriage. Are you marrying the kid's mom, or was the kid already part in your life before you met your fiancee? Is she supportive of your interest in an unscripted life, or is she a script-follower?

I've come in the Fastlane forum to find answers, and to answer questions if I can.

Great intro! I look forward to our discussions here. I hope the forum helps you find all the light and direction that will help you enjoy your best life, in your own way.
 

100speed

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Merci pour ton intro Yoann!
Enfin, un autre francophone dans le forum!

Anyway, I thought I'd whack a few of my thoughts down for you -- I think you are making very big steps in the right direction.
Now is really a great time to start being an entrepreneur in France, with Macron gradually working on releasing the chains of regulation that once held France back - conversely to Aulande he is actually encouraging businesses to move there!
Having lived in France, I feel as if some of their consumer markets are well behind anglophone countries (where as some are far ahead, e.g. health services), but I see an absolutely MASSIVE discrepancy in the use of online marketing, whether it be for real estate or other B2C businesses.
With your experience in digital marketing, it would be wise to capitalise on the accelerating growth of online advertising in France - you can easily charge 2k / month for your services if you can provide your clients an acceptable ROI, and with an abundance of businesses that aren't using online marketing it really is a digital goldmine.
I suggest doing some research / learning, potentially pick up some Free Udemy courses on Digital Marketing, Facebook Ad funnels etcetera where you can learn skills to help promote other businesses and build your own sustainable business at the same time!

If you don't mind me asking what your job is, is it related to web / digital marketing?

J'espere que ca t'aidera et bienvenue dans le forum ;)
 

AllanB

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Bienvenue Yoann,

I see an absolutely MASSIVE discrepancy in the use of online marketing, whether it be for real estate or other B2C businesses.

I agree with this point of view, there are possible improvements.
I am quite skeptical about the market opportunity for a number of reasons: companies' reluctance / lack of resources, huge competition.

I will be curious to know real and concrete examples of companies that do this activity successfully (target SMB and charge 2k/month for digital marketing and have acceptable ROI) because I simply don't know any one.

For my part I am approached every day by email or phone to sell me advertising and communication. Suffice to say that I became totally allergic to this type of proposal.
 
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100speed

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Bienvenue Yoann,



I agree with this point of view, there are possible improvements.
I am quite skeptical about the market opportunity for a number of reasons: companies' reluctance / lack of resources, huge competition.

I will be curious to know real and concrete examples of companies that do this activity successfully (target SMB and charge 2k/month for digital marketing and have acceptable ROI) because I simply don't know any one.

For my part I am approached every day by email or phone to sell me advertising and communication. Suffice to say that I became totally allergic to this type of proposal.
I know personally of around 4 people who do digital marketing / SMMA in the UK and are making these sorts of numbers per client, of course business owners are more reluctant in France, but if you can prove value to them, offer them a free consultation / free trial period of a week for example and get them a number of leads, I guarantee they will be coming back for more.
Of course, some industries will be easier to provide value for, and some clients harder to get leads for - but it is all possible.
 

Yoann

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Hello everyone,
Thanks for your all your nice messages ! I already feel I made the right choice coming in the Fastlane Forum !

You're right, thinks are changing in France and I guess it's the right time to make a move. That's why I said I'm a bit lost, that's because I don't really know in what direction I should go for now, I'll have to sort it out in my head, but I know I have to move fast in order to avoid being stuck thinking too much.

Congratulations on your marriage. Are you marrying the kid's mom, or was the kid already part in your life before you met your fiancee? Is she supportive of your interest in an unscripted life, or is she a script-follower?
I am incredibly lucky, my fiancee knew I was feeling bad about my job and she was the one who actually pushed me to leave, I proposed we changed everything in our professional life, and even if we feel there could be some risks, she accepted. We can't continue to work for someone else for the rest of our life.

She isn't a script follower at all, I am very lucky ! My son doesn't fit in the script neither for now, I can't convince him to fit in, just to guide him to have the proper mindset to be happy now and free later.

Great intro! I look forward to our discussions here. I hope the forum helps you find all the light and direction that will help you enjoy your best life, in your own way.

I'll be happy to talk with you too ! :)

I suggest doing some research / learning, potentially pick up some Free Udemy courses on Digital Marketing, Facebook Ad funnels etcetera where you can learn skills to help promote other businesses and build your own sustainable business at the same time!

Thank you, that sounds like a good start ! I've been reading tons of books recently, including MJ's books, as I really need to improve my knowledge on business matters. I already changed my mindset, I know it will change even more soon, I'm in mutation and I love it.

If you don't mind me asking what your job is, is it related to web / digital marketing?
Yes it was, I built a brand new website for my current company, a new identity that many people seem to like, but I have like 3 jobs at the same time in this company, paid for only one. So I got bored and really pissed as they wanted always more from me. I take care of the website and its content as well as referencing products, I take care of the communication, I take care of the logistics too, prepare the orders and send their shit worldwide, and now I also take care of machines maintenances everywhere in France (Industrial textile printers). The more I give, the more they want. So that's all for me, I'm done with them.


Have a nice day everyone !
 

OlivierMo

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Hello everybody !

Thanks for reading my introduction, I know I'm another random guy for now, but let's get started !

Let's start with what sucks with me : I'm French. Yeah, that I know what you already think : "This guy won't speak proper english in our forums, he'll be rude and I'm sure he smells bad.". Except for the bad smell, it's not true. (Just kidding, I take a shower every 3 month, I'm a clean guy.)
I try not to be the standard french most people hate, so don't worry about this.

For my story, since I wad a kid, I knew something was awfully wrong in my life, I coulnd't fit in school, college or high school. I had friends and a good social life, but was bored, out of my element, got average to (very) bad grades, but I eventually managed somehow to get a Master degree in Web Marketing... That I almost never used in my life.

This got even worse when I started a job in a company. Not fitting, eventhough I was really appreciated by my colleagues as I found tons of ways to help them in their job, it never ended well as I was either hated by the boss or got bored after a year.

Before I read UNSCRIPTED , I wondered why I was not fitting, why I never had any interest in what other people liked, nor why I could not stand TV, entertainment (don't even ask me the name of any soccer or tennis player) or Medias. (oh well, except my long lasting love for videogames). The SCRIPT doesn't seem to like me neither if I consider how it treated me during all these years.

I love science, inventions, physics, chemicals, design, graphical creation, to understand how things are made... But I never managed to make this curiosity a way to professionnaly exist. So since my young age, I've been searching for my use and reason to exist in this world.

I am about to get married soon and I have a awesome 5 years old kid who has Asperger Syndrome (High-level autism).

Now I'm one step beyond the start line as an entrepreneur, now that my mind knows what's wrong and now I recently said f*ck you to my employeer (contract ending in one month, what a pleasure...), I'm willing to start my REAL life. I've come in the Fastlane forum to find answers, and to answer questions if I can.

I don't know how to start, I'm a bit lost for now, but the Fastlane forum may be the lighthouse I needed to see in the darkness !

If you read till the end, thank you, and enjoy your life !

Yoann
Bievenue compatriote et bonne chance
 
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Late Bloomer

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For my part I am approached every day by email or phone to sell me advertising and communication. Suffice to say that I became totally allergic to this type of proposal.

Interesting comment. How many of these unrequested proposals include a free trial period at no risk to you, and then a reduced price in exchange for sharing new profits generated by the improved marketing?
 

AllanB

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Interesting comment. How many of these unrequested proposals include a free trial period at no risk to you, and then a reduced price in exchange for sharing new profits generated by the improved marketing?

Interesting question.

- 70% of the unrequested proposals are scams (fake newspaper, poster on bus shelters, city maps, google ranking, web directories, etc etc).
- 30% of the unrequested proposals are cold call/email for web services and they always offer free consultation (+ free trial if it is a marketing software but never for a service).

The initial prices are in a range of 30€-250€/month or based on the adwords budget (%). So to answer your question, no one offered me reduced price in exchange of shared profits (maybe because my business don't interest them, or maybe because this business model is too complex / not sustainable).

I currently have a small business. I can easily make 2-3k€ extra money per month. How ? Just by re-starting my google adwords campaign. But I don't do it, firstly because I want to focus on my new fastlane business, secondly because with internet you often attract very poor/cheap customers. They want to compare / negotiate the price, they don't respect you and your work. Just to say, some businesses don't use
willingly internet marketing and they have good reasons for that.

If a freelance / web agency want to provide me real customized and quality marketing services, what I expect from him is: first contact should be by mail/email or better meeting in a professional event or shop. provide me attractive and very clear brochure. understand my business and imagine smart strategies for marketing. have a decent company with decent share capital (for trust). offer me free trial with measureable goals (no vanity metrics, I don't care of the number of visitors or twitter followers, the only thing I want to know is how much extra money I will concretely make).

I am not sure that providing digital marketing services is a good business.
Definitely, it's not a fastlane business.

PS : I see you work in digital marketing. I wish you the best.
 
Last edited:

Late Bloomer

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Thanks Allan. I've seen a lot of similar offers here, and it seems a real commodity type of business. Definitely looking to make a very different kind of offer, in a very different kind of way, than these pitches you keep getting.
 
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David Young

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Welcome to the forum. I would guess you will find many on the forum who have also felt out of place in the normal working environment. I think this is more a reflection of an inherent curiosity, enthusiasm, ambition etc not fulfilled by the slow lane.
 

Yoann

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Thank you David, indeed, there are many very interesting people out there !
 

David Young

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A personal challenge for me is focussing on a given area when there are so many interesting people and subjects vying for your attention.
 
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Yoann

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Hello happy people,

Just some news to tell you I'm still alive, I finally quitted my job and I have started to move as an entrepreneur. I am starting a company to help parents to find toys and tools for disabled or autistic children. I want to propose the best tools for their children that will help them to improve in their everyday life. I think I'll start as a retailer and I hope to finish creating my own toys brand. I don't know if that's a good plan, but I'll see !
 

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