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longjca

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Putting myself out there to get myself accountable for my lack of motivation and analysis paralysis.

33 years old, own 2 houses one being rental, wife and 2 dogs, engineer of 7 years, decided to go find something more meaningful that works directly with people.

Wanted to find something fast and with big passive money just like everyone else. Fell for all the fake digital marketing gurus. Found lead generation, SEO, Facebook Ads, Google Ads, (basically digital marketing), sales and more (All before I read TMF and Unscripted ). I'm sure any of these can make a lot of money per month (with a lot of hard work) but most of the methods just seemed questionable.
I "implemented" some of the work but like an engineer, I kept finding what is wrong with each of these techniques and it didn't feel right to try to build money-generating systems through manipulation ($$$ used. Probably not all lost since I am still in the programs and I could go back to them).

On this chase, I quit my job to take on a sales job but soon got let go because I wasn't good enough (the sales course made be believe I could play with the big dogs. Apparently not!) Been trying to put my skills to good use with my engineering background but don't want to go back to engineering because it just felt it wasn't how I see my life (in front of a computer for 40+ years living a "comfortable" life). If you're a Myers-Briggs believer, I'm an ENFP where Civil Engineering is one of the top careers NOT to go into (Structured stuff without creativity is very boring). There's more to my self analysis that says to no going back to engineering but Myers-Briggs is the quickest way for me to relate to people.

Now that I read Unscripted , I am putting away my pride, act like a real entrepreneur. Go find a job to cover the bills and gain industry knowledge. Then build something on the side or become an "intrapreneur" and grow the company I'm with.
Unscripted opened quite a bit about myself, how I'm a wantrepreneur, idea guy with no execution skills, tried to lead with passion instead of value driven, almost gaming SEO and more.

So, I am naturally curious about sales, public speaking, negotiations and communication so I'll continue to sharpen those skills.
Top of mind to finding problems is to become a VA on Fiverr or Upwork (Kevin O'Leary idea). Plenty of people with problems in there. Not sure if that's a waste of my time though.

I hope my failures helps someone here. The struggle is real. Wandering but not entirely lost.

Since being tricked, I been digging deeper into finding philosophy, truth-seeking and spirituality. I find that suffering is unavoidable that connects us all and learning how to embrace and cope with it is one of the best skills to have. I find that Stoicism, Buddhism (make your pick, SO many types but find the one you might resonate with) and the similar.

I blame myself for not having a focus on what I want to be, what I want, or finding a mentor's lifestyle I admire. I think that's the 70%+ of the problem.
Why I don't know what I want:
1) I have it. (Maybe but more like...)
2) I don't know myself because I never can. Like an eye can't look at itself. I am ever-changing and got to stop trying to cling onto myself. The more I give, the more I get back. The more I give, the more I become. When I stop giving and try to cling on, I better learn to give because there's no way of holding on to it.
 
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Last edited:

kamal_ch

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Hey!

It is great to read your story. Love the way that you are going to embrace challenges and transitioning from wantrepreneur to real entrepreneur.

I want to talk about the part where you said that you want to be VA on Fiverr OR UpWork.

I have been working on Fiverr for almost 2.5 years.

If you want to learn the real world and business problems then I would suggest you to don't become a VA on Fiverr.

It is better to join the UpWork.

On Fiverr, there are individuals who are hiring people and these people usually don't have good experience in Business. They are just starting out either affiliate marketing, Shopify store etc.

On UpWork, there are companies and enterprises who are hiring freelancers.

From these people, you can get some experience and learn the industry knowledge.

Hope that helps.

At the end of the day, choice is yours. I just wanted to tell what I felt right.
 

Einfamilienhaus

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You are an engineer with 7+ years of experience. Why don't you use your resources you have (this also includes your knowledge) and try to build a small company in the market segment you understand and work on a daily basis?
 

Vigilante

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Putting myself out there to get myself accountable for my lack of motivation and analysis paralysis.

33 years old, own 2 houses one being rental, wife and 2 dogs, engineer of 7 years, decided to go find something more meaningful that works directly with people.

Wanted to find something fast and with big passive money just like everyone else. Fell for all the fake digital marketing gurus. Found lead generation, SEO, Facebook Ads, Google Ads, (basically digital marketing), sales and more (All before I read TMF and Unscripted ). I'm sure any of these can make a lot of money per month (with a lot of hard work) but most of the methods just seemed questionable.
I "implemented" some of the work but like an engineer, I kept finding what is wrong with each of these techniques and it didn't feel right to try to build money-generating systems through manipulation ($$$ used. Probably not all lost since I am still in the programs and I could go back to them).

On this chase, I quit my job to take on a sales job but soon got let go because I wasn't good enough (the sales course made be believe I could play with the big dogs. Apparently not!) Been trying to put my skills to good use with my engineering background but don't want to go back to engineering because it just felt it wasn't how I see my life (in front of a computer for 40+ years living a "comfortable" life). If you're a Myers-Briggs believer, I'm an ENFP where Civil Engineering is one of the top careers NOT to go into (Structured stuff without creativity is very boring). There's more to my self analysis that says to no going back to engineering but Myers-Briggs is the quickest way for me to relate to people.

Now that I read Unscripted , I am putting away my pride, act like a real entrepreneur. Go find a job to cover the bills and gain industry knowledge. Then build something on the side or become an "intrapreneur" and grow the company I'm with.
Unscripted opened quite a bit about myself, how I'm a wantrepreneur, idea guy with no execution skills, tried to lead with passion instead of value driven, almost gaming SEO and more.

So, I am naturally curious about sales, public speaking, negotiations and communication so I'll continue to sharpen those skills.
Top of mind to finding problems is to become a VA on Fiverr or Upwork (Kevin O'Leary idea). Plenty of people with problems in there. Not sure if that's a waste of my time though.

I hope my failures helps someone here. The struggle is real. Wandering but not entirely lost.

Since being tricked, I been digging deeper into finding philosophy, truth-seeking and spirituality. I find that suffering is unavoidable that connects us all and learning how to embrace and cope with it is one of the best skills to have. I find that Stoicism, Buddhism (make your pick, SO many types but find the one you might resonate with) and the similar.

I blame myself for not having a focus on what I want to be, what I want, or finding a mentor's lifestyle I admire. I think that's the 70%+ of the problem.
Why I don't know what I want:
1) I have it. (Maybe but more like...)
2) I don't know myself because I never can. Like an eye can't look at itself. I am ever-changing and got to stop trying to cling onto myself. The more I give, the more I get back. The more I give, the more I become. When I stop giving and try to cling on, I better learn to give because there's no way of holding on to it.

Here's the thing. Every step you described is another brick in the wall that will lead to your eventual success. There's no formula. There's no course, no plan, no advisor that can get you there. You had to go through all that as part of your own refining process. Eventually, you will take everything you learned on your journey and string it all together into an orchestra of your making. For some, it happens early. For some, lightning strikes. For most, it's a path of multiple starts, stops, small successes, larger failures, and then eventually you settle into something that helps you become what you want to become. A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.
 
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MJ DeMarco

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Engineering is a great skill, plus you've already hit some hard knocks. Sounds like you're writing a great story to be told in the future...

Welcome to the forum. ;)
 

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@longjca get hooked up w/ @Sheens in CO so someone can hold you accountable .... then hit me up directly on engineering
 

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longjca

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You are an engineer with 7+ years of experience. Why don't you use your resources you have (this also includes your knowledge) and try to build a small company in the market segment you understand and work on a daily basis?
Just FYI,
For Civil Engineering field, in order to own a company, I need to have a Professional Engineer's license (PE). In order to get a PE, I'd have to get a sponsor other PEs (I left the company) and study at least 2-3 years for the PE exam. Even if I get my PE, the risk-reward is very low because there's a load of responsibility and extra work the industry has required.
(What's happened is there are new codes that tripled the work for all engineering firms making it very difficult for the small guys to even grow because of all the overhead. I looked at my boss who is an excellent PE of 35+ years exp with good connections but saw that he was in his retirement years, working to pay off his debt to start the company, and got barely enough work to have 2 employees working for him.
An ex-employee was also an amazing PE went back for another degree in Architecture. She got it, industry got tougher again, had barely enough work and connections and ended up going back to work at a big engineering firm.
That scarred me because I know I am not as smart and not willing to put in 10+ years to get to no where. Just not Fastlane and didn't make CENTS (command, time, scale).

Of course, this is all an excuse to not take action.
There's got to be another angle so I am thinking on the construction side. 70-90% of the money is in construction.
Project management, coordination, or assistant to get the feel with an industry leader are my initial thoughts.
Thanks for your question!
 

longjca

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Hey!

It is great to read your story. Love the way that you are going to embrace challenges and transitioning from wantrepreneur to real entrepreneur.

I want to talk about the part where you said that you want to be VA on Fiverr OR UpWork.

I have been working on Fiverr for almost 2.5 years.

If you want to learn the real world and business problems then I would suggest you to don't become a VA on Fiverr.

It is better to join the UpWork.

On Fiverr, there are individuals who are hiring people and these people usually don't have good experience in Business. They are just starting out either affiliate marketing, Shopify store etc.

On UpWork, there are companies and enterprises who are hiring freelancers.

From these people, you can get some experience and learn the industry knowledge.

Hope that helps.

At the end of the day, choice is yours. I just wanted to tell what I felt right.
This helps tremendously.
I am grateful to meet people like you here to give great advice.
I'll poke around UpWork and see what freelancing I can do. Feel like I am a complete novice especially when it comes to organization but I can learn on the fly.

Thanks!
 

longjca

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Here's the thing. Every step you described is another brick in the wall that will lead to your eventual success. There's no formula. There's no course, no plan, no advisor that can get you there. You had to go through all that as part of your own refining process. Eventually, you will take everything you learned on your journey and string it all together into an orchestra of your making. For some, it happens early. For some, lightning strikes. For most, it's a path of multiple starts, stops, small successes, larger failures, and then eventually you settle into something that helps you become what you want to become. A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.
Thank you.
I am just realizing that as much as I want the path of least resistance and "engineer" my way to try to cut the fat, that life isn't going to be so easy for me. I'm definitely going to have to take my licks, learn the hard way.
I am keep in mind all the time that Muhammad Ali, the GOAT, had tons of money problems with his lifestyle, health, and all. Eventually, he came through with his branding and all.
 
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longjca

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Engineering is a great skill, plus you've already hit some hard knocks. Sounds like you're writing a great story to be told in the future...

Welcome to the forum. ;)
Whoa! MJ!
Thanks! You don't know how your words mean a lot to me.
I can't say enough how I admire all your wisdom and the INFINITE ways you've helped so many people.

Truth is, I found TMF 3 years ago, put notes all over it, dog-eared bunch of pages and knew this was truth. My distraction got the best of me and learned the hard way of not sticking to the principles of Fastlaning. Then I found Unscripted and listen to it 4x now, your words of (paraphrasing) "you're not an entrepreneur if your aren't willing to get a job" and "serve one before the millions" really humbled me.
I'm typically an introvert and those set me to finally post something on my first forum, your forum.
Thanks again!
 

Ing

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Btw: engineering is noting without execution.
 

Flint

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Welcome to the forum @longjca

Been trying to put my skills to good use with my engineering background but don't want to go back to engineering because it just felt it wasn't how I see my life

After working hard and climbing the corporate ladder for a few years too long, my specialised technical background started to bother me too. I moved on, worked on various things, expanded my field of interests and expertise. And you know what? The technical background is actually pretty useful and gives you a certain advantage. It's just the slowlane grind, slowlane ceiling, slowlane Groundhog Day that make it feel purposeless and frustrating. Don't reject your core skillset, just change the ways you utilise it.

An ex-employee was also an amazing PE went back for another degree in Architecture. She got it, industry got tougher again, had barely enough work and connections and ended up going back to work at a big engineering firm.
That scarred me because I know I am not as smart and not willing to put in 10+ years to get to no where. Just not Fastlane and didn't make CENTS (command, time, scale).

I can confirm that also in my industry going freelance or consulting (even starting a small consultancy firm) is a grind and trading time for money. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't get far on my own. You need engineers to deliver projects and project managers to keep them on track; you need to keep the pipeline full, create and maintain relationships with clients; then you have other elements like quality control, regulations, support, maintenance etc.

I don't mind any of that, but that's too much for one person to handle. You need to think big and aim for a medium/large scale business to be able to go hands off. I've worked with a range of businesses and, in my experience, the most difficult is the jump from below 30-60 headcount to above 100 employees. This is the true test of your fastlane understanding at scale: removing yourself from the picture and letting the procedures and human capital replace you at the lower levels.

Then I found Unscripted and listen to it 4x now, your words of (paraphrasing) "you're not an entrepreneur if your aren't willing to get a job" and "serve one before the millions" really humbled me.

That's very true and the path I've followed myself. I moved away from engineering only to come back to it and work with multiple businesses at once. I work for a large consulting company and I get exposure to everything I need: from business development and sales to ensuring projects are delivered; from concept exploration and market research to development, testing and hand over. Big and small scale. Startups and big corporations.

I'm in a field that requires multiple resources and I don't want to replicate a system with so many employees. So I'm learning how to go fastlane and start my own ecommerce brand in a completely different niche without any prior knowledge. And this is a funny feeling: with all my past experience, I'm a humble student of life again.

Who knows where it'll take me. Maybe both professional parts of my life will meet one day.

Good luck!
 

VINTALEADSBPO

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Here's the thing. Every step you described is another brick in the wall that will lead to your eventual success. There's no formula. There's no course, no plan, no advisor that can get you there. You had to go through all that as part of your own refining process. Eventually, you will take everything you learned on your journey and string it all together into an orchestra of your making. For some, it happens early. For some, lightning strikes. For most, it's a path of multiple starts, stops, small successes, larger failures, and then eventually you settle into something that helps you become what you want to become. A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.
Theres always way to look around something consider who took already the journey your business doing presently for me in my opinion you shouldn't close the doors to learn to get suggested by the others who are successful and not even those succeed because I little things you learn from it those little advice or knowledge u get in all complete It will lead you to called success.
 

BaiAnrui

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Tnx for sharing this . The struglle is very common i think, it is part of the road to a greater goal. But pleas keep going, when you find that fire again steps wil be made.
 
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longjca

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Welcome to the forum @longjca



After working hard and climbing the corporate ladder for a few years too long, my specialised technical background started to bother me too. I moved on, worked on various things, expanded my field of interests and expertise. And you know what? The technical background is actually pretty useful and gives you a certain advantage. It's just the slowlane grind, slowlane ceiling, slowlane Groundhog Day that make it feel purposeless and frustrating. Don't reject your core skillset, just change the ways you utilise it.



I can confirm that also in my industry going freelance or consulting (even starting a small consultancy firm) is a grind and trading time for money. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't get far on my own. You need engineers to deliver projects and project managers to keep them on track; you need to keep the pipeline full, create and maintain relationships with clients; then you have other elements like quality control, regulations, support, maintenance etc.

I don't mind any of that, but that's too much for one person to handle. You need to think big and aim for a medium/large scale business to be able to go hands off. I've worked with a range of businesses and, in my experience, the most difficult is the jump from below 30-60 headcount to above 100 employees. This is the true test of your fastlane understanding at scale: removing yourself from the picture and letting the procedures and human capital replace you at the lower levels.



That's very true and the path I've followed myself. I moved away from engineering only to come back to it and work with multiple businesses at once. I work for a large consulting company and I get exposure to everything I need: from business development and sales to ensuring projects are delivered; from concept exploration and market research to development, testing and hand over. Big and small scale. Startups and big corporations.

I'm in a field that requires multiple resources and I don't want to replicate a system with so many employees. So I'm learning how to go fastlane and start my own ecommerce brand in a completely different niche without any prior knowledge. And this is a funny feeling: with all my past experience, I'm a humble student of life again.

Who knows where it'll take me. Maybe both professional parts of my life will meet one day.

Good luck!

Thank you for the encouragement and wisdom
 

longjca

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Basically my posts on this thread is going to be a failure diary to who-knows-where-I'll-end-up.

Small update:
Finally bit the bullet and decided to work Home Depot as a minimum wage job mainly for benefits and trying to find out what I want to do.
I figured going to the Daymond John route, become an assistant manager/manager while hustling on the side.

I suck at decision making and slow at making them (traits of NOT an entrepreneur or CEO).
I just got so many worries like am I making the right decision to build myself up for the next step.

Not to think that personalities can't be changed but, as for now I am ENFP, 9-Peacemaker, SEC (Social Enterprise Conventional), Communicator Harmony Includer.
The ideal careers that overlap are HR Manager, social worker, psychiatrist, vet. (These are all slow lane, re-education, high debt, will take too many years)
BUT also Sales manager, business supervisor, real estate agent, customer support, entrepreneur, and editor. So... there's still hope! ;)

No personality test(s) is perfect and doesn't define everyone but I know that for my path, knowing myself will be my best contribution. I feel knowing myself is 90% of the work (life, work, business roles, skills, etc). After that, it's all process (NOT a journey) of where I want to go.
(P.S. I also want to say F**k that and F**k FATE! But that'll be a later post ;) )

Step 1) customer support and Home Depot. Take the "easy" route of sales, learn how to talk to people (even angry customers, CAN'T WAIT FOR THOSE!), make some cash and take some benefits while finding a side-hustle or skill.
I keep telling myself from what's from Unscripted : if you aren't willing to take a job, you aren't an entrepreneur.
I am humbling my engineering degree accomplishment to SEEK pain. Hopefully get enough accumulated pain to finally become the dog that gets off that stupid nail.

Side hustle idea: Copywriting seems to be the area I am going to go.
I saw editor and was thinking that might be my pace. That seems to be the paint brush that I can apply to anywhere (horizontal) until I find my niche (and go vertical). It'll satisfy my curiosity about everything in the world.

It's not Fastlane but let's see where this leads to.
Still want to think that I'll gather enough tools (skills) to go into the Forest and have a fighting chance.

Don't pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one
-Bruce Lee
 
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longjca

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Basically my posts on this thread is going to be a failure diary to who-knows-where-I'll-end-up.

Small update:
Finally bit the bullet and decided to work Home Depot as a minimum wage job mainly for benefits and trying to find out what I want to do.
I figured going to the Daymond John route, become an assistant manager/manager while hustling on the side.

I suck at decision making and slow at making them (traits of NOT an entrepreneur or CEO).
I just got so many worries like am I making the right decision to build myself up for the next step.

Not to think that personalities can't be changed but, as for now I am ENFP, 9-Peacemaker, SEC (Social Enterprise Conventional), Communicator Harmony Includer.
The ideal careers that overlap are HR Manager, social worker, psychiatrist, vet. (These are all slow lane, re-education, high debt, will take too many years)
BUT also Sales manager, business supervisor, real estate agent, customer support, entrepreneur, and editor. So... there's still hope! ;)

No personality test(s) is perfect and doesn't define everyone but I know that for my path, knowing myself will be my best contribution. I feel knowing myself is 90% of the work (life, work, business roles, skills, etc). After that, it's all process (NOT a journey) of where I want to go.
(P.S. I also want to say F**k that and F**k FATE! But that'll be a later post ;) )

Step 1) customer support and Home Depot. Take the "easy" route of sales, learn how to talk to people (even angry customers, CAN'T WAIT FOR THOSE!), make some cash and take some benefits while finding a side-hustle or skill.
I keep telling myself from what's from Unscripted : if you aren't willing to take a job, you aren't an entrepreneur.
I am humbling my engineering degree accomplishment to SEEK pain. Hopefully get enough accumulated pain to finally become the dog that gets off that stupid nail.

Side hustle idea: Copywriting seems to be the area I am going to go.
I saw editor and was thinking that might be my pace. That seems to be the paint brush that I can apply to anywhere (horizontal) until I find my niche (and go vertical). It'll satisfy my curiosity about everything in the world.

It's not Fastlane but let's see where this leads to.
Still want to think that I'll gather enough tools (skills) to go into the Forest and have a fighting chance.

Don't pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one
-Bruce Lee
Basically my posts on this thread is going to be a failure diary to who-knows-where-I'll-end-up.

Small update:
Finally bit the bullet and decided to work Home Depot as a minimum wage job mainly for benefits and trying to find out what I want to do.
I figured going to the Daymond John route, become an assistant manager/manager while hustling on the side.

I suck at decision making and slow at making them (traits of NOT an entrepreneur or CEO).
I just got so many worries like am I making the right decision to build myself up for the next step.

Not to think that personalities can't be changed but, as for now I am ENFP, 9-Peacemaker, SEC (Social Enterprise Conventional), Communicator Harmony Includer.
The ideal careers that overlap are HR Manager, social worker, psychiatrist, vet. (These are all slow lane, re-education, high debt, will take too many years)
BUT also Sales manager, business supervisor, real estate agent, customer support, entrepreneur, and editor. So... there's still hope! ;)

No personality test(s) is perfect and doesn't define everyone but I know that for my path, knowing myself will be my best contribution. I feel knowing myself is 90% of the work (life, work, business roles, skills, etc). After that, it's all process (NOT a journey) of where I want to go.
(P.S. I also want to say F**k that and F**k FATE! But that'll be a later post ;) )

Step 1) customer support and Home Depot. Take the "easy" route of sales, learn how to talk to people (even angry customers, CAN'T WAIT FOR THOSE!), make some cash and take some benefits while finding a side-hustle or skill.
I keep telling myself from what's from Unscripted : if you aren't willing to take a job, you aren't an entrepreneur.
I am humbling my engineering degree accomplishment to SEEK pain. Hopefully get enough accumulated pain to finally become the dog that gets off that stupid nail.

Side hustle idea: Copywriting seems to be the area I am going to go.
I saw editor and was thinking that might be my pace. That seems to be the paint brush that I can apply to anywhere (horizontal) until I find my niche (and go vertical). It'll satisfy my curiosity about everything in the world.

It's not Fastlane but let's see where this leads to.
Still want to think that I'll gather enough tools (skills) to go into the Forest and have a fighting chance.

Don't pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one
-Bruce Lee

Also, going to catch up to Lex Deville's 5 years of copywriting freelance journey.
 

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Small update:
Finally bit the bullet and decided to work Home Depot as a minimum wage job mainly for benefits and trying to find out what I want to do.

Was not expecting this.

Why don't you try your hand at a service business?

Connect inbound lead (customer) with a service provider. Keep the extra. It's that simple.

I go to Home Depot about 3 times a week it seems.

If I were you, I would connect the dots with the guys walking in there to buy building materials (myself), and the customers walking in there that need home services performed.

You don't even need to run ads. You can just shoot the shit with Home Depot customers and turn them into your own customers....
 

longjca

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Was not expecting this.

Why don't you try your hand at a service business?

Connect inbound lead (customer) with a service provider. Keep the extra. It's that simple.

I go to Home Depot about 3 times a week it seems.

If I were you, I would connect the dots with the guys walking in there to buy building materials (myself), and the customers walking in there that need home services performed.

You don't even need to run ads. You can just shoot the shit with Home Depot customers and turn them into your own customers....
Exactly my thoughts.

Get in the customer's face without much pressure. Just be curious about their work and pick their brain about their industry. Find the pains, see if I can fix the problems or how difficult it is, CENTS the thing (chances are there are mostly low 'Entry' barriers which won't get me fastlane but at least I am customer facing). I feel most industries that use Home Depot are pretty much recession proof or at least will survive recessions.

Exactly how Unscripted says, just because it's not a digital product doesn't mean it can't be Fastlane.
But I struggle with this because a big part of me wants to be a digital product because of the "scale" factor. I don't think I am accounting that if I am too fast to grow, I can also be fast to fail too.

I know I am thinking really small and been thinking to learn to Copywrite on the side while just bringing in some income. Gotta make the wife happy for a little bit until I get some skill and direction.
 
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GravyBoat

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Get in the customer's face without much pressure. Just be curious about their work and pick their brain about their industry. Find the pains, see if I can fix the problems or how difficult it is, CENTS the thing (chances are there are mostly low 'Entry' barriers which won't get me fastlane but at least I am customer facing). I feel most industries that use Home Depot are pretty much recession proof or at least will survive recessions.

Exactly how Unscripted says, just because it's not a digital product doesn't mean it can't be Fastlane.
But I struggle with this because a big part of me wants to be a digital product because of the "scale" factor. I don't think I am accounting that if I am too fast to grow, I can also be fast to fail too.

I know I am thinking really small and been thinking to learn to Copywrite on the side while just bringing in some income. Gotta make the wife happy for a little bit until I get some skill and direction.


Take this with a grain of salt because my home service business does NOT follow CENTS.

The barrier to entry is STUPIDLY low.

That being said, it's a far cry from working for minimum wage.

You get to learn a LOT about all aspects of business that will 100% help you in your next ventures.

Sure, you aren't 100% CENTS compliant at the start, but you're in analysis paralysis mode.

My suggestion would be to take some action on starting a low barrier to entry business, so you learn the ropes. From there, you can assess further if it's even something you want to do at all.

Part of being low barrier to entry means that you can try it, if you don't like it, you can wash your hands quickly. But at least you will now KNOW the answer beyond a shadow of a doubt.
 

GravyBoat

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Gotta make the wife happy for a little bit until I get some skill and direction.

I'm not sure of your financial situation, or your wife's needs. But I would wager working for min wage, especially as a 7 year engineer who has a high paying skill, is not moving the needle much in either direction.

I would take the next 2 weeks, learn as MUCH as you can from Home Depot, quit and start your own service business. Doesn't matter what industry. Painting, plumbing, roofing, siding, drywall, pressure washing, lawn care, landscaping, concrete. The list is infinite.

Find a customer willing to pay for a service, and find someone to perform the service. Doing just ONE of those jobs will teach you ALOT more than working at HD, not to mention you'll probably make in 1 day what you make in a week working there.

My business profited me $2275 today, all from happily paying customers that we performed services for. The barrier to entry is so stupidly low that you could legit have this up and running in a week or less.

I'm not trying to shit on you either, I'm trying to push you out of your comfort zone (employment) and make you do something you'll be proud of. Literally life changing shit right here.
 

longjca

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I'm not sure of your financial situation, or your wife's needs. But I would wager working for min wage, especially as a 7 year engineer who has a high paying skill, is not moving the needle much in either direction.

I would take the next 2 weeks, learn as MUCH as you can from Home Depot, quit and start your own service business. Doesn't matter what industry. Painting, plumbing, roofing, siding, drywall, pressure washing, lawn care, landscaping, concrete. The list is infinite.

Find a customer willing to pay for a service, and find someone to perform the service. Doing just ONE of those jobs will teach you ALOT more than working at HD, not to mention you'll probably make in 1 day what you make in a week working there.

My business profited me $2275 today, all from happily paying customers that we performed services for. The barrier to entry is so stupidly low that you could legit have this up and running in a week or less.

I'm not trying to shit on you either, I'm trying to push you out of your comfort zone (employment) and make you do something you'll be proud of. Literally life changing shit right here.
Hey thanks for this. I needed it.
I don't mind you giving me hard advice either so you being truthful to me means a lot.

Definitely going to be pushing myself outside of my comfort zone. I just been in it too long and now I'm just stagnant (which I think is worse than pain).

I will be starting my own service base business like you said. Another friend offered me a role for his start-up drilling company. Go figure. Hard labor isn't really what I was expecting but then again, no one in the future wants to do it either. So I'll be looking into how to find clients for him (sales) in the construction industry and might as well learn copywriting being that I think it'll be complementary.
 
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Deleted50669

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Putting myself out there to get myself accountable for my lack of motivation and analysis paralysis.

33 years old, own 2 houses one being rental, wife and 2 dogs, engineer of 7 years, decided to go find something more meaningful that works directly with people.

Wanted to find something fast and with big passive money just like everyone else. Fell for all the fake digital marketing gurus. Found lead generation, SEO, Facebook Ads, Google Ads, (basically digital marketing), sales and more (All before I read TMF and Unscripted ). I'm sure any of these can make a lot of money per month (with a lot of hard work) but most of the methods just seemed questionable.
I "implemented" some of the work but like an engineer, I kept finding what is wrong with each of these techniques and it didn't feel right to try to build money-generating systems through manipulation ($$$ used. Probably not all lost since I am still in the programs and I could go back to them).

On this chase, I quit my job to take on a sales job but soon got let go because I wasn't good enough (the sales course made be believe I could play with the big dogs. Apparently not!) Been trying to put my skills to good use with my engineering background but don't want to go back to engineering because it just felt it wasn't how I see my life (in front of a computer for 40+ years living a "comfortable" life). If you're a Myers-Briggs believer, I'm an ENFP where Civil Engineering is one of the top careers NOT to go into (Structured stuff without creativity is very boring). There's more to my self analysis that says to no going back to engineering but Myers-Briggs is the quickest way for me to relate to people.

Now that I read Unscripted , I am putting away my pride, act like a real entrepreneur. Go find a job to cover the bills and gain industry knowledge. Then build something on the side or become an "intrapreneur" and grow the company I'm with.
Unscripted opened quite a bit about myself, how I'm a wantrepreneur, idea guy with no execution skills, tried to lead with passion instead of value driven, almost gaming SEO and more.

So, I am naturally curious about sales, public speaking, negotiations and communication so I'll continue to sharpen those skills.
Top of mind to finding problems is to become a VA on Fiverr or Upwork (Kevin O'Leary idea). Plenty of people with problems in there. Not sure if that's a waste of my time though.

I hope my failures helps someone here. The struggle is real. Wandering but not entirely lost.

Since being tricked, I been digging deeper into finding philosophy, truth-seeking and spirituality. I find that suffering is unavoidable that connects us all and learning how to embrace and cope with it is one of the best skills to have. I find that Stoicism, Buddhism (make your pick, SO many types but find the one you might resonate with) and the similar.

I blame myself for not having a focus on what I want to be, what I want, or finding a mentor's lifestyle I admire. I think that's the 70%+ of the problem.
Why I don't know what I want:
1) I have it. (Maybe but more like...)
2) I don't know myself because I never can. Like an eye can't look at itself. I am ever-changing and got to stop trying to cling onto myself. The more I give, the more I get back. The more I give, the more I become. When I stop giving and try to cling on, I better learn to give because there's no way of holding on to it.
Seems like you maybe haven't asked yourself the right questions yet. People tend to latch onto philosophy as a crutch when they are confronted with the discomfort of reality. The only real way forward is to set the right targets and move closer to them.

Setting the right targets is not a matter of asking "What do I want to be?" or "What do I want?". These questions are too vague and will not allow you to be specific-enough to set actual goals. Your point about "an eye cannot look at itself" is accurate, it sometimes helps to work with a coach or a close friend who knows how to get you answering the right questions.
 

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