100 ideas, no BUSINESS (Why I AM Still stuck in the slow-lane)

[chrisbiz4444]

I have a problem

As many of you guys know I have posted about many business projects. After digging deeper I either found out the need was no longer there or the need had already been filled by someone else. It is a real problem and im starting to realize how bad not being committed to one project or goal really is.

The question becomes how do you find a REAL need and how do you know when truly found something worth building? I often hear background noise that sometimes changes my mind about the business venture im about to start... Why? Because im never confident enough that I found a REAL need.

For example: The other day someone told me eCommerce is a thing of the past and its not worth getting into due to amazon. However I have also heard success story's here on this forum. How do you know when someone is telling you accurate info about something or if they simply have no idea what they are saying?

No direction

I am not successful personally because I have no direction. I dive into a business idea and then soon scrap it because I find something wrong with it and talk myself out of it. Then I focus on something else and start the cycle all over again. I know this is bad. But I also feel like im focusing on B.S business ideas. I have no confidence is most of them.

Any example of this is my click bank product. After finding out most ppl are giving away there click-bank eBooks I scrapped the project.


Corporate job= motivation
I now have a corporate job. I know many people on this forum say a job equals comfort but it had the opposite effect on me. I go into work every day and it scares the shit out of me. These people think this is living life to the fullest ? Going into work to sit in a cubicle for 10 hours on nice summer days... Are you kidding me ! People do this throughout their whole life entire life. They don't even get a chance to live, travel or see all the beautiful things the world has to offer. I realize now that if I don't grind it out and because a success here, I will be stuck in this same lifestyle. Getting a corporate job has been the greatest motivation of all time. I just started recently and I already cant stand it. However I am staying. This job forces me to grind hard to find a way out of it through creating my own company.

Success will equal corporate job freedom.

Fixing my problem
I need to learn how to focus. But before I learn how to focus I need to learn what I should even be focusing on. eCommerce ? Brick and mortar? Financial services company? Real estate? I'm truly lost. I have learned so many life changing things from this forum and im thankful for the growth but I still have no real path.

eCommerce sounds like a good start-up for someone inexperienced like myself. But after hearing the failure rates Idk if its the right choice. Can eCommerce be a fast-lane path ? Also any other clarification or guidance would be awesome.


Skills- I am great at sales, I have experience in marketing/ automotive/ banking/ telemarketing ( The creator of this telemarketing company is now worth 40 million ) But anyway... I am really lost

Downside- I am not organized, small profit margins make me lose interest quickly. And I have no code/website/ seo skills.

I just need some kind of direction to focus my efforts. I am all over the board and I am getting absolutely nowhere as many here know.

 

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[DeletedUser394]

Can eCommerce be a fast-lane path ?

Holy crap, is this a real question? Here's a serious question on my part: Do you honestly know what fastlane means?

Read the book again bro. Seriously. I'm around 200 pages in for the 4th or 5th time.

You come across as wanting to be spoonfed a plan of attack. Stick to one idea and execute.

I had the same problem. Just pick one thing, focus, etc.

 

[DrkSide]

If this was your first post I might be nice but you have over 200 posts and it sounds like you have learned nothing in that time.

Pick one thing and work it from the beginning to the end. Forget about competitors and get over the little hurdles that have made you give up.

If you can't do this just stay at your job.

 

[TJPB]

There will always be reasons not to do something. There are 1000 reasons not to start a clothing brand but I did it anyway. Weed out the show-stopper reasons and focus.

 

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[Vigilante]

The world needs ditch diggers also.

 

[chrisbiz4444]

Holy crap, is this a real question? Here's a serious question on my part: Do you honestly know what fastlane means?

Read the book again bro. Seriously. I'm around 200 pages in for the 4th or 5th time.

You come across as wanting to be spoonfed a plan of attack. Stick to one idea and execute.

I had the same problem. Just pick one thing, focus, etc.

Maybe this thread could have been worded a little differently because it sounds like it is being read wrong.

1.) I am not asking to be spoon fed anything, nor do I want to be. All I am asking to hear is peoples experiences here and If they have actually made any progress in the specific sector they choose so I can make the choices for myself based on facts shared i these experiences.

2.) I know eCommerce can be a path to go. I worded this wrong clearly as well. What I am asking about is drop-ship eCommerce. Does anyone know of any stores that have scaled into something big on a drop-ship plan?

And I will be reading the book again. Thanks away.

 

[RHL]

how do you find a REAL need and how do you know when truly found something worth building

People tell you they want to buy it even when you make no effort to sell it. They seek it out, they bring it up, they ask you to sell even if it isn't ready to go to market. You acquire many customers by word-of-mouth. Things like that.

 

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[chrisbiz4444]

1.) I am not asking to be spoon fed anything, nor do I want to be. All I am asking to hear is peoples experiences here and If they have actually made any progress in the specific sector they choose so I can make the choices for myself based on facts shared i these experiences.

People tell you they want to buy it even when you make no effort to sell it. They seek it out, they bring it up, they ask you to sell even if it isn't ready to go to market. You acquire many customers by word-of-mouth. Things like that.

Thanks, now are you talking about creating a product? Or are you talking about just selling a product via drop-ship? From what I understand there is a difference because anyone can throw up a store and sell the same thing you are selling. Where is the barrier to entry?

Nice car btw.

 

[RHL]

Or are you talking about just selling a product via drop-ship?

Anything. In my case it was both products and services. All value propositions are validated through demands to buy or trade them for something else of value.

Where is the barrier to entry?

Variable based on product.

 

[Genester]

My advice to you would be to stop listening to what everyone else is telling you and decide for yourself if you think a business is a good idea or not. Once you decide on one or two, TAKE ACTION and just start them up, you can literally start a eCommerce dropshipping business for less than $30 if you wanted to, just DO IT. That's the only way you will truly find out if your idea is good or bad man. Seriously, don't expect to hit a homerun on your first time at bat, just swing away, eventually you'll hit it out of the ballpark.

 

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[AllenCrawley]

Enough is ENOUGH! You need to take a stand, commit or forget about this whole thing and stick with a j.o.b.

Stop worrying about whether something is fastlane or not. Dare I say you're asking the wrong question. You're using TMF jargon without a clear understanding of it. What effectively you are asking is "will I make big money with this?". Money chaser.

You ask is ecommerce fastlane, is dropship ecom fastlane, is starting an SEO company fastlane? Those things in and of themselves are not fastlane. They are vehicles that can take you to the fastlane.

We say it all the time... Provide value, fill a need/gap in the market, etc, etc.

You can analyze ideas using the CENTS commandments. Take all ideas that fit most or all of CENTS and pick the one that you have the most experience or knowledge about and get to work. If you won't commit, take right actions and execute consistently. Quit now. You're wasting your time.

When things get tough remember the commandment of entry. If it was easy everyone would do it. The greater the barrier the greater the potential for fastlane.

This may also help you out... don't think 4 hour work week. Think 24/7 and go into it knowing you're going to have to work your A$$ off for a few years before you can even take a short breather.

I've been grinding since 4:30am. It's nearly 11pm. I'm tired and fighting to keep my eyes open but you know what?

I'd Rather Be Tired Than Broke.



[the above is a sleep deprived rant that I'm hoping made some sense and I don't have to do some heavy editing tomorrow when I review it.]

 

[DeletedUser10]

I've been going through a little bit of the same thing. I was watching YouTube and came across a video of Guy Kawasaki. He mentions that the most important thing to do is to make a prototype. In other words... Whatever you're selling, try to sell one or more of them as soon as possible. If people buy, you are on to something.

Only YOU can make up your mind about what you want to sell.

STOP looking to other people for validation. I used to do that and it kept me handicapped.

You're looking for an idea and you are searching too hard. Sometimes, you have to let things come to you.

Wait... Find the idea... Then commit.

DON'T MENTALLY MASTURBATE!

Live life, work hard at your goals and the path will show itself. Fall in love with the process, not the idea.

 

[mowealth]

It's all about taking risks and like MJ wrote in MFL, if you don't know or don't have the skills to do something, go to a library, grab a book, study the process. If you keep on moving from business to business just because you lose focus after something goes wrong or people telling you that you won't make it, you will never get anywhere, that's the truth and I've been there. You have to understand that failure is the best spice that gives success its flavor. No one became successful without some sort of failure, no one. You have to focus on something and make it happen.

It seems to me like you have simply lost motivation, a quote for you "People say motivation never lasts, neither does showering but it's recommended daily." Read the book once or even twice again to get inspired, I am sure you will pick up on something that you missed before. There are people on this forum who have read the book more than 3-4 times, why can't you.

Based on your description, it seems like you have a lot of skills, probably more than a lot have to offer, but you don't really take action. My advice to you, start one thing. Focus on it, find ways to improve it, see what your customers want, once you get it right, and you really have to get it right once, then you are in business. Stop listening to people who discourage you, they should only be there to motivate you and prove them wrong. If you are confident about something try it, do it, what do you really have to lose?

 

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[JAJT]

The world needs ditch diggers also.

 

[CommonCents]

Businesses and industries aren't fastlane. People doing the right things are fastlane, no matter what biz/industry/biz model. I don't even like to use the oft repeated references to 'taking risks'. Entrepreneurs do everything they can to minimize risk. Who really seeks risk in their lives for risk's sake? I'd say only self destructive people.

The real risk?

Doing nothing and pissing your life away if you aren't happy and fulfilled in your current situation.

If you need some motivation, go talk to old people. Ask them about their regrets in life. What they would have done different, what they would have tried. You'll have your answer.

Do a search on old peoples' regrets like this one below. There are many lists online to read but they all have common themes.

http://www.influencehq.com/top-19-things-dying-people-say-regret-act-late/

But for real motivation, go do talk to people in person, it's much more impactful. Maybe a visit to a nursing home and visit with a few even complete strangers. It'll do both of you some good.

Good luck to you in finding your way.

 

[Lathan]

@chrisbiz4444

There are a couple unnecessary, negative comments here.

Just ignore them.

If we want something bad enough, eventually we will find a way. No one starts out knowing it all and has an unbreakable, go-getter type mindset from the very beginning. If you think this is what you are meant to do then keep pushing. That's what I'm doing.

 

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[Christian]

I need to learn how to focus. But before I learn how to focus I need to learn what I should even be focusing on.

I have a problem

As many of you guys know I have posted about many business projects. After digging deeper I either found out the need was no longer there or the need had already been filled by someone else. It is a real problem and im starting to realize how bad not being committed to one project or goal really is.

The question becomes how do you find a REAL need and how do you know when truly found something worth building? I often hear background noise that sometimes changes my mind about the business venture im about to start... Why? Because im never confident enough that I found a REAL need.

For example: The other day someone told me eCommerce is a thing of the past and its not worth getting into due to amazon. However I have also heard success story's here on this forum. How do you know when someone is telling you accurate info about something or if they simply have no idea what they are saying?

No direction

I am not successful personally because I have no direction. I dive into a business idea and then soon scrap it because I find something wrong with it and talk myself out of it. Then I focus on something else and start the cycle all over again. I know this is bad. But I also feel like im focusing on B.S business ideas. I have no confidence is most of them.

Any example of this is my click bank product. After finding out most ppl are giving away there click-bank eBooks I scrapped the project.


Corporate job= motivation
I now have a corporate job. I know many people on this forum say a job equals comfort but it had the opposite effect on me. I go into work every day and it scares the shit out of me. These people think this is living life to the fullest ? Going into work to sit in a cubicle for 10 hours on nice summer days... Are you kidding me ! People do this throughout their whole life entire life. They don't even get a chance to live, travel or see all the beautiful things the world has to offer. I realize now that if I don't grind it out and because a success here, I will be stuck in this same lifestyle. Getting a corporate job has been the greatest motivation of all time. I just started recently and I already cant stand it. However I am staying. This job forces me to grind hard to find a way out of it through creating my own company.

Success will equal corporate job freedom.

Fixing my problem
I need to learn how to focus. But before I learn how to focus I need to learn what I should even be focusing on. eCommerce ? Brick and mortar? Financial services company? Real estate? I'm truly lost. I have learned so many life changing things from this forum and im thankful for the growth but I still have no real path.

eCommerce sounds like a good start-up for someone inexperienced like myself. But after hearing the failure rates Idk if its the right choice. Can eCommerce be a fast-lane path ? Also any other clarification or guidance would be awesome.

Skills- I am great at sales, I have experience in marketing/ automotive/ banking/ telemarketing ( The creator of this telemarketing company is now worth 40 million ) But anyway... I am really lost

Downside- I am not organized, small profit margins make me lose interest quickly. And I have no code/website/ seo skills.

I just need some kind of direction to focus my efforts. I am all over the board and I am getting absolutely nowhere as many here know.

Hey Chris,

I feel your pain and I can relate, so here is my two cents. Someone else made a good post about chasing money as a problem you may be having. You said, "I need to learn how to focus. But before I learn how to focus I need to learn what I should even be focusing on." ---- focus on solving peoples needs. If you want direction, start small WITHOUT the idea of making any money. Help someone for no good reason other than practicing listening to what other people need. Your in a corporate world, people are bound to complain in the office. Listen to what their pain points are, and focus on solving them - however minor. The idea here is building a process for being able to identify needs that people have and being able to creatively solve them. Eventually you would like to make money and build a fastlane business, but you need to start by focusing on the first commandment...

 

[Magik]

Your problem is you are chasing money, which has also been my problem. Your primary focus is quitting your job and entering the "fastlane". You are simply focused on the wrong things. You should be focused on how you can help other people. As MJ has said, "the way to solve all of your problems is to solve someone else's".

You've been given a lot of advice in this thread. Below, I am going to list some things that hopefully give you some ideas. The next two paragraphs is from the book Ca$hvertising, which I highly recommend.

Eight basic wants: survival, food and drink, freedom from fear/pain/danger, sex, comfortable living conditions, to feel superior, care/protection of loved ones, social approval

Nine Secondary Wants: to be informed, curiosity, cleanliness of body and surroundings, efficiency, convenience, dependability, expression of beauty and style, economy/profit, bargains

All can be summed to the following: make more money, save more money, look/feel sexier, get more sex/better sex, be more comfortable, feel safer/care and protection for me and loved ones (including pets), look/feel important/feel superior, be entertained. Actually, almost everything gets back to feel more comfortable.

The more you can appeal to the above, the better your chances. Of course, if you don't commit to something and keep chasing money, the miracle won't happen. You need to be willing to commit years to something before you start seeing the results. If you can't do this, then you are more concerned with your own needs than those of others, and you will most likely fail. Pick an idea, and go ALL IN. As Zen has said, stop digging multiple one foot holes, dig one hole hundreds of feet down, because that's where the money is. I hope this helps, I needed to hear myself say it too.

 

[throttleforward]

You're afraid of failing. You must fail in order to succeed. You tipie-toe up to the edge of taking real action, look down, get scared, look for any excuse possible to step back, and then step back.

Just resovle to yourself that you MUST waste money, time, and energy in order to move forward. You can't think your way through everything - sometimes you have to just experience it.

 

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[Magik]

You're afraid of failing. You must fail in order to succeed. You tipie-toe up to the edge of taking real action, look down, get scared, look for any excuse possible to step back, and then step back.

Just resovle to yourself that you MUST waste money, time, and energy in order to move forward. You can't think your way through everything - sometimes you have to just experience it.

Exactly. The quicker you fail, the better. It's amazing how we will do anything to avoid pain and be comfortable. As we try to take action, we still want the easier way out. We want success, but we are scared of the pain, discomfort, and failure that comes before it. The ones who are able to work through this pain, discomfort, and failure and keep pushing are the ones who will make it.

 

[chrisbiz4444]

My advice to you would be to stop listening to what everyone else is telling you and decide for yourself if you think a business is a good idea or not. Once you decide on one or two, TAKE ACTION and just start them up, you can literally start a eCommerce dropshipping business for less than $30 if you wanted to, just DO IT. That's the only way you will truly find out if your idea is good or bad man. Seriously, don't expect to hit a homerun on your first time at bat, just swing away, eventually you'll hit it out of the ballpark.

That is the real problem though. There is no longer a barrier to entry anymore so that goes against one of the lesson in the book. That is why I am asking for someones personal experience. If the market is flooded with crappy Ecom stores it might not be the way to go anymore because even if you were to find a killer niche and product to sell someone else will just come in right behind you and put up the same store in hours. They can undercut prices and kill any margins at any time... That is a problem.

 

[chrisbiz4444]

It's all about taking risks and like MJ wrote in MFL, if you don't know or don't have the skills to do something, go to a library, grab a book, study the process. If you keep on moving from business to business just because you lose focus after something goes wrong or people telling you that you won't make it, you will never get anywhere, that's the truth and I've been there. You have to understand that failure is the best spice that gives success its flavor. No one became successful without some sort of failure, no one. You have to focus on something and make it happen.

It seems to me like you have simply lost motivation, a quote for you "People say motivation never lasts, neither does showering but it's recommended daily." Read the book once or even twice again to get inspired, I am sure you will pick up on something that you missed before. There are people on this forum who have read the book more than 3-4 times, why can't you.

Based on your description, it seems like you have a lot of skills, probably more than a lot have to offer, but you don't really take action. My advice to you, start one thing. Focus on it, find ways to improve it, see what your customers want, once you get it right, and you really have to get it right once, then you are in business. Stop listening to people who discourage you, they should only be there to motivate you and prove them wrong. If you are confident about something try it, do it, what do you really have to lose?

Thank you man I appreciate it.

 

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[chrisbiz4444]

Your problem is you are chasing money, which has also been my problem. Your primary focus is quitting your job and entering the "fastlane". You are simply focused on the wrong things. You should be focused on how you can help other people. As MJ has said, "the way to solve all of your problems is to solve someone else's".

You've been given a lot of advice in this thread. Below, I am going to list some things that hopefully give you some ideas. The next two paragraphs is from the book Ca$hvertising, which I highly recommend.

Eight basic wants: survival, food and drink, freedom from fear/pain/danger, sex, comfortable living conditions, to feel superior, care/protection of loved ones, social approval

Nine Secondary Wants: to be informed, curiosity, cleanliness of body and surroundings, efficiency, convenience, dependability, expression of beauty and style, economy/profit, bargains

All can be summed to the following: make more money, save more money, look/feel sexier, get more sex/better sex, be more comfortable, feel safer/care and protection for me and loved ones (including pets), look/feel important/feel superior, be entertained. Actually, almost everything gets back to feel more comfortable.

The more you can appeal to the above, the better your chances. Of course, if you don't commit to something and keep chasing money, the miracle won't happen. You need to be willing to commit years to something before you start seeing the results. If you can't do this, then you are more concerned with your own needs than those of others, and you will most likely fail. Pick an idea, and go ALL IN. As Zen has said, stop digging multiple one foot holes, dig one hole hundreds of feet down, because that's where the money is. I hope this helps, I needed to hear myself say it too.

Awesome thanks, Got me back on the right track.

 

[DrkSide]

That is the real problem though. There is no longer a barrier to entry anymore so that goes against one of the lesson in the book. That is why I am asking for someones personal experience. If the market is flooded with crappy Ecom stores it might not be the way to go anymore because even if you were to find a killer niche and product to sell someone else will just come in right behind you and put up the same store in hours. They can undercut prices and kill any margins at any time... That is a problem.

Either private label a product or add value with a bundled product. The above just sounds like an excuse.

You are asking for personal experience. Do something and get your own experience. You can read everyone elses personal experiences on this forum, but if you don't take action it is pointless.

 

[chrisbiz4444]

Either private label a product or add value with a bundled product. The above just sounds like an excuse.

You are asking for personal experience. Do something and get your own experience. You can read everyone elses personal experiences on this forum, but if you don't take action it is pointless.

I am going to read into this private label stuff you speak of.

 

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[DrkSide]

I am going to read into this private label stuff you speak of.

Take a product that is selling, change it in some way or build a brand around it and sell it under your own brands name.

That is all there is to know (for the basics at least).

 

[chrisbiz4444]

Take a product that is selling, change it in some way or build a brand around it and sell it under your own brands name.

That is all there is to know (for the basics at least).

So I am basically taking someones product, turning it into my product and then I assume they get commission on whatever sells?

 

[DeletedUser394]

Let's take an example from the forum.

Guy buys the same type of soap that multiple people are selling on amazon. Guy repackages it so that it's more attractive, and he includes better copy.

Guy sells it under his own brand name. Guy makes money.

There's no commission, it is HIS product.

 

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[DrkSide]

Read this http://www.fastcompany.com/3021229/chaim-pikarski-the-amazon-whisperer

 

[chrisbiz4444]

Let's take an example from the forum.

Guy buys the same type of soap that multiple people are selling on amazon. Guy repackages it so that it's more attractive, and he includes better copy.

Guy sells it under his own brand name. Guy makes money.

There's no commission, it is HIS product.

That is legal? For example- I can take say brand name Dial soap and call it something else and sell it? That makes no sense at all. It sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen.