23 and quitting corporate to focus on company

[Danielle Hu]

Hi guys!

My name is Danielle and I'm from New York. A HUUGE thank you to @MJ DeMarco for giving me the life/career perception shift I needed to really commit to quitting my 9-5 job in 2 months and focus on my side company.

I was raised by the most loving Chinese immigrant parents who preached stability and attaining a life in the slowlane. In high school I first worked $10/hr jobs but then got impatient and started teaching math/reading/viola/piano to 20 students: a glimpse of control, but no freedom as my time was tied. I attended an Ivy League (yay happy parents) and continued to trade my time for money in numerous jobs. I experienced "freedom".. or so I thought.. when I studied abroad in Milan and Hong Kong and spent all my money on traveling and even graduated early to couchsurf through 50 countries. I was herded towards finance at a bank (needed funding for my travels right?!) but knew since day 1 I hated my job and was capable of so much more. But I continued to spend everything on travel and continue my lifestyle servitude. Now I see clearly I am a slave to the system-- I became the employee I used to mock who spent 51 weeks working for 3 weeks off.. I guess you can't see the picture when you're in the frame!

I decided I wanted change, and played with ideas such as working for a startup (but still servitude) to becoming a travel blogger (possible but low barriers to entry) to starting over and moving to Australia. Finally decided if I create a system for passive income I don’t need to start over and leave everything behind, I can take a 2 month vacation to Australia whenever I want. TIME is so much more important than money! How was I so blind?! So last month I started importing and opened an online store. It's so exciting waking up to see sales made while sleeping, and having wealth variables that are unlimited and controllable!

After reading this book the key takeaways I will be applying are:
1) Constantly be LEARNING. All insecurities stem from self-imposed mental barriers and I can know everything if I teach myself how and reach out to experienced individuals.
2) Be more open about sharing my ideas. The owner of an idea is not he who imagines it, but he who executes it.
3) Law of effection and branding; focus on how my product can help YOU
4) Offer my own affiliate program
5) Surround myself with like-minded inspirational individuals and create accelerative winds. I have always been surrounded by finance/consulting so moving up the corporate ladder is all I’ve known. I look at my executives and I think “I don't want to be you in 20 years” but then I see MJ and stories in this forum and think wow you guys are amazing I want to adopt your life outlook and habits.

I’m so excited to start on this new path in life with a completely changed mindset from a year ago. I have a savings goal and am giving in my 2 weeks 7/1!! Still have a long ways to go but going one step at a time.

Again, thank you MJ and hellllooo fastlaners! I can’t wait to meet and learn from you all!

Danielle

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Welcome Danielle, excellent intro with a ton of action going on...

Safe to say, you UNDERSTOOD my book!

Too many read it and come back with the wrong interpretation... (Lead Generation! Yah!)

Thanks for sharing.

 

[kubikdanon]

Hi guys!

My name is Danielle and I'm from New York. A HUUGE thank you to @MJ DeMarco for giving me the life/career perception shift I needed to really commit to quitting my 9-5 job in 2 months and focus on my side company.

I was raised by the most loving Chinese immigrant parents who preached stability and attaining a life in the slowlane. In high school I first worked $10/hr jobs but then got impatient and started teaching math/reading/viola/piano to 20 students: a glimpse of control, but no freedom as my time was tied. I attended an Ivy League (yay happy parents) and continued to trade my time for money in numerous jobs. I experienced "freedom".. or so I thought.. when I studied abroad in Milan and Hong Kong and spent all my money on traveling and even graduated early to couchsurf through 50 countries. I was herded towards finance at a bank (needed funding for my travels right?!) but knew since day 1 I hated my job and was capable of so much more. But I continued to spend everything on travel and continue my lifestyle servitude. Now I see clearly I am a slave to the system-- I became the employee I used to mock who spent 51 weeks working for 3 weeks off.. I guess you can't see the picture when you're in the frame!

I decided I wanted change, and played with ideas such as working for a startup (but still servitude) to becoming a travel blogger (possible but low barriers to entry) to starting over and moving to Australia. Finally decided if I create a system for passive income I don’t need to start over and leave everything behind, I can take a 2 month vacation to Australia whenever I want. TIME is so much more important than money! How was I so blind?! So last month I started importing and opened an online store. It's so exciting waking up to see sales made while sleeping, and having wealth variables that are unlimited and controllable!

After reading this book the key takeaways I will be applying are:
1) Constantly be LEARNING. All insecurities stem from self-imposed mental barriers and I can know everything if I teach myself how and reach out to experienced individuals.
2) Be more open about sharing my ideas. The owner of an idea is not he who imagines it, but he who executes it.
3) Law of effection and branding; focus on how my product can help YOU
4) Offer my own affiliate program
5) Surround myself with like-minded inspirational individuals and create accelerative winds. I have always been surrounded by finance/consulting so moving up the corporate ladder is all I’ve known. I look at my executives and I think “I don't want to be you in 20 years” but then I see MJ and stories in this forum and think wow you guys are amazing I want to adopt your life outlook and habits.

I’m so excited to start on this new path in life with a completely changed mindset from a year ago. I have a savings goal and am giving in my 2 weeks 7/1!! Still have a long ways to go but going one step at a time.

Again, thank you MJ and hellllooo fastlaners! I can’t wait to meet and learn from you all!

Danielle

Hi Danielle,

Glad to see a young girl with this mindset. I am 22 and I am finding it hard to meet people with the same beliefs/goals.
Got pretty much the same story with my parents being Ukrainian immigrants who talk about slowlane all the time although I kept talking about fastlane for long enough and it seems like they are slightly changing their mind now
"5) Surround myself with like-minded inspirational individuals and create accelerative winds. I have always been surrounded by finance/consulting so moving up the corporate ladder is all I’ve known. I look at my executives and I think “I don't want to be you in 20 years” but then I see MJ and stories in this forum and think wow you guys are amazing I want to adopt your life outlook and habits." - this is the key. Once I changed my environment/people who I hang out with, the whole world changed. There are so many possibilities out there, you just gotta think differently and take action!

P.S. I will be visiting NY in a month or so, would be cool if we could meet up

 

[Paul Thomas]

Awesome and relatable story and welcome from another NYC'er!

 

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[Walter Hay]

@Danielle Hu, your knowledge of Chinese culture and language can be a great asset to you in importing from China, but do you have sourcing skills? Are you aware of the pitfalls of sourcing using popular B2B sites?

If not, you might find valuable help in my thread:
GOLD Sharing my lifetime experience in export/import. Product sourcing specialist.

Regards,
Walter

 

[AgainstAllOdds]

I’m so excited to start on this new path in life with a completely changed mindset from a year ago. I have a savings goal and am giving in my 2 weeks 7/1!!

You should focus on getting traction in your business before quitting your job. Once you quit, the clock starts.

There's an incredible amount of businesses that are killed by cashflow. Keeping a job while getting traction eliminates the majority of that risk.

If you already have sales, then jump in. If not, then get those customers and a concrete plan for growing the business before quitting.

Best of luck @Danielle Hu

 

[gatorgus]

Welcome Danielle! I wish I had been thinking like you when I was your age. Way to go setting your separation date from your job and best of luck focusing on your fastlane!

 

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[memelia]

hello fellow galboss!

 

[JasonR]

@Danielle Hu, your knowledge of Chinese culture and language can be a great asset to you in importing from China, but do you have sourcing skills? Are you aware of the pitfalls of sourcing using popular B2B sites?

I was thinking the exact same thing.

Congrats on starting your import business.

I'm launching several new products and I realized the fastest way to get going is to have my boots on the ground in China. If it takes me two months in China, I'll do it. Most people are sitting on their desk cruising the internet for products.

Your knowledge of Chinese culture (and perhaps the language) will be HUGE for you.

Props to couch surfing in over 50 countries. That's amazing.

Stick around - the ones that do usually find success.

 

[Walter Hay]

I was thinking the exact same thing.

Congrats on starting your import business.

I'm launching several new products and I realized the fastest way to get going is to have my boots on the ground in China. If it takes me two months in China, I'll do it. Most people are sitting on their desk cruising the internet for products.

Your knowledge of Chinese culture (and perhaps the language) will be HUGE for you.

Props to couch surfing in over 50 countries. That's amazing.

Stick around - the ones that do usually find success.

The idea of spending time in China is excellent if you can manage it.

I have helped thousands to safely source products from China and other countries without leaving home. Most don't have the financial resources to go to China. Others have commitments that prevent them going. Some just feel that they can't handle it.

I believe that visiting the country is a great way to learn something about the culture, and if you get to visit potential supplier' factories that can not only be an eye opener, but it helps develop the relationship and can lead to better deals because they know you are serious.

For those thinking of visiting, I suggest that you read my posts here: URL="GOLD - Sharing my lifetime experience in export/import. Product sourcing specialist."] and here: <a href="GOLD - Sharing my lifetime experience in export/import. Product sourcing specialist.">Sharing my lifetime experience in export/import. Product sourcing specialist.</a>

Note the warnings about the trickery by traders pretending to show you over "their" factory.

Walter

 

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