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32 years old with out direction

Anything related to matters of the mind

Crissco

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Hey everyone haven't been on this forum in a while but its time for a change in my life. Im 32 years old, going to school which i am thinking of dropping out. I just went back after 10, 15 years and coming to realize college isnt for me. By trade im a website developer. I started up a niche website development company which i am getting a lot of leads for (no closes yet). But still its a good start. I've always been the type of person to idea hop which isnt good and only leads to failure, but im past that now and want to stick with one thing until it succeeds. Im still a bit confused on the path I want to take. Im going to school to become a teacher to become stable, but im coming to realize school is just hard for me and already failed a class. Im not sure on what to do here. Be an entrepreneur and possibly make a ton of money or struggle for 4-6 years, graduate when im almost 40 and stick the school route.

Any opinions are welcome
 
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AppMan

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First, how come you are getting too many leads and no orders, have you tried to find what is the problem ? are you too expensive, is it trust issue ?

As for being a teacher, if you dont mind to be a teacher then dont drop , I think your problem you give up half way, try to finish things you are starting.
I think the first step dont drop from the school unless you are making form your business what is enough to live from . Web design and IT is competitive business, and few people can last
 

Crissco

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First, how come you are getting too many leads and no orders, have you tried to find what is the problem ? are you too expensive, is it trust issue ?

As for being a teacher, if you dont mind to be a teacher then dont drop , I think your problem you give up half way, try to finish things you are starting.
I think the first step dont drop from the school unless you are making form your business what is enough to live from . Web design and IT is competitive business, and few people can last
People seem interested I jump on a phone call or talk to them through FB then they stop responding. I have to figure out what I’m doing wrong.

As for school I’m really starting to think it’s not for me. It’s really tough for me and I have no motivation to even go sometimes. I’m 32 years old I really want more in my life and I want it now (that’s an issue in its self I know). I live at home right now unfortunately so I can afford to make some mistakes atleast
 

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Get your degree if it’s not getting you into debt
Read more daily, you need to understand why you’re not closing deals and why you’re not growing your business
Exercise everyday
Set goals for a year out that are measurable
Do everything, school, business, and a job. Get on a path and stick to it.

Time is not infinite.If you can’t figure out what to do. Do it all.
 
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Crissco

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Get your degree if it’s not getting you into debt
Read more daily, you need to understand why you’re not closing deals and why you’re not growing your business
Exercise everyday
Set goals for a year out that are measurable
Do everything, school, business, and a job. Get on a path and stick to it.

Time is not infinite.If you can’t figure out what to do. Do it all.
Thats what got me into this mess to begin with me. I do do it all. I have a job, i go to school, i have a business, i have a girlfriend...etc...I do TO MUCH and thats the issue, its stressful as shit. The old saying goes stick with one thing at a time then scale from there. The goal is to stick with one thing, scale, make money and invest in real estate and retire from the passive income from real estate. But getting the money to invest in apartment buildings is the issue right now.
 

Envision

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Thats what got me into this mess to begin with me. I do do it all. I have a job, i go to school, i have a business, i have a girlfriend...etc...I do TO MUCH and thats the issue, its stressful as shit. The old saying goes stick with one thing at a time then scale from there. The goal is to stick with one thing, scale, make money and invest in real estate and retire from the passive income from real estate. But getting the money to invest in apartment buildings is the issue right now.

You need to get better at managing your time. And you need to identify the difference between busy work and productive work.

If you actually did it all, you wouldn’t have started this thread.

And if you think that what you’re currently doing is stressful do you think owning a successful business and rentals will be easier?

Edit, not tryin to be a dick either- not really another way to say it
 

Crissco

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You need to get better at managing your time. And you need to identify the difference between busy work and productive work.

If you actually did it all, you wouldn’t have started this thread.

And if you think that what you’re currently doing is stressful do you think owning a successful business and rentals will be easier?

Edit, not tryin to be a dick either- not really another way to say it
Ok i see where you're coming from I agree 100%. I know im "working" but yes not all is productive I agree, im getting better at that each day. Going to start cold calling again soon for the business to try to bring in more sales.
 
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If people are interested enough to jump on a call (which costs them time) then:

1) Are they the right people in the first place? (Do they have a budget already? Are they spending money already?)

2) If they *are* looking to give their money to someone, then maybe you could improve the calls so that people buy.

If you don’t know then assume it’s both.


Some of these threads might help you:
 

Lex DeVille

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Ok i see where you're coming from I agree 100%. I know im "working" but yes not all is productive I agree, im getting better at that each day. Going to start cold calling again soon for the business to try to bring in more sales.

Have you read @Fox threads on the forum? I'm sure he's covered sales. That's a good place to start to make money with web design.

A degree could lead to the Fastlane. The education industry is getting disrupted by technology. A degree is a barrier to entry for others for the reasons you listed: School is hard. People want to drop out. But if you make it through, then you have access to things others don't:

- Network
- Credibility
- Inside Opportunities

Also, it's worth considering that business is harder than school. Entrepreneurship could easily bring you to 40 with no money AND no education even if you work on it full-time.

Just brainstorming..

What if you took what you learn in school and find ways to apply it in business? Then it might feel more relevant and could reinforce your learning which could motivate you to try harder and do better in both business and school.

Keep in mind, I don't view this as a black or white issue. There is no right or wrong choice. There is no perfect solution. All choices are just choices. Even idea hopping is a choice. Where you end up depends on what you do after the choices are made.
 

Inuc

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Hey everyone haven't been on this forum in a while but its time for a change in my life. Im 32 years old, going to school which i am thinking of dropping out. I just went back after 10, 15 years and coming to realize college isnt for me. By trade im a website developer. I started up a niche website development company which i am getting a lot of leads for (no closes yet). But still its a good start. I've always been the type of person to idea hop which isnt good and only leads to failure, but im past that now and want to stick with one thing until it succeeds. Im still a bit confused on the path I want to take. Im going to school to become a teacher to become stable, but im coming to realize school is just hard for me and already failed a class. Im not sure on what to do here. Be an entrepreneur and possibly make a ton of money or struggle for 4-6 years, graduate when im almost 40 and stick the school route.

Any opinions are welcome
Getting leads is one, converting them is another...

If you seem not to be able to close the leads you getting, you can as well look for a competitor and sell the leads to them while you can still have time to finish up with school.

Starting seem easy for most people, continuing and finishing up is where the issue is...

Also, you can reach out and see if you can partner with someone that you believe can close them.

Most importantly, you need to know where the problem is, to enable you know how to go about the solution
 
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DrScream

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Also, it's worth considering that business is harder than school. Entrepreneurship could easily bring you to 40 with no money AND no education even if you work on it full-time.
I don't believe that to be true. As you screw up you tend to learn a lot. Even if he fails by 40 (meaning his business is not producing revenue in 8 years of working on it - unlikely) he'd still learn quite a bit.

Honestly OP, I'm skeptical about college as a whole unless you're going into one of the 2 main fields of study that require it (Law or Medicine). I skipped college and am so grateful that I did because, as a 24-year-old, I have all of the money from my job leftover while all of my friends are paying $1000-$2000 per month after graduation for their student loans. A lot of my friends switched majors repeatedly and ended up accruing debt that was unnecessary. If you're almost done with college then I'd say finish it and have the paper as a fallback but if you still have 8 years to go then I'd say screw that and go for entrepreneurship.

Have you ever gotten tested for ADHD? I know the public opinion is that ADHD isn't a real disorder but it is. I have it and I take medication to help me and the medication has practically changed my life. I used to be too socially anxious to even go outside. I struggled with getting to work on time & I was changing business models every 2-3 months because a new shiny object caught my attention. since starting the ADHD meds I've been focusing on one solid plan and have been following through consistently. Just a thought but wouldn't hurt to get tested for it.

Check out Daniel Amen's work on SPECT scans and how they can actually measure the mental activity while you focus to see if your brain is one that suffers from ADHD. The understanding I have is that normal people have proper function of the prefrontal cortex while those that suffer from the disorder actually have their brains power down when they exert force to try to focus on command.

Edit: take all of this with a grain of salt as I'm only 24 and you've got more experience under your belt than I. Just thought I'd throw my 2 cents in. Hope you find what you're looking for, bud.
 

DrScream

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Keep in mind, I don't view this as a black or white issue. There is no right or wrong choice. There is no perfect solution. All choices are just choices. Even idea hopping is a choice. Where you end up depends on what you do after the choices are made.
Well said... There really is no wrong answer. Just make a decision and don't look back. You'll never be able to find out what the other decision would've brought so there's no point in spending time dwelling on the "wrong ones"
 

Entre Eyes

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By trade im a website developer. I started up a niche website development company which i am getting a lot of leads for (no closes yet). But still its a good start. I've always been the type of person to idea hop which isnt good and only leads to failure, but im past that now and want to stick with one thing until it succeeds.

A cure for that is to create something/website from the start with the intent to sell it for a nice lump sum at Auction. (Just make sure it sells something with proofs)

Boom....you can start fresh with a new project different but the same that will pay you again a nice lump sum of cash. Keep going.
 
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Andy Black

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You’ve got technical skills, and I guess you’re in college learning more technical skills?

Your current problem is sales right? Ask yourself if spending more time learning technical skills is a way of avoiding picking up sales skills?

How does this path look to you:
  • Technician
  • —> Salesman
  • —> Businessman
 

Black_Dragon43

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Hey everyone haven't been on this forum in a while but its time for a change in my life. Im 32 years old, going to school which i am thinking of dropping out. I just went back after 10, 15 years and coming to realize college isnt for me. By trade im a website developer. I started up a niche website development company which i am getting a lot of leads for (no closes yet). But still its a good start. I've always been the type of person to idea hop which isnt good and only leads to failure, but im past that now and want to stick with one thing until it succeeds. Im still a bit confused on the path I want to take. Im going to school to become a teacher to become stable, but im coming to realize school is just hard for me and already failed a class. Im not sure on what to do here. Be an entrepreneur and possibly make a ton of money or struggle for 4-6 years, graduate when im almost 40 and stick the school route.

Any opinions are welcome
What kind of life do you want to lead?

Nobody can tell you which road to take... we can outline the possible outcomes of each road, but we cannot choose for you, or say what will be best for you.

You will need to take a different series of actions if you want to become an entrepreneur (and possibly make a ton of money) then if you want to have a stable job.

So first of all you need to think.

What do you TRULY want?

Not everyone is meant to be an entrepreneur... some people are meant to work 8 hours a day, finish their work, and then never think about it again until next morning. There is nothing wrong with this. You will have a lot of free time to do other things. You may not have the money that you can possibly make as an entrepreneur, but then you will never have trouble to find time for your wife and kids. You can become a pillar of your community without being an entrepreneur.

But there are some downsides... you will never be able to control your work - when you work, how much you work, and how you actually work. You will never be able to build your own vision and make it into a reality. You will have to bear up with your boss telling you what to do, with insults, and with being under the control of others. And finally, you will have to give away your energy to build other people's vision...

So what do YOU truly want?

What is a good life for you?
 

Crissco

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Truthfully I want my freedom and san diego back(Lived in SD in 2017 while working from home). Im living with my dad in new york at 32 years old which isnt good at my age. I have a remote work from home job now plus one client for $199 a month. But its not enough, i want to be able to move back to san diego and be self sufficient, even if its a job in SD im happy.

Yes I need to work on the sales aspect thats for sure, only one way to do it though, is to keep practicing and practicing, even if its cold calling myself. As for the degree I cant afford it after this semester and student loans are out since i was on acedemic warning back in 2010 when i went for a semester.
 
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Black_Dragon43

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Truthfully I want my freedom and san diego back(Lived in SD in 2017 while working from home). Im living with my dad in new york at 32 years old which isnt good at my age. I have a remote work from home job now plus one client for $199 a month. But its not enough, i want to be able to move back to san diego and be self sufficient, even if its a job in SD im happy.
Yes, in that case I really do suggest you look for the fastest route to move and be self-sufficient. If that happens to be a job, then do that. If that happens to be freelancing, then do that.

Yes I need to work on the sales aspect thats for sure, only one way to do it though, is to keep practicing and practicing, even if its cold calling myself. As for the degree I cant afford it after this semester and student loans are out since i was on acedemic warning back in 2010 when i went for a semester.
An important thing here is sales vs marketing. Marketing is about having a pipeline full of leads, sales is about closing them. In terms of getting off the ground, I think marketing is a lot more important. The fantastic salesman who knocks on 10 doors is always outperformed by the poor salesman who knocks on 200 in the same time.
 

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Yes, in that case I really do suggest you look for the fastest route to move and be self-sufficient. If that happens to be a job, then do that. If that happens to be freelancing, then do that.


An important thing here is sales vs marketing. Marketing is about having a pipeline full of leads, sales is about closing them. In terms of getting off the ground, I think marketing is a lot more important. The fantastic salesman who knocks on 10 doors is always outperformed by the poor salesman who knocks on 200 in the same time.

I am believe me, im doing what i can to get website design clients but my leads are going cold and people arent responding, my guess is my sales game is weak.
 

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Hey everyone haven't been on this forum in a while but its time for a change in my life. Im 32 years old, going to school which i am thinking of dropping out. I just went back after 10, 15 years and coming to realize college isnt for me. By trade im a website developer. I started up a niche website development company which i am getting a lot of leads for (no closes yet). But still its a good start. I've always been the type of person to idea hop which isnt good and only leads to failure, but im past that now and want to stick with one thing until it succeeds. Im still a bit confused on the path I want to take. Im going to school to become a teacher to become stable, but im coming to realize school is just hard for me and already failed a class. Im not sure on what to do here. Be an entrepreneur and possibly make a ton of money or struggle for 4-6 years, graduate when im almost 40 and stick the school route.

Any opinions are welcome

Take @Fox 's course. You'll at least learn a little bit of sales and how to close your leads for the website development company.

Until you start closing guys, then don't drop out of school. Dropping out is for closers.
 
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Fox

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Take @Fox 's course. You'll at least learn a little bit of sales and how to close your leads for the website development company.

Until you start closing guys, then don't drop out of school. Dropping out is for closers.

Thanks for the recommendation @AgainstAllOdds

@Crissco if you want to check it out the program in more detail it is here: MARKETPLACE - Can Web Design Be Profitable for You - The NO “Hype” Fox Web School Legends Program

What you are talking about is common enough with web designers/freelancers.

Even when you get sales dialled in and the money is good there can be a massive lack of direction. This is cause when you are working for clients all the time a lot of your focus is on short term projects and contracts. Over time you feel like not much real personal progress is being made even if the money is good.

My advice is to look at web design as a short term step in a bigger plan. Use web design over 2-5 years to build up skills, cash flow, experience, and market insight and then move on to creating your own product/service/business.

This helps a lot mentally because now every web project is not just a paycheck - its a chance to prepare for creating your own source of income.

If you are doing web design and on these forums then you probably are someone who has a much bigger vision for themselves than just doing client work forever. Web design is a great place to start (or to be currently) but it will only "click" mentally when you view it as a temporary step towards something else.

I struggled with this also and have seen the same thing in 100s of students. Once the money gets good the brain gets to the next bigger question of "but what am I really doing with this?". Hope this helps - I think once you get that bigger vision in place you will feel a lot more driven and on track.
 

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Are you actually getting ZERO work as a web developer? Even if you're not a very good dev, there's tons of work out there. You could go to Upwork and there's literally thousands of small jobs that people will hire you on the spot just because they need something done. As a dev you're not expected to be a good salesman, you just need to be able to code.
 

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Have you considered a tradeschool instead of becoming a teacher? You get higher pay, learn practical skills, and often are exposed to opportunities that you could take on as an entrepreneur.

It’s at least a better way to start IMO.

Being a teacher is great, but if you aren’t passionate about teaching the kids you probably won’t like it - and definitely won’t appreciate the fact that you have to carry the work home with you.
 
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Crissco

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I can't do trade work anymore, I worked construction for a long time but cant because of a buldging disk in my neck that puts me out of commission and in pain. And yes i am getting no dev work on my own. Right now I have 3 niched website development companies, and even been posting in facebook groups trying to get website work, but no avail. I even lowed the price down to $599...I just talked to real estate guy I priced the website at $2,200, after that he said to me "thanks for the info" and went cold. Its super frustrating dealing with this. Ive been a dev for 6 years and never had work be this slow for me. Im trying my best to build up residual clients on monthly retainers as well since im sick of having money one day, losing it the next type of deal.
 

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Hey @Crissco. Long time no chat. (See DMs)

But to continue the conversation here, it'd be helpful to know the extent of your programming abilities. (Languages, frameworks etc)
 
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People seem interested I jump on a phone call or talk to them through FB then they stop responding. I have to figure out what I’m doing wrong.

As for school I’m really starting to think it’s not for me. It’s really tough for me and I have no motivation to even go sometimes. I’m 32 years old I really want more in my life and I want it now (that’s an issue in its self I know). I live at home right now unfortunately so I can afford to make some mistakes atleast
Dont feel offended , but to someone with your personality, employment seem a best fit, you doesnt seem like have a closer personality neither you are realistic enough. clearly you missed many years and you need to understand that you have to pay for what you missed part of that to complete your degree now.
 

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People seem interested I jump on a phone call or talk to them through FB then they stop responding. I have to figure out what I’m doing wrong.

As for school I’m really starting to think it’s not for me. It’s really tough for me and I have no motivation to even go sometimes. I’m 32 years old I really want more in my life and I want it now (that’s an issue in its self I know). I live at home right now unfortunately so I can afford to make some mistakes atleast


sounds like you need a proper sales process.

when you're prospecting for leads, the goal of the conversation should be to schedule a 15-20 minute discovery call.

Best guide for cold calling imo and has some decent email tips:

best cold email resource (its a playlist of videos, go through them all):

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ixND6YoJIU&list=PLtkcfOqeArMZ0xlzB8TnQEvgkYrJRkNUa


for discovery session read SPIN Selling or go through following sales blogs and look up "discovery"



trust me its a lot, you are better off going through those cold call and cold email resources MULTIPLE times, but i cannot stress enough that you should also start taking action as well while you are learning.

through experience and going over the guides over again you will iron out things.

i just recently started fixing my process through these resources, it took me a few months and i feel like i couldve had it done a long time ago but oh well.
 

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