6 Figures At 18! 1 Year of The Fastlane Forum

[amp0193]

Would love to learn more about how you are trying to find suppliers in the US? I am just starting the process and have been in contact with suppliers in China. Eventually, I would like to move back to the US if it financially makes sense.

Check out http://www.thomasnet.com/. It's a directory of U.S. based manufacturers.

 

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[Walter Hay]

Check out http://www.thomasnet.com/. It's a directory of U.S. based manufacturers.

I'm sorry to say that thomasnet.com are now carrying a huge number of advertisements by Amazon, and many of these are offering products imported from China.

It now requires a lot more work to sort out which listings are by genuine US manufacturers. I have also found that some US listings are made by well established US companies claiming to be US manufacturers, but they have at least some of their products made in China.

Walter

 

[amp0193]

I'm sorry to say that thomasnet.com are now carrying a huge number of advertisements by Amazon, and many of these are offering products imported from China.

It now requires a lot more work to sort out which listings are by genuine US manufacturers. I have also found that some US listings are made by well established US companies claiming to be US manufacturers, but they have at least some of their products made in China.

Walter

Wow, that's a shame.

Do you know of any better resources/directories for American manufacturers then?

 

[PTP]

Wow, that's a shame.

Do you know of any better resources/directories for American manufacturers then?

http://makersrow.com/ is similar to thomas.net. What are your thoughts @Walter Hay?

 

[Walter Hay]

http://makersrow.com/ is similar to thomas.net. What are your thoughts @Walter Hay?

Thomasnet is not entirely a lost cause, but it is limited in its search capability. Search for Made in USA in the Supplier Discovery section and you will find quite a few US manufacturers in some product categories. You can also do a simple search for the product category that interest you and then sift through the advertisers to see who make their products in the US. You will most likely have to ask them.

Makersrow is very limited with very little other than clothing, home decorating products and jewelry.

http://www.themadeinamericamovement.com/mam-members/ Has a quite impressive list, a few of whom state that not all of their products are made in the US, but the links provided in those cases go direct to their made in the USA pages.

Walter

 

[Chitown]

Watch for those who don't clap - You'll notice alot of people you thought were your friends dont like the fact that you're seeing success. Distance yourself from them and put yourself in situations where you can find like minded people.

@Envision,

I co-sign this six ways to Sunday!!!! There's a special cheering section for friends -- and family -- who desire nothing more than your complete and utter failure. Thumb your nose at these jack asses and keep it pushin'! The crowd in which you belong is ahead of you, waiting for your fellowship.

Great work, young man! [I turned 46 three weeks ago. I can call you young man.]

 

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[dave773]

Amazing story PTP and congratulations! At what point did your parents accept and understand what you were doing?

 

[PTP]

Amazing story PTP and congratulations! At what point did your parents accept and understand what you were doing?

My dad is an entrepreneur himself so he understood my need to be independent. However, I don't think either of them understood the scale of what I was doing until recently. They mostly thought it was just some hobby I was working on.

 

[Rawr]

Best of luck in 2017, you did what most of us dreamt of (and talked and talked about) while we were 20-25

 

[joury]

Read this whole thread,so much has happened wow.

You're the same age as me and already making some steady figures!

Good Job and I'm in.

 

[happybhoy]

This is the most impressive bit of the original post to me-

• I have decided to begin to build a brand rather than just another eCommerce store. All doubts about the longevity of the niche have been erased and I am now ready to grow this over the next decade+.

 

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[Jake Studebaker]

Hey man, my name is Jake and I am currently a 16-year-old trying to get that kind of story working. I have had a few ideas recently but they all ended up busting. Is there any chance you could hit me up and help me out?

 

[Kevin90]

Great job. Very impressive! You will go far, I'm sure all that read your post can see that.

I work for a manufacturing company. If your product is made out of metal, I may be able to help you in some way.

Best of luck!

 

[PTP]

Hey man, my name is Jake and I am currently a 16-year-old trying to get that kind of story working. I have had a few ideas recently but they all ended up busting. Is there any chance you could hit me up and help me out?

Honestly, the best advice I can give you would be to stick around the forum and read the threads that pertain to your interests. If its eCommerce read @biophase thread here and @Ecom man thread here. Almost everything I learned about eCommerce was either through those above threads, the rest of the forum, or google.

Im not going to go around and give advice like I know what im doing. Because, in all honesty, I barely have any clue what it is that I am doing. Everything you need to succeed is here + google. Its just a matter of finding it and applying it.

 

[fishgodeep]

Very inspiring thread @PTP, I look forward to hearing more about your progress over the coming year.

I feel as though I can speak for many people here when I say you've left me feeling equal parts inspired and lazy.

It's very rare that someone should see the forest for trees at such an early age.

Keep up the great work

 

[Alexo]

Great post. How do you know when your products are not working out and when to drop them and look for something else?

 

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[PTP]

Great post. How do you know when your products are not working out and when to drop them and look for something else?

Right now I have a few products that are my main sellers, and the rest are just to give my store more credibility. Occasionally someone will buy them although there are really only <5 in stock for those items.

To answer your question, I haven't really had to drop any products because I use them to make my store look more legit.

However, I have been re evaluating what my store sells and I am looking to pivot my brand *mostly* out of its current direction. This will mean dropping most of my products over time and replacing them with items that line up with my new vision.

Im not sure how one goes through a branding/product change with an establish(ing) brand name, but it will be an educational learning experience for sure.

 

[LuckyPup]

My 1 year anniversary of joining FLF is coming up in a few days. This past year has set the precedent for how I am going to live for the rest of my life.

I am an 18 year old senior in High School who runs an online eCommerce business . My company was started at the beginning of 2016 when I was 17. My first sale on ebay was on February 7 and my first sale on my own website was on April 24. Revenue since then is getting close to reaching (my Grant Cardone 10x goal from earlier this year) of 6-figures.

When I first started the company, my goal was only to learn. While I obviously wanted to make money, I didnt actually plan on making anything at all.

Startup bros was where I learned that eComerce was actually a thing. I spent well over a month and probably a few hundred hours looking for something to sell. I became known as "the troll" by my family and friends because I would lock myself in my room for hours on end doing product research everyday of the week. However, it was not until I came here and read the mega threads by @Ecom man and @biophase that I found a product worth selling.

The were 3 separate times where I told myself that I was going to shut down my store because no one was buying anything. I worked 3 months on a side project only to realize the product and niche was trash.

For the majority of this year, I was hesitant to grow this business just due to potential outside factors that I had no control over that could shut it down. However, after looking at the direction my company was headed, I decided to shift course and pursue a different path than what I had initially intended. This helps to hedge against some of the risks involved, and creates something I see myself working on 10-15 years from now.

• I have decided to begin to build a brand rather than just another eCommerce store. All doubts about the longevity of the niche have been erased and I am now ready to grow this over the next decade+.

• Company instagram account over 18k followers, Facebook nearing 1k.

• Began the process of getting my products made domestically in the USA. Getting designs made with changes that I was not able to get my manufacture to make in China. This will allow me to regain control over the supply chain.

• Found a mentor in the manufacturing sector who used to run his own company. His advice has been extremely beneficial as I try to bring a new line of my unique proprietary products to market. I have also been meeting with other people in the eCommerce/manufacturing sectors as well and I am learning exponentially more than anything I have ever been taught in school.

• I joined toastmasters after reading @Envision 1 year FLF thread. Public speaking has allowed me to be more bold and less nervous when going out and talking manufactures/business owners and adults in general. It has allowed me to be bold enough to approach people I would have been to nervous to approach in the past. Public speaking has been the number one most life changing thing for me.

Takeaways

• Just start something already! My first order from China was for 15 units. Seriously, 15 units and it cost me less than $200. It grew from there to an order of 30 then 60 then 100. This isnt rocket science. I didnt need a degree or a business plan or $10,000 in funding. All you need is the work ethic to put in the hours to find something worth while and the belief that you will find it.

• Dont listen to the noise. You do you. Other people dont know what they are talking about. I remember during the research phase where I was called "the troll", no one thought I was going to find anything. People made fun of me for being "antisocial." Even when I had a product, I made the mistake of telling kids at school what I was doing. They made fun of me and laughed saying it was never going to get anywhere. I dont talk about my business at school, especially not my sales, but now a year later, people see my social media accounts and are starting to take an interest in what I am doing. Go figure....

• Have a clear purpose in life and spend every waking second trying to achieve that. On my mirror I have my definite chief aim. Next to that I have a note card with the phrase "I am completely independent of the good and bad opinions of others." Next to that I have my goals. I read these every morning and night. On my wall in my room directly in front of my bed I have my vision board with a Mclaren 570s, Mother Terasa, and Pope JPII. All around the walls are quotes from books written onto note cards. Sometimes when I am driving, I will spontaneously begin reciting my definite chief aim in a loud voice. This is all meant to keep my goals in mind at all times. I believe it was @Fox who spoke about "brainwashing yourself for success." There is definitely something to it.

My Goals

• Get my proprietary products made in the USA.
• HEAVILY get the name out on my brand when I get USA products.
• Diversify what my brand sells. Build a strong brand name.
• Begin selling to retailers. Get into at least 1 big box retailer in 2017.
• Take my company to 100+ million/year revenue 10-15 yrs.
• Millionaire by 25. Have the option to retire at 30 (even though I know I wont).
• Find more mentors where we can both mutually benefit each others businesses.
• Graduate high school.

If you get 1 take away from this post, let it be that you are capable of doing anything you set your mind to. I know this advice is constantly repeated. However, it is repeated because it is true. If you have internet (which you do because you are reading this) and $200, you can start a business and grow it. If a teenager can start a business at 17 years old, working on it after school and on weekends, what is stopping you?

I want to say that this is not a success story. A success story would suggest that I have accomplished my definite chief aim, which I have not. Rather, I hope my story can provide motivation to you and serve as an example of what can happen when you start.

A special thank you to first of all @MJ DeMarco without first the forum, then book, I would not be here today.

Also thank you to @biophase @Ecom man @AllenCrawley @Vigilante @Envision and all the others who post on a constant basis. I can confidently say that 1 year of reading your posts has been more valuable than 12 years in public school.


*Can a mod please change the Prefix from "rant" to a plain tag. It wouldnt let me post unless it was a rant.

My 1 year anniversary of joining FLF is coming up in a few days. This past year has set the precedent for how I am going to live for the rest of my life.

I am an 18 year old senior in High School who runs an online eCommerce business . My company was started at the beginning of 2016 when I was 17. My first sale on ebay was on February 7 and my first sale on my own website was on April 24. Revenue since then is getting close to reaching (my Grant Cardone 10x goal from earlier this year) of 6-figures.

When I first started the company, my goal was only to learn. While I obviously wanted to make money, I didnt actually plan on making anything at all.

Startup bros was where I learned that eComerce was actually a thing. I spent well over a month and probably a few hundred hours looking for something to sell. I became known as "the troll" by my family and friends because I would lock myself in my room for hours on end doing product research everyday of the week. However, it was not until I came here and read the mega threads by @Ecom man and @biophase that I found a product worth selling.

The were 3 separate times where I told myself that I was going to shut down my store because no one was buying anything. I worked 3 months on a side project only to realize the product and niche was trash.

For the majority of this year, I was hesitant to grow this business just due to potential outside factors that I had no control over that could shut it down. However, after looking at the direction my company was headed, I decided to shift course and pursue a different path than what I had initially intended. This helps to hedge against some of the risks involved, and creates something I see myself working on 10-15 years from now.

• I have decided to begin to build a brand rather than just another eCommerce store. All doubts about the longevity of the niche have been erased and I am now ready to grow this over the next decade+.

• Company instagram account over 18k followers, Facebook nearing 1k.

• Began the process of getting my products made domestically in the USA. Getting designs made with changes that I was not able to get my manufacture to make in China. This will allow me to regain control over the supply chain.

• Found a mentor in the manufacturing sector who used to run his own company. His advice has been extremely beneficial as I try to bring a new line of my unique proprietary products to market. I have also been meeting with other people in the eCommerce/manufacturing sectors as well and I am learning exponentially more than anything I have ever been taught in school.

• I joined toastmasters after reading @Envision 1 year FLF thread. Public speaking has allowed me to be more bold and less nervous when going out and talking manufactures/business owners and adults in general. It has allowed me to be bold enough to approach people I would have been to nervous to approach in the past. Public speaking has been the number one most life changing thing for me.

Takeaways

• Just start something already! My first order from China was for 15 units. Seriously, 15 units and it cost me less than $200. It grew from there to an order of 30 then 60 then 100. This isnt rocket science. I didnt need a degree or a business plan or $10,000 in funding. All you need is the work ethic to put in the hours to find something worth while and the belief that you will find it.

• Dont listen to the noise. You do you. Other people dont know what they are talking about. I remember during the research phase where I was called "the troll", no one thought I was going to find anything. People made fun of me for being "antisocial." Even when I had a product, I made the mistake of telling kids at school what I was doing. They made fun of me and laughed saying it was never going to get anywhere. I dont talk about my business at school, especially not my sales, but now a year later, people see my social media accounts and are starting to take an interest in what I am doing. Go figure....

• Have a clear purpose in life and spend every waking second trying to achieve that. On my mirror I have my definite chief aim. Next to that I have a note card with the phrase "I am completely independent of the good and bad opinions of others." Next to that I have my goals. I read these every morning and night. On my wall in my room directly in front of my bed I have my vision board with a Mclaren 570s, Mother Terasa, and Pope JPII. All around the walls are quotes from books written onto note cards. Sometimes when I am driving, I will spontaneously begin reciting my definite chief aim in a loud voice. This is all meant to keep my goals in mind at all times. I believe it was @Fox who spoke about "brainwashing yourself for success." There is definitely something to it.

My Goals

• Get my proprietary products made in the USA.
• HEAVILY get the name out on my brand when I get USA products.
• Diversify what my brand sells. Build a strong brand name.
• Begin selling to retailers. Get into at least 1 big box retailer in 2017.
• Take my company to 100+ million/year revenue 10-15 yrs.
• Millionaire by 25. Have the option to retire at 30 (even though I know I wont).
• Find more mentors where we can both mutually benefit each others businesses.
• Graduate high school.

If you get 1 take away from this post, let it be that you are capable of doing anything you set your mind to. I know this advice is constantly repeated. However, it is repeated because it is true. If you have internet (which you do because you are reading this) and $200, you can start a business and grow it. If a teenager can start a business at 17 years old, working on it after school and on weekends, what is stopping you?

I want to say that this is not a success story. A success story would suggest that I have accomplished my definite chief aim, which I have not. Rather, I hope my story can provide motivation to you and serve as an example of what can happen when you start.

A special thank you to first of all @MJ DeMarco without first the forum, then book, I would not be here today.

Also thank you to @biophase @Ecom man @AllenCrawley @Vigilante @Envision and all the others who post on a constant basis. I can confidently say that 1 year of reading your posts has been more valuable than 12 years in public school.


*Can a mod please change the Prefix from "rant" to a plain tag. It wouldnt let me post unless it was a rant.

Youngster, you are an inspiration! Keep us posted!

 

[PTP]

Youngster, you are an inspiration! Keep us posted!

Thank you so much I really appreciate your kind words! Also, i've been using this thread here as my progress thread if your interested in updates.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Marked NOTABLE, another thread I missed.

 

[Imgal]

@PTP - This is a phenomenal thread. Thank you for sharing and inspiring. Too many of us within this forum want to play with the big boys, but falter because we try to play the big game with no real plan.

You have shown you are wise beyond your years. The secret to success isn't doing the most showy-off, impressive thing. It's a positive attitude and implementation. Again and again.

Thanks for re-inspiring me reading this again tonight.

 

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[Kieran Proven]

My 1 year anniversary of joining FLF is coming up in a few days. This past year has set the precedent for how I am going to live for the rest of my life.

I am an 18 year old senior in High School who runs an online eCommerce business . My company was started at the beginning of 2016 when I was 17. My first sale on ebay was on February 7 and my first sale on my own website was on April 24. Revenue since then is getting close to reaching (my Grant Cardone 10x goal from earlier this year) of 6-figures.

When I first started the company, my goal was only to learn. While I obviously wanted to make money, I didnt actually plan on making anything at all.

Startup bros was where I learned that eComerce was actually a thing. I spent well over a month and probably a few hundred hours looking for something to sell. I became known as "the troll" by my family and friends because I would lock myself in my room for hours on end doing product research everyday of the week. However, it was not until I came here and read the mega threads by @Ecom man and @biophase that I found a product worth selling.

The were 3 separate times where I told myself that I was going to shut down my store because no one was buying anything. I worked 3 months on a side project only to realize the product and niche was trash.

For the majority of this year, I was hesitant to grow this business just due to potential outside factors that I had no control over that could shut it down. However, after looking at the direction my company was headed, I decided to shift course and pursue a different path than what I had initially intended. This helps to hedge against some of the risks involved, and creates something I see myself working on 10-15 years from now.

• I have decided to begin to build a brand rather than just another eCommerce store. All doubts about the longevity of the niche have been erased and I am now ready to grow this over the next decade+.

• Company instagram account over 18k followers, Facebook nearing 1k.

• Began the process of getting my products made domestically in the USA. Getting designs made with changes that I was not able to get my manufacture to make in China. This will allow me to regain control over the supply chain.

• Found a mentor in the manufacturing sector who used to run his own company. His advice has been extremely beneficial as I try to bring a new line of my unique proprietary products to market. I have also been meeting with other people in the eCommerce/manufacturing sectors as well and I am learning exponentially more than anything I have ever been taught in school.

• I joined toastmasters after reading @Envision 1 year FLF thread. Public speaking has allowed me to be more bold and less nervous when going out and talking manufactures/business owners and adults in general. It has allowed me to be bold enough to approach people I would have been to nervous to approach in the past. Public speaking has been the number one most life changing thing for me.

Takeaways

• Just start something already! My first order from China was for 15 units. Seriously, 15 units and it cost me less than $200. It grew from there to an order of 30 then 60 then 100. This isnt rocket science. I didnt need a degree or a business plan or $10,000 in funding. All you need is the work ethic to put in the hours to find something worth while and the belief that you will find it.

• Dont listen to the noise. You do you. Other people dont know what they are talking about. I remember during the research phase where I was called "the troll", no one thought I was going to find anything. People made fun of me for being "antisocial." Even when I had a product, I made the mistake of telling kids at school what I was doing. They made fun of me and laughed saying it was never going to get anywhere. I dont talk about my business at school, especially not my sales, but now a year later, people see my social media accounts and are starting to take an interest in what I am doing. Go figure....

• Have a clear purpose in life and spend every waking second trying to achieve that. On my mirror I have my definite chief aim. Next to that I have a note card with the phrase "I am completely independent of the good and bad opinions of others." Next to that I have my goals. I read these every morning and night. On my wall in my room directly in front of my bed I have my vision board with a Mclaren 570s, Mother Terasa, and Pope JPII. All around the walls are quotes from books written onto note cards. Sometimes when I am driving, I will spontaneously begin reciting my definite chief aim in a loud voice. This is all meant to keep my goals in mind at all times. I believe it was @Fox who spoke about "brainwashing yourself for success." There is definitely something to it.

My Goals

• Get my proprietary products made in the USA.
• HEAVILY get the name out on my brand when I get USA products.
• Diversify what my brand sells. Build a strong brand name.
• Begin selling to retailers. Get into at least 1 big box retailer in 2017.
• Take my company to 100+ million/year revenue 10-15 yrs.
• Millionaire by 25. Have the option to retire at 30 (even though I know I wont).
• Find more mentors where we can both mutually benefit each others businesses.
• Graduate high school.

If you get 1 take away from this post, let it be that you are capable of doing anything you set your mind to. I know this advice is constantly repeated. However, it is repeated because it is true. If you have internet (which you do because you are reading this) and $200, you can start a business and grow it. If a teenager can start a business at 17 years old, working on it after school and on weekends, what is stopping you?

I want to say that this is not a success story. A success story would suggest that I have accomplished my definite chief aim, which I have not. Rather, I hope my story can provide motivation to you and serve as an example of what can happen when you start.

A special thank you to first of all @MJ DeMarco without first the forum, then book, I would not be here today.

Also thank you to @biophase @Ecom man @AllenCrawley @Vigilante @Envision and all the others who post on a constant basis. I can confidently say that 1 year of reading your posts has been more valuable than 12 years in public school.


*Can a mod please change the Prefix from "rant" to a plain tag. It wouldnt let me post unless it was a rant.

This is the best post I have seen on a forum to date. There is hope for this world if there are more 18-year-olds out there like you. Also, it is cool you have done a shout out to the influential people here. I will follow your footsteps and read the quality information shared. Thanks

 

[Chazmania]

Huge props to you young man! Rep transferred!

You're proof that consistent action on a goal is the key regardless of age, career background, and even without 'large' start-up capital.

Well done sir.

 

[cutthroughstatic]

Fantastic thread. Great example of posting an "I did/am doing" rather than posting "I will do". Love it.

Once you start just doing, the process becomes a little addicting. I'm sure this ecommerce store is just the start for you. Congrats my man

 

[SethTavis]

Watch for those who don't clap - You'll notice alot of people you thought were your friends dont like the fact that you're seeing success. Distance yourself from them and put yourself in situations where you can find like minded people.

Ill add to this, RUN! those type of people are like parasites they will try to take you down little by little.

 

[SethTavis]

This is the type of post that I would want my children to post, at a young and impressive age. Nothing would make me more proud than one of my children turning out like the OP.

I was thinking the something.

 

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[LiveEntrepreneur]

Nice man! I get jealous as F*ck when I see these types of posts like 18 year old running a business, my dream there lol I always beat my self up like WHY didn't I do it earlier.

 

[Lex DeVille]

WHY didn't I do it earlier.

Because you couldn't. You can't now either. As long as you need someone to hold your hand, it won't happen.

Did you get the book yet?

Until you stop asking WHY and start asking WHAT, WHEN, WHO, and HOW, and come up with your own answers, you'll stay right where you are. A jealous dreamer waiting for tomorrow, wishing it were Friday.

 

[LiveEntrepreneur]

Because you couldn't. You can't now either. As long as you need someone to hold your hand, it won't happen.

Did you get the book yet?

Until you stop asking WHY and start asking WHAT, WHEN, WHO, and HOW, and come up with your own answers, you'll stay right where you are. A jealous dreamer waiting for tomorrow, wishing it were Friday.

Actually not going to say much yet but actually some things have changed very rapidly. Yeah got the book couple days ago almost finished it. and currently in the process of reading all noble and gold threads. Almost finished the noble ones, interesting stuff.

 

[Mal0ni]

Wow, that's incredible, I just finished reading the entire thread. Keep it up! Rep ++