Accepting the Status Quo No More - My Path to Fastlane by starting off as a Web Designer to Quit My Day Job

[BlackSuperman]

Hey Fastlaners,

First off: I am going to quit my job in 60 days. Sorry, 58 now. My two-week notice is already typed and ready to be sent on the 46th day. I have put myself in an uncomfortable situation to make sure

This is going to be the keep-my-self-accountable thread where I plan to quit my crap full-time day job trading 9 hours of my life for a $2000 monthly check that goes straight to bills and rent.

I am going to keep this short, sweet, and very concise.
Little about me:
1. Right now I work at a retail job full-time as an assistant manager. I make 17 an hour and let me tell you, I am not happy about that at all.
2. I am not unfamiliar with web design (I majored in Graphic Design in College which was a huge waste but luckily was on a scholarship so 0 debt.)
3. I am not unfamiliar with HTML/CSS as I ran a web design business ONCE for ONE client. Burned me out. Hated it.
4. I understand that Web Design (at least service-based) is not a Fastlane business but I am hoping that it will free up time for me to create my own Fastlane business.


Now to the meat of the first progress post:

I finished Millionaire Fastlane about sometime in the last 2 weeks and it was an eye-opening book. I was a Slowlaner. I put my money into stocks, had a 401k from that same crappy retail job, and due to my personality of just wanting and knowing I was meant for more, I fell into a tad mental depression about what I am doing in life.

So after reading every gold thread I came across Foxy's Web School Thread and it sounds very interesting. I checked out his free videos (and they are immensely helpful so if you have not checked it out) and came to the conclusion starting my own Web Design business will be the first step I take into leaving mediocrity. Immediately I knew that if I did not commit right away I would over analyze, over rationalize, and never take the step.

So this is where I begin my journey.
I purchased a domain under my full name. I purchased hosting. I already began working on my site and pretty much finished besides needing to have 3 portfolio pieces. My mom and dad both run businesses, so I figured they will be my first 2 portfolio pieces. I told my co-worker the plan, and he got me another client to do Pro-Bono work. As I type this, I am actually on Code Academy AND working on my mom's website for her business. I am making sure that I am always moving forward and not staying complacent.


So as of today September 16th I have learned HTML/CSS, I am learning to Copywrite, I have finished my own personal site, and I am working on 3 pro-bono client jobs and plan to finish them within the next week or two.


I hope that my journey will help those reading take the step necessary, leaving mediocrity behind for a life full of wealth (whatever that may mean for you)

 

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[BlackSuperman]

Now I won't post every day but today is a very special occasion.

Today... for the first time since I was 18 (Seriously took me a decade)
I Paid Off All My Debt!
I am 100% Debt Free!

No Credit Card Payments.
No Payment Past Payments Owed to the IRS.

Fellow Fastlaners the feeling of liberation from owing the system money every month due to over-consumption is absolutely intoxicating.

But, I will not let this new freedom slow me down. Tomorrow, I still will be putting the pedal to the metal and continue my Freelance Web Design portfolio work. I have a call with one of Foxy's Web School people. I am going to keep the momentum up.

Paying off my debt was not an event. It was part of the process of financial freedom and control.

 

[BlackSuperman]

Alright, so this thread may have to move as well because a few things switched. So here is an update:

I went through Fox's Web School and I learned much about sales. More importantly, I became apart of a community dedicated to pushing each other forward. This was a huge step and I made some awesome friends that keep me going. (Especially in the desert of desertion)

Through this community, I learned a lot of new skills I never considered before. I learned these skills by using the sales skills I acquired to get clients and learned through real-world experience. The skills I learned include a sales-focused approach to web design, digital marketing in the form of SEO and social media, copywriting which I learned from Lex DeVille's 15 Days to Freedom post and even ended up doing quite a few freelance projects for, and now Google Ads from the great @Andy Black.

Because I learned all these skills through real-world contracts and experience, I also improved my own selling ability due to having to hop on calls with each of the clients (except the Freelance contacts but it still was text-based selling).

I read ICK's Astonishing Secrets thread and learned about shifting perspective. It was the most challenging thing I've ever had to do as Previously, I shaped my whole life on manipulation and getting what I want. Shifting my perspective was one of the most effective ways that allowed me to leap forward. It helped me to understand HOW to perform all those skills in the best way possible for the clients that needed them.

My focus is now Google Ad Campaign management. I am a big believer in what Andy Black would call gathering "low hanging fruit". This means getting in front of those who are actually searching for what I offer.

But the most important lesson I've learned in the last few months: Action. I've definitely become way less focused on the details/metrics that don't relate to either leads, calls, or sales. All other metrics and optimizations don't mean anything if there are no customers/clients.

I am going to try to update this whenever a big event happens. That way I can write the process that led up to it and members of the community can get some knowledge on what I did to reach that point.

PS: I also peeked @MJ DeMarco profile almost daily on my off time and read through the posts he makes to understand even more the mindset. But again when I read/learned I also incorporated it right away into actions.

 

[BlackSuperman]

Big news. Huge news.

I've finally transitioned from freelancer to agency.

Landed my first gig as a Content Strategist with a pretty big eCommerce SaaS company. My team and I (feels great to say that) are taking over their whole content marketing channel. We'll perform research, plan their content over the next 30-days to 6 months, and handle the creation and promotion of all their content.

This is huge. Not just for the money but for the experience. It's also forced me to adopt a team (who are killer at what they do) while also minimizing cost & maximizing value. Moving the needle closer to my ultimate goal.

@Speed112 also suggested I transition a few of my current clients who aren't investing as much into their content strategy to be used as a platform to test new writers. Genius. So far, I've identified 2 new writers at a pretty fair price. Testing out their skills Wednesday.

This is exciting! Almost a year in, and I'm far closer to where I thought I'd be.

Shout out to @Madame Peccato for being a phenomenal writer, @Edgar King for crafting a fantastic blog article, and @Black_Dragon43 for convincing me to up my prices in order to get higher-quality clients.

This celebratory post goes to you!

 

[BlackSuperman]

Small but Impactful Update:

Recently I've been trying to help more people without expecting anything in return. And this mindset shift has definitely paid off.

November was a VERY dry month and I took some time to ponder why. And I realized it was because I was seeking clients for money and survival. This kind of led me down a path of finding efficient channels that could bring in these clients. I was wrong. All the veterans have it right. Help. Provide value.

So here is the real update:

Today I decided that I would browse LinkedIn and Facebook and see if there was anyone I can help. Didn't have to be Google Ads related. Just wanted to help.

Low and behold someone asked a question on LinkedIn about networking and I gave my advice. I didn't realize that the post I replied to was a post that was not in my network but connected to an old friend and her "Liked" posts.

This led to her seeing my post and messaging me asking how I was and then inquired about Google Ads. She did me a big favor a few years back which helped me stay afloat during my "club promoting" period. After a brief exchange, I told her I would love to help her and gave her some tips to help her campaign. Basic tips I learned from doing, not reading (This is key).

Well, this interaction ended up turning into a future consultation for the first week of January! This is HUGE! This makes 4 leads for the new year. Some might be paid work. Some might be free. Depending on their needs and if the time I need to invest requires payment or if a future referral may be of higher value.

This has me excited and pumped for the upcoming year. And we all know getting the ball does take time, but once it starts it has the potential to snowball. With a tough 2020 coming to a close, I am mentally prepared and excited for the new 2021. This simple interaction will lead to something greater.

Looking forward to the new year!

And since I won't do a new update either A. Until January or B. Something big happens from now until then, I want to say Happy Holidays to FLF and all its members.


PS: @MJ DeMarco any way I can change the title so instead of Web School it becomes Execution thread? Thanks!

 

[BlackSuperman]

A lot has happened in the last month and a half. I went in a completely different direction than expected. Not planned either.

First: I quit my job. No more part-time retail job. It was costing me more to be there. The opportunity cost was affecting my potential earnings. Second: I ended up transitioning to copywriting. Not by choice either. The market I was dealing with preferred to manage their own ads but needed an ad writer. Luckily, I have experience writing copy for ads, social media posts, and website copy.

I was definitely rusty. Like 100-year-old metal drifting in the ocean kind of rusty. But I jumped on UpWork and got to work. Wrote a bunch of proposals. Many of them denied. A few of them landed further contact aka interviews. It felt great! And the clients I worked with were very pleased with the work and results! I had one focus: Completing the contracts with 200% of my effort! I read. I practiced. I asked for feedback. I asked for help. I let go of my ego. I became a sponge. All this led to, what I'd consider, awesome execution.

I would not have reached this far in my journey without the help of @Fox and his course, which allowed me to connect with a like-minded accountability group. @Andy Black and his amazing advice and Google Ads Bootcamp (which I plan to re-enroll once I get a steadier stream of clients). @Lex DeVille and his Udemy Advanced Proposals for Upwork course *I HIGHLY recommend any UpWork freelancer to take this course*, and @Black_Dragon43 for his insightful posts, recommendations(indirect), and threads which opened my mind even more.


Total earnings: $1,115 First Year Earnings Goal: 50,000 (Double what I made in retail ever)

PS: I've worked with some VERY interesting clients lately. Contracts that I wouldn't consider ideal. But necessary. I can't reach the bigger projects, without proving myself through smaller jobs. Providing extreme value. #1 Lesson I've Learned. It's about how MUCH value I can give for the price of the job. NOT how cheap I can be.

My advice when starting off: DO THE WORK! Don't worry about which clients will pay the most. Which will give you the most $ per hour. Prove yourself. Do the crap jobs. Do the jobs that no one else wants. EXCEED at it. Build your portfolio. Establish credibility. And then the bigger projects will come!


Also shoutout to @GuitarManDan for always helping a brother out when needed!

 

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[BlackSuperman]

Big News!

Both sales calls went great!

One of the clients is doing exactly what I'm trying to do, but he's doing it on a larger scale. He's looking to pay $250 per article. With a demand of 10-20 articles per month. This is the contract I REALLY want. Not for the money. But to learn how he moved from content writer to a full-blown content agency.

Fingers crossed!

He expressed major interest in working with me, but I won't lie, I'm nervous that my current "portfolio" isn't going to speak to his needs. So I emailed him my past work and also added a note expressing my interest in working with his team. I also offered to write a small 500-1000 word sample to show that I AM the right writer for the job. Again...fingers crossed!

The second client was a done deal. I asked her questions outside of the job she needed. Questions about her marketing strategy. She was blown-aback. She hadn't thought of any of the questions I asked. So instead of working with her as a content writer. I'll be working with her as her Content Strategist!

Very good day so far.

Also, the client who rescheduled a call but never did? Well, she just scheduled one for Monday!
More gumballs added to the collection!

Why am I seeing sudden potential success?
I can't say for sure, but I made some changes in my life which I feel is reflecting in business.
I've been focusing on making my days not only productive but filled with good habits and eliminating negative ones.

Over the last 6 months, I hadn't seen much of a result.
Now I am.

Incremental growth leads to exponential growth.
No Youtube. No Twitch Streams. No Smoking Weed. No Laying Around Doing Nothing.
Working Out on a Routine. Eating Only Natural Foods. Meditating Daily. Increasing Meditation by 30 seconds/day.

The secret is micro habits.
Small incremental changes that lead me to my goal.

 

[BlackSuperman]

What a day!

I've got to keep this short, but I'm officially working with six clients -two as a Content Strategist, three as a Content Writer, and one as a Copywriter.

I think I overdid it as I will have to be highly coordinated with my schedule to get all the work done.

They are all long-term projects too!
Each client will need about 2-8 articles per month.

But, this is what I wanted.

To be overwhelmed.

I thrive in situations like this, and I'm excited to share this big personal win with everyone.

Now for the key takeaway:

IF YOU ARE A FREELANCER, DON'T ACT LIKE ONE! ACT ABOVE YOUR SKILLSET.

If You Are a Freelancer in Contact With a Client, Guide the Client, Don't Let the Client Guide You!

There are exceptions, but when you go above and beyond your skillset to help potential clients out, you'll know they will infinitely be more open to working with you on bigger & better projects that also happen to pay more.

P.S. - @Andy Black can you or another mod change the title to "From Employee To Independent Freelancer - The Power of Perseverance" Thanks

 

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[BlackSuperman]

Well. It's been a hell of a week.
I'm also officially comfortable stating my MRR.

But first a few things I'd like to say.

There is a common misconception that the harder you work, the more you'll earn. That is true. Hard work is required. But once you've worked hard enough to get your foot in the door, it's time to transition to working smart.

When I started this journey, I put my body through the grindhouse—tirelessly working moved me from point A (no clients) to point B (some clients). Recently, I transitioned away from hard work and am now entirely focused on smart work.

What do I mean?
I've upped my prices to match the value I provide—no more cheap, shitty work.
I've created a full-proof research, outline, writing, & copyediting system -- resulting in work my clients love.
I've become more adaptable. I adjust my process when needed. I take in information when required. I go where I'm needed.
I'm starting to leverage win/win relationships. It's time to let go of the notion I need to do everything myself.

The point I want to drive home is this.

Whether you're just starting your journey or you've been in it for a while and looking for the next leap forward, it's time to take a step back and start thinking about how you'll go from working in your business and how you'll begin to optimizing processes to work on the business.

Now on to the juicy stuff!
I'm a content writer for 4 clients.
I'm a content strategist for 3 clients.
I've got 4 leads looking to work with me (I'm hiring a team of partners for this, so if you're interested, message me)

Current Monthly Revenue: $1600
Goal Monthly Revenue for the end of 2021: $5,000

P.S. - If you're a copywriter, content writer, SEO keyword specialist, or social media specialist, and you're struggling with client acquisition, let's partner up. Please shoot me a message! WIN/WIN Relationships = Success

 

[BlackSuperman]

1 Week Update!

This week's execution undoubtedly paid off. I’m seeing that good ole' TMF /Unscripted positive feedback loop.

Events:
1. I secured a great long-term Upwork project. I'll be working with a PPC agency writing ad copy for their clients. They asked me to devote 10-15 hours a week (depending on client needs) at double my day job's pay rate. This feels huge. Not only can I pay my rent + bills in half the time I would have working at my day job, but this provides me the time needed to find problems I can solve. (For a future CENT based Fastlane business, or at least a step closer to that goal).

2. Finished 1/2 of the needed headlines for another client of mine. Looks as if she digs the work. Waiting for the go-ahead to move forward before I craft the other half.

3. After receiving my 2nd review on Upwork, I've been getting about an invitation a day to other projects. This is great! Now I can slow my roll, provide outstanding copy, and understand that once I’m ready to take on more contracts, they will be there.


Process:
All of this did not happen because of luck. Here are actions I took to reach my current level of success. Some elements may be directly relevant while others are more for personal growth, which I believe helped me reach the mindset needed for continuous execution.
1. I used my Trello 300% more than before. I track everything. Applying a combination of the famous GSD (Get Shit Done system) in combination with @MJ DeMarco's Daily Planner for INSIDERS. This helped me stay on task, prioritize the right actions, remove my biggest negative habits, and create a process through positive daily habits.

2. I set weekly, monthly, and yearly goals. All of my daily actions relate to my weekly goal. My weekly goal relate to my monthly goal. And my monthly goal to my yearly goal. Just like the Trello system, this helps me stay focused, driven, and always executing effectively.

3. After finishing my last contract last week, I told my roommate to hold me accountable. I told him my primary goal is to apply for 4-5 relevant Upwork contracts. Every time I apply to one, I have to tell him. My accountability group on Discord also holds me accountable. I’d say accountability is one of the two biggest factors that new business owners/entrepreneurs/freelancers should use to reach their hand into the waters of success. The second is one I think we all can agree with. Surround yourself with like-minded, wait, scratch that, peers who you look up to. These two elements alone I would be what elevated my freelancing "career" to the next level.

Also…
Take a break!
Take a day for yourself!

If you work yourself to the bone, you will burn out quick. I've seen too often. That and not taking enough action are the major killers of those taking their first steps leaving the Sidewalk/Slowlane.

But.

Don't just waste your day off. Don't just play games all day. Jack off when you're bored. Read comics. Smoke weed until you pass out. Get drunk off your a$$. Seriously!

Make your day productive. Read. Learn. Socialize. Experience the world. I promise if you make your days off productive, you'll feel completely rejuvenated and passionately driven to act.

Total earnings: $1,115 First Year Earnings Goal: 50,000 (Double what I made in retail ever)

 

[BlackSuperman]

I've been meaning to post a solid update for a while, but things have been pretty busy.

I want to keep most posts more concise and try to post weekly.

After much convincing, I ended up working with this guy on Upwork. He needed brochure content done, and the reward was not too bad for 2 hours of work.

I worked hard and gave it my all. And the fruits of my labor paid off. My client provided me a 30% tip and an insane review (insane being fantastic).

It goes to show, you give as much value as you can without expecting much, and sometimes the Universe will provide.

After the job, I asked questions about tracking the brochure's effectiveness, the plan to move off Amazon's platform, what incoming marketing channels he used, etc.

This led to a lengthy but highly valuable conversation for both him and myself.
We worked out a deal where I'll be his go-to marketing consultant, strategist, and implementer.

I turned a small $150 job into a now $1000+ project. I'll also receive a % of each sale once we get everything set up.

Tip: Working with new businesses can be a hassle, yes. BUT, if you can provide value ASAP, you can then position yourself as the person who can help your client grow effectively—allowing them to focus on the operational work. If you fear pitching yourself in this way, offer your skills on a pay-per-performance model. Most clients will agree to this model.

This win brought back the motivation I needed.
Yes, 8 months later, and I still lose motivation. Entrepreneurship is NOT easy, people. So stick with it because it's always going to suck. But that's the fun, overcoming the challenges, only for another overwhelming obstacle to take its place. Understand and accept this.

That's all I've got for now.

I am excited to see where all this goes.

Cheers!

 

[BlackSuperman]

It has been an insane week.


I worked on three contracts, two of which are ongoing for the next couple of months. The stress of paying bills & rent has diminished. Incredibly thankful for that.

The new process is fantastic.

There are a few hiccups I've run into.
But from now on, I know what needs to be done to ensure those bumps in the road disappear.

I've made more in the last couple days than the month before. It feels good to be back on the positive feedback-loop train.

Next Steps:
Thinking about it, I think it's time to leave Upwork finally. I can't quite "up & quit it" since it's paying my living expenses, but it's time to add another client acquisition channel due to all the time I'm saving now.

I need to figure out how.

Perhaps I need to go through all my current work and figure out the common denominator of my past clients to identify an audience demographic I can target. I think that will be a significant first step.

------
Side note: I'm finally taking a vacation, visiting a friend in another state for 5 days. I haven't left California in ages. Since I was 21, that's a solid 8 years!
It's about time.

And the great thing is I can work during part of my vacation!
Perks of NOT being tied down to an hourly job that requires my physical presence.

I hope all of you enjoyed the update!

 

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[BlackSuperman]

Today was the first day I tried LinkedIn lead generation for that UpWork contract I landed. It was my first time performing this kind of work. It did take me 30 minutes longer than I hoped, but after I got the system down the rest of the work went by quickly.

Was nervous when sending the first batch. I got the response I was hoping for and the client was extremely pleased about my work. This solidifies the contract. I officially have a 2-hour daily contract not related to my part-time retail job that pays just as much. I am happy that my progress continues to move forward.

Also, I taught a few members in a Facebook business community I am apart of, how to set up their Google Ads campaign. It was sloppy. I'm no teacher. But moving outside my own ego, they said they really enjoyed the class and found great value! Even suggested I do my own course. Haha. Maybe one day. Gives me a good feeling. I realize if I am going to teach any more of these free little classes, I should definitely create an agenda.

Since I finished my main tasks of the day early (Thanks to The Miracle Morning!) I spent some time applying for more contracts on UpWork. But then I decided to try something a little different. So I went through UpWork to find lead generation jobs that employers posted. I took down the niche. Niched down even more. Created a landing page. Set up a campaign to target the landing page. Hopefully, I plan to get leads I can sell to some of the sales professionals I connected with earlier on LinkedIn.

I'm kind of digging this multi-path, singular destination road I am embarking on. Using all my income driving channels to help further each other.

 

[Fox]

A lot has happened in the last month and a half. I went in a completely different direction than expected. Not planned either.

First: I quit my job. No more part-time retail job. It was costing me more to be there. The opportunity cost was affecting my potential earnings. Second: I ended up transitioning to copywriting. Not by choice either. The market I was dealing with preferred to manage their own ads but needed an ad writer. Luckily, I have experience writing copy for ads, social media posts, and website copy.

I was definitely rusty. Like 100-year-old metal drifting in the ocean kind of rusty. But I jumped on UpWork and got to work. Wrote a bunch of proposals. Many of them denied. A few of them landed further contact aka interviews. It felt great! And the clients I worked with were very pleased with the work and results! I had one focus: Completing the contracts with 200% of my effort! I read. I practiced. I asked for feedback. I asked for help. I let go of my ego. I became a sponge. All this led to, what I'd consider, awesome execution.

I would not have reached this far in my journey without the help of @Fox and his course, which allowed me to connect with a like-minded accountability group. @Andy Black and his amazing advice and Google Ads Bootcamp (which I plan to re-enroll once I get a steadier stream of clients). @Lex DeVille and his Udemy Advanced Proposals for Upwork course *I HIGHLY recommend any UpWork freelancer to take this course*, and @Black_Dragon43 for his insightful posts, recommendations(indirect), and threads which opened my mind even more.


Total earnings: $1,115 First Year Earnings Goal: 50,000 (Double what I made in retail ever)

PS: I've worked with some VERY interesting clients lately. Contracts that I wouldn't consider ideal. But necessary. I can't reach the bigger projects, without proving myself through smaller jobs. Providing extreme value. #1 Lesson I've Learned. It's about how MUCH value I can give for the price of the job. NOT how cheap I can be.

My advice when starting off: DO THE WORK! Don't worry about which clients will pay the most. Which will give you the most $ per hour. Prove yourself. Do the crap jobs. Do the jobs that no one else wants. EXCEED at it. Build your portfolio. Establish credibility. And then the bigger projects will come!


Also shoutout to @GuitarManDan for always helping a brother out when needed!

Ha this is great and it is cool how you used the different approaches of a few people on here to make it all work.

Wish you all the best with this and happy to have helped in some part - nice work!

 

[Simon Angel]

A lot has happened in the last month and a half. I went in a completely different direction than expected. Not planned either.

First: I quit my job. No more part-time retail job. It was costing me more to be there. The opportunity cost was affecting my potential earnings. Second: I ended up transitioning to copywriting. Not by choice either. The market I was dealing with preferred to manage their own ads but needed an ad writer. Luckily, I have experience writing copy for ads, social media posts, and website copy.

I was definitely rusty. Like 100-year-old metal drifting in the ocean kind of rusty. But I jumped on UpWork and got to work. Wrote a bunch of proposals. Many of them denied. A few of them landed further contact aka interviews. It felt great! And the clients I worked with were very pleased with the work and results! I had one focus: Completing the contracts with 200% of my effort! I read. I practiced. I asked for feedback. I asked for help. I let go of my ego. I became a sponge. All this led to, what I'd consider, awesome execution.

I would not have reached this far in my journey without the help of @Fox and his course, which allowed me to connect with a like-minded accountability group. @Andy Black and his amazing advice and Google Ads Bootcamp (which I plan to re-enroll once I get a steadier stream of clients). @Lex DeVille and his Udemy Advanced Proposals for Upwork course *I HIGHLY recommend any UpWork freelancer to take this course*, and @Black_Dragon43 for his insightful posts, recommendations(indirect), and threads which opened my mind even more.


Total earnings: $1,115 First Year Earnings Goal: 50,000 (Double what I made in retail ever)

PS: I've worked with some VERY interesting clients lately. Contracts that I wouldn't consider ideal. But necessary. I can't reach the bigger projects, without proving myself through smaller jobs. Providing extreme value. #1 Lesson I've Learned. It's about how MUCH value I can give for the price of the job. NOT how cheap I can be.

My advice when starting off: DO THE WORK! Don't worry about which clients will pay the most. Which will give you the most $ per hour. Prove yourself. Do the crap jobs. Do the jobs that no one else wants. EXCEED at it. Build your portfolio. Establish credibility. And then the bigger projects will come!


Also shoutout to @GuitarManDan for always helping a brother out when needed!

Well done, had a very similar experience just recently! Almost the exact same earnings in my first month as well.

I was busting my a$$ cold calling prospects for web design, breaking fingers writing over 2000 cold emails offering better converting Facebook ads, and all of a sudden I was a copywriter. Just like you, someone in my network did not need my other services but asked for some copy work and ended up praising it.

 

[BlackSuperman]

Well done, had a very similar experience just recently! Almost the exact same earnings in my first month as well.

I was busting my a$$ cold calling prospects for web design, breaking fingers writing over 2000 cold emails offering better converting Facebook ads, and all of a sudden I was a copywriter. Just like you, someone in my network did not need my other services but asked for some copy work and ended up praising it.

It’s funny how that works right? I can say that some of my friends think I hop around too much, but that isn’t it. And I think you understand. Sometimes where you plan to go isn’t always where you land.

This is also why I take nearly every copywriting job presented. Not because I want the pay out. But because if I want to survive, I need to provide FOR the market. Not TO the market. Hope that makes sense.

So to anyone reading/following - this is my main takeaway over the last few months. Be like water. Flow with the market. Eventually you’ll reach an ocean of opportunity.

 

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[Andy Black]

It’s funny how that works right? I can say that some of my friends think I hop around too much, but that isn’t it. And I think you understand. Sometimes where you plan to go isn’t always where you land.

This is also why I take nearly every copywriting job presented. Not because I want the pay out. But because if I want to survive, I need to provide FOR the market. Not TO the market. Hope that makes sense.

So to anyone reading/following - this is my main takeaway over the last few months. Be like water. Flow with the market. Eventually you’ll reach an ocean of opportunity.

To start we say Yes to everything.

To scale we say No to everything.

 

[BlackSuperman]

Wow, it's been nearly a month since I last updated.

But it wasn't all daisies and roses. Not at all.

So April was a complete bust. I landed only 2 SUPER small copywriting jobs. Relied so much on Upwork , I had no idea how to approach professionals outside of the platform. Learned that lesson this month. Got off Upwork(need to open business bank account to get my money out since registered under LLC), and now I'm using what I learned from copywriting (direct response), my experience working with a PPC agency, & running my own ads and formed my own agency.

Lucky for me, lead generation is a big market, especially GOOOD lead generation.

So I connected with my buddy who runs his own car detailing businesses, and started finding people who need his service YESTERDAY.
All in all, it's been solid ride. And now I'm going to use the results I got/getting him, and book some more clients, see who I can help.

Found 30 more auto detailers and added them to an email list.
Warmed up my email using warmup inbox.
Automated email campaign with a VERY simple message (thanks to @Black_Dragon43 for the suggestion to K.I.S.S. basically)

I don't expect to get any responses, BUT if I do I'm ready.
I'm also going to call any of the owners who haven't gotten back to me via email with a basic - "Hey X, this is X. Sent you an email a few days go." intro approach.

So sadly, I didn't have much to report on. But now this month there should be way more updates.

Month's revenue: $0/4,000

 

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[Andy Black]

Well done. We can see you making some big mindset shifts, especially if you’ve taken on board advice from the Astonishing Secrets thread by @IceCreamKid. I presume you found some similarities with that chat I had with @Fid about inbound marketing?

 

[BlackSuperman]

Well done. We can see you making some big mindset shifts, especially if you’ve taken on board advice from the Astonishing Secrets thread by @IceCreamKid. I presume you found some similarities with that chat I had with @Fid about inbound marketing?

Yes 100% I actually have noticed all the veterans here, in terms if mindset AND action taking, have alot of similarities! That's how I really know the mindset shift is one of the biggest hurdles to go over but also the most important one!

 

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[BlackSuperman]

It's been a pretty interested first week of January!

1. After trying and achieving the results/data I was looking for. I decided to try a method where a few of my ads target the whole of the U.S. Another campaign with the same keywords + a few more will target my city with an appended keyword that usually indicates buying intent. Feel like I nailed down my Ads campaign in a big way as I'm already getting quite a few people searching for terms that include my keywords. One of these clicks led to a form fill. I contacted the lead but still no reply. Next week I'll give a call.

Lesson learned: Sometimes you just need to do it yourself and experiment with different methods to figure out what works best for you.

2. A friend of mine tagged me in a post where someone he knew needed help with FB Ads. I have no experience but I told the poster I would help. We spent a good 30 minutes on Zoom trying to remedy the situation. He heard me earlier say I prefer Google or FB when it comes to dealing with customer support and tech issues. He asked me about Google Ads. I told him about it. He was very interested. Wanted to know my price. Told him that we will have a call next week so I can determine whether his business could benefit from it. Looks like a promising prospect. Can't wait to let you guys know the result.

Lesson learned: Help others. Never know what might happen.

3. Been busy setting up systems for outbound outreach. I plan to set up inbound once I actually get outbound clients. So far emailing has worked best. Out of 20 personalized emails sent, I got 2 replies. Out of those 2 replies. Got 1 lead to email me back, visit my website, fill out my form, and he's interested to speak and asked for prices. He also stated his business is closed until COVID allows him to open again. But still is interested in a future meeting. Marked him in my HubSpot and set a notification for 2 weeks to contact him.

I've set up my LinkedIn account and joined groups in my city/state targeting specific business industries I can help best. I've been connecting with a few of the other members. Next week I plan to try a LinkedIn outreach method I saw on here with my own touch. I Will post the results in the next update.

Lesson learned: Everyone wants leads to come to them. And it's very possible. But starting off, outbound lead generation might produce results more efficiently while I set up my income lead generating systems.

All in all the information that really matters:
Leads Gained (3) -
Prospects gained (2) -
Calls Booked (1) -

Am I ready? Yes!

Shout out to my boys in my accountability group for keeping me always moving forward. @James HB darkzyde @Fiftytwos Mat Azamat & Jason.

 

[BlackSuperman]

1.5 Week Update

Events:
1. I was hired, by the agency I worked with last week, to work on a second project this week. This time for a client who was offered a sweet deal on Shark Tank.

2. Upwork placed me in their Rising Talent Program!

Process: Put in the hours and finished both my previous contracts from last week.

In case you don’t remember -

a. Craft 30 Headlines for client’s Facebook Ad Campaign for her first book launch.

b. Draft 12 Facebook Ads and 6 Google Search Ads for Plastic Surgeon. <Agency contract>

Takeaway: Facebook ads are a nightmare to provide you-focused copywriting for. Their policy on personal attribution makes it very tough to single out a particular customer demographic. 

So for those of you jumping into Facebook ad copywriting, speak in a more general sense. Push benefits, but let the benefits speak to the customer. Don’t use you-focused language. At least when starting out.

I spent the weekend optimizing my profile. 

What do I mean?



Purchased @Lex DeVille 's course on Upwork Profile optimization (which I highly recommend you get as well if you’re using Upwork). 


The course was lengthy, but very informative. Spent a good 6-7 hours optimizing my biography. After all the work, not only is my profile optimized for a specific search term for Upwork, but looks & feels far more credible to any potential clients. 

I believe this played in a HUGE role in my acceptance into the Rising Talent program.



If you’re using Upwork and want to up your proposal acceptance rate, take both courses I mentioned in the thread. 



Not Fastlane related, but I changed my diet. 

I’m obsessed with bulking. I’m a smaller guy. Fit. Athletic. But doesn’t matter, I’m still labeled as skinny and for decades that negative label (at least to me) has shaped my obsession to bulk. 

Well….

This week I told myself I want to abolish this obsession. I still want to get bigger. But not at the expense of my health, my time, and my current freelance path.


So I performed research and crafted my own diet plan comprising brain foods, foods that keep the brain healthy, off-set dementia, delay potential Alzheimers, etc. I believe my new diet in combination with the Binaural beats I listen to daily, boosts my level of creativity. I don’t know for sure, but so far I feel far more innovative.


Key Takeaways:
There are no short-cuts ladies & gentlemen. 

Perform outstanding work. 

Provide excellent service. 

Drop poor habits. 

Create an efficient process. 


The reward will come!


PS: After talking with a friend, I'm going to start something on the side to get my Fastlane idea going (or to at least lead up to a purely CENTS-based business in the future).

I will be adding updates on that side project as well.
So stay tuned!

 

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[BlackSuperman]

Whew.
It's been a TOUGH month.
Whereas last month I made almost a grand, this month I haven't made even $100.
The month isn't over yet but goes to show even when the ball starts to roll, it can hit a wall any time.

After talking with a few friends, I now know I'm spending FAR too much time typing my Upwork proposals. I spent a good part of my day drafting a bi-weekly Upwork report for myself.

The data showed me that I've sent out more proposals compared to last month, which is good, but...my interview & hire rates dropped nearly 10-15%.

Also figured out that version #1 of my framework netted me an interview rate of 54% Framework version 2...0% OUCH! Granted the month isn't over.

But I will be going back to version 1, but adding a few edits to it. See if I can't get my interview rate to 75%. I know I'm more than qualified for 90% of the Direct Response Copywriting jobs out there.

So there should be 0 excuses.

I spend about 30-45 mins on drafting a single proposal. But with the systems I have in place, it should only take a max of 10-15 minutes.

To remedy this, I revised and improved my proposal framework. It's still targeted and very YOU-focused, but I made sure to add a few "placeholder areas". This allows me to write their needs in these placeholders, without having to read the whole proposal.

Should make the process faster.

I ran the framework through Hemingway Editor & Grammarly. This way I won't need to fix grammar & spelling mistakes constantly. I believe that's been taking a BIG chunk of time. Also, I checked my framework's Felsch reading score...

It was originally a grade 13 reading score.

Shameful. And I call myself a copywriter...shameful.

There is good news though!

After the edits, I got the score down to a reading/comprehension level of grade 6. It sounds smoother. More human. I also have a friend going over my framework. With these changes...I EXPECT to double my interview rates.

Now I know what I need to do.
I need to send out 5-6 proposals/day vs. the 2-3/day. It is a numbers game!

Month's revenue: $70/2,000

That's my update everyone. I hope anyone experiencing similar circumstances finds this useful!
Cheers

 

[BlackSuperman]

Great vacation. More important...PRODUCTIVE VACATION!

Going to keep this update short though.
Things that happened:
1. Landed another 2 clients from Upwork.
2. Started & Finished my website.
3. Wrote my first complete blog article. Educating prospects about Content Strategy, Why Content Strategy is Important, The Benefits of Content Strategy, The Different Types, and How To Create/Implement an EFFECTIVE Content Strategy.
4. Sent that baby over to a few friends who are business owners. They found it valuable. I plan on sending it to my current clients/past clients I've worked with as well.
5. Finished my LinkedIn Profile & started building genuine relationships.


I'm back in L.A. in one day and I'm extremely excited to get the ball rolling again (in terms of doing more paid work)

Thanks @Raja for keeping me accountable during this whole trip! Otherwise I'd be so far behind.

PS: Guys, It's been almost a year since I started this journey. And by no means am I rich. But I have been able to live without the requirement of a slave-labor position at 15/hr. If your excuse for NOT TAKING ACTION is related to your job, then you've got to take responsibility and PLAN YOUR EXIT!

 

[Raja]

Thanks @Raja for keeping me accountable during this whole trip! Otherwise I'd be so far behind.

Same here mate, i would also be far behind without your help.

 

[Jasper S]

It seems like you have an excellent mindset and congrats on getting rid of debt!

As someone who has been kind of a little here and a bit there on learning web development until recently (finally launched my first website earlier this year) I look forward to following this thread.

Keep the pedal to the metal!

 

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[BlackSuperman]

Big Update! Just got a contract. $40 an hour for LinkedIn Lead Gen.

The biggest thing I did to close the deal (since I have no previous UpWork testimonials) I let him know that I can do an hour or two of work (still paid) and then let me know based on leads gathered if he'd like to continue working together. As MJ would say, I provided value-skew by being different than the other lead generators.

My plan is to get him great results and in return be able to use him as a great reference since his software is being used by FB and Google.

Another update: Leader of an FB business group I am apart of wants to set up a call.
States he has clients looking for an Ads guy. So even more potentials I can help!

Funny because last week I was going through a tough mental wall.
This week seems to be working out.

Goes to show that if you tough through the obstacles, you might come to a reward afterwards.

 

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[BlackSuperman]

Minor update: Went to visit my parents. They dropped a HUGE bomb on me—a good one. I've got some catching up to do if I want to match their financial figures. Because they dropped this bomb, the whole time I was with them, I played with ideas on how I can take on more clients yet continue to provide the same quality of work.

I came up with a great solution! And so far, it's working VERY well. It's something I never thought I'd consider implementing, but so far, it's a game-changer. I'm currently implementing this new process out with my current client's project. I think it turned out beautifully. But I won't know his thoughts until Monday.

What would typically take me 3-4 hours only took me 1 1/2. As I learn this new tool, I'd imagine the results will be even better and help cut the time down by a lot.

Upwork has been a system that's worked for me to pay some bills, and I have found solid success, but I feel now I can finally move off their platform, leverage the relationships I have now, and take on all the work they will throw at me!

 

[BlackSuperman]

Interesting week!

To start, I had one client re-schedule a call with no future date.
I messaged her with a future call date and no reply. Ghosted? Busy? Who knows but I won't let this setback hold me back.
Instead of wasting my time, I sent over a Calendly link with my schedule. Now it's in her hands to make the choice. And it's out of my hands to devote any more potentially wasted time.

So outside of that, things were slow.
I sent out more Upwork proposals, built more content to share to my social channels, spent 30mins/1hour each day answering questions on Quora, and added targeted, relevant contacts on LinkedIn.


On a side note - I'm considering making a Twitter. So I can follow a few copywriters & content writers who post awesome tips/tidbits.

Now for today's news.
Very slow in the morning and early afternoon.
But then I received 2 messages on my Upwork app.
2 clients were impressed with my proposal and have booked calls for tomorrow.
The plan is to solidify these contracts and curate a long-term relationship. I'll do this by providing outstanding service & high-quality original content for their blogs. No shortcuts. No B.S.

This is exciting. I thought I was going this week with minimal work.

Moral of the story: As MJ would put it - If you turn the gumball machine enough, a few of the gold ones WILL come out.

Persistence is key.
To persist you need a working process.
To create a working process you need a strong mindset.
To reach a strong mindset, you must adopt healthy habits.

 

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[BlackSuperman]

I know I have not updated in a LONG time. I will post an update tonight!

I completely forgot I made a thread and planned on making a new one since ALOT of changes were made, but I think I will just update the title and update this thread periodically!


T-Minus 12 hours until the update