I thought I'd chronicle my journey to starting my first real business with only my skills and little to no money and going from there.
I hope to look back on this in 24 months and see how far I've come. If you get something from this,great! If not, good luck to you and your ventures.
Back Story:
All I've strived to do was become the most persuasive salesperson I could be, believing I can use these skills anywhere. For the past decade, I've sold door to door, retail and corporate sales. My academic background is in computer science and logistics. Reading TMF in May gave me that extra nudge to want to take things further.
I floated around looking for ideas online and offline but nothing I tried made money or kept me motivated enough to grow it.
I've followed the get good grades, geta good job, save your money, buy a house and invest if you can advice for too long. I have a damn mortgage. I'm a single parent. I haven't paid for petrol in 5 years. I think I have enough to get me through two months of personal bills. I cant move into my parents house to ease my financial commitments. I'm scared $#!^ for what 2013 will bring but I want success bad enough that I push on.
Vision:
To create a successful and profitable business in two years where we first in mind for our customers. I am not doing the selling and other tasks involved for the business. I'd only want to manage the business.
Two milestones I'm working towards: paying myself anequivalent to my current JOB salary each month and hiring 2 sales reps.
History:
2012
Prior to May – enjoyed my corporate job. I performed well so was 'safely' employed but I knew I wasn't going to be here much longer. I just didn't know what was next.
May – awakened by TMF . Registered a trading entity solely to claim my little expenses on tax as I tried a handful of ideas. Nothing worked or paid.
August – tried one idea I believed had potential. Half a$$ attempt at cold calling. Got discouraged by rejections. Put idea on the shelf and convinced myself I had to create the 'perfect' plan and just read more books and forums (BS excuse to actually taking action)
October – not one to sit around and realising the idea had to be sold I took 4 days off my JOB, pounded the pavement and cold called. BAM! Made my monthly income in 4 days. Began planning my exit from JOB.
November - resigned rather than risk damaging my reputation with the company and peers I respected in my JOB by having one foot in the door as an employee and one foot out the door as a business owner. Plus the company was going through a re-shuffle. While everyone I worked with was worried about having a JOB I was preoccupied with 'how do I create jobs?'
December – got my first product out and learned things I will and will not be doing next year. Saying goodbye to my JOB and career.
I will keep this update at least monthly. If I slip, can someone PM me and kick my a$$ for an update please!
Cheers
I hope to look back on this in 24 months and see how far I've come. If you get something from this,great! If not, good luck to you and your ventures.
Back Story:
All I've strived to do was become the most persuasive salesperson I could be, believing I can use these skills anywhere. For the past decade, I've sold door to door, retail and corporate sales. My academic background is in computer science and logistics. Reading TMF in May gave me that extra nudge to want to take things further.
I floated around looking for ideas online and offline but nothing I tried made money or kept me motivated enough to grow it.
I've followed the get good grades, geta good job, save your money, buy a house and invest if you can advice for too long. I have a damn mortgage. I'm a single parent. I haven't paid for petrol in 5 years. I think I have enough to get me through two months of personal bills. I cant move into my parents house to ease my financial commitments. I'm scared $#!^ for what 2013 will bring but I want success bad enough that I push on.
Vision:
To create a successful and profitable business in two years where we first in mind for our customers. I am not doing the selling and other tasks involved for the business. I'd only want to manage the business.
Two milestones I'm working towards: paying myself anequivalent to my current JOB salary each month and hiring 2 sales reps.
History:
2012
Prior to May – enjoyed my corporate job. I performed well so was 'safely' employed but I knew I wasn't going to be here much longer. I just didn't know what was next.
May – awakened by TMF . Registered a trading entity solely to claim my little expenses on tax as I tried a handful of ideas. Nothing worked or paid.
August – tried one idea I believed had potential. Half a$$ attempt at cold calling. Got discouraged by rejections. Put idea on the shelf and convinced myself I had to create the 'perfect' plan and just read more books and forums (BS excuse to actually taking action)
October – not one to sit around and realising the idea had to be sold I took 4 days off my JOB, pounded the pavement and cold called. BAM! Made my monthly income in 4 days. Began planning my exit from JOB.
November - resigned rather than risk damaging my reputation with the company and peers I respected in my JOB by having one foot in the door as an employee and one foot out the door as a business owner. Plus the company was going through a re-shuffle. While everyone I worked with was worried about having a JOB I was preoccupied with 'how do I create jobs?'
December – got my first product out and learned things I will and will not be doing next year. Saying goodbye to my JOB and career.
I will keep this update at least monthly. If I slip, can someone PM me and kick my a$$ for an update please!
Cheers
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