An honest post: My mental block, but I'm trying to break out

[NoStupidQuestion]

I don't really know how to start this so I'll dive right in.

I'm in my early thirties, I'm black/Afro-Caribbean and I have been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome as as adult. My diagnosis was the culmination of years of difficulty working within the education industry (teacher). I was very good at my job, but not very good at building relationships with other adults, for one reason or another. Towards the end of my last role, my job was getting unbearable. I became more and more convinced I was Asperger's (pre-diagnosis) and I became convinced (still am) that everyone was talking about me and poking fun at me behind my back. So I left the job as quickly as possible.

I had some savings at that point, so I decided to take a little break and pursue a life that I controlled myself. Of course, this has been a challenge, and I am still struggling to sink my teeth into something that can make me money (and lots of it) away from a full-time job.

I tried to create a motivational YouTube channel, which did okay for the time I was running it, but I quickly realised that you can't make money there really, not without major opportunity cost at least. The growth of my channel just simply wasn't matching the required amount to reach monetisation within a year. However, I did learn to create and edit video to decent standard. One of my videos was shared by the subject of the video on social media and that video went relatively viral for about a week. He is very well known and revered around the world and in Silicon Valley in particular). I had another business owner (whom another video was about) offer me the chance to create videos for his company, but that never came to fruition (I should have chased). After this initial buzz (these were like the first few videos) it died down and I canned the idea as I had seen other similar channels re-post other material and somehow hit 1m views within a short space of time!

Then I decided to build a website based upon my music interest. I built the site but quickly abandoned it again because the cost to maintain the regular digital content vs the amount to be made from clicks I felt was too small. Again, I came away with the skill of knowing how to build a website pretty quickly and a better understanding of SEO and Google ads etc. While I quit both of these things pretty early, I'm happy I came away with some useful skills.

Then, towards the end of 2019, I spent about two weeks looking at getting into the CBD business. The long and short of it, after much research was that the initial cost outweighed the demand/competition, so we decided to drop that too.

At the start of 2020 moved to my country's second largest city recently, hoping for a fresh start. My first idea was a personal networking app, but we dropped that because a similar app failed in 2016 and because of money again!

Now I have decided to try and build a tutoring business (I have a thread about it in another forum on here). I am also flitting in between going to get another job, as I cannot help think that this new venture I am trying won't have any legs either, and I will just end up in more debt, with a failed idea. I am unsure how lucrative (if at all) this idea can be, and I am only really doing it because I don't have a better idea AND because this is, professionally at least, my area of expertise. Things have been slowly progressing with that idea, but we're not trading yet. We're still in the marketing phase. I'm worried however, that being a black man as the face of a business like this will be a hindrance, not a help. 2020 somehow doesn't feel as progressive in my country as 2000-2010. That doesn't mean I'm not going to try though.

Yesterday I had a "f*** this" moment. After watching a TV show about a guy who owns a boatload of houses and is making a killing, I decided to wake up this morning and face my demons head on.

My plan is to:
- List all of the skills I have and could potentially make money from (the list is extensive in theory). My Asperger's (I guess) means that I have spent obsessive amounts of time on one particular thing to the point where I learnt them well!

- Advertise my services in each of these areas in as many places as I can.

- Continue trying building my new business with a positive mindset. (Selling and retaining is going to be the challenge).

- Maybe do some substitute teaching to bring in some extra cash.

How does all of this sound?

 

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[Kepler]

Nobody worth anything cares what color you are man. If you provide value to someone in need of it they will lend you their business.

It sounds like you have what I call shiny ball syndrome (I’ve been there before), it’s basically where you have all these ideas and you dabble a little in each one then give up and go to the next one.

You have to first look inward, which I believe you are starting to realize.

Take a personal inventory of your strengths, and areas of expertise.

Put those strengths and expertises together into different packages in different ways and craft your offer to the market.

It will likely not get far but part of it will receive interest, that’s where you re-craft your offer based off the feedback and see what else sticks.

It’s just the scientific method my friend. Alter the offer one variable at a time and test.

I have traction and I’m at around my 300th rendition of my offer to the market.

some get it sooner, others later.

but remember there is a guy out their selling literal rocks and making millions doing it.

so find your rocks, think of the problems faced in your industry of expertise and how to solve them.

Think of the problems you face with your diagnosis, and see if there is anything you can do to help others in the same boat.

Think of the problems or headaches you face in your hobbies and how you would solve it.

that’s how wealth is made, by helping others.

you can do it, but it won’t come fast, it won’t come easy, and you can’t make any excuses for yourself so f#%k your diagnosis.

We all have our demons, I’m diagnosed with depression that I fight with daily and I’m colorblind but I fight like it doesn’t exist.

Im sure there are a high number of undiagnosed and diagnosed Autistic individuals on this forum who are killing the game too.

so just believe in yourself man and f@&k what the world has to say about you, just get out there and help people with your special gifts and talents that nobody else has.

I hope this was inspirational and helpful,

-Kepler

 

[ZF Lee]

Hi there, thanks for sharing your tale!
Despite your tough struggles, it's amazing that you've continued to pull through, and continue onwards!

Now I have decided to try and build a tutoring business (I have a thread about it in another forum on here). I am also flitting in between going to get another job, as I cannot help think that this new venture I am trying won't have any legs either, and I will just end up in more debt, with a failed idea.

Tutoring in what subjects? What field?

I feel teaching is very service- based, but you needn't throw in a lot of money into it, at first, unless you already have some teaching system you can franchise out.

There's many ways to start tutoring (or even further it)- I come from a place where education is widely touted. So I used to see tuition teachers come and go.

You can go to students' houses and teach them there.
Or hop into a school to teach part-time classes or teach clubs.
Or rent a small space or shophouse, as I saw sometimes for those who could afford it more.

From there, you see how demand picks up,and justifies a bigger space or hiring teachers.

My plan is to:
- List all of the skills I have and could potentially make money from (the list is extensive in theory). My Asperger's (I guess) means that I have spent obsessive amounts of time on one particular thing to the point where I learnt them well!

- Advertise my services in each of these areas in as many places as I can.

- Continue trying building my new business with a positive mindset. (Selling and retaining is going to be the challenge).

- Maybe do some substitute teaching to bring in some extra cash.

Sounds like a decent plan!
As for each of the areas you are advertising out, just keep in mind that even to test these gigs out, you'll have spend some time on each of them.

Look to cull the list consistently, until you get a few moneymaking activities that get the most bang out of your time and effort. I believe James Schramko's 'Work Less, Earn More' has some stuff to say on that in the first few chapters.

 

[NoStupidQuestion]

Thanks Kepler. Your post has definitely resonated with me.

 

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[NoStupidQuestion]

Hi there, thanks for sharing your tale!
Despite your tough struggles, it's amazing that you've continued to pull through, and continue onwards!


Tutoring in what subjects? What field?

MATHS AND ENGLISH and some entrance examinations for private/grammar schools.

Sounds like a decent plan!
As for each of the areas you are advertising out, just keep in mind that even to test these gigs out, you'll have spend some time on each of them.

Look to cull the list consistently, until you get a few moneymaking activities that get the most bang out of your time and effort. I believe James Schramko's 'Work Less, Earn More' has some stuff to say on that in the first few chapters.

Thanks, I will check out that book.

 

[NoStupidQuestion]

Literally back here three years later (by sheer serendipity, not on purpose): update:

- I went back to school
- I got a new career, currently working for one of the world's most recognisable companies
- I've just bought a house
- I'm working through my personal obstacles (dealing with social anxiety and neurodiversity)
- I'm about to start a side hustle doing Web Design (which is kinda why I'm back here). I think I've spotted a minor gap in the local market and since it costs next to nothing to start (with my professional skillset and prior experience) this is a no-brainer.

I'll be using this site as my base and sharing my progress.