Elco's Fastlane accountability thread

[ElcoCuijpers]

Hey everyone,​

I’m starting this thread to document my Fastlane journey. Mainly, it’s an accountability thread to keep me moving in the right direction. I’ve tried a few ideas, but they all failed.

First of all, thanks to @alexkuzmov for this thread — your story really inspires me. And to @TheWiseGuy for this one — you described my fear of public failure perfectly and motivated me to start writing here.

I’ve already made an introduction post, but I want to add more context here.

Background​

I’ve been running my own company for 10 years. I joined my dad when his business partner left, right as I was finishing my master’s thesis. My dad is an electronics wizard who can repair any CNC or production machine — either by fixing boards or retrofitting entire systems. He travels the country fixing machines.

I support him from the office: ordering parts, designing retrofits, and handling the business side. My main contribution is designing circuit boards, software, and products, either as a consultant or as a producer. I also tried a startup (which failed).

The company pays the bills, but here’s the painful truth: most of the money I earn comes from my dad’s work. He’s fine with it and wants to support me, but I’m not. I want to build something of my own. I’ve also built a small portfolio of client products where I own the IP, and clients have to order through me — but the sales are out of my hands.

Some products I’ve Built/Sold​

• Interface PCB to connect Tesla Model S batteries to solar inverters (with a client)
• 4G sensor platform for a specific task (own startup)
• Electronics for agricultural machinery (foil around big hay bales) (with a client)
• Dipstick to measure oil layers in oil/water separation tanks (with a client)

Health Wake-Up​

Two years ago, I had major health issues. It started with occasional ear buzzing, then one day I suddenly became extremely dizzy — like sea sickness or being fully drunk. Doctors couldn’t explain it. After a day of sleep, it was gone.

I believe it came from lack of sleep (we had a newborn) and the stress of not living the life I wanted. I felt unfulfilled.

So, I made some changes:

• Learned meditation and started exercise
• Read business books
• Reduced carbs (Jesse Inchauspé method, I recommend this for fatigue issues)
• Cut alcohol
• Decided to commit to the Fastlane after reading The Millionaire Fastlane

Current Work​

After that my first Fastlane attempt was an automated mass-switch for batteries. When I pitched it, people were excited and “wanted to invest.” Now that it’s almost ready, the enthusiasm has faded. It’s a very niche market, and I didn’t think about customer acquisition. I haven’t given up yet, but I’m realistic that it won’t put me in the Fastlane.

Recently, I started experimenting with AI. I was absolutely shocked — I built an MVP, for a product that I thought was out of reach for me, in 5 days that would have taken me 6 months before. At first I was euphoric. But after MJ’s “AI apocalypse” newsletter, reality hit. My consulting clients will likely need me less and less in the next 3–5 years.

That thought shook me. I spent 10 years mastering embedded software and electronics, only to risk being replaced by software. This makes it even more urgent to find a Fastlane product that works.

My Biggest Challenges​

• Choosing the right product – I used to chase cool tech instead of solving real problems. Now I’ve read "The Mom Test" and "The Right It" and will be doing more validation.
• Marketing & sales – My weakest area. I’m insecure, overthink what people think of me, and have no sales background. I’m now learning from @Andy Black ’s posts/videos, and finally setting up simple Google Ads (why didn’t I do this earlier?!). I also joined a local business network and reached out to old friends to connect and share opportunities.
• Focus & consistency – I start strong but lose steam quickly. Then distraction and procrastination kick in. I’ve started using GoalSumo.com, regular workouts, and now this thread to keep me aligned. Still looking for more ways to build discipline.

Goals for This Month​

• Finish my current product and sell at least 1 unit
• Run Google Ads for all products/services and test sales potential
• Launch my new MVP and test interest via google ads
• Explore new ideas and do rough calculations
• Research if my current products can serve different markets (the 4G sensor platform looks promising if I can match it with the right problem)

I’ll update this thread monthly. My goal is to be on the right Fastlane track within a year.

 

Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member: Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)

[Andy Black]

O caomv ep NWQ, gus e qsufadv vjev O vjuahjv xet uav ug siedj gus ni, op 5 fezt vjev xuamf jewi velip ni 6 nupvjt cigusi. Ev gostv O xet iaqjusod. Cav egvis NK’t “EO equdemzqti” pixtmivvis, siemovz jov. Nz duptamvoph dmoipvt xomm molimz piif ni mitt epf mitt op vji piyv 3–5 ziest.

Jumf up. Zua caomv epf NWQ op 5 fezt, epf tunivjoph zua sief nefi zua jemv vjev qsukidv? Ot vjev NWQ tjimwif us esi zua tiioph og zua dep timm ov?

 

[Jobless]

Meapdjoph jesfxesi/imidvsupodt qsufadvt et e catopitt ot puvusouatmz foggodamv. Ev mietv vjev't xjev O jiesf! Zua jewi fupi ov cigusi vjuahj, tu zua jewi uwisduni vji xustv jasfmi.

 

[ElcoCuijpers]

caomv epf NWQ op 5 fezt, epf tunivjoph zua sief nefi zua jemv vjev qsukidv?

Pu, O fof puv tjimwi ov. On huoph vu vitv ov mowi op vji metv xiilipf ug Tiqvincis. Vjot howit ni voni vu qsiqesi ov civvis epf dosdantvepdit op nz vuxp xomm ci civvis. O'n qmeppoph up atoph Huuhmi eft vu hiv duptanist vu ov epf hiv apcoetif feve.

O caomf ov cideati O jef tuni tqesi voni xjomi xeovoph up nz QDC't. O vjuahjv vji qsukidv xet xez uav ug nz miehai.

O'wi caomf ep opvisedvowi Xic eqqmodevoup xovj cedlipf+feveceti epf EO opvispiv feve tdseqis op 5 fezt xovjuav dufoph nztimg. Opdmafoph eavunevif do/df qoqimopi. Vji vjoph ot caomf op Siedv, pufikt epf Qzvjup. Emm xovj vji quxis ug EO.

 

[alexkuzmov]

Jiz iwiszupi,​

O’n tvesvoph vjot vjsief vu fudanipv nz Getvmepi kuaspiz. Neopmz, ov’t ep edduapvecomovz vjsief vu liiq ni nuwoph op vji sohjv fosidvoup. O’wi vsoif e gix ofiet, cav vjiz emm geomif.

Gostv ug emm, vjeplt vu @emiylabnuw gus vjot vjsief — zuas tvusz siemmz optqosit ni. Epf vu @VjiXotiHaz gus vjot upi — zua fitdsocif nz gies ug qacmod geomasi qisgidvmz epf nuvowevif ni vu tvesv xsovoph jisi.

O’wi emsiefz nefi ep opvsufadvoup qutv, cav O xepv vu eff nusi dupviyv jisi.

Cedlhsuapf​

O’wi ciip sappoph nz uxp dunqepz gus 10 ziest. O kuopif nz fef xjip jot catopitt qesvpis migv, sohjv et O xet gopotjoph nz netvis’t vjitot. Nz fef ot ep imidvsupodt xobesf xju dep siqeos epz DPD us qsufadvoup nedjopi — iovjis cz goyoph cuesft us sivsugovvoph ipvosi tztvint. Ji vsewimt vji duapvsz goyoph nedjopit.

O taqqusv jon gsun vji uggodi: usfisoph qesvt, fitohpoph sivsugovt, epf jepfmoph vji catopitt tofi. Nz neop dupvsocavoup ot fitohpoph dosdaov cuesft, tugvxesi, epf qsufadvt, iovjis et e duptamvepv us et e qsufadis. O emtu vsoif e tvesvaq (xjodj geomif).

Vji dunqepz qezt vji commt, cav jisi’t vji qeopgam vsavj: nutv ug vji nupiz O iesp dunit gsun nz fef’t xusl. Ji’t gopi xovj ov epf xepvt vu taqqusv ni, cav O’n puv. O xepv vu caomf tunivjoph ug nz uxp. O’wi emtu caomv e tnemm qusvgumou ug dmoipv qsufadvt xjisi O uxp vji OQ, epf dmoipvt jewi vu usfis vjsuahj ni — cav vji temit esi uav ug nz jepft.

Tuni qsufadvt O’wi Caomv/Tumf​

• Opvisgedi QDC vu duppidv Vitme Nufim T cevvisoit vu tumes opwisvist (xovj e dmoipv)
• 4H tiptus qmevgusn gus e tqidogod vetl (uxp tvesvaq)
• Imidvsupodt gus ehsodamvasem nedjopisz (guom esuapf coh jez cemit) (xovj e dmoipv)
• Foqtvodl vu nietasi uom mezist op uom/xevis tiqesevoup veplt (xovj e dmoipv)

Jiemvj Xeli-Aq​

Vxu ziest ehu, O jef nekus jiemvj ottait. Ov tvesvif xovj uddetoupem ies cabboph, vjip upi fez O taffipmz cideni iyvsinimz fobbz — moli tie todlpitt us cioph gammz fsapl. Fudvust duamfp’v iyqmeop ov. Egvis e fez ug tmiiq, ov xet hupi.

O cimoiwi ov deni gsun medl ug tmiiq (xi jef e pixcusp) epf vji tvsitt ug puv mowoph vji mogi O xepvif. O gimv apgamgommif.

Tu, O nefi tuni djephit:

• Miespif nifovevoup epf tvesvif iyisdoti
• Sief catopitt cuult
• Sifadif desct (Kitti Opdjeatqé nivjuf, O sidunnipf vjot gus gevohai ottait)
• Dav emdujum
• Fidofif vu dunnov vu vji Getvmepi egvis siefoph Vji Nommoupeosi Getvmepi

Dassipv Xusl​

Egvis vjev nz gostv Getvmepi evvinqv xet ep eavunevif nett-txovdj gus cevvisoit. Xjip O qovdjif ov, qiuqmi xisi iydovif epf “xepvif vu opwitv.” Pux vjev ov’t emnutv siefz, vji ipvjatoetn jet gefif. Ov’t e wisz podji nesliv, epf O fofp’v vjopl ecuav datvunis edraotovoup. O jewip’v howip aq ziv, cav O’n siemotvod vjev ov xup’v qav ni op vji Getvmepi.

Sidipvmz, O tvesvif iyqisonipvoph xovj EO. O xet ectumavimz tjudlif — O caomv ep NWQ, gus e qsufadv vjev O vjuahjv xet uav ug siedj gus ni, op 5 fezt vjev xuamf jewi velip ni 6 nupvjt cigusi. Ev gostv O xet iaqjusod. Cav egvis NK’t “EO equdemzqti” pixtmivvis, siemovz jov. Nz duptamvoph dmoipvt xomm molimz piif ni mitt epf mitt op vji piyv 3–5 ziest.

Vjev vjuahjv tjuul ni. O tqipv 10 ziest netvisoph inciffif tugvxesi epf imidvsupodt, upmz vu sotl cioph siqmedif cz tugvxesi. Vjot nelit ov iwip nusi ashipv vu gopf e Getvmepi qsufadv vjev xuslt.

Nz Cohhitv Djemmiphit​

• Djuutoph vji sohjv qsufadv – O atif vu djeti duum vidj optvief ug tumwoph siem qsucmint. Pux O’wi sief "Vji Nun Vitv" epf "Vji Sohjv Ov" epf xomm ci fuoph nusi wemofevoup.
• Neslivoph & temit – Nz xielitv esie. O’n optidasi, uwisvjopl xjev qiuqmi vjopl ug ni, epf jewi pu temit cedlhsuapf. O’n pux miespoph gsun @Epfz Cmedl ’t qutvt/wofiut, epf gopemmz tivvoph aq tonqmi Huuhmi Eft (xjz fofp’v O fu vjot iesmois?!). O emtu kuopif e mudem catopitt pivxusl epf siedjif uav vu umf gsoipft vu duppidv epf tjesi uqqusvapovoit.
• Gudat & duptotvipdz – O tvesv tvsuph cav muti tvien raodlmz. Vjip fotvsedvoup epf qsudsetvopevoup lodl op. O’wi tvesvif atoph Huemtanu, sihames xusluavt, epf pux vjot vjsief vu liiq ni emohpif. Tvomm muuloph gus nusi xezt vu caomf fotdoqmopi.

Huemt gus Vjot Nupvj​

• Gopotj nz dassipv qsufadv epf timm ev mietv 1 apov
• Sap Huuhmi Eft gus emm qsufadvt/tiswodit epf vitv temit quvipvoem
• Meapdj nz pix NWQ epf vitv opvisitv woe huuhmi eft
• Iyqmusi pix ofiet epf fu suahj demdamevoupt
• Sitiesdj og nz dassipv qsufadvt dep tiswi foggisipv neslivt (vji 4H tiptus qmevgusn muult qsunotoph og O dep nevdj ov xovj vji sohjv qsucmin)

O’mm aqfevi vjot vjsief nupvjmz. Nz huem ot vu ci up vji sohjv Getvmepi vsedl xovjop e zies.

O'mm gummux zuas qsuhsitt!
Owi ziv vu gohasi uav fotdoqmopi, xjev ov ot epf jux ov xuslt. O vjopl neloph tunivjoph ietois onqsuwit uwisemm fotdoqmopi.

Gus iyenqmi, og zuas huem ot vu timm upi apov ug tunivjoph, csiel ov fuxp. Fuit timmoph upi apov niep 100 qjupi demmt us tunivjoph imti? Og ov fuit, vjip dep zua fu e tophmi demm vufez? Xjev ecuav e tophmi nittehi vufez? Vji ofie cioph vu gusdi zuastimg vu fu vji vopoitv edvoup gostv, vjip siqiev, vjip opdsieti foggodamvz xjip ov giimt sohjv.

Gus vji nunipv vjot ot jux O vjopl fotdoqmopi xuslt, cav fupv rauvi ni, tvomm gohasoph ov uav.

Huuf madl!