Finally Clear - Starting my personal development company

[RayAndré]

So I joined TFF about 5 years ago and its changed my life. (I know I'm not alone there...)

The first project I stared after joining was a personal growth blog called The Ambitious Me.
This was my gut feeling, I was passionate about personal growth and wanted to help and support others on their journey.

And then came the years of mental F*ckery...

The Ambitious Me never got profitable, or even had a product to sell. I built some traffic, but that was about it.
I backed away from it because I wasn't clear how to monetize others' self help books, and real estate and SaaS was looking reeeaally appealing.

Several mental and physical health challenges were thrown at me one after the other after the other...
People I looked up to for help and support weren't meeting me where I was at and able to truly help me...
So I've had to figure a lot out on my own.

I'll save the rest of the story for later in this thread - but here's why I'm writing this...

- For the past 6+ years, I have been on an INTENSE personal development journey.
- A lot of the advice out there didn't work for me. I tried tons...it wasn't very practical and was often missing the "how to" I was looking for.
- I've tried, started, partnered, sold, experimented with several business since then...
- In the past year I've learned SO MUCH about "personal development" and some of it seriously blows my mind.
- So I'm back...back to where I began and where feels right - a personal development company.
- I'm starting over, with a new brand...
- ...but this time its based in practicality, biology, physics, and a strong value of "how to" and having the best tools.

The old site will still live on as it is - a reminder of where it all began.

To be continued...

In the meantime...ask me anything.

 

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[Akaushra]

I want to help people, specifically young men who are in the wrong path (and monetize it). I know exactly what I would tell them. How do I show ten and monetize it?

 

[Neatt04]

So I joined TFF about 5 years ago and its changed my life. (I know I'm not alone there...)

The first project I stared after joining was a personal growth blog called The Ambitious Me.
This was my gut feeling, I was passionate about personal growth and wanted to help and support others on their journey.

And then came the years of mental F*ckery...

The Ambitious Me never got profitable, or even had a product to sell. I built some traffic, but that was about it.
I backed away from it because I wasn't clear how to monetize others' self help books, and real estate and SaaS was looking reeeaally appealing.

Several mental and physical health challenges were thrown at me one after the other after the other...
People I looked up to for help and support weren't meeting me where I was at and able to truly help me...
So I've had to figure a lot out on my own.

I'll save the rest of the story for later in this thread - but here's why I'm writing this...

- For the past 6+ years, I have been on an INTENSE personal development journey.
- A lot of the advice out there didn't work for me. I tried tons...it wasn't very practical and was often missing the "how to" I was looking for.
- I've tried, started, partnered, sold, experimented with several business since then...
- In the past year I've learned SO MUCH about "personal development" and some of it seriously blows my mind.
- So I'm back...back to where I began and where feels right - a personal development company.
- I'm starting over, with a new brand...
- ...but this time its based in practicality, biology, physics, and a strong value of "how to" and having the best tools.

The old site will still live on as it is - a reminder of where it all began.

To be continued...

In the meantime...ask me anything.

When it comes to new ventures whether it be online businesses or even just side hustles, what is something you do to even just get the ball rolling with these ideas. Starting a business is obviously a huge task, whats the first few big steps you take toward obtaining the goal you seek?

 

[RayAndré]

I want to help people, specifically young men who are in the wrong path (and monetize it). I know exactly what I would tell them. How do I show ten and monetize it?

Well you have to create value that they would pay for. Is "what you would tell them" valuable enough? And if it is...do they have the money to pay for it?
"Young men on the wrong path" likely dont have much money - so you might be looking at low ticket items (eBooks, etc) to get started.

But I'll also say what I've done - if this is what you want to do, just start "saying" it - start putting your message out there and creating content. Then I'll put on my Gary V hat and say keep doing that "long enough until your audience has had time to find you."

 

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[RayAndré]

When it comes to new ventures whether it be online businesses or even just side hustles, what is something you do to even just get the ball rolling with these ideas. Starting a business is obviously a huge task, whats the first few big steps you take toward obtaining the goal you seek?

Ok this is a very broad question...but first things first:

"Starting a business is obviously a huge task..."

...is it though? Starting could be simply making a simple website, or making some phone calls, or just starting to tell people "I do XYZ, do you know someone who needs XYZ?"
Is that so HUGE?

What's the first few big steps you take...?

Usually the first step I take is small - something simple that doesn't feel overwhelming. Something that I can feel like "ok cool, that's done, a quick win...what's next?..."
I'm assuming you've validated your idea already with some market research.

But the first step really is just to get your first sale. That's when MONEY validates your idea.

So I'll turn it back to you...what are you thinking of, and how can you get your first sale?

 

[StrikingViper69]

What have you accomplished that makes you worth following?

 

[RayAndré]

...continuing...

Here's been the tricky thing with this business...
You've heard the quote about a fish in water, right? "Ask a fish what water is and it won't know what you're talking about." -- Why is this? - Because its swimming in it. Its surrounded by it completely. Its never known any different and has nothing to compare it to.

A huge part of my joinery has been to find my "waters". Find my blind spots. Find the things that I've been swimming in that are keeping me from progressing how I want to progress.
Add to that the fact that my brain (currently) hyper-zooms-in to the details. So to pull me out and back to see a new perspective takes a BIG shift.

So as I'm swimming around all the mental stuff in my mind...
...and I'm trying to put together a business about mental stuff swimming around in people's minds...
...its been cloudy to say the least.

And its required some BIG shifts for me to break my own perspective so that I can be in a healthier place to help others, to see and meet them where they're at so that I can be a better coach (and not giving advice while I'm swimming around in my own mental mess).


A handful of things have done that for me
- some experiences and conversations with friends
- specific types of meditating
- but a lot of it has also been physical...
- cold plunges, fasting, sauna, therapeutic bodywork

Working for years on this path - I can tell its been years since my psyche has been "normal / healthy / my best self", but there's been a few moments over the years that snap me back into it momentarily, almost like a mental/emotional deja-vu.

All this to say - the mental work has paid off as I'm getting to a place to truly serve others. Its not only paid off to put me in a better headspace to run a business, but I've learned the tools and techniques I will offer to others as my expertise ... a much better model ("better" as in aligned with what I want to do) than trying to figure out how to sell self help workbooks and not get sued for plagiarism.

Onwards...

 

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[theag]

What have you accomplished that makes you worth following?

As always with these types of businesses, this is what it comes down to. Either that, or extremely good copywriting (which you don't have yet) and faking.

You might want to check out this thread which, although a different focus, had a similar premise and received a bunch of feedback: The Well Defined Man | Authentic Attraction (Closed)

 

[RayAndré]

What have you accomplished that makes you worth following?

I've pulled myself out of what used to be an intensely negative psyche - an uncontrollable mind full of negative thinking and low self confidence...lots of things that's challenging to put words to. Insecurities, anxiety, unhealthy attachments, self deprecation, etc, etc

I've fixed/healed/undone a laundry list of symptoms that most trained professionals couldn't help me with - so I had to figure it out on my own. Good thing I'm good at figuring things out on my own, and with my background as a software engineer I've been able to get to root causes of things that many simply don't consider.

I've found how energy is the lowest common denominator to many issues, and how its way more physical and practical than some hand wavey crystal ball BS if you learn it right.

That's all on the inside - invisible things and hard to see unless you've known me for a while and know what to look for. Several very successful people much older than me have said they wish they were as self aware as I am at my age (31).

On the outside - I may not have millions, but my lifestyle, freedom, and income is definitely above average - all with no stress. Physically I've accomplished intense calisthenic moves that most would never even try (example: link in signature).

But the mental game is the biggest piece. I've learned how to be happy with where I'm at AND want more at the same time. My psyche has completely transformed from just a few years ago. I want to help others not struggle through that the way I did.

 

[RayAndré]

As always with these types of businesses, this is what it comes down to. Either that, or extremely good copywriting (which you don't have yet) and faking.

You might want to check out this thread which, although a different focus, had a similar premise and received a bunch of feedback: The Well Defined Man | Authentic Attraction (Closed)

hahah...oh man I remember when that all went down. thanks for bringing it up, it will be good for me to go through.

Yes the copy has been a challenge for me still. Coming from a background of software engineering, copywriting is not my strong suit I'm dialing it in as I talk to more people about it.

 

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[StrikingViper69]

I've pulled myself out of what used to be an intensely negative psyche - an uncontrollable mind full of negative thinking and low self confidence...lots of things that's challenging to put words to. Insecurities, anxiety, unhealthy attachments, self deprecation, etc, etc

I've fixed/healed/undone a laundry list of symptoms that most trained professionals couldn't help me with - so I had to figure it out on my own. Good thing I'm good at figuring things out on my own, and with my background as a software engineer I've been able to get to root causes of things that many simply don't consider.

I've found how energy is the lowest common denominator to many issues, and how its way more physical and practical than some hand wavey crystal ball BS if you learn it right.

That's all on the inside - invisible things and hard to see unless you've known me for a while and know what to look for. Several very successful people much older than me have said they wish they were as self aware as I am at my age (31).

On the outside - I may not have millions, but my lifestyle, freedom, and income is definitely above average - all with no stress. Physically I've accomplished intense calisthenic moves that most would never even try (example: link in signature).

But the mental game is the biggest piece. I've learned how to be happy with where I'm at AND want more at the same time. My psyche has completely transformed from just a few years ago. I want to help others not struggle through that the way I did.

I've pulled myself out of what used to be an intensely negative psyche - an uncontrollable mind full of negative thinking and low self confidence...lots of things that's challenging to put words to. Insecurities, anxiety, unhealthy attachments, self deprecation, etc, etc

I've fixed/healed/undone a laundry list of symptoms that most trained professionals couldn't help me with - so I had to figure it out on my own. Good thing I'm good at figuring things out on my own, and with my background as a software engineer I've been able to get to root causes of things that many simply don't consider.

I've found how energy is the lowest common denominator to many issues, and how its way more physical and practical than some hand wavey crystal ball BS if you learn it right.

That's all on the inside - invisible things and hard to see unless you've known me for a while and know what to look for. Several very successful people much older than me have said they wish they were as self aware as I am at my age (31).

On the outside - I may not have millions, but my lifestyle, freedom, and income is definitely above average - all with no stress. Physically I've accomplished intense calisthenic moves that most would never even try (example: link in signature).

But the mental game is the biggest piece. I've learned how to be happy with where I'm at AND want more at the same time. My psyche has completely transformed from just a few years ago. I want to help others not struggle through that the way I did.

So the answer is nothing?

It’s great you feel better, but there’s a million people selling “positive energy”.

 

[RayAndré]

So the answer is nothing?

It’s great you feel better, but there’s a million people selling “positive energy”.

Maybe your psyche was never in such a state that you had to intensely work on it, and so to you its nothing.

But if millions of people are selling it...then there's got to be millions of buyers. Those spiritual conventions sell so many damn crystals

But no, I'm not selling crystals, and I'm not selling "positive energy".

 

[RayAndré]

Remove to Improve

Take a step back, and take inventory…
What have you added to your life in the last three months?
- A new book or podcast? More motivation or affirmations? More supplements or over-the-counters? A few more things on your desk? More steps to your morning routine?

…ok go write those down…

Now write down how they’ve helped. If they have at all. Or if they were added because the previous things you added didn’t help and so this is trying something else.

Now pause,
And think what can you remove that would help you?
- Less anxiety. Less over worrying and negative thinking. Less physical clutter on your desk. Less mental noise. Less indecisiveness and insecurities.


(Time for an analogy…)
In software, there’s the idea of “refactoring” an old code base. It’s where you have code that is years old, has problems, but it’s been left that way because it still works enough and there’s no “quick fix” - and then the team finally decides to “refactor” it, essentially removing/replacing/rewriting or whatever is necessary to make a better long term solution.
Refactors are designed to remove what’s bad. Old messy code. Buggy code. Noisy logs. A bad user or developer experience. Long response times. Years of band-aid solutions. The list goes on.

Looking at the code diff between the old and new versions usually has a lot of “red” lines of code (code that was removed).


This is how you improve code.
This is also how you can improve your mind and body.

But most teachings are about adding rather than removing.

Look back at that list of things you’ve removed and see if you can jot some things down…
- What physical things can you remove that aren’t serving you? What responsibilities can you drop that cause anxiety? What foods or drinks can you stop consuming that are hurting you? What people can you distance from that are weighing you down? What beliefs are resistant to your goals that you’d be better off without?

 

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[MRiabov]

I want to help people, specifically young men who are in the wrong path (and monetize it). I know exactly what I would tell them. How do I show ten and monetize it?

what kind of relative value can you provide from what exists? Chances are, you are from Hamza, don't you? Because I've been in the same space... well, recently.

If you want to go David Goggins, this is also a path, but, well, there is David Goggins..

All you need is to do something better... The question is - what?

 

[RayAndré]

today I had two sales calls with new prospects I got by cold direct outreach

one claimed to have literally no money and is at the point of selling a collectors book collection for money to buy groceries.
the other apparently just wanted to talk.

clearly I need to find better leads (Working on that by shifting a couple things)

but in between those calls I did have a call with a client who is doing SO GOOD Just three weeks in.
it’s such a good feeling to hear how I’m actually impacting someone’s life.
”since this program I haven’t acted <in that old way>”
”I wouldn’t have taken <this new role> if it wasn’t for this program”

…and this is just the beginning

 

[RayAndré]

Im thinking of leaning my marketing copy to be more about “controlling your mind”
I think that might resonate more with people as a strong pain point

 

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