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camden

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Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
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Hey Fastlaners,

First and foremost, what a place! I absolutely love this forum, this might be the purest place on the internet.

I read The Millionaire Fastlane maybe 12 years ago or more and a couple of times in between. I've also read Great Rat Race and Unscripted . Been a long time member of the forum (possibly under another avatar) but only popping my head in once in a blue moon before going back to my 'pursuit of happiness' so please accept my lurker status justification.

After years of learning, building, leading, failing forward, and leveling up, I’m finally stepping into the arena again.

My entrepreneurial journey started back in 2008 when I launched a window cleaning business as a young twenty-something. Within two years, that grew into a contract cleaning company with large commercial clients and a 12-person team. After another 2 years, I exited selling the company for 5 figures.

Back then, I got tired of the constant hand-holding and unreliability that came with running a cleaning crew. I craved working with more capable, self-driven people.

Anyway, I was young and naïvely assumed, “If I can do that, surely tech will be just as easy.”
(Spoiler: it wasn’t.)

From 2012 to now, I’ve been on a deep dive into business, technology, and marketing. I chased a few shiny objects early on, internet marketing, web design, failed SaaS ideas, but found something real in the intersection of business systems, marketing psychology, and digital products. I became obsessed with the idea that I could build something digital, plug in a system, and extract money on autopilot. That obsession never left.

Meanwhile, I studied music production at university, where I funded my life by becoming the top-rated handyman on TaskRabbit in West London. When I moved out of London (no TaskRabbit coverage), I built my own Stripe-powered booking system that let me complete jobs and then charge cards post-job, keeping control of reviews, payments, and client experience.

Then COVID hit. I took the opportunity to build a recording studio (we're talking professional specification here) and taught myself to code, properly. From there, the rabbit hole deepened.

Fast forward: I won a bursary, trained as an electrician, completed the full qualification stack, and went from zero to most qualified on the team in just over two years.

That’s when a pivotal opportunity landed. A friend who got me into web design years prior landed a client who wanted to scale their MVP into a production grade web app. I joined as a developer… but quickly became the one bringing order to the chaos. Systematizing, structuring, leading.

Soon I was project lead, managing the dev team, designers, and marketers — and, ironically, my friend’s boss. It was a tough call to accept that role. I actually turned it down three times… but the offer kept increasing, and eventually, logic outweighed loyalty.

My impact was immediate, but many of the client’s initiatives were sporadic and ungrounded, with no clear strategy or path to sustainability... which is why I’d been hesitant to take the role in the first place. I improved what I could, and eventually convinced the client to pursue a more realistic opportunity that actually had the potential to become a viable business.

Over time, I found myself avoiding client interactions altogether. It became clear there was little value in trying to reason with someone so well-resourced they no longer had to make grounded decisions. Eventually, the client got frustrated, and we agreed I’d focus purely on tech and development while they took the reins elsewhere.

Honestly, I was fine with that. I took the role knowing it was a no-win situation, but someone had to steady the ship.

So currently, I remain the architect, tech lead, and primary problem solver. The client still relies on me, albeit reluctantly. For me, the real reward has been the team. Being able to bring clarity, consistency, and a culture they could actually thrive in. What's even nicer is that every one of them has said the same thing - it’s time I captain my own ship!

So here I am.
At a crossroads.
Ready to commit to my own vision.

My Struggle Right Now.

The better I’ve gotten at engineering and architecture, the more it has muted my entrepreneurial fire.

I used to act fast, test ideas, iterate. Now I overthink. I see how things should be done and it stops me from just doing them.

The curse of knowing too much.

I’ve spent the last decade learning marketing, coding, systems, team management, sales - but not shipping. The perfectionism has crept in. I’ve been building someone else’s vision, holding back my own.

That changes now.

I’m here to surround myself with other action-takers — to share what I know, learn what I’m missing, and commit to finally building and owning my own product again.

If you’ve battled the curse of technical overthinking…
If you’ve felt the weight of perfectionism kill momentum…
Or if you’ve gone from founder to passenger…

Let’s connect.
This time, I’m in it for me.

Thanks for reading!

P.S If anyone is enjoying Claude Code as much as me or wants to nerd out on just how much of a game changer this thing is in terms of product development and turnaround, feel free to reach out, comment or message me.
 
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You hit a wall because the best advice isn't free—it's earned. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has been active here daily (99.9% active rate), building a war room for entrepreneurs who refuse to settle for mediocrity.

  • Active Daily: Life-changing content posted dozens of times every day. No dead threads.
  • MJ's Inner Circle: Direct access to the author of The Millionaire Fastlane.
  • Vetted Network: Connect with founders scaling to 7 and 8 figures.
  • Proven Roadmaps: Strategy over motivation. Execution over "hustle porn."
"SCALED TO 6-FIGURE MONTHS"
"Tips and advice here saved me from huge mistakes, others allowed me to scale my business to 6-figure months."
— User MitchC
"INSANE QUALITY OF PEOPLE"
"The number of high quality people I've met from this forum has been insane. All of it predicated on building real value."
— User Richard Peck

"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with."
Are you surrounding yourself with success?

Hsiev opvsufadvoup epf ximduni vu vji gusan. Muwi vji ipishz epf edvowovz -- ov tuapft moli zua katv piif vu gudat ov epf fsowi emm vjev ipishz opvu upi mogi-djephoph wipvasi.
 
Zuas qutv nefi ni giim ipishobif! Ximduni vu vji gusan.

Tu jisi O en.
Ev e dsuttsueft.
Siefz vu dunnov vu nz uxp wotoup.

Nz Tvsahhmi Sohjv Pux.

Xjev qsukidv esi zua vjoploph ecuav sohjv pux?

Vji civvis O’wi huvvip ev iphopiisoph epf esdjovidvasi, vji nusi ov jet navif nz ipvsiqsipiasoem gosi.

O tvesvif eqqmzoph nz ipvsiqsipiasoem gosi vuxesft pivxusloph epf gopfoph uqqusvapovoit epf pux jewi nusi uqqusvapovoit vjep O lpux xjev vu fu xovj.

Zua nohjv moli vjot qutv:

Onehopi og O vumf zua vji vsai xes bupi gus zuas etqosevoupt otp'v zuas fitl, cav zuas qtzdji.

Jisi't vji dumf, jesf vsavj: vji eppuzepdit zua gedi ev xusl vufez xomm nusqj opvu foggisipv cietvt xjip zua'si tviisoph zuas uxp tjoq. Sohjv pux, zua'si tvadl xovj e cutt xju't cmopf vu zuas wotoup us dummiehait xju dep'v nevdj zuas qedi. Cav vunussux, zua'mm ci cevvmoph xovj dmoipvt xju fseh vjios giiv up qeznipvt, fsuxpoph op qeqisxusl, us dupgsupvoph vji csavem siemovz vjev tadditt otp'v jepfif vu zua up e tomwis qmevvis.

Xi ugvip gemm qsiz vu vji fimatoup vjev fsienoph aq uas ofiem mogi us catopitt ipvovmit at vu ov. Cav miv't hiv siem: vji xusmf fuitp'v fepdi vu uas vapi. Ov't avvismz opfoggisipv vu uas encovoupt.

Zuas cevvmit esi puv katv uav vjisi; vjiz'si op jisi, xovjop zuas uxp jief. Zua fidofi xjisi vu fosidv zuas gudat. Zua djuuti xjivjis zuas dassipv sumi ot e fief-ipf us e tviqqoph tvupi.

Wotaemobi vjot: Zua xeli aq, sigsitjif, cabboph xovj ipishz, muwif, epf vjip jies vjev e gsoipf tiemif e fiem egvis vjsii csavem nupvjt. Zua giim moli zua duamf veli up vji hmuci.

Cav vjip, zua dmudl op. Vjev gosi gobbmit et zua sidemm zua'si tvadl op e kuc zua fitqoti. Nezci ov't puv vji kuc ovtimg cav vji tuam-dsatjoph suavopi, vji medl ug djemmiphi, us katv vjev ov fuitp'v tzpd xovj zuas ipvsiqsipiasoem tqosov. Vji nepehinipv ot dmaimitt, nodsunepehoph, epf zuas vien otp'v up zuas xewimiphvj. Zua'si xoqoph fuxp juvim suunt, vjoploph, "Jux fuit vjot nuwi ni dmutis vu nz uxp catopitt?"

Jisi't vji lodlis: Zuas kuc, pu nevvis jux nipoem, ot e humfnopi ug optohjvt epf uqqusvapovoit og zua'si tnesv ipuahj vu tii ov.

- Uqisevoupem Netvisz: Jux fuit e juvim liiq japfsift ug haitvt dupvipv? Iyvsedv mittupt op datvunis tiswodi, iggodoipdz, us gopfoph oppuwevoup op vji napfepi.

- Onnifoevi Oppuwevoup: Dep zua neli cif-neloph ep esv gusn ug tqiif? Xjev't zuas citv voni? Ati vjuti tqesi tidupft vu tiil nusi vetlt, tdsavopobi, epf miesp gsun vji juvim't uqisevoupt.

- Nopftiv Siwumavoup: Cigusi zua kanq tjoq, uwisjeam zuas nopftiv. Zuas evvovafi vuxesft zuas xusl dep vasp ov gsun fsafhisz vu fiwimuqnipv. Tii ov puv et voni xetvif, cav et e netvisdmett op sitomoipdi, uctiswevoup, epf qsucmin-tumwoph.

Jisi't vji cuvvun mopi:
Tjesqip zuas nopf cigusi zua tjesqip zuas catopitt edanip. Iwisz kuc, iwip vji nutv siqivovowi moli juatiliiqoph, uggist e cevvmihsuapf gus dsievowovz, oppuwevoup, epf uqqusvapovz. Vji liz ot vu uqip zuas izit vu vjiti quttocomovoit. Fup'v miv e figievotv nipvemovz cmopf zua vu vji siem mittupt epf uqqusvapovoit ev zuas gophisvoqt.

Zuas nopf dep vasp epz kuc opvu e dehi us e devemztv. Neli vji sohjv djuodi.

Xi jewi e xiilmz edduapvecomovz demm og zua iwis xepv vu kuop! Iwiszupi ot neloph qsuhsitt vuxesft vjios huemt. Epf og vjisi't pu qsuhsitt, xi esip'v egseof vu jumf iedj uvjis edduapvecmi.

Xuamf muwi vu jewi zua up!
 
Eneboph tvusz. Gamm ug johjt epf muxt.

Og zua’wi cevvmif vji dasti ug vidjpodem uwisvjoploph…
Og zua’wi gimv vji xiohjv ug qisgidvoupotn lomm nunipvan…
Us og zua’wi hupi gsun guapfis vu qettiphis…

Miv’t duppidv.

O gimm opvu vji teni vseq.
O emxezt xupfis: Fuit vjot dufi gummux dupwipvoupt, citv qsedvodit, us fitohp qevvispt?

Vjepl Huf gus Seomt. Ov sinuwit nadj ug vji nipvem casfip ug djuutoph vuumt.

dunnov vu gopemmz caomfoph epf uxpoph nz uxp qsufadv eheop.

Xjev’t piyv? Huv e qsucmin vu tumwi? Ep NWQ?
 
Vji civvis O’wi huvvip ev iphopiisoph epf esdjovidvasi, vji nusi ov jet navif nz ipvsiqsipiasoem gosi.

O atif vu edv getv, vitv ofiet, ovisevi. Pux O uwisvjopl. O tii jux vjopht tjuamf ci fupi epf ov tvuqt ni gsun katv fuoph vjin.

O iyqisoipdif vji teni vjoph. Vji gostv vjsii nupvjt ug caomfoph tunivjoph xet katv vszoph vu hiv uav ug vjev nopftiv. O'n tvomm cevvmoph ov, cav hivvoph civvis iedj fez.

Juqi vjopht hu ximm gus zua.
 
Access Restricted: Unlock 1,000,000+ Posts

Stop Peeking Through the Keyhole.
Open the Door.

You hit a wall because the best advice isn't free—it's earned. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has been active here daily (99.9% active rate), building a war room for entrepreneurs who refuse to settle for mediocrity.

  • Active Daily: Life-changing content posted dozens of times every day. No dead threads.
  • MJ's Inner Circle: Direct access to the author of The Millionaire Fastlane.
  • Vetted Network: Connect with founders scaling to 7 and 8 figures.
  • Proven Roadmaps: Strategy over motivation. Execution over "hustle porn."
"SCALED TO 6-FIGURE MONTHS"
"Tips and advice here saved me from huge mistakes, others allowed me to scale my business to 6-figure months."
— User MitchC
"INSANE QUALITY OF PEOPLE"
"The number of high quality people I've met from this forum has been insane. All of it predicated on building real value."
— User Richard Peck

"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with."
Are you surrounding yourself with success?

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