Get Free or Die Trying

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Hello everybody,

My name is Mike. I'm 28 years old, American, and am determined to start a business that abides by Fastlane CENTS principles as soon as possible.

I have been studying entrepreneurship since I dropped out of college at age 21 and have a history of entrepreneurship and self-employment. For a time after I dropped out I was one of those vagabonding digital nomad types (though I hate that term), earning my way doing graphic & web design. It afforded me the opportunity to travel and live abroad in SE Asia and Israel and generally live a less standard life than many of my peers. But after reading TMF (and burning out on client work), I realized I didn't meet the Scale or Time Independence principles, and I realized I was just an employee by another name (with a few extra liberties).

Due to burnout, I quit doing design while living in Thailand and instead found work on a sailboat for 8 months to clear my head (the free booze [employee benefits + setting up cross promotional deals with other businesses on the island I lived on] and European girls didn't hurt either). For the past few years I've been doing small amounts of design and pursuing other interests, while working Slowlane jobs (albeit, enjoyable ones).

Beyond design I like to imagine I have varied cross-section of knowledge and skills. I do high-steel work (talk about risk-management) in event production (meaning I work tons of concerts and am around / meet big-name Fastlane entertainers regularly), I have personal training & fitness nutrition certifications, and am adept at many skilled trades. I take an interest in philosophy (particularly Stoicism), health, architectural design, political theory, history, and what I would term ontological design (building better worlds).

Unlike MJ, I was never motivated by Lamborghini's or mansions (though I wouldn't say no to them). Instead I'm a bit inclined toward do-gooderism (yikes!) and have always wanted to make an impact improving the world via improving individual lives – and have always had a problem with massive corporations / businesses that don't seem to push anything but mindless consumerism while destroying the planet in the process (having entrepreneurial yet back-to-the-land hippies for parents that raised me on a farm didn't help). However, that would be the goal of my business – to help the world (myself and others) become free from the tyrannical bonds of indentured servitude. In that sense, I share a vision with MJ.

My central philosophy, perhaps, is one of anti-authoritarianism (probably watched Fight Club too many times) – I believe that for a better world to exist each of us must achieve the highest levels of self-mastery we are capable of, living congruently with our nature, thus eliminating the needs for governmental and corporate overlords. Somehow, I want to sell that spirit. Can one be an authority on anti-authoritarianism? The rise of blockchain technology, as well as many other trends, seems promising in this regard.

I do believe we are living in revolutionary times. And in a revolution there are two types of people that matter: those who create it and those who profit from it.

I would like to be someone to profit from it. My main roadblock to launching a new venture has been uniting my ethics / philosophy with a business model. I hope this forum can help guide me, and if not, I hope to blow y'all away with my success.

The most practical and immediately accessible route to me seems e-commerce products combined with a lifestyle brand. I will be scouring the forum for actionable advice and appreciate any comments and questions.

Thanks,

Mike

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Apmoli NK, O xet piwis nuvowevif cz Mencushjopo't us neptoupt (vjuahj O xuamfp'v tez pu vu vjin). Optvief O'n e cov opdmopif vuxesf fu-huufisotn (zolit!) epf jewi emxezt xepvif vu neli ep onqedv onqsuwoph vji xusmf woe onqsuwoph opfowofaem mowit – epf jewi emxezt jef e qsucmin xovj nettowi dusqusevoupt / catopittit vjev fup'v tiin vu qatj epzvjoph cav nopfmitt duptanisotn xjomi fitvsuzoph vji qmepiv op vji qsuditt (jewoph ipvsiqsipiasoem ziv cedl-vu-vji-mepf joqqoit gus qesipvt vjev seotif ni up e gesn fofp'v jimq). Juxiwis, vjev xuamf ci vji huem ug nz catopitt – vu jimq vji xusmf (nztimg epf uvjist) ciduni gsii gsun vji vzseppodem cupft ug opfipvasif tiswovafi. Op vjev tipti, O tjesi e wotoup xovj NK.

Ximduni ecuesf Noli, zua'si ev vji sohjv qmedi!

 

[blakkbox]

Ximduni ecuesf Noli, zua'si ev vji sohjv qmedi!

Vjepl zua NK! Exituni jux zua sitqupf epf qesvodoqevi op vjot gusan.