Hadn't heard of Millionaire Fastlane until 24 hours ago.

[Liveinthemind]

Haven't finished it yet, I'm just starting Chapter 24.
I'll be 22 in April. After high school, I volunteered abroad for a while, worked for a while, took a couple of classes at the local university, went back to work. I've decided to apply to university, at least to see what all the fuss is about. The Slowlane fills me with cold dread, but I just don't see another way. I've got about $1100 to my name.

I haven't seen any indication that I have sort of brain for inventing. StrengthsFinder says that ideation is one of my big strengths, but I just don't see myself as someone who thinks up better ways to do things, or comes up with gadgets that complement an existing one.

I've taken a first step. I'm putting together something called From My Back to Yours. It's a travel forum of sorts. It sells t-shirts, each of which has a unique code in the label on the back of the neck. You enter the code into the forum and introduce yourself. You go out into the world and pass the shirt on. Whoever gets your shirt enters the code into the forum, and you basically track the shirt as it travels on, meeting people along the way. It would be cool to expand into selling travel gear later on, but I'm just starting with the shirts for now.

Anyways, good to (sort of) meet you all.

 

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[Vigilante]

Haven't finished it yet, I'm just starting Chapter 24.
I'll be 22 in April. After high school, I volunteered abroad for a while, worked for a while, took a couple of classes at the local university, went back to work. I've decided to apply to university, at least to see what all the fuss is about. The Slowlane fills me with cold dread, but I just don't see another way. I've got about $1100 to my name.

I haven't seen any indication that I have sort of brain for inventing. StrengthsFinder says that ideation is one of my big strengths, but I just don't see myself as someone who thinks up better ways to do things, or comes up with gadgets that complement an existing one.

I've taken a first step. I'm putting together something called From My Back to Yours. It's a travel forum of sorts. It sells t-shirts, each of which has a unique code in the label on the back of the neck. You enter the code into the forum and introduce yourself. You go out into the world and pass the shirt on. Whoever gets your shirt enters the code into the forum, and you basically track the shirt as it travels on, meeting people along the way. It would be cool to expand into selling travel gear later on, but I'm just starting with the shirts for now.

Anyways, good to (sort of) meet you all.

Cool idea and welcome. Shirts wear out and I would never wear some used old shirt. What about a pendant on a carambiner? Something permanent.

 

[Liveinthemind]

Cool idea and welcome. Shirts wear out and I would never wear some used old shirt. What about a pendant on a carambiner? Something permanent.

Whoa, I didn't even THINK of that practicality. Thanks a lot, I'll look into it! (though now I wish I hadn't already bought MyBackToYours.com, seems less fitting now).

 

[Vigilante]

mypacktoyours.com

 

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[Waspy]

Love this idea.

Taking the idea in a slight tangent, basically just typing out my thoughts. What about having a QR code (or whatever) on each shirt, but instead of passing the shirt on, you just scan the code on someone else back.

So instead of tracking where the shirt is, you track the people you have met on your travels. When you scan their back, you instantly become "friends" or "followers" on the forum. Make it social, make it viral.

It also means you could sell the code in any format you wanted, shirts, hats, pendants etc

 

[Liveinthemind]

mypacktoyours.com

Oh, that's brilliant! Thank you, just got it.
Now onto the item itself. The pendant idea is cool (I can just use the t-shirt design I've already come up with) but I have no idea how I'd get them made. I suppose I could crowdfund it.

 

[Liveinthemind]

Love this idea.

Taking the idea in a slight tangent, basically just typing out my thoughts. What about having a QR code (or whatever) on each shirt, but instead of passing the shirt on, you just scan the code on someone else back.

So instead of tracking where the shirt is, you track the people you have met on your travels. When you scan their back, you instantly become "friends" or "followers" on the forum. Make it social, make it viral.

It also means you could sell the code in any format you wanted, shirts, hats, pendants etc

...maybe that domain wasn't such a waste after all...cheers. I know precious little about coding apps, but that's a good idea.

 

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[Vigilante]

I have no idea why the ETSY links I am trying to post are not working. Start with engraved dog tags. Find a good suppler on etsy.

You only order one after you get an order.

On the tag goes the web site address, and the unique serial number and/or QR code.

Eventually, you have to come up with a cheaper solution, but you can launch right now using a supplier like this or another one you select.

Engraved Dog Tag Necklace, Personalized Dog Tag, Name Necklace, Custom Dog Tag, Engraved Jewelry, silver Dog Tag, silver Necklace

@MJ DeMarco for some reason when I am posting a link VigLink is freaking out and taking me to affiliate type sites. Trying to post simple link to Etsy via. direct cut and paste, and using the link icon within the post itself. Getting a redirect to optimize.vigilink.com

I guess at the bottom you can skip through the vigilink site to the original destination, but that is a huge pain in the a$$.

 

[Liveinthemind]

Well first things first, get the forum(s?) set up.

 

[Andy Black]

Well first things first, get the forum(s?) set up.

"First things first" is the right way to think about it.

Is building a forum the first thing? Do you really need a forum to get started?


Further reading:

• www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/stop-building-stuff.69842

Hope that helps.

 

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[Waspy]

"First things first" is the right way to think about it.

Is building a forum the first thing? Do you really need a forum to get started?


Further reading:

• www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/stop-building-stuff.69842

Hope that helps.

I think as proof of concept, this would work very well just as a facebook group. So people share on the group which tag they have at any one time. Easily shareable to build a user base fast too before you get a forum up

 

[Liveinthemind]

I think as proof of concept, this would work very well just as a facebook group. So people share on the group which tag they have at any one time. Easily shareable to build a user base fast too before you get a forum up

...oh, but I am in over my head. I don't know anybody who would be at all interested, so finding those first orders is a problem.

I suppose the real "first things first" is trying to get the pendants and whatever else put together.

I'll definitely look into the Facebook group, though. Ta.

 

[Waspy]

I get a bit of a deer in the headlights vibe.

Clear your head. Get stuff down on paper. Spend 30 mins (not all day) making a list of what needs doing to take the first step in your journey, then execute it.

Don't worry about stuff that doesn't need to be worried about yet.

 

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[Vigilante]

...oh, but I am in over my head. I don't know anybody who would be at all interested, so finding those first orders is a problem.

I suppose the real "first things first" is trying to get the pendants and whatever else put together.

I'll definitely look into the Facebook group, though. Ta.

Bro. There is NOTHING to put together the pendants. Order ONE from the supplier I linked to, so that you have one you can use for photography. Don't order any more until you get a customer order, and then only order one at a time as orders come in. Don't over complicate it.

Map it out on paper as suggested above. Don't make it overly complicated.

 

[million$$$smile]

This is what I would try:

Order 50-100 of a uniquely designed pendants. then I would try through social media, i.e. FB, Twitter, etc to make contact with various celebrities in entertainment, and the sports world asking them if they would consider wearing one of your pendants and then sending it on. Each pendant would need the story via a qr code so that each recipient could not only learn about the program but also 'check in/check out' when passed on. After 7 days of having the pendant, if it hadn't been passed on, they would get an email asking them to give it away, i.e. pass it forward
If after two weeks and their name is posted on your your site that they 'broke the chain'

You could create a movement if it was thought out and done right.

 

[G-Man]

@Liveinthemind you're not selling a shirt, a pendant, or a forum. You're selling a story. Focus on getting stories.

Order some cheap pendants and get them to friends and family to start getting stories logged on your forum, twitter, instagram, whatever platform you use. If you get enough traction where people are interested in the stories already out there, you'll be able to get other first adopters on board, and now you've got a viral product in motion.

You could create a movement if it was thought out and done right.

THIS.

 

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[Vigilante]

@Liveinthemind you're not selling a shirt, a pendant, or a forum. You're selling a story. Focus on getting stories.

Order some cheap pendants and get them to friends and family to start getting stories logged on your forum, twitter, instagram, whatever platform you use. If you get enough traction where people are interested in the stories already out there, you'll be able to get other first adopters on board, and now you've got a viral product in motion.




THIS.

It almost doesn't matter what the pendant looks like as long as it is identifiable to leave a footprint trail.

 

[million$$$smile]

I shared this once before but it bears repeating:

The Simple 'How to' of Creating a movement

 

[MJ DeMarco]

for some reason when I am posting a link VigLink is freaking out and taking me to affiliate type sites.

I just changed the settings, hopefully it goes away in a few hours. Sorry, didn't know that was happening.

this would work very well just as a facebook group.

+1

You could create a movement if it was thought out and done right.

+1

You're selling a story.

This is the most poignant advice in the entire thread w/respect to making it happen.

Love the idea, will follow!

 

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[Liveinthemind]

Very much deer in the headlights. I don't want to F*ck this up, at any cost, but I have no bloody idea what I'm doing. I'm a worrier by nature (clinical anxiety FTW), I can't help but see this as my last best hope.

And yeah, 'if it's thought out.' I thought about this idea for a week and it never occurred to me that shirts wear out. As I said, I'm not sure I have the sort of brain (not in terms of IQ, but in terms of how one's thought process goes) or temperament for this kind of thing.

Thanks all so much for your support.

 

[Waspy]

Disclaimer: I am a stranger on the internet. You can either ignore me or not, but ultimately you have to make your own decisions, both personal and business.

You mentioned something (which you have now edited out) which you should be seeking ongoing help about. Get that under control before you go any further. There are people out there to help you.

Now the following is what I would do in your shoes. Do what you like with this information.
1. Order one of the dog-tags from the company @Vigilante posted with the code "000001" on it
2. When it arrives check the quality. Looks good? Excellent. No so good? Order one from another provider. Repeat until happy
3. Get a simple logo and brand pack designed. It needs to look good, but don't agonise over it.
4. Open a FB page with your logo, description etc.
5. Create a simple one page website which allows the visitor to know what it is, and buy it.
6. Order 10 more dog tags, with sequential codes.
7. Message Instagramers and travel bloggers. This sector is HUGE. And they all have thousands of followers. Ask them for a featured post with the dog-tag, and their story of what they did while they had the tag (did they visit the Grand Canyon while they had the tag? Cool, who did they meet, what did they do?). As mentioned above, its about the story, not the tag. Larger bloggers will charge for this, smaller ones may not. Ask them to pass the tag onto a fellow traveller at some stage, instructing them to do the same.
8. Feature these stories on your FB. Boost them if you have the cash.
9. When orders start coming in (and they will). You can start ordering larger quantities from the supplier. If and when they can't keep up. Find another manufacture.
10. Hire someone to package and send the tags. Hire someone to manage the social media.
11. Enjoy the FastLane.

This is a business that with the right social influencers, could just snowball into a beautiful self perpetuating system.

Notice how simple step one is? Step two is pretty simple too right? Just 9 more steps to the fastlane, man. One step at a time.

 

[G-Man]

Very much deer in the headlights. I don't want to F*ck this up, at any cost, but I have no bloody idea what I'm doing. I'm a worrier by nature (clinical anxiety FTW), I can't help but see this as my last best hope.

There's nothing to F*ck up. You haven't done anything yet. There's no such thing as last hope. Opportunity comes every day.

Now that that's outta the way, get 1 pendant and 1 story. When you've done that, come back for step 2: HINT: it's the same as step 1.

 

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[Liveinthemind]

I get a bit of a deer in the headlights vibe.

Clear your head. Get stuff down on paper. Spend 30 mins (not all day) making a list of what needs doing to take the first step in your journey, then execute it.

Don't worry about stuff that doesn't need to be worried about yet.

Disclaimer: I am a stranger on the internet. You can either ignore me or not, but ultimately you have to make your own decisions, both personal and business.

You mentioned something (which you have now edited out) which you should be seeking ongoing help about. Get that under control before you go any further. There are people out there to help you.

Now the following is what I would do in your shoes. Do what you like with this information.
1. Order one of the dog-tags from the company @Vigilante posted with the code "000001" on it
2. When it arrives check the quality. Looks good? Excellent. No so good? Order one from another provider. Repeat until happy
3. Get a simple logo and brand pack designed. It needs to look good, but don't agonise over it.
4. Open a FB page with your logo, description etc.
5. Create a simple one page website which allows the visitor to know what it is, and buy it.
6. Order 10 more dog tags, with sequential codes.
7. Message Instagramers and travel bloggers. This sector is HUGE. And they all have thousands of followers. Ask them for a featured post with the dog-tag, and their story of what they did while they had the tag (did they visit the Grand Canyon while they had the tag? Cool, who did they meet, what did they do?). As mentioned above, its about the story, not the tag. Larger bloggers will charge for this, smaller ones may not. Ask them to pass the tag onto a fellow traveller at some stage, instructing them to do the same.
8. Feature these stories on your FB. Boost them if you have the cash.
9. When orders start coming in (and they will). You can start ordering larger quantities from the supplier. If and when they can't keep up. Find another manufacture.
10. Hire someone to package and send the tags. Hire someone to manage the social media.
11. Enjoy the FastLane.

This is a business that with the right social influencers, could just snowball into a beautiful self perpetuating system.

Notice how simple step one is? Step two is pretty simple too right? Just 9 more steps to the fastlane, man. One step at a time.

I've been seeing a therapist for a while now, it hasn't helped much at all (though he is a great help because I can unload to him, since I know he's legally bound not to tell anyone else, so what I say to him can't come back to haunt me).

Unfortunately, unless I have some huge breakthrough, I think clinical depression (for anyone else reading this, what I edited out was a fear that failing at this may push me back into a bad place, where I had suicide ideation) may be something I have to live with. I'm just not willing to wait in this stagnancy for that hypothetical huge breakthrough.

Well, when you put it that way...sure, I have concerns, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

There's nothing to F*ck up. You haven't done anything yet. There's no such thing as last hope. Opportunity comes every day.

Now that that's outta the way, get 1 pendant and 1 story. When you've done that, come back for step 2: HINT: it's the same as step 1.

This sort of endeavor has never, ever been on the radar for me or for anyone in my family. In fact, I legitimately do not want my parents to know about this (though when you live with them that's not so easy) because I don't want to be told, among other things, that I'm wasting my time because it won't work and all my effort will be for nothing, and be criticised for being a lazy spoiled millennial trying to get out of adult responsibilities like going to university and getting a Slowlane job.

Maybe I just haven't opened my eyes enough, but this is the only glimmer of opportunity I've seen in...well, a long time. As I've said, I'm not the type of person who's always bubbling with ideas.

I'll have to have a look around but I'm sure I can find someone to give a pendant to.

 

[G-Man]

@Liveinthemind It sounds like you're dealing with a lot. We have a lot of clinical depression in my family, and I've struggled with it in intense bouts throughout my life. All I can tell you is that life isn't as scary as it seems when you're young and have anxiety. It's good you're seeing a doc, even if to just get things off your chest.

Take action of some kind. It takes the edge off of that inert feeling of sitting around thinking about your problems.

 

[miked_d]

Since this is an intro thread, I will skip commenting on the idea and talk about the other things you mentioned.

You talked a about depression/anxiety. I have never disclosed this on the forum before today (I did earlier in another intro thread) but I have personal experience with depression. It sucks. Getting positive outside feedback was helpful for me. Seeking professional help worked also.

As far as the haters - make a few sales.

 

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[InspireHD]

@Liveinthemind I don't think your problem is that you're afraid to fail. I think you're afraid to succeed. Right now, you're looking at it like "I can't screw this up." In reality, you're holding yourself back because you're afraid to commit to something that has a good chance to succeed and you don't know how to follow through.

There are a lot of awesome people on this forum who help other people. It's not often you get multiple awesome, successful people telling you EXACTLY what you should be doing, not to mention actually doing some of the work for you.

Commit to it or someone else will.

You know everything you need to know to get started. You're going to crush it! I believe in you and am excited to see your success!

 

[Liveinthemind]

Well...I've bought that first tag. Now just need to find someone to give it to once it arrives.
I had someone draw up three logos for My Back To Yours, I expect (hope) they'll work.

 

[Liveinthemind]

@Liveinthemind I don't think your problem is that you're afraid to fail. I think you're afraid to succeed. Right now, you're looking at it like "I can't screw this up." In reality, you're holding yourself back because you're afraid to commit to something that has a good chance to succeed and you don't know how to follow through.
There are a lot of awesome people on this forum who help other people. It's not often you get multiple awesome, successful people telling you EXACTLY what you should be doing, not to mention actually doing some of the work for you.
Commit to it or someone else will.
You know everything you need to know to get started. You're going to crush it! I believe in you and am excited to see your success!

Like I said, this is totally outside of my usual world. I know it's objectively a good idea that (I hope) has a good chance of catching on if I play my cards right (though I've never held cards like this before, I'll in all likelihood be playing clumsily), but yeah, what if it does catch on? I don't know the first thing about movements! I'm very fertile ground for imposter syndrome, it seems.

I've bought the first tag (will be arriving tomorrow), I'm still looking for someone to give it to, and I'm still looking for members for the group.
Thanks very much, I appreciate that. I know I just need to get out of my own way.

 

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[Liveinthemind]

Hey all,
So I've got the Facebook page and website up, both certainly need improvement. I really don't want to impose...but any feedback would be very appreciated.
Unfortunately, I probably ought not to heavily promote this for the next week or so, since my supplier is away from her desk til then. I should have ordered a few more in case something like this came up, but lesson learned! I'll use these few days to plot my next move.