Here is my story so far...

[michaelscheuren]

I was born and raised on a farm in Upper Michigan(actually born in a hospital). My mom and dad got divorced when I was about 3 yrs old. I went to live with my mom and would see my dad on the weekends and in the summertime. My dad re-married to a woman that got her kicks from abusing little boys(me). I was 4 yrs old and too scared to tell anyone about the abuse. My mom found out and my dad actually caught my step mother beating me one day. Needless to say, she was gone that day.

When I became a freshman in highschool, I moved to the farm with my dad so I could work more and make some money. I was always taught to work as hard as you can and save all the money you could.

After I graduated from highschool, I wanted to go to college.I did not qualify for financial aid to go to school so I paid for it from my savings. I underestimated how hard it would be to go to school full time and still have to work 60+ hours per week on the farm so I gave up going to school after one semester.:smx4:

I continued to work on the farm but was always unhappy with were I was and what I was doing with my life(and still am). I applied for other jobs but there was (and still is) not much opportunity in this area(the town I live in has only 13,000 people).

When I was 30 yrs old, I quit working on the farm to work for a medical co. filling oxygen cylinders. I loved the job but the pay was terrible. After working there for 5 yrs i was only making $10.50 per hour. But, I actually felt like what I was doing there was making a difference in people's lives.

I left the medical co. in 2005 for my current job at a paper mill. The pay is better(I make about $55,000 per year before taxes) but it's a dead end job. The sad thing is it's the best job around here. I live in a very small town. It's mostly an older community and there is not much , if any opportunity here. I have lived here my entire life and I wonder if that has kept me from being exposed to alot of ideas and opportunities(made me too narrow minded by only seeing what's around here). The only reason I still live here is because of my mom(I am her only child). She has had some major health problems(cancer twice and a brain aneurism) and I do not feel it would be right to leave her here alone( I cannot convince her to leave here).

I want more than anything to be in the fastlane. I want to help people any way I can. I would like to have the freedom and ability to take care of my family and spend more time with them. I want to help people, help myself and live the life I have dreamed of living for so long. I just don't know where to begin. I have alot of ideas but I feel I do not have enough knowledge to implement them. I feel that is the main thing that keeps me in the slowlane-lack of knowledge. I have the drive, the work ethic and the desire to make it.

Some people say to do what you love, but what if that's not an option? For example: I love cars, musclecars, hotrods, exotics, I love them all. But what do you do if there is not a market for that where I live? How do you get into the fastlane when you have virtually no money to start anything?

The point I want to stress the most is that I am not looking for a handout or anything like that. I am just looking for a point in the right direction to get me started so I can join the fastlane a.s.a.p. I am interested in internet businesses, brick and mortar businesses and inventing. Like I said earlier, I have some ideas for these fields. I have thought about looking into some mentorship programs I have found online but I do not want to get scammed and ripped off either.

I am very grateful to have found this forum because there are not any other people around here(where I live) that have the same ideals, dreams or goals as I do(that I know of). Everyone that I know is going to work everyday for someone else and just settling for where they are and what they have while always complaining about how bad they have it. Almost everyone I have shared my ideas with say the same thing. "That won't work" or "You can't do it" which is usually followed by, why can't you just be happy where you are?

I am grateful for the things I do have in my life but i am the type of person that is always trying to better myself and constantly improve my life. Well, that's my story so far, thanks for reading it.

Michael.

 

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[TaxGuy]

Thanks for sharing and it's good that you're taking the first step in asking for help b/c NONE of the successful entrepreneurs did it without first learning from those who have been there and done that.

I'm in the same boat as you in the sense that I was raised middle class in a working family and there is not enough motivation to leave the comfort zone, granted I was raised in the suburbs of Chicago where glitz and glamour is a way of life(even though most can't afford it, they just act like they can) which makes "keepin up with the Joneses" a lot harder to avoid and is what puts a lot of decent hardworking families into debt(although it's also easy to argue that it's ppl being unable to control spending and living beyond their means, I believe that you are a product of your environment and it takes a lot to break bad habits).

As far as business ideas, while you want to do what you love it's also smart to keep your hobbies and your work separate... i.e. MJ is a car guy too, but he made the money to afford his Murci through lead-gen sites, while I'm sure he enjoyed it, it probably wasn't as appealing as running a Lambo dealership or a tuning shop catered towards exotics/classics(a tough market to break into, but not a bad way to make it if you can).

Thankfully in the age of Web 2.0 there are many ways to make money whether it's domaining, drop-ship co's, or web services including something as silly as Myspace layouts where a 16yr old girl took the obsession of her friends and turned it into a $1million biz that sold no product and simply pulled revenue through advertising and don't forget milliondollarhomepage where 1million pixels of ad space on one homepage were sold at $1/ea by a British teen just wanting to pay his way through college, help his parents and get new socks :coolgleamAwhether or not this was his intentions, it helped to sell ad-space... FAST!!!)

And thankfully on these forums the traditional(B&M Biz, REI, investing) and modern(web 2.0, inventing/innovating) fastlane plans are discussed by not only prospective fastlaners like us, but by those who have made it in those prospective fields and are willing to share $1million advice for free :yourock:

So keep your head up and realize all that you've endured only makes you stronger and it will help you to pursue your dreams.

In conclusion, don't forget Einstein's great motto, "Success is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration" and as the quote in my sig says "Not trying is the only way not to succeed!"

 

[Runum]

Thanks for posting the intro Michael. ++++speed for stepping up.

Some things to think about...
We have a lot in common. My parents broke up when I was 12. My mom had a brain aneurysm when I was 24. She lives in my house now. I think her aneurysm was cause by massive doses of diet pills. Just speculation.

In reading your intro it seems to me that you and your friends seem to be focused more on what you don't have than what you do have. If there are like minded folks in your area, form a club and work on solutions rather than challenges. When like minded people share ideas you would be amazed what comes out.

As vr4playa mentioned, internet business can be conducted anywhere you can get a cell phone signal. In 1984 I made 10K on the side by hustling hot rod parts. I would find a person with a need and find the part to fill the need.

Someone in your area is making money, find out who and how. Beat them at their game.

Act on just one idea, do something to grow it each day. Read the stories here to keep motivated. Success is not linear. You will have major setbacks, expect them, learn from them. Share your successes and your failures.

I can feel the pain in your words. Changing your life and your outlook takes time. Do a little each day. Some day you will see that there are opportunities all around you and they have always been there, you just were not aware enough to see them. Good luck and keep on doing.:cheers:

 

[michaelscheuren]

Thanks for the advice and the welcome!! I also want to thank the people who took the time to read my intro but have not posted. Just seeing that people take the time to learn about someone and actually care enough to read it is very uplifting and encouraging.:hl:

I am interested in starting something online. I know next to nothing when it comes to building a business or an online business and do not have the $$ to start my brick and mortar business idea. I have a few ideas and have actually thought about joining a mentor program I have found online(i have found a few programs, just don't know which one to choose. I don't want to get scammed or ripped off). I would like to post my ideas to see if the are viable ideas but I fear that someone will implement them before I can(I know probably very narrow minded). :smx4:

Any input and advice is greatly appreciated!! Thanks again!

Michael.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Michael,

Thanks for the story. As Greg mentioned, geography is not relevant with Internet business. I can live anywhere in the world, as long as I can get electricity and an internet connection, I can start a business. The old "there are no jobs here" is an old-school excuse more relevant to the 70's and 80's versus today.

I am considering a relocation to Costa Rica ... the government there doesn't allow expat's to work in normal jobs. They allow expats to start businesses and knowing that I can build an internet company anywhere with a connection carries a lot of freedom with it. I imagine in Michigan that would be a lot easier, or any other place aligned with your goals.

You are not adverse to hard work, based on the jobs you've held, so it is more about getting on the right road with the right focus.

 

[Runum]

Michael, ...it is more about getting on the right road with the right focus.

Yep, that's it right there. +++speed MJ.:fastlane:

 

[michaelscheuren]

I totally agree with you. I am not afraid to work hard at something, I just need to get on the right track. Thanks!!:cheers:

Michael.

 

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