Hit $2 Million Net Worth This Year!

[halfstepdown88]

Last year I hit a million in net worth, already this year I'm at 2 million.

When I hit the 1st million it was a rush and I felt like I finally hit that goal I always wanted to hit since I was like 21 years old.

Right now my health is all messed up, business is all chaotic, and I feel pretty shitty to be honest.

I have learned a lot on this journey, especially while doing it all with the handicap of Lyme - I can't really socialize, I can't go out to eat, I can't exercise, and I can barely travel therefore I can never go to conferences.

In a way, this is a testament to just working hard and never quitting. Lyme is a major disadvantage and I still made it happen. Sometimes I woke up and had to run a sales meeting and couldn't get out of bed, so I would inject toradol into my leg just so I could get up and run the meeting. I feel like shit most of the time and just thug it out. While I'm writing this my brain is in a lot of pain and wishes I could just die in my sleep already.

I have met a lot of crazy people and a lot of people have screwed me over in this journey as well.

Like they say, most people just see the results, they don't see the process you had to go through to get there.

Two things that I have learned that is interesting is that I thought once I got a lot of money that there would be things I could just pay to fix. It never works like that.

You hire someone and then you have to constantly keep them on track and manage them. Doesn't matter how much money you give them.

Hire a doctor to try and help you and you have to constantly make sure they are sending out the prescriptions on time, getting the lab results back and pinging them on it, etc. etc.

I can't really use the money to fix any problems. At least the major ones that I have. It is just nice knowing that I am multiplying and technically I could retire right now if I wanted to by just paying off the two 4-plexes that I own and I would have $10,000 a month passive income (but I'm going to acquire more properties instead).

It's been pretty lonely as well, since I have tried to join entrepreneur groups or similar but it is heavily based on things like traveling, conferences, eating out, etc. that I cannot do.

But, either way, here I am. It doesn't matter what limitations I have I am just going to keep going no matter what even if the day is full of suffering. I earned every damn F*cking penny of that 2 million.

My goal is to hit 10 million and then see what I want to do from there.

 

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[Hadrian]

Rock-Star!

 

[Fox]

Well done!

@halfstepdown88 - can you run us through a bit of what you do each day atm and how the business has been growing. I remember it was a solar sales business - is that still the case?

Very cool to see the progress, hope the rest of this year goes great.

 

[PapaGang]

Hero.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Well done and thanks for the insights.

Is this the solar business?

Hiring is not always the one-size-fits all solution. A new employee often needs management and oversight. That also takes time, just a different form of time. I found that the transition from operator to manager did not free up a lot of my time.

 

[garyfritz]

Last year I hit a million in net worth, already this year I'm at 2 million.
When I hit the 1st million it was a rush and I felt like I finally hit that goal I always wanted to hit since I was like 21 years old.
Right now my health is all messed up, business is all chaotic, and I feel pretty shitty to be honest.
I have learned a lot on this journey, especially while doing it all with the handicap of Lyme - I can't really socialize, I can't go out to eat, I can't exercise, and I can barely travel therefore I can never go to conferences.

@halfstepdown88 you are my brother from another mother.

I also hit $1M pretty recently, and I'm at about $2M now. I've had several things click recently that are going to boost my income significantly.

Like you, my health is messed up -- two cancers diagnosed in late 2019. Fortunately the med tech has advanced hugely in the last 5-10 years and I think we have both of them under control. The new drugs are MUCH more effective, and with almost no side effects. Doc says I'll die of old age.

I haven't been socializing &etc either. The lymphoma makes me VERY susceptible to COVID with a 50% mortality rate, and my treatment drugs pretty much block the vaccine. So I've been isolated in my house for most of the last year+. I'm a social animal so that's been tough.

I used to travel for work 1-2x/month, and enjoyed it. I really enjoy international travel, though I enjoyed it a lot more when I still had a wife to travel with. Now I haven't been in a plane since October 2019 (when I flipped my bike in France and cracked 5 ribs ....) and I don't know when I'll be able to fly again. I've got 550k United miles and 750k Marriott points and I can't go anywhere. I've got my eye on a new Tesla but there's no point in getting a new car until I can do road trips. Hopefully next summer.

I'm starting to scale back on my work, except for a part-time opportunity that just dropped in my lap that is TOO good to pass up. I'm 65, and I have more than enough to retire very comfortably and still leave a nice chunk to each of my sons. I don't need a lot more money. I'm growing my investments because that's my main hobby -- it's a game to collect more pieces. I'm still working part-time but basically just because I don't have anything better to do. As my dad used to say, it keeps me out of the tavern. It's a weird situation to be in, but I'm not complaining. Much. If I could find a nice lady to spend time with, I'd be a pretty happy guy. Honestly I'm pretty happy anyway. In spite of everything, life is good.

 

[BizyDad]

You sir are an inspiration.

Seriously, I tell people about your story to (hopefully) get them over their own (usually lame) excuses for not moving forward.

 

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[whyphilip]

Very impressive and I hope your condition becomes manageable soon.

Agree with MJ about hiring/managing. A good book for management (and really any small business owner) is The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber. It talks about setting up systems and processes in detail that anyone can follow.

But if you believe there are no good workers, you're only hurting yourself. It's true that everyone thinks of themself as a good communicator and detail-oriented, but as you've discovered few are. Even if you set up a checklist, many will think, "Yeah, yeah, I got it..." and then not follow it.

The solution is hiring and firing quickly. Get people on a contract basis, compensate fairly, and set clear expectations. When someone doesn't work out, you just stop assigning them work. If they do, make them permanent and treat them well enough that they won't leave.

It's a numbers game, but there are definitely good people out there. As someone who gets as frustrated as you at this, it's definitely worth spending time to find good employees.

 

[halfstepdown88]

Well done!

@halfstepdown88 - can you run us through a bit of what you do each day atm and how the business has been growing. I remember it was a solar sales business - is that still the case?

Very cool to see the progress, hope the rest of this year goes great.

Each day is different. I can be responding to emails, random problems, answering a phone call from a sales rep in a home needing help, preparing a sales meeting, running a sales meeting, doing a team event, selling my own deal, working on a recruiting funnel, etc.

Well done and thanks for the insights.

Is this the solar business?

Hiring is not always the one-size-fits all solution. A new employee often needs management and oversight. That also takes time, just a different form of time. I found that the transition from operator to manager did not free up a lot of my time.

This is the solar business, yes.

@halfstepdown88 you are my brother from another mother.

I also hit $1M pretty recently, and I'm at about $2M now. I've had several things click recently that are going to boost my income significantly.

Like you, my health is messed up -- two cancers diagnosed in late 2019. Fortunately the med tech has advanced hugely in the last 5-10 years and I think we have both of them under control. The new drugs are MUCH more effective, and with almost no side effects. Doc says I'll die of old age.

I haven't been socializing &etc either. The lymphoma makes me VERY susceptible to COVID with a 50% mortality rate, and my treatment drugs pretty much block the vaccine. So I've been isolated in my house for most of the last year+. I'm a social animal so that's been tough.

I used to travel for work 1-2x/month, and enjoyed it. I really enjoy international travel, though I enjoyed it a lot more when I still had a wife to travel with. Now I haven't been in a plane since October 2019 (when I flipped my bike in France and cracked 5 ribs ....) and I don't know when I'll be able to fly again. I've got 550k United miles and 750k Marriott points and I can't go anywhere. I've got my eye on a new Tesla but there's no point in getting a new car until I can do road trips. Hopefully next summer.

I'm starting to scale back on my work, except for a part-time opportunity that just dropped in my lap that is TOO good to pass up. I'm 65, and I have more than enough to retire very comfortably and still leave a nice chunk to each of my sons. I don't need a lot more money. I'm growing my investments because that's my main hobby -- it's a game to collect more pieces. I'm still working part-time but basically just because I don't have anything better to do. As my dad used to say, it keeps me out of the tavern. It's a weird situation to be in, but I'm not complaining. Much. If I could find a nice lady to spend time with, I'd be a pretty happy guy. Honestly I'm pretty happy anyway. In spite of everything, life is good.

Cancer is rough. If I get cancer on top of Lyme I have not idea how I would handle it. Health issues are just bizarre. I haven't eaten anything since Saturday since I am fasting. It has been almost 72 hours. It got rid of inflammation but my throat just feels so off and my doctors can't figure it out.

I have been thinking of creating more of a balance in my life so I don't burn out like I feel I am right now.

Very impressive and I hope your condition becomes manageable soon.

Agree with MJ about hiring/managing. A good book for management (and really any small business owner) is The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber. It talks about setting up systems and processes in detail that anyone can follow.

But if you believe there are no good workers, you're only hurting yourself. It's true that everyone thinks of themself as a good communicator and detail-oriented, but as you've discovered few are. Even if you set up a checklist, many will think, "Yeah, yeah, I got it..." and then not follow it.

The solution is hiring and firing quickly. Get people on a contract basis, compensate fairly, and set clear expectations. When someone doesn't work out, you just stop assigning them work. If they do, make them permanent and treat them well enough that they won't leave.

It's a numbers game, but there are definitely good people out there. As someone who gets as frustrated as you at this, it's definitely worth spending time to find good employees.

Yeah, I know there are good workers out there, I have just been frustrated. I am building a recruiting funnel right now and approaching it from a very different angle to see what happens.

 

[wanttogofaster]

Congrats!
Curious why you keep so much in cash instead of buying more rentals (read that you have some) and/or other investments?
Not that it will take too long at this rate, but doing so should put you at the 10MM you want in no time!

 

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[dandy2902]

View attachment 38140

Last year I hit a million in net worth, already this year I'm at 2 million.

When I hit the 1st million it was a rush and I felt like I finally hit that goal I always wanted to hit since I was like 21 years old.

Right now my health is all messed up, business is all chaotic, and I feel pretty shitty to be honest.

I have learned a lot on this journey, especially while doing it all with the handicap of Lyme - I can't really socialize, I can't go out to eat, I can't exercise, and I can barely travel therefore I can never go to conferences.

In a way, this is a testament to just working hard and never quitting. Lyme is a major disadvantage and I still made it happen. Sometimes I woke up and had to run a sales meeting and couldn't get out of bed, so I would inject toradol into my leg just so I could get up and run the meeting. I feel like shit most of the time and just thug it out. While I'm writing this my brain is in a lot of pain and wishes I could just die in my sleep already.

I have met a lot of crazy people and a lot of people have screwed me over in this journey as well.

Like they say, most people just see the results, they don't see the process you had to go through to get there.

Two things that I have learned that is interesting is that I thought once I got a lot of money that there would be things I could just pay to fix. It never works like that.

You hire someone and then you have to constantly keep them on track and manage them. Doesn't matter how much money you give them.

Hire a doctor to try and help you and you have to constantly make sure they are sending out the prescriptions on time, getting the lab results back and pinging them on it, etc. etc.

I can't really use the money to fix any problems. At least the major ones that I have. It is just nice knowing that I am multiplying and technically I could retire right now if I wanted to by just paying off the two 4-plexes that I own and I would have $10,000 a month passive income (but I'm going to acquire more properties instead).

It's been pretty lonely as well, since I have tried to join entrepreneur groups or similar but it is heavily based on things like traveling, conferences, eating out, etc. that I cannot do.

But, either way, here I am. It doesn't matter what limitations I have I am just going to keep going no matter what even if the day is full of suffering. I earned every damn f*cking penny of that 2 million.

My goal is to hit 10 million and then see what I want to do from there.

Well done!

 

[halfstepdown88]

Congrats!
Curious why you keep so much in cash instead of buying more rentals (read that you have some) and/or other investments?
Not that it will take too long at this rate, but doing so should put you at the 10MM you want in no time!

I'm waiting on the proper buy. The market is also super hot right now. Last property I put an offer on, someone else put an offer in with an escalating clause, meaning that whatever someone else offered they would beat it by $5,000.

I just put an offer on a 4-plex and a 20 unit building and waiting to hear back tomorrow.

Trust me, I want to get rid of my cash as quickly as I can with what might happen with inflation soon.

 

[bibbysoka]

@halfstepdown88 you are my brother from another mother.

I also hit $1M pretty recently, and I'm at about $2M now. I've had several things click recently that are going to boost my income significantly.

Like you, my health is messed up -- two cancers diagnosed in late 2019. Fortunately the med tech has advanced hugely in the last 5-10 years and I think we have both of them under control. The new drugs are MUCH more effective, and with almost no side effects. Doc says I'll die of old age.

I haven't been socializing &etc either. The lymphoma makes me VERY susceptible to COVID with a 50% mortality rate, and my treatment drugs pretty much block the vaccine. So I've been isolated in my house for most of the last year+. I'm a social animal so that's been tough.

I used to travel for work 1-2x/month, and enjoyed it. I really enjoy international travel, though I enjoyed it a lot more when I still had a wife to travel with. Now I haven't been in a plane since October 2019 (when I flipped my bike in France and cracked 5 ribs ....) and I don't know when I'll be able to fly again. I've got 550k United miles and 750k Marriott points and I can't go anywhere. I've got my eye on a new Tesla but there's no point in getting a new car until I can do road trips. Hopefully next summer.

I'm starting to scale back on my work, except for a part-time opportunity that just dropped in my lap that is TOO good to pass up. I'm 65, and I have more than enough to retire very comfortably and still leave a nice chunk to each of my sons. I don't need a lot more money. I'm growing my investments because that's my main hobby -- it's a game to collect more pieces. I'm still working part-time but basically just because I don't have anything better to do. As my dad used to say, it keeps me out of the tavern. It's a weird situation to be in, but I'm not complaining. Much. If I could find a nice lady to spend time with, I'd be a pretty happy guy. Honestly I'm pretty happy anyway. In spite of everything, life is good.

The way you write inspires me. I feel more confident that when I reach your age I will still be happy and continur to have a growth mindset. Hope everything goes well with you.

 

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[Kid]

Congrats @halfstepdown88

The solution is hiring and firing quickly. Get people on a contract basis, compensate fairly, and set clear expectations. When someone doesn't work out, you just stop assigning them work. If they do, make them permanent and treat them well enough that they won't leave.

This attitude is what one platforms investor told about getting clients for platforms:
"Let all people easily sign up, vigorously "fire" those bad ones, afterwards."

Different side of equation, same principle.

 

[WillHurtDontCare]

While I don't want to discourage anyone from sharing their success stories with others, please be careful of what you share with the growing risks of cyber attacks (every day there is some new cyber attack story on LinkedIn).

Congrats though @halfstepdown88 - wishing you the best on your path to 8 figures.

 

[Deleted85763]

View attachment 38140

Last year I hit a million in net worth, already this year I'm at 2 million.

When I hit the 1st million it was a rush and I felt like I finally hit that goal I always wanted to hit since I was like 21 years old.

Right now my health is all messed up, business is all chaotic, and I feel pretty shitty to be honest.

I have learned a lot on this journey, especially while doing it all with the handicap of Lyme - I can't really socialize, I can't go out to eat, I can't exercise, and I can barely travel therefore I can never go to conferences.

In a way, this is a testament to just working hard and never quitting. Lyme is a major disadvantage and I still made it happen. Sometimes I woke up and had to run a sales meeting and couldn't get out of bed, so I would inject toradol into my leg just so I could get up and run the meeting. I feel like shit most of the time and just thug it out. While I'm writing this my brain is in a lot of pain and wishes I could just die in my sleep already.

I have met a lot of crazy people and a lot of people have screwed me over in this journey as well.

Like they say, most people just see the results, they don't see the process you had to go through to get there.

Two things that I have learned that is interesting is that I thought once I got a lot of money that there would be things I could just pay to fix. It never works like that.

You hire someone and then you have to constantly keep them on track and manage them. Doesn't matter how much money you give them.

Hire a doctor to try and help you and you have to constantly make sure they are sending out the prescriptions on time, getting the lab results back and pinging them on it, etc. etc.

I can't really use the money to fix any problems. At least the major ones that I have. It is just nice knowing that I am multiplying and technically I could retire right now if I wanted to by just paying off the two 4-plexes that I own and I would have $10,000 a month passive income (but I'm going to acquire more properties instead).

It's been pretty lonely as well, since I have tried to join entrepreneur groups or similar but it is heavily based on things like traveling, conferences, eating out, etc. that I cannot do.

But, either way, here I am. It doesn't matter what limitations I have I am just going to keep going no matter what even if the day is full of suffering. I earned every damn f*cking penny of that 2 million.

My goal is to hit 10 million and then see what I want to do from there.

How did you go from $1 to $2 million? How do you get $1 million?

 

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[The_MoBiz]

Congrats on the $2 Million, especially given everything you're going through!