The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

I Did It! Kinda.

ShanghaiSix

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
58%
Dec 1, 2019
12
7
Los Angeles, CA
All,
Regularly listen to audio books about business development and personal development. Over the last ten years, I've run two separate military charities. From 2010-2015, I ran one (which shall not be named), which I lost to an unscrupulous business partner I trusted. I then turned around, did the exact same thing, and because I was the subject matter expert and cared about the project vs trying to flip a dollar, I've built Stack Up (stackup.org). We support US and allied veterans through gaming and video game platforms. What started out as a cute thing I did on the weekends, sending Xboxes to guys and gals deployed overseas, we are now partnered with the Center for Disease Control to use gaming as a platform for fighting veteran suicide. It's been a hell of a ride, and I'm just watching us grow more and more with each year. It's extremely exciting.

I started the charity because of 'Murica regularly boxing up whatever crap it could find (baby powder, wet wipes), shipping it over, and clapping themselves on the back for "helping". Meanwhile, while I was deployed overseas, we had shipping containers full of well meaning but deluded donations from the civilian world. As MJ claimed in the book, I took an already existing thing and added value to it. Because it's charity, I don't need to worry about fighting anyone else out there in the field, we've enjoyed a pretty nice run as the only team out there in the games' space doing what we do, and having an amazing track record.

The PROBLEM? Yeah, no lambos in the charity world. I mean, there are, but those are always the charities where watchdog groups like to burn in effigy for misuse of donor dollars. I make a reasonable living, working on my own terms, enjoy the adoration of folks who appreciate me ACTUALLY helping veterans the way America is regularly thumping their chests about ('Murica loves the troops, but when it comes to opening their wallet...yeah, no), but I'm going to work myself into the ground long before I retire. My seven person staff is ridiculously underpaid (many are on military disability and are in it for the love of the game), and I'd rather see their pay and benefits go up over time to match mine vs. buying a yacht for myself (haha). We work ourselves into the ground, and love what we do (yes, I know that's blasphemy here, but loving what you do, definitely doesn't hurt). It's Sunday, I'm here working, streaming, AND typing on here about the charity when most people would just be watching "the game", etc.

I'm at a weird crossroads, which is why I'm typing and decided to join up. I had an idea six months ago for a t-shirt line (lame), but it's a pretty cool brand idea that I'd like to see if it floats. The problem then becomes me splitting my time. I am a big subscriber to the "I don't have time is the biggest lie you can tell yourself" mantra, and I know I could cut back on some gaming and sleep to start figuring this out to see if I can turn a buck with this side project to my side project.

Rambling now. I've done some very basic work so far on the project, but if anyone has gone through the pains of creating an online t-shirt/clothing/brand that could link stuff here, I'd appreciate it!
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Attachments

  • Wrong Elevator, Ma'am..jpg
    Wrong Elevator, Ma'am..jpg
    222.7 KB · Views: 10

ShanghaiSix

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
58%
Dec 1, 2019
12
7
Los Angeles, CA
Good luck and may your charity help a lot of people.

Big thanks! Appreciate it. We're doing pretty well helping folks. Now, time to help myself :) Just trying to figure out how best to split my time and energy, if anyone could point the right direction for t-shirt/brand stuff, I'd appreciate it!
 

Attachments

  • 1) Stack Up 2019 Infographic.jpg
    1) Stack Up 2019 Infographic.jpg
    171.4 KB · Views: 6

Visionary96

Bronze Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
180%
Oct 23, 2018
123
221
Torquay, United Kingdom
wish you the best of luck with Stack up mate. Im sure also the increasing popularity of VR gaming is only going to benefit the organisation. Can see that working really well with what you’re going for.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

ShanghaiSix

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
58%
Dec 1, 2019
12
7
Los Angeles, CA
wish you the best of luck with Stack up mate. Im sure also the increasing popularity of VR gaming is only going to benefit the organisation. Can see that working really well with what you’re going for.

Thank you! I appreciate the kind words, and ironically, the founder and creator of Oculus is one of our big supporters every year (he's a big military supporter, has gone on to found his own military contracting organization).

While the first half of this book was obviously about breaking free and taking that first step, the back half of "Unscripted " was a surprising mental exercise with some real nuggets of wisdom. I don't think I would be re-dinking around with this t-shirt brand idea if it hadn't been for the audio book mentally coaxing it out of me.

Anyone on here in the t-shirt biz with some pointers? I'm also very concerned about making sure my "idea" doesn't get swiped by anyone. Once I say the words and show what they mean, there's might definitely be someone out there who might sweep in and swipe it. I own the websites associated and have placeholders there, etc. Just making sure my intellectual property is secured.
 

MJ DeMarco

I followed the science; all I found was money.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
445%
Jul 23, 2007
38,079
169,496
Utah
Welcome my friend, and much respect for you for running a charity Op.
 

ShanghaiSix

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
58%
Dec 1, 2019
12
7
Los Angeles, CA
Welcome my friend, and much respect for you for running a charity Op.
Thank you, sir. Hell of a book you've got here. I was a little daunted at 17 hour listening time, but definitely worth it. :) And of course, I'll be leaving a review.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

More Intros...

Top