I've failed at this for 9 years... what now?

[Guest8MsaDc]

I was conflicted about writing this post. But MJ's books are what gave me the initial idea to pursue entrepreneurship back when I was in high-school, so it seems fitting I tell my story here and see if the community can help me figure out what to do now...

Age 16 - I learned about shopify, digital marketing, etc and began reading into it.

Age 17 - My parents introduced me to a "neat book they found" which was MJ's Unscripted . I cracked it open and immediately became obsessed. I began consuming entrepreneurial content like it was my job... books, podcasts, youtube, forums, reddit... I was on a mission. I started a few shopify stores selling various widgets but never made anything.

Age 18 - I saved up from a summer job and purchased Tai Lopez's original SMMA course and spent the next month obsessively taking notes, rewinding, and absorbing as much "knowledge" as possible. I launched my site, prepared my service packages, and began cold calling. I landed one appointment and ultimately was unable to close.

18 - I went to college for one semester and learned absolutely nothing. I wasn't going to pay $30k a year for my business professor to teach me about gender. So I left.

19 - On the drive back home from college I listened to Unscripted on double speed. I knew that it was time for me to make this online business thing work. My future was on the line. But, after a month of bouncing from idea to idea... website launch to website launch... chapter to chapter... I stumbled across a comment MJ made in the book. He said... if you don't know what your big idea is, get a sales job. The skills will translate when it's time. So, that's what I did.

20 - I spent about 9 months selling gym memberships for an underfunded and underperforming location of a major Gym. The job was crappy. The pay was sad. But, the idea that I could make money just by talking to people was captivating to me. We had no marketing budget so they would often send me to sneak into the local Walmart to try and "collect leads" while the managers weren't looking. I told myself it was shitty but if I could sell a gym membership in frozen food isle, I could make it as an entrepreneur. And I did. I materialized business out of thin air and busted my a$$ to the point where one of the gym members offered to hire me to sell his digital product.

21 - I quit my gym job and began working for an SAS company in the day trading space. In reality, it was selling bullshit to gambling addicts... but hindsight is 2020. Within a year I had quadrupled their sales from the year prior. I called every single motherf#cker there was to call. I sold bundle after bundle. At the end of the year, my mentor... the guy who recruited me from the gym built 2 custom lake houses. A month after that... there was nobody left to call and he decided having me around was an unnecessary expense.

22 - I'm now jobless in a luxury apartment trying... once again... to make this entrepreneurship thing work. I started reaching out to people I knew who owned businesses and offering my services in exchange for partnership. First, it was real estate wholeselling... then I witnessed my business partner lie and deceive an 85 year old woman to get her house under contract at half the market value. I handed him the keys to the company beamer I was driving and said "no thanks." Then I tried to start my own sales training/ Lead Generation company... partnered up with my neighbor who owned a struggling SMMA (Tai Lopez had a wide reach) and ultimately spent another 3 months d*cking around with ways to get more clients before ultimately throwing in the towel.

Maybe I wasn't destined for entrepreneurship. Maybe I was too young. So I went after my second love... food. If I couldn't drive a lambo maybe I could be an artsy culinary jedi kicking a$$ at a fancy restaurant. Hell maybe I could own my own one day. But I had to start modest because I had no skills... so I accepted a dishwashing job for $9/HR. Worked my way up to linecook over the course of a few months. It was a culture shock to say the least, $9 an hour barely put a dent in my bills, and my savings would not last forever. I was basically paying to be there and play chef. So I moved to a much bigger city with better pay and secured a job cooking for a big restaurant group. It was still less money than I needed to survive but I knew they had a reputation of moving people up quickly so I opted to work there. Then COVID hit... and the restaurant industry was done.

23 - I get out of the city and move to Colorado while attempting to build up a freelancing career as a copywriter. I found out pretty quickly than Upwork isn't paying anyone's mortgage... probably isn't even paying their light bill. That there are people on that platform who are top rated with 20 years experience in their field who haven't even made $15,000 pre-tax/fees in their entire Upwork career. Since I don't live in Bangladesh... I had to get another job. This time spraying lawns for $13 an hour in 100+ degree heat.

Within 6 months I was burnt out... going home and drinking/smoking every night. I thought I was going to be an entrepreneur. I was going to be like MJ... and now I wasn't just a wage slave... I was doing literal slave work and STILL couldn't pay my bills. Not even close.

24 - I become an electrician. $15 an hour to dig in the hot Arizona sun and crawl through 150 degree attics full of asbestos. Benefits? Nope. Overtime? Think again. But my dad always said "you should be an electrician... they make really good money" which is utter garbage.

I would wake up at 5 AM and go dig until 3 PM. Then I would drive 30 minutes, change in my car, and go wash dishes at my second job until 1:30 AM. Home by 2:15. Asleep by 3:00. Up by 5 to do it again. And STILL couldn't afford to do anything but work and sleep and I had become addicted to cigarettes and energy drinks to keep up with it all.

After a particularly long night at the restaurant... I got an Ad on my Instagram for a course. The ad said "START your own OnlyFans Management Agency." Normally I'd never buy a course... but it was 4 AM. I was covered in dish water and old food. My life sucked. What if my work day consisted of marketing for super hot chicks instead of scraping bacon grease? I know how to run ads. I know how to sell. Yeah... the industry is morally questionable... but so was every successful business owner I'd encountered in my life. That software scammer... Beach houses and New cars. That real estate dirt bag who lies to grannies... he has a garage full of supercars. What's the worst thing that can happen? I lose $300? I'm already broke. Alright... F*ck it. I click the ad and I buy the course.

Over the next 8 months, I built my agency... signed 30 models... hired 8 staff... and acquired a business partner. Initially we were able to significantly grow our clients' revenue by improving their selling to existing subscribers. But after 8 months we'd sold to everyone there was to sell to and could not figure out how to get new subscribers. In other words... I was a good salesperson and a shitty marketer. So that business did about $40k in sales and then fizzled out. I had exhausted myself building it... 16-18 hour days running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to make something happen in an industry where the good strategies are gate kept. I had put 100% of the money I made back into the biz and opted to live out of my car and work at starbucks in order to grow it faster. But, ultimately... I was unwilling to kill myself attempting to rebuild a business that relies on weak h#rny men sending money and I wasn't sure if I was capable of fixing the marketing issues. I'd given it my all. So I went back to wiring houses.

25 - NOW - I'm almost 2 years into my electrical apprenticeship. I make $19/hr when I show up to a jobsite. My boss makes $66 without being there. When he has bills to pay or a new project to buy parts for... he will spend my pay on it and then go "oh well we're just waiting on a few checks to come in." I will then receive a partial paycheck 2-3 weeks later and he will say "as soon as we get that check for xyz I'll pay you the rest." I've wired multiple homes for him top to bottom. Responded to emergency calls where wires were literally flaming. It's been 3 weeks since my last paycheck and yesterday he told me "you know I think you're overpaid."

So...

I'm going to try and make something work online while I'm applying to new jobs. But, clearly if I was capable of generating lasting income online with my own thinking it would have happened by now... so I'm asking the community for insights. What is it I'm doing wrong? Any advice?

I'm trying to leverage the skills I've built through my various attempts at online business... for instance I'm exceptionally fast at graphic design, websites, branding, copywriting, etc... all those little digital services that take practice... because I've done it over and over through various ventures.

Here is my most recent...

https://www.instagram.com/serviceninja_?igsh=YmI0Ymg5djdzNWEz

It's not perfect, obviously but I'd be open to any feedback!

Thanks for reading, guys!

 

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[Bounce Back]

I'm exhausted reading this but what I don't understand is why you went from "I can sell like a badass but screw these sketchy companies" to dishwasher, starbucks, and being an electrician (assistant?). Why didn't you just look for a more highly paid sales job in a reputable company?

Like I'm not really hearing the allure of entrepreneurship here just a bit of scattered approach to making a bit of cash. (No offense is meant here - I genuinely am curious).

 

[Guest8MsaDc]

I'm exhausted reading this but what I don't understand is why you went from "I can sell like a badass but screw these sketchy companies" to dishwasher, starbucks, and being an electrician (assistant?). Why didn't you just look for a more highly paid sales job in a reputable company?

Like I'm not really hearing the allure of entrepreneurship here just a bit of scattered approach to making a bit of cash. (No offense is meant here - I genuinely am curious).

Im exhausted too. No offense taken. I started with confidence because I was a child. My parents had been pumping me full of Tony Robbins and Rich Dad Poor Dad since I was an infant. When I started interacting with the world and learning my value in it, that confidence started to progressively drop. Wouldn't yours? In regards to the sales job... maybe. Generally that whole ecosystem is annoying to me "hustle n grind" "high blood pressure is normal... have some more coke and coffee" Plus... I'm not convinced I'm all that good at it. I mean yeah I made a lot of money for that one guy and signed a lot of OF models but that SAS company was primed and ready and every other remotely attractive woman on IG has an OF. I'm also slightly the asperges spectrum. I mask extremely well due to previous sales roles but the idea of walking into an office full of dudes in skintight company polo's and TRT to "get after it" like Andy Elliot gives me mad social anxiety lol I'd like to build something that makes me money online so I don't have to interact with society.

 

[StrikingViper69]

It sounds like you read Unscripted then threw it out the window.

 

[Guest8MsaDc]

It sounds like you read Unscripted then threw it out the window.

Admittedly, yes. I got tired of looking at diagrams. When I abandoned it and just took action, I made money. I'm willing to revisit it, though.

 

[StrikingViper69]

Admittedly, yes. I got tired of looking at diagrams. When I abandoned it and just took action, I made money. I'm willing to revisit it, though.

You can clearly sell. What about finding local businesses you like and helping them get more business, like you did with the gym? There have got to be ethical players in all the spaces you worked in - software, gyms, real estate. Could you find them, sell for them and train people under you to take over the selling?

 

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[Guest8MsaDc]

You can clearly sell. What about finding local businesses you like and helping them get more business, like you did with the gym? There have got to be ethical players in all the spaces you worked in - software, gyms, real estate. Could you find them, sell for them and train people under you to take over the selling?

I'm very familiar with the psychology behind selling in all aspects. Written, oral, even crafting offers. But I'm midly autistic... so every once and a while I'll say something awkward, mess up the flow of the conversation, or not pick up on a social cue. That really messes with me psychologically. So you're right... I can sell. But it still stresses me out a little.

I thought about doing something like what you're talking about but I'm not sure what it would actually look like. Am I selling sales training? Am I a freelance sales person? Am I trying to reinvent the wheel and create a service that doesn't currently exist?... because then I have to deal with the issue of trying to push a service that nobody else has ever used... and there's probably a reason it doesn't exist. Am I consultant? What exactly are the deliverables?

When I ask myself these questions... I can't seem to come up with anything that I could see a business realistically paying money for.

Alternatively... I've gotten very good at sourcing and training virtual assistants to run various aspects of businesses. That's what I did for my agency. Most service based business owners like the electricians I've worked for really suck at administrative tasks. Their schedule, billing, to do lists, parts lists, change orders, etc are a huge mess and they end up losing time and money. My thinking is... I can introduce modern software solutions and virtual assistants to streamline and automate administrative tasks for contractors. But... it's not really something that's being done and therefore it seems like it would be a hard sell to 50 year old electricians. Ontop of that... the the business is essentially betting that I can beat their existing systems with a few apps and VAs... which is also questionable. If they can't manage their one business in person... is it reasonable to believe I could manage a dozen of them remotely? Not sure.

Sorry for the rambling. I started this thread to collect my thoughts and get feedback on them so I'm just putting them all out there.

 

[Sterling729]

Thanks for sharing! Also, from what you posted, your boss seems like a dick.

Anyway, I don't really have any advice for you at the moment. But just want to tell you to hang in there. Maybe someone more successful than i am can provide a pointer or two to set you on the right path. Personally, I've been through something not too different in my 20s and keen to see how it works out for you.

All the best

 

[Guest8MsaDc]

He certainly is. I hung around him because he's lazy so I was able to gain exposure to all kinds of stuff that guys don't get to do until their 4th or 5th year simply because he didn't want to do it. In skilled trades, when you're hired on they ask you what you can do and that's how your salary is often determined. I'm not even 2 years in and I can take a blueprint for a house... bid it... source the material... wire it all... and flip it on without my boss ever even showing up. My point being... when I go to apply to other companies and they ask me what I can do... I can say "everything." and hopefully make a little more dough.

But... it's not exactly fun for me... and pay caps out at about $25/hr where I live.

There is no freedom in being a blue collar guy. It's just a blur of sawdust and you wake up at 45 with a bad back and an empty bank account.

Anyway, I don't really have any advice for you at the moment. But just want to tell you to hang in there. Maybe someone more successful than i am can provide a pointer or two to set you on the right path. Personally, I've been through something not too different in my 20s and keen to see how it works out for you.

All the best

 

[Kevin88660]

I was conflicted about writing this post. But MJ's books are what gave me the initial idea to pursue entrepreneurship back when I was in high-school, so it seems fitting I tell my story here and see if the community can help me figure out what to do now...

Age 16 - I learned about shopify, digital marketing, etc and began reading into it.

Age 17 - My parents introduced me to a "neat book they found" which was MJ's Unscripted . I cracked it open and immediately became obsessed. I began consuming entrepreneurial content like it was my job... books, podcasts, youtube, forums, reddit... I was on a mission. I started a few shopify stores selling various widgets but never made anything.

Age 18 - I saved up from a summer job and purchased Tai Lopez's original SMMA course and spent the next month obsessively taking notes, rewinding, and absorbing as much "knowledge" as possible. I launched my site, prepared my service packages, and began cold calling. I landed one appointment and ultimately was unable to close.

18 - I went to college for one semester and learned absolutely nothing. I wasn't going to pay $30k a year for my business professor to teach me about gender. So I left.

19 - On the drive back home from college I listened to Unscripted on double speed. I knew that it was time for me to make this online business thing work. My future was on the line. But, after a month of bouncing from idea to idea... website launch to website launch... chapter to chapter... I stumbled across a comment MJ made in the book. He said... if you don't know what your big idea is, get a sales job. The skills will translate when it's time. So, that's what I did.

20 - I spent about 9 months selling gym memberships for an underfunded and underperforming location of a major Gym. The job was crappy. The pay was sad. But, the idea that I could make money just by talking to people was captivating to me. We had no marketing budget so they would often send me to sneak into the local Walmart to try and "collect leads" while the managers weren't looking. I told myself it was shitty but if I could sell a gym membership in frozen food isle, I could make it as an entrepreneur. And I did. I materialized business out of thin air and busted my a$$ to the point where one of the gym members offered to hire me to sell his digital product.

21 - I quit my gym job and began working for an SAS company in the day trading space. In reality, it was selling bullshit to gambling addicts... but hindsight is 2020. Within a year I had quadrupled their sales from the year prior. I called every single motherf#cker there was to call. I sold bundle after bundle. At the end of the year, my mentor... the guy who recruited me from the gym built 2 custom lake houses. A month after that... there was nobody left to call and he decided having me around was an unnecessary expense.

22 - I'm now jobless in a luxury apartment trying... once again... to make this entrepreneurship thing work. I started reaching out to people I knew who owned businesses and offering my services in exchange for partnership. First, it was real estate wholeselling... then I witnessed my business partner lie and deceive an 85 year old woman to get her house under contract at half the market value. I handed him the keys to the company beamer I was driving and said "no thanks." Then I tried to start my own sales training/ Lead Generation company... partnered up with my neighbor who owned a struggling SMMA (Tai Lopez had a wide reach) and ultimately spent another 3 months d*cking around with ways to get more clients before ultimately throwing in the towel.

Maybe I wasn't destined for entrepreneurship. Maybe I was too young. So I went after my second love... food. If I couldn't drive a lambo maybe I could be an artsy culinary jedi kicking a$$ at a fancy restaurant. Hell maybe I could own my own one day. But I had to start modest because I had no skills... so I accepted a dishwashing job for $9/HR. Worked my way up to linecook over the course of a few months. It was a culture shock to say the least, $9 an hour barely put a dent in my bills, and my savings would not last forever. I was basically paying to be there and play chef. So I moved to a much bigger city with better pay and secured a job cooking for a big restaurant group. It was still less money than I needed to survive but I knew they had a reputation of moving people up quickly so I opted to work there. Then COVID hit... and the restaurant industry was done.

23 - I get out of the city and move to Colorado while attempting to build up a freelancing career as a copywriter. I found out pretty quickly than Upwork isn't paying anyone's mortgage... probably isn't even paying their light bill. That there are people on that platform who are top rated with 20 years experience in their field who haven't even made $15,000 pre-tax/fees in their entire Upwork career. Since I don't live in Bangladesh... I had to get another job. This time spraying lawns for $13 an hour in 100+ degree heat.

Within 6 months I was burnt out... going home and drinking/smoking every night. I thought I was going to be an entrepreneur. I was going to be like MJ... and now I wasn't just a wage slave... I was doing literal slave work and STILL couldn't pay my bills. Not even close.

24 - I become an electrician. $15 an hour to dig in the hot Arizona sun and crawl through 150 degree attics full of asbestos. Benefits? Nope. Overtime? Think again. But my dad always said "you should be an electrician... they make really good money" which is utter garbage.

I would wake up at 5 AM and go dig until 3 PM. Then I would drive 30 minutes, change in my car, and go wash dishes at my second job until 1:30 AM. Home by 2:15. Asleep by 3:00. Up by 5 to do it again. And STILL couldn't afford to do anything but work and sleep and I had become addicted to cigarettes and energy drinks to keep up with it all.

After a particularly long night at the restaurant... I got an Ad on my Instagram for a course. The ad said "START your own OnlyFans Management Agency." Normally I'd never buy a course... but it was 4 AM. I was covered in dish water and old food. My life sucked. What if my work day consisted of marketing for super hot chicks instead of scraping bacon grease? I know how to run ads. I know how to sell. Yeah... the industry is morally questionable... but so was every successful business owner I'd encountered in my life. That software scammer... Beach houses and New cars. That real estate dirt bag who lies to grannies... he has a garage full of supercars. What's the worst thing that can happen? I lose $300? I'm already broke. Alright... F*ck it. I click the ad and I buy the course.

Over the next 8 months, I built my agency... signed 30 models... hired 8 staff... and acquired a business partner. Initially we were able to significantly grow our clients' revenue by improving their selling to existing subscribers. But after 8 months we'd sold to everyone there was to sell to and could not figure out how to get new subscribers. In other words... I was a good salesperson and a shitty marketer. So that business did about $40k in sales and then fizzled out. I had exhausted myself building it... 16-18 hour days running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to make something happen in an industry where the good strategies are gate kept. I had put 100% of the money I made back into the biz and opted to live out of my car and work at starbucks in order to grow it faster. But, ultimately... I was unwilling to kill myself attempting to rebuild a business that relies on weak h#rny men sending money and I wasn't sure if I was capable of fixing the marketing issues. I'd given it my all. So I went back to wiring houses.

25 - NOW - I'm almost 2 years into my electrical apprenticeship. I make $19/hr when I show up to a jobsite. My boss makes $66 without being there. When he has bills to pay or a new project to buy parts for... he will spend my pay on it and then go "oh well we're just waiting on a few checks to come in." I will then receive a partial paycheck 2-3 weeks later and he will say "as soon as we get that check for xyz I'll pay you the rest." I've wired multiple homes for him top to bottom. Responded to emergency calls where wires were literally flaming. It's been 3 weeks since my last paycheck and yesterday he told me "you know I think you're overpaid."

So...

I'm going to try and make something work online while I'm applying to new jobs. But, clearly if I was capable of generating lasting income online with my own thinking it would have happened by now... so I'm asking the community for insights. What is it I'm doing wrong? Any advice?

I'm trying to leverage the skills I've built through my various attempts at online business... for instance I'm exceptionally fast at graphic design, websites, branding, copywriting, etc... all those little digital services that take practice... because I've done it over and over through various ventures.

Here is my most recent...

Login • Instagram

It's not perfect, obviously but I'd be open to any feedback!

Thanks for reading, guys!

Your hustle is well respected.

Many folks here have success with real estate. You are right in walking away from the a**hole partner who tried to scam a 85 year old granny. What goes around comes around. You want to build a business with a strong foundation that can last.

I think your dad is right that electrician makes good money. You are probably giving up too early expecting good things showing up too early. It is better to slog for something that will surely work 5 years later, then hoping and pray for a guru’s course miracle in 12 month.

It sucks that your boss didn’t treat you well. Guess what. He probably was treated worst when he was under the apprenticeship. Find someone else to build your credential until you could be the guy making $66 without being there.

Your answers are already in your post. You just refused to acknowledge it. The only proven role model you see is your former boss who outsourced physical roles. Now you climbed the ladder halfway after two years. Everything else is bullshit hoping for a miracle.

Wage Slaves will become indentured servants.

Indentured servants will become Freemen.

Freemen will become slave owners.

 

[Guest8MsaDc]

Your hustle is well respected.

Many folks here have success with real estate. You are right in walking away from the a**hole partner who tried to scam a 85 year old granny. What goes around comes around. You want to build a business with a strong foundation that can last.

I think your dad is right that electrician makes good money. You are probably giving up too early expecting good things showing up too early. It is better to slog for something that will surely work 5 years later, then hoping and pray for a guru’s course miracle in 12 month.

It sucks that your boss didn’t treat you well. Guess what. He probably was treated worst when he was under the apprenticeship. Find someone else to build your credential until you could be the guy making $66 without being there.

Your answers are already in your post. You just refused to acknowledge it. The only proven role model you see is your former boss who outsourced physical roles. Now you climbed the ladder halfway after two years. Everything else is bullshit hoping for a miracle.

Thank you and yes... there are some glaring patterns in my story that I need to examine. In regards to hopping around I'll push back a bit. I worked damn hard when I found something that actually made money. $40k, full-time staff, and 30 signed contracts is not dipping my toes. It was leveraging every ounce of energy and previous knowledge I had into making something work. I was inefficient and perhaps misguided but I still feel I pushed as hard as I could.

In regards to my current career path working out... maybe. But you have to be the business owner to make any more than $25/hr where I live.

That means...
- 5 years of logged hours
- several thousand classroom hours
- passing 2 exams
- securing $50-$100k in funding

And that's just to gain permission to try and start a company... now you're working the equivalent of 3 jobs and probably making $60-$100k a year... with your business operating in a massive deficit for the next 5-10 years.. and that's assuming you do well.

My boss is 65 with $10M in assets. He can afford to not give a shit. Me... I'd probably lose my hair.

 

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[Kevin88660]

Thank you and yes... there are some glaring patterns in my story that I need to examine. In regards to hopping around I'll push back a bit. I worked my a$$ off every single day when I was pursuing something. I was never sick. I was never "on vacation." I pursued each idea until it was 100% clear they were not going to work... and then I pursued them some more just for the hell of it. $40k, full-time staff, and 30 signed contracts is not dipping my toes. It was leveraging every ounce of energy and previous knowledge I had into making something work.

In regards to my current career path working out... maybe. But you have to be the business owner to make any more than $25/hr where I live.

That means...
- 5 years of logged hours
- several thousand classroom hours
- passing 2 exams
- securing $50-$100k in funding

And that's just to gain permission to try and start a company... now you're working the equivalent of 3 jobs and probably making $60-$100k a year... with your business operating in a massive deficit for the next 5-10 years.. and that's assuming you do well.

My boss is 65 with $10M in assets. He can afford to not give a shit. Me... I'd probably lose my hair.

Thank you and yes... there are some glaring patterns in my story that I need to examine. In regards to hopping around I'll push back a bit. I worked my a$$ off every single day when I was pursuing something. I was never sick. I was never "on vacation." I pursued each idea until it was 100% clear they were not going to work... and then I pursued them some more just for the hell of it. $40k, full-time staff, and 30 signed contracts is not dipping my toes. It was leveraging every ounce of energy and previous knowledge I had into making something work.

In regards to my current career path working out... maybe. But you have to be the business owner to make any more than $25/hr where I live.

That means...
- 5 years of logged hours
- several thousand classroom hours
- passing 2 exams
- securing $50-$100k in funding

And that's just to gain permission to try and start a company... now you're working the equivalent of 3 jobs and probably making $60-$100k a year... with your business operating in a massive deficit for the next 5-10 years.. and that's assuming you do well.

My boss is 65 with $10M in assets. He can afford to not give a shit. Me... I'd probably lose my hair.

You need to take a different view to see that you are sitting on a goldmine.

All these lessons, exams, and entry bars are things in your favor, not against you.

They help you to build the entry barrier preventing anyone stealing your lunch when they see you making the money.

Your 65 year old boss will retire one day.

Young people are not coming in.

The Economics fundamental for the trade is just getting better and better.

When these boomers retire they can either close down the company for zero value or pass the client lists and business assets to someone else for pennies (as their children are not taking over).

It will be people like you benefiting from it.

 

[Guest8MsaDc]

You need to take a different view to see that you are sitting on a goldmine.

All these lessons, exams, and entry bars are things in your favor, not against you.

They help you to build the entry barrier preventing anyone stealing your lunch when they see you making the money.

Your 65 year old boss will retire one day.

Young people are not coming in.

The Economics fundamental for the trade is just getting better and better.

That's what I tell myself when I get home covered in fiberglass to my unfurnished one bedroom. "For every 50 guys that retire out of the trades only 8 come in. In a decade you're going to be making so much money." But I'm not so sure... it really doesn't feel like it. It feels like I'm pissing my life away trying to smush myself into the role of a blue collar dude who likes dip and trucks... and is perfectly content driving screws 10 hours a day but I'm not sure if that's me. I don't know if it matters though. It might just be my only option.

Just saw your edit. I never considered the idea that the labor shortage would effect acquisition of existing businesses. Makes sense.

 

[Kevin88660]

That's what I tell myself when I get home covered in fiberglass to my unfurnished one bedroom. "For every 50 guys that retire out of the trades only 8 come in. In a decade you're going to be making so much money." But I'm not so sure... it really doesn't feel like it. It feels like I'm pissing my life away trying to smush myself into the role of a blue collar dude who likes dip and trucks... and is perfectly content driving screws 10 hours a day but I'm not sure if that's me. I don't know if it matters though. It might just be my only option.

You need to stop letting your emotions getting in the way only go back and look at the business and Economics fundamentals.

Is our hypothesis wrong?

When you are feeling down. Look at the numbers again to regain your conviction.

 

[Guest8MsaDc]

You need to stop letting your emotions getting in the way only go back and look at the business and Economics fundamentals.

Is our hypothesis wrong?

When you are feeling down. Look at the numbers again to regain your conviction.

I guess I just had my sights set on something cooler. I feel so looked down on by everyone. For instance... I can't tell women what I do for a living. It's an instant turn off. Working construction is associated with being broke, addicted to drugs, and generally at the bottom of society. It's also not anywhere near as fun as building and running something from scratch from your phone.

But, you are correct. Supply and demand. It's High-school level economics even a tradie could understand.

 

[Kevin88660]

I guess I just had my sights set on something cooler. I feel so looked down on by everyone. For instance... I can't tell women what I do for a living. It's an instant turn off. Working construction is associated with being broke, addicted to drugs, and generally at the bottom of society. It's also not anywhere near as fun as building and running something from scratch from your phone.

But, you are correct. Supply and demand. It's High-school level economics even a tradie could understand.

It is true that
*far more people retire than enter the business, with most young entrepreneurs fancy a laptop at home business?
*people who complain they pay more and more for essential service like yours, but there is no choice but to just pay it?
*Your trade has enough skill, certification or capital barrier that not any high school dropout with a tool box or illegal immigrant can do it?
*Fairly resistant against AI disruption?
*Has a location barrier that people not living there just cannot do it long distance?


When you feel down just look at the fundamental again.

 

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[Guest8MsaDc]

It is true that
*far more people retire than enter the business, with most young entrepreneurs fancy a laptop at home business?
*people who complain they pay more and more for essential service like yours, but there is no choice but to just pay it?
*Your trade has enough skill, certification or capital barrier that not any high school dropout with a tool box or illegal immigrant can do it?
*Fairly resistant against AI disruption?
*Has a location barrier that people not living there just cannot do it long distance?


When you feel down just look at the fundamental again.

Fair enough. Thank you very much! I don't plan on ever putting down my tools completely. I enjoy the work. But I don't enjoy feeling like a loser even if it's temporary.

I'm still not convinced I need to abandon the idea of making money online. Make it a hobby or a side hustle or whatever. This stuff interests me in a way that other stuff just doesn't.

 

[Kevin88660]

Fair enough. Thank you very much! I don't plan on ever putting down my tools completely. I enjoy the work. But I don't enjoy feeling like a loser even if it's temporary.

I'm still not convinced I need to abandon the idea of making money online. Make it a hobby or a side hustle or whatever. This stuff interests me in a way that other stuff just doesn't.

Sure no problem with having something fun online. Just don’t abandon your main thing.

 

[NewManRising]

I was conflicted about writing this post. But MJ's books are what gave me the initial idea to pursue entrepreneurship back when I was in high-school, so it seems fitting I tell my story here and see if the community can help me figure out what to do now...

Age 16 - I learned about shopify, digital marketing, etc and began reading into it.

Age 17 - My parents introduced me to a "neat book they found" which was MJ's Unscripted . I cracked it open and immediately became obsessed. I began consuming entrepreneurial content like it was my job... books, podcasts, youtube, forums, reddit... I was on a mission. I started a few shopify stores selling various widgets but never made anything.

Age 18 - I saved up from a summer job and purchased Tai Lopez's original SMMA course and spent the next month obsessively taking notes, rewinding, and absorbing as much "knowledge" as possible. I launched my site, prepared my service packages, and began cold calling. I landed one appointment and ultimately was unable to close.

18 - I went to college for one semester and learned absolutely nothing. I wasn't going to pay $30k a year for my business professor to teach me about gender. So I left.

19 - On the drive back home from college I listened to Unscripted on double speed. I knew that it was time for me to make this online business thing work. My future was on the line. But, after a month of bouncing from idea to idea... website launch to website launch... chapter to chapter... I stumbled across a comment MJ made in the book. He said... if you don't know what your big idea is, get a sales job. The skills will translate when it's time. So, that's what I did.

20 - I spent about 9 months selling gym memberships for an underfunded and underperforming location of a major Gym. The job was crappy. The pay was sad. But, the idea that I could make money just by talking to people was captivating to me. We had no marketing budget so they would often send me to sneak into the local Walmart to try and "collect leads" while the managers weren't looking. I told myself it was shitty but if I could sell a gym membership in frozen food isle, I could make it as an entrepreneur. And I did. I materialized business out of thin air and busted my a$$ to the point where one of the gym members offered to hire me to sell his digital product.

21 - I quit my gym job and began working for an SAS company in the day trading space. In reality, it was selling bullshit to gambling addicts... but hindsight is 2020. Within a year I had quadrupled their sales from the year prior. I called every single motherf#cker there was to call. I sold bundle after bundle. At the end of the year, my mentor... the guy who recruited me from the gym built 2 custom lake houses. A month after that... there was nobody left to call and he decided having me around was an unnecessary expense.

22 - I'm now jobless in a luxury apartment trying... once again... to make this entrepreneurship thing work. I started reaching out to people I knew who owned businesses and offering my services in exchange for partnership. First, it was real estate wholeselling... then I witnessed my business partner lie and deceive an 85 year old woman to get her house under contract at half the market value. I handed him the keys to the company beamer I was driving and said "no thanks." Then I tried to start my own sales training/ Lead Generation company... partnered up with my neighbor who owned a struggling SMMA (Tai Lopez had a wide reach) and ultimately spent another 3 months d*cking around with ways to get more clients before ultimately throwing in the towel.

Maybe I wasn't destined for entrepreneurship. Maybe I was too young. So I went after my second love... food. If I couldn't drive a lambo maybe I could be an artsy culinary jedi kicking a$$ at a fancy restaurant. Hell maybe I could own my own one day. But I had to start modest because I had no skills... so I accepted a dishwashing job for $9/HR. Worked my way up to linecook over the course of a few months. It was a culture shock to say the least, $9 an hour barely put a dent in my bills, and my savings would not last forever. I was basically paying to be there and play chef. So I moved to a much bigger city with better pay and secured a job cooking for a big restaurant group. It was still less money than I needed to survive but I knew they had a reputation of moving people up quickly so I opted to work there. Then COVID hit... and the restaurant industry was done.

23 - I get out of the city and move to Colorado while attempting to build up a freelancing career as a copywriter. I found out pretty quickly than Upwork isn't paying anyone's mortgage... probably isn't even paying their light bill. That there are people on that platform who are top rated with 20 years experience in their field who haven't even made $15,000 pre-tax/fees in their entire Upwork career. Since I don't live in Bangladesh... I had to get another job. This time spraying lawns for $13 an hour in 100+ degree heat.

Within 6 months I was burnt out... going home and drinking/smoking every night. I thought I was going to be an entrepreneur. I was going to be like MJ... and now I wasn't just a wage slave... I was doing literal slave work and STILL couldn't pay my bills. Not even close.

24 - I become an electrician. $15 an hour to dig in the hot Arizona sun and crawl through 150 degree attics full of asbestos. Benefits? Nope. Overtime? Think again. But my dad always said "you should be an electrician... they make really good money" which is utter garbage.

I would wake up at 5 AM and go dig until 3 PM. Then I would drive 30 minutes, change in my car, and go wash dishes at my second job until 1:30 AM. Home by 2:15. Asleep by 3:00. Up by 5 to do it again. And STILL couldn't afford to do anything but work and sleep and I had become addicted to cigarettes and energy drinks to keep up with it all.

After a particularly long night at the restaurant... I got an Ad on my Instagram for a course. The ad said "START your own OnlyFans Management Agency." Normally I'd never buy a course... but it was 4 AM. I was covered in dish water and old food. My life sucked. What if my work day consisted of marketing for super hot chicks instead of scraping bacon grease? I know how to run ads. I know how to sell. Yeah... the industry is morally questionable... but so was every successful business owner I'd encountered in my life. That software scammer... Beach houses and New cars. That real estate dirt bag who lies to grannies... he has a garage full of supercars. What's the worst thing that can happen? I lose $300? I'm already broke. Alright... F*ck it. I click the ad and I buy the course.

Over the next 8 months, I built my agency... signed 30 models... hired 8 staff... and acquired a business partner. Initially we were able to significantly grow our clients' revenue by improving their selling to existing subscribers. But after 8 months we'd sold to everyone there was to sell to and could not figure out how to get new subscribers. In other words... I was a good salesperson and a shitty marketer. So that business did about $40k in sales and then fizzled out. I had exhausted myself building it... 16-18 hour days running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to make something happen in an industry where the good strategies are gate kept. I had put 100% of the money I made back into the biz and opted to live out of my car and work at starbucks in order to grow it faster. But, ultimately... I was unwilling to kill myself attempting to rebuild a business that relies on weak h#rny men sending money and I wasn't sure if I was capable of fixing the marketing issues. I'd given it my all. So I went back to wiring houses.

25 - NOW - I'm almost 2 years into my electrical apprenticeship. I make $19/hr when I show up to a jobsite. My boss makes $66 without being there. When he has bills to pay or a new project to buy parts for... he will spend my pay on it and then go "oh well we're just waiting on a few checks to come in." I will then receive a partial paycheck 2-3 weeks later and he will say "as soon as we get that check for xyz I'll pay you the rest." I've wired multiple homes for him top to bottom. Responded to emergency calls where wires were literally flaming. It's been 3 weeks since my last paycheck and yesterday he told me "you know I think you're overpaid."

So...

I'm going to try and make something work online while I'm applying to new jobs. But, clearly if I was capable of generating lasting income online with my own thinking it would have happened by now... so I'm asking the community for insights. What is it I'm doing wrong? Any advice?

I'm trying to leverage the skills I've built through my various attempts at online business... for instance I'm exceptionally fast at graphic design, websites, branding, copywriting, etc... all those little digital services that take practice... because I've done it over and over through various ventures.

Here is my most recent...

Login • Instagram

It's not perfect, obviously but I'd be open to any feedback!

Thanks for reading, guys!

I think you were getting ripped off a lot because of your age but I also think you are smart enough to know that. You have plenty of skills and hustle. I think your problem is you aren't selecting the best opportunities.

Your electrician work sounds a lot like me. But I was doing IT and making $50-$90 and hour with no experience and no certificates. I started as an IT laborer on a big project. I then worked my way up with demonstrating how I show up, learn quick, have a good personality and attitude, and I got shit done.

My technical skills improved over time. I was able to do jobs that some guys with 20+ years of experience could do. You got to be aggressive and smart, because as you've said, a lot of guys like to gatekeep.

In all honesty, if you were local to me, I'd meet up with a guy like you and we would bust a$$ together and make bank. I got burned out with the IT stuff because I was basically doing way too much work. I was also chasing money and I was hoping to get in good with a few people who had a lot of money and connections. I was semi-successful with this but I got tired.

I know I am capable of a lot, I just need the right opportunity. And I believe this is true for you. Out of all those experiences, what do you think you do best? Where are your biggest strengths?

While you may feel like you wasted your time, you actually gained a lot of experience that most people your age do not have. It's not necessarily the hard skills you learn. It's learning how the game works, how people are, what the inner workings of business is like. There are good and bad sides of it. And you've learned some of this.

What am I doing? I am taking a break. I am trying to gain some clarity about my next step. I have a range of hard and soft skills (sometimes I think to myself I don't know or have shit, but I try to ignore this). I try to remember some of the work I did and how I have been given praise, respect, and many great compliments. So, focus on the positive.

I think to myself I need to pick up more skills. Maybe I do or maybe I don't. But before you think you need to do something else, maybe focus on the things that went wrong. Ask yourself why they failed and how you could be different next time. Maybe it isn't your skills but your approach or expectations? Or maybe you are not picking the absolute best opportunities.

One thing that happened to me that ruined my momentum was I got a big ego and I was chasing money. I forgot about the mindset.

 

[Guest8MsaDc]

I think you were getting ripped off a lot because of your age but I also think you are smart enough to know that. You have plenty of skills and hustle. I think your problem is you aren't selecting the best opportunities.

Your electrician work sounds a lot like me. But I was doing IT and making $50-$90 and hour with no experience and no certificates. I started as an IT laborer on a big project. I then worked my way up with demonstrating how I show up, learn quick, have a good personality and attitude, and I got shit done.

My technical skills improved over time. I was able to do jobs that some guys with 20+ years of experience could do. You got to be aggressive and smart, because as you've said, a lot of guys like to gatekeep.

In all honesty, if you were local to me, I'd meet up with a guy like you and we would bust a$$ together and make bank. I got burned out with the IT stuff because I was basically doing way too much work. I was also chasing money and I was hoping to get in good with a few people who had a lot of money and connections. I was semi-successful with this but I got tired.

I know I am capable of a lot, I just need the right opportunity. And I believe this is true for you. Out of all those experiences, what do you think you do best? Where are your biggest strengths?

While you may feel like you wasted your time, you actually gained a lot of experience that most people your age do not have. It's not necessarily the hard skills you learn. It's learning how the game works, how people are, what the inner workings of business is like. There are good and bad sides of it. And you've learned some of this.

What am I doing? I am taking a break. I am trying to gain some clarity about my next step. I have a range of hard and soft skills (sometimes I think to myself I don't know or have shit, but I try to ignore this). I try to remember some of the work I did and how I have been given praise, respect, and many great compliments. So, focus on the positive.

I think to myself I need to pick up more skills. Maybe I do or maybe I don't. But before you think you need to do something else, maybe focus on the things that went wrong. Ask yourself why they failed and how you could be different next time. Maybe it isn't your skills but your approach or expectations? Or maybe you are not picking the absolute best opportunities.

One thing that happened to me that ruined my momentum was I got a big ego and I was chasing money. I forgot about the mindset.

Honestly, I'm convinced almost anyone in this country who is doing well and is not an employee is probably ripping someone off on some level. It's been like that since we dropped anchor in the 1400s. Columbus conned the native Americans out of their food stores immediately before winter... loaded up in his boat and then left. Then we came back... killed whoever was left... and used slaves, indentured servants, and desperate/starving immigrants from europe to build our economy and infrastructure. I've yet to see a single successful person who isn't building on the backs of those less fortunate in some manner. That's why I got involved in the onlyfans management industry. I was probably more tired of getting f*cked than the literal p*rnstar clients I had.

 

[TruthSeekerFind]

I initially thought heading into this post that it would be about someone who has failed at Fastlane entrepreneurship for 9 years… but that’s not the case.

You are still at Year 0. Start your OWN business. Be your OWN boss. You’ve been humbled enough. It’s time to actually DO instead of action fake.

I’m pulling for you. You’ve got drive, that’s not the issue. I’d encourage a re-read of Millionaire Fastlane (go on Audible for this one) and Unscripted to refresh yourself on the core principles that MJ wrote about.

 

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[Kevin88660]

Honestly, I'm convinced almost anyone in this country who is doing well and is not an employee is probably ripping someone off on some level. It's been like that since we dropped anchor in the 1400s. Columbus literally conned the native Americans out of their food stores immediately before winter... loaded up in his boat and then left. Then we came back... killed whoever was left... and used slaves, indentured servants, and desperate/starving immigrants from europe to build our economy and infrastructure. I've yet to see a single successful person who isn't building on the backs of those less fortunate in some manner. That's why I got involved in the onlyfans management industry. I was probably more tired of getting f*cked than the literal p*rnstar clients I had.

Chill.

Entrepreneurs and business people get ripped off a lot too.

 

[Guest8MsaDc]

I initially thought heading into this post that it would be about someone who has failed at Fastlane entrepreneurship for 9 years… but that’s not the case.

You are still at Year 0. Start your OWN business. Be your OWN boss. You’ve been humbled enough. It’s time to actually DO instead of action fake.

I’m pulling for you. You’ve got drive, that’s not the issue. I’d encourage a re-read of Millionaire Fastlane (go on Audible for this one) and Unscripted to refresh yourself on the core principles that MJ wrote about.

I'm not convinced this fastlane slow lane stuff is real either. MJ built a lead gen company back when the internet was basically just AOL and there was no competition and then immediately pivoted into selling digital products (and books) for wantrepreneurs... which appears to be where his eal money comes from. "F*cking" might be a strong word but I guarantee you he didn't put his lead gen biz through 11 graphs and flow charts to see if it would work. He'd never have gotten off the ground. At least... that was my experience at 18 trying to make it work. It's just endless strategizing and mind maps. A guy could spend a year drawing shit on a whiteboard and never get anywhere... at which point he will come back for more products/courses $$$

"Mom can I borrow your credit card? I want to learn about the 'Customer Acquisition Corrolary' so I can buy a lambo. I'm like 6 months away I promise!"

 

[Guest8MsaDc]

I'm not convinced this fastlane slow lane stuff is real either. MJ built a lead gen company back when the internet was basically just AOL and there was no competition and then immediately pivoted into selling digital products (and books) for wantrepreneurs... which appears to be where his eal money comes from. "F*cking" might be a strong word but I guarantee you he didn't put his lead gen biz through 11 graphs and flow charts to see if it would work. He'd never have gotten off the ground. At least... that was my experience at 18 trying to make it work. It's just endless strategizing and mind maps. A guy could spend a year drawing shit on a whiteboard and never get anywhere... at which point he will come back for more products/courses $$$

"Mom can I borrow your credit card? I want to learn about the 'Customer Acquisition Corrolary' so I can buy a lambo. I'm like 6 months away I promise!"

I understand the concepts he talks about. Create a massive value skew in order to make it. Secure your position in the market by picking a business with large enough barriers to entry. Collect feedback based on your minimally viable product before putting more time in. It's one of the only reasons I was able to make anything online at all. But I'm not trying to build Facebook... and if I go down the MJ route I'm going to come to in 6 months face down on my laptop trying to figure out how I managed to make myself even more broke and confused.

 

[Strategery]

I'm not convinced this fastlane slow lane stuff is real either.

I’m not sure you understand the difference. Think about income sources that scale vs those that do not. Obviously there’s more to it than that, but that’s the gist.

MJ built a lead gen company back when the internet was basically just AOL and there was no competition

He saw an opportunity and took action. Can you not see opportunities anywhere? Maybe they aren’t online.

selling digital products (and books) for wantrepreneurs

Where his seminars and courses then? Surely if this were his only income source he’d do more to take money from us suckers?

It's just endless strategizing and mind maps.

Then stop the mental masturbation and take some action.

 

[Guest8MsaDc]

I’m not sure you understand the difference. Think about income sources that scale vs those that do not. Obviously there’s more to it than that, but that’s the gist.

He saw an opportunity and took action. Can you not see opportunities anywhere? Maybe they aren’t online.

Where his seminars and courses then? Surely if this were his only income source he’d do more to take money from us suckers?

Then stop the mental masturbation and take some action.

I've read the book like 10x. Yes, understand that some businesses are easily scaled and some aren't and that if you pick a vehicle with limited scalability... amongst other factors... you're screwed in terms of growth. No, he doesn't sell seminars. I believe he makes the majority of his money through book sales and partnerships with the gurus on here and probably elsewhere. They are the ones who sell the courses so his image is preserved.

 

Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member: Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)

[Guest8MsaDc]

I've read the book like 10x. Yes, understand that some businesses are easily scaled and some aren't and that if you pick a vehicle with limited scalability... amongst other factors... you're screwed in terms of growth. No, he doesn't sell seminars. I believe he makes the majority of his money through book sales and partnerships with the gurus on here and probably elsewhere. They are the ones who sell the courses so his image is preserved.

I'm not hating. Just trying to see the truth. On some level... someone is getting shafted. I promise. And if the only way to make money is to sell to wantrepreneurs then I guess that's what I'll have to do.

 

[Strategery]

I've read the book like 10x. Yes, understand that some businesses are easily scaled and some aren't and that if you pick a vehicle with limited scalability... amongst other factors... you're screwed in terms of growth. No, he doesn't sell seminars. I believe he makes the majority of his money through book sales and partnerships with the gurus on here and probably elsewhere. They are the ones who sell the courses so his image is preserved.

But how does that change anything for you? Are opportunities still opportunities? Will you see more of them or less of them focusing on what someone else is doing?

 

[Guest8MsaDc]

But how does that change anything for you? Are opportunities still opportunities? Will you see more of them or less of them focusing on what someone else is doing?

Because I'm probably barking up the wrong tree. Instead of asking myself "how do I create something awesome that people can't go without" I should start asking myself "How do I absolutely screw over strangers in a manner where they leave so utterly confused they thank me for it?"

 

[Strategery]

Because I'm probably barking up the wrong tree. Instead of asking myself "how do I create something awesome that people can't go without" I should start asking myself "How do I absolutely screw over strangers in a manner where they leave so utterly confused they thank me for it?"

Well if you’re going to be an amoral douche then I hope you fail.

I’m not screwing anyone over, and the more successful people I’ve met didn’t have to either.