Not taking action because I'm afraid of creating myself a job.

[DVU]

Most businesses start as a job at first.

Starting a business that isn't tied to your presence from day one takes experience and time to learn how to do.

 

[jon.a]

What's wrong with creating a job that teaches you how to run a business?

 

[Kak]

There is opportunity everywhere. While you are concerning yourself with building or not building a job you are pissing time away. You don't get time back.

I think this is an excuse... Not what's really going on. Give yourself 2 hours to collect your thoughts and start acting on something. You can fail. You can adapt. The only thing that can stop you is you.

 

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[ApparentHorizon]

STARTING a business is worse than a job (depending how you look at it)

You work 12 hour days, you don't get vacation or sick time off, you don't have health insurance, randos and employees are always taking the piss, one of your minimum wage relatives constantly telling you what to invest in, the others want you to seed their restaurant idea, you might develop an addiction or worse, and you'll lose 90% of your friends.

Food is good though

 

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[Andy Black]

Selling your time is about the simplest and quickest way to start earning money off your own back.

Make that first $10 mowing lawns and you’ll give yourself confidence you can earn money yourself.

Oh, and you’ll have made that sale by knocking on doors, telling people what you do, doing leaflet drops, or some other marketing and sales tactic. Probably something you won’t learn in a j.o.b. unless you’re in marketing and sales.

Learn a skill. Sell that skill. Scale that skill.

Listen to:

• www.tropicalmba.com/consulting
• www.tropicalmba.com/services
• www.tropicalmba.com/scale

I even created a whole thread to address this because it comes up so often:

• Don't worry about selling your skill or time

Overthinking is the art of solving problems you don’t have.

Entrepreneurs are problem solvers. They have a direction they want to head in (a vision), and they figure it out as they go along.

Pick a direction, get started, keep going.


Good luck.

 

[Kak]

Yup. This falls under the same level as reading 1000 self help/inspiring books but never actually doing anything about it.

CalebB556, just get up and DO something. Your adventure is what you make it out to be. And if you get stuck either fix it or move on to the next. And if you can't fix it well guess what? You now have experience and hopefully learned something from it.

IMO "self help" becomes a loser factory. It's a phase we all go through, and some of the mindset/motivation stuff is great, but some get stuck in a loop.

More "entrepreneur," "crushing it for 4 hours to awaken giants" isn't going to help someone that already has the right mindset. Move on to applicable knowlege.

 

[minivanman]

I've known a few guys in the lawn business who never mowed a lawn. I know a guy in St. Louis that doesn't even own a lawn mower (never has) and he owns a large (REAL LARGE) mowing business. I think in most cases, using mowing as our example, you should get your hands dirty and learn the business but you don't HAVE to.

What is meant is this.... if you start a mowing business at 23, don't still be out in the 'field' mowing at 33. If you start a frog training business at 28, don't still be the person training frogs to walk instead of hopping at 38. By that time you should have several frog trainers working for you and hopefully you will be on to your next business while that one is running itself. Then start you a business teaching penguins to fly but this time.... you have experience. So now you don't have to stay in the field of training the penguins, you can train a lead person to teach the penguins and you run the business until it gets big enough to run itself..... rinse and repeat now that you are an experienced business person.

 

[ZCP]

Just any of them? ......

I was going to say 'yes'. You took the tough love / sarcasm well, so I'll go further.

Since you are getting started, you need two things: 1. To learn. 2. To take action.

If you have discipline to not get into the circle jerk of analysis paralysis, then learn how to do market analysis / MVP / get feedback. Do that for each idea. Then let the data make your choice.

If know you can't do that because you'll want to talk about it and find some excuse to continue action faking, then pick the one that looks like it will sell / you can make it work, and take positive immediate action.

Fail quickly and spectacularly. Rinse and repeat.

When you have made your first $1M. Return to this thread and add a success story to insprire those coming behind you and pay it forward.

 

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[Deleted50669]

Whether you pursue a product-based or service-based business, you're gonna work A LOT harder for yourself than you would for someone else. Value machines do not poof into existence. You have to brunt the entire spectrum of challenges to bring your idea into reality, sell it, and grow it. I am currently building a SaaS product, and not a day goes by where I don't work my balls off to continue its development and refine the strategy. But the beautiful thing is by giving myself a job, the fruits of my labor will go to ME. There will be no limiting factor on my income, it is the equation widgets X price. Do not fool yourself into thinking you will enter a widgets X price equation without working. It WILL be a job, and it's job 99.9% of people won't do.

 

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[sparechange]

I always do a CENTS analysis on each idea I have, and I believe my current one fits the bill. However, the amount of work involved feels daunting, and I don't even know if it'll pay off.

I know building a business system will be difficult and time consuming, but I'm afraid of just building a job for myself that I can't escape.

your absolutely right, finish a good degree and get a good job, its a lot smarter, dont you know 99% of businesses fail?

creating your own income is such a waste of time, not sure why people bother when you can get an office job making 40 or 50k a year working 40 hours a week.

 

[ZCP]

Easiest way to make progress is to keep sitting on the sidelines. Why stick your neck out there and get great experience and potentially stumble upon a great opportunity, when you could drink one less coffee a day and retire in 114 years?!?!

 

[ZCP]

Start a progress thread on one of your ideas. We'll come over and nudge you.

 

[WJK]

Thanks Andy.

I did read your thread today and it made sense. I find myself just bouncing around a lot. Like should I start a business, should I freelance, should I do this, that, etc.

I get caught in this loop of "Here's a good service idea that makes CENTS! But that guy over there is making bank freelancing/ecommerce/marketing..."

And the cycle continues...

Thanks for the help.

Do something. (Doing nothing is a decision as well. But, you'll have 100% chance of failing if you do nothing.) You never know where you'll end up IF you just put your foot out there and try.

 

[Rich Wood]

I know that MJ is not a fan of Biz Plans, but I've done a fare share of these in the past. The only part of the biz plan, that I really value is the financials.

Why, because a quick back of the envelope calculation can save you a lot of unnecessary effort and time. I have thought of several business ideas, then performed a quick pro-forma (financial estimate) - to see if it was truly worth my time.

Couple of quick and easy things to consider.
1. What will be your realistic revenue for the first couple of years.
2. What is the population of customers who actually may buy or use your service or product.
3. What will be your traditional expenses (Rent, Utilities, Insurance, traditional expense items)
4. What is your break even to cover these fixed and variable expenses.
5. Is the number of units, services, or what ever else you are doing feasible to accomplish in your break-even. If not, stop and move on. Don't hope that it will exceed realistic expectations.
6. Can the business idea provide you with comparable income, with less head-ache, effort, and time than your current job.
7. Typically the business can provide you with either time, money, or freedom, and you can pick two.

For example I'm currently considering opening up a confectionery store (candy, soda, ice-cream, toys) in my neighborhood, with the intent to either franchise out, or open up several more in the future. Before even going down the path of starting the business, I looked that the prospective financials, to see if it would be a wiser investment to place my money with a professional money manager with no effort or take the leap with my time, investment, and hard work. Which one will pay off more?

 

[IGP]

This is a true story of what's happening to me right now.

I already have successful stores and I have been on the fence about starting another in a complimentary niche for a while now. It's not in a niche I love or that I even use, so I kept putting off even though I know it would be profitable pretty much right away.

So, I finally said fock it and began the process of launching it. Got the store setup, placed numerous orders to China for different products, got some really good samples, placed bulk orders and then BAM an idea hit me for one of the products I was importing.

This is a totally unique idea that no on else is doing and if executed right could make 1MM THIS YEAR.

It's going to require a shit ton of work, but I've done this enough times where I know a good idea when I see one.

The point of all of this is that: if I would have stayed on the fence this potential million dollar idea would have never even come to me.

Get out there and take action, you never know what you will uncover when you start scratching the surface.

 

[CalebB556]

I always read on this forum that you should only start a business that scales or that can be automated, and to NOT create a job for yourself.

I've dabbled in a few ideas over the past year or so, and every time I get to the planning phase, I always find that the idea will take a ton of my time doing it myself, and I don't have the money to hire people yet.

A few of my ideas:

• Lawncare service business
• Online coffee store
• Landing page design & CRO service (current endeavor)

I always do a CENTS analysis on each idea I have, and I believe my current one fits the bill. However, the amount of work involved feels daunting, and I don't even know if it'll pay off.

I know building a business system will be difficult and time consuming, but I'm afraid of just building a job for myself that I can't escape.

Should I just go all in on my current idea and just see where it takes me?

Thanks, everyone for hearing me out.

 

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[CalebB556]

Selling your time is about the simplest and quickest way to start earning money off your own back.

Make that first $10 mowing lawns and you’ll give yourself confidence you can earn money yourself.

Oh, and you’ll have made that sale by knocking on doors, telling people what you do, doing leaflet drops, or some other marketing and sales tactic. Probably something you won’t learn in a j.o.b. unless you’re in marketing and sales.

Learn a skill. Sell that skill. Scale that skill.

Listen to:

• www.tropicalmba.com/consulting
• www.tropicalmba.com/services
• www.tropicalmba.com/scale

I even created a whole thread to address this because it comes up so often:

• Don't worry about selling your skill or time

Overthinking is the art of solving problems you don’t have.

Entrepreneurs are problem solvers. They have a direction they want to head in (a vision), and they figure it out as they go along.

Pick a direction, get started, keep going.


Good luck.

Thanks Andy.

I did read your thread today and it made sense. I find myself just bouncing around a lot. Like should I start a business, should I freelance, should I do this, that, etc.

I get caught in this loop of "Here's a good service idea that makes CENTS! But that guy over there is making bank freelancing/ecommerce/marketing..."

And the cycle continues...

Thanks for the help.

 

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[I AM THE SENATE]

Thanks Andy.

I did read your thread today and it made sense. I find myself just bouncing around a lot. Like should I start a business, should I freelance, should I do this, that, etc.

I get caught in this loop of "Here's a good service idea that makes CENTS! But that guy over there is making bank freelancing/ecommerce/marketing..."

And the cycle continues...

Thanks for the help.

I've been the same way. I've been reading to many threads and bouncing around between ideas while trying to come up with a life changing idea. I've gotten nothing done since I joined here. So I realize I just need to do something to get started. Just a short term action plan to get the ball rolling.

So what do I need right now? I need a new (used) car.

I have skills in video editing. I'm going to freelance on upwork and start my own online video production business.

I plan on following this plan until I get to make around 10k. At which point I will buy a car and then review my progress and decide if I want to sell the business or keep moving forward to grow it.

Maybe a similar plan can work for you.

 

[WJK]

You sound like you're afraid of work. And how about commitment? Those missing elements will make success almost impossible to achieve.

 

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[I AM THE SENATE]

I always read on this forum that you should only start a business that scales or that can be automated, and to NOT create a job for yourself.

I've dabbled in a few ideas over the past year or so, and every time I get to the planning phase, I always find that the idea will take a ton of my time doing it myself, and I don't have the money to hire people yet.

A few of my ideas:

• Lawncare service business
• Online coffee store
• Landing page design & CRO service (current endeavor)

I always do a CENTS analysis on each idea I have, and I believe my current one fits the bill. However, the amount of work involved feels daunting, and I don't even know if it'll pay off.

I know building a business system will be difficult and time consuming, but I'm afraid of just building a job for myself that I can't escape.

Should I just go all in on my current idea and just see where it takes me?

Thanks, everyone for hearing me out.

When you've learned all you can learn, you can always sell it. Set up any business in a way where you can hand the whole thing off to another person for cash money. Your website has value, your customer list has value, your marketing plan has value and there are people willing to step in where you left off.

 

[Charnell]

What's wrong with creating a job that teaches you how to run a business?

Time for money circlejerk?

 

[CalebB556]

Whether you pursue a product-based or service-based business, you're gonna work A LOT harder for yourself than you would for someone else. Value machines do not poof into existence. You have to brunt the entire spectrum of challenges to bring your idea into reality, sell it, and grow it. I am currently building a SaaS product, and not a day goes by where I don't work my balls off to continue its development and refine the strategy. But the beautiful thing is by giving myself a job, the fruits of my labor will go to ME. There will be no limiting factor on my income, it is the equation widgets X price. Do not fool yourself into thinking you will enter a widgets X price equation without working. It WILL be a job, and it's job 99.9% of people won't do.

That's a good point.

I'll be building my own dream instead of someone else's.

 

[CalebB556]

Easiest way to make progress is to keep sitting on the sidelines. Why stick your neck out there and get great experience and potentially stumble upon a great opportunity, when you could drink one less coffee a day and retire in 114 years?!?!

Haha, great point.

Start a progress thread on one of your ideas. We'll come over and nudge you.

Just any of them? I posted one on Reddit and received some positive feedback from people who were interested in the idea (the landing page design & CRO service). A few of them even started asking for my portfolio and details.

Thanks for the help.

 

[TheOrchestrator]

Sometimes I think people that say "just start something" don't get it. I understand how it is to want to put your all into something but the opportunity for something that is within your ability has just not presented itself yet. CENTS, In my opinion, The Entry is the problem these days. If you don't have a large amount money to invest into something, then everything is too easy to get into and everyone is flooding the opportunities to the point of no profits. I don't think the original poster is afraid of work. I think he's afraid of wasting his time.

@miraman, believe me, everyone commenting here already knows exactly what you are talking about, but they also know that "fear of wasting time" is actually one of the main causes of wasted time in the first place. The implicit view of the OP is that no idea is worth pursuing unless there's a guarantee of success, as if there is more value derived from doing nothing at all than from bravely engaging the market and learning how the world works outside of our padded corporate walls.

There is opportunity everywhere. While you are concerning yourself with building or not building a job you are pissing time away. You don't get time back.

I think this is an excuse... Not what's really going on. Give yourself 2 hours to collect your thoughts and start acting on something. You can fail. You can adapt. The only thing that can stop you is you.

^ This right here.

 

[Flybye]

There is opportunity everywhere. While you are concerning yourself with building or not building a job you are pissing time away. You don't get time back.

I think this is an excuse... Not what's really going on. Give yourself 2 hours to collect your thoughts and start acting on something. You can fail. You can adapt. The only thing that can stop you is you.

Yup. This falls under the same level as reading 1000 self help/inspiring books but never actually doing anything about it.

CalebB556, just get up and DO something. Your adventure is what you make it out to be. And if you get stuck either fix it or move on to the next. And if you can't fix it well guess what? You now have experience and hopefully learned something from it.

 

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[ALC]

I think you need also to know that there's a lot of BS on the internet, with all this gurus and bro's marketers preaching making 5/6 figures on any business they launch, be aware that this is not true and their only way to really scale to 6 fig is to scam you, N°1.
Or too do it properly and scaling with a timeframe of many years of hard work, not selling courses to teach you how to do it then becoming rich with these courses.

N°2 : You can start any business you want, you can also reinvent the wheel and start a blue ocean, if you feel it or have the idea that fit that Strategy, however you don't need to.
Simply improve something / do it better and let the people know that you're doing it better.

N°3 : As long as you don't have dividends from your R.E or other businesses that pay the rent / bills & lifestyle, you'll have to work in that business which become a JOB for a quite a long time but it will allow you to take the time to create a system which will free your time, it's the only way. (think business owner hiring a manager..)

N°4 : Anyone you know from the internet or in real life which has found success, as certainly works his a$$ off to get where he is right know, you have to ask yourself the good questions before making the decisions.
Do i want to work remotely, do i want to work behind a desk all day long, do i want to become a salesman...

 

[CalebB556]

You sound like you're afraid of work. And how about commitment? Those missing elements will make success almost impossible to achieve.

You're absolutely right. I'm trying to build something while also working a shitty, exhausting job, so any idea of extra work is just bouncing off my brain. Just have to cut the excuses and start something.

 

[LittleWolfie]

I always read on this forum that you should only start a business that scales or that can be automated, and to NOT create a job for yourself.

I've dabbled in a few ideas over the past year or so, and every time I get to the planning phase, I always find that the idea will take a ton of my time doing it myself, and I don't have the money to hire people yet.

A few of my ideas:

• Lawncare service business
• Online coffee store
• Landing page design & CRO service (current endeavor)

I always do a CENTS analysis on each idea I have, and I believe my current one fits the bill. However, the amount of work involved feels daunting, and I don't even know if it'll pay off.

I know building a business system will be difficult and time consuming, but I'm afraid of just building a job for myself that I can't escape.

Should I just go all in on my current idea and just see where it takes me?

Thanks, everyone for hearing me out.

You can scale all of those by hiring employees once your making enough money. You also might be able to pay someone to automate it for you, thus avoiding employees) Dropshipping works like this, no neeI think this might be a later stage of my fastlane. Buy up companies that are a job, automate and collect profits, selling the automaton software too.

 

[CalebB556]

I was going to say 'yes'. You took the tough love / sarcasm well, so I'll go further.

Since you are getting started, you need two things: 1. To learn. 2. To take action.

If you have discipline to not get into the circle jerk of analysis paralysis, then learn how to do market analysis / MVP / get feedback. Do that for each idea. Then let the data make your choice.

If know you can't do that because you'll want to talk about it and find some excuse to continue action faking, then pick the one that looks like it will sell / you can make it work, and take positive immediate action.

Fail quickly and spectacularly. Rinse and repeat.

When you have made your first $1M. Return to this thread and add a success story to insprire those coming behind you and pay it forward.

Good advice here. Thanks!

Quick question, is it ok to delay the launch of a service you offer in order to get an mvp out?

For example if I’m going to offer monthly CRO in the future, should I start with an mvp as just landing page design?

Hope this makes sense.

I've been the same way. I've been reading to many threads and bouncing around between ideas while trying to come up with a life changing idea. I've gotten nothing done since I joined here. So I realize I just need to do something to get started. Just a short term action plan to get the ball rolling.

So what do I need right now? I need a new (used) car.

I have skills in video editing. I'm going to freelance on upwork and start my own online video production business.

I plan on following this plan until I get to make around 10k. At which point I will buy a car and then review my progress and decide if I want to sell the business or keep moving forward to grow it.

Maybe a similar plan can work for you.

Thanks. Glad to see others have gone through the same issues.

Good luck! I look forward to your success post!

 

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[ZCP]

how do you plan to launch your service without showing people what they will get?
do you have a captive audience?