I had a monumental FTE last year in April [2016].
At the time, I was working for a gov't contractor as a multimedia developer and was in line to become a gov't employee, the next step in my career if I wanted to see even better pay and become bulletproof in the face of layoffs. I was commuting 2 hours in one direction, justifying the drive while being worthless to my family because the pay allowed us to...follow the Scripted route. I'd get up at 430 am and get home at 7 pm. I'd fight to stay awake on the drives home. It was terrible, but this was what I thought life had to be.
The age of my government-employed coworkers varied. Most were in range to retire, and retirements came frequently. They had climbed to the top, been congratulated for their 30 years of service, and now were primed for 'the golden years.' I looked at them and thought, "only 30 years to go. Is that right, 30 years?? I have to do this for 30 more years?"
Then it happened.
A friend from my high school graduating class began sharing his entrepreneurial ventures, quotes, and reading recommendations on social media. Curious, I bit. I purchased and read Rich Dad Poor Dad, The 10X Rule, and saw the Secret all in the same period. My mind was blown. "This is it, this is how you get rich," I said to myself. I could do it too.
I began investing in myself, reading everything I could on wealth creation and personal development. I attended BNIs, networked with others, and met with successful people in my area. I felt I had stumbled on the code to being wealthy and I was ready to do all it took to take that route.
While still working for the contractor, I spent my days coming up with ideas, brainstorming multiple companies, figuring out which of my friends would work and oversee the companies so I could have multiples streams of income while working my main job. I purchased LLCs and put myself out there. Chamber loaded with the idea that 1) I had to be fearless, 2) obscurity was my enemy, and 3) the Universe was going to give me what I needed if I aligned myself, I was ready to 'make it.'
After reading 10X Rule, Sell or Be Sold, The Closers Survival Guide, and any other book written/recorded by a sales guru, I left my job as a contractor and took a 100% commission sales position with a local fencing company. I could do it, I knew I could. And according to the company, I would be making the same money as in my former salary position, while being closer to home, making my own schedule, and only in the office up to 1.5hrs a week. Sweet. I'll buy that, and I did. Additionally, it SEEMED I'd be able to run my other businesses when I wasn't running leads. After spending 4 hours a day commuting, I was ready to see my family again and take care of my duties as a husband /father/homeowner.
For your sake, I've abbreviated this passed year. I started three LLCs, one was upholstery, the other a potential donut food trailer, and last is a graphic design business. The upholstery was profitable, but I had created another job, especially since my employee never showed up. The time it took to run the upholstery biz was eating in to the time it took to write proposals and sell fences. Sales was the job I needed. It was my bread and butter and could not be neglected; my family depended on that income. I chose to let the upholstery business fade into the background.
The donut trailer was a solid idea for our area and my location was going to be prime, but in talking to a professional in that field with 20 years exp, I had created another job and, as they said, "money would walk away from the business if I thought I could run it from afar." Discouraged, I pulled the plug before investing the money required to run a food business.
Lastly is the graphics-based company. It still exists and is framed to house my future endeavors. I have a degree in media arts and animation, and experience with coding, e-learning, 3D modeling, print and 3D replication down to the millimeter. I know the ins and outs, and if I don't know a specific, I have connections who do. I believe I can serve the most people with my knowledge in this field and so that's my goal.
So here's where I am currently. Winter had made the sales position tough. Leads were poor at best and checks kept getting leaner. I had reached the point where I used the whole check on gas to get from point A to B. The promise that things would take off in spring fell flat on its face. I didn't want to give up 3 feet from gold, but my family was hurting and my bills were now going unpaid. I reached out to multiple former employers and found employment with one of the big companies that had hired me out of college. I left sales and went back to cubeland.
Hungrier than ever, I read, I dig, I learn, I take action, in pursuit of getting out. I have to make this work. In my 32 years, I've been on the sidewalk, I've been in the slow lane. I've lived the Scripted life, even when I didn't know that was what I was doing. I want out. I want to live life on my terms. My family needs better from me and they are my 'why.'
At the time, I was working for a gov't contractor as a multimedia developer and was in line to become a gov't employee, the next step in my career if I wanted to see even better pay and become bulletproof in the face of layoffs. I was commuting 2 hours in one direction, justifying the drive while being worthless to my family because the pay allowed us to...follow the Scripted route. I'd get up at 430 am and get home at 7 pm. I'd fight to stay awake on the drives home. It was terrible, but this was what I thought life had to be.
The age of my government-employed coworkers varied. Most were in range to retire, and retirements came frequently. They had climbed to the top, been congratulated for their 30 years of service, and now were primed for 'the golden years.' I looked at them and thought, "only 30 years to go. Is that right, 30 years?? I have to do this for 30 more years?"
Then it happened.
A friend from my high school graduating class began sharing his entrepreneurial ventures, quotes, and reading recommendations on social media. Curious, I bit. I purchased and read Rich Dad Poor Dad, The 10X Rule, and saw the Secret all in the same period. My mind was blown. "This is it, this is how you get rich," I said to myself. I could do it too.
I began investing in myself, reading everything I could on wealth creation and personal development. I attended BNIs, networked with others, and met with successful people in my area. I felt I had stumbled on the code to being wealthy and I was ready to do all it took to take that route.
While still working for the contractor, I spent my days coming up with ideas, brainstorming multiple companies, figuring out which of my friends would work and oversee the companies so I could have multiples streams of income while working my main job. I purchased LLCs and put myself out there. Chamber loaded with the idea that 1) I had to be fearless, 2) obscurity was my enemy, and 3) the Universe was going to give me what I needed if I aligned myself, I was ready to 'make it.'
After reading 10X Rule, Sell or Be Sold, The Closers Survival Guide, and any other book written/recorded by a sales guru, I left my job as a contractor and took a 100% commission sales position with a local fencing company. I could do it, I knew I could. And according to the company, I would be making the same money as in my former salary position, while being closer to home, making my own schedule, and only in the office up to 1.5hrs a week. Sweet. I'll buy that, and I did. Additionally, it SEEMED I'd be able to run my other businesses when I wasn't running leads. After spending 4 hours a day commuting, I was ready to see my family again and take care of my duties as a husband /father/homeowner.
For your sake, I've abbreviated this passed year. I started three LLCs, one was upholstery, the other a potential donut food trailer, and last is a graphic design business. The upholstery was profitable, but I had created another job, especially since my employee never showed up. The time it took to run the upholstery biz was eating in to the time it took to write proposals and sell fences. Sales was the job I needed. It was my bread and butter and could not be neglected; my family depended on that income. I chose to let the upholstery business fade into the background.
The donut trailer was a solid idea for our area and my location was going to be prime, but in talking to a professional in that field with 20 years exp, I had created another job and, as they said, "money would walk away from the business if I thought I could run it from afar." Discouraged, I pulled the plug before investing the money required to run a food business.
Lastly is the graphics-based company. It still exists and is framed to house my future endeavors. I have a degree in media arts and animation, and experience with coding, e-learning, 3D modeling, print and 3D replication down to the millimeter. I know the ins and outs, and if I don't know a specific, I have connections who do. I believe I can serve the most people with my knowledge in this field and so that's my goal.
So here's where I am currently. Winter had made the sales position tough. Leads were poor at best and checks kept getting leaner. I had reached the point where I used the whole check on gas to get from point A to B. The promise that things would take off in spring fell flat on its face. I didn't want to give up 3 feet from gold, but my family was hurting and my bills were now going unpaid. I reached out to multiple former employers and found employment with one of the big companies that had hired me out of college. I left sales and went back to cubeland.
Hungrier than ever, I read, I dig, I learn, I take action, in pursuit of getting out. I have to make this work. In my 32 years, I've been on the sidewalk, I've been in the slow lane. I've lived the Scripted life, even when I didn't know that was what I was doing. I want out. I want to live life on my terms. My family needs better from me and they are my 'why.'
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