Project: BellaPippin | Real Estate, Social entrepreneurship, Art and YouTube, and who knows what else

[BellaPippin]

Today is 11/12 and 12 is my favorite number

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Either I paid more attention or it just felt like we got an influx of new people and lots of intro threads, and I got curious and went back and read my own, when I joined in 2015 : INTRO - The struggle for freedom

Unintentionally I went on a "BellaPippin rewind tour" and looked at my old threads, and learned a lot again. I also "watched myself" and I didn't cringe as much as I thought I would. I'd like to highlight a few things, feel free to skip:

**~Commence Bella's Rewind~**

Andy's Welcome message, always nice from the beginning.

Welcome Bel.

Honesty, gratitude, manners, desire to add value, desire to help others. Nice intro.

The world and this forum needs more people like you.

Vigilante always sharing his wisdom and lifting me up. He also gifted me my first sub so I could read THE thread.

I want you to read this book.

First Things First: Stephen R. Covey, A. Roger Merrill, Rebecca R. Merrill: 9780684802039: Amazon.com: Books

There's a simple concept at play here that you have to master.

Bella, you're living life in reverse. Your best energy should be devoted to the most important things in your life, and let everything else fill in around them.

You make it a point to keep FIRST THINGS FIRST.

Here's a great analogy :

Also, I moved your thread from SLOWLANE to Mindset, Motivation and Choices.

Don't ever start a thread in Slowlane again, Bella. Thats not you.

Lex has always been in my threads throwing ideas and good vibes. When I came back he lent me a hand and gave me his course so I could give UpWork a try. I'm not freelancing these days because the extra income came in the form of a big raise, but it was very helpful at the time.

The Slowlane is in the mindset only.

Laundromats can be Fastlane.

I'd love to read @BellaPippin s approach if she ventures into this.

No reason it has to cost a lot - that only applies to traditional laundromats.

But a Fastlane laundromat would operate a little differently I imagine.

Max is younger than me, he knows 500x what I know about business and is a total badass at taking risks. I went through your progress threads on the inside and man, I admire you. Just that.

It's a process.

• Try
• Fail
• Learn
• Improve
• Repeat
• ...
• Succeed

And it's only a real failure if you don't take feedback. Keep going. Maybe this won't be a winner, but something eventually will be.

I felt this comment by Jon was just a relevant now as it was when it was written. It might be relevant to someone else, too.

One thing I picked up on was a feeling of perfectionism in what you wrote, like you have to pick that 'one best thing to pursue.' I can relate to that, a lot. The truth, though, is that there is no such thing as the 'best option.' Even if there was, you change and everything and everyone around you changes - every single day. What was best today won't be best tomorrow.

So, pick a good option today. Pursue it, and see how it feels. Here's the thing, though: stick with it for a while. If you and the circumstances change, incrementally modify it to bend it in the direction you want to go, but don't totally change course. In all, be kind to yourself.

The best thing you could do for yourself with all of this, though, is to work through this stuff with a good therapist. I'm doing that, and it is really helping. Before you make a major decision, talk it through with your therapist to make sure you really understand your motivations for doing so.

AND I was honored again with another sub by @MJ DeMarco which I'm using to read read read.

Is this place the *** or what.

**~End Bella's Rewind~**


I wish this 30 y/o could tell my 26 y/o self "look, the next 4-ish years are gonna be hell, but you're going to come out just fine and stronger." Looking back at these last 6 years or so I went through a brutal life tutorial and there wasn't much mental/emotional room to do anything else but staying afloat and I still managed to slowly get my little associates, support myself and even climb to a very comfortable income and free myself from toxic people. I did well.

But now it's just me and myself, a Summit ahead, and a few (flexible) projects:

​

1) House-Hacking: Purchase a multi-family property to live in and rent for extra income. Build on that as desired to increase income from rentals. Currently reading The House Hacking Strategy by Craig Curelop as recommended by @JScott

• Goal: $15-20k for down-payment and cushion? Get it in 2020, NO BUTS, GET IT.
• Current: $4k.
• Tasks: Control spending to only the designated disposable income. I'm waiting on my first (new) paycheck to budget and see how much to assign each.
• Notes: Any extra income from any extra sources will go to these savings. Treat yo'self's come from disposable income only, financed by disposable income, or w.e just not from the savings.

2) Social Entrepreneurship: Develop a simple line of hygiene products through private labeling. Raise funds from revenue to rehab properties into centers where homeless people can shower and change clothes (guess who gets to own a mini-laundromat after all!) these centers have to be as self-sustainable as possible and/or run separately as a non-profit child entity.

• Immediate task: Find supplier and get some samples?
• ??? I have no idea what I'm doing
• Review Vigilante's thread again, yes

3) 10,000 Hours of Art: I paint as a hobby and will document on YouTube when I do so. There's no (that I've found) YT channels that document an individual's process through getting better at drawing/painting from the individual's perspective. Vlogs are very popular, they tend to be illustrators showing their process or their "day to day" studio/admin tasks for freelancing, but no process. My channel will serve as my own journal/chronicle but give people on the same journey something to relate and even join along. This is a secondary project, has no deadline and it's for my personal enjoyment only.

• Goal: Build an audience, ideally organically. I want my energy and focus going into the product line.
• Paint, draw or sketch and film something at least once a week. Do the least editing possible that makes it watchable.
• Notes: If this generates any type of income it will go towards the house savings, followed by the product project.

4) Miscellaneous: Anything that comes up extra I'll mention here. Like for example, omg it's 12:12PM I still have 50 custom-made urban sketch cases sitting in a box. I took some pictures of my friend using it last summer and maybe product ones or I might have to do those. I don't lose anything by posting them on eBay. That box takes a lot of room!


Ok, it's in writing, clear, defined for the most part...

**~Suggestions Welcome, as usual~**
​

I'm getting First things First by Stephen Covey on the Kindle, apparently I forgot to read it after Vigilante recommended it.

NO WORRIES Atlas Shrugged is still a go @Primeperiwinkle



~Bella

 

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[BellaPippin]

Guys honest to God I hope none of you is called Emily or Hernan

*

*

*

*
Because...


~ I MADE MY FIRST DOLLAR!~




@Strategery @MJ DeMarco @Vigilante @Lex DeVille @broswoodwork @Andy Black @AgainstAllOdds @Jon L @Bekit @Primeperiwinkle

 

[BellaPippin]

 

[BellaPippin]

E X E C U T I N G
L I K E
A
B A W S​

I have a couple lessons left to record, and then edit everything. I hope I can finish recording by tomorrow evening, editing after work isn't as bad as taking out all the painting materials and record. I woke up with a cold today but recorded anyways, I will have to edit out the sneezes lol

​

 

[BellaPippin]

Quick Update: Read @Andy Black 's post on Figuring Out YouTube and I came across @AgainstAllOdds 's comment... :

For those of you with Youtube channels: WHY?

Whenever I click on someone's channel, there's typically a couple thousand views per video or less. Is that really worth your time?

Is the effort you put into maintaining your channel worth more than if you did other forms of marketing and sales?

And before everyone gets all defensive, answer this: How much money has your channel brought in for YOU to date, and what's that come out to per hour of effort that you spent (learning how to publish, editing, creating the content, etc.).

I'm sure it could be effective, but I believe for the vast majority of people it's a waste of time - time that could be better allocated into higher revenue producing activities.

Now, it might not apply to Andy but it did resonate with me somehow and left me thinking... - @AgainstAllOdds always bringing the knife down and splitting the butter in two with his comments

I'm gonna try my luck with a Udemy painting course and instead of using YouTube platform to document, once I have paying students I will leverage Patreon and possibly Crowdcast to do the same streams, and try to turn it into a "come paint along" you can do from anywhere where I'm the host. Difference is I get money upfront, and into my savings account. The Patreon is subject to up to when I wanna link it to my time, but I see it as it could be my weekly "you need to go paint something" without having to pay myself for a class. I'd be getting paid instead!

OR SO IS THE PLAN, I've got the content/layout ready now I just need to produce some reference images to use for each exercise and that I can turn into downloadables. I know I have good ones on my computer (that are mine).

Gallbladder is still inside me by the way and besides lack of appetite things are going good. I feel stuck on everything because it's the holidays and it's making me impatient. I won't be free until Sunday. -_-

How cool would it be if I earned my first dollar before the summit hhuuuuhhhhhh

 

[Vadim26]

@BellaPippin

So proud of you.

See the common theme within comments? Keep trying. You lack some confidence now, hence you want to give up.

I know, learning curve really sucks, but you will gain confidence every time you try.

You tried once and had some success (2 sign ups) with no marketing plan whatsoever.

What happens, if you study some marketing and apply yourself with the new knowledge for the next project? Surely, you will have more than 2 subscribers.

Let’s say by the 3rd time you learn the insights of “creating course”, have a good marketing plan and more confidence in yourself. How many people would that be now?

Remember that video MJ made about probability of success? Well, not only does your success rate grows, but so does confidence, which is super important in entrepreneurship.

Take the calculated risk that won't sunk the ship and keep trying.

Enough said.

 

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[Bekit]

Like for example, omg it's 12:12PM I still

You and your 12's! I love it!

Why do you like the number 12?

50 custom-made urban sketch cases sitting in a box

Wait what!? THIS IS FASCINATING! Tell me more! Did you make them? I wanna see...

I don't lose anything by posting them on eBay.

You do lose Control.

What if you opened your own store and sold them from your own online shop?

You have 50 pieces of inventory that you could use to begin to give a lift to your homeless project sales machine. Why sell them on ebay when they could do so much more for you by selling them yourself?

They may sell more slowly by being in your shop versus on ebay, but they're also not hurting anything sitting there in the box at your house.

But YOU would develop the essential, incomparable skill of learning to attract an audience, market a product, and make it move off the shelf, which is going to be an extraordinarily valuable skillset for your hygiene line.

Speaking of your hygiene line...

(2) Social Entrepreneurship: Develop a simple line of hygiene products through private labeling. Raise funds from revenue to rehab properties into centers where homeless people can shower and change clothes (guess who gets to own a mini-laundromat after all!) these centers have to be as self-sustainable as possible and/or run separately as a non-profit child entity.

• Immediate task: Find supplier and get some samples?
• ??? I have no idea what I'm doing
• Review Vigilante's thread again, yes

I may be missing something, but I'm struggling to see how the hygiene line is going to bring you the revenue to accomplish your goal.

Have you looked into the profit margins and the volume of sales you would need to achieve to be able to fund the homeless centers? (Keep in mind that you'll need some of your profit to reinvest back into growing the business, so you're only looking at the SURPLUS profit above that, which must be pretty tiny in a commodity product like shampoo.)

Have you looked at selling alternative items with different/better profit margins and settled on hygiene items as the best solution?

Have you researched homeless centers to see how much money & staff they need to run and how you would improve on what's currently being done?

Have you looked into what has and hasn't worked for other organizations who are using business as the mechanism to raise funds for a good cause?

I wonder if you could get further, faster, by starting with the end in mind and reverse engineering what you need to get there. Because I feel like the item for sale is not the point. You could switch it out for ANY item, and it's in your best interest to choose the product that gets you there the fastest.

Like this:
Big, hairy, audacious goal: rehab properties into centers that are as self-sustainable as possible where homeless people can shower and change clothes.

What's needed to get to the goal: I need $500,000 to build the first center and operate it for one year.

Alternatives to get there: I could raise that amount of money by selling...

• 250,000 hygiene items at $2 profit each
• 50,000 custom urban sketch kits at $10 profit each
• 10,000 luxury cashmere sweaters at $50 profit each
• 2,000 B2B customers on a high-end software at $250 profit each
• or 500 donors on contributing $1000 each

^^all of the above numbers are invented. But the point is, some of these will be harder to achieve than others. It seems like you should pick the thing that's most likely to get you to the finish line.

Have you read the book called "Get big fast and do more good"? It's the story of someone who created a hygiene product (Yes to Carrots) out of a similar goal to change the world. It's a story of relentless execution, of flying all over the world, of near failures when they couldn't produce fast enough for the size of the orders they had obtained, and of finally getting their line into big retailers like Target and Walgreens.

If you're going to go the hygiene route, it's a good glimpse into how big you're going to have to think for the business to fund some serious projects like what you're describing.

 

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[CareCPA]

No, no, no, no etc.

And those two randoms were from Reddit. I've been running an Insta ad too, all in all I have 20 redemptions going around for free (I did ask for an honest review from the Redditors) and nobody has used it. And it's FREE. The ad insight gave me 130 likes on the promoted post, only 1 person clicked through to the course page, but didn't enroll.

I now realized I know nothing about marketing, but also idk how much value the course has at all with that feedback, if I've learned something from this place is that the market speaks.

I think you misunderstood me. I'm impressed that you got two signups despite not having any of those marketing things. Imagine if you added a little fuel to that fire.

Keep creating, keep putting it out there, and it will snowball for you.
You don't think @Lex DeVille woke up one day, created an Udemy course, and immediately earned $3k a month, do you? He built that audience and reputation up over years. It takes momentum.

 

[BizyDad]

Uh wait hold on it was @BizyDad wasn't it. I gave you a couponnn silly

Yeah, so this got weird...

You gave me a coupon for 100% off. I didn't want it for free. I tried paying full price, but since it was my first ever Udemy course, Udemy gave me an auto applied discount. So I paid it happily.

I'm not a looter Bel! (Can you tell I'm listening to the next chapter of Atlas Shrugged while working on my new art project?)

You know those freemium model phone games? I'm the type of person who will buy an upsell just to reward the developers who make a good product. I know how much time and effort it takes to create things. I don't want them for free.

Honestly, if you had other courses created, I would've taken this one for free and bought the next on sheer principle. But you don't have one. I knew based on your answer Friday that this would help me. And I didn't want to get it free and beg you to take my money later. So I decided to pay for it.

I was in the market for such a product. I'd spent 3 or 4 hours researching options on Jan 2. I got frustrating and angry not finding anything that really helped me get started. I figured I'd just dive in, so on Jan 3 I went to the art store. This lady tried to help me but she kept ending every answer to every question with "It just depends on what you want". But I didn't know what I wanted, and I felt like I was annoying her, so I left the store more frustrated. I found some art classes, but that seemed like a lot more time investment than I wanted. And I've spent 3 weeks a little guilty that I'm not making progress on helping my kid become a better artist. Ok, I watched half a Bob Ross episode.

In less time than all that, I watched your videos.

And now, I have this corner of my house that I'm prepping for art.

I went to the store and bought some materials.

I have like 15 weeks worth of ideas and activities for me and the kiddos where I can slowly teach them everything you taught me. I'm jotting down a rough schedule. And we can have fun. And it'll be amazing.

New Year's resolution is getting handled! Like, I'm going to be a better dad to my kids because of your course.

And here's the most amazing part, from my standpoint. I bought this hoping to learn how to talk the talk. But I actually believe I can walk the walk! Here's the picture I am going to use to make my first painting.



I'm a little nervous about the top apple. I shoulda gotten Fuji apples!

Yes, I'm squinting. I've been squinting at things for 3 days now. I feel like just saying thank you really doesn't cover it. I know about lights and colors and hues and brushes now. And underpaint. And to not sweat the tiny details.

So if my paying for the course misled you into thinking some Redditor did and you are on the path to internet riches, I'm sorry. That sucks, and I wasn't trying to rob you of that moment. You'll just have to keep experimenting with marketing strategies.

But if any part of this was to create value in someone's life and therefore create a satisfied customer, someone who will tell others about your work, congratulations. And from where I sit, boy are you underpaid!

I told 4 guys at bowling last night about it. And one lady at church today. I've left you a review. I do have a few questions I'll post in the course probably later this week. And I have a couple of critiques I'll send you privately. And when I have completed my painting, I'm going to hang it on my wall and I'll share it with my friends and on social media I'm going to brag about this course I bought to learn it all.

"When I have completed my painting". 72 hours ago, I would've told you that's impossible. So thank you from the bottom of my heart and the top of my wallet.

 

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[BellaPippin]

*TGIF*
I won't say that anymore eventually, but unfortunately not this week​

Wednesdays and Thursdays I have evening class to nothing gets done. I leave at 7am and come back at 10pm and that's all my brain can take. Today is date night, but I get to plan what I'm doing with my weekend, which is all mine.

1) House-Hacking:

Goal: $15-$20k
Current: $6000

2) Social Entrepreneurship:

• Make a list of at least 10 suppliers to contact Monday during lunch or request sample quotes if they have a contact form.
• I'm looking for quality product, [bad chemicals] free, not tested on animals. Might wanna do some research on what chemicals I'm trying to avoid.
• ??? That's all I can think of because again, no idea what I'm doing
• I had a crazy idea but I don't think I'm brave enough to try it out. Easy AF to validate but I'm shy. Involves going door to door. But if it works, I could potentially employ the homeless coming to the centers. Back burner for now. I have social anxiety about knocking on strangers' houses doors and imagine I'm gonna get attacked and bullshit like that. Thanks, third world upbringing, PTSD! <3 I'm also too embarrassed to ask my bf to come with me. I know it sounds silly but all these anxieties are kind of tough to deal with. Maybe I'll post on Craigslist as a gig for someone to do it for me. Yes, I'm willing to do that. Same with cleaning my apartment.

3) 10,000 Hours of Art:

• I have some footage to use in a video, and my final assignment which I have to paint, so film the process.
• Edit, upload, post photo on Insta w/link and some good #hashtags.
• Learn how to do voiceovers // Test phone or iMac audio quality. Or maybe just learn how to add text to the video. I might have to invest in Adobe's subscription to get the new versions of everything and Premiere Pro if iMovie doesn't let me modify the text enough. I get a nice monthly price for a year through art school, and after that I might still be able to afford the standard $60/mo for all apps.

4) Miscellaneous:

I thought of this a few days ago but then I forgot: I'm going to give my classmate my sketching case for her to use and tell me if it's useful. Either way:

• Prepare pics (need background erased on some, quick stuff) and post to eBay.
• Make a quick letter-sized sheet of repeating logos on Illustrator to make quick labels if something sells. (5 min tops, I made the logo long ago)
• Got First Things First for Kindle to read on commute.

Let's see how much of this I actually get done

​

Edit- Typo

 

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[BellaPippin]

Update time-o



Got one more. Can't complain since I'm not working on promoting it at all, I'm focusing on [see below]

*

During February I did more in a month towards my house hack than I did the previous year, all thanks to @ZCP and @Greg R

I've now finished reading the two books @SteveO recommended at the summit and I'm somewhat comfortable running numbers as I look for deals. I know to steer away from the ones where they're trying to sell me on future value that I have to create.

I went to see a property and I think I'm going to put an offer on it, I'm just waiting for the owner to come back from Mexico this Friday and I'd like to arrange to see it earlier in the day to judge it during daytime. I already know what my working numbers are and what my max offer should be for it to make sense. @Suzanne Bazemore was nice enough to get on a call with me to help me think out loud about repair costs and what to look, as well as another acquaintance of mine who helped me figure out some estimated costs as well.

Getting more and more close to the end of this thread and the start of BellaPippin 2: The Landlady Chronicles

In case it wasn't clear this acceleration is powered by the big impact the summit had on me! I've been thinking of this a lot lately. Look at me inspecting houses! I'm having fun by the way.

Peace

 

[BellaPippin]

*TGIF*
Yes, not yet​

1) (House Hacking)

Current: $5700 Forgot I had a balance on the Amazon card since I don't use it that often. I splurged on Target so now I'll have to be careful with the play money I have left. No touchy savings!

2) (Social Venture/Private Labeling)

Update: 6 request for quotes sent to private label manufacturers in the US. And I did it after work!

I want my brand to say it's manufactured here, with organic ingredients and not tested on animals so my costs are probably going to be a bit higher. I'll have to sit down with the margins to decide on a price at some point. That said, I'll be using one of their already-made formulations.

MOQs seem to be 500 except for a couple places I found with 144/1 respectively. (144 is so random, like, why?)

3) (10,000 Hours of Art)

I became very close with a classmate girl that is from Ecuador and even though she's leaving to Peru (husband job) in August we set ourselves to get together to paint as often as we can. Finally I have a friend that is also into art to paint with company! She's the Gauguin to my Van Gogh! Except we won't fight hopefully lol

------


I started posting status updates on my profile so I can say random crap without bothering anyone. But if you are bored and wanna talk random crap, that's the place to go, visit me.

 

[BellaPippin]

Oops! Sorry I shouldn't have assumed you were a guy, my apologies there...

And, I'll also say, "I'm not in a rush" also means "I'm not a fastlaner"

"That's about all the money I need" - From one rental property, that you also live in? How much do you expect that will generate? Not sure where in Chicago you are, or what type of rental income you can generate, or what a $20K DP on a multi-unit will get you, but I cannot imagine your net being more than $1,000/month at absolute most, and that's assuming it needs no repair or upkeep (which is a terrible and highly unrealistic assumption as all real estate requires maintenance).

How do you generate income right now? I'd suggest continuing on your real estate education while generating as much money as possible doing whatever it is you do day to day....Join the BiggerPockets forum for more specialized info on RE...

I didn't say that was the only property I'd get, I plan to build on that! I know a single property isn't going to be enough, that's why I said it's just the foundation. Right now I have an office job that pays well enough to save aggresively to start shopping for my first property next year. As soon as I have some or most of my expenses covered, that will be enough to switch to part time which is an improvement, or milk my job to get a few more properties even faster. Then I will keep building on it. Again I don't want to hit big money, I want to get my time back.

Fine then, I'm not a fastlaner. As long as I'm happy. Expel me lol

 

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[BellaPippin]

1) Little Payday Update for house-hack

Savings: $7500

2) Product:

Nothing new because <excuse>holidays</excuse>

3) Paint:

I'm taking Thursday and Friday off so that gives me from tomorrow until Sunday night to get as much of the Udemy Course done. Fingers crossed, I'm not really that comfortable in front of a camera lol

 

[CareCPA]

Much round​

View attachment 29860

So failure

Silverlining - I finished something. Ah who cares. Kill me.

I don't really see this as a failure. You got 2 people to sign up for a course that you just created. From what I've seen in this thread, the course had no list to "launch" to, no marketing funnel, no big names promoting it. Do you have name recognition in the space that lends credibility to your course?

If not, you got two random people to stumble across your course and decide that it had enough value to spend their time signing up for it, in less than a month. Imagine what will happen as you continue to build out your content.

 

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[Jon L]

Thanks Jon for your support and sharing your story too. The whole stopping and relaxing is something I have a whole runway of room to improve on, to say the least. My emotions control me more than they should. Looking back at this week this single dud gave me a huge hit at my self worth, and I mean it's not even a sentence yet, it's been three days since I posted the damn course. Talk about dramatic. But then suddenly everything was up on the table for examination.

I do have to stop and relax and keep on at it...

I was listening to the Tony Robbins podcast last week. I used to not like Tony Robbins - I never understood what he was saying. He talks so fast and seems to redefine basic English words to mean different things. I was never able to follow. His podcast is different, though.

On his podcast, he interviewed this one woman who ended up being a gold medalist in the triathlon. When she first started out, she wasn't very good. She came in 42nd in this one race that didn't have many people in it. Her mom told her, 'well, no one is good at everything. Why don't you try something you can be good at?'

She was devastated. She'd really tried, and came up woefully short.

The night after the race, a friend of her's texted and said, 'if you are willing to come to Austria, my coach will train you.' She did. It was the most grueling training she'd ever been through. (Think: something on the order of what Navy Seals go through). Long story short, she ended up being one of the top athletes in the world for her sport.

She later asked her coach, 'why did you pick me? What was it that you saw in me? I came in 42nd.'

Her coach answered, 'Your drive was obvious. You were fighting with everything you had to get to 41st. Everyone else around you had already given up. I saw that and said, 'this is someone I want to coach.''

After listening to all this, I thought, 'whats the difference between her and me?'

Aside from my lack of athletic ability, her belief in herself, and the resulting willingness to push herself makes her different from where I'm at currently. She 'knew' in her gut that if she really tried, she'd accomplish what she wanted.

I don't think I know that in my gut yet ... that if I really try, I'll accomplish what I want. I also don't think that developing that kind of belief in yourself is all that difficult...

 

[Deleted74396]

Sorry I'm slow. So you are saying a video ad on FB with some of the course footage? Aren't those ads already targeted? What's a lookalike audience?

Edit- I'll go check that website thank you! <3

Edit2- I just devoured the guides they were super helpful! I'm going to run some video ads to the right audiences and see if that performs better.

Sorry to jump in, just saw this! A lookalike audience is a FB-generated audience based on an existing audience (e.g. people who engaged with a piece of content, who watched a video, etc.). They are supposed to be similar, so you should see even better results from a more targeted audience!

 

[BellaPippin]

It's great that you've got the drive to do this, but aren't 4 things at the same time too many? (Disclaimer: I'm the king of doing 4+ things and not accomplishing any).

Well it's not reeeally happening all at the same time.

1) Is just saving money for now. It's the vehicle I'll use to (relatively) passively cover my living expenses.
2) Is "The Project" that gives me purpose. Providing that I don't get into any type of thing that affects my credit, #1 Should be able to proceed undisturbed.
3) Is more a "on my spare time" type of thing. I paint anyway for fun so why not document it. I'm not aggressively going into this.
4) The boxes might or might not sell. I'm just trying to get rid of them for some $$ to toss into the savings. I might discover they do sell and order more, who knows.

I need to have things to switch between, different things going on and just going at my own pace. With my living expenses mostly taken care of, a lot more money opens up to use on #2 or #3. Neither of them have a deadline really. My priority is to just leave the 9-5 asap which I can potentially do with #1 (even if it's just working part time), go home more often and start getting ready time-wise/financially for when I have to take care of my parents. #2 just satisfies my need to help the community at a bigger scale than volunteering.

If I can just make #1 work, I'll be happy.
#2 would be great.
The rest is fluff

 

[BellaPippin]

Mini Update:
1) House-hacking savings: $6500

2) Got one set of samples on the way, nobody else answered. Guess they are all out for gobble gobble.

3) Haven't painted. I should, this weekend...

 

[BellaPippin]

Thanks everyone and sorry for the meltdown. Some 9 hours of sleep have me more calm now. @elusive97 wonder if you can relate lol

I think you misunderstood me. I'm impressed that you got two signups despite not having any of those marketing things. Imagine if you added a little fuel to that fire.

Keep creating, keep putting it out there, and it will snowball for you.
You don't think @Lex DeVille woke up one day, created an Udemy course, and immediately earned $3k a month, do you? He built that audience and reputation up over years. It takes momentum.

Ngl because he's so good at copywriting and what he does he does make it sound too easy. But I should know better by now. I hyped myself too much and it's been three days. Haven't felt like myself lately either so that doesn't help.

So I started looking up stuff and I found this 101 guide at QuickSprout that explains the basics like I'm five, before going to anything else --also the list of books on Amazon is endless, the list on YT too, so I immediately got overwhelmed and didn't know which one to pick-- I realize the instagram ad makes people "aware" of it and "engage" (that's how they go about the sales funnel/customer relationship process) but it doesn't get them to subscribe. And I also realized I don't have anything to offer on the Instagram, since I haven't been painting. So I've got nothing to take them to.

That sort of clashes with the notion that if the product gives value it will sell, though, so I'm a bit lost on whether I just need to market better or if the course isn't solving any problem (for the record, I did it because I thought I could do it better than the existing ones, lecture-wise speaking)

So there's a painting course?

I am curious who is the target market? Anyone interested in painting? Which sub Reddit did you post in?

I did it for people that want the foundations explained in a simple, non-overwhelming way. The top selling post (I got it and watched it) is called "Beginner to Master" and is FAR away from that. The dude goes from painting a sphere, and the next lesson he's painting a full fledge portrait. To top it off as usual they ask you for the most expensive supplies (this is very common) and instead of just using some canvas he takes you thru the process of cutting illustration board, prepping it with gesso (you gotta wait 24 hs for it to dry before you start painting, and then another 24 hs in between layers) It was overwhelming for me and I'm not even a beginner, so I thought I can make a much simpler one, with the key concepts and techniques. I mean.... he has to be at the top for a reason, why I couldn't understand. I hated the course, no joke. I wanted to get a refund but given the why I bought it in the first place it seemed unfair so I didn't. If I was someone hoping to learn something I would have.

Anyway-- I posted the finished piece and a mention to r/artistlounge low key (because of no solicitation policy) and then I posted the coupon offer at r/artsale, where I got the dude that enrolled. He was looking for a drawing course though (Guess he didn't read well lol) but after PMing a bit I told him the lessons on value and the underpainting (in which I first sketch the object) might be useful for him, so to check those out, it's free anyway. And he did, then he said he had a friend that was interested and passed the coupon to him, that was the second enrollment.

You know how it is on reddit, they don't like solicitation.

@BellaPippin

So proud of you.

See the common theme within comments? Keep trying. You lack some confidence now, hence you want to give up.

I know, learning curve really sucks, but you will gain confidence every time you try.

You tried once and had some success (2 sign ups) with no marketing plan whatsoever.

What happens, if you study some marketing and apply yourself with the new knowledge for the next project? Surely, you will have more than 2 subscribers.

Let’s say by the 3rd time you learn the insights of “creating course”, have a good marketing plan and more confidence in yourself. How many people would that be now?

Remember that video MJ made about probability of success? Well, not only does your success rate grows, but so does confidence, which is super important in entrepreneurship.

Take the calculated risk that won't sunk the ship and keep trying.

Enough said.
View attachment 29871

Thank you. I needed to hear that from someone, related to all this.

@CareCPA along with a friend that has an Insta about Pokemon with quite a few followers (and some years ago worked with friends on promoting an indie video game for Steam they made) made me realize I just put it out there and ran the ad pretty much. He also said he had to learn a few things when he was promoting the game and he was like you need to learn some, it's not an option. I knew I didn't know about marketing and that isn't good but if this makes sense something clicked now...like, I really need to know what to do online with what I made. Funny thing is I never got to this part before. This is a first. I've made stuff before, that never got offered anywhere, never got validated, because it never got marketed anywhere.

Sorry, I'm kinda thinking out loud as I go... I'm literally figuring it out as I type.

I'm thinking a bit more clear right now after the meltdown.

I'm getting nowhere with the soap unless I can figure out smaller stuff first.

I might not have my first dollar yet but I've crossed a line I hadn't got to before, and that's good.


Thanks everyone for the kindness.

 

[BizyDad]

I can make a much simpler one, with the key concepts and techniques.

Ok, let's cut to the chase. I have a son who loves to paint. He's 6. At 3 I was surprised at his drawings because they had depth and perspective. His grandma really supports and inspires him in this. Which is awesome. As a single dad, when he's at my house, I want to be able to foster that love of painting too. My NY resolution was to better support my kids interests and hobbies, now that they're getting to an age where they actually have some. But I don't know the first thing about any of it.

Simple. Key Concepts. Not super expensive materials. You're speaking my language.

If I watch your videos, will I be educated enough to help my kiddo?

And if you think so, will you please post a link? Or if that's against the rules or whatever, just PM me the link?

And as an INE - A youtube channel or something that teaches people how to paint or draw specific things. But like cool, kid centric things. Like dinosuars. Or super heros. PJ masks or baby Yoda or Elsa from Frozen. (Or, if you need to get around trademarks, teach them to draw caped crusaders, or heros in a half shell, or kid friendly ice queens.)

It's just a thought. Not trying to add to your growing list of to do's.

In all the talk about solving a problem, sometimes it helps to think about who you are solving the problem for, so that you can think about the best way to reach those people. That's the foundation of the marketing plan. And in my experience, the more niche you make it, the clearer the planning becomes.

I don't know the best way to reach single dads trying to do right by their kids. Heck, I don't even know if they are a good demographic to target (financially speaking).

I just know I am one. And if I can teach my boy how to paint a T-Rex or my little girl how to draw Elsa, I'll be their freaking hero...for at least a week. At this point, I'll settle for how to draw happy little trees or paint a nice mountain background.

Why would someone buy my product or your course instead of others?

I thought it was mentioned. Maybe it was in Unscripted . There's no way he overlooked it.

The question is what is worth the effort. Is this course? Is it something I haven't come up yet? Is it the soap? I'm such a mess lol

You're not a mess. You just have entrepreneur ADD. It's normal. We all ask ourselves if something else might be better. I don't think it ever goes away.

With all these projects, I think you know there are other ways that will make more money, so you have doubt. So maybe think of the education you'll receive by doing the marketing for this course or the soap. In a couple of months or a couple of years you can shut it down, but having developed a model, a process for marketing, yo can move onto whatever that something better will be.

Until you have that better idea, push forward a little more on this one. Refine it. Flesh it out a bit more. And learn from the experience.

 

[BellaPippin]

@CareCPA if you could give me your thoughts on this I'd appreciate it:

Got $5,500 on my previous work 401(k) that haven't rolled over yet. Cashing it would put me at $14k savings, along with the first home owner grants/help I might make my goal of being close to $20k available to purchase my multifamily. What would be best? :

1)Cash it, get 5k after the 10% penalty and see if the mortgage interest deduction helps me balance the taxes on it at the end of the year
2)Take a loan against it (but that's gonna mess up my debt to income ratio as I will have a loan)
3) @ZCP mentioned self-directed IRAs where I can use the funds to invest on the property directly?

 

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[MTEE1985]

Thank you! Yes you're right-- I never get more itemized deductions than the standard deduction.

I'll look into the self-dealing rules and if that isn't an option I'm just going to get the cash.

@CareCPA was spot on about those. You cannot invest in real estate that you or any relatives are going to live in using a SDIRA. Investment property yes, but a house hack, no.

I’d caution you against cashing out the 401k as you’ll get hit with a mandatory 20% withholding as well as the 10% penalty.

Best approach I can think of, and I know you’ll do your homework, you can rollover the 401k into an regular IRA. Withdraw it penalty free because it is for your first home purchase, and you can dictate the tax withholding at that time which is typically 10%. Should allow you the full $5,000 after all taxes/fees.

 

[Strategery]

Update: Writing this from my hospital room, might lose my gallbladder.

Lo siento mucho, amiga. Just get healthy, you'll bounce back.

 

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[BellaPippin]

Thanks for diving deeper into your plan and giving those examples. Just to clarify, I'm not saying you need to reinvent the wheel, but you do still need a quality product that people love to create a sustainable business, which it sounds like you understand already which is great.

Branding is definitely a differentiation point and value skew, and I know a few others on the forum have taken the 1 for 1 approach to social entrepreneurship with success.

If you do want to do the shampoo maybe you could look into creating a custom formulation so you have more control over the product quality instead of private labeling a me-too formula that everyone else is using. It might cost more, but that would give you two unique value skews, branding and product.

Either way I think it's great that you're getting started, that's the most important part. Just thought I would drop my two cents based on my initial perception of the progress so far.

Totally, I really appreciate any input I get. That is why I'm here and people make me thing twice about everything.

So far the samples I've requested/in the works of requesting (need to follow up w/manufacturers that haven't answered yet) aren't custom formulated but they are confirmed to be natural made or USDA Organic Certified (certified being much better), Sulfates and Parabens Free, and Cruelty Free. I've got a list of 5-10 places that passed those filters, and for now I'm just requesting a gender neutral, pleasant scent, with some nourishing element to it such as Aloe and/or Argan oil pretty much. So it's not a custom-made formula but it's a quality product I can stand behind/know it will work for the general hair/skin type.

Branding is definitely a differentiation point and value skew

That's half baked because I didn't want to fall into the trap of action faking, but I have a nice logo I'm satisfied with and color scheme started and an idea of the general packaging look I want. I stopped there while I get an actual product on my hands (the packaging part kinda comes along with the private labeling part anyway). I'm confident visuals wise because I know graphic design and my best friend actually graduated (she made the logo and even a great little animation to start my Instagram), I will have to work the marketing piece of the branding to make sure it's effective though, not just look nice.

 

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[broswoodwork]

I know nothing about marketing

You know more now and you have a better picture of what you don't know.

The average person goes through life with making a single deliberate profitable sale for themselves, and you're a million miles ahead of them because they never even try.

 

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[BrianLateStart]

I know exactly what you were feeling, went through this back in November. Got my invention manufactured, on my website and Amazon FBA. Ran some ads on Facebook (spent about $150 on ads). Got some likes, but no sales.

Does my product suck? Did I market wrong? Is it my website? I was all over the place.

I love The Millionaire Fastlane for the idea of what a fastlane business looks like, but I think it's missing one key aspect. Why would someone buy my product or your course instead of others?

I'm hope I'm onto something that I believe is the missing piece. It's a strategy from a book "Known", by Mark Schaefer. Just as TMF isn't a get rich quick strategy, Known isn't about being famous. It's deliberate steps (hard work) to become known in your desired area. As you become known, you show up in search results, you're trusted, you're an authority and people will buy your product over someone that's unknown. The book is designed as actionable steps not just theory. It's a process to become a known authority in your niche. I'm going to use Youtube videos to become known in my area, but Mark gives many actionable methods to be an authority in yours. There's many members on TFF that are known here because they provide great value to the forum. Becoming known outside of this forum isn't that different.

I don't want to be tied to Facebook ads to sell my product for the rest of my life. Becoming known takes more time, but I believe it's the correct strategy for me.

 

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[Jon L]

Thanks, it's a bit of a relief to be reminded it's not just something wrong with me, but something that everyone goes through... I appreciate the mention I will check that book no doubt.

I am a bit all over the place again. I keep writing and writing and making lists trying to figure out what problem I'm supposed to solve, or wondering why I am so blind to opportunities out there. Or things I am good at, things I know and could share. Still lost.

I know I should stick with something. The question is what is worth the effort. Is this course? Is it something I haven't come up with yet? Is it the soap? So messy.

You remind me of me. Its funny. When I look at my own life, I say the same things you're saying about yourself. When I look at you saying those things, I think, 'she already knows what to do, she just isn't trusting herself.' (I need to say the same thing to myself, but that hasn't occurred to me just yet)

So, allow me to preach at you for a little bit in the hopes that it will help both of us.

You know what to do already. Not with 100% certainty (no one can know things with 100% certainty), but you know what to do.

When you think about all your opportunities, which one calls to you the most? Not, which one is the most logical, but which one is raising its hand up the highest, saying, 'pick me, pick me!'

It really could be any of them. Soap, for example, is one of the stupidest ideas you could have ... or is it? Everyone is selling their own soap on Etsy. But then there's the guys that started Method, selling hand soap in those cool pear-shaped bottles. They drove around California in their beat up van, mixed the stuff in their kitchen, and eventually sold their products to Target.

I used to know a guy that sells dirt. And rocks. I lost track of him, but last time we talked, he had three delivery trucks that were busy full time. This was up from one used piece-of-crap truck he had when he first started.

You can make just about anything work, but you won't be successful with it unless you can learn to relax, trust yourself, and act on what you know.

I've been getting better at this recently. There was this one project that should have taken a week that I've been working on for the past month and a half. Finally, after allowing myself to stop and think about the best way forward, I figured it out. That only happened when I stopped, relaxed, and decided to trust my instincts. I'm doing that with other things too, slowly but surely, and its working.

 

[BellaPippin]

How do you feel bro?

I'm so happy for you!

I'm crying rn lmao

 

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[BellaPippin]

Yeah, so this got weird...

You gave me a coupon for 100% off. I didn't want it for free. I tried paying full price, but since it was my first ever Udemy course, Udemy gave me an auto applied discount. So I paid it happily.

I'm not a looter Bel! (Can you tell I'm listening to the next chapter of Atlas Shrugged while working on my new art project?)

You know those freemium model phone games? I'm the type of person who will buy an upsell just to reward the developers who make a good product. I know how much time and effort it takes to create things. I don't want them for free.

Honestly, if you had other courses created, I would've taken this one for free and bought the next on sheer principle. But you don't have one. I knew based on your answer Friday that this would help me. And I didn't want to get it free and beg you to take my money later. So I decided to pay for it.

I was in the market for such a product. I'd spent 3 or 4 hours researching options on Jan 2. I got frustrating and angry not finding anything that really helped me get started. I figured I'd just dive in, so on Jan 3 I went to the art store. This lady tried to help me but she kept ending every answer to every question with "It just depends on what you want". But I didn't know what I wanted, and I felt like I was annoying her, so I left the store more frustrated. I found some art classes, but that seemed like a lot more time investment than I wanted. And I've spent 3 weeks a little guilty that I'm not making progress on helping my kid become a better artist. Ok, I watched half a Bob Ross episode.

In less time than all that, I watched your videos.

And now, I have this corner of my house that I'm prepping for art.

I went to the store and bought some materials.

I have like 15 weeks worth of ideas and activities for me and the kiddos where I can slowly teach them everything you taught me. I'm jotting down a rough schedule. And we can have fun. And it'll be amazing.

New Year's resolution is getting handled! Like, I'm going to be a better dad to my kids because of your course.

And here's the most amazing part, from my standpoint. I bought this hoping to learn how to talk the talk. But I actually believe I can walk the walk! Here's the picture I am going to use to make my first painting.

View attachment 29920

I'm a little nervous about the top apple. I shoulda gotten Fuji apples!

Yes, I'm squinting. I've been squinting at things for 3 days now. I feel like just saying thank you really doesn't cover it. I know about lights and colors and hues and brushes now. And underpaint. And to not sweat the tiny details.

So if my paying for the course misled you into thinking some Redditor did and you are on the path to internet riches, I'm sorry. That sucks, and I wasn't trying to rob you of that moment. You'll just have to keep experimenting with marketing strategies.

But if any part of this was to create value in someone's life and therefore create a satisfied customer, someone who will tell others about your work, congratulations. And from where I sit, boy are you underpaid!

I told 4 guys at bowling last night about it. And one lady at church today. I've left you a review. I do have a few questions I'll post in the course probably later this week. And I have a couple of critiques I'll send you privately. And when I have completed my painting, I'm going to hang it on my wall and I'll share it with my friends and on social media I'm going to brag about this course I bought to learn it all.

"When I have completed my painting". 72 hours ago, I would've told you that's impossible. So thank you from the bottom of my heart and the top of my wallet.

Aw man, well if that's the case I'm still happy. I just wanted to achieve and know/prove I can create something of value (a product, not a service linked to time) to others. And I see you aren't lying. So I'm just as hyped as you are now! I've made my own thumbnail now and enhanced the description to contain as many relevant words as I can. I'll keep promoting it and try to gain traction.

I'm a little nervous about the top apple. I shoulda gotten Fuji apples!

Once you start squinting all those little lines are gonna be patches of yellow you're going to block in. And then it's just a matter of how far you wanna take it with the details, you can just add layer over layer refining it with a little round. Don't go crazy. Stand up and look at it from a few feet away every now and then, you will always see it looks much better than when you are "zooming in" your focus on a particular part. Also, great use of complementary colors on that bowl! Brownie points

And yes AMA anytime it makes my day to talk about art materials and discuss work. You're gonna do great, it's about how you feel WHILE you're painting. If you want a bit more get "Daily Painting" by Carol Marine and/or "Paint bold and fast" by Patti Mollica.



EDIT: Thank you so much for taking the time to write the whole story in your review. As the first and only review available atm I'm sure it will help whoever considers taking it and maybe convince them to give it a go. You made me want to watch it lmao