The Climb to Success: A Story of a Confused Young Guy Who Tries to Become an Entrepreneur.

Hello everyone,

in this thread I will document my process. As of right now I have absolutely no experience in business & entrepreneur things.
My current goal looks like this:

Find a need I can fulfill,
then scale the idea and sell it to 50 people.

A simple two step process.(I hope so...)

I will post updates every Sunday.

Hopefully this will be interesting to some people.

 

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[TheGreatAli]

Welcome aboard!

 

[ambitio]

Welcome aboard!

Thank you!

 

[Artiom O]

Hello everyone,

in this thread I will document my process. As of right now I have absolutely no experience in business & entrepreneur things.
My current goal looks like this:

Find a need I can fulfill,
then scale the idea and sell it to 50 people.

A simple two step process.(I hope so...)

I will post updates every Sunday.

Hopefully this will be interesting to some people.

Welcome.

Maybe you can just start by helping people. Anyone you already know. Solve their problems for them.

Then you could go and start building relationships and helping people on the internet too (just like this forum).

For free at first, then you can start charging a price if someone needs more help. That way, you make some small sales too and verify the potential of those problems.

From then on you will have a solid list of problems people are facing. You can start from there.

Have you checked these threads:
- Getting started is this simple...
- Third worlder and broke. How to start helping people.

Good luck!

 

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[ambitio]

12.3.23

I for some reason was obsessed with buying, restoring and selling iphones. I was looking for broken iphones online and imagining myself how I would fix them and make them big bucks... It was just mind masturbation.A complete waste of time.

Other stuff:

As Artiom O said, I need to firstly help people and then figure out what they need. So I've posted an Advertisement to help people in my neighborhood with gardening or household chores. As of right now it hast 100 view and two favorites.

Tomorrow I'm going to sell my shoes to have some money.

Weekly stats (thought it would be cool to track my progress. Feel free to add a skill if you feel I've developed one.)

Monthly income: 0
Cash: 0
Skills: none
Weeks since start: 0

 

[Artiom O]

12.3.23

I for some reason was obsessed with buying, restoring and selling iphones. I was looking for broken iphones online and imagining myself how I would fix them and make them big bucks... It was just mind masturbation.A complete waste of time.

Other stuff:

As Artiom O said, I need to firstly help people and then figure out what they need. So I've posted an Advertisement to help people in my neighborhood with gardening or household chores. As of right now it hast 100 view and two favorites.

Tomorrow I'm going to sell my shoes to have some money.

Weekly stats (thought it would be cool to track my progress. Feel free to add a skill if you feel I've developed one.)

Monthly income: 0
Cash: 0
Skills: none
Weeks since start: 0

I'm just saying that you should listen very carefully to what people are struggling with. Then you can offer your help. Then after you help a number of them, you can start charging a price for it, if they ask for more help.

 

[ambitio]

My Advertisement got taken down because I offered a service. I first need to register a business to be legally allowed to offer services. But I'm not 18 yet so I cant do that.

Why post ads??? I'm going to stop being socially awkward and just go outside and talk to people and then figure out what their needs are.

Update on selling the shoes:

I want the buyer to be able to pay me using PayPal but again, I'm not 18 so I'm not legally allowed to make a PayPal account. I've wanted to sell them using a friends account, but she can't help me with that because she's ill and I have no idea when she is going to come back. I need to wait until she's back. And I've also gotten my hands on some free clothes to sell.

Some thoughts:

I also ask myself why I want to sell the shoes and clothes. My answer: mghh... IDK seems like a good idea to learn how to sell things, which it is, as I have absolutely zero experience selling things. But on the other side it has nothing to do with becoming better at helping people, I feel that deep desire inside to have some money and spend it instantly. A example: I've spent nearly an hour of my life looking at items on Aliexpress, imagining how nice it would be to have those things. I even bought something: is it awesome to just have it? Jup. But does the item help me? Nope... I feel like I'm getting pulled to the consumer mindset again...
I even stopped following my own self-improvement rules... I just seem to be demotivated for some reason. I might have broken the feedback loop.

Most of the week was frustrating, but I've also gotten some small wins.

I feel like I have no idea what I'm doing, even though I have all these amazing resources; it feels just like standing in really thick fog.

I'm just not dedicated enough.

I will continue the climb to success.

 

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[ambitio]

I’m a little late

Why didn’t I post?:

Didn’t feel like it.

Anyways. Here are some updates:

So, on the shoes: still didn’t sell them. I could have written about some excuses, but I just wasn't committed enough to sell them. I just didn’t bother to ask someone else to use their PayPal account.

Some stuff I learned:

It’s illegal to get clothes from a charity and sell them. Should have been obvious to me, but my “entrepreneurial spirit” just took over me. I was just way too exited to get something for free and make a profit from it. **Aghem….**

And I am stuck. I cannot start a business until I’m 18 and until I have moved to my own residence. I live in a children's home, so legally I cannot start a company.

I’ve also figured out that most people I know are way too lazy to mow their own lawn, so that could be a opportunity. But again, legally I am not allowed to mow peoples lawns for profit until I can register a company... wich again…

Thinking about pausing until I’m 18 to actually be allowed to do anything…

Question to you:

What would you do in my position?

Because I have no idea what possibilities I have to make some progress in entrepreneurship.

Well, I could just go outside and figure out what people are struggling with and help them.

Some more questions:

Am I just bitching around? Could this be easily solved and I am just not committed enough?

Am I progressing too slow?

 

[Happyheart]

I’m a little late

Why didn’t I post?:

Didn’t feel like it.

Anyways. Here are some updates:

So, on the shoes: still didn’t sell them. I could have written about some excuses, but I just wasn't committed enough to sell them. I just didn’t bother to ask someone else to use their PayPal account.

Some stuff I learned:

It’s illegal to get clothes from a charity and sell them. Should have been obvious to me, but my “entrepreneurial spirit” just took over me. I was just way too exited to get something for free and make a profit from it. **Aghem….**

And I am stuck. I cannot start a business until I’m 18 and until I have moved to my own residence. I live in a children's home, so legally I cannot start a company.

I’ve also figured out that most people I know are way too lazy to mow their own lawn, so that could be a opportunity. But again, legally I am not allowed to mow peoples lawns for profit until I can register a company... wich again…

Thinking about pausing until I’m 18 to actually be allowed to do anything…

Question to you:

What would you do in my position?

Because I have no idea what possibilities I have to make some progress in entrepreneurship.

Well, I could just go outside and figure out what people are struggling with and help them.

Some more questions:

Am I just bitching around? Could this be easily solved and I am just not committed enough?

Am I progressing too slow?

Good for you that you are doing something. You could sell something for cash or help people doing errands or mowing lawns. I don‘t know how ild you are, but you can get a private bankaccount before you turn 18 in many countries.

 

[piano]

And I am stuck. I cannot start a business until I’m 18 and until I have moved to my own residence. I live in a children's home, so legally I cannot start a company.

(Ein Waisenheim oder wie versteh ich das?)
As far as I am concerned, your "caregivers" are the orphanage personal, Jugendamt-Zugeteilte or somebody else.
So if your Vormund (legal guardian) approves, there's shouldn't be any problem.

I’ve also figured out that most people I know are way too lazy to mow their own lawn, so that could be a opportunity. But again, legally I am not allowed to mow peoples lawns for profit until I can register a company... wich again…

Thinking about pausing until I’m 18 to actually be allowed to do anything…

Question to you:

What would you do in my position?

What I'd do in your position? I'd read @piano's amazing and awesome progress thread.
He's also 16 and hasn't even registered the company yet!
Here's the link: HOT! - SIDE HUSTLE - I'm going to wash windows for money tomorrow for the first time in my life. Any tips?

Am I just bitching around? Could this be easily solved and I am just not committed enough?

This could likely be solved. Worst case scenario, you partner up with somebody who can form a company.

Am I progressing too slow?

Does it matter? Do you have a dying family member you need to take care of and pay their medical bills (not a likely scenario in Germany, dear Americans ; )? If not, then probably not.
But keep in mind that you set the bar and that it isn't always a good idea to beat yourself up.

Read through my thread, it's pretty detailed of my process and has all kinds of emotions in it haha, you'll probably relate.
Good luck!

 

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[ambitio]

(Ein Waisenheim oder wie versteh ich das?)

(So in der Art, eher ein Heim für Jugendliche.)

Dankeschön!

Didn't think you would answer. Not gonna lie, I feel like a fan girl right now.

Could I just go ahead and start to sell without going to jail?

And also; Do you know of any people on the forum that are knowledgeable in German legal stuff? (or threads about German law)

 

[piano]

Dankeschön!

Wie wäre es mit einem Like?

(So in der Art, eher ein Heim für Jugendliche.)

Dankeschön!

Didn't think you would answer. Not gonna lie, I feel like a fan girl right now.

Could I just go ahead and start to sell without going to jail?

And also; Do you know of any people on the forum that are knowledgeable in German legal stuff? (or threads about German law)

Haha, a fan girl? Am I that cool? I mean, you're not wrong heeheheheh he hhe.
Well you could just go ahead, however it is "illegal" and I am not taking any responsibility for you.
But hey, what the F*ck do you have to lose? You're also just a kid like me, trying to earn a bit of money. That's how most people see it. Also, I've heard there is a law that you can make 400 bucks a month without any registration, although I need to look into that myself.

I don't think there is much German legal information on this forum. I'd recommend you to foster the web, read guides, maybe ask Gutefrage.net , etc. You could also go ask in your town hall.

So yeah, stay stafe and informed. Of course everything that's bad can happen, but it's rather unlikely.

 

[ambitio]

Haven't posted for a while...

What happened:

I posted an ad: I'll help people for free. I have gotten 3 requests:

To carry 20 bags full of returnable bottles. And the person spoke terrible German....

(Seemed like he/she wanted to use me to carry those bags, because he/she is to lazy to do it) I didn't do it, seemed to wired.

And also someone who wanted me to help transport a couch, but they thought I lived in a different city closer to them, so it didn't happen.

One to help someone to carry an aquarium to the second floor, again could help because it was too far away.

I actually didn't help anyone jet regarding the ad, but what I learned is that a lot of people want help with physical work.

I see a lot of old people doing hard work by themselves, because they just don't have anyone else. I even witnessed someone die not too long ago because of the lack of help...

Other stuff

I cleaned two cars! I didn't have the right equipment so I used a toothbrush to get the dirt out of the carpet... xD. On the first car I made 5€, I guess I made my first money as a entrepreneur? Ahhh cool? Wait this really is cool Jfkdbsnnsnsns


And for the other one I got a promise for a review I can officially post once I've got a company.

Don't know if I should continue with car cleaning; it would be a little wired riding around the city with a vacuum strapped to my bag.

Or should I do something else: window cleaning; but that's uncreative. Everyone else is doing it and I just feel good cleaning cars.

Edit: (idk I guess I'll also try it, seems stupid to not do something just because everyone else is doing it)

Or should I help elderly people?

What do you guys think? Should I analyse more or just go ahead?

Kinda stuck in paralysis by analysis. I think I should just continue cleaning cars. If you'd got any arguments regarding it: please tell me!

Well; I helped two people: 48 people left to go! Time to scale! (Even though I didn't calculate anything yet and didn't think deeper about car cleaning than just: "mhhm looks cool, read some threads about it, seems interesting")

Well: that was everything: mostly spent my time on other things.

I'll do some napkin math and then get some money and buy some equipment. (Just don't know how I will transport a giant vacuume on a bicycle)

 

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[piano]

Haven't posted for a while...

What happened:

I posted an ad: I'll help people for free. I have gotten 3 requests:

To carry 20 bags full of returnable bottles. And the person spoke terrible German....

(Seemed like he/she wanted to use me to carry those bags, because he/she is to lazy to do it) I didn't do it, seemed to wired.

And also someone who wanted me to help transport a couch, but they thought I lived in a different city closer to them, so it didn't happen.

One to help someone to carry an aquarium to the second floor, again could help because it was too far away.

I actually didn't help anyone jet regarding the ad, but what I learned is that a lot of people want help with physical work.

I see a lot of old people doing hard work by themselves, because they just don't have anyone else. I even witnessed someone die not too long ago because of the lack of help...

Other stuff

I cleaned two cars! I didn't have the right equipment so I used a toothbrush to get the dirt out of the carpet... xD. On the first car I made 5€, I guess I made my first money as a entrepreneur? Ahhh cool? Wait this really is cool Jfkdbsnnsnsns


And for the other one I got a promise for a review I can officially post once I've got a company.

Don't know if I should continue with car cleaning; it would be a little wired riding around the city with a vacuum strapped to my bag.

Or should I do something else: window cleaning; but that's uncreative. Everyone else is doing it and I just feel good cleaning cars.

Or should I help elderly people?

What do you guys think? Should I analyse more or just go ahead?

Kinda stuck in paralysis by analysis. I think I should just continue cleaning cars. If you'd got any arguments against regarding it: please tell me!

Well; I helped two people: 48 people left to go! Time to scale! (Even though I didn't calculate anything yet and didn't think deeper about car cleaning than just: "mhhm looks cool, read some threads about it, seems interesting")

Well: that was everything: mostly spent my time on other things.

I'll do some napkin math and then get some money and buy some equipment. (Just don't know how I will transport a giant vacuume on a bicycle)

Lol what the hell?

You're taking... action?

Like, DAMN.
Sure, 5€ might not seem much and quite honestly...aren't lol. But the fact that you DID SOMETHING and GOT SOMETHING is awesome!

I don't think I can really help you with other stuff, but you should be able to figure it out, and if not, just ping me and I'll try it anyways.

But from what I've heard, you're doing car-cleaning/detailing?
Go check out @ChrisK, he does car detailing pretty well and is only 15. I think he runs around with his stuff "on foot" as well (he still uses busses and cars from what I've heard tho). Maybe he can help you or tell you his equip/transportation strategy.

 

[perchboy]

why the F*ck are you cleaning cars for 5 euros????
do not fall into the "ill do stuff for free to provide value" circle jerk. youre providing value for them (washing cars) while they're giving you nothing back. you must get something in return for the value you provide

"oh but they paid me 5 euros"
5 euros is peanuts. start charging AT LEAST 70 euros per car for a beginner

i charge 100 euros for interior and an extra 35 for exterior. i dont do anything special. vaccuum, soap, wipe

you're going to think that price is crazy because you've never made that money in your life but trust me its not. this is less than what other people will charge.

btw - car cleaners get paid 5 euros, while car detailers get paid 150 euros.
whats the difference?
i have no clue. i just know that "detailing" sounds like a professional service people would pay big bucks for so i advertise my service as "car detailing"

dont do d2d. once they know youre a kid, they arent gonna pay you professional money. they'll pay you desperate kid money (5 euros).

post on the nextdoor app, hand out flyers, run facebook ads, start up a GMB page. thats how you get serious customers