The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

Where Did They All Go?

PizzaOnTheRoof

Moving Forward
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
220%
Jul 30, 2018
1,218
2,682
Texas
I've been reading through some old threads from around 2014. Multi-page GOLD and NOTABLE threads with people posting every day like maniacs dropping value bombs like nobody's business.

Every now and then I check the user's profile and see that they haven't logged on in months or even years. It's like they just stopped coming here or gave up on the Fastlane dream altogether. Maybe life just got in the way, had kids, or found a job they were happy with?

Even gold contributors, people who showed up daily, took action, hustled and gave back to the community like a family...it's just...a bummer...

I would've liked to talk to these guys and gals back in the day!
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Runum

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
101%
Aug 8, 2007
6,221
6,298
DFW, Texas
Many are still around, reading, lurking, looking for opportunities to help. Others are busy executing. Some have made contact with each other off forum after doing meetups. Some have moved on. There are very talented and experienced members present.

Sometimes it gets tiring having to prove yourself to every newbie that creates a new profile and is here to set us all straight.
 
Last edited:

BizyDad

Keep going. Keep growing.
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
416%
Oct 7, 2019
2,885
11,989
Phoenix AZ
Hey @PizzaOnTheRoof we'll just have to lead that next generation of 2020 posters bringing the value and building a fam.

Apparently it only takes a few years to blow up so big you just don't post anymore. Gotta take daily action though. 1000 miles ain't that far bro. In 2025 people will be like where did pizzaontheroof and bizydad go?

TFF Fam forever.

:moneybag::cash::fistbump:
 

LuckyPup

Opportunity + Preparation = Success
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
159%
Aug 2, 2012
530
845
Midwest USA
I've been reading through some old threads from around 2014. Multi-page GOLD and NOTABLE threads with people posting every day like maniacs dropping value bombs like nobody's business.

Every now and then I check the user's profile and see that they haven't logged on in months or even years. It's like they just stopped coming here or gave up on the Fastlane dream altogether. Maybe life just got in the way, had kids, or found a job they were happy with?

Even gold contributors, people who showed up daily, took action, hustled and gave back to the community like a family...it's just...a bummer...

I would've liked to talk to these guys and gals back in the day!
I can't speak for anyone else, but my activity on here cycles. Like most people, it depends on what's happening irl.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Andy Black

Help people. Get paid. Help more people.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
370%
May 20, 2014
18,566
68,697
Ireland
Sometimes it gets tiring having to prove yourself to every newbie that creates a new profile and is here to set us all straight.
Lol. Indeed.


I try to leverage that. When I find I'm repeating myself, I create threads and point people to them. Over time the thread/post /thought gets polished. I also *know* it’s something that will help many people.
 

Andy Black

Help people. Get paid. Help more people.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
370%
May 20, 2014
18,566
68,697
Ireland
Hey @PizzaOnTheRoof we'll just have to lead that next generation of 2020 posters bringing the value and building a fam.

Apparently it only takes a few years to blow up so big you just don't post anymore. Gotta take daily action though. 1000 miles ain't that far bro. In 2025 people will be like where did pizzaontheroof and bizydad go?

TFF Fam forever.

:moneybag::cash::fistbump:
That’s the attitude!
 

broswoodwork

Intermediate User of the Flying Guillotine
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
313%
Oct 16, 2015
890
2,790
It is an interesting phenomenon, isn't it?

I've wondered if it's easier/ more compelling to contribute when you're starting and in the E-Myth stages, and proportionally more difficult when you cash out your chips, or the longer you get stuck building the system?

There's guys like Kak and biophase who just keep building bigger and more exciting things successfully, who become an eternal spring of exciting new adventure in capitalism content, and there's guys like MJ who are on a philosophical mission to save as many people as possible from a life of mediocrity, but maybe the guys simply managing their money pots on a private island just don't feel like what they do is action oriented enough to post?
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Runum

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
101%
Aug 8, 2007
6,221
6,298
DFW, Texas
In the 12 years of the forum we have gone through various cycles. Some were very productive and helpful. Some were destructive.

One of the cycles was a hot period where there was a lot of energy. Importing and online businesses were the rage. The big questions were what product do you sell, where do you source it from, and where do you sell it? Several experienced members mentored some newbies. A couple of newbies literally copied the HTML code from websites and totally copied their mentor's business item for item. This could potentially devalue the original business and hurt the mentor. The result has been less overt help for newbies.

We also have had several periods where members were shady and dealing behind the scenes. The result was less trust on the forum. This hurt MJ and the forum overall and drove members to trust only their inner circle. Again newbies lose out.

Kak, biophase, SteveO, and others do come here to help but even they have a limit as to how much they will share and how much they will help.

All of us, legendary or not, successful or not, have to measure how much we engage on a public forum. There are nefarious people lurking out there in and amoungst the authentically inquisitive newbies.
 
Last edited:

James Klymus

Gold Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
353%
Dec 28, 2018
474
1,672
28
Chicago, Illinois
I've noticed this too. Posts from 5-10 years ago and the members seemingly haven't interacted in years. It's always interesting, and kind of sad to see the intros from years ago, talking about how they're going to make this change and go a certain direction. Then under their user name years and years later it still reads "PARKED"

You're right, maybe life got in the way. Maybe it was a phase they went through. Maybe they have their own business that's generating them a good income and helping others. Maybe they became an intrapreneur at a company.

All I know is that for me personally, I will always try my best to come back here and contribute, no matter what happens in life. This is like the home base I always come back to no matter what.
 

SEBASTlAN

Marketing Wizard
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
149%
Dec 22, 2014
1,888
2,813
Los Angeles
Pretty sure they got too busy running larger companies or have a local group of entrepreneurs alongside them (that's the goal right?)
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

BellaPippin

B is for Beast
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
275%
Jul 16, 2015
1,430
3,928
34
Chicago, IL
Hey @PizzaOnTheRoof we'll just have to lead that next generation of 2020 posters bringing the value and building a fam.

Apparently it only takes a few years to blow up so big you just don't post anymore. Gotta take daily action though. 1000 miles ain't that far bro. In 2025 people will be like where did pizzaontheroof and bizydad go?

TFF Fam forever.

:moneybag::cash::fistbump:


One of my goals is to make a gold post some day. :fistbump::fistbump::fistbump::fistbump::fistbump::fistbump::fistbump:
 

BizyDad

Keep going. Keep growing.
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
416%
Oct 7, 2019
2,885
11,989
Phoenix AZ

PizzaOnTheRoof

Moving Forward
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
220%
Jul 30, 2018
1,218
2,682
Texas

Andy Black

Help people. Get paid. Help more people.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
370%
May 20, 2014
18,566
68,697
Ireland
Don’t know how to get in contact with them since they don’t log in anymore.
I think @ZCP meant “Why don’t you chatter with the folks in the forum now that you would wish you’d done so if they left?”.
 

BellaPippin

B is for Beast
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
275%
Jul 16, 2015
1,430
3,928
34
Chicago, IL
I think @ZCP meant “Why don’t you chatter with the folks in the forum now that you would wish you’d done so if they left?”.

Before they go GALT

Disclaimer- I STILL dont 100% know what going GALT is, not spoiling
 

PizzaOnTheRoof

Moving Forward
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
220%
Jul 30, 2018
1,218
2,682
Texas

Andy Black

Help people. Get paid. Help more people.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
370%
May 20, 2014
18,566
68,697
Ireland
Before they go GALT

Disclaimer- I STILL dont 100% know what going GALT is, not spoiling
That’s from that book you’re all reading isn’t it? I’ve no idea what Galt is. Haha.
 

LuckyPup

Opportunity + Preparation = Success
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
159%
Aug 2, 2012
530
845
Midwest USA
Many are still around, reading, lurking, looking for opportunities to help. Others are busy executing. Some have made contact with each other off forum after doing meetups. Some have moved on. There are very talented and experienced members present.

Sometimes it gets tiring having to prove yourself to every newbie that creates a new profile and is here to set us all straight.
Amen! I just had a run-in a few weeks ago.
 

MJ DeMarco

I followed the science; all I found was money.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
445%
Jul 23, 2007
38,082
169,504
Utah
I actually inquired with some folks who disappear and I hear a variety of things. One of my favorite posters who I haven't seen post in while, mentioned a nasty divorce when I asked. When people leave the forum, it's usually an FTE type of event.

Here's what I generally heard over the years about why people disappear...

In no particular order and the % (a pure speculation) on the why

  1. They have a baby or experience family drama) (see # 7)
  2. They get divorced (or married) (see # 7)
  3. Their business grows like a weed and don't have time to post any longer (25%)
  4. They use the forum to connect then go IRL or offload to FB (5%)
  5. They fail once or twice and give up, or their business fails (10%)
  6. They get a job (25%)
  7. Life gets in the way: sickness, job loss, family dramas, divorce, marriage, children ... (25%)
  8. Other times its just that something spoken (or not spoken/moderated) at the forum causes the FTE and abandonment; a forum user says shit, flame wars, someone copying shit, a mod or myself upsets them (10%)
  9. Other times they just forget we exist. It doesn't help that the forum software still doesn't have push-to-iPhone connectivity. It improved recently (android) but still is much to be desired. (unknown %)
The forum has a lot of competition and I'm not talking about Facebook.

It's life itself.

Just for example, I know firsthand (via private email) that this forum lost several women due to the anti-feminist talk that happened here earlier in the year (maybe late 2018). When one member says ridiculous things it often gets projected to the forum as a whole. Because mods (and me) don't read every post, every thread, there's a lot of stuff that hangs around the periphery, and sometimes that's enough to get someone to say, "Meh, not for me."

For many of us, this forum is our "work environment" -- the water cooler of sorts. Entrepreneurship can be lonely. If I felt the water cooler and the work environment was hostile, or unsupportive, I wouldn't stay. That's actually what happened a decade ago in my daily participation the the RD Forums. It ceased to be supportive.

Then this place was born.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

ZCP

Legendary Contributor
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
336%
Oct 22, 2010
3,952
13,267
Woodstock, GA
Don’t know how to get in contact with them since they don’t log in anymore.
Maybe I'm not on the list then. :) I don't recall seeing you trying to contact me. Nor do I recall a bunch of fastlaners I talk to on a regular basis saying 'wow, @PizzaOnTheRoof has been very persistent in wanting to talk to me!'. It is just a general callout for you. Just busting your balls. You lamented, yet I am guessing did not take the next step to do something about it. That is an excuse and something within your power to change. For me, if there is a forum member I want to talk to, I contact them!

I think @ZCP meant “Why don’t you chatter with the folks in the forum now that you would wish you’d done so if they left?”.
This too. Or tag people in a post. Or DM. Just quit making excuses that you cannot talk to people. You can. It takes about 30 seconds to find most members outside of the forum.

Summary: @PizzaOnTheRoof says he wants to talk to forum members. If @PizzaOnTheRoof was serious, he would find them and contact them.
 

ZCP

Legendary Contributor
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
336%
Oct 22, 2010
3,952
13,267
Woodstock, GA
As for forum participation and people going 'hot' 'cold', looks like @MJ DeMarco has the stats.
Life. Business. Personal. Etc.
 

BellaPippin

B is for Beast
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
275%
Jul 16, 2015
1,430
3,928
34
Chicago, IL

MJ DeMarco

I followed the science; all I found was money.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
445%
Jul 23, 2007
38,082
169,504
Utah
looks like @MJ DeMarco has the stats.

Still, it's mostly speculative mathematics from what I've heard over the years. And the years are piling up. LOL.
 

PizzaOnTheRoof

Moving Forward
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
220%
Jul 30, 2018
1,218
2,682
Texas
Maybe I'm not on the list then. :) I don't recall seeing you trying to contact me. Nor do I recall a bunch of fastlaners I talk to on a regular basis saying 'wow, @PizzaOnTheRoof has been very persistent in wanting to talk to me!'. It is just a general callout for you. Just busting your balls. You lamented, yet I am guessing did not take the next step to do something about it. That is an excuse and something within your power to change. For me, if there is a forum member I want to talk to, I contact them!


This too. Or tag people in a post. Or DM. Just quit making excuses that you cannot talk to people. You can. It takes about 30 seconds to find most members outside of the forum.

Summary: @PizzaOnTheRoof says he wants to talk to forum members. If @PizzaOnTheRoof was serious, he would find them and contact them.
I meant on the forum as a whole, not one on one.
 

Lex DeVille

Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
597%
Jan 14, 2013
5,351
31,935
Utah
Here are the usual reasons I don't post as much:

1. Don't feel like I have something I really want to share.
When I first joined I made a pact with myself to not waste anybody's time and to try to make every post as valuable as possible. It was the kind of mentality I hoped to receive in return.

2. Increasing number of low-value contributions
A lot of times when I click into a post that looks interesting it turns out to be something really stupid not worth reading or responding to and violates my expectations based on the pact from above.

3. Expectation of future free value based on past free value
Sometimes I wonder why past high-value contributors are expected to show up and provide more free value in the future. It's not like there's a box you check at sign up for "Legendary." We all start the same place with "Parked" and zero posts. Sometimes new people make GOLD posts. So why is a burden of expectation placed on people who've already contributed value that continues to hold value to this day?

4. It sucks when you share something and people don't use it
Whether it's a value-post or a response, it all takes time and energy and when people repeatedly disregard advice they asked for, or get hyped and praise suggestions from a post and then disappear, it's kind of draining. It's also disheartening to watch some who are so motivated go through their failures, especially those who throw in the towel.

5. Misalignment of values
Sometimes I don't feel like my values align with the forum. A lot of people see Fastlane as the creation of a multi-million dollar business with an exit plan. I mainly enjoy the process of creating passive systems that cover my expenses and free my time while I do what I want.

Also, I'm a *figure it out on my own* kind of guy and there's a lot of whiny, needy people who show up and want their hand held.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

SteveO

Legendary Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
456%
Jul 24, 2007
4,228
19,294
Come to the meetups. Everyone comes out of the cracks for those. I still see many of my forum friends throughout the year at different events but the majority come to the meetups.

Some of us have been friends longer than the forum has been in place.
 

PizzaOnTheRoof

Moving Forward
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
220%
Jul 30, 2018
1,218
2,682
Texas
Here are the usual reasons I don't post as much:

1. Don't feel like I have something I really want to share.
When I first joined I made a pact with myself to not waste anybody's time and to try to make every post as valuable as possible. It was the kind of mentality I hoped to receive in return.

2. Increasing number of low-value contributions
A lot of times when I click into a post that looks interesting it turns out to be something really stupid not worth reading or responding to and violates my expectations based on the pact from above.

3. Expectation of future free value based on past free value
Sometimes I wonder why past high-value contributors are expected to show up and provide more free value in the future. It's not like there's a box you check at sign up for "Legendary." We all start the same place with "Parked" and zero posts. Sometimes new people make GOLD posts. So why is a burden of expectation placed on people who've already contributed value that continues to hold value to this day?

4. It sucks when you share something and people don't use it
Whether it's a value-post or a response, it all takes time and energy and when people repeatedly disregard advice they asked for, or get hyped and praise suggestions from a post and then disappear, it's kind of draining. It's also disheartening to watch some who are so motivated go through their failures, especially those who throw in the towel.

5. Misalignment of values
Sometimes I don't feel like my values align with the forum. A lot of people see Fastlane as the creation of a multi-million dollar business with an exit plan. I mainly enjoy the process of creating passive systems that cover my expenses and free my time while I do what I want.

Also, I'm a *figure it out on my own* kind of guy and there's a lot of whiny, needy people who show up and want their hand held.
Come to the meetups. Everyone comes out of the cracks for those. I still see many of my forum friends throughout the year at different events but the majority come to the meetups.

Some of us have been friends longer than the forum has been in place.
I actually inquired with some folks who disappear and I hear a variety of things. One of my favorite posters who I haven't seen post in while, mentioned a nasty divorce when I asked. When people leave the forum, it's usually an FTE type of event.

Here's what I generally heard over the years about why people disappear...

In no particular order and the % (a pure speculation) on the why

  1. They have a baby or experience family drama) (see # 7)
  2. They get divorced (or married) (see # 7)
  3. Their business grows like a weed and don't have time to post any longer (25%)
  4. They use the forum to connect then go IRL or offload to FB (5%)
  5. They fail once or twice and give up, or their business fails (10%)
  6. They get a job (25%)
  7. Life gets in the way: sickness, job loss, family dramas, divorce, marriage, children ... (25%)
  8. Other times its just that something spoken (or not spoken/moderated) at the forum causes the FTE and abandonment; a forum user says shit, flame wars, someone copying shit, a mod or myself upsets them (10%)
  9. Other times they just forget we exist. It doesn't help that the forum software still doesn't have push-to-iPhone connectivity. It improved recently (android) but still is much to be desired. (unknown %)
The forum has a lot of competition and I'm not talking about Facebook.

It's life itself.

Just for example, I know firsthand (via private email) that this forum lost several women due to the anti-feminist talk that happened here earlier in the year (maybe late 2018). When one member says ridiculous things it often gets projected to the forum as a whole. Because mods (and me) don't read every post, every thread, there's a lot of stuff that hangs around the periphery, and sometimes that's enough to get someone to say, "Meh, not for me."

For many of us, this forum is our "work environment" -- the water cooler of sorts. Entrepreneurship can be lonely. If I felt the water cooler and the work environment was hostile, or unsupportive, I wouldn't stay. That's actually what happened a decade ago in my daily participation the the RD Forums. It ceased to be supportive.

Then this place was born.
Thanks guys for putting things into perspective for those of us that have only joined in the past year or so.
 

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

Latest Posts

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top