Where I have been this time... and why I'm famous at Wells Fargo

[G-Man]

The only dues I pay are to my country club.

 

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[#nowhere]

It is. However, try starting an oil company then come back to me telling how easy it was .

I'm trying to figure out why everyone on this forum is so proud of dead end jobs when you can get a job as a sales rep at a software company or the like, be in on the deals as an employee, and then go from there.

Compared to trying to code something or run aff offers while trying to survive somehow.

so, now I lose the thread. Who is/was/will be proud of such a job??

 

[Ronak]

I'm not above flying somewhere with a laptop and transferring in person as I take delivery on the spot and bring in my own transportation on the first few deals.

Was just reading through this again...by bringing your own transportation, you mean using your own forwarder instead of having the supplier use theirs?
I've always done this for the cost savings and to have more control over the process, but hadn't considered the anti-fraud benefit. This would presumably make it more difficult to obtain fake BOLs?

What if you had combined a preshipment inspection AND a container loading inspection as a condition on the LOC, would that have prevented it from going through?

 

[Kak]

There is an additional part to the stock deal I discussed. It is about keeping a cool head and holding your tongue even when you want to, and can, and should, tear someone apart. Business is not what Donald Trump makes it seem like on the apprentice where everyone is fired and suck my balls. Even though it's hilarious.

Effectively conducting business is operating an intricate network of assets that you shouldn't break.

I will hit on this tonight.

 

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[LightHouse]

It is. However, try starting an oil company then come back to me telling how easy it was .

I'm trying to figure out why everyone on this forum is so proud of dead end jobs when you can get a job as a sales rep at a software company or the like, be in on the deals as an employee, and then go from there.

Compared to trying to code something or run aff offers while trying to survive somehow.

You are reading the wrong threads and reading from the wrong people.

A lot of friends I talk to week to week are vets on this forum, none of them are trying to learn to code or running affiliate deals trying to survive.

 

[Kak]

You are reading the wrong threads and reading from the wrong people.

A lot of friends I talk to week to week are vets on this forum, none of them are trying to learn to code or running affiliate deals trying to survive.

Couldn't have said it better myself... I have never written one sentence of code nor have I ran an affiliate offer in my life. I have had times where I sacrificed a more comfortable and stable income for the life I knew was out there... Some people are willing to make the sacrifice and do what it takes... Others aren't and that is good because we need employees.

I would do it again too.

 

[Kak]

Was just reading through this again...by bringing your own transportation, you mean using your own forwarder instead of having the supplier use theirs?
I've always done this for the cost savings and to have more control over the process, but hadn't considered the anti-fraud benefit. This would presumably make it more difficult to obtain fake BOLs?

What if you had combined a preshipment inspection AND a container loading inspection as a condition on the LOC, would that have prevented it from going through?

Im not sure I understand...

If the goods become mine in China, and I bring in my own reputable transportation, standing right in front of them while they load it, I see zero risk.

The inspections can only be trusted as much as you would trust an inspection company in China... At the volumes we are talking they are absolutely susceptible to 6 figure bribes. How many 15k per year Chinese inspectors do you think would decline a 200k briefcase full of money to let a shipment slide? I bet a good percentage would skip town.

The point is, when you are dealing with enough money to change someones life in each and every transaction... You are a lot more exposed to this kind of once-and-done rip off artistry.

In person transactions until net terms could take over and trust is achieved is the only thing I can think of to mitigate the risk in China on deals this large.

 

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[Kak]

There is an additional part to the stock deal I discussed. It is about keeping a cool head and holding your tongue even when you want to, and can, and should, tear someone apart. Business is not what Donald Trump makes it seem like on the apprentice where everyone is fired and suck my balls. Even though it's hilarious.

Effectively conducting business is operating an intricate network of assets that you shouldn't break.

I will hit on this tonight.

Continuing in reference to this POST

He agreed to my proposal... Said where do I sign... THEN became the kind of jackass I would NEVER do business with.

Thankfully there was nothing to sign that day. I said we will have to have a subsequent meeting to hammer out the exact performance metrics he needs to hit in order to receive his stock issuance. He said OK lets meet soon. I agreed, I was going out of town on a ski trip to Canada and wanted to get it hammered out BEFORE I left so that he could begin laying groundwork.

I shot him an email the following day... When do you want to meet?... Crickets...

I called him the next day... Left Message... When do you want to meet? Call me back... Nothing

This goes on for about a week. I get an email. A bunch of questions about the numbers of the new company. A little bit of jackassery that rubbed me the wrong way, but I humored him and answered his questions... Again asked WHEN DO YOU WANT TO MEET?

He thanks me for answering the questions and doesn't answer my question.
At this point I call my lobbyist who hooked me up with this prick. Will you get this guy to answer my question? You know him better maybe he is just a big pussy.

Lobbyist proceeds calling, emailing and texting this a**hole while I am in Canada... Nothing. He even called this guy's assistant and asked if he was in the hospital or something... He wasn't. In fact his stupid democrat a$$ was on twitter talking about how great Meryl Streep is. My lobbyist is PISSED. Im PISSED. This a**hole voiced interest in our offer. It was an extremely generous offer and at this point in time it was 19 days since we heard from him.

The following was his last chance... I sent it to him, basically to say, we understand it was the holidays, but this crap absolutely can not happen again.

(Jackass Name,)

(lobbyist) and I have made extraordinary efforts to get ahold of you, due to your potential value to our company, expressed interest and likelihood of success on both discussed projects we have carried on trying to get ahold of you much longer than we would typically.


As I am sure you can understand, we absolutely can’t have a partner who does not communicate with us, and the amazing value that you could provide is mitigated if this becomes a pattern.


We are simply trying to set up a meeting to hammer out the details of an agreement with you. We always conduct business in a mutually advantageous manner and we planned on dispelling any concerns you might with concessions and annotations in writing, making sure you were 100% comfortable working together.


Being that this is a very large potential opportunity for both of us and that you are unparalleled in the expertise and connections to get all of us across the finish line, I would like to give one last chance to reach out and arrange a meeting with us to get the ball rolling. You have voiced interest in this project to (lobbyist) and myself. If you are actually interested in our generous offer, we need to hear from you ASAP because we are going to begin seeking alternative representation today.


Thank you (jackass), I look forward to hearing from you.
​

Finally a response after that one... 3 weeks since he agreed to work together.:

My proposal to serve you is - to be retained and compensated on a monthly basis with an agreement to be retained for the life of any contracts obtained.

My standard consulting fee starts at $5k a month, with a $5 - $10k initial retainer.

I am willing to adjust this to a $2,500 retainer, with $2,500 a month until a contract is signed, and then it would be adjusted to $5k a month for the life of the contract. For each new contract signed thereafter, I would receive an additional $2,500 a month for the life of each new contract. At the point that at least five contracts have been successfully achieved, I would be willing to consider your original offer of 20% ownership of the company.​

Absolutely HILARIOUS. I am no longer interested in doing ANY business with him. This incoherent grasp at money after the least impressive performance of someone trying to win a job I have ever experienced in my life had me DREAMING of what to say next...

-Sorry, but I'm not currently in the market for a $200k per year disappearing act.
-Your house is worth less than you want to get out of me per year.
-You have never made that kind of money in your life.
-Your skillset is so narrow that only I can turn your bullshit into money and you aren't worth 1/10 of what you have requested.
-I should have trusted my gut about hiring a loser democrat.
-I even considered telling him how interested I was in the proposal only to wait a month to tell him my counter proposal is $100 per month..
Etc..

My actual response to him:

I am sorry, but I am unable to come to those terms. I truly appreciate your reply today and your honest feedback.

If I can ever be of any networking help, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Best Regards,
​

Why? Don't make enemies for the sake of being right. He deserved to get ripped to shreds, but I don't want to start a fight that could damage my reputation. The fight would gain me precisely nothing.

Don't EVER break. Don't EVER show your cards. Don't EVER lose control. Keep your eyes on the prize and don't let peasant pricks like this guy distract you.

 

[rpeck90]

I asked @Kak this in a PM, and he said to post it in the forum. Here's my question.

I am trying to build a web design business and through my work there is a chance to build a website for a multi-millionaire. The extent I know the guy is that we have spoken shortly a few times, made some jokes and he knows my name.

His website isn't bad but it could be improved in an optimization/conversion sense. If I somehow landed this job, it could potentially lead to a lot of big clients since he knows all of the big players.

I thought of approaching him by simply asking him if he ever thought about updating the website. Getting him thinking about possible competitors in the future. Then saying I could create a few sample designs and talk about what I can improve upon. I want to be careful though not to blow this opportunity which is why I didn't approach him before christmas.

The other way i thought of approaching him was doing some research and just trying to provide him some value upfront with some sort of market/business analysis (not sure what yet). And talking about improving the brand of his business.

The only problem is.. he has a corner on the market and has very little competition. So he doesn't need to do anything and the money will still roll in. Also, the website probably would not help much in conversions.

The other problem is that he knows the position I am coming from. So why would he hire the little guy.. with no portfolio..

What I know about him. He loves spending money, doesn't necessarily need more money and he is pretty anal about neatness. Despite my lack of experience, I believe I can add value. Also, I have a cousin in the same business i can consult if I need professional advice/opinions.

So.. what do you think I should do? I will maybe see him again in a few weeks.

With wealthy guys, I have found the best way is to remain courteous and basically ignore their money. They're getting probably 10+ emails per week from Indian web design firms, they don't need you telling them what to do.

If you stick around, providing him with genuine information / results, he'll eventually start to get interested. Even when you hit this point, you should not approach him about his site, just keep doing your own thing. There will usually be an opening / opportunity which you'll be able to brace him on at some point in the future. Maybe Google does another update, or a large deal arises which you need his advice on. Either way, this is how you'll end up getting in his "someone worth dealing with" group, to which he'll probably start asking specific questions about what you do etc - that's when he'll start to get interested in his site.

I'm in the UK so this might be different to the US.

 

[jon.a]

Why did you clutter up this thread, rather than starting your own?

I asked @Kak this in a PM, and he said to post it in the forum. Here's my question.

I am trying to build a web design business and through my work there is a chance to build a website for a multi-millionaire. The extent I know the guy is that we have spoken shortly a few times, made some jokes and he knows my name.

His website isn't bad but it could be improved in an optimization/conversion sense. If I somehow landed this job, it could potentially lead to a lot of big clients since he knows all of the big players.

I thought of approaching him by simply asking him if he ever thought about updating the website. Getting him thinking about possible competitors in the future. Then saying I could create a few sample designs and talk about what I can improve upon. I want to be careful though not to blow this opportunity which is why I didn't approach him before christmas.

The other way i thought of approaching him was doing some research and just trying to provide him some value upfront with some sort of market/business analysis (not sure what yet). And talking about improving the brand of his business.

The only problem is.. he has a corner on the market and has very little competition. So he doesn't need to do anything and the money will still roll in. Also, the website probably would not help much in conversions.

The other problem is that he knows the position I am coming from. So why would he hire the little guy.. with no portfolio..

What I know about him. He loves spending money, doesn't necessarily need more money and he is pretty anal about neatness. Despite my lack of experience, I believe I can add value. Also, I have a cousin in the same business i can consult if I need professional advice/opinions.

So.. what do you think I should do? I will maybe see him again in a few weeks.

 

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[Jake Studebaker]

Hey guys, I have been extremely busy the last several months. As usual. Sorry that's such a pattern. It has definitely been an incredible learning experience. I know @Vigilante is privy to some of the details of this time away... I decided it would be a huge shame not to use what I have learned to help some of you. I also plan to do what I can to stick with this although the companies suck up a major portion of my time.

First of all, I got married back in April to a wonderful woman and I am thrilled I got her. She is amazing, I love her very much and I am extremely happy I married her. So to those of you who think you can't have a successful business and a wife or family are wrong, you just have to be deliberate and make sure you create systems that allow you to spend time away from the business. Its worth it. No judging here, just don't let entrepreneurship stop you from pursuing a rewarding relationship if it is something you are interested in.

Now on to the business stuff... I am convinced that we all will be humbled at some point. The fortunate part is it is probably one of the largest stepping stones to the success there is. I can't believe the shaky foundations I have tried to build on in the past viewing from where I stand now. I have gone through so many times in my life where I felt like I couldn't lose. Like I had the world by the balls. Sometimes you need the world to kick your a$$ to realize something better might be out there.

The following few stories I'm going to share show how being diligent in hard times is so important. I will start with part of the first story on this post.

Ok. I have been attempting to source raw materials for very large companies. Companies you would know. This had initially been a project I took on for fun because I saw some opportunity. I eventually found demand for something huge and went after it. It took over a year to find this particular product. I worked and worked. Through supplier after supplier. Country after country. I must have had the same discussion with 1000 different potential suppliers. I have spent thousands of dollars on samples that didn't pan out. Plane tickets to meetings that didn't pan out. Shit wasn't going right. I wanted to quit because this sourcing crap didn't even matter, I was making money elsewhere, but I decided a long time ago that if "its too hard" is my reason I will not quit. I refuse to be a pussy.

Finally, after all of that blood, sweat and tears, I found the material in China, at a price where I could make an ongoing mid six figures per month. I thought the blood sweat and tears were over. This was by far the biggest kind of deal I had ever done. It was amazing and exciting. I sailed through the process of sending samples and supporting documents to potential customers. Doing my best to look like a way bigger company than I am. Finally, One bit. Hard. Within about a month I had money being put into a letter of credit for the first of what would be 6-10 similar transactions per month. It was there. Way more income than I have ever had in my life was sitting in limbo. It was a side project about to blow past my other businesses. It was sitting there ready for me to transfer just a fraction out to my supplier. That fraction happened to be about 100k by the way. The remaining chunk would be mine when the LOC cleared.

Wells Fargo made the transfer a pain, every step of the way they would need some other bs for me to create. I ended up on my honeymoon during this deal because it took a few weeks to get this done. My wife being the awesome chick she is was supportive and found it hilarious when I needed to get a document notarized in Cabo. We went to like 7 places before one just took 20 bucks to stamp my document. Finally I was in compliance with all of the regulatory crap. Honestly it probably wasn't because the Mexican notary may have just been a guy with a stamp. Whatever, now I can relax and look at million dollar vacation homes and have fun on my honeymoon because big money is on the way. Back at home I got confirmation from Wells that the transfer was a success and the credit was now offered to my supplier. I was excited to tell them that evening, but evidently they already knew. The supplier we had been in discussions with for months, who supplied a rock solid sample was completely unreachable. Their website gone. Phones disconnected. Email bouncing. Son of a bitch...

I will continue this later, I'm going to sleep.

Wait, wait, wait, let me make sure I understand this. You had all the work done, the bank had approved everything, all of this done before the actual transaction. Then when gametime came your supplier just vanished? Just dropped off the face of the earth? Did they not know you were going to buy or something? I can't imagine someone just fading into obscuity with a large deal right in front of them. Any clue what happened???

 

[Vigilante]

Wait, wait, wait, let me make sure I understand this. You had all the work done, the bank had approved everything, all of this done before the actual transaction. Then when gametime came your supplier just vanished? Just dropped off the face of the earth? Did they not know you were going to buy or something? I can't imagine someone just fading into obscuity with a large deal right in front of them. Any clue what happened???

You missed the entire story. Read it again.

 

[Jake Studebaker]

You missed the entire story. Read it again.

Call me stupid, but I still don't see what I missed. The last line says that the supplier became unreachable.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

but I still don't see what I missed.

The moral of the story is don't be tweeting crap in support of Meryl Streep!

 

[Vigilante]

Call me stupid, but I still don't see what I missed. The last line says that the supplier became unreachable.

... after they thought they had secured an irrevocable wire transfer.

 

[Kak]

The moral of the story is don't be tweeting crap in support of Meryl Streep!

Really this sums up all of the lessons in this entire thread.

 

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[Ronak]

In fact his stupid democrat a$$ was

I should have trusted my gut about hiring a loser democrat.

I just love how the two statements above are actual definitions of the person described without having to be insults...

He is a member of the donkey party who lost an election, making him, quite literally, a loser democrat a$$

 

[Kak]

I just love how the two statements above are actual definitions of the person described without having to be insults...

He is a member of the donkey party who lost an election, making him, quite literally, a loser democrat a$$

The mindset that is required to be a Democrat is not a mindset I really want in my organization except under special circumstances. This potentially being one of them.

Entitled, pain in the a$$, lazy, loser, theives... Democrat is the ultimate word for jackass.

 

[G-Man]

The mindset that is required to be a Democrat is not a mindset I really want in my organization except under special circumstances. This potentially being one of them.

I hate it, but have to agree. I don't want people that look to outside sources to solve their problems above me, under me, or especially in the trenches next to me. Would totally let one babysit my kid or be nice to people in an old folks home, though.

 

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[Ronak]

Im not sure I understand...

If the goods become mine in China, and I bring in my own reputable transportation, standing right in front of them while they load it, I see zero risk.

The inspections can only be trusted as much as you would trust an inspection company in China... At the volumes we are talking they are absolutely susceptible to 6 figure bribes. How many 15k per year Chinese inspectors do you think would decline a 200k briefcase full of money to let a shipment slide? I bet a good percentage would skip town.

The point is, when you are dealing with enough money to change someones life in each and every transaction... You are a lot more exposed to this kind of once-and-done rip off artistry.

In person transactions until net terms could take over and trust is achieved is the only thing I can think of to mitigate the risk in China on deals this large.

Heck, they'd probably do it for tenth of that money!

I think it's a no-brainer to do the transaction in person, considering the cost of both inspections could run $500-1000, and a flight ticket is not much more. I've made the trip for much smaller issues with much smaller numbers involved and would absolutely do it for something this large, eventually shifting to net terms.

 

[Kak]

I hate it, but have to agree. I don't want people that look to outside sources to solve their problems above me, under me, or especially in the trenches next to me. Would totally let one babysit my kid or be nice to people in an old folks home, though.

Exactly. These individuals have a severe external locus of control. The world controls them, they just live in it. They are full of excuses (perfect example in my post "breakdown of communication"). They think everyone at the top got lucky.

It's literally the mindset of a loser and I can not respect it.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Guys, get off the politics. We've all had our side-swipes but now it is veering into a full-fledged tangential discussion.

Back to the topic puhleez.

 

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[G-Man]

Guys, get off the politics. We've all had our side-swipes but now it is veering into a full-fledged side topic.

Back to the topic puhleez.

Sorry. Sometimes it's too tempting to bitch.

and back on topic....

 

[TKDTyler]

Hey Kak,

Question: Being someone who is also under 30, I am curious to your thoughts on allocating your time between growth of your business vs building relationships (both business and personal)? I believe laser sharp focus is key to quick growth and success in business, but for the long term, those relationships, such as the one you were looking to build with the jackass, can prove to be very beneficial.

In your experiences, has the sacrifice been worth it for the long term effects of those relationships?

Moving forward into your 30's, I'm guessing that you may want a family if you don't have one already. Do you see that affecting your focus at all in terms of your businesses?

 

[Shamrox]

Hey Kak,

Question: Being someone who is also under 30, I am curious to your thoughts on allocating your time between growth of your business vs building relationships (both business and personal)? I believe laser sharp focus is key to quick growth and success in business, but for the long term, those relationships, such as the one you were looking to build with the jackass, can prove to be very beneficial.

In your experiences, has the sacrifice been worth it for the long term effects of those relationships?

Moving forward into your 30's, I'm guessing that you may want a family if you don't have one already. Do you see that affecting your focus at all in terms of your businesses?

Greetings form the Emerald Isle,

First of all I would like to congratulate you on your marriage, Kak. Comhghairdeas. May your marriage be as successful as your business ventures! Second of all, many thanks for the inspiration, motivation and education. This post is like a flaming cocktail, only with more fire.

I second the above comment and await with bated breath. I already have an amazing young family and am about to hit 30. But after reading the book I was blown away (oh if only I had found it in my early 20's) and have had about 30 different ideas of how to shift to the fast lane. Three of those ideas are solid and I've already decided to grab life by the balls and run with the best of those three, for now. I have secured finance from the government and hired a developer to create the web subscription service, which will be the money pot. I know I can multiply the finance I received x 10 in the first year, easy.

If I looked at the kind of finance I've received a year ago I would have thought it was a lot of money (it's only 5 figures). Now I look at it and it is buttons, and this is before I have made any significant income. It really is a lot to do with mindset, perception and confidence. All of which I have found in abundance, here and in the book. The important thing is what you DO with those things. You don't just sit and stare at that cocktail. You drink it, and while it's still hot too!

My family is everything to me and they will always come first. Can I make a shift to fast lane despite, what some would consider, these limitations?

Bloody right I can, because I KNOW I can! And two years from now I will have more than enough numbers to prove it.

Rather than limit me, my family are one of the more powerful sources of my drive and passion. Sure, I can't make the shift quite as fast or as freely as someone younger, but that's not to say it can't be done in a relatively short time.

Still, I look forward to hearing what wisdom is to be shared on the subject of relationships, focus, etc.

Cheers,
Paddy

 

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[Kak]

Hey Kak,

Question: Being someone who is also under 30, I am curious to your thoughts on allocating your time between growth of your business vs building relationships (both business and personal)? I believe laser sharp focus is key to quick growth and success in business, but for the long term, those relationships, such as the one you were looking to build with the jackass, can prove to be very beneficial.

In your experiences, has the sacrifice been worth it for the long term effects of those relationships?

Moving forward into your 30's, I'm guessing that you may want a family if you don't have one already. Do you see that affecting your focus at all in terms of your businesses?

Good question.

I have been able to have an awesome marriage where we get to spend more time together than an average couple AND an aggressive entrepreneur. Why? Because when I start any business I think scale from the foundation up, scale involving automation, outsourcing, or delegation affords you your time back. You have achieved scale when the difference between a $600 order and a $60,000 order are the numbers and not much else.

I have NEVER subscribed to the no wife, no kids, no family mentality as a necessity to entrepreneurship. That mentality is a bullshit distraction, an action fake for someone who isn't married and an excuse for someone who is.

The beautiful part about all of this is I could easily start another if the opportunity presented itself. I don't really have to work more than a couple of hours a day on average to make this all work. I took 10 days off at the beginning of this month to go skiing. I probably answered 6 phone calls and 10 emails. The businesses kept progressing without me. Yes I travel for work sometimes, I usually offer to bring her. Yes I spend time in the office. So what? I do what needs to be done. My wife and eventually kids will absolutely come before my businesses, but it never becomes a problem because I make the time.

Now as far as business relationships are concerned, I put them in my phone. If I am not willing to reach out and call that individual, they are not a connection. I make a concerted effort to do favors for others, help people with their networking needs, not really expecting anything in return. This makes a difference in the accessibility of your network. If one day you do have a question to ask they will take your call. You aren't just this guy they met, you are the guy that helped them with X, Y or Z.

Personal relationships beyond family... They MUST be with people you respect. I don't waste time developing relationships with people I don't respect. You become like the people you spend the most time around. Choose to spend your time around awesome people, not losers.

 

[TKDTyler]

Good question.

I have been able to have an awesome marriage where we get to spend more time together than an average couple AND an aggressive entrepreneur. Why? Because when I start any business I think scale from the foundation up, scale involving automation, outsourcing, or delegation affords you your time back. You have achieved scale when the difference between a $600 order and a $60,000 order are the numbers and not much else.

I have NEVER subscribed to the no wife, no kids, no family mentality as a necessity to entrepreneurship. That mentality is a bullshit distraction, an action fake for someone who isn't married and an excuse for someone who is.

The beautiful part about all of this is I could easily start another if the opportunity presented itself. I don't really have to work more than a couple of hours a day on average to make this all work. I took 10 days off at the beginning of this month to go skiing. I probably answered 6 phone calls and 10 emails. The businesses kept progressing without me. Yes I travel for work sometimes, I usually offer to bring her. Yes I spend time in the office. So what? I do what needs to be done. My wife and eventually kids will absolutely come before my businesses, but it never becomes a problem because I make the time.

Now as far as business relationships are concerned... This whole linkedin crap is nonsense in my opinion. I put my business relationships in my phone. If I am not willing to reach out and call that individual, they are not a connection. I make a concerted effort to do favors for others, help people with their networking needs, not really expecting anything in return. This makes a difference in the accessibility of your network, if one day you do have a question to ask they will take your call. You aren't just this guy they met, you are the guy that helped them with X, Y or Z.

Personal relationships beyond family... They MUST be with people you respect. I don't waste time developing relationships with people I don't respect. You become like the people you spend the most time around. Choose to spend your time around awesome people, not losers.

Makes a lot of sense. I am beginning to think in terms of scale as well with my eCommerce stuff. Namely prep facilities to do quality checking/inspection instead of myself for large orders. Saves warehouse spacing (Bay area rent is stupid) and my time.

It's great that you have that time with your family now. I'm single, but I hope to be in the same situation when I get more serious about having a family and relationship.

I have had some other business mentors tell me to focus on my business first and find a relationship later. But I am internally conflicted on that one to be honest.

In the early stages of your relationship/entrepreneurship, did you find either strain your time on each other? I know a lot of my entrepreneurial friends' relationships failed because of the initial grind and hustle devoted to growing the business. For those that aren't in a long term relationship, I can see how this could be bothersome for the other person. (Of course you should find someone who understands your ambition and supports you to succeed)

 

[Kak]

Makes a lot of sense. I am beginning to think in terms of scale as well with my eCommerce stuff. Namely prep facilities to do quality checking/inspection instead of myself for large orders. Saves warehouse spacing (Bay area rent is stupid) and my time.

It's great that you have that time with your family now. I'm single, but I hope to be in the same situation when I get more serious about having a family and relationship.

I have had some other business mentors tell me to focus on my business first and find a relationship later. But I am internally conflicted on that one to be honest.

In the early stages of your relationship/entrepreneurship, did you find either strain your time on each other? I know a lot of my entrepreneurial friends' relationships failed because of the initial grind and hustle devoted to growing the business. For those that aren't in a long term relationship, I can see how this could be bothersome for the other person. (Of course you should find someone who understands your ambition and supports you to succeed)

To be quite honest, the initial "grind" was never an issue for me. There wasn't/isn't much of one. My experience has been the opposite, often even a waiting game.

I talk to my team in terms of balls in court or irons in fire. It is always a daily goal to keep from being the bottleneck in a deal. Anything anyone needs back they get back right away. Whenever the balls are in our court we throw it back to them as soon as possible.

And yes, find someone who gets it, obviously. Whether the one is the one is only a question you can answer. My wife, who has a business degree and a small business of her own, understands and has been a help to me on numerous occasions. I likewise, helped her outsource, delegate and fix processes. When we met she was 100% trading her time for money in her business. The point is, we are a team and stronger together.

I wouldn't be conflicted... If you meet the right person... Make both happen.

 

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[applesack]

Now as far as business relationships are concerned... This whole linkedin crap is nonsense in my opinion. I put my business relationships in my phone. If I am not willing to reach out and call that individual, they are not a connection. I make a concerted effort to [...] help people ... [which] makes a difference in the accessibility of your network, if one day I do have a question to ask they will take [my] call. [...since I am] the guy that helped them with X, Y or Z. Personal relationships [...] MUST be with people you respect. [...] Choose to spend your time around awesome people

Absolutely correct. Holy crap... that could be developed into a book.

 

[Kak]

Absolutely correct. Holy crap... that could be developed into a book.

Networking is very important. Your quality of your influence is pretty much proportional to your network. Your immediate connections, basically friends are actually less valuable because you operate inside of a knowledge/help bubble that includes them. The somewhat more distant yet friendly connections are the ones that can really pivot a business opportunity. Why? because they know crap you don't.

ALWAYS try to maintain your the connections you consider valuable. It is, however, far easier said than done.