Would really appreciate your advice.

[peace750]

Hi,

I'm a 40 year old working a 9-5 job and I'm at a point in my life now that I really want to start on my own.

I'm a father to a one year old and for the past year or so I've been desperate to start doing something online in order to start making money and eventually quit my job.

The problem, in the past, has always been making the start. I just didn't know what I should pursue.

But now I've been seriously thinking about doing two things :

1. Starting an online blog.
2. Learning and starting copywriting.

I would really appreciate it if you guys could help me with the following:

1. Is 40 a bit too old to learn about blogging and copywriting and to start making a living online?

2. I don't know if I write well so obviously there is a bit of self doubt.

3. I am prepared to learn. I have a few ideas/topics that I have an interest in so I don't mind blogging on these. With the right learning is it still possible to earn about $1000 a month via blogging after a year in 2020. Or is making money via blogging a thing of the past?

4. Similarly, with copywriting, I am prepared to read books and learn about copywriting. I will start small via freelance sites. Is it possible to make five figures with freelance copywriting?


Would love your advice on the above. I agree that it's better to take action rather than mull over everything but I don't know if it's still possible to make enough money with the above so I can quit my job. That's what I want to do.

Thanks

 

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[Primeperiwinkle]

Hello and welcome to the forum. This might come across harsh but I mean it with a great deal of tenderness.( It’s not easy to be raised and educated as a sheep and then to transform miraculously into a Shepherd all in one day.)

Have you had a chance to read either of the books?

I know this probably isn’t what you want to hear but your questions are revealing more to us than you intend.

Your questions are from The Matrix. They are Neo’s, before he takes the pill. They are “Am I allowed to?” questions and “Does a future where I’m not a sheep even exist?” questions. You are and it does but I don’t know if just us saying so will be enough to make you believe.

You don’t know that you aren’t a leader - a person who takes on responsibility- so you’re asking others to lead you.

I don’t think you’ll make money at anything until many, many more paradigms you have are broken.

The short answer you were hoping for is .. yes. You can make money at copywriting and blogging.

The long answer is that.. unless you’re willing to start, fail, self-correct, complete, fail, change plans, and fail again.. all on your own without someone constantly encouraging you.. you’ll never find out how to succeed.

 

[RazorCut]

Hi @peace750

Take this as some tough love....

No disrespects but you come here occasionally and ask if X would be possible or if being Y is too old to do Z.

These questions have been rolling in since 2015 and yet it seems you have never taken action on anything?

You could have learnt to code when you asked that question back in 2015 and be an extremely accomplished coder now earning 6 figures a year.

You could have been a highly successful seller on Amazon and eBay back in 2016 (when I was actually getting out of importing and selling full time on those sales channels) when you asked about that avenue of business.

It's now mid 2020 and you are asking about blogging and copywriting? What have you achieved in the past 5 years? Ask yourself where you would have been if you had taken action back in 2015 or 2016.

NOW ask yourself how you will feel when you return here in 2024 having yet again not taken action on anything and just become 4 years older.

It doesn't make any odds what you pursue as long as you do it long enough to learn, gain experience and master. You can still make money coding. You can still make money selling on eBay and Amazon. You can still make money blogging and copywriting. The only difference is lots of other people have started doing just those same things back when you first thought about them so there is more competition and they have far more experience now.

But that shouldn't stop you. There is still room in all of those niches and a myriad more. If you can't do it for yourself do it for the future of your 1 year old.

I would first research just why taking action totally alludes you. Uncover the root of that issue and lay it to rest. Then pick a subject and fail forward, learning as you go.

 

[sparechange]

Tough situation, must be tough having to provide for a child.

3 things are wrong with your thinking, #1 ''making money'' as entrepreneurs we don't ''make'' money we provide value and are compensated for value, real value or skewed value.

#2 copy writing sucks and everyone is doing it along with their grandma, and dog, heck I think I saw a monkey doing copy the other day

#3 noone cares or needs another blog, have you not heard MJ talk about how stupid blogs are?

If you want to start increasing your income right now the ''easiest'' emphasis on the quotes would be to start selling some products, what products? Hell if I know, that's your job to figure out, I'd guess since you have 2 full time jobs (being a dad & having a job) The most optimal business would be product based imo.

If you have no idea what you are doing, you could look into affiliate marketing where you are selling other peoples products and collecting a commission

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMznR2aelGM
If you want to learn the gist of it.

While it's a small minority of people that earn a real income from affilate stuff, it's more about learning how to sell.

 

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[Anon79341]

I think this could be useful

If you want to start a business, don't think about starting a business. Don't think about growing a business. Just find somebody who needs help and then go and help them. You don't have to be an expert. He's an electrician. He assumed because I was in IT that I would be able to help him.

If I hadn't got beyond the "programming" in school, I might have said, "Well I better go on a course and learn how to create websites, a five day course. I probably should create a business card for my own business -- whatever that is. Probably should learn logo design and all that kind of stuff."

No. It's a lot simpler than that. Just help people. Help people. Everything else falls into place.

 

[Andy Black]

What’s your 9-5?

What skill is currently keeping a roof over your head?


Congrats on becoming a dad. Here’s a few lines I like about being a dad:

“Your job as a dad is to be the man you want your sons to grow up to be.” (Craig DeSorcey)

“If you don’t figure it out, you leave it up to your kids to do so.” (Craig DeSorcey)

What person would you want your child to be at 40? Be that person - now.

Forget the past. Do it now.


As @sparechange said already, entrepreneurs don’t make money, they earn it. Business is simple: Add value. Get paid.

What can you do to earn $100 this coming week?

Who can you help this coming week?

 

[Walter Hay]

Persistence pays.

Walter

 

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[Sean P]

If you search for "income reports" on Google you will get hundreds of results of blog posts describing details of bloggers' incomes. Not only can you understand how to earn from blogs, but you can also get to read the blogger's journey somewhere on the blogs, in separate posts or on the "about me" page.

Start by spending a day or two browsing income posts and about pages so as to get an idea of what is possible and how much you can earn. It will also motivate you and give you more ideas.

Did I mention that you'll come across quite a few bloggers who are not just above 40 but way beyond, and those who earn much more than $1000 per month!

In order to help you choose between copywriting and blogging, given below are some important differences between the two:

Once you create a blog and start earning, it becomes passive income - you can literally earn while you sleep! Once you receive traffic to your blog and monetize it, you only have to keep adding posts on a schedule. The posts that have been published will stay there forever, and continue to earn for you.

If I am making it sound too easy, it's not.

You will need to work really hard on your blog before you start getting traffic and the traffic converts to any meaningful earnings. But it is possible that after 6 to 8 months you may start seeing some income from your efforts.

The problem is, most new bloggers give up much before that.

The hard work involves creating unique, useful posts, SEO optimization and blog promotion. Throw in a fair bit of social media promotion and community participation on others' blogs and forums.

Now the fun part - as a blogger you will be your own boss! You need to be careful with that though, by not being too lenient a boss. A very common mistake.

Copywriting has a learning curve but once you get the hang of it, it is hugely rewarding. Good copywriters are in high demand, and get paid 5 and 6 figures once they build up their reputation.

Yes, it takes time to build credibility, and is not going to happen very soon. Moreover, although you might like to call yourself independent as a freelancer, you will be answerable to those who place orders with you. They will be constantly breathing down your neck, on Skype, Telegram, Messenger etc.

You can choose between the two, but you will find your work cut out in either case.

There are free and paid resources to learn both, the free ones being enough for someone who has the need but may not want to spend money.

Now, if you are prone to taking time to decide or act, or abhor hard work, I would advise you to stick to a 9 to 5 job however tough it might be. Online income is just not as easy as it seems, and there is no guarantee of success.

Heck, there is no guarantee of earnings either even after doing a lot of work. You need to get a lot of things right. Besides, there are quite a few variables to take into account in both fields, tough competition being just one.

Truth be told, it's much tougher than doing a 9 to 5 job. In fact what you have now may be much easier to do coming to think of it - all with fixed income at the end of each week or month, fixed hours, free weekends, paid leave, benefits etc.

Decide carefully, and choose wisely - once and for all. Lastly, do not think of leaving your job before you start earning the equivalent of your salary from your new hustle for at least 2-3 months.

 

[Andy Black]

@Lex DeVille? What resources do you know of that may help with blogging?

 

[peace750]

Many thanks guys for your brilliant advice.

Definitely appreciate the "take action and start doing" advice.

I'm now more determined than ever and you guys have given me invaluable advice.

I'm definitely wanting to do both copywriting and blogging. I'm under no illusion that it might take months to see any sort of income but I am genuinely willing to learn about SEO, blogging, writing persuasive copy etc and will start doing this now.

I was just worried thinking that making money via blogging was a thing of the past and just wanted reassurance that even in 2020 one could make money via blogging.

As for copywriting, well I've always enjoyed writing but just need to learn about copywriting. Ultimate goal is to make a good income with copywriting.

I'm prepared to put in the hard work. I just didn't want to pursue copywriting and blogging if it wasn't possible to make five or six fugures after 6 months to a year, which is what I want to achieve.

 

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