Starting with little...My Story
 

“Imagine this... you are out of work, have no money coming in whatsoever and cannot get any on credit cards or in any other way. You are too proud to go on welfare, have no products to sell, no customer list, refuse to get money selling your body for sex, refuse to get a job working for someone else for a wage and you refuse to sell any of your possessions. Knowing what you know now, who you know now and having the resources you currently have at your disposal, what would you do to get yourself back on your feet before you ran out of money?
You only have $1,000 left.”
Has anybody been able to solve this one?
====================================

For some of you this example would be a simulation. For me it was a reality! I actually started of with far less than $1000.
I had no job (my contract was up) and the credit cards were maxed. I needed to make cash quickly. My original goal was to make $100 CASH in 48 hrs.

So I began my search…

1) There were a couple of companies in the local newspaper that would pay you cash $50 to attend a product testing, Some medical companies would pay you over $100 for them to perform “tests” on your body…OUCH!!

2) I mind mapped a bundle of ideas eg. Buy and sell, information products, hotsheets, services, sell door to door etc. etc.

3) I then went to a couple of websites of that Gordon had mentioned Don Alms and Jim Straws. While I could not afford to purchase any of Jim or Don’s programs… I was able to gleam some very useful information from the FREE reports on Don Alms site…

It was about 3:30 AM by the time I had finished OVERLOADING myself with IDEAS, concepts etc. etc.

DUANE HITS THE BALL!!!

I looked at all of the ideas, however I felt a lot of them required me to have some experience or skill before I actually made money. As I looked out my window and the snow was coming down Heavliy. Oh no I would have to shovel the driveway later on today……EUREKA! EUREKA!

There would be an entire neighborhood of people that would need their driveways shoveled, while they were at work.

Based on my own driveway, I knew it would take me 20 minutes per driveway. I could easily do about 7 driveways which would take me about 2.5 hours. BUT I could NOT go KNOCKING on doors at that hour in the morning.

Soooh, I wrote up an advertisement as follows:

TIRED OF SHOVELLING SNOW?

RELAX while we do ALL the work TODAY!!

We will be shoveling driveways for XXXX ROAD residents TODAY!! TUESDAY DECEMBER 12th between the hours of 10am and 4:00pm

We will shovel your driveway for a charge of only $15

Or,

We will do THE WHOLE THING! Your driveway, sidewalk and YES your walkway for only $20

If you would like to RELAX while we WORK just tape this sheet of paper to the top of your door. We will see the paper and know that you'd like your driveway shoveled.

Or if you prefer,

Page Dwayne #123-4567 and leave me a message with your house number.
The next day, I will come around and collect the $15 or $20

“Let’s face it you have better things to do with your time.”

Happy Holidays!

Dwayne (Mr. Shovel) Adolph

PS

I live on XXX Road, so YOU MAY recognize me when you see me! :->
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please Check one of the following boxes AND WRITE YOUR NAME in the blank.

” DWAYNE, I AM TIRED OF THE COLD! PLEASE SHOVEL MY DRIVEWAY FOR $15. I HAVE MOVED ALL VEHICLES OUT OF YOUR WAY AND I WILL PAY YOU TOMORROW

” DWAYNE , I WANT TO RELAX! PLEASE DO THE DRIVEWAY, WALKWAY AND SIDEWALK FOR $20. I WILL PAY YOU TOMORROW

Please ask for _________________________________ (please enter your name) when you arrive tomorrow.
==================================

I completed this letter at around 5am in the morning. I need to catch everybody BEFORE THEY WENT to work. I went around my block and delivered my HOTSHEET to about 80 out of the 150 house. I printed the flyer on fluorescent PINK paper which I had, and placed write in front of the door of the houses.

I could hardly deliver the flyer, the snow was TOO DEEP and It was about –18 degrees Celsius. ( I LOVE CANADA )

Little did I realize that this would be the WORST SNOW STORM OF THE WINTER SEASON

…. TO BE CONTINUED….

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!!!

Re: Starting with little...My Story
 

Hi Duane,

What a great story to kick off the new year!

It shows you have guts, determination, and the will to follow through....

I can't wait to hear what happens next! :)

- Dien

What a great IDEA! Shoveling driveways in...
 

Southern California! Gotta be a winner!

No, Dwayne, I am NOT attempting to diminish your creativity or the effort you go to to accomplish your goal. You have hit upon one of the winners in your part of the country.

But, if you or anyone else watched the Rose Bowl game yesterday, you can see that your idea is a bit thin in my neck of the woods.

So, now I am trying to figure out how to apply the same principles to SoCal. AND, by doing so, the type of info product that can be sold in the local newspapers.

I think you have done a great job of finding an emergency cash cow. I am assuming Part II has you hiring kids to take complete control of the entire town's driveways and Part III has you taking over the city's streets...

Well done!

Here's 2 more.....
 

Thanks for the kind words Dwayne. I have benefited greatly from the experiences of others and I enjoy relating my own...here's 2 more...1 aligned to your "snow" program and one for "non-snow" areas;

1) Many years ago I went on a ski trip to Aspen, CO and after 2 days my buddy and I decided we'd stay for 3 weeks longer...only problem was, we were almost out of cash and maxed out on our cards so...as we were sitting at the bar looking out over this beautiful town in the mountains (with oodles of ski-bunnies everywhere)...we noticed it was snowing again. The tar-bender said it was going to be a "big dump".

Just then, as I was looking at all the WHITE ROOFS, I got an idea; I asked the tar-bender if the snow will continue to build-up on the roofs. He said, "You bet! And if those folks don't get that stuff off...some of them will possibly lose their roofs.

I asked him if he knew if there were any shovels or brooms in the building. We were staying at the Continental Inn and he showed us where all the maintenance equip was.

We then went down to the lobby and asked the asst manager if we could shovel the roof for an extra few days lodging. He agreed...in fact, because it kept snowing, we were able to get free lodging AND food for the next 3 weeks (Till New Years Day)

We had a few problems like getting the proper gear (shoes and gloves and heavier coats) which we finagled...plus, roofs are no picnic to shovel. You could fall off and die!

We figured out a way to do it and spent every other day knocking on doors asking if they'd like their roof shoveled for $50. (The other days we skied)

We only took the "easy" jobs...no 3 story jobs...and were able to do 6 a day for $300 cash in our pockets. We were young and in shape and I wouldn't suggest it as a livilihood but we did have a terrific time those weeks.

2) Some years ago a friend called me one evening and said he was on his "last legs". He'd been out
of a job for 3 months and was down to his last few dollars. I told him to meet me for coffee the next morn.

He met me and I told him what I had in mind;
We were going to "offer a Mobile Car Wash & Detail " Service to Real Estate offices.

I figured realtors made their living taking prospective home buyers around in their cars and they NEEDED to have their vehicles CLEAN!

I had a local printer make up 100 Flyers which said, "YOUR CAR, CLEANED, WASHED & DETAILED...IN YOUR PARKING LOT!....$49 Complete. Mobile
Detail".

My printer did me a favor and got the thing typeset right away. I made 100 copies on bright
yellow paper and went next door to the supermarket where I bought a bucket, dish soap and
some sponges...went to an auto parts store...bought a shammy and auto polish.

Then we went to a real estate office...walked in and asked the receptionist if we could see the
broker (he owns the place) I introduced us and told him we were introducing a new "Mobile
Detail Service" and that for $49 per car ($39 for 2 or more) we would clean, wash and detail his
car and any others.

Well...you could've knocked me over when the guy says, "Hold on, let me get my staff in
here!"
In a few minutes there's about 20 people in the room. I tell them what we were doing and that if
ALL decide to have their cars it's only $35 per car (this was in 1975) and lo and behold...22
people gave us their business cards and said "Yes! Count me in!" $770 in ONE day at 1975
dollars.

Yahoo! But...did we work our buns off? You bet!

We were dog tired at the end of that day. Luckily we found a garden hose at the back of the
parking lot and quickly figured out a "system".

My buddy went on to build a "Car Wash & Detail" business with 4 shops in 3 towns.
You can do the same. There are business people who NEED their cars looking the best...for their
clients. These are real estate people and any other "sales" types of jobs (Insurance offices, stockbrokers, but especially real estate)

I also know of many people who started a lucrative landscape biz by asking to mow lawns.

It just takes some thinking and ACTION!

Thanks for reading....Don Alm

> “Imagine this... you are out of work, have
> no money coming in whatsoever and cannot get
> any on credit cards or in any other way. You
> are too proud to go on welfare, have no
> products to sell, no customer list, refuse
> to get money selling your body for sex,
> refuse to get a job working for someone else
> for a wage and you refuse to sell any of
> your possessions. Knowing what you know now,
> who you know now and having the resources
> you currently have at your disposal, what
> would you do to get yourself back on your
> feet before you ran out of money?
> You only have $1,000 left.”
> Has anybody been able to solve this one?
> ====================================

> For some of you this example would be a
> simulation. For me it was a reality! I
> actually started of with far less than
> $1000.
> I had no job (my contract was up) and the
> credit cards were maxed. I needed to make
> cash quickly. My original goal was to make
> $100 CASH in 48 hrs.

> So I began my search…

> 1) There were a couple of companies in the
> local newspaper that would pay you cash $50
> to attend a product testing, Some medical
> companies would pay you over $100 for them
> to perform “tests” on your body…OUCH!!

> 2) I mind mapped a bundle of ideas eg. Buy
> and sell, information products, hotsheets,
> services, sell door to door etc. etc.

> 3) I then went to a couple of websites of
> that Gordon had mentioned Don Alms and Jim
> Straws. While I could not afford to purchase
> any of Jim or Don’s programs… I was able to
> gleam some very useful information from the
> FREE reports on Don Alms site…

> It was about 3:30 AM by the time I had
> finished OVERLOADING myself with IDEAS,
> concepts etc. etc.

> DUANE HITS THE BALL!!!

> I looked at all of the ideas, however I felt
> a lot of them required me to have some
> experience or skill before I actually made
> money. As I looked out my window and the
> snow was coming down Heavliy. Oh no I would
> have to shovel the driveway later on
> today……EUREKA! EUREKA!

> There would be an entire neighborhood of
> people that would need their driveways
> shoveled, while they were at work.

> Based on my own driveway, I knew it would
> take me 20 minutes per driveway. I could
> easily do about 7 driveways which would take
> me about 2.5 hours. BUT I could NOT go
> KNOCKING on doors at that hour in the
> morning.

> Soooh, I wrote up an advertisement as
> follows:

> TIRED OF SHOVELLING SNOW?

> RELAX while we do ALL the work TODAY!!

> We will be shoveling driveways for XXXX ROAD
> residents TODAY!! TUESDAY DECEMBER 12th
> between the hours of 10am and 4:00pm

> We will shovel your driveway for a charge of
> only $15

> Or,

> We will do THE WHOLE THING! Your driveway,
> sidewalk and YES your walkway for only $20

> If you would like to RELAX while we WORK
> just tape this sheet of paper to the top of
> your door. We will see the paper and know
> that you'd like your driveway shoveled.

> Or if you prefer,

> Page Dwayne #123-4567 and leave me a message
> with your house number.
> The next day, I will come around and collect
> the $15 or $20

> “Let’s face it you have better things to do
> with your time.”

> Happy Holidays!

> Dwayne (Mr. Shovel) Adolph

> PS

> I live on XXX Road, so YOU MAY recognize me
> when you see me! :->
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Please Check one of the following boxes AND
> WRITE YOUR NAME in the blank.

> ” DWAYNE, I AM TIRED OF THE COLD! PLEASE
> SHOVEL MY DRIVEWAY FOR $15. I HAVE MOVED ALL
> VEHICLES OUT OF YOUR WAY AND I WILL PAY YOU
> TOMORROW

> ” DWAYNE , I WANT TO RELAX! PLEASE DO THE
> DRIVEWAY, WALKWAY AND SIDEWALK FOR $20. I
> WILL PAY YOU TOMORROW

> Please ask for
> _________________________________ (please
> enter your name) when you arrive tomorrow.
> ==================================

> I completed this letter at around 5am in the
> morning. I need to catch everybody BEFORE
> THEY WENT to work. I went around my block
> and delivered my HOTSHEET to about 80 out of
> the 150 house. I printed the flyer on
> fluorescent PINK paper which I had, and
> placed write in front of the door of the
> houses.

> I could hardly deliver the flyer, the snow
> was TOO DEEP and It was about –18 degrees
> Celsius. ( I LOVE CANADA )

> Little did I realize that this would be the
> WORST SNOW STORM OF THE WINTER SEASON

> …. TO BE CONTINUED….

> HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!!!




Unique, Home-Based businesses

Re: What a great IDEA! Shoveling driveways in...
 

> Southern California! Gotta be a winner!

> No, Dwayne, I am NOT attempting to diminish
> your creativity or the effort you go to to
> accomplish your goal. You have hit upon one
> of the winners in your part of the country.

Yes it is a needed service here in Canada, but as I show in a subsequent post, it was only a one day offer that I was testing! It was the vehicle I had chosen to attain my Goal as QUICKLY as possible ie. THE SAME DAY!

> But, if you or anyone else watched the Rose
> Bowl game yesterday, you can see that your
> idea is a bit thin in my neck of the woods.

My intent was not for the IDEA to be duplicated anywhere! My intent was to share my personal story with the generous people here at sowpub that have shared stories that have inspired me to ACTION. In an earlier post, there was a challenge posted by Michael Ross. I had resurrected the thread to attain some more details as to what people would do. Many people responded with their stories of what they would do if they were in the situation. (You can read the message "Starting with little" on the sowpub main page)

What I learned was that you MUST BEGIN WHERE YOU ARE!....So I did at about 3am Dec 12 2000 :->

> So, now I am trying to figure out how to
> apply the same principles to SoCal. AND, by
> doing so, the type of info product that can
> be sold in the local newspapers.

Hmmm! I had to answer the following questions before I even took any action. Perhaps these questions can assist you in your Area.

Here they are:

1) What do you want?

My goal was to earn $100 Cash in 48hrs. Is yours to sell info products??

2) What product or service do people or businesses need most but utilize least??

This was easy for me. I know my family needed a snowshovelling service, but I didn't want to spend big money on a SEASONAL CONTRACT. I would have gladly paid someone to do it for me and I figured that others would feel the same way.

3)Are you willing to DO watever it takes to get what you need?

I personally struggled with this one. After typing up the sales letter I was tempted to just stop there and go to sleep! I don't Really like the cold!

> I think you have done a great job of finding
> an emergency cash cow. I am assuming Part II
> has you hiring kids to take complete control
> of the entire town's driveways and Part III
> has you taking over the city's streets...

Your Assumption about Part II is valid as it did cross my mind as I was busting my back. However it is NOT what happened! My goal was solely to earn $100 CASH in 48 hours. If I had to hire kids, write an ad or flyer etc. then It would have taken me a bit longer get started. I would have had to have had a greater response to my flyer to justify the labor cost. Also the kids would have wanted to be paid the same day. For some houses I collected the money the next day. That said, however I will be ready for the next snow Season 2001 :->

> Well done!

Thanks for the feedback Steven!

Cheers

Steve just an idea
 

why dont you offer a suntan cream application and /or removal service for the ladies of the area?
im sure theyd be takers and you wouldnt have a problem getting helpers.
but seriously i believe Californians can be a bit crazy about their pets so how about a pet grooming home visiting service or a dog walking /pet excercise service, maybe even set up website devoted solely to their beloved pet
(some folk have more money than sense)
As a last resort you can offer a holiday hom swap service either internally or internationally. I live in UK and id luv to vacate in California for low cost adn im sure that a lot of Americans would love to visit historic England for low cost too.
hell im interested in that idea anyone wanna jv?
mike bailey

Heinlein and small potatoes businesses
 

Hi,

I guess one reason I'm a Heinlein fan is that he combines entrepreneurship and science fiction in almost all of his writings.

Case in point, Heinlein's short story called "--We Also Walk Dogs" which can be found in _The Green Hills of Earth._ "--We Also Walk Dogs" is about a business called General Services which provides a huge spectrum of custom services-on-demand, including walking dogs, if that's what the client wants. As the story mentions: "We'll spank the baby and feed the cat. We'll rent you a house and buy your shoes. We'll write to your mother-in-law and add up your check stubs. No job too large: No job too small."

Here's an ad for General Services which is shown in the story:

[begin quote]

DO YOU WANT SOMEBODY MURDERED?
(Then _don't_ call GENERAL SERVICES)
But for *any other* job dial HURRY-UP--*It pays!*
P.S. We also walk dogs.

[end quote]

Well worth reading.

Best,

-Boyd

Re: Starting with little...My Story
 

> Hi Duane,

> What a great story to kick off the new year!

> It shows you have guts, determination, and
> the will to follow through....

> I can't wait to hear what happens next! :)

> - Dien
====
Thanks Dien! While I did not Take over the City. I did achieve my initial objective. And I earned a PRICELESS Education!

Duane

Re: Here's 2 more.....
 

Hi Don!

I actually got the idea for Flyering the neighborhood from your "Paint the Curb" example on your site. It saved me from having to knock on every door and waste valuable time.

Thanks Again.

Duane

> Thanks for the kind words Dwayne. I have
> benefited greatly from the experiences of
> others and I enjoy relating my own...here's
> 2 more...1 aligned to your "snow"
> program and one for "non-snow"
> areas;

> 1) Many years ago I went on a ski trip to
> Aspen, CO and after 2 days my buddy and I
> decided we'd stay for 3 weeks longer...only
> problem was, we were almost out of cash and
> maxed out on our cards so...as we were
> sitting at the bar looking out over this
> beautiful town in the mountains (with oodles
> of ski-bunnies everywhere)...we noticed it
> was snowing again. The tar-bender said it
> was going to be a "big dump".

> Just then, as I was looking at all the WHITE
> ROOFS, I got an idea; I asked the tar-bender
> if the snow will continue to build-up on the
> roofs. He said, "You bet! And if those
> folks don't get that stuff off...some of
> them will possibly lose their roofs.

> I asked him if he knew if there were any
> shovels or brooms in the building. We were
> staying at the Continental Inn and he showed
> us where all the maintenance equip was.

> We then went down to the lobby and asked the
> asst manager if we could shovel the roof for
> an extra few days lodging. He agreed...in
> fact, because it kept snowing, we were able
> to get free lodging AND food for the next 3
> weeks (Till New Years Day)

> We had a few problems like getting the
> proper gear (shoes and gloves and heavier
> coats) which we finagled...plus, roofs are
> no picnic to shovel. You could fall off and
> die!

> We figured out a way to do it and spent
> every other day knocking on doors asking if
> they'd like their roof shoveled for $50.
> (The other days we skied)

> We only took the "easy" jobs...no
> 3 story jobs...and were able to do 6 a day
> for $300 cash in our pockets. We were young
> and in shape and I wouldn't suggest it as a
> livilihood but we did have a terrific time
> those weeks.

> 2) Some years ago a friend called me one
> evening and said he was on his "last
> legs". He'd been out
> of a job for 3 months and was down to his
> last few dollars. I told him to meet me for
> coffee the next morn.

> He met me and I told him what I had in mind;
> We were going to "offer a Mobile Car
> Wash & Detail " Service to Real
> Estate offices.

> I figured realtors made their living taking
> prospective home buyers around in their cars
> and they NEEDED to have their vehicles
> CLEAN!

> I had a local printer make up 100 Flyers
> which said, "YOUR CAR, CLEANED, WASHED
> & DETAILED...IN YOUR PARKING LOT!....$49
> Complete. Mobile
> Detail".

> My printer did me a favor and got the thing
> typeset right away. I made 100 copies on
> bright
> yellow paper and went next door to the
> supermarket where I bought a bucket, dish
> soap and
> some sponges...went to an auto parts
> store...bought a shammy and auto polish.

> Then we went to a real estate
> office...walked in and asked the
> receptionist if we could see the
> broker (he owns the place) I introduced us
> and told him we were introducing a new
> "Mobile
> Detail Service" and that for $49 per
> car ($39 for 2 or more) we would clean, wash
> and detail his
> car and any others.

> Well...you could've knocked me over when the
> guy says, "Hold on, let me get my staff
> in
> here!"
> In a few minutes there's about 20 people in
> the room. I tell them what we were doing and
> that if
> ALL decide to have their cars it's only $35
> per car (this was in 1975) and lo and
> behold...22
> people gave us their business cards and said
> "Yes! Count me in!" $770 in ONE
> day at 1975
> dollars.

> Yahoo! But...did we work our buns off? You
> bet!

> We were dog tired at the end of that day.
> Luckily we found a garden hose at the back
> of the
> parking lot and quickly figured out a
> "system".

> My buddy went on to build a "Car Wash
> & Detail" business with 4 shops in
> 3 towns.
> You can do the same. There are business
> people who NEED their cars looking the
> best...for their
> clients. These are real estate people and
> any other "sales" types of jobs
> (Insurance offices, stockbrokers, but
> especially real estate)

> I also know of many people who started a
> lucrative landscape biz by asking to mow
> lawns.

> It just takes some thinking and ACTION!

> Thanks for reading....Don Alm

Making sales by being confident....
 

Hi Don,

Thanks, those are great ideas (to add to the great free reports on your web site, www.pjbux.com ).

I think there's a lot you can do if you're CONFIDENT and can approach people. (I know you have a wealth of sales experience....)

A while ago Gordon recommended to me that I get some experience in sales -- anything, just as long as it was some kind of sales. Well, I did, and I did some wholesale selling of a type of new colored CR-ROM to stores. Even just that small experience has made increased my confidence!

I think most people, when they have a need to sell, start to hem and haw.... thinking about how they can get out of it! People are afraid of rejection.....

However, if you have some sales experience, you know it's not so bad, that if they don't need your stuff, it's not a personal rejection. That's one of the lessons I learned.... It makes you a much more confident person.

Thanks Don for sharing your good ideas. :)

- Dien