REal biz opp!

Read about this in my new biz mag. Some 22 year old kid making $60K per year selling ad space at his local Wendy's and Little Caesar Pizza boxes. I know this has been on the board many times and our friend Don Alm has discussed it. I have actually seen this done locally. Our neighborhood Pizza Hut used to do this but they no longer do this. THey don't use placemats anymore. I personally tried this and no one wanted them. But I am sure it could work in some areas. The guy sells the manual on starting this on his site. Looks like something anyone can do! If a 22 year old kid can do it, looks encouraging. But the story says his dad has made a career of selling advertising so the young kid has a great teacher.

http://traydisplayadvertising.com

"99%" of the people on these "forums" are....... "hunting and hoping" for a way to make megabux "with their fingers on their keyboards".

Time and time again, I have ;
1) Made up a Sample of an "Advertising" product I "thought" would benefit local businesses...bringing them MORE traffic and business.
and...
2) Gone out and showed the "target market" my Ad Product
3) Showed my Price and asked them to participate
and
4) Produced the product I promised

And yet....I hear DAILY (via email) of someone who tells me;

...they are...either TIRED of what they've been doing to earn a living or, because of an "emergency" (like losing their J.O.B.)....they NEED to "find something fast"!

My advice has always been;

"FIND A WAY TO EARN MONEY FROM YOUR OWN EFFORTS!"....so that, when and IF, disaster strikes, you do NOT have to be in a "panic mode".

This article PROVES, once again....ANYONE...even a 22 year young "kid" can;
1) Make up a Sample
2) Go SHOW IT to prospective customers and ASK THEM to participate
3) Produce the product
and
Go hunt for more prospects

The type of "programs and products" I've been operating for many years are sometimes looked upon....by "snobs"....as "beneath them"...
or....
"nickle-dime" ventures!

Hey! Believe the naysayers....and keep hunting and hoping YOU will find a way to make a jillion bux with yer keyboard. In the meantime, 22 yr old kids who "don't know any better"....go out and make $60,000 and more.

And...I keep being reminded about my friend "Ed" who got tired of being a "personal trainer"....charging an hourly rate to visit people in their homes and lead them in a "workout session"....started a "FAX" business from his apartment (in 1996)....sending FAXES of "Daily Specials" of local DELI'S to local offices....building up to 46 Deli's paying him $200 every 2 weeks...and just this last December celebrated his TENTH YEAR....OF THESE SAME 42 DELI'S PAYING HIM $200 EVERY 2 WEEKS to have him send their Daily Specials to local offices....only NOWADAYS....he sends the faxes from his LapTop in his home in COSTA RICA.

He can afford it because he's been collecting $200 a week from 46Deli's ($9,200 every 2 weeks x 26 wks a year = $239,200 a Year....for 10 years)
And....almost all of his "friiends" advised him NOT to do this because the "Fax Laws" were so stringent. Well...he looked at the "Fax Laws" and found that HE was NOT in violation and....while these "Fax Laws" SCARED AWAY the competition....Ed just keeps on making money....sending Faxes.

So....my "point" is;
Think about learning HOW To "Sell"....then find something to "sell"....then go out and "sell" it.

You will gain an "education" on "what words to use" and "HOW" to sell....that will put you in good stead when and IF you ever need some income.

Don Alm

necessity to have your own business/stream(s) of income on the side these days (at least in the US.)

I sometimes read the discussions on the big job boards and I consistantly see people with many years of experience (20+) that are out of work for months or even years. It seems many companies will not hire folks in their late 40's or 50's because they have too much experience and would require too high of a salary, affraid of the person getting ill, or having existing medical conditions, and having to flip the bill due to the rising costs of healthcare. To add insult to injury, companies are offshoring jobs to many other contries and making it very difficult for people to make a living. Companies that do not offshore positions end up hiring younger workers that are not able to handle the tasks due to lack of training and experience. Age discrimination is alive and well in the States!

It always seems the suggestions from the "experts" is to always keep your skills up to date and going back to school. I'm all for constantly learning and keeping one's skills up to date, but I'm not sure that going back to school is always the answer to the problem. When a person has bills to pay bills, mouths to feed along with having to finance an education and not working, I don't see how that truly helps the situation. I have seen people go as far as going back to school, spending years on getting that additional degree and still being no better off and, if anything, in a worse spot than before.

Most of the folks having a hard time finding jobs are in IT, Engineering, Accounting/Finance, Middle Management, Medical etc. But, the fields I rarely see any of these concerns are in Sales and Marketing. In these fields experience is what companies want and pay for. These skills are very important because it affects the bottom line.

So, I must agree with what Don states in his post. One NEEDS to take responsiblity for their own financial matters/future and needs to learn the skills necessary to survive and not become a "fallout" and run the risk of loosing it all.

Recently there was a discussion about how having a job is the much easier path to pursue due to the risks involved in starting a bizz and failing, but the risks still exist with a job in the long run. Those risks are the inability to produce an income because someone else says you can't, or being stuck in a position where you can't move out of and are misrable till your retirement days are upon you. Those are some pretty significant risks in my eyes.

I'm not in my 40's or 50's, yet so having seen this trend, I can't imagine things changing for the better when I reach that age group.

I really believe it's become a necessity to build income streams, aside from a job, in today's business climate. I just can't see any other way, but if someone can show a different way, be my guest.

Tony

My first "j.o.b." was with General Elect Corp. My office was a partition in a 12 person office. A receptionist in the middle of the room and 6 partitions on each side.

In a few days I learned that I was replacing someone who had been with the Co for 25yrs. I was brought in at a fraction of his salary and he was "let out to pasture" at the ripe "old" age of 52....before his "vested retirement rights".

Then, with a month, I noticed 2 other men in their early 50's were replaced by young guys.

Seeing this, disturbed me greatly and I decided then and there, I would hunt for some way to "get my own business started" and NOT be dependent upon anyone else for my "Income Check".

And...within a year I found it....gave my "2 weeks notice" and never looked back.

I was educated and trained to be an "engineer" which did NOT involve "sales" per se. I realized that if I was going to succeed on my own, I would HAVE to do some "selling". So I read and studied everything I could on "Sales". Even went to some Dale Carnegie courses on sales. And I discovered that, after I learned a lot about "sales"...I actually LIKED IT.

Then I found that, even in "those days", there weren't many "Sales" people. I don't know why people, for the most part, don't want to be in "sales". The field is wide open....and....I'll bet that....there are few "Sales Managers" who look at a person's "age" as being the prime requisite.

In fact, the older and more experienced a person is....the more "in demand" they are....as a "Salesperson". Why? Because they can "Sell"! and "bring in Orders!"

NOTHING MOVES until "something is "SOLD".

So...consider studying "Sales" as a "backup career". Ya never know IF you will need a different source of income.

Don Alm

Tony, it's refreshing to hear so much encouraging wisdom from one who has years in which to practice and enjoy the rewards. Many younger folks today are of the 'world owes me a living' mind...and no intention to go out and earn what's owed them. Go figure?

Almost 50 years ago it was depression time. They called it 'only' a recession but the reality was there were businesses closing right and left, nobody was hiring, jobs and futures were being destroyed...and people right along with them. I was 17, in my first apartment, no job and no prospects in a strange neighborhood. I did just what Don suggests repeatedly: go out and create your own job. In my case, doing all those little bookkeeping jobs nobody wanted to do. It wasn't a windfall but it sure got me through and kept me in college.

When the chips are down you have to be willing to stretch your 'acceptables' a bit to get through but it can be done. I worked hard meeting impossible sounding demands (pick up and deliver, overnight ect...) but sometimes you have to do the impossible when the possible doesn't exist. Hope you never have to do that but, if you do, I know you will be able to pull through it, too, because you have the right attitude.

Sandi Bowman

Originally Posted by Tony

It's becoming a necessity to have your own business/stream(s) of income on the side these days (at least in the US.)

I sometimes read the discussions on the big job boards and I consistantly see people with many years of experience (20+) that are out of work for months or even years. ..edited... Age discrimination is alive and well in the States!

One NEEDS to take responsiblity for their own financial matters/future and needs to learn the skills necessary to survive and not become a "fallout" and run the risk of loosing it all.

I really believe it's become a necessity to build income streams, aside from a job, in today's business climate. I just can't see any other way, but if someone can show a different way, be my guest.

Tony

I agree with you Tony. I saw my options change drastically 23 years ago when my boss and another senior person were let go, with only a pittance of compensation compared to the long years they had put in. I made up my mind then that I didn't want to ever worry about a pink slip, pay cut, or other loss of a job due to some boss or supervisor wanting to give my position to someone else.

I looked at the local job market for sales, knew I didn't want to sell cars or insurance, and opted to expand on my part-time work in my home-based business, in order to be able to quit my job and go full-time.

In 1987, I gave notice to Boeing, and went full-time self employed. If I hadn't made that choice back then, I wouldn't be where I am today, with sales volume in the Top 2% of all sales people with the company I sell for. My contract is as an Independent Agent, so I have more control over my work, hours, and income, than I ever could as an employee.

I also don't face a mandatory retirement age, so I can continue in my business until my 97th birthday if I choose (and live that long).

I now spend at least part of my time, helping others start their own home-based dealership, giving them the possibility of quitting their job in the future, or at least having a back-up if their job drops them instead.

Dennis Bevers
BASSCO, Inc.

Originally Posted by DBeavers

In 1987, I gave notice to Boeing, and went full-time self employed..

In 1987, I went to work for Boeing.

Maybe I'm the one who took your job - LOL

Jim

Originally Posted by James Anthony

In 1987, I went to work for Boeing.

Maybe I'm the one who took your job - LOL

Jim

Not likely James, even if the job you took was in Lake Charles, LA. Boeing Louisiana was running an employee mill, hiring new ones as fast as they could run others off. Seems they were being given a 60% re-imbursement from the state of Louisiana for the first $10,000 of payroll for any employee they hired and re-trained or hired from unemployment or underemployment.

They were losing money or breaking even on the contract for servicing the 30-40 year old KC-135 tankers, while making a huge profit of the payroll reimbursement.

I learned more about the 135's than I ever wanted to. Going full-time in my own business was an easy choice.

Dennis Bevers

At one time in my life I had 2 jobs and one self employment of accounting. Now I have accounting and Joint ventures. I can take time off any time I want and do what I want. Tax season is my biggest time for making money. But I also have a web site and shopping cart where I sell the best old books on the market and even some tax books and business books I wrote.

They are in PDF files that make it easy to download and for me to be doing other business ventures. Currently after tax season I am going to try to promote some pictures of a set of Yesteryears...of Indians and their way of life. It is from a famous artist the won numerous awards. Also I am putting some books by an author that wrote an ad that lasted 40 years and made his client rich from the same ad over use for 40 years.