How To Double Your Income In 2015 By Starting A Side Business (New FREE mini-series)

Hey Daniel,

I've worked primarily with start ups, particularly pre-money. It's just where my work has been done. However this is not always the easiest client to find who is available to pay. Basically I do venture consulting for those small businesses to help them make their next big step (usually meeting with investors).

1) how can I find more clients who have the money to pay for this services (deliverables include a complete market research verification of targets markets w/ ther suggestions, financial projections based on market/industry data and recommendations for business improvement and HOW to do them).

2) How can I expand this market if need be?

3) Would potentially creating joint partnerships with venture capital/seed money firms to provide consulting to firms that they know but who are not ready for prime time funding make a lot of sense?

Thanks for the help. You rock!!

BJ

My question is how do you do it? You nail the 4 C's in every video. Calm, composed, compassionate and clever :) Thank you for always inspiring and encouraging us, Daniel. Looking forward to 2015 and reading/watching more of your magic. Keep up the great work!

Hey Dan a bit late, but hopefully still good! My biggest question is how do you decide what to do? Especially as it is the new year, I find there are more and more things that I want to achieve in the coming year, but no I can realistically only say yes to a few things while saying no to many things in order to make real progress. Would love to hear how you choose what to do when you want to do many different things!

Daniel,

I've been graphic design freelancing for a few years now and all of my clients have come via referral. For the first time I really want to actively grow my customer base and establish a flow of work coming in. What are some suggestions you have for finding clients at, I guess we'll call this the second stage of my business?

Hi Daniel,

Really looking forward to what you've got coming our way soon. I've really enjoyed reading some of the posts and responses below. Very helpful and comforting to realize that we all experience and feel a lot of the same things.

My questions are - not sure where to start. Have some great ideas for starting my own business, but the whole process seems very overwhelming and enormous. Need help breaking it down into bite-sized chunks. And also, how to go about it without killing myself, my current job, my family, etc. I'd like to make it into a new venture and still be somewhat energized!!

Thanks - look forward to hearing from you.

Hi Daniel,

Sounds like a lot of useful information is coming our way, can't wait!

My biggest problem is that I feel like I don't know where to start when planning my business. There's so much to think about, production distribution, sales, marketing, legal requirements, etc. etc. It feels overwhelming...

Looking forward to the new series!

HI Daniel, got 1 question for you:

How do you write your text's (psychology underlying stuff)?

I know honesty but some patterns read like a lot of good schemes I read on the internet. So I guess there are some patterns that you and other successful internet bloggers/Sellers use. Where did you get these patterns from? (book,etc.)

I think my biggest concern is that will my ideas work? I have tons of ideas but which should I seek? How can I test an idea to see if it works before I even start?

Plus where should I start?

Look forward to this series!

Hi Daniel,

My biggest problem is getting started coming up with ideas, I can be very creative but when it comes to a practical business idea I usually hit a mental road block. I have been a procrastinator all my life and that has led me to put off a lot of life plans and remain in a job that will pay the bills but do little else for me. I usually say tomorrow is my day to get something big done, but today I am reaching out, if for nothing else but to know that instead of just talking about tomorrow, I tried working toward something today. I need some help just getting started!

All three of your questions apply to me.

Hi Daniel,

I currently provide counseling services to at-risk populations.My friends and loved ones also call me for advice. I’m confident within my abilities to empower others; however, implementing my skills from a business perspective is a foreign language. I understand why my skills can be profitable. Without an agency attached to my name, however, I struggle with creating effective strategies to help convince others of my profitable skills.

How do I create an atmosphere where people feel secure enough with my ability to lead their life choices in the right direction without affiliating my skills to a known company? It’s easy for me to get clients now because people know that my job is a credible organization. How would I build authority without a “Credible Organization” by my side to defend me?

To add to my previous comment - I'm working as a customer service rep (hate it!) for a referreral service that caters to seniors. This is a huge company and there is a huge need for the service, so that was one of my ideas... how to tap into this niche but of course in a small way.

Thanks

My biggest problem is coming with ideas. I did come up with a couple but not sure how to put it all together. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated. Thanks for all the awesome kick butt advice you provide.

Here's the thing: I have a few marketable skills, but I'm not sure how to actually use them to market, if that makes sense.

More thorough explanation:

I like to write (and if we're going to be honest and not humble, I'm pretty good at it). I'm starting to get into programming using Python (via Codecademy), but I'm not that great yet. I used to be pretty good at graphic design/computer animation/CGI/etc., but I haven't done it in a year or two, so I'm probably pretty bad now. I'm really good at math, but I'm not sure how to market that.

But the challenge is that I don't know how to really sell myself. I'll go on elance or odesk or something and look at the jobs, but for the writing jobs, I'm always like, "I could do that, but it's a lot of work for not much money" or "That's just a really boring topic" etc.

For the programming jobs, like I said I'm not too great, so it's usually something like, "I have no freakin' idea how to do that..."

For the CGI jobs, it's more like, "Man, I wish it were two years ago, that would have been easy. But there's no way I can do that anymore today."

So I'm not sure really what I'm asking. How do I sell myself? How do I decide if a job is worth the money? Do I try to get the jobs that are going to be a ton of work for me since I don't currently have the skills? How do I market a non-marketable skill (like pure math)?

Sounds awesome Daniel, looking forward to it!

My question might be covered in the course, but here goes anyway: If you wanted to make the most money with the least amount of work how would you go about it?

Hi Daniel, My question is: How to manage and balance between current Job & setting up your own Side Business?

Thanks

I've done a lot of research into entrepreneurship over the last 18-20 months or so. I even enrolled in Ramit Sethi's "Earn 1K" course. And what I've found out is that to be successful at a side business or pretty much anything requires me to be one of the "top performers." The problem is...I don't feel like I'm anywhere NEAR being a top performer in ANY marketable skill or trade, so I feel like I have nothing really to offer anyone that anyone would pay for.

Whatever I did would have to be an online business to make it work, since I live in a tiny town of 9,000 people, surrounded by other tiny towns (which I can't even get to until I have my driver's license and a car), and I just can't figure out what skills I have that are good enough to be marketable.

The ONLY possibility--and it'd be a stretch even itself--would be teaching music...and Daniel, I cannot begin to express to you how much I do NOT want to teach. Like, AT ALL. NEVER. I am not a teacher. I'm a composer and a performer, but not a teacher. But the market for composers and performers is supersaturated. It's super-DUPER saturated, to where I don't even know how to market myself. So I just feel lost.

I have starting problems... i have ideas though... then there's lethargy too.....

I'm having troubles in finding the right providers. I would like to start a dropshipping "side biz" but don't really find trustful providers to work with. (I'm in Spain)

@MsJenC Great question, Jen! Thanks!! http://youtu.be/8ava-KcpKJw

@Ljubica Great question!!! http://youtu.be/IgIJf3O9QdY

@A1KK http://youtu.be/vAXee4mJYGA

These books are worth checking out.

1.) http://www.amazon.com/This-book-teach-write-better/dp/0989895300/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie;=UTF8&qid;=1419902205&sr;=1-1&keywords;=neville+medhora

2.) http://www.amazon.com/Hey-Whipple-Squeeze-This-Creating/dp/1118101332/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie;=UTF8&qid;=1419902253&sr;=1-1&keywords;=hey+whipple+squeeze+this

3.) http://www.amazon.com/Breakthrough-Advertising-Eugene-M-Schwartz/dp/0887232981

@phil2006 Thanks for jumping in, amigo! http://youtu.be/m3Iyx4dxqa4

@mparulski Loved this. Thanks!!! http://youtu.be/fS6RGMriKrE

@danstrayer1956 You cheated!!!! You asked 3 questions. I was forced to give you 3 answers: http://youtu.be/WKRDjIBlE6U

@Natalie OBryant http://youtu.be/3ukp14w8NWE GREAT QUESTION! I hope other people read this Q and watch the video. Lots of things to think about!

@Cav http://youtu.be/pasQxvojRFc Thanks for the great question! Here's the article I was talking about, for reference: http://www.rich20something.com/how-the-top-1-actually-makes-progress-aka-the-seinfeld-solution/

@amertz97 http://youtu.be/zxGAPBCFpi4 Awesome questions!

@DavidG333 Great Q, David. Thanks: http://youtu.be/28uWpR9UruM

@arunabhacharya Thanks so much for your question :) http://youtu.be/oj7jJHmWZV8

@George As always, great to see you. Thanks for the question! http://youtu.be/bRuRrgnF1tM

@George Hey George, sounds like you are a musician. I am a musician, too! =)
You say "I don't feel like I'm anywhere NEAR being a top performer in ANY marketable skill or trade" which of course Ramit would call an "invisible script". I believe everyone can help the other on something, and you don't actually need to be the best of the best to start.

I was in the same situation one or two years ago. I was deciding between teaching or starting a side business/freelancing. Here is the way I see it: I started an online business in the jazz music niche to help other jazz musicians and brands. I run this business serving US, France, Belgium and other countries from a foreign country while having so much free time that I can study and perform regularly. In addition, I have the money to invest in my music now.

The fact that my business involves a deep understanding of the music business is accidental. Back in the day, I decided that I would start something else (not related to music, even) rather than teaching and feel poorly. We, as musicians, spend so much time crafting our own art and we should only do the things that we want with it.

All the best,
Mike.

@PremKiran http://youtu.be/qUaAhCfi6zM

Here's the article I referenced. You've seen it before, but just for reference: http://www.rich20something.com/how-the-top-1-actually-makes-progress-aka-the-seinfeld-solution/

@SJ Thanks so much for your question: http://youtu.be/CEVqb6ChDDw

@Rich20Something @MsJenC Solid advice, D! Good question, MsJenC. Thanks!

@Rich20Something Neville ROCKS! Thanks for the great advice, D! You have certainly found your voice and your style is very natural and warm. Keep up the great work. Looking forward to this series!

@Rich20Something @danstrayer1956 ....oh, wasn't intentional! I read the email and really couldn't think of any BETTER questions to ask......:-).

@Rich20Something @amertz97 About the modesty issue, interesting perspective from Bruce Lee. What a wise person he was! I noticed as a musician coming up in Chicago, that the people who were modest always came off as more elegant and centered than those who liked to brag. The modest people were also usually the better musicians. If anyone ever asks me if I'm "good" I tell them that it's all relative and that I'm learning all the time, which of course is true. Then if they hear me, they can judge for themselves :)

@Rich20Something @DavidG333 Pure wisdom here. Add to this that when you work for yourself instead of being paid a salary at a company, those extra hours you put in at the beginning to "front load" your baby biz is done with love and enthusiasm because your project is so close to you. This makes all the extra hours fly by faster! It's exciting to work for yourself. You could be the toughest, but the coolest boss you ever had :)

@Rich20Something @DavidG333 Thankyou sir!

@George One last thing I wanted to add http://youtu.be/Cau-M3HiRJc

@Mike What's your side biz? Just curious ~ thanks!

@Mike amazing points!!! Couldn't agree more. Thank you for contributing! :)

@JulietAnnerino always great to see your smiling face :) How was Central America? Back?

@danstrayer1956 No prob!!! :)

@DavidG333 No prob, glad to help :)

@Rich20Something Thank you for the good notes--all of them (in both videos)--and thank you for your candor. I've seriously considered moving--I WANT to move--but my fiance and I must continue to live here in large part because my fiance's mother is terminally ill, and she needs us around to help her. I've had long discussions with my fiance about this, and it feels like it's boiled down to I either leave my fiance, abandoning the man who means more to me in this life than anything, just so I can focus on my own career...or I wait around until my fiance's mother dies before we can move together.

Thanks also for pointing out the "expert bias." My question on that, though, is how do I get past my own expert bias to figure out what I'm good at enough that I could market it? I know one method I've heard is by going by what your friends and colleagues approach you for help with...but I don't have anyone approaching me to help them solve any specific problems, so I feel rather blind as to what my own strengths may be.

@Rich20Something @JulietAnnerino zip-lining and spider monkey wrangling was so fun! All the shows went well, too :)

Now to develop my latest crazy idea: "Rebel Ride Share". Rather hop on the back of a Harley than get into a stuffy ol' black car? Facial hair on a car not your style? Want a babe in a convertible to pick you up? No rules. Just rides. Hop on. Get in. Rebel. Ride. Share. I'm thinking we start with a funny video and get viral with it. You like?

@George I hear ya! This may be a case where you should consider developing a new skill — get good enough to help other people, and market that.

Have you checked out this? Download the little PDF at the end for ideas: http://www.rich20something.com/start-first-business-actually-make-money/

Perfect example of developing something new: My GF's brother wanted to start a moving company, but he had no moving truck. So he tested the idea by running ads in the paper/craigslist to see if there was interest.

Then, when he got some clients, he rented a Uhaul and built the cost of that rental into the price so that he still made a healthy profit. Standard moving rates are $50-75/hr, but rental rates for Uhauls are like $20 I think....still lots of margin.

Boom. Instant business.

Easy $200-400 every weekend as business continued to increase. $1,000-1,500+/mo is no prob, and it's about 5-7 hrs per week.

@Rich20Something So smart :)