I have moved to phase two of my campaign. My new enterprise is up, running and profitable. I just returned from an awesome trip to the Caribbean (shared some of the pics with some of my Fastlane brothers). As the title says, I've hit just under $500,000 revenue so far, at around 25% margin (yes, when it is ALL said and done, and there is at least one more comma attached to that figure, I will prove it all). It is now time to seek out strategic partners to put sales and marketing on steroids.
A very recent experience prompted this thread. I recently began working with an old, seasoned marketer in my new industry.
Believe it or not, my idea and concept is so powerful that it is enough to make some want to quit their current business and market my package fulltime. Mr. Old Man Marketer is no exception. This particular Mr. Old Man Marketer is no exception. After just a few days, in fact, he asked for an exclusive. At the time, I was tempted to accept his offer, and even accepted it verbally. While Mr. Old Man Marketer continued to bring viable opportunities to the table, it soon became clear that we were not entirely on the same page.
For one, the old man marketer is much older than me, and has already made a modest amount of money (his business probably nets him half a million per year). At this point, he can almost retire. Because of this, he is not as hungry as me. He is probably content with a million dollars per year, and anything above that is gravy to him. If you've read my posts, you know that my aspirations far exceed this. A million dollars won't even buy a Bugatti... and it certainly won't shut up @GrumpyCat !
I say that I have moved to phase two of my campaign, because the nature of my conflicts with people have changed. In phase one, my conflicts were personal: Negative relationships with non-believers, doubting friends and family, extremely unsupportive girls, and a few particularly mentally draining personalities caused a lot of depression and self-doubt. When things got particularly bad, I would get on the Fastlane, and post some crazy shit... just to stay sane. I built up a lot of animosity here because of it, and I also made connections with those who related with the pain and struggle of the grind. For me, the theme of phase one was certainly the 11th Law of Power: Avoid the Unhappy and Unlucky. In Fastlane terminology, this simply means avoiding the 9-5 mentalities, the brains locked in matrix-style thinking. From such people, nothing can be gained, and everything that you need – your time, your energy, your focus, your positive mental state – can be drained.
In phase two now, I no longer have to deal with the non-believers. Even my doubters (at least the ones in real life) believe now, so the doubters have been converted to full-time haters. They see that, once again, I have started a successful enterprise... and even a dolt can see that it has global potential and extreme scalability.
Part of the theme for phase two seems to be Commit To No One. Right now, I am applying this to Mr. Old Man Marketer... to the nth degree. Without getting into the details, I began picking up on disrespectful cues from Mr. Old Man Marketer. So, I simply have him working with one of my older business partners now. When you have a powerful idea, you will naturally attract partners with the resources to help you grow and scale at a rapid pace. Being the aggressive types, it is natural for them to ask for an exclusive. I see now that to grant such a thing is a gargantuan mistake. In fact, I believe that the reversal is true: Not only should you not give up an exclusive, but you should do the opposite… aggressively pursue as many strategic partners (aka referral partners) as logically possible. If your opportunity is truly global in scale, then the likelihood of one marketing partner helping you take over the entire marketplace – no matter how big the marketing partner is – is unlikely.
I am writing this for my benefit as much as yours. As I type this, ideas for new and fresh marketing partners simmer in my brain, and in a few minutes, it will be time to pick up the phone and start dialing for dollars.
So, my fellow hustlers, protect your idea. Protect the contacts, resources, ideas as much as you can in ironclad agreements. Make sure you have an attorney fuse a non-compete and non-circumvent together. If you’re really the creator and originator of your idea, it doesn’t matter what new arrivals that you bring in think and say. At first, I was tempted to get angry at Mr. Old Man Marketer, but I am content to let him unknowingly make me money and let him work with my partner.
Remember: It is the guy who gets the last laugh – the one you cackle all the way to the bank – who wins.
A very recent experience prompted this thread. I recently began working with an old, seasoned marketer in my new industry.
Believe it or not, my idea and concept is so powerful that it is enough to make some want to quit their current business and market my package fulltime. Mr. Old Man Marketer is no exception. This particular Mr. Old Man Marketer is no exception. After just a few days, in fact, he asked for an exclusive. At the time, I was tempted to accept his offer, and even accepted it verbally. While Mr. Old Man Marketer continued to bring viable opportunities to the table, it soon became clear that we were not entirely on the same page.
For one, the old man marketer is much older than me, and has already made a modest amount of money (his business probably nets him half a million per year). At this point, he can almost retire. Because of this, he is not as hungry as me. He is probably content with a million dollars per year, and anything above that is gravy to him. If you've read my posts, you know that my aspirations far exceed this. A million dollars won't even buy a Bugatti... and it certainly won't shut up @GrumpyCat !
I say that I have moved to phase two of my campaign, because the nature of my conflicts with people have changed. In phase one, my conflicts were personal: Negative relationships with non-believers, doubting friends and family, extremely unsupportive girls, and a few particularly mentally draining personalities caused a lot of depression and self-doubt. When things got particularly bad, I would get on the Fastlane, and post some crazy shit... just to stay sane. I built up a lot of animosity here because of it, and I also made connections with those who related with the pain and struggle of the grind. For me, the theme of phase one was certainly the 11th Law of Power: Avoid the Unhappy and Unlucky. In Fastlane terminology, this simply means avoiding the 9-5 mentalities, the brains locked in matrix-style thinking. From such people, nothing can be gained, and everything that you need – your time, your energy, your focus, your positive mental state – can be drained.
In phase two now, I no longer have to deal with the non-believers. Even my doubters (at least the ones in real life) believe now, so the doubters have been converted to full-time haters. They see that, once again, I have started a successful enterprise... and even a dolt can see that it has global potential and extreme scalability.
Part of the theme for phase two seems to be Commit To No One. Right now, I am applying this to Mr. Old Man Marketer... to the nth degree. Without getting into the details, I began picking up on disrespectful cues from Mr. Old Man Marketer. So, I simply have him working with one of my older business partners now. When you have a powerful idea, you will naturally attract partners with the resources to help you grow and scale at a rapid pace. Being the aggressive types, it is natural for them to ask for an exclusive. I see now that to grant such a thing is a gargantuan mistake. In fact, I believe that the reversal is true: Not only should you not give up an exclusive, but you should do the opposite… aggressively pursue as many strategic partners (aka referral partners) as logically possible. If your opportunity is truly global in scale, then the likelihood of one marketing partner helping you take over the entire marketplace – no matter how big the marketing partner is – is unlikely.
I am writing this for my benefit as much as yours. As I type this, ideas for new and fresh marketing partners simmer in my brain, and in a few minutes, it will be time to pick up the phone and start dialing for dollars.
So, my fellow hustlers, protect your idea. Protect the contacts, resources, ideas as much as you can in ironclad agreements. Make sure you have an attorney fuse a non-compete and non-circumvent together. If you’re really the creator and originator of your idea, it doesn’t matter what new arrivals that you bring in think and say. At first, I was tempted to get angry at Mr. Old Man Marketer, but I am content to let him unknowingly make me money and let him work with my partner.
Remember: It is the guy who gets the last laugh – the one you cackle all the way to the bank – who wins.
Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member:
Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)
Membership Required: Upgrade to Expose Nearly 1,000,000 Posts
Ready to Unleash the Millionaire Entrepreneur in You?
Become a member of the Fastlane Forum, the private community founded by best-selling author and multi-millionaire entrepreneur MJ DeMarco. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has poured his heart and soul into the Fastlane Forum, helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time, win their financial freedom, and live their best life.
With more than 39,000 posts packed with insights, strategies, and advice, you’re not just a member—you’re stepping into MJ’s inner-circle, a place where you’ll never be left alone.
Become a member and gain immediate access to...
- Active Community: Ever join a community only to find it DEAD? Not at Fastlane! As you can see from our home page, life-changing content is posted dozens of times daily.
- Exclusive Insights: Direct access to MJ DeMarco’s daily contributions and wisdom.
- Powerful Networking Opportunities: Connect with a diverse group of successful entrepreneurs who can offer mentorship, collaboration, and opportunities.
- Proven Strategies: Learn from the best in the business, with actionable advice and strategies that can accelerate your success.
"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most..."
Who are you surrounding yourself with? Surround yourself with millionaire success. Join Fastlane today!
Join Today
