Hello all;
Wow, I downloaded and read the ebook Millionaire Fastlane this week, and it really got me thinking! If it wasn't for some reddit post comment I ran across, I would most likely had dismissed this book as some other cheesy millionaire get rich scheme type book. To me, It’s really the type of read that forced me take a look deeper within myself, and not some waste of valuable lumber producing resource of the likes Al Gore might write!
(LOL….’polarize’. Proof I read this book!)
Also, I've NEVER written a book review EVER!
I really first started seriously thinking about what I was doing with my life after getting laid off in 2011 as a corporate call center drone shagging calls from disgruntled printer users (hence the ExCubeCommando user ID…LOL). I worked within a group whose job was taking calls from customers who worked for companies that had laser printers with service contracts. It was our job to try to tell them how to fix their own problems, or if they couldn't, to dispatch on on site service tech. Naturally, when a printer jams, or the drama queen gets toner from using recycled cartridges all over her new white skirt, the support call could be a bit less then pleasant. We got paid to try to get them to fix their problem without having to dispatch a tech to the site. Yep, fun times were had by all!
Prior to the corporate world, I’d had several low paying mom and pop business owned jobs including radio DJ work. I got into the corporate world in 2000 at about age 42 for the opportunity of better pay and benefits. The first couple years of this, I both worked and attended a local community college where I earned an associate’s degree in computer information systems.
While I write this, I’m getting some exercise by bending over and kicking myself in the a$$ for not making better choices after high school. Some of you know the routine, beer every night with the buddies, sitting in the back of a friend’s pickup listening to Pink Floyd, then off to the low paying manual labor job with a hangover the next day. When you’re in your 20’s, no problem getting away with this! Why get serious with a system that’ll really being in the big money, when you can sit around drinking beer with good friends listening to Pink Floyd, Genesis, and Yes? (kick me…I’m stupid!).
But, I digress.
After an 11 year stint of afore mentioned corporate crap, I was actually relieved to get the boot! I took advantage of the unemployment money to help me survive while I started my own business. Of course I followed the rules, consulted with a good accountant referred by an attorney friend of mine, then emailed my resume to the minimum number of companies necessary to keep the process going while building my business.
LOL…at age 54 at the time of the layoff, I was sure as hell not too worried I would be hired right away for another corporate job while working my business. I was highly confident I would NEVER land a job with the same or higher pay and benefits! Fortunately over the years, I had also saved all my bonus money, and the severance pay I got when I got laid off.
Seeing incremental layoffs of other workers around me occurring the couple years before I got the axe, and the constant shuffling of people going on around me, was all the writing on the wall I needed to read. I knew it was just a matter of time before my head would be on the chopping block! As things were getting slower at the office, I started using free time surfing the Internet for business and/or franchise ideas. I knew I had more then my fill of corporate life! Layoff was my ticket to freedom.
Of course the day of the layoff, both my manager and I conducted Academy Award level acting. With his hand on my shoulder, he feigning the expected sorrow of letting me go; “Hey buddy, sorry to have to do this. Work is slow here, but I got some friends in other companies who I’m sure will get you in”. My performance was “Thank you. Right now, I just have to be strong, and take this like a man…I’m sure I’ll get another job soon.” Meanwhile, I’m all smiles inside, as he doesn't realize my planned intentions!
Before the layoff, when I was looking at the business ideas on the Internet, one ad in a small business online magazine caught my attention; an ad for a business I could do at home repairing dental handpieces. Handpieces are the names of the instruments dentists use, and what you know as those shrill, high pitched level noise dental drills that make your skin crawl when the ol’ doc puts his or her foot to the pedal to fire that baby up! I repair these, and other rotary instruments dentists and dental hygienists use for cleaning teeth, root canal work (endodontic), oral surgery, and other similar fun tasks.
The VERY DAY I got laid off, I called the guy who ran the ad for the handpiece repair training, and asked if he still had the special he advertised for his 6 day training course. He did, and while on the company’s computer I was using, I booked a flight, car rental and hotel for the scheduled training the following month. In the meantime, I did all the legwork, getting setup as an S-Corp, business and tax license, thinking of a business name, etc.
The training package included the training, tools to do the job, and parts needed to fix handpieces. While training, I would be in my hotel at night ordered a few non-working handpieces off eBay so I could practice fixing them right away upon returning home. I was laid off on March 31st, and had my first customer by the second week of July. I’ve been self employed with my dental handpiece repair business since, so I’m near my 5th year. I guarantee I won’t be on the list as one of those 90% business casualties which statistics indicate occur after the 5 year time period expires.
I have a combination of local customers I drive to for pickup and delivery, and ones I've acquired from short marketing road trips to adjacent states who mail theirs in for repair. Also, from my nondescript website I created myself with a low cost web software tool called Sitespinner, I've built up enough business where it’s now paying the bills, including my mortgage and utilities I can write off as business expenses from working at home. This business still gives me time to consider what other courses of action I can take. I get good repeat business, and referrals, so I know I’m doing right by my customers. I have low overhead, and no debt except the mortgage.
I’ve only had one customer bitch about my service, but that was from a handpiece I had to send out for outsource repair, and the only parts available were from the manufacturer in Austria! She kept calling every three days asking “what is the status on my handpiece?”, so after about a couple weeks of this, I called the outsource guy and had him send back the unrepaired handpiece to me. I took it back to the lady, and told her good luck. GOOD LUCK getting this fixed quickly and GOOD LUCK getting it fixed for a better price then I could have gotten her! Those of you who know about medical devices, you can count on a similar item available at your nearby Home Depot, such as an air compressor just like those used by dentists, will cost at least 10 times as much because they are ‘medical grade certified’ with a government seal of approval!
Funny, I had a dentist tell me I should buy air compressors from Home Depot, attach a good air filter on them, and then slap a label on them saying they are government certified for medical use. I could sell them for ½ the price the dental suppliers sell them for, and still make a hefty profit. I might do some research into this, before I take his advice and just do a knee jerk reaction which may result in an extended stay at the Leavenworth Ironbar Hotel!
Anyway, business has been a bit slow this week, I’m caught up, and that’s why I’m here now. I have read MJ DeMarco’s fine book this week, and have already implemented many of his suggestions. Examples include to doing away with the wasting of time vegging in front of the boob-tube (Except Denver Bronco’s football, since I live near Denver). Also, dumping the cable service, and along with it the jettisoning overboard of other useless, mindless ‘entertainment’ targeted for the minds of 2 year olds. Anyway, the Bronco games are available with an over the air antenna. I don’t have time for the other mindless ‘offerings’ such as the Jerry Springer swill fed to the rotted brains of the masses!
Yeah, MJ, you did manage to make me feel about 2 feet tall when you talked about wasting the vitality of youth given the fact I’m now 57 and don’t have a lot to show for the wasted years. That’s okay though….until they place my cold body in a pine box six feet under God’s green earth, and my legacy contributing to the environment as a worm feeder, I’ll continue fighting, scratching and clawing for improvement! I may be getting old, but while a still have a brain, I ain’t quitting!
That’s my story folks…and I’m sticking to it!
Wow, I downloaded and read the ebook Millionaire Fastlane this week, and it really got me thinking! If it wasn't for some reddit post comment I ran across, I would most likely had dismissed this book as some other cheesy millionaire get rich scheme type book. To me, It’s really the type of read that forced me take a look deeper within myself, and not some waste of valuable lumber producing resource of the likes Al Gore might write!
(LOL….’polarize’. Proof I read this book!)
Also, I've NEVER written a book review EVER!
I really first started seriously thinking about what I was doing with my life after getting laid off in 2011 as a corporate call center drone shagging calls from disgruntled printer users (hence the ExCubeCommando user ID…LOL). I worked within a group whose job was taking calls from customers who worked for companies that had laser printers with service contracts. It was our job to try to tell them how to fix their own problems, or if they couldn't, to dispatch on on site service tech. Naturally, when a printer jams, or the drama queen gets toner from using recycled cartridges all over her new white skirt, the support call could be a bit less then pleasant. We got paid to try to get them to fix their problem without having to dispatch a tech to the site. Yep, fun times were had by all!
Prior to the corporate world, I’d had several low paying mom and pop business owned jobs including radio DJ work. I got into the corporate world in 2000 at about age 42 for the opportunity of better pay and benefits. The first couple years of this, I both worked and attended a local community college where I earned an associate’s degree in computer information systems.
While I write this, I’m getting some exercise by bending over and kicking myself in the a$$ for not making better choices after high school. Some of you know the routine, beer every night with the buddies, sitting in the back of a friend’s pickup listening to Pink Floyd, then off to the low paying manual labor job with a hangover the next day. When you’re in your 20’s, no problem getting away with this! Why get serious with a system that’ll really being in the big money, when you can sit around drinking beer with good friends listening to Pink Floyd, Genesis, and Yes? (kick me…I’m stupid!).
But, I digress.
After an 11 year stint of afore mentioned corporate crap, I was actually relieved to get the boot! I took advantage of the unemployment money to help me survive while I started my own business. Of course I followed the rules, consulted with a good accountant referred by an attorney friend of mine, then emailed my resume to the minimum number of companies necessary to keep the process going while building my business.
LOL…at age 54 at the time of the layoff, I was sure as hell not too worried I would be hired right away for another corporate job while working my business. I was highly confident I would NEVER land a job with the same or higher pay and benefits! Fortunately over the years, I had also saved all my bonus money, and the severance pay I got when I got laid off.
Seeing incremental layoffs of other workers around me occurring the couple years before I got the axe, and the constant shuffling of people going on around me, was all the writing on the wall I needed to read. I knew it was just a matter of time before my head would be on the chopping block! As things were getting slower at the office, I started using free time surfing the Internet for business and/or franchise ideas. I knew I had more then my fill of corporate life! Layoff was my ticket to freedom.
Of course the day of the layoff, both my manager and I conducted Academy Award level acting. With his hand on my shoulder, he feigning the expected sorrow of letting me go; “Hey buddy, sorry to have to do this. Work is slow here, but I got some friends in other companies who I’m sure will get you in”. My performance was “Thank you. Right now, I just have to be strong, and take this like a man…I’m sure I’ll get another job soon.” Meanwhile, I’m all smiles inside, as he doesn't realize my planned intentions!
Before the layoff, when I was looking at the business ideas on the Internet, one ad in a small business online magazine caught my attention; an ad for a business I could do at home repairing dental handpieces. Handpieces are the names of the instruments dentists use, and what you know as those shrill, high pitched level noise dental drills that make your skin crawl when the ol’ doc puts his or her foot to the pedal to fire that baby up! I repair these, and other rotary instruments dentists and dental hygienists use for cleaning teeth, root canal work (endodontic), oral surgery, and other similar fun tasks.
The VERY DAY I got laid off, I called the guy who ran the ad for the handpiece repair training, and asked if he still had the special he advertised for his 6 day training course. He did, and while on the company’s computer I was using, I booked a flight, car rental and hotel for the scheduled training the following month. In the meantime, I did all the legwork, getting setup as an S-Corp, business and tax license, thinking of a business name, etc.
The training package included the training, tools to do the job, and parts needed to fix handpieces. While training, I would be in my hotel at night ordered a few non-working handpieces off eBay so I could practice fixing them right away upon returning home. I was laid off on March 31st, and had my first customer by the second week of July. I’ve been self employed with my dental handpiece repair business since, so I’m near my 5th year. I guarantee I won’t be on the list as one of those 90% business casualties which statistics indicate occur after the 5 year time period expires.
I have a combination of local customers I drive to for pickup and delivery, and ones I've acquired from short marketing road trips to adjacent states who mail theirs in for repair. Also, from my nondescript website I created myself with a low cost web software tool called Sitespinner, I've built up enough business where it’s now paying the bills, including my mortgage and utilities I can write off as business expenses from working at home. This business still gives me time to consider what other courses of action I can take. I get good repeat business, and referrals, so I know I’m doing right by my customers. I have low overhead, and no debt except the mortgage.
I’ve only had one customer bitch about my service, but that was from a handpiece I had to send out for outsource repair, and the only parts available were from the manufacturer in Austria! She kept calling every three days asking “what is the status on my handpiece?”, so after about a couple weeks of this, I called the outsource guy and had him send back the unrepaired handpiece to me. I took it back to the lady, and told her good luck. GOOD LUCK getting this fixed quickly and GOOD LUCK getting it fixed for a better price then I could have gotten her! Those of you who know about medical devices, you can count on a similar item available at your nearby Home Depot, such as an air compressor just like those used by dentists, will cost at least 10 times as much because they are ‘medical grade certified’ with a government seal of approval!
Funny, I had a dentist tell me I should buy air compressors from Home Depot, attach a good air filter on them, and then slap a label on them saying they are government certified for medical use. I could sell them for ½ the price the dental suppliers sell them for, and still make a hefty profit. I might do some research into this, before I take his advice and just do a knee jerk reaction which may result in an extended stay at the Leavenworth Ironbar Hotel!
Anyway, business has been a bit slow this week, I’m caught up, and that’s why I’m here now. I have read MJ DeMarco’s fine book this week, and have already implemented many of his suggestions. Examples include to doing away with the wasting of time vegging in front of the boob-tube (Except Denver Bronco’s football, since I live near Denver). Also, dumping the cable service, and along with it the jettisoning overboard of other useless, mindless ‘entertainment’ targeted for the minds of 2 year olds. Anyway, the Bronco games are available with an over the air antenna. I don’t have time for the other mindless ‘offerings’ such as the Jerry Springer swill fed to the rotted brains of the masses!
Yeah, MJ, you did manage to make me feel about 2 feet tall when you talked about wasting the vitality of youth given the fact I’m now 57 and don’t have a lot to show for the wasted years. That’s okay though….until they place my cold body in a pine box six feet under God’s green earth, and my legacy contributing to the environment as a worm feeder, I’ll continue fighting, scratching and clawing for improvement! I may be getting old, but while a still have a brain, I ain’t quitting!
That’s my story folks…and I’m sticking to it!
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 achieve 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-circl, 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
