Hey Everyone, 24 living in Chi...
Haven't been on FF for some months now... and I realized it would help me greatly (and hopefully help some of you!) to share/bounce things off you guys. I'll break this first big story into a couple posts... background and progress.
First post, some background:
About 6 months ago I came up with an idea that I was really excited about. It was a little spark of something that had always frustrated me. I thought and thought about it for weeks, and the spark turned into a flame. The excitement didn't die out... so 3 months ago, I took two weeks off of work to work on the idea full time. The result was pretty exciting! I got some initial wireframes done and an idea of how this thing was going to make money. I showed it to some people in the industry and although the product wasn't even 50% thought out, it definitely sparked interest and conversation... That gave me some motivation.
After the two week "vacation" I went back to my job (web design agency) and worked on the idea on some nights/weekends. To be honest, not much got done. I'm the type of guy who needs to sit down with something for hours to really get focused and get my best ideas. I just didn't have the time or energy to get the results I wanted.
I was struggling for sure. It seemed like this damn thing would never get off the ground. It was killing me knowing that other people were moving on their ideas while I worked during the day. Boo hoo, right?
So that brings us to last month. After some serious deliberation, back and forth angst, and serious stress, I walked into my bosses office and gave my two weeks notice.
Crazy? Most definitely.
I loved the people I worked with, I loved the office environment, the money was good, my boss was great. The work was the highest level I could have asked to work on out of school... But I felt like crap every day because the web agency business model is broken. You can't scale the business efficiently. Sure, you can charge $500k+ to design and develop a big brand website... but the margins are extremely slim. Then you have to go out and find another client that will pay that amount. Not very efficient.... I digress.
Yes, I think it was pretty dumb to quit. But I knew I wouldn't be able to reach the level of success I want (personally and financially) if I kept my job.
So that's how this thread came to be....
I hope this thread can help some of you guys that are where I was 6, 3, 1 month(s) ago... or are where I'm at now... scared as hell with no job and a couple months of savings at your back.
This thread will help me keep a journal of what's going through my head and will keep me on track by having somewhat of a "support group"... since I am going this alone with no co-founders at the moment. Every bit helps!
Here we go...
Haven't been on FF for some months now... and I realized it would help me greatly (and hopefully help some of you!) to share/bounce things off you guys. I'll break this first big story into a couple posts... background and progress.
First post, some background:
About 6 months ago I came up with an idea that I was really excited about. It was a little spark of something that had always frustrated me. I thought and thought about it for weeks, and the spark turned into a flame. The excitement didn't die out... so 3 months ago, I took two weeks off of work to work on the idea full time. The result was pretty exciting! I got some initial wireframes done and an idea of how this thing was going to make money. I showed it to some people in the industry and although the product wasn't even 50% thought out, it definitely sparked interest and conversation... That gave me some motivation.
After the two week "vacation" I went back to my job (web design agency) and worked on the idea on some nights/weekends. To be honest, not much got done. I'm the type of guy who needs to sit down with something for hours to really get focused and get my best ideas. I just didn't have the time or energy to get the results I wanted.
I was struggling for sure. It seemed like this damn thing would never get off the ground. It was killing me knowing that other people were moving on their ideas while I worked during the day. Boo hoo, right?
So that brings us to last month. After some serious deliberation, back and forth angst, and serious stress, I walked into my bosses office and gave my two weeks notice.
Crazy? Most definitely.
I loved the people I worked with, I loved the office environment, the money was good, my boss was great. The work was the highest level I could have asked to work on out of school... But I felt like crap every day because the web agency business model is broken. You can't scale the business efficiently. Sure, you can charge $500k+ to design and develop a big brand website... but the margins are extremely slim. Then you have to go out and find another client that will pay that amount. Not very efficient.... I digress.
Yes, I think it was pretty dumb to quit. But I knew I wouldn't be able to reach the level of success I want (personally and financially) if I kept my job.
So that's how this thread came to be....
I hope this thread can help some of you guys that are where I was 6, 3, 1 month(s) ago... or are where I'm at now... scared as hell with no job and a couple months of savings at your back.
This thread will help me keep a journal of what's going through my head and will keep me on track by having somewhat of a "support group"... since I am going this alone with no co-founders at the moment. Every bit helps!
Here we go...
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
