What's up all. I'm Jay. Stumbled onto an interview with MJ on Youtube and really enjoyed the no BS attitude. I started listening to a bunch of podcasts/interviews about the book/principles and eventually purchased Millionaire Fastlane . I just finished that up and found it to be the book I needed right now, at this point in my life. I'll give a short life synopsis from college (I grew up in LA, living in Austin currently):
22 - Graduated college in Marketing. Did a social media internship. Was never able to find a real business job at a company (this was around 2010, during the recession)
22-25 - Worked in construction for my dad's company. Started doing manual labor then learned electrical. Was an electrician for a few years. Construction was never my goal so I didn't try to get involved in running the company (I wanted to be location independent). Doing construction did give me a strong work ethic though.
25 - Got super sick (I have Crohn's disease). Spent an entire year sick and lost 35lbs. Almost lost my colon (the 5th medicine I tried that year put me into remission). I realized that life was short and could be ripped out of your hands quickly so I need to figure something out. It's a chronic illness as well so that was making me feel a lot of pressure, knowing it could come back anytime
25-26 - Tried to build an Amazon FBA company whenever I wasn't working. I made a lot of mistakes, but I eventually found a niche. I was living in Downtown LA so I was reselling products from restaurant supply warehouses. I was basically trying to hustle at scale (since I could easily refill products). I had one good hot sauce product that I sold 700ish units of ($30/profit per sale), but that was the extent of my success. Looking back, I should have tried developing my own brand/product, but it wasn't clear to me at the time. I really enjoyed checking my email and seeing new sales every day (still one of the best feelings in my life).
26 - Saw a niche in the LA market for Software Development. Went to one of the first bootcamps in the LA market. Bet all $12k I had on it that I would succeed. Coded 12hrs/day. Was desperate to be out of construction. Got a job at a startup and made a lot more $$ then I ever had. Started doing Sidewalker behaviors (spending hundreds of dollars on partying and dates), justifying it by the fact that I had to suffer a lot in previous years so I should enjoy myself. In a way, I have no regrets now that I paid that money back.
27 - Lost my job. Lost my car and apartment since I had $0 saved. Couldn't get another job because my skills were too niche based at previous company. Spent 3 months in a room coding 12 hours/day until I had a more marketable coding skill. Got a new job.
27-29 - Spent 2 years working nonstop with no vacation. Commuting 2 hours/day. Started getting depressed and hating life. Felt like I was bleeding money in LA (high rent, car, CA tax, etc). Wanted out. I knew I was producing the most on my team (at my job) so I resigned and said I was moving to Austin but I would be willing to do contract work. They said I could work remote. So I got full time remote work on contract.
I got to Austin and started controlling my schedule and work environment. Started tasting freedom. Started feeling alive again. That was around 4 months ago. Did some work from Colombia in October. I'm heading to Mexico next week to work from there/have lower expenses/less taxes. (I got a re-up on my contract through Dec 2018)
I know if I want actual freedom, this isn't enough. This is cool, and it feels good, but it's not freedom. I need to finish the job and make an actual business that gets me actual wealth. At the point where I can't tolerate another situation where I'm trading code/hours of my time for a fee. Having the medical condition really magnifies the situation. I need to resolve this for good. Just turned 30 and I'm feeling the sense of urgency. Finding this forum couldn't have come at a better time.
22 - Graduated college in Marketing. Did a social media internship. Was never able to find a real business job at a company (this was around 2010, during the recession)
22-25 - Worked in construction for my dad's company. Started doing manual labor then learned electrical. Was an electrician for a few years. Construction was never my goal so I didn't try to get involved in running the company (I wanted to be location independent). Doing construction did give me a strong work ethic though.
25 - Got super sick (I have Crohn's disease). Spent an entire year sick and lost 35lbs. Almost lost my colon (the 5th medicine I tried that year put me into remission). I realized that life was short and could be ripped out of your hands quickly so I need to figure something out. It's a chronic illness as well so that was making me feel a lot of pressure, knowing it could come back anytime
25-26 - Tried to build an Amazon FBA company whenever I wasn't working. I made a lot of mistakes, but I eventually found a niche. I was living in Downtown LA so I was reselling products from restaurant supply warehouses. I was basically trying to hustle at scale (since I could easily refill products). I had one good hot sauce product that I sold 700ish units of ($30/profit per sale), but that was the extent of my success. Looking back, I should have tried developing my own brand/product, but it wasn't clear to me at the time. I really enjoyed checking my email and seeing new sales every day (still one of the best feelings in my life).
26 - Saw a niche in the LA market for Software Development. Went to one of the first bootcamps in the LA market. Bet all $12k I had on it that I would succeed. Coded 12hrs/day. Was desperate to be out of construction. Got a job at a startup and made a lot more $$ then I ever had. Started doing Sidewalker behaviors (spending hundreds of dollars on partying and dates), justifying it by the fact that I had to suffer a lot in previous years so I should enjoy myself. In a way, I have no regrets now that I paid that money back.
27 - Lost my job. Lost my car and apartment since I had $0 saved. Couldn't get another job because my skills were too niche based at previous company. Spent 3 months in a room coding 12 hours/day until I had a more marketable coding skill. Got a new job.
27-29 - Spent 2 years working nonstop with no vacation. Commuting 2 hours/day. Started getting depressed and hating life. Felt like I was bleeding money in LA (high rent, car, CA tax, etc). Wanted out. I knew I was producing the most on my team (at my job) so I resigned and said I was moving to Austin but I would be willing to do contract work. They said I could work remote. So I got full time remote work on contract.
I got to Austin and started controlling my schedule and work environment. Started tasting freedom. Started feeling alive again. That was around 4 months ago. Did some work from Colombia in October. I'm heading to Mexico next week to work from there/have lower expenses/less taxes. (I got a re-up on my contract through Dec 2018)
I know if I want actual freedom, this isn't enough. This is cool, and it feels good, but it's not freedom. I need to finish the job and make an actual business that gets me actual wealth. At the point where I can't tolerate another situation where I'm trading code/hours of my time for a fee. Having the medical condition really magnifies the situation. I need to resolve this for good. Just turned 30 and I'm feeling the sense of urgency. Finding this forum couldn't have come at a better time.
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. :-)
Last edited:
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
