I haven't posted much on here because I've been busy building momentum in my life.
Background: I grew up in Lakewood, OH in a single parent home with my mom and brother. We have lived below the poverty line for quite some time, due to my mother's inability to work. My brother suffers from a debilitating rare disease called Gaucher type 3.
Here's more info on that ---- Gaucher Disease Types 2 & 3 | National Gaucher Foundation
We have always kind of just got by. Nothing too special. A few presents under the tree. Plenty of love in the home. I kind of grew up hustling, because it's the only thing you can do. I was constantly doing something to make money. I spent lots of time landscaping, and lots of time tutoring young kids in string instruments. I was a pretty decent cello player and used this to get a few gigs that paid.
At age 15, I applied for my work permit and landed a job at a local pizza shop. I was working a few hours a week just to get a taste of what steady money felt like. Shout out to all my dish washers out there. I know you work hard.
The year after in 2015, my dad tragically commit suicide causing our income to take a steep drop. This put me as the main/only income in our household, and put my work hours at this pizza place to 60 hours a week while in high school. Part of this had to be under the table for child labor laws.
I took 0 days off per week, and entirely punted leisure. I am addicted to social life but it becomes a lot more difficult when you were in charge of paying rent and putting food on the table.
Looking back, my work ethic was pristine for a young kid. I would get to school at 8 am and then walk to work at 3pm and stay until 11pm. Sometimes I would skip school just because I knew we needed the extra money. There wasn't a lot I wasn't prepared to sacrifice for my family.
A few strings were pulled and with a little magic, I managed to get into college. To fulfill the aspirations of my mom, I attended Ohio State University as an Economics major for a (very) brief time. I didn't want to go to college because unfortunately, college/education systems aren't build for entrepreneurs. It's built for workers. When you try to explain this to your family it doesn't always work however.
I've never really been a good student so I absolutely dreaded the thought of going to classes. On the first day of English class, the teacher (who is roughly 6 feet tall, built like a linebacker, and somehow managed to swing every discussion we had towards 5th wave feminism), had us all go around the room of about 40 kids and give an introduction with your name/major/goals for college. I responded with "Hi my name is Amon (ay-men) Hanshaw. I'm an economics major and my goal for college is to drop out and get rich." Needless to say she wasn't too impressed and within the first week or two I had already abandoned my classes. It wasn't hard to resist. I knew where I was going.
During college, when I wasn't selling weed (I don't recommend or condone this. Plenty of legal ways to make equal money) - I was consuming an unprecedented amount of material in the form of books/podcasts. I eventually came across TMF and this forum where I instantly saw the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and network with potential key players. TMF didn't just provide the knowledge; it provided me with a safe haven.
My eyes were open for someone who might be willing to give me a shot. That's all I needed and I was sure of it. I stumbled upon one young fastlaner doing Ecom who told me the date and place. I walked into my academic office the same day and signed the release form to drop out.
Within the next month after moving back home, I had purchased my plane ticket, packed my bags and brushed up on all my fastlane material before I hopped on a 45 hour trip to Thailand. If you've never been to Thailand, I highly recommend it. Thailand is filled to the brim with entrepreneurs in various fields. I wasted no time adding contacts to my email list. One night I somehow ended up on the 55th floor of a Marriot hotel with 3 Thai girls and a Chinese businessman who runs a $300m company selling miniature airplanes. Contact added.
My only expectation for this month long trip was to fully immerse myself in a new way of thought and come back with an absolute focus on one thing. No more analysis paralysis. (Didn't realize until after, but this was a mistake. If you're given the opportunity to spend time with someone that knows more than you - have a solid plan for what you would like to see happen here. One major takeaway for me was to prepare yourself beyond having a few ideas in your head. Map them out. When the day comes, don't be insecure. You can still provide a surprising amount of value to people with higher net worths than you. Also, fastlaners can be hilarious when drunk. If you're reading this bro thank you so much for taking a leap of faith on me. I am forever grateful. I will find a way to give back.)
I am now being mentored and working alongside a fastlaner in B2B construction.
With that said,
This is targeted at those dealing with a serious debate in their life and haven't started yet.
This is targeted at millennials debating whether they should drop out or not.
This is targeted at those stuck reading TMF over and over again - looking for that secret small font that will push them to begin.
This is targeted at those that have read 100 books, studied business and have a journal full of the past years' ideas/"needs" with no actions towards fulfilling them.
There's a harsh reality that isn't being acknowledged as much as it probably should.
You probably aren't an entrepreneur. Luckily, there's a term for it called action faker. This is probably closer.
In 2017 - we are living through the biggest cultural and tech shift of our time and (especially after that Zuck's movie Social Network which I highly recommend) - there is a huge wave of fake entrepreneurship. Saying you're an entrepreneur wins a lot of points. It's hot to be an entrepreneur. The thought that one day you're going to make a lot of money and have influence is enough to keep some people struggling for a long time.
These people see the final product such as a Lamborghini and attempt to chase it for many years to no avail.
Before you read anymore, I highly recommend you reverse engineer yourself. There's so many out there that need to audit who they actually are and stop hoping. Take time and dig deep to find out why are you doing this in the first place. I have a firm belief that if you weren't selling shit before age 18 (literally anything gum / novelties / drugs ) , your chances of running a company are low.
Are you doing this because you think this is easier and more fashionable than college or a job? Or is it because you simply cannot breathe when you aren't selling something/closing deals?
But there's good news. Someone's opinion of you does not have to become your reality. You do not have to go through life struggling and being a victim.
My advice is to stop trying to find needs to solve. Take time alone if you haven't already and really figure out why you are on this path. Take a look in the mirror and get practical. When’s the last time you were brutally honest with yourself?
There comes a time when you have to stop watching Shark Tank and reading. (I was very guilty of this at one point in my life.)
How often have you imagined having the freedom to quit your job and do what you love? Or being able to afford a trip to Australia/Thailand/China without having to pinch pennies?
How many more years before you actually do it?
Too many people just dream but never take that first step especially when they're healthy enough to do it.
The reality is - the stars will never align. The true unlock comes when you finally pull the trigger. Get on that plane. Send the message. Make the call. Make the connection.
Cheers and thanks for reading. Please feel free to comment/ask questions I appreciate it.
Background: I grew up in Lakewood, OH in a single parent home with my mom and brother. We have lived below the poverty line for quite some time, due to my mother's inability to work. My brother suffers from a debilitating rare disease called Gaucher type 3.
Here's more info on that ---- Gaucher Disease Types 2 & 3 | National Gaucher Foundation
We have always kind of just got by. Nothing too special. A few presents under the tree. Plenty of love in the home. I kind of grew up hustling, because it's the only thing you can do. I was constantly doing something to make money. I spent lots of time landscaping, and lots of time tutoring young kids in string instruments. I was a pretty decent cello player and used this to get a few gigs that paid.
At age 15, I applied for my work permit and landed a job at a local pizza shop. I was working a few hours a week just to get a taste of what steady money felt like. Shout out to all my dish washers out there. I know you work hard.
The year after in 2015, my dad tragically commit suicide causing our income to take a steep drop. This put me as the main/only income in our household, and put my work hours at this pizza place to 60 hours a week while in high school. Part of this had to be under the table for child labor laws.
I took 0 days off per week, and entirely punted leisure. I am addicted to social life but it becomes a lot more difficult when you were in charge of paying rent and putting food on the table.
Looking back, my work ethic was pristine for a young kid. I would get to school at 8 am and then walk to work at 3pm and stay until 11pm. Sometimes I would skip school just because I knew we needed the extra money. There wasn't a lot I wasn't prepared to sacrifice for my family.
A few strings were pulled and with a little magic, I managed to get into college. To fulfill the aspirations of my mom, I attended Ohio State University as an Economics major for a (very) brief time. I didn't want to go to college because unfortunately, college/education systems aren't build for entrepreneurs. It's built for workers. When you try to explain this to your family it doesn't always work however.
I've never really been a good student so I absolutely dreaded the thought of going to classes. On the first day of English class, the teacher (who is roughly 6 feet tall, built like a linebacker, and somehow managed to swing every discussion we had towards 5th wave feminism), had us all go around the room of about 40 kids and give an introduction with your name/major/goals for college. I responded with "Hi my name is Amon (ay-men) Hanshaw. I'm an economics major and my goal for college is to drop out and get rich." Needless to say she wasn't too impressed and within the first week or two I had already abandoned my classes. It wasn't hard to resist. I knew where I was going.
During college, when I wasn't selling weed (I don't recommend or condone this. Plenty of legal ways to make equal money) - I was consuming an unprecedented amount of material in the form of books/podcasts. I eventually came across TMF and this forum where I instantly saw the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and network with potential key players. TMF didn't just provide the knowledge; it provided me with a safe haven.
My eyes were open for someone who might be willing to give me a shot. That's all I needed and I was sure of it. I stumbled upon one young fastlaner doing Ecom who told me the date and place. I walked into my academic office the same day and signed the release form to drop out.
Within the next month after moving back home, I had purchased my plane ticket, packed my bags and brushed up on all my fastlane material before I hopped on a 45 hour trip to Thailand. If you've never been to Thailand, I highly recommend it. Thailand is filled to the brim with entrepreneurs in various fields. I wasted no time adding contacts to my email list. One night I somehow ended up on the 55th floor of a Marriot hotel with 3 Thai girls and a Chinese businessman who runs a $300m company selling miniature airplanes. Contact added.
My only expectation for this month long trip was to fully immerse myself in a new way of thought and come back with an absolute focus on one thing. No more analysis paralysis. (Didn't realize until after, but this was a mistake. If you're given the opportunity to spend time with someone that knows more than you - have a solid plan for what you would like to see happen here. One major takeaway for me was to prepare yourself beyond having a few ideas in your head. Map them out. When the day comes, don't be insecure. You can still provide a surprising amount of value to people with higher net worths than you. Also, fastlaners can be hilarious when drunk. If you're reading this bro thank you so much for taking a leap of faith on me. I am forever grateful. I will find a way to give back.)
I am now being mentored and working alongside a fastlaner in B2B construction.
With that said,
This is targeted at those dealing with a serious debate in their life and haven't started yet.
This is targeted at millennials debating whether they should drop out or not.
This is targeted at those stuck reading TMF over and over again - looking for that secret small font that will push them to begin.
This is targeted at those that have read 100 books, studied business and have a journal full of the past years' ideas/"needs" with no actions towards fulfilling them.
There's a harsh reality that isn't being acknowledged as much as it probably should.
You probably aren't an entrepreneur. Luckily, there's a term for it called action faker. This is probably closer.
In 2017 - we are living through the biggest cultural and tech shift of our time and (especially after that Zuck's movie Social Network which I highly recommend) - there is a huge wave of fake entrepreneurship. Saying you're an entrepreneur wins a lot of points. It's hot to be an entrepreneur. The thought that one day you're going to make a lot of money and have influence is enough to keep some people struggling for a long time.
These people see the final product such as a Lamborghini and attempt to chase it for many years to no avail.
Before you read anymore, I highly recommend you reverse engineer yourself. There's so many out there that need to audit who they actually are and stop hoping. Take time and dig deep to find out why are you doing this in the first place. I have a firm belief that if you weren't selling shit before age 18 (literally anything gum / novelties / drugs ) , your chances of running a company are low.
Are you doing this because you think this is easier and more fashionable than college or a job? Or is it because you simply cannot breathe when you aren't selling something/closing deals?
But there's good news. Someone's opinion of you does not have to become your reality. You do not have to go through life struggling and being a victim.
My advice is to stop trying to find needs to solve. Take time alone if you haven't already and really figure out why you are on this path. Take a look in the mirror and get practical. When’s the last time you were brutally honest with yourself?
There comes a time when you have to stop watching Shark Tank and reading. (I was very guilty of this at one point in my life.)
How often have you imagined having the freedom to quit your job and do what you love? Or being able to afford a trip to Australia/Thailand/China without having to pinch pennies?
How many more years before you actually do it?
Too many people just dream but never take that first step especially when they're healthy enough to do it.
The reality is - the stars will never align. The true unlock comes when you finally pull the trigger. Get on that plane. Send the message. Make the call. Make the connection.
Cheers and thanks for reading. Please feel free to comment/ask questions I appreciate it.
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