Why did I ever try doing a tech startup?

Haha....

Alright, so I've had a lot on my mind lately, as I'm sure everyone has. My job is killing me; It's officially taking me twice as long to recover from anything now (working out, a late night); I'm going to be a dad to a baby boy in 6-8 weeks (OMG!! Am I ready for this?!?), bills out the ass, soon to be more bills out the ass; I work out twice as much, and still have a gut; And, of course, last but not least, 'Hey Dave, let's try a startup while you're at it....' Idiot. Alright, so the things first mentioned...well, that's life (blah, blah, blah), so we're going to focus on the area of stress that I decided, 'hey, why not?!'. Doing a startup....why is it stressful? Well, I've concluded not for the general reasons you might think or assume why it might be stressful...let's begin.

Money. Money in some cases is fleeting. You earn, then you spend. It could be on bills, debt, new things, etc. But money invested is actually (in theory and in hope) growing your asset...to, say, buy MORE things, pay down more debt, etc. If all went well, money in, would multiply in money out. So, it's not money, because it's fleeting anyway. Of course, a little cushion is always nice!

Idea. Everyone has an idea, but ideas are a dime a dozen. Taking an idea, and making it a product is fun whether the product takes or not. Trying is 90% of the game. But the idea isn't the target of stress.

Time. It's limited, so whatever you do with time, you should be looking to move forward and make the most of it; successful product or not. You're going to have your time regardless, so it's worth trying new things, and bringing new ideas to life, rather than running in place.

What else...

Team? Nope, the team we have is amazing.

Alright, so all of the items, if looked at in isolation, really aren't the cause of any stress, really at all.

So, why is doing a start-up so stressful?

Doing a startup is like being given a wedgie, and then hung off the basketball hoop with all of your classmates throwing tomatoes at you. Or being pants-ed in the 7th grade in front of a group of girls, and it just so happened that it was the day you forgot to throw on your boxers.

You're in this constant state of feeling like an idiot. Like your idea is stupid, and people think you're crazy. If someone were to tell me that is what you should expect when doing a start-up, I may have re 'thunk' it (probably not, but....) I mean, all you ever really hear is, '99% of all start-ups fail'...so, what's the big deal? "So, you're telling me I gotta chance" - Lloyd Christmas

Or, you feel like people think you're delusional....like you're the guy who shows up to the gym and runs on the treadmill in his khakis and dress shirt...."Who does this guy think he is?"

It's funny, I was talking with our mobile dev engineer about what it feels like when it's your product (I'm coining this term from somewhere, or it was similar)....when you look at your product, you get this overwhelming sense of both accomplishment and embarrassment. Something like, 'Holy Crap, my idea is actually live, and you can visit it' immediately into 'Holy Crap, my idea is actually live, WTF am I doing?!? It sucks! I wouldn't visit this, why should anyone else?!?'

You feel like you're walking in a desert, and you see mirages of people holding water, you chase after the mirage, and it disappears...You're constantly disappointed, annoyed, nit-picky, frustrated, pissed off...you spend too much time on it, and really do question "Why did I ever try doing a start-up?"

What if I did this, or made this tweak?...haha....

Well, then, why the hell do I keep pushing forward? I don't know, other than I'm not ready to quit it yet, and, truth be told, I haven't really pushed it because I've been too frustrated by it! (there in lies the problem). So, starting now (and with the mobile coming out very shortly), I am officially going to 'un-wedgie' myself, come down from the basketball hoop, wipe off the tomatoes, and give this thing a go. Time to pull the pants up off the ground, tuck my shirt in, and give this a whirl. Because, at the end of the day "why not?". There will always be critics, people will think you're crazy, but I will never actually know unless I take the khakis off, and throw on some running shorts (had to tie it all together!)

There is no doubt a start-up is hard. But honestly, it's hard because it's so mental and emotional. I wouldn't have thought that in a million years before I started Hey Nelly. But, it truly is beautiful, daring, and fun at the same time, and it really does make it worth it.

I know no matter what, I am going to be so thankful that I at least tried, no matter how embarrassing, or stupid, or even ashamed I feel when doing this, or after we push it more broadly.

It's always darkest before the dawn, and everyone needs a good wedgie every now and again! :)

35 freshman, perseverance and a special teams captain

I remember when I first arrived at Lafayette there were 35 of us new freshman, and we each thought we were awesome. I mean, why wouldn't we, we were 'the man' in our own little world of high school football. Some were All-Conference, others All-State, others All-Universe.

It's funny though, at first glance, some of the guys you thought were going to be total animals weren't (no, no...no names, we're all brothers), and others you thought didn't have a chance. We all did it: 'He's a running back?? C'mon!' or 'He's an All-State quarterback, c'mon!'

We all did it. They probably looked at me and said 'that midget plays fullback? what the hell?'

All kidding aside, we had no idea what we were in for.

Some of these 'big-time' guys quit after the first week, or unfortunately became injured, and had to end their career early. This was so common, and sad, because guys you loved playing with no longer could. These were your brothers, and there was a sense of loneliness when some of your best friends had to disengage from the team.

We joined, and the team the year before was 2-8. We had a long uphill battle to gain respect again in the Patriot League. To add to that, we hadn't beat Lehigh in close to 7 years. Lafayette was, for all intensive purposes, the red-headed step child of the Patriot League (sorry Brungo, ha).

I remember after a few days of camp, all of us 35 came together in the basement of a dorm to proclaim what football meant to us, and what our goals were as a group. Some comments were funny, some were serious, some were downright moronic, but at the end of it all, we had all become closer because of it. I look back on it now, and think of how much that set the foundation of the kind of class we were going to be. Sadly enough, not everyone in that room made it all four years, but the guys who had to hang up the cleats, always remained, and still do, apart of the brotherhood that was established that night.

We went on that year, and ended up beating Lehigh. I remember coming out to 'Lose Yourself' by Eminem (it had just come out), with screaming fans going crazy. I had never been so pumped to play a game, that I actually didn't play in (huh?). Well, most of us 35 were third-string, and on practice squad. Its a long journey to the top, but we eventually got there.

We moved onto Sophomore year, and some of the 35 began to see playing time. It was exciting! We were always so proud of each other. Whether it was one person getting some snaps, or another making a tackle, we took great pride in seeing one another represent our class so well. We had some heavy-hitters on defense who made an immediate impact on the team. The cool thing here is that we started to grow confidence in ourselves as a class, that we really could have an impact on this team.

Come Jr. year, many of us had now solidified our spots on the team. Some were heading into their first or second year of starting, and because of the commitment shown in the first 2 years by our class, we had the respect of the seniors ahead of us. They knew we were in it to win it, and as group. We had some standout guys, but what I think what defined us 35 was our unity, commitment to one another, and determination to make our mark.

I think that's what led us to winning our first Patriot League Championship our Jr. year. The first one in almost 10 years at Lafayette, and it felt so amazing. It was an amazing team effort, that led to an amazing team result.

We're now seniors, and have the bullseye on our backs. It's great to think about it. We went from the dud of the league, to the team to beat. The 35 had a big reason to do with that. With the graduation of some key players from the year before, we had the odds stacked against us. We came into the year as a good team, with some very solid players who stood out in their own way, but no one person who was going to make it our break it for us as seen sometimes with teams. If we were going to do it, we were going to do it as a team. The season was long, but we remained on top of the league going into our final game against Lehigh. We played them tough, though the game was slipping away. We had just a couple of minutes left, and had to drive close to 70 yards to score. 1st down, nothing, 2nd down, nothing. 3rd down, nothing. We still have 70 yards to go, and there's only a minute left, and it's 4th down. We had no magic up our sleeves. It all came down to this. The 35 that met in the basement of the dorm that one night, were faced with being the leaders who could pull our team through in one play that would define our 4 years, whether we liked it our not.

Hike! Skirts one sack, skirts the next sack, in desperation, he lofts the ball in the air.....it can't be, an open player down the field, and IT'S CAUGHT, IN THE ENDZONE!! THE LEOPARDS ARE ON TOP, WITH 30 SECONDS TO GO. COULD THIS BE?!?!?'

From that moment on, it was validated, the 35 were defined by winning. Lafayette went on to win another championship the year later, however haven't seen one since.

It's bittersweet, though. The 35 soon went off on their own paths. Some into the business world, some went back to school, but a lucky few were able to take their play to the next level.

Some went on to different feeder leagues such as European football, arena football, though a couple of them got a shot at the NFL. One went to camp, and decided he had enough and wanted to get into business. The other went, and got cut. He wasn't ready to pack it in though. It was just like him to not quit. That's what the 35 represented.

He didn't take no for an answer. He went to Europe to sharpen his skills, only to come home and get another crack at the NFL. Did I mention, he relented to become the NFL Europe Defensive Player of the Year? Well, he did.

He came home, and bounced around a little bit, until he found a home on the Buffalo Bills. There, he persevered, and became apart of the 53 man roster! What an achievement in of itself. He committed himself, and with the same determination we had as the 35, he became Special Teams MVP.

As in the NFL, there is a lot of churn, though the next season he found himself on the Cleveland Browns. Not the best team, though with his dedication and commitment, not only was he a vital part of the Special Teams unit, he became All-Pro! Are you serious? From dorm room, to hail mary vs. Lehigh, to Pro Bowl, albeit from Lafayette. The odds stacked against him, he found a way, and persevered.

Come 2011. Again, with the churn of the NFL, he was picked up by the San Francisco 49ers, under the new leadership of Coach Harbaugh, and became not just a leader and vital piece for special teams, but a leader and vital piece for the team. He has built a presence about him with the phrase 'LIVV' and helped lead his team all the way to the NFC Championship. They respected his work ethic, and contributions so much, that when the game went to overtime, he was there, in the middle of the field, representing his unit, as the Special Teams Captain. What an honor.

With that, Blake, you continue to carry the spirit of the 35. Guys who had the world stacked up against them, though continued to fight, prevailing as champions....just as you continue to do.

every single men's and women's team in hey nelly? c'mon!

For those of you that know me (well, I guess that's anyone who has read this blog!), know I've been working on something I truly believe can have an amazingly positive impact on people's lives. Teams to me are very emotional and intimate places where people come together to achieve spectacular things, as well as share with each other their ups and downs, their wins and losses, and share in sacred place they have created; one rule: you can only join if you go through the same sacrifice. It's not a wide-open world. It's the world of men and women respecting themselves, and one another, and earning that right to share in on the ride.

We have the challenge of manifesting this through technology, though we're not going to stop until we do. The human element is so real, too important, and at the core of who we are. Yet, technology today is truly stripping us of these interactions. Our phone-conversations have turned into text messages and email. Me keeping up with old friends is secretly stalking them on Facebook and perusing through their pictures. There is just so much going on. This is just weird, and yet no one seems to have woken up from the nightmare, and probably never will.

I like pictures, too, but do you see how me just looking at your pictures and not actually interacting with you, goes against our desire to be in relation with one another? I mean, am I way off base?

It's hurtful to see so much of our generation just floundering aimlessly. No one cares, and with that, people have lost themselves. I don't think everything will be solved with what we're trying to do, but with our focus at Hey Nelly, we're going to target teams, and try to manifest a team experience online. I know people want this, because in the real-world, teams are all we have: families, sports, work, church, and on and on. These are all teams of people, yet, technology treats them all the same, and as individuals.When they're not.

We are out to change that, and will.

To shift gears, I've been really impressed with the Entrepreneurial spirit of some of the more recent graduates - people from 2008 and after.

In fact, one young man just made a huge difference for us here at HN.

Over the past couple of months, I've been manually putting in teams into Hey Nelly...one at a time. It usually went: College/University --> Gender --> Sport x 4,000 teams. This was eating into my personal life, my time with my family, weekend time, time at night, and on and on. Frankly, there was no way I was going to stop....I couldn't. This is too important. So, I just kept plugging away, day after day, night after night.

I reached out to a buddy who is a VP of Engineering at a cool startup in Boston, and he's been a great mentor and person of trust as I continue to build out Hey Nelly's platform. He invited me to their Christmas party, though I couldn't make it. By this point, I really did need the help of getting these teams in there. So, I asked if he knew anyone, and he pointed me to a young guy who has managed to graduate college in 3 years.

We grabbed lunch, and I was just impressed with this person's ability to achieve so much with what he had. I admire that in anyone: using your gifts to the fullest.

We talked, and immediately we had needs he could solve. The funny thing is, he solved one of them in 9 hours. Found a way to create an automated system that learned what teams were at what school's, and built it into Hey Nelly. Are you serious? I could probably build 250 teams in 9 hours. They built 30,000.

I'm sharing this story because of what I thought was near impossible, became possible. I just reclaimed my weekends, my nights, and some of the valuable personal time with my family (though, of course being a startup, it just accelerates other projects that were probably on hold eating into that time).

Let me repeat: what most thought was near impossible, became possible. And, this is just the start. It was with teamwork and collaboration that this seemingly insurmountable task for one, became an easily achievable task for another. This also proves one man's weakness is another man's strength. Always deploy this within your teams.

This reflected some of our core values at Hey Nelly: push the envelope, never quit, come together, overcome and achieve.

Having every team in Hey Nelly reflects that. We will achieve what we've set out to do: leverage the power of team through technology.

Every single men's and women's team in Hey Nelly? Yes. And more to come.

the forming of new years resolutions....

Alright, alright, so it's January 3rd, and 2012 is here to stay.

I had a great Christmas break. We went on a little family vaca, I read a few books, slept-in a little here and there, worked out in the warm sunshine, rode waves in the crystal blue ocean, and ate like a slob (I'm still hurting).

Whenever I have time away, I get a little carried away with thoughts and goals. Because of the spare time, I start to remind myself of allll the things I want to get done and achieve in the new year. Stop doing this, start doing that, do more of this, do less of that. You get the picture. Did you have the chance to reflect?

I then sit on these things for a few days before I determine which ones I really want to focus on. Which are ultimately going to get me to where I want to get to. I try to stick to 3-5, but preferably 4 (hehe). I'll do 5 if one of the goals is just too much to pass up!

From there, I write them down, put the notebook away (until I look at it again the next day), and begin making changes (why do we have to change to be better, and live a more full life, ahh (sigh/hoh-hum). Because nothing stays the same!

As I start making these changes, I look back at previous years, and give myself sort of a grade. One year might be a C+, the next an A-, but what it all boiled down to was decisions I made or didn't make throughout the year, and ultimately where they led me. Some into a crappy job, more debt, and more stress, and some into a cool job, less debt, and a happier life. I prefer the latter, so I try and replicate and build on the things I did well, and improve on the things I didn't do so well. I need a straight 'A' dammit!!

From there, I start to try and identify things I can surround myself with to help me achieve these goals. Maybe there are books, re-kindling old friendships, reaching out to create new friendships with smarter, better, faster people than me (that's how you get better, surround yourself with people better than yourself! It rubs off, and then you move onto the next group of geniuses, and make yourself available to maybe someone that was in your shoes a year or two ago. One big happy circle.)

I then identify what things in my current situation are helping or hurting me. Maybe it's diet or sleeping habits, frequency of exercise, faith and prayer, being prompt or not so prompt, and then shaving some of these things off, or building them up.

From there, the ball drops, and my reflection process now becomes my intended way of life for the new year.

As I write this, like I said, it's January 3rd, 2012. I'd like to pose a few questions for us all to consider:

1. Have you already given up?
2. Do you mean to live this intended way of life, or are you just saying it?
3. What's your grade so far?

So, in looking back at previous years, and in the years I was more satisfied with my performance than not, there were two major underlining things that hit me, that if I can just stick to these two, the year's outlook will turnout as planned if not better:

1. Action
2. Daily accountability for my own results

It's not that I don't come into the year with the best intentions, but if I don't act upon them and hold myself accountable, then you might as well take a nap and wake up Jan. 1, 2013, because this would've been a wasted year, and maybe you can try again then. This goes for you and me alike.

Anything else on top of this is just hot air. Such as, "I want to be stronger." "I want to be more respected." "I want to find what I'm really passionate about." "I want to do more community service and help others." "I want to educate myself." "I want to be more resilient and not give in when things get tough." "I want to pay my bills on time for once!" Guess what, none of this happens without a little thing called: Action (Def: an act that one consciously wills and that may be characterized by physical or mental activity, thus choice). And it doesn't improve without a little thing called: Accountability (Def: responsible to someone (yourself) or for some action; answerable to your own results.)

This doesn't start March 2nd, or July 15, it starts now. Give yourself a chance. Why go another year feeling like a loser (though you may be very successful to the outside world, but it's how you feel), if it's just as simple as starting today. And then worry about tomorrow when tomorrow comes. And then the day after that. It's like when I first started lifting in our family basement. I couldn't bench the bar, so I did pushups. Eventually, that got me strong enough to do the bar. From there, I would add weight to each side, until finally, I was pushing up multiples of my own body-weight. If I tried to do multiples of my own body-weight right away, I probably wouldn't be typing right now (because I would've been crushed).

I read a really cool book recently that my brother Pete gave to me for Christmas, by Marcus Aurelius, a well-known emperor of Rome (he wasn't the wimp in the movie Gladiator. Different guy). He named many people who were his mentors and figures that he looked up to and interacted with. One of the things that stuck with him most, and coincidentally stuck with me most while reading his book, was advice that his Grandfather, Verus (meaning 'Truth'), had given to him, and something I will leave you with:

"It is up to you!" 

detachment and success

Q: Alright, Dave, what's up with all of these 'motivational blogs'?

A: I don't know...it's just top of mind, and I felt it worth sharing. I'm also finding as I write these, that in essence, I'm outwardly expressing how I hope to live my life everyday. So, in a backwards sort of a way, it's my way of letting the world know my intentions and desires. This blog allows me to express them to you, and in turn, you use them for your own benefit.

Onwards!!

It's funny, I've always been told, "to succeed, you have to set goals and reach those goals"

How about you? Sound familiar?

Ever set a goal, and never reach it?

Do you find yourself chasing that goal, and feeling discouraged when the same outcome comes true?

I've been reading a really cool book called "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success" (oh great, Dave's going to go all Bible on us..)

Not quite. Actually, the book talks about some interesting things like "The Law of Intention" or "The Law of Dharma" or "The Law of Giving", etc. You recognize the word 'Law' quite a bit, but in it's truest sense, the word law in indisputable; it's fact, it's constant, it's un-flexible, it's true. For instance, many things are 'Law', like, oh I don't know, death, birth, an object in motion, stays in motion, gravity, and on, and on...I think you get the point. These things can't be contested. I mean you can try, but I'm pretty sure if you jump out of a plane, the law of gravity will pull straight to the center of Earth. Is it the 'Law' or the 'Gravity' that pulls you down? Well, maybe you philosophy majors can dispute that. Either way, your ass is coming down.

One of the more interesting Laws, is the Law of Detachment. It's interesting, I was just reading an article entitled, "What Psychological Techniques Did The Government Use To Increase Navy SEAL Passing Rates" (read more here: http://www.businessinsider.com/what-four-psychological-techniques-did-the-government-use-to-increase-navy-seal-passing-rates-2011-12). Throughout it, it talks about goal setting, but not in the sense we're used to.

99% of people's goals beat to the tune of: "I want a million dollars" "I want to lose 10 pounds" "I want a boyfriend or girlfriend" "I want an A" "I want to run a 6 minute mile" and on. 

Would you agree? How many people actually reach their goals? (sorry for the 99%/1% analogy, but maybe some truth here, and reason why some are in the 1% or 99%? Just throwing it out there).

You see, reaching a goal, is different than chasing a result. Again, goals do not equal results. A goal is  a point in time that you have come to that matches the efforts you put forth leading up to that point in time. Let's simplify this a little. A goal is achieved in what you do right now. It is not achieved in it's entirety. Do you see the difference? A goal is the sum of many milestones being achieved. Reaching a goal is an accumulation, it is not a single event.

In this article, it talks about Navy Seal pass rates are going up because of some of the similar "goal setting" techniques. It's not that they don't want to finish BUD/S (that's the Law of Intention and Desire), it's that they have to detach themselves from the end result, to actually reach the end result. Again, you have to detach yourself from your goal to reach your goal. Sound kind of weird?

The reality is, to reach a goal, you have to live your life every moment, to your maximum ability, and therefore, with each action or choice you make, it will naturally lead you to your goal. This means that, the less you are trying to reach a "Goal" living your life narrowly focused on just the goal, but rather live your life to the fullest of your potential, and with the desire and intention to reach this goal, you naturally will do so, with no extra effort. Does that make sense? Goals are reached in the "here and now", they are not reached 6 months from now. You can't chase a goal, you have to live your goal. You have to detach yourself from the end result, and rather live presently in a state of maximum potential and good choice, and you will reach your goal. 

Reaching a goal is no one else's responsibility but yours and mine. So, detach yourself from the result you think you need to go chase, and start living your goal now. It's not about the end game, it's about the next play.

the power of many

I've always dreamed, if everyone at once decided to stop what they're doing, and put their thoughts towards the same exact thing, what could happen...what could be acheived.

Just think, a few brains came together and created the internet, or the space shuttle, or the car and plane. It started as a kernel of a thought, and with many brains behind it, evolved into something greater. Would you agree? Nothing is achieved alone. It always takes a team of people, who all bring different things to the table, to produce something magnificent. And, this doesn't just happen. It takes time, patience, dedication and energy.

Though, what if, with the holiday's coming up, and people seeking for meaning as we head into the New Year, what if we made what we truly desire known to the world. If we had the guts to say what we truly wanted without fear or hesitation, what could happen? What if we all did this, and by letting the world know, they repeat what you want, and you repeat what they want, and then eventually one turns into two, into six into twelve, and before you know it, thousands and if not millions of minds are working in tandem. This could be that you want peace in your family, or love in your life, or a new job, or a new friend, or reach a new goal, or peace and love in the world. Maybe, with you declaring to the world what you truly desire, it comes true. What do you have to lose? I do it every week, and though it was embarrassing at first, it's been life-giving....for myself and the people who engage in it. Why can't you did this?

I guarantee, if you have the courage to let the world know what you truly desire, the world will not only respect you more because of it, but it will honor your desire if it is truly for the better good (I'm not talking about getting a BB Gun for Christmas...though you can try).

So, as we approach the holidays and the new year, what do you truly desire? It comes true by letting the world know. So, let us know. We're waiting. We want to help, and we want you to help us.

Reply below, and to really let the world know, post this with your comments to Facebook. If you don't reply, maybe you don't embody the courage to do it, and unfortunately, if it is not here or somewhere else, your goals and desires will slowly die because you're holding them in. It's like anything else, if you hold it in, it slowly dies, and takes you with it.

Stop living in a shell, and come alive already.

We're waiting.

i'm on linkedin, i'm on facebook and twitter, my resume is out there...why can't i find a new job, dammit!

Alright, so this one is maybe a little more practical than just my opinions on life and my attempt to inspire the audience into believing in themselves, and the key to anything they want starting with them.

Actually, I just lied. This is still about you, and your abilities.

I remember when I first signed up for Linkedin, FB, TW, etc. It was annoying. "I have to build profile, input all of my credentials, works experiences, education, etc. What do these people think, I have all of the time in the world?"

Woe is me (and you). The world doesn't care about your time. The world/universe cares about your effort, choices and commitment.

It's probably taken me 4 years to get my Linkedin profile complete (up until this point) with relevant information that may make me stand-out versus other people (and vice-versa). I came to the realization that even after I had a nice profile, took the time to get it done, things weren't just going to happen. You see, a profile on any Social Network (Hey Nelly to Linkedin) portrays your commitment to yourself. If you half-ass it, then people are going to think you're lazy. If you don't take the time and commit yourself to making your outward facing information (Hey Nelly to Linkedin) your best stuff, then don't bother....because, unfortunately, no one cares, and they don't have time to make assumptions about you. And if you think you're being mysterious and leaving out information because "you don't need anyone" will make people think you're arrogant, and they will pass you by. The more, the better. Do you put that you were the captain of your team on your resume? Or that you played sports in college? Of course you did (I hope!! otherwise you are hugely selling yourself short), then you have to do the same thing here. People need the facts...you have them, but you have to take the time to put them in. At the least, most people only look to your profile to validate who you say you are....that alone could make or break you.

Don't sell yourself short either...one social network isn't the end all. You have to diversify...just think, if you put all of your money into one stock, and saw no, to negative returns, versus spreading your investment out, what do you think gives you the best chances for success? That's a simple one (now, go join your team on Hey Nelly). Or if you wore the same clothes everyday...eventually those clothes are going to wear down, and you're going to need new clothes. Same principal applies here. You need/have to continuously trickle in new avenues that have the potential to accelerate you both personally and professionally, otherwise you will begin to stagnate.

I heard an interesting thing the other day. We're all familiar with the phrase "Return on Investment (ROI)"....it's pretty overused, though think about the phrase "Return on Energy (ROE)", thus time. If you take 1 hour to really make your profile stand-out, that one hour could be the equivalent to a minimal $10-30K raise/new job, if not much, much more. Just do the math - $10-30K x 1 hour = $10-30K/hour. Not bad ROE...just made yourself a cool 10G's.

You just made an additional $10K-$30K because your outward facing information was crisp, clean, tight and thoughtful, and it took you 1-hour to do. What could you do with $30K?

Arguably, this is just the start. You have to now get yourself out there...meet a ton of people, start connecting with people with things in common (Sports - Hey Nelly Professional - Linkedin). That's been one of my most powerful tools that you're not taught in school.....networking. But not in the cheesy way, but in the way that gets someone excited about you. Maybe your neighbors, same school, mutual friends, same sports team, etc. You have to find that common ground when networking, and then build on that. Don't look to lean on family connections, because those tend to be only surface-level, and not truly valuable when compared to the connections you've made organically with your own efforts. Those are connections you can feel really good about. It's like buying your first car...when Mom and Dad bought it, people always gave you shit. When you buy it, people admire and respect your efforts because you were able to do yourself. Same logic applies here.

The net of this is, a combination of purposeful and well positioned outward facing material mixed with your ability to cultivate meaningful connections (built on the premise of mutual interests and commonalities) will result in a huge ROE for you both professionally and personally.

Does that happen overnight? No. It took me 3-5 years to build the beginnings of my own foundation, though if you wait to build yours, from your own organic efforts, just think of the people who do and how much further ahead of you they will be. This isn't about getting an 'A' in school. That doesn't matter anymore. This is the new way of school...it's called the real world.


As I've always been told by my Dad, or any other mentor in my life, if you really want it, go get it. Take the time.....it's pretty clear it's worth it.