How A Gun Changed My Family For Ever

by Andy Fogarty

Creative Commons License photo credit: ForthDude

Now that I have your attention, you’re probably thinking, “Pshyea! Putting a gun to your head is crazy!”. You’re probably also thinking, “How could that possibly yield any good results, much less amazing ones?”

Am I right?

Well calm down because there was never a gun. Not a real one anyway. I’m talking about a figurative gun – a big shiny Dirty Harry 357 Magnum (figuratively speaking).

Picking Up The Gun?

Once upon a time I worked for someone else, just like most folks my age or any age for the matter. One day I woke up and decided that I’d rather put a gun to my head (remember we’re speaking figuratively here) than stay on the path I was on. It didn’t even look like a path. It was more of an assimilation line.

I’m sure you can picture it. It was like one of those cartoons where there’s a big conveyor belt with equally spaced drones on it. The belt  moves each drone forward until it’s perfectly aligned under some massive steel contraption that smashes down over it. A huge cloud of steam sprays out. The steel contraption raises, and presto, another drone is alive and awaiting orders.

I was on the conveyor belt.

It wasn’t a terribly hard job. The owners weren’t asses. In fact, I like them. The pay was decent for what I actually did (although I’ve always felt you should be paid more for “boredom hours”). My fellow workers were tolerable, at least until 5:oo rolled around. They mostly yapped about the government giving us the shaft, management giving us the shaft, the new guy giving us the shaft, how the guy that just got fired shafted us, beer goggles, beer:30, beer o’clock, and all sorts of other important topics.

This was plan A? It looked more like gun pointing in my face.

More of my individuality was slipping away with each minute I spent there.

Plan A needed to be switched for plan B.

Then a sledge hammer needed to be taken to plan A so there was no other plan but B. All that was needed was…

Plan B – Otherwise known as Excitement, Fear, Thrill, Terror, Determination, & Paralyses

We all have ideas that we know would be amazing if we acted on them. We know we could knock it out of the park if we tried. We’ve seen ourselves doing it a thousand times in our daydreams playing over and over throughout the day. Our imagination makes it seem so real that we can feel the excitement of achieving that success.

The problem is, we settle for the imagined excitement. It felt so real that it was enough to keep us content with our current state. At least it did for the next 24 hours until we start the process all over.

Some folks plan every single little detail needed to get started. Others have a general idea and that’s all they need.

Here’s the thing about Plan B. It’s scary as hell. It requires change. It’s filled with uncertainty. You have a 50% or more chance of failure. Some of your friends will think you’re insane. If your new venture is online, your family will probably think your doing something illegal. After all, all online business is shady, right?

Even if you’re a strong willed person, no one likes being the outcast of their family and friends. So how do you respond to the chance of realizing your true happiness and success?

Zilch, nothing, nada, pure paralysis and inaction. It’s too easy to stay “safe” with your current way of life. Besides, those daydreams seem so real you can taste them, and they’ve managed to fill the void for this long – most of the time.

Yet Another Final Straw

There will come a day when you’ve had enough (for the 10 millionth time). Maybe it’ll be a crappy day at the office. Maybe it’ll be a tragic event like a close friend or relative dying. Maybe it’ll just be an innocent look from your daughter. Maybe it’ll be all of the above, but that day will come.

The question is: What are you going to do?

Unfortunately, the answer is probably nothing. Why? Because no one is forcing you to do anything. (This is where the gun comes in)

I’m willing to bet that if someone was pointing a loaded gun at your head and told you that if you didn’t take action now they were going to blow your head off, you’d probably start making progress pretty damn fast.

Well… It might be time to grab your gun.

Locked, Loaded, & Taking Aim – Making Plan B the only plan

This is what it took for me to start reaching goals. I put a proverbial gun to my head and said there was no turning back. Plan B was now officially THE plan. There’s no need for any other plan because I was going to make this work. No more working for someone else. It was all up to me.

Most of the people thought it was crazy, and others tried to act cool about it. They didn’t get what I was doing at all – UNTIL they saw the results.

It was hard and scary, and it still is. Fortunately I’ve found the right mentors that I can relate to. I’ve found genuine folks that have been in my shoes and are willing to coach me through reaching my family’s success.

Are you willing to pick your gun?

Are you willing to say “My current path is killing my family’s future. It’s time for me to step up and make it happen”?

Are you scared shitless about it?

Think about what your family will look like in 5 years if you stay exactly the way you are now. Not much has changed, right? Now imagine the same in 10 years. Now 15 years. Anything looking different yet? Maybe one less kid in the house, and you finally got a new couch.

Now imagine your family in the same time frames but this time you’ve taken matters into your own hands. You put that proverbial gun to your head and decided that there was no turning back. You were going to make it work.

You’re probably imagining everything you’ve ever wanted. The house, the clothes, the creme brulee, and all the good stuff you expect with success. You’re probably also imagining pure disaster – bankruptcy, bad teeth, no family respect, etc. Basically your worst nightmare.

It’s unclear because it’s uncharted territory. That’s the exciting nature of business. In 5 years you could have everything you’ve ever dreamed of, or you could be making enough to finally kick the day job, or you could be picking up the pieces and starting from scratch again.

What is clear is that you and your family will never find out if you don’t take action.

Accountability & Hand Holding (the one that’s not holding the gun :-) )

This is scary stuff (You’re holding a figurative gun to your head for crying out load), but you don’t have go at it alone. Even those successful folks you look up to that do everything themselves still have people they turn to for support, advice, and accountability.

You need it too.

You’ve been avoiding your success for far too long! I know this can feel like you’re standing at the edge of a mine field, and that’s why I’m here to stand by your side and guide you through it. It’s time to let go of the imagined fears and instead have complete confidence that you’re building the successful future that your family can be proud of. And they will, when they experience the freedom and happiness you’re creating for them!

So are you ready to grab your guns and start rock’n? Then let’s do this!

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The 4 Step Process To Building Your Own $40,000 F*** You Fund

by Andy Fogarty

If you’ve followed me on Twitter for more than a day you know that I share a lot of stuff from Tyler Tervooren. Tyler’s doing some amazing things over a Advanced Riskology where he’s helping folks take bigger risks in life. I’ve always been a risk taker, but Advanced Riskology is about more than just finding the big mountain to climb or tower to jump off. Tyler makes a point to show you how to improve every aspect of your life through conquering your fears and taking calculated risks.

Take This Job and Shove It!

I think Tyler nailed it with that title. It’s his first ebook on AR and he sent me a copy last week to review and to let him know my thoughts.

Well… I loved it. Seriously.

It’s basically the story of how he’s managed to trade doing the work that he hated for the work that he loves, save a very impressive amount money (which he calls his F*** You Fund), and live out his life , comfortably, on his own terms. If you’re thinking you’ve heard this story before, trust me, you haven’t.

What impresses me so much about his approach is that it’s completely practical. How many times have you read about someone quitting their job, struggling and trying to live on nothing until they hopefully make it big (or at least enough to eat)? Tyler shows you how to prepare from the beginning so you don’t have to live a life of constant worry while trying to achieve your dream.

Tyler’s doing the work that fulfills him, living the way he wants, and still finding time (and money) to climb the 7 largest mountains. Personally, I find that pretty damn impressive.

Here’s why this is a must read

  • You’ll find out why it’s incredibly important to quit to doing the job you hate
  • What an F*** You Fund is and how to build one so that it keeps you from living on the streets while you try something new
  • How to grow your F*** You Fund substantially even if you’re making very little income
  • How to avoid the pitfalls associated with saving money <– Yes they do exist.
  • You can get $100 or more to start your job shoving quest just by reading this book

I wish this would’ve been around when I was starting my entrepreneurial adventure. While I can’t say that everything in this book is for me, I can say that it would’ve put me in the correct mindset from the beginning.

That’s one of the key points about this book for me. It’s tough to get started when you’re scared and broke, and I think that’s why Tyler wrote this. He’s outlined practical ways of creating your own success while showing you how to think outside of the box.

Here’s the part where you get $100 for reading

One the coolest things inside Take This Job and Shove It is at the end when Tyler gives you a couple of ways for you make $100 in less than an hour.Yea I know, that sounds like some sneaky crap, but it’s not.

It’s a series of offers that he’s found online that simply require you to start your F*** You Fund. If you decide that these offers aren’t for you, that’s ok too. He’s also given you a place to find tons of other great offers to get your fund started.

This what I love about Tyler’s approach. Not only is giving you this amazing resource on how to kick your job to the curb, but he’s giving you a paid incentive to actually start now. I’ve said it many times, nothing happens if you don’t take action. I can’t think of a better reason to take action than getting paid to do it.

Time To Take Action

This should really be a No Brainer. It’s a fantastically written free ebook that tells you how to trade the work you hate for the work you love without having to live in a cardboard box. You get $100 just for reading (or downloading and skipping to the end).

There are no affiliate links here. I really like Tyler’s way of thinking and I know some of you could truly benefit from reading this.

If this floats your boat, go download Take This Job and Shove It now.

Don’t forget to follow Tyler on Twitter and let him know what you think about the book.

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Are You Creating An Entrepreneurial Prison?

by Andy Fogarty

Chances are if you’re a regular reader of The Entrepreneurial Daddy you probably think of yourself as an entrepreneur. Am I right? I could be wrong, but I’m willing to bet that you’re someone like me. Someone who has a bazillion great entrepreneurial ideas flying in and out of your head every hour of the day. There’s also the possibility that you’re just a fan of my awesomeness (Hi Mom, Big C, & Barn Mama ;-) ).

Last night I was reading a thread in the always amazing Third Tribe Forums that was talking about the feelings associated with being entrepreneurial and how others felt about the title. I have to admit even though I’ve always thought of my self as “entrepreneurial”, I’ve become somewhat numb to that word over the last 6 months. I think because I hear a lot of folks say that they’re entrepreneurs just because they have a lot of great ideas.

Guess what folks… Ideas won’t make you any money. Ideas won’t give you the freedom to work wherever you want. Ideas won’t allow you to enjoy more time with your family without worrying about work. Ideas won’t change your life. Ideas won’t change anything unless you add a little…

Get-r-doness

Ideas ARE powerful. We need ideas. 80% of all new job growth comes from small businesses that started as someone’s idea. That’s huge! Whether you’re the entrepreneurial type or the happy employee type, you’re way of life is supported by an idea.

However, none of those businesses or jobs would be around if the folks who thought of them didn’t take any action. An idea without action is just an idea. And like I said before, ideas by themselves don’t change anything.

That’s one of the main reasons why I love the Third Tribe so much. It’s filled with who I would consider as true entrepreneurial folks. These are people that take action on their ideas – and believe me there’s a lot of ideas floating around in there. Of course I get to chat with the BIG name folks that we all know like Sonia, Brian, Chris, Darren, and Chris Garrett. That alone is worth every penny, but to be honest I’ve received more connections, insight, inspiration, and friendships from the rest of the community.

There’s something incredibly powerful about surrounding yourself with action taking entrepreneurial people.

Are you an Idea Prison or a Game Changer?

So what are you doing with your ideas? Anything? Are you keeping your game changing ideas locked away, never to see the light of day? The “I don’t have enough money” and “The timing isn’t right yet” excuses will always be there. Always! You absolutely MUST move past any and all excuses or you’ll never get out of where you are.

Sometimes it seems too scary to get started. What if you fail? What if you have stupid questions? What if it actually works? It’s totally normal to feel this way – even when you’ve done it before. I’m still nervous and scared every time it’s time to push my entrepreneurial endeavors to the next level. That’s why I turn to amazing communities like the Tribe for support.

Your mission this week

Find your support community of like minded action taking people. Whether you choose something as powerful as the Third Tribe with it’s interviews, action plans, and forums or some other community the resonates with you, find somewhere to bounce your ideas and take the first step to realizing your dream. Don’t be afraid someone’s going to steal your million dollar idea. Great communities are filled with great people.

Are you a member of an amazing community? In the comments tell us which one and why it’s so powerful for you.

Creative Commons License photo credit: azrainman

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How To Find The Perfect Business Model So You Don’t Go Down In Flames

by Andy Fogarty

When we were starting out with our first business model, we were told by all sorts of folks that we needed to pick one thing and do it better than everyone else. This seemed like logical advice, and it also seemed like very achievable advice. We purchased our first business and it was the “go to” place for the widgets that we made. When I say “we”, what I really mean is me and my best friend at the time. This little 3 man company was the largest supplier of hot water heater stands in the southeast.

Not bad, eh? One owner, two workers (welders), and a truck. Size doesn’t matter, but that’s another post for another day.

Due to terrible money managing and some cracks in his business model, my wife and I were given the opportunity to buy the business from the owner. He was in a bind, burned out, and needed some quick money. Since I was managing everything except the bank accounts anyway, it made sense to take advantage of the offer.

And so it began…

Convenient Stores & Internal Voices

So that was my first business. Well, sort of. I don’t really count selling gum and lighters in middle school as a business. Although it did fund most of my after school tomfoolery. At this time I would like to thank the 7Eleven that had no problem selling lighters in bulk to a 14 year old every week.

It was great and for a while we rocked it, but my mind started to wander about other ideas and ventures.

This started to bother me and I was feeling scared. I hadn’t been married 2 years yet, and there I was with a new business,  a huge shop filled with stuff, employees, and a bank loan that still makes me cringe when I think about it. I already wanted to do something else. It’s not that I didn’t like what we were doing. I just wanted to do more.

The more I thought about all the other awesome ideas I had, the more I heard others saying “you NEED to stick to one thing and master it”. This is all I’d ever been told and it was so embedded in my brain that it was impossible to ignore.

So on I went. Pushing forward, but feeling like I was sinking into something I was starting to resent. Things started to slip in the business and I was blind to things happening around us that would eventually kill the need for our hot water heater stands.

Your business model should be as unique as you are

Our first business didn’t fail because the business model was flawed. It failed because it was someone eles’s model. We were young and naive and no matter how much we said we were thinking for ourselves, we weren’t. We were doing the same things we had learned by working in the old business – someone else’s business model.

1 becomes 2 becomes 3 becomes…

These days, our business model is quite different. In fact, when people ask me what I do my general response is, “Whatever I want”. I know that sound a bit crass, but it’s true. We’re entrepreneurs because we wanted freedom. Freedom to do what we want when we want and how we want. I’m sure your reasons are not much different.

I finally found the business model that works best for me. Yes it involves a lot of things that most people would say have nothing to do with one another. I’m ok with that and you should be too.

That freedom that we all want from running our own business comes from being happy with what we do. Don’t be afraid to follow your ideas when they come to you.

Obviously you need to be smart about this and not follow every single little whim that pops into your overactive imagination. Quickly analyze and explore the ones that makes sense.

Let me show you an example:

Our first business consisted of welding hot water heater stands and selling them to plumbing supply warehouses who sold them to plumbers.

First idea – Switch from making water heater stands to wrought iron railings, custom furniture, & art pieces

  • We knew how to weld and had all the equipment
  • Had connections with plumbers who had connections with builders
  • Builders need railings for new homes
  • Used scrap to make sculptures & artistic furniture
  • Be able to let my personality shine through the work
  • All I had to do was figure out how to build railings :-)

Second idea - sell sculptures & pre-made art online

  • This was very short lived & unsuccessful but it introduced me to online business.

Third idea – teach people how to weld online

  • Teaching was always my favorite part of hiring new employees at the welding shop
  • I’m a master at completing large projects with limited tools, manpower, and sometimes even experience
  • It would force me to learn more about online marketing and websites (which I was fascinated by)
  • Be able to let my personality shine through the work

Fourth idea – running an online store

  • I was already learning about site creation and online marketing
  • Was not limited in what I could sell
  • Wanted a way to sell cool stuff without having to produce it or stock products
  • Wanted something that could be run completely by someone else (assistant)
  • Be able to let my personality shine through the work

Fifth idea – The brand of me and helping others find their success

  • Wanted to explore my love for teaching and helping others in my own way
  • Wanted one place to house all the stuff I’ve learned over the years
  • Wanted to connect with others and learn more about networking with cool people
  • Wanted to build a brand around a concept and my name at the same time

Of course there’s been a million other ideas in the middle but you can see how these had a natural progression. They also all have common elements that tie them together.

The point (so I can make this post about something other than me)

You don’t have to stick to one thing if you don’t want to. If you’re not getting enough fulfillment from your business (or anything for that matter), explore ways to do so. You might find exactly what you need to fill the void or you might find out that you have everything you need and just needed to be reminded.

Don’t take a business model created by or for someone else and assume that it’s a perfect fit for you. Find a business model that suits you and your style and tweak it as much as you need, whenever you need to.  Remember we’re working to build YOUR success, not someone else’s.

This isn’t an excuse for you to go all crazy and start getting distracted by everything in sight because you’re bored one day. One of the biggest things I’ve learned through these years is how to focus on the things that matter. It’s not hard. It’s just takes a little guidance and practice. Lucky for you, there’s a great free resource for that sort of thing.

Tell me your thoughts in the comments – Do you think having multiple areas in your business is a good thing or is it distracting? Do you think you’d be happy with just one thing?

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A #FollowFriday Post Of World Famous Proportions

by Andy Fogarty

Yup, it’s Friday again and that means it’s time for another one of my FAMOUS #FollowFriday posts. If you’re new around here you might want to check out some of the earlier #FollowFriday posts so you can get caught up and find some great new tweeps to follow.

Don’t forget to let us know in the comments below who some of your favorite Twitter peeps are this week and why.

I would #FF these folks even if it was Thursday

@PeterShallard

I’ve only recently discovered Peter, but I definitely think he’s someone you should check out. If you’re an entrepreneur, and I’m willing to bet you are since you’re reading a site named The Entrepreneurial Daddy, I’m sure you’d agree that our minds are going a million miles a second in a million different direction. That’s where Peter comes in. He’s the shrink for entrepreneurs and his job is to help you do great things. I’m pretty excited about getting to know Peter better in the future weeks while we coordinate the upcoming cage match between @CharlieGilkey and @RockYourDay. It’s going to be a killer fight. :-)

@ruddygood

Tracy is an amazing person that you absolutely must know. We’ve had some great chats via Skype and Twitter about things that we both feel very passionate about like redefining what success means to fit our family’s and businesses. There’s nothing official, but I’d say you should be looking for something to come from our talks ;-) . I love Tracy’s point of view and she’s involved in some really great things. If you haven’t checked out her site The Successful Single Mama yet, you need to now.


@MarsDorian

Everything about Mars is fascinating to watch. He’s helping folks build and spread their brand online through some pretty creative ways. One of things that I really like about Mars is the extra steps he takes to brand the crap out of everything that he does. When you come across his content, there’s no doubt who it came from. He has a flare for the dramatic, but he does it in a way that’s interesting. He’s putting out some great content at MarsDorian.com that you can absolutely learn from. Branding is a though subject, and it’s nice to see a new and refreshing look at it.

Who’s your #FollowFriday picks & a quick update

Who’s twitter feed is a daily must for you and why? Don’t be afraid to share with class. We all like meeting new and interesting people we can learn from.

After a lot of Skype of calls and emails with a lot of you, I decided to make it official and offer some Java Support. It’s a little different than what you might think, but I’m pretty sure you’re going to like it. Go check it out here and get yourself some Java.

Alright, let’s hear who your #FollowFriday tweeps are!

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