***I quit my day job in 2017 and built a 7-figure business.***
It was a grind.
I WISHED there was a list of "rules to follow"... but I couldn't find one.
So, I wrote one.
Here are 30 rules of entrepreneurship I wish I knew sooner:
It was a grind.
I WISHED there was a list of "rules to follow"... but I couldn't find one.
So, I wrote one.
Here are 30 rules of entrepreneurship I wish I knew sooner:
Hereâs what I promiseâŠ
by the end of this thread, youâll learn at least one thing that will change the way you look at entrepreneurship FOREVER.
If that happens⊠I want you to retweet and share this thread with your audience⊠deal?
Cool.
Tell me if this sounds familiar...
by the end of this thread, youâll learn at least one thing that will change the way you look at entrepreneurship FOREVER.
If that happens⊠I want you to retweet and share this thread with your audience⊠deal?
Cool.
Tell me if this sounds familiar...
I went to school. Studied real hard.
Went to college. Got a degree. Got my Masters. Got a job. Hated it.
Started a business. Made a little bit of money.
Then quit the job to be a full-time entrepreneur in June of 2017.
Went to college. Got a degree. Got my Masters. Got a job. Hated it.
Started a business. Made a little bit of money.
Then quit the job to be a full-time entrepreneur in June of 2017.
Iâll be the first to admit, that I had no idea what I was doing. And to be completely honest⊠I still donât.
But over the past nine years, Iâve managed to build an incredibly profitable, yet deliberately small business from scratch. Hereâs some things I learned along the wayâŠ
But over the past nine years, Iâve managed to build an incredibly profitable, yet deliberately small business from scratch. Hereâs some things I learned along the wayâŠ
1. Nobody thinks youâll make it.
There was one line I kept hearing from people.
âWell, you can always come back if it doesnât work outâ
You canât blame people for thinking this way. Thereâs a high chance youâll fail. Even if youâre smart.
There was one line I kept hearing from people.
âWell, you can always come back if it doesnât work outâ
You canât blame people for thinking this way. Thereâs a high chance youâll fail. Even if youâre smart.
Even if you come from a long line of entrepreneurs, youâre going to fail.
And youâre going to fail hard and fall flat on your face. And all of those people are going to say âHA! I knew itâŠâ
Entrepreneurship means getting back up and fighting another day.
And youâre going to fail hard and fall flat on your face. And all of those people are going to say âHA! I knew itâŠâ
Entrepreneurship means getting back up and fighting another day.
2. Everything is going to take a lot longer than it should.
Nothing will test your patience like growing your business.
Youâre going to have to be patient.
So put your head down and do the work and good things will start happening when you least expect.
Nothing will test your patience like growing your business.
Youâre going to have to be patient.
So put your head down and do the work and good things will start happening when you least expect.
3. Youâre not going to make money for a long time.
My first year in business I made $0 and spent $10,000+
Next year, I made $7,000. But spent all of it (and more) on learning and mentorship.
It was year 3 when I actually âpaid myself.â And when I did, it wasnât much.
My first year in business I made $0 and spent $10,000+
Next year, I made $7,000. But spent all of it (and more) on learning and mentorship.
It was year 3 when I actually âpaid myself.â And when I did, it wasnât much.
Despite choosing a business with high-profit margins, it took me a few years to reap any profit.
You might need to keep a day job.
You might need a side hustle.
Because itâs going to take a lot longer than you think to start earning like a real business owner.
You might need to keep a day job.
You might need a side hustle.
Because itâs going to take a lot longer than you think to start earning like a real business owner.
4. Stay Lean
Most of us will have to learn this the hard way.
Most of us will chase shiny objects, spend for status and buy things we think we need⊠but we really donât.
Forgive yourself for dumb investments. But donât make it a habit.
Most of us will have to learn this the hard way.
Most of us will chase shiny objects, spend for status and buy things we think we need⊠but we really donât.
Forgive yourself for dumb investments. But donât make it a habit.
5. Spend more than your competitors.
Yes, I did just tell you to stay lean. And now Iâm telling you to spend more.
Spend on acquisition. Spend on shortcuts. Spend on things that make you go faster. Invest in areas of your business that will produce a return.
Yes, I did just tell you to stay lean. And now Iâm telling you to spend more.
Spend on acquisition. Spend on shortcuts. Spend on things that make you go faster. Invest in areas of your business that will produce a return.
6. People are going to laugh at you.
That blog post you wrote. That video you posted. That shitty website you whipped together because you didnât have enough cash to spend on a web developer.
Yeah, people are 100% laughing at you for the shit you created.
I guarantee it.
That blog post you wrote. That video you posted. That shitty website you whipped together because you didnât have enough cash to spend on a web developer.
Yeah, people are 100% laughing at you for the shit you created.
I guarantee it.
You know what though?
It doesnât fvcking matter.
If youâre going to let this stop you, go get a job.
My wrestling coaches always use to tell us to get comfortable being uncomfortable.
I think that advice applies here.
It doesnât fvcking matter.
If youâre going to let this stop you, go get a job.
My wrestling coaches always use to tell us to get comfortable being uncomfortable.
I think that advice applies here.
7. Youâll never be good enough.
Your version 1.0 of anything will suck. People might love it. People might buy it.
But to you⊠it will be flawed.
So youâll make a version 2.0.
That will be better. But it still wonât be as good as you want it.
So youâll make a version 3.0.
Your version 1.0 of anything will suck. People might love it. People might buy it.
But to you⊠it will be flawed.
So youâll make a version 2.0.
That will be better. But it still wonât be as good as you want it.
So youâll make a version 3.0.
And youâll freak yourself out⊠because itâs STILL not good enough.
This is life.
That is how it works.
The game is not won by achieving perfection. It doesnât exist and your product can always be better.
The game is won when you dedicate yourself to never-ending improvement.
This is life.
That is how it works.
The game is not won by achieving perfection. It doesnât exist and your product can always be better.
The game is won when you dedicate yourself to never-ending improvement.
8. Youâll never be ready.
There has never been an opportune time to quit your job. There has never been a great time to start a business.
If you wait until the stars align, youâll die.
Just get started and youâll figure it out as you go.
There has never been an opportune time to quit your job. There has never been a great time to start a business.
If you wait until the stars align, youâll die.
Just get started and youâll figure it out as you go.
9. Youâre going to miss your job.
Sometimes.
Youâll wish you could just wake up and walk into an environment where things are figured out.
Where you donât have to do everything by yourself. Where people get you. Where thereâs some camaraderie. Where youâre part of a team.
Sometimes.
Youâll wish you could just wake up and walk into an environment where things are figured out.
Where you donât have to do everything by yourself. Where people get you. Where thereâs some camaraderie. Where youâre part of a team.
There are days when I wake up and think:
âWhy do I have to deal with this bullshit? Why canât someone else just do this?â
As an entrepreneur, you are the leader. Even if youâre a solopreneur, you are the leader. You have to be.
Leadership starts with leading yourself.
âWhy do I have to deal with this bullshit? Why canât someone else just do this?â
As an entrepreneur, you are the leader. Even if youâre a solopreneur, you are the leader. You have to be.
Leadership starts with leading yourself.
10. People will fuck you over, rip you off and steal from you.
Get used to it.
The first time I got a chargeback for one of my courses, I flew off the handle. I was offended. I later found out that person pirated my IP and is now profiting off it, I got even madder.
Get used to it.
The first time I got a chargeback for one of my courses, I flew off the handle. I was offended. I later found out that person pirated my IP and is now profiting off it, I got even madder.
A few days later, my IP got pirated for the second time. Was I mad? Sure.
For about 5 minutes.
I realized this is just par for the course.
Some people are just scumbags. I canât change them.
But what I can do is continue to build my audience and take care of my people.
For about 5 minutes.
I realized this is just par for the course.
Some people are just scumbags. I canât change them.
But what I can do is continue to build my audience and take care of my people.
The pirates will never be successful. They can rip off everything you own, but they can never create something new.
That's why they'll always be bottom feeders and YOU will be a champion.
That's why they'll always be bottom feeders and YOU will be a champion.
11. Your business is NOT a top priority for your clients and customers.
Iâve had hundreds of clients and customers.
I love them.
We have incredibly happy working relationships.
And the reason I think is because at the end of the day⊠I know they donât really care about me.
Iâve had hundreds of clients and customers.
I love them.
We have incredibly happy working relationships.
And the reason I think is because at the end of the day⊠I know they donât really care about me.
My business is not their top priority. Nor should it be.
We can have great relationships with clients. But your friends are your friends. And your clients are your clients.
Be friendly, do nice things for them, care for them, lend a helping hand, be there when they need you.
We can have great relationships with clients. But your friends are your friends. And your clients are your clients.
Be friendly, do nice things for them, care for them, lend a helping hand, be there when they need you.
Go above and beyond for them and care for their business like itâs your own.
But at the end of the day, just remember these relationships will end one day.
Sometimes breaks are clean. Sometimes theyâre messy.
Just know what youâre getting into and always have an exit plan.
But at the end of the day, just remember these relationships will end one day.
Sometimes breaks are clean. Sometimes theyâre messy.
Just know what youâre getting into and always have an exit plan.
12. Without a mentor, youâre kinda fucked.
What youâre trying to do has probably been figured out. Donât make things harder on yourself.
People who succeed find mentors. Learn from them and then put your own spin on things.
Pay for time and attention with important people.
What youâre trying to do has probably been figured out. Donât make things harder on yourself.
People who succeed find mentors. Learn from them and then put your own spin on things.
Pay for time and attention with important people.
13. An engaged email list is the greatest asset your business can own.
When you have an email list, you have all the people who are most likely to buy what youâre selling in one place.
It doesnât matter if youâre writing an email broadcast to one person or a million.
When you have an email list, you have all the people who are most likely to buy what youâre selling in one place.
It doesnât matter if youâre writing an email broadcast to one person or a million.
Email Marketing is the ultimate form of leverage.
Itâs the one method of marketing that allows you to consistently turn words into money, literally on command.
Learn email marketing and youâll never worry about sales or marketing again.
[
Itâs the one method of marketing that allows you to consistently turn words into money, literally on command.
Learn email marketing and youâll never worry about sales or marketing again.
[
14. Good products sell themselves.
As a direct-response copywriter, I was taught that even good products need incredible marketing to sell.
Well, Iâve seen a lot of âgood marketingâ and âbad marketing.â
Iâve seen products with basic pages and mediocre copy sell like crazy.
As a direct-response copywriter, I was taught that even good products need incredible marketing to sell.
Well, Iâve seen a lot of âgood marketingâ and âbad marketing.â
Iâve seen products with basic pages and mediocre copy sell like crazy.
And Iâve seen shit products with incredibly engineered sales funnels sell garbage products with 40â60% refund rates.
At the end of the day, you have to choose what kind of business you want to build.
I believe the people who find the most success have incredible products.
At the end of the day, you have to choose what kind of business you want to build.
I believe the people who find the most success have incredible products.
15. Start one-to-one. Then, get leverage.
When I show people how to start building an audience, I teach them to do something called âmanual audience building.â
This is the act of building your audience, one person at a time.
When I show people how to start building an audience, I teach them to do something called âmanual audience building.â
This is the act of building your audience, one person at a time.
You donât get to 1,000 subscribers without getting subscriber #1. And you donât get to #1 until youâve helped at least one person.
As soon as youâve proven the concept in a one-to-one, move to a point of higher leverage.
Every question you get can become a piece of content.
As soon as youâve proven the concept in a one-to-one, move to a point of higher leverage.
Every question you get can become a piece of content.
16. Replace yourself
I donât remember where I heard this: âThe entrepreneurâs job is to find someone else to do your job.â
Thatâs the whole game.
You just keep asking yourself: âWho can I find to do ___ for me, so I donât have to do it anymore.â
I donât remember where I heard this: âThe entrepreneurâs job is to find someone else to do your job.â
Thatâs the whole game.
You just keep asking yourself: âWho can I find to do ___ for me, so I donât have to do it anymore.â
17. Stay off social media.
Social media is heroin for your brain.
Every time you log on, you get bombarded with a hyperbolic version of reality.
You only see the best 1% of everyoneâs lives. And most things are faked.
Social media is designed to hijack your amygdala.
Social media is heroin for your brain.
Every time you log on, you get bombarded with a hyperbolic version of reality.
You only see the best 1% of everyoneâs lives. And most things are faked.
Social media is designed to hijack your amygdala.
Itâs designed to distract you and mess with your emotions.
You can spend the rest of your life consuming their content and still never run out.
You need to guard your attention.
So get the fuck off social media, stop consuming and start creating.
You can spend the rest of your life consuming their content and still never run out.
You need to guard your attention.
So get the fuck off social media, stop consuming and start creating.
18. Be a leader.
Leadership is the most important skill you can learn. And you need to start by leading yourself.
Remember⊠your job is to remove yourself. The people who you hire to do that will need guidance.
Leadership is the most important skill you can learn. And you need to start by leading yourself.
Remember⊠your job is to remove yourself. The people who you hire to do that will need guidance.
19. Consistency leads to compounding gains.
Iâve been creating content for 9 years.
For the first 1.5 years, nothing really happened.
Now I have a list, and multiple products, I speak on stage and get interviewed regularly on podcasts.
That shit didnât happen by accident.
Iâve been creating content for 9 years.
For the first 1.5 years, nothing really happened.
Now I have a list, and multiple products, I speak on stage and get interviewed regularly on podcasts.
That shit didnât happen by accident.
20. Brands are built through advertising.
Advertising is how brands are built.
You business cannot survive unless it first becomes visible. And once it becomes visible, it must stay visible.
Advertise more, more often, more profitably and you build the biggest brand.
Advertising is how brands are built.
You business cannot survive unless it first becomes visible. And once it becomes visible, it must stay visible.
Advertise more, more often, more profitably and you build the biggest brand.
21. Relationship capital is one of your most important assets.
As a copywriter, I realized the power of referrals early on.
Whenever I helped someone solve a problem, they sent a client my way every now and again.
I made it a policy to try to help at least one person a day.
As a copywriter, I realized the power of referrals early on.
Whenever I helped someone solve a problem, they sent a client my way every now and again.
I made it a policy to try to help at least one person a day.
Eventually, I had to start turning away clients because I got too many referrals.
This doesnât happen overnight.
It happens as a result of going out of your way to help people, without expecting anything in return.
Your business is only as strong as the allies you have.
This doesnât happen overnight.
It happens as a result of going out of your way to help people, without expecting anything in return.
Your business is only as strong as the allies you have.
22. Owning your business is a 7-day-a-week job.
This is something no one tells you.
You pick up a copy of the Four-Hour Work Week, and you think: âThisâll be easy!â
The truth is, every entrepreneur works their ass off for a very long time. Even on the weekends.
This is something no one tells you.
You pick up a copy of the Four-Hour Work Week, and you think: âThisâll be easy!â
The truth is, every entrepreneur works their ass off for a very long time. Even on the weekends.
When I was building my business, I did it on nights and weekends.
Four years straight of seven day weeks.
Thatâs what it took.
Thatâs what it takes.
Four years straight of seven day weeks.
Thatâs what it took.
Thatâs what it takes.
23. Nobody will care about your business as much as you do.
I learned this from my first mentor,
@ZEvenEsh
The people you hire, the clients, the customers⊠they might care, but only to a certain extent.
Itâs not their job to care about your business.
I learned this from my first mentor,
@ZEvenEsh
The people you hire, the clients, the customers⊠they might care, but only to a certain extent.
Itâs not their job to care about your business.
@ZEvenEsh People will work hard for you. But theyâll never go âabove and beyondâ
⊠because.... why should they? Youâre the one getting rich.
Good leaders find other ways to motivate people to perform at a high level while hedging for the inevitable discrepancy in maximal effort.
⊠because.... why should they? Youâre the one getting rich.
Good leaders find other ways to motivate people to perform at a high level while hedging for the inevitable discrepancy in maximal effort.
@ZEvenEsh 24. This is the most fun youâre ever going to have.
Everything Iâve said in this thread kind of sounds gloomy.
I promise you tho⊠this is the most fun youâll ever have.
It will be hard, but youâre going to have an awesome time.
Everything Iâve said in this thread kind of sounds gloomy.
I promise you tho⊠this is the most fun youâll ever have.
It will be hard, but youâre going to have an awesome time.
@ZEvenEsh 25. Hire people who are good at what you suck at.
Iâm not great at doing taxes, so I hired an accountant⊠and thatâs one less problem to worry about.
Donât work on your weaknesses. Find people who âplayâ the stuff you suck at and pay them to do what they do best, for you.
Iâm not great at doing taxes, so I hired an accountant⊠and thatâs one less problem to worry about.
Donât work on your weaknesses. Find people who âplayâ the stuff you suck at and pay them to do what they do best, for you.
@ZEvenEsh 26. A business is just a collection of systems.
@lifeandwriting taught me the importance of systems.
She told me: âIf you donât think thereâs a system to what you do, there is. It might be a shitty system and you might not be able to see it⊠but itâs there.â
@lifeandwriting taught me the importance of systems.
She told me: âIf you donât think thereâs a system to what you do, there is. It might be a shitty system and you might not be able to see it⊠but itâs there.â
@ZEvenEsh @lifeandwriting If youâre ever going to replace yourself and grow and make more money, you gotta understand the systems.
Every business delivers a specific result for specific people.
What is the result, who are the people, and how do you do it?
Figure that out and optimize everything you do.
Every business delivers a specific result for specific people.
What is the result, who are the people, and how do you do it?
Figure that out and optimize everything you do.
@ZEvenEsh @lifeandwriting 27. You gotta tell your story
I pay very close attention to people on my email list.
Iâve talked to a lot of people who are former teachers or people who are leaving their job to become a writer.
It seems the people who engage with me the most, have a story similar to my own.
I pay very close attention to people on my email list.
Iâve talked to a lot of people who are former teachers or people who are leaving their job to become a writer.
It seems the people who engage with me the most, have a story similar to my own.
@ZEvenEsh @lifeandwriting This is called resonance.
Whatever story you tell, will attract a certain kind of person.
When I talk about my transition away from my teaching job on a podcast, a lot of teachers join my list.
Your story is a tool to attract people.
Get intentional about the story you tell.
Whatever story you tell, will attract a certain kind of person.
When I talk about my transition away from my teaching job on a podcast, a lot of teachers join my list.
Your story is a tool to attract people.
Get intentional about the story you tell.
@ZEvenEsh @lifeandwriting 28. When in doubt, choose the simplest route.
Iâve been asked to create some pretty complex funnels for clients.
And despite my warnings, people have insisted they need extra layers of complexity.
These projects take tons of resources and mental bandwidth.
And ya know what?
Iâve been asked to create some pretty complex funnels for clients.
And despite my warnings, people have insisted they need extra layers of complexity.
These projects take tons of resources and mental bandwidth.
And ya know what?
@ZEvenEsh @lifeandwriting I donât really think they out-convert super-simple marketing campaigns.
You can choose to make your business as complex or as simple as it needs to be.
But thereâs a reason why all the most successful businesses today started off with a one-sentence idea.
You can choose to make your business as complex or as simple as it needs to be.
But thereâs a reason why all the most successful businesses today started off with a one-sentence idea.
@ZEvenEsh @lifeandwriting 29. None of us know what weâre doing.
But that doesnât mean we shouldnât try.
Business is the art of figuring things out. Literally.
In order to grow, you gotta solve your current problems. And once youâve solved those, youâre presented with new problems.
But that doesnât mean we shouldnât try.
Business is the art of figuring things out. Literally.
In order to grow, you gotta solve your current problems. And once youâve solved those, youâre presented with new problems.
@ZEvenEsh @lifeandwriting You either understand how to solve the problem. Or you find someone to help you solve. Or you pivot and decide to play a different game.
Iâve worked with hundreds of clients, from pre-revenue start-ups to $100,000,000+ a year companies.
Wanna know what they all have in common?
Iâve worked with hundreds of clients, from pre-revenue start-ups to $100,000,000+ a year companies.
Wanna know what they all have in common?
@ZEvenEsh @lifeandwriting They are really good at certain things.
But by and large, most of us have no idea what weâre doing⊠and weâre literally figuring out everything as we go along.
Donât think you have to have it all figured out to get started.
But by and large, most of us have no idea what weâre doing⊠and weâre literally figuring out everything as we go along.
Donât think you have to have it all figured out to get started.
@ZEvenEsh @lifeandwriting 30. The sky is the limit.
If you want to be rich, you gotta be in business.
Youâll always be paid less than what youâre worth at a job.
But with a business, you have the rare opportunity to get paid multiples of the value you create.
If you want to be rich, you gotta be in business.
Youâll always be paid less than what youâre worth at a job.
But with a business, you have the rare opportunity to get paid multiples of the value you create.
@ZEvenEsh @lifeandwriting If you choose this path, know that itâs going to be hard.
But it is fvcking worth it.
Enjoyed reading this thread?
1. Retweet and share it with your tribe.
2. Follow me @chrisorzy
But it is fvcking worth it.
Enjoyed reading this thread?
1. Retweet and share it with your tribe.
2. Follow me @chrisorzy
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