Do you want to make money? Do you want to start and grow a business in order to make money? If so, read on:
First thing I am going to write is that there are so many ways to start and grow great businesses inexpensively because of the internet, and because people crave human connection, experience, joy, fun and adventure.
The second thing I am going to write is that if I was going to share advice with a young person who asked me, “What career should I choose? What career will help set me up financially?” The first thing I would say is: What is going to hold your interest year-in year-out? Then I would suggest the usual thing that every business coach, life coach or career adviser asks: “What are you passionate about?” BUT then I would be saying, “Have you used online market research tools to figure out which industries have HIGH DEMAND?” Then I would next ask, “Have you researched to determine which industries (and JOBS within those industries) will exist in the future (for at least the next 10 years), which industries have highly transferrable skills and which industries (and JOBS in those industries) make good money?”
Then I would suggest to research all those things, then put the data for each question into an Excel file, then cross-compare the data. Data vs guess-work is the key!
The next step is to cross-compare this with your interests, your passions, how INTERESTED you would be in each actual career option… and THEN rate your interest in each. You’ll soon see which career options could be financially beneficial.
The same method can be used to identify what are good business ideas.
Many of us sort of did this kind of thing in our heads when we were kids and/or at around age 16 or 17. HOWEVER, there are SOO many more career opportunities, business types and ways to make great money now BECAUSE of the internet.
Free-mow-Friday’s (by Tim the Lawnmower Man) is an example of this. Tim is an Australian and every Friday he mows someone’s yard for free. He creates a video for his YouTube Channel about every free yard mow that he does. It’s the money he makes from ads played during his YouTube videos (and potentially other sponsor endorsements, deals, etc) that provides his revenue (the money). He also runs a podcast. Here is one of his videos:
My first side-business in my late teens was mowing yards in Brisbane btw. I had a push-mower, whipper-snipper, a rake, a broom, a Datsun Sunny, and an A4 advert poster (that I drew, tweaked in Photoshop, printed and then photocopied — a low-res version of the A4 size poster is below). I posted that A4 advert on various university notice-boards.
Did I end up mowing VERY overgrown yards? Yes. Did I end up making much money? It helped. Could I have grown the business? Most definitely! Was I studying media at the time? Yes.
I chose media as my career, so I stopped mowing yards for others when I was 20, and began my career in media, design and marketing. What a wild-ride that was… but that’s a story for another day!
Side note: A few years ago (in my early 40’s) as an experiment, I created another little mowing business to prove that a small business can be started in 2 weeks and grown quickly, if you know what you are doing (have previous experience in business start-up phase and growth). This business still exists and I’m looking for an employee atm. I don’t have time to mow yards AND work for our clients here at Green Valley Digital at the same time. Anyhoo, I digress. I’ll get back on topic…Â Â
In the US, SB Mowing has a very similar business model. This business is mentioned in this video. It’s worth watching:
If you are interested in starting a business, I would actually watch this entire video. I would also be watching this video (below) by Robert Herjavec.
ADDITIONALLY I would be searching YouTube for “great business ideas that can make great money” and “great business ideas that are low start-up cost and can make very good money”. There are MANY videos on YouTube about both of these topics.
What are Experiential-Businesses?
In one of the above videos, they speak about a business in the US called ‘Buc-ees‘. They’re a service station rest-stop business-chain in the US. Currently there are over 50 of them. They are more than service-stations, they are an enjoyable EXPERIENCE!
People (humans) are hard-wired to do things that create pleasure, vs things that create pain. That is why only a percentage of people start a business… because in the early days there is some pain.
Side note: If you work with mentors who can help you start and grow your business, and avoid as MUCH pain as possible, you set yourself up for faster growth, a MUCH more enjoyable time and greater success! AND WAY-LESS potential for failure.Â
Another thing humans like is new experiences. We want to be entertained AND/OR find entertaining things to do (like a hobby or a new challenge)! We all seek joy, happiness, harmony, excitement, new challenges, etc. Building businesses that create experience and joy therefore often become successful, ONCE enough people know about them. I could list at least 50 experience-based businesses. Maybe I’ll write a list and add it to this blog post at some point.Â
For now though, let’s continue this blog post…
I am sure you know that humans are also hard-wired to be social. We are social-creatures. Being social, operating in tribes, etc is how we have survived as a species. The old analogy (demonstration) that people teach kids applies:Â
Grasp one stick in your two hands and then snap it. Now grab a bundle of sticks in your two hands and then try and break it. It of course won’t break. Then you tell the child/children, “A person operating alone can break or fail, but there is strength and resilience when a good group of people come together and work together. THEY thrive!”
No successful person creates their success alone. It’s the group of people they choose to surround themselves with, that makes all the difference! No one person can do everything!
Humans also don’t like to be bored. Is why we’re always interested in new and interesting content on TV, Netflix, etc. It’s also why businesses like Tough Mudder, CrossFit, etc do so well. THEY ALSO do well because they create a ‘social outlet’. CrossFit by design makes no secret that it is “social fitness”. “Leave your ego at the door and support one another!”
So when you combine ‘creating fun experiences’ with ‘pleasure’ and ‘social outlet’ within a business, you can create something special: A wonderful ‘experience-based business’ that people want to visit, and return to. A business that will make MONEY… AND GROW… AND become SUCCESSFUL!!
Even last night I was watching a video on YouTube that partly spoke about a business in the UK that provides Spitfire plane rides. In the video one person said, “People don’t want to spend as much money on ‘things’ (objects) anymore, they want to spend money on experiences.” Now this may be true (in part); My personal belief is that people want and will (and do) spend money on BOTH, plus education and other things that help them get ahead in life!
I recommend watching the below video. Alex Hormozi (co-founder of www.acquisition.com and Skool) talks about why your business may not be growing fast enough… because not enough people know about it yet. It speaks about many other VERY useful things too.
I first heard about ‘Experiential businesses’ from Ryan Deiss (the founder of DigitalMarketer.com who is also an investor) some years ago. He spoke about it at a live event. I think there is a video recording of it somewhere. If I ever find it, I’ll add it to this blog post. In the talk he also spoke about “experiential-marketing“. [There are many great videos on his/their YouTube Channel.]
Side note: These are two videos I wish I saw 20-something years ago:
I stumbled across these two videos the other day. They’re somewhat related to business, and moreso about gaining financial freedom. I wish videos like this were accessible to me as a kid. I thought I’d pop them into the end of this blog post:Â
If you’ve found the information in this blog post handy and/or interesting, please share it on your socials. You never know who you may inspire or assist.
I truely believe (and know) that even in these tough economic times, that you can start and grow one or more businesses and build good revenue streams…. AND also take a business that clicks (resonates) with people to success-heights some of us only dream of!