Post: #1

Hey guys,

Long story short: I got a job in the government immediately after graduation.. I make 65k per year and get 4 weeks vacation, have travelled, etc

But, I haven't really acquired any skills since graduating in accounting. They basically stuck me in a job where I just change passwords for a handsome salary

But I don't really like my job and I've forgotten almost everything I learned in school. I'm 30 years old, speak 3 languages but not fluently, just well enough to travel.

I would like to acquire skills to go into business on my own, but I don't know where to start.. I'm still a few years away from paying off my student loans for my degree...

What do you think I should do? Should learn?

I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks for reading

Post: #2

Considering your working for the government, I'd say take advantage of the stability and try to get as much time off as possible to enjoy yourself. Be happy you have a really stable job in this environment, as for a business, with the hours your working (40h/week?) you've got a lot of time to experiment. Most professionals in accounting don't have have way more hours with a similar salary.

See if you can take sabbaticals where they can take you back at your job, because if you can that's the best way to do it because you know you can go back.

Post: #3

Trump's coming for you. So is technology, good luck.

Post: #4

(01-13-2017 07:22 PM)Beijong Wrote:  I would like to acquire skills to go into business on my own, but I don't know where to start..

If you don't know where you want to start or what business you want to be in then HOW ON EARTH are we supposed to know how to help you?

Here are my serious answers:

1) If you don't know what you want to do, don't quit your job.
2) Start by selling me your product. All businesses are in business to sell a product or service, no exceptions. What are you selling to me?

Post: #5

Your accounting degree is almost useless in thenprifate sector. Come up with a plan unless you want to change passwords the rest of your life.

Post: #6

I would take a look at coding and app development and see if it is for you. If you want to work online, those types of jobs are amongst the highest paid.

You can basically sell anything that is knowledge based on the internet. So you need to take a look at what you are good at, and see if there is a market for it and you can sell it. If you know 3 languages you can try doing some translation work for example.

Post: #7

The OP's problem isn't a lack of skills, it's a lack of motivation.

Harsh words need to be said.

Post: #8

How much disposable income do you have after bills and everything are paid?

I'd look into selling something a product not an ebook but a product online.

You'll need to learn how to write a good sales page.

You'll need to learn how to create and run ads.

Two of the hardest things you'll ever do.

Most likely you'll fail the first time, but it's okay since it's meant to be a learning lesson so you don't make same mistakes next time.

Again how much disposable income do you have and how much money are you willing to waste before you start making money.

Post: #9

I tend to live pay check to paycheck
I guess after all essentials are paid I have about 1500 per month which is is for food and fun. Generally 400 goes to food and about 140 goes on transportation
So maybe 800 bucks tops on what I could invest
Usually I save this money and travel with it
Honestly, if it weren't for my girlfriend, who is essentially a 21 year old unicorn from a great family who adores me- I'd just move to Taiwan and teach English

Edit: it would be worth noting that I had a dream last night: my office was a demons den and all my co workers were demons, just twisted weird versions of themselves that I can't get along with because they're untrustworthy and incompetent. This is my subconscious projection of them even when I sleep.
I really dig myself into a career rut, but I have no other way to pay the bills

Post: #10

(01-15-2017 04:01 PM)Beijong Wrote:  Edit: it would be worth noting that I had a dream last night: my office was a demons den and all my co workers were demons, just twisted weird versions of themselves that I can't get along with because they're untrustworthy and incompetent. This is my subconscious projection of them even when I sleep.
I really dig myself into a career rut, but I have no other way to pay the bills

Lol'd. I can see why some people feel like that.

Post: #11

(01-15-2017 12:47 AM)colblionel Wrote:  I'd look into selling something a product not an ebook but a product online.

You'll need to learn how to write a good sales page.

You'll need to learn how to create and run ads.

He needs to figure out how to create something of actual value, not become another bullshit online marketer. Internet is full of people squeezing out some half-rate turd of a blog/podcast/course/niche product/consulting gig. There's nothing wrong with any of these per se, but when someone is more focused on marketing than substance people can sense it from a mile away. It stinks.

Nice landing pages and Facebook ads are all well and good, but for homeboy to get what he wants he needs to deserve what he wants.

Post: #12

(01-16-2017 02:15 AM)Shoubuliao Wrote:  

(01-15-2017 12:47 AM)colblionel Wrote:  I'd look into selling something a product not an ebook but a product online.

You'll need to learn how to write a good sales page.

You'll need to learn how to create and run ads.

He needs to figure out how to create something of actual value, not become another bullshit online marketer. Internet is full of people squeezing out some half-rate turd of a blog/podcast/course/niche product/consulting gig. There's nothing wrong with any of these per se, but when someone is more focused on marketing than substance people can sense it from a mile away. It stinks.

Nice landing pages and Facebook ads are all well and good, but for homeboy to get what he wants he needs to deserve what he wants.

Nothing wrong with selling an actual product online as long as it works and does what it says. The problem is just money and how much money are you willing to waste to figure out how to make something work.

Money to create/buy product from manufacture - minimum manufacture may want you to buy could be anywhere from 100-1000 depending on what you're buying.

Most likely you're keeping the product at your place to save money on storage.

Don't forget paying for shipping and handling.

Now comes the hardest part: Marketing where most of your money will go.

you will run ads and test landing pages. You will waste and lose lots of money.

It's not uncommon to run a 7 day ad spending 100 dollars a day and nobody buys anything. There you go you just wasted $700.

Again, how much money do you have to waste.

a project like this could easily run you over $5,000.

This may not sound like a lot of money to a lot of people but if you don't have a lot of disposable income to waste than it is.

OP might just need a career change to be honest.

Post: #13

Well OP, what are your interests, what are your priorities, what are your dreams?

There's an incredible amount of options out there to pursue depending on the above. Me personally, someone who wasn't happy with previous work, buckled down, studied programming, am about to do an intense 3 month bootcamp and will come out of it a full stack programmer. Do I enjoy it? Not really. Do I like the people I'm surrounded by in this industry? Hell no. It's SJW central. But I'm doing it because it's good money and it's a career I can work in any city globally, so I'll use the skills I'm attaining to move to Eastern Europe. When there, the progressive SF culture will no longer be an issue.

Then maybe I do a startup after a few years. Maybe I do consulting. Maybe I do remote contracts while overlooking the Black Sea and sipping rakia. Or I might do import/export which I'm researching right now.

Get creative. Follow your interests. Follow your passions. You might ask why am I doing programming if it's not a passion. The answer would be traveling and living abroad is a passion of mine and it's the quickest way to achieve that while earning a decent payroll while also providing the opportunity to eventually do remote work, on my time without being beholden to the local language. Might also buy an apartment in Eastern Europe and rent it out when I'm not there. Another revenue stream.

Import/export is more a real interest of mine as the lifestyle(surrounding what I would like to concentrate on importing/exporting) is attractive to me, as is the idea of building true wealth for down the road.

What's important to you? Where do you want to be in five or 10 years? My advice is to outline the five most important things in your life and going forward, then start tracing backwards the options which will most likely allow you to meet your goals and where you want to be. That's your foundation. For me, living abroad is atop my list of goals. I wanted a profession where I wasn't dependent upon learning the local language in order to gain employment, nor one where options were limited going forward but instead provided variety. I also in no way wanted to go back to school for 2-4 years. Knowing that, I worked backwards, did research and found that programming was my best option. It's also relatively quick, a few months prep/studying, get into a bootcamp, come out and get a job within 60 days, work here for 1-3 years and then boom, have savings, have experience, can go overseas and work while also getting paid either in USD or GBP for an American or British company.

In the end, I wouldn't focus so much on a lack of skills but rather, find your dream, focus and identify your goals, then figure out which skills will allow you to accomplish your dream/goals. If your goal is to be a 40 yr old living in Thailand with your wife in hand, traveling semi-frequently, living comfortably, being an accountant sure as shit is not going to get you there.

Post: #14

1) Think of problems that people have.

2) Pick one that you can't relate to because you kick ass at it. For me, it might be public speaking/presenting. Or interviews. I'm good at both.

3) Help people with that problem. If you're good at teaching and had to acquire the skill yourself (it's harder to teach something you're just a natural at), then you can teach people. Or you could do it for them. For example, I could offer to do presentations for people for a fee.

4) Once you have a decent client list, you can outsource to other people who are also good at whatever it is. Congratulations, now you have a service business.

5) At this point, you could create a product related to this problem, e.g. an e-learning course for presentations. Or you could choose to create a product first.

6) Profit.

You're never going to know where to start. Pick a direction and go. If you don't, you're still picking a direction, it just happens to be the shittiest direction. Inaction is a choice too.