I have posted in the past about my experience running an Ebay store as a hobby and what you need to know and do to get started. Now, I would like to get into a little more detail with my methods, theories and concerns in this particular area of e-commerce. I believe this can be a worthwhile work from home option for those who are willing to make the effort, however, there are a number of pitfalls I would try to steer you away from. So let’s say you have your business license, fictitious business name and website all taken care of and now you want to know how to really run your business. How do you turn this into a profitable and consistent enterprise?
Pick a niche. I’m sure you have heard this before, in order to stand out you need to specialize. So now you’re thinking, well what about Walmart and Amazon? I’m assuming you don’t have a massive budget and army of minions to help you jump straight into the online department store game. Also, keep in mind that Amazon started off just selling books. Think small enough that with your budget you can encompass the entirety of the market. As an example I specialized in role playing games that used the d20 rules of play. Within a couple of years I had a copy of 95 percent of all the d20 books ever published. Were there a lot of other people in the market? Of course, everybody wants to see if they can make money with their hobby. Few of them, however, had the consistent selection I had combined with a 100% feedback rating. So, for what I had, my books sold well, and I was able to charge a higher price and get it.
The problems with my particular niche was that it consisted of a limited number of items with a small number of customers and a very small profit margin. It was tough to get stock because relatively few people were selling and prices were competitive, even in the bulk market. I expanded into game miniatures thinking I just needed to have more products to sell. For a while it felt like I was doing well because I had at least one of almost every plastic Dungeons & Dragons miniature from the various sets and I was selling a great deal of multi-figured lots and combining my shipping efforts. When I finally sat down and did the math, however, it was a face slap of a wakeup call.
On average I would sell about one item per week for every fifty items I had listed in a 30 day auto-renewal store format. There are a lot of variables here, so I am just estimating. I think Ebay has some sort of algorithm that rates your items higher when you list more items. I would always sell more items the first day or two after listing a bunch of new items. For a while I thought I could incorporate that into my system and get more sales, but it turns out to be an exponential curve where you simply run out of items to list. So I did the basics by making sure I at least had a business card or brochure with all my packaging. I usually listed items between 5 and 7 at night because apparently people tend to check right after work for new stuff or listings that are ending soon. My average amount of sales never really changed though.
I thought, ok I just need to list a massive amount of items. You can probably imagine that my profit margins were small. I tried to always make sure I had at least a dollar of profit with the books. The miniatures were a different story. You need to take into account the Ebay fees, PayPal fees, sales tax, shipping costs, and packaging costs. It seems pretty complicated, but you can set up a spreadsheet pretty quickly that will do the math for you.
So lets say I have an average profit of 1 dollar per item and I need about 50 items listed in order to sell one item per week. You are probably getting the picture. In order to make 50k a year in profit you need to sell about 137 items per day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. Oh and you would need to have about 48,000 items listed and you would need to keep listing about 137 new items every day to keep up! I know there are automations and duplicate items and processes that can help out, but do you know how much time it takes to package and list items? I think on a good day I could package about 10 items an hour and list about 12 per hour if I was sort of familiar with everything and I did not run out of printer ink or packaging materials. Of course you have worked this imaginary 24 hours a day 7 days a week to make 50k and it will now be subject to the other 3 taxes: the federal, the state, and the self employment tax. Now imagine doing all this with a family encroaching upon your workspace, including kids and pets.
The moral of that story is sell bigger ticket items or collections of smaller items. I think back in the day the recommendation was items that have a profit of at least 50 dollars each or something. I have friends that ordered pallets of stuff from China and stored it in their garages while trying to sell it off. I stuck with my collectibles because I wanted to at least be interested in the stuff I was handling.
So I tried selling more expensive stuff and collections, but it was more of a slog because I couldn’t really find a lot of collectibles to mark up that much. At least not ones that I could afford myself. Living in Southern California in small condos and apartments also didn’t help. I simply did not have room for all the items, much less the packaging. Then I ran into more social issues. Some friends were watching our apartment and decided they could smoke in the spare bedroom, which I had converted into a library with all my gaming books. Yeah, smoke never really comes out of books. I probably lost close to 10,000 dollars with all the markdowns. I had another box of signed first editions that after a move somehow ended up in a cardboard box in the garage under a leaky pipe. That loss was less expensive but I lost some great books, like the leatherbound annotated Dragonlance Chronicles signed by Margaret Weis. Sigh. I was pretty disheartened after that and considered renting a storage area for all the Ebay stuff. The logistics there proved more cumbersome than I was willing to put up with and way more expensive than I was expecting. I spent the next couple years selling everything off, which sort of worked out since it helped us purchase a house and pay for 60k in renovations.
I know you’re probably thinking, so what about drop shipping? Believe me I looked into it. After scouring markets like Worldwide Brands and Alibaba for something I was both interested in and thought I could turn a profit on, I was still pretty discouraged. There is a lot of junk out there, and the stuff that looks interesting, well I’m not the only one who thinks so. The margins were so small and sometimes nonexistent because of the competition. I saw items selling for 5 to 10 percent less than what I could get from a distributor. I still don’t understand it. A buddy of mine who tried drop shopping with little success, eventually wrote a program that tracked prices of certain items on Walmart.com and Amazon. He would list the items on Ebay and have Amazon or Walmart deliver them and he was making better margins than our best dropshipping calculations.
So why bother, right? Well, let’s just say that online sales are not for the faint of heart. More specifically I mean that an online business person, like anyone starting from scratch I suppose, requires persistence and creativity. There are certainly plenty of success stories out there. My same friend who used Walmart and Amazon to ship for him eventually found success with glass etching. He bought pallets of glassware and did custom engravings for weddings and such making as much as 50k a month when we last spoke. Obviously this takes a certain skillset, marketing and some investment in machinery. The ticket here is a modification of an existing product. Much like flipping a house, you buy it, upgrade it and then turn around and sell it for 20-30% more. In this case we have bulk glassware that is custom etched and sold for an 8x markup. Sounds easy right? Not so much, but if you can pull it off and get some quality employees working with you, it’s definitely worth the effort. As soon as I find something like this that works for me, I’ll let you know.
Sometimes I really miss having abs. It’s been almost 20 years since mine were discernible in any fashion and it has occurred to me on several occasions that the longer I wait to address the issue, the harder it will be to fix. Looking into the problem more thoroughly I realize that for health and self-esteem reasons, this is something I really want to address before I retire. I’m already an older Dad, and I don’t want to be that guy who can’t keep up with his 10 year old son. I also don’t want to be that guy who has a heart attack in his 50’s. Let me walk you through my research on the subject and what I plan to do about it
The first thing we need to do is understand the enemy. Belly fat, also known as visceral fat, is fat that surrounds your internal organs. It’s considered particularly dangerous because it’s been linked to a number of health problems. Visceral fat differs from subcutaneous fat, which lies beneath the skin. It is more metabolically active and releases hormones and inflammatory substances that can impact health.
Lets look specifically at some of the metabolic effects. It releases fatty acids and other substances that interfere with insulin signaling, leading to insulin resistance. This can impair your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels which contributes to the development of type 2 diabetes. Visceral fat produces hormones and adipokines (cell-signaling proteins) that can disrupt metabolism. These substances can affect appetite regulation, energy expenditure, and fat storage, making it harder to lose weight and maintain a healthy body composition. Visceral fat is associated with an increased risk of dyslipidemia, a condition characterized by abnormal levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. This can contribute to the development of heart disease and other cardiovascular problems.
In addition there are a variety of inflammatory threats to your body. Visceral fat secretes cytokines, which are molecules that promote inflammation. This low-grade, chronic inflammation can damage tissues and organs throughout the body, contributing to a wide range of health problems, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. Visceral fat also generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can cause oxidative stress and damage cells. This further contributes to inflammation and chronic disease.
Visceral fat is not merely a passive storage of energy; it actively contributes to metabolic dysfunction and chronic inflammation. Reducing visceral fat through a healthy diet, regular exercise, and stress management is crucial for improving metabolic health, reducing inflammation, and lowering the risk of various chronic diseases.
What are some of the factors that contribute to the acquisition of visceral fat? Hormonal changes, such as those occurring with age or stress, can influence fat distribution. Cortisol, a stress hormone, can promote belly fat accumulation. One more reason I need to leave my career as an air traffic controller asap. Insulin resistance, often linked to poor diet and lack of exercise, can also contribute. If you are having difficulty sleeping, changes in appetite, or unexplained weight gain, fatigue or mood swings you may want to see a health professional for advice on managing your hormone levels. Genetic predisposition can play a role in where your body tends to store fat, including the abdominal area. It should be pretty obvious looking around the dinner table during a Thanksgiving reunion if you are predisposed to belly fat. I know just looking at my Dad’s side of the family, there is no doubt. Diet and exercise habits significantly influence belly fat. A diet high in processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy fats can lead to weight gain and increased visceral fat. Lack of physical activity further exacerbates the issue.
We know that chronic low-grade inflammation contributes to a variety of issues. Understanding the specific factors may help you make informed choices. It’s a bit of a wake up call to realize just what kind of snowball effect a little tummy pudge is rolling into. Lets do a little recap and add some more specifics: Visceral fat cells release adipokines, which are cell-signaling proteins. Some of these adipokines, like tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), are pro-inflammatory, meaning they promote inflammation. As visceral fat accumulates, it attracts immune cells called macrophages. These macrophages release additional inflammatory cytokines, further exacerbating the inflammatory response. The fat cells release free fatty acids into the bloodstream. These free fatty acids can trigger inflammation in various tissues and organs, including the liver, muscles, and blood vessels. Visceral fat also generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are unstable molecules that can damage cells and tissues. This oxidative stress can contribute to inflammation and chronic disease. Even with my marginal understanding of what all this means, it still kind of freaks me out.
Just to reiterate, again, visceral fat acts as an endocrine organ, secreting hormones and adipokines that influence inflammation and metabolism. The accumulation of visceral fat leads to a chronic, low-grade inflammatory state, which is linked to numerous health problems. Reducing visceral fat through lifestyle changes like diet and exercise can help decrease inflammation and improve overall health. Yup, that’s why we want abs.
So how do we deal with all these issues and flatten our stomach? I suggest we start with food. Eat more fruits and vegetables. They are low in calories and high in fiber, which can help you feel full and satisfied. Choose whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and oats over refined grains like white bread and pasta. Include sources of lean protein such as chicken, fish, beans, and lentils in your diet. Incorporate healthy fats like those found in avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil.
Here are 5 sample recipes that, as part of a balanced diet and active lifestyle, can support your goals for reducing belly fat:
1. Quinoa and Black Bean Bowl:
Ingredients: Quinoa, black beans, chopped bell peppers, diced avocado, chopped cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Why it helps: High in fiber and protein, this bowl keeps you full and satisfied. It’s also packed with nutrients and healthy fats.
Why it helps: Overnight oats are a great source of complex carbohydrates, fiber, and protein, providing sustained energy and keeping you full until lunchtime.
5. Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry:
Ingredients: Chicken breast, assorted vegetables (broccoli, bell peppers, snap peas), brown rice, low-sodium soy sauce, garlic, ginger.
Why it helps: This stir-fry offers lean protein from chicken, fiber from vegetables, and complex carbohydrates from brown rice, making it a balanced and satisfying meal.
Remember, these recipes are just examples, and you can adjust them to fit your preferences and dietary needs. Focus on incorporating whole, unprocessed foods, lean protein, healthy fats, and plenty of fruits and vegetables into your diet for optimal results. For further reduction of inflammation I would suggest going organic when it’s available and you can afford it. I could, and probably will, write a whole other blog post on the problems with pesticides.
A ketogenic diet can also potentially help reduce belly fat. By drastically limiting carbohydrate intake and promoting fat burning for fuel (ketosis), it may lead to overall weight loss, including visceral fat. Some studies suggest that ketogenic diets might be more effective at reducing visceral fat compared to other diets. However, more research is needed to confirm long-term effectiveness and safety. I am personally starting to lean away from keto as an option to reduce my gut size. I worry that my age and relatively inactive lifestyle could leave me open to unwanted side effects from ketosis such as nutrient deficiencies, kidney stones or liver problems. Talk to a doctor if you are thinking about going keto for a flat tummy.
In case you are going this route here are 5 sample keto-friendly recipes that, as part of balanced ketogenic diet and active lifestyle, can support your goals for reducing belly fat:
Avocado and Shrimp Salad:
Ingredients: Shrimp, avocado, cucumber, red onion, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Why it helps: This salad is low in carbs, high in protein and healthy fats, making it a satisfying and filling meal that won’t kick you out of ketosis.
Why it helps: Chicken thighs are a good source of protein and fat, while asparagus provides fiber and essential nutrients, keeping you satiated and energized.
Zucchini Noodles with Pesto and Chicken:
Ingredients: Zucchini noodles (zoodles), pesto (made with olive oil, basil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan cheese), grilled chicken breast.
Why it helps: Zoodles are a low-carb alternative to pasta, and the pesto and chicken provide healthy fats and protein, making this a delicious and filling keto-friendly meal.
Cauliflower Fried Rice:
Ingredients: Cauliflower rice, eggs, vegetables (peas, carrots, onions), soy sauce (or coconut aminos for a lower-sodium option), sesame oil.
Why it helps: Cauliflower rice is a great substitute for traditional rice, and this dish offers a good balance of protein, healthy fats, and fiber.
Keto Chili:
Ingredients: Ground beef, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Why it helps: This hearty chili is packed with protein and healthy fats, keeping you full and satisfied while staying in ketosis.
Again these recipes are just a starting point, and you can adjust them to fit your preferences and dietary needs. Honestly the only one I’ve actually tried is the keto chili and it’s just not the same without the beans.
Reducing the inflammation will help us get into a position where we feel healthier and more energetic. Then we can really get into the physical fitness aspect with more enthusiasm. Here are five more recipes that can specifically help with inflammation:
Why it helps: Turmeric and ginger have potent anti-inflammatory properties. The fruits and vegetables provide antioxidants and fiber, while the yogurt adds protein.
Mediterranean Salad with Grilled Salmon:
Ingredients: Mixed greens, grilled salmon, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, red onion, feta cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, and herbs (oregano, basil).
Why it helps: The Mediterranean diet is known for its anti-inflammatory benefits. Salmon provides omega-3 fatty acids, which fight inflammation, and the vegetables offer antioxidants and fiber.
Why it helps: Berries are rich in antioxidants and fiber, while walnuts provide omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols, all of which have anti-inflammatory effects.
Lentil and Vegetable Curry:
Ingredients: Lentils, mixed vegetables (carrots, bell peppers, broccoli), coconut milk, curry powder, turmeric, ginger, garlic, and onion.
Why it helps: Lentils are high in fiber and protein, promoting satiety and gut health. The vegetables and spices offer antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.
Oatmeal with Berries and Nuts:
Ingredients: Rolled oats, milk (or plant-based alternative), berries, nuts (almonds, walnuts), and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Why it helps: Oats are a good source of soluble fiber, which can help reduce inflammation. Berries and nuts add antioxidants, healthy fats, and protein to keep you feeling full and satisfied.
Focus on incorporating a variety of whole, unprocessed foods rich in antioxidants, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids to promote overall health and reduce inflammation.
Now for some workout routines to take advantage of all that extra energy we’ll have from eating well and reducing inflammation. Regular exercise typically involves at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of more intense activity. This can be spread out over the week into five – thirty minute workouts or whatever works for you. For those of us with more time and will power maybe we can raise the bar a little, but be careful of overreaching. You don’t want to hurt yourself and be unable to work out for days or weeks. Engage in both cardiovascular exercise and strength training to improve insulin sensitivity, boost metabolism, and promote fat loss.
Cardiovascular exercise: Activities like running, swimming, biking, and dancing can help burn calories and reduce overall body fat, including belly fat.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT): HIIT workouts involve alternating short bursts of intense exercise with periods of rest, which can be effective for burning fat and boosting metabolism. Here is an example if a HIIT workout focusing on belly fat reduction:
Warm-up (2 minutes):
Light jog in place or jumping jacks (1 minute)
Dynamic stretches like arm circles, leg swings, and torso twists (1 minute)
Workout (8 minutes):
Perform each exercise for 40 seconds, followed by 20 seconds of rest. Repeat the circuit twice.
High Knees: Run in place, bringing your knees as high as possible towards your chest.
Burpees: Squat down, kick your feet back into a plank position, do a push-up, jump your feet back to your hands, and explosively jump up.
Mountain Climbers: Start in a plank position and alternate bringing your knees towards your chest in a running motion.
Butt Kicks: Run in place, kicking your heels towards your glutes.
Jumping Jacks: A classic cardio exercise that gets your heart rate up and works your entire body.
Cooldown (Optional): Light stretching or walking to bring your heart rate down gradually.
Important considerations:
Intensity: Push yourself to work at a high intensity during the 40-second work intervals.
Form: Maintain proper form to avoid injuries and maximize the effectiveness of each exercise.
Modifications: Modify exercises as needed to suit your fitness level. For example, do modified burpees with a step instead of a full push-up.
Progression: As you get fitter, increase the duration of the work intervals or add more challenging exercises.
Consistency: Aim to do this workout 3-4 times per week, along with a healthy diet and other forms of exercise, for optimal results.
This is just a sample workout, and you can adjust it to fit your preferences and fitness level. If you really don’t know what you are doing, there are plenty of Youtube videos that will guide you through a HIIT session. If you have health issues, consider consulting with a healthcare professional before starting any new exercise program.
Strength training: Building muscle through exercises like weight lifting and bodyweight exercises can help increase your metabolism and burn more calories at rest. Here are some simple sample exercises you can do almost anywhere:
Bodyweight Exercises:
Squats: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, lower your hips as if sitting back into a chair, keeping your back straight and chest up.
Lunges: Step forward with one leg, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. Keep your front knee aligned with your ankle and your back heel lifted.
Push-Ups: Start in a plank position, lower your body towards the floor by bending your elbows, and push back up to the starting position. Modify by doing knee push-ups if needed.
Plank: Hold a straight line from head to heels, engaging your core, glutes, and shoulders. Start with 30 seconds and gradually increase the duration.
Side Plank: Lie on your side, supporting your body with your forearm and feet. Keep your body in a straight line and hold for as long as possible.
Exercises with Weights (Dumbbells or Resistance Bands):
Dumbbell Rows: Hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back flat. Row the dumbbells towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Dumbbell Chest Press: Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Hold dumbbells with elbows bent, and press them up towards the ceiling.
Dumbbell Shoulder Press: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, hold dumbbells at shoulder level with palms facing forward. Press the dumbbells straight up overhead.
Dumbbell Bicep Curls: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, hold dumbbells at your sides with palms facing forward. Curl the dumbbells towards your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your body.
Dumbbell Tricep Extensions: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, hold a dumbbell with both hands overhead. Lower the dumbbell behind your head, keeping your upper arms stationary.
Start with a weight that challenges you but allows you to maintain good form. Aim for 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions for each exercise. Gradually increase weight or repetitions as you get stronger. Incorporate these exercises into a well-rounded fitness routine that includes cardio and core work for optimal belly fat reduction and overall health.
Core exercises: Exercises that target your abdominal muscles, such as planks, crunches, and leg raises, can help strengthen and tone your core, but they won’t necessarily spot-reduce belly fat.Here are 10 exercises that effectively target your core muscles, helping to strengthen and tone your midsection:
Plank: A classic core exercise that engages your entire core, including your abs, obliques, and lower back. Hold the plank position for as long as you can, maintaining a straight line from head to heels.
Side Plank: This variation targets your obliques and helps improve core stability and balance. Hold the side plank position on one forearm, keeping your body in a straight line.
Crunches: A popular exercise for strengthening the rectus abdominis (the “six-pack” muscle). Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Curl your upper body towards your knees, engaging your core.
Bicycle Crunches: This exercise works your abs and obliques simultaneously. Lie on your back, bring your knees towards your chest, and alternate touching your elbow to the opposite knee, as if pedaling a bicycle.
Russian Twists: This exercise targets your obliques and improves core strength and rotational power. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Lean back slightly, holding a weight or medicine ball, and twist your torso from side to side.
Leg Raises: This exercise strengthens your lower abs and hip flexors. Lie on your back with legs extended. Raise your legs towards the ceiling, keeping them straight or slightly bent, and lower them back down with control.
Flutter Kicks: This exercise targets your lower abs and improves core endurance. Lie on your back with legs extended. Lift your legs slightly off the ground and alternate kicking them up and down in a fluttering motion.
Mountain Climbers: This dynamic exercise engages your entire core, as well as your shoulders, chest, and legs. Start in a plank position and alternate bringing your knees towards your chest in a running motion.
Bird Dog: This exercise challenges your core stability and coordination. Start on your hands and knees, then extend one arm and the opposite leg simultaneously, maintaining a straight line from head to heel.
Dead Bug: This exercise improves core strength and stability, particularly in the transverse abdominis (deep core muscle). Lie on your back with arms and legs extended towards the ceiling. Lower one arm and the opposite leg towards the floor, keeping your core engaged, and alternate sides.
Remember to start with a comfortable number of repetitions and sets, and gradually increase the intensity and duration as you get stronger. Focus on maintaining proper form and engaging your core throughout each exercise to maximize its benefits and prevent injuries.
Other strategies to combat belly fat include the fitness and welfare basics. Aim for 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep per night to support hormone regulation and overall health. Practice stress-management techniques like yoga, meditation, deep breathing exercises, or spending time in nature. Remember that sustainable weight management takes time and effort. Don’t get discouraged by setbacks, and focus on making healthy choices consistently. Your lifestyle choices have a significant impact on your health and body composition. By adopting healthy habits, you can take charge of your well-being and achieve your goals. If I accomplish mine, I will certainly update with what worked and what did not. Good luck with those abs!
I wasn’t on board with this at first. My wife insisted and all the while I was thinking ‘ we are getting a large animal for our 4 year old that he’s not going to care about and I’m going to have to take care of it. I was wrong on several levels. I think the choice to get a dog has been an emotional and social advantage that our child would have otherwise been lacking. Our child, Elliot, has a natural empathy and confidence toward other critters that I don’t see with a lot of other children. He has a physical presence and aura of authority that I believe is also related to his canine sibling. I think this relationship between child and pet is underrated and deserves a closer look.
I wasn’t very close to our dog growing up. We had a large black Lab who stayed outside and did not interact much with the family other than feeding time or trips to the lake. My father believed that animals belonged outside, and not having many other authorities on that subject in my life, I adopted a similar attitude. I never understood just how social dogs are, and looking back on my childhood I think that our dog lived a fairly sad and lonely life. As an adult I began to realize that dogs required a lot of interaction to be truly happy and I never got one for myself because there was always a ton on my plate and I didn’t believe I had the time or space to be a good dog owner.
I had a tenant later in life who was a co-worker and eventually a good friend of mine. He purchased a German shorthaired pointer to have as a pet, which cemented all my beliefs about why I should not have a dog. That dog was hyper, needy, loud and destructive. I could take that dog for a 5 mile bike ride while he ran alongside. We would get home and he would rest for 30 minutes and be ready to go again. I understood later that it was a poor choice of dog for the size of our condo, lack of a yard, and proximity to neighbors. Looking back, I see that he was an amazing dog in a poor environment, and I remember him more as loyal, intelligent, goofy and lovable.
My wife always had a different attitude toward pets than me. I looked at animals for their practical traits, whether they were for food or protection. Dogs and cats always seemed to get along with me but I never became too attached. I guess the exception would be a couple of the cats I had as a young child. My wife looks at pets as a responsibility, almost like having another child that needs not only sustenance, but love, affection and happiness. She had a Chihuahua when we first met. A tiny dog she allegedly stole from her ex-husband because he treated the dog poorly. The dog was fidgety, noisy, spoiled and yet still riddled with anxiety. It was the complete opposite of a practical pet, although I guess he made a good door alarm. My wife slept with him in her bed every night. To say that it took some getting used to is an understatement. I eventually got it. The grumpy little guy was affectionate, cuddly and had that wide eyed puppy look down pat. You really couldn’t help but appreciate the fact that you were finally good enough for him to let you pet him, and oh the look of jealousy I got from my wife when after a few months he would curl up on my lap instead of hers.
Bodi, the Chihuahua, died when my son was 3 years old. I was distraught cried like a baby, but I also thought, finally no more cleaning up pee and poop. My wife had other ideas though. She is a scientist and a researcher and she decided that the best dog for our little boy would be a standard poodle. She had several reasons for this from how they are with children to how they allegedly won’t trigger allergies. I knew once she decided on this, it was going to happen, so I grumbled a little bit passive aggressively, then I did what any good husband does, and got out of her way.
A little side note here. We originally wanted to have more than one child with the idea that siblings would be a good experience for any kid to have. We were older parents and so our boy is an IVF (In vitro fertilization) baby. Yes, that means he was conceived in a petri dish. We had intended for him to have brothers and sisters but the process is long and hard (especially on the female half of the team). We had already had one failure before our son and he was also supposed to have a twin sister which did not work out. We tried two more times, the second time failed so spectacularly my wife almost died. It involved an ectopic pregnancy, and burst fallopian tubes. The ambulance brought my wife to the hospital after she collapsed in the living room. Even though they knew she was 8 weeks pregnant, they still blew her off for hours at the hospital thinking she was just having indigestion or something. The nurse asked her to stand up and she passed out onto the floor. That’s when they finally figured out that she was bleeding to death internally. After a messy surgery, a week in the hospital and a trauma she still hasn’t quite recovered from, she decided our son would have to do without siblings. The next best option would be Riker
We named the poodle Riker because my wife was a closet Star Trek the Next Generation fan in high school and Riker would be our son’s number one. Riker immediately reminded me of that German shorthaired pointer because he was energetic, needy and loud. Things became better as we figured him out a bit more. Riker is energetic but does not have endurance like the pointer. He is loud but he eventually (somewhat) learned when it was appropriate to bark. His neediness is endearing and apparently most dogs are genetically bred with that trait in mind, so what can you do?
The first couple years were a love-hate, almost brotherly relationship for the dog and his boy. Riker was like the bully older brother, even though he was younger he still outweighed the kiddo by about 20 pounds. He would accidentally bowl the boy over or hip check him into the couch or chew his toys to pieces. Riker destroyed a couple of stuffed animals which incurred such an episode of screaming wrath from my son that the dog learned after the second such encounter, to stay away from the stufties. We’ve had the dog now for 5 years and it has been almost 4 since he has so much as licked a stuffed animal.
So what has my son learned from having a dog? I suppose I can’t definitively prove anything, but I can describe what I have noticed in comparison with other children his age. Elliot seems to have a lot more patience and empathy with other children who have communication issues such as foreign languages or mental handicaps. He is also more tolerant in general of people who are different physically or socially challenged, and even seems to gravitate toward them. I can relate some of this to the way Elliot looks at Riker kind of like another human being. He was frustrated as a younger child because he didn’t understand why Riker wouldn’t listen to him and do what he was told. I had to explain to him how dogs don’t understand English and really only understood a few words. Elliot learned quickly how much more responsive Riker was when spoken to in a calm but firm voice while holding a snack in hand. It was somewhat humorous watching the boy use similar techniques on his little human friends with similar results.
Elliot is not afraid of other animals. He approaches all other animals with the assumption that they want petting and treats. He knows not to approach strange dogs, especially if they are leashed, without asking the owner first. Riker is very protective when being walked on a leash and Elliot takes it as a given that other dogs may be the same way, so he is careful and cautious, but not fearful. He’s ok with being jostled or knocked over by larger dogs and accepts it as part of playing, but he’s not afraid to stand up to them loudly and decisively when they go too far. Apparently he did the same with some bullies at school in such a way that everyone within a hundred feet heard the dressing down. After being treated like ‘bad dogs’ and laughed at by half the school, they don’t seem to bother Elliot anymore.
I notice that my son has an affection for other animals as well. He is not the type of boy who will casually kill frogs or even insects. He loves petting zoos and the last one we went to was at the Skowhegan Fair in Maine. He spent almost two hours in a pen with ducks, geese, rabbits, goats, sheep and chickens. After a while he became the ‘expert’ and was helpfully instructing the other kids about the animals, including which ones liked petting, which treats they liked and their general personality. After a thorough hand washing all he wanted to talk about the rest of the day was farm animals. He wasn’t even interested in the rides, he spent another hour just walking through the farm exhibits and asking questions. We had to explain several times that no, we would not be purchasing any rabbits or chickens and taking them back to California.
I know his personality is not all about the dog, but I do believe Riker has had a positive impact on his emotional development. I think that being an only child would be much more of a struggle without his furry buddy. There are certainly some natural genetic traits involved and surely parenting plays a role as well, but true empathy requires more thought and experience. I think the quality of school is also important for emotional development and I may write a post on that subject in the future. Watching him go from follower to leader over the past 4 years has been a treat and has changed my perspective on a lot of things. I think his confidence would have suffered greatly without his trusty and faithful, four legged friend.
Why would anyone want to start a cleaning business? It’s not something I would have considered until I started considering the conveniences people will actually pay for in the real world. I have all these fantasies about starting a business that revolves around what I want and what I need, but the real money is in what other people need. Cleaning is something a lot of people pay for in Southern California. I grew up cleaning after myself and for many years scoffed at the idea of paying someone else to do something so trivial. In my maturity and continuing trend toward the SoCal lifestyle I see the appeal. I am a busy person and I have paid 40 dollars to have someone clean my car. It took them 20 minutes and a machine did most of the work. I have paid 400 dollars to have my house cleaned. It took them 4 and half hours and I thought, dang, after taxes that’s more than I make in a 10 hour day (8 hours of work plus 2 hours of driving).
I know from my own searches that finding a good and consistent cleaner can be troublesome. You might wonder, who am I inviting into my home? Are they going to steal my stuff? I feel like this is not too much of a concern with most professional cleaning services. The concerns I have had are more like: What chemicals are they using that my family and pets are going to be exposed to? Did they know they pulled the curtains out of the drywall and if so why didn’t they just tell me? Did they literally sweep everything under the carpet or was that there already? Minor stuff overall, but sometimes annoying. Honestly I don’t have a lot of experience with hiring other people for cleaning, like I said I am usually too cheap and just do it myself.
I believe there is a need in my area for competent and consistent cleaners. I think people will pay a lot of money for such a service. The question is, do I want to be the one to provide that service? I am no spring chicken and the physical aspect alone is daunting. I know I could adapt, but I would hope to hire help relatively soon. I also have this vision in my head of dealing with snobby customers who are ultra perfectionists, doing white glove inspections after each job and publicly complaining. My experience in customer service is limited, but I know people will always find a way to critique.
I always thought getting a government contract would be the best way to go. Our facility contracts a company to clean the windows, a separate one to clean the shades, and another one to do the basic janitorial work. I have done all these things for an air traffic control tower, because the Marines do not contract people to clean when enlisted people can do it, and it’s all pretty simple. I’m not up on the exact numbers that contractors get these days but I feel like I could meet all of their requirements in about 5 hours a week. I estimate Uncle Sam pays about 1800 dollars for that work. Yeah, 1800 dollars for 5 hours a week. That’s why our Janitor drives a Mercedes and I drive a Nissan. That’s the type of cleaning business I want to have.
Isn’t it funny how you talk to certain people and they look down on certain industries like they are less worthy. I think jobs need to be done, and if you can make money doing it, good for you. I had a friend who would rag on me because I delivered pizza. He was a real estate agent, and I didn’t realize this at the time but I made more money than him. Now he is unemployed and struggling because he’s too good to work a ‘menial’ job. I’ll bet that guy who used to work at Dominoes and now owns 16 franchises would be laughing his ass off from his Laguna Niguel mansion with his 15 cats. Yeah, you know who you are.
I’m honestly a little worried about pushback from my own family. Not my East coast family, they won’t care. My West coast family, like my wife, California born and raised, is gonna be like; “you wanna do what now?”. Oh and of course my kid at school; “yeah my dad’s a…sanitation engineer…”. Obviously it’s not what I want to do until I drop dead, I just feel like it is a practical business idea that can actually go somewhere with a little discipline and persistence. I like the idea of running a business and watching it grow, improving the numbers. With that in mind I created a little sample business plan with the help of ChatGPT and my own prior experiences such as they are.
Business Plan for California Casual Cleaning Service (The name needs work, I know, just go with it.)
Mission Statement: To provide top-quality, reliable, and affordable residential cleaning services, ensuring our clients’ homes are always stress free, clean and comfortable.
2. Business Objectives
Short-term Goals:
Secure 10 regular clients within the first 3 months.
Achieve a 90% customer satisfaction rate.
Long-term Goals:
Expand to include commercial cleaning services in 2 years.
Grow client base to 100+ regular clients in 5 years.
3. Market Analysis
Target Market: Homeowners and renters in Orange County, particularly busy professionals and families.
Market Needs: Professional, reliable, and flexible cleaning services.
Competitors: Local cleaning companies, national franchises, independent cleaners.
Market Trends: Growing demand for eco-friendly cleaning solutions and convenient booking options.
4. Services Offered
Standard Cleaning: Dusting, vacuuming, mopping, kitchen and bathroom cleaning.
Deep Cleaning: Detailed cleaning including baseboards, behind appliances, and inside cabinets.
Move-In/Move-Out Cleaning: Comprehensive cleaning for homes before or after moving.
5. Marketing and Sales Strategy
Website: Create a user-friendly website with online booking capabilities.
Social Media: Use platforms like Facebook and Instagram to reach local customers.
Advertising: Utilize local online classifieds, community boards, and flyers.
Promotions: Offer first-time customer discounts and referral incentives.
6. Operations Plan
Location: Operate from a home office to reduce overhead costs.
Hours of Operation: Monday to Saturday, 8 AM to 6 PM.
Suppliers: Source cleaning supplies and equipment from local or online retailers.
Staffing: Start with a small team, hiring additional staff as needed based on growth.
7. Financial Plan
Startup Costs:
Equipment and supplies: $1,000
Business registration and insurance: $500
Marketing and advertising: $500
Miscellaneous: $500
Monthly Expenses:
Supplies and equipment: $200
Insurance: $50
Marketing: $100
Miscellaneous: $100
Pricing Strategy:
Standard cleaning: $100 per visit
Deep cleaning: $200 per visit
Move-in/Move-out cleaning: $250 per visit
Revenue Projections:
Month 1: $1,500
Month 3: $4,000
Month 6: $8,000
8. Legal and Administrative Requirements
(So in the beginning I would probably go with a sole proprietorship for the sake of simplicity. I’ve never actually done an LLC, but my understanding is that the LLC model is for a larger business that needs to limit liability on the owner, and look better to more prestigious clients.)
Business Structure: LLC for liability protection.
Licenses: Obtain a business license from Orange County.
Insurance: General liability insurance and bonding.
9. Conclusion California Casual Cleaning Service aims to become a trusted name in residential cleaning in Orange County by providing exceptional service and maintaining high standards of cleanliness and customer care.
I’m going to research the idea of cleaning for a straight hourly wage. I don’t like the idea of being potentially paid 100 dollars for a job that takes 8 hours. I would have to set minimums as well, I’m not thrilled with the prospect of driving 20 minutes to work for an hour, and then having to drive back. I once worked teaching chess to kids after school for 20 dollars an hour as a part time gig. It sounds great and fun on paper, but some of these schools were 35 minutes away, and the class was only an hour long. Yeah, it took me less than a month to realize I made a mistake and I got out as soon as I could. Luckily the classes were only 5 weeks long.
Getting insurance was not something I had initially considered. I feel that something like cleaning should be relatively low risk, right? Unfortunately, Californians do love to sue each other. It’s so scary to think that you could lose everything because some idiot slipped and hurt themselves on a wet floor. Dumber things have happened. I know someone who used to work for a company that did risk evaluation and litigation assistance for construction companies. I heard a lot of stories, but one that got to me was this guy who was running down the sidewalk, tripped and broke something, I can’t remember what. So he sues the owner of the house next to the sidewalk because their tree root had lifted the sidewalk and made him trip. Yes, he won the lawsuit.
So if I do this, I will shoot for a start date around January 1st 2025, since that seems like a good time to start a business. It seems like relatively little effort to at least try it out and see how it goes. Maybe I won’t get any customers because the need is not as great as I thought. More likely though, I’ll clean a few houses and the customers will be so disappointed with the results, that they don’t call back. I do not underestimate the difficulty of competing with the companies already out there. Let me know if you have tried anything like this and how it worked out. Wish me luck.
So today marks the one year anniversary for this blog. It is also exactly 2 years until I am eligible for retirement. I had some grand ideas and goals for this blog and to say the results are lackluster would be an understatement. I have 15 posts, about 24,000 words total and 21 subscribers. Those numbers are something I would like to achieve monthly this year.
I’m pretty sure all of my subscribers are marketers of some kind and I’m not sure how to take that. I do wonder if any of them get anything from my posts or if they are all just hoping I buy something from them. I suppose I should be happy people are looking at all, but I was hoping for a little more engagement. The one comment I have is from one of my best friends and he didn’t even subscribe. In reality, I know it’s hard to build audience engagement when my topics are so scattered.
I’m still not sure what to focus on. The obvious choice would be something money related since that particular post was by far the most popular. Is that really what I want to do though? Do I want to be just another wannabe financial guru that is really just an affiliate marketer reposting the get rich wisdom of the ages? There is a lot of material to pull from there, and I should know I’ve read dozens of those books. The basic premise all boils down to the same few things though. I can summarize hundreds of hours of reading into a few short words: discipline, perseverance, luck…
Yeah, that’s about the size of it. The Secret? Believe in yourself. The entire point of Think and Grow Rich: Be passionately disciplined and driven. There is a reason why your OCD friend is richer than you. I know there is objectively more to these books, but you can only read so many inspirational stories before they all start to sound the same. Much like marketing websites. After you get drawn in a few dozen times by the flashy headlines and pictures, they all just seem to blend together in a nauseating stream of ads and clickbait.
I would really like to write a web serial, but am I passionate and disciplined enough to pump out content on a regular basis? I used to do a lot of story creation as a dungeon master for tabletop games. I used to revel in the creative process. After a while the need to come up with new and engaging creative content for my group of five players every Friday became more like work. I burned out and stopped playing for a long time, and when I tried again years later, the passion was gone. I was going through the motions enjoying the social aspect a bit, but almost dreading the game preparation. The press of life as an adult does not seem to lend itself readily to creative insight. Now that my friends and family are so scattered it’s hard to justify the effort to put a tabletop game together when Elder Scrolls is just right there!
On the subject of what I plan to do in two years, I’m still largely undecided. I’m kind of hoping some awesome opportunity is going to land in my lap and make all my decisions for me. Staying in my current job is certainly an option, and looking more likely since I just bought a new car. Stay tuned for a possible upcoming blog post on car buying. Don’t get me wrong if the right opportunity to work from home appeared, I would sell that car in a heartbeat and share a lease with my wife to make the transition more affordable.
The idea of starting my own small business is sounding more appealing. I still like the idea of an online business but I lack the confidence in my ideas to invest a ton of money into it. I’m considering something where there is a definite need in my area, like house cleaning, or daycare, or pet sitting. I don’t necessarily enjoy any of these things but I like the idea of running a business and trying to get it to the point where I can step away and let my employees take over.
In the end, while the subject of retirement and a second career looms on the horizon, I’m not terribly worried about it. I usually make the best of every situation that comes about. I might procrastinate or get sucked into video games but when the time comes I will step up and do what needs to be done. Sometimes my confidence wavers and part of me thinks I might be getting too old and lazy for something new. Deep down, however, I know I’m still that guy who will power my way through any obstacle. I’m still that kid who worked on a farm for 3 dollars an hour to buy comic books. I’m that kid who biked 85 miles with everything I owned on my back because someone told me I couldn’t. I’m still that guy who renovated an entire house by myself in two weeks. I’m still that guy who hiked Mount Whitney at 44. Don’t give up on me yet.
I’ve talked about this a little in some previous posts, but never really got into any detail. The keto diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet designed to shift your metabolism from relying on glucose (carbohydrates) for energy to relying on ketones (fat). This metabolic state is called ketosis. By significantly reducing carbohydrate intake (less than 30 grams a day for me) and increasing fat consumption, the body is forced to use fat as its primary energy source.
For me, the most difficult issue with this diet was the company I kept. Having family and friends around deviously offering high carb foods and sugary treats was an ongoing distraction. My nemesis, beer, was another big hurdle. I’m sure a lot of people with stressful jobs get this, but at the end of the work day there is this willpower vacuum. Your adrenaline is calming down as you leave work just so you can endure an hour-long drive through traffic to get home and deflate. Nothing sounds better than a burger, some fries and an ice cold beer. Nope, not on keto. You can have a burger with no bun, some cheese, low sugar veggies, and a glass of water.
As a result of temptation, over the course of five months I slipped in and out of ketosis several times and that back and forth kind of sucks. Keto is definitely something you should be prepared to maintain for the long haul. I didn’t measure ketones with special equipment or strips or anything because I never felt that serious about the experiment and it was pretty obvious to me when my metabolic shift occurred. The first time getting into keto consisted of about a week of sluggishness where I felt like I could not sleep enough and a pretty gnarly headache for about 3 of those days. I’ve always struggled with some bad breath issues so I did not notice that symptom in particular and my wife is pretty good at letting me know if it’s a problem. I generally brush and use mouthwash 2 or 3 times a day and use Altoids between meals. Can’t do Altoids on keto, or at least you need to be careful not to do too many.
After about a week my mind became noticeably more clear and my short term energy became more easily accessible. By easily accessible I mean that the period from rest to motion grew shorter. For example getting up off the couch became easier and I didn’t have to stumble around for a few minutes before it felt like my muscles and mind were up to speed. I felt less desire for caffeine. In fact, over the course of 3 weeks I went from a pot a day to zero coffee. It was a weird feeling being at work without a coffee cup.
The first time I slipped out of keto was only 3 weeks in, but the effect was like being drugged. After a hard day of work, weakness overtook my senses and I decided to relax with a hazy IPA. I barely made it through half the beer when fog seemed to come over my mind and my muscles seemed to become too relaxed. I remember my vision was affected to the point where I couldn’t read words on the tv screen even with my glasses on. When I got up to walk it took effort and my balance was off for about 20 minutes while I experienced an intermittent kind of vertigo. I think it took me about 3 days to get back into keto after that. The fatigue transition was milder and the headache was very minor. Basically, the day after that one beer I felt like I had a very mild hangover.
The weight loss or the way it worked rather, was quite surprising. Over those first 3 weeks I lost ten pounds, but then I stopped losing weight for a week after that one beer. I figured that those first few pounds were mostly water weight anyway, and I didn’t worry too much. The surprise was that it stopped so completely even though my diet didn’t really change, I think it took almost 2 weeks to drop another pound.
Another cool effect of keto was the appetite suppression. With the right meal I could eat around 11am, eat another small meal around 6 or 7pm and be satisfied until 11am the next day. This was quite novel for me, because when I’m not on keto I tend to graze with 5 or 6 small meals and snacks throughout the day.
Depending on what you decide to eat on your keto diet it can be a little more expensive and a lot more work than normal meals. For some people the food cost alone could be prohibitive. I’m used to California prices which for a lot of the basics is a little more than triple what my brother pays for the same thing in Maine. I tried a bunch of different things but the one I liked the best was the steak and salad meal plan. I would buy a large pack of ribeye steaks, preferably from Costco when they are on sale for $13.99 a pound, and prepare a huge salad to go with them. I went with simplicity for the steaks, seasoning them with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder. The thin ones I would cook in the oven on 350 for about 15 minutes and the thicker ones for maybe 25 minutes. The salad was a bit more work and the ingredients would vary depending on what I had on hand. A typical salad would have lettuce and or spinach, arugula, hard boiled eggs, bacon, cucumbers, almond slivers, pine nuts, walnuts, black and green olives, avocado, and whatever varieties of cheese I had on hand. I used whatever type of salad dressing I wanted or was available, usually some organic variety sold in the refrigerated section. Eating the above meal exclusively I could sit on my butt playing video games eating as much as I wanted and consistently lose 1.5 pounds a week. Sounds easy and amazing right? Well believe it or not steak can actually get boring and making a fresh salad every day with umpteen ingredients is labor intensive.
Over the next few months I cheated a few times with the transitions in and out of ketosis much less noticeable. I think the longest I stuck to the diet was about six weeks straight. The results after about 5 months was a loss of 22 pounds. I should mention that for about 3 weeks of this stretch I was on vacation and cheated quite a bit but did not gain or lose any weight. I was also very inactive for most of this time mostly because my endurance seemed to be affected. I would try to push up a hill during moderate hike and it was more of a struggle than it should have been. I’m guessing this was a result of a lack of carbs because when I left keto for the holidays my endurance returned just fine.
I stopped keto right before Thanksgiving because I did not feel like restricting myself with all that yummy food available. The transition was pretty smooth and I actually felt pretty good for about 2 weeks, then the weight came back with a vengeance. I was doing longer walks and not eating too terribly but over the course of six weeks I gained back 10 pounds. After the holidays the weight gain slowed a bit but now a year later I’m not quite back where I started, but only a couple of lazy weeks away. To give you an idea of the numbers, I am 5’11 and was 210 pounds when I started the diet and 188 when I consciously quit. I tend to fluctuate a lot with water weight so I weigh myself every morning when I get up for consistency. This morning I was sitting at 202 which is about my average for the last 5 years. 22 pounds does not seem like a lot when I consider that I once lost 11 pounds in one day hiking to the top of mount Whitney and back. It seems pretty good when I consider how much I cheated on the diet and how inactive I was.
Before I wrap up I have some other observations to share regarding what triggered a falling out so to speak versus what did not. Liquid carbs seem to thwart keto faster than solids, and processed, especially baked types of foods cancel keto faster than whole foods. For example, a heavy beer, ice cream or a slice of cake and for me that was pretty much back to square one. Although it seemed quicker to get back in the ketosis state as far as energy and mental benefits each time, the metabolic benefit would basically halt for at least a week. I would have some fruit now and then in my salads, such as dried cranberries, dried blueberries and tomatoes, with no discernible effect. I had small servings of potatoes or hash browns with no ill effect. I never tried eating a whole banana which would probably cross the line. I feel like the diet was more tolerant the longer I sustained it. At one point I had two 12-ounce Miller Lite’s in an hour and did not have an issue.
I believe the amount of carbs you can have is dependent on your personal metabolism, the types of carbs and the time between consumption. That being said the road is much smoother if you count every carb and don’t experiment. I have heard that some people have trouble finding enough fat, which I find funny because I love cheese. I suppose if you are lactose intolerant then feeding this diet could actually be a challenge. Personally I don’t think keto is for me in the long term because I don’t like closing off so many other delicious options. Plus, I like beer. In closing, it needs mentioning that I am not a doctor or in any way related to the health profession. Nothing I say should be considered medical advice. If you are one of those fortunate people who actually has the ear of a doctor you can trust, by all means consult them before trying keto.
As part of my quest to find a worthwhile work from home career I have looked into becoming a virtual assistant. I understand this can be a rewarding and flexible career choice, especially if you’re looking for remote work that can vary widely in terms of tasks and industries. Here is a step by step guide to figure out if this kind of business is right for you, and how you can make it work.
A virtual assistant is a remote contractor who provides administrative, technical, or creative assistance to clients from a home office or other remote location. They handle a range of tasks that can include managing emails, scheduling appointments, handling customer inquiries, managing social media accounts, preparing reports, and more. Tasks can range in scope or be very specific depending on the client’s needs and the assistant’s expertise. They serve businesses, entrepreneurs, and professionals, offering flexibility and scalability for various operational needs without the overhead associated with full-time employees.
First identify the things that you’re good at. These can be skills you love and are willing to improve or things that you already have a good deal of experience with. Common skills required for a virtual assistant include organization, communication, time management and proficiency with technology. For the sake of time and career progression, consider focusing on a niche based on your preferred skill set. Examples include administration, social media management, content creation, bookkeeping and customer support. If you stand out within your specialty you will eventually be able to charge more for your services.
Train yourself to fill in the gaps. You may not need a college degree to be successful, but the more knowledge you have pertaining to what your clients are using, the more work you can get. If you don’t already have the knowledge, take classes in business administration, communication and computer science. There are plenty of online workshops tailored specifically for virtual assistants as well, which can teach you the basics or enhance your current skills. Websites like Udemy and LinkedIn Learning also have targeted courses for what you need. Take a look at more personal coaching programs tailored for virtual assistants as well. These small, or one on one classes may be more expensive, but they can get you up to speed quickly for a more productive head start.
Remember that you are running a business. Decide if you want to operate as a sole proprietor, an LLC, or another type of business entity. This will affect your taxes and legal responsibilities. You will need a reliable computer and any necessary software. A private workspace that allows you to work without distractions will contribute to higher productivity and professionalism.
If you don’t already have one, build a portfolio that showcases your skills and previous work. That’s part of what I’m trying to do in writing this blog. Include testimonials if you have them. Develop a professional website and create business profiles on social media platforms to promote your services. Speaking of which, I now have a Facebook Page, take a look! Join online communities and forums where potential clients might frequent. LinkedIn, virtual assistant Facebook groups, and online business forums are great places to start.
Check out job boards such as Upwork, Freelancer, and Indeed for virtual assistant jobs. Seek out specialized VA agencies for more lucrative opportunities if you have the skills. Send tailored pitches to potential clients directly, explaining how you can solve their specific problems. Leverage your existing networks and ask for referrals. Happy clients are often willing to recommend your services.
Use contracts with your clients to clarify expectations, including what the final product should be, how much time you have to do it, and how much you will be paid. Decide how you will bill (hourly, per task, retainer) and use invoicing tools to manage payments. Stay updated with new tools and trends in your field of expertise to keep your skills relevant and marketable.
As your client base grows, consider outsourcing some tasks or hiring other VAs to work under you. Broaden your offerings as you gain more experience or as client needs evolve. If you are willing to be the boss and manage a real business, the earning potential is practically limitless. If you are really excited about certain aspects, try to focus on what you love and delegate everything else to your employees.
I know there is a lot of generalized information here. There is the potential for a separate blog post with almost every sentence, and I may just capitalize on that. If you or someone you know has gone down this path, please leave a comment and share some advice. Becoming a successful virtual assistant involves a mix of the right skills, effective marketing, and quality service delivery. With dedication and ongoing learning, I believe you can establish a sustainable and fulfilling career as a VA.
There is a penalty you should be aware of as you approach the consideration of official marriage. Due to the way the U.S. tax brackets are structured for married couples filing jointly compared to single filers, it may cost your family a significant amount of money each year.. Essentially, the tax brackets for married couples are not exactly double those of single filers, particularly at higher income levels. This discrepancy leads to a situation where a couple pays more in taxes together than they would if they were each taxed as single individuals on the same income.
For example, if two high earners get married and their combined incomes push them into a higher tax bracket when filing jointly, their taxable income can be subject to a higher tax rate than if they were taxed individually. This issue arises because the tax code is designed to provide benefits for married couples with one earner or with significantly disparate incomes, but it doesn’t scale as evenly for two high earners, resulting in a penalty. Additionally, certain tax credits, deductions, and exemptions phase out at higher income levels, and these phase-outs can begin at lower levels of combined income for married couples than they would for each individual if they were single. This can further contribute to the increased tax burden for high-income married couples. Talk to your tax person before you get married, and as always do your own research. I asked my tax guy specifically if there was anything I should be concerned about tax-wise when I got married. He told me no, and the next tear when I ended having to pay out more than I normally would have got back, I nearly lost my mind. Needless to say, that guy is no longer my tax guy.
There are a lot of issues here that should have been fixed decades ago. I’m not going to rail at the ridiculous state of our politics, but I feel like this is just a simple issue of adjusting the numbers. There is a real problem with the way that high income is defined. I feel that you can’t just apply the same metric across all households in the country, the numbers should be tweaked yearly based on the economy and your income relative to cost of living. My wife and I together make less than the median income of the town we live in, but we still pay a large penalty each year for the privilege of being legally married. Compared to the rest of the country we might have higher income, but in Southern California we are barely average. My wife is Catholic and marriage is important to her, but even she has considered the financial benefits of getting a divorce. I don’t really like to think about how much money we have given up for 11 years of marriage but it is likely more than the full cost of my brother’s home in Maine. It will be interesting to see if the institution survives the increased costs of living across the country.
Is this the beginning of the end for marriage? I doubt it, at least not in our lifetimes. Matrimony is too ingrained in our culture and economy to go away easily. There are also many areas of the country where it is still possible to survive on a single income. I do know plenty of couples though, that have been together for years and have agreed not to get married because of the cost. Some couples even have a wedding to convince their families and just never actually file the paperwork. I have even heard that in some states a couple can get divorced at the end of the year and remarry at the beginning of the next year to avoid the tax burden. I don’t think that would work in California since it takes about 7 months to finalize a divorce.
So, if you are in this position how do you avoid some of the tax burden? Many people will not be able to avoid the penalty completely but there are some things you can do to minimize the damage. Ask your tax person if filing separately instead of jointly will help. Make sure you maximize your pre-tax retirement contributions like 401(k)s and IRAs. Consider a Health Savings Account or a Flexible Spending Account to reduce your taxable income. Live in your own house instead of renting, you can reduce your tax burden significantly with all the itemized deductions available from owning a home. If you have rental properties consider getting your real estate license so you can write off more passive income each year. There are more options which a better educated financial planner can help you with, especially if you are a business owner.
Whatever your situation, it is good to know that you can save a lot of money by accounting for taxes. For many people, getting married might actually save you money! If you own your house or multiple homes, and or have a business it is probably worth the expense to get some professional tax advice. I tried doing my own taxes a few years ago and simply could not get the same numbers as my current CPA. I estimate that he saves me on average, 7 times what I pay him, by finding deductions and loopholes I would not have thought of. Good luck and safe bookkeeping. The deep waters of the American tax code is no place for amateurs.
Ever thought about transforming your cluttered garage or hobby into a profitable venture? Selling on eBay might just be the upgrade path and side hustle you’re looking for. I have mentioned it a few times, because it’s the online sales tool that I have the most experience with. Let’s start with a basic overview blog post and perhaps we can go into more detail if there is interest. You should have at least a simple set of goals in mind. For example you might want to clean out all the extra stuff in your garage and make a few bucks or you might want to turn a hobby into a revenue stream with an online store presence.
If you haven’t already, you need to sign up for an eBay account. Go to eBay’s website and look for the registration link. You’ll need to provide some basic information, like your name and email address. If you already have an account that you’ve used for buying, you can also use this for selling. Navigate to your account settings and select the option to set up your account for selling. This involves providing additional information such as your address, phone number, and choosing how you’ll pay your seller fees. You may also need to link a PayPal account or set up another payment method for receiving payments from buyers.
If you are just cleaning out your excess stuff, this is all you really need to do. The listing process is pretty straightforward and you can do everything from your phone. I recommend having a postal scale or something similar, packaging tape, scissors, and boxes that fit the size of the items you are selling. It is nice to have an accurate shipping weight already available while making the listing. In some cases you may want to wait and purchase packaging supplies after the item sells, because not everything will sell. Make sure you package well, if your stuff breaks due to defective packaging, good luck getting anything out of the post office. You will likely need to give the customer a refund and eat the cost.
While anyone can sell on eBay, opening an official eBay Store comes with a monthly fee but offers benefits such as lower final value fees, more free listings per month, and marketing tools. Evaluate the subscription levels to decide which one suits your needs based on the size of your business and the number of listings you plan to post. Pick a store name that is unique and reflects what you’re selling. It’s worth doing a quick search on eBay to ensure the name isn’t already in use or too similar to another. Remember, this name will be part of your store’s URL, so choose wisely. eBay also allows you to customize your store’s appearance. You can add a logo, create a billboard image, and customize the store’s color scheme to align with your brand. Take advantage of these options to make your store stand out and appear professional. Next you will set up your preferred payment methods. eBay now offers “Managed Payments,” where they directly manage transactions. This system supports various payment methods, including credit cards, PayPal, Google Pay, and Apple Pay.
With your store set up, you can start creating listings for the items you want to sell. Make sure to use high-quality photos, write clear and detailed descriptions, set the right price, and choose the shipping options. Good listings are crucial for attracting buyers. If the item is something you really don’t care about, go ahead and use the auction format with a low beginning price. If you are selling something you know is valuable, consider starting with a higher entry price or having a reserve price where the item cannot sell below a certain price. Keep in mind these options do cost extra money, but can result in a much higher final sale price. You can always re-list the item if it doesn’t sell the first time. If you are running a business with set-price items, make sure you do your research by looking at similar items that have sold on eBay or similar online markets.
Once your store is up and running, promote it to attract customers. Use social media, blogs, or a website to drive traffic to your listings. eBay also offers promotional tools like promoted listings, which can help increase visibility. Depending on your niche you can market at industry events in person as well. I started my first store before the social media craze took hold and I used to send business cards and promotional flyers with each packaged item to attract and retain customers. I still think physical media can be a valid option in addition to everything else, especially if you are marketing the older generation. Try to have something your competitors lack so that you stand out. I used to sell game miniatures and I did my best to always have at least one of everything constantly in stock. I was the one stop shop for this particular niche of collectible miniatures. I would even buy an item from a competitor, just so I had the complete set when no one else did.
Regularly update your inventory, fulfill orders promptly, and provide excellent customer service. Respond quickly and professionally to customer inquiries. Remember the customer is always right. It is usually easier and more worthwhile to eat the cost of a mistake rather than negotiate with a displeased customer. Protect your feedback, a poor rating will tank your sales. Many people, including myself, will look for other options if your feedback is not 100 percent.
eBay provides analytics tools to track your store’s performance. Use this data to understand what’s working, what isn’t, and how you can improve. Adjust your strategy accordingly to grow your business. You can quickly rack up costs by listing stuff that does not sell. Also look at the time you list your items. I found the best time to list to be between 5pm and 7pm on the west coast for some reason, even though I had a lot of sales on the east coast too. There also appears to be an algorithm on eBay that promotes your listings more right after you list more items. For example I might go 2 weeks without listing anything, selling less and less every day, then I would list ten items one day and suddenly have 24 hours of high sales volume. While navigating eBay’s fee system can be challenging, the vast audience ready to bid on your items makes it worthwhile. If packaging isn’t your thing, consider exploring drop shipping or print on demand. Starting an eBay store requires effort and dedication, but it can be rewarding. Focus on building a positive reputation through excellent customer service and detailed, accurate listings. Over time, you’ll learn what works best for your store and how to maximize your sales.
I would hate to say that everything I know about money can be boiled down to a blog post, but since I don’t want to be too specific, this format will do for a summary. First of all, why do I get to talk about money? What are my credentials? I am not particularly wealthy for where I live and I do not have any formal education in finance. I suppose you could say that my information is for the average working person. I do not have advice on how to amass vast amounts of wealth, but I do have a lot of experience trying different things and I have a lot of regrets about what I did not do.
My experience is with doing real work with a smattering of real estate investment knowledge. I am in a position where I could retire at 51 years old, relocate somewhere affordable and live fairly comfortably without ever having to work again. That is not what I am likely to do, but it is a possibility. I own 2 rental properties and a home within 5 miles of the ocean in southern California. I did not come from money. I moved out on my own when I was 17 and my Mom made 14k a year supporting a family of 5. My initial victories in life came from having a chip on my shoulder because of my background. I have long been an example of the work harder not smarter road to success. I am still trying to change that.
So my basic advice to a person graduating high school applies to those who do not have a family who can pay for your college, or do not have the opportunities of nepotism for getting a good job. Get a basic full time job that has a 401k and health and dental benefits. You can accomplish this by working at Starbucks, as an example. Put at least 5% of your money into that 401k, your company should match your contribution. Select a plan with aggressive growth, if that is an option, and transfer it to more stable investments when you are much older. Take at least ten percent of your income and put it into something like an index fund that consistently earns over 8% per year. Buy a house as soon as you can. Retire in your 40’s as a multi-millionaire. Ok, maybe it’s not that simple, but we’ll expand on that in a bit.
I have pretty mixed feelings about college. I appreciate the need for ongoing education, but I believe most of the esteemed institutions in this county are money grubbing scams. I believe that education should be more specialized and provided primarily by the employer. I also understand that some people need a structured environment in order to learn. It just seems hard to justify spending huge amounts of money to acquire knowledge that either already is, or should be, free. It drives me crazy that so many companies require that piece of paper that means you will be paying off student loans for years and probably never shake the alcohol and drug dependencies you acquired from long nights studying and partying. It is gratifying to know, however, that more and more people are seeing through the business model that colleges and big companies have set up for their mutual benefit. Sigh, I know it’s more complex than that but this is supposed to be a blog about money so I’ll keep it simple.
I do not have a college degree. I took a lot of college classes, but with the direction my career was going and the expense and time sink involved I decided it was not practical to finish. So I have 120 credits in a variety of subjects that add up to about 30k that I will never get back. Most of the people I know in my age group that do have college degrees make less money than I do. My wife is a geologist with over 10 years of experience and I made 50k more than her last year. That being said, she had a lot more fun in her early life than I did. Like I said, I spent a lot of time on the harder, not smarter approach to life. I would also like to note that if I had taken just half of the money I have spent on alcohol and chasing women over the years, and instead made some basic investments, I could have retired as a multi-millionaire over a decade ago. We all like to have fun when we’re young.
Injecting more hypocrisy, I do not want my son to go down the same path that I did. I do not want him to be in the military, work for the police department, deliver pizza or be an air traffic controller. None of those professions are fulfilling or in any way conducive to a happy stable state of mind. I don’t necessarily want him to have an easy time either. No one should have life completely delivered to them without work. Challenge builds character, however, too much challenge builds cynicism. My wife and I agree that a community college followed by an inexpensive university would be beneficial to his worldly development. If he becomes a millionaire YouTube star in high school, however, I will be just as happy.
Don’t underestimate the power of compounding interest. I’m not going to get into the math, there are plenty of calculators online. The idea is that the interest you earn on your investments also earns interest, this combined with time creates wealth. The key is time, which is why you start young, with your first source of income, no matter what it is. I would recommend also reading up on the great Warren Buffet and how compound interest worked out for him. Let’s say you followed the above advice when you were 18 and did just the basic investments and received appropriate above inflation raises for 25 years. You would probably have close to 2 million in your investment portfolio by age 43. And that is in yesterday’s dollars, imagine how much you will have if you are a kid graduating high school today and start investing. Now imagine that you also bought a house near a major city like San Diego 20 years ago and spent half your income on that. If you continued to contribute half of your increasing income, your home would be paid for and also worth well over a million dollars. Thus, you are a multi-millionaire at 43.
This scenario obviously makes a lot of assumptions. First we assume that you are trying to work your way up in the world and getting decent raises or you are transferring to jobs that will pay you more. Look for raises. If they are not coming, look for other work. Constantly educate yourself and update your resume. Always be looking for new opportunities. If you are having trouble getting by and/or you don’t like your job you should be filling out at least one new application every day. If you know you are a good worker you should be going into each interview with your own list of questions that are along the line of ‘what can you as an employer offer me’. That being said, don’t burn your bridges. If you leave a job, do it in such a way that there is a return path if you need it. Don’t screw over your co-workers or your boss because you think you’ll never see them again. You never know what life will throw at you. If you are not a great worker or don’t have the skills you need, own it. Offer to intern for free or ask what skills you need to get the job and go out and get them. Don’t be afraid to move. In states like Maine work is scarce and good jobs are even harder to find. In California there are not enough people who want to work so we have to import workers from other countries. I once filled out sixty applications in a week in Bangor Maine, and got 2 call backs. Just on a whim, I walked into the first place that I thought would be compatible with my schedule for a second job in California. I needed some extra cash while my wife was taking some time off work with our newborn child. I applied to the Papa John’s down the street from me in San Clemente, and they asked if I could start that evening. My wife tried to be a stay at home Mom for a while. So many people kept calling her with offers to come back to work she eventually gave in for a sweet work from home consulting gig. It’s a different world, however, at least in Maine you can easily get by with a single crappy job. Don’t be afraid to work multiple jobs. You make extra cash, you save money because you don’t have time to spend it and you meet lots of interesting people. It should be a means to an end, however, the goal should always be a single job that can pay all the bills.
What exactly does moving up look like? This question has different answers for different lines of work but the basics are the same. Time and experience are usually the great dividers. If I have been working 5 years at a job and know how to do A through G, I should get paid more than someone brand new who can barely do A and B. If you like your job and really want to move up, I suggest being a yes man (person). I kind of cringe just saying that because of some bad experiences. Just keep in mind that if you say yes to every job and you actually get things done you will create a reputation for yourself that will cause more work to flow your way. You will be taken advantage of and become overwhelmed. The upside is a rapidly expanding resume. When I was a young Marine my dumb ass said yes to everything. It should be noted that an E-5 in the military with 12 different billets gets paid the exact same as an E-5 with zero billets. Promotion in the military and the government in general has very little to do with how productive you are or how well you actually know your job. I’m not going to get into this now, but the point is it is deceptively easy to get roped into working a lot harder than some people for the same pay. What you should be after, however, especially when you are younger, is experience. The Marines provided me with some of the most valuable aspects of experience that can carry over into every business: Leadership and Management. I may address this in a separate blog, because being in charge is a whole other game. My wife and I have been down this road and now we seek to avoid it when possible. If you are charismatic and enjoy working with people, however, nothing gives a boost up that ladder better than having documented experience leading and managing.
Another assumption is that you invested well. There are a lot of resources to help you with this, but start with your 401k and expand from there. I don’t recommend crypto or day trading unless you have a special skill set. If you have extra cash or are into the Stoic lifestyle, invest in some index funds. Find a financial adviser if you want to go beyond that. Don’t take anything on faith, do your own research. If you are under 40 be aggressive. If you are under 30, be really aggressive! Buy a house, in fact buy several if you can. My real estate investments are by far the most successful. They are the rock on which I can confidently plan a valid retirement and build long term wealth that can be passed on to my son.
If you are like many Californians today you are probably reading this thinking, ‘yeah right how the hell do I buy a house in this economy?’ You are right to be frustrated, it’s not an easy proposition. Coming from the military, I was fortunate enough to have a ‘no-money down option’. FHA loans are another option that only require 3% down, but there are a number of hoops to jump through, and extra insurance requirements that make this option less than palatable for some. Other options include seller financing which is tough, but can be feasible especially if a friend or family member is selling and they are willing to do a contract with you. There are a lot of ways seller financing can work but basically the seller gets little or no money up front, unless you work out a partial loan with a bank. All the mortgage payments go directly to the seller. It’s kind of like the seller is doing a reverse mortgage, but you are paying them instead of the bank. They end up getting the value of their home plus interest or whatever you negotiate, it just takes longer. Rent to own is another option, similar to seller financing but you don’t necessarily have to commit right away. It will probably cost you a bit more as well. Keep in mind that the above options are my simplified understanding and may not be more than 25% correct, but knowing those options are out there will prompt you to look for them and research them. Your agent has very little interest in showing you options which create more work for them or will circumvent their commission. There are literally hundreds of books out there that will tell you about the various unconventional ways to finance a house, but it has to work for your income. Agents and financial institutions will totally sell you a house you can’t afford and leave you to figure out the details. I know, it happened to me twice. This is part of the reason why I have worked a lot of second jobs and or rented out extra rooms in my house.
The most common and easiest way to finance, assuming you can’t just pay cash for the whole house, is the conventional way, with a ridiculous down payment. I have never had to save for a full down payment so I can only give you advice from my reading, and stories I’ve heard. When you are first starting out it can seem impossible to save, but where there is a will, there is a way. You can start by renting the crappiest little hovel in town and sharing the rent with five other people. You laugh but I’ve actually done this, my share of the rent in the 4 bedroom house in Old Town, Maine was 132 dollars a month including all utilities. Good times.
Other ways to get the down payment include the famous top ramen diet. Get a pack of multivitamins and buy a year’s worth of noodles for $200. Be an introvert and start a side hustle like Ebay sales. Sell all your old toys. You don’t really need that 20,000 dollar collection of Magic the Gathering cards any more do you? On a more serious note you can get a loan from your family or even a bank. I’ve totally heard of people getting a $60,000 loan from a bank to put as a down payment on a $200,000 house and just paying the 2 loans. Are you handy? Look for a fixer upper no one else wants and get an amazing deal. Remember to negotiate. I’ve heard of the seller actually providing the down payment as a loan so that the buyer could get a conventional loan without the upfront cash. Nurse your credit rating, you have many more options with an 800 credit score vs a 600 credit score.
House-hopping is a valid method of building wealth for us normal people if you have the inclination for it. I sort of did this out of necessity, but I know some folks who did this intentionally to great effect. This is different from flipping houses in that you actually live in them for a while. The idea is you buy a run down house in a desirable area and live in it until you fix it up enough to make it rent-worthy. Try to add value to the property by adding an extra bedroom or bathroom if you can. You then rent it out for 2 years while you live in an apartment and save money. Two years is how much tax return history you need on your rental property in order to have it be considered income for the purposes of your next loan application. If you do not have 2 years of rental income history, it will be much more challenging to get approved for a second mortgage because your lender will assume you have to pay both mortgages thus destroying your debt to income ratio. So after renting for 2 years you use your savings as a down-payment on a second home, live in it until it is fixed, then rent it out while you rent an apartment. If you do this smartly you could acquire another property every three years or so. It seems slow but if you buy in good areas these properties will pay for themselves and provide additional income. The equity you have in your homes will allow you to purchase larger (multi-unit) properties which will accelerate your growth to as much as you can handle. You could go from high school to real estate mogul in 10-20 years!
You can accelerate this strategy in several ways if you are savvy. Buying in the right area is key, and there are separate books written on this subject alone. All of my properties are in San Diego County and Orange County California, and I have been fairly fortunate. If you can get friends or family to invest with you this can help speed things up. Make sure you cover your ass by getting the right contracts in place. Don’t be afraid to start an LLC or something. Get legal advice. A handshake between friends seems great until there’s a couple hundred grand on the table and the disagreements begin. Buying at the right time also helps, but timing the market can be tough. I know people who have been waiting since 2017 to buy a home because they keep thinking ‘the bubble is going to burst any day now’. You can leverage other assets to buy properties more quickly, but don’t dig yourself a hole you can’t get out of. I’ve touched on seller financing as a way to avoid a lot of the restrictions that lending institutions have. If you are a good networker there are other options, but I’m not going to get into them since they are all variations on the same idea: use other people’s money to help you make money. If you are married, the house hopping strategy probably isn’t for you, though I have known couples who were into it. If you want to settle down and have kids, moving every couple years is not very practical.
I talk about real estate a lot because it is what I know the most about and what I am the most comfortable with. There are certainly easier and faster ways to acquire wealth but they are generally more high risk. Please don’t take any of my advice as gospel. I am not a financial advisor or a life coach, I’m just trying to share some wisdom based on my personal experiences. Read books, talk to people who have done what you want to do. Educate yourself, take classes, and acquire skills. Most importantly, get out there and try stuff. Stay low risk if you want, but get as much experience as you can when you’re young so you can make better, more well informed decisions about how to spend your time when you’re older and have less of it.
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