I was reflecting on the ups and downs of last year and thought about what 20 lessons that I learned throughout the year. Here is a look at some of the things I learned, a few things I realized and a few eye openers.

20 Things I Learned In 2020

1. No matter who you are or what you do there will be somebody that doesn’t like you, no matter what.

2. Many people value freedom over health, others prefer restriction over risk.

3. People are gullible and will believe almost anything, without much evidence.

4. If you don’t stay active when you’re young, you’ll regret it when you’re old.

5. Jeeps are fun to drive.

6. Having a kid move away from home leaves a weird hole in your heart.

7. You can never get enough sunshine, ever.

8. “Adventure” is my trigger word.

9. I missed corduroy and terry cloth.

10. Job security is a myth.

11. Always have something to look forward to, always.

12. Everything can change in an instant, and I mean everything.

13. Working from home was cool before the pandemic.

14. If you can’t pivot you won’t survive.

15. People can be so committed to one ideology they lose sight of common sense.

16. If your parents live long enough, you need to be prepared to take care of them.

17. The people in charge aren’t always the smartest people in the room.

18. You can never have enough toilet paper.

19. Never lose contact with your 12 and 13-year-old best friends.

20. Some squirrels are smarter than others.

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I’ve been working for myself since about 2002 when I quit my full-time job to stay at home and earn money online. I left a director of advertising position of over ten years to be able to spend time with my daughters at home.

I’ve had a pretty crazy journey getting to where I am today. My path to becoming an entrepreneur has been anything but a straight line. I’ve had to pivot on several occasions and ended up working with technology that hadn’t been invented when I first began.

I was asked to speak to young entrepreneurs at the NWOSU Entrepreneur Seminar in 2020. Part of my speech was telling my journey from employee to business owner. This is the video of my story. It’s a pretty amazing ride when you hear it and realize that it all happened out of a bedroom in Enid, Oklahoma.

I would definitely say that if I can make it as an entrepreneur doing the things that I’ve done then anyone has the opportunity to do the same. It all amounts to how much effort you are willing to put in and are you willing to take risks.

Take a look at my story and learn how I went from selling Jolly Ranchers at junior high to running an online media company providing news and information to many thousands of people.

The first video is the trailer for my entrepreneur podcast called That Buzz Guy along with the podcast below it. The bottom video is from my talk on being an entrepreneur at the NWOSU Entrepreneur Seminar.

The post My Own Entrepreneurial Journey appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

You need to take chances and put yourself in the position to seize opportunities. Put yourself in the right place at the right time. Opportunities can include landing a better job, snagging a big client, being asked to lead a project, building a large following, getting to do Bucket List activities and more.

Over the years I’ve created my own opportunities. Several of them by accident and others on purpose. Here is a sampling of opportunities I was given because I put myself out there. Each of these may eventually be a blog post and podcast episode in itself.

Opportunities I Created On My Own

I Quit My Job & Started My Own Company

I quit a full time advertising directors position to start my own business because I created my own opportunity! I put my talents online and when people found my designs they hired me to do theirs. Without a website and online presence I never would have had that opportunity. That turned into a 10 year career and then I used another opportunity to start a second career. If I hadn’t started a little side blog years before I would have never had the opportunity to turn that into a full time business. I have now worked from home for 20 years because of opportunities found on the Internet.

I Was The Featured Story On CNN.com

In the mid 2000s I started several blogs to get my name out there. One of those blogs was this one! I was blogging about growing up in the 70s and posted several photographs of myself when I was a kid. These were great old photos from the 1970s and I used the correct meta tags on the photos so they could be found in Google images. When Farrah Fawcett died I had the only photo of a teenager holding her poster in the 70s. That kid was me! I was interviewed by CNN and several other magazines and websites. That photo has also been used in multiple documentaries. The opportunity came because I simply uploaded a unique photo.

My First Real Interview Was Garth Brooks

As a citizen journalist I had never really interviewed anyone as a real interview. After starting my community website I decided to keep up with the events happening in OKC and Tulsa. I reached out to the PR departments of the concert facilities and asked to be included on their press release list. Not long after that I received an email saying Garth Brooks was doing a press conference in Tulsa to kick off his new tour. I was invited and then told I might be able to interview Garth! What an opportunity. I traveled to Tulsa, covered the press conference and then stood in line to conduct the interview. If I hadn’t asked to be on the media list I never would have had that opportunity.

I Interviewed Gene Simmons

I heard Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of KISS were going to be in Oklahoma to give a press conference about an upcoming casino and hotel. I tracked down the person in charge of the media and asked for a press pass to the event. They said yes and I was put on the list! I traveled to Bramen, Oklahoma and covered the press conference. I also got a cool t-shirt, press pass and other swag. Afterwards the two were available for interviews. I waited too long and the media person said they were done and would be leaving. As a desperation move I quickly asked if I could do get in a few questions. Both the media person and Gene said yes! I got the interview and took full advantage of the opportunity.

I Covered A Presidential Inauguration

I received an email saying that people could enter a pool for a chance at free tickets to the Presidential inauguration. I posted the info for my followers and at the last minute decided to enter myself. I got picked! The opportunity included two tickets plus lots of memorabilia to the inauguration. Unfortunately I didn’t have the cash to go. So I asked my followers if they’d like me to cover the event. If so, they could donate to a Go Fund Me account. I received just enough money for plane tickets. I then contacted a family I knew that were living in Virginia and asked if I could stay with them. They said yes! I ended up with a tour of the Pentagon, free rides to the subway and a place to stay. There were many opportunities created to make this trip happen.

I Interviewed Michelle Malkin… Twice

Michelle Malkin came to Enid to cover a criminal case which involved a guy from my hometown. I went to the live presentation just to cover it for my blog. During her presentation I moved to the side of the room and ended up doing a Facebook live. I also had my cameras around my neck and took photos during the talk. At the end of the event Michelle disappeared and I did not attempt to interview her. Out of nowhere a lady walked up to me and asked if I was going to make it to the press conference. I said I didn’t know anything about it and she invited me to be there because I looked like a reporter. I went up and was one of only about four journalists there. I asked Michelle several questions and then talked to her after the questioning. A couple of years later I drove to OKC to interview her again.

I Acted With Jake Gyllenhaal & Bo Derek

At one point my friends and I were thinking of filming a movie. Oklahoma has become a center for film making due to incentives. I decided to work as an extra so I could see how films were made and what equipment was used. I sent my info in for a spot in the Paul Dano movie called Wildlife. I got a part as a firefighter. I had no idea what I would be doing so I just showed up. During the filming Jake Gyllenhall appeared out of a tent and I got to spend the day filming several scenes with him for the film. My appearances even made the cut! I was looking for more opportunities and ended up being in three more movies including one with Bo Derek. These appearance were just for fun nut I did get insights into how movies are made.

I Drove A New Vehicle For Two Years For Free

Talk about an opportunity. My car at the time was on its last leg and I hadn’t had a car payment for at least a decade. When it was time for me to get a new vehicle I got an idea that I thought I would try. I went to a local dealership and asked them if they would be interested in trading out a leased vehicle for advertising. I would get to drive the SUV with no monthly payment and they would get a set amount of advertising. I also turned the vehicle into the BuzzMobile with a decal wrap and included an ad for the dealership as the vehicle sponsor. The original agreement was for one year and the dealership extended that to two years when it was about to expire. At the end of two years I was able to purchase the vehicle at a great deal and still drive it around as the BuzzMobile.

I Flew With The US Thunderbirds

Because of my media status with Enid Buzz I was asked to take the media flight with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. The opportunity arose because I have a large following and could get the message about the Air Force out to a wide audience. When they came to Enid, Oklahoma for an air show they only allowed one local media flight. This was a Bucket List occasion that never would have happened if I hadn’t been doing Enid Buzz. The video from my flight had thousands of views which could one day lead to more opportunities. Never pass up a chance to do a once in a lifetime event.

10 Ways To Create Your Own Opportunities

1. Get started doing something! There’s talkers and there’s doers. Stop talking and get busy. You pretty much will have zero opportunities if you’re not putting yourself out there. Get online and build a presence. Start networking or speaking. You got to make some noise to be heard.

2. Create original content and put it out into the world! Upload your stuff to your own website. You will then have articles and photos that will show up in searches on the Internet. If you have not started uploading content to the world wide web there is nothing for anyone to find. Post as much as you can especially about niche topics. The more original info you have online the more opportunities people will have to find you.

3. Ask! You’ll never know the answer if you don’t ask. Many opportunities will come by just asking the right question or asking the right person. Don’t give up on the first try. If you feel there’s an opportunity and you’re not getting the answer that you want ask what you can do to improve your chances. The worst thing that can happen by asking is that someone will say no.

4. Be in the right place at the right time. Many times the right person or best choice does not end up an opportunity. Many times convenience intervenes and you’re in the right place at the right time. That can’t happen if you’re sitting at home not putting forth any effort. Be in as many places as you can to give yourself a better chance of snagging an opportunity.

5. Use all platforms. It’s not that hard to repurpose your content into multiple formats and platforms. You’ll have a better chance at a random opportunity if you can be found on more platforms. Upload your content as written word, photographic images, video and audio. Not everyone will be searching for you on just one platform. Multiply your chance of being found by using every means possible.

6. Think positive! It’s never going to hurt you to have a positive outlook. People are attracted to confidence and they’ll gravitate to you if you make them feel good. People with a positive attitude will have more opportunities than someone that is always negative. Complainers and whiners are usually avoided which limits opportunity. Use the positive energy of the universe to help generate your own opportunities.

7. Create a popular personal brand. People with great personal brands will always have more opportunities than people that are ordinary and do not stand out. A personal brand will make you a leader or expert in a niche. Being the go to person in any niche gives you more opportunities to be asked to lead, speak or participate. The more popular you are the more opportunities you’ll have. It’s like a snowball.

8. Network and meet as many people as possible. Knowing more people creates more opportunities. Join organizations, groups and boards. When people know that you’re willing to be involved they’re more apt to think of you for exclusive opportunities. Knowing somebody that knows somebody can open doors that would be closed if you were sitting at home alone. Be sure to use your connections every chance you can and let them know what opportunities your available for.

9. Get crazy! Do things nobody else is doing. Guess who gets picked to be on The Price Is Right? It’s the energetic, outgoing people. Why? Those are the folks that are enjoyable to watch or be around. If you stay ordinary you’ll never stand out from those around you. Don’t get so crazy you scare people off but differentiate yourself from the crowd. Being unique will also create more opportunities than being the status quo.

10. Don’t give up. Being patient is important. Opportunities won’t pop up overnight so be patient. You have to stay committed and continue to put yourself out there. Eventually people will take notice and you’ll begin to be recognized. The longer you keep at it the better chance you’ll have at big opportunities. Many times new opportunities will lead to even more opportunities so you have to keep at it. If it were quick and easy everyone would be able to do it.

Get busy!

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and leave me a rating!

Subscribe to YouTube.com/CurtisTuckerTV

The post Create Your Own Opportunities appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

Just as a quick reminder I wanted to say I bought my first domain name in 1999 and built my first website. By the end of 2003 I was making enough money online I quit my job as an advertising director and started working from home. After doing this for 20 years it seems like it almost started overnight but it didn’t.

It took three years of full time work to build what I had. Three years now doesn’t seem like much but if you’re just getting started please be patient! You will not be making a ton of money or have a huge audience in just a couple of months. You’ve got to stay consistent and add value to your audience.

I did not start working on my personal brand until 2019! I’m in the same boat as you all and I’m starting from scratch as far as my own brand. Part of this blog and podcast is to help build that personal brand. At this point it is not to sell a course, get you into a funnel or make you part of a mastermind. It’s just me helping you get to where you can have the freedom to work for yourself!

I knew the value of a personal brand in 2004 when I bought CurtisTucker.com. At that time the big personal brands online were Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman, John Chow, Shoemoney, Joel Comm and Heather B. Armstrong also known as Dooce.

I was using the branding of “That Sneaker Wearing Entrepreneurial Cartoonist Internet Guy”. My plan was to become a huge daddy blogger talking about parenting and living in the 70s. Unfortunately I was making great money with my cartooning and AdSense that I never devoted enough time to get it off the ground.

Today my personal brand includes being an entrepreneur, driving a Jeep, my love of the number 2, going on wild adventures, dressing casual, reminiscing about the 70s and having fun along the way. My skills include graphic design, cartooning, branding, web design, blogging, social media, podcasting, photography and speaking. I’m working towards adding pop artist and writer to my brand.

My personal brand name is now Shaggs, owner of Shaggy Duck Studio. I’ve developed my own personal cartoon logo based on my casual style and cartooning background. My casual style includes shorts and sneakers and my look entails wearing a backwards ball cap with black rimmed glasses.

The backwards ball cap has been a bone of contention at times but it’s part of my casual “look” and is included on my logo. A backwards ball cap fits my style which is shorts, t-shirts and sneakers. My Shaggy Duck clothing and lifestyle brand is all about being casual, spending time in the sun, outdoor life and fun. The ball cap fits the brand and stays on my head while driving my Jeep! A backwards ball cap is not the norm. Normal never stands out and normal will never rise above the crowd.

Examples of unique style becoming a brand include the wool cap worn by Michael Nesmith, the outrageous glasses of Elton John, the bucket hat on Gilligan, the huge cigar held by George Burns, collars worn by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the du-rag of Eminem and many others.

Having a known personal brand opens doors for opportunities like speaking engagements, interviews, book deals, media coverage, and more. An example is the fact that I was chosen to fly with the US Thunderbirds in Enid, Oklahoma because I had built a personal brand as the go-to guy for connecting to the Enid community.

Personal Brand vs. Reputation

Your personal brand is what you say about yourself, but your reputation is what others say about you. Your reputation is your integrity and values. Your personal brand is your interests, expertise and knowledge. Reputation can influence your brand.

When someone goes online to learn more about you they are going to find your name in different places. Your website is where they are going to learn about your personal brand. On review websites and forums is where they are going to learn about your reputation.

Reputation is something you earn while a personal brand is something you create. Your reputation can have a negative or positive effect on your brand.

You Probably Already Have A Personal Brand

Everyone has some type of personal brand whether they want one or not. A personal brand is basically what you are known for. People around you will form their own impression of what you’re known for but you can easily control that impression with just a little bit of effort.

There’s a guy in my hometown that has a personal brand even though he didn’t create it and may not even know he has it. His brand is that he is the go-to guy if you want to know about VW’s. He buys them, sells them and works on them. He’s also an artist that likes to draw so his brand is that he’s creative.

This guy also wears a hat everywhere he goes. Not ball caps but fedora and Indiana Jones style hats. So his wardrobe is part of his personal brand. His longer hair adds to his personal brand. You see, everyone in some way already has a personal brand whether they like it or not.

Not everyone needs or may want a promote their personal brand. Some people just want to be an employee or not connect with other people. But, if you are wanting to build up a following of people and market your information or products to them you really should build a reputable personal brand. You’ll need it to stand out when you start networking.

All that’s required to build a brand is to take what you know and share it with others, especially online. Inform, entertain or instruct consistently, and you’ll build your own personal brand in no time. It’s nothing more than marketing yourself rather than a business or product. In essence you are the product. It’s your skills, experience, and personality that will set you apart.

Make Yourself Unique

Personal branding is all about building a marketable image which you are able to mold. Your own brand is a combination of your skills, talents and personal life experiences that make you unique. What you stand for will differentiate you from others in your field.

A personal brand makes you unique in a professional field full of lookalikes. A well crafted brand can help you carve a niche in an industry and make you thought of as an industry expert.

The age of the Internet and social media has brought us a much more competitive market unlike ever before. And with that in mind, audiences are looking to form relationships with unique people they can connect with.

Your personal brand tells people what you’re known for and what you stand for. It’s ongoing and really never ends. You can pivot your personal brand so don’t feel like you have to stick with just one skill or interest forever.

Take your most personal characteristics and traits and weave into your brand. Do you want to be perceived as very polished and professional, or perhaps more quirky and adventurous? A personal brand allows you to decide!

Tools To Build A Personal Brand

To build a personal brand you must have a website! More often than not people will be introduced to you online before they ever meet you. Your well planned website can present your personal brand in the exact light you want them to see.

When building a personal brand, it is important that you also use all social media channels available and that you are consistent across every platform. Be visually appealing, and represents the type of influential person you want to be.

Make sure you can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and the latest hot platform. Keeping fresh content on all of those platforms is going to be work. But guess what? That’s now your job! If it didn’t take some pretty good effort everyone would be doing it.

The more personality you can add to your brand, the easier it will be to find your audience. Over time you will build a community of like-minded people value your skills, thoughts and will be willing to trade dollars for knowledge or information.

To build a personal brand more quickly you’ll need to use more visuals online. The best thing you can do is video and live streaming. When an audience sees you with many followers on the Internet or on TV it will make you a celebrity of sorts.

Once I started using Facebook live streaming my personal brand went through the roof. The fact that people began to recognize me around town upped my cred and I began to get more calls to speak and appear at events.

Having a memorable personal brand makes it virtually impossible for someone to compete against you. They can compete with you on services, price and knowledge but they can’t match your personality, quirks, perspective and personal style.

Create A Brand Message

Create a personal brand statement, which is 1-2 sentences explaining your values, who you serve, and your unique value proposition. When developing your personal brand statement, make it memorable, short and attention grabbing.

With a personal branding statement, you are the one controlling your real-life message and you can make it say anything that you’d like. Think of it as your slogan. I have not come up with my own personal brand statement but did create a descriptive motto.

If I did have a brand statement it might be something like this, “Twenty year entrepreneur with complete freedom motivating unhappy dreamers to escape their day jobs by investing time into an online side gig.”

I attended a Daymond John speech a while back and he recommended that people should brand themselves with just 2–5 words. Those words should shape who you are and your goals at that moment. At any time you can change your brand. I came up with a motto for me at the time and it is “Adventurous Entrepreneur Happily Journaling In Sneakers!”

Build An Audience

Building a personal brand will elevate you to influencer status and being an influencer builds trust and authority in your field. People like to follow interesting leaders that stand out, inspire and look at things in a unique way.

A personal brand will help you become the leader of an audience. That audience will become your followers and they will consume your content and products. Cater to them and try to niche down as much as possible. Don’t be afraid to be energetic and enthusiastic.

I believe you should give your audience a nickname. My followers are called ShaggHeads and BuzzHeads. Lady Gaga had Little Monsters, Barry Manilow has Fanilows, Jimmy Buffet has Parrotheads and there are many others. Having a common name helps build your community and makes people feel included.

Brand Name vs. Personal Name

Personal brand names can be your personal name or a made up name. I started out as Curtis Tucker but eventually drifted to That Buzz Guy and then changed to Shaggs. I like to be a bit more playful so I started using the name associated with my Shaggy Duck Studio and associated with the 70s. Shaggs fits just about everything I’m doing today.

Lady Gaga does great with a brand name while Taylor Swift does alright with her personal name. If you get huge one day your name could become a brand in itself like Walt Disney and McDonald’s.

It might be easier to sell a business with a made up name rather than a personal name but either will work. If you know you’ll never sell your company feel free to use your own name. If you’re building a business to sell try using a made up name.

Subscribe to That Buzz Guy podcast on iTunes.

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel at YouTube.com/CurtisTuckerTV.

The post What Is A Personal Brand and How Do You Get One? appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

This blog post is all about ideas! Here are 100 crazy, wacky and unique subjects that you can use to launch your side gig. My intent is for you to take any one of these ideas and create multiple versions of your own.

An example would be to start a blog about cooking the best Mexican dishes. You can take that idea, twist it, and start a blog or video channel about baking desserts, creating original soups, using only pressure cookers, cooking on a grill, etc.

You’ve got to find something that you are interested in and thousands of others are interested in. Not hundreds of thousands or millions, just enough to create a loyal following. You can’t create a podcast for everyone or it’ll be impossible to reach anyone. You need to have a niche audience or targeted group of followers.

You’re going to hear me tell you to just get started over and over again. I truly mean that. Use one of these ideas to set things in motion. Once you’re going you’ll start to figure things out and an idea is going to pop out of nowhere. Many great business ideas have come as a spinoff from an existing business.

Use these business ideas to get going. See if you can combine two or three of these ideas into something new. Test and ask your listeners for ideas and suggestions. Let me know if these spark a unique idea.

100 Actual Side Gig Business Ideas To Start Online

1. Fashion Trends – If you love to keep up on the latest fashion trends this gig is for you! Let everyone know the latest styles, colors and materials.

2. Dumbbell Workouts – Teach how to workout with nothing other than a set of dumbbells. No gyms or heavy weights. Include tips on eating healthy.

3. Reality Show Junky – Do you really love one certain reality show! Become the biggest, most knowledgeable fan! Watch live while commentating.

4. Vintage Photos – Collect vintage photos from garage and estate sales. Post them online and make up fantastic or humorous stories about each one.

5. Hiking Expert – Let everyone know the most beautiful places in the world to hike. Teach hiking and travel tips. Share tons of videos and photos.

6. Movie Scores – Share with people the best movie scores of all time. Point out great scores from the most current films. Create playlists.

7. Used Ball Caps – Collect and trade professional and college sports ball caps. Track down history and stories. Build up the largest collection anywhere!

8. Jingle Writer – Write jingles, taglines and slogans for companies, organizations and individuals. Add music and make them commercial jingles.

9. Stain Removal – Create the largest video library of stain removing techniques. Include all natural cleaners created with organic ingredients.

10. Saturday Morning Cartoons – Discuss your love of Saturday morning cartoons. Go deep with character profiles and little known facts.

11. Reunion Organizer – Become the online expert on how to organize a high school reunion. There are tens of thousands of family reunions each year.

12. Dental Consultant – Teach dental offices how to get organized and run their offices. Teach them marketing and social media. Build their websites.

13. Cheap Meals – Concoct inexpensive recipes that taste great. Combine unique ingredients for family meals that save people time and money.

14. Wine Bars – Create a list of the best wine bars all over the world. Give reviews and directions. Let everyone know the local wine brands.

15. 80’s Music – Podcast about anything and everything to do with 80’s music. Try to interview musicians from that decade and get them to sing!

16. Coming Of Age Movies – Start discussions on the best coming of age movies and TV shows. Interview actors and actresses from those movies.

17. Agritourism Guide – Build an online guide to the best agritourism destinations in every state. Post photos and videos. Include printable maps.

18. Paint – Create a unique way of getting paint on a canvas. Produce large sized paintings and feature them online. Sell online and at art shows.

19. Get A License – Document the steps it takes to get all kinds of licenses. Document others getting their licenses. Be sure to include videos.

20. Single Parenting – If you’re a single parent you’ll have a huge amount of followers in the same boat. Give tips, concerns and failures.

21. Model Trains – Be the expert in model trains and find the best track layouts in the country. Start your own train convention.

22. Family Games – Teach families how to play all kinds of games together. Everything from cards to boards games. Make up a new game!

23. Background Noises – Create and record background sounds for movies, videos and podcasts. Build a library and sell subscriptions.

24. Concert Tickets – Collect used concert tickets from concerts all over the world. Tell stories. Sell vintage tickets framed as gifts. Trade!

25. Office Decorating – Seek out outstandingly decorated offices. Post photographs. Interview designers. Sell decor and office furniture.

26. Find A Cause – Help promote a cause. Create bracelets or other merch. Take a cause to a national level. Start a non-profit organization.

27. Presets and Filters – Create and sell Lightroom Presets and Photoshop Actions and Overlays. Teach photographers how to use them.

28. Organic – Create something out of organic materials and sell it. Teach people how to live organically. Be the Organic God!

29. Goonie – Track down every known fact about The Goonies. Collect and sell Goonie merch. Build the biggest Goonie Tribe.

30. Podcast Reviews – There are more and more podcasts coming out every day. Help people find news one that might never get heard.

31. History – Research the history of everyday items and let people know how and why they were invented. Tell creative stories.

32. Sports Techniques – Teach young kids how to shoot baskets, hit a baseball, throw a football, etc. Create videos with experts.

33. Space Saving – Everyone needs more space in their homes and garages. Teach folks how to organize and pack things away.

34. Resume Samples – Collect the best resumes in the top business categories and post them as examples. Give tips on job hunting.

35. Flowers – Be the flower expert! Teach how to plant them and grow them. Which flowers go with which to make beautiful floral arrangements.

36. Pet Care – Give great tips and examples of how to care for your pet. Include diet, exercise and grooming. Lots of photos!

37. The Outside World – Describe what’s going on outside for those that are stuck inside. Some people are rarely able to get outside.

38. Happiness – Describe how to be happy every day. Inspire, motivate and encourage people. Use songs, stories, flavors and more.

39. Names – People are fascinated by names. Research the history of names. Give examples of popular and trendy names. Suggest monthly baby names.

40. Non-Celebrities – Discuss and interview everyday people that are doing great things but are not celebs. Spotlight local heroes.

41. iPhone Updates – Explain to everyone the latest iPhone updates. Let everyone know which are important and needed.

42. Germ Free – Teach people how to avoid germs and keep things clean. Talk about diseases and how to avoid them. Give product reviews.

43. Pins – Create a pin exchange platform. Allow people to trade, buy and sell pins on your website. Build a huge pin collection. Give away freebies.

44. Rookie Players – Give background info on rookie sports players. Talk about college and professional sports. Make predictions on who will be great.

45. Holidays – There’s a holiday or national day for all 365 days of the year. Most days have multiple celebrations. Remind people of these.

46. Dancers – Find and rank the best dancers in the country. Get results from multiple dance competitions. Show videos and publish profiles.

47. Colors – Introduce people to new colors. Show which colors compliment each other for designs and decor. Display creative color combos.

48. Financial – Give great advice on how to stay out of debt. Teach people to avoid debt rather than how to get out of it. Teach how to save!

49. Journal – Keep a journal of your daily moments. Make your life sounds super exciting even if it’s rather mundane. Get creative!

50. Jeeps – Talk about everything Jeeps. You’ll find a very loyal following. Some people love Jeeps and don’t even drive them.

51. Travel – Travel related businesses are very popular. Post about out-of-the-way locations that are cheaper but beautiful.

52. Blogging/Podcasting – Blog about podcasting or podcast about blogging. Give tips and do interviews. Teach how to get started.

53. Traffic – Teach publishers how to get traffic to their blogs, podcasts and video channels. Without traffic nobody makes money!

54. Candy – Remind people about candies that no longer exist. Also publish new candy releases. Do candy tasting videos.

55. Humor – People love to watch funny video and listen to funny podcasts. Post jokes, pranks and funny stories.

56. Traditions – Help parents build fun family traditions. Find unique traditions and write about the history. Look for holiday traditions.

57. Video – Give tips and suggestions on how to do better videos. Teach lighting and audio. Help people create professional looking clips.

58. Peanut Butter – Create a venue for everything peanut butter! Post recipes, taste test, give reviews and find new brands.

59. Stickers – Design creative stickers and sell them online. Make up funny sayings and silly characters. Build a brand!

60. Hot Rods – Find the best hot rod builders in the country. Show examples of their work. Interview them and share techniques.

61. Radio Stations – Review radio stations all over the country. Help listeners discover online independent stations. Interview DJ’s.

62. Likability – Teach people how to be more likable. Help them get along with co-workers and family members.

63. Coaching – Teach adults how to play video games! Help them set up their own Twitch accounts. Drag them into the future.

64. Bigfoot – Do everything you can to prove that Bigfoot is real. Interview people that have seen him. Post lots of stories.

65. Bracelets – Make custom bracelets and sell them. Relate them to some fantastic story that will make people want to wear them.

66. City Government – Cover your local government. Attend meetings and boil stories down to just the details. Run for office!

67. Sleeping – Show people different techniques in how to fall asleep. Talk about the benefits of getting enough zzz’s.

68. China – Follow blogs and news from China. Relay that info to American citizens. Keep people updated on developments.

69. Military – Connect military families. Talk about life living on base and moving from city to city. Highlight the advantages.

70. Presidents – Start a podcast giving historical stories and facts about all of our Presidents. Discover unknown tidbits.

71. Fish – Encourage more people to have fish as pets. Talk about the different species and how to care for them.

72. Space – Keep everyone updated on the next comets, meteors, full moons and rocket launches. Share pictures from space.

73. Top 10 – Build weekly top 10 lists and share those with your followers. Ask for suggestions to build future lists.

74. Sun and Moon – Teach amateur photographers tips on how to take better sunrises, sunsets and full moons.

75. Tea – Become an expert on different varieties of tea. Review brands. Teach people how to brew the perfect cup.

76. Magic – Create videos of you doing amazing magic tricks. Teach kids easy tricks. Interview magicians.

77. Gifts – Write articles on what gifts to give when. Use affiliate links to gifts to make money. Suggest ideas for the guys!

78. Love Letters – Have families send in old love letters that they’ve found. Read them on a podcast. Post photos of the lovers.

79. Coffee – Find the best places that sell coffee merchandise. Everything from beans and mugs to t-shirts and brewers.

80. Green – Talk about anything and everything green. Link to green furniture, bikes, food, clothes, gadgets and more.

81. Hemp – Have discussions on the amazing uses of hemp. Sell hemp products. Create videos on the benefits.

82. Eagles – Let everyone know where they can go watch and photograph eagles. Many places have annual watches.

83. Tailgating – Create videos on how to prepare the ultimate tailgate. Give cooking tips and review different locations.

84. Bartering – Teach people how to barter. Set up a page that allows people to barter with each other.

85. Coats – Get people to donate their old coats to you. Customize them and sell them online. Add some bling to them.

86. Beatles – Do nothing but talk about the Beatles. Discover little known facts. Dig up great history and stories,

87. Song Lyrics – Read song lyrics. Talk about the meanings of songs. Find songs that make no sense and misheard lyrics.

88. Rap – Talk about the latest rap artists. Interview artists and review new releases. Discuss the fashion and lifestyle.

89. Potato Chips – Taste test chips. Find the best brands and varieties. Show how to make homemade potato chips.

90. Surfing – Build a community around the surfing lifestyle. Locate the best places to catch waves. Share beach photos.

91. Pedal Cars – Buy and sell pedal cars. Show how to renovate them. Document going on searches for hard to find models.

92. Architecture – Start discussions on different types of architecture. Show examples. Interview architects.

93. Home Activities – Give tons of examples of things to do around the house for the kids. Blanket forts, games, etc.

94. Weeds and Lawn – Teach homeowners how to care for their lawn. Let them know when to plant and when to spray.

95. Collections – Take calls from people with unusual collections. Write articles and show photos of huge collections.

96. Technology – Keep everyone updated on the latest and greatest technologies on the market. Create “how to” videos.

97. Voice – Talk about voice activated devices. Give tips on using Alexa and other brands. Review skills.

98. Crime – Crime podcasts are hot! Find a new angle or take on murder cases. Find unknown cases. Tell stories.

99. Country Music – Be the go-to place for the latest country music news and the latest song releases. Interview artists.

100. Inspire – Find inspiration and share it with your audience. Use quotes, stories, songs, movies, photos and more.

That’s it! Get started today, build a website, stay consistent, be patient and never quit.

The post 100 Actual Side Gig Business Ideas To Start Online appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

How do you find affiliate programs? There are several ways to find money making programs. You can search for the top affiliate networks that combine dozens of affiliates all in one place. Or you can go to some of your favorite websites and look in the footer of the homepage. Usually there will be a link called Affiliates and that will lead you to more information.

My links are below, a few of them I shortened at TinyURL. I will add more as I join them. I’ll let you know which one work the best also. If you click on one of these and sign up or make a purchase I will make a small amount of income so thank you! Check them out!

Robinhood – This is a fantastic affiliate program. When you download the app you get a free stock! That’s pretty cool. Most people end up with a $4-5 stock. When I personally signed up I got a Microsoft stock worth $156 at the time! The affiliate program allows you to invite friends to sign up and when they sign up under your link you will get a free stock when they get a free stock. I earned an extra $75 when I posted my link. I had 13 people sign up almost immediately. The chance at a $156 stock is enticing!

https://join.robinhood.com/curtist455
https://tinyurl.com/RHBuzz

Fiverr – This is not only a great affiliate to join but it’s a great place to make money from home. If you have a skill or are creative you can pick up tons of jobs from this website. Check it out and see if you can start a side gig.

https://track.fiverr.com/visit/?bta=86036&nci=7416
https://tinyurl.com/fivrrbuzz

HostGator – I host my WordPress websites at HostGator. I believe everyone needs a website! Get yours hosted here. I’ve purchased a multi-website package and I host some of my websites there and some of my clients. The payments from my clients cover the cost of my hosting so I’m basically hosting my sites for free!

https://partners.hostgator.com/c/2231139/176502/3094
https://tinyurl.com/gatorbuzz

Buzzsprout – I use this company for hosting That Buzz Guy podcast. They are offering a referral offer without even having to sign up as an affiliate. If you click on my link and sign up for podcast hosting they will give you a $20 Amazon gift card and they’ll give me one!!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=928225

The post Make Money With Affiliate Links appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

The best advice is to just get started with something. As things progress you’ll discover topics that spark your interest and you’ll see what your audience responds to. New opportunities are not going to divulge themselves if you’re not already in the game.

Getting started allows you to pivot and the more you pivot the closer you’ll get to your destination. I started a website to sell cartoons to magazine editors which turned into a cartoon logo business which opened up the doors to Google Adsense which lead to affiliate marketing which… I hope you get the point.

I don’t believe anyone is afraid to start a business, I think most people just don’t have an idea and they don’t know how to get started. You may not even know if you want to start a blog, a podcast or a video channel. Try them all and you’ll quickly fall in love with the one that fits your skills the best.

Honestly, jumping into a business idea without know the roadblocks and hurdles can be a huge advantage. You learn to figure it out and you create your own path. The best ideas are those that have never been seen before and are untested. People love innovation and jumping on the bandwagon of something new. Give them something to discover so they can spread it to their tribe!

You should 100% get started tomorrow! DO NOT WAIT! Even if you don’t have an idea just start something tomorrow. Make a commitment to a few weeks or months to get into the groove of creating something. This will be your learning period so there’s no pressure and nobody even needs to see what you are creating.

My suggestion is to setup a free blogging account at Blogger.com or Tumblr.com and start writing. Or download the Anchor podcasting app and start talking. If you’d rather try video, hit record on your phone and upload your videos to YouTube. Any of these will begin to teach you how to use the platforms, what it takes to create consistent content and you’ll get a feel for which method you enjoy the most. Don’t forget! You can always pivot.

As you go through this process be sure to always keep a pen and paper handy. Write down every crazy idea you think of whether it’s viable or not. This will give you a much better idea of the types of businesses you might want to start. Have your family look over the list and watch their faces. If one idea really causes them to think or light up it might have possibilities.

Below are some questions to help you narrow your topic ideas. Hopefully one of these will give you that light bulb moment and you’ll just know. If not, don’t worry. This is not a test. Try not to pressure yourself, this is supposed to be fun! Now grab a pencil and answer some questions.

QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU DISCOVER A BUSINESS IDEA

1. What do you love to talk about? Build a blog or podcast around a subject you love to talk about or some hobby you already have. Are you fascinated by ghost stories? Do you love a specific sports team? Is there a model of car you’re fascinated with? Do you enjoy reviewing movies or gadgets?

2. Are you an expert in anything? Being an expert can catapult you to the top of a category. If you went to college you should know a little more than most folks about at least one topic. Have you worked a job where you’ve learned all of the secrets?

3. Can you solve a problem? Creating a product or service that solves a problem might be one of the best ways to make money. Do people ask you to help them with accounting, taxes, car engines, parenting, etc.? Are you confident at something that you know could help hundreds of people?

4. Do you live a niche lifestyle? Living a lifestyle that others seek can be a great way to start a side gig. People love community. If you live a certain lifestyle there are more than likely hundreds of other people that enjoy the same lifestyle. Do you like camping, surfing, eating vegan, growing organic foods, homeschooling, etc.?

5. Is there anything you can teach? Do you know how to do something that thousands of people would like to learn? Use your experience to create a side gig teaching others. Teach people how to save money, how to declutter, how to survive outdoors, etc.

6. Have you always wanted to learn something? Document yourself learning something. Creating a blog, podcast or vodcast that documents your journey at learning or accomplishing something great. Others may not want to learn themselves but they might love seeing someone else go through the process. Learn how to use social media, how to build a website, how to write a book, etc.

7. Is there a business you know you could do better? Have you searched for a product or service but wound up frustrated because nothing was up to your standards? Fill that gap! Take a current business or service and make it 50% better than anyone else in your area. Could you be a better real estate agent, artist, musician, cook, coach, etc.?

8. Can you purchase an existing business? Is there a blog, podcast or business that you know might be for sale? If not, ask and see what responses you get. You’ll never know if you don ask. Maybe you just buy the client list from another business. Become a partner and work your way in.

9. Is there a need in your town? Ask friends and family if there is a need in your area. Look for opportunities. Create a tighter niche in an already existing category. Don’t just build websites, build websites only for attorneys. Only walk dogs under 15 lbs., train long distance runners, deliver food, interview entrepreneurs, etc.

10. Is there an idea you’d like to copy? Who do you admire? What do they do? Is it something you’d love to do? If so, give it a try! Don’t steal a business idea but copy the basics and make it your own. Pick a different audience or customer base. Maybe you can collaborate!

I’ll do an upcoming post and podcast with at least 100 business and side gig ideas. Many times we don’t know what we don’t know. I may be able to suggest something you’ve never thought of before or something you’ve never encountered.

My final thought is to just get started! If you keep putting it off, you’ll keep putting it off. It’s takes time, effort and dedication to build a business, side gig or brand. If it was really easy everyone would be doing it! Don’t be afraid to start multiple ideas at one time. There’s talkers and there’s doers. Be the doer!

The post What Kind of Business or Side Gig Should You Start? appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

I wish everyone had a side income that could keep them afloat until this COVID-19 pandemic is over. Unfortunately not many do not. But, it’s not too late to get started right now! You won’t be making money right out of the gate but creating a side gig now could change the entire direction of your future. Learn to rely on yourself and enjoy the freedom of working from home at your own business.

I want to help everyone start their own side gig! Some will want to simply start a side hobby while others may want to create a viable business. There are almost an unlimited number of ways to make money online while working from home. There are also other fun gigs that you can do that will add to your overall yearly income.

For the past 20 years I made enough income online that I’ve been able to work from home as an entrepreneur. I’ve been my own boss and have the freedom to come and go as I please. I always say that, “I wake up every morning and find ways of making money so I don’t have to get a job.”

To give you an idea of how many ways there are to make money with side gigs I’m going to list all of the different methods I’ve used over the years. Many of my little ventures alone would not support a family of four. But combined together, just a few of them have supported me since 2000.

Almost all of these money making methods are done through websites but I have started looking at making money with podcasts, online radio, video and more. I’ll do those more individually as they grow. There are a few that do not require an online presence.

1. Cartooning – Becoming a professional cartoonist is what sparked my imagination into building my first website. I built Curtoons.com in 1999 and tried to sell single panel cartoons to magazines. That idea turned into a 10 year cartoon logo business. I created cartoon logos for companies all over the world charging anywhere from $150-$600 per design. Everything was handled online.

2. Cartoons & Clip Art – I eventually ended up with lots of single panel cartoons and cartoon characters sitting on my computer. I posted these online and sold the designs on multiple websites as digital cartoons, clip art and royalty free characters. I was selling royalty free cartoon characters for $49. Some characters were sold dozens of times.

3. Google Adsense – Other than cartooning the biggest money maker for me in my first 10 years was Google Adsense. At my peak I was getting 21,000 visits a day to my websites and that was making me on average $4,000 a month. That’s just people clicking on the tiny Google ads. I had built 100 thin content websites based on highly searched keywords that ranked well. This entire venture collapsed in 2012 due to the Google Panda update. An Adsense click can make anywhere from .03¢ to several dollars depending on the keyword.

4. Display Ads – Placing digital display ads on websites and blogs can make great money from local advertisers. This has been a big part of the success of my community website at EnidBuzz.com. This website get around 30,000 unique visits a month with around 70,000 page views. That’s a lot of eyeballs on local ads. I’ve also started adding back Adsense ads on this website. Ads can run from $10 to $600 a month with assorted packages.

5. Website Building – After building 100 websites of my own I started getting requests from local companies to build their websites. Building websites is not as complicated as it was at one time. These days you can open a WordPress hosted account and have an instant website and blog. Add customized themes to WordPress and you instantly have thousands of pre-built designs. Add local logos, photos and content to make it individual to your client. I would charge anywhere from $300 to $1200 per website.

6. Website Hosting – Look into opening a web hosting reseller account. You pay a monthly fee for hosting, let’s say, 10 websites. Put five of your websites on that account and add five of your clients. If the monthly fee is $60 and you charge your clients $15 a month you not only make a little bit of money but all of your websites are being hosted for free! Scale this and you can make some easy money.

7. Graphic Design – I’ve had a graphic design side gig since my high school days. With a little bit of creativity and a computer you can learn to design logos, layout publications and build ads. Charge per hour or project and you can make a really good living. Find a niche of clients to work for and you can corner a market. Look into the going rates for graphic design to know what to charge.

8. Sell Websites – If you build a website with enough traffic you can flip it! You can also buy and sell websites that are already online. I sold a website that only had puppy name suggestions on it. It was making $8,000 a year with Adsense so I sold it for two years worth of income. That was $16,000 and it wasn’t even for sale! Website flipping is just like flipping anything else.

9. Domain Names – I have acquired well over 100 domain names over the last two decades. Many of the websites have been shut down so I have put the domain names up for sale. Most domain names average $10 each. That’s a yearly cost. I’ve sold several for $100 each. Domain names were once a big business but the prices have come down. Dot Coms are always worth the most. It’s always fun to own a part of the world wide web.

10. Affiliate Marketing – Niche websites and blogs can make great money with affiliate marketing. Basically you are promoting services and products on your websites that are being sold by other individuals and companies. You place photos, descriptions and links on your pages and when customers click on those to go make a purchase you actually make money with each sale. Large ticket items will make much more money quickly but multiple websites selling small ticket items can add up to good money as well. At one time I had the #1 ranked website for “baby furniture” and all I sold was affiliate products.

11. Reviews – If you build a niche blog you are bound to be approached to by companies with related products. They will ask you to review their products in exchange for free merchandise. You can keep the merch or turn around and sell it. I had a blog that talked about the Apple iPad when it first came out and I was approached by a company in the UK that sent me all kinds of tech gear. Some may flat out pay you for a review.

12. Link Selling – This one is not as popular as it once was. With all of the websites that I had I was always getting email from companies that wanted to pay me for links to their websites. Links help websites rank higher in Google so many people try to buy links. This is frowned upon by Google and you can get your website knocked out of Google if you get caught. This one I would not recommend any longer. Either buying or selling.

13. Naming – At one time I built a website around being a naming company. I had clients come to me looking for creative name suggestions for businesses. This was not a big money maker but I didn’t put much effort into it.

14. Consulting – I’ve been paid to look at websites and give suggestions on design and SEO ranking. I’ve also gotten paid for meetings where I’ve given advice on marketing and advertising.

15. Advertising – I help advertise my clients by writing articles about them and link to those from social media accounts. I also do live streaming at events much like radio remotes and conduct interviews to help promote specials and events.

16. Micro Influencer – I recommend different businesses on my social media accounts. On Instagram I’ll wear a t-shirt with a company logo to help promote a business. I currently do not charge for these plugs but will eventually move to paid promos.

17. T-Shirt Sales – I create custom t-shirt designs and sell them online. Many times I use print-on-demand services that allow me to do nothing but create the design and promote the website. I also print t-shirts and mail those as people order them through a website or social media posts.

18. Flipping – I’ve taken stuff from around the house and sold it on eBay, Craig’s List and Facebook Marketplace. Tons of people make a great living by flipping products they buy used or highly discounted. Garage sales are a good source of things to flip. If you make this a full time business you can pay the bills. There are now many websites and apps that you can flip merchandise through.

19. Business Listings – I’ve started an online business directory with a monthly subscription. I promote the directory and get the pages to rank well in Google. This becomes another avenue for local companies to get their brand online. You can also include advertising options on directory websites.

20. Photography – I’ve added thousands of images to my websites. I spent two years taking sunrise photos and uploaded those to social media. Over the years I’ve sold many of those images for websites, publications and calendars. I’ve also been hired to shoot small projects and events. I am not a professional photographer but have made some decent money from my photos. I will eventually put together a sunrise photo coffee table book.

21. Being An Extra – I’ve had a few parts in some movies as an extra. If you’re in an area that films lots of movies you can make some many doing this. I started out just to do a story but ended up doing a few movies. The pay is not big but if you ever get a speaking part you will make more money.

22. Greeting Cards – I actually started my own paper greeting card company called Chuckleberrys. I sold cards online and also supplied them wholesale to small stores and boutiques. As part of that I also drop shipped greeting card displays. Each one that was shipped made me a little money. At one point I printed the cards in my office on my own computer and then I started using a print-on-demand service.

These are the 22 money making ideas that popped into my head. I know there are many more activities I’ve done to add extra change to my pocket. As I come up with new ideas and methods I’ll write new blog posts and record podcast episodes.

I promise you that if this sneaker wearing, entrepreneurial, Buzz Guy can learn how to make money online, anyone can!! Get busy. This post is also a podcast and YouTube video. Catch them below.

The post 22 Side Gigs I’ve Used To Make Money appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

I’ve been working full-time from home running several different businesses. When Galen Culver heard about my story he thought it was interesting enough to feature it on his popular TV news segment called, “Is This A Great State Or What?”

Culver contacted me in April of 2014 and said he would like to stop by my home office and do a story about me working from home drawing cartoons and operating Enid Buzz.

He stopped by and spent a couple of hours asking me questions and filming everything in my office. All of that footage and those questions were whittled down to a two minute segment on NBC’s KFOR News in Oklahoma City.

The segment was great and helped tell my story of creating businesses while sitting in a chair in my house. The exposure was not something that made me any money but it increased my brand recognition and added credibility to my knowledge of being an entrepreneur.

If you’ve got a great story you need to get in front of everyone that you can. Today there are TV segments like “Great State,” podcasts, blogs and video channels that you can book for guest spots.

Don’t be afraid to reach out to people especially anyone in your niche. Many content publishers are looking for stories, articles and guests. Build your brand and your reputation by appearing everywhere that you can.

Here is the video segment that ran on the OKC news station. Below that is the transcript from the show.

There are people who think outside the box and then there are people who actually drew the box they live in.

Curtis Tucker was a dreamer and doodler growing up.

“When I was in school,” he says, “I was either drawing cartoons on the chalk board or on the back of my paper.”

He quit his advertising executive job in the late 90’s and drew upon his skills as a cartoonist.

Tucker formed a whole series of companies that sold logos, clip art, even greeting cards.

For more than a decade he was at the top of the online cartoon heap.

Curtis says, “I think from the very beginning of Google I probably ranked number one for cartoon logos for 12 years.”

His technical acumen should have told him that things would change though.

Google changed its search format and his cartoon business dried up almost overnight.

But Curt drew on another talent, for staying anchored to what he liked, which is sitting at home and playing around.

“It was pretty cool,” he says.

Tucker started another website called Enid Buzz.

He kept working on it, slowly making his home office the hub of information for just about everything in his hometown.

Tucker made it profitable too, so he could stay right where he wanted.

“You’re just at the hub of a smaller universe,” observes an office visitor.

“Exactly,” he replies. “I have evolved. It’s always evolving.”

It’s not often we can shoot a whole story in one room.

It has to be a pretty interesting place.

Curtis Tucker made it that way, not by being outgoing, but by drawing enough people to him.

He’s still doodling, actually, just the way he wants.

The Enid Buzz website is www.enidbuzz.com.

You can also log on Facebook and find an active page there.

The post Do You Have A Story? Let Others Help You Tell It. appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

John, the fashion industry pioneer behind the rise of the clothing brand FUBU, is a “shark” on the four-time Emmy Award-winning ABC show “Shark Tank,” as well as a New York Times best-selling author, branding consultant and motivational speaker.

As “The People’s Shark”, John has made an impact on hopeful entrepreneurs, as well as millions of weekly viewers, through his relatable story and journey to success that continues to both motivate and inspire. His relentless pursuit to educate future entrepreneurs has reached beyond the borders of the U.S., as well, and he was recently named a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship.

I’ve been a huge fan of “Shark Tank” since the beginning. I also enjoy hearing the stories of how entrepreneurs made it to where they are. This was the perfect combination of the two.

There was a full crowd of students and business people on hand to hear John speak. He mixed his entrepreneurial story with humor and music to make a very entertaining presentation. He even had a DJ controlling the background music with a fun slide show that helped weave the story from one decade to the next.

John described his start with $40 worth of fabric that he turned into hats. With the help of his mother and friends he turned a simple idea into the $6 billion urban street-wear brand, FUBU (For Us, By Us). His story of hustle and timing is an inspiration to anyone wanting to become an entrepreneur.

There were a few breaks along the way but breaks don’t come unless you’ve positioned yourself to take advantage of them when they arise. That is exactly what John had done throughout his journey.

After creating his fortune, working excessively and losing his family, John made a commitment to help others along their entrepreneurial path. That promise is one of the reasons he now spends much of his time giving back.

John gave the audience five primary lessons to building wealth, the first letters of which spell out the acronym “SHARK.” These are the five secret ingredients for success in a very brief form.

1. Set a goal. You can’t achieve a goal you can’t see. John set a goal of being a part of the Hip-Hop community even though he says he can’t sing or dance. John realized his way in would be to dress the Hip-Hop community. If you don’t know where you are going, you will never get there.

2. Homework. You have to do your homework. You need to put in the research and know the costs.

3. Amor. You have to love what you do. Every single successful person loves what they do.

4. Remember, you are the brand. Summarize yourself in two-to-five words. Investors don’t invest in companies, they invest in people. Having a strong personal brand is more important now than ever. For John, the words are, “I am on a quest.”

5. Keep swimming. Don’t give up. You have to find solutions in moments where it would be more reasonable to give up.

John did a Q&A session afterwards and gave more great advice. He talked about investing in yourself and the need to keep learning. He said it was important to understand the fundamentals of how your business works.

Knowing your “why” is also important when you become rich. If you don’t have a purpose you can easily lose everything that you’ve made. Making a million dollars and keeping it is not as easy as athletes and lottery winners might think.

John is easy to find on social media and does respond to questions and comments. I was giving a talk to young entrepreneurs in Enid and reached out to John on Twitter. I asked him for advice that would help young entrepreneurs in e-commerce. He gave me three great points.

1. Don’t spread yourself too thin. Concentrate on excelling at selling one thing before expanding

2. Get to know everything you can about your customers so you know how to better serve them

3. Customer service > everything. Provide follow up and ask their opinions.

Learn more about Daymond John and his courses at LearnLikeAShark.com. You can also follow him on his Twitter account @TheSharkDaymond.

The post Swimming With The Shark Daymond John appeared first on Curtis Tucker.