Hey bootstrappers,

Hope you had a great Christmas! 🎄

I thought I’d catch you before the New Year party to talk about something important. 

When you read about entrepreneurship, you see a lot of talk about “ideas”. 

The common one being that you need a “good idea” for a business before you start one. 

What poppycock! 

As you enter 2022, I challenge you to take a long, hard look at your existing skills. 

I bet you could market them. 

More, I wager you could turn them into a business.

You don’t need a revolutionary idea or even to copy someone else’s. 

Just look at what you’re capable of now. How much would someone pay you for those skills?

This week’s founders all stumbled into their success stories – the accidental entrepreneurs. 

But you don’t need to wait for chance to launch your entrepreneurial career – why not reflect on your skills and experience and figure out how to monetize them now?

Go on: Grab a pen and paper and jot down what you’re good at. You never know – it could be the blueprint for a million-dollar business. 

Here’s to you and your success in 2022. 🥂 🎉 🥳

Riah Gonzales left her nursing career and marketed her skills as a virtual assistant. In high demand, she built a six-figure marketplace that connects VAs with businesspeople – all while recovering from a car accident.

How a Termination and a Car Accident Gave This Founder the Necessary Strength to Pivot

“Don’t be afraid to hire a business coach. Seek out free resources and workshops. Give yourself a runway. You’re not going to pay yourself for a long time. Don’t get distracted by the shiny things. Just because something is deductible does not mean you need it.”

When David Mancarella heard his coworkers lament the potential cancellation of the office white elephant exchange, he and his wife combined their skillsets to bring the game online, saving the holiday tradition for over 150,000 players.

This Founder Earned Almost $300,000 From White Elephant Gift Exchanges in Six Months

“I went to school for entrepreneurship and have had small businesses before. I’ve also worked in software development and as a product manager for over 10 years. This felt like the first time that I had an idea and there weren’t six versions of it that existed. My wife, Leliah is also an entrepreneur, and it was always our dream to work together.”

Cyril Marques bounced from job to job in search of fulfilment before realizing he'd acquired in-demand data analysis skills that he then developed into a $3 million business.

From Failed Comic Book Store Owner to Founder of a $2.8 Million TTM Data Consulting Firm

“There’s a real lack of expertise on these newer technologies right now because they are new. Companies want to scale with these technologies to be future-proof, but their in-house team usually only learns whatever stack the company is currently using. That’s where we help.”

 - David Mancarella, White Elephant Online

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