February 23, 2012

Questions

August 16, 2011 By Agent Kevin Miller 25 Comments

Free Agent Underground Show Questions:

Questions on business building and the pursuit of the free agent life, post em’ below and we’ll talk about them on Tuesdays and Wednesday at 3pm Mountain time. Anything is game!

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  • Cindy Hirch

    If you are just beginning to move into the self-employment role and do not have a website of your own, what is the best way to market yourself to the public?

    • http://www.freeagentacademy.com Kevin Miller

      What is it that you are going to be offering? What’s your product, service, message…?

      • Cindy Hirch

        As a result of my coaching experience I am now starting to walk
        in my strengths, skills and passion. I’m moving in a completely
        different direction from the work I came out of for many years, but I
        can truly say that I am totally energized by what I’m beginning to do.
        I’m passionate about building quality relationships which is my core
        strength in the marketplace. I love to connect with others, plain and
        simple. My ability to make clients feel important and valued comes
        naturally to me. Additionally my skill set in organization, managing
        detail and analyzing is a close second to relationship building.

  • Oneof12macks

    Hi, Kevin! Here’s the Cliff Notes version:  I’m a single Mom, son will be 13 in two weeks. Money is tight. Going back to court soon to modify (prob. reduce) child support. Son hated school last year, says this year will be better as his cousin now attends same school.  I’m trying to remain positive but, not holding out that that will be enough for him. He was consistently “sick” every other Monday last year!
    He would love to be home schooled! I would love to work from home. Problem: I don’t know what it is I could do. I’m fairly handy but don’t see how that sells online. I love my computer and enjoy doing various tasks with it…again, don’t know how this translates into online stuff. I have a background in accounting. I plan to refresh my knowledge as I’d love to be proficient in Excel and Quicken (or some other financial software). I have sold some items on ebay but am not consistent enough.  I’d love to attend one of your workshops but right now that’s not in the budget. :(
    So, with that said, any insight would be appreciated!  Thanks for your help!  Love to hear snippets from you life!  It gives hope. Soli Deo gloria. Becky

    • http://www.freeagentacademy.com Kevin Miller

      OK, I have a heart for single Mom’s trying to be a full time parent, and pay the bills. Wow. And I feel for your son, I felt the same at 13, wish I’d have been homeschooled (my much younger brother and sister were, thank goodness!). What kind of work are you doing now? What viable skills and abilities do you have? And don’t discount any because you don’t think they are ‘great’ enough.

      • Oneof12macks

        Right now I am in my 6th year as a Lunch Lady at the middle/high school in town. My son attends the same school now as well so I get to see him every day.  I grew up in a family bakery (that also sold breakfast and lunch) so food service is in my blood. I’m no chef or great baker but, I can do it. I belief strongly in customer service/satisfaction even if it means eating your mistakes. I have a good sense for what will keep the customer happy.

        Skills: Since there were 12 of us kids and a business to run, my folks had their own work force. We had to do everything from mixing cement, pulling nails, shoveling snow, painting, cleaning, varnishing, etc. Then as we got older we waited on customers, cooked on the grill, served them their order, made pies, frosted donuts, baked cakes, decorated cakes, etc. I also helped with the bookkeeping.  We literally did everything, from soup to nuts!

        I learned a lot from all this such as working hard, working together, keeping my word, being ethical. There are so many skills I gleaned from my experience.  Besides food service, I can fix the brakes in my van, change the plugs/wires, (although engine compartments are pretty cramped these days so now I leave that to the professionals) I can replace an electrical outlet, rewire my lamp, repair a water pipe (copper or pex tubing) fix a toilet, repair drywall, paint, run a band saw, table saw, circular saw, drill press, lathe, soldering gun, grinding wheel to name a few. Working with wood is my favorite thing to do!  I scrap metal (for money) on the side if I have gathered/found enough.

        I like bookkeeping and/or data entry. I print the church bulletin, ran the VBS. I’m in charge of our Annual Church Picnic and Christmas Party. I blog a teeny bit. I love to make people laugh. I like helping out wherever I’m needed. I enjoy writing and talking about myself and my family. I want to write a book about our family, even more so now that I have just lost a sister to cancer three weeks ago. That’ll change your outlook on life like nothing else!

        I have always wanted to run my own diner but have leaned more toward a lunch truck. (Not the canteen trucks but the bigger ones on the idea of the Fed Ex deliver trucks.) Either, or including, baking at home and selling the baked goods at the local mini markets or gas stations.  Just a thought. I know many gas stations have a built in Dunkin Donuts or Honey Dew Donut.
        My sister now owns our family bakery, it is known quite a bit around these parts and she wouldn’t mind me using our old recipes for the baked goods. 
        Phew! I believe that covers everything. Sorry this is so very long! Thanks for you reply and interest!  Becky

  • Perry Petrequin

    When a person has been a self employed contractor for 35 years and is firmly rooted in a physical reality of does one move to the solely intellectual reality of the internet. The internet seems to be full of promises but short on results. I take satisfaction in a job well done the money has never mattered to some degree accept when you can’t pay the bills. and I am sad to see so few artasains left in construction and manufacturing. So I guess I am saying I feel lost in this new world and lost between generation baby boomer and X partially understanding both but not fitting in , in either. Is there a place for a misfit like me????

    Perry

    • http://www.freeagentacademy.com Kevin Miller

      Great question Perry, and I have some perspectives for you. But share what it is you do?

  • Perry Petrequin

    You may have asked the toughest question ever for me. here is the list: Ranch worker, heavy equipment welder and hydraulics, equipment operator, long haul truck driver, machinist production and custom, home schooler and stay at home dad, concrete finisher, ballfield builder baseball football and soccer, custom equipment modfier, dad to special needs son, teacher on two mission fields Honduras and Belize. I am sure i have forgotten something. I like to learn and if I am not learning I move on. I am uasally working two to three things at any one time and putting in 8-15 hrs a day doing it. and yes it is true i failed typing.

    Perry

  • Dkmatsumoto

    What are specific ways to revenue a blog.  Example WordPress.  Thx

  • Dkmatsumoto

    What are specific ways to revenue a blog.  Example WordPress.  Thx

  • Scottm

    Kevin, I have two questions.  The first has to do with family health care insurance.  What are some of the best options you have found?

    The next has to do with lead generation.  What are the best ways you have found to generate leads as a self employed person?

    Thanks.

  • http://twitter.com/jasonvandehey Jason Vandehey

    Do you frustrate your wife sometimes? 

    • http://www.freeagentacademy.com Kevin Miller

      Are you serious? I drive her nuts. And she’s in love with me. But man, if you’re talking about overall, she’s been through the worst and best with me. Nearly had it with me at one point.

  • http://twitter.com/jasonvandehey Jason Vandehey

    Do you frustrate your wife sometimes? 

  • Mark Hopkins

    Kevin, I am starting to work on a a website (mainly in the music arena) that will focus on lots of little projects… Because that’s always been my life… never focused at becoming an expert at one thing, but doing excellent work or maximizing lots of little projects in several arenas.  I think learning social media will be a natural skill that I keep developing to build my sites… I’m considering doing it part time for others and small businesses, and could see getting paid well enough that it could replace my helpdesk job at some point… Does this sound like a good transition plan while building my “dream” business.

    Thanks,
    Mark

    • http://www.freeagentacademy.com Kevin Miller

      thanks Mark, I’ll hit this during the show!

  • Craigsbradshaw

    I decided a few months ago to pursue my dream of full-time self-employment again a 6 months ago.  I am focusing on 3 businesses I enjoy right now as I develop multiple-streams of income.  Do you or Dan have any tips on how to divide up my time.  They are all under my Southern Hospitality Umbrella/Brand.  Southern Hospitality Catering; Southern Hospitality Consulting; and Southern Hospitality Travel.  In would have liked to have a nice nest egg before jumping in but it just didnt happen.  I have been blessed lately and the future looks good, however-I need to get to six figures as soon as possible.  Craig Bradshaw TN

  • Toddzeller

    What in the world is the hat you are wearing???  You look like your going on a safari! tz :)

    • http://www.freeagentacademy.com Kevin Miller

      It was a safari of sorts…

  • Anonymous

    Was it harder for you to spend the amount of time with your children that you do now — when you were in the early stages of FAA?  i.e. do you have more time now that the business is a bit more ‘mature’?

    • http://www.freeagentacademy.com Kevin Miller

      Jason, family time is the one thing I tried to NEVER sacrifice. And over the 16 years I’ve had kids, I haven’t. Except…for 9 months. The inception of Free Agent Academy happened to coincide with me building our home. For 9-months, I stayed out at our property for about 4 days of the week. I’d work with subcontractors during the day, then work on biz at night in a 5th wheel on site. Then sleep. Repeat. Teri and the kids came by a lot, but I was a fairly absent father during that time. Though Teri also got pregnant again…  But then it was over. All of the sudden we moved in to the new house and back to normal. Well, normal but in a house twice the size of our other one, and I had a growing biz. Do I have more time today? Heck yeah. But I paid a price most just won’t. Ever. They would if they could taste the payoff though…

  • Ben Hoffman

    started listening to your podcast this week. they are great! You had a comment from, I think James Wooley, a few months ago. It was like he was in my own mind! I have owned a business for 10 years, 2 franchise resturaunts, had over 100 emplyee’s and over $3m in sales. But couldn’t pay the bills and had to sell. I spent too much and lived to high on the hog to sustain. During this time I became very depressed, gained alot of weight, and was up to 445 lbs. I had surgery and now am 260. Also during this time I was able to coach my kids football teams and also coached in the high school level. I became a insurance agent after I sold the business but hated it. Now i am in a job on the road for 4 days a week just to pay the bills. I desperatley want to get out of here!! I can feel myself and my wife of 23 years slowly slipping apart from each other. It’s almost like I have died and they have just continued on without me. Our lifestyle now is just survive! I want to start a new business desperatly but have no money and fear my own nature, which is to find whatever then quit. I can’t keep going like this and have started eating too much again. I am a horrible example to my kids age 23, 20, and 18. You said on the podcast yeasterday, how can you influence or inspire others when you are not inspired! Wo that hit me hard. I have been disengaging from life for almost 10 years now. My kids still remember me as this happy goofy guy who was laughing and joking all the time. Now I stay away and hide whenever I can. My oldest daughter is extremly overweight and I blame myself. She has alot of my personality traits. I also am a Grandfather now at the age of 40. My middle son is married and has a son. Oh and now they all live at home with my wife and I again!! I need to be inspired, and I need to take action. I need to inspire and teach my kids how to succeed in life. I need to be healthier. I want to do the Free Agent Class and learn how to do something suited to my strengths, but cannot in my current job. I need a bridge job, take the class, inspire my kids, help my wife feel sucure again, and start feeling alive again. Also my wife says I quit everything and can’t follow through, so she is scared of me trying almost anything. She does try to support me, but she is a type A and always does everything just so and is indredably smart. I drive her nuts, but she loves me. Anyway sorry for being so long, just searching for help. Thanks Ben Hoffman, Wisconsin