One Dollar Eludes Me

Despite numerous inquiries, I have not earned my first dollar.  I know, if you were following along, you'd grow tired of the same song repeated.  Fortunately for you (my under-the-radar, probably imaginary readers), I grow as bored from singing the same song as you are of "hearing" it.

It is time for stage two.  I will continue doing what I've been doing, but I need to follow through on some more of my entrepreneurial thoughts.  My next plan is Writing of sorts, but includes photography and advice.  My target market is far-reaching - from realtors, to homeowners, to renters, to anybody with any association to the same.  It culminates in a small product, making no assertions of absolute information.  Rather, I intend to offer the opinions of a partner or two and myself as insight into that which we do not see, when living within our own environment, day after day.

And thus, an entrepreneurial star is born.

How will we do it?  Who would really want it?  I'm full of ideas and blissful inexperience!

I will aim to post progress on this, the first idea about which I am excited in quite some time.  Do I write,"Stay tuned," often?  Well it's always with good intentions, and it's not the road to hell - I promise...

Stay tuned!

Nibbles...

Before I begin, please allow me to acknowledge that I may choose to work with a laptop rather than the smart phone, alone.  Of course any professional with the means would do so, right?
To be clear, I began with an idea - generate income with one of the very expenses causing the need for it, my phone.  However, I have already written that to be successful in a world where one hasn't experience, a name must be made!

That is my first priority.  I have placed tens of bids on freelancing websites and found some pretty weird "opportunities," already.  The difficulty I have had lies in discernment between legitimate jobs and scams or shams.  On these websites such as ifreelance.com and freelance.com, to name a couple, there are tasks galore.  "Build my website," "Writer needed for ebay postings," "Data entry -unlimited income potential!"  While I doubted the legitimacy of some of them, I decided to treat them all as free educational opportunities and began bidding.  I was honest, perhaps to a fault, about my experience and my desire to gain experience.

With low expectations, some of them were met!  I received offers to enter data for what amounted to pennies per minute.  I had to work on India's schedule, using their personal passwords, in what appeared to be a primitive web application.  To be clear, I want experience, but that was enough Data Entry experience of that kind for me.  I actually enjoy Typing and Editing almost as much as Writing (if that makes me weird, so be it).  Next, I tried listings on ebay.  I have an ebay account with history and experience.  I can write and take pictures as well as many sellers there so I figured, "why not?"  One potential client wanted me to lie and say that I was shipping products that would actually be shipped in three weeks' time, from Hong Kong.  I am proud of my 100% feedback rating and more importantly, the honest manner in which I conduct myself.  So I moved on...  Another potential client decided to list items on their own, instead.  They asked if I would just sell them my ebay ID, instead.  Again, I have that conscience thing going on.  I did come close with ebay sales, though.  One person wanted to pay me for listing ATV's on ebay.  It would have been ME listing them as a drop shipper in the U.S., but I would actually get to say who was shipping them.  Things looked good until I asked if I could speak with them on the phone to finalize arrangements.  I never heard from them again.

With my new education, I decided to look into craigslist.org.  I have learned more, and continue learning.  In fact, real contact with real people has occurred!  Stay tuned for, "Now I'm Getting Somewhere (sort of)!

By the way, just in case this blog finds a readership, I will be happy to explain anything in response to your questions, via the comments on this site.

Why Not Me?

I've been watching a lot of writing ads on craigslist, thinking to myself, "Oh, they want somebody with a different background.  I'll keep looking."  Well, how do you get that first opportunity if not from knocking on virtual doors, over and over?  I'm going to keep inquiring.

I know that to write for income, one will not always write Science Fiction or Philosophy, but to sell what we like, we have to do what we can for experience, and reputation, right?

By the way, my work here from the smart phone takes place when I would otherwise not be productive.  I'm in the waiting room, waiting to see the doctor.  Sometimes I'm in another kind of waiting area, not to be described in detail!

Happy writing, and thank you to all of this great country's veterans!

The One I Forgot to Mention

I received a response to my  application to perform field inspections today.  Next, I will take an assessment and send it back.  Then, it looks like I call Human Resources at my convenience for an interview.  I am excited about the prospect!

I found the work with my smart phone.  I tried to apply using my smart phone, too.  Unfortunately, the website required me to use Internet Explorer.  I guess there exist opportunities that still cannot be won via smart phone, alone.

I stand by my belief that one can earn a living with today's smart phone, though.  With that, I continue working on my own future - with, and without the phone.

Day 1, Post-Job Inquiry

I did not receive any reply from either of the two positions to which I applied, yesterday.  On the way home yesterday, I did inquire about a "real job," cleaning model homes and construction sites on Thursday and Friday evenings.  That takes more time from my family and unfortunately, one cannot accomplish this via smart phone, no matter how smart.

That brings up a very important thought - has our society given up on hands-on?  I mean, is it possible that we have become so caught up in technology and remote working, that "hard work" might become more difficult to come by?  Might "blue collar" make a comeback, simply due to supply and demand?

I've always fancied myself as a blue collar guy with a tie.  Maybe there's a renaissance in the works.

Stay tuned!

Help Wanted

My focus up until this morning centered around freelance work and selling things for people or helping them sell their own things.  That netted me a couple of internet scams based in India, and I haven't determined why the ads I post in Services Offered on craigslist don't post for the general public's viewing.

This weekend, I saw a couple of jobs advertised in my area.  I don't call myself a writer by title, but that's what they were looking for and that's what I am at heart.  I know that given the chance, I will succeed and my employer/clients will be glad they hired me.  So I applied...

Well, I sent inquiries.  I will keep you posted!

What Happens When They Ask, "How Much?"

That's a good problem to have.  Is it a problem that must be solved to get started?  I say, "No."

Build your business on integrity.  If they ask, "How much?," tell them you're not sure - if you don't know.  But figure it out as soon as possible because I also think most people would rather know "how much" before they have to ask.  Undisclosed cost can lead to prejudicial mistrust.

By the way, I just posted my ad to try and create a problem about which I cannot complain.  Here it is:

http://smd.craigslist.org/hss/2683666048.html

Now for setting prices - and for begging my wife's forgiveness for bringing her into this proposition...

One more thing - what a beautiful day.  Here's the view from my bus window on this, another very long commute (location, Washington, DC).

At least we're moving.  Making the best of times...