photo credit: Tim Morgan
As the Adword testing of my information product flies around the interwebs I wanted to offer you some more varied experiences at The LDP in the next coming weeks. I’ll be adding to my Monday posts randomly throughout the week with some different lifestyle design topics, features and insights. I hate to break continuity on our income stage so I’ll do my best to keep things related, but hey that’s what blog categories are for.
On top of that thought, you should always be doing something more to build your financial freedom and designed lifestyle, whether it be re-activating a failed practice (I’ve doing that with singular focus lately using e.ggtimer for productivity) or reaching out to others. Lifestyle design is much more about laying tracks, relationally, mentally, and even physically for a future you’ve already visualized or goal set than it is about selling something or doing any ONE thing. So, in efforts to keep recording what I’m doing, you’re getting it all. Today’s post is on my varied conversations with Ramit Sethi, author of I Will Teach You to Be Rich over the last 5 months.
Ramit wrote a very obvious sounding book on finances, saving, and being smart with money. His style is what I recognize as unique about him and the more I read his blog and interacted with him, the more that stuck out. Especially his frankness, I wouldn’t be surprised if he simply told people listening, “Stop asking me dumb questions, you guys are stupid, this is what you need to do…. ” He does it in a very approachable and intelligent manner though, the guys no slouch coming out of Stanford.
Okay so those are the basics, on the Lifestyle Design front, you’ve maybe seen him with Tim Ferriss as they’ve done a few video’s together. Ramit’s blog, like Tim’s is also very similarly engaging, case study filled and interestingly written. Posts are a little too often for me. I’ll be honest, I haven’t read his whole book through, I’m not struggling with saving or making investments, I’m much more interested with income/freedom and lifestyle at this point. I think if you want solid financial tips go to www.getrichslowly.org for basics and beyond. Ramit’s book will put money in your pocket too.
Anyway, I approached him maybe 4 months ago, shot him an e-mail out of the blue and said in a pompous way, trying to attract attention I’m sure, that I wanted to work with him. I made a song and dance about working with him to test and advise me on business (very freedom business oriented) ideas, or use me as a technical advisor. The title of the e-mail was “to the real ramit.” I was trying to do just as I’ve seen others do and would still advise, get in touch with the super powers in certain niches, gain exposure, network, build credibility and really help someone who’s made it in your mind.
UPDATE 7:02PM: He actually called me out on this e-mail citing it as a “bad e-mail” on his last blog post. Hah! Hilarious, we actually posted about the same e-mail at relatively the same time. I didn’t read about it until just now.
I think it’s even a tactic in the 4 Hour Work Week. To my surprise the guy responded not once but everytime! albeit short sentences, cordial, but informative. In the end, he said something along the lines of not interested. Looking back on the e-mail, I wasn’t specific enough, I was blanketing that I could help him out and I wanted to join ranks, but little else. It was junk. That’s where that ended, but I learned something. People you don’t think you can reach, you absolutely can reach, but have something dead set specific to ask them for, or about. Be short.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago, I’ve been following his blog loosely. He started focusing more on making income, and most recently turning your skills into freelancing. I attend a few of his free Wed night, Ustream office hour sessions (YouTube preview). Which by the way, are a killer, viral, easy to do publicity service action. I threw my questions in on how to make my tech service niche and skills profitable, again I had trouble being specific, half knowing I already knew what products I had in mind, yet dumb enough not to site them.
So I write him again…heck why not. Here’s where I give him real respect and credibility. He responded to about 20 e-mails over the next week with me. It’s funny, one thing I put too much effort into when setting up my blog and business sites was how I wanted my e-mails to look to people. Ramit was obviously not writing to a CEO, but he was down to earth, used no capitalization or signature. That could just be him, or he could be cutting out grammar and actually responding to the XXX e-mails he gets a day. Our topics varied; a sys admin for his blog, traffic credibility on websites trackers like compete.com, and what to do with my “freelancing”, I even got him to go look and comment on the information product I’m looking to launch.
Ok, So What?
Here’s the tie in back to lifestyle design and income. I’ll say it as I’ve said it before, relationships are fuel. You need to be reaching out to those in the area’s you look to succeed. I have no clue if I’ll talk to Ramit again, in my opinion I’ve made myself look like a complete novice when it comes to business ideas or launching anything. Fact is, I learned I am, despite having a strong technical background. I’ve made a connection though, joined up for his earn1k.com program at his recommendation and suggestion to jump to a higher tier with the program, and despite him saying I’d most likely make zero sales with Backup Informer. He gave me confidence I’d learn a lot from it, I’m on the right path, and that if I wanted, I could write him again and get an ear.
He might yell at me as he didn’t want me to share exact e-mails but here are a few intelligent comments he made I think you could use and I don’t think he’d mind me sharing.
- best advice: ask specific questions to get specific answers. do the broad soul-searching on your own, with your family/friends, and using google.
- figure out who wants what you’re offering. dont just jump in blindly…start with your GOALS
So…relationships are fuel people, keep building them and your future. Well, my egg timer for 30 minutes has about 27 seconds left so I’ll end here and link this post up later.
What do you think? Leave a comment.