In The $100 Startup, Chris Guillebeau
shows you how to lead of life of adventure, meaning and purpose -
and earn a good living.
Still in his early thirties, Chris is on the verge of completing a
tour of every country on earth - he's already visited more than 175
nations - and yet he's never held a "real job" or earned a regular
paycheck. Rather, he has a special genius for turning ideas
into income, and he uses what he earns both to support his life of
adventure and to give back.
There are many others like Chris - those who've
found ways to opt out of traditional employment and create the time
and income to pursue what they find meaningful. Sometimes,
achieving that perfect blend of passion and income doesn't depend
on shelving what you currently do. You can start small with
your venture, committing little time or money, and wait to take the
real plunge when you''re sure it''s successful.
In preparing to write this book, Chris identified 1,500
individuals who have built businesses earning $50,000 or more from
a modest investment (in many cases, $100 or less), and from that
group he's chosen to focus on the 50 most intriguing case
studies. In nearly all cases, people with no special skills
discovered aspects of their personal passions that could be
monetized, and were able to restructure their lives in ways that
gave them greater freedom and fulfillment.
Here, finally, distilled into one easy-to-use guide, are the most
valuable lessons from those who've learned how to turn what they do
into a gateway to self-fulfillment. It's all about finding
the intersection between your "expertise" - even if you don't
consider it such -- and what other people will pay for. You
don't need an MBA, a business plan or even employees. All you
need is a product or service that springs from what you love to do
anyway, people willing to pay, and a way to get paid.
Not content to talk in generalities, Chris tells you exactly how
many dollars his group of unexpected entrepreneurs required to get
their projects up and running; what these individuals did in the
first weeks and months to generate significant cash; some of the
key mistakes they made along the way, and the crucial insights that
made the business stick. Among Chris's key principles: if
you're good at one thing, you're probably good at something else;
never teach a man to fish - sell him the fish instead; and
in the battle between planning and action, action wins.
In ancient times, people who were dissatisfied with their lives
dreamed of finding magic lamps, buried treasure, or streets paved
with gold. Today, we know that it's up to us to change our
lives. And the best part is, if we change our own
life, we can help others change theirs. This
remarkable book will start you on your way.
