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Need some general advice from all of you

by saxguru
15 replies
Hi everyone,

I wasn't really sure where I would find the best answer to my questions but I thought this would be the best place because the warrior forum has helped me so much even in the short time i've been here.

So I'm 18 years old and I finish my final year of school at the end of June with my exams (I live in the UK by the way). I have decided not to go to university as I really don't think I can face another 3 years of being in the education system. I have been looking at Various school leaver and apprenticeship schemes that require A levels in the area of Business and IT. I have applied for various retail schemes with supermarkets that involve sourcing new products etc.

The A levels I am studying are Applied Business, Geography and Music Technology (Predicted grades are A, B, A)

Through the years I have been running several online businesses such as selling electronics on ebay, selling 3D greeting cards on a website and even selling an online saxophone teaching course. I've even had some small success at affiliate marketing.

As far as I am aware, I really have 3 options.

1. Get a part time job for a year and then go to university next year (missed the deadline for this year)

2. Go on an apprenticeship/school leaver programme with a big company and have a potentially boring career.

3. Take a risk and start my own business ( Yes I know this one sounds a bit silly because I don't know what I would do yet)


I'm really looking for some general advice here on how I should decide on the path I should take. I have always wanted to start my own business and have a decent knowledge of business and IT to make something work.

Bit stuck here to be honest

I've got a good half year to decide but I want to try and plan things out.
#advice #general
  • Profile picture of the author LarryHaywood
    Of course you will have to make the decision for yourself, but if you choose option 3 then you will definitely want to network with a marketer that is successful online and make sure they are willing to teach you what it takes to be successful as well as the exact things they do which made them successful. Also, make sure whoever you decide to follow will be there to support you as an ongoing basis. You will then simply duplicate what they did. Hope this helps.
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  • Profile picture of the author RSK3000
    Its very difficult to advise. Here are my initial thoughts..............

    Certainly your long term prospects are vastly improved if you go to university. Remember, studying in university is not the same as being in school. Perhaps you need to find out what your passion is and start from there - that might lead to university or it might not.

    There is no harm in delaying a decision like this for a year - gives you time to think things through a little.

    The great thing about internet based businesses is that you can fit them around your other commitment - you could have a full time job and start an online business, dropping to part time as the business expands.

    You might find this helpful..........

    What if money was no object? -Alan Watts - YouTube

    Good luck with whatever you decide
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    • Profile picture of the author saxguru
      Originally Posted by RSK3000 View Post

      Its very difficult to advise. Here are my initial thoughts..............

      Certainly your long term prospects are vastly improved if you go to university. Remember, studying in university is not the same as being in school. Perhaps you need to find out what your passion is and start from there - that might lead to university or it might not.

      There is no harm in delaying a decision like this for a year - gives you time to think things through a little.

      The great thing about internet based businesses is that you can fit them around your other commitment - you could have a full time job and start an online business, dropping to part time as the business expands.

      You might find this helpful..........

      What if money was no object? -Alan Watts - YouTube

      Good luck with whatever you decide

      Thanks for the advice I did initially want to study Jazz at University as my passions lie in playing the saxophone and running businesses. However I became very reluctant because of the job prospects. Although I might enjoy the degree and enjoy playing the music, I definitely see it as more of a hobby rather than scraping around for cash my whole life while trying to make it somewhere with my music.
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  • Profile picture of the author gcbmark20
    Hi,

    Always go with what feels right in your heart.

    WHAT DO YOU WANT to do and what MOVES you?

    What is it that will make you jump out of bed every morning with excitement
    and have you full of anticipation for the day ahead?

    Don't choose something that your friends or parents want you to do.

    Go with what makes you fulfilled and happy and offers a challenge you've always
    desired.
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  • Profile picture of the author EveGood
    There's no reason you couldn't do a part time job and start your own business. Lots of people go that route. I have to say, really well done thinking about this at 18! I wish I had been as clever as you at that age Best of luck!
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  • Profile picture of the author Joseph Villanueva
    You should go and read rich dad poor dad by robert kiyosaki. It should answer your question

    If you really want to get somewhere in life, you need to be an entrepreneur or an investor period.

    The tax system is created for entrepreneurs and investors(the rich) and the tax system is meant to kill the employees and self employed like doctors,lawyers(the poor)

    Creating a passive recurring income online is the best most effiecient way to get started and I highly recommend you get on that while you are young.

    I am proud of you and wish that I had this mentality at your age

    Go get em!
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  • Profile picture of the author saxguru
    Some really good advice here. I am very tempted to try a part time job whilst trying to start my own business. Then if that doesn't work I could decide on a university course for the year after...
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    • Profile picture of the author Joseph Villanueva
      Part time job is needed if you are to start your business. You need some minimal investment for sure so that youre not depressing yourself with credit debts

      Debts are great as an investor in order to acquire real estate properties or businesses that give passive income(you get government tax returns )

      But credit debt scares people away from their dreams and right into the hamster wheel or rat race!
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      • Profile picture of the author RSK3000
        I did initially want to study Jazz at University as my passions lie in playing the saxophone and running businesses. However I became very reluctant because of the job prospects. Although I might enjoy the degree and enjoy playing the music, I definitely see it as more of a hobby rather than scraping around for cash my whole life while trying to make it somewhere with my music.

        Its true that the job prospects are poor, but there are always business opportunities. The days are long gone when musicians could only make a living by going from venue to venue to perform and only a lucky few got a recording contract. The internet has changed all that. Read Malcolm Gladwell's The Long Tail to see why.

        The thing is that what we are all selling here is called 'intellectual property'. Music that you compose yourself is just a different type of intellectual property.

        If you really are an entrepreneur you will find a way to monetize your music.I found this discussion which also applies to musicians. Its from Pat Flynn, and his stuff is usually quite good...........
        SPI 096 : How to Make a Living Selling Your Art Online with Cory Huff from The Abundant Artist
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    • Profile picture of the author Jeff Schuman
      Originally Posted by saxguru View Post

      Some really good advice here. I am very tempted to try a part time job whilst trying to start my own business. Then if that doesn't work I could decide on a university course for the year after...
      What would be the product or service your business would provide? Is there a real market for it?

      I grew up in a family of teachers, and educators. My dad was an elementary principal and I have several uncles, aunts, cousin, and even a sister who are all in education in one way or another.

      I am a college drop out and never liked college. I was a successful outside sales rep for a major corporation for 20 years, but the happiest I have been is working for myself everyday running my own Internet business.

      Starting a business is a noble profession and when you are successful you create jobs and income for others which helps make the world go round!

      Good luck!
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      • Profile picture of the author saxguru
        Originally Posted by Jeff Schuman View Post

        What would be the product or service your business would provide? Is there a real market for it?
        That's my real dilemma that I have here. I wouldn't say that I have enough experience in anything to start a business with it. Possibly something like social media marketing for companies. I could handle their Facebook and Twitter campaigns and create engagement for them.

        Just and idea, got a lot of thinking ahead of me...
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        • Profile picture of the author Jeff Schuman
          For your business to succeed you need skills. You also need a product or service there is a need for, an interest in, or a desire for someone to buy it from you.

          There certainly is a need for Social media marketing. The key for you is do you have the skills? If not how can you get enough of them that someone would want to hire you.
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          • Profile picture of the author saxguru
            Originally Posted by Jeff Schuman View Post

            For your business to succeed you need skills. You also need a product or service there is a need for, an interest in, or a desire for someone to buy it from you.

            There certainly is a need for Social media marketing. The key for you is do you have the skills? If not how can you get enough of them that someone would want to hire you.
            I certainly believe I have the basics and the willingness to learn more. If my skills are not quite up to scratch, there are several courses I could go on in order to ready myself for the business.
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  • Profile picture of the author Phil Wilkinson
    Hi,

    I have to agree with the opinion that continuing your education is something that can only be a positive.

    However, whatever you decide, bear in mind this expression:
    "Find a job you love, and you'll never work a day in your life"

    Whichever way you go, if you 'settle', you might end up hating and dreading what you do, hence the reason the word 'job' is a dirty word to most.

    If you carefully choose an entrepreneur and business model to emulate, you just might find yourself financially set for life by the time you're in your mid twenties.
    If you go that route, just be very selective when choosing whom to follow.

    Again, that depends on if you truly enjoy working in internet marketing.

    There are so many niches, there must be something that gets you pumped up, even if it isn't making music.

    Wishing you the very best!
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  • Profile picture of the author onpointinfo
    A lot of good advice !

    Now what you do to help you make the best decision, is create what I was taught many centuries ago, the Benjamin Franklin Close.

    This is closing technique used to close sales by taking a piece of paper drawing a T on the paper one side goes the pros and other cons, the neat thing about this tool it can be used for any given situation that requires you to make a decision on something, so if you are considering a few things, create a separate page for each thing you are considering and write the pros and cons for each, now you will have all of them to refer too when you are through and it is not all jumbled in your mind. " This does not guarantee you will make the right decision, but your chances of making a better sound decision will be better then the person who relies totally on his memory of all the pros and cons and all the options he or she has.

    By writing the things down on paper, it is concrete now, some thing you can refer too at your leisure and keep adding to it or deleting things, unlike just trying to figure everything out in your mind and recalling all this stuff you have thought about.

    The key, is to use the tool, and carry it around with you and every time you think of another pro or con, take out the paper and write it down, keep next to your bed so if something comes up at night, you can write it down as well quickly before you forget.

    I have used this tool, not just for closing sales but just about anything in life I have come across where I needed to make a decision on, and had to weigh out my options and the pros and cons of each of the options.

    Remember, once you write the pros and cons on each on each side of the paper, you will have on side PROS and the other side CONS, below them you will write them down for each side. What you are actually create is a scale, because once you complete it, you will either have a lot of pros on one side or a lot of cons on the other side. You see it will be a lot clearer now, since you have a visual scale on paper that you can see with your on eyes that even though you maybe you want to go with something, the scale tells you other wise, maybe there are 19 cons why you shouldn't do it and maybe 6 pros why you should. This does not mean you should not go with something just because it has more cons then pros, this is your choice which way you go, you are just using this tool to minimize making a bad decision that Is all because there are no guarantees you will still won't make a bad decision using this tool.

    Good Luck, either way you go, you have your work cut out for you, don't forget to write down all of your options on separate paper as well this will help you minimize making a mistake and maximizing making the best decision, this does not require to use to draw a the letter "t" on paper and write on one side pros and other cons ;>)
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