It's been one year and I'm still in business! Woo Hoo!

[Harold Mansfield]

Not that I have low standards, but it has been exactly one year since I started as a service provider, with no other sources of income (outside of web stuff), no safety net, no steady paycheck, and I am still afloat, even looking to expand services.

The bills are paid. There's food in the fridge. I'm not behind on anything, and I even have a social life and can buy new stuff every now and then.

I honestly thought I would be in dire straights by now, begging for odd jobs for less, trolling freelancer boards, or working a part time job to make ends meet.

And I'm not!
Like I said, it's not like I shot for less, but I'm pretty happy to still be afloat with actual clients.
Now it's time to actually build something.

[vangogh]

Congrats Harold. That's an achievement since you beat the 50 percent of business that started the same time you did and are now no more.

[Spider]

Way to go, Harold!

[Harold Mansfield]

Yeah, I'm going to go out to the bar tonight toasting "I'm not the worst!", followed up with "There's a lot of people worse than me!"
Seriously. I am.

[billbenson]

I knew you would! But congrats as well. Doesn't just take skill, it takes the the heart and a lot of sacrifice.

A question: You went into designing for others. Had you stayed completely in the affiliate website game, where do you thing you would be and say 5 years down the road, which would give you the best return?

[Harold Mansfield]

I knew you would! But congrats as well. Doesn't just take skill, it takes the the heart and a lot of sacrifice.

A question: You went into designing for others. Had you stayed completely in the affiliate website game, where do you thing you would be and say 5 years down the road, which would give you the best return?

The affiliate game would have put me in the poor house by now. Commissions started going down badly in June of 2008, and I was smart enough to realize that I didn't have a powerful enough property to make any kind of killing, nor the talent with adwords to compensate.
I still dabble in it and get a few small deposits every month, and I still continue to investigate ways to build a highly read and trafficked site to add some more income, but services are a much higher, and quicker return.

Just wanted to add: I still hustle a domain or two every now and then. Still have about 10 affiliate sites up. Still own around 52 domains , 20 of which I'd like to develop. I'm actually sitting on one domain that gets around 1200 visits a day (all by itself) and I have no idea what to do with it. And I still get a steady commission from Ebay (pretty much drinking money). But none of that is enough to live on by itself.
I haven't given up on affiliate marketing, but the days of the average site or blog making a nice chunk of change are over. You have to be a super affiliate to make any money and that takes money to build.

[Business Attorney]

Congratulations, Harold. You're still in business (and will be) because you are talented at what you do. Quality does get rewarded.

[Harold Mansfield]

Appreciate the kind words, but I know I have a long way to go, but at least I can see the direction I need to take instead of trying desperately to tread water just to eat.

[Blessed]

Congratulations Harold!

[grabbd]

Congrats! Hopefully in a year I'll be posting the same thing.

[greenoak]

thats great harold!!! and especially in this year when its been so tough for a lot of businesses.....
giving good service is such a good base, it can grow and grow thru referrals...

[Spider]

Working at your leisure in your jammies and fluffy-bunny slippers beats driving around town in 300-dollar suits and stretch limos, doesn't it? Or does it?!! ;-)

[Blessed]

Oh my... now I have a vision of Harold in fluffy bunny slippers and it just doesn't fit :)

[KristineS]

Congratulations Harold! I never doubted you. I am sharing Jenn's vision of you in bunny slippers though, and it's a bit alarming. Please make sure you don't wear those when you go out to toast your success.

[cbscreative]

Watch out everyone, pictures of Harold in fluffy bunny slippers might be getting posted here soon. :p

Seriously though, congrats, Harold!

[Harold Mansfield]

Working at your leisure in your jammies and fluffy-bunny slippers beats driving around town in 300-dollar suits and stretch limos, doesn't it? Or does it?!! ;-)

Can't say that I don't miss the quick money, but I don't miss the job. Doing that again was never an option or consideration anyway. I wish I only spent $300 on a suit. It's sickening to think of the money I made over the years, and wasted frivolously compared to today.

Not making cash money every day and learning to live on a structured budget is the hardest thing about it, but I live better, more comfortably now on probably half that.

[Harold Mansfield]

thats great harold!!! and especially in this year when its been so tough for a lot of businesses.....
giving good service is such a good base, it can grow and grow thru referrals...

That's the interesting thing. For the past year all I heard was complaints about the economy and slow growth, but all that I have been dealing with is people starting new businesses, or expanding existing ones.
Of course that is because I'm in position to only see that...no one is going to call me that doesn't have something going on.
But, it is positive to deal with people that are exited and are taking risks to go forward with their ideas and dreams. It's almost motivational.

[Patrysha]

Congrats on the one year! I agree with you about working with clients being motivational. I've been working with one of my clients since before the recession began and it's just been a continued building process throughout...last fall we updated her brochure and this fall we've been focused on social media, local events, and publicity. And my work with her has been attracting similar clients to me...

[huggytree]

good job....now you have a sales baseline....what will you do to get 10-15 percent more next year.....

its time to set some sales goals now.....and figure out how to achieve it.

ive been in business for almost 4 years now...id never go back....one of the best decisions ive ever made....if you increase your sales 10 percent + every year to come just think of how many things you can buy and vacations you can take....I like to have something as a goal to help me work harder to achieve more....this year it was a new garage and driveway...next year is new windows....it seems to make working long hours easier.

[jamesray50]

Congratulations Harold!

[Harold Mansfield]

good job....now you have a sales baseline....what will you do to get 10-15 percent more next year.....

its time to set some sales goals now.....and figure out how to achieve it.

ive been in business for almost 4 years now...id never go back....one of the best decisions ive ever made....if you increase your sales 10 percent + every year to come just think of how many things you can buy and vacations you can take....

I need to increase sales a lot more than 10 percent. I have some ideas that I hope to implement starting the beginning of the year. My actual marketing, and SEO have been pretty lazy, yet it's been enough to make the phone ring every so often.
I think my first step is to get serious about that, and put in a little more effort.

[greenoak]

i think what you need is what i need....being on line with a bunch of potential customers.... and that is so hard to find..... a place where you can be part of a group and be seen as useful and have good exposure to people who are actualy looking for what you are offering....the people really are out there, how to find them is the hard part.......
ive found that a few times and its great, meaning online forums where i would fit and where they would have the money and inclination and be in the actual market to buy from me....but i cant seem to find one right now...
..so im here a lot, i really like this place because of all the nice people and intelligent conversation and info...... even tho its not likely you will be coming over in a big truck to set up a big store with my stuff!!!lol....dang... but im looking for a forum full of potential buyers....
where could i/ we find that eborg???

[Harold Mansfield]

but im looking for a forum full of potential buyers....
where could i/ we find that eborg???

I don't think it is likely that you will. I think that if you need an online community of buyers in your area, you will probably have to create it.

[greenoak]

why do you think that? i actually had it for a few years for our wholesale business.......i was in an actual online forum with store owners from around the country, not in my area, and it did generate quite a bit of business....buyers who did drive a few hundred miles to buy from us for their stores......and a couple still do buy from us... it was great...and sincere, not faked...i did have a lot in common with them...a store....
it was just like the advice you hear ...to hang out where potential customers are... i miss it.... and havent found another....with actual talking...
i guess for retail facebook is kind of doing it for us now....

[Harold Mansfield]

why do you think that? i actually had it for a few years for our wholesale business.......i was in an actual online forum with store owners from around the country, not in my area, and it did generate quite a bit of business....buyers who did drive a few hundred miles to buy from us for their stores......and a couple still do buy from us... it was great...and sincere, not faked...i did have a lot in common with them...a store....
it was just like the advice you hear ...to hang out where potential customers are... i miss it.... and havent found another....with actual talking...
i guess for retail facebook is kind of doing it for us now....

You said that you are looking for that now, and you also said that you had it for your wholesale business which makes me believe that it doesn't exist anymore since you talk about it in the past tense.
So I say, if it was that great and beneficial not just for you but for other retail owners, and you haven't seen anything like it anywhere online, why not build one of your own?

[greenoak]

THAT FORUM WENT DOWN....and i am trying to find another.... i did start one but its not caught on ....it did attract about 50 memebers, mostly not talking, and only 2 or 3 posts a day...pretty sad.... a vibrant forum community isnt happening ...im about ready to pull the plug...
2 others i was/ am on sunk to talkiing about going out of business....not fun and not my situation...
now our wholesale is all over the map, bars, salons ....not just stores...so i have no idea how to find the people, or where a forum or online meeting place would be...
we benefitted so much once, i have to be interested in finding it again....

[wperry]

Congratulations!

How neat.

What is your business again?

From the posts it had elements of design and affiliate marketing.

Regards,

Bill

[Harold Mansfield]

Congratulations!

How neat.

What is your business again?

From the posts it had elements of design and affiliate marketing.

Regards,

Bill

Affiliate marketing was how I thought I could make a living until all of the changes started taking place.
Since Nov of last year I have been doing Wordpress Web Design and Configurations. With additional services such as V-Bulletin set ups, Facebook pages, and Consulting.

[billbenson]

I don't know that I would give up on it though Harold. Webmasters from Spiders red light district are coming over to the other side of the fence because there is more money!