Came across an old (yet interesting) Hacker News comment about entrepreneurship that’s making the rounds again.
And I’ve got a lot to say about it. But first, check it:
“Entrepreneurship is like one of those carnival games where you throw darts at something.
Middle-class kids can afford one throw. Most miss. A few hit the target and get a small prize. A very few hit the center bullseye and get a bigger prize. Rags to riches! The American Dream lives on.
Rich kids can afford many throws. If they want to, they can try over and over again until they hit something and feel good about themselves. Some keep going until they hit the center bullseye, then give speeches or write blog posts about ‘meritocracy’ and the salutary effects of hard work.
Poor kids aren’t visiting the carnival. They’re the ones working it.”
Now, given that I’m an entrepreneur — who certainly didn’t grow up rich…
… you might think I’m about to write one of those aforementioned ‘blog posts’ about why “meritocracy is real if you just grind enough” and how “hard work is all that matters.”
But nah.
I actually agree with a good chunk of what this person is saying.
You can’t deny that being born into a wealthy family gives you a massive advantage.
A safety net so to speak. The freedom to take bigger risks without worrying about making next month’s rent. The ability to fail more times, learning from each mistake, without facing financial ruin.
Sure, there’s exceptions to this. But most wealthy parents simply won’t let their offspring go penniless.
Meanwhile, if you are broke?
You’ve got to be way more calculated. You don’t get infinite throws. And failing hurts a lot more.
That said…
Where I don’t agree with this commenter is the implication that if you ain’t already rich — or at least middle class — you’re doomed.
And that the whole carnival is rigged against you…
… and your only option is to stand behind the counter, handing out stuffed bears to other people taking their shots.
Because yeah, some businesses have crazy high barriers to entry.
But not all of them do.
And if you know where to look, there are businesses you can start right now that don’t cost a fortune. Businesses where you can take multiple throws without risking everything.
This is one of the things that’s so great about running an email-based business.
You don’t need investors.
You don’t need a storefront.
You don’t need to gamble thousands on paid ads.
You can literally start by growing a following on social media for free and building an email list. Writing to that list every day. And making offers that actually help people.
You don’t even need to have your own offer to sell. You can sell other people’s offers as an affiliate and bag a healthy commission.
And once you get the hang of it? It’s stupidly profitable.
Sure, if you’re spending 8-10 hours a day working and commuting to make ends meet, even this ain’t easy.
But it is one of the few business models that (almost) anyone can start with little to no money and actually see results.And if you want to speed up the process, make your emails unforgettable, and get damn good at turning subscribers into buyers…
… then I’ve got just the thing for you. Click below for more info:
https://kennethturnbull.com/Emails-with-Attitude-Doc
Stay sharp,
Kenneth Turnbull