From Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur
with no money and zero experience
I’m Zwigs, and I’m the classic book definition of a “wantrepreneur”, or at least I used to be. That has dramatically changed recently, but only time will tell if that change is for better or for worse.
I must admit that I'm obsessed with the idea of owning my own business. I’ve read dozens of business books, seen all 307 episodes of Shark Tank, and you don’t even wanna know how many hours of YouTube business content from online gurus I’ve consumed. Those YouTube business rabbit holes that I constantly fall down typically end in one of two ways:
“I’ll teach you the secret ways of success… if you buy my course”
“TAKE THE RISK - WHEN YOU’RE F****** NINETY YOU’LL REGRET DOING NOTHING WITH YOUR LIFE”.
Anyway… I apparently listened to guru number two. I came up with a business idea. I took the leap. I quit my 9-5 corporate sales job to attempt to start my own business*. So welcome to post number one! I’m vlogging and blogging way to success — or failure — and this is the first chapter of my journey. I’ve shed my title as a wantrepreneur to become an entrepreneur! Maybe a failed entrepreneur, maybe a successful entrepreneur, but an entrepreneur nonetheless. Check out my first video here:
*A real business like apple or nike, not one of those questionable online “passive income streams” that take zero dollars to start and all you need to do is buy a course to achieve financial freedom and escape the woes of ordinary folk.
Hi, I’m Zwigs!
Zwigs is actually my childhood (and college) nickname, I know very shocking it's not my real name, my actual name is Matt but “Zwigs” seemed to me to be a better name for an online persona. It comes from my last name Zwilgmeyer. I’m 23 years old (with a birthday on September 4th if you’d like to send me presents) and I have already dipped my toe into the entrepreneurial world with exactly:
1 failed “print on demand” t-shirt company
1 failed NFT project involving pet rocks (still available… contact me if interested)
So clearly I have a talent for it. Even still, I’m taking things a bit more seriously this time.
Why?
Why am I so interested in being an entrepreneur? The single biggest factor was my parents… and not wanting to follow in their footsteps. Let me take you back.
It was a typical Tuesday afternoon and the winter sun was shining its last rays through the window. A nine year old Zwigs was sitting on the living room floor playing with some toys when the front door began to open.
My heart skipped a beat — I realized that my mom must be home from work! I scrambled to my feet, tripping over my shoes (which should’ve been off by now), to run to the door, eager to greet her.
“Hi Mom!” I exclaimed, grinning ear to ear. I got there just in time to see her pull her exhausted expression into a smile. “What’s wrong?” I asked, my smile fading. “Oh nothing dear,” she said with a smile scooping me up, “Just don’t be a teacher when you grow up!”.
Seeing one version or another of this story play out hundreds of times growing up ingrained in my brain that the standard career path would lead to a lot of frustration in my life. While this notion isn’t necessarily true, it unfortunately embodies how many employees feel at work. Only thirty-three percent of people feel engaged in their careers! The polar opposite of a standard or corporate job is the chaotic world of entrepreneurship. So, I did what every kid does to learn about a new topic. I hopped head first down the internet rabbit hole.
I’m sure dozens of factors cultivated my interest in entrepreneurship. Binge-watching Shark Tank, my Oma (German grandmother) turning on Jim Cramer’s Mad Money while I rested on her carpet after school, the online entrepreneur gurus, and other influences I’m not even aware of have infected me with the entrepreneurial bug. Despite the information overload, some of the seductive promises of entrepreneurship wiggled their way into my brain, true or untrue, and shaped my goals for the future.
The Promises:
Enjoy the freedom to choose how I work and what I work on.
Be able to help my parents retire in style.
make a lot of money :)
Entrepreneurism online
These promises largely come from the confusing and often toxic world of online entrepreneurship. The space is inhabited by a wide array of characters spanning from snake oil salesmen to world-class entrepreneurs. I’ve created a few scientific illustrations, as well as a master plan to create the content I wish I could've watched before I embarked on my own entrepreneurship journey.
The Charlatan - The charlatan is someone who poses as an expert despite having achieved no real success for themselves. Many charlatans rent exotic supercars or enormous mansions to create the illusion of success online. These charlatans promise insider knowledge on how to be successful in business… for a fee, but their courses are often poorly researched, outdated, or simply a scam. Unfortunately, their larger-than-life personas and high-pressure sales tactics allow the Charlatan to rake away people’s hard-earned money into their own pocket.
The Trend Chasers- The Trend Chasers have achieved some level of success through a variety of online trends. Examples of these “trends” include dropshipping, Facebook/Google ads agencies, crypto/stock day trading, and whatever the newest hot trend is.
The Trend Chasers quickly realized that they could earn more money by selling courses on how to replicate their success. In many cases, the Trend Chasers totally abandon their respective dropshipping business or google ads agency in favor of “focusing on teaching courses”. These trends aren’t scams and can generate money, but the Trend Chasers embellish the benefits of the current trend while using predatory high-pressure sales tactics to swindle people into buying their courses.
The Titans- the Titans are legitimate experts with an established track record of success in building real businesses. They do profit (monetarily and influence wise) from building a bigger name for themselves online, but they come by this honestly by providing valuable information to their viewers. Unfortunately, lots of the advice that the Titans give is wishy-washy because there is no blueprint for success. If there were simple steps to success, then everyone would be successful! Additionally, the titans typically enter the online world only after they have become successful in business.
General Tip: if it takes you longer than two minutes to identify how an online individual has made their millions, they likely a Charlatan or Trend Chaser, not a Titan
Online Gurus Similarities and Differences
*High Pressure Sales Tactics involve creating a sense of urgency or scarcity, making exaggerated claims about the product or service, and using manipulative language and behavior to convince the customer to buy.
So how do I fit into this?
My aim is to be a Titan! Actually more like a baby Titan. Like an itty-bitty-baby Titan. Imagine the value to fledging entrepreneurs if Steve Jobs or Jeff Bezos had recorded their thoughts, insights, tactics, and strategies — in real-time — as they created their empires.
I learn best by example. The $100 Startup is one of my favorite business books. It details numerous examples of how people created their small businesses. While this book doesn’t provide a blueprint for success, it does provide different examples of creative ways that different people have made a living doing what they love. The book illuminates how many different avenues there are to creating successful business.
So my YouTube channel (and blog) is my own personal video (and written) chapter in The $100 Startup. I hope to help inspire others to take the entrepreneurship journey with me! Additionally, I’d like to portray a more realistic version of Entrepreneurship that many of the swanky characters online distort. It all starts with the leap.
The Leap
I quit my job! I was nervous and scared to quit. I was nervous to look the person in the eye who hired me, instead of other potential candidates, and tell them that I was quitting. To tell them that I was abandoning their company.
*Quitting my job real audio*
My heart was thumping out of my chest as I said those words, but of course, I shouldn’t have been so worried. My boss was really excited for me! Although I think she was a little relieved I wasn’t leaving the company to work for a competitor (not that that competitor would be thrilled with my job performance either). She wished me luck and implored me to keep her updated on my progress.
This brings me to the present. The feeling of being totally on my own (employment-wise) took a little bit of time to get used to. I have no boss to report to, no deadlines to meet, and nobody to disappoint, except myself. I feel like I’m in a dark forest. I have a hand-drawn map on the back of a napkin, and I can barely see the light of a lantern flickering on a distant tree. But this unknown landscape is exciting to me! I often lose track of time when I’m working on my entrepreneurial-related stuff. I’m engrossed and engaged in the work!
I have a loose plan.
I don’t exactly know what I’m doing.
I’m just taking one goal at a time.
I’m absolutely loving it.
That’s it for now! Thanks for reading!
Check out my YouTube channel for more on my journey here!
Subscribe for free for a chance to win $1… and to stay updated on my journey :)
"Go forth confidently in the direction of your dreams" Thoreau
Keep dreaming big and working hard!
Love your honesty and authentic nature. Stay focused and true to your plan. You got this! So excited for you.