I just chatted with my Uber driver. Right now I am in transit from New Jersey to Connecticut. I may have a new reader. Old RB is skilled at inspiring strangers to become Blogging From Paradise readers. Make no mistake though guys; I used to be shy. Online and especially offline. But I saw the […]
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I helped a friend move today. He remodeled his home into a mansion. He is about 2-3 months off from actually moving in to a full functioning, human-ready home but it is an impressive sight. Successful blogging is like building a house in more ways than one. Spending a few hours at his crib reminded […]
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Brett Kavanaugh's seemingly tenuous relationship with the truth is still haunting those who watched him testify on Thursday.
At times, the prospective Supreme Court justice abandoned composure to shed tears and scream, but at his most jarring he straight-up refused to answer questions directly, was unwilling to request an FBI investigation, and, as further research revealed, apparently lied under oath.
In the days since the hearing, people have replayed his testimony in their minds and on their screens. They've turned Kavanaugh's words around over and over again to really let them simmer. And it seems the more thought that's given to his responses, the more discussions about his dishonesty rage on social media. Read more...
More about Politics, Social Media, Web Culture, Brett Kavanaugh, and CultureSo, people keep asking me, “Derek, are you alive?”
Yes.
I’m alive.
But I’ve been missing in action.
Why?
I co-founded a company called Truvani. We create high quality supplements made from real food products.
So far we launched 4 products.
1. Daily Turmeric Supplement
2. Organic Chicken Bone Broth Powder
3. Chocolate Plant-Based Protein Powder
4. Marine Collagen Powder (with Type 1, Type 2, Type 3 Collagen).
Check out the Truvani Store here.
What makes us different?
I had a conversation with our head of manufacturing, and he said, “I’ve been in this industry for a while. No one tests their ingredients for safety as much as Truvani.”
It’s expensive. It’s tedious. And it’s 100% worth it.
I mean, just look at the reviews. Our plant-based protein powder, for example, has 828 reviews with an average review rating of 5 stars (it’s a little lower than 5, but it rounds up :-D).
This may seem “out of left field.”
But, it’s not.
Ever since I wrote about my personal health journey last year, I’ve been interested in health.
And then, the stars aligned.
For years my friend Vani Hari and I have talked about getting into health products. But the timing wasn’t right. Not for me. Not for her.
Then you might remember I wrote about “being burned out” earlier this year.
So, I made the internal decision to stop creating new online courses.
And man – things are going great.
On the health front…
We shipped our first product back in March.
We launched our second product in May.
We launched our third product in July.
We launched our fourth product in September.
It’s all pretty crazy.
I ran an online teaching business. A software business. And now, I’m running a health-based business.
When you focus on learning how to make yourself (and your products), the skills can transcend any industry.
I could share more about this, but I know you’re here for business advice.
Now, you might be wondering why I chose this market, and I wanted to take you inside my thought process… Because I think it can help you come up with your own ideas.
1. I wanted to do something I actually cared about…
Now, I don’t know about you, but I cared about a lot of things, but when faced with the question, “What do you care about?” I was coming up blank.
So, I followed the money trail.
I took a look at how I spent money, and I realized that I spent a lot on organic, clean products. I clearly cared about it enough to spend on it.
Action step: If you are looking for something you’re passionate about, look at how you spend your money.
2. I wanted to do something that could be a HUGE opportunity…
Once I saw what I cared about, I did some research. And I saw that the clean, organic, health and wellness industry was growing fast.
This was important. I prefer to enter into a business vertical that’s growing vs shrinking. It’s easier to grow, and it’s also easier to disrupt.
Action Step: Find something that has a proven market that’s GROWING. “Unique” ideas that have no competition are the WORST business ideas.
And that’s when self doubt creeped in.
“I never did this before”
“I have no experience”
But I said screw it. Let me see what happens.
And man.
I took some lumps early on: Manufacturing delays, Missed launch dates, Ingredient sourcing problems, and the list goes on.
“But what about your online courses!”
Well…
I already created an online course that solves all the key problems of starting and growing an online business.
I could rename things, and make it sound new, but that would be a “scammy” thing to do. Repackaging the same ideas under new names just to land a sale never felt right to me. I won’t do it.
These courses are already remarkable. And they solve the problems that they are supposed to solve. And it can work in most industries.
And now, I get to practice what I preach.
P.S. I’m a dad now.
Social Media Strategy is a guide to marketing, advertising, and branding in a world of social media-empowered consumers. Keith Quesenberry introduces readers to the steps of building a complete social media plan.
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