Page 213 - The $100 Startup_ Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love

intersection of teachable and valuable.
John built a subscription service that conducted financial research and

provided a series of informative reports. This was highly valuable to his clients
but also teachable to other employees. Another time he built a firm that produced
consumer focus groups for big companies—again, a highly valuable service, but
also replicable under new ownership.

The solutions found by Tsilli, Cherie, Tom, Jessica, and John varied
considerably. In implementing their solutions, each of them said yes to
something while saying no to something else. Tom declined to accept the deals
from big-box retailers, but he wasn’t afraid to hire employees and grow on his
own terms. Cherie preferred to keep things small and intimate. Tsilli found
security by growing her business and working as a contractor for her former
employer.

What united these different experiences was a sense of controlling their own
destiny and finding freedom in nurturing a meaningful project. As your own
project grows, you’ll also need to make decisions based on your preferences and
specific vision. Just remember that these are good decisions to make and a good
position to be in.

KEY POINTS
There’s more than one road to freedom, and some people find it through a

combination of different working arrangements.
“Going long” by pursuing growth and deciding to stay small are both

acceptable options, and you can split the difference by “going medium.”
It all depends on what kind of freedom you’d like to achieve.
Work “on” your business by devoting time every day to activities
specifically related to improvement, not just by responding to everything
else that is happening.
Regularly monitor one or two key metrics that are the lifeblood of your
business. Check up on the others monthly or bimonthly.
A business that is scalable is both teachable and valuable. If you ever want
to sell your business, you’ll need to build teams and reduce owner
dependency.

*Jessica’s business is called Heart Based Bookkeeping, and she likes to call