Any ideas ?

[sarettah]

First of all, Brad, quit reading now. I don't make 500k or more a year so I realize that you will read this and immediately go "Loser !"... I have other qualities :)

This morning, as I was getting dressed, I had the realization that for the past 22 years most of my energy has been directed at raising my kids. Keeping them fed and clothed, a roof over their heads, getting them through school, all of that. Because of the constant "immediate" necessities, I rarely had time to look way down the road to where I wanted to be and what I would really like to be doing. My bad.

So, this morning I also realized that I (hopefully) have 20 or 30 years of my life left and that it is never too late to take that giant step (or babysteps as the case may be) in the proper direction.

My immediate goal is quite modest. I want to increase my income by a net of 1k/month (so probably a gross of 2k or more). I have tons of ideas, but none of them are really quick, down and dirty. I need the increase in income to balance out the immediate budget so I am looking for a quick solution that will allow me to remove some pressure while planning and working on the longer term goals.

The longer term goals are:

1. to be working for ourselves (wife and I)
2. developing Paper Jewels (My wifes Jewelry site) to the point of providing income enough for at least one of us to survive on.
3. To be computer based to allow us the freedom of working from a location we choose.
4. To attain enough capital in the next 20 years (or less) to allow us to retire comfortably.

The assets we have to work with are:

A liquid 401K plan that has about bottomed out (I cashed mine a long time back, we left her's there because by the time we reacted, it was a bit too late)

I never have much capital to work with (3 kids does suck the money away pretty quick). I do have some credit available, if I need it.

A good strong database systems design and programming background which includes exposure and expertise with most of the popular development platforms.
10 or 11 domains (both mainstream and adult, for the most part undeveloped)

www.paperjewels.com (My wifes Jewelry site..developed... Need to get sales up) (M3)
www.paperjewelry.com (alternate entrance to paper jewels for now) (Home server at present)
www.foxprogramming.com (1 holding page there) (Home server)
www.hatterasdesigns.com (a couple of pages of paintings etc...not much there) (Home server)
www.partyafterdark.com (adult hub and free sites) (M3)
www.partyafterdark.net (Small "adult info" lead in...nothing much... I use this as a testing platform predominantly) (Home server)
www.strapgirl.com (Free sites and a premium avs that hasnt done squat) (M3)
www.americansexsites.com (a couple of free sites index redirects to pad hub) (M3)
www.awrats.com (redirect to pad resources pages at present, possibe resource site ??) (Home server)
www.pptb.net (redirect to PAD hub for now...) (Home server)

thousands and thousands of good quality adult images
many more thousands of crappy quality adult images
server space
a digital camera (and the ability to use it)
several good quality traditonal cameras
several computers, scanners, all the good shit
a good solid work ethic
lots of energy when I am focused
many many ideas
the support of my fellow opranaughts :)


My weaknesses (as I see them) are:

My programming experience has been predominantly desktop client/server solutions rather than online/web based solutions.
procrastination
lots of dreams, little action
the ability to take the simplest idea and complicate it beyond reason
stubbornness
a big temper
the support of my fellow Opranaughts


Some of the immediate ideas I already know about are:

1. Free site and TGP building (although I suck at sales on them...I come up with nice galleries etc, but have a hell of a hard time writing things like "Click here to see cum soaked naked latina whores getting cocks shoved in all their holes at the same time")

2. Linklist and TGP administration.

2. Programming projects
a. A site builder/content management system that is about half way to a production version.
b. Total Control CGI - a custom solution for Windows based servers that I have built a year or so ago and have been using since.
c. TGP/Free site scripts that I have partially developed.
d. Many many different project ideas that I would commit to if I knew how to market them.

3. Adding an affiliate program to paperjewels (although I am waiting to see the outcome of peaches adventure before I dive full on into this)

Anybody have any input as to what I might be able to do in order to reach my immediate goals ?
Anybody have any suggestions on how to become a better "marketeer" ??

All serious replies appreciated. All humorous replies equally appreciated. All put downs and derogatory comments received will get a "consider the source type reaction".

Thanx in advance :)


:blink:

[Peaches]

Go to Florida - I plan on walking from booth to booth and begging for a support job. :headwall:

[Vick]

This is a very tough one sarettah
You're asking for advice plotting a career path and a path to financial success/stability

Just some stuff off the top of me head

First, I'd say you've done ok so far, raising 3 children is challenging and from the pics you posted of your house looks like you did well

Second, you're looking at your assets, liabilities, short term and long term goals as well as abilities and challenges. As painful as it is me for to say if you're coming to a forum and asking for advice in these arenas maybe working for someone else may be a better solution that working for yourself


FWIW - I've looked at Paper Jewels a few times, some interesting/nice products there, but I'm not sure of the marketing.
Maybe give this some thought - Drop the name Paper Jewels. As a consumer Paper and Jewels don't go together for me especially if your asking me as a consumer to buy a product touted as paper for $40+

I'd suggest going with a different name (do some market research) maybe something that is a derivative of origami (or spend some time with a thesaurus and some foreign language dictionaries)

Then GREEN market it. Example "You can be the proud owner of our lovely Jewelry without harming the Earth or taking away from our Earth's Precious Resources" (Yes I know it's paper from trees but you can push the 100% recycled materials were used in the making of all our fine pieces)

You can still keep the Paper Jewels site, just build a second site with a different name and different marketing approach


As for the rest I'm never a fan of a huge outlay of capitol if it can be avoided. Cloud 9 Entertainment was started in 1997 for $4K and the return on that investment has been very good over 5+ years.

Also you are going to have to brush up your sales abilities or at the very least become more comfortable with your sales ability.
We all sell. Whether it be to consumers, business, or ourselves

Sorry I can't lay a plan out to achieve your goals but getting something to think about might point you in the right direction

Best wishes

[sarettah]

Originally posted by Peaches@Jul 25 2003, 12:42 PM
Go to Florida - I plan on walking from booth to booth and begging for a support job. :headwall:
:)

Nah, I tried that in January in Vegas :)

Can't take the time off for Florida :( Unfortunately... We had a great time in Vegas and made some important connections while we were there....

While we were there we were investigating interest in a mainstream affiliate proggy that would accept traffic from mainstream or adult.

Been experimenting since then with bringing in warning page exit traffic into paperjewels from some of our friends but it hasn't done much for us except to increase the hit counts.......

Good luck on the begging and pleading routine ..... :yowsa:

[sarettah]

Originally posted by Vick@Jul 25 2003, 12:47 PM
Second, you're looking at your assets, liabilities, short term and long term goals as well as abilities and challenges. As painful as it is me for to say if you're coming to a forum and asking for advice in these arenas maybe working for someone else may be a better solution that working for yourself

lol...I already work full time for a "company".... I need to supplement that income enough to get out from under the budget crunch.... I could go back to teaching at night for 10 or 15 an hour, but that gets old real quick and I think I would be much more interested in coming up with a parttime endeavour on my own that would bring in the cash for now but that I could grow later...

"Also you are going to have to brush up your sales abilities or at the very least become more comfortable with your sales ability.
We all sell. Whether it be to consumers, business, or ourselves"

That is probably one of my biggest obstacles..lol... comes from years and years and years of being raised to be humble, etc.... It is very difficult for me to brag on my self (and when you are trying to get programming projects, you are selling yourself, abilities etc). I can out program a hell of a lot of people out there but it is extremely difficult for me to stand there and brag about why I am the best, etc.....


Thanx for the reply Vick and the ideas.... Points well taken..... :)

[Vick]

There's another area you can look into
Custom programming solutions

Salestalk extreme Bullshit 101 - :D
You do not "out program a hell of a lot of people"
You "Provide unique, critical and timely programming solutions"

That's not braggin on yourself, just stating facts in a assertive manner

[Kittyfuzz]

I have to applaud you....I came to the same realization a while back. Kids are in thier teens now, and it's time for mom to get it in gear! I work full time now, but I also have my own business on the side. I have just gotten it off the ground, and it's still dragging, but has a lot of potential. I went with something I felt strongly about and made it work for me. It is hard to do something you aren't passionate about.

Unfortunately I don't have any advice on exactly what you should do cause your tastes are different than mine, but I do wish you luck and applaud your desire.

[Nickatilynx]

OK........

Do something that makes you $5.00 a day,then do it 1000 times more is the glib answer.

I did it with avs sites back in 96/97.Had about 10% of the avs sites on Adultcheck back then.

Your timing couldn't be much worse entering adult. ;)

In 1996/97 all you had to do was question Serge's parentage and he'd send you a $50k check by fedex ;)

Sorry sarretah,not really much advice to give.

This is like what I was asked when I owned Netpond, "How do I get traffic?"

a)any way you can
b)if it has hits,it can be spammed
c)massproducing,mass marketing and improving upon innovation has always been more profitable than innovation itself,IMHO.

Good luck though. :)

[sarettah]

Originally posted by Nickatilynx@Jul 25 2003, 02:03 PM
Do something that makes you $5.00 a day,then do it 1000 times more is the glib answer.

Your timing couldn't be much worse entering adult. ;)
This is like what I was asked when I owned Netpond, "How do I get traffic?"

a)any way you can
b)if it has hits,it can be spammed
c)massproducing,mass marketing and improving upon innovation has always been more profitable than innovation itself,IMHO.


lolol at the 5.00 a day.... That one I figured out myself :)

As far as entering adult...lol...I have been here 4 years or so already... Just working in the back end (and not as anal fucking content either).. I know the timing is bad for free sites/TGP etc, that is why I am not putting much faith in those options...

I am keeping your traffic generating suggestions though....

:okthumb:

lololol...if it has hits it can be spammed....... I think that one should be a pearl :yowsa:

[sarettah]

Originally posted by Kittyfuzz@Jul 25 2003, 01:50 PM
I came to the same realization a while back. Kids are in thier teens now, and it's time for mom to get it in gear! I work full time now, but I also have my own business on the side.
Yeah, doesn't it suck when you bring your head up for air and realize.... 20 years have gone by....

I have always worked fulltime..lol... and usually have something moneywise going on part time too...

So, I know the old tried and true solutions... But I think I want to try something a little bit further outside the box this time than I would usually do... Something that I can use as a base for later....

anyway, I am tired of teaching beauty school dropouts how to program at night (my usual path to extra cash) and it wouldn't be half as fun anymore now that I am married....

Thanx for the input :)

[sarettah]

Originally posted by Vick@Jul 25 2003, 12:47 PM
FWIW - I've looked at Paper Jewels a few times, some interesting/nice products there, but I'm not sure of the marketing.
Maybe give this some thought - Drop the name Paper Jewels. As a consumer Paper and Jewels don't go together for me especially if your asking me as a consumer to buy a product touted as paper for $40+

Aye, theres the rub (as good old Hamlet would say)...

The fact that it is constructed of paper is "supposed" to be one of the hooks.... Paper allows you to construct large pieces without the associated weight of metals.... In other words, you can make reallllly big earrings that dont pull your earlobes off :)

Typical paper jewelry is exactly that, paper... tears pretty easy, good for a couple of wears, but does not survive well...

Jen's process is unique and produces a very strong piece that lasts for years and years... We have some that are going on 15 years old that just require being cleaned off every now and again, they've been through the washer countless times.

Each one is also a unique, original work of art.... Usually had drawn and inked before being lacquered etc (I say usually because we have been exeimenting with scanning and printing from the original...pretty good results too :))

The hard part is the fact that it is paper... If we get the product into the customers hand and they get to look at them and feel them, they usually buy them... Once you see it and feel it you get a true appreciation for what it is.... and are more than willing to fork over the bucks.

But, over the net, communicating that becomes a much harder thing to do....

Thanx for the input btw... Jen has aleready been toying with another domain name to work under :)

[BradShaw]

"First of all, Brad, quit reading now."

I quit reading right there. Thanks for the heads up, that looks like a long post!

[sarettah]

Originally posted by BradShaw@Jul 25 2003, 04:56 PM
"First of all, Brad, quit reading now."

I quit reading right there. Thanks for the heads up, that looks like a long post!
lolol.... Well at least you can follow directions...so...

You is all ready to be married.....

:nyanya: