Why DID I Do It?
By Dev Hobbins, Copyright 2005
I will bet I’ve asked myself that question at least once a
day since 1998 which happens to be the year I began my
first home-based business.
It was in the telecommunications industry in which I had
worked for a number of years and I thought I had the
advantage because I was going into a familiar industry,
complete with insiders’ knowledge of internal marketing
strategies clearly defined.
Well, I didn’t!
Tragically, I just signed up, fired up the old PC, built a
one-page web site, purchased all of the necessary inventory
and hit the floor running. Well, I was still running 8
months later and over $5,000 in debt.
“Why? What happened, you may ask? Didn’t you follow a
strategy; have a business plan? Work a tried and true
model? Have a mentor?” “Did you know anything about the
company’s financial stability or think to ask how long the
company had been in business? Or get testimonials from
satisfied Affiliates?”
Duh! Well, slap my butt and call me baby! Of course NOT!
And, thank you very much for making me feel stupid!”
“Well, surely you were recruited by another person in the
company? Didn’t that person provide a road map; a helping
hand? Some background on the company and what it had to
offer?”
“Look, I didn’t come here today to take this kind of abuse.
I could have just stayed home and got my share over this
particular issue!”
“But, to answer your questions…NO! I didn’t do any of that;
all I thought I had to do was just find an opportunity that
looked promising; slap down my money and go for the gold.
And, just so you know: I’m not universally known as being a
stupid person!”
But, I did make a lot of dumb mistakes just the same.
Would you like to hear some more dumb decisions I made
before I finally ‘got it?’ Good. It’s cathartic bearing my
soul for the entire world to see. I guess I should have
been an actress…
What stands out in my mind even today is how I believed all
the hype. Everybody out there had my best interests at
heart. Each person had the ‘best of the net’ in everything
from Ezine Publishing to Grow Your Own Food Source: Sign Up
Today And Get Your Vegetables FOR FREE!”
And I signed up. And signed up. And signed up.
Heck, I’m sure my name was flashing on every website from
here to Singapore with a pop-up that read: “Hey! Gullible’s
Back Online! Email Her Now! Hurry, before someone else gets
her!”
Another wrong road I took was thinking I could rely on
friends and family as a marketing ploy. Now, don’t get me
wrong. They love me and were willing to help, but there was
only so much they could do. It took me awhile to figure out
networking in that particular arena provided less than
profitable results.
Similarly, I didn’t stop long enough to consider it isn’t
prudent to fork out cash on the net unless you can get a
guaranteed result. Now, I want you to think about that for
a minute.
My background includes running multi-million dollar
enterprises in the computer industry and I still did not
think this thing through!
Now, why do you suppose that occurred?
Well, I’ve given it some thought over the years and here’s
what I came up with: “BECAUSE it looked too EASY! I was
full of myself; having proved to myself and the world I
could successfully run BIG businesses that it did not occur
to me that I could get taken so easily to the proverbial
cleaners!
Moreover, I will admit to you, I never made a dime and it
was my own fault for all the reasons I described above.
Still, I jumped back into the online world several years
ago, and I am so glad I did. Not only am I earning a
significant income each year, but also having a lot of fun
doing it! And yes, this time I did MY HOMEWORK.
Have you?
Until Next Time,
Dev
About The Author
Dev Hobbins’ Executive Management experience includes
holding positions such as VP of Operations in the
software/hard support industries, Ops-Call Centers,
Academic Dean at the college level and Senior Quality &
Training Director in the Telecommunications field.
Dev is a published author with over 25 years’ experience in
business management and development with numerous AWARDS
FOR EXCELLENCE in Leadership, TQM and Professional
Development.
She holds undergraduate degrees in Education, Training and
Development/Human Resource Development from the Southern
Illinois State University and a dual Master of Science in
Education from Connecticut State University.
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