Denver Holiday
Lorena and I are off to see my brother, sister-in-law, and nephews in Denver, Colorado.
Profitable Mistakes (#1)
When you run a successful business, you start to see opportunities everywhere for making more money. You develop a sense of what will work. It's pretty neat, but that intuition is not always 100% accurate.
I once saw an opportunity in the market for a service that would authenticate (validate) certifications for online courses. There was one major player in the market, and they were still pretty new. The timing was perfect. So, I started building this complementary business. I would integrate it first with LearnDash then extend to other learning management systems.
The market was huge, and I was excited to run a traditional SaaS business! The business was SimplyCertify (I spent $2,000 on that domain name).
I created a few sales pages, early adopter sign-up forms, and then hired someone to start blogging. Some people started to sign-up, which was encouraging. Then I started a Facebook Group. During this time, I hired a well-respected developer to create the initial prototype. I spent around $30,000 for it.
In the end, it never launched.
The project never saw the light of day. Not because it was a bad idea. It was a great idea. I simply did not have the energy to turn that start-up into a successful business.
One reason I knew SimplyCertify would be profitable was because I could leverage the success of one business to feed its early growth. I was going to upsell the existing customers into this new product.
Even create a pricing tier in LearnDash that would include SimplyCertify. I did this once before with a non-SaaS product (ProPanel, a reporting tool for LearnDash).
This would allow current LearnDash customers to help round-out the feature set in SimplyCertify before taking it to other markets. Sujay Pawar is someone who does this incredibly well. His flagship product Astra Theme is the foot-in-the-door for all his other products (such as Starter Templates).
I learned the value of focus.
When you have success, you need to focus on really refining that success so that it is optimal, then you can leverage it to make more money. Avoid the temptation to start something âentirely newâ just because you see an opportunity. Find ways to use the work you have done already.
Maybe I was doing too much at the time. In hindsight, I probably should have had someone else take on that project to see it through completion. But you know what? I don't regret that experience.
First, the individual blogging for SimplyCertify (Laura) started to write for LearnDash and the blog took off! She's incredibly talented at what she does, and I'm grateful that she became part of the LearnDash team.
Secondly, I learned a lot about what it takes to get a minimal viable product out the door for a SaaS. I paid for that education. I took these lessons learned and applied it to the LearnDash 3.0 launch â the most successful (and profitable) update done for LearnDash.
The update changed the trajectory of the business entirely with the revenue growth. If you hit a dead-end with a project that you're working on, don't consider it a failure. All of your learnings from the process will make you better.
Experience isn't something that you can buy, and it's incredibly valuable.
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Food From Local Farms
It's scary how we put things into our bodies yet don't have the slightest clue where it comes from. Source local!
Over the weekend, I tweeted a picture of me on a tractor.
If you missed it, it's the one above.
As natural as I look in that element, there's a reason I am at this farm.
Lorena and I have decided to level-up our health habits. We have always exercised, but lately have started being more regular (as in doing something daily). But as you probably know, food is arguably the most important part of the fitness equation.
Without getting onto a soapbox, let's just say that the food available in grocery stores (even organic options) aren't always the best. The reality is that you really don't know much about the produce and meat you buy unless you know the source.
And that's what we did over the weekend!
The picture of me on the tractor was taken at Urban Roots Farm in Austin, Texas. More than a farm, it's a nonprofit designed to empower the city's youth. From their website:
Urban Roots provides today's young leaders with paid opportunities to grow food, learn new skills, and make a difference in their community.
So, not only are we getting locally sourced vegetables, but by purchasing produce at the farm, we are helping their youth program as well. Double score!
We got our produce bag, which consisted of locally grown carrots, beets, sage, cilantro, eggplant, peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes. The tomatoes were remarkable. I've never tasted a tomato with such a rich, deep flavor.
The farm only has produce, so we have been trying different local farms for products such as beef, chicken, and eggs. We found these at Shirttail Creek Farm.
Super important to me and Lorena is that the chickens and cattle are treated properly according to the Global Animal Partnership's 5-Step Welfare Rating. Shirttail Creek Farm met this requirement. We picked up some grass fed beef (grass is better than grain fed), pasture raised chicken, and pasture raised chicken eggs.
I particularly loved the eggs. Unlike the eggs that you get at the local grocery store, these weren't all the same size. That alone made me feel like it was more authentic. Some were large, others a bit smaller, but all were great!
The only thing we are missing is something for fish. For now, the salmon from Whole Foods will have to do.
I will be the first to admit that all of this is pretty new to me, but I'm enjoying learning more as we go. I love that we have initiatives like Urban Roots Farm nearby to support.
I encourage you to take a minute to do a quick Google search for local produce in your area. Aside from being a great way to support your local farmers and ranchers, you get the piece of mind knowing exactly where the food you put into your body comes from.
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Not Liking Someone
You're not required to like everyone, all the time.
It's okay not to like someone. No need to beat yourself up about it.
It is under very rare circumstances that I donât like someone, so when it happens I often think that there is a problem with me rather than the other person.
At least thatâs what I thought in my 20s.
I would even go out of my way to be around that person more in hopes that I would understand where I was at fault. Maybe there was something I was missing?
Perhaps you feel that way too. You meet someone and something just doesn't sit right with you, and you have a hard time pinpointing what it is exactly.
Now that Iâm a little grayer, Iâve actually learned to trust my intuition. Some people I just donât mesh with. It doesnât mean Iâm rude to them. I always show respect. I just choose to limit my interaction with them and spend my time with others.
They are not bad people. I just know very much who I am and where my personality, values, and life outlook may clash with someone else.
I like most people, but not everyone. And not everyone will like me. And thatâs okay.
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Moving Towards Privacy
Recently, I have been thinking more about web privacy and what it means to me. In short, I'm tired of being âspied onâ all the time by websites so that they can send me creepy advertisements.
As I reflect on this, I am keenly aware that I am over my head into the data distribution ecosystem.
Every day I use Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, iPhone, Google Chrome, Google Fi, and Google Fiber. My life is very much intertwined with these services. Honestly, I'm not sure how to disconnect but still enjoy the benefits that these offer. I guess it's a question of benefit versus cost that I am still trying to determine.
But while I am still working on ways to become a little more anonymous in my personal life, I think about my involvement on the âotherâ side.
So, I have my personal website:Â JustinFerriman.com.
Today I went through and removed anything that would âspyâ on someone who visits, and then I updated the privacy policy to reflect these changes. The result is probably the shortest privacy policy on the internet.
If you sign up to receive my weekly newsletter, then you can opt out at any time (naturally).
I plan to look at other areas of my personal and professional life to see where I can further respect the privacy of others, as well as defend my privacy. It's a big undertaking, and one that will come with sacrifice, for sure â but I'm sure it's worth it in the end.
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Excuse for Everything
How many times have you heard someone say that they would start a business, but just donât have the time?
Or that they could get into better shape but simply donât have time to exercise?
Or that they really want to hang out with you, but they have been super busy lately and just donât have enough free time?
People who say things like this believe they are out of control of their circumstances. Life happens to them, and they just try to âstay afloatâ with the obligations first and then when they have extra time (and only then) will they accomplish their âotherâ main goals.
I don't believe that for a second.
For starters, there is no such thing as âextra timeâ. There is time and then there is what we do in that time. Nothing more.
Logically speaking, we can only do something in the time we are awake. So, if you are in fact busy from the very moment you wake up to the very moment you sleep, then wake up an hour earlier every day. There ya go. Like magic, you have time to do that special project, to do that exercise routine, learn that new language, or whatever it is you want! đ
Of course, the more fundamental issue here is not the quantity of time, but the qualifying of it. People tend to think of their obligations first and then all the âotherâ stuff.
The thing is, we have a choice as to what we make our obligation. Life is full of choices. Even happiness is a choice.
If you have been wanting to start a new business but haven't yet, perhaps you should look at why you are choosing not to. Or if you want to lose 10 pounds but haven't yet, ask yourself why you haven't. The answer is never âbecause I don't have timeâ.
Perhaps you fear what others will think of you if you try to do something and you âfailâ, or maybe you donât have the confidence. Maybe you are confused where to start. Maybe you actually donât want to start something, but it sounds like a cool thing to say to people.
Or, maybe you will start that special project. Only time will tell. đ
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My Time is Mine
The surest way to piss me off is to insinuate that I need to spend my time a certain way.
First, the amount of ego in such a request is astounding. Itâs like telling someone they are wrong for spending their money on something, but worse. We can always get more money, not true with time.
When someone implies that my time has correct and incorrect uses, I flip out. Iâll do the opposite of what is being asked just to prove that I am the master of the oh so little amount of time I have in this world.
Youâve been warned. âď¸
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Secret to Fitness
The fitness industry has a secret that it does not want you to know. Well, I am about to tell you!
I love the fitness industry. In fact, one day Lorena and I plan on having a health & fitness related business in some capacity.
But the industry has a secret. Well, not really a secret, but something that is conveniently ignored. No matter which workout program you like best, they all rely upon one critical factor for success: consistency.
If you consistency do a physical activity then you will lose weight and/or gain muscle. That's not rocket science. I think deep down we all know that.
The difficult part of fitness is the other side of the equation: food.
For years I have worked out, my entire life in fact. My diet rarely changed though. So, what I ate in my 20s I tried to eat in my 30s. It didn't work. I gained weight. I looked okay, but every metric would say I was overweight.
The big change for me was when I stopped drinking alcohol. All those empty calories were gone and so too the crap food that I would eat when drinking. Not surprisingly, I lost weight. My muscles became more defined. I had more energy. I saw the desired results.
I think humans like to overcomplicate things. We gravitate towards complex explanations and reasoning because accepting the simplest answer just doesn't feel right sometimes. The simple answer to fitness is this: do physical activity every day (doesn't have to be strenuous), and don't eat like shit.
That's really all there is to it!
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Married!
It's official: I am married to the love that I've been searching for my entire life, Lorena.
Lorena is incredible. She's intelligent, loving, supportive, and deeply committed to those that she cares about. Every day I pinch myself wondering how I got so lucky.
As I reflect on my happiness, I am keenly aware that my life didn't go according to the traditional plan, and what a blessing that has been.
My path was a little more winding. There were deadends and detours. But in the end I arrived to where I am today. A little wiser, and far more grounded.
I have learned to live life rather than life living me.
And now I am ready to live life with my beautiful wife.
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One Week
In one week, Lorena and I get married!
All the tasks have been completed (minus one or two minor things) so the focus is entirely on preparing for family to come into town. I have excited nerves now, whereas before I was focused on just getting things done.
The enormity of this life event is not lost on me, and I plan to embrace every little second of it.
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