#192 How to Find Your Perfect Business and Launch It

Your business should be the means, not the end. If you can find something you're truly passionate about, you're going to be able to overcome those challenges. That's what's going to increase your chances of success.

Welcome to the High Voltage Business Builders Podcast, a show where we interview high voltage entrepreneurs growing and scaling through e-commerce, real estate, and other wealth without Wall Street ventures, showing you the path to making your first or next million.

As you and I were talking the other day, both of us have been involved in some component of business coaching, Real estate, et cetera. I thought that probably the best way to get this conversation off the ground is just to figure out the first question, like we would do on the product side, you know, what the hell do we sell? And come over to this side of the conversation and say, well, which business should I actually start? I know a lot of people who started up SaaS companies and, you know, HVAC companies, and I got friends who started up digital marketing companies and, you know, figured out this along the way. So to you, how do you figure out what business to start?

I kind of view it as you gotta go a step deeper than what business you wanna start. I feel like you gotta dig into what do you want to do with your life? Right? A lot of times I'll tell people, your business should be the means, not the end. Like you should decide what's the end lifestyle that you want to create for yourself and really clarify that. And then I think once you are clear on that, the business idea will be more obvious to you. Personally, I've pursued a business in businesses that I'm extremely passionate about. It's because starting a business is hard in my experience, even doing something I like.

It is tough. Let's call it what it is.

It's just hard. And I feel like other entrepreneurs have followed this maybe like easy money route where they look for like, what's the easiest thing I can do that'll earn me a ton of money? And I know like in the ecommerce space, it's a great attraction for those types of people, right? There's kind of this illusion that it's just going to be fast money. That wasn't my experience. Maybe others have had that experience, but it wasn't mine. And I feel like if you can find something you're truly passionate about, you're going to be able to overcome those challenges. And that's what's going to increase your chances of success. Like you've got to podcasts here. I'm sure you've talked to entrepreneurs in the widest variety of areas of business, right? And, um, things that I would've thought like that was a terrible business idea, like they made it a success because of this passion. And it's like, rather than asking yourself again and again, like, what's the perfect business idea? And what if you scour your heart and figure out what you wanna do with your life?

And then what's your purpose?

Yeah. And then make a business that aligns with that. So that's the approach that I would take. Totally resonate.

And we call that beginning with the end in mind. Like, where do you want your ultimate objective for time or freedom or finances or purpose? Mm-hmm. Or, you know, where are you putting that value? you into it. So think now where you want that outcome to be. And I completely resonate with that for the type of work, time, energy, and attention to money it's gonna take to make that actually become a reality.

Yeah.

No doubt about it. And you chose to get into the e-commerce world, which you understood, you know, that's not fast money. It does grow and can become great money, but it isn't fast money. There really isn't such a thing as fast money on the internet unless you're scamming some people.

Yeah. Um, it, it was very slow money and it was Quickly to lose money. I can go that route, but, uh, it took me a long time to get my business to the point where it was consistently profitable.

Why did you stay focused on it though? What drove you to keep that going? What was the validation point that kept you focused on that business?

Yeah, I mean, I was really passionate about the product I was selling. So I designed this planner called Goal Crazy Planner, and, uh, I was believed in it, but, uh, I believed it worked because I was getting sales, even though they weren't profitable. I was getting sales and I was getting incredible reviews from people saying like, this planner has changed my life, or I had this impact. With it. But even before then, I had done a bunch of focus groups. So I did 7 focus groups with my planner, like refining down the format of it until I got it nailed down. But once I nailed down that design and people were getting big changes from using my planner, it gave me so much confidence to like, one, this is something I love doing and people need it. And if I didn't have the passion and I didn't have that validation from the market, I would've gone back to my job pretty quickly.

Right. You would've given up and a lot of people would've, yeah.

Or search maybe for another product, but at that point I had already spent all my money to invest in the product.

Okay. There's a great thing to consider. You spent all your, I, and I did this before, and people have listened to this podcast at all, and if you haven't, welcome to the podcast. It's your first time. Thank you. You've got a great guest here in Jason, so I'm excited for you to listen in. For those of you who have listened to some episodes of mine, you may have already heard You know, I made that fatal mistake of marrying the product outcome and potential success and the hopium component of that and sunk, you know, myself into the sunk cost fallacy and didn't pull out when I went too far down that rabbit hole and it ended up in bankruptcy. I thought I could be a, you know, an inventor. And that's a very difficult thing that most people, less than 1% of people ever accomplish.

Yeah.

And it's much easier to see there's an opportunity for advancement in a business when you can follow leaders or follow an industry. And look at the ways to innovate. So how did you come up with a planner that was more of an innovation, uh, to the market? What struck you and what idea came up? Did it hit you on the head? Uh, did a planner drop out of a tree or something and hit you on the head?

Yeah, I wish it was that. It came from a genuine pain point of like, I had tried tons of planners out there and I had been reading these self-help books. I'd been going to conferences and people were telling me to do these certain things and it was like, why isn't there a planner that just put this all together?

Yeah.

So when I, I don't know, I started to really like planners and I was journaling a freakish amount and it was like, all right, I'm gonna make this planner. And then that started with, I quit my job. I spent over 7 months interviewing successful people, figuring out what are the key things I need in this design. Then I hosted focus groups. So I really spent a lot into it and I knew it was a competitive space. Most people were telling me, don't launch a planner. Now planners are, everyone's doing it and there's a big market. 5, 6 years ago when I was launching my planner, it was like, nope, terrible idea. Nobody's buying planners. Uh, you should launch an app. And I was like, no, I'm excited about paper planners.

Okay.

So I would say like the timing did help me that I was able to get in a little before tons of people started making planners.

Sure.

So I was able to get tons of reviews and whatever, but, um, it was just a passion of mine. So maybe part of it was lucky, cuz I would say, I think you have a high passion for e-commerce sales, which is a gift, right? And you've learned a ton about it. I would say my passion is not for e-commerce sales. It was just a means to the end of like, this is the business that I want to have. And e-commerce is just the vehicle to do it. I was passionate about helping people set their goals.

Yeah, no, that's, it's, there's nuances to each of it. I have, yeah, a passion for the e-commerce. I love building brands. I love the, you know, my ADHD brain and the go-think kind of brain that doesn't shut off most of the time. It's kind of like, well, there's new product, there's new opportunity. We're creating a new brand. Things are changing. We're going to see this one go. And then, you know, when they get going to a certain point, The phrase my mentor told me a long time ago is success is boring. And it kind of, it kind of resonated in my head because as those become more successful, they become less time intensive from an operational perspective. And it's more like you're in constant maintenance mode of the operations. I'm like, whoop, I'm bored. I'm out. Like I need to create something new. Give that to the operator. You know, let's go play with a new brand. Let's go play with a new thing. So, and I found that fun, including the software and other stuff that's kept us busy in that component. And I think some of the people listening to this can maybe resonate with both sides of this conversation. You know, they can see, hey, I could see this becoming an opportunity to launch to this or create to that. But, you know, it is a huge opportunity in e-com, but there are kinds of all kinds of businesses. Like ultimately, which one would you recommend having experience in multiple types and consulting and the business itself and the other things you've done? And you're even into real estate now too. Which one would you ultimately say is the one that you would feel the most comfortable launching today?

I mean, it would go back to like, I write down my dreams a lot and I would want it to be something connected to that. Like I write the freedom of entrepreneurship is you can build your business however you wanted. And I wouldn't want to just create another job for myself where it's like, well, this is just a means to a paycheck. It's like, no, I was looking for the purpose beyond that. So I mean, I would choose the exact same route because I loved it. Even if people were telling me planners were a bad idea and nobody told me real estate was a bad idea, but it was like—

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I would say real estate, both of them have really big perks, but having like my real estate and my e-commerce has been a nice combo because real estate is very tried and true. It's like, it's consistent. I mean, all tenants move out, but it is, it's just really consistent where it gives me the opportunity There's times where I need to invest more into my e-commerce business than it's bringing in, and I have the real estate to fund it. And then there's been vice versa. Got a ton of repairs going on in real estate, or I'm buying another deal, and I can pay one hand with the other. But real estate gives a lot of peace of mind for me. My wife doesn't have a job. We've got 3 kids. If I didn't have my real estate, there would be an extra pressure to say like, I have to earn a profit. And I wouldn't be as maybe aggressive as launching new initiatives.

So—

That's smart.

And that's a good— and I appreciate that because there's more beyond it than just the profit of the money. You're talking about other profits. You're profiting in your family with your children and your wife and the relationships that you've created there, as well as the structure you have. And I resonate with that. Anybody listening to my podcast for once or twice will know that family's important to me. It's a big part of the purpose and the value for doing anything. And, uh, so I, yeah, I absolutely get that. And I hope some people that are listening to that today, if they want to move towards that, they'll look for those opportunities to create the businesses that give them that outcome.

Yeah.

Uh, it creates, yeah. more than just profit and finances. I know everybody shoots for that word and the first time they hear it, they're like, oh, it's all about money. It's like, no, there's a lot more to that word than just finances, right? It is the profit of relationships, it's the profit of ideas, you know, ideas that come off of those things. And of course the relationship-driven aspects of that too.

Great.

But you know, real estate business, you know, e-commerce, these are the 2 ways people make money and the most amount of money. And the wealthiest people in our country as well as the biggest businesses are all in one of those areas.

Yeah. Because, and it's like the skills I learn in my real estate business, they're, they help me in my e-commerce business and vice versa. It's like I'm learning to sell, learning to sell online right now seems to be a skillset across the board.

Yeah. Yeah.

That's the way of the future. That's the way of the present. Yeah.

Yeah, it is the, you know, the systems, the technologies, however you want to call it, the aspect of the e-com is moving differently now because of that. The, Home, the research, the buyers and sellers market is becoming more advanced because technology is becoming more advanced and marketing and online methods of marketing and getting these products moving physical and in the real estate world itself are all changing with the markets that we look at now. Right. And there's always opportunity somewhere. We, my partner has a sordid history. I'm calling it sordid history. If he's listening to this, he's gonna laugh at that, but he actually has never had a job in his life, so he doesn't know what he's talking about. No.

Okay.

He's been a serial entrepreneur his entire life, but he had, um, been in the flex space for many years before I met him and had more than 600,000 in square footage under his management up until 2007. Sold it all off right before the, for the bubble. And then I met him and we got into e-commerce. So he was talking the other day about getting back into flex space again. So we may end up playing in the flex space industry again because it's changing, you know, the economic conditions change, market shifts. And it would, when I'm listening to your story, I'm hearing you pivoted with market shifts and changes to adapt a lifestyle. And an outcome and a drive and a passion. So you've allowed these different passions to basically commingle with each other and create that opportunity, which is very cool. Did you do that all under your own power, your own marketing and your own initiative, or did you use other things to help that expand?

Yeah. When I launched my planner, affiliates was extremely helpful for me. I had spent a ridiculous amount of money on paid ads. Well, At the time, it seemed like a ridiculous amount.

Yeah.

It just seemed ridiculous because I wasn't earning a profit at all. Wasn't even close. But the influencer marketing, it was like some people I'd pay it for the number of sales it would bring in. It was very small costs and it'd bring me a bunch of sales. Even if it was Instagrammer who had a bunch of followers that I would get, somebody would make a post and you'd be like, I sell 80 planners or something, which was I don't know, there was a lot of sales coming in for me and getting myself ranked. It was really helpful. And I feel like I, because of that, I really liked that concept. And probably the YouTubers who would post, those were the most powerful because I would get a spike of sales. But then it's evergreen. It's like people look up planner reviews all the time, or they look up best planners, or, and then when that video shows up, it's still sending people right there.

That's super cool. So Did you just, did you have a network of influencers built or did you go out and find them or how'd you discover these people?

Oh yeah. Cold outreach. So I reached out.

Straight up cold outreach.

Complete cold outreach. So, and at the time, like you, you start to see how the stuff you do for your business stacks on itself. Like there's people that right now I'm going to be going on people's podcasts who I talked, cold outreached 6 years ago when I was launching my business. But we've had, now we've maintained this relationship where I've done some things with them. We've hosted workshops together, but it was all from that. And it's like, now when I'm launching another product, I actually have a hot market or a warm market of like—

Yeah, you've got your base built, right?

Yeah. So, uh, I didn't realize it. It just seemed like a grind at the time, but it wasn't just about that one Instagram post they were going to make for me or YouTube video. He's going to build a relationship.

That's actually very insightful. The aspect of cold outreach for any type of business, uh, that's trying to develop products or services is something that's actually becoming much easier with agentic AI now, uh, being able to sort through different people. There's even systems now that weren't here 6 years ago to do emails and follow-ups and all this automation. Now, are you taking advantage of any of that for the stuff you're doing now?

Yeah. No, I feel guilty doing it, but it's like—

You feel guilty?

What?

Talk to me.

Like, if I'm like trying to get on a podcast now, it's so easy to ask ChatGPT, like, make me an email that sounds like I listened to their podcast for the past few years.

Oh yeah. We have outbound on, I'll admit we have outbound automation systems that are going through looking for top podcasts that, you know, and I think that's how you and I eventually got connected because there was a crossover audience and that system found you and said, hey, we should chat. Here's my bio. Let's see if this is interesting.

Yeah.

There's a match, right? Because it looked and it said, hey, you are in an audience, a network that's similar to mine, and let's have a conversation and see if it fits. And that's good time compression. That's force multiplying with the aspect of it today. I think most people don't even know where to use or how to use these things yet, but yeah. Cold outreach for any product or service, a SaaS engine or an idea you have can be done through email, you know, AI systems now with emails.

Yeah.

They can really take time to find the right people for you. And can help. Yeah.

But at the end of the day, like it's not a complete cheat code for someone. Like even if somebody reaches out to get on my podcast, even if they sound like they've listened to every single episode, it's like they're not the right fit and I don't have an interest in talking about 'em.

Yeah. It gets totally irrelevant, I guess, that request. Yeah.

And somebody who's never listened to my podcast, if they're like, this person's awesome, I'm gonna put 'em on my show. So it, I think it'll help.

But yeah, and it's just borrowing audience and network, right?

Yeah.

Um, which is something we've done together and I appreciate that because, you know, we have been the way we talk and our family structure and as well as other things you're doing in business, which is awesome. So the question then comes down to, you know, what are you doing next in life? Yeah. What, what is keeping you busy now?

Yeah, so, uh, I'm gonna kind of backtrack here a little bit. So I launched this planner, right? And just for people to understand the context of what's next, and I had no clue what was gonna happen. After I launched Planner, I just wanted to do it. But then people started using the planner. They wanted to connect with me. I started hosting these workshops, turned into courses, group coaching, one-on-one coaching, the podcast. But now I have a book coming out. It's coming out on September 9th. So if you're listening to this, it's probably already out by now.

Yeah.

But it's a book and it's lessons that I've learned now from having the opportunity to set goals with all these different entrepreneurs, interview them on my podcast, and That's the next thing that's on my horizon.

All right.

Uh, which is super exciting. And it's, I feel like for people especially who are thinking of launching really any type of business, but I think an Amazon business, it's like when you start to treat that product you launch like a brand, it can open up all these doors. And I had no clue what could exist on the backend of selling a planner on Amazon. And yeah, it's just really exciting. So that's what's next for me.

Dude, that's cool.

And when does the book come out?

September 9th, September 9th, 2025. So, uh, I'm a few weeks out from that.

Awesome. And we're, congrats. That's amazing.

Not everybody can write a book.

What, give me the name.

It's called Dream Driven and subtitles, The Step-by-Step Process to Discover Your Perfect Business Idea and Launch It This Year.

Uh, cool.

That's a great name. Great title. We'll make sure that's part of the podcast title for this. And, uh, where are they going? Are they going to a website?

They're going to Amazon.

Go to Amazon.

Go search on Amazon. Yeah. Probably.

I'm gonna do an AOL keyword here. We got an AOL keyword you want to throw out? An Amazon keyword? Yeah, I don't know.

I don't know what it's gonna be.

Yeah, purpose. Wouldn't say it again.

Just search dream-driven. Now, I mean, because I don't know how— I don't know if I'm gonna be ranked for anything if they search like starting a business.

We're doing like—

we're gonna give you, um, how to start a business, book on starting a business, something with that phrase starting a business.

Find one of those keyword guys.

Go to Amazon keyword to find it. Look it up. There was something I was going to share.

Yeah.

Dream Driven. It'll be out there. Oh, it'll start out on Amazon, but you know, with selling on Amazon, it's like, I'm trying to send all my traffic to one place.

Yes.

Get myself ranked. Then I can go to Barnes Noble or my website or wherever else. But yeah.

Excellent.

All right, guys, make sure you check that out. Dream Driven or How to Start a Business on keywords. But guys, if you're real interested and you're listening for ideas on what to start, that is, you know, maybe e-commerce, non-e-commerce related. Or just want to go through a process of helping to identify which of these types of businesses or even e-commerce is something that might make sense to you, I think you should grab a copy of this book, go through the exercises that Jason's put down, and then see what the outcome is. You might be surprised at what happens. Jason, is there a question I didn't ask you, brother, or something you want to address?

No. Yeah, I think it's, it'll walk them through. It's kind of built on top of the goal setting stuff that I've been doing. So it'll help somebody get clarity on what do you want to do with your life? And then it'll help you nail down that business idea that'll be the Vehicle to make that happen, validate it's a good idea before you spend a bunch of money on it, and then get it launched.

So.

Now, are they gonna get a, some sort of discount on a planner that they can use maybe, you know, to like cross-promote that so they can write down their ideas or something if they go over to goalcrazyplanners.com?

Maybe.

If they go to goalcrazyplanners.com and join my email list, they'll absolutely get a discount.

There you go.

Let's make one right now. If you use discount code VOLTAGE, all right, you're gonna get 15% off.

Dude, there you go. Okay guys, goalcrazyplanners.com and down in the show notes and everything else, Keyword Voltage. Get your discount, guys. Go grab a copy of that if you're still in the research phase of life. If you're still in the, I don't know what the heck I want to do in business for purpose or whatnot, I encourage you to grab a copy of it.

Comes out on September 9th. The book will help them figure it out, make a plan, but the planner will hold them accountable to actually execute. So they're powerful.

goalcrazyplanners.com. Thank you so much for coming on, brother.

Yeah, thanks, Neil.

Let me ask you this. If you're serious about building an e-commerce business starting on Amazon FBA, what if myself and my team worked with you one-on-one to execute the steps outlined in the podcast while helping you discover what the heck to sell, how to make sure it's profitable, and how to successfully launch a brand? Plus, how to do it under a consulting plus performance-driven model where I put a $10,000 skin-in-the-game guarantee for those that show up and are serious about building a real business done with us? If yes, text keyword profit to +1-417-413-4209. That's 1-417-413-4209, and I will personally respond with a few simple questions. If you're not in the US or Canada, please visit voltage dm dot com. That's voltage dm dot com. Click Get Started and book a no-pressure discovery call with me or a member of my team to learn more about the Business Builders one-on-one coaching and mentoring for CEOs, entrepreneurs, and those looking to build an empire or retire using the power of e-commerce. Once again, thank you for listening, and be sure to tune in next week for a brand new episode of the High Voltage Business Builders Podcast.