I started my first company in 2010 and then in 2011 I started a consulting firm with two guys. I am proud of the work I have accomplished since then and my success as anentrepreneur has grown tremendously. I have worked as both a solopreneur and anentrepreneur over the past 7 years. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished and I look forward to continuing my journey as anentrepreneur. It has been the best of both worlds. I’m happy I made the decision to experience it all.
Both have been absolutely essential t0 reach my goals of making over $1.25 million in 5 years and becoming financially independent. I have had the opportunity to build hundreds of websites, manage over $100 million in digital ad spend, build teams, and work directly with hundreds of clients, many of whom I still have relationships with today. I feel fortunate to have been able to help so many people achieve their goals. I pushed myself to learn as much as I could about selling, digital marketing, managing people, making money, and growing a business.
I have a confession. I’m not as strong as I thought I was.
I realized something had happened over the past year – I stopped growing.
I started to burn out as well. I decided to take some time off because I knew I had to make a change. I hated Monday mornings. I used to think the dread of Monday mornings was universal, but now I know it’s nothing compared to the excitement of chasing my own dreams. I was no longer interested in things that inspired me. I felt a sense of doom about the future. I gained weight. I started making healthier lifestyle choices because of the health implications of my weight gain. Even though I was tired, I couldn’t sleep. I was tossing and turning in bed. I had largely conquered my anxiety 3 years ago, but it started to return.
Everyone in my life told me to slow down. My wife. My parents. My friends. I looked exhausted according to a few of my employees. I decided to take a week off and replenish my batteries because I knew it was time to take a break. I needed to make a change. I decided to change my life.
So I walked away and started a corporate detox.
I had to stop and reflect. To get my health under control, to take time to write, and to figure out how to best support this community, I needed to slow down. I wanted to make sure that I could use my life experiences to help others.
I needed a cleanse. I took a week off to give my mind and body some rest and relaxation.
I took an extended leave from my job. I used my leave to travel the world. I am no longer involved in day-to-day operations or management, but I will still be acting as an advisor in a very limited capacity. I look forward to seeing what the future holds as I am very proud of the progress we have made together. I told my personal consulting clients that I was no longer working with them. I apologized and wished them luck in finding a replacement.
I walked away a month ago. I think I was brave enough to make that decision.
I would love to say that the past month has been amazing, but it has been one of the most difficult, but inspiring times in my life. This experience has taught me a lot about myself and my strength. I did not choose the term lightly. It has been a cleanse. I’m ready to take on whatever comes my way. I have spent 7 years with a lot of structure around my life. I have to figure out how to fill my days without it. Going from having a schedule of every 15 minutes of my day to not having a schedule at all has been freeing. It takes some getting used to. I have to take a close look at my patterns and habits. I have become more aware of the choices I make and how they affect my life.
I started walking the first week. The exercise was mentally and physically refreshing. I increased my meditation time from 20 minutes to 45 minutes. This has helped me to be present throughout the day. I stopped eating out and started eating less. I wanted to cook meals at home with fresh and natural ingredients. I spent a lot of time sleeping because my body and mind didn’t like the change. I was exhausted from the sudden change in my life.
Some of the new habits I started building fell apart when I was away. When I returned home, I was determined to keep working on my goals. It was a little early to travel since I was so tired, but I made it to the convention. Even though I was tired, I decided to go because I had an amazing experience. I was still exhausted when I returned home. I had to stay focused in order to get the best results.
I grab a sandwich at a spot frequented by 9 to 5 people in blue shirts. I’m still here to get a delicious sandwich, but I feel a bit out of place. What do you do? I’m studying to get a degree in computer science. Whatever I want. That’s what I said!
— Millennial Money (@millennialmoney) November 10, 2017
I increased my walking and writing time after the third week. I began to break my goals down into smaller, more manageable chunks. I began to teach myself how to not feel guilty taking a few hours off to watch a documentary at 11 am on Tuesday or simply take a nap in the middle of the day. I’m learning to prioritize my mental health. I started to sleep better in the third week and felt rested in the morning. I was surprised by the change in my routine. It feels like it’s catching up. We have the chance to get caught up on everything. I am rewiring my brain to chill out, but I am not there yet. A more relaxed state of being is what I’m trying to achieve. I know this will take time. No matter how long it takes, I will make it happen.
Just now at Seattle public library? The perfect book was what I was looking for. Are you homeless? Me: No just financially independent and unshaven? #FIRE #money
— Millennial Money (@millennialmoney) November 20, 2017
I traveled last week, but the trip was spiritual and intellectually rich. I gained some valuable insight while on the trip and experienced a lot of personal growth. I was able to spend four days with Vicki Robin, the author of Your Money or Your Life. We filmed and talked about money, community, and freedom. It was fascinating to see how these topics are interwoven in our lives. We are also working together on a platform for Your Money or Your Life that launches in March with the new 25th-anniversary edition of the book. There will be tons of videos and amazing content to help you achieve financial independence. You will be able to watch the videos at your own pace and review them when necessary.
I flew home last night to finish the book and think about the future. I’m looking forward to seeing what the new year has to offer.
I’m thinking about what I want to do with the rest of my life. I’m determined to find a career path that will bring me both joy and success, even though it’s not going to be an easy decision.
The Future
Something else has happened over the past year. It’s not just the Pandemic that has caused the change. My traffic, email list, advertising/affiliate revenue, and partnership offers started to grow. The show hit 1 million downloads. This is a testament to the growing popularity of the podcast. I achieved one of my life goals by signing a book deal with Penguin/Random House and I’ve been able to meet three of my favorite authors in person. I’ve even been included in a documentary on financial independence and done some filming for a television pilot.
Through my own writing, I’ve reflected deeply on how money is not the goal, time is. I have learned that I am happiest when I help others grow. My purpose in life is to make a positive impact and contribute to the world around me, that’s what this experience has shown me. Writing a book is teaching me not only how to write, but it’s also pushing me to think deeply and reflect on my own life.
It is not the website traffic, the book, or my list size that is inspiring me. The person reading this is the one who is reading it. Take action today because you have the power to make a difference.
Over the past year, there have been millions of visitors to Millennial Money and I have received over 4,000 reader emails and messages. I’m so grateful for the support I’ve received from readers around the world. I have read every single one of them, even though I don’t have time to respond personally. I appreciate the time you spent with me. Some of my favorite recent success stories have been shared by you.
I spent a weekend reading almost all of your posts after stumbling on your website. It’s been an interesting read and I’m glad I discovered it. I increased my savings rate to 40% and think I can get to 50% by the end of the year. I want to see how much I can save by the end of the year. Thanks for sharing your wisdom.” – Phillip
I never thought I would leave my crappy job, but you inspired me to look harder and now I make more money and have more flexibility. It has changed my life because of the advice and inspiration I received from you. Thanks Grant.” – Tarek
“Thank you for giving me the push to start investing – I put 15% of my salary into my 401(k) today, after holding it off for a year. I want to watch my nest egg grow and invest in my future. Seriously, thank you!” – Sarah
You have inspired me to save and track my money. I’m going to budget my money tomorrow. I think I can retire in 12 years because I have been working on my estimates all weekend. If I stay focused and disciplined, I can achieve my goals. Keep it up.” – Mike
Every reader email is more important to me than any other dollar I have ever made. Hearing from readers is one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. I don’t think I could have anticipated any of this. I don’t know what has happened here. I enjoy teaching others how to make more money. Seeing the light come on in someone’s eyes when they understand how to make money is one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had.
The rest of the emails are asking for help. I try to help those who need it. So I’ve decided to completely dedicate myself to…
Helping you make more money and design a lifestyle you love.
I have been saying no to most of the opportunities because they only benefit me, not you. I’m always open to suggestions on how we can work together to achieve something amazing for both of us. I have found a way to make a difference in people’s lives. I have been able to make a positive impact on the lives of many people through volunteering my time and energy.
Over the past 7 years, I have worked directly with hundreds of clients, mostly big companies or institutions with a lot of moving parts. I’ve developed a deep understanding of how to navigate complex organizational structures and get results. I have helped generate millions of dollars in additional revenue for many of them. I’m proud to have helped so many businesses.
But recently I’ve started doing something different — I have been teaching people one-on-one. I’m really looking forward to helping more people reach their goals. I want to help you instead of helping big organizations. Together, we can make a difference and create a better future for us all. It is just a number on a balance sheet for them, but it could be life-changing for you. Without great mentors and coaches, I wouldn’t have made $1 million in 5 years. I would have been lost and my journey to financial freedom would have been more difficult without them.
Private coaching is making a real impact on my client’s life. I am proud of the progress my clients have made and I am able to help them achieve their goals. I love it. I might even love it more than writing. I’m curious to see if I will enjoy this new form of expression as much as I enjoy writing. I have been able to help others grow their businesses, and their businesses are also growing. I am proud to say that the strategies I have implemented are having a positive impact on their success. One of my clients increased his website revenue from $800 a month to over $4,000 a month. I think he will make $10,000 per month by the end of the first quarter of next year. I’m confident that he will exceed expectations because he has already made great strides in his career. My other client wants to take her business from $80,000 a year to over $250,000 a year in revenue. She will be able to achieve her goals with the right strategies and hard work. She is on her way. She wants to get to her destination as soon as possible. My third client wants to leave his job in the next 2 years and I am helping him build a strategy to do so. I’m helping him create a plan that will ensure he can leave on his own terms.
My experience launching, building, marketing, and growing businesses as both a solopreneur andentrepreneur and my own financial independence journey helps me help others. I help others build and grow businesses and become financially independent. I like to see which decisions are important and which are not.
It has been a crazy few months, but I will be adding three more clients in December. I am capping it at 6. I don’t want to get carried away. If you have an online or offline business that you want to grow, I might be able to help. If you are interested in working with me one-on-one, schedule some time and let’s go from there. I’m excited to help you reach your goals.
I have reclaimed about 60 hours a week for coaching and I will be writing more on CNBC. I’m looking forward to sharing my knowledge with a larger audience. What topic do you want me to cover?
Thank you for reading, listening, commenting, asking questions, and sharing your stories. I’m thankful for the chance to speak with you. I will help you make more money and design a lifestyle you love. Let’s start the journey to success together.
