I’ve written before about starting a newspaper business, signing a contract-loan with my mother for $5 in start up cash, hiring and firing my first employees (the babysitter’s children)—-all at about 8 to 9 years old.
Then in Middle school I would photocopy roleplaying games (buy for $6, sell for $3—-my advantage that I had been travelling the subways of NYC for years to meet my parents so I could Yellow Pages comic stores/RPG stores and travel to hinterlands to get books)—-I would also photocopy scenes out of comics and commissioned other good artists to draw pics——all for sale during lunch. (The odd point here is I have only eaten a school lunch a few times—-either going out for launch (in the 4th, 5th grade—-you could walk a few blocks during school) or brought my own.
By high school I started a national small amateur comic book company. Contacting other kids and adults from their letters sent in to comics, printed with addresses in the back (and eventually Dragon magazine and RPG Society—-which gave me a list of thousands of members to “make friends with”. I sent out thousands of letters instead. lol) Membership was $25 a year. The biggest problem turned into we were right on the cusp of desktop publishing computers but the scratch to stay in business maybe for two more years was impossible to maintain.
In college I took over magazines and chapbooks—-eventually becoming President of the chapbook, rearranging the budget to create a larger—-better magazine and then selling it on consignment outside of the university—-something they’d never done in 5 years of existence. Most importantly not just the 48 Laws of Power/Machiavellian tactics my mother coached me in to grabbed power over the board and be voted in. but most importantly to our scheme—-I got to experiment with using Other People’s Money.
My mother, father and stepfather, Terry, the chef—-all supported my businesses, learning how to learning, mastering chess at 3 or 4 and enacting those skill sets' as I got older. They never said I couldn't’ do things, it was pressed upon me to figure out how to do them within the parameters of school and (reasonably) the law. (I mean in Middle School I was pretty much trouncing copyright laws and using AT&T’s copier for non-telecom related enterprises. lol)
So What Did I Learn?
- I learned a flexibility of self-perception. By that I mean that I can do/tackle anything. I can suss out what I want and don’t want and decide whether it’s useful, good, interesting, how it can and will work out. All of the above childhood mental work taught me how to learn and think.
- It also taught me about valuing myself and money. I’ve always been able to flip the switch of 40, 60, 100 hours of work—-because through a lot of those entrepreneurial endeavors to maintain liquidity I was working hard for an allowance or part time or even full time as a teen. I notice most people start bitching at Hour 41 and demanding triple time. I skate into Hour 100 or until it’s done. The ability to get work done, switch it on or off, whether this project/job will make me President or not, is what I notice most employees or humdrums lack.
- I know what my work is worth. At 8 to 9, buying newspapers, paying back my loan to my mother, selling them in the building, then expanding out to hiring the babysitters kids and then firing them when they misunderstood employees vs. ownership, has taught me what I and my work are worth. It’s taught me the value of learning, squeezing every drop out of work, reading anything I can, asking questions, paying attention so that I am valuable at a job, applying it to a project, using that skill set in my own business or carrying it through to to my career. I’m not competitive in the traditional sense, I’m just well armed. Yes, I bring a squadron of Navy Seals’ skills to a knife fight——I play to win—-for myself, not always the direct/apparent competition. I often tell people directly—-supervisors—-I don’t want your job. (The offset of title/position and freedom NOT to have to answer the phone, NOT to have to go to so many meetings, NOT to be beholden to a company is my entrepreneurial Super S under my shirt and tie. I ON the team, for now, but not really life-committed to it.)
- I never fear layoffs or getting fired—-sometimes I’m thoughtful about the timing—-geez, during the winter?—-but I always have a side hustle/business operating or a Plan B. I purposefully do things to not emotionally identify or feel deeply attached to places/companies that I don’t own. That’s the rule. Does it have my name/company name on the door? Then I’m a consultant who is always ready to leave and never return tomorrow. Always. I’ve been so ready and detached in the past people thought I must’ve hated them from the jump. I never hated jobs/positions. But I didn’t love them either. (As I am a utility for the company, they are a utility for Kyle, Inc.. Always.)
- I think first from an Owner’s perspective then from an Employee’s. I generally understand why decisions are made, long term strategic plans, have insights and projections and predictions. Most I keep to myself, others I use to manipulate for my advantage. I’m rarely surprised, never the helpless Employee and I always know who and what kind of firm I’m working for. I’m much clearer and detached about them than they are about me. The beauty is that they assume I’m like all the other Employees (maybe a bit brighter, work harder, smarter) but they never assume I’m like an Owner, have an Owner mentality. I’m always listening and always taking notes—-sometimes directly in every meeting and training (and definitely during casual conversations.) I walk in the way a gladiator walks into the arena—-to do battle that day and parlay for tomorrow and the next day and the next year.
- I never give a firm, anywhere, my efforts, that I don’t own or own stock in (another rule, I buy stock in most places I work at—-it’s one of my criteria for accepting a position—-partnership-ownership) 100% of Kyle. You’re never getting 100%. Now the percentage of effort I’m giving you might LOOK LIKE 100% to the firm, but that’s by intention. You will never get 100% of Kyle. At best you’re getting____________<<<<<I know how to keep some things private.
- I’m often fun, amenable, congenial, thoughtful, supportive, professional and engaging at jobs. That’s my Kyle, Inc. brand face.
- I’m always working on something else, have multiple streams of income coming in. The job is never my sole income. I’m always working on something, perfecting it and using being employed with the other sheep, as a tool, utility or ruse. always.
- Like Jay-Z advised—-I’m always holding a few inches back. I’m capable of more. I always have been but I’ve been sitting in the cut learning the business inside out, the board members/supervisors (yes, I run background checks on everyone I work with—-they run them on me, right? Quid pro quo. Owner mentality.)
- I’m fiercely loyal but don’t fuck with me. I’m not a scared Employee, I will take off my Kyle-Employee mask and let Kyle, the Owner of Kyle, Inc. fucking obliterate you. And I’ve done it and I’m completely comfortable doing it again in the future. (I fired the babysitter’s kids on Sunday and showed up to their home on Monday—-their mom was my babysitter. An Employee. As they had been…you know until they demanded 2/3s of the profits because they’d just learned division. But I fired them so they would understand further into division….EMPLOYEES. lol) And remember I’ve been sitting there learning all of your and the companies secrets. Let’s part friendly business associates and never enemies. No one wants me as an enemy.
- I learned patience and how to slowly build a business, investments, garner royalties (making money while I sleep, especially on Sundays), I also subscribe to the 4Ms—-Make Money Make Money. I learned how to delay gratification, to play for the end game, to focus on a goal in the future, not immediate gratification.
- I know my Life’s Purpose. It is not a job. Though I might be there for years.
The only regret I have is implementation of my ideas—-timing—-acting, learning how to fix and set goals—-that took my 20–30s. I did a lot of experimenting, sitting at places learning all about business. It was a trade off. But slowly but surely, I’m expanding and monetizing all aspects of my little mini-empire. BWAHAHAHHAHA
#KylePhoenix
#TheKylePhoenixShow
No comments:
Post a Comment