Fail Hard, Fail Fast

#majorkeyalert

For Gahanna

Answer this.

  • If you could be anything in the world, what would you be? (It's OK if you don't know.)
     
  • If you could help your family (mom, dad, grandma, siblings), how would you help them?

What we're talking about

  • Background
  • My failures & successes
  • How to "do"?
  • Inspiration
  • Business & job ideas
  • Tips for success
  • Questions?

I'm Lucky

I started my first business while in grade school.

  • I shoveled snow
  • I sold cleaning supplies
  • I sold candy

 

I was bad at all of it, but I learned something...

How to Fail!

Something that worked

In college, I started a t-shirt company
which never got off the ground but...

  • I taught myself to build websites
  • I taught myself to use a camera
  • I learned to write proposals

 

And it lead to...

Where do you start?

  • Be true to yourself
  • Find something you enjoy doing!
  • Get nerdy
  • Do it! Don't just talk about it.

 

Move forward!

How to "do"?

  • Establish a goal
  • Break that goal into pieces.
  • Complete each piece until you...
  • Complete the goal
  • Do it!

 

Move forward!

Move Forward!

Write down your "pieces".

Dealing with hard stuff

  • Challenge yourself to do the things you hate
  • Get advice from people who know more
  • Avoid distractions (ie. people, clout, etc)
  • Embrace failure

 

Fail!

How to fail correctly

Start by asking yourself these questions:

  • What have I learned?
  • How could I do it differently next time?
  • How do I fail faster? (Most important)

Develop a process!

Write.

When I fail, I will ask myself:

  • What did I learn?
  • What can I do differently next time?
  • How do I fail faster?

When you get that bad grade...

Develop a process for failure.

Inspiration!

Fail your way to success.

Job Ideas (60k+):

  • Technology
    • Game Developer
    • Testing Engineer
    • Application Developer
    • Mobile Developer
    • Data Analyst
    • System Administrator
    • DB Administrator
    • Business Analyst
    • Project Manager
    • Security Analyst
  • Medicine
    • Surgeon
    • Doctor
    • Nurse
    • Pharmacist
    • Technician
       
  • Finance
    • Accountant
    • Analyst

Business Ideas:

  • Manage a companies social media for them. It takes an eye for good content.
     
  • Learn a skill like coding, sewing, painting, cleaning, designing, doing hair/nails or repairing.
  • Buy low & sell high. This works for candy, cell phones, etc whether its at school or online. 
     
  • Throw parties!
  • Rent stuff to others
  • Sell promotion and/or advertising

Tanisha Robinson
Print Syndicate ($15m)

Jason Ross
Jack Threads ($5-7m?)

Jimmy Hayden
Focused Studio Tattoos ($750k)

Sophia Amoruso
Nasty Gal ($250m)

Tracz Twins
Life in Color ($5m)

Some Tips

  • Manage your money
  • Be focused
  • Have a great team
  • Be prepared to work alone
  • Not everyone will get your vision
  • Find a great mentor
  • Know your demo
  • Get to know some older people
  • Don't be afraid to fail!

In the end...

  • Here's where I am now...
    • what failed (long list)
    • what's been successful
  • Don't be afraid to fail!

Q&A

Contact

Jay Bobo

@jaybobo

Fail Hard,Fail Fast

By Jay Bobo

Fail Hard,Fail Fast

A talk on failure. Previously given at Mifflin HS, Gahanna Lincoln, and Otterbein Young Entrepreneurs Camp.

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