Fail Hard, Fail Fast

#tips

For Gahanna-Lincoln HS

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