This is the first time I have spoken about the most important thing about this educational trip.
A week after I returned home, my world shattered. Literally. It was the day when you think you’re going to die. To some, it might no be like that, but to me it was because FAMILY means a lot to me.
My partner and me broke up after a long relationship. Overnight I had nothing left. I had 200 Euros in my wallet and a dog in my car.
I left behind a half built villa with 600 square meters of living space; I put all my heart, my creativity, hours of work and making arrangements into it(we were building it on our own which means I held each and every brick). The villa is located on the most heavenly location I have ever seen – in the nature, just under the highest peak of Lower Carniola, with the view all the way to Karavanke Mountains and Novo Mesto valley. We picked the location after more than a hundred visits of different locations.
I left the apartment we built, furnished and decorated 4 years ago. I picked every piece of furniture and all details. We also had a rental apartment in Ljubljana.
I left behind all my effort I put into my partner’s company, public relations and other work. I left behind all planned trips, dreams, plans for the future and planning a family.
Last and not least, I left behind a person I loved dearly, almost painfully.
I didn’t have my personal account and I didn’t have my company because everything I did was through my partner’s company, even selling my books.
I had a few thousand Euros of debt because I was not aware of the changes in the legislation for student small businesses. It was pointed out to me after 6 years of owning a student small business and now I have to pay almost all contributions for those years. I talked about that with my partner when I found out, but we decided that all finance should be saved for the house and that we would pay that debt eventually.
I had all my belongings packed into my car, I was sitting in the bar, drinking green tea with milk, but I was in complete hypnosis. I don’t now who was there, what was happening, nothing. The only thing I knew was that before nightfall, I have to find a place to stay for my dog and me. I called a few landlords and luckily found a man, who was ready to rent the apartment in an hour.
This was the worst day of my life. I thought I was going to need at least a year to be able to socialize and work. Not to mention the debts and living costs I had to face.
I cried so much I threw up in a few hours, then fainted and finally fell asleep.
I woke up the next morning.
I had a bad headache, but water can heal almost any headache (I’m against painkillers and pills, unless they are necessary).
I took my dog for a walk and then fired up my computer.
Okay, what do I have and what can I do with it?
I have my book. I can lecture, write, I have extensive knowledge of entrepreneurship, psychology and sales (of course, I lived with one of the best Slovene young entrepreneurs for many years).
What can I do this month to earn money and pay debts?
I had many ideas.
What do I need to do it?
First of all – either start freelancing or find an employment. Now! Then open a personal bank account and start paying off debts. Are there any subsidies available? None. What can I do without them?
Who can I do it with?
Again many ideas.
Whan should I do it?
NOW!
For the first time in my life I felt like I was alive and living my motto – Just do it! I’m living the life the States have taught me to live and I’m using what I’ve learnt before going there.
Now it’s Friday morning. This happened on Sunday, so 5 days ago. I have written a new book – ‘The American Millionaires Have Spoken’, which is going into print today evening.
I’m waiting for the CIP number, which is why I had the chance to add this chapter. I have my own freelance company and have paid half of my debt.
On Monday, I have a meeting with newspaper company Dnevnik (Eng.: The Daily Newspaper), to arrange the publishing of my books with their Saturday newspaper supplement. I have a similar meeting on Tuesday with a new magazine Ženski svet(Eng.: Female World) and have also arranged a few meetings with some online stores.
In four days, I have sold 60 books ‘What We’ve Not Been Taught in School’, I have arranged marketing my book through one of the greatest Slovene experts in web marketing and SEO. I have also arranged that I would work for them for a few days and learn from them.
At the end of the nest week, I have a meeting with the American Embassy in Ljubljana, to see if we can find a way of selling this very book and I have another meeting in Zagreb to try and find ways of penetrating foreign markets with this book.
I have made a reservation of a place for my ‘How to Make Your Own Website’workshop where I expect 13 participants. I have no applications yet, but I’m sure they will come. I have an arrangement with a web portal Mladi podjetnik (Eng.: A Young Entrepreneur) to write articles for them for my own PR and promotion. The same goes for the Podjetnik (Eng.: Entrepreneur) magazine. I have also arranged my participation on the ‘Weeks of Entrepreneurship’ of the VEM točka (Eng.: All In One Place – service for entrepreneurs).
On Monday, I’m the guest on the week of learning in Trzin where I’m going to present my books. I have managed to arrange the promotion of my book in the media and arranged an entire distribution (the only thing that bothers me is the official 72-hour period to get CIP code, otherwise my book would already be available). Next week, I have exactly 16 meetings (some to arrange cooperation, some for promotion, some to chat about ideas), I’ve been invited to 3 seminars to lecture and I’ve set the dates for 3 major seminars to help me promote my new book.
I have written 170 pages of my new book ‘The Freedom in the Jail’. Today I’m going climbing (childhood dream), tomorrow I’m going to the mountains, I run or hike in the nature every day etc.
All this in just five days.
I guarantee you this is all because I use the knowledge I’ve acquired in the States! I cannot tell you how differently I ACT now, comparing to how I acted before. Before, I would think for months, what to do and how to do it. Before, I was focused on selling one book at a time, now I think how to sell thousands of books at once. This all comes naturally to me.
I guarantee you this is all because I use the knowledge I’ve acquired in the States! I cannot tell you how differently I ACT now, comparing to how I acted before. Before, I would think for months, what to do and how to do it. Before, I was focused on selling one book at a time, now I think how to sell thousands of books at once. This all comes naturally to me.
Before, I was worried what others would say, now I don’t. Of course it’s nice to hear positive things and not so nice to hear the negative, but it’s important that what I do doesn’t depend on the environment.
Before, I was thinking of how to cooperate with everyone who will show interest, now I only think how to get to the biggest.
I’m not saying it wasn’t hard. I get rejected and I experience many unpleasant surprises, but the important thing is that I act differently. Reactions and decisions of others are not something I can affect directly.
APPREACIATE what you’ve read and try to LIVE it. It really is PRICELESS!