Shout out to Blog Reader Deuce

This is the best ever....Previously I wrote about the dealership that I was calling and trying to convince them to let us do their detailing for their used cars.

Here’s a quick recap: I called the head of the Used Car department. His name is "Ricco". I knew I was in for a rough time with a name like Ricco. He gets on the phone, and shuts me down like a Nun to a thong salesman. I try my best but to no avail. He just doesn't want to use us, we are "too small of an outfit" he says; not to mention T-mobile dropping the call like it's HOT! Twice. After each call back, Ricco sounds like he wants to choke me out, to get me off the phone.

A week goes by and I can't get any other calls lined up. I'm feeling positive, but I feel like I need to do something really aggressive. I watch Boiler Room for the 245th time and double dose on “A" type personalities by watching Entourage. I'm ready to take on the world now. I have to do something that normal people don't do, otherwise I will be normal. Get it? Easy. Normal acts get you normal, Extraordinary acts gets you Extraordinary people.


So I call Ricco back. After they finally connect me, and I explain who I am, Ricco says, "Oh you; call me back in 15". Then he abruptly hangs up the phone. WTF!! 15 minutes later, I call back. He wasn't going to get rid of me that easy! I have no idea what I'm going to say different, but just that I want to here him tell me NO! I'm either going to piss him off for sure, or close this deal. After 10 minutes of back and forth, Ricco says, "Where are you guys going to be located?".
I got him! So I started closing him. Then he says, "Do you have insurance?".
Then he says, "OK" sounding like Scarface, "Come see me tomorrow after 2:30".

Ahhhhhh Yeeeeaahhh Boyyyeeee!!

Here's where it gets good.

So the next day, after a super crappy morning at work, I'm trying to focus for the sales meeting with Ricco. My Blackberry goes off, and it's an email. It's from blog reader/writer Deuce Carter, fellow hustler and author of blog: Hustle Basics. He says, "Like I told you before homie, "keep going".

That's What's UP. Now I'm pumped. Somebody truly understands my plight. I put in some Jay-Z "Show me what you Got". Then top that off with the old Special Ed CD, "I've got it Made".



Just as I pull up to the dealer ship, my blackberrry goes off again. It's Deuce Carter - I swear this really happened. His next comment says, "You’re making power moves".

It's like he was in my head!!! Yes, son. I’m making power moves. That’s just what I was thinking at the time I was thinking it!!

I walk into Ricco's office and throw him a good handshake. I got my only authentic Kenneth Cole watch on, that I’ve only wore twice. The handshake is firm and my hands aren’t clammy for once.

Now here is when being physically fit really helps the confidence. Ricco was a little shorter then me, and kind of out of shape. I am now a newly trimmed 182 - down from 207 a year ago, and feeling confident.

After about an hour of real talk, I close the deal. 16 cars per month. That's What's UP!!! That cuts my loss almost in half. One Sales Call, one meeting and my losses are cut in half.

GOOD LOOKIN' OUT DEUCE.
When the cash flow is right we need to hook up and make some money together.
We are definitely on the same wave length.

The celebration is only for a minute because more moves need to be made, and more hustles need to happen. But for a few hours I'm feeling good.

Cheers to the blog, my readers and my man Deuce!!

Holla
-MJL

Don't Break before your Break!

Ok, this is by no means a "Whoa is me Post". It's just a post to help those who are taking this journey to wealth with me, understand why, when we get to our destination, and have millions, we won't feel guilty. We will have earned and deserved every last penny. The big car, the big house, big yard, & home theater will all be well deserved.


THE BEGINNING
So the saga begins.....I get a call from my operation’s manager about 10:00 AM on Wednesday. I'm at “Cubes ‘R Us” (how I affectionately refer to my day job) and he is out in the field working the small business. He knows that I am "in and out" of meetings all day, so if he calls, like E.F. Hutton – I listen. I know it's either really good news or really bad.

I step out the meeting and take the call.

ROD: "Yo J, the trucks are gone".
Me: "What the F@#$ you mean the trucks are gone".
ROD: "I rolled up to pick up the candy (for the vending machines - which he also manages) and the trucks were gone. Everything that was parked in the lot is gone!”





I couldn’t' believe it. Just 6 days ago, we broke the front axle on the big truck to the tune of $2100, and now all of our vehicles had been impounded.

WHY WERE THEY TOWED AWAY?
We’ve been parking our trucks in the same location for 2.5 years without issue. While we are generally neat, the truckers who shared the lot were not. They were throwing McDonald's and Arby's garbage in the lot after every truck run. There was a blown out 18 wheeler tire, a gas tank and even a charcoal grill. I have to admit, it was pretty bad. It was starting to look like a Junkyard. I could hear the Sanford & Son theme playing every time I looked at the lot.

The owner finally got fed up and towed everyone’s vehicles. Cars, trucks, vans, trailers, it didn’t matter.

I was pretty calm when the axle broke, but I wasn't prepared for any additional emergencies. Let alone one less then a week later. First we had to find the vehicles, then we had to get them out of impound.

JERK AND JERK-OFFS TOWING

After we finally locate the vehicles, I have to actually leave work and go and pick them up myself. In the middle of the day, I have to leave my job, which is on thin ice as is, and go pick up the trucks. Whooo-hooo am I pissed.

When I get to the first place I find out that “Jerks & Jerk-offs” towing doesn't take credit cards.

WTF! How can you not take credit cards. Cooter was kind enough to tell me where an ATM machine was.

NO shzit Sherlock, there is an ATM on every f#$kin’ corner Einstein. But you can only get $400 out. So I had to go to the bank.

Now time is running out. If I don’t' get to the vehicles by 4:00 PM then I incur another nights of storage fees.

After I get to the bank and explain to them 10 times that I'm the owner of the account and that's my F_ckin money, and I need my money now!! I hurry back to Jerk & Jerks. Cooter is back there making out with a jelly donut, half of which has found a home on his shirt next to the mustard I'm assuming from lunch. He doesn’t have a care in the world.

He looks up and says, “Can I help you”.

I almost had an out of body experience. I was just here 30 minutes ago MORON!!!

Finally Cooter calls Bubba and we get our truck released. 2:45, plenty of time to pick up my vans right? Wrong. We get the truck and it doesn't go into Park. The shifting gear feels like spaghetti. None of the gears are taking. OMG! – I’m going to freak!!

I'm so pissed. I’m Jack Nicholas in A few Good Men Pissed, I’m like Gary Busey insane. I’m Kanye not getting an award pissed.

We get the gear in neutral, start the truck and drive it right to the transmission shop. I'm writing checks like a drunken sailor at this point. We fill out the paper work and the transmission guy says he needs the truck overnight. That's the first good thing all day because at this point we have no idea where we're going to park it anyway.

Off to get the Vans. When we get to the other impound yard. Ms. Doubtfire behind the counter is super cheerful. I felt like slappin the smile off her fat face.
My van just got towed, how about dialing the “Cheer” down a notch or two sweetie.

We pay our fine and fees and go in the yard to get the vans. Guess What....the battery is dead in the old van. It can’t be jumped. It’s dead!

Cut another check and get a battery. But we better hurry because it's 3:50.

After I get all the vehicles out of the impound drop of my guy, and get home. I'm toast. I had $3000 set aside for business emergencies all winter and I was at $3150 and it was November 14th.

FEELING GOOD AGAIN!!

That was OK because I had a sales meeting before work the next day with a potential customer that could get us on track for profits. He agreed to meet me at 6:15 AM so I can still get to work by 7:30 AM for my conference call.

Every cloud has a silver lining. I was able to get myself out of my mood, and I'm feeling good again. You can’t keep a good man down.

I wake up early (3:00 AM) preparing and reviewing the information for my sales pitch. I read it over 10 times (because you have about a 10 second window to make your first impression), it has to go flawless. I'm going to sell this guy like Giovanni Ribisi in Boiler Room. I look in the mirror before I leave, tighten the tie – and I am Boiler Room. I’m Ari Gold about to close this deal!

I rush outside to the Bat Mobile precisely at 5:45 AM.. I hit the car alarm….guess what……….

All I could do at that point was laugh, turn on the TV, pop in Entourage Season 2 and zone out for an hour before I regrouped got my tire fixed and headed to Cubes R Us. Sales meeting postponed, tire fixed, I'm recharged ready to kick ass.

So as I write these details and remember the events from that day; it fuels me. I'm fired up all over again. One more emergency and my business is wiped out' but I feel more confident then ever.

I can't be stopped. Am I crazy, F&$%K yeah! But the potential is there.

No regrets. All I need is one small break, and Wash and Roll will survive.....I just have to hang in long enough for the break.

Don’t break, before the break; and I have no plans to do so.

-MJL


Small Business
towing
Nuff Said Outfitters
Millionaire
Rich

One leg of the Empire.....Still losing $$$

Dang, Dang, Dang! (I'm trying to watch my language). Jim Rohn says, I can alienate potential readers by using foul language and I don't want to do that.

However, I'm pissed! My mobile Wash Company (www.washandroll.com) is still losing money at a steady clip. Thank God, gas is cheap. I can't tell you how happy I was to see $1.99 on the sign of my local gas station. I was so happy - well here's a clip of how happy I was:




Ok, seriously....the gas prices being cut in half is equivalent to me getting a new account. Just enough to keep me alive.

So what has the Self Proclaimed Hard Worker, Future Millionaire, Mogul in training done about the situation?

Not nearly enough. If I had, I would be writing a happier post.

Listed below are the 5 actions I have taken so far:

1st – WORKERS COMP INSURANCE
I got my workers compensation insurance. This was a big deal because we could not perform any subcontracting truck washing work without it. That was a huge effort because it involved an audit, and getting tax returns from the IRS. It’s hard as heck, to call the IRS while you are at work. Especially when you are at work in a cube 

2nd – SALES LITERATURE
I produced a top notch company description booklet. It’s a little more then a brochure with policies, insurance documents, customer referrals and pictures of work we’ve done.

3rd – MEET WITH UNITED MOBILE (The company we wish to sub-contract for).
I blasted out of work 2 Thursdays ago and met with one of the company heads. He was impressed with the information booklet I prepared. YES! – I was pumped! Our personalities gelled and I left feeling good. I didn't leave with work, or an account, but I left with a good feeling. I will take what I can get.


4th – FIND AN INDOOR FACILITY TO DO AUTO DETAILING
After months and months of building a relationship with the attendant (who’s uncle owns the gas station), I get gas from every day. I made a deal with him, to use his garage bay to let us detail cars. I worked out a percentage deal, from each car we detail versus a monthly rental fee. This was key, because right now, "I ain't got no cars".


5th – PURSUE DEALERSHIP ACCOUNTS FOR DETAILING
Here is my weakness. Your boy doesn't feel confident selling. Everyone I meet thinks I'm a great salesman, or would make a great salesman but I'm not. The good part is, I have no choice. There is nothing like desperation for motivation. So Friday, I put it down. I had a sales call with the guy in charge of a huge dealership. I was Nervous Nellie! There were hundreds of dollars per week vested in this call. This call was three weeks in the making; and it all came down to one 4 minute call.

After the first 10 seconds, it was like one used car guy talking to another. We were both trying to sell ourselves. I fell into my swag, and was trying my hardest to close the deal without sounding desperate.

At the end of the call he concluded that we were not big enough to handle him.
DAMN! It did not help that I dropped the call twice on my handy dandy T-mobile. Thanks to my job for switching service for cost savings. Imagine one of the biggest most intense phone calls of the month and you realize that the last 2 minutes of conversation that no one was on the other end of the phone. Not to mention your potential customer feels like an idiot. After the second drop, I knew it was a no deal, but I kept trying.


Now that I'm over the hump, I’m ready to try again. I mean really, if I’m trying to be a millionaire, and eventually a billionaire, a thousand dollar call should be routine. I have given presentations before in front of 100 of people in 4 differnt countries. It's time to pull up my skirt, grab my balls, and make it happen.

I will promise my readers that I will make at least one sales presentation per week. I know that seems light, but it took me three weeks to set up Friday's call! It's hard to get to the guy who makes the decisions anyone else you talk to is a waste of time. That's true for most sales call.

WHEN WILL I STOP?

When will I cut my loses? Hmmmm.....Not sure if I ever will. I believe in this business and I have put a lot of heart, soul and money. It might be stupid to keep losing money, but if that’s the case I was a Big Dummy years ago.

I don't really know the meaning of quit. No, I take that back. I do when it doesn't make sense. For instance: I-Garage. Didn't make sense. The concept was great but it didn't make sense to continue and it was clear. I had no problem scrapping the idea and writing off the financial loss. Wash and Roll still makes sense! The upside potential is huge, and until I think otherwise, or can't afford it - I will be a fool.

-Nothing can resist a man who will place even his existence on his purpose.
Translation (Rich or Nothing or “Insert Goal here” or Nothing)

Workaholic
Routine
Nuff Said Outfitters
Millionaire
Rich


-MJL

OBAMA SERIOUS AND NOT SO SERIOUS

OBAMA ON A SERIOUS NOTE

So thus far I have managed to stay away from political views on this blog. The main reason being that I didn’t want to succumb to the catty banter that I see on other blogs, however I would be doing myself and my readers a great disservice if I did not take the time to mention the impacts of this weeks election. …..as well as the many requests for my views. (Thanks, I’m flattered)

I’m not afraid to admit that I voted for Obama – unlike many of my co-workers. I didn't vote for him because he’s black, but because he was the best candidate, and his team executed their game plan like the Mutha-F’in A-Team. They set out with a goal and accomplished it. Throw a Mo-hawk and some chains on Barack and you have B.A. Baracus and Biden can be Hannibal Smith.

There is a lot of people who say the didnt' vote for Obama, but just like a 50 Cent album, you can't sell 10 million copies and not have all races spending their money.

This victory is extremely symbolic ….now you can truly look at your children and tell them that “They can be anything they want when they grow up” and mean it. How many times have you heard that expression, or even said it yourself and you knew that it was a crock of shit. I have heard it, and I knew the person telling me that crap didn’t mean it. I might have been in third grade and the teacher told me, "You can do anything and be anything you want". My response was, "B#$tch please!"

The events of election night even surprised me. I am so proud and impressed with the people of our nation and their ability to look past race an elect a president such as Obama. I am proud to be an American.


I am reluctant to call him the first “Black” president. Only because he is as much black as he is white. He is as much young as he is mature. He’s in touch with all religions and has the charisma and swagger to do the job. He’s young enough to adapt when and where the occasion calls for it.

Can he do a better job did McCain?

That really doesn’t matter anymore does it? He is our president and I plan to support him and this country for four years to come.

OBAMA ON A LIGHTER NOTE.

Living in the Metropolitan Detroit area where the unemployment rate in some regions is as high as 8%, black people think that having a black president means that he’s going to be All Powerful – like Sho-nuff (If you don't know who he is, rent "The Last Dragon" and then wait for the remake!).



They expect Obama to have super powers and make weaves free, and all trucks to come with complimintary spinners. He’s going to have the power and snap his fingers and give people educations, better spending habits, improved diets, make jobs plentiful and stop teen pregnancy and drug abuse. People were partying like they just hit the lottery….and so was I.



I have to admit I was and still am caught up in the possibilities!! Maybe he can!

……so understanding that sentiment is essential for the background of the story…..


So I walk into KFC. I haven’t been in a KFC in probably 1 year or so, but I figure I could get a decent salad. In the middle of my 92% white neighborhood there is 100% black people working at KFC. They got the music pumping and I walk in and the girl and the guy behind the counter say “YES WE CAN!!”.

I start laughing and order a chicken salad. The girl leans over and whispers, “The salads been in there for like 3 days”. So I change my order to the grilled chicken wrap. She shakes her head and bunches her nose in disgust, “NO, you don’t want that”. Then she says the popcorn chicken is fresh. “Ok I guess, I will take a small”. She then says, “In favor of Obama, I’m gonna hook you up with a large! Then the guy preparing my order throws in a free large fries.
Then they both look at each other and say , “YES WE CAN”.

At this point I’m laughing my ass off. As a business owner, and a generally decent person I understand how wrong that is on so many levels, not that I haven’t done it before in my McDonald days, but I just had to enjoy the moment. I don’t even eat that stuff but I went home, pulled out the bar-b-Que sauce and the ketchup (condiments I have retired for almost 1year) and said to myself, “YES I CAN” and dug in to my free meal, compliments of Obama.

His first day in office and I got a free dinner.

Let’s see McCain pull that one off.


-MJL

Obama
Election
Nuff Said Outfitters
Millionaire
RichUSA

BUY A SHIRT- OVER 100 DESIGNS AVAILABLE

THE BIG "THREE FOUR"

As I talk about my sister's birthday (In my last post), my birthday was not too far behind. I hit the big "Three Four" Monday. I vowed to be rich or independently wealthy by 35. That's 359 days and counting. I better get moving.

I look at being 34 like starting a new career.

"What???", you ask.

Stay with me....This week is the first week on the job of being 34 years old. I will have this job for 359 more days. Get it now?

But this isn't like other jobs, I have been doing a similar job for 33 years already! I'm a professional. This means that everything I do, every move I make, has 33 years of experience behind it.

How can I not get reach my goals! If I don't know the answer, or if I don't know what to do in a certain situation, I at least know who knows. 33 years of training for this new job, tells me that there isn't any situation that I can't handle. I might need help, but I am smart enough to know I need help when I need it.

OK, you're with me now! So everything I eat, I know from 33 years of experience what it's going to do to my body. Cake is going to make me fat! I know it. If I don't work out and eat a lot of cake, I will get fat!

If I drive too fast too often, I get a speeding ticket! I know it. 33 years of experience for this job tells me “Slow your ass down”.

Therefore, there is a higher responsibility put on all my decisions. With that responsibility comes confidence and a humble swagger with 33 years of horsepower behind it.

(Sorry, for those hip-hop illiterate readers: Swagger 202 up, 70 down
Swagger is to to move with confidence, sophistication and to be cool.
Swagger is to conduct your self in a way that would automaticaly earn respect
To dress in a very stylish and quirkily fasionable way would suggest one is swagger. Still OK to use - Not like Bling which is dead )


Every move I make has experience, swagger, charisma and life experience behind it. How powerful is that! I have become that person I have always wanted to be. And part of becoming that person, is wanting to become better everyday, and getting better at becoming better.


Success is attracted and is attractive. Successful people attract success. Becoming a millionaire isn't the goal, it's what "I" become, or who "you" become when we are millionaires. It's that person that will be created, while creating the fortune. That's what's important.

Have you ever wondered how millionaires can lose their fortunes and make another fortune a few years later? Because they have gained the skills, the swagger and the experience needed to do the job.

This is very analogous to cooking a Thanksgiving day meal.
The first time you got cook books open, pots and pans everywhere. Your measuring shzit, burning stuff up. It takes forever. But after you get the first one done...OH LOOK OUT. You are writing your own recipes! You are putting a dash of your own seasonings, adding stuff, flipping and bouncing that Turkey around the kitchen like a ghetto Martha Stewart. You don't even taste it as much because you already know the shzit is going to be on point. It takes you 1/4 the time and you probably do it better.

Do you see the similarities! Now that's food for thought, Bread for the head.



359 days and counting.......

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have arrived. I just need the $999,999.99 to go with my swagger.

-MJL