When the 'Dot Com' bubble burst in the year 2000 and the stock market crashed, the venture capital money for many startup firms, including the one I had a software development contract with - dried up.  In the following year, I found myself at age 53 searching for a job in the middle of an economic recession.  Feeling exasperated, I looked outside my industry and trained for something totally different.  I was attracted to something that gave me a sense of adventure.

I was given the opportunity to change my vocation to driving big-rig trucks cross country - which I did.  My choice became a 2 million mile adventure spread through 47 States.  I've never regretted making that career changing decision, but sometimes - after paying bills - I'd have way too much month left at the end of my money.  Initially, the job paid a lot less than what I had earned in my previous career.  Having more expenses than income - sucks!  So, I started looking for ways to earn additional income.

As a typical 'over the road' truck driver who was away from home days or weeks at a time, I could never take on a second job whenever I needed to earn extra income to get ahead of my bills.  Since I was thinking with the 'mindset of a typical employee' who 'trades time for pay,' I couldn't see a solution to my problem, well not at first, but then...  

While having a conversation about 'how to generate more income' with a fellow truck driver he told me about his portfolio of rental properties spread along the i-70 Interstate Freeway corridor.  Each of the homes he bought, fixed up and rented out were spread along the trucking route that he's been running for years.  He said; "...once they're paid off, I'll net more income from the rentals than I get paid as a driver."  When he said that - it opened my eyes and I started to day-dream about owning rental income properties - imagining how that would help!

I followed my friend's example and began searching for foreclosure properties.  The properties that I could afford at the time and bought from banks were mostly vacant, run down and in desperate need of renovations.  Because I was gone most of the time I found others to do the work for me while I kept driving.  

Fortunately, mobile communication technology with Internet access gradually improved enough to make it possible for me to remotely... 

• • trade in the financial markets from anywhere 

  • build and manage a portfolio of rental income properties

  • oversee my own small fleet of leased trucks (owner-operators) with my lap-top

  • monitor a small portfolio of 'self-managing' micro-businesses that operate independently from me

The most important thing that changed for me - was my 'MINDSET.'  

Instead of thinking like an employee and asking how I could trade more of my time for a bigger paycheck, I started asking myself; "How can I get ____________ done without 'ME' doing it?"  If I can do it - then someone else can do it too, can do it for me and maybe even better!  

Like Zig Ziglar once said; "You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want."  That thought process led me to discover how to think like an entrepreneur who appreciates the value of digital workflow systems that enable others to get what they want by producing the results I need.  For me, that concept was profound and life changing.  It led me to develop CompanyAxis.Systems to run on the  Claris Connect and FileMaker® platform. 

Now in my 70's, I buy small businesses and sponsor a team that can help you turn most any business into a self-managing company.  I enjoy helping others learn my simple ways to work on a business of your own without actually working in it.  If you need a way to earn an income without having to show up and perform a task... 

We should talk.