The Ninja Mindset Archives - The At Home Couple

Reminder: Your Most Valuable Asset is You

We want you I love when I get inspired by fellow bloggers and random online people during my day-to-day scuffles on the interweb. Those unexpected moments of inspiration, if harnessed and absorbed, will turn into a full tank of optimistic fuel that will CRUSH whatever challenges or goals lay dormant ahead.

Earlier this afternoon I was eating lunch (at my desk) and snapped a quick pic to blast on Facebook. I’m not sure what exactly happened, but I looked at the picture I posted up and realized that I’m no longer working at home on the roller coaster of self-employment. How I managed to snag a job doing what I do – internet marketing and blogging – is beyond me, or at least that’s what I initially felt right then and there.

For you to fully understand where I’m going with this, let me break a few things down…

Last October I wrote a post called How to Keep Your Hustle on Point in 2011, and one thing that’s always stuck out for me is the topic of you being your most valuable asset, personal branding and putting your face “out there”, because you never know WHO is watching you [online].

Now I’m not exactly the type who practices everything I rant about, but I’d like to think that the art of “putting it out there” is in my DNA.

Thinking back, it all kind of makes sense. From quitting my job to learning the necessary skills to advance in the industry, I’ve always positioned myself for who I am rather than what I can do, to get to the next level. Here’s a little timeline:

2003, 2004 – I got accepted into music school without a demo or formal training because I sold them on my dedication and years of self-teaching.

2004, 2006 – I started selling myself and my music and collaborating with artists all over the globe via Myspace without ever releasing an album.

2007, 2008 – I quit my job, started a blog and positioned myself to bloggers and marketers who were already experienced, and in turn taught me what they know.

2009 – I started several web businesses without any credibility and relied on my word and ability to not sleep for 30+ hours to get me by.

2010 – I connected with a local SEO expert on a personal level, who in turn took me under his wing and schooled me on the wonderful world of search marketing.

2011 – I positioned myself and my informal, real world experience to a web agency who gave me an opportunity to do my thing (with salary and perks).

As I read what I’ve just typed, it amazes me that a guy who dropped out of 12th grade twice, drank his way through music school (and graduated) and enjoys talking about midgets and mushrooms has made it this far. I mean, the ride isn’t anywhere close to being over but I think I’d like to stay on for a few more rounds before I get off [the Ferris wheel].

I am my most valuable asset, and guess what… So are you! If you’re not getting ahead or the opportunities don’t seem to be lining up the way you’d like them to, stop trying to get by on what you can do and start showing people who you are, where you’ve been and where you’re going.

Know what I mean?

I’m not even sure, but I know I feel better now that I’ve blasted these thoughts onward, into the infoverse.

Cheers,

Elijah

7 Ways To Keep Your Hustle On Point in 2011

Pimp slap your way to the top! Sit down and get ready, because I’m in the mood to write like nobodies business!

Sure – the average person thinks of a hustler as being some 5 foot 2, shady black dude with greasy hair and suede shoes. Though this “character” brings me tons of joy in the form of Snoop Dog and Premium Pimp Suits – I’m referring to the mindset of a hustler and how important it is to keep the “do or die” survival attitude, especially when times are not so great.

I’d like to remind everyone reading this (especially those of you who are still struggling to get things popping online) that in 2011, if you don’t hustle like your home is about to be foreclosed, you will never make it in the years that lie ahead. As much as I am writing this to you, and am repeating this to myself as well.

Why is 2011 the year to HUSTLE your HARDEST?

Because EVERYONE and there mother is hustling. Your aunt is on Facebook running a group about arts and crafts while you’re little nephew is raising money online for his school’s theater program. This is a fast paced, technology infused world we live in – and if you’re game isn’t on point, you’re money situation will blow goats and you’ll be a loser just like me (sometimes).

I figured to stay on top of things I should make a list of reminders or “best practices” to follow when my hustle juice is running low – so why not put it up on the blog and share it with the best readers in the world (that would be you)?

7 Things You Need to Hustle in 2011

Hustle the living crap out of your passions. I know the whole “hustle” and “passion” thing is quite popular with guys like Gary V, but those who know Veronica and I know that passion has been the name of the game for us since day one. I’m passionate about music, business, ideas and technology. She’s is passionate about architecture, design, crafts and functionality. These are the areas where our hustle juice should flow 80% of the time moving forward.
Keep yourself looking pimp at all times. The truth is, the better you look, the more confident you will be the better you will feel. This includes weekly shaving (men and women), showers and clean clothes. If you hate doing laundry like me, keep your outfits clean enough that you can rotate effectively and where each item a little longer. If something starts to smell – wash it. If a shirt is only “decent” – iron it so it looks fresh.
Purchase nothing without finding a deal first. Perfect example, we’re taking a road trip soon and need to replace our tires. Veronica hustled online, made a bunch of phone calls, and found a great deal – saving over $100 compared to a major tire installation package. That hundred dollars can now be put back into the hustle machine and used for something else. Goal scored for the home team.
What you put in, you will get out. Pretty self explanatory. The better you eat, the better you feel and the more “regular” you are. What you read, watch and absorb through your senses will directly reflect in your behavior – so stay away from CNN and Halo Reach every now and then – because violence and fear, as much as it makes for great entertainment, is not good for your soul.
Surround yourself by other hustlers. My good friend and skype buddy SuiteJ reminded me of this in a convo last night – if you’re always hanging out with negative, broke people – you’ll always be negative and broke (something like that). Surround yourself with people who have just as much drive as you do. Spend time with those who love and support you as well as those who you can directly benefit from – and don’t be ashamed of this.
Stay on the low down, when permitting. A huge part of having a good hustle is the ability speak with your actions, and only get into details when absolutely necessary. Don’t go around telling people how great your business is doing and what you’re working on – I have a bad habit of always talking work, and it’s time that became more strategic. Speak by getting shit done – period.
You are your most valuable asset. If you are not in the game of branding yourself, then it’s time to step things up. Get your online accounts in check and up to date. Always have business cards – even if you work for the man in some cubicle – print out some cards with your name, current job title and personal email etc. If you don’t have a blog, start one – because you never know who is looking you up on or off line.

What are some things you feel is CRUCIAL for the ultimate HUSTLE?

Do the comment thing below – let’s take this list to 50!

Cheers,

Elijah

Fact: An Alpaca Could Make Money Doing This…

Shit – I really lost track on keeping the Passive Income Project posts up to date with my actual site, so let me be the first to apologize!

The videos haven’t been canceled, just temporarily postponed while I’m paying off some debts and expanding a couple of partnerships in the offline SEO market. One of the reasons I am so busy serves as the topic of this particular rant…

FREELANCE ARBITRAGE.

Rather than write out a long post, I typed up a quick start PDF that will take you through step by step on the mindset and tools needed to make money using this method. This is the absolute real deal, and If you’re not taking advantage of others peoples services and market demand, you’re missing out on an easy way to make hands off money using your computer and a comfortable pair of pajamas.

Click HERE to download my little money making report.

If you’re familiar with this method and would like to elaborate on what I’ve laid out, please share your expertise below!

Cheers,

Elijah

Square: The Payment Game Is About To Change For Offline Businesses

Surfing around Twitterland can be quite educational – not to mention the fact that you’re getting real time info from some of the webs most influential movers and shakers. Keeping this in mind, I stumbled accross a tweet from Kevin Rose, who was replying to Jim (creator of Twitter) about a website called SquareUp.com.

As an entrepreneur, one of the biggest challenges faced is implementing a transparent, efficient and accurate payment gateway. In the world of offline business – where physical products and interaction are the name of the game – this becomes even more crucial. Enter Square: A new technology which allows business owners to accept card-based payments directly from a mobile device – so long as it has an audio jack.

I can’t even begin to describe the feeling running through my veins right now. Not that I would ever have any use for their products and services, as 100% of my business is virtual and online, but that’s besides the point.

I am a junkie for innovation, creativity and overall awesomeness – and I am officially (with zero credibility) claiming Square to be the most groundbreaking start up for 2010.

I have a really good feeling about these guys!

Please head over to Square and see for yourself.

Cheers,

Elijah

I Made $800 Profit For Under 20 Hours Of Work

Wow, so I’ve officially written my first “how to make xxx dollars” post title, and though I should feel accomplished, I actually feel kind of cheesy for doing so. Regardless, the title of this post is fact – yesterday I profited around $800 for 20 or so hours of work.

No, I didn’t sell my beard trimmings to a scientific laboratory for the purposes of creating a perfect being, nor did I sell a bunch of iphone knock-offs on eBay. I made this money doing what I do best – developing and selling niche websites online.

Website flipping, or whatever you want to call it, has been a primary source of our monthly income for the last several months, along side our growing Adsense portfolio. Though the Sitepoint marketplace is getting saturated, primarily due to the natural hype of the Internet and a handful of crappy site flipping ebooks (not including any of my readers who’ve shared their techniques) there is still tons of room for you to step in and make your move.

Here’s the catch – in order to survive in any business, especially one which resides in the madness which we call the Internet, you have to be willing to think like Wayne Gretzky – and put yourself where the puck is going to be. Remaining one step ahead of the game will ensure that your business, regardless of the model, has the tenacity to survive the inevitable hoards of hopefuls who jump on board once word spreads that your “model” is highly profitable.

Elijah, what the fuck does Wayne Gretzky have to do with you making $800 yesterday?

Absolutely everything – and here’s why:

Regular people trying to make money online do the following…

Follow what they are told, step by step.
Refuse experimentation because they fear the consequence is irreparable.
Once they make money, they fall victim to comfort.
Quantity over quality.
They see proven methods in a single dimension, and fail to develop their own unique back end model to create foundation, stability and adaptability within the changing marketplace.
When shit gets tough, they drop ship and move onto the next method.

People who will actually succeed at making money online do the following?

Follow what they are told step by step for the first little while. Once confident, they begin to tweak.
Often jump in head first to see how quick they hit bottom. Usually they won’t.
Are constantly driven by personal and business goals. They don’t get comfortable because they value their accomplishments so much that the thought of failing is not even an option.
Find a harmonious balance between quantity and quality – with quality always a few steps ahead.
They observe each business model and method from every angle, often developing several layers beneath the initial point of sale or contact. This also creates the opportunity for them to eventually remove themselves from the equation and enjoy the profits in a “hands-off” fashion.
When shit gets tough – they find a brown paper bag, a lighter, an unsuspecting neighbor, and continue towards their destination.

So where am I getting at with this? Well, as some of you know I’m a co-conspirator, good friend and proud student of SuiteJ – also known as Big Head. A week back Jay and I were talking on Skype regarding the completion of NicheOnDemand.com, my back end site flip foundation, and he was giving me some advice regarding how I should present the packages and various other ideas surrounding that. Jay mentioned that I should consider providing some sort of bundle option on a recurring basis i.e. get 3 unique niche sites per month for x amount of dollars.

At first I thought to myself there is no way someone will pay $700-$1000 per month for website packages. But instead of dismissing the idea, I took it to heart and let it simmer on the back burner.

A couple days later I listed two new site flips that were recently completed and continued on with my day. Less than 24 hours after listing the sites I received a pm from a woman we’ll call “Jersey” – Jersey informed me that she had placed bids on both of my auctions and was really interested in what else I had floating around.

Well one thing lead to another and after a few pm’s back and forth I secured a 3 site bundled sale with Jersey, and had a phone meeting arranged to discuss ideas and to get acquainted (communication is the difference between good and great). Not only did Jersey grab a 3 site bundle from me, but we also spent an hour talking about future projects and idea’s she has (she’s super creative) for another site.

Here’s where the icing gets put on the cake…

I spent the entire day yesterday with my favorite person in the whole world, my grandma, and came home not only to see the payment of $775 from Jersey, but also that one of the sites I listed had sold at BIN for $297 to an awesome guy we’ll call “Hunter” who I just got off the phone with, and is a Broadcast Journalist in New York who’s looking to start a network of news related blogs.

That my friends is how I made $800 profit for about 20 hours of work. Rather than dismiss the idea suggested by Jay, I let it sit and continued on with my business. Opportunity knocked, I did what I do best, revisited his advice and benefited from it, even though I initially thought otherwise.

4 websites which takes around 4-5 hours per site to put together, and $200 in outsourcing and expenses equals $800 in profit for 20 hours of work.

“A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.” – Wayne Gretzky.

For those of you who doubt my ninja skills – eat a dick. But for all you “earnings screenshot” whores, here’s your fix! Click for the full size image.

Cheers,

Elijah

The Ninja Mindset – Protecting Your Affiliate Links

The Ninja Mindset Ninjutsu was developed as a collection of fundamental survivalist techniques during political turmoil in ancient Japan. The main character (Nin 忍) is translated as stealth, secretiveness, endurance, and perseverance, while the second character (Jutsu 術) means art or technique. Based on these interpretations, It would be safe to say that most successful affiliate marketers practice some form of Ninjutsu in one way, shape or form – they just don’t know it yet. Now it’s time for me to school all you greasy gurus on The Ninja Mindset and how it relates to affiliate marketing:

You have to be stealth amongst your competition.

You must be secretive with your top performing niches.

You need endurance to adapt with the changes in technology.

You must persevere and be consistent with your actions and words.

You need to build your own technique using proven fundamentals.

There are 18 disciplines that must be mastered within Ninjutsu training, and today we are going to talk about the 11th discipline, Shinobi-iri, which is the art of stealth and entering methods. Stealth is often overlooked in the ebooks of affiliate marketing, but it’s a vital skill when it comes to protecting your links from hijackers, as well as making it less painful to update existing links – should your affiliate networks change anything. This is where affiliate link redirecting can make your life easier while increasing the efficiency of your online business.

When a targeted individual ends up on your blog or website, ultimately you want them to do one thing – click. Taking into consideration that most androids and shopaholics surfing the web are savvy enough to recognize a shifty looking url, your contextual links will not perform as well as they could because of the long-ass links companies like Amazon provide you with. Here’s an example of bad link vs good link:

http://www.amazon.com/jd3ekd88payme76=383i3f9jdsuperfly.html

http://www.yoursite.com/go/jump.php?m=amazon

Pretty obvious right? Now there are tons of software scripts that you can purchase such as Affiliate Link Cloaker which is $59, or Amazing Link Cloaker for $65, blah, blah, blah (funny how they sound the same). Here’s what I say, visit SteveDawson.com and check out his PHP Affiliate Jump Script – it’s free and it works like a charm. I know zip about PHP and I downloaded the script, and had it configured in 15 minutes. Here’s what you need to do step-by-step:

Visit the site and download the script (jump.zip)
Save the zip file to your desktop or folder of choice and extract the contents to your desired location (I have every folder on my server duplicated locally on my computer, so it’s easier when uploading). You should get a file called jump.php
Log onto your FTP or web hosting provider (Godaddy, Hostgator,etc..) and create a new directory within the root (if your root folder is “Poverty101.net” you want to create a folder within there called “referral” or “go” or something along those lines – just don’t name the folder “redirect” for obvious reasons!
Double click the jump.php file that you saved on your computer and replace the the required lines of script with your affiliate link information. Below you’ll see 3 lines that start with an “if” statement. On the first “if” statement line you want to replace the area I’ve colored blue with your domain name and directory. So if you created the directory “referral” then you want to enter within the quotes http://www.poverty101.net/referral/ – and don’t forget the trailing forward slash. That’s it for the first line.
The second and third lines of code starting with “if” can be copied and pasted as many times as needed for each affiliate product you have (for example if you have 15 affiliate products, you will have 15 “if” statement lines below the first one) All you do from here is copy and paste as many lines as needed, replace the area I’ve colored in yellow with your ID of choice for the product like “wordtracker” or “hostgator”, and then within the quotes replace the url I’ve colored green with the affiliate link for each related product. It’s that simple.

$m = $_GET[‘m’];
if ($m == “”) {$link = “http://www.stevedawson.com/mobiles/“;} // Default Blank
if ($m == “Just Phones“) {$link = “http://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?mid=97&id=38362“;}
if ($m == “UKPhoneShop“) {$link = “http://tracker.tradedoubler.com/click?p=985&a=949731&g=5119“;}

Once you’ve updated the jump.php file on your computer, save it and upload it into the directory you created. Once you’ve uploaded the file, test it out. Type into your browser http://www.yoursitename.com/directoryname/jump.php?m=productname and witness the stealth madness of this awesome script. Click here to see it in action.

The Ninja Mindset can be adapted to any area of your business, just as I did above. I knew I needed to protect my assets so I did some research, tested a few things out, and now I can be comfortable putting affiliate links out there knowing that they are safe and stealth – while proving you guys with some great content at the same time. It’s a win-win situation!

Cheers,

Elijah