6/29/2007
4 Hour Work Week Review
Yesterday Chris Knudsen and I went out to lunch. He said he had finished reading the 4 Hour Workweek on a plane a few days before and he kept thinking “This is John Jonas” as he read it.
Last night I finished reading it.
A few thoughts.
1. The stuff he says in the book is possible for anyone.
2. It’s not as easy as he makes it sound (what ever is?).
3. Making a lot of money, and then taking “mini-retirements” is VERY possible.
Read pages 166-176 where Tim gives a system for testing a product before putting up money to have it manufactured.
Basically it involves
- Find a market
- Find a need/product in that market
- Put up a short sales page online
- Put up an order page after the sales page where someone thinks they’re going to buy (but don’t collect their credit card info)
- Advertise on Google Adwords
- Track sales
Most people get stuck on
- Find a product
- Put up a sales page
Here’s how to solve them:
- In an area you know something about (golf, scrapbooking, construction, health, diet, souping up cars, paper, …), pick a product you know people want/need. IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT IT IS. Just pick something. Once you’ve done it and failed once, finding another product and succeeding the second time is much easier.
- Write a headline, 2 sub-headlines, and about 500 words of sales copy. Then hire someone on elance.com to put it on a website for you (it’l cost you between $100-$500).
Simple.
So why am I writing this “review”? Because Tim put onto paper a bunch of ideas/thoughts I’ve had over the past years/months. Because I’m planning my first extended trip overseas right now (because of the book). Because it’s something you should read.
Because tons of people are reading this book right now but after they’re done with it, nothing changes. They just go back to their J-O-B and talk about how it would be cool if they could actually do what Tim talks about.
You Can!
PS. Please don’t come to me asking me to help you sell your idea unless:
- You’ve already done (or are willing to do) a significant amount of work on it
- You’re willing to give me half of your business
[tags]4 hour workweek, 4 hour work week, four hour workweek, four hour work week, timothy ferris[/tags]
Filed under Business Ideas, Reviews by John
Comments on 4 Hour Work Week Review »
Chris Sandberg @ 4:59 pm
I also recently read this book, and thought is was a great read. I especially liked his ideas about mini-vacations and how the new rich value mobility. I could defiantly relate to the author. I’ve have always wanted to travel but always thought I should wait until I had a lot more money. I am living in the Philippines right now, but will return next month. After reading this book I was so excited I started planning my mini-vacation return to the Philippines to explore all the white sand beaches and scuba diving areas here.
Todd @ 12:37 pm
i’m skeptical about this book, but after reading so many positive reviews i think i’ll have to read it
Chris @ 10:41 pm
Dude, I wish I were you (and you know I’m serious!)
Keep up the great work!
Rena @ 6:30 pm
Just finishing your post. It is very fresh.
I have a question for you. When you said “hire someone on elance.com to put it on a website for you (it’l cost you between $100-$500).”, that means that they write sale copy or you write sale copy, they just help you post on the web?