I recently came across this quote pic that said “Don’t compare your Chapter 1 to someone else’s Chapter 20.” This made me think back on past projects I attempted that didn’t go quite as planned yet contributed to the development of who I am and what I do today. Sometimes I reference to these attempts as “failed projects” but they really aren’t because I did gain experience and skills from them in the end. I’m going to briefly go over my past projects so you can see what I am talking about. Perhaps you can even relate!
I want to note that all these projects were conducted while I was in school so I was not pressed for generating income. Once I left school I realized I needed to be more serious about my efforts than ever before which made me think critically about intertwining my passion with generating income. As a result I have launched Grow With Lauren Ell which has been successful and I know will only become more developed as time goes on.
Here we go…
Living But Dead Magazine
Religious magazine I published in print format quarterly. Launched at 15 years old, two years of production, abandoned due to lack of interest.
Experience gained:
- Composing print magazine
- Developing network of writers
Lesson learned:
- Print is expensive and impossible to change once published
- Religious perspective changes
Culture Club/F.A.M.E. Connection
Culture Club was a club I launched in high school at 16 years old to bring students together to learn about cultures across the world. I abandoned it when I graduated high school. In college I launched F.A.M.E. Connection which was a club that emphasized entertainment in my community. I abandoned it when I transferred to university.
Experience gained:
- Networking with staff and students
- Marketing and promotion techniques
- Event planning and venue selection
- Communication
Lessons learned:
- Location matters when starting direct networking groups – if you’re not going to live there long then there is little point in starting a group!
Travel Atmosphere
A Youtube channel I launched to upload videos I produced about unique travel locations, hotels, restaurants, etc. Launched at 20 years old, abandoned due to lack of interest.
Experience gained:
- Video editing
- On camera hosting and conducting interviews
- Marketing and promotion
- Business communication
Lessons learned:
- Traveling requires capital
- Location owners can be hesitant about video production
There was a primary theme throughout all of these projects that I became enamored with: MARKETING. Every project I worked on involved some kind of marketing whether it was street promo, online advertising, passing out business cards, attending networking meetings, etc. I was constantly thinking of ways to share my projects with others which has led me to obtaining skills and knowledge in Online Marketing.
Do I wish I could go back and erase these attempts? Absolutely not.
About the author:Lauren Ell
Ell is an Online Marketing consultant based in Southern California. She shares online business opportunities to generate income as well as assists small and large companies develop their marketing strategies. Contact Lauren Ell directly or follow her on Twitter or Facebook.