My Story
by KEVON WILSON
My name is Kevon and I’d like to welcome you to Job-2-Joy.com.
I’ve always had this innate, burning desire to be my own boss; to run my own business. But there was one big obstacle (or at least I thought it was an obstacle) – I hated sales. I just do not have the personality to simply approach someone and convince them that they need to buy something from me, whether they needed to or not.
My first experience with sales was selling investments and insurance. I was a total failure at that. And at my job as Senior Analyst, I often had the opportunity to fly all over the world (Europe, United Kingdom, USA, Africa, Caribbean, etc.) meeting people at conferences, trade shows, and networking events. Networking was a complete chore for me. Meeting new people and selling myself and my company was a big put off for me. Unfortunately, selling and networking are critical components of developing a successful business.
In addition, I hated having to deal one-on-one with demanding and often very rude customers. So, I told myself that I didn’t have what it took to be in business for myself.
However, the desire to be my own boss, to shed the 9-to-5 predicament, and to really start enjoying life was still burning within me. I didn’t have the capital or a fairy God-mother. I hated sales – I was a real introvert in this regard and hated the idea of pedaling products from door to door.
My first attempt at building a business was back in 2005-2006 when my really close friend Kevin had a business idea and wanted me to partner with him. I jumped at the opportunity. He would take care of the sales and I would deal with the other administrative and business issues. Perfect? Wrong! This was a failure for me. The recession hit in 2008 and business was already slow. And I found that I just couldn’t avoid having to sell. How else were we going to eat? I soon found myself completely broke, after investing close to a $100,000, not to mention the time, effort and energy it took to get going. But I loved my friend, he was like a brother to me and I wanted it to work so badly but alas, it was not to be. Kevin held on for as long as he could but unfortunately, I had to embark on other adventures sooner rather than later.
For some time, I had a nagging question at the back of my mind – how could I develop a business where I don’t have to sell directly to people? How could I earn money while I slept? I would imagine myself waking up in the morning and seeing more money in my account. The only solution was doing business online. But most online businesses involved having to deal with customers, push products, hold stock or create some sort of proprietary product or service.
The Internet was the Only Lifeline
I’ve always known about the opportunities and possibilities that existed on the Internet. However, I only really started searching around while I was unemployed and struggling to get work. The Internet seemed like the only lifeline available. After a bit of research, I discovered exactly how I could earn a living online. I explored several opportunities and learned that drop shipping was a viable option for me. I didn’t have to keep stock. No packaging and handling was involved. Just connect with the customer and get them to buy from my site. Easy right?
I posted several ads on Craigslist targeting cities all over the US. It took me several weeks before I made my first sale. A surfboard for beginners. I made just under $50. The surfboard was $250 and I sold it for $299. I was excited to say the least. And my outlook took on a new perspective. I was motivated to do more. But alas, that sale seemed like a fluke. I kept posting the same ads and targeting the same markets. But nothing happened. What was I doing wrong?
Weeks and weeks went by and then suddenly another sale. There as no consistency. I had to find a way to make it work on a regular and consistent basis. Before I could get there, however, my circumstances changed. I moved back home and started working full time as a Research Analyst for an international tourism company out of Germany. It was a good-paying job and the online opportunity became a thing of the past.
Overworked and Underpaid
Six years later, overworked, underpaid, stressed out, seeing very little of my family and friends, I started feeling really frustrated in my job. Then my boss hired someone junior to me but was paying him a higher salary than me. What!!!??? I knew I couldn’t just ups and quit. How would I pay the bills? So I turned to the solution of last resort – the Internet. After my ‘bad’ experience with drop shipping, I decided to try something else. I found an ad online that seemed legitimate. It was an MLM company selling health and beauty products. They conveyed the usual hype – do this and you can get that; put in the hours and you will get the dough; own your dream home today; take a vacation around the world; have it all. I was enthralled. Was this too good to be true? After spending $3,000 on products and attending numerous training and workshops, I soon realized that it WAS too good to be true. What I soon learned was that the people who made the most money were the ‘first movers’, those at the top of the pyramid, so to speak. While I did make money, the amount of work and hours I put in did not correspond. And I was soon burnt out faster than I could cash my first check. I felt that there must be a better way to do this. And the Internet was the only solution. Selling products online was far more effective and efficient than selling house to house.
However, coming from a non-G7 country, meaning anything outside North America, Europe and Australia, proved to be a challenge. Some of the issues or constraints I faced (but successfully overcame) included how to get paid and restrictions on programs and products to only certain countries. The inability to sell to a different market other than your home-base (for some programs), and the need to provide tax certificates in some jurisdictions, particularly in the United States, were additional challenges. However, with determination, research and asking for help, I was able to overcome those obstacles. But it would have been so much nicer to not have to deal with those issues and just get right down to business. Having someone to help me and point me in the right direction from the very beginning and help me along the way towards building my business would have been so useful.
I Was Skeptical. I Hate Dishonest Scams
No one likes to be scammed. Unfortunately, there are so many scammers on the Internet from the “get-rich-quick programs” to the Western Union scams, to the scams where you are fooled into buying products / or some sort of training only to realize that it was bogus and so many others that you probably know better than I do. But I was sure that there were also legitimate and genuine people, programs and products out there that I could benefit from. The search was over when I found the one place that had virtually everything you needed to know about Internet marketing. And as they say, “the rest is history”. I’ve never regretted it. Click here to find out about the program I discovered and have come to love.
A Platform for Others to Learn and Grow
I started this site as a means to help others unleash their inner entrepreneur and REACH success in business. My particular focus will be to teach others the right mindset for success and how to build successful online businesses and find legitimate income opportunities online.
As you already know, the Internet has revolutionized the way we live and do business. You can literally find anything online from recipes on how to make a cake or unfortunately, instructions on how to make a bomb. There are millions and millions of websites and millions and millions of opportunities. Sifting through this information can be daunting. This was my personal experience. Trying to distinguish between those who were genuine from those who were trying to scam you out of your hard-earned cash was no easy task.
I want to create an opportunity for others to learn and grow and to avoid many of the mistakes I made in the past. Too often people fail even before they begin. Many times failure is due to lack of knowledge of basic information or an absence of the right training, techniques or tools that could have helped to avoid wasting time, money and energy. So, if you’d like to grow your business and save precious time, money and energy, then you have come to the right place.
Let’s walk on this journey together. Click on the link below and let’s get started. Meet me on the inside. It doesn’t cost you anything to get started. No credit card or payment is needed to start.
My Professional Experience and Background
Since 2004, I’ve been working as Senior Analyst and Marketing Consultant for an international consultancy firm. I’ve been helping governments, countries and companies develop winning strategies particularly in the travel and tourism sectors as well as export industries, such as agriculture, creative industries, information technology enabled services, fisheries, mining, manufacturing, and finance. I’ve developed marketing and export-related strategies for countries such as Jamaica, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Dominica, Puerto Rico, Germany, the UK and others. In addition, I’ve worked for international agencies such as the Inter-American Development Bank, the European Union, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the CARICOM Secretariat to help them develop winning strategies for their clients.
I am also author and co-author of over a dozen marketing and market research publications focusing on key markets such as, the American market, the British market and the German market, among others.
So you might be wondering why would a successful consultant who has traveled the world and worked for countries, governments and companies around the globe want to operate his own online business? The answer is simple – time freedom, financial freedom and creative freedom.
As a consultant I am still just an employee. I get a great salary and my job has lots of perks. I totally love my job. However, a job will never give you the joy you deserve. A salary can only go so far. With your own business, the sky is the limit in terms of earning potential.
Another reason for the transition is that I want to have time freedom – the ability to spend more time with my family, focusing on my health and just doing the things I love whenever I want. With a job, your time is never really your own. With your own business you get to call the shots, dictate the pace and determine work hours. Did anyone say, “Four Hour Work week?”.
Then there is the issue of creative freedom – the freedom to do what you want, when you want and in the way you want. The freedom to create your OWN ideas fueled by your OWN inspiration. That’s what I want. That’s why I have decided to do this. And that’s what I want to help others to do as well. To move from having a JOB to having JOY in their life.
Join me on this journey and I will personally walk with you and show you the way. Join me now. It’s risk free.
Hi Kevon. What a fascinating and honest account of your path to becoming an affiliate marketer. I think it echoes how most of us feel at the beginning. Really glad it’s working out for you. Good luck with this.
Thanks Sean,
There was so much more that I could have shared about my journey but I wasn’t writing a book, just wanted to keep it real but concise at the same time. All the best in your online business as well.
Hi there Kevon
I really resonated with this because I know exactly how you feel and just how much potential there is in the online world!
Keep it going, you’ve created some very helpful content here.
Cheers
Thanks for sharing Lawrence. I’m glad that your find my content useful. All the best to you as well in your online endeavors.
What a recognizable situation here. And I am almost sure that this is the case for many people. In any case, it was so for me. But these is history now!
Now i work at home, whenever i like and where i like, thanks to online business/entrepreneur. I discovered Wealthy Affiliate on the net. Followed there courses. There is a lot of support there who helpt me building up to succeed.
Now i am happy again, and can fully enjoy daily life with an enjoyable job.
Thanks for sharing Philip. Your story is precisely why I developed my website – job-2-joy.com. I wanted to help people who are living unhappy lives work wise – the 9-5 grind, dealing with troublesome work mates and oppressive bosses – I wanted to give them a ray of hope so that they could move from their job to a real place of joy. I’m glad to hear that you’ve found your bliss. Good luck and much continued success.
Hi Kevon. Thanks so much for a great article! I found it to be very inspiring. Although I know the business aspect of online marketing is possible, learning all the rules and guidelines, as well as what you need to make this and that work, can be a bit overwhelming to say the least. Mind set is definitely the key to success. So happy you seem to have found your place in the marketing arena. Your story is truly amazing and offers much hope for those who are just beginning their journey. :o) Thanks again.
Thanks Paula,
I totally agree with you. navigating the online business arena (training, information on how to set up and run your online business, online marketing techniques, driving traffic to your website, social media strategies, etc. etc.) can be so daunting. But thank goodness there are legitimate platforms like Wealthy Affiliate that help online entrepreneurs like you and I to charter seamless and calm waters where possible. I too, wish you much success in your online business development. Looking forward to hearing about your progress. Look out for some new free tools I’d be providing to help with exactly what you are talking about – navigating the overwhelming world of online business.
Hi Kevon, thanks for sharing your personal experience with us. I feel like I can relate with your experience as I turned to the online world when I wanted to look for a new opportunity. My very first sale online was an item I sold on eBay, which was really exciting.
After some time though I was eventually suckered into an MLM scam online, which promised the usual, and I spent a lot of money on products and saw very little return. I know I put the effort in, but the pay off wasn’t good at all.
Now, I work towards finding scam free opportunities online and sharing them through my own websites too. I like to help others and give them the tools/resources to earn an income online.
It’s nice to see that things are improving for you. Wishing you all the best, and I look forward to following you on your online journey.
Thanks a mil Stephanie. I am convinced that with the right attitude (which at first glance you seem to have) and with the right tools, techniques and training we both will be able to continue growing. There are lots of great opportunities out there. However, as with all areas of the Internet you have to weed through the good, the bad and the ugly. Thanks for posting on my website. I hope to help others unleash their inner entrepreneur with job-2-joy.com. All the best.
Hey Kevon! Truly inspiring reading your story, its the fact that you’ve failed over and over again but that has not stopped you as you’ve picked yourself up and got on with it. I wish you every success and look forward to the content you will be delivering in the future
Thanks a mil Kourtney. I has been a journey. But I truly believe that everything I experienced has brought me to the place I am right now. I am exactly where I need to be, doing precisely what I’m meant to be doing. Nothing is wasted.
Very interesting story Kevon. It is exciting to see how far you have come! I wish you all the best in the future.
Thank you Rob. I appreciate your kind sentiments
Hi Kevon, what an amazing story!! Thanks for being so honest. You will be a great inspiration for others who are also struggling financially or direction in life. I want to share something about Wealthy Affiliate. I joined back in 2014, but since then I quit twice. “Why,” you say, because I got scammed several times by promises of making money online. The last time I quit WA, I thought to myself that calling WA a scam wasn’t fair since I hadn’t given it a chance. So, I started taking it seriously and began building my website with the training and help of the community. Today I can’t believe the direction my site is going. I would not have been able to do it without all the training that you get with WA. If anyone is serious about making money online WA is the place you want to be!
All the best to you,
Don
Thanks you Don. You are so correct. One of my mantras is, “The name of the game is to stay in the game until you win the game”. Only two things are required for success. Learning all that you need to know and implementing it on the one hand, and being determined to stick it through until you achieve your goals on the other. Much success this time around Don. And you are tight to stick with Wealthy Affiliate. This is my #1 recommended training and online community platform out there.
Hi Kevon,
Your story here is amazing. The accounts of your failures and successes is what made you who you are today so in my opinion, nothing was wasted. It was only stepping stones to the success you already, and will, endure in the present and future. Great article! Cheers,
Darren D.
Thank you so much Darren. Failure is simply a stepping stone to on the journey of success. Failure is simply an event whereas success is a mindset. I wish you much success on your journey as well.
Life is a journey, not a destination. And your story prove that this is reality. Never give up an someday, one find the right path
Thanks Phil. You are right. Life is a journey and so too, is success. There’s so much more I could share of my story but I shared the short version.
Awesome story, Kevon.
It’s always refreshing to read a story like yours. The main problem with internet marketing is that people start up with unrealistic expectations. You simply can not start an online business with say $2,000 and expect to net over $100,000 in your first year.
Thanks for sharing your journey and I wish you all the more success.
Thanks Anthony. You are so correct. People have unrealistic expectations when they start their journey. The main reason for that is that they do not have an entrepreneurial mindset but still hold on to their employee personalities. Impatience ensues because of their poor expectations and they quit their business even before it really started.
Very inspiring story Kevon. It really gives me hope of reaching success.
Thank you for sharing and show the good and the bad in business. It really show how you can learn from failing. You just have to keep getting up and moving onwards.
Thanks Vince,
Interestingly, one of the reasons I’m so focused is the fact that I meditate regularly. I see that you are doing a niche business around this topic so you are on the right track
Hi Kevon. Great to know your journey and how you become an affiliate marketer. Everyone has ups and downs in life and we learn from our downs and it seems you did exactly. I’m glad to know it is working for you now. Good luck.
Thanks Deraj. Failure is a good thing. We do not see it at the moment but it really is. I wouldn’t be where I am or who I am today without the ups and downs. Success is a journey, not a destination.
Nice post and I wish the very best for you. I am working on this same approach my self and am doing well. I love writing anyways and learning.
Thanks for your comment Brent. All the best to you too.
Kevon
Great explanation and encouragement, valuable information.
Thanks Carol. All the best.
Wonderful story and sounds like you will be very successful at whatever you do. I sense a strong work ethic and drive to be all you can. I do the same, and I love it. Writing about something I am passionate about, makes it, well, easy. Good luck to you!
Thanks Leahrae for your comment. I am definitely passionate about whatever I do and I give it my full focus and attention. And you are so correct. When you are doing something you love, it is never really work.
This is a highly inspiring article, Kevon. Thank you. I had a similar experience. I suffered a stroke that left me with several disabilities, and my managers at my retail jobs were horrible to me. I vowed to find something better for myself and eventually decided – to WORK FOR MYSELF! It was a long hard journey, but finding the WA University was the best thing that ever happened to me!
Thanks for sharing this.
Darcy
Wow Darcy. What an amazing story. To be able to bounce back from suc a trying time. And to take full control of your life. There is nothing more rewarding than that. All the best to you on your journey.
Cheers
Kevon
Nice story! Very inspiring! Your website will help people realize and reach their entrepreneurial potential!
Thanks for the vote of confidence Jennifer. All the best
Kevon