My life has taken a few strange turns. I started a business in 2006 which changed my world. My marriage failed in 2012 and I left the UK for Thailand in 2014. More changes – as David Bowie would say, "Turn and face the strange".
If you don't know who David Bowie is, leave this site immediately, and listen to his music – don't come back for a while.
Things are getting stranger – both in my business and in my life. I'll definitely look back on 2017 as one of the weirdest ever.
Remember, 12 years ago I was going to work every morning on London underground trains thinking I would be doing that forever. 6 years ago I was walking my dog in a suburban park every day thinking I'd be doing that forever.
I embraced that change. I wanted it. I guess that means there'll be more change.
Personally speaking...
In 2017, I tried to spend as much time in Thailand as possible. When I'm in Chiang Mai, I tend to exercise more, meditate more, and work harder – or should I say, I just get more done.
There's time for work and time for play. That's the way I like it.
I apologise for the rude sign I'm making in this photo. I joking with my friend who has a drone.
In business things can change soooo fast
The one thing I can be certain of in my business is change. A few years ago, my business was almost wholly web and graphic design jobs for clients. Now I derive income from a multitude of sources: from selling online courses to selling t-shirts, from book royalties to affiliate commissions from this site, etc.
I love that things can change so fast. It's stops us getting bored. And more change is to come in 2018 – big time!
I love that most of my targets and goals from this time last year were overlooked and missed.
For example, 2017 was meant to be my year for Amazon FBA. It turned out 2017 was the year I admitted my Amazon FBA journey was a complete failure. On the other hand, Merch by Amazon wasn't even on my radar this time last year and now it's the most successful new business venture of the year. More on that later.
The money comes from where you least expect it, and doesn't come when you think it will.
Selling video courses
This is the part of my business that makes me most money – passive income at least. I have a solid audience on Udemy (c. 80,000) and on my email list (c. 13,500) and this makes me a reasonable passive income each month.
At the beginning of this year, after my site was hacked, I started using Teachable to sell courses from my own site. The result is I've sold more courses than ever before. Indeed, in the month of November, I made more on my site than I did on Udemy and that's a big win.
Thank you, Teachable.
Here are the courses I published this year:
- WordPress Security: Secure & Lock Down Your Site Against Hackers!
- The Complete Steemit Course: Earn Cryptocurrency For Free
- Merch by Amazon: An Introduction to Selling Print On Demand T-Shirts
- Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator for Merch By Amazon and Print On Demand
Selling books
This time last year I was saying how publishing a new book, The New Freedom: Ordinary People Are Living Extraordinary Lives & So Can You!, had re-kindled (pun intended) my love for self publishing. So, what happened in 2017?Nothing.
I realised selling books involves a lot of work and not a lot of profit. I'd still recommend it. But I decided to take a step back from writing after self-publishing eight books.
Selling t-shirts
I always wanted to run a business that was separate from my brand. Yeah, it's great to have a website which is my name dot com and sell courses and books on it. But I envy those guys who are in the background.
And you can flip (sell) successful businesses that aren't connected with your name.
So that was why I started my Amazon FBA business which, so far, has been an abject failure. But, this year, largely thanks to Lisa Irby, I discovered Merch by Amazon and the Print on Demand merchandizing business.
Upload a design, sell a t-shirt with the design on it, and earn the royalty. You don't have to get your hands dirty creating the actual t-shirts, delivering them, handling customers, etc. I never spend more than an hour a day on it. It's a beautiful business!
During the year I set myself a goal of making over $1000 on Merch in the month of December. Did I do it? I think so. But, Christmas on Amazon is just crazy, you make more than the previous three months.
Anyway, it's great fun and I'll be looking to scale this business in 2018.
Have a look at my Merch courses:
- Merch by Amazon: An Introduction to Selling Print On Demand T-Shirts
- Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator for Merch By Amazon and Print On Demand
Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies and investing
It would be wrong to write a review of 2017 in all its weirdness and not mention cryptocurrencies.I bought 0.204 of a bitcoin in September 2016 for $123.27. Just twelve months later, that 0.204 of a bitcoin was worth over $800. At the time of writing, it's over $3000. I couldn't miss this opportunity. I invested more in 2017.
Getting involved in cryptocurrencies has been both exhilarating and petrifying at the same time. It's strange, weird, and addictive.
I do think crypto will change my life for the better. I go to many, many crypto meetups in Chiang Mai and I've met some great people.
Unfortunately, I find the crypto-community online a little toxic. I will write a little more in this subject later.
Anyway, I hope crypto will have a positive effect on the world, as much as I think it's had a positive effect on me.
Looking forward
The most important asset I have in my business ... is you! Yes, you read that right.
I'm always deeply grateful for the people who read my articles, buy my books, watch my videos, sign up to my email lists, and take my courses.
Thank you, really.
You are the best thing about the last year and you'll be the best thing about the next year. And I love getting emails like this.
I wish you greater love, health, and happiness for 2018.
Peace!
well done Rob, you introduced me to Merch by Amazon and just got tiered up so I can upload 100 t-shirt designs and Merch by Amazon doing hoodies now too.
awesome @nickwalshblog I wasn't on 100 for long before I was tiered up to 500. Things get so much easier once you start getting the volume. Congrats! Yeah, hoodies, sweatshirts, long sleeves ... coolio!
I wantz my Merch invite!! :(
Lots of peeps getting accepted at the moment, hang in there!
Cheers some good chrome merch extensions too like pretty merch to give the stats on sales etc, 2 tshirt designs uploaded per day allowed so 35 days time 70+ existing 30 designs should be at 100 designs uploaded
@nickwalshblog, yeah I like PrettyMerch :) best of luck for a speedy tier up to 500, Nick!
I upvoted you’re content I hope you like mine aswell !! ;)
Thank you so much
Lolz
Thanks for the interesting story @robcubbon. I had a fairly weird 2017 too, but not as weird as yours though
haha, thank you @jameswoo
Hi @robcubbon . Thank you again for introducing me to Steemit.
Wish you all the best for 2018. :)
Thank you, @iliasdiamantis – you took the ball and ran with it! Congrats for your success on Steemit. All the best for 2018. See you in Greece or Thailand soon!
Thank you @robcubbon. I'll see you soon.
Hi Rob,
Here Vjbasil from Holland,
just started your course on stackskills!
Very interesting; I am on steemit now for approx 2 months and getting started.
thanks for the course and see you later
Thank you, @vjbasil, congratulations on all you've achieved so far here on Steemit
Great post - thanks Rob
thank you @philipcalvert
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This post has received a 1.74 % upvote from @booster thanks to: @robcubbon.
Hi! I am a robot. I just upvoted you! I found similar content that readers might be interested in:
https://robcubbon.com/my-weirdest-year-ever/
That's similar content from my blog.
Hey Rob, really nice to see you here :)
I had personally watched your courses online, You really did a great job.
thank you for taking my courses, @vishalmukadam. Good to see you here as well.
Thank you for that post Rob. The only reason I am here is because of your Steemit course on udemy.com! Yes, 2017 WAS a weird year - maybe it was the alignment of the stars or something - and 2018 feels more settled, harmonious, and productive so far. I was at a Bitcoin meetup last night, and an exchange developer said he had seen many extreme "coolings" in his 7-year experience of Bitcoin. He also said he prefers staying with Bitcoin because it is being developed by a robust team, and the functionalities of Ethereum etc, are being built on Bitcoin.
Whether you use crypto for transactions, or for investment, I believe it has enormous potential to bring money and the global economy to those who currently don't even have access to banks. Poverty would no longer be a political option, as I believe it has been throughout history.
May 2018 bring all Steemit-ers prosperity, self-expression and creativity, and harmonious community.
I've noticed they are referred to as Steemians! Sounds like people from another planet, likeMartians!
H'mm yeah I think they're referred to as Steemians. It does sound weird. I also go to a lot of crypto-currency meetups. It's good to get a broad range of opinions fo those who have knowledge both in the crypto space and outside it. Yes, I also believe it has enormous potential to redistribute wealth. We'll see! Thank you for your comment @gezznz.
Just hanging out trying to learn something from you!
@muscleroast.com fantastic! I hope you do! :)
Please sir like you once post something like a question which aminterestedin which is where does the money come from in steem sir I want to know and also go for it to make my own cash
Hey @chinaza is this what you're looking for? https://steemit.com/steemit/@robcubbon/where-s-the-money-come-from-an-explanation-of-steemit-steem-and-the-blockchain