Neil Patel

And my first job was cleaning restrooms and picking up trash because that was the circumstances I was dealt.

And my first job was cleaning restrooms and picking up trash because that was the circumstances I was dealt.

When I was around 15, I shouldn't have been doing this, but I was selling music to kids, music CDs. I was helping people with televisions. I was helping people with cable boxes. I was selling stereo equipment that are car parts. I was selling whatever I could to make money. And I had a reseller's permit. from the State Board of Equalization in Southern California.

When I was around 15, I shouldn't have been doing this, but I was selling music to kids, music CDs. I was helping people with televisions. I was helping people with cable boxes. I was selling stereo equipment that are car parts. I was selling whatever I could to make money. And I had a reseller's permit. from the State Board of Equalization in Southern California.

I would buy things from stores for a cheaper price because a business buying as a business, a lot of times they'll give you discounts. And then I would sell it to people for a more expensive price. And it worked out really well. And I made some money from that combined with working nine to five jobs, although they weren't really nine to five. They're more so like four to seven p.m.

I would buy things from stores for a cheaper price because a business buying as a business, a lot of times they'll give you discounts. And then I would sell it to people for a more expensive price. And it worked out really well. And I made some money from that combined with working nine to five jobs, although they weren't really nine to five. They're more so like four to seven p.m.

jobs, like working after school and weekends. Combination of both of them gave me enough capital to really get a kickstart into whatever I really wanted to do.

jobs, like working after school and weekends. Combination of both of them gave me enough capital to really get a kickstart into whatever I really wanted to do.

Yeah, so when I started my first website, I was looking for actually a job. My sister at this time, I was young in high school, 16. She worked for Oracle Financial Consultant. So to give you an idea, imagine a grocery store. This was quite a while ago. This was more than 20 years ago, 23, 24 years ago, somewhere around there.

Yeah, so when I started my first website, I was looking for actually a job. My sister at this time, I was young in high school, 16. She worked for Oracle Financial Consultant. So to give you an idea, imagine a grocery store. This was quite a while ago. This was more than 20 years ago, 23, 24 years ago, somewhere around there.

And he would end up telling them what to place where to maximize the revenue. And at that time, he was getting paid a few hundred bucks an hour. Imagine getting paid 250 bucks an hour. In today's world, that's a lot of money. But 23, 24 years ago, that was definitely a lot of money. So I was like, huh, I want to be this Oracle financial consultant.

And he would end up telling them what to place where to maximize the revenue. And at that time, he was getting paid a few hundred bucks an hour. Imagine getting paid 250 bucks an hour. In today's world, that's a lot of money. But 23, 24 years ago, that was definitely a lot of money. So I was like, huh, I want to be this Oracle financial consultant.

I started going online and I started searching for these jobs on sites like monster.com. Keep in mind, back then, I don't even know if LinkedIn existed. But when I was searching, there were requirements. There were no kids who were just graduating high school and making tons of money. Most of them had college degrees, which were prerequisite for most jobs.

I started going online and I started searching for these jobs on sites like monster.com. Keep in mind, back then, I don't even know if LinkedIn existed. But when I was searching, there were requirements. There were no kids who were just graduating high school and making tons of money. Most of them had college degrees, which were prerequisite for most jobs.

And to be an Oracle financial consultant, you need all these Oracle certifications. Keep in mind, I didn't even know what Oracle was other than there was this rich guy named Larry Ellison. So once I realized I didn't qualify for any of the jobs, browsing these jobs, I realized they were making millions of dollars. I'm like, you know what?

And to be an Oracle financial consultant, you need all these Oracle certifications. Keep in mind, I didn't even know what Oracle was other than there was this rich guy named Larry Ellison. So once I realized I didn't qualify for any of the jobs, browsing these jobs, I realized they were making millions of dollars. I'm like, you know what?

I can create a job site like monster.com or career builder or hot jobs. And if I make 1% of what they make, I'm going to be a millionaire, right? Because if they're making hundreds of millions a year, take 1%, that's rich. Little kid doesn't understand the concept of there's revenue and profit. I just look at it as I'm collecting money if I can make 1%.

I can create a job site like monster.com or career builder or hot jobs. And if I make 1% of what they make, I'm going to be a millionaire, right? Because if they're making hundreds of millions a year, take 1%, that's rich. Little kid doesn't understand the concept of there's revenue and profit. I just look at it as I'm collecting money if I can make 1%.

And I paid someone to help me create a website and I launched it, got little to no traffic. And I learned you need to do something called marketing. And that's how I got into it. And I realized you can build whatever you want, but if you can't market, you can't convince people to come to your site, you're not going to make any money.

And I paid someone to help me create a website and I launched it, got little to no traffic. And I learned you need to do something called marketing. And that's how I got into it. And I realized you can build whatever you want, but if you can't market, you can't convince people to come to your site, you're not going to make any money.