How I went from burned out to making EUR 20´000+ with a social media post, no website & starting a new business; Pretotyping; 10 ways to sell before having the final product/platform or website.

If I managed, you can too.

Hi, my 2450+ friends!

Today we cover:

✅Pretotyping; before investing money, time, and energy in building something, here is how to ensure you are building the right product.

✅How I made eur 20k with a social media post and kick-started my business.

✅10 ways to make money with your business ideas even before having a website/platform.

Before that, for those interested, the next LIVE QA Session is:

• June 22nd

What should you expect?

• Ask me anything related to fundraising, pitch deck content, go-to-market, pricing strategies, sales, hiring, scaling, LinkedIn growth, growth hacking, exit strategies, and any other startup-related topic.

• Tailored advice and guidance 🙌.

• Network with other entrepreneurs.

👉In these sessions, you'll gain clarity on your next steps, learn how to sidestep pitfalls and accelerate your growth.

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Many are not familiar with - Pretotyping - a methodology that will help you save money, time, and energy.

I invited my friend Farhad Alessandro, serial entrepreneur, venture builder, and investor to tell us how they are using the methodology to:

1. Test 30/40 business ideas every 3/4 months.

2. Identify THE idea to focus on.

3. Sell before they build.

4. Raise funds to scale.

Using a methodology that you can also apply, they launch one new business per year.

Their philosophy: Selling before building. I LOVE THAT. That´s my philosophy! ❤️️

And here is the must-read book if you want to learn more about Pretotyping!

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How I made EUR 20´000, with a social media post and before having a website.

Summer 2021, my family and I relocated to Spain for 2 months.

While my kids were swimming in the pool, I was inside hustling, working on a new venture. And I HATED MY LIFE.

To keep it short.

I was close to burnout, and I was wondering what am I really doing in my life.

We were in Spain. I was spending all my days inside building a tech platform I was not passionate about - anymore.

Things needed to change or I was going to hit a wall.

I made some decisions:

Summer 2021, the last time I drank a glass of champagne 🥂

• I quit alcohol and coffee - advice I got from a psychologist. I needed to prioritize my health and well-being. When you tend to be hyperactive like myself, alcohol and coffee are not a winning combo.

• I took off. F*** the hustle culture. These are my summer holidays. I am in Spain with my kids! I need to (learn to) chill!

• I called my advisors (thank god for my advisors).

My advisors and I agreed to:

1. Stop the project. I take time off from the business until further notice.

2. Support me in my decision to refocus on what I am great at. AKA my zone of genius.

3. Go back to what I love doing → advising companies on how to go to market, fundraise, and scale.

At that time, I was already teaching fundraising & entrepreneurship on the side at a university in Oslo. I decided to keep that position since it was giving me some cash.

Plus, it was aligned with my passion and zone of genius 🧠

“The zone of genius is where your innate talents, passions, and skills merge to create extraordinary results. It's a state of being where you effortlessly enter "flow”. Time seems to fly by, and you consistently produce exceptional work.”

Have you figured out your zone of genius?

So, how did I make EUR 20´000 with a social media post?

I did it to lead by example; show my students in entrepreneurship how one can make money before launching a platform or website and because… I was already missing being an entrepreneur.

I made EUR 20´000 and turned my (put on hold) company into a new one.

You know… Once an entrepreneur, FOREVER an entrepreneur!

At the university, I was teaching students how to go From Idea to Investors within 2 months. Through the program, I was showing them how to:

• Create an MVP at zero/low cost.

• Gain traction, and users/customers & generate revenue as early as possible.

• Understand investor psychology and accelerate their fundraising.

One of the challenges many were facing was → selling a service or a product without having a website or a platform.

After session 1, I was sending them into the wild to talk to clients and… sell. Scary experience for many.

At some point to lead by example (and probably because I was missing entrepreneurship), I decided to walk the talk.

I told my students, that I was going to sell my services:

• By using social media

• At zero cost - no ads

• Without a website/landing page

• I will make money upfront

• And deliver the service later.

Here is how I have done it and how you can too👇