#186 · How to *Actually* Sell High-Ticket Retainers for Any Service
I’d say the lowest age to enter the automation business is around 17 or 18. I don’t want to set a strict cap—you can do whatever you want—but I probably wouldn’t start younger than that because there’s more friction at younger ages. At that age, there are more important things to focus on, like being present, building relationships, and making memories.
I'd say around 17, because then you can start on platforms like freelancer.com, which are low‑hanging fruit. It will be tougher if you're younger, but you can still do it—I'd encourage you to go out there, find success, and come back and tell me. Just know there are more important things to focus on at that age.
I would stick with one thing over a long period and scale for sure. While this exact business model might not be exactly the same in three years, there will be an evolved version of it, so staying committed is the right approach.
Well, this is pretty funny because you probably didn't just wake up one day wanting to run a school community and an automation agency. You're likely looking for a means to an end, so ask yourself what end you think running a school community and automation business would help you achieve. In my case, I make a ton of money with this stuff, so the end I see is money. But consider that a 17‑year‑old might say they want to make $100 million in 10 years—you need to clarify whether that's revenue, profit, bank account, etc. More importantly, recognize that your values and goals will shift over time; you won't want the same things in 10 years that you want today. So you have to be mature about that and accept that you're a changing organism whose goals evolve.
I don’t have everything figured out, and neither do the most successful people. At 18, committing to a path might only mean a few months of your life, not your whole adult life. Treat it as a season—give it an honest go, make something happen, or decide it’s not for you; that’s totally okay. The people who succeed see business as enjoyable play. You just need to push through until you get a positive result, which will dissolve the self‑doubt.