Does this blog make me look desperate? I've been reading The Four Hour Work Week and pondering the "New Rich" - a subset of the world who not only get by on passive income, but actually live the proverbial good life, traveling the world, leasing fabulous cars, and participating in x-treme sports, all with their Blackberries/Web Cams/iPhone Apps so that for the brief amounts of time they are actually needed, they can easily assume the roll of mobile mogul. A warning on the back cover reads: "Do Not Read This Book Unless You Want to Quit Your Job."Like any piece of opinion writing, there is both good and ridiculous, so I say read it and take from it what you will.
What I've taken from it is the understanding that multiple streams of passive income require quite a bit of initial investment - of motivated motion. With a nod to my personality flaws, I think I can safely say that I am a woman of action. Whether it is deciding where to go for brunch (The fabulous but now closed Palatte), what to drink (A Dirty Sexy Starbucks Soy Chai with a shot of raspberry and espresso), what to read (MINE magazine, the future of publications?), or what to listen to (Blitzen Trapper - Furr), I can definitely make a decision and act on it quickly.
Unfortunately, not all quick thinking has resulted in tranquil bliss, as exemplified by the following: #1: Left my only sweatshirt and umbrella in a London hostel on the first leg of a EuroVacation that included five days in the "driving rain" on the plains of Spain. #2: The Great Sandwich Incident of 2007 in which a harmless prank on a roommate's lunch left me almost homeless and utterly friendless in a house of four - #3 Could be any one of the tall, dark, handsome and horrible hunks I've dated, and of course #4, and #5 you already know. Yes, my friends and family would agree, I've made lots of bad decisions quickly. I ought to make bumper stickers. HA! Forget Honors Students - "I make bad decisions faster than you do!" Watch for them on Cafe' Press. Passive income, you know.
Which brings me to the point: In this era of entry level jobs being fought over by former CEOs, MBA holders, and rosy-cheeked undergrads, the window of opportunity in Corporate America for those of us in our mid-twenties, not quite generations X or Y, with some but not tons of experience, and having both an iPod and a modest closet of nice suits and sensible heels is shrinking daily. So what is an educated, enthusiastic worker with a mortgage, a credit card payment and an extensive list of Must-See friends' weddings, new babies, and Grad-School graduations to do? The answer, or at least AN ANSWER is: Open an Etsy Store!
For the uninitiated, Etsy.com is an online marketplace for all things handmade, re-made, and crafted. It is a worldwide boutique of one of a kind gifts, vintage finds and true artistic talent. It is also a tech-geek's playground, a designer's resource, and a Locavore's cheat sheet. Cheaper and with less headache than Ebay, the fuzzy, feel-good, we-all-share-one-goal atmosphere of Etsy may be just what I need to meet my Target Monthly Income.
This idea popped into my head just a few days ago, and today, it launches! I could spend the next four weeks researching all the options, stocking my craft cabinet, reading books on pricing homemade goods, naming and re-naming the store - but for what? Potentially the same outcome? Not today friends. Today, I am putting my hands to work, getting off the couch and taking a few real steps toward real money in the global marketplace. Today I act. Stay tuned, I'll let you know how it goes.
Oh By the Way, I am taking suggestions on the store name - Un-Glued? TMI? Happy Healthy Well Adjusted Stuff? Let the creativity flow!
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