Changes to my business in 2019

22
Posted January 8, 2019 by Brett Rutecky in Training Articles

Today I wanted to write a little about some major changes I will be making in my business in 2019

 

Before I jump into the things I will be doing differently I want to talk about the state of my business as of the end of 2018. 2018 was a pretty good year. I made a net profit of around $440,000. Averaged out that’s just over $1,200 per day, every single day of 2018. Now this was not my best year since I went full time in my online business back in 2014, but it for sure was a good year. Nearly half a million dollars in profit is a lot of money after all.

I made this money primarily in two different ways. By selling software which I personally create and promoting other peoples software as an affiliate. Of the two, selling my own software is for sure the most profitable. I made $154,000 in affiliate commissions, and another $20,000 or so in performance bonuses for a total of around $174,000 as an affiliate marketer (that’s actually kind of a low year). This means that around $288,000 of my 2018 income came from selling my own software.

Since I write my own software, and do my own support, selling my own software, using the launch model takes up a lot of my time. I am constantly sitting at my desk, living a solitary and sedentary life style. In fact I remember when I got my new phone a couple of months ago, a week after I had it it rang a notification from the Samsung health app telling me that I had my most active day of the week that day. 18 minutes of activity, I walked a total of 1900 steps that day! Yikes! The fact that Im constantly coding, doing support, reviewing products, requires me to sit at home, at my desk all the time, and has been leading to physical and psychological problems.

For years I have been saying “I want out”. But thats not really what I want. I dont want out of the IM business. I want a change. I have been wanting a change for a while and every year, around the end of the year, I start talking about how “Next year Im going to do things differently”. But I never do. Every year I spend hour after hour each day writing new software, doing support, and testing hundreds of products that I might promote. Well this year its time to actually do it. Its time to change, my body says so.

In the last 6 years I gained quite a bit of weight, about 40 lbs in fact. I have also noticed that I get tired a lot more than I use to, I have less energy and I am a lot more easily irritated (though I have always been kind of an asshole). But this past month, in December things changed and I really have to look at if I want to continue the way I have been.

It all started the Saturday after Christmas. I was in the house, with the kids, it was about 10pm at night and I was feeling like crap. I had been feeling pretty bad all week actually. But that day I was feeling particularly bad. The kids where watching a movie and I, of course, was sitting at my desk coding. At first it felt like a bit of heart burn, then it got worse, quickly. Now Im no super tough guy but I had an .. err interesting youth, and honestly I am no stranger to pain, but after about 10 minutes it felt like someone stuck a kitchen knife into my chest and I was having trouble breathing. It felt like someone had their hand over my mouth and was just letting a little air in. At that point I called my ex-wife, asked her to come get the kids and take me to the hospital.


By the time I got there the pain had gone from a intense stabbing to a tolerable throbbing but of course when I described my symptoms their first thought was a heart attack. Fortunately I did not have one. But the doctor did suspect that I had a heart issue so he asked me to stay the night. I declined and said I would follow up with my regular doctor after the new year.

My family doctor, given my symptoms, state of health, and life style also suspects a heart issue, so he ordered several things. A bunch of blood tests, a heart stress test, and a chest monitor that I have to wear for 5 days. The last was because even though I have not gotten pain as bad as that one night, I am still getting near constant, sporadic chest pain. His thinking is a partial blockage in one of my arteries.

Today I got my blood test results back. Not so good. Triglycerides = very high, Cholesterol = high (up 38 points from a test done just 7 months ago), Blood glucose level = above acceptable range, but not high enough to be diabetic yet. I got the results from a nurse who called me and we spent about 30 minutes talking about the medication that I am getting prescribed and about some things I can personally do to help as well. What is interesting is that the underline cause of most of my issues is that I am not active enough, and a major action step in for correcting each issue is exercising more. Is IM killing me? No that’s excessive, but sitting at my computer all day every day coding, reading, writing, reviewing products, and doing support is for sure detrimental to my health.

Because of this its time to do things differently: and I am going to do this in two major ways.

The first way is doing less of what I have been doing. I’m always going to code, I love to code, but I am going to do it a lot less. What this means is I am going to be creating a lot less products, doing a lot less launches, and focusing on having a smaller number of ever green long term products that I not only sell in the IM / JVZoo launch space but also outside of that space as well. This is why, in case you where wondering, I will not be doing agency access anymore.

Beyond that I will be doing less reviews. Does this mean I will stop doing affiliate promotions? No. I will still be an affiliate, I will still do my best to help people find products that can be of value to their business, but I am going to be doing it a lot less. Specifically Im only going to be promoting products that offer a really super awesome value. Yep, I just upped the bar for getting “Brett Rutecky Approved”. This I hope will also have a side effect, at least for some people, of enticing them to only buy quality products that actually need in their business and not just things that looks shiny and have a great sales page.

Second I am going to spend more time focusing on coaching and helping people build up their own internet marketing business. Coaching is something I dabbled with a little in 2018 but its not something that I really focused on. In 2019 it will be a major focus in my business.

In the years I have worked in this space I have noticed that while most people want an easy push button way to make money (which does not exist) what they really need is some quality guidance from an experienced person in this space to help them. Well I got a bit of experience, and by doing coaching I can not only make some money (I do have to eat) but I can also help people build a profitable business by giving them what they actually need: guidance not another software sitting on their hard drive.

2019 should be an interesting year, its a year of change for me. It will probably be a less profitable year, but I really do not care about that, even if I make half as much in 2019 as I did in 2018 I will still have earned more than most people do in several years. With these changes my goals are not financial, they are instead:

1: Spend less time at my desk and have more time to be active, which is good for my health.
2: Provide a few long term, constantly updated, quality tools for people in both the MMO space, and outside of it as well.
3: Promote only the best of the best product launches as an affiliate
4: Spend some of my free time coaching students and helping them build up their own profitable business

… if I make less money trying to reach these goals, so be it, money is not everything.

 

 

 A quick note about the reviews I do on this site. The product vendors give me access to their products for free in order for me to do my review. However I make no promises to them regarding the results of my tests or what I will write in my review. Should you click a link that takes you to a sales page for a paid product for sale this link will be an affiliate link and I will be paid a percentage of the sales price should you decide to invest in it.


About the Author

Brett Rutecky

Brett Rutecky is a full time online marketer, web developer, and entrepreneur. He has developed scores of Facebook apps, dozens of custom web sites and hundreds of scripts.

22 Comments


  1.  
    Glenn Shepherd

    Hi Brett,

    Wow, that must have been a really scary experience. I’m so glad that it wasn’t a heart attack in the end.

    I think that your experience, although obviously most important for yourself and your situation, highlights a very important lesson for us all. This industry lends itself to a very physically passive lifestyle on the whole and it isn’t good. We all need to pay serious attention to our health because, as we know too well, even with the best of intentions, hours turn into days, days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months and so on. When the majority of that time is spent sitting down at a computer with precious little exercise (and all too often not eating healthily enough along with it) then we run the risk of turning our body into a time bomb.

    Take care of yourself, Brett, and thanks for sharing your experience. I hope that others will read it and will feel motivated to make any necessary changes. I certainly count myself in that, for sure.

    Glenn




  2.  
    Edouard Askmo

    Thank you for telling us more about who you are and how you change things in your life.
    That’s kind of a coaching freebie. But it also helps us understand where you’re going with everything. As you say so well, money isn’t everything. Take care.




  3.  
    Tati

    Stay healthy my friend.




  4.  
    Matt Maginley

    Whatever you decide to do, you have my support for all that you have done to help me. Please take care of yourself !. You’re a very smart person and a great Dad. The world needs people like you. I battled smoking and had a spontaneous pneumothorax (collapsed lung). Then stopped drinking. That all was 30 years ago. I’ve survived stuff but still get in my own way. You’re never going to get the time back of seeing your kids be kids. There is always plenty of time to make money. I never thought of you as anything but a guy with high standards and ethics, and maybe a little irritated having to suffer fools. As an IM Insider I would be interested in the coaching.




  5.  
    Sanjay Banerjee

    Sending Pranic Healing Waves for faster recovery




  6.  
    Razaq Olaniyi Sunmonu

    Your life matter most to us, do as your health requires. “your health is your wealth” . Love you always for your honesty and transparency.

    In fact the coaching is most beautiful to help us.

    Wishing you and your family the best of 2019 and beyond.




  7.  
    Rob

    Hi Brett, I know exactly what you are going through except I didn’t make the money you did. You are right that it doesn’t matter about the money because if you don’t look after yourself, you can’t make the money. I just went through a heart attack and didn’t know I had several of them and went to the hospital. I just had major heart surgery in August being a 5 bypass and they installed a mechanical valve in my heart and now I am on medication for the rest of my life. I don’t wish what happened to me to happen to anyone and your an awesome person Brett so please take care of yourself as you matter most.

    Regards
    Rob C




  8.  
    Edgar Allen

    Dear Brett – I’m so sorry you went through that trauma. In the middle of last year, I was in the hospital and rehab for about 40 days for a triple bypass. Then about another 4 months getting back to anything resembling a normal lifestyle. For sure, I’ve changed some things.

    I’ve almost dropped 40 pounds and still would look like a beached whale at the beach. So the work continues.

    I appreciate that you are a loving and caring dad. I support your choices and would/will do anything I can to assist you going forward. Also, sending positive thoughts to you and prayers for you to a higher power.

    With much affection – Edgar




  9.  
    Zakariyya Spain

    I empathize with you Brett and I think you have made the best decision when it comes to your health. Like you said “Money is not everything.
    I have been battling “A Blood Cancer” since 2014, and anytime it is in remission I try to get back to things to help me earn some money. And then rears its ugly head.
    With hospitalizations and surgeries, physical therapy and everything in between, I still want to do the bare minimum despite cautions from my Team of Physicians.
    I am with you Brother. Life has its ups and downs and the best to do it is to take the heat with the cold.
    Wish you well, my Mentor. Wish you best.




  10.  
    Ronnie Rokk Smith

    WOW! Didn’t know this Brett. I will be 47 this year so energy levels are lower. But I try to work out at the guy 5 days a week if possible. This not only helps me stay in shape but gives me time away from the office to get away. And when I get back to the office I’m ready to work. Plus it also lets me get a better night sleep. I tried both morning and afternoon workouts. Midday seems to work best for me right before I eat. When I get back I can feed my body. Anyway, just thought I mention this as maybe it might be a good idea for you too. I’ve been waiting to get coaching from you. As I like to study under many marketers, but you never had that opportunity open, at least not as long as I’ve been learning from you. I’ll be in touch. Hope you are feeling better…




  11.  
    Kimberly

    Wow, had no idea. Just happened to be on FB then found your post. We think we have all this time…take care.




  12.  
    Mark Butts

    Good for you, Brett! I wish you the best. You’re correct that money isn’t everything. Time is.




  13.  
    Irwan

    waiting for your next review or project brett…but i think you should rest for the time being…: )




  14.  
    Tony Trono

    You’ve made a very wise decision. Your family needs you to be healthy because time with them can’t be replaced…enjoy your time with them. You’re on the wise path. You will know when you’re ready to return and better than before. I’m pulling for you.




  15.  
    Yvette Hernandez

    Wise decisions Brett, stay the course!




  16.  
    Richard

    I applaud your dedication to developing and sharing your IM experience but at the end of the day all of us need to look after ourselves first and foremost. I wish you luck and fortune in changing to improve your health! Best Regards! Richard Yzenbrandt




  17.  
    Gary Lea

    Hi Brett,

    What a refreshing post.

    Normally, all I read is people plugging product after product and trying to sell something and I think a lot of people in the make money niche have forgottent that we are all in fact human and like you say Brett, money isn’t everything.

    I applaud you for taking things easyier now and allowing us all into your life beyond IM and to actually hear from a real genuine guy.

    Self hypnosis cd’s etc are great for relaxing by the way, although some people find it too difficult and don’t do it.

    I personally used Paul Mckenna’s positivity cd’s and they were brilliant. Anyhow, good luck and one last thing is that squeezematic is absolutely amazing.

    Regards

    Gary in the UK




  18.  
    DELORES WEAVER

    Hi Brett, although I don’t know you, I am very impressed by your experiences and the decisions you have made. You’re right “money isn’t everything.” Your health is far more important. I sure hope you stay on the right track for 2019 and keep it together so this world will enjoy the benefits of your gifts. I purchased your Squeezematic software and I must say I love it. But I’m disappointed that I can’t get any help on it. Can you tell me who to contact to get support?




    •  

      Send in a support ticket, and make sure you have an account log in email with it. I personally answer all tickets, but I ignore those that do not have account info with them (as instructed).




  19.  
    Chuck

    Here’s a question you usually never see….

    Do you have an email newsletter that I can subscribe to?

    Maybe I’m blind, but I can’t find one on your site. You are probably the most honest person I have found in IM and I’d like to get email newsletters from you.

    That said, I’m nearing 50 and I also have a sedentary lifestyle. Though I feel OK, I am starting to feel that I really need to get off my ass before something bad happens. It’s not easy going form sedentary to active. I hope your health gets better and may 2019 be more prosperous than ever!





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