How I Left My Job, Built My Business & Replaced My Income in 6 Months!

[@itslindamemphis]

I love how you describe your turning point as realising that you would be able to SERVE the community you had discovered and connected with, and who were supporting you. Great vlog!!!

[@liciawest]

Here's the crazy thing......I was just starting to feel some type of way about my channel. Starting to feel like I was doing something wrong. Don't know why, and then I started watching this video and one of the things you said is there is no overnight success. You know what, you are soooo right about that!! Comparison is the thief of Joy!

[@SaraMitchell09]

thanks for sharing this! I really needed to hear this today ... I have been running my online shop for about 2 years now and the income just isn't where I want it to be, I really thought I would have been full time by now and am struggling to balance the side hustle and my full time job .... but then it finally hit me that I need to branch out and really offer more .... I have been doing research on making profitable classes, digital products, and even print-on-demand products on top of my scrapbook monthly kit club .... having just one source of income doesn't cut it when you are an online entreprenuer.... you definitely need to be doing more than one thing!

[@MissTrenchcoat]

+Sara Mitchell Exactly! Diversify your income!!

[@mistikalnawe]

no words....THIS WAS BEAUTIFUL. YOU'RE a champ for being YOU and sharing.

[@angelicamiller5375]

Hi Alexis, this message was right on time. I started my business in 2014 and took a year off to go back to school for graphic design. I'm now hitting the ground running and there are days ( I should say every day) my head is spinning with everything that needs to be done. Your videos are very helpful!!!

[@BoudoirBoutiqueNC]

Excellent video! I want to highlight the part about "figuring it out". You have to be dedicated to finding a way to make your ideas work, to expand thought and see what angles you can take advantage of. I started watching your planner videos, but what really struck me was how close you are to the camera. Nobody is lying to you that close in.LOL

[@iamninahayes]

love your tips! I saved before I made the plunge. Its so scary to quit your job but it makes you really PUSH for success.

[@TheGoldProject]

Love the term, side hustle. That describes it perfectly. I started my KZbin channel March 2015 and I have definitely put my heart and soul into it. It is a lot of work, but I enjoy every minute of it. If you are passionate about something and love doing it, it doesn't feel like work. :) I work as a teacher during the day, then work even harder after work on my blog and KZbin channel. Thanks for another great video.

[@andreapolomdo]

+The Gold Project Same here. I've been working in my youtube channel very hard lately. I know one day every minute is going to pay off.

[@MissTrenchcoat]

+The Gold Project you are so welcome!

[@OrganizedPlannerChic]

Thank you for sharing your story with the world. Everyone needs to understand that NOTHING happens overnight. A plan, hard work, commitment, persistence and flexibility are always required.

[@stephaniechrystal9]

Thanks for sharing Alexis! It's nice to hear someone else's story including the up and downs. Makes it more real. Keep it up :)

[@AspiDeth]

Your story is so inspiring ! I'm a published author and I make money as a great side hustle but I was not sure if I'm ready to go full time. Your video has inspired me to save money and invest more in the marketing of my books/new career -> with that, I may perhaps next year work full time writing, publishing and selling my books. Thank you so much !

[@HalloweenHappy]

Girllllllll! You had me snapping through my computer!!!! New subscriber here!!!

[@sokhnamaha]

THANK U SO MUCH GAHDDESS! I found your periscope video as i am planning to launch this week. Your confidence and enthusiasm is a potent element of your success ~ BLESSINGS!

[@CarlyUTube]

Hi Alex, I think you covered just about every important aspect of having your own business! The only thing I would add is that your personality and your ability for sharing and caring for those in the planner community is a match made in Side-Hustle heaven! There are lots of people out there that have great ideas and are very informative but they don't have the ability to communicate and connect with others especially when it's all online and not so much face to face. You Care and it shows. Thanks for this vid and enjoy Planner Con!

[@MissTrenchcoat]

+CarlyUTube Thank you so much Carly!

[@Anna-de4mu]

Thank you very much for all your advice and helping the community people of planners!

[@TheNewtonLife]

This is so friggin motivating. My mom and I have always been...different. We've always worked together and had a couple businesses together. We really wanted to start a KZbin and NEVER work again. We're working towards that goal. I find it so helpful to watch your videos. Thank you, thank you!

[@joannescotland6203]

Wow! You've no idea how much inspiration this video has just given me. You are so positive and I love how you find opportunities in things that many of us would react negatively to. So much great, realistic, honest advice in less than 30 minutes - and realism and honesty are so hard to find nowadays! I wish you total success :)

[@greenio52]

Alexis! You are so inspirational! You have convinced me to pursue my dreams and to not give up even if it feels like I am not seeing any results in my 'side hustle' because I am just starting. It can feel a little dis-heartening when you put so much effort into a project and it seems like no one can see all that effort! so thank you, I will keep working hard

[@nataliemcarthur]

I feel like what I got out of your story is really knowing that it takes time to build your empire business. The more I listen to many entrepreneur's stories is that sometimes you don't know exactly what will work for you. I have so many passions but don't feel like the expert in most of them. Just love doing it and would even just love sharing it. But if it doesn't make any profit then it's just a hobby. I really want to design things digitally, but have no idea how. It just stays in my head all these ideas and passions. But I guess I should just step out and do it anyways with I have and can work with. And eventually it will show itself what others would love to look at me for products or knowledge. Making videos and blogging seem intimidating but I should just do it and not paralyze in fear of judgement or failure. I enjoy your story and hopefully once I know exactly what my business would be I can use your empire building

[@denitapcaldwell]

New Subbie, Global Career Development Facilitator who is in process of starting a career development company with online options, your channel is a blessing! Continued Success!! Peace and Blessings!!!

[@rositamariamatamoros6345]

Thanks, Alexis for inspiring us to consider the decision of quitting any job if you are really sure of it and looking forward a better income.

[@anaalvite4492]

you are amazing! i am a certified professional pet sitter, and you inspire me immensely, i really appreciate you sharing your experiences and intelligence.

[@AtlDibuja-Productions]

Hi Alexis, I have been following you for about a year now and I love every one of your videos. Lately, I have been questioning my lifestyle and what I do. While I love my job I am tired of being a 9-5 person, it doesn't make me happy and I do believe I have tons of skills that I can use to create my own business but I Am not sure what kind of business that is. I am still exploring what EXACTLY is what I want to do or what business I want to create but your videos keep me inspired and help me not to give up on finding that dream of being independent, doing what I love and using my own skills to build my own lifestyle. Thank you! I will consider taking one of your classes.

[@MissTrenchcoat]

+E M Jorn I'd be glad to help once your ready!

[@AtlDibuja-Productions]

+Alexis aka MissTrenchcoat thank you much!

[@AtlDibuja-Productions]

+Alexis aka MissTrenchcoat thank you much!

[@gooddollie]

Great video! I've been working the 9 to 5 grind for over 40 years. I know u women work hard and u are very brave. Keep inspiring us!

[@dawnsmith9854]

Thanks for sharing your experiences and history. You are an inspiration truly and please don't ever stop being who you are and what you are good at. My mind is so full with different things right now, how do you manage to pick just one thing at a time and focus on it? I tend to procrastinate a lot and not really move forward. Xxx

[@DeannaMoyers]

I want to say that I found you on here last year and have learned so many things from you. Even though my business of selling antiques is totally different, the same principles apply and I have seen some real growth with different areas of product development as far as my business goes.

[@MissTrenchcoat]

+Vintage Touch (Deanna Moyers) Yes! Business is all the same no matter what you sell!

[@juliemwills]

This is an awesome video because I learned so much about all the things you`ve done and new things to look for on your site etc! Thank you so much! You are an inspiration.

[@Nalijay]

I like listening to you ramble on :) You always have interesting things to say.

[@jmannii]

thanks for sharing this. I'm about to start my blog, and I need a realistic view of what to expect. your story is very interesting and amazing. you are amazing!

[@livefullerwithlovefuller8679]

This is a great video with info for us and marketing tool for your business. I really enjoy your straight-forward, no-nonsense approach.

[@MissTrenchcoat]

+Fit2LuvME Thank you so much!

[@caityclancy6676]

This is super helpful! Thanks for sharing this :)

[@ritab50]

Hi Alexis - thanks for sharing your story, it's wonderful that you are able to use your strengths to help others.

[@MissTrenchcoat]

+Rita B You are very welcome! I think its important for people to share their experiences because you never know who is going through the same thing!

[@MirDesir]

I have no idea what I'm waiting - but Im glad I found your channel & I have to subscribe. Thanks for sharing your story and tips. Do you still provide coaching sessions? Thanks!

[@MissTrenchcoat]

+Mirline K Check out www.empirebuildingbiz.com

[@lizziesophiaTV]

Just subscribed 😊 Glad I found your channel, thanks for the encouragement, I enjoyed hearing your story

[@MissTrenchcoat]

+Lizzie Mills Thank you!

[@incomeifycom]

Awesome! Congratulations. Thank you for sharing your journey!

[@tamarahack3941]

This info was great! Thank you!

Thank you Alexis for sharing your story, it's very inspiring, and it's motivates me not to give up with my ideas and reach for the best. I'm just planning my business so your lessons are very important to me. Thank you :)

[@kelseysworld4598]

So Inspiring to hear your story. I am trying to start my own online jewelry and art business and hope to start doing that business up and running at the latest in January. I graduated in 2012 and been unemployed do to my disability and health issues. But incredibly motivated to get my dream job off the ground asap!

[@MissTrenchcoat]

+Kelsey Horkey Love that you're taking your life into your own hands and making it happen!

[@silviamenopiu6394]

You gave us very important insights on entrepreneurship to all of us... nothing is as easy as it seems! Thanks! (just subscribed :))

[@myhriahyoung6235]

Oh man!! There are some great nuggets in here!! Thanks for sharing. I am starting my second KZbin Channel and having to remember that it just takes time!! I have a little homeschooling channel that has done decently well for what I had intended to do with it, and it was just time. I ignored it for 3 years, came back, and voila!! I had a lot more activity than I could have ever anticipated!! Now I am trying to pick back up with that channel, and start doing other things I want to do with my new one...I am trying very hard to be patient...thank you for your tips!! I really enjoyed your thoughts, and am looking forward to checking out more of your videos!!

[@JudiJoseph]

I LOVE your channel. You're so inspiring.

[@entrepreneurchefjojo5901]

love this am a food deliver girl nd i love it. planning is the key

[@PatriciaMuirMaestroQ]

So many Fortune 50s and corporations are losing their best talent (especially the bright young creatives). Corporations and brick-an-mortar are fast becoming outdated business models. Dinosaurs in the business and employment world. Too big to pivot and provide meaningful work. In 1992, I was “let go” from a corporation that did not appreciate my value. I had endured humiliation of performance reviews to justify my value. Without corporate restriction on my talents, in my first 9 months, I tripled my income and never looked back. After the last 25+ years of offering my services to corporations, I am now at another level where I am no longer marketing to corporations. Big time-wasting archaic dysfunctional procurement processes that squash innovation. Kudos to anyone setting themselves up and preparing to leave their corporate jobs. Alexis’s experience and advice is valuable.

[@robynmorris5951]

thanks for sharing. I have owned several biz. but haven't done much online. I have been wanting to do a youtube channel and blog of my own and have several good ideas just wasn't too sure of how to go about it. I am a big planner person and bought your inserts. Been researching and came across this

[@MaElena27]

This is such valuable content! Thank you so much.

[@DeathByFashion1]

I love your videos and advice! you have sparked a desire on me to start a side hustle! lol

[@liciawest]

who else wants to start a blog? 🙋🏾🙋🏾

[@moonassweettreats4133]

Thank you so much for sharing your story.I learned sooooo much from it, looking forward to more videos like this. I'm currently a full-time student and no luck finding employment, I am thinking of starting a blog... any suggestions you may have will be highly appreciated.

[@Jidigga81]

Informative vid! Thanks for sharing!

[@magee632]

Thank you sooo much Alexis! I've been a subscriber for a while and I have always learned so much from you! Thank you for being so candid and sharing your inspiring story. My blog is in the designing stage so I have a long way to go. I'm hoping to launch in January 2017. I'll be checking out you Empire Building because I love the way you explain everything. I'm thinking it could give me a really good foundation and an awesome start!

[@ashlyncle]

Hey Alexis! I know you posted this video awhile ago, but I just have to say this is an inspirational (and honest) story! I have been aspiring to be a stay at home mother/blogger/KZbinr, but I haven't made myself commit to a consistent process or plan of getting there. Therefore, I'm still stuck working 40-hours a week (and I don't HATE my job), which leaves me with very little, crucial time to accomplish anything in my "free time" (i.e. Blog, record, edit, plan). I've been busting my tail this week learning more about how to do the things I have a passion for and I'm just trying to figure out a way to fit the time to do all of it into my schedule. How did you accomplish your "side hustle" (brilliant lingo!) while working full-time? I have about 2-3 hours each weeknight that I could contribute to my side hustle, but it feels like it's not enough and my family/house project becomes a huge priority on the weekends. Not sure if you'll see this comment, but I'm definitely interested in figuring out a routine/schedule/plan for my aspirations!

[@01Woof]

great video tfs!!!

[@planwithelizabeth]

thanks for sharing your story! I recently started a new side hustle and have had a hard time growing my community, do you have any blog post and/or videos you could direct me to?

[@MissTrenchcoat]

+Elizabeth Kathryn Check out my playlist on my channel called #CharmedBiz

[@gmt5664]

Great advice, as always! TFS!

[@iamKeliB]

Thank you for this video

[@mymoonstudios301]

Thanks for sharing your story with us! It's so nice to hear real world experiences. :)

[@moonassweettreats4133]

loved your video!!! quick question, how do you get over the fear of starting something new. the reason I ask this is because I have been wanting to start a business but I guess i'm jsut afraid of what if it doesn't work out, what If I mess up big times. Did you ever get these thoughts before starting your business, and if so how did you overcome this. Any and all advice helps!! Thank you so much! (sorry about the long post!)

[@KerryLovebump]

Hey Alexis, what an inspiring story - your motivation and determination to succeed is just fabulous! We've spoken before on a webinar - I run a social media agency in the UK and freelance my services by the hour, I am totally stacked up with work which is fantastic of course but I'm unsure how to expand now as my time is taken up 100% with client work which limits my income. Any pointers or can you direct me to one of your classes? Thanks! Kerry xx

[@MissTrenchcoat]

+Kerry Lovebump (The Lovebump) You may need to find a way to delegate some work to someone else so you can free up time to advance your biz!

[@sholly6]

Great Video

[@LatanyasCraftingCorner]

Great advice

[@robx8009]

I came across your channel while trying to find out whether I needed an iPad mini. This same morning, I found out that Apple iOS 9.3.1 still lacks a lot configuration features that are found on the same App on the Android operating system. It seems that iOS has two uses. Using expensive specialized software to make money and a lot more of the other stuff to vegetate on the sofa. I wish Android had more LTE (Long Term Evolution) 4G options like Apple. Making money on the go is still a hidden gem. Google needs to make a low cost pay version of Android. Thank you for sharing your story. Your video about your older iPad and this one convinced me to subscribe to your channel.

[@angeladesigns754]

Thank you so much!

[@faithfelice8792]

Thanks Alexis

[@Hyadraws]

10:36 I love what you said and I totally agree

[@kuinimeritalo1566]

thank you very much Alexis

[@SimplySarahMarie]

Can I purchase your ebook on Audible? I can't find it but would love to listen to it!

[@MissTrenchcoat]

+Simply Sarah Marie My ebook is only currently available as a PDF download off my shop www.TheCharmedShop.com hope this helps!

[@stephanielovestico]

I was recommended to your channel by Rhian HY (WifeLife) on youtube! :)

[@eatshopcreaterepeat7676]

I wanted to say first that I really enjoy watching your videos. I have a few questions in general not necessarily ones that pertain to this video but I just wanted to ask. (I do ask a lot of questions and kind of ramble so I understand if you're too busy to read everything or answer them I just thought I'd ask anyway :) ) How do you balance work and personal time or do you even have enough time in the day for personal time? I know you mention that you need to make sure you make time for your KZbin and blog and business, and I basically just started a KZbin channel and I hope to start my blog within the next day or two (not necessarily make it into a business but more so for just a creative outlet since the work that I do for a living doesn't exactly allow me to be creative). I work full time as a dietitian and sometimes I have to bring work home too. I usually go into work at 7 am and leave by 4:30, then I eat dinner, and shower, and I'm usually so drained from work that I want to take a nap or I want to just watch some TV and don't really feel like doing anything creative, then I get pissed at myself because I wasted time when I could've been doing something more productive, and then I end up not being able to get to sleep at night because I keep thinking (even though I'm tired) why am I sleeping I should be doing this and this and this, etc. and then wake up and start the cycle over again. I just want to know if you have any suggestions on how I can break out of my "rut" that I've been in. And on the weekends I sleep in sometimes and then get pissed at myself for sleeping in when I should've been doing something more productive. Do you ever feel that way, where you get pissed off at yourself for having some "personal time" when you feel like you should be doing something more creative and if so how do you deal with those feelings? Another thing that keeps coming across my mind is that I love scrapbooking (particular Project Life, I don't know if you've heard of that), photography, and organizing/planning, but I feel like there is so much information out there already that I won't be able to offer any new advice or anything and so I feel like my KZbin and blog will kind of be "lost in the crowd," and I'm not creative enough to think of any new ideas. Do you ever get into a creative block and if so how do you find your way out of it? Again sorry this was so lengthy and thank you for reading it, if you made it to the end :)

[@MissTrenchcoat]

+Eat, Shop, Create, Repeat So lots to respond to! Okay, first, I definitely feel the way you do very often and I think its normal human feelings! In terms of balancing work and personal, I do make sure I make time for everything by prioritizing what's important and not trying to do too much. I say no to a lot because I prioritize my business and my personal time. I think if you are working a job that takes up a lot of your time and you find your exhausted when you get home, you need to really ask yourself if you really have the time to take on more. Perhaps you can find a different creative outlet that is less time consuming than blogging or youtube, maybe you can start an IG account that is a virtual scrapbook of your life and lets you use your skills at photography to share the things you were thinking about making blog posts or videos about. Whatever you choose to do, it needs to fit in your schedule and your priorities!

[@eatshopcreaterepeat7676]

+Alexis aka MissTrenchcoat First, thank you for responding to all my comments I know some of them are much longer than I intended them to be, but I tend to rambled and I'm sorry about that, I know you're busy. But thanks again for taking the time to read my comment and respond. And thank you for the advice! That makes sense to just focus on one thing (such as instagram) for now at least since my job takes up so much of my time. I think I tried to do too much at once and it just wasn't working for me, because I started a KZbin, Instagram, and tried to start a blog as well all at the same time. It's good to know too that I'm not the only one who feels that way, I thought I was the only one. Thanks again I really appreciate all of your advice and helpful tips. :)

[@deleongirl72]

Hi Alexis, I have been following you for quite some time; however this past year my job was hectic and keep me out of the loop. I am now working from home and would like to have a side hustle....can I get some help or direction from you?

[@andreaperez3063]

I would like to start my own business from ZERO, how can I do? How to sell, hot to deliver, how to start?

[@leluzdelacruz7502]

me too i want to leave my job and i want to start as a home base job but plese help i want to be like you.

[@MissTrenchcoat]

Check out www.empirebuildingbiz.com