FIRE
PROOF
CRAFTING A $34,000 MONTHLY BUSINESS AT 19
AND 5 STEPS TO DO THE SAME
M. AAMIR
CONTENTS
Prologue - Who This Book Is For
Page 2
Chapter One - Getting Fired
Page 3
Chapter Two - Golden Realization
Page 4
Chapter Three - Goals & Contentedness
Page 7
Chapter Four - Side Hustles
Page 10
Chapter Five - Lifestyle Business
Page 12
Epilogue - What’s Next ?
Page 15
Prologue
Who This Book Is For
This book is for the people who want to be reminded that they can do anything and
accomplish any goal. It is for the ones that do not simply want to improve their situation, but
NEED to.
Whether you're a budding entrepreneur stepping into the world of business or someone
looking to redefine your professional trajectory, this book is your compass for the first steps.
It's for those hungry for success and eager to carve their own path.
If you've ever felt the desire for financial independence, if you've dreamt of a life beyond the
ordinary, or if you simply crave a blueprint for building a thriving business, you're in the right
place.
Join me on a journey through the highs and lows, the victories and setbacks, as I share my
story of building a $34,000 monthly business at 19. This prologue sets the stage for the
empowering steps and insights that lie ahead. Let this be a guiding light for the visionary
entrepreneur within you.
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Chapter One
Getting Fired
Nights out, watching a movie, having a nice dinner, traveling the world, buying stuff. What do
these things have in common? Yep, money. I had fuck all. And as a teenager with free time
and limited resources, I did what many would do, a part-time job. Mine was at the local
cinema and I started at 18.
In hindsight, the management, like in most other companies, were incompetent. I was
casually fired after almost a year, without much reason other than “we can”. What could I
say ?
The money wasn’t great, so I didn’t feel bad about that. But I didn’t feel good about getting
fired. It made me feel like I wasn’t in control. And the reality is, It’s true, I wasn’t.
Today, many people I know have either had the experience of being let go, fired or
retrenched. Or at least knew at least one person that has been. Even though I was probably
terrible at my job, you hear stories today of people who are high performers in companies
being let go. Why is this so ?
The bottom line is that, no matter who you are (the chief technology officer, or a general
manager) or how you perform (employee of the month, high KPI performer), you are
disposable and replaceable.
If you’ve been fired before, you understand. If you’ve known people who’ve been fired, you
understand the uncertainty.
How do we protect ourselves from something that is a part of being an employee ? The
answer is quite simple. We take control of our income, by having side incomes and
businesses. This makes us the entrepreneur or owner of our destiny.
“NO! Thats really risky!”
“Are you sure about that ?!”
“You can lose money!”
“The business can go bankrupt!”
“Just get a stable job”
This Will be the general sentiment that you get.
But what is so stable about a job ? where you can be let go on a moment’s notice ? At the end
of the day, Isn’t there great risk involved as well ?
I would think to myself, as I watch the same people get handed their retrenchment packages.
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Chapter Two
Golden Realization
Anything negative that happens in life is a test. You can either fail the test and stay where
you are, or pass it and achieve great rewards.
It is DIFFICULT to pass the test ? Yes.
Is it EASIER to just give up and fail ? Yes.
At the end of the day, these tests are meant to be difficult. They require a price to be paid,
some sort of sacrifice. Which many people are unwilling to do. So should you go the easier
path, or the difficult path ?
Let's think of it in this way. Life is short, we have limited time in this world. How rewarding
would an easy life be? Have you ever done something that was difficult for you ? It could be
achieving a fitness goal, or playing a game on a harder difficulty. Where you failed multiple
times, but you still got back up and pursued it, and finally achieved it. What was the reward ?
How did you feel? I’m quite sure that the sense of accomplishment was great and the reward
was even greater.
There’s a saying, “Nothing that is worth doing is ever easy”
Here’s the hard and undeniable, tried and true fact of life :
Rough roads end smooth, and smooth roads end rough.
People who choose to have an easy life, typically struggle towards the end.
People who put in the grit at the beginning typically get a breakthrough and a better future &
rest of their lives.
Easy Life
Hard Life
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The negative experience of getting fired was depressing to say the least. But would later turn
out to be the biggest blessing in disguise. In fact, I could argue that if I had not been fired, I
would not have gone on to start a side hustle that would bring me $34,698 in our best
month.
And I achieved that end result by first having what I call the GOLDEN REALIZATION.
I began trying to figure out my next step and was met with an existential crisis. I sat down
one day, jobless, in deep thought of how I could earn a buttload of money (don’t we all at
some point in time?), and was thinking of quite simply, rich people. Yes, the ones that we see
in Forbes, the millionaires, the ones driving nice cars, the ones that we think to ourselves
“those rich bastards”.
Let’s see what these bastards do to earn their money :
(You can do a google search yourself of the top 10 richest in your country)
Upon investigation into what each of these people do, you’ll get the same standard answers :
REAL ESTATE, INVESTMENTS, BUSINESSES, INHERITANCE
How interesting. None of these people are employees. Yes, they could be on corporate
payroll by being part of the board of directors in multiple companies, but they gravitate
toward the classification of shareholders instead of employees.
Well, I don’t have an inheritance nor am I part of some trust fund. So that's out. At 18, I don’t
have any cash to involve myself in real estate or investments, so that was definitely out as
well.
BUSINESS was the remaining option. And this is what I worked towards.
The idea of building a business with systems that would each be a moving part in what would
be a well oiled money making machine.
Even if it made $500 or $1000 a month, that would be more than great for me, and I was
content with that. The many months that followed were filled with research and failure.
Here’s the thing about failure :
It’s really not something bad. One might even say it is required for success. It tells us what
does not work and gives us the opportunity to find out why, make the required changes, and
go again. Greatness is built on failure. If you have met someone who is better at something
than you, chances are they have failed more at it than you have. What makes someone a true
failure is 2 things :
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1) YOU GIVE UP
Failing is hard. A baby does not give up after falling down 100s of times when learning to
walk. They don’t say, “screw it, i’m never going to walk successfully”. Giving up is something
we learn later in life. Understanding that failure is GOOD instead of BAD, and using the
things you learn from failure as FUEL will boost you closer toward success.
2) YOU DON’T TRY
As our dear friend Mark Zuckerberg said, “ Not taking a risk is the biggest risk you could take”
When you decide to do something great, sure, there is a big chance you would fail.
But if you choose to NOT EVEN TRY, that is a 100% failure. Trying and failing is more
respectable than not even trying.
To summarize, I was 19, and had a reasonable goal of $500-$1000 a month. I was failing at
something I was trying to do for the first time. For MONTHS. Then one day, I decided to try
something in a particular way which I thought made sense, and that I thought could work. I
had many failures behind me, I was used to failing, and was expecting this to fail as well, so
why not?
I made $7,000 that month.
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Chapter Three
Goals &
Contentedness
Before I begin explaining what happened in detail, lets look at you. Yes you, the person
reading this right now.
Goals are important. Everyone has different goals. On one end, you could be someone who
says : “Alright, I’m earning $2500 a month right now, $5000 a month is my dream and i
would be very happy to hit that goal, I’m not interested in anything more”
Or you could be someone whose dream is to own a 50 million dollar mansion and a fleet of
cars. Both are valid and achievable. But the path towards each different goal will also be
different. Therefore, what you decide to do today, has to make sense with the end goal.
For example, if you want to have the freedom to travel the world in luxury, multiple times a
year, and to own a big home, being a taxi driver or a line cook is not going to give you the
financial structure to make those goals possible.
Some jobs are actually able to give people the life that they want because they are
contented with lower goals. In these cases it makes sense for these people to rely on jobs. It
really depends on a person and their goals.
Contented Goals High Goals
JOB
GOALS
MET
BUSINESS
GOALS GOALS
UNMET
MET
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Notice the red path. These are people who want more in life, and have higher goals. They
know that a regular job will not be able to give them the life they want, but their fear of
failure is greater. As a result, they give up on their dream. For these group of people, (which
consists of a VERY BIG percentage of people in actuality) they choose the easier and more
“stable” path. For these people specifically, the following becomes true :
It is extremely important to know which category you belong into. So ask yourself this.
There is a simple exercise I like to do with people in order to determine if their aim is correct.
And this is something you can do now as well. In 5 seconds, come up with the first number in
your mind of what an average salary is in your home country is. Now remember that figure.
Alright, now do a google search “what is the average monthly salary in xxx” (replace xxx with
your country) and now you will have 2 numbers. If the number in your mind is lower than the
actual figure, then your aim is too low. And you need to readjust / recalibrate your aim. This
is key because 95% of the time, we will hit below our aim.
The Dangers of Aiming Low
Avg.
Avg.
Avg.
Perceived Avg.
Result
Result
Result
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You will be surprised at how many people think what is considered average to them, is way
lower than the standard. Aiming for the average is fine, but if what we think is the average is
way lower, in the end, we are just limiting ourselves to aim low.
The best way to do things in life is to aim high. Higher than your goal. We probably won’t hit
our aim, 90% of the time we will miss. But because the aim was set so much higher than the
goal, we end up hitting above our goal anyway.
HALF & HALF METHOD
Think to yourself, how much do you want to earn? Lets say it’s $10,000 a month. If I told you
to earn $10,000 a month today, you would be overwhelmed. “Wow, where do i start ? thats a
hard target to hit.”
And you’d be correct. It is difficult. So we are going to use a method called “half & half”. It
has nothing whatsoever to do with dairy products. Rather, we’re going to divide your goal of
$10,000 or whatever it may be into half. In this example, we get $5,000. Now half it again.
We get $2,500.
Your first milestone on your goal to $10k would now be $2,500. Once you hit $2,500, it won’t
be hard to scale it to $10,000. “Wait a minute, $2,500 is much easier”. And you’d be right.
It’s a more achievable and realistic milestone to combat the petrification, fear and doubt
you would be met with if you just wanted to flat out get to $10k first.
Now that you have a goal and your first milestone in mind. You will find that you have lifted
the cloud on the path forward. Having a clear goal in mind is the first step to working toward
it.
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Chapter Four
Side Hustles
So, there I was, basking in the glow of an unexpected triumph. The moment my seemingly
doomed idea soared, sleep became a distant acquaintance. The financial epiphany that I
could turn my brain-born notions into a thriving cash flow was electrifying.
Allow me to paint the scene: a classifieds post touting a financial product caught my eye.
While disinterested in the product itself, the allure of the seller's kickbacks intrigued me. A
deal was struck—I'd help sell, and in return, a slice of the commissions would be mine.
Entering the now-defunct realms of IRC chatrooms, I fired off my offer to the vast internet
expanse, General, dating, buying and selling channels, you name it.. The response was
overwhelming. Little did I know; this served as validation for my unconventional marketing
method. Sales ensued, and my approach evolved, expanding across various channels and
platforms.
Not every pitch resulted in a sale. Convincing people became an art form, honing my sales
skills. I discovered the concept of affiliate marketing, doubling my income without even
realizing it. What started as a $50 commission, quadrupled into $200. How?
In the game of affiliate marketing, knowledge is currency, and strategy is king. The turning
point came when I dug deeper into the brand whose product I was pushing. As I navigated
the affiliate landscape, a revelation hit me like a digital epiphany.
The initial agreement was a $50 commission for each sale, but my research uncovered a
realm where I could ascend the earnings ladder. It turns out, my partner was partaking in a
more substantial share of the profits without much involvement on their part. An affiliate
program directly with the brand offered a potential $200 per sale—a fact blissfully omitted
by my initial collaborator.
Armed with this newfound awareness, I swiftly made my move. I enrolled as an affiliate
directly with the brand, quadrupling my commission per sale. It was a cunning business pivot
that not only exponentially increased my earnings but also highlighted a fundamental truth
in entrepreneurship—knowledge is power, and that is gained by DOING.
This maneuver wasn't just about the money; it was about understanding the dynamics of the
business, uncovering hidden opportunities, and maximizing returns. It marked a transition
from a novice exploring affiliate marketing to a savvy entrepreneur strategically navigating
the intricate web of online commerce.
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Today, affiliate marketing bears the brunt of skepticism as a "get rich quick" scheme. Yet, it
offers diverse categories with endless marketing possibilities. The essence lies in finding
what resonates, and when you do, money walks in—someone else's product, your revenue.
Side hustles like affiliate marketing act as a launchpad. Beyond generating income, they
cultivate business skills, paving the way for the multi-faceted entrepreneur journey. These
endeavors are the stepping stones to a Lifestyle Business.
Diving into affiliate marketing was a game-changer, but the journey towards financial
freedom didn't stop there. It led to a broader exploration—the world of side hustles, the
foundation of a lifestyle business.
The Affiliate Twist:
Affiliate marketing, often criticized as a 'get rich quick' scheme, revealed a nuanced reality.
Instead of diving into oversaturated markets, I focused on strategic validation. I explored
diverse affiliate marketing categories, each offering endless possibilities with innovative
marketing methods.
The key is choosing the right niche, identifying what resonates with your audience, and
devising a unique approach. It's not a shortcut to wealth but a well-trodden path when
navigated with precision.
Business Skills Unleashed:
Beyond monetary gains, side hustles, especially in affiliate marketing, nurture essential
business skills. You learn the art of persuasion, customer engagement, and the delicate
dance of turning 'no' into a resounding 'yes.' These skills go beyond online marketing,
becoming invaluable assets in any entrepreneurial venture.
The Lifestyle Business Blueprint:
The shift from affiliate marketing to a lifestyle business involved scaling winning processes.
It wasn't just about multiplying revenue; it was about creating a self-sustaining system that
operated seamlessly with minimal intervention.
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Chapter Five
Lifestyle Business
So what the heck is a lifestyle business anyway ?
It is a money generating operation that you develop to give you 3 things :
FUN , FREEDOM , FLEXIBILITY
In a very big way, the system I generated when I was 19, allowed me to achieve these things. I
had the financials to have fun by going on trips, and doing things i had a passion in but did
not have the means to do so before.
It gave me freedom because I did not have to look at my bank account before making a
decision. This would be financial freedom. The other kind of freedom, is that I did not have to
report to a boss, or file for leave if I wanted to go overseas.
It provided high flexibility because I could modify the business to suit my lifestyle at any
point of time, since I designed the system and understood it. If I decided one day that I
didn't want to do emails anymore, I would hire a virtual assistant to take care of that.
Creating a business that will work automatically without much of your involvement, is key to
scalability. It does not just increase revenue, but it also frees up your time so that you can…
you guessed it, work on OTHER income streams.
How did my first affiliate marketing idea go from generating $7,000 a month to $34,000 a
month? The answer was social media.
When hundreds of people were hanging out in chatrooms and the occasional guy surfing the
forums, or online classifieds… TENS OF MILLIONS of people are on social media. When i copy
and pasted my strategy to Facebook, it generated traction.
At this point, I had learnt :
What people respond to
What gets people excited
What makes people say “yes” to a sale
How to convince people who say “no”, into changing their minds
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The fact is that people will pay big money if you can solve their problem. And that is what
the basics of business is all about. Find a problem, and come up with a solution that people
will pay for. Test it, launch it and scale it.
How I scaled my business to earn $34,698 in our best performing month.
Facebook groups are a goldmine. I developed a system to trick the Facebook algorithm, to
display my post to most of the group. You see, how posting in Facebook Groups works, is
that when you post something in a group with 40,000 people, it only gets shown to only
about 50-100 people.
This is Facebook’s quality test for engagement in order to determine the relevance of your
post. Does it give value to others ? Do people like, comment and share the post ? If yes, it
gains authority and slowly gets shown to more, and more people. If it’s spam, it will just die.
We had a few Facebook accounts that would immediately comment and like the post after
it’s posted. (this does not work as well anymore, strategies change), and we got interested
people to also like and comment in order to receive something of value, and had a system
where we also commented on the post to tell people we have sent them a message. This
increases engagement.
What happened was amazing. A single post could have as many as 200 comments, and
generate as much as $8000 in sales from the leads. People are spending thousands of
dollars on paid ads, and i manage to get similar results with spending absolutely nothing. I
hired people to take over the marketing and posting but still made content myself before
delivering it to my team. Developing systems like these lead to a thriving lifestyle business.
Now with the addition of vertical content platforms like Instagram and Tiktok, the delivery
method needs to be tweaked again, but overall, it will have the same principals. You can play
around with this website to get a business inspiration that is aligned with your earning goals :
https://howmuchtomake.framer.website/
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The 5 Steps
In summary, here are generally the 5 steps that i took, broken down into simple sections,
something that you can use as a guideline in order to achieve similar results.
Mindset - Goals - Start Small - Test - Grow
MINDSET
GOALS
Ask yourself - Do I have
the right mindset ? Am I
ready to take the risk &
suffer for a better future ?
Accept that a side hustle
or business is required to
demolish your income
ceiling.
Figure out if you are
someone who is
contented with a low goal
or have bigger dreams.
Think about the goals that
you want to achieve, and
use the Half & Half
method to come up with
the first milestone target.
Learn the basic concepts of
Affiliate Marketing and
Small businesses. Find
great resources on our
community.
Start researching on side
hustles or business ideas by
coming up with a problem
people would have. Or joining
legitimate affiliate programs.
START SMALL
T E S T
G R O W
Come up with systems to
do well in the side hustles
or small business ideas that
you’ve chosen.
Once you have a system
that works, expand on it
horizontally by increasing
the products being offered.
Test the systems and
measure the results. Keep
what works and tweak the
rest of the system till it
works.
Also expand on it vertically
by increasing the intensity
on marketing & sales on
each product being offered
Hire virtual assistants or
similar staff to delegate timeheavy repetitive systems to To
help with vertical and
horizontal scaling workload.
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Epilogue
What’s Next ?
Has the journey been hard ? Yes, extremely. If it was easy, everyone would do it. But the
rewards were worth it. If you gave me the choice to go back in time, and endure all the
hardships, I’d do it all over again.
Remember, starting small now and having failures along the way means that you are going to
be learning some invaluable sales, marketing, business and so many other skills that
collectively will empower you to build something BIG in the near future.
So where should YOU start ?
As someone who wants to “earn money online” there are many pitfalls that people often fall
into. Currently I’m developing an online community of like-minded people and sharing useful
opportunities that have been tried and tested.
In this community, we support one another to achieve our goals. We’re in this together and I
believe the way forward is together as well. My team and I will be reviewing side hustles and
affiliate programs, and recommending the ones that work. Together with videos of how we
get started in these side-hustles, how we get sales, and how we cash out the money. This is
for people who want to spend their free time to earn legitimately online with tried and
tested side-hustles.
We’re also working on a database of proven opportunities, where we provide legitimate
companies, affiliate programs etc. Here, you can watch our team try them out and show you
how we earn from them, before deciding to take on those opportunities and earn for
yourself.
If you’re interested in these benefits, simply keep subscribed to our email list (which you
probably have done so anyway to download this book)
You can also join our telegram community where you will find support, the ability to bounce
ideas off each other and to share your journey as we keep you entertained and updated :
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