I'm In Business
In Spite Of Myself!

I chose the title of this update carefully because I felt I should tell you about the unexpected "predictable" outcome of my love affair... with Site Build It!.

Why unexpected? Well, because I started out to have fun by playing with a few ideas I had never had time to fully explore when I was working at my day job. I did not intend to build a small business, but that is exactly what I have ended up with!

I should have known. Follow the Action Guide and let Site Build It! do its thing while you play. You'll end up with...

• a growing audience
• a growing income
• and a growing pride!

That is what was "predictable". Had I known that earlier...

A successful outcome is so predictable that Ken even guarantees it will happen! It's just so "unbelievable" when you first start on your SBI! journey. That's why it comes as a nice surprise when it actually does.

Playful Work

When I retired, I vowed never to work again. I don't. I play with ideas and concepts every day. I research to verify certain theories of mine. Then I write about my findings on my Web sites.

So I started out, in November 2005, by doing in earnest what I know how to do (and love to do) best.

• Research
• Analyze
• Write

That's how I "play"! Hey! It takes all kinds to make a world!

Before I continue, I have a confession to make here. My first site was not about what I love best. I built Top-Web-Entrepreneurs-Plan-It.com ("TWEPIT") to test SBI!. I wanted to be sure that it actually worked as advertised before trusting it with my true love. After I found out that SBI! really works (!) I built (poured my heart into) Weather-In-Canada-Observer.com ("WICOBS").

Unexpected Results!

With the help of the Site Build It! business building process, I am succeeding at something I did not intend to do! I am building a small but growing business.

More importantly, I am enjoying myself.

Here is what I can now show for my "playful" efforts...

Making A Name For Myself

Look up "Claude Jollet" (between quotes) on Google. Google will reply that it has found "Claude Jollet" mentioned in more than 3000 pages on the Web. Now, I did not write all those pages, of course, nor did I "plant" my name myself.

It's just that people began picking up my articles, publishing them on their blog or Web sites, and giving me credit for it.

I am fast finding out that you will never know how good you are until you actually stick your neck out ... like our beloved mascot, Shelly the tortoise.

More than 3000 mentions are more "pats in the back" than I never got when I was working! ;-)

By the way, as I write this, one of my videos on YouTube has been viewed more than 13,700 times!

My First SBI! Site:  Top Web Entrepreneurs Plan It

TWEPIT's main site theme keyword expression is "Web entrepreneurs". Look for "web entrepreneurs" (between quotes) on Google.

Google ranks my site as #1 source about "Web entrepreneurs" over 100,000 other pages/sites on on the Web (20 Oct 2008). Top 1%!

Here is a graph of my traffic statistics for the last twelve months...

My Second SBI! Site:  Weather In Canada Observer

WICOB's main site theme keyword expression is "Weather in Canada". Look for "Weather in Canada" (between quotes) on Google.

Google ranks my site #40th best source of information about the weather in Canada... over about 25,000 other pages/sites giving some form of information about the weather in Canada. Top 1%!

Here are the stats for the last twelve months. Notice the steeper rising slope. That is due to two important factors...

• Priceless experience gained with the first site in the crucial DAY-1 to DAY-5 of the SBI! Action Guide.

• A much less competitive market than Web entrepreneurs (sigh)!

• WICOBS is a work of love born out of passion! (TWEPIT was a "calculated" move.

Isn't that a sight for sore eyes! Whenever I feel I am not making any progress, I create a graph of what I have accomplished. Works every time!

Bottom Line?

Notice the strong rising trends. The October '08 financial crisis and budding recession didn't even make a dent!

Best of all, my income (direct and indirect) from my Web sites is growing nicely indeed. It's unavoidable. I'm right in the path of all that traffic!

Where does my income come from? In order of importance...

1. Affiliate commissions (SiteSell's 5 Pillar Program and a few others)
2. Contracting as small business marketing advisor
3. Copy writing
4. Google AdSense™

Guess what? As an "accidental business man" I am happy with my new "all-play-no-work" way of life! (To be honest, I do put in a lot of hours... but so do the kids on their skateboards and play stations!) :-)

Claude Jollet
"Actively retired"

P.S. I am now planning a third Web site. (I think I'm addicted!) I intend to start brainstorming it and building it early 2009 ... or when I run out of stuff to write for my two existing Web sites ... whichever comes first! ;-)

P.P.S. Just as I'm almost finished writing this update, the value of my stock portfolio has dropped nearly 61% in the October '08 financial meltdown... :-( but the direct and indirect total income from my Web sites has jumped 483.2% over last year ! :-)

P.P.P.S. I invested in myself with the help of SBI! and it paid off! By this time next year, I expect to be telling you how "recession proof" my decision will have been.