FASTer - Issue #128

No More Permissions (づ •. •)づ

In the fast-paced world of the gig economy, finding meaningful online work can be a challenge, especially when you're just starting out. Many of you have expressed frustration about not being able to monetize your experiences effectively. The good news is that there's a powerful concept called "Permissionless Apprenticeship" that can help you break through these barriers and find paid work, regardless of your level of experience.

Some one said it best, “If you want to catch the attention of someone you admire, give yourself a job working for them”

What is Permissionless Apprenticeship? Permissionless Apprenticeship is a dynamic approach to acquiring new skills and finding paid work in the digital age. It's all about learning by doing, building a portfolio, and gaining experience through real-world projects, without waiting for formal permission or validation.

Here's a step-by-step framework to help content writers, software developers, or freelancers of any kind use Permissionless Apprenticeship to their advantage:

1. Identify Your Niche:

  • Determine your area of interest or expertise within your field (e.g., content writing, web development, graphic design).

2. Learn the Basics:

  • Study the fundamentals through free online resources, courses, and tutorials. Platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and Khan Academy offer a wealth of knowledge.

3. Create a Portfolio:

  • Start building a portfolio of your work, even if it's small. This could be sample articles, code snippets, or design mock-ups. Showcase your skills and style.

4. Volunteer Projects:

  • Offer your services for free or at a minimal cost to friends, family, or non-profits. This real-world experience will enhance your portfolio.

5. Collaborate and Network:

  • Join online communities, forums, or LinkedIn groups related to your niche. Network with professionals and potential clients.

6. Crowdsourced Work:

  • Participate in platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, or freelancer-specific communities. Start with smaller gigs to establish a presence and garner reviews.

7. Pitch to Blogs or Websites:

  • Approach blogs, websites, or startups in your niche with well-crafted pitches. Offer your skills for content creation, coding, or any other relevant task.

8. Personal Branding:

  • Create a personal website or LinkedIn profile to showcase your work, skills, and achievements. Share your journey and expertise through blog posts or updates.

9. Continuous Learning:

  • Stay updated with industry trends and evolving technologies. Invest time in improving your skills and staying relevant.

10. Value Delivery:

  • Focus on providing exceptional value to your clients. Deliver quality work on time, and ask for testimonials and referrals.

11. Evaluate and Iterate:

  • Regularly assess your progress. Adjust your strategies based on what's working and what isn't. Learn from your mistakes.

12. Build a Reputation:

  • Over time, you'll establish a reputation in your niche. Clients will seek you out for your expertise and quality of work.

Remember, Permissionless Apprenticeship is about taking initiative, learning through action, and continually improving. The online world is full of opportunities for those willing to put in the effort and make their own path. Don't wait for permission; create your opportunities.

Start small, think big, and embrace the journey of growth and self-discovery. You've got the skills; now, it's time to unleash your potential.

Wishing you success in your Permissionless Apprenticeship journey!

Outcomes

The fastest way to be on a path of self actualization is to

  1. Do the hard things first

  2. Challenge yourself by learning some thing new

  3. Re prioritize how you take on your day/week/month/year

  4. Learn how to do research & spend 30 days doing something new

  5. Not wait for handouts

You can be in any developing market and the lessons remain the same.

One New Thing (That you should know)

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a secure seed bank in Norway designed to store duplicates (backups) of seed samples from the world's crop collections in case of natural or human-made disaster.

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, often referred to as the "Doomsday Vault," is a secure seed bank located on the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, approximately 1,300 kilometers from the North Pole. It is situated on the island of Spitsbergen, which is part of the Svalbard archipelago, and is owned by the Norwegian government.

The primary purpose of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault is to serve as a global backup storage facility for the world's agricultural crop seeds. The facility was officially opened on February 26, 2008, and is operated by the Norwegian government, the Global Crop Diversity Trust (Crop Trust), and the Nordic Genetic Resource Center (NordGen).

Key features and functions of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault include:

  1. Secure Storage: The facility is built deep inside a mountain on the remote island of Spitsbergen, providing a natural cold storage environment. The permafrost and thick rock layers ensure a stable, low-temperature environment ideal for long-term seed storage.

  2. Backup for Crop Diversity: The vault serves as a backup for the world's seed banks and gene banks. It holds duplicate samples of seeds from seed banks around the world, preserving the genetic diversity of important food crops. In the event of natural disasters, wars, or other catastrophes that could threaten regional seed banks, the Svalbard Vault can provide replacement seeds.

  3. Security and Access Control: The facility is designed to be highly secure, with multiple layers of security, including blast-proof doors, motion sensors, and surveillance cameras. Access is strictly controlled to ensure the safety of the stored seeds.

  4. International Cooperation: The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a collaborative effort involving numerous organizations, governments, and institutions. It operates under the principles of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, and it is open to contributions from countries and institutions around the world.

  5. Free Access: While the seeds are stored in the vault, the ownership of the seeds remains with the depositing institutions. The seeds are available for withdrawal and use by the depositors when needed, and access to the seeds is free of charge.

  6. Long-Term Preservation: The goal of the seed vault is to provide a long-term storage solution, capable of preserving seeds for centuries, ensuring that genetic diversity is conserved for future generations.

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a crucial resource for safeguarding global food security and biodiversity. It provides a safety net for the world's agriculture by preserving the genetic diversity of crops that are essential for food production, helping to ensure that future generations have access to a wide variety of plant genetic resources for breeding and research, even in the face of unexpected challenges.

Boring Stuff That Scales

The best ideas are for things that you need your self but cant find. The most interesting example is that of , WorkWellCoffee, a tool that curates the best coffee shops for remote work. A remote worker was tired of the endless hunt for a good coffee shop with reliable Wi-Fi, so they decided to build something to solve that problem.

The community is already submitting their favorite spots, and the creator has got more features in the pipeline—like search functionality and a map overview.

What will you build thats boring that can scale like this?

What You Should Be Watching

Credit card debt is easy. Watch out, understand the pitfalls. An eye opening documentary on how people get exploited and how you can protect your self.

Monetize your time - at any age

Entrepreneurship is a journey that transcends age, and success knows no bounds when fueled by passion, vision, and resilience. In this section of our newsletter, we bring you inspiring tales of entrepreneurs who defied conventional wisdom and proved that it's never too early or too late to embark on a path of innovation and enterprise.

Prepare to be inspired by the lesser-known but remarkable journeys of young and old founders who turned their dreams into thriving businesses. These stories remind us that the entrepreneurial spirit is ageless, and with each passing year, we have the opportunity to seize our own moment and monetize our time in the pursuit of greatness.

Young Founders

  1. Mikaila Ulmer (Me & the Bees Lemonade):

    • Mikaila Ulmer was just 4 years old when she was stung by two bees, sparking her interest in the creatures. At the age of 11, she founded "Me & the Bees Lemonade," a beverage company that uses honey as a sweetener instead of sugar. Mikaila's lemonade has gained widespread recognition and is now available in major stores like Whole Foods and Wegmans. She's also an advocate for bee conservation.

  2. Cameron Johnson (Cheers and Tears):

    • Cameron Johnson, at the age of 12, founded Cheers and Tears, a company that specialized in greeting cards. He started by selling cards he designed himself. By the age of 15, he was making over $400,000 a year and was featured in various media outlets. Johnson has gone on to become a successful entrepreneur, investor, and author.

Older Founders

  1. Gail Borden (Borden Milk):

    • Gail Borden was in his 40s when he founded the New York Condensed Milk Company, later known as Borden Milk. He invented a method for condensing milk, which made it more accessible and easier to transport. This innovation revolutionized the dairy industry and led to the creation of a household name in dairy products.

  2. Bertha Benz (Benz Patent-Motorwagen):

    • Bertha Benz, the wife of automobile inventor Karl Benz, played a significant role in the early days of the automobile industry. In 1888, at the age of 39, she took the first long-distance road trip in a motorized vehicle, which was her husband's invention, the Benz Patent-Motorwagen. Her journey not only proved the vehicle's practicality but also contributed to the development of the automotive industry.

One Last Thing

Hiding in plain sight, websites that allow you to make money remotely.

Bonus! Thought(s) of the week

During our childhood, we perceive addition and subtraction as inseparable partners, both equally valuable. However, as we mature and embark on our professional journeys, we often lean towards addition, almost instinctively. It's a natural inclination ingrained in us. When confronted with a challenge, our tendency is to seek solutions by incorporating elements, whether it's adding slides to a presentation, paragraphs to an essay, or features to a product.

Moreover, it's worth noting that in popular and workplace cultures, addition is commonly perceived as a "positive" action, while subtraction is often viewed as the contrary.

Additionally, scientific research has indicated that forgetting certain things can actually benefit the brain.

I read some thing incredible today.. About subtracting. You should read this too.