How COVID-19 Has Affected My Business, My Mood, and My Life Plans

Hot damn, you guys! This pandemic has been MESSED UP!

I know my mental health has taken a hit from various levels of stress.

Think about all ways this is hitting us…

1. On the broadest scale: there’s the mass illness and death around the world that’s weighing on all of us like a heavy, heavy weight (wow, super weak analogy, sorry! It’s all I’ve got right now)

2. Then there’s the new, fun anxiety dreams we get to have the night before we go grocery shopping. I looove those. Being afraid to do normal things sucks.

3. And then not seeing the people we love. And the people we like. And even the people we aren’t huge fans of. Ariana is, of course, the best, but anyone besides her would be overwhelmingly interesting to have a face-to-face conversation with for me.

4. We’re all on a spectrum somewhere between bored and stark-raving-stir-crazy-mad from being stuck in our houses 99% of the time, pining for when we get to go on our precious “walk”.

5. Then, perhaps one of the hardest things to swallow (aside from all the other stuff)… no NBA. Which really sucks because whenever I’ve been going through a tough time in the past, basketball was always the place I turned to for distraction. Even the NBA players are in the same boat as us.

 Of course, I frequently check my privilege in this situation.

• I’m healthy

• I’m lower-risk

• I’m employed, and

• I’ve got this nice lady living in my apartment who gives me hugs sometimes

But overall… this sucks.

What I’m really Trying to Say…

As a side-hustler and soon-to-be full-time entrepreneur, I thought I’d share my unique perspective on how COVID-19 is affecting me.

1. My Emotions are ALL OVER the place

I’m up. I’m down. I’m shaking all around. Anyone else?

It’s like… one minute I’m perfectly happy watching Ozark and five minutes later I’m in a pit of despair, never to emerge again.

I realized that one of the ways I was coping was to console myself with unhealthy snacks (chocolate, cookies, chips… anything really). I’ve been trying to cut that stuff out the last few days and to be honest, it seems to be making my mood worse. I don’t know, maybe I need to get over the hump or something.

Anyway, I think keeping a level-head is a bit too much to ask, but for mine and Ariana’s sake, I try to be “up” more often than “down”. Sometimes it works.

2.  Doing everything all in one place is hard/weird/hard

I’m very lucky to have a job that transitioned nicely into work-from-home, so my income has been stable.

I’m happy to report that my side hustle is also holding steady. Resume clients are coming in at the typical rate and video course viewership has actually gone up, believe it or not. So that’s awesome.

What’s hard is sitting at the same desk hustling in the early morning, working hard during the day, moving 8 feet to the kitchen to have lunch and dinner, then back at the desk to hustle in the evenings.

I miss the flow of hustling at my desk, writing on the subway, doing my day job at my office, then coming home to do the rest of the work here.

The physical separation of tasks was really helpful.

Now it all blends together and frankly, it’s harder to focus on anything really.

3. I’m worried about… I donno… everything!!!

I’m worried about my health.

I’m worried about my friends and family.

I’m worried about the fate of the world.

I’m worried if Ariana and I will ever go on that Hawaiian vacation we’ve been planning and saving for over the past 14 months.

I’m also worried about my income. ..

I’ve got 3 months left that I know I’m bringing in a paycheck and although I’m still super, super excited to go full time on my business… the circumstances are not ideal.

To be honest, they suck.

I’m worried that if the world is still in shambles come August, the clients will slow down and I’ll have trouble supporting myself.

I’m worried I’m making a mistake by leaving a stable job… but no… I’ve been preparing for this for a really long time and I’m financially prepared to subsidize a slow start anyway (but you can see how my mind wavers easily on the topic.

But alas, I’m coping…

My only friend… a gentle duck

There are a few things that have been helping a lot throughout the process.

1. I’m journaling: just 15 minutes a day to put my thoughts on paper is really nice.
   

2. I’m reading a lot! I’ve gotten through 4.5 books in the last 6 weeks.

3. I’m trying new things: I’ve been participating in Ariana’s virtual fitness classes. Boxing is so hard, man!

4. I’m staying in touch with people: I’ve been having 1-2 virtual games nights per week with friends. And lots of FaceTimes with my loved ones as well.

5. Fresh air helps a lot, and I’m very lucky to be able to walk by the lake whenever I want.

We’re all going through a lot right now. But this will end… and we will be okay.

Good luck out there, friends!

P.S. I know this blog wasn’t about resume writing but, hey, you all know what I do… so if you’re in need of some help, or even just curious, download my free e-book!

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LIFE HACK: How I Made the WORST Month of the Year AWESOME… And How You Can Too!

October 2019 was one of the hardest months of my life. I wrote a blog about it, and many of you were kind enough to read it and then personally reach out to check if I was okay. This is why I love blogging and all of you :)

It was really cool to have probably 100+ people (from my dad, to my students, to friends I hadn’t seen in years) get in touch and make sure I was okay.

In case you missed it, here’s that blog post: How the Hardest Month of My Life Made Me Believe in Myself and Follow My Dreams.

For all the people who checked in to see if I was okay, and anyone who was feeling concerned and thought of me during that time… and anyone who just needs to hear some good news right now…

this one’s for you!

You probably know where I’m going with this because of the title of the blog but I let me shout it out loud:

My February was freaking AWESOME!

I usually hate February… who doesn’t?

It’s cold (when you live in Canada as least), it’s dark… it generally sucks.

But not this year!

Of course, many of you read about how damn tired I was feeling earlier in the month when I started a new job in my last blog post: The 4 Hardest Parts of Transitioning to a New Job… And Some Major Benefits Too!

So you know that I was feeling pretty drained earlier in the month.

But another reason I was feeling so drained is that I had A LOT of great things going on!

Just like I did in October, I’m going to run you through a day-by-day of all the notable things that happened in February…

except…

This time, instead of it just being a continuous shit-storm of death, failure, and sadness (with the occasional joyous evening here and there), it’s pretty much all good, baby!

Just Before We Start…

I want to talk about the power of positive news.

We’ve had a lot of negative things happening in 2020 thus far and they’ve dominated the news cycle. I personally feel like that’s been a huge dark cloud hanging over me.

I can’t blame the news outlets, because fear and bad news definitely help with their audience engagement.

My goal here is to just cut through that a little bit with a sprinkle of good news…

News that guy who wasn’t doing so great a few months ago, had a really amazing month full of little things that made him smile!

Let’s get rockin!

Feb 1 - CHANGES! It’s a Saturday, but it’s also the first day after leaving the job I held for the past 5.2 years. I feel a bit sad, but also relieved and excited to be moving on!

Feb 2 - Ariana and I host my Dad, Step-mom, and her parents and brother for our Second Annual Super Bowl Party at our condo. I love all these people and bringing them together for great food and an exciting half-time show is always a blast. Yay to new traditions!

Feb 3 - I have the Monday off so I “pretend” I’m already a full-time Entrepreneur. I head over to my self-employed friends’ house and spend a wholesome day co-working in the bliss of my imagined future.

Feb 4 - New job baby! It’s a long, draining day… but very very exciting and energizing too! Funny how purpose can do that.

Feb 5 - We take Ariana’s parents out to a Raptors Game! It’s a blast… we win on a huge comeback and a last-second three from Mr. Scarf Energy, Serge Ibaka. Great day!

Feb 6 - I attend a Change Leadership training with my new job and we come up with a change project that we’re actually actioning. Not just theoretical. I’m starting to see the opportunity for high-level impact in this job. Very cool. Also, it’s Thursday, so I have improv class… Always fun.

Feb 10 - I take my Dad to our annual Raptors game. We have a fun dinner and then the Raptors win their franchise-record 15th straight game! Another great day!

Feb 12 - My Mom comes into town and we have dinner with Ariana at my fav restaurant and then my mom and I see the Second City Main Stage show, If I Could Throwback Time. Sooooooooo funny. Highly recommend!

Feb 13 - I perform with my improv class for our end-of-term show at Second City. Making stuff up (and singing) on stage in front of dozens of strangers… my favourite. Once again, another great day :)

Feb 14 - Valentine’s Day!!! Woo!!! Ariana and I make a nice dinner and spend some quality time together :)

Feb 15 - Ariana and I head down to Niagara to see my mom. And we take the newly expanded GO Train route that saves us like an hour on the trip. Bonus! Also, solid dunk contest that night at NBA All-Star Weekend :)

Feb 16 - My mom, Ariana and I take advantage of the unseasonably not-horrible weather and go down to the actual Niagara Falls (something we locals don’t often do) and take in the sights. Also on this day, the NBA All-Star Game is good for the first time in forever… so you know that’s got me excited!

Feb 19 - Ariana and I celebrate our 4 YEAR ANNIVERSARY! Wowie! I’m surprised it’s been 4 years already but also soooo happy and lucky to be with this amazing woman. We have a nice Italian dinner at Eataly. Very delicious and they’re great about allergies so that’s nice for me too :)

Feb 20 - Improv class… awesome as always.

Feb 21 - Pirate-themed Escape Room! Ariana and I, along with a couple of our favourite friends take on (and defeat) a very interesting escape room. Winning feels good!

Feb 23 - Ariana’s Mom comes into town for an afternoon of skating. It’s almost spring-like weather but not too hot for ice skating… kind of perfect. We have a very nice, enjoyable day :)

Feb 25 - Monster payday! I get paid out for all my vacation from my old job, plus my first paycheck (with increased salary) at my new job. It’s a lot of dough, which I added to my cushion that I will be using to supplement my income for the first few months after I leave my job to go full-time entrepreneur.

Feb 27 - My first officially sanctioned “work from home” day at my new job. It’s relaxing… it’s productive… why don’t we do this more often?

Feb 28 - We head out to Oshawa to spend the evening at Ariana’s family’s house before…

Feb 29 - We get up first thing in the morning and go up to their cottage for an awesome and fun weekend full of sledding, bonfires, outdoors, and family time.

It was only part-way through the month that I realized how awesome of a time I was having but I’m so glad I did because it really helped me enjoy every single moment.

As I said, I usually dread February. But when you fill it with new challenges, and lots of fun with family and friends… it can actually be pretty great!

I’d recommend you do the same whenever you have a month coming up that usually drags you down. We all have the power to make ourselves happy! We just have to be proactive about it sometimes!

I hope this little rundown reassured you that I’m doing much better now, and lifted your spirits a bit too!

Oh yeah! And…

Another thing I did in February that I was super proud of was LAUNCH MY E-BOOK!

I has allowed me to help a lot more people in a whole different way! Check it out!

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7 Business Books That Helped Me Start My $16,000 Side Hustle

If you’ve read any of my previous blog posts, I’m sure you know that I’m an avid reader (and rereader) of business books. For every book I’ve read, I make sure to take at least one major concept and integrate it into how I’m running my business.

In my first year, 2018, I made a little over $8,000 running my Resume Writing business and this year, as of July 21st, I have already surpassed $8,000. I owe a lot of that to reading and listening to podcasts. I’m going to do another post of my favourite business podcasts, but for now, let’s talk literature.

Tiny Disclaimer: I am a registered Amazon Affiliates member, so if you click through these links and purchase the book, I will get a (laughably small) commission. However, I’m only recommending books I have read and which have significantly helped me get this side hustle running and growing!

 

1. Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids about Money that the Poor and Middle-Class Do Not by Robert T. Kiyosaki

How it made me feel: This is the first business-related book I ever read and it got me FIRED UP! Rich Dad Poor Dad opened my eyes to the possibility that I was headed down a seriously wrong path if I wanted to gain any kind of financial independence. It also made me feel a little overwhelmed by how much work I had ahead of me, but that’s why I kept on reading more business books!

What it taught me: This book taught me many of the mistakes most people make when they think they’re building towards a sound financial future, and why most people work they’re whole lives only to live a modest retirement with frequent financial headaches.

When to read this: Read this if you’re starting to feel like the track you’re on might not lead to the life you’re dreaming about.

Times I’ve read it: 3

Check it out!

2. The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferriss

How it made me feel: This is the Mecca of all business books for a budding entrepreneur. I still get butterflies when I see this on my bookshelf. Tim Ferriss has designed a blue print for not only creating financial freedom, but also creating a time-flexible lifestyle that I (and many others) so desperately want. Tim’s step-by-step guide also makes me think… I can do this!

What it taught me: Tim’s “Definition”, “Elimination”, “Automation”, “Liberation” formula helped me to craft a vision of what I want my life to be and craft a plan of how to get there.

This book taught me how to work smart and not hard and stop wasting the enormous amount of time when I thought I was being “productive”. It has also made me far more efficient in the workplace and a much higher-performing employee (bonus!).

When to read this: When you’ve decided you want to make a change in your work/financial situation but you don’t know where to start.

Times I’ve read it: 3

Check it out!

3. You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth by Jen Sincero

How it made me feel: This book gave me permission to pursue a better financial lifestyle. It talks about the limiting mindset many of us have around money and the psychological reason many of us have chosen to take a safe, timid financial path. This book oscillates between giving me that heavy feeling on my chest and energizing blasts of hope and empowerment.

What it taught me: Sincero helped me identify my negative relationship with money and put me on a path to re-examine my financial mindset and open me up to the possibilities which I am able to pursue.

It also empowered me to share exact dollar amounts when talking about money (see title of this blog) which has helped me to have much more meaningful discussions about money with more people.

When to read this: If you’ve ever felt a bit icky thinking about or talking about money.

Times I’ve read it: 3

Check it out!

4. The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future by Chris Guillebeau

How it made me feel: Chris Guillebeau has this innate gift to make the process of starting a business seem simple and possible. He fills this book with a dozens of real world examples of people who started a business, investing roughly $100, and grew it into something big. While other books made me feel excited (and occasionally overwhelmed) The $100 Start Up gave me my first sense of calm.

What it taught me: This book taught me where to start! Guillebeau walks you through defining your idea, crafting a one-page business plan, and how to start making money with a minimal investment (as a side, the initial investment in my business was about $220 for web hosting and an email service, so this definitely helped).

When to read this: When you’ve decided you want to start your own business but before you know exactly what you’re going to do.

Times I’ve read it: 1.5 (just skimmed it the second time)

Check it out!

5. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg

How it made me feel: When you’re starting a business while still working a full-time job and trying to have a life, finding time, energy, and willpower to get things off the ground (or expand) can be daunting. Charles Duhigg breaks down the psychology of habit forming and how we can use that to construct a life where working towards our goals is automatic. For a more detailed look at how I’ve incorporated the lessons from this book, see my blog How I Make $1,000 per Month Riding the Subway.

What it taught me: Duhigg’s research taught me how to build time into my daily schedule for business development without needing to use up precious willpower to get to work. He helped me discover how to work, when to work, and how to reward myself so that I can handle all the clients I do (coming up on 100!) while still driving the business forward and not letting it take over my entire life!

When to read this: Read this if you’ve started a business and if you’re having trouble finding time and energy for the rest of the commitments in your life.

Times I’ve read it: 1… plus I listened to him walk through the concepts in a podcast.

Check it out!

6. Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World by Gary Vaynerchuk

How it made me feel: Gary Vee (as the author likes to be known), is probably the most high energy public-figure/entrepreneur out there. I picked up this book during the third month of my business (March 2018) when I famously made exactly $0. This book is focused on content marketing through social media and it had me saying, “Aha!” and “Ohhhhhhh!” a lot. Lots of good revelations about how to build trust with your audience through providing high-value content online.

What it taught me: Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook is full of screenshots of actual social media ads which real companies have used. Gary Vee breaks down each ad and tells you why they are good and bad. This book got me back on track and helped me to start bringing in clients who weren’t in my inner circle through social media marketing.

When to read this: If you have started a business and you’re ready to expand your client/customer base.

Times I’ve read it: 1

Check it out!

7. Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World Deep Work by Cal Newport

How it made me feel: This book gave me two very distinct feelings. First, it made me feel like I had superpowers. By following Newport’s advice, I have been able to find my flow-state and get a load of high-concentration work done in a short period of time. Second, it made me understand that we have natural limits to our concentration and that I shouldn’t feel bad when I start to lose my focus.

What it taught me: Cal Newport taught me how to structure my workflow so that I can really drill down and do deep, concentration-intensive work, and still have plenty of time for family, friends, and relaxation.

When to read this: Whether you have a business or not, read this one if you’ve got a lot on your plate!

Times I’ve read it: 2

Check it out!

Let me know if you found this helpful! And please comment with any business books you think I should read next!

How I Make $1,000 per Month Riding the Subway

Me on the first day the subway came all the way to my work! Sorry for the dramatic Insta-filter ;)

Hi, my name is Greg Langstaff and I make a little over a $1,000 every month riding the subway. Am I really good at riding the subway? After all these years, I’d like to think so. But no, I’m not just getting paid for sitting here looking pretty (notice I said “here” because I’m writing this on the subway). 

As many of you know, in January of 2018, I launched my resume writing and interview coaching business. And if you’ve been following closely, you’ll know that over the first little while, I had some ups and downs, including earning $820 in my second month and then $0 in my third.

After nearly a year of experimenting with various marketing and promotional tactics including organic Facebook content, word-of-mouth, paid Google and Facebook Ads, and registering with the Career Professionals of Canada, I started to experience a reliable flow of candidates that would earn me anywhere from $1,000 to $1,400 per month. 

Lots of Clients… Not a lot of Time

The challenging part was, when would I write all those resumes and cover letters? I still have  an 8:30am to 4:30pm job and I also live with my girlfriend, Ariana, who I like to spend time with in the evenings, so I can’t just work into the night. I also try to hit the gym 3-4 times a week and I don’t miss a Raptors game if I can help it. Also, friends. They take up time too!

It takes me anywhere from 1.5 to 4 hours to write a resume (depending on my familiarity with the industry and how useful my phone call with the client was). Cover letters take another 45 minutes or so and then an additional chunk of time for the LinkedIn makeover. I’ve been working with 5-7 clients per month so as you can tell, the time adds up. 

So not wanting to give up any aspect of my life, or cut back on clients (and income), I scoured my schedule in search of a time when I could get this writing done. I tried waking up at 6:00am to start writing, but after even two days that turned me into a zombie. I tried doing work at home on the weekends, but that just made me sad. I tried working on lunch breaks at work and that had some success but it just wasn’t quite enough time. 

Then… a Miracle 

I tried writing during my commute. Every morning I walk 8 minutes to the subway station in downtown Toronto, sit down for 40 minutes and arrive just steps from my office. The subway is fairly empty because I’m leaving downtown when most people are coming in, so there is always a seat. 

Right there, I found 1 hour and 20 minutes per day (nearly 7 hours per week) for writing. That’s more than enough to get through 1.5, even two clients a week without even touching my social life. Between that time and the odd lunch break here and there, I’ve managed to almost completely avoid letting writing interfere with my home or social life. 

Building the Habit

Writing first thing in the morning or after a tough day of work wasn’t easy at first. I’m somewhat of a morning person but after work, my brain often feels like mashed potatoes. 

However, I’m a big believer in habit forming. I have read The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg twice (weird brag, I know), and using the tactics in his book, I was able to completely take the willpower out of writing on the subway. There is literally no decision making process at all. 

When I get on subway. 

1. Sit down.

2. Turn off music/podcast. 

3. Open laptop. 

4. Start typing. 

When I arrive at my station: 

1. Hit save. 

2. Close laptop. 

3. Exit train 

*(oh damn, as I was writing that line, I literally arrived at my stop and had to exit the train. Now I’m continuing to write this a couple days later. Welcome to this meta/behind the scenes tangent. Okay back to what I was saying). 

What Makes a Habit Stick

According to Duhigg, there are four essential elements to building a successful habit. Here are mine. 

The Cue: A recurring event that triggers the desired behaviour (e.g. waking up is the cue for brushing your teeth). My cue is getting into the subway.

The Behaviour: The thing you want to do. For me, this is writing resumes or blog posts or whatever is on tap. 

The Reward: This is the reason for doing what we do. For brushing your teeth, it’s a clean mouth and a nice smile. For me, it’s clearing out my to-do list and having a free schedule. 

An Internal Driver: It’s the subconscious driver that motivates us to continue with the habit. The internal driver for brushing your teeth is that satisfying tingly feeling you get after you’re done. For me writing in the subway, it’s relief from the fear of people yelling at me for not delivering their documents on time (if you’ve read my “How I Paid off $12,000 of Debt in Six Months while Enjoying Guilt-Free Spending” blog, you know the fear of being yelled at has always been a great motivator for me). 

Final Thought

Life’s good! I had a problem and I solved it! Onto the next one :)

If you know anyone who’s struggling to form a good habit or make a lasting change (or find a time to write), send them this blog. I’d really appreciate it and hopefully they will too!

Starting My Own Business: 10-Months In!

Dear Mom... and whoever else decides to read this blog <3

Ten months ago today, I launched Greg Langstaff - Resume Writer & Interview Coach! Believe it or not, I'm still standing :) 

Since January 8th, I have served 43 clients (plus five currently in process) and I owe a great deal of that success to all of you who supported me. Thank you to anyone who passed my name onto some who needed help, or shared my promotional content online, or simply asked me how the business was going. Without you, I am but a lonely man posting memes on his Facebook page.

For all those following along the journey, here's how the first ten months have gone :)

The Money

I don’t think enough people share the cold hard numbers when they talk about their businesses, but like a good resume, I want to show you my specific and measurable accomplishments.

My initial goal was to make a modest $1,000 this year. I went onto hit that in February so I set a new goal of $5,000. I've honestly stopped keeping track of how much money I've made exactly (I guess I'll have to figure that out before tax season), but I can tell you that I'm somewhere north of $6,000. 

The Commitment

At the six month-mark (after some eye-opening spring travelling with Ariana), I decided that I liked running this business enough that it was time to commit. Here's a quick summary of what committing looks like for me: 

July: I registered as a Sole Proprietor with the Government of Ontario. 

August: I applied for and was accepted to the Futurpreneur Mentorship program for young entrepreneurs. I now have a great mentor who is helping me expand my business. 

September: Record-high month in revenue generation at roughly $1,200. 

October: I became a card-carrying member of the Career Professionals of Canada. 

November: I am studying for my Certified Resume Strategist designation which I hope to have by the end of this year. 

Lessons Learned

The first ten months have definitely dropped some knowledge into my lap. I've done my best to categorize those lessons for you. 

Marketing: You can get it for free, and you can pay for it too. 

I've had great success in posting useful content in my social media just to generate awareness in my business and tossing out the occasional sales pitch. To be honest, the content generation does get challenging, and I've been guilty of disappearing for weeks on end. It's a lot of work and I also worry about over-saturating my newsfeed and wearing out my welcome. 

I'm also starting to dabble in paid marketing (this is where it's great to have an experienced mentor). I’ve done a bit of Facebook and now I’m messing around with Google Ads a bit, which has proven to be fairly successful so far.

Service Excellence: I’ve also found that the best way to find new clients is to do a damn good job with the ones you have! About 20% of my clients have been referred by other satisfied clients. That's not a bad ROI for just doing your job with a smile... also it's nice to genuinely help people, but that’s not as measurable ;) 

People are Amazing: There are a lot of really great people out there. I'm so lucky to get to spend a hour on the phone with each of my clients, hearing all about their incredible lives. I have learned so much about so many different professions that I would have never learned if I hadn't started this business. Talking to people has been my absolute favourite part. 

What's Next?

Here's a quick taste of some upcoming initiatives for my business.

Certification: As mentioned above, I'm currently studying to become a Certified Resume Strategist. Just reading the textbook as already validated a lot of my earlier work and given me more confidence in my ability to help my clients. 

More Succinct Marketing Plan: Some of you may have heard that I recently moved in with my beloved, Ariana. And you may know that she is a digital marketing professional. So between Ariana and my mentor, I feel great about the direction my marketing strategy is heading in. 

Video Course: I've been talking about this for a long time now, but I swear I'm going to do it!

Thanks for reading! If you're thinking about starting a business or you recently started one and you want to talk, hit me up!