College dropout makes $100,000 a year, with a two-day workweek
washingtonpost.com
College dropout makes $100,000 a year, with a two-day workweek
1–10 of 79 posts
Re: College dropout makes $100,000 a year, with a two-day workweek
#2I really dislike these posts, which are all the same "Person who skips college retires at 24" or "College really needed? This man makes 400,000 a year!"
Of course college doesn't guarantee that you'll come out making $100k a year or more, but also NOT going to college is the same.
As happy as I am for this person, I hope no one gets the wrong idea from these posts and just drops out. Having an idea is one thing, putting it together and having it be a success is another. If anything, I would say the YouTube and Facebook guys had it right, they made the product during college, released it during college, succeeded during college, and subsequently left college. Thats the way to do it IF ANY.
And for some people, school just isn't there thing. Anyways I'm rambling, I think my point has been made.
Re: College dropout makes $100,000 a year, with a two-day workweek
#3This is a somewhat old article.
It's also very, very long.
It's also one of the greatest newspaper feature stories I've ever read. It was passed around the writers' circles I was part of when the Post ran it years ago.
Here's the gist (from memory):
1. Guy has a gift for connecting with little kids.
2. Guy has good sense of humor.
3. Guy decides to do magic shows at pre-school birthday parties for a living.
4. Guy targets the richest community of clients for his service.
5. Guy figures out what people are charging for pre-school birthday party magic shows and charges DOUBLE their price.
6. Guy markets his shows by hanging out around shopping malls where parents and kids wandered by, having fake conversations on his cell phone about non-existent work.
7. Guy works 10 birthday parties a weekend, charging $200 for a 30-minute magic show.
8. Parents feel guilty about dropping $200 on a 30-minute preschool magic show, but the kids ADORE the guy's funny act and tricks that blow up in his face. He's got a gift.
There's a great subplot about the magicians deep, dark secret, in fact it's what prompted the Washington Post reporter to shadow the guy for a few months. Parents were wondering why the magician kept showing up unshaven, with dark circles under his eyes, and why his gear was so beat up if he was making so much money.
I'll leave the surprises to those curious enough to read the whole thing.
Re: College dropout makes $100,000 a year, with a two-day workweek
#4I really dislike these posts, which are all the same "Person who skips college retires at 24" or "College really needed? This man makes 400,000 a year!" Of course college doesn't guarantee that you'll come out making $100k a year or more, but also NOT going to college is the same. As happy as I am for this person, I hope no one gets the wrong idea from these posts and just drops out. Having an idea is one thing, putt…
The title of this link misreads the story a bit to re-cast it for Hackers. Yes, the guy's a dropout, yes the guy works two days a week, but I think his approach to how he positioned himself as THE pre-school birthday party magician is what's most interesting.
That and all the wonderful, wonderful writing. The adventure in Atlantic City is a highlight.
Re: College dropout makes $100,000 a year, with a two-day workweek
#5I'm curious where this guy is now after three years. Is he still doing this gig or have his flaws caught up with him?
Re: College dropout makes $100,000 a year, with a two-day workweek
#6This is a somewhat old article. It's also very, very long. It's also one of the greatest newspaper feature stories I've ever read. It was passed around the writers' circles I was part of when the Post ran it years ago. Here's the gist (from memory): 1. Guy has a gift for connecting with little kids. 2. Guy has good sense of humor. 3. Guy decides to do magic shows at pre-school birthday parties for a living. 4. Guy ta…
Thanks for the summary. This useless fluff piece lost me after the first page.
Re: College dropout makes $100,000 a year, with a two-day workweek
#7I'm curious where this guy is now after three years. Is he still doing this gig or have his flaws caught up with him?
Answered my own question. He's still in business:
Re: College dropout makes $100,000 a year, with a two-day workweek
#8This is a somewhat old article. It's also very, very long. It's also one of the greatest newspaper feature stories I've ever read. It was passed around the writers' circles I was part of when the Post ran it years ago. Here's the gist (from memory): 1. Guy has a gift for connecting with little kids. 2. Guy has good sense of humor. 3. Guy decides to do magic shows at pre-school birthday parties for a living. 4. Guy ta…
Thanks for the summary. This useless fluff piece lost me after the first page.
How can you render judgment if you didn't read past page one?
Re: College dropout makes $100,000 a year, with a two-day workweek
#9I'm curious where this guy is now after three years. Is he still doing this gig or have his flaws caught up with him?
Answered my own question. He's still in business: http://www.thegreatzucchini.com/index.html
What's interesting about his page is that it doesn't even show his face on the front, just dozens of happy, delighted pre-schoolers.
The man knows what he's really selling to parents.
Re: College dropout makes $100,000 a year, with a two-day workweek
#10I actually enjoy many of the posts about the creative (or at least somewhat non-traditional) things people do as solo entrepreneurs. After reading the entire article though, I do find it funny how this tagline was used to position the article for the HN community. The article is actually much more of a character study than a discussion of a business, and it takes a significant change in content after the first thousand words.