James Swanwick: How To Launch and Monetize Your Ideas Fast

Wes Schaeffer | February 18, 2019

Perform at your optimum level with these simple steps

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Stop drinking so you can make more money and sales
Entrepreneur invented new eyeglasses for computer use
Realized his drinking was slowing him down and quit in 2010
Now he starts business around health
Former newspaper journalist for years
Owned a PR company in the late 2000s but he lost it in the financial collapse
Got more clarity, focus, and energy
Hosted ESPN SportsCenter until 2012, but the entrepreneurial bug pulled at him
Struggled for a couple of years (only $8,000 in 18 months before he invested in a mentor)
Learned phone sales
Hated selling until 2015 but he learned how to do it and when he made his first sale for $997 (someone else's course), and he got a huge rush (Tail Lopez's program)
Thought selling was "dirty" or "tricky"
He had a lack of belief in his products
Australians pride themselves on being laidback and not pushy
In late 2015 he came up with the 30-Day No-Alcohol Challenge where he'd send a daily video to members for $67
Sketched out the program on a hotel napkin in about 15 minutes
- Ten videos of himself
- Ten video interviews
- Ten videos TBD
- MVP—Minimum Viable Product

Test everything but start with the MVP and a low price
He created word-of-mouth through his social media circle
He had a podcast then and shared it
He got himself interviewed on the podcasts of others
Made one sale on day one for $67
Asked for testimonials
When you drink, your sleep suffers. When your sleep suffers, your performance the next day suffers. When your performance suffers, your relationships suffer.
Project 90 helps entrepreneurs quit drinking for 90 days
His friend was wearing some ugly blue-light-blocking glasses when they were at dinner in Palm Springs
Contacted Chinese manufacturers and got three prototypes and asked his friends for feedback then committed to 300 units, but he had to negotiate them down from 1,000 units
Launched on Amazon on Black Friday, 2015
Took about nine months from conception to launch
He didn't reinvent the wheel
Came out with variations then he solicited feedback from his customers
He shares his personal story and personalizes his brand
Be relatable
Build trust by being more personable
Cut back on drinking and focus on your sleep
Block your blue light at night