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Summary

For many aspiring entrepreneurs, the question isn’t “do I want to leave my day job?”, the question is, “when do I leave my day job?”

“How do I leave my day job?” “What will happen to my family if I leave my day job?” “How will I pay rent, buy groceries, and avoid going broke if I leave my day job?”

Whether you’re making $100,000 a year or $50,000 year, the idea of saying “I quit” to chase a dream can feel like an impossible challenge, but it’s a challenge you must overcome be it by strength or fortune if you want to become an entrepreneur.

And few people know the fears and doubts of addressing that challenge as well as today’s guest on Making Bank, Ramon Ray.

Ramon once spent his days toiling away in the confines of a cubicle, working a comfortable but ultimately unfulfilling day job at the United Nations. Although he had long thought about making the leap to life as a full-time entrepreneur, the idea of leaving his steady job was both unnerving and unsettling. It wasn’t until his “contract wasn’t renewed” (UN-speak for “you’re fired”) that he finally took the plunge.

Today, Ramon is the proud founder of four different companies, a sought-after public speaker, and a best-selling author.

His latest hustle, Smart Hustle Magazine, “is a community of small business owners with an entrepreneurial mindset” that shares the challenges, victories, and hustles of life as a budding entrepreneur and small business owner.

Tune-in to this episode to hear Ramon and Josh discuss what it takes to build a truly thriving company, as well as…

• How to go from Zero to 60
• Why the money is in content
• What it means to scale and how to learn about it
• How to break through early entrepreneurial challenges
• Why a business built on a passion is always a smart idea

And more…

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Hustle Smart with Guest Ramon Ray: MakingBank S2E24

Josh Felber: Welcome to Making Bank. I am Josh Felber, where we uncover the success strategies and the secrets of the top 1%, so you can amplify your business and your life today. I’m excited for today’s guest. He is an entrepreneurial hustler. He’s out there making big things happen. His name is Ramon Ray and he loves Aunt Jemima syrup with burnt pancakes and bacon. I like my bacon crispy as well. He started four different companies, sold one. He’s also a graduate of the FBI Citizens Academy so watch out, and he’s a former United Nations employee and bestselling author as well as he’s the owner of Smart Hustle Magazine, always hustling Smart Hustle Magazine. I want to welcome Ramon Ray to Making Bank.

Ramon Ray: Hey Josh. That’s an intro I’m going to save forever and thank you for having me here. It’s a pleasure to be with you man, really a pleasure. Thank you.

Josh Felber: I’d really love to know a little bit more about your background. I mean you have four different companies you started, you sold one, when did you get started as an entrepreneur.

Ramon Ray: Sure. Well, I like to say my domain name of one of my companies Smallbiztechnology was started in April 1999. I have a bad memory. I don’t know, I shake my head regularly.

Josh Felber: Yeah.

Ramon Ray: What? Over 20 years, 25 years give or take I think that in 1999 would be a couple years ago.

Josh Felber: What did that company do? What got you started in that?

Ramon Ray: Absolutely. Overall, I mean so my whole DNA has been I started as an IT guy, whatever that means back in the day when 286 computer chips were like that vast, I don’t know, when one megabyte of memory was needed. I’ve always been a techie to a degree and I think one day I was at the Jacob Javits Center those who know New York area of some big Convention Center and there was one of the dial-up internet companies. The bulletin board says those beep, beep, beep and all that. Fast forwarding many years, that became my love of tech, and so that’s where I had a technology consulting company. That was my first company I started and I don’t what you call it Josh when you just stop doing it. You don’t sell it, you don’t exhibit it. It just dissolves.

Josh Felber: It just stops.

Ramon Ray: I stopped doing it and then my second one was Smallbiztechnology and that’s still running today, and that’s an agency dealing with technology. Third company was Small Business Summit. I wanted to do events Josh and I was like, “You know what, me and a partner, events are a lot of money, nobody’s going to come, we’re not going to get sponsors, so as any entrepreneur, yes let’s do it.”

Josh Felber: Right.

Ramon Ray: That was the company I sold Small Business Summit, and then my company today is Smart Hustle. I think I really started just from a love of tech and then the internet bug, probably maybe similar to you or others who are out there, who just started playing with prodigy AOL, Microsoft front page. That’s how it started, really the world of content. I was open my eyes that like my first gig that I was hired, like they said, “Ramon can you come and speak?” It happened to be the Inc 500. I’m like, “What an honor. Sure.” “What’s your fee?” “My fee?” If did that help, that’s how I started. Just doing it, building stuff, shipping, and then over time realizing that there’s money to be made in the world of content, the world of speaking, and that was my journey.

Josh Felber: That’s really cool. I know it’s like when I was 14, that’s when I started my first … I mean it was computers. I wanted that Commodore Amiga computer, and I was like, “Okay, I know I can buy cheaper than like $800 or whatever the retail on it was.” Called the company and they mailed me the dealer application and filled it all out and mailed it back and maybe 30 or 60 days later, I got an approval letter. That’s how it all started, and then networking it to different little shows and like you said yeah dial-up and I mean BBS stuff and all that back in the day. I was definitely on that similar path there in the beginning.

Ramon Ray: I think it’s interesting how the journey goes because I think there is something to be said in first movers, this new, it’s not industrial age, but this age of tech. I think those of us who have been in for 20 to 30 years give or take, it’s different than the Instagram. Like my wife, she’s a homeschool mom than the person who’s starting a year ago. She has like 1000 followers who are rabid after my wife, so just interesting the differentiation and history as it were or when one starts.

Josh Felber: Yeah, definitely. I guess along the way, what were some of the biggest challenges with your different companies that you ran into that made you say man, I really need to change this or things aren’t going to work out or I really need to learn from this because the companies go in the wrong direction?

Ramon Ray: Sure, and I think there’s three challenges for me, which I hope helps people in your audience. I think one was just a startup phase of I was working as you said in the intro, I was at the United Nations for a number of years until I was fired/resigned because of my entrepreneurial journey. I started three of my companies while at the UN and sold one I think as I was leaving. Point being, that was struggle number one, being in a cubicle on a full-time day job as many maybe of your listeners are …

Josh Felber: Sure.

Ramon Ray: When do I leave, how do I leave, I got to feed my family, so that was one struggle and challenge and I can share that if you wish. Point two is the aspect of I think now I have a thriving company. Smart Hustle has been in business for three years, Smallbiztechnology forever. Josh, I think it’s one thing to go from zero to 60. I read a lot of your things, but then scaling it bigger, that’s I think been my big difficult. Setting up website is easy, but man okay, you made a 100,000, 200,000, how do you go beyond half a million mark. That’s a weak area mind. I’m not a scale guy, so I have to learn it.

Josh Felber: Yeah, and I think that’s where a lot of people run into challenges and stuff, and I know I’ve consulted with a lot of different companies that have been in those similar positions. The one company we have now, my wife started skin care business and I think the year before we hit seven figures, this year will be multiple seven. Then we’re scaling to eight figures next year for 2017, it is, it’s not an easy situation especially as things really ramped up, you got to make sure you got certain pieces in place along the way to really support what you’re doing okay or you won’t ever get there.

Ramon Ray: No, for sure. I’m going through the aspects of freelance versus entrepreneur. That’s a big struggle for me as well. I’m solving that. With a freelance mindset, you want to do everything yourself. If you’re building scalable business, once you hit a certain number, you’ve got to delegate and stop doing stuff yourself. You can’t edit that image in Canva anymore.

Josh Felber: Right. I think that’s the hardest thing for entrepreneurs, even like I know for myself is delegating because okay well, I can do it and sometimes it’s easier for me just to do it than to go teach somebody, but that’s how you get some of your time back to continue doing what you love and move stuff off your plate is by teaching somebody else and spending that time, whether it’s a week or two weeks to make sure they’re trained up and have that DNA in them of you.

Ramon Ray: Yeah, absolutely. Like you said, training is so important and I’m learning that as well. I mean learning know these things but as I scale, I’m like, “You know what, I can’t just tell I hired Josh as my intern or as my copyeditor. I have to transfer my mind to him. I got to give him a manual.” That’s how we scale because hopefully he’ll get better and trained someone else. I think that aspect you said of training others is definitely something to learn. I have an executive assistant. I have project managers, my video manager. These people on my team, but man I’m making sure that those manuals are some sort of a templates in place so we get somebody else, they can slip into that role, like McDonald’s.

Josh Felber: Yeah, for sure, you got to create that system and everything for everybody. I know one of the things you mentioned is you started three of your business while you were working at the UN. You almost had the whole side hustle thing going on and I mean let’s dive into a little bit more about that and just what you experienced and direct challenges with that for sure.

Ramon Ray: Sure, absolutely and I think that’s a unique challenge. Unique meaning I think those people who are fortunate or cursed, depending on how you look at it to be fully 100% on your own and especially as you’re starting out, you have to make sure that revenue comes in every day. You have more time to scale, more time and freedom to do all the stuff that needs to be done as an entrepreneur. Those of us who started our journey while working a full-time job were getting a steady check coming in, but we’re doing stuff like pretend this is a phone Josh. Hi, I can’t come out right now my boss is around the corner. You have to build your business while working your job, your day job.

You have to scale and work, have a team in place, lunchtime, early in the morning. Trust me, I know what it’s like to wake up at three and four in the morning every day, so that was I think the big challenge. Then I think three was just that day when I was fired. I mean it’s like, “Ramon it’s Wednesday, you know what’s coming. We’re not going to extend your contract. United Nations language for being fired two days.” Thankfully hopefully this helped somebody, I had built up a client base, I had revenue coming in. I was just scared Josh to leave and if I wouldn’t got fired, I don’t know, maybe I’d still be here today like secretly in a UN room somewhere in those interview.

Josh Felber: Yeah. I think a lot of people, they tend to hold on to that safety net for sure and hey, I got it good here and then here it’s doing really well, but I’m really comfortable because I know this is safe, this is what I know yeah. That’s that part the whole courage piece is how can I regain some of that courage to take that step, to push past that fear. I know one of the things for me just being an entrepreneur owning 15 companies since I was 14 is I’ve never really had that, that was like a challenge that for me that I guess I’ve never really had an issue with is that fear think maybe because I started so young. It’s just like yeah let’s just go do it and then like oh man, you think back later like wow, that was just crazy, I just you built all this or I did this or maybe it worked, maybe it didn’t work.

The fear thing wasn’t one of those like instant triggers, like oh man I’m worried about this and I just went and did it, and now it’s got to be a little more calculated when you have kids and wife and everything else now. When I was single, it was just like boom, hit it hard.

Ramon Ray: Right, and I must say just that was part of it. I had children when I was young in the early 20s and I’m married and wife, so that was one component you’re hitting the nail on the head and I’m sure there’s people in that range. I think you’re right the fear, but I must say, it can go either way, right? Meaning if I wouldn’t have left the UN Josh, I wouldn’t be who I’m blessed to be today, I wouldn’t be. Yeah, I understand the fear of those. I’m making 100,000, 200,000, 60,000 a year at a job. I can’t give you a right answer, but I must say I think my advice is if you have customers, if you’ve proven your concept, if you have some sort of steady flow whatever that is, nothing legal here between Josh and I, but to you all listening I would say it’s a nice benchmark that I think you can push yourself to leave in my opinion.

Josh Felber: For sure. No, I totally agree. Hey we got to take a quick break. Can you stick around for a minute?

Ramon Ray: I’d love to man.

Josh Felber: Awesome. I am Josh Felber, you’re watching Making Bank and we’ll be right back.

Josh Felber: Welcome back to Making Bank. I am Josh Felber where we’ve had the honor this morning to speak with Ramon Ray from Smart Hustle Magazine, diving into how he started three different companies while he was working somewhere else and as well as selling one of those businesses. We’ve been diving in a little bit about what some of those challenges are and how to break through those and move yourself to that next level. Ramon welcome back to Making Bank.

Ramon Ray: Josh, thank you very much, pleasure to be here man.

Josh Felber: Let’s see, so we talked a little bit about how you got started those businesses, some of those challenges. What was it like for you when you realize you’re one business and you’re able to sell that?

Ramon Ray: Wow, it feel great. Again I guess there’s different types of entrepreneur, different strengths. My strength is the personal, branding, marketing, social media side.

Josh Felber: Sure.

Ramon Ray: I guess everybody says that, but that is my strength. I’m not a systems and operations type guy, which I should be. My point being when I first was selling it, I had to like call friends Josh. I didn’t know what free money, post money. I still didn’t know what that stuff means. I mean, I have an idea, so I had to call people, what do I do.

Josh Felber: Is this good, not good.

Ramon Ray: Didn’t expect good. Yeah, it was just a pleasure to make something man, have a generate revenue, and have somebody pay you X for that revenue or profit. It was a great experience and I want to do it again. I want to do it two or three more times before I die.

Josh Felber: No, that’s awesome. One of the things you mentioned was branding, social media, marketing, and everything. I guess is that something like man because you were at UN, is that something you did at the United Nations or was this something that you’ve created for yourself through the whole branding, social media, and marketing along your journey?

Ramon Ray: Yeah, and again some of the peers are like, “Ramon that’s a different branding, social media marketing.” I get it guys, so it’s okay. For me, I think it’s because of what I’ve done especially the branding side. As one who’s been in the media including on Making Bank show on their own, not like a PR person representing you, as one who’s been a bestselling author, not directly on my own, we all need people to help us, but who’s led that effort, not like an agency to help me. I can claim that mantle because I’ve done it, been invited to the White House to speak to the president’s staff and et cetera, et cetera. That’s I think why I can claim and say that I do that.

Well, I’m not a consultant by the way ladies and gentleman. I don’t teach people this. It’s just when I speak and I’m on stage and et cetera, that’s where I hang my hat because I’ve done it. I’ve used the power of social media, writing, being an author to keep building my brand, which as we know generates more revenue for a variety of things you can do.

Josh Felber: Sure. With the branding and the whole marketing and everything, what are maybe three of your key strategies that have worked well for you that helped create leverage and create success in what you’re doing?

Ramon Ray: Absolutely. I think one thing about brand building, especially personal branding is the aspect of building a tribe. That is so important. I’m not saying sales are not important. If I have this pencil here and I want to sell it for I don’t know 49 cents, yeah you got to make sales. I’d rather start a community of children who are writers then seed do you want to buy a pencil once every other X time if you get what I mean. You could probably sit better than me, build a tribe, so that’s one. A way to build a tribe of course is with the tools of social media. You look on my feed Josh and everybody’s different. I’m always tweeting online video posts, all kind of things like that, that’s point two.

I would say point three what I call stretch things. You got to have the book man. You got to do an event. You got to have some asset, a podcast, a blog, something to hang your hat on. Those are three things if I had to be real quick, which I know I have to be that I would say to people to build a brand.

Josh Felber: What have you found is or was or in the future the best social media platform that’s been able to help you build the best tribe for you?

Ramon Ray: Sure, and again this answer may be different than others, but for me it’s been Facebook and Twitter just because I see Facebook has that engagement I can tag Josh, tagged this person, they can comment.

Josh Felber: Sure.

Ramon Ray: I know Instagram is getting it and other platforms Snapchat, but everybody even your grandmamma is on Facebook. Hence, Facebook for me and then Twitter, that’s that instantaneous. You and I connected on Twitter.

Josh Felber: Right, definitely.

Ramon Ray: That was because where you are, I get your stuff, I retweet you. I think that for me Facebook and Twitter, but again others, Instagram could work. Many people are doing things, that famous DJ guy on Snapchat.

Josh Felber: How about how have you implemented the Facebook live or any of that in what you’re doing?

Ramon Ray: Absolutely. I mean really there’s some people who are geeked out on Facebook and all these tools, but I think Facebook live is important because people like live. Now having said that Josh, I must say I’ve measured it and from my audience, I’ll get hundreds and thousands of views, not hundreds of thousands of hundreds, hundreds and thousands of views just with on-demand video. That’s just whatever reason, my tribe, my audience is not kind of the oh Ramon Ray is brushing his teeth, like let’s watch him. They’re not those type of people.

Josh Felber: Not the behind the scenes, right?

Ramon Ray: Exactly. Definitely not Facebook live while I’m combing my hair, my bang, but really I think Facebook Live works. I definitely have no fear and I do paid advertising that works to build up that brand more.

Josh Felber Sure.

Ramon Ray: Because as you know, this is not free. Facebook and all these social platforms do it so businesses can pay. I think Facebook live, regular Facebook, and then I think Josh it’s about the frequency. I always like to tell people frequency, relevancy, engagement, analytics. Those are my four things for social.

Josh Felber: Cool. One of the things I know I think is that you mentioned is analytics, is being able to measure because a lot of times you keep doing something, doing something, doing something, like man it’s not working. You look and you have like zero engagement or one person, and maybe it’s the same message you’ve been repeating over and over, going back and tweaking that message and keep on testing to see what’s actually going to catch people’s attention is huge for sure.

Ramon Ray: Right. I think that’s important Josh because your audience. I tell women entrepreneurs, your focus. Oh we only focus on women entrepreneurs. What if you have 10% of your guys who are shaved head white guys, another 10% shaved head black guys? You may want to start talking to guys. That’s my silly example. Measure what you’re doing.

Josh Felber: Definitely, and I know part along with what you did, how do you get media attention, how can other people go out and get media attention and create that the PR buzz, that publicity around themselves as you have?

Ramon Ray: Sure. I think there’s a couple ways. I think one is by directly stalking … No, did I say stalking? No, let me rephrase that. Networking, so that’s one. I think many journalists, whether they’re traditional journalists or people who have platforms such as Making Bank, are looking for people to interview and talk to. I tell people there’s a media equation. CNN needs good content or they have no shot, so don’t be afraid to reach out and network with the journalist. I can go longer than that. but that’s the one point. Directly make friends with network with. I think two, look legitimate, whether it’s CNN, Reuters, the local town paper, when they Google, you search.

Most people would do a perfunctory I think is the English word, like cursory of this person. If you look busted, well you’re not going to get a call, so at least look half decent, whether you’re half decent as a tie or a cool teacher, whatever.

Josh Felber: No, that’s awesome. Then I guess so you said networking with journalists. I mean what have you found is the best way to really connect with them? Is it LinkedIn, Twitter, and then what have you found that’s really grab that attention of that journalist to want to connect with you?

Ramon Ray: Absolutely, yeah. I think Josh the biggest thing, one, measure how important it is for you. This is important because what I’m going to say. It was important for me to get in front of Joe Connolly, is a reporter at Bloomberg and WCBS Radio 88 in New York. He may be syndicated if you know him. Point is I met him at an event. I went there to target him, help badge.

Josh Felber: Sure.

Ramon Ray: I did again. I’m sure you know how to network, y’all can look up how to network. You have to do it in the right way, but we have buddies and friends. That’s my famous story of how I did it. I just went and met up. Just shook his hand. Wasn’t a jerk about it. Now you can do it online too, but for me if it’s real important, pay the $750 to go to the event they’re at.

Josh Felber: Sure.

Ramon Ray: Pay the $2500 entry fee, so that’s one. Online, you can do it. It’s a little harder because people are really groaning, but I think add value. Be interested genuinely in what they’re doing, whether you’re retweeting, commenting, adding value, that’s how people begin to notice because I think that we all are friendly. People who want to reach me, I read my stuff. I’m vain just like the next guy. I mean you looked like a humble guy so probably not you. I’m vain, so I read all when they commented.

Josh Felber: No, I think one of the things that was really important that you mentioned was you went to the event and you had your intention set. Hey this is what my intention is, this is why I’m going, this is who I want to connect with because a lot of times as you mentioned, when you’re doing events or networking, people just sit there and wander around or they’re there just to be there and they don’t really have those takeaways or get anything out of it. Having that intention why you’re going, who you want to connect with, I think is definitely key and important for sure.

Ramon Ray: Yes, so important Josh. You’re exactly right. I mean hey that’s how I interviewed almost presidents before, so I’ve done it all.

Josh Felber: Tell me what are some of your keys to success. I know obviously Hustle is big one. You got Smart Hustle Magazine. What are some of your key success triggers or …

Ramon Ray: Sure. I think there’s a few things Josh. I think for me one and it may sound corny to some, but it’s what my clients and others have told me.

Josh Felber: Okay, sure.

Ramon Ray: One is being nice and easy to work with. We all claim that, but that’s just one thing about me. “Ramon do you need first class from New Jersey to Atlanta?” “No, that’s sinful and of course I don’t need first class for a 2-hour flight.” Just being easy to work with and a nice guy. That’s one trait that helped me. I think two, making the human connection to people. Josh I’m a firm believer in if I have client X or friend Y, let me call them a happy birthday, let me send them a delight box, a card.

Josh Felber: Sure.

Ramon Ray: I think that human connection is missing. I think it’s two. I think three, always follow-up, put little reminders to yourself, oh I’m trying to get to meet, I don’t know, this famous person or whoever it is. They’re busy or whatever it is, but they didn’t say no, follow-up. I can go on Josh, but I think being nice, following up, delighting people, I think those are three things that have really helped me. I think what we all want to do over deliver, but I really make it a point somebody hired me to speak in X City. Not only am I going to crush the stage, but how can I add value to what they’re doing to me, so it look worth it.

Josh Felber: Yeah. I think it’s super important where you mentioned was the human connection because everybody’s super busy, they got so much going on, so much information coming at them. It tend to get pushed to the side, pushed to the side, and I think just that little bit that you mentioned that you do makes a dramatic difference for sure.

Ramon Ray: Yeah, and you can put alerts, right? If I want to meet Josh in person, I can put a Google alert, I mean if you’re that kind of person. Some people were private, but if you’re the person hey I’m here in here, I will meet you in 2017, that’s hopefully so, right?

Josh Felber: Yes. We missed each other at the one conference, so I know we were both there.

Ramon Ray: Exactly.

Josh Felber: I think we missed each other there Tell me a little bit about what have you learned along your journey. I know you mentioned like scaling but …

Ramon Ray: Sure.

Josh Felber: With a startup, what has made you successful in really getting those four different companies, those startups really happening?

Ramon Ray: Sure. Smart Hustle is my fourth startup, and I think to talk specifically about that because the lessons are the same, I think one a coach. Slightly different than a mentor I’m learning, so I’ve really invested Josh in as I told you today I’m at the event today where I’ve paid a ticket price for, an event today with another very famous off of that we know. My point is that investing and educating my brain, that’s one. Two would be a coach. I’ve hired a business coach once a month to help me push me along. Are they’re telling me something radical and new they didn’t know? Probably not to a degree, but a coach is point two. I think point three having a great team.

Some people, and it sounds weird, I make sure and I thought it was like a joke Josh, you hear these like thought leaders like yourself and others, ha, ha, ha, hire people smarter than you. Yeah, okay. No, it’s true. You got to hire people who are better than you. I think four, writing stuff down or trying to be systematic. You can’t grow a company Josh especially for me it’s worse because I’m like squirrel, scatterbrained, if you don’t write things down, whether using Asana or other tools. Those are four things if it’s helpful, but really just writing things down, a mentor, a coach to help, I think having a great team. Knowing your limitations I found as well.    

Like I said to you Josh, numbers is not my thing. Now to some people, “Ramon you got to know your numbers.” Yes, you’re right but if you get people to help you with that, you’ll succeed. I think knowing where you’re weak acts and then getting help for it is important. Those are four things I think that for me it in building for companies and selling one and I’m on the journey for the fourth have helped me. I don’t know if I’ll get to 15. I don’t think I want that. Maybe five or six.

Josh Felber: That’s right. Four key strategy ones, five, that’s awesome. I think I totally agree with you. I mean having a coach is huge. I mean I think that’s dramatically important because whether you’re the best NFL, NHL soccer player, whatever it maybe, I mean they all have high-level coaches. Not just their coach that coaches them at the team, but whether it’s for increased speed, increased something specific that they want to work on. As entrepreneurs, a lot of times we don’t think about that and that gets pushed aside. We want some it’s going to challenge us every month or every week, somebody that’s going to call us out are those things that maybe we’re heading down the wrong direction and they call us out and let us know as well.

As you mentioned education and learning and investing, I mean I invest a significant amount of resources in learning and always keeping my mind with information of what’s coming, what’s happening. I think that’s dramatically important, and then building a great team. I think having a great team is huge. That’s one area I’ve always had good success in but also I’m horrible in at hiring and everything else. I tend to push that out to somebody else to help with that when you get to a certain level for sure. No, that’s awesome and I think great key success rate is that anybody, not just you, not myself, I mean that need to implement in their business in their life to help them move to that next stage, to help them scale, to help them make that next level that maybe they haven’t been able to hit yet for sure.

Ramon Ray: Right. I think it’s interesting Josh because everybody’s different as well, right? We’ve all had different experiences, so I’ll use my wife is an example. She has zero business experience at all. If she wants to build a company which she want, her needs are going to be different. My case, I build a few companies but I’ve already said my weaknesses. I think it’ll matter who you go to for strengths because everybody has different weaknesses or knows nothing about business. I run I’m sure you have. I know I’ve run into many entrepreneurs with a great idea. I want to make a marker company. I can own the best marker, but I don’t know how to spell tax. Okay in this case, you need to go learn that from somebody before you even start this business.

Josh Felber: Definitely, yeah, or at least have somebody along the way helping with that and everything for sure.

Ramon Ray: For sure.

Josh Felber: We got a few minutes left. Definitely tell me a little bit about where people can find you, where they want them to go, and everything.

Ramon Ray: Sure. Absolutely Josh. Well, thank you. Listen, my passion Josh is really all about the hustle, about entrepreneurship. I’d be honored if people have a story to share, want to share about their journey, especially those who are starting out, Josh is at the 1%, I’m like those who are like the 99%, that’s my market to move you up. Smarthustle.com, love people to check that out. If I can be a service anyone, as I said, I am not a consultant, I have nothing to sell you. If I can help you, if you want to email me, hey Ramon you’re sort of a personal branding, help me out, just ramonray.com is my profile site, so check that out but thanks for asking and I love entrepreneurs. As your t-shirt says, all about the hustle all the time.

Josh Felber: It’s right. Real quick, just so people know, Smart Hustle Magazine, is that a print magazine, is it digital?

Ramon Ray: Both.

Josh Felber: Okay.

Ramon Ray: Print online if prints. We’ve done several copies last year and it’s a print magazine. You can sign up on a website and of course the email is easy as most people want that, but it’s print online. Everybody’s telling Ramon why print, that’s crazy. Listen, print is still useful when they tell you to shut off your phone on the airplane or when you’re like sitting on the toilet. Print still has its purpose.

Josh Felber: Works good. No, that’s awesome and what’s one piece of technology that you can’t live without?

Ramon Ray: Oh man, my phone probably, my laptop, my webcam.

Josh Felber: Nice.

Ramon Ray: I have a lot of online tools. I have some Pocket is many people probably know, it has a lot of viewers, but Pocket is a little app that you can look right click and save stuff you want to read. We’re all busy so I used that quite a bit to just say 50 articles maybe when I’m on a flight, then I can read it if there’s Wi-Fi. Pocket is a cool app that I thought was useful for me.

Josh Felber: Yeah, I know that’s awesome. I think what I’ve done in the past was try to do use Evernote and try to shave them off that way but Pocket sounds pretty cool too. I’ll have to check that out for sure, but I want to just say thanks. It’s an honor to have you on the show, been able to spend some time today. Definitely want to have you back on at some point and really connect and dive into more on some specific topics even. Thanks again for coming on Making Bank.

Ramon Ray: It’s a pleasure Josh. Thanks for having me man.

Josh Felber: I am Josh Felber. You’ve been watching making Bank where we uncover the success strategies and the secrets of the top 1%, so I want you to get out and be extraordinary.