On March 31, 2009, I started a journey. A journey to make money online. Over a year and a half later, I made my first sale. After three to four months, I had made a thousand dollars in the self-help blogging niche. I even managed to create and sell my own info product.

But there was one problem: I was even more unhappy than before I started this journey.

My blogging began to turn into another 9-5 job. Writing posts 2-3 times a week, retweeting other people’s posts (in the hopes of them tweeting mine), writing guest posts and emails, reading articles on tactics to get a more popular blog… the work was endless.

I was also (and still am, for one more year) a college undergrad.

So yeah, coupled with the pacing of our university, I couldn’t allow myself much time to waste. I spent many days doing a lot of reading and writing.

Although I never became the A-List blogger I envisioned myself to be, I realized something more important: I was viewing the world through an old context. I was blogging to make money (and get myself out of a funk in the process, but mostly for money) and stroke my ego. Acquiring status in the blogosphere would make more money thereby making me more status. However, the question I didn’t bother to ask myself was why I cared so much about either of those things.

If I really cared about money and status I would’ve stuck to the tried and true way of climbing corporate ladders (or, to a lesser extent, remained a pre-med).

I told myself that I wanted freedom. But freedom to do what? I still didn’t know.

That all changed upon meeting Greg Hartle, the man behind Ten Dollars and a Laptop, while he was in Chicago. Former millionaire and business owner, he decided to start Ten Dollars and a Laptop to inspire aspiring entrepreneurs into action. He asked himself “If I only had ten dollars and laptop to start with, what would I do to rebuild my life?” To answer this question, Greg donated everything he owned and has been traveling to all fifty states meeting entrepreneurs ever since, starting with just ten dollars and his laptop.

I’m sure you have questions like, “how does he make money?” or “how does he find a place to sleep?” Head on over to his blog and find out.

After a long talk with Greg, I learned what’s truly important about life. Every human being on this planet wants to be resourceful. We all want to help people in a way that we feel gives our own lives meaning. And after a long search, I’ve finally found what gives meaning to mine.

While I was learning how to blog, I was also learning another skill: how to attract profitable audiences online. Bl0gging for me was more than just sitting on my butt writing posts. I immersed myself in the marketing, selling, and customer service aspects as well. I’ve experimented with blog titles and StumbleUpon. Gotten posts retweeted over 100 times and viewed over 140K times. Learned SEO (Search Engine Optimization). I pretty much learned all the ins and outs of social networking.

And you know what? These are skills a lot of people don’t have. I see so many bloggers (especially small business bloggers) who just don’t know how to reach their customer bases through a blog. It’s a problem that can be fixed with a few tweaks and mindset adjustments.

What I’m doing right now is working with 3 startups to improve their blogs, one of which is GiveForward, a crowdfunding site that helps people raise thousands of dollars to pay for medical expenses. I’m doing a bit of SEO work for them and I even spoke with the COO on how to improve the blog. Judging from his blog post today, I’d say he took it

I no longer waste hours just sitting on my couch or lying in my bed reading about people who are successful. Instead I’m out and about connecting with individuals I can help and offering my wares. I’m by no means a master at what I do, but I’ve done it long enough to be a lot better at it than other people.

So, what is this blog going to be about? I guess, my journey to become self employed. So far, all the work I’ve done up until now has been free. The work I’m doing with Greg Hartle and GiveForward is fun, but won’t put food on the table (at least, not yet). But as of today, if you have a blog that isn’t getting the type of traction you want, if you haven’t yet found your engaging and profitable audience, or if you just haven’t quite figured out the message you’re trying to spread to the world, you now have the option to work with me for a small fee.

I don’t know how long this journey will take or even if I’ll succeed at all, but as my mentor Greg Hartle told me, all it takes is the willingness to do whatever it takes. This guy has made millions without a college degree. Who am I to question what works?