2009 In Review / 2010 Goals 12/29/09
2009 has been the absolute best year of my life, both professionally and personally.
I set some goals for myself back in July of this year and I crushed every single one of them. I don’t want this post to come off as me bragging but I really am proud of what I have managed to accomplish.
I’m not sure how many people have read my original story. I will give a quick summary.
My family owned are own business that made window coverings. We ran the business for about 12 years. The economy hit the business hard and, instead of filing for bankruptcy, we opted to sell the company. The new owner kept most of my family on board but he was an insanely mean and abusive boss. From the day he took over, I knew that I needed to find a way out.
I was engaged to be married in May, I had just recently purchased my own home in November of 2008, and I absolutely hated my job. It seemed like the worst time in the world to leave.
In May of 2009, about 3 days before my wedding day, I decided that I was never going back. I would quit my job, go on my honeymoon, and come back to a fresh start. That’s exactly what I did.
It was scary for a little while. I applied for jobs all over town with no replies back and I was denied unemployment because I quit my job. I hunted all over the internet for answers to how I could make money online. I had been blogging for years and was making some income off of that but it was not nearly enough to cover all of my expenses. I had to figure something out.
I came across a coaching program in July of ’09 put on by Alex Jeffreys. I thought that this was the answer to what I was looking for. I put the $1,000 coaching course on a credit card and prayed that this guy could teach me how to make an income online.
The class was hugely beneficial but maybe not for the reasons you might assume. I did learn a lot from his coaching but most of it I already knew. He just helped reinforce what my goals and what my focus should be. The absolute biggest thing that I got out of this coaching was connections. A forum opened up and I made contact with some brilliant minds. These people helped me strategize what my focuses should be and how I should build my business. They made all the difference in the world. Josh Bartlett, David Chamberlain, David Walker, and Joe Fier (My inner circle), you guys are amazing and I appreciate everything you have done for me this year!
In August of ’09, I launched the WordPress Classroom. I didn’t expect a whole lot from it. I basically created it because I had so many people ask me questions about WordPress. Instead of explaining it over and over again, I just recorded videos and shot the videos over to people. Before I knew it, I had over 50 videos recorded. Josh (Bartlett) told me that I should try to sell the videos.
I put the offer up on the Warrior Forum as a WSO and I e-mailed my small list (about 150 at the time) with the details of the product launch.
I couldn’t believe it… It sold nearly 100 copies in the first week that I opened it up. It still continues to sell about 4 copies per day like clockwork.
While selling this product, I managed to build a mailing from close to 0 subscribers to close to 5,000 subscribers.
The last couple of months have been spent putting time in to creating a new product. It’s a combination of an ebook and a ton of videos. I really want to over-deliver on this and make a huge launch out of it. It should be a great way to kick off the new year.
Here’s a quick recap of 2009
So, as you can see, it’s been a pretty eventful year. I married my wife, broke free from my oppressive job, and built a small business that has managed to top the income of my previous job.
All that’s left to do now is to set some new goals to smash in 2010…
Goals for 2010
Here’s a list of the goals that I’m setting for myself by the end of the 2010. I’m going to analyze these goals closer and set deadlines, as well as rank them in order of importance. I’ll fill you in on all that in a later post.
Business Goals:
- Launch my new product (6 figures in sales) February Launch
- Build my list to over 20,000 subscribers
- Create at least one blog post per week (I’ve been slacking)
- Promote more product launches
- Rank #1 in at least one launch lead contest
- Round up an army of affiliates to promote current and future products
- Launch a monthly membership site to build a recurring income
- Set up a coaching program with a partner
- Attend at least 4 internet marketing related seminars
Personal Goals
- Finish remodel of master bathroom (It’s currently gutted)
- Remodel guest bathroom
- Cut back on the sweets and the junk food
- Exercise at least 4 times per week
- Purchase a netbook
- Purchase a Jacuzzi
- Make enough income that wife is comfortable leaving her job
As you can see, my goals haven’t changed dramatically from before. I still want to create a six figure and then a seven figure business. I still want my wife to quit her job. 2010 is the year I make it all happen.
What are your goals for 2010? Please comment. I’d love to hear from you. Maybe I can help you make them possible. We’ll never know unless you make yourself heard!
Here’s to an amazing 2010!
Matt Wolfe
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38 Responses to this article
Congradulations on your success! You have had a busy year, but it has paid off. I still remember when I met you. I believe it was on the Warrior forum and then I traveled to your blog. I followed what you tought in your posts and purchased your WordPress Classroom. All of it has helped me form my own Blog. Thanks!
To your success in 2010.
Jim
.-= Jim Hardin´s last blog ..Passionate WordPress Blog Bread =-.
Fellow Alex Jeffrey’s student here.
Congratulations Matt, I’m very happy for your success.
I’m not making a full time living yet on my marketing, but exciting things are in the works, so I’ll get there soon.
I’m sure you will reach your goals for 2010.
Keep up the good work!
Thomas.
Hey Matt,
Well done, I am hearing more and more about people from the Alex Jeffreys coaching program quitting jobs and going full time online and 2010 I hope to be another one of them.
I think you need to get a link to your video in this post, it was great and I am not suprised it won.
All the best for 2010 I am sure you will beat your goals again.
James
.-= James Howard´s last blog ..Alex Jeffreys Coaching Update How I Have Done So Far =-.
Hi Matt,
Thank you for sharing your achievements and outlining next year’s goals (I have my own post on this in the pipeline!) with the rest of the world – now you have no excuse not to fulfill them!
Thank you for the mention and it is an honour to be part of the ‘inner circle’. I hope to collaborate on lots of projects with you, Josh, Joe and David during 2010 and beyond.
It has been a pleasure getting to know you and it’s going to be great to meet up in Vegas!
David
.-= David Walker´s last blog ..Christmas Round Up 2009 =-.
Hey Matt,
Great results buddy – congratulations and very well done.
My experience shows that there’s always an opposite. For every success, there’s a failure, for every positive there’s a negative – like Ying and Yang and black and white.
From July, I put all my energy into IM, following Alex Jeffrey’s coaching, with minor successes and goal achievements along the way. Ultimately though, I’ve failed. It looks like I’m one of the 98%!
People need to know that it’s really tough to succeed in this game. My track record is there to see. Since July, I got my first blog up, wrote my own giveaway product, entered numerous giveaway events, posted videos on youtube and other sites, commented on hundreds of other blogs, created my first product on Clickbank and loads more besides.
I’ve personally run out of time, patience – but more crucially – money.
My advice would be to take very careful stock of your available time, your current level of expertise and knowledge base and importantly – what do you have to offer that’s different, sort after and which you can or could provide (like Matt’s WordPress Classroom).
For those who choose to take the challenging and ultra competitive step of entering the IM arena, I wish you every good luck and a following wind.
Oh – and keep tabs on Matt (this blog); he’s got it cracked!
Onwards and upwards for 2010 Matt.
Andrew.
.-= Andrew Vaughan´s last blog ..Press One For English =-.
Hey Matt,
What a successful year you’ve had, those achievements really are something to be proud of.
The fact that your income now exceeds the income of your previous offline job is amazing, and you are now living proof that it is possible to go from having no job, to being full time Internet Marketer in 6 months.
I’m just going over my goals for next year now, and I’ll be doing a post announcing them in January, but I might as well share a few of them here right now.
1. Build my list to 2000 subscribers or more by April 2010 (my current list size is 217)
2. Get a product for sale on Clickbank by mid January 2010
3. Make more tutorial screen capture videos, and turn them into a product.
4. Make enough money per month to cover my hosting and Aweber fees, by the end of February 2010.
I’ll leave it at that for now, but those are the main things I want to complete in the first half of 2010.
I look forward to your future launches, and I will be following your further progress.
All the best for 2010!
Paul
.-= Paul Lear´s last blog ..2009, The Year It All Began… =-.
I envy you – I hope I don’t sound like a shit when I say that -and I want to emulate you. I hope to hear more as as you progress, because that will inspire me, like this blog post of yours has. I want to make a name for myself – and of course, a bit of wealth – on the net, but severe financial constraints limit my choices, and thus, my New Year’s resolutions are still to be resolved.
VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR! May lots of prosperity and satisfaction of achievement be yours.
.-= Venkatesh´s last blog ..Taking Up The Magic of Making Up =-.
Great job Matt!!
I’ve been at this marketing thing for a year and still haven’t broken the code. Maybe, with your teachings, I can do something about it this year. I am in the process of adopting 4 of my grandchildren, and REALLY need to get something going. I have also been unemployed for a year, so it’s getting scary. I look forward to working at my blog, which I never figured could build me an income…silly me!
Thanks:)
Paul
.-= Paul McDonald´s last blog ..5 Qualities For Affiliate Marketing =-.
Hey Matt,
You did it! Good for you! May all you achieve all your goals in 2010 and more. I’m off to look at your fan page. I have one too – they’re great.
All the best
Sylvia
Congratulations on having such a successful year Matt! You are truly an inspiration to many of us still trying to crack the code.
Looking forward to following in your footsteps of learning and best wishes for the New Year.
Happy New Year Matt!
And congratulations again. When we started the Alex Jeffreys Course you were one of the most active people in there and you were determined to make your online business a success. Since then I’ve watched you go from strength to strength and I think to myself – “Now, there’s a man to watch!”
Now, I’m not saying the hard work is over, far from it, but by god you have laid some tremendous foundations for your business and now we can watch your build your online empire grow and I for one will be there to see it and promote your products on the way.
Best of luck for 2010 Matt but isn’t it amazing that the harder you work, the luckier you get!
Andy
.-= Andy Michaels´s last blog ..Holiday Greetings, The Hard Work Starts Here! =-.
Congratulations on your success, Matt! I’ve been at this just under a year and have been slowly finding my way and have begun having some small successes. I just joined my first JV Giveaway event, and I see you are in there also, so it makes me feel like I am on the right track.
WordPress is what I started with and I love it, so I’m happy to have found your videos, which I’ll be promoting. I’m looking forward to 2010 being my year!
.-= Jacque LaMantia´s last blog ..New Year Resolution for 2010 – Start Your Own Internet Business =-.
Good thoughts. Instead of having a new years resolution have a game plan to follow. The big key is to remained focused. My plans for the year is to create many small sites, then concentrate on list building. At present I have one large site. The Information Depot it is on page one of Google. It has about 210 pages. I am going to gather information from it and create about another 10 or so smaller sites before moving on to the next project, which will be list building, and possibly article marketing. Every site will have an article attached to it.
Hey Matt,
You are absolute proof, that if someone is determined to succeed, they WILL succeed.
I am amazed every day, I get a gift or something free from you, and they are all good quality items.
I hope we can keep in touch, as I will be following you as you go along.
I am one of Alex’ Jeffreys students from July 09, still checking in on the forum each day.
You are headed to bigger and better things, and I wish you a
Happy and Prosperous 2010.
To Our Success,
Rich C.
.-= Rich Cardarelli´s last blog ..Would You Like to Get Free Mentoring ? =-.
HI Matt;
Glad to hear of your success, and you very down to earth story. I started making a few posts to my blog about 2 months ago. http://jamiedolan.com It’s just my personal site, I wanted to get the hang of things and figure out how all this blogging stuff worked. Well in 2 months, I have a blog with about 25 posts, including multiple videos, and yesterday, I got PR2 status from google. I’ve been a member of the Warrior Forum for about a month now. I’m looking forward to success in 2010. All the best to you.
Regards,
Jamie Dolan
Neenah, WI
.-= Jamie Dolan´s last blog ..Happy New Year! & Thanks Google! (Google Gives Out an Unexpected PageRank Update) =-.
Happy New Year to you Matt.
Thank you for all your help this year.
I see that you had an interesting and profitable year and I say, that determining from what you did, you got exactly what you deserved. Three big time gambles and they all paid off.
Quit your job, developed the WordPress, and took a $1000.00 of your money and went and got coaching. I think coaching is critical and extremely important because to make it in this business you have to get to those who are already doing it. I have many many goals this year, but the priority above them all is to get coaching. That is how I see it.
Paul
paulewarner@bellsouth.net
Happy New Year Matt!! Your’s is a very inspiring story. Congratulatons!
My wife has been wanting to learn about WordPress. I sent her the link to your videos. She should pop up in your list any minute!
Cheers,
chris
Hey Matt,
Nice work. You are apart of my IM hero list.
We are practically neighbors-I live in El Cajon.
I have a story much like yours. I’m a casualty of the economy-laid off, foreclosure, Bk, etc. Things are settling down but I am not where I want to be. I have been exploring and dabbling in the whole IM thing for about a year. No real success yet but I am going to hit it hard this year. You are exactly what I need for inspiration/mentoring. I don’t have much available income for investing in this yet but I plan to purchase what I can-most likely from you if it is something that will help me at this stage.
Please keep me informed and up to date on your progress as well as any help and advice you can spare for a struggling newbie such as myself.
Thanks again,
Drew
Hi Matt,
This journal is very inspiring. I have been wanting to leave the daily grind for many months and am determined to do just that. I will be looking into your wordpress product.
Thanks for sharing your story congratulations on escaping the grind
Loz
matt
what an inspiring story! its amazing what people can do when they have their backs to the wall. my biggest weakness was putting off the list building which i’m now charging at like a raging bull.
wishing you all the best for 2010!
.-= Peter Davies´s last blog ..The Self Improvement Giveaway Event =-.
Hi Matt
I’m very proud of what you have done this year I’m was one
Alex’s students too it wasn’t the life saver that I thought
it would be, but I did learn a lot, very glad I took the course.
This will be my year to break out I’m working on my own product now, with you as my inspiration I will definitely be close to your blog.
Alexis
Wow! 4.5k subscribers, very nice job! I remember when I broke that, it’s like a second Christmas present haha.
You achieved a lot in 2009! Sounds like you would of had fun on the way as well!
Wishing you all the best, looking forward to your next post
Steven Male.
.-= Steven Male´s last blog ..The Power of the Touch =-.
Hi Matt,
Finally got a chance to come by your blog. I’ve been slacking horribly in that respect. I wan to congratulate you on your success so far. You and I are alike in a lot of respects.
I to had been making money here and there on the internet for a couple years but after taking Alex’s course have made huge strides. I must admit that I envy you quitting your job.
That is on my agenda for this year. Also, I have also vowed to post at least once a week to my blog. Come visit my blog and you will see a lot of similarities in our goals for 2010.
I also put mine up for all to see. I did it the year before as well. In December of 2008, I posted my goals for 2009 on Garry Parkes’ blog. Yesterday, I posted the results of 2009 along with my new goals for 2010.
Putting your goals out there helps to add some accountability and motivation. I invite you to post your goals over on my blog when you get a chance.
Here’s to a happy and prosperous new year. I can’t wait to meet you and everyone else in Las Vegas. I am sure that some very profitable partnerships will be forged.
JT
.-= JT Martin´s last blog ..New Years Resolutions and Revelations. =-.
Hi Matthew,
Happy New Year and congratulations on a successful 2009.
My ultimate goal is to leave my full time night shift job and work from home. I haven’t had any success with my marketing efforts over the past 3 years. I’m hoping for some success this year and I’m going to stay focused and positive.
Hope you have a great 2010!
Hi Matt,
I recently purchased your WordPress classroom and I’m going through the videos in the hope of becoming a competent user of WordPress to build and / or edit WP websites. I have a couple of WP websites that I paid another marketer to build and (I think) they have all the attributes of a well built website but I’m not stupid enough to think that they are unique. With what I learn in your course I want to be able to re-configure them to be unique by (obviously) adding heaps of new content and re-focusing the pages to target specific keywords, etc. I have also learned enough about another web design program called X SitePro to have successfully built and published a couple of websites that are “works in progress”. As well as these, I have a couple of other domain names that I want to build WP sites around, so I’m excited to have found you and your product.
This is a great blog post, Matt. You’ve really “spilled the beans” on where you come from and what an amazing person you are to have achieved what you have in such a short time. Your courage to leave a job without any fall-back is to be commended; I have read many personal development books that imply that this sort of drastic action often does achieve results such as what you have achieved. I also watched you’re “at home” video, which was a good way of extending some confidence to your list in regards to letting us see a family man who has just started on his road to success. The combination of your video and blog have shown us all that you are a real person taking real risks that have “kick-started” your real success.
I’m a lot older than you, (in fact I have 2 sons that are probably a similar age to you or older), and I am obviously a big procrastinator as I have been into” learning the ropes” about internet marketing for 5+ years now and although I have a lot of knowledge I still fail to bring it all together to start producing income.
I have a technical and design background and I guess my nature is to want to know how to do the “detail” myself, and I really can’t afford to outsource at the moment. (Besides I really can’t see how that would be successful unless you know what you are asking for). Doing it all yourself presents the challenge of time management as well as process management; where you have to make sure you can configure all the pieces together to make a whole. You have given me another reason to really try to take a single strategy and work with it rather than trying to mix and match pieces of different strategies together.
I will certainly keep in touch through your blog. You know one of the great benefits of finding a “new success” like you is that you have new ideas probably learned from old re-hashed marketing programs like those so many of the long-time gurus market to people daily on the net; and you have a fresh young team of colleagues who help each other to sort through some of that trash and come out with the treasure.
So Happy New Year to you and your family and all the best from one of the Aussies on your list.
Congratulations on your success in 2009
With such a positive attitude I’m sure you will achieve your goals for 2010.
For the first time I have also set down my goals in public in my latest post.
Having learnt so much from mentors Alex Jeffrey, John Thornhill and Chris Freville, my main focus will be in product development (as well as building my subscriber list).
Here’s to the future.
John
.-= John Coates´s last blog ..Goals For 2010 =-.
Wow, Matt
Congratulations on your great results. Wish you a big success in this year.
All the best
Estani
.-= Estanislao´s last blog ..Feliz Año Nuevo 2010 =-.
Hi Matt,
Good to find good people like you. I got your email with the link for the video “quick niche credibility” and all I can say is Wow! You’ve given much more that I expected. And…How can I put it? “God shows up when you need help.”
I learn best with “show me how”,your video absolutely taught me something and I’m closer to my goals.
I can’t thank you enough, G-B-You!
Amicizia,Vic Sciarrino
(good friends)
Congratulations Matt! I’m thrilled with your success. You are truly one of the good guys in the business. I wish you continued success in 2010 and may you exceed your goals.
.-= Leslie´s last blog ..11×17 Color Laser Printer Price Comparison =-.
Hi Matt
Thank you for sharing your recent story and wonderful achievement, as well as your intentions for 2010. Your videos are top-shelf, in my eyes, and I’ll be looking frward to anything else you produce.
And as one of Alex Jeffrey’s students, I appreciate very much the free help you give me and all of us.
As to your remodelling… as my offline work was architecture, if you need any ideas, do ask.
Best wishes
Anthony
.-= Anthony Smits´s last blog ..Starting at the End =-.
Matt,
Nice wrap-up I been following since you launched your blog. Your a good success story. Good luck in 2010. I will be checking in hope you keep to the weekly blog posts as you tend to have pretty good content. I going to do making some of my own products this year also I hope I can have some similar results.
.-= Jared P Little´s last blog ..Brian Tracy Tuesday – Strategic Thinking =-.
Awesome job Matt!
Nice to see one’s success. I recently partnered with Jeremy Palmer and look forward to learning and building an online business. You are doing a great job in helping people along the way, your friend and partner Joe is also great.
Here’s to a successful 2010 to all.
Richard
Hey there Matt,
I wanted to commend you on sticking to your guns and acieving your goals. I also wanted to personally thank you for turning me on to easy video player. I think it is going to be a game changer for me and my partners with our marketing model. My site is under construction, at the moment, but I look forward to speaking with you more. I look forward to your coaching model, and would love to be involved.
Matt Hepburn
Hi Matt
Your drive and determination in 2009 has definatley payed off to success online today.
I for one want to thank you personally for the wordpress classroom videos,without them I would still be struggling!
Strong foundations in 2009 will definatley ensure your 2010 goals will be met.
Rosie Thomson
.-= Rosie´s last blog ..Here’s To 2010 =-.
Hi Matt
Man, your are so the example I want to be! I have just completed module 5 on Alex’s course and am spending every possible minute failing forward.
Loved your blog, and I mean loved. Will follow your progress.
Good luck on your goals.
Best regards
Joe
PS How do I get those neat subscription buttons for you tube etc on my blog page?
http://www.joefizz.com
http://www.groovyaffiliate.com
.-= Wayne Evans (Joe)´s last blog ..My 3 little inspirations. =-.
Hey Matt,
Love your videos on WebPress.
I am a Webpress Pro subscriber and have a question for you but your Zendesk does not recognize my email address. It’s the same one I signed up with and the one you send your Aweber emails to. Is there any other way I can ask you the questions?
Thanks,
Jeff Scott
Hey Matt,
Sorry about that Webpress. It is and always shall be “WordPress”! Work overload or brain f_ _ t!
Didn’t mean to confuse you. My mistake!
Jeff Scott
Hi Matt,
A friend via a friend sent me here for something else and I ended up reading your very inspiring blog diary!
Thank you so much for how you recorded the process!
All the best for this year…
Kindest,
Poppie