Have you known people who have a natural tendency to turn simple problems into the biggest ones? Well, I have and it is sometimes quite funny, but not always.

For example, consider this situation that happened a few years ago, but it is typical of what I want to share with you. While consulting for a client, I stopped at a restaurant near the airport for lunch and sat next to a young man in his early 30’s I later learned. I will call him, Jim. Of course, that isn’t his real name.

Jim was talking on his cell phone and complaining about the usual frustrations of working for someone else. After the phone call, I started a conversation with him. I told him that I was a consultant and I spend a great deal of time-sharing business strategy with people. It sounded to me that he could use some assistance.

Well, it turned out that Jim was a chemist and spent most of his day running lab tests and was virtually bored out of his mind. He wasn’t upset about his salary as most people are, he just didn’t feel as if he was doing what he was put on earth to do. He never had proper time with his family and his boss kept him so busy, it was frustrating.

So, although we chatted over lunch about a number of things, it was obvious that he was a person with tremendous talent and dreams, but had no clear idea of how to make them come true.

After lunch, I had to rush to another appointment but suggested that, if possible, we should talk again since I would be in his town all week. He agreed and we decided to meet at the same place later in the week. I promised to provide him with a complete solution to his concerns at our next meeting. He smiled, but I could see that he did not believe it would happen.  I told him again that I would truly have an answer for him, so to be sure to meet me.  This time, he vowed that he would.

Jim’s problem wasn’t really a difficult one. Most people have easy solutions to easy problems, but because they don’t see the solution, everything appears to be much more difficult.

When Jim and I next met, he was in a very down mood. He was not having a good day. He wouldn’t give me details, just said that it was work-related. He admitted that he had almost stood me up. He just needed some time to think about his life a bit.

Well, I told him that I was sorry that things were stressing him. I surely did relate to his situation and told him so. He seemed to appreciate that I understood. But then, I got right to the point of our meeting. I said, “Jim, I only have ten questions for you. At the end of your answering them, I will give you a solution to your concerns.” “Fire Away!”, Jim said.

Below are the ten questions that I asked him:

• Are you familiar with the subject of specialty chemicals?
• Do you know any custom manufacturers of such?
• Do you know how these manufacturers get their products to the marketplace?
• What do you enjoy the most about your job?
• Are you ever asked to evaluate specialty chemicals?
• Would you enjoy evaluating your own line of specialty chemicals?
• Are you comfortable discussing such products with salespeople?
• When you hear about a specialty chemical, do you understand its market?
• Have you ever thought of owning a business?
• How about owning manufacturing rights to some specialty chemicals?

These were the right questions for Jim because I understood his areas of interest. I also had a strong idea of what he enjoyed doing with his time. So, the questions were easy to formulate for him. It sometimes takes twenty questions, but usually less.

From Jim’s answers, we both knew that I had “hit the nail on the head” with him. His mood changed almost instantly because he could see himself doing exactly what his answers to my questions implied. He suddenly realized that he had all of the skills he needed to become someone who controlled the rights to dozens of specialty chemicals that could be manufactured and distributed in various ways.

Jim didn’t go back to work that afternoon. He called in “sick”. For the next several hours, Jim and I discussed minor details of how he would set up his new business. For Jim, all of this was especially easy because his training and his job had provided him with an alliance of companies and individuals to assist him.

I gave him a “blueprint” for getting started and that really was all he needed. Usually, if someone focuses on an area that they are already familiar with, the “blueprint” is rather simple for them.

Jim successfully acquired the manufacturing rights to a number of specialty chemicals by using some of the techniques I shared with him that afternoon. It wasn’t necessary for Jim to invest money to get started. Before long, Jim was generating more income from his new business than from his job. With the techniques I had shared with Jim, he designed a lot of free time for his new business, so he could spend quality time with his family. Smart move!

Jim was typical of most people I’ve assisted over the years. They have the talent and the knowledge to make good income for their bosses but don’t always realize that these same skills will make money for them, once they understand the proper strategy. But they do have to really want to be in their own business. Not everybody wants to be financially independent. If you sincerely want to be financially independent, in my opinion, the best way is to own and control proprietary properties like chemical formulas, patents, copyrights, trademarks, and even real estate. You just MUST be an owner, not an operator.

After my meeting with Jim, we both flew home to our families. Only I took a plane. I believe Jim just floated home!

This article was written by SDK Hunter Consulting Group

About The Author:

Sherman Hunter and SDK Hunter Consulting Group staff consultants provide global moneymaking opportunities and proprietary strategies that quickly accelerate business activity. You may familiarize yourself with these unique concepts by visiting the SDK Hunter Consulting Group blog located at:  https://sdkhunter.com

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the “About The Authors” resource box.