At the recent International Blade Show in Atlanta, I not only exhibited my original knives from my Hovey’s Knives of China and Billy Joe Rubideoux designs, I approached passers by about my forthcoming book, “Create Your Own Job Security: Plan to Start Your Own Business at Midlife.”

While business books have the reputation of being dull, dull, dull and the least likely of all classes of books to be read by teens and 20-somethings, my new book Create Your Own Job Security: Plan to Start Your Own Business at Midlife was not only welcomed, but eagerly anticipated by more than 50 teens and 20-somethings that I approached at the International Blade Show in Atlanta.

Why would anyone in this age group get away from their screen devices long enough to listen to what a garrulous old guy dressed in a cooking outfit and funny hat have to say? The reason was that I told them the harsh truth that they were about to enter the world’s worst employment market. The future is going to be working in a rapid-paced version of the gig economy with typically short-term job-focused employment where highly skilled workers will be hired as needed to do a particular task and then dismissed as soon as that task is completed. In addition, millions of jobs are going to be eliminated as automation makes human workers costly extras that are to be got off company payrolls as soon as possible. Added to this is the global reach of the present business climate where less expensive workers may be hired in India or elsewhere to allow 24-7 access to fulfill their clients’ every need.

These present and coming shifts in the employment market are well publicized and known by the younger, and upcoming, members of the workforce who were eager to receive my message that, “The only job security that you really have is that which you control in your own hands.” My new book shows how you can start an entire series of businesses throughout  your working lives to raise immediate cash, work towards that college degree or professional certification, become employed in industry; but in the meantime start and nurture your own business and have it quietly running in the background so that it can be booted into full production when you are dismissed from what you hoped would be your life-long job.

I do not care what that business is. It might be in the arts, some new invention, an IT advance, perhaps a new App, a non-profit organization or even some aspect of selling knowledge. My guidance is to select for your final business a type of work that you love so much that you would do it even if no one paid you a cent for it. Find a way to monetize it. You may have decades to perfect your business concepts, but as you do decide and register your business name, get your copyright, start on your book, write your screenplay, do your music, whatever – get everything in motion so that when the time comes to start your own business all you have to do is to give it an infusion of cash, kick the tires and roar off down the highway to success. Don’t think small. Go for the million-dollar hit. Think about how you can turn your concept into a world-wide multi-million dollar business. Nothing less is worthy of your time and effort.

This is a condensation of the theme of my book. It gets down into the nuts-and-bolts of how to do necessary things like pick out an appropriate name for your business, register copyrights, design trademarks, get patents, find partners, discover who your best workers will be and how to advertise and market your product or services world-wide at very low costs. If a person will buy only one business book in their entire lives, I make the case that Create Your Own Job Security should be that book.

If you get hung up with some part of the process, I also offer consulting. You write me an e-mail telling me what problem you want to discuss and we have a half hour or hour to discuss it over the telephone, maybe even in a conference call, and I follow up with written recommendations. My advantage is that I have worked in many fields. I am a Professional Geologist and am still active in that field. I am a decorated Combat Engineer Officer. I have written 18 books about subjects as diverse as health, architecture, geology and hunting and fishing. I have given international lectures in China and Austria on business topics. I do stand-up comedy and have a feeling for the performing arts.

Less tangible, but no less important, I read people very well. Sometimes I have highlighted problems that people have, and can solve, that they are not fully aware. We are all differently gifted and afflicted. There is no one solution to everyone’s business problems and never will be. There is no single business that will succeed for all people. My task as a business consultant to help you discover the passion within yourself and how to covert that passion into a successful business.  It is never too early to start, and it is never too late.

Create Your Own Job Security

Pre-publication orders received a signed copy of the book and free shipping.

$19.95