When did we decide that the only way to be successful was to get a college degree, get into debt and then spend twenty years of your life on the hamster wheel paying it off?
When did we decide that white collar work was somehow “better than” blue collar work?
I don’t know the answer to these questions, but I do know that when my dishwasher stopped draining, and Bob showed up and fixed it, I would have happily added a zero to his bill based on the value I received.
Blue Collar Cash Book Review
Blue collar workers are now more in demand than white collar workers and can easily earn six-figure salaries without the crippling college dept that comes with it.
Not every business has to be high-tech and require rounds of venture capital. Some just require getting on the right path doing what you love.
And Now For Something Refreshingly Different
Whenever I review books for small business, the authors are usually CEOs and experts who write for other white collar, management type companies. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. It’s just — well — predictable.
But when I saw Blue-Collar Cash: Love Your Work, Secure Your Future, and Find Happiness for Life by Ken Rusk I almost jumped for joy! Why?
Because some of the most successful business owners are right next door to you. They are the folks who fix our sinks and air conditioners, cars and kitchens. They are the folks who are the invisible heroes of industry and only get the kudos they deserve when they show up at your house, and chat with you while fixing your dishwasher.
Take a look at this list of entry-level salaries! This isn’t exactly pocket change when you think about that fact that most small businesses that we talk about are generally operating at a loss and in risky conditions.
I’m not sure I could say the same for my lawyer, banker, marketing consultant, etc. I don’t mean any offence to these white collar professions. After all, I’m one of those people. But there’s nothing like a crisis to show you which careers are truly essential.
So, maybe instead of calling it “blue collar” we ought to call these “essential” businesses.
These are businesses that don’t require a college degree. But they do require a very specific set of skills.
These businesses don’t require that you sit in meetings, rather they require delivering a vital service that keeps our society humming.
Who are these people?
They are the people in your neighborhood, as Mr. Rogers used to say. And “Blue Collar Cash” will give you a glimpse of how they got there and how you can too.
How Ken Rusk Dug His Way to Millions
Meet Ken Rusk, author of “Blue Collar Cash”.
Ken started digging ditches. Yes — that thing you parents may have threatened you with if you didn’t do well in school. Well, Ken embraced it all the way to the bank.
Ken Rusk is a construction entrepreneur and founder of Rusk Industries. He’s launched multiple successful businesses over the last thirty years. Today, his mission is to hire, train and coach first time job seekers, especially those like himself who have realized that college isn’t for them.
He wrote this book because he wants to show people that you can have comfort, peace and financial freedom.
Thinking Differently About What Matters
“Blue Collar Cash” isn’t a how-to book. It’s really a motivational book. Rusk does an amazing job of making you step back and think about what you are up to in your life.
Chapter after chapter is filled with stories of his own personal challenges along with side stories of other people who have built and created their dreams without millions of dollars, but with a zest for life you’ll rarely find in other entrepreneurial books.
In some ways, this book reminds me of the essence of “The 4-Hour Work Week”. For example, Rusk has a commitment to enjoying your work and your life whether you have millions or not.
He tells the story of “Minnesota” a grass cutter from….Minnesota who spent eight weeks out of each summer at a Club Med. You read that right EIGHT weeks! How? Was he a millionaire? Nope.
He simplified his life in a way that allowed him to focus on what he really wanted. This means that during the year, he ran his small landscaping company; mowing lawns, trimming, edging, etc. He had a few employees and they worked hard for ten months straight.
He keeps his living situation simple so that he can do what he likes for eight weeks out of the year.
This is just one story of many more where Rusk forces you to ask yourself some tough questions. Are you loving your life? Is there peace and contentment in your life or are you just doing what you thought you were supposed to do.
A Whole New Way to “Get ‘er Done”
When did we turn entrepreneurship into celebrity status? Why did we decide that some careers were better than others?
I don’t know the answers to those questions. But I can tell you that reading “Blue Collar Cash” has inspired me to look beneath the surface of any business to find the comfort, peace and freedom that you’re truly after.
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This article, "Read Blue Collar Cash if You Want to Secure Your Future, Find Happiness" was first published on Small Business Trends
July 12, 2020 at 12:31PM
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Ivana Taylor, Khareem Sudlow
