Best of luck. In 2009, a year after graduating law school, I started my own practice. Unlike smart people, I did it when I had zero clients and while living paycheck to paycheck. The paychecks stopped but not the need for them.
I made every mistake known to mankind at the time regarding hiw to start and build your own business.
It took 3 years, the largess of big banks with easy credit rules, and the unsolicited but always welcomed input from others to turn things around to profitability. But it was worth every sleepless night and every hungry day.
Best of luck to you. You're much further down the road to succes than you might imagine.
It’s wild to think that when you relaunched Simple Man in January 2024, that’s exactly when I got introduced to your content. By March, I had ordered and read your Christian Vitality book—which came at just the right time, as I was seeking to reconnect with going to Mass again and grow deeper in my Catholic faith.
That book ended up being just the tip of the iceberg. Since then, by the grace of God, I’ve grown so much—and every day keeps getting better. Thank you for the role your work has played in that journey!
Love to read this, really humbling to know I played a part in your coming back to the faith brother. Thank you for being here and for all the support you've showed me since!!
Look forward to reading your work in this new chapter God has called you into. I’m an old guy running out of track in this world. I have often thought about a life in writing as I have been a labouring fool all my life. God has blessed me with a beautiful wife and two kids on a beautiful acreage in Southern British Columbia, I would like to think my track leads in a similar path. Writing is addictive to me, kind of like talking. Sure there will always be criticism and critics and some of them will be those closet to you. But real life is dirty sweaty and always ends in one’s death so taking some chances and risks along the way is always a challenge. Most people want to play it safe in this life. We will be judged in this life wether we like it or not, but we can thank God for sending His Son to pay a price we could never pay to receive a gift we could never earn. Blessings on your journey brother. Shalom and Pax Vobiscum
Amen brother, beautifully said. I completely agree too, everything we do is a risk in one way or another, so there's no point in "playing it safe". Thank you for reading my work and for supporting! God bless you David
Thank you for allowing us into your life. May your steps find soft pasture in the rugged terrain of this fallen world under the Grace of God and His Beloved Son.
As a writer, congratulations! It's nice to meet you & I wish you great success.
As a mother of 4 young men about your age, I want to say, I’m so proud of you!
As a Catholic and mother of a priest, God bless you. I knew you were an honest yet anonymous Catholic from your writing & I enjoyed your writing.
I use a pseudonym as well and for the same reasons. Who on earth wants to hear a priest’s mother’s most intimate pain, fears, and needs? Ugh!
I casually decided on Maria Corazon De la Cruz. It sounded Catholic and Hispanic.
Afterwords, someone assumed I wanted to carry my Catholicism to honor my faith and my ancestry, those Catholic Conquistadores, and martyrs who brought us here and those mestizos who joined them.
They assumed I chose the name for the reasons as follows:
Maria- in honor of Our Lady and my mother.
Corazon in honor of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
De la Cruz, because the Blessed Virgin is the Heart of the cross- of our Lord Jesus.
But no, it was Divine Providence who chose my nom de plume. Now I pray I do not dishonor my Lord and my faith.
Sorry for rattling on and thank you for listening/reading my response.
Great work Simple Man. Glad you’ve pulled back the curtain. I like your blog. You and several many others have inspired me to the point that I am now writing to begin posting here on Substack. I have a stockpile of articles in progress so there is enough in the magazine ready to expel for several weeks of posts.
The hardest part to date has been deciding on my ‘angle’. Once that got settled the next challenge became “what’s for dinner?” As in, the premier article or like in TV production—The Series Pilot episode, needed to be written.
I don’t know how others have felt it but getting started has been fascinating. Now, it’s almost time to launch.
What wisdom can you share as someone who has walked the road before me?
Thanks for the support brother, and congrats on starting your own publication! My best advice would be to just start asap and then find the way as you go. It's easier to find your angle by gathering feedback from real readers
What I meant by angle initially was a combination of blog name/written from what perspective. You’re saying, “expect it to morph as time goes by.” That’s helpful.
The name BTW is “Outside the Frame” an allusion to the frame of a picture (as in what’s outside of the frame of the film you’re watching.)
Best of luck. In 2009, a year after graduating law school, I started my own practice. Unlike smart people, I did it when I had zero clients and while living paycheck to paycheck. The paychecks stopped but not the need for them.
I made every mistake known to mankind at the time regarding hiw to start and build your own business.
It took 3 years, the largess of big banks with easy credit rules, and the unsolicited but always welcomed input from others to turn things around to profitability. But it was worth every sleepless night and every hungry day.
Best of luck to you. You're much further down the road to succes than you might imagine.
Bob
Thanks for sharing that Bob and I appreciate the encouragement. Glad to hear all that sacrifice was worth it! God bless you brother
It’s wild to think that when you relaunched Simple Man in January 2024, that’s exactly when I got introduced to your content. By March, I had ordered and read your Christian Vitality book—which came at just the right time, as I was seeking to reconnect with going to Mass again and grow deeper in my Catholic faith.
That book ended up being just the tip of the iceberg. Since then, by the grace of God, I’ve grown so much—and every day keeps getting better. Thank you for the role your work has played in that journey!
Love to read this, really humbling to know I played a part in your coming back to the faith brother. Thank you for being here and for all the support you've showed me since!!
Look forward to reading your work in this new chapter God has called you into. I’m an old guy running out of track in this world. I have often thought about a life in writing as I have been a labouring fool all my life. God has blessed me with a beautiful wife and two kids on a beautiful acreage in Southern British Columbia, I would like to think my track leads in a similar path. Writing is addictive to me, kind of like talking. Sure there will always be criticism and critics and some of them will be those closet to you. But real life is dirty sweaty and always ends in one’s death so taking some chances and risks along the way is always a challenge. Most people want to play it safe in this life. We will be judged in this life wether we like it or not, but we can thank God for sending His Son to pay a price we could never pay to receive a gift we could never earn. Blessings on your journey brother. Shalom and Pax Vobiscum
Amen brother, beautifully said. I completely agree too, everything we do is a risk in one way or another, so there's no point in "playing it safe". Thank you for reading my work and for supporting! God bless you David
Thank you for allowing us into your life. May your steps find soft pasture in the rugged terrain of this fallen world under the Grace of God and His Beloved Son.
I admire your courage and resolve. welcome to the party.
Thanks Steven, really appreciate the kind words. Onwards and upwards!
Brave move, brother! I'm sure God is proud of what you're doing. You're in my prayers🙏🏻
Thanks for all the support brother! God bless you!
As a writer, congratulations! It's nice to meet you & I wish you great success.
As a mother of 4 young men about your age, I want to say, I’m so proud of you!
As a Catholic and mother of a priest, God bless you. I knew you were an honest yet anonymous Catholic from your writing & I enjoyed your writing.
I use a pseudonym as well and for the same reasons. Who on earth wants to hear a priest’s mother’s most intimate pain, fears, and needs? Ugh!
I casually decided on Maria Corazon De la Cruz. It sounded Catholic and Hispanic.
Afterwords, someone assumed I wanted to carry my Catholicism to honor my faith and my ancestry, those Catholic Conquistadores, and martyrs who brought us here and those mestizos who joined them.
They assumed I chose the name for the reasons as follows:
Maria- in honor of Our Lady and my mother.
Corazon in honor of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
De la Cruz, because the Blessed Virgin is the Heart of the cross- of our Lord Jesus.
But no, it was Divine Providence who chose my nom de plume. Now I pray I do not dishonor my Lord and my faith.
Sorry for rattling on and thank you for listening/reading my response.
Thank you for the kind words and support Maria! Great pseudonym you've chosen. Appreciate you reading and taking the time to comment. God bless you!
Great work Simple Man. Glad you’ve pulled back the curtain. I like your blog. You and several many others have inspired me to the point that I am now writing to begin posting here on Substack. I have a stockpile of articles in progress so there is enough in the magazine ready to expel for several weeks of posts.
The hardest part to date has been deciding on my ‘angle’. Once that got settled the next challenge became “what’s for dinner?” As in, the premier article or like in TV production—The Series Pilot episode, needed to be written.
I don’t know how others have felt it but getting started has been fascinating. Now, it’s almost time to launch.
What wisdom can you share as someone who has walked the road before me?
🤝
Thanks for the support brother, and congrats on starting your own publication! My best advice would be to just start asap and then find the way as you go. It's easier to find your angle by gathering feedback from real readers
Thanks.
That helps.
What I meant by angle initially was a combination of blog name/written from what perspective. You’re saying, “expect it to morph as time goes by.” That’s helpful.
The name BTW is “Outside the Frame” an allusion to the frame of a picture (as in what’s outside of the frame of the film you’re watching.)
What an amazing story! So inspiring, and thanks for all you do. God bless!
Thank you Jaehne! I appreciate the kind words and support, God bless you too!
Praying for you!
That means a lot Neil, thank you!
What a lovely and encouraging story you have. I enjoy reading the ways in which God works uniquely with people. God bless you!
Thanks for the kind words, I truly appreciate them! God bless you too friend
Loved your story. So happy that you came back home to your Catholic Faith. God bless you in all your accomplishments.
Thank you for the support and encouragement Anita, I really appreciate it!
An important and valuable step brother! Thanks you for sharing your story and the writings. May God Bless you with this next step in life.
Thanks for all the support Domien, God bless you brother!
🙏😊 good luck
Thank you!
Adulting. It's hard to do. But worth it. Congratulations, Juan.
Thank you David! Appreciate you brother
God bless brother!
God bless you too Tom! Thank you for the support
Cool. Thanks for sharing dude
Appreciate you brother!