How One Skill Can Get You Wealthy & The Louis Vuitton Founder Story

The 9-5 Hustle is now The Careerguard. Although we have rebranded, please note, that there is no action for you to take. Rest assured, you’ll continue receiving our weekly content directly to your inbox every Sunday without any action required from you. Now onto the usual…😃 👇

It’s Sunday, 11th February 2024, and in this week’s roundup, learn in 5 minutes or less:

• Career Story: How Louis Vuitton became a household name all from the Founder’s one skill - suitcase making.

• Productivity: Managing your energy not just your time to get more sh*t done!

• Making More Money: Focusing on your strengths to level up and negotiate a promotion or start your side gig to earn more instead of a full career pivot.

• Weekly round-up: What else happened this week, from the Apple Vision Pro release to Superbowl announcements…

Forwarded this email? Sign up here.

SPONSORED AD

Interested in starting a new tech career or making a career switch? You can enroll in a course for FREE with Course Careers; they are the modern way to break into Tech and earn a £100,000+ / year salary without needing to spend thousands on college or university.

This is the modern way to make more money & land your dream job!

NEED TO KNOW

Return to Office Mandates

Many companies, including Amazon, Disney, and Boeing, have enacted return-to-office mandates in the past year, and more continue to do so. Just last week, UPS told workers they will return to a five-day in-person schedule, the Wall Street Journal reported. And employees are complying. According to data from Kastle Systems, which monitors building-access card swipes in 2,600 buildings across 138 cities, office occupancy reached an average of 53 percent this month, the highest since the pandemic's start.

That's good news for CEOs looking to encourage people to commute, but many corporate professionals do not believe it is great for workplace wellness.

CAREER STORY

Were you aware that Louis Vuitton, at the age of 16, found himself homeless and shoeless?

In 1837, he arrived in Paris, having walked 292 miles from his impoverished village, his feet bare. He secured employment as an apprentice suitcase maker, dedicating the subsequent 17 years to honing his skills.

It was during this period of refinement that Louis conceived one of the most groundbreaking advancements in luggage history: a flat-top canvas trunk equipped with a lock. Though seemingly simple, this innovation addressed a significant issue of the time – the difficulty in stacking irregularly sized cases. Louis tackled this problem himself, marking a true stroke of innovation.

His ingenuity did not go unnoticed. The Empress of France, Eugénie de Montijo, was enamored with the new suitcase design and appointed Louis as her "personal trunk maker and packer." This royal endorsement propelled the name "Louis Vuitton" into a symbol of unparalleled luxury.

Fast forward to the present day, over 150 years since receiving the royal nod, and the brand's prominence remains steadfast. Louis Vuitton now stands as an integral component of Bernard Arnault's LVMH fashion empire, contributing significantly to its annual revenue of £80 billion. Quite an impressive journey if you ask me, all from a humble beginning.

CAREER LESSON LEARNT

The story of Louis Vuitton is important…

Not only does it teach a valuable business lesson - “solve problems with a skill,” just like Louis did - but it also exemplifies an incredible life lesson.

Just because your starting circumstances are rough, doesn’t mean immense success is unattainable - and Louis Vuitton is a shining example of this.

Walking 292 miles barefoot, refining his craft over 17 years, and becoming the most talked about name in fashion with royal endorsements - this is some achievement for a poor farmer’s boy from rural France.

So remember, success is a product of your own will and determination only.

Those who want to win, will.

GET MORE SH*T DONE

Manage your energy not just your time:

“People naturally have ebbs and flows in their work processes or in how well they can focus,” explains Dr. Melissa Gratias, a workplace productivity coach and speaker. These peaks and valleys in your focus and motivation are naturally occurring in your body, driven by your ultradian rhythms. 

You can’t compete with science. So rather than doubling down on your caffeine intake, the smarter move is to pay close attention to the times of day when you feel most energized. 

Keep a journal for at least a week or two (one day isn’t long enough to identify trends) and note how you feel. You’ll have an easier time spotting your biological prime time – the times you’re most “in the zone.”

With that information, you can allocate your work more effectively. Plan your deep, complex, or creative work for your golden hours (you can even block off your calendar) and save menial tasks for the times when you feel a little more drained. 

BEST FROM TIKTOK THIS WEEK

@erinmcgoff

Ask for the raise. Just do it. I’m looking at you, ladies! 💪💰🤓 #careertiktok #youshouldknow #tiktoktaughtme #howto #womeninfilm #fyp

LEVEL UP

Rather than trying to excel in every skill possible, focus on the things you already do well and learn how to become even better at those things. While you may like to be someone who can do anything, you may succeed more in your career if you specialize in an area that can add value to your team. This can be especially helpful if you have a skill that few others in your team have.

For example, if you have always done well when giving presentations to customers or other businesses, you may take some classes in speech or sales to improve your technique. Or let’s say, for example, everyone asks you to do an excel spreadsheet for them, focus on leveling up your Microsoft Excel skills.

Once you build on your skills you can use this as a negotiating factor in your next pay review or go out there and start a side business of your own.

Miss Excel did this all by getting really good at Microsoft Excel and now makes over $2 million a year from the one skill…Impressive right?

STUFF WE ARE LOVING RIGHT NOW

Interactive Investor is the perfect investment platform. It is a low-cost, award-winning, online investment platform enabling you to easily manage shares, funds, SIPPs, ISAs & more.

Course Careers is ideal for someone trying to get into a career with Tech

We are enjoying Sanebox because it gets rid of inbox clutter. AI identifies important emails and automatically organizes the rest to help you stay focused.

Atomic Habits, a book I recently finished reading which has reinforced the benefit of developing good habits.

MEMES & BANTER

BEFORE YOU GO

Celebrity News:  After concluding her Eras Tour show in Tokyo, Taylor Swift purportedly hurried to her private jet, embarking on a 12-hour flight bound for Las Vegas to catch her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, in action at the Super Bowl.

Music:  Get ready for Super Bowl 58! The main event will feature the Kansas City Chiefs going head-to-head against the San Francisco 49ers. The pregame festivities will be highlighted by Reba McEntire, Post Malone, and Andra Day performances. During the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show, Usher will take center stage, rumored to be joined by Alicia Keys. Are you prepared to tune in to the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show?

Business: Brands such as e.l.f. and Dove are stepping into the spotlight with prominent positions in this year's Super Bowl commercials. In the past, advertisers spent approximately $7 million (£5.5 million) for a 30-second spot during the event, predominantly targeting male audiences. However, this year, with a growing female viewership attributed partly to the influence of Taylor Swift and her dedicated fan base, marketers are eager to capitalize on the female demographic.

Tech:  The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has officially outlawed AI-generated robocalls, marking a significant move by the federal agency responsible for overseeing communication in the country. This decision arrives in response to a surge in robocalls utilizing AI-generated voices, including those impersonating celebrities and political figures. Effective immediately, states are empowered to prosecute individuals involved in creating and disseminating AI-generated deep fake audio calls.

Travel: To stay connected affordably, use local SIM cards or eSIM technology for cheaper data rates abroad, ensuring you’re always reachable and can work from anywhere.

Health Tip:  Schedule regular check-ups with your healthcare provider to monitor your health status and catch any potential issues early.

How to Spend it:   Apple Vision Pro Headsets costs closer to $4,600 with necessary Add-ons. The new headset teaches a valuable lesson about the cost of tech products. The upsells and add-ons will get you.

QUOTES & MOTIVATION

RECOMMENDATIONS

• 1-2-1 Consultation Careers Advice: Most people take this time to ask me for guidance for their career, turning their high-income skills into a consultancy business, improving their CV/Resume or Proposals to secure 6-figure+ jobs and high ticket day rates/retainer contracts.

• Career Growth Bundle Pack & Personalised Resume Review: Download the bundle to get everything you need to achieve your career goals.

• Personal Finance & Wealth Builders Bundle Package: Supercharge your finances with a suite of tools.

• Personal Brand Coaching: Most people take this time to ask me for guidance on how to develop a personal brand and monetize using social media platforms like TikTok/YouTube and Instagram.

Talk to us…

You made it to the end of our newsletter!

So spill the beans… What’s your number 1 pain point right now? 

Is it about not getting paid enough/difficult colleagues/a toxic boss/wanting to start a new role/pivoting into a new industry/work-life balance/ time management/low self-esteem & confidence/ wanting a side hustle/other?

Reply directly to this email and let us know! 📧

DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational content and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions.

Want to advertise with us? Apply here.

_