In this series we will be highlighting burgeoning entrepreneurs in the modern era. These are folks who have taken the risk of quitting or working double to quit their conventional jobs in pursuit of their passions. This is a difficult road that many never find the courage to venture upon, but the rewards are so worth it, and as you know, no risk, no reward, know risk, know reward.
This episode highlights Derrick Casey. If you've never thought that making money online was real, Derrick will change your mind really quickly. Derrick is a proverbial paradigm shifter with a goal of helping as many people as he can use their talents, and their skills, coupled with his knowledge of online marketing to develop new streams of income and secure financial freedom. Glowing with enthusiasm and passion, read on to learn how Derrick is building new and innovative income streams for himself and others.
Tell Me A Little More About What You Do And How You Got Into It
I am an online marketing consultant, mentor and motivator. I simply teach people how to create an additional income online. There's a lot of misconceptions when it comes to network marketing and direct sales. It's not something that you see or hear of everyday. So the perception is that this industry isn't real or it's a pyramid scheme or a scam. Although there are some pretty crazy stories of companies who fall under this category. It doesn't mean that the whole industry is tarnished. And I am determined to show people that what people get paid to do online. We've been doing for free for many years. I've always known about network marketing and I've tried a couple things that didn't work out for me. It wasn't until me and my family moved to Dallas, TX that network marketing became a big part of my life. I began to connect with people who were just like me. Tired of working hard every day. Living paycheck to paycheck just to pay bills. And I started to see more and more people working less hours, making more money, and being able to spend more time with their families. Which sounded way better than working 40 plus hours a week, being stuck in traffic, and living paycheck to paycheck.
Do you Remember Your First Day? What Were You Feeling?
I felt super excited, anxious, nervous. Just full of emotions because I didn't know what to expect. But I knew I wanted the lifestyle of the people that I was surrounded with now. I remember just staring at my computer when I first received my information. And all I could do was smile because I knew I was doing something that could absolutely change my family's life for the better. Then I was invited to my first event. And from that moment on I knew that I wanted to learn more, earn more, and teach others how to gain financial freedom.
What Were You Doing Before? Why Made You Want To Try Something New?
I'm still working a full-time job. In sales, of course. I love what I do, the people I work with and the company I represent. However, I totally understand that these JOBS are not guaranteed. And I am taking a huge risk if my only source of income is from my job. Because what would I do if they were to let me go tomorrow. How would I provide for my family? And this very thing happened to me not too long ago. My job was redoing their budget and decided to let me and many others go just to save money. They didn't care about how I was going to provide for my family. However, due to learning how to generate an additional income online while working my full-time job. I was still able to provide for my family while searching for a new job.
How Do You Balance Your Time?
Working a full-time job, taking care of my 4 beautiful children and wife while running an online business can get a little crazy at times. But I am able to manage. On my way to work, I am always listening to motivational speakers to start my day off right. From Tony Robbins to John C Maxwell. Great way to start the day. I work my typical 9-5 shift. While on my drive home, I am listening to something motivational to help me debrief after a long day at work. Once I get home, my children and wife are waiting for me. So from about 7pm – 9pm I eat dinner with the family, talk about how their day went. Play with my children. Get them in the shower. Read them books. Then put them to bed. From 9pm-10pm I catch up on all of my messages that I received throughout the day. From 10pm-11pm I spend some quality time with my beautiful wife. Then it's off to bed to start my day all over again the next day.
Tell Me About Your Business?
My business is very simple. Since there are millions of ways to make money online. I focus more on teaching people the basics of marketing online via social media. And how to connect with people. Once you learn the basics of marketing online and start to apply what you've learned. Sky's the limit to what you can do and the amount of money you can make in this industry. I decided to create a company called Pyramid Genius. And my slogan is "Changing Lives Financially with these so called Pyramid Schemes". I wanted to create something that created a little controversy but made people more curious about what me, my team, and my company represents. Once people say the magic words "What Do You Do?" Then we got them. Because most people are just misinformed. And my team is excited to break down the value of creating an additional income online. With Pyramid Genius, we love to have fun, make money, and make a difference.
How Much Time Per Week Would You Say You Dedicate To Your Work?
I dedicate approximately 10-15 hours a week to my business.
What Else Do You Like To Do With Your Free Time?
In my free time I love spending time with my family. Getting out of the house and going to do something fun. I also love playing basketball when I can. I also love playing piano and making music with my children. But my new found passion is becoming a motivational speaker. I love connecting with new people and learning about their journey. And inspiring them through my own life experiences. It's such a great feeling when people come across my videos and hit me up saying thank you for content that I share every day. I am just enjoying life and want to give back. Oh and I love to cook in my spare time. Preferably on the grill.
What's Next For You?
Becoming a motivational speaker. I love inspiring people. I want to be on the big stage in front of thousands of people. Sharing my story and impacting lives. I have so much to offer and so much to give. God has blessed with the opportunity to connect with people on so many levels. And it's time for me to put it to use.
Any Advice For People Wanting To Follow A Similar Path?
In order for things to change. You have to change. And to have things that you've never had. You have to do things that you've never done. It's inevitable that we will all die some day. It's what you do with your time while you're on this Earth. What legacy will you leave behind for your children to follow. If you want something bad enough. GO GET IT!!! Once you realize that no one on God's green Earth can stop you from being great but you. That's when life will begin to make sense. You are more powerful than your mind let's you believe. You're time is NOW. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Right NOW!!! Time to take action. And make it happen!!!
Interested in learning more and working with Derrick? Click here...
Larry David, FTX Superbowl Commercia
The tech industry's having a tough time. Only months ago, those who were bragging about their hot tech jobs and (seemingly) hyper-performing Crypto portfolios are probably screaming, crying, gnashing their teeth, and throwing up. And they may or may not be unemployed.
First, the recession is obliterating the stock market as we speak. Then, the summer Crypto proved the “decentralized marketplace” isn’t as impervious as Crypto nerds claimed. And now, the entire tech industry is facing a serious reckoning. It’s meltdown season — and Mercury isn’t even in retrograde.
First, Elon Musk bought Twitter. He subsequently fired a staggering number of employees. He then instituted Twitter Blue, a verification subscription which was a spectacular FAILURE. Most notably, causing the stock price of every significant insulin company to plummet by BILLIONS. It’s a long story, but the takeaway: the best $8 some random Twitter user ever spent.
Meanwhile, major tech companies like Meta, Salesforce, Redfin — and more — have been laying off thousands of employees. Wave after wave of layoffs are tearing through the entire tech sector, leaving thousands bamboozled and bereft. And this — alllll this — is happening while Jeff Bezos is giving away his money to Dolly Parton. I love her, but she has a theme park. These people don’t have jobs!
But this is nothing compared to the drama going on at former-Crypto giant FTX. And somehow, Tom Brady and Gisele are implicated!?! First, the divorce, now this.
Here’s a simplified version of events — and you don’t even need to understand crypto to follow along.
The Super Bowl: The true origins can be traced back to the Super Bowl, where much ad time was devoted to emergent crypto companies vying for the attention of potential investors. Among them: FTX.
January 2022: FTX was valued at an estimated $32 billion. They even had an NBA stadium named after them in Miami. But most prominently, their now infamous Super Bowl ad starring Larry David, who had never appeared in a commercial before. Just imagine that shoot. You should’ve stuck to your guns, Larry.
Don't Miss Out on Crypto: Larry David FTX Commercialwww.youtube.com
Nov 2: The real drama started — as it always does — with some shady trades. CoinDesk published a report that exposed that Alameda Research – owned by the same people as FTX – had bought a ton of FTT … FTX’s cryptocurrency.
Nov 6: In a Tweet, the founder of Binance — one of FTX’s biggest competitors — said their company was going to dump their FTX tokens "due to recent revelations that have came to light." Investors panicked and followed suit. And so began the FTT price plummet.
But with all their investors cashing in their coins, FTX was on the hook for all that money — which it could not afford to pay out. This is when things started to look really hairy.
Nov 8: With their tails between their legs, FTX went to Binance for an out. Binance agreed to acquire FTX.
Nov 9: Just kidding! Whatever was in those docs must have scared off Binance because they pulled out of the deal just a day later. Does this feel like an episode of Succession to you, too?
Nov. 11: FTX had no way to repay all this money. And any potential buys were not going anywhere near this dumpster fire. So FTX was forced to file for bankruptcy. 30-year-old CEO and founder Sam Bankman-Fried resigned.
He tweeted that he was “really sorry,” though! SO maybe that counts for something. Cue the world’s tiniest violin playing in the background.
\u201cFun fact:\n\nIf you spent $1,000 shorting the 2022 Super Bowl advertisers, you'd be a billionaire today:\n\n\u25ab\ufe0f FTX\n\u25ab\ufe0f Carvana\n\u25ab\ufe0f DraftKings\n\u25ab\ufe0f Uber Eats\n\u25ab\ufe0f Meta Oculus\n\u25ab\ufe0f Rocket Mortgage\n\u25ab\ufe0f Coinbase\n\u25ab\ufe0f Vroom\n\u25ab\ufe0f Salesforce\n\u25ab\ufe0f GM\u201d— Chris Bakke (@Chris Bakke) 1667931782
But there’s more!
Later that day, reports emerged that FTX transferred $10 BILLION to Alameda — the same sister company mentioned above. That’s right, the one that started this mess — sparking controversy about how much access top leaders had to the company's finances.
Nov 13: Where’s the money? New reports reveal that those BILLIONS of dollars had just … disappeared?
Nov 14: Now the cops are involved. Where the hell is the money, man? Regulators are trying to get to the bottom of this, while looking into criminal liabilities.
Nov 16: Here comes the class action. Defendants are suing FTX’s Bankman-Fried for misleading information. But the walls are now closing in on celebrities who appeared in FTX commercials, including Tom Brady, Gisele Bundchen, Stephen Curry, Larry David, and Shaquille O’Neal.
"FTX’s fraudulent scheme was designed to take advantage of unsophisticated investors from across the country, who utilize mobile apps to make their investments," the lawsuit alleges. "As a result, American consumers collectively sustained over $11 billion dollars in damages.”
There you have it. But don’t hold your breath — there’s more to come, I’m sure. In fact, the documentary is already in the works
And if you still don’t follow, here are some TikToks tracking the drama:
@yourrichbff SBF bears a striking resemblance to Bernard Madoff. #money #crypto #ftx #finance #sbf #news #binance #alameda #bitcoin #ethereum #ftt #coin #cryptocurrency
@dumpster.doggy the drama
Every time payday rolls around, I’m on top of the world. Jeff Bezos-level rich - even though I’m anything but. And then somehow the very next day, rent is due.
The cycle continues. The next payday, bills for my apartment. I find myself without a surplus of savings since I just moved and newly-furnished my apartment completely.
Even more terrifying is the looming presence of the holiday season. Halloween’s officially over and before we know it, hello Thanksgiving…and then there’s Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year’s. It’s insane.
I’ve been feeling very British lately. Not in a Union-Jack-obsessed, “Keep Calm and Carry-On” way. I went through that phase in 2012 with everyone else… no thank you. And it’s not even a surge of patriotism catalyzed by the Queen dying — I’m firmly team Diana and team Meghan.
Now that fall is officially here, the holidays will sweep in and I’ll have to contend with the fact that I won’t be spending them with my family in the UK. I went home to London earlier this year, so there’s not much left in my travel budget for another trip across the pond. A few domestic jaunts might be in my future, but the closest I’ll get to England this winter is watching Love Island and Love, Actually.
So in that spirit, I’ve been filling my days with content from my favorite Brits. I’m listening to all the old British rock bands I grew up listening to, patiently awaiting the new Arctic Monkeys album, and rewatching anything with Michaela Coel in it. I even shipped myself an order of British Baked Beans, so you know it’s dire.
I’ve also been watching British YouTubers like Grace Beverley — my favorite. Generally, I only go on YouTube to watch Vogue Beauty Secrets and AD Open Door videos. But I’m so glad I stumbled on Grace. Her content is a mix of London lifestyle (what lured me in), relatable entrepreneurship, and mindful productivity. I’m not a hustle-and-grind-girlboss, but as a creative person in a 9-to-5, I need all the help I can get to stay plugged in. So, the video “how to be really really really productive without getting overwhelmed” changed my approach to WFH.
Grace outlines her own productivity method: the to-do table. Instead of making a simple to-do list, she divides her tasks into a table that anyone can follow. As someone who’s survived with to-do lists for years, I recently implemented Grace’s method, and it’s revolutionized my workdays.
how to be really really really productive without getting overwhelmedwww.youtube.com
I follow her routine to a tee. Here’s how it works:
Essentially, she divides her daily responsibilities into four categories: quick ticks, tasks, projects, and non-negotiables.
- Quick Ticks: Actions that take less than 5-minutes
- Tasks: To-do’s that take up to 30-minutes. Probably don’t take too much brain energy.
- Projects: Long-term list items. These help guide your priorities, even if you’re not crossing them off in one day.
- Non-negotiables: Pick 3 things each day that you must get done. This is how you’ll truly measure success.
With everything written down and sorted, next address your schedule. Meetings, deadlines, and time blocks — whatever works best for you. Write it down. Then make a pact with yourself to stick to them.
This way of categorization provides a roadmap for prioritizing your day — making you far more productive. Have you ever spent the entire day on small tasks and then suddenly realized you hadn’t moved the needle on any task? Or do you spend way too much time on tasks that aren’t a priority? No more. With your non-negotiables laid out, you know what to laser-focus on and what to dedicate energy towards.
Also, it pays to know your working style. I’m not a morning person. Yet, I have to be up and at ‘em super early. So, first thing in the morning, I march through my Quick Ticks to warm me up. I set a time limit, so I can knock out some easy wins which is totally inspiring. Then I move on to bigger things without lingering on emails or admin. For others, it might be more helpful to tackle the big things with all that early-in-the-day brain power earlier.
Grace has great tips on avoiding overwhelm and burnout. My favorite is taking more intentional breaks rather than scrolling through social media. I call this scrolling “productive” because I’m “coming up with pitches.” Oh, the lies we tell ourselves. It’s more productive in the long run to giving my brain a break with non-screen related stimuli.
Grace’s solution? Set a timer to read a real, an actual book. I’ve never thought of this. It’s a genius way to check off some books on my TBR and kickstart my creativity. After reading a good book, I’m completely inspired to write. So having books near my desk helps me step away from the computer during my lunch break for an actual reset. (And yes, the current books I’m reading are by British authors: Assembly by Natasha Brown, and Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold by Bolu Babalolu.)
In my pursuit of switching out my WFH set-up and getting my life together, I’ve engineered my workstation for success. With my new WFH essentials and Grace’s productivity technique, I’m revitalized for work — despite the fall blues and my melancholy about the pending holidays.
Here are the things getting me hyped for work and helping me crush my Grace Beverley-inspired to-do tables — no lists in sight:
