In January 2007, Steve Jobs launched a revolutionary device which was supposed to do the job of three different products: The iPod, a phone, and an internet communicator. Then CEO of Microsoft, Steve Ballmer, laughed at this new product saying that nobody would buy that. He was wrong as millions of people bought this revolutionary device. I'm sure, you all know about which device I'm talking about, the iPhone. The success of the iPhone was that it was simple to use, it didn't come with any manual and made the lives of the users easier by combining the functions of hundreds of other devices. The iPhone(and the smartphone is general) has become an extension of the self.
In August 2016, I launched a website where I would write about what I was doing in physics, on the stock market and in my life in general. Last year, I started a YouTube channel focused on stock investing and entrepreneurship. Two months ago, I started a research partnership about the stock market. Three platforms: a website, a YouTube channel, and a research partnership. I'm certain if I had shown these products to Steve Jobs, he would have said, "These products suck!" and he would have been right.
The problem is that users who want to access my content don't know where to access it. Should they subscribe to my blog? Are the blogs the same thing as on YouTube? Why pay for a premium service on the research partnership? Since, I have launched the research partnership, I've noticed a fall in the number of visitors on my website while at the same time people are signing up to my Teachable page(on which the research partnership is hosted). This is useless since signing up on this page will not give you any content unless you pay for the partnership.
To solve this problem, I'll have to do what Apple did. Put everything in one product, which is simple to use. This will be done in three phases. Phase 1 just happened yesterday. Phase 1: Yesterday ✅
Yesterday, I made some big changes to by website and from now on will use the website to post short summaries of my YouTube videos with links to the videos(something I've always done), short summaries of my articles on the research partnership with links to the whole articles, accessible to member of the research partnership. In addition, I'll be more active posting exclusive articles on the website.
You can think the website as the homepage where you have access to every piece of content that I am putting out. You have access to my private Facebook group, my Instagram, my YouTube channel and my research partnership on my website.
Phase 2: First Quarter 2020
Phase 2 will be merging the research partnership with my website. Right now, you still need to go on Teachable to access the partnership but as the partnership grows, I'll buy the domain name from teachable and host the partnership on my own website. Teachable will only be here to handle the data, payments and other technical stuffs. There is rising demand for me to teach about investing and I will be making live videos where I can answer all your questions and help you win from the stock market.
Phase 3: Fourth Quarter 2020
I recently read the book, Bloomberg by Bloomberg, which is the autobiography of Michael Bloomberg. One of the key lessons from this book is to provide premium high quality information to your customers.
This is exactly what I want my content to be: Premium. Something that you would not get anywhere else. I love doing the research. I love reading the 10-K and 10-Q forms. I love reading all sorts of books and reports but there are some things that I could certainly delegate. I could delegate video editing(something that I hate), maintaining my website(I hate coding), or even writing(I love it but it is time consuming). Maybe I could even partner with other researchers with the same investing philosophies to post content.
What is Ishfaaq Investments
Since we are talking about mergers and integration. It is fair to assume that everything will be under one umbrella. If in the future, I decide to start a hedge fund(something that I have in mind), I don't want it to be another separate business. I want everything to integrate with one another. That's why there is this umbrella: Ishfaaq Investments. Under this umbrella falls my research partnership and in the future all other investment related services that I may provide.
It took Apple years to design and sell the first iPhone. Today, Apple is the largest company in the world with a market cap of $1.16 Trillion. Likewise, it took years for Michael Bloomberg to build the largest financial technology company in the world and become the ninth richest person in the world. I don't expect Ishfaaq Investments to be an overnight success but eventually, I want it to be the place where people turn to get the best research about investing and where billionaires and millionaires will be investing their money. The key is to keep providing premium content.
Since you've read all of this, I have a gift for you. Next Friday is Black Friday and there will be a big sale on my research partnership. Make sure to check it out on Friday or you can subscribe so that you don't miss an email alert from me.
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