Ex-scientist turned creative entrepreneur. Founder of Weston Pixel, an indie film & creative agency helping creators & entrepreneurs navigate the digital world. I write about business, creativity, and content strategy.
Living in a Van & Reading Crazy Books
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What's up, Reader? Itās ya boy Eli again. Last week, I shared why I left my 9-5. Catch up on previous broadcasts here.ā This week, letās dive into the ideas that gave me the confidence to make that leapāideas that surfaced during a rather challenging chapter of my life: living in a van. Van Life Reality CheckAt 27, I moved into a van to save on rent, pursued a masterās degree while working at my university, and planned to travel afterward. I planned to share my journey, educate an audience on health and art, and continue photography. But the networks I built over the years were suddenly gone. My goals to save money, get a masterās degree, and travel did not happen. Living in the van turned out to be a constant struggle. I didnāt anticipate that my power needs for the van would increase as my photography services grew. I also didnāt account for how miserably hot it gets on summer nights in Alabama. Most nights, I stayed in the van, but when it was too hot, I crashed at my friendsā or family membersā houses around Birmingham. Iād re-up my water supply and do laundry. Sometimes Iād shower there or at Planet Fitness. My appliances that kept food cold in the summer would break down, ruining my groceries. I couldnāt reliably cook, therefore I could not reliably eat. You never knew what youād hear at 3 AM at Wal-MartāI woke up to crackheads arguing right outside the van once. Past midnight, my first thought for every car that passes by outside is Iām getting arrested or Iām getting murdered. That never happened, but I did not have fun living in a van. In fact, I was deeply depressed, angry, and alone. Turning Point During this time, I consumed a lot of information. Without reliable power, I turned to books, videos, and podcasts. I practiced meditation and studied Tibetan Buddhism for hours daily. I was lost - I had to rethink my career and regain my voice. Eventually, I came across a book called āThe Sovereign Individualā by James Dale Davidson and Lord William Rees-Mogg. The ideas in this book blew my mind. Itās about a couple of guys predicting in the early ā90s that IT and micro processing would shift power from nations to individuals in the next decades. Not all their predictions were accurate, but they understood how Information Technology would affect the world and human condition. Here are my main takeaways from the book with relatable examples:
The concepts from āThe Sovereign Individualā made a lot of sense to me - especially in regards to the creator economy and modern times. The Internet has democratized content creation, allowing anyone to build a personal brand and solo business. This decentralization means power is no longer concentrated in a few hands but is available to everyone. Building a personal brand is about more than making moneyāitās about sharing your story, connecting with like-minded people, and making an impact. Itās about taking control of your life and career, and crafting a future that aligns with your passions and values. Itās about tapping into those possibilities of freedom as described in āThe Sovereign Individualā, ladies and gentlemen. Living in a van was one of the hardest experiences of my life, but it was also one of the most transformative. Now, Iām using my experience and lessons learned to build a personal brand and help others do the same. If this content creation and photography journey doesnāt work out, building vans is my backup plan. But for now, Iām committed to this path and excited to share it with you. Thanks for sticking around - Iāll talk to you next week. Eli Pruett Weston Pixel TOOLS I LIKEWebsite Builder (WordPress Plugin):ā Hosting Service:ā Productivity App:ā Creator Email Marketing:ā WHERE TO FIND ME
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The Shot List Newsletter
Ex-scientist turned creative entrepreneur. Founder of Weston Pixel, an indie film & creative agency helping creators & entrepreneurs navigate the digital world. I write about business, creativity, and content strategy.