#only 3 men that I’ve seen have made videos addressing it and their fellow men

[never-quite-buried]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/19/telegram-rape-chat-groups-germany-investigation-70000-world/

“Users from multiple countries have been sharing tips on how to sedate and sexually assault women, German investigation finds.”

[roaldseth]

For the ask thing: if no one has given you Roland thats a crime. Aaaand. Gale.

At this point in time—this late in the game—people probably understand that Roland is the default for me when dealing with ask memes, so it’s understandable that askers would want variety and ask about different characters. That, and I don’t typically receive a lot of asks… Unless you meant that statement in a different light. But, don’t be fooled. I am always at the ready for Roland, and always appreciate getting asked about him or sought out for expertise.

FYI AND DISCLAIMER: all answers are in relation to Digital Devil Saga unless stated otherwise. There is a couple of places I very briefly glaze over Quantum Devil Saga, but nothing that could be considered an actual Spoiler is said; no plot points. Considering QDS 3-5 are not translated, I feel a need to address that point, specifically with Roland.

ROLAND:

How I feel about this character

In short: he means a lot to me, more than I could ever try to explain. In length: not to sound like a fictionkin or get personal, but I feel a sense of kinship and understanding—friendship, too, even—with Roland. Although, this is due to the fact I’ve dedicated a lot of my time over years in understanding every possible encompassment. This bonding had grown from a conglomeration of both similarities of situations and years spent with him as a coping mechanism and hyperfixation, so connection and reverence seems like an unsurprising conclusion.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

1) Adil (OTP).

2) Greg, but only under certain circumstances. If his wife is involved, and she is not deceased, I don’t particularly ship Roland and Greg together. However, if the relationship is treated as one-sided (Roland’s side), past romance, comfort in confusion, or similar; then I’ll ship it.

3) Gale. It’s more of a “for fun” ship, since I couldn’t see them in serious, lasting commitment or domesticity, but being paired through their dynamic as two intelligent men tied through Lupa/Greg and Fred is interesting and entertaining.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Adil and Greg, the BrOT3.

My unpopular opinion about this character

A short answer is that Roland was an apt leader and a poor coward. His Avatar wasn’t Indra wrongly.

He doesn’t get the credit he is due. Many of his accomplishments get dismissed because something is stated in word and accepted as is rather than evaluated by his whole. The scripter/translator choosing “Actions speak louder than words” as his dialogue in the moment of a turning point within him is not solely about his loyalty to the Embryon. Its concept is the foundation of his story arch and how it’s framed. Two oppositions clash: the division between what he and others say about him in comparison to what he actually does and accomplishes in canon.

Then, there’s a different answer before I had thought about the leadership comment, which is less of an unpopular opinion, and more of not being a fan of seeing Roland and his drinking caricatured for comedic purposes. If there is one trait that has the possibility of being over exaggerated or backhandedly addressed, it is his alcoholism. I know I’m the one who just stressed that Roland’s story is framed in a specific way and that this part of his character (qualities and constitution) isn’t meant to be the primary focus. However, although his drinking habits is more of a precursor, it’s not something meant to be disregarded either, and separating it apart from his hardships (trauma, grief, stress, anxiety) corrodes its nature and severity. It’s not a punch line, and making it one devalues it.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

I wish DDS Roland also had QDS Roland’s background as an EGG Facility employee. Even though his character makes sense as is, it’s very shallow and monochromatic. Having this extra context enriches his place and purpose within the overarching story. Each playable character and the series’ antagonists have ties to the Society in some way—except Roland. Instead, he’s just some random fellow who simply got lucky with surviving that long. If he had this background context, it would be akin to Angel, Sheffield, O’Brien, Real Argilla, etc. It’d simply make more sense.

I also understand that there is the possibility that this particular part of his character was not fully developed by the time Godai left the team and ATLUS finalized how Digital Devil Saga was going to pan out as a video game. However, I am not going to give Tadashi and ATLUS that credit, because the more that this information sat within me, the more I recognized reasoning and logics behind some of the things he says and does.

The game may never have said he was Karma, but it also never said he wasn’t Karma.

GALE:

How I feel about this character

He’s relatable—a steadfast and loyal tactician devoted to his role and service, struggling to understand (his own) emotions, and more readily understands through textbook knowledge. He is cautious with cause, creates conclusions based on the most reliable information, and is not one to trust in chance. Then in Quantum Devil Saga, he over explains and is excessively wordy: a trait I love in him. These points also connect back to generally liking keeper and the-brains-of-the-group type characters.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

1) Lupa.

2) Jenna Angel.

3) Roland. Refer back to the reasoning in the answer for Roland’s section.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Cielo. The two of them have the “one character is fun, energetic, and easygoing; while the other character is strict, static, and steadfast,” which is a good, clichéd combination because it works. They’re opposites that work well—and believably—with each other instead of clashing against each other. Their competition to convince God to revert the world “back to normal” in DDS2 shows how they’ve learned from each other; Gale being more laidback to grandeur and Cielo gaining some seriousness (outside of determination).

My unpopular opinion about this character

The closest thing I can think of is actually a popular fandom opinion, North American and Japanese, but it’s against what the writer has said. From what I’ve seen, Gale’s age is the “[We] recognize the council has made a decision, but given it was a stupid-ass decision, [we’ve] elected to ignore it” of Digital Devil Saga.

An excuse would be that his AI’s model was meant to be 20 years old while David Gale is a separate age, but considering Heat and Serph’s models’ ages match up with O’Brien and Sheffield, I don’t think this was the (intentional) case.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

An answer doesn’t come to mind, so I’ll say I’m happy and content with how Gale was treated.

[Give Me A Character, and I’ll break their ass down; from this meme.]

[odinknows]

I’m A Celebrity: Amir Khan mocked over past split Faryal

He recently reconciled with his pregnant wife Faryal Makhdoom after a three-month split, during which he wrongly claimed she cheated on him.

And I'm A Celebrity's Rebekah Vardy teased Amir Khan over his past troubles with Faryal, asking the boxing star if Faryal ever looked through his phone.

The athlete, 30, who last month boasted that he and Faryal had 'sorted out their issues' after a series of very public online spats, joked that his wife probably did scroll through his messages.

Scroll down for video

Mischievous: I'm A Celebrity's Rebekah Vardy teased Amir Khan over his past troubles with pregnant wife Faryal, asking the boxing star if Faryal ever looked through his phone

Though Amir and Faryal have now reconciled, over the summer they very publicly hashed out their problems in bitter exchanges.

And he couldn't avoid addressing their Twitter rows, when a question about partners looking through each other's phones arose during the Dingo Dollar challenge.

The question was: 'In a recent survey, one sex admitted to looking through their partner's phones more than the other. Is it a) men or b) women.'

'Women 100 per cent. I'm 200 per cent sure,' Amir said in the scene, which was cut from tonight's show.

Claims: The athlete, 30, who last month boasted that he and Faryal had 'sorted out their issues' after a series of very public online spats, joked that his wife probably did scroll through his messages

Back together: He recently reconciled with his pregnant wife Faryal Makhdoom after a three-month split, during which he wrongly claimed she cheated on him

Georgia Toffolo pointed out that did the other campmates think that women would admit to it.

'They probably do it more but do they admit it?' Stanley said that he'd go with the crowd.

Rebekah, 35, who is no doubt aware of Amir's marriage troubles over the summer, commented that her Leicester City striker hubby Jamie Vardy could be trusted.

'My husband doesn't look thought my phone,' she said, before turning to Amir and asking: 'Does your missus look thought yours?'

Hmm: During the Dingo Dollar challenge, the celebrities were asked: 'In a recent survey, one sex admitted to looking through their partner's phones more than the other. Is it a) men or b) women'

Oh dear: Rebekah, 35, who is no doubt aware of Amir's marriage troubles over the summer, asked him: 'Does your missus look thought yours? Actually probably not the best person to ask that!'

Accusation: 'No, she's probably tried' Amir replied, while Rebekah said: 'I can't see men being bothered'

Ironic? One viewer pointed out that Amir previously posted screenshots of Snapchat messages that appeared to be between Faryal and fellow boxer Anthony Joshua. He later apologised for suggesting they had an affair

Right then: Other fans referenced the Twitter spat as they questioned Amir's claim that he had never checked his wife's phone

Sensing the loaded atmosphere, she hastily joked: 'Actually probably not the best person to ask that!'

'No, she's probably tried' Amir replied and added that he 'never' looked through his wife's phone.

'Well my wife's got my password and I've got my wife's password' said Dennis. 'Same' replied Rebekah.

'I wouldn't be fussed if she picks my phone up and goes thought it to be honest and I don't think she's that fussed if I pick hers up,' commented footballer Dennis Wise.

Claim: It comes after Amir was hit by claims that he begged a single mother for sex, just days before announcing he had got back together with his spouse

Jennie and Jamie returned to camp, incredulous that the camp got the question incorrect. 'Well we were very stereotypical. That's what happens.'

Viewers were left confused by Amir's claims that he had never looked through Faryal's phone, as in June he posted screenshots of Snapchat messages that appeared to be between Faryal and fellow boxer Anthony Joshua.

Amir later apologised for suggesting that anything was happening between the pair.

It comes after Amir was hit by claims that he begged a single mother for sex, just days before announcing he had got back together with his spouse.

The Sun reported the boxer asked ex-model Emma Bond, 27, to send him explicit videos after noticing her on Instagram, before asking to go to her home, then suggesting meeting at a hotel.

Alleged: The Sun reports the boxer, 30, asked ex-model Emma Bond, 27 (above), to send him explicit videos after noticing her on Instagram, before asking to go to her home, then suggesting meeting at a hotel

Emma told the website that Amir's alleged 'sleazy' messages were a 'turn-off' for her saying: 'It soon became clear that all he wanted was sex.

'He seemed genuine and down to earth at first. But the more I turned him down the more desperate he became.

Mail Online contacted Amir's representative for comment at the time.

It was claimed Amir first messaged Emma on Instagram in August, asking for her mobile number so he could send her Whatsapp messages.

The website reports Amir sent a message on September 21 asking Emma when they were meeting.

Reported: Emma told the website that Amir's alleged 'sleazy' messages were a 'turn-off' for her saying: 'It soon became clear that all he wanted was sex

Alleged: It was claimed Amir first messaged Emma on Instagram in August, asking for her mobile number so he could send her Whatsapp messages

On September 25 it was claimed he wrote that he wanted to see her tattoo.

On September 29, he reportedly sent another message asking if she was a 'naughty or bad gal'.

It was claimed that Emma turned down the alleged advances to which Amir reportedly wrote: 'Babe send me a video. Make it hot and sexy.'

A further message from October 14 purported to be from the Bolton-born star talks of how he has 'just come out of a relationship' and is looking to have 'fun' and 'action'.

It was claimed he begged to meet Emma and asked for her full name and hometown, to which Emma refused.

Rekindled: Amir recently reconciled with his pregnant wife Faryal Makhdoom (seen above in April)

On November 6 he reportedly told Emma he was in Manchester, and when she asked him if he was around at the weekend he allegedly replied 'OK.'

But instead of keeping the date Amir posted a photo of himself and Faryal cosying up on a sofa announcing 'With my 4 month pregnant wife, after sorting out all the issues. Closing the year with a happy ending.'

Emma, who is mother to two young children labelled Amir 'sleazy' saying 'He seemed genuine and down to earth at first. But the more I turned him down the more desperate he became.'

The claim comes as Amir admitted he feels embarrassed at the way he handled his split with Faryal who he shares 3-year-old Lamaisah with.

Ahead of his I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Outta Here appearance in Australia, thestar opened up about their turbulent relationship, in a bid to repair his public perception.

'In life you have to forgive': Ahead of his I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Outta Here appearance in Australia, the star opened up about their turbulent relationship, in a bid to repair his public perception

Speaking to The Mirror, Amir admitted: 'I think if you look at the whole situation, it was all just silly, starting with the texts, then when I accused her of messaging Joshua, it was all just nonsense really from the start.

'And then when we sat down and thought 'Look, we've got a family'. Also she's expecting so we have to think for the kids. In life you have to forgive. We have to move forward and move on from things like that.

Branding it a 'wake-up call', he continued: 'I made a few silly mistakes. I did put my life on social media, I assumed things which were wrong. So I kind of embarrassed myself.'

Amir revealed they have now put everything behind them, and are moving forward as 'one big family', with the couple even staying in his mum's spare room the night before he left for the jungle, in a bid to repair Faryal's fractured relationship with his family.

While show bosses had allegedly wanted him as a hunky single man to provoke romance on the show, Amir is said to be keen to set things straight about his turbulent relationship with Faryal.

An insider told The Sun: 'Amir's hoping he can use the show as a springboard to help rebuild some of the damaged public perception of him after his marriage split.'

And it looks like he may also be injecting the comedy factor, after he admitted he's not as brave as he seems.

Speaking to The Metro last week, the former unified light-welterweight world champion admitted: 'I am one guy who hates spiders.

'Whenever I see a spider at home, I get my sister to move it. I just don't deal with it. 'Will I scream? Yes definitely but maybe this is the time where I face my phobias!'

The reports came after the boxer confirmed he had reconciled with wife Faryal Makhdoom last week – just two months after he filed for divorce in the wake of bitter family feuds and public rows.

On Saturday Amir tweeted a picture of the couple snuggling in each other's arms on the sofa in London.

Setting the record straight: Amir is said to be keen to set things straight about his turbulent relationship with Faryal

He captioned it: 'With my 4 month pregnant wife, after sorting out all the issues. Closing the year with a happy ending'.

Only two months ago Bolton-born Khan told his fans his marriage was over.

After months of very public problems, including a family spat, rumours of a sex tape and cheating allegations Amir Khan and his wife Faryal sensationally split earlier this year.

He said in a Snapchat video on 8 September: 'So me and Faryal are not together. I have filed for a divorce.

'I hear she has just announced she is pregnant. She didn't tell me. I had to read it on social media.'

Split: Khan and Faryal pictured with their daughter Lamaisah. The couple are expecting another child in the new year

The couple, who married in 2013, had a very public falling out on Twitter earlier this year, with each side accusing the other of cheating.

Khan even accused his American wife of having an affair with heavyweight rival Anthony Joshua.

Khan hit out at his wife, writing: 'Left my family and friends for this Faryal. I'm not hurt but another fighter. I'm making it public. You getting the divorce #Golddigger.'

But Faryal hit back minutes later, claiming her husband left his family because they had 'robbed' him and telling him to 'stop making false things up'.

Branding him a '30-year-old baby', she went on to accuse him of sleeping with prostitutes and being a bad role model.

Joshua laughed off Khan's claims, posting the music video from pop star Shaggy's It Wasn't Me online, and saying he had never met Faryal.

Khan later apologised to Joshua and said there was 'no truth' to his claims.

Better days: Amir Khan and Faryal sensationally announced their marriage is over in an explosive ongoing row on Twitter in the summer (pictured in 2013 before her transformation)

Problems began last year when Khan's family said his wife, an American model, dressed improperly for a Muslim woman.

The boxer, from Bolton, who is worth £23million, announced their split in a tweet reading 'So me and the wife Faryal have agreed to split. I'm currently in Dubai. Wish her all the best'.

He was then pictured on a string of dates with various women, while a heartbroken Faryal continued her pregnancy, admitting on Instagram that to 'pretend everything was okay' to their daughter was the 'hardest thing she's ever done'.

However the two appear to have worked things out in the last week, ahead of his appearance in the jungle.

This year's line up sees MIC's Georgia Toffolo, actor Jamie Lomas, singer Vanessa White and footballer Dennis Wise, Conor Maynard's brother Jack Maynard, Soap actress Jenny McAlpine, Boris Johnson's father Stanley Johnson, comedian Shappi Khorsandi and WAG Rebecca Vardy.

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[wbwest]

New Post has been published on WilliamBruceWest.com

New Post has been published on http://www.williambrucewest.com/2017/05/12/west-week-ever-pop-culture-review-51217/

West Week Ever: Pop Culture In Review - 5/12/17

In movie news, it was reported by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola that there will be an R-rated Hellboy reboot film. Hellboy: Rise of the Blood Queen will star Stranger Things‘s David Harbour in the title role, and will be directed by Neil Marshall (The Descent). As most fans were holding out for a Hellboy 3, this news came as quite a surprise. Still, it won’t star Ron Perlman, nor will it be directed by Guillermo Del Toro, so folks are a bit hesitant. I think Harbour will be good in the role, and I remember enjoying The Descent, so I think the franchise is in good hands if the intent is to scare the audience.

We got a trailer for Blade Runner 2049, which did absolutely nothing for me. Back when I was in college, I did a summer in London where I was supposed to be learning about globalization. Instead, the professor had us watch Blade Runner. I still don’t know how the two topics tied together. Anyway, I hated that movie. It tried too hard. Like Peter Griffin describes The Godfather, it insists upon itself. It wants to be so deep and mysterious, with its whole “Is Decker a Replicant?” thing. I just wasn’t a fan. So this sequel isn’t exactly on my Must Watch list, which is a shame seeing as how I’ve loved Ryan Gosling since Breaker High. Yup, even in Young Hercules. Some folks seem excited for this film, though, so good for them I guess.

Over on cable, shows are playing musical chairs. The Untitled Black-ish Spinoff that we talked about last week may now be moving to Freeform It seems that the audience that tuned in were a bit lower than what ABC would like to see for a Wednesday night, but the demographics are perfect for the show to be on Freeform. Meanwhile, fantasy series The Shannara Chronicles is moving from MTV to Spike TV (which will soon be rebranded as The Paramount Network). I never watched Shannara, but it didn’t seem like the kind of thing that belonged on MTV, except for the fact that it starred pretty teens. I’m not even sure Spike is the right home for it, either, but maybe this is a hint as to how they’re planning to use The Paramount Network.

Speaking of cable, out of nowhere it was announced that Donald Glover would be the showrunner for a Deadpool animated series on FXX. Yeah, that Donald Glover. It’s odd that we’re not getting season 2 of Atlanta until 2018 at the earliest because of his other commitments, but he’s gonna have time to do this? He’ll be running the show with his brother Stephen, but it still sounds like a tall order. I’d rather have Atlanta. Plus, this just feels like it’s gonna be Marvel’s Archer. 10 episodes have been ordered for a 2018 debut.

On basic TV, Modern Family scored a 2-season renewal, with the grown-up cast members getting a raise from $350,000 to $500,000 an episode. The contract negotiations came down to the wire, but in the end ABC was able to keep its Wednesday night lynchpin. I honestly feel like this show should’ve ended 3 years ago. I stopped being able to really relate to them when I realized they whole upper middle class status made their lives unrealistic. They never seem to have money problems, they can take trips and do whatever they want. It’s funny – the same reasons I hate Roseanne (they were so damn poor) is what I feel are missing from Modern Family. Plus, there’s the elephant in the room in the form of Ariel Winter. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, she has grown up into what some might call “hot as shit”, yet they still frump her up on the show because her character, Alex, is supposed to be mousy next to Sarah Hyland’s Haley. If they really want to make these final (yes, I’m calling it: final) two seasons interesting, they will address this fact, and force Haley to realize she’s no longer the “hot daughter”. That might actually make me watch the show again.

Meanwhile, The CW officially ordered Black Lightning to series. This would typically be seen as good news, but I can’t help but feel like the Berlantiverse is too big and unwieldy at this point. Whenever a new show is introduced, the existing shows suffer. Everyone loved Arrow until The Flash came along. Then, they loved The Flash, yet felt Arrow had slipped. Then Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow debuted, and The Flash suffered while Supergirl was praised. This has been something of a rebuilding season across the board. Supergirl had to adjust to a network switch, while Legends saw an increase in quality. Arrow saw a return to form, while The Flash is doing whatever it’s doing over there. Flashpoint or some shit. The point is that the existing shows are finally heading in the right direction, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to introduce a new hero. In fact, I feel like Legends should be a proving ground. If a member of that team becomes a breakout fan favorite, then they get a spinoff. I’d be fine with Black Lightning as a member of the Legends, but I don’t know if there’s enough meat on that bone for him to have his own series. And can you imagine the FIVE-WAY crossover we’re gonna end up with next season?! I was already disappointed by this season’s uneven four-way, but to add another show to that? Sure, it’ll be a weeklong event, but it isn’t necessary.

With the network Upfront presentations looming over the horizon, this is the time of year when your favorite show either gets another lease on life or it gets the chop. Here’s the movement from the past 24 hrs:

Cancellations

Timeless (NBC)

Rosewood (Fox)

Last Man Standing (ABC)

Son of Zorn (Fox)

Making History (Fox)

APB (Fox)

Sleepy Hollow (Fox)

The Catch (ABC)

Imaginary Mary (ABC)

Powerless (NBC)

The Real O’Neals (ABC)

Secrets & Lies (ABC)

Dr. Ken (ABC)

American Crime (ABC)

Frequency (The CW)

No Tomorrow (The CW)

Renewals

iZombie (The CW)

The Originals (The CW)

Blindspot (NBC)

13 Reasons Why (Netflix)

Taken (NBC)

Last Man On Earth (Fox)

Gotham (Fox)

The Blacklist (NBC)

American Gods (Starz)

The Goldbergs (ABC)

Black-ish (ABC)

American Housewife (ABC)

Designated Survivor (ABC)

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC)

Once Upon A Time (ABC)

Great News (NBC)

The Bachelor (ABC)

Dancing with the Stars (ABC)

Shark Tank (ABC)

Chicago Med (NBC)

Chicago PD (NBC)

Chicago Fire (NBC)

Song of the Week

I’m trying something new. Every week, I’m gonna share a song/video that I discovered that week. Today, I give you Midland’s “Drinkin’ Problem”. Yes, it’s country, but I love the sound, as it’s more of a bluesy 70s song than straight up country, and I LOVE the video.

Things You Might Have Missed This Week

Kelly Clarkson is reportedly in talks to be a judge on the revived American Idol on ABC. Seems like those talks were too late, though, as she has officially signed on as a coach on the next season of The Voice

Fox officially ordered X-Men tie-in The Gifted to series

Speaking of X-Men, Maisie Williams of Game of Thrones will play Wolfsbane in the New Mutants film. She will be joined by Magik, played by Split‘s Anya Taylor-Joy.

IM Global and Rebellion are teaming up to produce a live action Judge Dredd TV series, called Judge Dredd: Mega City One

Scandal will reportedly end after its upcoming 7th season

Direct from The LEGO Movie, Unikitty will be getting her own cartoon on Cartoon Network

Time to spot the pineapple, as Psych: The Movie will premiere on USA in December

So last Thursday night I saw Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. I didn’t mention it in last week’s post because I’m trying to switch things up. It’s unrealistic of me to expect that all of you are able to see a film on opening night, and I also feel like you’re less likely to read my post if you think I might spoil something. So, I figured it best to sit on it a week so we’d all be on the same page. Anyway, what did I think of the film? I LOVED IT! I might even love it more than the original.

I’d say that this is probably the most emotional MCU film, as it’s more about family and belonging than it is about Infinity Stones and Winter Soldier. Star Lord’s story really hit home as a fellow child of the 80s, raised by his mom, who also didn’t have his father in his life. Now, instead of being a god, my dad simply died. But I’m sure I probably also wished Michael Knight was my dad at some point in my childhood.

What’s the movie about? Well, the Guardians are split up after a caper gone wrong. Half of the crew stays behind to fix their ship, while the other half go off with Star-Lord’s long lost father, Ego. But all is not as it seems with Ego. And that’s about all I’ll say about that. I can’t think of a single that I didn’t like about the film. Actually, scratch that. There was one thing: The Watchers. They just looked hokey, and I would’ve been fine if they’d never been introduced in the MCU. That kind of stuff belongs in the Fantastic Four Fox movies, but I like to think the MCU is more grounded than that. Their appearance looked and felt cheap to me, but luckily it’s only for a split second, unless you count their after credits appearance, too. Maybe it’s just because I typically hate most things about Cosmic Marvel, but the Guardians movies have slowly brought me around.

Internationally, the film has already crossed the $500 million mark, so I think it’s safe to say it’s success. They’re already talking about Vol 3 which, supposedly, will set up the next decade of the MCU. While I’m not entirely sure how I feel about that (again, I’m not a huge fan of Space Marvel), I’m eager to see how they pull it off. For all these reasons, Guardians of  the Galaxy Vol 2 had the West Week Ever.

[rmil2k]

How to Start a Profitable Online Business for $50 in 3 Months or Less

This post is for your eyes only if you are currently trying to start an online business (a profitable one) from scratch . . . and you want to do it in three months or less . . . oh, and you only want to spend about $50.

Whereas this post (originally published in April of 2015) used to link to a podcast episode on this topic, I decided to completely revamp the post. Why? I think the first chapter of my newest book (which you can find out more about at the bottom of this post) might inspire you and help you to create an amazing online business this year. Ready?

Let’s only assume 3 things as you start your business:

You have access to a computer and the Internet a few times per week.

You have access to a smart phone (yours or a friend’s) that can take pictures and connect with social media.

You either have your closest friends’ and family’s email addresses, or you’re connected with them on Facebook, or through some other electronic means. As in: You can get in contact with your people—whether that be 10 people or 1000, for me, it was more like 10 when I first started. Or, if you’re not connected with friends and family, you’re okay with building a presence online and engaging with strangers (who will totally become your friends, don’t worry).

Now, let’s get into the first chapter.

Chapter 1 of Build Your Freedom Business for $50 in 3 Months or Less: How to Start Coaching, Freelancing, or Selling Information Products Online

“What have I gotten myself into?” you may be asking. A lot of things. But the main one is discovering a new system for starting a business you love. Really, a way of thinking and moving through the very involved, and intricate, and amazing world of creating a profitable online brand or empire.

After years of creating various businesses, years of creating websites for clients and personal projects, and most recently, years of creating and running online businesses full time, I can without doubt tell you I’ve failed a lot.

Wait, what?

Yes. I’ve failed miserably, I’ve failed publicly, and I’ve failed my way to success. Let me explain. Because I believe the lessons learned can help you create your own business online with less stress, fewer headaches, fewer sleepless nights, fewer mistakes, and less time. It will still be a lot of work, but man will it be worth it.

Let’s explore.

The Internet created a whole new world of possibility and completely changed the way we (1) get information, (2) make purchasing decisions, and (3) operate businesses . . . among other things.

The online space as it is today makes it possible for people like my friend Erika, a mother of three adorable kids, to make a living online training people how to provide better customer service. The Internet allows my friend Mike to provide coaching for mind, body, and emotional health. It allowed my friend Kelsey to create and sell planning templates to busy women for a full-time income until she decided to also show people how to design their own (which gave her another full-time income). My friend Ivan sells design and brand strategy work online. My friend Aislinn markets and sells her freelance writing skills online for a living. And I could go on . . .

I have friends doing everything from teaching yoga, and selling interior design or architecture services, to creating fabric patterns and selling cookbooks online. I myself write and publish books on business and marketing, plus create courses on starting and running a business, getting better at conversations as an introvert, and using yoga and movement to increase your flexibility, durability, and range of motion as an athlete or gym rat.

How is it possible to make and sell the types of products and services all of these people are creating? How can you really create significant extra income each month or perhaps even work for yourself full time online?

There is more than just one way to accomplish this goal, and in this book, you and I are going to explore the “system” I’ve used to create a full-time income online in the following ways: through freelancing, through online coaching, through self-published books, and through online courses.

Please be mentally prepared that this process is not easy and will require consistency from you, and that the “system” I’m showing you is a solid framework that you can modify and mold to fit you.

Here’s an overview of the system that we will dive into deeply within this book:

Step 1: Start with PASSION.

As cliché as it sounds, I think that the passion you feel for a hobby, a cause, a people group, a certain subject, or a specific skill will be a key driver of creating something meaningful and awesome.

In this book, we will get into a questionnaire to help you discover some of your true passions plus a list of 1001+ niche topics to help you pinpoint what interests you, what you want to talk about and create content on, and what you love.

As an example, for the purposes of this overview, let’s take a woman named Frankie who is a yoga + fitness instructor, a woman named Ingrid who is passionate about the uniqueness and strength of introverts, and a man named Paul who has transformed his health and body by becoming vegan and eating an amazing plant-based diet.

Frankie identifies her passion as helping people get fit.

Ingrid identifies her passion as helping introverts embrace + use their personality traits and succeed in life.

Paul identifies his passion as the power of veganism to transform your internal health and your body.

Step 2: After identifying your passion, identify your PEOPLE.

Part one. When you have a specific topic/niche in mind, it’s time to start imagining the basic details and habits of the type of person who will be interested in your topic or who needs help with what you provide content on.

Paul might assume that women (and a few men), between the ages of 24 and 50, who have had digestion issues or who are having a hard time losing weight or staying energetic throughout their day might be in need of his information.

Frankie might start to realize she really wants to work with martial artists and other athletes in need of strength and agility. She might then assume most of her clients or audience will be between the ages of 20 – 40, and she might also assume that many of her clients will be men.

Ingrid might realize that most of the people she’s ever talked to about extreme introversion are women, between the ages of 25 – 50 who are tired of being made to feel like their personalities are weird or bad.

Part two. Once you have the basic details of your people in mind, you can head to the Internet (and to in-person events, hangouts, or organizations) to actually find these people and engage with them. In fact, you may already be involved in groups either online or in real life that hold your ideal audience members.

Ingrid might find a Facebook group or another type of online community for introverts and join it. She might also start reading the comments on top blogs about being an introvert.

Paul might find a Facebook group for people trying to lose weight or struggling with digestion issues (there are groups online for all types of needs, people, and interests).

Frankie might connect with people in her gym or people who regularly comment on a popular MMA Instagram account or a men’s health magazine’s Instagram account.

Part three. After you’ve engaged with your people a bit, it’s time to learn more specifically how to help them. This may include working with them pro bono, providing free content to them, or even creating some low-priced services or products to test the waters.

Paul might offer to coach one of the women in an “Overcome IBS” group online through a plant-based diet for 30 days. He might also create some free meal plans and share them with his friends on Facebook.

Frankie may decide to offer a few free sessions to a martial artist at her gym who she has seen lifting in such a way that will slow his progress towards becoming more quick and agile. She might also decide to do a “10 Days of Basics” series, where she covers some foundational lifts, exercises, and principles for people who want more speed and agility—then she might share her videos or pictures with an online group she is a part of and invite people to ask any questions they may have.

Ingrid may start asking questions in the “Introvert Power” Facebook group she found about what people’s biggest struggles are or where they feel most misunderstood. She might then create and share several new blog posts that address the topics the other women have brought up.

Part four. Once you’ve worked with your people a bit, it’s time to go back to that basic description you created of your ideal audience, and truly take time to expand it. Understand your people fully, ask them questions, draw from your experience of working with them for a while, and confidently move into the next stage of your business with the knowledge that you can really help the people you want to.

Ingrid may figure out that the majority of people’s issues (at least, the people she’s connected with) stem from their discomfort in social situations. As a fellow introvert, she knows the value that introverts present to friendships, organizations, and the world in general, so she wants to help introverts function better socially—and be able to get more and give more in their time around “strangers.”

Frankie may come to realize that she’s most passionate about working with mixed martial artists and basketball players. She might decide to start pitching freelance content to elite gyms, sports magazines, or popular Instagram accounts in her niche. She might continue to work with athletes and listen to their questions and frustrations intently.

Paul may start to realize he really wants to work with people who are having troubling stomach issues and not people who are only interested in weight loss. He can start to engage even more with people who fit this description, he can take notes and learn from the questions and ideas of the few people he worked with for free, and he can ask lots of questions of the people he’s finding.

Intermission—It’s time to figure out which product(s) will get the information or help you offer (from your passion you identified in the first step) to the people you came to understand in the second step.

At this point, you will likely have some idea of how to best help your people. Is your topic/expertise something you need to walk people through step by step? Maybe a coaching program is best for you.

Is what you do so specialized and fun for you that you want to just create it for your client instead of helping them create it? Perhaps freelancing (graphic design, copywriting, interior design, etc.) is best.

Do you want to take all your knowledge and package it up as videos, audio, or even text and images that people can access anytime, anywhere to help them accomplish a goal? Perhaps creating an online course will help you reach the most people.

Or, would you like to find ways to communicate through text and images and create a low-cost product with zero to no ongoing maintenance? Perhaps writing and publishing your own book is your best bet.

Paul might decide that the hand-holding and emotional support of a coaching package is the best way to serve his clients during such a sensitive time in their lives. He wants to offer 1-on-1 options (for those who want privacy) and group coaching options (for those who want to meet and learn from others going through similar issues).

Ingrid may decide that a book (a very non-invasive learning tool for introverts) on better conversations and socializing will serve her audience best.

Frankie may come to discover that one-on-one coaching is super effective but that an online “Need for Speed” course is a great way to transform athletes from a distance who desperately need her knowledge.

Step 3: Now. Once you have a grasp of your passion and your people, it’s time to create the rough draft version of your PRODUCT.

When I say “rough draft” know that this can actually mean anything from a landing page with information on your service or product plus a place for people to request more information and get a free resource while they wait . . . all the way to a site for full-blown, fully published book on the topic of your choice.

The great thing about the Internet though . . . is it lets you test out ideas before you sink a ton of time, money, or work into them.

Paul might build a landing page for a new 90-day transition and healing program he’s outlined (but hasn’t finished creating all of the content for yet).

Ingrid might put up a blog post and pre-sales page on her website for her new book. She might even give away the first chapter for free.

Frankie might create a short introduction video series for her “Need for Speed” course that athletes can get for free when they sign up to her email list. She may then email them information on a full-blown course/program and see how many people click a special link to say they’re interested in the program at the price point she’s suggesting.

In this book, I will show you how to set up your minimum viable product (MVP) or rough draft product for four of the things I’ve done online for a full-time income: coaching, freelancing, book publishing, and course creation. Keep in mind though, you can also choose to create physical products out of your passion, or hold in-person workshops, among many other things.

Checkpoint—It’s time to establish an entity, brand identity, and content plan (this is what will consistently show people you know what you’re talking about and attract people to your brand).

Oh, and here’s the good news. In this book I show you a few different models of content creation. There is more than just the strategy of creating tons of blog posts or podcast episodes consistently. I promise. I’ve seen it and I’ve done it multiple ways.

Ingrid might start her business, brand it with very soft, neutral colors, and start creating a conversation tips series as downloadable audio files that her audience can listen to as they commute, work, run errands, or relax.

Paul may decide to form a legitimate business entity, name his business something catchy dealing with gut health or veganism, and start interviewing people on plant-based diets twice a month.

Frankie might start her business, name it after herself, and start recording videos of some of her most fun workouts.

Step 4: After you’ve got your minimum viable product (or idea for it) and your brand in place, it’s time to really focus on creating a powerful PLATFORM for you and your information.

You will want to consider creating “audience magnets” (content to draw the right people to you online), organic search engine traffic to your site (by playing nice with Google and Pinterest), regular social media posts in the right channels, and even online events to drive awareness of your topic and brand.

Frankie might create an eBook called “Speed for Martial Artists” and another one called “The Baller’s Guide to Agility” and release both for free, sharing them consistently. She may release some of her workout videos on Instagram and on YouTube and start hosting regular live informal “workshops” or Q+A sessions online to attract athletes with questions.

Ingrid might create a quiz called “What type of conversation introvert are you?” that helps people identify their major fears or blocks when talking to strangers, networking (psst—as an introvert, this word makes me cringe), or meeting new people.

Paul may decide to create “The Beginner’s Guide to Understanding Plant-Based Diet Healing” for free and release his interviews regularly on YouTube and as a podcast on iTunes. Paul might also start creating custom graphics for each episode that he can share on Pinterest.

Psst—you and I, and Frankie, and Ingrid, and Paul, will all probably benefit from creating an actual editorial plan (as in: a super professional, and well-thought-out schedule) for our content so that it all fits together nicely and works toward common brand goals. You don’t want to create individual pieces that don’t fit well together or serve a greater purpose.

Step 5: Now that you have your online platform planned out and rolling, it’s time to discover how (and what types of) PROMOTION can consistently point interested people directly to your epic solutions for their needs.

You may want to set up something like content funnels (ex: a set of automated emails that happen after someone signs up for one of your resources or online events) to consistently create sales of your product or inquiries from interested parties about your service. Or, you may want to master the basics of email marketing, high-energy online events (think: webinars, workshops, summits, or challenges), or sales for sensitive people who don’t want to seem “salesy.”

Paul may decide to host a “Quit Effing Around with Your Gut Health” webinar once a month for people who are in desperate need of change. During and after his webinar he might create some automated pitches of his full coaching services (or a cookbook he’s since developed) to encourage consistent sales.

Frankie might decide to use her eBooks as the start of an automated funnel, but also set up a “Speed Challenge” that starts on the first of every month as a Facebook group for athletes. She can pitch people her course during or after the guided challenge that familiarizes people with her teaching style and effectiveness.

Ingrid may also create a challenge that helps people spark up conversations with strangers. She might design it as five days of unique activities, and each day that an automated email goes out (as in: she can schedule it in her software and doesn’t have to press “send” each time for each person) she might also offer a discount code for her full course.

Ongoing tasks: It’s important to keep accountability partners, and a plan for the organization + auditing of your life (self-care, balance) and business as you go.

If you let things “progress naturally” with no plan of accountability or organization, you may end up as I did . . . with a business that is running you, with tons of stress, and with more work than is reasonable for one person.

Ingrid may join a weekly mastermind group for support and hire a virtual assistant to help with recording expenses and organizing her email inbox.

Paul may look into getting a business coach and joining a few key business support groups on Facebook.

Frankie may set up a plan to do her own home practice of yoga and fitness so that her own body is not neglected while she serves others.

So, what do you think about this framework? Are you willing to try it? Can you see the image of something epic brewing on the horizon? (Way to mix metaphors and sound silly, Regina.)

If you think you’re ready to begin this journey into creating a profitable business online, the next chapters of Build Your Freedom Business await you.

We’ll begin at the beginning. With your passions—the things that you love and live, the things that drive you and make you want to create.

Let’s begin, my ninja friend. Sign up below if you want information (and an offer for an epic price) on my newest book before it’s released in a few days. I’ll send you an email with some goodies soon.

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