10/08/2013:
I am feeling optimistic. It has been a long wait, but, I am confident that the wait has been well worth it. I now have a potential mentor, Greg Secker. The following letter is where this all began. This is the exact letter I sent, via email, to Greg Secker just yesterday, October 7th, 2013.
Dear Mr. Secker:
Hello. I have just recently discovered your videos and your LearnToTrade website while doing some research on the FOREX markets. Let me say that you are truly an inspiration to countless entrepreneurs. Below you will see a copy of your next best-selling book,
The Making of a Millionaire. The pages are currently blank, as this best seller has yet to be written. I hope you will do me the honor of reading this letter in its entirety.
I have been an entrepreneur since I was a young boy with my first lemonade stand at the age of 5. I ran my own teddy bear and balloon delivery service, The Bear Essentials, during college to cover my educational costs. As an adult I have tried many business ventures: mail order, flea markets, Network Marketing, sales and consulting. But my passion is to learn to be a successful trader, specifically a Forex trader. Yet, I have yet to find true success and financial independence. Although I have not yet succeeded in all these years, one thing I can say is that I have never given up. And I never will! I have always loved the old saying “when the student is ready, the teacher will appear”. Well, I believe I am now ready. Would you consider becoming my “teacher”, mentor or coach?
What do I have to offer you in return? Well, two things, the first being the makings for your next best-selling book. The Making of a Millionaire. A unique kind of book that has yet to be written. I have had the idea for this book for quite some time, for over 15 years now actually. Writing this book has become a life goal of mine. I have sent the book proposal to some very successful business people over the years, including: billionaire George Soros, Peter Leeds, Timothy Sykes, John Assaraf and dozens of other successful people. Almost every person I sent it to reviewed it, and said they truly liked the idea. Yet, none of them had the time for the project, yet they wished me luck in finding a suitable mentor. Vowing to never give up until I find a suitable mentor, I have continued my search. I am hoping it might be different with you, Mr. Secker. I feel a connection with you as I watch you in your videos. I sense a strong compassion in you and I felt compelled to write you this letter. Your LearnToTrade website, says that you are “encouraged by the drive to share your knowledge “. I am optimistic that you will seriously consider my proposal.
So, what is the premise for The Making of a Millionaire? Well, it will actually be the unfolding of a story of a regular guy, Bill McManus, as he makes his journey from your “average Joe” to becoming a millionaire under the guidance of Greg Secker. The story will capture the journey from the point of view of both the mentor and the mentee. A book like this has never been written. However, it needs to be written. Everyone, especially me, loves to read rags to riches success stories. They are inspirational and give us hope. But, we are always told the story after it has happened. This story will be different. It will capture the journey every step of the way as it happens. It will therefore be able to capture the true emotions, the triumphs and the pitfalls along the way. I am convinced it will be a best seller. I have shared the concept with friends and family and they agree it is a great idea. Even the most critical people think it is a winner. The story could even be captured in a blog or video format.
If you agree to mentor me and work with me on this project, I will do most of the work. I will save and track all trading records, meetings, phone calls, correspondence, including this letter which would be at the beginning of the book showing how it all started. I will log all my actions based on your guidance and the associated thoughts, emotions, account statements and results. I will also log the impacts on me and my family. I believe that we both will benefit both personally and professionally in this project.
I know you are a busy man and your time is valuable. However, I do not believe it would take a great deal of your time. We can leverage your time through the use of your current books, videos and workshops. We can communicate via phone or email at your convenience. All you would be required to do would be to keep a simple diary of your experience during the project. The story could be told from the point of view of just the student, but to show both the actions, thoughts and feelings of both the mentor and the student would make it all the more powerful. I would not waste your valuable time it I did not truly believe in this project. I will give you the option of top billing or sole billing on the book, the choice is yours.
The book could then be used by your current and future students and customers as a “blueprint” or “roadmap” to success. It would be a good follow-on tool or companion material to your other books and videos, and if nothing else, provide that extra required motivational factor. I would also recommend that we allocate a minimum of 10% of the profits from the book to charities we both choose to support.
The second thing I have to offer is life-long friendship, to which there can be placed no value. Yet, as you know, each friend in our life brings us untold riches. And if you agree to mentor and help me, I vow to do the same to someone else, if they agree to as well and so on. This can help leverage your efforts in creating one million millionaires. So, this project could touch the lives of countless people over time. A win-win-win… situation for so many.
Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I am 50 years old and live in a small town in upstate NY. I have 3 wonderful children: Ryan 20, Colin 17 and Shannon 13. I was recently re-married to the most incredible woman, Diane. I graduated from BinghamtonUniversity with a degree in Computer Science. I currently work for Lockheed Martin as a systems analyst. I have been with Lockheed for 17 years now. I have achieved a lot of respect in my career through hard work and dedication. Yet I am pretty miserable in my work. I was not meant for the corporate world. Like many people in today’s society, I am still debt-bound and living week to week, “robbing Peter to pay Paul”. I am a “people person” stuck behind a desk, and a true entrepreneur at heart. I seek financial independence and fulfillment in my work. I long to make a positive impact on my family, friends and the world. I have vowed to help others with my success. I want to leave this world a better place than when I entered it. I am looking for a new start. I need the guidance to reach my full potential and finally achieve success and self-fulfillment.
There is a successful trader trapped inside me. I just need one good break and the guidance to set him free. I thank you for your time and consideration on this matter and I look forward to your reply. You can reach me by email at
billmcmanus@stny.rr.com
The student is ready…
Respectfully yours,
Having sent a similar letter to dozens of successful people over the years. I was very pleased to receive a personal response from Mr. Secker just 2 hours later. He replied:
Hi Bill,
Thank you very much your email, I read it I enjoyed every word! I am currently on tour in South Africa and returned to the United Kingdom tomorrow on Tuesday evening. My assistant Bridget is copied into this email and she will set up a time for us to have a call. Thank you for your bravery and let's see what we can achieve!
Warm regards,
Greg
Greg Secker
The Knowledge to Action Group
Learn to Trade Ltd
The Knowledge to Action Foundation
I immediately sent the following reply, copying his secretary so she would be sure to know to set-up the call.
Hello Mr. Secker!
You just made my day... my month... my year! As I wrote to you, this
book project has been a 15 year goal of mine. And to know you are at least
considering the project, well I am speechless. The possibility of working
on a project like this with a man of your caliber is very exciting.
Safe travels as you return to the UK from South Africa and I look
forward to speaking with you in the near future and to the possibility of
working with you on this project. Thank you sir!
Sincerely yours,
Bill McManus
The next morning, today, I received an email from Bridgette, Mr. Secker’ personal assistant. She asked if I was free for a call the following day at 8AM my time to discuss the project with Mr. Secker. I told her, yes I was free and I set-up the meeting.
I told my wife about my scheduled call with Mr. Secker. Even after the countless pitfalls in my quest for success, she has always supported me and said she would pray for a good outcome. I want this more for my wife, kids and extended family, than I do for myself. They are my world and I want to provide more for them all.
So, here it is, 4:28 PM on October 8th , 2013, and I anxiously await my phone call tomorrow with Mr. Secker. This could be a life changing phone call. If he accepts my proposal to work on this book, it could literally change my life and that of my family. I hope to begin this journey tomorrow.
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Please feel free to leave any comments and/or questions and I will ensure they are read.
Thank you!
