Create Your Own Job

In my course”Create Your Own Job” I talk about 3 ways to create a job. One of them is to do a job nobody else wants to do. Here is a great example:

Most people are trained to look for jobs. They check the job boards. They update their resumes. And they wait for a company to post an opening that matches their skills.

But some of the most creative income opportunities never show up on a job board. They are hidden inside everyday problems. This is how I have stayed employed for most of my life. By creating my own jobs in a unique way.

A job does not always have to be something someone gives you. Sometimes it is something you create because you notice a need, figure out a solution, and become the person people pay to make the problem go away.

Squatter Hunter

That’s one of the biggest lessons behind the story of Flash Shelton, better known as the “Squatter Hunter.”

He didn’t start out looking for a career in removing squatters. He stumbled into the idea because of a personal crisis. His family had a vacant home in California that they were trying to sell after the death of his father. Then strangers moved in.

Imagine how shocking that would be. You own the property. You are responsible for the taxes, insurance, maintenance, and mortgage. Then people you don’t know move in and act as if they have a right to stay there. Talk about a violation!

Most homeowners would assume the police could simply remove them. But in many cases, once someone is inside a property and claims tenant rights, the situation can become complicated. Homeowners may be told it is a civil issue. That means eviction paperwork, court delays, legal fees, and months of stress.

Shelton saw the same roadblock other homeowners face: the system was not moving fast enough to protect the property owner.

Ask a Different Question

So he asked a different question.

If the people inside the house were using the legal system to remain there, could he use that same legal system to regain control?

That question changed everything.

Instead of waiting helplessly, Shelton arranged to become a legal tenant himself. Once he had a lease from his mother, he went to the property, entered when the squatters were gone, secured the house, set up cameras, and stayed there.

When the unwanted occupants returned, the situation had changed. They were no longer the only ones inside. Shelton had established his own right to be there.

That creative move became the seed of a business, a TV show, and he is fighting to change squatter laws.

The Opportunity Was Hidden Inside the Frustration

The reason this story is so powerful is not just because it’s unusual. It is powerful because it shows how jobs are created.

Shelton found himself facing a painful problem with no easy solution. Then he realized he wasn’t the only one dealing with it.

That is where many businesses begin.

One person runs into a problem.
The normal solution doesn’t work.
They figure out a workaround.
Other people hear about it and say, “Can you help me too?”

That’s the moment a job is born.

Solve a serious problem

In Shelton’s case, homeowners had a serious, emotional, expensive problem. They needed someone who understood the legal gray area, could move quickly, and had the nerve to handle an uncomfortable situation.

Most people would never want that job. That ‘s exactly why it became valuable.

The more difficult, unpleasant, confusing, or stressful a problem is, the more people are willing to pay someone else to handle it.

Look for the Problems People Avoid

One of the best ways to create income is to look for problems other people don’t want to deal with.

Not glamorous problems.
Not trendy problems.
And not necessarily easy problems.

Real problems.

The kind people put off.
The kind they complain about repeatedly.
And the kind they would gladly hand to someone else if they trusted that person to solve it.

That might be a homeowner dealing with a vacant property. It might be a small business owner who is overwhelmed by online marketing. It might be an adult child trying to organize care for an aging parent.

If you hear “I hate dealing with this” it might be an opportunity.

When someone says that, listen.

That frustration may be the beginning of a business.

A Created Job Starts With a Specific Problem

One mistake people make when trying to create income is being too broad.

They say things like:

“I can help with business.”
“Do marketing.”
“I am good with people.”
“Can organize things.”
“I help homeowners.”

Those statements may be true, but they are not specific enough to create urgency. The more specific the problem, the easier it is for people to understand why they need you.

Make it Specific

Flash Shelton’s concept is easy to grasp because it is specific. He helps homeowners deal with squatters. That’s not vague. It’s not theoretical or a general promise to “help with property issues.”

It’s a clear solution to a painful problem.

A person who says, “I help seniors with technology” may get some interest.

But a person who says, “I help seniors set up new phones, recover passwords, organize photos, and learn how to use FaceTime” is much easier to hire.

A person who says, “I help real estate agents with marketing” may blend in with everyone else.

But a person who says, “I help real estate agents follow up with old leads and turn them into new appointments” has a much stronger offer.

A created job becomes more valuable when people can instantly understand what problem you solve.

Creativity Is Really Problem-Solving

Many people think creativity means painting, writing, designing, or making something artistic.

But creativity is much bigger than that. Creativity is the ability to look at a frustrating situation and find a new way through it.

Shelton’s idea wasn’t creative because it was flashy. It was creative because he changed the frame of the problem.

Instead of only asking, “How do I get them out?” he asked, “How do I legally get myself in?”

That’s a completely different question.

And better questions often lead to better opportunities.

Ask Better Questions

If you want to create a job, start asking questions like:

What problem are people tired of dealing with?
What process is slower than it should be?
And what are people afraid of doing wrong?
What do people keep paying for even though they are unhappy with the results?
What do people need done, but do not have the time, skill, or patience to do themselves?

Every answer gives you a possible income idea.

You Don’t Have to Start With a Big Business

A lot of people never act on their ideas because they think they need a full company before they begin.

They think they need a logo, website, business cards, software, investors, and a perfect plan.

But many income ideas start much smaller.

They start with one problem and one customer.

Shelton did not begin with a national operation. He began by solving a problem for his own family. Only after that did the idea grow into something he could offer to others. And he hired other people and gave them jobs.

That’s an important lesson.

You don’t have to build everything before you test your idea. In fact, it is usually better not to.

Find a problem.
Talk to people who have it.
Offer a simple solution.
See whether they are willing to pay for it.
Improve from there.

Your first version doesn’t have to be perfect. It has to be useful.

The Stranger the Problem, the Less Competition You May Have

Another lesson from the Squatter Hunter story is that unusual problems can create unusual opportunities.

Most people compete in obvious markets. They want to be coaches, consultants, designers, assistants, writers, or marketers. There is nothing wrong with those fields, but they can become crowded.

Sometimes the better opportunity is in a niche most people overlook.

The unsexy problems.
Complicated problems.
The “I can’t believe this is happening” problems.
The “someone should do something about this” problems.

Those are often the places where people are desperate for help and there are not many providers.

That doesn’t mean every strange idea is a good business. You still need to be legal, ethical, safe, and qualified. But it does mean you shouldn’t dismiss an idea just because it sounds unusual.

Sometimes unusual is exactly what makes it valuable.

Turn Your Solution Into a Simple Offer

Once you find a problem you can solve, the next step is to turn it into a clear offer.

A good offer answers three questions:

Who do you help?
What problem do you solve?
What result do you create?

For example:

“I help homeowners protect vacant properties before they become a problem.”

“I help busy families handle weekly errands so they get their weekends back.”

“Or I help small business owners turn one hour of ideas into a month of social media content.”

“I help adult children organize paperwork, appointments, and resources for aging parents.”

“I help speakers turn their stories and expertise into blog posts, newsletters, and short videos.”

Each of those could become a job. Each could become a service. And each could become a business.

The job title doesn’t have to exist yet.

You can create it.

Your Next Job May Be Hiding in Someone Else’s Headache

The Create for Cash mindset is simple: problems are not just problems. They are possibilities.

Flash Shelton’s story is a dramatic example, but the principle applies everywhere. He saw a problem that was expensive, emotional, and hard to solve. He found a creative way to address it. Then he turned that solution into something other people could hire him to do.

That’s how many self-created jobs begin.

Not with permission.
Not with a job posting.
And not with a perfect plan.

They begin when one person says, “I can solve that.”

So look around.

What are people complaining about?
What are they avoiding?
And what do they need but don’t know how to do?
What problem is costing them time, money, stress, or peace of mind?

That may be your opportunity.

You don’t always have to find a job.

Sometimes you can create one by solving a problem nobody else wants to touch.