From Here On Out, Do What You Love
The last 2 years have been staggering and transformational. Looking back, it’s hard to believe I was living out of my car less than 2 years ago. Getting to that point, and from that point, has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences. To explain, I’ll give some context first.
Where I’m From
I was born in Springfield, Tn, a small town in Tennessee that I loath. I was born into a poor family with an abusive alcoholic drug addict manic depressant paranoid schizophrenic father. The setup for a childhood that has events I can only describe as horrific. A life that leads to you living in police protection because your father is trying to kill you. Luckily, we moved away from Springfield, and him, when I was 10. From there, my mother worked her ass off to raise my sister and I without even having a high school diploma. (My mom taught me how to hustle and I love her for it.)
Over the next four years I discovered computers, the internet, mathematics, and science. I was good at them. No, I was damn good at them. This was going to be the way I would dramatically change the lot life had handed me.
Life is Looking Up
By 2004, I had graduated from one of the top high schools in the US (#24 at the time to be exact), with test scores that placed me in the top 2% in the nation, a 4.0 GPA, and a full ride to study Biomedical Engineering. I was fully set on earning both a M.D. and Ph. D. At 16, I was doing pharmacology research at Vanderbilt University on platelet aggregation and at 19 I was doing neurological research on frogs. At 18, I was taking a 300 level college mathematics course in differential equations and earned perfect 100 grades in statics and dynamics engineering courses. I ended my 2nd year in college with a 3.8 in engineering. I was on track to achieve everything I had ever wanted.
But, I’m a college drop out.
Destroying it All
By 2009, I found myself 100 lbs heavier, homeless, unemployed, and in the middle of a failing 6.5 year long relationship. I was miserable. A long chain of crazy personal / family matters led to me being very unhappy. It’s hard to escape your family and your past. I didn’t like engineering anymore. I was trying to pull myself through school, disappointed in myself, and feeling like I was letting everyone down. And honestly, people were disappointed. I had a lot of potential.
Something had to change.
Putting it Back Together
Then one day I had realized 4 things.
- I felt as if I had failed, but I had only failed at my own expectations for myself.
- If I changed my expectations for myself, I could overcome this mental block that was holding me back.
- I needed to stop doing things that weren’t making me happy any more, even if that meant being criticized by everyone I knew.
- I had hit rock bottom and I was still here. I had the freedom to bet big, play hard, and take massive risks. Even if I failed at my next endeavor, I knew I could survive it.
I loved SEO. I came up in SEO learning from and respecting people like Rand Fishkin. I told myself, I want to do THAT. I left school to do exactly that.
I made the choice to drop out of college and move back to Nashville. A scary choice, since doing so came with next to no support from my family. I ended up back in Nashville, with everything to my name crammed into my 1990 Toyota Corolla with 207,000 miles on it. Luckily, a good friend let me sleep on an air mattress on his floor at night and I could leech free wifi from Panera Bread during the day.
When I left Knoxville and moved to Nashville, I made three “goals” for myself. These goals weren’t so much the “end” I was looking to achieve, but indicators I had “made it” to where I wanted. It’s funny to admit them publicly, but they were:
- Work with SEOmoz.
- Have Rand know who you are on a first name basis.
- Speak at SMX Advanced.
I set myself down a relentless path to put my life back, chase my dream, and become successful in SEO.
Doing What It Takes
There is one thing about leaving school, your home, and your job to chase a dream – failure is not an option. If you want to succeed at something, give yourself no other choice.
In 2009, Marketing Pilgrim posted the SEM Scholarship Contest. A contest that would send you to SMX East and Pubcon. A contest judged by quite a few huge names in the industry.
- Danny Sullivan
- Rand Fishkin
- Jill Whalen
- Michael Gray
- Barry Schwartz
- Todd Friesen
- Vanessa Fox
- Joost de Valk
I had set in my mind that THIS was how I was going to make it, but at the time I was actually living out of my car. I wrote that blog post at Panera Bread, while all my belongings sat baking in the sun in my car in the parking lot. During the contest, I’d work till closing to promote my post.
Then I managed to score my first SEO job as the SEO Manager at an online marketing agency. I used my first paycheck to get an apartment. I had just enough money to pay deposits, rent, utility hook up, and internet. I had no furniture. I slept on the floor for a while.
Then I saw that I had won Marketing Pilgrim’s contest. I cried. The overwhelming stress of the last several months came crumbling down on me. For the first time, in a long time, life was looking up. I flew out to New York for SMX East. I flew out to Vegas for Pubcon. These were amazing experiences for me. I grew up poor, so I had only flown on a plane once. I was in awe of a city as big as New York. This opportunity put me in touch with some big names for the first time. The conference experience helped confirmed to myself that I knew SEO. I’ll always owe Andy Beal for hosting that contest, because it really did change my life.
A Bunch of Hiccups
So just when you think life is going well, it surprises you.
The weekend I returned from Pubcon, my girlfriend of 6.5 years moved out. I don’t blame her, she met me when I was 18 and had nothing but potential ahead of me. I ended up dragging her through several years of crap. It’s hard to say I was surprised, but this hit me hard. Really hard. I pushed forward.
Actually, now that I was single and not tied to Nashville, I took a chance and asked Rand (of SEOmoz) for a job in November 2009. Rand’s response was super nice, but no go on my interest in working with SEOmoz. It was a little discouraging.
My progress slowed over the next several months after my life got turned upside down. I drove myself back into my work. I tried to move up at my work, started speaking, and improving my skills. However, I became unhappy, because I felt my professional progress had slowed. I wasn’t moving up like I wanted. I didn’t have the success I was looking for. I quit my job.
Some people think I’m too ambitious, that I expect growth on too short of a timeframe.
Sorry, but I have some goals to achieve.
Taking a Leap
Late 2010, Rand tweeted that Distilled was hiring. This was it. Distilled was one of the best agencies in the industry and they worked closely with SEOmoz. I knew it was a longshot, but this was what I wanted.
In September 2010, I landed in Seattle, Wa. I had never been here before (not even for the interview), I had given my car to my sister, was still paying off a lease in Nashville, had no place to live, and only had two suitecases to my name (this is starting to sound familiar). I stayed in an extended stay hotel until I made it through my first month at Distilled, then I got an apartment. I moved across the country, once again throwing everything to the wind – failure wasn’t an option.
I was finally doing EXACTLY what I wanted. From here on out, I was going to do what I loved. Moving to Seattle changed my life.
The Rule
When I moved to Seattle, I made a rule to never say no. This was a once in a life time chance for me, a poor kid from Springfield, TN, to move to the west coast and consult for some of the biggest brands in the world at one of the coolest companies in one of the coolest cities in the US. I was going to enjoy it.
So yeah, this rule is a bit like the movie Yes Man. If you’ve ever seen it and the number of crazy situations it resulted in, then I’d like to tell you it was just like that.
- I dated a girl I met at a film festival my 3rd week in Seattle.
- I woke up one morning to find a picture of myself hugging a Yeti on my phone.
- Three strangers walked pass me and asked me if I wanted to grab a drink with them. Several hours later, I was playing night time frisbee with 15 new people I just met.
- While waiting on a table at an Indian restaurant, I offered to share a table with two strangers. They ended up being astronomers in town for a conference and I spent lunch learning about stars.
- I hung out with Bruce Campbell for five hours. I even made sure nobody bothered him while he went to the restroom.
- I met George Romero.
- I helped break a world record.
- I dated a girl who looks exactly like Zooey DesChanel (lol, seriously). She turned out to be a bit crazy.
- I stood on top of a hill at a park with 20 hipsters I didn’t know and we all sang in the New Year together.
Its been great.
A Lifestyle Change
This increased activity from saying yes came with a few other major lifestyle changes.
- I got rid of my car when I moved to Seattle.
- I quit playing video games.
- I decided to not have a TV.
- I decided to not have internet at my apartment.
As a result, I get out a lot more. I do things. I meet people. I walk a lot.
Transformation
I started losing the weight I had gained.
I’m down 3 pants sizes and down a shirt size.
Hustle for All I’m Worth
I made a pretty big jump when I moved to Seattle to work for Distilled. I decided early on that I was going to give it everything I had. I knew that SEOmoz and Distilled presented an opportunity for me to prove what I know and to prove to myself my potential hadn’t be lost.
You can ask Joanna how many times she found me in the office late, working weekends, and almost living in the office. I wasn’t being over worked by Distilled (they’re great about work / life balance). I was spending 25 hours writing posts on Mormon SEO or another 25 hours on my competitive backlink analysis post. It was the hours and hours I spent on my SMX West, Wordcamp, and Pro SEO Boston presentations. I wanted to make a dent in this industry. I wanted to teach people something new. I wanted to give back to the industry everything blogs like SEOmoz had given me.
If you remember, I had 3 goals to achieve. In March, I presented at SMX West for the first time. I presented at Wordcamp Seattle and my name ended up trending in Seattle on Twitter. In May, I presented alongside the likes of Rand, Will, Tom, and Dharmesh at Pro SEO Boston, where I managed to earn the highest audience feedback score out of all presenters. In June, I presented at SMX Advance. This month, I kicked off a consulting project with SEOmoz.
Woah. The last four months have been a blur.
Although I take great pride in my work, I’m humbled by the opportunity to have the experiences SEO has given me in the last two years. I’ve consulted for Fortune 500 companies, worked on SEO for some of the largest brands online, spoken to crowds of hundreds of people, and traveled to cities all over the US. I’ve regained my health, had great experiences, met awesome people, and made amazing friends.
I think the hustle, passion, and tenacity I’ve applied to chasing success and happiness has changed my life.
So now I look toward figuring out my next set of goals. I have a lot of ideas, lots of questions to answer, but nothing firm enough to put down here yet. I know I’ll keep pushing myself to do what I love, to try new things, and forcing myself to make drastic changes to pursue the things that make me happy. It’s been a hell of a time over the last two years and I’m looking to see what the next two bring.
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© 2012 Justin
You know, I was at SMXWest and your presentation and Joost’s were the two that I made sure that I wanted to see… your presentation was the most useful that I listened to the entire time. You bring something different to SEO and I’m glad your dreams are working out for you, it sounds like you deserve it =)
Thank you Karen. It was a great experience.
I wish I had seen Joost present.
Hey, inspirational stuff mate. I just finished watching your pro webinar on effective link building on seomoz this morning and loved it. Keep up the good work and what a great story you have. Well done!!
Fantastic story, Justin. Thanks for sharing, and more importantly, thanks for helping illustrate that no matter what it is, if you work hard and hustle you can get just about anything you want in life.
Thanks Jon!
I wrote it because a few people I know have been encouraging me to write it for a few years now. I thought it was a valuable story to share. I never though it end up on HackerNews and Sphinn, but the feedback has been amazing.
Amazing story Justin. We need to go out to dinner sometime so I can hear all the gory details and share mine, too
I remember being in a really similar position in 2004, dreaming of the day when Danny Sullivan would know who I was.
It’s been an absolute honor working alongside you and Distilled – I hope we get to do lots more of that in the future.
Thanks Rand. Sorry to single you out as an example.
– I think the stuff you’ve done over at SEOmoz is amazing. It’s been great working along side you guys.
I appreciate all the enthusiasm you have for SEO, and your story about getting to where you’re at, it’s inspiring. I’d be up for grabbing dinner some time.
I hope you never lose that fire Justin. it serves you well. We’ve all got a past that is for sure. What matters now is what you do with the future. Having lived in car myself at one point in my life – I am so glad to hear you’re not doing that anymore. It’s really hard to make breakfast in the morning with a middle console and cup holder in the way.
Cheers friend!! Congratulations on everything you’ve done – can’t wait to see the rest that is to come!
Haha, yeah, the car thing is a bit inconvenient.
Hope I never get too comfortable though, but honestly, I don’t see that happening.
I laugh knowing that I played cards with you in 2009 (not knowing you) and almost exactly one year later, I was watching you get a tattoo.
Truly inspirational story, Justin. I’m looking forward to your quest post on outspoken media on Thursday, and perhaps catching you at SMX East in September.
Going to pitch. Fingers crossed I’ll be out in NY soon.
Really awesome stuff. I especially like the fact that you chose not to have internet at your apartment – not something you hear every day in this industry for sure.
It’s great simply to know that this type of turnaround and transformation is possible. It’s really inspirational. Thanks so much for sharing.
Absolutely awesome story. Thanks for sharing.
Wow, what a story! It says a great deal about your courage and hustle to put this out there. Cheers to you and may the best be ahead of you.
Inspirational stuff. Thanks for sharing. Keep up the great work!!
Thank you so much for sharing your story. Extremely inspirational. You are the proof that no matter where you come from, no matter what your background is, if you have that fire inside you and you are determined and persistent, you can achieve anything you want. God bless you, brother.
Great story. I’m from a small town, too, and know how difficult it can be to adjust. It took me awhile to realize that when people look my way and stare for a few seconds, they’re just trying to be friendly and want to talk, not trying to start a fight.
Adjusting to Seattle was a weird experience. The culture here was quite the change.
I like the passion that comes through in this post. Working extra hours while feeling good about truly reflects this. Truly inspirational story. thanks for sharing
Justin, thanks for sharing. It’s stories like these that inspire and give hope to others. I’m impressed with how you got your start and where you are now. Looking forward to what’s to come. Maybe one day I’ll have the opportunity to work along side Justin Briggs.
Hi Justin,
Thanks for sharing your inspirational story. Great to see folks like yourself who has lost their way, and somehow through sheer force of will, find their way back and achieve their goals/dreams. Your passion and drive comes through in your words. Best of luck in the future.
dave
Great post Justin.
I started following you since I became an SEO manager for a big company in Berlin, DE. I’m 27 years old, and I’m learning a lot from you, SEOmoz guys, Distilled people and others. I think your story is amazing and it’s a great way to start my day here in Berlin.
Happy to follow you, this post is really inspiring.
Thanks Alessio! I hope the SEO manager job is going well.
Wow, you are my new hero! This is one of the most inspiring and moving stories I’ve read. Good luck with the future. Onwards and upwards.
PS If you’re in London any time, I want to buy you a giant pint of beer.
haha, thanks
I hope to make it out to London sooner than later. I actually got accepted for two spots at SMX Advanced London, but the same time as Pro SEO Boston, so I wasn’t able to make it out. I hope to get a trip out there in the next year.
Inspirational Justin – thanks for sharing this.
“It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we are free to do anything”
Justin, you have a truly incredible and special story, I am genuinely moved by your tenacity and determination. It is so easy to give up when life keeps kicking you and you don’t have the best start but my respect for your ability to keep getting off the floor and be a winner is immense. I have had a pretty rough few years and am still struggling to get ‘there’ but two quotes keep me going: “when you aint got nothing, you aint got nothing to lose” (Bob Dylan) and “Never, never, never, never give up” (Winston Churchill, this is my wallpaper). Some days you feel like life has kicked you to the floor for the last time but somehow you find the strength to stand back up and keep going. I have started several businesses over the years and have tried my hand at any thing but somehow never really found my niche. I now have a few ecommerce sites and totally love SEO/SEM but it has been a long, tough struggle to get it working. I have made EVERY mistake possible and have forgone any real salary for the last four years so I can put all my energy in. Reading stories like yours is what keeps me going. One day I will be bad girl turned good! : )
Thanks Shelli
I think I learned a lot of things from my mom’s example. Giving what she went through, with two kids to be responsible for, I don’t know how she did it.
I like those quotes. I’m glad to hear you’re chasing your goals.
I’ve gone as far as getting a massive tattoo on my forearm, which most people think is just a geeky tattoo, but its meaning is there to remind me every single day of what I went through and the second chance I have. Some times I catch myself getting comfortable and it helps remind me to keep making the best of it.
I got it when I moved here, and each time I get to something difficult, it helps me step back, collect myself, and remember that there isn’t a lot that can be thrown at me that I can’t handle.
Thanks for sharing this Justin, it was great to start a day with your story. Keep going! Good luck!
Wow. Inspirational. Congrats man. I was at SMX West this year, but I was in PPC so I missed you. If I ever meet you IRL I will definitely offer to buy you a beer.
Thanks JC. Hopefully we’ll run into each other at another SMX.
Inspiring, what a journey!
Really inspirational post really pushed me on today. Been feeling a bit flat with work over the past month or so and this has really spurred me on to get my finger out my backside and crack on..
I have been really enjoying your blog posts since finding you through SEOMoz and your last pro webinar was spot on, more of them would be great.
You should be really proud of your achievements many people that had a start in life like yours could have turned out to be so much worse off and in bad situation still.
Best of luck with your future plans and look forward to following your content on SEOMoz and other forums.
Great story for a movie. So american dream..
Thank you for sharing, you’ve just inspirded me to set my own goals.
Very compelling story Justin! I’ve already read before the part where you have won the SMX and Pubcon scholarship from Andy Beal’s contest, while you are living in your car, and that somehow inspired me (as I’ve also – somehow – experienced the same situation before), but reading the whole story, is definitely a different experience for me as a reader.
I guess we have the same goals, though unfortunately, I get discourage most of the time, seeing how competitive our industry is, but I guess that’s the one main reason why I still keep on pushing. I’ll keep the one word you have always been stressing lately in mind – HUSTLE. Great story!
Thanks Jason! I’ve shared the story a bit on Twitter before, but thought it was worth finally writing out.
The industry is definitely competitive. The bar is set so high, especially trying to stand out in a company with talented people like Distilled and SEOmoz. I’m constantly intimidated.
Although my post focused a lot on the determination part of working towards my goals, I’d say that being strategic played a large part. I worked relentlessly, but there was an underlining plan. Systematic hustle.
Fantastic story and writing, Justin. I’ve seen your name pop up more and more over the past couple of years and it’s so great and inspiring to learn about your success. Keep on hustling and optimizing!
Good for you Justin. Thank you for sharing.
Wow, really amazing story, Thanks for sharing. Whats next on the hit list? I wonder if having achieved all that you have, it just makes you more hungry for more!
Thanks for sharing your story Justin. You inspired me to say the least! I just got back from Honduras, and couldn’t help but think how the people there do so much with so little. Kinda like your story, you didn’t have much handed to you, but it didn’t quell your passions.
Amazing post! Very brave of you to share it all out like that.
> I hung out with Bruce Campbell for five hours.
You are a God.
But seriously, I’m right on the edge of this sort of transition now. What I’m doing isn’t working and I need a big change and so does my family. Thanks for writing!
haha, thanks Dave. It was awesome. It was at ZomBcon and I volunteered. I was his escort for the day, so I hung out with him, got him from place to place, etc.
I’ve been able to make drastic changes when I need too, but I also didn’t have the responsibility of a family. I wish you luck on the transition and feel free to connect on Twitter. I’d love to hear how it all works out.
Awesome story. It’s great that you’re not only accomplishing great things, but taking the time to enjoy it as well. Very inspirational. Thanks for sharing.
Holy crap man. I have a lot of respect for you.
Care to share your next set of goals?
I’ve actually been putting a lot of thought into that recently. I have some vague ones, but I’m not really sure yet.
Virtual high five to you, mate.
Justin,
I’m truly glad we’ve met, and hope to actually connect on a deeper level as life allows. The courage, willingness, determination and consistency you brought to the table to make such an amazing transformation make up a truly rare combination of character traits. Having taken a quite different path, yet also similar internal process, I can greatly appreciate what you’ve gone through to get where you are.
Thanks Alan, let’s grab drinks at MozCon
Wow, thanks for sharing such an inspirational story! This is what makes our industry truly amazing in my opinion. Anyone, I mean anyone, with enough “hustle” can carve out a successful path for themselves! Kudos to you and your hustle!
I am sitting here amazed at what you’ve been through. On top of that, I’m amazed at how differently life happens for one person compared to the next.
You probably left Nashville with the mindset that you’re moving out of small town into the big time. I’m on the opposite spectrum, leaving a larger metropolitan area (Dallas / Fort Worth) for Nashville.
You left a PhD program track for SEO. I got into SEO early and I’m slowly looking to transition out.
You are single and are passionately pursuing your dreams. I am married with kids working hard and still solidifying what my dreams are.
It’s hard to hear other people living their dreams sometimes, because I feel so far away from mine. But I respect and admire the tenacity you’ve shown.
I wish you success in all areas of life. And some day our paths may cross despite the vast and expansive difference.
That’s a really interesting comparison. I actually envy those who have have a family. It’s surprisingly high on my list of things I want to do. As someone who been constantly unrooted through my life, I have desires to settle down, get married, buy a home, have kids, and give being a dad a go.
Achieving goals is nice, but having people to share them with is more rewarding.
I had a feeling you had a story when I met you in Seattle. You shared a glimpse of it then, but boom, here it is – and now I feel like a stooge for rambling on about my monthly challenges and traveling and all that crap when I’m sitting next to someone who gets “life should be an adventure” and has lived it more than I might ever (though I’m certainly trying to re-stoke that fire lately).
Skydiving in Canada is still an option, by the way. All the best.
Hey Joel!
Dude, no I really enjoyed talking to you and hearing your story. I was inspired by you and really enjoyed talking.
And I seriously need to take you up on that offer. The next few months are busy, but eventually, I may head up your way.
Big ups to you for writing this out, Justin. It’s a great story, and you tell it well.
It’s also a reminder of the bright side of the SEO industry. You can do great things with enough hustle. Congrats on everything you’ve earned so far!
Thanks Matthew!
That’s one thing I love about the SEO industry. It’s really built on a lot of people who hustle and love what they do. As a community, it’s pretty amazing.
Great work Justin — my early life was very similar and the Internet allowed me to forge a path upwards to better things. Although the web is not my passion 100%, it is religion incarnate because you can lift yourself from any position with is leverage, with the help of all people.
Take care!
Bogart
Such an inspirational story Justin.
Just about every contest I’ve ever hosted has somehow ended up with a winner that somehow really needed the prize. For example, giving away a $500 cash prize to someone in Australia that emailed me to say he had a stack of bills and wasn’t sure how he was going to buy Christmas presents for his kids. Then he won the contest.
I can’t take any credit. I believe divine intervention picks the winners that will best use the prize offered to them. You certainly top all the stories and prove that sometimes even when you are at your lowest point, you just need a spark to start that fire in you.
Here’s to your future success!
Hi Andy, thank you. And seriously, thank you for the contest. It did a lot in terms of opportunity and confidence. I hope you bring it back some day. I’ll help out as much as I can.
As a fellow TN too, I feel you. I don’t think people quite realize what it takes to get out of here. Well done sir. Very good job.
I like Nashville, but there are parts of TN that are quite hard to move on from.
Hey Justin,
I’m sure it took a lot to write this, but along with everyone else that’s commented I want to thank you for doing it. I remember meeting you at that first Pubcon you went to, and it’s been really impressive to see the growth that you’ve had since then. Keep it up man!
hey Dan! Thanks
Yeah, things have changed so much since that Pubcon. And I wrote this thing 3 times and scrapped it each time over a period of a few weeks before I finally got the courage to post it.
fantastic and compelling story, justin! you’ve beaten a lot of odds and it sounds like the recognition you’re getting is well deserved! way to be a candle, not just a firework. keep it up!
AMAZING story. Really brave and bold. Well done!
Cheers brother! I wish you and everyone who’s responded to this heart-felt post nothing but the best. This is truly an amazing industry to work in a wonderful time to be alive!
This written article is nothing in comparison to the stories you hear in real life if you know Justin Briggs personally. Justin is an amazing person and I am lucky to be able to call him a friend. Great article. I know it will inspire a lot of people.
Thanks Adria
– You’re just saying this because I took you to see Harry Potter. 
Loved hearing the story Justin! Rand and the Distilled team are very lucky to have you on thier team!
Justin–
Thanks for sharing your story. It’s a testament to what focus and determination can accomplish. I ran across you in researching SEO people in Nashville and knew you were special. I’d love to meet you when you come back (I know you were just here).
I have a 20-year-old son who has left school and is searching for his thing. While I don’t wish any of your hardship on him, I know he has to go through what he has to go through. Like you, he is crazy smart (an MLK grad) and right now he’s choosing to do it on his own. It’s hard to watch him go so low but your story gives me hope that eventually he will find his passion and truly be happy.
Thanks and keep on reaching.
Hi Tammy, thanks for sharing your story with me. I mainly wrote my story because I knew there were people who it might be helpful for. There were seriously some times where the light at the end was no where in sight and I was I was running as fast as I could just to find it. It took a while.
And I can relate to the story of your son. I’d be happy to talk to you more and maybe meet when I make it back out to Nashville. You’re welcome to email any time.
Very inspiring story Justin, thanks for sharing!
Wow Justin!
Incredible story. You are really working with some top guys too.
Goes to show if you put your mind to it you can achieve almost anything. A step beyond this is if you EXPECT to get what you want and its just a matter of time until you achieve combined with relentless tenacity you could probably take over the world
I have been looking through your old blog posts and have found great value in earlier posts relating to agile seo tools, running php scripts from the command line. Awesome awesome stuff!
I wish you all the best of luck, you are a perfect example of making your own luck.
Very inspiring story, Justin! Thanks for sharing. All the best for the future, too!
[...] From Here On Out, Do What You Love (via Justin Briggs) A heart-warming story about a man who found his niche in SEO, and is ready to make his mark there. [...]
Amazing story! I’m waiting for the movie! =) But honestly, great story, and kudos to you for making it happen! Thanks for sharing!
Haha, thanks Jerry! I’ve had a few people tell me I could write a book about my life. Maybe one day.
Great post Justin. Hopefully it will inspire more people to do what they love, to set their goals and take action.
Your story reminds me of the story about 2 guys who had the same upbringing, difficult family life. One of them was very successful and the other was not. When asked about their success, they both answered “well with my upbringing what do you expect.” The difference was their attitude. One was determined and the other was wallowing in self pity.
You are the determined one. You are truly an inspiration for others!! Way to go!
[...] and experience. Yet as a consultant, the culmination of that came this year. Like Justin Briggs shared this past week, I too had goals that, through those years of struggle, scraping and clawing my way back up, I kept [...]
In my book, I would label your story a “Warrior Story.” Though many aspects of our stories are different, I completely relate to being homeless and wanting something so badly it almost physically hurt. I laughed when I read the part where you were sleeping on an air mattress. It wasn’t that long ago I was sleeping in the back office of this little shop I had rented for my start-up business. I was completely broke and slept on the office floor for two years. On your air mattress you dreamed of SEO legends and on my air mattress I dreamed of traveling the world. Congratulations for having the sticktuitiveness (yes, it is in the urban dictionary) to see your dreams come true. It was great meeting you at SMX and after this Warrior Story I shall call you “Sir Briggs.”
Wow, I’ve been so impressed lately by your work posts that I just stumbled on to this one. What a great story. You should be very proud for all that you’ve accomplished, not to mention having the guts to tell your story to the world. Cheers to your continued success.
Fantastic story on your route to SEO stardom Justin. Great stuff and good for you for making those so important changes in your life to get where you have got to today.
It’s always great to read up on success stories and this is one truly inspiring story for so many that find themselves in a similar situation as you were back in 2009.
How’d you get an SEO Manager position with 0 experience?
How did you get to speak at SMX with only 6-18 months experience?
Is the SEO industry a joke or what?
Hi JoJo,
I didn’t have 0 experience when I went into that role. I’ve been doing web design and development for years. I managed a web team at Vanderbilt for four years. I had been doing SEO specifically for two years when I started as an SEO Manger. My work prior to that was freelance and managing affiliate websites.
I now have nearly four years of SEO specific experience. I’ve been working on the web since 2002. I had done consulting with Fortune 500 companies prior to coming to Distilled.
My interest in web development, internet culture, analytics, and mathematics translated well as training for SEO. I also studied, tested, worked like a mad man to get better at SEO.
[...] From here on out, do what you love – The personal success story of Distilled’s Justin Briggs. [...]
[...] success story entitled Just Keep Going.This is my favorite, the story of Justin Briggs entitled From Here On Out, Do What You LoveEveryone gone crazy here – New Opensite Explorer Includes Social Media StatsThis one made me [...]
wow so inspirational!!
Great post Justin! I came to this from Alan’s Click2Rank post, and wow… two authentic transparent posts, one right after the other. I can now proudly say I love the SEO industry because there’s people like you that have the courage and are willing to share their stories so that others like myself may grow from them too.
[...] Briggs has an incredible story of how he got to where he is now. I don’t know Justin personally, but he produces fantastic [...]
There is one thing about leaving school, your home, and your job to chase a dream – failure is not an option. If you want to succeed at something, give yourself no other choice.
This note strikes a chord within me. I dropped out of college one year left to graduation (I’d have become a doctor). I spent many a sleepless night on the floor of my apartment, friends’ apartments and on the streets of LA to pursue SEO. I left school, family and jobs to chase my dream too
Failure is most definitely not an option.
Many years ago when I was eight years old, I visited NYC with my family. It was a cold rainy day and I saw a man dressed up in business attire with a charcoal gray pea coat. He carried a blood red umbrella to fend off the rain. I knew that one day, I wanted to be like him.
Little did I know that many years later, I would end up in Manhattan (came here eight months ago). I was gifted a pea coat by my younger brother and I bought the same red umbrella on the first day that I stepped onto NYC.
Things happen for a reason and one should always have a goal that goes far beyond the stars because even if you miss, you’ll land up among the stars.
Cheers,
Jey
Hi Justin, great post. Keep up the hard work. You are setting a great example for other ambitious SEOs.