Laid Off FL Man, 59, Launches New Website to Help Americans Start Their Own Business

After being laid off last summer, the famous line from the '70s Academy-award winning movie Network kept running around in John Gallant's head: "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore." As a former business owner in the '60s and '70s, Gallant decided it was time once more to stop letting others control his economic well-being. Gallant says, "The American Dream is still out there…you just won't find it working for others."

Ft. Myers, FL (PRWEB) January 5, 2009 -- After being laid off in July 2008, the famous line from the '70s Academy-award winning movie Network kept running around in John Gallant's head: "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore." As a former business owner in the 60s and 70s, Gallant decided it was time once more to stop letting others control his economic well-being. Gallant says, "The American Dream is still out there…you just won't find it working for others."

As a certified Microsoft and Cisco Network Administrator, Gallant drew on his techie training to start building a website to help primarily older Americans, like himself, find and develop independent sources of income. Gallant's website, www.helpamericaspeople.com, went "live" today.

The site's mission is to be a one-stop, self-employment resource for America's people. Gallant emphasizes, "This is not a job site; there are already thousands out there." The site offers free information and guidance provided by links and relevant content focused on taking control of one's economic health. The site is for men and women of all ages, but Gallant has focused the site on the 45 and older demographic. (According to AARP, in 2008 workers aged 45+ have experienced a more than 40% rise in unemployment.)

The site includes numerous links to:

•low cost, legitimate online marketing opportunities

•low cost, legitimate franchising opportunities

•top distance learning schools for those who want to enhance their business and/or computer skills

•relevant content on job loss, business scams, coping with the financial issues of unemployment.

On the site, Gallant gives visitors his personal reflections on his recent experiences with work-at-home scams and false promises of "how to quickly become a millionaire by working an hour a day."

"My name is John and I've started this site to share with you what I've learned about trying to earn a reasonable living in the U.S. after the age of 45.

"I live in Florida and worked in the home-building industry installing well pumps and water treatment systems in new houses. New home construction has virtually stopped in Florida. I'm 59 years old and in excellent health, but my chances of finding another job in this (or even a good) economy are slim to none. I've applied for countless jobs -- many offering only $8.00 per hour -- but no one made me an offer. (Yes, Virginia, there is age bias in this country) I was forced to find other sources of income, or lose my house.

"Like many before me, I fell for some of the 'Get Rich Quick' work-at-home programs. I tried Multi-Level Marketing but soon discovered that wasn't for me. Many people make a good living in these programs, but I didn't have enough friends and relatives who wanted to buy the product, or join the program and get their friends to join, so I ended up losing money. I tried selling on e-bay and made a little money, but discovered it's very competitive and not as easy to find products to sell as you might think. I tried some Internet Marketing programs, and they held promise, but the path to success is tricky and sometimes, some of the steps are missing from the programs.

"The truth is that for most of us there's a long list of failures before you strike it big. I've spent many thousands of dollars buying programs and coaching plans. These programs have a learning curve that limits your ability to earn money quickly. Most of the people who try these programs give up long before they make any money. I don't want this to happen to you! I'll help you shorten the learning curve by offering step-by-step guidance and coaching options."

Since Gallant's goal for the website is also to develop independent sources of income for himself, there are a few revenue-generating "products" on the site, such as:

•online products -- all under $100.00 and assessed as legitimate money-making opportunities

•free help and advice via email for potential buyers of these products

•low-cost books on dealing with stress, foreclosure, franchising and internet marketing

•personal coaching from Gallant - one-on-one or small group coaching via web conferencing;

•low hourly coaching rates and a "no questions asked" cancellation policy

The most important impression Gallant wants to leave with visitors to www.helpamericaspeople.com is "you need to be totally committed to finding the right business that 'synchs' with your knowledge, interests and skills… and whether you choose a franchise business or an online business, be prepared to work some long hours."

To join the helpamericaspeople.com free mailing list , visit (http://www.helpamericaspeople.com/page_018.htm). Everyone who signs up will receive a valuable, free gift.

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