Income School logo featuring the word "INCOME" in white capital letters, with a blue upward arrow forming the letter "O," above the word "SCHOOL" in smaller white capital letters against a gray background.

About Ricky Kesler

Ricky Kesler is an internet entrepreneur, influencer, and co-founder of Income School.  He has helped numerous others become financially independent by helping them create online businesses.

A man in a dark gray shirt and jeans sits on a chair, smiling, with a brass lamp on a table next to him.
Two men in casual attire are in an office setting with the one on the left standing, arms crossed, and the one on the right seated at a desk with a laptop. Shelves with books and decor are in the background.

My Work Story

My work story begins pretty typically.  I got a degree, got a job in the field I studied, bought a house, and sought to advance in my field.  That path led me through some valuable experiences.

  • Worked in a research laboratory
  • Worked as an engineer at a manufacturing plant
  • Worked as a marketing analyst
  • Earned an MBA
  • Worked as a Project Manager and then a Product Manager

But none of that work ever managed to hold my attention.  I never felt fulfilled.  I knew I could do more and that I wanted to do more.  I dreamt of working for my own company, but couldn’t find the right thing.  But forces outside my control all came together to make something happen I never thought would.

In late 2014, I got a text from a number I didn’t recognize.  It was an Idaho phone number, otherwise I would have ignored it completely.  It said something like, “I have a business proposal for you.  Call me.”  Suddenly, I could feel my heart thumping and blood coursing through my veins.  I wanted to move back to Idaho so bad and if someone there wanted to pitch me a business idea, or even a job, I was going to hear them out.

I called…  It took only a few seconds for me to realize it was Jim on the other end of the call.

I won’t lie, I had previously daydreamed of getting to work with my close friend who I knew was just tearing it up with his photography site.

He had started a new site, called Income School, that would teach everything he had discovered about internet marketing and he was looking for a partner.  I knew this could be the thing I’d been looking for.  It wasn’t a replacement for my job.  Not yet.  And I had no guarantee it ever would be.  But it was something bigger than just a business idea.  It was a calling.  And I was all in.

In January, 2015 we formed Income School LLC.  There I was with my almost completed MBA and all the business confidence I could muster, writing blog posts about negotiations, marketing, and other stuff that would never actually rank on Google.  I had so much to learn.  Only a few months later, the best thing possible happened for my career.  I was laid off.  My job hunt led me to tons of possibilities, but in the end, there was only one that I truly considered.  It was the one that took me home, to the place I belong.  No, it wasn’t West Virginia.  It was Idaho.  It took almost 3 more years of hard work as a side-gig, working with Jim just one evening a week and in all our free time before Income School was ready.  But in 2018, we launched Project 24, I left my day job, and I never looked back.

Today I have the best job.  I manage an amazing team of individuals who all have their eye focused on one goal.  We work tirelessly to create the best experience possible for our customers to give them the highest probability of success in achieving their goals.

RICKY’S TROPHY WALL

Recognition and Awards

I’ve been recognized for some awesome and some really silly things over the years.  But here are some of the certifications and awards I’m pretty proud of!

Blue logo of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill featuring the Old Well, a neoclassical rotunda.

MBA Strategy, Finance, and Entrepreneurship
-UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School

Brigham Young University seal featuring the initials "BYU," established in 1875, with "Brigham Young University" and "Provo, Utah" inscribed around the border.

BS Chemical Engineering
-Brigham Young University

Green circular emblem stating "Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt" with "CLSSGB" acronym, and the Six Sigma symbol (6σ) in the center.

Green Belt
-Six Sigma

A circular logo with the text "PMP" and a stylized design above it, all enclosed in a purple ring.

Project Management Professional
-Project Management Institute

A blue circle logo featuring the initials "FC" in white, with two curved lines above the letters symbolizing wireless connectivity.

Speaker
-FinCon Financial Bloggers Conference

WordPress logo featuring a stylized "W" within a circular design. The logo is in shades of blue.

Speaker
-Wordcamp

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