Life was otherwise good: It was 2016, and Hogue sat next to his best friend every day at his senior web development job. He was making $117,300 per year, but driving back and forth felt like a waste of time and money, he says. Last year, Hogue made over $1,600 a day, or roughly $11,400 per week, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. Winning that game each day helped keep him from quitting before his business turned profitable, he says. "The dollars-per-day [mindset] helps you understand what your time is worth," Hogue now tells Make It.

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Persons: Ryan Hogue, Hogue, he'd Organizations: George Madison University, CNBC Locations: Virginia, Fairfax , Virginia