Find out how much money my business made in December 2021 and exactly how we made it, what our expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way in my journey from $0 to $500K! Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review!

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/375 Bio: Julia is the CEO & Founder of GeekPack®. Some people look at the sky and see stars; others see constellations. Some people look at lines of code and see a website; Julia saw a path to empower women in building their dreams. Julia has taught over 2,400 women to say "YES" to any WordPress request, but not only that, “YES” to themselves, and “YES” to creating life on their own terms. Mastering WordPress has not only been the single biggest driver for Julia's career progression, but it has also enabled her to follow her dreams of a TRULY location-independent lifestyle. Connect with Julia: Website Facebook Instagram YouTube LinkedIn

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/374 Bio: Laura Kåmark is a strategic web designer and tech integrator who creates stunning, money-making websites for female entrepreneurs. With her signature VIP Website Experience, she’ll take your DIY website and turn it into one that looks good AND sells. Leave the automations to her as she creates an intentional customer journey that converts your website visitors into paying clients. Connect with Laura: Laura's Website FREE Website Planning Workbook Instagram Facebook LinkedIn

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/373 Bio: Paul Klein is a business consultant and entrepreneur. From his days as a 1980s hair band guitarist and lifelong entrepreneur to starting and scaling a successful SAAS company to consulting for some of the biggest brands including Target, Neiman Marcus, Starbucks, Holiday Inn, and other global brands, Paul helps Consultants, Freelancers, and Solopreneur’s price their services, stop undercharging in order to build 7 figure businesses. Paul is the host of the BizableTV podcast (formerly the Pricing Is Positioning Podcast) and Co-Founder Producer for BizableTV. BizableTV is a Netflix-style streaming service for entrepreneurs launching in January 2022 and will be accessible on over 1000 devices including iOS devices, Android devices, Macs, PCs, streaming media boxes such as Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, and FireTV. Connect with Paul: Paul's Website BizableTV Instagram YouTube Facebook Listeners of Pep Talks for Side Hustlers can get FREE Insiders Access to some of BizableTV's early films, insider-only updates, and special offers HERE Get Shannon's First Episode Free!

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/372 Bio: Meg Casebolt is the founder of Love At First Search, an agency singularly devoted to helping online businesses get found in search results (like Google, YouTube & iTunes) & turn those new readers into leads, subscribers, and sales. Meg’s clients are entrepreneurs who are too busy changing the world to worry about things like website conversion rates and search traffic ... but still want their websites to get found on Google for their brilliance and turn readers. SEO is our vehicle for amplifying female entrepreneurial voices and empowering women to help their families, communities, and the wider world flourish. Connect with Meg: Website Instagram YouTube Free SEO Starter Kit

Find out how much money my business made in November 2021 and exactly how we made it, what our expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review!

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/370 Bio: Pia Silva is a partner and brand strategist at Worstofall Design where they build entire brands in 1-3 day intensives. She’s also the founder of No BS Agency Mastery where she helps small branding agencies increase profits and freedom without hiring employees. She’s a TEDx speaker, a Forbes contributor, podcast host and author of Badass Your Brand. Connect with Pia: Website Instagram Facebook Get the NO BS Blueprint to a More Profitable Small Agency

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/369 Bio: Michelle Knight is the founder of Brandmerry.com where she supports entrepreneurs in branding themselves online, marketing their message, and creating more income and impact. Michelle focuses on teaching the power of storytelling to create an authentic brand that allows them to show up as they are and build a loyal community. Connect with Michelle: Website Instagram Facebook 10 Ways to Improve Your Marketing Before 2022

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/368 Bio: Abbey Ashley is the Founder of The Virtual Savvy. She helps aspiring virtual assistants launch and grow their own at-home businesses from scratch. Abbey started her own virtual assistant business in 2015 and was able to double the salary from her full-time corporate job, working only 20 hours a week... in just 30 days! She's since gone on to grow a multi-seven-figure business and retire her husband ALL from her at-home business. Connect with Abbey: Website Instagram Facebook LinkedIn FREE Step-by-Step Checklist on how Abbey started her VA business from scratch!

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/367 Bio: Christina Scalera is the attorney and founder behind The Contract Shop®, a contract template store for creative entrepreneurs, wedding professionals, and coaches. She also teaches others how they too can create an online shop phenomenon, create daily income, and get out of the client-getting hustle with her course, Products on Tap®. Connect with Christina: Website Instagram Facebook Pinterest YouTube

Find out how much money my business made in October 2021 and exactly how we made it, what our expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review!

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/365 Bio: Dr. Michelle Mazur is a messaging expert who works with brilliant business owners who are shaking things up, but having trouble talking about it. She combines the tools of successful social movements with the research skills she earned in her Communications Ph.D. to help them craft their powerful, captivating message. Connect with Michelle: Website Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Twitter

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/364 Bio: Lee Chaix McDonough is the CEO and Founder of Coach With Clarity, a training and education company for life and business coaches. She is also the host of the Coach with Clarity podcast and author of the #1 Amazon book, ACT On Your Business: Braving the storms of entrepreneurship and creating success through meaning, mindset, and mindfulness. Connect with Lee: Website Instagram Facebook FREE Coach with Clarity Business Blueprint

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/363 Bio: Lani is a Clarity & Strategy Coach for mom entrepreneurs! Helping them to double their income without doubling their to-do list. Her mission is to help mompreneurs get out of survival mode, release the mom guilt, and create a clear plan of action that will help them reach their dreams of 5k months and more! Connect with Lani: Website Instagram Facebook FREE Take Back Time Class

Find out how much money my business made in September 2021 and exactly how we made it, what our expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review!

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review!    

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/360 Bio: Monica is a digital product coach for women business owners. She has an MBA degree in finance and marketing and runs two brands Redefining Mom, a site for helping women thrive in both motherhood and business, and Empowered Business, where she empowers women to create financial independence through building 6-figure digital product businesses. She spent 11 years working for a Fortune 100 company running multi-million dollar marketing campaigns with large brands like Microsoft and HP. Now she provides online marketing education to small businesses that are looking to build a profitable revenue stream through digital products through her online courses and podcast. Connect with Monica: Website Passion to Profit Experiment The Empowered Business Podcast Instagram

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/359 Bio: TaVona Denise is on a mission to help you create a life you love and a business on your terms. She’s the voice behind the Breaking Protocol podcast, author of Unstoppable Success and she teaches Type A entrepreneurs how to achieve their goals, without the hustle overwhelm and burnout. Connect with TaVona: Website Breaking Protocal Podcast Instagram Linkedin

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/358 Bio: Loran Geeter is a Business & Operations Coach helping OBMs, Systems Strategist and VAs stop skipping steps so they can position their expert authority and [then] step into CEO. As a service provider herself, Loran understands the power of positioning yourself as an authority in the online space and creating a sustainable and profitable business that not only transforms your clients but your life as well. Connect with Loran: Website Instagram Positioned to Profit Roadmap

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/357 Bio: Angela is an international award winning business coach for women, keynote speaker, and podcaster who helps women in business get all the pieces in place to have consistent 5 figure months and then onto 6/7 figure years without burning out in the process. Angela’s podcast is The Business + Life Conversations Podcast - a must-listen, so be sure to check it out in the show notes. Angela is an international award winning business coach for women, keynote speaker, and podcaster who helps women in business get all the pieces in place to have consistent 5 figure months and then onto 6/7 figure years without burning out in the process. Angela’s podcast is The Business + Life Conversations Podcast - a must-listen, so be sure to check it out in the show notes. Connect with Angela: Website The Business and Life Conversations Podcast Instagram Linkedin

Find out how much money my business made in August 2021 and exactly how we made it, what our expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review!

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/355 If you attended the Side Hustle to Self-Employed Summit, you know that my session included a 12-month roadmap to help you go from a side hustler to total self-employment! I wanted to share that session with my listeners today so, even if you didn't attend, you could keep this information at hand. So many amazing things happened at the summit, so if you love this session & want to hear more, click here to grab an all-access pass & listen in on all of the other sessions!

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/354 Bio: Katie is a former-accountant turned entrepreneur who gets over-excited about money management systems and business strategy. She teaches women entrepreneurs how to achieve personal and business financial wellness so they're truly free to pursue their passions, not their next paycheck. Connect with Katie:   Website Instagram Katie's CFO Starter Kit! Profit First by Mike Michalowicz You Need a Budget (YNAB)

Find out how much money my business made in July 2021 and exactly how we made it, what our expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review!

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/352 Bio: Sarah Noked is the founder of Sarah Noked OBM & her mission is to help business owners and online service professionals plan and implement the right systems to achieve their goals. Connect with Sarah: Listen to Sarah's first episode! Website Instagram Sarah's OBM Facebook Group Twitter

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/351 Bio: Annelise Worn is a Business Strategist, Marketing Mentor, and Marketing Agency CEO. Her work with clients lies in developing and implementing efficient, effective, high converting marketing strategies that actually move the needle. Annelise supports entrepreneurs to transform their business and discover the profit and freedom they started it to achieve. Connect with Annelise: Website Instagram Facebook LinkedIn

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/350 Bio: After deciding to build his own way, Jay has taken what he knows about building products, companies, and product companies and applied it to creative businesses. Jay is the founder of Unreal Collective, a community of creators. Whether they are technology founders, freelancers, agency owners, or podcast creators, Unreal helps them determine critical next steps and achieve them. Jay has worked with over 100 creatives and freelancers through Unreal. His clients have built launch sites for space flight, had multi-million dollar exits, six-figure crowdfunding campaigns, left their jobs to go full-time freelance, and bootstrapped technology companies! Connect with Jay: Website Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/349 Bio: Jasmin Haley is an award-winning national speaker, podcaster, pro-educator, author, and biz strategist. She is the founder of the Breakthrough to Excellence™ Network. She helps online service-based entrepreneurial women scale their business without chaos to build their business legacy.  Her philosophy focuses on building your confidence and the business structure to support your goals without sacrificing what you love most in life. You can utilize her business strategy resources at her website! Connect with Jasmin: Website Jasmin's First Published Book: Breakthrough to Excellence! Instagram Facebook

Find out how much money my business made in June 2021 and exactly how we made it, what our expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review!

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/347 Bio: Danbee is a web designer and copywriter. She helps online coaches get more clients with their websites so that they can change more lives all around the world. She also helps other web designers grow their businesses and earn a full-time income working for themselves. Connect with Danbee: Danbee's Website Danbee's Website Checklist! Instagram Facebook

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/346 Bio: Arika Davenport, the founder of She Pursues Purpose, leads women of faith into discovering their personal path to purpose. Arika has been able to help women create a blueprint that turns their visions into realities. Women who have partnered with Arika have gained the confidence, clarity, and courage to walk in their calling. She Pursues Purpose offers a variety of resources for the woman in pursuit of purpose  As a Purpose Coach  Arika equips & empowers the busy woman with the practical and spiritual tools needed to walk in her purpose. Connect with Arika: Website Arika's Instagram Arika's Facebook

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/345 Bio: Jessica Thiefels is the author of, 10 Questions That Answer Life’s Biggest Questions, podcast host of Mindset Reset Radio, and CEO of Jessica Thiefels Consulting. She's been writing for more than 10 years and has been featured in top publications including Forbes and Entrepreneur. She also contributes to Fast Company, The Ladders, and more. Connect with Jessica: Website Jessica's Instagram Jessica's Twitter

Find out how much money my business made in May 2021 and exactly how we made it, what our expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review!

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/343 Bio: Girija is a licensed attorney in Texas and her practice focuses on assisting creative and other entrepreneurs create a solid legal foundation and craft legal solutions for their businesses at any point in the business cycle.  She's a mom to two amazing children, a wife, and an entrepreneur. Connect with Girija: Website Your Contract Buddy Website

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/342 A few weeks ago we had an epic live strategy call inside of our Web Designer Academy program. I mean, all of our calls leave me super inspired and energized, but this one gave me chills. It was so powerful. And I thought everyone needs to hear this, whether they're a web designer or not. These questions and answers and concepts apply to every kind of business. And so in this episode, you get to eavesdrop on one of our weekly marketing strategy calls, exclusively for students inside of our Web Designer Academy.

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/341 Bio: Katelyn began her career in marketing and public relations in Nashville, Tennessee. After working in the agency world for six years, she decided to pursue the entrepreneurship route to create more freedom and flexibility in her life. Now, Katelyn works as an Online Business Manager where she helps entrepreneurs organize, strategize and prioritize the backend of their business to go from overwhelmed to out-in-front. A Georgia grad, she bleeds red and black and is a diehard Georgia football fan, dog mom and outdoor enthusiast. Connect with Katelyn: Website Katelyn's Instagram Katelyn's Facebook

Find out how much money my business made in April 2021 and exactly how we made it, what our expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review!

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/339 Bio: Ray Blakney is probably like every other award-winning Filipino-American entrepreneur who grew up in Turkey and lives in Mexico that you know. He started his first business, with his wife as a business partner, in 2008. Since then he has bootstrapped multiple 6 and 7-figure online businesses. Most of this was done from home in his superman pajamas.  He and his businesses have been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, The Boston Globe and other top publications. Ray has also been a speaker at multiple conferences around the world. Connect with Raymond:    

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/338 Bio: Dr. Lee C. Cordell is an expert coach and business mentor for entrepreneurs who want to elevate and accelerate their success in their personal & professional lives. Using trauma-informed, pleasure-centered coaching, she focuses on time management, goal setting/planning, motivation & mindset, and holistic growth (personal and professional). Lee uses her 15+ years of experience in healthcare, psychology, and education to help her clients own what they want and get out of their own way to get it! Lee’s motto in life is short and sweet: Give more. Get more. Repeat. Connect with Lee: Website Lee's Instagram Lee's Facebook Group Lee's LinkedIn

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/337 Bio: Desola Davis is a Business Growth Strategist and head of Virtuous You Company. She helps online entrepreneurs build businesses that align with their personal purpose! Desola takes her corporate experience designing workflows for million-dollar cost savings initiatives and adds training from the best minds in small business and leadership development. She uses all that training to help you grow your business by working with customers who know, trust, and LOVE you. Virtuous You helps build out your execution plan, launch plan, and implement sales strategies with intentionality, and they'll tweak them in direct response to what your customers are asking for. Her mission is to help entrepreneurs position their businesses for consistent growth so they can experience financial independence. And with this independence, entrepreneurs have more room to live and give generously. Connect with Desola: Website Desola's Instagram

Find out how much money my business made in March 2021 and exactly how we made it, what our expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review!

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/335 Bio: Craig Cannings is the co-founder of Freelance University with his wife, Kelly. Craig (and his team) have had the privilege of helping over 20,000 students in 75 countries realize their dreams of launching a portable, freelance business (and lifestyle). He has enjoyed the great freedom of working from home and traveling abroad while raising their 5 wonderful daughters.  Connect with Craig: FREEBIE - Discover Seven Proven Pathways to Freelance Success in 2021 Website Craig's Instagram

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/334 Bio: Kayse Morris helps teachers learn to leverage their teaching skills, existing expertise, and huge hearts so they can build a profitable and purposeful online teacher business. Connect with Kayse: Website Kayse's Instagram Kayse's Facebook

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/333 Bio: Nacondra is the owner behind Exceptional Tax Services where she offers Simplified Tax and Bookkeeping Services to Small Business Owners. She has saved her Clients thousands in Taxes and MILLIONS in headaches. Her Clientele includes Creatives and Online Entrepreneurs where she takes their Business from Reactive to Proactive while giving them the tools, advice and education to grow their Business. Her background began as an IRS employee for 4 years and she eventually branched out on her own as a Licensed Enrolled Agent after becoming a Mother. She yearned for freedom and entrepreneurship has given her just that. She is a Wife and Mom to 3 kids, 1 Eight Year Old Daughter and a set of 5 year old Twin Boys. Connect with Nacondra: Website: www.exceptionaltaxservices.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/NACONDRAMORAN Facebook: www.facebook.com/exceptionaltaxservicesllc

Find out how much money my business made in February 2021 and exactly how we made it, what our expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review!

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/331 Bio: Nellie Corriveau is the self-proclaimed Sales Queen that is passionate about helping busy entrepreneurs with big dreams reach their sales goals. With her first taste of sales in the nonprofit world, Nellie started and successfully raised over 3 Million Dollars for Nellie's Champions for Kids (NC4K) that she founded at the young age of 16 years old. She has since transitioned out of her Executive Director role and shifted into business coaching where she translates her unique sales ability into coaching other entrepreneurs on how to actually make money doing what they love by mastering their sales skills with focused strategies and rock-solid accountability. She has directly helped over 100 business owners through one-on-one coaching, online group coaching, events and mastermind groups over the past couple of years. She is also the co-host of Queen Con, a two-day conference focused on being a resource for both online-businesses and brick & mortar companies. Connect with Nellie: Website: www.salesqueencoaching.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_sales_queen/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SlayingYourSales

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/330 Bio: Crissy Conner helps brands amplify their visibility with rockstar social media strategies that maximize their efforts for greater impact and growth. She has been helping brands and businesses grow for 5 years. She is the co-host of The Social Media, Sales, Sex & Why You Don't Suck podcast and Queen Con, an annual female entrepreneur event. Crissy is a wife, the mom of 3 (4 counting her furbaby Tennessee), and loves reading and binge-watching shows with her daughter, unless it's summer and then you can find her reading by the pool. Connect with Crissy: Website: www.crissyconnercreates.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crissy.conner.creates Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crissyconnercreates LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crissy-conner Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@crissyconner

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/329 Bio: One Woman Shop is your go-to solopreneur resource hub + support system. Work for yourself, not by yourself! Connect with One Woman Shop: Website: https://onewomanshop.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onewomanshop/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onewomanshop

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/328 Bio: Alecia St. Germain is the founder and Ace of Transformation behind The Conscious Edge. After more than 15 years training entrepreneurs, she knows most people focus on “how to do it,” but miss the crucial “who to become” to get your next level results. Nothing gets Alecia more fired up than seeing you reach goals faster and achieve unlimited wealth and happiness. Alecia is a master at uncovering and maximizing her clients’ natural gifts, identifying areas of improvement, and creating a strategic plan to overcome unconscious blocks to success, happiness, and the flow of money. Connect with Alecia: Website: https://consciousedge.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleciastg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/870098263184722 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alecia-st-germain-680b555

Find out how much money my business made in January 2021 and exactly how we made it, what our expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review!

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/326 Bio: Deonjala Williams is the founder of Heart and a Heat Press, an online business educational platform. With over 12 years of entrepreneurial and retail experience, Deonjala teaches her community how to launch their own profitable T-Shirt printing business in 60 days or less.  Deonjala, known more commonly as “Dee”, has had years of corporate employment in retail where she gained significant experience in business, processes and people management. But this didn’t really satisfy her sense of calling, her love of teaching and the drive to build something lasting. Unbeknownst to her boss at the time, she had been planning her exit from the 9-5 for some time when she handed in her resignation letter with great satisfaction. She went on to found Dee’s Sweet Tees and develop Heart and a Heat Press, changing her and thousands of other people’s lives in the process. Connect with Deonjala: Website: https://heartandaheatpress.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heartandaheatpress Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heartandaheatpress

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/325 Resources Mentioned: https://profitablemembershipsummit.com https://scalingdeep.com/toolkit https://scalingdeep.com/freebie Bio: Lisa helps impact-driven business owners dive deep into their unique value and business models to build sustainable $1million brands. She helps them simplify their offers, focus their brand with bolder messaging, strengthen and deepen their marketing systems.   She is a trained business strategist and the host of the Scaling Deep Podcast.   Lisa is a results-oriented, deep thinker who has a knack for “seeing” the value of each business and turning that into a pipeline ideal clients. (this is so far away so it might change so I'll let you know). Connect with Lisa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisaprincic  https://www.instagram.com/lisaprincic https://www.facebook.com/entrepreneurcoaching

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/324 Bio: She is a dementia caregiving coach gone spiritual business coach! She helps coaches scale by embodying the mindset of a CEO, creating irresistible offers, and attracting their dream clients . She believes that mindset, faith, strategy, and inspired action are the keys to creating a profitable business Connect with Talia: Website: alwaysadvocating.com Instagram: instagram.com/Always.advocating

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Get the full transcript at shannonmattern.com/323 Resources Mentioned: https://www.thetoycoach.com/podcast/1 Bio: A cancer survivor, 3x patented inventor, Women In Toys Wonder Woman award nominee, and 1 of 100 Most Influential in Design in 2020’s Mojo 100 publication. Azhelle has worked in the toy industry for over 10 years with companies like Toys R Us, Horizon Group USA, and now Creative Kids, as the VP of Brand and Product. Azhelle launched The Toy Coach when she noticed that too many inventors attend toy shows or pitch meetings with “half baked” ideas that they’d spent too much money on. Her podcast, Making It in The Toy Industry teaches inventors how to keep their toy and game ideas toyetic, cost-effective, and how to answer buyer needs. When she’s not helping inventors and entrepreneurs break into the toy industry, Azhelle enjoys salsa and bachata dancing, sewing costumes, and exploring New York City with her closest friends Connect with Azhelle: https://www.instagram.com/thetoycoach/  https://www.facebook.com/groups/MITTIPodcast/   https://www.facebook.com/thetoycoach/

Find out how much money my business made in December 2020 and exactly how we made it, what our expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review!

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Krista and I talk about: Krista’s path from freelance web developer for designers to teaching entrepreneurs how to run a virtual summit.  Krista’s accidental success when she experimented with an idea and people kept asking for more. Why you need an email list, even as a 1:1 service provider. Why you should be building relationships right now. Why you don’t need a big audience to host a virtual summit. Common obstacles that Krista sees people coming up on again and again that stops them in their tracks. The right way to do Facebook ads Her best advice if you are struggling to get traction in your business. The belief Krista had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Krista: “I knew if I had a bigger list, that means more people that know about me, even if they're not the people directly buy my stuff, they know who I am.” “It just depends on your mindset and the way you look at it, who cares if they say no, try the next person. It's cool. It's fun if you let it be fun.” “Don't limit yourself based on where you are right now, because that's just going to keep you in that spot” “You have something to value even if you are just getting started” Bio: At Summit In A Box, Krista teaches online business owners to skyrocket their revenue, grow their email lists, become leaders, and make mutually beneficial connections through online summits. These aren’t summits that leave speakers and attendees feeling gross and taken advantage of - her method is focused on strong connections, collaboration, and making a difference in the lives of everyone involved. The best part? She makes it easy! With every strategy, copy template, website template, script, tech tutorial, and resources you'd ever need, your summit prep just got a whole lot easier! Resources Mentioned: Tony Intentional Spark Allie Bjerk: Tiny Offers Connect with Krista: Instagram Summit in a Box Website

Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review! Kelsey and I talk about: Kelsey’s journey from actress and screenwriter to teaching entrepreneurs how to write words that sell. The best way to market yourself. The first thing you should write about. Why you need to be specific about who your ideal client is. Common mistakes that Kelsey sees people making on their copy. Tips for knowing what to put on each website page. How to find a mentor. Why instead of going at it alone you should let people in. Kelsey’s advice for someone who is struggling to get traction & visibility in their side hustle. The belief Kelsey had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Kelsey: “I feel so connected to these people by helping them tell their unique stories and everybody has a story.” “The most empowering thing was helping people understand how to express themselves.” “So much of being in business, especially as an entrepreneur or a solopreneur, is about learning to trust yourself and learning to trust that what you have to give is unique and then just learning how to express it in the way that helps you reach the most people. “ “Put yourself on the back burner for a minute, focus on who you're helping and how you help them” “the thing that scales that allows you to reach more people is actually getting more specific about talking to one person.” “Once you understand how you want to express yourself and how to use your words, to paint a picture for other people of how they're going to feel after they connect with you, everything else just sort of falls into place. Everything else becomes so much clearer, including your actual service.” Bio: Kelsey Formost is a copywriting expert and mental health advocate who teaches entrepreneurs how to write words that sell. Resources Mentioned: 3 Copywriting Tips to 3X Profits Copy Class! Connect with Kelsey: Kelsey's Website Kelsey's Instagram Kelsey's Facebook

Find out how much money my business made in November 2020 and exactly how we made it, what our expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Get access to our free trainings for web designers and DIYers at https://shannonmattern.com/free Leave a Rating + Review!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review! This interview with Steff Green was absolutely fascinating! Steff writes fiction novels & she’s an Amazon best-selling author. In this episode, she gets deep into the nitty-gritty of how to test your ideas on Amazon and everything else you need to know to be successful. She also has a website called Rage Against the Manuscript where she teaches people who want to become fiction writers and go past the gatekeeper of the traditional publisher. She teaches you how to write, publish and sell your books on Amazon. Steff's also legally blind - and her story is so fascinating! Even if you have no intention of ever writing a book, there’s a ton you can learn from this interview and I really can’t wait for you to meet Steff! Steff and I talk about: Her journey from archeologist to a paranormal romance author. Why Steff decided to self-publish. How to frame your marketing to attract your ideal client. The biggest thing Steff sees writers get stuck on that holds them back from finishing their book. Her best advice if you are struggling to get traction in your business. The belief she had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Steff: “You have to push through and you have to be okay with things not being perfect because perfectionism is procrastination.” “You'll spend as much time getting from 95% to 100% perfection, as you will get in from zero to 95%" “Don't quit before the miracle.” [fusebox_transcript] Bio: Steff Green is a USA Today bestselling author of supernatural romance books. She earns multi-six figures a year self-publishing stories about vampires and witches, and she speaks and teaches all over the world, helping authors tell their unique stories, find their audience and build a badass writing career through self-publishing. Oh, and she's legally blind. Resources Mentioned: Rage Against the Manuscript How to Rock Self Publishing Amazon KDP Self Publishing Connect with Steff: Steffanie Holmes Website FREE BOOK: UNLEASH THE BEAST - RELEASE YOUR INNER WRITING MONSTER JOIN US FOR HOW TO ROCK SELF PUBLISHING SCHOOL

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review! You know if you’re a web designer that if you don’t have a good system in place, then projects can drag out for a really long time. From the back-and-forth with the clients, getting all the content, etc., it can become a huge job if you don’t have a solid, systematic, and streamlined process to make it all happen. Sarah Masci is a web & graphic designer who I am so incredibly excited for you to meet today. I resonate so much with Sarah because our stories are so similar. I believe I met Sarah through my accelerator program with Mariah Coz -- no matter how, I’m so happy to know her. Sarah over the years has honed her web designing processes down to offering daily intensives. So instead of spending months with web design projects for clients, she spends one day each with VIP clients. Sarah currently teaches her process on how to market, sell, and execute these one-day intensives -- and they work for any sort of service provider. This process is absolutely fascinating and I knew upon meeting Sarah that I had to introduce her to my audience. Many of my web designer academy students have signed up for Sarah’s classes to learn how to execute one-day intensives for their clients and it’s been a huge collaboration that I see a ton of opportunities in. We have similar audiences, similar values, yet we still do totally different things, which I love. Sarah will also be speaking at the Side Hustle to Self-Employed Summit, which is Feb 4-7 2021 so mark your calendars! I’m going to give you a roadmap to go from side hustle to self-employed in 12 months or less, and Sarah will be there to talk about her method! But I’m so excited that you get to meet her beforehand because she’s absolutely amazing and she’s someone you’re going to want to know if you’re a service provider and if you want to provide high-impact services in way less time. Let’s get into it! Sarah and I talk about: Sarah’s journey from corporate to becoming an online branding and web designer. Some of the biggest mindset struggles Sarah faces. When Sarah hired a business coach, the first thing she did. Why you should evaluate your full process and make sure you are charging for all the things you are doing. How Sarah took her experience and created a coaching program. Her best advice if you are struggling to get traction in your audience building. The belief Sarah had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Sarah: “Let's take all of this stuff and really get it simplified and make it streamlined and easy for people to know what to do.” “Everybody was so excited about it and blown away that they could just book me for a day and get my undivided attention for seven or eight hours.” “There's enough websites that need to be built for everybody to have more than their fair share” Bio: With 15 years of branding and design experience, Sarah Masci is a leader in the online industry for clients looking for high-quality, aesthetic digital design. As the founder of Book Me For A Day™, her signature one-day intensive program, she thrives on compressing professional branding, web and digital design into one day, versus weeks or months.  Some would say she's a rare mix of right and left-brained; she gets her kicks from strategies, systems, and automations, but has a discerning eye for design and details. Sarah's down-to-earth personality and distinctive way of simplifying even the most complex problems have earned her the trust and respect of hundreds of clients and thousands of students over the years.  Done-for-you service providers who are ready to ditch the feast or famine cycle and create more income and freedom with a one-day intensive business model, love Sarah’s course and group coaching program where she teaches her exact blueprint to other designers. To inspire and support just-getting-started solopreneurs, she offers a variety of simple branding and design courses for those who want to DIY their own logo, brand, graphics and websites.  Sarah is an outdoorsy boy-mom through and through. When she’s not working, she’s enjoying time with her husband, their four sons and their sweet pup, Mabel. She loves summer, crisp mornings in the mountains, live bluegrass music, and sipping craft cider with friends. Resources Mentioned: Day Rate Magic Connect with Sarah: Brackenhouse Branding Brackenhouse Branding Facebook Brackenhouse Branding Instagram

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review! Eventually you’re going to need some help… trust me. You can’t do it all on your own forever. I tried to do it by myself for so many years, and you know if you’ve been listening to this podcast for a while that I have a tendency to overwork myself. I’m finally finding out in year 7 of doing this that getting support & dedicating time to building & empowering a team is something I need to take seriously. Amy is the third person in this series of powerhouse online business managers (starting with Sarah Noked in episode 311, Tasha Booth in episode 315, and now Amy Lockrin) that I talked to about the business of running a business and the behind-the-scenes of making it all happen. Even though Amy is an OBM, we talked about completely different things than my conversations with Sarah and Tasha. We talked about so many points that really resonated with me, like charging your worth and creating successful onboarding processes for growing your team. Amy is incredible and I’m so excited for everyone to hear the amazing things she has to share, like some of the common patterns she sees that prevent people from getting to the next level. Keep in mind that she doesn’t just work for her own business -- but she also works with incredible entrepreneurs and has seen these patterns over and over and over. Amy has also contrastively worked with million-dollar business owners and has seen what they do differently. Definitely listen to what she has to say & take it to heart because this isn’t just her opinions -- she’s actually lived these experiences. Everything we talked about was exactly what I needed to hear, and I hope everyone listening finds the thing they need to hear to get reinspired, remotivated, and ready to break through to the next level. Amy and I talk about: Amy’s journey from corporate to self-employment. Amy’s strategy of over-delivering to impress her clients and get more referrals. Her advice if you are starting out and having trouble with charging your worth. The difference between a virtual assistant and an online business manager.  Common patterns Amy sees that are preventing people from getting to the next level in their business. What makes a successful VA hire. Why you need to reflect on your feelings about the value you bring to your clients. Her best advice if you are struggling to get traction in your side hustle. The belief Amy had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Amy: “I need to create something that's going to work for me and what my vision and ideals were.” “I know the struggles that it takes to get to where people aren't considering themselves a success.” “This could actually be where I'm able to change my life and leave corporate and do the thing that I want to do” Bio: After 12+ years of climbing the corporate ladder, Amy threw caution to the wind and branched out on her own to help entrepreneurs take the next steps towards growing their own businesses. Amy is 100% strategy-focused so that her clients can stop worrying about the small details and start focusing on the big picture—and their profits. When she's not strategizing for her clients, you'll likely find her spending time with her husband and two kiddos. Resources Mentioned: Kolbe Assessment Connect with Amy: Amy's Website Amy's Instagram Amy's Facebook

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review! Tasha is not only an OBM who helps her clients launch their courses, podcasts and systems that business owners need to launch their businesses, but she also helps VA’s and OBM’s scale profitable businesses. She teaches entrepreneurs how to start as a VA, get to the next level as an OBM, and scale to an agency model. She not only followed this method herself in her own business, but she now teaches others how to do it as well. I can totally relate to this as a web designer and a teacher to others on how to run their own web design businesses. Talking to Tasha happened at the perfect time because we chatted around the same time I was feeling completely maxed out. I had yet to grow my team with Wendy and Natalie, and I wasn’t allowing Laura to fully thrive in her position and give her the things I knew I was able to take off my plate. Totally control-freak moment… So as this feeling of overwhelm started to take over, this series of chatting with OBM’s suddenly fell together, starting with Sarah Noked back in Episode 311, now Tasha Booth, and upcoming, chatting with Amy Lockrin in episode 316. In each episode, we talked about how if you want to get to the next level, it’s so important to grow a team. But we also talked about how if you’re going to grow a team, you need standard operating procedures in your business where every process needs to be documented and consistent so your team can support you in a strategic way...and you’re not spending all your time answering questions for your team because you haven’t documented anything. This happens to me all the time -- where I have a conversation on the podcast that nudges me in the right direction, and this conversation with Tasha was definitely one of those that really got me thinking that the universe was talking to me by sending me all of these OBM’s in a row… so I said, okay, I’m listening. I need to start documenting things and grow my team. Tasha is here to talk about all of these things. One of the things I want my listeners to take away is that even if you’re just starting out, Tasha can help you in two ways: if you’re a VA or thinking about becoming one, she can help you start the correct way. And secondly, plan for the future. Document how you do everything, so when you do decide to bring a team on, you’re ready & you don’t have to write it all out in that moment. If you can do it as you go, when it’s time to bring on that first person, you’re ready for them & you don’t feel overwhelmed. Before we start, I wanted to let you know that she’s going to be speaking at my Side Hustle to Self-Employed Summit! You can head to www.sidehustletoselfemployed.com to join the waitlist for a free ticket! Tasha and I talk about: How Tasha saw an opportunity to step in that led to a side-hustle that quickly replaced her day job income Tasha’s journey to building a “business in a box” agency Why you should be proactive in hiring and not reactive The first steps for creating standard operating procedures The thing you should do to make your business dreams a reality Some of the common roadblocks that keep you from getting started Her best advice if you are struggling to get traction in your side hustle The belief Tasha had to change about herself to get where she is today My favorite quotes from Tasha: “What I realized quickly were was that the things that were simple for me and that came easy to me did not come easy to everybody” “We need to open our minds to what's possible” “I want quality clients who are going to treat me well, who are going to value my services and everything. That means that I start with valuing myself and valuing what I can bring to the table for them.” “Even if you think you're talking about your business until you're blue in the face, you can probably do it a little bit more” Bio: Tasha Booth began her journey in the online business space five years ago as a virtual assistant when she decided she was tired of living an ‘ordinary’ life on someone else’s terms. As her business grew, so did her commitment to helping others figure out how to make the life they craved a reality. Now, whether she’s leading her team of 18 to support established coaches and course creators as the Founder and CEO of The Launch Guild agency, coaching virtual support professionals as they start and scale their own business, or hosting the ‘How She Did That’ podcast for VAs, OBMs, and project managers, Tasha is always helping other entrepreneurs live more fully in their zone of genius. When she’s not supporting her team of 18, she proudly spends her time as an Air Force wife to her husband Scott, stepmom to Grace and Meredith, and work from home dog mom to Stanley and Boomer Resources Mentioned: Belay Solutions Free SOP Template from Tasha! Connect with Tasha: Tasha's Website Tasha's Facebook Tasha's Instagram The Launch Guild The Launch Guild Facebook The Launch Guild Instagram

Find out how much money I made in October 2020 and exactly how I made it, what my expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review! Asking for help is something that does NOT come naturally to me. I like to blaze my own trail, and I don’t like to be slowed down. I always hated group projects in high school because I wanted to do the work on my (super-fast) timeline and on my own terms. So it’s no surprise that when I started my business, it didn’t even occur to me to ask for help. My method was figuring it out for myself, trial and error, and banging my head against the wall trying to figure things out because I didn’t have anyone that had been in my shoes before able to show me the way. Now, mentorship means everything to me as a business owner. I finally figured out that I can only go so far by myself, and that going it alone actually slowed me down! Fascinating! If you want to reach success faster, build a community of people around you that have been where you’ve been before.  Not only can you find a mentor for anything you want to do nowadays, but you can also be a mentor for others as well. This is why my conversation with today’s guest is so special to me! Kelsey Chapman is an author, community builder, online educator, host of The Radiant Podcast. After a few years of fumbling her way through post-grad life, Kelsey realized that her entrepreneurial itch wasn’t going away. She came home, got to work, and turned a part-time blog and side-hustle into a multi-six-figure business in just 2 YEARS! Today, Kelsey leads an audience of 100k followers, hosts The Radiant Podcast, empowers and equips women through her online mentorship program, and is about to release her book, What They Taught Me, on February 9th! If you’re ready to learn about the beauty of mentorship, let’s get right into it! Kelsey and I talk about: Kelsey’s journey to becoming a writer. Why it’s worth taking the time to build an audience. How to find a mentor. Why instead of going at it alone you should let people in. Kelsey’s advice for someone who is struggling to get traction in visibility in their side hustle. The belief Kelsey had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Kelsey: “No matter what you're doing whether it's course creation, building any sort of service-based business, writing, you have to show that there's a proof of concept like that people will buy the concept.” “The character that's built-in slow growth is what sustains you. What helps you steward that dream of yours longterm.” “Just take what you need. Doesn't mean you have to apply every single thing.” “You don't have to be famous to be a mentor. You just need to be a few steps ahead of someone to be willing to share what you know.” Bio: Kelsey Chapman is an author, community builder, online educator, and host of The Radiant Podcast. She wholeheartedly believes dreams are worth pursuing and is passionate about teaching women how to walk with purpose in their gifts and live from a place of identity and rest — all so that they can carry their dreams and vision for the long haul. After a few years of fumbling her way through post-grad life and a brief stint overseas, Kelsey realized that her entrepreneurial itch wasn’t going away. She came home, got to work, and turned a part-time blog, and side-hustle into a multi-six-figure business in just two years. From there, she realized her business savvy traits and desire to empower others could be translated into something bigger through teaching everything she’s learned with others. In just four years she has mentored hundreds of clients and thousands of students through building their brand, growing their platform, and stewarding their influence. Today, Kelsey plays the role of a personal cheerleader to an engaged audience of 100,000k followers, hosts The Radiant Podcast, and empowers and equips women through her Radiant Podcast, Dream To Done online mentorship program, and most recently, her book What They Taught Me: Recognizing The Mentors Who Will Take You From Dream To Done. Resources Mentioned: Enneagram Test What They Taught Me Book - Out February 9th! What They Taught Me - Amazon Connect with Kelsey: Kelsey's Website Kelsey's Instagram Kelsey's Facebook Radiant Podcast

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review! Anyone that emails me saying, “Hey can I be on your podcast? I travel the country in my RV,” the answer is pretty much always YES! I couldn’t wait to talk to Nick because anyone that’s able to start a business and travel at the same time needs to be my friend. As a fellow RV owner, I know how hard it is to make time to travel, but I’ve always wanted to get in our RV and travel to Alaska! It’s one of those bucket-list things for me… I mean, I do need my husband to be able to work remotely too and agree to the drive… Hopefully in one of my future income reports - in like 2022 - you’ll hear all about how I ran my business from my RV on my way to Alaska. That’s why learning how Nick and his wife made this happen for themselves makes this episode extra special to me. Nick teaches people how to manage their finances & live their own adventure. I know everyone is going to absolutely love this episode. What I want to leave people with before the episode starts is that you don’t have to make as much money in your business as you might think to have financial freedom when you have control of your personal finances. Nick is going to show us exactly how we can live the same life he lives, so let’s get into it. Nick and I talk about: His journey to building a business teaching entrepreneurs how to budget and managing money. Nick strategy behind monetizing his website. How much of our spending is a habit and done subconsciously. The importance of clarity in your business direction. His best advice for you if you’re struggling to get traction making money in your side hustle. The one belief Nick had to change about himself to get where he is today. My favorite quotes from Nick: “Let's create a plan and use money as the tool to help you get there.” "It's not about spending less, it's about where's my money going. And let's put as much of my money as possible on the things that I truly care about.” "You're taking on the risk. Both of time and money to build a business and you need to get clear on why you're doing that and ensure that the path you're going down is actually going to help you achieve that.” Bio: Nick True is a married twenty-something from Tennessee and father to four fur-children. Through Mapped Out Money, Nick writes and speaks about personal finance, budgeting, and Slow-FI, all while traveling full-time with his wife and four pets in a 27ft Airstream. He is passionate about teaching people to enjoy their money now, while also saving and investing for the future. With some creative help from his wife, Hanna, Nick aims to produce approachable and engaging personal finance content to help you understand finance and manage your money, so you can get on with living your unique adventure. Resources Mentioned: Smart Passive Income Gary Vaynerchuk Mindset by Carol Dweck Connect with Nick: Nick's Website - Mapped Out Money Nick's Youtube MO$ Podcast Nicks Instagram Nick's Twitter

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review! I hear it all the time -- Online Business Manager, OBM, How to become an OBM… and I never understood what it meant or how it was different from being a virtual assistant! That’s why I’m so excited to introduce you to Sarah Noked, who’s here today to explain the difference between an Online Business Manager and a Virtual Assistant, what kind of people are best for both roles, and what business owners would hire each role for. From the moment I met Sarah I knew I had to have her on the podcast ASAP! What resonated with me about Sarah was her story -- Going from overworked and underpaid, desperate to leave her 9-5, to a multi-6 figure OBM business-owning queen. I know many of you listening today can totally relate to that, and Sarah’s here today as proof that it IS POSSIBLE for you to go from side-hustle to self-employed and have that dream life! Sarah doesn’t sugarcoat what it takes to build a successful business, but she’s there to teach you exactly the steps you need to take to be successful. If you’re wanting to start your OBM business, or you’re curious to learn the difference between OBM’ing and Virtual Assisting like I was, then let’s get started! Sarah and I talk about: Sarah’s journey to become a certified online business manager. What an Online Business Manager (OBM) is and what they do. The knowledge and skills needed to become an OBM. Sarah’s path from a VA to certified OBM with a multiple 6-figure agency. How to get started as an OBM. Sarah’s advice for someone who is struggling to get traction in their side hustle. The belief Sarah had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Sarah: “I'm also really obsessed with helping people grow successful online businesses with stability and systems.” “Everybody has systems in their business.” “I'm so grateful for the things that I have and the ability to teach other women to be able to have a sustainable life and business from home.” “If you want to make this side hustle work, you actually have to really get clear on your value and charge for it.” Bio: Sarah is the founder and CEO of Sarah Noked OBM. She is one of the leading experts in implementing systems within digital businesses, having achieved maximum results for hundreds of women worldwide, and teaching them how to grow team-based online businesses.  Over the last decade, she has grown from VA solopreneur to a Certified OBM®, has trained her own team of five OBMs in her very own OBM Agency, and has generated a multi-six-figure income in the process.   Now as one of only a few Certified OBM® trainers in the world, Sarah’s focus lies in using her first-hand knowledge to help female entrepreneurs sustainably scale up profitable digital businesses. Resources Mentioned: Tina Forsyth OBM Masterclass OBM Starter Kit obmcertification.com Connect with Sarah: Sarah's Website Sarah's Instagram Sarah's Twitter Sarah's OBM Facebook Community

Find out how much money I made in September 2020 and exactly how I made it, what my expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review! If you’re anything like me when I first started my side hustle, you might have found yourself thinking… “I already have so much to do, how am I gonna find the time to build my business too?” But then I looked at how I was spending my time. Waking up at 7AM and lazily watching Bravo reality TV as I slowly got ready to drag myself into a day job that I hated. Leaving for work at the last minute and trying to come home as early as possible just like everyone else, which had me sitting in rush hour traffic. Binge-watching Netflix after dinner and on lazy weekend days. Scrolling Facebook in my spare moments to see what my old high school friends were up to. Never planning ahead, always reacting to circumstances around me. And I wished my life was different. I wished I made more money, doing something that I actually loved, that I worked from home and had more freedom. I might have felt busy at work… but outside of work I had plenty of opportunities to work on my dream. But I’d let myself get hacked.  And exactly what this week’s guest is here to talk about. How we let our lives get hacked, how we pay for all the “free” things we spend our time on with our attention, and how it’s stealing our dreams from us. Kary Oberbrunner is an author, coach, and speaker who helps individuals and organizations clarify who they are, why they're here, and where they're going so they can share their message with the world.  And he’s here today to show us how to become Unhackable so that we can succeed in business and life. Everything Kary talks about is so impactful and powerful.  If you love this episode, which I know you will, be sure to check out Kary’s brand new book, Unhackable, coming out this Saturday, October 24th! Kary and I talk about: Kary’s journey as a pastor, to side hustler, to author and publisher Kary’s powerful lessons on failure Why you should break down your projects into smaller steps Important questions you should start asking yourself The one belief Kary had to change about himself to get where he is today My favorite quotes from Kary: “I believe we were all meant for a great purpose” “When you get hacked, that means you get distracted, you get diverted” “The fuel to become unhackable is enthusiasm” Bio: Kary Oberbrunner is an author, coach, and speaker who helps individuals and organizations clarify who they are, why they're here, and where they're going so they can become souls on fire, experience unhackability, and share their message with the world. As a child and young adult, Kary overcame a paralyzing speech disorder and an addiction to self-injury. In the past twenty years, he’s ignited over one million people with his content. He lives in Ohio with his wife, Kelly, and three children. Resources Mentioned: Unhackable Book From Broke and Frustrated to $100,000/Month Blogging in Less Than 3 Years with Alex Nerney Connect with Kary: Kary's Website Kary's Instagram Kary's Facebook Kary's Twitter Kary's YouTube

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review! Every day I hear from people who are struggling with social media. It’s overwhelming to them to think of having to be everywhere, they’re intimidated by it, or they can’t stand the thought of adding to the noise. This is something I can totally relate to, which is why I’m so excited to have my guest Kristen Boss on the podcast today. Kristen is a mindset and business coach who specializes in helping women build their influence and grow successful businesses that deeply align with their purpose. Kristen is going to break down how to use social media in a strategic way. Her method eliminates the hustle and incorporates your most authentic self, which I love. I think you’re all going to love this episode, so let’s get started! Kristen and I talk about: The biggest missed opportunities that Kristen sees entrepreneurs make The 5 essential things you need to have on a social media platform Common mindset blocks that hold people back How to be authentic in your business Kristen’s advice for someone struggling to get traction in their side hustle The belief Kristen had to change about herself to get where she is today My favorite quotes from Kristen: “People come online to shop, not to be sold to.” “You have relational equity with key people and you need to be really targeting your people.” “If you are an entrepreneur, you're a problem solver in the marketplace.” “You don't have to get it right. Get it going.” “You're going to get real clear, real fast when you start actually taking action.” “You have to be able to evoke emotion from your reader in a way that says, Oh man, she gets me and she can solve my problems.” “Where your focus goes, energy flows” “Are you going to show up with the belief that I'm essential and what I offer is essential and I'm going to make it known and serve people really well.” “Paying an expert is worth removing this pain that I'm experiencing to shortcut my success.” “What if you can have massive success without hustling your butt off for it?” Bio: Kristen is a mindset and business coach who specializes in helping women build their influence and grow successful businesses that deeply align with their purpose. With nearly 15 years of experience working in service and marketing, she's pivoted from celebrity hairstylist to boutique owner, to business coach. With her experience of creating businesses from scratch, she is now helping other women tap into their highest self and true potential. When she's not coaching, you can find Kristen wrangling her kids with her husband in Colorado. Resources Mentioned: The Purposeful Platform: The 5 Key Essentials to a Profitable and Joy-filled Business Finding Your Calling with Katie Sullivan Connect with Kristen: Kristen's Website Kristen's Instagram Becoming Boss Facebook Group

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review! Pete McPherson & I immediately connected on our journey away from “The American Dream” and that’s why I’m so excited for you to listen in today. Pete is the founder of Do You Even Blog? An award-winning blog, podcast, and YouTube channel dedicated to helping creators build impactful and profitable online businesses. Upon meeting Pete, I immediately resonated with his journey out of corporate and his struggle to make his side-hustle succeed. We both gave up the idea that we were supposed to get day-jobs, work our way up, and make a lot of money -- with the price being all of our freedom. Today, we’re going to talk about Pete’s struggles, failures, and everything he overcame in order to finally find success in this industry and how others can do the same. Let’s get into it! Pete and I talk about: Pete’s journey from being a CPA/Accountant to a full-time podcaster and blogger How Pete’s road to success came from trying again and again...and again Pete’s effective advice on growing your email list The important question you should ask yourself about your dream business Pete’s advice for those struggling to get traction in their side hustle The belief Pete had to change about himself to get where he is today My favorite quotes from Pete: “It's not the fancy website. It's not the fancy microphones that we paid $400 for. It's not the super complicated outreach pitch emails that we scripted word for word it's us being humans, building real relationships and having experience. You have to have that part experience to understand your audience and your offer” “something that I think really only comes from experience and launching products and failing, trying to sell services and failing, trying to grow a blog, traffic downloads, email lists and failing is enough experience to get clarity.” “Keep an open mind and always keep an eye out for what is working in addition to the like, okay, that didn't work. Why not? Or that didn't work time for the next thing.” “There is no one path for everyone. There's just not, there might be some that are fairly similar, but it's not exactly the same. And so it takes time to figure out your path.” [fusebox_transcript] Bio: Pete McPherson is the founder of Do You Even Blog, an award-winning blog, podcast, and YouTube channel dedicated to helping creators build impactful (and profitable) businesses on the internet. He has interviewed some of the top entrepreneurs and creators in the world, including Matt Mullenweg, Neil Patel, John Lee Dumas, Brittney Muller, Glen Allsopp, and many more. He’s also the CEO of Online Impact, a private membership community of high-impact bloggers & podcasters. Resources Mentioned: SEO freebie Podcast Launch Checklist Connect with Pete: Do You Even Blog? Pete's YouTube Pete's Twitter Pete's Instagram

Find out how much money I made in August 2020 and exactly how I made it, what my expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review! I tell you guys all the time that one of the most rewarding things I do in my business is make this podcast, and it’s because I get to meet amazing people who introduce me to amazing people like today’s guest, Katie Sullivan of Rise Through Strife. I was introduced to her by Sasha Korobov from Episode 273 - who I’ve kept in touch with and I really should record every convo I have with her and share it with you guys because she’s amazing - but Sasha introduced me to Katie and basically said, “You two need to meet and be on each other’s podcasts” and just made that happen. I had the pleasure of being on Katie’s show, Rise Through Strife, to talk about the inseparable nature of personal and business growth, and now she’s on Pep Talks today to share how she completely pivoted from professional opera singer to online business coach and all the lessons learned along the way. Katie and I talk about: Her journey to burnout and the complete 180 she and her husband made to get where they are today. The path to creating a successful creative business. How to get other people to value your work. How to figure out what your audience needs from you. How to make passive income. Advice for someone who is struggling to get traction in their side hustle. The belief Katie had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Katie: “Our lives were built around our careers and it wasn't working.” “You have got to get clear on what you want for your life.” “What it is that you have to offer is truly valuable?" “It doesn't have to be saving somebody's life to make the impact that you want. Your little tiny piece of to add to the puzzle is enough.” “If you can put out the roadmap for them, without them having to go on a scavenger hunt for all the pieces and put it together themselves, that’s what changes people's lives.” “Social media is not the solution. Social media is the tool. It's the conversation that is important.” “Word of mouth is, and always has been the most effective form of marketing.” “Know that you are enough and you are exactly in the spot that you're supposed to be right now.” Bio: Katie Sullivan is an opera singer turned entrepreneur who helps other creatives make a living online doing what they love.  After burning out pursuing a career in music, Katie has developed a passion for online business and is ready to share what she has learned about turning a passion into a paycheck. Resources Mentioned: Pat Flynn Rise Through Strife Podcast Connect with Katie: Website Instagram Facebook Rise Through Strife Podcast

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review! Today’s guest is Erica Glessing, a marketing and search engine optimization expert whose superpower is getting her clients ranked on the first page of Google.  I met Erica in a forum for podcasters and she invited me on her show, and our conversation was so interesting that I wanted to have her come on to Pep Talks for Side Hustlers to share with you guys how she leverages the power of niching, podcast and search to get herself and her clients found online. Erica and I talk about: Erica’s journey to self-employment. Why you don't have to be the expert in everything to run a successful business. How to do SEO research. The strategic reason why Erica started her podcast. The biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make in their marketing and pricing. Her best advice if you are struggling to get visibility in your side hustle. The belief Erica had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Erica: “I made a radical demand that my business would make at least 10,000 a month. And I just said, then what do I have to do to get there?” “I reach out to people and say, would you like to be on my summit? Or would you like to be on my podcast? And both of those have grown my businesses.” “Try to get outside of yourself to what keeps your client up at night and how you can solve it. And if you do that, then you always have work." “If you're expert enough to be doing it, you're expert enough to be interviewed about it.” Bio: Erica Glessing believes that when you tell your story, you change the world. An SEO (search engine optimization) expert, Erica helps small businesses and entrepreneurs generate an online presence with white hat SEO strategies and tactics. She has assisted authors, businesses and nonprofits with online visibility for over a decade. In the past Erica has built podcasts for lightbringers globally, and hosts a few podcasts including "Energy Clearing for Life Force Podcast" and "The Erica Glessing Show." Altogether, the shows she has built have been downloaded 500,000+ times. Erica is an international bestselling author 33+ times over, a lifelong learner, a real estate investor, and a philanthropist who volunteers for nonprofits dedicated to literacy and freedom for children in need. Erica's book "Happiness Quotations: Gentle Reminders of Your Preciousness" launched in 2011 to #17 of all books sold on amazon with the assistance of amazing light bringers Jack Canfield, Marci Shimoff, and over 44 other joint venture partners. Erica became a professional writer in 1984 and has had more than 5,000 articles published as a professional journalist. Her first nonfiction self help book was published in 2007 "Prospect When You are Happy," (2007, Wyatt-Mackenzie) that released to #1 bestseller in November 2019 as a Kindle version. She built the small independent publishing company Happy Publishing in 2012 and has since released more than 45 #1 bestselling books and helped over 200 authors reach #1 bestseller status. Her company SEOforLeadGen serves entrepreneurs globally with SEO services.  Resources Mentioned: Ubersuggest Ahrefs Keyword Surfer Later Pinterest Scheduling Connect with Erica: SEOforleadgen.com Instagram Facebook LinkedIn

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review! Okay, you guys, this episode is absolutely fascinating, I can’t wait for you to hear it. It’s a tale of two businesses  - one that made a million dollars in revenue and left its owner burnt out and completely broke and in debt - and the other that made half as much but left its owner thriving and with a six-figure profit. That business owner is Inés Ruiz from Diary of an Entrepreneur, and both of the businesses in this story are hers.  And she’s here to share the starkly different story of those two businesses and all the lessons she learned along the way.  That’s all I’m gonna say about it, let’s just dive right in and I’m gonna let Inés tell you the whole story! Inés and I talk about: The story behind Diary of an Entrepreneur. The sales and marketing strategies Inés used to grow her business to a million dollars. The most important skill you can hone as you grow. Some of the biggest money mindset hurdles Inés had to overcome. The belief Inés had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Inés: “I can always learn. And I can always kind of prove myself wrong.” “As entrepreneurs, if we are not innovating, trying and testing, we are stuck.” “Test everything, but don’t interrupt your business.” “It doesn't matter if you've made $1,000 or $1 million, you know how to make money, you know what you're doing and you're going to figure it out.” “I don't want a seven figure business. I want a six figure profit.” “I have the power. I have the decisions I can work with my team and we can figure things out.” Bio: Ines Ruiz is an award-winning entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and founder of several successful businesses, including Conversa Spanish Institute. She has two masters degrees in E-learning and Education and is currently earning her third masters in Neuromarketing.  As a former Cambridge University lecturer, she’s used her expertise in academia and entrepreneurship to build successful online businesses. She has been featured on sites like Business Insider, CNBC, and Money Inc. You can read more about Ines as she shares her journey on her site, DiaryofanEntrepreneur.com Connect with Inés: Diaryofanentrepreneur.com Instagram Facebook

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review! I’m so excited to have Lauren McManus on the show this week to share her side of the story of how she and her business partner Alex Nerney built their multi-million dollar blogging empire, which they talk about on their website Create and Go. If you haven’t listened to my interview with Alex back in Episode 227, after you listen to this one with Lauren go check Alex’s episode out because it’s one of the most downloaded episodes of this show (and I’m sure this one will be just as downloaded!) Lauren basically travels the world because she and Alex can run the business from anywhere, so I think she was in the Czech Republic when we talked right before COVID really kicked up - so our connection was a little spotty at times, but I’m sure you won’t care because she’s got such good information for you today! Between what Lauren’s gonna share with you today and what Alex shared nearly 80 episodes ago, you’ll never consider quitting on yourself again! And be sure to listen til the end to find out how you can get your hands on their Blogging Bootcamp for Beginners. Lauren and I talk about: Why Lauren and her partner Alex quit their corporate jobs and started a blog. The different ways Lauren and Alex tried to monetize, and what finally led to their big income payout and continued success. How trying to be perfect is holding you back. How Lauren overcomes her fear of putting herself out there. What led up to Lauren’s first hire on her team. Advice if you are struggling to get traction in your side hustle. The belief Lauren had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Lauren: “I think the biggest hurdle is honestly just getting started, whether it's starting your first business, whether it's creating your first product, whether you're creating your first YouTube video or podcast” “It's important to keep moving and just to keep trying stuff out, if something doesn't work, then scrap it and try again.” “Keep taking action. If you keep moving forward, at some point, you're going to get there and you're going to get there quicker.” Bio: Lauren is a former CPA turned blogger, and she and her business partner, Alex Nerney, started their first blog in the health and wellness space. After earning six figures with that blog in their first year, they started Create and Go, where they teach others how to start and monetize their own blogs. She now runs this blog full-time while traveling the world as a digital nomad. Resources Mentioned: Blogging Bootcamp for Beginners Connect with Lauren: Create and Go Website YouTube  Facebook Pinterest Instagram

Find out how much money I made in July 2020 and exactly how I made it, what my expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review! Welcome to episode 300 of Pep Talks for Side Hustlers! 🎉 Wow, what a journey it’s been to 300 episodes. This podcast started back in April of 2018 as a solo show, which was really an outlet for me to talk about my own journey from side hustle to self-employed and all mistakes, successes and lessons learned along the way as I built my DIY web design + marketing training business online. And over the past two and a half years it’s evolved into this incredible opportunity for me to get to talk other entrepreneurs about their journeys, successes, mistakes and lessons learned along the way. And I don’t know about you, but these conversations help me feel less alone, more connected, and just more... normal! Like, everyone is just figuring it out as they go - and the only difference between people that succeed and people that don’t is that the ones that succeed never quit. If something’s not working, they try again or pivot. They just don’t quit. If there’s anything that you take away from this podcast, that’s it. And if you’ve been a listener for awhile and you haven’t left a rating and review, there’s no better time to do it than the 300th episode, right?? If you’re listening in Apple Podcasts, head on over to https://shannonmattern.com/review - or just swipe up on the episode in your podcast player and tap the link and it’ll take you to the spot to leave a review - and if you’re listening on Spotify or iHeartRadio or Google Podcasts, you can find the place to leave a review right there in your podcast app. So today’s guest is Sharon Hartwick, a LinkedIn marketing expert who’s gonna break down exactly how to find and connect with your ideal clients on LinkedIn. Sharon and I talk about: Why she started her business. LinkedIn’s superpower that makes it different from other social media platforms. Why LinkedIn should be the first thing you set up (before your website). Whether or not your ideal client is on LinkedIn. The best way to find + connect with new people on LinkedIn. Three questions to ask yourself about a whether a connection is worth pursuing. Strategies for maintaining relationships after making connections. Some of the biggests money mindset hurdles Sharon had to overcome. The belief Sharon had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Sharon: “You've got to be authentically you.” “There are so many different ways that you can use LinkedIn to grow your business, but it all comes down to building relationships." “LinkedIn is the perfect place for you to start connecting with people and building relationships, because you may meet somebody who exactly what you have to offer is exactly what they've been looking for.” “Anytime you're looking for growth, you should be going to LinkedIn to find people to connect with to help you do that.” Make sure you get your hands on Sharon’s free eBook: "Step-by-Step Guide to Prospecting on LinkedIn"  Bio: Sharon Hartwick is a sales and customer service dynamo that wanted to be present and active in her kids’ lives, and have a profitable career. But over-and-over again she found herself in a double bind. She was either penalized at “the office” for the times she chose her family or missing out on things with her family if she chose to obey her employer’s every demand. From 2002 to 2017 she sought a different path. A path that allowed her to be both mom and boss. Now, she’s working from home in a business that she loves, spending all the time she wants with the people she loves, and happily strutting the line between family and career. Sharon established her Virtual Assistant business in September of 2018 and was able to quickly establish herself as an expert in LinkedIn marketing and from there her business took off. The reason she has been able to outshine her competition is her brand values. She isn’t just about adding names to a list. She believes that focusing on creating meaningful relationships with the right person for your services and products is the key to success. This ensures that you’re only getting on the phone with quality warm leads that want to learn more about you and what you have to offer. Resources Mentioned: Kathy Goughenour: Expert VA Training Make More Money in Your Virtual Assistant Side Hustle with Kathy Goughenour Sharon’s LinkedIn Marketing + Sales Blog Posts Free eBook "Step-by-Step Guide to Prospecting on LinkedIn"  Connect with Sharon: The Hartwick Group Website LinkedIn Facebook

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review! Kyshira Moffett is an award-winning serial entrepreneur, brand strategist, author and host of the Brand Your Power Podcast who specializes in helping ambitious women entrepreneurs package their expertise, brand their influence, and monetize their online presence. I can’t wait for you to hear this interview, because there were a couple of things that Kyshira said about marketing and money mindset that were SO GOOD they just gave me chills twice - once when she said them, and then again while I was producing this episode! I totally resonated with Kyshira’s story because like me, she grew her side hustle to six figures before quitting her day job - and she’s all about focusing on organic marketing strategies - which are marketing strategies that cost you time instead of money - and as you’ll hear from Kyshira, the return on your time investment is well worth it. This episode is basically a mini-course on how marketing works from someone who’s not  an expert in organic marketing, but an expert in how to sell high-ticket offers, and the branding and positioning behind it. So grab a pen and paper, you’re gonna wanna take notes on this one! Kyshira and I talk about: Her journey to becoming a business coach specializing in organic marketing strategies. Exactly how she grew her side hustle to six figure business before she quit her full time job. Why organic marketing strategies are the best place to focus when you’re first starting out. Some of the biggest mindset issues that hold her clients back. The beginning steps to take when you’re getting started with organic marketing. Behind the scenes of Kyshira’s business + what a typical day looks like for her. Why investing in yourself and your mindset is one of the most important investments you can make in your business. Her best advice for you if you’re struggling to get traction in your side hustle. The one belief Kyshira had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Kyshira: “I care a lot about curating the right experiences with the right people, working with the right clients. I'm really big on energy and alignment and things like that. I found organic marketing brings the right people to me.” “You're given these talents, you have your own unique touch that just no one else has.” “The people with the most likes don’t always end up with the most money.” “You have to direct people. You have to say, “Click this link, go do this, go sign up, go book.” People underestimate the power that those two or three little words have, but you have to instruct your audience!” “My business is not going to run me. I am not going to be abused by my business. I am going to take the time that I need.” “When you start to recognize that you're worth spending the money, you recognize that you're worth receiving the money.” Resources mentioned in this episode: www.thepowercollective.co/resources https://www.thepowercollective.co/ https://www.kyshira.com/book Bio: Kyshira S. Moffett, MBA is an award-winning serial entrepreneur, brand strategist, and author who specializes in helping ambitious women entrepreneurs package their expertise, brand their influence, and monetize their online presence. Passionate about educating and equipping women with strategies to launch and scale their own businesses, Kyshira created #HERmovement in 2013. What began as an online community with more than 30K global followers and 2.6K members on Facebook, has since expanded to a digital educational hub full of online courses and products, a YouTube channel, and a podcast known as “Brand Your Power”. Kyshira launched The Power Collective in 2018 to where the mission is to accelerate the growth of small and mid sized woman-owned businesses to create more economic equality within the US. The Power Collective is a management consulting firm with specialities in business development, marketing and branding. The firm provides private consulting services, online courses, and corporate training programs where they are able to facilitate intimate and large scale workshops on site for internal teams. Cultivating her passion for beauty, she launched Life of a Bombshell Cosmetics; a premium, yet affordably-priced cosmetics line designed for women who are movers and shakers. Keeping up the momentum, Kyshira has published three books: Bombshell of All Trades, Beauty That Banks, and most recently, All in Favor of Branding. She’s also published three planners: From the Desk of a Bombshell, Project ManageHER, and Launch Your Beauty Brand Toolkit. When Kyshira is not busy growing her Bombshell empire, she’s an active member of the Greater Pittsburgh community. As former president of the National Black MBA Association, Pittsburgh Chapter and UYLP, she continues to exercise her expertise in training, facilitation, and public speaking by hosting workshops for professional organizations in the areas of branding, entrepreneurship, and the power of social media.  In 2018, Kyshira was inducted into the Forbes Coaches Council. Her continuous efforts and involvement have been recognized by Forbes, Brit and Co, EBONY Magazine, Fast Company, XO Necole, CNN Money, Blavity, Pittsburgh Business Times, and more! She is the recipient of the 2017 Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Millennial Visionary of the Year Award, and the Fab 40 under 40 Award. She is a proud graduate of Hampton University and member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Connect with Kyshira: The Power Collective Co Website Kyshira.com Website Instagram Facebook Twitter

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review! My driving motivation for starting my business was being able to do what I wanted when I wanted without having to ask for permission - and my guest today is one of those entrepreneurs that I started following early on in my journey that showed me that it really is possible. With a laptop and a smartphone, Natalie Sisson built a six-figure education business called The Suitcase Entrepreneur, that she ran from anywhere in the world - and now she’s pivoted to helping entrepreneurs like you tap into your unique potential, get paid to be you and create a purpose-driven life and business with her book The Freedom Plan, and courses like the Launch Your Damn Course Accelerator and Write Your Damn Book*. Nat’s an entrepreneur, coach, teacher, No #1 Bestselling author, speaker, triathlete and lifelong learner, who’s on a mission to show you how to combine your knowledge, skills, experience and passions into profitable revenue streams that are aligned with your values. Nat and I talk about: Nat’s marketing strategy to grow her audience when she was first starting out. The lessons you can learn from a “flop” launch. How to reinvent yourself and fall back in love with your business. Her evolution to her $250,000 course launch The things you need to be doing to grow your business. The one belief Natalie had to change about herself to get where she is today. And make sure you head on over to https://nataliesisson.com/peptalk to get your free guide to learn how to use your Unfair Advantage to get paid to be YOU! My favorite quotes from Nat: “People buy into people who believe truly and passionately in what they're doing.” “Niching down and understanding exactly who you're serving gives you leverage and freedom.” “Go to five of your closest peers or friends and say to them, what do you think is my super power? What do you think I'm really good at? If you would describe me in one sentence to people, what would it be?” “When you help girls and women in a community, they help the entire community blossom.” “Stay the course when you start creating something, don't create it once and put it out there and stop. People like consistency and want to know that you're there and they can continue to do this thing with you.” Resources mentioned in this episode: The Suitcase Entrepreneur https://nataliesisson.com/peptalk https://nataliesisson.com/accelerator/ Bio: Natalie Sisson believes that everyone has their own unique potential and she’s here to show you how to tap into it, get paid to be you and create a purpose-driven life and business. She’s an entrepreneur, coach, teacher, No #1 Bestselling author, speaker, triathlete and lifelong learner, who’s on a mission to show you how to combine your knowledge, skills, experience and passions into profitable revenue streams you can combine to build a portfolio career or business that is wholly aligned with your values. With a laptop and a smartphone, she built a six-figure education business The Suitcase Entrepreneur, that she ran from anywhere in the world. Now she’s focussed on how we can capitalize on the future of work to build our human-centred skills and expertise to do the work that matters and design our lives with intention. Connect with Natalie: Website Instagram Twitter Facebook YouTube LinkedIn

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Katie DePaola - an entrepreneur, author and the founder of Inner Glow Circle, an accredited training and certification company for women coaches, leaders and entrepreneurs where she’s taught thousands of women how to find their purpose, live it and get paid. And I’m so excited to have Katie on the show this week because I really resonate with her company’s core values. Work for yourself, not by yourself. Create the thing you wish existed. Say the thing no one else is willing to say. Change lives that change other lives. Find your GLOW (your greatest level of want). And this isn’t just marketing-talk. Inner Glow Circle truly lives up to its values. Katie and I did this interview back in February of 2020, before COVID-19, before everyone in the online space was talking about anti-racism and allyship - and as I was putting together the show notes for this episode I was thinking “I wish this conversation would have happened later because I bet she has a powerful perspective on what’s happening right now...” and I was right. You can check out Inner Glow Circle’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in the coaching space here and a workshop led by one of their graduates, VP Wright on Activism, Allyship and Antiracism in Coaching at http://innerglowcircle.com/activism/ One thing I admire about Katie is that she’s turned her greatest challenges into her greatest opportunities - and says her business is what saved her life. Katie and I talk about: Her journey to living her purpose and the creation of Inner Glow Circle The truth about what it takes to be an entrepreneur Why Katie wanted to scale her business so quickly The sneaky ways perfectionism holds us back Why you really can live your passion (and make money doing it) Her three keys to happiness Her best advice for you if you’re struggling to grow your business. The one belief Katie had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Katie: “Create the thing that you wish existed in the world.” “Serve a person who is ultimately like you - and that's who you create for.” “There are people who want to help people, but also want to live really good lives. You don't have to pick, you get to have both.” “We are so hard on ourselves, but at the same time, we underestimate what we can do when we get the right support and resources.” Resources mentioned in this episode: http://innerglowcircle.com/activism/ http://innerglowcircle.com/purpose/ At Least You Look Good Book Bio: Katie DePaola is an entrepreneur, author and the founder of Inner Glow Circle, an accredited training and certification company for women coaches, leaders and entrepreneurs. Right after starting IGC, Katie lost her brother to an accidental overdose. Also Lyme Disease survivor, she built her business from her bathtub, growing the company from self-funded startup to million-dollar business. Through certification programs, memberships and online courses, Katie has taught thousands of women how to find their purpose, live it and get paid. She has a B.S. in Human and Organizational Development from Vanderbilt University and is an ICF Credentialed PCC Coach. She has been featured in TIME Magazine, The Huffington Post, Elite Daily and more. In her first book, At Least You Look Good (2020), Katie shares her vulnerable (and often funny) reflections on how to deal with the hardest parts of life — and her best advice for how to “glow through what you go through.” Connect with Katie: Inner Glow Circle Website Instagram: @innerglowcircle | @itskatiedepaola Facebook: facebook.com/katiedepaola  |  facebook.com/innerglowcircle

Find out how much money I made in June 2020 and exactly how I made it, what my expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Gertrude Nonterah, also known as Gee - a former medical scientist turned health content writer, podcaster and YouTuber who loves to help bloggers and writers create stellar content and build profitable businesses. So just to give you some perspective, I had this conversation with Gee on February 26, 2020. I’m writing up the show notes on June 15th, recording this intro on June 16, and you’re listening to this on July 15. And I don’t think that I need to tell you that between February 26 and July 15th, the world changed in many, many ways and is continuing to transform. And the advice Gee shares in this episode is not only powerful, but timeless. Like, if you ever needed a pep talk to keep going when you things feel hard, you gotta listen all the way to the end of this episode. Gee and I talk about: Her journey from a medical scientist with a side-hustle to full-time freelancer. How to create an “unemployment insurance policy” for yourself. Ways Gee found her first clients that you might not have considered. The one thing your LinkedIn profile must have. Why you don’t have to have a portfolio to get clients (and what to do instead). How to predict your results (even if you’ve never done the thing before). How to start making money now while you work on scaling. Gee’s strategy for building an audience. Her best advice for you if you’re struggling to grow your side hustle. The one belief Gee had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Gee: “Even if you think you're never going to get laid off, even if you think your industry is waterproof that nothing can ever touch it. There's nothing wrong with experimenting with things that you're interested in and turning that into something that pays. You just never know.” “Don’t discount your local businesses who want to pay you money for the services that you offer as a freelancer.” “The most powerful thing is you need to tell people what to do.” “I leveraged my blog and my social presence as proof of what I could do for my clients.” “Taking action really brings clarity.” “I'm going to be the person that I am just a few steps ahead of the people that want to do what I'm doing and I'm going to tell them how I got there.” “You have to rise up and tell yourself that you are worth it and you can do this and you're smart. And there's nothing that if you put your mind to do that, you cannot do.” Resources mentioned in this episode: Smart Passive Income Entrepreneur on Fire Side Hustle Nation Create and Prosper Show 10 top profitable freelance writing niches Bio: Gee Nonterah is a former medical scientist turned health content writer, podcaster and YouTuber. She loves to help bloggers and writers create stellar content and build profitable businesses. When she is not creating, Gee loves to watch spy movies. Connect with Gee: Gee Nonterah Website Instagram  YouTube    

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review! My guest on the show today is Zach Spuckler, founder of Heart Soul & Hustle and the Heart Soul + Hustle podcast, and I’m excited to bring you his story today because I’ve found all the different ways he’s pivoted in his business fascinating! I started following Zach back in 2015 when I was just starting out because I really resonated with his authentic marketing strategies. After making over 1.5 million dollars in online courses and coaching sales, Zach pivoted to serving that same audience with marketing services and consulting.  He's now the chief marketing extraordinaire at his Facebook Ads & Consulting Agency where he works with his clients to achieve multi-six-figure launches, automated funnels and consults on marketing strategies for course creators looking to scale their business.  Zach and I talk about: Zach’s online business journey and the unexpected lessons he’s learned along the way. Why Zach pivoted from one-to-many to one-to-one. What goes into a 6-figure launch. How to validate your ideas. The biggest Facebook Ads mistakes Zach sees people make. Zach’s best advice for anyone wanting to grow their side hustle.  The one belief Zach had to change about himself to get where he is today. My favorite quotes from Zach: “Always keep one foot in what you're doing and put one foot forward and continue to test things out before you make a big leap.” “There is no “wrong move”. There's only determining what you want to do, putting in the effort to make it happen and then pivoting if things aren't working.” “When you're running ads and you have a proven offer, you're taking a calculated risk. And when you don't have a proven offer, you're taking a gamble.” “There are phases at every level of your business where you've just got to hustle.” Resources mentioned in this episode: Client Case Study: Creating $120K in Revenue Directly from Ads in an Online Course Launch  Bio: Zach Spuckler is the founder of Heart Soul & Hustle and creator of a podcast by the same name. After making over 1.5 million dollars in online courses and coaching sales he pivoted to serving that same audience with marketing services and consulting. He's now the chief marketing extraordinaire at his Facebook Ads & Consulting Agency where he works with his clients to achieve multi-six-figure launches, automated funnels and consults on marketing strategies for course creators looking to scale their business. You can learn more about him at HeartSoulHustle.com. Connect with Zach: Heart Soul Hustle Website  Instagram

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review!   Back in my April income report in Episode 288 I shared with you how I read this book by Denise Duffield Thomas called Chillpreneur: The New Rules for Creating Success, Freedom and Abundance on Your Terms, and how that book started me on a quest to transform my money mindset. I started reading it to distract myself from the overworking habit that crept back in at the start of the pandemic when my mind started to go squirrely with my same old money fears. And what Chillpreneur revealed to me is that I’ve been overworking and under-offering, and that if I wanted to change that I needed to go deeper than fluffy money mantras about abundance and attraction (which I personally think are a bunch of BS anyway) and really get to the root of my beliefs about money and my worth so I could challenge them, and then change them. So near the end of the book, the author, Denise Duffield Thomas mentioned that she loves being a guest on podcasts so I thought, “OMG I’m gonna reach out and see if she wants to come on the show to talk about the book!” and she said yes! Denise is a money mindset mentor for entrepreneurs, and one of the things that she stands for that I really resonate with is her belief that empowered women will change the world, and that when women know how to create wealth they use it in ways that benefit humankind. And she also knows that many women have a complicated relationship with money and their own worth which prevents us from having the kind of impact we can have. Denise and I talk about: How she became a money mindset coach for women. Common money blocks you see from someone who's brand new to business vs. someone who’s farther along in their journey. Why Denise wrote Chillpreneur. How to make more money (without giving more of your time). One simple (but costly) mistake you might be making in your business and how to fix it. Denise’s best advice for you if you’re struggling to grow your side hustle. The one belief she had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Denise: “Money itself doesn't cure money blocks, but the awareness can help you dance with them.” “Why don't I write the book that I wish someone would write for me?” “You've got to look at all the things you could create and decide which one could really make the biggest impact.” “Tell people how they can give you money and make it really easy for them.” “There's so many purchases that people are making at the moment that they are deeming essential to them. But how are you supposed to know the difference if you never tell anyone about what you've got to offer?” Resources mentioned in this episode: Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss Chillpreneur: The New Rules for Creating Success, Freedom and Abundance on Your Terms Bio: Denise Duffield-Thomas is the Money Mindset Mentor or the new wave of entrepreneurs. Her books Lucky Bitch, Get Rich, Lucky Bitch and the newly published, Chillpreneur (Hay House) give a fresh and funny road-map to create an outrageously successful life and business. Denise helps women create wealth through her mindset courses and practical wisdom on releasing money blocks. Find out more at DeniseDT.com. Connect with Denise: Website: https://www.denisedt.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denisedt/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/denisedt

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review! So in early May, I get this email with the subject line “Helping Your Audience During These Challenging Times” and I open it up, and it’s an email following up with me on one sent to me in early April about today’s guest coming on the show and talking about working from home and pivoting during the pandemic and the opportunity for creating a fresh start. And I was SO GLAD she followed up with me because I don’t remember seeing that first email, and as you guys know from Episode 148, I’m an email inbox ninja and it’s rare that something gets by me. Sidenote: Always follow up. I tell my students this inside my Website Marketing Lab all the time. It’s not a no until you get an actual no. And even though I’m booked out with guests through the end of 2020, I decided to bring Gina Horkey of Horkey Handbook back on the show for this bonus episode because I loved our conversation back in Episode 237 all about how to start a virtual assistant business and the topic is still timely, even in July of 2020! So if you’re looking for a fresh start, maybe you got furloughed or laid off, maybe you’re like some of my family members who are high-risk and don’t feel safe going back into an office environment, maybe you just really loved working from home and want to figure out how you can make that happen long-term, maybe you’re like some of my friends who have decided that with everything that’s been going on in the world they want more control over their time and income and future and want to totally shift in how they live their life going forward, maybe you know someone who fits into any of those categories - Gina’s gonna share with you how you can get a fresh start. Today we’re talking about: Why now is the perfect time for a fresh start. The importance of diversifying your income streams. The easiest way to figure out what your business is going to be. Why you should not be working for free. What a virtual assistant is and what is needed to start your own business. My favorite quotes from Gina: “This is an opportunity for a fresh start.” “How do I help people to enjoy their lives now and not just plan for the future and save everything for the future because our future is not promised or guaranteed.” “If you never take any action, you're not actually doing anything to bring the results that you wanted.” “You need to validate that your business is going to work by getting somebody to purchase from you.” “Maybe what's in store for you in these little actions and being open to doors and next steps is way more beautiful than you could have ever imagined on your own. “ Resources mentioned in this episode: Horkeyhandbook.com Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb Inside Out: A Memoir by Demi Moore Freebie: 150+ Services You Can Offer as a VA Find a VA Bio: Gina Horkey is the founder of Horkey Handbook. She’s is a married, millennial mama to two precocious kiddos from Minnesota. Additionally, she’s the founder of Horkey HandBook, a website geared towards helping others find or become a kickass virtual assistant. Gina’s background includes making a living as a professional writer, an online business marketing consultant and a decade of experience in the financial services industry Connect with Gina: FB: https://www.facebook.com/HorkeyHandBook Twitter: https://twitter.com/horkeyhandbook Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/ghorke LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gina-horkey/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/horkeyhandbook/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC49yIdhQohqDYtjSXfoh_Uw  

Find out how much money I made in May 2020 and exactly how I made it, what my expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review!

Okay I’m so excited about this interview today because had I not crossed paths with these two women back when I started my business I probably would have quit. It was 2015, I had just transitioned from charging barely nothing for web design services to making the Free 5 Day Website Challenge. I was still working full-time, and I still had a really negative mindset about my day job, like I was a victim to it and I didn’t understand that I could choose my thoughts and choose ones that didn’t drain my energy and choose ones that supported my goals. I was “unenlightened” so to speak. The Free 5 Day Website Challenge had started to take off, and people were joining the Facebook Group I’d made for them to get their questions answered. And my notifications were BLOWING UP. And my email inbox was BLOWING UP. And I still had this “employee, people pleaser” mindset, like, “They emailed me, I have to respond. They asked a question in the Facebook Group, I have to respond. I can’t make people wait, if they have to wait they’ll get mad and tell other people my training sucks.” I was going it entirely alone, I had no support system, I only knew how to be an employee that jumped when someone said jump and not an entrepreneur that actually gets to decide how things run - and needless to say, I was totally burnt out. And then, I came across One Woman Shop, a blog and resource started by Sara Frandina and Cristina Roman (and now owned by Crissy + Danielle), and it put me on this path to learning how to collaborate and set boundaries and manage my time and not try to do it all on my own. So over the next few years Sara + Cristina ran One Woman Shop and I did my thing and our paths would cross from time to time in ways that they probably didn’t realize were life-changing for me because they were just doing what was natural to them - creating community and connection and a place for solopreneurs to get support. So I get an email one day late last year that One Woman Shop was for sale, and I just had SO MANY questions about how they came to the decision to sell vs. just closing the doors, the logistics of pricing and selling a business, all the things. So I invited Sara + Cristina on the show to break it all down for you and what’s next for them. And I’m also working on having the new owners, Crissy + Danielle, on the show sometime to talk about the story of buying and taking over One Woman Shop. Today we’re talking about: How + why Sara and Cristina started One Woman Shop. Why collaboration is the best marketing strategy you can have. Tips for getting over the fear of rejection and humiliation. Why you need to take action to get a result, even if the result isn’t what you expected. Advice if you are thinking about creating a membership site. When Sara and Cristina decided it was time to step away form the business. The logistics behind pricing + selling the business. The process for finding a buyer for the business. What Sara and Cristina are doing now. Their best advice for you if you’re struggling to grow your side hustle. The beliefs they had to change about themselves to get where they are today. My favorite quotes: “People that we surround ourselves with really make a huge difference in our journey” “You just have to choose what works for you and really double-down on it.” “A lot of what we were selling is the potential for what could be built based off the foundation that we created.” Resources mentioned in this episode: One Woman Shop Kolbe Index Ep. 256: How to Sell Your Blog for Six Figures with Carrie Smith Nicholson piquecoaching.co sarafrandina.com Bio: Sara Frandina is a conversion copywriter with a serious addiction to learning, coffee, and popcorn. She’s interviewed and surveyed customers of more than 100 brands and businesses in a quest to crush conversion rates using empathy. Cristina Roman is a Washington, DC-based Certified Life Coach, though you may find her wandering the streets of Guatemala or Italy. She works with people who are ready to give up overwhelm, stress, and procrastination in order to bring more focus into their professional and personal lives. (Is that you? Download this guide for getting into a deep work state in 15 minutes.) She half-jokes that she’s the Cross Legged Coach; her goal is always to keep things casual but wildly impactful in her work. Connect with Sara + Cristina: Websites: piquecoaching.co  + sarafrandina.com Instagram: @sarafrandina + @cmroman Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review!

If you’ve listened to Pep Talks for Side Hustlers for any length of time, you know that once a month I give you a look behind the scenes of my business into not only the financials and the strategies, but also the journey of me running up against my limiting beliefs and having to work through my fear and self-doubt on my quest reach the goals I’ve set for myself. And just like any good quest, I meet people along the way who reveal the path forward for me, and my conversation with today’s guest was another one of those transformational moments. Kelly McCausey is the founder of Love People + Make Money, a membership program for female entrepreneurs, especially single moms, to help them build up their communities and businesses. One of the reasons I was so excited to have Kelly on the show is that just like me, she’s all about building a business through relationships and community. Kelly and I did this interview at the end of January and at the time, I was just closing out my biggest revenue month ever, and like I told you back in my January 2020 Income Report that one of my podcast guests mentioned the book “The Big Leap” to me in an interview. That was Kelly.  And she probably doesn’t know this, but her recommendation sent me on that four-month long journey that I talked about in my April 2020 Income Report (288) to rewire my mindset around money, my self-worth, how I value my body of work and what makes me happy.  That’s the kind of person Kelly is, and that’s the kind of impact she can have on someone in a single conversation, so I’m super excited to introduce you to her today so you can connect with her and change your life too. Today we’re talking about: Kelly’s journey from starting a work-at-home-mom radio station to building a community around her podcast. How she creates connections and community. How she started monetizing without trading hours for dollars. How she sets herself apart + finds success in a saturated market. Why building real, genuine relationships will build your business. What a typical day looks like for Kelly. Her best advice if you’re struggling to grow your business. The one belief Kelly had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Kelly: “When you're brand new, the most important thing you can do is take a stand and have something to say.”  “If you want people to know that you're legit and that you care about them, then then show it” “Create content that gives value, create experiences that deliver value. Create the opportunities for people to see you the way you want to be seen." “A great brand comes out of knowing yourself and knowing your community so well.” Resources mentioned in this episode: Jessica Larue Mastermind Hub Code: Kelly The Big Leap Book Bio: I got my start in 2002. A single mom with one young son, I made graphics and websites for other home based business owners. I worked hard and charged too little for my time.  Thankfully, I learned quickly there are smarter ways to build an income online.  For many years now, I no longer trade hours for dollars. I blog, podcast, design, partner, create information products, run membership programs, hold live retreats and coach others to get where they want to be in an online business. Connect with Kelly: Love People Make Money Website Facebook Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review!

So, when I first started to bring guests onto Pep Talks for Side Hustlers, I had to be the one to hustle and invite people onto the show. It all started with me inviting a few people that had spoken at a conference that I’d also spoken at, and then I got a little more strategic and started to invite people who had the audience that I wanted to get in front of, and then I must have reached some magical tipping point in the podcasting world, because people started pitching me to be a guest on the show.  And I was like “Wait, what? You want to talk to me on my little old show? Okay, let’s do it!” So I started saying yes to conversations with all these strangers, which was a little scary at first, I’m not gonna lie. But it’s been the most transformational thing for me because I get to pick the brains of people who ARE where I want to be. And it’s a great opportunity for my guests to get in front of a whole new set of people for the price of a fun, one-hour conversation with me. And then you get the benefit of learning from our conversation! It’s a total win-win-win. So I still invite people that I want to build relationships with onto the show, but I also get a TON of pitches… and some are amazing that make me really excited to say yes… and others are not so amazing that make me definitely say no. So if getting in front of an audience of hundreds or even thousands of your ideal client for the price of a conversation sounds appealing to you, and you want to know what makes a podcast host like me say yes to your pitch in a heartbeat (or tell you no, I don’t think you’re a good fit for my show), then today’s episode is for you. My guest today is Kelly Glover of The Talent Squad, and she specializes in booking podcast tours for entrepreneurs. Kelly is here today to teach you how you can use podcast guesting as a vehicle to strengthen your personal brand and gain credibility, authority, and influence - and how you can get podcast hosts to say YES to your pitch. Today we’re talking about: Kelly’s journey to build a podcast booking agency.  The benefits of being a podcast guest Two secrets of pitching podcasts What to do after the podcast airs. Why downloads aren’t a true indicator of success for a podcast How to know when it’s time to move from pitching yourself to hiring an agency to pitch you. Kelly’s best advice for you if you’re struggling to grow their side hustle. The one belief Kelly had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Kelly: “Always bring your best and be your real self.” “There's no copy-and-paste pitches that will ever work.” “Another benefit of podcasting is the more you do them, the more you understand your own messaging.” “Everyone is their own personal brand. No one is you, so don't let that stop you. Don't put up any roadblocks, don't let it stop you. Just get started.” Resources mentioned in this episode: Side Hustle School Podcast The Talent Squad Bio: Kelly Glover specializes in booking  podcast tours for entrepreneurs and authors. She started podcasting in 2007 and has an 18-year track record working in media and talent management. She hosted her own syndicated radio show, worked as a talent agent, celebrity interviewer, and has produced award-winning podcasts. Kelly is the founder of The Talent Squad and is here to teach the benefits of the podcast guesting strategy, and how you can not only get ready to pitch and get booked but also how to actually ace your interview. Connect with Kelly: Website Instagram  Facebook LinkedIn Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review!

Find out how much money I made in April 2020 and exactly how I made it, what my expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review!

Is being a podcast guest part of your marketing strategy yet? If not, what’s holding you back? I’m gonna take a wild guess that: A) You like listening to podcasts; B) You have a business; and C) You need to get your business in front of potential customers. If any of that is true, then you are not going to want to miss the next couple of episodes I have for you, because they are all about adding podcast-guesting to your marketing strategy. My guest today is Angie Trueblood. She’s a podcast visibility expert, and I met Angie because she’s pitched me on behalf of some of the guests you’ve heard on this show, like Brandi Mowles in Episode 241 about fast-tracking your side hustle growth, Dr. Cortney Baker in Episode 251 about going from side-hustler to CEO and Danielle Hayden in Episode 280 about taking home a bigger paycheck from your side hustle. And now today Angie is on the show to talk about how you can use podcast guesting as a strategy to grow your audience and get customers. Angie and I talk about: Her journey from side-hustle to self-employed. The opportunity podcasts can create for your business. How Angie found clients. Why Angie hired a business coach and how she grew her business. How to stand out from all the other people who are pitching podcast hosts. The six parts of a great pitch. Her best advice for you if you’re struggling to get traction in your side hustle. The one belief Angie had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Angie: “You don't have to be at some giant stage of business to be featured as a podcast guest and to provide value.” “I think when you do good work and you take good care of your people, it eventually starts to snowball.” “Business is not just marketing, it's managing all of these other behind the scenes things.” Resources mentioned in this episode: Go Pitch Yourself Pitching Roadmap Go Pitch Yourself Podcast Angie’s Bio: As a podcast visibility expert and host of the Go Pitch Yourself podcast, Angie Trueblood knows that the only 'perfect pitch' is the one that leads with value and focuses on building a genuine connection.  Whether she is teaching entrepreneurs how to pitch themselves or working behind the scenes to secure opportunities for others, Angie leverages her super-connector powers to grow businesses and build long-lasting relationships.  When she's not working with her clients or being active in her local community, she loves exploring Richmond, Virginia's parks and playgrounds with her two kiddos, checking out new restaurants with her hubs, and laughing about motherhood with friends. Connect with Angie: Angie Trueblood Website Instagram Facebook Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review!

Ever dreamed about starting a food blog, but not sure how you could make money from it? My guest today is Brooke Eliason, also known as the blogger behind Female Foodie, a blog that brings readers the best restaurant recommendations across the country (because Brooke believes that life's too short to eat bad food). I was introduced to Brooke by donut blogger Rory Balkin I interviewed back in Episode 264 - and just like Rory, Brooke is monetizing her love of food in some really unique ways - so even if you’re not a food blogger, or a blogger at all this episode is going to blow your mind wide open on all the possibilities out there for you to put different, creative streams of revenue in place in your side hustle. Brooke started her blog back in 2010, and it’s fascinating to get to hear step by step how she started it as a simple passion project and turned it into an entrepreneurial empire with over 60 contributors in 9 cities and counting. Today we’re talking about: How Brooke created a profitable food blog by solving a common problem. How Brooke’s passion project turned into her full time business. The process Brooke used to create and sell a product to her audience. Why bloggers need multiple streams of revenue. Brooke's process for bringing on blog contributors and building her team. Brooke’s side-hustle to self-employed story. How Brooke makes money decisions in her business. The one belief Brooke had to change about herself to get where she is today. So, what’s a blogger who writes restaurant reviews and creates city guides to do during a global pandemic when the majority of the country’s restaurants are shut down? You’ll find out from our episode that Brooke has multiple streams of revenue, and while she probably didn’t anticipate something quite like COVID-19 happening, I think it’s the perfect example of why it’s so important for not just bloggers but any kind of business to have more than one way of making money. I asked Brooke how she pivoted and here’s what she said: “The main pivot has been the restaurant inspired recipes! This was my mom's idea. The response has been incredibly positive and interestingly enough my social media following and engagement have skyrocketed. The entire situation seemed all doom and gloom once I realized that restaurants would be closed for weeks, and even though I'm still missing eating out so much, this challenging time has brought new opportunities and helped me stretch and grow to new capacities! I listened to a Chalene Johnson podcast from Build Your Tribe right when everything started to crumble and she mentioned that we grow the most when times are challenging, not when things are going perfectly, and I agree!” Right now on her Instagram she and her contributors are highlighting the best take-out and make-at-home copycat recipes. Go check out Female Foodie’s Instagram to see how a professional blogger is pivoting with her content during the pandemic - it’s super creative. Because life’s too short to eat bad food, even when you’re staying home. My favorite quotes from Brooke: “It's always important to surround yourself with people who believe in you.” “It's been a lot of trial and error, which I think is the fun and hard part of entrepreneurship.” “You can’t get a no unless you ask.” “When you own something that's yours, you just have complete control.” “I can actually reach those big goals, but not if I think small. I have to believe in it and trust the process and everyday slowly chip away at those goals.” “I've had to learn that I'm still working on this, to not compare, and to stay in my lane.” “Don't let other people take away from what you're building. You are unique and only you can provide the value that you're providing to your community." Resources mentioned in this episode: Female Foodie MediaVine AdThrive Matt Molen - Email on Autopilot The War of Art – Steven Pressfield Bio: Brooke Eliason ("e-listen") is Salt Lake City native and started her blog Female Foodie in 2010, solely as a passion project with one goal in mind: to document all the restaurants she ate at that summer. Female Foodie is now a multi-city website and brand covering the best restaurants in places like Austin, Portland, Chicago, and Los Angeles. She has worked with over 60 contributors in the past four years with a mission to bring her readers the best restaurant recommendations across the country, because life's too short to eat bad food. Brooke has been traveling full-time with her husband and baby since October 2018 in search of the best tacos, pizza, donuts, and fried chicken across the country. Connect with Brooke: Female Foodie Website Instagram Facebook YouTube Pinterest Twitter Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Learn how to market yourself online without ads, algorithms or spending all your time on social media at www.howtomarketyourselfonline.com Learn how to get your first web design client at www.startafreelancewebdesignbiz.com Leave a Review!

When I say “niche” what’s your first thought? What I hear from my students in my Website Marketing Lab + Web Designer Academy courses are things like: “Thank goodness because I don’t want to be everything to everyone.” “I have too many interests, I don’t want to pick just one thing or one kind of person.” “What if I pick the wrong thing?!” For some people, it’s a relief.  Others feel really constricted when they hear that narrowing down your interests and focusing on one thing is the key to growing a successful business. Others never get started because they’re afraid to pick the wrong thing, or making the choice seems overwhelming. But what if instead of blindly doing all the things, or never starting because you were worried you made the wrong choice, you just tried a bunch of different things and were just really open to noticing what’s getting traction and following that path? That’s what today’s guest, Jessica Serna of the niche travel blog MyCurlyAdventures did. MyCurlyAdventures is a travel brand that inspires Texans to "travel the world" in their own state and find magic in their own backyard. Jessica and I talk about: Her journey from starting a general lifestyle blog to monetizing a niche travel blog. How her family reacted when she quit her day job to blog full time. How she lands sponsorship opportunities. Ways Jessica grew her following organically (and what didn’t work). The most important component of a successful blog. A day in the life of a travel blogger (pre-global pandemic). Jessica’s best advice for you if you’re struggling to monetize your blog. The one belief Jessica had to change about herself to get where she is today. Travel Blogging During a Global Pandemic Jessica and I recorded this interview in December 2019, and at the time of production in April of 2020, much of the country is shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I was really curious to know how Jessica, as a travel blogger who can’t travel, has adapted during the pandemic, so I reached out to her to find out. Here’s what she said: “As someone who focuses on travel, the transition has been something new and challenging to face. The best thing I can do is look at it as a challenge to overcome. I'm currently recycling old photos on Instagram as well as incorporating new content around fun at home activities, travel from home activities, and challenges like the #yogawinechallenge that connects people through something fun while supporting local businesses. Since I have extra free time from not traveling/shooting/editing new content, I am focusing on extra educational opportunities like the free courses and conferences that have gone online, creating content on other platforms like TikTok to increase brand awareness, and creating more blog content as I know people are going to be excited to look up activities and travel once this is over.” And if you wanna learn more about using TikTok as a blogger, don’t ask me because I have no clue, but Jessica wrote a great blog post all about “3 Ways You’re Already Sabotaging Yourself on TikTok.” My favorite quotes from Jessica: “When you niche down, you suddenly have a focus.” “It's hard to distinguish yourself from everyone else who also serves everybody.” “Even if things didn't go my way at this point...I'm still happy for everything I've done and I still provide value and I've learned so many incredible skills.” “Providing a solution that's not readily available is going to cause people to talk about you for you.” Resources Mentioned in This Episode Jessica’s blogging tips 3 Ways Your Sabotaging Yourself on TikTok Jessica’s Bio: Jessica is the Blogger of MyCurlyAdventures, a travel brand that inspires Texans to "travel the world" in their own state. Through her approach she has been able to inspire local wanderlust and help people travel more by looking nearby. From visiting the wine country in Fredericksburg, going sand surfing in Monahans, riding in an Italian gondola in Irving, and so much more, Jessica shares how Texans can find magic in their own backyard. Connect with Jessica: My Curly Adventures Website Instagram Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review!

Find out how much money I made in March 2020 and exactly how I made it, what my expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! One of the things that I’m so, so passionate about when it comes to building your business is making sure that you’re spending your time and money on things that will bring you a return on your investment when you’re just starting out. And I’m so adamant about it for you, because I’ve made so many decisions that delayed my success that I don’t want you to make the same mistakes that I did. It does not need to take you three years to be able to quit your day job, not because you’re not making enough money to replace your paycheck, but because you’re spending too much of it on things your business just isn’t ready for. That’s why I teach you how to DIY your own website for free inside my Free 5 Day Website Challenge - so that you can get your business off the ground quickly without spending a ton of time and money having someone do it for you when it’s inevitably going to change 6 months to a year in. And that’s why I love introducing you to people like today’s guest, Elle Drouin, founder of Styled Stock Society – a stylish stock photography membership for women entrepreneurs.  I’m a total fangirl of Styled Stock Society not just because their images are gorgeous, but because they make you look like a total boss even if you’re on a budget. And it’s not just stock photos - they have Canva templates for all the assets you need to create to run an online business.  There is absolutely a time and a place to invest in hiring a professional to design your website or design a brand for you or create custom assets like freebies, and that time is AFTER you’ve done the work to validate your ideas, and that’s exactly what Elle and I get into in today’s episode. Elle and I talk about: Elle’s transition from financial planner to photography membership site for female entrepreneurs. How Elle’s dog’s Instagram led to her first paying client. Why Elle’s first course flopped, and what she learned from it that changed everything. Elle’s marketing strategy and how she grows her audience. How she’s grown her team and what her first hire looked like. Elle's philosophy on money. Her thoughts on pivoting in your business. The one belief Elle had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Elle: “If you have a solution to a problem that people actually have, and you're willing to put that solution in front of them, you've just got to take the chance.” “You kind of have to be conscious of how much you're actually spending and making sure that you're not spending it all.” “I've been very intentional with anything that I've created or launched to make sure that there are people that actually want it and are willing to pay for it and it's actually going to enable them to grow their business.” Resources mentioned in this episode: Free Stock Photos Bio: Elle is a product stylist, photographer, crazy dog mom, and Founder of Styled Stock Society – a stylish stock photography membership for women entrepreneurs. When she’s not styling and shooting photos, she’s also the human behind the Instagram-famous pup @mochiandthecity (who is far more popular than she’ll ever be). Connect with Elle: Elle Drouin Website Styled Stock Society Instagram  Facebook Pinterest

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! You know how people get sucked into scrolling Facebook or Instagram, and how you can just mindlessly pick up your phone and then you look up and two hours have gone by and you’re like, “What just happened?”  I have that bad habit, but for me, it’s not social media that I get sucked into. I’m never on Facebook except once a day to check in on all my students in my Facebook Groups, and I’m horrible about Instagram, to the point where I’ve put up an automated reply in my DMs that if you want to get in touch with me, email me because I’m never in my DMs.  I know, I’m old school. So old school that I get sucked into news. My crack-apps of choice are Apple News, and Flipboard, mostly stories from either Buzzfeed, or Entrepreneur, Inc + Forbes. So much so that at the time of this recording, I’ve removed both apps from my phone and I’m trying to figure out how to block myself from being able to look at our local news websites whenever my brain wants to procrastinate or zone out and I automatically reach for my phone. But before I grounded myself from mindlessly flipping through news stories until my brain was so wired that I couldn’t sleep, I came across a headline that read “Amazon Sellers Are Self-Publishing 'Blank' Books — and Turning a Big Profit” so of course I click on it and it’s a Money Magazine article profiling today’s guest, Kelli Roberts, who also happens to live in Columbus, Ohio like me, who creates designs for print-on-demand products on Amazon. So I reached out to invite her on the show to learn all about the fascinating world of self-publishing and print-on-demand. Kelli and I talk about: What low-content and no-content books are and how Kelli makes a living creating and selling them on Amazon. The secret to success with self-publishing on Amazon. Networking at conferences as an introvert. How Kelli got featured in Money Magazine. What a typical day looks like for Kelli. The one thing you need to drive you to keep going when it gets hard. Kelli’s best advice for you if you’re struggling to generate revenue. The one belief Kelli had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Kelli: “Do something you enjoy. If you don't enjoy the process, it's going to be a huge struggle.” “Don't compare yourself to anyone else. It's your journey and don't do it just for the money.” Resources mentioned in this episode: Amazon Sellers Are Self-Publishing 'Blank' Books — and Turning a Big Profit Summit of Greatness Amazon KDP Merch by Amazon Alex Becker Bio: In 1998, Kelli started selling on eBay as a hobby because she was intrigued about selling things online. But Kelli never saw it as a business opportunity, so she earned a BA in political science in 2005. For the next 8 years, she spent time working at a tennis club and in the investment industry. In 2013, Kelli decided to quit her job to focus 100% on eBay. Since then, she’s done Amazon FBA, Kindle, CreateSpace, ACX and various print-on-demand platforms. She absolutely LOVES expressive her creativity through print on demand products.  In April of 2018, Kelli started a YouTube channel to help others in the industry. And most recently in September of 2019, she was featured in Money Magazine. Outside of business, she enjoys fitness, tennis, coffee, vegan food and spending time with friends and family. Connect with Kelli: Website Instagram  Twitter Youtube  

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! So a few weeks ago, a package arrived at my house that looked like a book and I’m like “What is this? What did I buy that I forgot about?” and open it up, and it’s a paperback book that says “Advance Uncorrected Proof NOT FOR SALE” on the cover with a letter from New York Times Bestselling Author of The $100 Startup and Side Hustle Chris Guillebeau inviting me to read his latest book, The Money Tree all about a new pathway to self reliance and financial freedom. So my first thought was “I cannot wait to read this book because Chris’s books are life-changing.” My second thought was, “I’m gonna do whatever I can to help him promote this book because of everything he’s done for me.” Here’s the backstory: A few years ago I’d signed up for a service called HARO (Help a Reporter Out) and every day I’d get an email with queries from websites, blogs, news outlets, publications, etc. wanting to hear from experts on certain topics.  I’d scan the queries every day, and many times I’d find myself spending way too much time writing in-depth responses to these queries which would result in either nothing or a one-sentence mention and a link back to my website, which is fine for SEO, but what I was after was email list subscribers.  So just as I start to think that these HARO opportunities aren’t worth all the effort I’m putting into them, I see one asking about side hustles: successes, challenges, financials, all the things.  And I’m like, “Well shoot, my story fits perfectly with what they are asking for, I’ll go ahead and do this. Nothing is probably going to come of it anyway, but I’ll give it my best shot.” Come to find out, it’s for a new podcast by author Chris Guillebeau all about side hustles, and my story was going to be featured in Episode 30 all about how an “Ohio IT director earned more than $31,000 empowering others by providing them with the tools and resources they needed to set up their own websites.” That episode came out, and then I saw a surge in people signing up for my free DIY web design training and telling me on their intake form that they found me through Chris’s Side Hustle School Podcast - which if you’ve never listened to it, definitely go check it out the stories are FASCINATING. It’s https://sidehustleschool.com/ and I’ve linked it up in the shownotes. So I’m just like, blown away and so grateful for that opportunity, and it was an early clue that relationships with other people who serve a similar audience can be massively valuable in growing your own. And then, someone on Chris’s team reached out to me and said “Hey, we liked your story so much, we’d like to tell it in Chris’s upcoming book “Side Hustle” can we ask you some more questions about your story?” So of course I said yes, and then several months later, a copy arrived in my mailbox and I saw my name in print on page 72 of Side Hustle all about how I figured out who was the ideal customer for my free DIY Wordpress training.  I was blown away. And then I started hearing from people that they found me through Chris Guillebeau’s “Side Hustle” book. It was a pivotal moment for me. Not only because of all the new people who found me because of Chris - that’s amazing, and those people like Sal and Crystal and so many more have become some of my best customers, ambassadors and most active community members - but also because that’s when I discovered that there’s value beyond just what I teach. There’s value in my story of how I got here and what I had to overcome along the way. That experience was the catalyst for me starting this podcast, and sharing my story with you guys and sharing my income reports and taking you behind the scenes to inspire and motivate you to keep going, and that alone has opened up so many opportunities for me that I never could have imagined. And so when Chris’s latest book, The Money Tree, arrived in my inbox, it was the perfect excuse to reach out to him and invite him on the show and do whatever I can to get his latest book in the hands of as many people as possible. So, I don’t usually get nervous before interviewing guests on this show, but before this interview my hands were sweating, I was like, “This is Chris Guillebeau. He’s a big freaking deal. Marie Forleo gave acknowledgements for this book. I have to nail this interview.” And so right before we’re about to chat, I’m flipping through The Money Tree again to, I don’t know, pull out some quote that makes me sound like Oprah, and I see a quote that I highlighted the first time I read it that said “YOU CAN DO MORE THAN YOU THINK.” And in that moment I gave myself a little pep talk and I was like, “You got this Shannon. You don’t have to be anyone but yourself in this interview, and you can do more than you think.” So with that, I am, so, so excited to bring you today’s guest, Chris Guillebeau, New York Times bestselling author, host of the daily podcast that’s downloaded over two million times a month, Side Hustle School and now author of the must-read story about finding fortune in your own back yard, The Money Tree. Chris and I talk about: Chris’s journey from an entrepreneur to author. The #1 key to financial freedom. Chris’s advice for someone just out of college who wants to become an entrepreneur. The “third way” of entrepreneurship that’s low risk and high reward. This inspiration behind Chris’s new book, The Money Tree. Why making mistakes is critical to the entrepreneurial journey. Chris’s best advice for you if you’re struggling to grow your side hustle. The one belief Chris had to change about himself to get where he is today. My favorite quotes from Chris: “I began to understand how powerful entrepreneurship can be as a force for good and for creating positive change.” “I think there's so many possibilities these days... why would you do something that you're not excited about?” "’There is another way.’ That's my favorite phrase in the world.” Resources mentioned in this episode: moneytreebook.com https://chrisguillebeau.com/ Bio: Chris Guillebeau is the New York Times bestselling author of The $100 Startup, Side Hustle, The Happiness of Pursuit, and other books. During a lifetime of self-employment that included a four-year commitment as a volunteer executive in West Africa, he visited every country in the world (193 in total) before his 35th birthday. His daily podcast, Side Hustle School, is downloaded more than two million times a month. He is also the founder of the World Domination Summit, an event for cultural creatives that attracts thousands of attendees to Portland, Oregon every summer. Connect with Chris: Website: chrisguillebeau.com Instagram: @193countries Facebook:@chrisguillebeau Twitter: @chrisguillebeau

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today’s interview with Danielle Hayden from Profit Planner is all about helping you take home a bigger paycheck from your side hustle is so timely for me, it’s kinda eerie! Danielle and I actually did our interview back in November of 2019 and it’s just now coming out because of my production schedule, and as I was pulling together the show notes for today, I’m like… “This is crazy that this interview with Danielle is even coming up right now about focusing on being profitable and keeping more of your money over growing.” And here’s why: Because my husband and I are on our second attempt at building a new house. And you might be thinking… “Um, thanks for sharing? But what does this have to do with me?” When you are self-employed, and you go to a bank to ask them for a loan, they want to see proof that your business actually makes money. Two years worth of proof to be exact. So about a year ago, my husband Floyd and I met with our lender to get preapproved for a construction loan. They asked for our 2018 tax return and my business profit and loss statements from 2017 and 2018. “Do you need my W2 from 2017 also?” I asked. “I had a day job and the business back then,” I offered. “No, since you don’t work there anymore it doesn’t matter,” said Bob. “Crap,” I thought. When I quit my day job in 2017 I was making $100,000 a year. And it wasn’t going to count. In 2017 my business had made $73,500 dollars in revenue, but… ...wait for it… $12,000 in profit. And no, this isn’t some creative accounting where I show minimal profit to avoid taxes. This was legit me spending $61,000 on business expenses: Pinterest experts. Facebook Ads. Online courses that promised to reveal the secret explode my business or teach me how to do Instagram. Virtual assistants and subcontractors to work on marketing strategies and projects that I didn’t need to be doing in the first place. Conferences and travel. Expensive software that I justified as being cheaper than hiring another VA but whose features I barely used. Branding. Rebranding. I could go on. It pains me to even tell you that. I’d honestly been avoiding looking at it until I started looking at the numbers to write a totally different blog post. But I have to tell you this part of the story, because while my business has always technically been profitable (it makes more money than it spends and has zero debt) and while I’ve been sharing with full transparency on this podcast my income AND expenses in 2018 and 2019, I’ve never told you what the money looked like for me in the earlier years. So let me rectify that right now: Bottom line: there’s absolutely no reason that I should have ever spent that much money on expenses in my business. It DOES NOT cost thousands upon thousands of dollars to market yourself and run your business online!!! Know how I know? If I went through every single expense in my business from 2015 - 2019, knowing what I believe NOW about what it takes market myself online and make money, I would have spent at least $100,000 LESS in business expenses. And I’m not just pulling that number out of thin air. No, I didn’t go through all my expenses line by line so that I could get in a time machine and see every dumb money decision I’ve ever made in my business… But I did calculate my average profit margin in my business from 2015 to 2018 to be 34% (meaning, on average I kept 34% of what I made BEFORE taxes). By contrast, my profit margin in 2019 was 71% (meaning I kept 71% of what I made BEFORE taxes). Had I kept 71% of what I made from 2015 to 2018, I would have kept close to an additional $100,000. Sigh. The proof is right there in black and white: I know how to make money. So why did I always think there was something more I needed to be doing or using or learning?  And why did I spend thousands and thousands of dollars trying to uncover it? The answer to that question took me WAY longer to figure out. Anyway, last year, long story short, we tried to get this construction loan but because of my profit in 2017 being only $12,000, they wanted us to put down a ginormous down payment to make it happen, and we weren’t willing to do it. So my husband tells our mortgage guy: “Looks like we’ll have to wait til next year when Shannon has two full-time years in the business behind her.” I felt so ashamed of myself at that moment that I didn’t bother to correct my husband. I couldn’t bring myself to say, “Oh yeah Floyd… about that… it wasn’t my full-time job that prevented me from keeping more than $12,000 of the $73,000 I made… it’s all the BS I believed about myself and what it takes to run a business online that caused me to spend a crap-ton of money on things I thought I needed but really didn’t need...” No, instead of telling the truth, I stuffed down my shame and put my nose to the grindstone, determined to work even harder this year and determined to keep more of the money I make. I slashed expenses, made more offers, and made and kept more money in 2019 than ever before. So right now, we’re in the midst of our second attempt to build this house. And as if his ears were burning as I was writing the intro for this podcast, Bob literally just called me to ask for a couple more documents, break down the numbers and let me know that we’re on track to close in three weeks if all the appraisals come back as he expects. “You had a great year in 2019, didn’t you?” he said. And I go, “Yeah, it’s pretty amazing what you can do when it’s your full-time I gig.” I literally just went with the lie, because I’m STILL ashamed to admit the truth - well, to everyone but you guys… To you guys, I’m like, “Oh, they need to hear this so they don’t do what I did. So that they’re vulnerable and lured by shiny objects like I was, and so that they value and trust themselves like I didn’t.” But to people close to me, I’m like “Oh, I don’t want them to know how bad I had no clue what I was doing…” Yes, I know it sounds crazy. Anyway. That’s why you need to hear from today’s guest, so that you can get a handle on the numbers in your business, make sure you’re PROFITABLE so that you can keep more of your money and give yourself a bigger paycheck. Danielle Hayden is a reformed corporate CFO (chief financial officer) who is on a mission to help rule-breaking female entrepreneurs understand their numbers so they can gain the confidence needed to create sustainable profits. After spending 10+ years in the board room as a corporate finance officer, Danielle is now in her sweet spot as the co-owner of Kickstart Accounting, Inc. where she helps business owners with bookkeeping, financial analysis, and education and as the author of the Profit Planner book series. Today we’re talking about: How Danielle can help you take home a bigger paycheck. Why she’s on a mission to help entrepreneurs overcome the fear of looking at their financials How to let go of the shame around numbers in our businesses. Exactly how Danielle and her partner got their very first clients. The three most important numbers to know in your business and how to use them to grow. Danielle’s best advice for you if you’re struggling to grow your side hustle. The one belief Danielle had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Danielle: “I want every entrepreneur to know that they deserve a CFO. They deserve to have bookkeeping. They need to know their numbers in order to grow their business.” “What built our business is talking to people and building relationships.” “Growing is not always the best. It is figuring out what is making you the most money and honing in on that. So at the end of the day you want to be profitable.” “Figure out what's working, what isn't working, learn from it and then try something else because that's what entrepreneurship is.” Resources mentioned in this episode: Profit Planner: Use code peptalks for 15% off Kickstart Accounting profitplannerbookkeeping.com/peptalks Bio: Danielle Hayden is a reformed corporate CFO (chief financial officer) who is on a mission to help rule-breaking female entrepreneurs understand their numbers so they can gain the confidence needed to create sustainable profits. After spending 10+ years in the board room as a corporate finance officer, Danielle is now in her sweet spot as the co-owner of Kickstart Accounting, Inc. where she helps business owners with bookkeeping, financial analysis, and education and as the author of the Profit Planner book series. When Danielle isn’t crunching numbers on her clients’ behalf or crafting the next iteration of the Profit Planner, you can find her hanging with her two kids as she inspires them to lead their fullest lives or doing any, and almost every fitness-related activity ranging from Spartan races to pilates. Connect with Danielle: Profit Planner Website Instagram @kickstartaccounting Instagram @daniellehayden_oh Facebook  

Find out how much money I made in February 2020 and exactly how I made it, what my expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! I met today’s guest very early on in my business journey when we were both members of One Woman Shop, and not only was I blown away by what she’s created over the past 5 years and the advice she is giving you guys in today’s episode… but I also left our conversation feeling more emboldened to stand up for things that I believe in that I’ve tended to shy away from in the past - and I hope you can take away a piece of that from our conversation today too. Monica Froese is a professional blogger and Pinterest marketing expert. She has an MBA in finance and marketing and blogs at Redefining Mom, a site for helping women thrive in motherhood and business.  She provides online marketing education to small businesses that are looking to build a profitable revenue stream through effective sales funnels and Pinterest ads. Today we’re talking about: Monica’s journey from starting a working-mom blog to getting invited to the White House. The turning point in her life that led Monica to put in her full effort and create a business that could replace her corporate salary. The importance of commitment, focus and action. Why blogging is not creating content - and what it really is. Monica’s perspective on mom-guilt and being a working mother. The financial possibilities that come with getting out from under the corporate pay ceiling. Monica’s revenue streams and how she manages her two businesses. Why you don’t need to be doing 1:1 client work first to be successful in teaching. Monica’s advice for someone who is struggling to get traction in their business. The one belief Monica had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Monica: “The President just asked me what I'm doing to make a difference. And really not a whole lot besides just venting on my blog. So how do I make a difference? And that was the turning point for this business.” “I am going to make this into something. I'm not going to squander this opportunity.” “I don't expect anyone to come in and give me some sort of ironclad roadmap to make this work because it doesn't exist.” “That load of laundry is literally costing us hundreds of dollars if I do it. I know what my time's worth and it's worth a heck of a lot more than doing a load of laundry.” “I refuse to have mom guilt. Mom guilt is not in my vocabulary so I actually have no qualms telling my seven-year-old, ‘Hey this is Mommy's work time and you will get my undivided attention when work time is over.’" “The basics for a (Pinterest) ad strategy are also the basics for an organic strategy. At the end of the day, Pinterest is keywords and clickable images and if you get those two things down, you're going to be rolling on both sides of the house." “It's not supposed to feel easy or even great in the beginning. You just have to keep showing up every day. Consistency is key." Bio: Monica is a professional blogger and Pinterest marketing expert. She has an MBA degree in finance and marketing and blogs at Redefining Mom, a site for helping women thrive in motherhood and business.  She spent 11 years working for a Fortune 100 company running multi-million dollar marketing campaigns with large brands like Microsoft, HP, and Cisco. Now, she provides online marketing education to small businesses that are looking to build a profitable revenue stream through effective sales funnels and Pinterest ads. Connect with Monica: Redefining Mom Website Pinterest Instagram Facebook Youtube

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! I’m completely fascinated by what today’s guest is sharing because it’s a topic I’ve always been curious about - but have zero experience or knowledge in - and that’s how to create a product-based business. I mean, back in my web designer days I built my share of e-commerce websites for product-based businesses using WooCommerce and Shopify, but the business side of things, like going from product concept all the way to having your product on the shelf at Target or for sale on your website? Yeah, no clue. So that’s why today I’m so excited to bring you Katie Hunt, founder of Proof to Product. Katie is a business strategist, and mentor to product-based entrepreneurs.  She’s worked with thousands of entrepreneurs through her in-person conferences and online courses she offers. Katie is also the host of the popular podcast, Proof to Product, where she takes listeners behind the scenes of growing a product-based business.  Guests share their successes, struggles and how they’ve made difficult but important transitions in their business to continue growing. Katie has taught classes for CreativeLive, The National Stationery Show, and The Savvy Experience, and she’s been featured on two of my favorite leisure-reading websites - BuzzFeed, Brit & Co, and also interviewed on a variety of popular podcasts. Whether you have a product-based business or not, you’re not gonna want to miss today’s episode. And if you know someone who is a maker, maybe they have an Etsy shop and dream of seeing their notecards on the shelf at Anthropologie, send them a link to this episode (shannonmattern.com/277). They’ll thank you for it later. Today we’re talking about: Katie’s journey from starting a side-hustle stationary company to helping makers get their products on the shelves of retail shops. How a guest blog post about doing tradeshows transformed Katie’s business. The most common mistakes product business owners make when they are first starting out. How Katie built a business around what she wished she would have known early on in her journey. Parallels Katie sees between product-based businesses and service-based businesses. How to figure out your “enough” and why knowing it is so important. Why it’s so important to know the WHY behind starting your business. Why it’s actually a good thing that not everything is going to be a home run. How Katie built her team and how she runs it. How burnout happens (and what to do about it). The online training tool everyone should be using (even if you don’t have a team yet). Why your audience is critical to the success of your business. The one belief Katie had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Katie: “I just want to support female entrepreneurs that are trying to do their thing.” “There's no easy button in business, but at the same time there are people that have been through it before that can lend their advice and expertise and struggles and successes as well to help you.” “Test the market before you dive head in.” “Money is important, but it’s not everything I’m seeking. Our definitions of success shift as we gain more experience in business.” “Systems and processes are truly what make a business run.” Resources mentioned in this episode: www.loom.com https://www.prooftoproduct.com/ https://www.prooftoproduct.com/podcast Bio: Katie Hunt is the founder of Proof to Product (formerly known as Tradeshow Bootcamp), a business strategist, and mentor to product-based entrepreneurs. She’s worked with thousands of entrepreneurs through her in-person conferences and online courses she offers.   Katie is also the host of the popular podcast, Proof to Product, where she takes listeners behind the scenes of growing a product-based business. Guests share their successes, struggles and how they’ve made difficult but important transitions in their business to continue growing.   Katie has taught classes for CreativeLive, The National Stationery Show, The Savvy Experience, Be Sage, Seanwes Conference and Unique Camp. She’s been featured on BuzzFeed, Brit & Co, and VoyageLA and also interviewed on a variety of popular podcasts.   Katie has a passion for creating, a mind for business and a strong desire to help others succeed. When she’s not cheering on her clients or dreaming up new workshops, you can find her spending time with her husband and four young children, hosting friends for dinner, or surfing Instagram. Connect with Katie: Proof to Product Website  Instagram Facebook

My guest today is Caylie Price, owner of Better Business Better Life where she teaches how to bring tons of clients into your business and actually be profitable without burning yourself out. Caylie teaches high-impact, no-cost Facebook strategies that help you build your confidence, clients and cash. Every time I talk to Caylie, I’m like, “I know, I know. I need to add livestreaming to my arsenal.” And then I don’t do it. Because I put too much pressure on myself to be good at it. But what I love about Caylie’s perspective is that being “good at it” is not required. In fact, it can have the opposite effect of what you’re going for. And I’m so excited to have Caylie on the show today because as much as I’m fascinated by my guests who have massively scaled their businesses into the multiple six and seven figures with paid ads, most of us aren’t there yet. We’re still organically building our audiences, figuring out how to find them online and what resonates and what doesn’t, aligning how we describe our solutions with how they describe their problems. Most of us don’t either have the money or the capacity for financial risk to use paid advertising to speed that process along, and that’s what Caylie’s here to share with you today - how you can use Facebook in a way to get more organic reach, build your audience, build a rapport, build trust and get clients. Cayle and I are talking about: How Caylie got started as a business coach in the online space. Why Caylie chooses to keep her business as a profitable side hustle. How Caylie structures her day and manages her time. Why planning is so much more than just being organized, and why it’s critical to your success. Why you should be live-streaming on social media in 2020 (even if no one is watching you live). How to figure out what to talk about on your live-streams. The real purpose of live-streaming (it’s not what you might think)! How to prepare to go live. How to use live-streaming as market-research. Caylie’s advice for someone who is struggling to get traction in growing their own business. The belief Caylie had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Caylie: “If you're going to put in the effort to create a piece of content, why not use the method (live-streaming) that Facebook says ‘hey, we're going to reward you for doing this,’ and get the results: get more people on your email list, build that relationship faster and get more sales.” “Being able to talk to and connect with my audience is so powerful.” “People connect with me because I'm approachable. Because I haven't got that formal air and a barrier up to connecting with me.” “You are awesome as you are. There's no reason to try and be someone other than who you are." “Take action and keeping going because you will get there.” “It's not failure, it's learning, it's feedback and it will get you closer to success every time.” Resources mentioned in this episode: How to get more clients from social media without increasing your workload Bio: Caylie Price is the owner of Better Business Better Life. She teaches you how to bring tonnes of clients into your business and actually be profitable, without throwing yourself under the exhaustion bus. Recognised as a leader in her field, Caylie teaches high-impact, no-cost Facebook strategies that explode entrepreneur and business owner confidence, clients and cash. Her clients consistently use Facebook Live to sell everything from $4 affiliate products through to $997+ digital programs and services. In just a few short years, Caylie has grown her business to achieve $20k months and lifestyle freedom. She regularly travels to international conferences to ensure her knowledge remains cutting edge as well as travelling interstate between her home in Newcastle and family in Victoria. All this while ensuring her clients successfully grow their income and profitability. Connect with Caylie: Website: betterbusinessbetterlife.com.au Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betterbusinessbetterlife  

Find out how much money I made in January 2020 and exactly how I made it, what my expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way! Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Jenna Irvin, a young entrepreneur who leads with intuition, uses fear as fuel to grow, and believes that failure is our greatest teacher.  Jenna opened her first business at the age of 21, in a town she had only been to once, and doubled her investment in just ten months funding the purchase of her current business in Hilton Head Island.   My conversation with Jenna was so enlightening for me because at age 23 she taps into her intuition and trusts her gut in a way that I’m still trying to figure out at 40.  Her sense of self, her love for herself and her money mindset are super-inspiring! Jenna and I talk about: Her journey to owning her own Pure Barre studio at 23. How Jenna was able to build up the business to the point where it was worth double her investment. Why she also became a coach and writer. The importance of cultivating deep connections. Why what you think about yourself matters in business. Her best advice for someone who wants to launch a business and is brand new to the business world. Why waiting for the perfect moment is hurting you. Jenna’s experience with hiring her first employees and what she learned. Jenna’s tips for how to listen to your gut and get in tune with your intuition. Jenna’s advice if you are wanting to start a business but are afraid of the first steps. The one belief Jenna had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Jenna: “I realized that so much of the struggle that we feel is universal. Like the insecurity, all of that is felt by so many.” “I don't need to be any different to be worthy of the kind of love that I want to be worthy of, the kind of life that I want“ “We get so wrapped up in what the world is saying that it takes us out of tune with our hearts and when we're out of tune with that, we're not able to live a life that's in alignment” “Trust yourself more than you think that you should because you have more in your heart than you know” “My dad always told us to never look back and say, I wish I would have” “We don't always know what, what the end's going to look like. In fact, I don't think we ever do, but it's gonna lead you somewhere. It's gonna teach you something, it's not going to be for nothing. And I think that that's what you can rest into because there's never going to be certainty in anything else. So you kind of have to find your comfort in that” “I approach failure in a different way because it's just my greatest teacher. It's my opportunity to grow. And it's like, okay, well this didn't work, so here's the space to do it again and do it differently” Bio: Jenna is a young entrepreneur who dreams as naturally as she breathes. She opened her first business at the age of 21, in a town she had only been to once, and doubled her investment in just ten months funding the purchase of her current business in Hilton Head Island. As both a Pure Barre owner and coach, Jenna leads with intuition, uses fear as fuel to grow, and believes that failure is our greatest teacher. She feels the most alive and connected to her why when she is holding space for others to step into all that they are. Connect with Jenna: Instagram: @jennairvin Website: https://www.jstandingtall.com/

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Sasha Korobov, a career and success strategist who helps women all over the world get careers they love and smash their goals. She’s also the host of the EntrepreNotYet podcast all about surviving your 9-5 while building an online business. Sasha’s all about debunking bad career and business advice “for ladies” that make our heads spin with contradiction. You know, stuff like: “Know your worth!... but you should probably cozy up to a dude who can open doors for you.” “Don’t be afraid to speak up in your career or business!... but please pipe down if it makes others uncomfortable.” And my favorite, “You better ask for permission before you do that…” Sasha and I talk about: Sasha’s journey to becoming a career strategist for women. Why you don’t need to be an expert (and what to do instead). What failing can really do for you. The most common beliefs Sasha’s clients have that hold them back. How to create opportunities to do things you're passionate about that also help your side hustle The importance of work/life boundaries The real benefits of focusing on one thing at a time. Strategies to manage shiny object syndrome Sasha’s best advice for you if you’re struggling to grow your side hustle. The one belief Sasha had to change about herself to get where she is today. Click here to get your hands on Sasha’s “5 hacks to make your day job better, even if you can’t quit yet.” My favorite quotes from Sasha: “You test, you tweak, you do. Action.” “Practice the art of stopping asking for permission for every little thing.” “It's okay if you tried something and it didn't work for you, it's okay to get tired. It's okay to admit that this is hard stuff, but that doesn't mean that you quit.” “Prioritize the stuff that's actually going to have you grow in your business.” “Everybody should be chasing something that they love.” “Minimize things that are going to take your eye off the ball.” Resources mentioned in this episode: 5 hacks to make your day job better, even if you can’t quit yet. Bio: Sasha Korobov is a certified coach and success strategist who helps women all over the world get careers they love and smash their goals.  When she’s not working with her amazing clients, Sasha is awkwardly learning the ropes of being an American expat in England, hanging out with her cats and her husband, or rocking a nearby Zumba class. Connect with Sasha: Website: sashakorobov.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/675652509608251/?source_id=116654609713651 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sashakorobovbiz/  

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! “Are you going to let your fears be bigger than your dreams, or are you going to go for what you want?” My guest today is Luisa Zhou, founder of LuisaZhou.com, and creator of the Employee to Entrepreneur system, which teaches people how to leave their day job and start their own six-figure plus business working for themselves.  She’s helped thousands of students, including health and business coaches, designers, copywriters, and consultants, to launch their own businesses that generate anywhere from 30K to 100K in less than a year. Her advice has been featured in numerous online and print publications including Forbes, Inc, Entrepreneur, Success magazine, and more. Two words come to mind when I think about Luisa after getting the opportunity to talk to her for a whole hour: GENUINE and GENEROUS. Because today she’s gonna share with you every detail about how she grew her business from nothing to multiple millions of dollars. And when I say every last detail, I mean EVERY. LAST. DETAIL.  This isn’t one of those stories that you’re going to hear and think, “That’s very inspiring, but I can’t relate. I don’t see myself in that story.”  It’s going to be one of those stories that you hear and think, “That’s me, right now. She’s been where I am right now, and look what she’s accomplished. If she can do it, so can I.” Because Luisa has made every stop on the entrepreneurial journey. Every single one. And no matter where you are on your journey, you’ll see yourself in her story. Luisa and I talk about: What Luisa’s business looked like when she first started vs. what it looks like today, and exactly how she got here. Why she gave away her advice for free in the early stages of her business. How she got her first clients. Why Luisa believes in overdelivering. What to have in place in your business before you even consider paid traffic. Exactly how Luisa scaled her business from six figures to seven figures. How Luisa landed huge opportunities for exposure like Business Insider, Forbes + speaking at the Gary Vee Experience (even while identifying as an introvert). What happened when Luisa put in her notice at her day job. How Luisa guides people from employee to entrepreneur. The one question to ask to find out if your business idea is profitable. How Luisa changed her beliefs about money and value to reach the level she’s at today. Other beliefs Luisa had to change about herself to get where she is today. Before we dive into today’s episode, I want to tell you about a free, on-demand masterclass that I know you’re definitely going to want to sign up for after you listen to this interview.  It’s called the “Step-by-step Employee to Entrepreneur system to build your coaching business and replace your salary BEFORE you leave your 9-5.” *Grab your seat here >> My favorite quotes from Luisa: “If something is working, do more of it.” “What more can I do that is going to be directly growing my business?” “I found this thing, it works, I’m just going to keep doing it.” “Why not now, what are you waiting for?” “How can I do it more and better?” “The power of focus, the power of optimizing something that works and scaling it?” “Are you going to let your fears be bigger than your dreams or are you going to go for what you want?” “You’re only going to grow if you do things that make you uncomfortable.” Resources mentioned in this episode: Luisa’s free, on-demand masterclass*: “Step-by-step Employee to Entrepreneur system to build your coaching business and replace your salary BEFORE you leave your 9-5” Luisa’s* “15-Second Script that Gets You Your First 3 Coaching Clients (even if you're just starting out)” Luisa’s “9-5 Escape Velocity” Plan Bio: Luisa Zhou is the creator of the Employee to Entrepreneur system, which teaches people how to leave their day job and start their own six-figure plus business working for themselves. She’s helped thousands of students, including health and business coaches, designers, copywriters, and consultants, to launch their own businesses that generate anywhere from 30K to 100K in less than a year. Her advice has been featured in numerous online and print publications including Forbes, Inc, Entrepreneur, Success magazine, and more. Connect with Luisa: Website: luisazhou.com Instagram: instagram.com/luisa.zhou Facebook: facebook.com/luisazhoulive

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Find out how much money I made in December 2019 and exactly how I made it, what my expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! I learn something amazing from every single guest I have on this podcast… but every now and again I have a guest on the show that blows my mind, and today’s episode is another one of those transformative, mind-shifting, belief-changing ones that make me love doing this podcast and fundamentally shift how I’m doing things in my business. My guest today is super passionate about training women to be the superheros of their own success. After finding the courage to say "bye-bye" to her corporate marketing career, Kathy Goughenour built a 6-figure virtual assistant business from her tiny house in the middle of a forest. Today, she teaches professional women how to create their own work-at-home VA businesses so they can enjoy the freedom, flexibility and financial security they desire and deserve. Kathy also offers VA Matchmaking sessions to business owners interested in working with Expert VAs® and Virtual Experts®. Kathy and her Expert VA® and Virtual Expert® Training program have been featured in Forbes, The Huffington Post, Good Housekeeping, All You, and The Wealthy Freelancer. Today we’re talking about: Kathy’s journey to become a coach for virtual experts. The realization Kathy came to when she felt her career was at a standstill. How Kathy’s unsolicited marketing advice turned into her first client as a virtual assistant. The importance of taking imperfect action. Why Kathy decided to hire a coach and the best advice she got. Why you should be raising your prices. The #1 key to being successful in your business. Her best advice for you if you want to sell a course. Why you should specialize. How your money mindset can hold back your profit. What Kathy started doing differently to achieve her profit goals. Why your website does not have to be perfect for you to be massively successful. Her best advice for you if you’re struggling to get traction in your business. The one belief Kathy had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Kathy: “Once you learn how to build this (VA business) you can learn how to build any business you want” “I’m passionate about training women to be the superheros of their own success.” “I am somebody worthwhile and we all are.” “The universe provides more than we can ever handle if we can open our minds and our hearts to that.” “Take bigger risks.” “Stop playing small. The universe needs you.” “Hang out and learn from coaches who have been where you want to go.” “Believe in myself enough to invest that money even though I did not have that money.” “Get way out of your comfort zone.” “What one woman can do, another woman can do.” “Know that you are worthy.” Resources mentioned in this episode: Ryan Levesque Jennifer Kim Forbes Article: Start A Business. Save Your Life -- Like This Million-Dollar Entrepreneur Top 5 Biggest Mistakes New Virtual Assistants Make Bio: After finding the courage to say "bye-bye" to her corporate marketing career, Kathy Goughenour built a 6-figure virtual assistant business from her tiny house in the middle of a forest. Today, she teaches professional women how to create their own work-at-home VA businesses so they can enjoy the freedom, flexibility and financial security they desire and deserve. Kathy also offers VA Matchmaking sessions to business owners interested in working with Expert VAs® and Virtual Experts®. Kathy and her Expert VA® and Virtual Expert® Training program have been featured in Forbes, The Huffington Post, Good Housekeeping, All You, and The Wealthy Freelancer. Connect with Kathy: Website: virtualexperttraining.com, https://expertvatraining.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/expertvacommunity/

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Before I introduce you to today’s guest and why what he does is something you’ll want to pay attention to if you want to replace your day job income before you quit, I want to share why I think what he does is so important. So if you’ve listened to this podcast for any amount of time, you know that my story in a nutshell is that at 35 years old, I found myself sitting in my beige, windowless office at my day job basically having a panic attack about having to do that same day over and over and over again for the rest of my life, feeling super guilty for not being appreciative of living out the American dream of good grades in high school, graduating from college and working my way up the corporate ladder to a job with great salary and benefits. So I decided to start my own freelance web design business as a side hustle, quickly burnt myself out because I wasn’t charging enough and there was no way I’d have enough free time outside my day job to replace my income (and there way no way I was gonna leave my salary behind). So I pivoted to teaching entrepreneurs how to DIY and earning revenue from affiliate marketing, and then people starting asked me to build their websites for them… And with some help from my business coach I decided to say yes, and then over the next three of years I side hustled, earning my money from a mix of affiliates, courses and 1:1 web design services, started making enough money every month to replace my salary and cover business expenses and taxes, and I was able to quit my day job without taking a pay cut. What I don’t talk about too often is that I didn’t do it all on my own. About one year in, I finally hired a virtual assistant. About 6 months in, I’d tried to hire one… I’d been listening to all these online business podcasts that talked about outsourcing, and how fantastic and amazing it is to hire VA’s from the Phillipines because the cost of living is so low there compared to the US that at the time you could pay $250 a week for a 40/hour a week virtual assistant. So I tried that, and it just wasn’t a good fit for me - for several reasons, all of which are my fault, by the way. One, I had to be way more organized than I was to be able to outsource to people and at the time, I was totally winging it and putting out fires every single day. Two, there’s a significant time difference between the Phillipines + where I live and so it took longer to get things turned around once I delegated it when I was worked to when they saw it when they were working, asked me questions that I’d answer when I was working and they’d see the answer when they were working and now two days have gone by and they haven’t even started… so I’d end up just doing it myself. And there were a few communication issues, again, on my end because I’m super wordy talk too fast. And I didn’t have 40 hours of work to give them, but they were looking for something full time for one person. So that whole thing did not work out for me… And then I was introduced to a company that unfortunately is now closed, but it was basically a boutique VA agency for female entrepreneurs, based in the US. I was assigned an account manager, I would give her the tasks + instructions and she made sure the person on their team with that expertise knew what to do and got the work done. I paid $600 for 15 hours a MONTH (as compared to $600 for 40 hours a week) but it was well worth it to me. My business could afford the expense because I wasn’t even paying myself a paycheck at all - at the time I was investing everything I made back into the business.  They were able to manage my inbox and my facebook groups while I was at work, post and format my blog posts, set my weekly newsletter and they even were around at the beginning of Pep Talks for Side Hustlers and published the podcast for me. So when I quit my day job and I actually started paying myself a paycheck, I went looking for ways to reduce my expenses, and they raised their prices, and I could no longer justify to pay that much for 15 hours a month and I took back all the work into my business myself, and then the person who I was contracting with as a project manager on my web design projects wanted more hours so I gave the work to her, and that’s what we still do today and all is right with the world. What I want you to know is that I didn’t do it alone then, and I’m not doing it alone now. So if you’re listening to this and you’re thinking, yeah, the whole outsourcing to another country thing doesn’t sound right for me, and the whole paying $600 for 15 hours a month thing also doesn’t sound right to me, and I’m not sure I need a dedicated team member right now - but I know that if I’m really gonna grow I need to get these things off my plate, but how do I find the right person - then I’m super excited to introduce you to today’s guest, Nathan Hirsch of Freeeup.com* - where you can hire affordable, pre-vetted freelancers with no signup fees, no minimums so that you can get more done faster. Nathan is a 30-year-old serial entrepreneur who built his first company to over twenty million in sales using virtual assistants and freelancers. He created FreeeUp.com* to address the frustrations he had with finding the right freelancers to help him grow his business. Today we’re talking about: How Nathan competed with the college bookstore as a side hustle. How he used virtual assistants and freelancers to grow his Amazon store to over 20 million in sales. What his hiring experience was like when he was first hiring employees as a new entrepreneur. Nathan’s “Top 1%” philosophy The number one thing you must commit to for a great hiring experience. How to get ready for your first hire. The three types of hires and how to choose the right one for you. Why Nathan chooses to grow his business organically, without relying on paid ads, and how he does it. Nathan’s advice for someone who is struggling to grow their business The one belief Nathan had to change about himself to get where he is today. My favorite quotes from Nathan: “Instead of trying to turn every weakness into a strength, I hire an expert who already has success with it, already has systems for it, to come in and execute it. ” “Figure out what type of people you are working with and work with them the right way.” “Focus on low risk, high reward situations.” Resources mentioned in this episode: Freeeup.com* Bio: Nathan Hirsch is a 30-year-old serial entrepreneur and expert in remote hiring and eCommerce. He started his first eCommerce business out of his college dorm room and has sold over $30 million online. He is now the co-founder and CEO of FreeeUp.com, a marketplace that connects businesses with pre-vetted virtual assistants, freelancers and agencies in eCommerce, digital marketing, and much more. He regularly appears on leading podcasts, such as Entrepreneur on Fire, and speaks at live events about online hiring tactics. Nathan built his first company (Amazon business) to over twenty million in sales using virtual assistants and freelancers.  “I always wanted a faster way to find talent, I hated browsing through 50 applicants every-time I posted a job on the other marketplaces. I built FreeeUp to address the frustrations I had. FreeeUp receives thousands of freelancer applicants each week to join the marketplace. We interview and vet them, take the top 1% (based on skill, attitude and communication), and make them available to our clients quickly whenever they need them.” Connect with Nathan: Website: freeeup.com Facebook: Outsourcing Masters Facebook Group Podcast: Outsourcing and Scaling with Nathan Hirsch Nathan on The Entrepreneur On Fire Podcast: https://www.eofire.com/podcast/nathanhirsch/ Nathan on The Mixergy Podcast: https://mixergy.com/interviews/freeeup-with-nathan-hirsch/ Nathan on The Eventual Millionaire Podcast: https://eventualmillionaire.com/nathanhirsch/

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today teaches creative introverts how to become virtual assistants and earn an income from home. Billie Gardner is the founder of Desire to Done and the Introvert VA Club, a membership site for introverted virtual assistants. Billie’s been a member of my community for awhile, and then one day I got this email from her where she writes: “Hey Shannon, So I'm doing a live challenge in my membership the Introvert VA Club called "Do One Thing That Scares You Every Day". It's for 30 days and we're on day #11. One of the things I'm scared about is visibility. Since I'm an introvert I tend to shy away from attention but I'm trying to work on it! I know that putting myself out there more is going to help more people achieve their dreams. Which brings me to your podcast. I've been a big fan of yours since we met and was wondering if you're looking for interviewees. Off the top of my head I can talk about the challenge, how I help creative introverts, mindset stuff (love it), and how I "burned da bitch down". (I got rid of my ebooks and a big client to focus on my membership site. Totally scary at first, completely freeing afterward.) Let me know if you're interested and if there's a way I can help support you!” And of course it’s a yes, and not just because she’s a member of my community but because her pitch was all about how she can provide value to my listeners and not all about how awesome she is. I mean, you’ll find out for yourself how awesome she is when you listen, but the key takeaway for you if you want to land guest opportunities of any kind, or even if you want to get people to buy from you for that matter, is that it’s never about you. It’s always about them. Today we’re talking about: How Billie got her first virtual assistant client. Tips for getting VA clients when you are just starting out. Advice for how to let go of clients when you no longer are taking 1:1 work. How to make discovery calls with potential clients less scary. How Billie structures her day. A strategy for getting yourself to do something that scares you. Billie’s advice for an introvert who is thinking about starting their own business. The belief Billie had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Billie: “Follow your heart and follow your gut, wherever it takes you.” “If you’re going to grow you have to get uncomfortable and with practice it becomes easier. Give it a shot and keep trying.” “Just take it one step at a time, everyone is scared.” “Keep going keep showing up consistently.” “Building a business takes time and takes energy. Just keep doing it” Resources mentioned in this episode: Billie’s Freebie: https://desiretodone.com/va-services Membership: https://introvertvaclub.com/ Bio: Billie teaches creative introverts how to become virtual assistants and earn an income from home. She's the founder of Desire to Done and the Introvert VA Club, a membership site for introverted virtual assistants. Connect with Billie: Website: https://desiretodone.com/ Freebie: https://desiretodone.com/va-services Membership: https://introvertvaclub.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desiretodone/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/desiretodone/ Pinterest:https://www.pinterest.com/desiretodone/boards/

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! The top 10 Podcast episodes of 2019 and a review of the beliefs these successful entrepreneurs had to change about themselves to get where they are today.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Find out how much money I made in November 2019 and exactly how I made it, what my expenses looked like and lessons learned along the way!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! If you’ve ever wondered how to start a blog from zero, you’re not gonna want to miss today’s episode.  I’m so excited to have Rory Balkin on the podcast because she’s sharing some fantastic advice about how to a niche that you’re super passionate about, start from zero, and turn it into a profitable side hustle. Rory Balkin is a self-proclaimed donut enthusiast and founder of Donut Digest.  I’m not entirely sure how Rory and I connected - but considering that she’s from Texas I can only think that it has to be through the Thrive conference that I’ve spoken at a couple of times.  Which, by the way, if you’re a blogger or you’re thinking about blogging, you need to put this conference on your radar - it’s happening in Houston in April of 2020, and you can go to https://thrivetogether.blog/ and get on the email list to make sure you’re first to know when tickets go on sale because it’s an amazing conference. Anyway, I started to connect with Rory on a deeper level when she joined my free 5 Day Freebie Challenge so that she could create a shareworthy freebie to help her grow her email list - which you’ll find out during our interview why having an email list for her niche donut blog is so, so important. So let’s dive into my interview with Rory Balkin all about how to build and monetize a niche food blog. Today we’re talking about: Why Rory started a blog about donuts and how she built an audience from scratch. Rory’s tactics for getting traction on Instagram. Why Rory created the Dallas Donutfest, and the exact steps she and her partner took to bring it from idea to life. How to build buzz + excitement for anything that you’re about to launch. Why connecting with your audience consistently is so important! How Rory monetized her love of donuts beyond blogging and the food festival. Her best strategy for being more productive. How Rory manages a newborn, a day job a blog and the donut festival. Rory’s advice for someone who is thinking about starting a blog. The belief Rory had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Rory: “I want to make something of this business, and you really have to connect with people in real life, have that human connection, to make something of it!” On starting her blog: “I don’t know what I’m doing, I just love donuts!” “Relationships are super important.” “I always want to help people.” “It’s all about pulling out the unique and interesting stories from each place.” “You learn as you go.” “You just have to start, learn from those that are a little bit ahead of you, and then start to build those connections to forge those partnerships, create those events, whatever it is that can grow your following.” “You’re not alone if you get stuck somewhere.” “There are risks in business every single day. You have to put yourself out of your comfort zone.” Resources mentioned in this episode: Trello Butler County Donut Trail Free email course on "5 Ways to Attract More Customers to Your Shop” Donut Digest Website: https://www.donutdigest.com/ Dallas Donut Fest: www.dallasdonutfest.com Bio: Rory is a self-proclaimed donut enthusiast and founder of Donut Digest. Since 2016, she's offered donut guides, interviews, downloads and more to the Dallas-Fort Worth community.  In 2018, Rory expanded her services as a marketing consultant for several donut shops and hosted community events throughout the metroplex.  In 2019, Rory joined forces with fellow blogger @brandondoesdallas to create the first-annual Dallas Donut Fest. In her free time she enjoys walking her rescue pup, Winston, and cheering on the Philadelphia Eagles. Connect with Rory: Website: donutdigest.com Instagram: @donutdigest

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Lauren Keplinger of CreativeMomBoss.com where she helps Etsy sellers get the consistent sales they dream of. Lauren started her Etsy shop, Funky Monkey Children, in 2012, and built it to a six figure business with over $170,000 in annual revenue.  She blog and podcasts about selling on Etsy over at Creative Mom Boss and her digital program, Etsy Roadmap to Success teaches Etsy shop owners to take their shop from that inconsistent side hustle to a consistent income they can depend on. Today we’re talking about: How Lauren started her side hustle selling on Etsy. What Lauren did to scale her business when she maxed out her time and income. How to find success in a saturated market. Common misconceptions of the “work from home” dream. How Lauren got her husband on board with her business. The one thing that will determine your results above all others. How Etsy sellers can better market their shop and get better traffic to their shops. Why it’s not too late for you to start your Etsy shop. What a typical day looks like for Lauren. Her best advice for you if you’re struggling to get traction in your side hustle. The one belief Lauren had to change about herself to get where she is today. Lauren shares so much good advice whether, so whether you’re an Etsy seller or you sell digital products or group programs or one-on-one services, her advice applies to all of it! My favorite quotes from Lauren: “What I’m providing is valuable beyond the finished product.” “Ask yourself, ‘What is moving the needle forward, what is getting you results?’ and do more of that.” Resources mentioned in this episode: Pat Flynn Creative Mom Boss Starter Kit Bio: Lauren Keplinger is an Etsy seller and coach for like minded Etsy entrepreneurs. She started her shop, Funky Monkey Children, in 2012, and built it to a six figure business with over $170,000 in annual revenue. She blog and podcasts about selling on Etsy over at Creative Mom Boss and her digital program, Etsy Roadmap to Success teaches Etsy shop owners to take their shop from that inconsistent side hustle to a consistent income they can depend on. Connect with Lauren: Website: https://www.creativemomboss.com/ Podcast: Crickets to Cha-Chings Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/funkymonkeychildren Instagram: https://instagram.com/creativemomboss

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today’s guest helps health and wellness entrepreneurs who have gone off-course get refueled and back on track by teaching them to run their business like a well-oiled machine. Sylvie McCracken started her first online business in the nutrition and health space and was able to replace her six-figure salary in just 18 months - and now she’s grown her business to seven figures. Now, she teaches healthcare professionals how to get back in the driver’s seat and make more income, have a greater impact, and finally enjoy the lifestyle they worked so hard to create. And whether you’re a health care professional or not, you’re going to get a lot out of today’s interview - and if you know any health care professionals who’d love to break free from the grind of their day (or night) job but don’t believe that they can monetize their expertise outside of the traditional health care setting - send them a link to this episode! Today Sylvie and I are talking about: Why Sylvie started a side hustle in the very competitive health and wellness space online. How her business evolved into helping health care professionals create passive income. Sylvie’s personal journey from employee to entrepreneur. The steps Sylvie walks her client through to create digital products around their area of expertise. The biggest mistake most entrepreneurs make when it comes to their expertise. How Sylvie manages her time and what a typical day looks like. Challenges Sylvie sees her most successful clients overcome. Sylvie’s best tip for when to outsource. Her advice if you’re struggling to get traction growing your side hustle. Why you’re totally normal if you feel like an imposter. The belief Sylvie had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Sylvie: “If you can’t sell, you can’t help.” “There’s nothing passive about setting up a passive income stream.” “Do what actually gets the result and do what helps.” “Do it imperfectly, but have it be profitable.” Resources mentioned in this episode: Masterclass: The 5 Shifts Health Professionals Make to Create 6 Figures in Passive Income The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level Bio: Sylvie McCracken helps health and wellness entrepreneurs who have gone off-course get refueled and back on track by teaching them to run their business like a well-oiled machine. After more than a decade working with celebrities in the entertainment industry, Sylvie started her first business in the competitive nutrition and health industry and was able to replace her six-figure salary in 18 months through her relentless focus on strategy and efficiency to create passive income. Now, she teaches healthcare professionals how to get back in the driver’s seat and make more income, have a greater impact, and finally enjoy the lifestyle they worked so hard to create. Connect with Sylvie: Website: sylviemccracken.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sylvie.mccracken/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/sylviemccracken Twitter: https://twitter.com/SylvieMcCracken

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my October 2019 Income Report! Every month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my online business and reveal exactly how much money I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! Important things that happened in October: I intentionally starting reducing my work hours. I did a photo shoot since my last real one was in 2016. I traveled to Colorado for a long weekend to visit my best friend and celebrate her 40th birthday. I hosted another partner webinar with ConvertKit. I recorded 9 podcast guest episodes. I hosted the third 5 Day Freebie Challenge to promote the Website Marketing Lab – and I’ll break down all the stats for you that in this income report too. Notes I found to myself in my planner: “I’m ahead!” “OMG I finally love everything I’m doing in my biz right now, I have butterflies in my chest!” “How can I show like up a boss this week and over-deliver for the 5 Day Freebie Challenge? How can I make this the best experience they’ve ever had from a live challenge?” Review of my goals My target revenue goal is $15,000 a month by March of 2020. My minimum baseline $10,000 a month – $2500 to cover my normal monthly expenses, I set aside $2500 a month for taxes, and pay myself $5,000 a month – two paychecks of $2500 each. Total Revenue: $12,018.50 Affiliate Income: $2027.86 Courses: $7490.64 Done For You & Consulting: $2500 Total Expenses: $2192.83 Out of the ordinary expenses: Facebook Ads to promote “5 Day Freebie Challenge” – $436.78 Annual fee for EasyWebinar – $500 Which means I ran the bare bones of my business for just $1256.05 in October. Good to know in case life hits the fan, and that will also help me meet some of the goals I set at my mastermind retreat, which I’ll talk about a bit later. Get the full breakdown of income, expenses and net profit month by month here. Net Profit: $9825.67 I paid myself $6K of my profit – which I may not have mentioned this in prior income reports, but I’ve actually been paying myself $3000 a paycheck since I think June to repay myself for the Growth University investment. I now have a cushion in the bank where I’m one paycheck and one month’s expenses ahead, and the rest of my profit goes into my tax account – and after I pay taxes every year, what’s left is mine to put back in the business, do something fun, invest, whatever. Biggest Lessons Learned In September, my online courses earned more money than ever before in the history of my business. And then in October, I beat that number by $931. In September, my passive income and courses combined accounted for 76% of my revenue. In October again, passive income and courses combined accounted for exactly 76% percent of my revenue, whereas in previous months it’s never accounted for more than 50%. And I’m so pumped about that…because one of my goals when I joined Growth University was to make enough money from passive income to cover the $2500 monthly consulting gig that I have, planning ahead for when that revenue goes away because it was 25% of my month. And I’m just a few dollars shy of making that happen on the revenue side, but I’m currently totally fine on the expense side because I’ve pared my expenses down so much. Not only have I decreased my expenses, I’ve decreased the amount of time I’m working every week. I mentioned that I made a commitment to my mastermind gals to reduce my work hours, stop working on weekends, vacations and holidays and I truly did put that into practice in October. Here’s how much I worked each week: Week 1: 38 hours, 5.5 of that on the weekend (including my photoshoot). Week 2: 25 hours, Monday – through Thursday morning, then left for Colorado, didn’t work at all there. Week 3: 30.5 hours, started work late mornings, about 6 hours a day, no weekend. Week 4: 41.5 hours, 5 Day Freebie Challenge week, started later in the day, worked every evening and a couple hours on the weekend – all on the Challenge. Total Hours Worked: 135 I went to Colorado for a long weekend and while I brought my laptop with me, I didn’t even open it. For four days it sat untouched in my work bag. This is probably a first in the history of me starting this business that I didn’t open my laptop for that many consecutive days. It wasn’t easy, because I’m a workaholic in recovery, but I was able to do it because I planned ahead. I made a list of all the things I needed – not wanted – needed to get done or scheduled before my trip, scheduled time to get them done, planned time to get my inbox down to zero, put a vacation message on my email and let my students know I’d be offline for a few days. And then I practiced relaxing and unplugging, and I just told myself that what I wanted for the weekend was to be PRESENT. I’m usually distracted. I’m usually working in the mornings while everyone is sleeping… and then they get up and I’m like… “I just gotta finish this one thing…” and I wrap it up… but the damage is already done. My brain is in work mode for the rest of the day. I’m distracted. I’m checking my phone. I’m not fully there. I’m talking about work with my friends who don’t really want to talk about work, and I never feel recharged or relaxed. So this time, I planned ahead to do NOTHING. And it was AMAZING. And I came home relaxed and ready. And I know this might sound lame to those of you who aren’t planners or chronic overworkers, but that mini-trip was a test. Because I’m going on vacation for a week for my 40th birthday in less than 2 weeks at the time of this recording, and I don’t intend to open my laptop for 8 days. I don’t intend to be in any of my Facebook groups for 8 days, or responding to email for 8 days. I feel like I’m finally ready and prepared to take advantage of the life I’ve created…to go on vacation and choose to not work, to practice doing nothing, and to reap the benefits of giving my brain some downtime, and to just be PRESENT with my husband and our friends. Also in October, I ran the 5 Day Freebie Challenge for the third time, which is one of my FAVORITE things to do. I talked about this a little bit last month, I go live in a Facebook group nightly for 5 days, and I teach some core concepts about online marketing and give people action steps to take to get started, and then I give them feedback on their homework and stuff – basically giving them a taste of what it’s like to work with me inside my program. And at the end, I share more about the Website Marketing Lab and how people can continue to work with me after the free live Challenge is over, and then I’d give them a week to enroll, and then I’d close the doors and start walking the new group through the lessons. For the first time, I ran Facebook Ads to promote the Challenge – and I did that as a test. I wanted to see how much they would cost me, how many new signups I got, and how many of those signups actually became customers. So here are all the stats for the 5 Day Freebie Challenge: Total # of Signups: 641 Signups from Facebook Ads: 208 Signups from Email Invitation: 233 Signups from Courses Site: 298 (overlap on signups from email + courses site) Signups from Main Website: 40 Signups from Pep Talks for Side Hustlers Site: 8 Total # of Email Recipients: 600 (bounces, unsubscribes) # of people who joined the Facebook Group: 277 from 10 countries 3.1K likes, comments and reactions. 258 posts 249 Active members # of people who joined the Website Marketing Lab: 19 Conversion Percentage for all signups: 3.2% Conversion Percentage for active participants: 6.9% Total revenue in October from NEW Website Marketing Lab Signups: $4843 (doesn’t include future revenue expected over the next 9-12 months for everyone that opted for a payment plan). So this year, I spent $436 on Facebook ads, and again, I used Claire Pelletreau’s Facebook Ad Spend calculator to figure out my budget and my expected return on investment. I talked to Claire back in episode 231 all about when is the right time to use Facebook Ads in your business so you can go back and listen to that one here. The calculator NAILED IT when it came to my ad spend, the cost of my course, the cost per lead and expected ROI… But here’s the interesting thing about this launch – none of the people that signed up for the 5 Day Freebie Challenge via a Facebook Ad actually joined the program this time around. I mean, I know why… It’s because they don’t know me yet. I haven’t built the know, like and trust factor yet. Our relationship isn’t solidified. I’ll be interested to see if the people that signed up for those ads make a purchase in the future. If I didn’t dig in to my numbers deep enough, I might think that my Facebook Ads were successful. Because I could sit here and tell you that I 10x’d my return on investment for my ad spend… But I didn’t. I spent $436 on Facebook ads and not one of those signups became a customer. My Facebook Ads were successful in terms of growing my list and filling my challenge… So the next Facebook Ads test I’m going to do is run ads to my free content in between launches and see if that brings me my ideal client, and see if those people stick around on my list and eventually become a customer. But they had nothing to do with the results of my launch. I think what made my launch so successful is the relationship I’ve cultivated with my subscribers over time, and the live engagement in my challenge. Just like last month with the Web Designer Academy, I showed up in a Facebook group every night for 5 nights, interacted with everyone in there, shared everything I could share in 60 minutes a day, and answered all their questions and gave feedback on their homework.. I didn’t do a big sales presentation, and I also gave people a chance in every step of the way to opt out of learning more about the Website Marketing Lab. And just like I said with the Web Designer Academy – It’s so much easier to get customers when you’re not trying to sell. And that’s what I teach people to do inside my programs too. And I’m not knocking Facebook Ads at all, but it’s not like they’re magic. I still have to gain the trust of those people. And I’m still going to test out different strategies to see what if anything gets me results… So these Facebook Ad tests that I’ve done the past couple of months, they are just telling me that I’m on the right track. Because you wanna know the strategy that IS bringing me subscribers that turn into customers? Relationships. One of the core strategies I teach me Website Marketing Lab students how to leverage. Yep, building relationships with people that serve the audience I serve, creating opportunities to get in front of their audience and deliver value to them, and in the process getting new subscribers – but these subscribers aren’t coming to me not knowing if they can trust me… because someone they already trust is introducing them to me, I’ve shaved off a big chunk of the time it takes to build that trust vs. people that come in through Facebook Ads. It’s fascinating. And building relationships is free and priceless all at the same time. So that will continue to be my focus throughout the rest of 2019 and 2020 – instead of creating new courses or programs or products, I’ll be creating new relationships. Thanks so much for listening – and I’ll see you right here next week where I’m talking to Sylvie McCracken all about how to create a profitable side hustle as a health care professional. And if you need a website but have no idea how to get started, go to http://www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com and sign up for the 5 Day Website Challenge and learn how to create a website for your side hustle. And if already have a website and you want to learn how to get traffic to it, go to www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com and sign up for my free 6-part mini-course that’ll walk you through how to get started getting targeted traffic to your website.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is celebrity ghostwriter Joshua Lisec. Joshua has ghostwritten over forty books for entrepreneurs, and he’s here today to share how side hustlers can turn their books into opportunity-attractors and money-makers for their business… all while slaying writer's block for life.  Today we’re talking about: Joshua’s journey to becoming a celebrity ghostwriter, from charging just $1.67 an hour to being on track for a half-million dollars in revenue. His secret to ending writer’s block. Why you don’t need clarity on every aspect of your side hustle (and what to do instead). How a book can help you grow your business. Key things authors need on their websites. How you can get people to buy your book. Josua’s advice for how to get started as a ghostwriter. Challenges Joshua experience in his business and how he’s overcome them. Exactly how he made sure he stood out from all the other freelance writers out there. Joshua’s advice for getting traction in your side hustle. The belief Joshua had to change about himself to get where he is today.   My favorite quotes from Joshua: “We all have to start somewhere, what matters is that you start.” “I think of ghostwriting as acting in print. It’s my job to portray the authentic you on the page.” Ask yourself “What problems do you like to solve?” “Think of yourself as a long term trusted partner to each of your clients.”   Resources mentioned in this episode: Publisher Rocket Ghostwrite and Prosper: Debunk 7 Ghostwriting Myths Clickup Ted Talk: How to Create Your Dream Job from Scratch   Bio: Every day Joshua help authors manifest the mission behind their voice. He’s the world's only award-winning, celebrity-recommended, #1 international bestselling Certified Professional Ghostwriter.  Joshua is the founder of The Entrepreneur’s Wordsmith LLC, Ohio’s first Certified Professional Ghostwriter, a multiple-time #1 International Bestselling Ghostwriter, a Forbes Contributor ghostwriter, a TEDx speaker, and a two-time published novelist. Connect with Joshua: For Authors: www.entrepreneurswordsmith.com For Aspiring Ghostwriters: www.ghostwriteandprosper.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/joshualisec LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshualisec/    

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Before I introduce today’s guest, I want to share a little bit of background of why this interview is so important to me. Last September, I was invited to go away for a weekend with 5 total strangers for a business mastermind retreat, which I talk about in depth in Episode 177.  Before that retreat, I was on the fast-track to burnout. I was crazy overworking and pretty isolated, and this group of girls that invited me to be part of their mastermind all lived in Texas at the time. So I traveled to Austin to this mastermind retreat, and of course we all bonded immediately like girls do, and after they realized how on the edge I was, I remember one of them saying to me, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but do you have any friends at home?”  And I was like, “Yes, of course I have friends!!! But… they really don’t understand what I do… They’re polite when I talk about it and they’re happy for me, but they really don’t get it…” And my mastermind group challenged me to make some local business friends.  So I put that on my to-do list as a good Enneagram 3 does, and then I came back to Columbus and got back to work. Fast forward 6 months, and I’m at my friend’s house, and her two sons who just graduated high school are there with two of their friends (who are also brothers) that are always hanging out there, and one of them goes, “Hey! I just found out you’re a web designer? And you have a podcast?” And I’m like “Yeah! I teach entrepreneurs how to DIY their websites and how to market themselves online, and I have this podcast all about how to grow your side hustle.” And he’s like, “You have to meet my mom. Our family owns a web design company, we do digital marketing for small businesses, and they started this podcast called “Flip Flop Your Life” and it’s all about helping people build a life they don’t need a vacation from - and they want to start doing online courses like you do!” So they connected me with their mom, and we set up a lunch date and totally hit it off, and I had to bring her on the podcast to share her business journey! My guest today is Angie Cherubini. Angie and her husband Pat own a web design and digital marketing firm in my hometown, Columbus, Ohio called Cherubini Designs along with their two sons, Chase and Blake, and Chase’s girlfriend Hannah.  Today we’re talking about: How Angie started her web design business in her early twenties, before having a website was a necessity for business owners. Exactly how Angie got her first clients. Why working with bad clients is crucial to your business success. How Angie grew her business before online marketing was even a thing. How Angie’s solo freelance web design business became the family business. How to identify your own strengths so that you can monetize your expertise. Why you don’t have to constantly find new clients to be successful, and how to best serve your existing clients over the long-term. The one thing Angie would change about her business if she could go back in time. Why Angie and her husband Pat decided to start a podcast. Angie’s best advice for you if you are wanting to live the flip-flop lifestyle. The one belief Angie had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Angie: On staying relevant to your clients: “You have to always be looking at the next step.” “We try to treat everyone of our clients like family.” “We don’t complain about our job like everyone else does, we actually love it!” “You can’t be afraid to be the expert.” “Find out how to monetize something you love.” Resources mentioned in this episode: Flip Flop Your Life Podcast Cherubini Company Bio: Angie was your rock collecting, play in the dirt little girl, high school & Ohio Glory cheerleader (AKA Glory Girl), and Ohio State grad. She’s always been an independent woman. Stay at home mom turned business owner and entrepreneur. Oh, and CrossFit nut!  She is the designer of the family. Websites, logos, landing pages and everything that needs an artistic touch. She’s been the creative genius behind 100’s of local business’s websites and marketing pieces. She still gets her hands dirty in the creatives but now is focusing on leading the creative team into the future. Connect with Angie: Website: https://flipflopyourlife.com/ Instagram: @flipflopyourlife Facebook: Flip Flop Tribe Facebook Group, Flip Flop Your Life Facebook Page, Cherubini Company Facebook Page  

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Amanda Genther, an online marketing strategist who helps female entrepreneurs consistently grow their audience, their email lists and their bottom lines. She’s also the host of the Inspired for Action podcast where she share strategies, tips and advice on how to take imperfect action every day to grow your business. I met Amanda through a technology panel we both did for the Rebel Boss Virtual Summit hosted by Eden Fried (who I interviewed back in Ep. 234) and I just instantly connected with her and knew I had to get her on the podcast not only to share her business journey but also because she’s an expert in creating sales pages that convert - which if you’re marketing yourself online, you’re 100% going to need someday! Today we’re talking about: The full story behind how Amanda was able to leave her job and start her business. How she overcame imposter syndrome to build her business. How you can reach success FASTER and become known for something. Why you shouldn’t wait until you’ve chosen a niche before you get started. The #1 biggest struggle web designers face (and how to overcome it). Why having a nice website just isn’t enough anymore. How to create a sales page if you have no design or copywriting skills. The first thing you should do before creating any new product. The 3 steps Amanda takes to launch new ideas FAST. 4 common mistakes that Amanda sees people make on their sales pages (and what to do instead). How to get testimonials for your sales page when you haven’t actually had and clients yet. All of Amanda’s revenue streams and exactly how she makes money in her business. How Amanda fights her natural tendency to keep creating new products every time she has a new idea so that she can focus on what’s working. What a typical work day looks like for Amanda + her family. How to hold yourself accountable to the things you say you want to do. Amanda’s advice if you’re struggling to get traction with your business. The beliefs Amanda had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Amanda: “The only two things you need to launch are an offer and a sales page.” “Just throw things out there, see what works and see what people resonate with.”  “Fail faster so you can figure out what you’re supposed to be doing. If it doesn’t work, move on to the next idea, it’s not a big deal!” Resources mentioned in this episode: Megan Minns Amanda’s Sales Page Starter Guide Free Mini-Course: Sales Page Success Secrets My Free Jumpstart Your Website Traffic Mini Course Inspired for Action Podcast (iTunes) Bio: Amanda Genther is an online marketing strategist and sales page designer who helps coaches, creatives and course creators consistently grow their audience, their email lists and their bottom lines. She's also the host of the Inspired for Action podcast where she shares strategies, tips and advice on how to take imperfect action every day to grow your business. When she's not at her desk setting up launch funnels and designing sales pages for her clients, she's probably lounging in her living room with her 2 littles, watching the latest superhero flick (2 boys) or forcing them to watch Gilmore Girls with her for the millionth time. You can connect with her on Instagram, or learn more on her website.  Connect with Amanda: Website: https://amandagenther.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandagenther/

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my September 2019 Income Report! Every month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my online business and reveal exactly how much money I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! Before we dive in to September’s income report, I want to share an email I got from one of my listeners because she asked a really great question that I thought some of you might also have too, so I wanted to answer it for you here in case you were wondering the same thing. She writes: “I love your income reports, they are so candid & detailed, and I always got a lot of insight from it. I’m a little confused about your August report because: you stopped your 1 on 1 consulting because you prefer the Information business model to focus, as it more scalable & less time consuming but you are selling a course that teach people to be a Web Designer in one of your course (a consultant business model) – that you stops doing it :)) Don’t you think that’s a contradicting message? As a freelance web developer myself, I really know that 1 on 1 consulting work is really time consuming. Do you think I should try to pivot to an information business model too? Thanks! Here’s my response: I LOVE this question SO MUCH, and I’m really glad that you asked. If I were ONLY doing freelance web design, and I didn’t want to do the teaching, training, mentoring and podcasting part of my business, I’d keep taking 1:1 clients all day because I FINALLY figured out how to attract my ideal clients and keep my projects running smoothly. I love my clients, they’re a blast to work with – and because I figured that out and I know how much other web designers STRUGGLE with that, I want to teach them how to do it. I have bigger goals for my business. At first, it was about making a living and being able to quit my day job… and I’ve done that. Now I want to serve WAY more people than I can with 1:1 client work alone – and that’s why I’m stopping 1:1 client work so that I can help more people. It’s not all about being able to make more money with an information model for me. It’s alsp about how many people I can reach and help with an information model. The information model isn’t right for everyone. Some people don’t WANT to create that kind of content and put themselves out there like that. And the 1:1 model isn’t right for everyone because some people need more flexibility in their schedule, etc. So to answer your question – do I think YOU should change to and information model? Only YOU can answer that question. What do you want? What’s going to get you there – bigger paydays with 1:1 web design clients, or the slower growth of an information-model? I think that a blend of both at first is GREAT because they support each other. I hope that helps – and let me know if you have any other questions, I’m an open book!!! So if you guys have any questions, that goes for you too! Reach out, I’m an open book! Okay, let’s dive in to September’s income report. Important things that happened in September: I beta-launched my free “Jumpstart Your Website Traffic” mini-course to my email list. I opened enrollment for my Web Designer Academy. I traveled to Austin for a weekend mastermind retreat with my biz besties. “The thoughts that got you here are going to be the thoughts that keep you from getting to your next goal.” Review of my goals My target revenue goal is $15,000 a month. My minimum baseline is to make around $2500 to cover my normal monthly expenses, I set aside $2500 a month for taxes, I pay myself $5,000 a month and I want to build up a reserve so that I can invest in my team, give myself a raise, have a cushion to cover the ebbs and flows of revenue and eventually cover my husband’s salary. So my minimum baseline is $10,000 a month, and as I mentioned in my income report last month, I want to hit that first $15,000 month by March of 2020. So with that, here’s how much money I made in September of 2019. Total Revenue: $11,824.34 Affiliate Income: $2470.70 Courses: $6559.64 Done For You & Consulting: $2794 Total Expenses: $2482.70 Out of the ordinary expenses: Facebook Ads to promote “How to Start a Freelance Web Design Business Masterclass” – $449 Travel to Lake Austin for Mastermind Retreat – $387 Registration for a conference I’m attending in April: $497   Which means I ran the bare bones of my business for just $1149.70 in September. Good to know in case life hits the fan, and that will also help me meet some of the goals I set at my mastermind retreat, which I’ll talk about a bit later. Get the full breakdown of income, expenses and net profit month by month here. Net Profit: $8,981.64 Biggest Lessons Learned The first thing I noticed when I pulled together my numbers for September is that my online courses earned more money than ever before in the history of my business. My passive income and courses combined accounted for 76% of my revenue this month, whereas in previous months it’s never accounted for more than 50%. And that’s so exciting!!! So I mentioned that I beta-launched my Free Jumpstart Your Website Traffic Mini Course to my email list – so let me explain what that is and why it’s so important to my overall business goals: I have a course called that Website Marketing Lab that teaches people how to market themselves online and get clients. And I only open that course for enrollment a few times a year, and how I promote it is through a live 5 Day Challenge where I go live in a Facebook group nightly for 5 days, and I teach some core concepts about online marketing and give people action steps to take to get started, and then I give them feedback on their homework and stuff – basically giving them a taste of what it’s like to work with me inside my program. And at the end, I share more about the Website Marketing Lab and how people can continue to work with me after the free live Challenge is over, and then I’d give them a week to enroll, and then I’d close the doors and start walking the new group through the lessons. And that’s great, and I love it, but I’d always get people telling me that they missed the training, that they want to enroll but now’s not the right time, or asking me when it’s going to open again because they heard about how awesome it is from a friend in the course – and I’d always have to tell them, “Sorry, it’s gonna be a few months before I open again” and they’re all bummed out because they want to get started NOW. So in working with the team over at Growth University, we came up with the idea of taking the concepts I teach in the live challenge, tweaking them a bit since I’m not there to answer questions and give the feedback like I am during the live challenge and turn it into a mini-course that’s delivered entirely via email – and at the end of the course, I invite people to who want to learn more about working with me to continue to get emails about how they can join the Website Marketing Lab. And then I have the doors to the program always open so that people don’t have to wait for my live challenges to enroll – and I can consistently bring on new students. The other reason that I’m excited about the Free Jumpstart Your Website Traffic Mini Course is that I have a new freebie I can market to help people who ALREADY have a website, and don’t need my Free 5 Day Website Challenge. That opens me up to a whole new group of people that are my ideal client. So I wrote all the content for the course, the sales emails and the sales page in August and September, and then in September I invited my current email list subscribers to sign up for the new course so that I could get a baseline: How many people that signed up for the course joined the Website Marketing Lab? Did people get what they expected out of the free mini course? Why didn’t people buy? And I can use that information to make improvements AND predict my future revenue so that I can start marketing that free mini-course on its own! And I’ll still do a live challenge twice a year because I LOVE doing those, but this way it’s a win-win – people can enroll when the timing is right for them, not me, and I can have income coming in consistently year-round, not just around launch times. The other thing that contributed to my highest-ever course income is my Web Designer Academy. I historically have opened doors to that just once a year in September and we opened again this year. And I’ve always used Facebook Ads to connect with freelance web designers who probably have never heard of me to invite them to a free training – and this year I merged all of the prior free trainings I’ve done for them into a live, 3 part masterclass series, again in a Facebook group, to teach them how to create a successful freelance web design business. At the end of those trainings, I let them know that I’m going to be sharing more information about the Web Designer Academy after the trainings are over… and the crazy thing was, this time, for the first time ever, people were asking me questions about the Web Designer Academy in the Facebook Group, on the live sessions! So this year, I spent $449 on Facebook ads, and I used Claire Pelletreau’s Facebook Ad Spend calculator to figure out my budget and my expected return on investment – and I gotta say, that calculator NAILED IT. I talked to Claire back in episode 231 all about when is the right time to use Facebook Ads in your business so you can go back and listen to that one here. But here’s the interesting thing about this launch – I had the smallest number of people ever sign up for the free training, but I sold more spots in the Web Designer Academy this year in the first 2 days than I did all of last year – and at the time of writing this income report, the launch isn’t over yet. And I think it’s because of the live engagement, seriously. I think it’s because I showed up in a Facebook group for 3 days, interacted with everyone in there, shared everything I could share in 60 minutes a day, and answered all their questions. I didn’t do a big sales presentation, and I also gave people a chance in every step of the way to opt out of learning more about the Web Designer Academy. It’s so much easier to get customers when you’re not trying to sell. And that’s what I teach people to do inside my programs too. And I’m also trying to figure out how I can let people join the Web Designer Academy all year long, and not miss out on the mentorship component – which is why I only open it once a year, because it’s really a year-long mentorship. But there are people who don’t want that, but they want lessons and strategies and templates. So I’m working with my team at Growth University on that too. But it’s gotta be a win-win for both of us, not just a way for me to sell more courses. Okay, so switching gears a little bit here… If you listened to last month’s income report, Episode 252, I shared with you that I decided to stop taking 1:1 web design clients because I spend 80% of my time on them but they only account for 50% of my revenue. In September, I’m currently working on finalizing my last 1:1 project, but I didn’t bring in any revenue from it because we’re between payment cycles. Like I said last month, I know the path forward for me and I just need to keep moving forward. And that takes me back to that quote I’d heard on a podcast all about how “The thoughts that got me here are going to be the thoughts that keep you from getting to your next goal.” For the past several months I’ve been thinking “Just keep doing what you’re doing…” and that was a great thought. It kept me focused and on track to get everything in place so that I could market my courses and grow my scalable revenue streams. But now it’s time for me to switch gears – and I talk about this all the time to students inside my Website Marketing Lab and my Web Designer Academy – it’s time for me to move out of CREATE mode into DO mode. It’s time to start marketing and getting myself out in front of my ideal customers in a bigger way. And that’s why my September mastermind couldn’t have come at a better time. Back in Episode 177, I shared with you how I went to a mastermind retreat in September of 2018 in Austin Texas with 5 strangers who became 5 of my closest friends. Since then we’ve met monthly, hold each other accountable to our goals and communicate daily via a group text and Marco Polo. We got together again this September at a gorgeous AirBNB on Lake Travis in Austin and basically had a three-day business-planning slumber party. Pretty much my dream life. The format we did this year was Friday night, we each recapped our goals from last year, what we accomplished, what we didn’t accomplish and what held us back from our goals. On Saturday, we each had a hot seat where we shared our goals for the next 5 years and what we thought needed to happen to get us there – and then we challenged each other on those goals, like, do they align with our other goals, why do we really want those goals, is that serving us, what’s holding us back from just going for it. And then on Sunday morning, we broke into groups and taught each other – because we all have a strength and skill that someone else in the group can benefit from. Sunday afternoon we had a work day where we knocked out some of those important projects that we knew would get back-burnered the moment we got home. And there was amazing food we cooked together, all planned by one of the girls who is a lifestyle and food blogger, and delicious wine, and great music, some tears and lots of laughs. So I wanted to share with you a couple of the goals that came out of the retreat for me and why I chose those goals so that if you’re thinking about what you want to work on in your side hustle next year, maybe this will give you a few ideas: Goal #1: Double my email list subscribers by September 2020. Why? Because that’s how I market and sell my online courses. I make offers to the people on my email list who have specifically expressed interest in solving the problem that my online courses solve: learning how to build a website, learning how to market themselves online, and learning how to have a successful freelance web design business. And if I want my revenue to grow so that I can hit that $15,000 a month number (and ideally all of that will come from affiliate marketing and courses with no consulting or 1:1 client work), then I need to reach more people. How? Continue doing exactly what I teach my students to do inside my Website Marketing Lab. Stop trying to build followings and relying on algorithms to connect me with my ideal clients online and start building relationships instead. But what I need to do differently than what I’ve been doing is put way more time into that. I’ve been spending a lot of necessary time shoring up my foundation to prepare for that growth, but now it’s time to grow. And that’s why the thought “Just keep doing what you’re doing…” isn’t going to get me to the next level. The thought that’s going to take me to the next level is “It’s time to show up and put myself out there.” Goal #2: Work 40 hours a week, and stop working weekends. Now that I’m not taking 1:1 client work anymore, technically I should have 80% more time… What I used to do was spend Tuesday – Friday on client work, and then Saturday – Monday on my own stuff. And if you’ve listened to this podcast for any amount of time, overworking has been a theme. It started in my side hustle days because I needed to work that much to grow the business outside of my day job. It continued through that first year after I quit my day job because I was so scared of not making enough money to pay the bills. And then it just became a habit, and a convenient excuse for not doing the other things in my life I wanted to do, but that were going to be hard. Like finally losing weight. Or a buffer to escape into when I didn’t want to think about other things. Now that I’m phasing clients out, I have no excuses. And I don’t want my whole life to be about work, even though I love what I do. And I want to see what I’m capable of when I constrain myself to 40 hours a week (I gotta make it a challenge, right?) I talked to two millionaire business owners on this podcast, Bernadette Doyle in Episode 198 and Kelly Roach in Episode 196, both who challenged me to constrain my work hours… And I did, for awhile, but then I ramped right back up. So I set a goal to reduce my work week to 40 hours, to stop working weekends, to take 4 one-week vacations a year and to not work on holidays. And part of my accountable is to tell you guys, on the podcast, of this goal and start reporting hours worked in my income reports. So you’ll start to see those in my income reports starting in October 2019. So overall, I feel like by having clarity in my business on exactly what I help people with, crystal clear goals and a step-by-step plan of action for making happen, I have no doubt I’ll reach those revenue goals… I think my biggest challenge, honestly, is going to be the 40 hour work week and taking more time off. And I want to set a good example for you guys. I don’t want you to think your dream isn’t possible because you can’t work as much as I do. You don’t HAVE to work as much as I do. I don’t have to work as much as I do! So I’ll keep you posted on that. And if you need a website but have no idea how to get started, go to https://www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/5day and sign up for the 5 Day Website Challenge and learn how to create a website for your side hustle. And if already have a website and you want to learn how to get traffic to it, go to www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com and sign up for my free 6-part mini-course that’ll walk you through how to get started getting targeted traffic to your website.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Carrie Smith Nicolson. Carrie’s been blogging since 2011, and in October of 2018, she sold her first blog, carefulcents.com for nearly six figures! And she’s on the show today to share with you exactly how she did it. Today we’re talking about: Why Carrie decided to start a personal finance blog when there were already a lot of personal finance blogs out there. The steps she took to quit her day job two years in and start blogging full time. Unconventional strategies Carrie used to grow her audience. Exactly how Carrie monetized her blog. How she came up with the idea to sell her blog, how she found a buyer, decided on the price and what she put in her sales contract. Blog growth strategies that Carrie’s most successful 6 and 7 figure clients are using. The most important thing to make sure you include in your blog. What pillar content is and how to use it to your advantage. Carrie’s advice if you’re struggling to get traction with your blog. The beliefs Carrie had to change about herself to get where she is today. Before we dive in, what’s crazy to me is that when I was preparing the show notes for this interview I searched my inbox for Carrie’s bio, I found this email thread from 2016 where Carrie writes: “Shannon, I just finished going through your entire Free 5-Day Website Challenge and have completely overhauled my website and membership site: http://www.carefulcents.com/ THANK YOU! This is something that's been on my list for a long time and I'm thrilled that I was finally able to get moving on it.” And then she goes on two years later to sell her blog for almost six figures. Wow. So if you’ve been wavering on whether you should start a blog, or you need a website for your side hustle, or your website frustrates the heck out of you and holds you back, seriously, you need to sign up for my free training - I’ll tell you how at the end of this episode. My favorite quotes from Carrie: “You have to invest in yourself.” “Once you put it out there, even just by thinking it, the universe just brings you the right people.” “If so many people are asking, maybe your experience can help.” “Figure out what you really love - and what you are good at.” “Niche down, you can always expand later.” “I would do stuff that I love, that I’m good at, and that doesn’t tie me to a desk.” “Quitting doesn’t mean failing.” Resources mentioned in this episode: Dave Ramsey Careful Cents (the blog Carrie sold) HashtagColoradoLife Podcast Carrie’s E-book: The Ultimate Guide to Selling a Blog: How to Sell Your Blog for Six Figures and Be Your Own Broker Bio: After being a workaholic in her twenties, Carrie Smith Nicholson became debt free and then quit her job in 2013. During this time, she founded the blog carefulcents.com and grew it into a well-known financial resource. Earlier this year she sold her business for six figures to dedicate more time to growing Hashtag Colorado Life! Over the past 7 years Carrie has worked with companies like Chase, Capital One, FreshBooks, QuickBooks, and many other well-known brands. When she’s not selling blogs and living the #ColoradoLife, Carrie helps her clients with building virtual teams and project management for their online businesses over at https://carrieconsiders.com/. Connect with Carrie: Website: https://carrieconsiders.com/ Instagram: @carrieconsiders

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Matt Baker. He’s the VP of Corporate Strategy and International Expansion at FreshBooks, which makes accounting, bookkeeping and invoicing software to help service providers get paid faster and save time on tedious administrative tasks. Matt’s also super passionate about helping entrepreneurs mitigate the risks associated with going from side hustle to self employed. I’m super pumped to have him on the show - even though we both graduated from colleges that have a huge football rivalry (Go Buckeyes!) - to share some of his insights with you because he’s in the unique position at Freshbooks to have access to a lot of data about challenges faced by people who are self-employed, and what prevents people who really, really want to quit their day jobs and have the freedom, flexibility and financial independence that comes with working for yourself from making the leap. Today we’re talking about: What’s stopping the 20 million Americans who say they want to be self-employed but aren’t taking the leap. A low-risk way to start your business so that you don’t have to jump without a safety net. How to figure out if you are charging too little, and what to do instead. The difference between value-based billing and time-based billing, and which one Matt advises side hustlers use. Matt’s best advice for you if you want to make the jump to self-employed. Matt’s best advice for how you can create a sustainable, long-term business. My favorite quotes from Matt: “You don’t want to price on surviving, you want to price on thriving.” “You have to know how to go out and find your own clients.” Resources mentioned in this episode: Freshbooks All-In-One Small Business Invoicing and Accounting Solution Ep. 228: How to Price Your Products & Services with Paul Klein of Pricing is Positioning Breaking the Time Barrier E-book Connect with Matt: Freshbooks Website LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bakermatthew/ Bio: Matt Baker is a money strategist and business coach who’s passionate about helping entrepreneurs solve their most challenging problems. As VP of Corporate Strategy and International Expansion at FreshBooks, Matt is helping millions of self-employed pro’s grow their businesses and get paid faster. As a reformed management consultant and ex-Google strategist, Matt loves asking the tough questions that lead to tipping points in business. When he’s not helping businesses grow, you’ll find him teaching a Change Management course at UC Berkeley or giving back via his seat as a board member at the Next Step Learning Center, an adult literacy program based in Oakland.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Emily Walker of the Course Wellness Podcast. Emily is a learning designer and podcaster who is dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs like us to create transformative online programs for our communities. Emily and I met on a tech panel we did for the Rebel Boss Summit all about online course tech, and her approach to online course creation makes so much sense and is unlike anything else I see and hear from the experts I follow online. That’s why I’m so excited to have her on the show not only to share her business journey but also to share her thoughts on adult learning design and online course creation. Especially for side hustlers - because as we all know, your time is your most precious asset when you have a full-time job, and online courses are one of the best investments of your time because they are scalable, meaning you can serve an exponential number of people in the same amount of time. But creating a great online course that gets results for your students isn’t a given, and that’s where Emily comes in. Today we’re talking about: How Emily discovered a major gap in the online business world and realized she had the perfect skillset to fill it. Why your online course shouldn’t be focused on you and what you know (and what to focus on instead). Why less is more when it comes to your online course. The one thing you must know about your audience to create a successful online course. How this one small shift in your sales language can make a big impact. Ways you can ensure your students’ success. How to pick the best online course platform for your course. What to do if you are feeling intimidated by all the course creation tech. How to market yourself if you don’t like writing blog posts. How Emily avoids overworking and manages her daily priorities. Emily’s advice if you’re struggling to grow your online course. The two beliefs Emily had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Emily: “Get it out there, start changing people’s lives with your information.” “Create a dialogue with your people, ask them what they want, ask them what they need, ask them how they like to learn.” “It’s more important to share things with the world and share with people then to have something completely perfect.” “In an online business we can always make changes, we can always pivot and grow.” From one of Emily’s mentors to her: “100% perfect but trapped in your head isn’t helping anyone.” Resources mentioned in this episode: Emily’s website - www.modernleaderscollective.com Reina + Co The Course Wellness Podcast Bio: Emily Walker is a leader, learning designer, and workshop facilitator from beautiful Victoria, British Columbia. Emily is the foundress of the Modern Leaders Collective, where she guides heart-centred and soul-fuelled entrepreneurs to create transformative online programs for their people. Working with a diverse range of clients, from life-changing business coaches, to best-selling authors, to seven figure mindset queens, Emily combines her signature framework for designing learning with the tools for the necessary inner work so that you can say goodbye to low completion rates and hello to empowering transformation. When she’s not leading workshops or new content for her community, Emily can be found hanging out in yoga pants with her two kitties and her partner, dreaming of their next trip to France. Connect with Emily: Website: www.modernleaderscollective.com Instagram: @modernleadersco Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/modernleadersco/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/modernleadersco  

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Kim Wensel from the Pattern of Purpose Podcast. Kim is a brand strategist who helps entrepreneurs and small businesses learn to speak their clients’ language so that they can connect with their ideal audience. So funny story - Kim and I had an interview scheduled a week before this one - and I was having one of those weeks… You know, where everything that can go wrong does? It was just that kind of a week.  So Kim and I get on our call and I can see her but I can’t hear her so after a bunch of troubleshooting, I restart Zoom, and we get it working, and we dive into one of the most compelling and inspiring interviews I’ve done… and then…. I realize that I didn’t hit record. Ugh. My heart sank and at that point, we decided to just reschedule instead of starting over.  So what you’re hearing today is interview #2 with Kim Wensel, which lucky for me, we got to spend even more time getting to know each other and I’m super excited to introduce to Kim. Her journey to self-employment is super inspiring! Today we’re talking about: Kim’s side hustle journey and her quest to find work that lights her up (instead of burning her out). Why your first side hustle doesn’t have to be your last, and how to pivot when things don’t feel right. Why it’s important not to try to avoid the messy middle. How to set yourself and your business apart in a saturated market Three key things to practice to set yourself up for side hustle success. Why money is the least important factor in how you design your business (and what to focus on instead). How to effectively speak to your ideal client. Why having a solid vision in your business is critical to your success (and how to start crafting one). The one belief Kim had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Kim: “You really can’t compare where you are in your business to others.” “You can have some patience while still having drive.” “Set yourself apart by providing an absolutely mind blowing experience for your clients.” “It’s better to have a no than to have a yes and feel like you are being taken advantage of at every turn.” On not charging enough: “I thought that if people paid me more, they would have exponentially higher expectations of me.” “Nobody is going to see your genius if you can’t talk about it.” Resources mentioned in this episode: Kim’s website - https://www.patternofpurpose.com/ The 4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss Pattern of Purpose Podcast Bio: Kim Wensel is a brand strategist for entrepreneurs who want to position their business as the go-to in their industry. She helps them move from guessing what their audience is looking for to having a deep understanding of their needs, resulting in polished, powerful brand messaging. In a world with a template for everything, Kim focuses on immersive engagements with her clients, drawing out their voice and highlighting what makes their brand truly unique. When she’s not wordsmithing, she can be found playing the 3-marker challenge with her two kids or planning her next adults-only getaway with her husband. Connect with Kim: Website: https://www.patternofpurpose.com/ Instagram: @pattern_ofpurpose and @kimwensel Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/patternofpurpose/

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my August 2019 Income Report! Every month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my online business and reveal exactly how much money I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! Important things that happened in August I decided to stop taking 1:1 web design clients for at least 6 months, maybe longer. I continued working on my “Jumpstart Your Website Traffic” evergreen course. I released a private member podcast for my Website Marketing Lab Students. I moved all my websites from my good ol’ Bluehost Shared Hosting to their WP Pro Optimize WordPress hosting. I booked a photographer to get new brand photos taken for the first time since 2016! I redesigned my Website Marketing Lab, Web Designer Academy + individual courses dashboards. “The how presents itself once the commitment is made.” Corrine Crabtree Review of my goals My target revenue goal is $15,000 a month. My minimum baseline is to make around $2500 to cover my normal monthly expenses, I set aside $2500 a month for taxes, I pay myself $5,000 a month and I want to build up a reserve so that I can invest in my team, give myself a raise, have a cushion to cover the ebbs and flows of revenue and eventually cover my husband’s salary. So my minimum baseline is $10,000 a month, and as I mentioned in my income report last month, I want to hit that first $15,000 month by March of 2020. So with that, here’s how much money I made in August of 2019. Total Revenue: $12,243.69 Affiliate Income: $2381.30 Courses: $3574.39 Done For You & Consulting: $6288.00 Total Expenses: $1953.78 Get the full breakdown of income, expenses and net profit month by month here.   Net Profit: $10,289.91   Biggest Lessons Learned So I’d mentioned in my July income report that I’d cleared my schedule to work on content and that I only kept a few pre-scheduled meetings and blocked my calendar from anything else being scheduled. And let me tell you, it felt like a vacation. Even though I worked every single day, weekends included, it did not feel like work at all. It was invigorating. Because I was making my own schedule, setting my own priorities, and having full control and flexibility over my days. And that’s why I started this business in the first place! If you’ve been around here any amount of time, you know that my business is about 50% scalable income through affiliate revenue and courses, and 50% time-for-money through consulting and 1:1 web design work. And back in February and March, I’d gone through Nathalie Lussier’s AccessAlly advocate training to get certified to be listed on her website as someone approved by their company to build membership sites and online courses for their AccessAlly customers. And that led to a TON of new client inquiries and opportunities to work on some really cool projects… And also a ton of drama in my mind. Because my calendar starting getting booked again with tons of meetings. I started waking up with major anxiety on all the things I had to get done that day.  I started working every evening and weekend and saying no to spending time with family and friends because I needed time to get my stuff done. I’d had a few meetings with a potential client with a really big and lucrative project.  They had outgrown their current course platform and wanted to move to AccessAlly. And just a side note to those of you who want to build an online course someday…  Consider starting on a platform that can grow with you. Plug and play platforms like Teachable and Thinkific are great for your budget when you’re starting out, but know that you’ll pay the piper when it comes time to move because it’s not easy. There’s a LOT of moving pieces involved. Anyway, I had several meetings with this client to understand their needs and fully spec out their project and give them an estimate, and as I was calculating the number of hours it would take me, and then looking at my calendar to see where I’d fit this project in, I realized that in order to get it done in their requested timeline of 2 months one - it just wouldn’t be possible without me bringing on a team and getting them up to speed, two, I would have to press pause on my entire business for 2 months and focus exclusively on this client. And if I didn’t bring in help, I’d need to press pause on my business for 4 months. And deep down in my gut, I didn’t want to do it. But I thought, “You know, I need to still give a proposal, and I just need to put a price on it that would make it worth it to me to do it. And then I just delay my Website Marketing Lab and Web Designer Academy launches, or I can just fit my stuff in on the evenings and weekends.” And in that moment, I realized that I’d made the scalable revenue side of my business my side hustle, and prioritized the instant gratification and relief that comes with getting that first deposit from a client in my bank account.  It was the same fear that prevented me from quitting my day job in the first place. Why do I keep telling myself that I want to grow the scalable revenue side of my business, the side that I love, that doesn’t feel like work, that gives me total freedom, and yet my actions are to continue to take on 1:1 clients and treat my stuff as my side hustle? So I made the decision to let this particular client know that I wouldn’t be submitting a proposal because I wouldn’t be able to meet their timeline and give their project the undivided attention it would need to be successful. I updated my sales page for my 1:1 web design package to notify people that I’m not accepting projects until February of 2020 and directed them to my Web Designer Academy Expert Directory. I updated my Acuity Scheduling availability to accept consultations to 1 hour a week (and after a conversation with Rana Rosen in Episode 249, I realized that by doing that, I left the door cracked open JUST a little bit to breaking my commitment to myself.  And then I did last week’s interview with Amy Eaton, Episode 251, all about her journey from freelance photographer, trading her time for money to creating a massively successful online course teaching makers how to take photos of their products. It was an amazing interview. We talked about how you have to be crystal clear on what you want, and how we both wanted freedom more than anything else and that’s why we do what we do. And then she said that she made the decision to stop taking clients so that she could focus on growing her scalable revenue, and when she got inquiries, she’d say “I’m not taking any new clients right now…” and to me, those sounded like magical words. I’d never thought of saying them before. Because it still leaves the option open for me to make a different decision should I want to. And then she said something at the end of our interview about how she had to stop playing small.  You can go back and listen to it - it was SO GOOD, but in that moment I realized that by continuing to accept 1:1 web design clients so that I didn’t have to feel the fear of maybe not making enough money - I was playing small.  By not going all in on the scalable income side of my business and always having one foot in client work and one foot in my courses, I’m keeping myself safe. I’m staying small and not taking any risks. I’ve been crystal clear on what I’ve wanted from the moment I started this business, but I keep cheating on my dream every time I accept a new client project. So in August, I made a decision.  I’m not taking any new clients right now. I worked on finishing up the ones I have, and I started sending new inquiries to my Web Designer Academy grads who are listed in my expert directory.  And starting in September, I’m focusing exclusively on marketing my Free 5 Day Website Challenge, my free Jumpstart your Website Traffic Mini Course, and opening the doors to my Web Designer Academy twice a year instead of once, and doing consistent promotions for my Website Marketing Lab. It really feels like I quit my day job again. I’m cutting the cord and letting go of that security of the big payday to go all in on marketing myself and growing my audience. And I’m 100% confident that I have the right system, strategies and support in place to do it. So if you want to follow this new chapter of my journey, including all the wins and mistakes I make along the way, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so that you don’t miss an episode. Thanks so much for listening, and I’ll see you right here next week with my guest Kim Wensel from the Pattern of Purpose Podcast all about how to pivot to find your purpose. And if you need a website but have no idea how to get started, go to https://www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/5day and sign up for the 5 Day Website Challenge and learn how to create a website for your side hustle. And if already have a website and you want to learn how to get traffic to it, go to www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com and sign up for my free 6-part mini-course that’ll walk you through how to get started getting targeted traffic to your website.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Amy Eaton of AmyTakesPictures.com Amy is a photographer-turned-educator who teaches makers + Etsy sellers how to DIY their own gorgeous product photos. I was connected to Amy by my team member and right hand woman Laura who also works with Amy, and she kept telling me “You gotta get her on the podcast, she’s awesome!”  And you guys, I’m SO glad I did because Amy had a TON of fantastic advice for you guys to help you grow, and she’s the perfect example of someone who took a service traditionally done one on one that required her time and physical presence - and turned it into a scalable business that doesn’t require her to be there to run. Not only that - my conversation with Amy was another transformational one for me where I had the realization that I’ve been playing it small in my business and that it’s time to make some big changes… More on that later. Today we’re talking about: How Amy took her skills and created an online course to teach photography to non-techie product makers. Amy’s journey from side hustle to self employed, why she then went back to corporate and what ultimately made her go all in and take her photography business full-time. The one thing that’s more important to the success of your business than anything else. What Amy did after her business failed. Exactly how Amy built her audience and her email list. The power in knowing your numbers. Why you should ask yourself what you really want out of your business. Why to avoid focusing on what you offer, and what to focus on instead. How playing small might be holding you back, and how to start playing it big. Amy’s advice for you if you’re struggling to get traction in your side hustle. The one belief Amy had to change about herself to get where she is today. And just one more thing before we dive in - we unfortunately had a really spotty connection for our interview - but our conversation was SO GOOD I didn’t want to stop and reschedule because sometimes, you lose the magic of that first connection, you know what I mean? There is so much actionable and inspiring stuff in this interview that I hope you’ll give me a pass on the audio - I did my best to clean it up for you guys… but shocker, I’m not a professional sound engineer!! Okay, so let’s go ahead and dive into my interview with Amy Eaton of AmyTakesPictures.com My favorite quotes from Amy: “What strategy do you bring that’s unique to you that's going to transform the people you serve?” “You can create the best thing in the world but if nobody knows about it, it doesn’t matter.” “Helping people is important to my life, it feeds my soul.” “Persevere until you have nothing left and then keep going more.” So I mentioned in our intro that my conversation with Amy was another transformational one for me where I had the realization that I’ve been playing it small in my business and that it’s time to make some big changes…  And I realized that it’s finally time for me to press pause on taking one on one web design clients and focus exclusively on my signature programs, the Website Marketing Lab and the Web Designer Academy. I’ve been scared to do it, because the one on one jobs are my security blanket. They’re my steady paycheck.  But my goal from day one has always been to make 100% of my revenue from scalable sources - my courses.  And talking to Amy solidified what I’ve known for a long time… I’m not spending my time on my goal. I’m spending 80% of my time on client work, which brings in 50% of my revenue. I spend 20% of my time on marketing my own business, which brings in 50% of my revenue. Imagine what I can do if I shift how I’m spending my time to my own business? So I did it. I made the decision to stop accepting one on one clients for at least the next 6 months and focus on growing my audience and marketing my courses. It honestly feels like I made the decision to quit my day job again. I’m having all kinds of deja vu over here... But I’ve been playing small for a long time, and thanks to conversations on this show with people like Amy, I’m ready to start playing big. So stay tuned! Amy is hosting a free 5 day challenge to help makers get better product photos in just 5 days from September 23rd - 27th.  Registration for 5 Days To Better Product Photos is now open at www.amytakespictures.com/challenge.    Resources mentioned in this episode: www.amytakespictures.com The Startup Podcast: Pirate Needs Pirate Snap, Sell, Succeed Course Bio: Amy is a photographer and educator with over 10 years of experience in this wild world of chasing light and creating images. As a product photographer, she's worked with handmade and product-based sellers for several years, and now empowers makers to take their own beautiful product images through her signature program Snap, Sell, Succeed.  After side hustling (and struggling) for several years, Amy was able to finally break free from her day job and launch her online product photography courses for makers. Within two years, Amy has achieved her status as a six-figure entrepreneur and reached two major goals - knowing she'll never have to return to her day job again, and being able to replace her husband's income as well, which allowed him to leave his full-time job as well. They now work from home together, growing their business and raising their two young children. Amy's work has been featured on podcasts an publications, such as Handmade Seller Magazine, Maker Academy, Heart Soul & Hustle, Being Boss, and Happily Ever Crafter. Connect with Amy: Website: amytakespictures.com Instagram: @amy.takes.pictures Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amyeatonphotography Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/amyeatonphoto/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/amyeaton

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Dr. Cortney Baker of the Women in Business podcast. Dr. Cortney’s mission is to equip the next generation of women leaders to start and scale successful service-based businesses in her efforts to help achieve gender equality at the C-Suite level. Guests like Dr. Cortney are one of the reasons I absolutely love doing this podcast, because they bring me new perspectives that I hadn’t considered before.  My conversation with Dr. Cortney made me take a hard look at something really uncomfortable for me that I’d totally been avoiding looking at in my business. And today she’s sharing with us 3 tough-love secrets to help you transition from side hustler to CEO (and why you absolutely can call yourself the CEO of your business). Today we’re talking about: Why Dr. Cortney decided to leave her day job to start her own business and the challenges she had to overcome to grow it to 8 figures. Why there’s “no such thing as passive income where you go to bed broke and wake up a millionaire.” Why she’s so passionate about helping millennial women create sustainable service-based businesses. Why “following your passion” is bad advice and what to do instead. Exactly what need to know about your business in order to be successful. The most important thing to guard in your life so that you can have a bigger impact. What superpower you can cultivate to ensure your success. When you’re allowed to call yourself “CEO”. The one belief Dr. Cortney had to change about herself to get where she is today. One more thing before we dive in - Dr. Cortney is holding a free training TODAY, September 11, 2019 on her 5 Step Framework to Building Your Profitable Service-Based Business all about how to replace your salary in 6 months or less without burning out, hiring a big team, or dealing with the confusion of doing it all alone. You can sign up for her free training at https://www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/ceo. And if you’re listening to this after the webinar is over be sure to head over to Dr. Cortney’s website to get on her list to find out about the next one and grab her 10 secrets you need to know before starting a service-based business - which you can get your hands on at https://www.drcortneybaker.com/10secrets. Okay, let’s dive into my interview with Dr. Cortney Baker of the Women in Business podcast! My favorite quotes from Dr. Cortney: “There is no such thing as passive income where you go to bed broke and wake up a millionaire.” “Solve a problem that pisses you off.” “I didn’t look at quitting as optional.” “It’s not your why, it’s your because. I do this for my daughters because they are worth it.” “Surround yourself with people who will breathe life into your dreams.” My goal in my heart is to see women in business succeed.” Resources mentioned in this episode: Women in Business Podcast Dr. Cortney’s Side Hustle to CEO Facebook Group www.cortneybaker.com “10 Secrets Female Entrepreneurs Must Know” freebie www.fromsidehustletoceo.com Connect with Dr. Cortney: Instagram: @drcortneybaker Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drcortneybaker/ Twitter: @cortneyabaker LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cortneybaker/

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Rana Rosen of Henceforth Consulting for creatives and leaders in career transition. I met Rana because we both actually used the same branding company, Braid Creative, and Rana reached out to me for a consultation as she was making the decision on whether to hire a web designer or DIY. And you guys know me - I’m all about helping you make the right decision for YOU, so Rana and I didn’t end up working together on her website, but we totally connected on a deeper level during our conversations, and so I invited her on the show to share her story with you. I know a lot of you, maybe not all of you, are starting side hustles because you want something different than the 9-5 grind. You’re in a transitional period, and maybe you’re not 100% on leaving your day job or making a total career change, but you want to make a change that gives you more freedom and more control - and that’s what Rana’s all about helping her clients do - become independent. And during our interview, she totally helped me shift the way I think about myself in my business. I’ve always described myself being “self-employed”, but Rana describes herself as being an “independent” and that really resonated with me because the words we use to describe ourselves - even in our own minds - are so powerful. Employee to me means I’m beholden to someone else - and it’s funny because I’ll have friends ask me if I can take an afternoon off and do this or that, and I’m always like, I can’t, I gotta do this, I gotta do that...but independent means I’m free. I’m free to rearrange my schedule if I choose, or I’m free to say no because I choose to do what I planned that day. It’s a subtle difference, but it totally changes my energy and how I show up in my work! Today we’re talking about: How Rana went out on her own as a consultant for organizations and started a side hustle helping with resumes. Why you should take action, even if you aren't 100% ready. How to look at your skills instead of your jobs to figure out what kind of side hustle to create. Why you don’t have to create a full-blown online business as a side hustle. How to create stability while retaining freedom. How to get more comfortable taking bigger risks. The one belief Rana had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Rana: “Every step of the way, I would move mountains to continue to take on the work that I want to take on and grow in the direction I want to grow.” “I love the freedom of chasing my own growth and challenges.” “I feel like I have more stability than ever because no one can fire me from this.” “By putting yourself out there and contributing what uniquely are good at is a way to create the stability. You become known for that and no one can take that from you.” “Sometimes what is most unique about us are the things we take for granted because the come so natural.” Resources Mentioned in this episode: Rana’s consulting business, Henceforth Seth Godin The Ted Interview Podcast On Being Podcast Wave Accounting Typeform Paul Jarvis Brene Brown Elizabeth Gilbert Esther Perel Dr. Shefali Tsabary More About Rana: Rana Rosen is the founder of Henceforth. She’s a facilitator, writer and communications designer. The company grew out of Rana’s background in business—across strategic planning, HR and marketing (consulting and internal roles)—and journalism. The work grew through word of mouth from 2010 and since then Henceforth’s method organically took shape. Learn more about the Henceforth Signature method here.  

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my July 2019 Income Report! Every month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my online business and reveal exactly how much money I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! Important things that happened in July I set a goal to complete all course content creation for the rest of 2019. I launched the all-new 2019 Free 5 Day Website Challenge I created a companion workbook for my Free 5 Day Website Challenge. I booked two new clients Review of my goals My target revenue goal is $15,000 a month. My minimum baseline is to make around $2500 to cover my normal monthly expenses, I set aside $2500 a month for taxes, I pay myself $5,000 a month and I want to build up a reserve so that I can invest in my team, give myself a raise, have a cushion to cover the ebbs and flows of revenue and eventually cover my husband’s salary. So my minimum baseline is $10,000 a month, and as I mentioned in my income report last month, I want to hit that first $15,000 month by March of 2020. What I focused on in July So I pretty much cleared my schedule of as many meetings as possible in July so that I could give my undivided attention to creating content. And I had a massive amount of content to create. I recorded nearly 100 modules inside the Free 5 Day Website Challenge with tutorials for two hosting companies, two email service providers and three different themes - plus an entirely new dashboard and design. I wrote a 300-page companion workbook with step by step instructions that’s available for purchase inside the Free 5 Day Website Challenge that my students had been asking me to create FOR YEARS. I recorded the final 6 marketing experiments for my Website Marketing Lab students, and held a live pricing workshop for my Web Designer Academy students because I needed to update that module. I pretty much put the brakes on any meetings except for pre-scheduled client meetings, podcast interviews and web design consultations. And by the 2nd week in July I’d launched my new free 5 Day Website Challenge, and by the 3rd week in July I released the workbook, and the 4th week I spent tying up loose ends on both of those and recording those Website Marketing Lab experiments. Total Revenue: $12,291.81 Affiliate Income: $1,636.70 Courses: $5156.11 Done For You & Consulting: $5499 Total Expenses: $2850.68 Get the full breakdown of income, expenses and net profit month by month here. Net Profit: $9441.13 Biggest Lessons Learned Last month, I said my biggest lesson learned was to keep doing what I’m doing. This month, my biggest lesson learned is that when you listen to what people want and create what they ask for and not what you think they want, that it pays off. The 5 Day Challenge Workbook generated over $2000 in revenue over a weekend. That’s a huge win. And totally worth the hours I put into it. The other lesson I learned is that it’s okay to clear my schedule to work on my own stuff, and that I’m way more productive and efficient when I batch it all together like that. But the final thing I realized is that I’m actually done creating content for awhile. When I first started my business and creating the Free 5 Day Website Challenge, I launched immediately into creating a marketing course called WPOMG (Operation Marketing Genius - because I was trying to play off the BFF theme and be clever) but no one asked for it, and no one bought it. Then I changed it to the BFF Academy and added a few more courses, and I had some sales, but not many and again, it’s because I made what I thought people needed next, not what they wanted. Then I turned that into the Serious Side Hustlers membership, because I was in transition from side hustle to self employed and added a few more modules, and then I finally did a survey and found out that most of my audience didn’t think it was for them and had no idea it was about marketing. I also launched a course called “Websites That Make Money” which teaches people how to monetize from day 1, but there was still something missing because again, I created what I THOUGHT people needed next, not what they had asked for. So last year I did some surveys, and I discovered that what people want to learn is how to market themselves and be found online. And that’s exactly what every single one of my other attempts taught, but I never presented it that way. And that’s how the Website Marketing Lab was born. And THIS TIME, I actually pre-sold it and went through an entire validation process to make sure it had what people wanted to learn, and made it a step-by-step, super actionable course that wasn’t just learning a bunch of stuff and then being left on your own to figure out how to implement. And it’s doing massively well. Students are getting amazing results. And for all that time, I was in constant course creation mode. And you know what I wasn’t doing? Marketing. I talk to my Website Marketing Lab students about going from Research and Planning Mode to Create Mode to Do Mode. Research and planning is when you’re taking all the free trainings and webinars you can get your hands on, and maybe you even buy courses and actually get into them and watch the trainings. It seems like you’re doing a lot, but you’re not getting any results from it because you’re just stuck there. You never move to doing the work or making the thing. Some people move on to making the thing, but that’s where they stop. They build the website, they write all the blog posts, they set up their freebie. But they never “Launch”. They think they have to have all their ducks in a row and then they’ll plan this big “launch” but they have no audience to launch to so they get stuck in confusion and overwhelm and in create mode. Or if you’re like me, you create, create, create but you never do the work to find out if what you’re creating is anywhere close to what you should be creating. You want to skip ahead to the end where the money tree grows so you can feel the relief of everything being okay. That money tree doesn’t exist, by the way. You gotta just move from Create Mode to Do Mode. Stop working on the website, stop working on the blog posts, stop building the course that no one has asked for because you don’t have an audience yet, and start doing the work to build your audience. And Do Mode is really uncomfortable. Because now you have to put yourself out there. You have to share what you’ve created. You have to talk to other people. You worry they might say things like “Who do you think you are to teach me how to build a website? Show me your computer science degree and your extensive portfolio of uber-professional websites for millionaire business owners and MAYBE then I’ll take your free training.” But here’s the secret I’ve learned. Do Mode is where we learn the most. Do Mode is where we learn what we’re made of. It’s where we get to connect with the people we want to serve and find out how we can REALLY help them. It’s where we find out that our worst fears about ourselves either aren’t true, or that if it happens we can handle it. It’s where we stop using the excuse that we don’t have enough time or we’re overwhelmed and we just get to work. And it’s where we feel the fear and do it anyway. And Do Mode is where we get actually feedback from people who are actual potential customers and we can go back into Create Mode armed with real data about what our ideal client needs instead of creating from a place of fear and insecurity and doubt. I finally was in a Create Mode driven by data instead of “that last thing sucked, maybe this will work”. And now it’s time for me to get back into Do Mode and put it all out there. I’m Shannon, I can teach you to build a kickass website and I can show you how to market it too so that you can have whatever it is that you want out of life too. So if you’ve been stuck in research and planning mode for too long, it’s time to get to work and start creating. If you’ve been stuck in create mode, it’s time to give yourself a deadline to move into Do Mode. And if you want someone to hold your hand through all 3 phases, well, I’m your girl. Sign up for my free mini-course, “Jumpstart Your Website Traffic” at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/jumpstart So that’s it for my July income report. I’m getting reading to shift into full DO MODE for the rest of the year, so you’ll be seeing a lot of me! And if you or someone you know needs a website for your side hustle but you have no idea how to get started, then sign up for the free 5 Day Website Challenge where I walk you through the whole process step by step. You can sign up at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Autumn Witt Boyd of the Legal Roadmap® Podcast where she teaches business owners how to protect their rights and stay out of legal hot water. I’m so excited to have Autumn on the show today because ever since I heard her on the Being Boss Podcast back in 2016, I’ve been listening to her show and recommending it to my community because I think it’s so important to be knowledgeable and empowered when it comes to the legal and financial aspects of our businesses. So if you’ve ever worried that you don’t know what you don’t know when it comes to the legal aspects of your business, you’re not gonna wanna miss this episode! Today we’re talking about: How Autumn transitioned from a traditional law firm to starting a virtual law firm specializing in copywriting, trademarks and contracts How Autumns husband helped push her to start her own business Some challenges Autumn faced when she first started out Why Autumn started a podcast to help market her services Why it’s so important to have a contract in place with your clients Some key items to include in your contract The three searches you should be doing when you pick your business name Strategies and tactics Autumn has used to grow her business The importance of relationship building How Autumn started to leverage digital products in her business Resources for doing it yourself. Autumn’s advice for someone who is struggling to move forward in their side hustle The one belief Autumn had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Autumn: “If you are a service provider who works 1:1 especially at a higher level or on bigger projects, don’t forget that it really is a people business and that is what will bring better clients to you” “The more you can talk to people the more you will learn what people actually need to know, what questions they are asking, what they need help with” Resources Mentioned in this episode: Write Your Own Contract: 5 Terms Your Contract Should Include Autumn’s Contract Templates for Freelancers + Online Business Owners* The Legal Roadmap® Podcast Legal Advice for Creatives on the Being Boss Podcast Legal Protection for Your Online Business Business - Build Your Tribe with Chalene Johnson Podcast Like a Boss United States Patent and Trademark Office Name Checkr Mastermind Dinners* Book More About Autumn: Autumn is an award-winning intellectual property lawyer and AWB Firm founder who helps ambitious business owners like you. Autumn is licensed to practice law in Tennessee and focuses her practice primarily in intellectual property and business matters for entrepreneurs. Autumn helps online influencers including Amy Porterfield, Chalene Johnson's131 Method, Corinne Crabtree of the Losing 100 Lbs podcast, and many more, protect their brands and avoid costly legal mistakes while scaling their businesses. When it comes to intellectual property and business strategies, Autumn is known as a thought leader in the online business community, frequently speaking at conferences, seminars, workshops, and appearing as a guest on podcasts hosted by other experts and business owners. Autumn has been named a “Best Lawyer” in the area of Litigation-Intellectual Property, and a “Super Lawyer” for in the category of Top-Rated Intellectual Property Lawyer, Rising Star, by her peers.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Laura Pennington Briggs of the Better Biz Academy, a former teacher turned freelance writer, entrepreneur, coach, and public speaker. She is a two-time TEDx speaker and the author of “How to Start Your Own Freelance Writing Business”, published by Entrepreneur Press. Today we’re talking about: How Laura started a side hustle as a freelance writer. Exactly how she shifted her business model from one time projects to repeat retainer clients. How she grew her side hustle while working full time. How she built a 6-figure business - without having a website! Why Laura pivoted to coaching freelancers, and exactly how she did it. How Laura went from knowing absolutely nothing about writing a book to getting published with Entrepreneur Press (and her advice for you if you want to do something totally new that you’ve never done before). Laura’s advice for someone who is struggling to get traction in their side hustle The one belief Laura had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Laura: “Whatever your dream is, start putting yourself in the world of those people.” “As business owners, we hold the power to change anything.” “It’s equally valuable to know, “I don’t want to do this kind of project” as it is to say “this is my dream project”. Resources Mentioned in this episode: Better Biz Academy Advanced Freelancing Podcast Start Your Own Freelance Writing Business - The Complete Guide to Starting and Scaling from Scratch* Book TedX Talk - The Future is Freelancing Mastering Your Freelance Life with Laura - Facebook Group More About Laura: Laura is a freelance writer and entrepreneur who threw out her entire business model at the end of 2015 because she was was sick of working on unfulfilling contracts and outsourcing my work to subcontractors - a process that seemed to add far more work and frustration. Instead of continuing down Burnout Boulevard, she fired half her clients and kicked off the new year with some commitments: one of which was to only work with clients and subcontractors who allowed her to grow my business the way she wanted to. You can learn about Laura here. Connect with Laura: Twitter - @sixfigurewriter Facebook - The Freelance Coach Pinterest - Six Figure Writing Secrets Instagram @authorlaurabriggs  

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! ​My guest today is Jason Resnick of the Live in the Feast and Ask Rezzz podcasts that help freelancers take action ON their business to build recurring revenue. I was introduced to Jason by Carrie Dils, another web developer that I interviewed back in Episode 210 all about how to be a fearless freelancer. She reached out to me and recommended I invite Jason on the show because she thought you guys would benefit from what he has to say about freelancing and side hustling, and I’m so glad that she did because our conversation was eye-opening for me! A web developer by trade, Jason’s focused solely on WordPress for several years now - and he loves WordPress for the same reason I do - it’s gives us total freedom as web developers to create whatever we can imagine - but more importantly, it works really well on the backend for our clients. Jason believes that a rising tide raises all boats, and he’s super active in the WordPress and freelancer communities, and he’s committed to helping freelancers and web designers build a business that stays out of the feast and famine cycle. Today we’re talking about: Jason’s transition from side-hustle to self-employed. How Jason helps freelancers figure out who their ideal client is - and isn’t! Jason’s advice for how to get customers when you are just starting out and how to generate recurring revenue. How to set yourself apart as a freelancer. Why what you do is the least important thing you can communicate to your potential clients, and what to do instead. How Jason packaged his expertise to help other freelancers be successful. Why it’s important to get out of your comfort zone. Jason’s best advice for you if you’re struggling to get traction in your side hustle. The one belief Jason had to change about himself to get where he is today. My favorite quotes from Jason: You have got to niche down, you’ve got to specialize a little bit so you are talking to a singular person, solving a singular problem. Inject your own personality into what you do each and every single day. Resources Mentioned in this episode: Jason’s website - rezzz.com Feast Membership + Community Live in the Feast Podcast Ask Rezz Podcast Connect with Jason: Twitter: Best place to connect Instagram: BTS + Life LinkedIn: All about business Facebook: I'm told I need to be  

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my June 2019 Income Report! Every month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my online business and reveal exactly how much money I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! Important things that happened in June I continued the personal habits that I’ve been working on, like weekly meal prep, daily journaling and planning. I executed 4 Partnerships (Elevate, Rebel Boss + ConvertKit) I pitched no new partners (on purpose!!) I spent one full week on a project for my old employer. I recorded 4 new podcast episodes with some really awesome people. I created a new inbox + Facebook notification management strategy I continued creating the content for the Website Marketing Lab course. I started recording the content for the new Free 5 Day Website Challenge Notes I found to myself in my planner: You are booked out this week. You are booked out this week. Review of my goals When I quit my day job, I had a goal of generating $10,000 a month in revenue so that I could pay myself $5,000, have $2500 for business expenses and $2500 for taxes. Last month I hit my revenue goal, and my expenses were less than $2500 and I was so excited because I want to give myself a raise by the end of this year, and I eventually want to cover my husband’s salary. Not that he’d ever quit his job and come work with me… but hey, you never know! So there are two ways I can do that - increase my revenue, and reduce my expenses. I’m actually working on both, and my goal is to have my first $15,000 month by March of 2020. What I focused on in June So back in May, I’d opened up the doors to my Website Marketing Lab again - it’s my signature course where I teach online business owners how to market themselves and get traffic to their websites and in June, I was continuing to create tech tutorials for the tech library that’s included in the training, and to host my weekly Live Q&A where I work with the student one-on-one to help them focus, overcome obstacles and keep taking action. I also continue to contract with my former employer, which is super fun because I get to spend time with one of my former colleagues who is a blast, and we actually spent about 6 full days together on a Zoom meeting just hammering out a project together. I enjoyed it, but it took a lot of time away from all the things I do in the business, like marketing, partnerships, content creation, client work… So I totally got behind on my inbox, and Facebook notifications from all the groups I managed, and so I spent an afternoon and played what I call the Inbox Game, where I start at the very bottom and work my way up, and I can’t skip around and I have to Do, Dump or Delegate every single task in my inbox - which means if I gotta spend 15 minutes to do whatever task is in that email so I can respond, it gets done right then and there. And I win when I reach inbox zero. So I did, and then I put a system in place with my team member Laura to maintain my inbox. We set up some canned responses she can use to respond to people who ask WordPress questions to direct them to my Facebook group, and we set up colored labels so she could categorize my emails and I could easily see what emails had to-dos in them, needed my response or that she’d already handled, or that were just FYI’s. And then I scheduled from 1PM to 2PM every day to check email and respond to Facebook notifications. And let me tell you, it’s been hard picking up my phone, looking at email and not just quickly replying, but I made a rule for myself because I get sucked into email like some people get sucked into social media… And I think it’s because I have this underlying thought that “there’s money in there” and “people need me” and then down the rabbit hole I go, and before I know it, I’ve spent an hour replying to emails when I should have been working on a client project and now I’ve gotta make that time up after dinner. So that’s been working out really well, and as long as I’m committed to reserving that time every single day, my inbox is manageable. It’s when I don’t get in there for 4 days because I’ve got my head down in a project that it gives me total anxiety. I’ve mentioned to you that I’m in a program called Growth University run by Bryan Harris of GrowthTools (formerly VideoFruit) and one of the things I’m supposed to do is send one pitch a week for a partnership. I intentionally paused that in June and July, because I knew that I would have my head down updating and redesigned the Free 5 Day Website Challenge and completing the final 6 marketing experiments for the Website Marketing Lab. Once those are done - it’s pitch city in this office!! On a personal level, I’d mentioned to you guys a couple of times that I started listening to a podcast called Losing 100 Pounds by Corinne Crabtree back in January and that by May, I’d lost 17 pounds. And for the first time ever it wasn’t a struggle. I’ve done everything Corrine’s said to do on her podcast, and I’ve built some habits like weekly meal prep, planning what I’m going to eat every day before the day starts, and getting all my garbage thoughts out of my head and onto paper and working through them, and at the time I’m recording this, near the end of July, I’m 23 pounds down. So I’m really proud of that, and I finally no longer have to wonder why it is that I’m so on it when it comes to my business but never had it together when it came to my weight. Now I know why that was the case, and I took massive action to fix it, and just like in my business, I won’t stop, and I’ll reach my goal, however long it takes. And even then, I’ll keep doing what I’m doing and leveling up. So I’m telling you that, A) because I’m totally proud of myself and want to toot my own horn, and B) because there is so much life-changing information out there online - for free - and if you just take ACTION on it, you can change your life. That’s exactly why I created my Free 5 Day Website Challenge, because people that take action on that training CHANGE THEIR LIVES and I’m grateful I can contribute to that and repay the universe in a way for all the information I’ve had access to that’s changed my life, like Corinne’s podcast. Okay, enough of the mushiness. Here’s how much money I made and spent in my business in June of 2019: Total Revenue: $9368.71 Affiliate Income: $1913.10 Courses: $2354.00 Done For You & Consulting: $5101.61 Total Expenses: $2163.54 Get the full breakdown of income, expenses and net profit month by month here. Net Profit: $7205.17 Biggest Lessons Learned Honestly, it’s to just keep doing what I’m doing. Keep planning, keep scheduling realistically, keep assessing when the plan breaks down so that I can fix the problems, and just keep showing up. I’ve got big plans for the rest of 2019, and I spent the last week of June and all of July - as you’ll hear in next month’s income report - preparing the groundwork to grow. It’s hard to believe we’re already more than halfway through 2019… where do you want to be by the end of the year? What about by the end of 2020? You totally can do it, and it’s easier than you might think when you get the right systems in place - as I’ve discovered in fitness and in business. Thanks so much for listening, and I’ll see you right here next week! And if you need a website but have no idea how to get started, go to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/5day and sign up for the 5 Day Website Challenge and learn how to create a website for your side hustle.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Liz Fleming, a personal branding and digital marketing strategist who teaches entrepreneurs like us how to successfully tell our stories so we can profit from our passions. I met Liz through another guest on the podcast - Wendy Breakstone from Episode 217 - and even though I’d never spoken to Liz prior to this episode, I felt an instant connection to her story because it felt so similar to mine when you just have that moment where you realize that going to college and getting a job to work for someone else on their terms isn’t what you want for the rest of your life - and then all of the feelings and emotions that come from that realization and then the hard work of moving toward change. But here’s what I want you to take away from that - Liz and I bonded over a shared story. And that’s exactly what she helps her clients do - tell their story in a way that gets their website visitors, their newsletter subscribers and their customers bond with them in an authentic way. Today we’re talking about: Liz’s transition from side-hustle to self-employed. Exactly how she booked her first clients. How Liz figured out what to put in her online course. Liz’s 4-E Formula for how to structure a personal brand. Why you should Google yourself. Why your story is important (even if you think it’s not). Liz’s advice on how to attract your ideal client. How Liz schedules her work day. Liz’s strategy for creating a to-do list you can actually get done. Liz’s best advice for you if you’re struggling to get traction in your side hustle. The one belief Liz had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Liz: “A lot of observation, risk taking and staying education was how I really progressed my craft.” “Know that you’re able, capable, knowledgeable and just believe in that to the fullest.” “Maybe it’s been done before, but it’s never been done by me. That is my value and I need to start believing in myself for others to believe in me too.” “You can’t force your natural creativity. You have to let it develop and the only way to do that is to take care of yourself and trust yourself.” “If you are going to live a life of joy and prosperity then you need to look out for number one, and that is YOU.” Resources Mentioned in this episode: Marie Forleo Charlene Johnson Liz’s Brand in Bloom course Liz’s Freebie: 12 Simple Steps to Create Glowing Social Media Profiles More About Liz: Liz Fleming, a personal branding and digital marketing strategist, helps entrepreneurs successfully tell their stories so they can profit from their passions and live life in full bloom. She does so using her proven framework The 4-E Formula™, a four-step system she designed to help entrepreneurs organically maximize and monetize their exposure, which she shares via one-on-one VIP coaching, training programs like her online course Brand in Bloom™ and group immersion workshops. Throughout her decade long career, after representing both small businesses and multi-million dollar organizations like, The PGA of America, The Republic of Tea, and Walkers Shortbread, she’s found that the key to great marketing is leaning on your imagination to tell your true story well and to listen, connect, and engage with others who do the same: to plant seeds of significance. Her work has been featured by The Rising Tide Society/Honeybook, Legacy Magazine, PGA Magazine, The Scalable CEO Podcast, The Rebel Boss Summit, Launch Brand Grow, and CBS News, and she actively gets her clients featured by The New York Times, Oprah Magazine, Today Show, and many more. Her secret to success? Bloom where you’re planted. Connect with Liz: You can connect with her online at elisabethfleming.com and on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Twitter @mslizfleming  

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Chris Parker, creator of WhatIsMyIPAddress.com, a website that helps internet users with privacy and security. What’s so cool to me about having Chris on the show is that I’ve literally used his website for my entire professional career.  Before I quit my day job to take my web design training business full time, I worked in marketing and IT for a non-profit and for the IT part of my job I’d go to his site to grab our IP address for vendors, for troubleshooting, for all kinds of things.  Yes, I’m a secret nerd. And in case you’re wondering what the heck an IP address is, it’s a nine-digit number that identifies whatever network or wifi you’re computer or phone is connected to. The router you got from your cable company has an IP address, and anything you do from home online is attached to that address. When you connect to wifi at Starbucks, anything you do from there is attached to Starbucks IP address. I actually have sent over 10,000 people to Chris’s website from inside my free web design training to go find out their IP address so that they can enter it into the website security plugin I recommend in the training and whitelist it so that the security plugin doesn’t block them from doing certain things. But anyway, this episode isn’t about the tech, it’s about the person behind the tech, and how a simple website that solved a problem evolved into a 7-figure business. Today we’re talking about: How WhatIsMyIPAddress.com wasn’t even intended to be a side hustle. How Chris earns income while providing a free service. How much traffic you need to be able to make a significant amount of money from display ads. How Chris discovered affiliate marketing, advice for finding affiliate programs for your niche, and things to avoid with affiliate programs. How Chris and his wife made the decision to take the business full time. How Chris strategized to meet his 3, 6 and 9 month revenue goals once he took his side hustle full time. What a typical work day looks like for Chris as a 7-figure business owner. How to be more productive. The one belief Chris had to change about himself to get where he is today. My favorite quotes from Chris: “You’re the guide to their story, not the hero to their story.” “I wanted to maintain quality of life in the process [of building my business].” “I don’t have to figure it all out tomorrow.” Resources Mentioned in this episode: Bench Accounting Built to Sell* The E-Myth More About Chris: Chris Parker is the founder of WhatIsMyIPAddress.com, a tech-friendly website attracting a remarkable 6,000,000 IP-seeking visitors a month. In 2000, Chris Parker created WhatIsMyIPAddress.com as a solution to a seemingly simple problem he faced at the time— finding his employer’s office IP address. When Chris launched his website—initially as a hobby—it attracted thousands of users. As a result, Chris explored ways to grow it as a side-hustle. In 2014, Chris was laid off at his full-time corporate job. Rather than panic and lose focus, he seized the opportunity to devote himself full-time to his website. Today, WhatIsMyIPAddress.com is among the top 3,000 websites in the U.S. Chris enjoys the fruits of his success, generating close to seven figures annually and living the dream of traveling the world with his wife. Chris is currently shaping WhatIsMyIPAddress.com into a resource for those concerned about online privacy, security and freedom. Connect with Chris: WhatIsMyIPAddress https://whatismyipaddress.com/ https://www.facebook.com/whatismyipaddress https://twitter.com/wimia https://www.linkedin.com/company/18200088 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtLYc0W0ZtDaqmi8Fu5gOZw Chris Parker https://www.cgparker.com/ https://twitter.com/chrispcritters https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophergparker/ 

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Brandi Mowles, a Facebook and Instagram ads manager who grew her business from zero to six figures in just 10 months. She started her online business last year as a social media virtual assistant and soon discovered her love and talent for optimizing sales funnels and driving conversions through Facebook ads. Brandi is super passionate about helping service-based entrepreneurs scale to 5-figure months so that they can enjoy the financial and lifestyle freedom that she has earned. What I loved about Brandi - aside from learning a ton about what NOT to do with Facebook Ads - is that she’s so confident in her knowledge and her ability to help businesses be successful. And I think being confident in what you do combined with a great strategy for marketing yourself is the winning combination to being able to grow your side hustle quickly. Today we’re talking about: How Brandi went from being a stay at home mom to building a 6 figure business in just 10 months. Exactly how she found her first virtual assistant clients. How to respond to job postings online in a way that makes you stand out. How Brandi used LinkedIn to get clients. Why Brandi transitioned from being a virtual assistant to a Facebook Ads manager and how she built a reputation for herself as an expert. Why she’d rather spend $3,000 vs. $100 on training. The biggest mistakes people make with Facebook Ads (that I’ve totally made with mine in the past!) The one belief Brandi had to change about herself to get where she is today. That was such an awesome conversation, and I think back to my first 10 months in business and think, ohmigosh there’s no way I would have been able to do what she did. And it’s not because I didn’t have the knowledge or the skill, it’s because was not nearly as confident as Brandi is. But what I know now is that it’s just all in how I was thinking, and I think the biggest reward I’ve gotten from growing my side hustle is the personal growth that comes with it. And as I grow into the person I need to be to handle success, the success appears. So listen, if you’re looking to fast track your side hustle as a service provider to six figures without having to hire a team, Brandi has something special for you. On July 16th and 17th, she will be sharing the 5-figure framework that not only helped her scale to consistent 10K months but can help you do the same! Register for her free training here https://www.brandimowles.com/register My favorite quote from Brandi: “Stop consuming so much content and go market your services. You’re going to learn so much more by doing then by consuming.” Resources Mentioned in this episode: The LinkedIn Code by Melonie Dodaro Rick Mulready James Wedmore Brandi’s LinkedIn Training More About Brandi As a social media VA turned Facebook ad strategist, Brandi Mowles grew her income from $0 to 6-figures in just 10 months. In addition to running the service-based portion of her business, Brandi also helps other service-based businesses scale to 5-figure months so they can enjoy the same financial and life-freedom that she has. When she isn't creating a killer Facebook ad or teaching other service-based businesses how to scale, you can find Brandi hanging out with her husband and 17-month old daughter. Connect with Brandi Instagram: @brandiandcompany Websites: https://www.brandimowles.com/ + http://brandiandcompany.com/Free Training on her 5 Figure Framework: https://www.brandimowles.com/register

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Micala Quinn, host of the Live Free Podcast and a self-described work-at-home enthusiast, wife and mom who has become the go-to person for teaching moms step-by-step how to build a profitable freelancing business from scratch. I discovered Micala because my team member Laura, who’s a total mom boss herself, attended a one-day workshop with the host of the Boss Mom podcast Dana Malstaff, and Micala was mentioned in that workshop as someone who has seen massive success with her online business.  So of course, I wanted to invite her on the podcast and find out exactly how she did it. For you guys, not for my own personal selfish reasons... Today we’re talking about: How long it took her to get her first client and how she made it happen. How Micala was able to replace her income as a high school English teacher working just 15 hours a week from home. How Micala made time for her business while working and being a mom. Exactly how she transformed her business model from one-to-one and is now on track to make $500,000 this year. The best advice Micala ever received from her business coach (that you can implement in your business too). The email marketing analytics that Micala pays the most attention to and why you should track your metrics too. Why you don’t need a website to get started making money online. Micala’s best advice for you if you’re struggling to get traction in your side hustle. The one belief Micala had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Micala: “You’ve got to build it as you go.” “The number one thing you can do is market and connect with those potential clients from the beginning.” Resources Mentioned in this episode: Hire My MomThe Live Free PodcastBoss MomFreebies from MicalaMicala’s Instagram More About Micala: Micala Quinn is a wife, mom, online course creator, podcaster, and work at home enthusiast. Her mission is to revolutionize what it means to be a working mother. Micala’s online course is designed to launch working moms into the freelance world prepared, confident, and ready to make their mark. To date, more than 500 moms across the country & world have enrolled in Overwhelmed to Overbooked. In late 2018, Micala launched the Live Free podcast to spread her freelancing method and mission throughout the world. With more than 100 5-star reviews, the podcast has surpassed 40,000 downloads.  When Micala does jump off her WAHM soapbox, you can catch her walking to the park with her kiddos, making cookies, or watching a rerun of Friends for the millionth time with her cute husband, Colin.  

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my May 2019 Income Report! Every month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my online business and reveal exactly how much money I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! Important Things That Happened in May I kicked off the month with a cold. I continued some personal habits that I’ve been working on, like weekly meal prep, daily journaling and planning. I completed my profile in the AccessAlly Experts Directory (even though I don’t have my full sales page done). I booked one new Done For You client, had a consultation with another, and finished up 2 other Done For You Client Projects. I continued working on my Growth University roadmap to validate my product idea. I ran another 5 Day Freebie Challenge to promote my Website Marketing Lab course. I continued creating the content for the Website Marketing Lab course. I pitched 10 new partnerships, worked on 13 partnerships (with either phone calls or executing the partnership). I accepted applications for my Web Designer Academy Expert Directory. We decided to wait til next year to build our house. Review of Goals So if you’ve been listening to this podcast for awhile, you know that my goal used to always be $10,000 a month so that I could pay myself $5,000 – and then have $2500 for expenses, and $2500 to set aside for taxes. Then I decided to actually do a Dave Ramsey-style budget every month, just like we do in our personal finances, where I project the income that I know for sure is coming in and the expenses that I know for sure are going out – including my 2 $2500 paychecks and taxes, so that I’m much more deliberate about my expenses and that I’m not freaking out at the end of every month, worried about whether I’m gonna have enough cash to pay my paycheck and paying myself late like I had been doing for several months. Because one of the goals that I set back in September of 2018 at the mastermind that I talked about in episode 177 was to cut my expenses down to the bare minimum I needed to run my business and build up an emergency fund – which is totally in alignment with my 2019 words of the year, which are FOCUS and CONSTRAINT. And May is really the first month that I saw the fruits of all of the changes I’ve made so far in 2019. WHAT I FOCUSED ON IN MAY So you may recall from my April income report that I launched my Website Marketing Lab course for the first time back in March.  It teaches you how to market your business online and get traffic to your website in authentic and algortihm-proof way. And then in my April Income report, I broke down my launch strategy and results so that you could replicate my strategy in your business. In May, I opened the doors to the Website Marketing Lab again, with the same 5 Day Freebie Challenge where I taught my method for creating a freebie that helps you grow your email list on autopilot, and then at the end, I invited anyone who wanted to continue on with the process of learning how to market that freebie to join the Website Marketing Lab. This time, it took me WAY less time to do the live challenge and the promotion, because I’d already done it once. I had everything already created, and I just had review the list of things I wanted to change after last time, then double-check everything and update dates, prices and links, and do the live trainings. This time it ran May 13 – May 17, and it was a freaking blast and a huge success!  I TRIPLED my conversion rate from 5 Day Freebie Challenge signups to Website Marketing Lab customers from my March launch. And I give all of the credit for that to the product validation process that I was taught inside of the Growth University training that I told you guys about in my April Income report. I would have totally missed some key things that led me to adjust my marketing and my pricing. I also give a lot of credit to the work I’ve been doing mentally on pricing after having conversations with some of the guests on Pep Talks for Side Hustlers like Paul Klein in episode 228, and Amanda Gallinger in episode 236 – and a conversation I had with my team member Laura after she attended a one-day workshop with Boss Mom Dana Malstaff. A comment she made to me when we were chatting about pricing gave me a nudge to test a new price point, and then an article I read from Ash Ambirge called Ten Urgent Lessons Women Need to Learn About Making Money (without apology). In May, I also continued working on creating the content for the Website Marketing Lab since I pre-sold it in March and then created the content week by week. When I launched, I was able to give the new students instant access to everything to move at their own pace instead of dripping it out weekly based on necessity rather than choice! And in addition to all of that, I pitched a bunch of new potential partners, fulfilled my end of some partnerships like doing bonus trainings for people like Becca Tracey for her Uncage Your Business Course and Suzanne Proska’s Elevate, Inspire and Build an Empire Summit, and talked to a whole bunch of new guests on Pep Talks for Side Hustlers – which is like, my favorite thing to do. On a personal level, I’d mentioned to you guys that I started listening to a podcast called Losing 100 Pounds by Corinne Crabtree. I’d heard about her on one of Amy Porterfield’s podcasts, started listening to her show and everything just started clicking for me – why I wasn’t doing what I said I wanted to do for the past 20 years when it comes to my weight, how to actually get started doing it, how to build habits, how to build motivation, how to be accountable to myself. In January and February to be 100% honest, I listened to the podcast and loved what I was hearing, but I was just dabbling. I wasn’t really implementing any of the free advice I was loving. Then in March, I started actually taking action and doing what I was being taught, every single day no matter what.  By May, I’d built some habits like weekly meal prep, planning what I’m going to eat every day before the day starts, and getting all my garbage thoughts out of my head and onto paper and working through them, and so far I’ve lost 17 pounds from my highest weight, which I logged at the beginning of December last year.  So you might be thinking, 17 pounds in 6 months, that’s not super impressive. That’s not like all the weight loss success stories you hear about where someone loses 50 pounds in 6 months. It breaks down to 2.83 pounds a month, or .7 pounds a week… But the most important thing that I have learned throughout this process is that it’s keeping my commitments to myself, creating a daily plan and following through on the plan OR not following through on the plan and diagnosing why I didn’t follow through and what I can do differently next time – those things, not what diet plan I’m on (which I’m not on one) are what is leading to weight loss that actually finally feels EASY and POSSIBLE – and I don’t care how long it takes to reach my goal. You can apply those same principles to growing your business too. What do you need to do to make it happen? Create a realistic plan. You’re not gonna go from working 0 hours a week on your business to working 20. But 1 hour a week from 0? That’s realistic. But it doesn’t feel like it’s enough, does it. So instead you do nothing. That’s what you need to overcome. Doing what is realistic, not what you think you SHOULD do. Then once you actually create the realistic plan, commit to following through on the plan. If you do follow through, why? Why were you successful? If you don’t follow through, why? What do you need to change for next time. It’s working for me in weight loss, so I’m gonna see how it works for me in business. And I mentioned in earlier income reports that last year we bought land with the intention to build a home, and we were pre-approved what we needed to make it happen AND stay in our home, but when it got through underwriting, in order to make it happen we’d need to bring a 30% down payment to closing instead of 20% BECAUSE when you go to get a mortgage and you’re self-employed, the bank will take the average of the last 2 years of your self employment – which for me is 2017 and 2018 – and in 2017 this business was still a side hustle – and it doesn’t matter what I made in my day job since I don’t have that job anymore – and I didn’t make nearly as much as I did in 2018 when I quit my day job – or what I’ll make this year. So instead of cleaning out our bank accounts to make it happen this year, we’re going to wait til February of next year when it’s a sure thing. And I’m totally okay with that – it gives me even more time to stash cash! So with all of that, here’s how much money I made and spent in May of 2019: TOTAL REVENUE: $10,384.80 Affiliate Income: $1571.30 Courses: $4431.50 Done For You & Consulting: $4382 TOTAL EXPENSES: $2274.74 Get the full breakdown of income, expenses and net profit month by month here. NET PROFIT: $8110.06 BIGGEST LESSONS LEARNED Last month, I posted a negative profit of $224.15, which I planned for to give myself a clean slate, so it’s nice that I’m making up for it this month. I’m starting to make up for those paychecks I missed, and at some point this year, I’ll be able to take home more profit or invest in more help so that I’m really, truly focused on those revenue producing activities. I feel like I’ve got all of the pieces in place to start slowly scaling, and to grow into the person I need to become to handle the success that I dream of achieving. I think that’s like, the most important lesson I’ve come to realize overall – is that I’m not going to achieve what I want to achieve if I don’t work on becoming the kind of person who can handle it mentally and has the foundation and systems in place to support it. And now that I’m aware of that, I know exactly what to focus on to grow into that person. Thanks so much for listening, and I’ll see you right here next week! And if you need a website but have no idea how to get started, go to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/5day and sign up for the 5 Day Website Challenge and learn how to create a website for your side hustle.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Meera Kothand, an Amazon Bestselling Author* and email marketing strategist who simplifies email marketing so that you can create a tribe that’s addicted to your zone of genius (even if email scares you senseless). I share the story about how I came across Meera on the podcast, but I’m so excited for you guys to hear this episode because we get into a great conversation on overcoming our fear of selling. Today we’re talking about: How Meera started her entrepreneurial journey How Meera overcomes the fears that comes with entrepreneurship Meera’s advice for self publishing a book on Amazon The importance of having a pre-launch before you launch The one thing that Meera would change if she could go back to when she first started her business How Meera would find pockets of time to work on her business while juggling raising her daughter The one belief Meera had to change about herself to get where she is today. Meera’s best advice for you if you’re struggling to get traction in your side hustle. My favorite quotes from Meera: “People need to trust you to buy from you.” “It’s not about doing more, but doing minimum viable. Do the minimum viable to get traction, but make sure your foundation is strong.” Resources Mentioned: Get Meera’s Free Email Marketing Course here. Books: The One Hour Content Plan* The War of Art* Steal Like an Artist* Podcasts: Jeff Goins Online Marketing Made Easy with Amy Porterfield Smart Passive Income with Pat Flynn *These are affiliate links. I make a small commission when you make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Bio: Meera is an email marketing specialist and 3X Amazon Best-selling Author of the book The One Hour Content Plan, Your First 100 and But, I’m not an Expert. She is also the founder of MeeraKothand.Com, an award winning site listed as the Top 100 sites for solopreneurs in 2017 and 2018. Her speciality: Making powerful marketing strategies simple and relatable so that small business owners can build a tribe that’s addicted to their zone of genius. She has been featured on Marketing Profs, YFS, Addicted 2 Success and several other sites. She believes that everyone has to define what their own version of success is, not what someone outlines for you. When she’s not working with clients or on her next book, you can find Meera reading the Rebel Girls Series with her 6-year old daughter. Pinterest: Pinterest.com/meerakothand Twitter: twitter.com/meerakothand

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Gina Horkey of Horkey Handbook. She’s is a married, millennial mama to two precocious kiddos from Minnesota. Additionally, she’s the founder of Horkey HandBook, a website geared towards helping others find or become a kickass virtual assistant. Gina’s background includes making a living as a professional writer, an online business marketing consultant and a decade of experience in the financial services industry. Today we’re talking about: How Gina made the transition to self-employed first as a freelance writer, then as a Virtual Assistant. How Gina rearranged her schedule to work on her side hustle. Why Gina decided to create a course teaching others how to build a successful VA business. How Gina stands out with her marketing, and some niches that VA’s aren’t currently targeting that could be great opportunities for you. Traits of an ideal Virtual Assistant Why you should make mistakes and embrace failure in your side hustle. How to figure out your hourly rate. Gina’s advice for someone who is struggling to grow their side hustle. The one belief Gina had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Gina: “I’m helping people realize their goals and their dreams while being authentic and real at the same time.” “Find your kind of people by showing yourself. Including your flaws, you’ll connect the most when you are authentically you.” “Position yourself [to your ideal clients] as an investment and not an expense.” “The mistakes and failures are where you learn the most.” “[Being] business-minded is a learned skill and trait.” “If you don’t dream big, you’re not going to get big results.” Connect with Gina: Freebie: 150+ Services You Can Offer as a VA Find a VA Social Media: FB: https://www.facebook.com/HorkeyHandBook Twitter: https://twitter.com/horkeyhandbook Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/ghorke LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gina-horkey/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/horkeyhandbook/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC49yIdhQohqDYtjSXfoh_Uw

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Amanda Gallinger of Creative Business Collective, a marketing and business strategy expert who helps passionate creatives build profitable online businesses. What blows my mind about Amanda, aside from all the business-changing advice she’s about to share with you in this episode is that a few years ago, she found my free 5 Day Website Challenge and used it to learn WordPress and build all of her websites. I mean, she’s a massively successful business owner and I had no idea that she’d used my training to help her get a handle on WordPress! So she’d been on my mailing list for awhile, which I also had no idea, and then she replied to one of my newsletters one day and asked me to do a bonus training inside of her Soulful Selling course to walk her students through what they needed to do to get their websites set up - which of course I said yes - and then as I always do, I used an invitation to be on the podcast as a way to get to know her better and pick her marketing expert brain for you guys! My interview with Amanda left my head spinning, in a good way!! So typically when a guest comes on the show, I’m recording from the moment they hop on, we chit chat, I do a little countdown and then I introduce them and we just roll from there… But with Amanda, we hit it off so well at the beginning that we just rolled right into to it - so let’s go ahead and dive into my interview with Amanda Gallinger of Creative Business Collective. Today we’re talking about: How Amanda made the transition from corporate to self-employed How Amanda she helps her clients identify their zone of genius and helps them package it as a premium service. Why Amanda started selling her coaching packages at a premium price from the beginning (and how you can too). The one thing your website must have on it to stand out online. The number one thing that will lead to your success. Why hourly pricing isn’t good for your or your ideal client and what to do instead. What a “value ladder” is and how to use it in your business. Why you feel so busy but you’re not making any money - and how to fix it. Amanda’s 90 day rule and how to apply it in your own business. Amanda’s advice for someone who is just starting out and struggling to get traction. The one belief Amanda had to change about herself to get where she is today. My favorite quotes from Amanda: “What’s in your tool box that you can turn around and use to reinvent yourself?” “When someone buys from you, often times they are buying from you because they really like you and they want to be in your energy.” “When people pay, they pay attention.”

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today’s guest is Phyllis Nichols, a marketing, sales and podcasting expert and host of the Sound Advice Sales Podcast with Phyllis Nichols. I was trying to think of a way to describe how Phyllis came to be on the podcast, and I can only think of the world serendipity - an unplanned, fortunate discovery. I got an email from Growth University, the coaching program that I started back in March, and it said “Hey, Shannon, we have someone in our Partnership Accelerator program who serves a similar audience to yours, and so here’s the connection in case you two want to connect and see how you might be able to collaborate.” So we get a meeting set up, and we’re chit-chatting all about our businesses, our goals, who we serve and how we can help each other, and we’re getting a podcast interview scheduled and she asks me what time zone I’m in, and I’m like “Eastern time, Columbus Ohio”, and she goes “No way, where in Columbus?” And I’m like, Blacklick, on the east side. And she goes “No way, I’m in Blacklick too!” So not only are we in the same city, we are in the same suburb and we live less than 2 miles from each other! Phyllis Nichols’ of Sound Advice Sales and Marketing has been helping entrepreneurs build their businesses since 2009 by infusing sales strategies with a daily sales action plan. Her mission is to help you craft the most compelling message and offer and get it out to the world where your audience lives, and helping people start a podcast is just one of the ways that she does that. Today we’re talking about: Why it’s important to pay attention to what other people ask for your help with How to know if your business idea could be successful. The most important part of selling. How small businesses and entrepreneurs can benefit from starting a podcast. Some surprising statistics about podcasts, and why you don’t need to have big numbers to make a big impact. Some tips for how to start a podcast and a free resource for getting started. The one belief Phyllis had to change about herself to get where she is today, and Phyllis’s advice for someone who is just starting out and struggling to get traction. So head on over to http://soundadvicesales.com/ and you can get your hands on that podcast quickstart guide right on the homepage, and then I also was recently on Phyllis’s podcast, which was super fun - I’ll link that up in the show notes and you can also go to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/soundadvice and it’ll send you over to my episode on Phyllis’s website. My favorite quotes from Phyllis: “People want to hear from you!” On imposter syndrome: “I’m good enough. I can back up what I’m saying. I can back up what I’m offering.” “Trust your gut and your feelings.” “My advice: Ask for help, connect with others and ask for help and support” Links: How to Build a Website for Your Podcast Podcast Quick Start Guide Peptalk for Side Hustlers Shannon Mattern Talks Podcasting and Websites

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Eden Fried of the Rebel Boss Ladies Podcast helps women achieve financial freedom and flexibility by selling digital products online - and there are two things I love about Eden: One is that she loves to dive into real numbers - and not the big, splashy numbers we see that make us feel like we’ll never get there, but the beginner numbers. Like, how to make your first $500 and then how to scale from there. Two - she understands the importance of relationships and collaboration. Eden reached out to me and pitched a podcast interview swap, a tactic which I’m totally going to steal from her so if you have a podcast, watch out, I’m coming for you. But honestly, interviews are like, the best way to get to know a complete stranger when you meet them for the first time and then you get to spend an hour asking them pretty personal questions about their dreams, mistakes and fears. She got to come on the show and be grilled by me, and then I got the pleasure to be interviewed by her - so definitely go to edenfried.com/podcast or /itunes and subscribe so you don’t miss my episode with her (it’s not out yet) and while you’re at it, make sure you’re subscribed to Pep Talks for Side Hustlers and if you haven’t left a review yet, I’d really appreciate it if you could take a second to go to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/review and leave me a rating and review - that helps the podcast get found on iTunes. Today we’re talking about: How Eden was accepted to law school, but then decided not to go and instead created her own business. How she paid attention to questions her audience was asking her to create her first digital product. Exactly what Eden did to ensure her first digital product was a success. How Eden doesn’t believe in multitasking - and what she does instead. Why you shouldn’t create content for the sake of creating content. Why Eden started her podcast, Rebel Boss Ladies. The #1 most successful tactic Eden uses to grow her email list. Why you should find three people to follow, and focus on just those three people to reduce the noise The one belief Eden had to change about herself Eden’s advice for someone who is just starting out and struggling to get traction I’m so excited to announce that I’ll be speaking at Eden’s Rebel Boss Virtual Summit this summer! I’ll be talking about going from Side Hustle to Solopreneur: How to Leverage Digital Products to Replace Your Day Job Income While Working Full Time. So if you wanna make sure that you get notified when the registration is open and get your free ticket, go to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/rebel to get on the list and I’ll let you know when registration opens. And make sure you head over to edenfried.com and get your hands on her case study all about exactly how she made her first $1,000 online. My favorite quotes from Eden: “I just kept showing up everyday, even though I didn’t have immediate results” “If you’re so hungry for the profits right now, you’re going to miss a lot of the clarity you need for that focus” “If I see that something is working, I’m going to double down on those efforts and continue to make it work” “I am very driven on the one path and I don’t let distractions tempt me and pull me in other directions” “Do something with the time that you have, make it something that you actually enjoy.” “Putting yourself out there, not apologizing and taking action: That’s how you grow.”

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Heather Farris is a Pinterest Marketing Strategist with a full-service Pinterest Agency dedicated to helping online entrepreneurs scale their businesses with organic and paid marketing. Her true passion is helping business owners like you craft a custom strategy to get your amazing content in front of your audience on Pinterest. She is always sifting through trends, data and pins to learn more about the audiences she is serving. She’s a multi-passionate full-time traveler with her husband and two little girls. Aside from traveling full-time with her family she loves learning how to use her camera in manual mode and finding off the beaten path restaurants to eat at. Today we’re talking about: How Heather started a blog as a side hustle that quickly turned into a full time Pinterest management business How Heather gave herself a goal to transition from side hustle to full time How Heather and her family now travel full time in their RV while Heather runs her Pinterest Management business What to do for a pin after you publish a new blog post The important metrics to look at to know what content is resonating with your audience How Pinterest is a search engine not a social media platform The niches that perform best on pinterest Why keywording your pins is the most important part of your strategy Why Heather didn’t niche down Heather’s advice for someone who is just starting out The one thing Heather wishes she had set up from the beginning (hint: it has to do with an email list) The one belief Heather had to change about herself My favorite quotes from Heather: “There’s something out there, greater than me, that is guiding me.” “Stop creating what you think your readers are going to like. Ask them what they want and give it to them.” “You have to ask for the sale. You can’t just assume they are going to book you because they get on the call with you. You have to go out and ask.” “It’s my business that is funding this journey.” Connect with Heather: Website: https://www.heatherfarris.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/heatherfarrisco Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/heatherfarrisco Strategy Call: https://www.heatherfarris.com/pinterest-strategy-session/

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my April Income Report! Every month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my online business and reveal exactly how much money I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! Important Things That Happened in April We kicked off the Website Marketing Lab with a new round of students going through the 8-week program. Later in this episode I’m gonna break down my entire launch strategy for you and give you all the stats and numbers so you can see what that looked like. I started working on my Growth University Roadmap I completed the AccessAlly Advocate training. Review of Goals My goal for the month of April was quite a bit different from my typical goal of making $10,000 in revenue and paying myself $5,000 and setting aside the other $5K for taxes and expenses. And that’s because I made two pretty big investments in the future of my business in the first quarter of 2019: #1 – Becoming an AccessAlly Advocate for Nathalie Lussier’s AccessAlly membership plugin. That’s the online course plugin I use to run my Free 5 Day Website Challenge, my Website Marketing Lab and my Web Designer Academy, and it’s the online course platform that I recommend and implement for some of my clients. So basically I paid $1500 for a certification program, and I went through an 8-week training course to learn the ins and outs of the plugin. I completed the program, I’m waiting for my evaluation and then once I’m certified, I’ll be listed in the directory of AccessAlly experts for their customers who want to hire an expert to set up membership sites. I’m super excited about it because I really love the platform, I’ve seen huge success with it in my own business, and I know I’m uniquely positioned as both a web designer and someone who’s had great success with my own online courses to bring massive value to my clients. So that investment was a total no-brainer, I’m 100% confident that I’ll make it back and then some, but it was a short-term outlay of cash out of my bank account make it happen. #2 – Growth University The second big investment I made was in Growth University, a coaching program run by Bryan Harris from Growth Tools, formerly known as VideoFruit. The cost of the program at the time I enrolled was $5,000, and if you listened to my March income report, you know that I had a conversation with my husband about investing in this program, because it meant that instead of writing myself a full paycheck every month, I’d be shorting it by $1000 a month for 5 months to pay for this program, because my husband was a little iffy on me paying some random guy on the internet $5,000 for training (which cracks me up because my business is that I’m some random girl on the internet that people pay thousands of dollars to for training)! My husband is starting to understand that I do lot more than just build websites for clients I find online… Anyway, I opted for the payment plan option, but halfway through April I thought, I’d really just love to pay this off and be done with it and not drag it out, but if I do that, it means that I’ll have to short myself like a paycheck and a half. So again, I had that conversation with my husband, because really what I’m asking is for our personal bank account to pay for this training without it actually commingling our funds – knowing that I’ll do the work and do what it takes to make back the investment and then some. So we did. I paid off the Growth University investment in April, $4000. So, I think about myself in the early years of my business and my mindset around paying for coaching and training vs. my mindset now, and there’s a huge difference in my thought process – and my results. It’s not “I’m gonna spend money on this course and I hope this works for me, I hope I get the results they are promising…” It’s “I’m gonna spend money on this course, and I’m all in. I’m gonna make time for it, I’m gonna do all the steps and I have no doubt that I’ll get results because I’m not going to stop until I reach the goal I set for myself. And if I get stuck or need help, I’m going to ask for help.” Like, the way I used to think about it, it was like the results were out of my hands. And that’s why I kept thinking that things I was doing weren’t working. I’d try them once and if they weren’t a massive success, I’d declare it a flop and try something totally new. I’d think “That strategy doesn’t work, I gotta try something new.” But that’s totally not true, that’s just how I was thinking about it. And that’s not how I’m thinking about my Growth University Roadmap at all. The results are totally in my control. I’m thinking, “Everything I’ve done to this point has led me here, and my only job is to follow the plan we worked out together, and never stop until I reach my goal.” So you’ll see later on when I share my revenue and expenses that I had a HUGE outlay of expenses this month – something I may have thought about in the past as a risk that may or may not pay off. But now I think about them as a bet on myself, and those pay off for me 100% of the time. And they were planned, and I feel good about my decisions, and I am confident that I’ll reach my goals. What I Focused on in April So you may recall from my March income report that I launched my Website Marketing Lab course, which teaches you how to market your business online and get traffic to your website in authentic and algoritim-proof way. So in this income report I’m gonna break down my launch strategy and results for you so that you can do this yourself in the future. For anyone that’s new to the podcast, I have a free training called the 5 Day Website Challenge which teaches people how to DIY their website – and it teaches EVERYTHING. Like, all of the things that I do for my paying clients, I put that process together in a free training to teach people who are in the beginning stages of starting their business and really shouldn’t be investing in a professionally designed website yet how to do it themselves so they can start marketing themselves and getting clients. So I love web design, but websites are really a means to an end, and my real passion is online marketing, and creating websites that help people market themselves, and I love teaching all of those tactics to people, and showing them how to set up the tech to market themselves, because again, when you’re just starting out, you shouldn’t be hiring people to do this stuff for you because you’re testing out a lot of things, and so many things are going to change and you need that flexibility to be able to set that stuff up and make those changes yourself. So people sign up for my 5 Day Website Challenge, and they really just think of me as the tech girl, you know, their WordPress BFF. And the mistake that I’ve made in the past is to just jump straight from “here’s a free training to teach you how to build your website,” to “want to pay me to learn how to market yourself?” and there’s a disconnect. They either don’t look at me as their go-to marketing person, or they don’t realize that they have to market themselves because they think having a website will automatically bring them traffic. So I needed to do something to bridge that gap, the gap from having a website to actually getting traffic to the website, and the gap from thinking of me as your website person to thinking of me as your online marketing person. So that’s why my whole Website Marketing Lab launch strategy starting out with another free training called 5 Day Freebie Challenge where I taught my method for creating a freebie that helps you grow your email list on autopilot, and then at the end, I invited anyone who wanted to continue on with the process of learning how to market that freebie to join the Website Marketing Lab. So here’s how it worked – and I teach this strategy in depth in the free 5 Day Freebie Challenge – which by the way I’m actually hosting another free 5 Day Freebie Challenge on May 13 if you want to get in on it – just go to www.wp-bff.com/freechallenge or click on the link at the top of the show notes to save your spot. First, I have a bit of an advantage because I already have an email list, and last year I did a survey asking them what their biggest struggle has been when it comes to their business and what they want to learn next – and there were 2 things that kept coming up: how to market myself and how to get traffic. And I know that the answer to how to market yourself and how to get traffic is not what people typically think it is, like search engine optimization or blogging or social media. Those are tactics, not a strategy and I think that’s why people get so frustrated is because they go straight to tactics without having all the right pieces of the strategy. The answer to how to market yourself is building an email list, and the way you build an email list is by giving away valuable free content in exchange for an email address. And the way you get traffic is by sharing that free thing online with an irresistible call to action that makes people want to go to your website and get the free thing. And so I knew that what was going to move people from having a website and not getting traffic to having a website that gets traffic is to teach them how to create the freebie that they need to be able to execute all of the marketing tactics that are supposed to bring you traffic. And I also knew that the freebie is just one part of the overall equation, so I could deliver massive value by teaching them how to do that part for free, and then the natural next step for anyone that wanted to then learn how do all the tactics to actually get that freebie in front of their ideal clients would be to join me in the Website Marketing Lab. And if they didn’t join me, that’s okay too, they walked away learning a ton and they might decide to join the next time around, or tell other people about it. So to put together the free training, I outlined the 5 things people needed to learn to create their freebie, and then I decided I wanted to deliver the training live in a Facebook Group where I could interact with people and answer their questions instead of doing via email or prerecording it. I also created a workbook, because I wasn’t just teaching them concepts, I wanted the training to be really actionable, and I wanted them to walk away with something tangible – because I really wanted them to get a taste of what they’d be doing inside of my paid program. So here are the stats: I had 2500 people on my email list at the time. Starting about a week and a half before the 5 Day Freebie Challenge I sent out an email inviting my list to the free training. I sent three more invitations over the course of a week to anyone that didn’t sign up. I added a HelloBar across the top of my WP+BFFs site and my courses site so that any visitors there would see it and sign up. I totally forgot to put it on my Pep Talks for Side Hustlers website. I posted about it on Instagram a couple of times, and I created a pin on Pinterest about it, and I posted it in my Facebook Group a few times. And I mentioned it on a few podcast intros leading up to the start date. I didn’t run any ads for the training at all. I had 600 people sign up for the free training. So then, when people signed up, they got an email letting them know the details of the Challenge and what to expect, that I’d be sending them a workbook the day before the Challenge, and to join a special Challenge-only Facebook group that I created just for the Challenge. Then I’d go live each night at 7PM, and I’d send out the replay to them the next day if they couldn’t join me live. Out of the 600 that signed up, 350 actually joined the Facebook group, and I had about 40 to 50 people join me live every night, which was SUCH a blast. I taught my concept for 20 minutes or so, and then I spent the last 40 minutes answering questions. And by doing it that way, I learned a ton about what their needs were, and when it came time to invite them to join me in the Website Marketing Lab at the end, it was a natural next step for me to make the offer because I knew I was right on track, I wasn’t doing a hard sell, i didn’t feel like an informercial. Throughout the Challenge I let people know that on the last day I was going to let them know how to continue working with me, so it wasn’t like a bait and switch, and then I talked about the Website Marketing Lab at the end of Day 5, and then I also did a followup email sequence to everyone that signed up letting them know what kind of results they could expect by following the marketing roadmap I created for them inside the Website Marketing Lab. So out of 600 people, I had 8 new people join the program at $297 for the first month, and then $49/month ongoing – and that revenue was actually part of my March income report, it’s the $49 ongoing that you’ll see in this income report. And that’s actually in line with what I was expecting based on the price of the program. And then after it was over, I surveyed everyone who signed up but didn’t purchase and asked them what influenced their decision to NOT buy, and over 95% of respondents said that they wanted the program – and that their decision to NOT buy wasn’t motivated by price, which totally validated that I’m marketing it effectively, and that my price isn’t too high. So the key takeaways here are that when you can do something to provide massive value to your ideal client, but that’s also going to give you tons of insight on whether you’re on the right track or not, that’s always a good use of your time. I’m about to break down the revenue numbers for you in a sec, but I want to point out that when I sold the Website Marketing Lab, I hadn’t created any of the content yet. I did that for a few reasons – one, I’ve created programs before that no one purchased, and it’s a total waste of time. Two, doing a Live Challenge and interacting with the people I was going to offer my course to BEFORE I built it helped me make sure that I was creating exactly what they needed, instead of what I thought they needed. And three, it’s totally keeping me accountable to getting all the course content done, because that’s what I spent all my time on in April, was recording the modules I’d outlined, and setting them up in AccessAlly and releasing them to my students, week by week. And like I said, I’m opening up the program again in May and testing a different pricing structure –  with the added bonus for new students that all the content is done so they can work at their own pace! I’m also working on some new techniques to validate the pricing and my offer as part of Growth University so I can get that dialed in – because as those of you that listen to the podcast, I’m always worrying about my pricing. But when your students tell you they can’t believe what they’re getting for the price and that they would have gladly paid more, that’s a sign that you’re on the right track! So with all of that, here’s how much money I made and spent in April of 2019: TOTAL REVENUE: $6529.44 Affiliate Income: $1973.80 Courses: $1891.80 Done For You & Consulting: $2664.64 TOTAL EXPENSES: $6753.60 Get the full breakdown of income, expenses and net profit month by month here. NET PROFIT: -$224.15 BIGGEST LESSONS LEARNED This is the first time I’ve posted a negative profit, but I totally expected it, so it didn’t throw me into a panic like it might have had I not started actually planning out a monthly budget before the month started, Dave Ramsey style. I have an extra $4500 in expenses in April due to Growth University and AccessAlly Advocate training, which I totally planned on and knew I wouldn’t be paying myself for the second half of April – but what I didn’t plan for is a Done For You web design client not paying their invoice on time, which is why I have negative profit in April. I did get that payment, just not until May. So right now, I feel like I have a total clean slate. Everything is paid for, I’ve actually reduced my baseline expenses significantly, which you’ll start to see in my May income report which means I get to take home more profit, or bring in more help or whatever needs to happen as my partnerships start to bear fruit and my email list grows and I get more and more successful students coming out of the Website Marketing Lab and Web Designer Academy, and I start booking more lucrative Done For You projects. So my biggest lesson learned this month – and it’s one that I know I’ve mentioned before but it keeps proving itself to be true –  is that how I think, and what I believe about what is possible, is 100% responsible for my results. It’s what drives my action or inaction. It’s not that I signed up for this coaching program or that certification program, it’s that I believe that I will do what it takes to take action on what I learn inside of those programs and that I know I won’t stop until I’ve reached my goal, and that I believe that it’s possible for me. And so if you can start cultivating that belief in yourself too, that you’ll never stop trying until you get what you want, then your success is guaranteed. So if you want to sign up for my next 5 Day Freebie Challenge, even if you’re listening to this months after it was published, head on over to www.wp-bff.com/freechallenge and save your spot in the next one – I’ll teach you everything I can pack into 5 daily lessons about how to create the kind of freebie that helps you market yourself online. And if you need a website but have no idea how to get started, go to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/5day and sign up for the 5 Day Website Challenge and learn how to create a website for your side hustle.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Claire Pelletreau is a Facebook + Instagram ads expert and host of the the Get Paid Podcast. I discovered Claire back in 2015 when I had just started my business and started to figure out that there was this whole world of online entrepreneurs helping each other learn what they needed to learn to actually get traction and grow their businesses online. I came across her in Becca Tracey’s Uncaged Lifers Facebook Group, saw that she taught Facebook Ads and I immediately picked up her Absolute Facebook Ads course. Not only is she a Facebook Ads expert who runs ads for her clients and teaches her students how to run successful ad campaigns for their clients, she also has a podcast called Get Paid, where she gets into the nitty gritty with some of your favorite online entrepreneurs to find out exactly what it takes to run their businesses online. What I’ve always loved about Claire is that she’s real, she’s honest, vulnerable and she tells it like it is - and I really gravitate toward people like that because I’ve made every mistake you can possibly make in trying to grow my business - especially when it comes to Facebook Ads - and what I find inspiring about Claire is that she’s made all the mistakes too, and she’s super successful because of it. And so as I’ve had more and more guests on this podcast to talk about their business journeys, what I’ve realized is that mistakes are a prerequisite for success. Not a single person that I’ve talked to, myself and Claire included, just nailed it right from the start. If you’re not out there trying things, underpricing yourself, and being nervous on consultation calls and launching products to crickets and screwing up your tech, you’re probably not learning, and you’re not growing. And we continue to make mistakes, and I think Claire already knows this, but what’s really changed for me is how I think about them. It’s what I make those mistakes and failures mean. So I’m really excited for you to hear my conversation with Claire about her business evolution and how you can get started using Facebook Ads in your business in a really effective way. Today we’re talking about: How a job loss pushed Claire to take her side hustle as a FB ads manager to a full time How Claire went to work for an agency and helped her get her confidence back after taking time off from her business Claire’s advice on pricing Why Claire is very clear on who her product is targeting When to start investing in Facebook ads Claire’s advice on the one Facebook ad strategy you can implement RIGHT NOW The importance of brand awareness Claire’s advice for what metrics to look at when you run Facebook ads Claire’s advice for someone who is just starting out My favorite quotes from Claire: “We want to help people but it’s not our job to help everyone” “Focus on the highest impact activities” “Just try to help as many people as you can with the problem you know how to solve really well” Bio: Claire Pelletreau is a Facebook ad and conversion optimization expert. She spends her days brainstorming ad strategies with her students, training a future generation of professional ad managers, and overseeing several thousands of dollars in client ad spend. She specializes in running ads that sell online courses, but will happily geek out with you on ways to scale every kind of business with paid traffic. Claire also LOVES talking about money - profit, loss, the whole shebang. She asks her guests how much they charge - and how much they earn - on her show, the Get Paid Podcast.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Sam Munoz is a web designer who specializes in creating in high-converting, optimized, functional & beautiful WordPress websites and membership spaces - but what I really love about Sam is that her mission is to empower her clients. I absolutely love talking to other web designers about how they do business - and even if you’re not a web designer, you’re going to get so much out of this podcast because if you’re doing business online, at some point in your journey, you’re probably going to transition from DIY to done for you, and in addition to talking about Sam’s story and her business journey and pricing and finding clients and all the juicy questions I ask people on this podcast, we talk about what to look for when hiring a web designer to create a home for your business online that’s going to grow with you. Today Sam and I are talking about: What a “sustainable website” is and why you want one. How Sam took a leap of faith and jumped into the online business entrepreneurial world How Sam leveraged her online network to find her first clients How Sam went from being the jack-of-all-tech to finding her niche. The importance of teaching your clients what you do What to look for when hiring a web designer How Sam figured out how much to charge when she was first starting out How Sam balances family and her business, and establishes boundaries with her clients Sam’s advice for adding team members Sam’s best advice for someone who is just starting out I absolutely loved having Sam on the podcast, and you have GOT to go check out her Effortless Web Kits at www.wp-bff.com/effortless Yes, I’m a proud affiliate, and they are gorgeous, and they are genius. They’re so much more than just a theme. They work on top of the Divi theme, so if you’ve taken my Free 5 Day Website Challenge and opted for the Divi theme route, you already have what you need to get an Effortless Web Kit installed right on top of it. And if you don’t have the Divi theme, but you want an Effortless Web Kit you can switch to the Divi theme and layer than on. And if you don’t have a website at all and have no idea how to get started, definitely check out my Free 5 Day Website Challenge, I’ll show you how to get everything set up, and then when you get to design day, you’ll have the option to DIY your own design with my tutorials, or get one of Sam’s gorgeous designs and make it your own! Thanks so much for hanging out with us today, and I’ll see you next time! My favorite quotes from Sam: “The core purpose of your website it to function really well for your business.” “It’s important to understand the value you bring to the table and price accordingly - and not under-price yourself.” Bio: Sam is a Wordpress tech wizard & the creator of the Effortless Website Kits. After receiving a B.S. in General Engineering & exploring many passions, her heart and mind aligned to use her degree and experience unconventionally - through sustainable web development. Sam builds incredible websites and membership sites for her high performing clients & empowers business owners (both the technically inclined and not) to use the power of their website to convert visitors into customers. Aside from her obvious obsession with coding & computers, Sam also enjoys coffee, reading, snuggling, running and solo dance parties. Social Profiles: Instagram: https://instagram.com/hellosammunoz Facebook: https://facebook.com/sammunozconsulting Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/hellosammunoz Website performance quiz: https://samanthamunoz.com/quizwpbff

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! So it’s about two weeks after tax day here in the US, so by now you’ve probably gone through the tedious process of filing your income taxes. It’s the unglamourous part of online business that nobody really talks about. Sure, we all talk about the freedom, flexibility and financial independence that comes with being your own boss and owning your own business - but the flip side of that is that we’re also still responsible for all the boring and sometimes complicated administrative stuff that we also were annoyed by at our day jobs, like filling out expense reports and other tedious stuff like that. So when it comes to taxes, if you’re a side hustler, you’ve got that extra layer of reporting your side hustle income and expenses on top of your W2 wages, and then making sure you’re paying taxes to all the people you’re required to pay taxes to, like in my case it’s Federal, State and local, and I’m honestly never 100% confident that I’m doing it right. And I don’t know if you’ve ever had this experience, but the couple of times that I’ve tried to hire a CPA in the past, I left those meetings even more confused than when I walked in, feeling like I needed to learn a whole other language in order to follow the conversation and knowing that this definitely is not the right person for me if they can’t - or won’t - explain things to me in a way that I can understand. That’s why I’m so excited to bring you today’s guest, Melissa Whaley. She’s an accountant who works specifically with online business owners like us to help us understand the financial side our businesses without making us feel like total idiots in the process! I’m so excited to have Melissa on the podcast today, not only for my own selfish reasons because I’ve been doing my books and taxes on my own for so long and have always had this really uneasy feeling about whether or not I’m doing it right, but because Melissa’s just like us. She started out working at a large tax company, and she wanted the freedom, flexibility and financial independence that comes with running your own business - especially because she’s got four kids! But she saw a gap in the way her clients were being served, and she stepped in to fill it. Today on the podcast Melissa and I are talking about: Exactly how and why Melissa helps online entrepreneurs and side hustlers like us with our business financials and taxes. How Melissa took a skill she already had and turned it into an online business. The general rule for knowing when you need to start paying quarterly taxes when you’re still side hustling. How to look at your business finances in a way that makes sense as a layperson. What to pay attention to when it comes to your expenses. What to look for when choosing an accountant or CPA. How Melissa manages running her business as a wife and mother of four. Melissa’s best advice for growing your team. The one belief Melissa had to change about herself to get where she is today. Resources Mentioned in this Episode: www.MelissaWhaley.com The Legal Roadmap Podcast with Autumn Witt Boyd - Tax Strategies for 7-Figure Businesses Where to connect with Melissa: Melissa’s Instagram www.MelissaWhaley.com My favorite quotes from Melissa: “When you’re an expert in an area it’s not that you have everything memorized in your head, it’s that you know enough about the subject to be able to research and find the right answer.” “If you ignore your numbers for too long, that’s a recipe for your business to implode and for you to burn out.” “When you know the numbers in your business it’s really empowering. It really helps you make that next good decision to move your business in a positive direction.” "It’s important to be able to step back, evaluate where you’re at and where your business is at and say, ‘Ok I need to make these changes.’” “We want to have businesses that make us feel good and feel fulfilled and we are enjoying serving other people.” Bio: Melissa is a Virtual Tax Advisor for creative business owners. She helps demystify taxes for people who light up over their work and freak out over their numbers. She is a California native, married to her college sweetheart for 10 years and they have 4 awesome kids together. You can find her chugging iced coffee while geeking out over all things tax.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! One of the things that always blows my mind about this online business that I’ve built is how it’s connected me with so many kind and generous people, but like, in the most unexpected ways. Today’s guest is Paul Klein of the Pricing is Positioning Podcast, and he and I connected through a YouTube tutorial I had honestly forgotten that I’d created all about how to get an Alexa Flash Briefing set up! Paul found my tutorial, set up his Flash Briefing and starting following me, and then he reached out and offered to share his expertise on pricing and positioning with you guys on the podcast - and knowing that this is one of the places that you guys struggle with - and I still wrestle with myself - it was an easy yes! So, I always like to tell you guys how I find guests on this show because I want you to see that everything you put out online, even if it doesn’t do what YOU expected it to do, has a ripple effect. I created that Alexa Flash Briefing tutorial at the time on the advice of my business coach, at the time when this podcast was only ever going to be an Alexa Flash Briefing, because there weren’t many people in the space it was an uncrowded place to emerge as a leader and get more traffic to my website. As it turns out, I’m waaay too long-winded for flash briefings, I need, like at least 30 minutes to say what I need to say, so I didn’t really do much more with Alexa. That tutorial isn’t sending me gobs of traffic like my frantic, scared, just-quit-my-day-job self thought, but it’s bringing me so much more value than I ever could have imagined by sending us awesome people like Paul! The other thing to note about that story is that if you have great value to offer, don’t be afraid to reach out and offer it to people who serve a similar audience! So today on the podcast, Paul and I are talking about: How Paul started a side hustle consulting business, quit his day job and pivoted to helping people move forward with their side hustle Paul’s three pillars of revenue Paul’s tactics and strategies for setting pricing Paul’s advice for someone who is just starting out How to shift your mindset about your value The three types of service businesses and how they work together to help you generate more revenue Paul’s advice for increasing your value The importance of providing pricing options to your customers Why you should change your focus from time-for-money pricing to value pricing Paul’s advice for someone who is starting their side hustle The belief Paul had to change about himself to get where he is today. Resources Mentioned in this episode: The Product Pricing Roadmap free PDF and video tutorial Webinar: FREE Online Masterclass on Tuesday, April 23rd at 1pm EST (10am PST). Connect with Paul: Web: www.paulklein.net or www.pricingispositioning.com Podcast: Pricing Is Positioning on iTunes, Spotify, and thanks to you Shannon AmazonAlexa. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulkleintv/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/paulkleintv Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paulkleinTV/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/PaulKleinTV YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoQRkgXR4ClPAub12lXgPwg Some of my favorite quotes from Paul: “I looked inward to what was important to me, and that was what lead me to the entrepreneurship lifestyle, the freedom and the flexibility that comes with it.” “Take small courses of action each day, each week, each quarter and then at some point you can jump.” “People often undercharge or undervalue themselves.” “Your unique skills, story and experiences are your greatest value.” “Business is nothing more than solving problems for a profit.” “It’s not what you are charging, it’s the value you bring to the client.” “People buy outcomes, not time.” “Take that next best step that’s going to move you forward in your side hustle and your brand and quit looking at everyone else.” “Get in the game, jump in and get going!” Bio: Paul Klein is a business consultant and entrepreneur. Paul’s consulting services are centered on his areas of expertise in helping executive level professionals transition from their corporate or government roles to starting and scaling their own 7-figure consulting or freelance business. Paul’s experience as principal and chief executive officer (CEO) of a successful consulting firm and Co-Founder Owner of a software company positions him to provide practical common sense approaches to starting and creating your own consulting or freelance business. Paul has consulted and worked with numerous national and international brands, including: Target, Slack, UC Berkley, Cracker Barrel, Holiday Inn, KFC, Taco Bell, Yum Brands, JC Penney, Bebe, Dollar General, Sherwin Williams, Les Schwab, and more.    

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Alex Nerney of CreateandGo.com. In 2016, after side hustling on their blog for about a year, Alex and his girlfriend Lauren McManus decided to go all in on themselves. They sold everything they owned, quit their full time jobs, and moved in with Alex’s dad in Seattle and became full time bloggers. So when I heard about Create and Go, I was on Alex and Lauren’s website, reading their story on their about page, which by the way, guys, is a really good story and I’ll link up that page in the show notes, there were two things that really stood out to me and made me want to invite them on the show: The first thing was this quote from the story: “We were blessed and plenty thankful for what we had, but there was one feeling we couldn’t escape. Is this really it? Really… Is this really IT??? Yeah, getting drunk on the weekends when you’re young is fun and who doesn’t love going to the movies for the bajillionth time in your life, but we couldn’t escape the feeling there had to be more to life than this.” And if you guys have listened to this podcast for awhile, you know that the exact same thing happened to me when I was sitting at my desk at my day job one day, this feeling of dread just washed over me and I was like, “Is this IT? Is this really all there is?” And so I felt an instant connection to their story. The second thing that stood to me (aside from the fact that Alex and Lauren grew their online business to over $100,000 a month - yes, a month - over the course of span of 2 years) is that they share in detail on their About page every single failure and misstep along the way. So I’m gonna stop here and let Alex tell you the full story in our interview, but what I really want you to take away from this interview is that you gotta try a lot of different things, you gotta make mistakes and learn from them and try something new, and just never stop because you eventually will find your way, just like Alex and Lauren did. So in today’s episode, we’re talking about: How Alex and Lauren quit their day jobs and went all in to run their health and wellness blog full time How Alex and Lauren leveraged Pinterest to gain traffic to their blog What content does best on Pinterest What common themes Alex sees that separates the people that become successful from the ones who flop The exact steps they took to monetize their first blog, Avocadu.com How Alex and Lauren build trust with their audience by marketing towards deeper values The importance of being honest with your audience Alex’s advice for starting a YouTube channel Alex’s belief that he had to change about himself My favorite quotes from Alex: “If people are telling you that you work too hard, you are probably on the right track.” “You have to give up things that are good for something greater.” “Growth in anything requires an obnoxious amount of effort.” “If you feel like you are a hard worker but you are wondering why you are spinning your wheels, these are solutions for you. These are real solutions that literally just take a hustler’s mindset and stickability.” Links mentioned in this episode: About Alex and Lauren Digital Marketer.com https://createandgo.com/ https://createandgo.com/how-to-start-a-blog/ https://createandgo.com/how-to-make-money-blogging/ https://courses.createandgo.com/p/launch-your-blog Bio: Alex is the founder of Create and Go, an online blog that teaches others how to start a blog and eventually make money blogging. Alex and his partner Lauren quit their jobs, sold almost everything they owned and went all-in blogging. Within their first year, they made $103,000 blogging. By year three, they are currently making over $100,000 per month online! And the best thing is Alex and his partner Lauren live their life completely on their terms! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/createandgo.co/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOkrld1FHoM_VMMjaeMekug

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today’s guest is Sarah Morgan of xosarah.com She’s a former side hustler turned freelance web designer turned online growth coach who helps people who want freedom, flexibility and financial independence create and grow their online businesses without overwhelm. After running a successful website design business, selling hundreds of blog templates on Etsy, launching ebooks + courses, and teaching over 7,000 students to growth their blog, social media, and email list, she’s learned a few things about where people get stuck/stalled/stressed out and how to get them growing again. Today we’re talking about: How Sarah started her online business selling e-books How she found clients when she first was starting out How Sarah listened to her audience to find out what they would like her to create The importance of having your own website, email list and blog Sarah’s marketing strategy to drive traffic to her site How Sarah schedules her tasks and days The importance of trusting yourself when it comes to your business Tips for taking better selfies (because I totally asked!) Sarah’s strategy for Instagram posting and engagement And be sure to head on over to https://xosarah.com/ and get on Sarah’s email list - she’s got some fantastic freebies for you. My favorite quotes from Sarah: “I’m very focused. I do just the tasks that are in my schedule and add everything else that comes up later in the month or week.” “I’m big on weeding out the things that aren’t bringing results.” “Experiment. Figure out if it works. If it does, keep doing it. If it doesn’t, cross it off and be done.” “You don’t need to do extra work that isn’t going to be a lot of value to your readers, your students, your clients.” “You gotta screw it up a little to figure out what works and find some success.” “Focus on the stuff that actually brings in results.” Links Mentioned in this episode: Email Marketing & Pinterest Tactics with Sarah Morgan - Thrive Episode 21 Bio: Sarah Morgan is an Emmy Award-winning digital strategist who’s been blogging and building websites since age 13. After escaping her corporate design job, she made it her mission to help bloggers and solo business owners grow their online presence without overwhelm slowing them down. Through coaching and courses, Sarah strives to help you simplify your strategies, focus on done over perfect, and find YOUR best way to connect, grow, and earn online. She shares all of her growth and productivity-boosting secrets at XOSarah.com and on social media @xosarahmorgan.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my March Income Report! Every month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my online business and reveal exactly how much money I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! My March Goals So in my February Income Report, I talked about how instead of just saying I want to make $10,000 so I can pay myself $5K and have $2500 for taxes and $2500 for expenses and then being frustrated every month when it didn’t pan out that way because it pretty much never does, I decided to plan ahead for a realistic month in detail instead. Just like I’ve been doing for years with our personal budget, Dave Ramsey style. Write down all the known expenses, think about what other expenses might come up based on what I’ve got planned for the month, and then write down all the known income that’s coming in that month and see how it all shakes out. And then I know if I need to do any extra promotion of my products or do some extra outreach to book a new web design client instead of just crossing my fingers and hoping that it all works out! I mean, I wasn’t actually doing that, I had revenue goals and expense targets, but honestly they always left me feeling totally out of control. So I still have revenue goals, and it’s still $10,000 a month now, with the goal to have that up to $15,000 by the end of the year, but now, I feel like I’m in control from the start of the month, and I feel so much more confident. And just like my food plan and my exercise plan, if it’s not on the plan, it can’t just be added willy-nilly. The Shannon that sat down and planned out this month had her reasons why she decided this all ahead of time, and it’s my job to honor that plan. If you want to learn more about this planning mindset, go check out the podcast Losing 100 Pounds with Phit N Phat – even if you’re not into weight loss, seriously, its really really good and you can just take everything she says about weight loss, substitute business or marketing and she’ll blow your mind wide open. What I Focused on in March In March, I kicked off the month speaking at the Thrive Conference for bloggers, which was so amazing. I got to see all the girls in my mastermind again and spend time with them, I got to present on Google Analytics and what metrics to shoot for when monetizing your blog, and I got to meet some of the listeners of my podcast and 5 Day Website Challengers in person, which is always so awesome and humbling every time I meet someone in person who I’ve helped build a website and start a business. Also in March, I launched the latest iteration of my online course, The Website Marketing Lab. I kicked it off with the free 5 Day Freebie Challenge where I taught my method for creating a freebie that helps you grow your email list on autopilot. Then after that 5 Day Challenge I opened up enrollment into the Website Marketing Lab, which teaches how to actually market yourself online in a way that feels authentic, how to find your ideal clients online, get them back to your website and eventually turn them into your best customers. My big focus in March was creating all the content for the 5 Day Freebie Challenge, marketing it and getting as many signups as possible. And I’ll break down my launch strategy for you with all my numbers and results in a future episode. The other thing I focused on in March were the few open Done For You client projects I had open. I shifted around my yoga schedule so that I’d have bigger uninterrupted blocks of time to work on those projects, and I moved as many meetings as possible to start at 3PM or later so that I could have more uninterrupted time during that day to focus on getting that work done as fast as possible. Also, the fruits of my Partnership Accelerator labor were totally paying off in March because I did a TON of guest interviews for this podcast, and you’ll hear those all throughout the month of April!  You may have noticed that I’m up to two episodes a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays, because I’ve had so many guests on the show if I spread them out weekly you wouldn’t get to hear from them til June – and they are SO GOOD, you guys, I don’t want you to wait to learn from all of my guests! Finally, I made the decision to continue on with the Growth Tools Team after the Partnership Accelerator, and I made a really big decision to invest in Growth University. And when I say I, I really mean we, because it’s one of those investments that’s more than just a normal online course, and I felt like rose to the level of having a conversation with my husband about it, because it’s very possible that in the short term I might have to pay myself a little less each month to cover it. So of course I took him to his favorite place to get craft beer, and then imagine telling someone who understands what you do for a living on like a very surface level – just like I know what he does for a living but I have no real grasp of the details of it – that you want to pay some guy you met online thousands of dollars to help you grow your business. So I’m answering questions like, “Okay, who is this guy?” “Bryan Harris from VideoFruit.” “How do you know him?” “Well, I heard him a few years ago on a podcast that I listen to with this other guy, Pat Flynn who’s the one that gave me the idea to start this business in the first place? I heard him on Pat’s podcast and I started following him, and taking action on all of his free advice and every single thing he ever recommended worked really well for me. So then I joined his Partnership Accelerator in January and that’s why I’ve been having so many interviews with guests on my podcasts and collaborating with all these people, and they invited me to their coaching program and I really, really think it’s going to be the thing that takes me to the next level.” And then he gives me like a long stare and is like, “I trust you, but I don’t want you to pay for it all up front just in case it turns out to be a scam.” And you guys, in that moment I felt such a wave of relief. Because this is unlike any other business coaching or program I’ve done. So when I enrolled, I had to fill out this like, super comprehensive form telling them everything about me, my business, my customers, my pain points, my goals and my dreams, my numbers, my revenue, and then they went away for a couple weeks and reviewed all of my stuff, and then came back to me with a personalized step-by-step roadmap of all the steps I need to take to reach my goal. Like, I don’t have to guess anymore. I don’t have to wonder if I’m doing the right things anymore. I know exactly what to focus on and where to put my time in order to get where I want to be. And the other really cool thing is that all of my students inside the Website Marketing Lab are getting the benefit of me going through my own process as I lead them through theres. It’s pretty awesome and I’m very excited about it – so I’ll keep you posted in future income reports. Total Revenue: $11,846.18 Affiliate Income: $1815.80 Courses: $5098.00 Done For You & Consulting: $4932.38 Total Expenses: $4714.32 Get the full breakdown of income, expenses and net profit month by month here. Net Profit: $7131.86 Biggest Lessons Learned As I reflect on March, for I think the very first time, my online course revenue exceeded my 1:1 client project revenue, and that, my friends is SUPER exciting. That is totally my plan. I’m not abandoning my 1:1 client work, but I want the majority of my income to be from scalable sources and be consistent, recurring revenue every month that I can count on. And so I think I’m definitely on the right track. And like I mentioned last month how I felt like I was really getting behind, paying myself late and from money that’s really next month’s money to pay paychecks this month, that cash flow is easing up a bit. I’m still working a lot of hours simply because I’ve decided to take on all the client work instead of outsourcing so that I can improve my cash flow, because sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, right? But the difference between now and last year when I burnt myself out overworking is that I’m making time for me. I’m working out every day, I’m getting good sleep, I’m drinking lots of water, I’m planning my healthy meals ahead, I don’t feel super stressed out all the time. The planning method my business coach Vicki Fitch taught me – I feel like it’s finally become second nature. I’m planning ahead, I’m showing up like a boss, I don’t always feel behind and like everything’s on fire, and I have a solid plan and roadmap ahead of me. And we’re only 3 months into 2019! My Website Marketing Lab launch was so much fun, you guys. Instead of doing a webinar, or just doing it all via email, I did a Facebook Challenge where every night for 5 nights I went live in a special facebook group just for this promotion, and I taught something about how to create a shareworthy freebie that helps you grow your email list on autopilot – and the engagement and participation I had in that group was like, mindblowing! It was a total blast. And then after those 5 days, I opened up the cart, continued giving feedback and teaching in the Facebook group and then anyone that wanted to continue with the next steps in the program joined the Website Marketing. It was one of the first programs and promotions, aside from the Web Designer Academy that just felt, right. Like, not everything went right, I messed some things up and whatever, but I felt totally solid in the value I was delivering and that’s in the program. And I’ve honestly always felt a little shaky on that with the other programs I’ve done, I think because I hadn’t framed a clear outcome for my students. And in the Website Marketing Lab we have a clear goal – your first or next 500 email subscribers – with really actionable steps to get you there. I can’t wait to do it again in May! But like I mentioned earlier, I’ll do a whole separate episode for you breaking down my whole launch process. So that’s it for my March income report, and I’ll see you right here next week where I’m talking with Sarah Morgan of XOSarah all about how to experiment your way to success.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today I’m bringing you Stacey Ogden of Side Hustle Teachers, who believes that being a teacher doesn’t mean that you have to be broke or burnt out. Through her Side Hustle Summer Camp, she helps teachers that want to start a business as a way to stay busy over the summer, or want a different way to pursue their passions, or are looking to transition out of the classroom altogether. Stacey’s business is a great example of niching down. She takes a topic that is very broad, like starting an online business, and instead of trying to teach it to a very broad audience, like entrepreneurs or women or mom, she blended it with her passion and her experience and then laser-focused it on teachers, which allows her to speak directly to them in a way that resonates with them. You can go check out her website, www.side-hustle-teachers.com to see how she does it, and if you know any teachers, share this episode with them! You never know if they’ve had the inkling that they’ve wanted to do something different, and Stacey might just be the guide they need to take the first step. She has a couple of freebies on her Resources page so you can choose your own adventure - if you already have an idea for your side hustle she’ll help you cultivate it, or if you have no idea what you want to do but you know you want to do something, she’ll help you figure that out. Today we’re talking about: How Stacey started a blog for moms then pivoted to helping teachers figure out how to start a side hustle How Stacey leveraged skills she had already (instead of trying to learn a bunch of new ones) to serve her audience. The importance of listening to your inner voice How she monetizes her blog Three different strategies Stacey uses to drive traffic to her website. The method Stacey walks teachers through to help them figure out what they want to do Her best advice for what to do if you aren’t getting traction in your side hustle What Stacey had to do to start really believing that she’s a legit business owner The one belief she had to change about herself to get where she is today If you’re an educator, or you know one, you can join the Side Hustle Teachers Facebook Group. Side Hustle Summer Camp enrollment opens on May 6, so spread the word to all your teacher friends and check out Stacey’s podcast too! My favorite quotes from Stacey in this episode: “What are some small tweaks I can make to make my audience’s life even easier - and make them realize that I totally get where they are coming from?” “You have so many skills that go into being “just a teacher.” Let’s hash those out. What are you not only good at but what do you enjoy?” "I wasn’t a teacher by trade, I AM a teacher. It’s just my nature. It’s part of who I am, like my DNA."  

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! I’m so excited to bring you today’s guest, Nagina Abdullah of MasalaBody.com. Nagina and I met through Videofruit’s Partnership Accelerator program, and the moment we started chatting I knew I had to get her on the podcast to share her inspiring story with you! Today we’re talking about: How Nagina took the results of a personal transformation and turned it into a successful 1:1 coaching side hustle Nagina’s biggest mistakes when she first started out & her best advice for someone who is just starting. The only pages necessary on your website when you go live. Nagina’s strategy for getting exposure for her business from day 1. Exactly what Nagina does to connect with her audience. The number one thing that helped Nagina execute on her side hustle while working full time and caring for her family. Nagina’s best strategies for finding time for her side hustle. How Nagina got over the fear of putting herself and her offerings out there. Get your hands on the Sweet Spice Cheat Sheet freebie Nagina put together for you at https://Masalabody.com/PT4SH and even if you don’t need to lose 15-40 pounds, go check out Nagina’s website, follow her on Instagram @masalabody and get on her list to get inspired by how she’s connecting with her ideal clients online!   About Nagina: Nagina Abdullah is a health coach for busy women and moms and founder of the website MasalaBody.com. Nagina has taken her business from $0 to $100k+ annually on the side of her day job by helping other busy women lose weight while indulging and eating more delicious foods. She has helped hundreds of women lose 15-40 pounds and shrink their waist. Nagina has been featured in Business Insider,  Health.com, Huffington Post and on Fox News. Quotes: “Get your thoughts in front of people. Get feedback, use it, make changes and keep getting better.” “Your goal is to get your ideas and your content out there. It doesn’t have to look beautiful.” “You have to be out there proactively, creating connections, trying to reach new people that you can partner with.”   Leave a Review!  Learn to build a website step by step with the Free 5 Day Website Challenge at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/5day

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my February Income Report! Every month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my online business and reveal exactly how much money I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! IMPORTANT THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN FEBRUARY I wrapped up Growth Tools’ Partnership Accelerator Program. I finished the migration from Infusionsoft to ConvertKit. I accepted a couple of small projects… I joined the AccessAlly Advocate Program I changed the 5 Day Website Challenge back from free for 30 days only to always free, bundled in the Website Copy Guide with the upgrade & raised the price. I started going live on my Facebook page every week. I booked a ton of guests on Pep Talks for Side Hustlers I booked a speaking gig at the Thrive Conference for Bloggers I took a girls trip to Colorado I announced the Web Designer Academy Expert Directory I started listening to a podcast called Losing 100 Pounds, recommended by Amy Porterfield, and it’s been a total game changer. Notes I found to myself in my planner: You are booked out this week, do not accept any more work. You are killing it this week!!!! You are booked out this week and next week. Do not accept any more work. My plan for vacation: let clients know ahead of time, put up an out-of-office, forward support requests to Laura. You are booked out this week. REVIEW OF MY GOALS Last month, I shared with you my revised income goals, which I’ll recap for you here… But before I do, I want to share with you something that I learned from listening to the Losing 100 Pounds podcast. The host of that podcast, Corrine Crabtree, talks about how the most important skill to develop when it comes to weight loss is doing what you say you’re going to do. And that requires two things: creating a plan, and then following that plan. And what I noticed about myself when I first started listening to her is that I resisted creating a plan for what I would eat and how I would exercise every day. It’s the same thing I did back in the day when my business coach wanted me to plan out my months, weeks and days. I wanted freedom, and felt like planning was stifling my freedom. Same thing with food. I didn’t want to “lose my freedom” But then when I committed to taking my biz coach’s advice and start planning, another interesting thing happened: The plan I created for myself could only happen in a perfect world, with all the stars aligned. I could never, ever accomplish my goals every single day. There’s nothing like never ever being able to reach your goals every single day to make you feel super frustrated all the time and compel you to make decisions that bring you instant relief, whether in business or with food. So as I look back on what I declared to be my January income goals, I see that I created my perfect, stars must be aligned and I must be all powerful to control the universe around me, unattainable plan. Which is: Pay myself first – $5,000 Increase my revenue from Courses & Done for You projects by $2500/month to cover potential end of contract. Build a cushion in my business savings of $10K ($833/month) $2500 Expenses $1500 Taxes Because when I look back at the past year of expenses, I’ve rarely capped them at $2500. Every single month is a little bit different. Increasing my revenue by $2500 a month ain’t gonna happen overnight. And that savings cushion I’d like to build, setting aside $833 a month? It’s already the end of March as I write this income report and it hasn’t happened for the past two months. So from this income report on, instead of creating one, big perfect goal and practicing being frustrated when I don’t hit the target every month, instead, every month I’m going to create a plan for revenue and expenses based on past history and reality. Yes, it’s important for me to pay myself first. And it’s really important for me to pay my quarterly taxes, and pay all of my expenses and never go into debt. But it’s also important for me to practice creating a REALISTIC plan and follow that plan instead of creating a PERFECT plan knowing it’s never gonna happen the moment I close my laptop. So I do have a general revenue goal in the short term of $10,000 a month, and in 12 months I’d like to have that bumped up to $15,000 a month. And I’ll share with you exactly how I plan to accomplish that in future income reports. WHAT I FOCUSED ON IN FEBRUARY I designated February as a List Building Month, and I also focused on completing the Infusionsoft to ConvertKit Migration, and I did LOTS of client work, lots of podcast interviews and lots of pitching. TOTAL REVENUE: $9197.15 Affiliate Income: $1401.70 Courses: $2269.00 Done For You & Consulting: $5,526.45 TOTAL EXPENSES: $3289.57 Get the full breakdown of income, expenses and net profit month by month here. NET PROFIT: $5907.58 BIGGEST LESSONS LEARNED   So when I added up all the numbers for February and saw that I made around $9000, it actually surprised me because February just felt really, really tight cash flow wise. Because if you look at the numbers, revenue minus expenses, paying myself first my standard paycheck amount of $2500 twice a month and then setting aside money for taxes, I’m actually just robbing Peter to pay Paul, as my mom would always say when we were growing up and she would sit at the dining room table to do the bills. I totally recognize that I’m paying my paychecks to myself for the prior month when the cash comes in the current month. That, my friends, is not sustainable, and trust me, I see what the future holds if I continue on this path. While I’ve cut some big expenses that weren’t giving me returns, I also totally recognize that I’ve made some investments in my business that take cash out of my pocket in the short term that I expect to get a return on in the future, including two copywriting courses that have been total game-changers for my marketing copy for my paid programs and sales pages and have already given me a return, and the AccessAlly Advocate Program – which is a certification program for Nathalie Lussier’s AccessAlly Membership Site & Online Course plugin, which in my experience is like, hands down the best membership PLATFORM, not just plugin, out there if you’re serious about generating revenue through courses and membership sites. The certification is $1500, and once I complete the certification I’ll be listed in their expert directory as someone certified to build sites with AccessAlly for all her awesome clients that want it done for them – plus I’ve totally got other plans to leverage that certification. So I had to make a decision in February when I booked another 1:1 Done For You project that I was going to do the job myself and not outsource any of the work so that I could keep the fees and stabilize my cash flow. And for a couple of other small projects that I’d taken on, that I mentioned in last month’s income reports, I decided that I needed to just put in the extra hours to finish up the work myself so I could keep the fees and make ends meet. So I’m back up to around 60 hours a week at the moment… and if you recall back in episode 199 with millionaire business owner Bernadette Doyle who challenged me to start tracking my time and to figure out how to work 25 hours a week if I really wanted to work less… I’ll just say this – I’m doing what I need to do at the moment to get where I want to be, and I don’t expect this to be a long-term overwork burnout situation like I found myself in last year…. It’ll be interesting to review this income report in a few months to see how this pans out!! And I expect my cash flow to improve starting in April. Something that was also weighing on my mind in February was getting my taxes done! I had this really unsettling feeling all year that I wasn’t paying enough in quarterly taxes, being that it was my very first year of self-employment combined with all of the tax code changes that were coming into play. So I was really eager to get everything together and do my taxes. We’ve always done our own taxes which when I tell people that they find it alarming or crazy, but fun fact – back in my early 20’s, I sold Mary Kay cosmetics. I was terrible at it, but that’s beside the point. We had the opportunity to get extensive training on bookkeeping and taxes, recordkeeping, keeping business and personal finances separate and filling out our schedule C at tax time and what’s deductible and what’s not… I feel like that education on the administrative side of having your own business was super valuable, and even though network marketing and MLMs are not for me, I’m really grateful for having learned that stuff and its really benefitted me now. So anyway, we did our taxes and I was super relieved to discover that I pretty much hit my quarterly estimates on the nose and I didn’t owe anything more for 2018, and now I’ve got a full year on my own to look at as a benchmark for what I need to set aside in 2019. We’re also building a house. We bought 4 acres in the country last May, and having our taxes done was crucial to figuring out timing of when we can get a construction loan to start building. Another thing about being self-employed is that lenders look at the past two years of business income (not revenue, but what I paid myself after taxes and expenses). For my husband, it’s like, oh, just bring us your last two pay stubs. So I’m not sure that my business income from 2017, when my biz was still a side hustle and I had a TON of expenses paying subcontractors to do things I didn’t have time to do because I was working full time – combined with 2018 is enough to get a construction loan/mortgage. So stay tuned to find out if we’re breaking ground in 2019 or if we’re waiting til 2020. The really exciting thing about February was all the guests that I had the opportunity to interview on this podcast, and those interviews are being released every week on the podcast. I’m talking to so many inspiring entrepreneurs that energize me and keep me excited and engaged and moving forward and have such good advice not just for you guys, but for me too! So that’s been a blast. And finally, I took some time off to spend a long weekend in a cabin with two of my best friends that I’ve known since I was 8 years old – and if you’re keeping track, that means we’ve been friends for 31 years. And each of us brought some of our friends and the six of us just had an awesome time talking, cooking, laughing, and relaxing. Work hard play hard, right? So as I look back a year to how I felt this time in February 2018 vs. now, I think I feel just as determined as ever to continue to grow my business. But it’s different now, one year in. My determination isn’t clouded by fear anymore. It’s backed by confidence. I have a lot of experiences and data from the past year to look at to help me make decisions this year. But most importantly, I believe in myself just as much as I did back when I started my side hustle. I knew from the moment I started that I would make it my full time job. And I did. Maybe not as fast as I wanted to and maybe not the way I thought it would, but I made it happen. And I also know that I’m going to get my cash flow under control, get ahead and meet that next goal. And I’m okay with not knowing exactly how or when. Certainty is a wonderful feeling.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Kristin Rappaport started her side hustle after 15+ years working full time in the design and marketing industry. After starting a mom blog, Kristin saw the need to teach bloggers and online entrepreneurs how to create better graphics. On her website ApplecartLane.com, Kristen teaches fellow bloggers, online business owners, entrepreneurs, mompreneurs, solopreneurs, and digital creatives the basic of graphic design so they can finally feel confident about their graphics and visual content. Sign up for Kristin’s Free Graphic Design Mini Course* here. In today’s episode, Kristin and I talk about: How there is an element of design attached to pretty much everything online Why it’s important to be open to pivoting from your original business idea The importance of committing to show up, set goals and listen to your audience Making a your business a priority first when in the building How to stay focused and accomplished while pursuing big goals How work life balance IS possible How to raise visibility for your new business. What to do with your email list! Why no subscriber is a bad subscriber The #1 belief Kristin had to change about herself to get where she is today. Bio: After 15+ years working full time in the design and marketing industry, I started my own side hustle where I teach fellow bloggers, online business owners, entrepreneurs, mompreneurs, solopreneurs, and digital creatives the basic of Graphic Design so they can finally feel confident about their graphics and visual content. When I'm not teaching design and growing my online business, you'll find me hanging out with my family, getting sucked into Pinterest, creating magical birthday parties, crafting and living that #momlife. Leave a Review!  Learn to build a website step by step with the Free 5 Day Website Challenge at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/5day  

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Find out more about the Website Marketing Lab at www.websitemarketinglab.com In this replay of a Facebook Live I did, you'll find out what I think about Facebook and Instagram going down for 24 hours, what I really think about Instagram influencers and the 4 things I've noticed that successful bloggers and online business owners have in common. You can catch me live every week and ask your questions - just go to Facebook.com/wpbffshannon to follow me and get notified when I'm live!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Rebecca Tracey of the Uncaged Life helps people break out of their cages, and free themselves from jobs they hate, bosses who won’t let them take time off, and work that has them staring at the clock, just counting down the seconds til they can GTFO!! Becca has worked with hundreds people to help them dial in their businesses so that they can quit their jobs and do their own thing, follow their passions, and live an uncaged life. She’s one of the first people I discovered in my journey to GTFO of my day job, and following her advice has always moved me forward, so I can’t wait to share this interview with you all today!  In my interview with Becca, we dig deep into: Her best advice for what to focus on (and what to ignore) when just starting out Why clarity in your business and your offering is so important Why you should start working with clients before you feel ready What parts of your business you really need to have in place to get clients The importance of doing market research and making sure your message is clear The tactics Becca used to engage with her audience and build her community Becca’s tips for pitching podcasts The belief Becca had to change about herself to get where she is today. To find out more about Uncage Your Business, go to https://www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/uncaged*   Join the Uncaged Lifers Facebook Group here. And go get Becca’s 3-Month Business Building Checklist and get your business off the ground the right way at https://theuncagedlife.com/ Connect with Becca on Instagram @rebeccatracey Quotes: If you can’t clearly explain to someone what you do in a sentence, then you probably aren’t clear enough. You can run a business in a way that works for you, you just need to create the business that will let you do that. *This is an affiliate link. I may earn a commission if you choose to make a purchase. I only recommend products and services I’ve spent my own money on and love! Some of these links are affiliate links. You pay the same whether you use my affiliate link or not, and the commissions I earn from your purchases help me to keep the 5 Day Website Challenge free. So thanks in advance for your support!   Bio: Rebecca Tracey is the head/only honcho at The Uncaged Life where she works with online business owners to get clear on their brand message, create packages that sell, and helps them learn what it actually takes to get and keep clients in this crazy online world (all while working from home with no pants on). She started her business while living in a van, and loves rock climbing and riding her bike around Toronto with her dog Rhubarb on her back. Find her at TheUncagedLife.com Leave a Review!  Learn to build a website step by step with the Free 5 Day Website Challenge at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/5day

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! This episode is a recording of a Facebook Live I did all about the most important metric to pay attention to if you intend to monetize your blog or website. You can catch me live every week and ask your questions - just go to Facebook.com/wpbffshannon to follow me and get notified when I'm live!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Wendy Breakstone is a seasoned Business Systems Mentor with more than 18 years of experience helping entrepreneurs grow and scale their businesses. Today we’re talking about Wendy’s entrepreneurial journey that includes working for a best-selling spiritual author, owning and managing a 6-figure web development and marketing consultancy, to expanding her own business expertise working at companies like Fuze and GoToMeeting. How to deal with the risk and emotions of being a new entrepreneur Wendy’s advice for not getting burned out in your entrepreneurial journey How setting up systems can help declutter your brain Wendy’s advice for avoiding shiny object syndrome A simple way you can make more progress daily. How having an online calendar system can save you time. How online systems help you set boundaries and empower your clients. Wendy’s favorite Asana tip How purpose and passion play a role in being a successful entrepreneur How defining your focus can help grow your businessHow to embrace your anxiety in business. Today Wendy focuses on mentoring entrepreneurs that need to remove the bottlenecks in their business by guiding them through creating and implementing systems and strategies for long-term, scalable success. SHOW NOTE LINKS: 1. Forbes Article on Entrepreneurial Mental Health: https://wenb.me/forbes-article 2. PLAN FOR SUCCESS WORKBOOK (free download): https://wenb.me/workbook 3. Stress-Free Scheduling with Acuity  https://wenb.me/acuity-training 4. WEBSITE: https://wendybreakstone.com 5. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/wendybreakstone Leave a Review!  Learn to build a website step by step with the Free 5 Day Website Challenge at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/5day

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! This episode is a recording of a Facebook Live I did all about why I teach you to build a website the way I teach it in the 5 Day Website Challenge and the marketing strategy behind all the things I show you how to set up.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today I'm talking with Internationally-Acclaimed Author & Relocation Consultant Katie O'Grady is a 4th generation San Diegan who together with her retired firefighter hubby and their now 14-year-old twins immigrated to Mexico in 2012. We discuss: Why Katie and her family decided to leave the rat race and move internationally How Katie went from a blog with 12 subscribers to creating a relocation consulting business Her evolution of wanting to be a writer and sharing her story to now helping other relocate The importance of having a keyword rich title over a pretty or clever title How Katie deals with the negative comments once her blog was opened up to a larger audience Why Katie feels it’s important to write in her authentic voice How putting her blog into a book can serve her audience Why Katie focuses on the social media platform that works best with her style and her audience The importance of sharing with your followers what has worked and what hasn’t worked in your journey Katie’s advice to a new blogger just starting out The importance of showing up consistently and with authenticity How her relocation consultancy was born after one email asking for help How you don’t have to have all the answers, but a willingness to find the answers How Katie finds the confidence within herself to keep moving forward when she feels overwhelmed  Connect with Katie at www.losogradysinmexico.com Leave a Review! Learn to build a website step by step with the Free 5 Day Website Challenge at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/5day

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Lauren Allen of the Corporate School Dropout Podcast and Right Hand Business Coaching considers herself a corporate full-time job survivor, who knows what it’s like to choose the life you want over an office and schedule you hate. I met Lauren inside Pat Flynn’s Power Up Podcasting Course (which is where I learned the ins and outs of podcasting), and couldn't wait to get her on the show! Lauren works with people who want to drop out of corporate, who have a dream business, and are tired of waiting and doubting whether it will work. She gives people a clear plan of action, and helps them clear away uncertainty and helps them get life out of their way. Today we’re talking about: How Lauren dropped out of the corporate world, moved to San Diego and started her own business How Lauren took her corporate project manager skills, pivoted to a different audience and created her business How to take action to overcome the fears of figuring out what you don’t know Lauren’s definition of a corporate school drop out How Lauren structures her schedule to better manage her time The importance of allowing enough time for the fear of putting yourself out there How clearing physical clutter can help with mental clutter The daily podcasts Lauren listens to The advice Lauren would give someone who is struggling to grow their side hustle The importance of narrowing down your focus and doing one or two things really well You can find out more about Lauren and Corporate School Dropout at www.corporateschooldropout.com Did you like today's show? Leave a Review! It helps me reach more people on iTunes :) Need a website? Head on over to www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/5day and sign up for the Free 5 Day Website Challenge and I'll show you step-by-step how to build a website for your side hustle.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my January Income Report! Every month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my online business and reveal exactly how much money I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! IMPORTANT THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN JANUARY I started Growth Tools’ Partnership Accelerator Program. I started the migration from Infusionsoft to ConvertKit. I created the Website Copy Guide I completed all the content for my Web Designer Academy I booked two new Done For You clients I continued tracking my time in Toggl   Notes I found to myself in my planner: You are fully booked this week. “I have another commitment” *What can I delegate?” *You can handle the busy schedule this week. Hold tight to your mornings and coach yourself through the overwhelm. Make time for self-coaching, Partnership Accelerator, ConvertKit Migration. You are booked out this week. Do not accept any more work. You are booked out this week, do not accept any more work.   REVIEW OF MY GOALS Now that I have a year of self-employment behind me, I’m revising my income goals. In 2018, my income goals were: $5000 – Income to cover my old paycheck. $2500 – Expenses $2500 – Taxes In 2019, my income goals are: Pay myself first – $5,000 Increase my revenue from Courses & Done for You projects by $2500/month to cover potential end of contract. Build a cushion in my business savings of $10K ($833/month) $2500 Expenses $1500 Taxes WHAT I FOCUSED ON IN JANUARY I designated January as my Prep and Build month. TOTAL REVENUE: $9811.56 Affiliate Income: $1804.00 Courses: $2760.75 Done For You & Consulting: $5264.81 TOTAL EXPENSES: $4043.80 Get the full breakdown of income, expenses and net profit month by month here. NET PROFIT: $5767.76 BIGGEST LESSONS LEARNED The biggest lesson I learned in January is that you just gotta ask for what you want, focus on delivering value and results, and be totally okay with a no. This came up for me in two ways in January. I mentioned earlier that I joined Bryan Harris’s Partnership Accelerator, which is a 4-week intensive workshop all about finding potential partners and pitching them. I joined it because I’m focusing on growing my email list this year, and collaborations with people who serve a similar audience are one of the best ways to do that. And I’ve known this for quite awhile. But something has been holding me back from doing it – it’s like that resistance I mention back in episode 22, like how I know I need to stick my neck out and do something based on not wanting to do it. And putting my money where my mouth is always works for me. If I pay for something, I’m going to show up and do the work and get over my crap. So that’s what I did. And by the end of 4 weeks, I’d gone from feeling my heart race and my palms sweat before hitting the send button on my first pitch to a potential partner to feeling like I knew the perfect thing to say to get a response and start building a relationship. And from having 0 partnerships because I was scared to ask – to getting 5 yesses, 3-ask-me-laters and 2 non-responses (yet). What I’ve learned about myself is that I can get really wrapped up in being worried about what people think about me. So instead of making it all about me and my self worth, I’m looking at all of this as an experiment. I’m going to try a bunch of things – coming from a place of integrity and delivering value and results first – and analyze the results and see what works and what doesn’t instead of thinking that I’m either amazing or awful depending on the results. The second way being willing to ask for what I want came up for me in January is related to billing for my time for small web design projects. I’m looking at an uncomfortable reality now that I’m tracking my time with Toggl… And when I write uncomfortable, I mean, I’ve got a pit in my stomach and tightness in my chest as I write this. Because I have to admit this to myself, and I’m worried about what you’ll think of me. But here goes… Last month, I mentioned in my income report how small projects didn’t make the cut of services I’m offering. Yet here it is, mid-way through February as I’m writing this income report and my planner is dotted with small projects that I’ve said yes to. All fine and good, but here’s what I discovered after looking at my Toggl time-tracking reports: Example: I spend an hour talking to a potential new client about a project, give them client an estimate of 2 hours to complete the project, send over an invoice, it gets paid and I reserve a spot for the work on my schedule. I spend another hour gathering what I need from the client to work on it and planning the work, and then spend 2 hours working on it. Another hour meeting with the client to review the work, and then another hour of revisions, and another 30 minute meeting to wrap things up. I’ve charged the client for 2 hours for the actual development work, and I’ve spent over 4 times that much on the project. So I’m actually charging only ¼ of my hourly rate – which is less than what I was making at my day job. No wonder I’m so “busy”. And when I outsource any overflow work to subcontractors and pay them, I actually make close to nothing. In January alone – just look at the numbers – they don’t lie. $2369 in the door in Done For You projects, $2099 out the door to subcontractors. Why am I doing this? Why am I not charging for my time? Like, I’m not even trying to and being told no. Here are all the thoughts that go through my head: What if people can’t afford my rates? I feel bad charging that much. All of this is easy for me, it’s like second nature to me, I can’t really charge that much, can I? Shoot, I said it would take 2 hours but I totally didn’t anticipate X, now I have to eat that, don’t I? It’s not their fault I estimated wrong. I don’t have time to do this, but I said yes so I need to outsource it – I’m going to make $0 on this job. Who am I to charge X for this? And this isn’t a new problem for me. This is the exact mindset struggle I had when I first started freelancing, and it pops up for me ALL THE TIME. And for my full web design package? I FINALLY dialed that in and made it profitable. And it took A LOT of mindset work. But there’s still plenty of work for me to do there because I provide a lot of unpaid support after the project is over. And it’s not like my clients balk at paying me – I just don’t ask them to. Why am I afraid to charge for the time I’m actually spending on these projects, not just the development time? And why don’t I value my skillset? Like, if I needed to have surgery, wouldn’t I want the surgery to feel easy and like second-nature to my surgeon? Wouldn’t I want to pay for that level of experience? Yes, I realize I just compared WordPress to surgery, but you know what I mean… Here’s what I know about myself – I will deliver results. No matter what. One of my WordPress colleagues said recently, “I can never leave a mystery unsolved.” And I can’t even describe how much that statement resonated with me. And I also know that with WordPress, there’s almost always a way to solve any business or tech problem. But I’m terrible at estimating the amount of time it will take me. Wait, scratch that. That’s not true. I’m terrible at telling the truth about the amount of time it will take me, because I’m afraid to say those bigger numbers out loud. What if you tell me it’s too much? What if you yell at me? What if we have to NEGOTIATE!!? I tell my Web Designer Academy students: “Think about how long it will take you to do this, and then double it. And that’s what you charge. And then the first time you do it, track your time because you may be totally off, and that’s okay you’ll know for next time.” And then when it comes to my own projects, I don’t take my own advice!! And to be 100% transparent, it’s because I think my hourly rate is too high and if I have to double it then my clients won’t be able to afford me and then they’ll be left hanging. Yeah, like I’m that important. And like I’m the only one in the world that can help them. Ugh. I told you… you might not like me after reading this article. But those are the for-real thoughts that pop into my head! Sometimes I feel like I’m just bad at business. And it’s easier to sell courses and memberships and large packages than have to address this problem. Anyway. This has been a problem for me for over 3 years, and I’ve done nothing about it. Except complain about it in my head. I’ve blamed my old day job. I’ve blamed my clients (I know, ridiculous bc I never gave them the opportunity to pay me more money). I’ve blamed my dog (I mean, she needs walks but dang it I don’t have time I’ve packed my schedule too full). I’ve waffled on whether I want to accept more small projects. I say I’m done – and then I say yes to the next person that asks. Because I like helping people, and I want you to like me. And I want to make money. So how can I solve this problem, once and for all? ***6 Hours Later*** So six hours ago, I actually typed “How can I solve this problem once and for all?” and had to stop writing this income report. I was stuck. Because I didn’t know the answer. I mean, I was really asking myself how can I solve this problem? And I was having a conversation with myself in my head about how I keep doing the same thing over and over and over. Like, do I really want a solution? Or do I want to keep the drama around it and keep being the “victim” of my poor choices and humble-bragging about how I have so much work and too many clients? Gag me with a spoon. (Yes, I grew up in the 80s). And like my business coach always told me, asking myself “how can I” is magical. Because I have the answers – I just need to get past all the drama and listen to myself. The solution has been right in front of my face this whole entire time. And it’s not to “set boundaries” or “start saying no” or any of that other stuff that just doesn’t work for a YES person like me who wants to help everyone. Its my Web Designer Academy graduates. The people who I’ve trained (to do as I say, not as I do – as my mom used to say) to market themselves and provide awesome service to their clients. Who serve a wide variety of niches and a wide variety of price points. Like, there’s a web designer for everyone in there. So how can I solve this problem once and for all? Give my clients a choice. My rate is what it is, my package is what it is, and I bill by the hour, and when you work with me, I’m gonna knock your freaking socks off. But if my schedule is booked out (which as you saw from the notes in my planner, it often is) or you have a specific budget or you need an expert in a certain niche or tool? Then I refer you to my directory of WP+BFF Certified Experts – web designers who have already gone through my 12 week training course, who have invested in their WordPress education, who set their own rates based on their unique goals, and who love serving clients and leaning on each other to solve problems for their clients. It’s a win-win. I get to send clients to the awesome, amazing web designers that have gone through my training program, and I get to help everyone that comes to me, and I get say yes to everyone, and I already feel more confident about my hourly rate. Because I’m really, really good at what I do. Yeah, I said it. It’s uncomfortable to say it, but I’m saying it. So I’m in the early stages of putting that together, and I’m super pumped to debut it to my audience so you’ll have a group of vetted, super skilled web designers to hire for your projects!! So my biggest lesson learned in January is that I just have to ask, that I can still serve people if they say no, that I can always come from a place of integrity and that this really is all one big experiment. The results I get aren’t good or bad – they are just feedback that lets me know what I need to adjust going forward. So what I want you to take away from this pep talk is that all the things you try in your business, all the things you ask people for, I want you to look at those as experiments.  

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today’s Pep Talk is all about attending conferences to help you grow your side hustle. In it I share with you: Why I have a love/hate relationship with conferences. Why I think attending a conference is the most beneficial thing you can do as a side hustler. Why entrepreneur conferences are way better than corporate ones. Creative ways to fund your travel. What to do if you’re shy or introverted to have a great conference experience. Why you don’t need to have an “elevator pitch” prepared to have a great conference experience. I’m speaking at the Thrive Conference in Austin, Texas March 1-3 and I’d love to see you there! Tickets are almost sold out - so go get yours at https://www.thrivetogether.blog Join the Free 5 Day Challenge at https://www.wp-bff.com Join the 5 Day Freebie Challenge at https://www.wp-bff.com/freebiechallenge

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today I'm talking to fearless freelancer and WordPress expert Carrie Dils all about how she transitioned from 1:1 client work to monetizing her knowledge on a bigger scale. If you want to move beyond time-for-money in your side hustle, this is the episode for you! Carrie has been around in the WordPress and web design community for many years – I’d even seen her name around well before I decided to start freelancing – I’d be working on a website at my day job and run into a snag, start googling and her blog would come up quite often. Her name is Carrie Dils, and I came across her again when I booked a new web design client with a pretty challenging project. I was researching how to do something, came across Carrie’s website again and saw that she had a way to just book a paid consultation call by the minute – which we’ll talk about later in this episode. So I booked a call, got some advice and then invited Carrie on the podcast to talk about how she monetized her WordPress knowledge beyond one on one client work. In today’s episode, Carrie and I dig deep into: The tipping point where Carrie took the leap from day job to full time side hustle. Creating multiple streams of revenue outside of 1:1 client work as a web designer. How to do content marketing as a web designer. How to easily sell your expertise – in any subject – by the minute. How Carrie dealt with imposter syndrome when she was first starting out The #1 skill to have as a web designer. Why you shouldn’t try to do everything yourself in your web design business. Why Carrie shifted from writing Genesis and WordPress tutorials for freelancers to teaching them how to be a successful freelancer. Carrie’s #1 piece of advice for a new web designer. Carrie’s advice on pricing. The belief Carrie had to change about herself to get where she is today. Just a quick heads up – you’ll hear some background noise in this interview – Carrie had to duck into a coffee shop to do the interview, which is totally cool with me! So let’s dive in to my interview with WordPress Expert and Fearless Freelancer Carrie Dils. So if you’re a web designer or you’re thinking about freelancing, head on over to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/freelance and that’ll send you over to my blog post all about how I got my first web design client, and you can get your hands on a freebie – my 7 Step Website Consultation Checklist and script that will walk you through how to do a consultation call with a potential client. All the resources mentioned in this episode can be found over at peptalksforsidehustlers.com/210 – and if you’re not a web designer but you want to build your own website for your side hustle, head on over to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/5day and sign up to take my Free 5 Day Website Challenge which will walk you step by step how to build your entire website with WordPress in just 5 days. See you next week! Resources mentioned in this episode: Carrie Dils  How to Successfully Freelance (*this is an affiliate link) Smart Passive Income E-myth Book  Profit First – Mike Michalowicz  Entreleadership – Dave Ramsey Bio: Carrie Dils is an independent contractor and developer with 20 years of experience in web development and deep experience in full-scope WordPress projects. From small, locally-owned businesses to Fortune 500 companies (including Disney and Nvidia) Carrie has worked with clients to deliver creative and successful digital solutions. She’s passionate about education and empowering others to do the work they love. She hosts the OfficeHours.FM podcast for digital freelancers and small business owners, helping them grow their service-related businesses. She teaches WordPress and front-end development courses for Lynda.com and LinkedIn Learning. She also offers a series of business courses for freelancers at The Fearless FreelancerTM. When Carrie’s not working, she’s probably reading a book, playing with her dogs, drinking a craft beer, or taking an absurdly long walk.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my December Income Report! Every month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my online business and reveal exactly how much money I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! IMPORTANT THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN DECEMBER. I began tracking my time and limiting my work hours. I was accepted to Bryan Harris of Growth Tools’ Partnership Accelerator Program. I got my laptop repaired. I scheduled my last work day as December 16. We met with a builder to see if he’s a good fit to build on the property we bought back in June. I updating my branding. Notes I found to myself in my planner: REVIEW OF MY GOALS When in quit my day job in January of 2018, I set a goal to generate $10,000 in revenue so that I could pay myself $5,000 a month and set aside the other $5000 for taxes and expenses: $5000 – Income to cover my old paycheck. $2500 – Expenses $2500 – Taxes WHAT I FOCUSED ON IN DECEMBER I had a couple of big goals in December. I really wanted to take time off during the holidays, so I blocked my calendar from December 16 through the first week of January. I told myself I would let my clients know that I was unavailable and to plan accordingly. Part of the reason I wanted to take time off is to simply have some white space between all of holiday get-togethers and travel – but another reason is so that I would have time to do one of my favorite things to do – which is to work on my own business, unencumbered by meetings and appointments. My other big focus was to stay true to my health goals. Continue going to hot yoga three times a week. To avoid overindulging in sweets and comfort food and alcohol that is fun in the moment, but zaps me of my energy and makes me feel terrible, physically and mentally. With those goals in mind, here’s what I made in December of 2018: TOTAL REVENUE: $7627.52 Affiliate Income: $1334.80 Courses: $2661.00 Done For You & Consulting: $3631.72 TOTAL EXPENSES: $3246.84 Get the full breakdown of income, expenses and net profit month by month here. NET PROFIT: $4380.68 BIGGEST LESSONS LEARNED I learned a lot of lessons in December. While I was very successful at not overindulging and still enjoying myself around the holidays, I was not very successful at holding my boundaries when it came to client work. December has always been a slower month revenue-wise, and this year was no exception. December and July are always slow for me. I didn’t promote anything for sale this December because I didn’t want to be available to support it! And it’s just not my style to jump in to all the holiday sales. It’s my goal to take the entire month of December off in the future… I mean, it seems like that last week before Christmas is when everyone is trying to finish everything they never got to throughout the year so that they can actually take time off from work and come back in January with a clean slate. It’s like, the height of the holiday frenzy. So next year, I need to do a much better job of letting my clients know my schedule. I didn’t really tell them this year… I just kinda blocked it on my calendar and put an out-of-office up. And then I still responded to the emergencies. I can’t help myself sometimes… I also still do some consulting for my old day job and they have a big year-end project every year that despite my best efforts always goes to the 11th hour… So if I’m still consulting for them at the end of 2019, there’s no use in fighting that. It happens the exact same way every year. I’m really glad that I not only scheduled the week between Christmas and New Years but also the first week of January off so that I could work on my own stuff. I didn’t hold my boundaries the week of the 16th, but I did for the 2 other weeks I had planned vacation! And it’s not like it was hard because the rest of the country was checked out of work anyway… But you guys, I LOVE working on my own stuff. I get so much joy out of getting to be creative without having a deadline. So I gave my brand a facelift in December, and that’s just saved me so much time in these first few weeks of January already. I had worked with a branding firm back in September of 2017 to help me transition my branding away from WP+BFF and to Shannon Mattern. And I absolutely loved the experience and the end result and I’d recommend my branding company, Braid Creative, all day every day. We did much, much more together than just create a logo, color scheme and fonts to solidify my brand. But what I discovered after awhile was that my branding was very difficult to implement consistently across platforms. Specifically it was a challenge to make it look good vertically for Pinterest and horizontally for my website, and hard to outsources the nuances of making it look good anyone who is not a graphic designer, and the colors were too muted to really stand out online. I had been gathering inspiration and had an idea of the changes I wanted to make, and then one morning, I was just sitting on my couch drinking my morning coffee with no plans, nowhere to be and no one needing anything from me, and the inspiration struck, and as they say, the floodgates opened, and I rebranded. Then I started working on my systems. I’ve overcomplicated my marketing funnels and I don’t need all the bells and whistles I have. They don’t work right half the time anyway. And as I mentioned in my last income report, I’ve decided to move away from Infusionsoft to ConvertKit. Not just to save a few hundred dollars a month, but also because I am committed to simplifying my business in 2019. I waffled on whether I had time to do it myself or if I wanted to oursource it, and at the end of the day I decided to just go for it. I like to make decisions in real time, as I’m solving the problem and setting things up. And then I know what’s available to my clients because I’ve explored all the possibilities. So one day I was inspired to just do it – and I just got lost in time rebuilding all of my email sequences and working on the migration. Which is still in process in the 3rd week of January. I hit a snag with the built-in Infusionsoft importer and I’m working with ConvertKit engineers on it, but getting help has been a slow process. I’m hopeful I’ll get a good result because I want to be able to recommend ConvertKit to you guys – but customer service is so, so important so I hope they step it up. Maybe I’m too nice and patient… Anyway. Another thing I did was make some decisions on whether I’d continue offering some services I’d offered in the past. And I’d been watching Marie Kondo’s show on Netflix and it actually helped me make some decisions. Tracking my time helped me make the decisions. And obviously looking at these income reports also helped me to make some decisions. Does offering this service bring me joy? How much time am I spending on this service? How much do I make on this service? And some services didn’t even come close to making the cut. The WordPress Protection Package didn’t make it. I lose a lot of money on it. Of course I’ll still serve my existing clients and my Done For You Clients, but I won’t be accepting new clients for that service and I removed it from my site. Accepting small projects of under 8 hours didn’t make the cut. Why? Because when tracking my time I discovered that a 2 hour time block actually took 4 hours when I included communication and prep. And a 4 hour time block actually took 6. And while I could build that into the price, those projects are difficult to schedule and take my time away from marketing more lucrative offers and working on partnerships. I know there’s a need out there to help people with smaller projects, so I need to analyze whether it’s worth it for me to build a team to take those on, or just say no. I’m still undecided. And honestly I feel guilt turning away work when I know there are so many web designers out there who are struggling to market themselves and get the work. It’s something I need to work on. As I look back on December and 2018 as a whole, I’m proud of what I accomplished. It’s important to me personally to not have debt other than a mortgage, and I maintained that boundary in my business. It was important to me to pay myself twice a month, and although I was late a few times on my paycheck I still paid myself everything I planned to pay myself. And I think I paid enough in quarterly taxes, but I really have no idea since it’s my first year without a W2. I’m eager to do my taxes so that I can settle up with the IRS if I need to and get a clear baseline for 2019 (and see what I’m able to do to get a construction loan to build a house as a self-employed person). And I’ve taken steps to grow a legit team – but I still have work to do. I keep accepting work and then doing it myself instead of taking the time to delegate and train a team. So I definitely need to work on that. In 2018 I for sure overworked myself, spent my time on non-income producing activities and barely grew my email list or my social media followers. And I still hit my revenue goals. So I’m really excited to see what happens in 2019 when I focus my time on my physical and mental health, list growth, partnerships, income producing activities, simplifying my business, building a team and practicing constraint. Watch out 2019, ready or not, here I come!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today I'm answering a listener question about the process of turning a blog (or any type of content) into a book. I'm sharing the process I've been through so far as I contemplate and prepare to write a book. In this episode I’ll break down: Why this is even a topic someone would ask me about. Why consider turning your blog (vlog, podcast) into a book. The process I’m using to turn my content into a book. How I’ll ultimately publish my book. Resources: The Book You Were Born to Write by Kelly Notaras Write Your Damn Book Course by Jen Sincero Hay House Writer’s Workshop Vicki Fitch, #12Books12Months  Self Publishing School And if you’ve been listening for awhile and haven’t left me a review yet, can you please do me a ginormous favor and subscribe to the podcast go to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/review – reviews are a signal to iTunes that there’s good info here and they are more likely to suggest my podcast. Thanks so much for listening, and if you want step-by-step video training on how to build your website and set up your email list and hook up your freebie, head on over to www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/5day and sign up for my free 5 Day Website Challenge!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! In today's episode I'm answering listener questions. Hear all about that one time I got scammed online, and I also give advice to a group of authors on the best type of paid advertising use to get more traffic. #1 – Have you ever been scammed online? I’d like to know if you’ve fallen foul of the million and one other types of make money online “opportunities” that have promised to help create an income but which only make an income for the person offering the information. I’ve been through so many different courses, twists and turns and feel that I’ve made it through the sea of charlatans to what it really means to make a viable, legal income online (thank you Shannon!) Has that been hard for you? Or are you one of the lucky ones who landed on the right track straight away? Xina – Listen to the episode to hear about the time I was scammed online, plus my experience with buying online courses. Additional Resources:   Many freelancers and side hustlers fall victim to the scam, and Tekla’s blog post offers tips how to detect and fight scammers. #2 – Where should I put my advertising dollars? A group of authors I belong to is considering advertising, since we all do most of the free marketing actions already. If we are going to spend money, where is it best spent? FB, Amazon, Google? And how do we determine the best target audience for our ads? The group is the Bluestocking Belles. You can find out more about their individual books and boxsets here  Rue Listen to the episode to find out my recommendation for how to spend their ad dollars, and what to make sure they have in place before they spend any money! And if you’ve been listening for awhile and haven’t left me a review yet, can you please do me a ginormous favor and subscribe to the podcast go to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/review – reviews are a signal to iTunes that there’s good info here and they are more likely to suggest my podcast. Thanks so much for listening, and if you want step-by-step video training on how to build your website and set up your email list and hook up your freebie, head on over to www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/5day and sign up for my free 5 Day Website Challenge! If you have a question, head over to www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/207 and leave me a comment and a link to your website - I’ll answer your question and shout you out on a future episode!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! In episode 206, I’m taking you back to basics for marketing your side hustle online. If you find yourself thinking that online business is too complicated, it doesn’t have to be. And if you’re new to it and want a clear path to getting started, this is the episode for you. There are 5 ingredients to any successful online business. Niche Build Know, Like & Trust Email Addresses An Offer Consistency Click here to get the full show notes Welcome to episode 206 of Pep Talks for Side Hustlers, where we’re going back to basics with Marketing an Online Business 101. I love that the beginning of the New Year is a time to reflect on the past year, what went well and what we want to change. And in Episode 205, I walked you through all the lessons I learned in 2018 from my very first year of self-employment, and almost all of them had to do with mindset and changing my beliefs. So today, I want to give you some really practical, actionable advice that you can walk away with and start to implement today to grow your online business. We’re going back to the basics. To the 101 level, of exactly how to start a business online and how to market it. This episode is perfect for beginners who are in the very early stages of starting an online business. But if you’ve been in business awhile and you’re anything like me, you can be guilty of overthinking and overcomplicating things. And when you’re side hustling, you’re working 40-50 hours a week and you have a family and a life, it is so important that you have the simplest yet most effective structure to your online business that you can have. When you’re a solo-entrepreneur, it can be really tempting to set up a bunch of “automation” to run your business, but what I’ve found is that there’s a point at which it becomes more of a time-suck than a time-saver. And there’s a point at which you can ask your prospects to choose so many different adventures that they get tired of having to make all these decisions! Do you want to upgrade or join my membership? Do you want the membership with bonuses or without? Do you want lifetime access or not? Like, the reason that I’m a long-time subscriber to HelloFresh is that I honestly do not want to decide what to make for dinner. I want the decision made for me! (And no, HelloFresh does not sponsor my podcast – but if you’re listening, HelloFresh, I’d make a great spokesperson!!) Anyway, I realized that I have been asking my subscribers to make waaaay too many decisions. I took some time the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day and the first week of January simplifying my business. Undoing complex funnels and automations that created more headaches for me and my customers. Paring down the number of freebies I offer on my website and sending people into my virtual company through just one front door. Removing services that cost me more to offer than I make, not only in direct dollars, but in time taken away from marketing my business. And deciding to get back to basics when it comes to the trainings that I offer. Because yes, I know a lot about a lot of things when it comes to online marketing, but I don’t have to be the one to teach all the things. I can be the person that refers you to the right people that specialize in the things I know. So if you find yourself thinking that online business is too complicated, it doesn’t have to be. And if you’re new to it and want a clear path to getting started, this is the episode for you. So let’s dive in. There are 5 ingredients to any successful online business. I’ll list them out for you, and then I’ll go into detail on each one. They are: Niche Build Know, Like & Trust Email Addresses An Offer Consistency Niche I think one of the most challenging things we have to do when we’re just starting out is to figure out how to translate what we love to do into a niche. The definition of “niche” is a specialized segment of the market for a particular kind of product or service. For example, I absolutely love building websites. And technically I have the skillset to build any kind of website for any kind of company. When I first started freelancing as a web designer, I worked for anyone who needed a web designer by word of mouth. And what I discovered is that I don’t love building websites for just any kind of company. In fact, there are some kind of companies that I absolutely dread building websites for, and every time I work with those companies I think to myself, “I am NEVER working for that kind of business ever again.” So when I discovered that I could teach WordPress and make a living online from it, I was really forced to think, “Well, what kind of website am I going to teach people how to make?” I talk about this in New York Times Bestselling Author Chris Guillebeau’s book Side Hustle, about how I figured out who I was going to serve with my web design skills. I’ll link up to it in the show notes and you can read that story in detail in Chapter 8. But I decided that I wanted to help people who were just like me. Solo entrepreneurs, determined to build their own business, while working full time, and they needed a website that helped them market themselves and build their email list, and they needed to be able to like, sit down on their lunch hour and knock out part of their website. And then sit back down the next day and get the next chunk done. And that’s why I created the 5 Day Website Challenge in the format that I created it, because the people I’m serving only have a limited amount of time every day to dedicate to it. And I actually niched it down even further in my mind to target women only because I felt like I could better relate to women, but what I’ve discovered is that my niche isn’t a specific age or gender. My niche is people with a specific situation and mindset and goal. They want to create an online business. Their time is limited and they want to transcend beyond one-to-one time for money, and they want financial freedom and control over their time. I’m passionate about helping those kind of people, because I’m passionate about having that in my own life. That’s what makes it not feel like a grind. And if I marketed myself as someone that could help anyone with a website, it’s hard for potential customers to figure it if I’m really the right person for them because I’d have to be so generic and vanilla so as not to exclude anyone. That’s why I teach students in my Web Designer Academy – to choose a niche. Who are you going to build websites for? What are you going to learn about their industry so that you’ll be more knowledgeable than they are about what they need in a website? I’ve been listening to the Life Coach School podcast with Brooke Castillo. She teaches people how to be life coaches. She used to teach people specifically how to be weight loss coaches. How do you, as someone who wants to be a weight loss coach, walk into a room with 50 other people who also want to be weight loss coaches and not feel totally scared that everyone else is doing what you’re doing and worry about how you’ll ever get a client? By choosing a niche. Weight loss for people that: Have over 100 pounds to lose. Want to lose baby weight Have been overweight their whole lives Have recently gained weight Have the last 10 pounds to lose Have a chronic illness The biggest challenge in choosing a niche is taking the focus off of yourself and what you do. I’m a web designer. I’m a weight loss coach. I’m a social media manager. It’s not about you. It’s about who you want to help and the results they want. Web design for solo entrepreneurs that are done with DIY. Weight loss for women who are recently divorced. Social media for non-profits who want to increase donations. Blank for blank who want to blank. Figure that out first, and you’ll be golden. Know, Like & Trust Once we know who we’re serving, we need three things to position ourselves as the right person to help them. Know, Like and Trust. I’ve gone in depth on this in previous episodes, but it boils down to this: Does your niche know you exist? Do they like you? Do they trust you. That’s the work you have to do, and your website is a huge, huge part of that. Social media too. When it comes to the Know part, does your niche know you exist, I hear the same thing over and over from people: “How do I get people to find me online?” They want to be Googled. They want to be stumbled upon on Pinterest or YouTube, or scrolled by in a social media feed. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that… UNLESS it’s your only plan. You cannot sit back and wait for niche to find you. Well, you can, but it’s just going to take you a lot longer. You have to go out and find your niche. Show up where they are hanging out with awesome, valuable content. Just saying that made me think back to 7th grade when I liked a boy who was on the wrestling team and the baseball team. So I signed up to be a stat for wrestling and baseball… It sounds a little stalker-y now that I think about it… But it worked. We got to know each other, like each other and we were “going together” for like a whole month. Do people still say “going together”? Anyway… I’m talking Facebook groups. Networking groups in real life. On other people’s blogs and podcasts that serve the same audience. There are so many ways to do this. That’s what gets people to Know, Like and Trust you. You show up, you’re your awesome self and not trying to be someone you aren’t – because people can see through that – and you give your knowledge away freely which positions you as a trustworthy. It’s a signal that if I pay you for more of this, you’re gonna deliver and I’m gonna get results. So this valuable content you’re sharing, it lives on your website. “Hey, I have a blog post about that, here’s the link. Hey, I have a free training on that, here’s how you can sign up. OMG I’m holding a webinar on that exact topic next week, here’s the registration page.” Social media is how you find them, website is how you build know like and trust. Which leads me to the third thing in our list, email addresses. Email Addresses Now, you might be thinking, “Shannon, it’s 2019. It’s the age of live-streaming and Instagram stories. Why are you still talking about email? Everyone talks about how much they hate email and how they are overwhelmed by their inboxes. I don’t want to annoy people. Can’t they just go right to my sales page and buy my program?” There are some kinds of email that I hate too. Especially when I had a day job – because all of that email was just someone else’s giant to-do list for me, full of drama and fires that needed to be put out. But I love email that’s going to help me, and serve me and teach me something new. Especially if I’ve taken the time to go to your website and put my email address in to get the resource that someone in a facebook group told me I HAD to get. Or something that speaks to a results I want in my life. Another thing about email is that it lets you continue the conversation. It doesn’t get lost down the feed. You can save it for later. It lets you lead your prospect on a journey through making a decision to work with you or not. So the way you get someone’s email address is to offer something of value for free for the privilege of showing up in their inbox and starting the relationship. And I like to make that free thing really, really good. Like something people would pay money for. I see a lot of crappy freebies out there, especially on Pinterest. It might be enticing enough that I’ll put in my crap email address – do you guys do this too? You have an email account just for junk mail and store coupons and stuff? Like, I’ll put my Yahoo account in if I’m like, yeah… I kinda wanna see if this is going to be any good, I’m gonna check this email to get the freebie but if it sucks I don’t care if I never open another email from this person again – they aren’t getting into my Good Inbox. Then I have a personal email address that I’ll use once I’m confident that I really do want to hear from that person. Maybe I’ve heard them on a podcast, read their blog, read their book. The way they market their freebie makes me think YES, I want that and I want everything else I can get my hands on. If your freebie is that good, I’ll use an email address I actually check. And I’ll look forward to those emails. And that’s what I want you to do – make a freebie that people are going to let you into their inbox that they actually check, and look forward to getting more from you. But you gotta know who you’re doing it for. That’s why niche is so important. But here’s where people get tripped up when I say this: They are so worried about making it so good that they never actually put anything out there. They worry about whether they made the right freebie or not, if they gave away too much or not enough… You gotta come up with an idea, put it out there in front of your niche, and do all that work, and then they will tell you if it’s good or not. You might not get it right the first time. In fact, I hope you don’t because the feedback you’ll get when you get out of your head and into your customer’s head is so valuable. An Offer Once you have someone on your email list and you’ve developed a relationship with them, and they understand how you can help them, the way that you turn prospects into customers is to offer opportunities to work with you on a deeper level. You can make offers strictly via email, you can invite people to attend a webinar and make the offer on a webinar. But you have to make offers and let people know how they can work with you. Don’t expect that they are doing to figure it out on their own – it’s your job to let people know and give them all the information they need to decide whether or not they want to. Describe all the results people can get from working with you. If they don’t pay attention, that’s okay. Maybe now’s not the right time. If they do pay attention and decide not to buy from you, that’s okay too. But follow up and find out why – super valuable information. Before I talk about the final ingredient, let’s recap: Be really specific about who you want to serve even if you could serve everyone. Build the know like and trust factor – and take the lead on becoming known. Don’t wait for people to find you. Then use your website to build the like and trust factor. Give people a reason and a way to give you their email address so you can deepen the relationship and lead them through all the information they need to decide whether or not they want to work with you. Make offers to let people know exactly how you can serve them. Consistency The final ingredient to making this formula work is consistency. You may not see immediate results. Keep planting seeds. You may discover you need to tweak your niche. You may discover that you need to spend more time building the know like and trust factor. You may need to test out a few different freebies. You might need to change your offer or change the way you talk about your offer. Where I see mistakes being made, and I’ve done this too, is that you think oh, this tool or platform doesn’t work. I need to be on Instagram or Pinterest or YouTube. I need to change that. I need to run ads, I need a new logo. I need a sales funnel. It’s all shiny objects that overcomplicate your business. You gotta give yourself the time to let things unfold. And give the tactic you’re testing time to unfold and get traction. And that’s the beauty of starting an online business as a side hustle. You have the luxury of having a paycheck coming in so that you’re not desperate to make it work. So that you have time to test and change and test and change. But don’t CHANGE until you’ve spent time actually going out and finding your audience. You can’t sit and wait for them to come to you and then say, “Well, that didn’t work. I guess I need to redesign my website.” Consistently create valuable content. Consistently share your free stuff where your niche is hanging out. Consistently reach out to people who serve your audience and offer to add value. Do the work without expectation of immediate results and without fear that it might not be the right thing. I want you to get through all the wrong things as fast as possible. So that’s it. Those are the basics of marketing your online business. One niche. One freebie. One email campaign. One offer. That’s all you need. I spent 2018 testing a whole bunch of different things. I honestly tested like 10 or 12 different services. And now I’m scaling back to the 4 core things that got me to this point: Teaching solo entrepreneurs how to build websites. Teaching them how to market their websites. Building websites and creating marketing strategies for people who are done with DIY. And teaching web designers how market themselves, get clients and manage projects. It all started for me with just one thing: teaching people how to build their websites. The rest came directly from my audience telling me what they wanted from me next. So keep it simple, keep it consistent and I can’t wait to see what you create in 2019! And if you’ve been listening for awhile and haven’t left me a review yet, can you please do me a ginormous favor and subscribe to the podcast and click here to leave me a review (reviews are a signal to iTunes that there’s good info here and they are more likely to suggest my podcast). Thanks so much for listening, and if you want step-by-step video training on how to build your website and set up your email list and hook up your freebie, head on over to www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/5day and sign up for my free 5 Day Website Challenge!  

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! I quit my day job a year ago today. Today I’m sharing the the truth about what the first year on my own was really like. If you’re new here…long story short, after side hustling for three years, I had grown my business to the point where it could sustain itself and me. I left the security of my corporate job to strike out on my own so that I could be in control of my time and my earning potential. And today, is the one-year anniversary of me quitting my day job. As I was preparing to write this post, I went back and reviewed the monthly income reports I’ve written throughout 2018. I’m so glad I wrote those reports. It’s easy for me to gloss over the details and just focus on the highlights… I’m not going to go over each month in detail in this post but if you want to go back to January and follow the journey, you can read them all here. 2018 was an amazing year. I earned over $100,000, didn’t go into debt and never missed paying myself a paycheck. We’ll see if I paid enough in taxes though – you’ll have to wait for my April 2019 income report on that one… I do have money saved back just in case. I launched my podcast, Pep Talks for Side Hustlers, which I didn’t know I’d fall in love with podcasting, but I totally have. I re-launched the best version yet of my free 5 Day Website Challenge. I spoke at a conference. I got to meet Amy Porterfield and thank her for inspiring me. And I made some new biz besties who helped me change the trajectory of my business. I also learned a lot of lessons in 2018: Money should be spent to amplify something that’s already working, not to do things you don’t know how to do or don’t have time to do. Figure it out, make sure it works, create a process and then delegate it. This goes for team members, bookkeeping, and for services like Pinterest and Facebook Ads. I wasted a lot of money paying people to do things I didn’t have time to do or didn’t know how to do, and those things didn’t even end up benefiting my business. I learned that more isn’t better. Being on every social media platform isn’t better. A daily podcast isn’t better. Launching 3 courses a month isn’t better. It’s exhausting. I learned that when something isn’t working, the time to take action is right when you discover it’s not working. Contemplate why it’s not working, and then make a decision on how to move forward. Waiting months because you’re afraid to address it doesn’t do anyone any good. I learned that I can be easily lured by shiny objects that will sidetrack me and that I don’t think all the way through to the consequences of following those paths. I know how easily I can be knocked off course, so I need to create some constraints for myself. I learned that it really doesn’t matter how many people I have on my email list. It matters how many people I add each month and how many that stay are actively engaged and paying attention. I have less people on my list now than in my first year and I’m making more money than ever before. I learned that there’s no secret that I still need to discover when it comes to online business. Solve a problem for a niche, give value before you ask for anything in return, build an email list of potential customers, make offers. It’s as simple as that. That formula will make you a hundred dollars, a hundred thousand dollars and a million dollars. I learned that if I want my business to grow, I cannot continue trading my time for money. I need to delegate web design work to other people, even if I CAN do it. And that’s a GOOD thing. I learned that just because I want to change doesn’t mean I will. Wanting to change and taking specific action to change are two totally different things. I learned how to want to change, and how to turn it into action. And most importantly, I learned that I have to put my physical and mental health first, and not my ego first. Because “putting clients first” and “being busy” is really putting my ego first, and keeping myself in a victim mentality where I get to act like everything is happening to me and I have no choice. I have all the power. I always have. After reflecting on 2018, if I had to choose one word positive word to describe it, I’d choose TRANSFORMATION. If I had to choose one negative word, FRANTIC is the word I’d use to describe it. Because while it is absolutely amazing, and I’m really proud of myself for everything I accomplished, I did have some challenges. You can read about them in those income reports. Every single challenge I encountered can be traced back to one single source: my mindset. That means every single problem I encountered has a solution that’s within my control: my mindset. I paid attention to the challenges. I’m learning from the challenges. That’s how transformation happens. And as I sit here on December 31, 2018 writing this post, it almost seems like I’m reading about a different person as I read the first several income reports. I can see that person was struggling. She was stressed out and scared and trying to pretend like she wasn’t. What’s really interesting to me is that my first year as a full time entrepreneur with no day job for a safety net mirrors what my first year as a brand new side hustler was like. Trying everything, seeing what works. Launching with webinars. Launching evergreen. Facebook ads. Pinterest. Instagram. Livestreaming. A membership program. Alexa flash briefings. A podcast. Income reports. Affiliate promotions. YouTube videos. But as a new side hustler, I wasn’t scared. I still had a paycheck coming in. There wasn’t so much at stake. I created so much content in 2018 it makes my head spin. And it made my audience’s head spin too. Instead of inspiring and leading them, it confused and overwhelmed them. I created content and marketed my programs at such a frantic pace to ignore the uneasiness of being solely responsible for creating my own income. The transition from the employee mindset to the entrepreneur mindset was a challenge I hadn’t considered. I never questioned my self-worth as an employee. I knew I showed up and did my best work every day… But when a launch didn’t go as planned in my business? All the feelings of not being good enough rushed to the surface. And so what did I do to deal with those feelings? Overwork, overeat and overdrink of course! I mean, what else do you do when you don’t want to feel terrible in the moment? Thankfully, now I know what to do besides overwork, overeat and overdrink, so that’s a major win. My plan for 2019 is growth through constraint. Do just a few things, and do them really well. Build my audience through relationships. Build a strong, empowered team that does just a few things and does them really well. Delegate to them. Focus on my mental and physical health. Stop overworking, overeating and overdrinking. I’m confident I can do all of those things. I’m entering my fifth year of business, my second year of being on my own. And if nothing else, I know 2019 will be transformational too!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today I'm sharing two tactics that transcend social media platforms and algorithms that I'm focusing on in 2019 (and why I think they are more powerful than any other tactic available online now). Click here to leave a rating and review on iTunes! Do you ever feel totally overwhelmed when it comes to how to start or grow your side hustle and actually start making some money? Should I be on Instagram? Should I be livestreaming? Should I be on Pinterest? What email system is best? Should I work on SEO? Should I do Facebook ads? Today I’m going to share with you my best tips and advice for what to focus on in 2019 if you want to build a sustainable business and get traction. So, before we dive in, I know that there are a lot of you out there listening to this podcast and your business is not a side hustle, it’s your main hustle. So I just want you to know that this podcast is for you too! Everything I share on Pep Talks for Side Hustlers is to help you grow and market your online business from the perspective of someone who is just a few steps ahead of you. And I want to motivate you to keep going no matter what, because here’s the thing: The podcasts I’ve listened to to learn how to market and grow my business are made by wildly successful multiple six and seven figure entrepreneurs, like Amy Porterfield and Pat Flynn and Chalene Johnson and Being Boss. And while their content is amazing and they share tactics and strategies that entrepreneurs at any income level are able to replicate, they are so far beyond us in their journeys that sometimes it’s hard to look at their stories and see the possibility for ourselves. Like, what if you can’t possibly imagine making a hundred thousand dollars or a million dollars? But… Can you imaging working from home? Being your own boss, making enough money to fund your lifestyle and having financial freedom and control over your time? I can’t teach you to make a million dollars because I haven’t done it (yet). I CAN teach you how to make a hundred thousand dollars in a year because I have done that, but I didn’t start there. It took a few years to get there. I can teach you how to structure your online business so that it actually makes money, and I can teach you tried and true principles that work no matter what all the algorithms do. Leave me a review??? So before we dive in, I think podcasting is one of the most amazing ways to connect with an audience. I mean, if you’re anything like me, you’re listening to this and you’re in your car right now, or working out, or walking the dog, or cleaning your house. And I look at my stats, and there are hundreds of you that listen to this podcast every single day. That blows my mind! I want you to know how much I appreciate you – and I also have an ask – because there are hundreds of you that listen, but I only have 16 reviews on iTunes at the time of this recording! If you are one of those 16 people – you are awesome and amazing, thank you! But if you listen via iTunes like my stats tell me that the majority of you do, and you haven’t left me a review, can you please take a moment to do it? Not if you’re driving, of course. Do it when you get to work. So if you’re on your iPhone, you can open up a browser and go to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/review and you’ll get a little pop-up that says “Open this page in iTunes Store” and you’ll say yes, and then it’ll take you to my podcast in the iTunes store where you can click on the Write a Review button. Or if you have the podcast app open on your iPhone, and you see the episode icon and the play button at the bottom of the screen, just tap it to pull up the episode details and scroll up to see the show notes – I left you a link right there in the show notes that you can tap on to leave me a review. I’m not just asking because I want to look at those reviews and feel better about myself (although I do love reading them), but I’m asking because your reviews are a signal to iTunes that the podcast is valuable, and the more ratings and reviews I get the more likely I’m to get the podcast promoted on iTunes! So, I have a goal to get 500 reviews for the podcast in 2019 – and thank you for listening and for helping me get there! What to Focus on to Market Your Online Business in 2019 Okay, so let’s move on to what I think you should focus on in 2019 to market and grow your online business – because there are a LOT of shiny objects out there to get distracted by. I was listening to Kelly Roach’s Unstoppable Success Radio podcast episode 441 – “3 Actions to Take Before the Bubble Bursts for Shortcut Nation” which I’ll link to in the show notes. In that episode, Kelly shared her theory that the bubble is going to burst for online businesses that rely exclusively on advertising to generate huge amounts of traffic into automation funnels to sell them online courses. I mean, that’s the passive income dream, right? Create the course, set up the automation, run the ads, get people in the funnel and watch the money roll in from the beach in Costa Rica. Her reasons for thinking this are pretty interesting. Like a behemoth like Amazon coming in and just disrupting the entire thing, like AirBNB did to the hotel industry. Or tighter regulations on social media advertising as giants like Facebook come under even more fire when it comes to privacy and bots and fake news and influencing elections. Or just subpar content being sold that makes the rest of us look bad. I recently came across an article where a travel instagrammer pre-sold a course promising to teach people how to become a travel instagrammer, didn’t deliver the content as promised and what she did create was, according to her students, nowhere near worth the $500 price tag they paid – and one of the students wrote an article on Medium about how she was scammed, a petition was started and tons of customers demanded refunds. She promised to pay them back, but many of them went around her and demanded refunds from the Teachable platform, and they actually guarantee refunds. This Instagram Influencer Charged $500 For A “Master Class” In Social Media. Now, Angry Students Are Calling It A “Scam.” So if the automated passive income funnel from the beach is a pipe dream, and if the way many people do business online right now gets dramatically altered by tighter regulations, what can you do to make sure your business rises to the top? I personally think there are two things you can do to transcend shiny objects. Build relationships, and build your email list. When you build relationships with people that serve the same audience that you serve, you elevate your ability to connect with your ideal client above paid advertising and social media algorithms. When you have the email addresses of people that have raised their hand and said, “Yes, I want to hear from you about how you can help me solve this problem or improve my life,” you elevate your ability to market to your audience beyond the whims of algorithms. Instagram, podcasting, blogging, livestreaming, Pinterest, Facebook ads… Those are just tactics. Shiny objects that could fade at any moment. So how do you go about building relationships? By providing value without expectation of anything in return. And how do you go about building an email list? The same way, by providing value without expectation of anything in return. Practically speaking, to build relationships you reach out to people who serve the same audience as you and offer to provide value to them or their audience. And you do your research and offer something specific, and don’t ask them to help you come up with what to offer. And then you deliver. Plant the seed, see what grows. To build an email list, you create a free piece of content that solves a problem or changes a belief. Then you go find people that need it and offer it to them. Simple as that. This is where tactics like Instagram, podcasting, blogging, livestreaming, Pinterest, Facebook ads come in – but if your content really does provide value, it will transcend the platform and people will start telling other people about it. And on Day 3 of my 5 Day Website Challenge, I teach you exactly how to set up your email list – like step by step. Exactly how to give that freebie away in exchange for an email address. So if you’re paralyzed by where to start, start by building relationships. Then create that free thing and set it up so you can capture email addresses. And then it doesn’t matter which shiny object you choose. Some will work better for you than others. You can’t make a wrong choice. In 2019, commit to building a strong foundation for your business so that no matter what happens in the online landscape, your business will survive and thrive!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to episode 203, my November 2018 Income Report! If you’re new to the podcast, each month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my online business and reveal exactly how much money I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! IMPORTANT THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN NOVEMBER. I interviewed two million-dollar business owners on Pep Talks for Side Hustlers – Episodes 195 & 196 with Kelly Roach and 198 & 199 with Bernadette Doyle. Bernadette Doyle challenged me to start tracking my time and start working 25 hours a week NOW. I ran a final promotion for my membership program, Serious Side Hustlers. I closed my membership program, Serious Side Hustlers. I turned 39, and my husband turned 40. I joined Brooke Castillo’s Self Coaching Scholars. I decided to move to 1 episode of Pep Talks for Side Hustlers per week. I completed the second month of my Web Designer Academy. I made an executive decision to not schedule anything in the evenings. Notes I found to myself in my planner: REVIEW OF MY GOALS When in quit my day job in January of 2018, I set a goal to generate $10,000 in revenue so that I could pay myself $5,000 a month and set aside the other $5000 for taxes and expenses: $5000 – Income to cover my old paycheck. $2500 – Expenses $2500 – Taxes WHAT I FOCUSED ON IN NOVEMBER November is typically just one big celebration in my life. We have tons of friends and family with November birthdays (including me and my husband), and of course Thanksgiving is in November, which is my favorite holiday. Probably because every so often my birthday falls on Thanksgiving which makes it extra special. It starts getting cold here in Ohio in November – which I absolutely love. Just ask my good friend Tyler – he’ll tell you that outerwear is my favorite type of clothing. Give me all the sweaters and jackets and gloves and hats and scarves – and I’m a happy girl! And of course right after Thanksgiving it’s time to decorate for Christmas and start getting into the holiday spirit. So when I was planning out my 2018 around this time last year, I blocked off the week of Thanksgiving for vacation, and the following Thursday – Monday to take a trip to celebrate my husband’s 40th birthday, which has become a tradition with our group of friends that we all take a trip together for our 40th. That’s going to be me in 2019, so if you have any ideas of where I should go in mid-November, head on over to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/203 and leave an idea for me in the comments! So if you listened to my October income report back in episode 201, you’ll recall that my main focus in October was to SLOW DOWN so that I could start taking time out for myself. I started taking a yoga class, I delegated more to my VA and intern and moved from 7 podcasts a week down to three and went from working about 60 hours a week down to 40. Entering November, I started to feel like I was finally, FINALLY creating the freedom that I had so desperately craved when I put this whole crazy plan in motion to start a side hustle and grow it to the point where it could sustain itself and replace my day job income. And then I had a couple of conversations that were transformational. I had the pleasure of talking to two entrepreneurs who have both reached the million dollar mark in their business – Kelly Roach and Bernadette Doyle. And I don’t think it is any coincidence at all that both of them shared the same piece of advice for making more money in your business – which is: Get really clear on what is income-producing in your business and what isn’t. Spend the majority of your work time on income-producing activities. Make sure your team is spending the majority of their time on income-producing activities so that they are generating more revenue for the business than what you’re paying them. Stop doing the things that don’t produce income, especially those things Bernadette called “creative avoidance” like working on your website instead of pitching clients. So I set up the time-tracking app called Toggl that Bernadette recommended, and started tracking all of my time in November. Two more really exciting things that I did in November: One, I enrolled in Brooke Castillo’s Self-Coaching Scholars membership program. I did it on my birthday as a gift to myself – for a few reasons: I’ve been listening to her podcast for the past several weeks and it’s totally helped me change how I think and stop buffering with overeating, overworking and overdrinking. Amy Porterfield recently credited Brooke for the mindset shift she needed to lose 58lbs, and if Amy Porterfield says something’s good, well, you know it’s good. I really, really wanted access to her Stop Overeating masterclass which is a part of the program. There’s an Entrepreneur track in there, which I also really wanted access to. I also applied for and was accepted to Bryan Harris’s Partnership Accelerator beta test group, which is a mentorship to teach you how to land partnerships, podcast spots and guest posts. It starts in January and it supports my goal to explode my email list in 2019. And I added another yoga class to my schedule. This yoga class is at 9am! Like, every day I’m driving there I’m like, I can’t believe I just get to take a yoga class at 9am instead of sitting in rush hour traffic. So that’s what I really focused on in November. Slowing down. Gratitude. And really paying attention to what I’m learning about what it takes to get to the next level. TOTAL REVENUE: $9690.52 Affiliate Income: $2040.80 Courses: $3267.72 Done For You & Consulting: $4382.00 TOTAL EXPENSES: $3399.70 Get the full breakdown of income, expenses and net profit month by month here. NET PROFIT: $6290.82 BIGGEST LESSONS LEARNED So here’s the thing – I’ve had a really hard time all year keeping my expenses down to $2500 a month like I planned. I’m going to make even more adjustments in December for 2019, but when I create my budget I’m just going to be more realistic about my expense budget. I want to get a cushion of at least five grand in the bank, because right now my business is pretty much paycheck to paycheck, like, I’m cleaning out my business bank account every month when it’s time to pay myself, pay off my credit card for last month’s expenses and put money aside for taxes.. I use the Profit First model from the book of the same name by Mike Michalowicz, so I pay myself first. Then taxes. Then expenses. And I also don’t do debt. I put all of my business expenses on my Chase Southwest Rewards credit card so I get all those airline miles, and then I pay it off on the last day off every month. I pay myself on the 15th and the 30th, and I move money to my tax account to pay my quarterlies. So there are about $500 in expenses I could cut every month but… It will require me to totally rebuilding my website and automation platforms, which is a significant time investment for me. I realize that I could save $6K a year by making the move – and there’s my cushion… But I also know that the work would take me at LEAST 4 solid weeks, and I think it would disrupt some of my funnels and result in a lot of customer service requests… Or I could pay my team to do it for me and coach them through it, and create content and tutorials around the experience, and train them on handling those customer service requests. Which would be what like, a real business owner/leader would do instead of doing it all herself… So I’m still him-hawing around about whether or not to make those structural changes… and I know these are the mindset shifts I need to make to grow my revenue. I learned a few really big lessons in November. First, I noticed that it only took 11 months of being on my own for me to freaking chill out and start enjoying myself… But seriously, what I’ve noticed is that it really does take awhile for my mind to get used to change. I can make a decision, but then it takes some time for the action to follow the decision. And then it takes some time to recognize the results and acknowledge them as a result of my action. I know how to pay attention to my thoughts now, and I do think that the changes I want to create will happen faster than in the past. And I’m spending much, much less time working. I’m down to about 25-30 hours. I’ll give you a breakdown on all of that in a future episode. Second, I’m spending 95% of my time on non-income producing activities. Which is why I shouldn’t be the one moving rebuilding my own platforms… I spend a lot of time “working”. And I suspect it’s just another way to avoid uncomfortable emotions, just like overeating and overdrinking. Looking at how I’m spending my time, it’s mind-boggling to me how I’ve managed to produce nearly $10,000 a month in revenue consistently this year. And it’s really exciting. What would be possible for me if I even shifted it to 20%, or even 50%? That’s my plan for 2019. Finally, I learned the most important lesson, I think anyway, in November was while I was decorating my Christmas tree. My husband had gotten our tree out of the basement and set it up in our loft, and we were all excited to listen to Christmas music and decorate it like we normally do together. It’s a prelit tree, and when we turned it on half the lights were burnt out. This happened last year and I had found this tool, this gun thing, online that you can use to test the strands and then you do something to the one that’s burnt out that fixes it. Clearly I have no idea how this thing works. So Floyd was like, on a mission to fix this tree and he spent two evenings obsessed with finding the burnt bulbs before he just got frustrated and gave up. So I’m like, I’m going to do something really nice for him and decorate the tree while he’s at work so he can come home and it’ll just be done, right? So because I was by myself, I decided to start listening to all the Entrepreneur modules inside of Brooke Castillo’s Self-Coaching Scholars, and I’m super excited because like at the end of all of them there’s one called How to Make a Million Dollars – which is a future goal that I have for my business. So as I’m listening, I’m hearing things like: Choose a niche. Give value ahead of time. Grow an email list. Make offers to it. If something doesn’t work the first time, try again. And I thought to myself, wow, I could totally sit here and think, “Thanks for nothing Brooke, tell me something I don’t know. This course was a waste of my time and money.”   Which is honestly, is something I may have thought in the past. But instead, I found myself feeling really excited, like “Wow, I have all of the pieces in place. I’m on the right track. I have everything I need. It’s as good as done.” And in the million dollar module, she talked about how you just separate the math from the drama, list out all the reasons why it’s impossible and that becomes your to-do list to make it happen. Which is totally exciting, because then I think things like, “I know there are so many web designers out there that just want to build websites for a living and DON’T want to be freelancers or run their own businesses – what if I could create an amazing company that would give them that opportunity? And I think of how much more I could contribute and how much more value I can give when I’m at a higher level. Again, which brings me back to why I should not be moving my own platforms and why I should empower other people to do it and lead them through the process… Like, start practicing for that leadership role now… So that really goes for you too whether you want to make $100 or a thousand dollars or a million dollars. It’s just math. All the reasons it feels impossible become your to-do list. So I was super excited because not only did I realize that I have everything I need to get to the next level right in front of me, I also finished decorating that dang tree!!! #multitasking So if there’s anything I want you to take away from this episode, it’s this: How are you spending your time? How do you want to be spending your time? And are you making as much money as you want to make? And if not, separate the math from the drama, list out all the reasons why it’s impossible for you to make the money you want to make, and then get to work changing those things. I know you can do it. Thanks so much for listening, and I’ll see you next week! Love you Byeeeeeee!!!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to episode 202!! We’re a less than a month away from 2019, and today I’m going to share with you the goals that I’ve set for myself for 2019. If you recall, back in episodes 155-161, I walked you through my strategic planning process for 2019 so that you could create your own strategic plan for your side hustle. And I also shared with you that the one thing that would make all the other things I want happen faster and easier – also known as a push goal – is to build a team (and actually use them). So that’s what I’ve been in the process of doing in the last few months of 2018 so that I have a solid foundation to stand on in 2019. And in those episodes, recorded back in September kind of at the height of my working frenzy, I shared with you my goal brainstorm. But what I didn’t do at that time is really pare any of that down and choose what to focus on. And I’m so glad I didn’t at that point, because since then I’ve had a few transformational experiences that are leading me to make some different choices than I would have made had I done this back in September. One is the mastermind retreat I went to at the end of September, and I know I’ve mentioned this on the podcast a hundred times by now and you can get all the details in episode 177, but that experience really helped me break out of the hustle and see things differently. The second is my podcast episode with millionaire business strategist Kelly Roach back in episodes 195 and 196 where I realized that I’m spending not nearly enough of my time on income producing activities. And the third is my conversation with Bernadette Doyle back in episodes 198 and 199, also a millionaire business owner who talked about how to stop overworking and focus on income producing activities. Which led me to reconsider the goals I had been thinking about and really choose a few to focus on, and prioritize how I would show up to contribute my time to them – and how I’ll be rearranging my schedule to make it happen. You gotta listen to the episode to find out what they are 🙂 I almost can’t wait for December of 2019 so I can report back and let you know that I’ve smashed those goals without killing myself physically to do it! Now I wanna hear from you – what are your goals for 2019? Head on over to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/202 and leave me a comment – and I’ll pick a few to share on the podcast along with a shoutout for your website! Have a great week, and I’ll see you right here next week!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to episode 201, which is my October Income Report! If you’re new to the podcast, each month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my online business and reveal exactly how much money I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! IMPORTANT THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN OCTOBER I started going to a yoga class twice a week. I onboarded an intern who’s working 15 hours a week with me through December. I brought on a VA for 15 hours a week (my previous support contract was for 16 hours a month). I booked one new Done For You client. Notes I found to myself in my planner: REVIEW OF MY GOALS My goal each month has been to generate $10,000 in revenue because my rough breakdown to replace my old paycheck, cover business expenses and pay taxes is: $5000 – Income to cover my old paycheck. $2500 – Expenses $2500 – Taxes WHAT I FOCUSED ON IN OCTOBER In October, my main focus was to SLOW DOWN so that I could start taking time out for myself. As I mentioned in my September income report, the pace and amount that I had been working became unsustainable. I made a commitment to myself and my mastermind group that I would slow down. That I’d start taking a yoga class. That I’d get more help and start delegating more tasks to them instead of taking care of it myself because it’s faster (and I feel bad asking others to do things for me). I started transitioning things to my VA, and got my intern started on her learning journey by subscribing to my email list as a brand new customer, reviewing all of my content and noting all the things that needed fixed or didn’t make sense. I also started creating the new content for my Web Designer Academy that I had sold the prior month. I’ve done the course before, but I had so much more to add to it and change, that I decided to start from scratch. But instead of killing myself to get it all done at once, I’ve been recording and releasing one module a week. And right from the start, I recorded my process for producing and publishing the module and handed it over to my team so that I only had to do the thing only I can do – create the content. In October I also went from recording 7 podcast episodes down to 3 a week. I also started baking in October, and perfected my process for making an amazingly crusty, beautiful sourdough bread. I went from working about 60 hours a week down to about 40… which I realized I hadn’t actually done since before I started my side hustle back in late 2014… TOTAL REVENUE: $10102.11 Affiliate Income: $1872.39 Courses: $3716 Done For You & Consulting: $4493.72 TOTAL EXPENSES: $3614.62 Get the full breakdown of income, expenses and net profit month by month here. NET PROFIT: $6487.49 BIGGEST LESSONS LEARNED The biggest lesson I learned is that I can work significantly less and still make the same amount of revenue and profit. I also learned that I was covering up my fear with work by creating massive amounts of content and trying to do every single marketing tactic all at the same time instead of focusing on one thing at a time. The results of the survey I told you about in last month’s income report showed that loud and clear. I heard things like “I can’t keep up with all the content you’re putting out.” and I’m confused by all the things you offer because it’s so many things and they are changing all the time” and “I’m behind on the podcast I can’t listen to an episode every single day.” That was my fear. If I just keep producing, everything will be fine. Just keep producing. Keep answering every email. Say yes to everything. The nonstop loop of “I have to do this, I gotta do that…” that leads to stress, poor sleep, overeating, overdrinking and burnout. I found that mindset and pace to be unsustainable, and it took going to another city with 5 strangers and having them all challenge me to tell them how it was serving me for the fog of fear to clear and for me to be able to see what I was doing to myself and my brand. I also had to push past my discomfort at leaning on other people for help, and prioritize delegation above anything else in my business. The mistake I have made in the past with hiring has been bringing on people to do things that didn’t take anything off of my own plate. I gave those people all the things that would never even make it on to my plate. Like, things I wanted to do, but was too busy to do. So those tasks were getting done, but I wasn’t giving myself any relief. And also I set things up so that I was the gatekeeper – if I didn’t delegate piece by piece, there wasn’t anything for them to do, but I got so behind that by the time the work needed to be done, there wasn’t enough time to delegate. I’m not the kind of person that says hey, do this and I need it done by the end of the day. No. I follow the golden rule – do unto others as you would have others do unto you, and if someone was dropped their crap on me at the last minute because they are disorganized, I would not be happy about that. So now, I put delegation first. What process can I delegate? What can I teach and empower my team to do without me next? How can I benefit them. And I gotta tell you – going to this hot yoga class has been a game changer. I haven’t gone to a gym since I quit crossfit to start my business, and there’s nothing like having someone just lead you through a workout. No decisions to be made, no thinking, just show up and do it. And take two whole hours out of my day to drive there, take the class and drive home. And then work from the cute little coffee shop across the street for a couple hours before heading home. I started my side hustle for freedom, flexibility and financial independence. I’ve had access to it this whole entire time, but I feel like I’ve really just started to realize it and take advantage of it truly for the first time in October. I mean, I even started baking homemade bread this month. If you know me in real life, you’d be like what? You don’t bake, and you don’t eat bread. But I was compelled to try it, and I chose sourdough as my first foray into baking – which I find fascinating, because I picked the thing that takes the absolute longest to make. Like, if you’re an instant gratification kind of person, baking bread probably isn’t for you, and baking sourdough bread certainly isn’t. It’s like a 3 day process and you have to get the timing just right otherwise you’ll find yourself up in the middle of the night folding the fermenting dough… One thing I’ve learned from writing these income reports and documenting my journey on the podcast is that when I have a mindset shift or form a new belief, it’s like deciding to bake a loaf of sourdough bread. I can make the decision in an instant, but it takes some time for everything to come together, for those new beliefs and mindset shifts to really start to appear in my life. And knowing that, recognizing that pattern, I can totally be patient and not put so much pressure on myself to have everything be the way I want it to be RIGHT NOW. I can trust that everything’s coming together the way that it should and in due time it will happen. So I’d love to hear your thoughts and questions on my October income report – head on over to www.PepTalksforSideHustlers.com/201 and leave me a comment – and I’ll see you right here next week. Bye!!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to episode 200 of Pep Talks for Side Hustlers. Yep, I said 200 – can’t even believe that I have created and produced 200 episodes of this podcast – and in this episode, I’m going to break down for you why I started it, how I market it, how I monetize it, and give you all the stats plus what’s going to happen in the future. If you’re brand new to the podcast – welcome!! There are 199 past episodes that share strategies and tactics to help you market yourself and grow your business online, and that share my story, all the mistakes I’ve made and successes I’ve had along the way so that you can learn from my journey. I’m a web designer by trade, and I teach solopreneurs and entrepreneurs how to build their own websites so that they are empowered to either do it themselves, or know what they are outsourcing so that they can make sure they have a website that helps their business grow instead of being a source of pain and frustration that holds them back. That business is called WP+BFF, and it stands for WordPress BFF, and it has it’s own blog and Facebook group where I answer people’s website questions. And I’m super passionate about that, don’t get me wrong, but I’m equally as passionate about marketing, growing a business, and just showing people that have the same dream that I had – to leave my soul-sucking corporate job and be my own boss – that it is absolutely possible. I needed a creative outlet for that story and mission – and that’s why 200 episodes ago, I started this podcast. And there’s some good, good stuff in those episodes, like: Episode 27 – A Tried and True Strategy to Help You Build Your Email List from Scratch 32 – What to do when you feel like quitting 151 – How to Quit Your Day Job by 2020 187 – Four Things I wish I would have known before quitting my day job And my monthly income reports where I share with you how much money I make, how I make it and my expenses. So if you’re new to this podcast, I’d love for you to check those out and then hit the subscribe button so that you don’t miss what I’ve got coming up for you next! But Pep Talks for Side Hustlers really wasn’t even intended to be a podcast. Back in episode 22 I share how this podcast was supposed to be just an Alexa Flash Briefing – you know, like when you say “Hey Alexa, What’s the news?” and any flash briefings you’ve added via the Alexa app will get played. Flash briefings are published daily, and ideally kept to under 10 minutes – you know, because people have limited time and they want to listen to all of their news and updates – and I think you can only listen to whatever has been published that day. Like you can’t go back in time and listen to old flash briefings. And if you want to learn step by step how to create a flash briefing, I actually have one on my YouTube channel – I’ll link up to it in the show notes at peptalksforsidehustlers.com/200 So I wanted to create these short audio snippets for the Alexa… and that’s what I started out doing… but then… I thought… why am I putting all of this effort into creating daily content that’s available for just one day and then goes away? Like, that’s why I really never could get into Snapchat… But anyway, I decide to also add each episode to iTunes and iHeartRadio, Spotify, Stitcher, Google and basically anywhere you can listen to podcasts. So in the beginning, I’m able to record, edit, produce and schedule all the episodes for the week in just one afternoon. I did it on Thursdays, no big deal. And then my episodes started getting longer. And longer. And longer. Apparently I have a lot to say about side hustling and what it’s really like to be self employed… So basically I turned what was supposed to be a daily short snippet, like ideally 2-3 minutes even, into a 30 minute episode. Oops. Sorry Alexa Flash Briefing Listeners… I have plans to add the podcast to the Alexa podcast app and shorten those flash briefings down to 2-3 minutes so that you have time to listen to more content from other people… And as the episodes got longer and I started to bring guests on, it started to take one whole day to produce the podcast – because I’m doing it all myself. Sometimes it would take a day and a half a week – totally a labor of love, but completely unsustainable without a team. So I published 7 days a week from April to September, then moved down to 3 a week in September, and this episode, number 200 is the first of weekly episodes going forward! I’m really excited about scheduling one day a month to produce and record podcasts so that I can focus more of my time promoting it rather than producing it. Which brings me to how I market the podcast. Just like anything else, just because you publish a podcast or a flash briefing it doesn’t mean you are guaranteed listeners. It doesn’t mean that people are going to just automatically find you. You have to go out and find your people online and put the content in front of them, and you also have to optimize your content to be found. So with this podcast, I marketed it a few ways: First, I emailed my existing WordPress BFFs email list to let them know about it and invite them to subscribe, and shared the podcast in my Facebook Group. I put a link to the podcast in the main navigation of my website, and a graphic with a link in the sidebar of my blog. I updated all my social media profiles to say that I’m the creator of the Pep Talks for Side Hustlers podcast, and I set up a little tool called LinkTree that lets you set up several links to things you want people to find when they click on the link in your social media profile – so for example, the link in my Facebook profile – when people click that it used to just take them straight to my WP+BFFs website to sign up for my free 5 day website challenge, but with LinkTree I can take them to a page that shows the 5 Day Challenge, the Podcast, and webinar’s I’ve got going on, my latest blog post, whatever I want to promote. So I added a link to the podcast on iTunes and the Alexa Flash Briefing to LinkTree, and then I started sharing all the episodes on my social media accounts, with a call to action to click on my link in the profile to subscriber. I also ran Facebook ads targeting people who like Amazon Alexa, and also people who like entrepreneurs that serve the same audience I do, so like Marie Forleo and Pat Flynn and Amy Porterfield. I was paying about 13 cents per conversion – which is the cheapest cost per conversion I have ever had, and totally worth it. So if you found this podcast from an ad – welcome and thank you for clicking on it! I marketed the podcast on Instagram – I’d post a daily graphic with the title and description – and I used a tool called planoly to schedule those out in advance. I wasn’t seeing much engagement with how I was doing that – so I stopped with instagram BUT I’m going to try out some new tactics in 2019 and I’ll report back. And finally I created a Pinterest graphic for every episode, pinned them to a Pinterest board just for the podcast, and then shared them into Tailwind tribes and Pinterest group boards. So with all of that, let me share with you some stats: At the time I’m recording Episode 200, Pep Talks for Side Hustlers has had 17,132 downloads. I honestly have no idea if that’s “good” or “bad” compared to other podcasters because most people aren’t sharing their stats publicly, but personally? When I think about my podcast episodes being downloaded and listened to 17,132 times, it blows my mind. Here’s how that breaks down: April – 652 May – 1479 June – 1773 July – 2485 August – 3448 September – 3418 October – 2453 – that’s when I went from 7 a week to 3 a week. November – 1419 at the time of this recording, about halfway through the month. A couple of things to note – it’s been a daily podcast, so I have more opportunity for downloads and when I reduced my output, the downloads went down and now I’m reducing my output to just one a week… BUT, my goal is to grow the downloads beyond my peak at 3448 in August by putting that time into getting into more earbuds through promoting the podcast even more strategically in 2019. And there will be over 200 episodes right there waiting for all the new listeners to work their way through – which if you’re anything like me, you absolutely love to start at the beginning of a new podcast and binge listen to current day. So that’s downloads, but what about the website I built for the podcast? In episode 125 I share how to build a website for your podcast and break down everything you need to optimize your website for a podcast. PepTalksforSideHustlers.com has had 2396 unique people visit the site and 5463 page views from April to November. I didn’t really set any goals or expectations for page views when I started the podcast, but again, if I could imagine 2396 people in a room hearing my message about following your dreams, it totally blows my mind! And I love having benchmarks so I can measure my next wave of efforts to grow the podcast audience against. One thing I haven’t been so great at or consistent with is asking YOU, my listeners to share this podcast, and to subscribe. So I’m going to take a moment to do that – if you could just hop on to your favorite social media and share the link “peptalksforsidehustlers.com/itunes or even peptalksforsidehustlers.com/50 or whatever the number is of your favorite episode, that helps me reach and empower even more people. And, when you subscribe, that tells iTunes that this is a great podcast and it helps me get featured and ranked so that I can reach even more people. Asking for that makes me uncomfortable, but… I gotta get over it. Just like I talk about in Episode 44, how to overcome the fear of putting yourself out there – I gotta overcome the fear of putting people out by asking for their help! So I shared how it started, how I market it, and all the stats, now let’s talk about how I monetize the podcast, meaning, how I make money from it. And the short answer is, I don’t. Not directly, anyway. I don’t have sponsors because I haven’t pitched any sponsors to say hey, I have this awesome podcast, these are the types of people that listen, here are all my stats, would you like to pay me X dollars for me to promote and recommend your product to them? I haven’t done that. Yet. I haven’t ruled it out by any means, it’s just that it wasn’t part of my master plan. For everything that I create, all roads lead to my email list. Either to my free 5 day website challenge or a webinar or some other freebie that I’m giving away. And then from my email list that’s where I invite people to purchase my products. All roads lead to my email list, and then I take it from there. But in 2019 as I shift my efforts from production to promotion, I’m open to any and all possibilities that come from Pep Talks for Side Hustlers. And thank you for listening while you’re driving, working out, walking the dog, cleaning, wherever it is that you listen – and I’d love to hear your side hustle stories – just head on over to www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/200 and leave me a comment – I’d love to hear all about your side hustle!! And we’re moving to one episode per week, on Wednesday, so I’ll see you right here next week!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! In Part 2 of my conversation with online business expert Bernadette Doyle we dig into: Why it’s time to STOP working on your website. How to prioritize what you spend your time on. Why working on your online course is NOT income-producing. Why course correcting is the key to success in any business. Why failure is so rewarding. What a typical day looks like for Bernadette’s million-dollar business. The one thing Bernadette does every single day. Bernadette’s challenge to me on my goal to work less and why I shouldn’t wait to start working 25 hours a week. The top 3 mistakes that Bernadette sees online business owners making. The belief Bernadette changed about herself in order to grow a million dollar business. The most important piece of advice Bernadette has for you to help you grow your side hustle. And you can get a link to her Ultimate Guide to Online Profits at www.BernadetteDoyle.com – and I’ve linked that up in the show notes for you. As I mentioned in the last episode, this conversation with Bernadette shifted something key in my mind. Since I reached my initial goal of quitting my day job, I haven’t really set a new goal… I mean, I set short term monthly revenue goals, but I haven’t set a new long-term goal. But what this conversation with Bernadette opened up for me is that, like, I’ve made all of the mistakes I’m supposed to have made so far in this journey, and I just keep correcting course. And I keep correcting course. And I keep correcting course. But where am I headed? I haven’t said it out loud because I don’t think I’ve believed that it was possible for me. But after this conversation, I do think it’s possible, and I think that it’s possible because I keep making the mistakes I’m supposed to make and I keep correcting course. If I stop doing that, it won’t be possible… But I don’t see that happening any time soon… And I also haven’t said it out loud because I don’t want to be judged for it, or be seen as greedy? (That’s some mindset work I need to do right there). But long-term, I DO want to have a million-dollar business. There, I said it out loud. And I DO want to work 25 hours a week and have it be a super-focused, super efficient 25 hours. That I can do right now. In fact, I’ve got the Toggl timer open that Bernadette told me to get as I write the show notes for this episode. But what I really want to leave you with today is that I want you to go out there and make as many mistakes as you can possibly make. Have some spectacular failures. And just keep course correcting. That’s what’s SUPPOSED to happen. That’s what’s going to lead you to all of the things that you want. See you next time! Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Toggl Social Selling with Kelly Roach (Profit Exercise) www.BernadetteDoyle.com Bernadette’s Ultimate Guide to Online Profits Business Smarts with Hearts Facebook Group Bio: Bernadette Doyle is a transformational expert and the founder of the Online Profits University, an online school that teaches entrepreneurs how to create new income streams. Her entrepreneurial journey began at the age of 26 where she was successfully trading her time for money and found herself overwhelmed and constantly hustling despite how successful she was. After the birth of her first son, Bernadette found that her own success had become an anchor. As the demands on her time grew, suddenly she needed a team and to house and manage that team. Her previous business model was simply unsustainable. Soon after, Bernadette fully switched to an online model and soon found herself freed of her constraints. By packaging her expertise into products and online programs and connecting with customers by teleconference and webinar, she doubled her income in her first year as a new mother, all with time to spend with her family. By 2008, Bernadette had generated a million dollars in online sales and even masterminded personally with Richard Branson, all with the free time to be a single mother to her two children.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to episode 198 of Pep Talks for Side Hustlers! Today’s episode is a really special one… I’m bringing you Bernadette Doyle, an online business expert who mentors her clients to build million-dollar businesses. In Part 1 of our conversation, Bernadette and I get into: What Bernadette focused on first when she started her business that led her to building a million-dollar business. Why you don’t have to know what you’re going to sell to get started growing your online presence. Why taking action before you feel clarity is the most important thing you can do. How to generate an income when you’re not actually working. The biggest mistake (that I’m currently making) when it comes to passive income. The mindset shift Bernadette had to make to release herself from spending as many hours working. The best personal development Bernadette has ever done. The one thing to do before you take any action in your business. Okay, so are you not going to want to miss part 2 of my interview with Bernadette because she is going to share the #1 key to success in any business with you – so go ahead and hit the subscribe button so that you don’t miss an episode! And you can get a link to her Ultimate Guide to Online Profits at www.BernadetteDoyle.com.  And before I wrap this one up… I’m gonna get a little woo-woo here and say that I totally feel like it’s no accident that I’m having this conversation with Bernadette at this point in my business. It was actually a transformational conversation for me. And as I listened to Bernadette describe the mistakes most entrepreneurs make, I thought okay, I’ve done all of those things. I’m through that part. I’ve learned those lessons. Now I can move on to the next level. And I always believed that I’d be able to grow my side hustle to the point where it would replace my day job income… and I accomplished that goal and I quit my day job on January 2, 2018… But I never really set a new goal. I mean, I did set a monthly revenue goal that I talk about in my income reports, and I’ve been white-knuckling it to hit that every month… But I never set a new “goal”, like, what’s next for me? But it came to me clear as day after talking to Bernadette, and I’ll share it with you in Part 2. See you next time! Bio: Bernadette Doyle is a transformational expert and the founder of the Online Profits University, an online school that teaches entrepreneurs how to create new income streams. Her entrepreneurial journey began at the age of 26 where she was successfully trading her time for money and found herself overwhelmed and constantly hustling despite how successful she was. After the birth of her first son, Bernadette found that her own success had become an anchor. As the demands on her time grew, suddenly she needed a team and to house and manage that team. Her previous business model was simply unsustainable. Soon after, Bernadette fully switched to an online model and soon found herself freed of her constraints. By packaging her expertise into products and online programs and connecting with customers by teleconference and webinar, she doubled her income in her first year as a new mother, all with time to spend with her family. By 2008, Bernadette had generated a million dollars in online sales and even masterminded personally with Richard Branson, all with the free time to be a single mother to her two children.  

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! In this episode I’m going to teach you how to market yourself –  but before we dive in, if you’re listening to this the day it was released, tomorrow is Thanksgiving AND my 39th birthday – and I just wanted to take a moment to say how grateful I am for YOU for listening to this podcast, for being part of my journey, for telling your friends about it and sharing it with other people that you know would get value from it, and for subscribing and leaving me a review. And if you haven’t subscribed and left a review yet, I’m grateful to you in advance for when you DO – and if you’re in the US and you celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope it’s an awesome one for you. Okay, so let’s dive in to this week’s episode. You may not know this about me, but I majored in marketing and communications in college. And then, I went on to work in marketing departments throughout my career. My background is in marketing, but my passion is technology. There’s a word for that now – MarTech – but I don’t think it existed back in the day when I was in college. Like I said, I’m turning 39 tomorrow. I didn’t have internet until I was 17 years old… Can you imagine a kid these days not having internet? Anyway… So I teach people how to build a website in my Free 5 Day Website Challenge – which I’ll link up in the show notes, but I teach it from the perspective of creating the KIND of website that’s going to help you market yourself. I’ve taught over 7000 people to build their own website, and then the question that always follows is – Okay, I have a website, but… How do I market myself? Like, how do I get found, how do I sell my products and services, all that kind of stuff. And then people who are introverted or have a little bit of imposter syndrome going on avoid marketing, because it feels like you gotta constantly be promoting yourself and putting yourself out there and doing all these really uncomfortable things. So to answer the question of how to market yourself, we need to talk about what marketing IS, and what marketing ISN’T. Because it can mean a lot of different things. Marketing is NOT promoting yourself and selling things. It’s: Letting your ideal customer know that you exist. Helping them understand how you can help them solve their problem or enhance their life. And giving them all the info they need to make the best decision for themselves about whether or not to buy from you. So the good news… (especially if you’re introverted or afraid to put yourself out there) ….is that marketing really has nothing to do with YOU. Which probably sounds odd coming from the girl who tells you to put your FACE on your homepage and share your story on your About page, right? But that’s not about you either. It’s about helping your ideal customer build trust and get to know you as they make the best decision for THEM. So if marketing has nothing to do with you, it’s a relief, right? Your job is not to sell yourself or be found or prove your worth or put yourself out there. Your job is to know your ideal client/customer/reader better than they know themselves. Understanding your ideal customer is not just a FOUNDATIONAL step to marketing your website… It’s everything. So there’s another mindset shift I want you to consider: Marketing is not about getting people to find YOU. It’s about you finding THEM. It’s about going out and finding your ideal customer… Getting their attention… And inviting them to visit your website. There are essentially 5 ways to find your ideal client online and invite them to your website: Search results Social media Relationships Guest Posting Paid Advertising Which I talk about in Episode 190. And some ways will work better for you than others. It simply depends on how your ideal client researches the problem you solve and how they generally spend their time online. So if they’re researching: Do they go to straight to Google? YouTube? Pinterest? Do they post on Facebook to ask their friends, or maybe to a group? Do they reach out to their network on LinkedIn? Do they go straight to a favorite blog or website? Something totally different? What about how they spend their time online when they are NOT researching their problem? Take me, for example: While I’m having my morning coffee, I open up Facebook on my iPhone, respond to messages and then scroll my feed. I belong to tons of entrepreneur FB groups so I see a lot of that in my feed. Sometimes I’ll open up Instagram and follow back my new followers and check my DMs and scroll my feed, maybe watch a few Stories. Sometimes I won’t. I’m just not on Instagram that much… Then I’ll open up the Flipboard app on my iPhone and read articles and blog posts curated by the app for me that match my interests – lots of entrepreneurship and personal development articles. When it’s time to walk Scarlett, I’ll listen to podcasts about business and marketing and personal development. Many times, in the evenings my husband and I will watch YouTube on our smart TV. We’re planning to build a house in 2020, so we watch all kinds of videos related to home construction (I feel like an expert on septic systems… ew.) On the weekends, I’ll open up Pinterest. I like reading articles about entrepreneurship, list building, and I also like to search for and pin recipes. If I’m ever researching anything, I go straight to Google. It doesn’t occur to me to go to Pinterest or YouTube. But one of my blogger friends says Pinterest is always the first place she goes to do research, which I find fascinating! The good news is… There are TONS of ways you could catch my attention. Here are just a few: Posting in a Facebook group that I’m in. Guest posting on one of the sites that I see in my Flipboard app all the time, like Forbes. Interviewing someone that I follow and admire on your blog so that I go check it out when I see them share it on social media. Writing an epic blog post that’s optimized to show up in search results. Paying for ads that target me on the social media platforms I’m on. The bad news is… There are tons of ways you could catch my attention. And that’s why you feel overwhelmed… …like you don’t have time to do marketing… ….and have no idea what to do or where to start. But you gotta pick something and just do it. And it’s not about picking the right thing. It’s about picking SOMETHING and taking action on it. It’s about intentionally trying different things and figuring out what works best for you. So if you’ve taken my Free 5 Day Website Challenge… …you may recall that I have a pretty strong opinion on the point of building a website in the first place. The point of a website is NOT to: brand yourself. establish yourself as an expert. market or sell your products and services. (Even though a website helps with all of those). The sole purpose of building a website is to build your email list. All roads lead to your email list. Why? If you don’t get an email address from your website visitors, you have no way to… Invite them back to your site. Let them know about new content you’ve created to help them. Let them know how they can work with you on a deeper level. You’re leaving it all up to chance. And chances are, they’ve moved on to the next shiny object. So if all roads lead to your email list…We gotta compel people to sign up! And saying… “Join my newsletter list” or “Subscribe for updates” or “Get my 10 best marketing tips” is NOT compelling. If you have any variation of those as your “call-to-action” to join your email list… …that is a big reason why your email list is not growing (even if you are getting traffic). In the Free 5 Day Website Challenge, I talk about the concept of a freebie, or giving away valuable information in exchange for an email address. The freebie is an important piece of the puzzle… …but how you describe the freebie on your website is even more important. Your freebie must be results-oriented. Let’s take my 5 Day Website Challenge, for example. My ideal client wants to wave a magic wand and have all the steps laid out for them to DIY their website so that they save time and feel confident and capable. If they didn’t have the problem of not having a website and feeling confused about what to do and overwhelmed with all the choices, they’d be able to get on with getting clients and making money. So the RESULT I can deliver is to help my ideal client: “Build a website in just 5 days even if you’re not techie so that you can stop feeling overwhelmed and start booking clients.” So you know how I’m searching to solve my problem, you know where I hang out online, and you’re going to put the results I want right in front of my face and I click through to your website and opt in because you’ve piqued my interest. That’s how you market yourself. It starts with understand your ideal client’s problem and where & how they’re searching for a solution… (and what they’re doing online when they’re not searching for a solution) Then using that knowledge to: Make a DECISION on the first marketing tactic to try… Write an irresistible call to action for your freebie… Get people on to your email list. And then any time you create new content, no matter what platform, you are going to send it to your email subscribers. So that you stay top of mind. And from time to time you’ll let them know how they can work with you. So that when that one ideal client who’s been on your list for years finally believes she has the time and money to solve her problem, you’re not just coming out of nowhere trying to sell her something. So just to recap – Marketing is NOT about selling yourself or getting found. It’s about: Letting your ideal customer know that you exist. Helping them understand how you can help them solve their problem or enhance their life. And giving them all the info they need to make the best decision for themselves about whether or not to buy from you. So that’s it – that’s how to market yourself online – And you’re not going to want to miss episodes 198 and 199 with my guest Bernadette Doyle because she’s going to share with you how you can take action on marketing yourself before you feel ready and share the #1 key to success in any business – so go ahead and hit subscribe so you don’t miss that – and I’d love it if you could go to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/review and leave me a rating and review – it helps me reach even more side hustlers! See you next time!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Kelly Roach is a business growth strategist who built her business from scratch as a side hustle to the point where her husband was able to retire, she was able to quit her day job, pay off her dream home in 3 years and become millionaires living debt free – all while working no more than 40 hours a week. Um, #dreamlife!!! If you missed part 1, definitely go back and check that out at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/195 In Part 1, we talked about: The three places Kelly thinks you should be spending your time EXCLUSIVELY when you are first starting out. Kelly’s #1 Rule for New Entrepreneurs Why your website doesn’t work if you don’t!! How to fully maximize your team to their full income-generating potential. The two things you HAVE to invest in if you want to seriously grow your side hustle. I highly recommend Kelly’s book, Bigger Than You so that you can claim ultimate freedom, wealth, fulfillment in your business. “When you can see the greatness in another person and they see that you see that in them, it creates a great partnership.” – Kelly Roach And today, we talk about: How Kelly transitioned from side hustle to full time. How to SLOW DOWN so that you can move forward. Why YOU should be the one focusing on connecting engaging and converting Why podcasts are for serious business owners who are in it for the long haul. The 5 core functions of business (and where entrepreneurs fall short) and how to get people and systems around those 5 functions. What a Social Selling team member can do for you. The belief Kelly had to change about herself to get where she is today. Two pieces of advice she has for you if you’re serious about growing your side hustle. Check out Kelly at https://kellyroachcoaching.com/ Listen to her podcast “Unstoppable Success Radio” Join her Tribe of Unstoppables Facebook Group Unstoppable: 9 Principles for Unlimited Success

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! One of the coolest things about having a podcast is having the chance to connect and have conversations with other entrepreneurs that are where I want to be – which is why I’m so excited to bring you this interview with business growth strategist, Kelly Roach. Kelly’s team reached out to me to introduce us and see if she’d be a good fit for the show, and so like I do with every guest, I spent some time researching Kelly and making sure our values align and all that good stuff – because you guys, I’m not gonna just let anyone into your earbuds okay? So I start researching Kelly and I’m going to be totally honest with you right now… I got a little bit intimidated!!! I mean, this girl built her business from scratch as a side hustle to the point where her husband was able to retire, she was able to quit her day job, pay off her dream home in 3 years and become millionaires living debt free – all while working no more than 40 hours a week. Kelly’s current life is my #dreamlife So I flipped the script on my imposter syndrome, kicked the feeling of “Why would Kelly Roach want to be on my podcast?” to the curb and told myself, “um, Shannon, it’s because you get thousands of downloads a month and who WOULDN’T want the chance to talk to you guys because you’re ah-mazing” And decided to use the opportunity to get some insight into exactly how she did it. Oh, and you’re not going to be disappointed. Kelly breaks down exactly how she did it. And the good news for all of us is that it’s totally possible for us to do it too. In Part 1, we talk about: The three places Kelly thinks you should be spending your time EXCLUSIVELY when you are first starting out. Kelly’s #1 Rule for New Entrepreneurs Why your website doesn’t work if you don’t!! How to fully maximize your team to their full income-generating potential. The two things you HAVE to invest in if you want to seriously grow your side hustle. I highly recommend Kelly’s book, Bigger Than You so that you can claim ultimate freedom, wealth, fulfillment in your business. “When you can see the greatness in another person and they see that you see that in them, it creates a great partnership.” – Kelly Roach Don’t miss Part 2 in Ep. 196 where we talk about: How Kelly transitioned from side hustle to full time. How to SLOW DOWN so that you can move forward. Why YOU should be the one focusing on connecting engaging and converting Why podcasts are for serious business owners who are in it for the long haul. The 5 core functions of business (and where entrepreneurs fall short) and how to get people and systems around those 5 functions. How to have a Sales Team as a solopreneur selling information products. What a Social Selling team member can do for you. The belief Kelly had to change about herself to get where she is today. Two pieces of advice she has for you if you’re serious about growing your side hustle. Check out Kelly at https://kellyroachcoaching.com/ Listen to her podcast “Unstoppable Success Radio” Join her Tribe of Unstoppables Facebook Group Unstoppable: 9 Principles for Unlimited Success

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Do you ever have one of those days – or weeks – where you do everything BUT the thing you’re supposed to be doing? I’m actually having one of those weeks right now… On Sunday, I planned out my entire week like I usually do – and here’s what it looked like: On Monday morning, I planned to write 4 of the 5 emails in a new Challenge that I’m testing out. And then after that, I planned to write and record the 7th module in my Web Designer Academy – my advanced training that teaches web designers how to market their business and get clients and run projects. I started writing those emails… and I never finished. Didn’t get to the 7th module. Tuesday I planned to go to yoga in the morning, and then work on client projects the rest of the day, and then meet my old boss for happy hour. Which I did all those things, no problem. Wednesday I planned to write my podcast episodes so that I could record them Thursday morning. And then I have a ton of meetings back to back Thursday afternoon and an on-site client meeting on Friday. And still need to fit that Web Designer Academy module in. I mean, I know what I’m going to put in it, it’s all outlined… So here I find myself, on Wednesday, working on updating the InDesign File for my 2019 Plans & Things planner (which I love so much I asked the designer to sell me the source file so I could have it for personal use forever) while watching the Great British Baking Show. Um, that wasn’t on my to-do list for this week. At all!! And then after I finished that, I starting looking at a file of writing prompts for my podcast, and none of them resonated. Until I realized that this week, I’ve been doing everything but the things I’m supposed to be doing. That gave me a great idea for a podcast! So what gives? I know myself well enough now that when I’m not feeling clear or confident about something, I will avoid doing it. That new Challenge I’m testing out? I’ve got all kinds of thoughts swirling around in my mind… Am I giving too much away? Maybe I’m not giving enough away? Maybe people don’t want to learn marketing from me. Maybe they’ll only ever see me as a web designer solves their tech problems. Why do I keep banging my head against the wall with trying to teach this marketing stuff? Do people even care? These are the thoughts that I KNOW are churning just below the surface. And those thoughts are leading me to inaction. Or, distraction, rather. Because if I distract myself, then I won’t really ever let them bubble up, so I don’t have to REALLY examine them. So I’ll do everything BUT finish writing that email series. Have you ever been there? Stuffing down all those feelings of inadequacy? Distracting yourself with busywork to avoid feeling them? Today’s pep talk is really for me. It’s one I need to give myself right now. Because I can sit here and worry about whether or not this new Challenge will get the results I’m wanting to get and work on updating my planner to avoid feeling crappy about thinking that way, then not take action on it, and get exactly what I have right now. Which is no results. And then I’ll get behind on my deadlines, So that I can feel busy, So that I can distract myself from thinking about feeling inadequate by feeling busy instead… Or, I can just let my mind go there for a minute and feel it. So what if I give too much away? So what if I don’t give enough away? So what people don’t want to learn marketing from me? So what if people will only ever see me as a web designer solves their tech problems? So what if I keep banging my head against the wall with trying to teach this marketing stuff? So what if people don’t care? What is the worst that can happen? The worst is that I feel inadequate – which feels like a tightness in my chest and a lump in my throat. So I can have no results and feel inadequate OR, I can do my best, finish writing those emails, put them out there and use what happens as information to make my next decision. Which is results. So here’s the thing – in the past, it might have taken me weeks, even months, of avoidance behavior to figure out what was really going on, and even then, I’d probably need someone to point it out to me. That fact that I even recognized this on my own today is HUGE. That’s progress. So. I needed to take the time to give myself this pep talk. And if you’re feeling inadequate and avoiding doing the things that will force you to put yourself out there and possibly reveal to the world that you ARE inadequate… It’s okay. It’s fine to feel that way. It’s just a feeling. Do the thing anyway. Give yourself a chance to have a different outcome. If you do nothing, you’re depriving yourself of the chance. So what about you? I mean, I can’t be the only one who’s ever felt this way! Head on over to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/194 and leave me a comment. What do you do when you’re avoiding negative feelings?

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! In today’s pep talk you’ll learn 10 SEO steps you can take on your website so that you can get more traffic to help you grow your side hustle. And be sure to check out the Thrive blog for more awesome content to help you grow your influence online (and more blogging tech articles by yours truly).

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Okay, so this episode is all about self-care… and can I just be honest for a second? I’ve always thought the term “self-care” is kinda cheesy and a little indulgent. Like, I don’t have TIME to stop working to go get my nails done and go shopping and take a bubble bath. That’s honestly what I would think when people would say “Take time for self care.” But now, I think of self care as “Taking time to do something that’s not working and doesn’t require a screen and that’s also not an obligation or commitment you’ve made to someone else.” And I’m all about it. So how did I get here? Back in episode 139, I shared with you how I had just finished reading Brendan Burchard’s new book, High Performance Habits which is all about how there are 6 areas of your life that have the most impact on your performance: Clarity Energy Necessity Productivity Influence Courage And how to develop habits to help you improve in each area of your life. At the time of reading the book, I took the assessment that came along with it – which you can find at highperformanceindicator.com, and interestingly enough my highest score was in Productivity (3.83 out of 5) and my lowest score was in Energy (2.83 out of 5). I just took the assessment again, about 60 days after I took it the first time and after making some important changes in the Energy area of my life. I’ll share with you the results here in a moment, but first I want to share with you the changes that I’ve made and how I feel like they have impacted my energy – so that if you’re struggling in the energy category, maybe you can try some of these things to help you. Hot Yoga Twice a Week – 8:30AM – 10:30AM Waking up at 6AM without an alarm instead of 5:30AM with an alarm (and having dreams that I remember every single day) No working after 6PM Reduced working on weekends. Decreased number of Pep Talks from 7 to 3 Brought on a Project Manager/VA Walking Scarlett 40 minutes a day. Baking Community Monthly massage with my sister So here’s the thing – two months ago, I felt terrible, physically and mentally. My eyes have never felt so tired in my life!! My overall high performance score was 3.64 out of 5. And I didn’t sit down and make a list and say “These are 10 things I’m going to start doing now to practice self care and get my energy up.” In fact, many of them came out of the Mastermind retreat that I did back in September, and they were ideas recommended to me by the girls in my group, and I committed to the group that I would follow through on them. If not for that, I probably wouldn’t be recording this pep talk because I’d still feel like crap. Today, I actually woke up at 4:30AM, like, wide awake and ready to start my day… But I went to bed at 8:30PM last night – I mean, my grandma stays up later than me, plus it’s November and getting dark super early here in Ohio… but anyway… I have felt fantastic the past few weeks. And because I’m doing things to take care of myself and manage my energy, I wanted to take the High Performance Indicator again and see if my energy score increased – and it totally did! My energy score is a 4 out of 5! That’s a significant improvement. My productivity score also increased from 3.83 to 4.5 – EVEN THOUGH I’M WORKING LESS. My scores increased in every single area, and my overall score is a 4.25, and the top 15% of high performers have a score of 4.76… I mean, I know logically that it’s hard to perform when you don’t feel good, but to see how just working on my energy improved all these other areas, I mean, it’s making me want to schedule even more time for yoga! So what this tells me is that improving my health and maintaining and improving my energy are going to get me to the next level. Not another marketing tactic or working harder. But dialing in what I’m already doing and getting my physical and mental health in order. I know how challenging it can be when you’re working full time and growing a business to make time for self care – at least, it was for me. Self care was a thing I was going to do AFTER I built the business. And I didn’t really do it until I was forced to because I was so exhausted… So what about you? How do you feel about your energy level? Are you taking care of your energy so you can side hustle for the long-term? Or are you powering through now so with the intention of making time later? I’d love to hear from you. Head on over to www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/192 and leave me a comment on the show notes!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today I want to share with you something that I learned recently about taking massive action vs. taking passive action. Lately I’ve been listening to a podcast called The Life Coach School with Brooke Castillo. I discovered Brooke earlier this year on the Being Boss podcast. I don’t know if they still do this, but at one point you could call in and share your “I am Being Boss” moment, and on my very first day of self employment I left a voicemail saying “I’m Shannon Mattern and I’m being boss” and that message was tacked on to the end of Brooke Castillo’s episode – which I’ll link up in the show notes. So I subscribed to The Life Coach School podcast, like, 8 months ago, but I didn’t really listen to it… Like, in my mind it wasn’t going to help me make money or grow my business and if it’s not all about marketing and entrepreneurship, I don’t have time for that. Well, that was my mindset for most of this first year, anyway… but now that I’ve come out of that cloud of fear and stress, I’m understanding how important it is to take time to take care of myself physically and get my mind right. And then I hear Amy Porterfield, my mentor who doesn’t know she’s my mentor, mention Brooke as someone who helped her change her mindset about weight loss, and then I heard her on Amy’s podcast, and I start to think maybe… just maybe this is something I need to pay attention to. Maybe this is a moment of synchronicity like I talk about in episode 99… Like, my Being Boss moment was tacked on to Brooke’s episode not by coincidence, but to get me to pay attention. So I start listening at the beginning – and I’m kinda blown away. Not like in a “I’ve had a huge epiphany” kind of way, but more like wow, I am actually at a point where I’m ready to receive this information and take action on it” kind of way. Which brings me to what I want to share with you today – the difference between taking Massive Action and Passive Action, which Brooke describes in Episode 16 of her podcast, which you can check out at thelifecoachschool.com/16. Brooke defines passive action as the act of consuming. Doing research. Making decisions. Pondering. And to that I would also add “Tinkering” which I’ll get to in a moment. All actions that take time and energy, but that all happen within you, and never move beyond YOU. She defines massive action not as like, one big, bold action – like a big product launch or something – or not like a huge declaration – like “I’m going to lose 100lbs!” but as lots of little actions repeated and sustained over time that have massive results. But not just any kinds of actions – actions that create something. Actions that affect things outside of your own mind. Take my decision to start a side hustle, for instance. I spent some time in passive action, researching and figuring out how to generate an income from an online business without having to work with clients one on one. Then I spent some time building the 5 Day Website Challenge. And tinkering with it, designing and redesigning it, editing every UM, AH, and LIKE out of my videos and generally doing a whole bunch of stuff that really didn’t matter at the end of the day. But then, I switched from passive action to massive action. Sharing the 5 Day Website Challenge in Facebook groups. Reaching out to interview people with audiences I could serve so I could get in front of their tribes. Pitching guest posting opportunities. Building relationships. Like I say inside the 5 Day Website Challenge – take small consistent actions daily. Also known as massive action. And I just continued with massive action in my business, and that’s why I was able to grow my side hustle to the point where I quit my day job. On the other hand, I have places in my life where I’m still in passive action. When it comes to health and fitness, I’m consuming information. Listening to podcasts. Learning. Planning. Wishing. Justifying with every new thing I learn why the last thing I tried didn’t work. It SEEMS like I’m taking action on the problem. But the reality is that I’ve never put massive, sustained action into it. Brooke makes an analogy in her podcast episode about driving to the grocery store being a massive action, or a series of actions strung together that lead you to an actual result – and then she’s like “What do you do when you get stuck in traffic on your way to the grocery store? Do you just quit? Give up? Stop turn around and go home? But that’s what so many people do when they encounter a challenge or something unexpected.” In some areas of my life, I’d never consider turning around when there’s an obstacle. But in others, I’m like, yep, I’m going home! Sometimes I feel like I’m two different people you guys – but now I think I understand why. Before starting this business, I’d never started one before and failed. And then started again and failed. And started and failed. And what I mean by failed is like, lost everything and been living on my mom’s couch. But when it comes to weight loss, I’ve started and failed a thousand times. And by failed, I mean not losing any weight at all despite massive determination and a few short weeks of lifestyle changes. It’s all in my perspective and my definition of failure. Because if I defined failure in my business differently – like, if I considered failure a course launch that didn’t go as planned, or an income goal not met, or making embarrassing mistakes – I’d think I was failing left and right! But I don’t even think of those things as failures, I’m just like, “Well, that didn’t work like I planned, what else can I try?” So what if I can redefine failure in my journey to my normal weight? What if I can reframe all my past failures as attempts that I can learn from? What if I can retrain my brain around this topic and turn my passive action into massive action? What would be possible then? I see people taking my 5 Day Website Challenge get trapped in passive action. Tinkering with their websites in a fruitless attempt for perfection. Writing and rewriting copy. Paralyzed in an ocean of overwhelm, afraid of making a wrong move. I get it. Because taking massive action requires courage. The courage to fail, to look stupid, to be humiliated, or find out that what you thought you wanted doesn’t make you any happier. But what if that’s the point? So what about you? Where in your life do you easily take massive action? Where in your life are you stuck in passive action? I’d love to hear from you – head on over to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/191 and leave me a comment – or join our Facebook group at PepTalksforSideHustlers.com/Facebook, find the post episode 191 and let me know! And go check out The Life Coach School podcast – it’s one I’ll be binging on for sure! Resources: Being Boss with Brooke Castillo 

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! In this pep talk I cover 5 strategies you can use to drive traffic to your website. There are 7 mindset shifts you may need to make as you start driving traffic to your website: Driving traffic to your website requires ACTION. It requires putting yourself out there. It requires giving before asking. It requires patience and letting go of instant gratification and windfalls. It requires an attitude of testing and changing. It requires commitment. It requires time.  5 Strategies for Driving Traffic to Your Website Search Not just Google!! YouTube – How To Pinterest – Save for Later! Social Media Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram Don’t just post and ghost – connect with others, engage, comment, share and THEN post your stuff! Relationships – Give before you ask to develop relationships with people who serve the same audience you want to serve. Guest Posting & PR When pitching yourself to brands, or to be a guest on a podcast or for a guest post, always focus on the value you can provide for them – not what’s in it for you! Paid Advertising Use it to AMPLIFY where you’re already getting traction. Pick one of these strategies to focus on for 30 days, measure your results, then test and change!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! When I discovered back in 2014 that I could make a living by giving everything I know about WordPress away for free, everything in my life changed. I stopped spending my free time watching the Real Housewives and starting listening to every podcast and reading every book and blog post and newsletter I could find about building a successful online business. And every successful online entrepreneur I found had the same piece of advice: Build an email list. Specifically, give away something of value in exchange for an email address. And those that didn’t start right out of the gate building an email list? Oh, how they regretted it! Like my mentor-from-afar, Pat Flynn. Okay Pat. You have what I want, I’ll do whatever you say. So as I was putting the finishing touches on the Free 5 Day Website Challenge at the end of 2014, I decided I’d give it away in exchange for an email address instead of making it publicly available. Then, I pasted a link to it in Nathalie Lussier’s 30 Day List Building Challenge Facebook Group freebie Friday thread. And my email list grew from 0 to 1 subscriber. was. hooked. Whatever happens to your brain when you get addicted to something, I think that’s what happened to mine when I got that email from MailChimp. I became simultaneously addicted to checking my email and growing my list. From that moment, my singular focus was to grow my email list to 10,000. Why 10,000? Probably because that’s how many subscribers Pat Flynn had when I read his article lamenting about how he wished he’d started sooner. I was on a mission, and I shared my 5 Day Website Challenge in Facebook Groups more consistently than anything else I’ve ever done. In 2015, I had grown my list from 0 to 1800 subscribers. In 2016, I ended the year at 4200. But in 2017, things slowed WAY down. I closed out 2017 with 4500… Because I removed about 1500 unsubscribes from my list. I hadn’t realized unsubscribers were showing up in my counts… I could have really bummed myself out about that many people unsubscribing… but something I really internalized in my research about building my business is that not everyone is going to resonate with my personality (and never-ending typos where I interchange “ed” and “ing”) and that’s okay. But still, 10,000 was the magic number, and I was determined to make it happen in 2018. Only 5500 to go!! I can totally do that now that I don’t have a day job anymore! In February 2018, I peaked at 5002 subscribers. And then along comes GDPR… Which if you’re not familiar, GDPR is a European law that basically says you can’t send marketing emails to people that live in Europe if you didn’t disclose you were gonna do that and get their consent when they signed up – so if you’re gonna keep doing that, you need to get fresh consent. And since I just said “Hey, I’ll show you how to build a website in just 5 days even if you’re not techie” and I didn’t say “by the way I’m gonna send you a newsletter, and info about my paid programs” – and I also had no idea who on my list lived in Europe vs. anywhere else, I made the decision to get fresh consent from my entire email list of almost 5,000 subscribers. So if you paid attention to the subject line of this email, you’ll know that after that fresh consent campaign, I had 1000 people say YES, I want to stay on your email list!! Are you kidding me right now?? Can you imagine 1000 people in a room? I can’t. It’s a lot of people! (If you’re one of those people, YOU ROCK, by the way). And then I deleted 4000 people from my email list. Ouch. I felt like I had worked really hard to get to that number… and now I can’t say I’ve helped over 5000 people build a website… And now it’s going to take FOREVER to get to 10,000…. So I started June of 2018 with less email subscribers than I had when I ended my first year of business. And guess what happened? Nothing. Nothing changed. Everything kept chugged along as it had been the first 6 months. Wait, so I don’t need 10,000 email subscribers to have a successful online business? Nope. So I tell you this big, long story about my email list obsession because I want you to know that you do not have to have a ginormous email list to find success in your business. Now, I know you might be thinking: Easy for you to say, Shannon… you deleted 4,000 and have 1,000 left. Boo hoo. I have 12 people on my email list and 6 of them are family. I’ve done everything you’ve said to do, and I feel stuck. To which I say: You gotta start somewhere. And something you did got 6 people to raise their hand and say yes, I want your freebie. What did you do to make that happen? Do more of that. And then keep doing it. Your email list is your tribe, your community. They are real people, not numbers. And when you only have 6, or 20, or 50, it’s easier reach out to them individually and thank them for signing up and ask them if they’d be willing to answer a few questions to help you find more people just like them. How did you find me? What was your biggest takeaway from my freebie? If you could wave a magic wand and solve your problem, what would that look like? How would that make you feel? Work with what you’ve got. If 6 people said yes, you are onto something. Your job is not to focus on the number of subscribers you have on your email list. It’s to focus on the actions you took to find those people and compel them to subscribe and do more of that. You WILL get traction if you keep taking action. (I really didn’t mean for that to rhyme…) It’s very possible that the way you are describing your freebie on your website doesn’t do it justice. “Give away something of value in exchange for an email address.” It’s that “of value” piece that trips people up. Let me ask you a question… If I go to your website, will I be able to tell exactly what results I’m going to get if I give you my email address and take action on the information you give me in your freebie? If I say “Join the 5 Day Website Challenge” or “I’ll show you how to build a website in just 5 days even if you’re not techie”… Which one clearly tells you what result you’re going to get? Which one is going to get you to fork over your email address? Describe your freebie on your website by the results people will get from it, not just by its name. So I’d love to hear from you – hit reply and tell me the name of your freebie and what result I’ll get from taking action on it. And if you’re feeling stuck when it comes to building your email list, I’d love to hear what you’ve tried so far and what’s going on in your head when you think about building your list. Until next week…

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my September Income Report! Each month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my online business and reveal exactly how much money I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! If you want to learn step-by-step how to build a website so that you can start a side hustle and make money online, check out this blog post on how to get started! View all of my income reports here! IMPORTANT THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN SEPTEMBER I sent out a market research survey to my email list. I blocked time for planning 2019. I launched the Web Designer Academy with an email series and a no-pitch webinar. I went to Austin for a long-weekend for a mastermind retreat. I brought on an intern. I brought on a new VA/project manager. Notes I found to myself in my planner: “I have another commitment.” *Schedule MY time* REVIEW OF MY GOALS My goal each month has been to generate $10,000 in revenue because my rough breakdown to replace my old paycheck, cover business expenses and pay taxes is: $5000 – Income to cover my old paycheck. $2500 – Expenses $2500 – Taxes WHAT I FOCUSED ON IN SEPTEMBER Coming off of August into September I was still totally in GO mode. I was determined to plan out my entire 2019, so I blocked a few days in the first week of the year to review my metrics and send out a market research survey to my email list all about their opinions on the 5 Day Website Challenge and my Serious Side Hustlers membership. In that first week I also contracted with a new virtual assistant who is all the things that I’m not: organized and detail oriented, and now I have enough hours of help every month. I also posted a listing for an intern at a few of the local colleges and received a few excellent applications, and got some interviews scheduled for the end of the month. I knew I would have to slow down enough at some point to train and onboard people… but instead of slowing down I just added more hours to my day. The second week of September I immediately got to work on my Web Designer Academy launch – which coaches web designers through marketing their businesses and managing clients and projects. In August I’d written a few blog posts related to running a freelance web design business and ran Facebook ads to them in an unsuccessful attempt to start building up an email list before my launch… More on that later… And then in mid-September, I kicked off the launch using a strategy that I’d never tried before – a 3-week long email-only launch with a no-sales-pitch webinar in the middle of the launch. The launch campaign itself was designed only to be sent to people who continually expressed interest in the content all along the way – instead of spamming everyone with irrelevant emails – which felt amazing to me!! I spent quite a bit of time visioning my ideal client for the Web Designer Academy and writing emails that I felt would really speak to them and what they could get out of the program. For the first time since I launched the program the very first time, it felt really authentic and not salesy. During the launch I had several small client projects that booked, and also continued to work on the new project that was booked in August, and I was still recording 7 episodes of my podcast, Pep Talks for Side Hustlers, every single week. Go. Go. Go. And just as I was at the point of opening the cart for the Web Designer Academy, I hopped on a plane to spend a weekend in an AirBNB with 5 girls I’d never met before to mastermind and talk about the future of our businesses… Which was the reset button that I needed. More on that later. Upon returning from the mastermind weekend, I interviewed a few interns (although one really stood out and I hired her on the spot). And then I wrapped up the most successful launch of the Web Designer Academy to date! So with that, here’s how much I made in September of 2018, my ninth month of running my online business full time. INCOME BREAKDOWN PASSIVE INCOME: Affiliate Income – $2340.49 5 Day Challenge Upgrade – $406 Serious Side Hustlers  – $899 Individual Courses – $0 Individual Serious Side Hustlers Workshops – $70 Web Designer Academy  – $2907.88 Websites That Make Money Beta – $194 WordPress Protection Package – $299.65 PASSIVE INCOME TOTAL: $7407.02 TIME FOR MONEY INCOME Done For You Projects – $3090 Consulting – $2500 TIME FOR MONEY TOTAL: $4267.25 TOTAL INCOME: $11314.27 EXPENSES BREAKDOWN TOOLS 1Password for Teams – $0 AccessAlly (Membership plugin for all of my courses) – $79.00 Acuity Scheduling (Done For You Consultations) – $10.00 Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, etc.) $56.96 Amazon Web Services – $0.77 (no idea what this is for LOL!) Auphonic (audio optimization for podcast) – $11 Bluehost – $15.99 ContentSnare – $29 Cookiebot (GDPR Compliance) – $24 Drift Pro – $50 Dropbox (File Storage) – $19.99 Elegant Themes – $89.00 Flywheel – $110.00 FreeConferenceCall.com  (Coaching & Client Calls) – $3.00 GoDaddy – $45.51 GSuite (wp-bff.com Email) – $10.76 HelloSign (Contract Software) – $300 Infusionsoft (email marketing, automation, e-commerce & customer management) – $321.34 LibSyn (Podcast Hosting) – $30.00 ManageWP (WordPress Site Management for Clients & WordPress Protection Package) – $109.07 Smart Podcast Player – $12 Soundup (Alexa Flash Briefing Hosting) – $9.99 Temi Transcription – $3.20 Typeform Pro – $35 Zapier – $15.00 Make Developer Renewal – $224 TOTAL: $1614.59 Marketing Bonjoro (Video Welcome Service) – $25.00 CoSchedule (Social Media Scheduling) – $59.00 HauteStock (Stock photos) – $0 LinkTree Pro (Instagram Profile Links) $6.00 Tailwind (Pinterest) $29.96 Facebook Ads – $315.26 Creative Market Templates, etc. – $8 TOTAL: $443.22 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES: Bench Accounting – $135.00 TOTAL: $135.00 HELP: Subcontractors TOTAL: $1623.05 LEARNING/MENTORSHIP Misc Audiobooks – $0 Courses – $97 TOTAL: $97 TRAVEL $198.09 – Southwest Fees Girlboss Retreat in Austin in September FEES Credit Card Processing Fees: ~400 OFFICE SUPPLIES $0 TOTAL EXPENSES: $4111.05 NET PROFIT: $7203.22 BIGGEST LESSONS LEARNED I had a freaking awesome month revenue-wise. In fact, it’s the best month I’ve ever had in my business. I’m gonna pat myself on the back for this one… My Web Designer Academy launch was the most successful yet, and it was the smoothest launch for me because I felt awesome about HOW I was promoting the program, and at the time of this recording we’re a month into the program and the students are amazing. That work fuels me! But my “success” came at a physical cost. At the beginning of the month, I was worn out physically. My eyes hurt and felt heavy. I was EXHAUSTED constantly. Even more alarming, my left thumb was really sore and it was hard to move my fingers on my left hand… Am I seriously working so much that I’m going to get carpal tunnel and have to wear a wrist brace like all the secretaries at my first job? And then I went away to the mastermind weekend, and was challenged on the way I was thinking and working, and reminded that I’m in control of all of this, and I have to take control of it starting now. I needed to take more time for myself. For self care. For the reason that I started this business in the first place. And for me, that meant going from 7 podcast episodes a week down to 3 so that I could go to hot yoga twice a week and actually move my body aside from walking my dog. And to put intentional effort into mentoring my team so that I have people I can rely on to help me. Nine months in, I feel like I’m really hitting my stride, and despite all the ups and downs mentally and physically, I wouldn’t trade this or go back to my day job for anything!!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today I'm revealing four things I wish I would have known before quitting my day job so that if you have plans to quit yours, you can be prepared for the things that might trip you up in the first several months. 4 things I’d wish I’d known before I quit my day job “I want to be my own boss. I want to work when I want, from wherever I want, and make six figures.” Sound familiar? If it’s not your dream, it might sound familiar because it was mine. And I’ve shared it with you a million times – while I was side hustling those first 3 years, while I was celebrating quitting my day job in January (#SideHustleGoneSerious), and as the reason behind why I created the Free 5 Day Website Challenge. It’s crazy how powerful our words and dreams are. We may not have control over the timeline, or exactly HOW it will happen, but we can create whatever outcome we want. I did it. I’m my own boss, I work when I want, from where I want, and I’m on track to make six figures this year. And don’t get me wrong – I’m very proud of myself and extremely grateful for being able to do this. But what I failed to define in that giant, bold, statement is how I wanted to FEEL along the way – which left me totally vulnerable to these things I wish I would have known before I quit my day job. #1 – I’d be a total freak about money. Leaving the security of a steady paycheck uncovered some deep issues I didn’t know I had about money, security, independence  and my self-worth. The anxiety of whether I could meet my income goal every month. The shame when I’d tell my husband I’d be depositing my paycheck late. The shame and anxiety of having to cancel contracts and services that I was able to afford when I wasn’t paying myself a paycheck, and waiting too long to do it. The drive to prove to myself that I made the right decision to leave my job so I’d do whatever it took to replace that income every single month – even if it meant working 70 hour weeks for months on end. The non-stop content-creation, daily podcast production, program selling, launching, and webinars that overwhelmed not just me, but also YOU. “There’s no way I can be successful if I have to do THAT MUCH” – is something I heard from so many of you in the survey I sent out recently. I want you to know that I heard you. Here’s the good news – you don’t have to do that much to be successful. You only have to do that much if you’re trying to not leave space in your brain think about how scared you are. My advice to you? You’re probably going to be scared too when you quit. But knowing that, you can expect it. And when you expect it, you can ask yourself, “Am I doing this  because I’m scared or because it’s what my customers really want/need? Am I buying this because I’m scared or because I know deep down it’s what I need?” You do not need to create as much content as I was creating to be successful. In fact, creating that much content was hindering my success and causing confusion with my audience. Focus and doing just a couple of things really well are what will help you reach your goals. And if you’re curious about how much money I made in August of this year, you can check out my latest income report here. https://peptalksforsidehustlers.com/august-income-report/ #2 – Healthy habits wouldn’t magically appear the day I didn’t have to drive to the office. I had this dream that when I worked from home as my own boss that I’d finally have the time to put into losing weight and getting healthy. I could work out in the mornings, even go back to Crossfit! I’d have time to plan, shop and prepare healthy meals, and suddenly none of my size 14 jeans would fit anymore and I’d have to go buy all new size 10s. Maybe even 8s (neither of which I’ve never worn before in my life). As it turns out, having time isn’t the problem! Shocking, right? I have the luxury of deciding  what I do every day, and I still didn’t decide to put any effort toward that goal. In fact, I filled up all that time with work, and used work as an excuse to not have TIME to focus on my health. Time has never been the problem. The problem is my belief in my ability to accomplish that goal. I never doubted for a second that I’d be able to quit my day job and run my own business. I’ve doubted for my whole life in my ability to lose weight, and I’m probably scared of solving that problem for reasons I’ve yet to understand. I tell you this because if there’s something you really want, but you use not having time as the reason you don’t have it, ask yourself if you really believe that it’s possible. Maybe it’s time, maybe it’s not. And maybe you just need someone to believe in you more than you believe in you to help you accomplish that goal. #3 – My perfect day wouldn’t just happen to me. We’ve all done one of those perfect day exercises where we daydream in detail about what our perfect day looks like… however, I discovered that more than daydreaming is required to make it happen. Until I created a schedule that blocked time for those things I said would be important to me on a perfect day – and guarded that time – I let every single day get away from me. To the point where I’d work 7AM to 7PM without a break (or a shower). Why? See #1 – fear and anxiety. And what would happen is that I’d want to escape from all of it – and if you follow me on social media at all you can exactly when this happens – you can see it play out. I’d feel overwhelmed by all the messages in the Facebook group and social media notifications and emails piling up in my inbox, so I just put them off. I’ll stop livestreaming and posting. And if it gets really bad, I’ll even stop sending my newsletter – because it all feels so forced and inauthentic. Because I can’t tell you I’M TIRED AND OVERWHELMED. I don’t want you to think you can’t do it too!! But you CAN do it. Just like I can do it – with ease – when I take the time to plan my perfect day, and then I honor my plan and don’t give away my time. Because I do have the choice. I always have the choice. It’s taken several months for me to get consistent with my schedule, to block off time for self care, to not open my laptop too early in the day until all my stuff for ME is done. THIS is the #1 most important thing I can do to feel the way I want to feel every single day. #4 – I don’t have to do this all on my own. I’ve said it a million times that my business coach has been integral to my success – but even with her help, I’ve been doing this on my own. Every day, just me and my dog Scarlett in my office, hammering away at my keyboard. And I didn’t realize how lonely I had gotten and how much I missed being around other people until I went away for a weekend with 5 other online business owners for a weekend mastermind retreat. I had briefly met the girl that invited me, but the 4 others were total strangers – and we had THE BEST WEEKEND! We talked, we laughed, we cried, and we made big plans for our businesses. One of the conversations that really stuck with me is when one of the girls said, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but do you have friends in your town? Like, that you talk to and ask for help?” And I was like, “Yes, of course I have friends…” But then it  dawned on me that I don’t reach out to them when I feel like escaping, or when I’m scared or when it’s getting hard. I don’t want to burden them, and I don’t want them to think I’m complaining because I have the dream life of not having to go to an office every day. Now I have friends that understand what I’m going through with owning my own business. And they hold me accountable to working less, building a team,  taking better care of myself and finding more local business friends. And we ask for help, support and encourage each other – and most importantly, make each other laugh – every single day. You don’t have to do this on your own. Please create a support system, whether it’s a local entrepreneur or blogger group or an informal mastermind of like-minded business owners. You can learn more about masterminds here. What you should know before you quit your day job The reason I shared with you these things I wish I would have known before I quit my day job is because if I had gone a bit deeper with my goal and asked myself WHY I wanted it, I would have gotten down to the core feeling I was after. “I want to be my own boss. I want to work when I want, from wherever I want, and make six figures.” The real reason I want that is because I want peace, calm and security in my life. And knowing that, I can bake that into my goal instead of wondering why life still feels crazy and stressful like it did at my day job and while I was side hustling. What you should know before you quit your day job for your business is the deep down WHY. Think about your big goal, your big dream, and then ask yourself: WHY? Why do you want that? And keep asking yourself WHY until you get to the core feeling you’re seeking, and then bake that into your big dream. “I want the security of being my own boss. I want to calmly work when I want, from wherever I want, and peacefully make six figures.” See how different that feels? How less urgent, less stressful? Knowing exactly how you want to feel will help you make decisions that will get you the outcomes AND the feeling.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today I’m talking to Skye McLain, a self-employed virtual assistant who has a side hustle as a lifestyle blogger. This is part two of my interview with Skye, so if you missed part one go back and check that out at peptalksforsidehustlers.com/185 and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. Today Skye and I are getting deep into: Why Skye is so passionate about personal finance, especially for women. How she convinced her husband to get onboard with her plan to pay off $57,000 in debt in 22 months. How Skye used her blog to stay accountable to her goal. Why it’s possible for ANYONE to get out of debt. My debt-free journey and quitting my day job led me to getting out of debt. Why making MORE money from a side hustle isn’t the only way to get freedom, flexibility and financial independence. How Skye is working on feeling like she’s qualified to help women get control of their finances and get out of debt – and what happened when she decided to just own it. How to handle negative feedback when you get the courage to put yourself out there. Skye’s book list for bloggers. How Skye manages owning her own VA business and her side hustle as a lifestyle blogger with her family. Why both Skye and I hid our blogs and online businesses from people we knew in real life. How Skye is working on changing the belief that she is worthy of promoting herself. Bio   Skye McLain is a pastor’s wife living outside of Houston, Texas with her husband, son, and two fur-babies. She is a virtual assistant and lifestyle/fashion blogger by night. She educates and motivates people to get out of debt and change their financial future by budgeting and taking control of their money. She also shares her favorite outfits for all the curvy girls out there!    Skye is a 7 on the Enneagram and a nerd to the core. She and her husband lead a small group at their church’s Financial Peace University class on Sunday nights where they teach Dave Ramsey’s baby steps and share their money story to encourage others.    You can connect with Skye here:  EMAIL | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK Resources & People Mentioned in the Episode SkyeMcLain.com SkyeMcLain.com/wp-bff @skyenmclain Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover  The Business Boutique – Christy Wright  Jon Acuff – Quitter  Jon Acuff – Start  Jon Acuff – Finish  The Book of Business Awesome, The Book of Business UnAwesome – Scott Stratten  How to Blog for Profit Without Selling Your Soul  Grace Not Perfection – Emily Ley  A Simplified Life – Emily Ley  Emily Ley Planner

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today’s guest is Skye McLain, a self-employed virtual assistant who has a side hustle as a lifestyle blogger. In part one of my interview with Skye, we talk about: The most important thing Skye did to get her first four virtual assistant clients. The two things that helped Skye take the leap in starting her own business. Why looking at what other people in your space are doing can keep you stuck. Why “Perfection is the Enemy of Done”. Why Skye is grateful that she was fired from her day job. How Skye’s long-time hobby lifestyle blog turned into a side hustle to her VA business. Skye’s breakdown of exactly how bloggers make money from her perspective as a lifestyle blogger. The blogging monetization tactic that can make you the most money. Why you can still make money online even if you’re not teaching people how to make money online. The one thing that will help you start seeing results from using affiliate links. Why being “authentic” and “transparent” isn’t a strategy. And you’re not going to want to miss part two of my episode with Skye as we get deep into topics like personal finance, self-worth and giving a deeper meaning to lifestyle blogging. Bio   Skye McLain is a pastor’s wife living outside of Houston, Texas with her husband, son, and two fur-babies. She is a virtual assistant and lifestyle/fashion blogger by night. She educates and motivates people to get out of debt and change their financial future by budgeting and taking control of their money. She also shares her favorite outfits for all the curvy girls out there!    Skye is a 7 on the Enneagram and a nerd to the core. She and her husband lead a small group at their church’s Financial Peace University class on Sunday nights where they teach Dave Ramsey’s baby steps and share their money story to encourage others.    You can connect with Skye here:  EMAIL | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK Resources & People Mentioned in the Episode Quotes from this Episode – “Perfection is the enemy of done.” “Being yourself is enough to manage – trying to be someone you’re not is too much work!!” SkyeMcLain.com SkyeMcLain.com/wp-bff @skyenmclain  Alissa Circle  AdThrive BlogHer  The Blogger Network 

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Sylvia DeMott is a psychotherapist by day who started a side hustle as an entrepreneurial mindset coach – and today we’re turning the tables and she interviews me all about my entrepreneurial mindset journey. This is part two of an interview wasn’t intended to be an episode of Pep Talks for Side Hustlers… I was just recording it for Sylvia so she could use me as an example in her blog post about entrepreneurial mindset – but I wanted to share it here on the podcast because Sylvia used her ninja psychotherapist skills to get me talking about things that I think many of you listeners can relate to in your life and business: So today, we’re moving beyond the tactical how-to of building a business as Sylvia digs into my mindset and the things I’m currently working on in my business – beyond the numbers. Why I don’t want to lower my expectations… but I need to. The advice I give to people who are just starting out and wisdom that I wish I would have really heard… The biggest skill I have had to learn personally. How I’ve become comfortable promoting myself – and what works well and what does it. My advice for someone that has a really small email list of just family and friends. Why I feel so responsible for other people’s results. Why you have to keep showing up no matter what. Why I don’t have a local networking group. A big benefit of just being yourself. Why I’m considering going down to ONE podcast episode a week *gasp*! You can find Sylvia online at www.sylviademott.com and be sure to get on her email list to discover the 3 mindset traps that female entrepreneurs struggle with and how to overcome them.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Sylvia DeMott. Sylvia is a psychotherapist by day who started a side hustle as an entrepreneurial mindset coach – and today we’re turning the tables and she interviews me all about my entrepreneurial mindset journey. This interview wasn’t intended to be an episode of Pep Talks for Side Hustlers… It was supposed to be for Sylvia to write her own blog post about mindset – but I wanted to share it here on the podcast because Sylvia used her ninja psychotherapist skills to get me to open up about some things I don’t really get that deep into typically that I think many of you listeners can relate to in your life and business: My definition of mindset and the importance of it in building your business. What I do when I’m in a place that I don’t believe in myself. How I lean on my support system when I’m stuck. Why I decided to slow down on my content creation. What’s really happening with my weight loss progress. Where you might need to focus your energy if all the plans and courses and blueprints you’ve been taking aren’t working. Why I share with full transparency when things aren’t going great. Why I chase shiny objects. Why I’m not doing a great job managing my energy, and what I think it would look if I did manage it. You can find Sylvia online at www.sylviademott.com and be sure to get on her email list to discover the 3 mindset traps that female entrepreneurs struggle with and how to overcome them.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! My guest today is Crystal Brisson of Feed That Glow. Crystal’s side hustle is helping women overcome the perfectionism and body image issues that keep them stuck, trapped and miserable and help them live the life they were born to live! This is part two of my interview with Crystal, so if you missed the first one, you can go back and listen to episode 181 and then I’d love for you to subscribe to the podcast – not only will you not miss an episode, the more subscribers I have the better iTunes likes this podcast and it will help me reach even more side hustlers! So thanks in advance for doing that!! In part two of my interview with Crystal, we talk about: The untold story of why I REALLY teach WordPress. How I managed my time when I was side hustling. Crystal’s favorite podcasts. What belief Crystal had to change about herself to get to where she is today and the steps she had to take to get there. What belief I had to change about myself to get where I am today. My bigger vision for my business. So let’s dive right in to part two of my interview with Crystal Brisson of Feed That Glow! Crystal Bio: I help women repair their relationship with food & their relationship with their body image. Instagram: @feedthatglow Facebook: Feed That Glow Twitter @feedglow YouTube Feed That Glow Podcast available on Google Play & iTunes: Project Glow Radio Resources Mentioned in this episode: Feed That Glow Project GLOW Radio podcast Side Hustle book The Big Leap book Brene Brown – Why Your Critics Aren’t the Ones Who Count Free 5 Day Website Challenge Online Marketing Made Easy Podcast The Angie Lee Show How to Start a Podcast – Pat Flynn Smart Passive Income MFCEO Podcast Jill Coleman (business coach) Quotes: “No one gets anywhere in life by themselves.” – Crystal Brisson “There are people out there that need me to believe in them more than they believe in themselves.” – Shannon Mattern

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! I’m here with Crystal Brisson of the Project GLOW Radio podcast, and today we’re doing a hybrid episode for both of our listeners! Today we’re both sharing our journeys and being super transparent about our journeys and businesses. How Crystal confronted her perfectionism head on and her advice on how to break free from it. Our issues with body image and how that affects our businesses. What “show up for the messy” means in body image and business. How to deal with the crickets after finishing your website and what to do instead. Crystal’s advice for me in my quest to stop working so much. Why she thinks there’s no such thing as balance. Why having a clear goal is so important. Why you shouldn’t expect our journey to look perfect. Crystal Bio: I help women repair their relationship with food & their relationship with their body image. Instagram: @feedthatglow Facebook: Feed That Glow Twitter @feedglow YouTube Feed That Glow Podcast available on Google Play & iTunes: Project Glow Radio Resources Mentioned in this episode: Feed That Glow Project GLOW Radio podcast Side Hustle book The Big Leap book Brene Brown – Why Your Critics Aren’t the Ones Who Count Free 5 Day Website Challenge Online Marketing Made Easy Podcast The Angie Lee Show How to Start a Podcast – Pat Flynn Smart Passive Income MFCEO Podcast Jill Coleman (business coach) Quotes: “No one gets anywhere in life by themselves.” – Crystal Brisson “There are people out there that need me to believe in them more than they believe in themselves.” – Shannon Mattern

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! In part two of my interview with Lyndsay Clements of Ellen Grace Marketing we get deep into managing clients, asking for help, pricing and more: In part two, Lyndsay and I talk about: How Lyndsay sets boundaries between client work and free time as a fully service-based business. How Lyndsay set up her tech when she first started her business and her favorite tools. Why Lyndsay thinks it’s important to be able to navigate her own website. Our favorite tools under $100 that have had a big impact in our businesses. The best money she’s spent this year in her business and what she’s spent it on. Our best advice for getting traction if your brand new. The worst part about not having to drive to the office every day. The belief Lyndsay had to change about herself to get where she is today. Lyndsay’s advice on how to price your services and her experience with raising her pricing. Her very best advice for someone just getting started in their side hustle or their online business. A free tool Lyndsay has to help you take the fear and confusion and take baby steps toward tracking your data. Bio: Lyndsay is a Digital Marketer helping business owners find clarity & achieve sales growth using analytics & marketing roadmaps. If you want more: https://ellengracemarketing.com/about/ Show notes: https://ellengracemarketing.com/peptalks/ Instagram: @ellengracemarketing Facebook: ellengracemarketing Resources mentioned in this episode: Get Lyndsay’s freebie at www.ellengracemarketing.com/peptalks Serious Side Hustlers Membership Ellen Grace Marketing Five Day Website Challenge Basecamp Ladyboss Glasses Online Marketing Made Easy Podcast OMG (Online Marketing Grind) Podcast Systems Saved Me Podcast Coffee and Conversations Podcast

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today I’m talking to Lyndsay Clements of Ellen Grace Marketing. Lyndsay helps women business owners understand what’s working with their marketing and helps them identify where to focus their marketing efforts so that they can say no to things that aren’t working and yes to the things that are. In part one of our interview, Lyndsay shares: How her father’s stroke while she was 7 months pregnant changed the trajectory of her career. Why she gave her notice without having a paying client. Why growing your business doesn’t always mean doing more, and what to do instead. How to figure out what you can start doing less of and where to put your time and resources. How looking at your data can help you increase your sales and traffic. Lyndsay’s advice for someone who is brand new and doesn’t have trends to look to yet. What to do if your data shows you that something isn’t working in your business when you expect that it should. How Lyndsay has transitioned from the rules from working in the corporate world to the freedom of owning her own business. Bio: Lyndsay is a Digital Marketer helping business owners find clarity & achieve sales growth using analytics & marketing roadmaps. If you want more: https://ellengracemarketing.com/about/ Show notes: https://ellengracemarketing.com/peptalks/ Instagram: @ellengracemarketing Facebook: ellengracemarketing Resources mentioned in this episode: Get Lyndsay’s freebie at www.ellengracemarketing.com/peptalks Serious Side Hustlers Membership Ellen Grace Marketing Five Day Website Challenge Basecamp Ladyboss Glasses Online Marketing Made Easy Podcast OMG (Online Marketing Grind) Podcast Systems Saved Me Podcast Coffee and Conversations Podcast

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my August Income Report! Each month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my online business and reveal exactly how much money I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! If you want to learn step-by-step how to build a website so that you can start a side hustle and make money online, check out this blog post on how to get started! View all of my income reports here! IMPORTANT THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN AUGUST I booked one new Done For You client. I participated in the Thrive Virtual Conference. I worked 12 hour days, 6 days a week. I came to the realization that I needed more help in the marketing/admin side of my business. Notes I found to myself in my planner: “Take the first estimate that comes into your mind and double it. That’s how long it will really take!!!!” “ASK FOR HELP!!” “Today will be calm chaos.” “I need someone who can work 15 hours a week for me – maybe start with an intern?” “I own a web design agency instead of I am a web designer” “Hold your boundaries and guard your time like a bulldog, not a butterfly” REVIEW OF MY GOALS My goal each month has been to generate $10,000 in revenue because my rough breakdown to replace my old paycheck, cover business expenses and pay taxes is: $5000 – Income to cover my old paycheck. $2500 – Expenses $2500 – Taxes WHAT I FOCUSED ON IN AUGUST As I mentioned in my July income report, once my vacation was over in July, I jumped right back into the grind, working 12 hours a day 6 days a week in an attempt to do all the things. I put a ton of time into my Pinterest scheduling. I didn’t have many guests scheduled for my podcast which meant I was writing every episode myself. I had booked a new client who was very, very eager to get started, which is awesome, but on the flip-side when I’m already at capacity, it was challenging to fit the work into my schedule. I felt like I was all over the place and not very focused at all in August. I was just trying to keep up with all of my commitments in August and not let any of the balls I agreed to hold on to drop. That being said, here’s how much money I made in August 2018: INCOME BREAKDOWN PASSIVE INCOME: Affiliate Income – $1735.30 5 Day Challenge Upgrade – $319 Serious Side Hustlers  – $1111.00 Individual Courses – $144 Individual Serious Side Hustlers Workshops – $0 Web Designer Academy  – $197.00 Websites That Make Money Beta – $594.00 WordPress Protection Package – $419.38 PASSIVE INCOME TOTAL: $4519.68 TIME FOR MONEY INCOME Done For You Projects – $3090 Consulting – $2500 TIME FOR MONEY TOTAL: $5590.00 TOTAL INCOME: $10109.68 EXPENSES BREAKDOWN TOOLS 1Password for Teams – $43.16 AccessAlly (Membership plugin for all of my courses) – $79.00 Acuity Scheduling (Done For You Consultations) – $10.00 Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, etc.) $54.73 Amazon Web Services – $1.47 (no idea what this is for LOL!) Auphonic (audio optimization for podcast) – $45.00 Bluehost – $0 ContentSnare – $29 Cookiebot (GDPR Compliance) – $24 Dropbox (File Storage) – $19.99 Flywheel – $110.00 FreeConferenceCall.com  (Coaching & Client Calls) – $3.00 GSuite (wp-bff.com Email) – $10.76 HelloSign (Contract Software) – $300 Infusionsoft (email marketing, automation, e-commerce & customer management) – $321.34 LibSyn (Podcast Hosting) – $30.00 ManageWP (WordPress Site Management for Clients & WordPress Protection Package) – $98.60 Smart Podcast Player – $12 Soundup (Alexa Flash Briefing Hosting) – $9.99 Zapier – $15.00 Misc Plugins – $89.00 TOTAL: $1305.11 Marketing Bonjoro (Video Welcome Service) – $25.00 CoSchedule (Social Media Scheduling) – $59.00 HauteStock (Stock photos) – $99.00 LinkTree Pro (Instagram Profile Links) $6.00 Tailwind (Pinterest) $29.96 Facebook Ads – 31.50 Creative Market Templates, etc. – $0 TOTAL: $250.46 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES: Bench Accounting – $135.00 TOTAL: $135.00 HELP: Subcontractors TOTAL: $1470.55 LEARNING/MENTORSHIP Misc Audiobooks – $7.00 Courses – $97 TOTAL: $104.00 TRAVEL $11.20 – Southwest Fees Girlboss Retreat in Austin in September FEES Credit Card Processing Fees: ~ $200 OFFICE SUPPLIES $0 TOTAL EXPENSES: $3433.16 NET PROFIT: $6676.56 BIGGEST LESSONS LEARNED As I review my numbers for August, I totally hit my revenue goal!! Which is super exciting, because that means that all my my hard work, hustle and 12 hour days resulted in me reaching my goal. However. That pace isn’t sustainable. It cost me physically. I was exhausted. I got sick that first week in August. I wasn’t making time to walk Scarlett every day so I’m literally sitting at my desk or on my couch for 12 hours a day. That’s not healthy. And while I have an awesome VA team, I really needed more time from them than I could afford at their current rates. Which sucks, because I love them, but running a business is about making decisions that help me create a stable, sustainable business. When led to the note in my planner about bringing someone on for 15 hours a week instead of the 15 hours a month I was currently getting. I have to be strategic, and I have to look out for myself, and so you’ll see in September’s income report the changes that I made. So this out of control, exhausted, overworking myself thing comes up for me from time to time in my business. It’s a conversation I’ve had several times with my business coach and that’s why I have the note “Guard your time like a bulldog, not a butterfly” written in my planner. I have a tendency to say yes to everything, and then put my own wellbeing aside to make sure things happen for other people. And it’s not a selfless thing. It’s actually very selfish, because I get a lot of validation from coming through for people. It makes me feel important. It’s 100% my ego at work. I had a call with my business coach in August where we talked about how much I’m working, and she asked me a question that was really hard to hear: Who is Shannon when she’s not working? What kinds of things does she like to do? And I couldn’t answer her. It made me feel really sad that I couldn’t. Because what is all of this for? My why has always been freedom, flexibility and financial independence but for some reason I keep trapping myself. So my homework has been to take Friday afternoons off and go do something by myself, in my city, that I like to do. Like, go be a tourist in Columbus, Ohio. Because this is a totally awesome city, I’ve lived here all my life and there are so many things that I’d love to do that my friends aren’t into, my husband’s not into, but I never make time to do myself. And so that’s what I’ve been doing. Exploring my city, taking time to do things by myself and just spending time not working. I’m a work in progress. I know I’ll never have it all figured out, but the important thing is that I know how I want to feel, and how I don’t want to feel, and as long as I’m taking the time to reflect and make adjustments, I’ll be okay. Change doesn’t happen overnight, which is something I keep reminding myself. Three years ago I dreamed of today. And then I made it happen. So if I can dream of the next iteration, and really focus on how I want it to feel and start putting a plan into motion, there’s no reason why I can’t work less and live more. Today’s pep talk is brought to you by Bluehost. Go to www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/bluehost and get 36 months of web hosting for just $2.95 a month. That’s less than one trip to Starbucks a month – and if you’re anything like me, you’re at Starbucks more than that! Then you can sign up for my Free 5 Day Website Challenge at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/5day and I’ll show you step by step how to get started building your new website for your side hustle.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! In today’s episode I’m taking you behind the scenes of a mastermind weekend I did with 5 other girlbosses. It was absolutely amazing, and I think it’s something any side hustler can benefit from – if it’s done right. So if you’ve been around the online business space for any amount of time, you’ve probably heard of masterminds, but if you haven’t, a mastermind is basically a support group. It’s a concept that’s attributed to Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich, and the idea is that the collective intelligence of more people can help you reach your goals faster than going it alone. People in mastermind groups help each other set goals, hold each other accountable to accomplishing them, brainstorm ideas and support each other with honesty and respect. So in this episode, I want to share with you my top 5 tips to help you make your mastermind a success. But before we dive into exactly what we did at the mastermind, I gotta say, I’m surprised that I even went. And here’s why. I have always been extremely independent. For whatever reason, I’ve always felt like if there’s something I wanted to accomplish, it was all on me to make it happen. Like, put your blinders on, put your head down, figure it out and get it done. Asking for help? It just doesn’t occur to me. It’s not like I’m against asking for help, it literally just doesn’t occur to me as an option. I’m totally working on that part when it comes to figuring out how I can build a team and working less hours. And I’ve been working with my business coach for the past 3 years which has been a total game-changer when it comes to my mindset and my beliefs and all of that. And I read books and listen to podcasts all about business, so it’s not like I’m reinventing the wheel. So in my mind, I’m like, “I’m getting help. I’m offloading some of the day to day stuff. And I have a business coach. And I’m always learning. What more do I need?” Head down, blinders on, hustle it out. Can you relate to that mentality at all? So then I interview Bree Pair, the creator of the Thrive Conference for Bloggers in episodes 113 and 114, and after the interview, we’re chatting about how it seems like she and I are at similar places in our business – working way too much and trying to keep it all together, and looking for support. Then I get a text from Bree with dates, and then a few days later a link to the most perfect little AirBNB in San Marcos, Texas. I sent her my part of the rental and grocery money via PayPal, booked my ticket with my Southwest Points, and then when I told my husband about the trip he’s like, cool, who are you going with? And I’m like, “Um… Bree… and 4 other girls that I have never met and have no idea who they are.” And he just looks at me kinda like, Seriously? “So you’re going away for a weekend with 5 people you’ve never met.” “Well, I’ve met Bree…” Like I didn’t even question who these 4 other girls were, or what they did. I just said yes without thinking. And then I start to get a little anxiety… Like, what if she’s friends with a bunch of serial killers? Yes, I watch too many Netflix documentaries… And then I start thinking like, I’ve been part of masterminds before and they have fizzled out. Some had no real structure, some met too often, some weren’t the right mix of people, and some ending up actually being a marketing tactic for a bigger program, is this really going to be a good use of my time? But as I’ve learned, I get anxiety when a new opportunity creeps up that’s going to help me grow… And then I’m like, “NOPE, not today, Bully!” which is what I say to myself when I can feel the bully in my head trying to keep me from doing things that are uncomfortable for me. It’s straight outta Vicki Fitch’s book, Evict the Bully in Your Head (www.vickifitch.com/etb) which you can get a link to in the show notes. So I think, let’s reframe this. What’s the worst that could happen? The worst thing that happens is that I take a 3-day vacation, meet some new people and get no work done. The best thing that could happen is that I take a 3-day vacation, meet some new people and get super clear on the future of my biz. Um, pretty much either outcome is awesome, and I really needed a vacation. So then I get a text from Bree asking my availability for two meetings prior to the mastermind weekend so that all 6 of us could meet each other, and then she also mentioned that I could expect an email with all of the details for the trip. Which leads me to my first tip for a successful mastermind group: #1 Have a planner in the group. I am NOT a planner when it comes to creating awesome experiences for other people. Yes, I’m very structured, I like to have a plan and know what I’m doing and when, but when it comes to planning for other people, that is not my forte. I tend to attract friends that are amazing planners. Like, “You want to go where for vacation? Oh, you’ve already got the place picked out? You already know who is sleeping in what bedroom and have all the food figured out? Awesome, just give me the dates and tell me how much my part is and I’ll book it.” Like, I love it. But the person who is the planner has to WANT to be the planner. When you have a situation where one person is doing all the planning because no one else will pitch in, that’s when resentment can start to build up. I’ve been in a couple of groups where that’s happened. But someone does have to take the lead, at least at the very beginning, until the group starts to gel, and then if it makes sense for the dynamics of your group, the responsibility for planning any mastermind events can be rotated throughout the group. So Bree was super awesome at taking the lead, picking the dates, the location, working with another girl to create a menu and a shopping list, and to bring us together to meet before the actual mastermind weekend. Which leads me to tip number 2: #2 Get to know each other before you start masterminding. Before we went away for three days to mastermind together, the six of us met online twice. The first time, we each had 10 minutes to introduce ourselves, share our business journey thus far, and then share our WHY and what our dream life would be. And then we also set up a group text… Now normally, I’m not a fan of group texts because my phone just blows up all day, but this one? These girls are hilarious! Now I actually look forward to picking up my phone when it vibrates because I know I’m going to crack up! But our second meeting was really unique, and I think it was the key to pulling together such a great group of people. Prior to that meeting, we each took the Enneagram personality test. I’d never heard of the Enneagram. I’d done the DISC, I’ve done Strengthfinders, but this is one I hadn’t done before. So we each take the test, and then we come to the second meeting and we share the results of our personality test. And I really felt like that helped shave off some of the time that it takes to really get to know a person, and what drives them and motivates them, why they might react certain ways and all that. And I don’t know about you, but I love stuff like that. If you’re into the Enneagram, I’m equally a 3, 6 and 9. Which typically I guess you’re only one number, but in every personality test I take I always get a blended result like that which makes me always feel a little weird, like, am I fake? But anyway, that’s a topic for another episode… Because what I noticed about our mastermind group, and I don’t know if this was done on purpose by Bree when she invited us, or if it was just coincidental, but we each have a strength that can really help the others – not only in our personality, but also in where we’re at in our businesses. So after those two meetings, by the time we showed up for our weekend retreat, I felt like I knew these girls on a deeper level than what I would have had we just talked about our businesses on that first call. Because if you know me, I’m really, really slow to make deep friendships. I’m a great listener, but it takes me awhile to open up about myself. Except this podcast… I just blurt it all out on this podcast – but you guys are my friends, right?? But it was easier for me to share my biggest fears and struggles and my big dreams with these 5 girls because I really felt connected to them, that it wasn’t just one sided where I learned everything I could learn about them to avoid talking about myself – we all equally shared and listened. So that leads me to tip #3: #3 – Meet in person at least once a year I absolutely love that we started off our mastermind group with a 3 day retreat, for a few reasons. One – we had to make an investment to do it. Not an investment as in we paid someone to be in the mastermind, group, but an investment in actually doing it. This is different than paying someone to be in their mastermind, because there’s a certain expectation that the person you paid is responsible for helping you get results. This is investing collectively in a mastermind where we’re all responsible for showing up for each other and putting the work in to get our own results. Some of the girls had to arrange childcare for those 3 days. Some of them had to take time away from their businesses that are open on the weekends. Some of us had to get on a plane and fly to the destination. We each chipped in for the AirBNB and for food and paid for our own travel to get there. I mean, it wasn’t a huge amount of money or anything but it was significant and we were invested. In ourselves and each other. It’s a very different experience than I had in groups where we hopped on a Google Hangout once a month. Two – we really, really got to know each other. Chats about our families over coffee in the morning. Sharing rooms and a bathroom. Cooking together, cleaning up together. Okay, there was one girl who cooked most of our meals, and she’s absolutely amazing. I’m like, I will do dishes all day every day just to eat your food!! Sitting together on the big couch with blankets, wine and snacks sharing our dreams and squashing each others fears… And finally, it pulled us away from our everyday lives so we could really focus on our businesses and planning for the future. Which leads me to tip number 4: #4 – Have a structure for the weekend. Here’s what really made our weekend special. Bree created an agenda for us for the whole weekend. On Friday night we put together a gorgeous spread of appetizers, broke open the wine and socialized for awhile and then we sat down with dessert and went around the room sharing our biggest dream, and our biggest fear – and we all supported and encouraged each other as we shared. Saturday morning after breakfast we did a hot seat. So we each had 30 minutes to share problems or roadblocks we were encountering in reaching our goals and listen to everyone’s ideas, advice and encouragement on how to overcome them. Saturday afternoon, we did planning. We each got a few giant post-it notes and markers, stuck them to the wall and brain-dumped. All of our goals and what it would take to make it happen. The best part of this session was that after we had time to get our thoughts on paper, we went around to each other and held each other accountable. Like, “Shannon, you told us that you’re working too much, but you just added a bunch of new work to your list of goals. Is that really in service of what you’re trying to accomplish? Will doing that really help you get to where you told us you wanted to be? When will you do that? Q1,2,3 or 4? You’ve already packed too much in to Q1, do you really need to do that in Q1?” I found those conversations to be extremely valuable. Because I can rationalize every decision I make to be in service of reaching my goals… But when really challenged on it, I can see that it’s just adding more work to stay busy so that there’s no time for the fear to creep in. Then we made dinner and ate together, and in the evening we just sat around talking about life, and business and continuing to get to know each other. Sunday was systems day. This day was awesome. We went around the room and shared what systems we use, how we use them, and what things we’re doing where we needed better systems. We even did little demos for each other on how use Trello, or Tailwind, or multiple inboxes in GSuite. Then we had the rest of the day to work on creating processes and systems and plans for the goals we had outlined the day before. We had some work time, and some down time, and that evening we played a game, we put on facemasks slumber-party style, and stayed up late talking. And Monday morning, we lazed around, and then we cleaned up and checked out. So the weekend was just structured enough that we accomplished a lot, but not so structured that we all left feeling exhausted. I left feeling totally energized and like I had 5 new best friends who completely understand my business and my goals, and the parts of my personality that help me reach them, and the parts of my personality that hold me back. #5 – Create a space for conversation between meetings. As I mentioned earlier, we created a group text to chat, and share our wins, things that happen that bum us out so we can lift each other up, and just have fun. We also scheduled a monthly meeting on Zoom to update each other on our goals and hold each other accountable and encourage each other. And my favorite thing that we’ve done is set up a group Marco Polo. It’s something I’ve never heard of before, but it’s basically like video messaging. You just record yourself talking, and then the group gets notified, and you can watch in and respond with a video. So we’ve created a few different ways to stay in touch, encourage each other and just make each other laugh!! So to recap: #1 – Have a Planner so that you maintain momentum. #2 – Get to know each other on a deeper level so that you can develop trust within the group. #3 – Meet in person first. Not only will putting skin in the game help you contribute on a deeper level, it gives you the space and time to really craft your plan and help others understand how to hold you accountable. #4 – Have a plan for the weekend so that it’s structured enough that you actually accomplish something, but not so structured that you leave feeling drained. #5 – Create a space for continued conversation so that you get used to asking for help and feedback before you find yourself in a desperate situation. I think being a part of this awesome group of girls is going to be a total game changer for me. Not because I’ll be held accountable, and not because I’ll have a go-to group of people who I can ask for feedback or help, but because I finally feel like I have friends who get it! Like, my husband and all my friends in real life, they are proud of me. They are super supportive. But they’re not going to sit down with me for three days, unpack all my crap and hold me accountable to it. That’s not their role in my life – and I can’t do the reverse for them because they don’t own businesses. It’s like, instead of working by myself, I have work friends again. And I forgot how much I missed that. So if you’re feeling a little lonely, like no one really gets you or like it’s all on your shoulders, consider starting a mastermind. Find like-minded people, locally or online and take the lead. Be the planner and pull it together. Or find a planner. And if the first group doesn’t work out, keep trying. You will find your people!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! If you’ve been with me from the beginning of this podcast, you may have noticed that my intro is just a little bit different, which brings me to today’s topic – the future of this podcast… But to give you some context, lemme take you back to how this all started in the first place. When I started the Pep Talks for Side Hustlers podcast back in March of 2018, it was designed to be a daily flash briefing for the Amazon Alexa. Flash briefings are short episodes that are supposed to be no more than 10 minutes long. When I first was introduced to the concept of a flash briefing from my business coach, I totally poo-pooed the idea. If you want to hear that story in detail, you can check out episodes 22 and 23. But once I came around to the idea, I thought, “Easy Peasy. I can share tips and advice to help keep side hustlers motivated through those tough times – because it’s something I wish I would have had while I was side hustling.” And then I thought… “Well, I don’t want these episodes to go away after one listen…” Which is the nature of an Alexa Flash briefing, it’s almost like an Insta story – it’s there for 24 hours until the next episode comes along and there’s no way to listen to past episodes. It’s a snapshot in time. So I decided to also set them up as a podcast on iTunes so that there’d be a whole library of them for anyone that wanted to go back and listen to past episodes, or binge listen which is what I do when I find a new podcast I love – I subscribe in iTunes, then I change the settings to start in chronological order and I binge-listen from the very first episode. And rarely do I listen to multiple podcasts at once. I find one that I love, and I listen until I’m caught up. In fact, the other night I had dinner with the very first friend I made in third grade when we moved to Columbus Ohio, and she called me a serial monogamist. Uh, duh, I’m still friends with you 30 years later and I can only listen to one podcast at a time!! So that was the plan. A daily, 10 minute flash briefing/podcast. 70 minutes of content a week, knock it out in just a few hours. Boom. done. But what I didn’t expect is how much I’d have to say on the subject of side hustling. Or how much I’d have to say about building a business from the ground up. Or all the fear I had after I quit my day job. Or all the transitions I’ve gone through over the past few years. So what was supposed to be a daily, 10 minute pep talk turned into 30 minutes or more of storytelling, teaching, and sharing the good, the bad and the ugly about side hustling and entrepreneurship. Every. Single. Day. Of course I don’t record every day. I write and record and edit these episodes on Thursdays, and then my team takes it from there and publishes them. If you’re interested in learning more about my process, you can check out episodes 123 and 124. Here’s the thing: I absolutely love creating this podcast. I love writing the episodes, I love reflecting on my business and sharing the lessons I’ve learned and the mistakes I’ve made along the way. I love recording and editing it, and the strategy I have for leveraging it to grow my business is also super exciting to me. It lights me up! But what I’ve heard from my listeners and my community and my peers is that it’s just too much. They can’t keep up with over 30 minutes a day, seven days a week of new content. Now, I know there are some of you listening that are like, “Wait, I listen every single day, I don’t understand what those people are talking about.” And I know you’re out there because you tell me! You listen while you work out in the morning, you listen on your way to work… But guess what? Not everyone is like us! Crazy, right? But what I discovered 6 months in is that creating new content at the pace I’m creating it is a challenge, especially when I have a whole entire web design business to run. It’s one of those things where I didn’t realize how hard it was on me until it was too late. Like, until I was past the point of exhaustion. Until I didn’t realize how much it was hanging over me, like, “I gotta get the podcast done, I gotta get the podcast done.” And then, people start saying to me, “You do seven episodes a week? And you write them all out beforehand? How is that even possible? That’s crazy! How do you keep up with that?” And I’m like, well, I have a process, I don’t record every day… and I explain it all very matter of factly, like I’m some superwoman who has it all figured out. And then, I start hearing things like, “I love your podcast, but I can’t keep up. Too many episodes. The amount of content you’re putting out is overwhelming me, it makes me feel like I have to move faster than I can, and that makes me feel like I’ll never be able to be successful.” Wow. Hearing that was like a wake up call for me. Like someone threw a glass of cold water in my face. Like in a good way, not like in a Real Housewives way. And in that moment what I realized is that the frenetic pace at which I’ve been recording pep talks and writing blog posts and sending emails is a total reflection of the uneasiness I’ve felt since leaving the security of my day job. I channeled my fear into hustle. As long as I keep running, the monster can’t catch me. As long as I keep creating new content, people will find me, my business will grow and I’ll be able to write myself a paycheck every two weeks. So I had an amazing opportunity to go away with 5 other girlbosses for a weekend mastermind/planning retreat recently. As we were getting to know each other, we were talking about our big, crazy, out of this world goals, and I had said, “I want to be the Amy Porterfield of WordPress.” And for those of you that don’t know who Amy Porterfield is, she’s the goddess of online marketing – well, in my eyes. She has a ginormous audience, we’re talking hundreds of thousands of business owners, her podcast is called Online Marketing Made Easy, and she has a few courses all about online marketing. Like, that’s the kind of impact I want to have. So we’re going around the room talking about things we’d like to change in our businesses, and mine is that I’m still working too much. Like, an unhealthy amount. My business coach already ordered me to do something fun just for myself on Fridays and take Sundays off, but I had overcompensated by adding hours to the weekdays. So I’m talking to the girls about my schedule and what I do every day, and we get to Thursday and I say how I spend 5-6 hours on Thursday on my podcast, not including writing or curating the content or scheduling the guests or whatever. So if I really boil it down, the podcast takes me around 8-9 hours a week, and then probably another 5 for my team. And one of them says to me, “What if you cut it down and did less episodes a week?” And I immediately was like, “Why? It doesn’t take me that long. And it’s my favorite thing to do!!” And she looked at me and said, “How many episodes a week does Amy Porterfield put out?” Good point. She puts one 30 to 40 minute long episode out per week. So after a lot of soul searching, and planning, and thinking about the future of my business and how I want to FEEL, for now, I’ve decided to go down to 3 episodes a week of Pep Talks for Side Hustlers – Monday, Wednesday and Friday. So for those of you that listen on Alexa, you’ll get a flash briefing from me just 3 days a week, and those that listen on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeartRadio or Google Podcasts will get a new episode on Monday, Wednesday and Friday going forward. And I’d love to hear your thoughts on this decision – head on over to www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/176 and leave me a comment on the show notes and let me know – did you listen every single day? Are you a binge listener? Was it too overwhelming for you or just right? And in episode 177, I’ll take you behind the scenes of my mastermind weekend, because if you ever get the opportunity to do something like that in your side hustle, it can be a total game changer. Today’s pep talk is brought to you by Bluehost. Go to www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/bluehost and get 36 months of web hosting for just $2.95 a month. That’s less than one trip to Starbucks a month – and if you’re anything like me, you’re at Starbucks more than that! Then you can sign up for my Free 5 Day Website Challenge at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/5day and I’ll show you step by step how to get started building your new website for your side hustle.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! The final episode in this seven day series, where I’m sharing with you a replay of a masterclass I held for freelance web designers all about the 7 elements of a successful web design business. But the principles I teach don’t just apply to web design businesses, they are universal to any side hustle – so as you listen, think about how you can apply the lessons to your own side hustle! How to apply the 7 Elements of a Successful Web Design Business to any side hustle!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Over the next several episodes I’m sharing with you a replay of a masterclass I held for freelance web designers all about the 7 elements of a successful web design business. But the principles I teach don’t just apply to web design businesses, they are universal to any side hustle – so as you listen, think about how you can apply the lessons to your own side hustle! If you want your side hustle to be successful, there’s one key element that you must put in place in order to meet your goals. Find out what it is in this episode!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Over the next several episodes I’m sharing with you a replay of a masterclass I held for freelance web designers all about the 7 elements of a successful web design business. But the principles I teach don’t just apply to web design businesses, they are universal to any side hustle – so as you listen, think about how you can apply the lessons to your own side hustle! Find out what happened when I decided to quit working with clients in my web design business.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Over the next several episodes I’m sharing with you a replay of a masterclass I held for freelance web designers all about the 7 elements of a successful web design business. But the principles I teach don’t just apply to web design businesses, they are universal to any side hustle – so as you listen, think about how you can apply the lessons to your own side hustle! How additional streams of revenue can actually get you more clients.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Over the next several episodes I’m sharing with you a replay of a masterclass I held for freelance web designers all about the 7 elements of a successful web design business. But the principles I teach don’t just apply to web design businesses, they are universal to any side hustle – so as you listen, think about how you can apply the lessons to your own side hustle! Why you should consider exclusivity in your side hustle.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Over the next several episodes I’m sharing with you a replay of a masterclass I held for freelance web designers all about the 7 elements of a successful web design business. But the principles I teach don’t just apply to web design businesses, they are universal to any side hustle – so as you listen, think about how you can apply the lessons to your own side hustle! Do you struggle to describe your skills and services? Here’s how to flip the script and make it easier to market yourself!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Over the next several episodes I’m sharing with you a replay of a masterclass I held for freelance web designers all about the 7 elements of a successful web design business. But the principles I teach don’t just apply to web design businesses, they are universal to any side hustle – so as you listen, think about how you can apply the lessons to your own side hustle! Find out how my side hustle was born in the first part of a replay of my recent masterclass, the 7 Elements of a Successful Web Design Business.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! In episodes 165, 166 and 167, we talked about what a sales funnel is and what it isn’t over the next few episodes I’m going deep into the components of a sales funnel – so if you haven’t listened to that go back and listen to episode 165 and then I’ll meet you right back here. Go ahead, I’ll wait. So we talked about Awareness and how to generate it, we talked about what Interest REALLY is and how to create it, and about what it takes Decision and how to lead our customer to making one that’s right for them. But just because I was able to get my ideal customer to make the decision that YES, they want to become a customer doesn’t mean they’ll actually follow through. I’m totally guilty of this. I’m shopping online, I put a bunch of stuff in my cart… but my credit card is all the way over there!!! I’m so not getting up right now to go get it. Do I even really need new yoga pants? Squirrel!” And then I’m off to something else. Or that online course that I really think would help me with something I’m really struggling with in my business. I’ve been meaning to enroll in it for YEARS. No joke. It’s a 100% yes. But every year when it opens, I don’t actually put my money where my mouth is. What if it’s just all fluff and I don’t learn anything new and I just wasted two grand? And I even hear from my own customers. Yes, I want to join Serious Side Hustlers, but… Now’s not the right time. So what can you do to make now the right time? Or make it really easy to complete the transaction? Or remove the fear of buyer’s remorse? Like, legitimately. Not because you want the sale, but because you believe that you can really help someone and you want to help them get out of their own way. So there are a LOT of tactics to help people make a decision. Can I pay with PayPal or ApplePay so I don’t have to walk across the room and get my credit card? Can I actually BUY online? Can I even see the price or are you going to make me talk to you to find out how much? Are you making me give you my life story just to check out – or are you only asking for what you really need to complete the transaction? Are there too many steps in your checkout process? What are your guarantees? What’s your refund policy? Is your refund policy designed to protect you from scammers – or is it designed to make your customers feel really good about their decision to buy. Because no matter what, scammers are going to scam, so why focus on them when you can design a refund policy that helps your ideal customer over the hump of making a decision? How can you incentivise taking action today without gross pushy tactics? And the most overlooked part, right after they take that action you want them to take, how can you reinforce that it was a great idea and give them the instant gratification of knowing they made the right decision. This process doesn’t happen in an instant. It doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time to generate awareness. It takes time to develop and hold an interest and inspire people to believe it’s possible to overcome this problem they are having. And it takes time to coach people into making the right decision for themselves. The final thing I want to leave you with is that you don’t just get one shot at it. Just because someone wasn’t interested last week doesn’t mean they won’t be next week. And if the time really isn’t right at this point, in 6 months it might be, and that’s why you continue to create awareness and interest even if the decision was no. Because someday it might be a yes – and at any time someone can say hey, I’m no longer interested in hearing from you and unsubscribe. That’s a good thing because you know you are talking to the people who resonate with you. So that’s it, that’s the theory behind a sales funnel – and you can see how you could automate everything, from ads to generate interest, a website to enter your name and email, email marketing software to send the freebie and a prewritten sequence to curate trust and interest and ultimately a sales opportunity, and then a website that delivers whatever it is you just sold. So that’s the dream and the promise of passive income – like Pat Flynn says, you work really hard now to figure out the right mix of pieces and parts, the perfect funnel for YOUR unique customer, you build and test it, and then eventually it will run on its own and you get to spend your time doing what I think is the fun stuff, creating awareness. So what about you? Do you have an intentional sales funnel in your business? What’s the path you lead your customer down? Go to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/168 and leave me a comment and let me know!!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! In episodes 165 and 166, we talked about what a sales funnel is and what it isn’t over the next few episodes I’m going deep into the components of a sales funnel – so if you haven’t listened to that go back and listen to episode 165 and then I’ll meet you right back here. Go ahead, I’ll wait. So we talked about Awareness and how to generate it, we talked about what Interest REALLY is and how to create it, today we’re going to talk about Decision and how to lead our customer to making one. The common mistake most people make at this point is believing that EVERYONE who is aware and interested should make the decision to become a customer. And that’s why you not only see really pushy gross sales tactics but YOU also feel gross doing it too but you feel like they’re what you’re supposed to do because that’s what everyone seems to be doing. When it comes to the point of Decision, its your job to give them all of the information they need to make the best decision for THEM. Your product or service isn’t right for everyone. It’s just not. And when you get people that buy your thing and they’re not right for it, it doesn’t feel good. At least, it doesn’t to me because I know they aren’t going to get the results that they’re looking for. So again, this isn’t all about what your product or service is and a big description of it, although that’s one component, but it’s helping your customer answer the bigger questions that drive their decision making: Can I trust this girl (or is she going to rip me off)? Will I really get the outcome this product or service is promising? Will I be able to follow through? So here’s the thing – before you even ask them to make a decision, you want them to be able to say YES to all three of those questions. Yes, I can trust her. Yes, I’ll get the outcome. Yes, I’ll be able to follow through. If you’ve done your job in your funnel, the people that can say yes to all of these are sticking around. The rest – they’ve lost interest. They’re not paying attention even when you ask them to make the decision. But the ones that have moved with you all the way to the point of making a decision – at this point it’s not about you. It’s about their belief in themselves – and that’s your job to do that in everything that you’re doing. But just because I was able to get my ideal customer to make the decision that YES, they want to become a customer doesn’t mean they’ll actually follow through. So the next step in the funnel that we’ll talk about tomorrow is ACTION. How do we help them take action?

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! In episode 165 we talked about what a sales funnel is and what it isn’t over the next few episodes I’m going deep into the components of a sales funnel – so if you haven’t listened to that go back and listen to episode 165 and then I’ll meet you right back here. Go ahead, I’ll wait. Okay, so the components of a sales funnel are Awareness, Interest, Decision and Action. Once we’ve generated awareness, how do we turn that into interest? Think about what piques your interest. If you’re researching a particular problem or need that you have, what piques your interest is the seeing a potential solution to that problem or the resolution of the need, right? Like, the perfect match. So to generate interest, we’ve gotta know what the problems and needs are desires of our ideal customer are. This is where a lot of people go wrong – they try to generate interest in the product itself and its features rather than generating interest in the possibility of what life is like once the person has the solution. The solution could be a product that the person can buy right away and go straight from interest to decision to action all in one moment, but more often for us online business owners who are pretty much nobodies online, it takes a bit longer to build up that credibility and trust with people. And so that’s why I teach how to actually do the tactic all the online marketing gurus teach – which is to create something that solves the problem or meets the need that you give away for free – and what this does it turn the awareness into interest. And then once you’re interested, you make a decision to get on my email list and then you take the actual action of entering your name and email and clicking Submit. This small cycle is repeated over and over until it results in a customer. Aware that I exist. Aware that I have a Free 5 Day Website Challenge. Interested, goes to my website. Decision to join. Enters name and Email. But in my overall funnel, the one leading to you becoming a customer, you’re still not super interested in everything else I have to offer. YET. You’re just like boom, got my problem solved, moving on. It’s my job now to get you to care. But not about ME – this is another big mistake that people make in generating interest. They tell their story. They share their whole life on social media, like every moment like it’s a reality TV show. And sure, that can be entertaining and interesting, but is it strategically going to lead me to buy from you? Not necessarily. Because in the interest phase, I’m not trying to get you to be interested in ME or my products. I’m trying to get you to be interested in YOU and what could be different about YOUR LIFE when you have met whatever need or solved whatever problem. And I get you to be interested in YOU THROUGH me. You know how people say, “I really resonated with that?” That’s because the people that are my customers see a part of themselves in me, and if I was able to get what they want, then it’s possible for them to get it too. And that’s why you tell stories and share vulnerable things, to inspire people. In fact, I’d almost change the I in the formula from Interest to Inspiration, because this is where you INSPIRE people to want to put the effort into the outcome. So there are 4 main of ways you can generate interest or inspiration: # 1 – Freebie – create a free piece of content that solves a problem and give it away in exchange for an email address. #2 – Go live on all the social media platforms and share your story, the good bad and the ugly – but only if you’ve come out the other side and have something to share that will help people. We’re not trying to get people to feel sorry for us or like they have to take care of us. #3 – Create consistent content that continues to deliver value and help your ideal customer. This could be a weekly or monthly newsletter, or a podcast, or a video series. Whatever. And it’s gotta be GOOD (as in content) because there are a lot of people out there doing this, but the good news is that a lot of it is very ME focused and not great. You know the secret to making it work. #4 – Hosting Webinars or Live Conferences where you go deep on a particular topic. All of these tactics help educate your ideal customer, help them continue to be interested in solving their problem or meeting their need, and also keep the awareness of YOU alive. And tomorrow, we’ll talk about the transition from being interested to making a decision. So be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss it!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! So I’m heading of to Austin Texas next week to mastermind with 5 other girlbosses – in fact, I’m probably there at the time this episode goes live. It’s going to be an awesome weekend of planning and goal setting and big dreams and probably big glasses of wine too! In preparation for this retreat, the six of us met on a Zoom call to talk about our goals and some things that are holding us back from reaching them and a few of the girls mentioned funnels as the thing that they need to pay attention to and figure out in their business. And I hear this a lot, especially in online entrepreneur/blogger space. I need to set up my sales funnel. The people that sell funnel software and teach about funnels make some big claims about them, specifically that “the right sales funnel, configured the proper way, can automate your marketing and help you scale your income on autopilot.” Sounds great, right? Like, you want one of those too, right? Well, whether you’re aware of it or not, you already have one. Because a sales funnel isn’t just software, it’s the process your customer goes through to buy something from you. From knowing that you even exist, to becoming a customer. And the most successful side hustlers do this very intentionally. They have a specific plan for every step of the sales process. The side hustlers that struggle to get customers consistently are the ones that aren’t intentionally guiding their customers to a sale. I think of it like the different between between shopping at say, Old Navy vs. shopping at TJ Maxx. I walk into Old Navy and while it seems like I’m roaming free, I’m really not. I walk in, I have to go to the right and walk past the newest items that are all grouped together, and then I’m weaved in and out of these areas of pants and jackets and sweaters and yoga pants grouped by color and all the sizes together, right there, until I end up in the fitting area and then sent out to shoes and accessories and then to the cash register. They planned that whole thing out – my whole journey through the store and subsconsciously helped me buy my outfit by guiding me to the things I needed in order. Nine times out of ten when I walk into Old Navy, I walk out having bought something. But when I walk into TJMaxx, I’m immediately overwhelmed. Like, I can tell one side is mens and the other is womens and those are pants and those are shirts but beyond that? It’s just a sea of clothes, I can’t tell what any of it is, and the money I might save is just not worth the hassle of digging through rack after rack after rack… Nine times out of 10, when I walk into TJMaxx, I walk out with nothing. Those of you that are bargain hunters right now are like, “What??? You’re crazy.” But hear me out. It’s not like Old Navy Has a sales funnel and TJMaxx doesn’t – it’s that Old Navy’s sales funnel is intentionally designed for people just like me – someone who needs a lot of hand holding when it comes to making shopping decisions but doesn’t really want anyone holding my hand – and TJMaxx’s sales funnel is designed for the bargain hunter, the person who loves to dig deep into racks of clothing and come up with a $10 calvin klein sweater. So that’s all a sales funnel is – a process designed around your ideal client to lead them to a purchase. There’s a pretty common formula for this process – and its AIDA – or Awareness – meaning, knowing that you even exist. With my Old Navy/TJMaxx example, this is as simple as me driving by their big signs, or as complex as a retargeting ad that follows me around the internet because I happened to go to their website one day. Interest – knowing that you exist plus being interested in what you have to offer. In this example – interest can be created in a lot of ways. Do your clothes match the style that I’m going for? Is there a sale advertised in the window that’s going to entice me to walk in? What’s my experience like as I’m in the store? Am I hassled by salespeople or do I feel really comfortable? And it goes even deeper, like, do I identify with the type of person that wears clothes from Old Navy? If I only wear designer clothes, I don’t care what kinds of sales you have going on, I’m not going to be caught dead in Old Navy, right? Decision – making a decision whether to purchase or not to take an action. That action could be making a purchase, but it could also be a series of micro-commitments all along the way. Like, get me to try on the clothes I’ve got in my hand. Make the mirror in the dressing room one of those ones that makes me look thinner, and make the lighting good. At that point I’m like, yep, I’m buying this. Action – is actually doing it. Like completing the transaction. Because just because I’ve made the decision that I’m going to buy something doesn’t mean I will actually follow through. Maybe I start to feel guilty about how much it costs, or I’ve decided that I know I’m buy A jacket, but maybe I need to look around for a better jacket. So what can Old Navy do to make sure I take ACTION after I’d made a decision? Put the cash register right outside the dressing room. Give me double Old Navy cash when I buy the jacket today. Remind me I can return it if I get home and I don’t like it. This process, this Awareness, Interest, Decision, Action process is happening with your side hustle whether you’re aware of it or not. So do you want to be TJMaxx, where people come in and are completely overwhelmed and unsure of what to do so they do nothing and walk out, or do you want to be Old Navy where you’re subtly guiding people through the decision you want them to make and giving them all the info they need to confidently make the decision along the way? Unless your site is designed for bargain hunters – you know, like zulily.com is totally designed for bargain hunters – you don’t want it to be a free-for-all when people find you. So over the next four pep talks, I’m going to break down each stage of the sales funnel, how much time each stage could take, how to move people between stages and share with you what that strategy could look like for you and what what tools or software you can use to intentionally create a sales funnel for your side hustle. And today we’re going to start off with Awareness. And I’m going to be talking about this from the perspective of an online business because well, that’s my expertise. But even if you’re a consultant or a brick and mortar, these strategies can totally apply to you. So how do we create awareness for our business? Meaning, how do we let people know that it even exists? There are 8 key tactics I’m about to share with you are in no particular order of ease or importance, just FYI: #1 – Search Engine Optimization: When people are doing a Google search, the end result of that is awareness, right? They got a page of websites back and are seeing websites that perhaps they’ve never seen before. Now they are aware you exist. So making sure that you’re creating searchable content on the topics that your customer is looking to be made aware of is crucial. And when I say searchable content, I mean blog posts on specific topics related to what your customer is searching for.  You know where else people are actively searching for awareness? Pinterest and YouTube. Yep, those are search engines. So creating searchable content for Pinterest and YouTube also falls into Search Engine Optimization. #2 – Social Media: Unlike doing a Google search, scrolling a social media feed is a pretty passive activity. You’re not really searching for anything, it’s like watching TV. Whatever comes by comes by and every so often something piques your interest. So with social media first you have to get people to actually follow your feed – become aware of your profile, and then you need them to see your posts to become aware of what is it you actually do. There are tons of ways to do this, from following your ideal customer to using hashtags to running paid ads to generate awareness for your profiles, to tagging influencers in your posts. #3 Guest Posting:  Creating content for other people’s websites who serve your same audience is a great way to generate awareness for your business. #4 Interviews – this is both interviewing other people and pitching yourself for interviews – for articles, for podcasts, for live broadcasts. The opportunities are endless. #5 Paid Advertising – Running ads on social media that target your ideal client. Running Google ads to get one of those top spots on the pages or dynamic ads on others’ websites. Even paying for ads on niche blogs that serve your audience. A note about paid advertising – unless you have the rest of the sales funnel really dialed in, I wouldn’t invest money here because if you don’t do anything with the awareness you get, then you’re just wasting money. #6 – Affiliates – more and more companies have affiliate programs where they pay people a commission to sell their product for them. I generate awareness for Bluehost because I get a commission from them for everyone that buys through my link. Anyone can create an affiliate program – it’s not just for big companies. #7 – Podcasting – also a way to generate awareness to people that listen to podcasts and are searching for new podcasts to listen to. #8 – Alexa Flash Briefings – how some of you listen to Pep Talks for Side Hustlers – for the bajillion people that own an Alexa or other voice-activated device. So even though Awareness is the first stage of the funnel for your buyer, it’s actually the LAST thing you focus on as a business owner, and it’s the place that you spend MOST of your time.   And tomorrow we’re going to go deep into what it takes to turn awareness into Interest.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Have you ever received feedback that you didn’t expect and immediately felt defensive? I know I have… So why would you ever ask for it? In this episode I’m going to break down how to find the gold in critical feedback and use it to your advantage! So I was working on a client website the other day and to keep myself focused, I typically have some kind of podcast or TV going on in the background. This particular day it happened to be a show called “In Depth with Graham Bensinger” where he was interviewing NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. I knew nothing about NASCAR until I met my husband, and then my Sundays would be spent reading a book while he watched the race, and I’d take what I’d call “NASCAR Naps” because the sound of the cars just put me right to sleep. I actually dozed off at an actual race. Hmm… maybe I need a white noise machine in my bedroom. Anyway. Dale Jr. was sharing how he was suffering from these concussions from various crashes and how he didn’t tell anyone what was going on and that’s why he decided to retire from racing. Super interesting interview but that part that really stuck out to me was that he said that while he was with his first race team, he was giving about 80% effort. He was partying with his buddies all week, showing up just in the nick of time for practice, and leaving right after to go play Madden in his RV instead of sticking around to talk about it, stuff like that. And then he went to another race team that had championship drivers on it – like, guys that had won the cup year after year after year, and it wasn’t until being around those guys and seeing the level of focus and responsibility required to win a championship that he realized he’d only been giving 80%. And when asked about why that was, he said no one on his team had ever said to him hey, you’re not working hard enough BUT, he had heard chatter in the media and even from disappointed fans when he lost races that they thought he wasn’t racing to his potential. But he said he just blew it off as haters, critics, and kept doing what he was doing – and it’s only NOW that he realizes they were right. So why am I telling you this long story about a NASCAR driver? Because it’s important to pay attention to your critics. Now, I’m not talking about listening to trolls or anything like that, but I am talking about paying attention to the ones that are your biggest fans. Because those are the ones that want to see you do better and live up to the potential they know you have. And I’ve been guilty of doing what Dale Jr. has done, writing off my critics. Not as haters, I think that term is kinda aggressive and ridiculous, but more in terms of getting really defensive, like – “Geez, I’m not perfect, I’m human. How much more can people expect from me???” But thoughts like that are self-serving, and they completely miss the point which is – hey, if you want to get to the next level where the champions hang out, you’ve got to improve. And not just on the things YOU think you need to improve, but on the things that people on the OUTSIDE think you need to improve. And again, not trolls, but your customers. Even better – the customers you lost. So here’s how I’ve been asking for critical feedback  on my 5 Day Website Challenge. It’s free for 30 days, and then if you want lifetime access to it, it’s $29 to upgrade to get it. I send out an email to people near the end of the 30 days reminding them that their access is going to expire, and then if they don’t upgrade I send an email that asks why they chose not to upgrade, and to give me total honesty, and I lied a little bit and said I could take it. Because it does sting, I’m not gonna lie. I’m sensitive!! And someone replied and said “I didn’t upgrade because you mentioned in some of the videos that you’d talk about XY or Z later, and you never talked about it. So that made me wonder, well, if I pay for this is it even going to be any good or will there be stuff missing?” And I had NO IDEA that I had even done that! And that feedback was insanely valuable, telling me exactly where I was losing trust and losing the sale. Another response I received was from someone who told me they had been on my list for years, then they weren’t able to access something and got frustrated and gave up – but since I asked, she wanted to let me know and even offered to walk me through what she was experiencing. Um, YES I will totally take you up on that, because I want to make sure people have a great user experience with my courses. And one of my favorite customers shared with me that he was bummed out because he was super motivated and excited and into the zone working on his site, and then he got stuck, went to my Facebook group to ask a question and didn’t get a response for three days – and he suggested some strategies I could try to get responses for people more quickly. Totally awesome feedback from one of my biggest cheerleaders, and I felt defensive. Because “how can I be in the group 24/7 woe is me blah blah blah.” That’s the bully in my head taking that feedback and using it as evidence to support the lie that it tells me all the time. That I don’t have what it takes to get to the next level. That I’m maxed out and topped out, and this is it for me. Because my customer wasn’t suggesting that I wasn’t doing a good job and that I needed to spend every waking moment in my Facebook group. He was sharing an opportunity with me to help me go from 80% to champion. The lost upgrade customer was sharing an opportunity. The frustrated customer was offering an opportunity. As you know if you’ve listened to the past few episodes – or you’ll find out right now if this is your first, I’m kind of obsessed with the Great British Baking Show right now – and one of the judges, Paul Hollywood, comes across pretty harsh. Not in like, reality TV a-hole harsh, but just high standards and no sugar-coating. And you can see many of the bakers faces fall, and eyes well up. And I get it, because it’s hard not to internalize that feedback. Like, your cake isn’t good enough = YOU are not good enough. It’s the bully in your head. But if you can reframe that as an opportunity rather than an attack, there’s gold in that feedback, even if you’ve got to dig through the defensiveness to find it. The opportunity is instead of hearing all the things that are WRONG with this cake, how about taking it as all of the things that can be improved on the NEXT cake?

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! So back in episodes 155-160, I walked you through a strategic planning process for your side hustle to help you plan for the next year. But what about the next two years? Five years? Even ten years? Do you have a long-term vision for your side hustle? One of the things that I’ve never been great at is looking at the future. I remember when I was in a long-term relationship with a guy in college and my sister would ask me, “So what’s up with you guys? Are you planning to get married?” and I’d be like “I don’t have any plans. We’re going to a concert next month, so I imagine we’ll still be together then…” And even when it came to going to college, it wasn’t like I had this whole plan mapped out. It was more like, “High school’s over. College is next. Job comes after that.” And I dreaded, DREADED, answering the “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” question in job interviews. I’m like, “I’m 22. In 5 years I’ll be 27. I have no idea.” Even now, I’m 38. In 5 years I’ll be 43. What will be different? Who knows??? My husband and I dated for 7 years before we got married. We took our future commitments slowly. One year lease. Dog – that’s at least 10 years. Mortgage – 30. Okay, let’s get married! I mean, it’s not as dull as I make it sound, but that’s kinda how my mind worked. The reason WHY I don’t plan for the future – that probably needs to be unpacked by a therapist, but what I can tell you is that when I have no plan and no objective, I start to lose my motivation. Take my side hustle for example. When I started it, I had a clear long-term goal: quit my day job. Side hustle as long as it takes to grow it to the point where it replaced my income, and then quit. But it wasn’t a deliberate three year plan, even though it took me three years. I reached the goal. I did it. So now what??? I got everything I wanted. Why do I feel like I need more? Again, the answer came from the Great British Baking Show. I tell you, I’m obsessed. One of the bakers, Kimberley, was talking about how she felt like she did well, but she still wasn’t satisfied. She mentioned the term kaizen – saying it was a Japanese word for continuous improvement. I looked it up, it really is. And that’s how I feel, like I always want to improve. But to what end? I can plan next week. I can plan next month – even next quarter. But going beyond the next 3 to 6 months, it’s unclear. Like hmm… what do I want to achieve next? My business coach, Vicki Fitch, after we had been working together for a few months, shared with me that she had a vision for me but I think she sensed that I wasn’t ready to hear it. Like, I didn’t have the belief in myself enough to believe that vision was possible. And over time, she’s revealed pieces of it to me, very slowly. I still don’t think I know what the whole thing looks like… I’m attending what I’m calling a girlboss mastermind retreat next weekend, and we had a couple of getting to know you calls beforehand where we were asked about our goals, and I said that I wanted to be the Amy Porterfield of web design someday. That’s a pretty vague goal. I mean, what does that even mean? Sure, she runs a multi-million dollar business and is the expert when it comes to online marketing from facebook ads to list building to building an online course to selling that course with webinars. Is that what I really want? So I went to lunch with a friend the other day and she was sharing with me a method of goal setting she learned from the network marketing company she’s been in for years – and it’s a set of 5 action steps to help you identify your long term goals. So this info is coming from a worksheet from a woman named Amber Towne Geehan, and in it she mentions Zig Ziglar so I’m not sure who to attribute this method to, but regardless I’m sharing it with you because I plan to walk through this myself to figure out what my Long Term Vision for my business is now – and I invite you to do this yourself. You can see these questions over at peptalksforsidehustlers.com/163 – so that you can walk through this yourself when you’re ready: Okay, so here we go: Action Step 1. Make a Dream List. Let your imagination run wild. Write down, pen to paper, everything you want to be, do or have. When you print it – meaning writing it down – your concentration is greater and you burn the idea more indelibly into your subconscious mind. If you have a family, be sure to include your partner and children when you set your goals. The entire goal setting process helps channel your logical left brain and frees your creative right brain for a more effective use of your imagination. Note, you’ve got to be before you can do and you have to do before you can have. Action Step 2. Wait 24-48 hours and answer the question “why” for each item you have printed on your dream list. This is a list of things you want to be, do or have. If you can’t verbalize in one sentence why you want to be, do or have then it truly is a dream and not a real goal. At this point, you should cross it off your list. Action Step 3. Ask these five questions, all of which you have to be able to say “yes” to: Is this really my goal? Is it morally right and fair to everyone concerned? Is it consistent with my other goals? Can I emotionally commit myself to finish this goal? Can I see myself reaching this goal? Answering these questions will further reduce the number of dreams on your things I really want to be, do or have sheet so cross them off as well. Answering number 2 and number 3 will be very helpful in making important decisions in all areas of your life, especially financial. Action Step 4. For each remaining dream, ask yourself: Will reaching this goal make me happier? Will it make me healthier? Will it make me more prosperous? Will this goal help me win more friends? Will this goal give me peace of mind? Will reaching this goal make me more secure? Will reaching this goal improve my relationships with others? If you can’t answer “yes” to at least one of these questions, eliminate that item from the list of dreams. Be careful not to confuse pleasure and happiness and be sure to consider your family when you answer these questions. Action Step 5. Divide the remaining goals into three categories: Short Range (one month or less); Intermediate (one more to one year); Long Range (1 year or more) Mark them “SR” (short range), “I” (intermediate) and LR (long range) on your things I really want to be, do or have sheet. Remember, some goals: Must be big – out of reach – not out of sight though. It has to make you stretch and it helps you grow into your full potential. Must be long range to keep you on track and greatly the reduce the possibility of short range frustration. Must be small and daily to keep you disciplined and in touch with the reality of the nitty gritty of daily life. Must be ongoing. Might require analysis or consultation to determine where you are before you can set the goal (weight loss, marathon) Should be specific. A nice home is not as good as a 3,000 square foot Tudor style home with 4 baths, 3 full baths, etc. So I shared with you the Chalene Johnson’s PUSH goal method back in episode 158 and how I used it to set the goal to build a team so that I could accomplish some other goals – but I still don’t have a LONG TERM VISION for 2020 and beyond. Am I scared to dream big? Maybe. Do I fear the responsibility of what that big dream might mean? Probably. Am I worried about my ability to become the person I need to become to accomplish the big dream? Possibly. And because I know that when I’m avoiding something or feeling averse to doing it I know that I need to run into the discomfort rather than away from it, I’m going to spend some time figuring out what the long term vision is for me. Not just business, but for me. And I invite you to do the same, and then head over to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/163 and let me know what your long-term vision is!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! So you know that inner voice you have, the one that’s constantly chattering in your mind, giving you a play by play of everything you’re doing and analyzing every decision? You know, all the things that you’re constantly thinking but not saying out loud? Whether that inner voice is negative or positive will have a huge impact on the success of your side hustle. So what even brings this topic up today is that I have been totally obsessed with the Great British Baking Show on Netflix the past couple of weeks. It’s something that I’ll turn on while I’m building websites or answering emails and stuff because I feel like I’m more focused when I have background noise. If it’s just quiet, oh how my inner voice wanders. I like to give it something fun to focus on while I get stuff done! Anyway, so the premise of the show is that 12 amateur bakers complete 3 bakes each episode and they are judged on technique, look and taste, and then every week one is named Star Baker and one goes home. I’m watching the second collection on Netflix and there’s a young girl named Ruby who is constantly berating herself, out loud. She’s not talking to anyone else, she’s just standing there, covering her face saying how terrible her recipes are, how stupid she is for messing up, how she doesn’t deserve to be there. Every time it’s her turn to be judged, she tells the judges how everything went wrong and apologizes that it’s going to be terrible. Like, if she’s saying all of that stuff out loud to herself, I can only imagine what her inner voice is saying to her! So today’s pep talk is a legit pep talk. If you’ve got an inner voice inside of you telling you things like this is never going to work, I don’t have the time for this, I can’t afford it, I’m not smart enough, I can’t figure this out, you gotta spend some time fixing that because YOU have to be your biggest cheerleader!! YOU have to be the one to believe in yourself the most. YOU have to believe deep down that you are capable, and that whatever you want to achieve is possible. No one else can believe it for you. Yes, it helps to have other people believing in you, because if you let it, it can build up your confidence and your belief, but I want you to listen to what you say to yourself, and ask yourself, would I say this about my best friend? Would I say this out loud about my best friend to her face? If the answer is no, then why are you saying it to yourself? If you have this problem, and it’s something that I struggle with from time to time myself when things get hard – I need you to read the book Evict The Bully in Your Head. You can get a copy of it here. But here’s what I know – just because you’re listening to this podcast, that means that you do have a seed of belief in yourself deep down, and once you get a handle on turning your inner voice from a harsh critic into your biggest cheerleader, life gets so much easier!!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today I have a bonus episode of Pep Talks for Side Hustlers for you! Over the last 6 episodes, I took you behind the scenes of my strategic planning process, from setting big goals to getting into the weeds with data to planning and budgeting and making sure it’s all serving our WHY. So if you missed them, it’s episodes 155 – 160 and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss another episode! Today, I’m going to share 9 books with you that have completely changed my life and put me on the path I’m on today. I’ll link all of these up in the show notes for you. I highly recommend you grab the audio version of each book from Audible if it’s available, especially if you’re a busy side hustler so you can listen on the go. First on the list, PUSH by Chalene Johnson. I talk about this in episode 158 about how setting the PUSH goal to start my own business totally changed my life. The thought literally never occured to me before reading that book. Highly recommend it for both business and personal goals. Next up on the list, Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover. It’s a step-by-step system to show you exactly how to get out of debt and the best part is, it’s actually doable. My husband and I did it, twice, I’m a little embarrassed to say. But the way you feel when you have no debt, the freedom you have in your life, there’s nothing else like it. The next one on my list is Profit First. This book gives you a system for paying yourself first so that you’re not paying everyone else and keeping the leftovers. I implemented the Profit First system when I quit my day job, and I wish I would have done it much sooner in my side hustle! Next up is the Rock Star Guide to Getting it Done. It’s not a book, it’s a course, and it will help you get total control of your life and get completely ahead and have you more efficient that you ever thought possible. Especially if you have a side hustle that you’re trying to grow, while working full time, while raising a family, do yourself a favor and take this course. The next one on my list is called the E-Myth, and this is for when you’re ready to scale. Or maybe before you’re ready to scale, really. It stands for the Entrepreneurial Myth, which is the mistaken belief that most businesses are started by people with tangible business skills, when in fact most are started by “technicians” who know nothing about running a business. Like me, when I started my business I knew how to build websites and do online marketing but knew nothing about running a business. This book walks you through how to run a business and how to grow a team the right way. In fact, in light of my PUSH goal I’m going to give this one another read. Next up, Side Hustle by Chris Guillebeau. It’s an awesome primer on how to start a side hustle, from idea to income in 27 days. You can use it to get inspiration or to realign yourself if something feels off in your side hustle. And I’m in it, so I of course I love it. You can read my story in Chapter 8. High Performance Habits is a total must read and game changer for how I show up in life every day –  if you want to know more about it you can check out the review I did of it in episodes 139 and 140. The next one on the list is called Direct Selling 101, by my business coach Vicki Fitch and it’s all about how to sell in a really authentic way. It’s a must read for anyone that has a service-based side hustle, or any kind of side hustle really, and feels like selling is hard. I mention the life-changing part of this book for me in my interview with Vicki in episode 100 of this podcast. Finally, this one I’m in the middle of right now, but it’s going to be a life-changer just because I know it is, I know it’s what I need, it’s called Evict the Bully in Your Head, also by my biz coach, Vicki Fitch. Because there’s one thing I’ve learned about myself during this whole entire journey of building a business, the only thing that can prevent me from reaching my goals is me. Not money, not time, not my plan, not my goals. My mindset and what I believe and what I tell myself. And this book is designed to evict the bully in my head that tells me I can’t, it’s not possible, I’m not smart enough, I don’t have enough time, it’s too scary, and kick it to the curb so that I can focus on all the ways I CAN do it. So if you have those doubts, I highly recommend you pick that book up too. Okay, that’s a wrap on my series on strategic planning – I can’t wait to hear what you come up with and your goals – leave me a comment on one of these show notes over at Pep Talks for Side Hustlers with your biggest AHA from this process.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! This is the last in a series of episodes of Pep Talks for Side Hustlers where I’m going to take you behind the scenes of my strategic planning process – so be sure that you’re subscribed so that you don’t miss a step – and tomorrow I’m going to share with you a bonus episode of my favorite planning and strategy resources to help you grow your side hustle strategically. From setting big goals to getting into the weeds with data to planning out what I’m doing next and and when it’s going to happen, I’m going to break it all down for you, and share the insights I’ve uncovered along the way. In episode 155, I shared with you some key metrics that you’ll need to pull together so that you can figure out where to focus your time and money in the upcoming year, and a formula for figuring out what to focus on based on the numbers. In episode 156, we talked about how to survey our current email list to find out who is buying from us, who isn’t and what to do about it. Then in episode 157, I shared with how to figure out if what you’re spending your time and money on is actually worth your efforts. In episode 158, we talked about a method of goal setting that I learned that led me to where I am right now and I walked you through how to do it in your side hustle. In episode 159 I shared with you how to take those goals and turn them into a plan. So if you’re not subscribed to the podcast, go ahead and do that now so that you don’t miss another episode. Today we’re going to talk about how you’re going to bring that plan to life, and to do that, you need resources. You’ve already planned the resource of time, and today, we’re going to plan the resource of Money. And we’re going to talk about the B-word. No, not that B-word, although you might want to say that about me after I tell you… It’s BUDGET. You need a plan for your money. And your plan for your money should be in alignment with your goals, and the plan for goals that you created yesterday. So here’s how I recommend you walk through this process. Step 1) Track your current business expenses. Write every single one of them down. What’s the service, how much is it, and do you pay it monthly or annual. Go through your PayPal transactions, your credit card transactions and just make that list. Step 2) What are you paying for that you don’t even use that you can cancel? Cancel it. What are you paying for that isn’t in alignment with the goals you just created? Cancel it. Step 3) Track your current income. How much money do you bring in on average every month? How much of that are you paying yourself? How much of that are you setting aside for taxes? Does what’s left cover expenses? Will it after you make the cuts I told you to make? If no, go back and make some more cuts to those things that are on the bubble. This is where it gets hard, but you’ll be glad you did it in the end. I’m going to stop right here and say that I don’t do debt in my personal life other than my mortgage or in my business. I’m Dave Ramsey all the way. So my advice is coming from that place. If you’re cool with debt and you’re comfortable with it and you’ve got that situation all under control and you’re not stressed out about it, hey, we don’t all have to be the same and no one way is better than the other. Also, it may seem like I’m coming from a place of scarcity, but I’m not. I’m coming from a place of Strategy so that we can move toward abundance. Because there is always more where that came from, but that doesn’t mean that we waste what we have. Okay, onto step 4. Step 4) Look at your goals. What do you need to buy that you don’t have now to reach your goals? Do you have the money to pay for it? Is there something you’d rather cut to get it? Can you wait until you can increase your revenue to cover it? Or if you stretch yourself to make it happen, will all the other things fall into place behind it and it will get you there faster? My mentor Chalene Johnson always says – scared money don’t make money! Which means we make investments from a place of knowledge, not scarcity or fear, right?? There’s no one answer here, these are just all the questions I want you to ask yourself as you’re making a plan for how to spend your money next year. The final step is to pull together everything that you didn’t cut, add in the new things that you want to buy and figure out on average, what’s that going to cost you every single month, and then just making sure you’re good with that number. That’s a personal decision. I can’t tell you what’s right for you, I can only tell you what’s right for me, and that’s to make a profit and pay myself a paycheck every single month. So there you have it. You have put together a complete plan for your business that’s based on data from your website and your actual customers, in alignment with your WHY and how you want to be spending your time, you’ve set goals and created a plan to accomplish them, and you’ve funded those goals with a budget. And to wrap up this series, tomorrow I’m going to share with you my favorite resources on all of these topics so that you dive even deeper into strategic planning for your side hustle.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! We’re nearing the end of a series of episodes of Pep Talks for Side Hustlers, I’m going to take you behind the scenes of my strategic planning process – so be sure that you’re subscribed so that you don’t miss a step! From setting big goals to getting into the weeds with data to planning out what I’m doing next and and when it’s going to happen, I’m going to break it all down for you, and share the insights I’ve uncovered along the way. In episode 155, I shared with you some key metrics that you’ll need to pull together so that you can figure out where to focus your time and money in the upcoming year, and a formula for figuring out what to focus on based on the numbers. In episode 156, we talked about how to survey our current email list to find out who is buying from us, who isn’t and what to do about it. Then in episode 157, I shared with how to figure out if what you’re spending your time and money on is actually worth your efforts. And in episode 158, we talked about a method of goal setting that I learned that led me to where I am right now and I walked you through how to do it in your side hustle. So if you’re not subscribed to the podcast, go ahead and do that now so that you don’t miss another episode, because today we’re going to talk about how to put these goals into an actual plan so that you really do them. And first, I’m going to recommend my business coach Vicki Fitch’s Rockstar Guide to Getting it Done, which I’ve linked up in the show notes – you can just scroll down on this episode to see them and then tap that link to head over to her site, or just go to VickiFitch.com/courses and you’ll see it. Some of the concepts I’m going to share with you today I learned from that guide, but there’s a whole entire planning process that goes into that if you implement it, you will be a machine and you’ll feel like you’re totally in control of life! Okay, so the first thing I want you to do is block three to four days on your calendar to walk through this planning process for next year. You’ll need one day to gather all the data and put together your customer survey like we talked about in 155 and 156, and then another day to review how you’re spending your time vs. your marketing goals and to actually brainstorm some goals and set your PUSH goal. You’ll need a third day to create this plan I’m going to share with you, and you might possibly need a 4th day for budgeting which I’ll talk about tomorrow, so be sure you’re subscribed. They don’t have to be consecutive days, but I’m a nerd like that so I like them to be. If you’re side hustling this might need to be two weekends, or a weekend day a month, or whatever. So give yourself enough time for this process, it’s important. After you’ve blocked the time this year, go ahead and block it on your calendar for next year. Yep, we’re not just planning, we’re planning ahead! Then, I want you to pick one day a quarter for planning the next quarter. So in October, I’m planning for January – March, and in January, I’m planning for April – June, and so on. And then, at the end of every month, pick a day to plan out the next month. This can overlap with those quarterly planning days. And then every week, pick the day that you’ll plan the next week. I do mine on Sundays. You’ve planned time to plan. That’s a huge first step that most people don’t do, and that’s straight out of the Rockstar Guide to Getting it Done which I highly, highly recommend. And I also know what my goals are thanks to the process I walked through yesterday, and I know exactly which one to focus on first thanks to my PUSH goal. So for me, the rest of this year will be best spent building a team to support my next goal which is to increase the number of Done For You clients that I book, and I want to do that starting in Q1 of 2019. And then you plan out when you want make all the things happen. Think about what’s going on in your life in certain months, when holidays typically fall, when people are typically taking vacations, when other people in your niche are doing big promotions, and work around that stuff, or at least be aware of it. This next step is key. What has to happen before that thing you’re doing to actually make it happen? Marketing, planning, hiring, creating. And just a note about marketing, this is a great time to make a content calendar. What content do you have to create to market the things that you’re doing and when those things need to roll out in advance of those launches and promotions. I go into this process for members of my Serious Side Hustlers in a live workshop, it’s too much to cover on the podcast. Put it on the calendar. Then look at it. Do you have time left over to actually do that thing you do in your business? Is there time for the day-to-day? For your day job? Is there time for LIFE? If you’re thinking “how can I fit this all in?” you might need to pare down the number of goals to accomplish, or decide what you’re going to stop doing in other parts of your life or business to make it happen. You might need to hire someone to help you. You’re going to have to make some tough decisions about what you really want. This is where the dreams become the reality. When you schedule the time for it on your calendar and commit to it. It’s no longer, “Well, I’d love to do this and this and this.” It’s I’m doing this, and here’s when, and here’s what I’m doing leading up to that to make it happen. And it’s strategic. It’s based on data. And it’s based on your WHY. There’s so, so many more ninja tricks to planning that you can learn inside of Vicki’s Rockstar Guide to getting it Done that I wish I could just tell them all to you but then that would be copyright infringement and I’m not all about that, so definitely check that out, it’s worth the investment in the amount of time you’ll save and the progress you’ll make. Okay so we have our plan… Now how are we gonna make it happen? Well, we need a budget. And that’s what we’re going to walk through tomorrow, so hit that subscribe button and I’ll see you right back here tomorrow.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! We’re right in the middle of a series of episodes of Pep Talks for Side Hustlers where I’m going to take you behind the scenes of my strategic planning process – so be sure that you’re subscribed so that you don’t miss a step! From setting big goals to getting into the weeds with data to planning out what I’m doing next and and when it’s going to happen, I’m going to break it all down for you, and share the insights I’ve uncovered along the way. In episode 155, I shared with you some key metrics that you’ll need to pull together so that you can figure out where to focus your time and money in the upcoming year, and a formula for figuring out what to focus on based on the numbers. In episode 156, we talked about how to survey our current email list to find out who is buying from us, who isn’t and what to do about it. Then in episode 157, I shared with how to figure out if what you’re spending your time and money on is actually worth your efforts. Now that we know all of that stuff, NOW we can set some goals. My favorite method of goal setting comes from Chalene Johnson. She’s best known for her work in the fitness industry and that’s how I came to know her in my never-ending quest to lose the extra 30 pounds I carry on my 5’3’’ frame. My best friend is a total TurboFire addict – she tried really hard to convert me but I’m just not that coordinated – but she did get me to read Chalene’s book PUSH with her so that together we could set some health goals and keep each other accountable. After reading that book and doing everything Chalene told me to do, instead of losing 30 pounds – I started a business. Yep, that whole thing took a total left-turn. Here’s how it happened. Chalene’s strategy for goal setting is to set 10 goals in a variety of areas in your life, for example: – Purpose / Career – Marriage / Romantic Life – Physical Health and Fitness – Mental Health – Friendships – Faith / Spirituality – Get Smarter / Personal Development – Hobby / Recreation / Just for Fun And then for each of those goals that you set, you think of actions a few actions you can take to accomplish those goals. So for Physical Health and Fitness, I had a goal to lose 30 pounds, and the actions were to eat healthy at every meal, work out daily, a drink more water. My Marriage goal was to stick to a weekly date night, friendships were to put effort into maintaining friendships that were important to me by initiating lunch dates, I had a lot of goals for our house, like painting trim white, getting new carpet, granite countertops and actual real bedroom furniture, like I felt like a 35 year old should have. I set goals to become debt free Dave Ramsey style. So I had all these goals in all these areas of my life, and all these tactics listed out on how to actually accomplish them. And here’s where Chalene’s system is pretty genius. You look at that whole list, and you think, “What’s ONE GOAL that I could accomplish that will make all of these other goals much, much easier to accomplish?” It might be a goal that’s already on that list, or it might be a goal you hadn’t even thought of yet. I started by thinking, what do I need to make all of these things happen? The answer? More time, and more money. Then I asked myself, “How do I get more time, and more money.” The answer? By owning my own business and being my own boss. And you know how when you know you’ve landing on something, it’s like a lightbulb moment? It happened at that moment. Side hustle. Make enough money to quit your day job and then you’ll have the time to prepare healthy meals, work out in the middle of the day. You’ll be able to make as much money as you want and then you can pay off all your debt, do all the stuff to your house you want to do, and wear yoga pants all day. Well what am I going to do? That I didn’t figure out until later as I was sitting in my office miserable at my day job. Web design. WordPress. Freelance. One one hand, it was a great way to actually avoid putting the effort into losing the weight, but on the other hand, I made every other single thing on that list happen by starting my own business. Four years after setting that goal, here I am. I own a business and I’m my own boss. And I’m currently working on the 30 pounds now that I actually am self- employed, by the way. So when it comes to your strategic plan for your side hustle, you can use the exact same method to help you not only set goals, but to figure out where to focus your time and effort! Here are the areas in which I brainstormed goals for myself this year. Notice I said Brainstormed, not Set. I’ll get to that in a minute. But here are the categories – and if you want to see what the actual goals I brainstormed are, you can head over to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/158 or pause this episode, scroll down into the show notes and click the link to this episode. And as I share these categories with you, I want you to brainstorm goals based on the data you’ve already pulled together and what your numbers are telling you. Not just pulling things out of thin air because you want to – I mean, you can totally do that, it’s your side hustle, but that’s what we call shiny object syndrome. It’s fun to do, but it gets you nowhere! Okay so here they are: Products Increase sales of existing products Launch signature programs just once a year. Open membership to SSH quarterly. Reduce Cancellations Optimize Upgrade Offer Offer WPPP More Often Update or retire outdated products Improve existing products with customer feedback Services Book 1 Done For You Project to start every 3 weeks Increase number of Retainer Clients 4 Website Consultation Clients a month Engagement Increase open and click-through rates for my email list Create relevant, valuable content Increase webinar registrations Increase webinar show-ups Affiliate Marketing Increase revenue from Bluehost Target people that don’t already have self-hosted WordPress Increase revenue from Elegant themes Review all affiliate relationships and see which ones may benefit my audience. Podcast Get Brands to sponsor the podcast Get on other people’s podcast to promote the podcast Merge podcast email with WP+BFF email and don’t separate the brand. Increase ratings & reviews Increase subscribers Increase downloads Team Building Create a team to manage Done For You Projects Add a full-time right hand woman. Revenue Increase revenue to $12,500/month $5500 – Salary $2500 – Taxes $3500 – Expenses/Team $1000 – Personal/Professional Development Expenses Cap Expenses at $4500/month Create an Ideal Expense Budget and Make Cuts to realign resources Personal/Business Development Restart Business Coaching in January 2019 Attend 2 in-person Conferences Join a Mastermind Listen to 1 audiobook a month on personal development Time Management Take weekends off. Schedule Time for Health & Wellness & Guard it like a bulldog. Yoga Class Crossfit Grocery Shopping Meal Planning Dog Walking Meal Prep Stop working at 6PM (unless a workshop is scheduled). Schedule 4 weeks off during the year. Go out of town on vacation at least once a year. Take the last week of December & first week of January off every year. Systems/Processes/Planning Develop a checklist for every process I do in Asana. Stick to the processes instead of winging it every time. Get Google Drive & Dropbox organized. Schedule and Block Planning days Monthly, Quarterly and Annually and guard that time like a bulldog. Leadership Delegate Follow up & Give Feedback instead of redoing work. Make a better effort to take care of your people (sending cards & gifts) Clients Wow clients with our excellent customer service. Put a client appreciation program in place (sending cards & gifts) Continue to refine our DFY project process. Relationships Cultivate Relationships with Influencers That Serve My Target Audience to Generate opportunities to collaborate and serve our audiences Energy Don’t work til the point of exhaustion. Keep a positive attitude. How Can I? Schedule and stick to your time off. Technology Evaluate all of my technology and decide if changes are needed (and if they are the best use of my time – cost/benefit). Computer Podcasting Equipment CRM So I have goals that I COULD accomplish in all of those areas. But the big question I need to ask myself before I just jump in and burn myself into the ground… WHY? Why do I need to do any of this. Why do I want to do any of it? Why am I doing this instead of getting a traditional job and taking a paycheck? And the answer is to support myself and live my dream life. So what’s my dream life look like? My dream life is to be able to do what I want to do whenever I want to do it without worrying about whether I can afford it or not. The 3 F’s: Freedom, flexibility and financial independence. So if that’s my why, then it makes sense that I need to look at my revenue goal first and make sure it’s in alignment with my why. If I told you I wanted to make a million dollars next year, that’s way more money than I need in Columbus, Ohio to be able to do what I want to do whenever I want to do it without worrying about whether I can afford it or not. And maybe someday I’ll have a bigger vision where a million dollars will make total sense, and I think it’s floating around in my head somewhere, but my mind hasn’t yet expanded to the place where I can see what that is. It’s fuzzy around the edges, I know it has to do with empowering women in technology, but it’s not fully clear. But that’s why I’ll go through this process every year, because that WHY is going to change. There are two things on this list that stand out as I think about my why. Revenue, and Time Management. So if it’s revenue that’s going to support my why, then looking at my list of all the things I COULD do, I need to pare it down to things that are going to have the most immediate impact on my revenue. So for me, the number one thing that can have the biggest impact on my revenue is increasing the number of Done For You clients that I book every year. And then in second place would be increasing the number of students in the Web Designer Academy, then number of Serious Side Hustlers members, but far and away, it’s one on one client work. Which is in direct opposition to my other goal of working less and giving myself more time for self care by increasing revenue from passive income so that I have more freedom and flexibility – that doesn’t come from working with clients one on one. And that, my friends, is where the PUSH goal comes in. What’s the ONE THING I can do that will make all these other things easier? Or as my business coach Vicki Fitch likes to say, “How Can I?” And the answer is very clear: Build a team & Delegate. That’s the domino that if I push it over, it will knock down all the other dominos faster and easier. It will make it easier to accomplish the 10 other goals I’ve set for myself based on the data and the number that we’ve already reviewed throughout this process. I didn’t just pick these goals out of thin air, they are based on what I’ve learned from the data. I can’t do it all myself unless I don’t care about working 100 hours a week – and that’s not an exaggeration. Having a team to help with client projects and a team that can do the things I’ve been doing so that I can focus on the things that only I can do, like record my voice on this podcast, is critical to accomplishing those goals. And so that’s one of the lenses through which I’ll be evaluating that list of goals that I just created. The other lens is the data that I’ve just gathered up about what I’m currently doing for marketing and if it’s getting the results I want. And I just want to mention that there is another option. I could decide that I like what I’m doing, that I’m satisfied with all of it and not make any changes. That’s a 100% okay answer after walking through all of this. I could have created a plan that said, I’m satisfied, just keep doing what I’m doing. I’m not quite there yet because I’m working more than I want to work and making less than I want to make. But you might be there. You might not need a PUSH goal, that’s okay! But if you ever find yourself in a spot where you want to change something but you’re not sure how to make progress towards it, Chalene’s PUSH goal strategy is a fantastic way to help you get traction. So right now you’re gonna want to hit subscribe because episode 159, I’m going to walk you how to turn these goals into an actual plan.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Over the next several episodes of Pep Talks for Side Hustlers, I’m going to take you behind the scenes of my strategic planning process – so be sure that you’re subscribed so that you don’t miss a step! From setting big goals to getting into the weeds with data to planning out what I’m doing next and and when it’s going to happen, I’m going to break it all down for you, and share the insights I’ve uncovered along the way. In episode 155, I shared with you some key metrics that you’ll need to pull together so that you can figure out where to focus your time and money in the upcoming year, and a formula for figuring out what to focus on based on the numbers. In episode 156, we talked about how to survey our current email list to find out who is buying from us, who isn’t and what to do about it. Today we’re going to talk about where our current website traffic is coming from vs. where we’re spending our time and see if our efforts are paying off or if we need to shift focus. But before we even get into where our website traffic is coming from, we need to know two things: How we make money in our business. Where our revenue comes from. How we are spending our time – or how we are paying other people to spend their time. Like, for real break it down. So let’s start with the money. So if you’ve listened to this podcast for any amount of time, you know that I publish an income report every single month where I break down how much I make and how much I spend, like down to the detail. Like you see how much I sell of every course that I have, how much affiliate income I make, and how much I make from one on one client work. And one of my goals has always been to scale the passive income side, and then build a team to support clients so that I can create the content and do the marketing required to grow the business. My strategy is that all roads lead to the 5 Day Website Challenge. That’s where people get to know, like and trust me, they get tons of value and that’s where I introduce them to the other things I can help them with in their business. And I look every month at how much each of my products and services brings in, and also how much I’m actually promoting and launching those things, what products I spend the most time on vs. how much they are making, etc. And I took some time to rank my offerings based on how much they bring in for me. Then I listed out all the different ways I spend my time from most to least, so I can see if how I spend my time is in alignment with how my business actually makes money. Email Client Work Admin Work (building the things) Podcast Instagram/Planoly Twitter Facebook Pinterest Blog Posts Guest Posts Engaging with my Community in my Facebook Groups Creating New Content By doing this, I can see if how I’m spending my time (or paying others for their time) is in alignment with my goals. And for me, the answer is no. In fact, I’m a little upside down. So that tells me what I need to work on. So let’s talk about TIME. Outside of doing client work and running the business, I do all the things to market my business. Instagram. Pinterest. Facebook. Facebook Groups. Twitter. LinkedIn. YouTube. Weekly Blog Post. Weekly Newsletter. SEO. A Daily Podcast. Guest Posts. Pitching myself to be on other podcasts. Virtual Conferences. Throw it all up against the wall and see what sticks. And work 80 hours a week, automate as much of it as I can and pay other people to do the rest of it for me. And then I feel bad about the things I hear I should be doing that only I can do, like Livestreaming. InstaStories. But I’m too tired to actually get ready and look presentable enough to go live. And trust me, without makeup on, you wouldn’t recognize me! So how do I know if anything I’m doing is working? And how do I decide what to cut back or outsource so I can work less? Google Analytics. And there’s a right way to use Google Analytics to tell you what’s working, and there’s a wrong way. And it totally depends on your goals, but I’m never not going to tell you that you need an email list no matter what. If I were to simply open up Google Analytics and see that because I’m doing all the things, page views are up, or traffic is up, okay great! If you’re a blogger, you’re probably ecstatic because as we talked about back in episode 150, pageviews are a metric that bloggers really care about for sponsorships. But for me, I care about one thing. Did you opt in to my email list or not? And to know that, I need to set up a Goal in Google Analytics. And that’s part of the reason why I tell you to create a Thank You page to send your subscribers to when they opt in instead of just confirming them via email. When you land on that thank you page, you’ve completed the goal. And Google Analytics can tell me exactly how many people from Facebook complete the goal, how many people from Pinterest complete the goal, how many people from Instagram complete the goal, and how many people from that guest posting gig I’m doing are completing the goal, and how many people from that random guest appearance on someone else’s podcast two years ago are completing that goal. That’s how I know if where I’m spending my time and money is effective. And what’s effective for ME is going to be totally different that what works for you because we have different businesses, different audiences and different goals. So what I discovered is that while people tell me how pretty my Instagram is all the time, my followers continue to grow… but I’m getting very little traffic to my website and practically zero subscribers from Instagram. But I spend a lot of time and money on Instagram. I need to make a decision about where I’m putting my time and money. Instagram is on the bubble. I’m getting a lot of traffic from Pinterest, in fact, it’s eclipsed Facebook as my number one source of traffic from social media… but my conversions from Pinterest aren’t as good as they are from Facebook. But I see the potential there because I’m a beginner and I’ve been dabbling. And I also see that I shouldn’t abandon Facebook, and that I probably should spend more time there once I’m ready to increase traffic. So that’s social media – what about all the blog posts I’m writing every single week? I can look at those too and see how much traffic they are getting and how much of that traffic actually opts in to the 5 Day Website Challenge. Blog posts have a dual purpose for me – keep my audience engaged and continue to deliver value, but also to get more traffic – but what content is getting the most engagement? What types of content do I need to stop creating and what do I need to double-down on? Finally, there’s this podcast. All roads lead to the 5 Day Website Challenge, this podcast included. So I’m paying really close attention to how many referrals from Pep Talks for Side Hustlers are completing the goal. In fact, I literally just paused this recorded and added a link to my 5 Day Website Challenge right to the Pep Talks for Side Hustlers navigation menu. And it all comes down to one thing – Goals inside of Google Analytics. So if you don’t have a goal set up, I highly recommend you do that because it’s going to tell so much about the effectiveness of how you’re spending your time and money. And the last thing that I want to leave you with… You have got to try things and put content out there to get this data back! You aren’t going to know what is going to work until you do it! And you give it some time to get traction. And you become a student of it, you approach it like a scientist. You do your research, you do some experiments, and you evaluate the outcome. What I see more often than not is that people want to come out of the gate having everything right, perfect and all figured out. Instead, just come out of the gate, and evaluate as you go – you’ll learn a lot faster that way!! Okay, so now that we have all of our data, it’s time to set some goals. So go ahead and hit subscribe so that you don’t miss the next episode, and tomorrow I’ll share with you a strategy I learned to set goals that actually put me on the path to starting this business and quitting my day job.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Over the next several episodes of Pep Talks for Side Hustlers, I’m going to take you behind the scenes of my strategic planning process – so be sure that you’re subscribed so that you don’t miss a step! From setting big goals to getting into the weeds with data to planning out what I’m doing next and and when it’s going to happen, I’m going to break it all down for you, and share the insights I’ve uncovered along the way. In episode 155, I shared with you some key metrics that you’ll need to pull together so that you can figure out where to focus your time and money in the upcoming year, and a formula for figuring out what to focus on based on the numbers. So you can go back and listen to that episode and then hit the subscribe button so that you don’t miss another one! I also shared with you by running through that formula, I discovered that focusing on getting more traffic and optimizing my website to get more subscribers isn’t the best place for me to focus right now – it’s starting at the end and focus on getting more of my subscribers to become customers. And to do that, I can’t do the same things I’ve always done. I need to find out why people are buying, more importantly, why they aren’t buying and find and patch the holes. So how do you do that? With a survey! Okay, so this pep talk is going to assume that you have a website and you have an email list. I don’t care if you have 10 people on your list or 1,000, the survey is still really important. So in everything I do, I teach that to build an email list, you create something super awesome to give away for free in exchange for an email address. I teach you exactly how to do that inside of my Free 5 Day Website Challenge, and we go even deeper on it inside of my Serious Side Hustlers membership program. And from there, we develop a relationship with our potential customers via email to convert them into customers. What we’re trying to find out in this survey are a few things: Who they are. How they think about themselves. How they describe the problem that led them to your email list. What their life is like. Their goals. Who else they are following online. Their biggest challenge as it relates to our niche. So I asked questions like: How do you describe yourself? Side hustler, solopreneur, entrepreneur, etc. Which best describes your business? How old are you? Do you have a full time job outside of this business? Do you have kids? Who are some of your favorite bloggers, etc. What’s your favorite way to learn? Blog, podcast, video, etc. What’s your biggest challenge in your business currently? Open ended. The next thing we want to find out about is our freebie, the thing that got them onto our list in the first place. Is it effective, or did it miss the mark? So for me I ask a bunch of questions about the 5 Day Website Challenge – have you started it, did you complete it, would you recommend it to a friend or not? That question is key. If they wouldn’t recommend it to a friend, that means it’s totally missing the mark. If your freebie isn’t shareworthy or doesn’t deliver the results it promises, you’ve got some work to do there. And then if they answered certain questions no, like they didn’t complete the 5 Day, I’d use Logic Jumps to send them over to a separate set of questions, like Why didn’t you complete the 5 Day Challenge? And give them options like Time, Money, etc. and ask if they intend to complete it. That helps me figure out what expectations I need to set up front for people so that they can be successful, or just change how I talk about it so that I attract the right people. Here’s where the good stuff comes in. The next thing I want to find out is if they are even aware that I have other online courses they can buy. Like, do they even know? We always assume when someone doesn’t buy it’s because they knew about the thing and they made a decision to not buy. What’s more likely is that they don’t even know you have a thing! So I ask questions like – Did you know you could upgrade and get instant access to the 5 Day Challenge plus Bonuses? Have you heard of Shannon’s Serious Side Hustlers Membership? I do have a couple of other programs, but I’ll tackle those in another survey. And for the people that said nope, never heard of it, I just sent them on down the survey but for the people who said yes, I asked them more questions: Did you buy? If yes, did you get what you expected? If no, why not? The people that knew about it and still didn’t buy – this is the gold! This is going to tell me what their objections are, it’s going to tell me where I’m not doing a good job of explaining what I’m selling, or it’s going to tell me that this person’s not really my ideal customer and I’m glad they didn’t buy. I used TypeForm to create this survey, and to get the logic jump functionality, which I highly recommend, you need to upgrade to pro, which if you do it monthly it’s $35 and you can cancel at any time. Definitely worth it to find out this info – you wouldn’t be able to separate people out like this without those logic jumps. At the time of this recording, my survey is still live so I don’t know what the results are going to be, but I can tell you that I anticipate that I’ll need to focus on awareness and some other buying objections to turn more of my subscribers into customers. And once I have that dialed in, THEN I can focus on increasing my conversion percentage on subscribers, and THEN I can focus on getting more traffic. But it’s not like we’re just going to totally drop off the face of the earth and ignore traffic and subscribers – I’ve got new people coming onto my list every single day. I don’t want to stop that, I just don’t need to focus on growing it at the moment. So I need to know where they are actually coming from. Is it social media? Other websites? And make sure I’m spending my time in the places where it has the biggest impact. So in episode 157, I’ll share with you how I’m analyzing that my and one thing that you MUST DO to effectively track your traffic. So go ahead and hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss that, and I’ll see you tomorrow!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Over the next several episodes of Pep Talks for Side Hustlers, I’m going to take you behind the scenes of my strategic planning process – so be sure that you’re subscribed so that you don’t miss a step! From setting big goals to getting into the weeds with data to planning out what I’m doing next and and when it’s going to happen, I’m going to break it all down for you, and share the insights I’ve uncovered along the way. So at my day job, we used to have these big long strategic planning meetings that a) I dreaded, and b) were a total waste of time. It was basically a giant brainstorm session of all the things we had always done with a few big dreams thrown in with no data to back any of it up, no funding, and no accountability. It would get put away right after it was done, everyone would go back to putting out fires every day until the next year rolled around and it was time to look and see if we actually did anything on that list, and then create a new one for the next year. That is the opposite of what I’m going to walk you through. We’re going to look at what you’ve done over the past 12 months, or since you started your side hustle, what’s working, what’s not working, where you’re spending your time and money, what you’re getting in return and make decisions about what you’re going to keep doing, stop doing, or what your going to do more of. Okay, so let’s dive in. So when I was researching strategic planning, most of the articles I read started with goal setting… but how can you know how to get where you’re going if you don’t know where you are right now? So instead of starting with goals, today, we’re going to start with data. Yep, I’m going to ask you to look at ALL of your numbers. I know, you’re probably totally groaning right now, but this is important stuff to know! Monthly Data Tracking Worksheet To help you track your numbers every single month, I’ve got an awesome resource for you from one of my Serious Side Hustlers members – Lyndsay Clement of Ellen Grace Marketing put together a monthly data tracking worksheet and an annual scorecard spreadsheet that will help you get your numbers together – and KEEP them together so that this analysis I’m going to share with you is painless. You can get access to it by clicking this link. Okay to do this analysis I’m going to walk you through today, you’re going to need info from Google Analytics, your email marketing software, whatever your using to keep track of your sales and revenue, and your expenses. Here’s what I want you to pull together from all of these sources: Total Unique Visitors to your website each month Total number of subscribers added to your email list each month Total Number of Customers Total Revenue Total Expenses These 5 metrics are going to give us the big picture of what’s happening in our business, and will reveal where our time and money is best spent. Here’s how. First, You take the total of your website traffic for the month and divide it by the total # of subscribers. That going to give you a Conversion Percentage of Traffic to Subscribers. Make a note of that percentage. Then, you’ll take the total number of subscribers and divide it by the total number of customers. That gives you another conversion percentage, from subscribers to customers. Then, you’ll divide your revenue by your number of customers to get the average dollar amount earned per customer. Then, you’ll subtract your expenses from your revenue to get your profit. And then you’ll divide your profit by your revenue to get your profit margin. We care the most about those 5 numbers: Traffic, The Traffic to Subscriber Conversion Percentage, the Subscriber to Customer Conversion Percentage, the Average Order Amount Per Customer and the Profit Margin. The number we care about the most is the profit margin. That’s the percentage of money WE get to take home, and we want that number to increase. And there are 4 ways you can make that number go up. Yep, you guessed it. Traffic, The Traffic to Subscriber Conversion Percentage, the Subscriber to Customer Conversion Percentage, the Average Order Amount Per Customer. You have 4 places you can focus your time and money. Getting More Traffic Getting more of that traffic onto your email list Getting more of your subscribers to make the decision to buy Increasing your prices or adding new products and services But which one do you choose? Most people, myself included, think Traffic. If only I could get more traffic, then I’d have a bigger email list. When I have a bigger email list, more people will buy, and then I’ll hit my goal. But that type of thinking is totally backwards. It makes no sense to put more water in a bucket that’s full of holes. Let me explain. So I asked myself the following question – and I came to a totally different conclusion that I would have in the past: Q: If I was maxed out on traffic & subscribers, what is the #1 thing I can do to increase revenue? A: Increase Conversions from Subscriber to Customer   Q: How can you increase Conversions from Subscriber to Customer? A: Better copywriting, and a more strategic customer journey/funnel.   Q: If I was maxed out on conversions from Subscriber to Customer, what could I do to increase revenue? A: Increase conversions from visitor to subscriber.   Q: What’s #1 thing you can do to increase conversions from subscriber to customer? A: Compelling value proposition & CTA, more strategic optin placement with compelling value prop & CTA.   Q: If I was maxed out on conversions from Subscriber to Customer, and Conversions from Traffic to Subscriber, what could I do to increase revenue? A: Increase Traffic.   Q: If I was maxed out on traffic, conversions to subscriber and conversions to customer, what could I do to increase revenue? A: Raise my prices. Offer a new service.   Q: What will have the most impact on your revenue? A: Increasing conversions from subscriber to customer and working back from there (traffic to subscriber and then more traffic) bc then I’ll see exponential growth. It’s the logical place to start, even though I know I’m not maxed out on traffic, and even though I know I can increase my traffic to subscriber conversions, but why put all of those people into a bucket for them to just slip right out of one of the many holes? Patch up the bucket, and then work backwards from there. And I’ve got a spreadsheet you can download that will let you play with the numbers so that you can see what changes will have the most impact in your business. You can get that over at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/155 So, how do I find out where my holes are, and how do I fix them? A survey. And in episode 156, I’m going to share with you exactly how I surveyed my email list to find out where the holes are, so if you’re not already subscribed, definitely do that so each new episode downloads automatically every day!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! In this pep talk, I’m going to share with you: What Types of Clients You Want to Work With (not only industry, but stage of business) How You Want to Serve & Support Clients After Sites Are Live How Many Clients You Can Work With at One Time How To Set Yourself Apart from Other Web Designers (by helping them get traffic and market themselves)

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Thinking about starting a freelance web design business? Congratulations, because there’s never been a better time to help businesses create an online presence and take advantage of all the different ways they can monetize online! So why is it that so many talented web designers are struggling to not only find clients but find clients are willing to pay a living wage? If you’re anything like me when I first started my freelance web design business, you’ve probably decided to charge hourly for your web design services. You figure you’ll get clients by listing all of your web design skills on your website with a contact form for anyone that wants to hire you, and then you’ll share your website on all of your social media profiles and let your friends and family know you’re open for business. You’re also planning to set up a profile on one of those freelancer matching websites (think Upwork or Fiverr). This is what so many new web designers think they need to do to market themselves and get clients, but there are a few fatal flaws with this plan: There’s a finite amount of money you can make when you’re charging by the hour for your services. When you’re a freelancer, you’re spending time doing unpaid work like general business administration, marketing, client consultations and proposals. So if you need to get paid for 40 hours a week at a certain dollar amount an hour to make ends meet, you’ll be doing another 20 hours of unpaid work on top of that to find and book those clients. There are people with the exact same skillset as you living in countries with a much lower cost of living, which means they can charge significantly less than you for the same set of web design skills. That makes it very hard to compete for clients on skillset alone. It’s riskier for clients to pay by the hour for projects, especially if they aren’t sure what a project really entails. The last thing they want is to hire a web designer for a project and get an invoice for double or triple what they were expecting to pay. So if you’re charging a significantly higher hourly rate than other web designers, it’s riskier to hire you than someone charging much less, even if there are things like time differences and language barriers. I’m here to tell you that it’s not your fault, and there is a better way! These fatal flaws are what lead to so many web designers to struggle or even fail. I personally fell victim to the first fatal flaw. I started my freelance web design business as a side hustle with the goal of replacing my day job income, and it was totally impossible for me to work enough paid hours to pay myself, cover expenses and pay taxes. But I kept hustling anyway, and I completely burnt myself out and quit working with clients altogether. So before you jump into the deep end and almost drown like I did, I want to share with you X things I wish I would have known before booking my first client! These X things are decisions I made before saying yes to clients again, and figuring out these things before you start will save you so much time, money and stress. Instead of charging by the hour, think about how you can package your services around specific results that your clients want to achieve and offer them for a flat fee that takes into account how much time that package takes. When you can charge a flat fee, clients can feel confident that they know exactly how much something will cost and they’re less inclined to look for the lowest hourly rate. Your fees should take into account all of the unpaid time it takes you to run your business. Marketing, consultations, contracts, invoicing, bookkeeping can take up significant time when you’re a freelancer, so your fees should take that time into account. Don’t forget to account for business expenses and taxes. My rule of thumb is to figure out how much money you want to pay yourself as a paycheck each month and then double it. Decide how many hours a week you’re able to work on paying projects (vs. how many hours you’ll put into unpaid work), and divide how much you want to make a month by how many paying hours a month you can work. That number is the lowest amount you can charge per hour to pay yourself, pay taxes and business expenses. That number might give you some total imposter syndrome at first… I know that it did for me! But that’s why you gotta market yourself and play on a different playing field than everyone else. As you’re thinking about what types of packages you want to offer, you’ll want to also figure out how much time those packages actually take you. Make sure to work in the amount of time it will take to get the content from the client and time meeting with the client to review the work. Once you’ve figured out that number, double it. Projects always take longer than you think they will because you will inevitably run into unexpected issues. Take your hourly rate and multiply it by the number of hours you’ve estimated for your package, and that’s your flat fee for your package. If these numbers are giving you anxiety, look at them as a target rather than a starting point. The number one thing I wish I would have done when I started my freelance web design business is letting clients know how and when we’d communicate throughout the project. Feeling like you are always on call for your clients can be a fast track to burnout – but it’s also important to be responsive to their questions. Let your clients know how they can communicate with you. If you don’t want them calling or texting, don’t give out your phone number. If you don’t respond to emails outside of business hours, let your clients know when they can expect a response. Set clear boundaries from the beginning – but instead of giving them all the “dont’s”, give them all the “do’s” and let them know what to expect from you.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! As more and more people are beginning to realize the freedom, flexibility, and financial independence that starting an online business can bring them, there has never been a better time for you to finally start that freelance web design business you’ve been daydreaming about. Brands understand how much more powerful online influencers can be compared to traditional advertising, which means anyone can start a blog and make money from sponsorships and affiliate marketing. Entrepreneurs who started businesses a few years ago by DIYing are now ready to up their game and hire a professional. People at the end of long careers are transitioning their skills and experience into a “second act” and needing websites to get started. Side hustlers are coming onto the scene at a record pace, starting businesses online to supplement (and even replace) their day job income. So with all this opportunity out there waiting for you, why is that when it comes to marketing yourself as a web designer and getting your first paying client, you feel like a total imposter? Let me guess… You’ve built a couple of websites for yourself or friends, but you’ve never had a paying client and you don’t have a portfolio to show potential clients. You feel like you don’t know enough. Maybe you’ve used website builders and never actually written any code. Maybe you’ve taken a course but not had a real client. What if someone asks you to do something you don’t know how to do? What if you mess something up? You don’t feel qualified to charge people yet. You think you just need more experience, and you’ll get it by building websites for free for friends and family until you have a good enough portfolio, and then you’ll slowly start charging for your work as you learn more. This is what most wannabe freelance web designers think, and these thoughts are so overwhelming that most never even get started, or if do, they quickly burn out before they ever start to make any real money. I’m here to tell you that there is another way. A way to build your experience and credibility without having a portfolio or having to work for free. I found it, quite by accident, and I’m gonna break it all down for you here. We’ll cover: How I got my first clients (and why it was a total disaster) How I burnt myself out and almost gave up freelancing The one shift I made in my business that unexpectedly changed everything Why I went from no clients to turning down clients. How I was able to go from side-hustling to quitting my day job and making between $8-10K a month as a web designer. How you can start marketing yourself as a freelance web designer and get your first client. How I Got My First Client In 2014, I was working at a nonprofit doing marketing and IT support. I had been at the company for about 7 years and I was making great money… but I was miserable. Every week sitting in the same rush hour traffic, listening to the same garbage morning radio show, rotating between the same five business casual outfits every week. Every day, doing the same pointless busy work, listening to the same complaints, navigating the same office politics. The one thing I loved about my job was WordPress. It was my escape from the monotony and drama at my day job. I was completely self-taught, spending who knows how many hours combing through forums, trying things, breaking things and fixing them all along the way. I had thought about freelancing so that I could maybe make enough money to quit my day job, but I felt like because I had no formal web design education, no one would hire me. So I just pushed the idea away in my mind and closed the door on it. But then one day, I was at the gym and one of the girls I was working out with asked me what I did for a living. “I’m in IT,” I replied. “Oh, and I do web design on the side.” I immediately feel my face get hot. “Why did you just lie to her?” I thought. “You’re not a web designer! You’ve never coded a WordPress site from scratch and you’ve never had one client!” And then she says, “Ohmigosh, do you know WordPress? We use it at work, and our developer disappeared. I’ve got this huge event coming up and I have no idea what to do!” We set a coffee date up, and I decided I would charge the same hourly rate I was making at my day job. She said yes, and I had my first client. A few weeks later, I mention this cool new side hustle to a friend and he said, “You know WordPress? My dad’s site got hacked and he doesn’t know what to do. Can you help?” Now I had two clients. The following week, I get a phone call from a vendor at my day job. “Hey, who built your website? We have to move all of our clients to WordPress and we need help!” And before I know it, I’m working an extra 40 hours a week outside of my day job. I know this sounds really simple, but I know how hard it can feel when you’re just starting out – but the key takeaway here is that you simply have to make it known to other people that you’re a freelance web designer – even if you don’t have a portfolio. If you can solve a problem for potential clients, you’re on the right track! Start building relationships with people in related fields, like virtual assistants, graphic designers and digital marketing agencies. Say things like, “If you know anyone that needs help with their website, I’m taking new clients.” For me, getting clients happened quite naturally after I got over the fear of telling people that I was a web designer, but what I didn’t yet know is that my imposter syndrome was still lurking in the background and had me on a path to disaster. The Burnout I had several clients, but I was far from the web designer I always imagined – a creative genius who is building gorgeous, innovative websites that I’m proud to show off. Instead, I was constantly on call, fixing emergencies and working on everyone else’s schedule. I didn’t know how to set or hold boundaries as to when I’d be available for work. Worse, I realized that I wasn’t charging enough, but I didn’t feel confident in raising my prices because I felt that I couldn’t because I was self-taught and didn’t go to college for web design. So I was working full time, side hustling full time and feeling completely overwhelmed. Blend all of that with a family emergency and I had a total breakdown – which came in the form of me yelling and breaking down into tears in the middle of a meeting at work, sending a poorly written apology email and taking the rest of the day off. “This is not what I thought it would be. I’m wrapping up these client projects, and then I’m done,” I thought. My dream of becoming a freelance web designer had died. Or so I thought. Because if you’re anything like me, once you REALLY want something, you’re not going to stop until you figure it out. The One Shift in My Freelance Web Design Business That Changed Everything One morning I’m sitting in rush hour traffic, and instead of listening to garbage morning radio I had started listening to podcasts. This particular morning, Chalene Johnson was interviewing this guy, Pat Flynn, who makes money by giving away everything he knows about creating passive income online – and he earns affiliate commissions on the plugins and themes and hosting and services people bought to implement what he taught. “Wait, did I just hear that right?” I thought. It’s like I heard a record scratch in my own mind. “This is a thing? You mean, I can create videos teaching everything I know about WordPress and make money from it – AND I won’t have to work with clients? Um, SIGN ME UP!!!!” At that moment, everything changed. I started researching affiliate programs and was astounded at how many existed for stuff I already used. I began to outline my tutorial videos and scheduled time to record them. In the evenings worked on building my website and signing up for affiliate programs. On the weekends I recorded my tutorials and added them to my website. In just a couple of months, I had created the 5 Day Website Challenge, a free 5-module video course that teaches how to build an entire WordPress site, the same exact site I built for paying clients with no steps left out. It had a few affiliate recommendations in it for tools that I used myself and were teaching inside of the training, but 90% of it could be done at no cost to the Challenger. Okay, it’s done… now how do I get people to find it? Which led to the bigger question that I had failed to ask myself before diving in a building the thing… Who is this actually for? There have got to be more people out there like me, I thought. Women in their mid-thirties who just looked up one day and thought, is this it? Is this all there is to life? I had a different dream, and now I’m just trapped and I want the freedom of being my own boss, being in control of my time and taking the glass ceiling off of my earning potential. Women who want to start an online business like that B-School thing I kept hearing about or like Chalene teaches in her Marketing Impact Academy. I want to help those women build their websites so that they can have their dream too! The other thing that I knew from listening Pat Flynn and Chalene Johnson is that I needed to build an email list. And so I set my WordPress training up to be something that I’d give away for free in exchange for an email address so I had that part down, but I wasn’t quite sure how to go about building my email list. So I just Googled “how to build an email list” and I found Nathalie Lussier’s 30 Day List Building Challenge – and the strategies I learned in that training are what led me to my very first subscriber and my very first affiliate commissions, and the realization that I had created something that people really, really needed. So I put my head down and focused on list-building. Get as many people as possible to sign up for the 5 Day Website Challenge so I can earn affiliate revenue and not be an order-taking pixel pusher (outside of my day job anyway). What I did not expect is that my dream clients started asking me to build their websites for them. Why I Turned Down Potential Clients Powerful women building life-changing online businesses starting reach out to me and asking me build their website for them. And at first, I told them no. I was so burnt out on my disastrous freelance experience, I never wanted to feel that way ever again. So I told them, “I’m sorry, I don’t work one on one with clients. I just teach you how to DIY. And I was also very confused as to why someone would pay me to do something that I was showing them how to do, step by step, nothing left out – for free? But then it hit me. I had earned their trust by peeling back the curtain on my process. I had built credibility by freely giving away my knowledge and sharing it in a way that anyone could understand. And people felt like they already knew and liked me because I shared stories like this one about why I was giving it all away for free to them, because I didn’t want them to be held back by the tech. I didn’t have to “sell” my services, people were asking me if they could BUY from me. It’s a business owners’ dream! But I still said no, because I was afraid. I didn’t want it to feel like how it felt before when I had no systems, no processes, no boundaries and no help and placed no value on my skillset or my time. Plus I still had a day job and I wanted to have somewhat of a life outside of it! Why I Decided to Start Working With Clients Again By then, I had released a paid WordPress training course that was not making the money I had expected it to make, so I set up a consultation with a sales expert who had taken my 5 Day Website Challenge. She had reached out to me for some advice and when I read her website copy I knew she was the person who could help me sell this course! That free twenty minute conversation changed my life. I walked away realizing that it didn’t matter how I had learned what I knew or whether I knew everything there is to know, my years of knowledge and experience matter! The fact that I know how to find the answers quickly matters. The fact that I want to help people get what they want matters, and it all has value. And when I decided to put systems and processes in place and create a web design package together that I knew I could deliver while still working full time at a price that felt good to me, I started to say YES to people that asked to work with me. And every time I worked with a client, I learned something new that would lead to a change in my process or my pricing. Oh that took WAY longer than I thought it would. I need to charge more for that next time. We got off track here, how can I prevent that from happening with the next client? I need help, I’m going to bring in some subcontractors so that I can get all of this work done on time. And over the next two years, I consistently grew the passive income I was making from courses and affiliate marketing, and the time-for-money income I was making building websites for clients. When I got to the point where I was completely maxed out on time and the amount of money I could make while still having a day job, I put in my notice at work. I quit my day job on January 2, 2018, and I’ve consistently earned between $8,000 – $10,000 month since becoming self-employed. Here are five things that I want you to take away from my story: You don’t need a portfolio to build credibility. I still don’t have a portfolio on my website! Simply give away everything you know for free by creating tutorials, training and content. It positions you as trustworthy and as credible to people that need what you have to offer.   You can call yourself a web designer whether you’ve had paying clients or not. If you know how to build a website (code or no code), then you’re a web designer! But I get it… if you’re not ready to say that just yet, you can offer web design services. Or say you build websites. Just know that no one has to bestow the title upon you.   You are definitely going to mess things up, but like Marie Forleo says, everything is figureoutable. Something is not going to go as you expect on every single project, but if you’re a problem-solver, if you’re persistent and you’re willing to dig in and figure it out, you’ll be fine. Yeah, you might lose some time, but you’ll know for the text time you come across that same problem!   You are never going to know everything there is to know. You just aren’t. There’s no better way to learn than as you go in real-life situations. Yes, it might take you longer. But are you confident in your ability to find the answers as you go? If you’re not confident, there’s no amount of learning or schooling that can get you there because you will always run into something you don’t know how to do.   Please don’t work for free or barter for experience or exposure. You’ll end up working for that client for free (or super cheap) forever. How do you draw the line between what you’ll do for free and what they have to now pay for? And once you get some paying clients, who is going to come last? Yep, the client who doesn’t pay you. And then they get resentful because now they are in a bad spot and you’re not available to help them. When you work for free, you also start getting referrals of clients that also can’t afford to pay you for your services. Your time and knowledge is valuable, even when you’re just starting out, and it gets even more valuable over time. You have got to start right out of the gate setting firm boundaries on your pricing, otherwise, like me, you’ll feel resentful, burnt out and at risk of giving up on your dream! If you’re going to spend any time doing something you aren’t immediately getting paid to do, spend it on creating free content that builds your credibility and putting together packages of services you feel confident you can deliver! So how do you start a web design business without a portfolio or having had a single client? Start by building the best website you’ve ever built for your own business. Pretend you are your own dream client and just knock your own socks off. Then, start creating content that helps other people get what they want and positions you as someone who knows her stuff. And give it all away for free to attract traffic to your website. You’re not giving away your time for free, you’re giving away your knowledge. There’s a difference. Then go create something extra awesome to build your email list, build trust over time through consistency and then let people know when you have open development spots on your schedule and set up free consultations. You’ll be closing sales with confidence in no time, and you’ll look back at the days where you worried about not having a portfolio with fond memories.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! You know what the one thing is that separates the people that daydream about quitting their day job from the people that actual do it? A plan. Well, let me back up. I’m sure there are plenty of daydreamers that do quit their day jobs without a plan, and if you’re that brave and that much of a risk taker, more power to you! Sometimes I wish I could be that bold. I’m talking about the daydreamers who are more like me, who like security and are slightly risk-averse. A plan is what separates those daydreamers who just stay at their job forever, wishing they were doing something else from those of us who actually do it. Because it’s hard to imagine what’s really possible when you don’t know the actual numbers. Things seem so nebulous and so impossible until you actually look at it on paper. When I first started my side hustle, I knew that I wanted to quit my day job, but I didn’t really have a plan. I just had daydreams like, “I want to quit my job by the end of this year.” The end of this year came and went. “Okay, THIS year is going to be the one. I’m going to quit my job at the end of THIS year.” Back to work on January 2. “Okay, no really, THIS year, this is it. This is my last year at this job.” And this time, I had a plan. And this time, I actually did quit my job. And in today’s pep talk, I’m going to share how I came up with my plan so that you can follow the steps and make your own plan. Before I dive in though, the title of this pep talk is How to Quit Your Job by 2020, and I’m recording this in September of 2018. So if you’re listening to this in like, September 2019, I don’t want you to think YES!!! I’m quitting my job in 3 months, woohoo!!! Maybe you’ll run through this plan I’m about to share with you and the numbers will make sense and it will work for you to make it happen in 3 months. Awesome!!! But for most people, I’m recommending that you give yourself more time than that so you can build a really solid, stable foundation that’s going to serve you instead of stress you out. I called my plan “Side Hustle Gone Serious”. It’s a stark contrast to what I used to name my budget spreadsheet back in the day, which was “No Fun in 04” I think that carried on to No Fun in 05-07, and then in 2008 I was making enough money that I named the file Fun in 08. This plan, my “Side Hustle Gone Serious” plan, had a bunch of intention behind it. No more winging it, no more dreaming. Putting the actual numbers in black and white on paper and seeing what I really needed to do to make it happen. So if you’re ready to plan your own #SideHustleGoneSerious, here’s where you can download a free worksheet to help you create your #SideHustleGoneSerious plan. I want you to do that right now. Pause this episode, scroll up, and you’ll see the episode notes in iTunes. Click on the link which will take you over to my Pep Talks for Side Hustlers website where you can enter your name and email address and I’ll send it right to your inbox. Okay, here’s your Side Hustle Gone Serious Plan: Figure out your bottom line number (the lowest amount of money you can make every month and still make ends meet) Figure out what you really take home every month at your day job after taxes, including benefits. Research benefits – cost of health insurance, retirement, etc. Knowing the bottom line number of what you have to bring in to pay the bills, including paying for any insurance and benefits your employer currently pays, decide what you are going to pay yourself every month. What’s the revenue you’ve made each month that you’ve been in business? How much does it cost you to run your business every single month? Add up all of your expenses, even those that only happen once a year – you’ll divide those by 12 to get your monthly average. Be sure to include money for mentoring, coaching or personal development, you’ll need this if you really do want to grow! Add 25% to how much you intend to pay yourself to cover taxes. Add up your monthly business expenses, plus how much you want to pay yourself, including how much you’ll need to set aside for taxes. That’s your target number of how much revenue you need to generate every month to quit your day job. Look at your savings. Do you have any savings that can supplement this amount? Personally, I didn’t have much savings, and I had this weird thing about using it anyway… It’s for emergencies, not for deciding to quit your job… Decide how you are going to pay yourself. I pay myself on the 1st and the 15th. Start paying yourself any profits above your expenses and taxes by putting the money into a totally separate account. But we’re not spending it just yet… Set a target quit date. Look at what you’re making as a profit right now. Look at what you want to be making by your target quit date. What’s the gap? How much do you need to increase your revenue between now and your quit date to bridge the gap? Is that realistic? Here’s where it gets really fun. As a side hustler, you have a steady paycheck that’s hopefully taking care of your day-to-day right now. You have a whole lot of choice as to what you can do with the money you earn beyond your business expenses and taxes. Here are some things to consider: Pay off debt. When you can decrease the amount of money it takes to pay your household bills every month, you bring the target amount of money you need to make in your side hustle down, which closes the gap, which means that target quit date can possibly be moved up! Bank a bunch of savings. You will have fluctuations in your income when you become self-employed. It’s inevitable. When you have a cushion, you can use it to ride the income waves, or you can use it to supplement your revenue, which can also help you close that gap which means that target quit date can possibly be moved up! Do something fun with your family that you would never consider doing with your regular paycheck! You’re working hard at a full-time job, you’re side hustling and your family is probably wondering what’s in it for them. How can you reward yourself and them for supporting your dream? We had some friends invite us to Mexico for vacation and we didn’t have to think twice about paying for it. What I don’t want to see you do is make the same mistake that I did, which was to not have a plan for that extra side hustle money and fritter it away on unplanned business things. Sure, I can buy that premium course, I have the money. Yep, I can go to that conference, I’ve got the money. Now I’m not saying that those things are not important, they certainly are, but I didn’t PLAN for them. If I had them figured into my monthly expenses, then I’d have a more clear picture of things. Instead, I randomly spent money and side hustled for three years when I could have been more intentional and quit my day job faster. The other benefit of having such a well-defined plan is that it’s much easier to get the support from your partner or any of the other people in your life who are going to question your sanity when you tell them that you’re leaving that illusion of security called corporate America. Can you do it without their support? Absolutely. But does it make life easier when you have the people that love you cheering you on rather than being worried that you’re ruining your life and having their doubt start making you doubt yourself. 100%! So to recap those steps: Figure out your bottom line number. Figure out what you really take home every month at your day job after taxes, including benefits. Research benefits. Decide what you are going to pay yourself every month when you are self-employed. Track your total revenue for every month that you’ve been in business. Figure out your monthly business expenses, including any conferences, training, or mentorships. Add 25% to how much you intend to pay yourself to cover taxes. Add up your monthly business expenses, plus how much you want to pay yourself, including how much you’ll need to set aside for taxes to find your target revenue number. Review your savings and decide if you’ll use that as a supplement or not. Decide how you are going to pay yourself. Set a target quit date. Review the gap between

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! How do bloggers actually make money? It’s a question I hear a lot from my community, so in this pep talk I want to break down the strategy behind creating a money making blog. In episode 149 I broke down for you the difference between a blog and a website, so go back and listen to that if you missed it! The beauty of making money as a blogger is that you don’t have to have your own product, or service to offer to make an income. You can take an interest or a passion you have, blend it with your personality, build an audience around it and make money from it. So yesterday I shared that when you’re a blogger, your main objective is to create consistent content and get as many eyeballs on it as possible. Bloggers talk in page views. That’s the main metric by which they measure the value of their blog when they are going after advertising and sponsorship dollars. The more blog posts that are on the blog, the more a reader of that blog can read and every time they click from post to post to post, that’s counted as a page view. The more pages and the longer that reader’s eyeballs are on that blog, the more money sponsors and advertisers will pay. That’s why when you have a blog, you have your blog posts right there on the homepage of the website so that there are 5-10 pages right off the bat for someone to read. But how do they actually make money from page views? Today we’re going to talk about the top 3 ways bloggers make money: Advertising Sponsorships Affiliate Marketing And at the end, I’ll share a bonus way that bloggers make money. #1 – Advertising There are a couple of options here. The first is to sell your own ad space. My fave website for solopreneurs, One Woman Shop sells sidebar ads. The Work at Home Woman also sells her own ads for a monthly fee. This could work really well for you if you have a very niche audience and you don’t have the volume of traffic needed for option #2 that I’m going to talk about in a moment. You can also partner with an ad network. This is where you let an ad network insert ads onto your blog in specific locations. The most commonly known one is GoogleAdSense, but there are others like MediaVine, Monumetric, and the Blog Her Network. Here are a few websites that provide reviews and pros and cons of these and other networks: The 4 Top Blog Advertising Networks of 2018 – ConvertKit The 5 Best Ad Networks For Bloggers Top 5 Ad Networks For Bloggers With this advertising model, you don’t control the ads that are seen – you know how you have those ads that follow you around the internet? You would give an ad network space on your site and they dynamically insert ads. Everyone is seeing something different and even personalized to them based on other things they are viewing online. My favorite email marketing program, ConvertKit, has an awesome blog post that breaks down the different pricing structures for how ad networks pay out – whether its cost per number of times the ad is seen, or if people have to actually click on it, or if they have to click on it and buy something or if they’re just renting the space regardless of the clicks. So depending on your niche and how much traffic you get, different models are going to work better for you than others. In my opinion, advertising shouldn’t be the sole focus of your blog. It can be really affected by spikes in traffic which is why everyone freaks out every time an algorithm changes, they have all their eggs in the traffic basket. Advertising is just one tool bloggers can use for monetization. #2 – Sponsorships A sponsorship is where you partner with a brand to write a blog post about your experience using their product. And how big and engaged your audience is determines how much you can charge for sponsorships and collaborations. To land sponsorships, build a highly engaged audience that trusts your recommendations. And then you don’t just sit back and wait for the brands to come knocking on your door, you put together a media kit of how many page views you have on your blog, how many social media followers you have, how many posts, how much engagement and you take that to a brand and say, “Hey, I use this product of yours, I love it, and I have built a community of this many people who really trust what I have to say. Let’s partner so that you can get access to these people and a trusted recommendation from me, and you’ll pay me for giving you that access and putting my name and reputation behind your product.” Brands are recognizing the power that bloggers and social media influencers have to INFLUENCE the purchase behavior of their followers – and they’re moving away from the Kim Kardashians of the world and focusing on real people with smaller but more engaged audiences, known as microinfluencers. If you want to learn more about this, there are a couple of resources to check out – LadyBoss Blogger Elaine Rau’s 12 Most Profitable Niches and her Sponsorships Masterclass. #3 Affiliate Marketing The third way bloggers make money is affiliate marketing, and in fact, this is a big way that I make money too! Just like sponsorships, tons of businesses recognize the importance of getting a recommendation in someone’s buying decision. Think about it – ads, commercials, whatever, they just make you aware that something exists. They don’t make you buy things. If you’re on the fence about buying something, it’s the recommendation of your best friend that’s going to seal the deal for you to buy it. That’s what affiliate marketing is. There are affiliate programs out there for anything you can imagine!! Just google your favorite products and services and add the words affiliate program to your search. I made the very first money I made in my business by recommending someone else’s products and services that I already used and loved. Amazon is the largest affiliate program. Every time I mention a book or a product, I look it up on Amazon and grab an affiliate link. I personally don’t make much from Amazon, but I have a few partners that make me over a thousand dollars a month at the time of this recording. Key things to know about affiliate marketing: Know the program’s rules. Amazon has really specific rules about what you can and can’t do with your affiliate links. Always disclose that you’re an affiliate to your readers. Some affiliate programs will only accept you if you have a certain level of traffic, others will let anyone in. Do your research. The best affiliate marketers only promote products they use and love, and if they can add a teaching element to it or a problem-solving element to it, that’s even better. Instead of just talking about the product like you’re a commercial, incorporate it into a larger story. I’m all about affiliate marketing, especially in your side hustle. I learned about it from Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income, he’s the king of affiliate marketing in my opinion. Okay so we talked about advertising, sponsorships and affiliate marketing. All require the same thing – for you to build an audience for your blog. So if you don’t know how to do that, go sign up for that webinar I mentioned at the beginning of this episode. BONUS Monetization Method Okay, here’s the bonus monetization method I told you I’d share with you: Monetize your own expertise. You can create something, an e-book, an online course, and coaching program, whatever, around your niche and sell it to your audience. Why not?? Why always promote other people’s stuff for a piece of the pie? If you’ve spent all this time cultivating an audience as a blogger, you will stumble upon that thing. Just keep your ears open, develop a relationship with your readers and you’ll be able to create something that will help them accomplish whatever goals they have!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! A common question I hear from people who are just getting started in their side hustle journey is, “Do I need to start a blog, or do I need to build a website?” And so I thought I’d record this pep talk to help you understand the difference between the two and which one will work best for your business. Before we dive in I want to make sure you don’t miss tomorrow’s episode where I’m going to break down exactly how bloggers make money. Go ahead and hit the subscribe button if you’re not already subscribed so that you don’t miss an episode. Okay, so the first thing to know is that from a technical perspective, ALL BLOGS ARE WEBSITES, BUT NOT ALL WEBSITES ARE BLOGS. So if you ask me how to set up your blog, I’m going to tell you the exact same set of steps I’d tell you if you asked me how to build a website. I highly recommend using self-hosted WordPress, which sounds more complicated than it is. All you gotta do is buy a domain and hosting – I recommend Bluehost because you literally choose how many years you want to pay for upfront and in a few clicks you have a blank-slate WordPress site set up waiting for you to customize it. And as an affiliate I have a special arrangement with Bluehost where I can get you hosting for just $2.95 a month when you commit to three years, so pause this podcast, scroll down into the show notes and click my affiliate link to get that deal. Then you install some plugins for things link security, SEO, analytics and collecting email addresses, which also sounds more complicated than it really is – all you do is search for them from inside your WordPress site and in a few clicks they’re installed. Then in another few clicks, you install a theme, and most of your time is spent customizing the theme and then writing your home page your about page and adding your graphics. So whether you’re starting a blog or a building a website, those steps are all the same, and as a side note, I walk you through all of those steps with tutorial videos inside of my Free 5 Day Website Challenge which you can sign up for at https://www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/5day. And then in WordPress, there are two types of content – Pages, and Posts. Pages are what show up on your navigation menu, and posts are blog posts. They show up in chronological order on a blog page, typically with a title, an image and an excerpt of what the post is about, and then you can click through and read the whole article. That’s a blog post. You rarely create new Pages, but you’re creating new posts on a pretty consistent basis. So here’s what makes your website a blog: If the homepage of your website is set to display your latest blog posts, then you’d refer to your website as a blog. But if your website’s homepage is set to a page that has content that never changes, then you’d refer to your website as a website. Maybe you have a link in your navigation menu to a Blog where your latest blog posts are displayed, and then you have a Blog on your website, but your website isn’t just a blog. Maybe you don’t even have a blog. Then your website is simply a website. So why does it matter? From a technical perspective, it doesn’t. It’s the difference between a single setting in WordPress, whether you want your homepage to display a static page or your latest posts. But from a marketing or strategic business perspective, there is definitely a difference and it does matter! When you’re a blogger, your main objective is to create consistent content and get as many eyeballs on it as possible. Bloggers talk in page views. That’s the main metric by which they measure the value of their blog when they are going after advertising and sponsorship dollars. The more blog posts that are on the blog, the more a reader of that blog can read and every time they click from post to post to post, that’s counted as a page view. The more pages and the longer that reader’s eyeballs are on that blog, the more money sponsors and advertisers will pay. That’s why you want those blog posts right there on the homepage of the website so that there are 5-10 pages right off the bat for someone to read. I’ll break down exactly how bloggers make money in episode 150, so if you’re not already subscribed go ahead and do that now. But for me, I have a website, and I have a blog on my website, and I create a new blog post every week, but I’m not a “Blogger”. The purpose of my blog is to create consistent, actionable content that position myself as an expert, to build trust and build relationships so that I can sell my own products and services. I don’t care as much about page views. I’m not after sponsorships and advertising dollars. I’m a CONTENT MARKETER, and blog posts are my content. That and podcasts too! So my website has a homepage that’s designed to do one thing, get you to sign up for my Free 5 Day Website Challenge where I’ll show you how to set up the technical foundation of your blog or website, and then it has a blog in the navigation menu where I create consistent content to engagement my existing audience attract new people. Bloggers also create consistent content to engagement my existing audience attract new people, but they are not necessarily selling their own products and services like I am (although many of them end up monetizing their expertise at some point as another stream of revenue). They are typically blogging about a very specific topic, whether it’s their own lifestyle or a hobby or interest. So at the end of the day, when you ask me the question “Do I need to start a blog, or do I need to build a website?” my answer is BOTH. The tech setup is all the same whether you’re a blogger or a service provider, it’s a difference of one setting in Settings > General > Reading in WordPress – either putting your blog on your homepage for more page views or your email opt-in on your homepage for more subscribers. And that depends on your goals. Are you wanting to create income from sponsorships, ads and affiliates, or from your own products and services – or a mix of both, like I do? And the beauty of WordPress is that you can change at any time. Literally at the click of a button.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today we’re talking about the thing that side hustlers and online business owners love and hate at the same time. Your inbox. Specifically, your email inbox. Are there other inboxes? I don’t know… But I digress. The reason this topic even came up is because of a post from one of my students in a Facebook group that we’re both in. She said: “Can we talk about #goals? Specifically, inbox goals. Mine is out of control…30,000 emails, 8,000 unread 🙈 Obviously I need a system. What are your tips and tricks✨ for managing your inbox? Do you have an awesome folder structure? PLEASE share! I know I can’t be the only one struggling, dreaming to one day reach #inboxzero” She’s not the only one struggling. My best friend has the notification on her phone turned on that tells her how many unread emails she has, and the last time I saw it, it was over 57,000. 57,000!! Did you know that red notification button could go that high? I didn’t. It gives me anxiety ever time I look at it. What if there’s something important in there??? I mean, whatever happened to the anticipation used to feel back in the day when I’d fire up AOL wait a hundred years for it to connect and the hear “You’ve Got Mail” and think YES!!!!! OMG I can’t wait to see what’s in there!!!!” Yes, I’m dating myself. I’m 38 years old and yes I totally had AOL back in the 90’s. In 2018, I open up my inbox, see all the bolded unread emails and just feel dread. There’s a bunch of work I didn’t plan to do today… As a side hustler, an online entrepreneur, email is crucial to our businesses. That’s where we develop relationships with our customers, it’s how we deliver value, it’s how we make sales. But on the flip side, we hate our own inboxes. We complain about getting too much email. We feel overwhelmed by email. We want to outsource inbox management to someone else and we wish it would just go away. Can we really have it both ways?  Can we hate our own inbox while expecting our customers to love theirs? Aren’t we putting out bad energy into the world and tanking our own marketing efforts? I mean, I know that’s a little woo woo, but if I’m sitting here hating my inbox while I’m writing marketing emails that are supposed to sell, should I be surprised if that email isn’t converting as well as I’d expect it to? At that point we’re just adding to the problem, right? So let’s talk about mythical INBOX ZERO. It’s not a unicorn, it actually exists. I’ve seen it. And I’m constantly chasing it like I imagine a drug addict would chase a high. When I reach it, I feel so accomplished, like I’m DONE with all my work. Like literally done. No one needs anything from me, and now I’m free to go about my life doing whatever I want to do. But it only lasts for a few seconds until that next email arrives. And then I feel defeated. Why even bother? I’m never going to be DONE. And then I decide, screw it, I’m not even going to try. I just let them pile up again, until I’m so stressed out about it I can’t even look at it, and then two weeks later I’m embarrassed to have to say, “So sorry for the delay in responding to this really important question you asked me that was going to help you decide whether or not you were going to buy something from me…” I was watching a show on HBO called Hard Knocks all about the Cleveland Browns training camp, and one of the players, Carl Nassib, was lecturing the other players about how if they spend two hours a day on Instagram, that’s one entire month of the year they’ve wasted on Instagram. And then I was like, OMG, I spend more than two hours a day checking email and doing the things I need to do that result from the email I’m getting, I’m wasting my life on email!!! I made email the enemy. I’d say things like “It’s someone else’s agenda for my day. I have things I need to focus on, I can’t let other people’s agenda for me distract me.” I’m totally guilty of dreading my inbox and I’ve tried so many different things to loosen its grip on me. I’ve outsourced it to my VA team and they would go through and label and prioritize it all for me and handle the things they knew how to take care of… But I still had to go in and respond to most of it anyway so that strategy didn’t really help. I’ve tried an autoresponder to answer common questions that I get and let people know when to expect a response, but that doesn’t stop the emails from coming. I’ve tried not looking at email first thing when I wake up because it would derail me from what I had to do that day because I refused to make time for it. I’ve tried only checking email once a day and deleting and prioritizing – but checking is different than actually doing the things in there that need to be done. None of it has really worked. No strategy I  tried has left me feeling less stressed about email. Except this one: “Change your dang attitude about email and eat the frog.” How can I expect to be welcome in my subscribers’ inboxes if they aren’t welcome in mine? How can I say that I’m using email to build a relationship if it’s only one-sided? Email is how I make money in my business. And every email I get is an opportunity. To build a relationship, to build trust, to produce some income, to grow my brand. What I decide to do with those opportunities totally depends on my plan and my focus at that moment in my business, but they are all opportunities. And what I mean by eating the frog – that’s a reference to Brian Tracy’s reference to Mark Twain’s alleged quote (and I say alleged because I always look this stuff up before I pass it along and the website I use says that’s a common mistake, Mark Twain never said it – but whatever, I’ll link up to both of these in the show notes, but success coach Brian Tracy says: “As Mark Twain once said “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.” The frog is that one thing you have on your to-do list that you have absolutely no motivation to do and that you’re most likely to procrastinate on. Eating the frog means to just do it, otherwise, the frog will eat you meaning that you’ll end up procrastinating it the whole day. Once that one task is done, the rest of the day will be an easier ride and you will get both momentum and a sense of accomplishment at the beginning of your day.” Email is my frog. It’s the thing that I procrastinate on the most, and it’s the thing that when I do first thing in the morning, I feel super accomplished. And right now, when I do it every day, I can keep up on it and all the tasks I find in there. So here’s exactly how I manage my email: First, I have 3 email accounts – all on Gmail. My business-branded email that’s on all of my marketing, a second email address that I use just for my own business accounts, like how I sign up for any paid services or that all my financial accounts are attached to, what I use to join business related courses, or even how I sign up to other people’s email lists for business-related freebies, and a third purely personal email address that I use for ordering stuff online. Even though I check them all daily, my business email address, shannon@wp-bff.com, is the only one I really pay attention to every day, and that’s the one I’m going to share these inbox management strategies for. I really don’t care that much about those non-customer facing accounts… So I’m going to share with you some one-time management strategies, and some daily management strategies that will help you tame your inbox: So here’s the one-time stuff: Create rules to archive stuff. If there’s something in there that I know I want to have, but I don’t need to see it – like I get a ton of email from my WordPress sites that I manage, but I don’t want that stuff in my inbox, I create rules that label it archive it. Like, I’ll create the rule the first time I make that decision where I’m like, yeah, I want that if I need to search for it, but I don’t need to see it every day. I also turn off all email notifications from Social Media or any other services like Slack. I do keep Asana notifications turned on just because I’m in email more than Asana, and I need to know when people need stuff from me to complete their projects, but mostly, I don’t need that stuff in my inbox. That just reminded me that I need to turn off notifications from LinkedIn, it’s the only one I still get notifications from. Those two things will keep a ton of unnecessary email out of your inbox. And then daily, here’s how I tackle my email: In the morning while I’m having my coffee, from my phone I skim my inbox and archive everything that I won’t read or doesn’t need a response. I’m on an iPhone, so I just hit the edit button, tap all the ones that I’m deleting, and hit the Archive button. My GSuite setting is set to archive rather than trash, so I know I can always search for something if I need it so I can make this decision pretty quickly. I also unsubscribe from anything right away that I know I don’t want anymore. Because I don’t use my customer-facing email address to sign up for email lists and such, I don’t have to do much unsubscribing. Then I respond to anything that simply requires a response. It doesn’t require me to actually do anything, like look up their account or have to gather any information prior to responding. I use the Send and Archive function if I’m responding from Gmail on my laptop, this just automatically removes the email from my inbox, but it’s archived if I need it later. I may also add a label to it before I send and archive if it’s a client, just so it’s easier to find later if needed. If I’m on my phone I can’t send and archive, so the next time I’m on my laptop I just quickly archive what I’ve already responded to. Then I delegate anything I can delegate to my team. Right now, I can’t delegate much, but I’m on a mission to create a mini-me that knows my business as well as I do and can be my right-hand woman. It’s my dream to pass off much much more than I’m able to now to a trusted team member. Then with what’s left, I’ll do anything I can quickly do in just a few minutes – if it’s sending a link to book a consult or reserve time on my calendar, a cancellation request or a quick lookup of info. And with what’s left after that, I give it a label – Income Producing, Client Work or Needs Response. If it’s client work for an existing client, I respond and let them know when they can expect the work to be done, add it to the next spot on my schedule and archive the email. If it’s income producing, that means it’s potential client work and if I have time left in checking my email, I’ll respond. If not, it’s the first thing I do at the end of the day in my 2nd email time block. If it’s Needs Response, it’s probably something that’s going to take me longer than 5 minutes to handle, and so those are things that I do last. I might sit on these for a few days. Friday is Inbox Zero day. On Fridays, I like to knock out everything left in my inbox, and the rule is that I start at the bottom and work my way up. No skipping around. Every email must leave the inbox whether I decide that I’m not responding, or I have to do 30 minutes of work first to respond or what. That email is leaving the inbox. So that’s how I tackle email. I know that inbox zero never lasts long, but it’s way better than inbox 100 or 3000 or 57,000. So what do you do if you have thousands of unread emails? I’d say go back two or three weeks, and archive everything before that. If there was something important in there it’s searchable, and if it was really important that person will follow up, and if they don’t, well, oh well. You’re getting it together so it doesn’t happen again. Then set up your filters or rules, unsubscribe from everything you can, then play the inbox zero game and start at the oldest email first, do something with it. Make a decision, be done. And then keep up on it daily from there. And work on your mindset about email. There really are treasures in there. Life-changing treasures. If you’re running an online business, email is unavoidable. In fact, it’s crucial. So make your inbox something you look forward to so that you can feel good about sending email to your customers – because whether you like it or not, email marketing is here to stay.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my July Income Report! Each month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my online business and reveal exactly how much money I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! You can check out Part 1 where I review my income and goals here. If you want to learn step-by-step how to build a website so that you can start a side hustle and make money online, check out this blog post on how to get started! View all of my income reports here! EXPENSES BREAKDOWN TOOLS 1Password for Teams – $143.64 AccessAlly (Membership plugin for all of my courses) – $79.00 Acuity Scheduling (Done For You Consultations) – $10.00 Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, etc.) $54.73 Auphonic (audio optimization for podcast) – $11.00 Bluehost – $0 ContentSnare – $29 Cookiebot (GDPR Compliance) – $24 Dropbox (File Storage) – $19.99 Flywheel – $100.00 FreeConferenceCall.com  (Coaching & Client Calls) – $3.00 GSuite (wp-bff.com Email) – $10.76 Infusionsoft (email marketing, automation, e-commerce & customer management) – $321.34 LibSyn (Podcast Hosting) – $20.64 ManageWP (WordPress Site Management for Clients & WordPress Protection Package) – $98.89 Smart Podcast Player – $6 Soundup (Alexa Flash Briefing Hosting) – $9.99 Zapier – $15.00 Misc Plugins – $135.00 TOTAL: $1091.98 Marketing Bonjoro (Video Welcome Service) – $25.00 CoSchedule (Social Media Scheduling) – $59.00 LinkTree Pro (Instagram Profile Links) $6.00 Tailwind (Pinterest) $0 Facebook Ads – 186.66 Creative Market Templates, etc. – $34.70 TOTAL: $311.36 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES: Bench Accounting – $135.00 TOTAL: $135.00 HELP: Subcontractors TOTAL: $1645.00 LEARNING/MENTORSHIP Misc Audiobooks TOTAL: $39.98 TRAVEL $300 – AirBNB for Girlboss Retreat in Austin in September FEES Credit Card Processing Fees: ~ $200 OFFICE SUPPLIES $0 TOTAL EXPENSES: $3618.16 NET PROFIT: $3859.01 Save BIGGEST LESSONS LEARNED As I reviewed my numbers for July, I see that my expenses are still higher than I want them to be for what I’m generating in revenue. And while I do believe that I must invest in my business in order to grow, I have to invest wisely, with focused intention. That philosophy applies to both time and money, because not only am I spending more money than I want to and not getting the ROI I want to get, I’m also spending more time than I want to and also not getting the ROI… So you know whose fault that is? Mine. My July income report is a clear representation of me winging it. Giving into the relief of not worrying about money and then making totally random decisions about how I spend my time (I’m looking at you, Bluehost Birthday Sale) and chasing shiny objects (Pinterest, that’s you. Definitely important, but I didn’t plan for you, Pinterest!). Yes, I’ve got my schedule and I was planning my week every week, but if how I’m spending my time doesn’t tie out to an overarching, clear goal? What’s the point? Oh my gosh, imagine what I could do with solid systems, a concrete plan, and laser-focus? That’s exciting to me. And that’s why I’m planning to do my own little mini-retreat so that I can go off and make some decisions about what I want to focus on for the rest of the year and in 2019 and create a plan, a budget and BOUNDARIES to make it happen. And as I plan for the rest of 2018 and for 2019, while I have a strong focus on increasing revenue, I’m going to look at realigning my spending on expenses to make it happen.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my July Income Report! Each month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my online business and reveal exactly how much money I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! If you want to learn step-by-step how to build a website so that you can start a side hustle and make money online, check out this blog post on how to get started! View all of my income reports here! IMPORTANT THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN JULY I scheduled vacation time the first week in July. I spent a lot of time figuring out how Pinterest works. I released the 100th episode of my podcast, Pep Talks for Side Hustlers. I offered free site migrations to anyone that signed up for Bluehost via my affiliate link for Bluehost’s birthday sale. I turned my “So You Have a Website, Now What?” webinar into an evergreen webinar. I booked zero new Done For You Clients. Notes I found to myself in my planner: Normally I find little notes I’ve written to myself… Not so in July. I did find quite a few ideas of things I’ve been wanting and meaning to do but was unable to accomplish in July. REVIEW OF MY GOALS Again, my goal each month has been to generate $10,000 in revenue because my rough breakdown to replace my old paycheck, cover business expenses and pay taxes is: $5000 – Income to cover my old paycheck. $2500 – Expenses $2500 – Taxes WHAT I FOCUSED ON IN JULY For the very first time in many years, I took an actual break from working the first week of July. I planned for it well in advance so I had already recorded my podcast episodes, written and scheduled my blog post and newsletter. I actually cleared my schedule, accepted no meetings, and put an “out of office” notice on my email saying that I’d respond the following week. And then my husband and I went camping at a few different state park lakes with friends and family, and just RELAXED. Did I pick up my laptop? Yes. Did I feel like I HAD to? Nope. And that was a fantastic feeling. When I’m able to do what I want and love to do and not feel like I HAVE to, that’s when all is good in the world. I definitely need to plan time off more often (and actually take it). July was a slow month for me revenue-wise, but not work wise. Once vacation was over I jumped right back into the grind, working 12 hours a day 6 days a week in an attempt to do all the things… Stay tuned for my August income report and you’ll see how well that schedule has been working out for me… Because July is typically a slow month revenue-wise, you know, because most normal, non-workaholic people are slowing down and taking time to enjoy their time off… I figured I’d do a little experiment to boost my affiliate commissions in July. Bluehost sent me an email about their Birthday sale, and it gave me an idea: I’d offer free site migrations to anyone on my email list who had been wanting to move to Bluehost but didn’t want to deal with moving if they used my affiliate link. I was totally excited about this idea!! A typical site migration takes me about 30 minutes, so I figured no big deal, right? Well… I miscalculated. I didn’t add in time for answering questions for my peeps, getting access to all their accounts, walking them through what would happen and when, and I didn’t account for tech issues. Had I accounted for these things, I would have come up with 3 hours per site migration, and at that price point, it wouldn’t have made sense financially. On the bright side, I got 5 rockstars moved over to Bluehost, and I now know that trading my time for affiliate commissions isn’t an effective strategy for me 🙂 July was an awesome month for Pep Talks for Side Hustlers. I got to have amazing conversations with women like Mandi Holmes, Jenn Walker Wall, Ashley Beaudin and Jenn Snyder about starting their businesses and their side hustle journeys, plus I released the 100th episode! I also decided to stop freaking out about money in July. I cut what I could cut in June, and I just made the decision that I was done worrying about it, and that I’ll just keep moving forward. That being said, here’s how much money I made in July 2018: INCOME BREAKDOWN PASSIVE INCOME: Affiliate Income –Bluehost – $990.00 Affiliate Income –Elegant Themes – $356.50 Affiliate Income –ConvertKit – $121.80 Affiliate Income – Nathalie Lussier Media – $89.00 Affiliate Income – OptimizePress – $123.20 Affiliate Income – Acuity Scheduling – $15.00 5 Day Challenge Upgrade – $174.00 Serious Side Hustlers  – $1468.00 Individual Courses – $0 Individual Serious Side Hustlers Workshops – $35.00 Web Designer Academy  – $497.00 Websites That Make Money Beta – $594.00 WordPress Protection Package – $219.67 PASSIVE INCOME TOTAL: $4683.17 TIME FOR MONEY INCOME Done For You Projects – $294.00 Consulting – $2500 TIME FOR MONEY TOTAL: $2794.00 TOTAL INCOME: $7477.17

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! In Part 2 of my conversation with Naomi Mdudu of The Lifestyle Edit, we both open up about our challenges as ambitious business owners and how we’re moving through them to create businesses that support our lifestyle rather than living our lives around our businesses. Through her podcast and website, Naomi reaches hundreds of thousands of women to give them inspiration, action steps and support on everything from visibility, marketing, and branding to advice on getting into a state of flow and tips on how to cultivate a growth mindset. Today we’re digging into: How to figure out how much you really need to bring into your business to replace your income. The importance of being in a mastermind or accountability circle. Why Naomi pivoted from retainer consulting with brands to coaching women through starting a business from conception to 5 years. How Naomi goes deeper than the typical ideal client avatar exercise to make sure that you’re building a business that’s truly supporting your lifestyle. The life-changing moment that led to a pivot in Naomi’s business. How Naomi has built a team so that she has space to grow the business. Hear more from Naomi at The Lifestyle Edit newsletter, join TLE Accountability Circle, and apply here for a coaching discovery call. You can find Naomi at: http://www.thelifestyleedit.com/ https://www.instagram.com/thelifestyleedit/ https://www.pinterest.com/lifestyleedit/ https://www.facebook.com/lifestyleedit https://twitter.com/lifestyle_edit

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today I’m bringing you Naomi Mdudu of The Lifestyle Edit, an online space to spark real, candid conversations amongst creative female founders. It’s the mission of Naomi through the Lifestyle Edit to leverage her unique access to successful entrepreneurial women and give them a platform to pay it forward and share the strategies behind their success. Through her podcast and website, Naomi reaches hundreds of thousands of women to give them inspiration, action steps and support on everything from visibility, marketing, and branding to advice on getting into a state of flow and tips on how to cultivate a growth mindset. How Naomi’s dream job on paper as a fashion editor for a London newspaper turned out not to set her soul on fire. How the glorification of success, inspiration and only showing the highlight reel hides the hard work and strategy we need to learn to reach our own level of success. How Naomi went from newspaper fashion editor to starting TLE Studio where she provided one on one consulting, to pivoting to helping creative female founders create a sustainable business. Why what got you where you are now will not get you to the next level. Why we as leaders need to remove the veil and share our mistakes and lessons. How the book Profit First transformed mine and Naomi’s businesses. Why grit can only take you so far in your new business. How Naomi walked through the decision to leave her full-time job to start TLE Studio. Hear more from Naomi at The Lifestyle Edit newsletter, join TLE Accountability Circle, and apply here for a coaching discovery call. You can find Naomi at: http://www.thelifestyleedit.com/ https://www.instagram.com/thelifestyleedit/ https://www.pinterest.com/lifestyleedit/ https://www.facebook.com/lifestyleedit https://twitter.com/lifestyle_edit

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Now that you know why an email list is so important and the simple strategy behind growing it, let’s talk about email list tech. Here’s what you need to get started: An email service provider A way to add an opt-in form to your blog An automated welcome series Email Service Providers There are SO MANY choices when it comes to email service providers, so the caveat here is that you really can’t make a wrong choice. Pick the one you will actually use – because the ultimate goal here is to take action, not get bogged down in picking the right or wrong tool. They will all work. That being said, I have a couple of recommendations. If you’re just starting to blog, you have just ONE email opt-in freebie and you don’t have a super-clear vision of how you’re going to monetize just yet, but you want to start building an audience right away, I recommend MailChimp. It’s free up to 2,000 subscribers, It’s going to work with just about any blog platform, and it lets you send an automated welcome email upon subscribing. Mailchimp will grow with you, although you may find someday you need to move to a more sophisticated platform. No big deal, you can export your list and move on up! If you want detailed instruction on how to set up MailChimp on your blog, sign up for my Free 5 Day Website Challenge at www.wp-bff.com – I cover MailChimp setup on Day 3 (and if you use self-hosted WordPress you’ll learn a lot about your blog too!) If you have multiple email opt-in freebies or content upgrades, or you know that you’ll want to monetize your expertise via an online course in the future, I recommend starting with ConvertKit. Pricing starts at $29/month, and it easily lets you create and deliver multiple freebies and integrates with some of my favorite online course platforms. Sending multiple freebies has historically been harder to do with MailChimp because until recently, you used to need a separate mailing list for each freebie (which means if the same person opted in to 10 freebies, they’d be on your list 10 times) – but recently MailChimp released a tagging option which might allow you to have the person on your list once but with a tag for each freebie. I say “might” because at the time of writing this blog post I haven’t had a chance to research it! Adding an Opt-In Form to Your Blog There are many choices here too – and they’ll be different depending on your blog platform. If you’re using self-hosted WordPress, I recommend a plugin called Bloom to create a sleek opt-in form above the fold on your homepage (and I show how to set that up in the 5 Day Website Challenge). There are also tools like SumoMe and Hellobar that let you create popups and opt-in bars. MailChimp and ConvertKit also have their own forms that you can embed on your blog. If you’re on Squarespace or WordPress.com you can pretty easily add an opt-in form to your site and connect your email service provider to it. No matter what you choose, the most important things to note are: Make sure the opt-in form is on your homepage, above the fold. That means it’s showing up on the screen without having to scroll. Make sure it’s on every single page, whether it’s a slim opt-in bar across the top of your site or a popup or in your blog sidebar. Mention it as much as possible in your blog posts and add opt-in forms where appropriate. If you hide your opt-in form away, it’s really hard to build an email list. And if your freebie is really good, you’ll want to broadcast it all over your blog! Automated Welcome Series So here’s how this works: Your reader opts in for your awesome shareworthy freebie. Right after they opt in, they are redirected to a Thank You page that tells them to go check their email for their freebie and lets them know where the best place to follow you on social media is, or tells them about your podcast, whatever. Bonus Tip – set up a Goal in Google Analytics to track conversions (How many people visited the page vs. how many opted in and got sent to this Thank You page. The goal URL is this Thank You Page. Then, in the very first email you send them, you deliver the freebie – and you ask them to hit reply and asked them what compelled them to download your freebie. The following day, you send another email that shares a little bit about you plus links to any other resources or blog posts they might find useful. You’re delivering more value. And then the next day, you can invite them to purchase your e-book on the topic, or invite them to your webinar or anything else you’re doing – and if you’re not doing anything yet, that’s okay, just let them know what to expect from you. Will you be sending them a weekly email? Going live in your FB group daily? Whatever it is, let them know how you plan to continue to deliver value to them. This builds trust and builds a relationship so that when you do have something to offer in exchange for money, it’s not icky to ask. So to recap, your email list is crucial to monetizing your blog. You can set yourself apart from every other blogger out there and leverage all the traffic you’re working so hard to generate by creating a shareworthy freebie to build your list, and you’ll build the know, like and trust factor by focusing on building a relationship with your new subscribing and then showing up consistently in their inbox! If you want to learn the tech behind setting up your email list, then I invite you to sign up for the Free 5 Day Website Challenge (www.wp-bff.com) and on Day 3 I’ll break it all down for you. You can also watch my free webinar, “So you have a website, now what? Three simple steps you can take today to get more traffic, more subscribers and more customers” (www.wp-bff.com/nowwhat) to learn more about email marketing!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! The biggest mistake I see bloggers make is to put an email opt-in form on their blog inviting their readers to join their newsletter to get the latest updates and happenings. You may get some subscribers, but joining your newsletter or getting updates isn’t tangible or compelling and you’re leaving so many email subscribers on the table by not having a compelling opt-in offer. You must give something of value away in exchange for an email address, and I personally think it not only should be super actionable and solve a problem, I also think it needs to be shareworthy. Yes, this is a tall order… But your blog leaves clues. Go look at your analytics for your most popular content. What can you create to supplement this content that’s going to solve a problem (or be a life-enhancer) for your reader? And then how can you make it so awesome that they will want to share it with all of their friends? Because people share what makes THEM look good, so how can you create something that makes your reader look like the hero, or the smartest or funniest person in the room when they share it. That’s what to give away in exchange for an email address. Now, you don’t have to create a 5-video training series that teaches someone how to build a self-hosted WordPress site from start to finish like I did… but I have ulterior motives. Like lots of opportunities for affiliate marketing. But if you can monetize your emailopt-inn freebie, why not? Once you have your freebie, all roads still lead to your email list. This means that you mention it in every blog post and guest post. You put opt-in forms on your homepage, your blog sidebar, and your footer. You share it on Pinterest and blow it up on social media. You ask the people who have signed up for it to share it. And it will start to gain momentum and your email list will grow. And then, you’ll make a commitment to email your list weekly – whether you send them your latest blog post or tell them about your most recent sponsorship or collaboration, or simply deliver more value. Consistent communication builds trust. And when you have trust you have loyalty, and the value of your brand increases. You have awesome page views AND an email list? Brands are going to love you.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! I’m all about helping side hustlers create strategies that maximize their time and help them scale their income – which is why I teach people how to monetize their expertise online AND how to put together all the tech to make it happen. What it really boils down to is building a website, building an audience online, and turning your expertise into income. And when it comes to building an audience, a common metric that people focus on when measuring their success is pageviews – which literally means how many pages of your website have been viewed in any given time period. There’s no end to the number of articles on Pinterest all about different tactics to “explode your blog traffic” and increase your pageviews. But what’s more important than your number of pageviews is what you’re doing to capture that traffic so that you can continue the conversation, create engagement and build the know, like and trust factor needed to actually make money from your blog. And that’s where your email list comes in. I believe that the ultimate purpose of every single piece of content you create for your blog should be to build your email list. All roads should lead to your email list. Why should you focus on building an email list? Your email list is the true value behind your blog. Your email list is algorithm-proof. Your email list is predictable revenue. Your email list is where the value of your blog really lies. It’s a list of people who have raised their hand and said, “YES, I love this content and I want to get more of it. I not only want to scroll by you in all of my social media feeds, I also want to see you in my inbox.” I compare social media followers to going out on a group date. You like the person enough to hang out with them in a group where they aren’t getting your undivided attention. But after you hang out long enough and get to know each other better, you invite them to go out –  just the two of you. And I compare that to inviting someone onto your email list. It’s just the two of you. It’s more intimate, and you’re building a deeper level of trust. This is a list of people who are going to read your latest blog post, comment and share it on social media. They are going to be the first person to buy that product you’re recommending, or sign up for the course you’re offering. It’s your tribe, your community. If all of your blog content went away tomorrow, you still have a relationship with the people on your email list. Your email list is algorithm-proof. Oh, the dreaded algorithm changes. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, Google, Facebook, and Pinterest announce sweeping changes and your traffic takes a nosedive. That’s never going to happen to your email list. Sure, there are spam filters and open rates to contend with, but you are in control of improving your open rates through consistency, writing better copy and delivering value. You’re not in control of who sees your social media content even if you have the best copy in the world. Your email list is predictable revenue. If your product (or the affiliate product you’re promoting) costs under $50, you can expect between 3% and 7% of your email list to buy. Between $50 – $200, you can expect between 2% – 3% to buy, and over $200, you can expect between 0.5% and 2% to buy. That means you can predict exactly how much money (or affiliate commissions) you’ll make when you send out an email sharing a product or service, and you also can figure out exactly how many email list subscribers you need to make how much money you want to make from your blog. Now that I’ve convinced you that building your email list is crucial to monetizing your blog, in Episode 142 you’ll learn a simple yet powerful email list building strategy you can implement on your blog.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Your overall high-performance score is 3.64 out of 5. Our research shows that the top 15% of high performers worldwide score an average of 4.76 “What do you think you should focus on to increase your odds at long-term success?” Your CLARITY score is 3.5 out of 5. Improving this area gives you greater confidence in who you are, which decisions are right for you at this stage of your life, and what will make you truly healthy, wealthy, and happy. How could you gain more clarity in life right now? A simple thing you could do is to set an intention for who you want to be and how you want to interact with others right BEFORE you enter any social situation. Your ENERGY score is 3.17 out of 5. If that score seems too far away from a 5, then it’s time to start some new daily practices that can help improve your mental, emotional and physical vibrancy. People really struggle with this one. Personally, my best habit is ensuring my environment is set up for me to win. So, I order organic groceries and stock my house with good food. Nutrition first. Then I protect my sleep and make sure I work out every other day. (The top 15% of high performers are 40% more likely to workout 5x per week!) Your NECESSITY score is 3.67 out of 5. This measures the level of emotional commitment you feel to showing up each day as your best. It’s your level of “must” in improving your life and serving others with excellence. If you haven’t felt as driven or motivated as you want, this is a great area to focus on. Start with asking yourself every day at work, “Who needs me on my A game right now?” Really connect with who you are working for – sometimes we’ll do more for others than ourselves, right? The chapter on psychological necessity in my book is probably the most popular of all, so be sure to read that one. Your PRODUCTIVITY score is 3.83 out of 5. We’ve noticed that if you’re below a 4.6 on this one, it’s REALLY hard to achieve your long-term goals. Maybe it’s time to minimize distractions and start some new habits to master your time management and project planning? My suggestion is to NEVER check your email in the first 60 minutes of the workday. Use that time to strategize, get real work done, and reach out to those you are needing a reply from. Stay in offense, not reaction, in that first 60 minutes and you’ll win more days. Your INFLUENCE score is 4.83 out of 5. This area of your life is EVERYTHING. When we can’t get people to believe in us, support us, buy from us, or take the actions we suggest, then it’s hard to ever get ahead. A good starting place is to focus on being a great role model, asking a lot of questions, and seeking to be more patient, compassionate and available to others. Your COURAGE score: 2.83 out of 5. Do the people around you truly know who you are, what you dream of, what you need? Are you living your truth, taking risks, putting yourself out there? The next level for all of us requires a greater willingness to venture into the unknown despite risks or judgement. Try telling others what you REALLY think or feel more often, and take one small step into the unknown every day.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! So a couple of weeks ago I was having my third quarter of self-employment crisis of confidence. It seems like I’ve had one of these every quarter, and as I’m coming to understand, this is a pretty normal thing on the entrepreneurial journey. Or as my business coach Vicki Fitch calls in, it’s just one roller coaster in the Entrepreneurial Theme park. This time it wasn’t all about money, it was about feeling physically burnt out and mentally exhausted, getting sick, forcing myself to stop working and then and not being sure how I could keep up the pace at which I’d been going. And as these things mysteriously happen, the right book at the right time came through for me. It’s called High-Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard. I’ll link up to the book and Brendon’s website in the show notes. Brendon Burchard is someone that I learned from very, very early on in my side hustle journey when I was trying to figure out how to transition from being a web designer one on one to be able to teach solopreneurs, side hustlers, and small businesses how to DIY on a one to many scale. He had this training video series called the Experts Academy and it was all about how to monetize and package your expertise online, and it definitely influenced what I created when I built the 5 Day Website Challenge. It was the right thing at the right time, and then I kinda stopped paying attention to him. You know, shiny object syndrome 🙂 I actually saw Brendon speak live at Chalene Johnson’s Marketing Impact Academy a couple years ago and it was very powerful, but again, his content wasn’t resonating with what I needed at the moment. And then High-Performance Habits comes along and it’s about the “six habits will make you extraordinary.” And when I read that, I was intrigued so I decided to look it up. Here’s a synopsis from the publisher: “Brendon Burchard finally reveals the most effective habits for reaching long-term success. Based on one of the largest surveys ever conducted on high performers, it turns out that just six habits move the needle the most in helping you succeed. Adopt these six habits and you win. Neglect them and life is a never-ending struggle.” It goes on to say, “Whether you want to get more done, lead others better, develop skill faster, or dramatically increase your sense of joy and confidence, the habits in this book will help you achieve it.” Because as I was thinking about whether or not I wanted to buy this book, the old adage “If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always gotten.” popped into my mind. Because the tactics, habits, strategies, and plans that have gotten me here, which is from side hustler to self-employed hustling my butt off to hit my income target every single month – sometimes hitting it, most times not hitting it – are not what’s going to get me THERE. But here’s the big questions. What is THERE? Where am I even trying to go? The first answer that pops into my mind is, “$10,000 a month.” The second thing that pops into my mind: “Is it really worth it? To feel like this? To run myself down and feel trapped by my overcommitments? Is that really what I want?” I read the description again and I think, “No. Right now, what I really want is to “get more done, lead others better, develop skill faster, or dramatically increase your sense of joy and confidence.” “I believe those things, not killing myself hustling, will be what opens the door to $10K a month becoming easy – however it happens – like how right now $5k a month is easy but $10K is a stretch.” So I pick up the book on Audible.com, because let’s be honest, I really don’t actually read many books, I typically listen to them on my walks with Scarlett or while I’m getting ready in the morning, and I pop my earbuds in and start listening to Brendon describe how personality tests like the DISC and Strengthfinders (I’ve taken both) can give you insight into your personality and how you can better work with others, they don’t really tell you how you can level up. And since I’ve taken both of those assessments, I totally agree with him. I found them interesting, but they didn’t really tell me anything more than why I find some people frustrating and annoying and why I find others endearing, or why some of my best strengths are also my kryptonite. Interesting, but not particularly useful for helping me get to the next level – whatever that nebulous next level may be. So like I said earlier, Brendon studied lots of people he’d consider to be High Performers and put together all of this data into what he calls the High-Performance Index, and in like the first chapter of the book, he tells you to go online and go take the test right now. And because I’m a good student, and I think this is also a brilliant marketing tactic to get me on his email list, I oblige. And the results I got were FASCINATING. I’ll link up to the test in the show notes – you can get it over at highperformanceindicator.com. But this assessment is designed to help you understand how you’re doing in the 6 areas that have the most impact on your performance: Those six habits are: Clarity: Energy: Necessity: Productivity: Influence: And Courage. So if you’re like me, you’re thinking, “Wait, Clarity is a habit? Clarity is a noun, not a verb.” And energy is also not a habit. Necessity? Doesn’t sound like a habit. Neither do influence and courage. Productivity is the only one that sounded like an actual habit to me. But after listening to the book, I’ve come to understand that all of those things are habits. There are actions I can take around every single one of those areas on a daily basis related to clarity, energy, necessity, productivity, influence and courage that will take the focus off of the MONEY and put it where it will have a much greater impact. So I took the assessment, and so today I’m gonna share with you what my results were and tomorrow, I’m going to share with you what I intend to do about them so that I can get to the next “level” without losing my mental and physical health in the process! So the assessment basically asks you if you agree or disagree with certain statements, and it’s on a scale of Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree. And they are all related to measuring those 6 habits I just mentioned. So here are my results: This is verbatim from the email that I received with my score: Dear Shannon, “Your overall high-performance score is 3.64 out of 5. Why does your score matter? Because it came from the professional assessment you just took, which has shown to strongly correlate with long-term success in your career, health, happiness, and relationships. In other words, the assessment wasn’t a “quiz.” It is remarkably accurate and strongly correlates with long-term success measures. Are you happy with your score? What do you think you should focus on to increase your odds at long-term success? Our research shows that the top 15% of high performers worldwide score an average of 4.76 out of 5. I know, I know – that’s a HIGH bar to reach! So, how do they score that high?   It’s not that they are born lucky. We found that they simply developed the right kind of “deliberate habits” that moved them forward faster than others. We call these high-performance habits, and it’s the subject of my new book, which you can get gratis here. (I bought a bunch for my assessment participants. You just pay your shipping). Of course, the challenge is that so many of us struggle to live our best selves each day. We work hard and try to be passionate, but too often feel like we’re not breaking through. It’s just maddening to be a good person with good intentions but still not be advancing as fast as we want. I was there once. Then I learned to dial in my habits and suddenly I dramatically improved my overall well-being, rapidly advanced my career and deepened my influence and connection with others. What’s cool about the assessment you took is that it can help you pinpoint where to focus in order to grow. Let’s take a look at your scores now. Your CLARITY score is 3.5 out of 5. Improving this area gives you greater confidence in who you are, which decisions are right for you at this stage of your life, and what will make you truly healthy, wealthy, and happy. How could you gain more clarity in life right now? A simple thing you could do is to set an intention for who you want to be and how you want to interact with others right BEFORE you enter any social situation. Your ENERGY score is 3.17 out of 5. If that score seems too far away from a 5, then it’s time to start some new daily practices that can help improve your mental, emotional and physical vibrancy. People really struggle with this one. Personally, my best habit is ensuring my environment is set up for me to win. So, I order organic groceries and stock my house with good food. Nutrition first. Then I protect my sleep and make sure I work out every other day. (The top 15% of high performers are 40% more likely to workout 5x per week!) Your NECESSITY score is 3.67 out of 5. This measures the level of emotional commitment you feel to showing up each day as your best. It’s your level of “must” in improving your life and serving others with excellence. If you haven’t felt as driven or motivated as you want, this is a great area to focus on. Start with asking yourself every day at work, “Who needs me on my A game right now?” Really connect with who you are working for – sometimes we’ll do more for others than ourselves, right? The chapter on psychological necessity in my book is probably the most popular of all, so be sure to read that one. Your PRODUCTIVITY score is 3.83 out of 5. We’ve noticed that if you’re below a 4.6 on this one, it’s REALLY hard to achieve your long-term goals. Maybe it’s time to minimize distractions and start some new habits to master your time management and project planning? My suggestion is to NEVER check your email in the first 60 minutes of the workday. Use that time to strategize, get real work done, and reach out to those you are needing a reply from. Stay in offense, not reaction, in that first 60 minutes and you’ll win more days. Your INFLUENCE score is 4.83 out of 5. This area of your life is EVERYTHING. When we can’t get people to believe in us, support us, buy from us, or take the actions we suggest, then it’s hard to ever get ahead. A good starting place is to focus on being a great role model, asking a lot of questions, and seeking to be more patient, compassionate and available to others. Your COURAGE score: 2.83 out of 5. Do the people around you truly know who you are, what you dream of, what you need? Are you living your truth, taking risks, putting yourself out there? The next level for all of us requires a greater willingness to venture into the unknown despite risks or judgment. Try telling others what you REALLY think or feel more often, and take one small step into the unknown every day. So in episode 140, I’ll unpack these results, why I think I scored the way that I scored and what I plan to do about it.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! When I started my side hustle first as a web designer and then as basically a web design and marketing teacher, my intention always was to quit my day job. And I had lofty goals!!! I thought for sure I’d be making enough money to be able to quit by the end of that first year. And when I say “be able to quit” I mean be making enough money to replace my paycheck and cover my business expenses and taxes. It never occurred to me that I could take a pay cut. That it would be worth making less money in the short term to have more time to potentially grow faster. Oh, how naive I was!! One, I had to do a lot more than just make enough money. There was so much I had to learn, and am still learning, about entrepreneurship and running a business. And that’s just me. That’s my risk tolerance. You might be totally different. You might have a greater risk tolerance. You might not need or want to make as much money. You may have a high risk tolerance and want to make more money. You might not even want to quit your day job at all! We’re all different. Regardless of whether you want to go from side hustle to self-employed or side hustle to pay off some debt or bank extra money to travel or whatever, you’re probably going to be side hustling for several months, if not a few years! So in this Pep Talk, I want to break down what it looked like for me to side hustle long term, what was really effective and what I would have done differently and give you 4 tips to help you side hustle long term. Get your partner’s buy-in. Create a schedule that works for you. Get your employer’s buy-in. Make it a win-win. Challenge yourself to see how big you can scale your side hustle while still working full time. So first, a little backstory. My full-time job was running the Marketing, Continuing Education & IT departments for a small non-profit association, and when I started a side hustle doing web design and teaching WordPress to bloggers, entrepreneurs and small business owners who don’t know how to code but need to know how to update their website – I had been at the company for about 7 years at that point and I had moved into a position where I was pretty independent and had some flexibility in my schedule, so I was able to spend on average about 20 hours a week on my side hustle outside of my day job. It sounds like a lot, but if you think about it, 2 hours a day Monday – Friday, plus 5 hours on Saturday morning and 5 hours on Sunday morning – done by Noon both days, that’s not a crazy extra amount of work. And if I’m being totally honest as I’m saying those numbers out loud… I spent more time than that. I probably spent 2 hours in the morning, an hour during the day and two hours at night during the week so that’s what, 25 hours just during the week, and them from like 8AM to 3PM on weekends? So another 14 hours and now we’re at a second full-time job. But I had shifted those 40 hours to focus on things that could create passive income for me rather than trading time for money, like Pat Flynn over at Smart Passive Income says, “Work hard now so you can reap the benefits later. And what motivated me to start my tech side hustle was freedom and flexibility. I wanted to be in control of my time, my schedule, how much money I could make, and even what I was allowed to wear on a daily basis! I was willing to put that much time in because I had a really strong WHY, and a very clear goal, even if I wasn’t always sure HOW I would accomplish it. What I didn’t expect is for it to take as long as it did to reach my goal, and I did have to make some mindset shifts to go from thinking I’d be quitting my job at the end of year one to at one point deciding that I’d do both for as long as I possibly could pull it off! Which leads me to my first tip – Get your partner’s buy-in. Assuming you have a partner – or someone else you’re accountable to like your parents – you probably have some responsibilities and commitments you’ve made to that person. So if you want to take some of that time away and give it to your side hustle, especially longer term, they gotta see what’s in it for them. I could find a LOT of benefits to ME for my side hustle. Freedom. Flexibility. Financial Independence. Loving what I do. My day job income gave me the freedom to try things in my side hustle that I couldn’t have done so confidently if it were my only source of income. I was able to invest my side hustle earnings back into the business. I grew personally and professionally. Me. Me. Me. But all my husband saw was me staring at my laptop day-in and day out and saying Sorry, I have a call tonight, I can’t go to dinner. And can you run by the store and get this, I don’t have time. And now because I don’t have time, I need you to pick up the slack. So what’s in it for him? A few key things – hiring someone to clean our house every week. Having Blue Apron or Hello Fresh delivered each week so that I’d cook a healthy delicious meal for us after a long day. And paying off our debt was really important to him. My side hustle allowed us to do all of that and more. Tip Number 2: Create a schedule that works for you. If you’re going to side hustle long term, I really recommend that you have a solid plan for how you structure your time. When I first started, I had no plan, no schedule and just fit the work in where I could, mostly in the evenings after a long day at work – which was exhausting. Unless you’re one of those weird night people. Which I am not! But I knew that I wanted to establish my side hustle so that it could become my full time gig and I was in it for the long haul, so I needed to figure out a better way. So instead of working late after work, I started getting up earlier and I’d get a couple hours in before my day job. I shifted my day job schedule to start later in the morning. I did side hustle work on weekend mornings, and I would use a vacation day every so often to be able to focus a full day on my side hustle. Instead of doing my side hustle work after a full 8 hour day, I did it first while I was fresh! I wouldn’t call it a work/life balance as much as a work/life blend. There are always pockets of time – checking email while waiting in line. Working in the car on road trips. Working through your to-do list on your lunch break. If there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, it’s worth the extra hustle to make it happen! If you love what you do on the side, it doesn’t really feel like “work” Time is time, right? There’s a finite amount of it. It’s important to enjoy how you spend it. I was watching HARD KNOCKS on HBO recently – and it’s all about the Cleveland Browns football team training camp. I’m from Ohio, my family are Browns fans even though they constantly lose, and my husband is also a huge fan so we start watching this show. And in one scene, this guy Nassib is nerding out during lunch, writing on the white board saying “If you spend 2 hours a day on Instagram, that’s like spending one month a year, nonstop on Instagram.” And he’s basically saying like, there are better things you can be doing with your time. So I look at my husband and I’m like, I spend two hours a day on email, does that mean I spend one whole month every single year emailing people?” And so then we start adding it up. For me, it’s 4 months sleeping. 4.5 months working, one of which is email, and 3.5 months on life. So if I’m going to spend more than one third of my life doing something in exchange for money, I better freaking enjoy it. When I was side hustling, that looked more like 4 months sleeping, 4 months working, 2 months side hustling and 2 months life! So having a plan for that time is crucial. Because the extra money you can earn from your side hustle can be life-changing. Those little splurges, like having someone clean my house and having Blue Apron delivered – those might seem like excessive, but to us? Those are things that weigh on my mind! Oh, this house is a mess but I’ve got this deadline. What are we going to make for dinner? Not only is the fridge empty, I don’t want to make another decision today. Blue Apron shows up and decides for me! Oh wait, I told you that stuff was for my husband… Oops. Tip #3 – Make it a win-win for your employer. If you are secretly side hustling and sneaking off to take phone calls and secretly doing work on your employer’s dime, that’s not going to last long and then you’ll be self-employed whether you like it or not. And I wanted the security my day job income, so being sneaky about my side hustle was not in support of that goal. We also wanted to pay off debt so that when I left the steady paycheck for the unpredictable income of self-employment, I’d have less obligations each month. I wanted the safety net of being able to take risks in my side hustle without affecting my personal income. And I needed the time to prove it to myself that my side hustle was viable and that it could replace my day job income. So how does your side hustle benefit your day job? Maybe shifting your schedule actually benefits them. Maybe that trip to that conference will help your company too. Maybe you need to be way more efficient at work to make more time for your side hustle. Maybe the skills you learn make you a better employee. Maybe you’re happier at work. You don’t need to literally ask for your employer’s blessing unless they have a policy stating that you do, but be the best employee you can be. Take what you’re learning about growing your side hustle to contribute at a higher level at your day job. Be a great employee because when you have a side hustle and a full time job, it’s like they are each other’s insurance policy – if something happens with one, you’ve got the other to fall back on. It’s a smart thing for anyone to do in any industry! And Tip #4 – Challenge yourself to see how big you can scale your side hustle while still working full time. This is going to force you to figure out how you can streamline, automate, systematize and delegate. Definitely go listen to episodes 128 and 129 with Systems and Productivity guru Kerryn Hewson. This one area where I can really, really improve. What should have happened when I quit my day job is that I should have gotten 45 hours back into my week every week because I had my systems and processes so streamlined that I didn’t have to put more time in. But that was totally not the case, I simply kept working my side hustle at the pace I worked it, and then also filled in all that day job time with tasks too! Still working the same amount. If I could go back in time and do this differently I would have put less focus on pure hustling for the money, and more focus on streamlining, systematizing and delegating and getting that really refined – and then leaving my job with a plan on NOT filling up that extra time. But identifying the problem is the first step in fixing it, right? And I definitely don’t have this all figured out, I’m just sharing my experiences and what has and hasn’t worked along the way so that you don’t feel like you’re swimming by yourself out there!! But I want to know what you think. I wonder what would be different for someone that wasn’t 15 years into their career, if they would even want to side hustle long term, if they’d be okay with the risk, if they had less debt and less obligations if they’d take a bigger risk. Or someone that’s very financially stable and doesn’t need the money from their side hustle, but they just love it. I’ve met people in both camps. So l’d love to hear from you on that!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today I’m bringing you Elaine Rau, the creative mastermind behind the Ladyboss Blogger, a blog full of content by female entrepreneur for female entrepreneurs and it’s “contemporary way of advertising through CONTENT CREATION & CONTENT MARKETING.” Ladyboss Blogger helps you market your business and build your credibility by interviewing you and accepting guest posts on your expertise that they broadcast to their audience of 100K+. In Part 2 of my interview with Elaine Rau of Ladyboss Blogger, we’re going behind the scenes to find out: How Elaine uses interns to do market research and create her blog content at the same time. How Elaine takes a collaborative approach to bringing on interns and her best advice for finding the right match. How Elaine’s unpaid internship that she did purely as a creative outlet gave her valuable experience for Ladyboss Blogger What tactic got Elaine the most traction of all the things she’s tried. Elaine’s philosophy on how to choose the right course to learn a new skill. Why Elaine and I are all about Pinterest right now. How Elaine is using Pinterest to test ideas. Why most bloggers are only making an average of $3.50 a day, and why a blog strategy can change that. How to get seen and noticed and get more traffic! Tell us all about your business. What do you do? How long have you been doing it? Who is your ideal client? Is it a side hustle or is it your full-time gig now? I created a blog and platform, LadyBossBlogger.com, for current and aspiring female entrepreneurs to get the resources they need to start and succeed in business. My ideal client are ladies who want to start an online business, but unsure how, and they want step-by-step directions on achieving their goals in the most linear way. I work full-time on LadyBossBlogger. Why did you start your business? What was the catalyst? What sparked you to put your time and energy into a side hustle? What’s your WHY? I was kind of thrown into it due to my circumstances. My fiancé called me from overseas to tell me that his brother had just been murdered… so I asked my boss if I could go to the funeral and he said NO because it would affect sales. So, I quit and moved to Honduras to be with family, however, the transition was a lot harder than I had anticipated. I didn’t speak Spanish so the only person I could talk to was my fiancé so it started to get really lonely. Plus that didn’t help with trying to find a job because all my sales industry skills were dependent upon being able to communicate! Additionally, Honduras is a developing country and the rate of unemployment is 80% there so it was next to impossible to get a job anyways. Because of this, I knew I had to reinvent myself and develop a new skill, so I started blogging to learn about who I wanted to become – a LADY BOSS BLOGGER. I didn’t start it originally to make money, I just needed to give myself a reason to wake up in the morning, but since I was spending so much time on it, I knew I had to start making money from it somehow if I were to survive, so I started selling paid advertising spots on my blog and that is how it all started. My “WHY” is my desire to elevate women in business so that other women can see that it’s possible for them as well. The more women are properly portrayed in the media, the more we will rise up in leadership and know our worth. Media plays a HUGE part in self worth and confidence and I truly believe that if you want to change the world, you start with changing media. Has your business always looked like it does today? Did you start out doing one thing and then evolve into something else? Or does it look pretty much the same? It’s changed gradually over time as I have listened to my audience and learned what they want from me. I blogged a lot about entrepreneurship at first, but as my blog grew and reached 150K followers in under two years, people started asking me how to start a successful blog. I never wanted to blog about blogging, but that is what people wanted from me, so I created a course to answer all their questions in one place! What were some of the fears and doubts you had going into starting your business and how have you overcome them?I wanted to quit a week in. I wasn’t making any money, I was super stressed out, and I honestly just had hit rock bottom in my confidence and really didn’t believe I could do anything of substance that would make me feel fulfilled. But instead of quitting I decided to see if there was some way that I could make just $5 with it and that is exactly what I did. That $5 was all the confidence I needed to run with it. Tell us about making the leap from Side Hustle to Self-Employed? How did you make the decision? What was your money goal? (This doesn’t have to be an exact number, it could be like “twice my salary” or whatever) It was never about money, it was about freedom. I left my extremely well-paying job that I had worked years to obtain because they made me choose between my career and family. However, even though I was making a ton of money, I was also spending just as much and when I moved down to Honduras I was close to broke! So I used my last $12.18 to purchase my blog domain. It was sink or swim and I chose to learn how to do the butterfly stroke. What were the first 6 months of self-employment like for you?Extremely hard. I didn’t have the funds to outsource or to get a mentor so I had to do everything myself. I basically used my blog as a means for me to get knowledge from others for free by interviewing them! And in so doing, I accidentally created a resource for other people as well who liked to learn via interview. Additionally, I hired interns from day one to do my “outsource” work for me. The reason I was able to get interns early on is because delegation is a strength of mine. The platform I created wasn’t about myself, it was all about highlighting other women and in so doing, I unintentionally created a platform for myself. What are you most proud of when it comes to your business? How much I have learned. I feel like a different person, I am more confident, more curious, and am a better person in general. I was making 80K in my previous job and didn’t donate a PENNY, now my entire business is wrapped about donations and giving back to the community, specifically the charity called The Micah Project.   If you could go back in time and change one thing about how you started your side hustle, what would you change?I think everything is supposed to happen the way it’s supposed to happen. Of course, I wish I knew more back then and wish I had started creating courses earlier or started my email list, but honestly it’s a learning experience. Sometimes you can learn something and not implement it until a few months later when you’re actually ready. I wouldn’t change anything because that’s not how I function – I look forward not backwards. How do you manage your time? What does your daily and weekly schedule look like?Every morning at 9am I talk to my interns and delegate out tasks. The tasks vary according to what the projects I have going on at the time, so some weeks it’s heavy on design, other weeks it’s heavy on writing. Once I delegate those tasks, I have rough goals of what I personally want to accomplish, like work on my course or schedule out 1 month worth of content on the blog. The only deadlines I have are that I post one new blog post every single day at 6PM CST and one new post on each of my Instagram accounts – personal and professional. Let’s talk tech. Did you build your own website and set up all of your own tech? What was that experience like? If you could go back in time, what would you do differently? I built everything myself. It was super hard, every time I thought I had something down, another technical error popped back up and back to Google I went to learn how to solve it. If you have the funds, definitely invest in someone to do it for you so you can focus on creating business, but if you don’t, well you don’t have any other option!   What have you spent under $100 on recently that has made the most impact in your business. A Pinterest course which I got on sale for about $100 that helped me learn how to use Pinterest properly to boost my traffic. What have you spent OVER $100 that has made the most impact in your business? I created my online course using Teachable, it’s just $39 a month but I got their Black Friday Deal for the entire year for around $200. I also became their affiliate and have made a ton of money from promoting them. They are a great company to work with and are always running promotions, contests and handing out freebies. What online courses have you taken? Which ones have had the most impact and the greatest return on investment for your business? This affiliate marketing course. That course helped me learn the basics to affiliate marketing and that is when I started understanding the concepts behind how to create PASSIVE INCOME. I’ve now set up a few more income streams with my affiliate marketing training. If you participate in coaching or a mastermind, what is the most notable transformation you’ve gotten from that experience. Taking online courses are my form of masterminds. I prefer to do it myself but with a little guidance. What one podcast would you recommend to someone just getting started? How about a couple years in?Darren Rause’s ProBlogger podcast! I find his podcast to be extremely applicable and useful, every blogger should be listening to it! What one book would you recommend to someone who is side hustling with the goal of becoming self-employed? 5 Day Weekend. This book transformed my way of thinking. My favorite quote from the book is, “If you don’t find a way to make money in your sleep, you will work until you die.”  What belief about yourself did you have to change to get where you are today?I truly believed that I had no skills when I first started. I was both passionless and purposeless, a terrible combination! But honestly, believing that it was up to me to change my circumstances helped me pull through and get out of the rut I was in. What advice would you give someone who is struggling to grow their side hustle?Stay committed. The key to becoming successful is simply staying CONSISTENT. Find one thing you love then hone it, perfect it, and master it. Where can our listeners find out more about you online? Instagram @ladybossblogger, @elainerau Facebook @ladybossblogger, @elainerauofficial Twitter @ladybossblogger LinkedIn @ladybossblogger, @elainerau Websites LadyBossBlogger.com, ElaineRau.com Resources: Ladyboss Blogger Website (hint, get on Elaine’s email list) Elaine’s “12 Most Profitable Niches” Pin Elaine’s Pinterest Account Shannon’s Pinterest Account Find her everywhere @ladybossblogger or @elainerau

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today I’m bringing you Elaine Rau, the creative mastermind behind the Ladyboss Blogger, a blog full of content by female entrepreneur for female entrepreneurs and it’s “contemporary way of advertising through CONTENT CREATION & CONTENT MARKETING.” Ladyboss Blogger helps you market your business and build your credibility by interviewing you and accepting guest posts on your expertise that they broadcast to their audience of 100K+. The story behind why Elaine started LadyBossBlogger. How Elaine creates massive amounts of quality content for her blog. How Elaine leveraged her blog strategy to grow her audience. How LadyBoss Blogger was Elaine’s pseudo-business mentor. How she monetized interviewing and guest posting. How Elaine went from making $80,000 at her day job to being unemployed. How a lack of female mentors in her day job influenced the business she’s created today. How Elaine overcame a lack of confidence in her business. How Elaine didn’t let tech hurdles hold her back and how she creative ways to do things on a budget. How Elaine tested the pricing of her first offer. How her blog strategy exploded her traffic and email list. Tell us all about your business. What do you do? How long have you been doing it? Who is your ideal client? Is it a side hustle or is it your full-time gig now? I created a blog and platform, LadyBossBlogger.com, for current and aspiring female entrepreneurs to get the resources they need to start and succeed in business. My ideal client are ladies who want to start an online business, but unsure how, and they want step-by-step directions on achieving their goals in the most linear way. I work full-time on LadyBossBlogger. Why did you start your business? What was the catalyst? What sparked you to put your time and energy into a side hustle? What’s your WHY? I was kind of thrown into it due to my circumstances. My fiancé called me from overseas to tell me that his brother had just been murdered… so I asked my boss if I could go to the funeral and he said NO because it would affect sales. So, I quit and moved to Honduras to be with family, however, the transition was a lot harder than I had anticipated. I didn’t speak Spanish so the only person I could talk to was my fiancé so it started to get really lonely. Plus that didn’t help with trying to find a job because all my sales industry skills were dependent upon being able to communicate! Additionally, Honduras is a developing country and the rate of unemployment is 80% there so it was next to impossible to get a job anyways. Because of this, I knew I had to reinvent myself and develop a new skill, so I started blogging to learn about who I wanted to become – a LADY BOSS BLOGGER. I didn’t start it originally to make money, I just needed to give myself a reason to wake up in the morning, but since I was spending so much time on it, I knew I had to start making money from it somehow if I were to survive, so I started selling paid advertising spots on my blog and that is how it all started. My “WHY” is my desire to elevate women in business so that other women can see that it’s possible for them as well. The more women are properly portrayed in the media, the more we will rise up in leadership and know our worth. Media plays a HUGE part in self worth and confidence and I truly believe that if you want to change the world, you start with changing media. Has your business always looked like it does today? Did you start out doing one thing and then evolve into something else? Or does it look pretty much the same? It’s changed gradually over time as I have listened to my audience and learned what they want from me. I blogged a lot about entrepreneurship at first, but as my blog grew and reached 150K followers in under two years, people started asking me how to start a successful blog. I never wanted to blog about blogging, but that is what people wanted from me, so I created a course to answer all their questions in one place! What were some of the fears and doubts you had going into starting your business and how have you overcome them?I wanted to quit a week in. I wasn’t making any money, I was super stressed out, and I honestly just had hit rock bottom in my confidence and really didn’t believe I could do anything of substance that would make me feel fulfilled. But instead of quitting I decided to see if there was some way that I could make just $5 with it and that is exactly what I did. That $5 was all the confidence I needed to run with it. Tell us about making the leap from Side Hustle to Self-Employed? How did you make the decision? What was your money goal? (This doesn’t have to be an exact number, it could be like “twice my salary” or whatever) It was never about money, it was about freedom. I left my extremely well-paying job that I had worked years to obtain because they made me choose between my career and family. However, even though I was making a ton of money, I was also spending just as much and when I moved down to Honduras I was close to broke! So I used my last $12.18 to purchase my blog domain. It was sink or swim and I chose to learn how to do the butterfly stroke. What were the first 6 months of self-employment like for you?Extremely hard. I didn’t have the funds to outsource or to get a mentor so I had to do everything myself. I basically used my blog as a means for me to get knowledge from others for free by interviewing them! And in so doing, I accidentally created a resource for other people as well who liked to learn via interview. Additionally, I hired interns from day one to do my “outsource” work for me. The reason I was able to get interns early on is because delegation is a strength of mine. The platform I created wasn’t about myself, it was all about highlighting other women and in so doing, I unintentionally created a platform for myself. What are you most proud of when it comes to your business? How much I have learned. I feel like a different person, I am more confident, more curious, and am a better person in general. I was making 80K in my previous job and didn’t donate a PENNY, now my entire business is wrapped about donations and giving back to the community, specifically the charity called The Micah Project.   If you could go back in time and change one thing about how you started your side hustle, what would you change?I think everything is supposed to happen the way it’s supposed to happen. Of course, I wish I knew more back then and wish I had started creating courses earlier or started my email list, but honestly it’s a learning experience. Sometimes you can learn something and not implement it until a few months later when you’re actually ready. I wouldn’t change anything because that’s not how I function – I look forward not backwards. How do you manage your time? What does your daily and weekly schedule look like?Every morning at 9am I talk to my interns and delegate out tasks. The tasks vary according to what the projects I have going on at the time, so some weeks it’s heavy on design, other weeks it’s heavy on writing. Once I delegate those tasks, I have rough goals of what I personally want to accomplish, like work on my course or schedule out 1 month worth of content on the blog. The only deadlines I have are that I post one new blog post every single day at 6PM CST and one new post on each of my Instagram accounts – personal and professional. Let’s talk tech. Did you build your own website and set up all of your own tech? What was that experience like? If you could go back in time, what would you do differently? I built everything myself. It was super hard, every time I thought I had something down, another technical error popped back up and back to Google I went to learn how to solve it. If you have the funds, definitely invest in someone to do it for you so you can focus on creating business, but if you don’t, well you don’t have any other option!   What have you spent under $100 on recently that has made the most impact in your business. A Pinterest course which I got on sale for about $100 that helped me learn how to use Pinterest properly to boost my traffic. What have you spent OVER $100 that has made the most impact in your business? I created my online course using Teachable, it’s just $39 a month but I got their Black Friday Deal for the entire year for around $200. I also became their affiliate and have made a ton of money from promoting them. They are a great company to work with and are always running promotions, contests and handing out freebies. What online courses have you taken? Which ones have had the most impact and the greatest return on investment for your business? This affiliate marketing course. That course helped me learn the basics to affiliate marketing and that is when I started understanding the concepts behind how to create PASSIVE INCOME. I’ve now set up a few more income streams with my affiliate marketing training. If you participate in coaching or a mastermind, what is the most notable transformation you’ve gotten from that experience. Taking online courses are my form of masterminds. I prefer to do it myself but with a little guidance. What one podcast would you recommend to someone just getting started? How about a couple years in?Darren Rause’s ProBlogger podcast! I find his podcast to be extremely applicable and useful, every blogger should be listening to it! What one book would you recommend to someone who is side hustling with the goal of becoming self-employed? 5 Day Weekend. This book transformed my way of thinking. My favorite quote from the book is, “If you don’t find a way to make money in your sleep, you will work until you die.”  What belief about yourself did you have to change to get where you are today?I truly believed that I had no skills when I first started. I was both passionless and purposeless, a terrible combination! But honestly, believing that it was up to me to change my circumstances helped me pull through and get out of the rut I was in. What advice would you give someone who is struggling to grow their side hustle?Stay committed. The key to becoming successful is simply staying CONSISTENT. Find one thing you love then hone it, perfect it, and master it. Where can our listeners find out more about you online? Instagram @ladybossblogger, @elainerau Facebook @ladybossblogger, @elainerauofficial Twitter @ladybossblogger LinkedIn @ladybossblogger, @elainerau Websites LadyBossBlogger.com, ElaineRau.com Resources mentioned in this episode: Ladyboss Blogger Website (hint, get on Elaine’s email list) 5 Day Website Challenge Elaine’s “12 Most Profitable Niches” Pin Elaine’s Pinterest Account Shannon’s Pinterest Account Find her everywhere @ladybossblogger or @elainerau

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! On August 1, Google pushed out it’s latest algorithm update and apparently, it totally rocked the internet. Kings and queens of rankings were dethroned, and other websites who struggled to crack page 1 were suddenly boosted. So in today’s Pep Talk, I’m going to share what the update is, why it matters to side hustlers, entrepreneurs, bloggers, and online businesses and what you can do to make sure your website is optimized for this latest update. This latest algorithm update has to do with what Google calls YMYL, or Your Money or Your Life websites. Your Money or Your Life websites according to Google content that “could potentially impact the future happiness, health, financial stability, or safety of users.” And then in Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines, which I’ll link to in the show notes, they define these sites pretty broadly – so any site where you can buy something – which affects your money, and then financial information sites, medical, legal, news, and the other. So what’s happening is that sites like this are being held to a higher standard when it comes to Expertise, Authority, and Trust – or as everyone in the SEO industry calls, it, EAT. So like, if you have a legal website and you’re hiring a bunch of writers to churn out content for this blog and none of them are actual lawyers, there’s no telling who wrote the articles and you don’t have any indication of whether the content is credible or not, Google doesn’t like that. I found some great info on this latest update from MarieHaynes.com and the Moz Blog. Both sites talk about how this Your Money or Your Life update has hit huge websites that rely on SEO as their main traffic strategy, like Livestrong, and Prevention, and Dr. Axe.com all seeing pretty big drops in traffic because their content affects your health, and the Expertise, Authority, and Trust was apparently not up to par with Google’s standards. But what does this mean for people like us? What about bloggers who write about all kinds of topics including personal finance and health and a limitless number of topics related to Your Money or Your Life. That’s what blogging is all about, right? The majority of bloggers are trying to “impact the future happiness, health, financial stability, or safety of users.” Most of them are trying to have a positive impact, and most of them are also trying to monetize their blogs in some way, so that’s both your money and your life. What about you? Does your side hustle affect anyone’s money or their life? I really, really hope so! Because why would you do it if you weren’t going to make money through helping someone improve their life? As Zig Ziglar says, “You can have everything you want in life if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” Personally, I wasn’t affected. I looked at my Google Analytics and my number of website visitors increased 6.81% in the first week of August – but I’ve totally been working on my Pinterest game and I honestly don’t put a whole lot into SEO – right or wrong, it’s just not been a tactic of mine to focus on because it has seemed like a game a little fish in a big pond like me can’t really win.. But…I think this algorithm change is a great thing for people like me. Like us. Here’s what I think it means: You have an opportunity to stand out online more now than ever before. I think it means that it’s more important than ever before for you to step up and share your knowledge with the world. Trust is starting to shift away from big brands and big businesses back to people. Individual people. I heard this at Social Media Marketing World back in March when the founder Michael Stelzner was talking about the Facebook algorithm change that everyone was freaking out about, how Facebook would focus on showing content in the newsfeed that had meaningful interaction from real people. Not likes, not one-word comments, but actual comments and conversations in the threads. People talking to each other. And he also said that a smaller, more highly engaged audience is more valuable than a large one. Brands know this. That’s why they aren’t only paying people with ginormous followings like the Kardashians for sponsored content, they are looking at micro-influencers – people with smaller, more highly engaged audiences that have a strong reputation with their audience. This Google algorithm change just reinforces that whole entire concept. Because how they are holding the Your Money or Your Life blogs and websites to a higher standard is by reviewing the Expertise, Authority, and Trust of the website. How? Well, they’re looking at the About page for one to see if they can tell who is behind the website. They’re looking for author bios on blog posts. And they’re looking at your external reputation – meaning, do you exist online outside of your website? Are you on other social media platforms? Are you like, a real live person? Are you meaningfully contributing to your industry? So tactically, how can you make sure your website or blog is optimized for these latest changes? Marie Haynes says to display all of your E-A-T on your about page. She says to make it “full of reasons why you are known as the most authoritative business in your vertical. Brag about awards won, press recognition, years of experience and more.” Maybe this is just my personality, but when I read that I think Ew!! And then I think, okay, but be careful how you do this. I think it’s great for companies to lead with that stuff, but for me, my About page is really an opportunity for me to yes, share more about me and why I’m the right person to help you, but done so in a way that’s really talking about YOU and how Your Money and Your Life will improve by being a part of my community. So my Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and my One Woman Shop 100 Best Sites for Solopreneurs and all the places I’ve guest posted and been featured, what do you care? If you need to know that to trust me AFTER you’ve learned why I’m the best person to help you get what you want, fine, I’ll put it at the end. But I’m not going to lead with it. So tactically, on your About page, put a photo of yourself, tell your story and why your experiences make you qualified to help people who are just a little bit behind your on your journey. You have to have a degree and be certified in your niche to live up to Google’s standards of expertise, authority and trust. Then, you’ll want to enable author bios on all of your blog posts, and spruce up your WordPress bio. Link to all of your social profiles and be a real person on those channels! Does that mean you have to spend all of your time on social? No. But having a presence will help. Make sure your website is optimized to build your email list!!! What’s the point of getting traffic if you have no way to communicate with them after the fact!!! Finally, SEO is just one tool in your toolbox. There are many, many other ways to connect with your ideal client online. Social media. Pinterest. YouTube. Guest Posting. Relationship building. Tapping your personal network. Even paid advertising! The list goes on. So if this focus on Expertise, Authority and Trust has you feeling like a bit of an imposter, here’s what I want you to focus on instead. Show up. Consistently. Create awesome content, and create a community around that content. And you also need to make sure that your website is all about the Know, Like and Trust factor. Know Like and Trust is a common marketing term, and it’s the foundation behind the whole way I teach people to build their website. Everything I teach inside of the Free 5 Day Website Challenge revolves around building a website that oozes Know, Like and Trust. Once people know, like and trust you, you become seen as an expert on a topic, which raises your authority and broadens your trust – and now you have Google’s EAT. And I talk to a lot of clients that tell me how much they hate social media. They don’t want their personal network to know about their side hustle. They aren’t ready for people to find out, so they avoid social media and try to SEO-optimize the heck out of their blog hoping that they’ll come up in Google search results, and then when they aren’t getting traffic they get discouraged. Trust me, I get it. I did the same thing when I first started out. But what’s going to work online in 2018 and beyond is not hiding behind your blog. Because people want to connect with people, and they are more than just website traffic. I don’t want you to think about traffic. I want you to think about people. About that one person who comes to your site, reads something that you wrote, takes action on it and changes their life. Those people exist. I hear from them all of the time and it’s amazing! So what this algorithm change means from my perspective? I think it means that if you really want your side hustle to work out, if you want it to turn into your full-time gig or have it make enough money for you to pay off your debt or stay at home with your kids or let you travel or whatever it is that you want, then you can’t be scared to stand up and say what you know about a topic. You must put intentional effort into creating amazing, shareworthy content. And you have to build a community around that content on social media. That’s how you’re going to win in 2018 and beyond, by building a highly engaged audience of people that know, like and trust you which helps you build your expertise and authority online. And when you have that, you can monetize with integrity, through affiliate marketing, through sponsorships, through offering your own services or creating your own products and courses. The opportunities are endless. Today’s pep talk is brought to you by Bluehost. Go to www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/bluehost and get 36 months of web hosting for just $2.95 a month. That’s less than one trip to Starbucks a month – and if you’re anything like me, you’re at Starbucks more than that! Then you can sign up for my Free 5 Day Website Challenge at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/5day and I’ll show you step by step how to get started building your new website for your side hustle.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Well, it’s been a very sobering week when it comes to looking at how I’m managing my time, and in the fourth episode in my series exploring Marla Tabaka’s 50 tough questions to ask yourself if you’re constantly telling yourself that you don’t have enough time, we’re getting into how leadership qualities affect your time. These questions are more geared toward a corporate work environment and people with kids, so I’m going to tweak them to apply to me as a side hustler and now self-employed girl building my empire so that I don’t gloss over them like, no… I don’t have to dig deep to answer these, they don’t apply to me… You can get a link to Marla’s full article on Inc.com, “Not Enough Time in the Day? Ask Yourself These 50 Tough Questions to Find Out Why.” So here we go with my answers to the last ten on the list, and I’d love to hear your answers too! You can join the conversation in the comments on the show notes at peptalksforsidehustlers.com/134, or find episode 134 in our Facebook group, or find me on Instagram or Twitter @shannonlmattern – I LOVE hearing from you guys! Am I still passionate about my work or am I too exhausted to feel energized by my passion? (It’s time to figure out what fuels your flame and get back to it.) Do I plan my week and review my to-do list either first thing in the morning or the night before? Do I have a healthy morning routine that inspires and energizes me, or do I lay in bed catching up on emails before my feet hit the ground? Do I have solid goals and targets in place and know how to achieve them? (Lack of clarity is one of the top culprits in poor time management.) Do I come up with new and amazing ideas all of the time and desert my current goals to investigate these bright and shiny objects? Do I interrupt my workday to perform household tasks and run too many personal errands? Do I allow others to treat me like I don’t have a job, simply because I work from home? Do I take at least one vacation per year? (Burnout leads to decreased productivity.) Do I constantly live with guilt about not spending enough time with my family or anything else? (Negative emotions preoccupy the mind and weigh us down.) Do I invest in myself and my business by consulting with experts, or do I think I know it all?

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Well, it’s been a very interesting week when it comes to looking at how I’m managing my time, and in the fourth episode in my series exploring Marla Tabaka’s 50 tough questions to ask yourself if you’re constantly telling yourself that you don’t have enough time, we’re getting into how leadership qualities affect your time. These questions are more geared toward a corporate work environment and people with kids, so I’m going to tweak them to apply to me as a side hustler and now self-employed girl building my empire so that I don’t gloss over them like, no… I don’t have to dig deep to answer these, they don’t apply to me… You can get a link to Marla’s full article on Inc.com, “Not Enough Time in the Day? Ask Yourself These 50 Tough Questions to Find Out Why.” So here we go with my answers to question 31 through 40 on the list, and I’d love to hear your answers too! Do I hand off more responsibilities as my employees grow in their knowledge and capabilities? Do I meet with my employees regularly to keep everyone on the same page? (This prevents many issues and mistakes from arising.) Have I created a culture of loyalty and trust? (Employees who experience a positive company culture are far more effective.) Do I let go of employees who have shown a record of poor performance? Do I live in fear that one or more of my most valuable employees will leave the company? (No one is irreplaceable.) Do I direct my employees to document procedures so it’s not a crisis every time someone leaves the company? (This also adds value to your company.) Do I want everyone to like me? (You’ll invest far too much time and make too many exceptions to win someone over.) Do I: a) Run a business that allows me the flexibility to be with my children when I need/want to, especially in the summer months? b.) Live in stress and chaos trying to squeeze work-related tasks in between my children’s needs and desires? c.) Ask for or hire help so I can focus on my business without interruption and enjoy the time I spend with my children? Do I know what my “prime time” is and use it to achieve things that take a high level of energy and creativity? (Perform tasks that consume more of your energy during the hours when you typically feel more energetic.) Do I have proof that my business model can be highly profitable as it is today or is it possible that I’m spinning my wheels, rather than identifying a new path?

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! This is the third in my episode exploring Marla Tabaka’s 50 tough questions to ask yourself if you’re constantly telling yourself that you don’t have enough time. I’ve asked and answered these tough questions for myself, because although I don’t find myself saying “I don’t have enough time in the day..” I do find myself saying, “No, I can’t go have fun with you I have work I need to do.” Or “I’m feeling overwhelmed.” Or, “Why won’t this rash on my leg that’s been here for over a year and a half go away for good?” and then balk when the nurse practitioner suggests that it could be stress-related rather than an 18-month long bacterial infection that hasn’t killed me yet… So what about you? What do you say to yourself about time? Do you feel like you lack time? You can get a link to Marla’s full article on Inc.com, “Not Enough Time in the Day? Ask Yourself These 50 Tough Questions to Find Out Why.” So here we go with my answers to question 21 through 30 on the list, and I’d love to hear your answers too! You can join the conversation in the comments on the show notes at peptalksforsidehustlers.com/132, or find episode 132 in our Facebook group, or find me on Instagram or Twitter @shannonlmattern – I LOVE hearing from you guys. Do I drop everything to manage someone else’s problems? (Is anything really that urgent?) Do I have a system in place to address the unexpected issues in an organized and efficient way to lessen their impact on my priorities? Do I regularly track my time to better understand my strengths and weaknesses in the time management category? Do I batch my calls into certain days and time slots as to avoid 30- and 60-minute voids between them? (Seriously, nothing important gets done during that gap of time.) Do I assign specific days and timeframes to specific tasks (e.g., Tuesday mornings for sales calls, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. every day to return calls and answer emails, Thursday mornings to write blogs or do your marketing work)?  Do I procrastinate on important tasks?  What is my belief system about money? Do I feel like there will never be enough? (This leads to poor decisions, based in fear rather than logic.)  Do I pick up the phone every time it rings and respond to every email when it comes in? Do I drop everything for those one or two clients who are most demanding? (Bad idea!) Do I train my employees well, so they don’t have to ask constant questions?

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Over the next few episodes, we’re exploring Marla Tabaka’s 50 questions to ask yourself if you’re constantly telling yourself that you don’t have enough time. As I mentioned in episode 130, I’m going to be really honest in answering these questions because the only way to really make progress is to drop all of your excuses. You can get a link to Marla’s full article on Inc.com, “Not Enough Time in the Day? Ask Yourself These 50 Tough Questions to Find Out Why.” Um, challenge accepted! So here we go with my answers to question 11 through 20 on the list, and I’d love to hear your answers! You can join the conversation in the comments on the show notes at peptalksforsidehustlers.com/131, or find episode 131 in our Facebook group, or find me on Instagram or Twitter @shannonlmattern – I LOVE hearing from you guys! Do I accept jobs and clients that don’t fit my ideal model? Do I often find myself in a crunch to finish client projects because I’m in over my head or didn’t assign a realistic deadline? How many hours a day do I needlessly spend on social media? Do I have systems in place for repetitious tasks? Am I as organized as I can possibly be? Do I maintain control of nearly everything because I believe no one else can do it as well? Do I overprepare for prospect calls or client meetings because I’m afraid of not knowing everything I “should” know? Do I believe I can’t afford to hire someone to help me? (You can’t afford not to.) Do I really and truly believe that there is not enough time to achieve the things that only I can do? (We create the conditions we believe to be true.) Do I leave open room in my schedule every day to manage the unexpected? (Avoid scheduling yourself back-to-back all day long.)

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! One of my favorite apps is called Flipboard. It’s basically an app that curates content from across the interwebs for you based on your specific interests and pulls it together in a magazine-like format. So, of course, my Flipboard is set up for all things entrepreneur and business and self-improvement and web design. Shocking, right? So the other day I was flipping through my Flipboard and I came across this article on Inc.com written by Marla Tabaka with the headline “Not Enough Time in the Day? Ask Yourself These 50 Tough Questions to Find Out Why.” So we all have the same 24 hours in a day, right? So why is it that some people seem to be super productive rockstar machines while others feel constantly stressed and like they can never get everything done? To be totally honest, I bounce between those two feelings. Sometimes I think “Yep, I got this, I’m ON IT!” And other days I think, “There’s no way I’ll be able to get this all done.” And that’s why I think the questions Marla is asking us to ask ourselves are brilliant, and while I’m not going to talk about all 50 of the questions, I’m going to pick out a few that really resonate with me right now – whether I’m really great at them or whether I need to work on them. Do I have clarity around my vision, goals, and daily tasks? (Lack of clarity leads to procrastination and confusion.) Do I pack my days with too many to-do items, creating unrealistic expectations? Do I allow too many interruptions from employees, prospects, customers, friends, and family? Do I place strict boundaries around my time and let others know what they are? Do I stick to my boundaries or do I make too many exceptions? Do I talk a lot, extending conversations into hour-long chats when it’s unnecessary? (Which is always.) Am I a master in the art of multitasking? (Perpetual multitasking has an adverse effect on productivity.) Do I love the adrenaline buzz of being overly busy? Is living in chaos more comfortable to me than stilling my mind? Do I find it really difficult to say no? Ooh, that’s some good stuff!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Over the next few episodes, we’re exploring Marla Tabaka’s 50 questions to ask yourself if you’re constantly telling yourself that you don’t have enough time. As I mentioned in episode 130, I’m going to be really honest in answering these questions because the only way to really make progress is to drop all of your excuses. You can get a link to Marla’s full article on Inc.com, “Not Enough Time in the Day? Ask Yourself These 50 Tough Questions to Find Out Why.” Um, challenge accepted! So here we go with my answers to question 11 through 20 on the list, and I’d love to hear your answers! You can join the conversation in the comments on the show notes at peptalksforsidehustlers.com/131, or find episode 131 in our Facebook group, or find me on Instagram or Twitter @shannonlmattern – I LOVE hearing from you guys! Do I accept jobs and clients that don’t fit my ideal model? Do I often find myself in a crunch to finish client projects because I’m in over my head or didn’t assign a realistic deadline? How many hours a day do I needlessly spend on social media? Do I have systems in place for repetitious tasks? Am I as organized as I can possibly be? Do I maintain control of nearly everything because I believe no one else can do it as well? Do I overprepare for prospect calls or client meetings because I’m afraid of not knowing everything I “should” know? Do I believe I can’t afford to hire someone to help me? (You can’t afford not to.) Do I really and truly believe that there is not enough time to achieve the things that only I can do? (We create the conditions we believe to be true.) Do I leave open room in my schedule every day to manage the unexpected? (Avoid scheduling yourself back-to-back all day long.)

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today I’m joined by Systems and Productivity expert – and mompreneur – Kerryn Hewson, and in this episode we’re going to dive into: How Kerryn’s side hustle of novel writing combined with her corporate business analyst skills evolved into an online business that helps mompreneurs grow their businesses without sacrificing family. Why it’s a great opportunity when you have small kids to start a business (even if it might not feel like it!) Why it’s normal to start out doing everything in your business – and why it’s important to outsource earlier than you think! Why having a schedule in place that works for you is so important. Why it’s important to press the pause button on your business to develop systems and processes. Kerryn’s process for helping her clients get organized so that you don’t do work that you then end up undoing! Why you should automate before you outsource. Why it’s so important to figure out your processes BEFORE you choose your automation tool. Why people jump from tech tool to tech tool (and why it’s not the tool that’s the problem!) The importance of connection and community when you’re just getting started in your business. Resources Mention in this episode:www.KerrynHewson.com Kerryn’s Facebook Page & FB Live Videos Kerryn’s Reclaim Your Time Workshop

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today I’m joined by Systems and Productivity expert – and mompreneur – Kerryn Hewson, and in this episode we’re going to dive into: How Kerryn’s side hustle of novel writing combined with her corporate business analyst skills evolved into an online business that helps mompreneurs grow their businesses without sacrificing family. Why it’s a great opportunity when you have small kids to start a business (even if it might not feel like it!) Why it’s normal to start out doing everything in your business – and why it’s important to outsource earlier than you think! Why having a schedule in place that works for you is so important. Why it’s important to press the pause button on your business to develop systems and processes. Kerryn’s process for helping her clients get organized so that you don’t do work that you then end up undoing! Why you should automate before you outsource. Why it’s so important to figure out your processes BEFORE you choose your automation tool. Why people jump from tech tool to tech tool (and why it’s not the tool that’s the problem!) The importance of connection and community when you’re just getting started in your business. Resources Mention in this episode:www.KerrynHewson.com Kerryn’s Facebook Page & FB Live Videos Kerryn’s Reclaim Your Time Workshop

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today we’re talking about the importance of taking breaks from your side hustle. When you’re super driven and have a big goal in mind, it’s really easy to get caught up in Somehow I caught a cold this week… And when I was an employee, before I started my side hustle, even though I always felt a little guilty taking a sick day, or maybe like people would think I was faking it, the rare times I did actually call off sick, I would actually rest. I’d stay in bed, napping off and on in between binge-watching whatever show I was into at the moment and snuggling with my old dog, Gracie Bear. Then I started my side hustle, and everything changed. If I caught the nasty cold that was going around the office, I’d just work from home. I’d lay in bed with my laptop and get caught up on email, blog post, and social media. I’d check my work email and answer phone calls. It creeps up on you, the nonstop working. I know it has for me. There’s always something that can be done to fill the white space. Always email to be checked, social media messages to be answered, blog posts to write. And then it just blends in and becomes a part of you. Which if you love it, it doesn’t really feel like work. And I love it. It feels nothing like the work I used to do as an employee. When my friends and family tell me I work too much, I always respond by saying, “What’s the difference between me sitting on the couch watching Netflix and me sitting on my couch watching Netflix and answering emails?” Not much, in my opinion. I wake up, I pick up my phone and check my email immediately. I don’t answer anything right then, but I do delete the junk, read the good stuff and say “Thank you, Joann” or “Thank you, Alex” to any sales that came in overnight. I practice gratitude for my inboxes and all the little treasures that are in there because otherwise, it can feel like an albatross around my neck, all the people that are waiting for a response from me. When I’m walking my new dog, Scarlett, I’m listening to podcasts, audiobooks or recordings of old coaching calls with my business coach. Same thing when I’m driving anywhere, or cleaning. Even grocery shopping, I pop in those earbuds. I feel asleep listening to a book, and my ears have been tender for a couple of weeks…. Whenever we are driving anywhere that’s more than 20 minutes away, I set up a mobile office. I bring my laptop, tether it to my iPhone hotspot, and work away. Last Saturday, we were driving to the lake to go boating with some friends, a route we drive pretty regularly, and I happened to look up and see a big warehouse with a huge parking lot and I said to my husband, “When did that get there?” and he said, “Seriously? They started building it a year ago. You haven’t looked up from your laptop in the car in over a year.” When I was side hustling I was working 40 hours a week at my day job, and honestly, probably another 30 outside of that on my side hustle. But again, those 30 extra hours were spent doing who knows what before – watching garbage reality TV and hanging out at happy hour after work? So it’s confusing to my family why I’m still working 70 hours a week when I don’t have to. When I only have one “job”. And I could cop out and say I love what I do and it doesn’t even feel like work – which is the total truth – however, it still takes a toll physically. My eyes constantly feel tired from staring at my laptop screen or my phone. They feel heavy inside and underneath, and after a particularly long laptop session, like on a “lazy” Saturday or Sunday, they feel like they have sand in them. My brain runs a thousand miles an hour and is always thinking about what I should or could be doing right now. When it’s time to switch gears from work to family I often find myself distracted. And when I jam pack my schedule on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, I’m all keyed up when my husband gets home and have a hard time stopping work and unwinding and relaxing. So this week, I had a meeting in the morning, and then when I got home in the afternoon, I just felt totally off… My body felt run down, I felt exhausted and I started to feel tenderness in the back of my mouth, you know where your nose and mouth meet? That’s how I know I’m getting a cold. And at that moment I thought, if I don’t work this afternoon, it throws my whole plan for the week off. But then I had another thought – If you don’t take some time to take not only a physical break, but also a mental one and give your eyeballs a rest too, you’re going to make this worse and get even farther behind. So I made a different choice. I laid in bed, snuggled with Scarlett, and dozed off to the Mind of a Chef on Netflix. For like, 6 hours. I did check email and answered a few client questions, but otherwise, I just vegged out. So if you’re anything like me, and you’ve found that you’re constantly in Go Mode, I want you to know that it’s okay to take a break from the hustle. It’s not going to derail your whole entire master plan. Especially if you’re sick. Or if you’ve just not taken any time off leading up to a big project – plan to take some time off. Your brain needs the break and you’ll function better for it. In fact, if you’re anything like me you might need people to help hold you accountable to taking breaks from the hustle. My husband is really good at this with me. When he gets home and we have plans and it’s clear to him that I’m deep into something, he’ll say to me: “I need you to find a stopping point.” This weekend, a friend texted us and invited us out to the lake, and when he asked me if I wanted to go I said, “No, I’m in the middle of something, I’m making good progress.” And Floyd agreed, he was cleaning out the garage so he said “Yeah, I have a lot to get done around the house too,” but then 10 minutes later he comes back in and goes, “Change of plans. Go get ready. We’re going to the lake.” And I’m SO GLAD we did, because we finally taught Scarlett, our LAB who has been afraid of water, to swim! She’s like, a real dog now. You also might need to take a really hard look at the work that you are doing and ask yourself: Is this something that actually needs to be done? Is this income-producing? Should I be the one doing this? Is this something that I can outsource? But the trick is, and this is something that I haven’t quite figured out yet, is to not fill that white space you create back up with other projects. And that’s why it’s so important to have a larger vision, focus and a plan so that you’re always clear on what needs to be done versus working just to keep your mind occupied or your adrenaline flowing. Even though I called this podcast Pep Talks for Side Hustlers, I actually don’t believe in working every single waking moment… I think it’s really important to have a work/life blend – but I also know that if you’re not careful, it can creep up on you like it has for me. So what about you? Do you feel like you have a good work/life/side hustle blend going on? What have you done to make sure you’re getting enough down time? I’d love to hear from you! Join our Facebook group at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/Facebook or find me on Instagram or Twitter @shannonlmattern #peptalksforsidehustlers

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! So you want to start a freelance web design business, but you’re just getting started so you haven’t had a paying client yet. Which means you don’t have a portfolio… So how are you going to get someone to pay you to build a website for them when you don’t have any client work to back you up? And since you haven’t had any paying clients, how can you even call yourself an actual web designer? You don’t have much experience, what if you mess something up? You shouldn’t charge that much when you’re just getting started. You definitely need to spend more time learning, because what if someone asks you for something you don’t know how to do? You just need more expertise, and the only way to get it is to work for free for friends and family until you have a good enough portfolio. And then you can slowly start charging for your work as you learn more. Eventually, you will know everything there is to know about web design, and then people will be lining up to give you their money! No. No. No and no!!! This is what most new freelance web designers think, and it’s so overwhelming that most of them never get started, or they quickly burn out before they ever start to make any real money. What if there was another way? A way to build your credibility without having a portfolio or having to work for free? I’m here to tell you that there is another way. I found it, quite by accident, and I’m gonna break it all down for you today. So back in 2014, I was working at a nonprofit doing a hybrid job of marketing and IT support. I had been at the company for about 7 years and I was making great money… but I was miserable. Every week sitting in the same rush hour traffic, listening to the same garbage morning radio show, rotating between the same two pairs of Express Editor pants, 5 New York & Company tops, and rotating between the black or brown pair of sensible Franco Sarto booties. Every day, doing the same pointless busy work, listening to the same complaints, navigating the same office politics. Every night, coming home too stressed out and exhausted from the drama of the day to think about what to make for dinner which led to the inevitable conversation with my husband: Me: “Where do you want to go for dinner tonight?” Him: “I don’t care.” Me: “Me neither, I just don’t want to make another decision, my brain is fried.” Him: “Okay, how about Flanagan’s?” Me: “Eh, I’m not feeling it…they don’t have anything healthy…” Him: Annoyed look. Me: “Okay, fine, whatever, that’s fine. I’ll find something I can eat there.” And then I eat a quesadilla washed down with a few Miller Lites for good measure, and now I’m finally feeling relaxed. Go home, go to bed. Sleep like crap. Wake up, start over. Waiting for the weekend. Wash, rinse, repeat. The one thing I loved about my job was WordPress. It’s not something I learned in college, it was a skill that came from me being a natural problem solver (and honestly a little bit of a rebel). I discovered WordPress around 2005. I worked at a law firm, and there was a guy who had scammed thousands of people out of money in a Ponzi scheme. Our firm was tasked with auctioning off all of his assets and distributing whatever they recovered to the victims – and they needed a way to be able to quickly communicate updates on the asset recovery to thousands of victims. Our website was not that nimble and required paying a ton of money to our web developer to update, so I did some research and discovered WordPress. I pitched the idea to my boss, offered to roll up my sleeves and figure it out and that’s when I fell in love with the power of WordPress. And then as I moved forward in my career and listened to people complain about how much time they spend doing ridiculous things that should be easier, I realized… WordPress can do that. There’s a plugin for that. We can automate that. We don’t have to spend tens of thousands on fancy software and hire web developers because I can totally build that. So that’s what I did, and I loved it. What I didn’t love is all the red tape involved. The meetings. The chain of command. The slow pace of progress – or the complete reversal of progress when people felt threatened by change. Then one day, I’m sitting in my beige office and I hear someone say, “Have you ever had 7-Up Salad? It’s got lemon jello, lime jello, marshmallows…” and I started to feel all panicky and I thought, “This cannot be it! There has got to be more to life than this!!! I cannot do this for the rest of my life!” And the panic was quickly replaced by the guilt because I made good money and great benefits and I should be happy with what I have so stop complaining because there are people less fortunate than you in this world, now get back to work! Around the same time my best friend had asked me to read Chalene Johnson’s PUSH with her, where you figure out ten life goals, and then the PUSH goal is the one that when accomplished makes all of the other goals easier. So here’s the conversation I had with myself as I was trying to figure out my PUSH goal: Okay, so I want to eat better, exercise more, lose weight, be less stressed and spend more time with my husband. What’s going to get me there? Being in control of my time and schedule. Okay, how will you do that? By being my own boss. How can you be your own boss? Start my own business. What are you going to do? Build websites with WordPress. Bingo. So I’m at the gym one day trying to exercise my way out of that quesadilla/Miller Lite habit I mentioned earlier, and this girl asks me what I do for a living. “I’m in IT. Oh, and I do web design on the side.” I immediately feel my face get hot. Why did you just lie to her? You’re not a web designer! You’ve never had one client, liar!!! “Ohmigosh, do you know WordPress? We use it at work and our developer ghosted and I’ve got this event coming up and I need major help.” Wait, so I can come to your rescue? She had said the magic words. We set a coffee date up, and I had my first client. A few weeks later, I mention this side hustle to a friend. “You know WordPress? My dad’s site got hacked and he doesn’t know what to do. Can you help?” Um, yep. I’ve cleaned a hack or two in my day. I can help. The following week, I get a phone call from a vendor at my day job. “Hey, who built your website? We have to move all of our clients to WordPress and we need help!” And before I know it, I’m working an extra 40 hours a week outside of my day job. But I’m not the web designer I always imagined – a creative genius who is building gorgeous, innovative websites that I’m proud to show off. I’m a pixel-pusher, taking orders and barely charging for my time because I feel bad that I’m not an expert certified web designer who can code a website from scratch with a degree in computer science – and these people really need my help! I can’t ask them for more money when they ask me for more changes – but I’m super resentful when they do!! Blend all of that with a family emergency and I was perfectly poised for a breakdown – which came in the form of me losing my ish on a coworker, sending a poorly written apology email, and taking the rest of the day off. This is too much. I’m wrapping up these client projects, and then I’m done, I thought. My dream of becoming a freelance web designer had died. Or so I thought. Because if you’re anything like me, once you REALLY want something, you’re not going to stop until you figure it out. I was on my way to work, and instead of listening to garbage morning radio I had started listening to podcasts, and this particular morning Chalene Johnson was interviewing this guy, Pat Flynn, who makes money by giving away everything he knows about creating passive income online, and he earns affiliate commissions on the plugins and themes and hosting and services people bought to implement what he taught. Wait, what??? It’s like I heard a record scratch in my own mind. This is a thing? You mean, I can create videos teaching everything I’ve learned about harnessing the power of WordPress over the past several years and make money from it – AND I won’t have to work with clients? Um, SIGN ME UP!!!! At that moment, everything changed. In my spare time, I started researching affiliate programs and was astounded at how many there were for products and services I already used. I began to outline my tutorial videos and scheduled time to record them. In the evenings worked on building my website and signing up for affiliate programs. On the weekends I recorded my tutorials and added them to my website. In just a couple of months, I had created the 5 Day Website Challenge, a free 5-module video course that teaches how to build an entire WordPress site, the same exact site I built for paying clients with no steps left out. It had a few affiliate recommendations in it for tools that I used myself and were teaching inside of the training, but 90% of it could be done at no cost to the Challenger. Okay, it’s done… now how do I get people to find it? Which led to the bigger question that I had failed to ask myself before diving in a building the thing… Who is this actually for? There have got to be more people out there like me, I thought. Women in their mid-thirties who just looked up one day and thought, is this it? Is this all there is to life? I had a different dream, and now I’m just trapped and I want the freedom of being my own boss, being in control of my time and taking the glass ceiling off of my earning potential. Women who want to start an online business like that B-School thing I kept hearing about or like Chalene teaches in her Marketing Impact Academy. I want to help those women build their websites so that they can have their dream too! The other thing that I knew from listening to Pat Flynn and Chalene Johnson is that I needed to build an email list. And so I set my WordPress training up to be something that I’d give away for free in exchange for an email address so I had that part down, but I wasn’t quite sure how to go about building my email list. So I just Googled “how to build an email list” and I found Nathalie Lussier’s 30 Day List Building Challenge – and the strategies I learned in that training are what led me to my very first subscriber and my very first affiliate commissions, and the realization that I had created something that people really, really need. So I put my head down and focused on list-building. Get as many people as possible to sign up for the 5 Day Website Challenge so I can earn affiliate revenue and not be an order-taking pixel pusher (outside of my day job anyway). What I did not expect is that my dream clients started asking me to build their websites for them. Powerful women building life-changing online businesses wanted me to build their websites. And at first, I told them no, I don’t work one on one with clients. I just teach you how to DIY. And I was also very CONFUSED –  why would you want to pay me when I’m showing you exactly what to do – for free? But then it hit me. I had earned their trust by peeling back the curtain on my process. I had built credibility by freely giving away my knowledge. And people felt like they already knew and liked me because I shared stories like this one about why I was giving it all away for free to them because I didn’t want them to be held back by the tech. I didn’t have to “sell” my services, people were asking me if they could BUY from me. It’s a business owners’ dream! And I said no!!! Can you believe it? And I said no because I was afraid. I didn’t want it to feel like how it felt before when I had no systems, no processes, no boundaries and no help and placed no value on my skillset or my time. Plus I still had a day job and I wanted to have somewhat of a life outside of it! By then, I had released a paid WordPress training course that was not making the millions I had expected it to make, so I set up a consultation with a sales expert who had taken my 5 Day Website Challenge. She had reached out to me for some advice and when I read her website copy I knew she was the person who could help me sell this course! That free twenty-minute conversation changed my life. I walked away realizing that it didn’t matter how I had learned what I knew or whether I knew everything there is to know, my years of knowledge and experience MATTER! The fact that I know how to find the answers quickly MATTERS. The fact that I want to help people get what they want MATTERS, and it all has value. And when I decided to put systems and processes in place and create a web design package together that I knew I could deliver while still working full time at a price that felt good to me, I started to say YES to people that asked to work with me. And every time I worked with a client, I learned something new that would lead to a change in my process or my pricing. Oh, that took WAY longer than I thought it would. I need to charge more for that next time. We got off track here, how can I prevent that from happening with the next client? I need help, I’m going to bring in some subcontractors so that I can get all of this work done on time. And over the next two years, I consistently grew the passive income I was making from courses and affiliate marketing, and the time-for-money income I was making building websites for clients. When I got to the point where I was completely maxed out on time and the amount of money I could make while still having a day job, I put in a 7-month notice at work. I gave them 7 months because I’d also been promoted to an executive role and I wanted to give them plenty of time to find a replacement. I quit my day job on January 2, 2018, and I’ve consistently earned between $8,000 – $10,000 month since becoming self-employed. So here are five things that I want you to take away from my story: You don’t need a portfolio to build credibility. I still don’t have a portfolio on my website! Simply give away everything you know for free by creating tutorials, training, and content. It positions you as trustworthy and as credible to people that need what you have to offer. You can call yourself a web designer whether you’ve had paying clients or not. If you know how to build a website (code or no code), then you can call yourself a web designer. Or if you’re not ready to say that just yet, you can offer web design services. Or say you build websites. It’s not like being called Doctor. No one has to bestow the title upon you. You are definitely going to mess things up, but like Marie Forleo says, everything is figureoutable. Something is not going to go as you expect on every single project, but if you’re a problem-solver, if you’re persistent and you’re willing to dig in and figure it out, you’ll be fine. Yeah, you might lose some time, but you’ll know for the next time you come across that same problem! You are never going to know everything there is to know. You just aren’t. There’s no better way to learn than as you go in real-life situations. Yes, it might take you longer. But are you confident in your ability to find the answers as you go? If you’re not confident, there’s no amount of learning or schooling that can get you there because you will always run into something you don’t know how to do. Please don’t work for free or barter for experience or exposure. You’ll end up working for that client for free (or super cheap) forever. How do you draw the line between what you’ll do for free and what they have to now pay for? And once you get some paying clients, who is going to come last? Yep, the client who doesn’t pay you. And then they get resentful because now they are in a bad spot and you’re not available to help them. When you work for free, you also start getting referrals of clients that also can’t afford to pay you for your services. Your time and knowledge are valuable, even when you’re just starting out, and it gets even more valuable over time. You have got to start right out of the gate setting firm boundaries on your pricing, otherwise, like me, you’ll feel resentful, burnt out and at risk of giving up on your dream! If you’re going to spend any time doing something you aren’t immediately getting paid to do, spend it on creating free content that builds your credibility and putting together packages of services you feel confident you can deliver! So how do you start a web design business without a portfolio or having had a single client? Start by building the best website you’ve ever built for your own business. Pretend you are your own dream client and just knock your own socks off. Then, start creating content that helps other people get what they want and positions you as someone who knows her stuff. And give it all away for free to attract traffic to your website. You’re not giving away your time for free, you’re giving away your knowledge. There’s a difference. Then go create something extra awesome to build your email list, build trust over time through consistency and then let people know when you have open development spots on your schedule and set up free consultations. You’ll be closing sales with confidence in no time, and you’ll look back at the days where you worried about not having a portfolio with fond memories.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! A podcast website something you totally CAN do yourself, even if you’re not techie. I’m going to break down how to build a website for your podcast for you step-by-step and give you all the best resources to use your website to get more podcast listeners and subscribers! We’ll cover: Why your podcast should have its own website separate from your main website Must-have plugins & tools for your podcast website Building the foundation of your podcast website How to save time with your show notes and leverage them to get your podcast in front of more people – plus a free show notes checklist. How to create easy-to-say links for your podcast. How to use SEO to get more listeners. How to use your podcast website to get more subscribers. How to use your podcast to build your email list. A must-have tool and creative ways to get more podcast reviews. WHY YOUR PODCAST SHOULD HAVE ITS OWN WEBSITE SEPARATE FROM YOUR MAIN WEBSITE I get it… it’s super tempting to just create a podcast page on your main website and link it off to iTunes for people to subscribe. It’s also tempting to use the web page Libsyn creates for you for each episode, but WordPress is way more powerful when it comes to social sharing and SEO to market your podcast and increase your number of subscribers. You’re missing a huge opportunity to drive more traffic to your podcast with SEO and get more reach for every episode with automated social sharing when your podcast doesn’t have it’s very own website. How (and why) to build a website for your podcast. #podcast #wordpress It’s absolutely worth paying for a domain and hosting for your podcast, and you can get web hosting for your podcast website for just $2.95/month with Bluehost* when you use my affiliate link! MUST-HAVE PLUGINS AND TOOLS FOR YOUR PODCAST WEBSITE Self-Hosted WordPress* (I recommend Bluehost and you get a discount when you use my affiliate link). Divi by Elegant Themes* Canva for Work Simple Podcast Press WordPress Plugin Simple Podcast Press Get Reviews Social Warfare WordPress Plugin CoSchedule Yoast SEO WordPress Plugin Pretty Links WordPress Plugin Planoly Instagram Scheduling Linktree for Instagram BUILDING THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR PODCAST WEBSITE Building a website for your podcast is just like building any other website – you want to make sure you’ve got the right plugins in place and that you’re taking advantage of SEO and analytics and all the functionality that WordPress brings to the table. I’ve created a free course called the 5 Day Website Challenge that will teach you step by step over 5 days how to build the exact same website I build for my clients. Like, no step is left out. YES, GIVE ME FREE ACCESS TO THE 5 DAY WEBSITE CHALLENGE! One of the biggest questions people ask me when building a website for their podcast is, “What theme should I use for my podcast website?” and I recommend that you go with Divi by Elegant Themes* for a few reasons: If you don’t want to buy a third-party podcast player, Divi* has an audio player module that you drop into your blog post and then paste your Libsyn podcast episode URL and voila, you’ve got a built-in podcast player right on the episode page. You can create a layout for your show notes page and save it in the Divi* library. Then every time you go to publish a new episode on your site, most of the work is already done for you. I walk you through how to set up Divi* step-by-step inside the 5 Day Website Challenge. You’ll do a couple of extra things that I don’t cover in the 5 Day Website Challenge for your podcast website: If you decide to use a podcast player, you’ll add it right below your email opt-in form. Instead of describing your freebie in the content of your homepage, you’ll add the Divi* Blog module and feature the show notes for your latest episodes. And instead of writing blog posts, your posts will become your episode show notes. You’ll link to your main website (if you have one) from your navigation menu. You can use my podcast website, Pep Talks for Side Hustlers, as a model for yours! CREATING YOUR SHOW NOTES IN WORDPRESS There are two ways you can go about getting your show notes pages created – automated and manual. AUTOMATED: If you want to automate the creation of your show notes, you can add your show notes and podcast image to Libsyn (or wherever your podcast is hosted) and then use a plugin like Simple Podcast Press to automatically create a new blog post every time a new show is launched. I like this method because your show notes page creation is automated, BUT, I do recommend that you take a few extra steps to really optimize the show notes page for SEO & social media. So it’s not quite “set it and forget it,” but it’s pretty dang close. MANUAL: If you create your show notes page manually, it’s as simple as creating a new blog post for each episode. It doesn’t take that much longer, and you can do them in batches and schedule them to go live when your episode is going live. If you use Divi*, you can create a layout for your show notes page and save it to your Divi Library and load it up for each new episode. Add your chosen podcast to the post, then you can add your show notes and the images that you created in Canva to the post and to Social Warfare so that listeners can share your episodes out to their social networks. Add your keywords and a short description of your podcast episode to Yoast SEO, and then schedule the episode in Coschedule to automate social sharing. Set the post to publish on the date your episode goes live, and you’ve already done all the hard work to get your podcast out to the world. FREE PODCAST PUBLISHING CHECKLIST Enter your name and email address to get your free podcast publishing checklist sent straight to your inbox! Yes, send the checklist! Yes, I want to also get Shannon’s awesome weekly newsletter with super valuable content & offers to help me get more traffic, more subscribers and more customers. CREATING EASY-TO-SAY LINKS FOR YOUR PODCAST If you’re referencing a past podcast episode during your podcast, you’re not going to say “Go check out episode 68 at https://peptalksforsidehustlers.com/how-to-get-more-traffic-to-your-website/.” But if you simply change the main URL of your podcast episode to the episode number so that you’re saying “Go check out episode 68 at peptalksforsidehustlers.com/68,” you’re missing out on the SEO benefit you get from having keywords in your URLs! So what’s the solution? Pretty Links! This WordPress plugin lets you keep keywords in your main URL and create a pretty, easy-to-say link that forwards the listener to your show notes (or your affiliate links or your special offer). A must-have plugin for anyone with a podcast! USING SEO TO GET MORE PODCAST LISTENERS Don’t let iTunes be in control of your podcast’s visibility!Build a website for your podcast in just 5 days! Creating a show notes page with a keyword-rich episode title, URL, and episode description and then using Yoast SEO to set your focus keyword and meta description will help people searching for your topic find your podcast in Google search results. USING YOUR PODCAST WEBSITE TO GET MORE SUBSCRIBERS Using a podcast player like Smart Podcast Player or Simple Podcast Press will automatically add subscribe buttons for all the places your podcast is available, but you also want to add them strategically to the homepage of your podcast website and to the sidebar so that your visitors can’t miss them! USING YOUR PODCAST WEBSITE TO BUILD YOUR EMAIL LIST You can create a content upgrade for your podcast and put an email opt-in form for it on your podcast homepage. Mention this in every episode, and put an opt-in form for it in your sidebar as well as a popup on your show notes pages. I show you how to create email opt-in form inside the 5 Day Website Challenge. Using a podcast player like Smart Podcast Player or Simple Podcast Press will also let you add email subscription forms to your player. Make sure you’re following GDPR guidelines to get consent if you plan to send future emails out with your latest episodes or special offers! GETTING MORE REVIEWS Using Simple Podcast Press’s “Get More Reviews” Tool, you can easily add a direct link to your iTunes review page to your: Podcast website on the homepage and sidebar Social media posts Your Linktree on Instagram Your email newsletter Email signature LEVERAGE THE POWER OF WORDPRESS TO GROW YOUR PODCAST! WordPress is more than just a website platform, it’s a powerful tool that can help you connect your podcast with your ideal listener! You can totally do it yourself, even if you’re not techie! Go sign up for the 5 Day Website Challenge today and get free access to short, step-by-step video modules to help you get your podcast website online in just 5 days!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! n episode 123 I broke down for you exactly how I plan and prepare for a daily podcast episode. So after I’ve planned and prepped, it’s time for the 3rd P, which is Production. So during my planning phase, I created a template podcast file in Audacity that has my intro, outro, and music – so I open that up, save it as a new file with my episode number, and then I mute the tracks that have audio on them, so they don’t play when I hit record, and then I hit record and start reading my script. In the beginning, I’d mess up a lot, or if I’m tired I’ll stumble on my words, so I stop immediately, edit it out, and start over and keep going. That’s just what works for me because I don’t want to have to go back and listen to the whole thing and edit after the fact. Once I’ve finished my part, I move what I recorded to the right spot after the intro, move the outro to the right spot, normalize it so all the audio is at the same level – that’s an effect in Audacity – and then once it’s done, I export it as an MP3 to a special folder that’s linked to my Dropbox, and I’ll tell you more about what I do with that in the 4th P. Then I save that file as the next episode, remove what I just recorded, start recording the next one, and repeat the process with my template until I’m done! If I have a guest, I’ll start the call with them with some chitchat, and then when we’re ready I’ll be like okay I’m gonna start in 3, 2, 1 and then I introduce them. After I wrap up the podcast part, typically we’re still on the line, I thank them and let them know I’ll follow up to get pictures and let them know when their episode is going live. And then I download the audio file from Zoom and import it into Audacity. After those episodes, I do go back, I listen to the whole thing and I write bullet points on what we talked about. I split it into two episodes, and then I write a quick intro and outro for each one. Then I open up that same template, record my intro and line it up, import the interview audio and line it up, record my outro, line it up and then add my general outro. Save, export to MP3, Done. For 7 episodes, it takes me about 4 hours to write them, and 4 hours to record and export them. Which brings me to the 4th P – Publish. This is a step that I did myself when I first started, and now I’ve outsourced it to my awesome VA team. I did it myself with the full intention of figuring out the process and handing it over to them. Once I’ve got my episodes exported to that special Dropbox folder and my spreadsheet of dates, titles, and descriptions done, I hand it over to my VA team. They upload the episode, add all the details, and schedule the episode for release in LibSyn which is the company I use to host my podcast. They create graphics for Pinterest, Instagram, and my website. They schedule my show notes as blog posts on my Pep Talks for Side Hustlers website, and they schedule social sharing of all of my episodes. When I was doing it myself, that whole process took about an hour per episode. So now I’m saving an entire day in publishing. Speaking of my podcast website, if you’re thinking about starting a podcast, please also build a dedicated website for it. I’ll teach you how to DIY inside of my Free 5 Day Website Challenge, and in episode 125 I’m going to break down How to Build a Website For Your Podcast which I’ll link up in the show notes so you can see the special things I added on to help me promote my podcast. And maybe I’ll get to the point where I don’t need to pre-write the episodes – or maybe I’ll get to the point where I’ll have someone else listening to my guest episodes, writing those show notes, and scripting my intros and outros so all I need to do is record. And maybe I’ll get to the point where I’m literally just recording my part and someone else is lining up the intro, outro and exporting the file and updating my spreadsheet. That’s the goal anyway. A podcast is a labor of love, I think. You have to be really passionate about the topic because it’s a lot of work. Marketing your podcast and building a listenership really fun, but also a lot of work.   And I 100% recommend Pat Flynn’s PowerUp Podcasting Course – it will not only break down all the tech, it will show you step by step how to get your show into iTunes, how to launch and market it, and every detail you didn’t know you needed to know about podcasting, Pat covers in that course. So if you have any other questions about starting a podcast, reach out! You can find me on Instagram and Twitter @shannonlmattern, join our Facebook group at Pep Talks for Side Hustlers.com/Facebook or just email me, shannon@wp-bff.com – I’d love to hear from you!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! So after I released the 100th episodes of this podcast – more than a few people said to me “How in the world do you do a daily podcast? Like, how do you have time for that?” And then another friend texted me and asked me what equipment I use and how I put it all together. Over the next couple of episodes, I’m going to break it all down for you. So as I was thinking about my process, it really comes down to the four Ps of Podcasting: Planning, Preparing, Producing, and Publishing Okay, so let’s start with… Planning First, let’s talk about content. How in the world did I come up with enough content to do a daily podcast? Well, I have the luxury of having been blogging for the past three years, and also running a community of a couple thousand entrepreneurs who are just a few steps behind me in building their businesses, so I get asked a LOT of questions. I also do a podcast about my own experiences of starting a side hustle with the intent of making it my full-time job, growing it to the point where I could quit, all of my stumbling blocks and lessons learned along the way, so… There’s not a whole lot of research that needs to be done for that! I’m just being myself and telling my story, which once you’ve found your voice is pretty easy to do. I’ve known for a few years that I wanted to create a podcast… Probably because I’ve got a lot to say about my experiences growing a side hustle and transitioning to being my own boss that bores my friends and my husband tears… So in planning out this show, I literally opening up a Google Doc and wrote down who this show is for, what I will be talking about in general, and my content pillars as Amy Porterfield calls them – which are Mindset, Time Management, Tactics, Tools, Planning, Execution, and Relationships. And then under each pillar, I just brain dumped every single thing I could possibly talk about related to that topic. I went through all of my old blog posts and linked them up under that pillar in the Google Doc, and before I knew it I had over 100 topics to talk about. I definitely didn’t have to force it! Then I scripted out my intro and my outro, and then I picked a day to be Podcast Day. I know for sure that if I was still working full time I would not be able to do a daily podcast, because I need like a whole entire day to do 7 episodes. But I would have 100% been able to do a weekly podcast. Okay, so now that I’ve got my content game down and I’ve got the time blocked, I dove into Pat Flynn’s PowerUp Podcasting course. I had actually purchased it over a year ago. I saw Pat Speak at Chalene Johnson’s Marketing Impact Academy in San Diego, and he did a beta launch at the end of his speech. I jumped on the opportunity to have Pat Flynn teach me how to make a podcast even though I knew a podcast was a ways off for me. So lucky for me, I had the course just waiting for me to dive in! I went ahead and ordered the microphone, the retractable arm and the pop filter he recommends inside the course, which honestly the price was right at the time but the joints and the hardware is all starting to wear out and things fall over – but anyway, I digress… I’m glad I started with the cheap stuff and I’ll work my way up to pro gear as I progress! I binge watched the course – because I like to know where I’m going before I get started – and then I decided I’d go ahead and install the free Audacity software on my MacBook to record and edit the podcast simply because I’ve used it before in my previous life as an employee. Then, I created a template audio file in Audacity. I’ve got my intro, my outro, and my music in that template, and I’ll share more about how I use that when we get to the third P. Finally, I created a folder on my Google Drive for all of my scripts, and I made an episode tracking sheet to help me keep track of the episodes because I know myself, I’ll probably record the same episode twice and not remember!! It’s also to help my team publish the episodes, which I’ll get to a bit later. Now I’m ready to go, and I’m 100% committed. Because in my mind, there’s no doubt that I have enough content in me for 7 episodes a week, I’ve blocked Podcast Day and it’s non-negotiable, and I’m ready to roll! To me, a podcast isn’t something you do sometimes, you gotta create a consistent schedule and stick to it – I mean, I expect new episodes weekly from the podcasts I listen to, right? That leads me to the second P, which is Preparation. I prepare for each episode that’s not a guest episode by scripting it out. script out each pep talk that’s not a guest episode – and the reason for that if I’m just winging it, I have a tendency to ramble on and repeat myself and say you know, um… a thousand times. I’m a writer, I love to write so it’s not a big deal to me to write these out beforehand and boom, transcripts, and show notes are done! Sometimes I write the shows on Saturday mornings, sometimes on Monday, and sometimes, I do them on Podcast day. It really just depends on what I’ve got going on that week. If it’s a guest episode that I have scheduled, I give them a list of questions beforehand, but I start every interview the same way – by asking the guest to tell me about themselves and how they started their business, and then I take the conversation from there – there’s not a whole lot of prep other than reaching out to them, asking them to be on the show, getting it scheduled, and setting up a Zoom call and inviting them to it. Pretty straightforward! I like to record in the morning when I can, so sometimes preparing means also actually talking so I don’t sound like I just woke up, and I’m like, perpetually stuffy so making sure I sound clear and all that good stuff. So I write my 7 episodes, or however many I need to that I don’t have guests for, and then I number them, set a publish date for them, give them titles and a super short description, all of which goes into my tracking spreadsheet, and then, I make another cup of coffee, fill up my water bottles and get to work!!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! I love answering questions from side hustlers who are serious about growing their side hustles to make it their full-time business, and today I’m answering a question from Helen who asks: What are your top one or two tips for a side hustler, i.e. what is the 1 thing that you would say we need to always do to make this our full-time business? So my advice is going to come from the perspective of creating an online business because that’s what I’ve done. When I tell people I know that I don’t have any local clients they find it so weird, but that’s my business model! So I’m not gonna lie, there are a lot of things you need to do to make your side hustle a full-time gig, but if I could pick just one thing that I think is going to make the most difference for you, it’s consistency. You have to be consistent every single day by putting time into your side hustle. And that consistent time should have a plan and a purpose behind it. I was listening to Denise Duffield Thomas’s audiobook re-release of her book Lucky B, and in it, she said something about how in her business, no matter what she’s doing, all roads lead to boot camp – which I think she’s referring to her money boot camp. So to be consistent every single day, you have to know where you’re going right? So what is the one thing that you do that all roads should lead to? That’s the first thing to know and be solid on. That doesn’t have to be a product right now if you’re just getting started – maybe that means all roads lead to your email list so that you can figure out what to offer for sale. That’s totally fine. And if you don’t know that, put some consistent time into figuring that out whether it means putting together a package or hiring a coach or taking a course to help you figure it out. Then, you build your roads that lead to the one thing – and you put consistent time into doing that. So if the destination is an email list, you put some consistent time into building the road – which is typically blog post > freebie – and you start at the end by creating the freebie and then working backward. After that’s built, it’s all about creating consistent content – and then every so often offering your services for sale, or getting people into a funnel or however sophisticated your system is. So if you know where you are going, you know what roads are leading there, then you know where to spend your time, and you decide how much time you have every day to build the roads and then you show up every day, consistently, and you build the road. What I see happen most often with people is they get off track. They don’t have a plan so when life comes and hits them in the face, it keeps them away for months. And then it’s like they are starting over every single time. You have to just keep going with intention. There’s no magic bullet, I keep looking for it myself and not finding it so if I do find the secret formula for success I’ll let you know – so until then, show up with intention every single day and one day you’ll look at the road behind you and be amazed that you’ve come so far!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! LISTENER: I had a quick question if you don’t mind. Have you used a business coach or strategist before and do you have one you can recommend? I am getting a bit stuck with what to do when and need someone to help me clarify and plan. I think my biggest struggle currently is that I am not earning any money 😉 I’ll hit about 3.5k page views this month and have just over 100 subscribers. I don’t want to use ads or sponsored posts and I am using affiliates sparingly as I don’t really want to go that route either. I really want to make money through courses but I am unsure whether I should just focus on building my list at the moment or whether I should just get on with creating the courses at the same time. Any advice is much appreciated! FROM ME: Here’s what I recommend if you’re not into sponsored posts and affiliate marketing: You have a list of 100 people – ask them what their biggest struggle is when it comes to whatever it is you know you can help them do. From those responses, figure out what you can create to solve that problem. Maybe it’s a course, maybe it’s a group coaching program, maybe it’s an e-book. Awesome, but don’t go out and make it just yet. At this point, I would beta test it. You can do this a few different ways – invite your list to a webinar where you sell beta spots in this course, and then create and release modules on a schedule and get their feedback along the way and get testimonials at the end. Or just sell it via email without the webinar. Pre-sell the e-book with a release date. The mistake I’ve made in the past is building the whole entire thing first and then launching it to no one. The other thing you mentioned is that you’re getting 3.5K page views – you may want to take another look at your email opt-in forms, make sure you’re optimizing them throughout your site to get more subscribers and make sure you have a really strong call to action with a super actionable freebie so that you’re better capturing that traffic! LISTENER: I have asked some of my list about what they needed help with but got crickets! I have started to get some responses to other emails that are giving me an insight into what might be needed. I’ve also added an email asking what people need at the end of the email sequence for my opt-ins. I have got one response so far but will wait and see whether I get any more as I only added in quite recently. One lady suggested a monthly subscription to a slack group as a support system to help people get their life back. I thought that was an interesting idea! Pre-launching on a webinar is a good idea although the thought terrifies me. Where do you host your webinars? I have already built the spreadsheets for the course (as I use them myself) and was going to start recording the ‘how to’ videos. Perhaps I’ll record the first couple of videos like you said and try and pre-sell the course before I make any more. I will definitely go back over my opt-ins, I have quite a few on the go at the moment and need to really dig into what is working. One thing I haven’t done is added them to the posts I am publishing on Medium so I will go back and do that.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Something I have wrestled with since the day I launched the 5 Day Website Challenge is how much I’m giving away for free. The 5 Day Website Challenge is like, my whole entire web design process from start to finish. It’s the same process that clients pay me thousands of dollars to do for them, broken down into over five training videos. When I first launched it back in January of 2015, it was completely free with a Facebook group for support, and I earned affiliate commissions from those people that chose to purchase my recommended products. In the first 6 months the challenge grew from 0 to about 600 people – but what I realized is that most people are joining the Challenge after they already have web hosting, which is where I make the bulk of my affiliate commissions, so I wasn’t making as much money as I had expected based on typical conversion rates. Then about halfway through 2015, I decided to make the Facebook group a premium feature because it was there that I was spending a couple of hours a day answering questions that people had whenever they’d get stuck. I put this weird pressure on myself that I had to be in there constantly, letting no question go unanswered for more than a couple of hours, which was a super tall order considering I still had a day job and everything else I was doing for my company, WP+BFF. Guess what happened after I did that? Everything slowed. People stopped sharing the 5 Day Website Challenge. They weren’t upgrading to get access to the Facebook group. My email list growth stalled and my affiliate commissions stalled. I realized that I had removed a key part of the Challenge that helped me build the know, like, and trust factor that’s required for selling online – me, in the group, showing up, providing value and getting to know people – so I made the Facebook group free again, but set the expectation that I’d be in there answering questions just a couple times a week instead of 24/7. In my quest to further monetize what people would tell me, wow, I can’t believe you give all of that away for free, I joined a premium priced sales coaching training boot camp. My intention was to learn how to better sell my extended WordPress training. When I had my one-on-one call with the course creator, she swiftly told me that I should make Days 1 and 2 free, but make people pay to continue the Challenge. Her reasoning was that most people were dropping off at Day 3 anyway, so why not get the people that are fully invested to pay. And I get it. I understand what she meant by getting those people who were already bought in to by in further and giving them a chance to pay me, but I actually never tried that… It just didn’t sit right with me. It felt like a bait and switch. I mean, I’m sure I could have made it work so it felt authentic, but at the time I just couldn’t see how. My gut told me not to do it. So I continued doing what I was doing for a while until it was time to update my videos, which I do about every 6-9 months. At that time, I also decided to upgrade my online course platform. I was using OptimizePress, which at $99 a year is a steal over other online course platforms, although sometimes it feels like you have to be a rocket scientist to get all the options just right for it to work the way you intend (which is why I created a course on it, but that’s another story). My mentor-from-afar Nathalie Lussier had just released her AccessAlly plugin and I had just moved from Mailchimp to Infusionsoft for my email marketing platform, so I was totally able to use her plugin – and I was pumped because it really is like the cream of the crop when it comes to online course plugins. It’s so intuitive and it’s really built with the entrepreneur in mind. So instead, I decided to offer an instant access upgrade. I got the idea from Nathalie Lussier’s 30 Day List Building Challenge – it’s a totally free training that is dripped out over 30 days, but if you want to unlock all 30 Days at once, you can pay like $27 and get it all. So I decided that instead of taking part of the Challenge away after a couple of days and putting it behind a paywall, I’d make an offer to the people that really were serious and major action takers and give them an opportunity to get access to all 5 days of the Challenge at once plus some bonus content for just $17. But to be totally honest, I wrestled with it. Sometimes it felt like I was totally devaluing myself. If I really wanted to quit my day job, I did need to make actual money to pay the bills, right? So last fall, I was at a conference in my hometown called Women in Digital, and I can’t even remember what the session was about, but I could feel this internal struggle building up in me during the presentation, so when it was time for Q&A I raised my hand and I said, “I’m a web designer, and I provide 1:1 web design services but also teach entrepreneurs how to build their own websites with WordPress, and I have this tutorial series that I give away totally for free. But I struggle with this all the time – why would anyone hire me when I’m giving away my entire process for free? I feel like I’m shooting myself in the foot sometimes.” And the presenter told me to go buy this book called Getting Naked and it would give me some perspective on why I should keep doing what I’m doing. So being the good student that I am, I promptly ordered it on Amazon Prime and it arrived at my door the next day. I cracked it open, and read the first few pages and I was like, “Okay, this is SO BORING, I don’t see what it has to do with my question at all, I don’t have time for this, I’ll read some other time.” And I put it on my bookshelf and there it sat, for a year. And in the meantime, I relaunched my 5 Day Website Challenge again, this time testing a new monetization strategy: free for 30 days, upgrade for $29 any time for lifetime access. A few weeks ago, something inspired me to pick it back up. Who knows what. So it’s a story about this guy who works at a management consulting firm that acquires their nemesis consulting firm who like, wins every single contract and has raving fans for clients and gets all their business on referrals and has like no sales team. And it’s this guy’s job to go in, figure out what’s going on with all of their clients and absorb them all into this monster firm. And he’s shocked one day when he goes out on a pitch meeting with this firm because they didn’t have a sales presentation or big partners with them, they literally went into this meeting and got straight to work on figuring out what the problems were and providing solutions. And the mean guy is like “You’re working for free? Aren’t you going to bill them for that? You weren’t even prepared with a sales presentation.” And the other guy is like “We don’t do that, we’re partners with our clients, we don’t care if they go and use one of our ideas from that free meeting and go make $10 million dollars, we know who they are going to call or refer when they need someone.” And that’s exactly what I have experienced. People who built websites with me three years ago with my free Challenge are now at a point in their business where they are ready to take it to the next level and too busy to DIY, or they just need something more robust that they want my team to build for them. People that built a website with me that will probably never buy a single thing from me send referrals my way constantly which result in revenue. The word of mouth marketing I get is awesome. Would I make more money if I put everything behind a paywall? Maybe in the short term, but I think I’d have to spend a lot more on marketing to get people in the door. And my $29 for lifetime access test? Some people are going to tell me that price is way too low and that I’m making it seem like it’s not worth it to pay for. Others will tell me it’s too expensive. Others think it’s a bargain, and others think it’s the right price. It’s all relative. But in looking at my stats – if people are going to upgrade, they do it in the first 5 days because they are super motivated to get their site done. And those people that upgrade are likely to become customers of my other products – and it’s because they are the type of target customer I’m trying to attract, not because my training isn’t any good and no one will pay for it – which is a thought I’ve been guilty of thinking even in the face of hundreds of testimonials that say otherwise. If people don’t upgrade then, what my data shows me is that the majority – not everyone, there are always exceptions – but the majority are unlikely to complete the challenge at all, let alone pay for lifetime access. So I tell you all of this today to tell you two things: Don’t be afraid to give away your best stuff for free. Not your TIME, but your best information, tips, and strategies. It shows your expertise, builds your credibility and it builds trust and the value comes back to you in other ways besides money. Referrals. Customers who have been waiting for the right time to work with you. Word of mouth. And two: test different pricing strategies and be willing to accept whatever outcome the data shows you. Try not to get your self-worth all tied up in it. Test different things, find what feels right for YOU. As you gain confidence, you’ll increase your price. And everyone if going to have a different opinion of your price. Try not to have making money be the only factor in your pricing strategy. I know that sounds weird because it’s business, and we’re in business to make money, but I’m also in business to make an impact AND make money. What about you?

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Jen Snyder teaches moms how they can work from home so that they can have a flexible schedule to be there for their kids. A mission to help women win the game of online business. I believe that every woman should have the flexibility to earn an income on their own terms. I believe that every woman should have the opportunity to do work they love on their own schedule. Running a business online allows you to do just that! In Part 2 we’ll dig into: The first steps Jen recommends to someone who is just starting out to set themselves up for success. How to break down your time so that it aligns with your goals. The most important thing to invest your money in when you’re just starting out. How Jen balances her work and family time. Why Jen and her family have decided to transition to a full-time RV lifestyle with three young children. How she’s inspiring her children. What belief Jen had to change in order to get where she is today. The advice Jen has for you if you’re thinking about quitting your side hustle or going back to get a corporate job. Jen’s Three-Part Framework for Making Your First $1000 Online Get Jen’s 3 Part Framework to Making Your First $1k Online here. Join Women Winning Online on Facebook Visit Jen online at www.womenwinningonline.com

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Jen Snyder teaches moms how they can work from home so that they can have a flexible schedule to be there for their kids. A mission to help women win the game of online business. I believe that every woman should have the flexibility to earn an income on their own terms. I believe that every woman should have the opportunity to do work they love on their own schedule. Running a business online allows you to do just that! We’ll dig into: How burnout from her real estate marketing firm turned into Women Winning Online. How Jen grew Women Winning Online from scratch. Exactly how Jen overcame a lack of confidence when she first started. How Jen started to monetize her blog. The number one struggle she sees with women in her community that are holding them back. How your imperfection can inspire others. How Jen overcame the fear to start her membership site. Why being afraid of fear can keep you stuck. Why you don’t have to teach how to make money online to win online! Get Jen’s 3 Part Framework to Making Your First $1k Online here. Join Women Winning Online on Facebook Visit Jen online at www.womenwinningonline.com

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! You guys, can we talk about money for a second? In this episode, I’m confessing all of my weird money issues, like: Devaluing my experience and expertise. Worrying about other people’s budgets. The difference between taking money from companies from vs. people (see how I said “taking money from” rather than “working for/with” or “getting paid by” or “accepting payment”)? Negotiating against myself. If you can relate, I want to hear from you!!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to Part 2 of June Income Report where I’ll tell you exactly how much money I spend and what I spent it on, plus lessons learned along the way! Check out Part 1 of the June Income Report where I break down my income and how I earned it in Episode 115. If you want to build a website and learn how to make money online, check out this blog post on how to get started! View all of my income reports here! EXPENSES BREAKDOWN TOOLS AccessAlly (Membership plugin for all of my courses) – $79.00 Acuity Scheduling (Done For You Consultations) – $10.00 Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, etc.) $54.73 Auphonic (audio optimization for podcast) – $11.00 Bluehost – $0 Dropbox (File Storage) – $19.99 FreeConferenceCall.com  (Coaching & Client Calls) – $3.00 Cookiebot (GDPR Compliance) – $24 GSuite (wp-bff.com Email) – $10.76 Infusionsoft (email marketing, automation, e-commerce & customer management) – $330.66 LibSyn (Podcast Hosting) – $16.83 ManageWP (WordPress Site Management for Clients & WordPress Protection Package) – $101.61 Smart Podcast Player – $6 Soundup (Alexa Flash Briefing Hosting) – $9.99 Zapier – $15.00 Client Plugin Renewals – $30.00 TOTAL: $1108.09 MARKETING: Bonjoro (Video Welcome Service) – $25.00 CoSchedule (Social Media Scheduling) – $59.00 LinkTree Pro (Instagram Profile Links) $6.00 Tailwind (Pinterest) $8.61 Facebook Ads – 241.89 Creative Market Templates, etc. – $108.59 TOTAL: $449.50 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES: Bench Accounting – $135.00 TOTAL: $135.00 HELP: Subcontractors (VA Team, Graphic Designer, Web Developers) TOTAL: $940.55 LEARNING/MENTORSHIP Brock Johnson Hashtags – $27.00 TOTAL: $27 TRAVEL None FEES Credit Card Processing Fees: ~ $200 OFFICE SUPPLIES Toner, 2019 Planner and replacement Command key for my laptop: $196.54 TOTAL EXPENSES: $2515.71 NET PROFIT: $5656.04 BIGGEST LESSONS LEARNED June started out tough, then I had a turning point mid-month and it ultimately ended on an amazing note. AN EMOTIONALLY TOUGH MONTH It was tough because I had to come to terms emotionally with having to cancel a couple of large contracts. Even though they were monthly, cancel at any time contracts, I just felt like I was letting those people down and not meeting my obligation to them. But once I cancelled them, I felt such a sense of relief knowing that I’m doing what’s right for me and my business so that I can grow and I can actually help others achieve their goals. That sense of relief helped me come out of a fog of fear that had settled over me since I first left my day job in January. I hadn’t realized how negative my mindset had gotten because I was constantly worrying about whether I’d be able to pay myself on the 1st and the 15th of the month. And because I was in a constant state of worry, I was consuming as much information about business as I could, hoping that magic answer that would just make it all come easily would be out there. I was also gaining weight from the stress, which to me was crazy because the main reason I started my business was so that I could be in control of my time so that I would have time to eat healthy and work out. I had removed every single roadblock to losing weight, and yet, I still wasn’t doing what I know I needed to do to make it happen. I was still making excuses. BUSTING MY EXCUSES So one morning while we were camping, I opened up a Google Doc and I just started typing out every single reason why I couldn’t lose weight. I mean, I just let everything out on the page. Every single excuse that had piled up over the years, I just listed them out, one by one. And after I ran out of excuses, I went back to the top of the list, and starting with excuse number one, I wrote down all the reasons why that excuse wasn’t true. It was as if I wasn’t talking to myself, it was like I was talking to my best friend who I knew was struggling and really needed someone to give it to her straight in a really caring, compassionate way. And for the next week, every morning before I started work for the day, I pulled out that list and read it. It was a long one too. And before I knew it, those excuses began to sound ridiculous. And the truth I wrote below the excuses started to become my new story. And oddly enough, my actions began to follow. All the things that were hard before just weren’t hard. I just did them. And that continues still today. MY NEW BUSINESS STORY Seeing how much mental relief and traction I got from busting all my weight loss excuses, I decided to write down all the things I believed were making it really hard for me to reach my income goals each month. All my stories. All of my excuses. And then, like a kind friend, I told myself all of the reasons why those things weren’t true or they really didn’t matter. And I wrote my new story. I read it a few times a week in the morning to remind myself of what’s true, to keep me from slipping back into the fear. CHASING RELIEF After writing my new business story and ditching all those fearful excuses and beliefs, I felt even more relieved. I didn’t have too many projects vying for my attention in June. It felt like things slowed down a bit. More relief. Who is putting all of this pressure on me, anyway? Hmm… That’s a question I’ll have to explore another time 🙂 LEARNING BEFORE OUTSOURCING In June, I came to the realization I’m in a unique position in my business in that anything I do in my business to grow it is something I can teach to my community, so it’s very important to me to understand the strategy and tactics before handing them off to someone else. I don’t plan to stake my flag as a Pinterest expert, however, if I can figure out how to effectively use it to drive traffic to my site, with the help of a few experts, then I can better help my customers and clients. If I simply outsource the work to someone else without understanding what I’m outsourcing, (which I really couldn’t afford to do anyway), then I’m not learning anything that can bring me an even greater return on my investment. I feel the same way about websites. They are so, so powerful that I think almost everyone should understand the platform and its capabilities even if they plan to have someone else manage it! AN UNEXPECTED MEETING I mentioned in my list of things that happened in June that I went to my 20 year high school reunion! I almost skipped it, but once my best friend decided to also come into town for it, I couldn’t say no. And I’m so glad I went! Not only did I get to see a very close friend whom I hadn’t seen since my wedding several years ago, while I was standing at the bar waiting on my drink, a girl I didn’t recognize came up to me and said “I read your blog!” And I was like, totally dumbfounded. I was like, “What, are you serious?” And she said yep, she told me that she had been interested in starting a blog, she had found the 5 Day Website Challenge and had been a reader for a while, and as she was standing off to the side while the class picture was being taken and she saw me and thought no, is that Shannon Mattern? So she pulled up my website, showed it to her husband and he said yep! And she said she was totally nervous to meet me!! Which was totally mindblowing to me because I’m just like, ME!!! A normal girl from small-town Ohio! But the best part about it? Well, there were two best parts about it: One, my husband was standing right there, and after she left I turned around and looked at him, totally beaming, and I said, “OH MY GOD THAT WAS SO COOL!!!” And he just looked dumbfounded also. Because he kinda gets what I do, but he doesn’t really get the impact of what I do. And he was so proud of me, and that made me really happy. And the other best part is that I’m accomplishing what I’ve set out to accomplish, which is to just have an impact on people. To get them to believe that they can do something they’re passionate about and to help them get there. So Jen, if you’re reading this, THANK YOU for coming over to say hi to me and let me know how my blog has impacted you, that meant more to me than I can even explain!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my June Income Report! Each month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my online business and reveal exactly how much money I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! If you want to build a website and learn how to make money online, check out this blog post on how to get started! View all of my income reports here! IMPORTANT THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN JUNE I took a break from listening to online marketing podcasts. I started to focus on my health and fitness. I wrote March and April Income reports. I launched the new 5 Day Website Challenge with a new model – free for 30 Days, $29 to upgrade to lifetime access. I gave Serious Side Hustlers a facelift to match the 5 Day Website Challenge. I tested out running Facebook Ads to the 5 Day Website Challenge. I booked one new Done For You client in June. I brought on a project manager for that one Done For You Project. I cancelled my monthly Pinterest contract. I cancelled a monthly contract with a person that helped me do Done For You Projects. I held webinars promoting Serious Side Hustlers, Websites That Make Money, and the Web Designer Academy resulting in no new sales. I began to interview guests on my podcast. I went to my 20 year high school reunion. I paid my quarterly income taxes. My husband and I close on 4 acres of land where we will ultimately build our dream house. I batch-created content so that I could take a week of vacation in July without a gap. I decided to start offering monthly live workshops & Q&A calls for members of Serious Side Hustlers (or that non-members can also pay to attend). Notes I found to myself in my planner: “How Can I?” “*CONSISTENT EFFORT*” “‘Let me think about that and get back to you.’ ALWAYS” “Do fewer things better.” “If you ever want to come back to that conversation, I’m here for you.” “Automate” REVIEW OF MY GOALS Again, my goal each month has been to generate $10,000 in revenue because my rough breakdown to replace my old paycheck, cover business expenses and pay taxes is: $5000 – Income to cover my old paycheck. $2500 – Expenses $2500 – Taxes WHAT I FOCUSED ON IN JUNE In June, I gave my brain a breather from consuming large amounts of information about online marketing tactics and started listening to podcasts and books related to the keto diet and intermittent fasting. I also re-started Chalene Johnson’s 131 Diet, which makes me feel great! My mind really needed that space away from business podcasts because I have a tendency to implement new ideas as soon as I hear them, and it takes away my focus! I put a lot of time into content creation to prepare for vacation, learning Pinterest and creating the perfect pin design in June. That being said, here’s how much money I made in June 2018: INCOME BREAKDOWN PASSIVE INCOME: Affiliate Income –Bluehost – $880.00 Affiliate Income –Elegant Themes – $133.50 Affiliate Income –ConvertKit – $81.60 Affiliate Income – Suzanna Dibble’s GDPR Pack – $212.86 Affiliate Income – Acuity Scheduling – $212.86 5 Day Challenge Upgrade – $261.00 How to Start a Freelance Web Design Business Upgrade – $0.00 Serious Side Hustlers  – $841.00 Individual Courses – $0 Web Designer Academy  – $1295 Websites That Make Money Beta – $594.00 WordPress Protection Package – $159.76 PASSIVE INCOME TOTAL: $4435.12 TIME FOR MONEY INCOME Done For You Projects – $1083.00 Consulting – $2558 TIME FOR MONEY TOTAL: $3461 TOTAL INCOME: $8076.12

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Breanna Pair is the creative force behind Thrive, a conference and online space for bloggers to give them the education and support they need to create their online empire. Before we dive in I want to let you know about the Thrive Virtual Conference, a free online event on August 9 and 10, 2018 that will bring you 9 speakers to help you up your blogging game. Topics include tips on pitching brands, how to grow your blog strategically, creating a brand, tips to improve your photography, SEO tips to increase pageviews from yours truly, increasing traffic with Pinterest, setting yourself up for financial success and leveraging community for growth – plus opportunities to network with me and fellow speakers! You can register for this FREE here. Favorite quote from this episode: “When I hear bloggers say, ‘Why would anyone listen to me?’ I say, ‘Why not?!?’” Bree went from blogging as a creative outlet to graphic designer to creating an influential online movement to help bloggers thrive. In Part 2 of my interview with Bree, we’ll dig into: Why authenticity trumps expertise when it comes to landing sponsors. Why the tech is the least important part of your blog. The most important reason to stop obsessing over your blog design. Why content is the most important thing to spend your time on when it comes to your blog. Why Bree and her husband sold their house, bought a travel trailer and traveled the country for a year. The difference between work-life balance and work-life-play balance. The importance of building a tribe of like-minded entrepreneurs to support you in your journey. How to find local blogging groups in your area. The belief Bree had to change about herself in order to build Thrive to where it is today. The importance of trusting a team if you want to grow. You can find Bree on all the social medias at @breepair and check out Thrive here.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Breanna Pair is the creative force behind Thrive, a conference and online space for bloggers to give them the education and support they need to create their online empire. Before we dive in I want to let you know about the Thrive Virtual Conference, a free online event on August 9 and 10, 2018 that will bring you 9 speakers to help you up your blogging game. Topics include tips on pitching brands, how to grow your blog strategically, creating a brand, tips to improve your photography, SEO tips to increase pageviews from yours truly, increasing traffic with Pinterest, setting yourself up for financial success and leveraging community for growth – plus opportunities to network with me and fellow speakers! You can register for this FREE here. Favorite quote from this episode: “When I hear bloggers say, ‘Why would anyone listen to me?’ I say, ‘Why not?!?’” Bree went from blogging as a creative outlet to graphic designer to creating an influential online movement to help bloggers thrive. In this episode we’ll dig into: How a need Bree and her friends saw in the blogging community turned into Thrive. What Bree learned from being fired from her day job that has helped her build Thrive to what it is today. The tradeoffs between being an entrepreneur and an employee. Why the security of your day job is an illusion, and how your side hustle can be your insurance policy. How Bree coaches bloggers, influencers, and podcasters to get sponsorships. The mindset shift bloggers need to make to get better sponsorship deals. The basics any new blogger needs to have to build their brand. What goes into your media kit as a blogger. The most important component of your brand. You can find Bree on all the social medias at @breepair and check out Thrive here.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Ashley Beaudin’s mission is to prove that imperfect is normal and to inspire confidence in women so that they can make a bigger impact in the world. Favorite quote from this episode: “Who can I build a relationship with today?” ~Ashley Beaudin Her specialty is creating powerful online campaigns the move people to action. Ashley has a huge heart and she wants nothing more than to see everyone around her succeed. Today we’re talking about: The 5 main steps that Ashley uses to create her campaigns Why clarity around your message is the most important thing. How much time to allow yourself to run a successful campaign. The ideal amount of time to run a campaign. What advice Ashley would give to a side hustler struggling to get traction. The most important place to your focus when you’re just starting out. The real value that comes from attending conferences. Why you don’t have to talk about yourself to build relationships. Podcasts Mentioned in this episode: Melyssa Griffin’s Pursuit with Purpose @Melyssa_Griffin Books Mentioned in this episode:Brendon Burchard’s High Performance Habits @BrendonBurchard Find Ashley Online Here: Website The Imperfect Boss Instagram

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Ashley Beaudin’s mission is to prove that imperfect is normal and to inspire confidence in women so that they can make a bigger impact in the world. Her specialty is creating powerful online campaigns the move people to action. Ashley has a huge heart and she wants nothing more than to see everyone around her succeed. Today we’re talking about: How Ashley turned her passion for activism into a business. The mindset shift she had to make in order to feel okay with using her gifts to make an income. How she made over $5,000 with her very first online product. Why she started a side-hustle alongside her online business. Why sometimes it’s scarier for us to do the work we REALLY want to do. What investing in something financially REALLY means. Why live campaigns are MAGIC and a powerful way to create loyalty and engagement. How to own your imperfections at the most basic level so that you can have a bigger impact. Find Ashley Online Here: Website The Imperfect Boss Instagram

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! This is the fifth in a 5-part Series on Things to Consider Before Hiring a Web Designer. You can catch the whole series in episodes 106 – 110. For those of you that don’t know, in addition to this podcast, I not only teach WordPress through my 5 Day Website Challenge, but I also do one-on-one client work, and what pains me the most is when someone comes to me desperate because they’ve had a bad experience with another web designer. So this series is designed to empower you to find the right designer and know what to expect along the way. Today, we’re going to be talking about your MVP, and I’ll explain what I mean in just a second, but first I want to recap what we talked about in this series – which if you haven’t listened yet you can go back and catch up on those! In epsiode 106 I shared with you how building a website is like building a house – a huge project – and it’s so important that SOMEONE is managing that project – so maybe you know exactly what you need and what to do, you just need someone to DO IT FOR YOU, you can get away with hiring a designer or developer to take direction from you and you’ll probably save a little money that way. But if you’re not sure of the process or what you need to do, then it’s important to work with a designer who’s experience in managing web design projects and can guide you and help you make descisions throughout the process. It’s when those expectations are mismatched between the client and the designer that things can start to go awry! In episode 107 we talked about preparation and how I booked a project with a vendor that I had neither made space in my life for nor made time in my schedule for, how the project dragged on and finally I had to kill it and I lost money – because I signed a contract and I didn’t abide by the terms of that contract. And so I shared with you how it’s important to temper your excitement about taking on this project with a reality check on the time and resources you have to dedicate to it, and really think about WHEN you can take on a project of that size! In episode 108, I shared with you the content you’ll be responsible for pulling together for your design project, just to give you an idea of what to expect when you engage a project with a designer. You’ll do a chunk of work up front to get them what they need to keep the project on track, and then your designer will take it and do the heavy lifting from there! And in episode 109, I told you not to even hire a web designer if you’re brand new to your side hustle!! Because your business will change and I want you to be empowered to be nimble without being held hostage to a web designer. Only hire one when you know that your business model is stable and you’re website design will be solid for a couple of years at least. And today, I want to talk to you about your MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT. It is SO TEMPTING when embarking on a web design project to throw in everything and the kitchen sink, right? Especially if you’re an entrepreneur. Because we have SO MANY IDEAS. And they are all so exciting and we want to do them all right now!! Oh wait, maybe that’s just me… Anyway. You want to get the most bang for your buck right?!! If you’re doing this thing, let’s do it all NOW!! Let’s make the website, and the online course, and the e-commerce store and the podcast and the services and the webinar and the landing page and the sales page and the… Please, don’t do that to yourself. It’s too much!!!! That is a TON of work for you – unless you plan to take a few months off to dedicate to all the things that YOU’LL have to do to make it happen – because that’s YOU creating a LOT of content – or you’ve got top dollar to pay someone to learn your business from the ground up, develop your your ideas and have total autonomy build it for you and run the end product by you (hello, call me if you do LOL – that would be AWESOME)!! But seriously, it’s too much! You will burn yourself out. I’ve done it to myself, I’ve seen it happen to my clients because I caught their enthusiasm too!!! I get excited by their excitement and I’m just as confident in them being able to pull it off as I would be in myself to be able to pull it off – but not planning for you know, LIFE!!! Or the other thing that happens is that once it’s all ready, you’re totally overwhelmed about what to do with it, because you’re not a marketer, your a coach or a blogger or a creative entrepreneur!! So, look, if your end goal is a sophisticated marketing funnel, let’s get there in stages. Let’s build your website with your email optin and freebie giveway and email sequence to sell your one thing. Let’s launch that, tweak it, refine it. Go build your audience. Find out what they want from you next. Then let’s schedule phase 2 where we build the thing they want next – maybe its your membership site. Awesome. Go market it. Build some buzz, get some customers. You really think you can reach a new market with a podcast? You’ve done your research and you’re cool with what goes into it? Awesome, let’s do a phase 3 where we get your podcast set up. And you can drive traffic to your website to your email list to your membership program. Great! It’s SO IMPORTANT to iterate this stuff in your business!!! To test things, to try them before you commit thousands and thousands of dollars to build a sequence whose parts have not been validated separately!! So think about it – what is the minimum viable product that you can create that will let you take action? That will let you validate your idea. Then go build that. And restrain yourself. Have patience, because the rest will come when it’s the right time!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! This is the fourth in a 5-part Series on Things to Consider Before Hiring a Web Designer. You can catch the whole series inepisodess 106 – 110. For those of you that don’t know, in addition to this podcast, I not only teach WordPress through my 5 Day Website Challenge, but I also do one-on-one client work, and what pains me the most is when someone comes to me desperate because they’ve had a bad experience with another web designer. So this series is designed to empower you to find the right designer and know what to expect along the way. So what I’m about to say next might surprise you: If you’re just starting your side hustle, do not, I repeat, do not, spend your money on a web designer. Unless you have money to burn, just don’t do it. A few years ago I interviewed one of my online mentors from afar, Becca Tracey, about her experience with building her own website for her business. Becca is a business coach who helps Uncage their Business and get really clear on who they work with and what packages they offer. Here’s what she said when I asked her what advice she’d give to someone starting their own business: “START. Get a little bit clear on what you want to do, then start doing it. The rest of the clarity will come. Also, start your website right away. Do it yourself on the cheap (blogging is a GREAT way to get more clarity and to help hone your voice). Start to build it up as you go, and when you’re clear on what your niche is and what you’re selling, invest in having it done properly. But getting it up right away makes everything feel more REAL, and that will help keep you motivated!” Did you catch that? “Do it yourself on the cheap, build it up as you go and when you’re clear on what your niche is and what you’re selling, invest in having it done properly. Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!!! I understand wanting a professional online presence and to put your best foot forward, but you do not need to pay someone to do it for you. In fact, I teach you how to do it for free with my 5 Day Website Challenge. So if you’re just getting started, go take it. Go build your own website. And then go do business!! Take action. Because I can almost guarantee you, it’s not going to look like what you thought it would look like. You’re going to hate doing something you thought you would love, you’re going to discover something new that you love, you’re going to want o try that thing and it turns out to be successful beyond your wildest imagination – and THEN it’s time to have your website professionally done so you can up your game. The other benefit to that is that you’re EMPOWERED. You can be nimble. You can make changes, and adjust course while you’re in that critical growth period in your first couple of years. You don’t have to pay someone to make changes as your business grows and evolves. It’s like, the most important skill you could ever learn in your online business. And then you have some come in and do it WAY better than you were able to do, and you will have such a better understanding of what is required to actually do what you want to do. And THAT’s when your web design projects gel. So here’s the thing. You can spend a bunch of time THINKING and PLANNING and analyzing to get the clarity needed to actually have someone else build a website for you, but there’s no substitute for action. Action is how you get feedback, and feedback is how you know if you’re on the right track. So again, if you’re just starting out, go DIY – or if you’ve got the money to spend on all the course corrections you’ll make along the way, that’s totally fine too, just be aware of that. And go get Becca’s 3 Month Hustle checklist at https://theuncagedlife.com/ – it’ll cut through all the crap and tell you exactly what to do in your first 3 months in business. But if you’re a couple of years in, you’re clear on your business model and your client and your packages, by all means, hire it out! And also, you’re my kinda client! So if you’re interested in how I can help you, you can check out my Done For You package at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/dfy Clear the space in your life, on your schedule and let’s build the online home of your dreams, BFF!!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! This is the third in a 5-part Series on Things to Consider Before Hiring a Web Designer. You can catch the whole series in episodes 106 – 110. For those of you that don’t know, in addition to this podcast, I not only teach WordPress through my 5 Day Website Challenge, but I also do one-on-one client work, and what pains me the most is when someone comes to me desperate because they’ve had a bad experience with another web designer. So this series is designed to empower you to find the right designer and know what to expect along the way. Today we’re talking about your content. So what does that even mean? It’s a pretty broad term, right? In the simplest sense, it refers to the words and images on your website. That’s your “website content.” But what you may not realize is the sheer volume of content on your website!! Sure, we’ve got the Home Page, About Page, Contact Page, Work with Me Page, and the Blog, right? And we’ll need a logo, and some images, and great, I can pull all of that together for my designer over a weekend and I’ll be good to go, this project should only take a couple weeks, right?? Oh, BFF, if only it were that simple!! In fact, I naively thought it could be that simple when I first started my web design business. I offered my Done For You packages with a 5 day turnaround time. Great, you want to book a project with me, awesome, here’s a list of everything I need from you and off you go!! Once you get me EVERYTHING on that list, it’ll take me just 5 days to build the website. And it does take me just 5 days to build a website – from the time I get the content. But then, I’d never get all the content. And I couldn’t understand why. Why would someone pay me, and then not give me what I need to do the job? How irresponsible!!! And I used to get SOOOO frustrated with it because I couldn’t schedule that 5-day development block and it would just be LOOMING out there. I was putting REALLY high expectations on my clients. Here’s what I wasn’t doing – putting myself in my clients’ shoes. They’ve never built a website before!! It’s overwhelming to get this big list of stuff that you have to do, and you have to make so many decisions and pull together so much information… It’s a lot! Like unless someone is REALLY ready when they come to me, and like, honestly, they think they are, but they really aren’t, it’s going to take some time to pull this together. Going back to the analogy I introduced in Episode 106 that building a website is like building a home – can you imagine if you went to meet with a builder and they gave you a list of all the decisions you needed to make and they said, Okay, come back in a week with all of those decisions made! Yeah, like that’s going to well… So what I realized… is that as fast as people SAY they want to turn a project like this around, when they understand the amount of work that goes into on their part – and I would venture to say that YOU as the client, are going to be spending just as much time as your developer on the project on only the things YOU can do, they can’t really turn around the CONTENT as fast as they think can. So I started actually building the content gathering piece into my projects. With weekly check-in meetings to really hold my clients’ hand and guide them through anything, they had questions on what I was asking them for and that has been a total game changer for my projects! So here’s a list of things you can expect to have ready for your web designer before they can start your project: Access to your accounts to get everything set up for you. Links to all of your social media accounts Photographs of you – so you may need to hire a photographer and allow turnaround time for that. A clear picture of how you plan to market yourself. A clear picture of how you want to sell your products and services. Your website copy for all of your pages – Home, About, Services, Contact – so either working with a copywriter and having that all done for you, doing it yourself or maybe your designer offers that service – having that ready is key. Your branding needs to be ready. So if there’s a logo being made and fonts and colors being chosen – maybe your designer is doing that, or maybe you hired someone else to create your branding and now your designer is bringing it to life online – they need all of the files optimized for web and the appropriate sizes. Something a lot of people don’t think about – privacy policy, terms and conditions. Blog posts, featured images, & SEO keywords. Blog sidebar – what do you want on your sidebar? Images and copy for all of that. Your email opt-in – whatever you’re giving away in exchange for an email address, PLUS the call to action, and the copy for all of the emails. Your contact form and the success message. So that’s just the basic list – if you’re doing an e-commerce store or a membership site, there’s even more. So here’s the deal – this process doesn’t need to be overwhelming! Your designer should be able to walk you through this process and build time into the schedule or plan for you to gather this and they should be able to help guide you and answer your questions as you’re pulling it all together. It’s when the TIME isn’t made for this process on either side that you can run into trouble! Give yourself plenty of time to pull all of the content together!! You’ll do the heavy lifting up front, and then you can sit back, relax and let your designer take it from there!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! This is the second in a 5-part Series on Things to Consider Before Hiring a Web Designer. You can catch the whole series in episodes 106 – 110. For those of you that don’t know, in addition to this podcast, I not only teach WordPress through my 5 Day Website Challenge, but I also do one-on-one client work, and what pains me the most is when someone comes to me desperate because they’ve had a bad experience with another web designer. In episode 106, I likened a web design project to a construction project. There’s a lot of planning and preparation that must be done before you can even start building. If all of those decisions aren’t made up front, and all the things that go into the house haven’t been manufactured or ordered and gathered and organized, you can’t build the house! The project stalls out, people get angry and it’s not a good situation. As a web designer, here are some common pitfalls I see that can cause a web design project to stall out – and look, I’ve been there too!!! I’m not immune to this stuff – but that’s the beauty of it because I can help you avoid my pain so that you can have an awesome, amazing experience building your online home! Pitfall #1: Biting off more than you can chew. I’m so guilty of this. I get an idea, I get so excited about it and I go into GO MODE. I don’t know if you follow Emmy Wu, but if you don’t, you totally should. She teaches DIY video to entrepreneurs – so how to make videos, light them, edit them, storyboard them, all that stuff. Shoutout to Emmy!! So one day I see that she’s offering a video production package where she walks you through scripting and shooting your video, and then you send it off to her team to be professionally edited – and they create a logo animation. So I’m like YES!!!!! I’m totally in. THIS is what I need to really get the message out there – VIDEO for facebook ads, etc. I can’t give her my money fast enough. At this point I’m still working full time, I’ve got this HUGE project at my day job and my own web design clients AND the whole reason I’m even wanted these videos is because I’m updating and relaunching my 5 Day Website Challenge. So she and her team are amazing, they get me all set up with the project, they walk me through what they’ll need from me to create my videos, and we set dates for my deliverables and I’m like, YEP, YEP, sure, yep, that timeline sounds great. And so… I’m working 50 hours a week, I’ve only got mornings and weekends for my side hustle, I’ve got my own client projects that I was putting before my stuff because I wasn’t scheduling those properly… And to give Emmy’s team what they needed, I had to script out 3 videos, record them (and do it well, with like good lighting and composition), find music, find b-roll that matches my brand, give them my logo etc. and get them all of this content. Talk about stressful, OMG!! I totally bit off more than I could chew. And the reason for that is because I had NO PLAN. I got excited, I jumped into something that I didn’t have space in my life for. And I see this with my own web design clients also. And I get it. I LOVE the enthusiasm. But that energy can turn stressful so quickly when you haven’t made the space for the project in your life. So what I want you to take away from this is – no matter how excited you are about getting your website done, make sure the timing is right for you. Make sure that you have the space cleared to give it your full attention because if not, you’re at risk of a few things: One, not having the time to pull together all of the content that your designer needs to build your site. In episode 108 I talk about all of the things you’ll need to prepare as part of your web design project – and it’s going to take you some time to pull it all together. This can delay your project significantly, and delays can be costly whether your designer charges for delays or you simply miss lucrative opportunities because your project has stalled out. Because think about this from their perspective. You book a project with them, and they block off all of that time on your calendar. Then it comes time to start, and they don’t have what they need from you. And that time block was saved for your project, and it’s come and gone and they can’t re-sell that time to someone else, it’s in the past. Not only that, now they have to assign future time to your project that could have been sold to someone else, and so they are losing even more money. So to mitigate that, your project gets back-burnered – and suddenly you get a fire lit under you because some opportunity came up for you that requires your website to be done, but now your designer’s not available because they are working on another project!! And like I said earlier, I’m guilty of this with my video project. I was able to get content to them for the first two videos, but not the third, and then the whole project stalled out. In fact, we never finished and I’m going to share how that turned out as well. But this brings me to Pitfall number two. Pitfall #2: Rushing – having too soon of a deadline. If you’ve found that you rushed into a big project, typically it’s because you’ve got something coming up that you want to have a website ready for. Maybe your book is being published, or you’re launching a course or an event. So now that date has been set, and you don’t have a website, or your website needs a makeover, or whatever the case may be. For me, it was that I was relaunching my course, and I wanted to do a 3-part video ad series. So I had the double whammy of not clearing the space, and also having too tight of a turnaround time. But being the good student that I am, I turned my homework in on time. But the quality? Awful. The lighting in my videos was all wrong, the composition was off, I sounded like a robot because I was reading a teleprompter app because I had quickly written a script that wasn’t really ME so I had a hard time memorizing it. The whole thing was forced. And so what do you think I thought when the videos came back? They were expertly edited, the b roll was in all the right places, the music was on point – but when it came to me… Ugh. And I’m not being overly critical here like I can tend to be. These videos were BAD because I rushed it. I squeezed it in and didn’t give it the time and attention it deserved. So in giving my revisions, I asked Emmy’s team if I could give them new videos. And they said yes, for a fee, which sounded totally fair to me because that’s extra work for them. And 3 months later, I still hadn’t gotten it together to give them quality videos? Um, nope! They followed up with me, I kept pushing the date back, and finally, we mutually agreed to close the project. Here’s the exact email I sent: “Hey Emmy!!! So sorry for the delay in responding – I’m still totally swamped with my day job and side projects. Please go ahead and release the time on the calendar and we can consider the project closed. I understand that I’m the reason it didn’t get completed. It’s a lesson learned for me to make sure I’m more prepared and have adequate time set aside to engage in these projects – and to make sure my vision is very clear before starting. It was a pleasure working with you and your team, Emmy!” And it was such a relief, you have no idea!! So the key takeaway here again is to not only make sure that you’ve made space in your life for the project but that you give yourself adequate time to dedicate to prepare everything you need to pull together for your project. So in that email, you’ll notice that I said, “It’s a lesson learned for me to make sure I’m more prepared and have adequate time set aside to engage in these projects – and to make sure my vision is very clear before starting.” That leads me to pitfall number 3: Pitfall #3: Identity Crisis The third very common thing that I see with clients is that once it’s time for the rubber to meet the road so to speak, they begin to lose confidence in what they were once so sure about. They start second-guessing and overthinking their every decision, from their business name to their services to their logo design. And here’s where I want to give you a little pep talk, and also caution you. The pep talk is that you gotta believe in yourself!!! You were CONFIDENT when you made those decisions in the first place, before you had to dig in and put tons of time and energy into creating the content for your website! That whole process of birthing your website can be overwhelming and exhausted and stressful because let’s face it, it’s a lot of work for you as the client! You’re making decisions that determine how you’re going to do business and there are a lot of details. So go back to that place of confidence that you had before you started. And also, understand that sometimes you have to put the thing out there into the world and get feedback on it before you’ll really know how you want to change it. It may not be a perfect fit the first time around. Of course, as web designers, we do our best to anticipate your needs and help you make those decisions, but there’s always going to be something that sounded like a good idea at first, and then didn’t work out the way you expected. That’s OKAY. So here’s where I’ll caution you. If you give in to bully in your head, the fear, that’s telling you that you picked the wrong name, or that your services are all wrong or that your this isn’t perfect or that’s not right – and I’m not talking about picking apart a design or giving feedback on a draft, I’m talking about the kind of identity crisis that’s going to stop you from even being able to deliver your content or launch your site, it’s going to cost you money. Delays are costly. Revisions are costly. And that’s why it’s so important to be really clear on your business and how you market to clients and how you serve them before you even engage a web design project – which is a topic I’m covering in Episode 109. So to recap, when you’re starting to think about hiring someone to build your website, it’s so important that you’re not biting off more than you can chew. That you can clear the space in your life for this project. And if you’re working with me, you’re going to need to make space for 3 whole months, where the first month, you’re doing the heavy lifting on your content. And also think about making space for marketing and driving traffic to your website after it’s live. Just as important to clearing the space in your life is giving yourself a big enough lead time. If you want to hit the ground running in January, the time to start on your website is July!! I get so bummed out when I have to tell a client who contacts me in October with a January launch date that no, it won’t be possible to complete the project on that short of a time frame with holidays. If you want to hit the ground running in January, ideally you’ll want to have your website done mid-November so that YOU have time over the holidays to enjoy them and plan and prepare to market starting in January. Finally, making sure that you’re really clear on your vision before you hire someone is key. You don’t have to know the technical ins and outs, but you do have to know HOW you’ll market to and work with clients so that your designer can build the foundation you need. And TRUST YOURSELF. If you were clear when you started the project, don’t let the actual project overwhelm you and make you second guess yourself!! YOU have the right answers. Trust yourself.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! This is the first in a 5-part Series on Things to Consider Before Hiring a Web Designer. You can catch the whole series in episodes 106 – 110. For those of you that don’t know, in addition to this podcast, I not only teach WordPress through my 5 Day Website Challenge, but I also do one-on-one client work, and what pains me the most is when someone comes to me desperate because they’ve had a bad experience with another web designer. Here’s the thing: a web design project is a big project! In fact, I liken it to building a house, which is a project my husband and I are in the very beginning stages of undertaking. There are so many things to consider, and there’s so much we don’t know that we don’t know. It’s important to take your time, do your research and take the time to do it RIGHT, no matter how quickly you want to launch that product or course!! So today, we’re going to talk about picking the right PERSON to be your web designer. So here’s the thing – just because someone can code or knows WordPress doesn’t mean they know how to run a web design project. Think of it like this – someone could know all the technical parts of building a house, like pouring a foundation, putting up walls, and whatever (see I have no idea what I’m talking about there) but that doesn’t necessarily mean they know how to manage the order in which things need to be done and scheduling the subcontractors and ordering the materials and getting the permits – or even how to effectively communicate with their clients. The same goes for your web design project. There are people out there that are awesomely talented coders but when it comes to managing a web design project as a whole, they just don’t have the skillset. And if you don’t have the skillset to manage the project either, that’s where things can go awry. I think about it like this – a big part of my husband’s job is construction project management. If he’s renovating an office space, he knows the order that things need to be done, all the permits that need to be in place, all the contractors that need to be involved and what needs to happen when to finish on time. He’s not going to actually DO the work, but he can manage all the moving pieces. So maybe that’s you – maybe you know exactly everything you need for your website and you know the order in which things need to happen and you can pull all the people together to make it happen, but you’re not going to DO the actual work. Great, you can hire the coder and assign her piece to her. You can hire the graphic designer and assign her piece to her. And hire the copywriter and so on and keep everyone on task and keep the project moving forward, and you’ll probably save a little bit of money doing it, but you’ll be putting a lot more of your time into it. But if you’re not an experienced project manager – and let’s face it, your zone of genius likely lies elsewhere, well, that’s where things can go awry. The decisions that need to be made to build a website can be overwhelming and exhausting. A website project is much, much more than a logo and a layout. If you don’t have the experience, important to partner with someone who can walk you through the process and help you make the best decisions for you and your business. If you’re ready to partner with someone who can help you, then I invite you to attend my free webinar where I’ll walk you through exactly how my team partners with you to build your online home. And if you’re a web designer and you’re listening to this – pay attention!! If you’re struggling with moving client projects forward, this could be part of the reason why! When you are working with a talented yet inexperienced web designer and you don’t know what you don’t know, and they don’t have a framework in place for managing the whole of the project – it’s a disaster waiting to happen on both sides. So here’s what to look out for: 1. Know Thyself. Do you want to run the project? Do you have the time to run the project? Then by all means, hire that insanely talented developer that needs someone to tell them what to do! If you are looking for someone to guide you and partner with you throughout the whole process and educate you all along the way, and help you see opportunities that you may not have otherwise seen, then you’re going to want to go with a more seasoned developer with a proven track record for managing client projects. So how can you tell the difference? Here are some questions you can ask – or at least make sure get answered – during your consultation: Tell me about your project management process. Now, I’m not talking about asking them if they use Scrum or Agile or Waterfall project management methodologies – your eyes will glaze over if you get on that subject. But you want to know what to expect and if they have a plan and a process. How do you schedule your projects. How many meetings can I expect to have with you? By when do I need to have my content to you to meet my deadlines. When will you deliver revisions and the final product? 2. Know what you’re hiring them to do. Are you hiring them to hold your hand and guide you through the process? Or are you in the driver’s seat directing them? Either way is TOTALLY fine, it all depends on what you need and expect – and I find that when those expectations are mismatched, that’s when things can go a little awry. And if you’re a web designer, it’s SO important for you to decide how you want to serve clients. And for you, either way is fine – it’s just important that you’re communicating that in your marketing so that you get the right kinds of clients. Because the last thing both you as the client and you as the web designer want to have happen is you as the client get labeled DIFFICULT, and you as the web designer gets labeled as being unprofessional and inept. Neither of those things is true – you just weren’t a good match for each other because you didn’t know what you didn’t know. So, if you’re thinking about hiring a web designer for your side hustle, and you want to make sure you’re educated and empowered and making the right decision for YOU and your business, I’m hosting a webinar called What to Know Before Hiring a Web Designer. You can get on the list to know when the next available dates are at www.wp-bff.com/whattoknow And if you’re listening and you’re a web designer or are considering started a freelance web design business, I’ve got something for you too. I hosting another webinar “How to Start a Freelance Web Design Business” and you can get on the list to be notified when it’s happening again at www.wp-bff.com/wda

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today, I’m chatting with my very first email subscriber and 5 Day Challenger EVER!! Jenn Walker Wall is the founder of Work Wonders Coaching + Consulting where she helps people land new jobs and succeed at work. She’s also co-host of the Making Life Work Podcast. She has worked at the Sloan School of Management at MIT as well as Harvard University, and is currently an Adjunct Instructor of Sociology at Lesley University.   When she’s not helping clients land interviews or launch their own businesses, you can find her cooking up a storm in her kitchen, usually while listening to true crime podcasts.   In Part 2 of my interview, we talk about: How to ask people for their business. How to “network” if you’re introverted and what to do if you hate networking events. Why it’s okay if you’re side hustle stays a side hustle – and how to decide if it’s something you want to take it full time! How to handle the anxiety of making the transition to self-employed. Managing growth in your side hustle while you’re still an employee. How too much freedom can get in the way of your success and how to harness it to help you grow. How one little language tweak can make all the difference in your business. Why money isn’t the best metric to measure your side hustle success. Why you might not need to make as much money as you think you need to make. What belief Jenn needed to change about herself to get to the point where she could quit her day job. The advice Jenn would give to someone who is just getting started on their side hustle journey. Why solving problems and encountering obstacles is a good thing. If you have any questions about making the transition from side-hustle to self-employed or you want to learn more about Jenn’s career coaching services you can find Jenn online at www.workwonderscoaching. You can find Jenn online at: Website Instagram Twitter

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today, I’m chatting with my very first email subscriber and 5 Day Challenger EVER!! Jenn Walker Wall is the founder of Work Wonders Coaching + Consulting where she helps people land new jobs and succeed at work. She’s also co-host of the Making Life Work Podcast. She has worked at the Sloan School of Management at MIT as well as Harvard University, and is currently an Adjunct Instructor of Sociology at Lesley University.   When she’s not helping clients land interviews or launch their own businesses, you can find her cooking up a storm in her kitchen, usually while listening to true crime podcasts.   Today we’re talking about: Jenn’s transition from side hustle to self-employed and why she made the decision to quit her job WITHOUT replacing her full-time income. How to take the tech pressure off of yourself and build your business through referrals. Where you might get stuck when making the decision to quit your day job and how to overcome it. How to find your zone of genius if you’re not sure what it is. How to find the common thread in all of your experiences to tell your story. Why it’s okay to not be on social media and what to do instead. The one thing you can do to ensure that you get customers. Balancing being a business owner and working IN the business. The best investment Jenn has made in her business. You can find Jenn online at: Website Instagram Twitter

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today I’m interviewing Mandi Holmes. Mandi is CEO of She Can Coterie, a boutique business and marketing management agency for online, service-based, female business owners. Mandi believes that women should run the world, that asking for help is vital to success, and that having an iced latte in your hand makes you unstoppable. When she’s not leading her team, upleveling She Can Coterie, or serving powerful women around the world you can find her with her nose in a good book, playing “bathetball” with her sweet son Henry, or binge-watching Netflix with her husband. In part two of our interview, we talk about: Using content marketing to grow your side hustle How to “let go” and focus on your zone of genius How to use email marketing effectively when people are overwhelmed by email. How to find the right mentors. How to get a business education for free. What belief Mandi had to change in order to get to where she is today. Why looking back to the past is just as important as looking forward to the future. The REAL reason I publish monthly income reports. Why you’ll be successful no matter what. The advice Mandi has for you if you’re struggling to grow your side hustle to the point where you can quit your day job. Podcasts mentioned in this episode: My Favorite Murder The Strategy Hour Small Business Boss Tara Gentile – What Works Being Boss Amy Porterfield – Online Marketing Made Easy Smart Passive Income Serial Find Mandi Online: Website Instagram

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today I’m interviewing Mandi Holmes. Mandi is CEO of She Can Coterie, a boutique business and marketing management agency for online, service-based, female business owners. Mandi believes that women should run the world, that asking for help is vital to success, and that having an iced latte in your hand makes you unstoppable. When she’s not leading her team, upleveling She Can Coterie, or serving powerful women around the world you can find her with her nose in a good book, playing “bathetball” with her sweet son Henry, or binge-watching Netflix with her husband. In today’s interview, we talk about: How to turn an obtacle into an opportunity. How to build a business on referrals. How to grow your team in a sustainable way. How to transition from being the client-facing person in your business How Mandi found the perfect name and brand for her business, She Can Coterie The one thing I recommend to all side hustlers who want to turn their side hustle into a full-time gig. How to give your team the autonomy they need and let go of control. The tool that’s empowered Mandi to grow her business to 25 team members. The biggest thing that keeps side hustlers from growth. Why it’s a GOOD thing that you’re not the best at everything in your business. Find Mandi Online: Website Instagram

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today I’m interviewing my business coach, Vicki Fitch. Vicki spent 20 years in the Direct Sales industry specializing in helping people to make the most out of life with her speaking engagements and coaching programs to help others achieve the success she has been so blessed with. Her mission is to inspire others to “Live the Life of their Dreams” by helping them identify and flourish in areas they are truly passionate about. Her world recognized coaching programs have expanded her business to 6 countries across the globe and traveling & speaking in dozens more. As a well-rounded entrepreneur that understands all aspects of business, she helps businesses to see a greater vision as well as streamline and automate some of their efforts. In Part 2 of my interview with Vicki Fitch, we talk about: Balancing “staying the course” with “shiny object syndrome” The importance of co-pilot on your entrepreneurial journey. The unexpected result of growing my side hustle. The one thing that is better than the financial reward. Why financial independence is NOT the answer to your struggles. How your “money filter” can keep you from reaching your goals. How to clean your dirty filters so you can start looking at the true reality of how exceptional you really are. The quote in “Direct Selling 101” that made me cry. Why you need to reading Direct Selling 101 – even if you’re not selling anything!!! Vicki’s advice for someone who is struggling to believe in themselves. Be sure to check out the Rock Star Guide to Getting It Done! You can get your hands on “Direct Selling 101” here and pre-order all twelve of the books in Vicki’s 12 Books in 12 Months series. Vicki livestreams every single day at 6PM Pacific on both Facebook Live and Periscope, so be sure to follow her, and she does a daily vlog on YouTube about her experience writing 12 Books in 12 Months which you can follow at www.youtube.com/vickifitch To take advantage of Vicki’s special offer for a free 30-Minute Consultation (exclusive to Pep Talks for Side Hustlers listeners), go to www.vickifitch.com/20 and in the comments, and be sure to put that you were referred from Pep Talks for Side Hustlers so you can get that bonus 10 minutes (they can change your life!) Find Vicki Online: Facebook Pinterest Twitter Instagram LinkedIn

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! This week I’m celebrating the 100th Episode of Pep Talks for Side Hustlers!!! My ask today is if you’ve gotten any value out of this podcast that you head on over to iTunes and leave me a review – you can do that at https://www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/review Today I’m interviewing my business coach, Vicki Fitch. Vicki spent 20 years in the Direct Sales industry specializing in helping people to make the most out of life with her speaking engagements and coaching programs to help others achieve the success she has been so blessed with. Her mission is to inspire others to “Live the Life of their Dreams” by helping them identify and flourish in areas they are truly passionate about. Her world recognized coaching programs have expanded her business to 6 countries across the globe and traveling & speaking in dozens more. As a well-rounded entrepreneur that understands all aspects of business, she helps businesses to see a greater vision as well as streamline and automate some of their efforts. Today we’re talking about: The 20-minute conversation that changed my life. What the typical entrepreneurial journey looks like (so you can mentally and emotionally prepare yourself). What “getting outside the 5000” means and how it can help you grow your business. How to find the “profit in the pain” and why the lows in life in business can actually be a benefit. Vicki’s M3 philosophy and how it helps you grow your side hustle. How the 5 Day Website Challenge transformed Vicki’s business. Why the problem you think is keeping you stuck is never the REAL problem – and how to fix it. The difference between Confidence and Cockiness The real reason most entrepreneurs quit in the first 5 years What makes the difference between an entrepreneur that succeeds and the ones that fail. How to anticipate pitfalls and move through them. Be sure to check out the Rock Star Guide to Getting It Done! You can get your hands on “Direct Selling 101” here and pre-order all twelve of the books in Vicki’s 12 Books in 12 Months series. Vicki livestreams every single day at 6PM Pacific on both Facebook Live and Periscope, so be sure to follow her, and she does a daily vlog on YouTube about her experience writing 12 Books in 12 Months which you can follow at www.youtube.com/vickifitch To take advantage of Vicki’s special offer for a free 30-Minute Consultation (exclusive to Pep Talks for Side Hustlers listeners), go to www.vickifitch.com/20 and in the comments, and be sure to put that you were referred from Pep Talks for Side Hustlers so you can get that bonus 10 minutes (they can change your life!) Find Vicki Online: Facebook Pinterest Twitter Instagram LinkedIn

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! So something happened to me the other day that felt pretty unbelievable/profound/strange. It’s hard for me to describe it, and it was so – I don’t know – WEIRD that I had to stop what I was doing, open up the voice memo app on my phone, and record what had just happened so that I could acknowledge it and remember for later. In this audio, I’m walking my dog Scarlett (you can hear her panting in the background) but check this out: I learned the term “synchronicity” last summer after listening to Gabrielle Bernstein’s book, The Universe has Your Back (affiliate link), on Audible. I had just put in my notice at my day job, I was riddled with anxiety, and I was doing everything I could to distract myself from the fear and negative thoughts and coach myself through it. So at the time I listened, I hadn’t really paid attention to it and I never thought much about the book after. Until this thing happened the other day, where I physically stumbled at the exact same moment Marie Forleo said the world stumble when talking about the huge success of author JK Rowling… Why is that so important to me? Because for this first 6 months of self-employment, even though I have hustled my butt off, I had been majorly obsessing over one thing. Money. Having enough, making enough, paying myself, paying my taxes, cutting back expenses, changing pricing structure, increasing revenue, releasing my money blocks, cultivating a mindset of abundance. Money, money, money. And it was feeling like everything I was doing just wasn’t WORKING to get me to where I wanted to be. It felt like a struggle, every single day, to make money. So I just decided to let it go. I went on vacation the first week in July and for the first time in 6 months, and if we’re being honest, 4 years, I wasn’t thinking about making money. And it felt SO GOOD that I decided to just stop focusing on making money or saving money or spending money. I’m building relationships and creating content and streamlining systems and doing this podcast… So I Googled the word “synchronicity” and the definition is “the simultaneous occurrence of events that appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection.” Gabby Bernstein calls synchronicity a sign from the universe. In a blog post on Psychology Today, writer Gregg Levoy described a moment of synchronicity he experienced when he was contemplating quitting his job: Here’s what he said: “I was driving home from work one day, listening to a song on the radio called “Desperado,” by the Eagles, and as I pulled up to the curb in front of my house, the last line I heard before I turned off the car was “Don’t you draw the Queen of Diamonds, she’ll beat you if she’s able; the Queen of Hearts is always your best bet.” I turned off the ignition, opened the door, stepped my foot onto the curb, and there at my left foot was a playing card—the Queen of Hearts. I just sat there utterly dumbfounded, and wondering, of course, what it meant? When I mentioned the incident to a friend that evening, she said, with an extravagant quality of assuredness, that when you’re on the right path, the universe winks and nods at you from time to time, to let you know. She also said that once you start noticing these little cosmic cairns, once you understand that you’re on a path at all, you’ll begin to see them everywhere.” When I stumbled and didn’t fall at the exact same moment that Marie Forleo described JK Rowling stumbling her way to success, I took that as a sure sign that I’m on the right track, that I will achieve whatever I set out to achieve when I let go of the constant obsession with money and put my focus back on why I really started this business in the first place. So what about you? Where have you noticed synchronicities or signs that you’re on the right track?

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! YOU GUYS, I HAVE TO BE TOTALLY HONEST WITH YOU RIGHT NOW… I’VE BEEN FAKING IT. This weekend I’m at #MarketingImpactAcademy and I’m learning all about how LIVE video, livestreaming on all the social medias is a total game changer. I’m learning about how to use Facebook Live – I mean, actually use it EFFECTIVELY. How to use it to be yourself. How being yourself on live video strengthens and helps you grow your brand. How you can use it to TELL STORIES that relate to your business, to tell stories to grow your email list, to tell stories to get more customers, to tell stories to help more people change their lives. And let’s face it… It’s not like we haven’t known this is coming. All the people I respect and consider online business mentors are talking about it and have been doing it for what seems like forever now in Internet years. It’s not news to me. And I’m starting to feel uneasy. Because you know what livestreaming sounds like to me, a WordPress expert and web strategist? Blogging. Live video is going to replace blogging. I’m hearing stats like by 2019 over 90% of all content consumed online will be video. And that YouTube is getting a billion hours (work on these stats). That you have to get on the live video train or get left behind. And I’ve dabbled in livestreaming… but I haven’t been consistent. And something I’ve learned about myself is that when I’m not being consistent, or I’m doing something but I’m not really DOING that thing, is because I don’t really BELIEVE that I should be doing it. I don’t really BELIEVE that it will help me. I don’t really BELIEVE that it’s the next big thing. And I don’t believe it because not because I don’t have enough evidence – but because I’m scared about what it means if I do believe it… Because there’s been this uneasiness I’ve felt about LIVE VIDEO that I’ve complete stuffed down and tried to ignore… and it’s got nothing to do with being afraid to go on camera. I’m totally over that. Live video scares me because… What does it mean for websites!?!?!?! Like, where you have to go to READ WORDS – my whole entire business model?? I’ve literally had a pit in my stomach at this conference for 2 days, while trying to remain enthusiastic about this whole new way to connect with people online but secretly worrying that my entire business will be obsolete in a couple of years!!! I literally had a moment of panic while taking it all in, like, oh, shit… This is OVER. WP+BFF is DONE. If people get to know, like and trust you on LIVE VIDEO, why do they need to ever go to your website? Why do you need to spend hours writing blog posts to attract the right kinds of people to your site when you can just talk on Facebook Live for 15 minutes? Why am I even teaching you how to build a website?!?! Yes, I totally freaked out. And then it hit me. Like a bolt of lightning while sitting in that chair in the ballroom of the Hyatt. Like the kind where you feel all tingly and hot and your hair stands on end. We had just finished up learning about when and why to use Facebook Live vs. YouTube Live and the difference? Search engine optimization. Your Facebook Live videos live on Facebook. Not searchable to anyone searching for what you’re teaching them on live video – just showing up in the newsfeed and then stored in your video library. YouTube, on the other hand, is totally search driven. Google shows YouTube videos in search results, but not Facebook Live videos. So all the content you create on Facebook – it’s just for Facebook. And if you’re a busy entrepreneur with a side-hustle like me, you need to squeeze every last drop of opportunity out of every single piece of content you create. And I don’t have the freaking time to transcribe every single Facebook live into a blog post. I barely have time to write blog posts anymore. And I don’t WANT to pay someone to do it either, because I’ve tried it, and TALKING doesn’t sound like writing. It just comes out a hot mess and it sounds like a robot wrote my blog posts. The epiphany? The universe primed me for it earlier in the day when, on a semi-enthusiastic live-stream where I asked what people wanted to learn from me next, someone said “plugins for social media.” And then I liked the comment and went back into the conference. So I’m sitting in that chair, writing down titles for all the Facebook Lives I’m going to do in the next month (like the good student I am) when it hit me that I know a way to automatically embed Facebook Live videos into blog posts on WordPress. Like, automatically. Like, as soon as the broadcast is done. With the title, in the comments, with the video. With a button to click to opt into your email list. And you know what that is? That’s search engine optimization GOLD. That’s your new BLOG. That’s you, not getting left behind with all the other dinosaurs who are resisting the live-streaming tidal wave that’s coming for us like I almost did. That’s valuable, valuable TIME you are saving by not spending HOURS writing content. That’s the shortcut you get by being able to look someone in the eye, live, in the moment, and connect with them and get them to believe that you really do want to help them and share your answers. That’s you not having to abandon your blog and trying to take your existing audience to Facebook with you, but being able to take advantage of this new platform by giving them your amazing Facebook Live content right where they are, on your blog. And for me, that’s RELIEF. And BELIEF. I’m finally sold. Because there’s a place for WordPress and your website and my business in this new world of live streaming – it’s just going to look a little bit different than it used to. And we just need to learn and implement some new stuff if we don’t want to be left behind. Feeling inspired, I went back to my hotel room right after the conference and got to work. And guess what? I figured out a way for you to automatically embed your Facebook Live videos into your blog as soon as they are finished.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! So a question came up in the WP+BFFs Facebook Group recently, and I’d put money on it that many of you who are trying to get traction in building your websites and your businesses feel the same way! Cheryl H. helps people self-publish their books, and she posted in the group that she’s totally overwhelmed with email marketing sequences, specifically that “It’s like I’m trying to drive somewhere when I’m not sure where I’m going.” She said she’s thought about getting rid of the email opt-in altogether and simply putting her email address on the site and asking people to contact her if they are interested in working with her. I was reading that post as I was getting out of the car to go to dinner with my husband, so I told her to hang on and that I’d be right back to explain why I think she should NOT do that! My answer to her is below, and I hope it helps you understand WHY we’re putting an email opt-in on our website, why we’re giving our knowledge away for free and why we’re not just putting it all on our blog and asking people to email us if they’re interested in learning more. “I love your analogy of feeling like you’re trying to drive somewhere, but you’re not sure where you are driving!! So, imagine me as someone who is wanted to self-publish a book, and I happen upon your website. First, you’ve done a great job of telling me on your homepage exactly how you can help me, and then I see that I can even more help from by opting into your email list. So when I landed on the site I had no idea who you were, now I’m opting in to get this free map to self-publishing, and I’m getting to know you a little bit better. Then I get an email from you with your freebie, and you solve a big problem for me – guiding me through what I need to do to self-publish my book. So if you stop communicating with me right then and there, then I take my free guide, and I go on my merry way and either try to do it myself or I keep researching it and find other people to help me. But if in a couple days, while I’m still interested in self-publishing and I’m still researching it, I get another email from you with even some more value – just for me because I’m on your email list, you’ve qualified me as someone interested in the topic – on what the next step is, then I’m thinking, okay, I feel like this person might be the right person to help me. And then, if a couple days you send me some more detailed information on exactly how I can work with you to self-publish my book, information that helps me make a decision on how I want to move forward, then I’m probably more likely to hire you than just by landing on your site and looking at your services page. So that’s where you’re driving – you’re capturing people interested in your services, positioning yourself as a credible resource, and then offering your services – not just to everybody that lands on your site, but people that are going to be a good fit. So keep it simple. You don’t need formulas and templates. Deliver your free thing, a couple days later, follow up on it and deliver more valuable, actionable information, and then in a couple days, let them know how they can work with you to self-publish – if they are still reading, they are interested, and after that, deliver your blog posts as you publish them.” So here’s the deal: no matter what tool you’re using to do your email marketing, keep it super simple: Deliver your freebie. Follow up with some more valuable information. Share what products/services you have to solve the problem. Send your newsletter or blog posts after that, with opportunities to buy sprinkled in. When you provide value, you position yourself as a credible expert – and people will know what they can expect from you when actually purchase something from you! So tell me in the comments below – did that help you? What do you struggle with the most when it comes to email marketing?

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Owning a website is kinda like dying your hair… once you bleach it blonde (okay, orange) with a bottle of peroxide and a hair dryer in seventh grade, you have to keep up with it! That means begging your mom to buy Sun-In for you when your roots start to grow out. And many years later when you finally make enough money to go to a real hairstylist? Yep, non-negotiable quarterly trips to get highlights. No, those aren’t gray hairs, those are highlights!!! Your website requires the same kind of tender loving care! There are a few non-negotiable things you need to do to your website to keep it in tip-top shape and prevent malware infections and other nastiness from ruining your hard work or making your life difficult. 1) MONITORING YOUR SECURITY PLUGIN I recommend WordFence in the free 5-day website challenge and I show you exactly how to set it up and start protecting your site. The extra maintenance step here that you want to do at least once a week is to check your scan results and see if there are any items that need fixing. WordFence will alert you to plugin updates, old plugins, files that are different from the “WordPress Core” which could indicate a hack. Going through those scan results every week or so and cleaning up anything WordFence finds is a good practice. 2) BACKUPS I recommend BackWPUp in the Free 5 Day Website Challenge, and the extra step here is to check every week or so to make sure backups are actually happening, and that they’re being saved and you know how to access them. If you get hacked on a Tuesday, you can restore a backup from Monday, clean up any security issues that caused you to get hacked, and then you’re good to go! But if you have an issue and find out after the fact that your backups never ran, well, all I can do is offer you a pint of your favorite ice cream and a giant spoon… 3) PLUGIN UPDATES If plugins need to be updated, you’ll see an orange dot with a number in it next to the Plugins menu item on your dashboard. It’s as easy as clicking on the plugins menu, finding the plugin that’s highlighted orange and clicking the Update link. Do this for all plugins as often as possible. It’s when you don’t log into your site for a long time that this becomes easy to forget! 4) WORDPRESS UPDATES Every quarter or so, WordPress pushes out the latest version of the platform. Sometimes it’s a small update that has bug fixes or security patches, other times it’s a bigger update that changes the interface and how things work (and then I have to update the Free 5 Day Website Challenge, dang-it!!). It’s super important that whenever you see a WordPress update that you make a backup of your site and then click a few buttons to do the WordPress update. 5) THEME UPDATES These actually aren’t as easy to spot as plugin or WordPress updates – there’s no big message or orange dot with a number, but they are important nonetheless. You can find out if there’s a theme update by going to Appearance > Themes – there you’ll see the theme highlighted if there’s an update – simply click Update, and you’re good to go! BFF TIP: In the WordPress dashboard in the top-right corner, there’s an “Updates” menu item – you can click on that to see available WordPress, theme and plugin updates. When I was in college, I totally used to try to highlight my own hair… I’d go to the local beauty supply store and get the developer, the color, and the foils and the brush, and then I’d attempt to do highlights just like I saw my stylist do… and it was a DISASTER. I’d end up with tiger stripes and have to go in and tell them that I let a “friend” do my hair and ask them to fix it… Could I keep trying to perfect it and get better at it? Sure! But I don’t want to have to put 50 foils in my head and try not to get bleach everywhere – I can’t hold my arms over my head for that long! So if you’re not logging into your website every few days to check on your WordFence scans, or to make sure your backups didn’t fail, and to update your plugins, then you’re vulnerable to getting hacked. If keeping up on maintenance is something that you want to do yourself, it’s totally something you can do just by following what I outline above (and it’s easier than trying to learn how to do highlights)! But if you don’t want to mess with it, then subscribe to my WordPress Protection Package and you can just sit back, relax, and I’ll take care of all the things for you! And if some nasty little hacker still finds their way in, like the hairstylist that fixed my tiger stripes, I’ll totally take care of it for you. So tell me in the comments below – what are some of your hairstyle horror stories??

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Expenses Breakdown Tools: AccessAlly (Membership plugin for all of my courses) – $79.00 Acuity Scheduling (Done For You Consultations) – $10.00 Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, etc.) $64.48 Auphonic (audio optimization for podcast) – $11.00 Bluehost – $79.76 Dropbox (File Storage) – $19.99 FreeConferenceCall.com (Coaching & Client Calls) – $3.00 GDPR Compliance Plugins – $76.61 GSuite (wp-bff.com Email) – $10.76 HauteStock (Stock Photography) – $99.00 Infusionsoft (email marketing, automation, e-commerce & customer management) – $341.45 LibSyn (Podcast Hosting) – $8.00 ManageWP (WordPress Site Management for Clients & WordPress Protection Package) – $102.77 Popup Ally Annual License Renewal (List building plugin) – $99.00 Soundup (Alexa Flash Briefing Hosting) – $9.99 WP Imagify (Speed Optimization) – $9.99 WP Rocket – 2 Licenses (Speed Optimization) – $78.00 Zapier – $15.00 Client Plugin Renewals – $263.30 Total: $1381.10 Marketing: Bonjoro (Video Welcome Service) – $25.00 CoSchedule (Social Media Scheduling) – $59.00 LinkTree Pro (Instagram Profile Links) $6.00 Total: $90.00 Professional Services: Bench Accounting – $135.00 Total: $135.00 Help: Subcontractors (VA Team, Graphic Designer, Web Developers, Pinterest Specialist) $2040.00 Learning/Mentorship: Mindmeister Annual Subscription – $35.94 Sally Hogshead How to Fascinate – $27.99 Total: $63.48 Travel: None Bank/Credit Card Processing Fees: Credit Card Processing Fees: $188.74 Office Supplies: None Total Expenses: $3898.32 Net Profit: $5656.04 Biggest Lessons Learned The biggest lesson I learned as I reflected back on May is that when I protect my time, I feel more in control. When I started scheduling and blocking my time in this new way, I felt more in control. When I was able to work on the projects that I love, like the 5 Day Website Challenge and Pep Talks for Side Hustlers and marketing, it all feels right and worth it. And that it’s very important that I write these income reports and review them sooner than three months behind. Because they help me get so much perspective and even some clarity about what to do next. Remember how I almost spiralled out of control in April from taking on too much client work? Well, I was still hungover from that in May and it really clouded my decision-making. I had a few Done For You proposals still out there that I decided to put some intentional effort to follow up on these projects and book them… “but if I do this,” I thought, “I’m going to need to bring on a project manager to manage them.” And I was really torn, because I know bringing someone on is going eat into my profit and I NEED to put a paycheck into the bank every two weeks… But I’m also trying to put my time into raising my passive income, and part of that could be hiring a team to run the Done For You projects, raising prices and me just selling them and coaching a team through the actual work. I don’t have to be the one doing all the things, I just need to slow down enough and make space to hand things over to people who are better suited to do them than I am – and on a per project basis rather than a monthly contract until I have a consistent, stable income. I can’t (and shouldn’t) do every single thing in my business. That’s how I end up making $15.62 an hour. Because honestly, I feel like if I give up on client work, I gotta shut down the Web Designer Academy too. Right? And am I ready to do that? No, I love mentoring other web designers that are just getting started. I would NEVER coach them to build the situation I had created for myself. But for some reason I was just not taking my own advice!!! So I posted a position to my Web Designer Academy students, and three amazing candidates applied!! “Okay, so now what? How do I choose?” I thought. Oh, and I had no guaranteed work to give to them because these proposals – where I had gotten a verbal yes that prompted me to even post this job description – hadn’t yet signed a contract or paid a deposit – which means they’re not actual jobs on my schedule. So I asked each candidate if they would be willing to do a trial project and I told them that it wouldn’t be until I booked a new project. Guess what? I didn’t book a single new project in May. And I’m not at all surprised. The energy I was putting out closed off any possibility of that happening. In fact, I was relieved. Relief wins out over everything. But I felt bad about getting three awesome people all excited to work with me and then womp womp, nevermind! I don’t have any projects for you after all!! Running a business is HARD when there are other people besides me involved! So I put my head down into redoing the 5 Day Website Challenge and adjusting the marketing, the sales funnel and the pricing strategy. I took a deep dive into Nathalie Lussier’s AccessAlly and implemented all kinds of new features that weren’t there when I first started using it three years ago. It was a total blast, and things started to feel right again. But I knew deep down, I was still going to have to make some cuts, that my expenses were still way too high especially with no new Done For You Clients coming in to cover them. And when you look at my income reports, you can see that there’s one clear place to make a few cuts that have a big impact. Independent contractors. The people I pay to help me with day-to-day stuff and DFY projects. Ugh, these are real people whose contracts I need to cancel. It’s not like just cancelling a subscription, it’s like telling someone “Hey, remember I used to pay you X? Well, you can’t count on that anymore… Hope you can still pay your bills!!” And I know it’s my own hangups around money that make me feel terrible, that make me dread having those conversations, because I feel like I’m putting that person in a bad spot. And because I’m afraid of not having enough money and I’m projecting it onto other people. But it’s not personal, it’s business. But it is personal, to me. I’m sensitive. I care about stuff like that. But I also have to put myself and the health of my business first. So I cancelled my Pinterest management contract and took that on myself with the goal of learning exactly what I was outsourcing. I honestly feel like I made a mistake jumping into that one so quickly, but that’s a blog post for another time. And again, I felt relieved. Some of the financial pressure was lifted. I had two more contracts to cancel… But those, I still had to muster up the courage and it took me until June to do it. All in all, I’m proud of myself. I have consistently shown that I know how to make money. When I quit my day job because I had maxed out my ability to grow my side hustle, I thought “If I just had more time I’d be able to generate $10K a month.” And I was right. But it didn’t turn out the way that I thought it would. It’s not all smooth sailing. And the reasons why I love writing these income reports is because most of the time, this feels hard. Like, when I’m in the thick of it. But then when I reflect back on the month, I think: “Wow, Shannon. Look what you were able to accomplish in 30 days. And you’re pushing through the hard stuff and you’re not giving up. And here’s a little perspective for you: And in the past four years, you haven’t gone into debt, you haven’t dipped into personal savings, you’ve been profitable from day 1, and you haven’t missed a paycheck. You are so powerful. You are going to eventually get this working the way you want it to work so that it FEELS the way you want it to feel and you’re not worried about money all the time. I wouldn’t change a thing about this journey. Not one thing.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my May Income Report! Each month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my #SideHustleGoneSerious and show you exactly how much I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! Important Things That Happened in May I completely changed my work schedule around. I began time-blocking my schedule. I wrote my second income report that reviewed February. I began estimating (and then doubling) the time on every single task before it was added to my schedule. I had several client projects that I needed to close out and complete in early May. I booked zero new clients in May. I held webinars promoting Serious Side Hustlers, Websites That Make Money, and the Web Designer Academy resulting in no new sales. Every single weekend we either had a camping trip planned or family coming into town. In 2.5 weeks, I recorded, edited, produced, and uploaded 60 new videos for the 5 Day Website Challenge, redesigned the entire layout, built the online course with over 60 modules, created 120 graphics, wrote over 60 module descriptions and action items (and I only worked on Saturday mornings before everyone else got up). BOOM. I perfected and documented my podcast publishing process to hand over to my VA team. I posted a position description for a Project Manager in my Web Designer Academy Facebook group (which I ultimately did not fill as expected, more on that later). My husband and I found four acres of land that we decided to make an offer on with the plan to build a house there in a couple of years. Notes I found to myself in my planner: “Protect your time this week, you gotta get the new 5 Day Challenge done” (Guess what? I didn’t protect my time. I pushed the 5DC out two weeks). “I handed over the publishing of my Pep Talks for Side Hustlers, YAY!!!” “When would you like to have that done? What’s your absolute deadline? Let me know and I’ll get you a proposal. “Instead of ‘I can’t do that for you’ say ‘Here’s what I can do for you.’” Review of My Goals Again, my goal each month has been to generate $10,000 in revenue because my rough breakdown to replace my paycheck, cover business expenses and pay taxes is: $5000 – Income to cover my paycheck. $2500 – Expenses $2500 – Taxes What I Focused on in May My number one focus in the first two weeks of May was completing the remainder of those 9 client projects I told you about in my April 2018 Income Report. My number one focus the last few weeks of May was producing the new 5 Day Website Challenge. That being said, here’s how much money I made in May 2018: Income Breakdown Passive Income: Affiliate Income – Bluehost – $880.00 Affiliate Income – Elegant Themes – $133.50 Affiliate Income – ConvertKit – $81.60 5 Day Challenge Upgrade – $17.00 How to Start a Freelance Web Design Business Upgrade – $0.00 Serious Side Hustlers – $957.00 Individual Courses – $163.00 Web Designer Academy – $497.00 Websites That Make Money Beta – $691.00 WordPress Protection Package – $339.46 Passive Income Total: $3759.56 Time for Money Income: Done For You Projects – $3294.80 Consulting – $2500 Time for Money Total: $5794.80 Total Income: $9554.36

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! An industrial designer & artist by trade, Matt turned everything upside down in 2011 to launch a tech company in Sydney, Australia. Bonjoro was born from a customer success hack for his first startup, where Matt and the team would send every new signup a personal welcome video, and it has snowballed over the last 18 months. His love of building great products is only surpassed by that of building strong business cultures, and he believes culture has been the core driver of Bonjoro’s rapid growth since it launched in 2017.  With a vision to help every business be more customer-centric and scale real human relationships, Bonjoro is just the start of Matt’s journey. In our conversation, we discuss Why it’s so important to build relationships and what can happen if you build 100 genuine relationships. How Matt manages his company, his side hustle and his social and family life. What happiness really is and where it comes from. How to get better at productivity. What the company has spent under $100 on that has made a huge impact on in the business. Why spending money doesn’t necessarily bring you happiness or success. What advice Matt would give to someone who is struggling to grow their side hustle. When it’s time to take you side hustle full time. What can happen if you take the risk of quitting your day job. How Bonjoro started as a secret side hustle alongside Matt’s original business. How having clients in different time zones inspired Bonjoro How they tripled their response rate to their emails overnight and started to book more meetings and more clients. If you had $10,000 to spend on your side hustle, find out what Matt thinks you should spend it on. How to validate your idea. The one thing every successful person has done to get where they are.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! An industrial designer & artist by trade, Matt turned everything upside down in 2011 to launch a tech company in Sydney, Australia. Bonjoro was born from a customer success hack for his first startup, where Matt and the team would send every new signup a personal welcome video, and it has snowballed over the last 18 months. His love of building great products is only surpassed by that of building strong business cultures, and he believes culture has been the core driver of Bonjoro’s rapid growth since it launched in 2017.  With a vision to help every business be more customer-centric and scale real human relationships, Bonjoro is just the start of Matt’s journey. In our conversation, we discuss How Bonjoro started as a secret side hustle alongside Matt’s original business. How having clients in different time zones inspired Bonjoro How they tripled their response rate to their emails overnight and started to book more meetings and more clients. If you had $10,000 to spend on your side hustle, find out what Matt thinks you should spend it on. How to validate your idea. The one thing every successful person has done to get where they are.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! 1. UPDATE YOUR COPYRIGHT DATE IN THE FOOTER OF YOUR WEBSITE. This may be in appearance > customize > footer (this is the way we set up our footers in the free 5 Day Website Challenge) or it may be under appearance > widgets, depending on how you set up your site. 2. REVIEW YOUR ANALYTICS AND NOTE YOUR CONVERSIONS, AND SET UP A GOAL IF YOU DON’T HAVE ONE ALREADY. If your analytics show that you need to build your email list, check out my favorite 30 day list building challenge here! 3. NOTE YOUR METRICS. How much traffic are you getting to your website? How many unique visitors are you getting? How long are they staying on your page? Note your metrics so that you can compare them later and see if you’re actually getting traction. 4. UPDATE, SEO OPTIMIZE, AND SOCIAL OPTIMIZE YOUR MOST POPULAR POSTS. You can check out my SEO Masterclass in my Serious Side Hustlers subscription here. 5. CHECK FOR BROKEN LINKS ON YOUR WEBSITE AND REDIRECT ANY BAD LINKS. You don’t want your readers to encounter a broken link, get frustrated, and decide to leave your website! Be sure to comb through your website’s pages and each post to make sure you don’t miss a link! 6. REVIEW YOUR BLOG POSTS AND UPDATE CATEGORIES, MAKE A LIST OF ONES THAT CAN BE UPDATED. Make sure all your blog posts have a set category and that none are uncategorized, then add any tags your posts are missing. 7. REVIEW YOUR SEARCH ANALYTICS. If you signed up for my free 5 Day Website Challenge and set up a profile on Google Search Console, you can see how people are finding your website so you know where to focus most of your marketing efforts. 8. MAKE SURE YOUR WORDPRESS, THEMES, AND PLUGINS ARE UP TO DATE. Make sure you’ve got backups for your site too! It’s so important to keep your website protected. After all, you worked so hard on it! If you don’t want to worry about it, I’m happy to manage it for you! Check out my WordPress Protection Package here. 9. REVIEW AND UPDATE YOUR SOCIAL PROFILES. Update your bio, your profile pictures, your banners, your links, etc. 10. REVIEW AND UPDATE YOUR EMAIL AUTORESPONDER SEQUENCES. Send yourself a test, check every link, see how it looks on mobile, make sure all your social buttons are correct, and make sure the content is up to date.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Hey, BFFs!! I’ve been struggling with inaction lately. Oh, it looks like I’m doing a lot, and my days are full, don’t get me wrong, but there are a few things that I know will take me to the next level that I’m just not doing. Pitching myself as a guest to podcasts. Pitching guest posts. Starting my YouTube Channel. Finish writing my book. Starting my podcast. I have a goal to build my email list to 10,000 subscribers, and these are all things that are going to get me there, yet there they sit, on my to-do list without being scheduled and prioritized over all the other things. WHY DO WE HOLD OURSELVES BACK FROM DOING THINGS THAT WE KNOW WILL GET US WHAT WE WANT? The same pattern shows up in other areas of my life. I have a great week of a daily exercise practice, eating awesome, healthy whole food and hydrating like a champ, and then I wake up the following Monday morning, pat myself on the back for doing such a great job last week and put no intentional action into repeating those actions enough times that they become habit, that they become part of me. HERE’S WHY I THINK THAT I’M NOT DOING THESE THINGS: FEAR. Fear of putting myself out there in a more intentional way, fear of being noticed, fear of not being validated. Up until now, I’ve been able to promote the Free 5 Day Website Challenge. I don’t have to talk about me, I can talk about you and your problems and how I can help you solve them. I don’t have to put the spotlight on myself. And if I’m being totally honest, I love all the praise and thank you’s that I get from you guys about how awesome the 5 Day Challenge is. I start to doubt myself when I don’t get that feedback, and that imposter syndrome starts to creep back in. All of those things that I’m not doing? Like pitching myself and starting a new YouTube Channel, have to do with me talking about me, about why I’m good enough, why I think you should pay attention to me. And that is really uncomfortable for me. I’m fine with other people saying awesome things about me, but for me to say them about myself? What if it’s not true??? It reminds me of middle school when you like a boy, but you make your best friend tell him and find out if he likes you back before you totally put your little 13-year-old heart on the line. Like, can’t someone else tell those people how awesome I am for me? Or at least it feels that way… AND THE OTHER THING? I FEEL GUILTY FOR FEELING THIS WAY. I mean, I did it!! I reached my goal!! I quit my day job. I’m writing this blog post from bed, with Scarlett at my feet, coffee on my nightstand and I don’t have anywhere I have to be today. #dreamlife!! So why the guilt? My business coach, Vicki Fitch, must have a time machine. She must have gone into the future to see that this is exactly what I’d be struggling with after reaching my goal of quitting my day job. Since we started working together in 2016, she’s shared a concept with me called The Bully in Your Head, and she’s warned me that this will be the time that I’m most vulnerable to the Bully, and that I must not be complacent. IT’S DEFINITELY THE BULLY IN MY HEAD. In fact, she’s does a monthly podcast episode on the topic which you can check out here, and she’s also writing a book about it that you can preorder here as part of her big, hairy audacious goal to publish 12 books in 12 months (also go check that out here if you want to master selling and all things online business). My Bully shows up in all these subtle, insidious ways, like the fact that I’m even writing this blog post tells me that the Bully in My Head is awake and grumbling this morning, wanting more coffee… My Bully’s job is to keep me in my place. Don’t be conceited. Be grateful for what you have, don’t ask for more. Don’t do anything that would make someone else not like you. Don’t do anything that might make you feel uncomfortable and have conflict. Don’t do anything that might offend someone else, like asking them to pay for stuff or pricing something too high. You want everyone to like you, right??? Then you can’t put yourself out there too much #duh!! It’s my Bully’s job to keep me from taking action and keep me in my comfort zone. So let me ask you this: What is on your to-do list that will get you closer to what you want, but you’re not doing it? What does your Bully tell you? Tell me in the comments below. It’s so funny that whenever the Bully, or Self Doubt, or Imposter Syndrome or whatever you want to call it shows up for you guys or any of my friends, I’m like NOPE, not today Bully! She’s awesome and amazing and she deserves to have everything she wants!! I can spot the bully a mile away and stand between her and her bully. For myself, well, I’m working on that. Here’s what I tell my BFFs, and today, I’m saying it to myself: THE ONLY WAY TO FAIL IS BY DOING NOTHING. So what if I pitch myself and no one books me? So what if I start a YouTube Channel and no one watches it? So what if I write a book and no one reads it? So what if I start a podcast and no one listens? So what if it takes me a year to transform my body? I know that I have something of value to share. And I know I can help people change their lives. And I won’t let the Bully in My Head stop me. At least I will have tried, I will have learned something, and I’ll know what to do differently the next time. Maybe I’ll knock it out of the park the first time, but probably I won’t be an expert right out of the gate. Just like anything else, it’s trial and error. And the only way to really fail is to stop trying (or never start). Because if I do nothing, I’ll never know the outcome and I for sure won’t get any results. So if you’ve been holding yourself back from finishing your website, or making that freebie, or promoting yourself, or calling yourself an expert, or signing up for that program that you know deep down will help you take it to the next level but the bully in your head is telling you that it won’t work, as Vicki Fitch says, it’s time to evict the bully in your head. IF YOUR BEST FRIEND CAME TO YOU AND TOLD YOU ALL THE THINGS YOU SAY TO YOURSELF IN YOUR HEAD, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL HER? Get out a pen and a piece of paper, and respond as if you’re speaking to your best friend, and do that whenever your bully starts being an asshole to you. Maybe he’ll eventually go somewhere else once he figures out no one is listening to him anymore. As for me, after I finish up this blog post I’m starting on that podcast pitch. #byebully!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! HOW TO CHOOSE BETWEEN SELF-HOSTED AND FREE BLOGGING PLATFORMS I had the honor and pleasure of speaking at the Thrive Creative Conference for Bloggers last week in Austin, Texas all about how bloggers can grow their influence and how to monetize their blogs. After my talk on search engine optimization, I had quite a few bloggers come up to me and ask me a variation of this question: I’m on Blogger/SquareSpace/Wix/Weebly/WordPress.com – do I need to move to self-hosted WordPress? I’m so confused… What is self-hosted WordPress? It sounds expensive and intimidating. I really just want to blog, I don’t want to be a web developer. I hear this question a lot, so in this blog post I’m going to break it all down for you and then tell you who I think should be on self-hosted WordPress, and who can get away with using a free or subscription-based platform. SO WHAT IS SELF-HOSTED WORDPRESS? I like to think about the difference between self-hosted WordPress and free blogging platforms as the difference between owning and renting a home. When you’re renting, you get to pick a floor plan, move your furniture in, and decorate to an extent, but you can’t paint or remodel. You probably have an assigned parking space and shared areas, like a pool and fitness center. Maybe you can pay extra for a pet, or maybe they aren’t allowed. You don’t have to mow, do yard work, or fix the faucet when it starts leaking – you’ve got a landlord for that. But, the owner can decide to change anything at any time. Suddenly you get a notice that the complex no longer allows dogs over 40lbs, and you either have to move or your big fat lab is about to be homeless. Maybe you get a notice that the complex is under new management and your rent is going up. Or they decide that you violated terms of your lease and give you two weeks to move out (um, yeah, that happened to me in college – stupid roommates and their dumb parties). WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR BLOG ON BLOGGER, SQUARESPACE, WIX, WEEBLY, OR WORDPRESS.COM, YOU’RE RENTING. You get to pick your theme and customize it to an extent, you get to put your words and images on the page, but they dictate to you what functionality is available and what you can and can’t do on their platform. They take care of maintenance, but in order to keep maintenance manageable, they limit features. Because everyone is sharing resources, you have to play by their rules. WHEN YOU HAVE A SELF-HOSTED BLOG, IT’S LIKE OWNING YOUR OWN HOME. When you’re buying a home, you have thousands of floorplans to choose from, you have total autonomy to remodel to fit your personal style, and no one can tell you how big your dog can be or where to park. There are no lease agreements for you to violate. Yes, you’re also responsible for maintaining your home – but it’s not like you have to know how to be a plumber! You just have to know how to call one, explain the problem, and then pay for the repairs. And if you wanted to, you could literally pick up that whole entire house, put it on a truck, and move it somewhere else. Ever seen Haulin’ House, anyone?? You can’t do that if you’re renting! HOW TO DECIDE BETWEEN A FREE BLOGGING PLATFORM AND SELF-HOSTED WORDPRESS If you never intend to make money from your blog and it’s simply a hobby or a place for creative expression, then a free blogging platform like Blogger or WordPress.com is totally fine. But if you ever intend to make money from your blog, turn it into a business, or have it lend credibility to your personal brand or business, then I highly recommend a self-hosted WordPress site. And even if you have no plans to monetize right now, but you will in the future, start with self-hosted WordPress*. Eventually, you will outgrow the other platforms that I mentioned, just like you’ll outgrow that apartment and want the freedom, flexibility, and the unlimited possibilities that come with ownership – and moving sucks. Wanna know how I know? Because about half of my one-on-one web design clients come to me because they’ve outgrown their free/cheap blogging platforms, and it’s a lot of extra work (and expense) to move over all that old content while preserving links and social shares so they don’t lose all their hard-won page views. It’s possible, but it ain’t cheap. HOW TO START A SELF-HOSTED WORDPRESS SITE Shannon, a self-hosted site sounds like a lot of work. I’m not techie, and I don’t know how to host my own blog. I don’t know if I’m capable of doing this. I hear that a lot too, BFF! And I’m here for you. First, I don’t really like the term self-hosted, because it’s totally misleading. You actually pay a hosting company to host your blog for you, and the good ones have a one-click WordPress installation built in so that you don’t have to do anything more technical than point and click. I use and recommend Bluehost* to set up your self-hosted WordPress site. I am an affiliate partner, which means that I earn a commission at no additional cost to you when you use my link to purchase hosting – but I also have negotiated a special hosting price just for my audience that breaks down to just $2.95 a month when you lock in three years (that’s $106 for hosting, you guys, for three whole years!) Second, I walk you through EV-ERY-THING, step by step. On this page, I show you how to quickly get your hosting set up with Bluehost. I also have a free step-by-step video training called the 5 Day Website Challenge that not only shows you how to set up Bluehost but also how to actually use WordPress and set up the rest of your blog. I’m talking everything from branding to email opt-in to search engine optimization – all in a way that normal, non-techie people can understand! You can sign up for that free training here. So if you’re ready to set up your blog the right way, your first step is to get your hosting and install WordPress, and you can click here to get started with Bluehost. And I’ll be there every step of the way to help you get your blog set up the right way!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Expenses Breakdown Tools:AccessAlly (Membership plugin for all of my courses) – $79.00 Acuity Scheduling (Done For You Consultations) – $10.00 Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, etc.) $64.48 Auphonic (audio optimization for podcast) – $11.00 Canva for Work Annual Subscription – $119.40 Dropbox (File Storage) – $19.99 Elegant Themes Marketplace – $7.00 GoDaddy (Domain Names) – $40.17 FreeConferenceCall.com (Coaching & Client Calls) – $3.00 Gravity Forms Developer License Renewal – $97 GSuite (wp-bff.com Email) – $10.76 Infusionsoft (email marketing, automation, e-commerce & customer management) – $321.44 ManageWP (WordPress Site Management for Clients & WordPress Protection Package) – $94.78 Social Warfare Pro License – $29.00 Soundup (Alexa Flash Briefing Hosting) – $9.99 Zapier – $15.00 Total: 932.01 Marketing:Bonjoro (Video Welcome Service) – $25.00 CoSchedule (Social Media Scheduling) – $59.00 LinkTree Pro (Instagram Profile Links) $6.00 Recurpost (Social Media Scheduling) – $25.00 Total: $115.00 Professional Services:Suzanne Dibble’s GDPR Pack – $228.80 Bench Accounting – $135.00 Tax Filing Fee – $145.10 Total: 508.90 Help:Subcontractors (VA Team, Graphic Designer, Web Developers, Pinterest Specialist) $2040.00 Learning/Mentorship:Nathalie Lussier – Online Courses Simplified – $97 Travel:None Bank/Credit Card Processing Fees:Credit Card Processing Fees: $188.74 Office SuppliesOne giant box of mechanical pencils because Scarlett keeps stealing and ruining mine: $23.64 Total Expenses: $3905.29 Net Profit: $5111.42 Biggest Lessons Learned I met my goal, but at a great emotional and physical cost. Nine projects is way too many to manage at one time. I did have one awesome person helping me, but it was still too much for both of us. I began to feel very overwhelmed at the thought of taking on even one more client, and fearful of what would happen if the few proposals out there actually booked…it might send me over the edge. That energy definitely leaked out into my interactions on client consultations that I did in April. I spent most of the first camping trip of the year working on writing blog posts and producing Pep Talks for Side Hustlers, and creating a content calendar for the quarter, not relaxing or just chilling out like I used to do. While it felt freeing to be able to nap whenever I wanted, it should have never gotten to the point where I needed to nap. My written planner in April looks a hot mess. It’s chaos. It reflects someone who is barely hanging on. I was eating like, a quesadilla a day, drinking too much on the weekends, and gaining weight. I took on GDPR full force. I spent at least 25 hours researching and writing an epic blog post on it for my community and planning my re-engagement campaign. Feeling the way I felt in April is not why I left my day job. It felt very much like having no freedom, no flexibility and no independence. What am I creating? Is this what I want? Is this worth it? I started discussing with my business coach that I was struggling with managing all the client projects. I shared that while I felt that the new Done For You Method I had created resulted in projects that were on track, my prices aren’t high enough for it to be worth it to me to feel this way, and they weren’t high enough for me to be able to bring someone on And people knew I was totally frazzled, but I would brush them off. I would say things like, “I’m at this weird place in my business where I have too many clients but I can’t afford help, so I can’t complain. It’s a good problem to have.” No, Shannon. It’s not a good problem to have. It’s a problem that’s grinding you into the ground and you have to do something about it. My mindset at that point was again to wrap up these client projects and simply not take on any more. I couldn’t fathom in my brain how to make it worth it. I thought about raising my prices since I do so much more than just web design for my clients, but the bully in my head got to me. “No one’s going to pay you that much for a website…” he said. I thought about bringing on a project manager, but my expense budget was already totally out of hand. So I tabled that idea. I wanted to shift my efforts into growing the passive income side of my business so that I wouldn’t need to work 80 hours a week and feel stressed and exhausted. I had a frank discussion with my business coach about it, and she told me that in order to do that, I needed to prepare for a significant drop in income because right now, these projects are my bread and butter. I should have moved more swiftly to cut back expenses so that I could start that shift, but I wasn’t mentally ready to face it, as you’ll see in my May income report. So yes, I had a totally profitable month. I’m grateful that I netted over $5,000… but working 80 hours a week? That’s $15.62 an hour. I don’t want to work 80 hours a week, and my time and expertise is worth way more. So, you’ll see how I’ll start to dig my way out in the coming months!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my April Income Report! Each month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my #SideHustleGoneSerious and show you exactly how much I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! Important Things That Happened in April I had 9 active, concurrent client projects occurring in April. We had our first camping trip of the year. I drove the camper home for the first time since we bought it 6 years ago and did a pretty good job – I didn’t take out any mailboxes, hit any curbs, and kept up speed on the freeway. Annual Income taxes for 2017 are due here in the US, plus quarterly estimated taxes for 2018. GDPR started to creep closer, and my community started to ask me how to technically implement GDPR on my website. I worked 80-hour workweeks, and I worked every single weekend. I began publishing these income reports, starting with January 2018. I hosted 3 webinars to promote Serious Side Hustlers, Websites That Make Money and the Web Designer Academy, resulting in one awesome student joining the Web Designer Academy. I tried to go live in each of my Facebook groups once a week. I started using my written planner instead of making super long to-do lists in my notebook, but I was still not blocking my time. I began napping in the afternoons from sheer exhaustion. Notes I wrote in my planner: “EXHAUSTED” written across April 17 & 18. “Do the things that will bring in $$$ first.” “Do the things that will grow my list first.” “Every task is at least one hour.” Review of My Goals Again, my goal each month has been to generate $10,000 in revenue because my rough breakdown to replace my paycheck, cover business expenses and pay taxes is: $5000 – Income to cover my paycheck. $2500 – Expenses $2500 – Taxes What I Focused on in April My entire focus in April was client work. Keeping all the projects moving forward and trying not to drop any balls. That being said, here’s how much money I made in April 2018: Income Breakdown Passive Income:Affiliate Income – Bluehost – $305.00 Affiliate Income – Elegant Themes – $225.50 Affiliate Income – ConvertKit – $34.80 5 Day Challenge Upgrade – $119.00 How to Start a Freelance Web Design Business Upgrade – $0.00 Serious Side Hustlers – $986.00 Individual Courses – $0.00 Web Designer Academy – $2094.60 Websites That Make Money Beta – $691.00 WordPress Protection Package – $316.81 Passive Income Total: $4772.71 Time for Money Income:Done For You Projects – $998.90 Website Therapy Coaching Beta Test – $349.00 Website Review Beta Test – $297.00 Consulting – $2550 Time for Money Total: $4244.00 Total Income: 9016.71

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Laura Zaccagnini is the owner of IWMLBproject which stands for I Want My Life Back. After burning out in a corporate job, Laura decided that life was too short to be missing precious time with loved ones and decided to start her own business. IWMLBproject helps corporate women in their 30s make the leap from a job that doesn’t fulfill them anymore, into a life they love. When not typing furiously into her laptop, Laura can be found reading Scandi crime novels and eating peanut butter. I discovered Laura Zacaggnini from the I Want My Life Back Project on Pinterest and I immediately felt like she was a kindred spirit. And I was totally right!! We’re the exact same age, we had similar day jobs, and we quit our day jobs for the same reason! In this episode we’ll talk about: How to overcome the panic about money when you first leave the steady paycheck. How she’s growing the I Want My Life Project from scratch. Why you can’t make the wrong decision and why it’s important to try on new ideas. What she procrastinated on the most during starting her blog. How she used the Relationships Strategy I mention in Episode 67 to get traffic to her website. How she uses Pinterest to get traffic to her website. How Laura blends her blogging with her family life and how she created her schedule. What belief she had to change about herself to get where she is today. Her favorite podcast and book for people who want their lives back. You can find more from Laura here: Pinterest Twitter Instagram Facebook

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Laura Zaccagnini is the owner of IWMLBproject which stands for I Want My Life Back. After burning out in a corporate job, Laura decided that life was too short to be missing precious time with loved ones and decided to start her own business. IWMLBproject helps corporate women in their 30s make the leap from a job that doesn’t fulfill them anymore, into a life they love. When not typing furiously into her laptop, Laura can be found reading Scandi crime novels and eating peanut butter. I discovered Laura Zacaggnini from the I Want My Life Back Project on Pinterest and I immediately felt like she was a kindred spirit. And I was totally right!! We’re the exact same age, we had similar day jobs, and we quit our day jobs for the same reason! In this episode we’ll talk about: Why the higher up in the corporate career ladder you go the higher your risk for dissatisfaction. Why she quit her job without having a side hustle in place. The blog she tried to start first before starting the I Want My Life Project and how she discovered it wasn’t the right thing for her. Why she started the I Want My Life Back Project. Her best advice for someone who wants to leave their corporate job, but doesn’t really want a side hustle. How to identify your financial priorities so that you can leave your job. What it was like to leave a high-powered stressful corporate job and take time to decompress, and how she knew it was time to start her blog. You can find more from Laura here: Pinterest Twitter Instagram Facebook

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! In Episode 83, I shared with you that I got out of my comfort zone of introverted aloneness to attend a conference, and in this episode I want to dive a little deeper into what it can look like to get out of your comfort zone not only in your business but also personally and how those things can blend together to work to your advantage. 5. CONNECT WITH YOUR PEOPLE THROUGH STORIES It’s not enough to just give away information, you have to share who YOU are. That’s the only thing that’s going to set you apart from the other blogger that blogs about the same things you blog about. Your experiences will connect you with others who have had similar experiences. Jenna Kutcher does this by sharing body-positive photos of herself and talking about mac and cheese and her dogs. Amy Porterfield has started sharing deeper, personal things like how she’s ashamed of her weight and that’s why she doesn’t like to be on video. Guess what? I listened to enough marketing podcasts that I loved, and I had no intention of adding Amy Porterfield or Jenna Kutcher’s podcasts to my library. I mean, who has time for more podcasts. Until… They both talked about something on social media that I struggle with. Something that I know holds me back – how I’m ashamed of my body and how it looks. And that humanized both of these majorly successful women for me. It showed me that I don’t have to be that perfect version of myself that I have in my mind to be successful, I can just be me. And that made me subscribe to their podcasts and ultimately turned me into a paying customer of both them. What this means for you: It’s easier than ever to stand out in a crowded online world when you share your story.The reason why you started your business is very different than the reason someone else started the same business. Where does your passion come from? Tell people about it! You don’t have to pretend to be an expert or have it all together. People respect you more if you’re real. So be real. 6. VIDEO IS STILL THE FASTEST WAY TO BUILD TRUST ONLINE There’s nothing quite like seeing someone’s face, looking into their eyes and hearing their voice for you to decide if you like them. Right now, only 35% of people are using video to connect with their audiences – and just like the blogging fundamentals, most people just won’t do it. What this means for you: You have an opportunity to stand out and actually make this thing into a profitable business if you just start doing what most people won’t do – which is put themselves out there on video – whether it’s live or not. Like Jenna Kutcher said, “Be real, not retouched.” Think about this: Do you expect your ideal clients to look a certain way? Do you expect them to always have makeup on with the perfect outfit and hair? Do you expect that they should look 20 years younger than they are? Do you expect them to never stumble over their words or be nervous? No? Then you don’t have to be perfect for them either. They just want to see you for who you are and get to know you. Start making videos. Listen, I know. It’s way easier for guys to just pick up their phone and go live. I look like a totally different person when I wake up without makeup on (okay, let’s be honest, yesterday’s makeup on), and that’s just not how I want to be seen online. 7. GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE If you don’t know who Jenna Kutcher is, check out her Instagram. I was scrolling through my feed one day and I see a photo of her in a bathing suit, and my first thought was, “Why am I hiding?” I don’t have the body I think I’m supposed to have, so I don’t wear bathing suits, or shorts or skirts. But it goes deeper than that. I’m not X, so I can’t Y. I’m not good at public speaking, so I can’t give that talk on SEO to bloggers in Austin. I’m not an expert, I can’t blog about that. I’m not outgoing, so I can’t go talk to that person. Here’s what I’ve decided to do instead. When an opportunity presents itself that makes me super uncomfortable, like physically uncomfortable, I have to do it. I was invited to speak at Thrive Creative Conference in front of real live human beings, no hiding behind a laptop. I said yes, and then I stressed out about it for two whole weeks beforehand (ask my husband Floyd how fun I was to be around two days before I left). And my heart was pounding, my voice was shaking and I kept hitting the wrong button on my slides, but it was amazing and I will definitely continue to speak to in-person groups. I saw Jenna Kutcher’s talk at Social Media Marketing World, and I felt super nervous about going up to her to thank her for being an inspiration. I almost walked away, but then I didn’t. I got in that line, I hugged her, thanked her and got a photo with her. Instead of leaving the conference and going straight to my hotel for yoga pants and room service, I asked the girl next to me if she wanted to grab dinner. Instead of skipping the networking party because I was tired, I went with two people I had just met that evening – and it was actually fun! Instead of skipping the huge line of people waiting to get a photo with Amy Porterfield, I waited. And I was nervous to share with her how grateful I was to her for sharing her insecurities – but I did it. Instead of not asking a question in Steve Chou’s session because I had to go up to a mic and ask it in front of 300 people, I did it. And I’m glad I asked because I would have implemented his strategy a little wrong! What this means for you: When you start to do the things that make you uncomfortable, opportunities open up. It can’t all be done alone in a vacuum, this online business thing requires other people and relationships to make it work. All of those actions I took to get out of my comfort zone – those were little seeds that I’ve planted and who knows what they will look like when they sprout? And conferences are a great way to meet people that have similar interests but a totally different perspective than you – and that opens up a whole world of possibility. Yes, it’s an investment to attend a conference, but you can start locally. Find something within driving distance so you don’t need to pay for a flight and hotel. Then make it a goal in 2019 to travel to a conference and meet some people in real life, and really stretch outside of your comfort zone. 8. DON’T QUIT The final takeaway I want to leave you with is this: Don’t quit before you’ve really gotten started. Mark Manson told a story about how Pat Flynn almost shut down Smart Passive Income because he wasn’t getting any readers. Green Smoothie Girl shared how the first couple of years she made no money because she didn’t know how, but she kept going. No one at this conference is an overnight success, and everyone has made mistakes and had a windy road to success. What this means for you: If you’re 3 months into building your website and you’re still trying to make it perfect, please stop. Make sure you have a freebie set up and please just start blogging and connecting with people online. Perfection is a myth, a lie designed to keep you in your comfort zone and stop you from doing great things. Just start, master the fundamentals and please, don’t quit. Because everyone else will quit, and when you do what others aren’t willing to do, that’s when you’ll finally find success. So if you’re ready to get over your fears and get started building your dream business online, click here to take the Free 5 Day Website Challenge with 5000 other people overcoming their fear of tech to make their dreams come true!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! GUYS, I GOTTA BE HONEST… Going places by myself where I have to talk to strangers is like my least favorite thing to do. I remember as a kid and even into my early twenties, I got bad anxiety if I had to call someone or answer the phone and talk to someone I didn’t know. Like, I wouldn’t even call to order a pizza. But then when I’m around people I know, or I’m talking to strangers online (you guys don’t feel like strangers to me, but technically, you are), I’m totally at ease and no conversation is off limits. IT’S LIKE I’M TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE SOMETIMES… CAN YOU RELATE?? Back in late February, I attending Social Media Marketing World with over 4000 other people to learn about how to use social media to grow our businesses. Instead of doing what I always do at conferences (talk to no one, back to the hotel ASAP, yoga pants, and room service in bed), I did some things that scared me. Aside from that one night I had room service in bed. I did things that made my heart pound, my face turn red and my eyes get a little misty from trying to hold back all the emotions. I’ll tell you more about how I got out of my comfort zone in a minute, but first, I want to share with you some of my key takeaways from the largest conference on social media marketing in the world with the hope that these foundations will guide you as you work on building your website, building your audience and turning your expertise into income. Because as uncomfortable as it was, it was totally worth it, and it will just get easier every time. Speaking of being scared, if you haven’t signed up for my Free 5 Day Website Challenge yet, click here to join over 5,000 other bloggers and business owners overcoming their fear of tech and building their websites with WordPress. 1. THE MASTERS FOCUS ON THE FUNDAMENTALS Robyn Openshaw, founder of the multi-million dollar blog greensmoothiegirl.com talked about how she was able to get traction in growing her blog to over $5 million dollars in annual revenue over 11 years by consistently focusing on the fundamentals of blogging: Be yourself and write in a conversational tone Go deep on the subjects you write about Create freebies and always be building your email list Heidi Cohen shared her top three strategies for creating consistent, relevant content. My key takeaway from her presentation is that the masters don’t just wing it. Masters spend intentional time every single day generating ideas. They spend intentional time vetting ideas, researching ideas and making sure they are relevant to their audiences. And they become prolific through practice, instead of worrying about perfection. What this means for you: That anyone can build a profitable blog, but most people won’t put in the work to master the fundamentals. The way to stand out is to actually do the work, regardless of whether you’re seeing instant results. Just like anything else, you won’t see the rewards of your consistency until later. 2. A SMALLER, MORE RELEVANT AUDIENCE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN A LARGER, LESS ENGAGED ONE Michael Stelzner, founder of Social Media Examiner said that the future of social media and online marketing, in general, is going to force us to have to zero in on our target audiences and build meaningful two-way relationships with them. And Robyn Openshaw said the same thing – that 5,000 super-engaged fans are worth more to your business than 100,000 who never open your emails. What this means for you: That you don’t have to stress over numbers. Instead, put some intentional effort to finding your audience online and figure out how to get meaningful, valuable content in front of them. 3. SHAREWORTHY CONTENT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER BEFORE My biggest takeaway from this week is that Facebook is prioritizing showing content that gets long comments and shares, also known as engagement. Basically, instead of everyone seeing everything, they want real people to share content. Sounds pretty straightforward, but it’s freaking marketing people out! Pat Flynn drove this point home in his keynote about creating super fans (which was amazing, if you ever get a chance to see him speak don’t miss it). He said that most people are focused on just getting more traffic and new subscribers that they miss out on serving the people who are already part of their community, and the best way to do that is create amazing, super valuable, actionable content that can get your audience a quick win, and then they’re in with you for life. Sound familiar? I learned it by watching what Pat has done for the past 3 years, and he just confirmed that’s his strategy at Social Media Marketing World. What this means for you: Creating what I call “shareworthy content” is more important than ever before because the algorithm doesn’t really care if you’re sharing your own stuff. It cares that OTHER PEOPLE are sharing your stuff. And other people aren’t going to share your simple checklist if it doesn’t solve a problem, entertain them or give them a win. Like Chalene Johnson says, “People share what makes them look good.” So create content – especially freebies –  that makes your audience look smart, funny or inspiring and you’re on the right track to building an audience of highly engaged people that will tell everyone about you and can’t wait to see what you’ve got coming next. 4. THE TIME TO START MONETIZING IS NOW Green Smoothie Girl wishes she could go back in time and monetize her blog from day one. Oh, and she’s never put a single third-party ad on her site. Know what that tells me? That’s she’s not just focused on the number of page views, but she’s focused on building a highly relevant audience over just the numbers. Are you seeing a trend here? Mark Manson has had over 100 blogs that he’s monetized, including a blog about litter boxes and another about baking. What this means for you: You do not have to wait until you have a big audience and then launch a product to start making money from your blog! You can start monetizing from day 1 exactly like I did, and then grow it over time as your audience and your email list grows.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! So let’s talk about what this could look like in action. One way you could implement seasons in your business is to break them down into quarters. So I used to think of quarters in the traditional sense like the IRS thinks of them: January to March April to June July to September October to December But then I downloaded a content calendar template from Planoly – which is an Instagram planning and posting tool – and it broke the quarters down completely differently. It started in February, which I thought was totally genius because when you think about it, it puts the holiday season into a single quarter. So this looks like: February to April May to July August to October November to January And where you put your season of Creation, Traffic, Sales, and Evaluation into each quarter totally depends on your business. If you do most of your sales during the holiday season, your seasons might look like February to April – Evaluation May to July – Creation August to October – Traffic November to January – Sales If your business doesn’t cycle through the holidays, yours might look like: February to April – Creation May to July – Traffic August to October – Sales November to January – Evaluation & Planning But you can get creative with your seasons, you don’t have to follow a quarterly model, and you don’t have to do them in a certain order either. It’s what works best for you. So for me, here’s what it looks like: December & January – Planning & Evaluation Feb & March – Traffic April & May – Sales June & July – Creation August & September – Traffic October & November – Sales So the key takeaway here is when you’re trying to do everything all at once, you’re not doing any one thing well. And, yes, there is a way to automate all of this so that it’s all running all the time without you – BUT, it doesn’t just happen. You do have to get it running yourself and perfect it before you can hand it over to automation. So I’d love to hear how you implement seasons in your side hustle – head on over here to join our Facebook group find this episode and let me know in the comments!!!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! So, just prior to my season of traffic, I was in the season of creation. I had spent about a month updating my 5-Day Website Challenge, which is a series of free training videos that show people how to build their own website. When I first recorded it, I did 5, 1 to 1.5 hour long courses, but this time, I wanted to break it up into shorter modules, so now it’s nearly 60 super short videos dripped out over 5 days. I’m super proud of it, and you can go check it out and sign up at www.wp-bff.com. But when creating something like this, it doesn’t matter whether you have 60 5-minute-long videos, you just created 12 times the work. So instead of 5 videos and 5 graphics and 5 modules and 5 sets of instructions and 5 progress checklists, I have 60 of each. So I needed to be in a season where I could immerse myself in that work and not have other projects and deadlines pulling at my time. I also needed to make some structural updates to my website to shore up my foundation. And I didn’t really plan it this way, it just so happened that I had a gap in client work that allowed me to take this season of creation, but for me, it’s renewing. I love doing that stuff. For you, it might look like building your website. Or writing a book. Or creating quarter’s worth of blog posts so that you free up some of your time while side hustling. When I was in the season of creation with no other obligations or responsibilities, I was able to have the brain space to actually be creative. And I think that’s what I was missing when I’d try to cram it all in with getting traffic and working with clients and launching my programs and trying to do everything all at once. Giving yourself space for creation is really, really important. So the next season I’ve identified in my business is the season of selling. So I have 2 signature programs and one membership opportunity in my business – and historically what I’ve done is launched those haphazardly when I’ve felt inspired to launch them. I didn’t do my research as to what other big programs where being launched at the same time, or if we were in Back to School or the holiday hangover period. And then, when I didn’t get the results I expected, I decided to not launch them in the traditional sense where you have a big marketing campaign and open and close a cart, I decided to test out having them all open all the time and doing a different webinar each week on each program. Let me tell you, that was exhausting for me, and really confusing for my audience. What I realized is that I’ve had no real season of selling. I’ve been treading water trying to sell all the time, and when I have promoted by products and services, I didn’t have a strong foundation from the season of traffic so I’d try to do both at the same time – which didn’t really work for me. Now that I’m thinking about my business in seasons, I can do things in the right order and then look back at my results. Which leads me to the season of evaluation, strategy, adjustment, and planning. So one of the most profound things I’ve gotten from putting together my monthly income reports which I share with you on this podcast and publish on my blog over at www.wp-bff.com is that it forces me to take a deep dive into the prior month. What did my calendar look like? What was happening in my life? What were my goals? What really ended up happening? How did I make my money? How did I spend my money? What would I do differently? I know me, and I know if I had not committed to writing those income reports every month that I would not be looking at those things. I would be on to the next thing without looking back. Those income reports give me real time to reflect on the path that I’m taking. I also have had to do major mindset work to go from frustration when I don’t get the results I expect from products or webinars or Facebook ads into looking at them like a test instead of a reflection of my knowledge, skills, and ability. Test, evaluate the outcome, get feedback from people other than yourself, and make adjustments and come up with a new strategy for next time. And then just making time for planning is essential. Planning your seasons. Planning what activities you’ll do in your seasons. Planning out your weeks and your days. You’ll hear me say this a lot – planning is what gives you freedom.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! If you’re anything like me, you’re trying to do all the things all at the same time. I’m a do-er, an action taker and I like to dig in and GET STUFF DONE. And I also have a tendency to get frustrated when things don’t happen as quickly as I want them to…and then I decide it’s not working and I move onto the next thing. But what I’m not doing is giving things enough TIME to play out. I’m not watering the seeds that I’ve planted, and I’m doing all the things all the time and not giving any one thing my full, undivided attention. I’m in a Facebook group for customers of Nathalie Lussier’s software and programs – and I happened to catch Nathalie doing a quarterly live training. And the first thing she asked us is what our theme for this quarter is. She said her theme was TRAFFIC. And at that moment it dawned on me that there are seasons in your side hustle. There are times where you put a lot of energy into marketing and list building. Then there are times where you put your energy into creating new things, like signature content and courses. There are times where you’re actively presenting them with an opportunity to go deeper with you and buy your products or services. There are times when you reflect on and evaluate your results, and plan and strategize and make changes for the next season. So let’s break each season down, and talk about what dividing up your side hustle into seasons might look like for you. The first season is the Season of Traffic or the season of marketing and list building. In this season, you’re kicking your efforts to get people to your website and onto your email list into high gear. I’m currently also in the season of traffic. I recently removed 3600 unengaged people from my email list, and I’m ready to bring back 3600 brand new, engaged subscribers. So here’s what I’m doing in my season of traffic: I’m building relationships. I’m reaching out to people in my network and letting them know that I have a new 5 Day Website Challenge and this podcast. I’m engaging with them on social media. I’m showing up to their Facebook Lives and commenting. I’m asking them to be a guest on my podcast and pitching myself to be a guest on theirs. I’m asking them if I can add value to their audience. I’m giving. One pitfall I see when people do this is they’ll send me an email that says something like “Hey, I saw this blog post you wrote on X topic. I too write blog posts, let me know what I can write for your audience”. And you know what you’ve just done? You’ve given me more work to do. Now I have to research you, see what you actually write about, think up a topic for you. So you know what I do? I end up deleting those emails. Make it really, really easy for people to say YES to you. Put the time into it on your end to research them, their audience and come up with your own idea for what to do together. You’re much more likely to have success that way. The second thing I’m doing is engaging in Facebook groups where my target audience hangs out. I’m paying attention to who the admins of the groups are, I’m commenting on their threads. I’m helping people with their web related questions. I’m asking genuine questions on things I’m stuck on (yes, I totally get stuck). And if there happen to be opportunities where I can promote the 5 Day website challenge, I’m posting a link to it. Facebook groups are responsible for the growth of my business. If you put some intentional, authentic time into engaging them, you can get quality traffic to your website from them. The third thing I’m investing my time in is Pinterest. You can go back and listen to episode 76 with Jenny Blaisdell of Confetti Social who is a Pinterest expert – and she talks about Pinterest as a visual search engine. I’m optimizing my best content for Pinterest by adding eye-catching pins, pinning those to my boards as well as group boards, and making use of a Pinterest Schedule and group pinning tool called Tailwind to get my content in front of even more people. And I’m being patient with my results! Patience is key with Pinterest, and patience isn’t one of my better qualities. The fourth thing I’m doing is Facebook Advertising. I’m running ads for both my podcast and the 5 Day Website Challenge to generate more traffic to my website. I still don’t feel like I have a great strategy, but I am putting a couple hundred dollars into testing, and I participated in a Q&A with Facebook Ads Expert Claire Pelletreau and got some great information and feedback on what to tweak, so I continue my testing. If you’re listening to this podcast because you saw it on a Facebook ad, let me know – just tweet me @shannonlmattern #peptalksforsidehustlers The fifth thing I’m doing is activating my already engaged, awesome community. I’ve started an affiliate program and invited all of my 5 Day Website Challengers to sign up, and when someone joins through their link and then upgrades or joins one of my paid programs, they get a commission. So now they are being rewarded for something they are already doing! So to recap, I’m building relationships with people that serve the same audience I serve. I’m inviting them onto my podcast and adding value to them and we’ll see what it turns into! I’m engaging in Facebook groups where my target audience is hanging out. I’m putting time into my Pinterest strategy every single day, and I’m experimenting and testing out Facebook ads to find a strategy that works, Finally, I’m activating my community to help spread the word to their networks.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! EXPENSES BREAKDOWN Tools:AccessAlly (Membership plugin for all of my courses) – $79.00 Acuity Scheduling (Done For You Consultations) – $10.00 Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, etc.) $64.48 Bluehost  (Web Hosting) – $59.40 Dropbox (File Storage) – $19.99 FreeConferenceCall.com (Coaching & Client Calls) – $3.00 GoDaddy (Domain Names) – $36.51 GSuite (wp-bff.com Email) – $10.76 Infusionsoft (email marketing, automation, e-commerce & customer management) – $353.80 ManageWP (WordPress Site Management for Clients & WordPress Protection Package) – $90.77 Soundup (Alexa Flash Briefing Hosting- $9.99 Templates, Graphics, Fonts, Etc. – $54.81 Vimeo Pro Video Hosting – $199.99 Zapier – $15.00 Misc Plugins – $8.00 Marketing:Bonjoro (Video Welcome Service) – $25.00 LinkTree Pro (Instagram Profile Links) $6.00 Recurpost (Social Media Scheduling) – $25.00 Help:Subcontractors (VA Team, Graphic Designer, Web Developers, Pinterest Specialist) $2377.00 Learning/Mentorship:Business coaching: $2,400 Travel:Social Media Marketing World Hotel & Uber  – $882.66 (I use Southwest points for all of my flights). Total Expenses: 6731.16 NET PROFIT: 3151.11 BIGGEST LESSONS LEARNED By the time I hit March and I was watching my bank account and my sales and expenses, it was pretty clear to me that my expenses were way too high and I could not continue at this level of spending and still meet my goals. There were a few places that I needed to either cut back in order to make ends meet… or I needed to significantly raise prices and bring in more one-on-one clients to offset the imbalance. But since my time was already maxed out, in my mind all that would end up doing is adding more to my subcontractor expense because I’d have to outsource the work anyway to make ends meet. If I’m making $3093.86 on Done For You Projects but I’m turning around and paying out $2000 to subcontractors to help with them and I’m spending 60 hours and month working on them myself, that means I’m making $16.67 an hour. Not why I left my day job, and not sustainable. So it was time to raise prices significantly on Done For You projects – or consider pressing the pause button on them altogether because I’m losing money on them, and put my time into more scalable revenue streams. I felt very overwhelmed and confused about what to do, and even though my business coaching is a pretty big expense each quarter, it’s critical to me that I have the guidance to help me work through this stuff for as long as I can swing it. I also came pretty close to burnout in March. Maybe I actually reached it… I don’t know. What does someone do when they are burnt out? Ignore it and keep pushing? That’s what I do… As I look back through my planner, I can see that I had not yet implemented my new practice of blocking my time and I was trying to cram in way more work than humanly possible into every single day. I was distracting myself from dealing with the emotions of losing my aunt by putting my full attention into Pep Talks for Side Hustlers (I’m sure there are more unhealthy ways of avoiding emotions than working, but still not something I want to make a habit)… And here’s why I tell you all of this: We see so many people talking about how much money they are making online, but we never see the behind the scenes. They don’t share the emotional toll or how much it costs them to make that much money. We don’t see the mistakes and missteps, and it’s just not possible that you and I can have the exact same outcomes, even if we follow the exact same steps, because LIFE!! I just want to pull back the curtain, take off the makeup, and let you see what this really looks like for a real person behind the scenes. So to end this income report on a positive note, March was a profitable month, and I’m very glad I had a cushion in my bank account for months like this when I don’t hit my profit goal. I accomplished quite a bit, I planted many, many seeds for future growth with my podcast and other projects, and I’m learning how to run a business as I grow. And as you’ll see in April, May and June income reports, I’ve got some tough decisions to make ahead of me…

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my March Income Report! Each month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my #SideHustleGoneSerious and show you exactly how much I make, how much I spend, and what lessons I learned along the way! IMPORTANT THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN MARCH Social Media Marketing World I kicked off March with a trip to San Diego for Social Media Marketing World – an amazing trip that really pulled me out of my comfort zone. I highly recommend this conference to anyone who seriously wants to make a living from their online business. You can read more about my experience at Social Media Marketing World here. Pep Talks for Side Hustlers Podcast While I was at the hotel, I took a deep dive into Pat Flynn’s Power Up Podcasting Course, which I had actually purchased a year earlier at Chalene Johnson’s Marketing Impact Academy(also an awesome conference in San Diego). I knew when I purchased it that I didn’t need it right away, but there would definitely be a time when I would be launching a podcast so I wanted to get in on the super special intro price! When I returned home, I got right to work on Pep Talks For Side Hustlers, a daily podcast and Alexa Flash briefing that gives tips, motivation, and actionable advice to help side hustlers and people starting an online business to stay the course. I feel very passionate about this topic because I know first-hand how hard it can be, but I also know the rewards waiting on the other side. It’s also an entirely new way to connect with my existing audience and attract an entirely new audience. So throughout March, I brainstormed episode topics, wrote several weeks worth of pep talks, built my podcast website, recorded, edited, and produced a few weeks worth of episodes, and streamlined my whole process so that I could hand it over to my VA team and all I would have to do is write, record, and edit the episodes. I’ve also incorporated some list-building tactics and affiliate marketing tactics into the podcast as well. The first episode went live on March 24 and I invite you to check out the first few episodes on iTunes here, and would LOVE it if you would leave me a rating and review 🙂 Personal On a personal level, I lost my beloved aunt to lung cancer in March. One of the things that I am most grateful for about being my own boss is that I don’t have to ask for time off to drive my mom to the hospital to be with her sister when we get the phone call that the pneumonia is winning. That I don’t have to ask anyone to to spend a few days up at hospice with my loved ones as we spent my aunt’s final days with her. And that I don’t have a set number of days of “bereavement” leave for the funeral. I have total freedom to do the things that matter to me, and my aunt was so proud of what I created for myself. REVIEW OF MY GOALS Again, my goal each month has been to generate $10,000 in revenue because my rough breakdown to replace my paycheck, cover business expenses, and pay taxes is: $5000 – Income to cover my paycheck. $2500 – Expenses $2500 – Taxes WHAT I FOCUSED ON IN MARCH I put my best effort into closing out as many one-on-one web design client projects as possible so that I could transition my time to working on the new 5 Day Website Challenge and list-building and growing the revenue that’s scalable rather than the revenue that requires my one-on-one time and is not so scalable. I also decided to put some serious effort into a Pinterest strategy in the month of March because Pinterest can be a big traffic generator. I signed a contract with a Pinterest team to get me up and running. More on that in future income reports. Creating Pep Talks for Side Hustlers as a way to reach a new audience was also a big focus. In March I also started to implement the strategies I discussed in my meeting with the Bluehost affiliate team on my website. I’ve already seen significant results from our time together, and you’ll see that in upcoming income reports. That being said, here’s how much money I made in March 2018: INCOME BREAKDOWN Passive Income:Affiliate Income – Bluehost – $340.00 Affiliate Income – Elegant Themes – $124.00 Affiliate Income – ConvertKit – $58.20 Affiliate Income – Nathalie Lussier Media – $15.60 5 Day Challenge Upgrade – $85.00 How to Start a Freelance Web Design Business Upgrade – $0.00 Serious Side Hustlers – $783.00 Individual Courses – $84.00 Web Designer Academy – $497.00 Websites That Make Money Beta – $1691.00 WordPress Protection Package – $279.60 Passive Income Total: $3957.40 Time for Money Income:Done For You Projects – $3093.86 Website Therapy Coaching Beta Test – $349.00 Consulting – $2500 Time for Money Total: $5924.86

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! In part two of my interview with Jenny Blaisdell of Confetti Social and host of The Savvy Social Hour Podcast, we talk about her side hustle within her business – which is doing customer support for email marketing software ConvertKit! Jenny is a social media strategist + coach at Confetti Social who helps female entrepreneurs up-level their biz one social media post at a time. She also hosts the Savvy Social Hour, which strives to help passionate women up-level their businesses and become rockstar entrepreneurs in no time. When she’s not working on her business or recording podcast episodes, she’s hanging out with her hubby and goldendoodle pup. We talk about what she’s learned from working with a top-notch company with an awesome corporate culture that’s helping her build her own business. How a company can create a culture that makes their employees WANT to go above and beyond for their customers. What Jenny has spent under $100 on that has made the most impact in her business and has majorly upped her productivity. How systems and a schedule helped Jenny increase her income (and improve her relationship). How you can schedule emails to send during business hours (even when you’re not working during normal business hours). Jenny’s experience in getting her website off the ground. What belief she had to change about herself to get where she is today. The exact method she used to increase her prices over time. What advice Jenny would give to someone who is struggling to grow their side hustle. “Quit consuming so much content – because that’s a lot of people’s issue, they are consuming so much content and not DOING – and just DO IT, go for it, take the leap! If you don’t do it now, you’ll never do it, you’ll just find some other excuse to not go for it. Tools mentioned in this episode:ConvertKit UseLoom Tribe of Mentors Asana Project Management Boomerang You can find Jenny on social media here: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today I’m talking with Jenny Blaisdell of Confetti Social, a virtual assistant and Pinterest Expert who quit her day job to pursue her passion of self-employment. Jenny is a social media strategist + coach at Confetti Social who helps female entrepreneurs up-level their biz one social media post at a time. She also hosts the Savvy Social Hour, which strives to help passionate women up-level their businesses and become rockstar entrepreneurs in no time. When she’s not working on her business or recording podcast episodes, she’s hanging out with her hubby and goldendoodle pup. In this episode, we’ll dissect her decision to leave her day job, and we’ll talk about: How important it is to know your value when it comes to getting your first job out of college! Why starting a blog NOW can help you land your first day job, and support your side hustle. How she planned and prepared to leave her day job. How she approached her employer to go part-time during her side hustle transition. How her decision to leave her steady paycheck affected her relationship. Why Pinterest is like a visual Google. Why patience is key with Pinterest. Why Pinterest is great for growing your email list. You can find Jenny on social media here: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Okay, so I started my side hustle by doing one-on-one web design work for clients while I still had a full-time job, and I quickly burned myself out. I decided there was no way I’d be able to work one-on-one with clients and still keep my day job, so I decided that I’d teach people how to do it themselves, for free, and I’d earn commissions from affiliate marketing for the products and services I recommended inside my free training. And I figured I’d create my own courses later on, but at the start, my plan was to just get as many people into my 5 Day Website Challenge and earn those affiliate commissions. And then something unexpected happened. My dream clients started asking me to build websites for them. People that had amazing businesses with beautiful brands that were doing amazing things were asking ME to build their website. And I had no credentials, certifications, and no portfolio – that I was proud of, anyway. I was so confused. I’m like, “I’m teaching you exactly how do to do this for free, and you still want to pay me to do it for you?” It didn’t compute. What I didn’t realize is that my free training gave me tons of credibility. So what is credibility? What does that even mean? The reason I’m even doing this webinar is that you guys took my survey and 75% of you told me that you’re awesome at coding, you’re awesome at follow-through, but you don’t know how you’re ever going to get clients when you don’t have the credentials, or a portfolio, or that one big client that you can name drop and use as a testimonial. What that tells me is that you think that credentials, a portfolio and a token client are what builds credibility. And that’s totally what I thought too. The good news is, that’s not entirely true. Those things don’t hurt, but they are not the end-all be all. In fact, anyone can SAY they have those things, but it doesn’t mean they have credibility. When someone is paying for a service, there’s a level of trust that has to occur on both sides, because they are paying for something that doesn’t exist. Someone has to give before they get in this scenario, right? And it can go only one of two ways: You start spending your time on a project before you get paid and you trust that the client is going to pay you OR The client pays you before you start working and trusts that you deliver what you say you will deliver. Your client doesn’t care if you know how to code, they care if you deliver. I can’t tell you how many clients I’ve gotten because the original developer disappeared. Credibility is TRUST THAT YOU CAN DELIVER ON YOUR PROMISES. Ways to Build Credibility: The Know, Like & Trust Factor. Put Your Face On Your Website. You Are The Brand. If someone is going to consider giving someone thousands of dollars, they want to see who they are talking to. Plus you are putting your own reputation on the line. Your own website. Make sure your own website has all the functionality you are willing and able to build for your own clients. Go all out. Get custom photography, hire a graphic designer. Invest in your brand. Solve a problem for your clients. Their problem is not that they need someone who knows HTML, CSS and PHP and can build a mobile-responsive website on a custom framework. They don’t know what it is, and they don’t care. Figure out what problem you are solving for them and position your messaging and marketing around that problem. Become an Expert. And blog about it. When the client sees that you have written about how to solve their problem, you are positioning yourself as an expert. Your Consultation Process. How you do anything is how you do everything. When you make this process easy for the client and you follow through completely, that’s a precursor to the client as to how it will be to work with you. You’re not just a developer. You’re a consultant. You’re going to make recommendations on how to solve certain business problems. That’s what your clients want. Avoid these mistakes: Not charging what your time is worth. When you feel like your credentials aren’t good enough, your pricing will match how you feel about your skillset. Thinking your clients care about certifications. Your employer probably does, but your clients just want you to deliver what you promise. Thinking that your portfolio has be full of client work. It doesn’t! It just has to show your skill set. Hint: if you build sites that you LOVE, then you’ll attract people that also love that kind of work.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Have you ever thought things like, “I don’t know enough yet. I don’t want to spend money on this because what if it doesn’t work out? Why would anyone pay me to teach them this? What if they find out I didn’t go to college for this?” If you haven’t, then you are a total rock star. But I’m guessing if you’re listening to this podcast, some of those crappy things that we say to ourselves in our mind that we would never say to anybody that we loved or cared about have come up for you. Those are the things that I was saying to myself and I was doing some affiliate marketing inside of my 5 Day Website Challenge. I was earning a few hundred dollars a month from affiliate commissions and by recommending things that other people created and giving all my own stuff away for free, but when it came time to market my own course, I totally choked up. I was totally confident in telling people why they should give me their money for someone else’s online course, but what I couldn’t do is confidently tell them why they should spend their money on MY online course!!! And when my course launched to crickets, I thought things like: I just need to improve my copy. I just need to change all my colors, graphics, and fonts. I just need to get it in front of the right people. So I changed my website 3 times. I wrote and re-wrote copy. I posted my course in a million Facebook groups (which I now know is like, the total wrong thing to do, but that’s beside the point)! I decided that my problem was that I didn’t know how to sell, so I invested all the money I had made in a premium sales program. And I followed through and did everything it told me to do, but none of it really worked. Still, no one was buying. Why? Because I hadn’t solved the REAL problem. Which was a severe case of Imposter Syndrome. 7:10 TRANSITION: So what is imposter syndrome? What does that even mean? High-achieving individuals marked by an inability to internalize their accomplishments and a persistent fear of being exposed as a “fraud.” Most common symptoms are negative self-talk; a need to constantly check and re-check work; shying away from attention in the workplace; and forms of overcompensation like staying late at work or not setting appropriate boundaries around workload. Internally, people struggling with the syndrome experience persistent feelings of self-doubt and fear being found out as phony. They over-internalize and blame themselves for failures, even when other factors played a role. For me, I felt completely fine recommended a product or service that someone else created, but when it came to my own products, I just got really awkward. I didn’t intrinsically value my knowledge, experience, and expertise the way that I valued everyone else’s. Honestly, this is something that I still struggle with every time I try to level up in my business, so to speak! SO BEFORE WE GET INTO WAYS YOU CAN OVERCOME IT, WHY DOES THIS EVEN MATTER?? When you don’t value your skills and experience, you can’t convince anyone else to. And when you can’t convince yourself of your value, you won’t charge enough. And when you don’t charge enough, you won’t think you can afford to invest in the right tools, services and education you need to run your business. And when you’re not charging enough and you’re working on a shoestring budget, you will be frustrated with the work that you are doing. And when you’re frustrated with the work you’re doing, you’ll quit. Ways to Overcome Imposter Syndrome:   Your value comes not from being the expert, but from having the knowledge and experience to solve a problem and help someone else get results.   Beginner no experience at all. Advanced Beginner Starts to be able to recognize patterns and do things based on experience. Competent Can do it and needs help when running into a problem Proficient Can actually solve the problem on their own Expert Contributes & helps evolution   There’s always someone just behind you on the journey that needs your help. The people ahead of you don’t need your help! They are not your customers.   Figure out who your ideal client is. There are people that you feel more comfortable working with than others.   Your experiences have value to others. Think of all the time and effort you put into learning what you know – and you’re packaging it up as a shortcut for others – there’s value in that! You don’t have to wait until the feeling is gone, just push it aside and do it anyway. It will fade over time! Be honest and authentic – you’re figuring this out along the way and sharing your journey! Get help. Your limiting thoughts and beliefs about your value are what’s holding you back. Not everyone will value your expertise, and it’s not about you, it’s about them. Your people are out there! It’s totally possible that you’re not quite where you need to be on the novice to expert scale to teach what you want to teach, so just start where you are and don’t try to be something you’re not! So again, if you’re feeling like a total imposter, like you’re not good enough, like you’re going to be FOUND OUT, like it’s so important to work on that negative self talk and just be where you are – it’s okay if you’re not an expert yet.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! I like to think about the time I was side hustling like running a marathon. A three-year-long marathon – but one that’s on a circular course in a forest. Is that even a thing? I’ve never run one so I don’t know. But I think of it as not a perfect circle, but a windy path with some obstacles along the way, but where you always end up back at the start-finish line. I’ve cycled through the same phases a few times since I started my business and each time I cross the start-finish line I know more about the course than I did the last time I went around. I know where that tree route is that tripped me up in the first lap. I know where that rock is so I know what’s coming up next. I know that I start to get tired in turn three so I can pace myself better. I can try a new line through the first turn to see if I’ll go faster than I did the time before when I took a different line. THAT FEELS VERY, VERY DIFFERENT THAN MY DAY JOB, WHERE I OFTEN FELT LIKE I WAS ON A GIANT HAMSTER WHEEL WHERE THERE WEREN’T ANY NEW REVELATIONS WITH EACH NEW REVOLUTION. I had this realization after listening to a podcast… (I feel like every blog post I write starts like that, but I can’t help it, it’s true!!) For the past three years, I have consumed every piece of content I could get my hands on about how to build a business online, and podcasts are my drug of choice. And I LOVE to go back and listen to episodes that I listened to 3 years ago when I was just starting my business, because things are different every single time I get to the start/finish line. My perspective totally shifts each time. No longer did the successes and possibilities shared by the guests on my favorite podcasts feel like they were too far away, or like they were for someone else. The episode hadn’t magically changed. I had evolved. The ideas I heard shared landed in my ears in a totally different way. They inspired me in a totally different way than they had when I first listened to them, gave me new ideas and solidified my belief that I’m making the right move. THE FIRST TIME YOU DO SOMETHING IS NOT GOING TO BE THE ONLY WAY YOU EVER THAT YOU DO THAT THING BECAUSE AS YOU GROW YOUR PERSPECTIVE WILL CHANGE. So if something doesn’t work the way you expected it to the first time, that doesn’t mean that it didn’t work. It doesn’t mean that you failed, but it does mean that you may want to try a different approach. AND THAT’S EVOLUTION. Relationships Amplify Consistency Evolve SO HOW DO WE EVOLVE? First we have to set the expectation for an outcome. We have to know where we’re going to know if we got there, right?? Then we decide what steps we’re going to take. Next, we take the steps. Finally, we see if we reached the desired outcome. That’s one lap around the track. If we didn’t get the outcome we expected, we can either change the outcome (because maybe we set the bar way too high for the steps we were willing or able to take), or change the steps (because we need to take some different steps to get to the outcome). So the next you go around the track, it’s like a new track, and you can try a new approach. TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS BELOW – AS YOU START TO IMPLEMENT THE RACE STRATEGY IN YOUR BUSINESS, WHAT IS YOUR EXPECTED OUTCOME? Mine is to grow my email list from 5000 to 10000 subscribers in the next 6 months. AND THEN, AS YOU IMPLEMENT, EVERY TIME YOU MAKE A LAP AROUND THE TRACK, AS YOURSELF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: What steps worked for you really well when you were working on building Relationships? What didn’t work so well? What can you do differently? What tactics to amplify your message fell short? What can you try differently next time? Did you nail your schedule the first time you set it, or do you have to make some adjustments in order to get some consistency? THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WE HAVE TO BE OKAY WITH CHANGING THE WAY WE’RE DOING THINGS, AND THERE’S MORE THAN ONE WAY! WE AREN’T GOING TO NAIL IT THE FIRST TIME. EVER! Say your outcome is to get your first 25 subscribers. You created a freebie, you posted it to your Facebook page and and you’re some getting traffic to your website, but you’ve only gotten 5 subscribers. Does that mean your freebie sucks and your business is doomed and you should just give up your dreams? No! What can you change? Adjust the freebie name, promote, compare your results. Adjust the location of your optin, promote, compare your results. Promote on a different social media platform, compare your results. Are you trying to do this all on your own without spending and money or asking for help? What can you change? What can you do differently the next time you try to get different results? HERE’S WHAT EVOLVE LOOKS LIKE FOR ME IN MY BUSINESS RIGHT NOW: Aside from the obvious evolution of leaving my day job, for about the last year, there have been a few things in my business that just weren’t WORKING. They haven’t turned out as I expected, and I’ve felt really stuck… So I’ve kinda been ignoring these problems, and putting my time into shoring up the other parts of my business so that I’ve got a solid foundation in place for the growth I expect in the next 6 months. But it got to a point where I couldn’t ignore the problem any longer. In order to move forward with everything else I needed to do, I had to figure this one part out once and for all!! And you know where I found the answers? No, not in a podcast… not this time… I found them in some courses that I purchased a few years ago. I opened Becca Tracey’s “Hey Nice Package!” up and started from the beginning like I did when I was just starting out. I pulled out Ash Ambirge’s Brandgasm 101, which was the catalyst for coming up with the name for my business. This time, I was able to get something completely different out of that information because I’m coming to it with a perspective that has evolved. A belief in myself that’s evolved, and a belief in what’s possible for me that has evolved. SO IF IT FEELS TOUGH, IF YOU FEEL STUCK, JUST TAKE A DEEP BREATH. Trust that you have access to the answers (if they’re not already inside of you), and by taking action you can find them. You really can’t go wrong. Every outcome you set, every step you take, every unmet expectation and exceeded expectation –  it all happens to shape your perspective and help you evolve for the next time you go around the track. I can’t wait to hear how you implement the RACE Strategy in your business! And I’ll keep you posted on my results as I continue to build Relationships, Amplify my message, create Consistency and Evolve!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today we’re talking about two things that make incorporating consistency into your life a breeze. So the first thing we’re going to talk about, I like to think about as the first domino in a line of dominoes, when you do the first thing, when you tip that one domino over, all the other dominoes fall effortlessly. So what is that one thing? PLANNING! In episode 71, I shared with you how I break down my day, but just because I put something on my to-do list for the day does not mean that it’s humanly possible to get it done. And in epsiode 58 I take you even deeper into that planning process, so you can go back and listen to that episode. Being more strategic with my time and planning is something that is a must if you want to build the kind of momentum in your business that’s going to let you turn it into a full-time gig. And here’s something that it took me a very long time to learn – a to-do list is not a plan. If you’re anything like me, you put like 25 items on my to-do list and try to fit them all into a single day and then feel like I got nothing important done that I really needed to get done even though I was “working.” Treading water. It is so important to plan and prioritize tasks that are going to actually move your business forward instead of keep you busy, but in the same place. I have pre-scheduled planning days every week, month, quarter, and year so I can look at my schedule and plan out the work instead of just floating wherever the current takes me. That’s like setting up the first domino, and then all the other dominos get knocked down as I execute the plan. But what if I spaced the dominos too far apart, and one falls without knocking the next one over? That’s how I like to think about boundaries – as making sure all my dominoes are spacing just the right distance apart and I don’t let anything or anyone – come in and move them. BOUNDARIES Just because I have a schedule and a plan doesn’t mean I won’t have a people-pleasing moment of weakness and put someone else’s priorities and deadlines above my own. If you want to know my kryptonite, just tell me you need my help right now and that no one else could possibly fix this urgent problem for you. My adrenaline goes up, my stress level rises, and I start thinking about how I’m going to fit your problem into my schedule. Oh, I can write that blog post tomorrow, and then I’ll just tell my husband I’ll be late and he needs to pick up the dog from day care, and then I’ll just pick up Chipotle on my way home because now I don’t feel like cooking… I just want you to LIKE me and think I’m NICE and sooooo HELPFUL!! Meanwhile, everything else starts falling apart. But hey, you like me, so… Clearly I need some therapy around this issue, but for now, business-coaching is helping tremendously for setting boundaries. I still need lots and lots of practice, so if you want to help me out, leave me a comment asking me to solve your urgent problem, and I’ll practice my boundary-setting responses 😉 So HOW do SCHEDULING, PLANNING, AND BOUNDARIES CREATE CONSISTENCY? When you create a schedule and plan out your tasks in proportion to your schedule and then guard that time with your life, you’re able to consistently do the things you need to do to build and amplify your relationships. But it all starts with a SCHEDULE. Boundaries mean nothing if you having nothing to guard, and your plan is just a wish-list if you have no real time set aside to execute. So now, it’s time to make a decision to actually pull out a piece of paper, write down a realistic schedule that will allow you time to relationship build and amplify and then commit to it for just one week. And when I say realistic, first, I recommend that you decide when you will work, then write down all the tasks you have to do, use your best guess on how long each task will take, and then double that time and put it on your schedule. It might look a little light, but it’s probably more realistic. And then try it for one week! Because after that if something’s not working for you, you can make adjustments and try again. IF YOU WANT MORE HELP WITH SCHEDULING AND PLANNING, I’VE GOT TWO AMAZING RESOURCES FOR YOU. The first is from my business coach, Vicki Fitch and it’s called the Rockstar Guide to Getting It Done. It will give you a step by step strategy for creating your schedule and planning and getting it all done. Then second is Kerryn Hewson, a systems and productivity strategist who has helped me systematize my web design process. She talks about focus and productivity and time management over at https://www.kerrynhewson.com/time-workshop – get on her list and you’ll get it together in no time! Next week, I’m going to share with you one more strategy, the one that’s going to give you the A-HA moment you need to turn all this consistency into cash.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Imagine growing your side hustle was like running a race. First, you HAVE to start at the beginning. It’s not possible to start further ahead. Sure, there are shortcuts (and detours) but you still have to start and the beginning, put one foot in front of the other and finish at the end. In episode 67, we warmed up by starting to build real, genuine Relationships with influencers that serve our audience based on gratitude. In episode 68, we started the race by creating our own valuable content and gave ourselves a little boost by drafting behind someone that’s going a little faster than us to help Amplify our content. So we can warm up and we can start, but if we don’t continue to consistently put one foot in front of the other over and over and over again, we’re not going to get anywhere. Which brings me to today’s topic: Consistency When I worked full time, and even in my first couple months of taking this business full time, consistency was one of my biggest life challenges. Oh, I worked my ass off and hustled like crazy, but I can be all over the place, living my life on autopilot and fitting my side hustle in around putting out fires. Which is pretty much like treading water, right? A whole lot of effort to keep from sinking – but not really moving forward. When I think about what I’ve was able to accomplish by treading water, I’m totally amazed. So I can only imagine what I’ll be able to accomplish when I’m totally in control of my time and I’m able to put consistent habits in place that move me forward. So what do I mean by consistency? I mean consistently and intentionally implementing the tactics I’ve outlined in episodes 67 and 68. Reaching out and thanking people whose content you consume and find useful and helpful. Creating your own helpful, useful content. Sharing that content on social media and using tactics to amplify it. Repeat. Sounds easy, right? If it was that easy, we’d all be doing it. So I want to share with you some things that I’m implementing in my day to day to help me with the consistency I know I need to create in my life in order to get the results I want. SCHEDULE I’ve got the getting up early thing down, however, I got out of the habit of getting up at the same exact time each day and following a morning routine. Some days I’m up at 5, others not until 7, so that really messes with what I’m able to accomplish each morning before I lose control of my day once I go to work. My ideal workday starting in January looks like this: 6AM – Wake up without an alarm (which is like, the best way to start the day in my opinion), let the giant puppy out, feed her, drink a glass of water, and make a cup of coffee. I also typically empty the dishwasher and straighten up the house in the mornings too. 6:30AM – Hop in the shower, get ready. Review my plan for the day. 7:00AM – 9AM – Start my workday. I have them chunked into 2 hours blocks of time, and I do any writing between 7 and 9 because I’m a total morning person. 9AM – Take Scarlett for a walk. Possibly do a Facebook Live or Instagram Live. 10:00AM – Start the next block of work till noon. This used to involve project management and client work, now it involves all things marketing and networking and pitching myself and podcast interviews. Anything that’s externally promoting my business. Noon – Take a lunch break. Cook a healthy lunch, read some blog posts or whatever. 1PM – 3PM: Client work or meetings or my own projects. 3PM – Break to run errands or answer emails. 4PM – 6PM – Emails, Facebook group questions. I save these for the end of the day because, honestly, email is someone else’s to-do list for you. Yes, it’s important, but it HAS to be the last thing I do each day. I do check in throughout the day, and sometimes I do answer emails during my walk with Scar or on breaks, but to sit down and do the ones that take time, I save this for the end of the day. So my challenge to you this week is to write down your daily schedule and then commit to it for at least a week. This blog post is going live on a Wednesday, so I’m committed to following this schedule starting tomorrow! Are you with me?? Post in the comments below if you’re with me. Tomorrow in episode 72, I’m going to share with you the one thing that’s going to make consistency even easier for you!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Michele Bobrow of the Holistic Wallet is a financial coach for creative executive women to sustain great financial habits and use their money to create the lives that they love. Join us as we talk about: What tactics she used to build a QUALITY email list. What works for Michele in marketing her business. Michele’s tech evolution and her quest for the perfect membership site. How important your web design is to the success of your online business. What tool she’s using for her membership site. A starter online membership plugin for side hustlers on a budget. The platform Michele is using now for the Holistic Wealth School. And be sure to check out the Holistic Wealth School here!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Michele Bobrow of the Holistic Wallet is a financial coach for creative executive women to sustain great financial habits and use their money to create the lives that they love. Join us as we talk about: Why diversification is so important in your side hustle. How to turn a scarcity mindset into an abundance mindset. How Michele balanced her side hustle and a 70-hour workweek. How she made her business profitable. What to do if your side hustle feels like a grind and is not enjoyable. What Michele’s first 6 months of self-employment were really like. The mastermind Michele’s in and how it helps her grow her business. Her best advice for getting traction in your side hustle if you’re struggling. Membership Plugins mentioned in this episode: OptimizePress* MemberVault AccessAlly The Holistic Wealth School*

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! In my last pep talk, I shared with you the first step in building your email list, an. If you haven’t listened, you can go to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/67. SO HERE’S THE DEAL: JUST HAVING A WEBSITE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT ANYONE WILL EVER FIND IT. And it can be very discouraging and frustrating to put your time, effort, passion, patience, and money into building your website and then not see your email list growing. Last week, I shared with you exactly how to start connecting with influencers who serve the same audience you want to serve online. They’re not necessarily offering the same set of services you’re offering, but the people that follow them are the kinds of people you can help. This week, you’re not going to stop building the relationships, you’re going to keep doing that while we layer on the next step. So continue working on building those relationships – even if your website isn’t finished! THIS NEXT STRATEGY DOES REQUIRE THAT YOU HAVE YOUR WEBSITE COMPLETE AND THE FREEBIE THAT YOU’RE GIVING AWAY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN EMAIL ADDRESS ALL SETUP. And when I say freebie, I mean something super actionable and valuable that solves part of the problem that you solve for your clients. It can be a video, a PDF, an email series, it doesn’t matter as long as it provides a solution to a problem and demonstrates that you have what it takes to help them! If you don’t have a website or a freebie an email list building strategy yet, click here to sign up for my Free 5 Day Website Challenge where I’ll show you exactly how to get all that set up for under $100. After you’ve started to build relationships online and your website is up and running, it’s time to start giving as many people as possible a reason to come to your website! But not just anybody… we want to get in front of our ideal customer and let them know we exist! MOST PEOPLE THINK THAT IN ORDER TO GET TRAFFIC TO THEIR WEBSITE, THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE IT COMES UP IN THE TOP OF GOOGLE SEARCH RESULTS BECAUSE THAT’S HOW PEOPLE FIND WEBSITES, RIGHT? In my humble opinion, that type of thinking is flawed. It puts all the power in the hands of Google’s algorithms and the person actually actively searching for what you have to offer at any given moment. It’s like all the stars have to align for it to work out, and the chances of that aren’t good especially if your offering isn’t super unique. If I spent all my time trying to rank for WordPress training, one, I wouldn’t be attracting the kinds of clients I love to work with because I don’t want to teach just anyone, and two, there’s so much competition in the space it would be really, really hard to stand out. People also think that they have to pay for advertising, which when you’re just starting out and every dollar counts can feel like a risky proposition. I’ve had success with Facebook Ads in some instances and spent a lot of money without a good return in others. So that’s why I want to share with you a strategy that doesn’t cost anything but your time. WHICH LEADS ME TO THE SECOND STEP IN THE RACE STRATEGY: AMPLIFY. Google is just one route of many that people can take to get to your website – but I’m going to show you how to leverage your relationships to drive more traffic to your website. Amplify means to enlarge or make greater, so you have to actually have something to amplify!! That’s why you need a website, an email list, and a freebie – because once we take the steps I’m gonna outline here to get people onto our website, we need to grab that email address so we can continue the conversation! The goal is not just to get people to our website, it’s to get them on our email list so now we’re the ones that can initiate communication, rather than waiting for our ideal client to think about us and reach out. OKAY, SO HERE ARE THE EXACT STEPS TO TAKE TO AMPLIFY YOUR MESSAGE AND GET MORE TRAFFIC TO YOUR WEBSITE. Write one blog post a week and include or a mention or links to content created by the people with whom you are intentionally relationship-building. Write about what you learned from that person, how you took some advice from them and put it into action, how their freebie solved your problem. Or do a review of their latest book or course or blog post or podcast episode. Just write your story about how you’re successfully using the advice they are giving you. Or if you feel like you’ve built enough of a relationship with the person, ask them if you can interview them and publish that as your blog post. When I first started my business, I posted in entrepreneur Facebook groups that I wanted to interview people that had built their own WordPress sites. I asked them all the same set of questions, and then I tagged them with a link to our interview. I know this can seem daunting at first to write a blog post each week. I had a really hard time with consistency for about the past year, but then I was challenged by my business coach to write one post a week. It’s what I do on Saturday mornings first thing (well, after coffee.) Pick a day and time each week that you’ll sit down to write, and schedule this non-negotiable time on your calendar. I block off 4 hours on Saturday mornings to write. Make sure your email opt-in to your freebie is showing up on your blog page, whether it’s in the sidebar or as a pop-up, or you refer to it directly in the blog post itself (or all three!). Share the link to your blog post on the social media where the person you’re writing about hangs out the most or has the biggest audience and tag/mention them in your post.You should have been able to figure this out where they hang out the most online as you’ve been engaging with them in the Relationships phase. So if they have a huge Twitter following and they are really active on Twitter, mention them in your tweet with a link back to your post – and put some strategic hashtags in there also! If they have a huge Facebook fan page, post a link to your article to their wall, or in the comments of a relevant post. If they have a big Facebook group, make sure you read the rules first, and if allowed, post it there with a note of thanks. If they are most active on Instagram, change the link in your Insta profile to this blog post, and then create a graphic of the title, post to Insta and tag them in the post (and use relevant hashtags as well). If they are a live-streamer, catch their broadcast and mention your post in the comments, inviting everyone to check out what you wrote about them. Add your post to a social media scheduler service like RecurPost so that it gets shared again in the future automatically. Why? The person you’re writing about – their audience is going to grow, maybe they didn’t see it the first time, etc. You just want as many opportunities as possible to get in front of the people you want to serve! Remember, you’ve been intentionally building a relationship with people who already serve the people you want to serve. And people want to share what makes them look good. So when you write something awesome about those people, not only will they want to share that with their audience because it makes them look good, their audience will want to read what you wrote to learn more about that person or validate their decision to make a purchase. So we’re tapping into known networks of people that we already want to serve, and we’re doing it in a really authentic way that feels good because we’re providing value to the person who built the network by adding to their credibility and giving them a backlink to their website (which helps with SEO). We’re not trying to siphon off their clientele, we’re not in competition with them, but we know that people like to learn from multiple people and we have something to offer too! SO AS YOU CAN SEE, IT TAKES A LOT OF INTENTIONAL EFFORT AND ACTION TO DRIVE TRAFFIC TO YOUR WEBSITE, BUT IT’S TOTALLY WORTH IT. And once you WOW your ideal customer with the value you deliver in your freebie, they are going to share it with their networks because people like to share what makes them look good!! There are lots of additional ways you can amplify your message with social media and your website, but I don’t want to overwhelm you right now with too many options! It’s super important to me that you’re able to implement what I’m teaching in this blog post series and start to get some traction!! SO HOW WILL YOU KNOW IF YOU’RE GETTING TRACTION? First, you’ll see your email list start to grow. Second, you’ll look in your Google Analytics and see if your traffic has increased and where it’s coming from. Is it coming from Facebook or Twitter? Is it going to the blog post you wrote about Marie Forleo or Pat Flynn? That will give you an idea of where the people who have what you need are hanging out, and then you can start to focus your efforts. So your first step is to block some time on your calendar to write that first blog post, and then in the comments below, tell me when you’re going to write it and what it’s going to be about!!! Cuz you’re a total action-taker, right??? Continue building those Relationships while you begin to Amplify your message, and next week I’ll share with you the next step in the strategy that’s going to help turn your subscribers into customers.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! This week we’ve been talking about progress over perfection and picking one thing to focus on, and today I want to share with you one possible strategy you can focus on if you’re at the point where you’re building an email list. If you’re not there yet, save this episode and I highly recommend that you go take the 5 Day Website Challenge so that you’ve got a strong technical foundation built when you get to this point. So If you’re like me, you’re building your side hustle online because of the unparalleled opportunities to connect with people who are just like us and who need our help because we’re just a few steps farther along the path to our goals than they are. You’re putting in the energy and effort because it’s more fulfilling than sitting in rush hour traffic twice a day and doing work in a beige office that is mentally and physically draining just to pay the bills and maintain the status quo because until recently you didn’t even know there was another option. When it comes to creating a business that’s going to bring you freedom, flexibility, and fulfillment, the not-so-secret secret to maximizing your time and income potential is reaching as many like-minded people as possible. And like any good runner, we’re going to start our race by warming up. So put your favorite workout pants on, grab your tennis shoes and get ready to get moving! RELATIONSHIPS: THE WARM-UP It’s easier than ever before to find the people you want to serve online, and the trick is to connect with the people that have already connected with those people that you want to serve. But like anything else, you gotta give before you get. Chances are that if you’re building an online business, you also consume information online from other people that are serving the same space you want to serve, and if those people have been serving that space longer than you have, they’ve attracted an audience. You’re a part of that audience, and you interact with their content online at four levels: Consuming Sharing Engaging Implementing HOW WE START OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH MOST PEOPLE ONLINE IS THAT WE CONSUME THEIR CONTENT. We see an image, read a blog post, or a book or watch a video and we’re entertained. Or distracted from boredom or something else we don’t want to think about. We don’t put much thought into what we just saw, read or watched before we’re scrolling on to the next thing. But with some content we consume, we feel like we can totally identify with those people and their story – and we start to feel like we know, like and trust the person. Some of us begin SHARING that content with our own networks and friends because it feels like an extension of us. And makes us LOOK GOOD. So we share things that are funny, inspiring, motivating, make us look credible or solve a problem that we know our peers are trying to solve. After we’ve consumed and shared, some of us move on to engaging with the person who created the content, and the other people who are consuming the content. We let the person know how inspired we are by the content, and we want to connect with others who are similarly inspired. We find ourselves replying to an e-newsletter with a note of thanks, or sending a direct message or tweet telling them what epiphany we had from their latest blog post. We begin engaging in their Facebook group or take the time to leave a review on Amazon for their book or on iTunes for their podcast. We want them to know that we are grateful for what they do! Some of us get so inspired and compelled to action that we begin to implement what we’ve learned from that person. We know, like and trust them so much that we’ve put our reputation on the line by sharing their content, we’ve engaged with them to tell them how grateful we are, and that their content is starting to get the wheels in our brain turning in a new direction, and then we begin to take action on the information we’ve learned. WE GO FROM A CONSUMER TO A CREATOR, AND NOW WE HAVE SOMETHING TO GIVE BACK. Most people never move from Consumer to Sharer let alone to Engager and all the way to Implementer. If you’re an implementer, you stand out – even to a person with an audience of hundreds of thousands of people. You’re like a unicorn. Seriously. But do you know what you are to the person whose content you’ve consumed, shared, engaged with and implemented? YOU’RE A TESTIMONIAL. Do you know what testimonials do for online business? They’re online business gold. They help build the credibility of the person you’re following and learning from. And they also take you all the way from a consumer of content to one-on-one relationship with a person who has built a big following. And that opens the door to collaborating with that person to provide value to their audience and make them look good. Remember, people like to share what makes them look good! SO WHAT I JUST OUTLINED FOR YOU IS TWOFOLD. One, It’s the path you follow to connect with people that have a bigger audience than you, and two, it’s also the path you design for the people whom you want to attract as your audience. Totally meta, right? SO HERE’S HOW TO PUT RELATIONSHIPS INTO ACTION. Grab a notebook and a pen. Go ahead, I’ll wait. Write down 4 people in your niche whose content you’re already consuming. You’re reading their blog, listening to their podcast, watching their live-streams, bought their book. Follow them on all of their social media, subscribe to their newsletter and their blog. Set aside 30 minutes every morning for the next 30 days to review their latest blog posts, live streams, and social posts. Yes, I said 30 days. Each day, like, share, and leave a thoughtful comment on the ones that really resonate with you. Reply to e-newsletters. Take the time to look at all the content they’ve produced, but don’t feel like you have to reply or respond to everything. We’re going for authenticity here, not being a robot stalker. What you’re doing by engaging is helping them reach more people like you – not only through social algorithms but also by connecting them with more people. Take advantage of any calls to action they put out. If it’s a call to purchase something, you don’t have to buy it if you don’t want or need it obviously, but if someone says “Reply to this email and tell me your top takeaways from this post” then take 5 minutes to reply! If the person offers a free or paid program, sign up or purchase and take action and follow through! Once you’ve completed their program or taken their advice and gotten results, reach out to that person and share them! Offer to write a testimonial for their product or service. You’re likely on their radar because you’ve put the energy and effort into engaging with them already, so your name will stand out! Reach out to them directly first in the place you’ve noticed that they are the most responsive – whether it’s email or even SnapChat. If you don’t get a response from a busy entrepreneur don’t give up. Write a blog post about your experience with them and tag them in it on social media. Share it out on your networks. It’s all about GIVING. That’s your focus. You’ll see the fruits of your labor soon enough. And to get you used to move from Consumer to Engager, get out your phone, take a picture of your list, post it to your Instagram and tag me @shannonlmattern with the hashtag #peptalksforsidehustlers (If you don’t have Instagram, set one up!! Your people are hanging out there!!) This is a strategy you can repeat over and over again. Like I said in episode 66, it’s one choice on the menu. If you choose to do this, focus on it until you’ve exhausted it, and then you can pick something else from the menu. I’ll be sharing more options in future pep talks!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! In episode 64, we talked about progress, not perfection and today I want to talk about what I mean by progress. So, last night I was listening to a webinar with Pat Flynn of www.smartpassiveincome.com hosted by the email marketing service ConvertKit and it was all about email list building strategies. And I’ve been at this for over 4 years so I really didn’t expect to learn anything new – I was really attending because I’ve been doing more and more webinars and I love to see how the pros are doing it. So as an aside, I went into that webinar with my mind closed to learning something new – and that’s something I’m really trying to work on – to forget what I “know” and go into any new learning opportunity with an open mind. Because while I didn’t learn any new TACTICS, I learned about the same tactics from a totally different perspective and with different nuances than what I had heard before, But the most important thing that I heard on the webinar that was emphasized over and over was that they were presenting me with a menu, and I only get to order one thing. Just ONE THING. From that list of list building tactics, I choose the one that sounds the best to ME, and I implement it, and then when I’m finished and I’ve seen it through, I can come back to the menu and choose another one. If you’re anything like me, you want to try all the things and you want to do them all at once. Or maybe you get overwhelmed by all the things, and you get really murky on what to do first so you feel stuck, like you don’t know what decision to make so you put off making one. And maybe you don’t even know you’re doing it – I know that sometimes I don’t realize WHY I’ve got something on my to-do list that I’m just not doing, and it’s because I don’t really have a clear plan for attacking it. And when you’re doing a bunch of different things all at once, none of them really get your full effort and intention. And I get it, it’s HARD when you’re side hustling because you have limited time, and you have to pack a bunch in when you can. But let me tell you from experience that when I have focused on just one thing, I’ve seen results. So let me ask you this: What is the one thing that’s preventing you from moving forward in your business? What’s stopping you from moving forward? Is it that you don’t have a website? Okay, then your one thing is to go build your website. Yes, there are a lot of decisions that need to be made to complete that project, but when you go through my 5 Day Website Challenge I move you through the process pretty methodically so that you don’t have to figure that out. Head on over to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/facebook to join the Facebook group and let me know what’s the ONE THING you need to do that’s going to open the door to the rest of the things? After you complete that thing, what’s the next thing? And if you’re feeling stuck, let’s talk about it!!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Are you afraid of success? I mean, it sounds ridiculous, right? It’s been said to me on more than one occasion by a coach or a mentor that I might be the type of person that’s more afraid of success than I am of failure, and honestly, when I heard it I would think, “That’s ridiculous. I want to own my own business. I want to be my own boss. I want finally lose the weight. I’ve always wanted these things – I’m not afraid of success.” But you know what? I think I might be afraid of success!! I was reading an article about the fear of success in INC magazine by James Sudakow called “Why the fear of success is holding you back more than the fear of failure.” And the point that he makes is quote: “Success means change (even if it’s the change you always wanted) If you try something and fail, you go back to what you knew. You may not be happy about it, but you go back to your comfort zone. If you try something and succeed, you head into uncharted territory. Things are different. Things change.” Wow. And since I quit my day job for my side hustle, I have been in totally uncharted territory. Not having a steady paycheck coming in every two weeks is uncomfortable for sure. So then I got to thinking about this more – like, who do I have to become to get what I want? So here are all the thoughts that went through my head: What bad habits do I need to change? What do I need to give up? Am I willing to actually change? And what’s going to happen if I do get what I want? Will my relationships be affected? What do I have to do more of that I’m not doing now? What do I have to let go of? Will I have to be more firm and direct and risk that people won’t like me? Will I have to learn to say no and risk hurting people’s feelings? Will I have to have uncomfortable conversations about money? Will I have to fire people? Maybe I’m afraid to build a team because I don’t want to have to fire people, but I need a team to be able to grow. And I even think about it when it comes to success with my weight. It’s like if I lose weight and then people actually notice and say something to me, it’s like my secret is out. I can’t hide anymore. The secret that I’m 40 pounds heavier than I need to be will be out because people never say anything to you when you’re overweight (at least they don’t to me), but when you lose weight they say something like “Wow, you’ve lost a ton of weight.” Then I’m totally mortified that they noticed I had a ton of weight to lose… Which sounds crazy, I know, but what it boils down to is a fear of success and caring too much about what other people think. So what do you do about being afraid of success? I can tell you what I’m doing about it. I’m writing down all of my fears. All of them. Related to my weight, to success in my business. I’m doing a total brain dump of all of them into a Google Doc. And then I’m answering the questions. I’m literally putting one fear on every line of a Google doc, bolding it, and then answering the question. Writing the alternate storyline. Facing my fear of success. I’m facing them head on, and I’m coaching myself through them. I’m talking to myself as if my best friend came to me with all of the same fears. And then I’m reading them, every single morning to remind myself of what’s possible, that I’m capable of handling the success I’ve always wanted. So if you’re afraid of success in any area of your life, I invite you to do the same – and let me know in the Facebook group – what’s your biggest fear of success? Let me know and I’ll help you reframe it!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! In episode 64, we talked about progress, not perfection and today I want to talk about what I mean by progress. So, last night I was listening to a webinar with Pat Flynn of www.smartpassiveincome.com hosted by the email marketing service ConvertKit and it was all about email list building strategies. And I’ve been at this for over 4 years so I really didn’t expect to learn anything new – I was really attending because I’ve been doing more and more webinars and I love to see how the pros are doing it. So as an aside, I went into that webinar with my mind closed to learning something new – and that’s something I’m really trying to work on – to forget what I “know” and go into any new learning opportunity with an open mind. Because while I didn’t learn any new TACTICS, I learned about the same tactics from a totally different perspective and with different nuances than what I had heard before, But the most important thing that I heard on the webinar that was emphasized over and over was that they were presenting me with a menu, and I only get to order one thing. Just ONE THING. From that list of list building tactics, I choose the one that sounds the best to ME, and I implement it, and then when I’m finished and I’ve seen it through, I can come back to the menu and choose another one. If you’re anything like me, you want to try all the things and you want to do them all at once. Or maybe you get overwhelmed by all the things, and you get really murky on what to do first so you feel stuck, like you don’t know what decision to make so you put off making one. And maybe you don’t even know you’re doing it – I know that sometimes I don’t realize WHY I’ve got something on my to-do list that I’m just not doing, and it’s because I don’t really have a clear plan for attacking it. And when you’re doing a bunch of different things all at once, none of them really get your full effort and intention. And I get it, it’s HARD when you’re side hustling because you have limited time, and you have to pack a bunch in when you can. But let me tell you from experience that when I have focused on just one thing, I’ve seen results. So let me ask you this: What is the one thing that’s preventing you from moving forward in your business? What’s stopping you from moving forward? Is it that you don’t have a website? Okay, then your one thing is to go build your website. Yes, there are a lot of decisions that need to be made to complete that project, but when you go through my 5 Day Website Challenge I move you through the process pretty methodically so that you don’t have to figure that out. Head on over to peptalksforsidehustlers.com/facebook to join the Facebook group and let me know what’s the ONE THING you need to do that’s going to open the door to the rest of the things? After you complete that thing, what’s the next thing? And if you’re feeling stuck, let’s talk about it!!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! I’M SO GRATEFUL FOR THE PEOPLE THAT MARKET POSSIBILITY ONLINE. I knew I wanted more out of my life, but I really didn’t know how to go about getting it, but I’m so grateful for Google. Seriously. Shout out to Google for putting the world of possibility at my fingertips. Yep, Google and the internet are my very first shoutouts today because I wouldn’t know what I know about anything that I do without them. It’s something I know I take for granted, but it’s so, so important! I’M DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR GREAT FRIENDS WHO SINCERELY WANT TO HELP YOU BE THE BEST PERSON YOU WANT TO BE. Friends who see that you’re struggling and striving to change who give you a book, ask you if you want to read it together and go through the program together and that book ends up changing the trajectory of your life and gives you the clarity you need to come up with a plan and execute – and then support you and cheer you on all along the way. I’M GRATEFUL FOR PEOPLE THAT GIVE AWAY ALL THEIR ANSWERS, AND WHO GET EXCITED WHEN PEOPLE ACTUALLY TAKE ACTION ON THE INFORMATION THAT THEY ARE SHARING TO CHANGE THEIR LIVES. People like Chalene Johnson, whose book PUSH was given to me by that friend I mentioned above, and how I discovered by doing the exercises in the book that I had a deep desire to own my own business and be my own boss and by doing that, everything else I wanted in life would be made easier. CHALENE JOHNSON’S PODCASTS, BUILD YOUR TRIBE AND THE CHALENE SHOW – GAVE ME THE BLUEPRINT FOR IMAGINING WHAT LIFE COULD BE LIKE. And her Marketing Impact Academy launch videos showed me the first steps, and her Marketing Impact Academy Live Event forced me out of my shell and made me talk to people in person in real life. And now the 131 Diet, which is coming out right when I’m able to quit my day job because I have my own business – a plan I put in motion 4 years ago after reading PUSH because I wanted more time to focus on my health and fitness. I don’t think it’s any coincidence that Chalene’s new “diet” is coming out right when I’ll have plenty of white space to implement it and take action on it. PEOPLE LIKE PAT FLYNN, WHO RECORD PODCASTS THAT GIVE AWAY ALL THE INFORMATION REQUIRED TO CREATE INCOME ONLINE. Pat interviews guests and asks all the questions I want to know the answers to – like, “Exactly how did you do that, step by step?” and “How much money did you make?” and “How big is your email list?” And who shares how much money he makes, how he makes it and then tells me exactly how I can do it too. Pat does a few things that I love. He shows you not only through himself but through all of his guests that it’s possible to make money online doing something that you love, and he gives you a frame of reference of how much time, work and money it will take to do it. It’s not just fluff, it’s the nuts and bolts of exactly what you need to know, and in a format that you can listen to while you’re doing other things. PEOPLE LIKE NATHALIE LUSSIER, WHO GIVES AWAY THE SECRET TO BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS IN A TOTALLY FREE ONLINE COURSE CALLED THE 30 DAY LIST BUILDING CHALLENGE. I know I’ve said this a million times and I’ll say it again. This course is responsible for me being able to quit my day job. And it cost me $27 because I wanted the fast track. Do you know how much that is worth? So not only is Nathalie going to teach me, for practically free, how to get customers, she’s going to offer me some of the best software out there to do it, which YES, I will buy that because now I believe that anything you put out is gold (and it has been), and you know what else that taught me to do? Give it all away. Nathalie was the inspiration for giving away all the knowledge for free. Nathalie, Pat, and Chalene created a perfect storm of information, inspiration and how-to, and after learning all I could from them, I could not be stopped. Building my business and working toward my dream took priority over all the BS things I’d been doing, like watching crap reality TV, sleeping in because I had too many beers the night before, sitting around complaining about how much I hated my job. AND THEN ALONG COMES REBECCA TRACEY. I have no idea how I found her, I’m sure it was from a Facebook group because I found the Uncaged Life and I was like, holy sh%t, this is the kind of business I want to run. Like, I had all the what and how and why and proof from Nathalie, Pat, and Chalene, but Becca Tracey showed me how to SAY it, and how to BE it, and how to OWN it, and how to be myself, and how to package that up into a product and sell it. I’m not an edgy person, you guys. I’m a plain vanilla basic midwest girl who wishes she was edgier, so at first I wanted to be like Becca, but through her Hey Nice Package course and HNP live workshops and just her blog and webinars, I just figured out how to be me, and that’s a huge relief, because if I had to pretend I was super cool and trendy all the time I would not be able to fake it. I already feel like I’m not in the right job, that would make it worse! AND IF I THOUGHT I KNEW IT ALL FROM TAKING IN AND TAKING ACTION ON EVERY LAST PIECE OF INFORMATION I COULD FROM THOSE GUYS, I’M INTRODUCED TO THE BEING BOSS PODCAST. OMG. This is the not-so-distant future, you guys. Talk about some real people who have taken massive, focused action toward success. Emily Thompson and Kathleen Shannon’s podcast is like hanging out every day with people who GET you – your dreams, your goals, your fears, but also who celebrate your successes. Because let’s face it… When I tell my best friend or my husband about how I finally landed on a name for my course, they smile and are happy for me but they just don’t GET it. It’s a huge dose of validation and it makes me feel like I’m on the right track. And they dig in, you guys, just like Pat Flynn does. It’s not fluff, it’s action. AND FOR CHRIS GUILLEBEAU AND HIS SIDE HUSTLE SCHOOL PODCAST AND SIDE HUSTLE BOOK. This one… this one is just mind-blowing. I heard Chris on Lewis Howe’s School of Greatness podcast, and his message about struggling with depression even with all of his business success really resonated with me, like, this guy is a real, vulnerable person, not just some “bro” entrepreneur out to make bank. I replied to a call for side hustle stories, and I didn’t even know it was for Chris or his podcast – and he featured my story!! A New York TimesBestselling Author told my story on his podcast. And then… I find out my story is part of his book. Are you kidding me right now? Like my name is printed in a book, and my side-hustle story is in a book. That other people read. And then they find me online and I help them build websites to support their side-hustles. It’s really hard to wrap my mind around that… So I’m grateful to Chris not only for the opportunity, the amazing people he’s connecting me with but also for helping me expand my mind around what’s POSSIBLE. ON THAT NOTE, I’M SO GRATEFUL FOR PODCASTS. You guys, if you’ve ever thought you don’t have TIME to learn what it takes to follow your dreams, then I’d like to introduce you to this thing called PODCASTS. It’s the only way to learn where you can be doing other things, like driving, working out, working your day job, making dinner, cleaning your house… Seriously, if you are not taking advantage of learning from some of the smartest people out there who are actually successful online, make it your mission in 2018 to start listening to podcasts. I’M ALSO GRATEFUL FOR HAVING A JOB THAT I HATED BECAUSE I FINALLY LEARNED THAT I’M IN CONTROL OF HOW I FEEL. That my job never did anything to me to make me hate it, it was my bad attitude and negativity that made it unbearable. If I hadn’t figured that out, there’s no way I’d be able to create a successful business of my own, I’d carry the same bad attitude with me. And once I changed my attitude, everything changed. In fact, I’m having a hard time leaving this place now that it’s time because all of my coworkers are amazing people who have gone out of their way to make it know how much they want me to stay. Wow. I’M GRATEFUL FOR HAVING A BOSS WHO IS A TRUE MENTOR.   One who believes in me, who wants to see me succeed, who supported my side hustle from the moment I told her about it, and who knows that an employee who is fulfilled outside of work is a better employee at work. Thanks, Lori! There should be more CEOs in the world like Lori Chovanak, and if anyone can make that happen, she can. AND I’M GRATEFUL FOR THE COACHING INDUSTRY, A THING I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW EXISTED UNTIL A FEW YEARS AGO. And sorry not sorry Vicki Fitch, but I’m so glad you were about to throw your laptop out the window trying to build your website and that you found me in Freedom Hackers (thanks Kimra!!), started my 5 Day Challenge, connected with me, I figured out she was a business coach and signed up for a free 20 minute consultation. IN 20 MINUTES, VICKI FITCH REFRAMED MY MINDSET IN SUCH A WAY THAT SOMETHING THAT HAD BEEN HOLDING ME BACK HAD BEEN COMPLETELY BULLDOZED. The flood of possibility came rushing through. And I’m so glad I got up off my wallet and invested in coaching with her because I’ve made every cent back and then some, and I know I wouldn’t have been able to do it without her. I’M GRATEFUL FOR MY HUSBAND FLOYD, WHO IS MY BEST FRIEND. CLICHE’ I KNOW, BUT TRUE. He works around my busy schedule and never complains about how much I work, who is proud of me, who allows his beliefs about what is possible in our life to change as I do crazy things like quit my job and figure out exactly how much our dream home will cost and make him tell me what kind of lawnmower he would need if we had 10 acres and a log cabin, who does simple, nice thoughtful things for me and believes that I will be successful. I’M GRATEFUL THAT I HAVE A SUPER SUPPORTIVE, LOVING FAMILY WHO IS PROUD OF ME. They encourage me when I share that I’m afraid to quit my job to follow my dreams, who tell me that I HAVE to do it, that I will be fine and give me perspective by reminding me that I’m not the first person to do it and that both my mom and Grandpa have owned their own businesses, who read every single blog post (hi Mommy!!) and by telling me that I can come live with them if I need to or that they have a job I’d be perfect for if it all goes to shit. They make it so that I can’t “fail”, and I love the crap out of them for it. I’M GRATEFUL THAT I BELIEVE IN MYSELF ENOUGH TO TAKE ACTION. To try. To embarrass myself. To fail. To get up and try again. To spend money. To waste money (it’s never a waste, it’s always a lesson). To learn how to give up control. To learn how to ask for help. To admit that I don’t know everything, that I’m not always right, and that I don’t have all the answers all the time. To accept constructive feedback. To have great successes and accomplishments and be proud of them, and not minimize them and play it small. To accept people’s compliments without feeling weird #workingonit. I’M NOT DOING ANY OF THIS ALONE. THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO HAVE HELPED ME MAKE MY DREAMS POSSIBLE. Sara & Christina at One Woman Shop. Amy Porterfield, whose podcast I just discovered (yes, I’ve been living under a rock apparently) and is just what I need at this stage in my business. Lewis Howes who shows how to be authentic and real and vulnerable. AND THEN THERE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT HELP ME ACTUALLY DO THE WORK (AS BEING BOSS SAYS). The She Can Coterie team – those people are amazingly smart, awesome, and insightful, and I can’t wait to continue our work in 2018. Maren, Kim, Marium and Rachel who I rely on for all the things they do better than I do when it comes to building WordPress sites and without whom I’d never have been able to work full time and keep it all afloat. AND FINALLY, I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS, MY BFFS, ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TAKEN THE FREE 5 DAY WEBSITE CHALLENGE BECAUSE THEY WANT THE SAME THING I DO. All the people that have shared it, told their friends and networking groups about it. Thank you to all the people who have bought my courses and learned from me to get closer to your dreams. I cannot wait to help you get even closer in 2018 and beyond! SO TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS BELOW – WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR THIS SEASON? Who are all the people that have helped you on your journey? What do you need to start being thankful for that you’re not so thankful for right now in order to move forward (like that pesky day job)?

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Once I found out that I was going to be profiled in New York Times Bestselling Author Chris Guillebeau’s latest book, Side Hustle, I couldn’t believe it. I felt a little numb, actually. My name and story printed in a book? Are you freaking kidding me right now? It’s like a dream I didn’t even know I had come true!! Like, I never even concocted in my mind that this was a possibility. I had first heard of Chris a couple of years ago on Lewis Howes’ podcast, the School of Greatness. He’s the author of The Art of Nonconformity, The $100 Startup, The Happiness of Pursuit, Born For This, and now Side Hustle. Instead of the usual book promo interview, it was actually a pretty deep, personal interview which you can listen to here. Chris shared that he suffering from anxiety and depression, losing his brother, and feeling a bit disconnected emotionally from his accomplishments, feeling unsettled that maybe he wasn’t grateful enough for what he had created. It was a fantastic interview, and I really appreciated his vulnerability and his story. I’m really proud to be profiled in Side Hustle for a couple of reasons. One, it’s an amazing book. I’m all about creating actionable content, and Chris has taken it to the next level with Side Hustle. It’s literally a step-by-step guide on how to come up with an idea to make money on the side, how to determine if your idea is good, how to turn your idea into an offer, how to price it and how to promote it. And Chris shares stories of side hustlers like me throughout the book to illustrate the concepts that he’s sharing. Plus, I love that it’s the perfect complement to the Free 5 Day Website Challenge – because once you figure out what your side hustle is going to be, then you use the 5 Day to help you build your website and start building your audience. Um, perfect!!! And it’s a quick read also – I sat down with my coffee at 8am on Sunday and wrapped it up by 9:45am feeling totally inspired with ways to improve my current offerings (and having a tiny vulnerability hangover, if I’m being totally honest). So I highly recommend that you pick it up, even if you already know what your side-hustle is, because it will totally help you optimize it. You can order it from Amazon here. But you can’t just read it. You have to actually DO it. More on that later. But here’s the other reason why being in Side Hustle is so important to me. Since I put my notice in at my day job, I had some pretty bad anxiety about it – the kind of anxiety that kept me awake at night and crippled my productivity because the only thing that stopped the racing thoughts and the fear was distracting myself with work or drinking a few beers in the evening to relax and even be able to fall asleep. (Okay, this might be the oversharing that Chris mentioned in Side Hustle, but whatevs. You guys get me.) And I’m sure it’s no surprise to you that those things only made my anxiety worse. But like many things that creep up on you so slowly that you don’t even really notice until it’s bad, I didn’t realize I was feeling that bad until one weekend where I literally stayed in bed all day binge-watching the Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu. I was trying to keep the fear of all the bad things that could happen when I no longer had a steady paycheck at bay. I had a ton of emails and Facebook group questions to answer and client work to do, and I couldn’t bring myself to even face it. I had also not renewed my coaching package with my business coach, which I told myself was because I needed to save money, but I look back on that now it was a telltale sign that I was avoiding facing something. I don’t know why I do that, it’s so counterintuitive… like, I’m afraid of losing everything so I’m going to do…. Nothing. The opposite of what would fix the situation. I think that’s called self-sabotage. Anyway. After sharing how I was feeling with my sister and a friend, they both suggested therapy (which I haven’t done… YET, it’s on my to-do list). But that did spark me to renew my sessions with my business coach. Now, I know she’s not a therapist, but she has a true gift for reframing my mindset and getting me back on track mentally. It’s kind of amazing, really. I wrote about this in another blog post, but we talked about focusing on all of the positive possibilities instead of the negatives ones. I know, it seems really simple, but just like I have a hard time imagining what I’d look like if I were 30 pounds lighter because I’ve never actually seen it, I’ve had a hard time imagining what life would be like with the cap taken off of my earning potential and no job to go to every day – i.e. the freedom I’ve been chasing for the past 3 years. Like, I’ve been so focused on the goal of quitting my day job and taking my side hustle full time that I literally have not thought about what will happen after that… Hmm… I should probably dream up that vision and write down what that looks like so I know where I’m heading next… anyway… When I’m short on belief, the evidence really helps. Since I started my side hustle, there have been a few things that have happened along the way that have given me confidence and opened up my mind to what’s POSSIBLE. Like when I got my very first subscriber and my very first affiliate commission. And then when I was named one of the 100 Best Sites for Solopreneurs from One Woman Shop. When I had my first $5,000 month. And then my first $10,000 month. Or that nearly 5000 people have signed up for the Free 5 Day Website Challenge. When I hear from someone that the Free 5 Day Website Challenge helped her son get into university. And now, being in Side Hustle. For all of it, I feel grateful. But I also feel validated. And I know, I KNOW that the belief has to come from within and that I can’t rely on external validation to tell me that I’m doing the right things. I know that I need to evict the bully in my head and wrap my mind around the idea that I can create whatever I want in my life (as long as I take the time to figure out what I want). I know that I don’t have to have ever seen it in real life to know that it’s possible. But it’s the truth. I feel validated. I don’t know what I’m trying to prove or to whom I’m trying to prove it to… So I guess that’s what I can put on my list to talk about at therapy. But I also know that I took a specific set of actions to make this happen. I wasn’t “discovered.” This opportunity didn’t just come out of thin air. I took action and made it happen. And that’s why I know that I’m going to be okay no matter what happens next. And when I pulled that book out of the Amazon box on Monday and opened to Chapter 8 where Chris told my story, I showed my husband and said, “My name’s in this book, and the next time my name’s in a book it will be because I wrote the book.” So what I really want you to take away from all of this is that even when you have the blueprint, like what Chris shares in Side Hustle and what I share in the Free 5 Day Website Challenge and my courses, mentally can be challenging to grow a business on your own. Especially when you have no idea that you’re holding yourself back. And when you have no idea that you’re in your own way, it’s difficult to take the actions you need to take to reach your goals. And that’s why it’s so important, in my opinion, if you’re serious about your business and you really want it to work to invest in a coach – the kind that will help you get out of your own way. And then the secret is to just do whatever they tell you to do. Because it’s the action that’s going to make all the difference, not the ideas.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! If you’re building a side hustle while working full time, there are going to be times where you dread going into the office. Like, I’m talking you go to bed at 8pm the night before because you can’t get your mind off what happened at work that day and you’re dreading tomorrow and the only way you can think to turn your mind off is to drink, eat, or watch TV, but you know none of those will make you feel better (and besides, no one likes to be hungover on a Tuesday). Because out of the dissatisfaction of your life as an employee, you created something that you love on the side. Something that fuels your soul and gives you purpose. With people who are inspiring and take action and take responsibility for their successes and own their failures, away from all the whiners and complainers who blame everyone for everything and suck your energy dry. And once you get a taste of what life could really be like when you love what you do to make money and support your family, the contrast is even more pronounced, and it can make going into the office every day even harder. The irony is, now you’re mentally exhausted, and the last thing you want to do when you get home from a day like that is work on your side hustle. And if you’re not careful, you can wake up one day and find that you’re on the side of the whiners and complainers that you’re desperately trying to escape. And when you feel that negative vibration on the inside at work, and then you bring it home with you, you can bet it’s going to seep into your side hustle, poison your attitude and make you either quit your day job before you’re really ready, or worse, make you give up on your side hustle altogether because the stress of it all is just too much. Either way, you lose. So what do you do? How do you keep the desire for the dreamy freedom of the side hustle from turning you into the whiner and complainer you so desperately want to escape? Fortunately, I’ve got a few tools in my toolbox just for that, and I’m going to share them with you right now. And you thought I just had a toolbox full of plugins and WordPress courses, didn’t you? Tool #1 – Write about it Whether you pull out your journal, or just a piece of blank printer paper if you’re not into journaling and don’t have a notebook handy – just write it all down. Get it out of your brain. Write a blog post about it. Write it in an email (but don’t send it to anyone). What happened? How did it make you feel? Why do you think you’re so (angry, hurt, frustrated)? After you get all that negativity out of you, notice how you feel physically. Do you still have that tightness in your chest? That lump in your throat? Those tense shoulders? Does your mind feel a little bit of relief? You can throw it away, or you can save it as a keepsake, a reminder of why you’re on this journey. Because when you take your side hustle full time, you’ll probably have some bumps in the road and it can be easy to forget how it felt when you were just an employee, how unhappy you were and how badly you wanted this. Tool #2 – Gratitude. I was having lunch with a side-hustling friend the other day and we were talking about that feeling of yearning to quit your day job, even before you’re ready, and she shared that she thinks of her day job as her investor or her benefactor. She goes to work every day so that her steady paycheck can pay the bills while she has room to take risks and re-invest her business earnings back into her business. Ideally, we could all just think that way about our day job, but sometimes you dread it so much that you can’t get there. So start small. Every morning, take out a piece of paper and write down five things you like about your day job, and 5 things you’re grateful for that your day job has helped you create in your life. When you consistently practice gratitude for what you have instead of fighting it all the time, your whole attitude begins to transform. You’re not dreading getting out of bed in the morning, or watching the clock all day. You feel good about what you’re doing and you see the big picture. It’s waaaaaay much more fun to like what you’re doing all day even if it’s not the thing you’re most passionate about. Tool #3 – Work through it The truth is that you decide how you feel… but that can be really hard to do in the moment. When I used to hear “You just gotta work through it,” or “No one can make you feel a certain way without your permission,” I would think… “Really? How? How do I just change how I feel right now? My mind is on replay, my chest is tight, and the bully in my head is saying Why don’t you ever stand up for yourself? Why are you afraid of conflict? That’s why this is happening – because you don’t set boundaries. It’s your fault.” There is a way to go from feeling super low emotionally to feeling better, and I learned it from my time with JoLynn Braley in the Inner Self Diet. It’s a tool I use often, and it totally works for me. If you’re woo woo, you may have already heard of it. It’s called the Emotional Vibrational Scale. Get the Emotional Vibrational Scale Worksheet Enter your name and email address and get a free Emotional Vibrational Scale worksheet! You'll also get weekly updates on Fridays with the past week's episodes so you don't miss a pep talk! YES, SEND IT TO ME! What you do is you identify where you are on the scale now, and write a sentence about how you feel. Then you move up one level and write a sentence about the situation related to that emotion, all the way up to Joy.   You might not feel joy at the moment, but you can write what it would feel like to feel joy. And when you’re done, you take a moment to match up how you feel now with how you felt when you started. And then next day, you do it again. Not at Joy yet? Do it again the next day and repeat until you feel Joy when thinking about the situation. If you’re intrigued about how this tool works in concert with several other tools for weight loss, I highly recommend checking out JoLynn’s website. Tool #4 – Reframe it You know how you have those corporate retreats where these people come in and teach you all about your personality and have you do things like Myers-Briggs and the DISC and teach you how to get along with people that are the opposite of you? Most people’s eyes are glazed over and they’d rather be anywhere else, but me? I love that stuff. I had the good fortune to hear Dr. Phyllis Beck Kritek, a conflict resolution specialist and all-around amazing woman, speak at several events at my day job. She teaches things like how to create win-win scenarios in any kind of negotiation by being a Creator rather than a Claimer, how to stop the perpetuation of toxic workplace environments by recognizing the Victim Triangle in action and knowing how to stop it. But one of my favorite concepts that she shared is called Shadow Projection. This is the best description that I found online that describes what I learned in that presentation. “(Shadow projection) is an involuntary transfer of our own unconscious behavior onto others, so it appears to us that these qualities actually exist in the other people. When we have anxiety about our emotions or unacceptable parts of our personalities, we attribute these qualities – as a defense mechanism – to external objects and other people. When we have little tolerance for others, for example, we are likely to attribute the sense of our own inferiority to them. Of course, there’s always a “hook” that invites our projection. Some imperfect quality in other people activates some aspect of ourselves that wants our attention. So whatever we don’t own about ourselves we project onto other people.” Wait, what??? You mean that I’m feeling angry because I’m seeing behavior in someone else that I do too and I don’t like that I do it so I’m turning them into the villain? What??? Yep. We’re not perfect, we’re human, and we can be shitty too. Now that doesn’t mean that their behavior is acceptable, or that you shouldn’t have boundaries, but when you have such a strong, negative reaction to someone it’s possible that it’s about YOU, and not about them. If you think about it, that’s a relief, because that means you DO have control over the situation because you get to decide how you feel. See Tool #2. And then, have some compassion for yourself, flaws and all. It’s okay that you have a self-righteous, self-centered, ridiculous child inside of you that rises up when the right buttons are pushed. Now you know, and you know what to do to soothe it (without the Tuesday morning hangover). Tool #5 – Detach yourself from the grapevine If you’ve ever worked in an office, you know what I’m talking about. The grapevine is how gossip travels in the office, and it can be toxic. It just perpetuates negativity. If someone says any of the following things to you (or you say these things to other people), you’re part of the grapevine: “Don’t tell anyone I told you this, but…” “Did you hear what happened at X meeting yesterday?” “Guess what I heard?” “(Name) is at it again, who do they think they are?” “(Name) said that they heard from (name) that X is happening.” If you’re talking crap (or listening to other people talk crap) about your boss or your coworkers all day, of course you’re going to despise going to work! And if you’re contributing to it, you’re just putting negative energy out into the world. If you have a conflict or an issue at work with someone and you’re discussing it with anyone else other than that person or their supervisor (or whomever the appropriate person at your company), you’re contributing to your own toxic work environment. So do yourself a favor and cut yourself off from the grapevine. If your favorite watercooler friend starts complaining about their colleague, say, “Have you shared that with her?” and then change the subject. You’re in control of how you feel, and when you feel good, you’ll have more energy for your side hustle. So just keep moving forward. Because your day job isn’t the enemy, it’s not even a necessary evil. It’s necessary. It’s the steady paycheck that lets you take risks in your business, reinvest your income and what forces you to dial in your systems and processes and be more efficient. And when you can figure out how to grow a side hustle while working full time and working through all the whack-a-moles that pop up to throw you off course, once you do quit your day job, you’re going to be unstoppable.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Every time I go to write a blog post, I start with this prompt that I learned from Kathleen Shannon on the Being Boss podcast: “What I really want to say is…” So today, what I really want to say is… What are you going to do in 2018 to really get this online business or side hustle off the ground? How are you going to put yourself out there? Are you going to let fear continue to hold you back? Your fear of not making enough money or your fear of losing it? Your fear of stepping out as an expert in your niche? Are you going to let the feeling of overwhelm of all there is to do to get your business online hold you back? Will you let your perfectionism stop you? Will you let hating the way you look in pictures or on camera or the sound of your voice stop you? When I think about how I spent three years building this side hustle up to the point where I thought I could quit my day job, knowing what I know now, I could have done it in 18 to 24 months if not for all the fear. But I didn’t know I was afraid. It felt like the responsible thing to do. Kill myself to make the same amount of money I make at my day job in half the time while working full time, because I can’t let that paycheck and those benefits go. Those are safe and secure, and a big cover-up for a giant lack of confidence. Avoid building real relationships with real people who know people who need what I have to offer and vice versa. Hide behind my computer screen and think I can do it all with just words typed on the page so I don’t really have to show the world who I am. You have the opportunity to make 2018 the year where you actually get this thing of the ground. It’s going to take doing some things a little differently than you have in the past, it’s going to take some risk, and it’s going to take some discomfort. Are you okay with that? Because you gotta get okay with that. I’ve gotta get okay with that if I’m going to reach the next level in my business. I’ve gotta get okay with not having someone put money into my bank account automatically twice a month. And the only way to get really okay with it is to know deep down in your soul why you’re doing it. And because you believe in why you’re doing it so much, there’s no way it won’t work out. Because when you come upon one roadblock, you’ll find a way over, under or through it. You’ll do things that aren’t normal for you, like getting up super early to write or taking vacation days to work on your business because it feels like a vacation when you’re working on something you love. You’ll work on your business on weekends around family time. You’ll take the time to plan instead of winging it on autopilot and hoping you have time for it. You’ll stop saying you don’t have time, because you want it so bad you’ll make the time. You’ll stop saying you don’t have money, because you know that getting help from other people to get where you want to be is worth the investment and you know you won’t quit, so you know you’ll see that money again and then some. You’ll stop saying that you’re overwhelmed because you’re determined to just keep moving forward, progress, not perfection with small consistent actions daily. If you have only 10 minutes to work on your website, that’s okay. You get done what you can get done in the time you have. You’ll stop saying that you’re not techie and stop feeling like it’s impossible to build your business online and it will become a game that you’re determined to win. Something didn’t work? Your brain thinks, okay, what happened, where can I get answers, and I’ll try again until I get it. Because even techie people run into big obstacles when building things online – they don’t know any more about it than you do, they just keep trying till they figure out the answer, and then they know for next time. You’ll step out of your comfort zone and go to conferences and events and talk to complete strangers that you have something in common with because you both happen to be there. You’ll do all of those things because you want your life to be different so badly that you’re willing to do what it takes. So today I want you to dig deep, and figure out why you want this. Then I want to you make a commitment to yourself that you’re going to have your freebie done and your website up by a certain date. Then I want you to work back from there and block off time in your day to make it happen, whether it’s getting up at 5am and working for a couple of hours before everyone else gets up, or its scheduling vacation time or clearing a weekend just for you. Make it happen. I know you’re here for the same reason I’m here, and I’m giving myself this pep talk right along with you. I’ve got some big, scary opportunities coming my way in 2018 and I need to be committed to showing up for them and not letting the fear send me back into a day job that will steal my soul. So let’s make a deal, BFF – I’ll keep pushing you, and you keep pushing me and 2018’s going to be like nothing we’ve ever imagined!!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! So it’s about 6am on Thursday morning and I’m sitting in my bed under the blankets with my pillow bunched up behind me and my back against the headboard. It’s still dark outside and about 20 degrees, the first freeze of the year here in Ohio. My 13-month old giant lab puppy Scarlett is lying on my feet, snoring, I’ve got my coffee on the nightstand and I’m on my laptop, hammering away at the keyboard answering emails. I’d taken the day off from my day job to work on my side hustle and I had a lot on my agenda, so I had woken up that morning ready to dive in and get started. My husband, Floyd, comes out of the master bathroom and looks at me and at Scarlett snuggling on my feet and says, “This is your dream life right now, isn’t it?” Um, yep. When I think about why I’m leaving a steady six-figure job for the uncertainty of entrepreneurship, it’s because of days like Thursday. It’s not to drive a fancy car or live on the beach or visit exotic locations (although I do want to do those things…) I’m hanging out in my soft warm bed with my dog, working away until about 10am when Scarlett lets me know that she will not wait another minute for me to take her for a walk. So we head out the door, and it’s like the bluest sky we ever get here in Ohio, and it’s brisk and sunny, and I’ve got a podcast going and we just take our time because I’ve got nowhere to be… Then I get a text from Floyd around lunchtime. You guys, we NEVER do this. Never. I’m always too busy during the day at work to be able to go meet my husband for lunch. It was awesome!! After lunch, I made a quick trip to OfficeMax to pick up a dry erase 2018 wall calendar and I came home and started planning out the first 6 months of 2018. By the time I’m done with that, it’s about 5pm, so I head downstairs to the kitchen and pull a HelloFresh meal from the fridge and start prepping and cooking dinner. Floyd gets home around 5:30 and we have dinner together, and I’m just non-stop chattering away about my master plan for the first 6 months of 2018, and that I only have 55 days left of a paycheck coming in and here’s how I plan to make money, and since we became debt free in August, can we look at our budget again and figure out what’s the bare minimum I need to pull in to make ends meet even though it’s my goal with this plan to bring in what I’m bringing in with my paycheck right now… I probably didn’t even take a breath. And I look at him, and he’s not as excited as I am… I can see the anxiety wash over his face. And my bubble starts to deflate a little bit, and I start to get a little bummed, and I think… “I just wish he supported me…” See, I didn’t ask for permission to quit my job. Not that Floyd would think I should ask him, but I’ve just been telling him from day one that I’m building this business and at some point it’s I’m going to quit. And when I told my boss back in April that I was leaving at the end of the year, I probably should have told Floyd I was going to do that… But I did it, and then I told him that evening when I got home… And maybe this is oversharing, but whatever, you guys are my BFFs, I’m the “breadwinner” in our household and I have been for the past several years. And I’m WALKING AWAY from it. I feel a little guilty about that, but I also know what I’m walking TOWARD, and it’s more days like this day. So I see that look on his face, and I’m like, “I can always find a day job again. I just need to know now from you where the line is. Like, at what point are you going to say ‘enough, this WP+BFF thing isn’t working, we’re not making ends meet, I need you to go get a paycheck.” And he looks at me, and he goes, “I totally admire what you’re doing. I think you’ll really brave to take a risk like this, most people would never do it. I don’t think I would ever do it. So I think we need to give it a year, right? And we’ll be okay. If worse comes to worse we’ll just sell the house and live in our camper.” Which, honestly, I’d be totally cool with that. Floyd has been supporting me the whole entire way. He’s okay with me working 80 hours a week between two jobs and doing calls and webinars in the middle of the evening, and being on my laptop half the time when we’re camping or traveling. I got him to buy into hiring someone to clean our house, and he took over our household budgeting and got us out of debt faster than I would have done it. So I’m changing my thoughts. My husband might not always understand or agree with me, and it might take him longer to get comfortable with the risks I’m taking, but he always supports me. And I’m super grateful for that. WHAT ABOUT YOU? What does your partner think of your side hustle? Do they get it? Do you feel supported?

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! I’m going to be totally honest with you right now – making a schedule for myself and my business is something that I have totally resisted in the past. It’s one of those things where you know you need to do it, and logically you agree with it, but you’re just still not doing it. You keep saying that you’re going to do it, but you just never do it. You know what I mean? We all have those things in our life that we say we want to do, but we don’t actually take action toward it. And that’s because a part of yourself doesn’t really want to do it. Part of yourself doesn’t really believe it’s going to work. And the part of myself that resisted making a daily and weekly schedule for myself is the part that craves FREEDOM. You can ask my mom. I have this thing where I just want to make my own decisions and I don’t want to be told what to do. I definitely was NOT a wild child like that might sound, but I’m very independent. But like I’ve mentioned in other pep talks, and what it took me a really, really long time to figure out is that having no plan equals chaos. And chaos is the total opposite of freedom. So I had to look at scheduling and planning in a totally different way. Because when I’m the one making the schedule and the plan, I still get to make all the decisions. I still get to be independent. Scheduling and planning actually give me WAY more freedom than winging it and operating on autopilot – because I’ve done a favor for myself by taking an hour to make all the decisions for the week, scheduling them out, and then I just don’t have to think about it again! So I want to share with you today what that process looks like for me at this point in my business – where I’m seeing success and where I’m still struggling. First, I have this AWESOME planner called Plans N Things. You can get it from the designer, Christy Montague on her Etsy shop as a digital download, and then if you have access to a color printer, you can print it out double-sided and hole-punched for a 3-ring binder – or you can have your local office supply store do it for you, it won’t cost you that much and it’s totally worth it. If she ever stops making it, I might cry. So you need that planner and a pencil – not a pen because you’re going to be making adjustments as the week goes on. At the beginning of each month, there’s a monthly calendar and then there’s a weekly calendar that has a column for each day – plus some extra space below each day for notes titled “all kinds of things to do.” So the first thing that I do is I write in time blocks for each day when I plan to work. So I make a block for 7am to 9am, ten to noon, one to three and 4 to six. And you’ll notice that I’ve got 3 one hour long breaks in there, which I’ll mention in a minute. So I do that on each day. And then I look at my Google calendar, and I pencil in all the appointments and meetings on my calendar. And then what I do at the bottom of the planner there’s that all kinds of things to do section, I write in the different categories of stuff I do in my business. So for me, that’s list building, content, clients, email marketing, and administrative stuff. And then under each section, I list out all the things in each category that I need to do that week. I also have already created a content calendar for the month, so I know what blog posts and emails I need to write this week to stay on track with my content schedule. And then, I assign each task a time block, and I DOUBLE what I think it will take. So if I have a client project where I’m like, “Oh, that should only take an hour,” I’ll write down a 2 in a circle beside it. Because inevitably, something won’t work, I won’t be able to get logged in, I’ll run into a problem, and it’s just going to take longer than I think it will. Then, I decide where in those time blocks that I’m going to do those projects. So if you listened to episode 57, you know that I do my own stuff on Mondays and mornings, and client stuff on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, and I didn’t mention this yet, but Fridays are also mine! They are my project days, so any video production, etc. happens on Fridays. But I only have 4 two-hour blocks each day for 5 days, and some of them are already filled with appointments.  So if I fill up that bottom section with more than 40 hours of stuff, then I need to decide what has to happen this week, and what can be moved to next week or the following week, and then I just erase it and write it on next week’s “all kinds of things to do” section. Because what I used to do, is just make a big long to-do list on a piece of paper, look at it every day, pick the thing that was on fire, do it, and just keep working on the things that were on fire, and never get to the things that I wanted to do or needed to do. And it felt super stressful and crazy. This way, I’m setting a realistic schedule for what I can possibly accomplish in a week, on any given day, and I’m not killing myself trying to get it all done and feeling like I’m always behind and that it’s just impossible!! And it shows me what I need to delegate, because if I have a deadline and I can’t get it all done, that’s a clear sign I need to ask for help!! And then those 3-hour long breaks? Those are mine. That’s when I walk my dog, take a break for lunch, work out, run errands. I can choose to work through them, but I’m really trying not to! So I invite you to do this yourself. If you have a side hustle, pick those daily time blocks on your schedule and write them in. and then write down what’s on your to-do list, write down how long it will take (remember to double it) and then start transferring those projects into time blocks. As you get them done, cross them out. If you need to reschedule something, erase it and write it into next weeks column. It takes about an hour a week to do this, and it’s totally worth it!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! One of my biggest struggles in life is saying no and giving everyone else my time. I’m a professional people pleaser. I like to make people happy and I want people to like me. But what ultimately ends up happening is that when I put everyone else before myself (to fulfill that need to be liked, not because I’m some saint), then I get resentful. Because I have no time for myself, my projects, and the things that I love to do, the things that light me up. One of those things both when I was side hustling and now that I’m self-employed is content creation. I love to write, I love to make these blog posts, I love to create courses. I love to sit in my quiet office and just get the words out, and then I love building my own websites. But those things don’t directly make money. Sure, I have to do them in order to market myself and get the word out there, but they don’t directly result in money – and, hey, I’ve got bills to pay! So I started this practice before I left my day job that I call “Mondays and Mornings are Mine.” and what that means is I don’t check emails, Facebook, or do any client work on Mondays or in the mornings before 11am. And that carves out that time that I need for myself to do the things I LOVE to do in my business, the things that I must do in order to market my business and serve my audience and get the word out, but that don’t directly result in money when I do them. Mondays are my writing day, so typically I’ll write a blog post – two if I’m feeling super creative – and I’ll write pep talks. Sometimes I’ll record videos on a Monday if I’m in the middle of course creation, but Monday is always a really creative, awesome day for me. And you know what that does for me? It makes me LOVE Sundays!! When I had a day job, I used to dread Sundays. I never wanted to do anything on Sundays because I felt like I had to guard that last bit of time left on the weekend for myself. Sundays were the day to do laundry, go grocery shopping (with the whole rest of the world), and then be bummed out by Sunday evening because I had to get up early and go back to the real world on Monday. Now that I’m self-employed, I’m all about Sunday Funday – because I actually look forward to Monday! A quiet day, where I get to be creative, when my clients don’t expect to hear from me, and I get to decide what to work on. And I get to start every single day that way – putting the priorities of my own business first. Because I love helping my clients grow their businesses, but I still have to make time to plant my own seeds and water my own garden, right? So my challenge to you today is how can you take back your Mondays and mornings? Even if you still have a full-time job – what can you add to your Monday morning so that you look forward to it? Can you work out a deal with your boss that you start work two hours later on a Monday and reserve that time for you? Can you take a Monday off a month? Can you make your work in the mornings the work that’s going to fill you up to help you get through the tough times? Find this episode, number 57, on Instagram @shannonlmattern and leave me a comment to tell me how you’re taking back your Mondays and Mornings with #peptalksforsidehustlers

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Join me and Lauren Bellon of Essential Oils How To for Part 2 of our interview! My fave quote from this episode: “Growing your business is growing yourself. Your business is only going to be as successful as YOU believe it to be, and it’s only going to be as successful as you have the skills to make it, and it’s only going to be as successful as the network you have to grow it.” In this episode, we discuss: How Lauren manages her time as a busy mom of two, one of whom has special needs, when her schedule can change on a whim. The one thing that’s more important than “HOW TO” to grow your business. What to focus on if you only have one hour a day for your side hustle and what to prioritize first. What parts of her business she DIY-ed and what she outsourced, and what she would do differently. How she uses Facebook Messenger to grow her business in a systematic and strategic way to grow her business. Why she was a “closet network marketer” and how she’s transformed her view of her business. Why growing your business is growing yourself. The hidden benefit of joining online training programs. The number one asset you have that’s more important than your business.   Deep Sleep, Less Stress, and a Calm Mind Happy and Health – Naturally Lauren is offering a free 45 minute Sleep Session, Stress Session, or Solution Session to listeners (normally $97). Together you’ll devise a bespoke Solution Strategy, including proven practices and ideas that you can begin implementing immediately. She’s got you covered whether you want to: Reclaim your glowing skin Restore the deep sleep you deserve Renew your energy and keep it steady through the day Or raise your mood and vibration so you show up as your best self, every day… These sessions take place in person over Zoom. To take advantage of this offer, good through July 31, use coupon code SHANNONROCKS when you book your appointment with Lauren: https://laurenbellon.as.me/solution-session More Money, More Time: Product Partnerships for the Win Lauren also offers a free 45 minute Strategy Session to side hustlers who wonder whether a product partnership is for you. She’ll use her GPS brain to help you craft a plan for adding revenue to your existing business through affiliate programs and network marketing partnerships. And how to do it ethically, responsibly, and in a way that feels great to you and your clients! You’ll end the session with some actionable ideas and a roadmap of what to look for you in potential partners. To book a product partnership strategy session with Lauren, head here: https://laurenbellon.as.me/strategy-session Find Lauren online:www.laurenbellon.com www.essentialoilshowto.com Instagram Facebook

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Join me and Lauren Bellon of Essential Oils How To as we talk about how she transitioned her essential oils business from side hustle to a full-time gig that supports her family, including her son with special needs. We talk about: What types of businesses are best for side hustlers. How she was able to take a two-year sabbatical from building her business and it her business, team and income still grew. What characteristics that the people that make a real income from their side hustle have vs. those people that struggle. Why it’s so important to surround yourself with successful entrepreneurs. Her secret to building your side hustle when you don’t have an email list or a huge social media following. The two most important things you can provide to your potential customers before they ever buy from you. Deep Sleep, Less Stress, and a Calm Mind Happy and Health – Naturally Lauren is offering a free 45 minute Sleep Session, Stress Session, or Solution Session to listeners (normally $97). Together you’ll devise a bespoke Solution Strategy, including proven practices and ideas that you can begin implementing immediately. She’s got you covered whether you want to: Reclaim your glowing skin Restore the deep sleep you deserve Renew your energy and keep it steady through the day Or raise your mood and vibration so you show up as your best self, every day… These sessions take place in person over Zoom. To take advantage of this offer, good through July 31, use coupon code SHANNONROCKS when you book your appointment with Lauren: https://laurenbellon.as.me/solution-session More Money, More Time: Product Partnerships for the Win Lauren also offers a free 45 minute Strategy Session to side hustlers who wonder whether a product partnership is for you. She’ll use her GPS brain to help you craft a plan for adding revenue to your existing business through affiliate programs and network marketing partnerships. And how to do it ethically, responsibly, and in a way that feels great to you and your clients! You’ll end the session with some actionable ideas and a roadmap of what to look for you in potential partners. To book a product partnership strategy session with Lauren, head here: https://laurenbellon.as.me/strategy-session Find Lauren online:www.laurenbellon.com www.essentialoilshowto.com Instagram Facebook

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! So what do you do if you find yourself with a roster full of the wrong clients? Clients that see you as an order-taker rather than an expert who can get them achieve their goals? First, ask yourself if you see yourself as an order-taker or an expert who can help them achieve their goals. Because it starts with you. You teach people how to treat you. When I first started freelancing, I felt like an imposter because I never formally learned to code. I didn’t feel like I know enough to call myself an expert. So why would my clients treat me like one? Once I worked on my mindset and began to believe that I had more value to offer than simply changing a font color on demand, I started to raise my prices. And it didn’t happen overnight, it’s been a slow progression from feeling like, “Yep, I can totally build you a website,” to “Yep, I can totally help you make more money in your business.” Then, give your wrong clients the opportunity to become the right clients by re-setting boundaries. If you’re anything like me when I first started out, I set no boundaries. No boundaries about when I’d be working or available for phone calls and meetings. No boundaries about how many revisions I’d do, or what I’d charge extra for or what was included. Sure, I had contracts, but I didn’t enforce the provisions because I felt uncomfortable. As an employee, I’d been conditioned for so long to just do everything that was asked of me. Plus, I’m a total people pleaser and want people to like me. I didn’t have the language or skills to say no, and that’s how I operated with my clients. Like a people-pleasing employee that wants everyone to like her. Every boss’s dream, but every freelancer’s worst nightmare! Even right clients can become wrong clients when you don’t set clear boundaries. Clients can’t step over boundaries that were never set in the first place. So I had to start settings them. But first, I had to define them. When would I work? When would I respond to emails? Will I allow clients to text me? What constitutes an “emergency”? What’s included in the project? How many revisions will I do before I start charging? So how do you start setting boundaries with existing clients with whom you’ve never set before? Not by sending them an email announcing your new boundaries, but by giving them a choice when they are asking for something that steps over your newly-defined boundaries and doing it in a way that makes them feel super awesome and supported! Here’s an email I received one day from one of my vendors telling me the price was going up: “Hi, Shannon, Wow, we’ve been working together for almost 2 years. We are so grateful for your loyalty to us and hope to continue supporting you for many more years to come. Now that our team has grown (and continues to grow) to over 15 incredible women and our clientele is growing by 2 new clients a week, it’s time our rates reflect the value our team has to offer. But because you’ve been so loyal to us, we’re going to slowly increase your paying rate. Currently, you pay $X per hour. For reference, current clients that start with a 10 hour/month plan pay $Z/hour. Beginning in April, your hourly rate will step up to $Y. Then in June, the hourly rate will be $Z. That’s the top rate you will ever pay. We hope you understand and please do reach out if you have any questions. Again, we appreciate all the support you’ve given us and are looking forward to continuing to support you in all your endeavors!” What this email does extremely well is: Remind me that two years have passed since we started working together to prime me to expect a change. Thanking me for being a loyal customer, which makes me feel really good. Explaining that I’m going to be getting more value because there are more skills available to me to take advantage of. Telling me that a change is happening (the price is going up) and why (because I’m getting more value). Stepping me up into the new rate over a few months and giving me the assurance that it won’t increase again. Imagine if instead of receiving this email, I got an invoice for my new rate with no prior notice or an email saying “Effective on this date, your new rate is X.” Do you think that would make me feel valued? No way. You could adapt this approach to new business hours and communication expectations. Or send your clients new service agreements. But you don’t need to globally announce your new expectations to all of your wrong clients in an attempt to turn them into the right clients. You can handle them on a case-by-case basis. The trick isn’t to say no when a wrong client wants to step over your boundaries – it’s to give them a choice. It’s not “Here’s what I WON’T do,” and shut the door – it’s “Here’s what I WILL do,” and give your client a choice. Give them a chance to become your right client. You’d be surprised how many people don’t even realize that they’re stepping over your boundaries, and once you make them clear people are totally fine with it! And if your boundaries don’t work for them, they will go find someone who will do whatever they want when they want, and you’ll be better off for it. If all else fails, it might be time to end your relationship with your wrong client. Before you go down this road, I urge you to take a look at yourself and your boundaries first and do the work to communicate them. Because if you don’t learn how to do this early on, your right-on-paper clients will eventually turn into wrong clients. And if you ultimately need to end the relationship altogether, you can check out one of the best resources I’ve found for “firing” difficult clients from copywriter Jamie Jensen. As you start to attract the right clients, you’ll phase out your wrong clients.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! I stumbled upon how to find the right clients quite by accident. I was so frustrated and burnt out by working with the wrong clients that I stopped altogether and created the 5 Day Website Challenge, a free video tutorial series that teaches female business owners how to build the kind of website that helps them grow their email lists so that they can use email marketing and automation to sell their products and services. And I was totally caught off guard when people who had signed up for my free training started asking me to build websites for them. Why? I’d think. I’m showing you exactly how to do it yourself – for free?!?! That’s when I figured out that I was positioning myself as someone who can give people specific results rather than a commodity. When people were willing to pay me thousands to get the exact same thing they could get for free, that’s when I knew I was on to something. In order to shift from selling web design to selling the results that clients can get from web design, you must stop focusing on yourself and how valuable your coding/design skills are and how much time it takes you to build a website. It’s not about you. It’s about your clients. What problem is your client struggling with that a website can solve for them? And if you’re willing to do the work to get really, really specific about these problems and solutions, then you’re going to start attracting the right kinds of clients. First, figure out who your ideal client is. Your ideal client is not just “anyone that needs a website”. That’s what keeps you stuck as a commodity to be had for the lowest price. If you’ve had clients in the past, who was your absolute dreamiest client? You loved everything about working with them, and if you had ten more of them life would be golden? Ask yourself – what was it that you loved about working with them? Was it the project itself that was dreamy and fun, or was it the person? Did they put their all into the work you did together? Did they keep deadlines? Were they respectful, gracious? Did they pay on time? Then get even more specific. If it’s a person, how old are they? Income? Name? Gender? Location? If it’s a company, what industry? Annual revenue? Number of employees? Location? Make a list of all of these qualities. Then go into research mode. Go find those people online and talk to them. Ask them what their biggest struggle is with their website. Ask them what they love about it. Ask them what they loved about working with their last web designer, and what they didn’t love so much. If they could change one thing about their last web design experience, what would that be? Ask them what their business goals are. If you are willing to zero in on the exact type of client you want to work and become an expert in getting results for that specific industry and type of client, then you’re on your way to being able to charge $5000 for a “website”. And I put that in quotes because you now know that you’re selling much, much more than a website. Then, figure out what results you are selling. How do you know what results you are selling? By asking your ideal client what their business goals are and what their biggest struggles with their website are, and then finding the intersection between the two. Then, anticipating that they don’t know what they don’t know, create content to educate them about how website built in a certain way with features related to their industry can help them get results. Whether it’s blog posts, videos, podcasts or whatever – this is how you market yourself and set yourself apart from all the other web designers out there and go from a commodity to be had at the lowest possible price to a valued and trusted advisor who produces results. Here’s the truth: Most people won’t do this. They’re too afraid to focus on one industry and one type of client because they think they won’t get enough clients. They won’t talk to people who are like their ideal clients because those people already have websites and don’t need their services. They’ll continue to showcase all the gorgeous sites they’ve built and struggle to understand why no one values the skill and effort it took to build it. Think about this: 500 web designers took my survey. And they are probably all really talented and awesome at what they do. That’s your competition. They all have a portfolio. They are all selling web design. A portfolio helps your clients understand what their website could look like or what features it might have, but it does not help your potential client really understand the results they can get from working with you. Especially if the sites in your portfolio are for businesses outside of their niche. If you want to land the right kind of clients, the kind that want to pay you what you’re worth, you have to shift your thinking from showcasing websites to giving them results. And because most people won’t do it, the opportunity is ripe for you to be one of the ones that do.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! If you’ve ever struggled to find clients, you’re going to love this blog post. In it, you’ll learn: Why you’re attracting the wrong clients (or no clients). How to attract the right clients. How to turn your existing wrong clients into dream clients. And I’ll give you some resources to help you grow your freelance web design business. Before we dive in, the reason I’m even writing this is because I was reviewing a survey I created on my website asking web designers what their number one biggest struggle is when it comes to building their business. I had to do a double-take when I saw that over 500 people responded to this survey that I had barely promoted! As I was reviewing these survey responses, I had a major a-ha moment which I’ll share with you a bit later. The overwhelming majority of web designers who responded to my survey said their biggest struggle is “finding clients.” Can you relate?? Their second biggest struggle? “Finding clients who are willing to pay me and don’t want everything for super cheap or free in exchange for exposure or a trade.” Um, yep. Whether you’re a web designer or not, the strategies I’m going to share with you in this blog post will help you not only attract clients but the right kinds of clients (and that’s a super important distinction). So what do I mean by the “right” kinds of clients? They are more than willing to pay you what you’re asking. They wouldn’t dream of asking you to work for “exposure” You actually enjoy the work you do together. Communication is effortless, even when things don’t go according to plan. To uncover how to find the right clients, first, it’s important to understand how we’re attracting the wrong clients (or no clients) in the first place! How To Find The Wrong Clients When I first started my web design business, I attracted nothing but the wrong clients. The wrong clients are those who don’t want to pay what you’re worth, clients who want you to work for exposure, or working with them is just a miserable experience in general and communication is difficult. Let me be totally clear – it wasn’t their fault they were the wrong clients, I just didn’t know that what I was doing was attracting them to me like a moth to a flame – and I didn’t know how to course-correct once I was in the midst of working with the wrong clients either! Here’s how I attracted the wrong clients: By telling people I know that I’m a freelance web designer. By working for people you know for super cheap or free to gain exposure and build a portfolio. By taking referrals from people who know I’m a web designer, but don’t know the specifics of who my ideal client is or what types of websites I build. Here are other ways I see web designers attracting the wrong clients: By posting their services or responding to ads on freelancer-for-hire websites By creating a website that talks about their coding skills and showcases their portfolio (typically of client work they’ve done for very cheap or free to build the portfolio. Right now you might be thinking, “But isn’t that how I market my web design services?” How will I find clients if I’m not telling people I’m a web designer, building up a portfolio website and asking for referrals? How will I find clients if I’m not going to job posting websites and looking for work? If all of that is getting me the wrong kinds of clients, then how am I ever going to find clients at all, let alone the right kinds of clients???” Here’s the a-ha moment I had from thinking about my own experiences and reading 500 survey responses from web designers (and if you’re not a web designer but you’re reading this because you struggle to find clients, you’ll find this helpful too): It is not about what you do, it’s about the results your clients get from working with you. Let me say that again a bit differently. If you are selling web design, you are a commodity – something to be gotten at the lowest possible price. Because everyone is selling web design, and in countries where the cost of living is much lower and the people are very skilled, they can charge way less than you can and make a great living. So what sets someone who charges $5000 for a website (or coaching, or whatever it is that you’re selling) apart from someone who charges $500? The person who is charging $500 is selling a website. The person charging $5000 is selling results. And when a client who really wants results spends $500 on a website, one of two things happens: One, they get what they pay for and end up extremely frustrated that their website isn’t getting the results. Two, you build them a $5000 website for $500 and feel taken advantage of and totally burned out. I’m guilty of number two. And I almost quit freelancing and gave up on my dream of being my own boss because of it. So it’s not your clients’ fault that they don’t “want to pay that much for a website”. It’s not their fault that they treat you as an order-taker instead of a trusted advisor. And it’s not their fault that they pay you $500 for something that you should be charging them $5000 for! It’s not your fault either, BFF, because you didn’t know any better. But now I’m going to share with you how you can shift from selling websites to selling results and start attracting the right clients.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Expenses Breakdown Tools: AccessAlly (Membership plugin for all of my courses) – $79.00 Acuity Scheduling (Done For You Consultations) – $10.00 Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, etc.) $64.48 Bluehost (Web Hosting) – $30.87 Dropbox (File Storage) – $19.99 FreeConferenceCall.com (Coaching & Client Calls) – $3.00 GoDaddy (Domain Names) – $5.17 GSuite (wp-bff.com Email) – $10.76 Infusionsoft (email marketing, automation, e-commerce & customer management) – $321.43 ManageWP (WordPress Site Management for Clients & WordPress Protection Package) – $88.09 Templates, Graphics, Fonts, Etc. – $54.81 Zapier – $15.00 Misc Plugin License Renewals (for clients to be passed on to them) – $257.90 Marketing: Facebook (Ads for Website Monetization Master Class) – $493.02 LinkTree Pro (Instagram Profile Links) $6.00 Recurpost (Social Media Scheduling) – $25.00 Websites That Make Money Design – 162.00 Business Cards – $63.12 Help: Subcontractors (VA Team, Graphic Designer, Web Developers) $1607 Learning/Mentorship: Online Courses – $1451.99 (Amy Porterfield’s Webinars That Convert plus Templates, Jenna Kutcher’s Pinterest Lab, Udemy CSS course) Travel: Thrive Conference/Bluehost Meeting in Austin – $303.83 not including flight and hotel – Hotel was $600 and paid back in December, for the flight I used Southwest points Refunds for duplicate payments: $58.00 Total Expenses: $5163.40 Net Profit: $3791.78 Biggest Lesson Learned I’m writing this income report in mid-April, so I’ve learned a lot of lessons in my first three months in business which I outlined for you here in this blog post. My biggest takeaway in analyzing February’s income report is that I invested over $2000 into promoting Websites That Make Money, from investing in a course to help me improve my webinar game, creating new graphics and content and spending money on Facebook ads. My goals were to have 500 people register, 150 attend live, and make 10 sales. Here’s what really happened: Registered – 368 Showed Up – 114 Watched Full Webinar Live – 39 Watched Replay – 74 Sales – 1 I didn’t meet my goals and I didn’t come anywhere close to recouping my investment in the program with my big, tech-troubled launch. However, instead of deeming it a failure, feeling like I wasted $2000, and moving on to the next shiny new fun project that’s going to be a sure-fire success (like I might have done in the past), I made the decision to leave the program open and promote it monthly with webinars. In other words, I’m playing the slow and steady game instead of trying to create windfalls – and that $2000 really was an investment in the foundation of the marketing of that program. So obviously my expenses in February were double what my benchmark expenses are, and while I know I needed to make an investment into Websites That Make Money for the long-term, I didn’t specifically plan to do it in February. In fact, buying the webinar course and investing that much in Facebook ads was a knee-jerk reaction to the uneasiness I felt about meeting my income goals rather than a planned expense, and if I continue to operate that way going forward, I’m going to see some tough times ahead in my business. I also can look back on these spending patterns and see that just like I was winging it with my content and marketing, I was also winging it with my spending because I didn’t have a real plan in place. I still paid myself two paychecks of $2500 in February, which was more than my net profit, however, I planned ahead before quitting my day job and do have money set aside in my business for this exact scenario so that my income remains consistent when my revenue and expenses are not consistent. Thankfully, I’ve gotten a handle on my anxiety, I now have a spending plan and creating these income reports is a fantastic way to keep myself accountable and on track! So thanks for reading, and I can’t wait to continue sharing this journey with you!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my February Income Report! Each month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my online business and show you exactly how much I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! Important Things That Happened in February I opened enrollment for Websites That Make Money for the first time since the beta launch last fall. I purchased Amy Porterfield’s Webinars That Convert Course and spent a significant amount of time following it to the letter in order to create and promote the webinar. It also helped me to craft my presentation for my first live speaking event as well. I held a webinar to promote Serious Side Hustlers Membership Program again in February. I booked two new Done For You clients in February and began to test my new Done For You Method out. I significantly changed the structure and timeline of the projects because I was having trouble moving projects forward to completion. I also put significant effort into completing some projects that had gone on longer than I expected (I wasn’t able to wrap up all the client projects I had wanted to in January – I was a little too ambitious!) I had my very first ever live, in-person speaking engagement in Austin, Texas where I shared my SEO strategy for bloggers. While I was in Austin, I also met with the Bluehost team to discuss my affiliate marketing strategy in 2018. Bluehost welcomed me to their office with an authentic Texas BBQ lunch, and their entire team met with me for a few hours to give me feedback on my website and help me reach more people. They also cheered for me when it was my turn to speak at the conference. It feels totally amazing to have a crew like that in my corner, and I’m just so proud to promote them to my community! Review of My Goals My number one goal in February was to again have $10,000 in revenue because my breakdown to replace my paycheck, cover business expenses and pay taxes is: $5000 – Income to cover my paycheck. $2500 – Expenses $2500 – Taxes I also set the goal to have 500 people sign up for my Website Monetization Master Class, have 150 people attend live, and have 10 sales. What I Focused on in February February 2018, my second month of self-employment, was a very interesting and exciting month. I made intentional effort to spend more time with friends and family now that I don’t have to work evenings and weekends – which feels amazing! But that anxiety about making enough money to hit my monthly revenue goal crept in during February a few times. Thankfully my business coach, Vicki Fitch, told me to expect it to show up and that the first 3-6 months would be my most vulnerable time. The first time it showed up was during an annual weekend away with friends. Every year we rent a cabin in the woods and just hang out with our friends all weekend, playing cards, having drinks around the fireplace, eating great food and hanging out in the hot tub. It was Sunday on our way home that the anxiety about making enough money started to creep up on me. I couldn’t wait to get home so I could “work”. My husband and friends noticed that I wasn’t relaxed anymore, and I shared with them all the racing thoughts going on… “What if I don’t make enough money this month? What if this was a mistake? I shouldn’t have bought that course. Maybe I should cancel my trip to San Diego for Social Media Marketing World next month so I don’t have an $800 hotel bill…” And I’m so grateful that I have awesome friends and a supportive husband, because my best friend told me to just STOP and to look at how far I’ve come and there’s no way I wouldn’t make it, and my husband said STOP, we will be fine, we have enough in savings to weather the ups and downs and to quit putting so much pressure on myself. I also held two webinars for the launch of one of my programs, and I had major tech issues with both of them which may have affected my sales results – and I totally let the bully in my head, as my business coach Vicki Fitch calls it, get to me. “I can’t believe I wasted so much money on Facebook Ads and then these webinars were a disaster! Nobody wants this program. I don’t even know if I should promote it anymore…” The truth was it wasn’t a disaster at all, it just wasn’t perfect, and that’s no reason to pour gasoline on it and burn it down. I just needed to look at what went wrong, what went right and make changes for the next time. And stop judging myself for every little thing! Finally, my bully tried to come with me on my trip to Austin Texas for the Thrive Creative Conference, a conference for food, fashion, mommy and all kinds of bloggers. For the few weeks before I left, it was nagging me. “What are you going to wear to speak in front of a 100 fashion bloggers? You know you can’t wear yoga pants, right? You still shop at American Eagle. Find something better to wear.” So I went shopping, and I found outfits at *gasp* Old Navy that I felt super comfortable and confident in, and guess what? That’s me. I’m casual, I like classic styles, and I knew if I was going to get up and speak in front of 100 people for the first time, I needed to feel great about my outfit. I left my bully in Columbus and went on to have an amazing time in Austin, meeting some people that I know will be important parts of my journey moving forward. So I tell you this because I want you to know that there will be obstacles, yet the most rewarding thing to me has been overcoming them. Building this business has been the absolute best thing I’ve done for personal growth, and it’s having a positive impact everywhere in my life. So here’s what my income looked like in February: Income Breakdown Passive Income:Affiliate Income – Bluehost – $170.00 Affiliate Income – Elegant Themes – $257.50 Affiliate Income – ConvertKit – $32.10 5 Day Challenge Upgrade – $68.00 How to Start a Freelance Web Design Business Upgrade – $0.00 Serious Side Hustlers – $667.00 Individual Courses – $0.00 Web Designer Academy – $694.00 Websites That Make Money Beta  – $594.00 WordPress Protection Package – $459.42 Passive Income Total: $2942.02 Time for Money Income: Done For You Projects – $3164.16 Website Therapy Coaching Beta Test – $349.00 Consulting – $2500 Time for Money Total: $6013.16 Total Revenue: $8955.18

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! So, I don’t think this will come as a shock to anyone that knows me personally, but I’m absent-minded. I have a terrible memory. I can’t leave the house without having to come back inside at least once, often twice to find my keys or my phone or my laptop charger. I’m awful at simple math, not because I’m not smart, but because I’m impatient, not wanting to take the time to really think it through. And when it comes to anything tech, my attitude is “try it and see what happens.” And I accept that’s who I am. Sure, I’d like to improve, because I often create more work for myself, which on one hand is totally inefficient, but on the other hand, I often learn quite a bit when I have to fix something that I’ve broken. And that’s why I know so much about WordPress!! But about a month ago, all of those qualities culminated in one of the most embarrassing moments of my life. More on that later. Unlike the big stuff, like my decision to leave my day job and take my side hustle full time, I typically don’t carefully consider the outcomes of my decisions. I just decide and get to work. And that’s what I did with the latest launch of my Web Designer Academy this fall, my proven step-by-step system for people that want to turn their web design and coding skills into a profitable business when they have no clients, no portfolio and a severe case of imposter syndrome. Let me pause here and say that even if you’re not interested in building a web design business, like the majority of people in the WP+BFF’s community, there’s a lot of actionable info you can pick up from this experience, so if you’re not a wannabe web designer I invite you to keep on reading!! It was never my intention when I started this business to ever teach anyone else how to do exactly what I do. But last fall, my BFFs Sara and Cristina over at One Woman Shop had recommended me to their friends at Skillcrush to do a presentation on how I built my WordPress business for one of their online summits. If you don’t know who Skillcrush is, they have a product called the WordPress blueprint which teaches people who want to become web designers how to actually CODE WordPress from the ground up. Thankfully I have an amazing business coach, Vicki Fitch, who when I told her about this opportunity, gave me a vision of how I could leverage it for more than just exposure. Our plan was to invite attendees to a free webinar that expanded on how I built my business with WordPress and affiliate marketing, and on the survey signup page, I would ask them what 3 things they struggle with the most. I had about 300 people sign up for the webinars, and I put them on a separate list in my email marketing program – and almost all of them filled out the survey. By the way, I would have never thought of doing that on my own. I would have presented on it, put that on my list of cool things that I did to build my credibility, and moved on with my life – and that’s why I think everyone should have a coach – because we have so many blind spots that we can’t see. What I’ve earned from that one suggested has given me a significant return on my investment in coaching. The information I got back from that survey was so enlightening! It was like I had hopped into a time machine and went back to 2014 when I felt the exact same way those 300 women felt – like a total imposter who didn’t know enough to say I’m an expert. Two more topics emerged from that survey – how to overcome imposter syndrome and how to build credibility when you’ve never built a website for a client before. Um, yep, been there, done that, got the t-shirt! So after reviewing this information, Vicki convinced me that it was time to coach others on my expertise on how I actually built this business. How I flipped the traditional freelance web designer model on it’s head and ended up with amazing clients (more than I can handle at times)! I was more confident about this offer than anything else I’ve ever offered before. So we took the information from the survey, turned it into a 3-part live webinar series and offered it to the Skillcrush people, and I shared with them my experience of how I was able to overcome imposter syndrome and build credibility and actually earn money with WordPress while working full-time and without having to have clients. And then at the end of that webinar series, I invited people to join a live, 12-week group coaching program where I’d pull back the curtain and teach them exactly what I’ve done to build my business. My content wasn’t created at the time I made the offer, but I knew exactly what I was going to teach, and I felt very confident that I could provide TONS of value to anyone that wanted to learn what I was teaching. I knew that if they implemented the steps I was sharing that they’d recoup their investment in the program fairly quickly. I knew it because I’d done it myself, and I’m not special. I just take action. So before I tell you what happened, let’s talk pricing for a minute. My pricing structure was $1049 for early-bird signups – people that took advantage of the offer right away on the webinars, $1197 for people that missed that early cut-off, and then if people took advantage of a payment plan, they paid a little more than if they paid in full up front. For something that didn’t even exist. Just for the promise that I would teach it to them. It takes a LOT of trust for someone to open up their wallet and give you a thousand bucks for a promise to show them something, and I spent a lot of time building that trust. And being on that Skillcrush webinar gave me a lot of credibility also. At the end of the live webinar series, I had 6 amazing women join the coaching program. From an email list of 300 people, I earned roughly $6000. Or to put it another way, for the 12 weeks of work, I earned an extra $500 a week, or $2,000/month. Are you starting to see the possibilities here? Some of the women chose to move through the content at their own pace while others chose to be on the live sessions and participate in the group coaching calls to get their specific questions answered. We held a live class every Wednesday, and then office hours to answer questions on Monday. I love doing the live group coaching. Seeing people change their mind about their skill set and what they have to offer is really rewarding. I built relationships with my students, and I’ve even hired a couple of students that were major action-taking go-getters to do some projects with me! But weekly group coaching takes a ton of time, and I still had a full-time job, so as I was creating the content and presenting it week by week, it was always with the intention that it would be offered again as pre-recorded sessions with live office hours. So when it was time to launch it again, I named it the Web Designer Academy instead of the WP+BFF Group Coaching Program, hired a copywriter to help me tweak the sales page and sales emails and hired a graphic designer to help me design the sales page. I think I invested about $1000 in those two items. In the spring of this year, I invited anyone on my 5 Day Website Challenge list to get on the Web Designer Academy list, sent the three free pre-recorded webinars via email, and followed it up with a launch sequence that directed anyone interested in the program to a sales page. I didn’t do any live webinars that time – it all was pre-recorded and sent via email. Now I knew for sure that there were interest and value in the program, and I knew how much time it took to run the program, I updated the pricing to $1997 for base access (which didn’t include the live office hours), $2397 including office hours and $3497 for office hours plus lifetime access to office hours and additions to the program in the future. I was scared to raise the price, but I believed in the value of the program, and I know that people can make much, much more than that if they implement what they learned, so I just went for it! And after taking advantage of fast-acting bonuses, 7 amazing people paid between $1500 and $2400 for the program – for a total of over $11,000!!! That launch was the one that was the tipping point for me making the decision to leave my job at the end of the year. That showed me that my expertise is valued and that I’m able to generate substantial income from it. I had 2 people take advantage of the group coaching component, and while I loved our sessions together, I feel like I missed out on interaction with the rest of the group. My favorite part of this program is helping people overcome their own limitations and hurdles and helping them see things differently, and a Facebook group just doesn’t cut it!! I want to make sure people get results, and while I can’t do the work for them, I can certainly help them over the hurdles that are stopping them from progressing! So here’s where it gets interesting… And maybe I got a little cocky, I don’t know. You’re my BFF, you tell me I had planned to launch the Web Designer Academy again this fall. I decided to do it a little earlier than planned, at the beginning of August, due to my insane work schedule and travel plans. I also decided that I wanted to run Facebook ads to grow my email list for the launch. I figured that if a list of 350 could generate $11,000, with a list of 600 I could maybe hit $20,000! So I invested about $1200 in Facebook ads targeting women between the ages of 25 and 40 who have an interest or a job in web design, and also targeting specific Facebook pages of entrepreneurs like Chalene Johnson and Marie Forleo where I hang out to find people that need WordPress help, so I know other people like me are hanging out there too! With Facebook ads, I grew my list up to 695. If you’re keeping track of the math there, I paid about $3.50 per person added to my list. That’s actually very, very expensive for a Facebook ad. Not a great return on investment from a business perspective, but if you’re one of those people that came from Facebook and you’re reading this blog post, to me you’re awesome and priceless and I’m glad you’re here Anyway, I sent everyone to a landing page to sign up a for a free video series, “How to Start a Freelance Web Design Business” which was my introductory webinar series, and on the thank you page, I asked the same survey questions, just to make sure that I was covering the challenges this new group of people who came to me through ads. And as I predicted, yep, they all indicated that imposter syndrome and credibility were huge barriers to them taking the leap to chase their dream – so I knew that these people would be perfect for the Web Designer Academy (and that I did a good job on my Facebook ad targeting). Finally, I changed the pricing to $1997 for base access, no office hours, $2997 for office hours and $3997 for Lifetime Access. I offered some fast-action discounts to sweeten the deal, and I also offered a monthly payment plan this time, just in case… Here’s where it all started to go wrong… Remember when I told you I’m absent-minded? I didn’t think my whole launch sequence through from a technical perspective. I thought I did, but I should have had someone double-check my work. I’m having flashbacks to high-school calculus class right now… Anyway. I used the same campaign as I had in the spring, so people that had already run through it didn’t get added to it again and they missed the initial email sequence. Thankfully a bunch of them emailed me to tell me, so I quickly cloned the whole sequence, created a new tag for everyone and dropped them all into the new sequence. Thank goodness I’m techie and knew exactly what to do to fix this, but I feared I may have damaged my credibility by not following through on what I said would happen. Strike one. Then, remember how insanely busy I said I was when I launched? Well, so was everyone else I knew because it was Back to School time. “I feel bad for my friends, and I’m kinda glad I don’t have to deal with that,” I remember thinking… #duh!!! If my sisters and my BFFs are going through back to school insanity, it wouldn’t be a stretch to think that my community would be too!! Ain’t nobody got time to watch a 3-hour video series or the budget for a $1997 course when they just had to buy a bunch of new clothes, school supplies and pay a ton of school fees! Strike two. And then the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever done happened… This one is a combo of absent-mindedness and living my life on autopilot. The new thing I did this launch sequence is to add a Facebook live lesson as the fourth broadcast where I would recap all three lessons and invite people to join the Web Designer Academy. I promoted this Facebook Live throughout my launch sequence. I created a Facebook event and invited people to RSVP. I took the day off work to prepare for going live at 3PM EST. I found an awesome new tool call BeLive.tv which would let me do a Facebook Live using my laptop to screen share and toggle back and forth between me and my presentation. I was going to totally rock this final live broadcast, and I was going to get at least 12 more amazingly awesome people to enroll in the course and I couldn’t wait to meet them! So I sit down at my desk, throw on some of my favorite Buxom lip gloss and press the “Start Broadcast” button and I just dive right into my presentation. First thing I notice is that attendance is super-low. I had about 70 people say they’d be there live, and I’m seeing two people on, one of whom is my business coach. That’s okay, I think. Just keep going. People will join. Then I see an old co-worker say hi. Cool, I think. She must follow my business page. So I’m just to the point where I’m going to talk about how much it costs, which already has me feeling weird because it’s the most expensive thing I’ve ever sold… (and just as I wrote that I realized it’s not true, I’ve sold websites more expensive than that so let’s put this on the list of things to work through with my biz coach…) …and my high school band director says hi in the comments. And that’s when it hit me. I went live on my personal facebook page!!!! Are you freaking kidding me right now??? I totally got nervous (my face actually turns red in the video), I botched the sales piece and finished it as fast as I could. One, I’ve never publicized my side business on my personal page and I felt totally like a fraud Did my high school boyfriend just see that? Why am I friends with him on Facebook? I really need to clean up my friends list… (add that to the list of things I need coaching on). Two, I didn’t show up for the people waiting for me on my business page!!!!!!! It’s like I was speaking at a conference, walked into the wrong room and starting giving a presentation while the people who were there to see me were in a different room like “What the hell? Where is she? Flake. No way I’m giving her my money.” Strike 3. So I message Vicki, my biz coach, and tell her what happened. If I didn’t have this support system, do you know how discouraged I would have been? I mean, seriously, I would have probably told my boss that I was going to just stay at my day job. I’m not even kidding, I might have rescinded my resignation and stayed right in my comfy little comfort zone. Here’s what Vicki said: Perfect accidental marketing goldmine… Also known as just freaking be yourself, imperfections and all!! Don’t not try because you might feel embarrassed! Don’t pretend like these things don’t happen! Don’t quit if you do feel embarrassed! (And by the way, all my friends had really nice things to say about that presentation even though they didn’t know it wasn’t for them.) I’m human, I make mistakes, and I still know my stuff when it comes to using WordPress to build a business online. So despite all of those hurdles, this time, I had 3 amazingly awesome women join the program using my payment plan option (hi guys!!!!) and I immediately recouped my investment in Facebook ads. And what I learned from this experience? Priceless. Did I meet my goal of 12 students? Nope. Am I disappointed? Nope! I’m totally grateful for any opportunity I get to inspire someone to take action toward their dreams. And I can’t wait to see what my latest round of students do! I sent a survey to everyone that didn’t buy asking them why they chose not to enroll, and that was also extremely enlightening. I got feedback from only one person that I had damaged my credibility due to those mistakes. Perhaps more people felt that way, and guess what? I’m okay with not being “for” those people. Because I’m never going to be perfect and I’m always going to make mistakes, but I’m also always going act in integrity and admit them and fix them. The two biggest reasons people didn’t buy were timing and price. Did I price it too high this time? Based on previous sales I know people are willing to pay that much, but this time, the three enrollees used the payment plan. I’m using that feedback to be more creative with the pricing and meet people where they are while still selling the program for what it’s worth. And as far as timing is concerned, I’m also playing with that. I’ll be testing out launching it as two tracks, one marketing and one development, and making an always-open course without a live-coaching component. If you’re on the Web Designer Academy mailing list and wanted to join but the timing or pricing wasn’t right for you, you’ll be getting more info the next iteration of the program in the next couple of weeks. So what I want you to take away from this experience is: Survey your dream client and see if what you want to offer is in alignment with what they need. Consider offering your program in a small group format and create the content for an on-demand course during the live course, it’s a big time-saver. Test different pricing structures and course formats. Timing is key. It’s okay when things don’t go as you planned them as long as you learn from it and keep going. Just be your-freaking-self, imperfections and all. Don’t hide, whether that’s hiding your side-hustle from your personal social media or hiding that you screw up from time to time. Thanks for being my BFF!!!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! If you’re anything like me, you’re building a website and an audience with the Free 5 Day Website Challenge because you want FREEDOM – financial freedom and a flexible schedule. About 4 years ago, I began the slow journey toward freedom, going from just a strong desire with no concrete plans to building a business that’s going to be my full-time job at the end of the year. This story isn’t “I had an email list of zero people and then I started marketing the Free 5 Day Website Challenge in Facebook groups, got my first subscriber and first affiliate commission and now I’m quitting my day job.” I’ve told you that story before, and it’s the truth, but it’s not the whole truth. It leaves out the slow, grinding start. The iterations. The doubt balanced out by the burning desire that kept me going, that inspired me to change my approach when I veered too far away from my goal of FREEDOM. In this pep talk, I’m gonna share with you exactly how I got here so that if you have that burning desire for freedom also, but you feel like giving up, or like you’re not qualified or like it’s impossible, it’s my hope that you’ll feel re-inspired. The seed of the idea to create my own business was planted in the spring of 2014 when I read Chalene Johnson’s “30 Day PUSH” in my millionth attempt to shed the extra weight I’ve been carrying since adolescence. The gist of it is that you set 10 goals of things you want to accomplish in the next year in the areas of health, your career, your relationships, and lifestyle – but then you take a step back and you look at all of those things and figure out an 11th goal that when accomplished is going to serve as a domino effect to making all those other things happen faster, aka, a PUSH goal. I set goals for my health like losing 40 pounds and exercising 5 times a week and cooking healthy meals daily. My relationship goals were to designate a date night with my husband and stick to it. My career goal was to make enough money to pay off all of our debt and live comfortably, and my lifestyle goals including things like finally painting all of our woodwork white and getting new carpet and countertops. So as I sat pondering what the PUSH goal would be, the one that would make all of these other things easier, my mindset was one of lack. I don’t have time to exercise and cook because of my work schedule. Unless I change jobs, I won’t increase my income enough to get where I want to be financially, nor will I ever be able to afford to update this house. And that’s when it hit me. The way to make all of my dreams come true was to become my own boss. To work from home on my terms and take the limit off of my income potential. And I knew the exact skill I had to offer – web design. It was the one thing I did at my day job that I absolutely loved doing and was transferable to any business. And so I started doing what every other brand new entrepreneur does once they have an idea for a new business: obsessing over a name. Because that’s super pro-active, right?? When you’re just starting out, you think it’s the most important thing in the world (but really, I discovered that it’s just a diversion). After weeks of Googling web design companies that specialize in WordPress, I discovered that they all use “Press” or “WP” in their name, and so I settled on “LimePress Development” which to me meant fresh designs, but to everyone else meant absolutely nothing. And I proceeded to obsess over finding the perfect WordPress theme, the perfect stock photos that represented the services that I planned to offer and over my bio… That’s when the imposter monster really started to take over in my mind. I had been building websites with WordPress for several years at that point, and if you could break it, I’d broken it. And fixed it. And generated significant income for my day job with a few different WordPress sites. I had a background in marketing and I knew exactly what it took to build the kind of website needed to grow a business. Yet because I didn’t go to school for it, I didn’t feel like I was qualified to start a web design business let alone call myself a web developer. And so I built the LimePress Development site and made it as impersonal and corporate as possible. I presented it to a local company that provided web design services and tucked my resume at the end of the About page. It didn’t have an email opt-in, just a contact form to request a proposal. It was nothing like what I teach you guys to do in the Free 5 Day Website Challenge. Now, I can look back on this and can clearly see the mistakes I was making make this blog post all about what not to do, but that’s not the point of me sharing this story with you… When I look back on how this business started, what I see is someone that had an idea, and started taking ACTION. Imperfect, forward-moving action. At that time I didn’t know that there was this whole movement of people building audiences and providing value and serving people online. My only idea was that I would do freelance web design for local clients and if I charge hourly what I made at my day job and get enough clients to fill a 40-hour work week then I’d be able to quit. Easy-peasy, right? Um, not so much. That website that I agonized over? It didn’t result in a single client. But it did make me FEEL legit, and that meant something. So how did I get my first clients? RELATIONSHIPS! Before I could actually get clients through relationships, I had to tell people what I did. Say the words out loud. I’d be at the gym after work and people would ask me what I did for a living, I wouldn’t say “I’m a web designer,” I would say, “I do IT and marketing for a non-profit, and I do freelance web design on the side.” I lacked so much confidence in what I was doing the way I said it was even passive! But again, it was another slow step forward. I put it out there. Just saying it to other people resulted in my first three clients. Had I not taken the imperfect action of casually mentioning that I do freelance web design (a casual mention that made my face turn red and my heart race, thankfully it was already bright red from all the burpees), then I wouldn’t be sitting here writing this blog post. I’ve discovered that building relationships is the most important part of my business, whether they start in person or online, it’s when you have an actual one-on-one conversation with someone and make a connection that a whole new door of possibilities opens up. But I didn’t recognize the importance of it back then. I just thought, great, I’ve got clients! OMG this is happening!! And then I quickly discovered that I had created a second full-time job for myself that paid significantly less than my day job and I was on the path to total burnout. Why? Because I didn’t value my skillset. I thought that because I was able to teach myself WordPress and that it’s made for non-coders, that really anyone should be able to figure it out, therefore I’m not providing some specialized skill that’s worth a premium. And my thinking about it wasn’t even that articulate, it was just a feeling that WordPress is so EASY, why would someone pay me to do something they could do for free? In my mind, building a WordPress site for someone wasn’t worth more than a few hundred dollars… I also didn’t anticipate the amount of time it took to manage projects and get content from clients and do revisions. So I spent every waking hour outside of work working on freelance projects. I’m talking all evening until late into the night and all weekend. My relationship with my husband suffered. I quit the gym. I skipped family functions to work. I really resented my day job even more. The little money I earned just didn’t feel worth it. I felt like giving up. But again, I look back on it and I know that I needed to have that experience as the catalyst to creating WP+BFF. Those first few projects made me feel more like an order-taker than a someone whose expertise in marketing and web design was being taken seriously. I found myself wishing more than once “I wish I could just teach people how to do it themselves so that they can make these changes and revisions and tweaks themselves because it’s really just point and click!” And it’s all of these desires and thoughts and experiences that added up to create the spark for the Free 5 Day Website Challenge. But again, the path to get to the 5 Day Challenge is twist-y and turn-y… If the desire to be my own boss came from Chalene Johnson’s book, the idea for the Free 5 Day Website Challenge came from her email marketing. I had signed up for Chalene’s email list, and one day got the launch series for her Marketing Impact Academy where she explained that you can create an Academy that shares your knowledge, and in the first few videos she explained how to create a free gift to give away in exchange for an email address. This was a totally new concept to me, so I starting consuming all of the free information I could about it, which results in the creations of “Website Essentials Academy,” a paid course on how to build a WordPress site, and my freebie opt-in was a PDF that walked people through all the decisions they needed to make before they started building their website called “5 Steps to Website Success”. Again, I agonized over the website, I created the guide without evening knowing how I was going to find the people to even try to get them on my email list. But I just felt compelled to write the thing, and then I figure out later how to get it in front of people. By the way, you’ve never seen either of those things from me, have you? Nope. I created them, and then self-doubt stopped me from putting them out there. I still didn’t feel like I had the authority to ask for people’s money to teach them how to build a WordPress site. I want to go back in time four years and take 33-year-old Shannon out for a beer and give her a hug and tell her that she doesn’t have to feel qualified. That part doesn’t matter. She just has to have the desire to help people, that there are so many amazing people out there that need her help, and she just needs to share what she knows and build relationships and believe in herself and she’ll have everything she ever wanted. But since I can’t go back in time to tell myself that, I’m here now telling it to you. You know something that other people need to know. You’ve been through something and come out on the other end okay, and you can help other people do the same. Something you do all the time is really easy for you, but it’s a big challenge for other people. You don’t need to be certified, you don’t need to have a degree, you just need to have the desire to help people, the heart of a teacher, the patience to keep taking imperfect action and the belief that it is possible. And I’m here to teach you HOW to take what you know, put it online, build an audience through providing value and turning your expertise into income in a way that doesn’t even feel like work. Let’s be real – unless you’ve been building websites for the past several years, building a website is an obstacle on your path to your goal. Knowing how to use SEO and social media to build an audience online is another barrier. Knowing how to create products to sell online and then market your products and services effectively to that audience is a barrier. I’m here to help you knock down all of those barriers so that you can help people with whatever amazing thing it is that you do. Because there are so many other things that can hold you back from having the life you desire, I don’t want the tech to be one of them, okay?? Okay, back to the journey… so I created the “5 Steps to Website Success” optin and built the Website Essentials Academy website and then I went back to my daily grind of wake up, watch Real Housewives while getting ready for work, listen to a podcast on the way to work to make up for the brain cells I killed watching Real Housewives, work a job that sucked the life out of me all day, come home, throw back a few Miller Lites to relax instead of working out, go to bed and do it all over again. Just when I was about to give up, another way appeared. My desire for freedom was stronger than anything else, and I’ve learned that once you have a desire for something it’s already done. You don’t get to decide how or when it happens, but you just stay on the path and the doors will open. I had heard of Pat Flynn’s Smart Passive Income podcast on Chalene Johnson’s Build Your Tribe Podcast (are you seeing a pattern here?) Pat Flynn teaches how to create passive income through affiliate marketing, and his strategy is to give away everything he knows for free, and he also has affiliate relationships where he earns commissions from products and services that he believes in and recommends to his audience… What?? This is a thing?? Talk about a lightning bolt moment for someone with tons of knowledge that feels like she’s not qualified to sell her knowledge, but she can make money by giving it away for free? Sign me up yesterday!! Nothing I had done to that point felt more right than this! And THAT is how the Free 5 Day Website Challenge was born. I share all of this with you to tell you that if your first idea doesn’t feel right or if it doesn’t work out the way that you planned, it’s okay. If your desire is strong and that end goal is clear, it’s okay if you don’t know exactly how to get there. It’s okay if you obsess over things that most experts would tell you to stop doing because it won’t move the needle because you’re still taking action and you’re feeding that desire. It’s the desire that’s going to keep you going when the tactics don’t work the first time. It’s okay if you try on a few different pairs of shoes until you find the one that fits perfectly and makes you feel super confident. What I don’t want you to do is give up because it feels too hard. Because it takes too much time. Because you don’t feel like you have the resources. Remember why you wanted this in the first place, and be open to receiving the information you need to receive and building the relationships you need to build to make it happen. So if you’ve read this whole post, then I think it’s safe to say that you have the desire. And you know what that means? It’s time to take some action. In the comments below, tell me: What is the one thing that will make all the other things happen faster? In other words, what is your PUSH goal? WHY? What is driving you to accomplish that goal? And next week on the blog, I’ll share with you exactly how I grew my audience and turned my expertise into income using the Free 5 Day Website Challenge.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Hey, BFFs!!! So in my Free 5-Day Website Challenge, I kinda feel like I did a bait and switch on you… I lure you into the Free 5-Day Website Challenge with the promise of helping you to build a website. And I totally deliver on that promise… but… At about Day 3 of the Challenge, I hop up onto my soapbox and tell you that you have to build an email list. Like, I don’t care what your business is, you have to build an email list. The whole entire point of me even teaching you how to build your website is to give you a mechanism for building your email list. Pretty sneaky, right??? Building the actual WordPress site is the easy part. Getting the design, look, and feel the way you want, a little bit harder, but still totally doable. Writing your content and adding it to the site – that takes time and a clear vision of who you are and who you serve. It’s getting people to your site once it’s done that’s the hard part. And do you know what most people do? They focus on SEO (search engine optimization). They ask things like: How do I get on the first page of Google? I heard that Google will penalized me if (insert reason here). I need to make sure I don’t do that. I heard that Google likes it when you do (insert SEO thing here). I need to make sure I do that all over my whole entire site. And then they spend all of their time in a dark room with their laptop, tweaking every single word and image on every single page and post on their site, testing page speeds and file sizes and meta tags and alt tags and… I could go on and on and on. But do you know what they aren’t doing? Intentionally driving targeted traffic to their website. Connecting with real people. Interacting. Providing value. Putting something OUT so that something can come back IN. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Is SEO important? Yes!! Absolutely it’s important. But when you’re a solopreneur who’s just starting out, it’s not important yet. It’s not the best way for you to be spending your time. The amount of time and effort you would put into SEO when you’re a brand new online entrepreneur would far outweigh the benefits (in most cases.) So what should you do instead? The 30 Day List Building Challenge!!!!! Don’t let the name fool you. Just like the Free 5 Day Website Challenge, it’s kind of a bait and switch… The 30 Day List Building Challenge is going to show you exactly what to do, step by step over 30 days to drive traffic to your website and how to convert that traffic into subscribers. And that’s the secret sauce to building an online business that you love. Because once you get people on your email list, you can start to create a relationship with them through providing more valuable, actionable, relevant content and eventually offer them something for sale. And you can track how people interact with your email. Did they open? Did they click? What did they click on? They must be interested in X, I’ll send them more content related to X. Maybe I need to create a product or service around X because so many people are interested in the topic. Or maybe I thought people would be interested and no one was, so I know that I probably shouldn’t waste my time creating a product around X. Without an email list, you’re really just taking stabs in the dark. The 30 Day List Building Challenge is entirely responsible for the growth of my business. I didn’t know this whole online entrepreneur thing existed. I didn’t know there were people in Facebook groups supporting each other as they build their businesses. I built the Free 5 Day Website Challenge and had no idea what to do next to actually get it in front of people. So I did what I always do: GTS (Google That Shit). I literally typed in “how to build an email list” and voila, the Free 30 Day List Building Challenge appeared. Oh, the irony… I signed up, followed the steps on Day 1, paid for instant access to all 30 days because I just couldn’t wait that long to get started, and after following the steps laid out for me, I instantly went from 0 subscribers and zero money to 1 subscriber and $115 in affiliate commissions. That’s not a big, sexy number, is it? But it starts with ONE. You add subscribers to your list one at a time. You add customers to your business one at a time. And that one subscriber confirmed for me that I created something that people need. So I continued following the steps laid out in the 30 Day List Building Challenge, and now, 3 years later I have just over 4,100 highly targeted prospects and customers on my email list. I had my first $5,000 month, then my first $10,000 month and a few more $10,000 months after that. You can read all about that here. So here’s why I’m telling you all of this: From June 1st to June 30th, the 30 Day List Building Challenge will be happening LIVE. I’m going to do the Challenge, and the creator of the Challenge, Nathalie Lussier, will be list-building right along with us. Nathalie will be sharing tons of $0 budget list-building tips (so we don’t have to waste our budget on Facebook Ads to grow our audiences!) plus a special 30-day printable schedule that we can follow day-by-day to reach our list building goals. She’ll talk about all the different ways to build our lists, so we can pick which one to focus on in June – and how to design an amazing opt-in giveaway that gets shared like crazy!! And I’ll be sharing with you my most effective list building strategies and trying out new ones too! Here’s how to join us: Sign up for the 30 Day List Building Challenge here Mark your calendars for Wednesday, May 24 at 7PM PST (9PM Central, 10PM Eastern) for a LIVE interview on Facebook with Nathalie Lussier on Vicki Fitch Live to kick things off. Click here to RSVP to the event on Facebook and Like Vicki’s Facebook page here to be notified when she goes live! Commit to taking one small action step to grow your list each day starting June 1st. Then at the end of the 30 days, you’ll look back and see that you’ve grown your email list with a ton of new highly targeted and super engaged fans and potential customers. And THAT is how you build an online business you love. Can’t wait to see you in the 30 Day List Building Challenge!!! P.S. The 30 Day List Building Challenge works no matter what market or niche your business is in… and most of the strategies involved are totally free. What have you got to lose? Sign up here.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! If you’re brand new to side hustling and building your own website, you don’t know what you don’t know, right? That’s what this episode is all about – making sure that your website is optimized to help you grow your side hustle! Today I’m going to cover 5 common mistakes that I see on websites so that you know what to avoid or fix on your own site in the future! MISTAKE #1 – NOT HAVING ENOUGH MAILING LIST OPT-IN OPPORTUNITIES Have you ever said this? “I don’t want a pop-up because I think they are so annoying.”“I don’t want to ask people for anything, I just want them to read my content.” What’s the real reason that you want someone to come to your site? You want that person to join your mailing list or to buy something from you!! Even if you really are just blogging as a hobby, what if you’re in a position someday that you need to monetize it and you’ve missed out on YEARS of collecting email addresses? It is your obligation to provide your visitors with the opportunity to get more information from you, easily! They wouldn’t be on your site if they weren’t interested in what you have to offer. What if you walked into a store and filled your shopping cart up, and you couldn’t find the cash register because the store didn’t want you to feel pressured to buy?! If visitors have to go hunting around for your email opt-in then they’re just going to leave before they ever find it. The more opportunities you have then the more likely you are to capture that email address and be able to build a relationship and serve that person! Mistake #2 – NOT HAVING A PHOTO OF YOURSELF ON YOUR WEBSITE You must have a photo of yourself above the fold right where people can see it. There is a big connection that you can make with someone when they see your face. It’s called the Know, Like, and Trust factor (someone way smarter than me coined that phrase!) If a visitor can see who they are buying from and who is teaching them it gives you an advantage because you are showing them right away who you are. It’s hard to trust a website, but it’s easier to trust the person behind it. This does not have to be a professional photograph – although everyone knows that one person who is an amateur photographer with a fancy DSLR camera. Hit that person up and ask them to take a good picture of you. Make it landscape (wider than it is long) so that you can put some text on it and put it right smack on your homepage. But if you can scrape together a few hundred bucks, contact a local photographer (I found someone that does weddings and senior pictures) and have a photo shoot done. THIS IS TOTALLY WORTH IT because you can re-use these images in all of your marketing for the next couple of years. DO IT. Mistake #3 – NOT KEEPING YOUR WORDPRESS SITE AND PLUGINS UPDATED This is a huge risk for security and getting hacked. You (or the person who built it for you) put a lot of time and effort into the site and if you don’t take basic steps to protect it you could lose everything. That’s why I tell you that is it so important to have an email list because things can happen to your website. Having that list means you still have a customer list should something happen to your site. Guess what? I’ll keep your site updated for you with my WordPress protection package! I’ll update your plugins, run nightly backups, and more so you don’t ever have to worry that your site is out of date and vulnerable to hackers. Mistake #4 – TALKING MORE ABOUT YOURSELF THAN THE CUSTOMER It’s very important for people to get to know, like, and trust you, so you want to talk about your qualifications and experience, but you want to talk about it in a way that makes your customer think “Oh, she understands me. She gets me because she’s like me.” If you just rattle off your experience then how does that help your customer? If my home or about page said, “Shannon earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from the Ohio State University in 2002 and went on to work in legal marketing. In 2007 she became the head of the Communications department for a non-profit and has built hundreds of WordPress sites.” Does that make you like me? Does that make you want to be my BFF? I’d be pretty boring to hang out with if that’s all I talked about, right? But when I say, “I know how hard it is to build a WordPress site when you’re just starting out because there is so much conflicting information out there. And I know how tight your budget is when you’re starting a new business. So I’m here to help you figure out how to do it because I too am caught in the hamster wheel of a 9-5 job, and I have the same goals as you.” We connect a lot better than if I had just listed off my qualifications, right? Make sure you think about being empathetic when you are writing your copy. Mistake #5 – HAVING NO WEBSITE AT ALL OR THINKING IT HAS TO BE PERFECT TO HIT PUBLISH Not having a website is one of the biggest mistakes you can be making if you are trying to build your business online. Social media can take you far, but you don’t own any of it. Periscope could go away tomFacebook orook  or Twitter could shut you down tomorrow. Someone could hack you and you lose all of your followers. You own your website. You own your mailing list (as long as you back it up). With a website, you’ll always have that central hub where people can go to find you and you can brand it the way that you want. Also, your site does not have to be 100% perfect before you can start. Perfection is a myth. No one’s website is perfect. Just get out there and get started. You will connect with people. It’s not your website that will make someone like you or not. Yes, there will always be people who judge a book by its cover, but if you have the right kind of opt-in, the know, like, and trust factor going on, and the right kind of copy people will forgive a typo on your website or a weird sized image or a page that loads slow. And if they don’t, they’re not my kinda people anyway! Build some momentum and put yourself out there. Which of these mistakes are you going to fix on your site? Let me know in the comments below!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today we’re talking about what I think every only business owner should consider investing in during their second year of business. So as a side hustler, what I want for you to have the ability to be strategic about how you grow your business, and have the choice between investing time and investing money not coming from a place of fear like I had, but from a place of confidence and knowledge. So in my first 6 months, I invested as little money as I could and as much time as I could in my business. At the time, I told myself it was because I wasn’t sure if WP+BFF was going to be a success so I didn’t want to sink a lot of money into it, but I now see that was my fear of failure guiding my decisions, not a strategic decision based on reality. 1: Professional Photography My first big investment in my business was a professional photographer (shout out to Benjamin and Jennifer at DerksWerks). In the free 5 Day Website Challenge I tell you how important the know, like, and trust factor is, and knowing who you’re buying from is paramount. I knew I had to do a better job of showing who I am, and iPhone selfies just weren’t going to cut it anymore! 2: Graphic Design I love me some Canva, but I’m no branding expert so Kacie Erickson of I Killed the Joneses was my next big investment – and I’m in love with what she created for me. I created my own graphics when I launched and people still signed up for my training (so my amateur stuff was totally good enough), but I just couldn’t get onto Canva what was in my head. Kacie’s an artist, and she pulled my ideas out of my brain and organized them into pixels! Two years later, I invested in a big branding overhaul with Braid Creative who helped me blend who I am with what I do and helped me conceptualize how I can promote my packages and services online. 3: A Premium Online Course People were signing up for the free 5 Day Website Challenge faster than ever, but they weren’t buying my advanced course. I came to the realization that giving people a ton of value to get them on your list wasn’t going to get them to buy anything from me. I needed to figure out how to SELL my services. I’m really good at giving stuff away for free, but I recognized that I needed to be okay with asking for money in return for my expertise. I don’t know where that insecurity comes from, but admitting you have a problem is the first step to solving it. So I invested in Sales School by Kendrick Shope, and it was a fantastic 6-week course packed full of valuable information. I immediately recouped my investment just by tweaking a few key things in my business, and really started to internalize that selling is helping and it can be done in an authentic way. I also invested in Amy Porterfield’s Webinars That Convert to help me understand better how to craft a webinar presentation and sell online. 4: A Mentor After Sales School, I realized that I had all the tools that I needed in my tool belt, but I was still unclear on the vision, the path to get me from teaching WordPress as my side gig to a WordPress empire that empowers thousands of entrepreneurs to start a business online. And I knew just the person that could help. She was a star student of the 5 Day Website Challenge, and she has sent hundreds of entrepreneurs to me to learn WordPress. She saw that her clients needed some web services that no one offered and reached out to me to create them, and has been so amazing in sharing her ideas and giving me encouragement. When I realized I needed someone to help me get to the next level, the perfect person was right there waiting for me – Vicki Fitch. Vicki has helped me with my confidence, pricing, products, sales techniques, and strategy. She sees the larger vision and is great at helping me get out of my own way. If you’re in need of some direction, some vision, some clarity and all the steps you need to take to get to where you want to be, schedule a free 20-minute consultation with Vicki. This is hands-down the BEST thing I’ve done for my business so far. 5: A CRM After 10 months of small consistent actions daily, I’ve reached the point where I’m running out of time. Still working my day job and while helping thousands of small business owners learn to build their own website for free, and I was floundering. I’ve got information in 5 different systems. I don’t know who is likely to become a customer. I’m missing all kinds of opportunities to connect with people who need what I have to offer. That’s where Infusionsoft comes in. Just like with Mailchimp, you can set up automation and kick off certain actions based on the behavior of subscribers – but Infusionsoft lets me track interactions with you guys, schedule follow-ups, tag you based on certain actions you take and target you for certain products you might be interested in. It also has e-commerce functionality and so much more magical stuff that saves me a ton of time. It’s like my personal assistant/private investigator!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! So let me set the scene for you. Picture me and about 20 women in their 30s sitting in front of small easels around a long table in a beautiful historic home with a blank canvas, 3 brushes and a palette in front of us. Out of the 20 women, I know the bride-to-be and one other coworker. Everyone else seems to know each other… I tend to be shy and feel a little anxiety in situations like this, but I’m getting a TON better every time I do it, so I start some small-talk with the girl sitting next to me, “Hi, I’m Shannon. I work with Molly – how do you know her?” I know how totally weird it can be to bring all your friends from all your different compartments of your life together at once and just cross your fingers that they get along. This is going pretty well! So the art teacher explains how we are going to paint Starry Night in layers: Start with a blue background… okay, let it dry and get more wine… Now we are going to use chalk to draw the trees and paint the trees but put green and blue on your brush and show your strokes, leave paint lines… let that dry and drink some wine… And so on. So during this, every single woman starts talking crap about her own painting. “Mine looks horrible.” “These don’t even look like trees.” “My colors just look grey.” “There’s no way mine’s gonna look anything like that.” “Why’d you pick something so hard, Molly?” I’m silent, I’m really enjoying the whole experience (and the wine). The teacher starts walking around, telling people they are doing a good job, or to add more paint to their brush, or showing them how to do the stroke properly. She gets to mine and says, “You’re doing a great job – that’s exactly what I meant.” I feel the anxiety in my chest right now as I’m typing this, seriously. I remember back in 5th grade, I was selected for a gifted and talented program where one day a week, I got on the bus with two boys from my class and we were sent to another elementary school in our district. Each school sent 3 or 4 kids, and we all took this class where we read The Old Man and the Sea (at 11 years old). We invented things. We learned algebra. We learned how to write a computer program and store it on a giant floppy disk. When you called up that program (C:/ or something like that) a square made of X’s would display on the screen. I dreaded getting on that bus every week. All the kids at my school would call us names as we were getting on, and when we were back in class the next day they would make fun of us. The teacher would say “Shannon, Tim, and Ryan, we covered this yesterday while you guys were out.” Lunch at the school where the class was held was even worse. We would go into the cafeteria in a line together, CUT IN FRONT OF THE STUDENTS THAT HAD BEEN WAITING, go through the lunch line and all sit at a table together while the whole cafeteria whispered and pointed. I’m now close friends with one of the girls whose group of friends were relentless. She said to me once, “We were horribly mean to you guys. I’m sorry.” About halfway through the year, I went to my mom and asked her if I could quit the program. She could see I was miserable, and she and my dad were going through a divorce at the time so I know she couldn’t help but give me some relief. So she said yes. She called the school and told them. I don’t know what they said, but the next time that bus rolled up, I didn’t have to get on. I feel some relief as I’m typing this, seriously. So back to the bachelorette party, as soon as that art teacher praises my painting, people start making fun of me. Calling me teacher’s pet, saying theirs will never look that good. Molly tries to make it better by saying “Hey, watch out, that’s my boss!” And we all laugh, and I say, “I can’t help it, I’m a total nerd. I totally practiced before I got here. Haha! You guys are just too hard on yourselves.” And I KNOW it was good-natured teasing. But from that point on I started to shrink, to stay small, to minimize myself. Every time someone walked behind me they would say “Look at hers, I’m terrible at this.” And I would get smaller and smaller and quieter and quieter. So here’s the epiphany: I still do that to this day! I don’t take compliments well because I’m always trying to deflect the pain that came with being singled-out as a kid. Even though I got good grades, I NEVER talked about it to my friends. I didn’t try to excel like the other super-smart kids because I didn’t want to be different. I just wanted to be accepted. I didn’t want my friends to feel less than if I excelled at something, probably because I didn’t want them to ever feel how I felt. So for 30 years after that, I’ve stayed in my comfy-little comfort zone where I don’t get singled out, I don’t get ridiculed, I care too much what strangers think of me and I don’t take any chances. Also known as – not putting myself out there. And I hear from so many people that want to start a business, but they are scared. Scared of what the other moms in town are going to think. Scared of what their Facebook friends will say. So I’m going to invite you to let all of that go, right now. Because it’s not about us. Let me say that again: People’s reactions to us are not about us. I wish I could say to each one of those women at the party or the kids that made me feel less than, “I’m sorry you’re hurting. I’m sorry no one told you that you are enough. I’m sorry that voice in your head tells you that you’re not worthy. But you are. You and your ideas have value, and people need what you have to offer. So don’t hide, and remember that people’s reactions to what you do have everything to do with them, so don’t let their life experiences get in your way of reaching your goals!!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! oday we’re talking about money, and how your mindset around it can affect the how fast – or slow – your side hustle grows! It’s a little bit nerve-wracking for me to spend big chunks of money my business. I’ve got this thing about money… I want to hold onto it and see those numbers sit steadily in my bank account. It makes me feel secure. We didn’t have financial stability growing up. My parents were teenagers when they had my older sister. We moved around quite a bit for my dad’s job and by the time we settled in Ohio when I was about 8 years old, both my parents worked to pay the mortgage and feed and clothe me and my sisters. There was rarely enough money to last the month, and I remember lots of stress over how we were going to pay all the bills. Money ultimately broke apart our family. So it’s no surprise to me that I have some issues related to money, and why I have the tendency to invest TIME before I’ll invest MONEY in my business. Why I’ll find all the best free tools and cobble them together to make something that meets my needs instead of pulling out my debit card. While I’ll spend hours trying to get some el cheapo plugin to work instead of paying for the one that will take 10 minutes to set up. And when you’re side hustling, you need all the time you can get! It just doesn’t make sense to spend time on things that aren’t going to grow your business. Every time I make a big purchase or think about making a big purchase, I start to get really scared. What if I can’t afford to pay that person? What if I can’t pay myself, and then I can’t pay my own bills? You know what that translates to? “What if I fail? What if my family falls apart?” That’s FEAR rearing its ugly head. If I just spend my TIME, then if it all goes to shit, I can tell myself I didn’t lose anything. I didn’t lose money, so I didn’t fail. Ask my friends and family and they’ll tell you that by spending time instead of money, I’ve lost a lot – all the times I said I was too busy to hang out because I was spending time on my business so I wouldn’t have to spend money. All the times I wasn’t paying attention to my husband because I was researching the crap out of how not to spend money on something. And I’m not the only one with a job in this household. I act like it’s all on my shoulders when it’s not. I’m fortunate to have a husband who is also bringing home a paycheck. It’s funny how we lie to ourselves. After unpacking all my dysfunction around money, I asked myself, “Am I teaching people how to build their own WordPress site as cheaply as possible because of my own hangups about money? Am I projecting my fears onto others?” I used to believe the answer was no. I told myself that when you are just starting your business, it’s important to not only invest your money in the right places, it’s also important to learn how the technology that will be running your business works so that you don’t get screwed over. I believe that to be true, sure, but I’ve also seen the benefit of investing in tools to help me get where I want to be faster. But the way I talked about the 5 Day Challenge, the way I sold my paid products, told an entirely different story. Deep in my mind, I cringed because I knew when I was just stating that I wouldn’t have had the right mindset to invest. I still have a hard time with it, even though my threshold is in the high hundreds for feeling uncomfortable rather than just a few dollars. Even as I record this pep talk, I feel my chest getting a little tight because I haven’t met my income goal for this month. I just have to to keep telling myself – there’s more where that came from. You know how to make money. You know you won’t spend more than you have. You won’t have to go back to a corporate job that you hate. You’re not going to ruin your family financially. So take a moment to think about how you feel about money. Do you feel anxious when you think about it? Or are you calm and confident? Do you want to avoid the subject totally? Pay attention to these feelings. Notice them. And feel free to share over in the Pep Talks for Side Hustlers Facebook group and let’s work through it together!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Yesterday, I shared with you that any time I focused on making money rather than serving people, my growth totally slowed. And that’s because I didn’t fully understand the nuances of online marketing, and I didn’t understand them because of MISTAKE #7 – NOT PAYING FOR SHORTCUTS. I have a tendency to want to learn everything about everything and do it all myself and spend tons of time on trial and error. Don’t get me wrong, I REALLY think it’s important to learn the tech that runs your business (#duh, that’s what I teach!), but once you learn it and understand it, it doesn’t always make sense for you to keep doing it. But if you don’t know what you don’t know, then you risk continuing to make the same mistakes over and over again. That’s why it’s so important to invest in help. Now, I think about this in a couple of different ways. There’s help with things that take your time away from doing the things that only you can do, but then there’s also help with things that you have no idea you’re even supposed to be doing. For example, I’ve been using Photoshop for a hundred years (okay, like 10), but that doesn’t make me a graphic designer. One of the most important things I’ve done for my business is to hire a graphic designer. A couple of them, actually. I can do it, but it’s not imperative to the growth of my business. And instead of spinning my wheels and spending a ton of time on trial and error on figuring out how to write sales copy or put together packages and services, I’ve invested in courses that will help me get there faster and do a better job than I could do on my own. And instead of trying to navigate building a business all on my own, something I’ve never ever done before, I hired someone who has done it before to coach me through it – because I would never have even known to ask the questions that I’m getting answers to with that relationship. I know it’s scary to spend money when you’re just starting out, but you must prioritize learning the skills that will support your business as you grow and having someone help you walk through the strategy – sometimes that means paying for a course or hiring a coach to work with you one on one. You’ll waste a lot more money and time trying to figure it all out on your own. So I hope you’ve learned a lot from this series! I’ve certainly still got a lot to work on, and I’m sure I’ll create many more opportunities for us to learn from my mistakes as I move forward. I’m just grateful for the opportunity to screw up!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Yesterday I shared with you that I put my side hustle before my family all the time and how hard it was to change directions on that. Today, I’m sharing number six: FOCUSING ON MONEY AND NOT ON PEOPLE. This totally has to do with boundaries and a lack of confidence and a lack of clarity about my offer. I have people tell me all the time that they wish there was a way to pay me for the 5-Day Challenge. Or for the support they got from me in my Facebook group. And I would think, man, if I had even charged $10 for the 5-Day Challenge I’d have made $10,000 dollars. Or if I create a course and sell it for $297 and I have to sell x courses to make x dollars – then I spend all my time creating that course and zero time nurturing and interacting with my group – and it all goes to crap. My list literally stops growing, my affiliate commissions slow way down, and my sales stop. I’m not even kidding. Then when I go back to helping people, my list starts growing again. This has happened at least 3 times since I started. I did turn my free Facebook group into a premium feature, and subscriptions slowed down. Now, I’m not saying that I shouldn’t be charging anything, but I was going about it at the wrong time, in the wrong way. I needed to spend time building the know like and trust factor and growing the relationship before presenting an opportunity to go deeper with me, instead of saying “Hi, Buy this. Hi, Buy this.” It doesn’t work. There’s a specific way to market your products and services online, and tomorrow, I’m going to share with you the 7th mistake I made which is not paying for help to figure that out!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Yesterday, I shared with you that I didn’t try to get enough quality sleep because I put my side hustle first, which left me exhausted and stressed. But the fifth biggest mistake I made on the way to side hustle success is SPENDING TOO LITTLE TIME WITH MY FAMILY. I might have been in the same room or car with my husband, but I was certainly paying zero attention to what he was saying when my nose is in my Macbook or glued to my iPhone. Countless times he’s been talking to me and I listen to the first 5 words, then start typing again, then realize he’s waiting for a response and then say “Wait, what was that again?” I try to feign misunderstanding, but he knows the truth – I just stopped listening. Or I’d ask him a question, immediately stop paying attention for his answer, forget that I even asked him, and then ask him again 5 minutes later, and he’d look at me like, “Are you serious right now? You just asked me that 5 minutes ago and I answered you.” I’d tell him I couldn’t go out to dinner because I had this client project, or we couldn’t’ go camping this weekend because I need internet for this other thing. And while he was supportive of my side hustle, he was rightly annoyed at being number two to my business. I had to set boundaries, make changes and put my family first. It was hard because I was afraid of not making enough money,  but nothing is more important than family, especially my husband, but my actions certainly didn’t show it. #workingonit And then I’d be so exhausted from working constantly all week that when my mom would want to get together on a Sunday, I’d say no because all I wanted to do was veg out on the couch and escape into Netflix. Or when we’d travel to visit family, I’d spend all morning on my laptop, half paying attention to my nephews – but, hey, I’m in the same room as everyone else, so it counts, right? Um, nope. No job should ever take precedence over quality time with your family. I wish I would have set clear boundaries from the beginning because it’s hard to reset once you’ve crossed over them a million times. So tomorrow, I’m going to share with you mistake number six on my way to side hustle success, focusing on the wrong thing!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Yesterday, I shared with you that I didn’t validate my first paid product idea, which resulted in me spending over 100 hours creating a product that just 2 people bought. Ouch. But the fourth biggest mistake I made on the way to side hustle success is NOT SLEEPING ENOUGH. I’d stared at a computer screen ALL DAY at my day job, and then all night at home working on my side hustle. My eyeballs literally hurt. I Googled exercises for eye strain and practiced those just to get some relief. I started to see WAY more lines around my eyes which I’ve decided to blame on working too much. I swear it has nothing to do with me turning 39 this year because I wouldn’t be aging at all if I had gotten enough sleep while I was side hustling (that’s what I like to tell myself anyway). Then I’d go to bed around 9:30 but I’m probably not asleep until 10:30 – 11 because I’m watching documentaries on Netflix to distract myself from all the racing thoughts in my mind so I could actually fall asleep. Then I’d wake up in the middle of the night, and read the internet or turn on the TV to again distract myself from all the racing of an overloaded schedule. To make up for poor sleep, I’d drink coffee all day, and then it was no wonder I drove downtown for a meeting on the wrong day and felt like I was totally winging it all the time. Now that I’m full-time self-employed, if I’m tired in the middle of the day, I’ll take a nap instead of pouring caffeine down my throat. I try to put down the screens, and I started listening to meditation podcasts to fall asleep instead of watching documentaries. And two cups of coffee in the morning max so I know I’ll be able to sleep. Overall, my sleep quality is so much better now that I’m not on a computer 16 hours a day. If you’re struggling with this, it’s time to set some boundaries around when you’ll work, because if you get into this habit now where you’re never giving yourself a break, your body will eventually force you to take a break. And tomorrow, I’m going to share with you mistake number 5 on my way to side hustle success, spending to little time with my family!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Yesterday, I shared with you that the second biggest mistake I made was going it alone for too long and not joining a mastermind group to support my business journey. You can listen to that episode here. Today, I’m sharing the third biggest mistake I made, which is not validating my idea and creating a product that my audience wasn’t ready for. I started with a free 5-Day Website Challenge that teaches how to build a WordPress site from scratch to grow an email list. Then I built a course called WP*OMG – Operation Marketing Genius which teaches how to build an online course or membership site and how to create all the marketing sequences to automate getting people into the course. Sounds like a logical next step, right? WRONG. I miscalculated. It launched to crickets. People need more help after they build their first site. There was too big of a gap between where my people are RIGHT NOW vs. where they will be when they need to create an online course or membership site or sell something. They need to hone their services, develop their brand, and grow their list. They weren’t ready for OMG – even though they said they wanted it. I went too far past where they were. So if you want to make sure that you don’t make the same mistake, I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of Pat Flynn’s book, Will It Fly. Just go to www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/willitfly and you can buy it on Amazon. It will walk you through all the steps of idea validation so that you don’t launch to crickets like I did. In fact, I’m reading the book right now and walking through the exercises to re-validate a few of my offerings based on where I’m at in my business right now and decide whether to keep them, revise them or let them go. Tomorrow, I’m going to share the 4th biggest mistake I made on the way to side hustle success, not sleeping enough.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Yesterday we talked about the number one mistake I made in my business that really caused me a lot of stress in the early years of my business – you can go back and listen to that episode at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/36. The second biggest mistake I made was WAITING TOO LONG TO JOIN A MASTERMIND GROUP. Just because I’m a one woman shop doesn’t mean I have to carry the weight of this business on my shoulders. I had come across One Woman Shop while researching ways to grow my business, perused their membership, and didn’t do anything. A few months later I was nominated for their 100 Best Sites for Solopreneurs list. I perused their membership again and did nothing. Then I saw how much money I was blowing on Facebook ads vs. how much traffic I was getting from that one blog post on their site and though “Hmm… Maybe my $30 a month would be better spent on a One Woman Shop membership since it comes with ad space…” I didn’t know that it came with a monthly accountability group and one-on-one coaching. So I took advantage of that right away – and the very first thing Cristina and Sara helped me to do is set some boundaries (and they gave me language to use so I wouldn’t feel like a total asshole), gave me some tools and ideas to automate more and work less, and activate my community to help me market. You can check out One Woman Shop at peptalksforsidehustlers.com/onewomanshop. I’ve also had the pleasure of being invited to participate in a couple of small, free masterminds. One was of entrepreneurs in my niche and the other was of entrepreneurs in a different niche and while I found value in both, I felt like the small group of people in my niche at the same level as me or higher was more valuable. You know the saying that two heads are better than one? It’s imperative that you have a trusted group of people that can help you navigate the ups and downs of side hustling. And that’s exactly why I created a Facebook group to go along with Pep Talks for Side Hustlers, which you can join for free at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/facebook. This is a space where you can share your struggles, get advice, and boost other people up when you have an experience or advice that can help them. It’s so, so important to have a group of like-minded people with similar goals to bounce ideas off of. My friends and family while they love me and they’re excited for me, they just don’t get what I do. I see their eyes glaze over when I talk about it. But the people in your mastermind group, they get it. They can see your blind spots that you can’t see. They can see your strengths, they can help you identify patterns of behavior that are holding you back. If you go on this journey alone, you won’t have the benefit of learning from others experiences. You’ll have to make all the mistakes yourself instead of learning from others. And it can be very discouraging and demoralizing to feel like you’re in it by yourself. But when you know that others have been where you are and still found success, that’s what gives you hope and helps you keep pushing forward. The biggest thing I struggle with when it comes to a mastermind is committing to the meeting times. At the time of recording this pep talk, I’m figuring out how to pare down my schedule a little bit and give myself some breathing room for professional development like masterminds. They tend to be the first thing I push off when my workload gets too big, and that’s something I want to get a handle on because they are soooo valuable! Tomorrow, I’m going to share the third biggest mistake I made on the way to solopreneur success – creating a product without validating that my audience even wanted it first.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Over the next seven episodes, I’m going to share with you seven mistakes I’ve made on the way to side hustle success so that you can avoid them on your journey! One of the most EXCITING AND FULFILLING things I’ve done IN MY LIFE is START MY OWN BUSINESS. Helping other people to overcome something that comes easy to me is very rewarding. I watch how they take what they’ve learned from me to help others in so many areas of their lives – building confidence, accepting their bodies, coming to terms with who they are, decluttering, exploring their creative side, building businesses, improving their finances, homeschooling their kids, bringing them closer to their faith, improving their health and wellness… The list goes on and on. While it’s extremely fulfilling, it’s also quite humbling. Sometimes I think, “Wow, I just teach people how to build websites. They are teaching people how to change their lives!” As I look back on the past few years, I’m filled with gratitude. And I also think of things I could have done differently. Not that I regret any of the decisions I’ve made along the road to side hustle success – they are all opportunities to learn and grow – but if a mistake I made can help you grow that much faster, I’d love for you to learn from my mistakes! MISTAKE #1 – NOT SETTING BOUNDARIES I created a free video tutorial series called the Free 5-Day Website Challenge, and I created a Facebook group to help students work through it – which is THE BEST thing I’ve ever done for my business because there’s no better way to interact with your community than a tight knit Facebook group with a strong purpose. But (there’s always a but) I was so eager help and to position myself as an expert that I was in that Facebook group 24-7 – so much so that I had major anxiety when I couldn’t be online. “What if someone has a question and I’m not there to answer it? What if they go somewhere else for help? What if they tell people that I’m not responsive?” I set the expectation from the start that you’d get an answer to your question within an hour. And I had a day job that pays me to work for them between the hours of 8AM and 5PM. If I could go back in time, I’d set the expectation that I’d be in there answering questions twice a day, and now that’s exactly what’s happening, and now I’m in there just twice a week. But it took some time to reset those expectations. The other place I didn’t set boundaries is with my clients. I would respond to emails at all hours. Do extra work without asking to be paid. Commit to timelines I’d have to kill myself to keep. Why? Because I want them to like me! Because I have a deep need to be needed. Because I love to swoop in and be the hero. But creating a codependent relationship with my clients just led to me feeling resentful and not wanting to do any client work. And is it my clients’ fault? Were they too needy or greedy? Absolutely not! I never drew a line in the first place, clearly stated it in a way that would benefit both of us, and then kindly reminded my clients of where the line was when they asked to cross it. Because when you work with the right kinds of clients, they wouldn’t dream of crossing the lines! They have just as much respect for you as you have for them. I also failed to create boundaries around when I would work, and that led to me putting work before my husband and family a LOT. And that’s not why I created a business – to spend every waking moment working. I did it so I’d have more time and flexibility for my family. So if there’s anything you can do now that’s going to have a huge impact on your business going forward, I think that setting boundaries is a huge one. Tomorrow, we’ll talk about the second mistake I made on the way to side hustle success – waiting too long to join a mastermind group.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Are you starting to get antsy? Are you ready to quit your day job, like, yesterday but you feel like you can’t? Um, me too. Today I’m sharing with you why I stayed at my day job for so long after I started my side hustle. I knew from the very first day I started my side hustle that there was no doubt I’d be quitting my day job. I just thought it would happen a lot faster than it did! Every day for 10 years I drove the same drive to work. To the same building. In the same beige, windowless office, working on the same projects year after year. I started my side hustle to fill a void of being unfulfilled in my day job, with the idea that I would build it slowly over time and eventually leave the job that I felt was stifling my freedom. And the more I grew my subscriber base and revenue, the more it started to feel like a possibility. I help people do something that is really tough for them but comes easy to me – and they were so grateful – and their gratefulness gives me such joy! And slowly the contrast of how unhappy I felt from 8-5 to how happy I felt from 5-10 became much, much more pronounced. Work was starting to get in the way of my side hustle, and the lines were getting blurred… Oh, I still showed up to the office every day from 8AM-5PM, but my mind wasn’t really there. I was constantly thinking about my next marketing plan. Or everything I had to do for my next webinar. Or popping into my Facebook group to answer questions. But I knew that I was going down a slippery slope and that unless I was prepared to quit my job or ready to get fired, I needed to become more present at work and create some distinct boundaries between work time and BFF time. So I got it together, and I started to infuse all the new things I was learning to grow my side hustle into the work I was doing at my day job. I’d go to a meeting and say things like,  “I read about this new online marketing technique, maybe we could try it here.” I’m sure I was super annoying, but I couldn’t help it I was so excited about trying out these new tactics!! So a few weeks went by and I thought I was doing a pretty good job at my day job again. And then I got this email from my boss on July 5: “Please clear your schedule and meet me conference room today at 1PM.” “Oh, crap. No!!! I’m not ready!! I only made $880 dollars in the past 6 months. Well, guess I’ll have plenty of freedom now, won’t I?” So I walked into that conference room, bright red (because I’m Irish and we can’t hide it when our blood pressure goes up) and I sit down across the table from my boss and another co-worker, both of whom I really admire and respect. They pull out our organizational chart, and they start drawing lines and arrows and moving things around, and then my boss looks at me and says “You look concerned. Don’t be. This is a good thing.” So I actually stop panicking and start listening, and they basically say that they love what I’ve been doing on the side and my ideas that I’ve brought to them are great and they want to give me the opportunity and authority to implement them. WHAAAATT?? So wait, I’m not being fired for constantly thinking about tools and strategies and services to grow my OWN membership at my side hustle – strategies that can be applied to growing membership at this professional membership association that I work for?? AND you’re putting me in charge of the programs that I would need to be in charge of to execute those ideas?? WHAAAATT?? Here’s how the rest of the conversation went: Me: “You know that I’ve been building a business on the side for the past 6 months with the goal of leaving, right? I’ve made that pretty clear.” My Boss: “Yep. This position isn’t built around just you. We are going to do this regardless of whether you take on these new responsibilities or not. But we think that you’re the best person for this job and wanted to give you the opportunity, and hopefully, you’ll reconsider your long-term vision with us.” Me: “I’m probably going to say yes, but this is completely contrary to what I’ve been telling myself for the past 6 months. I need to sleep on it.” My Boss: “Great. Let me know by tomorrow afternoon.” I went home shared with my husband that I wanted to do it but was worried I wouldn’t have enough time for my side hustle. He told me that I shouldn’t give it up, that my side hustle is what put me in a position to make a huge impact at my day job, and that they feed off of each other. He figures that the leadership skills I’ll develop at the day job will be AWESOME for running a business when I get to the point where I have to hire people (because I totally will, you guys) and the tech and innovation and service going on at my side hustle can be translated to growing our membership at the association. But before I accepted, I needed the advice of one more person – a mentor who doesn’t know he’s my mentor – James Altucher. He has a book and podcast all around the concept of Choosing Yourself, his term for creating your own wealth without being beholden to an employer or another gatekeeper. He does a Twitter Q&A every Thursday, so I tweeted him, “I’m choosing myself, but I was just offered a promotion. Should I take it?” His reply? “yeah. but still choose yourself on the side. promotions sometimes mean more slavery” Duly noted. And I woke up the next morning EXCITED to drive to work. EXCITED to site in my beige, windowless office and write down ALL the ideas I had to market the business. I was EXCITED to practice not letting others negative attitudes affect me. EXCITED to sit in meetings to discuss strategy. EXCITED to choose to spend my time there. I never saw that coming. James Altucher also theorizes that if you work on getting 1% better each day, your life will completely change every 6 months. That promotion I was offered? 6 months to the day after I started my side hustle… Freaky…

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today we’re talking about the biggest lie people tell themselves that keeps them from taking their side hustle online. It’s a lie almost as damaging as the myth of perfectionism like we talked about in episode 33, which you can find on iTunes at www.peptalksforsidehusters.com/iTunes. People say this lie to me all the time, and every time I hear them say it, I know that not only are they lying to themselves, they are also lying to me. You wanna know what it is? “I’m not techie.” I hear all the time from people that they aren’t techie. But when I hear that from people, here’s what they’re really saying. I have no confidence in myself. I’m going to apologize up front for asking you so many questions. So let me ask you this: Do you think that people are born with an innate ability to use technology? How does a 1-year-old learn how to walk? By trying to stand up and then falling a bajillion times before they finally get it right. If you ask my mom about my most annoying quality, she would say “persistence.” Well, maybe she wouldn’t use that exact word… But anyway, when I was a teenager I wouldn’t take no for an answer. I always wanted to know why. I always had a counter argument and I always had a negotiation ready. And I was always grounded for having an attitude and not doing what I was told… Whoops. I know, can you believe it? LOL! Lucky for her, I translated my persistence into an almost OCD-like obsession with figuring out the how and why behind everything I do. The reason I understand how to use WordPress and fix computers and solve people’s tech problems is not because I’m the product of two super-nerd tech geniuses (although my dad is kind of a nerd) – it’s that I believe there’s an answer and I don’t give up until I find one or confirm that I can’t do something the way I wanted to do it. Let’s say I wasn’t into this web stuff at all – I could become proficient at anything with persistence, right? I don’t know why you told yourself you weren’t techie somewhere along the way. Maybe you got frustrated using badly-designed technology. Maybe some annoying IT guy made you feel stupid for asking for help. Maybe you were never taught how to use the Google machine to find answers to all of life’s problems (hint: you type in your question exactly as it’s formed in your mind). Maybe you’re paralyzed by a lack of confidence and what you’ve really done is pigeon-holed yourself as someone who isn’t techie. Or someone who isn’t athletic, or smart, or beautiful, or whatever that voice in your head that lacks confidence tells you. Look, all “being techie” means is having the persistence to figure something out, being willing to fail and try again a bajillion times and when you do fail, not internalizing it by telling yourself you’re stupid, or you’re not techie, or whatever that bully inside your head is telling you. If we talked to our friends the way we talk to ourselves, we wouldn’t have any friends! When you watch my Free 5 Day Website Challenge training videos, you’re not seeing the 7 times I messed up the steps before I got it right. The rest of that is on the cutting room floor. You get the benefit of me doing all the screwing up for you! Well, most of it anyway. You’re going to run into things that just don’t work the way you expect, but as my favorite mentors Marie Forleo & Chalene Johnson say: “Everything is figure-outable.” What I’m doing when I’m teaching you how to build a website in my Free 5 Day Website Challenge is giving you the shortcut – but don’t make the mistake in thinking that I didn’t take the long way to get there, and after I got there I figured out the shortcut. Finally, stop apologizing for not knowing something!! I’m guilty of saying “sorry” for things I’m not and shouldn’t be “sorry” for all the time… I’m working on it. So join our Facebook group at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/facebook, and never apologize for asking questions that are going to move you forward in your side hustle – that’s what the group is for, and that’s what persistence is all about. You are techie. You are smart. You are awesome. You have it in you to do this. You just have to believe that you can, and be open to failing as a learning experience, not as a frustration that makes you quit.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today we’re talking about the one thing that’s keeping you from taking action and moving forward. Have you ever said something stupid in a job interview and then think, “There’s no way they’re gonna hire me.” Ever looked at your watch wrong on a date and totally missed the movie and then think, “Yeah, that guy’s never gonna call me again…” Ever show up to a party waaaaay under-dressed and think, “Those people are never going to be my friends…” We get so many messages about making sure everything is perfect before we present ourselves to the world. And then it’s ingrained in us that perfection trumps everything. I would think things like… I can’t wear that dress until I lose 30 pounds. I can’t record a video because I say “like” and “so, okay” and “ummm” too much. I can’t show my website to anyone because I don’t like my picture. I can’t get this sidebar quite right. This spacing is off. I’m not in love with my colors. So what do we do? Nothing. We do nothing. We stick to the things that are perfect and tell ourselves lies that keep us in our comfort zone Lies like: I look better in jeans. I can record a video, I’ll just spend 15 hours editing out all the parts that aren’t perfect. If it takes me this long to get my website looking exactly how I want, how am I ever going to teach people to do it? These lies we tell ourselves are so damaging. This perfectionism keeps us from taking real, meaningful action. Sure, we’re working. Editing videos for 15 hours is a lot of work. Tweaking images and fonts and colors and spacing is intense and takes time. But we are getting absolutely nothing in return for that time. No brilliant ideas forming. No feedback to tell us if we’re heading in the right direction. No relationships started. So I challenge you that for every perfectionist-y thing you do, do two other things that will grow your business. Because spending 15 hours editing video really doesn’t matter at the end of the day. I could have spent that time cultivating relationships and creating content. I want you to know that there’s a difference between putting your best foot forward and chasing perfection. Chasing perfection is a waste of time. It’s so much easier to be confident when you’re being your authentic self.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today we’re talking about what to do when you feel like giving up on your side hustle. For me, there has been only one time in the past 4 years that I have thought about giving up on my side hustle. When I first started out, I called my business LimePress Development, I spent way too much time on a really beautiful website that was basically an online business card and was not at all positioned to help me get the right kind of clients. I worked for anyone that would pay me, and I was afraid to charge for my time if it took longer than I thought it would. I was not putting myself out there as an expert. I was not guiding and advising my clients – instead, I was just doing whatever they told me to do. I didn’t choose the right clients. I didn’t even know how to attract the right clients. In fact, I wasn’t in the right mindset to attract the right clients! I was not functioning as a web designer, I was functioning as an assistant. Totally not the dreamy job I had imagined when I started. Even though I know WordPress inside and out, backward and forwards, I didn’t think of myself as an expert, but I thought if I could show people how to use it, they wouldn’t need me to change a font color… My next idea was going to be brilliant… #not I abandoned LimePress Development, and I wrote a super boring PDF called 5 Steps to Website Success, spent too much time on a website called Website Essentials Academy, created a Facebook page, and spent $50 on ads that got me about 7 page likes. I was totally bummed out, I felt lost, and I thought about giving up. Then last September, my husband won a trip to Nashville from our local sports radio station (finally his never-ending sports trivia knowledge paid off!) On the plane, I was listening to Smart Passive Income with Pat Flynn and he shared how you can do affiliate marketing with the heart of a teacher and not a sleazeball. In that moment, something clicked in my brain! I bought wifi on the plane, bought the domain WordPressAlly.com, and the Free 5 Day Website Challenge was born. And then, a few weeks after launching it, I discovered that I wasn’t allowed to use the word WordPress in my business name, so I bought a branding course called Brandgasm 101 to help me figure out a new name, and I came up with WP BFF – WP because I couldn’t use the word WordPress, and BFF because I want you to feel like it’s your best friend forever, your BFF, helping you through this process of getting your business online. I thought I was just teaching WordPress, I had no idea that it would lead to creating a community super-motivating, supportive entrepreneurs. So, what if I would have just quit after freelancing blew up in my face? What if I would have thrown in the towel after getting exactly zero response on Website Essentials Academy? What if I would have given up after finding out I couldn’t keep the business name I loved? I’d have crawled right back into that hampster wheel that was my day job and started walking. Right back into my comfy little comfort zone. Some of you just started a side hustle. Some of you have stopped and started. Some of you are just thinking about it and haven’t done anything yet. I challenge you to make a decision and move forward. To keep pushing through the roadblocks that pop up. It’s overcoming the obstacles that make it so rewarding. I look back on what things were like vs. 4 years ago and I’m so glad I kept pushing forward. Think about where you’ll be in a few months, a few years if you just keep going! If you feel stuck, if you feel like what you’re doing isn’t quite right, if you can’t find the time – DON’T STOP. I’m here to support you. We have a Facebook group you can join where I’m hanging out, ready to help push you and cheer you on. You can join us over at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/facebook and I’ll see you in there! d for me to remember everything because it’s no longer a mindless routine.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today we’re talking about your daily routine and how it can either help or hurt your side hustle. If you’re anything like me, at some point you started to realize that the path that’s sold to us as the path to happiness is a myth. Going to college, getting a job, making money for someone else, and having finite earning potential – all of that’s great if what you are doing excites you. But what if it doesn’t? And why does someone else get to make the rules for me? And even though I live within my means, why do I have to settle for a fixed amount of annual income (that I allocate on a spreadsheet broken down by month to make sure we have enough)? It clearly didn’t make me happy. I found myself not sleeping well. I would eat and drink to soothe my emotions, and then I put pressure on myself to exercise and eat better to fix the problem of eating and drinking. A diet and workout program is treating the symptom of the problem, not the problem itself… And, oh, the guilt. The guilt I felt for feeling this way. I didn’t have a bad life. I have a loving husband, amazing friends, and a great family. But I was spending more than a third of my day – a third of my life – doing something that did not fuel my soul one bit. It was exhausting. Refuel by eating and drinking, right? Can you relate? So I had this vision for my life where I choose what I can wear every day. I choose where I go. I have a large window of time to exercise and prepare healthy meals, and I can run errands in the middle of the day. I can be there for my family. But most of all, I was helping people accomplish something that’s difficult for them but easy for me and paying it forward. That recharged me and energized me. I could feel the change in energy immediately after I launched my business teaching entrepreneurs how to build their own websites and overcome the tech hurdles that kept them stuck. But I felt stuck because I didn’t know how do I would find the time to build my business without quitting my day job. I felt like I should have had more time. I don’t have kids, so there’s a big chunk of time I should have free compared to many of my friends and family members. So where did it all go? A couple of months into my business, I decided to pay attention to where my time was going to it and write it down. 1) Sleeping. I’ve been telling myself I’m not a morning person for years. I never would set an alarm. I’d go to bed at 10PM and wake up at 7:30AM or when I heard the garage door open when my husband left for work. 2) Getting prettified. Once I finally woke up, I’d groggily drag myself to the shower. Then I’d make breakfast, eat while I watch embarrassing reality TV that I’ve hoarded on my TiVo, put my makeup on and dry my hair, get dressed, run up and down the stairs 20 times forgetting stuff… and at some point leave for work all dressed up to sit in my office and see no one all day. 3) Commuting. I live 8 miles from my office, but it somehow takes me 30 minutes in rush-hour traffic. 4) Working my day job. 8 hours after I arrive, I can leave. 5) Commuting. Another 30 minutes to drive 8 miles home. 6) Working out. Hahaha! I always plan to, anyway…. But then I get home, and I don’t have the mental energy to make myself do it. The three times a week I do it, I feel awesome and I’m proud of myself, and I want more of it. 7) Making dinner. I cook at home about 4 nights a week… which means 3 nights we are 7.5) Going out. My husband and I go out a couple times a week and eat healthily and have zero beer (LOL). 8) Watching TV shows I’m not embarrassed to tell people about. While I’m on my laptop working on WP*BFF the whole time, sometimes piping in to ask “What just happened?” I used to think it was my day job getting in the way of being able to dedicate more time to WP*BFF. But looking at that schedule on paper, I saw a TON of time that I was totally wasting. I don’t need to work 15 hours on the weekend. I don’t need to stay up til 1AM, exhausted, late to work, and burning through vacation time to get WP*BFF where I want it to be. I created a situation where I NEVER had downtime and it made me feel like I couldn’t offer BFFs one-on-one coaching because when would I ever fit that in? One of my fave podcasters Chalene Johnson told me (on a podcast, but I feel like she’s talking just to me) that I need to get up early and work out first thing because it gives you energy and makes you more productive. That seems daunting, so I told Chalene (in my head) that I would commit to getting up early one day, and we’ll see about the workout. So one day, I set an alarm on my phone for 5:30AM. I woke up, showered, got ready without the Real Housewives fighting in the background and was at work before I would normally be waking up. And guess what? I feel just as groggy waking up at 5:30 as I do at 7:30, so what’s the difference? No traffic on the way to work or home either. Then I worked out and had dinner ready before my husband even got home from work. He was shocked (and I told him not to get used to it LOL). Then I still had 4 hours to work on WP*BFF. FOUR WHOLE UNINTERRUPTED HOURS that I extracted from my formerly “busy” day. Wow. And I can do that 3 nights a week and a few hours on the weekend. 5:30AM feels like nothing now. Working out in the morning is like breathing. I just do it without thinking. Then I started experimenting with tiny tweaks to my routine… Brushing my teeth first instead of last, getting dressed before makeup. I know this may sound silly, but I feel like I’ve gotten so set in my ways that I failed to see that it could be done differently. Maybe these small tweaks will open up my mind a little more, allow me to make room for new, better habits even though it’s hard for me to remember everything because it’s no longer a mindless routine. But as a professional dieter, I know how much it does not work for me to make a bunch of huge changes all at once. So I’m tackling my life the same way I’m tackling business – with small, consistent action taken every day. And that’s how you build a sustainable side hustle.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! So today I have a question for you: WHY? Why did you start a side hustle? Why are you listening to this pep talk? Why do you want to quit your job and work for yourself? What would be different about your life tomorrow if you woke up and had exactly what you wanted? It is a very important question to answer. One that you have to be crystal clear on, or else you will quit. So I before I share with you why I started my side hustle, I want to share with you Why I Still Haven’t Lost Those 30lbs I Told You About in Episode 18. And the reason I tell you guys this personal stuff is because I want you to get to know more about me, what motivates me, why I’m giving so much content and time away for free in hopes that it motivates you. And even though losing weight is something I say I really want, I haven’t put the time, energy, and effort into it. My actions don’t align with my words. A couple years ago, I started another failed attempt to lose the weight via a women’s wellness program through my doctor and had all my blood work done. Everything is normal is except low Vitamin D (and I live in Ohio and it’s winter, so apparently that’s pretty common in these parts). I was secretly hoping for something in those results to scare me. To motivate me into trying harder. Because I can’t see what would be measurably different about my life if I were 30 pounds lighter. I looked like this when my husband and I met 10 years ago. He still loves me. I have amazing friends and family that love me. I feel great. I can wear the clothes I want to wear. I can run, I can squat, I can do pushups, I can lift heavy weights. Except I want my arms, legs, and hips to be smaller. And I’m pretty sure it’s not healthy to be 5’3” and weigh 170 pounds. I also recognize that just because I don’t have any health problems now does not mean I won’t have them later due to this excess weight I wear. So I’m trying to reframe the why. Trying to find a reason that motivates me, because simply being smaller will have no measurable impact on my life tomorrow. Why do I want to lose weight? It’s still a question I’m trying to answer… I’m also trying to believe that it’s possible. Because I know what I’m capable of when I believe something is possible. On the other hand, when I decided that I wanted to start side hustle so that I could quit my day job, I was extremely motivated. My actions align with my words. I made time for it every. single. day. I got up an hour earlier than I need to to get to work on time to check email and respond to Facebook messages. I worked on it all weekend long. I let my boss know my goals and intentions so that I didn’t have to live a double life. I shared the finances of the business with my husband and ensure that he knows I’m investing every last dime I make back into the business – so he could see that all the time I spent up in my office and not with him was paying off and moving toward something I’ve invested in premium courses that I’ve finished and hired a mentor – because while I know every single last piece of the tech you need to run an online business and how to set it up in my sleep, I needed to learn how to market myself. Where to find my ideal customers. How to write copy. How to price my products and services. How to close a sale. How to stand out from everyone else doing what I do. How to get over all the fears I have about conflict, saying no, and setting boundaries. Realizing what my knowledge is actually worth in the marketplace. I didn’t do it for the money. I made the elusive six figures at my day job. I could have stayed there and been able to make ends meet and then some. (Okay, that’s not entirely true. I like money because money = freedom. I’m not trying to make a million dollars this year. But when it happens in a few years, I’m gonna love it.) I wanted freedom. I wanted to decide what I do with my time. I want to empower people. I get so much joy out of seeing others succeed and helping them do something they didn’t think was possible. I want to make a difference. When I help a wellness coach or a senior caregiver or a piano teacher or a graphic designer build a website and it enables her to connect with someone and change their life, that gives me pure joy. So HERE’S THE THING… I don’t like risk. I was grinding away for over three years. In the very beginning, I wasn’t willing to spend a single extra penny on my business unless I was absolutely 100% positive that people were going to buy what I was selling. What a huge miscalculation! Why would my customers invest in something I wasn’t willing to invest in? You know what I didn’t give any credit to in that first 6 months? And what kept me from being able to build this business faster? My why. This business is successful because my why outweighs any external factors. It’s not because I’m scrappy and did everything on a shoestring budget. I see now how that hurt me. How it slowed my progress down. MY WHY IS why was I willing to spend every moment of my free time helping people learn how to build their websites – for free? MY WHY IS why was I willing to invest every penny that I earn into business coaching, a high-end email marketing system, a fancy-schmancy online course plugin, and people to help me with the workload and not pay myself until I quit my day job? I DID IT Because I could see exactly how my life will be different when I don’t have to go to my day job every day. Because I had the vision then for what my life looks like today. I can picture exactly what those days will look like. I see myself healthy, happy, and fulfilled. I can see how work doesn’t feel like work when what I’m doing helps other people. I can see the impact it has on other people. And that’s why no matter what happens, I don’t quit. So let’s talk about you. What is your goal? – Is it to quit your job and make $10,000 per month? – Is it to create an online course and get 500 people to sign up? – Is it to launch your first group coaching program by the end of the year? Why do you want that? – Do you want to quit your job and make $10 grand a month so you can be happier, focus on clients you enjoy and have the freedom to travel with your family? (That’s what I want). – Do you want to launch that online course to 500 people because your husband isn’t supportive of your business and you want to prove him wrong? – Do you want to launch your group coaching program because you know you can help transform people’s lives? There are a lot of things out of your control that can derail your progress. But the what and the why are totally in your control. Your assignment for today is… Identify your what and why. Tweet me your why @shannonlmattern with #peptalksforsidehustlers.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today we’re talking about 10 Toxic Thoughts You Secretly Believe About Yourself (And Why You’re Wrong) Have any of these thoughts ever entered your mind? Why would anyone hire me if I’ve never worked with anyone before? How am I going to get clients when I don’t have a portfolio or testimonials? I can’t charge someone for that – they could figure out how to do it themselves for free online. Will people really pay for this? Someone else is already doing what I want to do, I can’t compete. I can’t afford [photographer, a graphic designer, that subscription, that program, that conference registration, that coach]. I don’t know enough yet. I need to learn more, take more classes, get certified, get a degree. What if my client asks me to do something I don’t know how to do? I’m too old. I’m too introverted. I was having dinner with my older sister last weekend (hi, Karen!) and while our husbands were chatting away about sports or whatever it is they talk about, Karen and I were talking about my business and her job. Now, Karen and I are very different. She has kids. She’s left-handed. Math and logic and spatial awareness come easily to her. She likes pineapple IPA (ew). She loves her day job. Both of my sisters and I are very similar in other ways, like how smart and driven and creative we are. And how oblivious we are to how valuable our strengths and talents are to other people. And while I can’t always see it in myself, I can always see it in my sisters – and I can also see all the things they believe about themselves that aren’t true that hold them back from what they truly desire. So Karen and I were talking about her job, and how she finally feels like she’s found her niche, but she still just doesn’t know enough yet to be able to move up in the company. Okay, sure, fair enough. Except for if you know Karen, you’d know that this is something that she says all the time. When she got me my first job at the law firm where she worked – she never felt qualified to have the position she had. “I didn’t go to school for this, I was just a legal secretary. I was just the one who never called the helpdesk so they figured I must know what I’m doing and asked me to join the IT team.” Or when she was hired to be a developer for a legal software company. “I’m self-taught from building all those systems at the firm. I didn’t go to school for this. I’m not sure why they hired me.” And now at her position at a global legal services company. “I’m finally working for a company where I see the opportunity for advancement, with strong female leaders as role models and mentors. I’m in the right place. I just don’t know enough about the company yet to move up.” So I took a sip of my non-hoppy wheat beer and replied, “Stop saying that about yourself!!! It’s not true! They didn’t hire you because they expect you to know everything. They hired you because you know how to figure out what you need to know, you’re self-motivated to learn it, and then you go out and do it, all without being told what to do every waking moment. You’re never going to know enough. It’s not possible. You just need to know that you can find the answers.” And then I told her she needed to hire a mindset coach and watch my webinars about overcoming imposter syndrome because I’m the middle sister and I know everything and I’m always right. 🙂 The thought that has been the most damaging to me is, “I can’t charge someone for that. They could figure out how to do that themselves online for free.” That’s the real reason I started the Free 5-Day Website Challenge. If you can learn it online for free, you might as well learn it from me and I’ll earn some affiliate commissions along the way. But when people started asking me to build websites for them, this thought held me back. I remember telling my business coach that there’s no way I could charge more than a thousand dollars to build a website. Here’s why I thought that: They could learn how to do it themselves online for free (from me). I didn’t value the expertise I had spent over 10 years developing because I learned it online for free myself. Or the 10 years of working in marketing and IT. I’ve never coded an entire website from scratch, and I hate writing CSS. Karen would be great at that. Me, not so much. One of the reasons I stopped doing one-on-one client work and started the Free 5-Day Website Challenge is that I didn’t charge enough, which resulted in me feeling burnt out and resentful – a totally misplaced feeling because it wasn’t my clients’ fault that I totally underestimated the value of my services. It wasn’t their fault that I dismissed the value of 10 years of learning, research, trial, error, and success because someone else didn’t teach it to me. Um, that’s messed up. It wasn’t their fault that I didn’t believe that it’s not necessary to custom code an entire site from scratch when there are companies out there (where the coders work) whose sole mission is to create WordPress themes for people like me to take as a foundation and customize for our clients. It never occurred to me that there are people that would rather pay someone else to do it for them, even if they could do it themselves for free. Tech isn’t their passion. They aren’t online marketing experts. It takes too much of their valuable time, it drains them, frustrates them, and keeps them from doing the work they love. They value their business, their mission, so much that they’ll invest in the right person to have it done for them. Those type of people end up becoming my awesome clients! And the more I intrinsically value what I bring to the table, the more confident I feel in raising my prices. So, let’s pretend that you’re my sister and we’re having this conversation over a couple of cold beers, and you tell me that you really, really want your business to work out, but… Why would anyone hire me if I’ve never worked with anyone before? How am I going to get clients when I don’t have a portfolio or testimonials? I can’t charge someone for that – they could figure out how to do it themselves for free online. Will people really pay for this? Someone else is already doing what I want to do, I can’t compete. I can’t afford [photographer, a graphic designer, that subscription, that program, that conference registration, that coach]. I don’t know enough yet. I need to learn more, take more classes, get certified, get a degree. What if my client asks me to do something I don’t know how to do? I’m too old. I’m too introverted. Here’s what I’d tell you: You don’t have to be an expert. You don’t have to know everything there is to know. If your client asks you to do something you don’t know how to do, first, ask yourself if it makes sense to your business to know how to do that. If it does, you’re smart, you can figure it out. “Let me do some research on that and I’ll get back to you.” Maybe you need to subcontract it to someone else, or even refer your client to someone else that can help them. You don’t need to know it all. If you’re a solution-oriented person who is capable of finding answers, you’ll be fine. You’re not trying to serve or prove anything to the people out there who know more than you. They are not your customers. It’s the people who are just a few steps behind you that need you, not the people who are ahead of you. You are the only one who brings your unique life experiences and perspective to what you do, and you’re not for everyone. Be your authentic, vulnerable self and you’ll attract clients you’ll love to work with and repel those that aren’t right for you at this point in your journey. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never worked with anyone before or if you don’t have a portfolio. Everyone starts from scratch, and the way you build trust and credibility is through content marketing. Blogging, guest posting and email list-building freebies are just a few ways that you can position yourself as an expert in your niche without having clients. People don’t buy products and services, they buy solutions to their problems. And you’re right, they don’t really value what you do. So when you position what you do not as what you do, but as a solution to your ideal client’s problem, that’s when it’s seen as having value in the minds of your ideal customer. It’s not about what you do, it’s about how their life will be better after working with your or buying your product. If you won’t invest in your business, why would anyone else invest in your business? It’s not about spending money you don’t have, trust me, I’m not all about that, but it is about truly valuing what you do, believing in yourself you will find success, that you’re smart and capable and have value, and putting your money into building a strong foundation for your business, or helping you develop the mindset or the skills you need to get where you want to be, or putting your best foot forward with your photos and branding, or making real connection with your peers at conferences. Your potential clients can tell when you’ve just dipped your toe in the water vs. when you believe in you’re doing so much that you’re investing in it too. And you’re not too old, or too introverted, or too anything. That’s your superpower. There are tons of other people out there just like you who think they’re too whatever to have their dream life, and they need someone like you to stick your neck out take a chance and lead them and show them that yes, it’s possible to have the life that you want. You just gotta decide to believe it, and then you’ll be unstoppable.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! In yesterday’s pep talk, I shared with you how to get people to sign up for your email list by offering a freebie, and that’s how you warm up a cold audience and start building that relationship, strategically moving cold to warm to hot, or from stranger to acquaintance to friend to best friend! Once you’ve warmed someone up, it you want to either keep them warm and keep delivering value to keep them engaged so that when you have something to sell or want them to take some action on your behalf, you’re able to move them from warm to hot, meaning they’re taking the action you’re inviting them to take. And the way to do that is through an automated 3-part email series. And since you’re probably driving or walking your dog and can’t take notes, just go to www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/28 to a checklist of each of these steps sent right to your inbox. Okay, so let’s get started. Email 1 – Delivers your freebie. It gives them information about what results to expect from the freebie. And it lets them know that you’ll be following up the next day to check in. Email 2: Sent the following day. Follows up to ask about their freebie experience, what results they got. Then you can go into a little bit more about you and why you do what you do and why you’re so passionate about helping them. Email 3: What’s next. Invite them to follow you on social or join your Facebook group or subscribe to your YouTube channel.  let them know that you’ll have more great content coming to their inbox weekly. If you have something to sell, you can invite them to take the next step and learn more in this email. We’d consider them to be HOT if they move on to learn more and buy. But what if you don’t have anything to sell yet? Moving them from WARM to HOT, in my opinion, doesn’t always mean that they buy something from you. Ask them to share your freebie out on social media – that helps you get more cold traffic to warm up, and that, in my opinion, is just as valuable as a sale. When I have people promoting my stuff online because they love it, then the traffic to my website isn’t coming in cold, it’s coming in already warmed up a little bit! And then Step 4 is keeping them warm. And guess what? You don’t have to do anything extra, because you’re already creating that consistent content to get cold traffic. That’s what you’re going to be sending out to your existing subscribers, and you can even do special things just for them like workshops and webinars. Okay, so now you know what to market your business, build your email list and warm up your subscribers to either turn them into customers or evangelists for your business. There are a lot of moving pieces technically to make that all work. Here are some of the tools I use and recommend in my business to pull all of this together: An email provider that does automation. You probably already have something set up especially if you took the Free 5 Day Website Challenge. I used MailChimp when I first started out, I’m currently on Infusionsoft, but I also love ConvertKit for a middle of the road solution. A way to quickly make eye-catching graphics for all the social media platforms. I recommending Canva, and definitely the paid version because you can store your brand colors and fonts which saves tons of time, you can upload your logo, create templates, automatically resize graphics for different social platforms, and organize it all into folders. Saves TONS of time. A way to record, edit and produce both audio and video. This is optional, but if you’re making tutorial videos for your freebies, or youtube videos or even going live on Facebook or Instagram to promote, knowing how to do this is huge! I personally use Camtasia, but it’s kind of expensive and requires a little more technical skill, so I’ve been recommending Filmora. And then I just literally use my iPhone or the camera on my laptop when I’m on camera, pop those into my editing software and edit. So think it about it this way. You’re a side hustler. You have a day job. In order to make the kind of money you need to make to quit your day job, you need to be able to serve people one to many rather than one-to-one. You spend a couple weekends building your website. Then you spend another couple weekends putting together an awesome freebie that’s going to solve a pain point like I did with my free 5-day website challenge or fulfill a desire, and you give it away in exchange for an email address. You spend another couple weekends setting up an automated email series that automatically delivers your freebie and the followup emails. Boom, your foundation is built. Now, your time is spent creating new content every week, sharing it on social media to attract new people, sending it out to your email list to keep them warm and letting them get to know you and how you can help them, and giving them opportunities to move from warm to hot, from subscriber to customer. It’s spent working with clients, creating programs and products and services to offer via your email list. And you’re spending the same amount of time you’d spend doing all of that for one person for hundreds, then thousands, even tens of thousands of people. Do you see where this is going? It’s exciting, isn’t it?

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Yesterday we talked about why building an email list is so important. If you missed it you can go to www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/26 Today, I’m going to share with you how to build one. Here’s what to do to build an email list. First, you need a website, which I teach you how to do in my free 5-day website challenge, you can go to www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/5day to sign up for that. Second, you need something that you can give away for free in exchange for an email address. Then, in the free 5 day website challenge I cover all the technical steps of how to set up your email service provider and connect it to your website with an opt-in form, how to promote your freebie to entice people to sign up, I show how to send your new subscriber to a thank you page, and then how to deliver your freebie in that first email automatically when they subscribe. The freebie does more than just get people onto your email list. It’s designed to attract your target audience. It addresses a specific problem or issue that your target audience has so that when they see it, they can’t help but to sign up for it. On the flip side, it weeds out people that aren’t your ideal customer, who are never going to buy what you have to sell. The second thing it does is that it establishes your credibility and builds trust with your audience. That’s what warming up your audience means. Now you’re seen as an authority, or someone that can actually help me get what I want. The third thing it does is it warms up cold traffic. Think about it this way. The main ways you get traffic to your website are through Social Media and Search Engine Optimization. You write blog posts about topics that your target audience is searching for on google – or if you don’t like to write, you make videos or record podcasts – but you still post those to your blog so that they come in up google search results. Then you share your blog posts on social media, and when people click to read more, they’re taken back to your website. Nine times out of ten, when people find your website through a blog post, they have no idea who you are. That’s called “cold traffic” or a “cold audience.” Think of them as total strangers – and it’s your job to turn total strangers into acquaintences – now they’re getting warm, and then into friends – now they’re getting even warmer, and then into BEST FRIENDS now they’re HOT and ready to take the next step with you. But if you don’t have a freebie on your website, all you’re doing is meeting a bunch of strangers and never taking the next step in the relationship. It’s like you’re at a concert with a bunch of people who you know all like the same thing you do, but you leave and you have no way to ever get in touch with those people ever again. You gotta way for them to take the next step with you, and you gotta incentivize them to do it. Otherwise, all of that content you’re creating, you’re missing a huge opportunity to move people from cold to warm. So you need to have that freebie created, whether it’s a PDF, or a video series, or an audio file, or just a series of emails that just have text in them. But it has to be your best stuff, and it has to solve a problem, or fulfill a desire and give your new acquaintance a quick win so that now they want more from you and see you as the person that can get them what they want. Now they’re warm, but It doesn’t end there. Because now it’s time to keep them warm, and then move them from warm to hot. What you do after you deliver the freebie is just as important as getting them onto your email list in the first place. And that’s what we’re going to talk about in tomorrow’s pep talk!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! In episodes 10 and 11, I shared with you why I think it’s better for people with a full time job to create a side hustle that sells their knowledge and expertise rather than their time, and I gave you the basic steps on how to get started building your website and setting up your email list.. If you missed that, you can find it over at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/10 and forward slash 11. The next few pep talks are all about what’s next after building your website – the path from building a website to building an audience through online marketing, and turning your audience from casual subscribers into paying customers. So What is next after building a website? Building an email list. And I’ve been hearing this since I started my business back in late 2014, and you think, you know, things change so fast, is email still really the best way to market to people? And what I’ve found in my own business and in my research, yes, absolutely. Marie Forleo’s recent B-School promotion talked about how building an email list is still the #1 key to success of any online business. Michael Stelzer, the founder of Social Media Examiner, said on a podcast in 2017 that he believes that email is still the most important tool in a business owner’s toolbox. Every marketing podcast you’ll ever listen to talks about the end goal of every marketing strategy being getting subscribers on your email list. Even online retailers know the importance of this. Places like zulily where my husband works won’t even let you browse their website without giving them an email address. WHy? So they can let you know about their daily deals to keep you coming back. Here’s why building an email list is so important: Organic reach (unpaid) on social media is at an all-time low. Competition for attention This is your customer list. It allows you to scale (one to many instead of one to one) It’s the best way to engage. The engagement is measurable. This is your tribe – an email list is the absolute best way to attract your tribe. This is how you make money online. Here are that stats: If your product costs $50 or less, you can usually turn 3% to 7% of your subscribers into customers. If your product costs $50 to $200, you can usually turn 1% to 3% of your subscribers into customers. If your product costs $200 to $1,000, you can usually turn 0.5% to 2% of your subscribers into customers It’s predictable income. Email is how you cold traffic – people who have never heard of you who came to your website from someone else’s social media post or a Google search, into warm traffic – people who know, like and trust you and want to learn more from you. Email is how you sell online. You don’t sell online by putting up a sales page on your website and sending social media followers or people that find you through Google to it. The #1 purpose of your website is to get people on your email list. Everything you do, from your homepage, to your about page, to your blog posts should all be designed to get people onto your email list. And now that I’ve convinced you of the importance of building an email list, tomorrow I’m going to share with you how to get started.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my January Income Report! Each month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my side hustle and reveal exactly how much money I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! If you want to build a website and learn how to make money online, check out this blog post on how to get started! View all of my income reports here! January 2018 Month in Review January 2, 2018 was my very first day of self-employment and I had spent three months planning a huge live, online party to celebrate. #SideHustleGoneSerious was a 2-hour live broadcast on Facebook Live which including dream guests like Nathalie Lussier and Rebecca Tracey of the Uncaged Life (um, pinch me, did that really happen?) Bree Pair of Thrive Creative Events and my business coach, Vicki Fitch, who pushed me to hold the event, helped me plan it and emcee’d the whole thing. My affiliate partners Bluehost and Theme Foundry contributed free hosting and free Make Plus upgrades and we did fun giveaways all night! The livestream generated 5,700 views 97 shares and hundreds of likes (are you kidding me right now?), and it was an amazing way to kick off the new year and my new business!! Then, on January 2, when all my former coworkers were heading back into the office, I treated myself to a massage. And two days later, I did something that I never would have been able to do the first week of January had I still been an employee  – I jumped on an airplane and took a 5-day trip to visit my best friend in Colorado. I spent the month taking full advantage of my newfound freedom. Working from bed. Meeting my husband for lunch on a random Monday (we had never gone to lunch together in our 15 years together, you guys, even when we worked together). Staying in pajamas all day… you know, basically pretending to be a teenager again. Important Things That Happened in January I opened enrollment for my Web Designer Academy again in January as a live launch with a closed cart. Live launches take a lot of resources and time, and after my experience in January, I’ve decided to test out making it an evergreen program starting in April of 2018. I also launched my Serious Side Hustlers Membership Program in January, which took all of the content I had previously had inside of the BFF Academy for $199 and made it more accessible to beginners at just $29/month. I tested launching the program with a 7-day free trial for live viewers on my WordPress Tips, Tricks and Hacks webinar and promoted it again on my Make Plus webinar – and the replays of those webinars were added as modules inside of Serious Side Hustlers. I did have a few cancellations within the 7 days, but the majority of people who took advantage of the free trial remained members (hi guys!! you rock!!). I started sending out short tutorials weekly on Saturday mornings to keep people engaged and moving forward without feeling overwhelmed, something I really felt was lacking in the BFF Academy. I also had several Done For You projects that I was determined to wrap up in January. Review of My Goals My number one goal in January was to have $10,000 in revenue because my rough breakdown to replace my paycheck, cover business expenses and pay taxes is: $5000 – Income to cover my old monthly paycheck. $2500 – Expenses $2500 – Taxes I also set the goal to add 333 email subscribers, launch my new subscription-model for access to my courses, launch the Web Designer Academy and write two guest posts – one for the Thrive and the other for Nathalie Lussier (didn’t happen). What I Focused on in January As I was trying on my newfound freedom in my first month of self-employment, I also felt the pressure of actually hitting my income goals for the first time since I started my business- because this month, no paycheck was going to magically appear in my bank account on January 15. You can learn more about my weird money issues in this blog post, The Lies I Tell Myself About Money and on this Facebook Live with Michelle Bobrow of the Holistic Wallet. And unlike the past 3 years where I could be a little looser with spending in my business because I was reinvesting much of what I made back into it, now I felt a lot of pressure to pay myself first using the Profit First model (great book – check it out here), which I wasn’t used to doing. Sure, I had put money away to help me weather the ups and downs, but I just feel like I have something to prove, that I can hit these numbers on a monthly basis and our personal bank account won’t see any difference in the amount being deposited into it twice a month (now by me instead of my employer). So, my focus on January was purely on making money. Obsessively. To the point where if I continued on like that, it would be detrimental to the foundation of my business. To the point where my husband is telling me to chill out. Historically, any time I have focused on just the numbers and not the why behind the numbers or the people I’m helping, my rate of growth slows down because I’m not doing what I need to do to reach new people and nurture the relationships I currently have.     Find out exactly how I made $10,016.93 in my online business in January 2018CLICK TO TWEET    So here’s what it looked like in January. Get the full breakdown of income, expenses and net profit month by month here. Income PASSIVE INCOME TOTAL: $3600.55 TIME FOR MONEY TOTAL: $6416.38 Done For You Projects – $3916.38 Consulting – $2500 Total Income: $10,016.93 Total Expenses: $2486.96 Net Profit: $7529.97 Biggest Lesson Learned I’m writing this income report in early April, so I’ve learned a lot of lessons in my first three months in business which I outlined for you here in this blog post, The Truth About My First Three Months of Self Employment. With my Done For You web design projects,  I discovered is that I hadn’t been giving my clients enough time to pull together what they need to on their end. So reflecting on that, I restructured my Done For You Process to build in more time to help my clients create their content and build in more checkpoints and deadlines to keep projects moving forward. Now that I feel like I have a better process for these projects, I’ll be marketing them more. Ultimately, my goal is to have more revenue on the passive income side than the trading my time for money side, but my last few Done For You Projects went so smoothly with this new process that I’m going to continue focus on growing a team to help with those projects. And this change is resulting in a new module in theWeb Designer Academy where I teach web designers how to get clients and effectively manage projects. Reflecting just on what I’ve outlined here in January, looking at these numbers, the biggest takeaway I’m seeing is that I’ve got lots of different opportunities to increase my revenue on the passive income side. I’m moving away from the traditional launch model where I have an open and closed cart to a model where anyone can join any of my programs at any time. It’s a model that feels better to me in many ways – more authentic to me, and also it’s not a huge time-suck like I’ve found the traditional launch process to be. I’ve created affordable payment plans which not only helps my community of beginners get access to the content, it also creates steady, recurring revenue for me. It’s a win-win in my opinion. What I haven’t been doing as well is promoting all of these opportunities because I’ve been so hyper-focused on bringing in that $10,000 that I’m not looking at the long-term growth of my business. Not anymore, BFFs! Not anymore. You’re going to see lots of cool stuff coming in the next few months to fuel the growth of the passive income side of my business – because that’s what’s scalable! So, what questions do you have for me about this income report and how I run my business?

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Welcome to my January Income Report! Each month I publish an income report to take you behind the scenes of my side hustle and reveal exactly how much money I make, how much I spend and lessons learned along the way! If you want to build a website and learn how to make money online, check out this blog post on how to get started! View all of my income reports here! January 2018 Month in Review January 2, 2018 was my very first day of self-employment and I had spent three months planning a huge live, online party to celebrate. #SideHustleGoneSerious was a 2-hour live broadcast on Facebook Live which including dream guests like Nathalie Lussier and Rebecca Tracey of the Uncaged Life (um, pinch me, did that really happen?) Bree Pair of Thrive Creative Events and my business coach, Vicki Fitch, who pushed me to hold the event, helped me plan it and emcee’d the whole thing. My affiliate partners Bluehost and Theme Foundry contributed free hosting and free Make Plus upgrades and we did fun giveaways all night! The livestream generated 5,700 views 97 shares and hundreds of likes (are you kidding me right now?), and it was an amazing way to kick off the new year and my new business!! Then, on January 2, when all my former coworkers were heading back into the office, I treated myself to a massage. And two days later, I did something that I never would have been able to do the first week of January had I still been an employee  – I jumped on an airplane and took a 5-day trip to visit my best friend in Colorado. I spent the month taking full advantage of my newfound freedom. Working from bed. Meeting my husband for lunch on a random Monday (we had never gone to lunch together in our 15 years together, you guys, even when we worked together). Staying in pajamas all day… you know, basically pretending to be a teenager again. Important Things That Happened in January I opened enrollment for my Web Designer Academy again in January as a live launch with a closed cart. Live launches take a lot of resources and time, and after my experience in January, I’ve decided to test out making it an evergreen program starting in April of 2018. I also launched my Serious Side Hustlers Membership Program in January, which took all of the content I had previously had inside of the BFF Academy for $199 and made it more accessible to beginners at just $29/month. I tested launching the program with a 7-day free trial for live viewers on my WordPress Tips, Tricks and Hacks webinar and promoted it again on my Make Plus webinar – and the replays of those webinars were added as modules inside of Serious Side Hustlers. I did have a few cancellations within the 7 days, but the majority of people who took advantage of the free trial remained members (hi guys!! you rock!!). I started sending out short tutorials weekly on Saturday mornings to keep people engaged and moving forward without feeling overwhelmed, something I really felt was lacking in the BFF Academy. I also had several Done For You projects that I was determined to wrap up in January. Review of My Goals My number one goal in January was to have $10,000 in revenue because my rough breakdown to replace my paycheck, cover business expenses and pay taxes is: $5000 – Income to cover my old monthly paycheck. $2500 – Expenses $2500 – Taxes I also set the goal to add 333 email subscribers, launch my new subscription-model for access to my courses, launch the Web Designer Academy and write two guest posts – one for the Thrive and the other for Nathalie Lussier (didn’t happen). What I Focused on in January As I was trying on my newfound freedom in my first month of self-employment, I also felt the pressure of actually hitting my income goals for the first time since I started my business- because this month, no paycheck was going to magically appear in my bank account on January 15. You can learn more about my weird money issues in this blog post, The Lies I Tell Myself About Money and on this Facebook Live with Michelle Bobrow of the Holistic Wallet. And unlike the past 3 years where I could be a little looser with spending in my business because I was reinvesting much of what I made back into it, now I felt a lot of pressure to pay myself first using the Profit First model (great book – check it out here), which I wasn’t used to doing. Sure, I had put money away to help me weather the ups and downs, but I just feel like I have something to prove, that I can hit these numbers on a monthly basis and our personal bank account won’t see any difference in the amount being deposited into it twice a month (now by me instead of my employer). So, my focus on January was purely on making money. Obsessively. To the point where if I continued on like that, it would be detrimental to the foundation of my business. To the point where my husband is telling me to chill out. Historically, any time I have focused on just the numbers and not the why behind the numbers or the people I’m helping, my rate of growth slows down because I’m not doing what I need to do to reach new people and nurture the relationships I currently have.     Find out exactly how I made $10,016.93 in my online business in January 2018CLICK TO TWEET    So here’s what it looked like in January. Get the full breakdown of income, expenses and net profit month by month here. Income PASSIVE INCOME TOTAL: $3600.55 TIME FOR MONEY TOTAL: $6416.38 Done For You Projects – $3916.38 Consulting – $2500 Total Income: $10,016.93 Total Expenses: $2486.96 Net Profit: $7529.97 Biggest Lesson Learned I’m writing this income report in early April, so I’ve learned a lot of lessons in my first three months in business which I outlined for you here in this blog post, The Truth About My First Three Months of Self Employment. With my Done For You web design projects,  I discovered is that I hadn’t been giving my clients enough time to pull together what they need to on their end. So reflecting on that, I restructured my Done For You Process to build in more time to help my clients create their content and build in more checkpoints and deadlines to keep projects moving forward. Now that I feel like I have a better process for these projects, I’ll be marketing them more. Ultimately, my goal is to have more revenue on the passive income side than the trading my time for money side, but my last few Done For You Projects went so smoothly with this new process that I’m going to continue focus on growing a team to help with those projects. And this change is resulting in a new module in theWeb Designer Academy where I teach web designers how to get clients and effectively manage projects. Reflecting just on what I’ve outlined here in January, looking at these numbers, the biggest takeaway I’m seeing is that I’ve got lots of different opportunities to increase my revenue on the passive income side. I’m moving away from the traditional launch model where I have an open and closed cart to a model where anyone can join any of my programs at any time. It’s a model that feels better to me in many ways – more authentic to me, and also it’s not a huge time-suck like I’ve found the traditional launch process to be. I’ve created affordable payment plans which not only helps my community of beginners get access to the content, it also creates steady, recurring revenue for me. It’s a win-win in my opinion. What I haven’t been doing as well is promoting all of these opportunities because I’ve been so hyper-focused on bringing in that $10,000 that I’m not looking at the long-term growth of my business. Not anymore, BFFs! Not anymore. You’re going to see lots of cool stuff coming in the next few months to fuel the growth of the passive income side of my business – because that’s what’s scalable! So, what questions do you have for me about this income report and how I run my business?

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today we’re talking about what it really means when you feel resistance to an idea. Has someone ever shared an idea with you or given you advice, and you feel major resistance to it? Like, a physical feeling where maybe your chest tightens and you get really uncomfortable and you just want to stop talking about it? Like when you think about putting your first blog post online for the world to see. Or making a video. Or recording your voice for a podcast. Or even scarier, going live on Facebook or instagram. I used to think feeling resistance was a red flag, that it meant something was a bad idea, but what I’ve come to realize is that when I feel resistance, my shield is up and I’m trying to protect my blind spots. I’m trying to be right. I’m trying to stay in control, to have what I “know” to be true continue to be true. It’s a safe place to be. When I have my shield up, I’m not receptive to new ideas. But if I’m safe where I am right now, what’s the incentive to grow? To grow, I need to lower that shield, reveal those blind spots and consider that maybe I need to get a little bit uncomfortable in order to grow. If you’re anything like me, you’re probably always in GO mode. I’m always trying something new, I get impatient and I don’t always give things the time they need to marinate and develop before I decide that it’s not working out and I’m on to the next thing. Because then still right get to be right. It didn’t work, I did it right, so it must not work. Moving on. But what I’m really doing is avoiding taking risks and staying in my comfy little comfort zone. I’m actually really grateful for what I’ve been able to accomplish operating from that safe place.  Quitting my day job, helping over 5,000 people build their website (even if they all don’t stick around on my email list) and starting my business from scratch and figuring it out along the way. Imagine what I could accomplish if I didn’t play it so safe all of the time? If I’m going to get to where I want to be, it’s time to examine that feeling of resistance a little bit deeper to uncover what it is telling me, and let the people that I trust to help me actually help me. If I hadn’t acknowledge resistance to a new idea, this podcast and Alexa Flash briefing would never have happened. I was on my weekly coaching call with my business coach, Vicki Fitch, and I was complaining that no matter what I seemed to be doing, my email list has been stuck right at 4,600 subscribers, and I’m losing people at the same rate that I’m bringing them on, and I’m afraid that I’m not going to make enough money now that I don’t have a secure paycheck… and on and on and on. After we unpacked that I was actually redirecting grief from the recent loss of a close family member into feeling like the ground I was standing on in my business was shaky (a pep talk for another time), Vicki suggested that I needed to expand where I was looking for my target audience, that I was fishing in the same pond as everyone else in my niche and the pond was overfished. And then, she shared with me an idea that I was totally not feeling. She suggested that I create an Alexa Flash Briefing. And here’s exactly what I thought: Yeah, that thing was fun to play with on Christmas Day… I even got one as a gift but I never got around to opening it because I have no use for it. Everything I need to do I can do on my iPhone. I mean, my niece uses it to make fart sounds. That’s going to be a waste of time. “Sure, I’ll look into it.” I said, but lucky for me, Vicki can tell by my voice when I’ve got my shield Lucky for me, she knows that I do that, so she asked me to just research and consider it. Fair enough, I thought, and I lowered my shield just a little bit. As I was doing my research, And then, it all became crystal clear. all of these ideas that have been swirling around in my mind for the past few months that I wasn’t taking action on because I was scared or I couldn’t figure out where they fit with my current business model, or how to execute them – they just came into focus as Pep Talks For Side Hustlers. I could finally see how this new idea was going to help me fish in a different pond while also staying true to who I am and creating fresh new ways to serve my existing audience. When you have that kind of clarity, things come together fast. A completely new brand was born. I built the Pep Talks for Side Hustlers website in just a couple of hours, came up with a list of a year’s worth of pep talks in just a few hours, and recorded, produced, published and scheduled a month’s worth of content in just a couple weeks time. So when you’re feeling that resistance, pay attention. It’s not always a bad thing. And tomorrow, I’m going to share 4 questions you can ask to tap into that resistance and find out what it’s really trying to tell you.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today we’re talking about what it really means when you feel resistance to an idea. Has someone ever shared an idea with you or given you advice, and you feel major resistance to it? Like, a physical feeling where maybe your chest tightens and you get really uncomfortable and you just want to stop talking about it? Like when you think about putting your first blog post online for the world to see. Or making a video. Or recording your voice for a podcast. Or even scarier, going live on Facebook or instagram. I used to think feeling resistance was a red flag, that it meant something was a bad idea, but what I’ve come to realize is that when I feel resistance, my shield is up and I’m trying to protect my blind spots. I’m trying to be right. I’m trying to stay in control, to have what I “know” to be true continue to be true. It’s a safe place to be. When I have my shield up, I’m not receptive to new ideas. But if I’m safe where I am right now, what’s the incentive to grow? To grow, I need to lower that shield, reveal those blind spots and consider that maybe I need to get a little bit uncomfortable in order to grow. If you’re anything like me, you’re probably always in GO mode. I’m always trying something new, I get impatient and I don’t always give things the time they need to marinate and develop before I decide that it’s not working out and I’m on to the next thing. Because then still right get to be right. It didn’t work, I did it right, so it must not work. Moving on. But what I’m really doing is avoiding taking risks and staying in my comfy little comfort zone. I’m actually really grateful for what I’ve been able to accomplish operating from that safe place.  Quitting my day job, helping over 5,000 people build their website (even if they all don’t stick around on my email list) and starting my business from scratch and figuring it out along the way. Imagine what I could accomplish if I didn’t play it so safe all of the time? If I’m going to get to where I want to be, it’s time to examine that feeling of resistance a little bit deeper to uncover what it is telling me, and let the people that I trust to help me actually help me. If I hadn’t acknowledge resistance to a new idea, this podcast and Alexa Flash briefing would never have happened. I was on my weekly coaching call with my business coach, Vicki Fitch, and I was complaining that no matter what I seemed to be doing, my email list has been stuck right at 4,600 subscribers, and I’m losing people at the same rate that I’m bringing them on, and I’m afraid that I’m not going to make enough money now that I don’t have a secure paycheck… and on and on and on. After we unpacked that I was actually redirecting grief from the recent loss of a close family member into feeling like the ground I was standing on in my business was shaky (a pep talk for another time), Vicki suggested that I needed to expand where I was looking for my target audience, that I was fishing in the same pond as everyone else in my niche and the pond was overfished. And then, she shared with me an idea that I was totally not feeling. She suggested that I create an Alexa Flash Briefing. And here’s exactly what I thought: Yeah, that thing was fun to play with on Christmas Day… I even got one as a gift but I never got around to opening it because I have no use for it. Everything I need to do I can do on my iPhone. I mean, my niece uses it to make fart sounds. That’s going to be a waste of time. “Sure, I’ll look into it.” I said, but lucky for me, Vicki can tell by my voice when I’ve got my shield Lucky for me, she knows that I do that, so she asked me to just research and consider it. Fair enough, I thought, and I lowered my shield just a little bit. As I was doing my research, And then, it all became crystal clear. all of these ideas that have been swirling around in my mind for the past few months that I wasn’t taking action on because I was scared or I couldn’t figure out where they fit with my current business model, or how to execute them – they just came into focus as Pep Talks For Side Hustlers. I could finally see how this new idea was going to help me fish in a different pond while also staying true to who I am and creating fresh new ways to serve my existing audience. When you have that kind of clarity, things come together fast. A completely new brand was born. I built the Pep Talks for Side Hustlers website in just a couple of hours, came up with a list of a year’s worth of pep talks in just a few hours, and recorded, produced, published and scheduled a month’s worth of content in just a couple weeks time. So when you’re feeling that resistance, pay attention. It’s not always a bad thing. And tomorrow, I’m going to share 4 questions you can ask to tap into that resistance and find out what it’s really trying to tell you.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today we’re talking about what it really means when you feel resistance to an idea. Has someone ever shared an idea with you or given you advice, and you feel major resistance to it? Like, a physical feeling where maybe your chest tightens and you get really uncomfortable and you just want to stop talking about it? Like when you think about putting your first blog post online for the world to see. Or making a video. Or recording your voice for a podcast. Or even scarier, going live on Facebook or instagram. I used to think feeling resistance was a red flag, that it meant something was a bad idea, but what I’ve come to realize is that when I feel resistance, my shield is up and I’m trying to protect my blind spots. I’m trying to be right. I’m trying to stay in control, to have what I “know” to be true continue to be true. It’s a safe place to be. When I have my shield up, I’m not receptive to new ideas. But if I’m safe where I am right now, what’s the incentive to grow? To grow, I need to lower that shield, reveal those blind spots and consider that maybe I need to get a little bit uncomfortable in order to grow. If you’re anything like me, you’re probably always in GO mode. I’m always trying something new, I get impatient and I don’t always give things the time they need to marinate and develop before I decide that it’s not working out and I’m on to the next thing. Because then still right get to be right. It didn’t work, I did it right, so it must not work. Moving on. But what I’m really doing is avoiding taking risks and staying in my comfy little comfort zone. I’m actually really grateful for what I’ve been able to accomplish operating from that safe place.  Quitting my day job, helping over 5,000 people build their website (even if they all don’t stick around on my email list) and starting my business from scratch and figuring it out along the way. Imagine what I could accomplish if I didn’t play it so safe all of the time? If I’m going to get to where I want to be, it’s time to examine that feeling of resistance a little bit deeper to uncover what it is telling me, and let the people that I trust to help me actually help me. If I hadn’t acknowledge resistance to a new idea, this podcast and Alexa Flash briefing would never have happened. I was on my weekly coaching call with my business coach, Vicki Fitch, and I was complaining that no matter what I seemed to be doing, my email list has been stuck right at 4,600 subscribers, and I’m losing people at the same rate that I’m bringing them on, and I’m afraid that I’m not going to make enough money now that I don’t have a secure paycheck… and on and on and on. After we unpacked that I was actually redirecting grief from the recent loss of a close family member into feeling like the ground I was standing on in my business was shaky (a pep talk for another time), Vicki suggested that I needed to expand where I was looking for my target audience, that I was fishing in the same pond as everyone else in my niche and the pond was overfished. And then, she shared with me an idea that I was totally not feeling. She suggested that I create an Alexa Flash Briefing. And here’s exactly what I thought: Yeah, that thing was fun to play with on Christmas Day… I even got one as a gift but I never got around to opening it because I have no use for it. Everything I need to do I can do on my iPhone. I mean, my niece uses it to make fart sounds. That’s going to be a waste of time. “Sure, I’ll look into it.” I said, but lucky for me, Vicki can tell by my voice when I’ve got my shield Lucky for me, she knows that I do that, so she asked me to just research and consider it. Fair enough, I thought, and I lowered my shield just a little bit. As I was doing my research, And then, it all became crystal clear. all of these ideas that have been swirling around in my mind for the past few months that I wasn’t taking action on because I was scared or I couldn’t figure out where they fit with my current business model, or how to execute them – they just came into focus as Pep Talks For Side Hustlers. I could finally see how this new idea was going to help me fish in a different pond while also staying true to who I am and creating fresh new ways to serve my existing audience. When you have that kind of clarity, things come together fast. A completely new brand was born. I built the Pep Talks for Side Hustlers website in just a couple of hours, came up with a list of a year’s worth of pep talks in just a few hours, and recorded, produced, published and scheduled a month’s worth of content in just a couple weeks time. So when you’re feeling that resistance, pay attention. It’s not always a bad thing. And tomorrow, I’m going to share 4 questions you can ask to tap into that resistance and find out what it’s really trying to tell you.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today we’re talking about what my first 3 months of self employment were REALLY like so that I can help you avoid some of these pitfalls that I encountered Yesterday we talked about how I was missing a crucial step in my planning process that was leaving me feeling overwhelmed and like I was winging it all the time, even though I didn’t have a day job taking up 50 hours of my time a week. I was resisting creating a detailed content calendar, and it’s not because I didn’t know it was a thing, but it’s because I didn’t BELIEVE that I needed one. This is super important, you guys. WHAT I BELIEVE DETERMINES WHAT ACTIONS I WILL TAKE Not how much time I have. Not how much money I have. But what I believe to be true. If you tell me to do something and I’m already bought in, you can bet that I’m totally going to do it. I’m going to take massive action and I’m going to execute. But what I’ve discovered about myself throughout this whole journey is that if I don’t fully believe something, deep down in my bones, I’m not going to do it. You know how when you really want to do something different, and you know all the reasons why you should do it and you have this desire inside of you – but you still don’t take the actions you know you need to take to get the thing? That’s because you don’t really believe it. And the challenge for me is that I don’t always realize when I don’t believe something to be true. This, my friends, is called a BLOCK, and this is why we hire business coaches and mentors – to help us identify these blocks and help us to change our beliefs. I might have to hear something several different ways, multiple times, from different people, and then experience the pain for myself before something inside of me shifts and I believe it. And the belief that I’ve had up until very recently is that my day job was getting in the way of me having the time to be organized and having a plan. And that’s why no matter how much my business coach explained to me how to get organized and how to create a content calendar (not the exact words she used, but essentially that’s what she’s been telling me to do), I just couldn’t wrap my mind around it. I didn’t believe that’s what I needed – I believed more time was what I needed. I had to go through three months of not having the excuse of having a day job taking up 50 hours of my time to realize that I what I was doing was not a plan. So I hope what you take away from this is that if you believe you don’t have enough time for your side hustle, you’ll never have enough time. If you believe that you aren’t techie and you don’t have what it takes to build a business online, you’ll never take the first step to even find out. If you believe that it’s possible and that you will be successful, then you will be. You’ll have some ups and downs along the way, sure. But if you believe that success is your outcome, then you’ll just keep getting back up until you reach your goal. And that’s what I want for you. To believe that it’s possible. So thanks for listening, and I’ll see you tomorrow with the final lesson I learned from my first 3 months of self employment!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today we’re talking about what my first 3 months of self employment were REALLY like so that I can help you avoid some of these pitfalls that I encountered. In our last pep talk, we talked about how as a side hustler, I was used to operating in chaos and stress, so much so that when I finally quit my day job, I was surprised that things weren’t as calm as I imagined. And today, we’re going to talk about how planning factors into that feeling of chaos and stress. Creating a plan and creating a to-do list are two totally different things. I’m fantastic at making lists of all the things I “have to do.” I’ve got pages and pages of those. And I’m also awesome at writing down lists of ideas of what I want to happen, and things that I can do to make those things happen. Like, I want to double my email list this year and these are all the tactics I can implement make that happen. And because I’ve got my weekly schedule where Monday is my writing day, Tuesday is my project day, and Wednesday is client work day, I even have days where I’ll tackle all those “have-to-do’s”. I even have things I plan to do each month like webinars, for example. So, to me, the combination of those four things has always been my “plan.” Even with all that, I’ve still been totally winging it. I have an awesome VA team, and I’m not utilizing them as much as I want to because I’m down to the wire getting my content created, and that doesn’t give them enough time to do their part before the deadlines, so then I end up doing it all myself to get it out in time. Again, chaos and stress. But I recently realized that I’ve been missing a really big piece of the planning puzzle, and that’s having a completely separate calendar that lays out all the dates that all the things I create are released to you guys – also known as a content calendar. It seems so obvious to me now – but it honestly never occurred to me to plan my promotion dates first, then schedule out all the topics that would lead up to those promotions, decide exactly what blog posts to write and content to create to lead up to those topics – all on its own calendar, and then refer to that calendar when I’m writing down all my to-do’s on my own calendar. I really thought that what I was doing was creating a plan, and I couldn’t figure out why I always felt so behind. Um, you can’t blame this on having a day job because you haven’t left the house in five days… Now, I’m not saying that I’ve totally mastered planning, but I think I understand some things differently than I have before, and it just feels like it’s clicking. And tomorrow, I’m going to share with you why I was resisting creating a plan!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today and over the next couple of episodes, I want to share with you what my first 3 months of self employment were REALLY like.  Because as awesome as it is, it also has its ups and downs! so if you’re thinking about starting your own business so that you can quit your day job, I just want you to be mentally prepared! Have you ever done one of those “perfect day” exercises? You know, the kind where you imagine what your perfect day looks like from the moment you wake up until the moment you go to bed at night? When I first started my side hustle and I was just super stressed and all over the place, I would dream about that perfect day that I had designed for when I was free of my day job. And it kept me going – it pushed me through those hard times. I imagined that I would naturally wake up around 6am and immediately work out. Maybe I’d even go back to Crossfit since I quit going when I started my business!Then I’d make some coffee, have a healthy breakfast, and spend some time journaling. Then I’d jump in the shower and get ready for the day. By 9am, I’d be at my desk working, and then around noon I’d take my dog for a walk, come home, prepare a healthy lunch, and then work for another few hours. Around 5pm, I’d close my laptop for the day, head downstairs to start dinner, and then spend the rest of the evening hanging out with my husband. The day would be totally calm, I wouldn’t feel stressed, and everything would be totally organized and running like clockwork. I’d be feeling amazing, sleeping great, and I’d be finally losing that extra 30 pounds that I’ve been talking about losing for the past 25 years. On December 29th (my last day at my day job), I thought, “This is it! This is the last day of the stress. The chaos. The last day of having no time to work out or eat healthily. The last day of hustling and grinding. The last day of not being in control of my time and my schedule!!!” What I didn’t realize is that all of those feelings were choices I was making. And it wasn’t just going to suddenly change because I didn’t have to go back into the office on January 2. Don’t get me wrong, these past three months have been amazing. Most days I don’t have to be anywhere. I have access to great coffee. I can wear yoga pants all day. I get to snuggle with my puppy any time. I have natural light in my office. It’s quiet. I love the work I’m doing. I’m not interrupted all day long. I don’t have to sit in rush hour traffic. Many days look like my perfect day, and I’m super grateful for it. BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT FEELING OF CHAOS, DISORGANIZATION, AND STRESS JUST DIDN’T DISAPPEAR ON MY FIRST DAY OF SELF-EMPLOYMENT. Especially not in January, certainly not in February. I didn’t start to feel like I really hit my stride until the last week of March. And after taking some time to reflect on the past three months and why this last week of March has felt so – I don’t know… different – here are four reasons why I think life didn’t just magically change the day I became self-employed. I’M USED TO OPERATING IN CHAOS AND STRESS. I’m always in reaction mode. And that voice in my head says things like,“I have to” or “I need to” or “I gotta.”When I say things like that to myself, it creates urgency and stress. It removes my choices. And it makes it feel like everything needs to be done all at once. I’ve conditioned my mind to believe that I don’t have a choice, so even when I’m aware that I do have a choice, it still uses that urgent, stressful language and I go into reaction mode. And guess what? I’ve always had a choice. My day job never held me back from anything I wanted. I held me back from what I wanted. And I know that I had to go on this journey of building my business to discover that I actually have the power to create anything I want in my life. So I’m starting to notice all the “have-to’s” and changing what I’m saying to myself. “No, you don’t have to. You get to decide if you want to, and if you do, then you get to choose when you do it.” And in order to make the choice and have it not feel stressful, I needed to have a plan. But… I HADN’T MASTERED PLANNING – and tomorrow, I’m going to share with you what I learned to help me with that.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today we’re talking about taking imperfect action. So, when I decided that I was going to create a free video training series to help entrepreneurs build their own websites, I suffered from what I now know to be a severe case of imposter syndrome. Thoughts like, “who am I to teach this to people, I don’t have a computer science degree, I’m not a programmer” popped into my mind pretty frequently. And so what that feeling of insecurity about my knowledge and expertise caused me to do is try to make everything PERFECT. I spent HOURS recording and re-recording my tutorial series. I edited out every single, um, ah, like, and “okay so” that I said. It probably took me about 80 hours to produce a free 5 hour tutorial series. I spent untold hours tweaking details on my website that only I would notice. And I was working full time while I was doing this, so it’s not like I had 80 free hours just laying around. I spent most weekends holed up in my bedroom recording and editing and thank goodness it was college football season and my husband was glued to the TV all day on Saturday because otherwise, he’d be seriously annoyed with me! When you’re working on making things perfect, you’re actually not taking any action at all. Yes, you’re busy, yes, you’re working, but if you never put the thing out into the world, then it’s just an expensive  hobby, not a side hustle. So when I say taking imperfect action, I mean a few things. One, as side hustlers, we simply don’t have long periods of time to put into projects. We have to find a few hours here and a few hours there, and that shouldn’t discourage us from taking on the project. Thoughts like “I don’t have time to add that to my plate right now” pop up, and while maybe you don’t have the time to do it exactly the way you’d do it if you had 40 hours a week to dedicate to it, you can take imperfect action toward making it happen. Maybe that means being a little more flexible with the outcome, maybe it means investing in some help, maybe it means letting go of making sure every um, ah and like is edited out of your videos, maybe it means putting some of your other projects and ideas aside and focusing on just one thing at a time – which if you’re like me, can be really difficult when you listen to lots of business podcasts and read lots of books that inspire you with great ideas! Write them down, save them, but focus on what you’re working on now! The other thing I mean by taking imperfect action is that you can spend all the time you have making something perfect to your standards, but that doesn’t at all mean it’s going to meet someone else’s standard of perfect. You have to put the thing out there into the world first, and adjust it from there. Get feedback, find out where people are confused or stuck and make adjustments from there, because I can promise you, what you think needs to be changed is totally different than what your customers will uncover. And the final thing I mean by taking imperfect action is that I want you to have a plan, but I want you to build some flexibility into the plan so that if something doesn’t go according to plan because maybe your day job had to take priority over another project you had planned, that you’ve given yourself enough time to SLOW DOWN and make adjustments. This is something I constantly struggled with while I was side hustling, it was just GO GO GO until something didn’t go as planned, and then it all fell apart. And if that happens to you too? Guess what, that’s okay to. Just keep moving forward. Keep trying new angles. Because at the end of the day, it’s going to be your persistence in taking imperfect action that’s going to pay off in the long run.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today I’m sharing with you another tool you can use to fall back in love with your day job so that you have the energy to put into your side hustle and so you don’t make any desperate moves that could leave you feeling more stressed and in a bad position financially. So, you know how if you’re having a bad day or something negative is occuring in your life and someone says to you, “Just look on the bright side,” or “You’ll get through it,” or “You just gotta work through it.” and your thinking to yourself, okay, easy for you to say, but HOW? If you’re anything like me, you can’t just change how you feel on a whim. But, you CAN change how you feel. You are in total control of it. I went through most of my life not realizing I was in total control of how I felt and I just needed the tools to quote unquote “Work Through It”. It was through my work with permanent weight loss coach JoLynn Braley that I discovered the tool that I’m going to share with you today. It’s called the emotional vibrational scale, and what it is is a list of 22 feelings that start with things that feel awesome when you feel them, like Freedom and Passion and Happiness, all the way down to insecurity, fear and powerlessness. Get the Emotional Vibrational Scale Worksheet Enter your name and email address and get a free Emotional Vibrational Scale worksheet! You'll also get weekly updates on Fridays with the past week's episodes so you don't miss a pep talk! YES, SEND IT TO ME! 1. Joy/Appreciation/Empowered/Freedom/Love 2. Passion 3. Enthusiasm/Eagerness/Happiness 4. Positive Expectation/Belief 5. Optimism 6. Hopefulness 7. Contentment 8. Boredom 9. Pessimism 10. Frustration/Irritation/Impatience 11. Overwhelment 12. Disappointment 13. Doubt 14. Worry 15. Blame 16. Discouragement 17. Anger 18. Revenge 19. Hatred/Rage 20. Jealousy 21. Insecurity/Guilt/Unworthiness 22. Fear/Grief/Depression/Despair/Powerlessness From the book “Ask and It is Given”, pg. 114 So you can think of these 22 feelings as a ladder. You can’t skip rungs when you climb a ladder, you have to hit every single one on your way up, and then every single one on your way down. And I don’t know about you, but my whole goal in life is to feel joy, passion, enthusiasm, positive expectation, optimism, hopeful and contentment – right? And those are first 7 feelings on the emotional vibrational scale. But what I realized when I was first introduced to this concept is that most of the time I was feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, doubtful, and worried – which are in the middle of the list, and at times I felt despair, powerlessness and insecure, which are at the very bottom. So when you think about your day job or the work you do for a living, how do you feel? Do you feel passion and joy? Or do you feel frustrated? Or even depressed? The first step is to figure out where you are. So say you’re feeling overwhelmed at work. You have tons of deadlines, you’re constantly putting out fires and it feels like you can never get ahead. That feeling of overwhelm doesn’t just stay at work, it follows you home and it compounds and before you know it you’re sliding down the ladder into discouragement and then down into despair. But the deadlines aren’t going to ease up, you’re not going to get any extra help, so now you have a choice. You can slide down the ladder, or you can climb up. So how in the world do you move from feeling overwhelmed to feeling joy and appreciation in this situation? You get out a piece of paper and a pen, you identify where you’re at on the scale, and you write a sentence about how you feel, you move up, write another sentence related to the next feeling, all the way to number one. For example, I feel overwhelmed with all the deadlines at work. I feel frustrated that I’m working late. I feel pessimistic that this situation will change. I’m bored with this work. I want to feel content with this job while I’m here.. I’m hopeful that things will get better. I’m optimistic that the project will be a success. I believe that I will get through this. I’m enthusiastic about the possibilities that lie ahead. I’m passionate about changing how I feel about this job. I feel empowered to do a great job. And maybe you don’t REALLY feel optimistic and hopeful YET, but tomorrow, you’re going to do this exercise again. You’re going to pull out the list of feelings, find where you feel today, and work your way up. Maybe you started at an eleven yesterday and you’re at a 9 today. That’s great. Do it again, until you wake up one day and you’re anywhere from a 1 to a 4. You’ll find that the situation didn’t change, work is still crazy, but you put in the time and effort to change how you feel about it. And when you do that, you’ll have more energy for your side hustle. And this tool can be used with any situation in your life, not just how you feel about work. So I challenge you to do this exercise just for the next 5 days and see if it makes a difference for you – come and join our online community of side hustlers over at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/facebook and request to join our Facebook group and let me know how it went!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today we’re talking about ways we can fall in love with our day job again – but before we dive in, let’s talk about a few reasons why we might want to stay at our day job as long as possible while building our side hustle. First and foremost, our day job provides us with a steady paycheck, and when we have that steady money coming in, we have more freedom in our side hustle to experiment, to make mistakes and make calculated risks. We have the time we need to build a strong foundation in our business, one that’s going to be able to support us financially without draining us emotionally. And we also get the time to decide if owning our own business is right for us – because it’s not right for everyone. It’s a huge benefit to you to have the safety net of a day job to fall back on if you decide that a side hustle just isn’t right for you. So if you’re starting a side hustle to escape your day job like I was, I’m going to share with you a few actionable things that I did – and that you can start to do today to learn to love your day job again so that you don’t make any desperate moves that could leave you feeling more stressed and in a bad position financially. The first thing I did to change my mindset about my day job was to write down 10 things I liked about my day job and 10 things I was grateful for because of my day job every single day. Get the Gratitude Printable Enter your name and email address and get a free Gratitude printable worksheet where you can write down your 10 likes and 10 gratitudes daily! You'll also get weekly updates on Fridays with the past week's episodes so you don't miss a pep talk! YES, SEND IT TO ME! Now, I didn’t come up with this on my own, it was an assignment from permanent weight loss coach JoLynn Braley.   So after I got out of the shower every morning, I’d sit at my desk with a towel on my head, drinking my coffee and I’d pull out a journal and I’d put the date on the page, draw a line down the center and on the left-hand side I’d write the words “10 Likes” and then on the right hand side I’d write “10 Gratitudes” On the likes side, I’d write things like I like that I finally have a window. I like listening to podcasts on my way to work. I like the decorations in my office. I like that we have a keurig. I like my team. I like building websites. And then on the Gratitude side, I’d write things like, I grateful that this job lets me have a roof over my head I’m grateful that I can afford the internet because of my job. I’m grateful that I have electricity. I’m grateful that I have a car. I’m grateful I can put gas in my car. And I did this every day for a month. I’d try to think of 10 different likes and gratitudes each day. And the change was noticeable. It was really amazing to not dread going into work every day, to focus on the positive things and not dwell in the things I didn’t like or couldn’t change. So I challenge you to do this exercise just for the next 5 work days and see if it makes a difference for you – come and join our online community of side hustlers over at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/facebook and request to join our Facebook group and let me know how it went! And tomorrow, I’ll give you another tool that you can layer on to help you feel even better about your day job.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today we’re talking about how being a great employee at your day job can be a huge benefit to your side hustle. So if you’re a normal human being, there are days when you’re at work and you’re just not feeling it. It’s hard to stay focused and be productive, and you’re just distracted. And that’s totally normal. Everyone goes through that from time to time, whether we’ve got something going on in our personal life, maybe we didn’t sleep well, whatever. But it becomes a problem when we find that our performance is dragging more often than not. That can happen when we don’t like what we do for a living. Maybe we have a stressful work environment, maybe we don’t gel with the people we work with. Maybe the work we get paid to do isn’t aligned with our core genius. Maybe we have a side hustle and it’s more exciting than our day job. I experienced all of those things at one time or another. I don’t know any other way to say this other than to just say it, but that’s life. When we have a mortgage and a car payment and a family and financial responsibilities, we don’t always get to love what we do to earn a paycheck. But the good news is, that you can change it. Working at a job that you don’t love is not life sentence, and you have a choice. You can earn a living doing something that you love to do for people that you love to work with. It’s totally possible! No, I don’t want you to walk into your boss’s office and peace out with a two week notice. In fact, I want you to keep your day job. Yep, you heard that right. I want you to keep your day job while you build your side hustle. And if you’re one of those people like I was who dreading going into work every day, then I’d like you to consider changing how you feel about your day job first, and commit to becoming the best employee you can be. Here’s why: First, when you’re an awesome employee, you put yourself in a better position to negotiate flexible work arrangements that will give you more focused time to work on your side hustle. When you have a bad attitude and your performance is suffering and you walk into your boss’s office to ask if you can shift your schedule by a couple hours so that you have more time in the mornings to work on your side hustle, what do you think the answer is going to be? But if you’re a team player who brings positivity and solution-oriented thinking to your job, you’re more likely to get a yes. Second, when you have a positive attitude at work, you have more energy to work on your side hustle outside of work. If you’re stressed out and gloomy all day, when you get home, you’re totally drained. You just don’t have the energy to work on your side hustle. Finally, when you get used to operating from a place of stress and negativity, you can’t just escape it by swapping out one job for another, even if the new one is your side hustle. Because the same negative thought patterns can poison your love for your side hustle faster than you might expect. I want you to get to the place where you love your job AND you love your side hustle because then, anything is possible. And in future pep talks, I’m going to give you some actionable steps you can take to fall back in love with your day job.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today we’re talking about the path to quitting your day job. If you’re starting your own business because you want the freedom, flexibility and financial independence that comes with being your own boss, then I want you to know that it’s totally possible. It takes time, patience and action, but it’s possible. Today I’m going to share with you what the path to quitting my day job looked like for me, and some key takeaways for you as you start on this path. From the very first day that I decided to start a side hustle, I believed that it was possible for me to turn it into my full time job. I’ve never been so sure about anything in my life. I mean, sure, I’ve wanted things before, like to lose the 30 extra pounds I’ve been carrying around with me ever since I can remember. But the difference there is that I’ve never really believed that it’s POSSIBLE to lose that weight. But I’ve believed deep down from day 1 that I could do this, and that belief is what has driven me forward. In my first year, I was a little impatient and naive. I thought it would take me a year to build up the business to the point where I could quit. All I needed to do in my mind was make enough money to replace my day job income. I wasn’t figuring in taxes or expenses or the fact that I was still trying to figure out how to get traction, find my voice and find my ideal client online. And that first year went by FAST. At the start of year two, I was again determined to be able to quit by the end of the year, however, sometime during that year, my attitude about quitting totally changed. I had worked on shifting my mindset about my dayjob – I’ll share more about that in later pep talks – and it no longer seemed so urgent to quit. My new goal was to build up my business as big as I could while working full time, because why not make all the money I possibly could? I wanted to bring in double what I was making at my day job so that I could pay myself the same paycheck and have enough left over for expenses and taxes. And then let’s get our cars paid off, let me invest in professional branding and more powerful systems to run my business. Let me indulge in hiring someone to clean our house every week because I can afford it now, and let me tell you, it’s amazing. Let me build a strong FOUNDATION so that it’s solid when I do quit. So by year three, I was ready. I knew I had reached maximum capacity for the time I could put into the business. I was spending more money than I needed to outsourcing work because I didn’t have the time to do it. I had hit the goal of double my day job income a few times, but it wasn’t sustainable due to my work schedule. So that’s when I decided to put in my 7-month notice. And yes, you heard that right, 7 month notice. I’ll share more about that on a later pep talk. So some key takeaways that I want to point out here is that creating a business that replaces your day job doesn’t happen overnight. It doesn’t have to take 3 years, but but it does require time. And in order to not lose motivation or quit right before things really start to take off, it’s important to have something driving you. My belief that it was possible drove me, and the passion for helping people and the validation I got when I did helped me to keep going. Another key takeaway is using that steady paycheck a safety net while you’re investing the money you’re making back into building a strong foundation in the business so that you have something solid to move into when you do quit. Growing it as big as you can while working full time forces you to put systems and processes in place that you’ll be glad that you did when you go full time. And finally, reward yourself for all that hard work along the way. Pay yourself. I waited too long to do that consistently – but hiring someone to clean my house once a week, and signing up for Blue Apron to have dinner figured out for me 90% of the way – those were luxuries I wouldn’t have indulged in had I not had the extra money from the side hustle. And they helped me to have more time too, which as you know, you can never get enough of! So I hope seeing my path helps you believe that it really is possible to create a side hustle, nurture it and grow it to the point where it can become your only job, and I’ll see you tomorrow!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today we’re talking about the impact of your side hustle on your relationships. When I first started my side hustle, as I’ve mentioned in earlier pep talks, I was doing freelance web design outside of work. It was summer time, and I would come home from work and open up my laptop and start working on client projects, and at first my husband was totally fine with it. He was doing his thing – golf league, outdoor projects, whatever. Before long, my work started to take over. We would go out with friends every Wednesday night, and instead of going with him at the same time, I would work for a couple of hours and then show up later. Before long, every weekend I was stressing out about what plans we had because I needed to make sure I had enough time to get client projects done. If we were visiting family, I’d be on my laptop all morning long while everyone was lazing around in the mornings… and even though it wasn’t interfering with anyone’s schedule, people could tell I was far from focused on spending time with them. My husband was getting irritated – because if you’ve ever heard of the 5 love languages, his love language is spending time. So when I shifted from doing 1:1 client work to creating a scalable, online side hustle, you would think that since I wasn’t tied up with client work that I would have started spending more time with him… But I didn’t, because my love language is words of affirmation, also know as validation – and I was getting a lot of validation from my work helping entrepreneurs build their own websites. Not to mention that I started a “online business”. Doing freelance web design work is easy to explain to someone. Telling people that you make money by teaching something online and earning commissions from products you promote – that doesn’t sound as legit to people who have never heard of it before. So my husband, friends and family didn’t really understand what I was spending all my time doing, they were annoyed that I was constantly working and that I seemed to care more about my work that I did about them, and that made me annoyed that they weren’t validating me with words of affirmation for the great job that I was doing building this online business. Because if I take a really deep hard look at why I do what I do, yes, it’s because I love helping people, but it’s also because I like the validation, if I’m being totally honest. So, I had a choice. I could keep trying to make them understand what I was doing and see it my way, OR, I could decide that friends and family are the most important thing and it was more important for me to make time for them than to get validation from strangers on the internet, and that eventually, even if they never really understood what my side hustle was all about, that they’d support me anyway because they love me. So that’s what I did. And I still do. I make sure to limit scheduling things in the evenings, my husband and I go out just us at least once a week, and with friends at least once a week. We schedule family camping trips, and weekends away with friends. And yes, I still get up and work before everyone gets up, but since I quit my day job my friends “get it”, they kind of understand what I do. So I think when it comes to relationships and people you love and respect giving you crap because you’re spending too much time building this thing on the side, whether they believe in you or understand what you’re doing or not, it’s important to acknowledge their feelings and make time for them, because if not for them, what is it all for, anyway?

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! So yesterday, I shared with you why I think it’s better for people with a full time job to create a side hustle that sells their knowledge and expertise rather than their time, and then I asked you to think about a couple of things to help you figure out what you have to offer and who you want to help. If you missed that, you can find it over at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/10 Today, I’m going to give you the basic steps of how this type of side hustle actually works. So the basic steps are 1) build a website 2) find your audience online 3) build an email list 4) build a relationship with your subscribers 5) turn your expertise into income So let’s break it down: The reason you build a website is to establish yourself as an expert on your topic. It’s your online home, and it’s where you’re going to post blog posts or videos or podcast episodes educating your audience about your topic. It’s also the engine that runs your business. It’s basically the online version of you that people can access while you’re at work, right?   After you build your website, you gotta go out and find your audience, find that ideal customer that you want to serve. Yes, they might stumble upon you from a Google search, but we’re not going to wait. You gotta go out there and find them on social media, on other blogs and podcasts and give them a reason to follow you on social media and  come check out your website. And that reason is going to be all the awesome free content you create for them which positions you as a credible expert on your topic.   Step 3 is building an email list. We want to get people to sign up for our email list because then we can communicate with them later. If they just come to our site, read a blog post and leave, then we’re missing an opportunity to continue the relationship with them. And the way you get people to want to sign up for your email list is to give them a valuable piece of content in exchange for their email address. I’ve heard call it a freebie, other people call it a content upgrade or a freemium. 4) And then after you get them on your email list, you continue to nurture that relationship via email, sending them more awesome free content that establishes you as an expert. 5) Finally, your email list is where you’ll sell whatever it is you end up selling, maybe it’s a online course or a group coaching program or an e-book or a membership site. Something that can be created once, and delivered automatically to your audience when they buy. So that’s the basic overview of how to create a side hustle online so you’re not trading time for money. It does take time to build, and there are ways to monetize all along the way so that you’re not waiting forever to make any money, but what I just described to you is the basic foundation. So what are you waiting for? You can get started setting up your online home today for as little as $2.95 a month with Bluehost. Don’t know what domain name to get? Just get your own name! You can always change it later.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today we’re talking about strategies for creating a side hustle that fits into your busy schedule. So if you’re anything like me when I first started my side hustle, you’re working full time and you need to work full time. You have obligations, and you’re not in a position to just leave that steady paycheck – but you also want to do something you love for a living. You know it’s going to take you some time to get there, a couple years even, so you don’t want to burn yourself out and alienate your friends and family because you’re working all the time. Yes, I did that in the beginning, and it was not fun, and I’ll tell you all about it on another pep talk. So you could create a side hustle where you’re freelancing, doing one-on-one work for clients, but I can tell you from experience that just creates a lot of stress. Now you have more bosses, more deadlines and way less time, and it’s difficult to scale because you’re literally selling your time, and since you don’t have unlimited time, you have limits on what you can make. Or, you can create the kind of side hustle where you sell your KNOWLEDGE and EXPERTISE online instead of your time in person. That kind of side hustle allows you to serve many more people at one time. You don’t have to be physically present to do it, and you can make a lot more money than you can from selling your time. So how do you get started? There are a couple of things to figure out first. Pull out a pen and paper today and answer these questions: What are you an expert in? What do you love doing? What do you love helping people with? What comes easy to you but is difficult for others? What do people ask for your help with? It could be something you get paid to do at work, but it could also be something that’s a hobby, or just a quality you have. The second thing to figure out is who do you love helping? Because let’s be honest, there are some people that when they want your help or some projects that you work on, even if it’s something you typically love doing, when that person asks you, you totally dread it. So what kinds of people do you want to help? And get specific. And then tomorrow, I’m going to share with you what you’re going to do with your answers.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! So when I first started my side hustle, I felt like I was living a double life at work. I stopped going to lunch with people because I was spending that time on my side hustle. My social interactions with people changed because when they’d say, “Hey Shannon, how was your weekend, what did you do?” I’d be all weird and cagey about it because I didn’t want to tell anyone that I spent it working on this side business. And honestly, it felt super weird. I started my side hustle because I wasn’t in love with my job, and keeping this big secret was creating an ever bigger divide. And it was even more noticeable because it was a really small company with only about 20 people in the office, and we all knew each other pretty well. So, it was stressful. My ultimate goal was to grow the business up to the point where I could quit my day job, but since I wasn’t planning to quit any time soon, and I didn’t want to get fired either, I had to make a decision. So being the good student that I am, I went onto our company intranet and looking through all of our policies to see if we had one relating to what I was doing. In fact, we did have a “moonlighting” policy where I was required to disclose any secondary employment if what I was doing was in competition with my employer, they could tell me I had to stop, or they could choose to terminate my employment. Okay, fair enough, I thought. And since what I was doing had nothing to do with them, I figured I was fine… So It was time for my annual review with my new boss who had just started, and I remember sitting in her office thinking, okay, at the end of this I’m going to pull out that policy and tell her about it, and then they can’t fire me for not telling them, and then I’ll be good to go. So what happened next was totally unexpected. My boss says to me, “Oh, that’s fantastic!! I actually own a couple of other businesses myself. Tell me more about what you do!” And that conversation turned into a super supportive mentorship that helped me grow the business, actually made it super hard for me to make the decision to actually leave in the end, and has even led to a consulting arrangement and referrals! So when it comes to disclosing your side hustle to your employer, I think it’s important to consider a couple of things: Do you have any policies related to secondary employment or starting your own business or non-compete agreements? Make sure you understand those, and what the consequences are should you decide to not to disclose.  Do you feel like keeping it a secret will cause you more stress?  How can your side hustle be a benefit to your employer now and in the future?

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! When I first heard the term “Passive Income” I thought about it as something only rich people could create with real estate and stock market investments. And considering that the lack of money was always an issue in our house growing up, I never really believe that it was possible for normal people like me to not have to struggle to make money. Only rich people swim through their piles of money that they made from “passive income”. Or that passive income is some scheme that slimy internet marketers use to try to get rich quick – and by the way, if you’re looking to create a side hustle that’s going to get you rich quick, this isn’t the place for you! But what I discovered is that passive income is a really, really powerful tool for us side hustlers to be able to bring money in while we’re at our day jobs. So think about this: If you’re a side hustler that’s providing a service, like consulting or graphic design or coaching and you’re charging for your time, you have a limited amount of time outside your day job to provide this service. Which is great if you’re only looking to make some extra money, but if you ever want to turn it into a full-time gig and you don’t want to have to quit your day job and then see if you can fill up the rest of those hours, passive income can fill that gap for you. So one important mindset shift that I had to make about passive income is that it’s not like I didn’t have to put any time into it. What makes it passive is that I don’t have to physically be there to do it. I created an educational video series that has various opportunities in it for people to buy things – and they can sign up for and watch any time they want. I put 40 hours into making the thing, and the rest of my time is spent getting the word out about it, every single week. I put the same amount of time into creating passive income as I did into providing one-on-one web design services BUT, it allows me to make more money in the same amount of time than I could just selling my services. Meaning, it’s scalable. I can serve hundreds of people at one time through my website instead of just one person at a time providing an individual service. I used passive income as a tool to help scale my side hustle to the point where I making just as much in my side hustle after taxes and expenses to pay myself the same paycheck my employer was paying me. And after I was able to repeat that for a few months, I decided it was time to quit my day job. And in future pep talks I’ll be sharing more about exactly how I did it.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! One of the biggest struggles I hear from people who want to build a business on the side but work full time is finding the TIME, and I struggled with this too. I’m married, we don’t have kids, but I had a pretty demanding job with long hours before I built my side hustle up big enough to quit my day job. There were many times in that first year that I just felt overwhelmed and stressed out. It felt like I had so much work to do in my side hustle and I just didn’t know where I was going to fit it in. And that’s kindof how I did things – I would just do whatever was top of mind when I had a moment of time. And I felt I was on a neverending treadmill, constantly running but getting nowhere. It wasn’t until I was able to put a few habits in place around my time that I started to make some forward progress. It took 3 years, but I was able to do this a few ways: Getting up at 5AM and working for an hour or so before I had to get ready for work. I know that with a kiddo that might be extra difficult, but there’s no way I had enough energy at the end of a long day to be creative, etc. so doing it first thing was the only way it was getting done! Then, I would block my lunch hour for working on my side hustle – I’d do all the admin stuff during that time, like answering emails, sending proposals, phone calls, stuff like that. The weekends really were the big “work” days, so I’d get up early on Saturday and Sunday and work on my side hustle as long I could until whatever plans we had that day (which again, no kids so that’s a little bit easier for me) – but I think the biggest thing I did that moved me forward was that I’d take a vacation or personal day at least once a month and spend one whole entire uninterrupted day working on just my stuff. And there were days that I was able to shift my schedule, so I’d get ready and leave for work at my normal time, drop my puppy off at doggy day care – yes, you heard that right, we take our lab puppy to doggy day care a couple times a week to let her burn off all that puppy energy – well, she’s a year and a half now, but that last year at the day job she was a puppy puppy – and then I’d go to Starbucks down the street and work on my side hustle for a couple hours. I’d get to the office around 10AM, and I’d stay at work til about 6:30, and then by the time I left, rush hour was over and I’d be home by 6:45 – only about 15 minutes later than normal. On the flip side, I’d get to work by 8 or 8:30, and then stop working at 5PM, hang out in my office and work on side hustle stuff while waiting for rush hour to die down, and I’d only get home like 15 minutes later than normal. Then, there’s something I like to call the Chipotle line strategy. So whenever I’m in line at Chipotle, or Starbucks, or the grocery store or the car wash, whatever, I’m answering emails and engaging with my audience on social media. I’ll even start a voice memo while I’m driving if I have an idea for a blog post or something that I want to remember to write later. So there are lots of ways to make and find time for your side hustle, tomorrow I’m going to talk more about what I DO with that time.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! IMAGINE THIS: You wake up to the blaring of an alarm and after hitting snooze a couple of times, you begrudgingly get out of bed and head straight to the coffee pot for that first cup, the only thing that’s going to make this morning bearable. You’re standing in your kitchen, checking your email while sipping that warm coffee, and a sense of dread just hits you. You really, really don’t want to go into the office today. You can’t quite put your finger on it, but there’s just a sense of dread that overcomes you when you think about getting in your car, sitting in morning rush hour traffic and arriving at work to spend your day doing a job that drains and exhausts you, sitting in rush hour traffic again and having just a few free hours until it starts all over again. What I just described to you is exactly how I used to feel every. Single. Day. I’m Shannon Mattern, and in 2014 I felt drained, depressed and imprisoned at my day job. And the guilt for feeling that way? Ugh, don’t even get me started. I finally figured out that it wasn’t my day job’s fault! If I wanted things to change, I had to be the one to change. Yes, I created a side hustle doing something I loved as part of the solution, but that didn’t mean that I still didn’t have to go to work every day. And when I came home depleted, I had zero energy for my side hustle. The first thing I had to change was the belief that I didn’t have a choice about how I felt. I could decide to hate my commute, or I could do things like listen to podcasts about entrepreneurship that not only made my commute go by super fast, but also made me look forward to it! I could decide to not like my beige office with fluorescent lights, or I could go to the home decor store and buy a pretty rug, a nice lamp, some pictures and a few accessories to make it cozy and pretty. I could decide to opt out of the negative water-cooler gossip mill and focus being a solution seeker rather than a problem-pointer-outer. I could focus on all the things I didn’t like about my job, or I could focus on being grateful for all the things my job afforded me. And once I changed my attitude, I had more energy for my side hustle. Once I changed my environment, it made me happy to walk into my office on a Monday morning. Once I focused on personal development on my commute, my stress level came down. Once I became focused on solutions rather than problems, I could see all kinds of opportunities. So if you’re starting a side hustle to escape a day job that you don’t love, I challenge you to make a decision to change how you feel about your day job. It will help you feel less stressed and overwhelmed and have more energy for your side hustle. And in future episodes, I’ll be sharing some tools with you to help you do just that.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! What you believe plays a huge part in whether or not you’ll find success with your side hustle online. I’ve helped over 5,000 people build their websites for their online businesses, and through helping them, I’ve there are four common beliefs that people have about themselves that hold them back from finding success. Belief #1 – You’re not techie enough to build an online business. So, there’s no such thing as being “techie”. Yes, if you’re going to build a business online, there’s tech involved. There’s no way around it! But it’s not like you’re NOT techie, and everyone else out there understands something that you don’t. The only difference between someone who is “techie” and someone who isn’t is PERSISTENCE. Do you give up when you hit one roadblock, or do you keep looking for the answer? Do you quit when the first thing doesn’t work, or do you try to figure out why it didn’t work, adjust, and try something else? If you’re not going to give up, then I promise you, you CAN understand how all of this works enough to be able to put it together. All of the answers are out there for you. And the right teacher can also be the shortcut that helps you pull together all the tech the right way to create a profitable system for running your business online. Belief #2 – That someone else is already doing it, so there’s no room for you. Thoughts like: Who am I to do this? I’m not an expert. I don’t know enough yet. I can’t charge people money for this. I don’t have a portfolio, or references. I need more experience. These thought patterns can be totally devastating and can kill your dream before it ever has the chance to get started! So here’s the deal: You don’t know everything there is to know about your topic, and you never will.. There are always people out there doing what you do who are farther along than you. This is a good thing!! It tells you that there is a market for your services. People learn from more than one person. I know I do, do you? Look to them as mentors rather than competitors. There are also people out there that know less than you. They are the ones that need your help! You’re just a few steps ahead of them on your journey. You can relate to them. You’re not so far down the path of success (yet) that your results don’t seem attainable. It’s a great place to be! And you are the ONLY one who has your unique perspective, your specific set of experiences and knowledge who can approach what you do the way you do it. No one else has your story. If you share your knowledge from the perspective of what you have learned, what you have tried and what has (and hasn’t) worked for you instead of proclaiming to the world that you’re an expert, it’s SO MUCH EASIER. And yes, you can charge for it. Because your knowledge and experience and skills have value to others, no matter how easy or obvious it seems to be for you, it’s not so easy and obvious for others. Belief #3 – You have to have millions of followers or tens of thousands of email subscribers or visitors to your website to make money online. Yes, it’s true that the more subscribers you have on your email list, the more money you can make. And to be totally honest, it’s my goal this year to double my email list, because I know from looking at the past three years of my business exactly how much I earn from each subscriber. What most people think is that you have to hustle, hustle hustle to build a big email list before you can sell anything, and then you can launch a program or product to your list. There are ways to monetize as people are subscribing your list, even if you don’t have anything to sell yet. If you want to learn more about that, you can sign up for my next free Website Monetization Master Class at www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com/masterclass Belief #4 – The only people that can make money online are people who teach other people how to make money online. My community of side hustlers includes food bloggers, relationship coaches, business coaches, web designers, graphic designers, personal trainers, quilters, travel bloggers, recovery specialists, digital marketers, mom bloggers, fashion bloggers, fertility experts, doulas, parenting experts, physicians and more – all of whom have creating thriving side hustles online. So if you have something that you’re passionate and knowledgeable about, you can create a community around that online, share your knowledge and experience and people WILL pay for that. You just gotta figure out where your passion intersects with their needs, and that’s when the magic happens. So stay tuned, because tomorrow we’re going to talk how your beliefs can influence your success

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! Today we’re talking about what it really means when you feel resistance to an idea. Has someone ever shared an idea with you or given you advice, and you feel major resistance to it? Like, a physical feeling where maybe your chest tightens and you get really uncomfortable and you just want to stop talking about it? Like when you think about putting your first blog post online for the world to see. Or making a video. Or recording your voice for a podcast. Or even scarier, going live on Facebook or instagram. I used to think feeling resistance was a red flag, that it meant something was a bad idea, but what I’ve come to realize is that when I feel resistance, my shield is up and I’m trying to protect my blind spots. I’m trying to be right. I’m trying to stay in control, to have what I “know” to be true continue to be true. It’s a safe place to be. When I have my shield up, I’m not receptive to new ideas. But if I’m safe where I am right now, what’s the incentive to grow? To grow, I need to lower that shield, reveal those blind spots and consider that maybe I need to get a little bit uncomfortable in order to grow. If you’re anything like me, you’re probably always in GO mode. I’m always trying something new, I get impatient and I don’t always give things the time they need to marinate and develop before I decide that it’s not working out and I’m on to the next thing. Because then still right get to be right. It didn’t work, I did it right, so it must not work. Moving on. But what I’m really doing is avoiding taking risks and staying in my comfy little comfort zone. I’m actually really grateful for what I’ve been able to accomplish operating from that safe place.  Quitting my day job, helping over 5,000 people build their website (even if they all don’t stick around on my email list) and starting my business from scratch and figuring it out along the way. Imagine what I could accomplish if I didn’t play it so safe all of the time? If I’m going to get to where I want to be, it’s time to examine that feeling of resistance a little bit deeper to uncover what it is telling me, and let the people that I trust to help me actually help me. If I hadn’t acknowledge resistance to a new idea, this podcast and Alexa Flash briefing would never have happened. I was on my weekly coaching call with my business coach, Vicki Fitch, and I was complaining that no matter what I seemed to be doing, my email list has been stuck right at 4,600 subscribers, and I’m losing people at the same rate that I’m bringing them on, and I’m afraid that I’m not going to make enough money now that I don’t have a secure paycheck… and on and on and on. After we unpacked that I was actually redirecting grief from the recent loss of a close family member into feeling like the ground I was standing on in my business was shaky (a pep talk for another time), Vicki suggested that I needed to expand where I was looking for my target audience, that I was fishing in the same pond as everyone else in my niche and the pond was overfished. And then, she shared with me an idea that I was totally not feeling. She suggested that I create an Alexa Flash Briefing. And here’s exactly what I thought: Yeah, that thing was fun to play with on Christmas Day… I even got one as a gift but I never got around to opening it because I have no use for it. Everything I need to do I can do on my iPhone. I mean, my niece uses it to make fart sounds. That’s going to be a waste of time. “Sure, I’ll look into it.” I said, but lucky for me, Vicki can tell by my voice when I’ve got my shield Lucky for me, she knows that I do that, so she asked me to just research and consider it. Fair enough, I thought, and I lowered my shield just a little bit. As I was doing my research, And then, it all became crystal clear. all of these ideas that have been swirling around in my mind for the past few months that I wasn’t taking action on because I was scared or I couldn’t figure out where they fit with my current business model, or how to execute them – they just came into focus as Pep Talks For Side Hustlers. I could finally see how this new idea was going to help me fish in a different pond while also staying true to who I am and creating fresh new ways to serve my existing audience. When you have that kind of clarity, things come together fast. A completely new brand was born. I built the Pep Talks for Side Hustlers website in just a couple of hours, came up with a list of a year’s worth of pep talks in just a few hours, and recorded, produced, published and scheduled a month’s worth of content in just a couple weeks time. So when you’re feeling that resistance, pay attention. It’s not always a bad thing. And tomorrow, I’m going to share 4 questions you can ask to tap into that resistance and find out what it’s really trying to tell you.

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! This week we’re talking about whether or not you should start a side hustle, and today’s topic is freedom. So, what does freedom mean to you? Depending on your answer, a side hustle may or may not be right for you! When it comes to freedom, it’s meant different things to me over the years. When I turned 16, freedom meant working at the ice cream shop as much as I possibly could to save enough money to buy a car – to drive myself to school and to work! For most of my life, freedom meant having a job so that I could afford a car and rent. I had security. I didn’t have to worry about where my next paycheck was coming from. I could take comfort in a predictable work schedule, be responsible and follow all the corporate rules and be corporate Shannon when I was on the clock, and then let loose and be myself on my own time. And then in my mid-thirties, something changed. Money didn’t feel like freedom anymore. I wanted to do something that mattered. I wanted to be in control of my time. I wanted to decide how much money I earned. I wanted to choose what I wore each day, and feel like I could be myself every day. Suddenly the money wasn’t the most important thing anymore. I was willing to take the risk of an inconsistent income that only I was responsible for generating, instead of a guaranteed steady paycheck. So if you like the security of a steady paycheck and the predictability of a traditional day job, but you also want some extra cash on the side, starting a side hustle that just stays a side hustle forever is totally an option. And if you’re like me, and you’re willing to forego the security of a steady paycheck – in a very calculated, planned way, then a starting a side hustle that you can grow into a full time income is also an option. Here’s the beautiful thing – you get to decide!!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! This week we’re talking about whether or not you should start a side hustle, and today’s topic is motivation. So are you self motivated? Do you need someone to tell you exactly what to do or are you willing to take charge and figure it out? Are you willing to dig in and research and learn what you need to learn to accomplish a task? Or are you waiting for someone to tell you how to do everything? So I’m guessing if you subscribed to my Flash Briefings, then you are the kind of person that is going to figure it out. You’re not the kind of person who waits around for someone to tell you what to do are you. You’re a doer, an action taker, and you won’t stop until you’ve reached your goal. If that sounds like you, then starting a side hustle so that you can work towards quitting your day job and gaining the freedom, fulfillment and financial independence that you crave might just be right for you. So if that’s something that you’re interested in doing, then you’re going to want to stay tuned to my Daily Flash Briefings on Amazon Alexa because I’m going to show you how to build a website, build an audience, and turn your expertise into income!

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at www.free5daywebsitechallenge.com Already have a website? Take the Free "Jumpstart Your Website Traffic" marketing mini-course at www.jumpstartyourwebsitetraffic.com Leave a Review! This week we’re talking about whether or not you should start a side hustle, and today’s topic is money. Can you make enough money from a side hustle to replace your day job income? The answer to that question is yes, absolutely, and the reason that I know is because I’ve actually done it! Three years ago. I started a side hustle teaching entrepreneurs how to build their own websites with WordPress and then I grew it big enough to where I could replace my day job income and take my side hustle full time. The way I was able to do that was not by trading my time for money building websites for people one on one – but by creating different streams of passive income and building an audience online. So if that’s something that you’re interested in doing, then you’re going to want to stay tuned to my Daily Flash Briefings on Amazon Alexa because I’m going to show you how to build a website, build an audience, and turn your expertise into income!