Askpat 2.0: A Weekly Coaching Call On Online Business, Blogging, Marketing, And Lifestyle Design

#1240 Some problems are great to have, even though it might not feel like it. When the businesses we’ve been putting valuable time into start to take off, it can get overwhelming. Matthew Usherwood has an office job and a family with two young kids. His brand, Distance Hiker, is growing like crazy, and he needs help figuring out what to focus on. In this coaching call, we reverse engineer what the company could look like based on Matthew's ultimate goal of taking it full-time. He is dealing with a bit of Squirrel Syndrome, so I help him prioritize the strategies that can work best for him. Matthew is also reluctant to rush into monetization and come off as salesy. You’ll hear me share my perspective about products that offer true value and how to get them in front of people the right way. Join us to learn about the tools we can leverage to stay on top of our growing businesses. Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/ap1240.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at

#1239 In business, different is sometimes better than better. Keith Hayden, is a prime example of this. He is an author and is doing incredibly unique things online to promote his fiction book. Keith has come up with a fantastic audiovisual "book experience" that breaks his novel down into bite-sized chunks for social media. But how should he go about getting more eyeballs on his content? We talk about building word-of-mouth, which is vital for any book release. We also discuss Keith creating these “book experiences” for other authors as a side gig. The inspiration for a lot of what Keith is doing is the sense of belonging he felt when he was military. He wants to recreate that for his superfans, which is very smart. This is an inspiring chat for all of us looking to build loyal, targeted audiences. Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/ap1239.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#1238 What can people get from you that they can’t get from anyone else? This is a vital question that many beginner entrepreneurs can't answer. When I asked Joe Casabona about his unique offer, his reply blew me away. So what does he do? Joe helps podcasters earn their first $10,000 off of their shows! In this coaching session, we talk all about lead magnets. Joe wants to grow his email list, and he and I brainstorm some ideas to take the freebies he’s offering to the next level. Joe also hosts Make Money Podcasting and wants to reach a larger audience with the show. I talk to him about getting guest spots on other podcasts and how to maximize the impact those appearances have. I had a blast on this call with Joe, and we covered a lot of ground with plenty of tips for you along the way. Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/ap1238.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#1237 Do you even need to use social networks at all? Social media is what we make of it, that’s why it’s vital to have a conscious approach if we decide to use it. Natasha Carrillo has been off social networks for the past ten years and is struggling with that decision. She co-hosts the Black and Brown Make Green podcast and wants to spread her message to more people. In this coaching session, we talk about social media as a broad-asking system instead of a broadcasting system and what that means exactly. We also discuss specifics like how much time to put in, how often you should post, and where. Many podcasters struggle on social media because they don’t have the right mindset. So we get into some podcast-specific tactics today as well. Natasha asks all the right questions in this episode, and this is a great one to help us protect ourselves against the pitfalls of social media. Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/ap1237.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notic

#1236 In this "Where Are They Now?" session, I’m chatting with Cassidy Tuttle. She’s been a student of mine for a long time, and I actually had her on the SPI podcast way back on episode 283. Cassidy's Succulents and Sunshine is booming right now, and she needs help handling the growth and success of her business. Often when we first start delegating tasks to free up time, we end up giving ourselves a new job as a micromanager. Cassidy wants to become more comfortable letting others run with her ideas and things not turning out exactly how she envisioned them. She also understands that she can’t always be the face of her brand but doesn’t want to disappoint her audience. As our businesses grow and change, we sometimes just need to get out of our own way. So listen in, get inspired, and take your business to the next level! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/ap1236.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#1235 It can often be overwhelming to think about how we could grow our businesses. But one easy way to scale is to go just one level beyond what’s expected of us. In this coaching call, I’m chatting with Dustin John Staats of BGE's Tabletop. They sell board games online and have also opened up a brick-and-mortar store recently. Dustin wants to provide more value to his customers and keep them coming back. He’s already doing some really smart things, like sending a Bonjoro video with every order to make the buyers feel special. We talk about defining value for his target audience and putting the spotlight on his community. Dustin and I brainstorm some cool ideas for his store that will inspire you to apply this kind of approach to your business as well. We also get into Deep Pocket Monster, and I talk about the strategies I use to stand out in the crowded Pokemon space and serve my audience there. Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/ap1235.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Californ

#1234 As a solopreneur, what do you do when your business idea finally takes off? If you don’t see a problem here, let me explain. You’re planning the next move, you’re creating content, you’re working on new products, you’re doing customer support and filing taxes. You’re doing everything! That’s where Chris Gilmour is at right now. He’s been a student of mine for a long time. He went through Smart From Scratch, our beginner entrepreneurs course, and explored a couple of ideas before landing on ChrisOutdoors.ca. His business is booming, but Chris is doing everything himself and feeling overwhelmed. So how should he grow his business from here? Listen in on this coaching call to hear us brainstorm strategies that would help him free up his time and bring in more customers. I walk Chris through everything from mastering the most relevant platforms right now to letting go of certain tasks and starting to hire out. Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/ap1234.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/priva

#1233 A mistake many entrepreneurs make is to undercharge for their products. We want to help as many people as possible, if we don’t charge our worth we’ll never land on a sustainable business model. I’m chatting with Aneliya Manolova and Pierre Debraux today. They run Sci-Sport.com, where they provide clear and objective information about sports and exercise science. They have the PhDs to back them up but are afraid to start charging. I felt the same way when I first started selling and I walk them through a few thought experiments to figure out the best pricing strategy for them. We look at how the perception of value would change and the kind of clients they’d attract at different price points. I also help them see their offering in the larger context of what their target audience members are buying to get similar results. Lots of takeaways today. Enjoy! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/ap1233.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/p

#1232 Today, we're back with another Where Are They Now? session. Back in episode 1181, Wendy Lewis had a book coming out, and she was creating her first online course. She was feeling overwhelmed, so I gave her some tips about starting small and keeping things simple. Something I said really stuck with her: “Fail small to win big.” I should say that more often. So how has Wendy been taking action? She’s a board-certified reflexologist and taking that kind of business online can be difficult, but she’s been doing a fantastic job. We talk about her ups and downs and hear about the amazing beta launch she just did for her course. We also talk about all the fun things Wendy has planned for her business and how SPI Pro is helping her stay motivated. Make sure to listen in on our call and use the inspiration to take action in your own business! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/ap1232.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-

#1231 As entrepreneurs, we provide value in our niche through great products and services. But what if your target audience never buys anything from you? What if someone else is making the actual purchase? Jeff Gargas is dealing with this in his business, Teach Better. They market themselves to teachers with free content, but then it’s school administrators or curriculum directors who pay for their premium offerings. This type of business model comes with some challenges but also some opportunities that Jeff and I explore today. He has new courses coming out all time and a membership site. We go through a few thought experiments and land on several options that would expand this side of his business. Jeff has a lot of knowledge and asks some deep questions about pricing. We zero in on finding the strategy that would best serve his audience and bring in more revenue. Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/ap1231.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art

#1230 Two things will change the game for you when you're scaling your business: relationships and stories. So how do you leverage them the right way? Today I talk to Caelan Huntress. He has a book coming out called Marketing Yourself, so we get to go into the nitty-gritty of expanding your reach. Caelan is planning a podcast tour for his upcoming book, which is really smart. But how should he message podcasters he’s not connected with yet? I get a lot of requests, so we dive deep into what works and what doesn’t. We talk about leveraging existing relationships, cold messaging podcasters the right way, using stories to have a massive impact, and some neat tricks you can use to get in front of more people. Podcast tours are a fantastic way to grow your business. Caelan asks all the right questions, so we come up with some great ideas and lots of actionable tips in this session. Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/ap1230.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at

#1229 Junaid Ahmed has been behind the camera for three decades, but after meticulously setting up his home studio and sitting in front of the camera for the first time the words just wouldn’t come out. He managed to solve his problem and is now busy helping others do the same. The thing is, as a father of three, time is limited. How does he scale up from one-on-one coaching and grow his business? Today we talk about the special mechanisms coaches can use to have more impact. We brainstorm some genius ideas to move his brand forward and free up the time he needs to spend with his family. Junaid admits he’s deep in the weeds and can’t see the whole picture. On this call, I help him zero in on a strategy that takes full advantage of the skills and strengths he’s developed. Show notes and more at smartpassiveincome.com/ap1229.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#1228 Today we're speaking with Sally Sparks-Cousins, who has an amazing brand that helps entrepreneurs build, measure, and optimize their sales funnels. You can find her at Sparkle Class Academy or TheFreedomFunnelFormula.com. Our focus today is hiring, because Sally is both a visionary and an integrator. She has great ideas as a visionary. And as an integrator, she wants to plan and execute and get her hands dirty building things. There are a lot of things Sally wants to hold onto—but a lot of things she knows she'll get back if she hires the right person. So who does she hire, and how does she maximize her investment? Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/ap1228.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#1227 How do you create passive income as a coach who spends a lot of time teaching your clients directly? That's what we're talking about today with Maxine Shapiro, a coach who also has a customer experience podcast called Let's Talk About CEX. She's feeling like she can't branch out into passive income because the business revolves so much around her. We explore some things she might do to expand her brand and start generating passive income. Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/ap1227.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#1226 Today we're speaking with Dave Donahue from GuitarACO.com. He's a guitar teacher with a private student base, as well as a YouTube channel. Dave just launched a new member community with his initial group of about 20 “alpha” members. I help him figure out how to structure his course to create the best experience for his students. We also discuss YouTube ads and other potential ad platforms that could help Dave get more members. We even talk a little branding. Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/ap1226.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#1225 Today we're speaking with Tim Phillips from Sober and Happy. He's getting started on his journey with a business that helps people get sober and build the life they want. Tim has his foot in many different places, as far as content creation, social media, and building community. In this episode, we're going to narrow things down and figure out where Tim should—and shouldn't—be focusing his energy. He's drawn to blogging and podcasting. Should he focus on just these channels? Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/ap1225.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#1224 Today, we're speaking with Toni Weiss, a screenwriter from Germany. Tony has an idea to help other screenwriters with his own online course—but he's got a limited amount of time because he has to direct and produce a new movie of his own. He's almost done filming and editing his screenwriting course, but what kind of a course should it be—fully prerecorded, or with some live training? Should he use a cohort-based course model? How should he price it and market it? He doesn't have really have an audience for it yet, so how should he build one? Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/ap1224.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#1223 Today I'm excited to chat with Matt Woicik from ml2solutions.com and digitalmarketingextreme.com. Pre-pandemic, Matt connected with a lot of local businesses in person through places like his local Chamber of Commerce. But once in-person connections shut down—and many businesses starting struggling just to keep their doors open—Matt found his leads starting to evaporate. I help him brainstorm creative ways to generate more leads for his business and get in front of new audiences. Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/ap1223.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#1222 Today we're speaking with Phil Hayes-St Clair of philhsc.com. He's a girl dad, serial entrepreneur, and educator. He owns a talent for relationship building. He's been so successful at making connections that he's had a lot of people asking him how he does it. So, he created a course with the help of our Heroic Online Courses course, and he's already got a beta group of students learning from him. But how should he scale it without taking away from the other important things in his life? We talk about a few strategies he could try, as well some he shouldn't. Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/ap1222.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#1221 Greg Langston from CollegeFlightPlan.com is today's guest. His business helps teens (and their parents) understand their values, purpose, and superpowers so they can make good decisions about their education and career. This is stuff I wish existed when I was in high school, and I'm sure many other parents have understood just how powerful this kind of support can be, especially if it can save them tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars. So what does Greg need help with? Well, he has two target audiences—students and parents—and he needs to know if he's on the right track with how he's marketing to both of them. Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/ap1221.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.