Side Hustle Suitcase

Three features are sitting right inside your Facebook dashboard, and most people scroll past every one of them. In this episode, I walk through the invite tool that grows your following with one tap a day, the desktop planner that shows you exactly what's working and when, and the most overlooked one of all — Page Assistant, the built-in AI that's already telling you what to do next if you'd just...

One text post got someone over 40 comments in a few hours — low effort, high return. In this episode, I break down how to take a post like that and squeeze more out of it: turning it into a quote graphic, a talking-head video, and a reel, then spacing them out to reach the people who missed it the first time. I walk through a real example of mine line by line, plus how to let the best-performing f...

Some of the best-performing Facebook posts right now aren't photos or videos — they're just text. In this episode, I breaks down three real posts (including one of my own that pulled 739 shares), why each one worked, and the exact AI prompts you can use to build your own batch in ten minutes. No camera required. Want to learn more? Visit our new community - Facebook Unlocked. www.paulgowder.com/fa...

I went to the Empowered Podcasting Conference in Charlotte without my usual conference crew — and almost talked myself out of it. In this episode, I share three takeaways that apply to any side hustler, not just podcasters: why going solo to events builds the connections that keep burnout away, why podcasters (and bloggers) who stay single-platform are setting themselves up to get blindsided, and...

Facebook is testing a cap that limits some Pages to just two link posts a month — and people are panicking. In this episode, Paul breaks down what's actually happening with the rumor, why it doesn't matter if you're building your content the right way, and the exact strategy that sent 40,000 page views to powwows.com in three days without a single link in the post itself. What You'll Learn What Me...

You've got about 10 seconds to earn someone's attention before they scroll past — here's how to stop losing them. In this episode, we break down 3 simple shifts (plus one bonus tip) that change how your audience connects with your videos: Talk to ONE person, not a crowd Skip the resume — lead with value Talk like a friend, not a TED talk Bonus: why your first 100 videos won't be your best — and wh...

Kit just launched Subscriber Signals, and I got early access. It enriches your email list with data on who your subscribers actually are: job titles, social following, income estimates, even whether they host a podcast. Sounds powerful. But is it worth going from $33/month to $66/month? In this episode I break down exactly what Signals does, who it's right for, and a simple automation you can set...

You know you need an email list — but how do you actually get people on it? In this episode I'm giving you three things you can do today to start growing your list, even if your following is small. We cover: putting your opt-in link in the first comment of every Facebook post (this alone added 250+ subscribers to my list), using a quiz to turn curiosity into opt-ins, and why you need to stop sendi...

You've probably used AI to write emails before — type a prompt, copy the output, paste it into Kit, tweak it, send it. That works. But it has a ceiling, because the AI is working blind. The new Kit + Claude MCP integration changes that. Claude can now see your broadcasts, your click data, your subscriber list, your tags — and act on all of it directly inside your Kit account. No copying. No pastin...

Google just changed search again. YouTube is rolling out "Ask YouTube." And if history tells us anything — this won't be the last time. The only thing we know for certain in social media and digital marketing is change. The question isn't whether things will shift — it's whether your business is built to handle it when they do. In this episode of the Side Hustle Suitcase, I'm breaking down two thi...

After two friends lost their Facebook pages to phishing scams in the same week, I knew we had to talk about it. These scams are getting more convincing, especially the fake Meta Business Suite “partner request” attacks that can look almost real. In this episode, I’ll walk through what the scam looks like, the red flags to watch for, why your personal profile is the master key to everything you own...

Did you know Facebook lets you set a completely different bio and cover photo for every single group you're a member of? Most people have no idea this feature even exists, I didn't until this week. In this episode of Side Hustle Suitcase, I break down how to turn your group profile into a targeted marketing tool that works around the clock without spamming, pitching, or breaking group rules. I'll...

Are you sharing links that look like they were generated by a robot? Long, ugly URLs are killing your click-through rates — and most people don't even realize it. In this episode of the Side Hustle Suitcase, I'm breaking down exactly how I use a free WordPress plugin called Pretty Links to fix that problem AND track which of my marketing channels is actually sending me traffic. In this episode you...

What if your welcome sequence could always mention your latest podcast episode, newest YouTube video, or this week’s offer... without you constantly going back in to edit it? In this episode of Side Hustle Suitcase, I’m breaking down how I use snippets in Kit to keep my email sequences fresh, relevant, and current, even when those automations were written months ago. I’ll show you: what snippets a...

Not everyone in your community is loud. Some of the most loyal people you have may never comment, never reply, and never join your paid group, but they still feel connected to you through your emails. In this episode, I talk about the hidden power of those quiet readers, why they matter more than you think, and how to write emails that feel more like relationship-building and less like just anothe...

What would you do if you logged in and saw that more than 10,000 people had unsubscribed from your newsletter? Most people would panic. In this episode of Side Hustle Suitcase , I’m sharing why that kind of email list cleanup can actually be one of the smartest things you do for your business. I break down two simple email marketing changes that can make a big difference in your opens, engagement,...

SEO has changed, and if you’re only thinking “blog posts,” you’re missing one of the fastest ways to get discovered right now: short-form video. In this episode of Side Hustle Suitcase , I’ll show you how search behavior is shifting, why Google is indexing video insanely fast, and how you can use a simple “b-roll + voiceover” format to get your content found quicker. I share two real examples: A t...

Want a better home studio setup for YouTube, podcasting, or live streaming? In this episode of The Side Hustle Suitcase , I break down my desktop studio setup and show you how I create a clean, professional look with: Sony A6300 camera - https://amzn.to/4tSIwrl Sigma 16mm f/1.4 lens - https://amzn.to/3OvPuTe Elgato Cam Link - https://amzn.to/4azfHJ7 Ecamm Live - https://ecamm.com/powwows Shure SM7...

I’ve been testing a simple little tweak in how I schedule Facebook posts and it’s quietly added 100 new email subscribers for me, without paid ads and without grinding out extra content. In this episode of Side Hustle Suitcase, I’m walking you through the exact change, why it works, and how to set it up inside your Facebook scheduling tool so your posts do more than get likes and comments, they ac...

Ever feel like Facebook is playing games with your reach? You’re not alone, and a lot of the “advice” out there is straight up holding creators back. In this episode of Side Hustle Suitcase , I'll unpacks three of the biggest Facebook myths you’ve probably heard: Using a scheduler hurts your reach Posting links gets you no reach Posting too often gets you punished Here’s the twist: the tool isn’t...

At a recent creator conference, I heard  @thelizwilcox  say something that hit me hard: “You’re spending money on the wrong stuff.” And she’s right. We’ll drop hundreds (or thousands) on cameras, lighting, or mics — but hesitate to invest in the tools that actually grow our business. In this episode of The On The Way Show, I’m talking about how creators need to start thinking differently...

I just got back from Creator Camp in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, hosted by Ecamm. In this video I share who the event is for, what I learned, and how I am simplifying my setup and my idea process so I hit record more often. Creator Camp is a great fit if you are a creator who uses video to grow your business and community. Not every session is about cameras. The focus is on making video that actual...

In this week's episode of OTW, I’m sharing my favorite online business communities—the places I return to every week to stay informed, get the latest tips, and see what’s working right now. From forums to Facebook groups, podcasts to newsletters, these communities help me stay up to date, engage with like-minded entrepreneurs, and continue learning. I truly believe that finding the right community...

Hitting a big milestone? Don’t just celebrate—bring your community along for the ride! In this episode, I’m sharing how I’m celebrating 100,000 YouTube subscribers with an interactive Spin to Win game, where my readers can score a YouTube Play Button sticker. The best part? You can do the same! For less than $1 per winner , you can run a fun giveaway that boosts engagement, drives traffic, and gro...

I made one simple change to how I upload Reels to Facebook, and the results were insane—a 3,000% increase in views! 😱 In this video, I break down exactly what I did, share the initial results, and discuss whether this is causation or just a wild coincidence. I'll also talk about how I'm tracking the data to see if this growth continues or if it's just a fluke. If you're trying to grow your views...