The Smart Passive Income Online Business and Blogging Podcast

#426: In an effort to spend more time listening to and amplifying the voices of SPI's Black community, we invited people to submit a recording via SpeakPipe sharing whatever they felt comfortable. Team Flynn did not disappoint. Numerous Black entrepreneurs responded, sharing their challenges, promoting their businesses, sharing advice and resources, and telling their stories. Podcast show notes av...

We’re pausing our regular content this week to honor and mourn the lives of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and the countless others in the Black community who have been taken too soon. My teams at SPI Media, Fusebox, Flynndustries, and SwitchPod are taking stock of what we need to do to help bring an end to systemic racism. We’re also opening up a forum for our Black community member...

#425: Imagine you sell a valuable premium product—one people aren't buying because of the high price point. How do you get them to buy? In this episode I share an honest, authentic marketing tactic used successfully by my friend Rick Mulready, from The Art of Online Business Podcast and RickMulready.com. Here is step-by-step guidance on leading people to a higher-priced product using a lower-price...

#424: Ann Handley is a Wall Street Journal-bestselling author who helps businesses escape marketing mediocrity to ignite tangible results—and she's here to talk about how we can best portray our authentic selves to effectively market our brands. Learn why so many people are bad at marketing, an incredibly simple way to approach marketing that turns what most people do on its head, and whether lika...

#423: In this episode of the SPI Podcast, I talk to Prerna Malik about how to become a better conversion copywriter. You'll learn the elements of Prerna's proprietary copywriting process, how to lead a browser to become a buyer, the difference between a bad testimonial and a great one, and how to get social proof before you even have your first customer. Podcast show notes available here: https://...

#422: In this solo show, I share a little ten-point quiz you can take to test the strength of your email marketing strategy, and I let you in on some of my email marketing secrets. This isn't the traditional stuff I hope you’re doing already, like writing great subject lines, cleaning your email list, and paying attention to deliverability. No—these are tips from deep inside the Smart Passive Inco...

Podcasting has definitely been affected by the pandemic. Numbers are down for some, however, in some industries, the numbers are way up. Why though? Also, why might now be a great time to start a podcast, and how do we, in this environment, best grow our podcast? All that and more in this episode. Check out Buzzsprout, which we talk about in this episode:  smartpassiveincome.com/buzzsprout. And do...

#421: In this episode, I interview Deborah Niemann, who helps people all over the world raise their goats and make cheese and soap via her online courses. We cover how to position yourself as the expert and actually be that expert, ways not to create your online course, and the importance of collecting email addresses early on. Podcast show notes available here: https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/...

#420: Self-proclaimed serial entrepreneur and childhood classmate of mine Jeff Fenster is here to tell us how he's created multiple successful businesses in an all kinds of spaces. These include a small payroll company, a digital marketing agency, a construction company, and most recently, a healthy-dining establishment. You'll learn about the different "types" of entrepreneurial minds, what it me...

At a time when we are craving connection and the ability to connect with others, there's an amazing opportunity in the online world that you may be able to create a business from - membership websites. Memberships right now are thriving, bigtime. In fact, we at SPI are working on one of our own right now, and we wanted to bring Stu McClaren on to talk about this opportunity and even how to validat...

#419: For this special episode, I asked some of my parent entrepreneur friends a few questions about owning your own business and working at home. Then, the unprecedented health crisis of 2020 happened, and they found themselves in even closer quarters with their kids. You'll learn tips, plans, strategies, and tools for juggling family and business, and how to ask for forgiveness when the inevitab...

#418: Jordan Harbinger, often referred to as “The Larry King of podcasting,” talks about the role of luck in business success and how to cultivate relationships with publicists, agents, and others. His podcast, The Jordan Harbinger Show, has been a top 50 iTunes podcast for over twelve years and receives over six million downloads per month. Podcast show notes available here: https://www.smartpass...

#417: Joining me for this episode is Michael Hyatt. He's been a guest here on the show several times in the past, and he's one of our favorites. He has a book that just came out called, The Vision Driven Leader. In this episode, Michael talks about the ideas in this book and how he came to be such a successful and admired leader. You'll learn: how to figure out which opportunities are relevant and...

#416: On this SPI podcast episode, Grant Baldwin from TheSpeakerLab.com is here. Grant loves to be up with a microphone in front of a group of people. He just released a book called The Successful Speaker, and he's here to share some great advice about preparing for a presentation. Have a listen. You'll learn, why speaking might be a great gig for you, the most important questions to ask yourself...

Pat and Matt discuss getting laid off, and the next steps you can take to turn your knowledge into a potential freelancing career, either on the side, or potentially full time. Pat discusses his layoff in 2008 during the recession and how to set yourself up for success mentally, and Matt takes it home to give you specific advice on where to potentially go from here. Read more here: www.smartpassiv...

Pat Flynn and Matt Gartland (CFO + COO of SPI Media) come together to chat about the current state of businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health comes first, however almost every business, online and offline, is being affected by what's happening, and Matt and I wanted to come on to share some thoughts about how to navigate these turbulent times with your business. From finances to team cultu...

#415: If you've ever thought about getting into the world of voice-over work, today's guest is here with a ton of information about how to use your voice to make money. Mike Russell and his wife, Isabella, are co-founders of Music Radio Creative. Today, he shares his story about how he got into voice-over work and built his amazing agency. You'll learn how you can break into the voice-over space,...

#414: In this episode, we talk with Erika Vieira who started a podcast because she was curious about the world of successful female YouTubers. She now has a six-figure business and amazing relationships with YouTubers who are helping her grow her own audience and authority. You'll learn about unexpected opportunities that podcasting can create, how you can turn your curiosity into something that p...

#413: In this episode, I talk with Mark Dawson who made more than $1.5 million last year alone from self-published books. Now, he teaches other people how to put out self-published books, and he has very unique strategies and a formula for doing that. Listen in and learn why self-publishing worked better than traditional publishing for Mark, how to position yourself for success when publishing boo...

#412: In this episode, we're talking with Darrell Vesterfelt who can give us the low-down on all things partnerships. A partnership brings another pro onto your team to focus on what they do best, so you can focus on what YOU do best. And you both have ownership of the venture. Listen in to learn why sole entrepreneurs might consider forming a partnership, the first steps toward bringing a partner...

#411: Is the market that you are serving viable for a long-term business model? Is it actually possible for you to succeed and make money in that space? Well, that's what we're going to talk about today with special guest Ryan Levesque. You'll learn the two most important things you need to be successful in business, how to not choose a bad market, and how to find a market-size sweet spot. Read th...

SPI #410: In one day, Mark Bowness' marriage ended, he lost his job, and he lost his community and sense of self. He was at rock bottom. Now he's a leading authority helping coaches, consultants, experts, thought leaders and entrepreneurs to build purpose-driven tribes. In this episode, you'll learn how to amplify your work and impact through building community, the four key elements of a tribe, a...

#409: If you've ever thought that you don't have enough time to do everything you want to do, listen to this podcast episode. I interview my executive assistant, who has made it possible for me to focus on the big picture items on my to-do list. She's super organized, and, well, it's time for you to get to know her. You'll learn how to work with an executive assistant, how to build a strong relati...

#408: In this episode, we're talking with Shannon and Bryan Miles from Belaysolutions.com. They have a three-pronged approach to helping entrepreneurs get the support they need— featuring virtual assistants (VAs), bookkeepers, and web assistants. You'll learn how to determine the right time to hire an executive assistant, what the qualities of a great virtual assistant are, and how to take the fir...

#407: If you’re a parent and an entrepreneur, or a kid and an entrepreneur, or a parent of a kid-entrepreneur, or just want to be part of a fun conversation, this podcast with Steve Chou is one you’ll want to listen to. Steve and I have come together because our kids are both entrepreneurs. We talk about how our kids got started in entrepreneurship, how much influence we have (or don’t have) on th...