The Smart Passive Income Online Business and Blogging Podcast

#770 Making your first hire is a massive step in your entrepreneurial journey! If you're onboarding your first employee or contractor or need a refresher on being an effective team leader, listen in because this episode is for you! Of course, I've often had Jess Lindgren, my executive assistant of over ten years, on the show. Go to episode 753 to uncover the lessons we've learned working together...

#769 Very few people work the same job their whole lives anymore. Even so, many of us still perceive having to change careers as having failed. But what if a new role is actually an opportunity? This is the topic of today's conversation with my returning guest, Barrett Brooks. In the decade since our last chat, he has had to reinvent himself several times to uncover the best use of his knowledge a...

#768 We need to talk about pricing. Specifically, we need to discuss how discounts are hurting your business! Don't get me wrong—special offers can work wonders for your sales. So why would we want to remove this tool from our marketing arsenal? Listen in on this session for a behind-the-scenes look at what we're doing at SPI and the cohort-based model that's replaced discounts for us! This has be...

#767 The strategies we used to rely on for growth on YouTube aren't working anymore. So, what are up-and-coming creators doing to build an audience? Which tactics get you more views and subscribers right now? I've had a lot of big names in the YouTube space on the show, everyone from Ali Abdaal to MKBHD. But today, I wanted to get a fresh perspective from someone who is just starting to make waves...

#766 Podcasting is a powerful way to generate revenue, but what are your monetization options if you're not reaching a massive audience yet? The thing is, big sponsors expect a minimum of ten thousand downloads per episode. So, how can you leverage a small, loyal following instead? Listen in because we're back with another incredible Teaching Friday session. Lauren Popish, our guest host, is the f...

#765 How close are you to burnout right now? If you buy into modern hustle culture, overworking yourself at the expense of your health is inevitable. But is this the best way to produce great work? In this episode, Cal Newport joins me to share an insightful look at the productivity habits of knowledge workers throughout history. This is a fascinating chat about how thinkers and creators managed t...

#764 Relying on motivation and willpower alone is not a sustainable way to grow your business. Instead, try building small routines that move you toward your goals every day. But what is the anatomy of a positive habit? How do you apply behavioral science findings to everyday tasks for greater success? Listen in because this Teaching Friday episode is the first of its kind! Our returning guest hos...

#763 Have you ever considered creating an online course? This episode's for you! Already have a course, but your completion rates are low or declining? This episode's for you. Are you curious about how we've restructured our entire business at SPI around better student outcomes and steady recurring revenue? Well, this episode's for you! We have today's guest, Ashley Gore, to thank for one of the b...

#762 Creators like Gary Vaynerchuk post hundreds of times per week across multiple platforms. How is that even possible, and what can we learn from this approach? David Ziembicki of the Expert Business Agency is guest hosting this Teaching Friday episode to shed light on the content engine behind some of the most successful influencers. He shares the blueprint to help you model their system in you...

#761 When we talk and truly connect with someone, our body responds in a powerful way. In fact, we are hardwired to love this feeling of being heard and understood! But how do we unlock and apply the science of communication in content creation and business? Today, I have the honor of interviewing a hero of mine! Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize winner who has sold over three million copies of h...

#760 "If you like this, smash that subscribe button!" We always hear this nowadays. But people don't subscribe because they enjoy a single piece of content. They subscribe because they see value in what's coming next. Most creators get this wrong! In this episode, I want to share a strategy that's working really well for me right now. This is a great way to grow your audience as a podcaster, blogg...

#759 Artificial intelligence is here! We can push against new technology, but people leveraging it will likely outcompete us. So, how do we use AI to streamline our businesses, work fewer hours, and make more money? There's no one better to answer this question than Rick Mulready. Over the years, he's helped thousands of creators build effective business systems. Rick is now taking this to the nex...

#758 What we're fighting for nowadays as creators isn't attention. It's trust! It takes a long time to build your reputation online and just moments to destroy it. Still, this is the key to earning your superfans. This is also the number one thing I've focused on to grow Deep Pocket Monster, my Pokémon YouTube channel, to 750K subscribers! So, how do you build and engage an audience of this size?...

#757 What happens when you stop competing and start collaborating with other creators? This is actually the most effective online growth strategy today. But can we apply this concept to email and newsletters? In this episode, ConvertKit founder Nathan Barry joins me for a chat about the game-changing Creator Network. Listen in because Nathan and I discuss everything from building an email list fro...

#756 I still get nervous all the time. Before recording podcasts, speaking in front of crowds, coaching students, and everything else! Are people going to like me? Will they enjoy what I have to share? The only thing that's changed over the years is my mindset around these questions and what the nerves represent. So, how do you step outside your comfort zone in 2024 and turn uncertainty into excit...

#755 If you want to start a business, focus less on the how and more on the now. You see, overcoming the fears that stop you from even trying is the key to building life-changing success! That's why I have Noah Kagan of AppSumo back on the show to help you shift your mindset and get more of what you want! His new book, Million Dollar Weekend , is the ultimate blueprint for a massive business launc...

#754 In most niches, non-English languages are often underserved. These US and international audiences are a huge market you can tap into to provide value and create new connections! Here's the best part—You don't even have to speak another language or hire employees to open up your business to these new opportunities! So how do you get started? We're back with another incredible Teaching Friday e...

#753 I wouldn't be where I am in business and life without Jess Lindgren, my incredible executive assistant. That's a fact! To help you level up and foster a similar relationship, Jess and I share an inside look at the workflow we've perfected over the last decade. Listen in because this dynamic is an essential part of everything I do, from SPI to Deep Pocket Monster! So how and where do you find...

#752 Many of us would hate to come across as too salesy. In fact, we often overcorrect to the point where it's difficult for people to buy from us. But here's the thing—if you have a good product, you're doing your audience a disservice by not providing simple opportunities to access it. You're also not doing yourself any favors because making money allows you to stay in business, serve more peopl...

#751 At SPI, we want to use our success to build something that helps you on your business journey. And honestly, shame on us if we don't! For today's episode, I hit the record button on the kind of conversation SPI CEO Matt Gartland and I have all the time. This is where we think the industry is going in the next few years and what we're doing about it. We've never shared a behind-the-scenes look...

#760 Hot take—the algorithms are breaking our brains! You see, before we each had personalized feeds on every platform, people were more or less tuning in for the same cultural events. The series finale of M*A*S*H had over one hundred million viewers, and seventy-six million people watched the Seinfeld finale. That's crazy! Is losing this connection with one another contributing to the loneliness...

#749 Building an ecommerce business has always felt separate from what we teach our audience at SPI. But now, big players like Amazon are starting to favor traffic coming from creators like us ! That's right! Finding success with physical products is no longer about shady marketing tactics and gaming algorithms. You now have a massive leg up if you're using the tried-and-true growth strategies of...

#748 I want to start the new year with a truth bomb—your past is not your future! It's too easy to dwell on what went wrong or the paths you didn't take, but all that does is make change feel impossible. So, how do you make 2024 the year you write your success story? For me, growth has always happened just outside my comfort zone. As an entrepreneur, if you're not feeling any discomfort, it might...

#747 I say it all the time—the riches are in the niches! Today's guest, Victoria Moll of Contempo Coding, is the perfect example of someone taking this to the ultimate level. So listen in to hear how she became the leader in her tiny industry and built a six-figure business around it! Victoria has amassed over 100K highly targeted subscribers on her medical coding education YouTube channel. That's...

#746 From business to family and everything in between, we have a lot on our plates as entrepreneurs. It's no surprise that self-care is often not even on our radar. But what can we do to improve our health and vitality when time is limited? Listen in on this episode to find out! Amalia May Valle is a certified health coach, yoga instructor, mom, actor, and part-time flight attendant. With this mu...