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!

Pep Talks for Side Hustlers

Ep. 288 - April 2020 Income Report

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!

Ep. 287 - Using Podcasts to Grow Your Side Hustle with Angie Trueblood

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!

Ep. 286 - From Passion Project to Entrepreneurial Empire with Brooke Eliason of Female Foodie

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!

Ep. 285 - Growing a Niche Travel Blog from Scratch with Jessica Cerna of My Curly Adventures

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!

Ep. 284 - March 2020 Income Report

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at 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

Ep. 283 - Validating Your Ideas with Elle Drouin of Styled Stock Society

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at 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  

Ep. 282 - Print on Demand Self Publishing with Kelli Roberts of Kelli Publish

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at 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

Ep. 281 - You Can Do More Than You Think with Chris Guillebeau

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at 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  

Ep. 280 - Taking Home a Bigger Paycheck from your Side Hustle with Danielle Hayden

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!

Ep. 279 - February 2020 Income Report

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at 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

Ep. 278 - Redefining Motherhood and Business with Pinterest Marketing Expert Monica Froese

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at 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

Ep. 277: Growing a Product-Based Side Hustle with Katie Hunt of Proof to Product

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  

Ep. 276 - Using Facebook Live to Grow Your Side Hustle with Caylie Price

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!

Ep. 275 - January 2020 Income Report

Build a website in just 5 days (even if you're not techie) at 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/

Ep. 274 - Trusting Your Intuition in Your Side Hustle with Jenna Irvin

If want to know how to market your business online, former side-hustler turned full-time entrepreneur Shannon Mattern shares all her best online marketing strategies. She also shares her side-hustle to self-employed experience to inspire you to build a successful side hustle that can replace your day job income. Growing a business while working full time is challenging, but it can also be extremely rewarding! Get Shannon's best insider tips, tactics and actionable strategies for starting a side hustle, including mindset, time management, work-life balance, relationships, marketing strategies, money, and how to grow a business while working full time. Learn more about Pep Talks for Side Hustlers and find freebies, resources and show notes at https://www.peptalksforsidehustlers.com

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Pep Talks for Side Hustlers

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