How I Built It

I had a t-shirt in college that was my prized possession. It read: "There are 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't." The joke being that 10 or “one zero” in binary is actually “2” in decimal.I’m sure if I looked hard enough, I could find my college ID from freshman year, where that shirt is featured. The shirt is top-of-mind because I saw a post on LinkedIn that made me think of it. It made me realize: There are two types of people in the world. Those who ask for answers, and those find them. ★ Support this podcast ★

If you’ve ever heard me say, “I’m a recovering WordPress developer,” you’ve also heard me credit today’s guest, Kronda Adair. And while she started in WordPress, she quickly moved into one of my favorite areas of expertise: automation. Specifically, Kronda’s an email automation expert. And today, she’s going to tell us the RIGHT process for automation, how to test, and why your business depends on email automation.Top Takeaways:Automation is employing technology to improve your processes. You can vastly improve how you work, and your customer’s journey if you automate the right things.To start, step away from the tools and focus on the process. Map what you need to do with pen and paper. Once you do that, you have a job description. And you need something to fulfill that job. That’s when you look for the tools.Two things you need to do with automating email: do it manually first; this helps you make that job description. Next, go through the automation yourself. See what the subscriber will see. This may be t

 Last week I told you about the best way to create an only course...but what's the best way to sell it? I firmly believe tools like Teachable and Kajabi are overpriced. When looking at LMSs, I turn to WordPress. And these days, Sensei is doing the coolest stuff, as it attempts to retake the title of best WordPress LMS.This clip is brought to you by Sensei - Automatic ★ Support this podcast ★

There’s an old adage that more people are afraid of public speaking than of death, meaning that at a funeral, more people would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy. I suspect that when push came to shove, most people would actually choose the eulogy, but that’s beside the point. Public speaking is hard. And truth be told, most people are bad at it…if you feel that way, don’t fret. Mike Pacchione is here to help. He’s coached people like James Clear, Amy Porterfield, and Donald Miller on public speaking, and today, he’s teaching us his best stuff.Top Takeaways:The greatest gift you can give your audience is to be completely present with them. That means don’t memorize! Know your stuff, practice your talk, and be with them in the room!Most people say too much. Embrace silence and be concise. Silence lets a point land, and communicates to your audience, “hey. That was important. Remember it.”The best speeches are not the ones you’ve given the most. Back to the first point, they are the ones where you’

Too many people create online courses the wrong way. They go into a cave for 6 months, develop the course based only on what they want to teach, then announce it's for sale...to crickets. Sound familiar?There's a better way! A way that will save you time, validate your idea, and make you money faster.This clip is brought to you by Sensei - Automatic ★ Support this podcast ★

Marley Majcher, The Party Goddess turned Profit Goddess, was running a business but not making money — despite her degree from Georgetown. But she managed to turn it around with this “one weird trick.” OK — so that sounds clickbaity, but it’s true. See, Marley didn’t have a system in place for her business. She, like many creators I think, wasn’t spending her time wisely. So, she decided to do something about it: she decided to learn how she was spending her time, organize those tasks, and figure out the crucial ones that actually made money. And it all started with the one “Weird” trick: Time Tracking.Top Takeaways:Revenue goals are not profit goals - You can make $1M but if you’re spending $1.1M, you’re going in the wrong direction.Most creators don’t think they need to time-track because they don’t do client work. But they are WRONG. You need to know if you’re spending 2 hours on a video or 8 hours on a video to know if that’s a profitable activity for you.Aside from just understanding tasks, time tracking

Paid Memberships Pro is the lifeblood of my main product offering, The Podcast Liftoff Playbook. So in this first bit of 2023, I want to tell you everything I love about the plugin, and why I thought it best for my membership/learning site.This clip is brought to you by Paid Memberships Pro ★ Support this podcast ★

It's episode 300! I thought I'd wax poetic on the top 10 things I've learned from both running this show, and the guests I've had on. After that, I talk a little bit about what's in store for How I Built It, and where I'd like it to go in the future. Plus, in the PRO show, I talk about what life without Twitter has been like. Become a ProTop 10 LessonsBuild Your Email ListTalk to your customersExperimentNiche/Specialize/FocusDon't be afraid to say noPeople care about the problem you're solving. Not you, not the tech you used. The problemTell Good StoriesDo things that don't scale at firstShip what you have and iterateDon't be afraid to askShow NotesConvertKitPodcast LiftoffLearning Management and WordPress: LearnDash with Justin FerrimanMaking Better Leaders with Chris LemaDesigning the Profitable Project Plan with Jennifer BournThe Best Way to Build Community is Easier Than You Think with Drew DillonThe Most Important Thing You Can Do as a Creator with Marie PoulinTurning WordPress Sites into iPhone Apps wit

Most attempts to start a community these days feel a lot like the approach the Underpants Gnomes from South Park took in making money. Step 1: Launch a Discord, Step 2: ???, Step 3: Community! But it’s not like that at all. And Drew Dillon, founder of Burb and community expert, is here to set the record straight.Top Takeaways:You need to think of the community as a business. Create a reason for people to care and engage. And close the look by making sure the community isn’t just about you - it’s about people connecting.Start with a hypothesis. Ask what you think your audience has in common and why they might want to come together. Then test and iterate. Start with a Zoom call first and see if people want to connect after.Do things that don’t scale at first. With 10-20 members, you can really get to know them and understand their needs (and those of the community). Around 50, you’ll likely need to start automating.Show Notes:Drew DillonDrew on TwitterDrew on Linkedin Burb on LinkedinSPI 603: The Secret to Buil

Molly Keyser made half-a-million dollars selling a 15-page, $59 eBook without spending money on ads. How do you ask? She created something SUPER valuable, that immediately made the buyer money. And throughout this episode, Molly is going to tell us how she went from professional photographer to online educator making digital products, all by knowing and serving her niche. There’s A LOT to unpack, and I know you’ll find a lot of actionable tips here.Top Takeaways:Clearly define your niche so you can serve them, and stay true to that niche. Remember: Just because you know how to do something doesn’t mean you should teach it.For your digital products, you need to solve a problem for your audience. Painkillers sell better than vitamins most of the time. And bonus points if you can point to immediate ROI.If you (or you from 2 years ago) aren’t your ideal client, immerse yourself in communities of your ideal clients so that you can learn their biggest pain points.Show Notes:Molly KeyserMolly on YouTubeMolly on Face

We’ve been told for years that creating an “ideal customer avatar” is the best way to understand your audience. But the truth is that’s just guessing on your part. Do you know how you actually get to understand your customers? Have customers! Talk to them, and then write content for them. That’s what Will Shultz recommends. And as a Sales and Marketing coach, he knows a thing or two.Top Takeaways:You need someone in-house to make your content. That’s how you’ll create great content that shows a deep understanding of your customer and their journey.If you’re having trouble coming up with content, take what you’re creating for a specific client and generalize it. That way, you’ve written for someone. Chances are there are similar folks out there.Don’t worry about giving too much away for free. You differentiate yourself by becoming trusted and valued. You do that by showing people you deeply understand their problems.Show Notes:Will ShultzWill on LinkedinFree Virtual Consulting SessionsUpgrade 438Join the Creat

I know what you’re thinking. Budgets? That’s what you’re going to base your entire year on.I know this because that’s what my wife said. But fear not, my friends. Like Transformers™, it’s more than meets the eye.Show Notes:My 2023 Yearly Theme Cortex PodcastJoin the Creator CrewSponsored by: Paid Memberships Pro | Ahrefs | LearnDash ★ Support this podcast ★

Earlier this year, Amazon announced the Kindle Scribe -- their competitor to the reMarkable 2. It's more affordable, they had an initial deal for Prime members, and a good trade-in price for my Kindle Oasis. SO the $500 device got down to $238. I bought it. Here are my initial impressions. Show NotesKindle Scribe reMarkable 2Read my initial thoughts Want to see a video demo? Join How I Built It Pro ★ Support this podcast ★

The show is on break, but that's not preventing me from adding a bonus episode or two! It's no secret I love automation, and invariably those automations spill out into my personal life. I view the holidays as a great opportunity to flex some home automation muscles. Here's what I did, what I use, and some improvements. In the PRO show, I get into the gory details, share my shortcuts, and talk about Matter and the future of home automation. Show NotesBecome a PRO memberPhillips Hue Color BulbsPhillips Hue Play Color Smart LightsPhillips Hue GoPhillips Hue Light StripsMeros Smart PlugsMeros Outdoor Smart PlugWemo Smart Plug ★ Support this podcast ★

It’s the time of the year were small business owners and creators have some extra time to tinker with (or fully redesign) their websites. I’m here with Copywriter Ame Proietti to tell you to skip the new design and focus on the copy instead. We get into what makes good copy, blog posts vs. sales copy, and we finish out with how to write good scripts. As you prepare for 2023, good copy will be at the heart of what you do thanks to Ame’s advice. Plus, in the Pro show, we broke down the sales page Ame wrote for me.Top Takeaways:Where blog posts are meant to share and educate, copywriting is meant to convince people to take an action. Ame calls it “assembling” words and sections in the best way for your target audienceTo get the best copy, you need to talk to customers. Ame recommends interviewing 3 customers and gathering testimonials to learn how you people and the language they use, which you can then mirror in your copy.Bringing in someone else can help you get the best results. They are objective and don’t k

It’s a good old fashioned podcast swap with Good People, Cool Things! I really enjoy this show, and the interview we have queued up for you is great.This is a conversation with Jessi Burg, who started Outgrow Your Garage so she could answer the questions and develop the resources for small business owners that she wished she had when starting out as a business owner. Some of the top highlights include how to overcome common struggles for business owners, the benefits of online courses, and why she encourages an airing of grievances among employees. Be sure to stick around until the end for a good question and a corny joke!In Build Something More, I give you a behind-the-scenes look on how this happened, and the future of the members-only part of this podcast (don’t worry. It’s not going away).Show NotesGood People, Cool ThingsWays to Grow Your Small Business with Jessi BurgPodcast Swaps Grew My Show by 21%Sponsored by: Ahrefs ★ Support this podcast ★

How I Built Bits is back, and better than ever! The focus on the show moving forward will be highlighting helpful tools and processes for creators to run a better business. And I'm excited that the first episode is presented by Groundhogg.Groundhogg is an open-source CRM & Marketing Automation suite for serious agencies, small businesses, content creators, eCommerce experts, and WordPress professionals. Let's take a deep dive into what it is, how it works, and why it could be perfect for your creator business!Show NotesGet Groundhogg (20% off with code HOWIBUILTIT)Interview with Adrian Tobey ★ Support this podcast ★

With the Podcast Liftoff Playbook out, and Jennifer Bourn’s Profitable Project Plan is open for enrollment right now, I thought it would be a great time to re-air her interview where she talks about running a cohort-based course, and how she built the PPP. I listened to it again as I was looking for inspiration and best practices to realize the Playbook fully. And let me tell you, this episode really holds up! For members, I talk about how my webinar → paid members sales to funnel went.Top Takeaways:Online courses are NOT passive income. If you want your course to be successful, you need to evolve it.Offering a PRO version was a big mistake for Jen because people bought the non-Pro version and tried to get the Pro benefits. The lesson has one offer OR makes the Pro benefits totally different.Running live workshop events are a great way to add accountability and more value to your self-paced courses. You're ensuring your students take action now, instead of procrastinating.Show Notes:Jennifer BournJennifer on

In May, I was at a bit of a crossroads. I wasn't sure what I should do with the many things I was working on, and I felt like I was being pulled in too many directions. I couldn't focus on one thing to help take my business to the next level. So I decided to focus on Podcasting. The path from them to now lead me to cutting away a lot of projects (including projects I like doing), all in the service of growing my business. And the centerpiece: my brand new Podcast Liftoff Playbook. So today, we're getting back to the roots of the show, and I'm going to tell you how I built this hybrid membership/course site. Top Takeaways Think about what your MVP is. Don't spend too much time thinking of every possibility for a new project. You'll never launch. Instead, launch quickly, and get feedback. Don't answer questions people aren't asking. I could have added in a bunch of features I thought were cool, but they would have delayed launch, and frankly, as far as I knew, no one would use them. Spend more time marketing th

We must make content to serve the almighty algorithm to make money on YouTube, right? Wrong! Over the last couple of weeks, you’ve heard from creators who are doing a video that works for them — and today’s guest is no different. Hannah Smolinski is a Fractional CFO who grew her YouTube channel to 38,000 subscribers and doesn’t pay attention to analytics. Instead, she answers questions her target audience has, is generous with her time and her knowledge, and knows it’s all about the long game, not getting rich quickly.Top Takeaways:Don’t make money for Adsense. It’s too unpredictable. Instead, create good content and get people to know, like, and trust you.Doing videos on free resources helps get people onto your list. From there, you can continue to provide value, promote new videos, and form relationships with potential customers.The beautiful thing about consulting and YouTube: it allows people to really warm up to you. Hannah says most of her calls are with people who are already ready to hire her thanks