7-Figure Small with Brian Clark

Turning Your Process Into a Product

May 03, 2016 14:00 - 31 minutes - 43.7 MB

When it comes to creating digital products, software, ebooks, and online courses are what come to mind. But have you ever considered turning how you do what you do for clients into a product? That s what Annie Cushing did. And while she thought it might cannibalize her data consulting and training business, instead it saved... Listen to episode

Creatively Breaking the Rules of the Art Business, with Hugh MacLeod

April 26, 2016 14:00 - 36 minutes - 50.4 MB

There are a lot of artistically-inclined people in the world of freelancing and creative entrepreneurship. Writers and designers come immediately to mind. Hugh MacLeod of Gaping Void is certainly an example of a literal entrepreneurial artist. He started out 20 years ago doodling cartoons on the back of business cards. Now he has a thriving... Listen to episode

How to Turn a Personal Liability into an Entrepreneurial Asset

April 20, 2016 14:00 - 30 minutes - 42 MB

A month or so ago, we discussed the idea that entrepreneurs may have to be a little crazy to succeed. That perhaps the ability to execute on innovative ideas might come from a mental illness or psychological baggage that is turned into a positive. And yes, emerging research suggests that many entrepreneurs leverage what would... Listen to episode

The Dark Side of Scale

April 19, 2016 14:00 - 9 minutes - 13.6 MB

On Unemployable, we talk a lot about leveraging virtual teams and collaboration in order to achieve more. And we talk about building an audience that allows you build a bigger business than you could otherwise. After all, as my friend Hugh MacLeod of Gaping Void says, Meaning scales, people don t. In contrast, there s the macho... Listen to episode

What Real Entrepreneurism Looks Like, with Rand Fishkin of Moz

April 13, 2016 14:00 - 41 minutes - 57.6 MB

Today we re talking to Rand Fishkin, founder and Wizard of Moz. Confident, successful, and the person you want to be like some day … right? Well, yes. But what you ll hear is not some tale of a superman that you couldn t possibly emulate. Instead, you ll hear about hard work, lucky breaks, even occasional cluelessness …... Listen to episode

Steal Like an Entrepreneur, with Austin Kleon

April 12, 2016 14:00 - 50 minutes - 69.4 MB

The other day I was listening to the classic alternative channel on SiriusXM. Message of Love by the Pretenders was on. In the song, Chrissie Hynde sings: We are all of us in the gutter. But some of us are looking at the stars. Wait a minute … didn t Oscar Wilde say that in the... Listen to episode

Steal Like an Entrepreneur, with Austin Kleon

April 12, 2016 14:00 - 50 minutes - 69.4 MB

The other day I was listening to the classic alternative channel on SiriusXM. Message of Love by the Pretenders was on. In the song, Chrissie Hynde sings: We are all of us in the gutter. But some of us are looking at the stars. Wait a minute … didn t Oscar Wilde say that in the... Listen to episode

Are You Doing the Work You Were Born For?

April 06, 2016 14:00 - 27 minutes - 38.2 MB

Do you believe we were all born to do a certain type of work? More importantly, do you feel you re doing what you were born to do? I spent the first 27 years of my life with no feeling of purpose whatsoever. I went to law school after college because I had an aptitude for... Listen to episode

How to Cultivate Authentic Expertise, with Jordan Harbinger of The Art of Charm

April 05, 2016 14:00 - 41 minutes - 56.6 MB

Have you seen the film The Big Short? It s about the investor bets made against the U.S. housing market due to negligence and fraud involving mortgage-backed securities, which ultimately led to the Great Recession that began in December of 2007. At the time, Jordan Harbinger was a young Wall Street attorney at a high-flying firm... Listen to episode

When to Shift Your Side Hustle Into Your Main Thing

March 30, 2016 14:00 - 30 minutes - 41.3 MB

As we ve discussed before on the show, everyone at every level usually has a side hustle going on. It s the process by which we leverage what we re doing now to do the next, bigger, and more gratifying thing. Sometimes the signals are clear that the side project is ready to become the main thing (or... Listen to episode

When ‘Solo' Goes Wrong

March 29, 2016 14:00 - 13 minutes - 18.8 MB

It s an amazing time to be a solopreneur. Affordable technology plus the reach of the Internet allows for outsized profits by a company of one. And yet, the true power of the company of one is in the network that surrounds it. Avoiding collaboration and virtual team building is not only shortsighted, it can be... Listen to episode

Three Keys to Effective Video Marketing

March 23, 2016 17:00 - 32 minutes - 44.9 MB

Video is the most popular form of online content. And YouTube is the world s second largest search engine. That said, a lot of us are more comfortable with creating text and audio content. Producing great video is generally more intensive work, and let s face it … we can be a little self-conscious in front of... Listen to episode

Why Teaching is the Key Entrepreneurial Opportunity of the 21st Century

March 22, 2016 14:00 - 33 minutes - 45.4 MB

There s no profession that I respect more than those who teach. And it s a shame that those who educate our children can barely make a living. In stark contrast, the opportunities for entrepreneurs in the online education space are incredibly lucrative. And it makes sense that we ll see people defect from traditional education to entrepreneurial... Listen to episode

When Collaboration is the Wrong Choice for Startups

March 16, 2016 14:00 - 28 minutes - 39.8 MB

I m a big fan of partnering with others to create successful products and services. It s what I ve done in the majority of my successful businesses. Of course, there s a right way to approach collaboration, and a potentially disastrous way. And it s almost maddening how much of a gut check it is when it comes down... Listen to episode

How an Obscure Little Niche Led to a Profitable Online Course

March 15, 2016 14:00 - 37 minutes - 51.9 MB

Online education is a $23 billion a year industry in the U.S. alone, and growing. And the demand is for people who have the expertise they teach, rather than for traditional institutions of higher learning. Today we re chatting with Sean McCabe, a great guy who helps people build their own businesses based on their interests.... Listen to episode

The Trait All Successful Freelancers and Entrepreneurs Share

March 09, 2016 15:36 - 10 minutes - 14.8 MB

Successful people present a conundrum to those seeking to achieve something similar. We try to learn from and emulate those who we see as ideal, but that s not always effective. A recent study shows that students who learned that great scientists struggled, both personally and intellectually, outperformed those who learned only of the scientists great... Listen to episode

Inside the Lucrative World of Self-Published Ebooks

March 08, 2016 18:50 - 29 minutes - 40.5 MB

It sounds fantastic, doesn t it? All you need are your words and a laptop as your means of production when it comes to this digital business. There s no doubt that self-published ebooks can be lucrative. The thing you may not realize, however, is that as a digital intellectual property business, it can be quite sophisticated... Listen to episode

Why Customer Complaints are a Valuable Business Asset

March 02, 2016 19:00 - 29 minutes - 41 MB

You constantly hear that listening and feedback are the keys to improving your marketing, your products, and your services. But are you listening selectively? I ve always found constructive criticism to be much more useful than praise. And even angry complaints can contain valuable feedback. Tuning out everything but the nice stuff is clearly a bad... Listen to episode

Are Entrepreneurs Literally "The Crazy Ones?"

March 01, 2016 15:00 - 16 minutes - 23 MB

The saying goes that there s a thin line between genius and insanity. But do successful entrepreneurs actually parlay mental illness into innovation? They say that Steve Jobs was a narcissist, and that Bill Gates trends toward Aspergers on the autism spectrum. And yes, emerging research suggests that many entrepreneurs leverage what would otherwise be a... Listen to episode

The Entrepreneurial Evolution Behind the Success of Creative Market

February 24, 2016 16:09 - 36 minutes - 50.8 MB

It s no mystery why I tend to feature a lot of freelancer to wildly successful entrepreneur stories on Unemployable. It s simply the way most of us progress to the point where we get recognition. Aaron Epstein is known as the guy who led Creative Market to acquisition by Autodesk in only 14 months. It was... Listen to episode

How to Grow Your Email List Much Faster

February 23, 2016 15:00 - 32 minutes - 45.4 MB

Hopefully you know that email remains, by far, the engine for online sales and lead generation of all types. And that means you need to offer exceptional value based on trust to be invited into someone s primary inbox. Today, Joanna Wiebe of Copy Hackers and I geek out hard over email opt-in psychology. You ll be... Listen to episode

The Rise of the Youpreneur

February 17, 2016 14:33 - 23 minutes - 31.9 MB

We might not be fans of the term

The Power of the Post-Geographic Company

February 16, 2016 15:00 - 11 minutes - 16.3 MB

The look and feel of the traditional company is evolving along with technology and the workforce. An enterprise that combines onsite, remote, and freelance resources is becoming the new normal. Other companies are dispensing with onsite all together. Our friends at Buffer just announced that they re eliminating their office space (the company has been largely... Listen to episode

Why Freedom Beats Money and Status

February 10, 2016 16:05 - 24 minutes - 34 MB

Freedom is a primary theme of Unemployable. Not everyone wants to disrupt and dominate. Rather, they want to do the things they want to do, and live the life they want to live. I ve enjoyed that type of freedom for the last 10 years. And so has today s guest, Natalie Sisson. The difference being, Natalie... Listen to episode

Is Online Business Only for Those Who Teach Online Business?

February 09, 2016 15:00 - 25 minutes - 34.6 MB

The world of online business (also known as digital commerce), has become a major facet of all business, especially among entrepreneurs. So why does it seem that everyone you come across is teaching online business? There s actually a really good reason for that. And on the flipside, there s an even better reason why other digital... Listen to episode

Is Personal Branding Dead?

February 02, 2016 15:00 - 15 minutes - 20.9 MB

I ve been a consistent critic of both the term and concept of "personal branding." Provide value to people by creating something bigger than yourself, and your personal brand will work itself out just fine. A recent article in Fast Company, however, seems to go too far. The argument is that entrepreneurs shouldn t waste their time... Listen to episode

Chris Brogan on Simple Systems for a Better Business and Lifestyle

January 27, 2016 15:00 - 27 minutes - 38.3 MB

We re big on systems and processes at Unemployable. Naturally, that s the topic of the first lesson in the free Profit Pillars course that members gain access to when they join the tribe at no charge. Early in my career, I had great marketing systems, but bad management processes. Some people have it the other way... Listen to episode

What Will Spark Your Business Growth This Year?

January 26, 2016 15:00 - 19 minutes - 26.7 MB

The primary job of any CEO, startup entrepreneur, or solo freelancer is ultimately to make correct decisions. Some of those decisions happen because things are flying at us from left and right, and we need to respond with the right move. But for growth to happen, we have to make proactive decisions. It s all too... Listen to episode

Is Content Syndication Smart? (Season One Finale)

December 22, 2015 19:00 - 14 minutes - 19.9 MB

Content syndication involves republishing content that you ve originally posted on your own site to other platforms. You re hoping to maximize the leverage of each piece of content you create to achieve the widest distribution possible. Is this a good idea? A few years ago, the answer would be no, mainly due to Google s dislike of... Listen to episode

The Ups and Downs of Digital Product Creation

November 24, 2015 15:00 - 25 minutes - 34.7 MB

Some get into creating products in order to build a digital empire. Others are just looking to add a little cash to the coffers to supplement existing income. In Brett Kelly s case, his first ebook was definitely a side hustle for some extra income. He had no idea at the time that his Evernote Essentials... Listen to episode

From Freelance Designer to SaaS Superstar

November 18, 2015 16:00 - 23 minutes - 32.7 MB

Freelancing is often the first step for many an entrepreneurial journey. It s usually the case when someone realizes they re the type who enjoys starting businesses more than anything else. Laura Roeder is one of those types of people. She leapt out of the world of employment without a net, managing to land on her feet... Listen to episode

The Key to Successful Information Products

November 06, 2015 14:00 - 16 minutes - 23 MB

The dream of plucking ideas out of your head and turning it into an information product is pretty compelling. And it s more doable now than ever. That said, you re still designing a product. Information alone can often be less-than-engaging, and even downright useless. In order to connect with customers, you ve got to connect with them... Listen to episode

John Lee Dumas on Discovering Exactly Who You're Speaking To

October 27, 2015 14:00 - 29 minutes - 40.1 MB

You could be blogging, podcasting, working YouTube, or creating any other type of content. Or … you might just be looking to craft the perfect message to land more customers and clients. You may have heard of creating personas or avatars as a smart way to better understand how to communicate with your prospects, but... Listen to episode

How to Get Money to Make Money

October 21, 2015 15:00 - 28 minutes - 38.7 MB

In today s media climate of irrational entrepreneurial exuberance, it s all about raising that venture capital. Reality, however, is much different. Most businesses, especially of the freelance and solopreneur variety, will never raise money from investors, nor should they. Bootstrapping is even making a comeback that resembles a movement in reaction to the silliness of the... Listen to episode

The Perpetual Side Hustle

October 14, 2015 15:00 - 13 minutes - 19.1 MB

Most people get started "on the side" before going solo or founding a startup. More and more people have a side hustle going on just to make ends meet. Fact is, once you're on your own, you're likely doing one thing in order to do the next bigger and better thing. Even larger companies leverage... Listen to episode

The Tyranny of Facebook

September 30, 2015 15:00 - 23 minutes - 32.1 MB

It s no secret that I m not a fan of Facebook when it comes to so-called "social media marketing." I'm even less of a fan of those who think of it as a "website substitute." That said, Facebook groups are popular for their apparent ease of use. But is it a good idea to build a... Listen to episode

How to Sell Like a Saint

September 23, 2015 15:00 - 24 minutes - 33.7 MB

Marketing is simply, and literally, "bringing your products to market." And sales is making the right offer to the right person. And yet, research shows that "selling" immediately brings to mind negative word associations. It s as if the world hadn t dramatically changed since the release of Glengarry, Glen Ross. But the world has changed, and... Listen to episode

Paid in Full: How to Charge More and Collect On Time

September 22, 2015 14:00 - 38 minutes - 52.5 MB

Let s face it client work can be demanding and even frustrating. But the level of suck goes up exponentially when you aren t getting paid enough … or at all. Today we re chatting with Brennan Dunn about how to get paid faster, get paid more reliably, and never need to worry about whether or not... Listen to episode

Listen to Win: How Actionable Observation Provides Profitable Answers

September 16, 2015 15:00 - 27 minutes - 37.7 MB

Tara Gentile is a very smart entrepreneur who s just published a short, affordable book on one of my favorite topics listening. It's a critical skill for developing products and services. Once I got into the product and software game, I started with an audience, rather than the product or service. This gave me a... Listen to episode

How to Onboard New Clients the Smart Way with Paul Jarvis

September 15, 2015 14:00 - 26 minutes - 36.4 MB

If you're familiar with the term onboarding, it s likely in the context of software as a service ( SaaS ). It s all the rage in the growth hacker world. The term actually originates from the world of human resources. When large enterprises need to ramp a new employee into the processes, procedures, and culture of the organization,... Listen to episode

The Art of Branding

September 09, 2015 15:00 - 35 minutes - 49.2 MB

Your brand isn t what you say it is … it s what your customers and clients say it is. That doesn t mean you can t influence the space you occupy in the minds of your intended audience, as long as you understand the role you re playing. Beyond your logo, and your site design, and your copy, your... Listen to episode

Michael Port on the Power of Presentation

September 08, 2015 14:00 - 40 minutes - 55.5 MB

You may know Michael Port as the author of the small business classic Book Yourself Solid. But did you know that he was once a professional actor, with roles on Third Watch, Law and Order, and Sex and The City? Given his unique mix of business savvy and acting skills, it makes sense that Michael... Listen to episode

Seth Godin's Top Tips for Freelancers

September 02, 2015 15:00 - 24 minutes - 33.5 MB

When I started my first business in 1998, it turns out I did a lot of things right. It wasn t until May of 1999 when I read a book called Permission Marketing that I realized what I was missing, which led to my first successful business. Since that time, Seth Godin has written several other... Listen to episode

Dan Pink on the State of Free Agent Nation in 2015 (And Beyond)

September 01, 2015 18:00 - 39 minutes - 54.2 MB

In 1997, a young man quit his job to become a writer. In January 1998, an article he wrote entitled Free Agent Nation appeared in a young magazine called Fast Company, and a career was launched. That article proved viable demand, and led to a book deal. The interesting intersection here is that another young... Listen to episode

Why Don't Some Online Courses Sell?

August 26, 2015 15:00 - 17 minutes - 24 MB

Online courses are a great way to build a business. They re also a great way to get better-qualified clients, or build an additional revenue stream by providing an alternative to your services. But sometimes, things don t go as planned. Your course isn t selling as much as you d like, or worse, it s not selling at all.... Listen to episode

The Power of the Very Small Business

August 19, 2015 15:00 - 13 minutes - 19.3 MB

There are over 26 million companies in the United States with fewer than 20 employees. The vast majority of those businesses have fewer than five employees, and often only one. There are about to be a whole lot more of these very small businesses. Interestingly, it s because big businesses are also going to become radically... Listen to episode

Get More Clients With An Online Lead Generation Strategy That Works

August 18, 2015 18:00 - 21 minutes - 29.3 MB

Everyone s fixated on getting traffic, whether paid or organic. As if, somehow, this will unlock the door to a flood of new clients. Truth is, traffic should be the last thing on your mind. Sure, you need it, but if you don t have the right marketing system in place that attracts leads and properly nurtures... Listen to episode

How to Avoid Getting Nailed by the FTC for Your Online Marketing

August 11, 2015 18:00 - 13 minutes - 18.4 MB

Most professional marketers don t understand the FTC rules that apply to online marketing. So as a busy freelancer or small business owner, it s certainly understandable if this isn t on your radar. But this is a critically important thing, as new guidelines are being released that you need to understand. The FTC is about to make... Listen to episode

Your Most Valuable Intellectual Property (Plus, How to Compensate Partners)

August 05, 2015 17:30 - 17 minutes - 23.5 MB

We're all in the intellectual property business now. But as business people, how much do we enforce our rights when others infringe on them? Creative freelancers are thought of as service providers, but what they re really selling is their copyright in the work product they create for clients. This has special implications on both sides... Listen to episode

Three Counterintuitive Activities That Will Improve Your Business

August 04, 2015 18:00 - 10 minutes - 14.4 MB

When we think about personal development in terms of our business, we re thinking of continuing education, or professional development. Maybe it s a leadership seminar, or some kind of motivational training. Those things are great, and necessary. But some of the most important things we can do in terms of personal development might seem like they... Listen to episode

7-Figure Small with Brian Clark

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