7-Figure Small

I can remember the first time I used WordPress in 2005. It was such a joy to move from uploading individual HTML pages to a server via FTP, and simply hitting “publish” to see content go live.

As I entered the premium WordPress market in 2008 as an entrepreneur, the idea was always to empower non-technical writers and other content creators to do more with their websites without code. Eventually, our design framework Genesis became widely accepted as the way to build WordPress sites quicker and easier.

Now, the idea of “no code” software creation is gaining more and more traction. In other words, we now have software that allows us to make all sorts of other software without being a coder.

This empowers creative people to make things that were once impossible -- at least without knowing how to code or hiring a developer. And that means a new generation of entrepreneurs are able to create powerful 7-Figure Small businesses that sell software and software-based services without investors and even employees.

Ben Tossell is a vocal proponent of the “no code” and “without code” movement. His company Makerpad teaches non-technical founders and makers to use the powerful tools that open up an entire new avenue of product creation.

Listen in to hear more about what “no code” can mean for your business. If you’re able to solve an audience problem with a software solution, you could be on your way to creating a product you never imagined you could on your own.

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We're back!

After a short hiatus, we're excited to be in your speakers and headphones again with a new episode of the Unemployable podcast … except that it's no longer called Unemployable. You may have noticed that the podcast now has a new name: 7-Figure Small.

If you were listening last season, you'll be familiar with the concept of 7-Figure Small. The big idea is building a business with significant revenue potential that fits the lifestyle you desire — and doing it all without the stress and added complexity of investors and employees.

In this episode, we review that big idea and then go over the three fundamentals to actually building a 7-Figure Small business: the Who, the What, and the How.

We discuss:

• The reality that content isn't king, but this is
• Why creating huge amounts of content can actually be worse than a waste of time
• The level of patience needed to build a minimum viable audience (and how to speed the process up)
• The folly of mimicking someone else's “how”

Oh, and we have a little fun briefly reminiscing about one of the most inexplicably funny SNL skits of all time.

All of that and more on this week's edition of Unemp– err, 7-Figure Small. 😉

No matter what type of services you offer as a freelancer, having an arsenal of photo and video tools that can help you create high-quality graphics, images, and media is always a good idea.

Even if you might not need them for client work, you can use these tools for your own marketing and business needs.

Here are a few things you can do with photo and video tools:

• Create quality, visually engaging graphics, videos, and other media on a budget.
• Add value to your services without a ton of expense on your end (e.g., offering to create images for your client’s next social media campaign).
• Build a cohesive brand for yourself without breaking the bank.

Even if you’re not a designer or creatively inclined in that way at all, you can still make beautiful visuals to share with the world. Content creators, designers, and Jack and Janes of All Trades, this one is for you as Brian Clark provides our recommendations for the best photo and video tools for freelancers.

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This episode of Unemployable, and the entire Essential Tools for Freelancers series, is brought to you by FreshBooks — the leading invoicing and accounting software solution preferred by freelancers just like you.

Right now you can try it yourself for 30 days absolutely free, no obligation or credit card required. Simply go to freshbooks.com/unemployable and enter “unemployable” in the “How did you hear about us?” section to get your free trial.

We’ve talked a lot about curation this season on Unemployable. And with good reason: a curation marketing strategy has proven to be an effective way to build a successful online audience and business in an age of content overload.

But we also know that many of you are wondering just how viable it is for someone who is just now getting started. Aren’t big companies like Amazon, Facebook, and Apple at a major advantage because of their audience and reach? And haven’t many of the best niches already been gobbled up by existing curators?

These are good questions. And as you’ll discover in this episode, the answers to these questions suggest that right now is still a great time to get start with curation marketing; in fact, it’s still early enough for you to experience a first-mover advantage, much like in the early days of blogging, podcasting, and other once-burgeoning strategies that have now reached stages of saturation.

As Brian Clark and Jerod Morris discuss in this episode, there are major benefits to establishing your curation positioning in the market now and building a human brand that will be able to grow and evolve as technology does.

“Don’t build on someone else’s land,” you’ve heard me say many times over the years. Especially with a company with a horrible track record like Facebook.

And for your own website, there’s really no need. With powerful platforms that allow you control as a customer like WordPress and Squarespace, you can build whatever you need.

Frankly, you can’t build a 7-Figure Small business without utilizing powerful technology platforms — it’s a big part of the reason for the growth of so many no-employee, 7-figure businesses. Just think of all the tiny companies that have build niche SaaS offering thanks to Amazon Web Services.

There’s a clear difference between these types of empowering platforms and Facebook. In the former, you’re a customer in a competitive space. With Facebook, you’re the product.

I’ve been building membership communities since 2008, always with custom WordPress solutions. In 2019, there’s no way to build a best-of-breed community-based business with all the bells and whistles from scratch — without it costing hundreds of thousands, that is.

But the answer is still not Facebook. I’ve invited Gina Bianchini, Founder and CEO of community-technology provider Mighty Networks to tell us why she’s creating powerful software for a fair price — and why it’s in the companies interest to play fairly with creators and community organizers.

To access the show notes, transcript, and links mentioned in this episode, view the episode page at: http://unemployable.com/podcast/gina-bianchini-mighty-networks

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Unemployable is brought to you by iThemes Hosting for WordPress. iThemes is our host here at Unemployable.com, and it keeps the site fast and reliable — while not breaking the bank. To save even more, simply use this exclusive link to save $50 off your first year.

Or read our full review to find out about several unique features that iThemes WordPress hosting includes at no charge — and click over to your $50 discount from there.

Having a conference call system not only makes you look professional, but they tend to make client calls run easier and more efficiently.

Not to mention, if you’re full-on digital-nomad-ing, it may make more sense to run a call through a conference call system if you don’t have the best reception or a limited international phone plan. In addition to that, there are so many added benefits to using a conference call system.

Whether you use them regularly or once in a Super Blood Wolf Moon, it’s never a bad idea to have a go-to conference call system for any situation. So put your phone away, and join Brian Clark in diving into our favorite conference call systems for freelancers.

To access the show notes, transcript, and links mentioned in this episode, view the episode page at: http://unemployable.com/podcast/essential-conference-call-tools-for-freelancers

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This episode of Unemployable, and the entire Essential Tools for Freelancers series, is brought to you by FreshBooks — the leading invoicing and accounting software solution preferred by freelancers just like you.

Right now you can try it yourself for 30 days absolutely free, no obligation or credit card required. Simply go to freshbooks.com/unemployable and enter “unemployable” in the “How did you hear about us?” section to get your free trial.

The paradigm for how to build sustainable success online has shifted in some important ways, and a key to building a 7-Figure Small business is understanding these shifts and being prepared to capitalize on them.

One of the biggest shifts is what Brian Clark was alluding to when he stated on a previous episode of Unemployable that “people are still teaching content marketing like it’s 2010.” Listeners keyed in on that quote and have let us know that they want to know more about what Brian meant.

In this episode, Brian explains what he meant by that statement. He also explains that while the fundamentals of content marketing may not have changed, the context absolutely has. And this shift should have an impact on how you approach your strategy to build a 7-Figure Small business.

You’ll learn the important difference between curation and connection; what the “power trinity” is for a 7-Figure Small; and how adopting a mindset of connection will help you not just in building an audience but even in helping you figure out your business model.

This is a loaded episode that is filled with useful insight and context, and it teases where Unemployable is headed moving forward. We hope you’ll listen in. If you have questions or comments, tweet them using the #unemployable hashtag or send us an email. (We give out our email addresses in the episode.)

As a freelancer, you’re juggling a lot of things at once on a regular basis.

From managing client work to making sure you pay your quarterly taxes on time, you’ve got quite a bit to remember and get done.

It goes without saying that managing your workload, client relationships, and administrative tasks come with the freelancer territory. What’s more — being able to do all three efficiently while simultaneously producing your best work will be what sets you apart from others.

Project management software can help you keep track of everything you need to run your freelance business all in one place. Having a solid grasp on your business can help you run things more efficiently, which means you can allocate more time to creating your best work — whether it be for a client or your own business.

How do you know which project management tool is going to work best for you? In this edition of our Essential Tools for Freelancers series, Brian Clark discusses the benefits of using a project management tool, and then highlights three of our favorites.

To access the show notes, transcript, and links mentioned in this episode, view the episode page at: http://unemployable.com/podcast/essential-project-management-tools

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This episode of Unemployable, and the entire Essential Tools for Freelancers series, is brought to you by FreshBooks — the leading invoicing and accounting software solution preferred by freelancers just like you.

Right now you can try it yourself for 30 days absolutely free, no obligation or credit card required. Simply go to freshbooks.com/unemployable and enter “unemployable” in the “How did you hear about us?” section to get your free trial.

At the heart of any successful small business is a creative human being.

And it’s important that we remember to put our very human voice out there to connect with our preferred clients and customers.

And yet, when it comes to writing copy or content, we often stiffen up. Being an authentic human being should be the most natural thing ever -- so why does it often feel so unnatural when we try?

Plus, authenticity is determined by the audience, not by whatever pops in your head to say. And that means that communicating in a relatable way takes a lot of listening, and then mirroring back to your audience the language that they prefer.

In this episode, we’re joined by copywriter Nick Usborne, who specializes in “conversational copy.” Tune in to hear some of Nick’s favorite methods for creating engaging messages that catch and hold attention, while inching people ever closer to doing business with you.

Here is the link Nick mentions during the episode: https://conversationalcopywriting.com/unemployable/

To access the show notes, transcript, and links mentioned in this episode, view the episode page at: http://unemployable.com/podcast/conversational-copywriting

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Unemployable is brought to you by iThemes Hosting for WordPress. iThemes is our host here at Unemployable.com, and it keeps the site fast and reliable — while not breaking the bank.

To save even more, simply use this exclusive link to save $50 off your first year: http://ithemes.com/bc50

No matter what your idea of freedom is — whether it’s maximizing earnings or maximizing lifestyle — you will have to find reliable ways to earn more money in less time to achieve it.

Otherwise, you just end up sacrificing the freedom that drew you to becoming a freelancer or entrepreneur in the first place.

Ed Gandia has spent the last decade living on the margins of his business and finding ways to scale it without adding the freedom-robbing complexity that we all want to avoid. And now he teaches writers how to do the same — how to earn more in less time, and how to think more like entrepreneurs than craftsmen.

Listen on to hear Ed and Brian Clark discuss a number of simple methods that Ed has learned for how to “scale light,” plus a few more advanced methods for how to “scale lean.” Each of these methods have helped Ed skip ahead of simple incremental growth and instead experience massive leaps in output and revenue, and, most importantly, having the space he’s needed to create breakthroughs in both his business and life.

Listen to Ed's previous appearance on Unemployable: https://unemployable.com/podcast/ed-gandia/

To access the show notes, transcript, and links mentioned in this episode, view the episode page at: http://unemployable.com/podcast/scale-your-business

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Unemployable is brought to you by iThemes Hosting for WordPress. iThemes is our host here at Unemployable.com, and it keeps the site fast and reliable — while not breaking the bank.

To save even more, simply use this exclusive link to save $50 off your first year: http://ithemes.com/bc50