7-Figure Small

Technology and the internet are changing at an exponential pace. You can either approach the future with eyes wide open and a plan for how to adapt, or you can stick your head in the stand and be passed by ... or run over.

This week, we discuss an article with a clear-eyed, sobering view of what work will be like in future -- and the ironic truth it lays bare about how to prepare for a career with this future hurtling toward us like a freight train.

We also discuss an article that reminds us not everything is changing. Preventing professional obsolescence may be changing drastically, but preventing health issues isn't -- because a few simple fundamentals of prevention remain constant.

Yes, it's time for another article roundup episode -- and this time, Brian and Jerod welcome in special guest Kat Ambrose

.This week's rundown:

• Who is Kat Ambrose ... and how did she end up freelancing for Brian Clark while living the life in Maui? [00:35]

• Brian, Jerod, and Kat describe the tools that are essential to their daily lives as freelancers and entrepreneurs. [8:25]

• Reflecting on last week's thought-provoking episode of Unemployable with Joanna Penn. [18:52]

• Discussion of article "Can anyone tame the next internet?" by Kara Swisher for Vox. [23:06]

• Discussion of article "Keep Things Simple For A Healthy, Long Life" by Jon Schuman for NPR. [36:46]

• Discussion of article "10 Tips to Transform an Elusive Goal into a Doable Project" by Claire Emerson for Copyblogger. [45:32]

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

From the outside, Joanna Penn is a successful author of both fiction and non-fiction. And she’s an entrepreneur in that she controls her “products” by self-publishing.

But as with her last interview on the show, there’s a lot more going on under the hood. Take an inside look with this episode — because there is lots of great information for you to consider for your own business.

Joanna and Brian discuss how she has built a successful business that fits her lifestyle, the surprising impact that affiliate marketing has had on her bottom line, and how the rise of audiobooks, podcasting, and voice tech is changing the online landscape for writers.

How full of knowledge and insight is this episode? Just know that toward the end of it, Brian is compelled to say the following: “Okay people, if you stopped listening at the halfway point, you screwed up and you don’t even know it.”

So make sure you listen all the way through.

This week’s rundown:

• The rise of audio — both audiobooks and podcasts — and how it is changing the future of both consumption and publishing. (They return to this at the end too.)

• How Joanna stays “sanely ambitious” with a successful 6-figure business that remains completely on her terms … and why she is not striving to hit seven figures.

• Why it’s important to regularly review your business and double down on what you love.

• Why Joanna and Brian struggle with Seth Godin’s definitions of freelancer and entrepreneur.

• Joanna goes into detail about her business model and the many ways she makes money.

• The specific strategies Joanna has used to leverage affiliate sales into half of her total revenue.

• The many different tools and services Joanna uses to manage her independent publishing empire.

• Joanna explains a few remarkable examples of what’s next in audio and voice — including A.I. voice synth and licensing a voice brand.

• Why even a writer like Joanna is thinking and planning for #voicefirst moving forward.

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

One of the biggest draws of being a freelancer is the ability to work from wherever you have a strong wifi connection.

And if you’re going to work remotely, you need software that’s going to help you succeed no matter where you are or what file type you work with the most.

Luckily, we live in a world where cloud-based technology seems to be the answer to all our file-sharing prayers.

Listen to this edition of our Essential Tools for Freelancers series to learn about our favorite file-sharing tools.

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

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This episode of Unemployable, and the entire Essential Tools for Freelancers series, is sponsored by FreshBooks. To learn more and get a 30-day free trial (no credit card required), visit freshbooks.com/unemployable and enter “unemployable” in the “How did you hear about us?” section.

As a freelancer, it’s your job to protect yourself and your work from the perils of client management.

Without a contract or other legally-binding document in place, you run the risk of losing your work and not getting paid. There’s little you can do legally speaking without an existing agreement.

Contracts and other legal documents are an essential part of freelancing that can protect you and your work from worst case scenarios. So don’t do another thing until you have an active contract with each client.

Listen to this edition of our Essential Tools for Freelancers series to learn about our favorite legal tools.

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

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This episode of Unemployable is sponsored by FreshBooks. To learn more and get a 30-day free trial (no credit card required), visit freshbooks.com/unemployable and enter "unemployable" in the "How did you hear about us?" section.

Freelancing can lead to a great lifestyle — but you need a unique combination of expertise, determination, and resilience to keep going. Plus, you need tools that will not only help you make more money but will also make your life easier, too.

This is why we’ve hand-picked some of the best software for freelancers — no matter your line of work — so you can build the systems you need to do and be your best. Whether you’re approaching the one-year mark as a freelancer or you’re a 10-year veteran, the right tools make a difference.

Tune in to the entire Unemployable Essential Tools for Freelancers series over the next few weeks, and change how you freelance for the better … and for good. In this brief episode, Brian Clark introduces the series and explains why picking the right tools is so important.

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

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This episode of Unemployable, and the entire Essential Tools for Freelancers series, is sponsored by FreshBooks. To learn more and get a 30-day free trial (no credit card required), visit freshbooks.com/unemployable and enter “unemployable” in the “How did you hear about us?” section.

Last week, we introduced the concept of “7-Figure Small.” This week, we react to your feedback and answer your questions about building this type of “sanely ambitious” business.

This week’s rundown:

• So … who the heck is this new co-host Jerod Morris anyway? [00:35]

• The evolution of Brian’s thinking and strategy from his pre-Copyblogger days through the Copyblogger/Rainmaker era, and how it’s shifting today and into the future. [9:24]

• The three biggest themes from the listener feedback we received to last week’s episode. [16:36]

• Listener question: What are some core concepts and principles for structuring a “small” online business that can stay agile as needs grow and change? [31:00]

• Listener question: What mindset does a “complete newbie” need to have to build a successful one-person business? [39:40]

• Listener question: What is the importance of community in helping solo entrepreneurs, freelancers, and other unemployable types connect with others who are doing related? [44:00]

• Brian explains the Essential Tools for Freelancers series that begins this Friday. [47:50]

To access the show notes, transcript, and links mentioned in this episode, view the episode page at: http://unemployable.com/podcast/mailbag-7-figure-small-mindset

If you're paying attention to the world of work, the news is unavoidable. Everyone is bracing for a tech-induced transformation -- and it’s already started.

As a solo or small business person, technology allows you to do things that used to require scores of employees and tons of capital -- and that ability will accelerate with AI. But it’s the human being at the center of it all that will ultimately determine if you succeed or fail.

Today author, entrepreneur, and educator Seth Godin joins us to share his direct experiences with helping people put the “human” first, while still taking advantage of the ever-powerful tools. Get the ratio right, and the sky’s the limit for even the tiniest of ventures.

Here are just a few of the highlights from this episode:

• Is “permission marketing” still the core of what makes marketing work?
• The enduring power of being human and connecting with other humans.
• Why consistency is more powerful (and scalable) than authenticity.
• Why being a better marketer is more about making a conceptual shift than a tactical one.
• What “status roles” are and why understanding this concept is so important for understanding how humans make decisions.
• What Seth means when he says, “Most people prefer the blamelessness of ‘I’m for everyone’ than the responsibility of ‘I’m for someone.’”
• Why automation and AI will not create, but continue, the long-standing trend of technology replacing jobs that don’t require a human touch.

View the complete show notes with links at unemployable.com.

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