Leveling Up with Eric Siu

In this episode of the daily Leveling Up podcast, Eric talks about the outreach he is doing to market his new book, Leveling Up! You will get to hear about why he thinks that influencer marketing is where it is at currently, and how he is going about these strategies. So to catch all the good stuff about value for money, sourcing influencers and more, join us today!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast!
• [00:25] Why Eric is aspiring to influencer marketing!
• [01:45] How Eric has been finding gamers using Twitter and email. 
• [02:26] The messaging used to connect and collaborate with influencers.
• [02:57] The costs involved in this kind of marketing.
• [03:43] The value that you can get for your money in the influencer space.
• [04:03] Testing different influences and finding the best route before going all-in.
• [04:54] How to support Eric and his new book!

Resources From The Interview:

• Followerwonk
• Mixmax
• Mail Merge
• Ninja

Leave Some Feedback:

• What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

• Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

• Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes

• Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed

Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere

• Single Grain

• Eric Siu on Twitter

Today we are going to talk about how Amazon is continuing to dominate the world and how they're getting into pharma and continuing to eat everyone's lunch.

Today, we are going to talk about how Bitcoin is continuing to skyrocket and why it's here to stay. So as of this recording, Bitcoin is at about 18.5 K right now, which is an all time high, but the, I think there's a couple of things to look at here. In this episode we'll dive in and talk about both sides.

If you want to build a community you have to focus on how you can provide value to them, but once you have one you can save a lot of money on marketing. Connecting people is Lloyed Lobo’s superpower, and today we talk to him about how he built a community of over 60,000 people and the returns this investment of his time is producing. Lloyed is Co-Founder and President of Boast.AI, and he is also one of the Co-Founders of the amazing Traction Conference. Before getting into the topic of community, Lloyed gives us the rundown of how Boast fuels the growth of innovative companies by automating R&D tax applications and more. From there, Lloyed talks about how the aims at Boast, to serve their clients, grew into early community-building events that evolved into the Traction Conf. We hear tips and tricks from Lloyed about the best ways of building a community, key learnings he had on his journey, and about the incredible conference Traction has evolved into. Lloyed highlights that a community-building strategy should only be used if you are prepared to give without expecting anything in return and if connecting people is truly your passion. For all you need to know about bringing people together and the power of leveraging networks as a secret marketing weapon, tune in today!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast!
• [01:04] An overview of Boast’s services automating R&D tax applications and more.
• [00:40] How the mission to expand Boast and build a community birthed Traction.
• [04:36] The complexities of the R&D tax credit system in the U.S and Canada.
• [09:50] How Boast is using a fund to offer R&D returns quarterly.
• [11:12] Boast’s model for making money by taking a percentage of R&D returns.
• [11:35] Key learnings Lloyed had on the road to building Traction.
• [16:36] The last few years of Traction, how it has evolved and what it involves.
• [17:35] How Lloyed built Boast and his community using a philosophy of giving, not marketing.
• [19:43] The time it took to build Traction from its less formal stages to where it is now.
• [20:01] Community building tips: Email lists, in-person events, cadence, and a passion for connecting.
• [23:30] The return on investment of building a community.
• [24:47] The key to building a successful business and the steps to building a community.
• [28:28] Using Nir Ayal’s Hooked model to keep communities engaged.
• [29:39] Lloyed’s favorite book and different sources he gets his knowledge from.
• [31:07] Brilliant webinars Lloyed has recently engaged with.

Resources From The Interview:

• Lloyed Lobo
• Lloyed Lobo Email
• Boast.AI
• Launch Academy
• Salesforce
• Twilio
• TechStars
• Founder Institute
• Startupfest
• Mars
• Eventbrite
• Josh Fechter
• Blitzmetrics
• Dennis Yu on Twitter
• Matt Epstein
• Nir Eyal
• Rippling
• Zenefits

Leave Some Feedback:

• What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.
• Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere
• Single Grain
• Eric Siu on Twitter

As Eric prepares to release his new book, Leveling Up, he takes this opportunity to spill the beans on his inspiration and motivation for writing it! Eric talks about the time he has spent on its creation over the last five years, the publishing model he selected, and how he aims to tap into the discourse around habits, with his own take on improvement and and progress. Tune in to hear it all from the man himself! 

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast!
• [00:25] When the book was started and the time it has taken to write it.
• [01:22] The reason that Eric decided to write and publish Leveling Up. 
• [02:35] Servicing the huge gaming community across the world!
• [03:23] The idea of the 'power-up', and relating it to the conversation around habits.
• [03:41] The main goal for the book: Refining the messaging and helping people.

Resources From The Interview:

• World of Warcraft
• EverQuest
• Street Fighter
• Atomic Habits
• The Power of Habit
• Page Two
• The Coaching Habit

Leave Some Feedback:

• What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.
• Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere
• Single Grain
• Eric Siu on Twitter

In this episode, Eric shares the lessons that he learned from losing $200,000 trying to start a coaching program. He talks about not having sales nailed down, why good marketing alone is not enough to sell a product, and other key lessons he learned from this loss. To hear more, tune in today!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast!
• [00:38] The benefits of doing a post-mortem after you complete a project.
• [01:10] What prompted Eric to start a training program when the pandemic hit. 
• [01:50] How the campaign for the program was received.
• [02:15] The problem Eric faced by not having a sales team for the program.
• [02:50] Some of the things that went really well for Eric.
• [03:50] Lessons learned from the failure of the training course. 
• [05:27] If you don’t have passion for your product, don’t pursue it.

Resources From The Interview:

• Traction
• Leveling Up

Leave Some Feedback:

• What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.
• Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere
• Single Grain
• Eric Siu on Twitter

In this episode, Eric talks about giving away free content and why it can be such a successful business model. We hear about some examples of brands who have done this and why delaying gratification, if you can, will help you win.

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast!
• [00:22] What Eric means by “the business of free content”.
• [00:50] Fortnite’s business model, giving away free content, and why this is so effective. 
• [02:14] If possible, try to prolong giving away free content as long as you can.
• [03:02] How MrBeast has leveraged the free content model successfully.
• [04:10] Eric’s approach to monetizing Leveling Up and Marketing School.
• [05:12] Deferring gratification will put you in a better spot than most. 

Resources From The Interview:

• Mr Beast
• MrBeast on Twitter
• MrBeast on YouTube
• Fortnite
• Tim Sweeney
• Joe Rogan
• Bill Belichick
• Leveling Up

Leave Some Feedback:

• What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.
• Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere
• Single Grain
• Eric Siu on Twitter

In this episode, we talk about the importance of being patient in business. As entrepreneurs, it is easy to fall into the comparison trap and want to move as quickly as possible. Eric talks about the similarities between compound interest and business success and why a slow and steady approach is the best-kept secret out there. 

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast!
• [00:29] The comparison trap that many entrepreneurs tend to fall into.
• [01:27] Avoid comparing yourself with someone who has been in business for longer than you. 
• [01:40] The magic number of years it takes to really see success and gain traction.
• [03:08] Experience compounds in the same way interest does, so be patient!
• [03:53] What Eric has learned from trying to achieve things too quickly.
• [04:59] There is no such thing as quick success, despite how it may appear. 
• [05:39] Pre-order Eric’s book from your favorite bookseller.

Resources From The Interview:

• Albert Einstein

• Warren Buffett

• Chai with Pabrai

Leave Some Feedback:

• What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

• Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

• Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes

• Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed

Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere

• Single Grain

• Eric Siu on Twitter

Welcome to Growth Bites, a shorter format of Leveling Up, where Eric provides daily insights to help you step up your game. In this episode, we talk about why copywriters are the best hire you can make, the contributions they make to your business, and where to find the best ones in the business. Be sure to tune in today!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:41] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast!
• [00:52] Why Eric believes the best hire you can make is a copywriter.
• [01:18] Hear about some of the skills that copywriters have. 
• [02:11] Eric’s positive experience of working with copywriters.
• [03:25] Some of the best copywriting books out there, according to Eric.
• [03:53] Words are what help products to sell.
• [04:25] Advice for those looking to find the best copywriters out there. 
• [05:30] How to get your hands on the first chapter of Eric’s upcoming book.

Resources From The Interview:

• Marketing School Podcast
• Agora Financial

• Breakthrough Advertising

• The 16-Word Sales Letter

• Ben Settle
• Leveling Up

Leave Some Feedback:

• What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

• Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

• Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes

• Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed

Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere

• Single Grain

• Eric Siu on Twitter