August 16, 2023

Sara St. John: The Frugalpreneur

39 minutes

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Sara St. John, someone whose unique entrepreneurial journey embodies the essence of growth and innovation.

As the brain behind several startups, Sara has used her experiences to pen books, run a blog, and most notably, host the well-regarded podcast 'The Frugalpreneur.' Through these mediums, she’s been inspiring and equipping individuals with the knowledge and tools to kickstart and maintain their online businesses even under tight financial constraints.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Her entrepreneurship journey started in 2008. I’d had 6 different jobs that year and realised that working for other people wasn’t my thing, so I decided to start a photography business doing weddings and portraits, but it was expensive to maintain equipment and software, so I started an online business model and tried several different things because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. This led me to write ‘Frugal Entrepreneur’, which was about the different ways to make money online and how to do it on a budget. I launched the podcast to promote the book, but gained more leverage through it. I’ve kept it going for a few years now and have started a podcast production agency. I’m all in on podcasting now, but it took me 10 years to get there.

One misconception that people have about building a great podcast is that it’s expensive. I started with a $60-80 USB mic that plugs straight into your computer, and you can record in Zoom for free. Then all you need is a podcast host to distribute your files to the platforms, which costs as little as $5-20 a month. It’s the best way to get more exposure.

Everyone should have a website. People think that having a social media page is enough – and you should have social media too – but you need to have your own site, because you never know what’s going to happen with social media. You should also use an email service provider like SendFox, which will automatically create a newsletter and send it to your email list every time you publish content.

Shiny object syndrome is a big problem for many entrepreneurs, whether it’s having a million different business ideas and always moving onto the next one, which takes up a lot of time and money. It could also be new gadgets and tools. You need to recognise that you have shiny object syndrome and reign it in. Try using free tools and all-in-one systems like Systeme.io or Clixlo, which offer everything you need for one price in one place.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Whether you have your own podcast or not, you should guest on other people’s podcasts because you’re basically leveraging and getting access to their audience who might come and check out your podcast or become a client.’

‘A lot of people assume their podcast is going to take off right away. If you’re a celebrity already, it probably will; if you’re a regular person, it’s going to take a while.’

‘When you’re starting out, try to go the free route with software as long as you can, and then only pay as you need to. AppSumo has a one-time payment for various software.’

‘I try to keep my budget to under $100 per month for software and the basic maintenance of an online business. It might go a little more if I’m running an ad, but even then, I try not to spend more than $100 per month. But everybody has their own amount.’

ABOUT THE GUEST

Sara St. John is a seasoned entrepreneur, prolific author, avid animal lover, and ardent globetrotter. With an entrepreneurial career spanning over a decade, Sara has birthed and nurtured several successful startups, honing her expertise in budget-friendly business management. Her journey has imbued her with a wealth of insights and strategies, which she generously shares through her podcast, The Frugalpreneur.

As the host of The Frugalpreneur, Sara brings a fusion of rich business acumen and an infectious passion for budget-conscious entrepreneurship.

Sara's mission extends beyond practical advice. She is a passionate advocate for the power of podcasting as a business tool, and she relishes every opportunity to delve into this topic on her show.

If you want to know more about Sara, check her LinkedIn profile and her “preneur” series here.

ABOUT THE HOST

Sabine VanderLinden is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur and the CEO of Alchemy Crew Ventures. She leads venture-client labs that help Fortune 500 companies adopt and scale cutting-edge technologies from global tech ventures. A builder of accelerators, investor, and co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, Sabine is known for asking the uncomfortable questions—about AI governance, risk, and trust. On Scouting for Growth, she decodes how real growth happens—where capital, collaboration, and courage meet.

If this episode sparked your thinking, follow Sabine VanderLinden on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for more insights.

And if you’re interested in sponsoring the podcast, reach out to the team at [email protected]

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