Ben Collins’ story is an interesting one! He went from forensic accountant to creating and selling online courses about Google Sheets - talk about niching down! But we talk about more than that. We also talk about location independence, and what it’s like moving from an office to working from home, with a family. Lots of great stuff in this episode, so let’s dig in. 

Show Notes

• Ben Collins | Twitter
• Teachable
• Have a Daily Schedule when Working from Home

Sponsored by: TextExpander | FreshBooks

Shannon Shaffer is the founder of Purple Finch Studios, a small agency she runs in Pennsylvania, and today we’re talking about the systems and automation she put in place to make her and her team more efficient. But more than just her team benefits - her clients get a much more delightful and clear on-boarding process, communication doesn’t falter, and her projects get off to a great start. The systems she’s put in place can help us all get projects off to a great start, then keep them on track. 

• Shannon Shaffer
• Twitter | LinkedIn
• Get More Clients Using Content with Jessica Lawlor
• Liquid Web
• Dubsado
• Zapier
• Clickup
• Milanote
• Loom
• Gusto

Sponsored by: TextExpander | FreshBooks

As tools for podcasting have evolved, the question of, “Can I start a podcast” has changed to, “should I start a podcast?” And importantly, will it help you grow your business? We’re going to talk about all of that and more in today’s episode. We’ll go over why podcasting is getting easier, some of the basics, and why YOU should start one. At the end of the episode, I’m going to tell you about a new online course I have coming out that will give you everything you need to launch your own show. Let’s get to it!

Show Notes

• Podcast Liftoff Course
• Growing your Business through Podcasting with Matt Medeiros
• Edison Research's Podcasting Stats
• Your First Podcast Setup
• Podcaster's Gift / Gear Guide
• Start with Why

Sponsored by: TextExpander | FreshBooks

 Today I’m talking to my good friend Matt Medeiros. We both share a passion for podcasting and content creation in general. On top of talking about getting involved in local businesses, and legacy, we dig deep on putting content out into the world. First you learned about content strategy from Jessica Lawlor. Now you'll learn more about one of the big important mediums for creating content in 2020: podcasting. 

Show Notes

• Matt Medeiros | Twitter
• Southcoast.fm
• Pagely
• Missing WPWeekly podcast, YoastGate, and 2020 plans! - The Matt Report
• Start with Why

Sponsored by: FreshBooks | Creator Courses

If you've been freelancing or running a small business for any amount of time, you've learned a few things you probably wish you knew from the start. In this episode, I've asked a few of my freelancing friends (as well as Twitter), "What's one thing you wish you knew when you started freelancing?" There's lots of great advice, so let's get to it! 

Show Notes

• The original Twitter Thread
• Jean Perpillant | Twitter
• Sal Ferrarello | Twitter
• Topher DeRosia | Twitter
• Birgit Pauli-Haack | Twitter
• Jonathan Bossenger | Twitter
• Getting Back to Blogging with Colin Devroe

Check out the memberships over at Creator Courses

Sponsored by: SaneBox | FreshBooks | Creator Courses

 Jessica Lawlor is a content manager and strategist. Your content plan is integral to your small business, as I’ve learned over the past couple of year. I’m being a lot more intentional this year, and in this episode, Jessica talks about how you can too. We chat about content calendars, answering important questions regarding your goals, and how to create content even if you’re strapped for time.

Show Notes

• Jessica Lawlor | Twitter
• The Write Life
• Airtable
• Click Up
• Nathan Ellering and CoSchedule
• Repurposing Content with Jaclyn Schiff
• Repurpose.io
• ConvertKit
• OptinMonster
• How to get More Comfortable Recording a Podcast

Become a Creator Courses Member

Sponsored by: SaneBox | FreshBooks

This year, 2020, the show is going to focus heavily on Freelancers and small business owners. And to kick things off, I’m talking to long time freelancer and educator Jason Resnick. He’s the founder of the Feast community and Live in the Feast podcast, and today he’s going to tell you how to set yourself up to prevent the dreaded famine that often comes with freelance work. We’ll talk about niching down, vetting clients, and so much more.

Show Notes

• Jason Resnick | Twitter
• Live in the Feast
• WooCommerce
• Diversifying Your Income as a Freelancer
• The Imagineering Workout
• Curtis McHale

Become a Creator Courses Member

Sponsored by: SaneBox | FreshBooks

Lots of people like to make resolutions around the new year. Fresh calendar, fresh start. I've gotten away from doing that and instead talking about a yearly theme - an idea I got from the Cortex podcast. In this episode, we'll talk about my yearly theme, how it affects the show, and how you can pick one.

Show Notes

• The Theme System
• Cortex Podcast
• My 2019 Yearly Theme
• Pat Flynn’s AMP’d Up Podcasting
• MacSparky’s OmniFocus Field Guide
• Podcast Liftoff

I’m ending this season of How I Built It by geeking out about audio stuff with my guest, Ryan White. He’s the US Product Specialist for Rode Microphones - a company that makes great gear, and who has an increasingly bigger presence in the podcasting space. We talk gear, room acoustics, and more. AND you can hear their newest product, the Rodecaster Pro, in action (if there’s anything to hear, that is). All of that and more, after a word from our sponsors. 

Show Notes

• Ryan White
• Rode
• Rodecaster Pro
• Rode Podmic
• Other Rode Mics: NTK, NT1-A, NT-USB
• Getting Good Room Acoustics
• Aurulex Sound Panels | DeskMax
• $20 vs. $12,000 mic
• Testing out the Rode Podmic

 
Sponsored by: Cloudways | Ahoy! | Pantheon

I was excited to reconnect with my friend Colin Devroe on this episode. We met through the WordPress community in Scranton and I just the co-working space he and his business part Kyle created. In this conversation, we get back to basics, and talk blogging. With the ever changing landscape of the web and social media, how important is it to have your own blog? Let’s find out! 

Show Notes

• Colin Devroe
• Jujama
• Barley
• Writing is How I Think
• Bad Reasons to Not Blog
• Colin's personal blogging tips
• Zeldman
• Seth Godin
• Micro.blog
• Repurposing Your Content with Jaclyn Schiff
• IndieWeb
• Chris Lema and Managed WooCommerce Hosting
• The Future of Blogging
• Mastodon
• The Talk Show | Daring Fireball
• Bullet Journal

Send your feedback for 2020!

Sponsored by: Cloudways | Ahoy! | Pantheon