The Cliff Ravenscraft Show

In this episode, I sit down with Kevin Thompson, a man who has built an extraordinary business around something most people only do out of kindness: connecting others.

I’ve met plenty of people over the years who are natural connectors. They love introducing friends, clients, and peers to each other. Those introductions often lead to life-changing opportunities. But Kevin is the first person I’ve met who figured out how to turn that gift into a sustainable business model.

Kevin’s story begins with more than a decade in the publishing world, where he grew his company through over 600 strategic partnerships. Along the way, he discovered how much joy he found in helping people meet and collaborate.

For years, he did it freely, simply because it felt good to serve. But one introduction in particular, connecting marketing legends Perry Marshall and Brian Kurtz, planted a powerful seed. That connection eventually led to a multimillion-dollar event, and when Kevin was publicly recognized for being the bridge that made it all possible, he began wondering: What if I could make a living just doing this?

For a long time, he battled with the ethics of charging for introductions. Friends even told him it wasn't something that anyone should even consider. But in 2017, a single conversation changed everything.

A friend suggested he host a small, in-person gathering of the entrepreneurs he knew. Kevin couldn’t sleep that night. By 4:30 the next morning, he was making a list of everyone he wanted to invite. His enthusiasm was contagious. His wife offered to handle catering, and the first six entrepreneurs he spoke to said, “I’m in.”

That August, Kevin hosted his first event at his home in Arlington, Washington, with 15 attendees who each paid $5,000 to be there. They spent time sharing openly, collaborating deeply, and forming meaningful relationships that continued long after the event ended. A month later, he hosted another group, and it filled just as quickly.

What began as a simple idea soon became a thriving business. From there, Kevin developed an ongoing model, first through one-on-one connection work and later through group experiences that aligned more naturally with his gifts.

Today, he helps entrepreneurs create five-, six-, and seven-figure business opportunities through authentic relationship-building, often earning revenue shares from the connections he facilitates.

Throughout this conversation, Kevin and I explore not only how he did it, but the deeper mindset that made it possible, the excitement, confidence, and belief that magnetized people toward his vision. You’ll hear how he overcame doubt, learned from missteps, refined his structure, and ultimately built a business that’s as fulfilling as it is profitable.

If this conversation sparked something in you, if it got you thinking differently about what’s possible in your business, your relationships, or the way you earn a living, then I’d love to hear from you.

Right now, I’m working closely with entrepreneurs who are ready to bring more clarity, freedom, and alignment into the way they build and run their business.

Ways I have to support you:

The best next step is simple. Just send me an email.

Tell me a little about where you are right now and what resonated most from this episode. I read every message personally, and if it feels like I can genuinely help, we’ll set up a time to talk.

You can reach me directly at [email protected].

I look forward to hearing your story and exploring what’s possible together.

Over the past few years, I've heard several people suggest that "blogging is dead." However, one of my favorite coaching clients earns her primary income from her blog and also hosts retreats and an annual conference for an entire community of food bloggers who earn an income from their blogging efforts.

So I invited my client, Megan Porta, and asked her the question, "Can you still make money blogging in 2025?" Short answer: Yes. It's doable. It looks different than it did a decade ago. It requires real passion, patience, and a focus on what serves readers right now.

Below are thorough show notes to meet you exactly where you are. If you want to start or revive a blog as a real income stream, these notes double as a step-by-step primer.

Why blogging still pays when you pair patience with passion

Megan has seen brand-new bloggers “crushing it.” The difference now is you cannot fake it. Your readers and Google both know when you do. Authenticity wins.

The fastest realistic path to first income

Join a quality ad network once your traffic qualifies. We name the two big players and their current thresholds. We also discuss why Google SEO and Pinterest are still the two traffic pillars that move the needle.

Niching way down to win

Broad “everything” blogs struggle today. Specific sub-niches serve specific people and get rewarded. Think “vegan cakes” instead of “vegan.” The love for your topic has to show up in every post.

The collaboration playbook for early momentum

Smart email list swaps. Contributing value inside the right Facebook groups without spamming. How one helpful post can put a niche creator “on the map” in months.

Income beyond ads

Digital products. Memberships. Sponsorships. How to think about affiliate income post-HCU and what still works if you are selective.

Platform and tech choices that save you pain

Why WordPress.org with solid hosting is still the move. Why a VPS and proactive security matter. Real-world cautionary tales about updates, backups, and malware.

If you bring patience and genuine expertise, you can absolutely build an income today. People starting in the last year or two are succeeding. The difference is the landscape. Authenticity and user value must drive your strategy.

Winning examples are laser-specific. Pick a tight segment of a larger category, then become unmistakably helpful to that reader. This is how you break through and build trust.

To qualify for premium ad networks, prioritize traffic that comes from search and Pinterest. Current thresholds discussed in the episode: Mediavine at roughly 50,000 sessions per month and Raptive at roughly 100,000 pageviews per month. Build to those numbers, then let ad RPMs start compounding.

Use email list collaborations. Show up consistently inside large, topic-relevant Facebook groups. Earn trust by answering questions with real substance. This moves traffic quickly when your niche is dialed in.

Google’s Helpful Content updates pushed bloggers to stay tightly aligned with user intent. Keep posts on point for your niche. Tangential personal stories and off-topic content dilute perceived expertise and can hurt discoverability.

Phase 1. Choose a narrow niche and validate demand

List ten posts your ideal reader would save today. Ensure all are tightly aligned with one outcome your niche cares about. Keep stories and extras on-topic so Google sees topical authority.

Phase 2. Protect the asset

Run WordPress.org on a reliable VPS and keep everything updated. Assign backups and security to a pro so you do not risk outages or data loss.

Phase 3. Build a traffic engine

Publish high-quality posts that answer exact questions your audience asks. Optimize for search and create Pinterest assets for each post. Aim for Mediavine or Raptive thresholds to unlock ad revenue.

Phase 4. Accelerate through collaboration

Join large, relevant Facebook groups. Contribute substantial answers that stand on their own. Start tasteful email list collaborations for quick, qualified traffic.

Phase 5. Layer monetization

Add an easy digital product that solves a specific use case. Test a simple membership once engagement is strong. Pitch sponsors when you can quantify your audience’s fit and value.

Megan Porta has been blogging since 2010 and runs Eat Blog Talk, a podcast and community that supports food bloggers who want to grow and monetize. She is a strong voice for focus, patience, and authenticity in a space that has evolved dramatically.

If you want help in building your own online business, send me a short note about your business dream and where you feel stuck. I will point you to the most useful next step, whether that is a free resource, a workshop, or coaching with me. My email is [email protected].

Over and over again, I’ve witnessed the power of a single conversation.

Sometimes it happens over the course of an hour or more. Other times, it happens in less than twelve minutes. That’s what you’ll hear in this episode.

Recently, I joined my friend Ray Edwards during one of his live streams. We had no plan for what we would talk about. He invited me into the conversation, and within moments he asked me a simple but profound question:

“Cliff, how do you discover limiting beliefs?”

That question opened the door to a live demonstration of the exact process I use with my clients when we’re dismantling the lies that hold them back.

In this episode, you’ll hear me walk Ray through the four steps required to completely destroy limiting beliefs:

With Ray, we didn’t just talk theory. We discovered four limiting beliefs in real time. Beliefs that were keeping him from stepping back into his calling of speaking and traveling. Together, we exposed them, reframed them, and replaced them with empowering alternatives.

By the end of the conversation, Ray went from:

“I’m embarrassed and afraid I’ll be too weak to speak.”

to

“I want to go. I want to speak. Let me at 'em!”

And all of that happened in under twelve minutes.

This is the power of awareness, truth, and presence.

But we didn’t stop there.

After the conversation, I took the transcript and turned it into a song.

It’s what I call a Soul Song.

Instead of using affirmations in a document that are easy to set aside, I now condition my empowering beliefs through music. Songs created directly from the conversations where the shift took place.

You’ll hear that song in this episode as well. It’s a living reminder that even in trembling, even in weakness, there is profound strength.

Here’s my hope for you as you listen:

I’ll also share with you the exact five journal questions you can use right now to uncover your own limiting beliefs and begin dismantling them.

Because sometimes, one powerful conversation is all it takes to change everything.

If this resonates with you and you’d like to experience a conversation like this for yourself, send me an email at [email protected] with the subject line: A Single Conversation.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Cliff

The Miracle Breaking Through

[Verse 1]
I thought the stage required perfection,
A flawless voice, a steady hand.
But even trembling holds a message,
A deeper truth than I had planned.

[Chorus]
This is strength: to rise while shaking.
This is power: to speak through pain.
Like David Ring, like Nick before me,
My brokenness becomes the flame.
Even if my body falters,
Even if my words are few,
The bedsheet screen, the slides keep shining,
And my presence still breaks through.

[Verse 2]
The old belief said, You’re not able,
Cancel now, you can’t be strong.
But every stutter is an anthem,
Every tremor shines with song.

[Chorus]
This is strength: to rise while shaking.
This is power: to speak through pain.
Like David Ring, like Nick before me,
My brokenness becomes the flame.
Even if my body falters,
Even if my words are few,
The bedsheet screen, the slides keep shining,
And my presence still breaks through.

[Bridge]
It’s not perfection that brings the freedom,
It’s the courage just to be.
Every tremor tells the story,
Of God alive inside of me.

[Final Chorus]
This is strength: to rise while shaking.
This is power: to speak through pain.
I am not weak, I am unbroken,
Every struggle speaks His name.
Even if my body falters,
Even if my words are few,
My voice, my life, my very being Is the miracle breaking through.

What if the most important story you’ll ever hear isn’t about someone else, but about you?

In this episode, I share something deeply personal from a recent hot seat in my Green Room mastermind. I asked my peers, Pat Flynn, Leslie Samuel, Mark Mason, Ray Edwards, and Michael Stelzner, how they would describe me and the work I do in the world. Their answers were strikingly consistent:

“The magic of a single conversation.”

Over and over, each of them described the power of one conversation to unlock potential, to destroy limitations, to surface truth, and to realign someone’s compass to their true north.

To bring this to life, I then share a conversation from a recent live stream with Niiamah. What began as a tactical question about building a podcast network unfolded into a transformational dialogue. One that shifted perspective, reignited possibility, and reminded both of us of what’s truly possible when presence meets openness.

This episode isn’t about strategy or marketing. It’s about identity. It’s about the story you tell yourself about yourself. And as you’ll hear, sometimes one conversation is all it takes to rewrite that story in a way that changes everything.

When I recorded Episode 787 back on August 11th, I was filled with anticipation. The Free The Dream Workshop was just around the corner, and I wanted to give you a sense of what was coming.

Now, just a few weeks later, the event has taken place… and it’s hard to put into words just how powerful it was. In this episode, I want to take you behind the scenes and share not only my reflections but also Stephanie’s insights and the real, unfiltered experiences of the people who were in the room.

Here’s what you’ll hear in this episode:

The Power of Clearing the Noise

You’ll hear why getting out of your normal environment, even for two days, can shake up the patterns that keep you stuck and open the door to new possibilities.

Customized Breakthroughs, Not Cookie-Cutter Content

Rather than following a strict agenda, we began by asking each attendee:

“If you could walk away with one miraculous change this weekend, what would it be?”

What happened next was nothing short of transformational. We watched each person’s intentions get met, and in some cases, completely surpassed, over the two days.

Scott Blair’s Testimony

Scott shared that within just a few hours, he experienced a breakthrough so profound he would have felt his entire investment was worth it even if the workshop had ended right then and there. And yet, the breakthroughs kept coming.

Stephanie’s Reflections

You’ll hear Stephanie talk about the moments that stood out most to her, the conversations over lunch and dinner, and even the hilarious moments with the whiteboard drawings that made perfect sense to those in the room… and absolutely none to anyone else.

What We’re Changing Moving Forward

This workshop confirmed several things for us:

Why This Work Matters

At its core, Free The Dream isn’t just about goals or business or mindset. It’s about remembering the part of you that’s still waiting to be lived… and giving it space to breathe again.

My hope is that this episode stirs something in you. Maybe it’s clarity. Maybe it’s courage. Maybe it’s the reminder that your dream isn’t dead. It’s simply waiting for you to make space for it.

The next Free The Dream Workshop is already on the calendar. Maybe this is your time.

I want to share two stories with you today. One from my mentor, Dan Miller, and one from my friend Freya Casey.

Both have confirmed the way I see life, faith, and even death itself.

Dan was told in December of 2023 that he had advanced pancreatic cancer. No treatment. No cure. Six months to live at most.

His very first words to me after receiving that diagnosis?

“So I have this gift…”

He wrote about the conversations he was having with his wife Joanne, their kids, and grandkids. About celebrating now rather than later. About reflecting on legacy, gratitude, and even anticipating “an incredible spiritual transformation” with excitement.

He wasn’t bitter. He wasn’t fearful. He wasn’t even anxious.

He was fully alive.

That message, and the peace behind it, lined up with what I already knew to be true at a deeper level… that real faith isn’t proven by what we say we believe, but by the peace and presence we carry when life gives us every reason to fall apart.

For much of my life, I met many people, and at times, I was one of them, who claimed faith in God yet carried fear, anxiety, and worry about the smallest things. But by the time I received Dan’s text, that was no longer my reality.

Dan embodied what I’ve come to know as true. He had encountered something far deeper than doctrine or dogma. He knew what it meant to live in alignment with love itself, to experience the presence of God as a living reality rather than a religious concept.

And then there’s Freya.

Freya has been a client and friend for over a decade. She’s a single mother of three, pregnant with her fourth, a business owner, a creator and recently diagnosed with advanced stomach cancer while pregnant.

Yet when she reached out to me, she wasn’t falling apart.

She was calm. Peaceful. Clear.

Not because she knew the outcome.

But because she wasn’t resisting reality.

She was fully present, creating her reality moment by moment, choosing to trust rather than fear, to open rather than control, to soften rather than fight.

Freya and I have been having many private conversations over the past few months about what she’s been walking through. One day, she decided to join me on one of my open live streams.

She felt her story might encourage someone else who needed to hear it. What unfolded became yet another living example of what it looks like to trust the journey in the midst of life’s greatest trials.

If you want to hear her story in her own voice, and feel the peace that carries through every word, listen to this episode.

My hope is that what you hear will do more than inspire you.

I hope it awakens something within you. A quiet knowing that peace really is possible, even in the middle of life’s greatest storms.

With gratitude,

Cliff

An Invitation: If what you hear in this episode resonates with you and you’d like to go deeper, I want to personally invite you to join us at the Free The Dream Workshop. This two-day experience is designed to help you clear the noise, uncover what’s next, and remember the part of you that’s still waiting to be lived.

The next session is happening August 29–30, right here in my hometown, and for this limited time, it’s a pay-what-you-want event. That means you can even attend for free if that’s what works for you right now. (Note: The next session will be hosted in October 2025. Dates have now been confirmed!!!!   The dates are Friday and Saturday, October 17th and 18th)

You can learn more and reserve your spot at FreeTheDreamWorkshop.com

When Jordan showed up for my How May I Serve You? livestream, he came with a familiar question:

"Cliff, you’ve been through big events and big stress. What have you learned about managing it?"

He wasn’t asking about marketing, business models, or strategy. He was looking for relief from the kind of stress that nearly wrecked him two years ago when the weight of his first live event landed him in the hospital.

And as we started talking, I realized something powerful:

Jordan didn’t need a few tips on “stress management.” He was longing for something deeper, a way to live without the constant undercurrent of fear and pressure.

So instead of giving him a list of strategies, I asked:

“What if the goal wasn’t to manage stress… but to eliminate it altogether?”

That one question changed everything.

Now, here’s what made this conversation unique:

Jordan comes from a faith background shaped by Christianity.

Jordan shared that prayer, Scripture reading, and faith in Christ bring him real peace, but it rarely lasted through the rest of his workday.

I invited him, from within his own framework of faith, to carry that same experience of peace into every part of his day, not just the quiet moments of prayer and meditation.

I shared how I’ve learned to live from a place of peace so steady that stress no longer drives my life.

We talked about what it means to actually trust rather than control, to be present rather than endlessly managing outcomes.

And I could feel the shift happening in real time.

Here are just a few moments that landed powerfully for Jordan and that will likely land for you too:

From “manage” to “eliminate”: Jordan came in seeking tips on managing stress. I asked him, "What if the goal wasn't to manage stress, but to eliminate it entirely?" That single question transformed his perspective, shifting him from seeing stress-free living as a 50/50 possibility to a 7 out of 10 on his belief scale. By the end of our conversation, he was fully convinced it was possible.

Peace that doesn’t last: He admitted that prayer, Scripture, and meditation bring him real peace, but as soon as the workday starts, the peace fades. That gap between the quiet moments and the rest of life became a key focus.

A faith-based model for peace: I reminded him of Jesus’ words about being anxious for nothing and the invitation to “take my yoke upon you.” He realized he had already been trying to apply this and said it helped, yet about 30% of the stress was still there.

Naming the real source: When we dug deeper, Jordan saw that 90% of his stress wasn’t uncertainty about the event itself, it was self-doubt. The event would likely be fine. It was his inner critic running the show.

Generating his own practices: As we talked, Jordan began suggesting his own solutions: setting reminders, scheduling check-ins, being more intentional with how he carries peace into his day.

Bringing Presence into the workday: I pointed out how he feels God’s presence in the morning but then tackles the workday alone. He laughed and admitted that’s exactly what happens. and began to imagine what it would look like to stay connected throughout the day.

Releasing rumination and perfectionism: We reframed mistakes as simple notes for next time rather than problems to obsess over now. He saw clearly that stressing about them wouldn’t change this event’s outcome.

People-pleasing comes into view: Jordan realized a huge part of his stress came from trying to prevent negative comments and manage how others see him, something he ultimately has zero control over.

The “desire” pivot: When I asked if he truly desired a stress-free life, he paused. Part of him wondered if he’d grown comfortable with chaos. That question unlocked a deeper layer of self-awareness.

Ending with possibility: By the end, Jordan said he fully believed a stress-free life was possible and he was willing to explore what it would take to live that way.

For the past five and a half years, I’ve had soul-level conversations like this behind closed doors with one-on-one clients.

But when I started these How May I Serve You? livestreams, I hoped that someday, one of them might open into the same depth, so the world could see the kind of transformation that unfolds when we move beyond strategies and into the heart of what’s really going on.

This conversation with Jordan became that moment.

In this episode, I had the privilege of speaking with David, a naturopathic doctor with a thriving local practice and a powerful desire to serve people on a much larger scale.

He came to our conversation with a question that so many purpose-driven creators wrestle with:

“How do I reach the people I’m meant to serve… especially when I doubt whether I’m charismatic or creative enough to stand out?”

What followed was a deeply generative exploration. I invited David to step into a future where his vision was already fulfilled, where he was leading transformational group coaching programs, impacting thousands through his content, and receiving glowing testimonials from clients who had completely changed their lives.

Together, we reverse-engineered that dream, uncovering the practical, soulful, and surprisingly simple path that could take him there.

In this conversation, we explore:

If you’ve been waiting for permission to speak, to create, to be seen…

Let this be the moment you stop waiting.

You already have everything you need to begin.

Ready for your own breakthrough?

Join me for a future “How May I Serve You?” live session at https://www.cliffravenscraft.com/join

You bring the question. I’ll hold the space.

Free The Dream Workshop

If this episode resonates with you, I’d love for you to join me at the next Free The Dream Workshop. It’s a two-day experience designed to clear the noise, uncover what’s next, and remember the part of you that’s still waiting to be lived. Learn more and register at FreeTheDreamWorkshop.com.

What we envision as “bigger” often turns out to be less effective than the intimate alternative. Sometimes, a smaller gathering proves more beneficial for everyone involved.

In this episode, I share the story of the original Free The Dream message and how it has evolved over time. You’ll hear why we shifted our vision from hosting annual conferences with hundreds or thousands of attendees to creating more frequent workshops with much smaller groups.

I also explain why I’ve stopped measuring the value of an event by how many seats are filled and why the deepest breakthroughs often happen when the room is small enough for everyone to be fully seen and heard.

In this episode, you’ll discover answers to the following questions:

The second half of this episode features an audio segment from three attendees of the first-ever Free The Dream Workshop. You'll hear their powerful stories of transformation: how they walked in with uncertainty or limitation and left with newfound courage, peace, and a fresh vision for their personal lives and businesses.

If this episode resonates with you, whether it's igniting a desire for clarity, suggesting a new direction, or simply creating space for self-reflection, I invite you to join us for the next Free The Dream Workshop on Friday and Saturday, August 29th and 30th, 2025.

This is a two-day experience designed to clear the noise, uncover what’s next, and help you remember the part of you that’s still waiting to be lived.

Whether you come with a clear goal or just a sense that something needs to change, you’ll leave with fresh insight, practical tools, and the courage to take your next step.

You can learn more and secure your spot at FreeTheDreamWorkshop.com.

In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of one of the most personally meaningful creations in my Higher Self Project — my Soul Songs — and share the full story behind the track The Money Will Come When I’m Aligned.

The inspiration for this episode all started with an unexpected email from a listener, Nate Martin, who stumbled onto my YouTube channel at just the right moment. He had been about to unsubscribe… until he saw my channel trailer, This Is Not a Business. This Is Devotion. Something about that message pulled him into my Soul Songs playlist. He ended up listening to The Money Will Come When I’m Aligned ten times in a row, found my albums on Spotify, and sent me a note that reminded me exactly why I create.

From there, I open up about how my Soul Songs are born: the way ideas from books, conversations, and spiritual insights turn into lyrics, how I collaborate with ChatGPT to refine them, and how Suno’s AI music generation brings them to life in a way that still surprises me. I talk about the vulnerability of publishing them — from hand-syncing lyrics in Descript to posting on TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook — and what it felt like to release them into the world without any guarantee of how they’d be received.

Along the way, I share a powerful teaching from Abraham Hicks on alignment, vibration, and inspiration, along with the specific notes I took while listening. I also reflect on how this teaching ties directly into my own creative process, the deeper role of alignment in every area of life, and why I’ve let go of performing or creating for external validation.

Finally, you’ll hear the full lyrics of The Money Will Come When I’m Aligned and the heart behind each line — an anthem for creating from a place of joy, sufficiency, and trust that everything you need will arrive in perfect timing.

If you’ve ever wondered how to live and create from your deepest alignment… if you’ve questioned whether money can truly flow without grind or hustle… or if you simply want to hear the story behind one of my most personal pieces of art, this episode is for you.

The Path Forward: Your alignment is the creator. Your inspired action is the expression. Listen in and let this story invite you to create from the same place.

Free The Dream Workshop

If this episode resonates with you, I’d love for you to join me at the next Free The Dream Workshop. It’s a two-day experience designed to clear the noise, uncover what’s next, and remember the part of you that’s still waiting to be lived. Learn more and register at FreeTheDreamWorkshop.com.

The Money Will Come When I’m Aligned

They say that wealth comes when you grind
But something whispers in my mind
That worth is not a race or task
It rises from the soul unmasked

The world rewards the ones who burn
But what if there’s another turn?
Where ease and clarity belong
And truth itself becomes the song

The money comes when I’m aligned
Not from the chase, but from the flow
When joy is real and peace is near
The stream of life makes all things clear

It’s not the grind that makes me rise
It’s focus felt behind closed eyes
The world may shout, but I find
The money comes when I’m aligned

Who priced the stars or charged the sky?
Who bought the sun when it rose high?
This earth was paid with none but grace
No hands, no trade, just sacred space

And yet we think we must exchange
Our worth for coins, our dreams for chains
But true value flows from inner fire
Not from the crowd, not from the buyer

The power’s not in what I do
But how I see the world as true
The work I love, the steps I take
Are just the ripples that I make

It’s thought that builds the inner flame
It’s focus first, then form and name
The mind aligned, reality complies
Creation dances where truth flies

I thought I wanted cash and fame
A bigger life, a louder name
But now I see what’s underneath
The joy to breathe, the love beneath

I live to feel the pulse of grace
To walk with light, to move with pace
To shine, to laugh, to lift, to see
Alignment is what’s wanting me

The money comes when I’m aligned.
Not from the chase, but from the flow.
When joy is real and peace is near,
The stream of life makes all things clear.

It’s not the grind that makes me rise,
It’s focus felt behind closed eyes.
The world may shout, but I find:
The money comes when I’m aligned.

They mock, “You can’t just sit and believe”
But stillness isn’t make-believe
For when I plug into life’s stream
I move like lightning through a dream

Inspired hands, aligned with fire
Each step is charged with soul’s desire
I’m not inactive. I’m alive
This sacred motion is why I thrive

You can find my Soul Songs Volumes 1 and 2 on Apple Music & Spotify.