The Smart Passive Income Online Business and Blogging Podcast

#829 Getting caught using other people's content is not a good look. On the flip side, we should also try to protect our own work against theft! So, where's the line between inspiration and copying? How do we build on existing ideas while respecting other people's output? Essentially, what are the rules for “stealing like an artist?” Today, I'm joined by Todd Herman, entrepreneur and author of The Alter Ego Effect, for a fantastic chat on this topic. Don't miss this interview, because Todd has worked with some of the world's top athletes and public figures to help them reach their highest potential! In this episode, we unpack how to build on existing concepts while giving credit where credit is due and staying on the right side of the law. Todd and I also discuss generating original ideas, preventing others from copying you, apprenticeships, and honoring your mentors. Enjoy! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session829.

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#828 Do you ever wish you could condense everything you need to read and learn into a podcast episode? If you're anything like me, that should sound pretty good faced with today's information overload culture. Well, you and I are both in luck! Google has a new tool for that, and this thing is amazing. I found out about NotebookLM from TikTok recently and seeing it in action really blew my mind! There's one key aspect that makes this tool different from ChatGPT and everything else. Setting NotebookLM apart is the ability to use your own documents, articles, books, links, videos, and other resources to train a niche AI assistant. Imagine then turning your files into easy-to-digest FAQs, briefing documents, or even audio podcasts. You have to listen in on today's episode because this is one of the coolest things I've seen in a while! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session828.

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#827 How do you create and sell your first physical product in today's digital world? If you've ever asked yourself that question, today's expert guest has the answers you're looking for! Thiefaine Magre of Prouduct is joining me for an illuminating masterclass on building a physical product portfolio. Listen in because we cover everything from merch to manufacturing and shipping solutions to help you get started! So what is the right first product for your audience members, and how do you test to find out if they'd buy it for you? Today, Thiefaine shares his sales-first approach to prototyping to zero in on in-demand merchandise. We discuss white-label products, packaging, third-party logistics companies, and more. This is a fascinating conversation that can help you uplevel your brand and enhance the experience you offer around it. Enjoy! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session827.

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#826 I'm so excited about the future of SPI! We have big changes coming and today's episode will loop you in on some of them. Don't worry, though, we're not going anywhere! Listen in on this revealing roundtable with my friends and partners Matt Gartland and Caleb Wojcik. Today, we dive into our history and discuss the new roles everyone's taking on to build something much bigger than ourselves. This episode is about what's coming next for us, but we also look at some of our forward-thinking ideas from the past. Matt, Caleb, and I have a fun chat about multimedia projects and the time we had the number-one video podcast in the world! Everything we've learned from our successes and failures is going into this new chapter of SPI. We want you alongside us, so join in for a sneak peek at what we're working on! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session826.

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#825 Having a narrow focus is a fantastic way to run a business! But what happens when you set your sights on more ambitious goals? This is what I'm discussing with ConvertKit CEO Nathan Barry today. With a rebrand to Kit, they've built an incredible operating system for creators who mean business. In this episode, you'll hear all about the powerful app store they're launching to supercharge how we use their ecosystem. Kit will also come with an enhanced hub for next-level analytics, and a slew of performance improvements. Finally, Nathan and I chat about the Creator Network, the number one tool I use to grow my Unstuck newsletter, and Kit's free tier for users with up to ten thousand email subscribers. This is way more than you can get anywhere else, so go to SmartPassiveIncome.com/convertkit to sign up! [affiliate link] Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session825.

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#824 I am shocked at the results of my Shorts experiment. It's only been two months, but I've already amassed over a hundred million views. That's just part of it, though. The big surprise is the money coming in. In the first twenty-eight days since Short Pocket Monster started being monetized, I made almost $15,000. What?! I didn't think this was possible! Tune in today because I break down one of the key mindset shifts that helped me wrap my head around short-form content. This was a struggle, but I had to let go of perfectionism to find a winning formula. I had to prioritize quantity over quality to get the YouTube algorithm to kick in! Now, you'll want to listen in because providing value for your audience is still vital. In this episode, I share my thoughts on finding the stand-out balance between quantity, quality, and substance. Enjoy! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session824.

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#823 When someone's on your website, what are the best practices that convert them from visitor to buyer? If you want more newsletter subscribers, how do you design a landing page that gets the job done? In fact, what is the balance between copywriting and graphics that gets the biggest results? These are some of the questions I ask my expert guest, Martin Cris, in today's interview. If you don't know how to optimize your website, join us for this fantastic conversation to learn more! Martin is a master at creating sales pages that convert. He and I discuss everything from writing effective headlines to prompting your clients for compelling testimonials. We share design dos and don'ts and even get into how to leverage AI to fine-tune your messaging. This is the episode for you if you want to ensure you're not losing sales when people click on your links! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session823.

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#822 Why do we let vanity numbers get in the way of making a meaningful impact? Instead of gathering a large audience, one of the most powerful things we can do is bring people together in small groups. With human connection coming at a premium, is this where online business will go in the Age of AI? In this roundtable episode, we tackle the state of community building in 2024 and share our best tips for newcomers in the space. Joining me for this chat are the incredible Natalie Franke, Head of Marketing at Flodesk, and SPI CEO Matt Gartland. So, why are small-scale communities having such a moment in 2024? How do you find your competitive advantage and attract members to your private group? What is the number of people you need to start, and how do you grow without sacrificing deep relationships? Listen in to hear our thoughts and strategies! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session822.

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#821 What does it take to start landing paid speaking gigs? If you don't have an extraordinary life story, how do you begin crafting your talks? Also, what are the steps to establish yourself as an authority and get your name out there? These are the questions we answer in today's chat with Grant Baldwin of The Speaker Lab! Here's the thing. If you build it they absolutely will not come. Unless you have the right assets in place and put in the promotional work, this is true for most of what you do online. The same goes for building a successful public speaking business! In this episode, Grant shares the roadmap he's used to help thousands of people get up and running. He and I dive into finding your niche and creating your first talk, setting up an effective digital presence, shooting a demo video, and reaching out to event planners. Enjoy! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session821.

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#820 As you're giving out your knowledge online, does the presentation around it reflect the value you're offering? This is important because the "gift wrapping" around your content can help you level up fast. On YouTube, for instance, we often hear that the title and thumbnail are vital for your success. It's so important that I even hired a thumbnail guy, Jonathan Sippel, for Deep Pocket Monster! Another example is the jingle I use on my new Shorts channel. If you've listened to last week's episode, you know I'm already seeing massive numbers and earning thousands of dollars after only doing short-form content for a little over a month. These are the same type of videos I see plenty of other creators doing. The difference? My focus on presentation helps me stand out from the crowd. Listen in because you can apply this strategy of going the extra mile on packaging to anything! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session820.

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