The Starters Club Podcast - Learn From Entrepreneurs - Get Your Business Started - Grow Your Current Business

Shalon Ironroad was once a VA who now helps business owners get their business set-up to get the best return on their investment when hiring VA's.  Many times business owners are so overwhelmed, that they it doesn't end up being a great hiring decision.  

As a business owner, you should always be looking for your best return on investment, and if you set your business up the right way, a VA will help you do just that....make you money.

Shalon talks about how to set this up the right way, and how to not feel so overwhelmed, how to hire the right way, and how to set up your business for more profits by hiring.

Yes, I went away for a few weeks, and here's why.  Along with why as entrepreneurs we have to listen to our bodies and not try to be super human!

Joshua Dorkin was a teacher who decided to be a real estate investor.  After discovering the market was full of people more about making money than actually helping, he decided to do something about it.

Using a little bit of web design experience from college he launched BiggerPockets.com.  Over the years, the site slowly grew until it became a full-time income for Joshua.  He shares how he got it rolling, some of the struggles he has faced, and what has made this such a successful site over 10 years later.

You find someone who has a similar audience, you love their message, and you think dang, we need to work on something together. You reach out to them, they love the idea, you love the idea, you put together a course, and all is rainbows and puppies.

But then something goes wrong.....

Now what? You're not officially in a business partnership because this course or event was created on a handshake.

Who is responsible?
Who gets the list of attendees?
Who is liable?
All of a sudden all of these questions come up, and you're left trying to figure them out far too late in the game.

Yes, even affiliate marketing is an incredible way to build your business. However, you should set yourself up so you're protected and planning. So just in case if something goes wrong, you're covered.

Tamsen and I had been asked to cover this topic, and I was excited to because I think it's really an important one.

We talk about:

What to think about before you jump into something that feels like a 'no-brainer'.
How to protect yourself if you're being featured in someone's course.
The questions to ask for your next joint course or event.
And how to set-up your affiliate marketing to protect yourself and do what's right for your brand.

Carrie and Daniel Himel are not only entrepreneurs, but are married. About ten years ago, they started their first business venture together, which turned out to be a huge success. After doing separate things for a while, they decided to start an event called Middle School Match-up, which is a baseball tournament for Middle Schoolers.

Dr. Susan O'Malley's story is an incredible journey of beating the odds time and time again.  After dropping out of college, she worked as a secretary for 11 years.  When her life took a drastic change, she decided to go back to school.  It was then when she changed her major from being a nutritionist to being a doctor.

After she was rejected from every medical school in the country, perseverance kicked in.  It took her that long to figure out what her dream was, and she wasn't going to be shut out of it.  She was accepted just a few weeks before school started.

Times had changed, as she found herself pregnant and no husband.  However, she decided to follow through and go to school.

She went from emergency room doctor to running her own extremely successful med spa, and now is an author and speaker.

It was book launch week!  Through hell, fears, questions, and pushing through, 'Master the Start' made it out and made it as a #1 Amazon Best Seller.

In this podcast I share what worked, and what didn't work.  And why it took me so long to get it completed!

You can buy your version at: bit.ly/masterthestart2

Speaking can be a very lucrative career, in addition to being a great way to build your business.  However, as Joleene describes it there are three levels to speaking and starting to pull yourself in the top two can be a difficult thing.  

She gives some great tips on where to begin when you're ready to up your game and start getting paid.  So much valuable info in this one!

Facebook groups have become a popular way to build your business' community.  How it's typically done is where you have one group, and then you make comments, ask questions, connect people, etc.  

Gary Leland has taken Facebook Groups to an entirely new level, and is using it as a way to build and connect the entire Fast Pitch Softball Community in the U.S.  He gives us some tips and tricks for how he manages it all, and how he is using them to build his business.

Facebook groups are the latest and greatest way to build a community for your business.  However, as great as they are, you also have to be sure to protect yourself from what legally could happen to you.  

Yes, it's not a lot of fun to think about.  However, by putting precautions in place now, you could save yourself a lot of headaches down the line.

Tamsen Horton of LaunchingLegal.com gives some great advice on what you need to think about, and how to protect yourself.