In this episode, you’ll learn the types of hardships and learning curves new business owners can expect in their first year and what the key differences are between expectations and goals. Also, hear about the valuable lessons that ‘doing it all yourself’ can teach you and why it’s vital to outsource things you don’t fully understand, like your finances. Answering my listener submitted questions are truly my most fun podcast episodes. Thanks for joining me! 
  
 For exclusive content surrounding this and all podcast episodes, sign up for our amazing newsletter at www.theinfluencerpodcast.com. And don’t forget to snap and post a photo while listening to the show and tag me (@julssolomon)!
  
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What Should I Expect After the First Year in My Side Hustle?

Hi, I’m Julie Solomon, best-selling author of Get What You Want: How to Go From Unseen to Unstoppable, brand and business coach, and host of The Influencer Podcast! I help you take your inner star quality and crack it open to help you spread and share your message with the world. And this is what I have dedicated my entire career to helping leaders and creators like you tap into their next levels of visibility and impact, so you can be the leader you were born to be. If you're looking for inspiration and actionable advice delivered directly to your earbuds, then get ready for coaching, insights, and transformations to enrich your personal brand and grow your business. Discover why people all over the world have called this podcast their go-to for all things influence, impact, and next level visibility for more than 6 years!

Business

Investing

Careers

Management & Marketing

Business News

Shopping

Marketing

Today we’re thrilled to have Stefanie and Caleb Rouse sharing their incredible shift from teaching to creating a full-time lifestyle brand. Discover how they catapulted their social media reach from 40,000 to a staggering 140,000 followers in just 3 months and made their personal brand a resonating success.

Their secret? A strategic pivot through the "Pitch It Perfect" program, guiding them to confidently monetize their influence and secure lucrative brand deals. Overcoming fears and embracing continuous learning have been pivotal in their journey to not just growing an audience, but truly connecting with and impacting lives.

Stefanie and Caleb's story is one of passion, perseverance, and the power of supportive communities. Expect to be motivated by their candid discussion on the steps they took to triumph over challenges and their advice for anyone eyeing a similar path.

Liked this episode? Make sure to subscribe to our podcast and leave a review with your takeaways, this helps us create the exact content you want! 

KEY POINTS:
14:31 Struggling with fear and negativity, finding happiness.
21:32 Enjoying course, negotiating value, landing major brands.
22:29 Your course empowered us to value ourselves.
25:43 Started getting brand deals, expanding the team's reach.
30:23 Utilizing templates for multiple unexpected opportunities and success.
36:25 Brand deals and impact on legacy.
46:18 Influence one person for a positive impact.

QUOTABLES:
"Even when we didn't have a lot of time, we carved out the time."
— Stefanie
"I would definitely say that your audience is not too small, that you can do it, that it's possible to go out there and secure these deals and to grow your brand. You just have to be willing to put in that work to be able to get there."
— Caleb
 "But it's also two fold, it's nice to get to look back at those memories and really for us, we see our Instagram and our YouTube also, like, as a legacy to really impact people, to really get to share our lives and, we love looking back and how it empowers us to have a voice and then it allows us to connect with so many others and help others as well. So we really see it all, like, as our legacy, our courses, our Instagram, our YouTube and how that can make a difference in the world, you know, little by little."
— Stefanie
"I would definitely say that your audience is not too small, that you can do it, that it's possible to go out there and secure these deals and to grow your brand. You just have to be willing to put in that work to be able to get there."
— Caleb

GUEST RESOURCES:
Stefanie & Caleb Rouse
IG | @calebjasonrouse

RESOURCES:
[WORK WITH ME?] If you’ve been in business for a bit and you’re ready to grow your revenue and brand authority, I’d love for you to take 5 minutes to fill out this form so I can tweak my new program to meet your needs. And, if it looks like our upcoming case study cohort would be a fit, I’ll have my team reach out to you! 

[FREE] Are you a content creator ready to take your brand collaborations to new heights? Grab the Brand Deal Playbook and unlock the secrets to securing paid partnerships with confidence. You'll gain free access to pitch templates, essential questions, and expert strategies that will propel your content creator journey to new heights, including immediate and lifetime access!

[FREE] Want the step-by-step roadmap to grow your following, monetize your content, and land paid brand deals? Click here to join my brand new free class! This is perfect for you if you want to turn your social media into a profitable & fun career… even if you’re starting from scratch!

[ORDER] my book or Audible, Get What You Want: How to Go From Unseen to Unstoppable so you can leverage the power of your own influence.

Follow Julie on Instagram!
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How Stefanie & Caleb Rouse Tripled Their Business and Landed Brand Deals in Just 3 Months

Ready to land brand deals regardless of how many followers you have? In today’s episode I’m sharing the secrets to successful pitching using the "shine structure", a strategic framework designed to craft winning pitches that prioritize a brand's needs and position you as their ideal partner. 

It's about strategy, and focusing on the RIGHT numbers. By focusing on value and proactive engagement, you can unlock brand partnerships regardless of follower size. I believe in the power of starting where you are and building something extraordinary. 

Liked this episode? Make sure to subscribe to our podcast and leave a review with your takeaways, this helps us create the exact content you want! 

KEY POINTS:
04:20 Small following can lead to faster payments.
08:00 Pitch daily, craft strategy, attract brand deals.
11:34 You’re already pitching in daily life interactions.
15:20 Pitching technique emphasizes shining the focus on others.
19:13 Create compelling pitches by showcasing relevant content.
22:11 Thorough research before pitching leads to success.
24:53 Find a knowledgeable coach for success.
30:16 Seek new perspectives, gain success, share insights.

QUOTABLES:
"I am so passionate about the art form and really the goodness that is pitching, that is putting yourself out there, that is knowing the right way to ask for what you want, to get what you want, and then for people to happily pay you for that."
— Julie
"In your pitch, you take the shine off you and you put the shine on them. You take the focus off of yourself and you put the focus on them."
— Julie
"It is your job to figure out what that is and to make sure that your pitch to them is super compelling and that you're showing them, not just telling them how you're able to do that."
— Julie
"Give yourself permission to learn the right way to pitch, come learn some new strategies, and then start making some money and start getting that freedom and that success and that exposure and that brand recognition that I know that you are craving."
— Julie

RESOURCES:
[WORK WITH ME?] If you’ve been in business for a bit and you’re ready to grow your revenue and brand authority, I’d love for you to take 5 minutes to fill out this form so I can tweak my new program to meet your needs. And, if it looks like our upcoming case study cohort would be a fit, I’ll have my team reach out to you! 

[FREE] Are you a content creator ready to take your brand collaborations to new heights? Grab the Brand Deal Playbook and unlock the secrets to securing paid partnerships with confidence. You'll gain free access to pitch templates, essential questions, and expert strategies that will propel your content creator journey to new heights, including immediate and lifetime access!

[FREE] Want the step-by-step roadmap to grow your following, monetize your content, and land paid brand deals? Click here to join my brand new free class! This is perfect for you if you want to turn your social media into a profitable & fun career… even if you’re starting from scratch!

[ORDER] my book or Audible, Get What You Want: How to Go From Unseen to Unstoppable so you can leverage the power of your own influence.

Follow Julie on Instagram!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Pitch & Land Paid Brand Deals With a Small Following

In today’s very special episode, I’m joined by our dedicated Pitch It Perfect students who share their journey, from handling vague company responses to landing a single $2k brand deal!

We'll discuss strategies like patience and persistence in follow-ups, and how important it is not to take rejections personally. My students bring up the ever-important question of how to strike the right balance between paid partnerships and selling their own services.

Together, we explore the art of engaging an audience, the significance of local reputation, and why it's crucial to remain true to opportunities that excite us.

Tune in as we talk through actionable insights on mindset, content creation, and growing your following. As well as how to transition from free brand features to paid collaborations and setting boundaries for future partnerships. 

Liked this episode? Make sure to subscribe to our podcast and leave a review with your takeaways, this helps us create the exact content you want! 

KEY POINTS:
04:25 Refused a bad deal, now grateful for it.
11:28 Focus on problem-solving to tap into emotions.
14:27 Struggling with abundance and exchange of energy.
17:40 Seek clarification regarding next steps promptly.
21:00 Monetizing social media through collaborations and products.
24:55 Pitching is essential for sales and partnerships.
29:45 Disappointment, focus on change, not others' actions.

QUOTABLES:
“This is showing you that there's always going to be an abundance of opportunity. There's so much. We will never in our lifetime be able to do as much as we would want to do because there's constant new creation coming at us all the time."
— Julie
“It's either a hell yes or a hell no. If it's hell no, I’m moving on. I don't have to think about it."
— Julie
"You kind of have to remind people 17 gazillion thousand billion times about what it is that you have to offer because most of the time they have no idea that it exists."
— Julie

RESOURCES:
[FREE] Are you a content creator ready to take your brand collaborations to new heights? Grab the Brand Deal Playbook and unlock the secrets to securing paid partnerships with confidence. You'll gain free access to pitch templates, essential questions, and expert strategies that will propel your content creator journey to new heights, including immediate and lifetime access!

[FREE] Want the step-by-step roadmap to grow your following, monetize your content, and land paid brand deals? Click here to join my brand new free class! This is perfect for you if you want to turn your social media into a profitable & fun career… even if you’re starting from scratch!

[ORDER] my book or Audible, Get What You Want: How to Go From Unseen to Unstoppable so you can leverage the power of your own influence.

Follow Julie on Instagram!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Exclusive Access to Pitch Coaching Call: Navigating Brand Deals and Self-Promotion

Welcome back friends! Today’s episode is the continuation of our frequently asked questions series where I’ll further expand the conversation around brand building, social media strategies, and leveling up your influence. 

I’ll be tackling everything from growth tactics on Instagram to mastering your pitch for dream partnerships, niching down without getting boxed in and why taking a digital break can lead to the creative breakthrough you’ve been looking for. 

If you’re ready to connect deeply with your audience, elevate your content strategy, grow your brand & land paid partnerships, this is an episode you don’t want to miss! 

Liked this episode? Make sure to subscribe to our podcast and leave a review with your takeaways, this helps us create the exact content you want! 

KEY POINTS:
03:29 Diverse content creation for broader brand appeal.
08:07 Grow following, attract brands, land paid deals. 
12:29 Attraction based marketing collapses purchasing time.
13:33 Teach new possibilities and support with implementation.
19:33 Engagement but can't convert? Analyze and adjust.
26:02 Poor audience engagement, lacks product/service info.
28:24 How Pitch It Perfect & The Brand Accelerator help with content creation for brands.

QUOTABLES:
“You can talk about a multitude of different things as long as what you're talking about serves your ideal audience, serves your ideal buyer, and it also reflects and goes back to what it is that you specialize in."
— Julie
“Attraction-based marketing is actually positioned to collapse the purchasing time and to attract the people that are ready to buy today. Because it's designed around the “I'm done” moment. It's designed around…“I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired…I'm so tired of not having an answer to the solution…I'm so tired of being frustrated.”
— Julie
“At the end of the day, our followers don't care about us.They care about themselves. No one cares about what we're doing or what we're thinking or what's happening because they're too busy thinking about themselves or too busy caring about themselves. And so when someone comes on your page, the first thing that they're thinking of is not you. They're thinking, how does this help me? How does this support me? How does this make me feel better?”
— Julie

RESOURCES:
[FREE] Are you a content creator ready to take your brand collaborations to new heights? Grab the Brand Deal Playbook and unlock the secrets to securing paid partnerships with confidence. You'll gain free access to pitch templates, essential questions, and expert strategies that will propel your content creator journey to new heights, including immediate and lifetime access!

[FREE] Want the step-by-step roadmap to grow your following, monetize your content, and land paid brand deals? Click here to join my brand new free class! This is perfect for you if you want to turn your social media into a profitable & fun career… even if you’re starting from scratch!

[ORDER] my book or Audible, Get What You Want: How to Go From Unseen to Unstoppable so you can leverage the power of your own influence.

Follow Julie on Instagram!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Create Consistent Brand Growth with Attraction-Based Marketing

Today’s episode is part one of a very special two-part series where I deep dive into some of our listeners' most engaging questions. If you’re eager to turbo-charge your social media presence, you’ll most certainly want to tune in as I’ll be sharing proven strategies on how to grow your following and land those coveted brand deals in just 30 days, even if you're starting with a modest audience and juggling a hectic content creation schedule.

I’ll let you in on the secret to crafting a crystal-clear content strategy that resonates and attracts paying brands while blending the latest trends with your authentic voice to serve and truly connect with your audience. You'll learn how consistency, stellar content, and strategic use of insights can transform your social media game. 

It's time to shine on social, so let's dive into the nitty-gritty of showing up, serving, sharing, and selling with heart and purpose.

Liked this episode? Make sure to subscribe to our podcast and leave a review with your takeaways, this helps us create the exact content you want! 

KEY POINTS:
05:43 Limit scrolling, focus on inner creativity, rejuvenate.
14:49 Consistent free content builds trust for sales.
18:15 Offer valuable free content, reserve exclusive method.
22:09 Promote content strategically on social media platforms.
25:18 Good lighting and audio matter on TikTok. On Instagram, curation may be important.
28:43 Check insights analytics to guide content strategy.
32:48 Consistent valuable content builds audience trust and engagement.

QUOTABLES:
“You can't really allow other people's ideas or directions to really infiltrate what it is that you're meant to show up and share on social media."
— Julie 
"People will always be able to feel the energy if you're doing something that you love. Enthusiasm leads to sales, enthusiasm leads to connection. Enthusiasm leads to building."
— Julie
“If you're gatekeeping and saving all of your valuable content behind a paywall, you're not going to build the know, like and trust that is vital to someone buying from you in the first place."
— Julie
“It's not just showing up to show up, it's showing up with valuable, engaging content that your ideal audience would want. Because that consistency is what helps you build the know, like and trust that you need to further, positively manipulate the algorithm to actually engage with the people that are following you."
— Julie

RESOURCES:
[FREE] Are you a content creator ready to take your brand collaborations to new heights? Grab the Brand Deal Playbook and unlock the secrets to securing paid partnerships with confidence. You'll gain free access to pitch templates, essential questions, and expert strategies that will propel your content creator journey to new heights, including immediate and lifetime access!

[FREE] Want the step-by-step roadmap to grow your following, monetize your content, and land paid brand deals? Click here to join my brand new free class! This is perfect for you if you want to turn your social media into a profitable & fun career… even if you’re starting from scratch!

[ORDER] my book or Audible, Get What You Want: How to Go From Unseen to Unstoppable so you can leverage the power of your own influence.

Follow Julie on Instagram!

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What Should I Expect After the First Year in My Side Hustle?

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