Kim Doyal 0:01 Welcome to F the hustle. I'm your host, Kim Doyal. You want a life that is meaningful and exciting. In this podcast, we're going to talk about launching and growing an online business that fits your lifestyle. After the hustle is all about doing good work, building real relationships, and most importantly, creating a business that supports and you want to live your life. You don't have to sacrifice the quality of your life today to create something that sets your soul on fire. And yes, that includes making a lot of money. So we'll be talking about selling, charging, what you're worth, and how earning more means helping more people. My goal is to help you find freedom and create a business on your terms. Hey, what's going on everybody? Welcome back to another episode of the Kim Doyal show. I'm excited today because we're gonna dig into something that I don't know a ton about. Obviously, I'm very aware of it. And my guest is going to peel back the curtain, so to speak. So my guest today is Kevin Ramsey. He is one of the co founders of Warren James. And we're gonna dig into that. But first of all, Kevin, thanks so much for being here today.Kevin Ramsey 1:08 Thank you for having me. I'm stoked to be here. Yeah, soKim Doyal 1:11 this is great. And this is, I'm just gonna share this. And any of these little tidbits that you can share with your story would be great. But we connected via Twitter. And I've been saying to people recently, you know, having moved to Costa Rica, and like connecting with people here that I'm sure it's similar for you so much of my business has grown because of relationships. So I love that you just reached out to me, we had a little conversation, you're very patient, I'm like circle back in a month, we had a conversation. And so just the point in connecting and having real relationships with people can really shift the trajectory of your business.Kevin Ramsey 1:48 Yeah, without a doubt, I've been trying to be more proactive personally, when it comes to platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn, and those connections are at your fingertips, it's just a matter of like, you know, putting in the time looking around, like for me recently, I've been really focused on the new phrase, you know, called the crater economy and seeing who else is involved in that space. And yeah, it really, really helps with your business and helps with your personal growth, like having those connections, whether it be something now or like, years from now, right? Like having that relationship. Who knows what that can mean for you.Kim Doyal 2:21 Exactly, exactly. I'm, which I don't want to go sideways with my stuff. But I am doing an event down here next year. And it's crazy. I think I've landed a sponsor a pretty big sponsor already without even having a hotel book because of relationships. So it's it's just one of those things. And I love what you said too. I am obsessed with the quote unquote, crater economy. I love that it's this tangible thing. Now, it's not just what creators call themselves. And just a side note, if you're not following her follow Cody Sanchez, she is amazing. She has. This is a random thing. I don't know her personally. But she has a newsletter and a platform. It's called contrarian thinking. But she's all about diversifying in the crater economy as well. So it's pretty fascinating. Anyways, I want to dive into Warren James, which I'm gonna let you explain what it is. And then before we go too deep into the company, I'd love to know a little bit of your backstory. So feel free to jump in where it suits you best.Kevin Ramsey 3:20 Yeah, totally. So I guess a quick little synopsis of Warren James. We've been around for a little under three years now. And we really work with the top point oh 1% of content creators out there. And we run their direct to consumer merchandise businesses from start to fitness, finish everything from you know, designing, purchasing product, running the website, customer, customer support, fulfillment, you know, everything that goes into it, so that the Creator just needs to approve the product, approve the plan, and then market the product and then they get paid out on sales. So that's kind of top line of Warren James. But, you know, for myself personally, how I've gotten here, I've been in what, you know, the crater economy wasn't called this before. I think we were calling them influencers or there was a bunch of different names thrown around different times, but I've been in it for roughly a decade now. I got my start back in roughly 2010 2011 where I started a Minecraft server company called hunger craft. We were the first kind of automated event based Hunger Games in Minecraft server. This is back when Hunger Games like really blew up. And that was kind of my first foray into the space it we got to a point where we had millions of uniques every month playing on the server. We had one that we won the top Twitch live streams at the time this is like the first year that when Justin tv switched twitch.tv And back then, you know, creators are super dialed into gaming right like especially at that time. It's still today, right like Minecraft is one of the biggest verticals on YouTube. we would partner with content creators, pay them in some instances, you know, give them free product to help market the server. And that was kind of my, it kind of opened up my eyes a little bit to the power that creators have, you know, someone like camping Russia at the time or skies Minecraft jumping on the server and it would just, it would blow up, you know, the amount of people trying to join that we'd hit our capacity and then like they would upload videos and it was just being involved in an ecosystem in terms of like a service like that a game like that. It was pretty crazy. So that was that was really my kind of my first step into the space.Kim Doyal 5:36 Okay, you're gonna have to totally dummy that down. So I'm very aware of Minecraft and Twitch and everything. I don't get the whole piece of you are hosting it. You had a server? So can you like, explain it to a fifth grader? For me?Kevin Ramsey 5:48 Yeah. So Minecraft, the way that it there's a bunch of different ways to play the game. There's like the base game itself, which is kind of single player based. But what you know, a huge portion of the community plays is this server based element where the community can go and spin up a server, they host it on their personal computer, and you have an IP address related to that server, and you mark it that or you just keep it close to your friends. And people can join that. And it's there's a bunch of different things you can do. Right? You can customize the map, you can customize like the code of the game so that you're making a unique play experience. And yeah, so what we did was the base version of Minecraft is very survival based, like you're, you're mining, you're doing all the different elements of Minecraft. What we did was back when hunger Hunger Games was like, really, really popular was like the first movie was coming out. And we wanted to be able to be in The Hunger Games like to take part in the combat of The Hunger Games, but in Minecraft, so we, we coded our own game, we made our own maps, so that 32 people, every week, we would host a live stream. And we'd have commentators like spectators, and you would you would sign up every week saying like, Hey, I would love to be chosen to be one of the 32 people that are fighting it out to be the winner to get prizes. And we would select them randomly. And then every Saturday it would, we would bring them into the map. And then the casters would come in the live stream and go live. And it'd be like Last Man Standing combat and they would be running around the map, there'd be easter eggs and all these different elements. And it was like kind of one of the first of its kind in terms of like this event based Minecraft experience. And then the popularity of that led us to want to have it be available 24/7 Because at first it was just noon on Saturdays was the only time and if you want, we had 1000s of people signing up every week. So it's like, you know, the likelihood of being selected was really low. So we eventually made it so that you could play at any time of the day. And then we had, you know, millions every month competing in these different automated servers that were running 24/7.Kim Doyal 8:09 Do that is nuts. I'm just sitting here, astounded. One I mean, I'm not in the gaming space. But just I love the I don't know, it sounds like you just jumped on this opportunity. But with with that piece, let me ask you that. So do you have a computer science degree? Where did you see this opportunity? What made you jump into that?Kevin Ramsey 8:28 That's a good question I funded if I wasn't a Java class, at that point in time, which is what Minecraft is based on. But no, it was like my friend David and I were just kind of talking, we were playing the game or like it would be so cool to be able to play this ourselves, you know, and at the time, this is back in beta of Minecraft, so it hadn't quite reached like mass popularity yet. And within my school, there wasn't enough people that had Minecraft to be able to get 32 people together to play this game. So without having like anything, we just had like a little map that we made, we didn't have any code or anything. I went on to the Minecraft subreddit on Reddit. And I just made a post and like, Hey, guys, like, we're looking for a couple extra people to compete in this little this event. Like, you know, let me know if anyone's interested. And the next morning when I woke up and I checked the post it had like a 10,000 people that had comments and like, I would love to take part. And as soon as that happened, I was like, we got it this would be so cool. We have to we have to make this happen. So I went into my Java class and I like I booton rallied the whole class pretty much so like it was a it was a kind of a group effort to get the first like, alpha version of the code ready. And then from there, we eventually made some money we're able to like start legitimizing the development process a little bit, but it was like kind of almost community made to certain degree.Kim Doyal 9:53 Oh my god, that is amazing. And then as it grew, did you get funding or you guys were just you were? How did you make money? If this were you charging people to get on what was the no accusation piece,Kevin Ramsey 10:04 we Yeah, in hindsight, we could have made some good money. But our the thought was like this is, you know, by the community for the community, we don't want to make it pay to win because a lot of the competition at the time was like, if you want to spend 10 bucks, you could have a significant advantage over people that didn't spend money. And we didn't want that to be part of the game. So it was all esthetic based. So it's like, change the color of your name, or like, gave you a little badge on the website. And then in addition to that, we sold some sponsorships, like during the live streams, but that really was kind of breakeven, for the most part, like, especially at that point in time server costs were, were pretty high. Like, I remember, we were spending, like, 500 or something a month on servers in for me, you know, in high school, a team of high schoolers, like, it was it was a lot of money for us. And, yeah, it just, it just didn'tKim Doyal 10:56 pay more than 100 bucks for hosting today. Like, let alone.Kevin Ramsey 10:59 Yeah, it was crazy. We were like, we we were, uh, we were trying to figure out how to make it happen. And it really didn't end up monetizing it, unfortunately, did end up selling it a couple years later to one of our competition that wanted to kind of aggregate the marketplace a little bit into in own a bigger percentage of the market. That wasn't a huge acquisition. But it was something to get kind of at the end, the bigger piece for me was the experience of developing a game running a community, you know, running live events, you know, everything that went into it. And plus, you know, like we were talking about earlier, the connections that came through it, like, a lot of the YouTubers that I worked with at that point in time are still massive YouTubers today. And it just kind of it put me on a path for my career.Kim Doyal 11:49 Wow, that is just amazing. Well, and I would think to that, what made it a saleable asset? Was the audience. Right?Kevin Ramsey 11:57 Totally. Yeah, the brand name as well, like all the assets of it, or around it, as well as the code. That was also in all the maps and everything.Kim Doyal 12:05 Oh, my gosh, okay. So first of all, I didn't know you started that in high school. That's nuts. But it's amazing. It's amazing. So what happened then between that and Warren James, that seems not a big leap, but I mean, what what's going on in between, then, fromKevin Ramsey 12:21 from then that put me on a path that I was like, Okay, I want to go down video game development as my career path. So I went to Savannah College of Art Design for interactive media and game development. And my first year in college, I was playing smite professionally, it was it's a still around, but it was really popular at that point in time. It's like a MOBA, similar to League of Legends. And through that made, some connections started to get really dialed in with the eSports space. And back then, just like roughly 2013 2014, the space was extremely underdeveloped, there weren't too many players in the space, there wasn't a lot of money in the space. And we came up with the idea of at that point in time, it was pretty, it was pretty siloed in that an Esports community, for the most part, had a League of Legends team, or an Esports company had a Call of Duty team, they hardly ever win across games within the same organization. So the idea we had was like, why not create, you know, this brand, that is an umbrella brand across all of the major eSports games out there. So have a Call of Duty team or League of Legends team, a smite team, etc, etc. And then use the collective audience size to sell advertisement, as if like the Yankees had, you know, a soccer team, a basketball team, a tennis team, oh, yeah, Cetera, etc. And that was kind of what led me to my, after my freshman year of college, things started to pick up a little bit. And the thought was, okay, let's, let's take the summer to really focus on this project, and then see how it goes. And near the end of the summer, it was really, really quickly growing. And I was like, you know, what, I can always go back to college, you know, why not? pursue this for a little while and see what happens. And I ended up just, you know, never going back, so that I was at that organization for roughly two years or so. And through that, unfortunately, not always, you know, in hindsight, these sports Spaces has ballooned in valuation, but yeah, back then it wasn't super profitable. And I through that, through going to events and meeting companies and selling advertisement, I met Jazwares, the massive toy manufacturer and they they gave me a good opportunity to join them to kind of lead their gaming division in a sense because At that time, they had the Minecraft retail license. And they historically had worked with games like Sonic the Hedgehog and Mega Man. So they were very dialed in with gaming and they are very forward thinking company and they're like, we identify that gaming is going to be a bigger portion of retail moving forward. So we want to, you know, put our flag in the ground, and we want to make sure that we're paying attention to it. So they brought me on to kind of be that that person to keep my ear to the ground within the gaming space. So that was kind of my as well like going through hunger craft and going through these sports organization. I was like, I'm, I don't have any corporate experience, I'm still really young, I don't have an education, like, I it'd be great to, to have mentors at a bigger company and learn from this experience. So that kind of ultimately made me make the decision to move down to South Florida from Columbus, Ohio at the time, and go full time for Jazwares.Kim Doyal 15:57 Your story is so fascinating. Kevin, I'm just I'm like, I want to pick it apart a little bit, though. I just, I love it. I love that you just had ideas and you acted on them. And then you dug deeper and you trusted your gut with some where, where along that path. Were you ever like, oh my god, what am I doing? Or here's a challenge. And maybe it's you know, ignorance is bliss at a certain point. But I mean, you make it sound very easy. That whole journey. What were there any challenges in there?Kevin Ramsey 16:26 Oh, totally. Yeah. Every stage of the way, especially during, during the my own companies. It like you said ignorance a little bit is nice, because like, you don't know that you're not doing things correctly. But there were like moments where it's like, we how are we gonna make enough money to do what we're trying to do here, or a big thing that I faced a lot earlier in my career like, being, you know, I when I was at Jad, when I started at Jazwares, I believe I was I was 19 or 20. So, you know, going into these meetings with when I was at the eSports company, or when I was at hunger craft going to these meetings with major game publishers, or just major companies and trying to sell them on advertising or sell them on partnerships. And they they see a teenager walk in, you know, it's like, just fighting through some of the assumptions. People make a view when you're, when you're young. It's a double edged sword. Like, a lot of times people will be like, wow, like, you're, you're clearly not legitimate. You're like, you're just you're faking until you make it. But a lot of people, you know, just like the founder and CEO of Jazwares has a way a lot of people have a way of seeing on the other side of like, wow, like, you're showing signs of being an entrepreneur being successful later in life, like you're at such a young age, or you're trying to do these things. So it's a bit of a double edged sword, but yeah, totally there. It's so tough, like looking back, I'll like identify, like, oh, wow, I, if I was there, if I was there, now, I would have handled that differently.Kim Doyal 18:02 But that's how we learn, right? I mean, you have to kind of figure it out. So okay, so you're working for jazz? Where Where was the leap to Warren James?Kevin Ramsey 18:11 Yeah, so at the time I was managing licensing for within gaming. So I was like, trying to identify gaming properties for them working with Minecraft as well. And then we, at one point, like 2016 or so, came up with the idea of going out and signing all the top gaming YouTubers, and putting them underneath an umbrella brand called Tube heroes, turning them into action figures and plush toys, and then selling it into retail. So we got people like The Diamond Minecart Captain sparkle, SkyDoesMinecraft all the biggest guys at the time, and put them in Toys R Us target Walmart, they went global, it did tons of money within the two year period. And through this, I had my ear to the ground of YouTube, like I was always trying to identify up and coming creators for us to sign like we, in aggregate, we had like 10...

Looking back on 2021 is going to be interesting!Surprisingly, I’m excited to do this year in review episode and share what’s on the horizon for 2022.In addition to the world just being a little topsy-turvy, I’ve had some major changes in my life this year. I also decided I may start doing something a little “Pinteresty” for 2022.You may have seen this before, but you basically take a mason jar (or vase or whatever floats your boat) and each day you write down something good that happened and drop it into the jar.At the end of the year, you can look back on all the good things that happened.Of course, you can do this in a journal, or digitally, but I love the idea of seeing this jar fill up as my year progresses.Even though there isn’t a huge separation of my personal life and business life, I think it’s a little easier to break this year-in-review post into personal & business, then we’ll look at what’s coming in 2022.My Personal LifeIt honestly feels like a lifetime ago when I was living in Boise, Idaho.Yet a year ago at this time, I wasn’t planning on moving to Costa Rica (never doubt the power of a clear intention and decision).I went from thinking I was going to stay in Boise for a while longer in February to the decision that now was as good a time as any to pursue a dream of living out of the country. Within a week I had found a place in Costa Rica and gave notice in Boise.I sold as much as I could, got a U-Haul with a trailer to tow my car and drove down to California for two months to wrap things up there, and made the move to Costa Rica with my dogs on May 31st.Best decision ever.This move has without a doubt changed my life (as did Boise, but in a different way).Moving to Boise was kind of like a test to see if I could move out of California and away from my family. I had already been looking at Idaho before my Mom passed away in July of 2019, but after losing her it really felt like it was time (and truth be told, it was easier because she was gone).Then we all know what happened in 2020 (I literally moved to Boise in March just as Covid was turning our world upside down).My year in Boise was all about healing.My Mom’s death was unbearable at times and to have the space to process that felt like a gift. I did a lot of personal work with my therapist (who happened to be stuck in Costa Rica during 2020) and simply took care of myself in the best way I could.I rested.I also “got ready” to make the leap to Costa Rica, even though I didn’t really know that that’s what I was doing at the time.I will forever be grateful for my time in Boise and I’m proud of myself for making the move.With the exception of my daughter, all of my family is in the Bay Area (having my kids out on their own and doing their own thing also made it a lot easier to make that move. Someday when grandkids are a part of the picture that may change).Technology makes it SO much easier to physically be further apart as we can see each other, send quick text messages, etc.Now as we wind the year down I’ve already been in Costa Rica for seven months!Time has flown by.Just a few weeks ago I was pretty certain I wasn’t going to renew my lease when it came up (end of May), but after going back to California for Christmas (which was a great visit with family), that feels too soon to leave Costa Rica.I’m pretty sure my next place is going to be North Carolina.And no, I’ve not been there either. haha…But I figure if I can move to Costa Rica site unseen, I can handle a move to North Carolina. As of now I don’t have a definitive time frame, but I’m thinking by the fall.My ultimate goal is a place in the states and a place in Costa Rica.I really missed the changing of the seasons this past fall and all that comes with that. However, after being in the cold for a couple of weeks it was certainly nice to come back.A big takeaway for me with everything I’ve experienced this year with moving is that I need to allow myself plenty of time to process how I’m feeling and then to add a little contrast.Meaning had I not gone back to California for Christmas I probably would still be thinking I wanted to leave Costa Rica at the end of May.Mind you, I’ve also got enough life experience under my belt now to know that I can still change my mind again in a week… so we’ll see.But that’s the plan for now.Get #FtheHUSTLE in your inbox!Growth and ReflectionLooking back on everything I’ve experienced this year a few things have become crystal clear.First, what works for me is all that matters.I connected with some great people when I got here and some that ended up being ‘not-so-great’… it was fun and got me out and doing things but at the end of the day this person was simply “too much.”No regrets, that’s how we learn, but there were plenty of so-called red flags.I just didn’t listen to them. It’s been a long time since I’ve had someone like that in my life. Lesson learned.And not that this is a secret, but I really do require a lot of time to myself.I don’t need to be going and doing things all the time. I love my work and it’s very fulfilling. Finding little ways to get out of the house (simply beach walks with the dogs, pool time, or running errands) is plenty.I’ll do the touristy stuff when I have visitors.Maintaining things…I’ve always known what fuels me, but now it feels non-negotiable.Keeping negativity out of my life is much easier (I haven’t watched the news in probably 10+ years), but making sure to carve out time to ADD what fuels me has become a priority.Meditation, rest, positive people, mentors, creativity, and listening/reading things that keep me in alignment is absolutely necessary for me.Creating and setting boundaries is going to be an ongoing theme for 2022 as well. I’ve made massive progress in this area but it’s definitely a process, not an event.My BusinessThis has probably been one of the most fun years I’ve had in business.Once I made the decision to focus on email marketing and newsletters with my personal brand everything started flowing.The most exciting thing I did was launch Email Insiders.I decided I wanted to do this as a cohort-based training, sent a few emails, and filled 10 spots right away. It was a pilot program and everyone knew they were going to be creating this with me.It was supposed to be 2 months, 2 calls a month, and one individual onboarding call per person.It ended up being over 3 months, weekly calls, and I did more individual calls than I had planned. Not only did people get results and take action, but new relationships were created.I then offered a second cohort in September and we’ll be winding that up in January (all 10 spots were filled in this cohort as well).Now that I’ve run this twice I’ve gotten very clear on what people need.I’m turning this into a longer program, supported by a foundational course, and it will be a higher price. Both groups of people who went through the first two cohorts will have lifetime access to the training and the calls (but the new students will have priority in terms of hot seats, questions, and any additional time I offer).I’ll start opening this up in January and we’ll begin the new group at the beginning of March, which will allow me more time to get the onboarding calls completed before the training starts as well as the foundational course that will be available.#FtheHUSTLEI am SUPER proud of my newsletter.Even with moving, I didn’t miss a single week! I’ve now published 58 issues of the newsletter! I also started a ‘newsletter mastermind’ with 4 other women and it’s been invaluable.Each did a strategy session with me where they decided to launch a newsletter, so then I figured why don’t we hold one another accountable? I reached out, asked if they wanted to be in a mastermind and many months later we’re still meeting twice monthly (and the goal is an in-person meeting in 2022).It’s morphed a little from a newsletter focus to a more general business focus, but it works.It’s a true mastermind (there’s no cost associated with it) in that we support and challenge one another along the way.I’ve said it before but who you choose to surround yourself with is vitally important to the success of your business and your mental well-being.I haven’t been as consistent as I’d like in terms of newsletter promotion, so that will be a priority for 2022 as well. In order to achieve what I want it’s time to start hiring a few key people again.I’ve been using a graphic design company for social graphics, have handed off the podcast editing to my daughter again (hallelujah), and will definitely be needing a VA sometime in the first quarter.Get #FtheHUSTLE in your inbox!PodcastWhile I’ve rebranded the podcast (it’s now officially “FtheHUSTLE with Kim Doyal), I haven’t necessarily done a launch around the rebrand, which I’m going to do at some point in January (I’m thinking a giveaway of some sort).Moving to Costa Rica has solidified my desire to #FtheHUSTLE, live my life on my own terms, and be easy about it all. I’ve done the hustle and grind, and have worked hard all of my life.I’m all about doing good work and being deliberate about it, but I’ll do it in whichever way serves me most. Which is to be easy about it and trust the process.The more pressure I put on myself the more resistance I create.What’s fascinating about all of this is that it has allowed me to go deeper with what I do. Focusing on mastery, understanding the nuances of marketing, writing for the web, and the type of work I truly love doing has been a game-changer.All that being said, I need to up my game for repurposing my content. I’m currently creating processes for all of this so I can hand this off to someone by the end of the first quarter.I have plenty of tools that automate some of this but it’s time to step it up.I’m also going to start adding some video podcasts… most will probably be interviews (it just feels weird to record myself talking alone on camera for over 45 min… but we’ll see. Can’t hurt to try and then maybe repurpose clips).CoursesO.K., this is just nuts.I had one of my friends in my mastermind group ask me where everything was that I had already created?!Umm…Yea.I think because of the change in direction (to email & newsletters), I was thinking I needed to start over.Not true.I made a list of everything I’ve created and with the exception of a few things, most are evergreen and just as valuable today. My problem is that I want to rebrand them to match the site (which is also on the list of things to finish. Updating pages, images, meta info., etc.).After I get my new lead magnet out (Easy Email Marketing), I’m going to make sure I have automations in place to upsell and segment subscribers. Making sure people get the right message for where they are in the customer journey is key.At this time I don’t see myself having a “flagship” course outside of Email Insiders (which is coaching with me as well), but everything else will feed into that.I also know myself well enough that some of this may change/alter, but I’d rather focus on selling more of what I have instead of constantly reinventing the wheel.Speaking of selling…I’m also determined to launch an e-commerce brand that isn’t connected to me personally.At all.As much as I love creating content and writing, entering a B2C e-commerce space has interested me for a long time because it won’t require my name, face, or personality.More on that when that happens.Get #FtheHUSTLE in your inbox!Content Creators PlannerLife has been challenging for both of us in the last couple of years, so getting a second version of the planner out has been delayed.We also realized that as contrary as it sounds, creating tons of content for that brand isn’t sustainable for the two of us. If we had someone to manage the content and social media it might be different.The last ad agency we worked with really didn’t know what they were doing when it comes to the internet marketing space. It cost us a lot of time and money (fortunately, our account rep was great and also very skilled with SEO so he helped us optimize quite a bit).We’ll regroup in January sometime to figure out the direction of the planner.A second version is on the horizon and possibly a move towards digital-only… we’ll see, we both love our pen & paper.Stay tuned for updates on that later in January.This past year has brought a lot of clarity for me.Both personally and professionally.I’m very clear on how I want to spend my time, who I want in my life, and the type of work I enjoy doing.My health continues to improve in Costa Rica and I’m feeling good.Hopefully, even with the different variants that come about, I’ll be able to connect with more people in person whether it’s a small event or just trips with friends.Here’s to a wonderful 2022, whatever that looks like for you!

Frustration is a funny word.It means a lot of different things to different people, even though it has one definition.My therapist had a great definition of frustration:Frustration is simply attempting to control something over which we have no control.For the sake of this episode, we’re going to focus strictly on what frustration can look and feel like in your business.I’m also going to give you 3 ways you can take your frustration to dig a little deeper and get better at what you do.This episode was inspired by a coaching client.She messaged me about her Black Friday Cyber Monday offer, which she had worked extremely hard on (in other words, she’s doing the work).The campaign was set to go out over 4 days (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, & Monday of the holiday weekend).After the first 2 days and no sales, she messaged me that she was having an “insecurity attack” and even though she knew the people on her list weren’t the right people, she was really frustrated.The day prior she was excited that even though no one bought it, she knew she was on the right path.I’m going to give you a little context about where she was when we started working together (not her niche, market, or name, but you’ll have enough to understand).When we started working together she knew she wanted to focus on a different market. Very similar work, but the message and audience needed to be changed.In addition to some website changes, we started working on a new email opt-in offer (this is a long sequence based on the ‘Lesson, Bridge, Pitch, Survey’ strategy by Brennan Dunn): 9 emails with a very specific purpose, followed by an offer to purchase, followed by a survey to those who didn’t purchase.Then we worked on the BFCM offer.More emails, product images, sales page set up, etc.A lot of work, right?Here’s the thing…She’s JUST getting started!Where she was to where she is today is like night and day. She has been working extremely hard to build a solid foundation for her business.It’s kind of like how working out and eating healthy feels if you’re trying to lose weight. You know your body is feeling better, your energy is better, your sleep is better, and maybe you’ve lost a few pounds.Then you step on the scale a couple of months in and the number hasn’t moved.Maybe even the inches haven’t dropped yet.Does that mean that the two months prior, with everything you’ve accomplished aren’t worth anything?Absolutely not.You’ve created new habits and are establishing a level of trust within yourself that no scale can take away (nor does it determine your worth and value).This is the biggest challenge with online businesses.It “seems” like everyone else is having success.But we don’t know how many times the person we’re comparing ourselves to has failed. Nor do we now how much work has been put into the knowledge and skills they have today.Here’s an example:I’ve made a couple of BFCM purchases. All have to do with writing.The first was that I signed up for the Ship30for30 training starting in January 2022. The reason I did this is because of my commitment to a daily writing practice.I thoroughly enjoy writing and want to get better at it so it becomes a primary source for traffic, content, and sales.That training is going to help me create frameworks and practice writing on other platforms (my site and emails come easily now so this will help me write on other platforms. More on that in another episode).Then this morning I signed up for Copy School by CopyHackers!I’ve followed them for a while but hadn’t purchased anything. I don’t have any desire to become a copywriter for hire or write copy for other people (although I do help my coaching clients & students with their copy).I simply want to dig deeper and get better at copywriting.I want to be able to produce amazing copy, be it sales pages, emails, content, etc.I firmly believe that learning to write well online is the best thing you can do for your business (and if you hate it, find someone who can be on your team that loves it. It’s more important than almost everything else you do. Yep, I said it).Now…let’s get back to my point.Just because I’m taking these courses (and HOLY MOLY there is a TON of content in CopySchool. This will def be an ongoing process) doesn’t mean I’ll be able to get the results that Joanna Wiebe gets.I don’t have specific numbers on how much she’s written, produced, or taught… but it’s a HELLUVA lot.Nor do I think I’ll get the same results Dickie Bush or Nicolas Cole have gotten when I complete the Ship30for30 program in January.I’ve purchased these courses to get better at what I’m doing knowing it won’t immediately impact my bottom line.Before I go any further (and we get into the 3 Ways to Dig Deeper), I want to clarify that my coaching client was NOT expecting immediate results.Nor was she expecting to pay the mortgage with sales from this weekend.She was, however, hopeful.And I know that feeling. I’ve been where she is plenty of times myself.The difference is when I hit that place today it doesn’t hit me as hard. In fact, it’s a little bit of a bummer but I don’t give it much thought beyond that.Instead, I step back, leave it alone, and wait until I’m in a better mental place.*SIDE NOTE*Since I started writing this podcast post she’s had 2 sales.This is a perfect example of allowing our minds to mess with us.It’s like taking a road trip, getting halfway there, and then getting upset because you’re not at your destination.3 Ways to Dig DeeperWhen things don’t go how we planned, instead of deciding to throw the baby out with the bathwater it’s time to do a little Entrepreneurial Adulting and look at every piece of the puzzle.First, Build Your FoundationI’ve included a visual for “Your Foundation” in the actual post, so be sure to go to the post to see that.Each of these elements go much deeper but I’m going to explain them in bullets below and a little deeper for those of you listening.First, your Brand & Business are at the top.Below your business and brand are the 3 fundamentals:A web property you ownContent: what and where you will create and publishTraffic strategiesAll 3 of those will lead to your offers: i.e., your products and services.Here are the basics and fundamentals of each of those:Web property you own:SEOResponsive/speedSitemap /site structureQuality site that is easy for your visitors to navigateClear messaging: what you do and who you helpContent:If you’re in this for the long game (which I know you are otherwise why would you be here), you need to create content.You need to create it consistently (even if that’s once a month. It will take you longer, but keep at it until you can produce more) and it needs to be based on a strategy.From there, you need to promote it. Pick the platforms and methodology that work for YOU and stick with it.Have a call to action anywhere you produce content on your site and make sure you include direct calls to action on social as well (get people on your list).Traffic Strategies:Unfortunately, this tends to get ignored too often and it’s probably the most important.Nothing you create or sell will do anything without a solid traffic strategy in place. And no, this doesn’t mean you have to jump into paid traffic right away.However, paid traffic will get you there exponentially faster.But get something converting organically first so you know it has a better chance of converting when you put money behind it.Get really honest with yourself about this.What are you doing consistently to drive traffic to your site/opt-in offer?Next, look at your skillset.If what you’re offering isn’t resonating with your audience, you probably need to focus on getting better and marketing.I know a lot of people don’t want to hear that, but this is WORK.It takes practice and a commitment to get better at what you’re doing.I completely understand that a lot of people listening might be thinking “I don’t want to be a marketer! I want to do what I do best, which isn’t marketing!”Insert your zone of genius into the above sentence.Here’s the deal:Suck it up buttercup.This is called bootstrapping.If you don’t have the funds to hire people right off the bat then you’re going to have to learn, study, and practice marketing.There aren’t any shortcuts.What you CAN do though is pick one thing to start with and get better at it.Buy a book, go to YouTube, find accountability partners, whatever works best for you.Then JUST DO IT.Stop expending so much time and energy whinging about what isn’t working, why people aren’t buying from you, etc. ALL of marketing is a numbers game.The more you do something, the better you get.The more offers you put out, the more likely you are to sell something.The more you promote yourself, the more subscribers you’ll get, and the more offers you can send.Once you’ve done things a LOT and have plenty of data, then you realize that “more” isn’t always the answer.It’s BETTER.Doing better work, creating better systems, funnels, processes, whatever…Of course, you want to do the best you can where you’re at, but know that the more you do the better you will get.Lastly, and probably most important is to manage your mind.I am such a firm believer in learning to manage your mind.This has (and is), making the biggest difference in my business AND my life.So much so that I did an entire podcast episode on the subject (you can listen to that here).Choose to look at everything you experience and go through in your business and simply part of the process. You’re going to have challenges, obstacles, wins, and losses.It is never a straight line.EVER.It’s how you choose to handle everything that comes up that makes the biggest difference.So when you find yourself going sideways or defaulting to old thoughts and behaviors, make a conscious decision to NOT feed those thoughts.Feel the feelings, don’t assign it any ‘meaning’, and allow yourself the time and space you need to get back on track.The less storytelling you do (looking for evidence of the bullshit you tell yourself), the faster you’ll move through whatever it is you’re feeling.You will NOT stay here.I promise.Make this work part of your daily life.Whether that’s meditating, exercise, music, reading, therapy, surrounding yourself with people who align with the energy you want…Make it a priority.Remind yourself that you chose to become an entrepreneur.None of this is about pushing yourself… be easy about what you want and approach it more methodically. Your feelings are just feelings.They’re not an indicator of your value or what you’re creating.AND…Once you’ve dug deeper, you’ll probably cycle back around every single time you level up.It’s simply part of the process.I believe in YOU!

The more people I talk to about email marketing, the more excited I become.Email marketing is the holy grail of online business.(Stay tuned for an in-depth post with that title 😉).I’m halfway through my second cohort of Email Insiders VIP and even with only running this twice I see the patterns and similar challenges.As things start shifting to Web 3.0 (you can read more about Web 3.0 and what that means here), it’s never been more important to create an email list.And here’s the kicker…I’m not sure that it matters where you do it. GASP!Most traffic sources work when you do the work.Meaning, if you put the time and energy into Instagram, consistently post, and engage with people who are engaging with your content, I have no doubt you can drive traffic and business through Instagram.I would say the same is true with Twitter, Tik Tok (not that I know anything about that), Linkedin, YouTube, Pinterest, and quite possibly Facebook (although my guess is you have to be going live in order to get any traction. I don’t spend much time on my business page anymore so don’t hold me to this).All that being said, your priority on these platforms should be to connect with your ideal audience and drive them to subscribe to your email list.Period.Nothing else.When you have a solid system running that is driving traffic from one platform to an email list you own, then move onto the next platform.I was recently talking with a friend who does social media management (and am considering hiring her to help me with my own, because I’d much rather spend time writing, recording, and creating).She spends a LOT of time on social and said “two platforms are plenty.”Which works for me. Right now my platforms of choice are Twitter and Instagram (I’ll share the strategy and what I’m going to do with that in another episode).My first priority though?Email MarketingJoin the movement! Get #FtheHUSTLE in your inbox!And writing… ALL the writing possible.When I started my business way back in 2008, I thought I could write fairly well. I never would have called myself a writer, but let’s just say at the time “ignorance was bliss.”Because I was able to write papers in high school and college and do well, I didn’t think much beyond that (as I said, ignorance was bliss and maybe I was a little cocky. The older I get the more I realize how much I don’t know).It wasn’t until I started my WPChick Podcast in 2013 that started appreciating and more importantly, enjoying writing.Because of the way I talk I knew that I’d have to write my solo show episodes out first (and you can probably tell I’m not reading them, I simply use them as a guide so I follow somewhat of a cohesive flow).I cringe a bit when I look back at older posts… for both the way it was written and how much needs to be edited and updated, but the bottom line?I DID it.And I kept doing it.When I decided I wanted to put more time and energy into email marketing I had been following Ben Settle for a solid year before I really stepped into it.Ben has a physical paper newsletter (Email Players) that he sends monthly and he emails daily.Often times he emails more than once a day.He doesn’t worry about people unsubscribing, not liking him, or not buying.He keeps doing his thing.After watching what he did for a year I jumped in and started doing my own daily emails (although I called them my ‘almost daily emails’ – I emailed Monday through Friday and often times on the weekend).Next to starting my podcast, putting the time and energy into email marketing was the best thing I’ve done for my business.And probably my only regret in my business is that I didn’t do it sooner.Now I’m on a mission to help people get over their fear of writing and sending emails.Just like anything else you’ve learned online, you CAN learn how to write emails. Emails that sell, connect, engage, inform, educate, and entertain.You just need to do a little “Entrepreneurial Adulting” and learn to be comfortable with the discomfort.Unless you can hire someone, spending the time and energy to learn how to write for your business is what will bring you the greatest reward.No matter what type of content you create, there is an element of writing in it (yes, video and audio too, even if it’s just captions).Join the movement! Get #FtheHUSTLE in your inbox!What I’m doingIt’s been 5 years since I started my ‘almost daily emails’ and I haven’t looked back.The last two years have been more about copywriting (learning it, practicing it, understanding it). With the current opportunities online, and getting clearer on what I want my life to look like I’m going to take things a step further.Here are my plans:get back to almost daily emailsstart an additional newsletter on Substackpossibly a 3rd newsletter on beehiiv (I’m debating on moving FtheHUSTLE to beehiiv)I have a secret project I’m doing with Jason Resnick (more on that in the next episode) – which is specific to email marketing and list growthJoin the next “Ship30for30” cohort (starting January 1)I am committed to a daily writing practice.To use a methodology from James Clear in “Atomic Habits” – I don’t want to set a goal to write every day, I want to create a habit and become someone who writes every day (powerful reframe, wouldn’t you say? Great book btw).Where most people go sideways with even getting started with email marketing is that they think they need to do “all the things” from day one.As an example:Have the perfect lead magnet (this is always an iterative process, be easy about it)Know how to use their email service provider inside & out (segments, tags, conditional logic, etc)Have multiple lead magnets and sequences ready to go and sellKnow how to write well (again, this can be learned. And obviously, the more you practice it the better you’ll get)Have perfectly formatted emails with the right calls to actionKnow how often to sell, how often to teach, how often to entertainKnow their metrics inside and outLet’s break down each of these in more detail.Have the perfect lead magnetDoes such a thing exist? Possibly, but not without a bunch of less-than-perfect lead magnets when you’re getting started. The worst thing you can do is copy exactly what someone else is doing.The second-worst thing you can do is not try at all (meaning, you put something up because you know you need a lead magnet, but you’re not actually solving a problem for your new subscriber).So much of email marketing (dare I say most of it), is about the psychology behind what you’re writing. How do you want people to feel when they read your emails?Probably one of the best lead magnets I ever had was when I was getting started with StudioPress themes for WordPress. Many of the themes had a ‘featured gallery’ widget (all you old-school WordPress people remember this one) and many people didn’t know how to set it up.So I created a training on it with screenshots and step-by-step instructions.It solved a VERY specific problem.(If only I really understood the power of email marketing back then).Think about a problem you can solve for your audience and make THAT. Then do it in the format that works best for you. I love including audio of a written lead magnet because I enjoy podcasting – and it’s a medium of content I enjoy consuming.Know how to use your email service provider inside and outIs it good to learn how to use your ESP as effectively as possible?Of course, but not for the sake of not starting.A little more Entrepreneurial Adulting is needed here. What you need to know how to do is link a form to your ESP and send an email.Period.That’s it.You can get into segments and all the ninja tactics later.If you don’t like doing this stuff of course it’s going to be harder or more difficult than it would be for someone who likes to learn new software.Do it anyway. Schedule in the time, watch a webinar, go to YouTube or hire an expert to teach you how to use it (you can probably learn the basics in a session or two).I remember listening to a Marketing Secrets podcast with Russell Brunson. He was talking about how someone had asked why he didn’t segment his lists because they already had purchased Expert Secrets but were getting emails about it.His response was that most people still hadn’t implemented everything in the book (or possibly not even finished reading it?) – or reminded them to read it again or send it to a friend.Worrying about this type of stuff is simply a form of procrastination.Create the habit of writing and sending emails first.You don’t go from kindergarten to a Ph.D. in a minute. Allow the for the learning curve and trust the process.Join the movement! Get #FtheHUSTLE in your inbox!Have multiple lead magnets and sequencesI don’t care what everyone else tells you… do NOT worry about multiple lead magnets until you have ONE that is working and you are communicating with your subscribers consistently.Then you can start creating more.Worry about content upgrades later. Right now?Get ONE thing working.Know how to write wellIt’s perfectly O.K. to start where you’re at.Be honest about what you’re doing, what you hope to accomplish, and why you’re doing it. You’ll find most people are less critical when you’re transparent about things.There’s a reason “build in public” resonates with people.Being that vulnerable and honest about what you’re doing is scary… it helps to know that other people have fears, doubts, challenges, and DO IT ANYWAY.It helps us find the courage to do it too!The more you write, the better you’ll get, but it’s important to look for people, tools, and resources that can teach and guide you.Grammarly is brilliant for learning (or relearning) grammar and writing fundamentalsAsk someone to editAnn Handley’s book “Everybody Writes”Work with a coachTake a coursePay attention when you’re reading emails (novel idea, eh?). What do you like about certain emailsHave perfectly formatted emailsKeep your emails clean and simple.Some formatting is good (this is where learning about writing frameworks and best practices will help), but since we can’t control how are emails look in every email client (Gmail, Apple Mail, etc.) it’s better to have less formatting.No one wants to read an email that looks like a novel.Break it up with headlines, bullet lists, short sentences, etc. (take a look at what I’ve done with this post). I include an image or two sometimes, but not many.You don’t want to use too many images.Most importantly, TEST how you format your emails.I wouldn’t change things up every single time you email, but it’s worth testing.Know how often to sell, how to teach, how often to entertainLooking for data or what you “should” do is another form of procrastination (beyond best practices).Unless you’re launching something, you just have to test and try things when it comes to selling. Ben Settle sells every single day in his emails.Primarily for his physical newsletter (he also sells books and the occasional course or training).My only word of caution here would be that you need to make sure you ARE selling. Set the expectations from the beginning that you provide value but you also sell (there are multiple ways to do this).I made the mistake of rarely selling and created a list of freebie seekers.What’s the point in paying for an email service provider and building a list if you’re never going to sell to them?Know your metrics inside and outI am absolutely NOT a fan of data and metrics.But that doesn’t mean I don’t know the value and importance of them.However, my primary metric is whether or not I am able to make sales from my emails.My second metric?How often people respond to my emails.Start with these, then go deeper. I would simply make sure you have Google Analtyics set up. Even if you never log into GA, make sure it’s set up.The metric to ignore?Unsubscribes.Not an easy one, but anyone who unsubscribes probably wasn’t going to buy now anyway. And you never know the reason behind someone’s decision to unsubscribe (the only time I fill out my ‘reason’ for unsubscribing is when I’m on a list twice, otherwise I don’t bother).A golden rule of email marketing is to NOT personalize it.If you get upset or worried every time someone unsubscribes you’re going to make yourself miserable.  Email marketing may not come naturally to you, and that’s O.K.It was not an easy transition for me (mainly because I was in massive resistance to it) but I knew I needed to learn how to do it if I wanted my business to succeed.Is that true for everyone?I think so.There aren’t many successful online businesses that don’t use email marketing as a core of their marketing strategy.Some people may have the belief that you have to be on social media.But is that true?If you have a paid traffic plan in place that drives subscribers and customers, you probably don’t need social media.But I can guarantee you that a paid traffic plan requires an email marketing strategy to succeed.It’s NOT too late to start.You simply have to start.Commit to getting better and better at it, then when you’re able to send an email and see sales roll in? You’re going to be so grateful you put the time and energy into it now.You know the old saying: When is the best time to plant a tree?Yesterday.The second best time?Today.

We’re going to start this episode off with a quote (because it’s SO perfect):“Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come.-Victor HugoI am SUPER excited about today’s episode because I think it’s truly the most important thing we can master (as entrepreneurs but more importantly, as human beings).I’m going to tell you what it is, but before I do, I want to ask you to do me a favor.I want you to keep your mind as open and judgment-free as possible.Ready?The most important thing an entrepreneur needs to master is their thoughts.I’ve gone down a huge rabbit hole with this lately for a few reasons (and I’ll go into a little more detail with each):First, I needed to do it with a few things in my personal life because they were sending me sidewaysSecond, this is probably one of the things I’ve been most focused on with my coach as I get ready to launch my communityLastly, my mentor has been helping me with this a LOT lately… we did some amazing work last year which has all led to thisYou hear over and over again in the entrepreneurial space that your mindset is everything.And it is… you just need to know how to get there.My goal with this episode is two-fold:to really buy into the idea that this is truly the best thing you can do for yourself (in your business and your life)to give you some tangible things you can do to start applying thisOne thing to keep in mind: this is a practice. One of the sayings that my mentor has shared with me (that has taken me a while to really grasp), is that it’s “a process, not an event.”Which naturally annoyed me… because I want to learn something and just know it.Even though I may get pissy, I trust it now.And it has made ALL the difference in the world.O.K., let’s get into it!Get #FtheHUSTLE in Your InboxTime to Master your ThoughtsFor the longest time, I really thought I was doing a great job of managing my thoughts.I first got into self-help and listening to things when I was the ripe old age of 22.I purchased Tony Robbins Personal Power and progressed through pretty much anything I could get my hands on at the time (keep in mind these were cassette tapes, all pre-podcast and digital downloads of anything).I was working in a bookstore at the time and we sold audiobooks, so I’d splurge every now and then on a new book on tape. Because I purchased Personal Power I also would get the “Guthy Renker” and “Nightingale-Conant” catalogs (yes, a paper catalog in the mail).At that time I’d say 99% of what I listened to were male authors (something I never really thought about at the time). Most of what I was listening to was about goal setting, motivation, sales, and productivity. All of that was fine, but it always felt like something was missing.Then I discovered Dr. Wayne Dyer.If you’re not familiar with him, he’s an NYT best-selling author of over 40 books. He’s been called “The Father of Motivation” and had an academic career and private counseling practice before he wrote his first book.When I first started reading & listening to Wayne Dyer most of his work was in the self-help genre. As his career progressed he moved more and more into spirituality and it felt like “this is what I’ve been missing!”It was like this magic combination of “anything is possible” and “be gentle” at the same time.(On a subconscious level this is probably where #FtheHUSTLE was really born).From here I consumed everything I could of his.I was also fortunate enough to see him live in San Francisco a few times (he loved San Francisco and was a great supporter of public television). One of the times I saw him it was a smaller event and I stood in line to tell him how much his work got me through losing my husband (this was a year after he died). Dr. Dyer hugged me and told me that he was still with me.On many levels, I would say he was my first mentor.Looking back I don’t think I could have even begun to comprehend that I wasn’t managing my thoughts.Nor do I think I would have been ready to grasp this concept.It wasn’t until I made a conscious decision to not be a victim in my life and start taking complete responsibility (which is also a process) that I started getting that I could change my thoughts by changing my life (one of Wayne Dyer’s books is “Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life”).How I realized it was time to manage my thoughtsMoving to Costa Rica sort of “forced” me to realize that it was time to start making the management of my thoughts a priority.I mentioned earlier that there were a couple of personal situations that were sending me sideways.One had to do with a couple of family members and one had to do with a friend.The situation with the family members had nothing to do with me other than I was kind of stuck in the middle, no matter how many times I thought I had made it clear that I didn’t want to be involved, there was nothing I could do, and I didn’t want to discuss it (boundaries have been a big lesson for me this year as well).The situation with the friend was definitely less of an issue as it was a newer friendship and wasn’t something that needed the time and energy I was giving it (neither did the familial issue, but it’s a lot easier to set boundaries with people you don’t know very well or don’t have much history with).When my mentor got back to Costa Rica we had a session in person and it was extremely difficult (re the family situation). I was very resistant to doing it but my desire to move beyond it was greater than the discomfort and heartache of doing the work.As exhausting as it was, I went home, handled the calls I had scheduled, and then climbed into bed later that afternoon.Here’s where the magic happened…I was messaging with a friend back & forth on Voxer. When she was talking I let myself have the tears and emotions that were coming up BUT… I didn’t allow myself to look for stories or reasons to support the sadness.I put all of my energy into letting myself cry and just feel sad.No stories, no commentary, no right/wrong, good or bad.As small as this may seem, it was probably one of the most profound experiences I’ve had.It was literally at that moment that I realized I could manage my thoughts.Fast forward 24 hours and I felt like a different person.The fact that I made a conscious decision not to feed the sadness or look for stories that would perpetuate how I was feeling felt like a massive victory.Get #FtheHUSTLE in Your InboxHow this shows up in your businessOver the last 5 months I’ve been working on the foundation for my upcoming #FtheHUSTLE Insiders community (a total mouthful, I know, but hey ho. It is what it is).Since I started my business back in 2008 I’ve gone back and forth on having a community (mind you, I have a Facebook Group over 9k people so go figure with that one).Circling back to the quote I started this podcast with, “Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come”… it’s time.I wasn’t ready or prepared to give a community what it takes to grow something for the long term. Not that I wasn’t interested in the long-term of my business, I simply wasn’t clear.There was nothing I loved that much that resonated with me.Creating a community is a commitment.This is where thought management comes in.As I’ve been working on the foundational content for this community, I started in a direction that may seem counterintuitive but is absolutely necessary.I’ve created Success Stages – which, for lack of a better term, mirrors the ‘Hero’s Journey’.The best part is that it ties in directly with what you’re doing in your business (think strategy, tactics, the work you can see) with where you’re at mentally and emotionally with what you’re experiencing.Here are two examples (and two of my favorite newly coined terms for #FtheHUSTLE Insiders).False Priorities: that says it all, doesn’t it? False Priorities are when you decide to create busy work or do something that even though it contributes to your business (mapping out an offer, creating a new to-do list, finally logging into a course, testing that new tool or software you bought last month), it’s not a priority.After I shared this term in an email last week a friend messaged me on Facebook and said:“The False Priorities one lol – have you been spying on me haha and where can I buy some Entrepreneurial Adulting“2. Entrepreneurial Adulting: Do the work. As much as I love my business, there are tasks that I’m not fond of doing (way less than there used to be, so that’s good), but I do them anyway.Get #FtheHUSTLE in Your InboxDo I still procrastinate at times? Of course, but I also know that EVERY single time I take care of things that need to be done I feel 100% better.Now instead of avoiding things I manage the thoughts I have about doing them (99.9% of the time I’ve simply made a mountain out of a molehill in my head) and just DO them.Spend less time comparing, scrolling, planning, and plotting.The same friend that messaged me then said “I’ve spent the week making to-do lists rather than doing the to-do’s.”Nuff said.Where to startThe first and most important thing you can do to start managing your thoughts is to take complete and total responsibility for them ALL.Taking responsibility isn’t about assigning blame – nor is about right and wrong, good or bad.It simply is.It’s also the path to freedom.How easy is it to keep berating yourself, others, judging, or arguing when you say “yes, that was all me.”The next logical step in that process is to ask yourself “now what?”You sit with the feelings.Not the thoughts and not the stories. Bring yourself back to wherever you are and focus on how you’re feeling. Sad, mad, offended, disappointed, whatever… just be with it.Choose AwarenessI had that taped to my computer for years (some lessons take a while to sink in 😉).As soon as you decide to choose awareness you start feeling like an observer of your own life, which is incredibly powerful. When you pay attention to what you’re thinking and how you’re feeling, you start to realize you can choose other thoughts (this is a process and not an event).This is where you connect the dots that taking responsibility for how you think and feel is actually about complete and total freedom.This is a bell you can’t “unring.”Once you step into this way of thinking and being it simply doesn’t feel right in your body to do otherwise.One last final thought…Own who you are.In my last session with my mentor we had been talking about dramatizing thoughts in our own minds (we truly create our own anxiety). She shared a story with me about how a mentor of hers told her to be as dramatic as she could about a specific situation – so she did. She gave what may have been an Oscar-worthy performance.Afterward?She was able to laugh it off and even though she has some anxiety still it was normal pre-performance jitters.After sharing that with a friend we decided we’re going to hold “drama class” whenever start spinning about something that hasn’t even happened.Get #FtheHUSTLE in Your InboxWith access to information 24/7 and the ability to see what other people are doing and worse, how they’re doing, it’s way too easy to let our minds and egos take over.We live in a world of “highlight reels” and it can be exhausting.The ONLY thing you need to do is what is right for you. I promise you that the more you step into what feels right for you and choose to start managing your thoughts the freer you’re going to be.And your business will soar because of it.

This has been a LONG time coming.I feel like I have so much to catch you up on with this episode.First, if you’ve stuck with me and wondered where the podcast is, Thank You.Before I get into what’s coming (and yes, the podcast is coming back with a regular schedule), I think I need to update you on a few things.Life in Costa RicaI’ve now been in Costa Rica for 4.5 months! I can’t believe how fast the time has gone. I’ve written a full post on why I moved to a country I’d never visited on Medium here (and would love some claps & comments if it resonates with you).It’s truly starting to feel like “home” here.What’s been so fascinating about this move to Costa Rica are all of the realizations I’ve had. Some are deep and some are pretty superficial (guess I didn’t need to run to Target as often as I thought), but they’ve all made a difference in how I feel and where I’m going.My understanding is that October is the end of the rainy season here. I haven’t minded the rain at all… the thunderstorms here are like nothing I’ve seen before. It can literally be sunny and dry one minute and pouring with thunder and lightning the next (I love it, the dogs, not so much).The rain is probably the only thing that’s made it feel like fall here.It’s kind of a trip getting on Zoom calls with people who are all showing up bundled up in cozy clothes while I’m still here in my tank top and shorts.My goal would be a place somewhere in the states and a place here.I like fall and Christmastime in cooler weather (note I didn’t say cold) and would be happy to have January through September here. We’ll see.I finally bit the bullet and got a car here.FREEDOM!I think I was more excited about buying a 2007 Kia Sorrento than I was about my Audi Q5… it’s all about perspective.I’ve been very fortunate that I’ve made some wonderful friends who have been kind enough to take me places and help me get what I’ve needed, but after 4 months I realized I needed a car.One of the things I love about being in the car for any length of time is listening to podcasts and audiobooks (I can listen when I work sometimes, it just depends on the task at hand). I’m sure I’ll do more listening when the rain stops and I can do more beach walks too.Long story short, life in Costa Rica is really, really good.Time for a Reboot (and what that means)I want to break down this “reboot” into a few different categories:PodcastEmailContentOffersFacebook GroupLet’s start with the podcast.When I pivoted the podcast from “The WordPress Chick Podcast” to “The Kim Doyal Show” – I essentially kept the format completely the same, I just changed the name, introduction, and artwork (although I should have kept the episode #’s continuing instead of starting over, but no point in crying over spilled milk, right? And I guess I could go back and edit them).Besides the fact that the last 2.5 years have been challenging (losing my Mom, moving, Covid, moving again), I didn’t feel excited about the podcast the way I once did.The goal has always been to do a solo show and then an interview, which is fun, but I think I’d prefer to do primarily solo shows.Not because I don’t enjoy interviewing and creating new relationships, because they’ve been the foundation of growing my business.Simply because I want to focus in a little different direction.The podcast is going to get a new introduction and an “official reboot” (I’m thinking some sort of giveaway). That will happen in the next month or so after I launch my community (more on that in a minute).I will definitely still have guests on the show, I just want to be more intentional about the conversation.Email… and more EmailI miss my doing my “almost daily emails.”So yes, they’re coming back.Like many of you, I’m sure I had been hesitant about email marketing. I knew that it was important (the “money is in the list” mantra of every bro marketer on the planet), but if you don’t fully understand something it’s easy to keep it at the bottom of the priority list.I’m sure I sound like a broken record with this statement, but not focusing on email marketing sooner is my ONLY regret in my business.The two things that have made the biggest difference for me have been podcasting and email marketing.Both are content, but more importantly, they’re relational content.They connect me with my audience on a more personal level, which is a driving force for me to continue with my business.The beauty of where I’m at today is that I’ve learned to appreciate the mastery of the things I’m already doing. I love going deeper with something I feel pretty good about. There’s something magical that happens when you focus on mastery and truly connecting the dots.The example I love to give is with copywriting.I will never call myself a copywriter (mainly because I don’t want to do it for anyone else), but really grasping how to craft good copy, how words compel people to take action (or not) and being able to improve sales simply by reworking words?Magical.Although I should clarify that there’s nothing simple about copywriting. It takes work, but it’s so very worth it.I’m grateful that things are busy and I’m loving what I’m doing, but I also know that if I don’t have time to create I know myself well enough that I’ll end up feeling resentful.So expect more emails from me.ContentContent burnout is real.I don’t know if it was from talking about content for so long both here and with the Content Creators Planner, but man… it stopped feeling fun. Or even remotely interesting.Anyone who has been on this journey with me for a while knows that I like change.I have an innate drive within me to continue evolving and becoming the best version of myself. That’s why I still talk with my therapist/mentor. I do a lot less external searching these days (self-help books, etc.) and know that the biggest change comes from within (even when people can’t see it).I made a very conscious decision 10 years ago to take complete responsibility for every condition of my life (nothing will give you more freedom than taking total responsibility for life) and it’s been life-changing.So the idea of continuing to do the same thing or create content around one topic (or a few) feels less-than-exciting.I’ve gotten really deep into a tool called ‘Excalidraw’ and have started mapping a lot of things in my business (more on the mapping in a bit).I’m a very visual person and it helps me a lot to see things laid out.I started with two things for my business: Offers and content.Since you might be listening and can’t see the image (I absolutely love this tool, so I’d suggest checking out the post), I’ll explain what the visual looks like (and if you’re reading, I’d suggest listening because I’ll go deeper with each piece in the audio).There are 3 types of content I’m committed to:PodcastNewsletterBlogFrom there I’ll drill deeper, but for now, that’s what I’m committing to doing.Because one of my goals is to hire a few people in the first quarter of 2022, I’m also creating SOPs (standard operating procedures) for my business and processes for content.Here’s the thing though:I will ALWAYS be the one to create my own content.I am a creator at heart and don’t have any desire to farm out the core content I create. Meaning, I’ll always be the one to write my podcast posts, the newsletter, and the blog posts.I will happily hand off editing and social media thought 😉.OffersI have found my sweet spot here!I mentioned Excalidraw and holy moly… this feels like a missing piece of the puzzle for me.Being able to see how all of these things fit together helped me realize how I could streamline things. Because I’ve decided that #FtheHUSTLE is a mission (that will be a separate episode), I want to make sure that my business matches that mission.Much like the map I did of my content, I created a map of my offers.There were 4 categories of offers:coursescommunitycoachingmastermindThe courses will become part of the community (#FtheHUSTLE Insiders), I have 1:1 coaching, a group coaching (Email Insiders VIP, which I’m just starting the second cohort of now), and I will launch a Mastermind next June of 2022.The model I used for the group coaching has been phenomenal. And I give credit to Nathan Zadworny for this (we’re going to do another live stream and you can learn more about working with Nathan and what he does).I’ve helped a couple of other people map this type of offer and it’s one of the easiest things to sell.IF… you’re willing to do the work and show up.Now that I’ve got a visual of how everything fits together, it’s so much easier to create the structure and processes to implement.Part of me wishes I had figured this out sooner, but then I remind myself that “it takes what it takes.” And I’m here now.I don’t have any doubt that I’m where I’m supposed to be doing exactly what I’m supposed to be doing.And let me clarify that by telling you it took me almost 14 years to get here.It doesn’t have to take that long and it may take you longer, be easy about it and KEEP GOING.What I will tell you in terms of “how long it takes” is that the sooner you realize it’s more about the internal work (mindset, commitment, responsibility, intention), the sooner things will happen.You know me, I love me some tools, hacks, tips, etc. – but remember that they’re JUST that.Being willing to peel things apart and iterate is where real change and growth happen.Facebook GroupFor the love of all that is good in the world… I need to make a decision on this group.When I started Content Creators (4 years ago maybe?), I was super active in the group. I was doing a lot of live streams, hot seats, I even sent a weekly email about everything that went on in the group.What I didn’t do was use the group in a way that helped drive business.(remember, it takes what it takes, so I’m not going to judge myself on this one).I’ve been wanting to do a reboot of the group for a while now (probably a year and a half?), it’s just never been a priority.The three goals I have for the group are:New subscribers (remember: you have a BUSINESS. Free content should have an end goal unless you are conscious and choose otherwise)Sales: Yep, I said it. I expect to make sales from my own groupConnections: I posted a while back about making “connections” in the group in terms of JV partnerships. I’d like to figure out a way to have people support one another – and not just by sharing content, but to actually reach out and support one anothers products, launches, list growth, etc. So there is a REAL strategy behind the relationship. What that looks like is up to the individuals (and I’m not policing anyones behavior either, so people need to do their due diligence).I know that to make these things happen I need to up my own game in the group. I’m willing to give it 6 months once I do the “official reboot” and if the results aren’t what I want, then I’ll close it or sell it (if that’s still a thing).Facebook seems to be floundering a bit these days (and of course this is simply my opinion. I don’t care enough about the topic to want to do any real research on it).I may look up and see if I can find any data on business pages (I don’t do much other than push content) and see how people are using them now that organic reach has dropped so significantly.We’re hitting a point where creators are tired of creating free content for these platforms knowing you have to “pay to play” to get any reach (and I still believe in paid traffic). If you’re going to create content, make sure it’s on a property you own first (and maybe gate it all?).Whew!I think you’re up to date now.As far as a timeline on all the above goes, here’s where I’m at right now:Podcast reboot by the end of NovemberEmails: ASAPContent: this is in process now and will continue to be a work in progressOffers: all in progress now! The #FtheHUSTLE Insiders community launch is coming in early November. I’ll share more on that soon enoughFacebook Group: Not sure I’ll get to this until December or possibly January. It will also be a process and it will probably be easiest to map out what that looks like and then start making changes (maybe it doesn’t have to be an “event”?)I’m heading back to California for Christmas. I was hoping for a 10-day trip and now it’s just about two weeks – simply because of the cost of airline tickets. Cheap flights would have meant a 20+ hour journey (when in reality it’s a 6-hour direct flight to LA) and I wasn’t willing to do that.I’m looking forward to it (a few days with my daughter, Disneyland with one of my best friends, then up to the Bay Area for Christmas and back to LA with my daughter for a few more days), but I’ll probably need a little bit of a vacation from that trip.That being said, I want to work as little as possible during those two weeks.My point in sharing all of this today is two-fold:First, to update you on what’s going on and what to expect. I appreciate all of you who have been with me on this journey and stuck with me.The second is to show you that YOU get to create your business on YOUR terms.No matter what anyone else is doing or how they’re doing it. You have to find what works for you and go all in.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately as I get closer to launching a community of my own. I think we all have experiences of launching something and it doesn’t do as well as we had hoped.We plan for it, we create the thing, and we get ready to start marketing it.Then when the time comes to release our offer to our audience it falls flat (or at least doesn’t do what we had hoped it would.I want to go deeper into this today because I’ve experienced both sides of the coin.It also fits nicely with my #FtheHustle movement because doing better work should lead to less hustle and greater rewards.What makes me most excited about this is it’s opened my eyes to a completely different (and more deliberate) marketing strategy which, if done intentionally, will always work.Creating the runwayBefore I dig into creating the runway, I want to be clear that what I’m referring to is more like setting the stage and being in alignment.As an example, when Jodi and launched the Content Creators Planner it wasn’t out of left field for me to be creating a physical planner for developing a content strategy. I had started the Content Creators group on Facebook two years prior, had been talking about content and content marketing, and was living by my #EverythingIsContent motto.Creating and selling the Content Creators Planner was completely in alignment with how I had been showing up.The time it took from our initial conversation about creating the planner together and launching it to the world was only four months.It was a pretty crazy four months, but we did it. So even though that window was small, people were already used to hearing me talk about content marketing.As soon as we had a logo and initial pages drafted, we started sharing it.This is why it worked.We went from a failed Kickstarter to a presale on our own website the week after Christmas (and announced the presale on New Year’s Eve) and successfully funded the production. We didn’t have the planner in our hands until March but people had been on the journey with us for months already…They were perfectly happy because they knew we were invested in getting our creation into their hands.This isn’t only about the launch of your product/service/offer. It’s making sure that when you’re ready to market your offer it’s in complete alignment with what you’ve been doing and how you’ve been showing up.This is something I’ve been doing for as long as I can remember, but it wasn’t as intentional as it is today.Join the #FtheHUSTLE movement!More runway means more freedomThis is where the magic happens.Because you’re allowing yourself the space and consistency to be in alignment with what you’re doing, you can easily test the market for validation on offers.So as an example: I have a friend who is in my Email Insiders VIP group right now (I’m running another group very soon). She does social media marketing for clients and is very active on these platforms.She doesn’t just create images and accompanying text and then schedule it, she digs deeper into what is working for the different platforms and tests/tweaks engagement.One of the things I asked her about recently was Twitter threads. As I’ve gotten more active on Twitter lately I’ve noticed how popular Twitter threads have become (well, it’s new to me, probably been around a while) so I asked her about them.I was saying that I think Twitter threads would be a great way to share the newsletter every week because I could tag people I was mentioning and referencing in the newsletter on Twitter and that the segments of the newsletter could make for unique tweets.She loved the idea, talked about what she knew about Twitter threads, and encouraged me to test it.My first thought was to ask her if she’d be interested in doing a paid workshop on Twitter threads for my audience.Naturally, she said yes, but this is a perfect example that she’s in alignment and has created the runway for making this offer.If I hadn’t seen what she was doing and how she was doing it I wouldn’t have even asked her.This is where the magic happens.You can put out a one-time workshop, webinar, paid ebook, or training without worrying about whether or not it’s something your audience wants from you. If you’ve gotten engagement and feedback from what you’ve been sharing all along it will sell (how well depends on the offer itself and how you’ve positioned it, but you get my point).Timeline for Creating the RunwayI truly believe there’s no such thing as too soon to start talking about what you’re doing.Even if you’re just getting started, you need to be clear on the following things:Who your audience isHow you serve themWhat their problems areHow you can help themAnd for what it’s worth, think of these things as ever-evolving. The deeper you go with people the more you’ll learn. The more you learn the better your message becomes and the easier it is to sell your offers because you’re giving people exactly what they want.The timeline will depend on what it is you want to offer.The higher the price point the longer the runway.A couple of years ago I purchased Ramit Sethi’s “Breakthrough Launch” product. I’m a fan of Ramit’s work: his book, his content, and his courses.This was the first in-depth course of his I had purchased (I bought two smaller ones) and knew I wasn’t going to need it right away but wanted to get it when it opened up again (I just double-checked and there’s a waitlist for this course right now).Besides needing the course for myself (even though it works the traditional ‘Product Launch Formula’ by Jeff Walker felt tired to me, so I was thrilled when I saw them release this), there was a very specific reason I purchased this course.First, everything Ramit does is based on deep research and psychology (btw, I don’t know Ramit personally, but I follow and read enough of his content to feel confident to say his products are based on research and psychology).Meaning, if you buy his ‘Behind the Sales Email’ course you’re going to understand the psychology of why certain emails work, when to send them, and what makes people buy.Back to Breakthrough Launch.At least a year before they released it, they sent out an email asking how people felt about launches.I responded with a little more in-depth reply about the Product Launch Formula (and again, I have nothing against Jeff Walker, I’ve read the PLF book, purchased the first or second version of that program and just downloaded the updated audible version of the PLF book. I simply wanted something different) and got a response back.I had a few exchanges with someone on Ramit’s team and then they asked if I would be willing to give some feedback on what they were working on.They sent me a Google doc of part of the first module and I was blown away.So a full year later when Breakthrough Launch was released I knew it was going to be good. Not only had I gotten a taste of it but I knew they had been working on it for over a year.This doesn’t mean you have to work on something for a year before you release it.It simply means you need to let people know you’re working on something and what kind of transformation they’ll get when they invest in you and your product.TimelineWhen to start sharing: as soon as possible.How often to share: as often as possible.I don’t know if I’m a glutton for punishment or it’s a way I keep myself accountable, but as soon as I put it out there that I’m working on something it motivates me to keep going and get it done.I LOVE the ‘build in public’ side of content.People like to feel a part of something, so when you’re sharing with them what you’re working on, how it’s progressing, and when they can get their hands on it? They have an emotional investment in you and what you’re offering.Here are some specific things you can do:Share the logoStart creating content about what you’re working onTease screenshotsGet an opt-in page up asap to let people know they can sign up for early access (or simply notification)Guest postGet on podcastsInclude a link in emails, newsletters, etc.Do a behind-the-scenes live stream of what your’e working onSocial shares (part of the content above, but be deliberate in sending people to your opt-in page)Whatever you do, try to be consistent with it.This is one of the reasons I love newsletters so much (and podcasts, not that I’ve been consistent with my podcast lately… more on that in another episode).It’s such an easy way to stay in communication with your audience and create content.If you’re not used to writing it might feel a little hard at first, but it’s a great way to dip your toes into writing more often and getting better at what you do.I recently listened to a podcast episode by Brandon Lucero where he broke down his recent launch where he did 1.2 million in 9 months with a brand new program.It’s a great episode and is what inspired this podcast episode.He started running ads and educating his audience months before he launched his new program.I’d say a 9-month runway was worth 1.2 million, wouldn’t you?Join the #FtheHUSTLE movement!Don’t cheat yourself out of the processIf I only knew back then what I know now.Bein in a rush to get something out the door so you can make money never, ever, ever, works.If you want to get something out the door to get validation and are 100% committed to the people you serve?Golden.I did this with Email Insiders VIP and it’s been a wonderful experience.I’ve given a lot of my personal time to one-on-one calls, email support, support through Voxer, etc. because the people that signed on were my ‘pilot program’ students.Every single conversation has been invaluable.Giving as much time as I have isn’t necessarily sustainable, but it’s helped me learn how I can incorporate foundational training to that program in addition to the live calls.I put this offer out with email only.I didn’t have a landing page or complicated sales funnel set up. I emailed my lists, asked if they wanted my personal help, and did individual calls with each person that signed up.I knew I was committed to the process and my students have felt that.Now with the data I have, I can continue to fine-tune this program and make it even better (and the original pilot program group will get lifetime access to any cohort I run).You can take your time with the work you’re doing while still having goals and deadlines.I promise you the journey and the reward will be that much sweeter.

In this episode I talk with Darby Rollins, founder of the "Writing with Jarvis" book challenge. I connected with Darby in the Jarvis.ai Facebook Group (formerly Conversion.ai) and as soon as I was settled in Costa Rica jumped in to sign up for the latest book challenge.The Writing with Jarvis book challenge is loaded with pre-work so you can do your research, plan the direction of your book (which journey you'll take the reader on), and creating your book outline, and writing your book. All with the help of AI... which in this case, is Jarvis.ai

I made it!I’m officially in Costa Rica.I’ve been thinking about how I would do this episode in hopes that I could create some structure and not simply ramble at you about the process. I’m sitting here writing the post watching men hang from the trees outside my window to trim branches (they started with machetes and are using chainsaws now).The bonus is my view of the ocean keeps getting better.At the time of this writing/recording, I’ve been in Costa Rica for two weeks. The first 8 were with my daughter and we were really busy trying to see and do as much as possible (which kind of bit us in the ass since we were pretty wiped before we got on the plane).Today is only day 2 of a somewhat normal routine… and that was a little nuts (housekeeper, someone fixing the refrigerator, high speed internet install, and yes, tree trimming outside my windows).My goal for the next few days is to get some rest while getting back on track with work. I need it and my dogs need it (they’ve done amazing considering everything they’ve been through).*Fast forward a few days and I’m back to working on this episode*Update: I’m sitting out on my patio writing. I’ve got my coffee, there’s a slight breeze, and I’m staring at the ocean listening to birds.I’ve shared my reasons for moving here (and will probably go more in depth in another post on my PuraVidaJourney.com site), so let’s start with the journey here and the last two weeks.Follow my life in Costa Rica at PuraVidaJourney.comGetting to Costa RicaBest laid plans, right?The truth is it actually went pretty smoothly.The two months I spent at my Dad’s after leaving Boise was busier than I expected, but really nice. It was great to get to see family a few times as well as my friends in the Bay Area. I had a great night with my girlfriends (these are friends from high school who I’m so grateful for), saw some family friends, and basically worked on getting things (myself), prepared for this move.My daughter drove up from LA on Saturday, May 29th so we could have a graduation party for her with the family. She left her car at my Dad’s because we needed my car to get all my bags, the dogs, and computer in and I’m letting her use my car for a while.We turned around Sunday morning and hit the road back to LA (it’s about a 6 hour drive) and checked into a hotel near the airport (the intention was to do a park & ride… then we found out they weren’t running shuttles because of Covid. They didn’t have the staff to clean them. Tip: make sure you’re talking to the actual hotel and not a reservation line).We decided to stay there anyway (it was only 5 min from the airport) and found a parking garage that would shuttle us over…there was no way we could Uber with all our stuff + the dogs).To enter Costa Rica right now you have to purchase medical travel insurance, which I did. The night before our flight I logged in to fill out our health certificate, which then gives you a QR code so they just scan it at the airport. This was snafu #1.My daughter couldn’t find her passport (and she is super on top of things so we had a moment of freak out). Fortunately, she lives in LA and her place was only about 25 minutes away. We drove to her apartment and she couldn’t find it (where she thought it should be).I had a feeling it was there so went out to the family room to look around and it had fallen on the floor.Hallelujah! Crisis averted.We allowed for plenty of time in the morning to park the car and get to the airport, which is good because we needed it for snafu #2.I had bought the wrong dog kennels for the dogs.Of all the things to NOT check in terms of regulations, it kinda blew my mind that I had forgotten this (and by the way, in terms of transporting the dogs: it was $1000 for their vet visit which included the required health certifications and updated vaccines, then it was only $100 per dog for them to travel in cargo with us on the plane).Again, thankfully we were in LA because my daughter, being the badass that she is, hopped in an Uber, went to Petco nearby and bought two new kennels. All in 30 minutes.I should have taken pictures of us sitting on the floor in the airport, putting these kennels together (all while the dogs were sitting in the wrong kennels wondering what the bucket was going on), but by then I was not in the mood for documenting anything, let alone the chaos of the morning.Once the dogs were with TSA, we made it to our gate with time to spare (although not enough time to stand in line for a coffee), and took a deep breath.I have never been more grateful for spending the money on first class as I was that day.Another Tip: ALWAYS look at the price of first-class. Our tickets were only $200 more and we would have paid the difference in luggage fees if we had purchased coach tickets.I had arranged a pickup from the airport (instead of renting a car) because I didn’t really feel like getting lost at night in a new country 😉. Fortunately it was through a friend so I knew all would go well (it gets dark here everyday by 6pm, no daylight savings and we’re so close to the equator).We made one stop on the way for water & snacks, got all our stuff unloaded and I texted the property mgr. to find a walkable restaurant, which is La Forketta. It’s literally five minutes from my place and has delicious Italian food (there are a lot of Italian restaurants here… I guess there are a handful of Italian communities).After a lovely meal we went back to my place and crashed.Follow my life in Costa Rica at PuraVidaJourney.comMy first week in Costa RicaI won’t go into as much detail here (we’ll be here forever), but will do my best to share what we did.Our initial plan was to kind of do nothing and chill, but then my daughter was like “we need to go get stuff to clean.” My place wasn’t filthy or anything, but it needed a deep clean after sitting vacant for a bit.We walked to Flamingo, which was a little less than an hour, after taking the dogs to get breakfast and coffee (you can pretty much bring your dogs anywhere here) to rent a car. After another attempt at taking them out to dinner one night and I’ve decided to take it much slower with the dogs. They’re used to just the 3 of us and with the exception of a walk or going outback, they’ve never really been those dogs that just go everywhere.We got smart a little over halfway there and walked the beach instead of the roads (which is a whole other story). Then we were off to Pricesmart & Walmart (which is owned by Costco and is basically a mini-Costco) to pick up some stuff.Both are about an hour away near the Liberia airport, which is where I flew in.We were invited to drinks & dinner by the property mgr. and his wife and we gladly accepted. We met them at the Sailing Center (walkable from my place), had a drink to watch the sunset and then went somewhere else for dinner (another Italian restaurant in Flamingo, which is a quick jaunt up the road by car haha).It was a great night… and I’m super appreciative of the invite. They’re both awesome and have no doubt they’ll become good friends (we also ran into my therapist & her husband, which was super fun as I hadn’t seen her in person for over a year).The rest of our time was a mix of running a few errands, a couple of trips to the beach (we went to Flamingo and Tamarindo), having dinner at restaurants on the beach, and relaxing.We found a great masseuse and had two-hour massages on Saturday (very much needed).After my daughter was safely on her flight on Tuesday (the 8th), I hit Walmart & Pricesmart again for a few things I needed before returning the rental car.After she left then my goal was to try and get back to work (I did), rest a bit (I did and am continuing that as much as possible), and help the dogs chill a bit.Thoughts, Observations, and Feelings on Costa RicaThis still feels unreal.In a “I can’t believe this is my life” kind of unreal, and I’m enjoying every moment of that wonder and appreciation.I’ve had a little taste of life here and I know without a shadow of a doubt it was the right move. Literally, not a single regret or thought of “what was I thinking?”The people here are lovely and the country is SO pretty. 🌴The day after my daughter left last week I had a housekeeper come to clean (the price is unbelievable and I’m going to have her come weekly), fiber optic internet was being installed, and my refrigerator wasn’t working so that technician was here as well. They spoke no English, I spoke no Spanish… Amen for Google translate but learning the language is at the top of my list.I’ve met a lot of my neighbors (there are only 7 of us in this building) and they’re all fantastic. Everyone I’ve met is American and they’ve been super helpful. My neighbors across the hall have an 11 year old son and I think I’m going to pay him to walk the dogs a few times a week.Another gal in the building does audio & video content (once I know more I’ll share more… who knows, maybe I can send some clients her way). There’s another woman who has been here for 30 years and has been super helpful.This is probably the first time I’ve felt part of a “community” in a long time.The energy and general vibe here is unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced.I felt it immediately when we got outside the airport simply to load our stuff in the van. I’ve been to both Hawaii and Mexico and while they’re lovely, this feels so, so different.Back to BusinessOther than a much better view than I’ve ever had before, I don’t think how I run my business is going to change all that much. The biggest difference will probably be the occasional power outage (I guess they have little blips here and there… which I don’t notice unless the computer shuts off) – which I’m assuming may happen a little more frequently during the rainy season (apparently the heavier rains will be Sept. & October. I’ve already had some tropical rains).All this really means is that I need to make sure to give people ample warning that if I disappear from a call, I’ll be back shortly. And maybe try to limit my calls during the heavy rainy season… we’ll see.My biggest takeaway from this big life change?Best. Decision. Ever.Pura Vida!

Making the offer doesn’t have to be difficult.I spent way too long making this a much bigger deal than it needs to be. In this episode I want to talk about making the offer, what offers look like, and how to simplify the process.But first…HOLY MOLY!As of the time of this writing, I am literally two weeks away from moving to Costa Rica! 🌴I made this decision three months ago and it’s been go-time ever since. Getting out of Boise was a lot of work, which took me through the end of March. I’ve been down in Northern California for 6 weeks since leaving Boise and the time has flown by.After selling, donating, and dumping as much stuff as possible in Boise (I literally got rid of as much as I possibly could), I’ve still got a storage unit here by my Dad’s house (where I’ve been staying). I’ve got a handful of my daughter’s stuff in my storage unit and am still condensing and getting rid of more of my own things (I’d be content to only hold on to photos and all my scrapbook stuff… eventually I’ll pick that up again).I went down to the Bay Area twice so I could see people and take care of a few things and it’s like all of the sudden here I am.Two weeks from moving out of the country.The closer this gets the more emotions I’m experiencing.The majority of what I’m feeling is pure excitement! I feel like a little kid counting down to Christmas. I’ve been pretty goofy about it… when I check out at a store and someone asks me how I’m doing I respond with “great! I’m moving to Costa Rica in a few weeks!” 🤣It’s a little bit nutty but I don’t care.Not only is this a huge move for me it signals the beginning of an entirely new chapter in my life.As strange as 2020 was, it was exactly what I needed.I needed a year to myself after losing my Mom, to heal, rest, and have some quiet.I moved to Idaho as a first step to seeing if I could live out of California (born and raised and all my family are here, not to mention lifelong friends). I was open to Idaho being “home”, but it was only meant to be a temporary move. Realizing I wasn’t cut out for the cold and was craving a new experience (it felt a little like “different city, same story”), I made kind of a last minute decision to move to Costa Rica.My lease was set to renew in 5 weeks and I knew Idaho wasn’t where I’d be putting down roots and it just felt like “why NOT?”Within a week I had given notice and found my place in Costa Rica. 😊Fast forward to today (May 17th), and I’m finalizing all the details for my move (there are a lot of moving parts).All I have left to do is:Get the dog’s health certificates (they have appt.s on the 28th)Buy my medical travel insurance (required because of Covid)Transfer my car registration back to California after getting a smog checkBuy my return flight the day before I leave (and will refund within 24 hours… you have to show you’re going to leave the country at 90 days. I’ll be doing a border run to Nicaragua… at least until they pass the Digital Nomad visa – fingers crossed!)Probably not that exciting to hear about, but it helps me to repeat it, so thanks for that.I will be sharing my journey living and working in Costa Rica on a new site, called “PuraVidaJourney.com” (if you’re not familiar with that saying, Pura Vida in Costa Rica means pure life or simple life). I’ll have a newsletter that sends updates and am *thinking* about doing a podcast where I interview other digital nomads/entrepreneurs living in Costa Rica (this sounds fun as well as being a great way to meet like-minded people, although I don’t want to only connect with other entrepreneurs).Making OffersMan… if only I had understood this sooner.Most people don’t fail online because they don’t have the skillset or something valuable to offer (i.e, having a solution to someone’s problem)… they fail because they’re not making enough offers AND/OR they’re not making the right offers.This seems like a bit of a catch-22.You have to put the offer out there to see if it’s the right offer… and if it’s not the right offer, how do you know?I have fallen in love with testing things (as a paid offer), getting feedback and validation, then fine-tuning it as a higher-priced offer.I did this recently with two offers.The first was the Content Promotion Code for the Content Creators Planner.Jodi and I have known for a long time that we need a little higher priced offer on the backend of our funnel and simply to offer customers. Content Promotion is something most people struggle with (yours truly included). I know exactly how to do it, it’s simply a matter of taking the time to do it.The idea behind the Content Promotion Code is to show people how to create a 30-day campaign for ONE piece of content and get results (as opposed to pushing out so much new content all the time but not promoting it enough, so nothing ever really gains any traction).We have a structure for this and could have gone deep into a course, but I wanted to do a live workshop where we went through the framework with people so we could get feedback and see where they wanted more or less help as well as some clarity.We offered the workshop for $97 (you can still purchase the 90-minute workshop on the site) and are going to be turning it into a 5-module course (and the price will go up).We’re also going to give everyone who took the one-off workshop the 5-module course for free (in exchange for feedback and a simple way of saying Thank You).All we did to promote this was send a handful of emails to our list (I emailed my Kim Doyal list as well).It wasn’t a huge launch by any means, but it generated a nice chunk of revenue and validated our idea… people need help with the promotional side of content marketing just as much as they need help with the strategy and framework for creating it.The second was a recent offer I’ve made to my list (and will be emailing the Content Creators Planner list this week as well to fill the final spots).It’s called “Email Insiders VIP.”Since making the decision to pivot my focus on my personal brand to email marketing and newsletters (still in a deep love affair with both), I’ve been trying to understand where people struggle and what their challenges are.I’ve heard from day one when I started my business in 2008 that “the money is in the list”…So I signed up with an email service provider (think my first was 1ShoppingCart…boy, they dropped the ball on that one), set up an opt-in and started building my list.The problem was that I didn’t really know what to email them, how often or anything else after that.So I basically half-assed my email marketing out of fear of doing it wrong or heaven forbid, “offending” anyone who had signed up to hear from me.Crazy.We’re literally our own worst enemies when it comes to growing our businesses.I try not to think of all the money I left on the table by not emailing more often and most importantly, emailing offers.When you haven’t been emailing and decide to focus on it (and you really should, because your email list is an asset. You build a list, a relationship, and then offer them things that will solve their problems. It’s really not rocket science).The BEST way to find out how you can help your audience is to ASK them.Novel idea, I know.You can also create content and share what you’re doing with your audience… you’d be surprised how many people let you know that what you’re doing resonates with them or they send you questions.One of my favorite calls to action in an email is simply to say “hit reply and tell me…”Here’s what I did with Email Insiders VIP:I simply came up with a private group coaching offer, only two months, and only 10 people. They all get a one-on-one onboarding with me, two group calls a month (with training from me), and one Q&A call. As well as unlimited access to me via Voxer to ask questions.My goal with this pilot program (I like that more than beta), is to completely over-deliver. I want people to get results, make connections, feel great about email marketing and START doing the work (you can only plan for so long before you have to pull the trigger).I’m going to ask them for as much feedback as possible, will probably take extra calls and do email reviews as well.I set this up so I could personally work with people and go deeper.So far I’ve sent 3 emails and have almost filled all 10 spots (have a couple of calls this week and more emails to send).This has given me massive validation. I know email marketing is a pain point because I’ve been there (and where I was in my business a four or five years back is where many of my clients are today).I had heard over and over again to put offers out there before you had a product (obviously with both of these offers I had them outlined and mapped out but more importantly, I have the skillset to make the offer. But that’s for another conversation entirely), but I was hesitant to do it.Getting your mindset right before you make an offer to your audience is probably the most important thing you can do.As long as you’re coming from a place of integrity and a true desire to help people get results, most people will love being a part of a pilot or beta program.All of this being said, you do need to have a few things in place:Know your audience & the problems they haveKnow how to solve those problemsHave a relationship with your audienceBe willing to be open and transparent about the processBe committed to getting people results, not selling your offerBoth of these offers have given me massive proof that the pivot in my business (focusing on email for KimDoyal & content marketing with Content Creators Planner) was spot on.And I’m excited about where this is going to lead me.