The Business of Authority

What's your vision for your business?Talking PointsWhat's the point of having a vision for your business?What's the difference between vision and mission or purpose or big idea?What skills do you need to be developing (or discarding)?How do financial goals fit into your vision?How far out should you think with your business vision?What about me-focused vs you-focused vision statements?How do values play into your vision?Quotable Quotes"If you want to make forward progress, you need to know which way forward is."—JS"A vision isn't something you change like your socks."—RM"Get clear on the big picture first, and then you can tinker with tactics for the rest of your life."—RM"Decide where to point the car before you mash on the gas."—JS"Tactics are attractive because they represent a small commitment. Strategy is a big commitment and therefore it feels scary."—RM"There is a 'unified theory of you' in there somewhere."—JS

Are you being a perfectionist... or just procrastinating?Talking PointsHow do you know when something is done?Are you being a perfectionist or just procrastinating?What things bring out the perfectionist in you?Quotable Quotes"If you want things to get better, you have to change something."—JS"People aren't really looking at your website that much."—RM"Your current clients don't go to your website."—JS"Social media has made things both better and worse for perfectionists."—RM"You have to start."—RM"Press publish."—JS"If your thing will make your audience better today than they were yesterday, you owe it to them to release it."—RM"There's only one way to learn how to screw up like a pro."—JS"If your ideas don't get aired, they can't take flight."—RM"If you want to be an authority, you have to put yourself out there."—JS"Perfect is in the eye of the beholder."—RM"You have to put your work out there if you want it to get better."—JSLinks We MentionedThe Fear by Phiip MorganThe Resistance by Steven PressfieldJust F***ing Ship by Amy HoyNoah Kagan YouTubeMarcus Blankenship YouTubeAnthony English LinkedInJonathan's Reading ListJonathan's book The Freelancer's RoadmapSeth Godin Interview - How to Dance with Fear

A few ways to think about how speaking might fit into your business strategy.Talking PointsThree different types of speaking strategiesWhat business models make the most sense for speakingThe three stages of building a speaking practiceShould you ever speak for free?How a product/service ladder comes into play when speakingThe importance of knowing what you're selling and to whomLinks We MentionedMillion Dollar Speaking by Alan WeissSteal The Show by Michael Port

Diversify your revenue streams by packaging your expertise in a variety of different ways.

Exploring the impact of guarantees on consumer behavior, maximizing value through guarantees in consultancy services, handling client dissatisfaction, designing guarantees for work and products, importance of reputation in professional service firms, and managing client fears through guarantees.

Talking PointsWhat's the one thing that you want to be known for?How do figure out what you're ridiculously reliable at?What do people expect from or get from you?Who should you interview to become more self-aware?What should you do once you uncover what others rely on you for?Quotable Quotes"Ask yourself, 'What do people get when they get me?'"—RM"It's hard to read the label from inside the bottle."—JS (quoting unknown person)"Double down on what makes you unique."—RM"Sometimes people value qualities in you that you think are negatives."—RMLinks We MentionedThe Brain Audit by Sean D'Souza

The pros and cons of working solo vs building a firm.Are you thinking about building a firm? Rochelle and I explore the pros and cons from every angle on this week's show.Talking PointsWhat's the difference between a building a firm and hiring support staff?Can you grow a business without hiring junior employees?How to decide which approach is right for you.Are there ways to experiment with building a firm without betting the business on it?What are the differences between hiring contractors and employees?Don't let the market turn you into something you hate.Quotable Quotes"When you're playing with other people's lives, small leaps are better."—RM"If you're not ready to fire someone, you're not ready to hire someone."—JS"To build a firm, you need cash, patience, and humility."—RM

Some thoughts on how to attract your true fans.True FansOn this week's TBOA, Rochelle and I share some tips on how to attract your true fans.Talking PointsYou have to share your expertise freely and often enough to keep the audience warm.Sharing provocative ideas will attract good clients and drive away bad clients.If you're not creating any haters, you're not doing it right.Choose a medium that you're comfortable with and is popular with your audience.Quotable Quotes"A true fan is someone who will buy anything and everything that you produce." —Kevin Kelly"A daily writing practice builds true fans very quickly" —JS"If your work is mostly about executing then it's harder to find the time to invest in the kinds of things that are going to attract true fans." —RM"The problem with implementation work it is too easy to get sucked in to what the client wants you to do." —RM"Any stage you can be on where you can build intimacy with people is going to build true fans." —RMLinks1000 True FansPricing Creativity with guest Blair Enns

The pros, cons, ins, and outs of writing for your audience every day.Daily Writing Practice - Brilliant or Insane?Talking PointsThe difference between daily and weekly habitsHow an email list is different from a blogWhy it’s important to respect privacy concerns in a communityWhy journaling doesn’t countHow to write about the same thing every day without boring everyoneHow often should you reply to your listWhen to keep a rigid schedule and when not toLinksJonathan’s article about writing dailyJonathan’s daily list archiveJonathan’s student glossaryJonathan’s daily list sign-upPhilip Morgan’s daily listSeth Godin’s daily listBob Lefsetz’s daily listBuilding Community with guest Madalyn SklarThe #ASKGARYVEE ShowUlysses AppQuotable Quotes"Writing daily is actually easier than writing weekly" —JS"I wake up, I put on my pants, I brush my teeth, and I write. It’s just something I do every day." —JS"Thinking harder doesn’t solve everything." —JS"Someone who's used to billing by the hour can start to feel like a supplicant. That is not where you want to be as an independent." —RM"Your idea gets better when more people share it and play with it and give you feedback." —RM"An email list is a closed community." —RM"When you write every day, your bs falls away." —JS"Text is where I play with my ideas." —RM

The more you know about your ideal clients, the easier it will be to attract them.On this week's TBOA, Rochelle and I talk about client avatars: what is it, how to create one, and why you should care.Talking PointsWhat exactly is a client avatar?Questions to ask yourself to uncover your client avatarDeciding how many client avatars you should haveHow to make ideal clients more receptive to your messageThe value of sharing stories of transformationLinksThe Brain Audit by Sean D'SouzaBook Yourself Solid by Michael PortValue-Based Fees by Alan WeissEnjoy!—JS & RM