First Class Founders: Creators | Solopreneurs | Personal HoldCo

E25: Do you currently have a side-hustle that you enjoy building? Or, do you WISH you had a side hustle? How do you make your first million dollars from it? I'm going to tell you exactly that - how to make your first million dollars from your side-hustle.On this episode, we'll cover how to CHOOSE a suitable side-hustle, how to BUILD your side-hustle, and finally, how to MONETIZE your side-hustle.***TOPICS:What is a Side Hustle? (2:11)Your Unique Life Experiences Are a Goldmine For Information (3:42)What Can You Teach Others? (4:28)James Clear, Ryan Holiday, Nick Huber, Justin Welsh, Justin Moore (5:22)Figure Out a Niche You Can Own (6:11)Build in Public (9:36)Build a Tribe that Trusts You (13:32)How to Collaborate with Other Creators to Grow Your Audience (15:49)Make it Your Mission to Serve Your Tribe (17:25)Gathering Feedback  & Earning Referrals (19:49)Ask Me Anything (22:55)***LINKS:Episode 23 - Grow Your Newsletter Fast: Secrets to Skyrocketing Your SubscribersJOIN: First Class Founders Premium MembershipDOWNLOAD: Hyper-Visuals For Our Episodes (Free)***FOLLOW / REVIEW:- Follow - Leave 5-star review***CONNECT W/ YONG-SOO:- X- Threads- LinkedIn- Newsletter***First Class Founders is a show for indie hackers, bootstrapped founders, CEOs, solopreneurs, content creators, startup entrepreneurs, and SaaS startups covering topics like build in public, audience growth, product marketing, scaling up, side hustles, holding company, etc. Past guests include Arvid Kahl, Tyler Denk, Noah Kagan, Clint Murphy, Jay Abraham, Andrew Gazdecki, Matt McGarry, Nick Huber, Khe Hy, and more. Episode you might like:Future of Newsletters with Tyler Denk, Founder & CEO at BeehiivFrom Zero to 100K Subscribers: How to Grow Your Newsletter like a Pro with Newsletter Growth Expert Matt McGarry...

Arvid Kahl, co-founder of FeedbackPanda, discusses selling his SaaS business and his current content strategy. He talks about building a massive following through his blog, using AI as a writing buddy, and his success with multiple content delivery mechanisms. Arvid also shares insights on boosting credibility, starting a newsletter, and launching a podcast. He highlights the importance of having a regular cadence and shares his process for sourcing content ideas.

E23: Do you already have 50-100 subscribers for your newsletter? Do your subscribers LOVE the content you’ve been putting out? Are your subscribers frequently sharing the content you send in your newsletter? And yet, if the number of subscribers for your newsletter doesn’t seem to be growing the way you thought it would and you just can’t figure out a way to grow your newsletter’s subscriber numbers, then you’ve come to the right episode of the right podcast!This is the second of a two-parter on launching and growing your own newsletter business. So, if you haven't heard the previous episode yet, you should probably go check that out first.Okay, so, assuming you have followed all the previous instructions to a tee, you should now have a newsletter with about 50-100 subscribers who all LOVE your content and frequently share it with others. Now, you need to get new people, more people, to subscribe and grow your newsletter. Now, how do you do that?Well, that's precisely what this episode is going to be all about - finding new subscribers and growing your newsletter! Strap in - I promise you this is gonna be a mind-blowing ride!***TOPICS:How to Bring Over an Existing Audience (3:14)How to Tease Out Your Content Regularly (4:59)Using Lead Magnets (9:27)Use Referrals to Boost Subscribers (10:11)How to Set Up a Proper Referral Program (10:48)How to Grow with Other People's Audiences (12:52)Paid Advertising (13:22)Cross Promotions (14:10)Cross Promo Partners: What to Look For (19:14)Use Single Opt-In (19:58)Ask Me Anything (21:53)***LINKS:Newsletter BlueprintJOIN: First Class Founders Premium MembershipDOWNLOAD: Hyper-Visuals For Our Episodes (Free)***FOLLOW / REVIEW:- Follow - Leave 5-star review***CONNECT W/ YONG-SOO:- X- Threads- LinkedIn- Newsletter***First Class Founders is a show for indie hackers, bootstrapped founders, CEOs, solopreneurs, content creators, startup entrepreneurs, and SaaS startups covering topics like build in public, audience growth, product marketing, scaling up, side hustles, holding company, etc. Past guests include Arvid Kahl, Tyler Denk, Noah Kagan, Clint Murphy, Jay Abraham, Andrew Gazdecki, Matt McGarry, Nick Huber, Khe Hy, and more. Episode you might like:Future of Newsletters with Tyler Denk, Founder & CEO at BeehiivFrom Zero to 100K Subscribers: How to Grow Your Newsletter like a Pro with Newsletter Growth Expert Matt McGarry...

E22: Emails. They seem so old-school, right? You have to first write who you are sending them to. Then you write why you're sending them. Then you write what it is all about… So boring! And yet, as of November 2021, Substack had over a million paying subscribers and the top 10 authors on Substack collectively make $20 million per year. If that alone doesn't change your perception of regular ol' email as a powerful business on its own, maybe you should stop right here. Still here? Good. Because I'm devoting the rest of the episode to telling you how you can launch a successful newsletter.***TOPICS:Growing Business of Newsletters (1:00)Who Should Have a Newsletter? (1:53)How Many Subscribers Should You Have Before Launch? (2:38)How to Choose Newsletter Topics (3:06)How To Get Your First Subscribers (3:55)Building in Public (5:46)Newsletter as a Start Up (9:03)3 Questions to Ask Yourself (9:25)Content is Everything (10:45)Content + Distribution = Growth (14:18)Pass the 'Regret Test' (17:27)Ask Me Anything (17:54)***LINKS:Sign up for BeehiivEpisode 13 - Rag to Riches: How I Built a Successful Business from ScratchEpisode 14 - I / We / They Framework: 3 Simple Steps to Growing Your BusinessPedi-Derm Bum PasteJOIN: First Class Founders Premium MembershipDOWNLOAD: Hyper-Visuals For Our Episodes (Free)***FOLLOW / REVIEW:- Follow - Leave 5-star review***CONNECT W/ YONG-SOO:- X- Threads- LinkedIn- Newsletter***First Class Founders is a show for indie hackers, bootstrapped founders, CEOs, solopreneurs, content creators, startup entrepreneurs, and SaaS startups covering topics like build in public, audience growth, product marketing, scaling up, side hustles, holding company, etc. Past guests include Arvid Kahl, Tyler Denk, Noah Kagan, Clint Murphy, Jay Abraham, Andrew Gazdecki, Matt McGarry, Nick Huber, Khe Hy, and more. Episode you might like:Future of Newsletters with Tyler Denk, Founder & CEO at BeehiivFrom Zero to 100K Subscribers: How to Grow Your Newsletter like a Pro with Newsletter Growth Expert Matt McGarry...

E21: Having an audience doesn't necessarily translate into building your business. So how do you find your audience, then nurture them into paying customers? What about enhancing your offers to your existing customers to increase customer lifetime value? Today, we're talking about your your discovery engine, your trust engine, and last but not least, your offer value ladder: what it is, why it's so important, and how you can segment your customers with offers they simply can't refuse.By the end of this episode, you'll have a much better understanding of how to attract, nurture, and increase the lifetime value of your customers. ***TOPICS:Your First Steps After Launching Your Business (1:13)What is a Discovery Engine? (2:38)Examples of Discovery Engines (3:10)What Is a Trust Engine? (6:48)Lesson Learned: Getting Banned on Facebook (8:20)Why You Need to Get Your Audience Off Social Media (9:07)Example: Urban EDC's Trust Engine (11:06)Alternative Trust Engines: Webinars & Trade Shows (12:44)Build Trust, Familiarity, and Authority (13:51)Creating Your Value Ladder (14:12)Ask Me Anything (18:36)***LINKS:Episode 12 - How to Find, Nurture, and Grow Your Audience in 2023JOIN: First Class Founders Premium MembershipDOWNLOAD: Hyper-Visuals For Our Episodes (Free)***FOLLOW / REVIEW:- Follow - Leave 5-star review***CONNECT W/ YONG-SOO:- X- Threads- LinkedIn- Newsletter***First Class Founders is a show for indie hackers, bootstrapped founders, CEOs, solopreneurs, content creators, startup entrepreneurs, and SaaS startups covering topics like build in public, audience growth, product marketing, scaling up, side hustles, holding company, etc. Past guests include Arvid Kahl, Tyler Denk, Noah Kagan, Clint Murphy, Jay Abraham, Andrew Gazdecki, Matt McGarry, Nick Huber, Khe Hy, and more. Episode you might like:Future of Newsletters with Tyler Denk, Founder & CEO at BeehiivFrom Zero to 100K Subscribers: How to Grow Your Newsletter like a Pro with Newsletter Growth Expert Matt McGarry...

E20: In this episode, I talk to Jim James of the UnNoticed Entrepreneur Podcast about the struggles I had during the early days of launching my first business, Urban EDC. I also discuss a mini framework for those who are just starting out that will help you grow right off the bat. Lastly, I share with you the one thing every business needs to increase loyalty with your customer base and succeed over the long haul.And of course, we end this episode with another question from our community about how to drive traffic effectively to a new brand's website to generate sales. My answer is probably not what you expect. Stay tuned until the end to find out!***TOPICS:How I Built An Audience (2:22)Why Your Audience Are NOT Your Customers (4:11)Why You Should Never Launch with Friends & Family (4:52)Building Accountability Through Feedback Loops (6:49)Strategies for Launching Your Brand (8:17)Building Your Product Through Your Community (10:59)How to Promote Your Brand in the Beginning (13:03)Why B2B Marketing Is Different Than B2C (14:33)Why Feedback Is Critical For Your Business (16:45)Ask Me Anything (19:31)***LINKS:The UnNoticed Entrepreneur PodcastJOIN: First Class Founders Premium MembershipDOWNLOAD: Hyper-Visuals For Our Episodes (Free)***FOLLOW / REVIEW:- Follow - Leave 5-star review***CONNECT W/ YONG-SOO:- X- Threads- LinkedIn- Newsletter***First Class Founders is a show for indie hackers, bootstrapped founders, CEOs, solopreneurs, content creators, startup entrepreneurs, and SaaS startups covering topics like build in public, audience growth, product marketing, scaling up, side hustles, holding company, etc. Past guests include Arvid Kahl, Tyler Denk, Noah Kagan, Clint Murphy, Jay Abraham, Andrew Gazdecki, Matt McGarry, Nick Huber, Khe Hy, and more. Episode you might like:Future of Newsletters with Tyler Denk, Founder & CEO at BeehiivFrom Zero to 100K Subscribers: How to Grow Your Newsletter like a Pro with Newsletter Growth Expert Matt McGarry...

E19: Kevon Cheung is the author of Find Joy in Chaos: How to Build Your Twitter Presence So Connections and Opportunities Come Find You. He's widely recognized as a thought leader in finding your voice and making meaningful connections online. Kevon has a unique framework called the PIERS framework, which he uses as a personal identity guideline for developing his online persona. He'll break down this framework which will explain why he uses a broccoli emoji as part of his online identity.***TOPICS:Why Build An Audience? (1:40)How to Survive the Early Days of Building an Audience (4:13)Why Your Circle of Friends Evolves Over Time (6:15)How to Develop an Authentic Voice (8:34)Framework For Developing an Online Identity (11:04)Secrets to Building Meaningful Relationships Online (18:39)Benefits of Building in Public (21:26)Ask Me Anything (25:48)***LINKS:Kevon's Book: Find Joy in ChaosFollow Kevon on TwitterBuild in Public MasteryJOIN: First Class Founders Premium MembershipDOWNLOAD: Hyper-Visuals For Our Episodes (Free)***FOLLOW / REVIEW:- Follow - Leave 5-star review***CONNECT W/ YONG-SOO:- X- Threads- LinkedIn- Newsletter***First Class Founders is a show for indie hackers, bootstrapped founders, CEOs, solopreneurs, content creators, startup entrepreneurs, and SaaS startups covering topics like build in public, audience growth, product marketing, scaling up, side hustles, holding company, etc. Past guests include Arvid Kahl, Tyler Denk, Noah Kagan, Clint Murphy, Jay Abraham, Andrew Gazdecki, Matt McGarry, Nick Huber, Khe Hy, and more. Episode you might like:Future of Newsletters with Tyler Denk, Founder & CEO at BeehiivFrom Zero to 100K Subscribers: How to Grow Your Newsletter like a Pro with Newsletter Growth Expert Matt McGarry...

E18: Today, we are debunking the myth of solopreneurship. Yes, there are a lot of benefits to being a solopreneur. But nobody talks about the downsides of solopreneurship. I'm here today to expose the truth. I know because I was also a solopreneur when I first started my own business back in 2015. But since then, I've scaled up my team and my company has grown with it.By the end of this episode, I'll show you how you can still enjoy the benefits of solopreneurship while removing the roadblocks that come with being solo. I'll explain how you should approach your hiring strategy and where you should look to find your best employees. ***TOPICS:Rise of Solopreneurship (1:46)Two Hidden Costs of Flying Solo (6:03)Strategies on Hiring Your First Employees (11:04)The Important of Your Zone of Genius (12:11)Hiring Freelancer vs. Hire Employees (14:34)Ask Me Anything (19:45)***LINKS:FreeUpShepherdEpisode 3 - Secrets of Compounding: How to Leverage Time to Grow Your BusinessEpisode 14 - I / We / They Framework: 3 Simple Steps to Growing Your BusinessJOIN: First Class Founders Premium MembershipDOWNLOAD: Hyper-Visuals For Our Episodes (Free)***FOLLOW / REVIEW:- Follow - Leave 5-star review***CONNECT W/ YONG-SOO:- X- Threads- LinkedIn- Newsletter***First Class Founders is a show for indie hackers, bootstrapped founders, CEOs, solopreneurs, content creators, startup entrepreneurs, and SaaS startups covering topics like build in public, audience growth, product marketing, scaling up, side hustles, holding company, etc. Past guests include Arvid Kahl, Tyler Denk, Noah Kagan, Clint Murphy, Jay Abraham, Andrew Gazdecki, Matt McGarry, Nick Huber, Khe Hy, and more. Episode you might like:Future of Newsletters with Tyler Denk, Founder & CEO at BeehiivFrom Zero to 100K Subscribers: How to Grow Your Newsletter like a Pro with Newsletter Growth Expert Matt McGarry...

E17: We're talking about a growth strategy that not a lot of creators are taking advantage of to help you grow. I'll tell you what it is and how you can do it effectively to grow your audience and increase your authority at the same time. This is a powerful tactic that I'm using personally in my own e-commerce business to supercharge our growth. By the end of this episode, you'll be well-equipped with a new tool for taking your business to the next level. ***TOPICS:What is Collaboration? (2:30)How to Collaborate Successfully (2:41)Collaborating on Distribution (6:25)Collaborating on Product (6:57)Ask Me Anything (15:12)***LINKS:The Success Journey ShowJOIN: First Class Founders Premium MembershipDOWNLOAD: Hyper-Visuals For Our Episodes (Free)***FOLLOW / REVIEW:- Follow - Leave 5-star review***CONNECT W/ YONG-SOO:- X- Threads- LinkedIn- Newsletter***First Class Founders is a show for indie hackers, bootstrapped founders, CEOs, solopreneurs, content creators, startup entrepreneurs, and SaaS startups covering topics like build in public, audience growth, product marketing, scaling up, side hustles, holding company, etc. Past guests include Arvid Kahl, Tyler Denk, Noah Kagan, Clint Murphy, Jay Abraham, Andrew Gazdecki, Matt McGarry, Nick Huber, Khe Hy, and more. Episode you might like:Future of Newsletters with Tyler Denk, Founder & CEO at BeehiivFrom Zero to 100K Subscribers: How to Grow Your Newsletter like a Pro with Newsletter Growth Expert Matt McGarry...

Discover the importance of habits and how they can lead to success. Learn about the habits of successful individuals like Tom Brady, J.K. Rowling, and Ed Sheeran. The host shares their own daily habits and explains effective strategies for breaking bad habits and creating good ones. Explore the power of habits in achieving long-term goals and discover the importance of accountability and rewards in habit formation.