As an entrepreneur, your business is constantly changing—that’s the beauty of being an entrepreneur. And here’s the thing: YOU change too. You change your mind about things you used to be adamant about.I’ve experienced this myself. For example, when it came to creating courses, five years ago I would have said: Concentrate on building your course, don’t worry about the selling.But since then I have had a change of heart.I’ve watched my students inside of my training program Courses That Convert, and I’ve seen a need that I did not see years ago. That need is around launching their course before they have 100% completed it.Now I talk about the benefits of pre-selling your course, or selling it in advance of the course being done, then delivering your content each week via a LIVE workshop to a group of founding members who have already paid.So this episode is going to walk you through the exact steps that go into pre-selling a course. I am going to walk you through the pieces you’ll need to make your offer, get your first students through the door, and deliver your content.There are a few reasons I like this strategy: #1: Pre-selling is a big validator of your course idea. #2: Pre-selling helps you build confidence about your training. Nothing builds confidence more than getting a few PAYING students through the door. #3: Pre-selling helps with cash flow! I know that building a course and getting your online course up and running can sometimes be a bit of a pinch on your finances. That’s why pre-selling is great—to bring in a bit of money to help you pay for some of those expenses. #4: Pre-selling helps you build momentum and accountability. By selling before your content has been created, you have no choice but to deliver! This helps you avoid the “it’s been a year and my course is still languishing” syndrome! #5: Lastly, you get immediate feedback from actual students when you pre-sell. Since it’s more of a live interaction, you can tweak your content based on the feedback before you launch again. By the way, this episode was brought to you by Courses that Convert…I teach a much more robust version of this process in that course, with step-by-step plans and templates. Learn more by attending my free masterclass “How to Confidently Create Your First Profitable Course in 60 Days.”So if you’re as excited as I am about pre-selling your course, here are seven steps to get you started.The 7 Steps to Pre-Selling Your CourseStep 1: Determine Your Course OfferStep 2: Set Up Your Early Interest Page.Step 3: Create Your 30-Day Content BlitzStep 4: Set Up Your Checkout PageStep 5: Set Up Your Live Workshop ComponentsStep 6: Promote a 48-Hour Flash Sale OfferYour 48-hour flash sale offer will include two emails: The first is sent to your Early Interest list and informs them of your limited time offer, what’s included in the program, the number of spots available, and a link to your checkout page. Your second email gives them one more chance to sign up. In this step, you also have the option to include a webinar training as part of your pre-sell strategy.Step 7: Deliver Your ContentLinks mentioned in this episode: SamCart 90-Day Trial LeadPages Pro Trial Kajabi Free Trial Course Creation Resources: Episode #49: How to Know if Your Idea is ProfitableEpisode #107: How Do I Price My Online Course?Episode #133: How to Get Unstuck in Your Course Creation ProcessEpisode #206: The Post-It Content Creation Mini TrainingWebinar Resources: Episode #130: How to Sell on a Webinar (Without Being Overly Salesy)Episode #145: 13 Questions to Nail Down Your Winning Webinar Topic and TitleEpisode #211: 5 Things I Said Yes to In The Early Years (But Say No to Now)

Today we’re going to discover something that has the power to majorly change the trajectory of your business! We’re going to uncover the three main roadblocks that sideline many entrepreneurs (and people in general) and cause them to get stuck in inaction. You will learn specific ways to take massive action, get more done, and get those big results you desire.“Taking action...” seems easy enough, right? “Just do something!” As you and I both know, it’s not as easy as it sounds!If right now what you’re doing in your business is not leading you to the results you desire, then this episode is for you!To shed some light on WHY we’re not taking action and to help us understand how to turn that around and become massive action takers, I had the pleasure of interviewing Brooke Castillo. Brooke is a Life Coach—I actually call her a Life Coach Extraordinaire— who has worked with thousands of people (including yours truly) who have been stuck, are not reaching the goals they’ve envisioned for themselves, or ultimately just need a coach to shine some light on a path that can lead them to the promised land of getting a lot done and achieving big results.Quick note before we move on: I mention that I’ve worked with Brooke personally; I get more into it on the podcast, but in case you were wondering, I’m part of her Self-Coaching Scholars program. You know I’m on a mission to up-level my life, including my health and my weight, but I’m also on a mission to up-level my mind, and Brooke really gets into this in her program. I know that focusing on how I think about things will change both my personal and business life, and I believe it could do the same for you. Because I stand behind what Brooke does, I have become an affiliate for the program, so if you are interested in joining her program, too, click here, and let Brooke know I sent you!MANAGING YOUR MINDBrooke began with the idea that so much of starting and building a business is about managing your mind. She said, “There's no way around it, because you can understand how to do everything, you can study all the material, but until you understand that what you think about is going to create the emotion that either drives the action or the inaction, you're never gonna take the action.”Did you get that? This is important: What you think about creates the emotion that drives the action or inaction.  If stress, fear and panic are fueling the action, you’re not going to be able to produce results at the level you want to produce.Brooke shared three entrepreneurial roadblocks—things that are keeping you from taking massive action.  Reason #1: YOU’RE STUCK IN THE BUSY HUSTLEReason #2: YOU’RE GIVING YOURSELF TOO MUCH TIME TO GET SOMETHING DONEReason #3: YOU’RE AVOIDING FAILURE AND DISCOMFORTWhat would be the activities or non-activities that you’d have in your comfort-time? Schedule it in! And remember: this time is non-negotiable. Agreed? Work hard, play hard! : )If you’re reading this and have not listened to the episode yet, I highly recommend you do. Brooke gives some great examples, insights, and encouragement that you’ll only hear by tuning in. Plus, Brooke is so fun! I guarantee you’ll not only learn a ton, but will enjoy a few laughs while listening to this episode, too!Thanks for spending time with me today!All my best,AmyLinks to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in these show notes and on the podcast episode: Brooke Castillo Podcast Learn more about the Self-Coaching Scholars (As I mentioned earlier, I’m a member of Brooke’s program and a huge believer in the work Brooke is doing! Check it out—and if you decide to join, tell her Amy sent you!)  

 I’m the first person to admit when I’ve made a mistake.But I can promise you this, when it happens: I learn something new every time.Inside my private Facebook group for all of my students, my students often ask me to troubleshoot their challenges with launching their courses. Our FB Live chats and their questions inspired me to create this specific podcast episode for all of you. Based on my experiences with thousands of students, I’ve uncovered five core reasons why most online courses fail. My goal is to help make sure you don’t make these mistakes, and if you do, I want you to be able to learn from them and turn them into opportunities.In this episode I also talk about the importance of a validation blitz, and knowing all about your potential student’s hopes and fears, and what may be holding them back. I go into step-by-step detail about how to conduct a validation blitz in my Courses That Convert Program. You can learn more about that program and how to get started with an online course with my free Masterclass—“How to Confidently Create Your First Profitable Course in 60 Days.” It’s a fun and comprehensive training that will help you get well on your way to creating your first training!Also: if you've experienced any of these mistakes or if you've made a big mistake that I haven't mentioned here, I want you to come over to Instagram and DM me.Check out these highlights: Why your ideal customer avatar needs to be top of mind at all times. [3:48] I changed my mind on pre-selling, and you need to also. [8:25] The four things to do to make sure you get to the finish line with your course. [12:43] What to consider instead of signature courses. [14:42] How I had to enlist a colleague to keep me in check and keep out the fluff. [17:34] The best online courses are taught by the best teachers. What you need to do to become an engaging teacher. [20:40] Links mentioned in this episode:Episode #206: “The Post-It Content Creation Mini Training”  

As entrepreneurs, creating multiple streams of revenue should be our goal. After being laid off from a software development company in the year 2000, today’s guest, Jennifer Allwood, discovered firsthand how using her creativity and passion could create not one, but six different revenue streams in her business.One of the things I love most about being an entrepreneur is how we are able to use our passions and creativity to build a business that has many layers to it—and Jennifer has done just that!So whether you are just starting out building your online business or are already doing amazing things but looking to up-level, you’re going to find lots of inspiration and actionable tips in this interview!Never Say NeverJennifer’s first foray into an online business revenue stream was through creating and selling a handful of short videos teaching people how to do fun DIY painting techniques on cabinets and furniture. After just a year, she had earned six figures...from simple painting videos! Jennifer was at first confounded to discover she could sell stuff that could be easily found online for free via YouTube videos; yet she also came to understand that people will pay for shortcuts, and they prefer to pay for something from someone they know, like and trust, rather than go searching for something on their own.That was the beginning of her online business journey. In the years since, she has launched a couple membership sites, teaches others how to run their online businesses, is writing a book, and is enjoying engaging with her nearly half-million online social media followers.Jennifer admits that even just five years ago she would never have dreamed she would be where she is today! Let this be a lesson to all of us!  It’s Not About Working Harder: It’s Working Smarter That Makes The DifferenceJennifer works mostly with creatives: painters, artists, makers, DIYers, and repurposers. She says these type of entrepreneurs have a hard time getting past the idea that they don’t always have to trade time for dollars; yet Jennifer teaches them they can share their gifts in a new way by adding revenue streams to their business. The opportunities she identified (which can work for anyone with an online business) are: Info products – ebooks, ecourses, webinars, etc. Affiliate income Sponsored content Membership site Ad revenue Brand ambassadorship Consulting Speaking Where to Start?If you are just beginning your online journey, Jennifer suggests you begin with something on the simpler side. Test the waters first, to see what you enjoy doing and what works. She highlighted some great examples from the list above that I hope will inspire you with some new ideas!What I loved about talking to Jennifer was seeing how strategic she was—even from the beginning, when she didn’t even realize she was being strategic!If you tuned in and listened to today’s episode, I hope you were as inspired by Jennifer’s story as I was. She was following her passion. She was hustling. She was doing what she needed to do to make things work, and look how it came together for her! I hope the same for you!This episode is brought to you by:Gravy—my very own 24/7 engagement team who contacts my customers within hours of their failed payment, captures updated billing information and saves the customers I worked so hard to acquire. If you have a subscription model business or offer payment plans, you’ve got to check out Gravy!

Discover the ultimate guide to selecting the perfect lead magnet for your audience with insights on seven types of lead magnets, including examples and pros/cons. Explore ways to boost audience engagement and learn how to personalize your lead magnet to align with your brand. Get practical tips and a free resource to kickstart your lead generation journey.

Several years ago a well-known podcaster that I love, Jess Lively, shared an episode with her audience with this type of format (I think she called it Things I’m Afraid To Tell You) and the honest and raw truth from that post really hit a chord with her listeners, and I believe that even back then, it created a bit of an “online honesty” movement. She still does these episodes and they’re priceless.In my opinion, there are far too many people in the online world that have created these “everything is awesome” online personas and it really casts a false light on what’s actually going on behind-the-scenes.I, for one, don’t want to be looked at by those that follow me as this person that has it all figured out, doesn’t have bad days, doesn’t struggle in both my personal and business life (that’s so far from the truth, it’s laughable.) So, I titled this, “10 Things I’m Embarrassed To Tell You” - and I know I shouldn’t be embarrassed by this stuff, it’s just life stuff -- the real stuff, but when I look at social media, I feel embarrassed because it’s not my highlight reel. Although, as an entrepreneur, I believe that what’s personal is business, and what’s business is personal, and I see my business as my baby. This means the personal and business are bound to blend together, especially with a personal brand, and I wouldn’t be being honest and transparent if I were to just show the highlight reel.I bet you’d be surprised at how much we have in common when it comes to the types of things that make us feel embarrassed, ashamed, or stupid, but we wouldn’t know it unless we talk about it, right?Here we go:1. Sometimes I wonder if Hobie and I made the right decision to not have kids together.2. I work well under pressure so sometimes I let myself wait to the very last minute to finish something, because I know I’ll get it done, however, this causes tremendous stress for my team AND I am not so nice to Hobie in those moments and I hate myself for it.3. I worry about aging because of my online presence.4. I sometimes don't like to tell you that I use a copywriter.5. I don't always love being the one in the relationship that makes the most money.6. I’m a fierce competitor and want to be at the top of the charts with my podcast and the #1 affiliate in launches that I do.7. Ok, this next one is super personal …. Growing up I was always afraid of my dad.8. I am embarrassed about my weight and I don’t like to do video because of it.9. When I have a big success (like a million dollar launch) I have this weird tinge of guilt thinking I don't totally deserve it - or I struggle with thoughts that it will all go away.10. I struggle with letting go, even though I have an awesome team.So there you have it...a bit of me baring my soul. The point of this week’s episode was, as I said, for me to be honest about parts of my personal and business life that you might not know about me yet - I really want you to know me. So when you see me out and about in real life, or better yet, come to one of my events in San Diego, you don’t just know the shiny, social media approved side of me. I want you to know all of me - and know that I am just like you in so many ways. That’s when true connections happen… I also really hope that maybe something I said will help you to not feel so alone in what you’re going through, or maybe even encourage you to be more honest and real with your own online community.And can I just say, Thank you! Thank you for allowing me to feel safe enough to share these types of things here today. I truly love my community -- you all are such a source of encouragement to me!Have a great day!

  Today I’m bringing back one of my favorites, Facebook ads guru, Rick Mulready. The difference is today I’ve got him nervous—because he’s here to share with you what he’s NEVER shared before…he’s taking you behind the scenes and letting you in on his process of how he got to a million dollars in just one year (!). He’s also talking about how he reached that number with a decent (but not monster-sized) list of 17,000 (which once upon a time was 30,000). You know I love to talk tips, tricks, and strategies, but I also think it’s important to look at how you are thinking, how you are feeling, what motivates you to make certain decisions and how they actually work for you… which is what Rick is sharing today. Tips and tricks will only get you so far unless you learn to get your head on straight around everything you’re working on in your business. And Rick is ready to get raw and honest and show you the shifts he made during 2017 and the results these changes had on his life and business. Let’s get all of the scoop. Check out these highlights: Random moment of the episode: my new sauna (I didn’t bring this up myself, but it’s a fun tidbit to hear). [4:40] The offers Rick made in 2017 to get to a million bucks. [8:20] The issue of quantity vs. quality for your business model. [10:46] How Rick changed the way he was thinking about his own email list size. [13:38] Shifting your mindset from a lack to abundance as it relates to your team. [27:55] Let’s get honest: Are you not growing your team because you’re scared to spend money? [32:29] At some point, you might not make it without a team… [37:55] Rick’s awesome email list re-engagement campaign. [42:07] Random moment of the episode: my new sauna (I didn’t bring this up myself, but it’s a fun tidbit to hear). [4:40] The offers Rick made in 2017 to get to a million bucks. [8:20] The issue of quantity vs. quality for your business model. [10:46] How Rick changed the way he was thinking about his own email list size. [13:38] Shifting your mindset from a lack to abundance as it relates to your team. [27:55] Let’s get honest: Are you not growing your team because you’re scared to spend money? [32:29] At some point, you might not make it without a team… [37:55] Rick’s awesome email list re-engagement campaign. [42:07]

Today I’m taking a trip down memory lane to my early days—the first few years when nothing seemed to go as planned and everything that came my way felt like a BIG deal…I’m getting personal and raw and sharing with you what my business looked like when I first started out, the decisions I made to get where I am, and the most significant challenges along the way. (You asked, and I answered!) More specifically, I’m sharing those things I said “yes” to in the early days—the yeses that got me where I am today, in a multimillion-dollar business with an incredible and engaged audience.Wherever you are in your own business, you need to know:The business you have today will look dramatically different a few years from now… but it is the choices you make today—the things you say yes or no to—that will lead you towards where you’ll be tomorrow. And then tomorrow you’ll be able to make different choices, but because you and your business will be in a different place. So here’s a little help to get you to (hopefully) make better decisions...This episode is brought to you by: My free Masterclass—“How to Confidently Create Your First Profitable Course in 60 Days.” If you’re thinking about creating your online course or have been for a while and don’t know how to get started, this free masterclass is for you!Check out these highlights: The most important question I ask myself every time my business hits a milestone or pivots in some way or another. [2:53] Speaking opportunities—yay or nay? [4:55] The time for sacrifices. [7:06] Trading knowledge and experience. [8:49] What to say to coffee chat invites. [11:58] And how they’re completely different than “Can I Pick Your Brain” invites. [13:13] The right way to collaborate with other people. [17:33] And the right way to have other people collaborate with you! [20:14]

Shonda Rhimes, the creative powerhouse behind Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away with Murder, wrote a book a few years ago called Year of Yes that really resonated with me. I’m sharing five takeaway lessons that have impacted my personal and business life in a pretty major way.First, let me set the scene for you as to why Shonda even wrote this book. Shonda and her sister were in the kitchen getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner way back in 2013, and Shonda was telling her sister about some parties, talk shows, and conferences that she'd been recently invited to, you know, the Hollywood type stuff. She was talking about how she was too busy to do any of it, and without blinking an eye, her sister said something to her that day that became the wake-up call that Shonda needed to transform her “busy life”, and those words were:Her sister knew that Shonda was hiding behind being too busy to avoid doing things that scared her and would take her out of her comfort zone. Her sister also knew that Shonda had ZERO balance in her life and she was actually miserable. Now, would the outside world have known that she was miserable? No. However, Shonda knew that her sister was telling the truth. She’d been called out and it was the truth.This brought on an epiphany that something major had to change in her life. She wrote in her book: "This could not possibly be what having it all was supposed to feel like, could it? Because if it was, if this is what I spent all this time and energy working so hard for, if this is what the promised land looked like, what was success ... was what success felt like, was what I sacrificed for ... " And then she trailed off, telling the reader she didn't even wanna go there.This was her aha moment! And the reason I bring it up here is because I think many of us are working our tails off, hustling to the core, and if we're not careful, we're gonna work ourselves into the ground, and then one day we're gonna pop up and say, "Wait. Was this what I was working so hard for, to feel burned out and overworked and tired?” We’ve got to be really mindful of this. I know we're creating businesses we absolutely love, but just don’t work yourself into the ground, okay?So, there you have it! I hope these five lessons I learned from my mentor, Shonda Rhimes, have given you a new perspective on how to live a more fulfilling life and to run your business from a place of empowerment and truth.Don’t forget to download the freebie I created for you. It’s a worksheet that is going to walk you step-by-step through some exercises that go along with the lessons I talked about today. It's a bit of a journaling type of exercise, but believe me, it will make everything you learned more actionable.This episode is brought to you by: Master Class: How to Confidently Create Your First Profitable Course in 60 Days www.Amyporterfield.com/courses 

Have you ever thought about creating a physical product to sell online, maybe even adding one to your digital line up?And if you have, have you found yourself overwhelmed with not really knowing where to start in order to bring that product from merely an idea to something your customers can physically hold in your hands?As most of you know, my business consists of all digital products and I would say 90% of my audience is the same, but I still get questions, pretty frequently, asking me about creating physical products to include in their existing online business. Maybe you’re at a point where you’d like to add a physical product. Questions like: How do I know if I’m ready to add a physical product to my digital mix? Where would I even go to get started? What kind of physical product could I add to the mix?Since I get a lot of questions around this topic, but I’m not the expert, I thought, “Let’s bring on someone who is.” My guest today, Lara Casey - founder of CultivateWhatMatters.com, has authored two books, Cultivate, and Make it Happen, and has had huge success in launching and selling physical products online. If you’ve ever heard of the famous PowerSheets, she’s the creator!Lara is going to talk to us about how she knew it was time to launch a physical product; how she figured out and managed all the details around designing, producing, and fulfilling a physical product. And to keep it real, she shares the ups and downs as she created her product along the way.When I asked Lara to tell my podcast listeners a little bit about herself, this is what she said: “We’re all about planting seeds and helping women to Cultivate What Matters and giving them the tools they need to plant seeds of growing intentional relationships or cultivating their faith...whatever it may be, specific to them.”Planting seeds...cultivating...intentional… I love this!Lara continued, “I’m a mom to three, a grateful wife, and I’m really passionate about helping an instant-results culture embrace the power of little by little progress, instead of perfection.”Head over to www.CultivateWhatMatters.com/Amy to see Lara’s amazing products (and check out that job listing, if they haven’t filled it by the time you’re reading this). When you use that special link, Lara is giving you a special discount because you’re part of my awesome community. Yay for us! And, thank you, Lara!Also, don't forget to let me know, in the comments below, if you like this longer, more detailed version of show notes. I appreciate your input!This episode is sponsored by my free masterclass, How to Create Your Ultimate List-Building Catch-Up Plan. You can get it at http://www.amyporterfield.com/listbuilding. If you are not building your email list every single day there is no better time than right now!