Biggest Takeaways You Don’t Want to Miss: This year I made a big decision to open up what is typically a B-School bonus event, and do two one-day live events for ALL of my students. There is something incredible about holding live events—the connections with your audience, the relationships you build, the amazing team building. Which is exactly WHY I wanted to go behind the scenes and share the big learnings, and a few misses. I know some of you are thinking about holding your own events, so I wanted to give you some steps to making sure you hold your own ultra-successful event. And for me, it all starts with the connecting opportunities. (18:02) So if you have been thinking about using events as a great upsell, or a VIP experience, or maybe a new revenue stream, you will want to listen in to all the takeaways from this episode. For each point I walk through, I made sure to provide a “take action” piece for you so you can immediately apply it to your own event planning. Let’s get started making events work for your business. By the Way… I mention Marie Forleo’s B-School and my over the top bonus package (with a free live event!) for those who signed up via my affiliate link. I rarely do live events so if you don’t want to miss it in 2018, click HERE to sign up for the wait list and get all the details once it launches. Check out these highlights: WHY I decided to open my events to all of my students. [2:18] The art of layering elements for a fabulous experience (in other words: gifts!). [7:39] The feeding frenzy I created—and how to get people to stay in the room and connect. [10:42] Thinking about inviting guest speakers? Check out these criteria to help you choose. [16:30] Why you should consider including a VIP experience.[20:00] There’s always room for improvement… [21:22] How to make Q&A time meaningful for everyone (and not have it drag on!). [23:35]

Biggest Takeaways You Don’t Want to Miss: At the end of 2016 it hit me: I was working for my business instead of my business working for me. Can I get an “AMEN”? So I had to make a BIG decision and explore an entire year of evergreen for my business this past year (2017) and limit my number of live launches. In the spirit of pure transparency, I’m looking back on how the year went, and putting it all out there for you: the good, the bad, the (at times) ugly so you know how I made this decision, how I executed, and what I learned from the entire process. And how proud I am of my “bold move.” Spoiler-alert for this episode: I thought my year of automation would be much easier than it was. I took a leap of faith, and now regret NONE of it. In fact, I’m a better leader and business owner because of it. Today I’ll break down the positive results, and some of the learnings along the way. To make it truly actionable, I have broken this episode into four parts: Part One: How I approached the year of automation [4:38] Part Two: What happened and the results [10:58] Part Three: What I learned [14:46] Part Four: How I plan to move forward [24:55] Check Out These Highlights: The original vision for going evergreen. [7:54] How long it REALLY took to get the funnels where I wanted them. [11:53] The factors that slowed us down in building the funnels. [14:45] How much the funnels ultimately generated for my business. [16:17] Why it’s not always about the money. [18:07] The things I didn’t love about my year of automation. [18:32] All about my recent launch of List Builder’s Lab. [20:20] Let’s talk about product fatigue for a minute. [21:15] My big “aha” about my Webinars That Convert program audience. [22:08]

Biggest Takeaways You Don’t Want to Miss: What IF instead of looking at Pinterest as just another Social Media platform, you saw it as a powerful search engine that can drive traffic for your business? That’s exactly why I invited my guest today—photographer, podcaster and savvy business woman Jenna Kutcher. Because she has experienced the kind of amazing impact Pinterest can have on your business—in fact, Pinterest is the platform that drives the MOST traffic to her site: More than 5,000 unique visitors every single month. (Yeah, I couldn’t believe it at first either!) Pinterest also (at times) gets a bad rap because it may not be the first site you think of to reach your core clients, which also couldn’t be more wrong. I think first and foremost, a mindset shift around Pinterest is in order, starting here. Yes, Pinterest can be THAT effective. And what I love about Jenna is that she holds nothing back. She’s the kind of gal that says what she’s thinking, or feeling, at any moment. I feel like this episode is in that same spirit—open, and raw. I think you’ll maybe change your mind about Pinterest, and find a new friend in Jenna.Check out these highlights: Why it’s so important to be vulnerable with your brand. [8:13] Should you care about your number of followers on Pinterest? [19:06] The first step you want to take with your Pinterest strategy. [21:35] How to look like you are active on Pinterest (and make the algorithm work for you!). [25:12] Proven ways to get the most mileage out of your content. [27:54] Jenna’s favorite Pinterest tool (for scheduling AND checking your links). [31:16] This one tip will guarantee you engagement on Pinterest. [35:11]

Biggest Takeaways You Don’t Want to Miss: It’s time to talk about your blog (or even your show notes for your podcast)—are you seeing the traction you really want? If not, today’s special guest has answers. I asked expert blogger Julie Solomon to come on the podcast and talk about what’s working, the mistakes bloggers make, and how to make sure you have a truly healthy blog. Spoiler alert: Julie doesn’t actually blog every week, which I found VERY intriguing... And you can find out exactly how often she DOES blog. Jump right into that part of our chat right here. [33:00] In the world of online marketing, all of the people I follow and look up to—and who I know are financially successful in their business—they all have a central hub where they create content on a weekly basis. And for most of them… it’s a blog. So look no further for the connection between blogging and having a thriving business. Now I want to make sure you are using the strategies that really get results (v. blogging to crickets)—and that’s where Julie is the master. Let’s start your makeover. Check Out These Highlights: Find out why Julie calls her blog “the headquarters”.  [12:17] Why it’s so important to know your avatar’s favorite Margarita flavor. [14:06] The five core values a great blog post stems from.  [19:22] Julie’s steps to stay consistent (it may not be what you think!) [23:13] The biggest mistakes bloggers make. [27:10] Julie’s favorite tools to promote her blog posts. [35:22] How to know if you have a “healthy” blog. [38:02] How your mom can help you optimize your blog. [41:53] Trigger words: what are they and how you can use them. [45:00]

Biggest Takeaways You Don’t Want to Miss: Rick Mulready is back to give the scoop on Social Media ads—but with a TWIST! We’re taking a break from Facebook ads (but don’t worry—much more to come as always on those!) and shining the light on his Social Media sister, Instagram. Now just because these two are related, don’t think one size fits all when it comes to working with these platforms. Rick and I walk through the nuances of the difference between the two (especially when it comes to imagery, videos and placement). Just in case you don’t think Instagram ads are worth for your business—keep in mind that there are 800 million Instagram users right now that are up for grabs. AND if that’s not enough, if you have a product or service, Instagram can be an incredibly powerful platform for you. Just take a listen to these stats that Rick throws out. [7:39] I gotta tell you, I love Instagram and feel that it’s a great time to grab your audience’s attention. So I’m shifting gears with Rick today so we can help you capitalize on the Insta Opportunity. I want you to dive in...and help me figure out the big question: Emoji or emoticons?A special Easter Egg for today’s episode: It turns out you DO need 10,000 followers in order to have the swipe up feature. (And on that same note, follow Rick on Instagram @rickmulready so he can get the followers he needs!) If you want to know what I’m talking about, check out our sidebar conversation on this.[21:00]And a few great Instagram examples (including that story ad I ran):Check out these highlights: Let’s start this off with WHO exactly is on Instagram (so you know if you should be there!). [3:20] What are the best days and times to post on Instagram? [5:00] Where and how to set up your ads (on Facebook and Instagram). [10:39] Which ad type would be best for your business and customers—and the parameters for each. [12:03] The big differences between Facebook and Instagram (Here’s a hint: you CAN’T just repurpose one for the other). [13:17] With Insta, do you have the same targeting possibilities as Facebook? [19:22] How to take advantage of story ads (and what happened after I ran my first one for my List Builders Lab promo). [22:10] Why you need to add text and emojis to your InstaStories. [28:16] How to choose the right objectives when creating your Instagram ad campaigns. [28:59]

Biggest Takeaways You Don’t Want to Miss: I’ve talked extensively about my epic fails with webinars—and I’ve also shared how I picked myself back up, practiced a ton—experimented—and just went for it. It wasn’t any different for my friend, video rockstar Luria Petrucci, who has an incredible webinar success story that you need to hear. I want this episode to inspire you to take action on your own webinars. Because if Luria can do it (and spend only $600 on Facebook ads in the process!), you can too. If you are a student of my Webinars That Convert program, this is the episode for YOU as Luria (a fellow student) highlights exactly which tips and insights worked well for her. And if you don’t have anything to sell yet, you can use the exact strategy Luria used to put an offer out there.  You may remember Luria from Episode 168 (The Easy Start Guide to Live Video), and I know I don’t usually bring guests back so quickly. But after hearing Luria’s story I knew you had to hear it too! So get ready. I really want you to take everything Luria learned to heart and think about how YOU can stretch yourself with webinars to get to the crazy results she proved weren’t so crazy after all. Also: Make sure you stay until the very end to learn how Luria kept her webinar attendees super engaged!And one thing I want you to take advantage of...If you are looking to up your webinar game, I have a must-see training where I take you behind the scenes of my actual webinar creation process: How to Create Your First Wildly Profitable Webinar (Even if You Don’t Have a List). That’s right, I literally open the gates wide open and show you all of my webinar creation secrets, including example after example of my own webinar strategies. I absolutely know this will be incredibly valuable for your own webinar creation process, so make sure to book a time to watch.Check out these highlights: Why Luria was skittish about doing webinars at first. [2:30] How “stealing” made Luria thousands of dollars on her webinar. [9:05] How to align your content with your offer. [11:14] Get a detailed walk-through of Luria’s amazing results after her webinar strategy overhaul (and a little mix-up with conversion rate numbers!). [17:30] Our big-game changer webinar strategy. [24:58] The best way to get your audience to connect with you on a deeper level and want to take the next step. [29:47] Struggling with your own webinars? Luria has a few final thoughts. [36:50]

Biggest Takeaways You Don’t Want to Miss: Time to hit the ground running for your 2018 planning. And I mean starting TODAY. This episode is meant to be your goal-setting workshop in a box—I’ve got everything you need to plan for 2018: How to do it, the questions to ask, and plenty of examples to inspire you to take action. If you have felt like in the last year you are flying by the seat of your pants, or you have been frustrated with your promotions, or you have no idea how you’re going to make money NEXT YEAR, then it’s time to listen up and take action. [1:15] By the way, the focus is on the first six months only, because you may want to repeat some of the success you saw in the first half of the year. I’m all about the rinse and repeat! Also: Opportunities will come your way, and I want you to have some flexibility in your planning for those. Rules of Engagement Upfront: I want you to take an entire day to do this process. I know, I know. No bellyaching. I don’t want you to feel rushed or pressured to get it done. Pick a “special spot” to do this. If you want extra credit, book out a hotel room or a co-working space. If you’re going to do this at home, promise me you’ll send everyone away so you have the space to create, focus and think. Don’t do this alone. Engage your virtual assistant or anyone on your team (either via Skype or fly them out!). I understand that you may be a “one-person show”—I encourage you to then find a friend or a peer that can be your sounding board. Grab a whiteboard or a big sticky board. You’ll need a space to put your notes. The freebie for this episode is EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAN: You’ll hear me map out this entire process on the episode. Then, when you are ready to do your own plan, grab the step-by-step cheat sheet so you can work through this process for your own business. With this worksheet, you’ll know exactly how to plan for your 2018. Check Out These Highlights: Why your “non-negotiables” are crucial to your business success. [9:48] The power of “declaring your number” and why it can drive your entire success for the New Year. [11:54] How to get clarity on the past so you can plan for the future. [13:32] The metrics you should come to the table with. [14:15] What to ask yourself when you calendar your big promotions—a.k.a “the fun stuff.” [18:43] Ways to make money in the next six months (to help get those creative juices flowing!). [19:52] Don’t make this one mistake when planning out your promotions! [27:38] Why you need white space between promotions. [30:45] How to not let FOMO take you down in your planning process. [34:58]

Biggest Takeaways You Don’t Want to Miss: Do you ever have that feeling like creating your content is taking over your life? That no matter what you do, you are dealing with your podcast, or your blog, or your video series EVERY SINGLE DAY? It shouldn’t be this way—and today I have your solution: It’s called Mega-Batching (an idea sparked by Michael Hyatt) and it has transformed the way I deliver this podcast. I’m going to walk you through, layer by layer, how I create at least six episodes at a time with my team so you can take advantage of this time- and sanity-saving process. It will also help you fall back in love with creating content (especially if you have had a falling out!) Not to mention that once you focus on this strategy, you will have the time to spend on Your Business Wish List and experience that white space to be truly creative. Now if you’re thinking—this seems like too much work, I don’t know if I can handle this. Trust me, I get it. However, as a business owner, I don’t want you to get bogged down on details that don’t serve you. I want you to have the freedom and flexibility to focus on things that will really move the needle in your business. And I promise that mega-batching will help you get there. Check Out These Highlights: The 5 sessions I use for each batch. [9:35] How I break up the recording of my podcast. [13:38] Some of my favorite aspects of mega-batching. [16:41] Tweaks I want to make for the future with this system. [18:58] What I have planned for the podcast in 2018. [19:43] Two final thoughts to help you start your own mega-batching efforts. [21:17]

Biggest Takeaways You Don’t Want to Miss: There’s more to running a business than just steps and strategies. You’ve got to master your inner game: your core beliefs and thoughts. There’s a big (and all-too prevalent) myth when it comes to your time and money: That the secret to success is to work hard and hustle. [6:47] No one is exempt from dealing with money issues. So it’s time to face them. “We gotta talk about money.” That’s what my dear friend and mindset maven James Wedmore said when I told him I wanted him back on the show to talk entrepreneurial mindset. James and I both think that money is a huge block when it comes to your business. So today I want to chat about some of the beliefs or blind spots that just might be holding you back from finding real success for your business. Do me a favor and just see if they feel true for you… Check out these highlights: The real 80/20 percent split when it comes to being an entrepreneur. [7:52] We all have a relationship with money just like we all have a relationship with our mom, dad, spouse, friends, etc. [10:08] One of my biggest money (limiting) beliefs, which stems from my childhood. [12:46] Contrary to popular belief, money does not come from effort. [14:22] Why  believing in abundance is an absolute for entrepreneurs like us. [15:48] The easiest way to create new beliefs. [20:02] How to get “passionately curious” and “play the scientist role.” [21:58] This is WHY you really want things in life. [26:17] A few ways to practice the power of gratitude. [30:27] Final money mindset shifts from James. [32:57]

Biggest Takeaways You Don’t Want to Miss: On today’s episode I’m going to walk you through seven collaborations that I’ve done over the years that range from my very first time collaborating, and even feeling a little shy (but learning so much!) all the way to collaborations with some of the biggest names in online marketing. I’m giving you the inside scoop into how those actually came to be, and some of the lessons I learned from each of these amazing experiences. And here’s a BIG note to remember: The key to successful collaborations is found within your relationship with the person – not on what that person can do for you or what you can do for him or her. [13:24] I know this from experience: Building your business for the long term is much easier when you can find peers and collaborators that you can build amazing relationships with. When you’re first starting out and you may not have much of a list or presence, you want to find collaborations that can help you find an audience for your business. So I hope you enjoy as I walk through my own experiences, and how I cultivated some of the best business relationships I have to this day. The freebie for this episode is SO GOOD: I’ve got the Top 10 questions you should ask YOURSELF if you’re considering any collaboration. It’s a checklist of sorts, where I talk about the criteria I personally use when I think about partnering with someone. If you get honest with these questions, you will save yourself a lot of stress and potential “business heartache” - it’s a thing, trust me. Download it here and run through them the next time you’re thinking about a collaboration. Check out these highlights: Collaboration #1: My very “first time”: how I went in, what I learned from it and what I wish I’d done differently [4:14] Collaboration #2: When and how I learned the real special ingredient for collaborations (here’s a hint: it’s all about trust) [9:50] Collaboration #3: How I landed a key influencer [15:37] Collaboration #4: The most successful affiliate marketing relationship I’ve ever had. (Spoiler alert: It’s all about B-School with Marie Forleo!) [20:50] Collaboration #5: How I moved things into the real world (think small live event) with a weekend workshop collaboration [24:42] Collaboration #6: I get asked all of the time about adding guest experts inside of your paid course…here’s a full explanation of what I typically do, with Jasmine Star as my shining example [32:24] Collaboration #7: And I just couldn’t leave this one out… If you’ve ever wondered how Rick Mulready and I started working together, maybe you’d like to hear about the coffee date I didn’t really want to go to. [39:10]