The Get Paid Podcast: The Stark Reality of Entrepreneurship and Being Your Own Boss

Why would you change course from a personal brand that’s making $250,000 in annual revenue to build a software-as-a-service business in an incredibly competitive market? Nathan Barry shares the details of how he started selling apps, then ebooks and courses, and now has just broken even with his email marketing software. In this episode you’ll hear: -- What took Nathan from his blossoming career as an independent designer back to working as a full-time employee. -- His #1 tip for getting the attention of any influencer in any industry, and what my own experience has been with that tactic. -- Why Nathan sold off a piece of his company that was still bringing in money, and the one question he asked himself to help make that decision. -- Why negotiation is key to an outcome where the people on both sides of the table walk away happy. (This one completely surprised me, but it makes sense now that I think about it.) -- Nathan’s exact strategy for launching his first ebook that brought in $12,500 in just 24 hours when his list was less than 800-strong. -- One of the benefits of writing books that he says is as good or possibly better than the revenue. -- His frustrations with the publishing world that led him to write the book Authority (and my bad excuse for not having finished it yet). -- Why Nathan’s leaving behind the launch model and what he’s doing instead to “build the next Leadpages.” -- An email marketing strategy that would make weekly broadcast emails a thing of the past.

Suzi Istvan’s design business brought in big bucks in 2014, but her take-home pay was far from six-figures. A year of big growth means big investments, but the strategic way she spends her money has set her up with a business she always dreamed of running (and that’s bringing in some serious revenue). In this episode you’ll hear: -- How Suzi identifies and then deals with debilitating burn-out. -- One of the ways I “keep it interesting” in my marriage. -- The secret deal Suzi’s husband may or may not have made with the devil. -- A breakdown of the retainer services Splendidly Curious provides, and what may cause their prices to vary. -- How much the business made in 2014 and what Suzi’s own cut of that was by the end of the year. -- Why Suzi and her team aren’t actually working for the people who are paying them month-to-month. (Sounds like a scam but it’s not!) -- Why she felt it was important to hire a lawyer on retainer before bringing in any designers to actually make money for the business. -- The “backwards” way that Suzi went about preparing her business to hire its first designer. -- Why it took longer than it should have for that first designer to start “paying for herself.” -- The make-up of the Splendidly Curious team: who they are and what they do. -- Why charging for packages instead of for hours worked protects both her business and its clients.

Tena.cious is a social media and design agency with 10+ employees currently serving 5 and 6-figure accounts. But it started just like so many small businesses: with just one individual. Could you or I do that? It’s a question that’s constantly on my mind. In today’s episode of The Get Paid Podcast, I’m interviewing Tena Pettis, the founder and CEO of Tena.cious, a company that’s on its way to a million dollars in annual revenue. In this episode you’ll hear: -- Why Tena spends money on advertising when the return-on-investment is completely impossible to track. -- Tena’s most-valued Twitter technique she employs for following up with potential clients. (She swears it helps her close more than any other social media trick.) -- How many revenue streams Tena.cious has - I don’t know how they keep them all straight! -- The exact prices of their social media management monthly retainer packages, and what clients get for each one. -- What Tena actually does in the business, and how her work directly impacts Tena.cious’ bottom line. -- Why she pays for office space when she could just as easily manage a remote team. -- The one piece of the business that keeps Tena up at night. (Mo’ money, mo’ problems, right?) -- Tena.cious’ very best money-making technique, and why Tena had no interest in trying it out in the beginning.

No more vague advice! The Get Paid Podcast is about the stark reality of running an online business. We're kickin' off this party with a quick intro episode to share with you: -- why being "frantic" about my business lead to the idea for this show -- how my sailor mouth is an important part of my brand -- the 2 ways being based in Argentina impacts these episodes (and my sanity) -- what to expect from Season One, all about business models You can find the show notes at clairepells.com/0 Also mentioned in this episode: your free guide to Facebook ads: clairepells.com/guide my favorite spot to connect, Twitter: twitter.com/clairepells, a.k.a. @clairepells (also my handle on the ol' Instagram) Hit the subscribe button and get all the episodes downloaded directly to your phone or tablet - it makes binge listening so much easier!