Hustle & Flowchart: Mastering Business & Enjoying the Journey

Although he could have been a doctor, Ajay Goel decided to take the road into entrepreneurship and dropped out of school to open a web development company which went on to generate $5 million in revenue. He has produced a variety of programs that help users with email marketing and creation.   Ajay has a strong background software development and is utilizing the Chrome Store, which has far less competition, to market his product. He also has a proactive approach to customer service issues, which allows him to focus less on providing detailed customer support and more on the technical development on the backend.   Ajay’s shares some of his extensive knowledge of Gmail and email marketing in general with tips on what to expect with a follow-up sequence, do’s and don’ts for subject headlines and the best times to send out emails.  In addition, he discusses why you want to consider using a product that works with Gmail's own servers for better deliverability rates. “Users are more loyal when they have a little problem that you solve than users who never have a problem” - Ajay Goel   Some Topics We Discussed Include:   Sending limits when using Gmail Use of Reddit for marketing your product Pros and cons of selling on the Chrome store An easy to use email platform that works directly with GMail How to produce a SaaS with limited customer service involvement Sites to market your SaaS product Best practices when using Gmail for marketing A great resource for photo editing Contact Ajay here:   On Twitter (where his handle is “PartTimeSnob” - i.e. he doesn’t like going to concerts unless he is in the front row) Via Email: Ajay@wordzen.com References and Links Mentioned:   The EGP Letter - Get our print newsletter JangoMail  - email marketing platform.   WordZen - a product that writes your emails for you.   GMass - a mass emailing platform that ties into Gmail Google Chrome Store GMail Genius Reddit Product Hunt Medium How to be a Capitalist Without any Capital by Nathan Latka Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss & Tahl Roz Topgrading by Bradford D. Smart, Ph.D. Slack for internal team communication Omnifocus for daily checklists Notion for product management Remove.bg for removing backgrounds on photos Dropbox Evernote

After working for a Seattle grocery store chain for several years where he would see an interesting cast of characters including famous movie actors and celebrities, Ron Lynch parlayed his knowledge from producing cooking demonstrations in the market to producing a host of extremely successful infomercials. He also has a long career working in the movie industry and has not only appeared in film but has had a hand in screenwriting scripts for a variety of movie projects.  In addition to these accolades, Ron is a published author. Ron has an eclectic way of creating ideas and from him, you can learn a variety of promotional strategies and the importance of crowdsourcing content as well as using vertical creatives. Ron is constantly creating, coming up with new ideas, often getting inspired from places that are not so common such as watching stand up comedians and illusionists. He discusses the importance of giving your product away and really thinking about the consumer’s view when building a brand. “Always make the story about the viewer and make it interesting about them. If you can create curiosity up front, you have a much higher probability of engagement”- Ron Lynch  Some Topics We Discussed Include: How working with the general public can lead to amazing opportunities. How to combine two sets of skills to create a marketing strategy. How to channel market vertically How to crowdsource video content to market a product in the beginning The 3 step video creation formula How product stories are similar to a movie trailer or telling a good joke A 3 question technique to pre-qualify consumers Important starting points to consider when introducing your product The difference between brand marketing and direct response marketing Why giving away your product is better than offering a discount Contact Ron Lynch: Visit’s Ron’s Facebook page for Big Baby Agency. If you send a message to the page, the bot will sent you a free 15 page creative brief, plus you’ll be pre-registered to get his book for free when it comes out. References and Links Mentioned: The EGP Letter - Get our print newsletter Principle of Reciprocity Breath Rox GoPro AeroGarden Derren Brown Words That Sell book Big Baby Agency Seven Basic Plots book Buy Now: Creative Marketing that Gets Customer to Respond to you and your Product book Rob Burns: VSLs Suck – Make This Kind Of Video Instead Robo Hendrickson: How to Prototype and Patent Your Ideas

After an 11 year stint as a professional rodeo rider in Texas, Rob, a.k.a. “Robo” Hendrickson, followed his creative talents into the world of advertising. Over the years, he used his know how to partner up with other like minded people, in a variety of companies. Robo is amazing at bringing products to market, agencies, advertising and making some badass products. Robo has a strong background in knowing how to patent things, what the different types of patents mean and how much it costs to fight if someone is infringing on your patent. From him, you can learn from start to finish, how to bring a product idea to life by either raising money yourself, or through crowdfunding, as well as everything in between, including a lot of important steps that most people skip. Robo is a super cool, fun guy who’s been around for a long time in this space.  Not only has he built a great lifestyle, but he also gives back in a big way through his work. Get insight into how he had a defining moment at one point, and what he did to make a major turning point in his life and his career to design his ideal life and business. “Good products are nice, but tacos can really make a difference.” - Robo Hendrickson Some Topics We Discussed Include: How to prototype and patent your idea Different ways to fund your idea How to create a manifesto to procure your ideal lifestyle Important qualities to look for in when creating partnerships How to research if your product idea is already being produced by someone else The different types of patents What to look for when finding people to design your product Important things to research to determine the potential success of an idea Why sometimes there can be success with a product even if has been mass marketed already How to give back and make a difference Contact Robo Hendrickson: Full Bucket Connect on Facebook On Instagram Dragn Grills And on Twitter References and Links Mentioned: Full Bucket Dragon Grill Smash Factory USPTO.gov Patents.Google.com Provisional patent filing One for One Program The Go Giver Start Something That Matters Re-Work Shoe Dog

Rob Burns helps businesses create amazing videos that sell their products. After selling his press release syndication company, Rob dove headfirst into the world of creating videos. His unique approach has helped launch tons of physical product brands and helped many companies go viral with their videos. In this episode, we chat with Rob about everything video. The style of video that he helps his clients create, work in almost any niche and any type of business. They aren't just for physical product brands. They work for any business that has something to sell, replacing the VSLs that so many people are used to seeing. Join us on this fun-filled episode while we have a blast chatting with Rob and dissecting the secrets behind why the videos he creates are so damn effective. Some Topics We Discussed Include: The best $5 Rob ever spent on Fiverr The heartbreaking reason Rob closed up his first business How Rob sold hot sauce through the mail How ads in back of magazines shaped his internet business The industry that Rob attempted to disrupt How he went from doing press releases to creating videos How to get paid for things you'd get kicked out of school for The type of video he makes now instead of VSLs Why promoting big brands is different than small brands Why you shouldn't need to convince people to buy stuff Attention spans in the 80s vs. today Why smartphones have changed video marketing The biggest mistake most people make with their videos The 3-Step formula for crafting the perfect sales video Social media video structure vs. sales video structure Who and how to infuse humor into every video The off-the-wall product ideas that Rob has lined up The hero style video and what goes into them Plus much more! Contact Rob Burns: Video Telepathy References and Links Mentioned: The EGP Letter – Get our print newsletter PR Reach Robburnsbrain on YouTube Save the Cat by Blake Snyder World’s Fittest Book by Ross Edgley Bored and Brilliant by Manoush Zomorodi

Ken Coleman is host of The Ken Coleman Show and the top-rated EntreLeadership Podcast, and author of One Question: Life-Changing Answers from Today’s Leading Voices. An acclaimed interviewer and broadcaster, Coleman equips, encourages and entertains listeners through thought-provoking interviews, helping them grow their businesses, pursue their passions, and move toward a fulfilled purpose. You can follow him on Twitter at @KenColeman, on Instagram at @KenColemanShow, and online at kencolemanshow.com or facebook.com/KenColemanShow.

Back in 1995, Stephan Spencer decided to drop out of college and start his own website agency. Four years later he had the “crazy” idea he could live anywhere he wanted, so he moved to the beaches of New Zealand. There he built his first SEO company when Google was just becoming a household name. Stephan is a top SEO consultant and best selling author who is known as a cutting edge strategist for some of the world’s most recognized brands. He keeps seeing businesses make the same mistakes and he’s here to share his expertise so entrepreneurs can stop wasting dollars and start getting profitable results. Whether you have an established website or about to launch a new one, listen in as Stephan shows Matt and Joe how to build for SEO and keep it optimized, the criteria Google currently uses for rankings, and which SEO tools everyone should be using. This episode is stuffed with SEO expertise, but if you’re craving more go check out our conversations with Brian Dean and Christopher Gimmer. “Don't try and outsmart or trick Google. You're not going to win at that game. Everything you do has to be underpinned by value creation.” -Stephan Spencer Some Topics We Discussed Include: A simple tactic to set a domino effect in motion Why you must always aim for the big fish How to quickly double-hit every win The right way to go off brand and increase traffic What you can do to “outsmart” A.I. (your brain isn’t enough!) How Google keeps its rap sheets on businesses Why your high-quality content is landing dead in the water EAT and YMYL - they’re more important than ever The ins and outs of YouTube’s unique SEO structure A method to gain traffic as soon as you buy a new domain How to make sure your website stays optimized One fix that can lift a site all the way to page #1 The SEO tools everyone should be using Contact Stephan Spencer: Marketing Speak/hustle - special link! Get Yourself Optimized StephanSpencer.com Connect on Instagram And on Facebook or Twitter References and Links Mentioned: The EGP Letter – Get our print newsletter The Perpetual Audience Growth Course – Learn how to drive consistent, high-quality traffic day in and day out Abundance 360 MarketMuse Google Cloud - Natural Language Google Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines There’s no shortcut to authority: Why you need to take E-A-T seriously Google Keyword Planner's Dirty Secrets The Strategies and Techniques Behind Viral Videos with Jamie Salvatori Link Research Tools ahrefs SEMrush Majestic MOZ Link Explorer MOZ Keyword Explorer Rank Ranger Google Trends Answer The Public Ubersuggest Searchmetrics Brian Dean: Google And YouTube SEO Strategies For 2019 Christopher Gimmer: The Founder Of Snappa Shares His SEO Secrets

After ten years of working in personal finance, Gina Horkey wanted a change. She loved writing short stories and thought why not give copywriting a try. Just six months later she was making $100 an hour and getting ready to quit her job, sell her practice, and start working from anywhere. Gina is the founder of Horkey HandBook, a website geared towards helping others find or become a kickass virtual assistant. Her background includes making a living as a professional writer, an online business marketing consultant, and a decade of experience in the financial services industry. She’s also proud to be a married, millennial mama to two precocious kiddos from Minnesota. Sitting in traffic twice a day should be a thing of the past. Listen in as Gina talks with the guys about how to hire or become a badass virtual assistant, the 3 skills that every great VA should have, and her method to instantly increase ROI by contracting a new team member. Get even more insight about becoming or hiring virtual team members in our conversations with Moe Abbas and Josh Bartlett. “You get paid to learn, it's basically what it comes down to... you get to be the person behind the curtain looking around and it's amazing!” -Gina Horkey Some Topics We Discussed Include: How to find or become a badass virtual assistant Why working online is more legit now going to an office What salaries different VAs are making The right way to pitch yourself to businesses A method to safeguard from Scope Creep 3 skills that make for the best virtual assistants The right time to start contracting team members Rules to follow before making a new hire The tasks every business owner needs to hire for Why emotional tasks are the biggest drag on profit A system to instantly increase ROI by hiring a VA An onboarding process to maximize your new VA Contact Gina Horkey: Horkey HandBook Virtual Assistant Finder Connect on Facebook And on Twitter References and Links Mentioned: Hustle & Flowshorts – Our new daily podcast! GenM (Sponsor) – Find marketing apprentices for $50/mo Free Evergreen Traffic Playbook The Perpetual Audience Growth Course – Learn how to drive consistent, high-quality traffic day in and day out loom Help Scout LiveAgent CloudApp Snagit Trello Notion Start. by Jon Acuff The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss Clockwork by Mike Michalowicz Profit First by Mike Michalowicz Work Less, Make More by James Schramko Anything You Want by Derek Sivers Moe Abbas: Done For You Marketing Help For $50 Per Month Josh Bartlett: How To Build A Solid Team And Create Rabid Fan Customers

As a full-time police officer and part-time serial entrepreneur, Doberman Dan spent almost a decade trying to start a successful business. Then he started a direct mail fitness newsletter and finally started making money. Just a year later he quit the police force. Dan likes to call himself a “kitchen table” entrepreneur, having written hundreds of successful sales letters, direct mail packages, feature articles, and newsletters while kicking back in his home. He’s seen too many businesses make common mistakes rather than change their approach to marketing. And he wants to save them so they can start making maximum money in minimum time. Not every part of your business should be online. Listen in as Dan shows Matt and Joe how he uses his newsletter to leverage every part of his business, his system to easily keep your letters high-quality, and tactics to quickly grow subscriptions. After the episode, go check out our conversations with Adil Amarsi and Craig Simpson for more copywriting insights. “You know, sometimes you produce your best stuff when you're under the gun and you don't have the option to goof off.“ -Doberman Dan Some Topics We Discussed Include: The psychological benefits of a public alter-ego A system to keep your newsletter consistently awesome Rules for finding the right page count for your letter Why over delivering can kill your subscriptions How to tell when you’re writing at your best The content your most knowledgeable customers want to read A system to keep your ideas in order How to target an audience using your superpower Newsletter tactics to increase your stick rate The simplest, low-cost system to mail a printed newsletter What to do with an email list that isn’t converting A targeted way to use a newsletter to quickly grow a business Why direct mail is an effective way to start a business (now more than ever!) Contact Doberman Dan: DobermanDan.com Off The Chain Podcast References and Links Mentioned: Hustle & Flowshorts – Our new daily podcast! GenM (Sponsor) – Find marketing apprentices for $50/mo Free Evergreen Traffic Playbook The Perpetual Audience Growth Course – Learn how to drive consistent, high-quality traffic day in and day out The Alter Ego Effect by Todd Herman Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand Adil Amarsi: Tactics And Formulas To Write Amazing Sales Copy Craig Simpson: The Direct Mail Marketing Masterclass

We’re back! And it’s just us this time for another round of our therapy sessions. We’ve been out speaking, talking with other podcasters, diving deep into the industry, and there’s so much exciting stuff happening we wanted to record all the reasons why we’re getting even more bullish on podcasts. We’ve also been trying out lots of new strategies and it’s about time we showed you the tactics we’ve recently discovered are effective ways to drive traffic to your podcast. Think of it as a little preview of the virtual summit we’re launching later this year. We’re pretty excited to tell you all about that too! And we wanted to share the best sources out there to keep up with podcasting news, the best place to send your listeners instead of your iTunes page, and the revenue source most podcasters are ignoring. When you’re done, check out the last therapy session we did after getting back from Podfest and our Biggest Lessons Learned Growing A Podcast for more insights about the business of podcasting. “Let's smash this whole concept that you need to have a crap ton of listeners to actually make money with your podcast.” -Joe Fier “Podcast listeners are the best possible lead that you could get in your business… they are the most engaged people that you can talk to because they're in your ear for an hour at a time.” -Matt Wolfe Some Topics We Discussed Include: The podcasting virtual summit we’re planning Why podcasting can be simpler than most people think Our 2-days-a-month podcasting system The recent big changes in the podcast industry Why sponsorships are not a good deal for most podcasters How we’re making sure to never pod-fade Which marketing strategies are working on our show The revenue source most podcasters are totally ignoring Our podcast stats that blow away any video on Facebook How to find the best leads for your business Where to send podcast listeners (psst… it isn't iTunes!) The best sources for the latest podcast news References and Links Mentioned: Hustle & Flowshorts – Our new daily podcast! GenM (Sponsor) – Find marketing apprentices for $50/mo Free Evergreen Traffic Playbook The Perpetual Audience Growth Course – Learn how to drive consistent, high-quality traffic day in and day out podnews Chartable Overcast Podcast Republic Podcast Addict War Room Mastermind The Top Podcast How to Be a Capitalist Without Any Capital by Nathan Latka Therapy Sessions: T&C, Podfest, Selling Shirts, and Affiliate Marketing The Biggest Lessons Learned Growing A Podcast

From the age of 16 to 33, Robert Farrington worked at Target while slowly building his blog until he had 1,000,000 readers a month. He had used his side gig in order to pay off his college debt, build an investment portfolio, and now it was letting him become a full-time entrepreneur. Robert is the founder of The College Investor, a leading personal finance site helping millennials get out of debt and start investing. He is America’s Millennial Money Expert®, and America’s Student Loan Debt Expert. He is on a mission to help people escape student loan debt and start building wealth for the future. Time to brush off those old blog (or podcast!) ideas as Robert Farrington shows Matt and Joe how to build a massive audience with your content, the 3 primary ways to monetize a website, and ad strategies that cost nothing. After listening, go check out our conversations with Christopher Gimmer and David Sinick for more ways to craft top ranking content. “Blogging is like compound interest rate... you put this work in and it might not necessarily do anything upfront, but over time you really do have this large nest egg.” -Robert Farrington Some Topics We Discussed Include: How to turn random thoughts into traffic generating content A schedule to build a blog that compounds traffic The kind of content “success” you want to aim for Methods for refreshing old content (so much easier than starting from scratch!) A PR strategy to skyrocket your SEO The 3 primary ways to monetize a blog SEO factors that are more important than backlinks How to research in order to make top ranking content Best practices for running Reddit Ads Why Facebook will no longer be #1 in 18 months Ad strategies for when your budget is zero Why you should probably invest even if you’re still in debt Contact Robert Farrington: The College Investor College Investor Podcast Connect on Reddit And on Instagram References and Links Mentioned: Hustle & Flowshorts – Our new daily podcast! GenM (Sponsor) – Find marketing apprentices for $50/mo Free Evergreen Traffic Playbook The Perpetual Audience Growth Course – Learn how to drive consistent, high-quality traffic day in and day out HARO Asana Quora Betterment Wealthfront The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss Christopher Gimmer: The Founder Of Snappa Shares His SEO Secrets David Sinick: The Ultimate SEO and Content Marketing Playbook