Hustle & Flowchart: Mastering Business & Enjoying the Journey

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

After shifting careers into marketing, Amber Spears was handwriting copy and barely making ends meet. Then she was offered the company’s struggling affiliate department and 10% on whatever she brought in. Always a saleswoman at heart, she leaped at the chance. Now Amber runs her own marketing companies, helping clients do over $150 million in business a year with her affiliate methods. She is the co-Founder of East 5th Avenue, Affiliate Accelerator, SPEARS Method, and the Mimosa Mastermind. She is also a highly sought after speaker, trainer, coach, and consultant. Affiliate marketing might have had a bad rap, but times are changing. Listen in as Matt and Joe talk with Amber about what a great affiliate partnership looks like, the right way to split revenues, and why an affiliate network is a fast, stable way to grow a business. When you’re done, check out our conversations with Stephen Esketzis and Dan Brock for more affiliate marketing strategies. “These kind of handshake deals are just not the proper way to do business, it's business with a small b, not a capital B.” -Amber Spears Some Topics We Discussed Include: Rules for picking great affiliate partners How to stop wasting 75% of your time on admin tasks The right way to split revenue with affiliates Why it’s structured deals or no deal Minimum numbers so you’re never swimming upstream How to target traffic that’s actually affiliate traffic What to do as soon as a campaign bombs Recognizing affiliate leaks and plugging them up Getting out of your comfort zone (and getting traffic!) Outreach to get pushy but never be a jerk A simple contest to quickly build an affiliate network Where to find stable revenue for your product Latest trends in effective affiliate marketing Contact Amber Spears: East 5th Avenue Spears Method Mimosa Mastermind Connect on LinkedIn 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 DocuSign Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss Essentialism by Greg McKeown A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson Stephen Esketzis: Affiliate Marketing Using Epic Content Dan Brock: How To Earn A Living Promoting Affiliate Products on YouTube

After a viral post generated $3,000,000 in new clients in just 2 weeks, Daniel Daines-Hutt was exhilarated and overwhelmed. Over the next year, he struggled to keep up with the work. He needed a way out, so he started making his own content. Daniel is a self-confessed marketing nerd with a background in direct response advertising. Ironically, it’s his content that people actually know him for. He has made some of the top content on inbound.org and GrowthHackers. When he’s not in the ocean or nerding out with some good sci-fi, he teaches people how to write less often but get more traffic. More content doesn’t mean more traffic, so listen in as Daniel shows you how to turn old blog posts into killer content, get direct access to people’s lizard brain, and crafting ads that get $22 back for every $1 spent. Nerding hard as Matt and Joe are? Then go check out Stephen Esketzis and Travis Houston too! “You're more likely to get someone to take an action if you can make it simple.” -Daniel Daines-Hutt Some Topics We Discussed Include: How to make $22 for every $1 spent on ads Why you have to STOP making content Pirate Metrics to know your numbers An article format that converts at 20-80% The only 2 types of articles people read One hack to increase opt-in by 40% (and another for 40% more!) Using Rick & Morty to get perfect copywriting Blending AIDA and BAB into tasty, persuasive content The 4 types of customers you must write for Pre-frame: it’s a content journey that leads to sales Simple outreach methods to build backlinks 4 test elements to perfect your ads How to make ads cheaper and more effective on Facebook Contact Daniel Daines-Hutt: Amp My Content How We Drive A $22:1 ROI From Cold Traffic Why You Need To STOP Writing Content, If You Want To Get Traffic How To Stop Writing Fluff And Start Creating 'Killer' Content That Works How To Capture Far More Emails Than Ever Before Connect on Facebook References and Links Mentioned: Hustle & Flowshorts – Our new daily podcast! Free Evergreen Traffic Playbook GenM (Sponsor) – Find marketing apprentices for $50/mo The Perpetual Audience Growth Course – Learn how to drive consistent, high-quality traffic day in and day out The Anatomy Of A Six-Figure Email Course Wicked Reports Lead Pages Mailchimp Ahrefs Nightwatch Snagit Active Campaign ConvertBox databox The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins Meditations by Marcus Aurelius Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday The Marshmallow Test by Walter Mischel Deep Work by Cal Newport Stephen Esketzis: Affiliate Marketing Using Epic Content Travis Houston: A Unique Content System To Ensure Successful Product Launches

One of the most stressful times in Caleb Simpson’s life was selling his energy bar business. The finances, lawyers, and buyers were all wearing him out, so he decided to give CBD (the non-psychoactive chemical found in hemp plants) a try. Results were so immediate that he knew exactly what business he was going to start building next. Caleb is a father of three kids and ultra-marathon runner. After trying CBD for the first time his stress melted away and he found relief from the pain of his chronic injury. He founded Hemp Daddy’s to bring the healing power of CBD to those struggling with chronic issues like inflammation, anxiety, depression, and much more. Not every industry is welcome on Google and Facebook. Listen in as Caleb shows Matt and Joe 5 ways to market taboo products without the aid of big platforms, segmenting your audiences without special links, and the tech stack to manage everything yourself. When you’re done, check out our conversations with Mike Michalowicz and Nate Broughton for more advice about building a business from scratch. “I see everyone complaining and moaning... When is Facebook going to allow CBD? Maybe they'll never allow it, so you don't need to sit around waiting.” -Caleb Simpson Some Topics We Discussed Include: The many health benefits of CBD, both mental and physical How to market a product that’s good for everyone Experiments to find the right CBD dosage Why wholesale is a bad business model Outreach tactics that get you on the show (it worked on us!) 5 ways to advertise without the big platforms How taboo industries are currently driving traffic The most effective list building campaigns (and not so effective) One simple method to segment your audience without building special links or pages How to structure your week as a solopreneur A tech stack to easily manage everything yourself Who sells fake CBD and how to get the real stuff Contact Caleb Simpson: Hemp Daddy’s - Get 10% and free shipping with coupon code: hustleandflow Connect on Instagram And on Facebook References and Links Mentioned: GenM (Sponsor) – Find marketing apprentices for $50/mo Hustle & Flowshorts – Our new daily podcast! Free Evergreen Traffic Playbook The Perpetual Audience Growth Course – Learn how to drive consistent, high-quality traffic day in and day out Glew Woo Commerce MailChimp Profit First by Mike Michalowicz Clockwork by Mike Michalowicz Deep Work by Cal Newport Mike Michalowicz: The Clockwork System To Create A Business That Runs Without You Nate Broughton: How To Get Millions Of Visitors With SEO

With a personal promise never to cancel an event, Chris Krimitsos was hours away from introducing a major speaker with only a couple people in the audience. He’d given up, but sent out one more email anyway. When he walked on stage the room was full of people who’d bought tickets last minute, that’s how tight-knit his community has become. Chris is the passionate professional who hangs around after the event talking and listening to anyone who wants his time. With over 2,000 events under his belt, he’s created a business community that brings everyone - marketers, brokers, and dog groomers alike - into the same room. And he’s the creator of PodFest Expo, one of the largest, and still growing, events in podcasting. Tired of connecting just digitally? Then let Chris Krimitsos show you how to get people together while keeping expenses low, avoiding rookie mistakes, and creating a live community people can’t wait to return to. When you’re done, check out our conversation with September Dohrmann for more event planning tips and our story of joining the podcasting world. “Can we take this whole ego worship out of the equation?... because that's how you create a cohesive environment.” -Chris Krimitsos Some Topics We Discussed Include: Expenses and pitfalls to avoid while planning your events Negotiation tactics to cut your bills in half How to launch an engaging, cohesive community A simple offer to sell VIP tickets The opportunity most speakers are missing out on Who’s who in the infamous Podcaster Band The 3 reasons people actually attend an event Rookie event planner mistakes (what’s with all these chairs?) Watch your BEO! Why a nod can wipe your profits The Whisper Campaign that draws in your niche audience How to pick the right location for your event The Messengers, unique reasons podcasters are such a supportive culture Contact Chris Krimitsos: PodFest Expo ChrisKrimitsos.com Connect on Facebook And on Instagram References and Links Mentioned: GenM (Sponsor) – Find marketing apprentices for $50/mo Hustle & Flowshorts – Our new daily podcast! Free Evergreen Traffic Playbook The Perpetual Audience Growth Course – Learn how to drive consistent, high-quality traffic day in and day out Kid Friendly Joke Of The Day Podcast Conference Cashflow Podcast The Messengers: A Podcast Documentary on Amazon The Biggest Lessons Learned Growing A Podcast - 100th Episode! September Dohrmann: How To Use Old School Marketing Tactics To Grow Huge Events