How You Really Make Money Online with Blogging
by Case Lane
This post is part of the Real Stories Behind Making Money Online Series
In the beginning, it was the Internet curious’s first introduction to creating online – starting a blog. Today, it remains the most dominate creative platform – more than 600 million blogs – more than ten times the number of YouTube channels and podcast shows combined.
That fact should make one point obvious…blogs are, arguably, the easiest online platform for launching your online business.
But how many of those 600 million blogs are making money for the blogger?
Blogs operate in a crowded marketplace where you have to be prepared to promote and market your message. So if you’re shy about telling people about your thoughts or creativity, blogging may not be for you.
Blogging as Your Online Business
While starting an online business is an extraordinary opportunity for you to establish a foundation for your own professional satisfaction, financial security, and lifestyle freedom, to get started you have to select an online platform that fits your interests, skills and budget.
Blogging remains an incredible force for delivering a message, creating a community, and earning advertising revenue. But does the platform have all the elements you want and need for an online business venture?
If your online platform of choice is to create a blog, you need to be aware of the joys and limitations of the effort.
In this article, I explain the real story behind blogging to make money online.
Blogging is for Writers
Blogs are websites, almost always supported by advertising, that writers fill with content aimed at their target audience.
At its core, blogging is the written word. For creators, blogging means consistently writing articles online around a specific theme or subject. The word blog comes from ‘web log…weblog’ a phrase used to describe the act of journaling or recording (logging) information online.
To create a blog to start an online business, you must create written content…or have it created for you.
Blogging is for writers, and blogs are for readers. People who want to get their information in written words.
Types of Blogs for Making Money Online
With 600 million options, breaking blogs down into specific categories may be an overreach, but in general there are three popular types of blogs – information, commentary and product-specific.
Information Blogs
The most popular blogs offer information, such as How-Tos and guides. They provide step-by-step processes, and insight into products, services and issues. For many readers, these types of blogs are consistently delivering information they want to learn more about or research.
A blogger who provides information is creating a go-to platform for a topic or idea. Once enough interested readers learn about the blog’s existence, it can jump to the top of search rankings for the topic, and become a popular site.
If you are planning to create an information blog, the key is to be a great resource. You do the research your readers want to avoid, and you put the information together in easily digestible articles.
In this case, you do not have to be a great writer. You just have to make sure you are delivering information that a particular audience is seeking.
Because you already know the information readers are searching for, these types of blogs are the fastest and easiest blogs to create. Spend time researching the topic, then re-organize, re-write, and aggregate the data you find into new articles that address the topic for your target audience.
This approach also allows you to outsource the work. If writing is not your strength, or you have no time to do the research, you can use a freelancer site like Fiverr to find someone who can put together the information based on your ideas.
For example, you may find a subject where most of the existing blogs are aimed at college students, and you decide to do one aimed at the parents of college students. It can be similar information, but re-written for the parents consumption, and interests.
Also, if you can write well (or outsource) in a language other than English, there is extraordinary opportunity available to write about popular blog subjects in other global languages.
As the Internet continues to grow and spread around the world, you may find your ability to deliver information in a language used where online usage is on the rise, provides you with an opening where other bloggers cannot compete.
Commentary Blogs
Another successful blog theme is commentary – the original web log. Some famous bloggers are known only for their comments and observations about society and the world. These blogs can have millions of readers who enjoy the writer’s viewpoint, and learn from their perspective.
If you are writing a commentary blog, then you do have to be a good writer because the blog is directly from you, and your ideas have to resonate with the reader. These types of blog literally hang on the word of the blogger. If the writing is bad, the blog is a non-starter.
That said, the definition of ‘bad’ is relevant to the audience you are targeting. If you want to write a slang-filled, emoji-driven commentary blog aimed at high school students, then you may have a niche. But you still have to make the content valuable to that audience. It has to be ‘good’ to them.
Commentary blogs are the most difficult to launch because everyone has an opinion these days. But if you have a way of looking at the world that is unique, and underserved, you may be able to take a commentary blog to an audience that wants to learn more from you.
Product-Specific Blogs
Another type of blog is a mini-website aimed specifically at marketing a product by providing content-rich articles related to the product’s purpose.
The site will have ten to fifteen articles all leading to the same conclusion – the reader should get the product.
These blogs are advertising and affiliate marketing vehicles designed as information blogs, but the content is legitimate (assuming you are not a scammer).
This is a blog where the idea is to deliver information, but it’s not general information, it’s tailored to the product and all issues related to the product.
For example, if you are marketing a new vacuum cleaner, you could have articles about the perils of dust, carpet maintenance, keeping your family healthy, the exercise benefits of doing household chores, and so on.
These types of blogs are one-and-done. You write the core articles, set-up the webpages, and drive traffic to the site.
Once again, you do not need to be a creative writer, you are aggregating topic-specific information for an audience that is looking for the insight. Your articles must be valuable and useful to them, especially if it is new or misunderstood information.
This is also an opportunity to outsource the writing, but you have to be creative about the topics related to the product. You are looking for products that cross over a variety of different issues, and give you sufficient content to create a legitimate site.
Who Should Start a Blog?
Regardless of your type of blog, you want the content to stay consistent and reliable. So the hard truth about blogging is that you have to keep posting relevant content. You have to find enough content to maintain interest for a growing audience. That is a challenge that many aspiring entrepreneurs do not conquer.
If you:
- Like to write
- Come up with good ideas
- Are not afraid to promote your own writing to strangers
- Have a good subject area or topic
- Have money each month to spend on maintaining your website until you can grow your advertising revenue
- Are prepared to be consistently and reliably posting to your website
…then you are likely ready to move forward with starting a blog.
But blogging can be tedious, especially if you are lukewarm about your subject, and since it’s the most crowded online platform, you have to be creative to stand-out and be counted.
How to Start a Blog
As mentioned earlier, blogs are the easiest online business to start, but one that requires maintenance and has up-front costs to do it right.
The basic approach is:
- Get a domain name
- Set-up a webpage
- Start writing and posting content
Domain Name
Free Domain name
If you decide to use free website hosting, you will also likely receive a free ‘hosting’ domain, which typically includes the name of the website provider in your domain name.
This is a domain name you do not own, and one that may be long and cumbersome to use when speaking or posting about your new blog.
But for some, a free domain may be a necessary option for getting started without any upfront costs, but if you have a few dollars ready, and you are serious about your blog, you should start with a custom domain name.
Custom Domain name
The domain name is the name of your website. For many bloggers, it can be their ownname.com, for others it’s the subject they are discussing. You just have to decide.
Domains can cost as little as $3 a month to start. You can buy the domain from a stand-alone site, or purchase it when you set-up your webpage on a hosting site.
Carefully check the renewal terms for your domain name. Sometimes you can get the domain for a low introductory price, but it renews at ten times that rate, a year later.
Although a great domain name is valuable, like all actions in starting an online business, it is better to move forward than to worry about picking the perfect domain.
If you’re not sure, go with your own name or a made-up-name and move on. You have no online business until your site is live, so getting launched should be your focus.
Website
Free or Paid
Before you create your website, you must decide if you want to use free or paid blog hosting services.
Your blog is hosted on a website, which is hosted on a server managed by a website hosting provider.
‘Free’ means you sign-up and begin writing and posting content without paying any upfront fees. The ‘catch’ with free is there may be limitations on whether or not you can advertise on the platform. Since you are starting the blog to make money, this would be a limitation, but not an obstruction to making money.
But, If you are not sure if blogging is right for you, start with free services, and switch to paid when you are certain you want to move forward with the platform.
If you know you want to be a blogger and start with paid hosting, you have more flexibility to do what you want with the blog.
Your Own Website
Once you select your paid provider, they typically provide basic services aimed at getting you set-up. There are many blogging apps, but the most popular is WordPress, and you can quickly set-up a basic WordPress site through your provider.
Since WordPress provides flexible functionality for a website, for example, you can host an eCommerce store with your blogs, some bloggers find WordPress too complex for their plans, and are comfortable with a ‘blogging’ only app.
If you think you might want to do more with your blog – for example on my website for Ready Entrepreneur, along with the blog, I have my podcast embedded, links to online courses, and a store – and I am able to use plugins to extend the capabilities of the site from inserting landing pages from another app under the same domain, to capturing contact information.
As always, if you are unsure, start with the most basic option and be prepared to build from there.
Third Party Website
Blogging platforms, like Medium.com are websites where bloggers can establish their reputation and build an audience. These sites allow anyone to open an account and posts blogs, for free. Although these sites lead to a variety of subjects, they also attract a variety of readers who want to discover new voices, and learn more.
If you want to access the reader audience on these platforms, you can repurpose the blogs you create on your website. This allows you to gain both the traffic on the platform that is casually browsing, and the followers on your site who could one day become your dream customers.
Writing, Posting and Distributing Your Content
Once you have set-up your domain and webpage or site account, it’s time to write and post content.
Refer back to the Types of Blogs section to pick the direction you want to take your content.
If you are looking for topic ideas, listen to your friends, colleagues and neighbors, check social media, Google trends, and news headlines, and remember how you became interested in the subject in the first place. You probably have stories, ideas and anecdotes from your own experiences that could make the content for a blog.
Take a look at the work other bloggers are doing. Do not copy. Instead use other content as inspiration, and as a springboard for developing your own ideas.
You can post blogs on your own schedule as little or as often as you wish. But the more consistently you post, the more reliable you will appear to your readers. If readers enjoy one article, and they see another one the following week, and the week after, they are more likely to remember you, and maybe even recommend your work to others.
Search Engine Optimization
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process, both technical and creative, that you use to help search engines find your blog. When you distribute your blog online, you should always make sure that you are search optimized, to drive organic traffic doing searches.
You will find many SEO apps and plugins online, and implementing SEO practices is not difficult. But being noticed is a challenge, you will have to do your own work to ensure people click on your blog.
Do Your Own Promotion
While search engines can organically find your blog, you will have to do your own distribution and promotion to drive traffic to your site.
Social Media
You can use social media to drive traffic to your blog by posting about the topic you wrote about and including the direct link to your blog in your posts. Add images or videos to attract attention, and ignite curiosity about your content.
For bloggers, all of the big social media sites are helpful, except Instagram, which does not have links in regular content. So if your content is visual, and insta-perfect, this limitation will be a concern, but you have the work-around of using the other platforms.
If your social media followers are mostly friends and family, include a Call-to-Action for them to share the post with their networks.
Track Your Traffic
If you have your own website, you can set-up analytics to track your visitors and the pages they frequent. This data will help you understand your most popular content, and perhaps give you additional content ideas, or more promotions you can do for specific content.
Track consistently to look for trends and opportunities to grow your blog’s popularity. For example, if you notice more traffic is coming from mobile, you can do a more mobile-friendly layout for those users.
How Blogs Make Money Online
The final part of your blog set-up is monetization…making money from the blog.
For the most part, your revenue opportunity comes from placing advertising on your blog pages. You can have Google ads automatically on your pages, affiliate ads that you place yourself, or links to your own digital or physical products that you sell in your own store or on a third party platform.
Essentially, having a blog works like a broadcast television network that creates lots of content, and drives ‘eyeballs’ to the shows that advertisers are paying to be featured on.
Your opportunity in earning for your blog comes from driving as much traffic as possible to your site, and having a percentage of that traffic click on the ads, and in the case of affiliates, making a purchase.
Google Ad Sense
The fastest way to begin making money with a blog is to set up a free account with Google Ad Sense, and let the search engine automatically post ads on your blog pages. Google’s advertising program pays you for clicks through to the sponsored ad pages.
You can control where the ads are placed, and to which pages, and you can ban content you don’t want associated with your work.
Google is set to match your blog content to related ads, but if subject matter is beyond the translation of Google’s A.I., you might find the ads do not match at all.
Once you set-up with Ad Sense, continuing monitoring the placement of ads to make sure they are where you expect to see them.
Affiliate Ads
Affiliate advertising is when you align with a third party to promote their product or service, and earn a flat rate or percentage for purchases made by other people through your links.
With many affiliate programs, you can sign-up for free on sites like Swagbucks, and place their advertising images with your affiliate link directly on your page. As more people sign-up, you earn a ‘bounty’ for bringing in new affiliates.
If you join the Amazon Affiliates program, you can also earn a ‘bounty’ for sign-ups to continuity programs like Amazon Prime.
Or you can promote products, including almost everything on Amazon.com, and earn whenever someone purchases a product through your link. As mentioned in the content section, you can even have an entire blog that is linked to affiliate products.
Because there are affiliate programs for almost every product you can think of, you should be able to find products that align with your blog content.
To keep your blog orderly, you want to have ads that support your product, and do not make your site look just like an advertising vehicle for sponsored products, or worse, a scam.
Links to Your Own Products
If you sell your own physical or digital products, you can use a blog to drive people to your products.
Write blogs that align with your product, then promote your product links directly in the blog or in the sidebars of your website.
This is often done with reviews (which you do not write for your own product, but you can post what others write), the review is linked back to the product.
But the real success in using this process is to write the definitive article about the value of your product, and then drive people through the links to your purchase pages.
Extension Products
Advertising is the direct way that blogs make money, but if you have a successful blog you can repurpose it to make money on other online platforms like podcasts and YouTube.
If your blogging positions you as an authority on a subject, you can also create courses, sell coaching, write books, or do speeches or other activities that are related to your blogging content, but are not directly revenue created from the blog.
All of these opportunities come with time, once you make your blog successful.
But when you are starting out, and you have no traffic to your blog, you will have no money from your blog, that’s the reality.
That’s why you must think carefully about how much you are willing to spend up-front, and how much time you will place in promoting your blog.
If your SEO is working, or your topic is unique and sought after, it’s possible for organic traffic to discover your blog, click on your ads, and you make money. But in general, if you are too shy promote your own work, you will not have a chance to earn from your blog.
What Makes Blogs Successful
A successful blog has great content. But that’s only the beginning.
The most popular blogs are delivering a form of comfort to readers. Whether it’s in the form of information or provocative statements or how-tos, a reader is satisfied after reading a great blog. And they’ll keep coming back for more if they feel the content is consistent and always appealing.
To get your blog into a success position, which means it starts paying you, build on the positive comments and reviews you receive.
Try to discover what appealed most to those readers, and why. You don’t have to start trying to tailor every blog to a raving fan, but it helps if you have an understanding as to why a specific blog post resonated with people.
From the beginning, blogging has been about the writing. While many blogs contain great visuals or videos, it’s the writing that brings people back time and again. If you want your blog to stand out and be noticed, that’s where to start.
But all the other activities must be completed also to make your blog a professional and reliable site for return readers. And you must promote the blog to as many people as possible to get the traffic on your site that will make your business profitable.
Choose blogging as your online business platform if you’ve come this far and believe you have the ingredients to make it work. But, ignore blogging if you plan to only do a superficial job of writing and promoting your site.
The real story behind starting a blog to make money is to make an effort marketing and promoting your blog to drive traffic to your site. Because without the upfront effort in creating your own publicity, you are unlikely to make any money. But with it, you give yourself a chance to stand-out among the 600 million and take your place in the online entrepreneur community.
Check out Case Lane’s blogs:
For aspiring entrepreneurs: https://www.readyentrepreneur.com/blog-posts/
For guest podcasting: https://podcastgueststar.com/
For fast, healthy eating: https://food.readyentrepreneur.com/blog/
For travel: https://travel.readyentrepreneur.com/
For Case Lane books: https://caselane.com/blog/
DISCLOSURE: links to Amazon.com, Bluehost and Case Lane’s books on Amazon.com are affiliate links that earn for eligible purchases at no additional cost to you.
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The Purpose of Entrepreneurship
Throughout economic history, entrepreneurs have been the dedicated risk-takers who transformed whole societies. But as an aspiring entrepreneur, you may wonder what your role could be. Maybe it’s to change at least one life, with the value you have to offer. Or maybe it really is to change the world also.
Below is The Purpose of Entrepreneurship YouTube video, and the video transcript.
Video Transcript
When you think about what makes a great life – what comes to mind?
Is it having a bunch of these…?
Or is it what you can do with this?
People want – health, wealth and happiness (usually meaning relationships or love) –
And if you have an idea that can get them closer to one or all three – you have an opportunity.
You see, if people knew what to do to get what they want, they would just do it, right?
But most people do not know what to do…they want to know, but they do not.
So what do you know that you can tell them?
You may not realize it, but you probably have some kind of expertise or an interest that other people share.
And when you do, if you are willing to put in a little effort, you can go online and build a business around your interest and get it out there to the people who want it most.
Yes, a business. An online business.
You can become an entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurship is about solving problems. Finding gaps that need to be filled…and filling them.
It’s about delivering value to those who want or need what you have to offer.
It’s about being a contributor.
It’s about being a producer.
It’s about making a difference.
You might have thought about an idea…that could bring value to others…
You might have thought about becoming an entrepreneur…
And if you have, you might realize that…
The purpose of entrepreneurship is to deliver value through your product or service.
This…?
This has its role, but you don’t get to this without having value to offer in the first place.
Value that other people can use.
Yes, people care about themselves…what’s in it for them…
If you will put in the time that they won’t…
If you will do the research that they won’t…
If you will take the risks that they won’t…
They…become your customers…getting from you the value you can deliver.
That’s what entrepreneurship is all about… and that’s your opportunity.
The next step is yours…
I’m Case Lane, the author of Recast, a book about the first ten actions to take when getting started with an online business.
You recast to play a new role in your own life…this time as an online entrepreneur.
You take practical action to overcome your own doubts and distractions, and do what you have been thinking about doing.
Becoming an entrepreneur and starting your own business is about giving yourself a chance to live the life you have always wanted to live…
Do work that creates value and gives you meaning and purpose in your life…
Make yourself busy, involved and committed to doing something…anything that’s about going forward not backward…
Set yourself up for a future you want to live in…not one that will be handed to you
Entrepreneurship is about being free…
It’s not just about this…although you can do a lot with lots of these…
Most importantly, you can do what you want…
For those you most want to do it for.
If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, and it’s time to take the aspiring out…
Take a look at the description for this video to get access to resources you can use right now to get your online business started.
Video Description
Recast Inspiration to Start Your Own Business. This video is called The Only Fair Trade…the value you add for the Benjamins.
FREE // Learn the first 5 Actions to take when getting started with an online business. It’s not what you may be thinking think…but it may be the answer to getting past your procrastination and distractions. Download here: https://www.caselane.net/recast-actions
Maybe like you, I did all the ‘right’ things to end up in all the ‘right’ places only to discover that what I really wanted to do was contribute and add value on my terms. I started out in the online business game chasing all the shiny apples, only to discover that none of them laid out a clear plan for actually getting started with an online business, and working through the details to launch a business.
So I’ve learned the lessons, and now I pass them on to you…
Recast is the path you need to follow FIRST before you take any more confusing steps towards becoming an online entrepreneur.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT If you have business ideas in your head, but you’re still thinking maybe entrepreneurship is not for you, you must FIND THE CONFIDENCE TO START YOUR BUSINESS, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xstvw…
GET THE RECAST BOOK
Recast is my Practical Guide to Getting Started with Your Online Business. You will learn the foundational actions to take to set yourself up for success, followed by the creative actions that take you towards launching your online business. These are the practical actions no one talks about, but everyone should do BEFORE you start chasing a specific online business ‘magic’ plan. Click here for the book: https://caselane.com/books/recast/
TAKE THE DOMINATE ONLINE BUSINESS COURSE
Already set to get your online business started? Get all the training and information you need to launch your business in the Dominate the Year Start Your Online Business course. This comprehensive program is like no other – it’s total and complete details for you to understand the online business landscape, pick your idea, pick your platform, create your content, find your niche market, launch with confidence…and much, much more. Learn more about the course here: https://www.caselane.net/dominate-course
Get more information…much more about how to move from ‘aspiring’ entrepreneur to online entrepreneur at the Ready Entrepreneur website https://www.readyentrepreneur.com/
CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook @readyentrepreneurHQ https://www.facebook.com/readyentrepr…
Facebook @recastmovement https://www.facebook.com/groups/recas…
Instagram @readyentrepreneur https://www.instagram.com/readyentrep…
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Twitter @caselaneworld https://twitter.com/CaseLaneWorld
Podcast: The Ready Entrepreneur podcast available wherever you listen to podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast…
WHO IS CASE LANE?
Hello, I’m Case Lane. I’m a global entrepreneur, writer, traveler and observer to the future.
But to start out, I followed all the traditional paths and ended up as a lawyer, economist, corporate executive, management consultant and diplomat.
Along the way I lived, worked and studied in ten different countries, learned to speak three languages, and became focused on economic development through business enterprise.
In my travels and living in different countries, I observed how entrepreneurs in all economic circumstances take the resources at hand, and build not only thriving businesses, but rising wealth. In the humblest rural small towns, or in the midst of a chaotic unregulated urban centers, action-takers who want to start a business implement their ideas, change their lives, and the community around them.
I decided to bring those similar tactics to a broader audience by creating Ready Entrepreneur as a comprehensive guide for taking your business from IDEA to OPEN.
And I wrote Recast, specifically to help you get started, when you have no idea how to begin your entrepreneurial journey.
I want to make sure you have practical, doable action you can take right now, to get past the obstacles that have been holding you back from pursuing your dreams.
If you think this sounds right to you, subscribe to my channel, and make sure you get your free copy of the Recast First 5 Actions so that you don’t miss more great information that you can use to get started as an online entrepreneur.
#caselane #readyentrepreneur #recastbook #recastmovement #aspiringentrepreneur #onlinebusiness #startanonlinebusiness #onlinebusinesstips #entrepreneurinspiration #inspirationtostartabusiness #onlineentrepreneur
Your Only Hope…is You
In a world where many believe money is the answer to all your problems, you may soon find out that really…you are the answer.
If you are a thinker who considers opportunity to grow and evolve as a challenge, then you have the chance to transform your life and lives of those around you.
Without people like you, we would not know how to move forward. But you have to learn to believe in yourself and what you can do.
Below is the Your Only Hope YouTube video and the video transcript
Video Transcript
Is this your only hope? If you only had more of these everything would be great…
You could pay all your bills, the mortgage, credit cards…
Set up the kids college funds…
Know that retirement will be relaxed and easy…
If you only had more of these…
When did it all get so difficult, so hard…
Why didn’t anyone tell you…teach you how to be wealthy and successful…
You know some people are just born with money, some people have great teachers and get great information, some people are lucky, some people have wonderful parents, and some people…
Earn it.
Oh yeah…there’s that too…
The fact that you can actually just earn these by delivering some kind of value to others that they will exchange for these.
But what value?
You’ve probably already thought about it. You’ve probably said…
I can do this better? Or
I wish this was better? Or
I’d like to do this? Or
I’d like to have something that does that?
You might have already recognized the gap that exists between the products and services that are available, and the wants and needs that people have.
And if you have seen that gap AND you’ve thought about how you could fill it. You’re probably an aspiring entrepreneur.
And if you’re an aspiring entrepreneur…it’s probably time to remove the ‘aspiring’ from your lexicon…
Because if you are the type of person who recognizes gaps, and sees problems AND you have solutions, you have ideas, you actually think about making a difference…
Then you need to act on what you see.
Entrepreneurship is for those who want to contribute, to do more with life than just complain…
And if that’s you, it’s time to start moving forward.
It’s starts with an idea…and it has to continue with action…then you can be that person who sees the other side.
Your only hope is not just more of these.
Your only hope is yourself…
You…how you think and what you do.
No one is going to rescue you…
No one is going to make it easy…
No one else will pay the bills…
No one else will give the people you love the best life possible…
No one else will give you the life you have always dreamed of.
Only you.
You have to put your trust in you and your ability, and make your move.
I’m Case Lane, the author of Recast, a book about the first ten actions to take when getting started with an online business.
You recast to play a new role in your own life…this time as an online entrepreneur.
You take practical action to overcome your own doubts and distractions, and do what you have been thinking about doing, which is to start your own business.
Becoming an entrepreneur and starting your own business is about giving yourself a chance to live the life you have always wanted to live…
Do work that creates value and gives you meaning and purpose in your life…not anger and complaint.
Make yourself busy, involved and committed to doing something…anything…that’s about moving forward not backward…
Set yourself up for a future you want to live in…not one that will be handed to you
Entrepreneurship is about being free…
It’s not just about this…although you can do a lot with this…
You can do what you want…
For those you most want to do it for.
If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, it’s time to take away the aspiring…
Take a look at the description for this video to get access to resources you can use right now to get your online business started.
Video Description
Recast Inspiration to Start Your Own Business. This video is called Your Only Hope…is You.
FREE // Learn the first 5 Actions to take when getting started with an online business. It’s not what you may be thinking think…but it may be the answer to getting past your procrastination and distractions. Download here: https://www.caselane.net/recast-actions
Maybe like you, I did all the ‘right’ things to end up in all the ‘right’ places only to discover that what I really wanted to do was contribute and add value on my terms. I started out in the online business game chasing all the shiny apples, only to discover that none of them laid out a clear plan for actually getting started with an online business, and working through the details to launch a business.
So I’ve learned the lessons, and now I pass them on to you…
Recast is the path you need to follow FIRST before you take any more confusing steps towards becoming an online entrepreneur.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
If you have business ideas in your head, but you’re still thinking maybe entrepreneurship is not for you, you must FIND THE CONFIDENCE TO START YOUR BUSINESS, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xstvw…
GET THE RECAST BOOK
Recast is my Practical Guide to Getting Started with Your Online Business. You will learn the foundational actions to take to set yourself up for success, followed by the creative actions that take you towards launching your online business. These are the practical actions no one talks about, but everyone should do BEFORE you start chasing a specific online business ‘magic’ plan. Click here for the book: https://caselane.com/books/recast/
TAKE THE DOMINATE ONLINE BUSINESS COURSE
Already set to get your online business started? Get all the training and information you need to launch your business in the Dominate the Year Start Your Online Business course. This comprehensive program is like no other – it’s total and complete details for you to understand the online business landscape, pick your idea, pick your platform, create your content, find your niche market, launch with confidence…and much, much more. Learn more about the course here: https://www.caselane.net/dominate-course
Get more information…much more about how to move from ‘aspiring’ entrepreneur to online entrepreneur at the Ready Entrepreneur website https://www.readyentrepreneur.com/
CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook @readyentrepreneurHQ https://www.facebook.com/readyentrepr…
Facebook @recastmovement https://www.facebook.com/groups/recas…
Instagram @readyentrepreneur https://www.instagram.com/readyentrep…
Pinterest @caselane https://www.pinterest.com/caselaneworld/
YouTube Case Lane channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCovz…
Twitter @caselaneworld https://twitter.com/CaseLaneWorld
Podcast: The Ready Entrepreneur podcast available wherever you listen to podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast…
WHO IS CASE LANE?
Hello, I’m Case Lane. I’m a global entrepreneur, writer, traveler and observer to the future.
But to start out, I followed all the traditional paths and ended up as a lawyer, economist, corporate executive, management consultant and diplomat.
Along the way I lived, worked and studied in ten different countries, learned to speak three languages, and became focused on economic development through business enterprise.
In my travels and living in different countries, I observed how entrepreneurs in all economic circumstances take the resources at hand, and build not only thriving businesses, but rising wealth. In the humblest rural small towns, or in the midst of a chaotic unregulated urban centers, action-takers who want to start a business implement their ideas, change their lives, and the community around them.
I decided to bring those similar tactics to a broader audience by creating Ready Entrepreneur as a comprehensive guide for taking your business from IDEA to OPEN.
And I wrote Recast, specifically to help you get started, when you have no idea how to begin your entrepreneurial journey.
I want to make sure you have practical, doable action you can take right now, to get past the obstacles that have been holding you back from pursuing your dreams.
If you think this sounds right to you, subscribe to my channel, and make sure you get your free copy of the Recast First 5 Actions so that you don’t miss more great information that you can use to get started as an online entrepreneur.
#caselane #readyentrepreneur #recastbook #recastmovement #aspiringentrepreneur #onlinebusiness #startanonlinebusiness #onlinebusinesstips #entrepreneurinspiration #inspirationtostartabusiness #onlineentrepreneur
The Only Fair Trade is from the Value You Add
Inspiration for Starting Your Online Business
The only fair trade in life is to offer your best for the best that others have to offer. As an aspiring entrepreneur, you are constantly on the lookout for where you can add value and be productive. You are participating as a contributor and producer in the world.
That’s the best way to function.
Below is The Only Fair Trade YouTube video, and the video transcript.
Video Transcript
This is the only entity in the world…actually in the universe…that is not sexist, racist, agist, homophobic or discriminatory in any way…
This goes to whoever wants it…
And it knows who wants it…because those who want it demonstrate their desire every day by…adding value
By being contributors…
Producers…
Those who are moving forward…not obstructing the way
And this knows to go to them to because value is what is most appreciated in our world today.
In fact, we are desperate for it.
For those who recognize a need, see a problem, and don’t just talk about it…but actually deliver a solution for it.
We are desperate for those people…
We demonstrate our desperation every day through our searches, our questions, our asks in every way…help…
If you have an idea, a way to solve a problem, to lighten the load, to change the world…you need to get your idea out in front of the people who want it…and you can do that by starting your own online business that is focused on delivering a solution.
Starting a business is not what it used to be. You don’t have to be tinkering in a garage or pitching to stuffy investors or giving up your life savings for a location on a shopping street…
…because you start online, where many resources are free or inexpensive.
You can test your idea, discover your niche market, cultivate your customer avatar…all without spending a lot of these.
And you can find out what works, so that you can build and grow your business idea from that foundation.
This…will come to you if your idea has value
You don’t have to be making millions, or billions…
You just have to find enough people – as you determine by your own definition of success – who want your product…because it’s valuable to them – it’s a solution they have been looking for.
This is the best time in history to start your own business – you have the convergence of two important facts…
The Internet which gives you the resources you need…
And access to the Global Marketplace – through the Internet – which allows you to reach the world with your idea.
It’s all before you…
And this…is all around you…
The next step is yours…
I’m Case Lane, the author of Recast, a book about the first ten actions to take when getting started with an online business.
You recast to play a new role in your own life…this time as an online entrepreneur.
You take practical action to overcome your own doubts and distractions, and do what you have been thinking about doing.
Becoming an entrepreneur and starting your own business is about giving yourself a chance to live the life you have always wanted to live…
Do work that creates value and gives you meaning and purpose in your life…
Make yourself busy, involved and committed to doing something…anything that’s about going forward not backward…
Set yourself up for a future you want to live in…not one that will be handed to you
Entrepreneurship is about being free…
It’s not just about this…although lots of these are a party…
Be active…
Be involved…
Doing what you really want to do…for those you really want to do it for…
That’s the difference when you set out to become an entrepreneur.
And the fastest and best way to do it these days is to become an online entrepreneur.
Take a look at the description for this video to get access to resources you can use right now to get your online business started.
Video Description
Recast Inspiration to Start Your Own Business. This video is called The Only Fair Trade…the value you add for the Benjamins.
FREE // Learn the first 5 Actions to take when getting started with an online business. It’s not what you may be thinking think…but it may be the answer to getting past your procrastination and distractions. Download here: https://www.caselane.net/recast-actions
Maybe like you, I did all the ‘right’ things to end up in all the ‘right’ places only to discover that what I really wanted to do was contribute and add value on my terms. I started out in the online business game chasing all the shiny apples, only to discover that none of them laid out a clear plan for actually getting started with an online business, and working through the details to launch a business.
So I’ve learned the lessons, and now I pass them on to you…
Recast is the path you need to follow FIRST before you take any more confusing steps towards becoming an online entrepreneur.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT If you have business ideas in your head, but you’re still thinking maybe entrepreneurship is not for you, you must FIND THE CONFIDENCE TO START YOUR BUSINESS, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xstvw…
GET THE RECAST BOOK
Recast is my Practical Guide to Getting Started with Your Online Business. You will learn the foundational actions to take to set yourself up for success, followed by the creative actions that take you towards launching your online business. These are the practical actions no one talks about, but everyone should do BEFORE you start chasing a specific online business ‘magic’ plan. Click here for the book: https://caselane.com/books/recast/
TAKE THE DOMINATE ONLINE BUSINESS COURSE
Already set to get your online business started? Get all the training and information you need to launch your business in the Dominate the Year Start Your Online Business course. This comprehensive program is like no other – it’s total and complete details for you to understand the online business landscape, pick your idea, pick your platform, create your content, find your niche market, launch with confidence…and much, much more. Learn more about the course here: https://www.caselane.net/dominate-course
Get more information…much more about how to move from ‘aspiring’ entrepreneur to online entrepreneur at the Ready Entrepreneur website https://www.readyentrepreneur.com/
CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook @readyentrepreneurHQ https://www.facebook.com/readyentrepr…
Facebook @recastmovement https://www.facebook.com/groups/recas…
Instagram @readyentrepreneur https://www.instagram.com/readyentrep…
Pinterest @caselane https://www.pinterest.com/caselaneworld/
YouTube Case Lane channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCovz…
Twitter @caselaneworld https://twitter.com/CaseLaneWorld
Podcast: The Ready Entrepreneur podcast available wherever you listen to podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast…
WHO IS CASE LANE?
Hello, I’m Case Lane. I’m a global entrepreneur, writer, traveler and observer to the future.
But to start out, I followed all the traditional paths and ended up as a lawyer, economist, corporate executive, management consultant and diplomat.
Along the way I lived, worked and studied in ten different countries, learned to speak three languages, and became focused on economic development through business enterprise.
In my travels and living in different countries, I observed how entrepreneurs in all economic circumstances take the resources at hand, and build not only thriving businesses, but rising wealth. In the humblest rural small towns, or in the midst of a chaotic unregulated urban centers, action-takers who want to start a business implement their ideas, change their lives, and the community around them.
I decided to bring those similar tactics to a broader audience by creating Ready Entrepreneur as a comprehensive guide for taking your business from IDEA to OPEN.
And I wrote Recast, specifically to help you get started, when you have no idea how to begin your entrepreneurial journey.
I want to make sure you have practical, doable action you can take right now, to get past the obstacles that have been holding you back from pursuing your dreams.
If you think this sounds right to you, subscribe to my channel, and make sure you get your free copy of the Recast First 5 Actions so that you don’t miss more great information that you can use to get started as an online entrepreneur.
#caselane #readyentrepreneur #recastbook #recastmovement #aspiringentrepreneur #onlinebusiness #startanonlinebusiness #onlinebusinesstips #entrepreneurinspiration #inspirationtostartabusiness #onlineentrepreneur
The Art of Recasting as an Aspiring Entrepreneur
by Case Lane
For every person who is thinking about getting started with an online business, there is someone who understands why they have waited so long to do it.
The story usually begins with indoctrination into the status quo. The average person – you, me and the neighbors – have been told as long as we can remember that the ‘right’ thing to do with your life is something like finish high school – go to college – get a professional job – get married – get a house with a mortgage – have a family – retire. If you do that you are said to have ‘made it,’ your time on earth considered well spent.
But if you are reading this article, you may be one of those who wondered if the familiar road really is all ‘they’ say it should be. For some reason, you’re restless. You want more, or something different. Maybe you want to be more or feel that your life has a deeper value or meaning.
Whatever the reason, your thoughts have led you to entrepreneurship, and the promise inherent in building your own enterprise.
The Gold
Entrepreneurship carries the promise of being able to earn enough money to do your own thing, be your own boss, and live as you choose. You can build a community you own by delivering value to enough people who want what you have to offer.
Even though you may have heard all the stories about entrepreneurs working day and night to bring their idea to the public, and then having to fight to get people to believe them, or make a purchase, you still see entrepreneurship as the opportunity you have missed so far.
What’s not to like about living your dream life? Doing work you really enjoy? And having a world you control?
In the back of your mind, you know that if it was easy, everyone would be doing it, and succeeding. But you know, you’re not ‘everyone.’ You question the status quo, you strive for more, and you are willing to work to get it.
So what should you do next?
Recast Yourself as an Entrepreneur
Since you have followed the familiar road, the first thing you have to do is recast yourself to think and act like an entrepreneur.
If you are in Hollywood or on Broadway, recasting is when the person who got the original part is replaced. Depending on which side you’re on, this is a fantastic or devastating moment. Someone’s big break can be your heartbreak.
The same is true when you recast to entrepreneurship. You are going to play a new role in your own life. That means changing some of the things you do now.
When you recast and start focusing on your business, you are probably going to stop focusing on friends, maybe family, or maybe even the 9-to-5 job you’re doing now. That’s someone else’s loss, so those someones are going to try and stop you from making the move.
So the first thing you have to do to recast is work on your mindset. There is an enormous body of work dedicated to this subject, but the bottom line is you have to know that your mind is controlling your emotions, and therefore your actions.
When someone tells you, you are bad at business, you start to feel bad. You question yourself as you wonder why they came to that conclusion. And you probably ignore your business idea, while you try to come to terms with this feeling.
So make sure you are aware that you are doing this. You will not be able to change your feelings overnight. But each time you hear something negative about your plans, remind yourself why you have decided to become an entrepreneur.
Focus on the work you have to do for getting started like finding somewhere to work and removing distractions. Set aside the time, at least 15 minutes a day to research your business idea. The more you start thinking as a business owner, the more you will become one. If you make your business plans a core part of your everyday, your recasting will evolve into your version of a new normal.
Set Boundaries With Others
For many aspiring entrepreneurs, losing connection to the people closest to them creates the fear and reluctance associated with starting an online business. It is one thing to recast yourself, but it’s quite another to disentangle from the world you have created.
What do you do when people are used to, or even dependent on, having you around?
You set boundaries. Not overnight, but over time.
First, decide on your own how you would like the situation to unfold. You can control your plans if you have an idea about where you are going.
So if you want to start a business as a short-term endeavor, or without the pressure of replacing your current income, you can tell your family and friends that you have this plan and will be taking time to work on it, but can be flexible.
If you are looking to replace your income, then you have to say you will take all the time you need, for as long as you need to get it done.
In all cases, remember now you are wearing your entrepreneur hat. You want to walk and talk your business. If appropriate, try incorporating your family and friends into the story. Draw on their strengths to support you. If someone is a good proof-reader have them look at your copy, if your kids like creative design apps have them find your logo.
It may be a little extra work or extra step to draw in those who are trying to hold you back, but it will be worth it.
Create Your Action Plan
Recasting is set-up around two groups of actions – the foundational actions like setting up your workspace that will help you get organized, – and the creative actions like deciding on your business idea.
Once you’ve found your idea and done your research, create an Action Plan that you will work through to establish the business. Your Action Plan is a fluid document that will constantly be updated and changed. But it’s also a blueprint for moving forward. Use it to decide the actual activities you need to do to get started.
For example, for people in the information products business who want to start by determining the interest in their product, start with a one-page landing page offering a free lead magnet to capture email addresses. Your Action Plan could be:
- Create lead magnet
- Set up landing page
- Set up email management
- Write email sequence for leads
- Post landing page URL on all social media
You can also have sub-activities, a more detailed action plan might be:
- Create lead magnet
- Research potential free products
- Write 2-page PDF document
- Outsource PDF design to freelancer
- Set up landing page
- Write landing page copy – headline, text copy
- Find images for landing page
- Buy domain
- Set-up custom domain in landing page app
- Set up email management
- Write email sequence for leads
- Include coaching offer in 10th email
- Set up sign-up page for coaching consultations
- Include coaching offer in 10th email
- Post landing page URL on all social media
- Create Facebook post about new landing page
- Find images for Instagram post
- Post one-line for Twitter
As you complete each action, do a quick review to make sure you are still on the right track and aimed at hitting your business goals.
Your Action Plan can also have many sections or different paths. And you can constantly change it, even to the point of starting all over again.
But the key is you have to start.
The Only Way to Finish Strong is to Start
You have to start your online business somewhere. Every major billion-dollar corporation you know started with a simple plan. They made one sale, and they grew from there.
But if you don’t start, you will not get that first sale.
To give yourself the opportunity to make your business dream a reality, you have to make the time to get to work. Every daily effort is progress towards your goals. Constantly ‘hoping’ to start or ‘planning’ to start will not create an online business for you.
Only starting will.
And starting your business does not have to be an elaborate show. It’s not about filling out a stack of legal forms, or agonizing over a logo, or making sure every line of copy is perfect…it’s about finding out if someone…anyone is interested in the product or service you have to offer.
Business is make a product, sell a product.
If you come up with an idea, the next thing you should do is try and sell it to one person. If you can prove that there is demand for your product, then you can move forward with all the other necessary actions to make your business a viable commercial enterprise.
But spending money on non-revenue generating activities before you know if the product is of interest will only send you down the road to disappointment and abandonment before you have even really started.
As you research before starting your business, think about your first ‘quick win.’ Consider a lead magnet with an email sequence that leads to an inexpensive offer that your dream customers can use to understand the value you deliver.
Focus your attention on this one sequence – changing and updating it as necessary – until you have revenue. If you cannot get enough people interested, move on to another idea, or adapt and change your plan again.
Your online business is the opportunity you can use to change your life…for the better, and open up all the promises that entrepreneurship offers to those who are willing to do the work.
Give yourself the best chance possible by recasting – changing your mind and actions – to be, become and think as an entrepreneur.
Make Recasting your first action, and then keep going until you have the business you want, the life you seek, and the smile on your face to prove it.
You can get your copy of Recast: The Aspiring Entrepreneur’s Practical Guide to Getting Started With An Online Business by Case Lane at in print, audio or ebook at Amazon.com, or in all digital formats wherever you buy your ebooks.
Disclosure: Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links that earn for eligible purchases at no additional cost to you.
The Unavoidable Two-Income Individual You Will Have to Become
by Case Lane
In a world where labor has disappeared, the stock market is swelling portfolios for the invested, and post-pandemic contemplation has led to a reckoning with one’s life choices, it’s hard to imagine that the average person will have any difficulty living comfortably for the rest of their lives.
But they will…
Underneath the seemingly empowered labor market movements, there is no booming economy, no sense of unrelenting optimism or hopeful joy. But there is a level of fear.
Fear of not having enough money for a successful middle class life, let alone colleges, retirement homes, and the occasional vacation.
As every price for every good and service creeps up, and spending money precipitously falls down, the average person begins to look around and sense that they had best do something soon…meaning, right now.
And that something is…get a second income stream…preferably something online.
The Lure of Entrepreneurship
Even without any looming threat of economic collapse, the average person looks with envy at the Internet millionaires who are living the Instagram lifestyle without seemingly lifting a finger.
There is no shortage of gurus telling you: how to make a million dollars in ten minutes doing nothing, and an equally jaded community of those who have tried, and not succeeded, in following their instructions. But undaunted, they complain and move on to the next one.
There is also another group of side hustlers, as they have come to be known – teachers, nurses, mechanics, technicians, everyone and anyone – who spend their evenings and weekends, teaching art, coding, or reviewing products, for strangers who are waiting to hear from them.
Each hustler is caught up in their own dream…the opportunity at lifestyle freedom. Even though every successful entrepreneur will tell you there is no freedom in being responsible for a business enterprise, and all that could go wrong – the dreamers cling to the idea that on the other side of being your own boss is having your own bounty, and with it, all the choices that will lead to your happiness.
Entrepreneurship is considered the road to that freedom. And with the advent of the Internet, the road has become an increasingly more crowded, no guardrail freeway.
The Support of Technology
Technology and connectivity have given almost everyone the opportunity to start a business from their smartphone, earn income from their thoughts and photos, and build private communities of thousands of followers who are willing buyers of products and services aimed at crushing their own most pressing problems.
Every day thousands of people all over the world pour online to deliver value to the millions who are asking questions, and looking for answers in social media, search and stores.
Many aspiring entrepreneurs will give up on their quest, but those who don’t will eventually succeed at something – likely not the idea they started with – but something will start making them money online.
Then they will have their own story to tell about ‘making a million dollars in ten minutes doing nothing,’ and the cycle will begin again.
The Unhappy Economy
For those who walked away from entrepreneurship, there will remain a brutally intense pull that forces them to reconcile with their decision every day.
You can’t win, if you don’t play. And you’ll never get out of a job you don’t like, if you don’t make a move to leave.
But to leave…you’re going to need financial support.
The opportunity to have a successful comfortable life comes at a cost. And you won’t be able to pay it, if you don’t have the money. And maybe you’ll get part of the money from your 9-to-5 job, but where will you get the bump you need to really start enjoying yourself?
At the moment, you live in an unhappy economy. People have jobs and money, but it’s not enough to get over the hurdles to true contentment.
The Other Side-Effect of the Pandemic
During the pandemic, this gap was made glaringly real. Some people actually enjoyed lockdown. They live in beautiful homes full of all the amenities, every household member had a comfortable private place to work or study, delivery trucks pulled up all day with their orders, and when they wanted a break, they even went off on vacations and extended stays to Caribbean islands that stayed open.
For many, seeing those people (yes, you can view it all on Instagram) opened up a realization that they did not have the kind of money that would have made for a cozy lockdown. In fact, they had to be afraid for their job, their industry, and the future of their community.
When things began to bounce back, with employment and choices for all, they realized just how unhappy they were in their current situation. And how quickly it could be worse.
The Bounceback Will Not Be Cheap
The fact is, most people are holding on to a precarious wedge of comfort that could crack at any time. You can see this in their general unhappiness with their lot in life.
They simply do not have enough money, to do everything they want to do, for themselves and their family.
And as prices rise, especially for housing, their window to make a change gets narrower and narrower.
Coming soon to a neighborhood near you are house prices that start at a million dollars for what we used to call a bungalow; food prices that demand a premium to be considered healthy; travel prices starting with gasoline that reflect the need to keep moving; clothing, entertainment and dining out – the malls – building their comeback on healthy price jumps; and healthcare, education and retirement living, directly tying quality and safety to upper echelon prices.
The average person is going to realize that to have a full life with all the amenities, they will have to have more money…a lot more.
Getting an extra job is an option, there are plenty around, but that’s time spent commuting and networking that they won’t get back.
The other option, one that screams out from the Internet is to start something online.
The Online Options
How do people make money online:
- Sell a product
- Sell a service
- Sell ads on a website
- Sell ads on a podcast
- Sell ads on videos
- Get paid by sponsors
- Sell someone else’s product or service
The mechanics are straightforward: Get your product or service in front of the right audience, and convince them you have what they need.
But the results vary widely.
Success has but one common attribute…the entrepreneur is delivering value to those who want or need it. The value can be anything from cat videos to coding instructions, but the key is it’s valuable to someone.
And the more people who receive it, the more money the entrepreneur makes.
To become an online entrepreneur, you must understand the problems people want solved, and solve them.
Identify Problems to Solve
For an aspiring entrepreneur, the best outcome for a business idea happens when the target customer’s problem aligns with one the entrepreneur has already solved, usually for themselves, and are ready to help instruct others on how to do it.
But you can also earn online income by having an interest in an area where others need the information, and have no time to get it. If you are willing to put in the time, and do the work, you are one step ahead of the members of your eventual paying community.
You can also be a middle-person between someone who has already solved the problem, and people you know want to find out about it. For example, there are plenty of travel sites offering guidance to destinations all over the world, and they have ads on their pages, probably making some money just for giving their opinions.
More robust offerings may go deep into a subject like dieting or healthcare, and amass a following by providing practical advice that cannot be found elsewhere.
And others still simply test and promote products, but do it with a commitment to content – posting text, images and videos every day, sometimes multiple times a day, to a growing audience that comes to rely on their advice.
You don’t have to invent the product yourself, there are plenty of sellers looking for affiliates. But you do have to be in the position where the ‘eyeballs’ fall, and either be selling the product directly from that point, or benefiting from advertisers who want to get to the audience you build by providing great content.
If you are looking at online business, you can be any one of these people. Start where you have an ‘in’ and can get some money flowing immediately and build from there. In Napoleon Hill’s great classic, Think and Grow Rich, he counseled readers to find personal services people need, that’s one thing people will always pay for.
Start somewhere…
Look at Google and Amazon search trends. People are literally making requests all day long, looking for information, products and services to fulfill a need.
Ask around. Look around. The possibilities are endless.
The idea that ‘everything has been done’ is over-ridden every day by the fact that new businesses are always succeeding, and new ideas emerge every minute.
Why You Need Two-Incomes
The impact of the pandemic has already started. With millions of women staying out of the workforce to care for children, or elderly, there is a need for every person to earn more.
And an online business provides the perfect opportunity.
Plus, once you know what to do in the online arena where you choose to play, you can do it over and over again.
Your other consideration is simply the cost-of-living. After the housing crash in 2008, the prediction was people would not risk their income on sprawling homes in the suburbs again, but instead would revitalize the less expensive inner city. And for a minute that was true.
The 21st Century List of Costs
But now after the pandemic, it’s back to the suburbs…and even further. If you no longer have to commute, you want to be in the most comfortable space, and apparently that means, far away from everyone else.
Demand will drive rising home prices, and the amount someone has to pay will increase, or they will not find a place. That will be the reality.
You’ll want to upgrade your car to electric, upsource your food to local and home-grown, change your child’s schooling to private tutors, and have personalized medical care.
And after seeing the suffering of retirees in group homes during the pandemic, another wave of concern swept those who will not have enough to live safely on their own as they age. Up goes the price of elder care, and the demand of those who want it to be safe, comfortable and healthy.
When you go to travel, you’ll be competing with the new wealthy and rising middle class of countries from Estonia to Chile to Tanzania and back again. Everyone wants to see the Mona Lisa, and you will have to get in line. And let’s not forget the places that are threatening to close to idle travelers, you’ll need more money to see Venice, Machu Pichu or the islands of Belize.
Every aspect of the American Dream has already begun to fade away.
Rethink How to Get Your American Dream
The picket fence house in the suburbs…unaffordable…
College…unaffordable without debt…
Solid wage job with benefits…maybe independent contractor on your own…
Retirement…a stressful strain without a cushion.
Yet, the last clinging hope remains to the ideal of a middle class, where tens of millions live a comfortable life.
But the definition of ‘comfortable’ will be changed to mean ‘managed’ as a certain taxpayer-assisted core of the workforce gets by on subsidies and credits designed to keep them afloat.
Another core will accelerate forward to adventures unknown, properties unseen, and generational wealth everlasting.
The ‘middle’ will only remain independent, self-sufficient and comfortable, if each individual generates two incomes – typically one from the public workspace and the other from an online venture – and continues to do so throughout their working lives.
Decide On Your Next Action
Turn now to develop your second income stream from an online platform, or hope against hope that the swarming tide does not catch you going the wrong way.
The window to benefit from the available technology tools and open global marketplace is right now. And the need to begin the process is acute.
The two-income individual will be a fact of life, not a burden, but an opportunity to ensure that you are on the wealth side of the income gap, and benefiting not only from the revenue you are earning, but the value you are delivering to those who were just waiting for you to put your talent to work to help them.
Disclosure: Links to books and products are affiliate links that earn for eligible purchases at no additional cost to you.
Wantrepreneurs Top 5 Excuses and How to Defeat Them
Wantrepreneurs are always wanting because by definition, they are thinking and dreaming about becoming an entrepreneur, but not taking the necessary actions to move forward.
That’s where the ‘want’ comes from, and where it stays.
The challenge for an aspiring entrepreneur is to recognize this conflict, and defeat it!
The Excuses
The top 5 excuses Wantrepreneurs make for not starting an online business are a mixture of internal and external environmental conflicts.
1. Time
Wantrepreneurs say: I don’t have enough time to work on my business…
Lack of time is one of the top excuses wantrepreneurs make for not getting started. But in a world where everyone has access to multiple time saving devices, the excuse falls flat. There are many ways to gain more time in today’s world. From learning how to use schedulers, to outsourcing simple tasks, productive people have expanded the amount of time they use, not shortened it.
This excuse only needs 15 minutes a day to conquer. You can get up earlier, go to bed later, turn off streaming videos, put away the games, and start working on your business. You will quickly find that the more time you put in to work, the more time you will be motivated to find.
2. Money
Wantrepreneurs say: I don’t have enough money to start a business…
When a wantrepreneur says they have never started a business because of a lack of money, my first question is…how much money do you need?
No one is able to answer this question.
Not having enough money to get started is a myth, built over years by people who do not know the stories of entrepreneurs, and just assume…after they see them with money that they must have had money to start. But that’s rarely true.
Entrepreneurs are resourceful. If they don’t have money, they identify where they money will come from, or create the circumstances that generate money. For example, instead of assuming they are building a grand enterprise from day one, they start small and deliver a product that does not cost a lot to start. And then they build their enterprise later.
Decide on how much money you want, then you will find what you need to get started.
3. Connections
Wantrepreneurs say: I don’t have the connections all those other people must have…
Just like with the issue of money, wantrepreneurs see a successful entrepreneur with an impressive network and assume it always had to be that way.
But in fact, many entrepreneurs are isolated and alone. Their quest to start a business shuts them off from their network, because typically friends and family are content to go along with the status quo, and do not understand the entrepreneurial process. Many think it’s too risky, and not worth the stress and responsibility
If you don’t think you have the ‘right’ network, you’re going to have to create it. Find out who might be an entrepreneur you can connect with, and ask them for a sit-down. Prepare your questions, think of genuine questions you want answered about the entrepreneurial journey.
If you don’t know anyone, read books about entrepreneurs and how they got started, watch videos, listen to their podcast interviews, and see what they say on social media. You can spend all your time with the network of your choice by choosing to be with them, and not with those who are not the pursuing the future you want to have.
4. Business Idea
Wantrepreneurs say: I’m not sure about my idea, everyone with laugh at me…
Everyone laughed at pretty much every world changing entrepreneur you can think of. It has been the challenge for entrepreneurs to stay committed to their plans in the face of a backlash. And usually that commitment comes from knowing that they’re right.
An entrepreneur sees an opportunity in the global marketplace…that’s the beginning. But unlike most people who may talk about an idea, the entrepreneur actually allocates their own resources – time and money – to trying to make the idea work.
People may laugh but they do not see what you see. So the best way to conquer this excuse is to actually bring your idea forward into the light, and let the opportunity speak for itself
5. Getting Started
Wantrepreneurs say: I don’t know how to get started…
The best way to get started is just to start. Yes, that might sound trite, but it’s true. Take 15 minutes today and research your business idea. Look up: How to start a [add your business here] online business, and take notes on the information you find.
Congratulations! You have started your business. If you keep spending time every day, 10 to 15 minutes, you will soon find that the momentum of having that daily routine makes you want to spend more time. As you learn more about how you could implement your business idea, you will become more confident.
If you want an action-by-action guide to getting started, check out my book Recast: The Aspiring Entrepreneur’s Practical Guide to Getting Started With An Online Business. You can learn exactly how to set the foundation for moving forward. The information may surprise you.
Understand Your Fear
For the most, your wantrepreneur excuses for not getting started with your online business are just saying you fear the unknown, and lack the confidence to try something new. Perhaps you don’t know how to be successful, because you don’t know what to do.
But the fact is, if you want any chance at all of having your business, you must do something. you know the outcome of doing nothing…is nothing, so by doing something you at least give yourself a 50/50 chance to have everything you want.
But if you don’t get started, you will never know if you could get there.
Learn How to Move Forward
If your online business idea has a strong why – you are more likely to remain committed and interested in making sure it’s a successful enterprise. Decide which factors are driving your interest in your business, and focus on those ideas whenever you think about moving on.
Getting your online business idea to work is a long game. You need persistence and the willingness to absorb the unsuccessful starts as learning experiences so that you can build on them and keep going.
Remember you are creating your business to deliver value, to fill a gap you see, or to make sure people have what they need. Set a plan and execute on the plan.…that’s how anything gets done.
Give yourself a chance
Summary
The Top 5 Excuses Wantrepreneurs Make to Stay Forever Wanting to Become entrepreneurs are:
- I don’t have enough time to work on my business…
- I don’t have enough money to start a business…
- I don’t have the connections all those other people must have…
- I’m not sure about my idea, everyone with laugh at me…
- I don’t know how to get started…
And How to Defeat Them
- Read Recast for the first ten actions to take, and personal development books for your mindset
- Focus on your Why…what is driving you to create a business
- Consider the value you will be delivering
- Set a plan for your life…execute on the plan…that’s how anything gets done
- Give yourself a chance
DISCLOSURE: Links to ebooks and physical products are Amazon affiliate links that earn for eligible purchases at no additional cost to you.
What is Guest Podcasting?
by Case Lane
In a Mexican telenovela, aka a television soap opera, you can occasionally see that when a major movie star or esteemed talent or famous personality decides to make a guest appearance, the credits will say something like…
…we welcome to television, the great…- name of person-…
Or if it’s a former star who has not done TV for awhile…then the credits will acknowledge…
…we welcome back to television – name of person – …
The guest star is elevated to a kind of reverential position – a proud, open armed moment of mutual accomplishment and acclaim.
And the terms ‘Guest Star’ or ‘Guest Starring’ or even better ‘Special Guest Star’ or ‘Special Guest Appearance by’ are all used regularly, especially by Hollywood productions, to signal to viewers that someone has joined the cast temporarily to bring new interest and life to the show.
The guest star is a welcome visitor in a mutually beneficial position for the host and guest.
If you guest podcast, that is the role you will play.
The Guest Star Role
Guest podcasting is appearing on a podcast for an interview or conversations, or sometimes to teach, entertain or provide commentary or analysis. The guest’s role is to add value to the show by providing new insights outside of the normal routine and intentions.
Anyone with valuable communication to share should consider guest podcasting. There are now nearly two million podcasts, many with conversations covering almost every topic imaginable.
While established public speakers or subject matter experts may be the first to think of the podcast stage as an opportunity to spread their message, aspiring entrepreneurs should not overlook the possibility of building an audience and testing ideas in a public space.
The Opportunity for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
As an aspiring entrepreneur, if you have a business idea, then you likely recognized a problem that needs to be solved, and you have a solution. Since you are planning on building a business, you are going to need to inform your potential customers of your proposed solution.
Guest podcasting is one of the best ways to raise your visibility. From the podcast stage, you can grow your audience, expand your authority and influence, promote your product or service, enhance your brand or marketing…or any of several other benefits.
You may not immediately know what your impact will be, but if your audience begins to grow after you start guest podcasting, you will receive feedback that determines how influential you have been.
Collaborate With the Podcast Host
Guest podcasting is a two-way street…always. You provide value to the audience, and some of them may follow up with you, or look for your products. Therefore when requesting an interview, potential guests should focus on the content and value they offer.
In a 15, 30 or 60 minute segment, your product or service is secondary to delivering on the outcomes the audience is seeking. You have to know what the audience is expecting to hear, and why they are listening to that specific podcast.
When you set out to guest podcast, do your homework. Research the podcast you are pitching for an interview, and make sure you know the kinds of topics that are covered by the host. You do not want to repeat a topic that was already covered on the show. You want to demonstrate why your work is different.
Guest podcasting means finding those differentiators so that you can engage in a more fulfilling conversation with your host. And your appearance may extend beyond the interview, by leading to other opportunities, collaborations, or projects with your new growing network of podcast friends.
The D-I-Y Process for Finding Podcasts That Fit Your Subject
You can decide how to use guest podcasting as part of your business strategy, by looking for podcasts that are a relevant fit for your topic, confirming that you might be a good guest, and reaching out to the podcaster to request an interview.
You can also become a successful podcast guest without hiring an agency, connecting with influencers, or networking, by following this Do-It-Yourself process that uses the podcast directories to find relevant shows.
Select Keywords
After deciding on the topics you want to cover on the show, select keywords that reflect your subject area, and related topics.
For example, if you’re an expert on tulips – select keywords like flowers, gardening, fragrance, outdoor activity, and so on. Be as broad as possible because different podcasts will use different words to talk about similar subjects.
Search for Podcast Names
To find potential shows, search for podcast names in the podcast directories. The directories are online databases where podcasts are listed. Directories include the podcast apps like Apple or Spotify, as well as websites that provide podcast information.
The best directories for search are those that return sufficient information on initial search – that is after entering a keyword in the search bar – that allow you to make a decision about whether to continue researching the show.
Looking at hundreds of podcasts in directories can be time consuming. But if you do the work yourself, or outsource the work to someone who reports to you, you give yourself an opportunity to find more shows than an agency typically delivers.
You also connect directly to the podcaster, increasing your chances for follow-up or additional collaboration. Podcasters often report receiving pitches that do not fit their show, if you do the work yourself, you improve your chance of making a good impression based on the research you have conducted.
Read Relevant Details
When searching in the directories, check the last episode upload date. Many shows are no longer active, and as an interviewee, you only want to spend time researching active shows that are conducting interviews.
If the show is active, read the description. Show descriptions vary from a few lines to multiple paragraphs. But if the information looks promising, check the show page for more details.
On the show page, read episode descriptions to verify that the show has interview episodes. Also check the episode duration.
When researching the show details, take some time to listen to a few episodes to learn how information is presented, and how the host likes to manage the show.
Find Contact Information
Once you have covered all the research points, if you are still interested, begin searching for contact information for the host or show. Some show pages provide links to the website or an email.
Check the Show or Host Website
Always look at the show or host website to see if there is a podcast guest interview submission process that you should follow.
If there is a specific process, this indicates the show is open to interviews. If there is no form to complete, you can still look for an email address or contact page on the website.
Many shows, especially the most popular, have no contact information. You can try to reach out on social media, or through their other previous guests.
But remember there are thousands of shows to consider, so if contact information remains elusive, move on to the next show.
Send Your Pitch
Once all the above points have led you to a relevant podcast, send your pitch and wait to hear. Many podcasters receive hundreds of pitches, and will not respond to every email. But if you think a show is absolutely perfect, you can probably follow up after around 3 to 6 months.
Seize the Opportunity Now
Guest podcasting is one of the most important activities you can do to get your work in front of new audiences. And you can find podcasts on your own, by reaching out to podcasters to create your own network of podcasting opportunities.
Summary
- Guest podcasting is appearing on a podcast show – to add value to that show’s audience.
- A guest podcast appearance is typically for an interview, but you can also have a conversation, teach, entertain or give analysis on your subject.
- Prepare your message. You must have something to say, and be willing to work with the podcast host to make a great show.
- Utilize the asset. You can promote your appearance to your audience as an example of your expertise, and to those who are interested in your work, as an example of what you do
- Find relevant shows for guest podcasting by doing your own search
- Create a list of keywords that match your subject
- Use the podcast directories to look for shows that match your keywords
- Check the last episode upload date – to make sure you only research active shows
- Go to the show page and check the episode descriptions and duration
- Look for links to the website or email to find the host or show contact information.
- Research the show by looking at the show or host website, listening to at least one or two episodes, and confirming that your topic would be valuable to the audience
- Send your pitch and get ready to enjoy the benefits of guest podcasting
For more information: Listen to the Podcast Discovery series of the Ready Entrepreneur podcast, episodes 92 to 97 that was posted in late September through October 2020.
Click the show graphic to go to Episode 92 for the Podcast Discovery Series Introduction on Apple Podcasts
- If you want to get started with guest podcasting, go to podcastgueststar.com/blueprint, to get your copy of my comprehensive guide to finding, researching and contacting podcasts for an interview.
On a recent Russell Brunson webinar, I started reading the chat. I would not normally do this, but Russell, the Co-Founder of ClickFunnels, was telling a story I had already heard, and the chat was going ballistic about it.
Essentially, many of those who chose to chat were complaining (or spamming) instead of listening. In a world where they are attending webinars, apparently because they are desperate to learn how to generate leads, they were complaining about the teaching approach from a man generating a $100 million dollars a year and counting…up!
This was teaching being offered for free to help aspiring entrepreneurs get where they want to go.
The Zoom call was left open after the presentation and I was able to read the entire chat feed. I had never seen this type of negative commentary on a webinar before, and I was stunned.
What’s happening to everyone?
Is Entrepreneurship Exclusive…?
Entrepreneurship is the critical engine needed for our progress and prosperity. Entrepreneurs are people who solve problems and deliver solutions.
But for the first time, I noticed that a segment of those who are interested enough in starting a business to sign up for a webinar on how to generate leads, appear to be no longer patient enough to grasp the information they need to be successful.
Yet they fail to recognize the irony.
They are the ones who are broke, hate their jobs, and stuck in a pattern of life they cannot stand. They are the ones who want out.
Yet they also apparently want the path to be cleared for them, decorated as they see fit, and playing their music.
Our society is in for a world of hurt if the people who want to be entrepreneurs no longer have the drive, perseverance, courage, and commitment necessary to make business work in the 21st century.
If they too are looking for a shortcut.
I would hate to think we are stuck with the companies, organizations and ideas, we have now because the likes of future Russell Brunsons no longer know how to listen.
In fact, if that’s what’s happening…that attention spans have really dropped to zero…then we are doomed.
…Or is Being an Entrepreneur Critical?
While many people may be angry about 2020 and the disruption to their plans, others assessed the situation and thrived. And many of those people who were able to make the most of a pandemic year are online entrepreneurs.
The pandemic actually allowed the already growing force of technology and access to the global market to become ‘normal,’ and solidified a future economy based on Internet practices.
Whether that terrifies or excites people is not the point, it has happened, and it’s here to stay.
For anyone…literally anyone…who has ever thought about getting a business started, you are living in the best time in history to jump right in.
The Internet is young enough that it can still be molded and shaped by individual actions; but it’s old enough to have an endless stack of free resources that allow you to learn anything you need to know about how to get started.
When I first started in the game just four years ago, I had no idea how to move forward.
Now an aspiring entrepreneur has no excuse.
Fear, Excuse or Something Else?
Except for the ones so often used…to avoid actually doing the work.
That excuse is typically coated in sympathy expected language like: ‘I don’t have enough time,’ or ‘I don’t have enough money’ or ‘I don’t understand technology’ or ‘I don’t want to be a sleazy salesman’ or ‘There’s too much competition,’ or ‘Everything’s already been done.’
To be fair, one of the challenges for aspiring entrepreneurs is that too many people, including the famous gurus, often claim the path is ‘easy’ especially if you buy their course and do exactly what they do.
The problem is no one can do exactly what they did. The technical or foundational work may be the same, but there is always something else – especially when it comes to the actual business idea.
An aspiring entrepreneur needs to adapt their idea to the current environment. And when the adaptation does not work, they have to try again some other way, and again, and again, and again, and again…and that takes work. That’s the part so many people miss, and few ever talk about.
With millions posting images every day of an Instagram lifestyle of luxury and comfort generated by online riches, many aspiring entrepreneurs want to jump straight in to that scene, and fail to acknowledge the part about actually creating a business.
Even if the business is taking beautiful pictures of yourself and consistently posting them on Instagram…that’s still more work than the typical person who is trying to decide what to watch next on Netflix.
But if you are looking at that lifestyle, and you have business ideas in your head, or you have always wanted to be an entrepreneur, you have to make a move forward.
Just coveting the lifestyle without actually doing the work will not help you achieve success.
Decide to Be Successful
I can already guess that the process Russell teaches in his webinar challenge will work. I create and buy from sales funnels all the time.
But if you don’t know anything about the process, and you sign up for the webinar, you should listen and learn.
If you are an aspiring entrepreneur because you want the professional satisfaction, financial security and lifestyle freedom that comes with being you own boss then, guess what…the only way you are going to be successful is to do the work.
Doing the work is the only common denominator among the world’s successful entrepreneurs.
Nothing else matters. Not background, circumstances, gender, ethnicity, location, education, experience…nothing. All they have in common is that they did the work.
They learned what needed to be done…often from those who have done it before, and applied those learnings to their own ideas and situation. That’s the path. It has not changed.
Aspiring entrepreneurs who do not want to listen, and do not want to do the work will not be successful. The word ‘aspiring’ will never fall off their bio page. And their lot in life will not change.
The only way to reverse this inevitability is to actually pay attention, model and refine what works, adapt your idea to your audience and situation, and get the job done.
If you are ready to move forward, join our Dominate 2021 Mastermind group for FREE and get your online business started in 90 days! Starts January 16, 2021, register here: http://dominatetheyear.com/
If you are trying to get organized to become an online entrepreneur, read Recast: The Aspiring Entrepreneur’s Practical Guide to Getting Started With An Online Business. Click here to download at Amazon.com.
Links to the 5 Day Lead Challenge, ClickFunnels and Amazon.com are affiliate links. I earn for eligible purchases at no additional cost to you.
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