"It just seemed fun and easy—and I really didn’t have anything to lose."

That moment of curiosity led Andreea Matei into the world of the Amazon Influencer Program, and two years later, she’s turned it into a six-figure revenue stream. In this episode, Andreea breaks down exactly how she did it—from shooting 30-second videos to building multiple income streams, all without ever needing to show her face on camera. If you’ve ever wanted a realistic and accessible side hustle (or full-blown business), this one’s for you.

Andreea Matei is a seasoned Amazon Influencer who’s made over $140,000 in two years by reviewing products from her home (and her sister’s). A former marketer turned ecommerce expert, she now teaches others how to succeed with this surprisingly low-barrier income model.

We Also Talked About:

• What the Amazon Influencer Program is—and why it’s different from affiliate marketing
• How to get approved (even if you don’t have a massive following)
• The types of videos that perform best (hint: you can stay behind the camera)
• Smart strategies for choosing which products to review
• Breaking into paid brand collaborations and free product offers
• How to leverage your influencer content across platforms like YouTube
• Common mistakes to avoid when applying and creating your first videos
• How Andreea’s course helps beginners accelerate their Amazon Influencer journey
  
  

My newsletter is for people who need a way to make money from home so they can build a better life for themselves and their families.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Six Figure Reviewer: Amazon Influencer Edition Course
• Launch Grow Joy (Andreea’s main site): launchgrowjoy.com
• Find Andreea on all platforms: @launchgrowjoy

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"I tell people: Google's a machine, not a person. You have to feed it the right signals." 

In this episode of the Online Business Launchpad podcast, Trudy sits down with SEO expert Brandon Leibowitz, founder of SEO Optimizers, who’s spent the last 15+ years helping small and medium businesses turn clicks into conversions. With his no-fluff approach to SEO, Brandon demystifies what it really takes to get your website found online, and why most entrepreneurs are spinning their wheels with outdated tactics.

Brandon’s journey started with a job board internship, evolved into a side hustle, and eventually became a thriving agency. He shares practical, real-world strategies that don’t require a PhD in Google wizardry, just a little consistency, common sense, and a willingness to test and tweak.

We Also Talked About:

• Why SEO isn’t about “tricking” Google—it’s about talking its language
• The biggest mistakes small businesses make with their websites
• How backlinks really work—and how not to get burned
• Why posting on social media is not a substitute for good SEO
• The long game of content marketing (and why most people give up too soon)
• What to look for (and avoid) when hiring an SEO consultant
• How Brandon scaled his business without going the agency route
  
  

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• SEO Optimizers - Brandon’s website
• Ubersuggest – for keyword research
• Google Search Console – for tracking how Google sees your site
• MozBar – for checking on-site SEO and backlinks
  
  

Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business? My newsletter is for business owners who miss having weekends — and sanity. Sign up here and start reclaiming both.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if the only thing standing between you and success was a mindset shift? According to entrepreneur, Nicky Billou, 

"Without sales, there's no business. And if you're scared of sales, you're scared of service." 

In this episode, we dive into what it means to truly serve in business and how shifting your mindset can transform not only your revenue but also your impact.

Nicky’s journey is inspiring. From leaving Iran as a teenager to becoming a best-selling author and highly sought-after business coach, he shares how his father’s values of generosity and service shaped his approach to business. He reveals how entrepreneurs can overcome their fear of selling, connect with clients authentically, and build a business rooted in service rather than stress.

We Also Talked About:

• The life-changing mindset shift that took a client from making $2K a month to $20K
• How to stop seeing sales as “sales” and start seeing it as an act of love and service
• Why belief in your clients is the foundation of their success
• The four must-have qualities for any entrepreneur serious about growth
• How to attract your ideal clients using Nicky’s 11-channel strategy
• The critical difference between knowing what to do and actually doing it
• How Nicky’s personal struggles with business and life led him to coaching
• The importance of having a coach and being coachable in business growth

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Nicky’s website:  https://www.ecircleacademy.com/
• Nicky’s podcast:  https://www.thethoughtleaderrevolution.com/episodes
• Book:  Get Booked & Get Paid: How To Generate 6 Figures+ A Year, Through Podcast Guesting

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I was working way more than I should have been—and it was my husband who sat me down and said, ‘This family is going to break if you don’t make a change."

For Donna Dube, a former ICU nurse turned business operations expert, that moment was a wake-up call. In this episode, Donna shares how she transformed her life by setting boundaries, leveraging time management strategies, and focusing on what she calls “CEO-level work.” Her insights can help you escape the busywork trap and build a business that works for you, not the other way around.

We Also Talked About:

• The wake-up call that helped Donna reclaim her time and set boundaries.
• How to use a time audit to uncover inefficiencies and regain control of your schedule.
• Breaking tasks into “maintenance” vs. “growth” categories to maximize ROI.
• How fractional support roles like a Director of Operations can help entrepreneurs grow.
• The importance of identifying your hourly rate and delegating low-value tasks.
• Using tools like AI to simplify workflows and boost productivity.
• Why Donna loves "Atomic Habits" and "Traction" for transforming your business and life.

Want to be notified when new episodes come up? Sign up to my newsletter here.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Download Donna’s free CEO Power Hour Playbook at https://ceoamplify.ca/ceo-power-hour
• Explore Donna’s other services at ceoamplify.ca.
• Books: 
• Atomic Habits by James Clear (affiliate link)
• Traction by Gino Wickman (affiliate link)

Want regular access to tips, techniques, and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Den López was sick of missing time with his family and craved the freedom to pursue his passion.  So he left his 16-year career as a mechanic and built his dream business teaching guitar.

“I needed something I could get control of,” he said 

Tune in to discover how Den turned his passion for teaching into a thriving online business and how you can apply his insights to your own journey.

Den Lopez is an innovative guitar teacher and the creator of the "Guitar in One Hour" method. With over 25 years of experience playing guitar and a high success rate for his students, Den has built a thriving business that transforms beginners and frustrated guitarists into confident players. His passion for making music accessible has inspired countless students worldwide.

We Also Talked About:

• The emotional trigger that pushed Den to leave his 16-year career as a mechanic to pursue his passion for teaching guitar.

• How a family musical tradition shaped Den’s approach to teaching and his belief that anyone can make music.

• Why 95% of people quit learning the guitar and how Den’s innovative system simplifies the process.

• The role of breaking false beliefs and the importance of finding a mentor to succeed in both music and business.

• Insights into how Den built his business from scratch while balancing work and family life.

• A fascinating story of resilience and passion: Batman, rope, and the leap of faith needed to break free from job security.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Den’s "Beginner Guitarist Playbook" – Get your free copy at learningguitarsecrets.com/free 

• Russell Brunson’s One Funnel Away Challenge - https://www.onefunnelaway.com/ 

• Django Reinhardt – Iconic gypsy jazz guitarist - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ308aOOX04 

• Shane Sams – Entrepreneur and founder of Flipped Lifestyle - https://www.flippedlifestyle.com/ 

• Pat Flynn – Entrepreneur and founder of the SPI community - https://onlinebusinessliftoff.com/SPI-Community (affiliate link)

Get regular access to tips, techniques, and advice from myself and other experts about growing your business.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you ever feel like you’re on a hamster wheel, always serving clients but never finding the time to grow your own business? As veteran Chief Marketing Officer Victoria Hajjar puts it, “It’s the biggest mistake you can make for your future—neglecting to build your own marketing engine.” 

So are you ready to build a marketing engine that works for you instead of the other way around? 

Tune in to this week’s episode  and listen as Victoria shares how you can move from burnout to brilliance with a 24/7 marketing flywheel that scales your business and frees up your time. 

Victoria Hajjar is a seasoned Fractional Chief Marketing Officer with nearly 15 years of experience helping women founders transition their businesses from six to seven figures. Having built ROI-focused marketing systems for entrepreneurs worldwide, Victoria has mastered the art of creating sustainable growth strategies tailored to resource-limited businesses.

Be sure to sign up for my newsletter to stay updated on future episodes. 

WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT:

• Why mindset matters: The hidden psychological barriers holding entrepreneurs back from investing in their marketing systems.

• The 24/7 Marketing Flywheel: A six-step framework that transforms your marketing into a self-sustaining engine.

• Building the right team: How to hire help strategically, even on a tight budget.

• Leadership habits: Why quarterly reviews and weekly meetings (even with yourself) are non-negotiable for success.

• Niching down: How specificity in your marketing can lead to exponential results online.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Victoria Hajjar’s End Marketing Overwhelm Guide

• Victoria’s LinkedIn Profile: Connect with Victoria

Want regular access to tips, techniques, and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up to my newsletter here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“AI is moving at light speed, but it’s not here to replace people. It’s here to augment our expertise and make us more efficient.” – Sami Hero

In this episode of the Online Business Launchpad podcast, Sami Hero, a seasoned expert in AI and technology, unpacks how small businesses can leverage AI without getting lost in the complexity. From streamlining customer service to creating targeted marketing campaigns, Sami shares practical advice for business owners on using AI to solve real problems and improve efficiency.

Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or a growing team, Sami’s insights will help you harness AI to work smarter, not harder.

WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT

• How Sami’s early career in semantic search and AI laid the groundwork for his expertise.
• Tips on using accessible tools like Pictory.ai and Synthesia to create video content and enhance your marketing without breaking the bank.
• AI’s impact on accessibility, enabling visually impaired users to engage with online content more seamlessly.
• Why starting with a specific use case is the best way to approach AI for small business needs.
• The challenges of AI “hallucinations” (generating incorrect information) and how to manage biases in data.
• Building a cohesive, cost-effective tech stack without overwhelming your team.
• How AI can improve customer service and streamline internal operations, allowing small teams to achieve more.

Want to be notified when new episodes come up? Sign up here: Online Business Liftoff Newsletter

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Pictory:  https://pictory.ai  – Quickly turn articles or blog posts into engaging videos.
• Synthesia:  https://synthesia.io  – An AI tool for generating videos with digital avatars.
• Lex Page:  https://lex.page  – A writing tool for generating drafts and AI-assisted editing.
• Napkin:  https://napkin.ai  – Quickly transform ideas into presentations.
• Cassidy:  https://cassidy.ai  – For building complex, AI-driven workflows.
• AWS Rekognition – https://aws.amazon.com/rekognition/  - Amazon’s image recognition service for identifying objects and enhancing accessibility.

Want regular access to tips, techniques, and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here: Online Business Liftoff Newsletter

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine navigating the online world without being able to see it. For most of us, it's a quick look, click, and scroll. But for Maxwell Ivey, who is blind, accessing the digital world takes screen readers, patience, and grit.

In this episode, Max reveals his journey from learning to code out of necessity (while blind) to founding the Accessibility Advantage Consultancy, which advocates for a truly inclusive digital experience. Max's story is a testament to the power of resilience, adaptability, and why accessibility isn’t just important—it’s essential.

Max (aka "the Blind Blogger,") has been breaking barriers online since 2007. With over a decade of experience navigating digital spaces as a visually impaired entrepreneur, Max now educates business owners on the power of accessibility through his consultancy.

He's also an Eagle Scout, an author, a speaker, and a podcast host, leveraging his personal journey to make digital spaces more inclusive.

WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT

• The unique challenges and tools Max uses to navigate the web as a blind business owner.

• How AI is making strides in accessibility but still has a long way to go.

• The critical role of screen readers, adaptive tech, and accessible web design for inclusivity.

• Practical steps small business owners can take to improve their site’s accessibility.

• Max’s advice on overcoming barriers, finding support, and building a business with disabilities.

• Why designing for keyboard navigation first can make your site more accessible to all users.

• How product accessibility reviews and his work with AudioEye impact the lives of visually impaired users.

Have a listen to this interesting episode with Maxwell Ivey to discover how you can make your business more accessible and inclusive.

Want to be notified when new episodes come up?  Sign up to get notifications, tips, stories and advice for growing your online business. 

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Max's Accessibility Advantage Consultancy - https://theaccessibilityadvantage.com/ 

• The Blind Blogger - https://theblindblogger.net   

• AudioEye - https://www.audioeye.com 

• Wave Accessibility Checker - https://wave.webaim.org

• LEGO Braille Bricks - https://www.lego.com/en-au/theme/braille-bricks/about

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever wonder how you could build a seven-figure business purely through SEO? Edd Dawson has done it—and he’s here to share how. He’s cracked the code on driving millions of visitors to websites, generating serious revenue, and selling his businesses for over a million dollars. If you’ve ever questioned whether SEO is still relevant in a world of AI dominance, this episode is for you. Edd dives into how SEO has evolved and its future alongside AI advancements.

Edd Dawson is a 20-year veteran of the SEO industry, having launched one of the UK's first broadband comparison sites. He has built and sold multiple high-traffic websites and continues to operate a seven-figure portfolio today. His experience spans SEO, affiliate marketing, and software as a service (SaaS) tools, making him the perfect guide to navigate today’s digital landscape.

WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT:

• The evolution of SEO from early internet days to its current role alongside AI.
• The key to building SEO strategies around user questions instead of chasing high-volume keywords.
• How AI is affecting SEO and what it means for search engines like Google.
• The importance of creating human-centered content for both users and large language models like ChatGPT.
• Why writing expert-level content is crucial for future SEO success.
• The shift in the affiliate and display advertising landscape due to Google's updates.
• How to balance content creation between selling and educating audiences.

You won’t want to miss this fascinating conversation with SEO expert Edd Dawson. Tune in now, and if you want to stay in the loop on upcoming episodes, sign up here. 

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Edd Dawson's SEO tool: Keywords People Use
• Edd’s website:  edddawson.com 

Want regular access to tips, techniques, and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Confidence doesn't magically appear overnight. It’s built step by step, just like a muscle. In this episode, you'll discover nine actionable habits that will help you silence your inner critic and move forward with unwavering confidence. Ready to strengthen your confidence muscle?

This episode dives into nine essential habits that help build lasting confidence, from breaking down intimidating tasks to celebrating small wins and learning from rejection.

Want to learn how to build lasting confidence? Listen to this episode now! 

Want to be notified when new episodes come up? Sign up here.

Resources Mentioned:

• The Power of Small Wins (Harvard Business Review article by Teresa M. Amabile and Stephen J. Kramer)
• No time to listen?  Read the blog post that this episode is based on

Invitation: Want regular access to tips, techniques, and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever had one of those days where everything goes wrong? That was me a few weeks when I realized – with a sinking heart – that I hadn’t hit the record button after a brilliant interview with my guest, Jason Willis-Lee. Fortunately, he graciously agreed to a redo, and I’m thrilled because his journey from studying medicine to becoming a thriving freelance medical translator is full of insights. If you’ve ever wondered about niching down, adapting to AI, or growing a freelance business, Jason’s got answers for you.

Jason Willis-Lee has been a professional medical translator for over 20 years, working with clients across the globe. Not only does he have a strong background in life sciences, but he’s also transitioned into mentoring other translators looking to build their businesses. His wealth of experience makes him the perfect guide for anyone interested in building a successful translation career.

WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT

• How Jason pivoted from studying medicine to becoming a full-time translator and why niching down was a game-changer for him.
• The real impact of AI on the translation industry and how freelancers can leverage it instead of fearing it.
• Why working in-house before going freelance might be the smartest move for new translators.
• How to build your portfolio and attract clients even without a website.
• The importance of leveraging cultural nuances and why spending time in your source language country is crucial.
• Jason’s advice on handling imposter syndrome and how to avoid the “jack of all trades” trap.
• The myths about the translation business, including why you don’t need a fancy website to make a six-figure income.

CALL TO ACTION

If you’re ready to learn the ins and outs of the translation industry, this episode is for you! Listen now and be sure to sign up to be notified about upcoming episodes. 

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Jason’s book: How to Find More Direct Clients (affiliate link)
• Jason’s website: EntrepreneurialTranslator.com
• LinkedIn: Jason Willis-Lee

Want regular access to tips, techniques, and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever felt like you're stuck on a never-ending launch hamster wheel, dreading the next big push for your course? Caitlin Bacher has been there. She went from launching flop after flop to discovering a game-changing strategy that turned her $297 course into a million-dollar powerhouse—all without the stress of launching. 

Curious as to how she did it? This episode is packed with practical insights that could save your sanity and skyrocket your sales.

Caitlin Bacher is not just another course creator; she’s a master of the Evergreen model, with over seven years of experience selling courses without launching. Her journey from social media manager to multi-million-dollar course creator has given her some fairly unique insights into sustainable business growth.

If you're looking to scale your business without the burnout of continuous launches, Caitlin is the expert to listen to.

We Also Talked About:

• The Transition from Launch to Evergreen: Why launching might not be the best strategy and how to start with an Evergreen funnel for steady revenue growth.
• Collecting and Analyzing Data: Learn how to make small, consistent tweaks to your funnel using data to improve your course sales.
• Overcoming Objections: The importance of addressing potential customer doubts and how to refine your messaging over time.
• Effective Organic Traffic Strategies: Why organic traffic should be your starting point and how to use it to fuel your Evergreen funnel.
• The Biggest Mistakes in Evergreen Funnels: Avoid common pitfalls when shifting from a live launch to an automated Evergreen funnel.

Don't miss out on the chance to revolutionize how you sell your course. Tune in to the full episode now, and be sure to sign up for notifications about upcoming episodes. 

Want to be notified when new episodes come up? Sign up here.

Resources Mentioned

• Caitlin Bacher’s Free Masterclass: How to Generate Launch-Sized Revenue Without Launching
• Caitlin Bacher’s Website: caitlinbacher.com
• Caitlin’s Podcast: Short episodes on sales, marketing, and Evergreen strategies

Want regular access to tips, techniques, and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this eye-opening episode, I sit down with Steve Anderson — risk expert and bestselling author of The Bezos Letters — to explore how hidden friction points quietly drain momentum from your business.

If you’re ready to clear the roadblocks standing between you and your customers, this episode is packed with practical insights to help you move faster, serve better, and grow smarter.

Steve Anderson brings decades of experience at the intersection of insurance, technology, and business growth strategy. He’s the author of The Bezos Letters: 14 Principles to Grow Your Business Like Amazon, a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller that’s been translated into 20 languages. With a sharp eye for spotting the patterns of business success and failure, Steve helps founders build businesses that last.

We Also Talked About:

• Why “obsessing over customers” is more than a catchphrase—it's a mindset shift
• The hidden cost of waiting too long to adopt new technology
• What Amazon’s “Day One” philosophy teaches us about staving off irrelevance
• Why 3rd-party sellers succeed—or get booted—on Amazon
• How to spot and remove friction points in your customer journey
• The real definition of a “successful failure” and why you need more of them
• Why innovation isn’t enough—and how invention powers real business growth
• How AI is changing the game (and why using it badly could be worse than not using it at all)

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Book:  The Bezos Letters: 14 Principles to Grow Your Business Like Amazon by Steve Anderson and Karen Anderson
• Steve’s website: thebezosletters.com
• Connect with Steve on LinkedIn: Steve Anderson

- 👉 My newsletter is for business owners who miss having weekends—and sanity.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever had a career plan that completely fell apart, only to lead you to something even better? Kirsty Boden-Stuart did. She quit her job to start an ad agency, which quickly fizzled out. But instead of giving up, she turned to writing to make ends meet—and accidentally stumbled into a whole new career as the Head of Marketing for one of London’s largest social care organizations. And then she started her own side hustle helping freelance writers start their careers. 

Curious how she made the leap? This episode is packed with gems you won’t want to miss.

Kirsty Boden-Stuart is a seasoned marketer with a background that’s anything but traditional. She’s built her expertise from the ground up, starting with writing online to support herself and eventually leading the marketing efforts for a major nonprofit. Kirsty brings a wealth of real-world experience and practical insights into how storytelling and positive framing can transform your marketing strategy.

WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT

• How Kirsty’s pivot from a failed startup to a marketing career shaped her approach to business.
• The importance of consistent content creation and how it helped Kirsty build her confidence and skills.
• Why positive storytelling is crucial in marketing, and how it engages your audience more effectively than fear-based tactics.
• The unexpected ways that embracing new challenges can lead to career transformation.

Tune in to this episode to learn from Kirsty’s incredible journey and get actionable tips for your own business. Want to be notified when new episodes come up? Sign up here.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Freelance Writers Online: The website Kirsty sold to Trudy that reignited Trudy’s love for writing.
• StoryBrand by Donald Miller (affiliate link): Mentioned as a framework for understanding storytelling in marketing.
• Write Like You Mean It:  Kirsty’s new website and newsletter.  

Want regular access to tips, techniques, and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever wondered how to truly understand your customers' needs? Suzanne Reilley faced the same challenge when she started as a personal trainer with no business background. Despite this, she successfully built a thriving business by mastering the art of listening to her clients. Curious about her journey and strategies? You’re in for a treat!

Suzanne Reilley is a seasoned business coach, marketing strategist, and copy advisor who has worked with hundreds of clients. Her expertise has been featured in prominent publications like The Washington Post and Daily Candy. Suzanne’s unique approach and proven track record make her a trusted guide in understanding and serving customers better.

• How to go beyond demographics and tap into your customers' hopes, dreams, fears, and aspirations.
• Using Amazon reviews, competitor social media comments, and client communication to uncover valuable customer insights.
• The importance of balancing personal development with business growth.
• Learning to write compelling messages that resonate with your audience using the customer’s words.
• Transitioning from a corporate mindset to an entrepreneurial one for greater success.

Don't miss this insightful episode with Suzanne Reilley! Tune in to learn how deeply understanding your customers can transform your business. 

Want to be notified when new episodes come up? Sign up here. 

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Suzanne’s website: Suzanne Reilley
• Content Calendar Mastery: Map out a year’s worth of engaging topics in 90 minutes or less

Get regular access to tips, techniques, and advice from experts about growing your business.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever found yourself frustrated with your podcast setup? Meet Junaid Ahmed, who transformed his cluttered basement into a top-notch studio during the pandemic. How did he do it? By merging his love for technology and film. Curious? Stick around to hear his fascinating journey and pro tips for setting up your own podcast studio.

Junaid Ahmed is a seasoned expert in podcast studio setup, with a rich background in technology, film, and graphic design. He has consulted over 200 individuals on optimizing their podcast spaces and is the author of the soon-to-be-released book, "Home Studio Mastery."

WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT:

• Junaid's journey from a tech-loving teenager to a podcast studio consultant.
• Tips for creating a distraction-free and professional podcast setup.
• The importance of reducing friction in your podcasting process.
• How to use your smartphone effectively for high-quality video and audio.
• Junaid's top recommendations for gear and setup improvements.

Don't miss out on this insightful episode with Junaid Ahmed! Listen now and transform your podcast setup. 

Want to be notified when new episodes come up? Sign up here.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Website:  https://homestudiomastery.com
• Get Junaid’s book on the 7 Stages of Home Studio Evolution: From Beginner to Broadcast Quality (Amazon affiliate link).  
• Or get it straight from Junaid:  https://homestudiomastery.com/product/book/7-stages-of-home-studio-evolution/ 
• SPI Pro Community:  https://onlinebusinessliftoff.com/spi-pro (affiliate link)

Want regular access to tips, techniques, and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever thought about how your current skills could be the key to your entrepreneurial success? Jacob Jacobson did just that when he transitioned from working in a church to starting his own business. He discovered that the marketing skills he honed in the church world were exactly what small businesses needed. Join us as Jacob shares his journey and the unique approach that has fueled his success.

Jacob Jacobson is the founder of CloudWorks, a thriving agency dedicated to helping small businesses establish a strong online presence. With a background in pastoral ministry and extensive experience in marketing, Jacob brings a unique blend of empathy and expertise to his clients. His focus on long-term relationships over one-time transactions has led to significant growth and loyal partnerships.

WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT

• Jacob’s initial pitch to collaborate with me and how it stood out.
• The evolution of his business from offering email setups to comprehensive website services.
• The challenges and rewards of growing an agency and building a remote team.
• How AI tools are integrated into his workflow to enhance client interactions.
• His insights on choosing the right clients and niching down in the market.
• Practical advice for startups and small businesses on when to invest in a custom website.

Don’t miss this this helpful episode with Jacob Jacobson! Listen now and sign up to be notified about upcoming episodes. 

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Jacob’s website: GetCloudWorks.com
• 7 Crucial Mistakes Resource:  https://resources.getcloudworks.com/7-mistakes-template-liftoff-podcast
• Website Teardown Submission Form:  https://getcloudworks.com/website-tear-down/

Get regular access to tips, techniques, and advice from myself and other experts about growing your business. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Frew is a seasoned engineer-turned-entrepreneur who specializes in acquiring SaaS (Software as a Service) businesses. In this episode, we dive into Michael's journey and his role in managing a portfolio of SaaS businesses for WebStreet. 

Michael shares the nitty-gritty of why buying a SaaS business is often better than building one and offers valuable insights on everything from the acquisition process to dealing with the psychological impact of selling a business. 

Whether you're a developer concerned about AI taking your job and looking for alternatives, or an aspiring entrepreneur, this episode is packed with actionable advice. 

We also talked about:

• Michael’s transition from developing to acquiring businesses and how it changed his career.
• The process and criteria Michael uses to identify and acquire SaaS businesses.
• The role of WebStreet in facilitating passive investments in software businesses.
• The importance of steady growth and business fit in successful acquisitions.
• Preparing for business acquisitions, including financial planning, due diligence, and transition planning.
• The impact of AI on the acquisition process and its potential for both internal improvements and external risks.
• Advice for potential operators and sellers, emphasizing mindset shifts and comprehensive business evaluation.

Tune in to this episode to learn how to build a successful SaaS portfolio and transform your approach to business growth. 

Want to be notified when new episodes come up? Sign up here.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Michael Frew’s website: michaelfrew.com
• WebStreet: webstreet.com

Get regular access to tips, techniques, and advice from experts about growing your business. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever spent hours crafting content, only to wonder if it's hitting the mark with your audience? I found myself in that exact spot while creating a lead magnet, struggling to pick the perfect hero image. 

Ever been there? Stick around, because in today’s episode I'm taking a look at a game-changing method for getting quick, actionable feedback on your content.

I talk about:

• The challenges of getting timely feedback: Why it's so tricky to get people to respond to your surveys and polls.
• Traditional vs. modern feedback methods: From asking family and friends to leveraging social media and online communities.
• Tools and platforms: Exploring various tools like Hotjar and PickFu for gathering insights.
• Personal experiences: My own journey using PickFu to refine content and improve engagement.
• Types of PickFu polls: Detailed look at different polling options and how to use them effectively.

Ready to transform how you gather feedback and make better content decisions? Tune in to this episode and don't miss out on future insights—sign up here to be notified about upcoming episodes.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• PickFu: Get good feedback fast for your content (affiliate link)
• Hotjar: Tool for capturing user interactions on your website (affiliate link)
• Copyblogger Blog Post:  How To Write A Headline That Drives More Clicks
• Episode 168:  The Art Of Asking:  Understanding The Role Customer Feedback Plays In Business Success with Justin Chen

Get yourself regular access to tips, techniques, and advice from experts about solving challenges and growing your business. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever thought about turning your personal stories or opinions into a profitable side hustle? Even in a world dominated by AI and shifting economies, if you can string together sentences that get people wanting more, it's absolutely possible. 

In this episode, we're diving deep into the secrets of getting started as a freelance writer with Lindy Alexander, an award-winning freelance travel writer who turned her writing passion into a successful career.

With her rich background that includes social work, sign language interpretation, and a Ph.D., Lindy brings a unique and holistic approach to freelance writing. 

We Also Talked About:

• How Lindy transitioned from social work to full-time freelance writing.
• The importance of networking and community in sustaining a freelance writing career.
• Practical tips for pitching and landing high-paying writing gigs.
• How to leverage personal essays and opinion pieces to get published quickly.
• The impact of AI on the writing industry and how to stay relevant.
• Overcoming mindset blocks and building confidence as a writer.
• The value of having a diverse portfolio, including both content writing and feature writing.
• Strategies for managing the business side of freelance writing.

Don’t miss this episode packed with actionable tips and inspiring stories. Listen now and sign up to be notified about upcoming episodes. Sign up here: Newsletter

Resources Mentioned

• Website:  https://thefreelancersyear.com/ 
• Lindy's Free Guides:  
• 10 Successful Magazine Pitches (affiliate link)
• 5 Easy Magazine Features (affiliate link)
• Paid Short Course on Travel Writing:  Get Started With Travel Writing In Under 2 Hours

Want regular access to tips, techniques, and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here: Newsletter

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At just 24 years old, Greg Berry was elected as a city councilor and quickly spotted a major problem: government organizations were struggling to get fair value for their surplus items when they sold them.

Determined to find a solution, Greg leveraged his IT expertise and entrepreneurial spirit to create Municibid, an online platform that has since revolutionized government auctions.

His innovative approach not only solved a persistent issue but also transformed the way surplus items are bought and sold in the US and some parts of Canada.

Greg joined me on the show to talk about his journey as well as share what he’s learned along the way.

WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT:

• Greg's journey from city councilor to entrepreneur and the challenges he faced.
• The inefficiencies in government auctions and how Municibid addresses them.
• The development and scaling of Municibid, including marketing strategies and technological integration.
• The importance of data analytics in optimizing auction sales and identifying trends.
• Greg's new venture, Surplus.com, and its potential for global expansion.
• Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs on finding mentors and leveraging life experiences.

Tune in to hear Greg's interesting story and get inspired to tackle your own business challenges! 

Want to be notified when new episodes come up? Sign up here.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Government auction website:  Municibid.com
• B2C surplus goods auction website:  Surplus.com
• Customer engagement platform:  Customer.io
• AI customer service platform:  Intercom.com 
• Self-service business intelligence platform:  Holistics.io
•  Google Cloud’s enterprise data warehouse:  BigQuery

Want regular access to tips, techniques, and advice from experts about growing your business?  Sign up here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever wondered if your emails are disappearing into a digital abyss, never to be seen or read by the people on your list? Imagine how bad that would be for your business if your carefully crafted messages never reach their destinations. 

In this episode, we dive deep into the world of email deliverability with tech expert MV Braverman to ensure your emails not only send but also land exactly where they should.

MV Braverman is not just an expert on email systems; she's a seasoned warrior in making sure digital communications hit their mark. With extensive experience in IT support and a deep understanding of email marketing, MV joins us to demystify the often confusing world of email deliverability and the recent changes that could be affecting your communications.

We also talk about:

• The key differences between email delivery and deliverability.
• The importance of setting up proper email authentication to avoid being marked as spam.
• How setting up DMARC reporting can reveal issues you might never notice otherwise.
• Real-world consequences of poor email practices and how they can silently impact your business.

Tune into this episode to ensure your email strategies are up to date and effective. And remember, if you want to stay ahead with the latest insights and tips from successful online entrepreneurs, subscribe and get notified about upcoming episodes. 

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Online Business Launchpad podcast, Episode 149:  Useful Ways To Use Zapier To Automate Boring Repetitive Tasks With MV Braverman
• MV’s DIY Email Authentication Guide  - https://diyguide.inboxwelcome.com
• MV’s Website:  https://inboxwelcome.com/ 
• Google Workspace:  https://workspace.google.com/ 
• Brevo:  https://www.brevo.com/ 
• Email management tools:
• ConvertKit (affiliate link)
• MailChimp

Want regular access to tips, techniques, and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here: Online Business Lift Off Newsletter

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever worried that your email platform is nothing more than an expensive drag on your business? 

And that you’re not getting everything out of it that you could?  Like a parked Ferrari languishing in the driveway?

In this episode we dive deep into how ActiveCampaign can revolutionize the way you connect with your customers and transform routine tasks into powerful customer relationships.

My guest is former maths teacher turned tech guru, Kay Peacey.  Kay is a world-leading expert in using ActiveCampaign to supercharge your business and email automation. And her expertise helps businesses harness the full power of their email platforms to foster growth and efficiency.

We also talked about:

• Strategic Use of Tools: How ActiveCampaign goes beyond basic email functions to streamline business operations.
• Integration Capabilities: The seamless interaction between ActiveCampaign and other tools like Google Sheets and Bonjoro.
• Automation Benefits: Real-world examples of how automation can save significant time and resources.
• Customization and Personalization: Utilizing tags and custom fields within ActiveCampaign to tailor customer interactions.

Curious to learn how ActiveCampaign can change your business landscape? Listen to this enlightening episode with Kay Peacey and discover the untapped potential of email automation. 

Want to be notified when new episodes come up? Sign up here. 

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Kay’s Website:  https://slickbusiness.co/ 
• Active Campaign Academy:  https://slickbusiness.co/activecampaign-academy/ 
• Free Training - Accelerated Active Campaign
• Facebook Group:  Automate Your Business With Active Campaign
• Want To Get Started With Active Campaign?  Sign Up Here (affiliate link)

Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"A community-first mindset means showing up for your people—even when they're just quietly watching." That’s how Paul Gowder, founder of PowWows.com, defines decades-long success in the online space. What started as a college hobby has blossomed into a vibrant, multimillion-follower platform celebrating Native American culture and proving that niche communities can not only survive but thrive in today’s noisy digital world.

Paul’s journey is a masterclass in staying true to your values, listening to your audience, and building engagement through heart, strategy, and the occasional well-placed email sequence.

We Also Talked About:

• How Paul turned a college web project into a thriving, sustainable business
• The surprising power of "lurkers" in online communities
• Why email is still king (and how Paul uses Kit (was ConvertKit) to dominate it)
• The moment social media nearly killed his forums—and how he pivoted
• Using Group Leads to bridge Facebook groups and email sequences
• What a “community-first mindset” really looks like in action
• Hiring from your own community to build a rock-solid team
• How a mastermind and a coach helped him 10x his email marketing results
• Why the medium (Facebook, email, TikTok) is less important than the mindset

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Find a PowWow near you:  https://www.powwows.com/powwowsnearme
• Paul’s personal site:  https://www.paulgowder.com
• Behind-the-scenes look at his email toolkit: https://www.paulgowder.com/emailtools
• ConvertKit (now branded as Kit) – Paul’s go-to email platform (affiliate link)
• Tool to sync Facebook group signups with email sequences -https://groupleads.net/ 
• Mediavine – Advertising partner for monetizing traffic - https://www.mediavine.com/ 

Get regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever found yourself frustrated while waiting in line? Imagine turning that idle time into a goldmine for your business! In today’s episode, host, Trudy Rankin dives into how a surprise waiting period turned into an opportunity to employ the '1 Percent Up' technique—fine-tuning her business in ways that are simple yet significantly impactful over time.

She also talks about:

• The transformative power of adopting small, continual improvements in your business operations.
• Real-life insights on using downtime effectively to plan business enhancements.
• Practical tips for incrementally boosting your business's performance and visibility.
• How the '1 Percent Up' technique can lead to sustainable business growth and personal satisfaction.

Tune into this episode to discover how you can turn even the smallest moments into opportunities for business growth. And don't miss out on future insights—sign up here to be notified about upcoming episodes.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Book:  Atomic Habits by James Clear (affiliate link)

Trudy Rankin, host of the Online Business Launchpad podcast, brings a wealth of experience from running her online business for over nine years. Passionate about helping entrepreneurs thrive without burning out, Trudy shares strategies that are both practical and transformative.

Want regular access to tips, techniques, and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine stumbling upon a tool that not only lifts your content creation game but also revolutionizes the way you organise your design workflow. Brenda Cadman did just that with Canva, transforming her graphic design process from chaos to streamlined simplicity.

Dive into this episode as Brenda shares her journey from discovering Canva in its early days to becoming a Canva verified expert, and how it has become an indispensable part of her content strategy.

Brenda Cadman brings over two decades of experience in website development and digital education, specializing in Canva. As one of the first 25 Canva verified experts globally, Brenda's expertise in leveraging Canva for business is unmatched, making her an authority in the field.

We also talked about:

• Brenda's initial encounter with Canva and how it transitioned from a stop-gap solution to a central element of her design work.
• The significance of organizing digital assets in Canva to enhance productivity and maintain brand consistency.
• The evolution of Canva's features over the years and how businesses can benefit from them.
• Tips for getting started with Canva and making the most out of its functionalities for content creation.
• The future of Canva and its role in the digital content creation landscape.

Ready to streamline your content creation process with Canva? Listen to this enlightening conversation with Brenda Cadman and discover how you can transform your digital designs from cluttered to coherent. 

Want to be notified when new episodes come up? Sign up here. https://onlinebusinessliftoff.com/newsletter/

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Canva:  http://onlinebusinessliftoff.com/Canva (affiliate link)
• Canva Creator Program Website:  Canva Creator Program
• Brenda’s Website:  BrendaCadman.com

Want regular access to tips, techniques, and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here. https://onlinebusinessliftoff.com/newsletter/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you have to regularly create content, do you struggle to find topics to cover?  Whether you’re a podcaster, blogger, writer, you-name-it, it can be tough trying to overcome the old “blank page, blank mind” syndrome.

In today’s episode, host Trudy Rankin shares her 3-step process for coming up with content topics, no matter what.  Does it take a little bit of thought to make the process work?  Yes.  But is applying that process more effective than staring at a screen for hours?  Definitely yes.

Listen to the full episode to learn Trudy's complete process for never running out of relevant and engaging topics to discuss. 

Want to be notified when new episodes come up? Sign up here.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Kevin Chemidlin's Grow the Show podcast, Episode 163
• Help with finding topics:  AnswerThePublic.com 
• Trudy’s LinkedIn Profile:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/trudyrankin/ 
• Book:  The Ultra Secret (affiliate link)
• Book:  The Man Who Never Was (affiliate link)
• Book:  Johnny Tremain (affiliate link)
• Book:  Across 5 Aprils (affiliate link)

Trudy Rankin is a podcaster, business owner, and writer who has been running her own online business for nine years. She is passionate about helping overwhelmed online business owners learn new skills and techniques to grow their businesses without burning out.

Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you sick of working long hours?  Long commutes?  Tedious, exhausting tasks?

Imagine being able to quit your job and replace your entire income by simply buying an existing online business - no more sleepless nights worrying about starting from scratch. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, that's exactly what Jaryd Krause did after years of backbreaking work as a plumber. In this candid interview, he pulls back the curtain on the realities of acquiring and growing digital assets.

Jaryd went from burnt-out tradesman putting in 70+ hour weeks to successful online entrepreneur, buying and scaling multiple online businesses to the point of being able to travel the world and go surfing whenever he felt like it. He now teaches others how to bypass the startup struggle through his coaching programs.

WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT:

• Jaryd's journey from disliking his plumbing job to seeking an online income
• The key differences between starting a business vs. buying an existing one
• How he initiated the mindset shift to step back from operations
• Evaluating different types of online businesses to acquire
• Advice for aspiring online business buyers on criteria, due diligence, etc.
• The pros and cons of attending seminars/conferences vs. hiring mentors directly

Are you intrigued by Jaryd's path and keen to learn if buying an online business could be right for you? Listen to the full episode for all his firsthand insights. 

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Jaryd's company website:  BuyingOnlineBusinesses.com
• Podcast:  https://buyingonlinebusinesses.com/podcast/ 

Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business? You can sign up here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you constantly feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish everything on your to-do list?

Imagine being able to squeeze more into your day without feeling overwhelmed or like you're constantly running out of time. In this practical episode, Host, Trudy Rankin, unveils her tried-and-true strategies for maximizing productivity and getting more done in a day.

Trudy also talks about:

• The importance of planning and scheduling repetitive tasks to stay focused and productive.
• A four-step process to standardize tasks and identify areas for automation.
• Using the Eisenhower Decision Matrix and the "4 Ds" (Delete, Delay, Delegate, Do) to prioritize tasks effectively.
• The benefits of documenting processes step-by-step for easier delegation or automation.

Listen in to learn Trudy's proven strategies for doing more in less time with less stress. 

Want to be notified when new episodes come up? Sign up here.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Online Business Liftoff Community Co-Working Sessions
• Asana's article on the Eisenhower Decision Matrix
• Descript (audio/video editing tool):  https://onlinebusinessliftoff.com/Descript  (affiliate link)

Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you often feel overwhelmed and like there's never enough time in the day? 

You're not alone. 

As a too-busy solopreneur or small business owner, it's easy to get bogged down in the daily grind and lose sight of what really matters.

So in this episode, Trudy Rankin shares the 5 powerful daily rituals that she uses to stay focused, boost productivity, and avoid burnout.

Trudy brings a wealth of experience to the table, having run her own online business for nine years and helped hundreds of people grow their online businesses.

We also talked about:

• Changing your focus with a thought-provoking spiritual reading or practice.
• The importance of taking a daily walk and engaging with nature.
• A four-step process for daily planning, review, and reflection.
• Incorporating mindfulness breaks throughout the day.
• Practicing gratitude before bedtime.

Listen to this insightful episode to learn how to incorporate these simple yet effective daily rituals into your routine and start feeling more grounded, focused, and productive. 

Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here. https://onlinebusinessliftoff.com/newsletter/

RESOURCES MENTIONED: 

• Book:  What’s So Amazing About Grace by Phillip Yancey (affiliate link)
• Book:  The Case For God by Karen Armstrong (affiliate link)
• Book:  The Gift Of Pain:  Why We Hurt And What We Can Do About It  by Paul Brand and Phillip Yancey (affiliate link)
• Book:  Atomic Habits by James Clear (affiliate link)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you spent years crafting your professional identity, building a solid reputation, and networking with industry peers? But when you look at your LinkedIn profile, it's a relic of the past, a dusty snapshot that fails to capture the dynamic professional you've become. 

Sound familiar? You're not alone. Many of us have neglected our LinkedIn presence, unaware of its true potential as a powerful personal branding and business growth tool. 

Joining us is Lynnaire Johnston, the founder of Link*Ability and an internationally regarded expert on leveraging LinkedIn for professional success. With a background in journalism, broadcasting, and copywriting, Lynnaire brings a unique perspective on using some not-so-well-known LinkedIn features to stand out.

We also talked about:

• How Lynnaire's journey led her to become a LinkedIn expert
• The power of LinkedIn as a publishing platform for writers and content creators
• Tips for optimizing your personal LinkedIn profile to attract potential clients and opportunities
• Strategies for creating and managing a LinkedIn company page that drives business growth
• The benefits of using LinkedIn newsletters and collaborative articles to boost visibility and authority
• Insights into LinkedIn's new features, including the revamped "Services" section and skill endorsements

Ready to unlock the full potential of LinkedIn and take your personal brand and business to new heights? Listen to this insightful episode, and learn from Lynnaire's wealth of expertise. Want to be notified when new episodes come up? Sign up here.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Lynnaire's books: 
• "LinkAbility: 4 powerful strategies to maximise your LinkedIn success" (affiliate link) 
• "Business Gold: Build Awareness, Authority, and Advantage with LinkedIn Company Pages” (affiliate link)

• LinkedIn’s Collaborative Articles Hub: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/topics/browse/a 

Want regular access to tips, techniques, and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here: https://onlinebusinessliftoff.com/newsletter/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you in a crowded niche where it feels almost impossible to stand out?  And you’re looking for ways to build your customer base?

Shaunda Necole is an influencer and online business owner who has successfully built multiple blogs, podcasts and monetisation streams around her passion for food and travel.

In just two years, she built her blog The Soul Food Pot into Google's #1 site for Southern soul food. 

Part of the secret to Shaunda’s success was niche-ing down - she took iconic African American recipes and reimagined them using modern kitchen appliances to make them faster and easier for amateur chefs.

But she did more than that … and so can you.

In this episode, Shaunda shares what she did to stand out in a super competitive niche.

We Also Talked About

• How Shaunda grew her Instagram following by engaging with and helping other influencers in support groups
• Monetizing on Instagram through brand partnerships and affiliate links
• Why you have to niche down as specifically as possible - "you have to go small to get big"
• How Pinterest operates as a visual search engine and using its keyword bubbles for content inspiration
• Creating content based on search intent - what your audience is actually looking for
• The importance of compelling visuals and text overlay on Pinterest pins
• Using tools like Tailwind to schedule and automate pinning

Want to hear more of Shaunda's journey to online business success? Listen to the full episode here! And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Shaunda Necole's website: https://shaundanecole.com
• Her soul food site: https://thesoulfoodpot.com
• Her Las Vegas local recommendations site: https://vegasrightnow.com
• Her podcasts:  The Soul Food Pod and Vegas Right Now
• Shaunda’s Pinterest course:   Pinterest Magic Marketing Masterclass

Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business?  Sign up here.  https://onlinebusinessliftoff.com/newsletter/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever felt awkward about asking clients for a testimonial?  Or reached out to a client for a review or recommendation and got back crickets?  

In this episode, Trudy Rankin shares four tips to get amazing client testimonials without having to feel embarrassed about asking.

Trudy helps busy business owners create and sell new online products and services that people want, without having to work harder or hire a big team. 

Want to hear more about getting testimonials to grow your business? Listen to the full podcast episode here.  And subscribe to be notified about upcoming episodes.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Quiz Creators Course:  https://onlinebusinessliftoff.com/quiz-creators-course-plus/ 

Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here: https://onlinebusinessliftoff.com/newsletter/

Trudy Rankin has been running her own online business for over 8 years. She is passionate about helping busy online business owners increase revenue and profits without burning out.

Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here: https://onlinebusinessliftoff.com/newsletter/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At age 26, Andrew Guttormsen was living with his parents and took an unpaid internship to get his foot in the door at Teachable. His persistence and great ideas led to him becoming a core team member and he went on to eventually co-found Circle, a community platform now used by over 10,000 businesses.

With experience scaling two highly successful startups, Andrew shares valuable insights on implementing customer feedback as a growth strategy, why having tough conversations matters, and fostering online community engagement.

We Also Talked About:

• Bouncing back after failure on the journey to success
• Getting buy-in and implementing suggestions as a young intern
• Details of a Chief Revenue Officer's responsibilities
• How to shape the culture and interactions in an online community
• The importance of giving direct feedback to help team members grow

Want to hear more startup stories and advice? Be sure to listen to this episode and subscribe to the podcast!

RESOURCES:

• Learn more about Circle's community platform (affiliate link)
• Discover why Circle is the best community management platform out there
• Contact Andrew at andrew @ circle.so

Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here: https://onlinebusinessliftoff.com/newsletter/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"The world doesn’t happen to you — it happens through you." — Martin Salama

What if losing millions, a home, a marriage, and a BMW all within a few months could actually be the best thing that ever happened to you? For Martin Salama, that's exactly what it was. In this episode, Martin shares how he transformed personal and financial disaster into a powerful coaching philosophy — one that helps entrepreneurs not just survive chaos, but thrive because of it.

Martin is known as The Architect of The Warrior's Life, a coach who specializes in helping people live incredibly full lives — despite (or perhaps because of) the bumps in the road. After building and losing a multimillion-dollar business, Martin turned his own lessons into a seven-figure coaching program with a risk-reversal strategy that’s as bold as his personality.

We Also Talked About:

• How Martin’s five-year dream project collapsed overnight — and why it was the making of him
• Why most people stay stuck in a “why is this happening to me” mindset, and how to shift to “through me” thinking
• What reading The Four Agreements unlocked for him about anger, people-pleasing, and personal responsibility
• His journey from being a people-pleaser and control freak to a confident, compassionate coach
• How he built the "Live Incredibly Full Every Day" (LIFE) framework
• The problem with "done for you" coaching programs — and how Martin’s model is different
• The power of guarantees in business (and why Martin’s guarantee is a true game-changer)
• The gift he gave — and received — by donating stem cells to save a life

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz (affiliate link)
• Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki (affiliate link)
• Who Not How by Dan Sullivan (affiliate link)
• Martin’s book: Worrier to Warrior (affiliate link)
• Connect with Martin: ConnectWithMartin.com

Get regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As an engineer, developer or other IT professional, are you sick of meetings and managers?   And you dream of starting your own business so you can escape your cubicle?

Michael Frew has a unique perspective - after 18 years working as an engineer and architect for top tech companies, he made a big shift to acquire online businesses instead of starting them. 

In this interview, he shares why IT professionals may be better suited to buy (instead of start) an online business, and takes us through his 8-step framework to find, finance and acquire successful online companies.

We also talked about:

• Why it can be hard for IT professionals to make a career change due to "golden handcuffs"
• Tips for building relationships with sellers when acquiring a business
• How to finance an online business acquisition
• Managing teams when transitioning from employee to business owner
• Key steps in the online business acquisition framework

Want to hear more? Tune in to the full conversation with Michael Frew. And don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Newsletter:  newsletter.michaelfrew.com
• Learn:  videos.michaelfrew.com
• Website:  https://www.michaelfrew.com
• Book on managing a business:  Traction: Get A Grip On Your Business (affiliate link)
• LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelfrew/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever wondered what it really takes to sell a consulting firm or an agency?  

In this special evergreen episode from 2023,  we're diving into the secrets behind preparing your consultancy business for growth and eventual exit. And, I pose the question, if you could sell your business someday, what would it take to get it ready?

My guest, Professor Joe O'Mahoney, has over 20 years of experience advising boutique consulting firms on achieving high growth and successful exits. And Joe brings a rare mix of real world consulting experience combined with extensive research on what works.

He's published multiple books on the consulting industry.  And he's written dozens of articles that dispel common myths in relation to that industry. Professor O’Mahoney provides evidence based strategic insights on the specifics of readying a consulting firm for sale. 

And as I talk to him, you'll discover why most boutique firms fail to create lasting value beyond their founder,  the biggest mistakes made when preparing to exit a firm and a step by step approach to boosting your valuation multiple for your business.

So, if you lead a consulting firm and have ever considered selling, you might want to have a listen.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Website: https://joeomahoney.com/
• LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeomahoney/ 
• Book:  https://geni.us/growth-for-consultants (affiliate link)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever wondered if starting a niche website could be a viable business for you? 

In this special evergreen episode from 2023, we're revisiting my conversation with Jake Lang, an expert at starting profitable niche sites.

Jake has an incredible story of building niche sites while working a full-time job, eventually leading to a six-figure business that allowed him to quit and work for himself. 

He shares his step-by-step process for identifying promising niche topics, validating the business opportunities, and ultimately building sites that can be monetized through courses, memberships, affiliate links, and more. 

He also discusses common mistakes to avoid with niche sites and offers advice for maintaining focus when trying to build a business on the side.

If you've ever considered trying to build an income stream through a niche site but weren't sure where to start, this is the episode for you.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Website:  https://theentrepreneurridealong.com/   
• Book - Step One:  The Surprisingly Simple Process To Research, Validate, and Choose The Perfect Online Business Idea (affiliate link)
• Website:  https://steponebook.com/ 
• Book - Use Your Job To Quit Your Job:  A Proven Blueprint To Forming Your Best Entrepreneur Ideas And Starting Your Business (affiliate link)

Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business?  Sign up here. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever wondered how a simple passion can transform into a thriving business? Or what it would take to turn a love for making things with your hands into a profitable venture?

It’s a question that a lot of people ask when they start thinking about setting up their own business.   Or whether they could do something to bring in a bit of extra cash to supplement their day job.

In this episode I am resharing an interview I did earlier in the year with someone who asked themselves this same question … can I turn a hobby into a thriving business.  And for Angie Wilson, the answer was yes.

Angie, from Gnome Angel, is a former government employee turned quilting maestro.  And she shares her incredible journey from blogging about life and IVF to creating a quilt-focused empire. Her story isn’t just about quilting; it’s about perseverance, reinventing oneself, and finding success in unexpected places.

If you’ve already listened to this episode, I would encourage you to listen to it again.  It is truly inspiring.

Resources Mentioned

• Website: https://www.gnomeangel.com/

Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business?  Sign up here. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever had to revive a neglected website that was costing you potential revenue? In this episode, Online Business Launchpad host Trudy Rankin talks about the journey of renovating her website The Menopause Effect, which had become neglected over time. 

After a Google update tanked her website's traffic and revenue, Trudy realised she needed to take drastic action to resurrect the dying site.

Trudy brings deep knowledge from running her own online business for over 8 years and helping hundreds of entrepreneurs build their online presence.

Trudy also talks about:

• Her original goals for the website and how they evolved over time
• How she started learning about SEO, content strategies, backlinks and more to improve the site
• The step-by-step tactics she implemented to increase traffic, engagement, and affiliate revenue
• Key lessons learned about improving neglected sites
• Her goals for the next phase of the website's growth

Want to hear this segment of Trudy's story about bringing a neglected website back to life? Tune into the full episode.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Graham Knight's SEO services (for tree care companies)
• Teresa Edmond's Boss Responses content strategy bootcamp
• SPI Pro Community (affiliate link)

Want to regularly receive tips, techniques and advice from Trudy and other experts about growing your business? Sign up here to get access.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you’re a small business owner trying to do it all, how do you find time for marketing without neglecting customers? 

Sarah Noel Block went from working for seven bosses to starting Tiny Marketing, where she helps time-strapped marketers punch above their weight. 

With over 7 years experience streamlining marketing for multi-company corporations, Sarah shares her proven Tiny Marketing framework to help small businesses build high-impact marketing campaigns.

We also talk about:

• Strategies for managing multiple stakeholders and their competing demands
• Making the leap from corporate to starting your own agency
• Quarterly planning frameworks to regularly review and optimize marketing
• Using lead magnets and workshops to attract ideal customers 
• Leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT and BARD so you can work smarter, not harder

Want to hear more? Listen to the full episode and subscribe to get updates on future episodes.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Sarah's website: sarahnoelblock.com/launchpad 
• On-demand Webinar:  How to Market with a Small Team & Budget
• Tiny Marketing Podcast:  Apple  Spotify 

Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you worry that AI tools like ChatGPT are going to replace you and potentially even destroy your business?

Well, you’re not alone.  But there is something that you can do to stop that doomsday scenario from becoming real.

Steven Lewis is the Founder of marketing agency, Taleist.  He’s been writing professionally as a journalist and copywriter since 1994. He has lectured in PR and journalism, and his book on persuasive storytelling has been taught at Sydney University and translated for international distribution.

Steven is also an expert in AI copywriting.

In this episode we talk about his journey as an entrepreneur, starting with his attempts in 1994 to convince businesses they needed websites … which is kind of funny because even in 2010,  over half of small businesses still didn’t have one.

We also talk about:

• Steven’s journey from writing brochures to direct response copywriting
• Asking the right questions to understand what motivates your audience
• Why simplifying complex ideas is key for effective communication
• How to leverage AI tools like ChatGPT to accelerate your writing

Listen in to hear Stephen's insights on copywriting in the age of AI!

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Website:  https://taleist.agency/ 
• Book:  How to Write Perfect Press Releases (affiliate link)
• AI Training:  ChatGPT Mastery Course (affiliate link)

Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business?  Sign up here. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do you do when you need investor funding for your startup, but you’re struggling to convince anyone to open their wallets?

Rob May, engineer turned entrepreneur, knows what that feels like.  Even though he had experience with startups, he still found it a struggle to convince investors to fund his ideas.  

However, he finally cracked the code.

And in this episode Rob shares how constant practice pitching and getting feedback eventually made him a master storyteller that helped him hugely increase the odds of getting funding.

We also talk about:

• Rob’s journey from electrical engineer to tech entrepreneur
• Building and scaling startups
• Finding investors and handling rejection
• Transitioning from pirate culture to a process-driven organisation
• Using AI for brand content governance
• Scaling AI companies amid supply constraints

Listen in to hear Rob's startup stories and advice on pitching, funding, team building, and more!

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• BrandGuard: https://www.brandguard.ai/ 
• Rob's Substack: https://investinginai.substack.com/ 
• Rob's AI Innovators Podcast: 
• Apple:
• Spotify:

Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business?  Sign up here. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you reached the point in life where you or your business or personal partner are starting to experience menopause-related symptoms?  Things like brain fog or hot flashes?  And you and/or your partner are starting to feel the impact, not just on work tasks, but also on relationships and self-confidence?

Menopause and its various associated symptoms can have a huge impact on women and their careers.  And for Tracy Minnoch-Nuku, that impact was the trigger for changing the direction of her business.

Tracy Minnoch-Nuku is an educator, speaker, facilitator and coach.  And she is an educated and experienced advocate for women's health and fitness. 

With over 30 years in the fitness industry, Tracy began her career as a Group Fitness Teacher and Personal Trainer where she transformed bodies and lives through fitness and nutrition. 

She spent 20 years developing teams and fitness training programs in Asia - live, online and through fitness apps. 

And Tracy has a deep interest in something that I think we don’t talk about enough and that is the effect that menopause has on the women going through it and the people in their lives.

In this episode we talk about how that menopause effect can seriously impact our physical and mental health, our relationships and our careers.  

We also talk about:

• The importance of understanding and empathy from partners during menopause.
• The need for education and open discussion about menopause, both at home and in the workplace.
• Encouraging male involvement in understanding menopause to support women effectively.
• How building a business focused on menopause helped Tracy personally and professionally.
• Some of the differences in how menopause is experienced and managed in various cultures.
• Tracy's journey in developing a comprehensive menopause app.
• Insights into the transformative aspects of menopause and how it shapes one's identity and values.
• Ageism in the Workplace

If you’re a woman solopreneur or small business owner that’s beginning to experience menopause symptoms … or you work with women who are entering menopause, I encourage you to have a listen.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Website:  https://www.sexyageing.com/ 
• Fitness and Lifestyle App:  https://www.sexyageing.com/pages/sexy-ageing-app 
• Menopause Workshops:  https://www.sexyageing.com/pages/sexy-ageing-workshops
• Tracy’s Book:  https://geni.us/menopause-memoir (affiliate link)

Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business?  Sign up here. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Building a community can be a really tough job.  People come and go for so many reasons.

Sometimes it’s because they’ve outgrown what the community can offer.  Sometimes it’s because life just happens and they need to cut back on expenses or take a break for awhile or whatever.  And sometimes people leave because they weren’t a good fit in the first place and didn’t find what they were looking for in that community.

In today’s episode I’m talking with David Masnato, the Community Experience manager for Pat Flynn’s SPI Pro community.  Earlier this year, he participated in my Quiz Creators Course and Coaching program because he was interested in learning how to use quizzes to make the SPI community member experience even better.

So I asked him if he’d share his thoughts about the Quiz Creators Course and the process we used to help him create quizzes which are already having a positive impact on the customer journey for SPI Pro members.

Listen in as David, a highly experienced community manager, shares the reasons:

• Why both he and SPI are so intensely focused on improving customer experience
• How he identified ways to use intake and exit form questions to more deeply understand what potential customers are looking for from the SPI community, before they join
• How asking great questions in the form of quizzes is a highly effective way to gather data that makes it possible to identify gaps in user experience
• How the Quiz Creators Course and Coach program taught him to think differently about questions and the role they can play in understanding customers needs

RESOURCES MENTIONED

The Quiz Creators Course

SPI Pro Community (affiliate link)

SPI All Access Pass (affiliate link)

Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business?  Sign up here. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"You can’t out-hustle burnout. Trust me, I tried."

That’s the hard-earned insight from Dr. Victoria Mensch, who went from clinical psychologist to Silicon Valley high-achiever — and burned out in both. Now she teaches leaders how to create burnout-proof lives by mastering energy, not just calendars. In this episode, Victoria breaks down why traditional success so often leads to emotional exhaustion, and how you can build a life and business that leaves room for joy, not just productivity.

With a PhD in psychology and an MBA from UC Berkeley, Victoria brings both brain science and boardroom experience to the conversation. Her approach to self-leadership, energy management, and redefining control will have you rethinking the way you work — and why.

We Also Talked About:

• Why burnout isn’t always obvious — and how to spot the subtle signs

• The myth of “success = happiness” (and what actually creates fulfillment)

• How self-awareness is the first step in becoming a resilient leader

• The surprising power of intentionally scheduling joy

• How to relinquish control — and why it’s essential for avoiding burnout

• Moving from corporate life to entrepreneurship: the real risks and rewards

• What “languishing” looks like — and how to shift into a state of flourishing

• A practical framework for balancing time, energy, and values

• Why leadership always starts with self-leadership

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Silicon Valley Executive Academy – Victoria’s corporate consulting hub

• Victoria Mensch on LinkedIn – connect with her for insights and support

Get regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Danny Maloney is the CEO and Co-founder of Tailwind. Tailwind gives over 1.5 million businesses worldwide the marketing team they need through A.I. that drafts ads campaigns and posts for you so you can accomplish far more in far less time. 

Prior to founding Tailwind, Danny spent a number of years working at Google and YouTube on new product initiatives including Street View and the YouTube Creators Program, and then worked on the turnaround team at AOL after it spun off of Time Warner,  leading up to it later being acquired by Verizon.

In this episode, we talked about his journey from employee to co-founder and CEO and how his previous roles have shaped his entrepreneurial journey.

We also talked about:

• The Importance of AI in Marketing and how AI is revolutionizing the marketing landscape.
• The Importance of Pivoting to better meet market demands and technological advancements.
• Funding Journey for Tailwind, from bootstrapping to angel investing and eventually partnering with a growth equity firm.
• Tips and advice for businesses considering seeking angel investors, based on Danny's personal experience.
• The challenges and importance of seed funding
• Investor relationship building
• An overview of Tailwind and what it can do
• The challenges that small businesses face with running ad campaigns
• The role of AI in marketing 
• Support for non-native English speakers with Tailwind

If you’re interested in how funding works for a tech startup OR for how AI can help with small business marketing, I invite you to have a listen.  There’s some very valuable information here.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Tailwind Website: tailwindapp.com

Danny’s Email: danny@tailwindapp.com 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’re fortunate enough to be in a position to invest a bit of extra cash … but you’re not into real estate or the share market (or bitcoin), then this episode will be of interest to you.

Kyle Kuderewski is the Operations Manager for webstreet.co (formerly Empire Flippers Capital)) - He has a wealth of expertise in passive investing, entrepreneurship,  and alternative investments. 

Kyle's journey from the corporate world to WebStreet began when he discovered the potential of online businesses while exploring real estate investments. Intrigued by the opportunities offered by then-Empire Flippers, he immersed himself in their culture and quickly realized that there was a need for passive investment options in the online business industry.

Kyle now leads the charge at WebsStreet in making online businesses a passive investment opportunity for accredited investors.

We talk about:

• Kyle’s transition from engineer to investor 
• The WebStreet business model and how the buy-hold-sell process works for all the different stakeholders
• The criteria for investing and selling
• Some of the no-go zones for websites they WON’T have in their investment portfolios
• Current market trends and how they are affecting various  business models like content, FBA and SaaS
• WebStreet’s shift towards crowdfunding options, which allows non-accredited investors to participate with lower minimums

So whether you’re looking to invest as you move towards retirement from your corporate job or you’re simply hunting for something that doesn’t include more traditional investment types or the risk of cryptocurrency, I invite you to have a listen to this informative episode.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Website:  Webstreet.co
• Portfolio Manager:  https://webstreet.co/faq/#portfolio-managers 
• Website:  Empire Flippers
• Invest Via WeFunder:  WeFunder Round
• LinkedIn: Kyle's LinkedIn Profile
• Twitter: Webstreet on Twitter
• Email: kyle@webstreet.co 

Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business?  Sign up here. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Molly Rose Speed is an expert in creating what everyone wants more of -- time freedom. She is the creator of Virtual Assistant Academy and the Founder of Virtual Assistant Management, which provides trusted VA certification and placement in the online market.   

Molly Rose is also a military spouse and solo world traveler who believes in creating a business and a life that allows you to do more of what you love.

In this episode we talk about Molly Rose's transition from a traditional 9-5 to the world of online business and what inspired her dive into the virtual assistant space.

We also talk about:

• Growth challenges and self-doubt
• Molly's approach to certifying VAs in the absence of a standard industry benchmark
• The dual focus of Molly's training: imparting specific VA skillsets and guiding on setting up a VA business
• The difference between her business academy and her tech academy
• Business identity and targeting the right client
• The importance of communication skills for success as a VA.
• A day in the life of Molly Rose Speed
• Hiring Domestic vs. International VAs
• Gender and age dynamics in the VA Industry
• Emerging needs in the market for VAs

It’s an interesting business model and there’s a lot of wisdom wrapped into this episode.  I invite you to have a listen.

Resources Mentioned:

Website:  Virtual Assistant Academy

Website:  Virtual Assistant Management

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mollyrosespeed 

Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business?  Sign up here. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever set goals for yourself or your business, only to fall far, far short and feel extremely disappointed with yourself?  I know I have.

In this insightful podcast episode with Cody Limbaugh, we delve into the world of goal setting and personal transformation.

Cody Limbaugh has been a Strength & Conditioning Coach for nearly 20 years. He's coached people from all walks of life, from youth teams to retirees, from Olympic athletes to elderly patients recovering from joint replacement surgeries. 

Cody is also the author of the counterintuitive book, “Stop Setting Goals!” 

Which grabbed my attention because we’re taught, especially as senior managers in the corporate world that goal setting is everything … even if we fail to achieve those goals.

Cody and his wife Tali co-host the Live All Your Life Podcast. Now they're using their 30+ years of combined coaching experience to help couples re-ignite their spark through fitness, nutrition, and intimacy practices through their FitTogether coaching program at howtofittogether.com.

We talk about:

• Cody's personal journey, from transitioning from a mortgage banker to a personal trainer and coach
• The difference between engineering goals and the traditional SMART goals paradigm, and why the latter may not always be the best fit for achieving your aspirations. 
• The concept of radical honesty in relationships and how it helps individuals and the relationship evolve
• The unique challenges and dynamics of working together as a couple in a business.
• The E-Myth concept of structuring a business with defined roles and duties.
• Cody’s unique perspective on focusing on the trajectory towards your vision, cultivating daily habits, and celebrating small victories along the way. 
• Some of the valuable lessons he's learned about teaching and overcoming imposter syndrome. 

If you're looking to reframe your approach to goals and find inspiration in personal transformation, this episode is a must-listen.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Podcast:  Live All Your Life Podcast (Spotify)

Website:  howtofittogether.com

Book:  Stop Setting Goals by Cody Limbaugh (affiliate link)

Book:  See You At The Top by Zig Ziglar (affiliate link)

Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business?  Sign up here. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.