Full Transcript for Stop Building the Website, Start Getting Clients What Actually Matters in the First Year of Your Business

your name, what your entrepreneur adventure is, and how you actually got across the start line in your entrepreneur adventure. 00:02:42.030 --> 00:02:42.590 Yeah. 00:02:42.830 --> 00:02:51.789 So do you want to know my backstory or yeah, like I I I read something about you were doing forestry and then kind of go from there because I want to hear that story. 00:02:52.030 --> 00:02:52.750 Because it's okay. 00:02:52.990 --> 00:02:56.349 What you're doing now and what you're doing from before is completely different. 00:02:56.669 --> 00:02:58.270 It's really like polar opposites. 00:02:58.430 --> 00:02:59.310 It really is. 00:03:00.110 --> 00:03:02.669 So yeah, so I worked for the park service. 00:03:02.909 --> 00:03:08.109 I would in the summers work in national parks and oftentimes didn't even have cell service. 00:03:08.349 --> 00:03:10.829 So, you know, it was just roughing it out there. 00:03:11.069 --> 00:03:15.469 We would bring DVDs to watch because we couldn't stream anything or anything like that. 00:03:15.629 --> 00:03:16.829 Uh and it was great. 00:03:16.989 --> 00:03:20.750 However, it didn't really pay the bills because you're a park ranger. 00:03:20.909 --> 00:03:24.669 We would joke that we got paid in sunrises and smiles. 00:03:24.909 --> 00:03:30.349 And at some point, it got to a point where I said, okay, this is not sustainable. 00:03:30.669 --> 00:03:34.349 And one of the things that's really important to me is moving around and traveling. 00:03:34.590 --> 00:03:42.269 And I thought, okay, what career can I have or what skill can I learn that's gonna allow me to move or work from anywhere? 00:03:42.430 --> 00:03:43.549 And this was before COVID. 00:03:43.629 --> 00:03:45.870 So at the time, one of the only things was coding. 00:03:46.109 --> 00:03:49.310 I tried it, I liked it, and I said, okay, let's try this. 00:03:49.549 --> 00:03:55.469 Spent a couple winters learning it because I couldn't in the summers because I didn't have service, I didn't have Wi-Fi. 00:03:56.030 --> 00:04:00.349 And finally I said, okay, it was actually December 31st, 2019. 00:04:00.430 --> 00:04:03.229 So right before the new decade, I said, okay, this is it. 00:04:03.389 --> 00:04:04.590 I'm leaving the parks. 00:04:04.669 --> 00:04:06.669 I'm gonna do this new career. 00:04:06.829 --> 00:04:09.229 And then we all know what happened in 2020. 00:04:09.469 --> 00:04:18.189 And it was bittersweet because what ended up happening was a lot of people were putting their websites online or their stores online, their e-commerce. 00:04:19.310 --> 00:04:23.310 They were creating e-commerce stores online to get more people to buy. 00:04:23.470 --> 00:04:28.350 And so there were a lot of freelance opportunities then to help people build Shopify stores. 00:04:28.509 --> 00:04:31.150 And that's how I started building websites. 00:04:31.470 --> 00:04:36.030 And as time went on, I said, I'm gonna see if I can get some clients myself. 00:04:36.189 --> 00:04:37.310 I think I can do this. 00:04:37.550 --> 00:04:43.389 It turns out it was a lot harder than I thought it would be, as it is, but here I am. 00:04:43.629 --> 00:04:52.269 I'm three and a half years in now of starting my own business, and I actually don't even code that much anymore because what I found is that's not what people need. 00:04:52.430 --> 00:04:59.870 They need to get more clients from their websites and they need to fix small things here and there or just have someone take it over. 00:05:00.110 --> 00:05:07.550 So that's the majority of what I do now is more messaging and just website maintenance opposed to coding. 00:05:08.189 --> 00:05:09.470 That's amazing to me. 00:05:09.629 --> 00:05:16.670 Going from being paid in sunshine and smiles, and now we're getting paid and being having sunshine and smiles while you're working. 00:05:16.750 --> 00:05:18.430 That's what we wanted the whole time anyway. 00:05:18.909 --> 00:05:19.469 That's right. 00:05:19.790 --> 00:05:22.269 When I'm not stuck in front of the computer all day, yes. 00:05:22.589 --> 00:05:24.110 Yes, exactly, exactly. 00:05:24.349 --> 00:05:29.629 So now we're building websites and we're helping people maintain their e-commerce and things like that. 00:05:29.870 --> 00:05:35.870 And the one thing that that really strikes me a little bit is I actually have a similar storyline. 00:05:36.189 --> 00:05:40.269 First of all, though, I don't like forestry, I don't like bugs, so you know I'm a city guy, what can I say? 00:05:40.589 --> 00:05:41.069 Valid. 00:05:41.389 --> 00:05:41.709 Yeah. 00:05:41.870 --> 00:05:50.349 So but if you didn't go through the coding and learning coding, you wouldn't have ended up where you are now. 00:05:50.430 --> 00:05:54.589 If you really think about now, for me, I wanted to be a karaoke DJ and a music DJ. 00:05:54.670 --> 00:06:00.589 That was one of my dreams I had for a really long time because I love to sing and I love helping people have a great time and that kind of thing. 00:06:00.829 --> 00:06:04.509 But that failed, and I ended up a podcaster. 00:06:05.310 --> 00:06:09.629 So that's it's a similar idea where you started coding realizing coding wasn't working. 00:06:09.709 --> 00:06:15.389 So let's try websites, and now here you are helping people with their e-commerce and websites and things like that. 00:06:15.469 --> 00:06:16.189 So that's amazing. 00:06:16.269 --> 00:06:17.469 I love that so much. 00:06:17.790 --> 00:06:19.069 Yeah, yeah, thanks. 00:06:19.230 --> 00:06:28.509 Yeah, it's similar, just like figuring out oh, what can I do with these skills I've learned or these things I've realized I liked, but it's not what I've been doing. 00:06:28.829 --> 00:06:31.709 So it's cool that you have a similar story. 00:06:32.029 --> 00:06:32.670 Yeah. 00:06:33.310 --> 00:06:38.189 So what actually turned what's the actual story between going from coding to websites? 00:06:38.349 --> 00:06:42.589 Is this just something like I'm sure it wasn't

like a oh, I'm gonna try this one day, and that's what it happened. 00:06:42.750 --> 00:06:45.389 What was the actual catalyst that started that? 00:06:46.589 --> 00:06:57.870 I was when I was learning coding, there were so many different languages and different things you could learn and different types of projects you could work on. 00:06:58.110 --> 00:07:03.709 And I think it was just like the apps building apps was very complicated. 00:07:03.790 --> 00:07:09.149 And the there was like there's one language for Android apps, I think, and one for iOS. 00:07:09.310 --> 00:07:11.629 And I was like, that's gonna be frustrating. 00:07:11.709 --> 00:07:15.790 I don't want to have to learn two languages, and they're not used anywhere else, they're only used in app building. 00:07:16.269 --> 00:07:20.189 I could be wrong, this could be different now, but I was like, okay, what else is there? 00:07:20.269 --> 00:07:21.230 Oh, websites, okay. 00:07:21.389 --> 00:07:23.870 And I didn't really think of anything else beyond that. 00:07:24.029 --> 00:07:28.110 Now I think about it, I'm like, oh, appliances have electronics in them. 00:07:28.189 --> 00:07:31.230 I could have done something like that, but that's just not what I thought of. 00:07:31.389 --> 00:07:34.349 And I think that's from having an untraditional background. 00:07:34.430 --> 00:07:35.550 Like I didn't go to school for it. 00:07:35.629 --> 00:07:38.670 I learned everything online on YouTube and stuff like that. 00:07:38.909 --> 00:07:43.550 And then that was the first place I found where people needed me was websites. 00:07:43.709 --> 00:07:48.990 And I was at first it was hard, and I was like, I hate this, and then I got to the point where I loved it. 00:07:49.230 --> 00:07:52.990 So now I do all things websites. 00:07:53.149 --> 00:07:55.629 But yeah, like I said, less coding these days. 00:07:56.029 --> 00:07:56.349 Yeah. 00:07:56.750 --> 00:08:10.349 It's funny how a lot of us, especially when we're first getting started, we think we have to have our certificate in something, or we have to have this strange piece of paper that has some weird guy's signature on it and say, Hey, I passed the test and I can do this now. 00:08:10.909 --> 00:08:13.949 We can go now, we can go to YouTube university, right? 00:08:14.189 --> 00:08:17.389 We can find a mentor like you and me found Pat Flynn. 00:08:17.629 --> 00:08:25.949 We can find different ways to still without spending a bunch of money on classes and things like that, because gosh knows, that's terrible. 00:08:26.189 --> 00:08:29.790 To come out and owe fifty thousand dollars, but you have a piece of paper. 00:08:30.509 --> 00:08:45.149 To people can trust you now, knowing that you can do this once you've built yourself up a little bit and and have a couple of websites or whatever it is built up underneath you could point to say, Hey, I did these, check these out, and that kind of thing too. 00:08:46.110 --> 00:08:47.230 Totally, totally. 00:08:47.629 --> 00:08:47.950 Yeah. 00:08:48.430 --> 00:08:50.029 It's it's nice to find mentors. 00:08:50.750 --> 00:08:52.350 Yeah, yeah, it really is. 00:08:52.830 --> 00:08:53.389 It really is. 00:08:54.350 --> 00:08:57.470 But yeah, I think for a long time I was like, what certificates do I need? 00:08:57.629 --> 00:08:58.670 What am I supposed to get? 00:08:58.750 --> 00:09:07.230 And I was looking at these like coding boot camps and stuff, and they were quite quite pricey, at least with my Park Ranger savings account. 00:09:07.790 --> 00:09:20.029 And looking back, I'm glad I never went with one because I didn't end up doing it, but also I I didn't need the piece of paper or the digital award that says, I completed this thing. 00:09:20.909 --> 00:09:21.470 Exactly. 00:09:21.550 --> 00:09:21.790 Yeah. 00:09:21.950 --> 00:09:26.269 So let that be the thing that stops you from getting across the start line in your entrepreneur adventure. 00:09:26.430 --> 00:09:33.230 Don't let the I don't have a certificate, so I'm not worthy of doing what I love to do kind of thing. 00:09:33.390 --> 00:09:39.950 Because that go leads into imposter syndrome, which is I don't, I'm not worthy, I'm not, can't do this because I don't have the certificate. 00:09:40.110 --> 00:09:42.030 I didn't go through the classes or anything like that. 00:09:42.190 --> 00:09:43.870 Who am I to do these kind of things? 00:09:44.110 --> 00:09:55.550 If you're doing something that you love and then you go through the processes of learning it of even on your own, even if it takes a little bit longer than it would be for a class, at least you're learning it and you're learning it your way. 00:09:55.710 --> 00:09:58.990 So you know you could absorb the information better because it's not in a textbook. 00:09:59.230 --> 00:10:03.070 Lord knows if I read a textbook, I fall asleep, but you're learning it your way. 00:10:03.230 --> 00:10:05.150 So you're gonna retain everything a lot more. 00:10:05.230 --> 00:10:10.110 Then the more experience you get putting those things together, it's just gonna work out a lot better for you. 00:10:10.510 --> 00:10:15.390 Yeah, and I would say imposter syndrome is so valid and so real. 00:10:15.550 --> 00:10:16.750 I've I still get it. 00:10:16.830 --> 00:10:23.310 And like I said, I'm almost four years into business and I still look at things sometimes and I'm like, why do I think I can do that? 00:10:23.470 --> 00:10:33.710 So it is real, but I think the most learning I've gotten is from talking to people who wanted to be my clients and figuring out what they needed and then saying, okay, I gotta figure this out. 00:10:33.870 --> 00:10:35.150 They want to pay me. 00:10:35.470 --> 00:10:39.310 And it's I think that is at some point you got to do it. 00:10:39.390 --> 00:10:42.990 You gotta get that first client, and you're gonna learn so much. 00:10:43.390 --> 00:10:45.070 Yeah, because you're learning on the fly. 00:10:45.230 --> 00:10:47.070

Personally, I love being thrown to the dogs. 00:10:47.150 --> 00:10:49.790 That's how I learn best just being just can't do that. 00:10:49.870 --> 00:10:50.430 Can you do this? 00:10:50.590 --> 00:10:51.470 Sure, I could do that. 00:10:51.550 --> 00:10:52.590 Okay, now how do I do this? 00:10:52.670 --> 00:10:56.430 Let's just say, and it can be scary. 00:10:56.590 --> 00:11:00.590 I was so scared when I first started, and but I just did it. 00:11:00.750 --> 00:11:02.670 You have so many resources at hand. 00:11:02.830 --> 00:11:03.950 You can figure it out. 00:11:04.270 --> 00:11:05.390 We got everything from YouTube. 00:11:05.790 --> 00:11:13.950 If you really want to get into it, we can ask AI, your favorite AI questions, which you could get a general answer about that'll point you in a direction. 00:11:14.270 --> 00:11:17.870 You could talk to people that are in the industry that you're looking to be in. 00:11:18.110 --> 00:11:21.470 You know, you could, if you want to be a podcaster, talk to other podcasters. 00:11:21.629 --> 00:11:25.070 If you want to be e-commerce, talk to other people that are in e-commerce. 00:11:25.230 --> 00:11:27.390 These people are not going to be your competition. 00:11:27.550 --> 00:11:29.230 These people want to see you succeed. 00:11:29.390 --> 00:11:35.070 That's one of the biggest things I had to get over was the fact that these people that I talked to, all these different types of businesses. 00:11:35.310 --> 00:11:40.270 I grew up in a time where it was very controversial to share information with other businesses, right? 00:11:40.430 --> 00:11:44.190 But and so that's kind of the mindset I had when I go into meeting rooms and things like that. 00:11:44.350 --> 00:11:49.550 But once I actually started talking to these people to realize, hey, they're humans, just like me. 00:11:49.790 --> 00:11:57.310 And then I realized we could actually have conversations, meaningful conversations that aren't anything about what's your biggest secret in your business or anything like that. 00:11:57.470 --> 00:11:58.990 But how did you accomplish this? 00:11:59.150 --> 00:12:03.390 They're gonna be more than willing to help you do what you need to do to accomplish your goals. 00:12:03.790 --> 00:12:04.830 Yeah, 100%. 00:12:05.310 --> 00:12:08.990 And if they're not, then they're not someone worth talking to. 00:12:09.310 --> 00:12:11.390 Yeah, they're not in your circle, they're not gonna be in your circle. 00:12:11.470 --> 00:12:18.270 They're not gonna be the people that you want to be around, they're just gonna be just the negative people that that you don't want to have to deal with. 00:12:18.430 --> 00:12:24.190 You don't have to talk to people that are gonna be negative around you, be people that are positive, that actually want to help you. 00:12:24.350 --> 00:12:30.350 Don't depend on mom and don't depend on family to tell you that it's a good product, just so you know. 00:12:30.990 --> 00:12:32.110 Don't do that. 00:12:32.430 --> 00:12:35.710 I can't count how many times I ask my mom, how does this podcast sound? 00:12:35.790 --> 00:12:36.910 Oh, it's nice, sweetheart. 00:12:36.990 --> 00:12:39.070 And I know in the back of my hand I go, no, it's not. 00:12:39.310 --> 00:12:48.110 Also, I think our family and friends that aren't doing it can be a big source of skepticism and not understanding them. 00:12:48.270 --> 00:12:56.510 I have friends don't understand anything I do or any of this digital entrepreneur world or anything, and they're always like, What are you doing? 00:12:56.590 --> 00:12:57.790 What are you talking about? 00:12:58.110 --> 00:13:03.790 If your friend or parent or whatever is saying, no, I'm not sure. 00:13:04.110 --> 00:13:08.830 Don't go find someone who's done it and ask them. 00:13:09.230 --> 00:13:16.510 But on that note, I will say, one of when I first decided I wanted to start working for myself, I found someone on LinkedIn. 00:13:16.670 --> 00:13:17.790 I can't remember how I found him. 00:13:17.870 --> 00:13:19.950 I think he just posted and I commented. 00:13:20.110 --> 00:13:28.670 And he was a web designer, and he posted about all like all these websites he'd built and how he has his own business. 00:13:28.750 --> 00:13:33.710 And I must have DM'd him or commented and said that I'm new and this was inspiring or something. 00:13:33.790 --> 00:13:40.350 And he offered to get on a call with me, and he spent an hour on the phone with me and said, Ask me anything, ask me whatever you want. 00:13:40.910 --> 00:13:53.870 And it was, I was so grateful and I was like shocked that he was willing to do that, but he was just so happy to share his knowledge, and I'm I guarantee there are people out there who want to share their knowledge with you and help you succeed. 00:13:54.030 --> 00:13:59.070 And since then, I've talked to a couple people who are just starting out, and I love it. 00:13:59.150 --> 00:14:06.910 I'm happy to get to ask them what they want to do and give them some tips and advice on how to get your first client, how to get started. 00:14:06.990 --> 00:14:08.670 So, yeah, talk to people. 00:14:08.910 --> 00:14:09.710 Yeah, absolutely. 00:14:09.870 --> 00:14:10.910 Or be talked to. 00:14:11.390 --> 00:14:14.750 There's always somebody that's 10% behind you that you could teach. 00:14:14.910 --> 00:14:31.230 And when you teach them something and you see their eyes go really big and smoke starting to come out of their ears and do whatever it is, you get that nice warm, fuzzy feeling in your chest knowing that you just turn somebody on to something that's going to be amazing for them later on, either right now or even later on in life. 00:14:31.470 --> 00:14:32.670 That's what I live for. 00:14:32.830 --> 00:14:38.910 When I talk to clients, when I do my coachings, I wait to see those people's light face light up like that. 00:14:39.070 --> 00:14:42.270 And that's more than any kind of money that I can have is to see that

happen. 00:14:42.510 --> 00:14:42.990 I love that. 00:14:43.310 --> 00:14:43.710 Yeah. 00:14:43.950 --> 00:14:44.910 That's awesome. 00:14:45.070 --> 00:14:45.710 Yeah. 00:14:46.110 --> 00:14:53.390 And it's amazing to be able to get an hour of anybody's time that's in the business in the sim similar business or what you want to get into. 00:14:53.550 --> 00:14:57.950 And there are people that are going to be willing to do that for you because they love helping others. 00:14:58.110 --> 00:15:02.670 And that goes right back into the whole thing where other people want to help you in your business. 00:15:02.750 --> 00:15:04.270 Don't just shy away from them. 00:15:04.510 --> 00:15:06.190 People are very much willing. 00:15:06.670 --> 00:15:07.230 Oh yeah. 00:15:07.310 --> 00:15:07.710 Oh, yeah. 00:15:07.790 --> 00:15:15.150 And what I've learned is that a lot of entrepreneurs are they are doing it because they want to help people. 00:15:15.470 --> 00:15:17.710 So it just goes hand in hand. 00:15:18.110 --> 00:15:19.390 People want to help people. 00:15:19.790 --> 00:15:23.390 That's really what makes entrepreneurs actual entrepreneurs. 00:15:23.629 --> 00:15:24.910 It's not about the money. 00:15:25.070 --> 00:15:31.870 It's not about trying them to try and clam some kind of odd ball, weird a ladder or anything like that. 00:15:32.110 --> 00:15:39.629 They want to assist their customers in getting to their goals, but they want to assist other people to accomplish what they've accomplished. 00:15:39.790 --> 00:15:45.710 And I think that's what makes entrepreneurs a lot more special than most other business people, as it were. 00:15:45.950 --> 00:15:46.350 Yeah. 00:15:47.150 --> 00:15:49.470 Totally, totally, totally agree with that. 00:15:49.710 --> 00:15:50.110 All right. 00:15:50.190 --> 00:15:50.910 That's awesome. 00:15:51.710 --> 00:15:56.510 So I'm sure you've talked to a few you said you talked to a few new entrepreneurs and things like things like that. 00:15:56.670 --> 00:16:01.390 What do you think stops most new entrepreneurs from getting across a start line in their entrepreneur adventure? 00:16:01.870 --> 00:16:11.390 I think a lot of them are worried about not having the income that they're used to or a regular paycheck. 00:16:11.470 --> 00:16:16.110 And they're worried about, oh, how can I what if I don't make money for a while? 00:16:16.430 --> 00:16:23.310 And also they get started and they realize that they're not really making that much in the beginning because they're just starting. 00:16:23.470 --> 00:16:28.350 People don't know about them, they're figuring their systems out, they probably aren't charging as much. 00:16:28.590 --> 00:16:51.550 And what I'd say to that is I don't know, maybe there's ways that you can figure out how to make it work, whether that be you have a part-time job or you have a regular job while you're starting, while you're trying to get started and doing it on the side until you feel comfortable enough

that you can quit the job so that you could just full-time start. 00:16:52.430 --> 00:17:05.629 But I think that's what I've seen a lot of people worry about is yeah, like they don't realize how much time and effort and work it takes to get started and how you don't really get paid that much in the beginning. 00:17:06.029 --> 00:17:08.190 But it's I think it's a long-term game. 00:17:08.269 --> 00:17:09.629 I think it's like a lifestyle thing. 00:17:09.710 --> 00:17:22.509 If you want to be if you want to be rich in time and in your happiness and you're being your own boss, it's a long game, it's not a it's not a get rich quick thing. 00:17:22.829 --> 00:17:27.069 If it's a get rich, if it's a get I can say this, I really can say this. 00:17:27.629 --> 00:17:28.109 I believe you. 00:17:28.750 --> 00:17:35.230 If I can if it's a get rich quick thing, then it's probably not gonna last very long. 00:17:35.390 --> 00:17:44.029 Even if you do get the money, you haven't really learned anything in the process, and you'll lose that money just as fast as you got it, because now you don't know how to handle it properly. 00:17:44.190 --> 00:17:49.069 You don't know how to do investing, you don't know how to do hiring, you don't know how to do anything, you just know you got the money now. 00:17:49.230 --> 00:17:51.950 And what's that what's that really gonna prove that you have money? 00:17:52.190 --> 00:17:54.269 There's so much more to it than just that. 00:17:55.549 --> 00:17:57.789 That's why we don't want personally for me. 00:17:57.869 --> 00:17:59.309 I don't want it to be a quick thing. 00:17:59.389 --> 00:18:00.589 I want it to be an adventure. 00:18:00.669 --> 00:18:03.470 That's why I say again our entrepreneur adventure. 00:18:03.710 --> 00:18:06.029 Because that's what that's how I want it to be an adventure. 00:18:06.109 --> 00:18:09.789 I want it to go on forever because I always want to be learning, I always want it to be going forever. 00:18:09.950 --> 00:18:13.629 I a lot of people, and I hear this all the time, say it's an entrepreneur journey. 00:18:13.789 --> 00:18:17.230 But a journey for me means there's an ending at the end of it, right? 00:18:17.470 --> 00:18:18.349 The end of the journey. 00:18:18.509 --> 00:18:20.589 So for an end adventure, it's always going. 00:18:20.990 --> 00:18:22.029 So it's I love that. 00:18:22.349 --> 00:18:23.230 Yeah, so it's an entrepreneur. 00:18:23.389 --> 00:18:27.069 I'm I'm taking entrepreneur journey and I'm turning it into entrepreneur adventure. 00:18:27.149 --> 00:18:27.789 That's my goal. 00:18:28.109 --> 00:18:29.309 So I love it. 00:18:29.789 --> 00:18:31.069 That's awesome. 00:18:31.710 --> 00:18:33.230 But yeah, it's gonna take time. 00:18:33.389 --> 00:18:34.909 Yeah, we have to worry about income. 00:18:35.069 --> 00:18:40.909 We have to worry about supporting our families, and if that's gonna be the case, be smart about how you start. 00:18:41.549 --> 00:18:46.429 You don't have to jump in and just stop making money so you could start this. 00:18:46.589 --> 00:18:47.950 There's ways to do it. 00:18:48.109 --> 00:18:50.269 Do it slowly, do it with a part-time dude. 00:18:50.589 --> 00:18:51.230 Do it like me. 00:18:51.309 --> 00:18:54.750 I'm doing I have two full-time jobs while I'm doing this to support my family. 00:18:55.069 --> 00:19:06.509 But I still do this because I love this, because I know later on in life, and as I go along in my entrepreneurial adventure, there's gonna be a time where I can get rid of those two jobs and do this full-time. 00:19:06.829 --> 00:19:07.789 I know it's coming. 00:19:07.869 --> 00:19:08.269 It's coming. 00:19:08.349 --> 00:19:09.230 It's how it's here. 00:19:09.309 --> 00:19:10.109 It's like right here. 00:19:10.189 --> 00:19:11.710 I just want to be positive about it. 00:19:11.869 --> 00:19:18.269 So yeah, and soon you're gonna look back and be like, man, remember when I had two full-time jobs because I was trying to make it and you made it. 00:19:18.909 --> 00:19:22.669 But that that all comes around to a fear, right? 00:19:22.829 --> 00:19:25.389 We're fear, we're afraid of the income thing. 00:19:25.470 --> 00:19:26.589 We're afraid of starting. 00:19:26.669 --> 00:19:28.349 And that's really it can be tough. 00:19:28.429 --> 00:19:31.069 It could be daunting to think about that fear. 00:19:31.230 --> 00:19:34.990 But we got to think about fear as a something that's pointing us in that direction. 00:19:35.149 --> 00:19:36.909 We have to go this way because we fear it. 00:19:37.069 --> 00:19:40.269 It's F-E-A-R, false evidence appearing real. 00:19:40.429 --> 00:19:44.029 It's not nothing, it's not gonna be a saber-toothed pot tiger that's gonna bite you in the butt. 00:19:44.189 --> 00:19:45.950 It's nothing physically that's gonna hurt you. 00:19:46.029 --> 00:19:48.029 So why not give it a try? 00:19:48.349 --> 00:19:54.669 Do one just one thing to get across the start line, see how it feels, see what it looks like. 00:19:54.829 --> 00:19:56.349 At least you know you tried. 00:19:56.509 --> 00:19:59.869 I don't want to go to my deathbed and think, I wish I would have started a podcast. 00:20:00.669 --> 00:20:12.829 That's just like Yeah, and that's one of the reasons I'm doing what I do is because I think about I don't want to be at the end of my life and think, oh man, I wish I had done that. 00:20:12.990 --> 00:20:14.429 Um I gotta do it. 00:20:14.750 --> 00:20:15.470 That's awesome. 00:20:15.629 --> 00:20:16.189 I love it. 00:20:16.429 --> 00:20:19.470 All right, so I have you this is just a strict curiosity. 00:20:19.629 --> 00:20:20.829 Have you been on podcasts before? 00:20:20.990 --> 00:20:22.349 Have you talked on podcasts before? 00:20:22.589 --> 00:20:23.230 A few, yeah. 00:20:23.710 --> 00:20:24.109 Okay, great. 00:20:24.189 --> 00:20:30.349 So you've been on a few podcasts, and I'm sure you've heard what's your biggest pitfall, what's the biggest problem you had,

blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. 00:20:30.509 --> 00:20:37.230 So I like to look at it a little bit differently, and I like to say, what is the one pitfall that you've had that you're proud of? 00:20:37.470 --> 00:20:45.389 In other words, I'm glad I had this pitfall because on the other side of this pitfall was something great, something that was meant for me. 00:20:45.869 --> 00:20:47.950 Ever have anything like that happen to you, Nikki? 00:20:48.429 --> 00:20:53.470 Specifically while working in my business or whatever you feel is the right answer. 00:20:53.629 --> 00:20:55.149 There's no wrong answer in this question. 00:20:55.389 --> 00:20:55.629 Okay. 00:20:55.789 --> 00:20:56.589 So just whatever you think. 00:20:56.909 --> 00:21:02.269 I would say the whole trying to learn to code to get a tech job thing, and then that falling apart. 00:21:02.429 --> 00:21:08.829 I actually, before when I was freelancing, I was also applying for tech jobs. 00:21:08.909 --> 00:21:12.990 And if anyone out there has done that before, they know how terrible it is. 00:21:13.230 --> 00:21:24.429 I was working 40 hours a week for about two months just applying for jobs and doing interviews and learning stuff, learning different languages so that I could do the interview. 00:21:24.669 --> 00:21:28.189 And it was horrible and terrible, and I don't recommend it. 00:21:28.349 --> 00:21:31.789 Which and so for a while I was like, what am I gonna do? 00:21:31.869 --> 00:21:42.429 I just spent a couple of years learning how to code and learning the skill, and I can't get past like round three of the seven interviews, like companies I'm interviewing with. 00:21:42.829 --> 00:21:48.829 And and that's when I was like, Do I want to keep rely? 00:21:49.309 --> 00:21:51.309 Like, I know I have these skills. 00:21:51.470 --> 00:21:59.869 Sure, I have imposter syndrome, but do I want to keep relying on if someone is willing to take a chance on me and hire me? 00:22:00.029 --> 00:22:03.149 Or I don't I don't want to have to deal with this anymore. 00:22:03.230 --> 00:22:05.069 I'm gonna find work for myself. 00:22:05.710 --> 00:22:17.629 So I think for a while there that that was like it was so scary because it's one of those things where you put you put the the years into it and you want you don't want to throw that away, which is why I started doing website stuff. 00:22:17.789 --> 00:22:23.869 I could have done whatever for my business, but I was like, no, I learned these skills, I'm gonna use them. 00:22:24.109 --> 00:22:40.109 But I'm so grateful that I took a chance on myself, and I'm not at the point of my business where I'm super successful and I'm pretty stable and I'm still kind of living off savings here and there, but I'm making it work because this is what I'm gonna do. 00:22:40.189 --> 00:22:41.069 This is what I want to do. 00:22:41.149 --> 00:22:46.829 I don't want to have to rely on other people to be able to live again. 00:22:47.789 --> 00:22:51.710 So I think that's one of the biggest, yeah, one of the biggest ones I can think of. 00:22:52.029 --> 00:22:54.829 Yeah, having that freedom, that freedom we're always looking for. 00:22:55.230 --> 00:23:00.109 That freedom to be able to do what we want to do when we want to do and not have to ask anybody if I can go do it or not. 00:23:00.349 --> 00:23:02.109 That's one of the biggest things. 00:23:02.429 --> 00:23:04.509 Same thing happened to Pat, if you really think about it. 00:23:04.669 --> 00:23:14.909 He was an architect for the longest time, but all the learning that he he did in architecture, he pushed it all aside to start smart passive income. 00:23:15.149 --> 00:23:17.069 And now he is where he is now. 00:23:17.149 --> 00:23:19.069 And it's just been an amazing story. 00:23:19.789 --> 00:23:31.629 I see us doing the same thing too, where even though I have skills over here that I've learned and processed, went to school for, but now it's just not it's not in my zone of genius. 00:23:31.710 --> 00:23:32.829 It's not where I want to be. 00:23:32.909 --> 00:23:35.629 So let's try this over here. 00:23:35.789 --> 00:23:44.429 And sometimes this over here until we hit the one thing that we really love to do, and that is in our zone of genius, and then we just kind of go with it. 00:23:44.750 --> 00:23:45.470 Yeah, yeah. 00:23:45.549 --> 00:23:53.710 And if you look at it, like I said, I spent years learning how to code, and now I probably do write a line of code a few times a year. 00:23:54.509 --> 00:23:57.470 Most of it's done by AI these days, people don't need that skill anymore. 00:23:57.950 --> 00:23:58.269 Exactly. 00:23:58.429 --> 00:23:58.589 Yeah. 00:23:58.829 --> 00:23:59.549 That's awesome. 00:23:59.710 --> 00:24:06.669 So you said earlier you do talk to new entrepreneurs quite often, especially if you're helping them get started in e-commerce and things like that. 00:24:06.909 --> 00:24:13.069 But if you met a brand new entrepreneur just getting started, what one good solid piece of advice would you give them? 00:24:13.149 --> 00:24:15.470 What good first step would you have them take? 00:24:15.789 --> 00:24:16.269 Yeah. 00:24:16.509 --> 00:24:22.829 So e-commerce service-based, whatever you are, you don't need a website and a logo to start. 00:24:23.069 --> 00:24:25.149 It's the thing I hear so often. 00:24:25.309 --> 00:24:28.589 Ooh, I'm gonna start a business and I need a website and a logo. 00:24:28.829 --> 00:24:29.789 You absolutely don't. 00:24:29.950 --> 00:24:32.589 In fact, I suggest not doing it. 00:24:32.750 --> 00:24:36.990 I turn people away because I am I won't build you. 00:24:37.149 --> 00:24:42.829 If you're not at least a year into business, I won't build you a website because I know that you're gonna be, you're gonna change. 00:24:42.909 --> 00:24:43.549 It's gonna change. 00:24:43.710 --> 00:24:49.309 You're gonna work with clients and you're gonna find out that, oh, actually, I don't really like doing this, I like

doing this. 00:24:49.470 --> 00:24:54.429 Or oh, actually, I thought I wanted to work with these type of people, but actually I like these types. 00:24:54.589 --> 00:25:02.429 And if you built the website, you're gonna have to tear it down and start it over because you switched what you do, or you've be gotten more specific. 00:25:02.669 --> 00:25:19.309 So I actually suggest that people start with like a Linkin bio, or one thing that Pat talks about a lot is stand store, just something that you can very easily put your contact info on if you have like a PDF that says what you do. 00:25:19.470 --> 00:25:27.470 Make a PDF in Canva, say what you do, put your prices on it, and have a link to it on your Linkin bio or whatever. 00:25:27.629 --> 00:25:29.549 And then have ways for people to contact you. 00:25:29.710 --> 00:25:31.789 It doesn't have to be a fancy form. 00:25:31.950 --> 00:25:37.710 It can be your email, it could be your phone number, it could be a link to your Calendly or somewhere where people can book a call with you. 00:25:37.869 --> 00:25:40.349 And that's what you should start with at the beginning. 00:25:40.509 --> 00:25:49.389 Just get it up and running and have a way where people can quickly see what you provide and how they can book a call with you. 00:25:49.629 --> 00:25:52.990 I think that is one of the things I would say to start with. 00:25:53.149 --> 00:26:00.429 And I think that I wonder if it's the imposter syndrome that comes in and the excitement is that people are like, oh, logo, website, this is so exciting. 00:26:00.750 --> 00:26:04.189 But I think the most important thing is to get out there and get clients. 00:26:04.589 --> 00:26:06.909 Because you're not going to get anywhere without a client, right? 00:26:07.149 --> 00:26:08.990 Somebody paying you the money that you could get out there. 00:26:09.149 --> 00:26:15.069 It doesn't matter how if you have a website, logo, or anything, if you're not getting making money, you're not, you don't have a business. 00:26:15.309 --> 00:26:15.549 Yeah. 00:26:15.789 --> 00:26:19.869 So you need to have the money to be able to get the website and maybe the logo and that kind of thing. 00:26:19.950 --> 00:26:22.109 So think about the getting the client first. 00:26:22.349 --> 00:26:24.669 My first was, gosh, what was it called? 00:26:24.829 --> 00:26:25.710 It was Linktree. 00:26:26.029 --> 00:26:27.389 Linktree was my first one. 00:26:27.789 --> 00:26:29.869 It was L-A-N-K-T-R dot E. 00:26:30.429 --> 00:26:31.629 And it was free. 00:26:31.950 --> 00:26:41.710 So I just put it all right there, and then what I would do is I'd I designed a QR code, and then just I I had people just scan it on their phones, and everything was right there on their phone. 00:26:41.789 --> 00:26:44.269 They'd take a screenshot of it or whatever they need to do to get that way. 00:26:44.829 --> 00:26:46.349 Later on, I got into Stan Store. 00:26:46.429 --> 00:26:48.829 I have a Stan Store and I'm sponsored by Stan Store. 00:26:48.990 --> 00:26:49.149 Okay. 00:26:49.309 --> 00:26:49.549 Oh yeah. 00:26:49.869 --> 00:26:50.269 There you go. 00:26:50.669 --> 00:26:57.629 Anyway, so and now I can not only can I I have the Lincoln bio thing, but now I could I could schedule my podcasts. 00:26:57.789 --> 00:27:02.829 I can I sell my coaching abilities there on Stan Store. 00:27:02.909 --> 00:27:08.829 There's so much you can do with it, and it doesn't cost me$1,500,$2,000, right? 00:27:08.990 --> 00:27:10.109 $20 a month. 00:27:10.269 --> 00:27:16.189 It's like nothing compared to what it was what it would be if I had to have somebody build me an actual website. 00:27:16.429 --> 00:27:24.189 Even the drag and drop websites, sometimes they're not going to have what you need or what you got, what you think you need to have to be able to make it efficient. 00:27:24.349 --> 00:27:32.269 But if you at least start with something to get you across the start line and start gaining clients for yourself, then that's what you need to do. 00:27:32.589 --> 00:27:33.069 100%. 00:27:33.629 --> 00:27:49.629 And the the thing you bring up about the drag and drop website builders too, I get a lot of people who started their business, picked one of the website builders, the drag and drops, built their first website, and then they came to me, they come to me because they're like, I want to do this thing, but the one I chose doesn't do it. 00:27:49.789 --> 00:27:51.470 So I want to move to this other one. 00:27:51.710 --> 00:27:52.909 Can I move my website? 00:27:53.069 --> 00:28:08.429 And the answer is most likely no, you have to start over, which is another reason I say don't start immediately because what if you what if you decide you wanted to sell stuff and you the drag and drop builder you chose doesn't have things? 00:28:08.669 --> 00:28:12.990 And with stand store and stuff, I feel like sometimes that's all you need. 00:28:13.230 --> 00:28:18.269 I even as a website person, I look at stand store and I'm like, it's pretty good. 00:28:18.509 --> 00:28:19.389 That's pretty great. 00:28:19.470 --> 00:28:20.829 I would recommend that. 00:28:21.149 --> 00:28:21.549 Awesome. 00:28:21.710 --> 00:28:22.429 I love that so much. 00:28:22.589 --> 00:28:31.389 So something to think about school believers out there, if you're just getting started, don't oversaturate yourself with I gotta have this, I gotta have that to get started. 00:28:31.549 --> 00:28:39.950 You really don't just get the simplest thing to people to get a hold of you and just get started and get across a starling. 00:28:40.990 --> 00:28:42.109 Yeah, yeah. 00:28:42.909 --> 00:28:55.470 One of the first things I did, I think I was recommended to you was to just think about everyone I know and think about who can I, it was so hard, but tell them, hey, I want I'm starting this business. 00:28:55.710 --> 00:28:56.909 This is what I'm looking for. 00:28:57.069 --> 00:29:02.509 And it was so scary, and it

took me a week to format this email, send it out. 00:29:02.750 --> 00:29:03.869 But I didn't have it. 00:29:03.950 --> 00:29:07.629 I think I had a website at the time because I was like, if I'm building websites, I need to have a website. 00:29:07.869 --> 00:29:10.589 But other than that, I didn't really have anything. 00:29:10.750 --> 00:29:14.109 I didn't know what people needed, I didn't know my pricing. 00:29:14.269 --> 00:29:16.349 I was just gonna figure it out as I go. 00:29:16.509 --> 00:29:20.189 But yeah, reach out to people you know and tell them you're starting. 00:29:20.349 --> 00:29:24.189 And if you have a link tree or something like that, send that out. 00:29:24.829 --> 00:29:26.349 Absolutely, absolutely. 00:29:26.509 --> 00:29:30.349 All right, Nikki, I have a tradition I have with all my guests. 00:29:30.589 --> 00:29:33.309 In the next six months, where do you see yourself and your company? 00:29:33.389 --> 00:29:35.710 Do you have a goal for yourself in the next six months? 00:29:36.029 --> 00:29:36.990 Oh man. 00:29:39.869 --> 00:29:43.869 So I just joined the SPI community about three months ago. 00:29:44.189 --> 00:30:00.669 And one of the first things Liz told me to do was to collaborate and just get my name out there because I've I have a couple like mini courses,$17, and I have not sold any because I built them and I was too nervous to advertise them. 00:30:00.829 --> 00:30:03.549 And I was like, I don't want to put in all this effort to do it. 00:30:03.710 --> 00:30:12.509 So my goal is to start selling those and to build my email list so that people can start to learn about me. 00:30:12.750 --> 00:30:13.149 Yeah. 00:30:13.309 --> 00:30:18.589 I think my ultimate goal is to make passive income, which is part of why I'm an SPI. 00:30:18.829 --> 00:30:25.629 But yeah, so building my my following my email list and starting to sell those courses. 00:30:25.710 --> 00:30:26.509 Those are my course. 00:30:26.829 --> 00:30:27.470 That's my goal. 00:30:27.710 --> 00:30:31.789 So, how many people do you think you you could get on your email list, say in six months? 00:30:32.029 --> 00:30:33.389 Give me give me a number. 00:30:34.189 --> 00:30:36.509 So I think six months ago I had a hundred. 00:30:37.069 --> 00:30:37.230 Okay. 00:30:38.029 --> 00:30:41.069 And I just checked this morning and I have almost 400. 00:30:42.029 --> 00:30:47.389 And that's with I just started doing collaborations and that's with some ads. 00:30:47.629 --> 00:30:55.149 So my goal is my goal for the end of the year was a thousand, but I'm gonna say my goal for six months is to get to a thousand. 00:30:55.549 --> 00:30:56.349 Okay, that's perfect. 00:30:56.589 --> 00:30:56.909 I can do that. 00:30:56.990 --> 00:30:57.869 So that's a hundred a month. 00:30:57.950 --> 00:30:58.349 I can do that. 00:30:58.429 --> 00:30:59.230 Yeah, you can do that. 00:30:59.389 --> 00:31:01.869 How about how many courses do you think you want to sell? 00:31:04.029 --> 00:31:08.109 I gosh, I haven't thought about that. 00:31:08.509 --> 00:31:08.829 Uh-huh. 00:31:08.990 --> 00:31:10.269 Oh boy, Nikki, come on. 00:31:10.589 --> 00:31:12.189 I they're only$17. 00:31:12.669 --> 00:31:15.309 So I'm gonna say my goal is to sell a hundred. 00:31:15.549 --> 00:31:15.950 Okay, cool. 00:31:16.349 --> 00:31:18.269 I think that's a pretty, pretty low price. 00:31:18.429 --> 00:31:19.309 Yeah, that's all right. 00:31:19.549 --> 00:31:24.109 Okay, so what I'd like to do with you, Nikki, if it's okay, is I'd actually like to follow up with you in six months. 00:31:24.509 --> 00:31:24.829 Okay. 00:31:24.990 --> 00:31:26.349 Oh, you're keeping me into it. 00:31:26.589 --> 00:31:27.869 I am, I'm keeping you into this. 00:31:27.950 --> 00:31:35.470 We're gonna check back with you in six months and see if you've gotten a thousand people out on your email list and sold a hundred courses, okay? 00:31:35.710 --> 00:31:36.029 Okay. 00:31:36.189 --> 00:31:41.389 All right, because you're not just accountable to me now, you're accountable to all my school believers out there, so no pressure. 00:31:41.629 --> 00:31:42.109 That's true. 00:31:42.269 --> 00:31:43.069 Hold me accountable. 00:31:43.149 --> 00:31:44.269 Everyone, join my email list. 00:31:44.509 --> 00:31:46.829 And let's talk about Nikki and let's get on her email list. 00:31:46.990 --> 00:31:47.950 That's all that's gonna say. 00:31:48.349 --> 00:31:51.069 All right, Nikki, and speaking of, this is your time to shine. 00:31:51.149 --> 00:31:58.509 This is a time where I want you to tell me how we get a hold of you, how we get the how we get the courses and how we get on your email list and all that good stuff. 00:31:58.669 --> 00:32:01.789 Okay, ready, set, go. 00:32:02.669 --> 00:32:06.669 All right, you can find me almost anywhere at nixter.tech. 00:32:06.750 --> 00:32:10.029 So n-i-k-k-s-t-e-r dot tech. 00:32:10.509 --> 00:32:12.750 You can find me on YouTube there, on Instagram. 00:32:12.909 --> 00:32:14.269 That's my website. 00:32:14.429 --> 00:32:18.269 If you go to learn.nixter.tech, that's where you'll find my courses. 00:32:18.589 --> 00:32:20.669 You can also find links to it on my website. 00:32:20.990 --> 00:32:26.109 And if you go to my website, there's a couple of fun ways that you can sign up for my email list. 00:32:26.189 --> 00:32:37.869 I have a freebie that helps you figure out where you need to fix up your website because a lot of people just throw spaghetti at the wall and think, oh, let me change this color, let me change this font, whatever. 00:32:38.109 --> 00:32:42.349 No, I have a checklist, it's 25 questions, it's gonna tell you exactly what you need to fix up. 00:32:42.509 --> 00:32:50.509 And if you don't want to do that, I have a quiz on my website that will tell you how well you're doing with getting leads from your website. 00:32:50.829 --> 00:32:51.309 All right. 00:32:51.470 --> 00:32:52.189 That's awesome. 00:32:52.429 --> 00:32:55.470 Nikki, thank you so much for being on the Undiscovered Entrepreneur. 00:32:55.549 --> 00:32:56.669 This is an absolute blast. 00:32:56.829 --> 00:32:59.869 We actually met Nikki on the SPI community. 00:33:00.029 --> 00:33:03.389 It was so great to run into somebody that is getting along just fine. 00:33:03.470 --> 00:33:05.309 And I just had to have her on my podcast. 00:33:05.389 --> 00:33:06.669 So thank you so much, Nikki. 00:33:06.990 --> 00:33:07.710 Thanks for having me. 00:33:07.869 --> 00:33:08.349 This was great. 00:33:08.589 --> 00:33:10.669 I look forward to connecting in six months. 00:33:10.990 --> 00:33:11.470 All right. 00:33:11.710 --> 00:33:13.149 And sooner than that, but yeah. 00:33:13.389 --> 00:33:16.029 Yeah, when we get to official yeah, uh follow-up thing. 00:33:16.189 --> 00:33:16.829 Yeah, all right. 00:33:17.309 --> 00:33:18.109 All right, thank you so much. 00:33:18.429 --> 00:33:19.069 Awesome, thank you. 00:33:19.309 --> 00:33:19.950 Yeah, absolutely. 00:33:20.029 --> 00:33:20.589 Thank you so much. 00:33:20.750 --> 00:33:21.789 Okay, everybody, thank you. 00:33:21.950 --> 00:33:22.589 Bye-bye. 00:33:25.389 --> 00:33:31.389 This is an Undiscovered Legacy Production and prod member of Pod Nation Media Network.