Quick note: As my birthday is approaching, I want to celebrate with you! I turn 40 on May 11th, so I'll be discounting everyone's favorite product by 40%. Curious? Interested? Click here and I'll tell you when the discounts are live (there will be a cap on how many units I sell 😉) Hey Reader, I noticed that a funny thing happens when revenue drops: everyone turns into a detective. They inspect the landing page, rewrite the offer, panic-post on LinkedIn, rearrange pricing, add a bonus nobody...
13 days ago • 6 min read
At the beginning of the year, I told you about my strategy and how this question (“What’s one HARD thing that I can do and that no one else in my industry wants to do?”) lies at its core. This is the question that fueled my strategy. It’s a paraphrase rooted in some of Mark Manson’s ideas that we all eventually go through hardship — and that we shouldn’t try to avoid the hard things. (I heard about it from someone else, but for the life of me, I can’t remember who, so please forgive my...
20 days ago • 8 min read
Hey Reader, Picture this: you’re at a farmers' market looking to buy fish. As you move through the stands, you hear, “Fresh fish, caught two hours ago, come get it!” You go toward that sound and find three fishmongers: the one who beckons his clients and two others chitchatting. Where do you stop, and where do you buy from? All other things being equal, most people would buy from the fishmonger who caught their attention in the first place. And yet, there’s a new genre of advice making the...
27 days ago • 7 min read
Hey Reader, The (over-)simplified version of making money online is: Build an audience Gain their trust Get sales You’ve seen me say that trust is the hardest thing to earn and keep. Yet, it’s not enough. Sometimes, the “machine” looks broken: You build an audience. They engage, reply, and stick around. Some of them have been reading you for months, sometimes years. When you launch something, they don’t buy. womp womp Do they not trust you enough? Did you screw up your copy, messaging,...
about 1 month ago • 9 min read
Hey Reader, I recently saw a lifestyle influencer arrive at Milan Fashion Week and I've been thinking about it ever since. Said influencer showed up with: → A photographer → A videographer → A make-up artist → A stylist → A hairstylist → A VA → 2 other people whose job description I'm unsure of. Eight people! There are Fortune 500 executives who move through their day with fewer people supporting them. Think it’s excessive? I beg to differ. Every one of those people exists to turn a single...
about 1 month ago • 9 min read
Hey Reader, Do people balk at your pricing, citing it’s way out of budget? Or do they pay instantly before you change your mind and add another zero? Personally, I’m in between. I’ve always been told my prices are too low, starting with the launch email sequence (the first product I ever sold). These days, people tell me that The Council is priced way too low for what it offers. And they’re right — but I have a plan (see below). Even so, some people cite budget constraints when I talk to them...
about 2 months ago • 8 min read
Hey Reader, Quick question: can a bootcamp be both successful and kinda meh? Yep! Mine was the best of bootcamps and the worst of bootcamps. I want to tell you the full story, with numbers, wins, losses, goals, and everything in between. Because there’s always more happening behind the scenes than you know from the outside. For context, I’m talking about The Newsletter Growth Bootcamp (link just for reference, registration is closed). Let’s start at the beginning When I created The Council, I...
about 2 months ago • 6 min read
Pre.S: Lee Densmer wrote a book in five months (!!). She sold 450+ copies, used it to attract high-ticket clients, AND sell our a cohort in mere days. Curious how she did it? Me too! Join us for a live session where she spills ALL the beans. Hey Reader, One of the things that fascinates me these days is how people react to content they see online. It's so interesting to see how our preferences have changed and how our patience has shortened. There's a theory that explains why for-you feeds...
2 months ago • 7 min read
Hey Reader, Remember that fantasy that has been circulating in plagued solo businesses for years — “stop trading time for money; escape services. CLICK HERE to learn how to build passive income!!” I mean, it’s the dream, right? Spend a few hours recording a course, then escape to a remote beach and watch your Stripe notifications come in while you’re sipping Mai Tais. While this approach looks great on Instagram, it collapses under basic math and upon contact with reality. The State of...
2 months ago • 7 min read