Episode-456- Building Personal Brand and Income
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Every once in a while I tend to break out of the typical “survival topic mold” and I am doing that today. That said there is nothing that could be more accurately described as a survival topic than having your own stream of income or at least your own brand that makes you marketable as a cut above other job seekers. The landscape is changing, the resume is dead, jobs are outsourced, the US doesn’t make many “things” any more, we simply consume them
Yet today technology has changed the entry cost into business, it used to take blood letting hard work and lots of money, today you don’ t need a lot of money just a ton of hard work.
Join me today as I discuss…
- Why having your own income streams is definitely a survival topic
- Why passion is the key to success in business
- Why the resume, television as we know it, conventional radio and more are all dead or dying
- Why the writing was on the wall 4 years ago but big companies refused to listen
- Why giving a shit about your customers is more important than listening to them
- Five great ideas for web based businesses
- A cooking show
- A REAL fishing or hunting show
- A home handyman show
- A podcasters social network
- Online classes in social media for older people
- Five great ideas for web empowered businesses
- Home pet care (pet sitting, yes I am serious)
- Urban cooperative farming
- Self guided GPS tours
- Pool cleaning for above ground pools
- High School athlete video production
- Why now is the time to do what you love.
Resources for today’s show…
- Members Support Brigade
- Join Our Forum
- Common Sense Prep – (sponsor of the day)
- Western Botanicals – (sponsor of the day)
- Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuk – The book I mentioned on today’s show
- Ron Hood’s Survival.com Magazine
Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air.
Jack, I was posting this as you were publishing your podcast…. coincidence??? 🙂
http://thesurvivalpodcast.com/forum/index.php?topic=18534.0;topicseen
@Tim, depends on how you view the word. I view it in the words of James Redfield as the following,
“A new spiritual awakening is occurring in human culture, an awakening brought about by a critical mass of individuals who experience their lives as a spiritual unfolding, a journey in which we are led forward by mysterious coincidences.”
How do you view it?
Jack, I don’t have quite the way with words that you or Mr. Redfield do.
I said “coincidence” in a sort of jokingly, smart ass way, but what I see happening is, current circumstances are pushing us in certain directions to achieve our goals. Those of us with like minded goals (like breathing, or even just living in some sort of comfort level when everything goes wrong) all seem to be converging on the same place. That sort of sounds like what I’m thinking in my head..LOL
You have provided some inspiration and I thank you for it. Believe me, I’ve spent many nights plugging away in my home shop listening to you and thinking and planning and preparing for what my next step will be. We need to live that better life.. make it better every day!
@Tim I wish you the best on your new quest, send me a direct email with your address, I am going to send you a copy of Gary Vaynerchuks book as a congratulations present on taking that next step.
In addition, there is a real revolution in micro-manufacturing that lends itself to home based, custom CAD design and production of everything from the traditional artsy-crafty stuff to hardware for small-scale industry. Things like this: http://galvinpower.org/microgrids or this: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-homegrown-20100521,0,3748074.story or this: http://openfarmtech.org/weblog/?p=1761
Awesome show today! I’ll be listening to this one many more times as I get off my lazy butt and start doing something to change my life for the better.
I have a small income stream from a Website, and I’m thinking of ideas for multiple income streams. More domain names.
Bravo!
I’ve been working on my multiple streams of income for some time now, and while the streams are merely a trickle, I see some things finally taking shape.
I am grateful for my wonderful husband who allowed me to drop out of the workforce while he carries the entire financial burden on his shoulders, so I can stay home with my kiddos and develop some of these ideas that I’ve wanted to pursue for years.
Sometimes I get hung up on the word “passion”. There are many things I like to do, but I am not sure that I would say that I am passionate about them. I love helping people get their websites and blogs up and running, but I have never felt that I was good enough to actually CHARGE people for it.. until recently. I was recruited by a web developer friend to take on some overflow business, which turned out to be quite lucrative. Then I built a website for my CPA in exchange for tax services. This led to another web job for a small municipality that my CPA also worked for.. then to another client..
I’ve also done some other work with photos, videos, etc.. just some general editing and putting together presentations, “memory movies”… and I’ve helped people with their wordpress blogs, set up email accounts, get started with paypal, you name it.. all for free. I guess that’s what you call a PASSION… something you would do even for no pay.
I also spend quite a bit of time working on my own blogs, sharing my personal experiences. I have 4 websites (one is actually my husband, Robert’s). One site produces a pretty good stream of income from affiliate sales. The second site is basically an informational site, but has potential for some income opportunities. The third is currently dormant.. I lost interest in it.
I would also like to help my husband develop his passion for pecan trees (small scale orchards). We wrestle with how to best turn his hobby into a money making venture, but have not come up with the right business for him yet.
Thanks for a great show.
There is a saying in the Army that you probably remember. “Always do the right thing, and you’ll never go wrong.” I heard that come through loud and clear when you were discussing caring about and being honest with your customers.
You really hit a homerun today. I could hear it in your voice that you KNEW you nailed it, too. Your passion about doing what you love really came through in your message about doing what you love! Congratulations on your success!
I can’t wait to listen to today’s show. I need some encouragement…as a single person hauling a mortgage and working 50 – 60 hours per week, there’s not a lot of time or psychic energy left to make my dreams come true. I keep thinking about jumping off the wheel, but since I’m alone, I know jumping means being more prepared. Congratulations to all of you who are making your dreams happen.
Jack, I’ve asked several frustrated college students (grads) to listen to today’s show. Frustrated as they begin their search for jobs, seek guidance and direction, deal with headhunters, and useless people selling job services.
I was blessed by their response. They get it! Full of ideas and passion the wheels are turning.
– There is an untapped hotbed of fans here. Keep in mind the college student. (Next, I’m suggesting they listen to your show discussing ‘how wealth is measured’) Great work Jack!
Jack-
I didn’t hear you elaborate on the death of the resume like you said you would. Unless I missed it?
~John
Good Show Jack. I totally agree that being your own boss gives a person a great sense of freedom.
I’ve been building my brand for over 10 years now. It’s an ongoing process and I’m still learning. I manage to make a modest income which gives my wife and I the ability to be full time RVers. I manage my online ’empire’ from wherever we park our house.
@Steven Fletcher – just visited your site.. what a cool idea! Great work!
@Dene Brock Same back at you… nice looking & informative websites.
Follow Jack’s advice and take a video camera out the the pecan orchard and post the videos on YouTube. The photos on the blog are great but a good video on grafting would be much better. I’m sure you could find other video ideas once you.
Yep, the problem is Robert (my husband).. he’s kind of shy. I think he does a really great job with grafting and would LOVE to get the process on video. We’re working into it .. first with the photos, then maybe some short clips that I edit and narrate.. then eventually I think he’ll start talking. He’s actually the person with all of the gardening knowledge. I just tag along! 🙂
I listen to your podcast while walking the beach or the boardwalk each morning before heading to work. These have been a great series of podcast these past few days.
I pursued a photography career awhile back at the same time juggling my full time career. It put enormous stress on my marriage and even the bread winning job.
Dreams can become nightmares. It’s frustrating and humbling because I’m successful in my every day business, but the photography business failed for many reasons.
My advice is don’t be so blinded by dislike of your current career or dreams of money that your family harmony suffers.
I lost three years of my marriage by spending too many eveneings seperated from my wife, whether it was a room away editing images until 2AM or cities away shooting a wedding.
I agree that money (or lack of it) is the root of most eveils in society.
Following the pricipals of Dave Ramsey are a great start. It’s funny, the farther I have seperated myself from debt and the more savings I have put into the bank, the better my marriage, the better my attitude toward work, and the better my life in general.
Know the strengths and weaknesses of the family unit. Maybe it is applying some business skills to the mundane, yet critical aspects of a spouse’s business. My wife is by far the most talented, outgoing, yet unfocused person I have known. It’s been a good fit.
One piece of advice I can give from with failed buisness under my belt ( not because of no customers or $) is “the only ship that doesn’t sail is a partnership” never open a buisness with anyone. I made the mistake with my bro in law. He wanted to work longer hrs (10-12) I wanted to work less (8-10) I wanted a few days off for hunting and camping , he doesn’t do either. He felt I wasn’t pulling my share I felt he was acting like my boss. Someone will always seem to put more effort or time or money and when theres 2 hard heads
sparks fly and relationships get ruined. (fixed it though with humility and love to forgive and forget) One thing I regret the most is the partnership, because other than that it was a successfull buisness
@Steve I completely agree I have been in two partnerships. In the first one we made a bit of money but it never really went anywhere and everyone had tension. When we dissolved it, everyone took their share and we all get along.
The second is FS Media which is still operational and the last vestiges of my prior life. The person I partner with there is the only person in the world I would ever want to be in such a relationship with and we have wanted to kill each other more than once! Even that is now run very passively and we just sell some pretty cool DVDs.
I won’t ever do it again though, partnerships can work (we have to admit it because some have) but they almost always work when one does the work and runs the show and the other provides funding and gets the hell out of the way, that also seldom happens, one can understand why of course.
An alternative though is to offer someone you see like a partner equity in exchange for working in the business with vesting periods and all. You can give up even 50% (not that I would) to one or multiple parties of equity in return for working cheap, the key is setting up an INC or LLC and giving them “non voting shares”.
Jack-
What an awesome show! I just got to listen this AM. This is exactly why and how I started Revolution Rock and Roll. With a passion for GOOD music, it was a logical start.
While, thanks to you, the site/songs have made a little money (and will soon result in a donation to GOA), what is much more valuable to me is the experience of starting with nothing but an idea based on what I know I can do well…making it happen, and actually seeing it work to the point where now, all I have to do is keep tweaking until I can make it work better.
I don’t know if the project will be a huge success or just a blip on the Internet. But I can tell you that I have no problem staying up all night to finish a song or podcast (even after surgery, while selling a house, raising 2 kids and working a full-time job!).
Very, very well done podcast. BTW, I need someone to help me put together videos for the songs I write. I could do it, but it is not my core competency. Send me Andy’s number!
Stay safe-
Gregg
Hi, I had finished my normal podcast selection while driving yesterday and my husband suggested yours. This was the first episode I’ve heard and I just wanted to say great job. You have a new fan.
Thanks.
Holy Money,Jack.
My son Tim has been pestering me to listen to you for a long time, especially this episode. I am an aging nurse with a back problem that worsens everytime I wheel a bed or stretcher down the halls. I want out. Nursing is not the people job I thought it was in the begining. I am however a passionate gardener with a funky twist. I think about water and landscaping and how to fix it all. Right now because I can’t seem to get myself to stop working overtime at the hospital, my garden has turned into a forest of wild, as some people call them, weeds. I think it is even more interesting then when it was organized. But how in the world does a tecknilogically impaired 50 year old get on the web? I can think of quiet a few things to say, but how? I will sift through your website and see if I can find the answers. Thanks for you.
Juliana
@Juliana, there are lots of folks (like me) who have a handle on the technical stuff but have trouble finding the right things to say. You might start by writing articles for others.. let me know if you have something you’d like to contribute to my blog and I’ll definitely consider it.
Also…. Some places like “Backwoods Home” pay a commission for good content. Just a thought.. 🙂
@Juliana – First welcome and second Dene just gave you a few really good suggestions to get a brand going and get some level or market recognition.
Beyond that though let me say a paraphrase of something one of my NYC sales reps told me on my first trip to “The City”. We were in the subway and other than the DC Metro (which is simple due to only having four lines) I had never been in a subway before. I asked, “how the hell do you people navigate this city”, his response, “8 million people, most of em dumber than you do it every day, it ain’t that hard, it is just new to you”. A month later I was helping tourists as they tried to find the right train.
Blogging, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook are all actually incredibly simple to use, they are not your business, they are tools like a shovel or a hose. They key is getting started and learn as you go. I think you should follow that passion, find a way, it can be done.
NOW TO EVERYONE ELSE – PAY ATTENTION – PLEASE
Unlike a lot of bullshitting gurus on the internet I actually do seem to occasionally know what I am talking about. In this show I gave 5 ideas for online businesses, one was, “Social Media Coach” – I said something to the effect of…
There are thousands of people in that middle age demographic that are waking up to the reality that they hate what they do. These are smart people, all of them are really good at something they have true passion for. These people have been left behind the technology revolution, they want to use new technologies like Facebook, Twitter, etc. but don’t know how and are intimidated by them. These people need someone to help them learn, a person who is really good with all these tools could make a great living walking new people through the how and why behind social media.
Well? Do you ya get it now? HELLO! Anyone listening? So who is a great guru out there that is passionate about social media that would take on Julia for no cost to get a start in this business? Um, uh, like, gee there really is a market for this, Jack isn’t really crazy folks now is he.