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#482 I've got a great tip to share with you today — especially if you're an introvert like me. This goes way back to my first conference. If you've ever been to one of these events you know that networking is a big part of the appeal. The ability to walk up to someone, introduce yourself, and strike up a conversation can lead to incredible opportunities. But way too often we end up psyching ourselves out of making the first move. Often the answer . . . is action. So we're going to dig into this topic a bit today, just you and me. Let's do it! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session482

#481 Chris Voss is the CEO of The Black Swan Group Ltd. and the author of Never Split the Difference — an amazing book on negotiation that I'd highly recommend everyone read. I'm so grateful that Chris joined me on the show to talk about negotiation, how he got interested in the topic, as well as his in-depth advice on negotiation. We talk about how to great a lasting last impression (and why that's more critical than a first impression), setting yourself up for success, why negotiation is ultimately about collaboration, and we even get into Chris's thoughts about having the right kind of mindset for successful negotiation. Everyone uses negotiation to some degree in their life or business and man, this is one for the books. Let's do it! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session481

#480 If you're an entrepreneur, at some point you're inevitably going to compare yourself to the other entrepreneurs out there. Maybe you wish you had success like theirs, maybe you're envious because their success seemed to happen overnight. But some comparisons are healthy, like if you're trying to pull inspiration from someone or compare yourself now to where you were in the past. How can we approach those thoughts in a healthy way?I've been there, and over time I've developed a few mindset shifts and thought experiments that have helped me a lot. Let's chat! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session480

#479 John Lee Dumas is here today to share the story behind his book, The Common Path to Uncommon Success: why he decided to write it, why he went with a traditional publishing deal, and all the strategies he used to make it come together. Whether you've written a book before, want to compare notes with John, or just want to learn more about this amazing book, stay tuned! Learn more about the book by going to UncommonSuccessBook.com. Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session479

#478 For today's Follow-Up Friday, we're going one-on-one so I can tell you about my own first experiences with memberships, going all the way back to the days when I was a newbie with Internet Business Mastery. There's a lot you can learn from my experience and what it taught me about the power of membership communities, how to set them up so that members feel heard and taken care of, and providing students and learners with an amazing experience. Let's dig in! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session478

#477 Creating a membership community has been one of the best decisions we've ever made at SPI! Maybe you've thought about creating a membership community of your own, or maybe you're just curious. Either way, you're in the right place!Today's episode is essentially a masterclass in membership communities. I'm honored and thrilled to have Stu McLaren on the show today, someone who has over 10 years of experience launching, cultivating, and empowering people through online membership communities. We're not just skimming the surface or laying out steps for getting started. We get into some advanced strategies and tactics on everything from onboarding to ensuring the longevity and health of your membership. Definitely take notes for this one! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session477.

The podcast team at SPI has been cooking up something very exciting: a brand-new podcast called Flops! Flops presents an honest portrait of entrepreneurial failure in its numerous forms. When we hear entrepreneurial stories, we often glorify the big wins and brush over the failures that had everything to do with why success occurred. Flops turns the atypical success story on its head. Here to chat about the concept for the show and how it came about are co-hosts Karen Beattie and Ray Sylvester — after our short conversation you'll hear the first full episode of Flops: "The Pyramid Scheme." Learn more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/flops

#476 We hear phrases tossed out around the word "value" all the time. "Provide value," "give value," "massive value," etc. Sometimes that can sound a bit challenging, but Michael Hyatt — who was an amazing guest earlier this week on episode 475 of the podcast — has taught me a way to provide huge value to people in a really simple way. This isn't a superpower by the way, although Michael is obviously phenomenal at doing this thing (which I'll reveal in the episode). This is something everyone can start doing right now, and I'm going to challenge you to start today. I want to tell you how helpful and amazing Michael has been in my own life so that you can hopefully follow his example. Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session476

#475 Is it even possible to win at work and life? It's the so-called "double win" — succeeding at work and life simultaneously — and Michael Hyatt's here to explain some of the strategies he uses to achieve it. He has a new book out on this very topic, which he co-authored with his daughter, Megan: Win at Work and Succeed at Life.In this episode, you'll hear Michael and I talk over strategies and mindsets for achieving balance and freeing yourself from the cult of overwork. Michael details how to embrace constraints, how he structures his workday, and how to curb workaholism. This episode will inspire you to find that crucial balance in your own entrepreneurial journey — let's go!Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session475

#474 Today we're going to jump back in the DeLorean and go all the way back to when I made my first time hire. Now, this wasn't a long-term hire or a team member, but I learned a lot of valuable lessons in the process (some of them kind of embarrassing, to be honest). Making that first hire was really the unlock for me in a lot of ways. Ultimately, you just can't do everything on your own, and once you realize just how much more you can do by outsourcing, hiring, delegating . . . so many doors open up. So let's sit back, relax, and I'll tell you the story. Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session474

#473 How do you show appreciation for your assistant, who basically acts as an extension of your entrepreneurial self? Or, how do you resolve conflict with an assistant, what do you do if they're not the right fit? We're going to get into all of that, discuss how my assistant's role with SPI has evolved over 7+ years, and a lot more. Jess is such a blast to work with and I'm so grateful that she's on the show with me today. Let's go! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session473

#472 We just had an amazing episode on the podcast earlier this week — SPI 471: How to Become a Better Communicator with Kolarele Sonaike. Definitely listen to it if you haven't had a chance yet. But today I want to share my own journey as a communicator. We're going to hop in the DeLorean and go all the way back to middle school, high school, and college — where I first started honing my communication skills. Sometimes you just have to hit the ground running, and when it comes to learning how to communicate as an entrepreneur, it's not helpful to be "the kid in the back of the class" (like I once was). Hopefully, this episode inspires you to get out there, make mistakes, and avoid the trap of thinking everything you put out there has to be perfect. SmartPassiveIncome.com/session472

#471 Communication is one of the most critical foundations to everything you do as an entrepreneur, in your personal relationships, and so much more. And becoming a better communicator is a lifelong journey — how do we do better? Our guest today is Koralele Sonaike, a Communication Skills Coach with a background as a barrister (England's version of a lawyer). He's here today to talk about approaches for becoming a better communicator, his own journey as a barrister and communicator, and the transformations he helps create in the lives of his clients. This episode can do amazing things for you, so if you want to better your communication and get better results in your business, don't pass it up. Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session471

#470: What is it I've found, you ask? Let me tell you: a topic that I'm deeply interested in and a way to share it that's unlike what anyone else is doing.In session 469, I talked to Nick from PokeRev about his Pokemon card collecting and how he's been able to create a community—and earn money—around his hobby. Over the last few months, he and I have built a friendship around our shared love of Pokemon, and I've joined a number of his live streams and even become a moderator for his community, the PokeCave. Seeing what he's doing inspired me to create my own Pokemon-centered YouTube channel, Deep Pocket Monster, where I've found a love for live streams. There I try to bring positivity and energy to inspire other collectors and create a fun space for families to join. I've learned so much doing those live streams, and now I want to share what's making those successful. Let's go! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session470

#469 What if you could turn a hobby or passion — maybe something you loved or were crazy about as a kid — into a thriving goldmine of a business? That's exactly what Nick, AKA PokeRev, has done. Pokemon was his passion as a kid, it's something that's deeply steeped in nostalgia for him. He's managed to turn that joy into a super-successful YouTube channel. Thousands, sometimes tens of thousands of people join him on his live streams and he's been able to grow his subscribers to nearly 300k in just about a year! Whether you're new to the hobby or not, definitely give this one a listen. Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session469

#468: In SPI 467, I talked to Kristen at Bearfoot Theory, who took a month-long sabbatical from work at the end of 2020—a whole month disconnected from her business!— and managed to make more money than she had before, even while she was gone. We all need a break from time to time, and for those of us who own and manage our businesses on a day-to-day basis, it can be a real challenge to even think about stepping away for an extended time. This can feel overwhelming and stressful and trust me, I've been there. Finding a healthy work and life balance has not always been easy for me.After a vacation to Hawaii a couple of years ago, I realized I had a near-impossible time disconnecting completely from work. I even took all my podcasting equipment with me to record an episode while I was there. (Not cool, Pat.) This kept me from fully relaxing and enjoying the precious time I had away with my family.Since then, I've put a good deal of thought into how my next vacation can be different, and today, I'll take a deep dive into the strategies my team and I have worked on together to set the business up for success for those times when I need to step away, unplug, and recharge.Find show notes at smartpassiveincome.com/session468.

#467 We talk about a lot of business topics here at SPI, most of them related to moving forward: how to optimize your time, build your business, launch courses, create a podcast. It's a lot of doing. But today we're going to talk about something on a different side of the spectrum: taking time away from your business to think, focus on your mental health, gain new clarity, and reevaluate your relationship with your business or things like social media. On the show with me today is Kristen Bor, a travel blogger at BearfootTheory.com who did exactly that. Whether you've never taken a sabbatical before or the idea is just plain crazy to you, you should listen to this episode. I hope it's as inspiring for you as it was for me! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session467

#466: We go deep in this episode. We're talking about the entrepreneurial leap—that moment when you accept the risk and truly dedicate yourself to the path of starting your own business. For me, it didn't happen the moment I got laid off or even after I started making more than four times what I'd been making as an architect. It came later, after several eye-opening experiences and conversations with people I trusted. Today, I'll tell you that story.

#465 Today's guest has written some truly incredible books that I wish I'd had on hand at that time. His book Rocket Fuel was a game-changer for me in helping me realize my role in the business. His new book, Entrepreneurial Leap is a powerful book, especially for anyone who's considering making the leap into entrepreneurship. Whether you've made the leap already or need to reassess where you're at, Gino's throwing down a lot of wisdom for us. Here we go! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session465

#464: I'm excited to introduce you to our first Follow-Up Friday episode on the SPI Podcast! Over the last couple of years we've had a lot of requests for more solo episodes of the show and now we're finally doing it. I'll be dropping a new episode every Friday to dive deeper into our Wednesday's guest interview. In this case, we didn't have a guest on Wednesday, so today it's just me diving even deeper into the world of YouTube.In today's episode we'll talk about my newest side project, Deep Pocket Monster, a Pokemon YouTube channel where I document my Pokemon card collecting and investing journey. I've put a lot of thought into strategies to get the most views and gain subscribers, and today I'll share what's working and what's not in hopes it will help you in your own YouTube journey. Welcome to Follow-Up Fridays!