AmyJune Hineline has lots of perspectives. Not only does she have a background in nursing that she's brought to the open-source world, but she also actively works with both WordPress and Drupal. That sort of experience is exactly what helps communities grow. AmyJune has dedicated her time to helping people get involved in open source, and she offers great advice here for people who want to contribute, as well as mentors in the space. Plus in Build Something More, we talk about what Drupal and Wo...
Aug 02, 2021•44 min•Season 1Ep. 227
Let me tell you something: I'm not great at social media. I KNOW...totally shocking. But you know who is? My friend Jean. In fact, we had a SUPER long chat all about content strategy and social media. It was super helpful and we covered a lot of ground, from growing your audience to TikTok. Plus there's a Build Something More pre- AND post-show. We talk about parenting in the pre-show and accents, culture, and repurposing in the post-show. Show Notes: Jean Perpillant Jean on LinkedIn Jean on Fac...
Jul 26, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 226
Michelle Frechette knows a thing or two about building a community. Not only does she do it for multiple WordPress businesses, but she's cultivated quite the community on Twitter! As someone who's trying to grow my own community, I had lots of questions for Michelle and she generously answered them all. Learn all about what it takes to grow a community today. Plus in Build Something More, how to help those underrepresented in your community. Show Notes Michelle Frechette Michelle on Instagram Wo...
Jul 19, 2021•49 min•Season 1Ep. 225
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Jun 27, 2021•3 min•Season 1Ep. 225
In January, I rolled out the Creator Crew, a membership that allows people to support the show directly in exchange for more, ad-free content. 6 months in, how do I think it’s going? Find out about this behind-the-scenes episode. And in Build Something More, we’ll talk about exact numbers, metrics, and what I’m measuring. Show Notes: Failed Patreon Experiment Creator Courses Build Someting Club Sponsored by: Restrict Content Pro | TextExpander | The Events Calendar ———— Streamlined Solopreneur i...
Jun 21, 2021•37 min•Season 1Ep. 224
You've heard multiple guests on this show talk about the importance of building your email list...but what do you do with that list once you have it? Well, copywriter Matt DeFeo tells us: we need to tell stories. Matt gives lots of actionable advice for how we can improve our email copy and start selling more without annoying our subscribers. Plus, in Build Something More, he tells us how he went from law enforcement to copywriting and the story is incredible. Show Notes: Matthew Defeo Matthew o...
Jun 14, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 223
Continuing a series on finances this year, today we tackle how to handle debt and invest in yourself and your business. Travis Hornsby took himself from being deep in debt to be able to support him and his family through his own business - and he gives us the framework so that we can do the same thing. Plus in Build Something More, we talk all about investing. Show Notes: Travis Hornsby Travis on Twitter Total Money Makeover Student Loan Planner Podcast Creator Crew Sponsored by: Restrict Conten...
Jun 07, 2021•52 min•Season 1Ep. 222
Podcasting can be like your own personal stage. If you're a speaker, you have the opportunity to create your own portfolio of work, allowing potential event organizers and audience members to see what you know and you speak. This can lead to more paid speaking gigs and a following. But that's not the only reason speakers should start a podcast. Show Notes: Should You Start A Podcast Creator Crew Podcast Liftoff Sponsored by: Restrict Content Pro | TextExpander | The Events Calendar ———— Streamli...
May 31, 2021•28 min•Season 1Ep. 221
The feast and the famine are two staples in running your business, right? It's doesn't have to be! That's the message from Kelsey Kerslake, who went from $200 to $16,000 in her bank account in 3 months! Kelsey shares her story, tips, and what you need to do to grow your business and avoid that feast and famine stress. Show Notes Kelsey Kerslake Kelsey on Instagram Kelsey on Facebook Creator Crew Sponsored by: Restrict Content Pro | TextExpander | The Events Calendar ———— Streamlined Solopreneur ...
May 24, 2021•47 min•Season 1Ep. 220
A few months ago we heard from Amber Hinds about the importance of accessibility and how her WordPress plugin can help you create more accessible content. She also said that you need a human being to catch most accessibility issues - that's where Bet Hannon comes in. Bet tells us all about what to look for when auditing your website, and how to execute a sampling audit. We also talk about a TON of tools. In Build Something More, listeners get a pre-and post-show. The pre-show is all about beer. ...
May 17, 2021•58 min•Season 1Ep. 219
Big news in the WordPress space today: GiveWP, makers of the extremely popular WordPress donation plugin has been acquired by Liquid Web. I got to interview the founders and co-authors, Matt Cromwell and Devin Walker. We cover questions like how the acquisition came about, what this means for current customers and nonprofits, plans for the future, and even some sage advice regarding the acquisition process. GiveWP Give's Announcement Episode 54: The GiveWP Team Better Audience Engagement for You...
May 11, 2021•18 min•Season 1Ep. 219
If you've ever worked for a bigger company, you know that it's easy to get bogged down by software and other restrictions in the name of security. Heck, I was once told I couldn't work off-site because of it, and we had a VPN! Well, Jason Meller was sick of that and he suspected others were too, so he started Kolide. We talk all about what inspired him to take the leap and start a company, how he and his team built the software and the honest security manifesto! In Build Something More, we talk ...
May 10, 2021•48 min•Season 1Ep. 218
Promoting your book can be a tough road - I know because I'm currently on it. On top of establishing trust, you need to demonstrate that you're worth investing in. Plus, unlike online courses, it can be tough to build and keep an audience if people are just buying your book off Amazon. Luckily, a podcast can help. We'll get into all of that in this episode. Plus, in Build Something More I'll tell you all about my experience with both self-publishing and going through an actual publisher. Show No...
May 03, 2021•35 min•Season 1Ep. 217
Pricing is one of the biggest issues that freelancers and small business owners face. The worry that pricing too high will lose sales tends to outweigh the fact that pricing too low is actually worse for your business. Well, Stephen King is here to tell us why the latter will sink you - not the former. And in Build Something More, we'll talk about how to be prepared for an economic recession - whether it's this one or the next. Show Notes: Stephen King Stephen King on Twitter Stephen King on Fac...
Apr 26, 2021•40 min•Season 1Ep. 216
Apple has officially announced Apple Podcast Subscriptions, a way for podcasters to offer paid podcasts directly through the Podcasts app. We’ll cover all the fine details (how it works, pricing, and some of the finer details) and they I’ll give my thoughts, and we’ll do some price comparisons. Show Notes The YouTube Video Apple Press Release Macstories Coverage The Fine Print, Six Colors The Future of Apple Podcasts, Nathan Gathright Memberful Pricing Castos Apple Podcast Directory Issues Creat...
Apr 23, 2021•20 min•Season 1Ep. 216
When just starting your business, it feels like the only financial question you're asking is, "How can I make enough money to stay afloat?" And while that is a SUPER important question, it's not the only question. In fact, today's guest, Kathy Svetina, gives us several questions we should ask ourselves to better answer the question, "How can I make enough money?" Her financial security framework is one every business owner, from freelancer to agency should think about. Plus, in Build Something M...
Apr 19, 2021•45 min•Season 1Ep. 215
One of the most important things a course creator needs to do to sell courses is establish trust. Indeed you've probably heard that a customer needs to know, like, and trust you. Well, there's no better way to get someone to do all three of those than by starting a podcast. We'll discuss that and other benefits to starting a podcast, whether you've already launched, or are planning to launch, a course. Plus in Build Something More, I tell you about how this podcast started, and why I pivoted. Sh...
Apr 12, 2021•35 min•Season 1Ep. 214
When you run a company focused on software for live events, you have no choice but to pivot when live events cease basically overnight. Hazel and Zach tell their fantastic story of how they were able to pivot a team of 50 people to focus their live events software on virtual events (spoiler alert: it's not easy). In Build Something More, we talk all about Liquid Web's acquisition of The Events Calendar in late 2020. Show Notes The Events Calendar The Events Calendar on Twitter The Events Calenda...
Apr 05, 2021•41 min•Season 1Ep. 213
I LOVE automation, so when Mang-Git Ng reached out and wanted to talk about what he learned by launching a start-up fully focused on digitizing paper processes, I was hooked. If you've bought a house, done taxes, or any other document-heavy task, you know what a pain it can be. Mang-Git's company aims to solve that problem, and he tells us everything he's learned. In Build Something More, we answer the question, "Are big cities like San Francisco and NYC dead?" Show Notes Mang-git Ng Mang-git on...
Mar 29, 2021•45 min•Season 1Ep. 212
One thing the global pandemic taught us is we need to have a great online presence. This is especially true if you need to sell online - and let's face it, we all do now. Well Patrick Garman of Mindsize has the knowledge and experience to help anyone launch and improve their eCommerce store. And he gives us some of his best stuff in today's episode. Plus, Mindsize went through a bit of a rebrand, and we talk all about it in Build Something More. Show Notes Patrick Garman Patrick on Twitter Minds...
Mar 22, 2021•58 min•Season 1Ep. 211
Have you ever wondered why your product or service didn't get much traction on social media even though you post all the time ? According to Michelle Knight, it's all about your personal brand (or lack thereof). Maybe you've heard the term before, but what does "personal brand" really mean? Luckily, Michelle has us covered! She'll tell us all about why you need a personal brand and how to craft one. In Build Something More, we talk Star Wars in the pre-show and social media dos/don'ts, traveling...
Mar 15, 2021•49 min•Season 1Ep. 210
Starting an eCommerce just a few years ago was a hard task. You needed to set up a website, figure out how to accept payments, manage inventory, figure out shipping and fulfillment, and so much more. Thanks to Amazon and other tools, things have gotten a lot easier. Michael Begg tells us all about how using Fulfillment By Amazon and grow your business. Be sure to check out Build Something More this week - we talk negative review, review scams, and more! Show Notes Michael Begg Michael on Linkedi...
Mar 08, 2021•40 min•Season 1Ep. 209
In my experience, starting out, hiring a Virtual Assistant(VA) can take up more time than you're saving. While this is true for any employee, part of the reason to hire a VA is to make more time in your schedule to focus on your business. So how do you do it right? Matthew Yahes answers this question, plus where to find good people, and how to properly onboard VAs. In Build Something More, we talk about how to let go of those tasks you're holding on to! Show Notes Matthew Yahes Loom AppSumo.com ...
Mar 01, 2021•49 min•Season 1Ep. 208
Going on podcasts can be a great opportunity for small business owners. You're getting in front of a new audience to tell your story and show your expertise. But did you know there's a whole other avenue you can explore? Kristin Molenaar does, and she tell us all about it! Plus, in Build Something More, she walks us through forming your podcast pitch. Show Notes Kristin Molenaar Kristin on LinkedIn Creator Crew Sponsored by: Mindsize | Restrict Content Pro | TextExpander ———— Streamlined Solopre...
Feb 22, 2021•46 min•Season 1Ep. 207
There are a lot of aspects to consider when creating a membership site. Aside from the tech stack, you need to determine what you're going to offer and why it's compelling. In some cases, like a monthly subscription box or access to education resources, the offer is clear. But what about for content creators? Well, I just rolled out my membership and here's everything I put into it. Plus, in Build Something More, I tell you how I evaluated membership plugins, and what further benefits can look l...
Feb 15, 2021•54 min•Season 1Ep. 206
Back in 2017, I tried launching a Patreon for this very show, after hitting 50,000 downloads in 9 months. It was an epic failure! As a relaunch memberships for this site 4 years later, I reflect on the Patreon: how I overpromised, how I underdelivered, and what lessons I carried into my new membership, Creator Crew. Show Notes 50K Downloads & More Coming to How I Built It I’m Doubling Down on Patreon Patreon Creator Crew Sponsored by: Outgrow | Restrict Content Pro | TextExpander ———— Stream...
Feb 08, 2021•45 min•Season 1Ep. 205
Accessibility is an important of often overlooked aspect of web development. While some view it as an added expense, many don't even know they're doing anything wrong. Well today's guest, Amber Hinds, aims to change that by making accessibility less daunting through her agency and their new plugin, Accessibility Checker. Show Notes NOTE: Around 4:30, Amber said Section 508 of the Telecommunications Act. She has relayed to me it should have been Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. Equalize Dig...
Feb 01, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 204
The global pandemic has forced a lot of businesses to change their processes and practices. One major drawback of not being able to meet in person is when we pitch new clients or customers, it has to be done digitally. That is a big change from being in the same room as you and your potential clients. Luckily Alex Price, owner of the 93digital WordPress agency, has some great tips for us. Show Notes Alex Price | Twitter Email: alex@93ditigal.co.uk 93digital Get Rich in the Deep End Positioning S...
Jan 25, 2021•48 min•Season 1Ep. 202
We've heard about flipping houses, but what about flipping blogs? Chelsea Clarke has built an entire business on just that. She teaches us what to look for when buying a blog, and the steps we need to take in order to sell. Listen in for an interesting and unique way to generate income for your business! Show Notes Free Resource - Profit and Loss Template Chelsea Clarke | Instagram Mediavine Join the Creator Crew Sponsored by: Outgrow | Restrict Content Pro | Hostinger | TextExpander ———— Stream...
Jan 18, 2021•43 min•Season 1Ep. 202
Jennifer Bourn has been successfully running Profitable Project Plan, her training program for freelancers and small business owners, for several years. But it wasn't something that instantly made her a ton or money, and it's evolved over time. We're getting back to basics here in 2021, so Jennifer and I talk about what you'll learn in Profitable Project Plan, but we'll also talk about how she built it, and how she evolved it to make it the perfect program for anyone who wants to build a better ...
Jan 11, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 201
