This week, we decided to use some studio down-time to revisit our most downloaded, most commented episode, and strip it down to the meat and potatoes. The original episode, which you can find in its entirety here, focused on the importance of the order in which entrepreneurs should do things to successfully create a personal-brand based business.

Three years later, the out-of-sequentialism problem still exists and the solutions in this episode are still valid. Even if you heard the original, this condensed, straight-to-the-point version can help you stay on track as you start or grow your business.

Feature Presentation

The premise for today’s podcast: Every person listening to this show can and should build a prosperous personal-brand business by following 5 proven phases.  

If you get these phases out of order you will have problems. If you are frustrated with lack of traction in building your personal brand online, chances are you’re out of sequence.  

• If you want to start a platform-based, personal-brand business by taking your knowledge, your wisdom, your expertise, and your gifts and you can share them with people (the world) via the power of the Internet.
• You can establish your global reach for $50-$100 by creating a radio show (podcast), TV show (YouTube channel) and other various ways of having people communicate with you (social media).
• Many businesses have done just that.
  • Casey Neistat  started out with a video camera and making movies and had no audience, no following, and built a seven million follower YouTube channel. Part of his company was purchased by CNN for $25 million last year.
  • Peter McKinnon, a photographer, cinematographer, and videographer who lives in Canada has built a million subscriber YouTube channel.  
  • It’s not just YouTube channels, there are people in all social media markets like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. You know the names of the people who rule these marketplaces, but you may not know the people in the niches that are getting wealthy serving a small, few thousand people in their particular niche.

“The internet and the ability to build a personal brand online is the great equalizer of all entrepreneurs.”  Ray Edwards

5 Phases of a Prosperous Business

1. Determine the meaning of life and the meaning of your business.
2. Define your mission, your vision, your goals, and your tasks.
3. Clarify your message. (Who you help, why they need you, what you do that helps)
4. Create marketing materials. (Marketing that is clear, repeatable, and sticky.)
5. Collect money.  (Give value first.)

How You Can Help

Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show. We are also on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there.

Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Visit Ray's community on Facebook - This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

You already are a personal brand, and as my friend Mike Kim says, you might as well be a better one. Personal branding isn't just for celebrities, public speakers, or internet gurus…It's for YOU! 

This week's episode will help you make big strides in your own personal brand, thanks to Mike's expert advice.

Feature Presentation

Throughout my years of consulting and training, I have encountered a common sentiment among many would-be content creators - "How can I succeed when so many others are already doing what I want to do?"

I get it...Most likely, you've already been inspired by content creators in your field of expertise. Perhaps you are even a devoted, multi-platform-following fan of some of them. Why would anyone choose your content over theirs? It's a one-word answer: You.

Your personal-brand is where your power lies...It's not simply a battle of Your Content vs. Their Content - It's a Battle of the Brands. The fact is, even though someone else may have more resources than you (more time, more money, more support staff, better equipment), your personality, your style, YOUR BRAND, can serve as an equalizer. It's the unduplicatable part of your content, and Mike Kim has the knowledge to raise your branding game to a new level.

Listen to the episode (or read the transcript linked below) Then, grab Mike Kim's book here.

Links From This Episode

You Are The Brand - The 8-Step Blueprint to Showcase Your Unique Expertise & Build a Highly Profitable, Personally Fulfilling Business. No matter where you buy your copy of Mike Kim's book, You Are The Brand, make sure you go to this official site to claim many awesome bonuses.

Norm McDonald's Moth Joke - I mentioned it, so I felt the need to throw this in.

How You Can Help

Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show. We are also on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there.

Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Visit Ray's community on Facebook - This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

So many of us still have life "on pause" as a result of the last 18 months. Regardless of where you are or what restrictions you're still facing, it's time to press play...It's time to move forward. This week, I'm giving you 5 reasons to show you why Now is your time.

Spiritual Foundations

"The wicked flee though no one pursues,

    but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

- Proverbs 28:1, NIV

Perhaps you're more familiar with the secular version, "Fortune favors the bold". In this economy, NOW is the time to be bold as a lion.

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5 reason why now is your time:

1. This is the Digital Revolution - The one we've been talking about for a few decades now is essentially just starting for millions of people who were rocketed into an online lifestyle due to the effects of the pandemic. We don't know the official numbers, but the amount of people buying, meeting and learning online has increased by at least TEN TIMES.
2. This is the Wild West Economy, all over again (Fortunes will be made NOW)
3. Chaos Rewards Optimism - Things are chaotic right now, but chaos rewards optimism and reflects whatever you expect of it.
4. It's a new Inflection Point. Worldwide - More millionaires are being made now than ever in the history of the world economy.
5. Exponential Growth is Just Around The Corner - Incredible advances in internet infrastructure and other technologies are priming the economy for giant leaps.

Links From This Episode

Be Your Own Copywriter - This live, cohort-based, interactive learning experience is the most effective way to get the power of persuasive copywriting. This isn't a series of pre-recorded lectures - This is a virtual classroom environment where you get results - in class! Every piece of copy you need to launch your product, service, membership, course or offer will be completed by the end of this program. You'll learn how and when to deploy each piece, AND have your copy reviewed by expert copywriters and your cohorts. The doors close soon, so don't wait - click here to reserve your seat.

How You Can Help

Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show. We are also on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there.

Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Visit Ray's community on Facebook - This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

This week, I'm asking you to do some self-reflection (check yourself, before you wreck yourself.) I'm offering you 5 "Failure Factors" that can paralyze entrepreneurs if left unchecked.

The good news is this: Even if you see some, or all of these factors in yourself, there is a simple solution. That's what I'm giving you in this week's episode.

Spiritual Foundations

"In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;

    in the morning I lay my requests before you

    and wait expectantly."

- Psalm 5:3, NIV

How is it possible to stay spiritually centered in a world prone to chaos? This verse from Psalm gives us a pretty good recipe: Start your morning by speaking God - Then LISTEN for His voice throughout the rest of the day.

Tip Of The Week

Here's an app that fixes a recurring, expensive problem for many of us: Forgetting to cancel things we're not using. You may even see the charge pop up and think, "Oh yeah, I need to cancel that.", but the subscription rolls on for a few months until you actually do it.

Truebill takes care of this in a simple, almost magical way. It keeps track of all your subscriptions and allows you to cancel unwanted ones with a single click. Amazing!

Feature Presentation

This week, I'm breaking down 5 factors that can be dream-killing kryptonite for entrepreneurs:

1. Drifting (You MUST NOT drift. You need an intentional destination)
2. Complaining (If you're complaining about things that are not in your control, stop it. If you're complaining about things you can control, stop it...and fix the thing that you're complaining about.)
3. "Victiming" (It might give you some quick pain relief, but this fixes nothing)
4. Comparison vs. Creation (Don't worry about who's doing it better, keep creating! The more you create, the better you will get)
5. Procrastinate vs. Publish (You're not perfect. You're content will not be perfect. Don't let striving for perfection lead you to producing nothing.)

Links From This Episode

Write an Email Series That Sells - My free workshop that happens on July 8, 2021. This is a live, cohort-based workshop that will teach you how to create must-open subject lines and how to sell using stories. If you want a sample of how effective this style of learning is, just sign up and show up...no investment required.

Truebill - No more forgotten free-trials or hidden subscriptions. Track them all and cancel with a click.

How You Can Help

Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show. We are also on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there.

Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Visit Ray's community on Facebook - This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.