Community and Audience | MMO mastermind

This Game-Changing Tool Helped Me Earn 6-Figures

February 18, 2019 Pat Flynn Leave a comment

In a new Campaign Income Report, learn how this game-changing tool helped me earn 6-figures: RightMessage, the ultimate tool in audience personalization! Pat Flynn February 18, 2019 Welcome to another campaign-based income report here on Smart Passive Income. This month, we’re going to examine a promotion I ran at the end of last year for Cyber Monday to promote my online courses. I’ve run small promotions during Cyber Monday before, but only for my architectural-related business. Why not anywhere else? Because I had no other products of my own to sell! Up until 2017, affiliate marketing had accounted for about 90 percent of my income, with podcast sponsorships, books, speaking, and niche sites making up the rest. Then, I finally created my own courses to better serve my audience, and have seen a significant increase in income ever since. There were a lot of lessons learned and many things that […]

Inside a 5-Figure JV Affiliate Promotion

January 29, 2019 Pat Flynn Leave a comment

In this Campaign Income Report, I’m going to unpack a promotion I ran for someone else’s online course. Here’s how I became one of the top three affiliates and earned five figures in the process without spending any money on ads! Pat Flynn January 28, 2019 Welcome to the first of our new edition of income reports here on SPI! For nearly a decade since the blog was created in October 2008, I’ve been sharing monthly income reports to reveal exactly how my online businesses were performing, including exactly how much money was being made, where it was all coming from, the expenses and the lessons learned that month, too. These income reports, many said, are what put me on the map and what I had become known for, and they were the most popular blog posts on the site. Then, in January 2018, I stopped publishing them. For an […]

The Origin of FlynnCON1 and What I’ve Learned So Far Creating My First Conference

January 22, 2019 Pat Flynn Leave a comment

Step behind the scenes of of FlynnCON1: Why I’m doing it, what to expect, and the top five lessons I’ve learned on the journey! Pat Flynn January 21, 2019 For the last six months I’ve been working with Team SPI to create an amazing and unique event experience for people who want to press start (or restart) on their vision for their future. That experience is FlynnCON1—and it happens in my hometown of sunny San Diego this July 26–28. Today, I want to share how FlynnCON1 came about, give you a taste of what to expect at the event, and go over some of the biggest lessons our team has learned while putting together our first ever large-scale in-person event. Why FlynnCON1 Is Happening: The Origin Story I’m incredibly excited to be finally putting together an event like this. It’s not an understatement to say that I’ve been looking forward […]

How Alex from Travel Fashion Girl Built Her Empire

January 9, 2019 Pat Flynn Leave a comment

Alex Jimenez: I don’t know even know how to explain it, because it really was such a whirlwind. It was cool to see the opportunities, but again, I don’t think I quite understood the possibility behind it. I thought, “Man, if I can make enough money; a couple of hundred dollars a week or something, where I could just cover the cost of my travel.” Pat Flynn: You are listening to Alex from TravelFashionGirl.com, an amazing friend of mine who I’ve gotten to know very well over the last year. She has a great story about how she almost stumbled upon her niche, which is the travel industry, through a lot of experiences, and problems, and people that she had experienced on her own travels. She built this website and it took off and it became a world wind . . . a world wind? A whirlwind of an opportunity […]

Announcing SPI-ber Monday Deals!

November 26, 2018 Pat Flynn Leave a comment

It’s SPI-ber Monday! Deals last until Tuesday at 11:59 p.m. Pacific! Save on my brand new online course, Smart Podcast Player, my current courses, and the brand new SPP Sticky Player! Pat Flynn November 26, 2018 Welcome to SPI-ber Monday! A brand new course I think you’ll love! A special Smart Podcast Player deal—plus a new player for subscribers! And major discounts on all of my current courses! What occasion could possibly bring all of these awesome things together in one place? What could cause the stars to align like this? Get ready for the very first SPI-ber Monday (get it? Haha.)! As you may know if you’ve been following me for a while, you know that my passion and mission in life is to help people. I do that by showing how I’ve grown my online business, and how others can start and grow their own businesses too. SPI-ber […]

Booted out of His Own Business & the One Thing Jordan Harbinger Did to Survive

November 21, 2018 Pat Flynn Leave a comment

Jordan Harbinger: It would be kind of like if it was illegal tomorrow to be doing anything Smart Passive Income related, and you weren’t allowed to touch any of your existing platforms, and you weren’t allowed to teach any of your existing courses. You’d just kind of be like, “Okay. I’m Pat Flynn, family man, got a great family, great kids, but what do I do? I’m not allowed to speak. I’m not allowed to write. I’m not allowed to teach. What do I do?” Pat Flynn: That’s insane. Jordan Harbinger: You’d have to kind of figure out what you were gonna do . . . Pat Flynn: That would be a truly nightmare situation if, for whatever reason, I wasn’t allowed to do what I’m doing right now for you. This is my business. This is my identity. This is who I am. This is exactly what happened to […]

How Studio Neat Became Physical Product Rockstars through Kickstarter

November 7, 2018 Pat Flynn Leave a comment

Pat Flynn: Hey, thank you so much for taking the time to listen in today. You know, it’s been an interesting week here in the podcast because last week had two episodes come out; one on Wednesday and another one on Friday. The one on Friday was about me and my videographer’s new invention called SwitchPod. You can find it at SwitchPod.co. This is a physical product. We’ve never done anything like that before so if you wanted to hear more about why that exists and how it was put together and a lot of the experimentation that we’re doing there, you can listen to the previous episode, Episode 343. But this episode, 344, I’m really excited because our special guests are Tom and Dan from Studio Neat. The funny story about Tom and Dan is that both Caleb and I met them in person and watched them speak on […]

What You Need to Know before Hosting a Conference (with Ronsley Vaz)

October 31, 2018 Pat Flynn Leave a comment

Ronsley Vaz: Because if you go through a hotel they got hotel prices So— Pat Flynn: It’s like forty, fifty dollars per lunch per person or something like that, for just a sandwich. I’ve seen that a couple times. I’m like, “This is crazy.” Ronsley Vaz: Yeah, seventy-two dollars or something. I remember that quote very clearly. That was . . . well it’s lunch, and I’m like, “Are you kidding me?” Pat Flynn: You’re listening to Ronsley Vaz, who is the founder of the We Are Podcast conference, a podcast conference that happens in Australia, and revealing some of the hidden costs that might come with putting on an event like this. Now, I know a lot of people who put on events, and all of them could be well qualified to talk about this topic of, well how do we put on an event, big or small? What […]

The Art of the Unforgettable Interview with Andrew Warner

September 5, 2018 Pat Flynn Leave a comment

Andrew Warner: And so, when you came on the first question I said to you, the first thing I brought up was I said I didn’t have you on because passive income just felt so phony to me. It felt like, “I’m going to show you how to make money while you sleep,” and in reality anyone who cares about making money while they sleep doesn’t have the heart to do the work while they’re awake. And then, it was only through time that I got to know what you were about and that I had tremendous respect and I felt that I was wrong in doing it. But I wanted to bring up the Passive Income name. I wanted to understand that, and so I brought that up. Pat Flynn: You are listening to Andrew Warner, host of the very popular podcast and show, Mixergy, which you can find […]

Top 10 Book Recommendations from the SPI Book Club!

August 3, 2018 Pat Flynn Leave a comment

Looking for books that challenge and inspire your life and business? Look no further than these top-shelf recommendations from the SPI Book Club! Pat Flynn August 3, 2018 Last month, I sent out an email to the SPI Book Club asking for book recommendations to share here on the blog. Here’s what I asked: What is one book you read this year that you’ve really loved? And what is the number one reason you recommend the book? I started receiving book recommendations almost immediately after I sent the email, and I’m so grateful. Thanks so much for sharing your current book favorites with me, book club members! There were so many amazing book recommendations to choose from, including one book we picked for the August edition of the book club: Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss as recommended by Matt (@mds on Twitter)! [Full Disclosure: As an affiliate, I […]

How to Be an Amazing Coach with Michael Bungay Stanier

July 4, 2018 Pat Flynn Leave a comment

Today’s guest is Michael Bungay Stanier, author of the Wall Street Journal Bestseller: The Coaching Habit—my choice for top business book of 2017. Why, you ask? Because everyone is a coach. Seriously. Think about it. If you tell anyone how to do anything, you are a coach. If you are helping anyone else in any sort of way, you are a coach. But here’s the trick: You aren’t supposed to just tell someone what to do, if you want to be a great coach. You have to listen and ask the right questions. I’ve directly applied lessons like these—not just in AskPat and this podcast—but in every aspect of my life, personal and business-wise. I’m just going to say it: This is the most useful book I’ve ever read. In today’s episode, we’re going to dive into the principles of the book and I’m going to ask some followup questions. This […]

A Huge Announcement (& Lessons on Evolving Your Business)

July 2, 2018 Pat Flynn Leave a comment

Today we have a very special and important announcement from ConvertKit’s founder Nathan Barry, who’s here to talk about how to evolve your business by making critical decisions and getting uncomfortable . . . which ties in perfectly with the big news that Nathan’s about to drop. Stay tuned! [Full Disclosure: I’m a compensated advisor and an affiliate for ConvertKit.] Last time I had Nathan on the show (Session 244) we talked about how he bootstrapped ConvertKit from nothing into one of the best email service providers out there (the best email service provider out there, in my opinion). And actually, Nathan was on the show all the way back in Session 75 (!) talking about how he was making six figures by self-publishing books. ConvertKit reached an incredible goal recently, hitting $1 million a month in monthly recurring revenue. If you want to read more about how Nathan got […]

My April 2017 Monthly Income Report

June 2, 2018 Pat Flynn Leave a comment

Welcome to my April 2017 Monthly Income Report! As always, I create these reports to share the latest happenings with my online businesses, including the wins, the failures, the lessons learned, and the income generated along the way. If this is your first time stumbling upon these reports, check out the income report page to see my income history dating back to October 2008, which is when I first started to monetize a website (InTheLeed.com then; now GreenExamAcademy.com) dedicated to helping people pass an architectural industry exam. Since then, I’ve created many more websites, brands, and products ranging from courses to software to books. And, as always, I’m happy to share the inside scoop on what I’ve learned so you can be better prepared for your own online business journey. Without further ado, here’s the April 2017 report. Latest Goings-On As shared in last month’s income report, March was an […]

My March 2017 Monthly Income Report

June 2, 2018 Pat Flynn Leave a comment

Welcome to my March 2017 Monthly Income Report. Fun fact: This is the 102nd monthly report published here on the blog. As always, I’m happy to share with you what happened during the past month, from the actions taken to the lessons learned, and, of course, the earnings report and where it all comes from. March was an extremely busy month, but also very exciting. A lot of hard work from the past six months paid off in March, and I’m stoked to talk about the results of two course launches that happened. Yes—two courses. 🙂 Am I crazy? Probably, but also very excited to be moving forward with the goals I set for myself and the business. With no more delay, let’s get right into it. Important Goings-On in March Two courses? Yes. Let’s start with the one that’s more well known, Smart From Scratch, which opened up for […]

Will It Fly? Becomes a Bestseller! Shout-Outs to All Who Helped

June 1, 2018 Pat Flynn Leave a comment

My new book, Will It Fly?, is now a bestseller! It hit #1 in all business related categories on Amazon this week, including #1 in Entrepreneurship, #1 in Startups, and even #1 in Self-Help/Motivational. Furthermore, the paperback copy of the book got up to #80 Overall Best Seller (out of all books!), and the Kindle version climbed to Top #22 Overall Best Seller in the Kindle Store. And at one point, both the Kindle and Paperback copy were both #1 and #2 in the Entrepreneurial category, which was super cool to see: It’s still pretty crazy to me to see it do so well in the rankings, surpassing several authors who I admire and very well-known books that have been around for ages. Of course, I’m coming off the excitement of the launch and the true test is how well will the book do over the long haul, but based on many of the comments […]

SPI 313: Building a Strong and Healthy Brand with Michelle Tam from Nom Nom Paleo

April 13, 2018 Pat Flynn Leave a comment

Today’s guest is the author of two of my favorite books, and they’re not entrepreneurial books, they’re actually cookbooks! Her name is Michelle Tam, the author and creator of Nom Nom Paleo. She’s here to talk about her story and the strategies she’s used to launch her products, books, and merchandise. You might have seen her books at Whole Foods. Today we’re talking about how Michelle grew her business, but also how she’s able to balance her business with family life, even incorporating her family into her business in really unique ways. I really look up to her for that—as you know I’m a family man and always looking for new ways to get my family involved in what I do. This episode is full of great tactics if you’re thinking of launching a business or a product of your own. Michelle’s story really is a classic online business story, […]

SPI 310: The Secret to Superfans in Two Words

March 27, 2018 Pat Flynn Leave a comment

What exactly is a superfan? Glad you asked! Today I’m offering some tips and blueprints for building a thriving community of superfans who will boost your online business to the next level. I also have two guests toward the end of this episode—Matt Barnett and Oli Bridge from Bonjoro—who are going to talk about how their tool will help surprise and delight your audience. It’s a fantastic resource for making a solid first impression, and I highly recommend it, whether you’re just getting started or already have a business up and running. [Full Disclosure: As an affiliate, I receive compensation if you purchase through this link.] I also have a special giveaway to announce! All you have to do is find three people in your audience to surprise and delight. You can surprise and delight each of them in the same way, or three different ways—up to you. Just leave […]

SPI 305: The Funnel After the Funnel with Nicole Walters

March 26, 2018 Pat Flynn Leave a comment

Today’s special guest is Nicole Walters of NicoleWalters.tv, who’s talking about the funnel after the funnel, what that is, and why it’s so critical to her mindset and success. We’ll also be talking about how she quit her job . . . in front of a live audience! Since then, she’s built a seven-figure business while being an amazing mother too. She’s here to talk about all that and more, today on The Smart Passive Income Podcast. There are things that we purposefully focus on that help us grow and scale our businesses. For Nicole it’s her incredible community. We’d spoken at an event together—Business Boutique with Christy Wright, in Nashville—and after the event I swear we didn’t go ten feet without someone stopping Nicole to ask for a selfie or an autograph. The value Nicole provides for her community is incredible and her journey is inspiring. From a high-level […]

SPI 303: How a Loan Signing Agent Built a $30K per Month Business

March 25, 2018 Pat Flynn Leave a comment

As outlined in my book, Will It Fly?, validation is key, and with me today are two guests who have used that strategy to build an incredible business: Mark Wills and Roman Rosario of Loan Signing System. [Full Disclosure: As an affiliate, I receive compensation if you purchase through this link.] What started as a simple idea turned into a robust online business that’s changed the lives of tons of people, earning Mark and Roman over $30K per month as a result. This episode is a lot of fun, loaded with tips and strategies for online courses, validation, and building an online business organically. How Mark and I connected is kind of a funny story—Mark was actually the agent who oversaw me signing documents for our first rental property. Through that meeting we discovered that we have a love of building online courses. I have both Mark and his business […]

SPI 302: Coaching vs. Teaching—What I’ve Learned Since Investing in the Art of Coaching

March 25, 2018 Pat Flynn Leave a comment

In this episode you’re going to learn about the difference between coaching and teaching, what I’ve learned since investing in the art of coaching, the seven questions you need to ask when coaching, and why this is important for you and your business. Whether you’re just getting started with coaching or are looking to take it to the next level, this episode is critical listening! Why is the difference between coaching and teaching so critical? Coaching is an exceptional way to help people develop skills and abilities and boost performance. There’s crossover of course, but the big difference is that when you’re teaching, the focus is on you and your knowledge. Coaching is about the individual; it’s two-way, collaborative communication. And it’s very, very personal (that’s why coaches can charge more). When it comes to your business’ content, you have a lot of options. You can offer content in a […]