All Episodes

Winstina Hughes is an Assistant Regional Planner for the Maryland Department of Transportation but she's coming to us today as a member of the wordpress community! Throughout the interview we talk about all sorts of things - life, WordPress, the New Jersey Transit…and it call comes back to the main takeaway for this episode: writing what you know and creating opportunities to share your insight. This was such a fun conversation where we covered a lot of ground. I enjoyed it, and I know you will too. Winstina Hughes | TwitterWordPress NYC MeetupWinstina on WordPress.TVWinstina on Hallway ChatsHTML and CSS: Visual QuickStart GuideSponsored by: Hostinger | Yes Plz | iThemes

Throughout this season, we’ve talked about create content to build an audience. And the best way to build that audience and interact with them is forms. Well, Naomi C Bush tells us all about some great ways to build helpful forms for users. This is a much more traditional episode of How I Built It and I’m excited. Naomi talks about how she’s built her business, then provides some actionable advice for us. Naomi C. Bushgravity+Gravity Forms Episode 55: Alex Cancado & Gravity FormsConvertKit Build Your List Using ConvertKit with Angel MarieRightMessageBrennan Dunn and RightMessageHTML and CSS: Visual QuickStart GuideSponsored by: Hostinger | Yes Plz | iThemes

Jase Rodley has A LOT going on. In fact, since we recorded this episode, he stepped down from Rank Defender to run Dialed Labs. His energy and drive are apparent in the interview, where we talk about Making Resource sites. Essentially, he tells us how to make content to fill a demand, and make a little money along the way. I even put him on the spot and have him help me through an idea during the episode. So listen for that and more - and let me know what ideas you come up with!Jase Rodley | TwitterDialed LabsahrefsScreaming FrogThe 4 Hour Work WeekEpisode 8: Joost de Valk and Yoast SEOThe 2020 Gift Guide!HAROShould SEO audits be part of your ongoing maintenance?Keyword Discovery: Produce Creative Content to Be SeenHow to Write a Great Blog PostSponsored by: Hostinger | Yes Plz | iThemes

It has become a bit of a time-honored tradition for me to do gift guides around the holidays. I often get asked for recommendations on office, podcast, and pen gear. I write the gift guides up on my personal site, but this episode goes into a bit more depth for people who work from home, podcast, and more!Gift GuidesHow I Light my Live StreamsSponsored by: Hostinger | Yes Plz | iThemes

Joe Simpson did something that, in my opinion, is very difficult to do. He created a local community out of virtually nothing. Living in Castilla, CA, he built the WordPress Santa Clarita Valley meetup from scratch. And the way he did it, as well as his personal story, is fantastic. I’m so happy I got to speak to Joe on this topic; he offer a unique insight with takeaways for everyone!Joe A. Simpson Jr. | TwitterWordPress Santa Clarita Valley MeetupSponsored by: Hostinger | Yes Plz | iThemes

Virtual summits are all the rage these days, but my friend Dave Shrein was doing them before they were cool. I participated in his event last year for his agency Campaign Donut, and I thought it was so well-run, I had to have him on the show to talk about it. Dave's story is great and he offers lots of actionable advice. It's always great when I can take something from an interview and implement it, and I did just that with Dave.Show NotesDave ShreinCampaign DonutHow to Identify Your Ideal Customer Avatar | Marketing Made EasyDave's Free SEO CourseTopic Clusters | HubspotHow A Podcast Can Replace A Live EventAllie Nimmons and Freelancing / Mental HealthUnleashed SummiteCamm Call RecorderThriveCarteCamm LiveSponsored by: ExpressVPN | Yes Plz | iThemes

Lately on this show we've been focusing on big picture stuff, but it's really the small changes that make a big difference. Proof of that is Bud Kraus. He was trying to grow his newsletter and got nowhere….until he made a small change that grew it over 1,000 people in one year. Bud spills is secrets in this episode and tells you how you can do it too. Show NotesBud KrausWhat I'm Doing To Get People to Sign Up For My NewsletterBuild Your List Using ConvertKit with Angel MarieHTML and CSS: Visual QuickStart GuideConvertKitMailchimp LearnDashRestrict ContentUncanny OwlGravity Forms Gravity ViewSponsored by: Yes Plz | iThemes | TextExpander

I love talking to Brian Krogsgard. And if you need proof, we had a SUPER long pre-show that I'm going to release as bonus content when I roll out the Build Something Membership. And speaking of, that's the main topic for today's conversaiton with Brian: building membership through community. We talk all about how Post Status has changed since we last spoke, alll the way back in Episode 3. We get into building the membership, innovating, and what keeps your members from churning.Show NotesBrian KrogsgardPost Status | TwitterCommerce JourneyLedger StatusEpisode 3: Brian Krogsgard and Post StatusEpisode 4: Cory Miller & iThemesProfessional WordPress DevelopmentMarketing Made SimpleGrowing Your Audience on Instagram with Andrea ZoellnerSony a6400Google AMPWirecutterWooCommerce MembershipsSponsored by: Yes Plz | iThemes | TextExpander

Monetizing your podcast doesn't just mean sponsors. There are methods you can employ to generate income from your show - whether it's direct dollars or warm leads. Here are 4 ways to monetize your podcast, from landing sponsors to generating commission. And if you'd like to learn more, check out the course Podcast Liftoff.Show NotesGet Podcast Liftoff (use BUILD at checkout for a 15% discount)Sign up for Build Something WeeklyConvertKitMy Pitch DeckPodtracMemberfulWishlist MemberSubstackThirstyAffiliatesYOURLSAmazon Affiliate ProgramTarget Affiliate ProgramSponsored by: Yes Plz | iThemes | TextExpander

Webinars can be a great way to grow your audience, but are a tough business. Today's guest, Emily Hunkler, is a pro! She is able to host consistent webinars and virtual meetups for GoWP at a time where it helps most. In this episode, Emily lets us in on how she does it. Show NotesEmily HunklerGoWPGoWP's Niche Agency Owners Facebook GroupWhat to Focus on in a Recession with Brad Morrison7 Ways Your Clients Can Benefit From PodcastingImproving Customer Relationships with John VuongSponsored by: ExpressVPN | Yes Plz | iThemes | TextExpander

I have a confession that won't be much of a confession once you start listening to this episode. I'm a big fan of David Sparks. I think he does great work in several different areas an I'm excited to talk to him about how he does it. We also both happen to be big fans of Disney and Star Wars. When we spoke, he was just coming off his first ever Sabbatical - so we'll get into that and how he manages to put out what must be dozens of hours of field guides while also running a law practice. Show NotesDavid SparksMacsparky Field GuidesMac Power UsersFocused | #104: Sleep and Sabbaticals AutomatorsMyke Hurley and Relay FMFind the Right Podcast Membership Benefits with Stephen HackettTeachableAirtableDEVONthinkBetter Touch ToolSetappMindNodeSponsored by: Yes Plz | iThemes | TextExpander

I'm really excited to take to Tracey Larvenz today - he's my content manager over at linkedIn Learning and he's so great to work with! Being a Content Manager at LinkedIn Learning, it's his job to make sure there's a steady stream of new course material coming out for members. We'll talk about how he decides what to put into the production queue, and with me being a LinkedIn Learning instructor, we'll get into the course creation process a bit! Show NotesTracey Larvenz | TwitterLinkedIn LearningJoe's courses on LinkedIn LearningHow to Get More Comfortable RecordingSponsored by: Yes Plz | iThemes | TextExpander

Let me tell you about my friend Tessa. She is very passionate about her work. And what's her work? Well she finds people who are passionate about products! In this episode Tessa will give us tips and tricks for building an advocacy program - where you can connect with people who LOVE you product. And further…you know what? I'll just let Tessa tell you about it! Show NotesTessa Kriesel | LinkedInDevocateWWDCPantheon's Heroes ProgramCaboPressSuperfans by Pat FlynnNet Promoter ScoreTraackrMentionAwarioChris Lema | 1st Episode | 2nd EpisodeHoverTwitter API Team5 Years with the iPhoneJoin the Build Something Weekly NewsletterSponsored by: Yes Plz | iThemes | TextExpander

Voice Search! Amazon Echo! Google! Chip Edwards knows a thing or two about all of these topics and let me tell you what I learned: We are all sleeping on voice search. Chip will tell us the importance of being on Voice Search, and why the earlier the better. Stay tuned until the end for a special offer just for listeners too! Show NotesChip Edwards | TwitterCreate My VoiceChoose Your Invocation NameThe Blind BloggerRian Kinney and TrademarksApple, Google, and Amazon are teaming up to develop an open-source smart home standardSchema.orgWhy Homophones MatterSponsored by: Yes Plz | iThemes | TextExpander

Lisa Laporte is the CEO of TWiT.tv and after a few weeks of talking about how to podcast and what it can do for your content, I thought she'd be the perfect person, to come on and talk about starting a network, as well as where podcasting is going. We talk about a lot of stuff - where podcasting was and the future, but we also have a great chat about tech and more. Lots of great advice here, so sit back and enjoy! Show NotesLisa Laporte | LinkedInTwit.TVArtisanal AgencyIABNeilsenCloudflare.tvBuild Something Weekly NewsletterSponsored by: ExpressVPN | iThemes | TextExpander

One of the hardest things to do is put out daily content…and on top of that, making it helpful, timely, and in podcast form! This sounds like a ton of work, but Harry Morton of Lower Street does just that. In this episode, we'll explore how Harry can consistently put out a daily podcast about working from home - from planning to publishing.Show NotesHarry MortonLower StreetWFH DailyPodcast MovementNotionThe Pod NewsWant to start your own podcast? Check out my course, Podcast Liftoff. Use the code BUILDIT for a listener-exclusive discount!Sponsored by: Yes Plz | iThemes | TextExpander

Stephen Hackett is one of my favorite podcasters, and cofounded my favorite podcast network, Relay.fm. Back in 2018, I spoke to his co-founder Myke Hurley about starting podcasts. Since then, Relay has really ramped up their membership program and I though Stephen would be the perfect guy to talk to about putting out tons of content and deciding what to make free, and what to make paid. I think they're doing a fantastic job over there, and Stephen's inspired me to reconsider my own membership program for this show. Have a listen - I know you'll get some great ideas too! Show NotesStephen HackettRelay.fm512 PixelsMyke Hurley and Relay FMThat time Phil Schiller tweeted a link to my blogMacStories5by5FlashbackWill it Fly?MPU #537: The Photos Field Guide and Apple PhotosCGP Grey: Exploring TEKIOWant to start your own podcast? Check out my course, Podcast Liftoff. Use the code BUILDIT for a listener-exclusive discount!Sponsored by: Yes Plz | iThemes | TextExpander

Before we get too deep into this season, I wanted to make sure you and I have a good baseline for creating content and engaging with the audience. Taylor Waldon, the Content Strategist for GiveWP, does a fantastic job of this. We talk about how they are expanding their niche and why creating the right content is crucial. This is a must list for anyone who's creating content for their small business, no matter what you do. Taylor WaldonGiveWP | BlogEpisode 54: The GiveWP TeamahrefsSponsored by: iThemes | CircleCI | TextExpander

A few weeks ago we spoke to Andrea Zoellner on how to implement a good Instagram Strategy. Well, another social network that seems like a hidden gem for content is LinkedIn, so I've brought on Cara North to talk to us. Cara is in the eLearning space, and we definitely talk about that, but I also wondered how she always seems to be trending on LinkedIn! So we talk about the smart way to build your network, add shareable content, and maybe even make a few worthwhile connections. Show NotesCara North | Cara on LinkedIn | TwitterBufferAutomating Social MediaSponsored by: Boosted | iThemes | CircleCI

Just because you're a government organization doesn't mean you can't have a little personality. That's what my friend Joe Galbo proves day-in and day-out over at the Consumer Products Safety Commission. I've wondered for some time how they manage their social media strategy there and Joe's the brains behind most of the operation. We'll talk content, memes, data and more, as well as how he can get it all done at the federal level. Show NotesEmail Joseph: jgalbo@cpsc.govConsumer Product Safety CommissionCPSC on TwitterDepartment of Energy PodcastSpace Heater TweetLifehacker ArticleSponsored by: Boosted | iThemes | CircleCI

Have you every wondered how some people seem to do so much? Well this week I sit down with James Rose to unlock some of the secrets of one of my favorite topics: automation. We talk about what it is, how it works, and how you can use it to take some tasks off of your plate, and off of your mind.Show NotesJames Rose | TwitterContent SnareJames’ Zapier Mastery CourseZapierAirtableCalendlyTextExpanderIntegromatIFTTTKeyboard MaestroAutoHotKeyZapier IdeasAutomators PodcastSponsored by: Boosted | iThemes | CircleCI

Wondering how to build a following on Instagram? I was! It's my favorite social platform and I'm trying to be more intentional about the content. So I brought on Andrea Zoellner, who offered fantastic advice around IG strategy, taking great photos, and if those walls of hashtags actually work. Let's get into all of that and more. Show NotesAndrea ZoellnerCapsule Suitcase | InstagramTailwindLaterBufferSponsored by: Boosted | iThemes | CircleCI

We're at the half for 2020, which means the end of Season 8. I'm proud to say I learned a ton, and I hope you have too! There were three big topics of focus this season: Find the Right Clients, Productize Your Services (or at least make them more predictable), and Build Your Email List / Network.Show NotesJason ResnickSara DunnNathan IngramShannon ShafferMaddy OsmanBrian CasselMatt AdamsJessica LawlorMatt MedeirosAngel MarieVito PelegJohn VuongMarketing Made SimpleSponsored by: Podcast Liftoff | CircleCI | TextExpander

We're at the halfway mark for the year and I've been trying out a lot of new tools and processes. In this bonus episode, I wanted to talk about WordPress plugins, digital products, and analog tools that have helped me be more productive!Show NotesEnroll in Podcast Liftoff! Use code BUILD at checkoutWP Content Pilot Pro / AppSumo DealThirstyAffiliates ProSix ColorsFuseboxHubspot CRMApple NotesMilanoteCanvaStream DeckKey LightMagic KeyboardField NotesWilliam Hannah Notebook Pen Addict PodcastSponsored by: CircleCI | TextExpander

With everything happening during the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic recession, it's easy to panic, cut costs, and coast until this all blows over. But that can kill your business. Instead we need to adapt, and in today's episode, Brad Morrison tells us what his agency is doing to work through what will be a seemingly tough economy. We talk about our experiences with the last recession, what's different, and what you can do to adapt.Show NotesBrad MorrisonGoWPGoWP Niche Agency Owners Facebook GroupMy Gear KitsProductizing Your Services with Brian CasselStart LocalPam Aungst and Your SEO ProcessUgmonkPivoting for COVID-19Sponsored by: CircleCI | TextExpander

Recently, I launched my brand new course. Podcast Liftoff: Launch. A lot of work goes into creating an online course, and this episode peels back the curtain a little bit. You'll learn about the journey and decision making that took place, the research and audience building, and of-course, the process and tools. Show NotesGet a special offer on Podcast Liftoff: Launch for listeners onlyCreator CoursesConvertKitMindNodePodcast Liftoff MindmapMy recording process | Video ResourcesVideo Recording GearScreenflowLearnDashWooCommerceWooCommerce MembershipsWooCommerce SubscriptionsVimeo ProSponsored by: CircleCI | Ahrefs | TextExpander

John Vuong know SEO. But he knows relationships even more. AT a time where connecting with people face-to-face has become harder, John offers some fantastic advice for forging better relationship through communication - both with your current clients, and the ones that will soon be clients.Show NotesJohn VuongLocal SEO Search | Facebook | TwitterThe Pumpkin PlanBuilding Your Mailing List with Angel MarieAvoiding the Famine with Jason Resnick?Podcast Liftoff is Out! As a Listener, you'll get an additional 10% off the already discounted launch price. This link will automatically apply the coupon. Sponsored by: CircleCI | Ahrefs | TextExpander

I know what you're thinking - another podcast doing another episode about COVID-19. But now that we're in the thick of it, and we know it's not just "a few weeks at home," I wanted to reach out to some businesses and see what they were doing differently. There were some really great ideas. And you'll get 3 tips to help you think outside the box.Show NotesShannon Shaffer | Listen to her episodeJason Resnick | Listen to his episodeR. Alexander McManus, Esq.Ross JohnsonMaddy Osman | Listen to her episodeBobWP | Listen to his episodeLaura Byrne CristianoStart LocalCalendlyShip Your PodcastWebinar SeriesYouTube Channel Sponsored by: CircleCI | Ahrefs | TextExpander

Let me just tell you right off the bat: my business has grown from my mastermind group. And Ken Wallace…well he really knows what he's talking about. If you need some extra business support (especially now), you're not alone. In fact, Ken has bet his own business on it. In this episode, you'll learn what a Mastermind Group is, how it works, and some ideas for conducting one. There's a little something for everyone, so let's dive in.Show NotesKen WallaceMastermindJamStarting Your Own Mastermind GroupCaboPressSponsored by: Ahrefs | TextExpander

In August 2018 I was challenged to automate more. Now, nearly 2 years later, I've removed myself from core processes because of it. I'm saving lots of time, which allows me to focus on the important parts of my business. While I'm always looking to improve, I'm happy with what I've implemented so far.In this solo episode, I'm going to tell you about how you can start automating, how I automate, and some of my favorite tools.Show NotesCasabona.org Automation SeriesYouTube ChannelZapierIFTTTTextExpanderSiri ShortcutsHazelAutomators PodcastMacStoriesSiri Shortcuts Field GuideSponsored by: Ahrefs | TextExpander