All Episodes

Chris Coyier is a man of many hats and has successfully started and sold websites, wrote books, and has a great tech startup. In today's bit, he offers some advice that is the key to his success.Listen to the entire episode at https://howibuilt.it/006Be sure to subscribe at https://howibuilt.it/subscribe  This clip is brought to you by WP Wallet

What is stopping you from creating content? That’s the question that Alban Brooke and I set out to answer. But it didn’t start that way. I thought we’d talk about podcast stats and what creators can do to make money. But there is no making money if there is no content. So we get back to basics. And if you’re stuck, this is a conversation you need to hear.Top Takeaways:it’s really easy to see the end result you want: a book, a hugely popular YouTube channel, or a podcast with millions of downloads. But it’s not easy to get there.Instead, you need to find your niche. Fly a flag you’re deeply interested in and people will come. 80% of your addressable audience is better than 1% of the unengaged general population.The best path to making money is niching down, showing your expertise, and selling your product or service. Your podcast is a marketing tool.Show Notes:Alban BrookeAlban on TwitterBuzzsprout Global StatsApple Podcast Creators Will Soon Be Able to Access Follower MetricsWhy Gear is Least ImportantJoin the Creator CrewSponsored by: WP Wallet | Nexcess | LearnDash

 Carrie Dils was building communities before it was cool. And was actually doing the building! In today's bit, Carrie tells us about how she built her podcast community and the pros and cons of doing your own dev work.Listen to the entire episode at https://howibuilt.it/005Be sure to subscribe at https://howibuilt.it/subscribe  This clip is brought to you by WP Wallet

LinkedIn Learning is a force in the online course space, with hundreds of courses, millions of learners, and a well-oiled machine for putting out great content. I, along with today’s guest, Carrie Dils, are fortunate to be long-time instructors for the platform. I invited Carrie on to catch up, and I thought it would be fun for us to exchange notes on how we come up with ideas for, and then record, our LinkedIn Learning courses. In Build Something More, it gets even more fun as we talk about the courses we thought would do SUPER well but turned out to…well…not.Top Takeaways:Carrie and I both followed in the footsteps of people we learned from; if you have an appreciation for learning, teaching is a great next step!Carrie likes to pitch ideas for courses on topics she wants to know more about. In order to teach something well, you need to know it well!We both shared our love of recording in LinkedIn Learning’s campus booths. Having a stellar process, and the right environment for instructors is a big win. If you’re creating courses, the advice we share in this episode can help you figure out what works best for you.Show Notes:Carrie DilsCarrie on LinkedinCarrie on TwitterMorten Rand_Hendrikson on TwitterJoin the Creator CrewSponsored by: TextExpander | LearnDash

Cory Miller dolled out so much great advice in Episode 4 that we're getting a twofer. He tells us about how one of iThemes' most popular products came out of solving a big problem they had. Then he tells us the importance of maintaining an email list.Listen to the entire episode at https://howibuilt.it/004Be sure to subscribe at https://howibuilt.it/subscribe  This clip is brought to you by WP Wallet

A few weeks ago we talked to Louis Nicolls about the importance of having a good newsletter that helps people — some targeted, educational resource. Brennan Dunn knows a thing or two about that and has built an empire around segmentation and personalization. The last time he was on the show, we talked about Right Message. Today, we talk to him about email templates and newsletter strategies that we can implement with his new tool, Palladio.Top TakeawaysBrennan equates emails to sales pages multiple times. Yes, they are a great way to establish trust and be a resource for subscribers...but we also want them to stand out and make them memorable for when we need to sell.Instead of doing educational emails, pausing them and doing a sales sequence, Brennan recommends mixing in targeted sales messages through your emails. This allows you to show helpful resources at a time the subscriber is ready to buy...making it a win/win for both of you.Evergreen, or “Shadow” newsletters as Brennan calls them, are a great way to build a resource, be consistent with your newsletter, and focus on other tasks around marketing or building your list.Show NotesBrennan Dunn | Brennan on TwitterPalladioCreate and Sell NewsletterCaboPressHow to Actually Sell to Your Email List with Samar OwaisBuilding a Newsletter People Will Actually Read (and Recommend) with Louis NichollsJoin Creator Crew for ad-free, extended episodes.Sponsored by: WP Wallet | LearnDash

When you have a membership or subscription, your goal is to prevent churn, or people leaving. The best way to do that is to deliver value. But it's also a matter of how often you ask your subscribers to evaluate the value they get. Here's what Brian Krogsgard recommended.Listen to the entire episode at https://howibuilt.it/003Be sure to subscribe at https://howibuilt.it/subscribeThis clip is brought to you by WP Wallet

Most people who start a business hate it when they get away from the actual work and move towards managing — the business and the people. But not James Laws. James has started several successful businesses and his favorite part is building the culture, ensuring employees are happy, and ultimately making sure everyone feels fulfilled…so much so that he wants to help more founders do just that. And he plans to, with tools, software, coaching, and more. But that’s a long game. It all starts with his podcast. Tune in to learn how James is using his podcast and blog to establish authority, build an audience, and learn about this new field.Top Takeaways:Building an audience in a brand new space is hard! You need to essentially learn the “rules” of the field and play by them to gain a following and trust.If you’re trying to establish expertise, but do interviews, think of them as exchanging notes to help establish authority while also getting perspective.The first step to making money with your content is to build an audience so that you share future endeavors with them. The key is to solve their problems with your free content...then you’ll understand them (and vice versa) making your paid products worth it for them.Show Notes:James LawsJames on TiktokJames on TwitterJoin the Creator CrewSponsored by: Nexcess | TextExpander | LearnDash

Too many people decided they want to make an online course, spend 6 months making it, and launch to crickets. Rebecca Gill knew better, and her advice from Episode 2 can save you a ton of time (and heartache).Listen to the entire episode at https://howibuilt.it/002Be sure to subscribe at https://howibuilt.it/subscribeThis clip is brought to you by WP Wallet

It’s the first-ever feedback episode! I read a couple of reviews — one good, one bad, and how I’m adjusting — and then answer listener questions. It’s a fun episode! We cover getting started in content creation, growing your audience, configuring a Stream Deck, and podcast interviews.Show Notes:My Live Stream KitMy Stream Deck blog postMy Stream Deck videoA specific use case for launching appsMasters of DoomFeedbackJoin Creator CrewSponsored by: WP Wallet | Nexcess | LearnDash

Jason Coleman was the very first guest on How I Built It, and he started the show strong with a ton of fantastic advice. Here's my favorite: a bit about why charging monthly might not align with the value you deliver, as well as how to handle negative reviews.Listen to the entire episode at https://howibuilt.it/001Be sure to subscribe at https://howibuilt.it/subscribeThis clip is brought to you by WP Wallet

How good is creating niche content? How about understanding the purpose of your content and focusing on providing value? Alexis Grant, founder, and CEO of They Got Acquired, understand the importance of both of these things. She has launched not one, not two, but 3 content businesses — successfully selling her previous ones. Today she’s here to share her insight on why she started They Got Acquired, doing research to produce good content, and how sponsorship is playing a bigger role than she expected.Top Takeaways:They Got Acquired has a very specific niche in mind: businesses that have sold for between $100,000 and $50M. All of their content is focused on telling those stories and helping similarly positioned businesses.They are using their podcast of the same name to build trust and grow their audience. Allowing people to hear them forges a better connection and gives the business more identitySponsorship has played a bigger than expected role! They are increasing the output of their newsletter and will monetize their podcast for season 2. Lexi’s advice: ask for too much at first. You can always come down if they say no.Show Notes:Alexis GrantAlexis on LinkedinAlexis on TwitterJoin the Creator CrewSponsored by: Tailor Brands | Nexcess | TextExpander

Have you ever seen a great talk, video, or even podcast episode that dolled out some fantastic advice, only for you to forget it before you implement it? Maybe that feeling is amplified when you go to a conference. There are so many great takeaways...how can you remember it all? It's almost like you need a TL;DR for when that happens. And How I Built It has been going pretty much weekly for nearly 7 years! As we approach 300 episodes, I wanted to surface some of the best advice from asking "how did you build that" over all that time. So I'd like to introduce How I Built Bits, a weekly clip show that aims to be around 15 mins, replaying some of the best clips from How I Built It. New episodes come out on Saturday mornings. If you'd like to learn more, head over to https://howibuilt.it/clips. And of course, be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. 

What if I told you the answer to better organic traffic isn’t more content…it’s less content? That’s what today’s guest, Farzad Rashidi, argues. That when it comes to SEO, link building, and organic traffic, quality outperforms quantity every time. And he doesn’t stop there. He provides a process for figuring out what content to write, and how to get people to it.Top Takeaways:Quality is better than quantity. Instead of spending 5 hours on 5 blog posts, spend 5 hours on one blog post and make sure it answers a question people are asking.The 80/20 Rule for content marketing, according to Farzad, is 20% on writing the content, 80% on marketing it.The name of the game for backlinks is relationships. Form relationships with people who have similar-sized sites and work with them to present valuable resources to their...and your...audience.Show Notes:Farzad RashidiFarzad on LinkedinMarketing Strategy EbookThe Google Story (Google's PageRank)Creator CrewSponsored by: Tailor Brands | NitroPack | Nexcess

5 years ago, email was dead. Now it’s not only growing, it’s the life’s blood of the creator economy. As a creator or small business owner, without a good, helpful, and nurtured email list, you’re leaving money on the table. And to tell you why Louis Nicholls from SparkLoop is here this week. We talk all about what makes a good newsletter, what mistakes to avoid, how to come up with good content, and how to make money. It’s a packed episode, and totally worth your time — especially if you’re an independent creator.Top Takeaways:Your email growth goals are way smaller than they should be. You can double or triple your subscriber list if you approach it professionally — with a plan in place for growth. The people who fail to grow their list treat it like a hobby.When it comes to content, start with who you’re writing for. Talk to people in your target audience and answer their questions. By the time you’re ready to launch the newsletter, you should know of at least 50 people who would sign up for it.When it comes to making money, high ticket items are your best bet. Your worst bet? Low-priced subscriptions. Louis says that memberships for creators are like a golden hampster wheel. Sure it’s recurring revenue, but there’s also the pressure of delivering each month.Show Notes:Louis NichollsLouis on TwitterSparkLoop AppMorning BrewCreate&SellFree Tool: MagicCreator CrewSponsored by: Tailor Brands | NitroPack | Nexcess | TextExpander

Jack Kitterhing has been in the WordPress space for a while; you can say he deeply subscribes to the ethos that owning your own platform is one of the most important things a creator can do. That a SaaS, like Teachable, won’t be there for you like an owned platform, like WordPress + LearnDash, will. We have a good discussion about the merits of both. Is it really easier to set up a course on Teachable? What are the benefits of your own platform? We’ll get into all of that and more.Top Takeaways:Finding the right tool comes down to skill and comfort level. WordPress (and other open platforms) are cheaper. A SaaS will save you time.You also need to think about your users. What best serves their needs? Make a list of must have features and seek the best tool for that...but be a little forward thinking. Teachable, for example, doesn’t do memberships well. If you never want memberships, that’s great. If you do, Teachable might not be best.Spinning up your own WordPress site is a lot easier than it once was. The promise of Nexcess’ StoreBuilder and WP QuickStart products are the easy of signing up for a SaaS with the flexibility of WordPress.Show Notes:Jack KitterhingJack on TwitterToolkit for Self-hosted vs. OwningBuilding Pages for Micro-Segments by Chris LemaCreator CrewSponsored by: Tailor Brands | NitroPack | Nexcess

There are a few chains freelancers in the WordPress space carry if we’re being honest. Not charging what you’re worth is one. Not wanting to niche down is another. And thinking you need to grow to an agency to make “real” money is another. Tara Claeys bucks all of these trends, and we have a great discussion about it. How she decided to find a niche (and how her podcast helps her establish authority!), and why she doesn’t want to become an agent. In Build Something More, we talk about the new Macs.Top Takeaways:Niching downs forces you to learn an industry — which allows you to better serve them completely. That allows you to charge moreNiching also means having a higher close rate. By the time potential clients come to you, they are likely already sold on you.It’s OK to not want to grow from freelancer to full agency. And you don’t have to be an agency to make good money. People are willing to pay for your expertise.Show Notes:Tara ClaeysTara on LinkedinDesign TLCThe Incredible Journey from Agency to Solo Business Owner with Paul LaceyChoosing the Right Niche with Sara DunnThe Importance of Niching Down, Part 2 with Sara DunnBuilding a Better Business Part 1: Understanding Your CustomersJennifer Bourn Content CampWhat Baby Clothes Can Teach You About Understanding Your Customers12 Week YearMindful School MarketingThe Daily Stoic PodcastWhy You Need to Publish Content to Have an Expertise with Rochelle MoultonCreator CrewSponsored by: NitroPack | Nexcess | TextExpander

"We need to de-stigmatize lending money to friends and family." It's one of the first things Brian Bristol said to me in today’s episode. See, Brian is the co-founder of Pigeon Loans — a place where anyone can set up a private loan, backed with tracking, interest, and a legally binding agreement. And this ethos is as interesting as the approach they are taking to content: show people that everyone has a story about lending or borrowing money. So today, we talk about the Pigeon Loans content strategy and the important role their podcast, The Chrip, plays in de-stigmatizing money lending. In Build Something More, we talk about the incredible importance of talking to customers.Top Takeaways:There's a weird stigma that it's bad to lend money to friends and family. The Chirp aims to tell stories that show people there shouldn't be.The number of loans between friends, family, and loved ones in the US alone is $200 Billion. There needs to be an easier, more accountable way to track the loan. This makes more people likely to help those in need.Brian is a y oung guy who’s thrown himself into his start-up…but he’s mindful of burnout too. Find a way to unwind. You’ll come back with a new energy and clearer head.Show Notes:Brian BristolBrian on FacebookBrian on InstagramBrian on TwitterBrian on LinkedinChirp PodcastCreator CrewSponsored by: Nexcess | Ahrefs

YouTube has been a regular topic on the show this year, and for good reason. More people need to build trust to make their business work, and as the second largest search engine, YouTube is a great place to do it. This week, marketing coach Nicole Osborne tells us why she started a YouTube channel, her process for publishing, and how it’s helped her business. In Build Something More, we talk about how marketing and web design changed over the past 20 years.Top Takeaways:Don’t compare yourself to the big names today. Pick a content creator, look at their first video, and then understand it’s a process that takes time.Content creation is experimentation. Try different topics, recording processes, and approaches. See what works and what resonates with your potential audience.You need to make time to make content. Treat it as a client project and put time on your calendar to work on it.Show Notes:Nicole OsborneWhy You Need to Publish Content to Have an Expertise with Rochelle MoultonWorking Through Different YouTube Strategies with Alastair McDermottLeveraging YouTube to Build Trust and get Leads with Jessica FreemanGoWP Facebook GroupNicole’s Agency Growth Secrets eBookHow to Get Guest Spots on PodcastsLive Stream KitCreator CrewSponsored by: Nexcess | Ahrefs | TextExpander

How often should you publish? Should you use affiliate links? DO those 30-day challenges really help? Alastair McDermott and I are both at the relative beginning of our YouTube journeys, and we’re each taking different approaches — hopefully, ones that suit our needs and goals appropriately. Listen in as we talk about what we're doing, how we’re doing it, and of course, why. We’ll also tell you why your phone is the best camera for you and your channel. In Build Something More, we talk about when we’ve each bartered for work.Top Takeaways:YouTube is a content channel that can help you build trust quickly because people can see you. You have the ability, and the opportunity, to show people what you know and how you can help them.When it comes to making money, most people can make more bringing in new clients with their videos, as opposed to running ads to monetize. Alastair said he’ll likely never run those ads because it could affect his credibility!The thing that keeps people engaged after clicking through is good storytelling. You need an arch, with tension that keeps people watching. This is possible with just about any video, if you do it right!Show Notes:Alastair McDermottAlastair on LinkedinAlastair on TwitterAlastair on YouTubeAlastair on InstagramLive Coaching: Launching a Course & Growing a Podcast with Alastair McDermottWhy You Need to Publish Content to Have an Expertise with Rochelle MoultonHow to Make Your a6400 camera a WebcamYouTube/LiveStream SetupCreator ToolkitsCurrent DeskAlzay Calhoun: Coveted ConsultantCreator CrewSponsored by: Nexcess | Ahrefs