All Episodes

It’s that time of year again! I round up my favorite media and tech picks of 2020 - but this year I’m doing it a little differently. Over on Casabona.org, I’ve written blog posts for the past several years, but I’ve never recorded my thoughts. So this year, along with a blog post, I decided to do a podcast episode too - this lets me ramble a little more and add some thoughts on 2021. I hope you enjoy! Show Notes and PicksTech Pick: Elgato Stream DeckHow I Configured my Stream DeckHonorable Mentions: iPad Magic Keyboard, Kindle Oasis, DrumsApp: MilanoteWhat I’m Using Testing Out Milanote for ResearchHonorable Mentions: eCamm Live, iOS 14Thing I Learned: How to hire moreI’ve Been Hiring A Lot Brittney LynnHonorable Mention: marketing messaging, PR outreachBook: The Ride of a Lifetime by Robert IgerMy 2020 Goodreads Reading ChallengeHonorable Mention: Marketing Made Simple, Dooku: Jedi LostTV Show: Ted LassoHonorable Mention: The Mandalorian (again)All the Disney Investor Day AnnouncementsMusic: First to Eleven, Lewis CapaldiMovie: HamiltonWarner Bros. Says All 2021 Films Will Be Streamed Right AwayPodcast: Advisory OpinionsSponsored by: ConvertKit | Hostinger

Well 2020 was unlike any year I’ve lived through, and I’m sure it’s the same for you. When I decided to come up with a theme for Season 9, which started in July, we were a couple of months into the global pandemic. I wanted focus on topics that could help you (and me) grow at a time where we were traveling less, seeing less foot traffic, and had to change in some way to make ends meet. I settled on coming up with good content, and using that content to evolve memberships, and build communities. If you didn’t catch every episode, here are the highlights.Check out all the episodes mentionedPodcast LiftoffSponsored by: ConvertKit | Hostinger

In September 2020, my 4th book published by a publisher (6th overall) came out. It's called HTML and CSS: Visual QuickStart Guide and it's a (very) beginner's guide to learning HTML and CSS. The process was long and at times frustrating. I wanted to go through how I wrote it, from inception to hitting the shelved.Show NotesHTML and CSS: Visual QuickStart GuideMindNodeProcreateSponsored by: ConvertKit | Hostinger

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