Building Internet Businesses One Newsletter At A Time
Baseball To Business
Hey there, Late Night Hustlers!
Today, I'm coming to you not from the usual confines of the little studio in Dallas, Texas, but from the excitement of a baseball tournament where my son is living out one of his passions. Mine too, really. I'm a huge baseball fan. Between games, I'm under the lights with my laptop, tapping into the pulse of my internet business. I've been vetting products for Amazon FBA, working on this newsletter and creating my new course all from the comfort of my hotel room on the road. This is lifestyle design in action, my friends, and it's the heart of why many people want to build online empires.
The Freedom of Internet Business
The beauty of an internet business can be the freedom it affords. While I do love my day job, most of that work must happen in Dallas. To go on this baseball trip with my son, I needed to take day-job vacation time (PTO, as we call it). My side hustle is different. The work I do after hours is purposefully designed to dance to the rhythm of my lifestyle goals. Whether it's writing this newsletter, checking in on sales, or strategizing the next big move, it's all happening on my terms, in sync with my life's tempo.
The Key to Lifestyle Design
But here's the kicker - lifestyle design isn't a happy accident; it's intentional. It's about crafting a business that aligns with how you want to live, not the other way around. If you dream of traveling, your business model should fit snugly into a backpack. Want to spend more time with family? Build a business that flourishes in those in-between moments.
Take, for instance, a brick-and-mortar store owner who's looking to transition online. That physical location, while valuable, pins them down. To embrace true lifestyle freedom, they'd need to consider how to migrate their business into the digital nomad's world.
Three Tips for Amplifying Lifestyle Freedom
Automate and Delegate: Implement systems that work while you play ball with your kids or sip a latte in Paris. Tools and teams are your best friends, taking care of business when you're off the grid. A great example is the software that is bringing you this very email. It's an email Autoresponder called ConvertKit, and with it, I can write and schedule emails to send automatically literally months or years in advance of sending them.
Be Picky with Projects: Choose business models and projects that resonate with your lifestyle goals. Passion for travel? E-commerce and dropshipping could be your ticket. Homebody at heart? Content creation and affiliate marketing can thrive from your cozy nook or at-home studio. But even if you are tied to gear at your home like a favorite mic or fantastic studio, you can always schedule content in advance -- just make sure you understand the lifestyle impact before committing to a publication schedule.
Flexible Frameworks: Build your business with flexibility in mind. Choose platforms and tools that allow you to manage your empire from anywhere, anytime. Your business's framework should be like a good travel bag - versatile and ready for any adventure. Tools like the Macbook Pro, Zoom and DropBox make it possible to work from almost anywhere the internet can reach.
Living the Dream
Every email sent, every product listed, and every course created is a step towards the life you envision. For me, it's the ability to keep my day job and be there for my kid's sports tournaments while still driving my business forward.
Over the years, I've spent a lot of time coaching people who have created businesses and careers that they thought they wanted, but didn't. Now when I coach, understanding (and sometimes probing and testing) coaching client's vision for the future is always on my list. It simply does not matter how fast you get to the wrong destination.
So, as you chart your course through the world of internet business, remember to weave your personal aspirations into the very fabric of your venture. Be clear on what you are trying to accomplish. Design a business that not only meets your financial goals but also elevates your quality of life. After all, isn't that what we're all striving for?
Navigating The Messy Middle
Ever felt like you're fighting to keep your dreams alive amidst endless distractions? You're in good company. In this episode, I share the gritty details of my own journey through the "messy middle" of chasing down my 2024 goals. It's a candid look at the side hustle struggle, proving that even when the going gets tough, we don't have to get going — we've got to get strategic.
And speaking of strategy, I'm letting you in on my secret weapon: the 12-week year strategy. It's revolutionized the way I manage goals, sharpen focus, and put the pedal to the metal on the road to success.
We'll also chat about the seductive pull of hobbies and passions — like Formula One racing or that TV series that's whispering, "just one more episode." I'll spill the beans on how I resist the urge to indulge and stay locked in on my targets.
Expect to be energized with wisdom from the legends like Roosevelt and Churchill, reminding us why facing our fears with courage and embracing the urgency of action is non-negotiable.
So, ready for some no-nonsense, practical advice to navigate your side hustle without losing steam? Hit play on this episode, and let's gear up to transform those setbacks into epic comebacks.
Keep pushing, keep striving, and remember — every day is an opportunity to make your goals a reality.
A Solid Foundation
In the online world, your web hosting isn't just a technical necessity—it's the bedrock of your digital presence. That's why I want to highlight the unsung hero of many successful websites: rock-solid web hosting. For over a decade, I've entrusted my sites to SiteGround, and it's been a game-changer. Not only is it affordable, but its reliability is unmatched, which is non-negotiable when your business operates 24/7.
For those of you navigating the vast sea of WordPress, SiteGround is like finding a lighthouse in the fog. With its one-click WordPress installs, excellent customer support, and impressive uptime, it’s no wonder my sites have thrived on this platform.
If you're in search of a hosting service that won’t let you down when the traffic spikes and the sales roll in, I wholeheartedly recommend checking out SiteGround. It's an investment in peace of mind, knowing your online business is running smoothly while you focus on growth.
Let's talk about the extraordinary power of daily progress. It's easy to get caught up in the pursuit of grand gestures and major leaps, but I'm here to remind you that the real secret weapon of success, especially for side hustles, is consistency. Even the smallest step forward is progress, and over time, these tiny steps compound into massive achievements.
Think of progress as your daily business heartbeat—it keeps the dream alive and pulsating with potential. Every action you take, no matter how minor it seems, adds another brick to the empire you're building. And here's the kicker: small, daily progress keeps your business at the forefront of your mind, ensuring it's always getting the attention it deserves.
Conversely, when we let a day slip by without contributing to our goals, it's like pressing pause on our progress. One day can easily snowball into a week, and before you know it, your momentum has come to a standstill. But it's not just about lost time; it's about losing that mental sharpness and passion for your project.
So, my challenge to you is this: make a pact with yourself to do something every single day that moves your business forward. It could be as simple as reaching out to a potential customer, writing a single paragraph for your blog, or researching a new product idea. Whatever it is, let it be a daily ritual.
This consistent effort keeps the fire of your business burning bright in your mind, making it easier to tackle bigger challenges because you're already in the flow. It creates a positive feedback loop where progress begets more progress, and success breeds success.
Remember, building a business is a marathon, not a sprint. It's about the steady, relentless march toward your goals. Let's make every day count, and watch as the compound effect turns our dreams into our reality.
Keep moving, keep dreaming, and keep doing,
See you next week!
Mark.
P.S. Remember, your business should not dictate your life; it should enhance it. Start with the end in mind, design your lifestyle, and let your business serve as the bridge to your dreams. If you are stuck, hit reply. I'd love to try and help.
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And now, a kind word from our attorney. His nickname is "Killer." Not sure why. 😀
Please Read My Affiliate Disclaimer:
I believe in affiliate marketing because it gives me a way to help people profitably. From time to time, I will promote, endorse, or suggest products and/or services for sale that are not my products. I'm pretty picky and my recommendation is always based on my personal belief that the product will provide excellent value to you and your business. In most cases, I will be compensated via a commission or gift when you decide to purchase that product based on my recommendation. In some cases, I might receive the product for free for review purposes, or just to use. In many cases, I promote products that I actually use in my business (like ConvertKit, the service that sent you this email). That ConvertKit link is an affiliate link. If you sign up for ConvertKit using that link, I get a commission. Make sense?
Here's a really important thing:
Please don't interpret anything in this email as some sort of promise or guarantee of your future earnings. My results are not typical. We've been at this for more than a decade. You could say I am an expert when it comes to online business. This means I have an advantage over most people. I can tell you this -- success takes hard work. Nothing in life or business comes easy or with any guarantees.
By following my recommendations you always agree to do your OWN due diligence before making any purchases, whether we recommend them or not. Never, EVER purchase anything that you cannot afford. Avoid purchasing products that do not have a clearly stated Guarantee, or that promises quick or ridiculous results. And always wear your seatbelt. And take your vitamins.
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