Studies show 50% of businesses fail within 5 years. But I’d bet 95% of creator-first businesses will crash and burn. Consider this email a word of warning—a conversation I wish I had with myself three years ago. It begins with the truth: The online game isn’t as simple as people think. From an ‘outsiders’ perspective, every social media influencer is rolling in cash. Big brand deals, flashy cars, great holidays. This intrigues many people. So they dive into online business with their 4 Hour...
12 days ago • 2 min read
Three months ago, as I strolled along Leeds canal in the blistering UK heat (23 degrees), I listened to Tim Ferris interview Seth Godin. Ferris asked Godin how he’s kept so consistent with his popular daily blog, of which he’s posted 8,109 times. Godin replied with a point I loved: ”It’s not your job to say new things. It’s your job to say things that confirm your audience’s beliefs.” Most writers, myself included, think the secret to success is coming up with novel and unique ideas. But...
16 days ago • 2 min read
I’ve made many mistakes as an entrepreneur. One of my worst? Not following feedback. When I began building my business, I so was busy pressing forward that I didn’t have time to listen. I’d slap together my offers with a quick bit of research, write emails without speaking to my customers, then plough forward to the next project. The problem? You risk writing about the wrong topics (which means weaker relationships), making the wrong moves (which means a worse reputation), and building the...
18 days ago • 2 min read
Recently I’ve been studying Taoism. It’s like the Eastern version of Stoicism, with plenty of great life lessons. Three months ago, I read a short story that stuck to me like glue. It’s the perfect analogy for success as a writer and entrepreneur. I figured you might enjoy it. === It begins with two woodsmen who live on separate mountains. Their only water source was a stream running at the bottom of the valley. Every day, they’d meet to fill their buckets before climbing back to their huts....
26 days ago • 3 min read
The Wright Brothers are two of the most famous engineers in history. You likely know they built the first aeroplane, but here’s something you might not know: They had zero qualifications in aviation. Considering the race to the skies was so heated—with the government funding some of the smartest minds to solve the problem of flight—it’s impressive that the winners were two brothers who first owned a press business, followed by a bicycle business. Their story teaches us an important truth...
29 days ago • 2 min read
My best friend’s business failed. Four years ago, we were both dentists looking to escape our jobs. But whilst I chose the content route, he chose to code—building a health and fitness app. It was a series of unfortunate events since. His team was a nightmare to manage. The app took too long to build. Plus, he started before AI. So even if he did launch, it’s out of date from day one. On a call last week he explained he’d finally stopped working on the app. It made him feel sick to his...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Last Wednesday, I emailed 13 free resources I’ve built over the past two years. A client and friend, Ollie, messaged: === “Just seen your email. Love it. I’m concerned because my giveaways get great responses on social media but no buyers. I see influencers say they’re terrible for business. What do you think?” === For reference, Ollie is an injury specialist making decent money with his high ticket offer. He’s in demand. For his giveaways to flop there must be something wrong. So I whipped...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
I park at the dental clinic and sigh. I’ve just finished my morning commute. I was listening to a fascinating podcast about psychological biases on the drive—anything to kill time during rush hour. But I wasn’t sighing because I hated my job. I was sighing because everything I’d just learned would go to waste. I had a day of fillings, crowns, and root canals. But I wanted to talk about Hanlon’s Razor and confirmation bias. If I waffled on about this stuff, my patients would think I’d gone...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Before we dive in... I suck at LinkedIn But it’s the hottest platform for writers right now. My friend Lara Acosta has taught me everything I need to know to take advantage. GRAB IT HERE Last Wednesday, I finished a 6 week recovery from a broken foot. But my first week of freedom hasn’t quite gone to plan. If you missed the original email, I snapped a bone when jumping down a waterfall on a hiking holiday. Safe to say, not much hiking got done. When I returned to the UK the doctors slapped me...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read