I talk a bit about what business was like in 2008. Besides some personal struggles, 2008 was also a time when individuals and businesses were clamping down on spending. So what can you do if you are freelancing through that?
My interview with @Mixergy is live. Check it out here: https://t.co/fvxio9FArN
It's great. We cover 15 years of business.
I like getting tactical on podcasts. I know Andrew likes it too. I missed some spots. So here are 5 tips I wish I shared during the interview.
🧵👇
I talk a bit about what business was like in 2008. Besides some personal struggles, 2008 was also a time when individuals and businesses were clamping down on spending. So what can you do if you are freelancing through that?
This was part of what encouraged us to focus on membership sites.
!!!
We weren't tracking it. The membership sites we helped launched had reporting built in showing $$$.
There were already a couple established membership plugins for WP when PMPro launched.
We didn't try to recreate the affiliate networks they had already set up.
We focused on becoming the best free membership plugin available on the https://t.co/d1AEC5iAwa repository.
When I told Andrew about the frustrations of dealing with 3rd parties changing their APIs when trying to grow WineLog, he asked "Do you have to deal with that kind of thing with PMPro?"
Yes! We do. What's different? Focus.
We didn't have the energy, time, or desire to pivot and try something new.
If you have other active projects, you can turn to them for what seems like easier progress.
But if you only have one project to focus on, you HAVE to make it work...
Stopping work on WineLog, InvestorGeeks, and the other side projects we had back around 2010, gave us the time and attention needed to make PMPro a success.
When we made the switch from consulting to 100% products-based revenue, we turned down $90k in new work over 3 months to focus on a PMPro relaunch.
The relaunched PMPro 4x'd revenue immediately. Focus.
https://t.co/iX5eyPiHcq
I glossed over that one to talk about other add ons, but ARC is pretty cool. The idea behind it is insightful even if you don't use PMPro.
They maybe want access to something right away, but don't really see the benefit in extending membership another month or year.
Auto-Renewal Checkbox tries to address these customers.
You see this kind of UI all the time when donating online.
However, if you notice this pattern on your site, you should try some things.
Think about how you could create a separate 1-time-payment product. Maybe your subscription is giving TOO MUCH value, and you should break part of it off into a separate product.
I talk more about timing and pricing here:
https://t.co/klD0HkRXy7
I said it was easier to step away from work in a products company vs a services company.
Andrew said, "Yeah? What's the longest you stepped away?" Maybe hoping for a great sabbatical story, but I had none.
I'd say 4 days in the minimum to really get away. Shoot for 7. More could be better.
If you haven't done that in a while, work it out.
If you can, watch the interview anyway. Like it on the site. Ask a comment there. It really helps to show Andrew you're listening.
https://t.co/fvxio9FArN
https://t.co/x67YCk5v1o
More from Startups
1/ Tuesday was my last day as CEO of @CircleUp. I’ve been CEO since starting the co. in 2011 with my co-founder @roryeakin.
This is a thread about what happened, why and my emotions about it. For more detail:
https://t.co/vYImcm1bTM
Much of this I have never talked about.
2/ My goals: I hope it helps founders feel less lonely than I did. Little public content about the challenges of transitioning exists, but I longed for it. I’m not here to provide a playbook- just to share my experience. Hope it might build greater empathy.
Here goes….
3/ Why: When I tell people that I’m transitioning to an Exec Chairman role their first question is always: “why?” Short answer: co. pivot + fertility issues + health issues + a false sense that grit was always the answer = burnout. Long answer: is longer so hang in there with me
4/ Over a 12-18 month period that ended in late 2017 I ran my tank far beyond empty for far too long. You know that sound your car makes when it’s sputtering for more gas? It was like that. Worst year of my life. Since then it has felt like bone on bone.
5/ Here is what happened:
Professionally: pivoting a Series C company was a living hell in and of itself, as I’ve talked about before.
This is a thread about what happened, why and my emotions about it. For more detail:
https://t.co/vYImcm1bTM
Much of this I have never talked about.
2/ My goals: I hope it helps founders feel less lonely than I did. Little public content about the challenges of transitioning exists, but I longed for it. I’m not here to provide a playbook- just to share my experience. Hope it might build greater empathy.
Here goes….
3/ Why: When I tell people that I’m transitioning to an Exec Chairman role their first question is always: “why?” Short answer: co. pivot + fertility issues + health issues + a false sense that grit was always the answer = burnout. Long answer: is longer so hang in there with me
4/ Over a 12-18 month period that ended in late 2017 I ran my tank far beyond empty for far too long. You know that sound your car makes when it’s sputtering for more gas? It was like that. Worst year of my life. Since then it has felt like bone on bone.
5/ Here is what happened:
Professionally: pivoting a Series C company was a living hell in and of itself, as I’ve talked about before.
1/ We Pivoted a few yrs ago. This is the story- mostly my feelings. It has never been told publicly.
— Ryan Caldbeck (@ryan_caldbeck) April 16, 2019
This will be rambly and represents the chaos in my head at the time. There is [hopefully] no advice here. I don\u2019t know if we did it right.
Below are the top 10 RT'd tweets from the latest 1000 tweets made by @Hustle_Smarterr.
THREAD:
https://t.co/8EmLYHHbLo
https://t.co/aMyO7K3IbM
https://t.co/xv7QK5mdvD
https://t.co/Ww2s97Kw5x
THREAD:
https://t.co/8EmLYHHbLo
9-5s aren\u2019t the problem
— Hustle Smarter \U0001f4b8 (@Hustle_Smarterr) September 26, 2020
Letting them be your only income stream is
https://t.co/aMyO7K3IbM
The biggest asset you\u2019ll ever have is yourself
— Hustle Smarter \U0001f4b8 (@Hustle_Smarterr) September 26, 2020
Invest in it wisely
https://t.co/xv7QK5mdvD
18-25?
— Hustle Smarter \U0001f4b8 (@Hustle_Smarterr) September 27, 2020
Now is the time to take risks and improve
Don\u2019t waste this time
https://t.co/Ww2s97Kw5x
What would you say to someone who feels \u201clost\u201d?
— Hustle Smarter \U0001f4b8 (@Hustle_Smarterr) October 7, 2020
5 Micro Skills That Will Improve Your Life Drastically
// A THREAD //
Even the small things compound over time... and become huge.
And they become HUGE.
This is the list of small skills that will improve your life A LOT over time, you can't even imagine how much... before you give it a try.
I'll present the skills in form of mini challenges.
1. Type with all ten fingers 10 days - 10 mins in the morning.
Most of us spend a lot of our time behind the computer typing.
Yet, not many people know how to write with all ten fingers —> drastically faster.
You can learn it for free here:
https://t.co/ow2WTHrXBJ
2. Make at least one Zap
Zappier allows you to make micro workflows between the applications you use.
Let's say you have to calendars (work and normal) and you want to sync them all the time —> Zappier
2b. You send an email every month remind your customers to pay the maintenance fee + reminder them if they won't —> Zappier
You want an email notification every time someone edits a Google sheet —> Zappier
Basic version is free. @zapier
// A THREAD //
Even the small things compound over time... and become huge.
And they become HUGE.
This is the list of small skills that will improve your life A LOT over time, you can't even imagine how much... before you give it a try.
I'll present the skills in form of mini challenges.
1. Type with all ten fingers 10 days - 10 mins in the morning.
Most of us spend a lot of our time behind the computer typing.
Yet, not many people know how to write with all ten fingers —> drastically faster.
You can learn it for free here:
https://t.co/ow2WTHrXBJ
2. Make at least one Zap
Zappier allows you to make micro workflows between the applications you use.
Let's say you have to calendars (work and normal) and you want to sync them all the time —> Zappier
2b. You send an email every month remind your customers to pay the maintenance fee + reminder them if they won't —> Zappier
You want an email notification every time someone edits a Google sheet —> Zappier
Basic version is free. @zapier
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1/ Here’s a list of conversational frameworks I’ve picked up that have been helpful.
Please add your own.
2/ The Magic Question: "What would need to be true for you
3/ On evaluating where someone’s head is at regarding a topic they are being wishy-washy about or delaying.
“Gun to the head—what would you decide now?”
“Fast forward 6 months after your sabbatical--how would you decide: what criteria is most important to you?”
4/ Other Q’s re: decisions:
“Putting aside a list of pros/cons, what’s the *one* reason you’re doing this?” “Why is that the most important reason?”
“What’s end-game here?”
“What does success look like in a world where you pick that path?”
5/ When listening, after empathizing, and wanting to help them make their own decisions without imposing your world view:
“What would the best version of yourself do”?
Please add your own.
2/ The Magic Question: "What would need to be true for you
1/\u201cWhat would need to be true for you to\u2026.X\u201d
— Erik Torenberg (@eriktorenberg) December 4, 2018
Why is this the most powerful question you can ask when attempting to reach an agreement with another human being or organization?
A thread, co-written by @deanmbrody: https://t.co/Yo6jHbSit9
3/ On evaluating where someone’s head is at regarding a topic they are being wishy-washy about or delaying.
“Gun to the head—what would you decide now?”
“Fast forward 6 months after your sabbatical--how would you decide: what criteria is most important to you?”
4/ Other Q’s re: decisions:
“Putting aside a list of pros/cons, what’s the *one* reason you’re doing this?” “Why is that the most important reason?”
“What’s end-game here?”
“What does success look like in a world where you pick that path?”
5/ When listening, after empathizing, and wanting to help them make their own decisions without imposing your world view:
“What would the best version of yourself do”?
1/Politics thread time.
To me, the most important aspect of the 2018 midterms wasn't even about partisan control, but about democracy and voting rights. That's the real battle.
2/The good news: It's now an issue that everyone's talking about, and that everyone cares about.
3/More good news: Florida's proposition to give felons voting rights won. But it didn't just win - it won with substantial support from Republican voters.
That suggests there is still SOME grassroots support for democracy that transcends
4/Yet more good news: Michigan made it easier to vote. Again, by plebiscite, showing broad support for voting rights as an
5/OK, now the bad news.
We seem to have accepted electoral dysfunction in Florida as a permanent thing. The 2000 election has never really
To me, the most important aspect of the 2018 midterms wasn't even about partisan control, but about democracy and voting rights. That's the real battle.
2/The good news: It's now an issue that everyone's talking about, and that everyone cares about.
3/More good news: Florida's proposition to give felons voting rights won. But it didn't just win - it won with substantial support from Republican voters.
That suggests there is still SOME grassroots support for democracy that transcends
4/Yet more good news: Michigan made it easier to vote. Again, by plebiscite, showing broad support for voting rights as an
5/OK, now the bad news.
We seem to have accepted electoral dysfunction in Florida as a permanent thing. The 2000 election has never really
Bad ballot design led to a lot of undervotes for Bill Nelson in Broward Co., possibly even enough to cost him his Senate seat. They do appear to be real undervotes, though, instead of tabulation errors. He doesn't really seem to have a path to victory. https://t.co/utUhY2KTaR
— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) November 16, 2018