Your website is your business store front. It says a lot more about you and your brand than you can say for yourself. So therefore it's critical that we get our website right, not perfect, but we get it right. So to help us out today, I brought on the show my good friend Jen Olmstead, who is a brilliant marketer and website designer.Jenn is the lead designer and co-founder of Tonic Site Shop, where she and her team make the world's greatest templates for the modern entrepreneur. And if you've been around the internet, you've probably seen tonics websites and designs for leading entrepreneurs like Jenna Kutcher, Amy Porterfield, Bossbabe, Chris loves Julia and a whole lot more. And in this episode, what we talked about was actually what should we be focusing on when it comes to your website? What should our websites include? And also, maybe more importantly, what doesn't matter when it comes to website building? And finally we broke down how you can present yourself and your online business to the world in the best way possible. In this episode you'll learn: What really should be the purpose of your website The smart hack to write your website copy Why your website headline is TURNING AWAY customers Hope you enjoy!- Graham ________________________________________________ Show notes:The Attract & Repel Guide:https://tonicsiteshop.com/attract-repel-guide

I'm a huge believer of not just building a business that you're proud of, that makes a lot of money and allows you to do the work you believe in, but also a business that allows you to own your time so that you are able to do the things you actually like and also have time to make an impact outside of your business with your family, in your community and doing things that give you life and energy. So when I come across anyone who's preaching that message, I want to scoop up that resource and apply it to my life and business to help me improve that concept even further. And a book that I just read is called ”Buy Back Your Time” by Dan Martell. I was able to get Dan on the show and we had an incredible conversation that you're about to enjoy.  Dan is an entrepreneur, multi eight figure entrepreneur, multiple times angel investor, he's become a highly sought after coach in the SAS industry after exiting three technology companies within a 10 year period. He's also an Ironman athlete, philanthropist, husband, and father of two incredible boys. I really enjoyed this conversation because the book is not only phenomenal, but it's very tangible. I know that after listenting to this, you will walk away with new nuggets of wisdom on time, life and business. So sit back, relax, and enjoy my conversation with Dan Martell! In this episode you'll learn: Why relationships are essential to business and how to build powerful networks How Dan's time and energy audit works and how you can apply it to your business  How to actually calculate when the time is right to hire a team member Hope you enjoy!- Graham

I'm hearing about a lot of uncertainty in the world. It's 2023. Either we are in a recession in the US or we will be one soon.People are tightening up their spending. You’ve seen all the headlines. There’s a lot of uncertainty coming from the public and the government as well. And so as business owners, the question we ask is how do we succeed and thrive in this context? Every year is different. There's some principles that are always true in business but others require fine tuning to fit the current season we’re in. But there’s one foundational truth that always stands its ground no matter the circumstance: uncertainty and business always go together. And so we need to figure out how to create certainty (in the areas we actually have control over) in uncertain times. Looking specifically at 2023, how can you and I, as content creators, coaches and online business owners - thrive this year in the middle of uncertainty? Here are three things that I am certain of will help you thrive and grow your business - even in uncertain times. In this episode you'll learn: Why uncertainty and business always go together How to create certainty in the areas that you can control How to kickstart this new year and create advantage for yourself and your business Hope you enjoy!- Graham

I want you to be successful beyond your wildest dreams. Not just in business, of course, but in life, in your relationships, in your accomplishments, in the things you're passionate about and the impact you wanna see in the world. Nobody wants to be unsuccessful, right? The question is, what is the best way then to become successful at whatever you set out to do? And while there are a lot of strategies we could talk about, and we could even start realistically by defining what success really is - I think there is one word, one strategy, that is the strategy to end all strategies.  There's one key that unlocks every door that we would ever hope to open up that leads to success. And I believe that key is humility. So get ready for an episode that might seem counter intuitive, but I believe this one concept will unlock so much for you and your business as we move into new year. Let’s jump in! In this episode you'll learn: Why we're constantly focusing on the wrong things as business owners What humility really is and how to make it your superpower How humility allowed me to scale my business beyond my wildest dreams Hope you enjoy!- Graham

This is the last episode of the Graham Cochrane Show for the year 2022, and so naturally I’m in a sort of ”end of the year" headspace. What I like to do at the end of the year is look back at the previous year, ask a few important questions, and look ahead to the next year, as most people do. But that kind of endeavour all boils down to which questions you ask. What I want to give you today are a set of five foundational questions to help you reflect on the past year. Five questions to end your year well, and to start your new year in the best way possible. This is a great time to reset your business and think about what you've done and accomplished, where your head's been at and what's coming up next. Depending on how you answer these questions might tell you a little bit less about how this year went and more about what you want to do or should be doing in the year ahead.The whole purpose of these five simple questions is to get you to see what really matters when it comes to your business. You can go through these questions in less than an hour, but I want you to ask them, I want you to answer them, and then I want you to take the right course of action - for yourself and for your business. In this episode you'll learn: Why it's so important to reflect on past events How to figure out how you can move forward in your business What has been holding you back this year, and how to remedy that for the coming year Hope you enjoy!- Graham

If you don't mind, I'll love to ask you a personal question. Are you working to build wealth or are you looking and working to build a life? What is it you're ACTUALLY working on? Anybody can go make money. Anybody can learn how to make a living online. It might take some work, but it's not that complicated, and we talk about it here all the time. But are you building a real life? Are you building true wealth? And wealth, if you think about it, isn't just money. There's something that I call the wealth triangle and it's nothing new, but it's this optimization of the three important currencies that determine how our lives go. The currency of money, the currency of time, and the currency of health. Money, time, and health. You don't wanna build a life around just one of those three things, or you won't have much of a life at all. So what I wanna do in today's episode is break down something very thought provoking around this concept of the wealth triangle and give you a refreshing take on all the work you're doing. As we wrap up this year and move into the new year, now is a great time to pause and ask yourself, am I building wealth, making money, or am I actually building a life that I love? In this episode you'll learn: What steps you need to take to build the life you want to live Why most people only fixate on the money side of things How add longevity and avoid burnout by focusing on the time and health aspects of this framework Hope you enjoy!- Graham

Today I wanna share with you one of the most helpful exercises you could ever do in your business to get super clear on who you're serving, what you're helping them accomplish, how to speak to them in language that it will be vivid and powerful for them to get them to take action - meaning buying your products, join your programs, come to your events - this exercise unlocks ALL of that! I stumbled across this while writing my book, ”How to Get Paid For What You know” and realized this process should be applied to everyone's online business, especially when you’re starting out!It's something that I call the Mentor Map and you’re going to get the step by step outline here today. This will be a great end of the year/ start of the year framework for you to implement that will give you clarity, confidence and move you to make a real impact with your business. Let’s dive in! In this episode you'll learn: How this framework allowed me to make an impact with my first book What you need to create the best customer journey inside your business The big questions most people skip, that will end up hurting their growth later on Hope you enjoy!- Graham

How should you measure success? When you have so many successful people, entrepreneurs, celebrities, actors, politicians who are miserable - what is success really? I have achieved more success than I ever thought would be possible for someone like me. And I still find myself discontent, frustrated, irritated, disappointed, and at worst, miserable. What is wrong with people like me and other ”successful people” that we look up to? Maybe you felt this yourself. Maybe you reached a goal that you thought would satisfy you and it didn't, and you wonder why.Maybe you haven't struggled with this and you're at the very beginning of your journey and you cannot wait to reach some goal of success because you know it's gonna fulfill you. And you're wondering, wait, am I missing something? Is there something I should be looking out for, before I chase my dreams? Today's episode's gonna help you out as we break down why successful people are so miserable so often, and how you can avoid that trap. Let’s dive into a real practical way to look at your success and make sure that you are measuring your success in the right way so that you'll be satisfied, you'll be happy, and you'll be able to continue to do great things in the world. In this episode you'll learn: What the best definition of success actually is How I've struggled with being satisfied with success, and what became the turning point for me Why it is critical to measure your success if you hope to build a business that thrives and survives Hope you enjoy!- Graham

As an online business owner, you're creating content, you're educating, teaching and in a way you're coaching, even if it's through a YouTube video or a podcast or a blog post. Direct, one on one coaching is actually one of the most powerful services or products you could offer your customers online.It's not the most scalable because it's limited to your time, but it's powerful in that the return of investment for your student is immensly high, because what could be more powerful and valuable to give than your undivided attention to that one person? Whatever role coaching has in your online business, you need to know how to coach. And I gotta tell you, coaching is a lot more than just giving advice. There's so much more that goes into powerful life changing coaching, no matter what your niche is. And so what I want to do in today's episode is share with you five specific traits that are so critical to making a deep impact with your clients through your coaching.  In this episode you'll learn: What the real difference is between good advice and life changing coaching How my views on coaching has changed over the years and why I continue to seek coaching myself How to know when you're making an impact with your clients through your coaching Hope you enjoy!- Graham

Starting a business has never been easier or more affordable than it is today. And I should know, I've started and built two seven figure a year businesses with just a laptop and less than $50. Over the last five years in coaching over 3000 clients in their entrepreneurial journey, I've seen firsthand how overwhelmed people can get. There are so many things they feel like they're supposed to do in the early days, weeks, and months and so they get caught up the non-essential things that ultimately doesn’t propel your business forward. And I should know this too, because this was exactly where I was when I started my first business. Your first 30 days of business are really important in the sense that this is where you lay your business foundation and prove to yourself that this is possible. Today I want to help you start your journey off in the right way and make sure you hit the ground running with your business during your 30 first days. In this episode you'll learn: What foundational components you need to have in place for your online business to thrive How to create momentum in your business during your first 30 days How you can avoid the pitfalls and mistakes most business owners make during their first 30 days Hope you enjoy!- Graham

I honestly believe that 80% of what is standing between where your business is today and where you want it to be revenue wise, impact wise and achievement wise - is the way you think.The marketing tactics, the products, the numbers, how the economy's doing, the team that you develop, all of that fancy stuff  likely only accounts for a mere 20% of your results. The biggest thing standing between what you want and where you are is your brain and your mindset. I've been coaching entrepreneurs for years now and there's always a mindset problem. I can basically tell whether they're gonna be successful or not, based off of whether they have a scarcity mindset or an abundance mindset. Now, these words might mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people, today I’m going to unpack it all for you.  By making this one flip, just one little change in your thinking, it’s going to unlock so much potential for you that's gonna allow you to then achieve all the goals that you have for your business. Let’s dive in! In this episode you'll learn: What negative effects you will experience by having a scarcity mindset How easy it is to tap into an abundance mindset and what amazing changes it will bring to your business Why your mindset is the foundation of you business success, and how to nourish and cultivate your mind for business moving forward  Hope you enjoy!- Graham

If you've built your online business the way I teach and you’re building it around content, lead magnets, an email list and you follow up with an email funnel - then you already have a system in place with new people joining your list every single day. If that's the case, why not try to maximize the revenue in that email funnel so that you can increase your income without having to go out and do a bunch of new crazy things?  There's a lot of money being left on the table in people's email funnels. And today I want to share five of the simplest things you can do starting today, to maximize the revenue in your already existing email funnel. Let’s dive in and maximize your funnel revenue! In this episode you'll learn: Why maximizing funnel revenue doesn't need to be a giant project The few things you're probably missing, that lead you to leave money on the table What you absolutely need to have in place for your funnel revenue to reach its peak Hope you enjoy!- Graham

So every year I play this game with myself and my business. I try to cut down on the number of hours that I spend in the business while keeping revenue the same - or better yet, growing it. Now, why do I do this? Am I a crazy person? No. I just want to know that I'm only doing what matters in my business and that I’m doing the work that truly matters, making sure I'm doing fulfilling meaningful work and above else, not wasting my time. Otherwise, why not be at home with my family instead of in the office working on random things? Today I want to give you the recipe. I want to start your journey of working less and earning more. And not only is it possible, it is actually easier than you think. Let me take you back and show you how I've gone from 30 to 40+ hours a week and barely making enough money to survive, to getting it down to around 5 hours a week and doing seven figures, almost multiple seven figures. If you could follow these steps and cut out one day of your work week or shave off 10 hours or 20 hours of your work week while maintaining or growing your revenue, would you be interested? If so, stick around and let’s start the your journey towards working less and earning more! In this episode you'll learn:  The key components to working less and how you can start your journey today  How working less can actually increase revenue by freeing up your time  How I was able to go from a 40 hour work week to working only 5 hours a week Hope you enjoy!- Graham   

When it comes to wealth building, we all have different approaches, different tactics, different strategies, and we're all in different seasons of life with different circumstances. You can get really into the weeds on the how and the what and all of the mechanism. But underneath all of that, I think you’ll find that no matter who you are, where you live, or what you're doing with your money - there are some foundational beliefs about money that are universal, that help shape successful people, who build wealth. And so what I wanna do in today's episode is share with you four of these foundational beliefs about money that I subscribe to, that I truly believe lead to greater wealth. My hope is that in today's episode, you'll latch on to at least one of them as a focus point for you to work towards. Let’s build some wealth! In this episode you'll learn: Why your beliefs about money are critical to building wealth How you can take simple measures to build wealth starting TODAY The no.1 thing that sabotages your wealth building - that we're all are doing! Hope you enjoy!- Graham

Morning routines. You either love 'em or you hate 'em. They have become super trendy over the years and I get asked a lot: Graham, what's your morning routine?Well today, I'm finally going to answer that questions. Up until now, I pretty much skipped over that question, I just haven't been interested in talking about it, partially because I don't think they're a magic bullet straight out the gate. But as a business owner going on his 13th year I've come to realize how critical morning routines are to how your day turns out.Morning routines may not be a magic bullet, but if you're looking to become more intentional, more productive and happy during your day - the morning routines are a great place to start (literally).I have tried everything under the sun when it comes to morning routines, but I think what you're gonna see in today's episode is something that's actually super practical and my hope is that it'll inspire you to figure out what helps you become the best version of yourself day in and day out. In this episode you'll learn: Why I avoided talking about morning routines for a long time How to tap into the power of a great morning routine What my morning routine is and how it has changed the way I run my business Hope you enjoy!- Graham

Subscribers. Followers. Likes. Dislikes - whether we like it or not my friend, whether we admit it or not, these are the numbers. These are the metrics that we clinging to, that we long for to give us credibility as business owners and as content creators. It's how we ascribe credibility subconsciously or consciously to other people. And these are what I would call vanity metrics.These numbers, in my opinion, do not represent credibility and have little to do with the credibility or the success of a person or a business owner. And so in today's episode, we're going to challenge this notion. We're going to challenge these metrics, since the reality is that they have no bearing on whether you are successful or not, and they should not be a marker that you look to for your credibility or success. And then also, they should have no bearing on whether someone else is successful or credible. And so we're going to encourage each other, to stop looking at these vanity metrics, for yourself and for other people to know whether you should follow them or like them or trust what they're saying. I'm gonna walk you through what really matters when it comes to your business success and your credibility.And I'm gonna share an interesting story that I think will tie all this together, and my hope is that you will leave this episode with a little more clarity on what to chase after and what to look for in your business and in others. In this episode you'll learn: Why we're drawn to vanity metrics and how they can harm us psychologically My personal interactions with vanity metrics and how I handle them nowadays 3 crucial things to look for when assessing someones success and credibility (and new's flash, it isn't vanity metrics!) Hope you enjoy!- Graham

I think one of the reasons we get into business in the first place is to have freedom, to be able to own our own schedule, own our time and to have flexibility. But sometimes, things don't really go as planned. There's that age old saying of trading your nine to five for a twenty four seven - which is the opposite of what we're actually after. And I get it, it's the hard reality of being responsible for all of it. A business doesn't turn off, just because you left the office. You can't clock in and clock out. This open door, can definitely become a slippery slope. I think we all want something that we're unfortunately not gonna get by default. We tend to overwork, we tend to just keep going at a pace, that if you're honest with yourself, you cannot keep up with. With the Graham Cochrane show, I'm trying to unpack what's behind all of this so that we can actually live the life we wanna live. In this episode, we're gonna talk about some of the hard things about why we have trouble putting a hard stop on our work. I'm gonna share the struggles Shay and I have had with this, and we're going to identify the four things, the four hidden driving forces, that tend to secretly drive us to hustle, to push, to grind, to not stop when we probably should stop. Let's discuss!In this episode you'll learn: Where the hustle mentality comes from and why it is so dangerous How we've struggled with stopping work in the past, and what led us to find new healthy habits and routines How working less and putting hard stops on work, can actually lead you to do better work and be way more strategic Hope you enjoy!- Graham

So my wife, Shay and I are both business owners and we have two daughters. And combining those two big categories of your life is a constant juggling act. Both categories of our life seem to demand a lot of our tension, time and intentionality. So one of the questions that we get a lot, is how do you balance the two as a couple and as a family? How do you try to both be high performers, have big goals and chase your dreams, and at the same time try to raise a family and have a thriving marriage? The short answer is we don't do it perfectly and we're in counseling, so we're working on this stuff. But what we thought we would do in today's episode is actually share with you, four commitments that we have made to each other and to our family that help us allow our businesses and family to flourish. They're not perfect, but they're things we've really held tightly to and have allowed our two categories to flourish. So in today's episode, we're gonna share those four commitments, and bring you behind the curtain in terms of how we think about family and business. We hope that maybe one or two of these might inspire you or give you some ideas of what you can do, whether you're married or single or have a family, to make sure that both your home life and your business life are flourishing. Let's dive in!In this episode you'll learn: Why family and business needs to coexists and how what kind of mindsets we have developed Our most challenging aspects of running a business while raising a family How we use each others strengths to continue to move forward, even when the going gets tough Hope you enjoy!- Graham

As far as I know, there are only three things that every human being on planet earth has to interact with on a regular basis, or at least at some point in their life.  Number one: other people, number two: your own health and number three: money. Money is one of those pervasive topics that we all have to deal with and especially business owners. And here's the problem. If you are applying everything that I'm teaching here, week in and week out and doing it, you will build wealth. You will make more income. You will have more money to manage, and that won't help you, if you don't know what to do with that money. Now I've covered a lot of the what to do's before, but today I want to cover the five biggest money mistakes that I see business owners making. Let's unpack these mistakes, not to shame you, but to just clean up a little bit of a mess so that you can have a healthier financial base so that you can actually go out and live that life you wanna live and enjoy the money that you have. In this episode you'll learn: What mindset shift you need to make in order to see financial wealth long term Why these 5 mistakes will cripple your wealth growth and always have you working up hill How you can make tiny adjustments to your money management that will set you up for wealth building big time Hope you enjoy!- Graham

►► Grab Jason Feifer's Book - Build For Tomorrow → https://www.grahamcochrane.com/jasonfeifer What do you do when everything in the world seems to be changing at a crazy rapid pace?How do we know that the career we've decided to follow or the business we've built is the right business and it can sustain all the change that's coming down the pike?This is a real problem that we face, especially when you put on the pressure of being a business owner and running your own company, it feels like it is on you to predict what's gonna happen down the pike.And we're all freaking out - but I'm here to help you out. 've brought on an amazing guest this week to break this concept down: Jason Pfeiffer.He's the editor in chief of 'Entrepreneur Magazine', who has a great perspective on this because he gets to interview the best of the best in all areas of life. People who are literally successful at business building, creating and making impact in the world. And I brought him on to discuss his new book that just dropped: Build for tomorrow: An action plan for embracing change, adapting fast and future proofing your career.I love this conversation with Jason as we break down what he calls the four phases of change and much much more!Hope you enjoy!- Graham

So honestly, I don't wanna talk about the recession anymore.It's all over the place and everyone's freaking out. I don't want to freak you out - I want to HELP you out. So today I'm going to do just that, by bringing on a special guest.  When it comes to the recession, I hear all the whispers, all the doubts, all the fears. And where most people talk about holding on to every cent you have - I'm going to go in the complete opposite direction. I'm going to bring on my wife Shay Cochrane, and talk to her in front of you about our recession plan - which centers around giving more away. Shay is a multi six figure business owner in her own right, and know's a ton about this subject as we've navigated through times like these together before - while always keeping a focus on giving (even when we literally had zero to give!). We have these conversations around the dinner table. So what we wanted to do was bring you basically into our dinnertime conversation, as we break down what we're doing in light of the coming economic turmoil and how giving relates to all of that - so that you can build a business focused on giving as well. All the details on why are in this episode. Let's dive in! In this episode you'll learn: Why me and my wife think giving is the best mentality to have during trying economic times What financial strategies we are putting in place in order to give more How we think about giving from a business and spiritual perspective Hope you enjoy!- Graham

Earlier this year when I launched my book “How to Get Paid for What You Know”, I met Stephanie Lee (out of serendipity!) and hired her to help me with my book launch. Stephanie is a media strategist and founder of Clout Monster, where she teaches creators how to get press and use it to grow their authority and business. We’ve been working together since, and she’s been so pivotal in helping me land these media features and explore new areas of growth. So for the first time ever, I’ve invited her on the podcast to chat with me about media, how we approached media strategy for myself, and how media could help your business (yes, even if you’re just starting out and have no idea what you’re doing). Stephanie is one of the rare people who lives in both the world of media and online businesses, and knows exactly what you need to make a huge impact. Here’s what we talk about on the podcast. Why even bother with media? We break down how focusing on media can actually help you grow your biz (and it's not for the reason most people think) A key related business lesson from a tiny ramen shop in Japan  3 ways to come up with a media-worthy story that will catch an editor’s attention You might think, “Oh, I’m not ready for press and being ‘out there!’” Trust me, you're probably more ready than you think. When I first worked with Stephanie, I knew I had to challenge myself to get uncomfortable and push beyond what I already knew. Luckily, Stephanie made it all seem so simple and straightforward, so even if you don’t feel ready NOW, what you’ll learn from her will change the way you look at your business.  I am so excited for you to dig into this episode! Hope you enjoy!- Graham P.S. Also, I recommend checking out Stephanie’s newsletter, where she gives expert tips and insights on getting featured in top-tier media and generally helpful advice that applies to biz and entrepreneurship. I don’t save a lot of emails in my inbox, but I definitely have some of her emails saved because they’re THAT good!   Try out her newsletter!   (If you listen to the end of the episode, she has a special bonus for listeners too.) 

So summer's over and it is time to get back to work, my friend. I always say that September is like January junior. It is a great time to get back and get focused. But maybe you are still suffering from the summer slump, and you’re asking yourself questions like: do I really have to work on my content? Do I really have to put out another piece of content for people that's free? Do I really have to interact with my customers? Do I really have to open my inbox and answer emails?  I feel you, I’ve been there. But friend, if you're asking these questions, it is a major red flag. Not that there's something bad, broken or wrong about you, but it’s a signal that you need to grow in the area of mental toughness. That is what allows you as a business owner to stay in the game long enough to see the rewards that you so desperately want to see. Today I want to walk through five ways to become more mentally tough. And my goal for you real simple: pick one, find one of these areas that you realize, this is what I got to work on this week and I think it'll be game changing for you. Let's dive in! In this episode you'll learn: What mental toughness really is and why it so important for you as a business owner How mental toughness impacted my business in a huge way Five simple and easy ways you can improve your mental toughness TODAY  Hope you enjoy!- Graham

Do you feel icky about selling? Like, do you just cringe when you realize you have to write some sales copy or ask for the sale on a sales call? Ever done a webinar and then you'd get to the sales pitch part and you're like: uh oh... Here we go. I get it. We all have some baggage when it comes to selling. Some of you have a leg up on me in terms of having a sales background, but either way selling is just a part of life. It's a part of everything we do. Selling touches everything we do, whether money is being exchanged or not. We're always selling, selling our ideas, selling our philosophy, selling something that's free etc. We have to convince people it can help them. For an online business owner, sales is real and you gotta be good at sales. But what I want to do today is to introduce you six psychological selling hacks. And here's the great news: you're already familiar with these! You have already experienced these in some way, shape or form in the real world. So these will actually be not new, they will be familiar to you. And these are proven, and these are things you can start to massage into your sales process. These are going to help you sell more in an authentic way because you're just using human psychology and it's not even something that you have never heard of.  Let's unpack these six psychological sales hacks that you can use when you sell your product! In this episode you'll learn: What the psychological aspect is to all these 6 selling hacks Why tapping into your customers psychology is a genius move for selling How you can sell more by using powerful everyday examples Hope you enjoy!- Graham

I've been in business for 13 plus years now. I've run two online businesses over that decade and a half and boy, have I learned a lot. I have made a lot of mistakes. I've seen trends come and trends go. But the great thing about time is that it gives you an opportunity to form your beliefs, form your opinions on what really is true. And so I have come to find out that there are a few things that I believe about online business that are not very popular. In fact, they are so unpopular that I get made fun of. I get criticized for, or people just give me that glazed over look in their eyes. They're just totally confused. And as I have been compared to other online business gurus, I'm realizing we have totally different worldviews, totally different ways of going about things. What I thought I would do in today's episode is share the three most unpopular opinions in the hopes that you will at least hear them out and engage with them. My hope is not that you would believe me, but that you would choose to either agree with me or disagree and have your own reasons why let's discuss. In this episode you'll learn: What my unpopular opinions are and why they come across as such How these opinions came about and how they change my business for the better Why these are important issues for you to think about to grow your business Hope you enjoy!- Graham

So all my students want a successful business, whatever successful means to them. Whether that's six figures a year, seven figures a year, or if that just means having raving fans or products that you feel really good about that sell really well. Whatever you define as success, that's what we're working towards every single day. And that's what I'm trying to help you with every single week on this show. But there is a critical key to success. Something that most business owners don’t even think about and fail to see as the most important cogwheel in your business. This is so important. I don't want you to miss it. We're going to unpack it and break down five ways to apply this key principle to your business, because I don't want you to show up and work hard and not get results. So let's unpack what the key to success is that most people aren't talking about. In this episode you'll learn: Why most business owners fail to acknowledge this crucial component for business growth How this key principle will make all the difference for your business What you need to get started with this key principle today! Hope you enjoy!- Graham

The very first email was allegedly sent in 1971. And today, so many business owners think that in a few years, email is going to be a thing of the past. Like we will literally not be using email any more. And so naturally, if you adopt this way of thinking, you would question why I talk about email and email marketing all the time. If this is a passing fad that will eventually transition away into something like just social media or whatever the next platform is, then why is Graham going on and on about email? But the reality is that email not only is going to stick around for the long haul, but it will become the preferred communication channel even more than it is today, as it advances and creates more powerful ways to connect with your ideal customer. After this episode you’ll know the full power of email and why email is king, not only now, but in the future, let’s dive in! In this episode you'll learn: What the fundamental dials of email are, that make it the best communications tool online What email advancements we're likely to see in the coming years, and why they will be a game changer What the main difference is between social media platforms and email, and why email is way more profitable for your online business   Hope you enjoy!- Graham

One of the biggest goals people have with their online business is making $100,000 a year or more, wanting to hit that six figure a year income threshold. It's a great goal to have and it opens up a lot of dream like lifestyle opportunities. But for many, the $100,000 a year goal is just that - a dream. I think one of the problems people have with visualizing and actualizing such a goal, is that many people think there's only one way to reach a hundred thousand dollars a year in your business and for the online business space. Usually we think that the and only way to reach that goal is selling digital products. I'm a huge fan of digital products, but they're actually multiple path to reach six figures - and these paths are simple to follow!In today's episode, I want to break down the three most proven paths to reaching that six figure a year income, break down the math and inspire you with some tips and tricks for each one of those.My hope is that you'll view this as a choose your own adventure book! Choose the path that seems most likely, most probable, most exciting to you because there isn't just one way to reach your income goals.There are multiple ways and we'll break down the three most powerful ones today! In this episode you'll learn: The three most proven ways to reach six figures a year in business income How a simple path to six figures can be immensely powerful and effective How you can scale and double down on the things that are working in your business Hope you enjoy!- Graham

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Your first launch of a product, meaning the first time you bring it to market, is NOT the end all be all of that product. It is just that: the first launch. It will either be launched again and again and again or you'll make it an evergreen product, always having it for sale inside your email funnel. The point is that long-term, you want to make money off this product. And with that mindset, comes the realization that you don't have to make a ton of money off of THIS one launch. Most of the big bucks can actually be made, by fine tuning the launch you just did - with a launch review formula. When you present a product to your audience, you want to make sure that you are squeezing a bit more juice and getting a little more mileage, every single time. And with my must have launch review formula - you’re going to do just that. After diving into this episode, you’ll know exactly what to focus your attention on, to make sure that you are not leaving a single cent on the table with your promotions. So sit back, relax and enjoy this breakdown of my must have launch review formula! In this episode you'll learn: How my launch review formula can make you more money, by just asking the right questions The 3 key areas that you need to dial in to keep making profitable launches How to eliminate failed launches completely when using this formula Hope you enjoy!- Graham

Affiliate marketing is a great tool to scale your online business. It can be a great addition to your current product suite and it as easily scalable product, since the product research, development and distribution has already been taken care of. I've personally made over $2 million selling other people's stuff, which is basically what affiliate marketing is. And so in today's episode, what I want to do is pull back the curtain on the things I have promoted for affiliate marketing, that got me to $2 million. We're going to talk about how affiliate marketing works and my recommendations for creating the best affiliate marketing plan that is guaranteed to put money in your pocket. I'll also share some of my favorite tips and tricks when it comes to affiliate marketing, as well as things that I regret doing and mistakes I've made, so that you can avoid them and keeps things ultra profitable. After watching this episode you'll know how to integrate affiliate marketing into your overall online business strategy to not only scale your income, but help you get more passive income. Let's do this! In this episode you'll learn: What affiliate marketing is, how it works and how to setup your affiliate marketing the best way possible How I've made over $2 million dollars in passive income using affiliate marketing  My personal recommendations for speeding up your success with affiliate marketing and scaling your income the best way possible Hope you enjoy!- Graham

Everybody online is talking about whether we are entering into a recession here in the US and globally. It's been the talk of the town for months, if not a couple of years now. And we might already be in a recession as of the time you're diving into this episode. Let's get to the obvious question first. Do I know when or where it's coming or how long it'll last? No, I don't know the future, but what matters more to me is understanding how do we conduct ourselves and how do we run our businesses in light of a potential recession. You need to be prepare for dark days of business. You need to have the financial and decision making prowess to navigate through the periods when your business isn't booming, and also through a global recession, when that day comes. And that's what I want to share with you today. Let's talk about what you and I can control instead of all the scary gloom and doom out there that we can't control. And I'll share my own story of how I made it out of the previous recession with a prospering online business. In this episode you'll learn: What essential steps you need to take to navigate through a recession and keeping your business prosperous How the previous recession of 2008-2009, changed my way of thinking and made me a better business owner Why recessions can actually be a good thing for your business Hope you enjoy!- Graham

When you're running an online business, there are generally only two levers to pull. When it comes to selling your products, you're either a launching products or you have products selling in an evergreen fashion around the clock.  The launch model is the sexy model. It's the one that gets talked about a lot and taught a lot when it comes to online business. But it also comes with a lot of bagage and downsides which you never hear anyone teaching online business mention or acknowledge. I'm here to tell you the truth. Even if that truth is ugly. And today we’re going to do just that.  In today’s episode I’m going to unpack how you can make more money longterm, if you build out an evergreen style product business and actually move away from launching new products all the time. It is the evergreen model, that's been responsible for the bulk of my revenue and both of my seven figure online businesses. So let’s talk about these six ugly truths about launching your products and hopefully I'll steer you into the evergreen product lifestyle! In this episode you'll learn: Why launching new products all the time actually might hurt your business What the evergreen model is and how to it can revolutionize your business My formula for using the evergreen model that allowed me to build two seven figure businesses Hope you enjoy!- Graham

So in about a week, I'm going to step away from my business for an entire month. That's right. I'm leaving my business, taking a month long sabbatical for the month of July. And today I thought I'd bring you in on this process, because it really ties into what I teach, what I preach and what I believe. I could have just kept this private, but I decided to be a little more public about it and use it as an opportunity to encourage you. I think there's a stigma around taking long breaks and taking periods of rest. Vacations last, maybe a week or two for most Americans, and turns out that business owners are actually the worst at taking breaks and not working for longer periods of time. I am the antithesis of the hashtag hustle culture. It is a badge I wear proudly. And so today, we're going to dive in head first into this mindset. In this episode I'm going to explain to you why I'm taking a month long sabbatical, what benefits I think will accrue to me in taking that month off, how I've experienced sabbaticals in the past, (both good and bad), what some of my mental scripts are that actually almost prevented me from taking the sabbatical this year and then I got a little challenge for you at the end that you don't want to miss! Let's dive in!   In this episode you'll learn: Why I'm taking a month long sabbatical and how I believe that will benefit my business What the stigma is around taking breaks for business owners, and how you can start to come out of the mental scripts that are holding you back How to tap into a creative superpower for your business - by actually not doing anything business related Hope you enjoy!- Graham

How can you grow your small online business fast? Everybody asks me: Graham, how can I grow this thing faster?Usually try to break it to them slowly that, hey that’s not really how this thing works. I get that there's pressure. I get that you want this to grow quickly, I can totally relate. When I started my online business, I was on food stamps. I needed to make money as fast as possible.There is no shortcut to making this happen in the way you're expecting it, BUT there are five counterintuitive ways to grow your online business faster. These are the things that you must be doing to actually turbocharge your efforts and move across the board game a little faster than someone else. So brace yourself, because this might not go where you think it's going to go, but I promise you, this is what it takes to take your small online business and turbocharge it and grow it fast! In this episode you’ll learn: The counterintuitive ways you can turbocharge your business growth Why most online business owners focus on the wrong things, when trying to achieve fast business growth How growing your business fast could potentially harm your business and how you can avoid it Hope you enjoy!- Graham

We're living in an attention economy. You and I need to get attention on the things that we're doing in order to get our ideas out there in the world, to get people to buy our products or hire us for our service. Whatever it is that we are selling or offering, whether free or paid in the world - you need eyeballs. You need people to pay attention to what you're doing. And that's why this conversation today with Alan Henry is going to be so instrumental for you as you think about creating content and finding your unique voice in the marketplace. Alan Henry is the service editor at Wired. He was previously the Smarter Living editor at The New York Times, and before that the editor in chief of the productivity and lifestyle blog Life Hacker. He's got a brand new book out that just dropped this week called Seen, Heard and Paid: The New Work Rules For The Marginalized. It's on sale now anywhere books are sold. It's a fantastic read, and I sat down with Alan to talk about the book and his thoughts on finding your unique voice in your market.Hope you enjoy!- Graham

Newsflash friend! You don't have to do every single business strategy that you see other people doing. In fact, there are a ton of strategies that I see people doing that are popular, flashy and trendy - that I just choose not to do. And there are some business strategies, that I have done in the past but have moved away from. And so in today's episode, what I want to do as always is bring you behind the curtain, show you some decision-making that I've done in my strategies for growing my business, show you the strategies that I've stopped doing or don't do at all - in hopes that it might give you a little bit of freedom to make some decisions for yourself. You get to decide what strategies make sense for you and your goals, and even the way you want to show up in your business. I want to give you a little bit of that insight today, because it's not just what you see people doing - it's WHY they are doing it or not doing it. That is the really insightful part for all of us. And I want to share that insight with you today, from my vantage point as a seven figure business owner. In this episode you'll learn: What flashy and trendy business strategies I stopped using, because of their inability to grow and scale my business What my ultimate big goals are as a seven figure business owner, that lead me to cut ties with some of these strategies How you can evaluate your business and make sure that you are hitting your goals and not wasting time on strategies that don't benefit you in any way Hope you enjoy!- Graham

Many people believe that online business success is simply derived from using the right tactics and the right strategies. But I believe that is a false perception. There might be some truth to using strategies that work (because the online business model is essentially a system to follow) but what I think it really comes down to is your own behavior.  Have you had this rude awakening? You've started your online business, and then suddenly you realize that you are your own boss. Nobody is going to tell you what to do. Nobody is coming to the rescue. Your online business success, is solely dependent on the amount of discipline and fruitful habits that you have. But it is very rare, that we stop and really think about our habits and what type of results they brings us closer to, or pulls us away from. That's what we're going to look at today. I want to share 7 bad habits that will destroy your business. If you resonate with any of these, it is time to step your game up and turn your bad habits into good ones - all for the sake of your business success. In this episode you'll learn: Why so many business owners never see real business success because of their habits How to turn your bad habits around and explode your business success What the seven bad habits will do to your business if left unchecked Hope you enjoy!- Graham

So you just lost your job. What do you do? How should you move forward? And how does online business connect to a scenario like this? If you're reading this right now, then you're obviously interested in online business, but maybe you just weren't expecting to have to start one this soon. As someone who's lost many jobs in the past, two in the same year back in 2009 during the global recession, I can empathize with your pain. And in today's episode, what I want to do is address literally the five things you should be doing the moment you lose your job and how to transition into something better and take this potential curse and turn it into a blessing!In this episode you'll learn: How to navigate safely and securely through a job loss and what role online business plays in this scenario Why losing two jobs in the same year, was actually the best thing that ever happened to me How to make sure you never loose a job again Hope you enjoy!- Graham

For a lot of people, online business is regarded as like the ultimate dream, right? You get to do work you love, you get to have scalable income, flexibility, work from home and all those great things. And every single week, I'm trying to help you get closer to all of that. It is a dream in a lot of ways, but as I've said multiple times over, this dream is actually doable! But as with all great things, there's also some dark sides, and online business definitely has a few of those that I don't think people talk about enough. Today I want to play devil's advocate for a moment literally pull back the curtain on some of the darkest secrets about online business that maybe you haven't considered. Just so that you are fully prepared and have a realistic view when you're out there building the dream that is online business. In this episode you'll learn: What the darkest secrets are to online business and why people aren't talking about them How learning about these dark secrets can actually make you a better business owner How understanding the dark side of online business can actually be a superpower that fuels your motivation Hope you enjoy!- Graham

Does online business actually work or is it just one big giant fantasy? Can the average man or woman actually find success with this business model or is it reserved only for a select few people who can afford to fail at first? Well today, what I thought I would do is bring it on. I thought I would curate all the common criticisms, skepticisms or doubts that I hear in emails, social media comments, people tell me about what I teach and what other online business gurus teach - does this model actually work? Let's just tackle all of this head on today. I think this will be a really helpful episode. And my hope for you is that there'll be at least one of these doubts that you've had that I can tackle in front of you, that might bring you a little closer to believing that you could actually pull this off. Because here’s the secret - you actually can! Let's dive in.In this episode you'll learn: The top objections to the online business model, and how I usually respond to them Why I believe online business isn't a lie and that ANYONE can succeed, following a set of core guidelines and principles What to do if you're stuck with your online business endeavor and don't know where to go next Hope you enjoy!- Graham

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away... Well, it actually happened in this galaxy, but it was indeed a long time ago since I started my first online business The Recording Revolution. As time progressed that business grew into a seven figure business and I then launched my second brand Graham Cochrane, which now also is a seven figure plus business.  I only bring up these numbers to give you some sense of the amount of work that went into growing these two businesses. Over the years I’ve had many different sources of inspiration, coaching and feedback that helped me to get where I wanted to go. And a big source of motivation has been (you guessed it) Star Wars. Because when we get past the nerdiness of lightsabers and ewoks, aliens, spaceships and the force - inside of all of that wrapping is really a bunch of stories of people. And when we understand how human nature works and how we tick on the inside and how our customers tick, we can actually apply those principles to create a successful business.  In this episode you'll learn: The four big ways Star Wars can help you take your business to the next level Why these stories resonate so much with us, and how that helps us to connect with our customers How these 4 powerful lessons accelerated my progress with creating two seven figure businesses Happy Star Wars day my friend. May the fourth be with you!- Graham

Creating content is the bedrock of a profitable growing, scalable and sustainable online business, I know I preach it to you all the time. And so today I want to help you out by bringing on an expert content creator on the show, someone who is running one of the biggest content machines on the internet right now, to help you crush it with your content, no matter where you at in whatever stage you are in your online business journey. My guest today is Jordan Calhoun, who is the editor in chief at Lifehacker. And hopefully you're taking advantage of all the juicy content Lifehacker has to offer. They're an amazing resource. Jordan is editor in chief at Lifehacker. He's also the host of the award-winning podcast: The upgrade. He's a renaissance man, returned peace corps volunteer, he holds a BA in sociology and criminal justice, a BS in psychology and an MPA in public policy. He's also a pop culture connoisseur, he and I both grew up in the eighties and nineties and so we have a shared love of movies, video games, TV books, comic books, all of the above. Also he has a brand new book: Piccolo is black that just dropped  available in all book stores. And in this conversation, Jordan I sat down and we talked about how to become a prolific content creator, even when you run out of ideas. Where the line is between creating content for clicks or for yourself and then we discussed the drive to want to be someone that matters in the world and not be a minor character. I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation with Jordan and I know you will too. So sit back, relax and enjoy my conversation with Jordan Calhoun.

Today I want to share the story of when I left my first business The Recording Revolution. I stopped being the main content creator for that business in 2021 and there were a lot of events, thoughts and reflections that led up to making that decision. But at the heart of it, there was one realization that tipped the scale. One thing that made me finally sit down, get honest with myself and start the process of transitioning out of the business that changed my life forever. It wasn't easy. In fact it was one of the hardest decisions I had ever made. As business owners you are bound to face hard decisions and with today's episode, I hope I can give you some clarity and some practical strategies to face those decisions and make the right move going forward. Because as it turns out, my realization brought me to an even better place, and I'm certain you can do the same! In the episode you'll learn: What kind of hard decisions you are bound to deal with as a business owner, and how you can navigate through them and continue to move forward What my big realization was that led me to leave my $1 million business, and how that changed everything How to tap into your intuition, build up your grit and learn how to cultivate and develop decision making superpowers for your business Hope you enjoy!- Graham

So many people are turned off by the idea of an online business because of the amount of work they think they have to put in to see success. But is that premise really true? Does it take huge amounts to generate say $1000 online? I believe the answer is simply no. It doesn't take huge amounts of work to see success online. Now we can't eliminate work entirely, but what we can do is effectivize it to the point where just about anyone could pull this thing off. And that's exactly what we're going to do today. I'm going to pretend for a second, that you're a lazy person (I know you aren't, but hear me out). And because you're a lazy person, I'm going to lay out step by step, what actions you need to take to generate your first $1000 online. I call this 'The Lazy Person’s Guide to $1000 Online' - let's dive in! In this episode you'll learn:  What simple and important steps you need to take to generate $1000 online - the lazy way Why most people fail in taking this lazy approach to online business and what you can do to make sure you succeed The best mindset to make sure that you keep moving forward, don't fall off the wagon and actually put money in your pocket Hope you enjoy!- Graham

We are 25% of the way into 2022. And the question is, are you on track to hit all your goals?If you're like most people, you started off this year with a handful of goals in mind. Now it is time to assess how it's going. Are you heading in the right direction? If you answered no to either of these questions, then this is the episode for you. This is going to be the kick in the pants that you need to actually go accomplish, realize and achieve those goals that you set out to achieve at the beginning of the year. I'm going to break down the seven must have components that anyone needs to actually achieve goals. So this is going to be real practical and you are going to walk away with a renewed feeling of motivation and a set of hands on strategies that will turn you into a productivity genius. And don't worry. There's still plenty of time. That's why we're talking about goal setting now and not just at the beginning of the year, I'm here to help, and this episode is how we get it done. Let's go crush those goals together! In this episode you'll learn: The seven must have components to achieving ANY goal you set your mind to Why most people fail in their goal setting and how you can make sure that never happens to you The best goal setting mindset you can have, that will make 2022 your biggest year of accomplishments Hope you enjoy!- Graham

We all have our own story to tell. Starting your online business usually involves moving away from a traditional 9 to 5 job. And personally I don't have very fond memories, when I look back at that period of my life. I had Sunday anxiety, because Monday was creeping closer. I felt uninspired, unmotivated and was longing for a change, even though I didn't have any clue what that change would be. I've now come to realize that these were all huge warning signs, that were telling me to start my own business. Today we're going to look at 10 of these important warning signs. If you identify with any of these, you NEED to start a business. I can promise you that the consequences of not listening to yourself and changing this downward spiral situation, are much much worse than any initial challenges you might experience when starting your online business. Starting is what stopping most people. Your start doesn't have to be that successful, but you have to actually start to see real success. In this episode you'll learn: The 10 warning signs that should propel you to start a business, and what will happen if you ignore them My own personal experiences with these warnings signs and how I've used them to maintain my business success The absolute best way to start your business and turn your life around in a matter of weeks Hope you enjoy!- Graham  

Do you have trouble staying creative in your business? If you've been making content for a while, you might be in a season of no ideas, lack of creativity. How do you keep coming up with content ideas, product ideas, marketing ideas. How do you not become stale?  How do you keep the spark going and how do you even motivate yourself when you're bored with your own stuff? Is it even possible to create an unending flow of ideas? Well, today I want to share with you a simple but powerful thing that has completely revolutionized the way I think about content business.  Staying creative in your business is all about finding new ways to trigger and bring out your best ideas. And today, I’m going to share what I believe is the best strategy to unleash your creativity, and it’s both simple and fun. Ready to get creative? Say hello to the creativity switch! In this episode you'll learn: How the creativity switch works and why it is so powerful in bringing you new fresh ideas Why most business owners get stuck and fail to generate new inspiring ideas How you can make sure you always stay creative in your business, no matter how close you are to a deadline Hope you enjoy!- Graham

If you've followed along the last couple of weeks, we've talked about how to find your most profitable idea, how to grow your audience and how to capitalize on that audience to be able to sell a product online.  And now we come to one of the core components of online business: your online product. What do you actually sell? How do you actually make money online? And what should your product look like?All those questions and more - will be answered in today's podcast! There are many ways to monetize your audience online and it all comes back to how you want to run your business. Today I'm going to share the most profitable ways you can monetize your audience as well as give an extra push for online courses, since they are the backbone of my two seven figure businesses. In this episode you'll learn: All the different ways you can monetize an audience, including some counter intuitive ways that you don't want to miss! Why online courses are so powerful to grow an income online and the must have components of an online course Why many business owners struggle to make an income online and how you can make sure that doesn't happen to you! Hope you enjoy!- Graham