You wanna watch this interview with me on Mixergy. Especially if you’re a frustrated consultant (or freelancer). I talk turkey about how I went from being an overworked consultant (aka “wage slave” – ha!) to starting and running my own mini-product empire.
Prefer to read? Check out the transcript below the video.
Fun facts: I don’t think I did a good job with this interview. Every time I opened my mouth, a long, involved story came out. I misunderstood a couple of Andrew’s questions. I didn’t propound on the points I should have, like the idea of Unicorn Free (aka charging real money for real products). But other people seem to really enjoy it! Just goes to show that “you are not your customer.”
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might be an austrian influenced view but I especially enjoyed your answers in this interview because they told me:
don’t fear failure, that’s just a distraction.
so thank you very much for sharing your experience
Hey Tosh
I think we’re all going to fear failure anyway, but really the trick is to figure out if that fear is actually grounded in anything… and what’s the worst that could happen? Probably nothing very bad.
Not making a load off your product launch != getting eaten by a sabertooth tiger.
Thanks for doing the interview!
One of the most interesting points for me was “what audience do you belong to”. I have always been thinking of the audience as entirely separate to me, as someone else I have to sell TO. Seems basic but you’ve changed how I’m addressing my own business problems.
I’m presently transitioning my 15 year webdev biz from ‘fee for service’ over to a recurring model. I’m now charging a percentage of revenue I bring in for my clients and doing the webdev work for free, so to speak. Clients love the concept of course. I love it too as they’re no longer clients but partners. The relationship has changed with just a twist in the biz model.
Your discussion has helped me to think of ways I can harness my audience and me for additional concepts and products.
Thanks!
I enjoyed your interview, and I love your philosophy and style. “Unicorn free” that is awesome
I’m enjoying this video right now. I love your attitude (and the comment about forcing yourself to be more social — also a problem I need to deal with!)
I read every post on your site yesterday while at my day job, and I love the message. I know I can create an info product (or few) and achieve my relatively meager needs of $5K/mo to quit my dreaded job.
But, the problem I run into is “what product to create”? Can you create a post with some ideas you would recommend and the thought process someone could use if they’re not a ‘guru’ on some subject that thousands of people need info about? (I’m the master of some really odd niche knowledge, but the niches are populated by other people like me who know how to find info, so I’m thinking i need to branch-out to other niches/etc….)
Thanks!
Good interview for entrepreneurs in any field. Soon I’m “launching” some online yoga videos along with e-courses in self-acceptance for women. I didn’t understand some of the techie stuff that you were talking about:)…but all of the ideas and strategies you use for selling your products and services will be helpful to me. I admire people who have so much intelligence that they don’t let fear stand in their way of success. I can also totally relate to your need to create (and frustrations about spinning your wheels working for others.) Thanks to you both for this smart interview.
Thanks so much for doing this interview, Amy! it was very very helpful, and encouraging.
I’ve been following you for quite some time (since 2005 probably) and have seen you go through the process you spoke about in the video….and I can see that it works! A lot of times it’s difficult to believe people online who say, “oh I made 100K off of doing ABC” because you don’t have any historical knowledge of them before they did this. But with you, I can definitely tell the difference, and I am glad you share numbers to really keep people informed on the possibilities.
Yoooooo, Amy!
I LOOOOVED your interview on Mixergy – it’s one of my favorites. It reminds me of the Molehill interview on Mixergy, which also ranks up there for me.
The dominant definition of success only works because it appears to be risk-free. As in: You get paid almost no matter what. And people like that.
But the cost of losing your freedom, living a stress-full life, sacrificing your independent thinking for doing “what the powers that be” want, living in the mediocrity of your comfortable middle class (or better) life,
versus challenging yourself to be the best you can be in this one lifetime you’ve been given…
that cost is pretty darn high.
After 12 years of having my foot in both camps (corporate hustle vs doing my own thing) – a 3rd layoff in 6 years prompted me to finally take the hint, and live out my full potential.
Now I’m writing kids books, launching products that help people, and living la vida loca (Stay-at-home Dad and loving it.)
To each his or her own.
But we deserve to like who we end up being, when we look back on our lives.
Fantastic interview – warts (sound issues, one F-bomb, LOL!) and all.
I’ve subscribed, and look forward to reading your posts.
Payce!
Bolaji.
p.s. I think I burned dinner listening to the interview – because I kept rewinding and jotting ideas down. Wife is not pleased.