Surprise! We Have a Podcast!
Did you notice something a little different? We finally have a podcast!
This is something I’ve been thinking about behind the scenes for quite some time. I wanted to find a way to connect with you in a new way, as well as streamline the content process for myself and my team.
I wanted to be able to answer your questions, provide content that you can listen to on-the-go and introduce you to some of amazing people doing big stuff in the world of personal finance and online business through interviews.
It’s also something that readers, coaching clients and colleagues have been asking me about for at least a year.
So if you’ve been wondering “Geez, when the hell is Amanda going to start a Make Money Your Honey podcast?” Then look no further because your prayers have been answered! And guess what – we’re also on iTunes!
Just bear with me an my team as we figure out the kinks, format and all that stuff that comes with time and practice. In the meantime, enjoy the first episode and make sure to subscribe on iTunes.
The Three Places Where I Regularly Invest Money in My Online Business
One of the questions I get asked the most about running an online business is where I actually invest money on a regular basis. People want to know where they should be putting their money to grow their business.
While every business is different, and while I often advise that people should layer in their investments over time, I have to say that there are a few staples nearly every digital entrepreneur should be spending some money.
Outsourcing
I’ve become a major outsourcer – both in business and in my personal life. From outsourcing research for client work to getting my groceries delivered, I’ve learned to pay for things that give me the time to make more money (or just enjoy my life as the case may be). For example, I could use the newfound time to find new clients and I also feel more comfortable when I travel because I know I’ve got a support system in place.
What I outsource depends on the stage of the business I’m in. For example, I’m not going through a rebrand every year. I also just recently started outsourcing Pinterest management and Facebook ads when I saw the potential for ROI.
However, there are two major things I regularly outsource – admin support in the form of my long-time virtual assistant and accounting.
The admin support means someone else is taking care of scheduling, emails, customer service, systems, etc. At this point she’s been with me long enough that she knows how I roll.
The accounting gives me major breathing room. I know that the financials are organized. I know what the cash flow is. I know what I’m spending money on. I know how much I’m making. I know how much money to put away for taxes. I know that taxes are taken care of come April 15th.
Both of these are major for me because organization is not my forte. I’m also much better at conceptualizing bigger picture versus small details, so having this support in place allows me to stay grounded and use metrics – two habits that don’t come naturally to me.
Automation
I invest a nice chunk of change into automating as much of my business as possible. We have so many tools and systems available to us online that it would be foolish not to use them in an effort to free up some time.
For example, we use Edgar for all social media postings. All you have to do is add content to a library, create a master schedule in which you tell Edgar where you want the content to go and when, and Edgar takes care of the rest. It’s an awesome service and at $49 a month it’s worth every penny.
Another system we use is Infusionsoft. I’ve written about this on the blog in the past and I must say my team and I are still as obsessed with it now as we were when we first purchased it.
We use Infusionsoft to automate email marketing, follow-ups and even product sales. For example, a few weeks ago I sent out an email to my list letting them know that my first article for Inc had been published.
In the email, I also mentioned how they could learn how to get more media for their business in my Be Your Own PR Agent Workshop which you can now purchase on demand. The workshop could be directly purchased from within the email and Infusionsoft takes care of the delivery, tagging and follow-up emails which my team and I created beforehand.
A note about Infusionsoft, it’s definitely not for beginners. First, the price tag is steep if you’re just starting out. Second, there’s definitely a learning curve that goes a long with such a powerful system.
If you’re just starting out there are plenty of other systems available at better prices. However, if you’re ready to step up your game then Infusionsoft may be good option for you.
A Co-Working Space
I pay a monthly membership to a local co-working space and it’s literally changed my business for the better. I worked from home for two and a half years and I was really craving some human connection.
A co-working space is an awesome investment in so many ways. You get to collaborate and hang out with people who are on your same level. For example, I often times run into the founders of South Florida Bloggers at my co-working space and we often times brainstorm, collaborate or just share exciting news with each other.
Aside from that, you’re working from a beautiful space (design is important), amenities are included and there’s free coffee all day long.
Whenever I’m feeling uninspired, unmotivated or simply just distracted when working from home I simply head on over to my co-working space. I tend to get more done there in a few hours than I ever could at home.
Because I know some of you will ask, I have a membership with Pipeline Workspaces which is a company that started here in Miami. They have three locations on Miami, one in Philadelphia and they are in the process of opening up spaces across the U.S. and Latin America.
Resources and Tools Mentioned or That Are Helpful
- How to Hire Your First Virtual Assistant – Blog post that describes the process I used to hire my first virtual assistant.
- When Is It Time to Hire an Accountant? – Blog post that walks you through determining whether or not you need an accountant. You can also download a free template to help you track your finances.
- Make Money Your Honey on Amazon – My Amazon bestselling book.
- Edgar Social Media Management – The social media management tool my team and I use to automate social media postings across several channels.
- Infusionsoft Review – My in-depth review on using Infusionsoft as an email marketing system, client relationship manager and e-commerce platform.
- Be Your Own PR Agent Workshop – On-demand workshop where I teach you the exact strategies I’ve used to get my work featured on Forbes, Inc, Business Insider, The Huffington Post and more.
- Pipeline Workspaces – The co-working space I belong to.
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(We’re still working on Stitcher but you can subscribe to this podcast on iTunes.)
