Welcome to my weekly framework focusing on mindset adjustment, innovative money-making methods, and leveraging technology.

Enjoy the ride.

Erwin

Table of contents:

1. $1 Million or Bust: A Realistic Guide to Setting and Smashing Audacious Goals

2. Side Hustle Case: One-Person Newsletters Making Millions.

3. 3 Levers for exponential growth: Double your revenue in 2 years.

4. Future Directions: Why entertainment is the future of advertising.

5. Download: Side Hustle Blueprint: Crafting Content That Resonates with Stay-at-Home Moms.

Mind

Crafting Goals That Transform the Impossible Into the Inevitable

Let's face it, we've all had that moment where someone told us our dreams were just too big, our goals too out there. But here's a hot take: they're not dreaming big enough.

Embark on this adventure with me, where "impossible" is nothing more than a challenge waiting to be conquered.

My game-changer? A newsletter from Shaan Puri called "Small Boy" flipped my entire perspective on goal-setting upside down.

The Problem: The Trap of Modest Ambitions

Historically, many have endorsed the safe path of setting achievable, modest goals. This conservative approach to goal-setting is rooted in the fear of failure. It leads many to aim for what seems easily attainable. My own experience mirrored this common pitfall.

Initially, my goal was to expand my newsletter to 100,000 subscribers. Upon reflection, I realized that the target lacked depth and clarity. The goal only started to tap into our potential growth. It focused more on quantity than on quality and value for our subscribers.

This superficial target encouraged a narrow mindset. It is fixated solely on increasing subscriber count through any means possible. This included running ads on my Instagram pages. I didn't consider the long-term implications or the actual value being provided.

The Solution: Redefining Success with Bold Aspirations

The turning point came when I delved into "Shaan's 12 Big Life Lessons Mini-Book" by Shaan Puri. (Subscribe here and refer 1 friend to grab your own copy) The referral reward proved to be a treasure trove of insights. One segment, in particular, struck a chord with me:

This prompted a profound reevaluation of my own goals. It led to the establishment of two new, more defined objectives:

• The "holy shit" goal: Generating $1,000,000 in annual revenue within 5 years.

• The "grateful" goal: Earning $2,500 a month in the next year.

Making the Improbable Probable: A Strategic Breakdown

The magic lies in breaking down these audacious goals into achievable steps.

For instance, achieving $1,000,000 in annual revenue means 28,058 paying subscribers for my premium subscription service, "Buy me a coffee."

Given my considerable Instagram following (1.7M combined), this target initially seemed within reach. However, a closer analysis revealed a big challenge. Only 1 in 50 subscribers opt for the premium service. I'd need over 1.4 million subscribers—a sobering reality check since my current pace would mean growing for another 125 years. :’(

Similarly, the "grateful" goal of $2,500 monthly revenue required a more feasible 842 premium subscribers.

This analysis led to the identification of three strategic angles for growth. They are:

1. increasing the value of the premium subscription,

2. enhancing the conversion rate, and

3. boosting overall subscriber growth.

Each angle demanded a unique approach. This included reevaluating the subscription fee, adding more value, and optimizing marketing strategies.

Upon identifying your next steps, ask yourself:

What’s needed to reach my big fat “Fuck Yeah” goal?

The Transformative Power of Lofty Goals

Transitioning from a nebulous subscriber goal to establishing precise, quantifiable financial objectives shed light on the fundamental flaws in my original approach.

This process also opened up new avenues for growth.

The "holy shit" and "grateful" goals provided a clear direction. They also made the daunting task of achieving big revenue seem more tangible and attainable.

This process underscored the importance of setting significant goals. They're not just fantasies. They're catalysts for strategic planning, innovation, and relentless pursuit of growth.

It's a compelling reminder that the real value lies not in the achievement of these goals. Instead, it lies in the journey they inspire, driving us to push boundaries, innovate, and continually strive for greatness.

If you're ready to dive in, read the whole article on my website:

Bonus for Premium subscribers:

Complementary to the article I’ve created a short eBook outlining the 3 pillars for exponential growth. It demonstrates how you can double your revenue in a little over 2 years by only increasing these 3 pillars by 10% every year. Download the eBook at the end of this newsletter.

My question for you:

What would convince you to convert to premium and pay me 1 coffee a month? Name one or a few things that would make you throw money at me like I'm a stripper in a Vegas nightclub.

If you click a random answer in this poll, it redirects to a page with a comment section. You can drop your answers right in. Or, reply to this mail and send them to me directly.

Forever grateful for your input!

Money

From Passion to Profit: The Unbelievable Journey of One-Person Newsletters

Since we’ve kicked it off with newsletters, let’s continue this week's side hustle in the same line. 

Starting a business doesn’t always mean finding a supplier and reselling products or opening a store. If you’re not sure what to sell yet, the first step you could take is building an audience. 

Once you’ve identified your passion, find your preferred platform. Start crafting content you and your target audience would want to see. 

This could be on Instagram, Pinterest or TikTok. Or, like I’m trying, with a newsletter. 

Let’s look at some newsletters that started from passion. They are fully operating one-person shows that bring in millions or even sell for multiple millions. 

Below these awesome reads, I’ve linked to a more in-depth guide on content creation to help you build an audience.

The Milk Road

This is the remarkable journey of the Milk Road newsletter. Its subscriber base grew to over 250,000 in less than a year, and it was acquired. For Millions!

If you're interested in this case. The article linked below dives into the following aspects:

1. The use of beehiiv's platform for various functionalities such as the hosted web solution, design suite, referral program, and analytics tools.

2. Design strategies for creating a distinct newsletter identity.

3. The implementation and success of a simple yet effective referral program.

4. Strategies for organic traffic growth and SEO optimization.

5. Paid acquisition tactics and their role in subscriber growth.

6. The importance of data analytics in optimizing marketing strategies.

Van Trump Report

In the heartland of America, amidst the sprawling fields of Kansas, unfolds the tale of Kevin Van Trump. Many people don't know him, but he wields immense influence in agriculture. Here are the key insights awaiting you:

1. Kevin Van Trump's Unlikely Empire: Discover how a simple newsletter for farmers burgeoned into a $20M/year enterprise, a testament to the power of niche content and dedicated readership.

2. The Birth of FarmCon: Venture into the world of FarmCon, an event that has become the Glastonbury for farmers, thanks to Kevin's vision and community-building prowess.

3. A Monopoly in Agriculture: Learn how Kevin carved out a unique space for himself, becoming the go-to authority in the agricultural niche.

4. The Wealth of Farmers: Challenge your preconceptions as the story reveals the unexpected affluence within the farming community, a blend of hard work and savvy business acumen.

5. The Newsletter That Defies Norms: The Van Trump Report stands as a beacon of success in the newsletter world, combining crucial insights with a personal touch that resonates deeply with its audience.

6. Ag Swag: Uncover how Kevin's son, Jordan, identified a lucrative opportunity in agricultural merchandising, creating a booming business that caters to the swag needs of giants like John Deere.

7. Broadening Horizons: The narrative takes a turn as our protagonist steps out of the Silicon Valley bubble, finding inspiration in the fields of Kansas that eventually leads to the creation of Milk Road, a leading crypto newsletter.

8. Wisdom from the Fields: Imbibe the life lessons Kevin imparts, from embracing failure to nurturing resilience and making informed investments.

This story isn't just about agriculture. It's about innovation, resilience, and the surprising lessons that can be found in the most unexpected places.

Ben Meer

Ben is hiring a full-time content king or queen. And is ready to pay 70k a year, excluding travel expenses and bonuses. 

So clearly he built something that’s bringing in way more. 

Let’s dissect what he’s doing. 

He concentrates purely on a niche. Personal growth. How does he cater to his audience? He shares systems. 

“Build systems for wealth, health, & free time.”

This includes:

• Systems for tidying your home. 

• A system for prioritizing your time

• A system for work-life balance

• A system for giving yourself a personal MBA

The beautiful part is that these aren’t even self-discovered. The second concept is well-known: “the Eisenhower matrix”. The last is a list of 10 books that teach you everything about business. The work-life balance is borrowed from a book on the topic. So basically just summarizing the key insights. And tidying your home is based upon a Japanese concept: the 5s method. 

So what does he sell?

• He sells a course to grow and monetize an audience. So it’s not even related to his niche. You could state that he solely sells the system that got him his audience. 

• Furthermore, you can reach out to advertise your business to 250,000+ subscribers. 

• And finally, you can book a 1:1. 

Isn’t it funny how the audience is built around systems for personal growth? However, the main monetization is solely focused on growing an audience.

Let this be a lesson to focus less on the paycheck, and more on growth.

If you manage to reach people, the opportunities will come later. 

So, how does he do it?

I didn’t buy his course. But the concept sounds pretty obvious to me. 

He recycles a lot of his content to fit different platforms. 

It’s basically Gary Vee's concept. Create 1 big piece of content. Then dissect it into a shitload of smaller nuggets. You can distribute them all over the Internet. Everything redirects to your piece of effort. Gary's presentation is linked below. Check it out.

So how would a simple version look:

1. Write an article explaining a concept your audience wants to read about. For example, you could write about 10 tactics to grow an Instagram page.

2. Create a short thread about the same topic for X. 

3. Screenshot and crop the thread and create a carousel on Instagram. 

Here you have a very simple approach to create 3 pieces of value content for 3 different platforms. You could further dissect this by extracting quotes, adding visuals, etc. 

So how could you apply this for yourself?

Below you can download the whole step-by-step guide. I’ve used Stay-at-home moms as a niche example. But the strategy applies to every niche.

How Gary Vee does it:

Motion

My good friend and Senior Director of Innovation at Media.Monks Funs recorded a new video.

He delves into the transformative world of digital advertising, where the lines between entertainment and marketing blur into an exciting new frontier.

"The Future of Digital Advertising is Entertainment" presents a compelling vision of how brands are navigating the evolving digital landscape. With insights into Disney's strategic investment in Epic Games and the broader implications of gaming platforms like Fortnite in brand engagement, this video is a must-watch for anyone keen to understand the next wave of advertising innovation.

As we explore the shift towards entertainment-centric advertising, prepare to be inspired by the possibilities that lie ahead in connecting with audiences in more immersive and engaging ways.

Don't miss out on this insightful exploration of the future of digital advertising—where entertainment isn't just part of the message; it is the message.

If you want to stay in the Web3 loop, you can follow Funs here:

Funs’s LinkedIn

His Instagram: Instagram

Free Download of The Week:

Side Hustle Starter Kit: 10 Tactics To Find Your Next 6-Figure Hustle

Premium:

Premium subscribers (People who buy me a coffee for the effort) have access to all available downloads. So far included:

Exponential Growth:

• 3 Levers for Exponential Growth: Double your revenue in 2 years

Side Hustles:

• Side Hustle Starter Kit: 10 Tactics To Find Your Next 6-Figure Hustle

• Side Hustle Blueprint: Crafting Content That Resonates with Stay-at-Home Moms

Mind Traps:

• Biased by Design 35 Mind Traps Unveiled

• Applying Mindfulness Meditation - eBook

• Conducting Small Social Experiments - eBook

• Implementing Cognitive Restructuring - eBook

• Navigating the Maze of Cognitive Dissonance - Workbook

Subscribe to Buy me a coffee to read the rest.