The Feed

  • July 11, 2022

    You Need to Form Good Writing Habits with Dickie Bush

    I’m going, to be honest with you: I’m squarely anti-hustle culture. I think it’s unnecessary and puts too much pressure on people to make “Gary Vee money.” So when I saw Dickie Bush’s Ship 30 project, I thought we had more of that narrative. Well let me tell you, I could not have been more wrong. Dickie’s approach to writing and his frameworks can help anyone become a better writer, and Ship 30 helps brand new creators go through the roller coaster that is content creation faster, and with a better support system. There are TONS of gems in this episode, so you won’t want to miss it. Plus, in Build Something More, Dickie and I talk about competitive gaming.

    Top Takeaways:

    Twitter is a “home run-based” platform that allows you to go viral with the right stuff. Generally, that’s content Dickie called “Reach” content; these are tweets or threads that everyone can relate to. Dickie says creating content isn’t coming up with 1000 different ideas. It’s coming up with 1000 different ways to use the same idea across different platforms, so it resonates with different people. If you’re struggling to come up with content, do the 2-year review: look at everything you learned over the last 2 years, and then write content for you, two years ago.

    Show Notes:

    Dickie Bush 1 Dickie Bush 2 Dickie on Twitter Dickie on Linkedin Otter.ai Typeshare Join the Creator Crew Sponsored by: Nexcess | LearnDash

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  • July 9, 2022

    Edison x Goldspot = Fantastic Pen (Fountain Pen Review)

    Note: This pen was provided at no charge by Goldspot Pens for this review.

    When I first got into fountain pens 10 years ago, there were a few pens on my “grail” list — pens I really wanted but couldn’t pull the trigger on. I had a Sailor and a Platinum, naturally, but Edison made a few of the pens on this list.

    As time went on, I made the other purchases ahead of anything from Edison, and well, that particular grail pen has never made it into my connection…until now. I’m happy to say that a decade-long dream has been fulfilled; I now own an Edison. Specifically the Edison x Goldspot Pens Newark Fountain Pen.

    So now the question is: can it possibly live up to my expectations? Let’s take a look.

  • July 8, 2022

    Call to Contribute vs. Call to Make Money: A Tale of Two Keynotes

    The last conference I went to before the pandemic was WordCamp US 2019. After that, the pandemic struck and there was no travel for me for nearly 2 years. During that time, I also made the decision to pivot, and focus less on WordPress and more on Podcasters and Creators. So in my first Creator-focused, non-WordPress event, I noticed a stark difference between the keynotes: one asked us repeatedly to give our time. One reinforced a different idea: that it’s OK to make money.

    Brought to you byGoDaddy Pro . Get all of the show notes, and a written to be read article over at https://wp-review.castos.com/52

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  • July 5, 2022

    Startup and Shutdown Routines

    I’ve been in a bit of a rut. Since my wife went back to work in March, my work schedule has been capricious, and until a few weeks ago, Abby (6 months) was home because there was no availability at the daycare, meaning I was mostly a Stay-at-Home Dad. And even so, the kids have been sick regularly1 thanks to daycare and school germs.

    I haven’t felt like I’ve been able to get into a good groove. And my afternoon walk, which I’ve tried to time with the afternoon slump, has not been working. Apparently walking 1+ miles in the summer heat isn’t rejuvenating.

    So what can I do? After having a chat with my friend Brian, who started a startup and shutdown routine, I decided to do something similar.

  • July 4, 2022

    Why You’re Losing Money with a Bad Customer Experience with Marcus Merrell

    “All of the worlds is experienced through code.” This is a statement Marcus Merrell makes on today’s podcast…and it’s absolutely true. See, even if you sell the most niche handmade thing, you probably sell it online, which means someone’s code is powering your business. And your buyers are experiencing your business through code. So the worst thing for your business is bad code because that makes for a bad experience. And I know what you’re thinking: “What if I don’t write code?” Well, if you’re listening to this show, you probably create user experiences. And today, Marcus tells us how we can do it better; we should all listen. Our businesses depend on it.

    Top Takeaways:

    Even if you sell physical products it needs to interface with some code. The exciting thing about the no-code movement is that you as a creator or business owner can focus less on testing that code, and more on business-related activities…as well as honing the experience. Products are good and improving, but not as fast as people’s expectations. People say they won’t wait at all if something is broken. They will leave and find an alternative. You don’t need to deeply test everything, but you do need to make sure the experience for the vast majority of your users is rock solid. Are people mostly signing up for your membership? Make sure that it is a perfect experience.

    Show Notes:

    Marcus Merrell Marcus on Linkedin Marcus on Twitter Sauce Labs on Linkedin Sauce Labs on Twitter Sauce Labs Whitepaper Making Your Website Accessible with Amber Hinds A Book Apart Join the Creator Crew Sponsored by: Nexcess | LearnDash

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  • June 30, 2022

    PHP for Non-Programmers (New LinkedIn Course)

    I have a new course on LinkedIn Learning called “PHP for Non-Programmers” and I’m real excited to see it launch!

    While I have a few other PHP courses in the library, this one takes the approach of teaching someone who has never even seen code before. It was a fun challenge to try to re-explain concepts I’ve known for nearly 20 years to someone who knows absolutely nothing about programming, and it was one of my favorite courses to develop.

    Check it out!

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  • June 28, 2022

    What Increased CPM Could Mean for Small Podcasters

    I have a piece up on The Podcast Host today noting some recent news about how CPM has increased for podcasts. And while that’s great, if you’re getting less than 1,000 downloads (or less than 100), it may not mean much.

    Head over to The Podcast Host to learn: how CPM works, what this means for you and how you could benefit, and if CPM is even right for you.

    Original Link: https://www.thepodcasthost.com/monetisation/is-cpm-good-for-small-podcasters/

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  • June 27, 2022

    What It’s Like Building and Selling a Content Company with Chris Coyier

    “Creator” is a word that has really come into focus in an industry in the last few years. But content creation is nearly as old as the internet itself. And building businesses from your content…that’s not new either. Just ask Chris Coyier, the founder who recently sold his hugely popular blog, CSS Tricks, to Digital Ocean. We talk about his journey, how he made money, and answer the question: are we seeing an uptick in content acquisitions as more companies realize it’s a great way to establish trust.

    Top Takeaways:

    Kickstarting the CSS Tricks redesign generated a lot of revenue, but ended up resulting in a loss. Still, it did its job: it gave Chris capital to build the business. CSS Tricks has always been about ads as a way to make money. It started off as handshake deals at conferences, but the process became more formalized. The best thing you can do for advertisers and offer packages. Get them in front of all of the eyeballs you have access to. You can charge more and deliver better results.

    Show Notes:

    Chris Coyier Chris on Twitter WP Jukebox Kickstarter CSS Tricks Join the Creator Crew Sponsored by: Nexcess | TextExpander | LearnDash

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