Nathan Hangen » webrepreneur

Saturday Project Update – Let’s Do Lunch

Nathan — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 13:00:04 +0000

This is a very exciting time for bloggers like you and I. We’ve got IZEA rocking in Orlando, the Problogger community just opened, and Blogworld Expo is coming up in a little over a week. As a matter of fact, I’ll be there from Wednesday through Sunday and I would love to meet up with any of you that can make it. I’m staying at the Las Vegas Hilton and you’ll probably catch me at the bar meeting with David Risley, or at a pre-game Tweetup with Chris Brogan.

I think one of the most important aspects of becoming a successful blogger is networking with other like minded individuals. Although this will be my first Blogworld event (I was in Afghanistan last year), I plan on attending as many of these as I can. But those events are just the primer for even bigger things. I’m also a member of a mastermind group, a Twitter group, and a variety of other JV projects. Effectively “buying in” to the community is a great way to not only meet some great people, but to get noticed.

One of the things I talk about in Twitter Rockstar and in my upcoming book, The Webrepreneur’s Guide to Twitter, is how to hang with the big boys. This is essential to changing the game in your favor. When you hang out with people above your level, you naturally elevate your game, which means you stop thinking small potatoes. I can’t tell you how important it is to make this mental shift, but you’ve got to do it.

As for the other projects, stay tuned for the launch of the upcoming Twitter book, as I’m still waiting on a final draft from my designer. I planned on launching it October 5th, but we might be delayed just a few days. I’ll keep you posted.

Mike CJ and I are also feverishly working on Beyond Blogging. We’ve got a great interview with Gary Vaynerchuk next week, one with Penelope Trunk, and a bunch of great material to digest from the rest of our blogger panel. Make sure to stop by the book site and support us with a Twibbon and by signing up for the pre-order list. Very soon, we’ll be announcing some great giveaways as well as some free content over there, so don’t miss it!

Saturday Project Update – Let’s Do Lunch is a post from: Nathan Hangen

Quiet Lives of Desperation

Nathan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:36:28 +0000

Part of the process of leaving the Army is going through a series of classes and job fairs to help you transition from Soldier to civilian. Although some of it is useful, as a blogger and entrepreneur I feel that the process is a little dated and is meant for Soldiers that want to keep living in a box where everyone tells them what to do.

Anyway, as part of that pipeline, I attended a job fair today for no reason other than it seemed like the right thing to do. Before I joined the Army, I had the entrepreneurial spirit, but I didn’t have the dedication to pull it off. Having your freedom taken from you will change that, which is one of the reasons I’m thankful for my time in the service. Where was I going with this? Oh yeah, I was going to mention that in the past, when stuck in the 9-5 grind and a search for someone to tell me it was OK for them to pay me, I would attend a job fair and reek of desperation. Going to the job fair today reminded me of that past, and honestly it sickened me to be there.

This is where they make robots

As I strolled through the crowded Officer’s Club, which was home to approximately 50-100 potential employers, I watched people put on their costumes and beg for people to pay them a measly 30k a year for a job they would probably hate. I don’t want to discount work, because society needs workers, but to see people battling over these ridiculous jobs that pay less than I can make writing articles or ghost blogging, made me feel both very proud of my situation, and very sad for those that haven’t woken up yet.

Cattle Ranch

The process reminded me of a cattle ranch, where cows would line up to get fed and then slowly walk back to where they were housed for the day/night. People were walking around and passing out resumes as if they have nothing to offer the world. My take on that is wake up! I read a great manifesto yesterday by @kyeli and @pacesmith that speaks from a similar perspective and after experiencing this madness today, I feel like I needed to weigh in.

So great…you don’t feel like you have any skills to offer the world, so you think that if you can convince just one or two employers to give y0u a chance, then you can prove you have what it takes. My question for you is, why are you placing your future in the hands of someone else? Why are people willing to lay their dreams at the feet of people that probably also have broken hearts and shattered dreams?

Looking at the booths at this job fair I saw a few very proud police officers and human resources managers, but for the most part I saw people with the same look in their eyes as those that were walking around in desperation. The look says “please save me from this madness…” and I want to shake them all and tell them “you don’t need this!”

You are Your Own Power

Don’t seek validation from external sources. Don’t force yourself into a job that fits your skills when it isn’t something that you want to do. The game works like this…you have a set of skills that you picked up, but usually they aren’t your favorite set of skills. Still, when you seek a new job, you are stuck trying to sell this skill set to a new employer and hoping that they’ll need you. The cycle continues and 20 years later, you’ve built up a skill set that places you further and further from the work you love and closer to complete and total misery.

Peanuts taste good but they don’t pay the bills

I’m here to tell you that you have so much more to offer than you think you do. You don’t need to spend time doing things that you hate because if you look hard enough, stop living in fear, and dedicate yourself to making it work, you can live your passions. Your power lies within you, not in some employer that wants to pay you peanuts for a hard day’s work. I heard an @garyvee interview the other day in which he stated that if you really want to escape from your job, then you should find one that allows you as much time as possible to work on your own business, while still paying you enough to get by. That is fantastic advice, but how many of you are actually working as hard on your own business as you do for your boss? At some point, you just have to take a leap of faith and go for it…screw the naysayers!

I felt empowered knowing that as I walked through that job fair, I could pick and choose who I spoke with. In fact, I didn’t need any of those jobs (and I don’t plan on taking them), but just having that inner power can do amazing things for your confidence. Knowing that you don’t need the gatekeepers to allow you to work for a check puts the game in your hands. You get to turn the tables on them…you get to make the rules.

If I’m preaching to the choir, I apologize, but I just had to let this loose. In the year 2009 and beyond, there is absolutely zero reason why any of us should have to waste our days in a job we hate. Hell, in my opinion, living in a cardboard box is better than allowing someone to rob me of my freedom and my ability to create. Find that thing that turns your brain on…that activity that makes the hours fly by…and do that. Don’t wait for a better chance because now is the best chance you’ve got. It really is up to you to save the world.

Don’t agree? Let me have it in the comments.

Quiet Lives of Desperation is a post from: Nathan Hangen

Ideas that Change the Game – Tribal Author

Nathan — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 13:00:37 +0000

Getting a book deal is one of those goals that many of us dream about, but few are able to achieve. It isn’t because we aren’t talented writers, but it is much easier to say that you are going to write a book than to actually go out and do it. Not only is the effort one that usually outweighs the monetary return, but the armies of gatekeepers that stand in the way of you getting that deal signed often intimidate authors into giving up.

Let’s face it…writing a book proposal isn’t something that many of us are well versed in doing. We also don’t often interact with publishers and old media marketing firms. The book industry is in flux already, considering the influx of free PDF’s, eBooks, and digital content. Book publishers aren’t sure if they want to sell via Kindle and unless you are a top selling author already, you will have to do a lot of work on your own in order to see your book show up on Amazon or at your local bookstore.

To help authors tackle this beast, Jonathan Fields, also known as @careerrenegade, has created a very cool guide at tribalauthor.com to help people like you and I understand and overcome the obstacles and intricacies that keep people from achieving their dream of a book deal. I’d say that Jonathan knows a thing or two about this, as his Career Renegade book is not only a great read, but was a huge hit. He’s also profiled other bloggers that have done the same thing, such as Gary Vaynerchuk, Darren Rowse, and Pam Slim.

We’re in the middle of an awakening in which bloggers like you and I are learning how to make our own way using tools that are not controlled by publishers. I appreciate what Jonathan has shared with us at the Tribal Author and personally, I’m going to make use of it when Mike and I publish Beyond Blogging. I hope you find this game changing idea useful on your path as well.

The Webrepreneur’s Guide to Twitter

Finally, I’m nearing a launch date for what I believe to be my greatest work yet. The Webrepreneur’s Guide to Twitter is an intimate guide to using Twitter to become relevant. Using this guide as a supplement to Twitter Rockstar, you’ll know everything you need to know in order to become an authority presence on Twitter. The book is lengthy, and will probably require several reads in order to tackle it, but I think you’ll enjoy it. We’ll be releasing it on October 6th at 9AM, so be ready!

Ideas that Change the Game – Tribal Author is a post from: Nathan Hangen

Saturday Project Update – New Design Coming

Nathan — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:31:12 +0000

I must say that I’m a tad excited for this update because I have so many things to, well…update! For starters, and probably the most important announcement, I’ve finally decided on a designer for my new website upgrade. I admit, a site re-design is long overdue and although I love my current theme, it just feels like I’ve outgrown it. Awesome Photoshop banner aside (my own work, thank you very much), this time I’ve decided to put my site in the hands of a professional, which brings me to an important point:

Your Website Says a LOT about You

In the beginning, having a generic blog theme was a good choice because I wasn’t sure how long I would be blogging. Well, over a year later I’ve written several hundred posts, have had thousands of visitors, and have managed a few guest posts on other blogs. My blog is growing in readership and activity, but it is sending a stale message to new visitors. It doesn’t capture what I’m trying to say, and as a result, an entire re-branding is in order.

I’ve surveyed several popular bloggers regarding their thoughts on personal branding and website design and all of them have said that upgrading their blog with a professional design is one of the best moves they ever made. Not only did it freshen things up a bit, but it no longer sent mixed messages to new readers. I want you to know what myself and this blog are about within seconds of arriving here. This is the precious task of my new designer…and I look forward to sharing it with you soon.

We’re in the process of branding and design at the moment, but as soon as we have a mockup and something tangible to show you, I’ll be sure to post it here. So with that being said, stay tuned for a new Webrepreneur Blog.

Go Beyond Blogging

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I’ve teamed up with Mike Cliffe Jones to flesh out a book idea that we like to call, Think and Grow Rich for bloggers. To date, we’ve interviewed a handful of A-List bloggers, prepared several case studies, and have written our own intros for the book opening. I don’t want to drop names, but let’s just say that him and I have a few great interviews lined up for this week as well.

The prospect of writing this book is exciting, because we’re not only creating a blueprint for blogging success, but we are also using this as a case study of its own. We’ll be getting this book printed and published on Amazon.com, but long-term we want to see it at your local bookstore. We’re going to be writing a book proposal and launching a series of published interviews, which we plan on chronicling here and at Mike’sLife.org.

I want to show you how to take an idea from concept, to execution, without having a lot of help from book publishers or media managers. Honestly, I can’t wait to share it with you.

The Webrepreneur’s Guide to Twitter

I’m also getting ready to release a new Webrepreneur’s Guide, called the Webrepreneur’s Guide to Twitter (working title). I’ve finished the manuscript, which runs about 55-60 pages, and am currently negotiating with a designer to set the layout and graphics for the final product. I’m hoping to have it ready by 1 October, but I’ll be sure to keep you updated via my newsletter.

I know you might be wondering what makes this book different from my Twitter Rockstar course, to which I reply…plenty! This guide is completely different in scope and focus, as it spends more time talking about how to become a Twitter maven than how to work behind the scenes to sell products. It is a great read on its own, but will also be a great supplement to my Twitter Rockstar course.

Editorial Calendar

If you haven’t noticed already, I’m currently testing a variety of new editorial schedules for the Webrepreneur Blog. For the next few weeks, you can probably expect a new post every Monday and Thursday, with the Saturday Project Update and Ideas that Change the World columns being posted Saturday afternoon. I’ll make a final announcement when the new design is released…in fact, we’ll make a launch out of it.

Coming this Monday, I’ve got a video for you in which I talk about one of my favorite subjects…money. I think you’ll enjoy it.

Saturday Project Update – New Design Coming is a post from: Nathan Hangen

Saturday Project Update

Nathan — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 19:16:54 +0000

In today’s Saturday project update, rather than share information about my projects, I want to share some cool projects from other game changers I’ve met online. These guys and gals all create great products and have some very cool things happening for them right now. In my opinion, if you are going to learn how to create a business online, you need to treat it like an education. That means learning from as many professors as you can.

This list is certainly not all-inclusive, so if you think I missed someone’s cool project, let me know by submitting a comment.

Brian Clark – Teaching Sells. I admit that I haven’t bought into Teaching Sells yet, but that’s only because I missed the first launch. The good news is that Brian and crew are getting ready to launch a winter session to give a 2nd chance to those that missed out the first time. Starting Monday the 24th, they will be sending out some very cool free info to people that sign up. I’m looking forward to it.
Chris Guillebeau – The Unconvetional Guide to the Social Media Web. Chris is a great guy and his Art of Non-Conformity Project is one of the coolest things happening online. If you don’t want his guide, do yourself a favor and read his blog and watch him try to visit every country in the world (he’s well past 100 now). Talk about being remarkable, Chris is a true game changer.
Mike CJ – Mike’s Life. I met Mike recently via Twitter and I could instantly tell that this guy was a game changer. He’s published a very cool book about his life in Lanzarote and is constantly creating wonderful content on his blog. As much as I try to keep up with his ability to crank out great eBooks and blog posts, I’ve realized that I am no match for his energy and passion.
Jim Mahan – Let’s Get Training. I met Jim while I was deployed to Afghanistan after he bought my Twitter Rockstar course. We continued to talk via email and he told me about his combatives project. He’s also a veteran and is working hard to follow his dreams and passion. I’m cheering for this guy and if you live nearby, check out one of his great workshops.

These are just a few of the cool people I’ve met online and I promise to feature more of them as often as I can. If you aren’t on this list and want to be, use the comments form to tell me about your project. You can also send me an email at nathan at nathanhangen dot com.

Keep changing the game and don’t let anyone stop you.

Saturday Project Update is a post from: Nathan Hangen

Create a Big Money Project

Nathan — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:30:44 +0000

Do you have what it takes?

One of the first steps to building up the confidence to step out on your own as a webrepreneur is to create a big money project so you can see what it feels like to watch your income grow on its own…outside of your job. The problem with this theory is that creating a big money project is not as easy as it sounds. Realistically, you cannot predict which of your products or services will be a success, nor can you predict which ones will be a failure. Sure, a PLF style launch can help you build enough buzz to sell a few copies of an eBook, but if people think your book is crap, it will stop selling.

The trick then, is to not only try to create a quality product and build buzz around it, but to create a product or service that sticks. The only way that you can do this is to start creating products. Don’t wait for the perfect idea to take you by storm, just get out there and do it.

You have to start somewhere

Sure, some of your projects will fail, but if you create enough of them you’ll find a few that work out well for you. Of those few, you’ll have one that exceeds expectations. Rather than let this product ride it out, you need to be spending a majority of your time developing that idea further. Find new ways to add to or improve that product. Create an updated version. Create a physical version. Turn it into a book series. Turn it into a lecture series. I think you get the point…your big money project could become a huge money project.

In the meantime, continue to spend the few free minutes you have to flesh out new ideas. Focus on a few to see which ones start taking root. I know it sounds strange, but you’ll be able to feel when a certain project becomes the new show in town. When it does, put the others in a box to save for later and start working on big money project #2. Wash…rinse…repeat. Soon, you’ll have enough money to fully fund your business.

1 idea vs 1,000

In the beginning of your journey, you will likely have so many ideas that you don’t know where to start. This is the fun of creating…once you’ve freed your mind to allow this process to begin, you’ll be flooded with ideas everywhere you go. Find a way to save them for later by using an online notebook and continue to reference them whenever you’ve run out of things to work on. Letting your ideas sit for a few days is a great way to gain perspective and it is a great way to save yourself from blowing a month’s worth of work by developing an idea that probably wasn’t the best in the first place (trust me, that’s how I started).

In the end, you’ll still need to run a great campaign, which means you’ll need great copy, great marketing, and a quality product. However, unless you actually start creating something you will continue to be stuck in limbo…reading blogs and dreaming about a day when your life will change. I know you’ve got a great product or service within you. People need things done. We need designers, copywriters, coders, and musicians. We need eBooks that teach us how to use social media for our business. We need weight loss guides and motivational speeches. You’ve just got to find what you are good at and start making it happen.

The “how to”

Now that you’ve got an idea, you need to find a way to create it. We’ll talk about that next time…

Create a Big Money Project is a post from: Nathan Hangen

8 August Project Update

Nathan — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 12:00:12 +0000

I’ve decided to start writing regular project updates and it is my hope to run one every Saturday to give you some light weekend reading. I’ve decided to do this for a few reasons:

It helps you know what I’m up to
It explains why my head is all over the place at times
It helps you to see how I’ve created my lifestyle

I’m not one to post income goals or income assessments, although I might mention percentages or estimates from time to time. Since my blog is not really a “make money online” blog, but rather a lifestyle design/entrepreneurial blog, I think my time is better focused giving you insight on a variety of methods that you can use to design a life around your hobbies without having to stick to a particular model.

Regarding current projects, I honestly don’t know where to start.

The Webrepreneur Community, which I’ll be launching on Ning.com, is due to be opened up as of early this year…so I am behind schedule. I’ll use this community to share awesome content, keep in touch, and answer questions when I can. Expect a launch any time.
Twitter Rockstar 2.0 – Funny how quickly a product like Twitter Rockstar needs to be updated in less than 6 months. Although the content is still useful and relevant, I want to get a head start and release new content before it becomes obsolete. I’ll probably be splitting it up into smaller chunks so that people can pick and choose the kind of product they need. I’m still sticking with video and PDF, but I’ll also be launching a monthly newsletter and a more advanced guidebook for consultants and social media representitives.
Consulting – I’m currently working for several bands/artists and enjoying that side of the business. It is extremely stressful and many times the expectations are beyond high, but I like a little bit of pressure. I manage social media campaigns and help people create them on their own. Eventually, I’ll be doing more of this both nationally and locally.
Webrepreneur’s Guide to Social Media – This is an awesome project and I’ve been working on it sporadically for months. Although I’ll probably be releasing a video/audio/PDF course, my goal is to write a physical book and get it published. I’ll keep you updated on the progress as time goes by. I’m still working on chapter 2.
Making it Social – This is a small blog I’ve started to teach business owners how to use social media to their advantage. I’ve got a lot of family that is struggling in this economy, and this site will be meant for professionals trying to move out of the dinosaur era and into social media.
Webrepreneur TV – Business School for Game Changers. More on this later.
Secret projects – I can’t talk about these yet, but will as soon as details are available.

I know I’ve got a lot on my plate, but I like it that way. It keeps me from getting bored and helps me find the path that works best for me. Although I make most of my income from consulting, I make quite a bit via affiliate income, Twitter Rockstar sales, and some nickel and dime stuff that is too boring to mention.

In the future, I’ll get more detailed, but we’ve got to start somewhere, right?

8 August Project Update is a post from: Nathan Hangen

Nathan Hangen » webrepreneur

Saturday Project Update – Let’s Do Lunch

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