Online Business Launchpad | Start An Online Business | Online Business Growth

As an engineer, developer or other IT professional, are you sick of meetings and managers?   And you dream of starting your own business so you can escape your cubicle? Michael Frew has a unique perspective - after 18 years working as an engineer and architect for top tech companies, he made a big shift to acquire online businesses instead of starting them.  In this interview, he shares why IT professionals may be better suited to buy (instead of start) an online business, and takes us through his 8-step framework to find, finance and acquire successful online companies. We also talked about: Why it can be hard for IT professionals to make a career change due to "golden handcuffs" Tips for building relationships with sellers when acquiring a business How to finance an online business acquisition Managing teams when transitioning from employee to business owner Key steps in the online business acquisition framework Want to hear more? Tune in to the full conversation with Michael Frew. And don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode! Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here. RESOURCES MENTIONED Newsletter:  newsletter.michaelfrew.com Learn:  videos.michaelfrew.com Website:  https://www.michaelfrew.com Book on managing a business:  Traction: Get A Grip On Your Business (affiliate link) LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelfrew/  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever wondered what it really takes to sell a consulting firm or an agency?   In this special evergreen episode from 2023,  we're diving into the secrets behind preparing your consultancy business for growth and eventual exit. And, I pose the question, if you could sell your business someday, what would it take to get it ready? My guest, Professor Joe O'Mahoney, has over 20 years of experience advising boutique consulting firms on achieving high growth and successful exits. And Joe brings a rare mix of real world consulting experience combined with extensive research on what works. He's published multiple books on the consulting industry.  And he's written dozens of articles that dispel common myths in relation to that industry. Professor O’Mahoney provides evidence based strategic insights on the specifics of readying a consulting firm for sale.  And as I talk to him, you'll discover why most boutique firms fail to create lasting value beyond their founder,  the biggest mistakes made when preparing to exit a firm and a step by step approach to boosting your valuation multiple for your business. So, if you lead a consulting firm and have ever considered selling, you might want to have a listen. RESOURCES MENTIONED Website: https://joeomahoney.com/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeomahoney/  Book:  https://geni.us/growth-for-consultants (affiliate link) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever wondered if starting a niche website could be a viable business for you?  In this special evergreen episode from 2023, we're revisiting my conversation with Jake Lang, an expert at starting profitable niche sites. Jake has an incredible story of building niche sites while working a full-time job, eventually leading to a six-figure business that allowed him to quit and work for himself.  He shares his step-by-step process for identifying promising niche topics, validating the business opportunities, and ultimately building sites that can be monetized through courses, memberships, affiliate links, and more.  He also discusses common mistakes to avoid with niche sites and offers advice for maintaining focus when trying to build a business on the side. If you've ever considered trying to build an income stream through a niche site but weren't sure where to start, this is the episode for you. RESOURCES MENTIONED: Website:  https://theentrepreneurridealong.com/    Book - Step One:  The Surprisingly Simple Process To Research, Validate, and Choose The Perfect Online Business Idea (affiliate link) Website:  https://steponebook.com/  Book - Use Your Job To Quit Your Job:  A Proven Blueprint To Forming Your Best Entrepreneur Ideas And Starting Your Business (affiliate link) Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business?  Sign up here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever wondered how a simple passion can transform into a thriving business? Or what it would take to turn a love for making things with your hands into a profitable venture? It’s a question that a lot of people ask when they start thinking about setting up their own business.   Or whether they could do something to bring in a bit of extra cash to supplement their day job. In this episode I am resharing an interview I did earlier in the year with someone who asked themselves this same question … can I turn a hobby into a thriving business.  And for Angie Wilson, the answer was yes. Angie, from Gnome Angel, is a former government employee turned quilting maestro.  And she shares her incredible journey from blogging about life and IVF to creating a quilt-focused empire. Her story isn’t just about quilting; it’s about perseverance, reinventing oneself, and finding success in unexpected places. If you’ve already listened to this episode, I would encourage you to listen to it again.  It is truly inspiring. Resources Mentioned Website: https://www.gnomeangel.com/ Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business?  Sign up here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever had to revive a neglected website that was costing you potential revenue? In this episode, Online Business Launchpad host Trudy Rankin talks about the journey of renovating her website The Menopause Effect, which had become neglected over time.  After a Google update tanked her website's traffic and revenue, Trudy realised she needed to take drastic action to resurrect the dying site. Trudy brings deep knowledge from running her own online business for over 8 years and helping hundreds of entrepreneurs build their online presence. Trudy also talks about: Her original goals for the website and how they evolved over time How she started learning about SEO, content strategies, backlinks and more to improve the site The step-by-step tactics she implemented to increase traffic, engagement, and affiliate revenue Key lessons learned about improving neglected sites Her goals for the next phase of the website's growth Want to hear this segment of Trudy's story about bringing a neglected website back to life? Tune into the full episode. RESOURCES MENTIONED: Graham Knight's SEO services (for tree care companies) Teresa Edmond's Boss Responses content strategy bootcamp SPI Pro Community (affiliate link) Want to regularly receive tips, techniques and advice from Trudy and other experts about growing your business? Sign up here to get access.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you’re a small business owner trying to do it all, how do you find time for marketing without neglecting customers?  Sarah Noel Block went from working for seven bosses to starting Tiny Marketing, where she helps time-strapped marketers punch above their weight.  With over 7 years experience streamlining marketing for multi-company corporations, Sarah shares her proven Tiny Marketing framework to help small businesses build high-impact marketing campaigns. We also talk about: Strategies for managing multiple stakeholders and their competing demands Making the leap from corporate to starting your own agency Quarterly planning frameworks to regularly review and optimize marketing Using lead magnets and workshops to attract ideal customers  Leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT and BARD so you can work smarter, not harder Want to hear more? Listen to the full episode and subscribe to get updates on future episodes. RESOURCES MENTIONED: Sarah's website: sarahnoelblock.com/launchpad  On-demand Webinar:  How to Market with a Small Team & Budget Tiny Marketing Podcast:  Apple  Spotify  Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business? Sign up here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you worry that AI tools like ChatGPT are going to replace you and potentially even destroy your business? Well, you’re not alone.  But there is something that you can do to stop that doomsday scenario from becoming real. Steven Lewis is the Founder of marketing agency, Taleist.  He’s been writing professionally as a journalist and copywriter since 1994. He has lectured in PR and journalism, and his book on persuasive storytelling has been taught at Sydney University and translated for international distribution. Steven is also an expert in AI copywriting. In this episode we talk about his journey as an entrepreneur, starting with his attempts in 1994 to convince businesses they needed websites … which is kind of funny because even in 2010,  over half of small businesses still didn’t have one. We also talk about: Steven’s journey from writing brochures to direct response copywriting Asking the right questions to understand what motivates your audience Why simplifying complex ideas is key for effective communication How to leverage AI tools like ChatGPT to accelerate your writing Listen in to hear Stephen's insights on copywriting in the age of AI! RESOURCES MENTIONED: Website:  https://taleist.agency/  Book:  How to Write Perfect Press Releases (affiliate link) AI Training:  ChatGPT Mastery Course (affiliate link) Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business?  Sign up here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do you do when you need investor funding for your startup, but you’re struggling to convince anyone to open their wallets? Rob May, engineer turned entrepreneur, knows what that feels like.  Even though he had experience with startups, he still found it a struggle to convince investors to fund his ideas.   However, he finally cracked the code. And in this episode Rob shares how constant practice pitching and getting feedback eventually made him a master storyteller that helped him hugely increase the odds of getting funding. We also talk about: Rob’s journey from electrical engineer to tech entrepreneur Building and scaling startups Finding investors and handling rejection Transitioning from pirate culture to a process-driven organisation Using AI for brand content governance Scaling AI companies amid supply constraints Listen in to hear Rob's startup stories and advice on pitching, funding, team building, and more! RESOURCES MENTIONED: BrandGuard: https://www.brandguard.ai/  Rob's Substack: https://investinginai.substack.com/  Rob's AI Innovators Podcast:  Apple: Spotify: Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business?  Sign up here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you reached the point in life where you or your business or personal partner are starting to experience menopause-related symptoms?  Things like brain fog or hot flashes?  And you and/or your partner are starting to feel the impact, not just on work tasks, but also on relationships and self-confidence? Menopause and its various associated symptoms can have a huge impact on women and their careers.  And for Tracy Minnoch-Nuku, that impact was the trigger for changing the direction of her business. Tracy Minnoch-Nuku is an educator, speaker, facilitator and coach.  And she is an educated and experienced advocate for women's health and fitness.  With over 30 years in the fitness industry, Tracy began her career as a Group Fitness Teacher and Personal Trainer where she transformed bodies and lives through fitness and nutrition.  She spent 20 years developing teams and fitness training programs in Asia - live, online and through fitness apps.  And Tracy has a deep interest in something that I think we don’t talk about enough and that is the effect that menopause has on the women going through it and the people in their lives. In this episode we talk about how that menopause effect can seriously impact our physical and mental health, our relationships and our careers.   We also talk about: The importance of understanding and empathy from partners during menopause. The need for education and open discussion about menopause, both at home and in the workplace. Encouraging male involvement in understanding menopause to support women effectively. How building a business focused on menopause helped Tracy personally and professionally. Some of the differences in how menopause is experienced and managed in various cultures. Tracy's journey in developing a comprehensive menopause app. Insights into the transformative aspects of menopause and how it shapes one's identity and values. Ageism in the Workplace If you’re a woman solopreneur or small business owner that’s beginning to experience menopause symptoms … or you work with women who are entering menopause, I encourage you to have a listen.   RESOURCES MENTIONED: Website:  https://www.sexyageing.com/  Fitness and Lifestyle App:  https://www.sexyageing.com/pages/sexy-ageing-app  Menopause Workshops:  https://www.sexyageing.com/pages/sexy-ageing-workshops Tracy’s Book:  https://geni.us/menopause-memoir (affiliate link) Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business?  Sign up here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Building a community can be a really tough job.  People come and go for so many reasons. Sometimes it’s because they’ve outgrown what the community can offer.  Sometimes it’s because life just happens and they need to cut back on expenses or take a break for awhile or whatever.  And sometimes people leave because they weren’t a good fit in the first place and didn’t find what they were looking for in that community. In today’s episode I’m talking with David Masnato, the Community Experience manager for Pat Flynn’s SPI Pro community.  Earlier this year, he participated in my Quiz Creators Course and Coaching program because he was interested in learning how to use quizzes to make the SPI community member experience even better. So I asked him if he’d share his thoughts about the Quiz Creators Course and the process we used to help him create quizzes which are already having a positive impact on the customer journey for SPI Pro members. Listen in as David, a highly experienced community manager, shares the reasons: Why both he and SPI are so intensely focused on improving customer experience How he identified ways to use intake and exit form questions to more deeply understand what potential customers are looking for from the SPI community, before they join How asking great questions in the form of quizzes is a highly effective way to gather data that makes it possible to identify gaps in user experience How the Quiz Creators Course and Coach program taught him to think differently about questions and the role they can play in understanding customers needs   RESOURCES MENTIONED The Quiz Creators Course SPI Pro Community (affiliate link) SPI All Access Pass (affiliate link) Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business?  Sign up here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.