Reuben created the “anti-CRM” for freelancers and consultants based on his own experience building a solopreneur business. His platform is based on key values that successful freelancers share, including valuing relationships above all else. In this episode talk about the power of positioning, the “relationship business,” and the non-linear journey…

Yurii is on a mission to build connections among freelancers and bring greater visibility to the joys and sorrows that we all deal with. We had a great conversation about the power of community, defining work for ourselves, and holding space for each other. Learn more about Yurri on LinkedIn and Substack. To learn more about Sarah, go to www.fruiti…

Selling the way your customers want to buy makes sales (and marketing) so much easier, but most businesses refuse to do it. In this episode, veteran market Kristen Zhivago (and author of Roadmap to Revenue: How to Sell the Way Your Customers Want to Buy) discusses how you can uncover your best customers' buying behaviors so you can align your marke…

Úna and Peter are some of my most favorite people and this conversation was one of the best so far. They started their freelance ecosystem in Ireland in response to the need for support during the pandemic and it has grown exponentially since then. In this episode we talk about having each others’ backs, learning how to build a business based on va…

AI is all the rage these days (I get lots of pitches, some of them seemingly AI-generated, to come on Sales for Nerds and talk about AI). I decided to go to the source and have a conversation with ChatGPT from OpenAI. It was mindblowing, scary, and uncanny, all at the same time. Take a listen and decide for yourself, plus get tips on using AI for y…

I had a great time talking with Ryan about all things soloprenuer finances. Ryan is a solopreneur finance expert who is committed to helping business owners understand their numbers and feel in control of their money. He grew up in Southern California and went to college at Arizona State University where he graduated with a Master's Degree in Accou…

David Kaplan might be a new-ish freelancer, but he already knows the key to success - you just have to try! I had such a great conversation with David talking about learning by doing, mindset shifts, and the rewards of perseverance. David is 29, from the Czech Republic, and now lives in Squamish, BC, Canada. He has a master's degree in engineering …

Tim Hyde from Win More Clients shares his entrepreneurial journey and the importance of using a CRM to get and stay organized. Tim also delves into how to find your ideal customers, and why you have to go where they are, because the number one problem solopreneurs face is that their best clients don't even know they exist... Brought to you by Mimir…

When you bootstrap a micro-consulting platform as a side-hustle, you are for sure a hustler. Chrissy and Jim not only have created an awesome platform for people to share and monetize their unique talents, they’ve done it in a way that honors the unique contributions of their micro-consultants (aka Aces). Chrissy is a co-founder and Chief Ace at Ac…

Sales may feel "icky", but serving others feels good, and leads to great results. In this episode, Steve Ramona, host of the Doing Business with a Servant's Heart podcast and the Together We Serve TV show discusses how he learned that his network was his net worth, and how you can do the same, even (especially?) if you're an introvert who doesn't l…

In this episode of The Hustlers Manifesto podcast, I interview Joe Sanok, a father, entrepreneur, and author of the book "Thursday is the New Friday". Joe shares his journey of starting his counseling private practice in 2006 and realizing he had no business skills whatsoever. He then started a podcast to interview people and learn tips, which even…

In this episode of The Hustlers Manifesto podcast, I interview Adam Faulkner, a proud freelance business owner and creator of the "Be FreelanceAF" course. Adam shares his journey of founding his freelance video production business "CreativeAF" at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 and how he hasn't looked back since. We discuss the importance of…

A lot of people hate public speaking. But whether you're officially a "speaker", or just someone who needs to talk to a "Zoom room" now and again, speaking effectively is critical to your business. Speaking coach Meridith Grundei shares how she went from shy kid who didn't want to answer questions in class to helping others overcome their fears of …

Karina Rehavia isn't building "just" another freelance marketplace; she's building an ecosystem for freelancers and their clients that focuses on an amazing experience on both sides of the equation. Plus, she's one of the most dedicated and passionate people I know. We talk about freelancing in Latin America, her no a**holes policy, and hope for 20…

I recently interviewed Reza Saeedi—a marketing strategist and former Director of Marketing at On Deck—about his transition from employee to marketing advisor to employee again with advising as a side venture. In this episode, we chatted about things like: How Reza got into marketing and eventually, as a mentor/advisor to entrepreneurs How he was ab…

Anyone who names her business Uncompany is clearly a hustler at heart. Maari Casey cares so deeply about freelancers and the clients they serve. She's built an amazing company that helps freelancers build their businesses and find the right clients. We talk about the crazy year freelancers have had in 2023, what it's like to run a business where al…

Jon is one of the most knowledgeable people about the freelance global context, and we get to pick his brain about what we can expect on the horizon for the freelance revolution. We talk about how both freelancers and platforms need to define what makes them special, the stages all freelancers go through in their work, and of course, what 2024 has …

Alistair McDermott sits down with some whiskey to talk about becoming the Recognized Authority in your consulting niche. This leads to easier marketing and sales and less wasted time and effort. Alistair shares his 5 step process for niching down and becoming that Recognized Authority. (An approach that dovetails nicely with the Mission & Positioni…

So, you want to publish content to attract clients. Do you start a blog? Hammer out posts on LinkedIn every day? Start a YouTube channel? A podcast? Good question. I get asked it a lot. In fact, someone in Mindshare asked me about it again today, so I thought I'd break out my mental model for how I think about publishing and distributing content. H…

It's easy to make sales overly complicated. (I've been guilty of that many times.) So here's the simple, 2-step sales process for consultants that doesn't require fancy sales skills or any of the hard selling at all. You can implement it when you're busy with clients or don't have any client work. And it's fun, sustainable, and effective (Naturally…

We're bringing back Anna Burgess Yang to help us think about how to plan for the new year as a freelancer. If you're ready to stop making the same New Year’s resolutions for your business but never achieving them and start investing in the support + structure you need to run your business instead of letting it run you, you can also sign up for my n…

When I came across John's company, Opolis, I knew we had to talk. Opolis is one of the companies pioneering the infrastructure that freelancers everywhere need for the future of work. John Paller is a Denver-based blockchain entrepreneur, inventor and futurist, and the Founder and Executive Steward of Opolis, a Digital Employment Cooperative for in…

To perform at our best, we need to fuel and nourish our bodies properly. But most fitness advice has everything backwards. In this episode, learn how personal fitness coach Rachel Nigro flips the conventional wisdom on its head, so you can feel better, look better, and perform better, without crash diets and/or self-loathing.…

The first time I met Adrianna, I knew she was a true hustler. We talk about charting your own path as a "blue collar" freelancer and the biases/assumptions people make about working with your hands vs. working in an office. Not to mention what it's like to be a 26-year-old female entrepreneur in a male-dominated industry. Adrianna Baros is the owne…

Robert Vlach is one of the most knowledgable people in the world of freelancing, and I'm so excited about this episode! We talk about pricing your way to freedom, the different mindsets freelancers have in different parts of the world, and the power of negotiation skills. Robert Vlach is a senior business consultant, specialized in supporting indep…

While publishing a book is a great way for experts to gain (and broadcast) authority, you don't need to write a whole book to benefit from publishing. Erica Holthausen shares how you can get published in magazines and journals to boost your profile and attract ideal clients. Brought to you by Mimiran, the fun, "anti-CRM" for independent consultants…

The first time I met Tori Barker I knew we were like-minded solopreneurs. We talk about leaving the corporate world to follow your passions. Tori Barker is the passionate and empathetic leader behind Creative Marketing, a digital marketing, consulting, and podcast marketing company. She values family and relationships with clients just as highly as…

I came across Austin by way of Lizzie Davey's newsletter and am so glad I found him. Like Lizzie and I, Austin leads a double life of being a freelancer and supporting other freelancers. He brings so much expertise and thoughtful advice to this episode, not just about money mindset but also how to level up as a freelancer to bring more to your life…

Rochelle Moulton has made a career within a career of helping introverted consultants become effective sales people. She has done this with Arthur Anderson (back in the day) and now helps other solo consultants grow their practices without working more. This comes from growing authority, so more people seek you out. Unfortunately, some people try t…

If you're new here, Leah is my ride-or-die solopreneur work-wife, who co-hosted The Freelance Revolution podcast with me for two years. This is her first time on the new show, and I'm THRILLED to talk with her about her two areas of expertise - Upwork and Kajabi - AND how to take better vacations as a freelancer. Learn more about Leah at https://ww…

I recently had the privilege of interviewing Brad Hussey—a former web designer turned creator, educator, and community builder. In this episode, we talk about things like: How he made the leap from employee to full-time web designer How he successfully sells web design courses on platforms like Udemy, Awwwards, Teachable, and other places How these…

Mike is a true hustler at heart. In this episode we talk about how to play by your own rules when building a business. Michael Dallas-Petersen is an entrepreneur, father, and husband based in British Columbia. Michael is a highly sought after automation and systems specialist helping online entrepreneurs scale their offers/businesses with world cla…

"As entrepreneurs we're typically in relationship with our thoughts about people, versus people themselves", says Bridget Hom, mindset coach and author of Stuck on Ready. In this episode, Bridget discusses how to hire (and fire) the right mental team inside our own head, so we can have real relationships with people outside our heads, and move our …

I came across Lizzie and her content when she put on a workshop with one of my favorite partners, The Indie List. After connecting, I knew she was a hustler on a similar mission to mine - to make the beauty and freedom of freelancing available to more people! In this episode, we discuss the big secret no one tells you about freelancing. Lizzie is a…

The other week, I chatted with former software consultant turned CRM SaaS owner, Reuben Swartz about how to do sales in a way that doesn't feel like selling and instead sets up your relationships for success. In this episode, we chat about things like: Why traditional sales processes don't work How he helps people win clients without being sales-y …

Chris has a super interesting entrepreneurial journey that led him to his current work, where he helps to make sharing expertise more accessible online and level the playing field in DIY education. Chris Badgett is the cofounder and CEO of LifterLMS, a learning management system for WordPress. He helps education entrepreneurs create, launch, and sc…

If you want to make more money with less stress as a consultant, it helps to move from implementor to advisor. Philosophy major and accidental "consultant to consultants" Kevin Whelan steps through his journey from building inexpensive websites to advising firms on their digital marketing projects, to advising other marketing agencies on moving up …

I was on Tim Melanson's podcast last year and immediately knew that we shared the same mission to help others make the most of independent, flexible work. Tim is the Host of the Work at Home RockStar Podcast, a Self-Improvement Podcast started in 2015 with more than 250 guests interviewed, over 35k listens. In the year 2000, Tim earned a degree in …

The first time I talked to Rachel, I knew she was a hustler at heart - paving her own way, breaking glass ceilings, and helping others build strong independent businesses is her jam. Rachel is the CEO of an executive assistance and operations agency that supports business owners by removing the day to day overwhelm so that they can get their time b…

Taking good notes is essential for effective meetings, but most of us never learn how to do it well. In this episode, Richard White, founder and CEO of Fathom.video, a Zoom note-taking tool, explains how challenges with note-taking at his previous company led him to create this solution. Reuben wanted to do this episode because he uses Fathom every…

Andrea Sager is no stranger to solopreneurship. After landing what she thought was her dream job, she realized that she wanted more. I had a great time chatting with Andrea about following your dreams no matter what (plus some great legal info too!). Andrea Sager is an author and the CEO and founder of Legalpreneur, a legal tech startup that focuse…

Do you have a proprietary framework or methodology you can build an entire business around? I recently recorded a podcast with Billy Broas, a copywriter, advisor, and educator who has built a business around his proprietary messaging framework, The Five Lightbulbs. In this episode, Billy and I unpack the Five Lightbulbs and then go deep into how hi…

Shiela and I hit it off when I was on her podcast and never looked back. She's a multi-talented freelancer who loves what she does and sharing it with others. Shiela is a skilled Digital Project Manager and Growth Marketing Enthusiast who is deeply committed to helping businesses and organizations achieve their growth objectives. With nearly a deca…

Learn how Tom Jackobs went from almost going broke because he didn't know how to sell to hitting a 90% close rate by selling through stories. Tom's storytelling approach is authentic and doesn't require fancy sales techniques, just being attuned to the prospect and caring about their success.By Reuben Swartz

My good friend Anna always makes me think differently about work, productivity, and efficiency. Anna is a former product manager who left an executive role in 2021 to pursue an entirely different life. After bouncing around a few different jobs for two years, Anna is now a freelance technology writer and journalist. She is also obsessed with workfl…

Whenever I talk with Beth and Tiffany from Kenza Collective, I feel incredibly grateful for them as part of my life and as huge assets to the freelance community. Together they run the Kenza Collective, your one-stop-shop for everything you need to know about running your own business as a parent. They are also both badasses in their own right. Aft…

I recently decided to rebrand the Mindshare franchise (can I call it that?). Listen in for all the details! —kwBy Kevin C. Whelan

How do you show appreciation for your best clients and partners? In this episode, Steve Buzogany from The Appreciation Advocate discusses how to turned around his real estate sales career and turned his gift for gifting into a whole new business, and how you can apply those same techniques to build deeper relationships, get more referrals, and bett…

Corey is one of the most genuine people I have ever met and I'm so excited to have him on the podcast. Corey is the cofounder @ Authrs.io - an agency that ghostwrites, markets, and publishes best-selling books for busy professionals. His work has been viewed 1M+ times and been featured on sites like Forbes, Entrepreneur, MSN, Apple News, and more. …

I'm thrilled to chat with Molly Rose Speed for our first episode of the new podcast! We talk about all things freedom and how to do what only you can do by delegating and outsourcing. Molly is an expert in creating what everyone wants more of -- time freedom. She is the creator of Virtual Assistant Academy and the Founder of Virtual Assistant Manag…