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Ducker Digest: March, 2014 – My Monthly Entrepreneur Report

march2014

For the last two months I’ve published monthly reports. No, I don’t go into how much money I make (I’ll leave that to my buddy, Pat Flynn!). What I focus on is the journey.

The entrepreneurial journey.

In my January report I talked about speaking at live events, hanging out with Gary Vaynerchuk and the launch of my book minisite.

In February I discussed how I was launching a new podcast to promote Virtual Freedom, a course on personal branding and the focus I had on getting ready to host my first big event, Tropical Think Tank. I want to make it clear that I don’t publish these reports to ‘show off’ in any way. There are lots of other entrepreneurs that are out there that are overall more successful than me. I publish them because they help ME stay on track, I know people love to be that fly on the wall, and because I simply love looking back on the month that just was!

This report is a little late, as I was focusing on the launch of the book, and then learning how to breathe again after the launch! 🙂

So, without further ado, let’s start breaking down the month of March, 2014.

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Virtual Freedom is a GO! Launch Giveaway (Grab ’em While They’re Hot!)

POST LAUNCH UPDATE: The launch offers below, which were 100% exclusive to this website are now no longer available. However, the GOOD NEWS is that there are still bundles available for one book and 5 book bundles available at the official Virtual Freedom Book website. Check ’em out!

Virtual Freedom Small

Today is THE day! The launch of Virtual Freedom!!!

This book has been a part of my life for over a year, and to finally get to the point where I can officially launch it to the world is everything from a little surreal, right the way to just down right exciting!

The purpose of this post is to simply give as much value to those that buy the book in the next 3-days (72-hours) as possible. It’s also my personal effort to try and sell lots of books and turn this baby into a bestseller, if possible.

I’ve spent a lot of time putting these giveaways together, chatting with key companies to include, liaising with my publisher on volume discounts for retailers, etc., and I’ve come up with what I think are four amazing giveaway packages.

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27 Reasons Every Entrepreneur Should Utilize the Power of Virtual Staff!

In late 2009 I hit a brick wall. I burned out. I’d been working 15-16 hour days for close to 3-years, building my company. We were doing well, growing and serving our clients professionally in the process.

However, I was a total wreck. I was a waste of space as a business owner, and a very, very absent husband and father. Things had to change. And they did.

Watch the video below to find out how. Seriously. Do it now!

Watch this video on YouTube, if you prefer.

Now that you know what I did to get over my own entrepreneurial issues, or ‘Superhero Syndrome’ as I refer to it in my new book, lets focus on getting you sorted out, okay?!!

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The Definitive Guide to Training Virtual Staff (The VA Training Trifecta)

Virtual Freedom SmallThe following is an unedited excerpt from my upcoming book. Visit the Virtual Freedom Minisite, or Amazon page for more details.

Training is one of the areas that I spend a lot of time on in the book, as it seems to be a pain point for a lot of virtual bosses to get stuck into – it also happens to be the one area that they should not (but, often do!) forget to focus on, hence the fact that I wanted to include this particular content here on the blog, to refer people to on a regular basis (in case they didn’t have the book already!).

— BEGIN EXCERPT —

In 2007, Tim Ferriss released his book The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9–5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich. Overnight, the entrepreneurial world dove into a virtual assistant frenzy.

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Ducker Digest: February, 2014 – My Monthly Entrepreneur Report

DD FEB 2014

Last month I published my first ever monthly entrepreneur report. I got some really good feedback from a lot of people on it, and so I’m excited to publish this, my second ‘Ducker Digest’ – a rundown of everything I’ve been through in the last month, lessons learned, wins, losses and a look at the upcoming month and whats in store.

I don’t publish these reports to gloat, or to ‘show off’ in any way. There are lots of other entrepreneurs that are out there that are overall more successful than me. I publish them because:

  1. They’re a great way to keep myself on track, in regards to my goals and overall business aspirations.
  2. I think that that ‘fly on the wall’ approach to showing how to ‘get sh*t done’ is a great way to learn.
  3. It’s just a lot of fun to put ’em together!

With each report I’ll be focusing on three key areas:

  • Important Happenings This Month
  • Lessons Learned This Month
  • Plans for Next Month

So, without further ado, let’s start breaking it down.

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2 Ideas to Monetize Your Brand, and 1 Way to Make Money with it – TODAY!

Screen Shot 2014-02-19 at 6.18.38 PMI’ve talked a lot about building a personal brand here on the blog. It’s a subject I’m super passionate about and something that I know works all too well, when it comes to your overall business growth as an entrepreneur doing business in todays marketplace.

However, building that brand, launching it and marketing it to the world to gain the attention you want / need to take everything you’re doing to the next level is just the start. As an influencer, you have to be seen to sell (something I discussed in depth in Episode 42 of my podcast) – doing so drives authority.

You can’t and shouldn’t be seen as giving ‘everything’ away for ‘free’.

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10 Lessons Learned Writing My First Book

virtual-freedom-is-comingWe all have a book in us.

Ever heard that? I had, a lot.

In late 2011 I got offered my first book deal. I turned it down. I wasn’t ready. I was busy doing other ‘stuff’. I simply didn’t know enough about the topic. Who would buy a book written by me, anyway…?!!

You name it, I came up with every excuse under the sun to NOT write the book.

Then in late 2012 I teamed up with a literary agent, and put together my first ever book proposal document for a project entitled ‘The Freedom Factor’ (what was I thinking…!!!?). After a few name changes, Virtual Freedom was born and sent out to 16 publishers.

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Ducker Digest: January, 2014 – My Monthly Entrepreneur Report

DD JAN 14This is the start of a new regular monthly report, where I’ll be sharing exactly what I’ve experienced in the previous month. I’m sincerely going to share the good, the bad and the ugly – warts and all, and with a promise of no BS.

This all came about following a post I published in December, where I shared the fact that I’d experienced burnout for the second time in my career. It seemed to strike quite a chord with many entrepreneurs and when I mentioned I intended to start sharing a monthly ‘entrepreneur report’, detailing what I was doing to run, support and grow my businesses, many seemed excited.

I’ll be focusing on three key areas:

  • Important Happenings This Month
  • Lessons Learned This Month
  • Plans for Next Month

So, without further ado, let’s start breaking it down.

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Beating Burnout, Business Pivoting, Book Marketing and Heading to Vegas… Baby!

cougar baitIt’s been 3-weeks since the last time I wrote a blog post, here on the site.

Warranted, there have been a couple of podcast episodes gone live – but, that process is completely automated – including the writing of the show notes and therefore needs zero input from me.

Just as well, too – as for the last few weeks I have been pretty much no good to anyone, when it comes to pretty much anything.

Reason? I hit burnout for the second time in my life – just like I did in late 2009.

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