#278: How I’m Approaching The Rest of 2025 (Behind The Scenes)
Today, I want to take you behind the scenes in The Lab this week. Every month I do a retro where I look at the months that just passed, things that went well, things that didn't go well, things that I'm changing because of that.
I wanted to share a version of that here on the channel and on the podcast feed, and hopefully by learning more about what's going on in my head, not only do you feel a little bit seen and understood, but maybe it gives you some insight and unlocks something for you in your own business as well.
So in this episode, I'll be looking at the last quarter of the year. I want to look at my business, how it's performing so far, and where we're heading.
Full transcript and show notes
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Quarterly Business Review Insights
06:26 Parenting, Priorities, and Adaptation
08:09 Lab and Book Priorities
11:51 Refocusing on Creator Priorities
15:41 Ambition on My Terms
19:40 Writing, Thinking, and Mimetic Desire
21:40 Content Repurposing Across Platforms
25:56 Content & Product Strategy Update
30:29 Lab Membership Updates & Features
31:54 Making the Book a Success
35:44 Balancing the Perfect Title
38:11 Struggling to Do Less
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RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE
→ #270: Being a creator and a parent | Jay-Talking with Jay Acunzo
***
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→ Submit your question here
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WHEN YOU'RE READY
📬 Creator Science Newsletter
🚀 Get CreatorHQ (creator operating system)
🧪 Join The Lab (private membership community)
🧞♂️ Get a Personalized Offer
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CONNECT
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44:09
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44:09
#277: The best and worst income streams for creators (ranked)
I’ve been a full-time creator for 8 years now and have earned $2,192,000 since 2022. I’ve spent a LOT of time and money experimenting with different ways to make money on the internet, so I’m going to rank them. The best and the worst.
I show you 15 different revenue streams and rate them from S to F based on their potential versus the effort required. By the very end of the video, you’ll know which ones are right for you. And at any point, if you agree or disagree, let me know in the comments.
Full transcript and show notes
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TIMESTAMPS
(00:32) AdSense
(01:36) Sponsorship & Brand Deals
(03:30) Content Memberships
(04:30) Done-For-You Services
(05:27) Royalties
(06:28) 1-to-1 Coaching & Consulting
(07:38) Affiliates
(09:36) User Generated Content (UGC)
(10:17) Group Programs
(11:25) Digital Products
(12:56) Speaking
(14:27) Live Events
(15:53) Community Memberships
***
RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE
→ #267: When to use low-ticket offers, refund policies, how much I earned in the last 12 months, and my 5-year vision [Ask CS Pt. 1]
***
ASK CREATOR SCIENCE
→ Submit your question here
***
WHEN YOU'RE READY
📬 Creator Science Newsletter
🚀 Get CreatorHQ (creator operating system)
🧪 Join The Lab (private membership community)
🧞♂️ Get a Personalized Offer
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CONNECT
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***
SPONSORS
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20:48
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20:48
#276: From self-publishing to traditional and becoming a NYT best-seller | Pat Flynn (Part 2)
This episode is part two of my recent conversation with Pat Flynn. Pat, is an online business legend, and this is the third time he's been on the show. Pat is the founder of Smart Passive Income.
In this episode, we dig into his experience publishing his latest book, Lean Learning: How to Achieve More by Learning Less. Lean Learning was a New York Times bestseller.
Get Pat’s book, Lean Learning
Deep Pocket Monster
Short Pocket Monster
Full transcript and show notes
Pat's Website / Twitter / YouTube / Instagram / TikTok
***
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Reached Goal, Life Unchanged
04:14 Navigating Traditional Publishing Challenges
08:46 Leveraging Connections for Future Opportunities
12:21 Book Launch Strategy Concerns
15:38 Just in Time Learning
19:33 Unexpected Pokemon-Entrepreneurship Crossover
23:06 Multitasking Prevents Entrepreneur Burnout
25:49 Podcast Guesting Boosted Book Launch
29:37 Book Launch and Interview Journey
32:46 Monthly Networking Reflection Ritual
36:27 Collaborative Friendship and Opportunities
37:03 Embracing Abundance, Supporting Each Other
40:31 Leave Feedback on Podcasts
***
RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE
→ #275: From ignoring short-form video to 3.5 billion views | Pat Flynn’s Pokémon juggernaut (Part 1)
***
ASK CREATOR SCIENCE
→ Submit your question here
***
WHEN YOU'RE READY
📬 Creator Science Newsletter
🚀 Get CreatorHQ (creator operating system)
🧪 Join The Lab (private membership community)
🧞♂️ Get a Personalized Offer
***
CONNECT
🐦 Connect on Twitter
📸 Connect on Instagram
💼 Connect on LinkedIn
📹 Subscribe on YouTube
***
SPONSORS
💼 View all sponsors and offers
***
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45:06
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45:06
#275: From ignoring short-form video to 3.5 billion views | Pat Flynn’s Pokémon juggernaut (Part 1)
Pat Flynn (also known as Deep Pocket Monster or the Should I Open It Or Should I Keep It Sealed Guy) is the man with the most famous thumbs on the Internet. Pat has been a staple in the online business community for over a decade. But it's his short form Pokemon card series, that launched him to new heights. Today, we're breaking down exactly how he did it from the very beginning.
In this episode, we talk about embracing your uniqueness, how to find inspiration, and whether or not he would put shorts and long-form videos on the same channel if he were starting over.
Deep Pocket Monster
Short Pocket Monster
Full transcript and show notes
Pat's Website / Twitter / YouTube / Instagram / TikTok
***
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) The Man Who Solved Shorts
(01:39) How SIOIOSIKIS Almost Failed
(09:52) Differences Between Short Form Platforms
(13:41) Should Shorts Be on A DIFFERENT Channel?
(20:58) How to Innovate Formats
(25:54) Using Voiceover for Storytelling
(33:24) When is it Time to Quit a Project
***
RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE
→ #167: Jenny Hoyos – How she averages 10 million views per video (YouTube Shorts)
***
ASK CREATOR SCIENCE
→ Submit your question here
***
WHEN YOU'RE READY
📬 Creator Science Newsletter
🚀 Get CreatorHQ (creator operating system)
🧪 Join The Lab (private membership community)
🧞♂️ Get a Personalized Offer
***
CONNECT
🐦 Connect on Twitter
📸 Connect on Instagram
💼 Connect on LinkedIn
📹 Subscribe on YouTube
***
SPONSORS
💼 View all sponsors and offers
***
SAY THANKS
💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts
🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify
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39:59
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39:59
#274: Podcast growth strategies (paid and organic) with Jeff Umbro of The Podglomerate
This week, I'm speaking with my friend Jeff Umbro. Jeff is the founder and CEO of The Podglomerate, which helps you produce, market, and monetize your podcast. The Podglomerate's worked with some of the biggest podcast clients in the world, from creators like me to major brands like Netflix, NPR, PBS, HubSpot, Harvard, Substack, and more. Since its start in 2016, The Podglomerate has grown to represent more than 70 podcasts, accounting for more than 30 million monthly downloads.
All that to say, Jeff is legit, and he knows his stuff. One of the things I appreciate most about Jeff is that he's honest and a straight shooter. So, in this episode, we talk about podcast growth, explore both organic and paid growth strategies, Jeff's experience with both, and, of course, I share my experience as well.
PodglomerateIntrocastPodrollAdvertise with Acast
Full transcript and show notes
Jeff's Website / Twitter / LinkedIn
***
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Jeff Umbro: Podcasting Powerhouse
05:42 Innovative Marketing and Networking Strategy
06:33 Niche Show Strategy Planning
10:45 Podcast Audience Growth Strategy
13:39 AI Prompts Drive Web Traffic
17:03 Building Cross-Platform Audience Connections
21:10 Growing Podcast Audiences: Strategy Insights
22:32 Podcast Promotion Over Essays
29:06 Spotify's Editorial and Algorithmic Opportunities
32:03 Apple Podcast Metrics and Exploits
35:24 Spotify's Video Incentive Strategy
38:52 Spotify's Creator Fund Strategy
42:22 Ad Strategies: Effectiveness Varies
45:16 Podcast Advertising & Audience Alignment
47:51 Effective Pixel-Based Attribution Tracking
49:32 Monetizing Podcasts Through Feed Drops
52:56 Pod Roll: Dynamic RSS Episode Inserts
57:28 Affordable Podcast Advertising Platforms
***
RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE
→ #212: Dan Misener – How to ACTUALLY grow your podcast (and measure its success)
→ #177: Chris Hutchins – A master of podcast growth and building relationships.
***
ASK CREATOR SCIENCE
→ Submit your question here
***
WHEN YOU'RE READY
📬 Creator Science Newsletter
🚀 Get CreatorHQ (creator operating system)
🧪 Join The Lab (private membership community)
🧞♂️ Get a Personalized Offer
***
CONNECT
🐦 Connect on Twitter
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📹 Subscribe on YouTube
***
SPONSORS
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***
SAY THANKS
💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts
🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify
Creating content has never been easier – but breaking through the noise has gotten harder. The only reliable way to grow as a creator is through observation, experimentation, and iteration.
This podcast is your weekly guide to evidence-backed strategies and experiments you can apply to your business. Each episode features candid conversations with today’s top creators—like James Clear, Ali Abdaal, Tim Urban, and Codie Sanchez—sharing actionable insights to help you grow your audience, build trust, and boost your income.
This isn’t just an interview podcast—it’s a deep dive into the business of content, hosted by Signal Award-winner Jay Clouse.
It's growth for creators, down to a science.
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