It’s the dream job: sharing your expertise with those who need it most, enriching the lives of thousands, and earning an honest, secure, and oftentimes massive income in return.
This is the life of the six-figure expert.
It could be your life, and the life of countless others, but there’s a problem.
Over time, you’ve become surrounded by powerful myths that keep you from turning your knowledge and know-how into a rewarding business.
Today we’re going to knock down 5 of the most powerful myths, and reveal the truth: if you have valuable information to share, you can build a business around that expertise.
Myth #1: Your Topic Must be Original
Years ago I worked for a boss whose mind was packed with brilliant advice on managing employees. The staff adored him. More important, they were great at their jobs. He had always dreamed of writing a book, so I suggested that he use management as his topic. “That would be a dream, but it’s already been done.” These simple words have kept many from following their passion.
The Truth: I built my first six-figure business in personal development, one of the most crowded fields on earth. I wasn’t a known name, didn’t have a specific niche, and didn’t have a unique angle. Despite all this, I succeeded. Here’s why…
- People don’t buy into the topic—they buy into the person. You are unique. Even when you’re working in a crowded field, people will weave through that crowd to connect with you.
- People buy more than one. I have dozens and dozens of books on marketing—not one. Comedy lovers watch dozens and dozens of funny movies—not one. When people are interested in something, they don’t buy one item from the spread of options and call it quits. They buy dozens. There’s a reason thousands of love stories have been written and sold.
- The last thing you want is an unproven market. You want to know people are selling information similar to yours and that other people are buying it. Oftentimes, being “one and only” in the market is a sure sign of impending doom.
Myth #2: You Must be the Best
I overheard a friend talking about her job one day. It turned out she worked for a small book publisher. It was news to me, and, being obsessed with turning expertise into online business, I immediately asked about it. With so many people baffled by the publishing process, I thought she could offer value to the market and maybe even create a small consulting gig on the side. “I’m no expert,” she said. Once again, seemingly simple words that have sent countless dreams to an early grave.
The Truth: You know far more than you think you do. I happily paid my friend $100 to talk with me for an hour about what she did. As I expected, this “non-expert” had incredible information to share. She dove into the industry, telling me things I never would have known, and gave me tips on submitting a winning book proposal—absolute gold for any would-be authors. She was an expert, without question, but couldn’t see it. If you’re struggled with the same doubts, consider this…
- When you’re deep into a subject, you forget that the rest of the world isn’t even dipping their toes. What seems obvious to you—because you’ve learned it so thoroughly and so long ago—is brand new to 99.9% of the people around you. My friend assumed everyone knew the proper way to submit a manuscript. She was wrong.
- People want results. If you can deliver, you’re all the expert they need. You don’t have to invest twenty years in a subject or earn certificates or degrees. Getting the result, in the end, is all that matters.
- Look around at the most popular articles, books, videos, and podcasts. More often than not, they’re packed with simple tips and ideas, not complex systems and in-depth strategy. The people looking for help are usually beginners. As such, they don’t want complicated solutions; they want easy-to-understand ideas they can use right now. Chances are you already have more than enough to offer.
Myth #3: You Must Have Money
With the high-powered tech driving today’s web, it’s understandable that people assume it costs a lot of money; the same is true with the high-quality media. A website that broadcasts to millions of email addresses, produces HD videos and professional podcasts, streams live trainings, and sells books, CDs, DVDs, and multi-media courses sounds like a website with deep pockets. Years ago this might have been true. Not anymore.
The Truth: I started my first company with $35. When I reached six figures, the bills ballooned to… $300 a month. This is the miracle and the joy of 21st century online business. With all of the available tools and platforms, you can actually run a successful business online for free. What would have cost tens of thousands of dollars to accomplish can now be done with a few clicks. Money is no longer an issue.
- Platforms such as WordPress.com (not WordPress.org), Tumblr.com, and Blogger.com let you launch your website free of charge. Wily entrepreneurs could even run a business directly on Facebook.com. However, to get the full benefits of a website without any of the drawbacks, a self-hosted domain is the way to go. Blue Host offers hosting for fees as low as $4.95 per month.
- When it comes to keeping in touch with your audience, Feedburner.com handles it all, free of charge. For more control and options, Mail Chimp is currently free up to 2,000 subscribers, beyond which you pay a small monthly fee. Additional, though more expensive, options include AWeber (the service I use), Constant Contact, GetResponse, and iContact among many others.
- Delivering products and services could not be easier or more affordable. You can run a massively profitable coaching business via free tools such as Skype, Facebook, and Gmail. Using free online converters, you can turn a report, book, or course into a ready-to-sell PDF in minutes; if you’re just beginning, skip the shopping cart software and simply email the file to customers (exactly how I ran my business for the first few years). Worried about accepting payment? For a small fee, ClickBank or PayPal have you covered.
Myth #4: You Must Be a Techie
The Internet and advancing technology go hand in hand. You see a website, with its widgets and pop ups and sign ups oh my, and instantly feel overwhelmed by the complexity of the tech running the show. There appears to be SO much going on, so much to figure out. To succeed online, the myth goes, you have to tech savvy.
The Truth: If you can click a button, you can have a website up and running in five minutes. Platforms such as Squarespace and Elance and oDesk are just two of the many services online that allow you to find and hire affordable freelancers to do everything from designing your website to launching your first video.
- Mistakes online are often cheap, so if you’re not sure how to do something, do it anyway. You’ll learn far more and far faster by diving in and trying than by mentally stressing over exactly how it should be done. Get your hands dirty.
Myth #5: You Must Get Permission
A lawyer passes the bar and is given permission to practice law. A broker passes the Series 7 and is given permission to sell securities. A 16-year-old passes his driving test and is given permission to terrify drivers throughout his town. Time and again, people are given clear and observable permission to do the things they set out to do. Not so with experts.
In most cases, we have to give permission to ourselves. We have to stand tall, proclaim our expertise, and plant our flag—without any outside body giving us the nod. We can’t point to a framed certificate on the wall to defend our choices. We can’t add letters to our name to gain immediate credibility. We can’t hide.
This is a scary proposition and demands thick skin and true guts, which is why so many hopeful experts are still waiting. Waiting for someone or something to give them permission to charge ahead.
The Truth: You don’t need permission. If you can deliver on your promise of value to your visitor, reader, customer, or client, you have all the permission you need. Stop waiting. Stop learning “just one more thing.” Start now, where you are with what you know and what you have.
If you can’t start without it, I hereby grant you permission to share your expertise with the world. Go.
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Great post, Jason. I think my favorite point is #1, “You must be original.” In business, it’s very important to understand that you don’t have to re-invent the wheel. You’re much better off taking an original spin on an already existing niche. Thanks for sharing.
Jordan,
Absolutely. Millions of people are afraid to open their mouths for fear of saying something that has already been said.
But it’s never been said with their voice, their way, to their listeners.
Everyone has a story to tell that’s all their own. The difference is having the courage to share it.
Thank you, Jordan, for sharing your thoughts and helping to spread the truth about this topic.
If there’s anything I can do to help you take your expertise to the next level, email me at jasonmgracia@gmail.com. I’d love to help in any way I can.
Jason
Loved this! Especially #2 – When you’re in a field where it seems overcrowded, you can definitely feel like there’s nothing new to contribute. However, your own unique experience in that field can be enough to differentiate you.
Jennifer,
Thank you so much for dropping in! You couldn’t be more correct.
So many potential experts let their insights, gifts, and effort go to waste because they feel like it’s all been done. But no one has ever done it your way.
People come for content, but they stay for character. They stay for you. And there’s only one of those, endlessly unique and fresh.
Jason
Nice one Jason! You really make it feel easy for anyone out there to go and create something they believe in.
And the truth is that it IS easy, once we start believing that it’s possible. A hell of a lot of work? Yes. But it all feels sooo much easier when you are clear on what value you bring.
Thanks!
Rebecca,
When you know it and you love it, it does become a simple process–not easy, but simple.
Billions of people are looking for answers. As experts, we hold those answers in our hearts and heads, through our experiences and expertise.
Once we package that knowledge and know-how in just the right way, the right people will come calling. At that point, all the work is more than worth it, as you know.
Jason
You really blew me away with this amazing article Jason.
For the past 2-weeks I’ve been struggling with my new direction and feeling major inner-resistance.
Your article really resonated and helped me realize “parts” of my direction don’t fit with who I want to be and what I want to do.
And for that all I can say is … Thank You!
Tony,
Thank you so much for your kind words. When you push aside all the details of running online businesses, the code, the traffic tactics, the video, audio, and print, the products and services, you find actual human beings on the other end, and that’s why I do what I do, for people like you.
It sure can be a struggle, can’t it? When we strike out on our own as brave (and sometimes terrified!) entrepreneurs, we realize know one is there to tell us what to do.
That’s our joy and our curse.
But the joy trumps the curse every time. Yes, no one is there to make our decisions for us, but an inch of progress under our own two legs is so much for gratifying that walking a mile for someone else’s shoes. : )
You’re not alone, Tony. Most people are living their lives as people they never planned on being, following a script written for someone else. It takes true courage to break free of that mold and be our true selves, online and off.
I applaud you for your decision to follow your own voice. Keep it going, keep evolving, and keep “you” in the equation from start to finish. In the ends, that’s exactly who we want.
Jason
I really needed to hear this. I’m trying to write an article demystifying a complex topic. The voice in my head said, “There are so many people who know more about this than I do.” Yes there are, but I can still add value with my unique perspective and experience. Thanks!
Heather,
Amen! You might have needed to hear this, but the truth is everyone needs to read your comment. I merely wrote about an idea, but you’re living it, and I couldn’t be happier for you!
You have it perfectly correct–it’s been done before, but not with the unique stroke of your hand.
What’s more, it doesn’t matter how many other people know what you know, or know more than you do. What matters is what your audience needs to learn.
If you can answer their questions, with honesty and integrity and value, you’ve done your job. And you’ve done it well.
Keep going, Heather!
Jason
Hey J, I really like your point that people want results. In the end that’s all that matters. It is so true, and people always think that in order to do something new or try to change careers, they have to pick a new major and start school all over. You just need the courage to start doing, because the real world just cares about results, not planning, schooling, or backgrounds. Great article, thanks for continuing to inspire the rest of us that are slow to believe in ourselves.
Travis,
What a great comment.
Out my office window are people milling about, going through the motions of their days as they for dozens of years before.
And in their minds, at least in most of them, swirls doubt.
It’s a natural reaction to the world around us; we’re afraid to speak up, stand out, be true, be heard.
But then there are people like you and Tony and Rebecca and Jennifer and Angela and Dwayne and Heather and Jordan, people who accept the fear and speak up anyway.
Not only are you sharing your message, which we need to hear, you’re also giving hope and strength to the masses who are looking for a nudge to share their own ideas and insights.
For that, I thank you.
Jason
I’ve read a few of your guest posts now Jason, and they are always so informative. You give information away freely that I’d be happy to pay for. I totally agree with you on this blog post as well. We do things that are second nature to us so we think that everyone can do it and we don’t give ourselves enough credit. If I don’t know how to do something ‘techie’ I google, youtube, search until I find out how to do it. I thought everyone did this! Turns out they don’t. I had a client ask me how to set up a Facebook fan page the other day. To me that’s second nature, easy peasy. There’s tonnes of these tutorials on the net, yet I did a screenflow for her, showing her how to do it. It reminded me that some years ago, I was in the same position as her and didn’t know how to do it either. We don’t have to be THE expert, we just have to be further ahead, or have more knowledge than others that are just starting out. Thanks again for your informative posts Jason.
Angela,
I honestly don’t know where to begin.
First, is thanks. Thank you for reading my work and for your too-kind comments. As you know, I want to over deliver as much as possible. You all took the time out of your day to read my words, and that means the world to me. The least I can do is return the favor with…more words.
Second, you hit on one of the biggest topics in the “expert world.” Everywhere I look people stop short of sharing their knowledge because they assume everyone knows it.
And what a great example! You’ve experienced it, firsthand, and know how easy it is to think our knowledge is common and, then, how untrue that really is.
The same thing is happening in every nook and niche around us.
Once we stop doubting our expertise and actually put it out into the world, we realize it’s not common at all. Our audiences are starting from square one, a square we mastered long ago.
Jason
PS. I also have to congratulate you for going above and beyond for your client. We need more experts like you!
Love this post! No excuses in 2013 money permission etc. is not necessary to make your dreams happen now.
Dwayne,
You’ve hit the heart of it, saying in two words that which took me many more: no excuses.
No matter what’s standing in your way, no matter the fear or failures, no matter the naysayers, no matter the long stretch of uncharted wilderness before you, you can and should and will make things happen in 2013 and beyond.
No excuses!
Jason
I absolutely love this article, seems like it’s exactly what I needed to read right now! My favorite was #5, waiting for permission. It’s something that I never really considered before, but I definitely think that it may have been slowing me down subconciously!