EP 196: Building An Empire One Piece of Content At A Time With Bonnie Gillespie
The Nitty-Gritty:\n\n\n\n* How Bonnie Gillespie started building her content empire before she even started a business* Why a 3-ring binder was all the evidence she needed to know it was time to write her first book* How she used an automated Twitter account to build her audience and produce a new product from repurposed content* And, why Bonnie doesn\u2019t buy into guru culture\u2014despite being a leader thousands of people look to for guidance\n\n\n\n\n\nWriter\u2019s block\u2014most people who write have experienced that crushing feeling of having nothing to say.\n\n\n\nAnd if finding new customers, convincing them to buy, and developing new products depends on your ability to produce great content, writer\u2019s block can feel worse than an empty bank account.\n\n\n\nBut what if everything we believe about writer\u2019s block and our business\u2019s dependency on a steady stream of new content is wrong?\n\n\n\nThis month, we\u2019re examining the stories of business owners who have planted a seed, watered it, tended it, and helped it grow.\n\n\n\nIn this episode, you\u2019ll learn how Bonnie Gillespie, the author of Self-Management For Actors, planted a seed before she even started her business. Her bridge job as a show business industry columnist blossomed into an empire that is still rooted in the words she wrote over 20 years ago.\n\n\n\nEmail by email, article by article, blog post by blog post, book by book, even tweet by tweet, she\u2019s strategically pieced together her body of work.\n\n\n\nBonnie and I talk about how she realized her first book was waiting to be born, the way she used an automated Twitter account to develop a new product, how she stays in dialogue with her audience to fuel the content she publishes, and why she doesn\u2019t buy into guru culture.\n\n\n\nDo you have a story about planting a seed in your business?\n\n\n\nHave you run a small experiment and watched it transform your business? Have you taken a small step and put yourself on a whole new path? I\u2019d love to hear your story.\n\n\n\nShare it with us on Instagram using the hashtag #explorewhatworks and tag me, @tara_mcmullin. We\u2019ll be sharing your stories throughout the month! And, you\u2019ll be entered to win a free lifetime membership to The What Works Network. For full rules and giveaway instructions, go to explorewhatworks.com/aprilgiveaway. Giveaway closes April 22, 2019.\n\n\n\nNow, let\u2019s find out what works for Bonnie Gillespie!\n\n\n\n\n\nWhat Works Is Brought To You By\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMighty Networks powers brands and businesses \u2013 like yours! \u2013 that bring people together.With a Mighty Network, online business owners just like you can bring together in one place:\n\n\n\n* Your website* Your content* Your courses* Your community* Your events online and in real life* And charge for them\u2026all while building YOUR brand.\n\n\n\nVisit mightynetworks.com to see more examples of brands bringing people together and taking their businesses to the next level.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s tax season\u2026 and that means you\u2019re thinking about whether your books are in order.\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re ready to stop stressing about cleaning up your business finances yourself, it\u2019s time to get Bench.\n\n\n\nBench combines easy to use software with real human beings who do your bookkeeping...