Leveling Up with Eric Siu

Latest Episodes:

Should You Publish A Book? May 21, 2021

Show notes

If you have ever thought about writing a book, today’s episode is for you! Eric shares wisdom from his experience of publishing his book, Leveling Up. Tuning in, you’ll hear what you should ask yourself before you write a book, what the publishing process actually entails, and the importance of marketing, as well as the pros and cons of the different publishing models available. While book sales are not a good way to make money, Eric explains the other ways writing a book can help you level up in life and in business.

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:23] What you should ask yourself if you are thinking of publishing a book.
[00:43] Why Eric wrote his book, Leveling Up.
[01:13] Why you shouldn’t write a book if your focus is to make money from it.
[01:42] Thoughts on whether or not people still read books.
[02:09] What goes into publishing a book.
[03:29] The differences between self-publishing, traditional publishing, and hybrid publishing.
[04:34] The importance of marketing your book.
[05:35] Closing thoughts on whether or not you should write a book.
[05:58] The biggest benefit of publishing a book: building an audience.
[06:52] Don’t forget to hit the subscribe and bell buttons.

Resources From The Interview:

Leveling Up

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Growth Everywhere

Single Grain

Leveling Up

Eric Siu on Twitter

Eric Siu on Instagram

Launchpad Business Case Study: Using One Business To Scale Into Multiple Businesses May 20, 2021

Show notes

Launchpad Business Case Study: Using One Business To Scale Into Multiple Businesses

A launchpad business can be any business without a lot of overhead, where you can use the capital gains to scale into multiple other businesses. Today, we speak with Ben Schneider, CEO, and Founder of Jobmofy, who is doing just that. He tells us about Jobmofy, a premium job platform for remote employees that has made more than €10 million in sales from Facebook ads. He explains what led him to start this business, how its security features make it different from other job platforms, and how it generates income in a number of different ways. He also shares how the business is entirely self-funded from his other businesses. Find out how to know when you’re earning enough to scale into a new business venture and how Ben manages his different businesses in today’s bonus episode!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:15] Introduction to Ben Schneider, CEO, and Founder of Jobmofy.
[01:09] How Jobmofy is different from other job platforms: its security features.
[03:27] 95 percent of people on other job platforms aren’t verified and therefore not trustworthy.
[04:02] Ben’s story of being hacked by a developer, which is what lead him to start Jobmofy.
[05:22] The different ways that Jobmofy generates income.
[06:19] Insight into Jobmofy’s revenue and growth rates since launching.
[07:19] How Jobmofy is entirely remote and 100 percent self-funded.
[08:28] Ben and Eric discuss launchpad businesses: how do you know when it is time to scale into something new?
[10:32] How Ben runs his businesses as CEO and Founder, and how his executive teams are structured.
[12:01] The two perspectives in building a business: be very involved like Ben or hire other people and be less involved like Andrew Wilkinson.
[12:46] Business trends that Ben is excited about: remote working, recruiting, and e-commerce.
[13:50] Ben’s favorite business book and business tool.

Resources From The Interview:

Must read book: Rich Dad Poor Dad

Google Drive

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Enterprise Influencer Marketing 101 - How Does It Work? May 19, 2021

Show notes

Today on Leveling Up, Eric looks at enterprise influencer marketing. He introduces the topic by examining a recent survey of 163 enterprise marketers and their experiences with influencer marketing. Tuning in, you’ll hear about how influencer-created content compares to brand-created content and what kind of success enterprise marketers have achieved through it. Find out what type of influencers you should target, what tool you can use to find them, and which channels you should use.

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:20] Before we start, don’t forget to subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast!
[00:28] The results of a survey of enterprise marketers and their experiences with influencer marketing.
[01:03] What we can learn from the fact that 71 percent are increasing their budget for 2021.
[01:24] How influencer-created content compares to brand-created content.
[01:45] Why enterprise marketers should try influencer marketing if they haven’t already.
[02:16] A recommended tool for finding influencers, looking at engagement, and creating campaigns: MightyScout.
[02:32] The most common focus for brand campaigns: micro-influencers.
[03:08] Which channels to pick for influencer marketing.
[03:56] Closing thoughts on why influencer marketing is worth it for enterprises.

Resources From The Interview:

MightyScout

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What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

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Growth Everywhere

Single Grain

Leveling Up

Eric Siu on Twitter

Eric Siu on Instagram

How Dan Martell Helps SaaS Founders Grow By 216% on Average May 17, 2021

Show notes

How Dan Martell Helps SaaS Founders Grow By 216% on Average

Today we talk to Dan Martell, the founder of the Saas Academy, which is currently rebranding as Saas Coach. He is renowned for coaching growth-minded B2B SaaS Founders to achieve their perfect exit and for helping those founders grow by 216 percent on average per year. In today’s episode, he shares openly about his struggles with drugs, the law, and even his weight before he managed to turn his life around and become a millionaire by the age of 27. He explains how his approach to both business and his health has produced results on both fronts. We discuss what makes Dan different from other coaches, how Taki Moore has influenced his coaching, and what his new project High Speed Ventures is all about. Hear about the ‘buy-back’ principle that Dan uses to scale businesses, why customer retention is possibly even more important than growth, and how he helped one client grow from 30k - 140k in monthly recurring revenue. Tune in today!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:41] An introduction to Dan Martell.
[01:02] His troubled past with drugs and jail, and how software became his new addiction.
[01:32] How he became an entrepreneur and a millionaire by the age of 27.
[03:24] The day he shared a vulnerable Instagram post alluding to his weight struggles.
[06:30] What Dan learned and overcame between the ages of 17 and 27.
[09:37] His ‘be, do, have’ philosophy.
[10:21] The history of Sass Academy, now Saas Coach.
[10:51] He describes his three programs: Accelerator, Sass Academy, and the Boardroom Program.
[12:35] What makes Dan different from other coaches out there.
[12:57] The importance of customer retention in his business.
[16:30] Dan’s approach to providing practical solutions instead of selling a dream.
[18:02] Dan shares the details of one of his biggest coaching success stories.
[19:48] Taki Moore’s influence on Dan as a coach and his program.
[21:30] The three pillars: coaching, content, and community.
[24:27] The concept of the growth ceiling; why retention is possibly more important than growth.
[26:01] Dan discusses his other project, High Speed Ventures, and how the networks support each other.
[29:30] He explains the buy-back principle that he uses to scale businesses.
[31:31] Dan’s favorite business tool and his must-read book.

Resources From The Interview:

Must read book: Seeking Wisdom: From Darwin to Munger

The Psychology of Human Misjudgement

Front App

Leave Some Feedback:

What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

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Connect with Eric Siu:

Growth Everywhere

Single Grain

Eric Siu on Twitter

How to Write Cold emails and LinkedIn inMails That Get Responses May 14, 2021

Show notes

Sending cold emails or LinkedIn InMails can feel daunting because you are not sure whether or not you will get a reply. In today’s episode, Eric shares some tips on how to write cold emails and InMails that stand a higher chance of getting a response. Tune in today to hear more!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast!
[00:38] What the LinkedIn report about InMails says about response rates.
[01:03] Why a long cold email is unlikely to get a reply and what to do instead.
[01:47] The value of personalization when sending a cold email or DM.
[03:05] Personalization should be genuine, not robotic.
[04:06] Avoid sending emails on Saturdays, but any other day is generally fine.
[04:51] Individual InMails are more successful than ones sent in bulk.
[05:23] If you are going to use a template, make it super simple so people don’t see that it is one.

Resources From The Interview:

David Ogilvy

Mixmax

Leave Some Feedback:

What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

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Why Clubhouse Is NOT The Next Big Thing May 13, 2021

Show notes

Why Clubhouse Is NOT The Next Big Thing

Despite us investing a significant amount of time on Clubhouse this year, there are good reasons to believe that the new platform will not, in fact, be the next big thing. The chief reasons for this come down to the amount of hours that are necessary to gain any sort of traction, and the competitors that are rising up to challenge Clubhouse in the drop-in audio game. Tune in to hear all about why you can still use Clubhouse, but should avoid going all-in on it.

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:15] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast!
[00:22] The amount of time Eric has spent on Clubhouse early in 2021.
[00:46] Drops in engagement with the platform and the spike in Clubhouse's competitors.
[01:27] The difficulty of establishing a user base and how this counts against Clubhouse.
[02:29] How copying occurs across these social and business platforms.
[02:37] The drop-in audio revolution; no going back from here!
[03:28] Healthier usage hours and managing the way to interact sustainably with the app.
[04:21] The ratio of time to value on Clubhouse; difficulty in weighing the immediate benefits.
[05:29] Don't forget to subscribe!

Resources From The Interview:

Leave Some Feedback:

What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

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Eric Siu on Twitter

How The Morning Brew Co-Founders Hire The Best Media Talent & Think About The Future May 10, 2021

Show notes

How The Morning Brew Co-Founders Hire The Best Media Talent & Think About The Future

Today we speak to Co-Founders Alex Lieberman and Austin Rief of The Morning Brew. This daily email newsletter is an entertaining source of news and information for over three million subscribers. From its small beginnings six years ago, this digital startup has grown to the point where Insider Inc. bought a controlling stake in the company for a reported amount of up to $75 million last year. In the show, Alex and Austin give us some insight into how they began working together and grew the company from a small newsletter into a multi-platform media brand. They explain how they built a strong team and managed to level up by recruiting the right people. Hear about the future of newsletters in light of the success of Substack, how they foresee the development of the creator economy, and what business trends they find most interesting going forward. They also share why they are so prolific on Twitter, their thoughts on other platforms, and how Austin is using his Twitter account for investing. Tune in today!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:14] An introduction to Alex Lieberman, Austin Rief, and the Morning Brew.
[01:09] How Alex and Austin began working together, and how they have maintained a strong partnership over the years.
[04:15] Insight into the business model: How they launched a newsletter and grew into a multi-platform media brand.
[05:50] What the future of newsletters like this in, in light of the success of Substack.
[06:58] The pros and cons of subscription versus ad-based content.
[07:20] How they use standard start-up tools to track revenue.
[08:21] The challenges of building a strong team and how they managed to level up through it.
[10:37] The benefits of recruiting from their own readership.
[11:02] Insight into how they recruit great writers.
[12:14] Alex and Austin explain why they are both prolific on Twitter, and share their thoughts on expanding into other platforms.
[16:12] Austin talks about how he is making $650 000 a quarter through a rolling fund that he promotes on Twitter.
[18:39] The long-term plan for The Morning Brew: Growing the audience as the company continues to grow into a multi-platform media brand.
[20:45] The business trend Alex is most excited about: the development the of creator economy.
[22:17] Why Austin is interested in businesses that support creators.
[24:56] Some figures related to the success of the business.
[25:26] Why they chose to sell part of the business to Insider Inc.
[25:51] Alex and Austin share their favorite business books.
[27:58] As Alex and Austin tend to be addicted to social media, they share their favorite business tools for monitoring their time online.

Resources From The Interview:

Must read book: 7 Powers

Must read book: Traction

Leave Some Feedback:

What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

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Connect with Eric Siu:

Growth Everywhere

Single Grain

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What Are Shoppable Livestreams? May 07, 2021

Show notes

What Are Shoppable Livestreams?

In today’s episode, Eric talks about shoppable live streaming, which is a livestream where someone talks about products that viewers can buy. He provides statistics to demonstrate the success of Amazon live streaming and describes some of his own success with selling his book live on Clubhouse. Find out what we can learn from the success of shoppable live streaming in China, the different platforms you can use, and how valuable it can be to those in e-commerce.

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:14] Eric starts by explaining what shoppable livestreams are.
[00:41] How Amazon is using shoppable livestreams.
[01:18] Eric’s success with his book live in a Clubhouse room.
[01:48] Why conversion rates are so high.
[01:59] Some statistics that demonstrate the growth of shoppable livestreams.
[03:00] The benefits of educating yourself about Amazon live streaming and learning from the success of the Chinese if you’re in e-commerce.
[03:21] Different platforms you can use for shoppable live streaming.
[03:38] Resources that may help you stay ahead of developing trends.
[03:48] If you enjoyed this episode, hit the like button!

Resources From The Interview:

Leave Some Feedback:

What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

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Connect with Eric Siu:

Growth Everywhere

Single Grain

Eric Siu on Twitter

How To Start A Digital Marketing Agency in 2021 May 06, 2021

Show notes

Whether you want to be self-employed or create a source of income to fund other projects, there are many good reasons to start your own digital marketing agency. Today, Eric breaks down a step-by-step guide on how you can do this. From reaching out to the people you most want to work with, to creating content to target them, finding work through different sources, and building a network, he covers all the bases. To level up from starting your side hustle to reaching your first 100k, tune in today.

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:13] Eric introduces today’s topic by mentioning some of the reasons you might want to start a digital marketing agency.
[01:02] The goal: your first 100k or to replace your salary.
[01:23] Why companies should encourage their employees to have side hustles.
[01:54] Eric’s experience of being fired for having a side hustle.
[02:16] Reaching out to your Dream 100: the top 100 people you want to work with.
[02:36] Different channels you can use to reach out to people.
[03:05] Decide on your niche and create content that targets the people you want to work with.
[03:28] Why you should choose one channel first.
[03:45] Reach out to five people a day and demonstrate your skills with a loom cast.
[04:24] At first, charge whatever you can.
[04:47] Get listed on digital marketing websites and job portals.
[05:10] Be proactive: put out one piece of content and reach out to people every single day.
[05:44] Your network is your net worth: connect yourself with like-minded people through virtual or in-person networks.
[07:15] Hire some freelancers and level up to full-timers.
[07:39] Eric will make another video on how to level up from six figures to seven.
[07:54] If you enjoyed this video, check out the next video, and don’t forget to like, review and subscribe.

Resources From The Interview:

Single Grain

The Ultimate Sales Machine

Leave Some Feedback:

What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

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Connect with Eric Siu:

Growth Everywhere

Single Grain

Eric Siu on Twitter

Reaction to Google Ads Insights May 05, 2021

Show notes

Today, Eric looks at the new Google Ads Insights, which surfaces trends tailored to your business so that you can see if you're keeping up with demand for trending products or services, and proactively formulate campaigns for related products. Hear about how this is Google’s way of trying to protect their ad revenue in the face of increased competition, and the implications of these increasingly AI automated processes on the future of marketing agencies. Tuen in today!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:13] An introduction to Google Ads Insights and what it means for you as an advertiser.
[00:29] What it does: it tells you trending keywords to help you proactively formulate campaigns for related products.
[01:21] Google's incentive: they want you to spend more on ads.
[01:42] How Google is trying to protect its ad revenue in the face of increased competition.
[01:59] How computers are increasingly automating these processes for us.
[02:25] Why agencies need to evolve over time, especially on the creative front, as machines get better at optimizing and more decisions are made by AI.
[03:00] Let Eric know your thoughts in the comments, subscribe, and like.

Resources From The Interview: