Virtual Business Lifestyle - Online Business, Start-Up, Entrepreneurship, Lifestyle Design and Outsourcing Advice

Great people do great things. It's a simple way of looking at life. Todays guest is Jonathan Fields. Dad, New Yorker, Entrepreneur, ex-Wall Street Lawyer, Professional Speaker, and amongst other things, a very nice gentleman who went from working 80-hour weeks to starting one successful business after another! When I contacted Jonathan to be on the podcast we had only shared a couple of tweets together. Never met, never spoke before. But, I knew of him alright, like thousands of other 'hungry' entrepreneurs worldwide through the pages of his blog (http://jonathanfields.com) and his excellent book, Career Renegade: How to Make a Great Living Doing What You Love (http://www.amazon.com/Career-Renegade-Great-Living-Doing/dp/0767927419/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219895179&sr=8-1)! Throughout the course of our chat, Jonathan and I discuss, amongst other things: * The mistakes people make when starting their own businesses. * How to understand the psychology of your business model. * His thoughts on passive income, and why its a little misleading. * How he went from working as a consultant 25% of the time to virtually doing none now, and WHY! * His thoughts on SEO for bloggers. * The power behind social media for sharing content online and why its more important than SEO. * Plus much, much more! Play or download the audio of this VBL Podcast (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/vbl-podcast/) (below) to listen to it on your iPod, iPhone, or iPad and be sure to subscribe on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/ph/podcast/virtual-business-lifestyle/id377846535), too! Going from a New York, Wall St lawyer to personal trainer, to fitness club owner, to speaker, consultant, author and a whole bunch of other achievements was probably not the easiest path! But, here's Jonathan, doing what he LOVES to do for a 'living', and spreading the importance of that exact concept better than anyone else out there, as far as I'm concerned. FYI, Jonathan is also speaking at Chris Guillebeau's 'World Domination Summit (http://worlddominationsummit.com/)' in Portland in a few days... So, if you're close by, you might wanna check it out. I sincerely wish I was going, I know that much! If you've not got to know Jonathan yet, spend some time with him (http://jonathanfields.com/), and be sure to mention you're part of the VBL Community. He is a walking, talking business class act! Are you in the process of just starting a business? Got questions or ideas you want to share with the VBL Tribe? Let us all know below in the comment section, and perhaps we can help out!

(http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/adam-baker.png) In this session of the Virtual Business Lifestyle Podcast I sit down and chat with Adam Baker, or 'Baker' as he is more affectionately known as online, from ManvsDebt.com (http://ManvsDebt.com) - a phenomenally successful personal finance and lifestyle design blog. FYI, this was a video interview, but the connection wasn't great, so I have turned it into audio only. I've followed Baker online on-and-off for well over a year. It was the image that you see on this page (which is the header for his blog) that got my attention straight off the bat. His little girl peering over his shoulder as they obviously had lots of fun together slammed home with me immediately, being a Dad myself. Baker's story is unbelievable. He was ridiculously in debt - to the tune of well over $70,000. He and his wife literally sold everything, paid off their consumer debt (leaving just student loans) and moved to Australia with his family for a year to start getting their lives in order. On this call myself and Baker discuss, amongst other things, the following: * How he got into debt, and what he's doing to get out of debt. * Choosing where he invests his emotions and time. * My ridiculously old CompuServe email address! * His tour of the US in an RV which has been sponsored for the entire trip! * His entrepreneurial drive and how he stays productive on the road. * The love and affection he has for his family, and why everything he does is for them. * Much, much more... Play or download the audio of this VBL Podcast (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/vbl-podcast/) (below) to listen to it on your iPod, iPhone, or iPad and be sure to subscribe on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/ph/podcast/virtual-business-lifestyle/id377846535), too! Baker and his 'get debt free' exploits have been featured on high-end press outlets such as USA Today, CNN, Fox Business and MSN to name, but a few. There's a reason for this as far as I'm concerned... He aint the only one in this situation! There are people in debt all over the world, and in the US particularly, where Baker is from and lives - and because of that people can relate with his situation. Check out Baker's blog, ManvsDebt (http://ManvsDebt.com) and be sure to also see what he's up to at YouvsDebt.com (http://YouvsDebt.com) and his latest online 'movement' with VBL friend Corbett Barr, over at The Hustle Project (http://virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/hustle) (be sure to view the interview I did with Corbett (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/2011/05/how-to-hustle/) on this exciting project, too!). What about you guys? Are you in debt? What are you doing to get out of it? Have you already removed debt from your life? As aspiring, and hard working entrepreneurs, focusing on this type of thing is important. I'd be interested to hear some fo your own personal stories (you don't have to get too personal if you don't want to!), in the comment section below - perhaps we can help each other out a little, too!

Corbett Barr has fast become one of my closest buddies online. There's a few reasons for this... Firstly, he is a super-nice guy with a genuine friendly, helpful demeanor. Secondly, he is a very, VERY smart entrepreneur that came from a corporate background, like myself (so we have plenty in common!), and lastly because he makes a great cocktail..!!! As the founder of Think Traffic (http://thinktraffic.net), a blog dedicated to helping people get more traffic to their blog and websites, he's had marvelous success with his most recent online venture 'Traffic School', and talks about that, and many other things in this interview. Subject matters such as the following are also discussed: * How Corbett went from corporate guy, to start-up dude to self-employed, pro-blogger. * Why you should be focusing on creating epic content to attract traffic and keep it. * How Corbett escaped the 9-5 grind and went out on his own. * The excitement of working on his latest product for 4 months and launching it to a huge list of potential buyers - selling out in just 36 hours. * How he convinced big names like Gary Vaynerchuk, Leo Babauta and others to be involved! * Much, much more great stuff..! Play or download the audio of this VBL Podcast (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/vbl-podcast/) (below) to listen to it on your iPod, iPhone, or iPad and be sure to subscribe on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/ph/podcast/virtual-business-lifestyle/id377846535), too! Corbett is as solid of an online entrepreneur as you'll ever get. He knows his niche very well. He focuses on putting out the absolute best content. And most importantly, he always delivers. There's a lot to be said for that online nowadays. Find out more about Corbett and his online exploits at ThinkTraffic.net (http://ThinkTraffic.net) and his more 'personal' and quite frank blog over at CorbettBarr.com (http://CorbettBarr.com).

When it comes to living a seriously extreme lifestyle, on your own terms and making the most of every second available to you, and a travel schedule, there aren't many people out there that does it better than todays guest (or is it latest victim!) - Colin Wright from ExileLifestyle.com (http://ExileLifestyle.com). (http://ExileLifestyle.com) Colin and I only really just recently 'met' online, but I've been a fan for ages and ages. His freebie eBook's are what caught my attention first. Cracking quality, spectacular design and solid message put them all at the top of every lifestyle designer's 'download or die' list! My favorite being his 'Personal Branding' (http://ebookling.com/items/personal-branding) publication. Although the video side of Colin's connection let us down a little on this, I decided to post our video (instead of just audio, which I've done on occasion when the video has been poor in quality) just because of the interaction we had. You can see that we genuinely got on well, and that the entrepreneurial 'bounce' is there in our conversation. In todays podcast episode myself and Colin discuss, amongst other things: * How and why Colin allows his readers and followers pick where he's going to travel to, and live for short bursts of time. * How Colin switched up his business philosophies when he wanted to 'hit the road'. * How he visited 25 different cities in 6 weeks, with two other bloggers. * The difference between focusing on one niche and spreading your focus and diversifying your income. * How he focuses on work, even though he's consistently traveling, and the tools he uses to do so. * His focus on creating great free content in his fantastic eBooks. * Much, much more...! Play or download the audio of this VBL Podcast (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/vbl-podcast/) (below) to listen to it on your iPod, iPhone, or iPad and be sure to subscribe on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/ph/podcast/virtual-business-lifestyle/id377846535), too! Another thing worth noting about Colin his is incredible sense of humor. Light, fun and always up for a laugh, I encourage you to check out his great blog, and his musings via Twitter (http://twitter.com/colinismyname), too. Stay tuned at Colin's online spaces. Great things are coming his way, for sure... If you liked this interview, please give it a quick mention on Facebook and Twitter, by clicking the buttons below, and feel free to leave your comments below, too. Thanks for the support!

Every now and then you get the chance to meet and converse with an entrepreneur that kinda blows your socks off. My guest today, Timothy Sykes (http://www.timothysykes.com/), is one of those guys! Tim exudes confidence, you have to love him for that alone. But, if you couple that together with the fact that he turned $12,000 of gift money into over $2,000,000 trading stocks and that last year he made well over $1,000,000 (yes, thats 6 zeros there!) with his blog, and affiliated products and services online - its easy to see that this guy is more than just confident. He's plain SMART!!! I've stressed, time and time again, on the importance of building a personal brand online, and what it can mean to an entrepreneur for the long-term a lot on this blog. Tim's dedication to his brand and his loyal followers/subscribers is testament to the fact that if you put in the effort, the rewards will come. Throughout the course of chat we discuss, amongst other things: * How he got started as an entrepreneur, whilst still a freshman. * What keeps him fired-up and ready to get to work everyday (he average 16-17 hours a day!). * How he positioned himself, through pure personality, in a market niche with lots of 'gurus'. * How he genuinely takes time for his clients, to help them - and make more money! * The things he does to create a crazy amount of email sign-up's - all amounting to more click-thru sales. * The reason why he drops the odd f-bomb in interviews, and especially in online video. * Plus lots of great stuff... Trust me, this is a great interview! Play or download the audio of this VBL Podcast (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/vbl-podcast/) (below) to listen to it on your iPod, iPhone, or iPad and be sure to subscribe on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/ph/podcast/virtual-business-lifestyle/id377846535), too! I always talk about my biggest takeaway from these interviews that I do, from a personal perspective. In this case it was the 'balls to the wall' attitude that Tim possess. I mean, the guy has made more than $50,000 in a day - one more than just a few occasions. The reason behind this is because he hustles. Plain and simple. He gets up early, works his ass off and does a phenomenal job on making things happen. Even if you're not into the stock market, or trading in any way, there is still a lot to be learned from Timothy Sykes. So, make sure you visit his blog (http://timothysykes.com), follow him on Twitter (http://twitter.com/timothysykes) and stay tuned on what he's up to. I have a sneaky feeling he's positioned for even more success than he has already encountered, and probably with a lot more zero's attached to it! If you liked this interview, please give it a quick mention on Facebook and Twitter, by clicking the buttons below, and feel free to leave your comment below, as always. I'll try my best to entice Tim across to answer anything you might want to fire at him!

Anyone that knows anything about the online and affiliate marketing world will already be very familiar with the name of today's special guest - blogger, author and speaker, John Chow. With over 126,000 subscribers at his blog (121,000 when we recorded our chat!) he is a guy that has many, many people listening when he talks. I first came across John when I fumbled over his 'Dot Com Lifestyle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF_jIprgrVc&feature=player_embedded)' video on YouTube quite a while back and was then lucky enough to meet him personally last year. We kept in touch via Twitter and recently I was able to corner him for this freakin' fantastic talk on the subject of internet marketing, getting started as an affiliate rockstar and basically everything and anything else 'making money online'. Throughout our conversation, we discuss, amongst other things: * How to grow your blogs subscriber numbers over time. * How to get yourself to the point of taking your first 'making money online'. * How to find the perfect affiliate products to promote on your blog. * Understanding the importance of building a mailing list for your online marketing. * How to set up an entire auto-responder series to keep your audience engaged. * The importance of promoting products with built-in continuity for on-going passive income. * How John averages income of $45,000 a month by blogging full-time and working 2-3 hours a day. * So many more golden pieces of advice! Play or download the audio of this VBL Podcast (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/vbl-podcast/) (below) to listen to it on your iPod, iPhone, or iPad and be sure to subscribe on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/ph/podcast/virtual-business-lifestyle/id377846535), too! One of the biggest takeaways for me from this conversation is that it is all down to the individual, and how they are alloting their time and energy when it comes to focusing on their online money making activities. Sure, John makes it look pretty easy, but, don't forget he's been doing this stuff a long time, and I'm sure he's made plenty of mistakes along the way. Stay focused, hone in on the skills you already posses - whether that be techie skill based, your passion, your experience in business, or simply your drive and ambition and exploit the living daylights out of it. To find out more on John and what he's all about, be sure to visit his blog at JohnChow.com (http://johnchow.com), as well as follow him on Twitter (http://twitter.com/johnchow), too. You'll also be smart to download a copy of his 'Make Money Online' eBook, too, which you can get for free at his blog. If you enjoyed this interview, and even got just a tiny little bit out of it, I'd be very thankful of a quick ReTweet, or Facebook 'Like'. Go on... Hit the buttons below, and thanks for the support!

SPECIAL NOTICE: I am currently in San Francisco and we'll be doing the first ever VBL Meet-Up here, this coming Saturday, in the Union Square area. If you'd like more info on the location / time, just email me (mailto:chris@virtualbusinesslifestyle.com). Here's the deal - as some of you might know, I filmed a whole bunch of great interviews when I was at BlogWorld in Vegas in October last year. Almost all of those interviews have now gone live, except a few. These are not 'late' being released by any stretch of the imagination, I've simply held them back for the right time. And, as I am now starting my travels for the next few weeks, this one with Karol Gajda from RidiculouslyExtraordinary.com (http://RidiculouslyExtraordinary.com) and Matt Gartland from MattGartland.com (http://mattgartland.com/blog/) hits home perfectly. Throughout our conversation, we discuss the finer points of world travel, making money on the go, and staying healthy to maximize the benefits of a nomadic lifestyle, plus much more, such as: * Why Karol enjoys traveling so much, and why having freedom by being his own boss allows him to be a digital nomad. * How Matt keeps an open mind whilst on the road, when it comes to eating healthy. * Why its important to stay fit throughout multi-city trips and travels. * How being healthy keeps you motivated across all aspects of your life. * Much, much more! Play or download the audio of this VBL Podcast (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/vbl-podcast/) (below) to listen to it on your iPod, iPhone, or iPad and be sure to subscribe on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/ph/podcast/virtual-business-lifestyle/id377846535), too! These guys are doing the 'do', as they say. Health conscious and eager to get out there and experience life to the fullest, Karol and Matt are the digital nomad personified. I think they're both great! Both have great online offerings, which you should absolutely check out. SO be sure to spend some time with with Karol over at his blog RidiculouslyExtraordinary.com (http://RidiculouslyExtraordinary.com) and then hop over to Matt's online home, which just recently experienced a great makeover at MattGartland.com (http://mattgartland.com/blog/). What secrets can you share to staying healthy, as a busy entrepreneur on the go...?!

As any small business owner will know, especially when starting out, there is a lot to consider when it comes to starting up a new business idea, and then focusing on that 'idea' to turn it into a full-blown business, with clients and prospects and strategies and costs, etc., involved. Nowadays, technology plays such a huge part in the way that businesses, especially smaller business (both online and off, for that matter, too!) can position themselves in their market space, and most importantly utilize it to enjoy growth. Phil Simon (http://www.thenewsmall.com/blog/) is no stranger to this side of the entrepreneurial world, and as a expert speaker and author on the subject of small business, particularly with a tech slant on the whole thing, I figured cornering Phil for a chat on this subject would do us all a world of good. I wasn't wrong... Throughout the course of our chat, we discuss among other things: * How social media plays a massive role in customer service. * The reasons behind why small business owners shy away from technology. * Why, as new-age entrepreneurs we must embrace a more tech-savvy mindset. * The main game changers when it comes to utilizing online technology for customer service. * Lots more awesome content! Play or download the audio of this VBL Podcast (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/vbl-podcast/) (below) to listen to it on your iPod, iPhone, or iPad and be sure to subscribe on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/ph/podcast/virtual-business-lifestyle/id377846535), too! One of the things that I really enjoyed about this podcast episode was that Phil generally tells it as it is. There is no bullshit here. No fluff. And in todays online marketing world of so-called 'experts', REAL experts, like Phil really do stand out..! Be sure to dig into Phil's new book, too. Entitled 'The New Small (http://thenewsmall.com/)' it goes very deep into the subject of utilizing technology and social media, amongst other topics to enable the 'small acorn' that your business begins as, to turn into a 'mighty oak' of a company!

When I first met Craig Jarrow (http://twitter.com/TMNinja), otherwise known as the Time Management Ninja, he came across to me as someone very sure of what he wanted out of life. That sort of thing sticks with you. We ate lunch, spoke for a couple of hours and have become good buddies since that initial meeting at BlogWorld in Vegas last year. Throughout the course of our chat, we discuss, among other topics: * Why you have to stay out of email, and not 'live inside' it! * Why you shouldn't be using your inbox as a project management system or to-do list. * Craig's favorite tools for productivity on the go. * How to work at airport lounges to achieve great entrepreneurial time management. * How to use your iPad for maximum mobile productivity! * Lots, lots more... Play or download the audio of this VBL Podcast (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/vbl-podcast/) (below) to listen to it on your iPod, iPhone, or iPad and be sure to subscribe on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/ph/podcast/virtual-business-lifestyle/id377846535), too! Entrepreneurs the world over struggle with saving time, and getting more time - no matter what industry they are in. This conversation with Craig certainly sheds a lot of light on a topic that, as an entrepreneur myself, I see never becoming boring to discuss with likeminded souls! To find out more on Craig's philosophies and approach to time management in general, check out TimeManagementNinja.com (http://TimeManagementNinja.com), and tell him the VBL Ninja Clan sent you his way!

David Risley (http://www.davidrisley.com/) is a rare breed in the internet marketing / pro-blogging world. Knowledgable, friendly, doesn't act like a know-it-all and is an all around nice guy, with family at the forefront of everything he does. I love him for that! He has had success after success online, including his extremely popular Blog Masters Club (http://www.davidrisley.com/cmd.php?af=1315299) and has been a full-time, 6-figure blogger for the last 6 years (although blogging for 10 years in total). In one year he even made over $200,000 with just two blogs. Yes, thats right - just TWO blogs. That's 100 grand a pop. Nice!!! Along with having dinner with David, I was able to corner him for this short, but jam-packed-with-tons-of-awesome-info conversation, at BlogWorld last year, and I'm sure you're going to enjoy the resources, tips and tactics that he lays down for any aspiring blogger wanting to monetize their site, and especially for those that are thinking about getting a membership site up and running any time soon. Throughout the course of our chat myself and David chat on, amongst other things: * How David juggles being a 'Work at home Dad', getting things done and keeping focused. * David's success in membership sites and why he prefers this money making avenue to AdSense. * Tips on how to build an online community from scratch. * Getting the balance between creating the content and monitoring a forum for a paid-for community. * David's favorite WP plugins and other tools to start-up and launch membership sites. * His reasons for attending conventions like BlogWorld - networking. Play or download the audio of this VBL Podcast (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/vbl-podcast/) (below) to listen to it on your iPod, iPhone, or iPad and be sure to subscribe on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/ph/podcast/virtual-business-lifestyle/id377846535), too! David was also very kind to allow me to publish a guest post on his blog a while back, on the subject of How to Avoid Bloggers Burnout (http://www.davidrisley.com/avoid-blogging-burnout/), which seemed to go down pretty well, with 50-odd comments. It seems that everywhere I turn online right now people are talking about pro-blogging and in particularly about membership sites and programs. I am glad that I held out on publishing this interview until now, as it is more than relevant right now. My thanks to David for taking the time, and if you'd like to spend a little more time yourself getting to know him, be sure to check out his blog (http://www.davidrisley.com), follow him on Twitter (http://twitter.com/davidrisley/) and download his excellent, and free 'Blogger Blueprint (http://www.davidrisley.com/cmd.php?af=1315299)' (http://www.davidrisley.com/cmd.php?af=1315299) guide, too!

(http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/photo.png) Blogger, author, consultant and new media expert, Chris Garrett (http://www.chrisg.com) has certainly made a name for himself over the time that he's been online. Plus, his humble and down to earth approach when it comes to teaching and coaching has made him one of the most sought after speakers in the online space. He's a river of knowledge! Following hanging out a little in Vegas last year, I recently sat down with Chris (no video guys, sorry!) and had a wonderful conversation with him on the subject of everything from starting your blog in the first, right the way to making money from it. The co-author of Problogger (http://www.amazon.com/ProBlogger-Secrets-Blogging-Six-Figure-Income/dp/0470616342/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1297832669&sr=8-1) (along with Darren Rowse) knows his stuff, thats for sure! Amongst other things, on our call we discussed: * Why blog design IS important, and why you should spend time on it. * How to create a niche, pick the right domain and build your brand in that niche, should you so wish. * The finer points of online networking and how to become 'in demand'. * The difference between 'whats in it for me' and 'whats in it for them'. * How to grow your audience by being yourself and nothing more! * Tons more cool stuff..! Play or download the audio of this VBL Podcast (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/vbl-podcast/) (below) to listen to it on your iPod, iPhone, or iPad and be sure to subscribe on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/ph/podcast/virtual-business-lifestyle/id377846535), too! This interview had several takeaways for me. Firstly, the way that Chris carries himself in general. Some people, when they accumulate a bunch of knowledge either a) keep it to themselves, or b) are very arrogant about it. Chris does niether. He genuinely is one of the nicest guys you could meet, and that impression stays with you. Secondly, and probably even more importantly, is the fact that ANYONE, literally, can make a go out of utilizing blogging and social media to build an online presence and profitable business - regardless of what their experience has been up to the point of starting out. It's open for everyone to get involved. Thanks to 'ChrisG', as he is sometimes referred to online, for taking the time out to chat with me and if you want to get to know a little more about Chris, feel free to hop over to ChrisG.com (http://ChrisG.com) and follow him on Twitter (http://twitter.com/chrisgarrett), too. See you next time, everyone.

Personal branding and the art of creating a brand from scratch is something that a lot of those aspiring to embrace the Virtual Business Lifestyle need to come to grips with. In this episode of the VBL Podcast my guest, Jordan Cooper (http://notaproblog.com), has done exactly that, and in a way that is not only educational, but also entertaining and at times, down right hilarious! The fact of the matter is that we ALL have the ability to be able to help and inspire other people through different forms, all surrounding our passion and what we love to do. Everything from building our brand, starting our blog (as discussed last week with Leo Babauta (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/2011/01/getting-started-in-blogging-with-leo-babauta/)) to creating and launching our own passive income (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/2010/08/passive-income-streams/) products. It all comes down to us, and us alone. Throughout our chat, Jordan and I discuss amongst other topics: * The importance of social media in building a brand. * Why you should try and stand out from the crowd, from the get-go. * The difference between 'owning' your niche and just 'being in one'. * Why Jordan thinks that video is the way the future is going. * Plus much more! Play or download the audio of this VBL Podcast (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/vbl-podcast/) (below) to listen to it on your iPod, iPhone, or iPad and be sure to subscribe on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/ph/podcast/virtual-business-lifestyle/id377846535), too! As a big fan of Jordan's for a while now, I went into this interview knowing he would crack me up at some point, and I would subsequently lose it completely (even though we had spent ample time together doing exactly that before we started filming!), and he did it again, on camera around half way through this really enjoyable chat  - 'Smoke Signals...', just hilarious! To find out more about Jordan, visit him at his online home NotaProBlog.com (http://NotaProBlog.com) and follow him on Twitter (http://twitter.com/notaproblog), too! Any questions for him? Awesome, share them below and I'm sure he'll spin by and answer them for you.

(http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/2011/01/getting-started-in-blogging-with-leo-babauta/screen-shot-2011-01-26-at-5-30/) When it comes to blogging there are a few names that just about everyone involved in the industry knows - Leo Babauta is one of them. His background as a journalist is the perfect platform for a potential successful blogger (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/2010/04/im-a-businessman-first-a-blogger-second/), however, even Leo himself says that blogging has been way kinder to him than journalism was. I met with Leo at BlogWorld last year (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/2010/11/october-2010-virtual-ceo-goal-monthly-blogworld-report/), where I shot a lot of these interviews (they will all start rolling out nicely in the coming weeks and months), and I have to say this one was a highlight of the trip for me. The guy is just too cool! As his schedule was limited, due to speaking commitments at the convention, I had the chance to not only do this interview with him, but also have lunch with him, too, as part of the A-List Blogging round-up of members that were at the event. Overall, a very enjoyable day, to say the least. Through our chat we discuss, among other things: * The single most important 'rule' of getting started in blogging (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/2011/01/how-to-kill-yourself-blogging/). * Why all the widgets and plugins are not really needed to build a great blog. * How to create great content (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/2010/02/can-offshore-virtual-assistants-create-good-quality-original-web-content-the-virtual-business-lifestyle-case-study-day-three/) over and over again. * How to make a fantastic first impression on bloggers that you would like to guest post for. * Why he removed comments from his ZenHabits blog. * Plus much more! Play or download the audio of this VBL Podcast (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/vbl-podcast/) (below) to listen to it on your iPod, iPhone, or iPad and be sure to subscribe on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/ph/podcast/virtual-business-lifestyle/id377846535), too! You'll see and hear from checking this interview out how important the content is on a blog, above and beyond everything else. Like I said, even though the topic is more aimed more at bloggers that are just getting started, there are some real gems of wisdom in here that even more experienced bloggers need a little refresher on! And let's face it, we all need a little refresher, and the chance to go back to basics, from time to time, don't we? Check out Leo on his ZenHabits.net (http://www.zenhabits.net) blog, and be sure to click over to A-List Blogging Bootcamp (http://www.alistbloggingbootcamps.com/) site, too - the content and community is well worth the investment, I assure you.

Every once in a while you come across people that really stand out. I mean, they just have the ability to capture you. You want to follow them, to know more about them and what they do, and HOW they do it. Rob and Kim Murgatroyd from JetsetLife.tv (http://www.JetsetLife.tv) are these types of people. Even though they are married, have a family and run their own businesses online, the couple still find time to spend a chunk of the year traveling to some of the most exotic and 'new rich' destinations in the world. In today's VBL Podcast, myself, Rob and Kim discuss amongst other things: * What started their awesome adventure of discovery and travel. * A funny story from an alcohol-infused evening on a scooter in Europe! * How they plan for their extended trips maticulously (sometimes taking months), to make sure they have the absolute best time possible. * The way they capitalize on their travels by creating top-notch passive income products. * Why they shoot their travel videos and created their 'Secret List'. * Plus much, much more... Play or download the audio of this VBL Podcast (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/vbl-podcast/) (below) to listen to it on your iPod, iPhone, or iPad and be sure to subscribe on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/ph/podcast/virtual-business-lifestyle/id377846535), too! What this couple get up to is what a lot of married people just dream about. The fact that they truly are living the lifestyle they want to, on their terms, is inspiring to say the least. You'll enjoy this interview, everyone - and watch the video if you can - the interaction between us all, visually, makes for much more enjoyable viewing! Rob & Kim's Special Offer for VBL Subscribers As promised, right at the end of the interview, I have a Special Offer for all VBL Subscribers that would like to join Rob and Kim's 'Jet Set Money' program. This is a program that goes into great detail on everything from how to find a quality niche, to outsourcing tips (didn't need any myself!), to traveling the world and visiting exotic locations. Plus, there's a ton of extras, too. (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/special_offer-300x174.jpg)For more info and to sign-up for just $1 - yes, that's right, just ONE DOLLAR, simply click on this special link (http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=1295673). A big thank you to both Rob and Kim for taking the time to chat with me for the podcast - this is one of those interviews that will always be 'in fashion' for people wanting to break free and enjoy the VBL. QUICK REMINDER: If you haven't done so already, please take a little time to take the VBL Survey (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YM9ZGRF), results will be tallied soon! Thanks for tuning in, everyone!

Everyone knows that to be able to brand yourself online nowadays you have to do it in a smart way, and the right way, the FIRST time. The seriousness behind personal branding is getting more and more interjected into the online world, and as entrepreneurs (especially if you are a blogger (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/2010/11/hardest-thing-about-blogging/), too) we need to make sure we take care of our online reputations, by setting up and promoting our brands in the right way. As someone that has been involved in corporate branding for many years, in one way or another, and as someone that recently started building a brand online (http://www.virtualbusinesslifestyle.com/2010/11/social-media-building-business/) (yep - the VBL), I tracked down one of the 'big cats' when it comes to social media and more importantly, utilizing social media to build a personal brand online and off. Trevor Turnbull is a very nice guy. He chats in a friendly way and his openness is all that is needed to be able to engage in a great conversation. His blog, Social Connect Blueprint is a plethora of info on everything social media related. You'll enjoy this chat with Trevor as we discuss, amongst other things: * Why social media can jump-start any branding experience. * How you can network online to build relationships and great business opportunities. * His great experience on Twitter with an Airline. * How you can launch your brand using social media and start building a network online. * Why its so important that you focus on managing and controlling your brand online. * Plus much, much more! Play or download the audio of this VBL Podcast (below) to listen to it on your iPod, iPhone, or iPad and be sure to subscribe on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/ph/podcast/virtual-business-lifestyle/id377846535), too! I'd like to thank Trevor for taking the time to chat with me for the VBL Podcast. I have a feeling this is going to be one of those episodes that is going to be 'evergreen' - in other words, it'll always be relevant - especially to those just getting going with utilizing social media in general. Be sure to stop by Trevor's Blog (http://www.socialconnectblueprint.com/) and follow him on Twitter (http://twitter.com/trevorturnbull) to find out more about his online endeavors! IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY COMPLETED THE 'VBL SURVEY (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YM9ZGRF)', PLEASE TAKE 2MINS TO DO SO, YOUR FEEDBACK IS INVALUABLE - THANKS!