You want to make money, but how?! Sachit Gupta breaks down the steps you need to take to grow your audience and start monetizing your brand. He shares some of the key things you need to consider as a dream driver when launching your business, common mistakes people make when trying to make money, why you need to think strategically if choosing to pursue sponsorships, mindset shifts that need to happen as you scale and much more. Sachit is the founder of SG Media Labs, where he works with some of the biggest podcasters, authors and influencers to help them grow their audience and get paid. Join in on the conversation on social (@dreamsindrive) and use the hashtag #dreamsindrive. Enjoy!
SOME OF THE TOPICS WE DISCUSS:
- Growing up in India and seeing a computer for the first time at 12 years of age
- Highlights of his college days at Carnegie Mellon
- The ingredients to successfully launching your own company
- What really matters when you're launching a business
- The common mistake people make when trying to make money
- The 4 questions you need to ask when working with sponsors/potential advertisers
- Why you shouldn't just say YES to every sponsor
- The importance of setting expectations
- How to figure out who your core audience is
- Why you should think beyond sponsorships
- Why you should start thinking about monetizing from the start
- How to overcome fear of charging and getting paid - the MINDSET SHIFT
- What it takes to build a 6 figure business
- Tips for bettering your marketing/sales skills
*SHOW NOTES: www.dreamsindrive.com/sachit-gupta
*SUBSCRIBE: www.dreamsindrive.com/join
*RESOURCES: www.dreamsindrive.com/free
*FACEBOOK GROUP: www.dreamsindrive.com/facebook
Follow Dreams In Drive on Social:
*twitter.com/dreamsindrive
*instagram.com/dreamsindrive
Follow Sachit Gupta on Social:
*instagram.com/sachitgupta
*twitter.com/sachitgupta
*www.sgmedialabs.com/dreamsindrive
Follow Rana on social:
*instagram.com/rainshineluv
*twitter.com/rainshineluv
What do you do when you're invited to interview the cast of one of your favorite TV shows? You accept, of course! In this episode, I give a #behindthescenes look into my first press junket experience where I interview six key cast members of the Stars show POWER: Omari Hardwick, Lela Loren, Lala Anthony, Rotimi, Nature Naughton, & Joseph Sikora. We discuss how this opportunity came to be and some of my key takeaways at the end of the day. I also include my interview with the cast where they focus in on #dreamdriving-related questions around the themes of hustle, legacy, and self-awareness. This is episode is a little departure from normal, but I hope that you still enjoy.
Join in on the conversation on social (@dreamsindrive) and remember to use the hashtag #dreamsindrive.
QUESTIONS ASKED:
- What do you want the audience to consider when thinking about what it means to be a successful hustler?
- What kind of legacy are your characters trying to leave?
- Is Tommy missing Holly or trying to forget about her?
- What has this season taught you about you are as an individual?
*SHOW NOTES: www.dreamsindrive.com/power-cast-interview
*SUBSCRIBE: www.dreamsindrive.com/join
*RESOURCES: www.dreamsindrive.com/free
*FACEBOOK GROUP: www.dreamsindrive.com/facebook
Follow Dreams In Drive on Social:
*twitter.com/dreamsindrive
*instagram.com/dreamsindrive
Follow Rana on social:
*instagram.com/rainshineluv
*twitter.com/rainshineluv
What does it take to be the leader within your industry? (Especially one that may not be so welcoming to you at first?) We chat with Cora Harrington, Founder and Editor in Chief of The Lingerie Addict, the largest lingerie blog in the world. Cora was inspired to launch The Lingerie Addict after struggling to find an online resource where she could learn more about beautiful lingerie options. Cora opens up about how this "hobby" of hers later transformed into her leaving her non-profit job and running the site full-time. Cora opens up about the major career wins and challenges she has faced along the way including learning the "business side" of running a popular online blog. We even discuss how being a Black woman in the lingerie industry plays into her proudest moments surrounding all that she has been able to accomplish over the past few years. Despite the odds being against her in a myriad of ways, Cora learned to "be willing, able, and enthusiastic" about her successes." Cora's been featured as a lingerie expert on The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Teen Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Racked, and is currently working on her first book. Join in on the conversation on social (@dreamsindrive) using the hashtag #dreamsindrive. Enjoy!
WE DISCUSS:
- What inspired Cora as a child
- How Cora transitioned from working in the non-profit world and running The Lingerie Addict full-time
- The reasons Cora decided to stop using a pen name while running her business
- What Cora did when she first started running The Lingerie Addict full-time
- The type of sponsorship opportunities The Lingerie Addict offers + how to figure out how your rates
- The power of having a niche, targeted audience
- How to teach yourself how to run a blog as a business
- Professionalizing your brand
- How Cora honed in on the brand focus & built The Lingerie Addict audience
- Challenges bloggers often face growing their brand (cash flow, copyrights, trademarking, etc.)
- The side-effects of being super-niche
- The power of relationship building
- The difference between being in the lingerie industry vs. being a fashion/beauty blogger
- Working through self-doubt & time management
- Tips for building a strong team & running a successful site
- Being a Black woman in the lingerie industry
- Cora's take on legacy
*SHOW NOTES: www.dreamsindrive.com/cora-harrington-the-lingerie-addict
*SUBSCRIBE: www.dreamsindrive.com/join
*RESOURCES: www.dreamsindrive.com/free
*FACEBOOK GROUP: www.dreamsindrive.com/facebook
Follow Dreams In Drive on Social:
*twitter.com/dreamsindrive
*instagram.com/dreamsindrive
Follow Cora/ The Lingerie Addict on Social:
*instagram.com/thelingerieaddict
*twitter.com/lingerie_addict
*www.thelingerieaddict.com
Follow Rana on social:
*instagram.com/rainshineluv
*twitter.com/rainshineluv
"The worst way to play the game is not knowing the rules." How do you figure out just what you should be doing with your life? Whether it be knowing what role you should play on your entrepreneurial journey or figuring our what's next on the career ladder, there are steps you can take to solidify your future. We speak with Alexandra Cavoulacos- Founder & COO of TheMuse.com, a career platform used by 50+ million millennials to find a job, learn professional skills or advance in their careers, and by hundreds of companies looking to hire or grow their employer brand. She’s also the co-author of "The New Rules of Work," a modern playbook to help millennials navigate their careers. Alex talks about her own path to entrepreneurship and gives advice for others trying to figure out what "career" means to them and how to get the most out of it. Join in on the conversation on social (@dreamsindrive) and use the hashtag #dreamsindrive. Enjoy!
IN THIS PODCAST WE DISCUSS:
- What inspired Alex as a child + growing up and attending school in France
- Why Alex decided to leave her science career dreams & major in political science at Yale University
- Why internships are important
- How The Muse got started
- The importance of feedback coaching & personal development
- How to be more direct with your approach
- The rules of the business world
- The democratization of information
- How career impacts your intimate life
- What to do if you have an entrepreneurial spirit within a career
- How to find the perfect career just for you
- Why taking control of your personal brand is crucial.
- Are cover letters dead?
- Navigating offer negotiation
*SHOW NOTES: www.dreamsindrive.com/alex-cavoulacos-the-muse
*SUBSCRIBE: www.dreamsindrive.com/join
*RESOURCES: www.dreamsindrive.com/free
*FACEBOOK GROUP: www.dreamsindrive.com/facebook
Follow Dreams In Drive on Social:
*twitter.com/dreamsindrive
*instagram.com/dreamsindrive
Follow Alex Cavoulacos on Social:
*twitter.com/acav
*www.themuse.com
Follow Rana on social:
*instagram.com/rainshineluv
*twitter.com/rainshineluv
You've got this "big idea" - this SOLUTION to a problem that you know people will love and NEED. What's the next steps? How do you go about validating your ideas and figuring out how/if you can actually build a sustainable business model around it? We chat with Morgan DeBaun, CEO of Blavity and a serial creator passionate about living life to the fullest. Morgan has led Blavity to become one the fastest growing digital media startups and a top destination for black youth culture. Morgan talks each step of the business-building process and what you must do to keep momentum alive and grow your brand. She is one of only 12 Black women to raise over 1 million dollars in venture funding and has been featured on Essence, New York Magazine, Teen Vogue, Nylon, and a finalist for 2016 TechCrunch Founder of the Year. Join in on the conversation on social (@dreamsindrive) and use the hashtag #dreamsindrive. Enjoy!
IN THIS PODCAST WE DISCUSS:
- What inspired Morgan as a child
- The early days of Blavity + the core problem that Blavity was trying to solve
- How to validate your idea & outline your target personas/ user personas
- Why data is important + important metrics to focus on
- Major pivots in the Blavity story
- How to monetize your media platform
- How to know if you audience is valuable
- How to be the best
- Understanding your core competency + positioning
- Major challenges experienced building Blavity
- How to build a strong team + building credibility + "digital receipts"
-The unglamorous side of entrepreneurship
- Why Blavity is a tech company*SHOW NOTES: www.dreamsindrive.com/morgan-debaun-blavity
*SUBSCRIBE: www.dreamsindrive.com/join
*RESOURCES: www.dreamsindrive.com/free
*FACEBOOK GROUP: www.dreamsindrive.com/facebook
Follow Dreams In Drive on Social:
*twitter.com/dreamsindrive
*instagram.com/dreamsindrive
Follow Morgan DeBaun on Social:
*instagram.com/morgandebaun
*twitter.com/morgandebaun
*www.blavity.com
Follow Rana on social:
*instagram.com/rainshineluv
*twitter.com/rainshineluv