Podcast Summary: Slay The Gatekeeper Episode: Un-Gatekeeping YOUR Questions: Q+A with Courtney
Host: Courtney Johnson
Release Date: February 11, 2025

Courtney Johnson returns with a special Q+A episode on Slay The Gatekeeper, where she addresses a myriad of listener questions spanning topics like digital product creation, personal branding, overcoming burnout, freelancing, and monetizing content. This episode serves as a treasure trove of actionable insights and candid advice, empowering listeners to navigate the complexities of self-growth and entrepreneurial endeavors.

1. Choosing the Right Digital Products and Lead Magnets

Question by Guy Thompson: "How do you decide which digital products or lead magnets to make first?"

Courtney emphasizes leveraging existing successful content to create digital products.
Notable Quote:
"Your top performing post is already proven that your audience wants to hear that topic from you." [02:30]

Key Steps:

• Identify Top Content: Analyze your best-performing posts on your primary platform.
• Build Out: Expand this content into formats like webinars, PDFs, guides, or mini-courses.
• Start Free: Offer the initial product for free to collect email addresses and build your audience.
• Expand Offering: Develop more in-depth products based on the initial free offering.

2. Making a Living as a Video Creator and Personal Brand

Question by Spicy Knives Monroe: "How to make a living as a video creator and personal brand in the next 90 days?"

Courtney acknowledges the challenge but outlines a focused strategy.
Notable Quote:
"Give away an absurd amount of content for free, like if you are giving away an insane amount of content for free, people are going to gravitate towards you." [05:15]

Actionable Steps:

• Daily Posting: Consistently share value-added content every day.
• Create a Compelling Offer: Develop an irresistible offer inspired by principles from "Hundred Million Dollar Offers."
• Brand Collaborations: Start reaching out to brands for gifted collaborations, transitioning them into paid partnerships.
• User-Generated Content (UGC): Engage in UGC to increase visibility and revenue streams.

3. Converting Viewers into Buyers and Customers

Question by Luxtrends Store: "How do you convert viewers into actual buyers and customers?"

Courtney highlights the importance of providing substantial free value to establish authority.
Notable Quote:
"If you are having a hard time converting your audience into paying customers, you're either not giving enough value away or there's something wrong with your product." [08:45]

Strategies:

• Provide Value: For example, a makeup brand should offer tutorials and inspirations to become an authority.
• Build Trust: Ensure your audience perceives you as the go-to resource when they are ready to make a purchase.

4. Handling Copyright and Publishing for Children’s Stories

Question by Brookie Cookie: "I wrote a children's rhyming story, but I want to get it copyrighted first. Where do I begin? Also, how do I get published?"

Courtney advises seeking professional legal assistance and exploring publishing through guidance from her previous podcast episode.
Notable Quote:
"Find a lawyer." [12:10]

Recommendations:

• Copyright: Consult with a lawyer to secure your intellectual property.
• Publishing: Listen to Courtney’s episode with Ellen Polk for detailed publishing strategies.

5. Starting a Podcast

Question by Gula Bodessi: "How to start a podcast?"

Courtney breaks down the process into iterative steps, starting with minimal viable products.
Notable Quote:
"Start extremely, extremely small and then iterate on that." [15:25]

Steps to Launch:

• MVP Approach: Begin with simple formats like one-minute interviews on social media.
• Iterative Improvements: Gradually enhance quality, content depth, and format.
• Professional Setup: Optionally invest in professional production as you scale.

6. Overcoming Burnout from Corporate Jobs

Question by Normalizing the Basics: "How to make money when you're completely burned out from corporate?"

Courtney emphasizes reconnecting with one’s passion to reignite creative energy.
Notable Quote:
"Answer that question, figure out what that thing is, and start doing that thing on the side again." [18:50]

Advice:

• Identify Passion: Reflect on what you would do with unlimited resources.
• Start Small: Begin pursuing your passion alongside your current job to gradually build a new income stream.

7. Diversifying Income Streams

Question by TheJustin Neff: "What's your main sources of income and which ones do you use social media for?"

Courtney outlines her multifaceted income streams, emphasizing the importance of diversification.
Notable Quote:
"My main sources come from brand deals and the educational resources that I'm creating for others." [22:10]

Income Streams Include:

• Brand Deals (≈50%): Collaborations with B2B SaaS companies.
• Digital Products and Courses (≈50%): Cohorts, coaching, and consulting.
• Additional Streams: Airbnb, affiliate marketing, ghostwriting, Patreon, and more.

8. Starting Freelancing

Question by Leah: "Do you think freelancing is the way to go?"

Courtney views freelancing as a transitional step towards greater independence.
Notable Quote:
"Freelancing is a great bridge between corporate world and being on your own." [25:40]

Insights:

• Skill Development: Enhances autonomy and builds confidence.
• Scalability: While beneficial initially, it's not sustainable as a long-term model.

9. Dealing with Career Gaps

Question by Catherine Annabelle: "Can you give some advice for somebody who has a career gap of about 10 months?"

Courtney suggests strategic positioning of the gap to maintain professional momentum.
Notable Quote:
"You either say you were freelancing or you say you had to sign an NDA." [28:00]

Recommendations:

• Strategic Explanation: Frame the gap as freelancing or working under non-disclosure agreements.
• Avoid Negative Explanations: Do not highlight the hiatus negatively.

10. Transitioning Content Creation with ADHD

Question by Julia Wins: "Do you have any advice for people that are on their content creator journey with ADHD?"

Courtney advises building a supportive community and utilizing coworking strategies.
Notable Quote:
"You have to surround yourself with other people that are on the same journey." [30:15]

Tips:

• Community Support: Join meetup groups and networking events.
• Co-Working: Implement body doubling and utilize tools like Flown for structured productivity.

11. Monetizing Spirituality in Tech

Question by Alter Ego: "I just started integrating spirituality in tech. How do I monetize my business?"

Courtney underscores the importance of specificity and problem-solving in offers.
Notable Quote:
"Pick a specific problem and then create an offer around that problem." [34:50]

Steps to Monetize:

• Define Niche: For instance, addressing burnout for tech workers.
• Create Targeted Offers: Develop coaching or courses focused on solving the identified problem.
• Clear Call-to-Action: Utilize tools like Calendly to facilitate bookings and conversions.

12. Responding to Trolling on Social Media

Question by Alter Ego: "How do I deal with the trolls?"

Courtney reframes trolling as a sign of relevance and encourages embracing it.
Notable Quote:
"Trolls are like little engagement fairies that sprinkle magical algorithm dust on your post." [39:20]

Perspective:

• Relevance Indicator: Trolls signify that you have achieved influence.
• Positive Outlook: Thank trolls as they boost engagement and visibility.

13. Adapting to AI in Coaching and Content Creation

Question by Michelle: "Given that people can go to ChatGPT for life coaching, how can a coach position implementation and transformation experiences as the focus offer rather than course info?"

Courtney highlights the unique human elements that differentiate coaches from AI.
Notable Quote:
"Entertainment, community, and implementation are your differentiators." [42:35]

Strategies:

• Entertainment: Deliver content in engaging and personable ways.
• Implementation Support: Offer accountability groups and hands-on support.
• Community Building: Foster connections and networking among course participants.

14. Future of Blogging in 2025

Question by Fit Food Wise: "How do you think blogging will do in 2025?"

Courtney expresses skepticism about traditional blogging's resurgence, favoring platforms like Substack.
Notable Quote:
"Substack is kind of like the new OG blogging." [44:50]

Observations:

• Platform Evolution: Substack is gaining traction, especially among creatives and tech founders.
• Content Conversion: Emphasizes the importance of email sequences over static blog posts.

15. Brand Deals and Content Creation Deliverables

Question by Antonio Lazo: "How do you define brand deals? What type of content or deliverables are you producing?"

Courtney distinguishes between user-generated content and influencer-style promotions.
Notable Quote:
"User generated content is your creating content that's going on their page, not on your page." [47:10]

Types of Brand Deals:

• User-Generated Content (UGC): Creating content for the brand’s platforms without needing a large following.
• Influencer Promotions: Promoting products through various formats like Instagram stories, podcast ads, or written posts.

16. Managing Brand Deals and Outreach

Question by R605Life: "What's your advice or process for brand deals?"

Courtney shares her dual approach of direct outreach and leveraging a brand manager.
Notable Quote:
"Start by making a list of every physical and digital product that I consume." [49:30]

Approach:

• Outreach: Directly message brands expressing genuine interest and usage.
• Brand Manager: Utilize professional assistance to handle negotiations and deals.
• Organic Promotion: Consistently post about brands to organically attract partnerships.

17. Advice for College Students Restarting Careers

Question by Biani E: "As a college student, how would you restart your career from scratch today? Would you go to TikTok, Instagram or LinkedIn first? How do we set ourselves apart from the crowd?"

Courtney recommends prioritizing LinkedIn for its professional network potential.
Notable Quote:
"Start posting on LinkedIn one time per week. And if you make that a habit now, it's going to pay dividends down the road." [52:00]

Guidance:

• Platform Selection: Focus on LinkedIn to build a professional presence.
• Consistency: Regularly post insightful content to stand out in the top 1% of users.
• Skill Development: Enhancing expertise to outperform peers in the job market.

18. Expanding Income Streams: Courtney's Breakdown

Towards the end of the episode, Courtney transparently shares her diverse income streams, illustrating the power of multiple revenue sources.
Notable Quote:
"I have 12 streams of income." [55:00]

Income Breakdown:

• Airbnb: $6K to $10K/month
• Digital Products: $0 to $2K/month
• Brand Deals: $5K to $15K/month
• Affiliate Marketing: $10 to $100/month
• Ghostwriting: $1K to $3K/month
• Patreon: $2K to $3K/month
• Cohorts: $20K per quarter
• Coaching and Consulting: $1K to $5K/month
• Additional Sources: Investments, creator funds, and platform payments.

19. Additional Insights

• Delegation: Inspired by "The Four Hour Work Week," Courtney stresses the importance of delegation for scaling and efficiency.
  Quote:
  "You have to delegate. Period." [57:30]

• Negative Money Mindset: She advises redefining money as a neutral tool and surrounding oneself with ethical exemplars.
  Quote:
  "Money is completely neutral in the same way a hammer is neutral." [50:20]

Conclusion

In this episode of Slay The Gatekeeper, Courtney Johnson delivers a wealth of knowledge tailored to aspiring entrepreneurs and content creators. From strategic digital product development to navigating personal branding and overcoming professional hurdles, her candid responses and actionable advice provide listeners with the tools necessary to dismantle barriers and achieve their goals. Courtney’s emphasis on authenticity, value-driven content, and community-building underscores the essence of un-gatekeeping in today’s competitive landscape.

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