The Side Hustle Show — Episode Summary

Episode Overview

Title: How To Get Clients From YouTube (Greatest Hits)
Host: Nick Loper
Guest: Joshua Lisec, Professional Ghostwriter
Date: August 25, 2025

In this “Greatest Hits” episode, Nick welcomes back Joshua Lisec, a renowned ghostwriter who’s turned his freelance side hustle into a multi-six-figure business. The conversation dives deep into Joshua’s YouTube-based lead generation system, showing how even a niche YouTube channel with minimal subscribers can continuously attract high-value clients. Listeners receive a practical, step-by-step blueprint for using YouTube and SEO-centric content strategies to win clients, demonstrated with specific tools, metrics, and examples.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Joshua’s Journey and Business Model Evolution

[01:37–03:26]

• Started with low-priced gigs (as low as $1.67/hr on Fiverr), gradually specialized in ghostwriting.
• Bundled several writing services into a single offer: ghostwriting, publishing guidance, and all associated marketing content.
• The combination of service packaging and specializing in book ghostwriting allowed for higher value cases — e.g., one client's book drove $300,000+ in downstream business.
• Joshua leveraged YouTube as a lead generation platform despite a small audience.

Quote:
“If I were to package all of those services together into a single offer where I would ghostwrite your book ... then create all the content they need to market the book ... pretty soon they click the link to book a discovery call and there I have another client.” — Joshua, [02:28]

2. Why YouTube for Getting Clients?

[07:24–14:14]

• Unlike traditional YouTube monetization, which demands mass viewership, Joshua targets keywords with moderate search volume (100–1,000/month).
• YouTube allows prospects to see Joshua’s personality and expertise in action, making the connection more personal than a website can.

Quote:
“You can tell you know what you’re talking about … it shines through so much more than it would if it was just a webpage.” — Nick, [07:00]

3. The Tactical Process: How To Choose Winning Video Topics

[07:24–14:13]

• Step 1: Use Keywords Everywhere
  • Low-cost Chrome extension to identify question-based, buyer-intent keywords with moderate monthly search volume.
  • Populate a spreadsheet with relevant search terms.
• Step 2: Use TubeBuddy
  • Premium tool to score your chances of ranking for each keyword in YouTube’s search results.
  • Cross-reference “score to rank” and “search volume” to find ideal targets.
• Step 3: Video Creation
  • Create content specifically answering those queries.
  • Joshua’s highest performing video: “Book Proposal Template,” which is #1 in search for that keyword.
• No promotion or boosting necessary when targeting the right keywords.

Quote:
“I found that the sweet spot for monthly searches for my business is 100 to 1,000 ... If it’s 40,000 searches a month, big channels have already clogged up the first five pages.” — Joshua, [08:54]

Notable Tip:
“Over 120 videos in, that process alone has been incredible for business. I’m still getting high-ticket services, people finding me from YouTube alone.” — Joshua, [13:14]

4. Video Structure and Production

[18:29–22:45]

• Low-tech, easily repeatable process:
  • Use a smartphone for filming; sometimes combine talking head with over-the-shoulder screen recordings using Loom.
  • Detailed outlines over full scripts; refer to notes while filming.
  • Simple editing using Camtasia or Screencast-O-Matic; overlays and cuts are easy and effective.

Quote:
“To this day, the best video and audio quality is just using my freaking smartphone without any mics or anything like that.” — Joshua, [18:49]

• Joshua creates videos tailored for prospects nearly ready to book a call (“I’m imagining I’m saying it to one person and that’s the person who is going to be on my next discovery call.” — Joshua, [22:45])

5. Call To Action and Lead Capture

[23:02–24:28]

• 50% of videos end with a call-to-action:
  • Direct viewers to book a “free, profitable book roadmap” call (not labeled as just a ‘discovery call’).
  • The link to book is placed at the very top of the YouTube description and as a pinned comment.
• The video outline is pasted as full sentences in the description, maximizing keyword relevance for SEO.
• Use the same set of target keywords as video tags and ensure they also appear in the description.

6. Value-Driven Sales Process

[26:42–28:47]

• Joshua’s website features a Book Value Calculator — this anchors the real value of a project well above what clients might expect from mere book royalties.
• The calculator and other client stories (“Helped a client achieve $1M in masterclass sales following a book launch”) are used for objection handling and to justify high-value pricing.

Quote:
“You’re not just delivering a product or creating a service. You’re delivering an outcome that has value.” — Joshua, [29:35]

7. Content Repurposing for Maximum Reach

[32:01–34:13]

• Embed YouTube videos into blog posts on your website, using the description as the article content; results in two pieces of searchable content targeting both Google and YouTube.
• Some keywords result in Joshua’s content occupying both the #1 YouTube slot and the #2 (blog) on Google.

8. Work-Life Balance and Production Routine

[37:12–38:28]

• Dedicates one day a week (flexible) for YouTube video creation.
• Relies on speech-to-text and book templates to streamline ghostwriting work.

Quote:
“My schedule every day is 6am to 6pm ... the more I’ve done the videos, the shorter it takes.” — Joshua, [37:12]

9. Package & Position Your Services for High Value

[44:35–47:22]

• Don’t charge hourly or “piecemeal” for low-ticket items. Offer comprehensive packages bundling all your value.
• Three-tier offer structure (small, medium, large):
  • Large = full ghostwriting/publishing/marketing package
  • Medium = editing and completion of a work in progress
  • Small = coaching/consulting for those writing themselves

Quote:
“Imagine if you were to take your clientele all the way to producing an incredible return on investment. You might have to offer them several things that in tandem, working together, get them where they need to go.” — Joshua, [44:47]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “There is no such thing as ghostwriter’s block.” — Joshua, [38:39]
• “The book is the gateway drug—the legal gateway drug—to their brand.” — Joshua, [27:42]
• “I’m merely acting in print. I’m portraying each author on the page so that when someone reads my client’s books, no one can tell they work with a ghostwriter.” — Joshua, [42:03]
• “I don’t think I’ll ever stop writing books just because I enjoy it so much ... in my case, whether it’s a musician or an artist, that next commissioned piece, that’s really what I’m doing as a ghostwriter.” — Joshua, [43:35]

Key Timestamps

• 01:37–03:26 — Joshua’s transition from low-ticket freelancing to high-value book ghostwriting
• 07:24–14:14 — The YouTube keyword content strategy (Keywords Everywhere + TubeBuddy)
• 18:29–22:45 — Video structure, production, and overcoming “portfolio” objections
• 23:02–26:42 — Booking calls and maximizing YouTube SEO signals
• 26:42–28:47 — Framing the financial value of a ghostwritten book
• 32:01–34:13 — Content repurposing for Google & YouTube
• 37:12–38:28 — Workflow: balancing marketing, production, and client service
• 44:35–47:22 — High-value packaging and tiered service offers

Actionable Takeaways

• Use small YouTube channels targeting buyer-intent keywords (not mass appeal) to generate qualified leads—no large subscriber base necessary.
• Tools:
  • Keywords Everywhere: For keyword volume/research
  • TubeBuddy: For estimating ability to rank on YouTube
• Structure videos to directly answer target client questions; follow with a clear call to action.
• Repurpose video content as blog posts to double search visibility.
• Bundle your services into premium, outcome-oriented packages to increase client value and reduce “hourly wage” dependence.
• Utilize calculators and case studies on your website to anchor your fees to client outcomes.

Final Tip for Side Hustle Nation

“Convert your hourly services, your individual deliverables, into a single package ... so that people are buying as much of the value you can offer bundled into one thing that gets incredible results.” — Joshua, [44:35]

Explore more:

• Full text summary & all tips: sidehustlenation.com/joshua
• Joshua Lisec’s site: entrepreneurswordsmith.com
• Joshua’s TEDx talk and resource links in episode show notes.

Host sendoff:
"Until next time, let's go out there and make something happen. Hustle on!"