How Justin Welsh built a $2M solo business on LinkedIn

Summary

In this episode of Bootstrap Stories, host interviews Justin Welsh, a former SAS executive turned online educator known as the 'King of LinkedIn'. They delve into content creation strategies, discussing the importance of a pillar piece of content to grow an audience. Welsh shares his journey from sales to building a one-person business with multiple revenue streams, emphasizing the value of engagement and relationship-building on social media. He outlines his content creation process, from idea capture to newsletter crafting, and his approach to finding and expanding his niche based on audience feedback and personal interests.

Takeaways

• 📈 **Content Creation Growth**: Justin Welsh emphasizes the importance of creating a pillar piece of content that can be repurposed to continually grow your audience on the same topic.
• 🎙️ **Podcast Introduction**: The Bootstrap Stories podcast features founders, marketers, and leaders sharing actionable tips for building a successful business, focusing on providing keys to success without fluff.
• 🔍 **Expertise Transition**: Justin's transition from sales in the SAS industry to a content creator was a result of identifying, developing, and monetizing skills he already had, rather than seeking a niche.
• 📚 **Digital Courses**: Digital courses are a significant part of Justin's revenue, with two flagship courses focusing on LinkedIn audience growth and scalable content creation systems.
• 🤝 **Building Trust**: Trust is built through long-form content like newsletters, podcasts, or YouTube channels, which allow deeper insights into the creator's thought process.
• 💼 **Revenue Streams**: Justin has diversified revenue streams including digital courses, advising, coaching, subscription products, and a private community.
• 🔄 **Continuous Learning**: Justin's approach to his business involves continuous learning and adapting, as he moved from focusing on SAS to helping people build online businesses.
• 💬 **Engagement is Key**: Engaging with the audience by responding to comments and fostering relationships is a practice that Justin maintains for audience connection and growth.
• 🌐 **Cross-Platform Presence**: Expanding to multiple platforms like Twitter and Instagram helps in reaching a broader audience and building social proof.
• 🎯 **Targeted Content**: Justin focuses on creating content that resonates with his ideal customer profile (ICP), which revolves around people looking to build a side project or online business.
• 💼 **Business Freedom**: The goal of Justin's business is time freedom, allowing him to enjoy life while making good money without managing a team.
• 🚀 **Strategic Partnerships**: Forming organic relationships with other creators and engaging with their content has led to partnerships that benefit both parties.
• 🗓️ **Organization and Systems**: Justin has developed a robust system for creating content, which includes a nine-step process for generating various content pieces from a single newsletter.
• 💡 **Idea Generation**: Ideas for content come from personal experiences, audience interactions, and the process of giving credit to others who have inspired or contributed to the topic.
• 🌟 **Favorite Resources**: Justin recommends 'Factfulness' by Hans Rosling for its optimistic view of global progress and mentions Harry Mack as a favorite content creator for his skill in freestyle rapping.
• 🧘 **Self-Care**: To regain energy, Justin enjoys activities like long walks, swimming, and traveling, which also serve as sources of inspiration and relaxation.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the Bootstrap Stories podcast?

The Bootstrap Stories podcast focuses on sharing actionable tips from founders, marketers, and subtle leaders to help grow successful businesses, providing keys to succeed at every stage with tested strategies for overcoming business struggles.

How did Justin Welsh describe his transition from working in sales to becoming a content creator?

Justin Welsh transitioned from a 17-year career in sales, primarily in SAS technology, to becoming a content creator by starting on LinkedIn in 2019, sharing his thoughts, and eventually moving to other platforms like Twitter and Instagram. He built courses, offered coaching, and created a private community.

What are the two flagship courses Justin Welsh offers, and what do they teach?

Justin Welsh offers 'The Operating System' which teaches people how to use LinkedIn to grow an audience and business, and 'The Content Operating System', a primer on developing a scalable system for creating high-quality content at scale.

What is the approximate revenue breakdown for Justin Welsh's business?

Justin Welsh's revenue is roughly 70-75% from digital courses, 6-8% from advising early-stage SAS companies, 4-5% from coaching, 7-8% from a subscription product, and 3-4% from a private community, with the remainder from sponsorships and affiliate products.

What is Justin Welsh's strategy for pricing his courses affordably?

Justin Welsh prices his courses affordably to help as many people as possible and to encourage impulse buying. He aims to provide such value that customers feel they received much more than they paid for, which can lead to positive word-of-mouth and increased sales.

How does Justin Welsh approach growing his audience on social media platforms?

Justin Welsh focuses on creating noise and looking for signal by posting content consistently, observing what resonates with his audience, and honing in on those topics. He also emphasizes the importance of building trust and relationships with his audience through various content formats.

What is the structure of Justin Welsh's content creation system?

Justin Welsh's content creation system involves nine steps: idea capture, research, writing a newsletter, editing, pre-newsletter call to action, post-newsletter call to action, creating additional content from the newsletter, turning the newsletter into a Twitter thread, and using a publishing system to distribute content.

How does Justin Welsh engage with his audience on social media?

Justin Welsh spends the first 45 minutes of each morning engaging with almost every person who comments on his posts. He also turns on notifications for select individuals on LinkedIn and Twitter to ensure he engages with their content, fostering deeper relationships and exposing himself to new audiences.

What is Justin Welsh's approach to finding his niche as a content creator?

Justin Welsh believes that niches find you based on the skills you have and develop. He suggests being aware of your skills, developing them, and writing about topics related to those skills. Over time, as you grow your audience and receive feedback, your niche will become clearer.

How does Justin Welsh maintain a balance between creating original content and crediting other creators?

Justin Welsh aims to create original ideas based on his experiences but also credits other creators when he incorporates their ideas or quotes into his content. He believes in giving credit where it's due and sees it as a way to build relationships and provide additional value to his audience.

What are some of the challenges Justin Welsh faced when starting his online content creation journey?

Justin Welsh faced challenges such as consistency in posting content, finding his niche, and developing his writing skill. He overcame these by being persistent, observing audience feedback, and refining his skills over time.