Sat, 8 June 2013
He achieved this in part due to his love of research papers, that the average person finds dry and boring, and pulling out real nuggets of wisdom to craft into killer blog posts. You can find these very blog posts over on his highly popular psychology marketing blog, Sparring Mind. Greg has built an online reputation for writing such in-depth yet incredibly valuable evergreen content and doing it consistently. At first I wondered how he was able to write so prolifically and at that level of quality but turns out it is what he loves to do most, not only on his blog but as the marketing director at software startup Help Scout. With all of his psychology and writing experience, he has mastered a way to compete against the huge players in the online field with bank accounts to match through the power of content alone. In this podcast interview, he shares key content creation strategies that he has used on his blog and Help Scout to regularly outrank authority sites. He also reveals the methods he uses to curate and produce consistent, enticing content so his subscribers look forward to every single post, and how you can do the same. Here is exactly what you will learn in this podcast:
Click on the play button at the top or download this in iTunes or on Stitcher Radio (and do not forget to leave a review as we might feature yours in the next show!). Connect with Greg Ciotti and NatalieTwitter: Tweet @GregoryCiotti Say hi to Natalie on@suitcasepreneur Facebook: Key sites mentioned in this podcast: Sparring Mind recommended books 25 Ways to Thank Your Customer on Slideshare Key tools mentioned: Why my new Podcast Sponsor Sanebox will help you conquer your emailSaneBox has revoutionized my inbox, so when they came to me as a sponsor for my podcast I was like `Hell yeah'. I've been using their cloud service that filters out and summarizes unimportant emails since August last year, and I love it. It works with any email provider, email client or device with nothing to install, download or learn - it just works. It also has lots of other features making email management easier and faster such as automatic follow-up reminders, 1-click-unsubscribe, and snooze folders. It even sends me weekly reports telling me how many hours I have saved thanks to Sanebox each week - on average around 3 hours! Try SaneBox for free and take back control of your inbox today! Will you help me achieve my wish to get 50 reviews before my 50th episode?In just two weeks time I will be releasing Episode 50 of the Suitcase Entrepreneur podcast! Can you believe we have hit half a century of awesome interviews and content?! Well that is what you tell me in the amazing reviews I read on iTunes. As a Podcast Birthday Celebration I would personally like to get 50 reviews on iTunes before the episode goes live, like this one: Listen to this to change your life -- 5 stars. By Maire from Australia "A month ago I came across Natalie's blog after googling 'project management tools' (hello SEO!), became intrigued, and followed the links to this podcast. After listening to the first episode, then the next, and the next, I found I had a whole stack of tools to turn my business location independent, successfully manage it virtually AND the inspiration to follow it through. Next Tuesday myself, my husband and my 5 kids leave Australia on a one way ticket to Fiji, where we plan to spend a couple of months - if all goes well! - and after that, who knows! If we can do it, you can too. Listen to this podcast through and you'll get practical tools to make it happen, loads of ideas from other entrepreneurs on marketing, management, and lifestyle, lots of inspiration, and all bound together in a cohesive, entertaining and easy to listen to way by Natalie. Thank you Natalie!" How you can make my wish come true:
Thank you! I will be making an extra special mention of all reviews in the next two weeks on Episode 50!!
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Mon, 27 May 2013
If you lovedEpisode 42&andEpisode 45of the Suitcase Entrepreneur podcast on self-publishing, becoming an Amazon bestselling author in less than 8 weeks and my Kickstarter campaign, then you will love this episode, which is Part 3 on how to rock crowdfunding.
If you've ever wanted to start a business but didn't think you had the money to do it. Or you wanted to get more attention for your startup but had no email list or online platform to speak of, then I have a solution for you. It's called Crowdfunding, and it's the fastest growing craze to get complete strangers to fund your dreams. In today's podcast episode I'm giving you a prime example of just how effective this tool can be. How to get fully funded and start a business from scratchIt might seem like Katie Rock, CEO and founder of Activyst, along with her cofounders Leigh Orne and Blair Warner, came out of nowhere and made a huge splash in the crowd funding scene. But there was a ton of effort that went into their crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo that saw them surpass their fundraising goal by over $42,000 and essentially launch their new business from scratch! First of all, their Activyst products are awesome with areally strong whyand a lot of passion behind the brand.
Their functional, yet fashion-forward and super cute sports bags that meet the needs of active women, also help fund nonprofits in other countries that support girls in sports. As someone who loves playing Ultimate Frisbee and sports in general, I'm really passionate about this. As you may have noticed when Ibiked 6,500km down Africa last year to raise moneyfor Women Win who support young girls in sport. And to date, they have been able to fund a soccer field in Nicaragua, soccer programs and vocational training in Uganda, and a running coach in Ethiopia. Incredible, right? In this podcast episode, we discuss in-depth the realities of running your own campaign and the effective strategies in PR, marketing, copywriting, video production, and number crunching that made it successful. Here is exactly what you will learn in this podcast:
Click on the play button at the top or download this in iTunesor onStitcher Radio (and do not forget to leave a review as we might feature yours in the next show!). How to successfully crowd fund your dream idea on Kickstarter
I have had so many people ask me how I ran my Kickstarter campaign and what really makes a crowd funding campaign successful that I decided to write a complete guide on it. For the next 10 days only it is available to buy on advanced order for 50% off the normal price (that means). Be first to get it here - oh and you'll get the full audio interview with Katie too.. Connect with Activyst and NatalieTwitter: TweetActivyst Say hi to Natalie on@suitcasepreneur Facebook: Key sites mentioned in this podcast: Say hello to my awesome podcast sponsor SKRoss
The one tool I can not live without, as a Suitcase Entrepreneur, aside from my laptop and passport, is a world travel adaptor. So I am beyond thrilled that the makers of my very adaptor of choice, have stepped up to sponsor my podcast. SKRoss have designed the sexy, sleek, lightweightWorld Travel Adaptor Pro + USB,which includes six different country plugs. You can find the right connection anywhere in the world, and charge two USB devices at the same time, plus you are guaranteed a safe power connection in more than 150 countries on all continents. Head to my unique link to check out why I love this product:skross.com/suitcase In the comments below:Ask me one question that you would love to know the answer to about running your own campaign on Kickstarter or Indiegogo.
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Sun, 12 May 2013
While much of the world loves Chris Ducker for his endearing British accent, there is a tonne more to him than meets the eye (or the ear for that matter). He is a serial entrepreneur with a real offline business he has run for over 10 years in the Philippines as the founder of Virtual Staff Finder. He also runs a popular blog, and his New Business Podcast has grown really quickly with rave reviews. Plus he is regularly called on as a speaker and expert on virtual staffing and outsourcing.
He has been super helpful as a big supporter for my Suitcase Entrepreneur Book, and we started a joint Facebook group accurately titled 'Chris and Natalie's Book Marketing Adventure.' as his book `Virtual Freedom' comes out next year. And he has a cheeky sense of humour like mine, that makes him incredibly easy to get along with. Last time you saw him, we were chatting about outsourcing in his new co-working space in Cebu,Philippines. In that video, he gave the suitcase entrepreneur community awesome insight about all of the juicy benefits of co-working. But today we are talking about something that ever single entrepreneur struggles with...delegation! If you have been feeling the pain of handing stuff over, you are gonna want to get a notebook and pen to write down all of the valuable information that Chris dishes up about effectively outsourcing. We talk about all of the stumbling blocks that really trip people up when they first get going and how to hire the right virtual assistant and virtual team. There are so many misconceptions that new and seasoned entrepreneurs have, and you gotta avoid them if you want to succeed with outsourcing. What's more is you get insight into exactly how Chris filters his email with his virtual assistant and instructions for an exercise that he's been using for years to realise what you should actually be outsourcing. Listen to this episode of the Suitcase Entrepreneur podcast to learn:
Click on the play button at the top or download this in iTunes or Stitcher. I also LOVE reviews, and they really help me spread my message to more people,so take 30 seconds to leave one here on iTunes, and I'll do a shout out to you in an upcoming episode. Connect with Chris Ducker and NatalieTwitter: Tweet Chris Ducker on @chriscducker Say hi to Natalie on@suitcasepreneur Facebook: Key tools and sites mentioned in this podcast: Location 63- Chris's co-working space in Cebu New Business Podcast - Chris's podcast! Chris & Natalie’s Book Marketing Adventures - join our Facebook group 3 Lists to Freedom instructionsGet a piece of paper. Draw down 2 lines. Create 3 columns.
Then ask yourself: Are you working in your business or on your business? Say hello to my awesome podcast sponsor SKRoss
The one tool I cannot live without, as a Suitcase Entrepreneur, aside from my laptop and passport, is a world travel adaptor. So I’m beyond thrilled that the makers of my very adaptor of choice, have stepped up to sponsor my podcast. SKRoss have designed the sexy, sleek, lightweight World Travel Adaptor Pro + USB,which includes six different country plugs. You can find the right connection anywhere in the world, and charge two USB devices at the same time, plus you’re guaranteed a safe power connection in more than 150 countries on all continents. Head to my unique link to check out why I love this product:skross.com/suitcase In the comments below, answer this question:What is one tip that has really worked for you when it comes to outsourcing tasks?ORTell me one thing you're going to delegate today!
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Sun, 28 April 2013
There are just too many reasons not to love Marianne Cantwell - founder of the super engaged movement of free range humans. Marianne is the poster child for showing that you can go Free Range, discover what you really want to do, and get paid for it. She appeals to those of you who want to quit your job, but don't necessarily want to jump into a full on business, and instead craft your life around a freelancing career that suits you. Because she knows her audience so well, she is the master of delivering programs and products that fit their very needs, and as a result, she always has sold out digital programs. What's more she's now a published author of her highly impactful bestselling book Be a Free Range Human: Escape the 9-5, Create a Life You Love and Still Pay the Bills She and I get along incredibly well because we both value freedom, and the ability to work from anywhere in the world. And she's genuine and highly strategic in her business with a serious talent for product development. Oh and did I mention that we both create programs in-flight?
Actually her story is not disimilar to that of Pat Flynn that you can hear about in Episode 44. You'll also find out what she did to make just as much money as she was making in her old job in the first year of business. Plus you'll learn the one strategic question she asks herself when creating anything that can determine whether a product will sell or not. Listen to this episode of the Suitcase Entrepreneur podcast to learn:
Click on the play button at the top or download this in iTunes (and don't forget to leave a review!). Connect with Marianne Cantwell and NatalieTwitter: Tweet Marianne Cantwell on @freerangehumans Say hi to Natalie on @suitcasepreneur Facebook: More goodness: Be a Free Range Human: Escape the 9-5, Create a Life You Love and Still Pay the Bills - Marianne's book! Other items mentioned in this podcast: Chris and Natalie's Book Marketing Adventures- join our Facebook group Say hello to my awesome podcast sponsor SKRoss
The one tool I can’t live without, as a Suitcase Entrepreneur, aside from my laptop and passport, is a world travel adaptor. So I am beyond thrilled that the makers of my very adaptor of choice, have stepped up to sponsor my podcast. SKRoss have designed the sexy, sleek, lightweight World Travel Adaptor Pro + USB, which includes six different country plugs. You can find the right connection anywhere in the world, and charge two USB devices at the same time, plus you are guaranteed a safe power connection in more than 150 countries on all continents. Head to my unique link to check out why I love this product: skross.com/suitcase In the comments below, answer this question:Are you a free-range human or an entrepreneur, and what does that mean to you?
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Mon, 15 April 2013
If you loved Episode 42 of the Suitcase Entrepreneur podcast on self-publishing and becoming an Amazon bestselling author in less than 8 weeks, then you'll love today's episode which is Part 2. In case you didn't know, a few weeks ago my Kickstarter campaign to write my Suitcase Entrepreneur book was 121% funded! It was such a thrill to have close to 200 people back it and believe in my book.Huge thanks again to all that donated. As you can imagine I've learned a ton about crowd sourcing, the art of self-publishing, and the day to day challenge and joy of writing a book. So I've put together this special episode to share all that and more. Plus I bring in special guest Srini Rao, founder of the hugely popular podcast Blogcast FM, The Skool of Life blog and a previous guest on my podcast, to add his recent self publishing success on Amazon into the mix. P.S. At the end of the podcast, I let all of you podcast listeners in on a secret about when the book is launching and where. So stay tuned the entire time! Listen to this episode of the Suitcase Entrepreneur podcast to learn:
Click on the play button at the top or download this in iTunes (and don't forget to leave a review!). Digest the show notesAfter meeting Srini Rao at Blogworld back in 2010, he was good enough to bring me on to his podcast where we discussed Defining Your Audience, Diversifying Your Content, and the Power of Consistent Action While I've always admired how full of energy, ideas, and knowledge he is, I'm even more astonished at how much he's grown in those two years. In fact you could say Srini is on fire, especially considering on his birthday last week he was asked to be a guest for Guy Kawasaki's Google Hangout on self publishing. He's interviewed the likes of Seth Godin, Tim Ferris and just about every major blogger you could think of.His podcast interviews have gone from great to brilliant and he's been steadily building his content and media empire. It's been a fantastic example of how one individual can slowly but surely step into their brand, continue to discover it and grow with it - all the while being incredibly humble about his success. He proved this to me again with the launch of his new book The Small Army Strategy: A Guide for Turning Fans and Followers into Fanatics and Friends for Life, which was self-published and marketed successfully with no budget at all. Not only did he sell over600 copies in the month of March alone, and have 20 reviews in the first 2 days, but all of the content in the book was re-purposed from previous guest posts, and the entire book was crowd sourced through funding and creation. The book is all about how to turn your audience into a rabid, passionate audience, and it's tactical advice that you can use even if you have an audience of just five people. It's incredibly useful, and I know you're going to love all of the practical advice that Srini gives for making sure that your book is a huge success. So get a pen and a notebook ready so you won't miss any of the valuable insight! Connect with Srinivas Rao and NatalieTwitter: Tweet Srinivas Rao on @skooloflife Say hi to Natalie on @suitcasepreneur Facebook: The Skool of Life Suitcase Entrepreneur More goodness: The Small Army Strategy: A Guide for Turning Fans and Followers into Fanatics and Friends for Life Other items mentioned in this podcast: Cher's 22nd Birthday for Charity Chris & Natalie's Book Marketing Adventures - join our Facebook group Say hello to my awesome podcast sponsor SKRoss
So I’m beyond thrilled that the makers of my very adaptor of choice, have stepped up to sponsor my podcast. SKRoss have designed the sexy, sleek, lightweight World Travel Adaptor Pro + USB, which includes six different country plugs. You can find the right connection anywhere in the world, and charge two USB devices at the same time, plus you’re guaranteed a safe power connection in more than 150 countries on all continents. Head to my unique link to check out why I love this product: skross.com/suitcase In the comments below tell me either A) Have you thought about running a crowdfunding campaign?
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Mon, 1 April 2013
Pat Flynn's key strategy is to `be everywhere' and it's obviously working as he is quite simply crushing it online and off, all while being one of the nicest and most genuine guys in the business. He's built a frickin huge platform and amazing brand withSmart Passive Income, and all this by staying true to his core values of being honest and transparent. Let's put this in perspective, Pat has:
Before he took that reign of King Fynn (as I refer to him in this podcast interview), his life was on the exact conventional path that he always imagined. He was an architect in his dream job, and life was going exactly how he wanted including getting a promotion. During this time he was studying for the LEED exam and had created a website to help him study the incredibly difficult material. Given it was such valuable information to others, and written in Pat's honest and deeply informative style, it started getting a ton of traffic. Then, all of a sudden he was laid off in 2008. He was devastated and racked his brain as to what he could do next, that didn't involve getting another job. He came back to his website and thought perhaps he could do something to make money from it, aside from asking people for donations. He wrote a study guide for his site that took around 6 weeks, and put it up for sale on his Green Exam Academy website. The result? He ended up making close to $8,000 in the first month!  The rest is history. He started Smart Passive Income and became his own guinea pig, sharing his wins and failures along the way, even posting monthly income reports for everyone to see.
The incredible thing is, he doesn't actually sell any products or programs, or do coaching or consulting - yet he earns more in one month, than the average person will in a year.
Not only that, Pat loves to give back, by sharing as much as possible on what he learns and applies, so that you can get off your butt too, and try to build your own business.
In this podcast episode he reveals exactly how he's built a huge audience that adores him and essentially monetized himself and his brand.
Listen to this podcast interview with Pat Flynn to learn:
Connect with Pat Flynn and NatalieTwitter: Tweet Pat Flynn on @patflynn Say hi to Natalie on @suitcasepreneur Facebook: More goodness: Let It Go - Pat's new book! Say hello to my awesome sponsor SKRoss
The one tool I cannot live without, as a Suitcase Entrepreneur, aside from my laptop and passport, is a world travel adaptor. So I am beyond thrilled that the makers of my very adaptor of choice, have stepped up to sponsor my podcast. SKRoss have designed the sexy, sleek, lightweight;World Travel Adaptor Pro + USB,which includes six different country plugs. You can find the right connection anywhere in the world, and charge two USB devices at the same time, plus you are guaranteed a safe power connection in more than 150 countries on all continents. Head to my unique link to check out why I love this product: skross.com/suitcase In the comments below let me know what key lesson Pat share that you found most valuable.
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Sun, 17 March 2013
When I first met Californian born Kent Healy, just over 4 years ago, I was pulled toward his positive energy, go-getter attitude, and wealth of wisdom, for such a young guy. We were both on an entrepreneurial retreat in Costa Rica with a bunch of big picture thinking people. Our love of travel and insatiable appetite for learning united us from day one - plus he taught me how to surf. His story involves starting his first skim board business as a teenager, while living in New Zealand, using a ton of iou's from his friends, and evolves into his journey as a published author (six books including one in the best selling Chicken Soup For The Soul series), speaker, blogger, investor and artist.
So when I got the chance to interview him for my podcast, I was so excited to be able to share all of his advice with you, especially since all of his blogs have have a common theme that is encapsulated here on the Suitcase Entrepreneur. And Kent is a writing machine, which also speaks his to levels of productivity and time management, something we discuss his top tips for in this episode. He blogs at The uncommon Life where he provides uncommonsense for an unconventional life with candid insights and observations for living a life on your terms. On Maxims 4 Mavericks he gives concise insights for an uncommon life. In brief, convenient doses to help you learn the maxims original thinkers use to bend reality. Uncommon Musings is random, but worthwhile insights for an uncommon life (and a more intimate look inside Kent's head and life). Just because Kent's not got enough on, his latest work in progress is 25 to Life - a blog that shows you why life after 25 doesn’t have to be a prison sentence - but in fact a quest for lifestyle freedom. So that's why there's lots of juicy content in this interview around productivity, living your best life AND getting your book written, so make sure you stick around until the end (especially around 15:50). Trust me. You'll start working on your half-finished project while you're listening. Here's what you'll learn in this Suitcase Entrepreneur podcast:
Tools mentioned in this article:Get Connected with Natalie and KentTwitter: Connect with Kent Healy on @kent_healy Connect with Natalie on @suitcasepreneur Facebook:
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Mon, 4 March 2013
Did you know that while 90% of us want to write a book, the truth is that only a small percentage of us ever will. Fortunately, that’s changing right before our very eyes. You see, it’s now easier than ever to write and publish your own book. In this podcast episode, I decided to get personal with you, to show you why you no longer have to be beholden to the traditional publishing route to ensure your message gets shared with the world (or even just your friends and family). I've also brought in a special guest, Pam Brossman, to show you how to become an Amazon best selling author in less than 8 weeks. The New Breed of Amazon Best Selling AuthorsThere’s literally nothing stopping you from writing a best selling book, making more money and achieving more notoriety and success with self publishing and digital books, than those published authors who hit the NY Times Best Seller list. I’ve done a LOT of research over the last 6-12 months on what it takes to write a book that will impact people's lives and be one that’s talked about for many years to come. I’ve had several discussions with friends who’ve published their own books and those who received book contracts from major publishing houses (thanks Jenny Blake, Kent Healy, Seth Godin, David Siteman Garland, Chris Guillebeau, Marianne Cantwell and Jaime Tardy). As Seth Godin states:
I’ve looked and dissected all the pros and cons, and my personal decision is that you can indeed publish a world-class book yourself, without the help of a traditional publishing path that is archaic and endangered. What You’ll Learn in this Suitcase Entrepreneur Podcast Episode
Books Mentioned in this Episode:
Tools to Use for Self Publishing:
Get Connected with Natalie, Sean, Danny and Pam
PS. I'd really love your support in the last 12 days of my Kickstarter to ensure my book gets published. Over 123 people have backed my project so far and it's 72% funded, so help me reach 100% with a pledge from just US$8!
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Mon, 18 February 2013
There is one man who I respect more than anyone else in the online marketing world and his name is Clay Collins, founder of LeadBrite. When I first came across him around 2 years ago, I was most drawn to his ridiculous enthusiasm and love of marketing psychology, coupled with his non-spammy strategies and tactics that actually worked. Since then I've seen him morph from one of the most talented product launch experts with 7 figure launches of online programs and products, into making superior software that helps you and I build audiences.
Clay first came into my world when I attended a webinar he was running promoting his Marketing Program. I was so impressed that I joined up, even though at the time it was a substantial monthly investment for me. I recall being somewhat astounded as Tracey, his all-round superstar co-founder, called out a long list of names of people who were joining live, and I honestly thought it was some sleazy sales tactic, until they called my name out too. I knew it was for real and quickly did the math as to how much revenue they had just created in less than 2 hours and simply knew I had a lot to learn from Clay. I went on to delve into his monthly projects which covered pre-selling products before you've even made them, kicking-ass and converting new customers via webinars, how to set up recurring membership sites, lifetime access courses and much more. I then hosted a webinar with Clay and made more as an affiliate in those 2 hours then I had done on all affiliate promotions I'd run the year before. Since then I've gone on to buy LeadPlayer his awesome video software I highly recommend you check out in action in this video blog post. It allows you to capture email leads or create call to action buttons within your actual video which is mega useful. Late last year I made another big investment to work one-on-one with Clay, join his mastermind and get lifetime access to his incredible new software LeadPages, which I believe is truly cutting edge, making it easier than ever to create beautiful squeeze and landing pages that really convert. Had I had any of this software at my fingertips when I started out it would have reduced my learning time and increased my profits significantly. I stil think this area is one that most newbies struggle with when getting started online, and for good reason. Up until now it's been more complex then it needed to be with the need for multiple tools and some coding experience to make it happen. Clay and his team at LeadBrite are changing that, as they say:
What's more Clay gives away a ton of great content for free every week on the Marketing Show videos and podcast, dedicated to ensuring you learn real online marketing tactics and apply them. So as you can tell I'm a big fan. That's why I was so excited when Clay more than agreed to come on my podcast and I know you will learn a lot in this next 30 or so minutes. What You'll Learn In This Suitcase Entrepreneur Podcast Interview
Click on the play button or subscribe in iTunes today. Get Connected With Natalie and Clay
PS I just wanted to say a huge thanks to all my regular podcast listeners. In February alone the number of downloads is already double that of December and the number of 5 Star Reviews and feedback I'm receiving is fantastic.
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Mon, 11 February 2013
As a suitcase entrepreneur, there is no option but to live the lifestyle of a minimalist. It makes it super easy to say no to things that you know you don't need simply because you can't carry them with you. Take a look at all of the stuff you have in the room around you right now. How much of it is totally necessary? How much of it was stuff that you just had to have but haven't used in four years? How much of it was bought to impress other people?
Well, when Joshua Becker, of Becoming Minimalist, took a look around his life, he started to recognize that he was filling it up with stuff he didn't need and that took his time away from his family. He decided to put a stop to the consumption madness. In the beginning, he had no intentions of creating a popular blog that made money, but it happened naturally because he had something to teach that people were hungry to learn. All while maintaining his job as a pastor. What You’ll Learn In This Suitcase Entrepreneur Podcast Interview
Get Connected With Joshua and Natalie
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The Suitcase Entrepreneur Podcast hosted by Natalie Sisson, a Suitcase Entrepreneur and Adventurer who travels the world, running her business while living out of a suitcase. She's all about finding creative ways to run your business from anywhere. In this podcast she interviews other successful entrepreneurs about how they run their business from anywhere using online tools, social media and outsourcing.
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If you are planning on launching a campaign on any crowd funding website, you are going to want to check out this new book I've written.
- Srinivas's book!
