Oh, I’m definitely in dangerous territory now… but I’ve started this thing, so I might as well finish it.
First, let me say that there’s no “bait and switch” or happy misunderstanding associated with this blog post, or it’s title. I mean it. The VAST majority of my contemporaries… PARTICULARLY those showing you how to grow your business… and MOST SPECIFICALLY those selling you “passive income” tools and strategies and “coaching program” and “group coaching” techniques are DEAD WRONG and heading in the wrong direction.
Let me explain.
My initial confirmation of how dead wrong these people are came a couple years ago. I met three very successful, respectable women who had just attended a popular guru’s event. This particular guru preached “passive income.” You know, the income while you sleep in a hammock on a beach model.
They shared many hilarious details of the event with me, and my then-partner and I discussed “it” (i.e. passive income) later…. almost in a hush hush tone… even though we were completely alone.
Passive income.
I just stared at her and quietly said, “I don’t believe in it.” NOT shockingly, neither did she. And she’s always been all about real world success. Recurring revenue? Oh yes. Consistent revenue? YOU BETCHA. But passive? Not so much. (Interested in CONTINUITY, read more here: https://www.bmichellepippin.com/top-questions-goals-for-experts-continuity-and-events/.)
Fast forward about one year. A guru I have a GREAT deal of respect for launched a sort of done once, leverage to the masses program. A LIFETIME program, but without human element. It was gone after the year. I’m getting more and more convinced.
**QUICK NOTE: Just don’t study what your gurus TELL you to do, study what THEY THEMSELVES actually do.**
And, yesterday… while stealing some precious moments away from the office… I read that AMAZON is acquiring rights to lots of self-help, success, business info-products AND building out product line extensions… like coaching programs and online courses. GULP. Have you SEEN the pressure Amazon is putting on Walmart and Target??? Double GULP.
Yet, most — the VAST MAJORITY — of Business Gurus (and gurus in other genres as well) are going in the wrong direction. They’re trying to deliver MORE online… trying to “leverage” by cutting out the human element of their programs…. heck, they’re even making money teaching OTHER businesses how to deliver more content in a more automated, less human way.
Folks, I’m all for systemization, and even digital tools. BUT, if you are selling your expertise, you’d better not be packaging it without clever safeguards against commoditization. You’d BETTER have some human element involved in what you sell. OTHERWISE, you’re following the WRONG GURU, and they’re leading you STRAIGHT to the small business slaughterhouse of Amazon.com.
**Side note: Amazon’s got a GREAT thing going on… GREAT in many, many ways…. EVEN great for small business…. if we’re willing to differentiate through personal relationship. But, we’ve gotta be willing.**
So, to all of the gurus who act like you can’t leverage a solid six-figure a year practice into a seven-figure a year practice WITHOUT sacrificing the PERSONAL, HUMAN element that YOUR CLIENTS and MINE are desperate for…. Well, to them, I say,
“Watch me.”
I am so over the “get rich fast” tactics I keep seeing everywhere. Thank you for sharing this post!
Thanks Amy!
Great post, Michelle. In these times especially, the models of online – and offline – success that worked even just 5 years ago no longer apply. You are a successful woman in the trenches with a pulse on how business REALLY works in America. Your wisdom and insights are worth their weight in gold. Thank you – and keep it coming!
THanks Tammi…. Um… hope you got my last email. Hope you still love me. =) =) ONE of your particular successes “back in the day” really inspired me… to do more. I’m so thankful for you!
Love this Michelle!!! You go girl, show ’em how its done!!
Thanks! Love seeing you here Leah ! =) =)
The word “passive” automatically translates to many as “easy”, and that sure as heck ain’t the way to grow your business. It’s not easy and it sure ain’t passive… you need to go out there and WORK IT. There is no magic pill, there is no special formula… it’s all about heart, human connection, and hustle. There’s no room for passivity in your business, which is why I will never follow any guru that preaches “passive income.” It’s almost an oxymoron!
Thanks Michelle, I really like the title of the post. I loved reading it.You are absolutely right that programs without human touch are worthless. Especially, I don’t like article automation, when software creates several different articles based on one piece of writing.
In defense of passive income, which I understand as income that doesn’t require your active participation in generating it, home study programs created by coaches for instance, doesn’t require them to spend the same amount of time as if they taught the same program in a live mode.
At the moment I work on two of these programs, I experience them as a client. Authors of these programs created the system around study course that allows them to be minimally present within the program, there are forums where you can discuss any questions you have to master the course, human element is there. This allows them to reach and positively impact much more people than if they were present 100%.
Gulp indeed! The big players are bound to want a piece of the internet marketing pie. Well written post Michelle. One advantage of being a small business is the ability to be flexible and stamp your personality on the business by being my personable in your approach. Take that out and immediately you make yourself a commodity that is competing with a lot of big players with even bigger budgets. Thanks for sharing and I love you direct style.
Absolutely! And I can’t wait to watch your success!
Once I got personal, and got human in my business (after making the mistake of thinking I could do it all on-screen), my whole business world CHANGED for the MUCH BETTER. You’re totally on-track here, and I’m with ya.