Issue # 110 | October 1st, 2024

Presented by Premium Ghostwriting Academy​

Hey, it’s Pat!

When I recorded episode nine of The Smart Passive Income Podcast back in 2010, I was still new to podcasting, and frankly, I had no idea what I was doing. It wasn’t until about episode 50 that things started to click.

Thankfully, I hit the record button to capture some conversations with great people who did most of the heavy lifting for me — like Nicole Dean, my featured guest in episode nine.

The Internet was a wild place back then. People subscribed to RSS feeds to read blogs from their favorite writers, podcasting was not mainstream yet, and eBooks were still weird to people. Nicole, however, taught me some important lessons in that episode — two of which I’d like to highlight today because they continue to guide me in building a successful online business.

As always, thank you for being a subscriber. Now, let’s get unstuck.

Quote of the Week

"Success is not about being the best. It's about always getting better."

—Behdad Sami

Story of the Week

Now, let’s dive into the two lessons that Nicole shared on the podcast that still resonate with me — and I think you’ll find them valuable, too.

Lesson #1: Embrace Your Unfair Advantage

Nicole was the first person to introduce me to the concept of an “unfair advantage,” and it completely shifted my perspective. Each of us has something unique that we bring to the table — something that sets us apart. It could be an experience, a talent, or even connections that open doors in ways others might not be able to.

For me, my “unfair advantage” was actually getting laid off. Sounds strange, right? But that experience became the cornerstone of my story as an entrepreneur. I could share that struggle with others who had lost their jobs (or wanted out of them), and it helped me connect on a deeper level. It wasn’t just a setback — it became part of my superpower.

Here’s a look at others who have tapped into their unfair advantage:

• John Lee Dumas leaned into his disciplined work ethic, shaped by his military background, to launch the first daily podcast for entrepreneurs.
• Sally Hogshead turned her deep understanding of human behavior into the Fascinate Test, a widely respected tool for understanding what makes people and brands stand out.
• Ali Abdaal's unfair advantage is his ability to take complex topics — especially around productivity, learning, and entrepreneurship — and break them down into simple, actionable, and relatable steps. While his background as a doctor adds credibility, his real edge comes from how he combines this expertise with clear, engaging storytelling.

In my Pokémon content, I leaned into storytelling and my comfort with filming in public — something many other creators were hesitant to do. It became my differentiator.

So, what’s your unfair advantage? Think about:

• What experiences have shaped who you are?
• What comes naturally to you that others might struggle with?
• What strengths can you bring into your work that might be overlooked?

Use these reflections to identify how your unique advantage can be woven into your business — it’s often what sets you apart in a crowded marketplace.

Lesson #2: Make the Internet a Better Place

Nicole also shared a simple but powerful idea: “Make the Internet a better place.” It’s a reminder to show up with the intention of contributing something positive. In a world full of distractions and noise, adding value to someone’s day — through your content, your products, or your interactions — can make all the difference.

For me, this became my guiding principle: Serve first. Whether it's creating content or growing a business, focusing on serving others ensures you’re building something meaningful.

So, I’ll leave you with this: How are you making the Internet a better place today?

You have an unfair advantage. Now, go use it to serve others.

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SPI News and Notes

Community is a vital driver of growth, but nurturing one that fosters connection and development can be challenging. Join our Experts in Residence — Amy Nelson, Yasmine Salem Hamdan, and Caleb Wojcik — for this month’s SPI Pro Fireside Chat on October 10th at 9:00 AM PT / 12:00 PM ET. Discover effective strategies for creating vibrant communities that promote camaraderie and deliver meaningful impact for your members. Learn more here.​

How do you convert website visitors into buyers? What makes a landing page effective for growing your newsletter subscribers? What’s the right balance between copy and design for optimal results? Tune in to the latest episode of The Smart Passive Income podcast, where I tackle these questions and more with guest Martin Cris. We explore impactful headlines, compelling client testimonials, essential design dos and don’ts, and how to leverage AI to refine your messaging.

Don’t forget to follow your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and catch the latest episodes!

Ready to launch your dream business while staying 100% compliant? Join me and Arjun Mahadevan (Founder and CEO of doola) for a FREE live masterclass on Thursday, October 17th, at 12:00 PM PT / 3:00 PM ET, where we’ll break down the critical aspects of the Big Three: Formation, Finances, and Federal Taxes. We’ll cover how to identify your business needs, the requirements to consider, and whether to register as an LLC or C Corp. Don’t miss out — click here to register automatically!​

Dad Joke of the Week

6:30 is my favorite time of day, hands down.

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Pat's Pick

YouTube just announced a wild new upcoming feature that promises to help support smaller channels that deserve more exposure. I love the idea of helping smaller channels gain momentum — it’s absolutely needed — but I’m not sure if this is the right way to do it.
​
The new feature is called…

​HYPE, and here’s how it works:
​
Videos from small channels (under a certain subscriber count) that are less than seven days old will have a chance to be hyped, which is similar to a “like”. There will be a hype button a viewer can tap, but here’s the thing — viewers only get three hypes per week.
​
Videos with the most hypes get placed on a leaderboard of top-hyped videos, and those videos will gain exposure on YouTube’s homepage for everyone.
​
I like the idea behind it, but as with anything, I imagine that this will be abused in some way. Will we eventually see hype farms that people can pay for? I hope not. At the very least, I’m grateful that YouTube is trying to find a solution to help smaller creators grow. Here’s a video from VidIQ with some more in-depth information about it:
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​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcrB81ObDQI​

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Cheers,

Pat Flynn

Founder, SPI