SPI 922: Lessons Learned Running a Community Since 1996 with  Paul Gowder

#923 What happens when real people commit to showing up on camera every day for a solid month? If you've been following my 30-day short-form video challenge, listen in on this episode to hear from two participants who have made the most of this opportunity! First, I chat with Karen Bemmes. Her channel, Gluten Free from the 513, hasn't gone viral yet. Instead, Karen has finally landed on a format that works for her and leveled up her on-camera confidence. She's also started going live more, pulling in thousands of viewers and creating connections around the world! My second guest is Adam Hague from DiceDrinksAndDadJokes. Adam has kept his momentum going well beyond the first 30 days and is getting millions of views on Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. You'll hear all about how he's attracting true superfans documenting his brick-by-brick castle build in daily videos. Join us for a big dose of inspiration! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session923.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#922 Imagine learning from someone who's been running an online community for 30 years. Listen in, because that’s exactly what’s about to happen in today’s incredible episode! That's right! My guest, Paul Gowder, started his website and online business in 1996. He is still doing unbelievable work in his niche at PowWows.com, promoting and celebrating Native American culture and events. With a special focus on live streaming, content strategy, and community building, my chat with Paul is an absolute game-changer for anyone looking to build a legacy! We'll dive into using Ecamm Live to reach audiences across the globe. Paul is also among the growing number of creators who swear by using Facebook in 2026 for massive growth. We're talking something like one hundred and fifty million monetized views per month, so don't miss out on this session! We'll also discuss public and private online communities to arm you with real tactics that can bring your superfans together! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session922.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#921 Social media is just media nowadays. But if you want to foster deep relationships with your audience, email is where the real conversations happen! That's not even the best part, though. I know you'll love that when done right, you can basically 40x every dollar you spend on email marketing. In fact, if you're anything like today's guest, you might even bump that up to $250 for every dollar spent. That's bananas! Listen in on today's episode for a game-changing conversation with Liz Wilcox. From her inspiring community to her next-level email knowledge, Liz is doing everything right and showing up authentically for her audience. Liz is a master at putting her true self out there to build on her highly targeted following and email list. We discuss her growth tactics, creating true passive income, enabling your community members to serve each other, and more. Don't miss this awesome chat! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session921.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#920 Quick, think about tasks and skills that can easily be replaced by AI. Logo design has to be somewhere near the top, right? Well, today's chat with my guest, James Barnard, will shift your perspective on becoming irreplaceable and indispensable. Despite AI companies throwing their full force at his niche, James' logo design business is booming in 2026! This session will open your eyes to the key concepts that can help you thrive no matter how low your AI-powered competitors are willing to sink. Tune in because James shares the exact content creation system he uses to turn short-form video viewers into clients and students. We discuss scripting, on-camera confidence, balancing education and entertainment, choosing the right platforms to post on, finding your ideal publishing schedule, DM automation, and more. James then blew me away with his incredible online community strategy. Listen in to hear how a clever partnership with Adobe is providing next-level value for his members! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session920.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#919 What would you regret more, letting go too early or holding on too long? There's no shame in changing direction when something stops working. Shame only starts creeping in when you stay stuck because you're afraid to make a tough decision! If you have ideas pulling you in multiple directions at once, listen in on today's session to hear how I decide where my focus should go! I'll share and walk you through my Letting Go Matrix. This is a simple four-quadrant tool and exercise that helps you find clarity when your tasks and opportunities become overwhelming. I'll also discuss the five questions you should ask yourself about every major commitment in your life. This will help you gain perspective and overcome the sunk cost fallacy and all-or-nothing thinking clouding your decisions. If you're like me, you need a system to cut through the noise and stay on track. Tune in to move forward with confidence! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session919.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#918 Big vanity numbers don't always build big businesses. That's why going viral should never be our main goal online. Instead, it's all about fostering superfans and redirecting the attention we get toward meaningful interactions! I'm chatting with Mariane Cresp to bring this point home today. She's an absolute expert at using her reach to inspire a deep sense of community among her followers. I'm especially impressed by how she leverages live streaming and tools like Ecamm Live for next-level connection with her niche audience, all while being authentic and relatable. [affiliate link] Mariane explains each step of her process, from getting targeted views to bringing people into her product ecosystem. She shares how to avoid getting overwhelmed as a beginner, how to keep going on the boring days, the importance of taking imperfect action, why you shouldn't get stuck in the learning phase, and more. Tune in for my incredible chat with Mariane! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session918.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#917 What does it feel like to let go of a business you love, one you started with a close friend? Is selling the right move when you know your focus has shifted? In this episode, we'll share a behind-the-scenes look at an especially meaningful exit. I’m joined by my friend, SPI CEO, and business partner Caleb Wojcik as we officially announce the sale of SwitchPod. That's right, the time has come to get out of the physical product space. Caleb and I share the exact circumstances that informed our decision as we look back at how and why we created a camera tripod in the first place. From rough prototypes and flying out to China to crowdfunding success and beyond, we'll share everything leading up to the big sale. If you've ever considered getting into physical products or want to prepare your business for a potential acquisition, don't miss this bittersweet session! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session917.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#916 Being real, sharing your journey, creating consistently, and repurposing your content across multiple platforms are tips I share all the time. But what are the actual results you can get if you finally put yourself out there? Today's episode shines a light on a perfect example of taking action daily. That's because I'm joined by the incredible Shuffle Mamas, Christina Reynolds and Anna Blanc, for an awesome behind-the-scenes look at their success story! Christina and Anna are short-form masters who have grown a major business around their passion for shuffle dancing. Before everyone was talking about authenticity, these Kansas City mothers were already posting their journey as complete beginners, bringing people along for the ride as they developed their skills. Now, they share the joy with the tens of thousands of students enrolled in their dance courses. This is truly what expert brand building looks like in 2026. Tune in! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session916.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#915 If you're still running your business like it's 2025, you're missing out on massive opportunities. Nano niches, live stream shopping, and zero-click marketing are part of the next wave of strategies powering online growth. You're still ahead of the curve if you tune in today, though. That's because, by the end of this episode, you'll know exactly where to focus your efforts, what you need to stop doing right now, and how to position yourself for big wins! I'll dive into the key steps of building a comprehensive social media strategy that serves and scales on the spot and in real-time. And you don't need to wait until you have something like 10,000 followers to start monetizing, either. From dos and don'ts to developing premium skills, I cover it all in this session. Join me to beat the crowd and master digital marketing in 2026! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session915.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#914 Everything has changed. That's my answer to the question of how the world of online business is today versus how it was when I started. Of course, that was in 2008. But my answer is actually the same if I were to compare right now to this time last year. That's why we have a big change coming at SPI! Listen in on today's session because I need to address the "passive income" elephant in the room. Don't get me wrong, not trading your time for money is still a valid goal to shoot for in business. That said, certain terms associated with this concept have developed a scammy connotation. So tune in to hear how this is all contributing to my shift in a new direction! The big change is right around the corner, so join me to hear about my renewed focus on helping you build a business around your superfans! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session914.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.