I know you’ve thought about how cool it would be to have a travel blog and earn money doing what you love – endless travel. I think it’s totally cool too.
But, I didn’t start a travel blog because I wanted to travel more and make money travel blogging. I actually started because I had this burning desire to share and to make life more than about just what I could get.
I wanted to help people travel more and change their lives.
I didn’t know anything about business or blogging. I had an idea, saw other people doing it and thought, I can do that too.
I had no idea of what it would turn into or that it would present us with such a wild and fun adventure that’s taken us from a lap around the country to the White House, to speaking gigs and courses, and collaborations with my ultimate dream company, Lonely Planet.
My plan was to just follow my heart, regardless of me not knowing what I was doing. Some would perceive that as a risk, I saw it as an adventure worth taking.
Giant rewards don’t come without giant risks. (Click to tweet)
I wish I did know what I was doing as it would have made the creation of our travel blog business faster and easier. But, the journey is where the magic happens.
The freedom of blogging
Blogging is this amazing tool where ordinary people, like you and me, can do extraordinary things, in a way that is completely defined by us.
No editor telling you to change your words. No boss telling you your ideas suck, who to interview, what story to craft, or when to go to the toilet. No brand protector saying you can’t swear or kick rude abusive commenters out of your community.
I love that I have complete freedom to listen and create the best of what’s inside me, so I can help you create the best version of your life.
Blogging changes lives
One of the greatest moments of our travel blogging journey was running into a reader on our road trip around Australia and listening to him tell me for half an hour how much our blog had helped him.
His life was spiralling out of control. The passion for his job was gone, and it was dragging him away from what really mattered – his relationships to his wife and children. We inspired them to unplug from this chaos and travel around Australia. It pulled him out of his funk, saved his marriage, his health, and reconnected him to his children and to himself.
To have that kind of an impact upon someone’s life is why I do this.
There’s no amount of money or prestige or “free” travel that can bring such a deep level of satisfaction. It’s why when people say to me, “I want a travel blog like you and get free travel,” I want to reply, “You’re totally missing the point and you won’t succeed. There has to be more to it than that.”
When I have those days when I don’t want to do anything, or worse, quit, I take myself back to that moment in that caravan park talking with him. I remember the spine tingles, the goosies, and the tears pricking behind my eyes and I Show Up.
I show up every day because of you. It’s not enough to show up just for me. That’s the biggest message I love to share when it comes to teaching others’ about blogging – what’s your greater mission?
Without something bigger than you, you’ll quit.
Moving from blog to business
I believe in blogging. I believe it can be turned into a business.
Travel blogging may not be your thing. You might be into photography, food, fashion, hair, business, coaching, or writing. Whatever it is, blogs give you the medium to create something valuable: for you and your readers.
A blog is a space that allows a person to creatively express themselves in words in a way that inspires and helps those who read it. Writing holds such transformative power for all those involved in the exchange. It’s why I love having a blog that’s also a business.
Life’s ultimate goal is to make money doing what you love in a way that serves.
You may be struggling with your blog at the moment and unsure in which direction to take it. Or, you might be toying with the idea of starting a blog around your passion.
It’s not easy, but it can be done. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of people who have turned their blog into a business in a wide variety of ways.
My motto is, “if someone else can do it, I can too.”
We were paving a path through unchartered territory when we started our travel blog, and in the process discovered six components to moving from blog to successful business.
These are the areas we consistently focus our attention on, and as a result, have created a full-time blogging business that continues to evolve and grow.
In August last year, I had the honour of presenting a talk on moving from blog to business at Darren Rowse’s Problogger Conference on the Gold Coast.
I was speaking at the same time as another lady and convinced myself that everyone would want to see her and I’d be talking to a set of empty chairs.
I was shocked when a few minutes before I was due to start, the organisers began racing around the conference centre to find extra chairs. It was standing, or sitting on the floor, room only. Wow – I was now speaking to over 300 people.
I loved every second of it. Not only sharing what I know about blogging and business but the feedback I had from many of the attendees who said it gave them a lot to think about and apply to their own blogging businesses. This is my flojo!
I’ve now recorded that talk and turned it into a two-hour premium training for you.
Get access to the training here
Here’s what one attendee said
“Caz’s talk is FULL of wisdom and great actionable steps! I had a cramp from writing so fast. Her wholistic picture of what it takes to make your dreams come to life is structured and proven, but also big picture enough to make big dreamers like me sit up and pay attention. Make yourself a coffee, grab an empty notebook, and six pens, and get ready to have your mind blown!.” – Israel Smith
In the training you’ll learn:
- The six components of a successful online business
- How to create a vision that aligns with your purpose, passion and what your readers want
- How to develop a communication strategy that creates raving fans
- How to create a money plan and become comfortable with selling
- How to apply leveraging strategies for growth and passive income
- How to stop sabotaging your business
Number 6 is where I focus at least 80% of my business efforts. You know the 80/20 rule. I can guarantee 80% of people don’t apply this to their business and life. It is the game changer!
I’m not here to give you the “Secret” plan, but the tools to help you build your business in the right way for you, from the strongest position you can.
Register for the training – and please bring a friend, along with your favourite cuppa and a notebook!
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