Pat Flynn: Smart Passive Income – The Man Behind The Brand

If you are going to talk the talk, you better be able to walk the walk. Pat Flynn, the man behind the Smart Passive Income expects nothing less and he is certainly living up to his benchmark.

Pat, who believes in absolute transparency, publishes Monthly Income Reports on his blog that regularly show income of $25-30K. Not bad for a bloke who has only been blogging since the end of 2008.

Pat presented “How To Stand Out Of The Crowd” at the Financial Blogger Conference 2011 a couple of days ago, his first public speaking effort. Let me just say the man knows his stuff.

Before you watch his presentation, I asked Pat some questions regarding his motivation and work methods. Here are his answers:

1. Why did you start your business?

I was actually forced to start my business. Doing business online and for myself was the only option I had after being laid off from the architecture industry. It was impossible (and still is nearly impossible) to find a job in that industry, and the layoff taught me that nothing is 100% secure and the best thing I can do is work for myself and be in as much control as possible.

2. How does having your business improve your life?

Being able to work for myself, at home, with a very flexible schedule allows me to live the dream. I get to stay at home with my family and witness all of the fantastic moments that my son goes through as he grows up. Family is the most important thing to me, and my business allows me to center my life around them and truly enjoy these precious moments we have together. 

3. How do you work smarter, not harder?

It’s all about maximum efficiency and understanding that each and every thing I do has a purpose towards a bigger goal. You can never get time back, so I make sure I make the most of it by using services, tools, systems, and even virtual assistants to make work easier and faster, while still making sure to produce quality content and information is the key. Getting rid of distractions is important as well.

Now for the presentation.

It runs for about 26 minutes (totally worth every second) but if you don’t have time to watch it just yet keep reading for the brief summary below.
 

Key Points From “How To Stand Out Of The Crowd”:

1. Tell a story. Yes, it’s really hard to come up with a totally new concept but a story linking to or explaining it will set you apart from the rest.

2. Be personable, be real. The focus of Smart Passive Income is building a sustainable, “hands-free” income online but that doesn’t stop Pat sharing any personal information. Pat says whenever he meets readers, it is his wedding video they mention not a particular income post.

3. Transparency. Pat says that anyone teaching money making online should be transparent. As I mentioned before Pat publishes his Monthly Income Reports, some of the most popular posts he has written. The reason I trusted Pat when I first came across his blog was he actually proved his income claims. Unlike so many scammers Pat could back up the amazing results he was professing to achieve.

4. Seek engagement. Encourage your readers to join the conversation and really make them feel part of the journey. Smart Passive Income’s Reader Challenges always get a huge response, pushing readers out of their comfort zones with amazing results.

5. Be everywhere, become a brand. Don’t assume everyone seeking the content you cover likes to read. Use podcasts, post videos on YouTube and you will separate yourself from the pack.

Whether you write a blog or are an offline entrepreneur you can apply Pat’s teaching to improve your results.

A big thank you to Pat for taking the time to answer my questions. To learn more of Smart Passive Income and Pat’s amazing efforts click here.

How do you stand out from the crowd? Tell us your story.