Whew!
Life took an unexpected turn in early March, and my focus went from being a full-time entrepreneur to a full-time caretaker.
My dad, who has lived a life with near perfect health, got very sick, very quickly.
He went from being in perfect health on a Friday, March 2nd, to being near death the following Tuesday evening, thanks to a severe kidney infection.
He thought he had the flu. Unfortunately, it was much worse than that.
The infection got into his bloodstream and his body went into septic shock, and every single organ began shutting down one by one.
Before he knew he had the infection, he got dizzy and fell in the bathroom and broke BOTH of his ankles.
Yes… both!
So he cannot put any weight on either leg and is in a wheelchair.
He’s been this way for nearly two months because he had to get clearance for ankle surgery by several different doctors.
As you can imagine, for a man who was very active, this is driving him nuts having to sit all day and be so dependent on family.
He was finally approved for surgery this Wednesday. So hopefully the therapy will begin a few weeks after that and he can get back to walking.
Nevertheless, it all could have been so much worse. I’m just so grateful he is alive and his health is good!
Thank Goodness For The Biz!
In the meantime, I feel very lucky and blessed to have this online business… especially when I’ve needed “time off.”
Most of March was a wash in terms of getting anything done for the biz.
In spite of all that’s been going on, this is shaping up to be one of my best years in some time.
In February, I had a $10K revenue month with Merch By Amazon and over $13K in total print on demand revenue (Amazon, Etsy, RedBubble, Spreadshirt, Zazzle, etc.)
That was the first time my print on demand income surpassed my largest affiliate income source (GoDaddy’s reseller program).
As great as those numbers look, you have to know that Merch By Amazon is far from being a sure thing. I have invested an insane amount of time on this in the last year, and income is up and down like a roller coaster.
So please do not join Merch expecting your income to grow every month. Mine sure hasn’t. As one of my students said, you have to treat Merch as your vacation money and never rely on it! Nevertheless, I’m completely obsessed with this opportunity!
I also just had another record month with my PSP courses.
As you may remember, my main method for promoting my courses is through podcasting.
For the longest time, affiliate income was my primary focus. Now it’s taking a backseat to course income, and this has been a long-time business goal of mine.
For too many years I was relying very heavily on affiliate income, and I wanted to see a shift.
Just Launched a Course? You’re Not Done!
One thing I’ve learned from my students on Passive Shirt Profits is that your work does not end when you launch your courses.
How many of you have ever thought, “If I can just get my course launched then the hardest part will be over.”
WRONG!!!!
That’s actually when the real work begins.
Creating the course videos was the easy part for me. The bigger and ongoing challenge has been making sure students can execute!
Just because your course is live doesn’t mean it’s optimized for the best learning experience.
Some people get stuck in areas you might breeze through, or we assume certain things are clearer than they truly are.
Typically your first version of the course is going to be your worst, but your student feedback and questions should help you improve it.
Staying In Touch With Students
I tried something new this year with my Merch Course, and it’s really helped myself as a teacher and several students.
I began sending out weekly strategy tips to students, and many of the tips are very personal to my ongoing experiences with Merch By Amazon.
At first I worried about sending too many emails, but the responses have been awesome!
Students who weren’t selling anything are starting to see sales. I started receiving more “success” emails, and a few even began posting testimonials in my private group!
(I blurred out the name since it’s a private group and I didn’t get permission to share the name.)
Then I woke up to this today….
I eventually want to do one-on-one coaching/training for Merch due to requests, but I’m not ready yet.
However, this feedback and ongoing correspondence with students is prepping me for that when the time is right.
I may experiment with that once things settle down with my dad.
I Took a Marketing DNA Test
If you’ve ever struggled with how you should be marketing your business or even what kind of work you should be doing online, I’d highly recommend The Marketing DNA Test by Perry Marshall (I am NOT an affiliate.)
It revealed a lot about myself as an entrepreneur AND an online teacher.
It was recommended by one of my followers. (Shout out to Mitch!) I thought it would be fun to take. 🙂
Based on how you answer 15-20 questions, the test gives you guidance on the best methods to market your site.
It also gives you insight into the kind of work you should be doing based on your strengths and weaknesses.
I’ve always known that I’m doing the kind of work that fits me, but I wanted to see if the results aligned with what I believe about myself.
The results revealed that I excel more with right-brained, creative work and I connect with people best through video.
It also said I have a way of getting inside my visitor’s heads that is almost “psychic and sometimes a little bit scary.”
However, I’m NOT so great at analytical work that requires a lot of attention to detail.
I’m also not good with thinking on the spot. I need time to gather my thoughts.
That explains why I fall in love with work like writing/blogging, video and T-shirt design creation, but hate overly analytical work.
That also must be why I abandoned my Accounting major in college. 🙂
With SEO, I wonder if that’s why I’d always start off using keyword research software but abandon it after I found a niche.
I could never make myself use it to research every keyword I wanted to write about. I always wanted to follow my gut and common sense.
With Amazon, I have my process I use to find a niche/keywords for Merch. But I spend waaaaaaay more time coming up with my actual shirt ideas and working in Photoshop than I do obsessing over research.
The other reason why these Marketing DNA results were so interesting to me is it made me realize the disconnect that exists between how I learn and operate versus some of my students.
Right-brained people learn differently than left-brained people.
Left brained/analytical people prefer structure when learning. They take notes, like to plan everything out, and need to have all their ducks in a row before uploading/launching anything.
I’m the complete opposite.
I don’t like to do extensive planning and preparation. I’m not a note taker and prefer to jump in and figure it out as I go — even if I know everything is not perfect.
I rely on my gut with a lot of decisions I make, whereas left-brained people use more logic and research before they are comfortable moving forward.
One way is not better than the other, and they both have their pros and cons.
However, as a course creator, I’ve had to learn to focus more on the details and methodical steps for people who prefer that type of learning.
I wouldn’t have been able to improve on that if I hadn’t stayed in touch with my students.
So remember, your course is never, ever complete. It should continue to evolve based on the feedback from your students.
I’ve been selling courses for nearly four years and I’m STILL learning.
Anywho, just thought I’d update you all on what’s going on with me. It’s been an up and down year for sure, but I’m taking it one day at a time.
I hope life is treating you well! 🙂
Hi Lisa!
I have landed in your website from around 6 months back and I want to thank you for all your full of motivational money making blogs and other tips and trick.
I myself has started my website( http://www.technmoney.in) to help others to get started with the online world and start earning online.
But I am stucked in getting good amount of followers and organic traffic for my website. Can you please suggest me what I am doing wrong.
It will be very helpful of you.
Hi Lisa
Although I am very late with my reaction on this, I would like to express my hope for your dad to stay better now. Don’t know if you posted this intentionally but to me, after reading this, you are stressing on the most important benefit of your idea in internet business: a passive income allows you to take some time off once in a while, without having to worry on your finances, as it keeps coming in (if all works well that is).
Hello Lisa! I first wish that all is well with you and your Dad. And I also have a question (business proposal) concerning ClickBank Affiliate marketing. I was wondering if I could place a relevant ClickBank ad on one of your You-Tube videos. I will be happy to pay you (name your price) if I get paid commissions from my ads. I have never done anything like this before. I would like to know what you think.
Prayers of a healthy recovery to your father and family and great post thank you
I hope your dad’s condition is recovering daily to full health. You are right about different learning styles, some enjoy reading texts while others prefer listening or watching videos. Having a podcast definitely helps in promotion and personally I think is better than written texts, no wonder you are getting a healthy conversion rate from it.
The Marketing DNA Test sure does sound good!
He has fully recovered. Thank you!
Brilliant Write up Lisa. I will like to opt in for your course and also going to subscribe to your YouTube channel
Prayers of a healthy recovery to your father and family. I want your dad the most effective of luck along with his health, and a quick recovery from the illness.
It has been a while, had to deactivate my facebook account. Hope your father feels better and gets better. Wanted to thank you again for helping me set up a website for lawn care service. Never really believed in affiliate marketing (accounting , University of Michigan) but feel that internet marketing is just now getting to a point where it can really take off from a solid foundation. When starting out with the web site it gave me a lot of control over what goals were in my plan to get out of credit card debt. For a very analytical person there was no way my website would have been created without you and the information you share. Now out of debt, thank you, Mark.
Hey Mark! Always great to hear from you. So glad I could help you get started. I could always count on you to leave comments on Facebook. You’ll be missed! Hope to see ya on the blog.
Hi Lisa – I subscribe to your YouTube channel & noticed you hadn’t posted a video in a few months, so I came over to the blog to check & saw that you were going through some personal struggles.
It says a lot about you that in the same post where you tell us about your Dad’s challenges, you’re giving out great business information that will help thousands upon thousands of people 🙂
Prayers for health and blessings to you and your Dad – look forward to seeing you back online soon.
Thank you Bill. I appreciate it. I have just posted a couple of videos on YouTube since you posted. Trying to get back into it.
More love , power and prayer for your father. things are going to be alright.
Thanks for sharing.
Hi, you are an example to follow! I am inspired by you every day! Thank you for sharing all this with us.
Hi, Lisa
This is the first time I visit your blog, it was very helpful indeed, I hope your father gets well soon.
Hello, lisa
Thank you very much for opening this blog and sharing it. You have a very nice and interesting blog. I wish you continued success. I wish that your next share will arrive as soon as possible. 🙂
Hi Ms. Lisa Irby, I’ve been following your sites since 2011. I have a deep respect for your discipline and desire to help people. I’m homeless and looking to making money online and will rely on some of your mentorships in the not too distant future (newbie to the tenth power)LOL. What caught my attention is the situation with your father. You don’t have to lose your father so soon. I know you are very busy. The first thing you want to get your father is a juice extractor, next, even if you have to hire someone to juice for him it’s worth it. This is tried & true and it works at repairing cells that cooked and processed foods won’t. We are not taught this in school “by design”. I’m not saying discount medical advice just supplement it with a consistent juice program for your Pops. Food for Thought: The medical establishment can’t make money unless people are “sick”.
Thank You for Reading
Sincerely, Anthoney Holmes
Anthoney, you are preaching to the choir about the medical system! I completely agree! I had a thyroid issue and my doctor didn’t want to entertain anything about a holistic approach and my diet possibly causing the issues. I did my own research and discovered some connections through diet. As soon as I changed my diet, the symptoms improved.
These doctors, insurance companies and pharmacies are all working together. If we are all healthy, they make less money. No doubt my dad could have minimized his chances of getting an infection and kidney stones through diet. But of course, the docs gave him very little info about that.
That’s why functional medicine (holistic doctors) aren’t covered by most insurance companies. They don’t make money when we are healthy. Why would they support an establishment that makes us need insurance less!
I could go on and on about this all day! I completely agree that we can all improve our health tremendously by better diets and less processed foods. I gave up most sugar and I saw a dramatic improvement in so many things!
Lisa
Wow Lisa, although I have drifted far away from your blog for almost 2 years, I am always thinking how you are doing. Even though I sucks at this internet marketing thingy, your 2Createawebsite course was my starting point 6 to 7 years ago and I am thankful for the teaching and experiences gained till this day!
May God bless your dad a swift recovery from his surgery and I am sure he will walk well again.
Your effort in making money is admirable and I wonders where did you get all this energy from and really wish that I have at least 10% of your momentum online.
Once again, thanks for the great write-out which I enjoyed reading as usual 😉
William! It’s sooooo good to hear from you. Thank you for the well wishes for my dad.
Lisa, you are an example to follow! I am inspired by you every day! Thank you for sharing all this with us. I hope your father is better and recovered! Many good things for you.
Love your posts! Thank you for this one. It was very helpful indeed.
More love and power to you and your family. Everything will be alright. Have faith in god.
Wow, that’s a lot to go through, I went through caregiver this past year when my father fell because he was ill. I sent prayers your way. You do a great job in these blogs, love reading the updates.
Thank you for the prayers, Viveca!
Thanks for the update Lisa! Hope your father is recovery well.
Dear Lisa,
I was preparing to post a question here and saw all the comments below about your father being ill! I’m not sure what’s going on, but I hope and pray that you and your father and family are together and getting better. You have helped me SOOOOOO much over the years, and I am truly thankful for your willingness to share your expertise. You all are sincerely in our constant prayers! God bless, and get well soon, Dad!
Sincerely,
DLT
Hey Lisa,
Just saw this post. Sending prayers to you and your Dad!
Hi Lisa,
Sending well wishes to your Dad. I’m so thankful for you and can’t wait to take another one of your courses. Wishing you and your family love.
Sorry to hear about your father’s illness, here’s hoping he has a quick recovery and that you will have the strength and resolve to weather this rather difficult time. All the best.
Thank you so much Tony. Appreciate you.
Prayers of a healthy recovery to your father and family.. I wish your Dad the best of luck with his health, and a fast recovery from the sickness.
Thank you Kuota!
Wow thank God ! Lisa i, m happy your father survived the life-threatening disease. Don,t worry, your dad will get back on his feet again ( …i have a feeling that the operation will be successful). You just have to continue giving him the relevant support to ensure that he doesn,t “think too much”. I wish i could underline the phrase “THINK TOO MUCH”. That should be your greatest concern till he gets back on his feet.
I wish you more success in your online business(es). Now that i,m fully convinced that selling Tshirts online is feasible and very profitable, i will take the course (LOL i,m a doubting Thomas).
Ok bye for now and continue taking good care of yourself and your dad.
You have done so much for me over the years that if you have any questions about being a caregiver let me know.
Warm Regards
Tony Rovere
Wow! That’s so incredibly generous of you Tony. Thank you!!!
Hello Lisa, I wish your Dad the best of luck with his health, and a fast recovery from the sickness.
Hello Lisa,
I am sorry to hear about your father’s illness and accident.
I can imagine how grateful you must be that your online businesses have allowed you time to take care of him. If you had been in regular employment that would have been impossible.
Thank you for all your good advice and inspiration. I am just getting started and at times I feel that I am getting nowhere but you inspire me to keep going.
With best wishes for your father’s recovery and your continued success,
Helena.
Hi Helena,
Yes, In spite of it all, I do feel blessed and thanks for the well wishes. 🙂
Hey Lisa, I’m so sorry to hear about your father. I wish him the best but I feel for you and his family as well, as I know how disrupting, stressful, and worrisome these things can be. So I hope things get back to normal as soon as possible.
But what you’ve done with Merch and POD is simply astounding. When it comes to showing people how to be successful with an online business you’re simply the best. I can’t put it anyway other than that.
You’ve been successful with affiliate marketing, forums, blogging, YouTube, courses, and now, podcasting and Merch??? In fact, I’ve probably missed a few things off that list. And that’s not even funny. To be successful with one of those models would be quite something but …
Well, as ever, mind = blown.
What can I say? There’s nothing left to say.
Hope your Dad’s operation goes well and I wish him the fullest recovery. 🙂
Rob, you are so kind! Thank you so much. You’re making me blush over here! lol
Wishing your dad all the best and glad that he’s doing better. Thanks for the updates. You’re an inspiration!
Thank you Candice! I appreciate you.
Hi Lisa
Thanks God your father recovered from the terrible septicaemia and glad he had you as a caretaker. God had prepared you for that so you could emerge from that situation without scars. Wishing your father great recovery and patience through this journey.
Situations like this really do make you realize that you are stronger than you ever thought you were and it puts things into perspective. Thank you very much Christian!
Prayers of a healthy recovery to your father and family.
Thank you for being you! Keep following your heart; it will never lead you wrong and you are living proof of that.
May your cup of blessings, runneth over! 🙂
Thanks LeVera, for the prayers! It is much appreciated!
Hi Lisa,
I am glad you father is doing better and I send my best vibes his way! I know he must be so proud of you, doing the do and upping your game each year.
The DNA test sure was spot-on! (Thanks for the shout-out, too.) I’m sure the creative part of you will solve the challenges of polishing your courses and teaching methods. Like every good teacher, you just have to learn, adapt and improvise. Your students will love you for it!
Cheers,
Mitch
Thank you Mitch! I meant to add your website to your name to give you some link love as well. I’m so glad you told me about the test. It was eerily accurate!
Thanks, Lisa, my little stories appreciate delicious link juice. The DNA test freaked me out a bit, because it was almost exactly in line with the results I received from the Myer-Briggs questionnaire. (I can never remember which four “Letters” I am, though I do recall that I am among the least judgmental people on the planet. LOL!)
Cheers,
Mitch
First off I am sooo very glad that your dad is doing better. Heres to wishing him continued good health. Secondly, girlll you are really my inspiration and are seriously kicking some BUTT out here on the interwebs and taking hostages too. Its so funny to see this latest post from ya because I was just having a conversation on yesterday with someone and I told them that you were my inspiration for starting my first website — after I encountered your brand on YouTube!
I am looking forward to taking the Marketing DNA test and anxious to see what it reveals. Keep rocking it out Lisa (as you always do). We got to catch up soon ladybug. Wishing you all of the best in errrything you do (but you know you already got that Midas touch) hehe!
– Kim George
Sending you a big hug and thank you for the shout out! I really hope you take that test. It’s soooo fascinating!
Yw ladybug!!!
Lisa, first of all I hope your dad has a successful surgery and with him being an active person it will help with his recovery. Secondly, thank you for sharing your stories as they are very helpful and inspirational. I’m going to have to check out that Perry Marshall DNA marketing test for sure.
Take care 🙂
Thank you, Andre. Yes, that’s what the doctors said. The fact that he was so active before and still has good strength should help in his recovery.
Lisa I can honestly say you are the number ONE person I trust online.. I’ve known you since the SBI days, and you tell it like it is… aside from being extremely generous.
I am thrilled your dad is doing better.
And about this biz… We just had a family crisis where someone had to pull $60k out of a hat overnight to help a family member in dire need.
That someone was me.
On top of that, I am focused almost 24/7 to that family member. You can relate to that.
That’s why I LOVE online biz SO much. It can give us time and money.
Darlene
Oh wow, Darlene! $60K!!!! Well that’s a blessing that you were able to provide for your family during a time of need. I wish you and the family all the best. A crisis is never something you can prepare for, but all we can do is pray and hope for strength during the process. Take care!
The thing is Lisa, we are literally talking life and death for this person. The money makes the dif. And yes, don’t think I don’t notice what a BLESSING it is that this was possible.
That’s why I get crazy when peeps talk down money! Or act like it’s bad to want it.
Coupled with that, the freedom lifestyle of (some) online businesses. That’s why even in my lean years… when Google wiped out all my ticket websites overnight when they pushed me off front page, I persevered until I figured out a way to generate income again.
I hear ya about the courses. I still resist cuz I’ve heard just what you said, it’s a LOT of ongoing work. Maybe one day but for now, I’m fine with affiliates, and tees and occasional 1:1 coaching.
Always love your posts… and podcast! xo, darlene
Agree!! I love that we both have been able to survive and shift in spite of the Google changes. It shows that there are many opportunities out here if you keep pushing! Thank you for the support!
Oh Lisa!
I have followed you for many years, but have never left comments. I even bought one of your training packages but never got to finish it 🙂 . I guess am a left brain worrier :). Always learning but never starting …
Anyway on a serious note, I just want to reach out to you with love. I wish your Dad well, Lisa.
While you navigate through the challenges, remember to look after yourself as well.