In the beginning of 2014, I decided to do something rather scary… BE TRANSPARENT & HONEST. I want to be an open book, but I’m scared. WHY? Because I’m still at the beginning of my journey, and the numbers are pitiful, and the failures often and obvious.
Below are the numbers, the finances, the projects, my health, and stats from OCTOBER 2014. This is a snapshot of what it’s like to be a self published author. A new entrepreneur. An average guy still finding his way. It isn’t designed to scare, nor glorify, merely provide the truth of right now. For all my other Monthly Income Reports, Click Here.
_________
Many of the links in this post are affiliate ones, directing you to the products, apps, and softwares I use to create this monthly report. Don’t worry, it doesn’t cost you anything or affect your privacy, just gives me a commission if you happen to buy. Please note I use(d) everything I link to, and am picky when it comes to sharing such info.
[su_note]LIKE TO GET ALL THE TOOLS I USE TO MAKE THIS MONTHLY REPORT? I made an Exclusive PDF just for you, and you can grab it for FREE by Clicking Here[/su_note]
WRITING:
Whether it’s fiction or non-fiction, I love to tap away at the keyboard and share my words with those willing to read. However, standing out from the ever growing list of book is tough, so let’s dive into my published books, the amount of copies sold, and the kind of income a crazy pen scratcher like myself earns:
…
EXISTING PUBLICATIONS:
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
BOOK:
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
SALES:
2 (2)
2
29
4
2
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
BIT.LY HITS
33
20
7
10
43
[/su_column][/su_row]
[su_box title=”THE TOOLS I USE:” box_color=”#89609f” title_color=”#ededed” radius=”7″]At the moment, all books are Exclusive to Amazon, although I do sell Paperback & Hardcover editions of Tick to the Tock and Beyond Parallel (sales indicated in brackets). The tools I use to gather the above info are through the AMAZON KDP DASHBOARD and BIT.LY.[/su_box]
It hasn’t been a great month for my books, and the worst part is my lack of attention. To be honest, between writing I UNLOVE YOU and THE SUCCESSFUL MISTAKE, and trying to gain momentum with client and speaking work (plus building general exposure), I haven’t had much time to consider my existing books, which is a damn shame indeed.
Book marketing remains on my to-do list, and hopefully I’ll be able to test one or two ideas between now and Christmas, but at the moment there are one or two other pressing matters to get through. In an ideal world, I’ll automate a big chunk of my book marketing, and place a monthly budget to one side each month so a virtual assistant can implement and track. Unfortunately I’m not in a position to do this yet, but it’s a MASSIVE goal over the next 6 months.
My content strategy should put me in a good position for future books, but probably won’t have a huge benefit on my current state. I think the best way to describe things right now is, I need to hustle and hustle and fight my way through, until I can implement a more robust strategy. Urghhhh 🙁
…
NEW RELEASES:
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
BOOK:
No new releases this month
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
SALES:
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
BIT.LY HITS
[/su_column][/su_row]
…
CURRENT PROJECTS:
I continue to write I UNLOVE YOU, and am delighted to say I’ve officially begun to write THE SUCCESSFUL MISTAKE, too.
In terms of writing (other than Blog Posts), these two projects have my complete attention over the next few months, as both are huge and require my most awesome effort.
I continue to interview people for The Successful Mistake, but I’m bringing this process to a close, and as such, it feels like a new chapter has begun. I’ve spent the last two years interviewing and chatting to amazing entrepreneurs, and now it’s time to write-write-write, and share the complete process with folk like your fine self.
If you haven’t already joined this misfit adventure, please consider doing so HERE. As well as writing the book, a whole host of effort is placed into spreading the good word through Guest Posts, Syndicated Posts, and Podcast Interviews. In other words, I hope to appear everywhere in the coming weeks and months, and drive everyone back to This Page or This Page – depending on who the audience is.
Oh yes, the time has come to give I Unlove You and The Successful Mistake a lot of attention, and ensure they’re my greatest works yet 🙂
[su_box title=”THE TOOLS I USE:” box_color=”#89609f” title_color=”#ededed” radius=”7″]The tool I use to create all Affiliate links is SMART URL, which not only creates a handy short link, but allows me to send users from different countries to specific stores (as you can imagine, ideal for Amazon).[/su_box]
PROMOTIONS/FREE RUNS:
No Free promotions or campaigns this month, so nothing to see here, folks…
…
INCOME BREAKDOWN:
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
INCOME:
BOOK/AFFILIATE:
AMAZON USA (affiliate)
AMAZON UK (affiliate)
EBAY (affiliate)
APPLE APP STORE (affiliate)
HOOTSUITE (affiliate)
FOLLOW UP.CC (affiliate)
STUDIOPRESS (affiliate)
SCRIBE (affiliate)
YOAST (affiliate)
ECAMM (affiliate)
GETRESPONSE (affiliate)
TOTAL:
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
..
THIS MONTH:
£16.47
£0.66
£3.31
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0
£20.44
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
..
LAST MONTH (DIFFERENCE):
£16.56 (- £0.09)
£11.85 (- £11.19)
£0 (+ £3.31)
£2.94 (- £2.94)
£0 (o)
£0 (o)
£0 (o)
£0 (o)
£0 (o)
£0 (o)
£0 (o)
£0 (o)
£0 (o)
£0 (o)
£31.35 (- £10.91)
[/su_column][/su_row]
…
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
EXPENDITURE:
…
Nothing This Month
TOTAL:
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
…
THIS MONTH:
£0
£0
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
…
LAST MONTH (DIFFERENCE):
£0
£0
[/su_column][/su_row]
TOTAL PROFIT = £20.44
[su_box title=”THE TOOLS I USE:” box_color=”#89609f” title_color=”#ededed” radius=”7″]I use WAVE to organise and keep on top of my invoices and finances, and the above breakdown is taken from reports generated with this fine piece of FREE software. I’ve not been using it long, but so far I have no complaints.[/su_box]
Not much to say, as it’s another sub-par month in the book sale category. What I will point out is this: It’s amazing the difference one or two paperback sales does to the bottom line.
I find this both exciting and promising, as the entire premise of offering I Unlove You for FREE is to encourage people to buy the paperback and hardcover, and gift it to loved ones. It’s not to say there isn’t any money in Ebooks, because there is. But for the time being, I think I need to focus on giving away my content as freely as possible, and come up with an enticing reason as to why you should buy something physical from me.
Any ideas how I should and could do this?
SPEAKING:
I’ve decided 2014 is the year I kick my speaking/workshop career into gear, and as such I’ve created four topics to build a portfolio around:
- YOUR STORY MATTERS, DAMN IT! (aimed at colleges)
- CREATE CUSTOMER LOYALTY & BANISH COMPETITORS THROUGH BRAND STORYTELLING (aimed at businesses)
- THE SECRET BEHIND THE MODERN CREATIVE, ARTIST & CHANGEMAKER (aimed at colleges)
- THE LOCAL AUTHOR WHO NEVER USED TO READ OR WRITE (aimed at primary schools)
Focus for the rest of the year is to refine these topics, gain kick-ass testimonials, and generate momentum ahead of 2015:
THE GIGS:
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
THE LOCAL AUTHOR WHO NEVER…
YOUR STORY MATTERS, DAMN IT!
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
Walsden Primary School
Brighouse High School
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
9th October
16th October
[/su_column][/su_row]
THE BEHIND THE SCENES:
I’ve loved going into school recently, and there are a few more visits like this in November (potentially more in 2015). The plan is to gather a few more testimonials, and contact lots of schools in the lead up to Christmas (persistence pays off), and tempt them into inviting me into their world in 2015.
The plan has always been to make speaking a viable part of my income by 2015/2016, and at the moment, it feels like I’m heading in the right direction – although a lot of hard work awaits.
Something else I’m excited about is my visit to Loughborough University this month. As part of the FAIL FORWARD conference, I’m speaking about creative and entrepreneurial life, and finally showcasing a presentation I’ve worked on in the background for several months. I am re-working it after listening to several Michael Port interviews, though.
If you’re looking to take your speaking to the next level, I recommend Michael and his wise words. I can’t wait to implement some of this tips, and I’m excited about being part of an up and coming event like Fail Forward.
INCOME BREAKDOWN:
[su_row][su_column size=”2/3″]
INCOME:
TALK:
YOUR STORY MATTERS, DAMN IT!
CREATE CUSTOMER LOYALTY & BANISH…
THE SECRET BEHIND THE MODERN…
THE LOCAL AUTHOR WHO NEVER…
MISCELLANEOUS
TOTAL:
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
..
REVENUE:
£0
£0
£0
£150
£0
£400
[/su_column][/su_row]
[su_row][su_column size=”2/3″]
EXPENDITURE:
TYPE:
N/A
TOTAL:
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
..
OUT GOING:
£0
£0
[/su_column][/su_row]
TOTAL PROFIT = £400
All in all it’s been a decent month for my speaking engagements, and with one of the schools I’m visiting paying me in advance, it’s helped cash flow a great deal. However, I cannot rest on my laurels, and must bring my new testimonials and examples together, and push myself in front of other schools towards the end of this month.
Once the Christmas Break is over, it’s imperative to book new gigs, otherwise this recent hard work and success is for nothing. Oh yes, the hard work has only just begun 🙂
Still, it’s back-to-back good months in terms of speaking, so a celebration’s in order.
DAMN IT, HE’S TOO CUTE TO BE MY KID
CLIENT WORK:
I may be a writer, but that doesn’t define my whole world. I also help businesses Discover, Create & Share their story, and I’m constantly meeting and greeting local businesses. However, the fine line of client work, networking events, and crafting your own projects is delicate indeed – and one I’m still toeing along each day:
…..
CURRENT CLIENT PROJECTS:
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
PROJECT CODE NAME:
PROJECT HAN SOLO:
…
…
PROJECT PADME
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″]
BRIEF DESCRIPTION:
A collection of videos and About Page overhaul for a local community projects very close to my heart. I can’t wait to finally share this with the world
Some branding, story, and website consultancy for an up-and-coming food startup. Baby steps at the moment, but exciting times ahead.
[/su_column][/su_row]
….
COMPLETED THIS MONTH
- No completed projects this month 🙁
NETWORKING:
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
I’VE BEEN TO
NETWORKING EVENTS
MEETINGS
CONFERENCES
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
THIS MONTH
1
9
0
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
LAST MONTH
3 (-2)
8 (+1)
0
[/su_column][/su_row]
INCOME BREAKDOWN:
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
INCOME:
CLIENT WORK:
No paid client work this month
TOTAL:
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
..
REVENUE:
£0
£0
[/su_column][/su_row]
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
EXPENDITURE:
TYPE:
N/A
TOTAL:
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
..
OUT GOING:
N/A
N/A
[/su_column][/su_row]
TOTAL PROFIT = £0
Well, it hasn’t been a great month in terms of client work, as everything seems to be on the back burner at present.
Several projects remain in the fire, and at any given time I could be rather busy indeed. I had an inspiring meeting a couple of weeks ago though, and it’s centred my thoughts and approach. Simply put, I think I’ve gotten into a quantity over quality mindset recently, and this isn’t good in the slightest. I’ve taken a long hard look at my Potential Client List, and refined it to feature only those I can TRULY HELP.
I’m also tweaking how I approach and connect with folk, and although it may not lead to immediate income or success, it should place me in a better position.
I’m heading in the right direction (I just know it), but I’m not seeing enough traction, so it’s time for another pivot and refinement. All in all, I’m excited about this, but it has brought my plans for a new website (and overall new approach to the Turndog Brand) forward by a couple of months. I talk about this at the end of the post, so hold tight 🙂
A MONUMENTAL DAY, AS I TAP AWAY THE FIRST WORDS FOR THE SUCCESSFUL MISTAKE (A LONG TIME COMING)
WEBSITE:
This website is my home, and although it doesn’t generate any income per se, it does offer a detailed overview of WHO I am and WHY I can help. As such I think it’s important to breakdown all the ins and outs:
…
GENERAL OVERVIEW:
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
TITLE:
UNIQUE VISITORS
PAGE VIEWS
AVERAGE TIME
BOUNCE RATE
NEW VISITORS
DIRECT TRAFFIC
GOOGLE SEARCH
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
THIS MONTH:
2,734
5,639
1:57
67%
82%
514 Views
2,146 Referrals
316 Referrals
151 Referrals
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
LAST MONTH (DIFFERENCE):
2,594 (+ 140)
5,488 (+ 151)
2:20 (- 0.23)
66% (+ 1%)
82% (0)
511 Views (+ 3)
2,117 Referrals (+ 29)
33 Referrals (+ 283)
96 Referrals (+ 55)
[/su_column][/su_row]
[su_box title=”THE TOOLS I USE:” box_color=”#89609f” title_color=”#ededed” radius=”7″]I anlyse all of my website’s data through GOOGLE ANALYTICS, which is a free piece of kit from the Google Empire. I’ve tested other software over the years, but nothing has tempted me away from this freebie yet.[/su_box]
…
POPULAR BLOG POSTS:
- 50-brands-with-amazing-brand-stories-20-11 = 1,184 Views
- an-in-depth-insight-into-how-i-started-my-latest-novel = 382
- how-to-get-your-book-on-amazon-for-free-indefinately = 361 Views
- 50-brands-with-amazing-brand-stories-40-31 = 300 Views
- the-best-brand-stories-in-the-world-2013 = 290 Views
NEW BLOG POSTS:
- How To Avoid Entrepreneurial ADD: with Jim Hopkinson = 9 Views
- Turndog’s Monthly Income Report (September 2014) = 44 Views
- When Bad Clients Lead to Great Ideas: with Linsi Brownson =
- How Very Short Stories Helped Me Write 3 Novels = 37 Views
- Project Management – The Secret Sauce To Cesar’s Success: with Cesar Abeid = 88 Views
- Suffering With Writer’s Block? Start Writing Short Stories = 12 Views
- Scale Your Idea Before You Create It: with Pamela Slim = 7 Views
- 14 Free Platforms To Share Your Short Stories Online = 13 Views
- The Danger of Doing Too Much: with Chris Brogan = 4 Views
…
PURPLE COFFEE PODCAST:
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
TITLE:
TOTAL SUBSCRIBERS
TOTAL DOWNLOADS
MOST POULAR SESSION
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
THIS MONTH:
0
64
Session 22 (19 Downloads)
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
LAST MONTH (DIFFERENCE):
0 (0)
73 (-9)
Session 18 (24 Downloads)
[/su_column][/su_row]
[su_box title=”THE TOOLS I USE:” box_color=”#89609f” title_color=”#ededed” radius=”7″]I gather all Podcast stats through LIBSYN (my podcast hosting) and FEEDBURNER (which breakdowns subscribers).[/su_box]
SOCIAL MEDIA:
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
FOLLOWERS:
FACEBOOK PROFILE
FACEBOOK PAGE
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
THIS MONTH:
231
174
1,153
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
LAST MONTH (DIFFERENCE):
214 (+17)
175 (-1)
1,121 (+32)
[/su_column][/su_row]
**The above Facebook stats consider a combined friend/follower count for the profile**
It’s been a fairly decent month for the website, but nothing to shout from the rooftops about. Thanks to Scrivener (who I featured heavily in THIS POST), I saw lots of traffic come my way at the beginning of October. No other Guest Posts or features to speak of, but I’ve several lined up in the coming weeks.
I wouldn’t say my Content Strategy fires on all cylinders, but it’s getting there, and each week I make new connections and open the door to new possibilities. I’m about to embark on something that should complement my Guest Posts and Interviews nicely, but before I get to that, let’s peek into the Podcast and general Social Media stuff…
To begin with, Social Media continues to tick along nicely, and after a large Twitter cull the other day (where I shed 250+ profiles), I didn’t suffer too much in my follower count. When I’ve done this in the past, it’s resulted in dozens of lost followers. I see this as a good sign, and a hint that those following me these days do so for the right reasons (not just to get a follow back).
Facebook continues to grow, too, and I’m seeing noticeable increase in interaction and the like. It’s fairly early days still, but it does seem my new approach to Facebook is beginning to pay off (plus, this new refined approach is much easier to manage).
As for The Purple Coffee Podcast, I’m not seeing the kind of growth I’d like, so I’m in the early process of shaking things up. I’m not sure what this means at the moment, but it may include starting from scratch.
In recent weeks, I’ve connected with some wonderful podcasters who’ve provided wonderful advice. With their help, and a little more attention to detail, I may be able to kick things into gear and ensure I receive thousands of downloads each month, rather than a couple of dozen. It may need a rebirth though, but at this moment in time, everything remains an idea in process.
I should have more to say about this in next month’s report…
Okay, and about the new idea that should align nicely with my Guest Posts and Podcast Interviews… well, after reading several articles from the likes of Buffer and James Clear, I think it’s time I look into Syndicating my Blog Posts, because not enough people see them on this site alone. I spend hours on each post, so it’s fair to say I’d like thousands of people to read them. Guest Posting often solves this problem, but requires an exclusive and in-depth article each time.
Very time consuming!
Whereas Syndicating lets me repurpose the posts I’m already creating (for this site) and post them elsewhere (big sites like Entrepreneur.com and The Huff Post). Consider it killing two birds with one stone, and although there’s no guarantee such sites will pick up my content, chances are some will.
I’ve researched the sites I’ll target, and I’ve officially begun the process of forming relationships and drip-feeding messages their way. I have nothing more to add right now, but hopefully things will click into place soon, and if and when they do, I’ll certainly write a dedicated Blog Post about what I’ve learned and how I’ve gone about it.
If you’re eager to learn more right now though, I recommend this post from my main man, Trent
[su_note]LIKE TO GET ALL THE TOOLS I USE TO MAKE THIS MONTHLY REPORT? I made an Exclusive PDF just for you, and you can grab it for FREE by Clicking Here[/su_note]
EMAIL:
Like this website, EMAIL doesn’t generate any income, but it does play a huge role in my journey. Overall, I try not sell via email all too much, rather use the medium to connect and share. Email is my primary tool to introduce myself to potential new clients, reach out to those I wish to interview, and talk to YOU on a regular basis. This is a snapshot of my email world:
….
THE MAIN NEWSLETTER:
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
???
TOTAL SUBSCRIBERS
NEW SUBSCRIBERS
UNSUBSCRIBES
OPEN RATE
CLICK THROUGH RATE
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
THIS MONTH:
407
32
112
41%
2%
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
LAST MONTH:
395 (+12)
19 (+13)
12 (+100)
33% (+8%)
2% (0)
[/su_column][/su_row]
THE OTHER LISTS:
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
TOTAL SUBSCRIBERS:
FICTION
NON-FICTION
HOW TO BUILD AN AUTHOR HOUSE
PURPLE COFFEE PODCAST
#HAPPENINGS
TOTAL FOR ALL LISTS:
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
THIS MONTH:
216
51
172
1
32
881
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
LAST MONTH:
218 (-2)
48 (+3)
172 (0)
1 (0)
32 (0)
868 (+13)
[/su_column][/su_row]
…
[su_box title=”THE TOOLS I USE:” box_color=”#89609f” title_color=”#ededed” radius=”7″]My email platform of choice is GETRESPONSE, which offers all the specifics I need to build my email lists. It also provides comprehensive reports which the above info is captured from. There’s many providers to choose from (and I’ve tried most of them), but these guys rock![/su_box]
PERSONAL EMAIL:
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
???
EMAILS SENT
TRACKED EMAILS
OPEN PERCENTAGE
CLICK PERCENTAGE
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
THIS MONTH:
694
137
17%
4%
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
LAST MONTH:
686 (+8)
323 (-186)
36% (-19%)
5% (-1%)
[/su_column][/su_row]
…
[su_box title=”THE TOOLS I USE:” box_color=”#89609f” title_color=”#ededed” radius=”7″]To help stay on top of my email, there are a couple key tools I use. The first is FOLLOWUP.CC, which allows me to set reminders for key emails. The other is SIGNALS, which monitors who opens my emails, and the links they click on. Combined, these two tools are absolute superstars![/su_box]
I’m sure it’s no surprise to see my continued rise of personal email sending, as it continues to drive much of what I do (maybe that’s the problem. Maybe I should man-up and pick up the phone...). I didn’t track as many emails this month because Sidekick/Signals required a new update in order to work with Apple latest OS, Yosemite (it took a little while).
In terms of my mailing lists, I’m happy to see open rates increase, which I suspected they would have my purge a few weeks ago. Subscription rates continue to be rather slow though, but as I write more Guest Posts, appear on more Podcasts, and hopefully see benefit from Syndicated Articles, my mailing list should tick along in the upward manner 🙂
At least, that’s the plan.
WORKING HOURS:
Time is a valuable entity you can never get back, and knowing how I spend my time (or as often is the case, waste it!), is a vital cog in my growth. I’m forever trying to find a balance between work, sleep, spending time with Kid Turndog, and chilling with a book in hand. The below doesn’t break down my exact timetable, but it does provide a rough overview as to how productive I am:
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
WORKLOAD:
TOTAL HOURS LOGGED
FINAL CUT PRO
ADOBE CS6
GETRESPONSE
EVERNOTE/WUNDERLIST/ICAL
TURNDOGMILLIONAIRE.COM
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT
SKYPE
ACCOUNTING
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
THIS MONTH:
155 hours
12:39 hours
5:34 hours
0:58 hours
30:58 hours
5:08 hours
16:11 hours
17:15 hours
6:20 hours
7:48 hours
0:23 hours
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
LAST MONTH (DIFFERENCE):
162 hours (- 7)
11:19 hours (+ 1:20)
2:32 hours (+ 3:02)
1:03 hours (- 0:05)
37:15 hours (- 6:57)
9:49 hours (- 4:41)
13:75 hours (+ 2:36)
6:24 hours (+ 11:31)
7:19 hours (- 1:01)
9:52 hours (- 2:04)
0:13 hours (+ 0:10)
[/su_column][/su_row]
…
[su_box title=”THE TOOLS I USE:” box_color=”#89609f” title_color=”#ededed” radius=”7″]The app I use to capture this data is RESCUETIME, a nonintrusive app that monitors your computer’s use. You can set yourself goals, block certain sites, and bespoke it around your needs.[/su_box]
For the first time in a months, my total number of hours went down. This may or may not be seen as a bad thing. In terms of my overall grade, RescueTime gave me 79%, which is 1% higher than September (happy times). But for the most part, everything remains similar to last month, so there isn’t much to write about.
I did set myself the target of 20 hours in Scrivener, and fell well short. I am disappointed with this, but considering I’m now writing The Successful Mistake, and continue to hack away at I Unlove You, me and Scrivener should improve our awesome relationship with one another – in theory, at least.
For the most part, I’m satisfied with everything at the moment, although I do suspect my time in Skype will decrease in the coming weeks. Now the interview process is coming to an end, I have less reason to be on there (unless some awesome people hire me 🙂 ).
It does feel good to see the amount of time I spend on email decrease, too. I mean, email is important, but over 40 hours in a single month… ? There has to be a better way.
LIKE HIS CHOCOLATE LIKE DADDY – ALL OVER HIS FACE!
HEALTH & WELL BEING:
The final piece of the jigsaw is my health and wellbeing, which is arguably more important than everything else. 2014 is the year I wish to bootstrap my routine, and ensure I stay healthy, active, and on top of the stress and vigour working for yourself brings. You can’t measure happiness, but you can track your daily day, which certainly plays a role if you ask me:
FITNESS:
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
ACTIVITY:
TOTAL CALORIES
WALKING
RUNNING
YOGA
PRESSUPS
SITUPS
OTHER
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
THIS MONTH:
8,105 Burned
61.9 Miles
0 Miles
6 Hours
1,500
1,500
1.5 Hours (football)
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
LAST MONTH (DIFFERENCE):
7,625 Burned (+ 480)
63.5 Miles (- 1.6 Miles)
0 Miles (0)
4 Hours (+ 2)
1,550 (+50)
1,550 (+50)
1.5 Hours (football) (0)
[/su_column][/su_row]
…
[su_box title=”THE TOOLS I USE:” box_color=”#89609f” title_color=”#ededed” radius=”7″]The app I use to track the amount of running/walking I do is MOVE, a smartphone app that monitors what you do 24/7. I love this app, as it provides me the motivation to walk and go for a run from time to time[/su_box]
DIET:
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
DATA:
WEIGHT
NET CALORIES
CARBS
PROTEIN
FAT
DAYS UNDER LIMIT
DAYS OVER LIMIT
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THIS MONTH:
11.02 Stone (156 lbs) ??????
38, 612 Net Colories
59%
16%
25%
30 Days
1 Days
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
LAST MONTH (DIFFERENCE):
11.02 Stone (156 lbs)
37, 468 Net Colories (+ 1,144)
60% (-1%)
14% (+2%)
26% (-1%)
29 Days (+1)
1 Days (0)
[/su_column][/su_row]
…
[su_box title=”THE TOOLS I USE:” box_color=”#89609f” title_color=”#ededed” radius=”7″]I monitor my daily food intake with MY FITNESS PAL, which makes it super easy to track your meals, and set goals (be it lose weight, cut out gluten, etc). I also combine this with WATER BALANCE, which ensures I get enough water each day.[/su_box]
BOOKS:
FINISHED:
- No books finished this month (I know, it’s a damn disgrace!)
CURRENTLY READING:
- Thinkertoys by Michael Mikalko (52%)
- Twenty Eight and a Half Wishes by Denise Grover Swank (30%)
- The Power of Why by C. Richard Weylman (35%)
- Hooked by Nir Eyal (75%)
Compared to where I was a few months ago, I feel in a far better position in terms of health and wellbeing (although I’ve had one or two naughty evenings with shitty food. Bad Turndog. Bad!). I still don’t think I’ve got a grasp on my diet though, and it isn’t as balanced as I want it to be. I think this will be a major 2015 goal, as it’s something I want to take the next level.
A well balanced diet doesn’t just keep your clothes loose and comfortable, but does wonders for your energy levels.
But my-oh-my is book reading a damn disgrace at the minute (it will be hard to improve this in November, too). I’m just going to hang my head in shame and move on, if that’s okay with you. Seriously, I’m turning into a writer who doesn’t read. This can’t be good 🙁
TOTAL MONTHLY INCOME:
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
TOTAL INCOME:
…
FICTION
NON FICTION
AFFILIATES
SPEAKING
CLIENT WORK
OTHER
TOTAL:
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
…
THIS MONTH:
£17.13
£3.31
£0
£400
£0
£0
£420.44
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
…
LAST MONTH:
£28.41 (- £11.28)
£0 (+ £3.31)
£2.94 (- £2.94)
£150 (+ £250)
£300 (- £300)
£0
£481.35 (- £60.91)
[/su_column][/su_row]
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″]
….
TOTAL EXPENDITURE:
…
BOOK RELATED
SPEAKING RELATED
CLIENT RELATED
COMPUTER/INTERNET
TELEPHONE
OFFICE SUPPLIES
TRAVEL
ENTERTAINMENT/MEETINGS
UTILITIES
INTEREST/DEBT PAYMENTS
OTHER
TOTAL:
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
…
…
THIS MONTH:
£0
£0
£0
£49.01
£38.16
£19.93
£28.80
£66.71
£11.00
£36.17
£0
£249.78
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/4″]
…
…
LAST MONTH:
£0 (0)
£0 (0)
£0 (0)
£84.39 (- £35.38)
£38.16 (0)
£0 (+ £19.93)
£21.00 (+ £7.80)
£59.69 (+ £7.02)
£11.00 (0)
£18.21 (+ £17.96)
£75.00 (- £75)
£307.45 (- £57,67)
[/su_column][/su_row]
TOTAL PROFIT = £170.66
THE FIRST OF MANY PODCAST APPEARANCES – LET THE PR WHIRRING COMMENCE
Thanks to one of the school’s I’m visiting paying me in advance, it’s another month in the green, so happy days indeed. It isn’t all smiles though, as no client income is cause for concern. It truly does make all the difference.
It’s important to keep pushing and hustling, and filling my schedule with projects. I’m starting to keep my head above water (which is good), but the real aim is to thrive and grow. I wouldn’t call a few hundred each month thriving, so lots of hard work ahead of me. Lots and lots indeed, but that’s what it’s all about, right?
With regard to out-goings, it’s not been a bad month, but I did let a few areas (meetings and meals, for instance) get the better of me towards the end of the month. It’s nice to keep expenditure below the 250 mark, but with a few projects coming up, this level is sure to rise. As such, I need to keep a strong grasp on the costs I can control (travel, meals, meetings, etc…).
But all in all, I made a profit, so cannot kick myself too hard. Although let’s face it, a little kicking is never a bad thing 🙂
[su_note]LIKE TO GET ALL THE TOOLS I USE TO MAKE THIS MONTHLY REPORT? I made an Exclusive PDF just for you, and you can grab it for FREE by Clicking Here[/su_note]
SO, THE PLAN FOR NOVEMBER:
Right, let’s end with a few mini objectives to help keep the eye on the prize throughout November:
- ARRANGE AT LEAST 5 MEETINGS WITH AWESOME NEW PEOPLE (CLIENT BASED)
- SYNDICATE AT LEAST 3 EXISTING BLOG POSTS ELSEWHERE (EXPOSURE BASED)
- LOG AT LEAST 20 HOUR OF WRITING IN SCRIVENER (WRITING BASED)
- GET ON TOP OF PROJECT TURNDOG 3.0 – TO AN EXTENT IS DOESN’T MAKE MY HEAD SPIN (BRAND/GROWTH BASED)
- LAUNCH THE STORYTELLING STARTER-KIT 2.0 REBOOT (CONTENT MARKETING BASED)
I’ve still a chunk of work to do for The Storytelling Starter-Kit Reboot, but I should be able to launch in November. For the most part, the content’s done, but I’ve lots of editing and refining ahead of me. Still, November should see it launched, which aligns well with my Guest Post, Podcast Interview & Syndication plans. After all, I want to impress the heck out of all these new folk who come and visit this site, right 🙂
This also links nicely with how I wish to end today’s post…
Earlier, I mentioned a new website and re-working of the Turndog Brand. I’m calling this project: TURNDOG 3.0
As I’m sure you can gather, it’s the third iteration of my brand since I started working for myself, and it means the dropping of the ‘millionaire‘ from my name. It’s always been the plan, and I feel like I’m finally in a position to do it. Simply put, it feels like the right time.
Well, actually I hoped to put everything off until Christmas and beyond, and spend my time until then mulling over ideas and gathering feedback. But as mentioned in the client section, my refined and defined approach has brought these plans forward. It’s an exiting time, but one full of hectic chaos and craziness.
As I’m sure you know all too well, a new website is no easy feat, and although my brand isn’t taking a complete new direction, it does require some tender love and care. I don’t see PROJECT TURNDOG 3.0 as a change per se, rather an M.O.T. The values and vision and aspirations remain the same, but as we all do, I’ve grown and evolved of late.
I hope this new brand and website elevates me to the next level, and I’m excited to see what comes between now and Christmas. I haven’t gone as far as setting a date just yet, but November should see LOTS of progress 🙂
And there you go, folks. Another Monthly Income Report at an end. I know these reports are long, but I hope they help you in some way (if only for pure entertainment/laughing at me purposes). These Monthly Income Reports are hard to write, but I find them rather therapeutic, too. Thank you for reading, and please get in touch and let me know your thoughts. I’d love to start a convo on TWITTER or FACEBOOK.
Speak soon,
TURNDOG
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