The Making Of

Amy Porterfield is an former corporate marketing expert turned entrepreneur and CEO of a $100 million business.

Through her best-selling courses and top-ranked marketing podcast Online Marketing Made Easy, Amy has helped hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs turn in their two weeks’ notice and trade burnout for freedom, income, and impact.

In this conversation, we dive into Amy’s early years as an entrepreneur. From failed course launches to her decision to take on a business partner and the eventual dissolution of that partnership. She discusses the challenges she faced, the lessons she learned, and the importance of finding your why and staying true to yourself.

Through it all, Amy's tenacity, determination, and authenticity shine through, leading to her continued success.

Topics include:

• Why humility and the willingness to learn from mistakes are essential traits for success as an entrepreneur
• How having a clear why and staying true to yourself can help you make decisions that align with your goals and values
• The behind the scenes of Amy’s different revenue streams, including her evergreen program, live launch program, membership, and affiliate deals

Episode Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

04:13 Amy's Origin Story: From Childhood to Entrepreneurship

28:04 Taking on a Business Partner

32:02 The Dissolution of the Partnership and Finding Confidence

33:52 Navigating Grief and Building a Supportive Community

37:20 Diversifying Revenue Streams: Evergreen Programs, Live Launches, and Memberships

44:09 Strategies for Helping Students Take Action in Online Courses

51:32 The Power of Consistency in Podcasting

57:39 Balancing Privacy and Authenticity in Personal Branding

You can connect with Amy here (https://www.amyporterfield.com/) and her IG here (https://www.instagram.com/amyporterfield)
Want to launch your own course? Check out Amy’s: Surprisingly Simple Ways To Turn Your Knowledge Into A Digital Course.

This episode also features two incredible entrepreneurs, Lisa Ramos and Nika Maples.

Lisa Ramos, the founder of Global Energy Method, she teaches energy healers how to build thriving 6-figure global businesses while gaining the skills, support, and qualifications to lead industry growth. You can connect with Lisa here: https://www.globalenergymethod.com

And Nika Maples, a writer who helps Christian coaches, speakers, and influencers write their books. You can connect with Nika here: https://nikamaples.com/

This show is produced and presented by Circle, where creators turn pro.

Back in 2014, Justin Moore made the leap to become a full-time creator. Since then, Justin has evolved into a leading Sponsorship Coach and founder of Creator Wizard, a community that helps creators negotiate dream brand partnerships, ensuring they don't leave thousands on the table.
With over $4M earned working with brands and having run an influencer marketing agency for over seven years, Justin has not only built a successful career but helps other creators earn millions more.

In this episode, Justin unpacks his transition from medical device product management to entrepreneurship, the difficult decision to close a successful agency while being over $100k in debt, and the origin of his company, Creator Wizard. He delves into how personal branding influences business decisions and why creators must take ownership of their businesses.

We also explore:

• The creation of Creator Wizard and the intricacies of brand partnerships and sponsorships
• The importance of audience alignment and the shift from being an influencer to an educator
• The impact of sponsorship deals and the need for creators to take ownership of their business
• Emphasizing the journey over hitting milestones and the importance of serving others

On a deeper level, we uncover the tough decisions Justin has made to reach his current success. Not all paths to entrepreneurship are linear.

Episode Chapters

00:00 The Origin Story: Transition from Medical Device Product Management to Entrepreneurship

20:00 The Impact of Personal Branding: Lessons from Rebranding and Mistakes Made

38:28 The Dynamics of Brand Partnerships and Sponsorships: Navigating Audience Alignment and Strategy

40:23 Navigating Creator Sponsorships: Challenges and Opportunities

45:06 From Influencer to Educator: The Shift in Creator Strategy

55:22 The Impact of Sponsorship Deals: Taking Ownership of Your Business

01:13:15 Serving Others: The Journey Over Milestones
Connect with Justin here: https://www.creatorwizard.com/
This show also features a special guest, Paul Jamison, host of the Green Industry Podcast. You can connect with him here: https://www.thepauljamison.com/

This show is produced and presented by Circle, where creators turn pro.

Jo is a multilingual content creator, entrepreneur, and TV host who’s spent a decade building a global community through powerful storytelling.
With 600+ videos and 1.3M+ YouTube subscribers, she speaks to the multicultural, multi-hyphenate generation. As CEO of JoClub, a journaling community, and host of Netflix’s World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals, Jo empowers others through curiosity, connection, and growth.

In this episode, Jo opens up about how childhood experiences shaped her empathy, navigating business challenges, and the importance of aligning your career with your values. Tune in for insights on scaling a business, creating spaces for vulnerability, and trusting your instincts.

Topics include:

• The impact of childhood experiences have on empathy and emotional intelligence
• Navigating the emotional challenges of parting ways with a business partner
• Insights on scaling a business and creating spaces for vulnerability and connection
• The importance of embracing fear, trusting your instincts, and personal growth through taking risks

Episode Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Childhood

07:16 Curiosity and Connection

17:35 Inception of the Damon and Jo Youtube Channel

27:01 Growth of Shut Up and Go

30:52 Dissolving a business and Mental Health

35:54 Transitioning to a New Career

37:43 Creating a Safe Space for Vulnerability

45:30 Scaling a Business and Delegating

52:24 The Power of In-Person Retreats

58:58 Trusting Your Instincts for Growth

01:03:11 Interview with Aurora Lucas

You can connect with Jo personally here (https://www.instagram.com/jo_franco/) and learn more about JoClub here (https://joclub.world/).

This episode also features a special story from a member of JoClub, Aurora Lucas. Aurora is an educator and advocate for marginalized communities, with a passion for healthcare equity shaped by her own journey as a lung cancer survivor. You can connect with Aurora here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/auroralucas/

This show is produced and presented by Circle, where creators turn pro.

Jay Clouse is the founder of Creator Science, a media company centered on helping professional creators grow their businesses. With a combined audience of 200,000+, Jay is a powerful voice and thought leader in the creator economy.

From his early love of video games to his time as a reporter shaping his storytelling skills, Jay shares how these experiences paved the way for his entrepreneurial ventures, the strategies he used to scale his business, and how to provide real value to your audience. He also opens up about balancing business and personal life, navigating the competitive world of content creation, and how fatherhood has reshaped his approach to time and priorities.

If you’re ready to grow your creative business while staying focused on what matters most, this conversation is for you!

Episode Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Young Jay

02:42 Influence of Video Games and Teaching

07:51 Lessons from Jay's Experience as a Reporter

13:23 Transitioning to Entrepreneurship

19:30 Building Unreal Collective and Joining SPI Pro

27:43 Navigating the Challenges of Leadership

36:26 Hiring and Balancing Business and Personal Life

38:21 Growing a Newsletter: Providing Value and Refining Content

43:56 Membership Communities: Recurring Value and Direct Communication

57:21 Content Creation as a Competitive Sport: Focus on Engagement and Uniqueness

01:02:15 The Role of AI in Content Creation

01:06:26 Efficiency and Removing Single Points of Failure for Business Success

01:11:26 Interview with Aurora Lucas

You can connect with Jay here (https://creatorscience.com/) and learn more about The Lab here (https://join.creatorscience.com/).

This episode also features a special story from a member of The Lab, Becky Pierson Davidson. Becky is a community driven product strategist helping brands and businesses leverage community to grow their impact. You can connect with Becky here: https://www.beckypierson.com/

This show is produced and presented by Circle, where creators turn pro.

Anne-Laure has always been been fascinated by human consciousness and the biology of the mind. A cognitive neuroscientist in training, she has a weekly newsletter on creativity, learning, and mindful productivity that reaches over 100,000 readers. She’s also the founder of Ness Labs, a learning community that helps people achieve more without sacrificing their mental health.

In this episode, Anne-Laure shares her journey from a bookworm teenager to community manager, Google employee, the creator of several failed start ups, and finally, the founder of Ness Labs. She always comes back to the importance of following your own path, and not getting caught up in external definitions of success.

We also dive into:

• Experimenting and learning without the pressure of a set destination
• The importance of understanding what truly fulfills you
• Lessons learned from launching and growing Ness Labs
• Building a successful newsletter through consistency and value
• Embracing curiosity to better understand yourself and serve your audience

Episode Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:00 Early Interests and Community Building
04:18 Internships at Google and Decision to Leave
09:01 Transition to Starting Own Ventures
15:24 The Importance of Freedom and Self-Reflection
26:49 Creating a Learning Community for Growth and Mental Health
28:06 Creating a Community Rooted in Connection and Learning
30:29 Finding Meaning and Financial Independence through Nest Labs
34:48 Balancing Community Management and Self-Care
38:39 Handling Negative Feedback with Grace and Action
43:54 Growing a Newsletter through Consistency and Value
52:34 The Power of Curiosity for Creators

This show is produced and presented by Circle, where creators turn pro.