Below is the transcription for this episode:
Dave: Hey what’s going on everybody this is Dave Sharpe, welcome to Wake Up Legendary. As you can see by the description is making massive moves even though he's in college with his online biz, Ben, welcome to the show, buddy.
Ben: Glad to be here. Thanks for having me.
Dave: Hey, you're welcome. We're really live now, man. Sounds good. I joked with Ben a second ago and said we're live but we weren't really live sometimes. You know it's just the dad and me the dad jokes.
Ben: Oh yeah. My dad always had those you have to make if you’re dad.
Dave: Yeah, I used to be cool at one time in my life but it dissipates and then you don't realize you aren't cool anymore? You think you're cooler than you are kind of I guess how it happens. And then I kind of look around and I'm just kind of like well that was awkward so kinda like right now. So what led you to online brother? I mean, what brought you ultimately to Legendary How did you find us? Give us a brief nutshell version of how you got started and how you fumbled or stumbled upon and found us.
Ben: So basically, I think about what I want to say like five or six months ago, probably. I think I just found you guys on Instagram with someone just talking about the 15 day challenge I am in. So I mean, I'm in college and I'm studying Business. And I was kind of looking at, you know, an opportunity where I could kind of do something myself, do something on the side maybe. So I just saw this guy talking about the 15 Day Challenge. And he was like, it's only seven bucks. And I was honestly at that point, like, really? Like, what do I have to lose at this point? I might as well try a 15 day challenge for $7 and I absolutely loved it. I went through the whole challenge and it was amazing. So kind of how everything started just from Instagram.
Dave: So now like how are you still on the same path in college derailed your I mean, how are things different in terms of your outlook on life in business than they were before?
Ben: So it has derailed my plans a little bit. I always kind of knew that I wanted to, like, have my own business or kind of be my own boss. That was always kind of my vision. But you know, my parents really pushed me they're like, just go to college. You know, get a degree at least have that as kind of a fallback plan. And so I was like, Okay, fine. I'll go to college. My goal, this is my last semester starting this month. So my goal would be at the end just to kind of have the online business be making enough money. Or I could just do it full time. If that will happen. And I don't know, I might have to get a job and still do this part time until I'm able to build it up enough. But that would be my ultimate goal. I just didn't really think it was possible before taking the challenge that I could like, do it myself. I saw other people doing it, but I was like, can I really do it? I'm not sure. And then after going through the challenge, taking the training and kind of actually taking action on things like, Hey, I could really do this. This is a real possibility for me, I could actually, you know, make this happen and it could be a real thing for me.
Dave: So that must feel I mean, that must feel exciting. And also maybe even a little bit scary. I don't know You tell me. How does that feel?
Ben: Mainly exciting. Yeah, I mean, it is, in some sense, scary. But more than anything, I'm just excited to kind of get after it and keep going. You know, I've had some decent results already. It's exciting when you get your first sale online, I still remember it. It was only like 18 bucks, but I was like, hey, this actually works, I could actually do this. So it's just exciting to just know that the business model actually works and that you can actually have legitimate success with it if you're just willing to work at it. So I'm just excited to just keep going down and keep learning and just figuring out how to keep building it up.
Dave: How are things different for you after you made that first sale? What did that do to your belief level? Or what did that do to you? Mentally?
Ben: For me personally, I mean, it changes everything. Because in the past I had tried taking online courses and doing different things to make money online. Like I think I did like an E commerce course. And I paid a lot of money for it. And it just wasn't what I thought it was going to be. So I think what it does for you when you get your first sale online is it solidifies the belief that it's actually possible for you to do it, especially as a complete beginner without really any prior experience. I still remember I was actually on my way to work. I still remember it, and I got the email that I had made a sale and they, you know, it wasn't a lot of money. But even if it's not a lot of money, the fact that you can get a sale proves that the business model works and it does solidify your belief that hey, I can do this, this business works. And it also encourages you to keep going like in those times where maybe you're not making a lot of sales or you know, things just aren't going so well for you. You're kind of struggling with things. It gives you encouragement to be like, hey, this works. I just got to do the bad stuff to get to the good stuff.
Dave: Yeah, and have you just gotten one sale or have you gotten two sales or more?
Ben: I've gotten more sales.
Dave: What did some of the bad stuff that you've had to push for?
Ben: Just just for me personally, I never was really experienced with social media. So for me, personally, like I had never really, I guess been into social media, or thought that I could use social media as a way you know, like, promote products or use it actually to build a business so for me, the hard part was actually learning especially with TikTok like actually learning how to create content. And then you know, a lot of videos that just you know, flopped and I'm like, What the heck? And I don't think a lot of people actually realize that social media is like a learned skill. You can actually learn how to do social media and actually learn how to consistently market to someone so I think it was using social media and kind of work on my marketing and how to use that and just experimenting with different things and seeing like, what are people responding to? What are people not responding to you? So just kind of, you know, trial and error just to kind of see and figure out what's working what's not working, how do I create content? How do I, you know, create a good message that people relate to? So just kind of figuring out that whole side of things.
Dave: I think that's a powerful statement that you just said that social media and marketing, you know, basically it's it's it's but just sticking with that specific point, social media as a learned skill. Like you're not just born as a social media influencer. You’re not just gifted 100,000 subscribers. The majority of everybody actually everybody, I don't know a single person who started out marketing using social media. Who, who, who was good at first like who was legitimately what they were doing, you know, it is a learned skill and I think that's I think the hurdle is, is, is, first of all, understanding that everybody starts at zero followers. And then the second hurdle is asking or believing that I can do it and you've mentioned a couple of little milestones so far, that you've that you've personally used to keep going. The first was getting started with the training, going through the training, really taking it in and getting excited about it. The next was taking action, getting your first sale. That was another big milestone you said that gave you a lot of motivation. Now as you've gotten these first few validating sales and you've made I don't know how much money you've made, because I wasn't told at first, but I assume you've done okay, fairly well so far enough to be on the show enough for us to reach out to you. What are you now focused on learning or developing or what phase of the business would you say that you're in now?
Ben: Again, since my struggle was in social media, I would say that's mastering that skill. Like as we learn about marketing and we learn how to do things like email marketing, I look at my you know, like, seems like not to get technical, but my like, my click through rates and things of that nature. And those are all pretty good. You know, and I know that I'm promoting education, that's fantastic. So I know I have something great that I'm promoting. I know that I have good symptoms. And so it's just a matter of me. Now, I just need to get that message out there. That's really what I need to focus on. I know, I know everything else in the businesses is where it needs to be. So for me, it's just going to continue to kind of hammer away at social media and just kind of study it and learn. And then look at the other people, you know, who are doing kind of similar things to me, who are doing better than me and saying, what are they doing? Why are they ahead of me? How can I kind of learn from them, imitate them and learn the skills that they have that maybe I don't, so it's just kind of I think it's just that same thing of just kind of staying focused on just getting that message out there communicating clearly and just login using social media to do that.
Dave: You just dropped a major, major, major nugget and I want to point it out and that was that you are taking ridiculous personal responsibility for your success, you know and have competence you're not second guessing the sales funnel of the product that you're promoting or the product that you're promoting, you're not second guessing your autoresponder and the technology is you set it up one time to test it and usually when you you have a problem. It's very rare that systems or software break down so you've set those pieces in place. And now your total focus and attention is creating content. That is better, more entertaining and more educational. Your total focus is on you rather than second guessing what you're promoting and resetting up and checking your funnels and stuff like that. That's what I hear that you're focusing on one thing which is creating more, more karma and better content. Is that what I'm hearing? Ben: Yep, that's correct.
Dave: Yeah. And I think that's a big nugget because so many of us get started and then we just are indecisive, second guessing things. Instead of saying, You know what, let me really hone in on one thing, and this is the matter that has been for a long time, if not forever in this business. That's really what it's all about, especially if you're doing affiliate marketing. If you're doing affiliate marketing the beautiful part is you don't have to be the expert. You don't have to set up the funnels and the technology in the back office and create products and film things. You just have to focus on the front end traffic source. And there's so many powerful traffic sources starting with TikTok, Instagram, Youtube. I mean, those are with those three video platforms that you've got Pinterest, you can repost your videos on as well. I mean, you've got an assortment of platforms where you can take one piece of content and you can drive legitimate traffic like never before and so I think your eyes are in the right place. I think you've got your eye on the right ball instead of 15 Balls trying to play 15 different sports and I'm looking forward to where this goes for you. What advice would you give yourself? If you knew what you know now, Ben to yourself when you were just starting out?
Ben: Start sooner. I think like you just kind of said people, especially with things online, there's so many ways to make money online, you know, whether it's being an affiliate or whatever, you know, being a coach or consultant or whatever you want. To do. There's so many different ways to make money online. But I think sometimes we go almost like an analysis by paralysis kind of thing where they just get so overwhelmed. One person's telling him you should do this. This is the best thing when another person tells them not to do this. This is the best thing. Another person is insane. No, this is the best thing because I had success with it. What I recommend to people is to just pick one thing. One thing and just decide that one thing is what you're going to go all in on and you're just gonna start. Now like I said, this is a proven business model. It works over and over and over. Again for the people who are willing to do the work to get the proper education and get the proper training. You just have to be willing to go and do that work and you have to be willing to, you know, put in the effort. And like I said, push through the failures, and frankly just be a little uncomfortable. Like I was super uncomfortable when I first started posting on social media. I feel so awkward in front of the camera. What's going to listen to what I have to say? So I would say just start and surround yourself with good people and a good community who are going to help you and care about you. And just go for it. And that's the thing I thought about it's like most people that are looking for an opportunity like this are already in a place where typically, you know, they're not making the money they want to make or they hate their job. And frankly, they're kind of miserable, or they're just not happy with where they're going to be. It's like let's say you go out and you try a new business opportunity. And let's say you fail. So the worst that could happen. You're just going to be in the same miserable place that you already are at. And nothing's really going to change for you. Or everything could change for you. You could start this business and you could get really successful. In the end you could have a life you know in a year two years down the line that you never imagined beforehand. So I would say just stop over analyzing it and just go for it.
Dave: Brother, I'm gonna leave it right there. That was so well said and so articulate and so just sensical. We've got your TikTok profile up here for people to go and follow you and support you. And I hope that you'll come back here in maybe a month or two and let us know how you're doing and show us where you're at.
Ben: Thanks for having me, Dave.
Dave: All right, Ben, we'll talk to you later my brother. Okay. Take care. Alright, my friends, man, just solid, clear advice from somebody who's new, who's just getting started, who's still focused on something else, going into college, but like somebody said, is wise beyond his years, sees what he needs to do and is clear about it. So please go give Ben a follow at TikTok @Benwtheaffiliate and my friends. We will see you back here tomorrow for another episode. Be Legendary. Get out of here. And have a great Thursday. See you.
