https://simplecast.com MegaMaker For digital makers who want to earn a living from the things they create. Indie software developers, designers, writers, entrepreneurs, artists, and other creatives! © 2016 Nerd North Inc. en-ca Thu, 22 Feb 2018 00:41:00 +0000 Wed, 10 Mar 2021 20:39:24 +0000 http://megamaker.co MegaMaker https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/a7f80822-bf8e-49f1-97cb-f7f221881b73/29731c80-3874-46c3-9088-6a2c6c9a8256/3000x3000/1480899970-artwork.jpg?aid=rss_feed http://megamaker.co episodic For digital makers who want to earn a living from the things they create. Indie software developers, designers, writers, entrepreneurs, artists, and other creatives! Justin Jackson no https://feeds.simplecast.com/PrdeMdVH maker, product, making, craft, build, launch, diy, apps, technology, hobbies, metal, canada, justin jackson, product, hunt, 3d, printing, kickstarter Justin Jackson justin@bizbox.ca a57fc366-b663-4c73-b1fa-528f797cdd2d 058 - I spent $30,000 looking for product-market fit Thousands of dollars were pouring into my account. And I was miserable.

Show notes

★ Get $50 off Tiny Marketing Wins until Feb 28, 2018 with the code: relaunch ★

]]> Thu, 22 Feb 2018 00:41:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/58-OzOPuQMx Thousands of dollars were pouring into my account. And I was miserable.

Show notes

★ Get $50 off Tiny Marketing Wins until Feb 28, 2018 with the code: relaunch ★

]]> 058 - I spent $30,000 looking for product-market fit Justin Jackson 00:14:40 Thousands of dollars were pouring into my account. And I was miserable. Thousands of dollars were pouring into my account. And I was miserable. no full 58 65178a22-b6c5-49f3-a851-92a3c3e053a7 057 – Harder than ever to be a solopreneur (what's going to happen in 2018?) 2017 proved that it's harder than ever to be a solo-founder. Niches crumbled. Marketing channels were saturated. Competition increased. And more than ever, consumers got tired.

Show notes

]]> Sat, 23 Dec 2017 00:22:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/57-dKJRq5m_ 2017 proved that it's harder than ever to be a solo-founder. Niches crumbled. Marketing channels were saturated. Competition increased. And more than ever, consumers got tired.

Show notes

]]> 057 – Harder than ever to be a solopreneur (what's going to happen in 2018?) Justin Jackson 2017 proved that it's harder than ever to be a solo-founder. Niches crumbled. Marketing channels were saturated. Competition increased. And more than ever, consumers got tired. 2017 proved that it's harder than ever to be a solo-founder. Niches crumbled. Marketing channels were saturated. Competition increased. And more than ever, consumers got tired. no full 57 3d013901-b25e-4076-a8d7-021e152338bd 056 – My highlights and fails from 2017 Here's my year in review: what worked, what didn't, what am I going to change in the future?

Show notes

]]> Sun, 10 Dec 2017 23:15:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/56-r27ZKHxU Here's my year in review: what worked, what didn't, what am I going to change in the future?

Show notes

]]> 056 – My highlights and fails from 2017 Justin Jackson 00:17:41 Hear Justin's year in review: what worked, what didn't, what am I going to change in the future? Hear Justin's year in review: what worked, what didn't, what am I going to change in the future? no full 56 236ac1df-c725-47df-ad7c-c9ee0f6c03b5 055 – What's really been going on? Welcome back MegaMaker fans! There's been a lot going on. There's been some big changes in Justin's life. Listen to hear how he's making course corrections.

MegaMaker is focused on helping founders improve their product & marketing so they can grow their business.

Show notes

]]> Fri, 6 Oct 2017 17:40:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/55-_FdCKaIl Welcome back MegaMaker fans! There's been a lot going on. There's been some big changes in Justin's life. Listen to hear how he's making course corrections.

MegaMaker is focused on helping founders improve their product & marketing so they can grow their business.

Show notes

]]> 055 – What's really been going on? Justin Jackson 00:12:54 Welcome back MegaMaker fans! There's been a lot going on. There's been some big changes in Justin's life. Listen to hear how he's making course corrections. Welcome back MegaMaker fans! There's been a lot going on. There's been some big changes in Justin's life. Listen to hear how he's making course corrections. yes full 55 4408457b-3c54-40a5-81fa-5c9efeed35fa 054 – Do this before you do ANYTHING else Have an idea for a new project? Here's what you should do first (before you write any code!)

Update: there's big changes that have been happening here with MegaMaker. I'll share those soon! In the meantime, here's an episode inspired by a talk I gave at Laracon 2017 in New York City.

Show notes

]]> Tue, 15 Aug 2017 00:30:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/54-8k77qUU9 Have an idea for a new project? Here's what you should do first (before you write any code!)

Update: there's big changes that have been happening here with MegaMaker. I'll share those soon! In the meantime, here's an episode inspired by a talk I gave at Laracon 2017 in New York City.

Show notes

]]> 054 – Do this before you do ANYTHING else Justin Jackson 00:13:40 Have an idea for a new project? Here's what you should do first (before you write any code!) Have an idea for a new project? Here's what you should do first (before you write any code!) yes full 54 9a3330e6-6812-4308-a303-d424a5f8086c 053 - A marketing tactic no one is talking about Want to increase sales? Do this first.

Show notes

]]> Fri, 26 May 2017 21:21:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/53-VEC7hcdj Want to increase sales? Do this first.

Show notes

]]> 053 - A marketing tactic no one is talking about Justin Jackson Want to increase sales? Do this first. Want to increase sales? Do this first. no full 53 dc75567d-058e-4cfd-94f2-1f1084f9dc81 052 - Help! The robots are coming What does the future of work and entrepreneurship look like?

Here is what you need to know to run a business in a world filled with artificial intelligence, robots, and automation.

Show notes

]]> Fri, 12 May 2017 21:52:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/52-ZEwe8T5F What does the future of work and entrepreneurship look like?

Here is what you need to know to run a business in a world filled with artificial intelligence, robots, and automation.

Show notes

]]> 052 - Help! The robots are coming Justin Jackson 00:09:55 What does the future of work and entrepreneurship look like? Here is what you need to know to run a business in a world filled with artificial intelligence, robots, and automation. What does the future of work and entrepreneurship look like? Here is what you need to know to run a business in a world filled with artificial intelligence, robots, and automation. no full 52 b5cd19ea-7c27-491b-b261-4d731858bd27 051 - Stay up until your eyeballs bleed How do you go from no audience, no idea, and no revenue to quitting your job?

Justin tells his story.

(This is an excerpt from his talk at MicroConf 2017)

Show notes

]]> Fri, 21 Apr 2017 21:30:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/51-GpHYeFA8 How do you go from no audience, no idea, and no revenue to quitting your job?

Justin tells his story.

(This is an excerpt from his talk at MicroConf 2017)

Show notes

]]> 051 - Stay up until your eyeballs bleed Justin Jackson 00:16:40 How do you go from no audience, no idea, and no revenue to quitting your day job? Justin tells his story. How do you go from no audience, no idea, and no revenue to quitting your day job? Justin tells his story. quit, microconf 2017, income report, quit day job, income, startup, bootstrapper, maker, indie, independent, microconf, bootstrapping no full 51 5f8f2387-791d-4cef-81da-5185b17f9a05 050 - How I make my money Justin does a revenue breakdown for his various projects.

Show notes

]]> Fri, 14 Apr 2017 12:01:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/50-5xE5ehFn Justin does a revenue breakdown for his various projects.

Show notes

]]> 050 - How I make my money Justin Jackson 00:13:40 Justin does a revenue breakdown for his various projects. Justin does a revenue breakdown for his various projects. no full 50 694cfc1f-60e9-416c-8286-7b2154d4662e 049 – Build things without code Justin talks about the secret to building products AND shares some "old person" computer nostalgia.

Show notes

]]> Fri, 7 Apr 2017 17:23:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/49-0iUXfSqh Justin talks about the secret to building products AND shares some "old person" computer nostalgia.

Show notes

]]> 049 – Build things without code Justin Jackson 00:21:35 Justin talks about the fundamental truth to building products AND shares some "old person" computer nostalgia. Justin talks about the fundamental truth to building products AND shares some "old person" computer nostalgia. vernon, jobs to be done, startups, megamaker, build without code, products, protohack, okanagan, makers, startup, canada, kamloops, justin jackson, jtbd, mailchimp, tech no full 49 4d685cb0-644c-4a7e-a7fe-37dad1f2b914 048 - Sell more beer I've been thinking a lot about how important it is for potential customers to "see your product used in public."

Lots of examples of this:

  • Apple Macbooks in coffee shops
  • People sharing their Snapchat filter videos outside of Snapchat
  • GitHub stickers on people's laptops at conferences (another example: public Gists)

How we could all implement this on our products?

Show notes

My new project is: tinymarketingwins.com

Have you left a review on iTunes? It's easy! Just open up iTunes, search for MegaMaker, and click ★★★★★!

]]> Sat, 25 Mar 2017 06:04:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/48-8P2bwvgx I've been thinking a lot about how important it is for potential customers to "see your product used in public."

Lots of examples of this:

  • Apple Macbooks in coffee shops
  • People sharing their Snapchat filter videos outside of Snapchat
  • GitHub stickers on people's laptops at conferences (another example: public Gists)

How we could all implement this on our products?

Show notes

My new project is: tinymarketingwins.com

Have you left a review on iTunes? It's easy! Just open up iTunes, search for MegaMaker, and click ★★★★★!

]]> 048 - Sell more beer Justin Jackson 00:08:39 I've been thinking a lot about how important it is for potential customers to "see your product used in public." I've been thinking a lot about how important it is for potential customers to "see your product used in public." no full 48 d453183a-0521-4797-8ff5-a4726d4125d9 047 - Why I'm moving to YouTube (and why you should too) I've been blogging since 2008 and podcasting since 2012.

Why, in 2017, am I starting a YouTube channel?

My new project is: tinymarketingwins.com

Have you left a review on iTunes? It's easy! Just open up iTunes, search for MegaMaker, and click ★★★★★!

]]> Fri, 17 Mar 2017 10:00:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/47-4HOZ2PLd I've been blogging since 2008 and podcasting since 2012.

Why, in 2017, am I starting a YouTube channel?

My new project is: tinymarketingwins.com

Have you left a review on iTunes? It's easy! Just open up iTunes, search for MegaMaker, and click ★★★★★!

]]> 047 - Why I'm moving to YouTube (and why you should too) Justin Jackson 00:08:43 I've been blogging since 2008 and podcasting since 2012. Why, in 2017, am I starting a YouTube channel? I've been blogging since 2008 and podcasting since 2012. Why, in 2017, am I starting a YouTube channel? no full 47 ec744ff8-8530-4edf-8356-47e13448f219 046 - Three tips for aspiring solopreneurs Looking to make an independent living from the things you make? Is passive income a myth?

In this episode I share three lessons I've learned from my first year of going solo.

Show notes

Have you left a review on iTunes? It's easy! Just open up iTunes, search for MegaMaker, and click ★★★★★!

]]> Sat, 4 Mar 2017 06:54:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/46-Voza_04r Looking to make an independent living from the things you make? Is passive income a myth?

In this episode I share three lessons I've learned from my first year of going solo.

Show notes

Have you left a review on iTunes? It's easy! Just open up iTunes, search for MegaMaker, and click ★★★★★!

]]> 046 - Three tips for aspiring solopreneurs Justin Jackson 00:09:57 Looking to make an independent living from the things you make? Is passive income a myth? In this episode I share three lessons I've learned from my first year of going solo. Looking to make an independent living from the things you make? Is passive income a myth? In this episode I share three lessons I've learned from my first year of going solo. no full 46 16fc2426-fedc-4305-a67b-00302ec625d1 045 - What are you plans, maaaaaan? We're two months into 2017. What are your plans?

Justin shares his goals for this year (revenue, and what he's going to change)

Show Notes

Please remember to leave a review in iTunes!

I'll be back next Friday with another episode. Follow online: megamaker.co

]]> Fri, 24 Feb 2017 13:01:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/45-fwaoq97x We're two months into 2017. What are your plans?

Justin shares his goals for this year (revenue, and what he's going to change)

Show Notes

Please remember to leave a review in iTunes!

I'll be back next Friday with another episode. Follow online: megamaker.co

]]> 045 - What are you plans, maaaaaan? Justin Jackson We're two months into 2017. What are your plans? Justin shares his goals for this year (revenue, and what he's going to change) We're two months into 2017. What are your plans? Justin shares his goals for this year (revenue, and what he's going to change) no full 45 57567571-0fb1-47cf-b951-61a55f0433cb 044 - What the heck happened last year? Welcome to 2017! In this episode Justin reviews what happened with the 2016 maker challenge.

He shares what worked, what didn't, and his revenue numbers.

Show Notes

Please remember to leave a review in iTunes!

I'll be back next Friday with another episode. Follow online: megamaker.co

]]> Fri, 17 Feb 2017 13:05:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/44-Es74aBUu Welcome to 2017! In this episode Justin reviews what happened with the 2016 maker challenge.

He shares what worked, what didn't, and his revenue numbers.

Show Notes

Please remember to leave a review in iTunes!

I'll be back next Friday with another episode. Follow online: megamaker.co

]]> 044 - What the heck happened last year? Justin Jackson 00:15:22 Welcome to 2017! In this episode Justin reviews what happened with the 2016 maker challenge. Welcome to 2017! In this episode Justin reviews what happened with the 2016 maker challenge. jolt, year in review, marketing for developers, mijustin, amazon, metal, megamaker, marketing, youtube, maker, indie, justin jackson, swag, wal-mart no full 44 7e9430d3-984d-49d0-9009-2a748396b393 043 - How do you get out of a creative rut? What do you do when you lose your motivation? When you haven't created anything in weeks? When you no longer like the project you're working on?

Justin's had a hard couple of weeks. How can he get back on track?

This is the last episode of 2016! Join me for Season 4 in January 2017.

Show notes

]]> Fri, 18 Nov 2016 19:56:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/43-bPWa2FyF What do you do when you lose your motivation? When you haven't created anything in weeks? When you no longer like the project you're working on?

Justin's had a hard couple of weeks. How can he get back on track?

This is the last episode of 2016! Join me for Season 4 in January 2017.

Show notes

]]> 043 - How do you get out of a creative rut? Justin Jackson 00:17:37 What do you do when you lose your motivation? When you haven't created anything in weeks? When you no longer like the project you're working on? Justin's had a hard couple of weeks. How can he get back on track? What do you do when you lose your motivation? When you haven't created anything in weeks? When you no longer like the project you're working on? Justin's had a hard couple of weeks. How can he get back on track? creative, low, motivation, inspiration, rut, make no full 43 d954004c-627f-4c76-b279-b196fe9e96a2 042 - The struggle is real People want to make progress in their lives.

Every single one of us wants a better life. We’re all striving for more.

Show notes

]]> Fri, 11 Nov 2016 13:00:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/42-ohRqM400 People want to make progress in their lives.

Every single one of us wants a better life. We’re all striving for more.

Show notes

]]> 042 - The struggle is real Justin Jackson 00:08:02 People want to make progress in their lives. Every single one of us wants a better life. We’re all striving for more. People want to make progress in their lives. Every single one of us wants a better life. We’re all striving for more. no full 42 e68b5343-a203-4263-abb2-3f144495a4c0 041 - Addicted to progress Everyone dreams of a better life. But how do you achieve it?

Justin gives some context to the idea of "living the dream."

Show notes

]]> Fri, 4 Nov 2016 12:00:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/41-Uef8QnS_ Everyone dreams of a better life. But how do you achieve it?

Justin gives some context to the idea of "living the dream."

Show notes

]]> 041 - Addicted to progress Justin Jackson Everyone dreams of a better life. But how do you achieve it? Justin gives some context to the idea of "living the dream." Everyone dreams of a better life. But how do you achieve it? Justin gives some context to the idea of "living the dream." yes full 41 ce6fdc7b-688a-47d2-aa5f-a84775ee1038 040 - Four years lost & wasted Justin sneaks out of the house on a cold, dark autumn night and records an episode.

Topic: why you should learn from practitioners, not professors.

Didn't record an episode last week, because I was launching the new Marketing for Developers course.

Special $50 discount for podcast listeners: megamaker.co/coupon

Show notes

I learned more from building, launching, and marketing a product than I did in 4 years of university.

]]> Sat, 22 Oct 2016 03:09:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/40-TOMbKlS1 Justin sneaks out of the house on a cold, dark autumn night and records an episode.

Topic: why you should learn from practitioners, not professors.

Didn't record an episode last week, because I was launching the new Marketing for Developers course.

Special $50 discount for podcast listeners: megamaker.co/coupon

Show notes

I learned more from building, launching, and marketing a product than I did in 4 years of university.

]]> 040 - Four years lost & wasted Justin Jackson 00:18:35 Justin sneaks out of the house on a cold, dark autumn night and records an episode. Topic: why you should learn from practitioners, not professors. Justin sneaks out of the house on a cold, dark autumn night and records an episode. Topic: why you should learn from practitioners, not professors. business education, launching, online course, marketing, education no full 40 ae014e2a-ba3c-478a-98b9-d798d26778c9 039 - Are you a Solopreneur or a Teampreneur? What kind of entrepreneur are you? Do you want to be like a solo artist, or do you want to be part of a band?

Show notes

Advice for Solopreneurs

  1. Find community: find a community both online and offline. For me that's Product People Club and Cowork Vernon.
  2. Get accountability: for me, I have a weekly mastermind meeting. Basically it's a regular accountability meeting (you usually with 2-3 other people).
  3. Don't waste time, resources, or opportunity: as a solo person, you can't afford to waste anything. Don't fool around! Focus on one project at a time, and build it until you launch it. Double down on what's working.
  4. Use the right tools: after trying out everything, I think Coach is the perfect platform for solopreneurs. Check out my page on coach here: justinjackson.withcoach.com
]]> Fri, 7 Oct 2016 17:06:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/39-JDnty4do What kind of entrepreneur are you? Do you want to be like a solo artist, or do you want to be part of a band?

Show notes

Advice for Solopreneurs

  1. Find community: find a community both online and offline. For me that's Product People Club and Cowork Vernon.
  2. Get accountability: for me, I have a weekly mastermind meeting. Basically it's a regular accountability meeting (you usually with 2-3 other people).
  3. Don't waste time, resources, or opportunity: as a solo person, you can't afford to waste anything. Don't fool around! Focus on one project at a time, and build it until you launch it. Double down on what's working.
  4. Use the right tools: after trying out everything, I think Coach is the perfect platform for solopreneurs. Check out my page on coach here: justinjackson.withcoach.com
]]> 039 - Are you a Solopreneur or a Teampreneur? Justin Jackson 00:18:12 What kind of entrepreneur are you? Do you want to be like a solo artist, or do you want to be part of a band? What kind of entrepreneur are you? Do you want to be like a solo artist, or do you want to be part of a band? advice, solo, sales, ceo, entrepreneur, tips, team, solopreneur, product, maker, making, course, online no full 39 d47e8cac-b23d-4ccb-9534-b6d2303f0fca 038 - What motivates people to buy? Learn how to make things that people actually want. Justin is joined by author Alan Klement to talk about the "Jobs to be Done" framework .

Don't define your competition by features or product. Rather you need to define your competition by what helps customers make progress.

Show notes

"If there's a picture in our minds of how we want life to be, and we're not quite there, we want to make progress towards that vision."

There's two things that cause people to switch products:

  1. The picture in your mind (of how you want things to be) has changed.
  2. The solution you're using is no longer delivering you progress.
]]> Fri, 30 Sep 2016 20:18:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/38-uiyY1dIM Learn how to make things that people actually want. Justin is joined by author Alan Klement to talk about the "Jobs to be Done" framework .

Don't define your competition by features or product. Rather you need to define your competition by what helps customers make progress.

Show notes

"If there's a picture in our minds of how we want life to be, and we're not quite there, we want to make progress towards that vision."

There's two things that cause people to switch products:

  1. The picture in your mind (of how you want things to be) has changed.
  2. The solution you're using is no longer delivering you progress.
]]> 038 - What motivates people to buy? Justin Jackson 00:19:52 Learn how to make things that people actually want. Justin is joined by author Alan Klement to talk about the "Jobs to be Done" framework . Learn how to make things that people actually want. Justin is joined by author Alan Klement to talk about the "Jobs to be Done" framework . jobs to be done, customers, selling, motivation, product, making, jtbd yes full 38 fad3c747-08dc-4f37-8a49-802a0747ba15 037 - Find and validate good product ideas After a long hiatus, Justin is back to talk about a system for discovering what people want, and building solutions they'll actually buy.

Show notes

The reason people buy a product is they imagine their lives better with that product, than without it.

Steps for discover product ideas.

Download the slides here.

1. Start with people

Choose an audience that...

  1. You know, understand, and like
  2. That buys things
  3. That congregates online

What group is already paying you for your time and expertise?

2. Research + listen

Places to do research online:

  1. Google (look at related keywords)
  2. Twitter
  3. Reddit
  4. Facebook Groups
  5. Facebook search

3. Create a hypothesis

As a math grad student I want an online course so that I can make it through my first year of grad school.

4. Test your hypothesis

What's the smallest "product" you could create that could disprove your hypothesis?

What you learn when you launch a tiny version:

  1. How hard is it to find customers?
  2. Did I hit a nerve? Did I identify the #1 pain?
  3. How hard is it to get people to pay?
  4. How satisfied were people with the solution?
  5. Do I like the customers?
]]> Fri, 23 Sep 2016 13:00:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/37-XSyk9mHD After a long hiatus, Justin is back to talk about a system for discovering what people want, and building solutions they'll actually buy.

Show notes

The reason people buy a product is they imagine their lives better with that product, than without it.

Steps for discover product ideas.

Download the slides here.

1. Start with people

Choose an audience that...

  1. You know, understand, and like
  2. That buys things
  3. That congregates online

What group is already paying you for your time and expertise?

2. Research + listen

Places to do research online:

  1. Google (look at related keywords)
  2. Twitter
  3. Reddit
  4. Facebook Groups
  5. Facebook search

3. Create a hypothesis

As a math grad student I want an online course so that I can make it through my first year of grad school.

4. Test your hypothesis

What's the smallest "product" you could create that could disprove your hypothesis?

What you learn when you launch a tiny version:

  1. How hard is it to find customers?
  2. Did I hit a nerve? Did I identify the #1 pain?
  3. How hard is it to get people to pay?
  4. How satisfied were people with the solution?
  5. Do I like the customers?
]]> 037 - Find and validate good product ideas Justin Jackson 00:20:55 After a long hiatus, Justin is back to talk about a system for discovering what people want, and building solutions they'll actually buy. After a long hiatus, Justin is back to talk about a system for discovering what people want, and building solutions they'll actually buy. no full 37 79d5eaf5-38f2-48b1-a3b2-18540036f6b4 036 - Starting with no audience, no idea, and no revenue What are the different stages to being a solopreneur?

Your customers don't want to just "consume your stuff." They want to achieve something! They have a destination in mind.

Show notes

Ultimately, we all want a business we can be proud of.

]]> Fri, 2 Sep 2016 18:33:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/36-vNMY3o1s What are the different stages to being a solopreneur?

Your customers don't want to just "consume your stuff." They want to achieve something! They have a destination in mind.

Show notes

Ultimately, we all want a business we can be proud of.

]]> 036 - Starting with no audience, no idea, and no revenue Justin Jackson What are the different stages to being a solopreneur? Your customers don't want to just "consume your stuff." They want to achieve something! They have a destination in mind. What are the different stages to being a solopreneur? Your customers don't want to just "consume your stuff." They want to achieve something! They have a destination in mind. no full 36 9a5d2f6d-658d-4f55-b5f1-67c32fc2a82c 035 - Being in traffic almost killed me How do you quit your day job? You need the freedom ladder.

You feel like you're crawling through a tunnel towards freedom. But the tunnel keep getting tighter and tighter around you. It's hard to move. But there's hope!

Show notes

BTW - this is not going to be another rant on "why you should be staying up all night" just so you can work on your side-project.

Want to support the show?

Get 20% off Justin's new book (Jolt!) when you use this code: gum.co/joltbook/podcast

]]> Fri, 19 Aug 2016 12:00:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/35-13XGi1NU How do you quit your day job? You need the freedom ladder.

You feel like you're crawling through a tunnel towards freedom. But the tunnel keep getting tighter and tighter around you. It's hard to move. But there's hope!

Show notes

BTW - this is not going to be another rant on "why you should be staying up all night" just so you can work on your side-project.

Want to support the show?

Get 20% off Justin's new book (Jolt!) when you use this code: gum.co/joltbook/podcast

]]> 035 - Being in traffic almost killed me Justin Jackson 00:28:50 How do you quit your day job? You need the freedom ladder. How do you quit your day job? You need the freedom ladder. quit, hope, commute, freedom, help, job, independence yes full 35 54e6b0d3-cd3f-4c01-a220-0267e13a344a 034 - Should you start a SaaS company in 2016? Startups like Slack, Basecamp, and Freshbooks make millions of dollars in monthly recurring revenue by using a model called Software as a Service (SaaS).

Should you get into the business?

This episode isn't just for programmers and startup people! Lots of lessons for makers of all sorts.

Show notes

Want to support the show?

The only way I can keep making cool stuff (like this podcast) is if fans support the show! There's two ways you can help:

  1. Buy something I've made. My new book is less than $12 with this coupon.
  2. Leave a review for the show! Go to iTunes, search for MegaMaker and click ★★★★★
]]> Fri, 12 Aug 2016 23:37:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/34-GlNLmP2U Startups like Slack, Basecamp, and Freshbooks make millions of dollars in monthly recurring revenue by using a model called Software as a Service (SaaS).

Should you get into the business?

This episode isn't just for programmers and startup people! Lots of lessons for makers of all sorts.

Show notes

Want to support the show?

The only way I can keep making cool stuff (like this podcast) is if fans support the show! There's two ways you can help:

  1. Buy something I've made. My new book is less than $12 with this coupon.
  2. Leave a review for the show! Go to iTunes, search for MegaMaker and click ★★★★★
]]> 034 - Should you start a SaaS company in 2016? Justin Jackson 00:22:44 Startups like Slack, Basecamp, and Freshbooks make millions of dollars in monthly recurring revenue by using a model called Software as a Service (SaaS). Should you get into the business? This episode isn't just for programmers and startup people! Lots of lessons for makers of all sorts. Startups like Slack, Basecamp, and Freshbooks make millions of dollars in monthly recurring revenue by using a model called Software as a Service (SaaS). Should you get into the business? This episode isn't just for programmers and startup people! Lots of lessons for makers of all sorts. no full 34 3ef51ebf-6370-4fc7-bdc8-43a667095de1 E033 - Where were you? Real life keeps going, even when you're launching something new.

Listen to the podcast for people who make stuff on the internet and earn their income from the things they create.

Just shipped!

My new book was released on July 30th! It's called Jolt – creative marketing ideas for programmers, designers, freelancers, makers, and entrepreneurs.

How do you get people's attention? You can't use the same tactics as everyone else. People don't respond to outdated methods.

Get 20% of when you use this code: gum.co/joltbook/podcast →

Read the reviews on Goodreads.

Show notes

Next week's show

What happens when you launch two software startups at the same time? I'll be doing an update on my projects with Marty Dill!

]]> Fri, 5 Aug 2016 18:57:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/33-y06G7J_x Real life keeps going, even when you're launching something new.

Listen to the podcast for people who make stuff on the internet and earn their income from the things they create.

Just shipped!

My new book was released on July 30th! It's called Jolt – creative marketing ideas for programmers, designers, freelancers, makers, and entrepreneurs.

How do you get people's attention? You can't use the same tactics as everyone else. People don't respond to outdated methods.

Get 20% of when you use this code: gum.co/joltbook/podcast →

Read the reviews on Goodreads.

Show notes

Next week's show

What happens when you launch two software startups at the same time? I'll be doing an update on my projects with Marty Dill!

]]> E033 - Where were you? Justin Jackson 00:18:26 Real life keeps going, even when you're launching something new. Listen to the podcast for people who make stuff on the internet and earn their income from the things they create. Real life keeps going, even when you're launching something new. Listen to the podcast for people who make stuff on the internet and earn their income from the things they create. no full 33 53d50c0c-fda9-4c97-a688-bfe813b0e4c4 E032 - Last chance! How do you get customers to know you exist? Be unexpected.

This episode includes my interview with Mikael Cho from Crew in Montreal. They're the awesome makers behind Unsplash.com

Last chance!

This is your last chance to pre-order my new book, Jolt:

gum.co/joltbook/preorder

A book for programmers, designers, freelancers, makers, and entrepreneurs. Learn how to get people to notice the things you make!

If you're one of those people that's asked: "How can I support the show?" this is a great way to do it. ;)

Show notes

]]> Sat, 23 Jul 2016 01:02:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/32-bscqkRB6 How do you get customers to know you exist? Be unexpected.

This episode includes my interview with Mikael Cho from Crew in Montreal. They're the awesome makers behind Unsplash.com

Last chance!

This is your last chance to pre-order my new book, Jolt:

gum.co/joltbook/preorder

A book for programmers, designers, freelancers, makers, and entrepreneurs. Learn how to get people to notice the things you make!

If you're one of those people that's asked: "How can I support the show?" this is a great way to do it. ;)

Show notes

]]> E032 - Last chance! Justin Jackson 00:24:11 How do you get people to know you exist? Be unexpected. Justin talks about his new book (justinjackson.ca/jolt) and talks with Mikael Cho from Crew in Montreal. They're the awesome makers behind Unsplash.com How do you get people to know you exist? Be unexpected. Justin talks about his new book (justinjackson.ca/jolt) and talks with Mikael Cho from Crew in Montreal. They're the awesome makers behind Unsplash.com jolt, megamaker, book, mikael, makers, cho, justin, maker, unsplash, crew, jackson, self-publishing yes full 32 3c6d2551-d014-4b59-9070-84dcbb55ba00 E031 - Don't be like the Rolling Stones Everyone's trying to be a unicorn. I just want to be like Fat Mike.

Show notes

Every vertical has it's own unicorn. In startups it's Zuckerberg. On YouTube it's Casey Neistat. In rock 'n roll it's the Rolling Stones.

Join the MegaMaker newsletter: megamaker.co/challenge

]]> Fri, 15 Jul 2016 12:05:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/31-xym9MpGy Everyone's trying to be a unicorn. I just want to be like Fat Mike.

Show notes

Every vertical has it's own unicorn. In startups it's Zuckerberg. On YouTube it's Casey Neistat. In rock 'n roll it's the Rolling Stones.

Join the MegaMaker newsletter: megamaker.co/challenge

]]> E031 - Don't be like the Rolling Stones Justin Jackson 00:15:18 Everyone's trying to be a unicorn. I just want to be like Fat Mike. Everyone's trying to be a unicorn. I just want to be like Fat Mike. no full 31 1caa8dae-a281-4b58-b168-5098a8a1defd E030 - Like a kid in a candy store

"The Only Thing That Is Constant Is Change." ― Heraclitus

Justin opens up about how his MegaMaker project is going, and what the future holds.

(First episode of Season 3)

When we had our first child, 14 years ago, we made a decision that I'd put my entrepreneurial dreams on hold.

Show notes

Join the MegaMaker newsletter: megamaker.co/challenge

In every business, there needs to be an overlap between what people really want and what you're really good at.

]]> Fri, 8 Jul 2016 11:07:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/30-_368_TFn

"The Only Thing That Is Constant Is Change." ― Heraclitus

Justin opens up about how his MegaMaker project is going, and what the future holds.

(First episode of Season 3)

When we had our first child, 14 years ago, we made a decision that I'd put my entrepreneurial dreams on hold.

Show notes

Join the MegaMaker newsletter: megamaker.co/challenge

In every business, there needs to be an overlap between what people really want and what you're really good at.

]]> E030 - Like a kid in a candy store Justin Jackson 00:16:43 "The Only Thing That Is Constant Is Change." Justin opens up about how his MegaMaker project is going, and what the future holds. (First episode of Season 3) "The Only Thing That Is Constant Is Change." Justin opens up about how his MegaMaker project is going, and what the future holds. (First episode of Season 3) yes full 30 7cd91dfa-11b7-4ad7-ac79-69d8019227a4 E029 - In Real Life What happens when you meet people from the internet IRL?

Also: last episode of Season 2!

Show notes

Maybe us makers are a little too insular. A lot of our endeavors are really solitary; just us in our caves creating things. But we need real human connections. We can't do this alone.

Share your projects with me!

Have photos of your projects you'd like to share, and have them in the MegaMaker zine?

Have a physical item you'd like to have me include the mystery box? Send them to me here:

MegaMaker
PO Box 1028
Vernon BC V1T 6N2

MegaMaker t-shirt

I've been seeing the MegaMaker t-shirt all over the web: Twitter, Youtube, Instagram.

We only have a few more episodes in Season 2, so I'm doing a T-SHIRT SALE!

  1. Go to store.megamaker.co
  2. Choose your MegaMaker t-shirt
  3. Use the coupon code podcastand get $5 off!
]]> Thu, 2 Jun 2016 18:35:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/29-RsWZScYb What happens when you meet people from the internet IRL?

Also: last episode of Season 2!

Show notes

Maybe us makers are a little too insular. A lot of our endeavors are really solitary; just us in our caves creating things. But we need real human connections. We can't do this alone.

Share your projects with me!

Have photos of your projects you'd like to share, and have them in the MegaMaker zine?

Have a physical item you'd like to have me include the mystery box? Send them to me here:

MegaMaker
PO Box 1028
Vernon BC V1T 6N2

MegaMaker t-shirt

I've been seeing the MegaMaker t-shirt all over the web: Twitter, Youtube, Instagram.

We only have a few more episodes in Season 2, so I'm doing a T-SHIRT SALE!

  1. Go to store.megamaker.co
  2. Choose your MegaMaker t-shirt
  3. Use the coupon code podcastand get $5 off!
]]> E029 - In Real Life Justin Jackson 00:11:32 What happens when you meet people from the internet IRL? Also: last episode of Season 2! What happens when you meet people from the internet IRL? Also: last episode of Season 2! no full 29 d935a53f-e047-4d5a-af54-a122659d9458 E028 - Stay hungry Do you know about the Desperation Scale™?

Listeners asked me to be more honest about the struggle. So here it is!

MegaMaker t-shirt

I've been seeing the MegaMaker t-shirt all over the web: Twitter, Youtube, Instagram.

We only have a few more episodes in Season 2, so I'm doing a T-SHIRT SALE!

  1. Go to store.megamaker.co
  2. Choose your MegaMaker t-shirt
  3. Use the coupon code podcastand get $5 off!

Show notes

Desperation impairs our ability to think clearly.

]]> Wed, 25 May 2016 23:18:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/28-zRlyU36_ Do you know about the Desperation Scale™?

Listeners asked me to be more honest about the struggle. So here it is!

MegaMaker t-shirt

I've been seeing the MegaMaker t-shirt all over the web: Twitter, Youtube, Instagram.

We only have a few more episodes in Season 2, so I'm doing a T-SHIRT SALE!

  1. Go to store.megamaker.co
  2. Choose your MegaMaker t-shirt
  3. Use the coupon code podcastand get $5 off!

Show notes

Desperation impairs our ability to think clearly.

]]> E028 - Stay hungry Justin Jackson 00:14:41 Do you know about the Desperation Scale™? Listeners asked me to be more honest about the struggle. So here it is! Do you know about the Desperation Scale™? Listeners asked me to be more honest about the struggle. So here it is! no full 28 1d3e3bcb-190d-4b3b-993f-87a6a2341883 E027 - Do you trust me? DO YOU TRUST ME? You will not believe what happened to me yesterday.

Also: do need to care about your reputation?

Join the 2016 Maker Challenge

Go to megamaker.co/challenge →

Show notes

There's this myth that if you create great work, that it will be automatically discovered and enjoyed by lots of people.

How do you cultivate a good reputation?

It's a lot like cultivating a crop: you're constantly preparing the ground and planting seeds hoping for a future harvest.

  1. Build things, and tell people
  2. Help people every day!
]]> Wed, 18 May 2016 19:38:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (trust, reputation, spark, cbc, canadian broadcasting, making, maker, product, saas, software, apps) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/27-7I7MfiKR You will not believe what happened to me yesterday.

Also: do need to care about your reputation?

Join the 2016 Maker Challenge

Go to megamaker.co/challenge →

Show notes

There's this myth that if you create great work, that it will be automatically discovered and enjoyed by lots of people.

How do you cultivate a good reputation?

It's a lot like cultivating a crop: you're constantly preparing the ground and planting seeds hoping for a future harvest.

  1. Build things, and tell people
  2. Help people every day!
]]> E027 - Do you trust me? DO YOU TRUST ME? trust, reputation, spark, cbc, canadian broadcasting, making, maker, product, saas, software, apps 00:14:41 You will not believe what happened to me yesterday. Also: do need to care about your reputation? You will not believe what happened to me yesterday. Also: do need to care about your reputation? no full 27 662d9309-5feb-48b2-890b-4c94c389fba5 E026 - Get out and play Justin has a confession. (And people think he looks terrible)

On Success

You might be pursuing someone else's path to success. We try to reverse engineer it, and apply it to our own life. It doesn't work! Forge your own path. Trust in your own ability to make good decisions.

Also:

Doing stuff is your best education. Hypotheticals are the enemy. Get out and test your assumptions!

Also:

Take a nap.

Update on current project

I told you last episode that I'd have a revenue update for remoteworkers.club.

We opened up the beta 20 minutes before I published this episode. We're only going to take 10 people this week.

And.... we already have 2 paying customers!

Show notes

]]> Wed, 11 May 2016 22:36:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/26-nsFg0tGW Justin has a confession. (And people think he looks terrible)

On Success

You might be pursuing someone else's path to success. We try to reverse engineer it, and apply it to our own life. It doesn't work! Forge your own path. Trust in your own ability to make good decisions.

Also:

Doing stuff is your best education. Hypotheticals are the enemy. Get out and test your assumptions!

Also:

Take a nap.

Update on current project

I told you last episode that I'd have a revenue update for remoteworkers.club.

We opened up the beta 20 minutes before I published this episode. We're only going to take 10 people this week.

And.... we already have 2 paying customers!

Show notes

]]> E026 - Get out and play Justin Jackson 00:14:37 Justin has a confession. (And people think he looks terrible) Justin has a confession. (And people think he looks terrible) software, diy, megamaker, podcast, design, maker, challenge, justin jackson, make, art, saas no full 26 79fa042c-c251-4ace-87c8-766b79325bd4 E025 - Pull up your bootstraps, Sir What do you do when you feel tired, haggard, and unmotivated?

I'll be honest. I really didn't want to do a show today. Then I figured out two ways to get motivated.

Show notes

Two tactics for getting out of the dumps

  1. Help someone else.
  2. Make something small. Anything! It will help get you unstuck.

"I think making something will cure almost anything. It always makes me feel better" - Casey Neistat

Current project: Remote Workers Clubs

www.remoteworkers.club

One thing we've learned is that momentum is everything. Keep making decisions, so you keep moving forward. Blockers don't just stop work; they kill your motivation.

]]> Thu, 5 May 2016 04:23:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/25-okuD_23h What do you do when you feel tired, haggard, and unmotivated?

I'll be honest. I really didn't want to do a show today. Then I figured out two ways to get motivated.

Show notes

Two tactics for getting out of the dumps

  1. Help someone else.
  2. Make something small. Anything! It will help get you unstuck.

"I think making something will cure almost anything. It always makes me feel better" - Casey Neistat

Current project: Remote Workers Clubs

www.remoteworkers.club

One thing we've learned is that momentum is everything. Keep making decisions, so you keep moving forward. Blockers don't just stop work; they kill your motivation.

]]> E025 - Pull up your bootstraps, Sir Justin Jackson 00:09:41 What do you do when you feel tired, haggard, and unmotivated? I'll be honest. I really didn't want to do a show today. Then I figured out two ways to get motivated. What do you do when you feel tired, haggard, and unmotivated? I'll be honest. I really didn't want to do a show today. Then I figured out two ways to get motivated. yes full 25 ca02cfd3-158b-458e-95cb-9e73cef80dc1 E024 - Do things, tell people You can't just make things; you have to show your work!

Also: how to structure a creative partnership.

We live in a culture that encourages creative exhaustion; where spend all of your energy at work, and keep nothing for your own projects.

The whole purpose of making things is to have other people enjoy them.

Show notes

Sponsor: Balsamiq.com

Go to balsamiq.com →

Alright, it’s time to say goodbye to our Season 2 sponsor Balsamiq. By now you all know what Balsamiq Mockups is all about. So for this last sponsorship, Peldi asked me to send a shout out to the makers behind Balsamiq. So Agnese, Andrea, Anna, Brendan, Brilli, Florian, Francesca, Jessica, Joy, Leon, Luis, Marco, Michele, Mike, Natalie, Paolo, Sax, Stefano, Valerie, Virgin, thanks so much for everything you do every day at Balsamiq! Enjoy your company retreat next week! :)

Please thank them for sponsoring MegaMaker:

  • @balsamiq on Twitter
  • Email peldi@balsamiq.com directly

(Want to buy Balsamiq? Use coupon code MEGAMAKER to get $10 off Balsamiq Mockups 3 for Desktop)

]]> Sun, 1 May 2016 23:21:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/24-LIqV5xwr You can't just make things; you have to show your work!

Also: how to structure a creative partnership.

We live in a culture that encourages creative exhaustion; where spend all of your energy at work, and keep nothing for your own projects.

The whole purpose of making things is to have other people enjoy them.

Show notes

Sponsor: Balsamiq.com

Go to balsamiq.com →

Alright, it’s time to say goodbye to our Season 2 sponsor Balsamiq. By now you all know what Balsamiq Mockups is all about. So for this last sponsorship, Peldi asked me to send a shout out to the makers behind Balsamiq. So Agnese, Andrea, Anna, Brendan, Brilli, Florian, Francesca, Jessica, Joy, Leon, Luis, Marco, Michele, Mike, Natalie, Paolo, Sax, Stefano, Valerie, Virgin, thanks so much for everything you do every day at Balsamiq! Enjoy your company retreat next week! :)

Please thank them for sponsoring MegaMaker:

  • @balsamiq on Twitter
  • Email peldi@balsamiq.com directly

(Want to buy Balsamiq? Use coupon code MEGAMAKER to get $10 off Balsamiq Mockups 3 for Desktop)

]]> E024 - Do things, tell people Justin Jackson 00:13:49 You can't just make things; you have to show your work! Also: how to structure a creative partnership. You can't just make things; you have to show your work! Also: how to structure a creative partnership. no full 24 94f183cb-7f2c-49b9-a986-c427cb6ccd6d E023 - Chase the dream We have two desires: to create work that connects with people, and to make a living.

What happens when things get in the way of that dream?

The answer has three parts:

  1. Persistence
  2. Iteration
  3. Community

Show notes

Sponsor: Balsamiq.com

Go to balsamiq.com →

We’re nearing the end of our Balsamiq Sponsorship. They’ve done 7 different ads here at MegaMaker, and they made an effort to have each of them be not just a boring old traditional ad, but to really provide value to the MegaMaker audience. This was an experiment for them, as one of their goals for 2016 is to get better at marketing. Would you say they have succeeded? Have you found their ads useful, or annoying? They want to support other podcasts for makers, so help them decide if it was worth it or not by telling them!

Contact them:

  • @balsamiq on Twitter
  • Email peldi@balsamiq.com directly

(Want to buy Balsamiq? Use coupon code MEGAMAKER to get $10 off Balsamiq Mockups 3 for Desktop)

]]> Wed, 27 Apr 2016 21:54:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/23-K9ta4kuq We have two desires: to create work that connects with people, and to make a living.

What happens when things get in the way of that dream?

The answer has three parts:

  1. Persistence
  2. Iteration
  3. Community

Show notes

Sponsor: Balsamiq.com

Go to balsamiq.com →

We’re nearing the end of our Balsamiq Sponsorship. They’ve done 7 different ads here at MegaMaker, and they made an effort to have each of them be not just a boring old traditional ad, but to really provide value to the MegaMaker audience. This was an experiment for them, as one of their goals for 2016 is to get better at marketing. Would you say they have succeeded? Have you found their ads useful, or annoying? They want to support other podcasts for makers, so help them decide if it was worth it or not by telling them!

Contact them:

  • @balsamiq on Twitter
  • Email peldi@balsamiq.com directly

(Want to buy Balsamiq? Use coupon code MEGAMAKER to get $10 off Balsamiq Mockups 3 for Desktop)

]]> E023 - Chase the dream Justin Jackson 00:49:56 We have two desires: to create work that connects with people, and to make a living. What happens when things get in the way of that dream? We have two desires: to create work that connects with people, and to make a living. What happens when things get in the way of that dream? remote jobs, diy, app, maker, remote, make, discouragement, remote job, dream, saas, encouragement no full 23 adab31a7-8be7-48f1-abc2-eb02a759b497 E022 - Anxiety society Listeners chime in on how to reduce maker anxiety, PLUS Justin talks to some real human beings about his current project.

Show notes

Sponsor: Balsamiq.com

Today instead of talking about Balsamiq Mockups (the product), I would like to tell you a bit more about Balsamiq (the company). My friend Peldi started it back in 2008 as a solo founder: totally bootstrapped, doing everything himself. The product was immediately successful and Peldi was forced to hire people and grow the company. In the 8 years since, Balsamiq has become the undisputed leader in their space and also a very inspiring company to follow. They still haven’t taken any outside investment, and have 21 employees now, all geographically distributed. On their “Life @ Balsamiq” blog they share a lot of their very progressive company policies and everything else they learn along the way (including revenue numbers every year!). Check it out, I think it’ll be useful to you, no matter what you’re making. You can read it all at blogs.balsamiq.com/team

(Want to buy Balsamiq? Use code MEGAMAKER to get $10 off Balsamiq Mockups 3 for Desktop)

]]> Sat, 23 Apr 2016 12:03:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/22-KPqAVjLF Listeners chime in on how to reduce maker anxiety, PLUS Justin talks to some real human beings about his current project.

Show notes

Sponsor: Balsamiq.com

Today instead of talking about Balsamiq Mockups (the product), I would like to tell you a bit more about Balsamiq (the company). My friend Peldi started it back in 2008 as a solo founder: totally bootstrapped, doing everything himself. The product was immediately successful and Peldi was forced to hire people and grow the company. In the 8 years since, Balsamiq has become the undisputed leader in their space and also a very inspiring company to follow. They still haven’t taken any outside investment, and have 21 employees now, all geographically distributed. On their “Life @ Balsamiq” blog they share a lot of their very progressive company policies and everything else they learn along the way (including revenue numbers every year!). Check it out, I think it’ll be useful to you, no matter what you’re making. You can read it all at blogs.balsamiq.com/team

(Want to buy Balsamiq? Use code MEGAMAKER to get $10 off Balsamiq Mockups 3 for Desktop)

]]> E022 - Anxiety society Justin Jackson 00:12:29 Listeners chime in on how to reduce maker anxiety, PLUS Justin talks to some real human beings about his current project. Listeners chime in on how to reduce maker anxiety, PLUS Justin talks to some real human beings about his current project. no full 22 d7e59fba-fdbe-4c67-aa92-ea742ea30b49 E021 - Eat the chocolate hobbit cake Why don't people care about what you've made?

In this episode: why your "thing" needs to be in people's top 3.

What is this show about? Who is it for?

Justin is making 100 things in 2016. Some of the projects are just for fun; and others are so he can make a living.

Really, this show is a lot about exploring the tension between living a creative life, while also making a living.

Everybody has a top 3

You probably have 3 apps on your phone that you use 80% of the time.

Unless you can get into someone's top 3, it's going to be difficult for them to really connect with that thing you've made.

Sponsor: Balsamiq.com

This time our friends at Balsamiq would like to ask you to email them with your impression of Balsamiq Mockups: have you tried it? what did you like? what didn't you like? what other tools did you use it with? basically they've decided to use some of this sponsorship on-air time to do customer development. Even after 8 years in business, you cannot get enough feedback from your users! :) Email the CEO peldi@balsamiq.com directly, or tweet @peldi

(Want to buy Balsamiq? Use code MEGAMAKER to get $10 off Balsamiq Mockups 3 for Desktop)

Show notes

]]> Wed, 20 Apr 2016 21:46:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/21-hRx_PRM6 Why don't people care about what you've made?

In this episode: why your "thing" needs to be in people's top 3.

What is this show about? Who is it for?

Justin is making 100 things in 2016. Some of the projects are just for fun; and others are so he can make a living.

Really, this show is a lot about exploring the tension between living a creative life, while also making a living.

Everybody has a top 3

You probably have 3 apps on your phone that you use 80% of the time.

Unless you can get into someone's top 3, it's going to be difficult for them to really connect with that thing you've made.

Sponsor: Balsamiq.com

This time our friends at Balsamiq would like to ask you to email them with your impression of Balsamiq Mockups: have you tried it? what did you like? what didn't you like? what other tools did you use it with? basically they've decided to use some of this sponsorship on-air time to do customer development. Even after 8 years in business, you cannot get enough feedback from your users! :) Email the CEO peldi@balsamiq.com directly, or tweet @peldi

(Want to buy Balsamiq? Use code MEGAMAKER to get $10 off Balsamiq Mockups 3 for Desktop)

Show notes

]]> E021 - Eat the chocolate hobbit cake Justin Jackson 00:15:13 Why don't people care about what you've made? In this episode: why your "thing" needs to be in people's top 3. Why don't people care about what you've made? In this episode: why your "thing" needs to be in people's top 3. software, diy, makers, apps, maker, hobbits, 420 no full 21 42cd0ebf-c680-44d4-8c3c-ae666dc5f886 E020 - Maker mob

"If you can get anyone to show up and pay you $1, you’ve made it on the internet." – Dan Martell

Have you heard of a flash mob? It's when a large group of people suddenly show up at the same place, at the same time to perform a specific action.

What if we did that, but for new makers? A bunch of us agree to show up, and help a maker with their launch.

Join the mob →

Get Balsamiq for free

Not very many people know this, but Balsamiq gives their software away for free more than anyone else I’ve ever heard.

Do you work for a non-profit? You can get it for free. Do you contribute to an open-source project? You can get it for free. Are you a “do-gooder” and need Mockups to make the world a better place? You can get it for free.

Go to balsamiq.com/free and apply →

(Want to buy Balsamiq? Use code MEGAMAKER to get $10 off Balsamiq Mockups 3 for Desktop)

Show notes

Tune in next week

My buddy Marty and I are trying to launch 2 software products in 1 month. Check out our progress:

]]> Sat, 16 Apr 2016 04:06:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/20-l2IXfe5N

"If you can get anyone to show up and pay you $1, you’ve made it on the internet." – Dan Martell

Have you heard of a flash mob? It's when a large group of people suddenly show up at the same place, at the same time to perform a specific action.

What if we did that, but for new makers? A bunch of us agree to show up, and help a maker with their launch.

Join the mob →

Get Balsamiq for free

Not very many people know this, but Balsamiq gives their software away for free more than anyone else I’ve ever heard.

Do you work for a non-profit? You can get it for free. Do you contribute to an open-source project? You can get it for free. Are you a “do-gooder” and need Mockups to make the world a better place? You can get it for free.

Go to balsamiq.com/free and apply →

(Want to buy Balsamiq? Use code MEGAMAKER to get $10 off Balsamiq Mockups 3 for Desktop)

Show notes

Tune in next week

My buddy Marty and I are trying to launch 2 software products in 1 month. Check out our progress:

]]> E020 - Maker mob Justin Jackson 00:15:28 Have you heard of a flash mob? It's when a large group of people suddenly show up at the same place, at the same time to perform a specific action. What if we did that, but for new makers? A bunch of us agree to show up, and help a maker with their launch. Have you heard of a flash mob? It's when a large group of people suddenly show up at the same place, at the same time to perform a specific action. What if we did that, but for new makers? A bunch of us agree to show up, and help a maker with their launch. gumroad, diy, goodstuff, megamaker, mob, flash mob, launch, product, maker, course, snapchat no full 20 0bffcce6-dd09-49e4-91b1-2923d09a0ef7 E019 - A punch to the face Creating two web apps at the same time: which one gets more traction?

Justin explains his tweets

Knowing when to move on is the hardest part.

Sponsor: Balsamiq.com

Today I wanted to share with you a couple of features of Balsamiq you might not know about!

Balsamiq Mockups is what people call a “low-fidelity wireframing
tool”. Basically it’s like sketching on a notepad or a whiteboard, but
on the computer.

Visit Balsamiq.com to try it free!

Discount code: use code MEGAMAKER to get $10 off Balsamiq Mockups 3 for Desktop (normally $89). Code Expires May 1st.

This month's project

My buddy Marty and I are building two software projects at the same time:

Show notes

]]> Wed, 13 Apr 2016 21:44:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/19-gS9nAWqu Creating two web apps at the same time: which one gets more traction?

Justin explains his tweets

Knowing when to move on is the hardest part.

Sponsor: Balsamiq.com

Today I wanted to share with you a couple of features of Balsamiq you might not know about!

Balsamiq Mockups is what people call a “low-fidelity wireframing
tool”. Basically it’s like sketching on a notepad or a whiteboard, but
on the computer.

Visit Balsamiq.com to try it free!

Discount code: use code MEGAMAKER to get $10 off Balsamiq Mockups 3 for Desktop (normally $89). Code Expires May 1st.

This month's project

My buddy Marty and I are building two software projects at the same time:

Show notes

]]> E019 - A punch to the face Justin Jackson 00:15:44 Creating two web apps at the same time: which one gets more traction? Creating two web apps at the same time: which one gets more traction? diy, sms, mrr, peldi, app, tweets, remote workers, justin jackson, balsamiq, remote work, derek sivers, open source, steve jobs, saas no full 19 abe295ae-0474-46f2-bf6e-e6398090fef3 E018 - Learning from the rock gods Iron Maiden teaches us about creative success.

And... Marty and Justin announce their second software project.

The 5 lessons I've learned from Iron Maiden:

  1. Figure out what people want.
  2. Create things that are well-made.
  3. Be unique, surprising, and unexpected.
  4. Keep shipping more stuff.
  5. Be persistent and adaptable.

Sponsor: Balsamiq.com

Today our friends at Balsamiq asked us not to talk about their awesome wireframing tool that all of you should be using already, but instead share with you 3 makers that they love and they think you’ll love too. You should look them up on YouTube:

  • Colin Furze, an insane British maker that builds rocket-powered toilets and other crazy things.
  • James from XRobots.co.uk, another British maker that 3D-prints life-sized, working Star Wars droid and Iron man suits
  • Chris from ClickSpring, an Australian watch-maker whose videos are just totally addictive.

Discount code: use code MEGAMAKER to get $10 off Balsamiq Mockups 3 for Desktop (normally $89). Code Expires May 1st.

This week's maker project: RemoteWorkers.Club

What's the main problem with being a remote worker? Finding another remote job is hard! What if you could get tasteful notifications whenever an employer was interested in you?

That's the idea behind Justin and Marty's new project: www.remoteworkers.club

Show notes

]]> Sun, 10 Apr 2016 04:51:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/18-or33Gn7P Iron Maiden teaches us about creative success.

And... Marty and Justin announce their second software project.

The 5 lessons I've learned from Iron Maiden:

  1. Figure out what people want.
  2. Create things that are well-made.
  3. Be unique, surprising, and unexpected.
  4. Keep shipping more stuff.
  5. Be persistent and adaptable.

Sponsor: Balsamiq.com

Today our friends at Balsamiq asked us not to talk about their awesome wireframing tool that all of you should be using already, but instead share with you 3 makers that they love and they think you’ll love too. You should look them up on YouTube:

  • Colin Furze, an insane British maker that builds rocket-powered toilets and other crazy things.
  • James from XRobots.co.uk, another British maker that 3D-prints life-sized, working Star Wars droid and Iron man suits
  • Chris from ClickSpring, an Australian watch-maker whose videos are just totally addictive.

Discount code: use code MEGAMAKER to get $10 off Balsamiq Mockups 3 for Desktop (normally $89). Code Expires May 1st.

This week's maker project: RemoteWorkers.Club

What's the main problem with being a remote worker? Finding another remote job is hard! What if you could get tasteful notifications whenever an employer was interested in you?

That's the idea behind Justin and Marty's new project: www.remoteworkers.club

Show notes

]]> E018 - Learning from the rock gods Justin Jackson 00:15:33 Iron Maiden teaches us about creative success. And... Marty and Justin announce their second software project. Iron Maiden teaches us about creative success. And... Marty and Justin announce their second software project. no full 18 680e9e9e-bff4-4c5a-b33d-ea3aab08bd6d E017 - Perfection Pickle Marty and Justin try to get their first paying customer for their SMS app.

Show notes

Maker challenge

If you could build a mobile app, what would it be? The easiest way to get started is to start small. Make a mockup!

Design your dream app in Balsamiq and you could win 1 hour with Peldi. Get feedback on your business idea OR get him to wireframe your idea for you (this will be on Youtube).

To enter go to: megamaker.co/dreamsmall

  1. See other entries here.
  2. Download Balsamiq (or use the web version)
  3. Create a mockup for your "dream" mobile app. It can be serious or funny.

Contest ends April 9th!

Balsamiq is free to use for 30 days.

Discount code: use code MEGAMAKER to get $10 off Balsamiq Mockups 3 for Desktop (normally $89). Code Expires May 1st.

]]> Wed, 6 Apr 2016 14:01:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/17-ISEuoiwY Marty and Justin try to get their first paying customer for their SMS app.

Show notes

Maker challenge

If you could build a mobile app, what would it be? The easiest way to get started is to start small. Make a mockup!

Design your dream app in Balsamiq and you could win 1 hour with Peldi. Get feedback on your business idea OR get him to wireframe your idea for you (this will be on Youtube).

To enter go to: megamaker.co/dreamsmall

  1. See other entries here.
  2. Download Balsamiq (or use the web version)
  3. Create a mockup for your "dream" mobile app. It can be serious or funny.

Contest ends April 9th!

Balsamiq is free to use for 30 days.

Discount code: use code MEGAMAKER to get $10 off Balsamiq Mockups 3 for Desktop (normally $89). Code Expires May 1st.

]]> E017 - Perfection Pickle Justin Jackson 00:14:07 Marty and Justin try to get their first paying customer for their SMS app. Marty and Justin try to get their first paying customer for their SMS app. no full 17 c2da26ff-92e5-4475-970d-fc51f992c666 E016 - I made some mistakes in Barcelona Justin recounts the story of a missed bus, and getting taken to the beach by strangers.

Welcome back! It's time for Season 2 of MegaMaker!

Show notes

Maker challenge

If you could build a mobile app, what would it be? The easiest way to get started is to start small. Make a mockup!

Design your dream app in Balsamiq and you could win 1 hour with Peldi. Get feedback on your business idea OR get him to wireframe your idea for you (this will be on Youtube).

To enter go to: megamaker.co/dreamsmall

  1. See other entries here.
  2. Download Balsamiq (or use the web version)
  3. Create a mockup for your "dream" mobile app. It can be serious or funny.

Contest ends April 9th!

Balsamiq is free to use for 30 days.

Discount code: use code MEGAMAKER to get $10 off Balsamiq Mockups 3 for Desktop (normally $89). Code Expires May 1st.

]]> Fri, 1 Apr 2016 15:23:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/16-icB1WDbI Justin recounts the story of a missed bus, and getting taken to the beach by strangers.

Welcome back! It's time for Season 2 of MegaMaker!

Show notes

Maker challenge

If you could build a mobile app, what would it be? The easiest way to get started is to start small. Make a mockup!

Design your dream app in Balsamiq and you could win 1 hour with Peldi. Get feedback on your business idea OR get him to wireframe your idea for you (this will be on Youtube).

To enter go to: megamaker.co/dreamsmall

  1. See other entries here.
  2. Download Balsamiq (or use the web version)
  3. Create a mockup for your "dream" mobile app. It can be serious or funny.

Contest ends April 9th!

Balsamiq is free to use for 30 days.

Discount code: use code MEGAMAKER to get $10 off Balsamiq Mockups 3 for Desktop (normally $89). Code Expires May 1st.

]]> E016 - I made some mistakes in Barcelona Justin Jackson 00:15:50 Justin recounts the story of a missed bus, and getting taken to the beach by strangers. Justin recounts the story of a missed bus, and getting taken to the beach by strangers. no full 16 5b707ab6-d849-493c-82f1-cceb7e4f47ee Extroverted jackass Burdened by anxiety and self-doubt? Does self-promotion make you cringe?

Let's talk about those issues, and how they affect creative people.

Once you start focusing on the needs of others, all these insecurities kind of go away.

Only a few weeks left - now's the time to leave an iTunes review for MegaMaker. Help us get into New & Noteworthy! megamaker.co/review

Show notes

Maker mission

Go out and show gratitude for someone who has positively impacted your life.

An encouraging word is like oxygen for creative people. (Tweet)

Thanks to

]]> Sat, 27 Feb 2016 04:42:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/15-gadN2ujX Burdened by anxiety and self-doubt? Does self-promotion make you cringe?

Let's talk about those issues, and how they affect creative people.

Once you start focusing on the needs of others, all these insecurities kind of go away.

Only a few weeks left - now's the time to leave an iTunes review for MegaMaker. Help us get into New & Noteworthy! megamaker.co/review

Show notes

Maker mission

Go out and show gratitude for someone who has positively impacted your life.

An encouraging word is like oxygen for creative people. (Tweet)

Thanks to

]]> Extroverted jackass Justin Jackson 00:11:32 Burdened by anxiety and self-doubt? Does self-promotion make you cringe? Let's talk about those issues, and how they affect creative people. Burdened by anxiety and self-doubt? Does self-promotion make you cringe? Let's talk about those issues, and how they affect creative people. creative, introvert, diy, anxiety, self-doubt, maker, making, craft, extrovert, art no full 15 43778cec-6bff-437e-add6-8ec1eecb860f Uncomfortable with hobbits We're making the world's first open source band!

At the same time, we're talking about the importances of "discomfort" in the creative life.

And then it hit me: "Higher than Hobbits" would be a great name for a stoner metal band.

Show notes

Increasingly, I'm seeing discomfort as the key to the creative life. (tweet this)

Thanks to...

]]> Wed, 24 Feb 2016 23:22:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/14-uJ_O_q5Y We're making the world's first open source band!

At the same time, we're talking about the importances of "discomfort" in the creative life.

And then it hit me: "Higher than Hobbits" would be a great name for a stoner metal band.

Show notes

Increasingly, I'm seeing discomfort as the key to the creative life. (tweet this)

Thanks to...

]]> Uncomfortable with hobbits Justin Jackson 00:12:39 We're making the world's first open source band! At the same time, we're talking about the importances of "discomfort" in the creative life. We're making the world's first open source band! At the same time, we're talking about the importances of "discomfort" in the creative life. creative, band, diy, metal, megamaker, makers, itunes, niche, music, hobbits, discomfort, open source, lemonade no full 14 fdf0f4ad-56f4-45cc-be26-2dd0c85c2437 Launch when you're scared Bringing anything you've created into the world is scary. Last episode Justin was saying how anxious he was about the launch of his new project: The Secret Makers Society. How did he get over that?

A good product is something that really connects with people.

Plus: learn about Higher than Hobbits - the world's first open source band.

Show notes

Thanks to

]]> Fri, 19 Feb 2016 23:56:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/13-o_MNH9DE Bringing anything you've created into the world is scary. Last episode Justin was saying how anxious he was about the launch of his new project: The Secret Makers Society. How did he get over that?

A good product is something that really connects with people.

Plus: learn about Higher than Hobbits - the world's first open source band.

Show notes

Thanks to

]]> Launch when you're scared Justin Jackson 00:15:33 Bringing anything you've created into the world is scary. Justin takes you through his checklist for launching a product confidently. Bringing anything you've created into the world is scary. Justin takes you through his checklist for launching a product confidently. checklist, launch, secret, product, maker, scared, hobbits, society no full 13 ae6d12b4-d242-4bb4-ad58-3b797cbd1b15 The guts to be original We want to make stuff. We want to live a creative life while still making a living.

What's the best path to achieve that dream?

So often we try to follow those that have gone before us. But if you've tried that, you know it doesn't work. To succeed, we really need to forge our own path.

  1. Our success is going to look different than those that have gone before us.
  2. Finding success is messy.
  3. The way to find success is to be unique; to do things differently than they've done before.

Once you give up this idea that the path is set for you, it becomes freeing. Now you know it's up to you. You have the autonomy and the freedom to find your own way.

Show notes

Today's launch: a Secret Club for Makers

The idea for us to have an outlet: to escape the monotony of serious work, and make fun things together.

  • You'll get a weekly maker mission (like this and this and this). It's like going on a creative coffee break.
  • You'll get access to member profiles. Connect & collaborate with other makers from all over the world.
  • You'll get secret maker society swag in the mail. This includes the exclusive SMS badge and stickers.
  • Plus tons of other goodies I can't talk about now.

Have fun. Get help launching your serious projects.

Want to be a part of the beta? There's 10 spots available.

Go to: megamaker.co/secret

Special thanks to...

Striker-metal.com for our theme music (get Bad Decisions here). Simplecast.fm for podcast hosting + stats.

]]> Wed, 17 Feb 2016 05:37:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/12-riJvmizf We want to make stuff. We want to live a creative life while still making a living.

What's the best path to achieve that dream?

So often we try to follow those that have gone before us. But if you've tried that, you know it doesn't work. To succeed, we really need to forge our own path.

  1. Our success is going to look different than those that have gone before us.
  2. Finding success is messy.
  3. The way to find success is to be unique; to do things differently than they've done before.

Once you give up this idea that the path is set for you, it becomes freeing. Now you know it's up to you. You have the autonomy and the freedom to find your own way.

Show notes

Today's launch: a Secret Club for Makers

The idea for us to have an outlet: to escape the monotony of serious work, and make fun things together.

  • You'll get a weekly maker mission (like this and this and this). It's like going on a creative coffee break.
  • You'll get access to member profiles. Connect & collaborate with other makers from all over the world.
  • You'll get secret maker society swag in the mail. This includes the exclusive SMS badge and stickers.
  • Plus tons of other goodies I can't talk about now.

Have fun. Get help launching your serious projects.

Want to be a part of the beta? There's 10 spots available.

Go to: megamaker.co/secret

Special thanks to...

Striker-metal.com for our theme music (get Bad Decisions here). Simplecast.fm for podcast hosting + stats.

]]> The guts to be original Justin Jackson 00:15:15 We want to make stuff. We want to live a creative life while still making a living. What's the best path to achieve that dream? We want to make stuff. We want to live a creative life while still making a living. What's the best path to achieve that dream? club, megamaker, weird, makers, web, secret no full 12 ab6f53b5-3b48-44f1-a0eb-1e6bfc716dd2 Let's get weird The biggest risk to creative work is curated perfectionism. It's happening in music, art, film, and on the web. Everyone wants a flawless portfolio and will only publish perfect work.

The challenge is that perfectionism can be restrictive. It can hold us back from experimenting, or putting out more work.

To make better stuff, we're going to need to get weird.

In this episode Justin talks about texting 150 strangers, and reveals how they replied.

Show notes

"Quantity produces quality. If you only write a few things, you're doomed." - Ray Bradbury

Thanks to

]]> Sat, 13 Feb 2016 06:24:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/11-X4yn3ekd The biggest risk to creative work is curated perfectionism. It's happening in music, art, film, and on the web. Everyone wants a flawless portfolio and will only publish perfect work.

The challenge is that perfectionism can be restrictive. It can hold us back from experimenting, or putting out more work.

To make better stuff, we're going to need to get weird.

In this episode Justin talks about texting 150 strangers, and reveals how they replied.

Show notes

"Quantity produces quality. If you only write a few things, you're doomed." - Ray Bradbury

Thanks to

]]> Let's get weird Justin Jackson 00:13:21 Justin texts 150 strangers, and reveals how they replied. Perfectionism can be restrictive. It can hold us back from experimenting, or putting out more work. Makers need to get weird. Justin texts 150 strangers, and reveals how they replied. Perfectionism can be restrictive. It can hold us back from experimenting, or putting out more work. Makers need to get weird. project, diy, sms, megamaker, weird, podcast, makers, web, texting, secret, justin, usenet, challenge, make, projects, jackson no full 11 2ec09c9e-e4ff-4830-9db1-2c97cbfb95bf I walk the line Creative work, by it's very nature is divisive. Our work can't be for everybody, but still has to appeal to some people.

In this episode we explore this tension of being authentic without being alienating. This is also the last episode in our "self-publishing a book" series.

Self-publishing notes

Next week's mission: secret stuff

To find out more, text "Hi Justin" to +1-424-247-5762.

Show Notes

]]> Wed, 10 Feb 2016 21:58:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/10-AymV9Aam Creative work, by it's very nature is divisive. Our work can't be for everybody, but still has to appeal to some people.

In this episode we explore this tension of being authentic without being alienating. This is also the last episode in our "self-publishing a book" series.

Self-publishing notes

Next week's mission: secret stuff

To find out more, text "Hi Justin" to +1-424-247-5762.

Show Notes

]]> I walk the line Justin Jackson 00:11:49 Creative work, by it's very nature is divisive. Our work can't be for everybody, but still has to appeal to some people. In this episode we explore this tension of being authentic without being alienating. This is also the last episode in our "self-publishing a book" series. Creative work, by it's very nature is divisive. Our work can't be for everybody, but still has to appeal to some people. In this episode we explore this tension of being authentic without being alienating. This is also the last episode in our "self-publishing a book" series. ebook, diy, megamaker, book, secret, justin, maker, making, jackson, self-publishing no full 10 2131993d-d8aa-4035-b1a5-4ec26435337d Hard work; no guarantees Will everyone achieve their creative dreams, no matter what?

This week's maker mission is to self-publish a book. But today's listener questions brought up broader issues, faced by all creatives.

One myth that creative people believe is that if they build something that is of high quality, that people will just find it because it's well-made.

Show Notes

Callers

]]> Sat, 6 Feb 2016 04:14:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/9-QOQWTsNS Will everyone achieve their creative dreams, no matter what?

This week's maker mission is to self-publish a book. But today's listener questions brought up broader issues, faced by all creatives.

One myth that creative people believe is that if they build something that is of high quality, that people will just find it because it's well-made.

Show Notes

Callers

]]> Hard work; no guarantees Justin Jackson 00:16:07 Will everyone achieve their creative dreams, no matter what? This week's maker mission is to self-publish a book. But today's listener questions brought up broader issues, faced by all creatives. Will everyone achieve their creative dreams, no matter what? This week's maker mission is to self-publish a book. But today's listener questions brought up broader issues, faced by all creatives. ebook, publishing, diy, book, success, maker, making, self-publishing no full 9 11844c21-1074-4f0f-a77f-32fc20965db2 Can we run a warehouse out of our garage? The general consensus is that authors don't make much money:

"My novel, “Broken Piano for President,” shot to the top of the best-seller lists. This is what it’s like, financially, to have the indie book publicity story of the year and be near the top of the bestseller list. Drum roll. $12,000." — Patrick Wensick

But in 2012, a young designer named Nathan Barry figured out a better way. He realized that by teaching people something valuable, and self-publishing himself, he could earn more as an author. (You can listen to Part 1 and Part 2 of the 2013 interview here)

"Quantity produces quality. If you only write a few things, you’re doomed." — Ray Bradbury

This week on the show we'll be exploring the world of writing and self-publishing.

(You can see the book I'm working on here)

Sarah's rules about living a creative life:

  1. It's always worth pursuing the things you love.
  2. Sometimes you're going to have to get creative about how the money works

T-shirt update

  • 30 shirts sold far
  • I make $1 per shirt currently. ;)
  • 57% ordered a Men's medium
  • 29% ordered a Men's large
  • 7% ordered a Men's XL
  • 7% ordered a Men's XXL
  • 14% ordered a Women's shirt
  • There were only 2 shipping problems

You can still order the MegaMaker shirt at a reduced price, plus get $5 off with the coupon code PODCAST until Feb 6, 2016. Go to store.megamaker.co.

Show notes

]]> Wed, 3 Feb 2016 05:53:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/8-GjveyfYf The general consensus is that authors don't make much money:

"My novel, “Broken Piano for President,” shot to the top of the best-seller lists. This is what it’s like, financially, to have the indie book publicity story of the year and be near the top of the bestseller list. Drum roll. $12,000." — Patrick Wensick

But in 2012, a young designer named Nathan Barry figured out a better way. He realized that by teaching people something valuable, and self-publishing himself, he could earn more as an author. (You can listen to Part 1 and Part 2 of the 2013 interview here)

"Quantity produces quality. If you only write a few things, you’re doomed." — Ray Bradbury

This week on the show we'll be exploring the world of writing and self-publishing.

(You can see the book I'm working on here)

Sarah's rules about living a creative life:

  1. It's always worth pursuing the things you love.
  2. Sometimes you're going to have to get creative about how the money works

T-shirt update

  • 30 shirts sold far
  • I make $1 per shirt currently. ;)
  • 57% ordered a Men's medium
  • 29% ordered a Men's large
  • 7% ordered a Men's XL
  • 7% ordered a Men's XXL
  • 14% ordered a Women's shirt
  • There were only 2 shipping problems

You can still order the MegaMaker shirt at a reduced price, plus get $5 off with the coupon code PODCAST until Feb 6, 2016. Go to store.megamaker.co.

Show notes

]]> Can we run a warehouse out of our garage? Justin Jackson 00:13:09 The general consensus is that authors don't make much money. But in 2012, a young designer found a better way. The general consensus is that authors don't make much money. But in 2012, a young designer found a better way. publishing, diy, amazon, book, t-shirt, writing, author, making, self-publishing no full 8 0ca70410-4ef7-457b-bfca-1dc6be9a186b Automated t-shirt deployment In this episode, we launch our own custom t-shirt brand.

Learn how to create your own t-shirt store, without spending thousands of dollars.

You can now order the MegaMaker t-shirt online! Use the code PODCAST and get $5 off your order!

How to make your own t-shirt brand

  1. Start with great artwork
  2. Choose a high quality garment
  3. Go to theprintful.com. They do print-on-demand t-shirts.
  4. Create a t-shirt using their tools. (Remember, logo placement is important)
  5. You can order t-shirt samples directly from theprintful.com
  6. When you receive the samples, look for 3 things: How does the logo look and garment feel? How well does it go through the wash & dry cycles? How do people react to the shirt when you wear it?
  7. Gather online feedback: post photos of you wearing the shirt on Instagram, Facebook, etc...
  8. You can also consider using crowdfunding platforms like Teespring and Cotton Bureau
  9. Your first production run: I recommend using theprintful.com. They'll do print on demand for every order that comes in. They'll also package and ship it for you. This means you don't need to hold inventory.
  10. Create your online store: I used WooCommerce for the MegaMaker store. You can also use Shopify. Using these platforms, whenever people order an item, it will automatically generate an order in Printful.
  11. What happens next? We'll find out!

Are you going to sacrifice quality so you can increase your margins?

I'll report back on Wednesday with sales numbers.

Today is the official launch of the MegaMaker store

"When can I order a MegaMaker t-shirt? I want one!"

Right now! Go to store.megamaker.co. We're launching with a low price: $25 per shirt. Even better, use the coupon PODCAST and get $5 off your order!

Contest

The next 10 people who leave an iTunes review will get MegaMaker stickers sent to them in the mail. Just take a screenshot of your review and email it to: words@nerdnorth.com

Go to megamaker.co/review

Show notes

Thanks to our patron: Vacord

Need to do bigger screen printing runs? Vacord creates quality custom apparel. They print soft shirts and hoodies with soft ink.

Visit them at vacord.com and tell them MegaMaker sent you! You can also thank Stuart on Twitter.

]]> Sat, 30 Jan 2016 00:01:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/7-hv5Hz5TN In this episode, we launch our own custom t-shirt brand.

Learn how to create your own t-shirt store, without spending thousands of dollars.

You can now order the MegaMaker t-shirt online! Use the code PODCAST and get $5 off your order!

How to make your own t-shirt brand

  1. Start with great artwork
  2. Choose a high quality garment
  3. Go to theprintful.com. They do print-on-demand t-shirts.
  4. Create a t-shirt using their tools. (Remember, logo placement is important)
  5. You can order t-shirt samples directly from theprintful.com
  6. When you receive the samples, look for 3 things: How does the logo look and garment feel? How well does it go through the wash & dry cycles? How do people react to the shirt when you wear it?
  7. Gather online feedback: post photos of you wearing the shirt on Instagram, Facebook, etc...
  8. You can also consider using crowdfunding platforms like Teespring and Cotton Bureau
  9. Your first production run: I recommend using theprintful.com. They'll do print on demand for every order that comes in. They'll also package and ship it for you. This means you don't need to hold inventory.
  10. Create your online store: I used WooCommerce for the MegaMaker store. You can also use Shopify. Using these platforms, whenever people order an item, it will automatically generate an order in Printful.
  11. What happens next? We'll find out!

Are you going to sacrifice quality so you can increase your margins?

I'll report back on Wednesday with sales numbers.

Today is the official launch of the MegaMaker store

"When can I order a MegaMaker t-shirt? I want one!"

Right now! Go to store.megamaker.co. We're launching with a low price: $25 per shirt. Even better, use the coupon PODCAST and get $5 off your order!

Contest

The next 10 people who leave an iTunes review will get MegaMaker stickers sent to them in the mail. Just take a screenshot of your review and email it to: words@nerdnorth.com

Go to megamaker.co/review

Show notes

Thanks to our patron: Vacord

Need to do bigger screen printing runs? Vacord creates quality custom apparel. They print soft shirts and hoodies with soft ink.

Visit them at vacord.com and tell them MegaMaker sent you! You can also thank Stuart on Twitter.

]]> Automated t-shirt deployment Justin Jackson 00:13:23 In this episode, we launch our own custom t-shirt brand. Learn how to create your own t-shirt store, without spending thousands of dollars. In this episode, we launch our own custom t-shirt brand. Learn how to create your own t-shirt store, without spending thousands of dollars. no full 7 0537abb4-eab1-44f6-86d4-006ee44d2933 What makes a great shirt? Millions of shirts are made every year; but how can we make t-shirts that people actually want to wear?

Learn how to make your own t-shirts, and watch Justin as he launches his own t-shirt brand.

First three steps to making great shirts

  1. Great artwork - you need to have something compelling on the shirt. Whether it's your logo or artwork, make sure it's something people want to wear on their chest.
  2. Choose a high quality garment - cheap shirts feel cheap. They shrink over time, the cut looks funny, and the fabric feels itchy. Get something that feels good.
  3. Artwork placement is important - consider where you're putting your artwork! Especially on women's shirts.

Check back on Saturday for the next steps: printing (ink) type, how to order samples, how to get feedback, how to do production runs.

Show notes

Patrons:

  • Leading Snowflakes - a book by Oren Ellenbogen, "Become the leader your engineers need."

You can get a shout out on this Saturday's show by becoming a patron: megamaker.co/sponsor

Thank you:

]]> Wed, 27 Jan 2016 17:22:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/6-U4X_4of0 Millions of shirts are made every year; but how can we make t-shirts that people actually want to wear?

Learn how to make your own t-shirts, and watch Justin as he launches his own t-shirt brand.

First three steps to making great shirts

  1. Great artwork - you need to have something compelling on the shirt. Whether it's your logo or artwork, make sure it's something people want to wear on their chest.
  2. Choose a high quality garment - cheap shirts feel cheap. They shrink over time, the cut looks funny, and the fabric feels itchy. Get something that feels good.
  3. Artwork placement is important - consider where you're putting your artwork! Especially on women's shirts.

Check back on Saturday for the next steps: printing (ink) type, how to order samples, how to get feedback, how to do production runs.

Show notes

Patrons:

  • Leading Snowflakes - a book by Oren Ellenbogen, "Become the leader your engineers need."

You can get a shout out on this Saturday's show by becoming a patron: megamaker.co/sponsor

Thank you:

]]> What makes a great shirt? Justin Jackson 00:12:25 Millions of shirts are made every year; but how can we make t-shirts that people actually want to wear? Learn how to make your own t-shirts, and watch Justin as he launches his own t-shirt brand. Millions of shirts are made every year; but how can we make t-shirts that people actually want to wear? Learn how to make your own t-shirts, and watch Justin as he launches his own t-shirt brand. no full 6 c707b7fe-169d-43d8-96a2-4fb05d77b65a Put a little maple syrup in it A burrito descends on a small town in British Columbia, Canada. There was maple syrup involved.

Show notes

Photos and tweets from burrito mania

Next week: apparel!

If you've ever wanted to make your own t-shirts, clothing items, if you're into fashion; that is the theme for next week!

How can you make your own clothing line without having to invest thousands of dollars? We'll be exploring that question, plus interviewing fashion makers.

If you have a fashion brand, project or product, and you'd like to sponsor next week's episodes go to megamaker.co/sponsor

Thanks to everyone who sponsored the burrito project

  • Productized Consulting Bootcamp - The opinionated guide to recurring revenue for freelancers and consultants. Use coupon code MEGAMAKER to get 30% off (expires Feb 14th, 2016).
  • Chart Blocks - Create and share charts in an easy to use web app.
  • Jason Zook
  • MyHeartyKid - A toy and a tool to teach children how to celebrate themselves and others.
  • WebinarNinja - The most compete & advanced webinar solution.
  • Lifestyle Business Weekly - A weekly curated email of useful links for people interested in lifestyle businesses and independent entrepreneurship.
  • Night Owl Action Plan - For makers who need to know how to burn the midnight oil productively.
  • Simplecast.fm - podcast hosting and stats.

Theme music is by Striker.

]]> Sat, 23 Jan 2016 05:21:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/5-88TvlZPZ A burrito descends on a small town in British Columbia, Canada. There was maple syrup involved.

Show notes

Photos and tweets from burrito mania

Next week: apparel!

If you've ever wanted to make your own t-shirts, clothing items, if you're into fashion; that is the theme for next week!

How can you make your own clothing line without having to invest thousands of dollars? We'll be exploring that question, plus interviewing fashion makers.

If you have a fashion brand, project or product, and you'd like to sponsor next week's episodes go to megamaker.co/sponsor

Thanks to everyone who sponsored the burrito project

  • Productized Consulting Bootcamp - The opinionated guide to recurring revenue for freelancers and consultants. Use coupon code MEGAMAKER to get 30% off (expires Feb 14th, 2016).
  • Chart Blocks - Create and share charts in an easy to use web app.
  • Jason Zook
  • MyHeartyKid - A toy and a tool to teach children how to celebrate themselves and others.
  • WebinarNinja - The most compete & advanced webinar solution.
  • Lifestyle Business Weekly - A weekly curated email of useful links for people interested in lifestyle businesses and independent entrepreneurship.
  • Night Owl Action Plan - For makers who need to know how to burn the midnight oil productively.
  • Simplecast.fm - podcast hosting and stats.

Theme music is by Striker.

]]> Put a little maple syrup in it Justin Jackson 00:13:21 A burrito descends on a small town in British Columbia, Canada. There was maple syrup involved. A burrito descends on a small town in British Columbia, Canada. There was maple syrup involved. no full 5 42889b21-ff22-40f4-be91-a38b58e20834 The world is creative Justin reveals that the MegaMaker burrito is being added to the menu at a local restaurant.

How is a cooking noob going to make something that people will order for a Friday lunch? Go behind the scenes and hear how a restaurant creates a new menu item. (Justin learned a lot about how a restaurant works).

Show notes

Thanks to

Music

My theme music is Bad Decisions by Striker. Visit them online: strike-metal.com

]]> Wed, 20 Jan 2016 18:10:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/4-qLB9D2vz Justin reveals that the MegaMaker burrito is being added to the menu at a local restaurant.

How is a cooking noob going to make something that people will order for a Friday lunch? Go behind the scenes and hear how a restaurant creates a new menu item. (Justin learned a lot about how a restaurant works).

Show notes

Thanks to

Music

My theme music is Bad Decisions by Striker. Visit them online: strike-metal.com

]]> The world is creative Justin Jackson 00:10:15 Justin reveals that the MegaMaker burrito is being added to the menu at a local restaurant. How is a cooking noob going to make something that people will order for a Friday lunch? Go behind the scenes and hear how a restaurant creates a new menu item. Justin reveals that the MegaMaker burrito is being added to the menu at a local restaurant. How is a cooking noob going to make something that people will order for a Friday lunch? Go behind the scenes and hear how a restaurant creates a new menu item. no full 4 7635c55b-44d3-48d2-963c-cc774f2f0234 #justinsburrito Justin kicks off the weekly maker challenge. What's he's going to try to make in 7 days?

If this podcast was Star Wars, the first two episodes would be "A New Hope" and this episode would be "Empire."

Start with something small and silly.

Update: MegaMaker just landed in iTunes! Please help by leaving a 5 start review at megamaker.co/review

This week's MegaMaker project: a burrito

Justin's goal this week is to make something that is both small and ridiculous. A burrito. Why?

  • Burritos are freakin' delicious.
  • I suck at cooking and wanted a challenge.
  • I love burritos.

Why not take the pressure off ourselves, and create something just because it's fun?

Who sponsored my burrito?

I want to thanks these guys for believing in me. They were willing to take a chance on a crazy idea. Please give them your business!

Do you want to sponsor my burrito?

Show notes

Thanks to

Music

My theme music is Bad Decisions by Striker. Visit them online: strike-metal.com

]]> Sat, 16 Jan 2016 06:55:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/3-TfrCIiPJ Justin kicks off the weekly maker challenge. What's he's going to try to make in 7 days?

If this podcast was Star Wars, the first two episodes would be "A New Hope" and this episode would be "Empire."

Start with something small and silly.

Update: MegaMaker just landed in iTunes! Please help by leaving a 5 start review at megamaker.co/review

This week's MegaMaker project: a burrito

Justin's goal this week is to make something that is both small and ridiculous. A burrito. Why?

  • Burritos are freakin' delicious.
  • I suck at cooking and wanted a challenge.
  • I love burritos.

Why not take the pressure off ourselves, and create something just because it's fun?

Who sponsored my burrito?

I want to thanks these guys for believing in me. They were willing to take a chance on a crazy idea. Please give them your business!

Do you want to sponsor my burrito?

Show notes

Thanks to

Music

My theme music is Bad Decisions by Striker. Visit them online: strike-metal.com

]]> #justinsburrito Justin Jackson 00:10:36 Justin kicks off the weekly maker challenge. What's he's going to try to make in 7 days? If this podcast was Star Wars, the first two episodes would be "A New Hope" and this episode would be "Empire." Justin kicks off the weekly maker challenge. What's he's going to try to make in 7 days? If this podcast was Star Wars, the first two episodes would be "A New Hope" and this episode would be "Empire." no full 3 3131840a-1b90-4d89-bfba-cc2f697da253 What's really driving me?

"Fighting an obstacle to achieve a goal."

In this mid-week bonus episode, Justin digs into our creative motivation. Can we express our creativity and make a living at the same time?

A Maker's Manifesto

Hundreds of people helped edit version 1.0 of the Maker's Manifesto. You can also find it on Medium.

Show notes

Thanks to

Music

My theme music is Bad Decisions by Striker. Visit them online: strike-metal.com

]]> Thu, 14 Jan 2016 07:21:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/2-2RR79WVn

"Fighting an obstacle to achieve a goal."

In this mid-week bonus episode, Justin digs into our creative motivation. Can we express our creativity and make a living at the same time?

A Maker's Manifesto

Hundreds of people helped edit version 1.0 of the Maker's Manifesto. You can also find it on Medium.

Show notes

Thanks to

Music

My theme music is Bad Decisions by Striker. Visit them online: strike-metal.com

]]> What's really driving me? Justin Jackson 00:10:26 "Fighting an obstacle to achieve a goal." In this mid-week bonus episode, Justin digs into our creative motivation. Can we express our creativity and make a living at the same time? "Fighting an obstacle to achieve a goal." In this mid-week bonus episode, Justin digs into our creative motivation. Can we express our creativity and make a living at the same time? no full 2 182ac15a-6226-44da-ac0d-4db19e2c60a7 Life is better when you make stuff

"Life's better when you make stuff" - @theleviallen

The new year is here. How can you make this year better than the last? For Justin the answer is to make 100 things.

MegaMaker is a podcast for people who want to consume less and make more.

It doesn't matter if you swing hammers, a keyboard and mouse, a paintbrush, a needle and thread, or a soldering iron. We're all makers here.

Over 1,700 people have signed up for the 2016 Maker Challenge. You can sign up at megamaker.co/challenge.

Show notes

This week's patron's

Special thanks to

]]> Fri, 8 Jan 2016 22:28:00 +0000 justin@bizbox.ca (Justin Jackson) https://megamaker-f57f087d.simplecast.com/episodes/1-6aD_JtXH

"Life's better when you make stuff" - @theleviallen

The new year is here. How can you make this year better than the last? For Justin the answer is to make 100 things.

MegaMaker is a podcast for people who want to consume less and make more.

It doesn't matter if you swing hammers, a keyboard and mouse, a paintbrush, a needle and thread, or a soldering iron. We're all makers here.

Over 1,700 people have signed up for the 2016 Maker Challenge. You can sign up at megamaker.co/challenge.

Show notes

This week's patron's

Special thanks to

]]> Life is better when you make stuff Justin Jackson 00:39:23 The new year is here. How can you make this year better than the last? For Justin the answer is to make 100 things. The new year is here. How can you make this year better than the last? For Justin the answer is to make 100 things. no full 1