Andy had hit a major challenge in life and a serious cash flow crunch – his business of 12 years with lots of employees had failed so he had to rebuild his business life – and cashflow.
So he decided to retrain with us in digital skills.
Whilst he had prior business experience, he had never built a website nor did he know how to earn money online.
Andy literally had to start at ground zero when it came to website skills and earning money online.
Like a lot of students of ours he started with the very basics, first learning how to build a website.
Andy decided to step it up and “earn while he learned” by building websites for local businesses with his new digital skills. This was an easy and quick cashflow strategy for him starting out.
This is his inspirational story of what he has been able to achieve in under 9 months…
CLICK ON THE VIDEO or watch the transcript below to hear how Andy is creating his ideal lifestyle by selling websites…
Andy’s story on how he went from a 12-year-old failing business to creating $6,500 per month from selling websites to local businesses…
Matt Raad: Hi again, everyone. This is Matt Raad from the eBusiness Institute, where we teach beginners how to build and buy websites.
Today’s special guest is a student of ours. I’ve just been doing a coaching call with Andy, and I wanted to share his inspirational story with you.
Andy has an exciting story to share, especially for those thinking of changing to a digital career or getting into this space of building or buying websites. It’s inspirational to see what he’s been able to achieve over the last year and how he’s been able to help people, including his wife.
So, Andy, thank you so much for coming on board.
Andy: You’re welcome, and I’m glad to be here.
Matt: You are one of our American students, so I want to acknowledge and say congratulations. You stay up late some nights to be on our webinars and events. And it is lovely having you in our community, working with all our Australian students.
Andy is on our high-level coaching program called Champions, where we personally coach people through the process of transitioning out of their careers and earning online income full time.
From a failed business to a new digital career within 12 months
Matt: I’ve asked Andy to be here today because he’s got some interesting insights into his personal journey. He’s starting to hit some incredible income goals.
Are you happy to talk some numbers today about what you’re charging for some of these websites?
Andy: Yes.
Matt: Fantastic, because I didn’t realise it was quite as big as some of the ones you said.
Where did you start? Because it was more your wife that came onto the course, wasn’t it?
Andy: That’s right. I started out as a supportive husband. I was coming off a 12-year business that eventually failed.
We tried to create something new but couldn’t pull it off. I’m more of a guy who likes to create his own job rather than go out and get one.
Andy realised he could generate leads through websites to make money online
Andy: I was starting a new venture of creating a directory for local businesses. It was not as good a plan as what Matt and Liz Raad teach. But I was going to build one using a third party.
Of course, this was before we joined the program. And I was going to use that to prospect for different businesses.
Then Nora joined the Champions program. I supported her through that, and I realised that maybe I could generate leads for websites. So, I would attend all the webinars, and I was really excited for her.
The phone call from Matt Raad that changed Andy’s life…
Andy: I wanted to know more, so we had our first mentoring call with you. I said to you right off the bat, “I’m not your traditional guy. I’m here to support my wife.”
I told you a little bit about my background, and you said to me, “Well, I understand why Liz picked you both to be in this program.” And then you said, “I’m going to change your life.”
I’m the type of guy who likes to hear that. I’m very teachable, and I respect what Matt and Liz Raad teach for buying and selling websites for income.
I can see the results, and I love participating in the program. And you know what, Matt? You did change our lives! So, I want to say a big thank you for that.
The Champions program held Andy accountable to build his first website
Andy: There was a moment when you called me out. You said,
“You’re chasing your tail, doing all these other things. If you just follow the program that we teach, you and Nora can achieve the goals you’ve set.”
In follow up calls, you would say, “Andy, have you built that site yet?” I would say, “No.” You would say, “Well, why not?” So, I would go away and build the site!
And you gave me some recognition for that too, which I really appreciated. I spent a couple days really trying to build a website. And so, we just started the ball rolling that way, and you gave me the kick in the butt that I needed.
There’s a saying, “When the student’s ready, the teacher will appear.” And I believe that’s what happened.
Retraining in Digital Skills allowed Nora and Andy to start their new business
Matt: I’m so glad we can capture this moment in time, Andy.
As you said, Nora joined the program, and Liz was the one who interviewed her. And I remember when I did that first mentoring call, I could see greatness in you, Andy.
So, I want to paint a picture here because there are probably a lot of readers in a very similar situation to you both. You’ve just come out of a 12-year business; it was a challenge and eventually failed.
For those of us who’ve been in that position, that messes with your mindset. So, you have that going on, but hats off to you; you’re a go-getter.
Nora is able to build their digital agency around her full-time job
Matt: Nora is still working in a full-time role. What does she do for a living?
Andy: Nora works at a local hospital near where we live in the state of Wisconsin. She basically works in Human Resources.
Matt: Yes, so she probably has to work long hours. And, she came onto the Digital Investors program to get retrained in digital skills, I’m presuming?
Andy: That’s right.
Matt: So then, you’ve turned up on all the webinars and thought, “This is good. I’ll do a call with Matt.”
Matt called you out and said, “You have way more skills and talents than you realise, and you’ve got the drive.” And now, you’re getting out there.
This is where it gets interesting because Andy is now putting all of this into action.
How Andy creates cashflow by selling websites to local businesses
Matt: Fast forward to today; what have you learned, and what are you doing with the strategy, Andy?
Andy: Right now, we’re following your cashflow strategy, where we reach out to local businesses and sell websites to them.
I’m intrigued to keep learning more about the long-term strategy of building a portfolio of passive websites. But you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. So, right now, our goal is to get Nora out of her full-time job and work along with us.
1./ Andy uses networking groups like BNI to generate leads for his business
I have a bit of a head start because I’ve been going to BNI and networking for almost 15 years. I know the value of BNI and the value of networking. And so I had some place to start from already.
2./ And he reaches out to contacts he already knows
I reached out to the people we know, the warm contacts. I could be pretty direct with a lot of them, especially if they are friends of mine. I’d say, “Hey, your website’s not that good. Let’s talk about it.” You can’t do that with everybody, but you can do it with your buddies. Right?
Andy earns money from websites while he’s learning his digital skills
Matt: While you’ve been learning these new digital skills, you’ve been able to earn money from building websites for them, haven’t you?
Andy: I did. But it didn’t start out quite like I thought it would.
I just started building sites for people I thought were going to need them. Because if people asked me, “How many sites have you built?” I couldn’t say zero, right? It’s much easier to show a product first.
Then, I had a couple of handshake deals that didn’t work out. They just pushed me away, but that’s how business goes. Right?
Matt: Yeah.
Andy: It just doesn’t always work out as planned.
He sold his first client website to a local competitor for US$1,500 plus ongoing SEO
Andy: So, what I did is I found competitors or other people in those industries that might have needed a website. And then, I approached them in a cold manner and offered a sweet deal. I said, “I already have a website. Before I delete it, I will give you the chance to buy it for a sweet deal.”
Matt: Cool. And is this while you’re learning?
Andy: Yes, well, this one actually happened on Monday.
In my opinion, it’s a $5,000-$6,000 website. I built it, so I know it’s worth that price. But I sold it for $1,500 with a year-long SEO contract attached.
Matt: Brilliant! That’s your first website build, getting out there and using a skill that you didn’t think you had or knew existed within you. But you’ve made it work with your networking skills and because you know people.
When you think about it, Andy, here’s what’s inspirational to anyone in our community. It wasn’t even that you sold the websites to your friends, but you sold them to competitors, and that’s super cool.
His next website sale earned him US$3,000
Matt: Now, we also have to brag about this other story. In our call earlier, I asked what you were up to. And you told me this inspirational story which you’ve just received final payments for. How much did you make on that one?
Andy: We have a website that we started building a couple of months ago and finished last month. It was for another friend of ours who is in a seasonal business. It’s a successful business, and he wouldn’t mind if I said this, but he’s a bit of a dinosaur in terms of being online.
He said, “Oh, I probably should have a website.” So, we built him one, and he said, “Hey, I’m going to pay you, but you’ve got to wait until the season starts up for us.”
So, we finalised everything yesterday with a $3,000 payment and the option for $1,000 to host email and some other things. Our friend said, “Yeah. I’m most likely going to do that. Just let me look it over again.”
I like to be optimistic. I think we’re providing enough value to justify the extra thousand dollars. I think he might need a little more time to pay for it. So, I’ll just count that as $3,000.
Andy has almost achieved his first income milestone of US$10,000 per month!
Andy: As I said earlier, on Monday I sold the website I’d already built for $1,500, which I feel he got a great deal.
So, this was a $4,500 week in terms of websites. I’m feeling pretty good about that, and we’re excited.
Matt: And you were just saying to me that you’re well on your way to hitting that first milestone we have in Champions of earning $10,000 a month.
Do you want to mention the number you’re up to already this month?
Andy: We’re up to $6,500 in paid websites. And then, we essentially have $5,000 that has been billed. $3,000 will probably be paid next month, and $2,000 will be paid this month. So, we’re looking at $8,500 received in the bank this month.
Matt: This is awesome. You’re pretty much hitting $8,500 in the month, but you’ve already banked $6,500. So, you’re very close to that first big milestone.
Andy and Nora achieve their online success because they always show up
Matt: Think back a year ago to where you’re coming out of that 12-year business. You’ve completely rebuilt your life, mate. This is awesome; you’re well and truly on the path. And, obviously, you have the skills, you’ve got the greatness within you, and you are a legend.
You really got fired up after our first call together. And here’s what it takes – you’ve never missed a webinar, ever.
We run weekly Champion webinars on Wednesdays, and we also run our “SEO lunches with Matt” on a Friday afternoon. It’s just an informal session with our Champions, where I sit and go through a bunch of websites and do SEO reviews.
But Andy, you are on every single webinar, aren’t you?
Andy: Yes, my wife and I make a point to be on every webinar.
Matt: And suddenly, you’ve not just learned how to build these sites, but you’re actually starting to bank money and have almost hit that first big milestone. That’s super impressive.
…and their online income has now hit the exponential curve
Matt: When you think about it, this is a short amount of time to achieve all of that. Would you say your curve’s gone like this?
At first, you had to learn, learn, learn. But now, the money is following.
Andy: Absolutely.
I wanted to get the reps, and I wanted to get something built to at least make them think I know what I’m talking about. So, we studied, practised, and felt like if we built it, they would come. And that’s what’s starting to happen for us.
I’ve been in business a long time, and I know business development. I can’t stop and just build a website and then start over again in terms of prospecting. You’ve got to do both.
I just want to make sure I’m not doing a roller coaster of many websites. You’ve got to just keep it going. And networking groups help you to keep prospecting.
Matt: There’s this big mindset issue around, “Hey, I’m a total beginner. How the heck do I get out there and charge for my first website build?”
Well, you’ve all just read how Andy had no website whatsoever. But he did the coaching call, and when I said to him, “Dude, you’ve got to build a website”, he did. Andy studied, did the practice, and he builds really nice websites.
How the Champions community have supported Nora and Andy in their online journey
Matt: Andy, you’ve inspired a lot of our community members because we use your websites as examples in our private coaching. And on our Friday lunchtime sessions, we’ve featured a couple of your sites as well, and everyone loves them. We give you feedback and help to tweak them.
So, in the background, there’s a whole community of us helping Andy on the first website that he’s built. It’s not like he’s going in as a total beginner when helping these people.
Also, what I love about your strategy Andy, is you’ve made it a no-brainer for your clients to come on board with you. You’re not charging them a massive price yet, and you’re building these beautiful sites that are already ranking.
I think that’s an awesome, inspirational lesson for everyone to realise that you can start with absolutely no website portfolio behind you.
Andy: Yes, and that’s exactly what I did.
The confidence Andy received from Champions helped him to create another $4,000 website deal
Andy: Two weeks ago, I reached out to a buddy of mine. We’ve been friends for a long time, and we usually have lunch once a quarter. He asked, “What are you doing now?”
And I’m like, “I’m all in on these websites. I looked at yours, and I can help you out.”
It’s funny that we’re talking about websites, because 10 years ago, when we were in business together, we couldn’t barely turn on the computer.
And so, I left that lunch with a handshake deal with a good friend of mine. We agreed on a $4,000 website build and a $2,000 cheque. Plus, he bought lunch, so it was great.
Matt: Wow, and just imagine where you were a year ago.
They are now turning towards the Portfolio Strategy for more passive income
Matt: So, now you’re out there building websites for local businesses to increase your cash flow and get Nora out of her job. But you’re also doing the portfolio strategy.
You mentioned at the beginning of the interview that we also teach a Directory strategy, which you didn’t realise when you joined our program. So, I know you are excited by that as well. The two of you are building these more passive websites in the background.
Andy: Yes, I want to become an expert at the directory strategy. I see huge value in it, and I have the goal of passive income. As you’ve mentioned in our calls, you call it a “slow burn”, and I’m okay with that.
I think I have a good start, and I started to try to build one using a third party before we met. So, I had a couple of hundred businesses in there already.
Actually, I took email marketing classes, and I studied and read books. I proved that I could get people to sign up for a free directory through a cold series of emails. So, I thought, “Okay, I can just try to duplicate that and grow these directory sites.”
I think if I can do it here locally, I could do it city after city using the same type of business plan.
Matt: This is our other strategy, building content sites that are more passive.
Nora is now able to build websites for profit within 10 days
Matt: So, you heard Nora works long hours at the local hospital, but she’s gotten in with Andy and built these sites. We recently ran a challenge in the Champions community where we got our students to build a website within 10 days.
Think about this – Nora is not doing this program as intensively as Andy is because she’s got to work a big job. But now, she’s re-skilled, and she can build a serious kick-butt website within 10 days.
When we saw the website she built, we all said, “Wow, we’d love to have that site in our portfolio.” It’s a great niche but also a beautiful-looking site as well. She’s got to be so proud of herself. I wish she was here so I could say well done to her.
Andy: Well, what’s amazing, too, is she was the first one to sell a website and start building one. And so, she’s built a beautiful website for an international eyeglass company.
This was a friend-of-a-friend scenario. But it’s taking so long to deliver this site because we’re waiting for their photos, etc.
Nora knows what she’s doing, and she creates beautiful sites using the Elementor template. I’ve got to keep up with her because I’m a dinosaur. She knows how to do all this stuff.
Matt: Here we are – we all think you’re the legend, and Nora’s just quietly in the background.
Her next step is to quit her job and live life on her terms
Matt: So, this time next year, when we do a follow-up interview with you, Nora will be on here, telling us how she’s been able to quit her job to make websites and earn money online.
I’m presuming that’s the goal for the two of you, isn’t it?
Andy: That’s right.
And we have another goal with that. We want to earn income from wherever, even while travelling, not stuck in an office or in a job site. Obviously, with what you guys are teaching us, we can do that.
It’s fun to have an interview and share our story, but there are times of doubt, right?
Matt: Of course.
Andy: It’s like a roller coaster ride you need to go on.
And I remember you and Liz said to us at the very beginning of the Champions program, “This is a learning year, not an earning year.”
The key to learning new digital skills with Champions is consistency
Andy: My wife and I both understand the investment we’ve made in ourselves. Although there are times of doubt about not accomplishing our goals fast enough. But I just want to reiterate what you said at the beginning, “Don’t quit.”
Every webinar, every boot camp, there’s so much information. But there might be two or three things that really stick out that are game-changing.
I think the strategy of having these weekly webinars is great because we need you guys in our ears. We need the support. I also love to hear the other Champions’ stories. I’m just so grateful. So, thank you.
Matt: Well, I want to say a big congratulations to you personally because I’ve been coaching you mainly and Nora.
Andy, people like you help inspire all our Champions, and they all know exactly what I’m talking about.
And I really enjoyed being able to share your story here today, Andy.
Their digital agency will allow them to live life on their terms whilst helping others
Matt: What I’d love to do is give you an opportunity to promote the best digital agency in Wisconsin and Minnesota. What’s the name of your digital agency? Do you want to do a bit of a promo for it?
Andy: Yes. So, we’ve named our digital agency Golden Gumball.
But our tagline is “websites that work”. So, we’re focused on building websites first. Someday, we can talk about how we came up with that name.
Matt: And, obviously, you give these clients very personal attention to detail. That’s what I think you do so well. When you’re building these sites, you go in-depth, and it’s really cool to see. It is so awesome watching what you do there.
Create an edge for your digital agency by out caring the competition
Andy: If you don’t mind, I would like to add one last point. Calem talked to us about his agency, how he builds websites, and how he out-cares the competition. And that really struck a chord with me.
So, with every website that I build, I say to myself and Nora,
“This is based on where I am in my journey of learning this. I’m not going to cut any corners. This will be the absolute best I can do with what I’ve got at the moment.”
And I try to be like Calem, where I just try to out-care the competition.
Matt: That is super cool. You certainly do that well, Andy, and you also help inspire a lot of us Aussies here.
You should be proud of yourself for turning up to all the boot camps and making all the cool comments that you do. Also, for sharing your websites openly with our private community and for sharing this journey. We do want to say a big thank you for that.
It’s not always a walk in a park, but we’re really excited to see what you guys are up to. I can’t wait to do an update interview with you in about a year’s time and see when Nora’s doing this full time as well.
So, a big thanks, Andy, for coming on today.
Andy: Thank you.
Want to learn how to make money online by selling websites?
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