The Reality of Passive Income with LaShonda Brown
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LaShonda Brown, a tech educator and founder of Bootstrap Biz Advice, talks about entrepreneurship, passive income, and leveraging YouTube for business growth. She explores the concept of “passive income” and says that the typical portrayal of passive income as easy is misleading; real passive income requires years of active effort before it can generate revenue on autopilot.
LaShonda suggests utilizing YouTube and affiliate marketing, which can work 24/7 by providing valuable content. Content marketing should focus on driving people to platforms you own (like your website or email list) rather than seeking engagement on social platforms that don’t directly convert into sales. She also shares tips for overcoming the fear of being on camera, suggesting alternatives like faceless YouTube channels or live-streaming to simulate a real-time audience.
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ABOUT OUR GUEST
Lashonda Brown
Tech Educator and Founder of Bootstrap Biz Advice
LaShonda Brown is an award-winning Tech Educator, YouTube Coach and Speaker based in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of VA. Through her educational company, Bootstrap Biz Advice, LaShonda teaches service providers worldwide how to work less & live more by leveraging tech and YouTube. LaShonda believes there is no shame in bootstrapping and her trainings will help you keep your expenses low and your profit margin high while you DIY.
LaShonda heavily advocates for sustainable, healthy rhythms in business and is most well known for her 20-Hour Work Week practice that’s built on the foundation of deep focus work and a mindful morning routine.
In 2022, LaShonda became one of the first 25 Canva Verified Experts in the world. In addition to training organizations of all sizes about Canva, LaShonda consults with SaaS brands about referral & affiliate programs and serves as an instructor for the email marketing software, Flodesk inside of Flodesk University.
SHOW NOTES
You know that passive income everyone raves about, where you wake up to find a couple thousand extra dollars in your bank account?
Surprise! It turns out it’s not as easy as it seems!
Today’s guest, Lashonda Brown, a tech educator and founder of Bootstrap Biz Advice, explains that passive income takes years of hard work and system-building.
So, what should you do, and how can YouTube help?
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Amplify with Jess is produced by Earfluence, and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop.
TRANSCRIPT
[00:00:00] Jess: Headphones and whatnot, but I prefer these so it doesn’t look like I’m wearing them. Yeah, I know. These are kind of a lot, but here we are. Also, um, I am going to be looking up at this camera. So if you’re like, why isn’t she staring into my eyes? Just so you know, that’s where our camera is.
[00:00:16] LaShonda: All good. No, if it wasn’t for my bougie husband, I wouldn’t have the teleprompter.
[00:00:21] Jess: I know. You got the AV set up for days with your husband. It’s funny, we’ve been recording a lot of episodes recently, and there’s been a theme of women working with their husbands. I don’t even know if we’re going to include this in the podcast, but let’s just start here. What has it been like? You’re the business whiz, your husband is like the AV master. How has that been in a working relationship?
[00:01:01] LaShonda: Oh my gosh. At church, he’s so funny. We’ve transitioned everything. We’ve been working together longer than we’ve been married, so it’s like a whole story. He tells people at church, “Oh yes, I work for LaShondaBrown.com.” I’m like, can you please stop telling people that?
[00:01:20] Jess: That’s better than what Jake says. He goes, “I sleep with my boss.” I’m like, okay, maybe we don’t need to say that.
[00:01:26] LaShonda: Yeah, we could give them a better script if that’s what they need. But honestly, what’s so beautiful about it is we are polar opposites and there is no overlap in skillset. Girl, I don’t know what I’m doing. I get anxious just having a new Logitech keyboard. Meanwhile, he comes in with front lighting, back lighting, hair lighting, side lighting. I’m like, where’s the surge protector? But I love that for him.
[00:01:58] Jess: It’s awesome. This isn’t just about working with your spouse, but about finding the gaps you have and finding someone or something to supplement that. You’ve had so many partnerships with software and tech companies that want to work with you, which is incredible. But I feel like this stems from the idea of working less to live more and setting up passive income.
And if you’re listening to this and not watching, I’m putting “passive income” in quotes. That’s the dream, right? Like, in 2024, people want something that just makes money on autopilot. Is that realistic? What do you think passive income really is today?
[00:02:56] LaShonda: Most people who talk about passive income are lying.
[00:03:00] Jess: Yes! Thank you! Let’s start there.
VO: Is your dream to make money while you’re asleep? You know, that passive income where you wake up with a couple thousand extra dollars in your bank account? Sounds pretty sweet, right? Well, today’s guest is LaShonda Brown, tech educator and founder of Bootstrap Biz Advice, and she and I agree—most content about passive income is a bit of BS.
[00:03:00] LaShonda: They’re lying to you. Essentially, they’re truncating time and saying, “I’m passively generating income now,” but they were actively working for years to get to that place. That’s a lie. The closest thing to passive income is leveraging affiliate marketing. I teach people how to create a YouTube passive income engine to fuel their business. That’s the most realistic way—something you do in 2000 that you’re benefiting from in 2024. But saying, “I make money in my sleep for no reason” is not how it works.
[00:04:14] Jess: I’m glad we’re debunking this narrative. Passive income requires active hustle for years. Mic Drop Workshop isn’t even fully passive yet. I don’t need to be present all the time for it to work, but it took years of building an audience. We’ve been doing this since 2018, renting out restaurant floors and charging people on Eventbrite to teach public speaking. I hesitate to call it passive, but there are tools and systems—like YouTube—that can help reduce effort over time.
[00:05:30] LaShonda: Exactly. When people talk about passive income, they’re referencing that old infomercial, “set it and forget it.” But if I could just put PDFs on a website and make money, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. You have to tell people it exists, express the value, and build a community. YouTube is great because it’s not a social platform; it’s a search engine. It allows you to be social, but the beauty is people can find you and buy from you even when you’re asleep.
[00:08:00] Jess: I’m caving right now! What am I doing putting so much effort into Instagram? At the end of the day, what I want is to lead people to our resources and courses, not to chase likes and engagement.
[00:09:00] LaShonda: Exactly! Instagram is a megaphone—you’re screaming into the ether, hoping someone hears and buys. YouTube is a telephone—people call you with a problem, and you solve it. They’re seeking you out, and they’re further along in the buying journey. Instagram can work for impulse buys, but professional services? You need a different approach.
[00:12:00] Jess: I tried jumping on trends during the pandemic, but realized if someone buys based on my lip-sync skills, I don’t need them. And followers and engagement don’t always translate to sales. With Mic Drop, posting tips is great for nurturing an audience, but it’s our other content—like blogs and YouTube—that actually drive sales.
[00:13:10] LaShonda: When we approach content marketing, the focus should be on reducing the friction it takes for people to buy from you. It’s fine to generate content in any form, but the key is to move people from that content to something you own as soon as possible—your website, your email list, your shop. If they stay in the app, you’ve failed at content marketing. You’ve made Instagram richer and yourself poorer.
[00:15:19] Jess: Totally agree. If they’re staying in the app, then you’ve failed at content marketing. I feel like some people have the need to gatekeep. They think, “I can’t give them all the answers because I want them to buy.” But at Mic Drop Workshop, I’ve found that the more value I give, the more trust I build with my audience. What would you say is a good strategy for content that gives value but still leaves people wanting more?
[00:16:12] LaShonda: We miss the point when we think business is about withholding information. The internet exists, ChatGPT exists—people can get the information they need. We’re not in the business of selling information, we’re in the business of selling results and value. Someone could go to YouTube to learn about YouTube, but they would pay me to coach them because they want to work with a human being. They want community, accountability, and live feedback.
Your YouTube content should say, “Here’s an answer to your question, but this is just the start of your journey.” For example, watching a video on how to change a tire doesn’t give you a tire or get you from A to B—you still have steps to take. So, with content, it’s about showing them how, but offering ways to help them implement what they’ve learned. People still need support to get real results, and that’s where community comes in.
[00:18:00] Jess: Yes! We need to give away what comes easily to us because it’s often a revelation for someone else. When I started Mic Drop Workshop in 2018, the course had everything I knew about speaking, like the kitchen sink. But as I refined it, I realized people weren’t looking for everything; they wanted my advice on what’s most important. The course got shorter, but the value got greater.
[00:20:00] LaShonda: And also in the right order! That’s crucial. You can find all the information online, but if it’s out of order, it’s overwhelming. People pay for a systematic approach that saves time. Time is a limited resource, and people will pay for anything that saves them time and helps them get results faster.
[00:21:18] Jess: Exactly. People want brevity and directness. This episode answers the imposter syndrome question: “Why would someone pay me for this?” Because what’s obvious to you might be a revelation to them. They also pay for you to tell them what they need to know, in the right order, without wasting their time.
One thing I’ve struggled with is, despite knowing the value of YouTube, I feel awkward on camera. I have no problem standing in front of a thousand people, but when that green light on my computer comes on, I freeze. You have such a great online presence—what advice do you have for someone who sees the value of YouTube but doesn’t want to be in front of the camera?
[00:22:46] LaShonda: There are a couple of approaches. Faceless YouTube channels are very popular right now. We had an editor on our team who just hit a million subscribers, and he rarely shows his face. His voice is compelling, and his editing is next level, so that keeps people engaged. Another example is a channel I love called Company Man. I have no idea what he looks like, but his content is fantastic.
But for speakers, showing your face is different. You need to work on strengthening the muscle to be seen. If you can do a Zoom call, you can do a YouTube video. Most speakers I work with are actually better at live-streaming because they thrive on engagement. So, turn your YouTube into a digital stage. If it’s easier for you with real-time interaction, consider live-streaming your content and talking to your community as you record. You don’t even have to publish the live stream; just use it to record your video. People love to support you, so let them show up for you.
[00:24:42] Jess: That’s a great idea! You’re calling me out because my team knows that if they want me to record something well, it needs to be in front of a live audience—whether that’s in person or virtual. My pre-recorded stuff isn’t nearly as good as when I’m interacting with an audience.
[00:25:27] LaShonda: Exactly! You have to find what works for you. If anyone is interested in starting their YouTube channel or learning more about it, go to micdropworkshop.com/series to take my Mic Drop Series course. But you can also find me at LaShondaBrown.com, which is my home base, or on my app, Bootstrap Biz Advice. You can consume my content ad-free and join my membership there. Justin and I did a workshop that’s in the library too, so you can check that out.
[00:26:00] Jess: That’s amazing! I know you’ve been working so hard on this app, and I’m so excited for people to download it. We’ll put everything in the show notes. LaShonda, you’re the best. Thanks, friend!
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