Gifted Underachievers

In this groundbreaking segment set in the Interview Lab of the Gifted Underachievers clubhouse, James asks Dobes to explain her ability to come up with alternate revenue streams. She’s got courses, books, and the infamous Pleasure Journal.The questions are simple: Why did she think these items were a good idea? How did she develop them? What about audience, pricing, and marketing? Can “passive income” ever be truly passive?The answers reveal that alternate revenue streams can be very useful not just for cash flow, but to expand one’s interests, provide needed information to other creatives in the field, and become part of the conversation in and about your industry.Questions for Listeners:* Do you have alternate revenue streams?* If yes, what are they?* What’s your one-sentence view of the term “passive income”?* What’s your top piece of advice around creating alternate revenue streams?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:A few of Dobes’s alternate revenue streams:The courses and other stuff: https://patdobie.com/teacher-coach/ & https://awritersroadmap.com/courses-books/The book for writers: https://lucidedit.com/more-about-pat-dobie/my-book/ (buy it from the Antichrist: https://a.co/d/jbD6aj5)The infamous Pleasure Journal: https://a.co/d/1QF1RrUWant to Show Your Support for the Gifted Underachievers?Visit the Gifted Underachiever Merch ShopWe have T-shirts, notebooks, hats, fridge magnets, mugs, and more. (Note: We’re working on getting free or low shipping in all countries!)If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.Thanks for Listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

We are always looking for better data on who our audience is and where they live. James has found that his part of the Gifted Underachievers competition experiment is providing better data on both leading to smarter submissions targeting.Meanwhile, Pat discovers that the benefit of these contests is not did I win or lose, but the structure means you learn if you were a finalist and you will receive a determination by a specific contest reporting deadline.Questions for Listeners:* Have you discovered benefits to entering contests?* Have you won one or been listed as a finalist?* Send us your wins and close calls and we’ll list them on our show page!Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:Contests: Another PerspectiveWant to Show Your Support for the Gifted Underachievers?Visit the Gifted Underachiever Merch ShopWe have T-shirts, notebooks, hats, fridge magnets, mugs, and more. (Note: We’re working on getting free or low shipping in all countries!)Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

We’ve all felt an innate sense of coolness—even, perhaps, superiority—when watching some dink act like a dink to a hip cashier at any checkout line. And then felt the swipe of comeuppance when we act like a dink in an attempt to display our inherent coolness.James had just such an experience while wearing his brand new Canadian toque.Question for Listeners:* What was your last Karen (or Ken) moment?Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!For Further Exploration:Canadian Word Origin: ToqueThanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you aren’t already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

Welp, Pat tries to give James a little ‘flu guidance,’ which leads to James calling Pat a ‘Nancy no-mates know-it-all.’ Then we’re off and running down a discursive tangent that includes 19th Century female literary protagonists, Song of the South (a 1949 movie that Disney CEO described as “Antiquated” and “Fairly offensive”), and coffee shop misbehavior, culminating in Pat accusing James of living in a world of delusions. Lots of fun. Nothing to be learned here.Questions for Listeners:* Do you have fun names that you call people?* What is your most fun delusion?* Do you remember Song of the South? (If so, you may be old.)Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. Always free, no spam, unsubscribe any time. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

As every creative knows, the big-ticket, long-term creative projects that sell for thousands require some time to conceptualize, produce, and sell…and that’s if the creator already knows who their audience is. So for those of us who work on projects with long turnaround times, what can we do in the meantime to bring in the monthly basic income that keeps the lights on and puts food in the cupboard?The British TV show “Make It At Market” might have something to teach us here. It helps unprofitable creatives figure out how to make a living on their art, whether it be pottery, woodworking, painting, glassmaking, or jewelry-making (etc.). Mentors work with each person to find and hone their “volume” piece, their favorite piece, and their big-ticket item. Each part of this ecosystem involves investigating work habits, streamlining processes, identifying the audience, and creating the conditions in which your work will sell.In this segment, your Gifted Underachievers wonder about how to do this in our own gigs, the world of writing and publishing. Do we come up with the answers? Not quite…but as with all self-run creative (or creative-adjacent) businesses, half the battle is figuring out the question. Questions for Listeners:* Do you have a product or service that consistently brings in the cash you need to work on the long-term stuff?* If yes, how did you come up with the idea for it?* Or do you work a day job?For Further Exploration:Trailer for Make It At MarketMonthly diverse revenue streams—a how-to video:Buy us a Coffee and Win a BookHere in the GU Clubhouse, we’ve gleaned and gathered incredible wisdom from our creative guests, whom we fondly call the Gifted Achievers. We’re putting this wisdom into a series of handy guides so listeners can study how to make a good living doing what you love. Click the coffee cup below and you’re on the list! The first 20 coffee angels will get a free guide!Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse. No spam, unsubscribe any time. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com