Getting Started Online: LNIM050 Transcript

For the 50th episode of Late Night Internet Marketing, Mark calls Pat Flynn for an unplanned conversation about the question they both get asked more than any other: “I want to get started online — where do I begin?” The result is a wide-ranging discussion about passion, freelancing, the importance of community, and why internet marketing takes longer than anyone wants to admit.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• What Pat Flynn recommends for people who want to start an online business
• The different advice for people with time versus people who need income immediately
• Why “you are not alone” is the most important thing a new entrepreneur needs to hear
• How freelancing bridges the gap between needing money now and building a long-term business
• Why every “overnight success” has a backstory of years of work

Episode Summary

Getting Started: Two Different Situations

Mark and Pat break the question into two scenarios. For people who have a job and want to build something on the side, the advice is straightforward: start with what you know, create content that provides value, and build an audience over time. Use multiple platforms — writing, audio, video — to establish yourself as a resource in your niche. Pat emphasizes that this process took him two years on his LEED exam site before he even tried to monetize it.

For people who need money immediately, the advice is different and more urgent. Pat recommends freelancing: take the skills you already have and offer them to others. Sign up on platforms like Elance or Odesk (now Upwork), reach out to businesses that need help with video, writing, web development, or whatever you are good at. Trade skills for income in the short term while reserving a fraction of your time to build the longer-term business that will eventually replace the freelancing.

You Are Not Alone

Before any tactical advice, Pat makes a point both he and Mark feel strongly about: the first thing any aspiring entrepreneur needs to know is that they are not alone. When Pat was laid off, he felt isolated. The reality was that thousands of others were in the same situation. Connecting with people in similar circumstances — and with people who have been where you are and come out the other side — provides both encouragement and practical guidance. Mark adds that the internet itself makes this connection possible, grouping people with like interests in ways that were impossible before.

Pat Flynn's Security Guard Training Site

Mark asks Pat about the apparent contradiction between “follow your passion” and his security guard training site, which earns around $3,500 per month in a niche Pat has zero personal passion for. Pat explains that passion comes in different forms. He is not passionate about security guard training, but he is passionate about building solutions that help specific groups of people. The site has a job board that connects 100 to 200 people per month with potential employers. That service-oriented passion — what Mark calls a “meta-passion” — is the real driver.

The Overnight Success Myth

Both Mark and Pat push back hard against the idea of fast results. Tim Ferriss's 4-Hour Workweek was rejected 27 times before finding a publisher. Rovio's Angry Birds was their 60th game. Pat spent two years writing on his LEED site before monetizing. The sales pages that promise quick riches prey on people's hopes, and both Mark and Pat find it disgusting. Legitimate online business requires the same sustained effort as any other professional pursuit.

Key Takeaways

• Start with what you know and create genuine value — the audience and revenue will follow, but it takes time
• If you need money now, freelance with your existing skills while building your long-term business on the side
• You are not alone — connect with people in similar situations and with those who have already succeeded
• Passion can be about the topic (Pat Flynn's SPI) or about the act of helping people (his security guard site) — both are valid
• Every overnight success has a backstory of years of effort — be suspicious of anyone selling shortcuts

What's Changed Since This Episode

Mark and Pat recorded this conversation in March 2013. Both have continued to evolve their businesses and influence in the years since.

Pat Flynn grew Smart Passive Income into a major media brand before eventually winding it down and pivoting to new ventures. His journey from LEED exam site to podcasting empire to YouTube educator to community builder is itself a masterclass in the principles he and Mark discuss here. Pat's emphasis on genuine value creation over hype has been validated repeatedly by the market.

Freelancing platforms have evolved dramatically. Elance and Odesk merged into Upwork, and the freelance economy has expanded to include platforms like Fiverr, Toptal, and specialized marketplaces for every skill imaginable. The freelancing-to-entrepreneurship path Pat recommends has become a well-documented career trajectory, often called the “solopreneur ladder.”

The “overnight success” myth has been further debunked by the transparency of the creator economy. Successful creators now regularly share their revenue numbers, timelines, and struggles, making it harder for scammy products to sell the dream of instant wealth. Podcast interviews, income reports, and behind-the-scenes content have created a much more realistic picture of what building an online business actually looks like.

Paul Soares Jr, the Minecraft YouTuber Mark mentions being introduced to by his six-year-old, went on to amass millions of subscribers and became one of the pioneering gaming content creators. His trajectory is another data point for the passion-first approach to content creation.

Resources Mentioned

• Smart Passive Income — Pat Flynn's legacy resource for online entrepreneurs
• Paul Soares Jr YouTube Channel — pioneering Minecraft content creator
• Upwork — freelancing platform (formerly Elance/Odesk)
• Late Night Internet Marketing Podcast

Related Episodes

If you found this episode helpful, you might also enjoy:

• LNIM050 — Getting Started Online With Pat Flynn (Show Notes)
• LNIM052 — Finding A Niche That You Love

Listen and Subscribe

Listen to Late Night Internet Marketing on Apple Podcasts or subscribe at latenightim.com/internet-marketing-podcast/. Have a question for Mark? Call the digital recorder at 214-444-8655 or drop a comment below.