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Episode 85: Ghost Writing with Craig Landes
172 Plays4 years ago
Have you ever wondered what a ghost writing career might look like? Join us as we meet with Craig Landes to learn about his journey to his uncommon path. He owns his own writing business, Words Beyond Content, and has brought many of Uncommon Wealth’s ideas to life through eBooks, articles, and their recent book. You will learn tips on how to launch your passion into a business model. Craig also shares about how he overcame obstacles along the way from freelancer to entrepreneur. Remember, there is an audience for your voice and people who want to support you on your journey!
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Transcript
Book Announcement
00:00:00
Speaker
As many of you know, we've been working on a book for the last two years. It is finally done. We hope you enjoy it. Go to www.uncommonwealth.com and click on resources and underneath the resources tab, it'll be a book where you can buy your own. Hope you enjoy it and hope it helps you get down your uncommon path yourself.
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:21
Speaker
Everyone dreams about living an uncommon life, but how we define that dream is very different for each of us. And for most, it's a lifelong pursuit. Welcome to the Uncommon Life Project podcast. We're going to introduce you to people who are living that life or enjoying the journey to get there. We're going to also give you some tools, tricks, and tips for starting or accelerating your own efforts to live an uncommon life.
00:00:46
Speaker
A life worth celebrating and savoring.
Guest Introduction: Craig Landis
00:00:49
Speaker
Please welcome your hosts, Brian Dewhurst and Philip Ramsey.
00:00:55
Speaker
Hello and welcome everybody to another episode of The Uncommon Life Project, where I'm your host, Phillip Ramsey. And I am Brian Dewhurst. I can't wait to get in this one. It's been a good time. Thank you for joining us. Man, we have got the guy, the myth, the legend, Craig Landis, with us today. I'm going to let Brian do the bio, and I'm going to tell you why I'm so freaking excited about this guy.
00:01:22
Speaker
All right, we have Craig Landis. He has been writing and public speaking for over 20 years, his business. Words Beyond Content specializes in helping clients deliver compelling ideas through blog posts, news articles, eBooks, and full-length books. Craig's writing has appeared in Fast Company Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inman News, and many other information idea platforms. You've probably read his content.
00:01:46
Speaker
When he's not riding, he enjoys time in this family, travel, hiking, kayaking, and being a microbrewery snob. Welcome to the show, Craig Landis. Oh, man. Let's go. Thank you very much. I feel like we should slow clap you in or something. We definitely need to get a mixing board with a slow clap. Or it could just be starting when you start doing the bio. There you go. So good. Craig, man, thanks for being here. Thanks for all you've done. This is why I'm excited. I'm just going to say it.
00:02:15
Speaker
Craig has been the guy behind Brian and Philip writing our content.
Collaborative Writing Journey
00:02:20
Speaker
We give him outlines and then he kind of ghost writes them for our website. We have over 250 articles, I believe, at this point. Craig has been probably the main reason why we've done those because there's no way Brian and I have time for that. But he does such a good job. You do such a good job, man, is just kind of articulating our thoughts. So thank you for that. That's the first thing. All right.
00:02:42
Speaker
The second thing I want to say is Brian and I wrote a book. I should say Brian and I and Craig wrote a book.
00:02:50
Speaker
We delved into the ghostwriter world. So let's talk about ghostwriting in and of itself at first. And how did you get into it? But I want everybody listening to this to know that Craig is probably the main reason why we have a book now, because he did all the ghostwriting for us. And we actually put Craig's name at the beginning of our book, thanking him for all he's done. We pull the veil off of this thing. Craig is the reason
00:03:16
Speaker
Well, and I think the other reason why we pull the veil off is because we want other entrepreneurs to know, you know, some of the tricks of the trade that, like, you can do some of these things, but, you know, you got to leverage other people's expertise. Philip and I's expertise is not writing. I will say that. Let me tell you this. Brian and I tried to write a book once. Brian did Google Translator. What did you do?
00:03:41
Speaker
I did like a transcription service of all my thoughts while I was driving. Yeah. And so he comes to me and he was like, Phillip, I wrote the book. It's all done. And I'm like, Oh my goodness. Like that's an efficient use of time. And so I opened this transcript up and I'm telling you the first sentence. I was like, we have not written a book.
00:04:01
Speaker
I don't know. There's basically a compilation of Brian's thoughts while he was driving. And I would say those thoughts were like underwater because half of them weren't translated even correctly. There was a bit lost in translation.
00:04:16
Speaker
I say that because what you do is super valuable and I'm grateful that you're using the way that God's created you to help and impact others. You've done that for us. You should probably talk since you're the guest or I'm just like gushing over you. But go for it, man. Yeah. Well, I just appreciate that introduction and I mean, appreciate you guys so much and your strengths.
00:04:41
Speaker
And I guess for me, yeah, it's been a journey to kind of embrace the gifts that God has given me and to use them to the fullest. And I'm still on that path, but I started this current iteration of what I'm doing about three years ago, and it's been super, super exciting.
00:05:06
Speaker
Yeah. I want to hear how you started on this. Where were you first? Were you like, so three years ago, four years ago, obviously you knew you were gifted at writing, but where were you before you started go down this uncommon path?
Craig's Career Path
00:05:20
Speaker
Well, I'll start. I mean, I'll start at the very beginning, which is a number of years ago. So I was trained after college
00:05:33
Speaker
Well, I worked in New York City for a year and a half for Guideposts books, for Guideposts magazine, if you've ever heard of that. Your grandma probably has Guideposts in the bathroom or whatever.
00:05:50
Speaker
So I worked there for a year and a half and enjoyed the editorial work that I was doing. So I was working with Words and I knew I had some strengths there. Got married and in the midst of all that, we were living in
00:06:09
Speaker
In New York City, my wife Tana was having a very different experience than I was. She was working in a group home for troubled youth. She had a very different experience of New York than the publishing world that was in its heyday.
00:06:30
Speaker
Sure, at that time. So anyway, I went to, I decided to go to seminary to become a pastor. Wow. I don't know if I knew that about you. Yeah. Good. I know. So I was a pastor in the Mennonnay Church for
00:06:46
Speaker
I served in a church for 10 years total, and then in the middle of that I was communications director for a denominational organization.
00:07:01
Speaker
So I've always kind of flip-flopped between those two things. And then around 2009, I was done being a pastor. It was just not working for me. It was not the right path. And it was becoming increasingly clear.
00:07:18
Speaker
But I didn't quite know what to do. I didn't have a, you know, it seems like it's tough coming out of being a pastor or pastoral service. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So that was so I, I didn't have the next steps planned out very well. Right. So, um,
00:07:42
Speaker
We wound up, my wife and I wound up, this is the most ridiculous turn we took. We started a brick and mortar, like an outdoor recreation business, because I wasn't getting enough, well, it was right at the start of the Great Recession. And the marketing world, there was no work to be had in marketing, so I couldn't get a foothold there. So we opened up this brick and mortar shop as,
00:08:11
Speaker
as Amazon was crushing it. So that was not a great situation. So I spent another three or four years trying to figure out how to get a foothold in something. I did real estate for a while, which was fun and interesting.
00:08:37
Speaker
I did all right in real estate, but it wasn't really what I wanted to do long term. So finally, finally, about a little over three years ago, I started working with a coach, like a business coach, and he was awesome. He helped me devise a plan. I was working for selling new homes and new construction, and I wanted to transition out of that.
00:09:07
Speaker
That was kind of the formulation for Words Beyond Content. Yeah, that was the formulation for Words Beyond Content. And instead of trying to be a full service marketing company, which is what I had tried to do before,
00:09:20
Speaker
Over and over, I kept hearing people say, oh, you're such a good writer. You're such a good writer. So finally, you know. You just embraced it. I embraced it and said, that's what I'm going to do. I'm not going to do a marketing company. I'm going to write for other marketing companies and for other entrepreneurs.
00:09:44
Speaker
And so I live behind the shadows. Yeah. Yeah. So now it's been super exciting. I think that's one of the hardest things for entrepreneurs is that initial niche down of like, well, I want to start a marketing firm. I've been around this. I got to be everything to everybody.
00:10:04
Speaker
But that's really sage advice to say, let's not do that. Let's niche down and focus on the part that you really excel at or could excel at. And not only that, how much faster you were probably able to fill up full-time work for yourself being niched down versus trying to sell the whole kit and caboodle.
00:10:27
Speaker
Exactly. And being stuck in something you don't really want to manage. Right. Right. Well, and the other,
Business Focus Shift
00:10:34
Speaker
I mean, before, before this, I had always tried to figure it out on my own every step of the way. And having, I just went to him, I think it was a total of five sessions and he helped me figure out a business plan. And the other thing he did was, uh, that was really crucial. Like he said, put a list together of
00:11:04
Speaker
put in a call to my moonshot client and she said, oh yeah, let's get started. And then she introduced me to Drew and then who introduced me to you guys. And so it was the moonshot client and then word of mouth really got me. And you used to follow a sweet spot.
00:11:23
Speaker
who you would ideally love to work with.
00:11:33
Speaker
That's awesome. So let me tell you this, this is kind of a fun story. So when Brian and I first started getting into this, the whole podcast thing is like, you know, it's just unknown. Who knows what's going to happen? Who's listening to it anyway? Lord help us all. And so
00:11:50
Speaker
I remember telling Brian, as soon as the person that was marketing for us tells us that we're doing a good job, then I'll be satisfied, which is this human nature, by the way. So he says, hey, you guys are doing a great job. And I'm like, yeah, no. As soon as somebody that we don't know reaches out to us that we don't know that has heard the podcast, then I'll be satisfied. Craig Landis was that guy.
00:12:14
Speaker
So no kidding. Oh, yeah, it was you were the first person and you you called like two days after that week or something super soon. And I knew that we had something special that we were encouraging others. Yeah. And so just to be able to sit down, listen to what's going on with you and encourage you down this path.
00:12:34
Speaker
has been a joy for Brian and I and seeing where you're at now. But man, those things that you did and that coach has helped you with, niching down, calling those people and starting to get traction has to be like one of the most joyous things of your life now that you're sitting where you're at. Like, wait, you're paying me for this?
00:12:54
Speaker
And it's valuable to Brian and I because we can't, again, going back to the first part of the show, we can't do it by ourselves. It was just daunting. I kind of want to take the conversation a little bit just to give a tool to our listeners.
00:13:09
Speaker
You know, content is grueling as a business owner and coming up with content. I have a ton of content ideas, but structuring them for other people to understand and writing them and polishing and publishing, that's a whole different deal. And you've been, you know, intricate in that process for us.
00:13:29
Speaker
you know, writing articles then led to, you've written, I think, seven or eight e-books for us that are on our website. And then obviously that then translated into the first book. And so it was kind of that stepping stone process for me that was freeing to like, I don't need to think about writing a book all at once. I don't even need to really think about writing the whole ebook all at once. And so we've kind of started batching articles into just groups of five on one topic.
00:13:59
Speaker
And then it really became 10 to 15, and then those translated into e-books, and that was really the genesis for the book, a big portion of the book. And so what helper, you know, tool or...
00:14:14
Speaker
I don't know what you want to call it. Would you kind of share with other business owners and entrepreneurs in terms of, hey, you've started a business, you want to start communicating with your clients, you want to educate them, you want to create content?
Ghostwriting Process
00:14:29
Speaker
What advice would you give to them in terms of getting started and organizing their thoughts?
00:14:35
Speaker
Sure, it's interesting because all my clients do it in a little bit different way. But yeah, I would say you don't have to have your ideas fleshed out.
00:14:53
Speaker
just put a few topics together. And this is some good advice that I heard recently before you, like if you're wanting to launch a content aspect of like of how you help people through your business.
00:15:12
Speaker
before you hit publish, get two or three months worth of content pulled together ahead of time. So I'd say, number one,
00:15:28
Speaker
start with an idea and get somebody to help you that has that skill set to flesh out those ideas. Um, and, and then to be sure to have a pipeline of content that, so you're not just publishing, you know, so you don't have that, uh, I kind of think about it like the, the dog racing or the rabbit is going around. Like you don't want the rabbit to come around and hit you in the butt. Right.
00:15:56
Speaker
And that's I think what you're saying. You got to have three months locked and loaded because life's going to happen and you don't want to keep like, Oh God, I got to get a deadline. There's nothing on my, I'm not posting again. And that kind of creates its own vicious cycle. Yeah. Yeah. Let's talk about the process that we went through, uh, writing the uncommon wealth, you're your best asset, invest in yourself book. Um, it was great. Brian and I sat down and we talked about what are the main topics that we want to talk about basically. Yeah.
00:16:25
Speaker
chapters, mind map, great. And then we wrote down underneath each one of those, I think there's like 11 or something.
00:16:33
Speaker
what chapters would look and then like main themes of said chapter. Um, and then maybe main like points that we wanted to make of those main themes. And it just started kind of bullet point out. That's what we gave Craig. Then Craig would write it and then send it back to us. Brian and I would read it and be like, Oh, we would change this, this, and that we can change this, this, and that by the end of it, we got a book and it's pretty sweet. Um,
00:16:58
Speaker
But yeah, it's funny because I hated English as a kid. I mean, I hated it. And it's interesting because my kids, you know, obviously have three kids now. And one of them is just like, I hate English. I'm like, dude, I totally understand that. I totally know where you're at. But
00:17:15
Speaker
you know, writing the book, it was so, it was just like, oh my gosh, you know, it really was just an outline. I mean, that's really what we gave you. And it was pretty detailed, but, and then you brought it to life, you know, that was, that was really the core of the deal. Yeah. So I, I feel like this process was super collaborative in that, you know, you came with an outline, I fleshed it out. And there was, I feel like we really,
00:17:45
Speaker
I mean, I started at ghostwriting, but I feel like we co-wrote it at this point back and forth and back and forth. And, you know, you have the knowledge, you have the expertise. And I have the wordsmithing. And, you know, between that back and forth, we really.
00:18:04
Speaker
And that's ultimately why we wanted your name in the book, you know, because it was such a collaborative process. And, um, you know, we were so proud of that, that not only the work, but just the partnership. I got a question for you. Sure. Is it ever frustrating? Like you do ghostwriting and then you don't get any recognition. Like is that ever thought?
00:18:24
Speaker
of yours, maybe it's just mine. I feel like, come on guys, really? I mean, yes and no, it's been, but it's a little, like I've, I've, um, written some things that, you know, get into entrepreneur or Forbes or whatever. And somebody else's name is on it, which is, that's a little frustrating, but on the other side, it, um,
00:18:49
Speaker
I guess there's two things I want to say. The work that I do, writing blog posts and writing shorter form things,
00:19:05
Speaker
I only have so much time in my life to do all that stuff. So one of the things that's been exciting about writing a book with you guys has been to
00:19:20
Speaker
be able to take my limited time to the next level because book writing is more financially rewarding than just piece by piece hoping I have enough blog posts in a month to
00:19:40
Speaker
to put things together. So that's been exciting to have a way to expand my business from the more short form to the long form. And whether my name gets on the cover or in the book somewhere,
00:20:00
Speaker
I really appreciate that because it was a collaboration, but I'm not going to not sign a contract over that. But the other thing that has happened is the ghostwriting
00:20:17
Speaker
that I've been doing has allowed me a base salary enough that I can start doing my own writing.
Craig's Personal Projects
00:20:28
Speaker
So I've got two book projects of my own in the works that I'm super excited about.
00:20:34
Speaker
What do you write about Craig? What does Craig write about when his doc goes writing for Philip and Brian? What are they about? It's a little wonky, I think, but I just have nagging. Billy Dilly. Welcome to Uncommon Life. There you go.
00:20:51
Speaker
I have these questions that nag at me, and in college I was a humanities major, so I focused on English and history was in there too. So I have a lot of historical perspective questions. So this first book I'm writing is
00:21:12
Speaker
It's the title I'm working on is a brief history of white nonsense. So it's asking the question. It's basically I started with what what the heck is going on right now with.
00:21:30
Speaker
In the US, people of color are unhappy. There's a segment of white people that are expressing a lot of frustration. What's behind that? I wanted to write a very short book, so it's going to be 100 pages or less about
00:21:49
Speaker
the 1400s to now and the three lines between, and I call it white nonsense, it's the whole idea of colonialism, how white people got here and the experience, especially of African Americans and Native Americans in that whole mix.
00:22:15
Speaker
So anyway, I saw a space that was needed. Like I've read history books. I read a Doris Kearns Goodwin book about the Roosevelt's that it's like 800 pages and it took me three years to read. So what I'm looking to do is explore these kind of
00:22:38
Speaker
historybytes and historybytes.com was taken, so I can't use that, but these historical things that we should all have a common understanding of and distill those into something very brief that people can say, oh, okay, so
00:23:00
Speaker
colonialism happened and slavery happened and the 14th Amendment came along and it solved some problems but created some others and mass incarceration and all this and reservations and all of this stuff that
00:23:19
Speaker
So to answer the question, I'm, it started with the question, what the heck is going on? And, uh, so, so that's book one. And the other thing, the other book I'm working on is kind of related. It's kind of in your guys' field. Um, one of the, it seems like people
00:23:44
Speaker
In terms of the economic situation, hearken back to this time when
00:23:57
Speaker
it was easier for the middle class. So the next book is kind of an exploration of kind of the invention of the middle class, the explosion of the middle class in the post-war era and what's happening with the middle class today. And the explosion to the demise of the middle class seems like, I mean, Brian says this a lot. It's like the middle class is starting to evaporate here. Exactly.
00:24:23
Speaker
Yeah, so I wanted to look at, it seems like there was, and this is back to the Doris Kearns' Good One book about the Roosevelt's, there was this
00:24:35
Speaker
between Roosevelt and Eisenhower, between liberal and conservative or whatever, there was this detente that between the 40s and early 70s, something got figured out. And I look at one of the things
00:24:54
Speaker
that really strikes me as my brother's father-in-law. He's like, this is the story that kind of hooked me into this topic. He worked at Ford. He became like a manager on the shop floor or whatever. And he had a nice, he had a good life. They had a
00:25:18
Speaker
a second home on a lake that they eventually moved into and made that their full-time home. So he worked at Ford for years and years, had a good life.
00:25:31
Speaker
that life is less and less accessible to fewer and fewer people. You're right. You're right. Okay, so let's do this. I would love to know the biggest obstacle that you've had to overcome
00:25:48
Speaker
since three years ago, since you went over and down this path, because I think that's helpful for the people. And like the reason why we did this podcast, quite frankly, is one, we love to empower people with the giftings that they have to use their own finances to then invest in themselves and then get to where they want to go. Here's the deal. That's fun for me is at the end of it, if we do it right, it's not about the money. It's like, I just love what I do every day.
00:26:13
Speaker
which obviously you're there. So we did this podcast to try to help people and try to encourage them to start going down this path, whatever that means to them, whether it's just start a blog or start doing whatever, just start and do it in a way that you feel comfortable with. Like don't quit your job 100% if you're not comfortable with that, but do it in a way. So what is the biggest obstacles you had to overcome to get to where you're at? And just talk a little bit about that.
Entrepreneurial Transition
00:26:43
Speaker
Sure. Um, I think the biggest obstacle has been, um, how to transition from freelance freelancer to, to entrepreneurs. So that the, those quadrants in, uh, uh, what's the quadrant? Yeah, that's right. So from, you know, owning a taco truck to owning a fleet of taco trucks, you know, that kind of thing. Um, so, but it's,
00:27:12
Speaker
What's been exciting, and again, the freelancing has allowed me the time and energy to think bigger about how I can use my time and create other sources of income
00:27:31
Speaker
through my own books, through I've got, I want to do some real estate investing, that kind of thing. So, but yeah, the obstacle, I'm still, that's a work in progress. The books aren't out yet. So I'm still, I'm still in that quadrant of, of owning the one taco truck. But, but. Cause how do you scale something that you have to do?
00:27:57
Speaker
Every day, day in and day out. That's a huge problem that Brian and I could relate to. I think every self-employed person can relate to that. Do you stay self-employed or do you start to own a business and replicate yourself?
00:28:18
Speaker
Well, and that's the other thing. I'm not there yet, and I don't know if I want to hire other people. I don't think I want to go down that road. I've also been really influenced by Brian Clark, who
00:28:36
Speaker
Without employables? Yeah, he does a podcast called Seven Figure Small and how to build a viable business that you're not going crazy with, but that earns a good living for you.
00:29:00
Speaker
Yeah. I heard this once from a mentor and there was a construction guy and he had like, you know, a four man crew and he made X and then he grew and had a 14 person crew, but still only made X and then grew and had a 40 man crew, but still only made X and got to the end of the 40 man crew and was like, why did I do this? And I think that is the conundrum of the entrepreneur, you know, of, I'm not gonna,
00:29:29
Speaker
I'm going to regret it if I don't go for this, but in the end, it might not be what you thought it was going to be. And then how do you hold on to more of the money along the way and turn that into passive residual income is definitely a challenge.
00:29:49
Speaker
And this is too bad, but meeting you guys and getting connected with you guys was a revelation in that area. My whole life, I was like, well, you do a job, and you hope to save, and you hope you have enough in my IRAs to make it work.
00:30:14
Speaker
So you guys kind of reaching people as young as possible with the message of, no, it's better to have a full-time job. That's great. But figure out those residual sources and get those plates spinning as soon as you can, because
00:30:40
Speaker
Um, that, that job working for somebody else may go away and you're right. If you're an entrepreneur doing one thing, yeah, you, you can, you're helping other people. You're paying other people salary. So you might stay at X no matter how big you grow. Right. And I think, you know, that's where,
00:31:04
Speaker
I think in the current school system environment, I struggle is, you know, there is such a pressure to go to college and then go work for someone.
Evolving Career Landscape
00:31:14
Speaker
And I think that worked, you know, largely from the 50s to the 2000s. But, you know, with with the way things are shifting technology, robots, AI,
00:31:26
Speaker
COVID, you know, I don't know that that recipe is going to be the thing for the next 50 years. And so the other thing that's always fascinated me is, you know, doing this, like you've made this transition as an adult and you got a wife, kids, mortgage. It's hard. It really is. Now you know more because you've experienced more. So you have that is the other, you know, double edged to that sword. But, you know, trying to start something when you're young and you don't have those things. Right.
00:31:57
Speaker
I think that should be more of the plan A and then you could always fall back on if you work hard and you figure out what you're passionate about, you could always go work for somebody and do that. But the idea that getting a job and going to college is the only recipe for 90% of the country
00:32:16
Speaker
You know, I just don't let me, it's going to be the path forward. I'm going to push back on this. I'm just going to be like, you're stupid. Cause that's what some of our listeners are saying. Like, don't tell my kids not to go to college, right? Here's the deal though. You tell me if you're an employer and a business owner, because these, all these people that own businesses, let me tell you a secret. They're individuals that has had to gone through a lot. Yeah.
00:32:42
Speaker
You tell me who you would hire. Some kid straight out of college who knows how much beer he can drink before he's intoxicated. Or somebody who's like, hey, I ran a business for a year and a half. This is what I learned. This is what I've actually felt like sank my business. And this is what I'm looking for.
00:33:01
Speaker
You tell me who you'd hire. Those people who are saying like, don't tell my kid not to. You tell me who you'd hire. You would hire that individual who just ran a business, I think. Yes. Well, and kids and entrepreneurs, let me tell you, kids and business owners who are hiring, let me tell you, crashing and burning in your 40s is not something you want to experience. I just remember coming to you guys the first time and
00:33:31
Speaker
And just, it was like broken. Yeah. Oh man. It's the visual of, I don't know if we can talk about this. I can't remember in the cancel culture, but Humpty Dumpty, who fell off a wall.
00:33:44
Speaker
and had to get put back together. You're saying like, you don't want to go through that in your mid thirties and forties. Let me tell you a quick story. I'm at this. I love my church and there was a guy named Sheldon Spears who came and he was like, Hey, help me. I've just coming out of community college. I have an idea. What should I do? And I was like, brother,
00:34:02
Speaker
go after it. Anyway, he just called me or texted me, I would say two months ago or something and just said he just got his biggest contract. That contract will be taking him out of the workforce and making him run 100% at the business that he's in. You can't tell me that that's not impactful.
00:34:20
Speaker
It's so cool. The other thing about this is kind of like what you're saying with some of the books you're writing. It sounds great to have a $15 minimum wage and all of that, but what it's really doing, all these rules and regulations, it's really forcing business owners to just hire contract employees. And especially when you look at the trends of the millennials,
00:34:45
Speaker
and the younger generations, the biggest employee benefit they want is time freedom. They want to be able to do their job from a beach or a van in a national park and just get the work done. And so a lot of this stuff that we're talking about politically or economically, it's hurting people's ability
00:35:08
Speaker
to have jobs and for business owners to hire people. And so, you know, largely, you know, it's being done through contract work. And so then all those rules get to be avoided. And we're like, we're missing the point, I think, with some of the legislation that's being discussed of how do we really encourage a pro economic United States? And it's not by morals and mandates. It's it's with a lot less.
00:35:36
Speaker
in my opinion. Yeah. Yeah. Well, and I, I mean, one of the reasons I want to write this book is because I'm on the fence about some of those questions and I want to, I want to, I don't have a formulated answer. Um, and I want to, I want to figure out what was, what was working and how can that translate, uh,
00:35:59
Speaker
Yeah. How does that translate now? But like you were saying, this is a way different world than 1950. So what needs to... The strength of the dollar and the lack of, you know, deficit spending.
00:36:16
Speaker
in the 50s and 60s to me was a very big part of that era's, you know, it was a 20 year economic boom. And, you know, there was just a lot of investment being made and the dollar was really strong. And there wasn't a lot of government debt and there wasn't a lot of consumer debt. And, you know, that ratio really allowed the expansion of the middle class.
00:36:43
Speaker
Well, not to answer your questions of your book or not. But there was also the social safety net that was in that. So I wonder how those interplay with each other. That's my that's why we should do a podcast on that topic. I'd love to do that, by the way. So I'm an economics major. So let me. Yeah.
00:37:05
Speaker
Let's, where are you going and how can our listeners find you and interact with you, Craig?
Contact Information
00:37:12
Speaker
And then I want to land the plane because I have four main points that you said that I think are really good. So hot rod. So people can reach me at wordsbeyondcontent.com.
00:37:25
Speaker
And yeah, I'm available for... You're open for business. Open for business, absolutely. So yeah, I'm excited to work with people who are looking to share their thoughts, but writing both isn't their strong suit or they just don't have time. That's right on my website.
00:37:50
Speaker
We're all time deprived and nobody cares what you have to say unless it's compelling. So that's what I try to do is write compelling content for people who don't have time to get to it themselves.
00:38:09
Speaker
Nice. Okay. Here's my four takeaways. I th I'd say three and then one bonus that you just said. Um, and then Brian, you can close it out. Uh, but here's my four takeaways, uh, niche down. First thing that you have to do is niche down so you can find the perfect client type or patient type for you. And you're gifting. That's the first thing. And I think you did that great.
00:38:30
Speaker
Um, list out some potential clients, some people who are like dreamers to schemers to like never going to happen, but let's try it anyway. I think that's smart. Um, and you did that well. And the first person you called said green light go. So you knew you had something special. Yeah.
00:38:47
Speaker
And then surround yourself with people who are going to encourage you. He's talked about the coaches. You talked about like you and Brian and I were helpful in that quest, but helping somebody or reaching out to somebody that's going to kind of see you through the forest and the trees. Like this is where you're going. This is how I think I see potential in you. I love my favorite definition of a mentor is a person that sees more in you than you see in yourself and is willing to prove it to you.
00:39:13
Speaker
Reach out, get a community, have the help you walk through that. It's powerful. The last one that I would say, my bonus, Jerry, is, uh, do like, if you have a question, do your own research. Like don't be influenced by other people's opinions. And that is so like, that is words of wisdom right now is like, do your own research in anything.
00:39:37
Speaker
And up, we got a fifth one. Don't think that you have to be stuck in your career. You did it at a later age, but what an awesome journey you've been on. And it's been fun to watch your success moving forward. And so I can't thank you enough for just the investment in time and using your expertise to help our business get to where it's at. And I'm excited to see where you're going in the future. So.
00:40:02
Speaker
Well, that's what I got. All right. Awesome. It goes to you. It was really fun. Fun conversation. You guys are awesome and appreciate it. Well, thank you, Craig. Thanks for joining us today and all that you do for us. And this has been your show, The Uncommon Life Project. And I'm your host, Brian Dewhurst. And I'm Philip Ramsey. Until next time, go be uncommon. Thanks, everybody.
00:40:25
Speaker
That's all for this episode of The Uncommon Life Project, brought to you by Uncommon Wealth Partners. Be sure to visit uncommonwealth.com to learn more about our services. Don't miss an episode as we introduce you to inspiring people who are actively pursuing an uncommon life.