People First Project 2020

People First Project 2020

I’ve been doing a lot of amazing work with Solopreneurs lately, and this fantastic group of people has given me a community

Working from home in New Zealand, I don’t get many opportunities to network with my peers – people who run online businesses, and support themselves through the content they put into the Internet.

I enjoy my work the most when I get together with someone on Zoom, and we get to dive deep into their business, their plans, their goals, and the mechanics of making it all happen.

When I said, “I want to be doing that more!” my coach said, “then you should just do that.”

So that’s what I’m going to do.

I’m giving away 20 coaching sessions to celebrate 2020.

Join the People First Project

20 Free Coaching Conversations for 2020

The People First project is something I’ve seen many others do over the years – from Shenee Howard to Andrea Leda, among others – and it has always struck me as a wonderful way to collaborate with one’s community, and to make an offer of service that is valuable to both the giver and the receiver.

With my particular skillset – sales funnels, website design, social media, and content marketing – my coaching sessions tend to focus on the following topics:

  • What big projects do you want to accomplish over the next 3 months?
  • What steps do you need to take to get there?
  • Who else do you need to reach with your message?
  • How can you reach them?
  • What content have you already produced that can be working for you in a different way?
  • What are the specific steps in your Sales Funnel?
  • How could we make the journey from Stranger to Customer even easier?

I’ve been asking these questions for more than ten years now, helping people promote and sell their content online. The results have been pretty good.

“Caelan has a great way of taking your vision and making it a reality. He works really well with visionaries – I speak it, and he makes it happen! His website design for The Aware Show really captured my personality, and his project management skills kept my entire team on track. The beautiful summits he put together helped us to grow our list and expand our audience. Caelan is always positive and keeps a positive outlook on life!”

Lisa Garr

Host of The Aware Show

I’m opening my calendar for 20 forty-five minute conversations during 2020. Once the 20 slots are reserved, they are gone, no waitlist.

There is no cost for this call.

The quarterly price for my coaching programs starts at $5,000, and this call has a $500 retail value.

I will record the call (if it is on Zoom, my preferred communication method) and provide you with the recording after. You can re-listen to our conversation as needed.

I will ask you challenging questions about what matters.

Some people come to me with questions about which email marketing platform to use, and leave with answers about their target market and what they should be selling instead. Don’t be surprised if we shake your business up a little bit.

I will give you tools and templates.

Over the years, I have accumulated a virtual library of resources that I use to create and promote content widely and quickly. Depending on your situation and your goals, I may provide you with some of these templates and resources, to help you in reaching your goals.

I will show up prepared, and I expect the same of you.

All participants in the People First Project will need to fill out a questionnaire prior to our call, so that I can come to our conversation prepared with ideas.

We will hit the ground running, and make a big impact on your business.

Are you ready? 

“Caelan is a talented digital marketer who is always in beast mode – always zoned in, every pixel, every letter, every plugin, every line. He will help you discover the online success you’ve been hunting for.”

Andy Horner

CEO, Outstand

Join the People First Project

20 Free Coaching Conversations for 2020

Relaunching – The Make It Happen Mastermind

Relaunching – The Make It Happen Mastermind

The first Make It Happen Mastermind was a success!

After 15+ years of leading and facilitating my own mastermind groups, I decided to formally offer a group coaching mastermind as a service for entrepreneurs, online businesses, service providers, and thought leaders. As an experiment, I launched the first cohort of the Make It Happen Mastermind in Q4 2018, from September 15 – December 15, and decided I would do it again in 2019 if it was a success.

Based on the testimonials below, I think it was successful.

Mastermind Testimonials

My business has blossomed over the last three months. I’ve gotten a lot of help with strategy and organization, and everything that seemed to be impossible on my own now feels possible because of this network. It’s not an expensive investment of time or money, given what you get at the end of 3 months working with other business owners helping you work on your challenges.” – Kathleen Celmins, MIHM 2018 Alumni

Because of joining the Make It Happen Mastermind, I’ve had some really great changes. I’m a lot more focused, and that’s been super important for me, because I tend to work on too many things at one time. Making me focus and drive to one thing has been very helpful and successful.” – Jonathan Logan, 2018 MIHM Alumni

I was a little reluctant to join when I first started, because I have a coach, and I wasn’t quite sure I needed any more support, but I’m glad I did. One of my biggest challenges is feeling like I can accomplish everything by myself. I’m a one-man-show, it’s me, myself, and I, and a bunch of freelancers, trying to make things happen. Having a cool group of people to kick ideas off of has been profound for me. My business was already doing really good, but I really look forward to this meeting every week and checking in and having regular accountability. It’s been a really positive experience for me and my business. I’m so glad I joined, and it’s been a lot of fun.” – Michael Riscica, MIHM 2018 Alumni  

Mastermind FAQ 

Q: ) How often does the Mastermind meet?
A: ) Once a week for 60 minutes a group of 4-5 people (including us) will meet in a group call, and you and I will meet again for 30-minutes, just the two of us. We do this for 12 weeks.

Q: ) What time are the group masterminds?
A: ) The time depends on the preference of the group, and can be selected from one of the following three recommended slots:

  • Monday at 4 pm Pacific time (Tuesday at 1pm NZ time)
  • Wednesday at 1 pm Pacific time (Thursday at 10am NZ time)
  • Friday at 12 pm Pacific time (Saturday at 9 am NZ time)

Alternative times are available, depending on the group preferences.

We start meeting the week of January 15th, and finish the week of April 15th.

Q: ) How many people are in each Mastermind group?
A: ) Every Mastermind group will be capped at 4 participants, plus myself as the host. I have space for up to 3 weekly cohorts, and only enough time for 6 hours of 1-on-1 coaching throughout the week, so there are only 12 spots available for this quarter. After 12 people enroll, it’s full until later this year.

Q: ) What happens during the 1-on-1 coaching calls?
A: ) I will be your own personal webmaster and digital strategy consultant, for 30 minutes per week. We can review your goals for the quarter, and I can keep you accountable for your progress. More importantly, I can troubleshoot issues on your website, I can help you revise your copywriting or CSS, I can help you review and compare different platforms you are considering, I can train you on how to use your website, or I can make specific changes for you, while you watch me on a screenshare.

Q: ) What happens during the mastermind calls?
A: ) Each mastermind call follows a very structured agenda. After reading the opening (the same one Andrew Carnegie used to open his mastermind sessions) a group of 4 people will share:

  • Wins
  • Challenges
  • Commitments

Andrew Carnegie’s Mastermind Opening

Every session begins with the same opening read by Andrew Carnegie at the start of his own Mastermind meetings, as chronicled by Napoleon Hill in his book “Think And Grow Rich.” Listen to the opening of Andrew Carnegie’s mastermind below:

“Mastermind Groups are the single most effective way to regularly surround yourself with remarkable people.”

“Mastermind Groups are the single most effective way to regularly surround yourself with remarkable people.”

Barrett Brooks

"Working from home does not mean that you have to be alone."

"Working from home does not mean that you have to be alone."

Charles Bordet

Ready to join the Make It Happen Mastermind?

Applications close January 5, 2019

About The Author

Caelan Huntress is the father of 3 kids, and in his spare time serves as creative director of Stellar Platforms. He is also a writer, digital marketer, multimedia producer, and a retired superhero. He blogs about his adventures on https://caelanhuntress.com.

2018 Strategy Sessions

2018 Strategy Sessions

What is your best strategy for 2018?

You’ve got a whole new year to plan. Setting a plan for 2018 is more than writing New Year’s Resolutions – a solid 2018 strategy combines your habits and your goals. Spending the time to figure out what your 2018 goals are, and deciding how you are going to achieve them, will give you a roadmap to follow to your own predefined vision for success.

Over the past seven years, I’ve worked with lots of entrepreneurs. Many of them have successful, thriving businesses, but some of them just limp along, from year to year, never getting that far ahead.

The biggest difference I have seen is -> successful entrepreneurs make a plan.

Having a new plan for the New Yearallows you to do 2 things:

  1. Decide where you want to go
  2. Figure out the best way to get there

Without a plan, you might continue fumbling in the same direction, and it may improve your situation – or it may not. Like the Cheshire Cat says in Lews Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass,

“If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.”

 

The entrepreneurs that are going to succeed in 2018 will have a plan, and that plan will help them achieve their goals. Are you one of them?

Questions to ask yourself about 2018:

  • What old projects do you want to complete in 2018?
  • What new projects do you want to get started?
  • What accomplishment would give you the most dramatic results?
  • What can you stop doing?
  • What regular tasks do you do, that can be done by somebody else?
  • What parts of your business have you been neglecting?

Planning for a new year is an exciting time. With the right focus and direction, you can amplify your effectiveness and results.

Some of the best tools I have found to use around New Year’s for planning the new year include:

Since I love brainstorming with people about their businesses, I am offering a dicsounted rate on a few 90-minute strategy sessions. Normally my time for client work is billed at $150 an hour, but for these New Year Strategy Sessions you can reserve 90 minutes with me for 90 dollars. 

“Marketing my personal business has a new direction and focus thanks to Caelan.  His talent for listening and understanding combined with his skills for painting the big picture really helps me to spend my advertising budget most effectively for getting the best results.  Not only does he see the big picture from a unique perspective, he is able to map the steps to take my business in the direction that will be most beneficial for me and my clients.”

Sara Mustonen

In 90 minutes, I commit to helping you identify your strongest outcomes for 2018, and make a plan for achieving them.

During our call, you may also have specific questions about your website, content marketing, multimedia assets, or a recent product launch. I’m happy to discuss anything you’re working on, but especially in the context of what you’re planning for 2018.

Are you ready to plan an exceptional year?

For $90, I’ll spend 90 minutes with you to help you do it.

About The Author

Caelan Huntress is the father of 3 kids, and in his spare time serves as creative director of Stellar Platforms. He is also a writer, digital marketer, multimedia producer, and a retired superhero. He blogs about his adventures on https://caelanhuntress.com.

August Afternoons

August Afternoons

Would you like to fix a few things on your website before the summer ends? We can do that in an August Afternoon.

As you may know, I’m going to New Zealand. While this transition takes place, I’m on a mission to clean up loose ends in my life and business. I want to help you do the same. If you’ve been embarrassed to send people to your website, or you’ve been avoiding getting needed help with technological issues, let’s get through these unfinished tasks together.

Our afternoon-long strategy and production session could include:

  • Strategic coaching about your business, brand, or website
  • Website troubleshooting and research
  • Specific copywriting work on a piece of content
  • Revision of your homepage or website copy
  • Review of your website and media properties
  • Suggestions for how to increase your sales
  • Competitive research and analysis
  • Project scoping for other contractors to carry out
  • Brainstorming ideas for a new email autoresponder sequence, followed by an hour of copywriting, followed by review and revision

Normally my rate for working on digital strategy, website design, and content marketing is $150 an hour.

However, for the month of August, I’m offering a 33% discount off my normal rates for these strategy sessions.

For $300, you can have me all to yourself on an August afternoon.

  • Is your website running slow?
  • Does your about page need to be rewritten?
  • Is a WordPress plugin giving you trouble?
  • Do you have an idea for a new product to launch?
  • Is there a lead magnet that’s 75% done, and you’re ready to finally make it happen?

Book your 3-hour strategy session today. Once all these spots are gone, getting my time at this rate won’t be available again.

(Unless I decide to move again to another hemisphere – we’ll see.)

I’d love to work with you during an August Afternoon.

Book your time here.

August Afternoons FAQ

If you’re in New Zealand, Caelan, will it really be a summery August Afternoon for you?

No, it won’t, not at all. If you are in the Pacific time zone (like 65% of the subscribers on this list) then New Zealand is 19 hours ahead. Wait, don’t do the math – trust me, it breaks your brain – because New Zealand is functionally five hours behind Pacific Time, but a day ahead. Still, don’t do the math – save your brain. Or use this converter.

I’ll be staying on Pacific time for my first few months in New Zealand, waking at 3am local time. The earliest starting time for August Afternoons(1pm Pacific) will be 8am my time.

So no, it may not be an afternoon for me, depending on where you are in the world. It also won’t be summer, it’s been snowing in Wellington.

My website has a lot of issues, can we fix all of them in three hours?

Maybe not all of them – but I can make a big dent. Many website issues can be solved quickly, and if you bring a list of improvements you would like to make, I will go through as many as I can in three hours.

For any issues I cannot fix during our August Afternoon, I will provide resources, tutorials, recommendations, and next steps – so even if it’s not fixed, you have a plan of action.

I want to improve my organic search rankings. Can you help me with that?

In 3 hours I can run a comprehensive set of reports on your website, detailing how you rank for relevant keywords. I can also perform competitive analysis, to discover what your competitors are ranking for, and offer specific suggestions on how to improve your own ranking for those keywords, as well.

I can also dramatically improve your sitespeed, which has become one of the largest factors Google uses in determining search rankings. By analyzing your site I can find the largest bandwidth hogs, and create a plan of steps for improving these specific issues. Some of those issues, I can fix right on our call.

I want to redesign my entire website. Can you do that in three hours?

Unless you have a very small website, then no, I cannot redesign it all in 3 hours. But I can rewrite a few of the important pages (like your homepage or your About page), rewrite your calls-to-action, or design a new version of your website in a sandbox.

Website redesigns need multiple revisions anyways, and you can get at least one out of an August Afternoon.

Can you plan my upcoming project, so that I can delegate it to my team?

Absolutely. Project planning is one of my specialties. Collecting all the different pieces of a project together, and identifying all the next steps (with lots of checklists!) will jumpstart that project that’s been languishing at the back of your mind.

How much time and money do I need to invest?

In addition to being present during our 3-hour strategy session, I will need you to describe your project to me in advance via email. I will review your materials before our call so I can come prepared with questions and ideas; your advance briefing will help me to be more effective for you during this project.

$300 will reserve 3 consecutive hours of my time. See availability here.

Can I purchase one of these sessions from you and use it after August?

The 3-hour strategy session is a discount off of my normal hourly rate of $150, and it is only available for the limited period of this promotion. Hiring me after August will only be in accordance with my standard terms, with a minimum purchase of a 5-hour block of time for $750. If your schedule does not open up until September, I’d be happy to work with you at that time under my normal terms.

What is the format of our meeting?

Ten minutes before our call, I will send you a short, funny, inspirational video to get your juices flowing. Then, we will each have an optional 1-minute solo dance party.

At the precise time of our appointment, I will call you via Skype, Slack, or phone, and we will bring up the agenda that I have sent you in advance.

Together, we will edit the agenda for our call for a couple of minutes, and then dive right in.

The format of our session is dictated by the needs of your project. We might talk for twenty minutes, and then break while I get into your servers and making improvements to your website. Or, we could be collaborating on a Google doc together, fixing your website copy and editing ideas together. We could keep the call going the whole time, call each other back and forth every thirty minutes, or talk once at the beginning and once at the end.

You’ll have your very own in-house outsourced marketing consultant for three hours; we can format this session whatever way we think is best.

I know my website needs work, but I don’t know exactly what it needs. How can we work together if I don’t know what I need?

I can help you figure it out. We’ll start by looking over your website together, and I’ll ask you a bunch of questions. Based on your answers, and what I see on your website, I will make recommendations for how to best meet your goals in the time we have. I will also provide you with a detailed plan for improving your website and platform after our meeting, which you can execute with any digital marketer.


“Caelan has a great way of taking your vision and making it a reality. He works really well with visionaries – I speak it, and he makes it happen! His website design for The Aware Show really captured my personality, and his project management skills kept my entire team on track. The beautiful summits he put together helped us to grow our list and expand our audience. Caelan is always positive and keeps a positive outlook on life!”

 – Lisa Garr


I don’t have a website, just an idea. Can we work on my idea?

Brainstorming an idea is one of my all-time favorite things to do. As a coach and strategist, I can help you hone your idea and turn it into an actionable project.

I need a sales funnel for one of my products, can you make that in three hours?

While sales funnels are one of my specialties, they typically take me more than three hours to make. However, we can work through the Sales Funnel Workbook together. This way, we could identify what assets you already have that we could use in your Sales Funnel, and build (or outline) a few of the other pieces.

My email newsletter subscription isn’t working, can you fix it?

This is a perfect project for an August Afternoon. If you need to get one platform to pass data to another, and customize what users see at different steps, all I need are some logins and an idea of what you want, and I can fix it quickly.

Ready to go?

Book your 3-hour strategy session today.