The 6 key ingredients you need to make money doing what you love

In my early twenties I went to a marketing seminar at a hotel ballroom near the Los Angeles airport. I was given a huge binder and kept up way past my bedtime listening to hype-filled pitches from stage.

Though I learned a lot of valuable information that weekend, I was also creeped out by some of the manipulative tactics the speakers used to get otherwise sensible people to run to the back of the room desperate to give someone their credit card to buy the next program. (Plus, I was yelled at when I left the room early to go to bed. Not cool.)

Classing It Up

Cut to several years later at Urban Zen, Donna Karan’s gorgeous event center in the West Village of Manhattan: I am taking feverish notes in a classy, simple notebook embossed with the words Rich, Happy, and Hot. I blink back tears on several occasions, my heart deeply touched by the words of the speakers.

I am never asked to take out my credit card or high-five the person next to me. I am never “pitched.” There are dance breaks to my favorite music. Everyone in the room is someone I wanted to get to know better.

The first event opened my eyes to the world of marketing for the first time, and I’ll be forever grateful for it. The second event, on the other hand, opened my eyes to the world of heart-centered, respectful, full-integrity, classy marketing that’s all about adding true value to your customer and making the world a better place.

The second event was the permission slip I needed to be my unique, creative, heart-on-my-sleeve self. After that event I knew I could build an empire not in spite of my authenticity, quirks, and spiritual-leanings, but because of them.

Marie Forleo has taught me a sizable percentage of the philosophy and strategies Mike and I have used to create our growing multiple-six-figure online business.

And she was the brains and creativity behind the second event I went to.

A Brain To Trust

I trust Marie’s advice because I’ve seen it work in her business (to the tune of an 8-figure empire that reaches 191 countries), in my business, and in the businesses of tens of thousands of entrepreneurs around the world who she’s trained.

(Plus we’ve played charades, talked about personal growth books on the beach until we were blue in the face, and done booty-shaking demos on the kitchen floor together. I only follow advice from people who know how to make money, add value, AND have fun while doing it.)

While I think my stamp of approval is an amazing testimonial, you might also like to know that she’s been named a thought-leader for the next generation by Oprah, has been interviewed by Tony Robbins for his New Money Masters series, and has gone on holiday and taught aspiring entrepreneurs internationally with Sir Richard Branson.

I love Marie Forleo’s work, and I’ve benefited from it personally in a number of significant ways. I’m a proud referral partner of her program, B-School. I don’t recommend things lightly, but as I said, Marie is the real deal. I consider myself lucky to have her on speed dial as one of my friends and mentors, and I want you to have access to her particular brand of business genius, as well.