Business For Superheroes

Vicky and Joe fail to create a xylophone out of glasses and milk bottles, but subject you to the cacophony anyway. Then they dive into this week's podcast topic: Vicky's 10 Commandments of Writing A Book. There's also a cautionary tale about wearing your glasses in bed, and a bit of a rant about the patriarchy.   Key Takeaways: [2:50] Vicky won her trapeze competition!!! [5:35] The Business for Superheros Show will be changing soon! [8:50] Commandment number 1 - If you write, you are a writer. [11:30] Commandment number 2 - Do not edit as you write. [14:35] Commandment number 3 - Create an outline. [16:20] Commandment number 4 - Protect your writing time fiercely.  [18:45] Commandment number 5 - Embrace the first draft. [20:25] Commandment number 6 - Do not wait for inspiration to strike. 21:40] Commandment number 7 - Understand who you’re writing for.  [22:25] Commandment number 8 - Give yourself permission to be unapologetically yourself.  [25:20] Commandment number 9 - Pay attention to the details.  [27:25

Vicky is delighted because Joe has been away for a week, and is now home! Joe is fresh back from a business trip to Thailand and boy does he have a tale to tell you! A tale of being randomly massaged at a urinal in a giant bar. Tune in to hear how that turned out... and also to discover whether or not you can, or should, be funny when you're writing your book. We answer that question for you and sum up the whole thing with four simple words: you do you, boo. Key Takeaways: [1:45] Something very weird happened to Joe when he was in Thailand.  [6:00] Vicky has built a new website! It’s so shiny! [7:15] How can you be a funny writer? [9:35] Remember, humor is very subjective. [12:00] Likeable people go far in life. They make people feel good!  [14:05] When writing a book, don’t worry about trying to impress people.  [15:55] If you want to be funny, you’ve got to practice  and you’ve got to learn it. It’s not a natural skill.  [21:50] Remember to be yourself instead of trying to mimic someone else’s talent.  [23:

Vicky and Joe are tired, so you're in for a bit of a ramble this week. But you do get some bonus purring from Noodle, so there is that. In this week's episode, Vicky explains why she's at peak stress over her trapeze competition, and then segues awkwardly into what that has to do with you and your business. There is a valuable lesson in here, honest.   Key Takeaways: [1:45] Dingle update! [7:00] Vicky and Joe were amazed by the accessible scooters in Portugal.  [10:30] Vicky has been a bit stressed lately with nailing down this trapeze move.  [12:25] This trapeze move, however, is not vital to Vicky’s success in the overall routine.  [13:05] If you’re not 100% sure of a move, don’t put it into the routine.  [13:45] The same applies to your business. If you rely on one big client, your business is going to be shaky.  [15:35] Vicky shares an example of someone who based their entire income off of Instagram.  [18:30] There is nothing wrong with having one specialty that you’re known for, just make sure you’re di

Vicky and Misty round up six amazingly diverse business owners and drag them to Portugal for the Fourth International Breaking Bread Mastermind. Join us for a round-table and discover what we've been up to all weekend, and the exciting stuff everyone's up to next.   Key Takeaways: [:44] Joe has been replaced by Misty and six fellow business owners on this episode!  [1:25] First client feature is Teresa!  [3:10] Second feature is Ray!  [6:05] Next up is Carol. What did she learn this weekend?  [8:50] Fourth feature is Bruce! [12:40] Fifth client feature is friend and podcast guest, Kim Krause Schwalm.  [16:50] And the final feature is Shela!  [19:40] Misty shares some thoughts about what she learned this weekend.  [22:00] Some final thoughts from Vicky.  [23:10] Special guest appearance from the husbands in short shorts.      Mentioned in This Episode: Vicky Fraser Vicky’s Podcast Vicky’s Blog Vicky on Medium Join the Superheroes Vicky’s Business For Superheroes Book The Inner Circle Borrow My Brain Vicky’s B

Vicky explains why she was crying about breakfast while Joe looks bewildered. Then there's an awkward segue into what's going on at The Dingle, and an even awkwarder segue into how Vicky took herself from overwhelmed and sobbing into her muesli to the most organised zen person in Herefordshire. Tune in and find out what's changed, and how she's organising her life and business (and get a sneak preview of her exciting future plans).   Key Takeaways: [2:05] Vicky and Joe are off to the Breaking Bread Mastermind soon! [2:45] Dingle update!  [4:25] Joe didn’t die!  [6:25] There’s been a lot of renovation frustrations and roadblocks with The Dingle.  [9:35] Vicky broke down when she realized she was under unrealistic time pressures she was never going to complete.  [10:15] 12 week goals are way too long for Vicky. [12:20] Joe lives in his emails and the disorder frightens Vicky.  [13:10] What’s the difference between a bullet journal and a regular journal?  [16:20] Vicky feels so much more organized with the bulle

Join Vicky and Joe in their garden for a spot of heavy breathing. Eh? Get your mind out of the gutter – in this week's episode, our Superheroes are joined by their TinySheep, who contribute by panting into the microphone and chewing the cables. You'll also hear clucking and flapping from our poultry guests. And, of course, we answer your questions. Three of them, to be precise. To find out how to cope with the fear of judgement, what writing a book can do if your services rely on your time, and whether it's worth trying to get traditionally published, listen in.   Key Takeaways: [1:45] Vicky answers your questions as TinySheep distract her!  [2:45] Should you write a book if you’re self-employed and don’t have a physical product?  [4:10] What’s the point of writing a book when you have limited time?  [7:20] Do you feel like you will be judged by your book when it’s published?  [7:40] Joe just got bitten by a chicken.  [9:35] People will judge you. Some people will love you, some people will hate you. So what?

Joe gets kicked in the face. Vicky forgets to write an entire section of her new book. In this episode, between squeaks of pain and wondering which band released a silent album, Vicky and Joe get around to answering your questions. Tune in to find out how to write an interesting about page, what goes on the back cover of your book, and how you can write a book even if you're in a "boring" industry. Key Takeaways: [1:10] Both Vicky and Joe are struggling with the whole ‘chewing food’ thing.  [4:25] Vicky and Joe answer your burning questions! [4:55] How do you properly write an author bio?  [11:20] How do you write an interesting back cover blurb?  [16:45] Vicky shares how she wrote her back cover blurb. [19:25] Vicky offers tips on how you can write a good back cover blurb.  [21:10] Make your back cover blurb easy for the eyes to scan through.  [23:00] Why should a mortgage broker even write their own book?    Mentioned in This Episode: Vicky Fraser Vicky’s Podcast Vicky’s Blog Vicky on Medium Join the Superh

Vicky and Joe stumble through another episode of the Business For Superheroes Show, lightly lubricated by gin. Pull up a chair, open your ears, and you'll hear all about how they shaved their TinySheep, why they sometimes want to just sell up and buy a warm, watertight house, and what to do when you just want to go to bed and give up. Yep: this episode is all about how to keep going when it all seems too bloody difficult. Tune in, because there's a bonus cautionary tale about fizzy blue wine.   Key Takeaways: [1:55] What fun things did Vicky and Joe get up to last weekend?  [3:45] YouTube makes shearing sheep look so simple!  [6:10] It was hard work! Joe and Vicky could have given up, but they didn’t.  [9:25] Whether you’re trying to shear sheep or write a book, you will feel some kind of pain or fear that you won’t make it, but don’t give up! [10:30] The great wall of pain will take you by surprise, but it won’t knock you out!  [13:00] Vicky has made an active effort to avoid distractions by taking social me

Vicky interviews her extraordinarily talented and angelically patient book cover designer, Julia Brown. They talk unnecessary jargon, the virtues of speaking your client's language, and what makes a compelling book cover. Listen in and you'll also discover why you need to jump off a cliff (metaphorically speaking) and how to get to grips with the business side of doing what you love.   Key Takeaways: [1:00] Julia describes some of the artwork behind her (sorry podcast listeners!).  [5:40] What makes Julia different from other designers? [8:30] Why did Julia start her own business?  [11:00] Learning about the business side of things was definitely a learning curve for Julia! [13:45] Why did Julia join Vicky’s Superheroes group? [18:20] Vicky loves Julia’s work and her amazing book cover designs. [19:50] What has Julia’s biggest win been over the last year?  [22:40] How does Julia handle failures or challenges? [26:55] Vicky highly encourages you to join a group of people who will help you through your business

Vicky and Joe talk about how to avoid looking like an amateur while Joe's phone goes off amateurishly in the background. Cue a verbal safari about Alanis Morissette and whether that's ironic. This episode of The Business For Superheroes Show is all about the rookie mistakes writers and business owners can unwittingly commit that make them look like amateurs – and how to avoid them. You hear all about book covers, titles, the difference between typeface and font, layout... and much more.   Key Takeaways: [2:40] How can you look like a professional in everything that you do? [5:10] There is no excuse why your cover photo is poorly designed or crafted. [7:40] If the first impression your readers get is that you’re an amateur, they’ll go elsewhere. [8:45] How much work do you put into your book? Do that work justice by having a nice cover!  [13:10] How do you avoid looking like an amateur?  [16:10] Vicky shares tips on what you need to be aware of when it comes to typeface / font . [20:40] Having too many typefac

Vicky gets grilled by language expert, author, and Posh Punk Julian Northbrook. He dragged her into his world and made her answer loads of questions about why you might want to write a book, how to come up with ideas, and what The Matrix is really all about. Want to know how stories work? Listen up.   Key Takeaways: [1:25] Who is Vicky? [4:20] Everybody has an interesting story. [9:20] How can you get people interested in your story? [10:40] Is your life mundane and boring?  [13:05] Do you feel like you don’t ‘know enough’ to become an expert? [19:35] Vicky offers her advice on charisma.  [25:50] How does Vicky discover interesting things about people?  [29:45] Why does Vicky like socks in the wind?  [31:45] How did Vicky accidentally acquire three sheep?  [34:45] It’s okay to be wrong. Just don’t be boring.  [38:55] What does it take to become a world class photographer? [40:15] Vicky shares what her new book is all about! [43:00] Can anybody write a book?    Mentioned in This Episode: Vicky Fraser Vicky’s P

Vicky and Joe talk teeth and cosmic universal alignment rays in the latest episode of The Business For Superheroes Show. There's a brief argument about grammar and lots of questions. Questions you'll find helpful if you're writing a book and trying to make it better. You'll also find them helpful if you're making anything new and want it to be good. Tune in to find out what questions Vicky asked her beta readers, and why they're important.   Key Takeaways: [2:05 Vicky is still going through mouth torture from her braces. [4:35] It gets better!  [8:30] How do you extract helpful feedback from your readers? [10:55] Vicky lists the 18 questions she asked her readers.  [16:00] Where did the book get boring?  [17:30] What was missing from the book?  [20:55] Get someone to proofread your questions to your beta readers, because Vicky didn’t. Lesson learned.   [21:40] Get your beta readers to inform you when your stuff is repeating in the book.  [25:25] For both fiction and non-fiction writers, send people somewhere

Vicky lisps her way through this week's podcast. No, she's not drunk – yet… If you want to know why she's suddenly developed a speech impediment, tune in. You'll hear Joe's top tip about fitting skirting boards, and why that's relevant to your business. And, of course, you'll discover if you actually do need beta testers for your book, new product, or new service – and how to get the best out of them.   Key Takeaways: [:50] Vicky has braces!!! [5:00] Vicky gives a quick trapeze update!  [8:25] Vicky did not get beta readers on her first book, and her book would have been much better if she did.  [10:20] You don’t always need to pay your beta readers. [12:40] How do you find your beta testers? [18:20] Vicky doesn’t expect everyone she asks to become a beta reader. [19:25] Who should you include in your beta list? [24:15] When Vicky sent out the beta version of her book, she sent it out in a wirebound format so that people could easily make corrections.  [24:45] Send a thank you letter to your beta readers!  [2

Joe goes on a verbal safari and refuses to let go of the concept of the shit sandwich. In fact, he creates an artisanal club shit sandwich. Vicky fails to rein him in, and the whole podcast goes downhill from there. Buried in the artisanal bread safari, though, is some gold-dust that'll help you deal better with criticism and feedback, and create better books, art, products, and services.   Key Takeaways: [2:30] Quick Dingle update!  [5:30] Vicky has sent a limited edition copy of her new book to some of her inner circle members to get feedback on it.  [7:25] What would you do if 50% of your readers hated your book? [8:50] How do you deal with criticism with grace? [11:05] Vicky asks for feedback often and early into her book-writing process. [16:00] If the criticism hurts, it’s okay to spend five minutes crying over it.  [19:00] Remember, most of your critics really want you to succeed. [21:35] When asking for feedback, make it clear that that the person is not forced to do it. Give them an out.  [25:45] We

Kenda Macdonald has just published her first book and is fizzing with excitement – so Vicky tied her to a chair and made her talk about it. This episode contains angst, truthy stories, a heroic victory, a fantastic idea for selling more copies of your book (or product or thing)... and sad parsnips. If you're thinking of writing a book but you don't yet believe you can listen to this.   Key Takeaways: [1:05] What is Kenda’s new book, Hack the Buyer Brain, all about? [2:05] What did Kenda struggle with the most about writing this book? [4:00] Kenda suffered from imposter syndrome while writing this book and it took a lot to get over that. [6:25] Who is Kenda and what does she do? [9:00] Kenda had a mental breakdown on the last chapter of her book! [11:15] What helped Kenda get unstuck? [14:25] How many pre-sale copies has Kenda sold so far? [15:45] Kenda describes how she uses the ‘golden ticket’ to promote her book.  [18:30] Kenda shares why she’s using the UpViral tool to help promote her book. [21:40] People

Handsome men in tiny shorts, beaches, and brains – oh my! This week, Vicky drags her sista-from-another-mista onto the show so they can rabbit on about their fourth international Breaking Bread Mastermind. This time it's happening in Portugal at the end of July, and they're a little bit excited about it. Tune in to find out what they've got in store for you IF you manage to snaffle one of the four remaining spaces...   Key Takeaways: [1:25] Come join Vicky and Misty in Portugal this July 26th-28th!  [6:15] What makes this mastermind different from other masterminds?  [10:15] What will you be learning at this mastermind?  [15:00] Misty shares an example of a prior mastermind student and what they achieved after attending!  [18:45] Vicky and Misty don’t just focus on work either! They focus on your whole life! [22:30] What’s included in the ticket price?  [26:20] There will only be a max of 8 spots!  [31:10] Have you listened to every single episode? Drop Vicky an email!    Mentioned in This Episode: Vicky Fras

Vicky makes a new friend! In this episode, Vicky sidelines Joe in favour of expert brain-burrower Hannah Shamji. Hannah is a copywriter/counsellor who teaches business owners how to interview their clients. Why is this important? Tune in and find out! You'll also discover what not to ask, how to ask tough questions without pissing people off, and how to get an unbiased interview.   Key Takeaways: [1:05] Who is Hannah and what does she do for her clients? [3:15] Hannah started out as a counsellor first. Now, she’s a counsellor/copywriter! [4:55] How does Hannah get over her introvertedness and actually talk to people? [7:30] Why are interview skills so important for business owners? [10:25] What are some of the biggest frustrations business owners face when trying to write copy that resonates?  [14:10] Hannah explains how you can dig deep into pain and motivation without creating tension!  [18:45] Hannah shares suggestions on how you can ask the tough questions during an interview. [22:20] What are some of the

Joe and Vicky talk giant table penises, enormous birthday cakes, and magnificent bruises before getting into the real nitty-gritty: how long should it be? They mean your book, of course. In this episode, you'll discover why worrying about length causes big boring book problems – and what to do about it. Tune in and find out how to keep things lean, mean, and fascinating.   Key Takeaways: [1:30] It was Vicky’s big 40 last week! [3:50] Vicky and Joe had some hilarious fun vaccinating sheep. [10:00] A common mistake writers make is that they feel like they have to write a huge novel in order for it to be ‘good enough’. [12:00] Pick some books at random on Amazon. What commonalities do you notice?  [14:00] From a practical printing standpoint, what’s a good number of pages? [16:20] How do you avoid being boring?  [18:45] Get a good editor to make sure you’re not repeating yourself accidently!  [22:15] The editing and de-fluffing of the book will take a while, and a couple of comb-throughs before you get it just r

Vicky and Joe suit up to answer more of your questions about writing and publishing books. Tune in to find out what drives Vicky to do what she does, what to do if you think you're not expert enough, how to unwaffle your writing, how to juggle your time with paid clients to make room for writing a book, and a funny story about bad reviews.   Key Takeaways: [2:15] Sara has a lot of fear when it comes to writing her own book. [4:20] Finishing your book is only the start!  [5:50] Getting bad reviews for your book isn’t really so bad!  [7:30] It’s not going to take you years and years to write a book! Vicky wrote hers in 90 days.  [9:10] Where does Vicky find her inspiration?  [13:30] Sara asks: How do you build authority when you’re new to the industry? Should you just wait till you have more experience?  [16:15] The best people in the industry always think they still have something more to learn.  [17:20] How do I manage my time when I’m juggling paid work?  [21:50] Would you like to Borrow Vicky’s brain? You c

Vicky and Joe talk about misery tea, tit-lice, and how the effing hell you can possibly come up with a good title for your book (or course or product or anything). They promise you 10 top tips, but only deliver 5 because–somewhat predictably–they ran out of time. Tune in and find out why it's so tough coming up with titles, why your bookshelf is your friend, and how to rope in friends, family, and clients to help.   Key Takeaways: [1:20] Quick Dingle update! Everything takes longer than you think it will.  [5:55] Vicky is thinking of ending this podcast. Are you shocked? [7:55] When it comes to coming up with a title for your book, that process can take months. [9:55] Authors have a lot a pressure coming up with a good and engaging title that attracts attention.  [11:5] We want a title that feels like ‘us’. We want a title that is unique.  [12:10] Vicky has ten top tips that she uses for herself and her nonfiction writers.  [13:20] Look at the titles on your bookshelves!  [18:30] What book titles tend to jump