What we made in 2023 (NMN Newsletter #2)

PLUS all the tools we used to do it

In 2023, The NMN made a total of $282 in profit.

Let’s talk about it.

One of my biggest complaints about online business is the way that it is so often represented as a rags-to-riches story.

I have been in the internet business space for over a decade in some capacity. In that time, I have coached, freelanced, ghostwritten, consulted, and done a lot of things to pay my bills.

At the end of last year, I decided I was done with that.

I needed to make a change.

Now, it's incredibly important to acknowledge that I live with two other full-time wage earners, both of whom have been completely supportive of this venture. When I said, "I'm tired of the freelance thing, I really want to build something significant," they both said, "Okay then, you should do that." And that kind of support has been absolutely instrumental to being able to do what we have done this year.

When I talk about profit, that's after all of my expenses, and it does not include an owner's draw.

I have made little bits of cash personally with an occasional coaching or consulting gig that I have fit in and around the Network.

However, building the NMN this year was the majority of my work time. I wanted to build something sustainable, something that was rooted in work the way that I would like to see work done. And when you're creating something that has not been built before, when you are building systems that don't exist, it can take a while for people to realize or recognize what they're looking at.

To be honest, it can take a while for you to explain what it is you're even building.

The clarity and language around what the NMN even is has taken me most of the year to get to. And that too is priceless. What I've been able to build this year with the full support of not just my family, but my support network and team and people who have my back, has allowed me to re-articulate the way I want to make money going forward.

In 2024, we’re being even more deliberate with the ways the Network is an ecosystem.

It's something that you can come into in a million different places and interact with on a bunch of different levels. Want to experience the content? It’s free everywhere. Want access to the community? You can get a monthly or yearly subscription. Want to teach a masterclass? You can do that. Want to be a part of our staff long-term? You can do that.

And so, we're building a network, a community, something that exists beyond me.

And that takes a little while to build.

Do I think 2024 is going to be more profitable? Yes, I do.

Am I also going to be putting the majority of the income it creates back into the business? Yes, I am.

Listen, these are things we don't often discuss when it comes to building businesses.

And I want to be very clear: if you want to sell services, freelance, or be your own boss, there's nothing wrong with that. I don't want to diminish the personal power those endeavors can have for you.

However, if you're building a business to affect people on a collective level, it needs to exist without you.

To achieve that, you must build from the beginning as if you're going to sell your business.

If you can't sell it, it's not a business—it's a gig. Again, there's nothing wrong with that, but it's important to choose, because building a business is fundamentally different than building a lifestyle.

The sooner we separate these two concepts in our discussions, the better off we'll be, especially for neurodivergent individuals.

You don't have the time, energy, or capacity to waste on building a business if that's not what you want.

You also don't have the time, energy, or capacity to spend on client drudgery if building a business is your dream.

Understand the difference and get the right support for whichever path you choose.

Personally, I adore The Catalyst if you're building a business, as the support offered in the workrooms is unparalleled. Currently, it's available on a monthly enrollment plan, which is rare.

If you're a freelancer, I encourage you to check out Solo School, which teaches you how to build a sustainable business based on client services, not something you'll sell in five years.

But whichever path you take, it’s time to choose.

The choice we made at the NMN was to build a business that was ultimately sellable. To do that, I had to do much of the work myself, make very little money, and reinvest almost everything back into the business. I believe this will yield incredible results not just for me, but for the network in the future.

That's what I'm building it for.

Just know the difference.

Want to support the Network?

Listen, the year isn’t quite over. You can help us increase our profit margin. We’re still offering half-off yearly subscriptions, and honoring 2023 Masterclass pricing.

Want to know what’s behind the curtain?

A full third of our expenses this year have been tech-related, as I have been trying things out and streamlining my process. And that process always continues, because I’m a tech addict. I’ll try any new piece of software at least twice. (Twice, because I’m usually too early, and they need time to iron out the bugs.)

As of December 2023, the following is our exact process and tool set.

And, I make this work in about three hours of work per recording, without assistance—half of which is on camera.