Carrie Smith Nicholson: How to Sell Your Blog for 6 Figures

Welcome to the Scaling Success Stories series!

If you’re new to this series, I ask online entrepreneurs questions regarding growing and scaling their business.

This is the series description:

You can get your fill of online business tips by reading the other interviews on the Scaling Success Stories page.

Interview with Carrie Smith Nicholson from Carrie Considers

It was my pleasure interviewing Carrie, founder of Carrie Considers, who is a consultant for startups and a blogging coach for solopreneurs. Carrie has been in the blogging world since 2011 and after selling her personal finance blog, Careful Cents, for nearly 6-figures, she has found exactly what it takes to be successful.

Check out what Carrie had to say to my questions!

1. Why did you start an online business and how does your passion still drive your business’ growth today?

I originally started a finance blog to be a trustworthy and honest resource for self-employed business owners and bloggers. It was a niche that was not really fulfilled at the time (this was back in June 2011).

I used to work as a small business accountant at a tax firm and every tax season I would listen to many of the same questions.

Business owners were looking for honest and simple answers to, often complicated tax situations.

I was able to build a lot of trust with them, and wanted to be able to reach a larger pool of small biz owners online!

That’s why I started blogging — to be able to break down complicated business topics in an easy-to-understand and empowering way.

Since selling that blog, I started a new Colorado travel website and podcast.

I also spend time privately coaching bloggers and consulting with startups and online business owners.

Helping break down complicated or technical topics is still one of the things I’m passionate about.

I really enjoy helping other bloggers and small business owners plan, strategize and see the results they’re craving!

2. At what point did you realize that your business was “taking off” and that you could really make money from it?

It took me nearly 3 years to start making good money with my first blog.

Around this time I also co-founded a financial podcast with a fellow money nerd. Our podcast was making great money from sponsorships every season and I started seeing the potential to make real money blogging as well.

Once I reached the point of consistently earning $3,000 or more from my blogging efforts, I knew this thing was the real deal.

Earning $3,000 per month was enough to replace my day job income. A few months later, I quit my job to go full-time into being an online business owner, blogger, and podcaster.

It was terrifying and exciting to quit a consistent income source for a sort-of unreliable one.

But that was 6 years ago and I haven’t looked back since!

I’ve worked full-time for myself since that time.

3.  At what point did you realize you were living the life you wanted to?

Once I quit my job in Texas, my husband and I decided to move to Boulder, Colorado.

We wanted to be closer to family, for sure. But another driving force to move was simply to enjoy a better work-life balance and spend more time out in nature.

We wanted a healthier lifestyle, that consisted of less work and more of actually living and enjoying life. After being in Boulder for a few months was when I realized I was living the life I really wanted.

It was like a dream come true!

I worked out of my home office, met up with other awesome entrepreneurs in the area, and went on hikes every week.

I worked with awesome clients and well-known brands like Capital One and Chase. I never had those opportunities in Texas, and moving to Colorado helped make big things happen!

4. One of the biggest fears of outsourcing is trusting the people you hire to run your business the way you would. How did you overcome this and where did you find the right freelancers and employees to help you grow your business?

As a business owner who loves having control over every aspect of my business, I can certainly relate to this fear.

Delegating and outsourcing take patience and time if you want to really do it right — but it’s also totally worth it.

The main thing I realized was that in order to grow and scale my business I needed help.

I honestly couldn’t do all of the items and tasks that needed to be done in a day.

Once I admitted that I needed help, I had a tough conversation with myself that there may be other people who are actually BETTER at handling some of these online business tasks. I’m not an expert at everything, nor can I be (gasp!).

Hiring someone like a social media manager allows me to work on other important revenue-generating tasks.

It also ensures that the social media accounts are being handled with high quality while maximizing the plan we created.

Once I got over myself and finally asked for help (ha!), I then worked on creating SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures).

Operating procedures are basically a quick set of documents or video tutorials that detail exactly how you want everything done. I created procedures for:

• Managing Pinterest
• Uploading blog posts to WordPress
• Creating graphic images
• Other daily tasks

As a control freak, I still want to put out a high level of service, use certain wording, and have my brand represented in a certain way — even if I’m not the one doing everything all the time.

Creating SOPs ensures that all of my instructions are detailed and followed each and every time. No more hovering over contractors double-checking their work, or wasting time on endless training exercises.

5. A common myth is that as you grow and scale your business, you have to sell your soul to make money, especially when you venture into paid advertising. How do you debunk this myth in your business?

When I first started my finance blog, I believed this myth, too. But, by the time I launched several podcasts and blogs in other niches, I had completely busted this myth.

I learned that the amount of money I earn is directly related to value I put out into the world. Which means there’s no ceiling to what I can earn!

Focus on the problems you can help people solve. In turn, they will pay generously for your genuine help and guidance. And this applies to nearly any niche or any service.

The myth of “selling out” comes into play when you become desperate to make money instead of focusing on solving problems (aka, helping people!).

Once you start offering services that are outside your niche or working with brands that don’t make sense for your blog simply because they pay well, that’s when you start selling out.

Stay focused on your mission, and the niche that your blog is serving.

Do what you can to offer the right solution for the problem people are having — a solution that you honestly use and endorse.

If you wouldn’t recommend this product or offer this service to your grandmother, why are you offering it to strangers? People can smell desperation and someone who is selling out a mile away — even if they’re only reading content online.

6. Why do you think most people fail to grow their businesses and what advice would you offer them to keep pushing, despite all the setbacks?

The number one stumbling block for people trying to grow their business is lack of focus — or shiny object syndrome.

The internet and social media make it easy to compare our progress to everyone else’s. It’s easy to get sidetracked by reading case studies or income reports showcasing someone’s success with digital courses, or affiliate marketing, or freelance writing.

When a new strategy pops up (like running Facebook ads, for example) you jump on the bandwagon to see if this is the magical direction that will finally be the breakthrough your business needs.

But this is dangerous as it can sidetrack you from your goals and actually cause the momentum of your business to slow down.

You’ll be making less progress instead of more when you constantly switch back-and-forth between strategies all the time.

By doing this, you completely disregard whether or not this new strategy will work for your niche and actually provide value to the reader. At that point, your decision becomes less about your mission and more about yourself and your goals.

Staying laser-focused and redefining your goals from the beginning will greatly reduce the distractions and the need to compare yourself to others.

If you’re not making the progress you want to see with your blog or business, take some time to step back. Who are you serving? Why did start this business? Where do your people hang out?

Businesses these days need to keep people’s attention, so you have to be willing to pivot and offer what your customer needs, without sacrificing the core of your company’s beliefs. It’s a delicate balance for sure, but you will never go wrong by serving others.

7. How important has niching down been (no matter how hard it hurts) to your business’ growth and profitability?

In the beginning stages, niching down can be the difference between money in the bank and closing the doors.

It’s only once the business is established that you can expand and grow into other areas with other offerings.

Think about it: if Burger King opened their doors by offering the new Crispy Taco, they might have never made it. (Seriously though, tacos from a burger place? Has anyone tried this yet?)

Their customers would be confused about the kind of food they serve and likely go to another burger place. But, since Burger King has served burgers and fries for so long, they are now established enough to experiment with something like offering a taco on their menu.

Their experiment may work, and it may not, but they have built a solid reputation and have proven their business model over the years to the point where they can take big risks like this.

Newer businesses do not have this luxury, which is why niching down is so important.

You will lose customers and potential business partnerships if you’re constantly changing your services and core business offerings.
No one will know what you do, or how to follow along with your work. Stick to the same thing, focus on your core business, and become a pro at it before expanding. Then you too can take big risks!

8. What do you attribute your success to and how do you explain it? Do you think the same strategies will help you reach your next monetization goals? Why or why not?

After being an online entrepreneur for 8+ years, I attribute my success to refusing to give up until I see the results I want.

I’ve sold a blog, launched a new blog, started and ended a podcast, and offered different types of freelance services. Through it all, I never gave up on my dream of making multiple six figures while working from home.

It takes a while to figure out what you’re good at and to find your stride as a business owner.

I have given myself the space to experiment with different projects and try various monetization methods. But one thing remains, I take complicated and technical topics and break them down into easy-to-consume content.

No, the strategies I used to start my blog in 2011 will pretty much not apply to the new blog I started in 2019. Social media has changed dramatically in that time, as have the rules of SEO and many other aspects of blogging.

Since the online world moves so fast, you have to adapt and pivot to stay current.

This means that what worked last year, or two years ago, won’t work today. You have to be flexible and learn to adapt while being open to trying different strategies.

9. To scale, you really need to have a systemized business. What steps have you taken to build those systems and how do you optimize them?

As I mentioned in another answer, I have created procedures for all of the blogs and podcasts I’ve been a part of throughout the years.

I’ve discovered that if you want to make a business successful, you have to treat it like one. This means creating systems, procedures, tracking stats, managing money, and hiring the right people — just like you would for any other business venture.

Simple is best when it comes to optimizing procedures.

I have used one project management system since the beginning (Asana) and one file/folder sharing system (Google Drive).

The more tools you have, the more time you have to spend managing them as well as higher expenses to pay for and maintain them.

Twice a year I also do a “tools audit” of all of the tools, subscriptions, and other expenses I’m paying for.

I do a thorough sweep of every expense in all of the businesses I own. I make sure that every expense and item I’m paying for is needed and has multiple uses for maximum profitability.

Everything that comes in and goes out is reviewed and approved by me!

10.  If you could speak face-to-face with yourself when you first started your business, what pearls of wisdom would you impart?

The best piece of advice I could tell myself is to not stand in your own way.

Don’t be afraid of failure (it’s inevitable) and don’t be afraid of success (it’s also inevitable!).

You’ll win big and lose big, but never sacrifice your mission or your message to take shortcuts. Stick to what you’re passionate about and honor your gut instincts!

Being a business owner means embracing the feast and famine cycles.

Sometimes you’ll have more than enough and other times you won’t be able to pay all the bills. But don’t give up! You chose this life in order to have freedom and be in control of your own schedule.

You can live where you want to live, work the days and hours you want, and spend your years with friends and family.

Giving for a living is the motto I live by!

It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey, and owning a business is a wonderfully magnificent journey. Cherish it and enjoy it — all of it!

About Carrie Smith Nicholson

Carrie Smith Nicholson is a consultant for startups and a blogging coach for solopreneurs at CarrieConsiders.com. In 2018 she sold her finance blog, Careful Cents, for nearly six figures. She’s also the author of the book, The Ultimate Guide to Selling a Blog: How to Sell Your Blog for Six Figures and Be Your Own Broker. Her work has been featured in NBC News, Yahoo! Finance, Glamour Magazine, Redbook, and many other media outlets.

Conclusion

Thanks for participating in my series, Carrie!

As you can tell, it’s NOT EASY growing and scaling an online business, but there are some things you can do to aid you in the process.

Inspired by Carrie?

Now, it’s your turn!

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• Outsource Effectively
• Systemize Your Business
• Shatter Your Revenue Goals

After working with six-figure and seven-figure clients, I know the difference between how they function.

Let me help you start scaling successfully.

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Cheers to future success!