4 - Lessons from Chapter 9 of The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss

We are going to analyze and summarize The 4-Hour Workweek By Timothy Ferriss with interpretation for several sections.

Timothy Ferriss offers valuable insights into optimizing productivity, outsourcing tasks, and achieving a more balanced lifestyle. Let's break it down section by section, analyzing key concepts and providing interpretations.

Who is Timothy Ferriss?

Timothy Ferriss, commonly known as Tim Ferriss, is a renowned author and entrepreneur known for his work in productivity and lifestyle design. His book "The 4-Hour Workweek" challenges traditional ideas about work-life balance and offers innovative strategies for achieving more with less effort. It's a game-changer for those seeking a different approach to work and life. If you're looking to break free from the typical work routine and explore a new way of living and working, "The 4-Hour Workweek" is a must-read. It's all about maximizing efficiency, outsourcing tasks, and taking control of your time to design a life that reflects your passions and values. Dive into Ferriss's insights and discover a new perspective on success tailored to your needs and aspirations.

Sections:

Unveiling Expertise: The Minimal Customer Base Strategy.

Crafting Expertise: Strategies for Rapid Recognition

The Expert Builder: Unveiling the Path to Rapid Expertise

Q&A: Take Action to Forge Your Path to Expertise

Resource Toolbox: Accelerate Your Expertise Journey

As stated by Timothy Ferriss, "Chapter 9

But I'm Not an Expert!

If you aren't an expert, don't sweat it.

First, “expert” in the context of selling a product means that you know more about the topic than the purchaser. No more. It is not necessary to be the best—just better than a small target number of your prospective customers. Let’s suppose that your current Dreamline—to compete in the 1,150-mile Iditarod dogsledding race in Alaska— requires $5,000 to realize. If there are 15,000 readers and even 50 (0.33%) can be convinced of your superior expertise in skill X and spend $100 for a program that teaches it, that is $5,000. Bring on the Huskies. Those 50 customers are what I call the “minimal customer base”—the minimum number of customers you need to convince of your expertise to fulfill a given dreamline."

Reader Interpretation:

Chapter 9 of "The 4-Hour Workweek" emphasizes that being an expert isn't necessarily a prerequisite for success, especially when it comes to selling a product or service. The key is to know more about the topic than your target audience. Here's a breakdown of the main points from this chapter:

Expertise Defined: In the context of selling a product, being an expert means knowing more about the topic than the potential buyers. It's not about being the absolute best; it's about being better than a small number of your prospective customers.

Minimal Customer Base: Ferriss introduces the concept of the "minimal customer base," which refers to the minimum number of customers you need to convince of your expertise to achieve a specific goal or dream. For example, if your dream is to compete in the Iditarod dogsledding race in Alaska and it requires $X to realize, you only need to convince a small number of customers to invest in your expertise to reach that financial goal.

Example: Suppose your dream is to compete in the Iditarod, and it requires $10,000 to realize. If you can convince 50 people to buy a program from you for $100 each, that's $5,000—enough to fund your dream. These 50 customers represent your minimal customer base.

This chapter encourages readers to focus on meeting the needs of a niche audience rather than trying to appeal to everyone. By positioning yourself as an expert and targeting a specific group of customers, you can achieve your goals without necessarily being the best in the world at what you do.

Crafting Expertise: Strategies for Rapid Recognition

As stated by Tim Ferriss, " Second, expert status can be created in less than four weeks if you understand basic credibility indicators. It's important to learn how the PR pros phrase resume points and position their clients. See the boxed text later in this chapter to learn how.

The degree to which you need expert status also depends on how you obtain your content.

There are three main options.

Create the content yourself, often via paraphrasing and combining points from several books on a topic.

Repurpose content that is in the public domain and not subject to copyright protection, such as government documents and materials that such as government documents and material that predate copyright protection, such as government documents and materials that predate modern copyright law.

License content or compensate an expert to help create content. Fees can be on-tome and paid upfront or royalty-based ( 5-10% of net revenue, for example. )

If you choose option 1 or 2, you need expert status within a limited market.

Let's assume you are a real estate broker and have determined that, like yourself, most brokers want a simple but good website to promote themselves, and their businesses. If you read and understand the three top-selling books on home-page design, you will know more about that topic than 80% of the readership of a magazine for real estate brokers. if you can summarize the content and make a recommendation specific to the needs of the real estate market, a 0.5-1.5% response from an ad you place in the magazine is not unreasonable to expect.

Use the following questions to brainstorm potential ho-to or informational products that can be sold to the market using your expertise or borrowed expertise. Aim for a combination of formats that will lend itself to $50-200 pricing, such as a combination of two CDs (30-90 minutes each), a 40-page description of the CDS, and a 10-page quickstart guide. Digital delivery is perfectly acceptable - in some cases, ideal - if you can create a high enough perceived value.

How can you tailor a general skill for your market - what I call "niching down" - or add to what is being sold successfully in your target magazines? Think narrow and deep rather than broad.

What skills are you interested in that you- and others in your markets-would pay to learn? Become an expert in this skill for yourself and then create a product to teach the same. If you need help or want to speed up the process, consider the next question.

What experts could you interview and record to create a sellable audio CD? These people do not need to be the best but just better than most. Offer them a digital master copy of the interview to work with or sell as they like ( this is often enough) and/or offer them a small up-front or ongoing royalty payment. Use Skpe.com with HotRecorder ( more on these and related tools in Tolls and Tricks) to record this conversation directly to your PC and send the mp3 file to an online transcription service.

Do you have a failure-to-success story that could be turned into a ho-to product for others? Consider problems you've overcome in the past, both professionally and personally.

Reader Interpretation:

In this section of Chapter 9, Ferriss elaborates on how to establish oneself as an expert within a relatively short period and outlines three main options for obtaining content:

Create Content Yourself: This involves synthesizing information from various sources, such as books, and presenting it in a new way. By becoming knowledgeable about a specific topic, even if it's through paraphrasing existing material, you can position yourself as an expert within a niche market.

Repurpose Public Domain Content: Utilizing content that is freely available and not subject to copyright restrictions, such as government documents or materials predating modern copyright laws, can also establish credibility within a targeted market.

License or Collaborate with Experts: Alternatively, you can license content from experts or collaborate with them to create valuable products. This could involve upfront payment or royalty-based compensation.

Ferriss then provides a practical example for real estate brokers, illustrating how expertise can be leveraged within a specific market. By synthesizing information from top-selling books on home-page design and tailoring it to the needs of real estate professionals, one can position themselves as an expert and potentially generate significant revenue through targeted marketing efforts.

He encourages readers to brainstorm potential products that cater to their market's needs, focusing on niching down and offering a combination of formats that provide value within a $50-200 price range. This could include audio CDs, written guides, and digital resources.

Furthermore, Ferriss suggests considering personal experiences and expertise when creating products. Whether it's sharing failure-to-success stories or interviewing experts in relevant fields, there are numerous opportunities to create valuable content that resonates with the target audience.

By leveraging these strategies, individuals can establish themselves as experts within their respective niches and create profitable products that cater to the needs of their market.

As stated by 'Timothy Ferriss, 'The Expert Builder: How to Become a Top Expert in 4 Weeks

It’s time to obliterate the cult of the expert. Let the PR world scorn me. First and

foremost, there is a difference between being perceived as an expert and being one. In the context of business, the former is what sells products, and the latter, relative to your “minimal customer base,” is what creates good products and prevents returns.

It is possible to know all there is to know about a subject—medicine, for example— but if you don’t have an M.D. at the end of your name, few will listen. The M.D. is what I term a “credibility indicator.” The so-called expert with the most credibility indicators, whether acronyms or affiliations, is often the most successful in the marketplace, even if other candidates have more in-depth knowledge. This is a matter of superior positioning, not deception.

How, then, do we go about acquiring credibility indicators in the least time possible? Emulating the client-grooming techniques of some of the best PR firms in New York City and Los Angeles isn’t a bad place to start.

It took a friend of mine just three weeks to become a “top relationship expert who, as featured in Glamour and other national media, has counseled executives at Fortune 500 companies on how to improve their relationships in 24 hours or less.” How did she do it?

She followed a few simple steps that created a credibility snowball effect. Here’s how you can do the same.

1. Join two or three related trade organizations with official-sounding names. In her case, she chose the Association for Conflict Resolution (www.acrnet.org) and The International Foundation for Gender Education (www.ifge.org). This can be done online in five minutes with a credit card.

2. Read the three top-selling books on your topic (search historical New York Times bestseller lists online) and summarize each on one page.

3. Give one free one-to-three-hour seminar at the closest well-known university, using posters to advertise. Then do the same at branches of two well-known big companies (AT&T, IBM, etc.) located in the same area. Tell the company that you have given seminars at University X or X College and are a member of those groups from step 1. Emphasize that you are offering it to them for free to get additional speaking experience outside of academics and will not be selling products or services. Record the seminars from two angles for later potential use as a CD/DVD product.

4. Optional: Offer to write one or two articles for trade magazines related to your topics, citing what you have accomplished in steps 1 and 3 for credibility. If they decline, offer to interview a known expert and write the article—it still gets your name listed as a contributor.

5. Join ProfNet, which is a service that journalists use to find experts to quote for articles. Getting PR is simple if you stop shouting and start listening. Use steps 1, 3, and 4 to demonstrate credibility and online research to respond to journalist queries. Done properly, this will get you featured in media ranging from small local publications to the New York Times and ABC News.

Becoming a recognized expert isn’t difficult, so I want to remove that barrier now.

I am not recommending pretending to be something you’re not. I can’t! “Expert” is nebulous media-speak and so overused as to be indefinable. In modern PR terms, proof of expertise in most fields is shown with group affiliations, client lists, writing credentials, and media mentions, not IQ points or Ph.D.s.

Presenting the truth in the best light, but not fabricating it, is the name of the game.

See you on CNN.

In this insightful chapter from Timothy Ferriss's "The 4-Hour Workweek," the author challenges the traditional notion of expertise and provides a practical guide to becoming a recognized authority in just four weeks. Here's a breakdown of Ferriss's approach:

Rethinking Expertise: Ferriss highlights the distinction between being perceived as an expert and possessing expertise. He emphasizes the importance of credibility indicators in selling products and creating value for customers.

Acquiring Credibility Indicators: Ferriss shares actionable steps to quickly acquire credibility indicators, drawing inspiration from the strategies used by top PR firms. These include joining relevant trade organizations, summarizing top-selling books, conducting seminars, writing articles, and leveraging services like ProNet to connect with journalists.

Creating a Credibility Snowball Effect: Through a series of strategic moves, Ferriss demonstrates how individuals can build credibility rapidly, leading to media features and recognition as experts in their field.

Removing Barriers to Expertise: Ferriss dispels the myth that becoming a recognized expert is difficult, encouraging readers to adopt a proactive approach and follow his outlined steps to achieve their goals.

By following Ferriss's advice, readers can pave the way for their journey toward expertise and establish themselves as authorities in their respective domains within a short timeframe.

Question & Action: Take Action to Forge Your Path to Expertise

Tim Ferriss Section:

► Q&A: QUESTIONS AND ACTIONS

J^ 1 or this hands-on chapter, the Q&A is simple. It’s more like a Q.

The question is, “Did you read the chapter and follow the directions?” If not, do it! Instead of the usual Q&A, the end of this chapter and the following two will feature more extensive resources for taking the action steps described in detail in the text.

► COMFORT CHALLENGE

Find Yoda (3 Days)

Call at least one potential superstar mentor per day for three days. E-mail only after attempting a phone call. I recommend calling before 8:30 A.M. or after 6:00 P.M. to

reduce run-ins with secretaries and other gatekeepers. Have a single question in mind, one that you have researched but have been unable to answer yourself. Shoot for “A” players—CEOs, ultra-successful entrepreneurs, famous authors, etc.—and don’t aim low to make it less frightening. Use www.contactanvcelebrity.com if need be, and base your script on the following.

Unknown answerer: This is Acme Inc. or “the office of Mentor X”.

You: Hi, this is Tim Ferriss calling for John Grisham, pleased Answerer: May I ask what this is regarding?

You: Sure. I know this might sound a bit odd,- but I’m a first-time author and just read his interview in Time Out New York — I’m a longtime fan and have finally built up the courage to call him for one specific piece of advice. It wouldn’t take more than two minutes of his time. Is there any way you can help me get through to him?—I appreciate whatever you can do.

Answerer: Hmmm ... Just a second. Let me see if he’s available, [two minutes later] Here you go. Good luck, [rings to another line]

John Grisham: John Grisham here.

You: Hi, Mr. Grisham. My name is Tim Ferriss. I know this might sound a bit odd, but I’m a first-time author and a longtime fan. I just read your interview in Time Out New York and finally built up the courage to call. I have wanted to ask you for a specific piece of advice for a long time, and it shouldn’t take more than two minutes of your time. May I?

John Grisham: Uh ... OK. Go ahead. I have to be on a call in a few minutes.

You (at the very end of the call): Thank you so much for being so generous with your time. If I have the occasional tough question—very occasional—is there any chance I could keep in touch via e-mail?—

► LIFESTYLE DESIGN IN ACTION

OVER THE MOON

My 13-year-old daughter would like to be an astronaut when she grows up. Last year she had an extreme challenge to deal with. The phrase from Apollo 13 “Failure is not an option” sort of became our motto. I got the idea of contacting the commander of Apollo 13, Jim Lovell. It didn’t take much to find him and he sent her a wonderful letter about his ordeal just to get into the Apollo program, not to mention dealing with a crippled spacecraft. His letter made a big difference to my daughter. A couple of months later, we were able to take things a little further by getting her VIP access to a shuttle launch.

Confirming Sufficient Market Size

► Compete (www.compete.com) and

Quantcast (www.quantcast.com)

Find the number of monthly visitors for most websites, in addition to the search terms that generate the most traffic for them.

► Writer’s Market ( www.writersmarket.com )

Here you’ll find a listing of thousands of specialty and niche magazines, including circulation and subscription numbers. I prefer the print version.

► Spyfu ( www.spyfu.com )

Download competitors’ online advertising spending, keywords, and ad-word details. Consistent and repeat spending generally indicates successful advertising ROI.

► Standard Rate and Data Services

(www.srds.com )

Check out this resource for annual listings of magazines and company customer mailing lists available for rent. If you’re considering creating a how-to video for duck hunting, check out the size of customer lists from hunting gun manufacturers and related magazines first. Use the print version in libraries instead of paying for the somewhat confusing online access.

Finding Products to Resell or Manufacturing

► Affiliate Networks: Clickbank

( www.clickbank.com _ ),

Commission Junction ( www.cj.com ) , Amazon Associates ( www.amazon.com/associates )

No inventory, no invoices. Experimenting with products and categories through affiliate networks such as Clickbank and Commission Junction, which pay you 1075% of each purchase, is a fast method for doing a proof-of-concept using similar products. It’s often worth setting up accounts at both just to observe how bestselling items are being sold and promoted.

Amazon Associates averages 7-10% commissions, but bestselling books are excellent for testing target markets for more elaborate informational products. For all of the above: Do not get into bidding wars against other affiliates using expensive general keywords or overexposed brand names. Go niche or go broke.

► Alibaba ( www.alibaba.com )

Based in China, Alibaba is the world’s largest business-to-business marketplace. From MP3 players for $9 each to red wine for $2 per bottle, this site is the source. If someone here doesn’t make it, it probably can’t be made.

► Worldwide Brands ( www.worIdwidebrands.com)

Offers an extensive how-to guide for finding manufacturers willing to dropship products to your customers, which allows you to avoid pre-purchasing inventory. This is where Amazon and eBay power users find not just drop shippers, but also wholesalers and liquidators. Shopster (www.shopster.com) is also a popular option, with more than 1,000,000 dropship products to choose from.

► Thomas’s Register of Manufacturers (www.thomasnet.com ) (800-699-9822)

A searchable database of contract manufacturers for every conceivable product, from underwear and food products to airplane parts.

► Electronics, DVDs, Books

(www.ingrambook.com, www.techdata.com )

► Housewares and Hardware (www.housewares.org _,www.nationaIhardwareshow.com )

(847-292-4200)

For these product categories and related talent (on-screen demonstrations), also consider attending local or state fairs.

► Consumables and Vitamin Products

(www.expoeast.com, expowest.com )

Finding Public Domain Information to Repurpose

Be sure to speak with an intellectual property attorney before using apparent public domain material. If someone modifies 20% of a public domain work (through abridging and footnotes, for example), their “new” complete work can be copyrighted. Using it without permission would then be a punishable infringement. The details can get confusing. Do the beginning research yourself, but get a pro to look over your findings before moving ahead with product development.

► Project Gutenberg ( www.gutenberg.org )

Project Gutenberg is a digital library of more than 15,000 pieces of literature considered to be in the public domain.

► LibriVox ( www.librivox.org )

LibriVox is a collection of audiobooks from the public domain that are available for free download.

Recording Seminars or Phone Interviews with Experts for CD Downloadable Products

► HotRecorder ( www.hotrecorder.com ) (PC), Call Recorder (

http://ecamm.com/mac/caIIrecorder/ ) (Mac)

Use these programs to record any inbound or outbound phone calls via computer using Skype (www.skype.com) and other VoIP programs.

► No Cost Conference

(www.nocostconference.com )

Provides a free 800-number conference line, as well as free recording and file retrieval. Normal phones can be used for call-in, so no computer or web connection is required for participants. If you’ll have a Q&A, I suggest soliciting attendee questions beforehand to avoid issues with the muting/ unmuting of lines.

► Jing Project (www.iingproiect.com) and DimDim (www.dimdim.com)

If you’d like to record the actions on your screen for video tutorials, both of these free programs will get the job done. If you need advanced editing features, Jing’s big brother Camtasia is the industry standard ( www.camtasia.com).

Licensing Ideas to Others for Royalties ► InventRight ( www.inventright.com ) (800-701-7993)

Stephen Key is the most consistently successful inventor I’ve ever met, with millions in royalties from companies like Disney, Nestle, and Coca-Cola. He is not high-tech but specializes in creating simple products, or improving on existing products, and then licensing (renting) his ideas to large corporations. He comes up with the idea, files a provisional patent for less than $200, and then lets another company do the work while he collects checks. This site introduces his fail-proof process for doing the same. His techniques for cold-calling alone are invaluable. Highly recommended.

► Guthy-Renker Corporation (www.guthyrenker.com) (760-773-9022) GRC is

the 800-pound infomercial gorilla. It brings in more than $1.3 billion per year in sales with mega-hits like Tony Robbins, Proactiv Solution, and Winsor Pilates. Don’t expect more than a 2-4% royalty if you make the cut, but the numbers are huge enough to make it worth a look. Submit your product online.

Searching Patents for Unexploited Ideas to Turn into Products

. United States Patent and Trademark Office (www.uspto.gov) (800-786-9199)

. ►Licensable Technologies Developed at Universities ( www.autm.net; see “view all listings” under “Technology Transfer Offices”)

. ►Inventors Groups and Associations (call and ask if members have anything to license) ( www.uiausa.org/Resources/InventorGroups.htm

Becoming an Expert

► Prof Net via PR Leads fwww.prleads.com) and HARO

(www.helpareporterout.com)

Receive daily leads from journalists and TV and radio producers looking for experts to cite and interview for media ranging from local outlets to CNN and the New York Times. Stop swimming upstream and start responding to stories people are already working on. HARO offers select leads at no cost, and you can mention my name with PR Leads to get two months for the price of one.

► PRWeb Press Releases (www.prwebdirect.com) The press release is dead for most purposes, but using this service has some serious search-engine benefits, such as appearing at the top of related Google News and Yahoo! News results.

► ExpertClick ( www.expertclick.com )

This is another secret of the PR pros. Put up an expert profile for media to see, receive an up-to-date database of top media contacts, and send free press releases to 12,000 journalists, all on one website that gets more than 5 million hits per month. This is how I got on NBC and ended up developing a prime-time TV show. It works. Mention my name on the phone, or use “Tim Ferriss $100” online, to get a $100 discount.

► LIFESTYLE DESIGN IN ACTION

Bon Jour Tim,

I was in Barnes & Noble at the help desk this past Saturday, April 25, waiting for an employee to get a book for me (Tropic of Cancer if you must know). While I was waiting, I noticed a copy of 4-Hour Workvi’eek on the counter that someone else had ordered. Not one to be shy, I reached over the counter and started reading their copy. As you might guess, I had the employee go back and get me my copy. Haven’t finished Tropic of Cancer but finished your book ...

... On Monday I got a yes when I asked my boss to work two days remotely per week. I start next week.

On Monday I also booked the most stunning apartment in Paris for the month of September, at a cost of half of the rent I pay in Southern California. I plan to increase my remote time now through August so that September will be an easy task to leave for remote work. If the answer happens to be no (which I now doubt), I will be prepared to quit my job.

Now at work on my Income Autopilot project.Tim: amazing. My life has changed in three days. (Plus, your book was funny as hell.) Thank you!!! —CINDY FRANKEY

21 . There are a few limited exceptions, such as online membership sites that don’t require content generation, but as a general rule, products require much less maintenance and will get you to your TMI faster.

22 . Muses will provide the time and financial freedom to realize your dream lines in record time, after which one can (and often does) start additional companies to change the world or sell.

23 . Distributors are sometimes also referred to as “wholesalers,” depending on the industry.

24 . It is illegal to control how much someone sells your product for, but you can dictate how much they advertise it for. This is done by including a Minimum Advertised Pricing (MAP) policy in your General Terms and Conditions (GTC), which are agreed to automatically when a written wholesale order is placed. Sample GTC and order forms are available at www.fourhourblog.com.

25 . The Wall Street Journal, July 18, 2005

(http://www.tcchnologvinvcstor.com/login/2004/Jul 18-05. php ).

26 . This was a new product category that I created to eliminate and preempt the competition. Strive to be the largest, best, or first in a precise category. I prefer being first.

27 . If you decide to resell someone else’s higher-end products like Doug, especially with drop-shipping, the risk is lower, and smaller margins can suffice.

28 . “Back-end” products are products sold to customers once the sale of a primary product has been made. iPod covers and car GPS systems are two examples. These products can have lower margins because there is no advertising cost to acquire the customer.

29 . “Cross-selling” is selling a related product to a customer while they’re still on the phone or in an online shopping cart after the sale of a primary product has been made. For a full marketing and direct response (DR) glossary, visit www.fourhourblog.com.

30 . This also refers to owners of copyrights or trademarks.

31 . Said casually and with confidence, this alone will get you through surprisingly often. “I’d like to speak with Mr./Ms. X, please” is a dead giveaway that you don’t know them. If you want to up the chances of getting through but risk looking foolish if they call the bluff, ask for the target mentor by first name only.

32. I use this type of lead-in whenever making off-the-wall requests. It softens it and makes the person curious enough to listen before spitting out an automatic “no.”

33 . This answers the questions they’ll have in their head: “Who are you and why are you calling now?” I like to be a “first-time” something to play the sympathy card, and I find a recent media feature online to cite as the trigger for calling.34 . I call people I’m familiar with. If you can’t call yourself a longtime fan, tell them that you have followed the mentor’s career or business exploits for a certain number of years.

35 . Don’t pretend to be strong. Make it clear you’re nervous and they’ll lower their guard. I often do this even if I’m not nervous.

36 . The wording here is critical. Ask them to “help” you do something.

37 . Just rework the gatekeeper paragraph for this, and don’t dillydally—get to the point quickly and ask for permission to pull the trigger.

38 . End the conversation by opening the door for future contact. Start with e-mail and let the mentoring relationship develop from there."

Reader Interpretation:

The chapter concludes with a clear directive: readers are asked if they have read the chapter and followed the directions provided. The emphasis is on taking action and implementing the strategies outlined in the text.

Additionally, a "Comfort Challenge" is proposed, encouraging readers to reach out to potential mentors over the course of three days. The challenge involves making phone calls to individuals who could offer valuable insights or guidance, to seek advice on a specific topic. The provided script serves as a guide for initiating these conversations, emphasizing the importance of aiming high and demonstrating gratitude.

Furthermore, the section includes a real-life example of lifestyle design in action, showcasing how a simple initiative—reaching out to a prominent figure like Jim Lovell, the commander of Apollo 13—can have a significant impact. By contacting Lovell, the individual was able to inspire and motivate their daughter, ultimately leading to memorable experiences like VIP access to a shuttle launch.

Lastly, extensive resources are provided for readers to explore and utilize in their pursuit of lifestyle design and entrepreneurial endeavors. From tools for finding potential products to resell or manufacture to platforms for locating public domain information and licensing ideas, the resources aim to empower readers with practical strategies and actionable steps for achieving their goals.

Resource Toolbox: Accelerate Your Expertise Journey

Here's an organized list of the links provided in the text:

Compete: www.compete.com

Find the number of monthly visitors for most websites, along with the search terms that generate the most traffic for them.

Quantcast: www.quantcast.com

Similar to Compete, Quantcast provides insights into website traffic and audience demographics.

Writer’s Market: www.writersmarket.com

A listing of thousands of specialty and niche magazines, including circulation and subscription numbers.

Spyfu: www.spyfu.com

Download competitors’ online advertising spending, keywords, and ad-word details.

Standard Rate and Data Services (SRDS): www.srds.com

Provides annual listings of magazines and company customer mailing lists available for rent.

Affiliate Networks:

Clickbank: www.clickbank.com

Commission Junction (CJ): www.cj.com

Amazon Associates: www.amazon.com/associates

These networks allow you to experiment with products and categories through affiliate marketing.

Alibaba: www.alibaba.com

The world’s largest business-to-business marketplace, offering a wide range of products.

Worldwide Brands: www.worldwidebrands.com

Offers a guide for finding manufacturers willing to dropship products to your customers.

Thomas’s Register of Manufacturers: www.thomasnet.com

A searchable database of contract manufacturers for various products.

Ingram Book Group: www.ingrambook.com

Supplier of books, DVDs, and other media products.

Tech Data: www.techdata.com

Distributor of electronics products.

Housewares and Hardware:

Housewares: www.housewares.org

National Hardware Show: www.nationalhardwareshow.com

Expo East and Expo West:

Expoeast: www.expoeast.com

Expowest: www.expowest.com

Project Gutenberg: www.gutenberg.org

A digital library of public domain literature.

LibriVox: www.librivox.org

Offers free audiobooks from the public domain.

HotRecorder: www.hotrecorder.com

A program for recording phone calls via computer using Skype.

Call Recorder: http://ecamm.com/mac/callrecorder/

Similar to HotRecorder but for Mac users.

NoCost Conference: www.nocostconference.com

Provides a free 800-number conference line and recording services.

Jing Project: www.jingproject.com

A free program for recording screen actions for video tutorials.

DimDim: www.dimdim.com

Another free program for recording screen actions.

InventRight: www.inventright.com

Offers a process for licensing product ideas to large corporations.

Guthy-Renker Corporation: www.guthyrenker.com

Accepts product submissions for potential infomercials and product launches.

United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO): www.uspto.gov

Allows searching for patents and trademarks.

Licensable Technologies Developed at Universities:

www.autm.net

Inventors Groups and Associations:

www.uiausa.org/Resources/InventorGroups.htm

These links cover a wide range of resources for aspiring entrepreneurs and lifestyle designers, from market research tools to product sourcing and licensing opportunities.

References:

Ferriss, T. (2009). The 4-hour workweek (Expanded, Updated ed.). Harmony.