Amongst podcasters, Pat Flynn is a household name. But if you are not an avid podcaster or internet marketer you may not recognize his name. Let’s bring you up to speed. If you head on over to Pat Flynn’s website, https://patflynn.com, you will find his interesting bio. It states on June 17th, 2008 Pat was laid from his “dream job” as an architect. With no business school expertise, he entered the world of entrepreneurship. His lack of knowledge in copywriting and marketing did not deter him. Pat started on his journey with a simple website to help aspiring architect students to pass the LEED exam. Little did he know that website was generating thousands of views a day. A few people commented on how great his content was and that they would even be willing to pay for it. So that is exactly what Pat did, he began researching and asking other internet marketers how they generated money with products. He created a LEED study guide in ebook form and launched it in October 2008. It was priced at $19.99. Within the first month, it made a little over $7000. That same month he created SmartPassiveIncome.com and the rest is history. His honesty about his successes and mistakes allowed him to accumulate a large following and gave him the reputation of being a transparent leader in the online business world.

He then branched out and created his YouTube channel and a podcast. He then began building multiple websites to test his theories, (SecurityGuardTrainingHQ.com, CreateaClickableMap.com, FoodTruckr.com). In 6 years and 10 million downloads later Flynn had earned $3million. But his story did not end there. He began writing books and public speaking, which brings us up to date.

I had the pleasure of seeing Pat Flynn speak in Philadelphia at Podcast Movement 2018. What an awesome human being he is. He even brought his young son on stage and introduced their new kid-friendly podcast to the audience. This is a man who gives great fan service a truly believes he was put on this earth to give back. His candor really makes any entrepreneur want to take that leap into the unknown, because if it could work for Pat Flynn then, heck, we can do it too! Pat struggled with self-doubt and fear but overcame these obstacles step by step. He was even afraid of speaking! But year after year you can see him on stages across America. And he even started Flynncon, his own conference in 2019.

On March 11th, 2020 Pat Flynn began Livestreaming on YouTube to help his followers, new and old, during the Coronavirus pandemic. The show is called The Income Stream and was developed to give his audience something to look forward to day after day during these unprecedented times. On October 4th The Income Stream reached its 200th episode! For a man who gets nervous about public speaking; he seems to be conquering his fears very well.

So the question is why has this popular podcaster and keynote speaker decided to go with Live-streaming now? The answer is easy because his audience wants it. In this unprecedented time of COVID-19, the world needs a friendly face, a kind word, guidance, and a moment of hope in a time of despair. Pat Flynn understands this and stepped up to the challenge. His hour-long episodes cover everything from starting a podcast to writing a book and a sprinkle of everything in between. And if you are fortunate enough to get your question answered on his “Ask Me Anything” days you may have hit the jackpot! Pat is open and honest and straight up with no chaser. And honestly, this was a genius move on his part. But it may not be what you think. Let’s take a look at why…

1. Pat had a loyal fanbase from his podcasts and books
2. Pat gives great fan service at events where he speaks
3. Pat offers informative and inspiring courses on Teachable

So why would such a successful man take his business into the virtual Livestream world? He seems to have it all. So we can assume it is not for the money. And he is pretty popular so I don’t think fame is the issue. And after deep reflection, I have come to the conclusion that Pat Flynn actually cares about people. Yes, he went virtual for those who have lost hope. For those who ever had a dream and did not have the know-how to make that dream a reality. He did it for all of us. Every day this man gets up with a plan to embrace visions and teach the world with no strings attached. Plain and simple.

But can this strategy work for a dentist, lawyer, veterinarian, photographer, or restauranteur? Absolutely! The key is to stop focusing on getting and start giving. The process is not an instant one. There is a learning curve, a mindset change, and a skill set to learn. But with time, patience, and a decent mic and camera, you to can build a tribe that raves about you.

It is about you and what you represent. The world will never be the same. This pandemic changed the way people think and do business. The business dinosaurs will die and the smart business owners that evolve will survive. Gone are the old ways of getting leads. The consumer is done. It is time for business owners to adapt and change. So why not be the one that cares… Be courageous, be gracious, and by all means be seen!