How To Maximize Your Lifestyle Dreams: With Paul Gowder

Let’s Help Your Guests Build Their Dream Lifestyle! I’m Paul Gowder, the founder of PowWows.com, an online community celebrating Native American arts and culture for 25 years. I also coach business owners by helping them build engaged online communities. I built PowWows.com into a successful business while working full-time. My goal was to create a lifestyle of traveling for my family, like traveling to Disney World more than 42 times. Yeah, that kind of magic entrepreneurship has brought into my life! Topics include: Overcoming Obstacles while Working Full Time: I reveal how to manage time like a pro, even with a demanding day job. Plus, we can uncover the secrets of discipline, perseverance, and goal-setting for long-term success. Community Building: Let's talk about the sheer power of cultivating a supportive community. We explore innovative ways to leverage social media platforms and collaborations to build an engaged and buzzing audience. Email Marketing: Do you ever wonder how email marketing can be a game-changer for community building, increasing traffic, and driving sales? I share what I send, how I segment, and how I grow my list. You can find more information about me and my business on my website - www.paulgowder.com. Website Building, Maintenance, and Coaching Discussion Michael and Paul discussed building and maintaining the Powerless website, which offers services and connection points globally. Michael expressed interest in learning more about the website's one-on-one coaching aspect. They also touched on the challenges of connecting with different regions, particularly in the United States, where there are 50 states with diverse practices. The conversation was briefly interrupted due to technical issues with Michael's internet connection. Building the Powwows Website and Community Growth Michael and Paul discussed Paul's experience in building the Powwows website. Paul shared that he initially started the website as a personal project while in graduate school, learning about powwows and teaching himself HTML and PHP coding. The website grew as the community expanded, with people asking for information on powwows in different states. Paul's role in state government shifted from a planner to an IT project manager and development manager as he gained more knowledge in web development. Community, Connection, and Career Growth Michael and Paul discussed the importance of community and connection in a world driven by social media. Paul shared his journey from a passion project to a career, highlighting the twists and turns that led him to his current role. Michael emphasized the role of community in ensuring growth and thriving, using the success of a site as an example. The conversation then shifted to Paul's recent involvement in one-on-one coaching, with Michael asking for insights into what Paul is helping people with. Addressing Algorithm Changes and Email Marketing Paul and Michael discussed the challenges businesses face due to changes in search engine algorithms and social media platforms. They emphasized the importance of community building and the role of email marketing in connecting with customers. Michael expressed frustration with companies that don't engage with customers during such changes. At the same time, Paul suggested that email marketing could be a powerful tool for building community and serving customers better. They also discussed the risks of relying solely on social media platforms, suggesting using email communities or community apps as alternatives. Paul shared his group's experience with Facebook's new rule against selling animal parts, which has affected their Facebook group's operations. Both agreed on the importance of diversifying communication channels to avoid relying too much on one platform. Adapting to Technological Advancements in Business Michael and Paul discussed the importance of community building and direct messaging in the online world, emphasizing the need for businesses to adapt to the constantly shifting landscape due to AI and other technological advancements. They agreed that relying solely on platforms like Google and Facebook is risky and that businesses need to learn how to use tools like email, text messaging, and other direct messaging platforms in a conversational and personal manner to engage with their audience. Paul also shared his excitement about upcoming events and offered his services for business growth.