Gary Vaynerchuck famously said that anyone can 'cash in on their passion' creating online communities that revolve around engaging content. The truth, though, is that you are never cashing in on your passion.

I’m a big fan of the Foolish Adventure Podcast. I’ve listened to most of the episodes. I learn a lot from Tim and Izzy. A few months back I started emailing Tim. Then we started talking on the phone.

The other day I was on the phone with my mastermind group. These super smart and successful guys were totally cracking up making fun of lifestyle design bloggers. RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY FACE!!!

I was having a conversation over dinner with one of my good friends the other night. He was telling me about his ex co-worker Daniel’s success in the real estate market.

I’ve imagined the owners of competing companies in extreme detail. Khaki shorts and t-shirt, beer in hand, half-bored with some friends on a Sunday watching a concert in the park.

For people who aren’t natural born lemonade stand entrepreneurs (I am not), the toughest part about making the transition to the entrepreneurial lifestyle is coming up with a profitable business idea.

What came next was pitch-perfect entrepreneurship. Mr. Entrepreneur took the competitor’s successful model, made a few innovative twists, and applied it to a new market.

Dan: confirmed in person as the real deal! I really love this reader’s attitude and approach to business and life, I wish he would start a blog! .The post came about just from someone doubting whether you can actually make a good living online… I do and here some key lessons I’ve learned while building my online business.

last month one of the new TMBA interns helped to jump start sales at a struggling e-commerce domain we own. For 7 months it had been averaging $1,950 monthly. Last month we generated $9,300 in sales. We’ve decided to host a private webinar on this topic, share the domain name with attendees, as well as some of the things we are doing to increase our traffic and conversions.

As many of you know the 4 Hour Work Week was a huge inspiration for me. I read the book a few weeks after it came out and literally started my business the very next day. I even printed and filled out a dream line as advocated in the book. In retrospect the book hit me at a great time. Although I was making what I thought was excellent money, I hadn’t really ramped up my commitments or my lifestyle requirements. I didn’t have a family. I didn’t feel I had tons to lose.

Time goes by fast. Exactly 10 months ago, I met Dan and Sean (from Badladz) for the first time. Naturally, our first meeting culminated in an epic night out in Manila. On the next morning, we rose at 5am (a bit too early in my opinion) to avoid traffic-jam and made our way to Puerto Galera. From this day on, I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time with Dan and Sean until I left 6 months later.

As someone who is currently earning passive income of businesses that don't have an important blogging element, I wanted to weigh in with some alternatives to commonly held opinions in the business blogosphere.

Here’s a bunch of thoughts on getting started in a new venture. I think they could help somebody start something. Especially in the lifestyle business blogosphere.

Most aspiring entrepreneurs are focused on making more money. A problem with that approach is that it often leads to short term thinking. I’ve found that when people focus less on money, and more on the underlying value they are creating, they end up being happier and doing better.

I encourage people to do an exercise that Ferriss advocates in the book: sit down and write out in precise detail exactly what you want in life. Do not write down what is realistic.

If you are rich, sexy, funny, powerful, good at the guitar, a great writer, a fast talker, a fun times maker– and I know many of you are– I am taking notes. Below you’ll find 10 principles I penned after spending a lot of time with my friend Keith.

It’s true. There are secrets to success. They are hidden everywhere, and the most incredible people around us weave them together in the most unlikely ways.

If you’ve never had your own mastermind group, I highly recommend pulling one together. You can use Craigslist, Meetup.com, Twitter, or you can go door to door. In my experience, they are incredibly valuable.

If you feel that you are in this category, my suggestion is that you create content that is part of of a paid product, program, or service. If your desire is to connect, consider expressing yourself through your products and business.

Now we've got 6 full time people on our team. As I was editing this post this evening over $1500.00 in orders came through our cart. That feeling never gets old. I always take a moment to look at the orders and to be thankful for them.