LISTEN: Podcasters Killed the YouTube Star
Yesterday, I had the great pleasure of speaking with Win Kelly Charles on her podcast Ask Win. It’s always gratifying to speak with someone who defies expectations, and Win one of those superstars. Win doesn’t allow cerebral palsy to stop her from achieving her goals and has written multiple books, is in school for journalism, works a part-time job, and runs two podcasts.
We discussed disability, social media marketing, and building a work-from-home business from scratch. Listen to the interview on Ask Win here!
“I get hit with [Addison’s Disease], and I either slow down or die.”
One of things we touched on was thriving with a disability. Whatever your limitations, it’s important to do what makes you happy and healthy. In the social media world, disabled creators have been experimenting with radical authenticity for some time. Instead of only showing images of themselves at their best, they’re sharing pictures and images when they’re at their worst. Not to attract pity, but to show others that it’s okay to be you, and it’s okay if you sometimes need a break.
For someone without a chronic illness or disability, this can look like a self-care day at the spa, reading a book in the bath, or taking some time for nature. (For me, it might be taking an extra dose of medication and sleeping half the day away.) But that doesn’t stop me, and that’s part of the reason why owning your own consulting business or side hustle is so critical for your happiness and the personal freedom. Not that’s it’s always easy.
Having a good mentor can really help you succeed faster and avoid some common mistakes. One of the programs I’ve joined is the No Pants Project, which really accelerated my growth in the past few months. You can learn more about the No Pants Project here. Mike Shreeve delivers a lot of free value to his email list, and I highly recommend his online courses (and no, I’m not an affiliate so I don’t get paid anything for this shout-out).
“You can still be successful, you can still be an overachiever…but you don’t necessarily have to follow the traditional 9 - 5.”
That’s been one of the key takeaways of the digital age after the economic crash, and another reason why owning a digital-based business works for me. Traditional jobs are disappearing just as opportunities are opening for remote work, digital-first jobs, and knowledge work. That’s why I’m working on No Shirt No Shoes No Office, an online course to teach people how to start a social media marketing business from the comfort of their home – or the nearest library.
“The only thing that is secure is having multiple streams of income.”
This is a fact that Win is very clearly understands as well – multiple streams of income should be the new normal. With the rapid transformation of most industries, outsourcing, and automation, it’s important to protect yourself with more than one way to bring in the dough.
In the episode, she said:
“I was one of the thousands of Americans who lost her job…in the economic crash. And then on top of it, lost my biological mom in 2010. Talk about a double whammy there! But when I lost my job, I said I’m never doing this again. I’m always having a stream of income – always – just in case my W2 job walks away.” - Win Kelly Charles
More About Ask Win
Win created the Ask Win podcast to provide a platform for others to share their wisdom and encourage listeners to make their lives the best they can be. Her podcast helps others with physical and mental disabilities find their voices through written or spoken word, using today's assistive technologies as needed. She’s incredibly prolific. She’s written 4 books and records dozens of podcast interviews a month.
Ask Win is a podcast featuring conversations with those who are making a difference in this world. You can listen to my interview and subscribe to Ask Win here.