In this session of The Smart Passive Income Podcast I have the pleasure of interviewing Brendan Hufford, a full time teacher who has built a successful product-based niche site using many of the strategies outlined here on the SPI blog. It’s a profitable “niche within a niche” website and the incredible part is that this product-based niche website houses a very active and thriving community, which most product-based review-type sites do not have or even attempt to build.
Brendan’s website can be found at GiReviews.net where he talks about and reviews Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gis (bjj gis).
For those of you who don’t know, a gi is a two-piece garment worn in martial arts.
Like I said: niche within a niche, but he found it and it’s awesome. Although he still teaches full-time his website has allowed him to expand on his interest in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and provide something new to the market that wasn’t there before, and in addition to the side-income he has bigger plans with his site that will make a positive impact on the lives of several other people around the world.
Thanks for Listening!
Thank you again, Brendan, for sharing your story with us here on Smart Passive Income!
Get ready for a special upcoming 50th session of the Smart Passive Income Podcast. You’re not going to want to miss it. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast below to get it automatically to your computer or device when it’s available.
Cheers, and all the best to you!
Today’s Guest
Brendan Hufford
Today I’m joined by Brendan Hufford, a full-time teacher who has built a successful product-based niche site using many of the strategies outlined here on the SPI blog.
Website
You’ll Learn
- Exactly what made Brendan decide to go after this niche and why he turned it into a community.
- How Brendan’s dog is involved in his gi review website.
- How the Be Everywhere strategy fits into Brendan’s overall traffic strategy. And yes, he has a podcast for this niche too.
- Many of the mistakes Brendan made when he first started.
- How he partners with brands for reviews and giveaways, and how he gets free stuff from them too.
- Brendan’s affiliate marketing and email list strategy.
- How what he does online helps him in his personal live.
- The productivity and content schedule he uses while also working as a full-time teacher.
- The “bigger world” things that are happening as a result of starting his gi review website.
- The role that transparency plays in his brand, and more!
Resources
Note: Some of the resources below may be affiliate links, meaning I receive a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you use that link to make a purchase.
- GiReviews.net
- The 4-Hour Work Week [Amazon affiliate link]
- The Backlinking Strategy that Works
- ShoyoRol Gis
- Zen Habits
- SPI Podcast Session #047: Maintaining a Balanced Life
- Mailchimp
- Aweber [Note: I now recommend ConvertKit instead of Aweber.]
- Affiliate Marketing the Smart Way
- 4 Types of Autoresponder Series
- SPI Podcast Session #09 with Nicole Dean