Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Remember the first time you realised you could never be happy clock-watching in someone else’s office? Brian Clark had the same epiphany – and turned it into a series of eight-figure ventures built on words, audiences and low-overhead tech.
Founder of Copyblogger, StudioPress, Further and the Unemployable podcast, Brian has spent two decades proving that a tiny, fiercely creative team can out-punch lumbering corporates – and live life on their own terms. In this opening episode of Season 4 he lays out a playbook for anyone who quietly suspects they are ‘proudly unemployable’ too.
Episode summary
Brian Clark
Brian is the writer-turned-entrepreneur who created Copyblogger – once dubbed ‘the bible of content marketing’. With zero outside investment he spun that blog into an eight-figure suite of digital businesses including StudioPress themes, Rainmaker software and two widely read newsletters (Copyblogger and Further). Today he hosts the Unemployable podcast, championing small, high-profit ventures that prioritise independence over headcount.
Big ideas in this conversation
- Audience first, product second – build the relationship, then create what those people ask for.
- ‘Seven-figure-small’ – lean teams plus technology can out-earn bigger rivals and keep the owner sane.
- Content as leverage – free, useful media does the selling, provided you offer something other than adverts.
- Freedom over scale – growth only matters if it buys you choices, not extra bosses.
Advice worth hearing in full
- Write for the client you want – publish answers to their questions and they will come to you.
- Create your ‘responsibility tribe’ – decide which people you choose to serve, then obsess about helping them.
- Test before you build – use content to prove demand long before you invest in products, staff or code.
Where next?
If Brian’s approach appeals, visit Further.net for practical guidance and real-world examples to help you shape a nimble, profitable practice on your own terms.
About The 21st Century Creative podcast
Hosted by creative coach and award-winning poet Mark McGuinness, The 21st Century Creative podcast helps you succeed as a creative professional amid the demands, distractions and opportunities of the 21st century.
Each episode features insights from Mark and interviews with outstanding creators – including artists, writers, performers, commercial creatives, directors, producers, entrepreneurs and other creative thought-leaders.
Make sure you receive every episode by subscribing in Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.
Join the mailing list to have every episode delivered to your inbox, along with the free 21st Century Creative Foundation Course.
