Welcome to the Fail To Learn Resources section.
I am routinely asked about the products and services we use and recommend. To make my life easier, I created this page to send people and share with you.
These are critical to my businesses today. I highly recommend these resources and I personally use, or have tested, each of the resources below.
Naturally, this will change as we discover more items of interest and if/when products or services fall out of favor. Enjoy:
ActiveCampaign is the backbone of my business and my #1 recommendation. It is an all-in-one marketing solution. You get a lead (or simply an email address) and it automagically delivers your content to your clients and prospects, exactly when and how you want it delivered.
They’ve taken all the marketing automation, CRM, and email marketing tools that you find in more expensive systems and makes it easier and less expensive to use (plans start at $9/month). I can’t live without ActiveCampaign.
If you want to build a business that runs on autopilot, this is where you want to start.
ThriveThemes is a suite of WordPress tools that make your site a beautiful marketing machine.
You can create elegant sites with Thrive WordPress Themes and Thrive Content Builder. You can quickly create email optin forms with Thrive Leads. And Thrive Ultimatum gives you the ability to use scarcity to create action and make more sales.
All ThriveTheme products easily integrate with ActiveCampaign and other WordPress themes.
All of my sites are hosted with SiteGround. Why? Because they make it easy to setup WordPress with 1-click installations (they’re a recommended host by WordPress.org). They also have some of the best support I’ve ever had to work with at a web hosting company.
If you’re running WordPress you understand the need for a fast and secure website. They also have a several free tools to make your site fast and secure. Other hosts can’t say the same.
After using a dozen other hosts, I’ve found SiteGround to be my favorite and more reliable.
Trello is the coolest project management tool I’ve used. Imagine sticking cards up on the wall to track your project. You get a nice visual reminder of where you’re at with each piece. That’s what Trello does, but online.
I have several boards set up for different projects. Most importantly are things like my editorial calendar, the podcast publishing schedule, along with other projects and personal goals.
Here’s the best part, it’s free. You can pay for upgraded features but you most likely won’t need them.
Podcasting Specific Resources:
The equipment I use to record and host the Fail To Learn podcast.
Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB Cardioid Dynamic USB/XLR Microphone
This is the best introductory microphone I’ve found for podcasting. It gives great vocal range without taking in a lot of background noise, which is important to minimizing the amount of mixing you’ll have to do to make your recordings sound spectacular.
It has a USB connection, so you can start using it right out of the box. Or you can use the XLR cable for more advanced setup. If you’re searching for a mic to use in one location, this is the one to get. It’s the mic I use for almost everything right now, and the price is right.
Samson Meteor Microphone
This was my first microphone and I love the way it sounds. It isn’t a directional mic, like the ATR2100, and will give you a little more background noise but the quality is amazing for the price. I take it with me when I travel and have an adapter that allows me to record amazing sound directly into my iPad or iPhone.
This is a USB only mic. If you’re searching for a more versatile microphone option, the Meteor is a great choice. And, like the ATR2100, the price is perfect for beginners.