I didn't start ThinkGrowProsper with the intention of turning it into a business. It began as a private Instagram page in 2014 that was meant to keep me inspired during a difficult time in my life.
Fast forward a year, it had amassed an audience of about 100,000 followers. I starting receiving messages of gratitude from complete strangers. People were inspired and moved by my posts.
I was enjoying creating this content that seemed to resonate with so many people and I wanted to keep doing it...but I also had to eat! If I wanted to continue, I knew I needed to figure out a way to start making some money to compensate myself for the time I was spending on this project, which was up to 5-6 hours a day.
Thankfully, a few online brands started reaching out to me for help building their social media audience. I also got offers for some sponsored posts. But I was unorganized at best and honestly, had no idea what I was doing.
Eventually, my wife, Vanessa quit her job to help me sort things out. She built the website, helped create our mini-course, and got us legally set up. She also encouraged me to start the blog.
But it wasn't until I took B-School that we were able to take things to the next level.
Enter B-School
I don't outright endorse many products or services but when I do it's because I feel strongly about them and truly believe in them. Marie Forleo's B-School falls into this category.
B-School (short for business school) gave me practical tools and strategies for growing my business. It helped me clarify my vision for ThinkGrowProsper and reconnect with why this work was important to me in the first place. More than anything, it taught me the right mindset for creating a successful, long-lasting business.
“Today, when people ask me how they can start an online business or do meaningful work, my official short answer is: Start with B-School.”
Over the years, I've taken my share of online business courses but none rival B-School. It is probably the most comprehensive course on starting an online business available anywhere on the internet. It's also far less expensive (and arguably more useful) than getting an MBA.
B-School gave me and Vanessa the tools and strategies to successfully market our first paid course and helped us realize who we were as a company and who we were trying to reach.
If, like me, you've ever wondered:
how to do meaningful work that's also profitable,
how to authentically market your product or service,
or how to bring your unique ideas to the world...
...then B-School might be just the course for you. Marie Forleo is a master teacher and walks you through mindset-shifting exercises that to help you discover your own unique answers to these questions.
“More than anything, B-School taught me the right mindset for creating a successful, long-lasting business.”
B-School helped me clarify who I was, what kind of business I was running, and what value I offered (and who exactly I offered it to).
I realized I was a multi-passionate entrepreneur who owned an educational media company that provided resources to enrich the minds and improve the lives of its customers. (This clarification alone was HUGE mindset shift for me. )
I also realized that many of my readers were, in many ways, versions of me. They had stories, struggles, and desires very much like my own and were looking for guidance along the way.
These insights led me to create The Mindset Shifts Masterclass, a 6-week deep-dive course that distills a decade's worth of my own research to empower people to become their own mentor.
Writing My Success Story
So what happened to ThinkGrowProsper?
Well, that humble little Instagram account eventually turned into a blog, media company, educational platform, and lifestyle brand with a global audience of over 3 million people. We just celebrated our 5-year anniversary last month!
Ninety-nine percent of the content I create is free but B-School helped me figure out how to monetize my platform in a tactful and effective way.
I've worked with best-selling authors and have been fortunate enough to connect with the very people who inspired me to pursue an online business in the first place.
Vanessa and I have also had the freedom to travel while running this business over the last few years. More importantly, now that we are expecting our first child (!) I’m so grateful to have the flexibility that allows us to take maternity/paternity leave and to have created a business where we are able be as present as possible while we raise our little one.
And I owe a much of my success to B-School.
I wish I had taken it years before I did. It would have made my path much less rocky and given me so much more confidence about what I was doing and where I was going.
Today, when people ask me how they can start an online business or do meaningful work, my official short answer is: Start with B-School.
If you'd like to experience Marie's dynamic teaching style, she is offering a FREE video training this week. You can check it out here.
Ruben Chavez is a lifestyle philosopher and personal development educator. His passion for personal development inspired him to create the Instagram account, ThinkGrowProsper, which has amassed over 3 million followers. Along with his blog, these platforms are his way of inspiring and connecting with thoughtful, creative, and ambitious people just like you.
P.S. Even if B-School isn't right for you, I highly recommend checking out Marie's free content like this training video . It's better than most paid courses out there. Seriously.
P.P.S. I only endorse products that I have personally used and love. I'm a proud partner of Marie Foleo's B-School because I know firsthand how powerful of a tool it has been for helping me create a business and life I love. That said, in the spirit of full disclosure, if you end up enrolling in B-School via my link, I may receive a referral fee.