Money expert LISA JOHNSON reveals 5 tips to cash in on the knowledge you already have in your head – and it works for everyone from dog walkers to accountants

When I introduce myself and talk about my backstory and path to success, I usually say something along the lines of “I’m nothing special.” Trust me, this is not a humble brag or a not-so-subtle scheme to be bombarded with positive affirmations!

What I mean by this is that I was not accepted into some clandestine society where they passed on the secret code to be successful as an entrepreneur.

The reason I’ve built a company worth many seven-figure sums over the past eight years, secret societies aside, is because I realized early on that if I wanted to be successful, I had to find out what I was good at. In my case, this was providing insight into how others could organize their business more effectively and strategically.

Once I got this straight, I wanted to find a way to sell one to many instead of one to one, which meant I wouldn’t be chained to my desk until stupid time every night.

In my first year as a business coach I earned around £220,000. Pretty good, right? That was more than five times what I earned in a year at my normal job. But I realized that I was working an average of 80 hours a week to earn this amount.

So I still wasn’t spending enough time with my twins, who are now twelve. I had left a 9 to 5 job to work from 6am to 10pm instead. This was not the independent life I had imagined.

A year later I was earning over £1 million a year and working an average of 30 hours a month.

This happened because I realized that I was teaching my 121 clients the same things over and over again.

I had developed steps, phases and strategies to simplify their journey from time-starved stress heads to productivity professionals.

So I did the right thing, I wrote it down, I packaged it up and it now supports my teaching in all my groups and programs, but especially my flagship product One To Many®.

So I’m pretty well placed to give advice when I hear this next sentence. (Which I hear a lot, by the way.)

‘I have a lot of knowledge, but I don’t know what to do with it’

Okay, so the first step is realizing that you can use the knowledge in your head, whatever it is.

Think back to the days when a cell phone meant an extra-long coiled cable on the landline and doing homework meant going to the library.

We are talking about BTI. (Before The Internet!) It was the introduction of the easily accessible world that the Internet offered that got the ball rolling. People started to realize that they could learn from other people, so they started to think.

‘Why couldn’t I do that? “That guy gets thousands of clicks showing us how to change the filter in the dryer. Why can’t I share my knowledge?’

Millions of people around the world realized that the people they were looking at were actually just a few steps away from them and their knowledge.

We all know different things. Think about what you know. Think about your current job, your previous job, your hobbies, your interests.

I’ve worked with hula hoopers, dog walkers, personal trainers, accountants and everything in between!

The only thing they had in common was that they knew things. And if you know something, you can sell that knowledge.

Before the world shrunk to the tiny box in your hands or on your desk, sharing that knowledge would have been a major challenge. You would have gone to the village hall once a week, or to a newsletter, or to an advertisement in the local newspaper.

But thanks to the Internet, anyone can share their knowledge and grow their business from the comfort of their own home.

So here are my top tips on how to make money with the knowledge in your head:

1. Don’t make the mistake that so many make “I can’t do that because it’s been done before”

Think about how many barber shops there are on an average high street. They all offer the same service, but they all manage to make ends meet. This is because they bring their own branding, their own specialties, their own personality. I’d even go so far as to say that if something hasn’t been done before, it’s probably not a good idea!

2. Once you realize and appreciate what you know, the next question is how to sell it

There are lots of different methods: programs, courses, memberships and workshops, so it’s worth familiarizing yourself with the options to see what works best for you.

With programs you learn your knowledge live online for a certain period.

Courses are usually a more passive version of a program, often using videos or workbooks; memberships are simply online communities. It’s less about learning, more about interacting with like-minded people.

3. Take the time to grow your audience

If no one knows you exist, you won’t sell anything, no matter how broad your knowledge is. If you want to turn your knowledge into a profitable and sustainable business, it is imperative to do all the preparatory work from the very beginning.

I’ve often said that the only success I’ve ever had is getting more than six hours of sleep, and this is 100% true if you’re serious about making money from your knowledge.

4. Don’t assume that knowledge has to come from your work history

Very often it is a pastime or hobby that forms the basis for a business that people want to know more about.

Think about what really fuels your fire, because what is certainly true is that you are much more likely to succeed when you do something you are passionate about.

5. If you’re just starting out, don’t think that everything you do has to be super professional all the time

I’ve sold courses just by filming 20 minute tutorials on my iPhone. If you feel inspired, just go for it. People will like you (and therefore trust you) much more if you are relatable.

Don’t give yourself the excuse that you need a lot of professional equipment and software to sell your knowledge. You do not do that. Remember: progress over perfection.

Lisa Johnson is a global business strategist who runs That Strategy Co, helping ambitious people create passive and semi-passive income streams