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Clay Collins is the founder of Leadbrite, the company behind LeadPages and LeadPlayer, two tools that are fast becoming the go-to-standards when it comes to collecting leads online with video and landing pages.
This interview is epic in terms of how many things Clay talks about. He was a home schooled child, a founder of a software company at 15, a college grad and PhD student with published papers, became a social media expert in particular with Digg during its heyday, a niche marketer, and a lifestyle design blogger and coach.
In more recent years he has become known as an expert at conducting prelaunches, in particular how you can determine market demand and even make sales of your product before you create it.
Clay eventually became tired of the information marketing world and wanted to sink his teeth into something potentially much bigger, and hence Leadbrite was born.
Do You Focus On What You Are Good At?
One of the most interesting things that surfaced during this interview, is how Clay eventually realised by focusing on his strengths, rather than spending time developing his weaknesses, was the path to not only greater financial success, but also personal enjoyment.
Although he jumped from different things, many of which didn’t pan out how he wanted them to, he was always moving closer to the kind of business that he knew he could commit to long term.
Today with Leadbrite, he’s in charge of a company that leverages his passion and has the potential upside that keeps Clay motivated to achieve more.
If you have ever struggled jumping from project to project, or struggled with learning disabilities or just can’t find something that feels right, this is a must-listen to interview.
The Clay Collins Story
- Clay opens his story talking about his grandfather’s citrus farm business and how that inspired him to be his own boss
- As a 15 year old, Clay drops out of highschool to start a software company during the dot com boom, with a partner who raised $120,000 in angel funding
- After the software company closes, Clay completes his college degree in psychology, which led to a PhD in learning disabilities, something that Clay personally experienced growing up
- Clay explains how he entered the world of internet marketing as a social media consultant, blogger, speaker and eventually a niche marketer and coach
- Connecting with Jeff Walker, Clay goes on to do a big launch talking about his techniques for prelaunching products online
- We end the interview with a review of how all of these experiences shaped Clay and lead him to what he does today as the founder of a software startup that is driven by what he learned as an internet marketer
Enjoy the episode,
Yaro
Relevant Links Mentioned in this Interview
- LeadPages
- Brazen Careerist
- StomperNet
- Product Launch Formula
- Internet Business Manifesto
- Project Mojave
- Four-Hour Work Week
- Steve Blank
- The Lean Startup
Where to Find Clay Online
[ Download MP3 | Transcript | iTunes | Soundcloud | Raw RSS ]
Hey Yaro, great content! But a weird background noise pops up around 4:24.
I can’t seem to replicate the noise Gary, I did manage to crash javascript once with my browser, but a refresh and it didn’t happen again.
Anyone else having problems with it?
Love success stories please do more… will be sharing this to my readers.
Yaro, it was a total privilege and honor to be interviewed by you. This was one of the first three blogs I read when I first got started, and to be featured here feels like coming full circle. Thank you.
–Clay
Hi Clay,
I’m ine if your leadPages clients.
I suffer the same too-much-on-the-table focus challenges you highlight.
I’m a Californian stationed in Singapore and would love to get-in on one of your group mentor calls.
You still doing those?
Bill
Btw, Yara, excellent hosting of the interview. It’s a breath of fresh air to listen to pros allow the guest to speak. Many hosts go-on-n-on seemingly enthralled by the sound of their own voice. Your probing yet non-critical questioning was brilliant as well. Bravo Yara
I love this interview.
Hi Yaro, I am getting background noises too. Will come back to watch again in the morning. Thanks for all the inspiration you continue to give us.
What a great inspiring story from Clay! Great tip on looking for your strengths and working on it instead of your weakness.
Hello Yaro,
I have heard interviews with Clay in other podcast. Those interviews were great, they were focusing on the product, leadPlayer, but you focused on Clay, the person, and it was a fantastic interview. It is nice to get acquaintance with the entrepreneur as opposed to the product. Thank you so much.
I had a question for support, and Clay answered within 48 hours on the company Facebook Page. Great stuff.
Hey Yaro,
Clay, you are not the only one that has had a chaotic education and business background. I’ve been to three different colleges and majored in four different majors, and still don’t have a degree. I have a learning disability too that I discovered when I went to my third school and it explains why I have a hard time with formal education. There is two types of education: school-education vs self-education. I like learning what I want to learn and not listen to teachers trying to shove subjects down my throat. I have my own interests and I agree that you should work on your strengths. It takes awhile to search out what those are when you are trying to find your way in life and your place in the world. I’ve had two businesses and they weren’t successful, but I know that I want to be an entrepreneur because that fits me. I’m presently working at a job to pay the bills, but want to go back into having my own business because I don’t like taking orders and want to determine my own future. I want to tell you are not a flake and that I congratulate you for having the guts to start the businesses that you have since most people don’t try since they figure they are going to fail anyways. It’s better to start and fail than to regret later in life that you never tried. I wish you the best of luck in the future Clay and may you strive for excellence. Always try to be better than you were yesterday. You got the right attitude.
Cheers,
Rick
Clay, I wanted to let you know that your story resonated with me.
I have a Psychology degree and I’m currently getting my MBA. Not because I am finding the education enlightening, but because I am bored. I guess I am drawn to chaos.
Thanks for the story and hope to get a copy of your product once I start making a few more $ from my website.
Thanks Yaro for this very interesting and in depth podcast. I love inspiring life journey stories and Clays is definitely one of those!
Great to hear that, like me, Clay has tried lts of things and settled on jst a few things that work for him. I think everyone is different and those so-called gurus that spout about “you should stick at one thing and one thing only” need to understand that what works fo one, maybe does not resonate for someone else!
Much sucess to both you and Clay
Thanks again for posting this interview.
Jon
Great interview, inspiring, we need more of this in today doom and gloom 24/7 news world.
mario
Nice stories how people get successful in their life but if we are only reading these stories than it have no use and if we are getting some points and rising our self with those advice than I think these stories they write have great effect and pay back to writer.