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Are you thinking of starting a podcast? Now may be the best time to do it! In this episode of Podcasting 101 with RSS.com, Alexandra Fasulo talks about how she got started in podcasting, how you can do it too, her journey as a freelancer, and how podcasting can impact the lives of your followers.
About Alexandra Fasulo
Ashley 0:18
Hey everyone, Ashley here with RSS.com Podcasting. Today we’re chatting with Alexandra Fasulo who is hosting the freelance fairy tales right here on RSS.com. Alex’s claim to fame is that she became a six figure earner and a Fiverr millionaire through her work as a freelance writer. Today, she’s teaching others how to do the same with her books, podcasts and courses. Alex, welcome to the show.
Alex 0:40
Thank you for having me. So I have been freelance writing for over seven years now. I started doing it back in 2015 -not knowing it would become as sought after or popular as it is today. I had no idea, a pandemic, the great resignation, everything was incoming. I just quit my job in 2015. I was 22. I hated it so much, and quit it. Started freelance writing. I tried a bunch of other things, but freelancing is really what took off for me. And I had a lot of success with it after a few years. I worked really hard at it though, but I started to make really good money on Fiverr and news channels and papers started to write about it. And it kind of, all this press, put me in a position where I’m almost like a freelancing influencer now, in addition to being a freelance writer. And I love it cuz I like change and everything. So you kind of catch me today, as a freelancing mentor, writer, podcast host, crazy person.
Ashley 1:37
That’s awesome, though, because it sounds like you’ve taken what was like, kind of a mainstream thing, and you’ve diversified it into multiple avenues. So I’m curious, why did you start a podcast, though?
Alex 1:50
I started a podcast in February of this year, it’s actually brand new because all the people who follow me kept begging me to do it. So I was like, okay, okay, I’ll do it. And I’m happy I did it because I have in the first season so much free information there. Now if anyone asks me any question, I just say listen to the podcast. Listen to the podcast. Like it’s just go do that.
Ashley 2:12
That’s awesome. So it basically became not only a way for you to give value back to your audience, but also to answer all their frequently asked questions, it sounds like.
Alex 2:20
Yes, it’s almost exactly like my FAQ. Although in my second season now I’m having guests on. And it’s pretty much just me bringing people on who I want to befriend. It’s just like my Alex friend club. All these people I love online, who I admire on TikTok, I’m like, come on my podcast, so I can be your friend.
Ashley 2:37
That’s awesome. That’s actually when I started my own podcast.
Alex 2:40
Right. Like it’s the best networking tool. I say that to people if not for anything else, you network with people.
Ashley 2:46
Absolutely. And it also prevents all of the brain pickers. Yeah, I’m sure you get a lot of people that are like, “Oh, can I take you to coffee and pick your brain?”
Alex 2:55
You know, oh my God, when people text me that they want to get coffee, I always want to write back to them. “Do you think I got where I am today by going to coffee?” That is a no, like, I appreciate it. But I just kindly say to them, I have like 5,000 hours of free content online instead. It’s just there for you.
Ashley 3:15
Yeah. And then if you want to buy me a coffee, you know, just send me a Starbucks gift card.
Alex 3:19
Just mail it to my house please, thank you.
Diving into Podcasting Head First
Ashley 3:21
So I’m curious, how has your business changed or improved because of your podcast?
Alex 3:30
Um, you know, I would say the podcast hasn’t really had any bearing on my copywriting business. Because everyone who is listening to it, they’re not copywriting clients. If anything, I think it just drives them deeper into my different funnels, right? So they might join my Facebook group. They might buy my ebook. They might buy my courses, they might purchase whatever is floating around. So I don’t know, like the monetary amount, but I definitely think it makes people more loyal, I guess to like The Freelance Fairytales brand.
Ashley 3:59
Okay, so would you say that it is a good way to monetize your business by, you know, teaching people who you are and kind of growing your authority base?
Alex 4:09
Yeah, I think it has a lot of benefits that are, you know, in a way like intangible, but I mean, as far as monetary benefits, I’m actually working on getting sponsors right now. There are some obvious ways you just make money from the podcast, of course. But yeah, I would say the intangible ways – Yeah, it creates brand loyalty, which I think then further, you know, gets people to trust me after they listened to it, and then they may go buy one of my online courses when they might not have in the first place.
Ashley 4:39
I’m curious when did you start the courses, like when did that come into the game? Because I know you’ve been going a long time.
Alex Talks About Her Courses
Alex 4:45
Yeah, yeah, it’s funny. The courses are actually only a little over a year old. The guy who I’ve made them with Josh – he found me on TikTok in June 2020. I actually talked to him today. He’s like one of my best friends now. I’ve recorded five courses with him, all in Salt Lake City. And we’re going to record more. We did it together – the two of us could probably make 30 courses over the next 20 years. We have all these ideas. So we’ve been starting, you know, recording them since June 2020. And they went up for sale October 2020. So they’re really kind of new. Um, but I think they’re incredible. I love online courses. I take them all the time. I’m taking one right now in real estate. They get a lot of hate, but I think I think they’re the future of education. I love them.
Ashley 5:32
I agree completely. I mean, they say it’s going to be like a multiple billion dollar industry by 2025. So yeah, and it’s a great way to like, learn so much that you used to, like it used to have, what do you call it? There were gatekeepers, and now everything online, you can find anything that you want to know.
Alex 5:50
Yeah. And I know, people come at me for them really hard, but I am just like, “Listen, no one’s making you buy them.” I don’t know why you’re so you know, you’re hating. It’s like $35. I mean, I get it. I know there’s people out there who have hijacked it unfortunately and charge like $5,000 or something crazy and people get scammed. But I’m always like, guys use your best judgment. If someone’s charging you $35 and has a free podcast. I’m probably not trying to rip you off.
Ashley 6:18
Right? Right. It’s up to them if they want to go and spend too much money.
Alex 6:22
But yeah, like, I’m just like, I come in peace.
Ashley 6:26
I like that. I like that a lot. Yeah. So how are you promoting your show?
Alex 6:32
The podcast show?
How Alex is Promoting the Podcast
Ashley 6:33
Yes, the podcast. How are you promoting the podcast?
Alex 6:36
I’m actually not doing a great job of promoting right now. I always end up doing, like so many things at once, which is a character flaw of mine. I post about it to Instagram. I have graphics made in Canva. So I post about it there. I post the episode, the video component onto my YouTube. And I actually have my video editor cut them down into little, you know, bite sized pieces that I can throw up on Instagram reels, Pinterest pins, and TikTok, but I’m kind of behind on it. I’m bad. Actually, you’re reminding me I need to catch up on marketing.
Ashley 7:06
Well still, I think you must be doing something right? Because you keep coming up on our community page. That’s actually one of the reasons I was so excited to talk to you is because you’re actually on the RSS.com platform. Is there any specific reason that you chose RSS?
Alex 7:21
No, back in February, I knew absolutely nothing about recording a podcast. I’m actually really not tech savvy and people would laugh, “Like what are you talking about?” I’m like, I’m good with my phone. I’m good with Fiverr, that’s where it ends. When it comes to equipment, my brain explodes. So I just posted on Instagram. I was like, “Anyone out there know how to launch a podcast? Please help!” And, I was reading blogs but it’s like they, you know, start to hurt my brain where it’s like – get this hertz on this mic and I’m just like, “Oh, someone make this easy for me.” So I don’t know who it was. Someone messaged me and kind of made it very easy. Like, you know, get the Yeti mic. Okay, I got that. Get the backdrop and they said go on RSS.com and upload it there. I’m like, okay, so that was just that was that was it.
Ashley 8:04
That’s awesome. My favorite thing about it is that you can start a podcast in less time it takes to order a drink at your favorite coffee house.
Alex 8:12
Yeah, absolutely. I think I let it get to me a little bit. The quality you know, the intimidation of, “Oh, God, it has to be a good sound.” But once I got this, you know this mic like that everyone has this Yeti thing. I was like, Okay, this isn’t so bad. I can do this. I think it’s just a mic and my laptop. We can do that.
Ashley 8:31
I love it. It’s funny. You say that thing about the intimidation of starting, because that’s actually why I launched my show on April 1. So that if it was horrible, I could say it was an April Fool’s joke.
Alex 8:42
Yeah, I know. Right? Isn’t that like, I know and that’s how I’ve always felt about YouTube too. And YouTube honestly, the equipment requirement I think I’m gonna possibly give up on that one, because that’s just not the wireless mic, camera here. Camera here, light here, you know, blurred background. I’m just like, I can’t do this. Can’t do this. Because I try and all the people in the comments there mean they’ll be like, “Great content, horrible audio. ” And I’m just like, can someone just send a team to me like I have the content, I just need help.
Ashley 9:14
Yeah, that’s actually why so many people actually hire people to like have the whole studio set up for them. Like one of my favorite podcasters Denise Duffield Thomas. She goes and rents out an Airbnb. And then she brings in a video team, and they just film everything for the entire year in three days.
Alex 9:30
Yeah, exactly. I know that’s actually a good idea to rent a studio and just like pound it out.
What Alex Would Like to See For Her Podcast’s Future
Ashley 9:36
Yeah, yeah. So where do you see, or what do you see for the future of your podcast?
Alex 9:42
Ah, I would like to, I mean, just keep growing it. I would love to have it rank higher in the business world. I would really love to have it almost blossom potentially into I guess maybe like a TV type thing. I really think our news in our country and stuff is lacking and reporting on the gig economy. And, I would love to be, like, seen as like a gig economist type thought leader person that maybe gets, like, called on to a news channel every so often to give the state of freelancing that day.
Ashley 10:13
If The Today Show is listening, call Alex.
Alex 10:16
Well, I mean, whenever I turn the news on, which I try not to do, because it’s not a great thing to listen to, but when I do turn it on, it’s so archaic. Like, it’s talking about, still, it doesn’t report on any of this. And this is everything right now. So I’m like, “How is this not being reported on our television?” This is nuts.
Ashley 10:35
It is. It’s absolutely insane. So I’m curious. Um, what are your favorite podcasts? Like, what do you listen to?
Alex 10:42
Um, you know, it’s funny I got asked this yesterday and I got outed as I really don’t listen to a lot of them. The only one I listened to and this is gonna probably get me hate as well is Joel Osteen’s podcast. Okay, I love him. Um, I think if people are hating on him, whatever, it’s a really great mindset podcast. I think that can help you rewire how you think about things if you know, like, if you’re predisposed to think negatively, instantly. I definitely think listening to it can help you rewire. Ya know, why don’t I think about it positively? That’s right now kind of the only one that I listen to. I’m like, I’m very new to podcasting. I have to get more into it, and listen to them.
Ashley 11:22
Okay, well, after the show I’ll send you some recommendations.
Alex 11:24
Okay, good.
Ashley 11:26
Regarding the negativity and stuff like that. I’m a big fan of, like, Abraham Hicks and Brad Yates. The tap daddy is what one of my friends calls him because he’s all about tapping and, and all that good stuff. So that’s why I was just curious, because, you know, in this game, everybody’s listening to different podcasts and talking about different podcasts. And it’s interesting how a lot of the people that like podcasts, don’t listen to podcasts in their niche.
Alex 11:51
Yeah, yeah I know, that’s funny right? Because I listen to like Christian ones, which is kind of like I don’t listen to any in the business world yet. Um, but I should. So thank you for that reminder.
Ashley 12:03
Yeah, so this has just been like “reminders for Alex” in this whole episode.
Alex 12:07
And you gotta you know, you need people to like, keep you in line with stuff.
Where Alex Finds Guests for Her Podcast
Ashley 12:11
I love it. So where do you find your guests? Because you said you’re now having guests.
Alex 12:16
Yeah, so, I pretty much, this season, most of my podcast guests are from TikTok. I love TikTok. I’m like, very honest about this. It’s my favorite social media app by far. I spend all my time on it. Get all my business basically from it. And I’ve just used my podcast this season as a way to bring on all the other incredible business people on TikTok, who I like low-key want to be friends with. So that’s my season. It’s just TikTok business people. But they’re all incredible people on TikTok with, like, hundreds or thousands of followers killing it in their niches. They’re not all necessarily on Fiverr. I’ve had all sorts of people come on. And it’s been really enjoyable, like the connections that I’ve made with them.
Ashley 12:58
Wow. It’s amazing how in such a diverse industry, there’re so many ways that you can connect with people. Yeah, yeah. So are you still doing a lot of freelance writing?
Alex 13:11
You know, to be honest, right now, I’m doing the least amount I’ve ever done in my entire career, because my best friend now manages my agency for me. Which was, you know, kind of a funny moment to hand that over after all of this time, but I wasn’t able to do things like have guests on podcasts, go on other people’s podcasts, and grow the media brand. I couldn’t do that and run the business at the same time. So I was like, I got to be a practical business person here and recognize, it’s okay to step away from the baby. You know, she’ll do good with it. So, my freelance writing is at a very low amount right now. And it’s been kind of funny. It’s been like my identity all this time. But that is partially on purpose as well, because I am anticipating. Hopefully, I cannot share any more info about it. But, hopefully, I’ll be writing my first book soon.
Ashley 13:59
That’s so exciting. That’s exciting. Well, you’ll still be writing, so you’ll still be writing just not as a ghost anymore.
Alex 14:05
Exactly. Right. It’s time to step out of the shadows and come alive.
Dealing With Haters
Ashley 14:09
Yeah. Now, one of the things you mentioned is you said you have been getting a lot of hate. How do you deal with the online haters?
Alex 14:16
Not well, I mean, I think I’m growing as fast as I can, in the face of it. It kind of all just happened so quickly. But I think now, you know, my mindset is maturing. So most of the time when I see it, if it’s there I’ll just giggle and be like, oh, you know, I know that person’s definitely not a good place, whatever. Occasionally, though, when something will go viral, and there will be 1000s of people writing the meanest things about me. And when I see it, I get upset for a night or so. And it makes me want to quit social media, but I just put the phone down. I read a book, say some prayers. Go to bed. Usually I wake up and I’m like, I can do this. I got this. I think the key is just working on you know how you think about it and also creating time in between you and looking at what’s on here, like just, put it down.
Ashley 15:05
So what would you say to the person that’s afraid to start their podcast? For that reason
Alex 15:11
I would say to them, don’t think about the people who are going to hate you. Think about even if it’s just one person in the world whose life you’re going to change for the better. Not only obviously, it’s so amazing for that person that you did that for them. But you are going to feel better for that, too. There’s definitely a part of the human soul that we just feel better if we think we are helping people. I think a lot of people don’t realize that because they’ve been in the same nine to five their whole life where they’re not necessarily helping people. Maybe they’re chasing down taxpayers or something that doesn’t feel, like, great to them. But once you get that first taste of it, if someone emails you and says, Hey, your podcast changed my life, print that out, put it on the wall, put it on your laptop, and just go with that.
Ashley 15:53
I think that’s, I think that’s beautiful. Because just the fact that you can raise your voice with just a microphone, that you can reach people and actually help them. It’s such a good time to start a podcast.
Alex 16:04
Oh, definitely. And it’s yeah, it’s amazing. I mean, there’s a lot of bad things, right, that happen with technology and social media, but I think there’s a lot of good things too. So you really have to work on just thinking about that side of it.
Ashley 16:17
I like that. So where can people find you online?
Alex 16:20
Oh, God, I’m everywhere. Pretty much just look my name up on any social media app. My last name is pretty unique. So I just pop up Alex Fasulo. I’m sure you guys will have it, if you want me to spell it. Otherwise, I’m sure you’ll have it.
Ashley 16:34
I’ll put it in there.
Alex 16:35
Okay, all right. Yeah. Um, yeah, if you just look up Alex Fasulo on any social media site, I will pop up. My podcast is The Freelance Fairytales on all major podcasting sites.
Ashley 16:48
And right here on RSS.com.
Alex 16:50
Right here on RSS.com. Yeah. And then my website again, alexfasulo.com. Pretty much just Google my name and ignore all the Reddit threads saying I’m a liar.
Ashley 16:58
I didn’t actually ask you this. But are there any projects that you’re working on you want to tell people about? I know you said you can’t mention the book. But
Alex 17:05
I know I, unfortunately, can’t give any more away about that. I mean, I’m definitely working on growing my podcast. So if you don’t listen, please come by leaving five star reviews. It is greatly greatly appreciated. Let’s see what else. I’m working, always on so many things. But I just can’t say until they go live, unfortunately. So follow me on social media. I post constantly like a crazy person. And I post a lot of free resources and news tips and everything to help you with your freelancing journey.
Ashley 17:34
Well, if someone was wanting to be a freelancer, where’s the first product you would direct them to?
Alex 17:39
I would say go to my website, alexfasulo.com, because it links to my free Facebook group, which is really incredible for people. It links to my online courses, links to my ebook, and my podcast. So for those things, I think if you consume everything in them, you will be a master freelancer.
Ashley 17:56
I love it. I absolutely love it. Well, I really appreciate the time that you’ve spent with me today. Is there anything that I didn’t ask that you wish I had?
Alex 18:03
No. This was great.
Ashley 18:06
I mean, yeah, I feel like there’s something I should have asked. But I’m, I’m not thinking of it. But I am kind of curious, though, because Fiverr is gonna keep coming up. Right? What do you think about Fiverr these days?
Alex 18:19
I have to give you the on camera answer, because off camera’s spicier. Um, you know, I see them in a very unemotional way, right? Like they’ve captured the largest share of the freelancing market. So it’s still to me the best place to get on, get experience, scale a business, do all of it. It’s still the best. They don’t pay me. We do not have a partnership at all. Me and them are not buddy-buddy. So I share that out of the goodness of my heart, meaning I actually believe it is still the best place to get started on. Would I be upset if some other site unseeded it? Not at all, because I don’t want to, I mean, they’re getting more pay to play which I hate. They take a percentage of the tips you get. They’re greedy. You know? They are a corporation. And I’m not shy that I don’t love them. So.
Ashley 19:10
I honestly didn’t know that they take a portion of the tips.
Alex 19:13
Yeah. Oh, yeah, they take money anywhere they can get their little fingers into and I don’t love that, but it is what it is. You have to be practical about it. And that’s why I also encourage people after a few years, get off of there and open your own agency. You know, don’t, don’t pay into them forever.
Ashley 19:29
When did you start your agency?
Alex 19:32
Officially this year, funnily enough, but I’ve been taking on private clients for the whole time. But this year was the year I started to actually hire help, hire writers, virtual assistants, my best friend who manages it, LLC it, you know, take it seriously. Finally this year, and you might ask why? Why did you wait that long? And it’s honestly because I did not have the time to start it until this year. Like I don’t know how to communicate how busy I have been on Fiverr the last six years. Like I never took a day off. Because it’s hard to walk away from business like flying and flying in the door. But I’m not advocating anybody do anything irresponsible like that. I’m not promoting hustle culture, please take care of yourselves. Hire virtual assistants. Getting help is okay.
Ashley 20:20
Well, you had speaking of hiring virtual assistants, you posted a TikTok, I think it was TikTok, a couple days ago that said, you know that there are this many days left in the year and that if you were to hire someone every single day for the next, what was it 50 days that you can be financially free by next year? Will you speak a little bit about that?
Alex 20:36
Yeah, so what I was saying is that if you put only one hour in every day, so 50 hours between now and 2022, and follow all of the trillions of things I have on my TikTok, you could become financially free – meaning you no longer have to worry about finances and in a capacity or paying your bills. So for a lot of people that might be making 5k a month or so to pay off their bills or current debt, interest, everything. And there’s so many ways you can go about doing that. But one of them would be getting on Fiverr, setting it up. Opening services. I just had a girl on my podcast who’s about to make over 100k her first year freelancing, it’s just nuts the money that is in it. But yeah, if you spend, I think 50 hours, every day, you know, just putting more and more time into making sure your business is perfect. Studying the competition, getting the pricing, right branding, right. And then hiring an agency manager and virtual assistants, it could technically run itself by January. But then when I say that people are like, “What are you talking about?” I’m like, it’s actually not easy, but it’s simple. That’s what I always say, it’s not going to be easy, but it’s actually simple.
Ashley 21:43
And then the sad thing is that only like 1% of the people that are listening to this are even going to do it. So I think that’s probably why you get a lot of the lie culture saying, “Oh, yeah, she’s a liar.” Well, have you tried it?
Alex 21:54
That’s exactly it, and I understand it can sound overwhelming in theory, but I mean, that’s life. Like, you’ve got to just push past that sometimes. It’s worth it. Just, you know, just put the work in, I promise.
Ashley 22:08
Now, I have to ask you this. When you quit your job, what was it six years ago now from that lofty PR job in 2015? Did you think that this would be how your life would unfold?
Alex 22:20
Not for a single second. And I know people today when they’re like, “Oh, that’s the Fiverr girl, she makes all this money, she must be all this type of way.” I’m like you guys, I quit that job. And I thought I was going to be a starving artist, you know, an author trying to get one book in my lifetime in a store. I was so ready to make 20k a year, and I’m not trying to sound insensitive. If people are listening from around the world, that might be a lot of money to them. I’m just saying from New York City standards, it was not a lot of money. So I was all ready to eat ramen, and sit in cafes to use the WiFi, and I didn’t care because I just did not want to be in an office. That’s all I knew. And I was like, You know what, even if I make no money, I’m happy. I’m writing. I’m my own boss. Life is good. And I never, ever in a million years thought it would be where it has come to. I honestly still wake up and can’t believe it. Like I honestly still wake up and I’m like, What the eff?
Ashley 23:20
And yeah, plus you never have the same day twice it sounds like.
Alex 23:26
Oh my gosh, no, no, you know, but it’s like, I can tell with all like the emails, I’m getting stuff like this is still only just the beginning with all of it. And it’s all because I decided to check out a site where you can make $5 at the time. And a lot of people laughed at me for that.
Ashley 23:41
I can understand that. Because I mean, $5 doesn’t sound like much, but now keep putting in the work, and next thing you know, it becomes a lot more than $5.
Alex 23:49
Absolutely. And that that was my – I didn’t have any, like, ego with it. I was like, Okay, you can go ahead and laugh about it. But it bought me this sandwich. So I’m okay with it. I don’t have any pride that I need to be any other kind of way, then the irony is, you know, three years later, all of a sudden, all this money is coming. And I’m just like, life is so funny. So that’s why I encourage people to take risks because you actually have no idea.
Ashley 24:15
That’s true. And that’s why you should start a podcast.
Alex 24:18
Start a podcast. Like exactly, I mean, you don’t know who’s listening. Um, you’ve no idea who’s listening. You might get a book deal. Someone might invite you to be on a TV show. You might meet your husband. You might, you know. You have no idea who is listening. You have no idea when you bring a guest on – you might hit it off. I’ve hit it off with some of my podcast guests so well I’m actually working on two different business ideas with them like running a business with these people. I’ll take it. That works.
Ashley 24:44
Well. I think I really am wrapped now. I think I’ve answered, er I mean I’ve asked every question I wanted to ask but if there’s anything else that you can think of that you want to share, I’d love to hear it.
Alex 24:55
No, I mean anyone listening just don’t be afraid. Just open, start the podcast, get the mic, share your thoughts. There’s one person in the world it’s gonna help, and that’s what this is all about. Right?
Ashley 25:09
Yeah. And start your business.
Alex 25:11
Yes, like that’s it. Just do it. Just do it.
