Every trainer, creator, and marketer I know has the same 3 dreams:

Dream #1: Be invited as a speaker to speak at events all around the world and get paid.

Dream #2: Have a bestselling book and earn passively from book sales on Amazon and every bookstore out there.

Dream #3: Prospects are on the waiting list to hire you as a coach or consultant.

That would be a dream come true. And it can be.

When I first started my internet marketing journey in 2003, these same three dreams kept me awake at night. I was just a taxi driver's son from Penang, Malaysia, with limited English and no connections to gurus or experts. Yet today, I've spoken in 12 countries, co-authored a book with New York Times bestselling author Robert G. Allen, and had clients waiting months for my mentoring program.

If one is willing to do the following 8 strategies (or some of them), these dreams become inevitable:

1. Hustle for 3–5 years to build your brand; don't expect your goal to materialize next month.

Despite the numerous high-ticket programs you've joined that promise to make you a world-class speaker or premier coach, those are just the "how-tos." Time is what proves your expertise and builds trust.

This is what I call understanding the 3 Phases to International Success. Most creators fail because they attempt to skip directly from the Start Phase to the Growth Phase, omitting the crucial Sustain Phase entirely.

The Start Phase is where you get your first results, create your first products, and begin building your reputation. This typically takes 6-18 months if you're focused.

The Sustain Phase is where most people quit, but it's the most critical. This is where you strengthen your position, build relationships under the radar, and replicate what growth-level competitors are doing. Think of your business as a bucket – if you don't do the necessary work during the Sustain Phase, your bucket will start to leak, and all your money will drain out.

The Growth Phase becomes almost effortless when you've properly navigated the first two phases. This is where the speaking opportunities, book deals, and waiting lists naturally emerge.

One thing we can learn about this is from the early days of Microsoft releasing its game console, the Xbox 360. As I learned from studying Microsoft's Xbox 360 strategy, speed to market matters, but a sustainable foundation matters more. They released their console with known issues because they understood that perfectionism can kill momentum, but they had the backend systems in place to support their customers long-term.

Grab the International Player Book for free:

2. Willing to invest in ads heavily to build strong social media followings (for the aesthetic of your brand).

When I run Facebook ads, competitors who blindly copy my strategy are in for a surprise. They see my ads running for months and assume I'm making money immediately. In reality, I'm often losing money on each click because I'm building a database for future business plans. I'm here for the long term.

The internet's biggest advantage is its leverage structure. Your "shop" stays open 24 hours, serves unlimited customers, and can run with zero employees. But you must invest in the leverage tools to make this work.

Your social media presence isn't just vanity metrics – it's Success by Association. When someone searches for your expertise on YouTube and sees your video “ranked” alongside industry authorities, you're positioned at the same level in viewers' minds.

3. Be willing to work for free (such as speaking at events and coaching clients) to build your credibility and gather testimonials.

I once received an email from a subscriber, pointing out errors in my writing and offering free proofreading services. He wasn't selling anything – just helping. That's how you capture the attention of the people you want to reach.

When you work for free initially, you're applying the "Power of One" principle. All it takes is one solid testimonial, one endorsement, one promotion from a credible authority to change everything. I got a testimonial from billionaire Bill Bartmann for my book "Clicking Cash." Do you think it became easier to get other testimonials once marketers saw a BILLIONAIRE endorsed my work?

4. Network with the right group of trainers, creators, and marketers. This means investing your time and money to attend live events—the more premium the events, generally, the better the quality of attendees.

This is what I call "buying your way in" – the fastest method for building relationships, although many find it uncomfortable to discuss.

The harsh truth: if you have money and buy your way into proximity with the experts through their high-end programs, masterminds, or exclusive events, everything else falls into place faster than any other strategy.

Lunch with Warren Buffett cost $4.6 million in 2019. If that's not "buying your way in," what is?

5. Being able to stand out and differentiate your expertise from that of other creators, trainers, and marketers.

When someone hears your name, what do they associate with it?

This is about becoming the go-to expert for ONE specific thing, rather than being a generalist who does everything.

The biggest mistake I see creators make is trying to serve everyone. They teach marketing AND productivity AND mindset AND sales because they're afraid of limiting their market. But here's the paradox: the more you try to appeal to everyone, the less appealing you become to anyone.

Think about it this way – if you needed brain surgery, would you choose a general doctor who "also does brain surgery" or a neurosurgeon who ONLY does brain surgery? The choice is obvious.

The same principle applies to your expertise. When someone has a specific problem in your field, you want to be the FIRST name that comes to mind.

For example, these experts are mostly known for:

• Tim Ferriss = lifestyle optimization and productivity hacking

• Gary Vaynerchuk = social media marketing and hustle mentality

• Grant Cardone = sales training and real estate investing

Each carved out their specific territory and went deep rather than wide. However, they’re also recognized for their expertise in other areas.

6. Don't rely on AI too much.

Everyone will have content in the future because everyone knows how to use AI, but not everyone possesses the experience and wisdom. Think of what AI can't provide.

AI can generate content, but it can't generate the story of how you failed eight times before your first success, or the specific mistake that cost you $50,000 but taught you the lesson that made you millions.

Your prospects aren't buying your information product as the end goal – they're buying the END RESULT they believe they'll achieve by learning from YOU. Your unique journey, failures, and hard-won wisdom become your greatest competitive advantage.

If you want to get the blueprint without relying on AI but using it to work for you, check out the Operation Zero Employees AI today.

7. Be authentic you. If your hair is grey, don't edit it to look black when you post it on social media.

People have incredibly accurate "authenticity detectors" – especially online, where establishing trust is more challenging.

In a world full of filtered photos, scripted content, and "fake it till you make it" mentalities, genuine authenticity stands out. People are exhausted by the pursuit of perfection and crave genuine human connection.

Consider the difference between two fitness coaches:

Coach A posts perfectly staged gym photos with dramatic lighting, claims never to have struggled with weight, and presents a flawless lifestyle of 5 AM workouts and kale smoothies.

Coach B shares their real transformation story, admits to loving pizza on weekends, shows their actual home gym (including a messy garage), and talks openly about the days when they don't feel motivated.

Who would you rather learn from? Who feels more trustworthy and relatable?

Authenticity is about being genuinely yourself, rather than creating a false persona that you think people want to see.

8. BE KIND to everyone, even those who do not buy anything from you today.

For 3 to 5 years later, they could be your strongest advocates – in fact, even tomorrow.

Every successful marketer, trainer, or creator shares the trait of genuinely enjoying helping people. Money is good, but getting a "thank you" email or unsolicited testimonial can make your whole day.

The secret to getting people to give you money is simple: provide value first. Customers exchange their money for value, period. If you can master the skill of providing value to people, you can earn a fortune in any business.

……

I didn't focus on money in these strategies because logically, if you achieve the three dream goals, money naturally flows to you.

Your friend,

- Patric Chan

Best-Selling Author & International Speaker in 12 Countries

Zero Employees, Work 2 Hours A Day. Build A 7-Figure Digital Business.