Sean Everett proposes Santa's Workshop, a creator platform that pays people through transaction fees instead of ads or paywalls. He argues creators should earn doing authentic work they love, building community through email and Telegram rather than chasing clicks.
Chapters
Ultimately, like, I would love it if the world could just focus 100% on what they want to do, right? It's like, I don't want to— it's the last piece of freedom, right, that we don't have is like working for somebody else, doing a job I hate to like get things I don't want, you know, or need.
Yeah.
And it's like, that just sucks, man. That's like indentured servitude just by a different name. And so I don't know. I just think it'd be cool if we could all just do the shit we wanted to do and get paid for it.
Yeah. Yeah. It looks like just, you know, sort of like what you said, like a consortium of, you know, different kind of products and services that your network and you or other people would trust you and therefore they would sort of trust the networks of other people through you, which is, um, yeah, which is really cool. Like you said, I don't know, a combination of McKenzie and Apple and Disney.
Yeah, you know, like that'd be fucking sweet. I just call it Santa's Workshop. That's really what I want to build. I just want to build Santa's Workshop.
Yeah, that's awesome. That's awesome.
How about you guys though? Are you, are Are you all— how are you doing?
Oh man, I feel like, honestly, I feel like I'm at like probably on the top of my game as far as how I feel and having the kids here and the work that I'm doing and the content I'm producing. And I think the, the focus of— I feel like this sort of spiritual development with people to, to really spring growth, sort of more of an inward inward development that overflows into growth that you see externally. But I find usually people want external growth and then they try and come back and, and, and then they want inward growth.
Yeah.
And so, so I feel like, um, there's something to it. There's something there. I mean, I feel at peace. I feel like, you know, all these levels are really high for me. I just You know, I think I mentioned before, I've just got all these different sort of, um, lines in the water and working on a course, you know, and just, um, you know, kind of just work it out and see which, which thing starts to hit, you know. So.
That's great, man. I mean, that's, that's the dream right there, you know.
Yeah, what you're doing and, you know, You're, you're doing the stuff that you love, you feel like you're created to do. I wake up, I'm like, man, this is phenomenal, you know. But I also feel like too, there's this quote that I love from Mark Cuban, uh, in one of his books. And he's like, in business, he goes, all it takes is one man. It just takes one. And I've just sort of kind of been holding on to just kind of how that works. It's like, maybe it's one relationship, maybe it's one connection, maybe it's one client, you know, that sort of springboards it, you know, any of those sorts of things. So I feel like I'm in that, I'm in that zone. Um, and you know that it's just, it's, it's one of those things with time, you know, it's, it's being patient with, um, where I'm at in the process and what I'm building and you know that it's ready to go. Yeah.
Yep, it does. It just, it just takes time. You just got to keep shipping. That's it.
Yeah.
That's all it is.
Yeah.
Compounds. It's just that compounding just doesn't seem like a lot in the beginning, but the percentage. Yeah. And over time that, uh, the percentage takes over. And yeah.
And I feel like too, man, like, I mean, obviously, you know, I've been in the church game for a long, long time, but I feel like what I love about personal development and what I love about, um, spirituality, that I'm just finding more and more of an intersect there. And that's where, like, I was just kind of sending that stuff over to you, like taking 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and turning it into a devotional, you know, taking As a Man Thinketh, a classic by James Allen, and, you know, making it a devotional. Um, you know, like taking— I've got The Four Agreements, um, that popular book, you know, doing that. It's coming out next month, you know, to do that. I'm working on Think and Grow Rich, except I'm going to call it Think and Grow Wise. And so, you know, and it's not like— it's not cheeseball stuff. It's like, you know, I feel good about it. I feel the work. Like I said, it's—
it's—
that part is building. And I feel like when I talk with people, it's at a really different level than where these preachers come from, because it's like this— it's like this remix of preacher and like self-development. So it was essentially like, it's, it's essentially like biblical self-development, you know, that is in, you know, I went through, read all the mystic books, went through the Bhagavad Gita, the Quran, the Torah, the Tao, shredded them all apart and was like, man, like if I was gonna niche this thing down, I'm gonna niche it to, to the Bible because that's what I know and that's what a lot of these, you know, things revert to.
Mm-hmm.
So That's sort of the space that I'm in. But, you know, I'm pretty, I'm pretty hopeful and, and I feel, I feel good about it. It's— I feel like I'm at the blackjack table and I've got a stack of money and I just gotta last through the hand. You know, you gotta, you know, like, I've just gotta keep— don't get in too heavy, just keep playing your hands and eventually it's gonna start swinging the other way, you know?
Yeah. Yeah, I feel you. I think the crossovers always work really well. And you obviously have gigantic market size with Christianity and the experience. So that's working in your favor. And then that's the thing with the thing I'm doing, which is like, just, it's like 50/50, you know, it's like client work and your own thing. And then you basically have runway forever until your own thing can And self-funded.
Yeah.
And then you just keep investing in that over and over again. So yeah, it's like, fuck, I mean, I'm— if I ever get to the point where I just have to go work at McDonald's, I'll just go do that and like until I can buy a new computer. Like if I ever end up homeless on my ass, like that's the plan. Work at McDonald's, make enough money to buy a computer, use that as the next step stone. So it's like That's all it is, you know. It's like, yeah, you'll know how to play it, you'll know how to read it. But yeah, it's just keep shipping. The problem I feel I can't get around is like, yeah, content right now is just such a highly competitive, saturated, noisy space.
Wait, which, which, which is, which is content on the internet? Content?
Yes, on the social network. So yeah, that's the thing I'm trying to figure out because The old adage is you go where there's no competition and you win everywhere. So like, yeah, I mean, maybe this helps you, but it's like you go to a trade show where everyone's selling guns and you sell water.
Yeah.
Because they're thirsty and walking around, you know. I mean, I don't know, that's a really bad analogy, but it's like, yeah, go to some other trade show that is, um, close to what you're doing. Yeah, and you're the only game in town and you just have a booth there and then you just suck up all of it. Yeah, so I, I don't know, it's just like you gotta find a place where there's no competition.
Yeah, well, you're the odd one out.
Yeah, right.
Yeah, I, I felt that a little bit. I have a, um, I'm in this Jay Shetty, um, who I did my coaching and we have a, we have a group. And so in there I used to kind of be like nervous about it, but I was like, you know, screw it. I was like, look, Because I'm trying to get research in for this course. And so I was like, look, I'm a Christian growth coach. If any of you, you know, are, you know, Christians or in a, you know, business, you know, Christian— because, because I also feel like, Sean, that, um, I feel like there's guys with a shit ton of money that actually want— if they want to have a coach, they want to have a Christian guy that's not a cheeseball. And like, I know there's a— I know there's a lot of Christian guys that have a Truck ton of money that would want to invest in you know that type of space. Say, "Look, I want a guy. I want a coach. I want to you know I I'm I'm doing that already. I want to find one you know this type of guy." So I'm I'm exploring that as well because some of these guys I'm friends with they're all in these different masterminds and I'm explaining to them. I'm like, "Look guys, like the spiritual side is like the weakest side of what you guys are all talking about. I know you want to make money. You want to you know crush it. You want to da da da da da. I get it. Yeah, great." But I was like, this spiritual inner peace, like alignment to actually what you're designed to do in life, it may not actually be that. Like, you could still make a truck ton of money, but it might be over here because it's something that you just have forgotten about, or it's something that you just, you know, and you have all, you have all these problems, all these issues, all these things simply because you won't go back on the inside and invest. Like, what I'm saying is like, get a 6-pack, spiritually, like you would get a 6-pack, you know, physically? Like, what would that look— what does that look like to you? What does that take, right? It takes effort. It takes like discipline. It takes accountability. It takes— right? So all that stuff. So that's sort of like— anyway, that was a long tangent to say, yeah, I, I definitely love that idea that you're saying with, you know, going into those groups where there's— where you're, you're the minority. You know, that's, that's a, that's a great idea. It's a great thought, man. Really great thought.
Um, yeah, who am I? The, uh, totally the, the, yeah, the hardest journey any human makes is into their mind, right? So yeah, like Goggins, Goggins and mental toughness, you know, like he's crazy, my man, but he's crazy. He carved out a brand, man. Like, there's one, like, where's one dude that insane?
Yeah, Goggins.
And all he did was just something insane and then people talked about it because it's like, I could never do that. So you're on a pedestal now.
Yeah, totally. Totally just replicated it. Yeah. Yeah. I love that. Yeah. The most expensive real estate is your mind. So you got to figure out who owns it, who you're renting it out to.
Yeah. The subconscious stuff is super interesting too. Like how, Oh yeah, programming and priming. You're, you're getting that you don't even know that's shaping who you are, how you feel, the decisions you make. That's super scary. So you build defense mechanisms to make sure you stay true to who you actually are and program your own subconscious correctly. Otherwise, yeah, world does. That's right, you're in a lot of trouble.
Yeah, it's those— it's the awareness of your inputs, you know, to figure out what, you know, the outputs are going to be. Like you You know, if, if, um, your feelings are all the— the ancestors of your feelings are all thoughts, you know. So being able to, uh, check the— check the inputs, you know, just like you were— just like you plug in, uh, your headphones into a headphone jack or whatever, you know, whatever you're plugging into is going to be what you're— what's coming out. And, um, yeah, I love that stuff too, man. Like, it's But I, I feel like what I've discovered is that all that stuff that I love that gets into like, it's almost like mysticism, but what I do is I remix it into the scriptures because it all fits in there. And so, you know, I'm talking manifestation, I'm talking like subconscious, I'm talking, you know, uh, affirmations, you know, all that energy, it's all in there. And, you know, so that's how I, I bring that out. And I think it's— I think it's— it's— people are kind of like, whoa, like, I didn't really— you know, they're— most Christians are scared of that stuff.
You know what's interesting that I think both you and I are circling around, but it didn't quite hit me until right now? Yeah, it's this idea of social media programming your mind, and people kind of talk about it, and like just the news media and people and all of that. Um, yeah, here's the question: name the website or app you go to that programs your mind the way you want it to, where you're in control.
Mm-hmm.
Doesn't flipping exist.
Doesn't exist.
Doesn't exist. And here's the thing, right? Like, you and I are both creating content, so other people are too, but there's no like filter mechanism, right? Like, maybe I want to like dial up spirituality and Christianity. I mean, the thing that I liked about what you said that resonated really well is I looked at every spiritual text Yeah. I unpacked it. Here's the things that are similar. Here's the things that are different. I was T-shaped and I went deep in Christianity. I mean, this reminds me of this book, The Hermetica. I don't know if I shared this with you or you've read it. They're really interesting. I just, I stumbled upon this book in, uh, the German Village in Columbus, Ohio, in an old bookstore. And I put it on my website in the library. I'll send you a link to it.
Yeah, okay.
It's fascinating because basically these researchers did almost that, and they found this text like in ancient, ancient Egypt or something that they believe was the original precursor upon which all the other, uh, spiritual texts like took like principles, lessons, And then there's some really interesting stuff where it like overlaps with science and like the concept of the ether and sort of like dark energy, dark matter.
Yeah.
So it was one of the most interesting like random books I read because it brought like everything together as a new potential foundational layer. But anyways, back to this idea is like, this is super interesting, right? So imagine you just had like You, me, I don't know, 100 other people all making their content with the right incentive in mind, which is like, we're here to like help people and ourselves and not just do like horrible clickbait. And, you know, like, I'm just trying to sell ad space, i.e., social media advertising, a lot of the blogs, whatever. Yeah.
Yeah.
I just feel like there's— the world is moving in that direction. It's gonna happen, and it's starting to happen on TikTok. I see some of this content moving in this direction. Like, Gary Vee is starting to preach the same thing. Like, Goggins is starting to preach the same thing. It's just different. It's like the dials and the knobs are tuned slightly different. But the underlying aspect of all of this is exactly the same. So why couldn't you just put a group of people together that, you know, is making that sort of thing? And then you just have a different user interface for the person to like dial up or down whatever they're into that day. But then they're confident in the fact that they're—
Yeah.
What's programming in their subconscious is positive and good change for them. And it's just the content that they find interesting that I think break through the noise and like take over social because I'm sick of just looking at garbage, Karens, garbage and like self-promotion and like, I hate it.
It's exhausting.
It is.
Yeah, it's exhausting. Even when I'm on, I mean, what I've done lately is I just I don't really go on and post anymore. I just I let these. What I found is like create more IP, and then people will find you. But it's like so I even put one on there. It's like a three day. It's called like your your coach, your Bible, your purpose, and it's it's long as heck, bro. Like the the lady literally said to me. this is too long. And I was like, I don't care. I wanted 3 days. I don't care if people finish it. I want to be able to reference it and say, look, if you're serious about changing your life with the scriptures, you take these 3 days, 3 days, and I can rep— so the thing for me with it as well is I can— the goal is to also speak at churches and whatnot. And then when I'm there, I can reference all of these devotionals that I have in apps. And then that sort of kind of drives traffic again to say, holy cow, like this guy's given us these These micro blueprints of like what to do. Da da da da. So that's why I went so heavy there. But like I said, with social, that ends up bringing people to like my socials to where it's like. And then what I started to do for myself because people were like, "You need to get an email list." And I was like, "Man, I don't even read emails. I like maybe one email, you know, on an email list. I just don't do it. It's just I know like what it does." And so. I started a Telegram group because a spiritual accountability Telegram group, because for me, I want every day to check in spiritually on what I'm reading. And I find that one, people aren't accountable. Two, they don't have somebody to be accountable with, or they're scared, or they don't have a group or whatever. And so I just said, look, if you want to join this, this is my email list. So I have them click on and they join the list. And where I check in every day. What are you reading? What are you doing? What are you challenged by? What's your spirituality level this week? Right? So, um, that's how I got around to start collecting emails. And that to me has been like the biggest breath of fresh air. I'm like, I don't have to create a freaking weekly BS, buy this. I— you can, you can see what I do. This is what I read. This is what I'm talking about. You can see my face. And man, like, it's just been— That's what I mean. I feel like I'm in a really strong base, and it's just a matter of time before, you know, I'll be speaking on stages, connecting people with devotionals, getting this Telegram group into the thousands, having courses, you know, around that to where I can guide people through those one-on-ones at a super high level, you know, and starting to work with these like elite Christian guys that are like, man, I just wish I had a Christian coach that could You know, that wasn't just full of shit, you know? Yep.
No, I think, you know, I'm, I'm so there with you. I think the key word that comes to mind is just authenticity, like true to self. Yeah, because I'm not— yeah, yeah, sell you anything. I just have this, like, there's this weird energy of creation that's natural and true that just like comes out of me, and I just want to share it with you. And if you vibe with it Heck yeah, let's vibe together. If not, no biggie. And that, because I'm the same way with email, man. Like, I've had on my to-do list to like start up another email newsletter, send out— like, I've even pulled a bunch of emails and like, yeah, I had to get the CRM together. And I literally cannot force myself to just send an email to people, like a list, because it just doesn't feel right. And I'm so with you on that. And like, I've been beating myself up like, man, come on, like David Goggins, get over the hump. People, yeah, people need your email. And I'm like, no, they don't. Nobody wants to read your damn email. But like, it's different when it's, it's vibing, right? Because then it's like, yeah, like I'm waiting for that new content drop because like I really want to hear, I want to hear this insight or I want this like accountability or like here's this thing that I Couldn't get over, right? Like, I'm struggling with this piece. I didn't understand this piece. Like, how do I, how do I do this? And then this last piece, and this gets to the whole, like, how do you monetize media anymore on the internet? Because everything wants to be free.
Yeah.
There's this new business model. It's not really new. I mean, nothing's new with business models, but basically, I think where this is trending All software is going to be free and you will only take a transaction fee on an exchange of value. So for example, imagine SaaS apps, right? Where like HubSpot, whatever it is, right? Like Google Workspace, you pay $15 a month, eventually it's gonna be free and then you just, they just take a percentage of like your invoice. So I don't know how this plays in content because the problem is like, You have to gate everything in order to monetize it and it doesn't want to be gated. Information wants to be free and people want to trust you. And then the other problem with like all these, like, I don't know, like get on stage, teach you things like I'm pushing my VHS down your throat and like even the course thing, there's, I'm reading now with everybody, they're just getting burnt out. Of like everyone's got a course and here's how you like can make money on the internet and it's like there's a million of them now. So yeah. I think the real unlock for this whole thing and like how to get the investment flywheel going is it's just a different business model, right? So like how do you, and even like going back to the hourly rate thing, like that doesn't scale because you've only got so many hours in the day. I've only got so many hours in the day, which means you have to create the content that works for everybody. And then the question is like, how do they then transact with that content where you just take a small piece of when they get value and they're okay to do that, right? So it's like, I mean, the old analogy is like hedge funds. I manage billions of dollars and I take a 2% fee and you don't care because I made you, you know, another $100 million tomorrow. So what's like $2 million?
Right.
You know, like it doesn't matter. So You know, if the percentage is small enough, 1%, whatever, then it's just volume game. But like that piece I haven't figured out on content either. I feel like if we figured that piece out, then it's just like amazing because people are getting a ton of value. They already see and experience the value. They're paying a small amount on a transaction to you and you've got your own livelihood. You take care of your family. Can invest more in content, you know, that benefits the community and the viewer. So there's something there. I don't know what it is yet, but I know that SaaS, the next SaaS is going to be just embedded finance where you take a transaction fee and that's how everybody's gonna make money in the future. So it's like you have to do these embedded SaaS companies like Stripe and Circle.
Yeah.
Unit and everybody else.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's fascinating. Um, yeah, it's fascinating. I, I do say the, um, the idea I had while you were just saying that with the email thing was, you know, you're sometimes your, your things that you do, like where you're walking and talking and giving those analogies and whatnot, you know, that something could be as simple as that is where you're saying, hey, let's sit, you know, Um, and that's what I love on Telegram is I'll go on there in the morning and I'll just, you know, say something for a minute and, you know, check in with what I'm reading. And to me, it's not a burden because like I, I genuinely love helping people and I love to, to help people get accountable. So I, and to see them win, you know, people are telling me that, you know, they, they just got a new job or they're, you know, praying for this and these, these things are going, you know, so that stuff to me is like You know, gas in my tank. Um, but for, for someone like you where it's like maybe it's a tech thing or whatever, just say, hey, come, you know, for a morning walk with me and, you know, let's, let's, you know, debrief or whatever it may be on different ideas or thoughts. Because then, then your email is like actually people that, you know, get to know you, like you, trust you, you know, want to build with you, you know.
Yeah. That's so true. It's like one-to-one relationships at scale.
Yeah, yeah.
It's this whole idea around like the community that all the tech companies push, but it's just these small world networks. It's, you know, it's like you, me, Jeff, right? Like, you know, like Chad, etc. It's like weird relationships that develop over many, many years and you kind of forget where they started, but They just, you know, it's just like, but you still manage to, like, weirdly we've managed to stay in touch since like the Everlight Day, like over a decade.
Yeah.
And multiple times a year, even like a couple months, like across many different cities, life changes. Like, what is that? That's weird.
Like, that shouldn't—
that's, that's un— That's actually unnatural. It's actually unnatural, but yet it was completely organic. It was completely organic.
Totally.
So how does that happen? I don't know.
Well, it's for a reason, buddy. Oh boy, for a reason, man.
It's Friday. Is, uh, little man—
yeah, man. I'm about to pick him up, but yeah, um, it was— I just figured, man, if I got you on the phone, I'm gonna talk to you.
So yeah, uh, you just did it. We did it.
You're like, you're, you're too smart to not just, you know, be like, oh, I'll do it again. But I just, you know, I, I love your thinking. I love your thoughts. I love, um, just how you go about things. So Just even hearing, you know, thoughts from, from this side when, when you're coming from all these, you know, I just, I thought of you the other day because I was thinking about these, um, I think it was called like quantum moments in life or something. And the word quantum, I was like, yeah, you know what, Sean actually could probably tell me what quantum is and would, would have a really good explanation about it. I'm— And I, and I'm— one day I'll go down that rabbit hole, but I think there is something to it.
Yeah, entanglement. Entanglement is real. It'll be the messaging platform of the future across star systems. But yeah, I don't know. You know, it's— we're all made from carbon and star stuff and all of that. So like, why wouldn't our atoms be entangled, right? I mean, you and I could be made of stuff from a— well, we are. We're made of stuff from the same dead star. So it makes a lot of sense that, like, this idea of reincarnation, or like you come back and you're surrounded by the same people over and over again in life, and this wheel of time that just keeps repeating, you know, like expansion, subtraction, like aggregation, disaggregation, destruction, creation. It's just a giant pendulum that swings back and forth. Like, why— of course we're connected. Right? Everything's connected. We just— human brains like to compartmentalize things to figure them out. But yeah, 100%. So yeah, anyways, thoughts with Jack Handy.
Love it, dude.
All right, brother.
Love it.
Well, enjoy the weekend. Yeah, give love to the family.
I'll be praying with you, man, and all your stuff. I know you, you sometimes brush through it, and I just want you to know I, I've I'm feeling with you, um, and I'll be praying with you, man. And I just think the world of you. So I love you, dude.
Feelings mutual. Love you too. Thanks for taking some time on a Friday. Yeah.
My pleasure. My pleasure. Anytime, man. Anytime I get to, get to see your face. Love you, brother.
All right, buddy. We'll talk to you soon.
Okay, man. Ciao.
Deuces. Later.
