Day 12 Transcript
NOTE: Today’s transcript is followed by an AI prompt that can be used with your AI provider of choice. Just copy and paste it into ChatGPT or Perplexity and it will help you answer today’s questions for your specific side hustle… the way a human teaching assistant would help you in an Ivy League university. If you’re eager for more on today’s topic, I’ve included a Secret Dessert Course at the very end — a bonus section that isn’t directly covered in today’s video but has a lot of value practical, hands-on value. That dessert also comes with its own AI prompt.
—
Part 1: Plan Your Content Strategy
When I was doing standup, I was lucky enough to hang out with Robin Williams… once… at the Comedy Cellar. Your social media content-- like his stand up-- should feel spontaneous but be deliberate. Get busy planning that spontaneity, or get busy dying on that stage.
Welcome to week 2, day 12 of starting your side hustle! We’re taking 28 Days-- 28 small steps-- to build a business that’s meaningful, impactful, and profitable. Today’s focus is content strategy– planning a set of engaging posts that reflect who you are.
Ok. These days, content strategy is the backbone of every successful hustle. It’s how you plug your audience in to you; how you connect with them, build trust, and guide them toward action. But creating engaging, relevant content across multiple platforms requires more than what we’ve all learned (intuitively) from doom-scrolling.. about what makes content good or bad. That intuition is not enough. We need a plan.
For some real-life inspiration, you can’t do better than Gary Vaynerchuk– a social media industry unto himself. Gary started by making daily YouTube videos for his family’s wine shop—long before “content strategy” was a buzzword. He didn’t just talk about wine; he told stories, answered questions, and he built a loyal audience by showing up every single day. Those videos transformed a local liquor store into a $60 million online retailer, and launched Gary’s career as a marketing and media mogul.
Ok… with what I’m guessing would be Gary’s blessing– today, we’re answering two critical questions to get you to your plan– to help you craft a masterful content strategy:
1. How can your content guide your audience through the sales funnel without feeling forced?
2. What’s the one thing that makes your content indispensable on each platform?
The first question challenges you to exercise some empathy; to think about the journey your audience takes, from awareness to action– I’ll put a picture up here again. Your answer to the question should be about how your content can serve as a natural progression along that path. A sales funnel isn’t just a series of steps—it’s old-timey storytelling that hooks you, builds trust and then deepens your interest in how the story is going to end. Great content doesn’t sell—it invites people into a story they want to be part of.
As for question 2, with so much noise online, asking what makes your content indispensable… Well, it forces you to identify what sets your content apart—whether it’s your tone, your humor, your expertise– whatever you use in the real world to spark a meaningful conversation. As you already know, each social media platform has its own culture and expectations, its own goofiness and norms, and if you want to succeed on them– it’s like your day job– you can’t be a tourist– you have to live there. You have to commit to learning the local language, but maybe not so deeply that you can talk without an accent. Audiences are really good at figuring out if you’re compromising who you are. I was today years old when I found out that I can’t use “I was today years old” as a hook because it sounds forced; almost creepy.
Just take the exercise seriously. Your answer to today’s questions matters. The first question makes sure that your content isn’t just entertaining but strategically aligned with your goals—moving people closer to action without having them feel manipulated. And the second question makes sure that you’re not simply posting for the sake of posting but creating something authentic, valuable, memorable for each platform. If you take the exercise seriously– if you plan out 28 Days of content– I guarantee you’ll build an audience.
Ok. Take a moment and try to answer the Day 12 questions for your hustle without AI and before you listen to the next section-- the 28-Day Ivy League MBA. I personally think it's useful to try to answer questions without AI first, but if you'd rather do that: The AI teaching assistant prompt will drop with today's case study... in a couple of hours. If you don't know what I'm talking about, check out Lunch Break Millionaire Day Zero... or go over to superserious.com where I’m posting daily transcripts. The AI prompts are there too. That's it. Hustle smarter.
Part 2: 💼 Build Content Pillars: Today's Ivy League MBA Skill
Day 12, Part 2 of Lunch Break Millionaire– where we turn whatever you're eating for lunch into an Ivy League MBA degree. I’m going to suggest we try Ethiopian food today– Injera and Wot. because sharing is at the heart of every Ethiopian meal– the exact secret sauce for content strategy. So the MBA skill we’re going to pick up today is how to build your content pillars.
Here’s the thing: if you want your hustle to stand out, you can’t just post whatever pops into your head and hope for the best. The pros don’t wing it—they build their content around a handful of core themes, or “pillars,” and then map those pillars to each platform in a way that feels natural and indispensable. That’s how you create a strategy that actually moves people through your funnel without feeling forced or fake.
So what’s a content pillar? Think of it as one big idea or topic that you want to be known for. If you’re a fitness coach, maybe your pillars are “quick home workouts,” “nutrition hacks,” and “mindset shifts.” If you’re building a software hustle, maybe it’s “creator empowerment,” “open source tools,” and “fighting the algorithm.” You pick two, three, maybe four pillars that matter to you and your audience, and you build almost everything around them. This isn’t about limiting yourself—it’s about making your brand clear, memorable, and trustworthy. When people see your stuff, they know what to expect, and they know why it matters.
But here’s where the MBA part comes in: you don’t just blast the same message everywhere. Each platform has its own vibe, its own audience, its own way of rewarding content. What works on TikTok isn’t what works on LinkedIn. Your job is to take those pillars and remix them for each place your audience hangs out. Maybe your “quick home workouts” pillar turns into 30-second TikTok demos, longer YouTube tutorials, and motivational Instagram stories. Maybe your “creator empowerment” pillar shows up as spicy Twitter threads, deep-dive LinkedIn posts, and behind-the-scenes Instagram reels. The point is, you’re not copy-pasting—you’re translating your best ideas into the language of each platform.
Now, let’s tie this back to today’s questions. When you ask, “How can your content guide your audience through the sales funnel without feeling forced?”—the answer is by using your pillars to meet people where they are. Early in the funnel, you’re sharing broad, helpful tips or stories that catch attention. As people get to know you, you go deeper—maybe sharing case studies, testimonials, or how-tos that build trust. When they’re ready to buy, you make it easy, with clear calls to action and proof that you deliver.
And Q2– when you ask, “What’s the one thing that makes your content indispensable on each platform?”—you’re really asking, “How do I make my content feel native, valuable, and unmissable no matter where someone finds me?” That’s where mapping your pillars to each platform shines.
Take a sec and sketch out your own content pillars. What are the two or three big ideas you want to be known for? Write them down. Then, for each platform you use—TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, whatever—think about how you can bring those pillars to life in a way that feels right for that space. Maybe it’s quick tips, maybe it’s stories, maybe it’s deep dives. The goal is to be consistent without being boring, to be everywhere your audience is, but always in a way that feels fresh and valuable.
Keep telling yourself, content isn’t just about filling up a feed—it’s about building a brand that people can’t help but follow, trust, and buy from. When you build your strategy around pillars and map them to each platform, you’re making an impact. That’s how you hustle smarter.
Part 3: Learn From My Content Strategy: The 28-Day Case Study
This is Day 12, Part 3 of Lunch Break Millionaire. This is the segment where we #BuildinPublic– where I answer the daily questions every hustle should– using the MBA skills we just learned– and showing my work– sharing how I’m building my hustle from scratch-no filters, just the real journey. You don't need to actually like or subscribe. I'm not doing this for the clicks. But if you’re leveling up from other creators you follow or know, introduce us. I want to learn from them and help them level up, too. We all deserve better than just making rich people richer.
Ok. If you need a case study in content strategy, you’re in luck because you are experiencing phase 1 of my content strategy right now.
There is nothing I love more than learning and no better way to do it than teaching others; mentoring others. So the metatorial/superserious content strategy was always going to be me being me. I’m not sure how you get more authentic than that.
I would hate myself if I just posted random self-congratulatory updates– like every other company’s press releases– or worse, generic marketing fluff. I can’t stomach that shit.
So I committed to doing this series. You can watch it, learn from it, use it to build something for yourself and never ever care about what I’m building. I’m cool with that.
I’ve always gotten a lot of DMs with advice to charge for my content… which is super sweet and all those people are missing the point. I know I can charge for it. But it would make me feel dirty. If I’m showing you how I benefit from something and you benefit too, that’s incredibly meaningful to me. It’s purposeful to me. It’s the best legacy I could leave the world. Second best. The best would be leaving my kids with a sense of humor. And kind. They better be kind.. Or I’ll [shake fist].
Look. I worked on the death star– banking– for 25 years. I don’t need any more money. And I would love to pull you into that boat. Especially if your values are to help me pull other people into the boat.
So I’ll keep it short today. Because that’s the second best kind of marketing.
Prompt #1 - Plan Your Content Like a Pro
○
Prompt #1 - Plan Your Content Like a Pro ○
Today, you’ll design a simple, strategic content plan that attracts your ideal audience, builds trust, and turns followers into customers. You’ll be guided by the writings and frameworks of Ivy League faculty whose research is foundational in content marketing, digital storytelling, and strategic communication:
- **Professor Jill Avery, Harvard Business School:** Expert in brand storytelling and customer engagement.
- **Professor David Bell, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania:** Specialist in digital marketing and content-driven growth.
- **Professor Sheena Iyengar, Columbia Business School:** Authority on choice architecture and persuasive messaging.
**What Today’s Coaching Will Help You With:**
You’ll identify your core content pillars, map out what topics and formats best serve your audience, and create a repeatable process for publishing content that actually moves your business forward.
---
### Step 1: Reflection Questions
Please answer these questions in a few sentences each:
1. **What are the three main topics (content pillars) you want to be known for?**
- These should align with your brand, your expertise, and your audience’s interests.
2. **What types of content do your ideal customers actually consume and share?**
- Think about formats (video, blog, podcast, carousel, email), tone (educational, inspirational, entertaining), and platforms.
3. **What is your goal for content this month?**
- Is it to grow your audience, drive leads, launch a product, or build authority?
---
### Step 2: MBA Skill – Content Pillar Strategy
Today’s MBA lesson is about building your content strategy around “pillars”:
> Content pillars are the 2–4 main themes that anchor your messaging and make your brand memorable.
- Choose your pillars based on what you’re best at, what your audience cares about, and what supports your business goals.
- For each pillar, brainstorm 3–5 subtopics or content ideas you could create this month.
- Decide how often you’ll post for each pillar and what format best fits (e.g., weekly video, daily story, monthly deep dive).
---
### Step 3: Coaching & Content Calendar
After you reply, I will use the writings of Professors Avery, Bell, and Iyengar to:
- Help you refine your content pillars so they’re clear, relevant, and differentiated.
- Guide you in matching content formats and platforms to your audience’s real habits.
- Suggest a simple content calendar to keep you consistent without burning out.
- Offer examples of brands and creators who use pillar strategies to build loyal, engaged followings.
---
**How to use this prompt:**
- Respond with your answers to the reflection questions and your first draft of content pillars or ideas.
- I’ll help you sharpen your content strategy, spot quick wins, and suggest next steps for planning and publishing.
- Remember: Consistency beats perfection. A clear content plan will help you show up, stand out, and grow-one post at a time.
---
Ready? Share your answers and content ideas below. Let’s hustle smarter, one lunch break at a time!
Secret Dessert Course
If the idea of filming yourself for social media makes you freeze up, you’re in great company. Some of my favorite TikTokers are regular, everyday people whose awkwardness is so authentic, so earnest that I immediately fall in love with them. And I’m not alone.
So you can be you.
And what you really need are ideas for what to film that would highlight your hustle.
Cut to: this next AI prompt– the only one in the entire series where the coaches are not Ivy League professors.
Just copy and paste it into your favorite AI assistant to enjoy Day 12’s dessert course.
Prompt #2 - Jam with the Dream Team
○
Prompt #2 - Jam with the Dream Team ○
**Today’s Focus:**
You’re about to jam with the ultimate content dream team:
- **MrBeast** (YouTube’s king of viral stunts and generosity)
- **Charli D’Amelio** (TikTok’s dance and culture trendsetter)
- **Gary Vaynerchuk** (the OG of hustle, authenticity, and business storytelling)
Their mission: help you brainstorm creative, high-impact content ideas that will make your side hustle stand out, get shared, and build a loyal audience-no matter your niche.
---
### Step 1: Tell Us About Your Hustle
Please answer:
1. What’s your business or side hustle in one sentence?
2. Who’s your dream audience? (Describe their age, interests, or vibe.)
3. What’s the main thing you want people to do after seeing your content? (Buy, follow, share, DM, etc.)
4. (Optional) What’s your favorite platform (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, etc.)?
---
### Step 2: Brainstorm With the Greats
After you reply, I will use the writings of your all-star coaching panel to:
- **MrBeast:** Pitch 2–3 big, bold, or surprising content ideas that could go viral or spark massive engagement-even on a shoestring budget.
- **Charli D’Amelio:** Suggest short-form, trend-driven, or collaborative content ideas that fit your brand and can catch fire on TikTok, Reels, or Shorts.
- **Gary Vaynerchuk:** Give you practical, authentic storytelling angles and “document, don’t just create” strategies to build trust and long-term fans.
You’ll get:
- A list of content ideas tailored to your hustle and audience.
- Tips for maximizing shareability and engagement on your chosen platform.
- Advice on how to turn viewers into loyal followers or customers.
---
**How to use this prompt:**
- Respond with your hustle details above.
- Your creator coaching panel will return a brainstorm of content ideas, hooks, and formats you can use right away.
- You’ll leave with actionable inspiration, ready to make your hustle unmissable.