Company case study
NCO on Fire
A powerful online resource helping army soldiers get promoted faster while generating a six-figure income for its founder
NCO on Fire, founded by Steven Faust, is an online business that provides resources and guidance to army soldiers to help them accelerate their promotions. It came up on The Side Hustle Show in the episode "570: A 6-Figure Online Business, Starting as a Side Hustle" (aired June 22, 2023).
At a glance
| Podcast | The Side Hustle Show |
|---|---|
| Hosted by | Nick Loper |
| Episode | 570: A 6-Figure Online Business, Starting as a Side Hustle |
| Aired | June 22, 2023 |
| Revenue and traction | Steven started earning about $5,000 a month initially, and after implementing his strategies, he now pulls in $14,000 a month. His email list has grown to over 20,000 subscribers, which significantly contributes to his… |
| Category | Education |
Figures and claims are as told on the episode, summarized from the transcript. Check the date: they describe the company at the time it aired.
What the episode said
570: A 6-Figure Online Business, Starting as a Side Hustle · aired June 22, 2023 · hosted by Nick Loper
Why it works
The business leverages a unique niche by addressing a specific pain point for army soldiers. Steven's personal experience and past expertise in navigating the promotion system make his offerings credible and valuable. His strategic use of affiliate partnerships and email marketing also drives consistent traffic and sales.
Revenue and traction
Steven started earning about $5,000 a month initially, and after implementing his strategies, he now pulls in $14,000 a month. His email list has grown to over 20,000 subscribers, which significantly contributes to his revenue.
Founding story
Steven Faust transitioned from a corporate executive role to entrepreneurship after recognizing he was unhappy in his job. With a background in the army and experience in promotions, he decided to create a business centered around helping soldiers advance in their careers. He began by reviving a book he had written on the subject and building an online presence, eventually leading to the creation of the NCO on Fire platform.
The playbook
1. Identify Your Niche: Reflect on your unique experiences and skills. What challenges have you overcome that others face? Like Steven, find a niche that resonates with a specific audience—in this case, army soldiers. 2. Create Valuable Content: Develop resources that solve common problems within your niche. This could be guides, templates, or calculators that offer practical help, just as Steven created digital products for army promotions. 3. Build an Email List: Implement lead magnets, such as free resources or tools, to capture email addresses. Create an engaging funnel that nurtures leads and offers them value over time. 4. Leverage Affiliate Partnerships: Seek out affiliate opportunities with existing platforms that have traffic in your niche. Offer to share a portion of your revenue in exchange for exposure, similar to how Steven partnered with established websites for promotion. 5. Test and Optimize: Regularly test different marketing strategies, pricing, and products. Use feedback and data to adjust your approach, just as Steven continuously refines his offers based on audience engagement and sales performance.
Also mentioned
- Tools Used: Steven uses Kajabi for hosting his courses and managing his email marketing. He also employs Deadline Funnel for creating urgency in his offers and Video Ask for asynchronous mentoring. - Traffic Strategies: Steven utilizes both organic traffic from SEO (with his sites ranking highly on Google) and paid ads on platforms like Facebook. - Membership Model: His membership offers unlimited mentoring and additional resources, enhancing the perceived value while keeping operational demands low.