In this post, Harsh Strongman, creator of LifeMathMoney, shares the strategies that helped him build a successful platform for men’s self-improvement. From overcoming challenges to launching products and growing his audience, Harsh offers practical advice for anyone looking to launch their first products.

Background

Hi, I’m Harsh Strongman, creator of Life Math Money (LMM), a site dedicated to self-improvement for men. I started LMM to fill a gap—there were few resources focused on men’s needs, from fitness to social skills and business.

I wanted to create a resource dedicated to helping men and giving away information they needed to know to be successful in their lives. If we could help men get fitter, lose fat, eat cleaner, make money on the internet, be able to date more attractive women, improve their social skills, and improve their mindset overall, I would consider that a win.

Inspired by blogs like Danger and Play, I launched LifeMathMoney.com in 2017, and it’s been growing ever since.

Getting started

The biggest challenge you’ll find as any type of content creator is getting readers/viewers/listeners. The internet is extremely competitive, and this is not 2003 where you could just make something and wait for people to find it. Unless you push it out and market your work, no one finds you (exceptions aside). You have to make your own luck.

How I overcame this was simple - I went where the people were. Since I’m a writer, I needed to find people who read. What was the text based social media platform that has a large male audience? Twitter (now X).

I built up my X/Twitter audience, used that to get readers to my blog, built my email list, and it all fed from there. You need to find the growth engine for your brand. It could be YouTube, X, TikTok, Instagram, or anything else.

Build up your audience so you actually have people checking out what you’re creating.

Product development and launch

My first product was a simple PDF compilation of my newsletters, which I sold for $5. It was a straightforward start, allowing me to test the waters. Over time, I upgraded my offerings and increased prices.

My advice for new creators is simple: don’t overthink it. Start small with something simple and affordable, then improve your products as you grow.

In the long run, it’s important to avoid pricing all of your products too low, like solely $5 ebooks. While they might attract some attention, they often don’t bring the type of customers who are truly invested in your work, and they can be harder to scale.

Instead, aim to price your products in a way that reflects their value—pricing that feels like an investment, but is still reasonable for your audience. Your products should be good enough that customers feel they’ve made a worthwhile purchase, while still delivering exceptional value.

That said, it’s also useful to have a lower-priced product or two to introduce new customers to your work, as well as mid-range options for those who may not be able to invest in your premium offerings just yet.

Here’s a breakdown of how this might look:

Affordable products: $10-50
Mid-range products: $60-200
Premium products: $300+

For example, my free product No-BS WiFi Money serves as more of a lead magnet, yet I continually receive high praise for it. You can download it and check out my email workflow if you like.

Keep going

When I get the question, “Have you ever had products fail?” The answer is: Yes.

MANY failed products. Not just with LMM, but with other business ventures too. I have a lot of different businesses from affiliate marketing to my tax/law firm to SaaS companies. I’ve failed at more things than I have successes.

The main lesson is that you should focus on products that solve some kind of problem. That doesn’t guarantee success but the likelihood of it succeeding is much higher. Products that don’t solve a problem are much harder to sell and often not worth the attempt.

Regarding failures - they are bound to happen. You cannot win them all. But don’t let it discourage you. It only takes one success to change your life. That’s the magic of entrepreneurship.

Even if you do fail (which you probably will) you will fall forward. What I mean by that is that your next try will be better than your previous one. All the experience accumulates.

My tips and tools for creators

I chose Gumroad because it’s a simple, effective platform that gets the job done. It wasn’t about in-depth research for me—it’s just that a lot of successful creators were already using it. If it works for them, it works for me too.

What matters most, though, is the relationship you build with your audience. No matter which platform you use, if your audience finds value in your content and trusts you, they’ll buy.

The key is to choose a platform that doesn’t get in the way of your work. It should allow you to create and sell your products without any unnecessary barriers—like platforms that don’t support automated affiliate payments. Gumroad, for example, allows me to focus on what’s important: delivering great content.

Here are the tools that have been crucial to my success:

X (Twitter): The main engine for growing my brand and building an engaged audience.
Kit: I use it for email automation, which is key to converting leads into sales.
Semrush: Great for discovering topics and improving SEO, which drives more traffic and helps grow my email list.
PayPal: A reliable payment processor for my products.
Fiverr: For outsourcing basic tasks that free up my time to focus on content creation.
Dreamhost: Hosting my blog and websites with reliable performance.

Though not “tools” in the same sense, these books made a significant impact on my mindset and approach to entrepreneurship:

The Book of Pook: This one changed my life, offering invaluable life lessons.
The Minimalist Entrepreneur by Sahil Lavingia: A must-read for anyone focused on profitability over mere growth.
Titan by Ron Chernow: The biography of John D. Rockefeller—if you read just one book this year, make it this one.

Lessons for new creators

Here’s what I see as the biggest mistakes new creators often make:

Not building an email list: Your email list is one of your most valuable assets.
Charging too little: Underpricing hurts your business and attracts the wrong audience.
Creating subpar products: Always aim to create products that delight your customers.
Copying others: Trying to imitate successful creators won’t get you far. Focus on your unique voice.
Overcomplicating things: You don’t need an ultra-optimized landing page for your first product. A simple Gumroad page works fine. Focus on creating and selling first—optimize later.
Betraying your audience for profit: Never promote products you wouldn’t buy yourself. Always deliver on your promises.

Lastly, I recommend that new creators come up with their own version of the LMM Promise—a clear commitment to your audience about the values and integrity behind your work.

What's in store

Looking ahead, I plan to produce more content, including articles and podcasts. One new product in the works is “How to Pick a Wife.” I’m also considering building a private community for men. The future of the creator economy looks exciting, with AI driving competition, but real-life experience will always be key to standing out.

Building a successful digital business is a journey that requires consistency, authenticity, and a commitment to delivering real value to your audience. Focus on creating quality products, building genuine relationships, and continuously improving your craft.

Remember, it’s not about getting everything perfect from the start—it’s about taking that first step, learning along the way, and always striving to make a positive impact. Stick to your values, keep moving forward, and success will follow.

Best,

Harsh Strongman

Creator, LifeMathMoney

Read the full blog here.