Pat Flynn

Founder of Smart Passive Income & Online Business Pioneer

Pat Flynn is the founder of Smart Passive Income (SPI) and one of the most trusted voices in the online business education space. He pioneered the transparent income report format, proving what real passive income looks like. Pat specializes in affiliate marketing, blogging, podcasting, online course creation, and building businesses around authentic expertise.

Smart Passive Income Podcast

Best for: Beginners to intermediate online entrepreneurs

One of the longest-running and most trusted podcasts for online business. Pat interviews successful entrepreneurs and shares his own experiments in blogging, affiliate marketing, podcasting, and course creation.

Pat Flynn YouTube Channel

Best for: Content creators, bloggers, affiliate marketers

Hundreds of free tutorials on starting a blog, building an audience, affiliate marketing, online courses, email marketing, and building a business around what you know.

Will It Fly? — Book & Framework

Best for: Aspiring entrepreneurs validating business ideas

Pat's book and accompanying free content helps people validate business ideas before investing time and money. Free summaries, talks, and podcast episodes cover the framework extensively.

Smart Passive Income Blog

Best for: Beginners learning affiliate marketing and blogging

One of the most detailed and transparent business blogs online. Pat has published income reports, tutorials, case studies, and step-by-step guides for years.

Income Reports Archive

Best for: Anyone wanting to see real passive income breakdowns

Pat pioneered the transparent income report format, sharing monthly revenue, expenses, and lessons learned from his online businesses. A masterclass in what real online income looks like.

Ask Pat Podcast

Best for: Entrepreneurs with specific online business questions

A short-form podcast where Pat answers listener questions about blogging, affiliate marketing, online courses, podcasting, and building an online business.

Affiliate Marketing Path

1. 1Listen to SPI Podcast affiliate episodes
2. 2Read Pat's blog on niche sites
3. 3Study the income reports for real examples
4. 4Apply Pat's affiliate framework to a niche

Podcast Launch Path

1. 1Watch Pat's free YouTube podcast tutorials
2. 2Read the SPI podcast launch guide
3. 3Set up basic audio and recording
4. 4Enroll in Power-Up Podcasting for full structure

Online Business Beginner Path

1. 1Start with SPI Podcast beginner episodes
2. 2Read 'Will It Fly?' to validate your idea
3. 3Follow Pat's blog for niche and content strategy
4. 4Build your first email list with free SPI guides

Pat's premium community and resource library with courses, templates, accountability groups, and access to exclusive training on blogging, affiliate marketing, and online business.

Best for: Serious online entrepreneurs building passive income

Pat's flagship podcasting course covering launch strategy, audio quality, RSS feeds, monetization, guest outreach, and growing a podcast audience from scratch.

Best for: Anyone launching a podcast for business or brand building

A structured, hands-on intensive program for people who want to launch their podcast quickly with Pat's direct guidance and step-by-step support.

Best for: Beginners who want a fast podcast launch

Pat's email marketing course teaching list building, welcome sequences, broadcast strategies, segmentation, and turning subscribers into customers.

Best for: Bloggers, coaches, and course creators building email lists

Pros

• Enormous free content library
• Fully transparent income reporting
• Beginner-friendly tone
• Covers many online business models

Cons

• ✗ Less focus on advanced scaling
• ✗ Some older content may be outdated
• ✗ US-focused examples (mostly applicable)