Welcome to another issue of the Momentum newsletter! It’s incredible how our subscribers grow 20% every week. Keep sharing Momentum with your friends and family. Everyone can benefit.

Now, I'd like to share a unique opportunity that's going to make your Momentum experience even better: The Momentum Elite.

Why upgrade to Elite, you ask?

Momentum Elite is specifically for people who are ready to dive deeper, push further, and truly maximize their output without compromising their quality.

Oh, and it’s 25% off for only this week. Making it $3/month.

All early-bird elite members are locked in at 25% off forever. Of course, you can cancel anytime if you feel the need to.

So what do you get? A lot.

Here is an example:

Remember the challenge I gave you last week to build a journal app?

I’m going to release an in-depth, step-by-step video and written guide on building that app, along with extra features not mentioned that would make it valuable enough for you to sell.

You’ll learn the following:

• How to structure databases.

• Basic UI/UX design

• How to automate within Glide

• How to integrate apps with AI.

That’s not all; every month, you can expect:

• Premium, step-by-step, real-world tutorials.

• In-depth guides of complex tech concepts.

• A direct line to use for your questions.

• A chance to showcase what you’re building to the Momentum community.

• Supporting an ad-free newsletter

You might've noticed the absence of ads in the Momentum newsletter. That's intentional; I'm reluctant to endorse many advertisers in our sphere, as they often offer tools that aren't up to par. I would love to keep this ad-free and create more in-depth content, so building Momentum Elite seemed logical to avoid spammy ads.

So if you’re ready to go Elite, you can do that below. I promise you; it's a game-changer. The 25% off is until Sunday, July 9th. After that, it returns to the regular price (which is still low).

Overview:

This tool is my crutch for website-building: Carrd.co.

Building a personal website has been straightforward with no-code tools for years. Tools like Wix, Weebly, and Squarespace all come to mind. I’ve created 20-30 sites over the years with these tools. They’re also great, but for a personal landing page, they aren’t a great fit for one main reason: Cost.

Carrd is $19/year…. yes, per year.

Carrd is a platform that allows anyone, yes, anyone, to build a single-page, fully responsive website in a matter of minutes. Whether it's a personal landing page, a portfolio, a business profile, or even an event invitation, Carrd has got you covered.

Let's see how to whip up a professional-looking website in just 28 minutes.

Getting Started

Step 1: Head over to Carrd.co and sign up for a free account.

Step 2: Click on 'Start a New Site,’ and you'll be presented with a range of sleek, modern templates. Choose one that aligns with your style and vision.

Step 3: Customize your selected template with your own content. Add your name, a brief bio, contact info, or anything else you wish to showcase. Carrd's interface makes it as easy as clicking and typing.

Over time, you will find there are many more advanced options and customizations you can do with Carrd. It’s a very capable platform despite its innocent look at the beginning. I urge you over time to continue exploring the features. Speaking of which, let me show you some of my favorites.

Pro-tips for Using Carrd Effectively

1. Utilize the templates: Carrd's pre-made templates are an excellent starting point. They're designed by professionals, ensuring your website will look clean and modern. I’ve never started from scratch with Carrd, so don’t feel ashamed for using them.

2. Setup a Custom Domain: Your website is a reflection of you. Why not use a domain that is truly yours like “evanfurniss.com”? I purchase and manage most of my domains from GoDaddy or Cloudflare. I’ll be doing a full guide on domain DNS management for Elite members.

3. Keep it simple: The beauty of Carrd is its simplicity. Less is more. Keep your site easy to navigate with clear, concise information.

4. Use Buttons for Call to Actions: If you want your visitors to do something specific, like sign up for a newsletter or visit a certain link, use the button elements. It’s more eye-catching and clickable.

Remember, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Carrd has many advanced features like form submissions, third-party integrations, and more for you to explore.

Let me know how your Carrd journey goes—I'd love to see and feature your creations in the next newsletter.

As technology evolves, so does the arsenal of cybercriminals.

In their quest to obtain personal data, they employ increasingly advanced and stealthy phishing techniques.

What Is Phishing?

Phishing is the process of attempting to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity using bulk email which tries to evade spam filters. [knowbe4.com]

Here is an example phishing email:

Let’s look at what kinds of emails attackers are sending:

Top 10 Phishing Email Subject Lines Q1: 2023

• Zoom: The meeting has started! Where are you?

• Please review updated financial policies

• IT: Laptop Refresh

• Meta: Suspicious Activity

• Sharepoint: [[manager_name]] shared "Test_Data" with you

• Microsoft: Microsoft's new password requirements

• HR: Please verify your banking information

• DocuSign: DocuSign Account Suspension Notice

• Webmail: Security alert for [[email]]

• Refund has been processed to your account

Please note that phishing emails are designed to sound like an emergency, urgent situation that plays on your emotions.

Here are a few tips to mitigate the threat of phishing emails [knowbe4.com]:

• Always use strong passwords

• Use multi-factor authentication options like a fingerprint, facial recognition, or codes.

• Never leave your device in a public place, or anywhere it can be easily stolen.

• Think before you click any links in text messages or emails.

Imagine you're a secret agent. You have a precious message to deliver but are in enemy territory. You need a safe, secret tunnel that will take you directly to your headquarters. That secret tunnel is like a VPN (Virtual Private Network).

A VPN is a secure pathway that takes your online data (your secret message) on a unique route (the secret tunnel) through the internet. It hides your data and makes it harder for anyone else to see what you're doing online (even the enemy spies!).

Some people use commercial VPNs.

Examples include ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and CyberGhost. They can make your data harder to track, which is great if you're using public WiFi at a cafe. They can also help you access websites and services that are blocked in your location (like getting past enemy lines to a forbidden area).

I use a VPN for work, but it’s nothing like the examples you mentioned above. What is the difference?

A work/business VPN is like a private, exclusive tunnel built by your own company. It connects you and your computer directly to your office network. Even if you're working from home or a coffee shop, this VPN extends your office network to wherever you and your device are. This helps keep the company's data secure.

The main difference between a commercial VPN and a work VPN is who they're for and what they're protecting.

A commercial VPN is for you and your personal data.

A work VPN is specifically for securing data related to your company or job.

Remember, even as a secret agent, using a VPN doesn't make you invincible. Always be cautious online – your VPN is just one tool in your toolkit!

Automate your Personal Website

Let's say you just created your personal website running on Carrd, and you've got a quote form for visitors to reach out to you for an estimate for freelancing because you’re awesome.

Wouldn't it be nice that every time someone fills out that form, they get an email automatically that breaks down your quoting process and that you will get their quote soon?

Of course, so let’s set this up in Zapier.

Zapier is a tool that can connect two apps - in this case, Carrd and your email service - and make them work together without you having to do a thing.

Here's how:

1. Set up your Carrd form: Make sure your form in Carrd is appropriately set up with the fields you want (like name, email, and message).

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2. Create a Zapier account: Head over to Zapier and set up an account if you don't already have one.

3. Make a new Zap: A Zap is basically an automated workflow. Click on 'Make a Zap', then choose Webhooks by Zapier as your trigger app with “Catch Hook” as the event. This means when we send the webhook, it triggers the Zap.

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4. Choose the event: Copy your Custom Webhooks URL and paste it in Carrd.

5. Set up the action: Next, you'll set up what happens after the form is filled out. In this case, you want to send an email. Choose your email service as the action app and select 'Send Outbound Email' as the action event.

6. Customize your email: You can then fill in the details of the email, like the recipient's email address (from the form submission), the subject line, and the content. You could write something like, "Thanks for reaching out! We'll get back to you as soon as we can."

7. Turn on your Zap: Hit 'Continue', review your setup, and then turn on your Zap.

This can be a bit advanced, so don’t worry if you have issues. I’ll be doing a video walkthrough of this setup for Momentum Elite members. 

If that made sense to you, you just put a valuable personal touch on your website on Autopilot!

That’s all for now.

If you have any questions or thoughts, don’t hesitate to reach out! Have a fantastic week!

Until next time,

Evan