I am so, so thankful to today’s guest for completely letting me go off the rails and run wild with our conversation. Something you may not know about many interview-style podcasts is as hosts, we try to prep our guests with a list of questions they can expect during the interview. For whatever reason, I threw many of the pre-determined questions for this episode right out the window, and Julie Sellers was totally game. Often times, following your intuition and excitement yields the best results, and my conversation with Julie was no exception! 

Julie is the CEO of a small business advisory firm called Ellevated Outcomes, where she and her team teach and develop customized business strategy for creative entrepreneurs. They offer two paths to clarity & confidence for creative entrepreneurs who have found success in their unique skills, passion, and intuition, and who now seek a sustainable business and a balanced life.

Julie was so genuine and thoughtful in her responses to my questions, (and follow up questions). If she could shout one message from the rooftops, I think it would be this: “CEO” isn’t a big scary commitment, it’s a mindset that can help you reach your goals, however you define them! I cannot wait for you to give our fascinating conversation a listen.

This is not a business or self-help book.

It is a personal and social history intertwined with a healthy critique of white supremacy and capitalism and the way it influences how we work and the way we value ourselves and our time. Tricia writes from her experience as a black woman and descendant of enslaved people. There was so much in this book that just made me pause and re-read and underline and reflect.

Mindset is certainly a big topic that I tackle fairly often, both on this podcast and in my membership, and Rest is Resistance has given me so much food for thought about how I approach mental health and well-being in my work. I loved talking with Charelle about this book, and as always, seeing what different pieces of wisdom we each picked up on. This was a truly great conversation, and I cannot wait for you to hear it.

I am so excited to bring you this episode with a RARE repeat guest! Megan Dowd is a Certified Equity-Centered Coach who specializes in branding. You may remember Megan from the very early days of this podcast, where we chatted about how storytelling can help build strong connections in your business. That is a great episode and if you’re curious about checking it out, it is linked in the shownotes. 

Megan has since joined forces with graphic designer Nicole Yang and Copy, Content and Marketing specialist Latasha Doyle to form Rendezvous Creative, a full service design, branding and coaching agency offering a signature service that combines their talents and expertise. Noticing the predictable bottlenecks that arise as a result of having to communicate across studios and agencies, Megan, Nicole and Latasha have created a completely in-house solution where they can collaborate with each other, and their client.

My conversation with Megan was wide ranging and full of so many things to learn, from the joys of working with a team, to trusting your gut when it comes to your branding strategy. Megan is so much fun to talk to, and I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did.

Okay. I’m about to say something that is going to sound like an exaggeration. But I promise you, it’s not.

Here it is:

Starting a podcast has changed my life.

As a result of the simple decision to start a podcast, so much has come into my life. I have new friends! A new community. A new body of work that I’m so proud of. New skills, new confidence, and yes new revenue streams.

So, over 220 episodes into Making Good, I thought it was HIGH TIME that I do a deep dive into podcasting.

I was really excited to have today’s guest on the show because she offers a totally unique perspective to branding.

Talyn Rahman-Figueroa is a former British diplomat consultant turned brand expert. Her expertise lies in a distinctive realm: empowering solopreneurs to transform themselves into Brand Ambassadors within their respective industries.

Talyn’s background as a UK diplomatic consultant forms the foundation of her approach. Her mission is clear: just as she turned citizens into diplomats, she now turns solo entrepreneurs into Brand Ambassadors. Talyn firmly believes that every solopreneur has the potential to become an industry icon.

It was so fascinating to hear how Talyn incorporates her background in consulting diplomats when working with clients.

Here’s something I think just about everyone dreads when it comes to marketing their businesses:

CRICKETS.

You know. The sound of creating content, sending an email, posting a Reel, sharing anything really to market your business and then… nothing.

No responses. No comments. No likes. No sales. Nothing.

UGH. I know. No fun.

The experience I just described is the exact opposite of ENGAGEMENT, which is the topic of today’s episode.

Today’s episode is a super practical, hands-on episode. We’re going to talk about what engagement is, why it matters, and (what I know you’re all waiting for) how to INCREASE and IMPROVE your engagement. I’m going to give you some real concrete strategies, and my hope is that you will go put these strategies into play!

As soon as the pitch for Doreen Vanderhart landed in my inbox, I knew I had to have her on the show. She is passionate about bringing ease back to marketing, and trading burnout for gentle, yet strategic marketing plans. I loved geeking out with someone who is on the same page as me in so many ways.

Doreen Vanderhart is the founder of Knap Creative, a social media marketing and website design agency located near Lethbridge, Alberta. She started Knap Creative because she believes there is an easier and less stressful way to get your goodness into the hands of your people. Doreen and her team offer inspiration and marketing services and are here to support you in living an intentional, relaxed, meaningful life.

Does that not sound like the best? If Doreen had one message for my audience it would be this; Take the pressure off and trust yourself! In our conversation, we chatted about how to do just that, and so much more. Doreen is such a fun, energetic person to talk to, I know you’ll enjoy listening to our conversation as much as I enjoyed having it.

Most of us can probably relate to the experience of working really hard on something and then just…. Not finishing. Burning out at mile 25 of the metaphorical marathon.

That’s because creating things in the world is HARD, perhaps most of all when it comes to the point where we say. This is done! This is good enough! I’m proud of this and ready to move on.

But here’s the thing – finishing is where the magic happens. It’s where all your hard work pays off. It’s where you get to say, "I did it."

So, how do we cross that finish line? How do we push past the procrastination, the perfectionism, and the plethora of distractions to finally check that box that says, "Done"?

That’s exactly what we’re diving into today. I’m sharing strategies, experiences, and maybe a little bit of tough love, all designed to get you moving, keep you going, and ultimately, help you finish strong.

As you may have heard me talk about before, I am a big productivity nerd. I love learning and chatting about new strategies and ideas for getting the most out of the day, whatever that means to you. But I know that’s not the case for everyone, and in fact, can be fuel for self-criticism. I’ve been there too. My guest today knows exactly how loaded the word “Productivity” can be, and I am so excited to share her thoughts on a new way to think about being productive.

My guest is Amber De La Garza The Productivity Specialist! Amber has more than a decade of experience helping small business owners maximize profits, reduce stress, and make time for what matters most by improving their time management and elevating their productivity. Amber is a sought-after coach, trainer, speaker, writer, host of the Productivity Straight Talk Podcast and creator of Leverage Lab®. Amber shares her message on her weekly podcast and as Straight Talks both virtually and in-person across the country for audiences that range from small business owners and associations to multinational corporations.

As you’ll hear in this conversation, Amber’s approach to harnessing productivity is right up my alley. Setting realistic goals? Check. Being gentle with yourself? Check. Prioritizing tasks? Check! I’m so excited for you to hear my full chat with Amber. 

Today’s episode is SO IMPORTANT! And I’m so excited to share it with you.

Because my friend, keeping going is EVERYTHING. Keeping going – or, being consistent – is what really does separate the folks who meet their goals from everyone else.

Which is good news! Because it means you don’t have to be special. You just have to show up every day, consistently.

So! Today is part 2 of a 3-part series here on the podcast. Part 1 was about getting started. Part 2 is about keeping going – that’s today’s episode. And the final episode coming out soon is Part 3 - How to finish.

If you want to start with Part 1 – How to Get Started, go check out episode 217 of Making Good. Then come back here afterward.

When I heard Ali had a book coming out I was immediately sold. I purchased a book, got on the waitlist, and, (with Charelle’s agreement of course), we decided to cover his book on the podcast. So this is that episode! We finally got our hands and eyeballs on our copies of Feel Good Productivity, and I had so much fun dissecting this book with Charelle.

As Cherelle would say, Feel Good Productivity is very “bitty.” In other words, it is jam-packed with lots of bits of extremely valuable info, way more than we could ever cover in one episode. His recommendations, ideas, and experiments you can try are evidence-based and science-backed, which I very much appreciate. Ali also asks a lot of valuable questions in the book, which are themselves very worth keeping in your back pocket.

I think this book is well worth a read, but here we’re going to talk about some of our key takeaways. I think Charelle and I did a good job of pulling out highlights that will hopefully inspire you in your day-to-day, but again I would absolutely recommend giving the whole book a read, it is fantastic.

Today’s show is a bit different from the topics I usually cover, though the topic has come up in small ways as long as I’ve been making this podcast.

We’re talking about how to pick yourself up when life gets in the way, with my guest Michelle Simons.

The truth is that not every day is going to be awesome. Some days may find you in a pretty low place. Maybe some health issues came up, maybe a friend or family member is going through a rough time, maybe some other tough life stuff is going on, or maybe you’re just experiencing what we all do from time to time- burnout. Despite our circumstances, so much of the time, things still need to get done.

If any of this resonates, my guest today knows exactly how you feel. In fact, picking yourself up and moving forward after challenging life events is something she’s given a lot of thought. Michelle Simons is a a brand strategist and copywriter for small businesses and entrepreneurs. She loves helping business owners pinpoint their brand’s beyond-profit purpose, talk about it in their message, and live it out.

Though Michelle is an amazing copywriter and is so good at what she does, we actually had her on the show to talk about a very different topic: how to run a business when life gets in the way. Michelle has chronic illness, and as a result has done a lot of mindset work and strategizing around how to keep her business moving during and after an event. You can’t plan for everything life throws at you, and I was so inspired by everything Michelle shared about toxic positivity, “comparisonitis,” and ways to be gentle with yourself.

I’ve got a very short & sweet episode for you, today, and it’s 2 things! An invitation and a gift.

As a small business owner, one of the things that I’ve had the most fun with is when I get to work with other small business owners… This is something i’ve done through my stationery business, Good Sheila, my retail shop, Station 7, and even this podcast.

Turns out that working with other small business owners can be a form of marketing – something called Partnership Marketing! Partnership marketing is when two businesses create a campaign or promotion that benefits both parties. It can take all kinds of forms, everything from a giveaway to a joint product or offer and everything in between.

Well, I was so excited to have today’s guest on the show because she is a partnership marketing expert. Erika Rodriguez works with mission-driven companies, social impact organizations, and ecopreneurs to create impactful content strategies and partnerships. Through her small business, Nadi Marketing, Erika helps grow conscious businesses through intentional marketing and the power of partnerships so that their visions for positive change continue to be sustainable.

I loved Erika’s straightforward and actionable tips for anyone new to partnership marketing. She was so full of creative ideas and examples, and I’m so grateful for how generous she was with her knowledge. I cannot wait for you to hear our conversation.

Sometimes, the simplest things are also the hardest to do.

Exhibit A: Showing up consistently for something… even if it’s something you really care about.
Exhibit B: Putting ourselves out there.
And Exhibit C, which is what we’re talking all about in today’s episode, and is probably the simplest of all:

STARTING.

Taking the first step. Writing the first paragraph. Your first 5 minutes on the treadmill.

Starting.

Starting is simple, deceptively difficult, and yet… SO CRITICAL. Anything you want to do in life requires taking the first step.

Any result you want can only come from getting started.

So. Today’s episode is tackling this very pain point that I suspeeeeect a lot of you can relate to. I know I certainly can! And that is: GETTING STARTED.

My guest today is Denisa Parker, and while our areas of focus are different, there is a lot of overlap in the types of clients we work with. Denisa is the founder of Kind and Ivy, a brand and packaging design studio. She works with conscientious small business owners to help them unapologetically stand out in their market and create memorable experiences for their customers, so they can ultimately make a bigger positive impact in the world. Denisa has worked with fashion, beauty, wellness, and handmade brands to help them make a big impact with their audience- all while making a minimal impact on the planet.

I had heard amazing things about this book and was so so excited to cover it in this months Book Club. The more I read, however, the more I realized that Hooked is really geared toward tech companies, tech products, things like apps and games, and not physical products or services like the ones most of us have as our businesses.

That’s not to say this wasn’t a great book! Charelle and I were able to pull out so many lessons and ideas from each section, and throughout our conversation, apply them to business models you might have as a listener of this podcast. It was a fun exercise in finding the generalities in each marketing method, and thinking about how they can be used across industries.

Plus, I got to ask my favorite question: What can we learn from this?

Lots of you are experiencing social media burnout, and I can relate. I’ve been there. The ever-shifting algorithms, the pressure to constantly create content, and the time suck of putting yourself out there over and over again, often with minimal returns on that investment. It is exhausting.

My guest today has made NON-social media marketing the focal point of her marketing, and I am so excited to dig in with her. Rebecca Tracey works with aspiring life coaches, health coaches, healers, and other service-based businesses to build a business that will stand the test of time (and not be at the whim of whatever the newest trendy marketing fad is!). She helps clients clear the clutter and bring them back to foundations so they can articulate their vision clearly and move forward.

Rebecca’s message? Marketing without social media, (or at least without the need for social media), IS POSSIBLE. I found this conversation energizing and refreshing, and I know you will too.