all episodes - Courage and Clarity

Aside from loving PrepDish as a customer, I wanted to have Allison on the show for a very specific reason: Her product is incredibly simple. Like, "can this actually be a business?" simple. It's a PDF. I hope these episodes with Allison challenge you to strip away all the scary beliefs that you need to buy course after course to figure out how to launch a business.  Allison's the master of putting the customer's needs first, and getting laser-focused on what people actually NEED (hint: it's not a crazy app or 35 module course.) In this Courage story, we're exploring how Allison got here via her Personal Chef business. I love that Allison started out with a service-based business, and how she worked out the kinks in her workflow before launching a digital product. Through perfecting her process in people's kitchens, she was able to create a hard-hitting digital product that nails a specific need.  Here's what we're getting into in this episode:  Getting clients: How Allison got her very first client as a personal chef (spoiler: it's not fancy)  Refining your services: How to figure out what makes you unique -- and how that translates to your offering Networking: How the hard work you do in the beginning may pay off later in surprising ways  Idea validation: How Allison's Personal Chef business actually served as the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for her digital product, PrepDish Batching: How Allison shifted to a year-long or season-long view of her meal plans, and how she gets more done with less effort  “I figured out what was unique for me — I was not only a chef, but I was also a dietician.” “I just had to stop doing anything except the process that I wanted to do. I know you want me to cater your party, but I can’t — this is the one thing I want to do. It really was a decision, this is the way I do things, and I’m only going to work with clients THIS WAY.”

If you feel like a crazy person, jumping around from thing to thing without accomplishing any one task, this episode is for you.  If you can't summarize what you do in 5 words, this episode is for you.  And if you're drowning in emails and you find yourself saying "maybe" when in your heart you mean "no", then yep, this episode is for you.  We're digging into:  What startups and pregnant women / mothers can learn from each other Why understanding what you do (and don't do!) is absolutely critical to your ability to make decisions -- and exactly how many things you should be doing  Where to turn if you have a hard time describing what you do, if what you do doesn't work, or if you feel crazy busy all the time How to find your business "North Star" The 4 categories of business decision making: Delegate, Defer, Automate & Delete  Why you should strive to be a little bit bad at some things (like email), and why it's okay to "break stuff" in your business  Some favorite quotes from Sarah:  "Just because somebody has put something on my task list doesn't mean I have to decide to do it."  "Don't defer it if you really mean NO. Because that's actually mean."

Guys, I truly love and adore every single episode of this show that I've had the privilege to produce. Maybe it's the exact place I'm at in my own life right now as mama to a one year old, but I am really in love with this conversation. I hope it inspires you, challenges you and lifts you up all at the same time, because that's exactly what happened to me.  A few big points we dive into:  How to find and understand your core identity -- aka, who you really are, in just a handful of words The time Sarah broke her foot in college, and the huge lesson that applies to business  Why a "just this once" mentality will screw us up, and leads us to a path of excuses  The two habit muscles we are always strengthening -- and which one you definitely want to be focusing on  Why "waste" and "rest" are not the same -- and how rest is actually an investment in our careers How to stop feeling guilty about doing things that feel good to us  Why Sarah will take her shirt off and shake her boobies around (wait... what?) Some of my very favorite quotes from this episode:  “The true test of perserverance and resilience, the people who make it through their 20 mile march are the ones who look at that moment when they COULD make an excuse and they say I’m choosing to do it anyways”  “You’re either strengthening the muscle that makes excuses, or you’re strengthening the muscle that does it anyways”  “The person who wins, the person who makes it happen isn’t the person who has some magical better circumstances than you”  Then, in the Clarity episode, we're talking about a precise process for way better decision making in our businesses & our lives. Can't wait for you to hear this! 

You might be itching to become an entrepreneur because of all the perks, but what about the cash? Do you have enough to make it on your own? As Nicole tells us in this episode, the best entrepreneurs are scrappy. It's easy to fantasize over investors throwing cash at you a la Shark Tank, but that kind of start-up money means you basically have a boss. So what can we do to bootstrap this thing on a budget? In this episode, we're diving into exactly that, plus: How to prepare for the un-sexy parts of entrepreneurship (including exactly how much money you should have in the bank)  Why "Do it now!" might be the exact wrong advice for starting your business Nicole's 3 "E"s of budgeting, and how much money you should have for your essentials, end game & extras  The simple (yet brilliant) daily habit Nicole used to pay off her credit card debt (I'm stealing this one!)  A precise method for determining whether you have a business idea or a party trick 

Many of us have lots of memories of being cheered on by people who believed in us, hearing reassuring messages that we can just "be ourselves", that we are "special" and born to "stand out".  But once it's time to grow up and start #adulting, it's so common to be met with an entirely different message -- especially when, like Nicole, you enter an industry full of standards, rigidity and a "this is how we've always done it" mindset. As an aspiring new anchor, Nicole felt that familiar pressure. Appear older. Wear shoulder pads. Speak with the "news anchor voice". She even had a professor proclaim that, in order to be taken seriously, she should cut her hair short into an "anchor bob". Once you hear from Nicole in this episode, you'll realize she isn't your typical news anchor (even though she was the youngest anchor at CNN & CNBC, ever -- seriously, she was just 21!) Her hair is long, she speaks like a normal girlfriend over a cup of coffee, and she's no longer on a mission to disguise her age.   To be it plainly, Nicole stopped trying to overcome herself -- and her audience can't get enough. In this episode, you'll hear: What to do when you're actually an imposter -- aka, so far outside your comfort zone, you feel as though you're learning a whole new language  How to stop overcoming who you are, and leveraging your true self to find success instead  The importance of money transparency for our professional lives (and how weird it is that we'll tell our girlfriends just about anything -- except our salaries) How to look at failure, and why Nicole is happy it took her a decade to publish a book (with at least 5 rejected ideas along the way)

Today, Annie works for Free to Breathe, a non-profit organization seeking to increase lung cancer survival rates.  In her early twenties, Annie never could have imagined that lung cancer would turn her whole world upside down. By seeking meaningful connection to other people through fitness and volunteering, Annie is now dedicating her professional life to the disease that took her parents from her. Annie's story is incredible, and I'm taking away the following question as a lesson: "Does joining someone else’s team allow you to go even deeper in the fullest expression of living your values?" If the answer is YES, sometimes being an entrepreneur isn't the best fit, and there might just be a better arrangement waiting for us if we keep our eyes & hearts open to the possibility.  In this episode, you'll hear: How to do the work now to invite your dream job into your life  How to create a job for yourself at an organization you'd love to work for How to flipthe script on loss & trauma — and leverage the worst thing that’s ever happened in your life into something meaningful

Beware, after listening to this you’re gonna want to stop everything & hug the ones you love! In this Courage story, Annie shares how two traumatic losses shook her awake in life. After her experience, she was unable to avoid realizing what is truly important in life, and just how empty her work was --  and thus, her priorities forever shifted. Before the trauma, she over delivered and was on a mission to please others. After, those same things seemed trivial.  The questions in Annie's life changed from things like “What apartment am I going to live in? How am I going to please the client?” to “How am I going to be the strongest version of myself for my family? How do I survive this?" In other words, her life experience rendered her unable to relate to PR clients whose biggest concern in life was whether the napkins were the exact correct color.  In her healing process, Annie turned to fitness and fell in love with running & teaching classes. This episode captures how Annie was able to take advantage of a new market, show up with her expertise and make a major change to do work she genuinely cares about. Annie's story is proof of the magic that can happen when you just show up and live in the space of true connection -- connection to your passion, to your craft, to your talents and to other people.  Then, in the Clarity episode, we're digging into how to join a company that is truly aligned with your values. If you've ever wondered when it's time to quit your business to work for someone else or how to find truly meaningful work on someone else's team, the next episode will be perfect for you. 

I'm having an absolutely blast bringing you one part inspiration and one part instruction from amazing entrepreneurs who are going after what they love in business & in life.  However, since these conversations have been so action packed, I thought I would pause and huddle up with y'all.  Recently, on Instagram & on Facebook, I called for questions -- and you guys really delivered! So today, I'm answering your top Q's. In this episode, you'll hear:  How to decide whether you should start a podcast Putting the "ideal client" debate to rest How to get your very first clients How this podcast is doing so far! How to get OUT of planning mode and INTO action mode What to do about "shiny object syndrome", aka the constant barrage of new ideas .... and the best advice I've ever received!  PLUS, as a little bonus, I finished the episode off by sharing some things I've been thinking about lately. You may have seen on Instagram I posted a graphic exclaiming, "It's okay if you suck right now." That post BLEW UP and so I wanted to go deeper into what I meant, what I've learned since then and how you can put this into practice in your own life.  Thank you for the questions, I hope you enjoy the show this week!

You know the scene: You're sitting at the Starbucks, sweaty-palmed, talking your face off with a client you'd love to work with, hoping and praying they are picking up what you're putting down. And then, the moment comes: it's time to sell. You hold your breath and name your price, worried that they'll get up and walk away right there.  I've been in that Starbucks scenario so many times, and I get the heeby jeebies just thinking about it.  That's why I love this conversation with Emylee & Abagail. They're sharing exactly what we need to tweak in order to make more sales -- and to take the fear factor out of these conversations.  In this action-packed, 20 minute conversation, Emylee & Abbie spill:  Three big steps to generating MORE sales (easier, simpler & less intimidating than you think!) How to educate your clients on the value you offer vs. having to make pitches and convince them to work with you  How to help your clients see you as a mind reader (and therefore, the perfect person to trust!) A stress-free approach to talking about money with clients  Some tough love, which will help you get out of your own way and make more sales! 

Emylee & Abagail are the brains behind this strategy powerhouse which offers courses, a podcast and lots of clarity for frazzled entrepreneurs who want to get more sh*t done. But of course, there's more to this story than a couple of bosses who've got it all figured out.  Emylee dropped out of graduate school two weeks before her program began and originally thought she'd own a cupcake business.  Abagail climbed the corporate ladder in the web design world only to be laid off from work.  In this episode these two spill all the details of their individual paths to doing meaningful work on their own terms, including lots of bumps & bruises along the way.  My favorite part, though, is how they decided to come together.  After joining forces to run a webinar together, the two sat on the floor of Abagail's home office and realized their values & aspirations were so similar -- and, that they had a blast building cool stuff together. Think Creative Collective was born. In addition to these inspiring stories, you'll hear:  How Emylee went from making next to nothing as a photographer for a year, to walking out of a client's house with a $1500 check  How the two completely overhauled their business model -- which allowed them both to take January completely off, and both have only worked part time so far in 2017 What to look for in a co-founder relationship, and how to test it out before going "all in" 

Why getting better at your weaknesses is bad advice, and what you should do instead to grow exponentially

In this episode, Katie shares: How she faced the harsh realization that corporate wasn't for her, even after spending lots of time & money getting her MBA How incorporating her own fitness transformation into her coaching powered her business Exactly how to get your partner on board with your business dreams, and the key to handling personal relationships as an entrepreneur  The importance of sharing ourselves authentically, and what's at risk if we don't start hitting publish  In addition, Katie and I jam on the idea of being brave for just 5 seconds at a time, and how we've both found our entire lives have shifted when we push ourselves to publish scary things. There's so much to learn here from Katie's ability to recognize she was "chasing next" -- next job, next degree, next pat on the back for doing a "good job".  Today, instead of seeking praise and significance from large companies that may or may not validate her, Katie has built her own platform for sharing her message and she's carved out a space where she can be an influencer.  It's a great story -- and next up, Katie joins me in Episode 23 to talk about finding your strengths and using them to create a business that's as unique as you are. 

In this very-close-to-my-heart episode, I'm sharing:  A traumatic, tragic loss I've experienced in my life recently and my current thoughts & feelings The perspective I've gained from hardship and how we can challenge ourselves to live our best lives A before-and-after glimpse into how a family trip to Ireland deepened my healing 3 things grief has taught me that apply to career & business A powerful & moving excerpt from my journal and the message in my heart about grief In case you'd like to read the words from my journal, here they are in written format.  Per Jess Lively's "writing to your intuition" exercise, I asked myself the following question:  Why do I feel this is the episode I need to share?  Here was my unedited, un-analyzed gut reaction (I arrived here by just writing without thinking too much): "Your life is not the shiny perfect image that people might see. You are not perfectly courageous and composed. There is so much suffering, and you are afraid. You do not know how the events of the past year will manifest in terms of your family.  Questions weigh heavier on your heart than your mind allows you to truly explore. It is too traumatic to completely comprehend. As such, everything (including career) is impacted. There are positives and negatives to this. The negatives are perhaps more obvious — there is stress, bad dreams, unexplained and unexpected tear-filled moments, your anger flairs up in a way that feels out of control. This is all related to the unprocessed mountain of emotion that sits in your heart like a knot.  Importantly, do not rush to untie this knot. You cannot untie this knot without the right tools. You do not have all of those tools today, nor do you have all of the puzzle pieces to know how. Instead, this is a project that will be unraveled piece by piece, over time, and there is nothing you can do to speed this process except try to be open to your truth. You know exactly what I mean: it’s that back-and-forth you have in your own mind about whether it is safe to hear your heart’s voice. Sometimes that voice will tell you scary things, or sad things that make you cry. I am here to say IT IS SAFE. More than just safe, it is everything to hear your heart’s voice. Do not be afraid. Or rather, be afraid, but listen anyway. Cry when it hurts. Show yourself and show up. The only thing you have to do is be open and be light. Do not try to be more than exactly what you are, right now."

Tsh is a writer, podcaster and a coach focused on the angle of living simply and unconventionally. She's been running a blog for 9 years called the Art of Simple, hosts a podcast called The Simple Show, and is the author of a book coming out this month, At Home in the World.  In this week's Courage story, Tsh tells us all about how she and her husband found themselves in Turkey, a completely foreign country, and how her anxiety and discomfort led her to writing as a creative outlet. From this scary experience, her blog was born -- and now she's been at it for nearly a decade.  Tsh and her husband spent five years devising a plan to save up enough cash to take their whole family on the road -- including their three young children. What happened over that year is truly inspiring, and might have you rethinking what you'd like your life to look like.  In this episode you'll hear: The fears Tsh faced when she decided to take both her family and her business on the road  What it means to live simply according to your own unique life's purpose (and each of us may have our own definition of "simplicity") A new, refreshing spin on what it takes to be "an expert" How Tsh has stayed engaged in her area of expertise for close to 10 years, despite some lackluster moments Enjoy this episode, and then join us in Episode 20 where Tsh shares the exact steps she took to take her business & family on the road for a year! 

In this episode, Tsh reveals:  How to plan for a year around the world, including how much money she saved up and how long it took  What systems and fail-safes to implement in your business before you hit the road  How this works with young children, including education & the balance between action & relaxation What one thing she would have done differently with her travels & business At this exact moment, I'm traveling around Ireland in a minivan with my entire family, including my 10 month old baby girl! Tsh totally inspired me to go with the flow and keep my perspective open when it comes to business, family and travel.