all episodes - Courage and Clarity

In this episode Amanda lays out:  a 6 month roadmap for using a specific target market to power up your business how to approach target market if you feel your business can help everyone what to do if picking a target market makes you feel "stuck in a box" how to keep your potential customers' "BS meter" from going off when they find you how to get the right people to your website... and turn them into real customers exactly how to create attractive email opt-in offers & the process for keeping new readers engaged  Seriously, there's so much here in this conversation and Amanda generously holds nothing back. 

Sounds crisp and clean, like Amanda's really got her business together, right?  ... It wasn't always this way, and in this Courage story, Amanda opens up about her days as a deflated corporate employee chasing a job overseas in pursuit of freedom.  Initially thinking a career in health coaching was the answer, Amanda excitedly obtained her certification, started a blog and began working with clients only to realize this totally wasn't for her.  After realizing that a new home in Paris nor a new career in health coaching would fill the void in her life, Amanda found herself majorly confused about what to do next.  Somewhere along the way, someone told Amanda to "start looking at who’s already showing up in your business."  What Amanda realized next was absolutely key: she had tons of friends coming to her for tech and marketing help, and she actually loved that stuff.  SHE HAD CLOSED THE DOOR ON HER CORPORATE BACKGROUND IN MARKETING WITHOUT REALIZING THERE WAS ANOTHER WAY TO MAKE IT WORK IN HER OWN BUSINESS.  You'll have to join us for this conversation to hear: the exact moment that things clicked for Amanda How she figured out what services to offer after tearing her hair out doing work she hated Why the clients started flowing when she was previously struggling .... and what advice she'd offer her former self. 

This isn't necessarily about working less -- it's about making sure the results you're getting match the effort you're putting in.  It's deflating to feel you're ALWAYS working on your business, yet you never have the results to show for it.  In this episode, Adrienne reveals why this effort and results become lopsided: "Effort does not equal progress. The real gamechanger is effort with direction." Adrienne also shares:  What to do in the next 90 days to maximize your progress The number one mistake people make, which leads to nothing getting completed The concept of "Most Important Mission", the criteria for it, and how you can put this to work so you never feel you've wasted a day  How to handle essential (yet annoying) operational tasks using batching and boundaries  The concept of "To Do", "Doing" and "Done", and where your results are getting bottlenecked Adrienne is so hard-hitting in this episode. A few more favorite quotes from her: "Are you choosing easy over results?"  "People sit around waiting for motivation, but I think motivation comes from action." 

Season 2 is HERE, and we're getting this party started with Adrienne Dorison: success guru, money mentor and podcast host behind the School of Self-Mastery and The Pop-Up Podcast! dorisonimage2.png In this Courage story, Adrienne shares the fascinating story of how her background in wildlife & forestry led her to launching a business that helps people double their business in half the time. Her dream of petting polar bears on a daily basis led her to a creativity-stifling job at a paper company... and landed her $48,000 in debt. Adrienne started blogging as a desperately needed creative outlet without really intending for it to turn into anything. She didn't think anyone was reading, and she certainly didn't realize she could parlay this into a real career path. By immersing herself in entrepreneurial communities, Adrienne learned what was possible and thus set her mind on side hustling her way to replacing her corporate job income. She ended up smashing this goal, and paying off her entire $48,000 debt in just 6 months. This is an awesome episode for anyone wanting to make a leap or transition who also feels held back by some obstacle or commitment -- debt, family, you name it. I can promise a hefty dose of inspiration, as well as some practical tips for making this kind of transition in your own life. After this episode, join me for Episode 16 with Adrienne (her clarity episode) -- she's teaching us how to get more done in less time by giving us a peek into the productivity process she uses to power her projects!

As we prepare to kick off Season 2 of these podcast (YAY!), I was having a conversation with my teammate and friend, Chase Reeves.  He asked me one important question: "How do you want Courage & Clarity to feel?"  The question gave me pause for a few different reasons. First of all, it was refreshing. Questions like, "What should our goal be for this podcast?" often leave me scratching my head -- uhh, 1,000 people listen to it? A million people? Having Oprah on the show??  But how I want it to feel? That's a question I can actually answer.  This conversation isn't about shirking results. Results are big time important mile markers -- I'm starting to see them as the guard rails that help ensure a project is on track. But I see them less and less as a guiding light.  You see, "results" or "goals" as we traditionally define them are burdened with energy-draining traps laid by ego, comparison and doubt. Those goals want to keep us on the hamster wheel, chasing "success" without ever really feeling great. You have to start with how you want it to feel, not just when it's over, but while you're creating.  Here's how Chase put it: "If you want some outcome, spend time practicing how you want that outcome to feel."  I know it might feel like a stretch, but all the things you want to feel -- joy, competence, excitement, security, safety -- you don't have to wait to feel them. You can feel those things right now, before you reach "success" (

I'm so excited to be back on the microphone today! Before we kick off Season 2 (it's DEEP in progress right now!), I thought we could take a step back and digest the jam-packed episodes of Season 1. I wanted to turn the mic over to you guys to see what you'd like me to go deeper on, and you asked some great Q's that I'm ready to A for ya! Here are some big things we get into today, as requested by you guys! * What you need to know about starting a podcast (my experience with this show so far!) * How to get past bad days * What to do about jealousy + comparison in business * Criteria for truly excellent morning + evening routines * How to manage multiple revenue streams at once * What to do about spouses / partners who aren't on board with your business * Tips for engaging with your community as you grow your social media 

Ever find yourself shouting into the empty vacuum of social media, wondering why that stubborn follower number isn't increasing?  Do you look at people you admire, perhaps with similar business models, and wish you could stop feeling so much resistance? Ever wonder if maybe you could make each other stronger? In order to connect with others and build an online tribe, we need to be willing to get vulnerable. This is a scary premise for many of us... but lately I've been wondering, why is that? Why is it so hard to BE REAL online? Are we afraid people won't like us?  Worried potential clients will see the cracks in the veneer and decide to partner with someone who has their sh*t together instead? For whatever reason, it's way easier to hide behind a beautiful, perfectly curated, magazine-style Instagram feed without ever really putting ourselves out there.  But consider this: if you think about any person that you feel deeply connected to online, it’s likely that you know as much about them as you know about your close friends. You know what they’re working on, what they're struggling with, and what they're eating for dinner. You may even know the names of their pets and what they would order off of a cocktail menu. In order to build true community, you have to treat your online platforms like you would a conversation with a friend. Be open, honest, and empathetic to your audience. Work to understand what they are going through and share your perspective with compassion. And as Natalie says: Fight the urge to be a cooler, smarter, better looking version of yourself. Just keep it real. Natalie & I get into this and so much more in this episode. She's sharing 5 big tips to help us truly stand out because, let's face it, there are enough Pinterest-style Instagram accounts out there, right?  Here's what you'll get out of this episode:  How to put the "social" back in "social media"  How to start making connections even if you have zero community right now  How to leverage a handful of people to boost your content  How to use hashtags to find people you'd love to connect with, and get discovered yourself the #1 thing your tribe wants you to do (hint: it's not another coffee mug photo!) Let's go to the show - I can't wait for you to hear this one!  (Psst - this is the last episode of Season One!! Don't worry, Season Two is already underway. Before we kick that off, I'm doing a special Q&A episode about all things Season One. What can I answer for you?!)

This week I’m talking with Natalie Franke, founder of the Rising Tide Society, which is an international network of creative entrepreneurs who believe in community over competition.  In this Courage story, Natalie tells us about what it was like to grow a photography business to 6 figures and — get this — she did that on the side as she studied FULL TIME as an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania.  She came to an extremely interesting and confusing crossroads when it was time to graduate, and she had to decide the fate of her business.  Should she continue down the entrepreneurial path she inadvertently set in motion when she was trying to fund her education? And if so, what was the point of getting that expensive degree in the first place? We get into this and much more in this episode, and I can’t wait for you guys to hear from Natalie — she was so fantastic to talk to. She’s got this comforting and nurturing way about her that really pulled me in.  I’m especially excited for these conversations, because The Rising Tide Society is so aligned with the work that we do over at Fizzle.  Natalie and I share many of the same views about the role that community plays in building a business and how lonely it can be to go it alone.  In this episode Natalie shares that 1 in 3 entrepreneurs suffer with anxiety or depression, and she opens up about how she is one of them. Clearly as the founder of Rising Tide Society, a network of 50,000 entrepreneurs, Natalie is an expert on how to build community. That's why in her Clarity episode, the one right after this one, she's taking us behind the scenes to tell us what it really takes to create a following of loyal people who would follow you off a cliff.  These two episodes are the last ones for Season One of the Courage & Clarity podcast. (!) But don’t worry... the truth is I’m already working on Season Two (!!), and I'm so excited to bring you more inspiring & instructional conversations from incredible entrepreneurs. (!!!) However, there's one thing I need from you: in between the two seasons I’m going to create a “Question & Answers” episode devoted to going deeper on anything you heard in Season One (or, anything you want, really!) There’s a super quick survey here. If you could head over there and let me know what you’d like me to answer, I would so appreciate it.

"I think that's number one: you need to just do the work before anyone is gonna notice." Double digits -- it's episode 10! This is an awesome conversation for anyone even remotely interested in the book writing and publishing process. Cassandra is ripping the curtain off the murky process of how to get a book deal, what publishers are really looking for and how to present yourself in a way that makes them eager to take a chance on your book. In the first episode, my courage conversation with Cassandra, she told us all about how an extremely painful and scary time in her life taught her to go inside and connect to her own inner wisdom. In this clarity episode, Cassandra expands on the importance of listening to your intuition for guidance and how she tapped into hers to create the concept for her new book, Eat with Intention. Eat With Intention is a unique book that combines healthy recipes with meditations and self-care. I picked up my copy and I love that every single recipe has a meditation to go along with it. Cassandra recommends opening the book to a random page, almost treating it like a tarot card reading, and then make that recipe and do the meditation. I’m finding it to be so fun, interesting and different. I’m really excited to get into this one so I won’t delay — it’s packed with good stuff for writers and hopeful authors. Let's dive into the conversation and talk about what you REALLY need to know about writing your book and getting it published!

"Most of the crappy things that have happened, the detours in my life, happened because I stopped listening to myself at one point." Welcome to Episode 9! Today I’m talking with Cassandra Bodzak, author of Eat with Intention and healthy living enthusiast who helps people live the lives that light them up from the inside out. {Pssst.. if you're new to this podcast, I talk a lot more about how this whole thing works here!} Cassandra has done all kinds of amazing things — obviously she’s written a book, but she’s also appeared on television, coached lots of people, opened a membership site and much more. My favorite part of Cassandra's story isn't the success itself; it's the fact that all of the opportunities she’s had are related to the connection to her true self, which she talks about in detail in this episode. You hear us "experts" at Fizzle (and lots of other people) say pick a niche, choose one thing and do it well. While I stand by this advice in many ways, Cassandra lays out how she's managed to have her hands in a lot of pots at once -- and how she gets paid. Cassandra is truly captivating in this episode. Her story is so authentic, completely vulnerable and raw — just wait for her to tell you about what she [lovingly!] refers to as her “bathroom floor eat pray love moment.” If you’re anything like me, you’ll be nodding your head along with Cassandra and saying to yourself, “I have totally been in that dark place she describes.” The way Cassandra intentionally reacted to this situation and managed to spin a scary, life-changing time into something beautiful, creative and connected is truly inspiring. Now full disclosure! Cassandra does talk about the critical role meditation played in her story, and for some of you, I totally know what you’re thinking... How can meditation REALLY be responsible for such a huge shift? I’ve had questions like that myself, and here’s the thing: It isn’t just about the meditation itself. It’s about the role the meditation plays — in this case, it’s the flashlight that illuminated Cassandra’s path into herself and figuring out who the heck she actually is. You’ll have to hear Cassandra tell it to get what I mean, and I can’t wait to share her with you. I hope you love this conversation, and if you do, it would mean the world if you could leave me a review over in iTunes so more people may find this show!

Ep. 007 // Taking a Chance on Business & Romance in a New City with Blair Staky (COURAGE)

Welcome to Episode 8! It's the second half of my conversation with Blair Staky, a successful fashion & lifestyle blog designer turned full-time blogger. When Blair decided she wanted to get more serious about blogging and step away from her design business, her blog was bringing in around 20% of her income. By focusing on some simple yet intentional tweaks to her strategy, Blair's blog now provides 70% of her income. Blair used to scramble to throw up a blog post at the last minute, and it would typically be about whatever was on her mind that day. Today, she targets exactly what her dream readers are interested in. And instead of just posting up pretty pictures of what she wore, she’s pairing each outfit with a story of some kind to create an *emotional connection* to the pieces. Her readers feel more engaged and interested in the content, which leads to more trust and more affiliate purchases for Blair (woohoo!) Instagram fits into this whole “intentional, strategic content” idea as well. Blair went from basically reposting only her blog photos to coming up with a separate, interesting, behind the scenes peek into her life. In this episode Blair answers these questions: How do I figure out what my ideal readers are actually looking for, and then use their exact words to help them find me? When using keyword research to come up with blog topics, what's the sweet spot between "too obscure" and "too overdone"? How do I incorporate keywords into my posts? How can I pair imagery & copy to create a story? When are the best times to post on Instagram? How do I grow past just a few hundred followers and into the realm of thousands (and beyond) ... and LOTS more. If you're looking to put a little more intention into how you grow using content, this episode with Blair is a must-listen. I know I have fallen into the trap of looking at bloggers with huge Instagram followings and assuming they must not have to do anything to keep growing. Instead, I hope you pick up on just how plugged in Blair is with actively commenting and engaging with her audience to show them that she’s a real person. So let's get into it -- we're talking about using research to grow a blog & earn 65,000 Instagram followers!

Welcome to Episode 6! It's the second half of my conversation with Claire Pelletreau, a brilliant Facebook Ads consultant. I have a feeling this episode will become a fast favorite for anyone interested in experimenting with Facebook ads... and if that's you, you're going to want to grab your notebook for this one, because Claire gets specific and practical in this one. There are so many things you're going to want to try after this conversation! Here's what Claire's throwing down for us in this episode: 3 big Facebook Ad strategies entrepreneurs at any level need to know about How to hone in on customers who are more likely to buy your products or services How to create ads that intentionally and strategically grow your email list How to authentically show up in front of people who don't know you -- and win them over How your ads are an investment in learning tons about your customer base & their big problems ... and, my favorite part: how Claire would spend just $40 a month on Facebook Ads! So whether you've played with Facebook ads or you're a total newbie, whether you're a seasoned business builder or a brand new entrepreneur with little more than an idea, there's something for you in this conversation. I have to admit, before this conversation I regarded Facebook Ads with total skepticism, thinking of them as money pits yielding murky results. Claire reveals that there is so much more to this strategy than hoping to make money off of ads. You'll have to listen to see what I mean! So let's get into it -- we're talking about key Facebook ad strategies and where to spend your money for the best results!

"I had this thing that I wanted to do, but I never would have done it if this hadn't happened to me..." This week's set of Courage & Clarity episodes features two fantastic, straight-to-the-point conversations with the brilliant Facebook Ads expert Claire Pelletreau. (Psst, are you new to this podcast? This show is all about helping you find the courage & the clarity to after what you love. Each guest joins me for two episodes: courage (the VISION) & clarity (the PROCESS). More on that over here in Episode 1.) Claire takes us back to the beginning of her entrepreneurial journey when she was working for Laura Roeder and learning the ins & outs of online marketing. She describes this time in her career as "getting a Master's Degree with someone else's money" -- she got to play around, experiment and test things without having to absorb all the risk that comes along with it. Claire was learning a lot, and she was really comfortable right where she was. In fact, Claire shares that she can envision a reality where she never left this job, quietly tamping down the big scary entrepreneurial dreams in the back of her head. But she did leave that job ... when the bottom totally dropped out. Suddenly she was faced with making a completely unexpected decision: would she seek comfort in the form of finding another steady job, or would she finally answer the call to try her hand at entrepreneurship and go out on her own? Claire's turning point moment, when her side business becoming her *only* business, forced her out of that safe space of earning steady paychecks and into the realm of being her own boss. With student loans to pay and a wedding looming in the distance, she had to figure out how to get clients fast. Claire shares what it was like to be completely overwhelmed and unsure what to do next, and how she would have tweaked her strategy knowing what she knows now. Join me for this honest conversation with Claire Pelletreau. She really puts everything out there from failures to wins in the kind of natural and relatable way that reminds me of catching up over a cup of coffee. After this chat, head on over to Episode 6: Claire's Clarity episode, "How to Spend $40 a Month on Facebook Ads that Actually Work"!

"I know exactly why my business wasn't clicking: I wasn't resonating." Christina shares how her failure as a health & wellness blog led her leveraging her expertise as an attorney to create a thriving business, allowing her to solve problems for her dream clients.