Courage & Clarity

Today I'm delighted to welcome the lovely and courageous Lauree Oftrofsky to the show! Lauree is a coach for the A+ type student. She helps people figure out how to actually enjoy the process instead of saving all the good feelings when the goal has been achieved. What a concept, right?! In the courage part, Lauree admits that right when she thought she had her life plan totally locked down (literally, hours before she planned to go into her job and QUIT), her world was turned upside down: the persistent ear infection that wouldn't go away actually wasn't an ear infection after all. It was a brain tumor. In the episode we dig into the wild and scary ride that followed, which includes brain surgery, lots of days recovering in the ICU and the unexpected yet powerful lesson that came from a little tube designed to drain fluid from her head. I was on the edge of my seat with this one, and I know you'll love it too! Then, in the Clarity portion, we're diving into Lauree's top tips for having fun on the way to our goals, rather than waiting to cross the finish line before celebrating.

Believe me when I say that every single time I welcome a guest onto the show, I feel thrilled. But there's just something about today's guest, my new friend (& soul sister?) Cathy Heller, that created an oh so special conversation here.... and I just know you will love it. Cathy is the host of "Don't Keep Your Day Job", a podcast that's topped the iTunes charts (we're talking "right up there with Oprah" status). She's had guests like Jenna Fischer from The Office, Seth Godin and ... me! In addition to running a podcast that rocks, Cathy is a successful singer who writes music for television & movies. We talk about how she moved to LA with a dream of "making it big", American Idol, rubbing elbows with movie stars, receiving checks in the mail and looking up at the sky like "is this real?" You gotta hear it all from Cathy. Now that she's built a successful business in which she teaches others about music licensing, she's now working on a new course designed to help people turn their passions into profits. And that's exactly what she's teaching us in the clarity episode!

If you're here, I'm guessing you could use a little more courage in your life -- and who among us isn't interested in feeling courageous?! That's why I love this week's conversation so much. Meet Amy Smith, the sassy, lovely and hilarious life coach over at The Joy Junkie.  In this episode, we hear all about Amy's winding path to entrepreneurship -- which might involve belting out a Kelly Clarkson song alone in her car with tears rolling down her face... She also shares 5 real, practical ways to live from a place of courage instead of making decisions that are fear-based.  So if you're so ready and excited to build your business but can't stop bumping up against fear at the same time, strap in -- this episode with Amy is for you. In the Courage half, you'll hear:  All about Amy's business & how she earns her living  How she finds people who struggle when it comes to standing up for themselves Overcoming anxiety and fear, and some ideas about the "how" Her message to people who are confused & unsettled Then in the Clarity portion, we get into:  5 days to lead from a place of courage instead of fear Changing the idea that we need to be fearless Awareness (and the NAC method) Hyper vigilance around your self-talk Getting rid of any unnecessary fear triggers Surrounding yourself with "fear-optimized" allies

So you want to start a podcast, blog or YouTube channel, but there's just one problem...  You're starting from absolute scratch, and NO ONE knows you online. How are you supposed to get people to actually listen, read or watch?! This week on the show I've got Harriet Morris. In addition to having a lovely accent that you could listen to all day long, she's here to tell you how she went from nobody, to 40,000 podcast downloads in a few short months with ZERO marketing.  I've gotten to know Harriet over the years a member of Fizzle, and I've loved her progression. She describes herself as "the eating coach" and she's got a podcast called The Eating Coach Podcast. She empowers her clients to achieve a 95% drop in binge eating without feeling deprived or bad about themselves, and she helped her clients make sugar addiction a thing of the past.  Harriet shares her journey and how her lessons from intuitive eating actually apply to business (which is totally fascinating!) Then, we'll get into the four guidelines for creating a podcast or any kind of content online when you're an absolute nobody. IN THE COURAGE HALF, YOU'LL HEAR: Harriet's business, how she earns her living & how she became the eating coach The lessons from food we can all relate to life & business  How she's learned that detachment from results actually creates results   AND THEN IN THE CLARITY PORTION, WE GET INTO:  Four guidelines for creating a successful podcast (or content of any kind!) even when no one knows who you are, including:  Serving your own needs by serving your audience Deciding if you are a content creator or a content curator  Making it easy for listeners to consume your show The key to to epic content: real connection "You don't need to be better to be anyone else, you just need to be different." -Sally Hogshead

Okay, so I'm willing to bet that at this point you've heard about "mastermind groups", and that you should totally be in one.  {Psst, I made you a pretty little free guide to go with this episode! Go grab it here before you listen: courageandclarity.com/mastermind} A mastermind group is a crew of roughly 4-8 business building peers who meet online or in person on a regular basis for accountability, insight and direction. And when you're in a good one, it totally rocks.  But um... how exactly do you find a great group?  A great mastermind group doesn't have to be harder to find than the Loch Ness Monster or a boyfriend who will actually watch The Bachelor with you. There's to connect with amazing people online in a way that might change your life, and today we're talking about exactly that -- PLUS 6 huge mistakes I've seen in the formation of groups, and how to avoid them.  I've had two personal experiences with amazing mastermind groups -- one online that's been meeting regularly for over a year, and one recent retreat in person in NYC -- so you'll hear all about how I found them and what made them work. On top of that, we've now done two rounds of Mastermind Group pairing over at Fizzle. I've been at the helm when it came to pairing the groups together, and I've seen a lot of different results -- some groups never got off the ground, and others created business besties. Wanna know what makes or breaks a mastermind group? You gotta tune in to the episode. But first, grab your guide so you don't have to take any notes!

What does it take to build a stunning brand and create a food blog empire? This week, I'm thrilled we have my dear friend Dana Shultz of Minimalist Baker to help us find out!  Dana is the creator and founder of Minimalist Baker, an amazing website dedicated to simple vegan cooking with recipes requiring 10 ingredients or less, 1 bowl, or 30 minutes or less to prepare. She's also an author, and I've got her cookbook proudly displayed in my kitchen -- it rocks! We're talking about Dana's story, diving deep into the inner workings of Minimalist Baker. We're rewinding the tapes to her first attempt at blogging, a more general website dedicated to her interests and everyday life. Though her first blog didn't get much traction, Dana noticed the popularity of her food-focused blog posts. She decided to get laser focused, fusing her recipe creating and food photography skills to craft a crisp, clear brand with beautiful & compelling imagery.   Minimalist Baker has garnered a colossal following with a published cookbook to go with it, and Dana didn't just get lucky or stumble upon the right idea on accident. Her approach to branding is her secret sauce, and it's one we can all learn from: an excellent mashup of simplicity, dedication, discipline and authenticity.  In the Courage half, you'll hear: All about Minimalist Baker and how Dana & her husband / partner in crime (John) earn their living with the site  How she got here, and the roadblocks along the way  A peek into the lessons and pivots that led to Minimalist Baker's wildfire success And then in the Clarity part, we're talkin': Specific mistakes Dana made with her first blog, and what she sees so clearly in looking back How a brand can evolve over time without turning an audience off  The power of a truly compelling mission statement, why you need to write one and how to do it What to do if your message feels murky -- how to find your core and use it to attract eager readers What makes a truly excellent brand, and how each of us can strengthen ours  "People don't have time to figure out what you do, you have to be really really clear about what you do." "I don't think that you have to be the best at something, you just have to be interesting, value-adding and consistent."

This week on the show I'm welcoming Erin Kelly, Co-Founder of MemberVault! Erin spills all the beans about MemberVault, an amazing software that helps entrepreneurs deliver and sell content. Even better, the platform makes courses more fun to complete by making it feel like more of a game, complete with badges and opportunity to unlock new content.  Not only is Erin a savvy Co-Founder, but she runs the company with her husband from an RV with a toddler in the mix! In the Courage episode, she shares her path to Membervault and what it's like to truly live as a digital nomad.   Then, in the Clarity part, she dishes up 3 awesome, fun, easy and simple ways to boost engagement and identify your hottest leads.  In the Courage episode you'll hear:  Erin's background as an Online Business Management (OBM), what it's like to run an OBM business, and how it differs from a VA business Dealing with resistance and learning to take steps when you're stuck  All about MemberVault -- what it is, and how she and her husband started it A peek into the life of a digital nomad -- the pros, cons, and how to make aligned decisions like deciding to stop traveling full-time  And in the Clarity portion, you'll hear:  3 awesome, fun, easy and simply ways to boost engagement and identify your hottest leads  How personalized content works, and some suggestions for incorporating it into your business What it means to "gamify", and why this is the hot content trend we all need to know about  The importance of tracking potential customer behavior, identifying easy opportunities to convert them into paid members 

How do you quadruple an email list in 30 days, attract nearly 1,000 challenge participants, and launch a course with 250 participants? After tons of trial and error last year, 2018 got off to a fast start for me. And today, I'm seriously stoked so spill ALL the details.  Ready to go behind the scenes with me?! IN THIS SOLOCAST EPISODE YOU'RE GETTING A BACKSTAGE PASS, INCLUDING:  My process for creating a new opt-in lead magnet that quadrupled my list in 30 days How I decided to host the Most Productive Week Ever 5 Day Challenge, and my favorite free resource for learning how  How I got nearly 1,000 people to participate (<-- wildest dreams over here!) Exactly what I did on each day of the challenge -- mini-lessons, email series & going live Leveraging the challenge audience to create a funnel for my Goals That Stick course  Facts, figures, numbers, results -- all the things we nosy business nerds want to hear! 

Meet Jacqueline Fisch, copywriter, editor, author and fellow Chicagoan!  Jacq is a member of the Courage and Clarity community and a listener of the show, and it feels like a special treat to dive deep with a member of our tribe. In this episode, you’ll discover the crazy twist that prompted her to go full steam ahead with her writing business despite being a wife, mother to 2 kids, and full-time employee for 13 years. Then, in the Clarity half, she's sharing 5 concrete steps to growing a hustle -- WITHOUT hating yourself and making your family crazy in the process.  First up in the Courage half, you'll hear:  All about Jacq's business and how she earns her living What it was like to get laid off THREE times in 5 years (two of those times was the same company!) - Huge lessons she learned after being laid off and these have shaped her work today Then in Clarity, we're diving into:  How time tracking can add firepower to your productivity Exactly how to set up boundaries What to do with the extra money you make from your new side hustle  The importance of talking about your big dream and telling lots of people How to find gratitude, even when it feels crazy

In this episode I'm hanging with Trena Little, a YouTube Coach and creator of amazingly helpful YouTube channel, Tips with Trena! In her channel, you’ll find straight-to-the-point tutorials for entrepreneurs who want to harness the power of video -- WITHOUT spending a ton of time & money. In today’s show, she's sharing brutally honest mistakes from her first couple years in business, how she tweaked to find success, and super concrete tips for leveraging YouTube -- even if you're a TOTAL newbie! IN THE COURAGE PORTION, YOU'LL HEAR: All about Trena's business & how she earns her living Why we should all care about using video in our businesses How she started, quit her job & built a course The tricky path to finding the right people & pain point Launching to crickets -- and how she switched it up to actually get clients AND IN THE CLARITY HALF, WE GET INTO: How YouTube content helps viewers find you via search How video content shortens the "know, like and trust" curve Exactly how to use a YouTube video to create a month's worth of content How regular people can make good videos without fancy equipment or paying for editing "You won't get better if you don't start practicing and testing and seeing what's working. You just gotta do it. If you hold on to perfect, you're never gonna get anything out there." "When it comes to YouTube, let your freak flag fly."

It’s been a year since I started podcasting and here we are, already on our 76th episode! In this episode I'm on the mic solo, sharing the exact evolution of my workflow & processes over time. I'm also revealing one of my grand plans for the next few weeks. If you're running a podcast, planning to get into podcasting, or honestly creating content of any kind, this is definitely going to be a great episode for you.  Nine big things that I've learned in my first year of podcasting First lesson: Sponsorship is not all it’s cracked up to be / sponsorship is not everything Second lesson: Know when to hand it off Third lesson: The power of batching content Fourth lesson: Having a mix of guest interviews and solo shows Fifth lesson: Creating community Sixth lesson: Making an outline and making it powerful Seventh lesson: Giving away the farm Eighth lesson: Making people feel special Ninth lesson: Not being afraid to grow Bonus lesson: Keeping it simple "When you get a great idea, you share, you build, and you use it to create a community." "Don't be afraid to grow." Show notes:  The C&C Community on Facebook Steph on instagram Goals that Stick course at Fizzle  Steph's microphone Steph's editing software The 15 Minute Planner Method 

Today the show is as powerful as it is vulnerable and helpful ... strap in for a good one as my friend Becky Mollenkamp and I explore our winding journeys with grief and growth.  If you listened to Episode 21 of the show, you already know a little about my rocky road with grief after the loss of my 24 year old brother in September 2016.  Almost unbelievably to me, Becky has walked a path parallel to mine. In this episode, we're diving into the loss of her little brother, how she grew in her deep knowing of herself and discovered her superpower of building community in the process.  Becky runs a tight-knit, vibrant & engaged Facebook group, so in the Clarity episode she's sharing 6 killer tips for creating community with authenticity & vulnerability. Her wisdom has definitely influenced how I run my own Facebook Group, so her tips are not to be missed.  IN THE COURAGE PORTION, YOU'LL HEAR: More about Becky's business and how she makes a living Her journey as a writer, challenges along the way & how she wound up working for herself  What it takes to get paid to write The shocking event that dragged her to rock bottom -- and how it turned her into who she is today  More about the experience of losing a loved one, what it's like to lose yourself & find your way back after changing everything Moving in with her mom at 36 years old, repairing her spirit & learning to leverage vulnerability to discover her superpower AND IN THE CLARITY HALF, WE'RE TALKIN': Tips and Strategies for Facebook groups --  Giving permission to participate Tweaking questions to enter the group How Becky has leveraged capping membership to create a feeling of intimacy Becky's community leading secret sauce: being vulnerable Personally welcoming each new member Modeling good, authentic behavior "Get comfortable with being vulnerable. Every time I allow myself to feel the feelings, get the feelings out, magic seems to happen." - Becky Mollenkamp Links/Resources Mentioned: Amy Porterfield's Podcast 15 Minute Planner Method fizzle.co/courage -- 5 week trial, free! Courage & Clarity Community  Ep 021 // Things I'm Afraid to Tell You: Losing My Brother Becky's Website - http://beckymollenkamp.com/ Becky's Facebook group - Own It, Crush It Facebook.com/courageandclarity

This week I'm thrilled to welcome Ashley Gartland,  Coach for Creative Entrepreneurs & Simplification Extraordinaire!  She’s on a mission to help women avoid the process of overcomplicating their businesses by teaching them how to simplify. In this episode she shares how she transitioned from a career in food writing to coaching. You'll also find out how she discovered her “superpower” and figured out what it is that she can do well for people.  In the Courage portion, you'll hear... More about the ins & outs of Ashley's coaching biz What it means to help people "simplify" How she started as a food writer and built her first successful business What it felt like to experience a nagging feeling of needing to do something more How she discovered business coaching and made the pivot What it was like to take on her first few clients Embracing what she's really meant to do (due to tough feedback!) And in Clarity, you'll hear: 5 Steps to Simplifying Your Business Step 1 - Do one thing at a time Step 2 - Do a few things really well Step 3 - Progress, not perfection Step 4 - Delegate Daily Step 5 - Say no to shiny objects "Do less, better." - Ashley Gartland Show Notes: Fizzle, 5 weeks free! - fizzle.co/courage Marie Forleo TV - https://www.marieforleo.com/marietv/ Ashley's Website - http://ashleymgartland.com/ 5 Step Guide to Simplifying your Business - https://www.ashleymgartland.com/simplify Courage and Calirty Community - facebook.com/courageandclarity

Megan Hale spills her secret sauce goal setting method that is allowing her to press pause for a YEAR for maternity leave if she chooses to. Mind blown! It's January 1st, and if I had a dime for all the goal setting advice that's out there ... well, you know how that saying goes. But there's something really special here, and that's why I invited Megan to record this podcast with me LIVE on Facebook. Her "Good, Better & Best" framework is effective for many reasons: It takes the pressure off by allowing us to celebrate milestones It puts our big scary goals within reach It gives us a feeling of WINNING instead of constantly falling short In general, it puts an "I can DO this!" feeling into our hearts I can't wait for you to hear Megan in this episode, and if you want to learn more about Wild & Holy year scoot on over to http://megan-hale.com!

Episode 57 of this podcast is so popular, I believe it's worth a second listen! Tune in to hear how Catherine Rains (@thehotelartist on Instagram) learned to STOP fighting against her life, and fall in love with it instead. If you haven't ever heard it, stop everything and listen! And if it's your second time, give it your attention one more time and let Catherine's goodness wash over you on another level. In this episode, you'll hear: How to stop fighting AGAINST your circumstances, and instead learn to work WITH them A few precise mantras to help you stop dwelling in "tomorrow", "what if", "if only" & "someday" How Catherine used this mindset shift to go from hating her job, to loving it so much she cried when her dream job came along How Catherine was able to believe that cancer & divorce were amazing gifts, even as they were happening to her