Dishing Up Digital with Ellen Mackenzie

August 2025 was my highest revenue month ever—and in this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on exactly how I hit $40K (in New Zealand dollars) in 30 days. No fluff. No fake urgency. Just the real strategy, shifts, and streams that made it possible. In this episode, I break down:✨ The 9 revenue streams that made up my $40K month✨ How I rate each revenue stream and how important they are✨ Whi...

In today’s episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on one of the most terrifying (and transformational) decisions in business: raising your prices. I was booked out, overworked, and knew something had to shift. So I doubled my prices—fully prepared to be ghosted or told I was “too expensive.” But here’s the thing: the client still said yes. And that moment changed everything. I’m sharing the full st...

Struggling to grow on Instagram, TikTok or Youtube? DESPITE posting consistently and doing everything "right"? You’re not alone… and you’re not broken. The truth is, most social media “strategies” in 2025 are just content calendars with no real conversion plan behind them. In this episode, I’m walking you through the exact strategy I use to sell $400K+ in digital products - including how to build...

🚨 Sign up for my FREE 3 day online conference for social media managers: https://www.ellenmackenzie.com/summit2025 If you’ve ever thought, “Why is no one booking me?” —this episode is your wake-up call. Inside, I’m breaking down the exact 5-step strategy I’ve used over and over again to get fully booked fast—whether I was starting from scratch, lost a big client, or just needed fast cash flow in...

Let’s talk money - because ignoring the “boring stuff” could be costing you thousands . In this episode, I’m sitting down with my accountant to break down the stuff no one talks about: ➡️ What small biz owners always get wrong➡️ How to stay organized for tax season (without crying)➡️ When to hire help (and how to afford it)➡️ What actually matters when you’re starting out This is the episode that...

Let’s talk about the unspoken villain in your business story: your inner broke girl. The one who hoards money, second-guesses every investment, and whispers, “you can’t afford that” every time you try to grow. In this episode, I’m unpacking the mindset that secretly runs the show for so many online entrepreneurs—and how to shift it. We’ll cover: ✨ What “broke girl energy” actually looks like in b...

Whether you're a freelancer, creator, or coach, this is your roadmap to working less and earning more before 2026 hits. In this video, I'm breaking down the 3-part Freedom Framework - aka the three key steps to scaling your online business without working 24/7. To celebrate the re-launch of the Dishing up Digital podcast, I'm hosting an epic giveaway! Enter here: https://www.ellenmackenzie.com/pod...

In this episode we're chatting about those red flags that pop up in our clients and potential clients from time to time. Take it from me, someone with a lot of experience, I still can get caught out with red flags. Sometimes you need to look back and reflect and learn from these mistakes - luckily for you, I've compiled them all up to help you out! RED FLAGS: Asking for a discount Can't make time...

What do you do when your social media strategy is no longer working for you? Firstly - you're not alone! This happens to so many business owners and this is exactly what I'm gonna be unpacking in today's episode of the Dishing Up Digital podcast. Some Takeaways: You are going to have to pivot your social media strategy. Your bio is hot real estate. You need to be so repetitive in your messagi...

"This episode is your permission slip to not have it all figured out"  In this episode I'm chatting about jumping in to your new venture without having all your t's crossed and i's dotted. Sometimes it's something that you just need to do! I'll speak from personal experience, and we'll also do a mini case study on Meghan Markle's latest business ventures. A few takeaways from this episode: Bu...

Guys! I'm so sorry for the lack of podcast last week, but things have been hectic! If you're not aware of what's been going on, well, I've been a busy girl launching my second studio space for  MacKenzie Studios.  It's been crazy, but I am super proud of everything and would love you to go and have a look at it on Instagram. On top of launching the new studio space, I've still been truck...

If you're thinking about becoming a UGC creator in 2025, this episode might ruin your day. But I could help you avoid a very big mistake. We're going to unpack the rise of the UGC industry as well as what I predict could be it's downfall in 2025. I'm also going to share what you can do to build a more sustainable business as a creator and prepare for the changes coming. What I love about UGC: cont...

This episode is one of my most valuable yet and is actually a replay from my last webinar at the end of February.  In this free training, you'll learn the 3 key steps to successfully set up your freelance business as a social media manager.     How to   find high-ticket clients:  freedom does NOT mean working for $200 a month    Systems and workflows: ...

In this episode, I share my personal journey of quitting my corporate job to pursue entrepreneurship, detailing the emotional challenges and practical steps involved. I provide you with five essential tips for those considering leaving their 9-to-5 jobs, emphasising the importance of preparation, financial stability, and strategic planning. My 5 Essential Tips: Don't...

In this episode my two worlds collide as we chat Social Media Management and Podcast Production with the wonderful Abbey Graves. From radio DJ to Government Social Media Manager to taking her own side hustle full time we discuss her journey and how she was able to apply what she learnt from the Dishing up Digital School to her podcast production company. Some Key Takeaways: The turning point in go...

My pricing episodes always bring out some interesting comments and responses. Yes I’m going to be revealing every deliverable the details as part of this package, but I first need to reiterate that pricing is personal and everyone is different. There are so many different factors to consider from your level of experience, to where you’re based in the world. Other than a chat about pricing strategy...

Pricing is such a big conversation around social media Management. I always get DMs on this topic and whenever I do a podcast around pricing it quickly becomes one of the most downloaded. I even have 4 videos on pricing in the Dishing up Digital school alone! Topics I cover in this episode: When hourly rates are useful The downside of hourly rates How packages benefit your clients How to make...

How are all my fellow Social Media Managers and Business Owners? What a crazy start to the year this has been. I mean, I don't usually rush to post an update when TikTok gets banned in the US, or there's ANOTHER algorithm change on instagram, or when TikTok gets reinstated, but it's hard to ignore what's been happening over the month of January in our industry alone! Usually I can just roll with t...

  Spicy Ellen makes a bit of a return in this episode as I discuss the realities of launching and selling digital products. Online "Gurus" love to tell you that all you need to is to create and sell this one digital product and you'll be set financially! Well, lets debunk that myth and have a bit of a reality check. Some takeaways from this episode: Many online coaches oversimplify  the...

Sign up to my FREE webinar on how to be a Social Media Manager.  Price, package & pitch your way to booking out your services with an easy "yes" from clients! ~~~ This episode came about after 2 of my students asked me if they should create a lower priced package for potential clients. The short answer? No! The long answer, listen and find out! Some takeaways from the episode: Loweri...

Sign up for my FREE webinar on becoming a Social Media Manager:  https://www.ellenmackenzie.com/freewebinar   Apologies if you thought you would be getting an episode on Social Media Strategy! Instead this episode is on the strategy that helped me book my first clients as a Social media Manager with no experience. My 2 rules for this strategy are: You don’t need an Instagram followi...

TBH, if I titled this episode "10 Steps to Your First 10,000 Followers" I would probably get way more downloads and listens. The reason I've chosen to focus on your first 500 followers is because I believe this milestone is incredibly life-changing and powerful and I really want everybody listening to this episode to focus on building a small but mighty audience. The 5 Steps I'll be covering are:...

As a freelance social media manager and online coach/creator, I LOVE having multiple revenue streams. Here's a breakdown of how much each revenue stream made me in 2024. This video also covers my expenses and profit (how much it costs to run my business) as well as a quarter by quarter breakdown with what went right and what went wrong this year. November and December was a pretty tough month in b...

It’s that magical time of year again when we are about to enter a new year. And I don't know about you guys, but I get excited this time of year. I love the buzz, the energy, the excitement, and I love how there's something about entering the new year that can give you the motivation that perhaps you've been lacking for the rest of all the previous year.  I wanted to take a little moment for...

What does the future of Instagram, TikTok, Youtube and all social media platforms in 2025 look like? Today I'm sharing my predictions and the trends I think are going to have an impact on the industry. As a social media manager, I LOVE using the New Year as a time to reassess my strategy and I hope this podcast episode leaves you feeling inspired. 00:41 - How AI is going to evolve in 2025 04:23 -...