Hard Costs With Katy Widrick

Welcome to the premier episode of the Hard Costs podcast! Katy kicks things off with her very first guest Jordan Gill, the visionary CEO of Systems Saved Me, a consulting agency that provides tools, training programs, and consulting opportunities, all designed to build businesses that revolve around life's priorities.  In this episode, Katy and Jordan dive into not only Jordan’s entrepreneurial jo...

Welcome to Hard Costs, the podcast! Join your host, Katy Widrick, on a journey of learning, growth, and empowerment as she dives into the many unfiltered truths about entrepreneurship.  This isn't just a podcast – it's your guide to turning your passion into profit, understanding the hidden challenges of entrepreneurship, and embracing the thrill of the founder's journey. Prepare to be captivated...

Launches are…all of the superlatives. Amazing. Exhausting. Exhilarating. Defeating. Chaotic. Yet Laser Focused. If you’re the founder behind the launch, it’s your vision, money, energy and reputation at stake. But if you’re a service provider – like me – the journey is no less of a roller coaster. So let’s talk about it, today on the Rising Tide Talents Show.

I recently updated my headline to say: Fractional CMO and CRO helping 7-figure founders recover their biggest business expense -- lost sales -- through simple funnel fixes. Because I am CONVINCED that too many founders – too many growth-focused business leaders – are trying to solve for the wrong thing. Let’s dive in, on today’s episode of the Rising Tide Talents Show.

If you want to be a leader – no matter what industry you’re in – you will inevitably find yourself the bearer of bad news. Sometimes it’s an HR situation, sometimes it’s with a partner or a colleague, sometimes it’s not even YOUR bad news but you’re obligated to deliver it… And the earlier you master the art of difficult discussions, the better you’ll be. Let’s dive into it, on this episode of the...

You know all about influencers and the creator economy – but what about the rise of the DEinfluencer? Why is it happening, what does it look like in the wild and why do I think it’s a significant shift in the marketing industry? Let’s take a deep dive on today’s episode of the Rising Tide Talents Show!

We all have parasocial relationships. They’re fun and fulfilling. But they’re WEIRD, too. These are, by definition, one-sided friendships…but they feel so real, right? Let’s dive in, on this episode of the Rising Tide Talents Show.

Can you be Type A and embrace your more soulful side? I say YES, and I'll go further and say that embracing some of these personal and professional development tools can change your whole life. (They changed mine.) Here are 5 resources that I love ... and they may surprise you!

I only have a few thousand followers. My email list has only a few hundred subscribers. I launched my podcast and only a handful of people listen every week. Is this you? Confession…it has been me, too, but there’s a big shift in the way I think about a so-called smaller audience now (and funny enough, it has helped my audience get much bigger and more engaged, anyway!) Let’s dive in today on the...

Habit stacking, Atomic Habits, Tiny Habits, mindfulness and more… …You probably KNOW that having a set of healthy habits and routines is helpful, as you’re pursuing growth. Personal, professional and in between. But I know that it can be overwhelming trying to decide where to start, what to do and what NOT to do, and how to keep going when it’s tough. So, let’s work on it together, on today’s epis...

Do you want a fixer, or do you want a friend?” It’s a question I’ve learned to ask whenever someone brings me a problem, and when I talked about it on social media, my DMs and comments went wild… …it turns out that I’m not the only one who sometimes butts in where help isn’t actually needed, but a hug sure is. So let’s navigate it together, today on the Rising Tide Talents Show.

Is it better to have four quarters or 100 pennies? They add up to the same amount … but depending on your stage of business and the goals you’ve set, you may be ready to rethink your approach. Not a business owner? This applies to friendships, too – so let’s dive in, on today’s episode of the Rising Tide Talents Show.

What’s the HOTTEST social networking platform that many of you are ignoring altogether? LinkedIn! It’s not just for job searches and resume posting anymore, y’all. In fact, if I had to F-M-K LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok right now… I’d marry LinkedIn for sure. How can you build your LinkedInfluence, and why should you? I’m sharing the juicy details on today’s episode of the Rising Tide Talents Sh...

Can I tell you a secret about my success, and about my business growth? I make good money helping clients repurpose content that they have already created…but usually, forgotten about. That’s correct – I’m a marketer and copywriter who has built a multiple six figure “done for you” service business by digging into the archives, mining the forgotten gems, and spending MORE time on amplification and...

There’s a lot of talk about revenue and profits and how much business owners and creators make. But what I don’t hear is the much more enticing, much more achievable goal of setting an effective hourly rate that matches YOUR particular needs… It’s not as sexy as saying “a 6-figure or 7-figure business” but in my experience, the process and the outcomes are much more scalable, sustainable and joyfu...

What a difference a year makes. This episode is going to be a bit more woo than others – but it’s from the heart and I hope the message will resonate with you, whether you’re struggling with burnout and looking for an out OR if you’re doing well and want to celebrate your journey, along with me. It’s burnout – one year later – today on the Rising Tide Talents Show.

When it comes to lead generation – do you have a lot of content and resources but only lukewarm list growth? Or are you totally stumped on what to offer and where to start? Implementing monthly lead generation goals, priorities and all-team focus is a great way for any organization to drive new leads, nurture their audience and ultimately, see consistent growth in their list size and revenue, with...

Today, I’m excited to share an approach to setting my revenue goals. This is EXACTLY what I use to grow and scale companies -- including my own! -- to 6, 7, 8 figures and beyond. You do not need to be an accountant or a math whiz to make this work (I'm neither of those!), but you will need to dream big, have an abundance mindset and then start getting REAL about your revenue. So let's go!

I love email and SMS marketing funnels. I still find them to be the most effective, most consistent, most predictable and most FUN methods for engaging an audience… Plus, you have so much more ownership and control over your funnels, compared to social media or other platforms where your reach, engagement and ability to talk to the people who actually WANT to hear from you are always under threat....

If you try to be everything to everyone…you’ll find yourself doing nothing and serving nobody. NO is a complete sentence but it’s also one of the hardest to utter. As I’ve experienced and recovered from burnout, it’s more clear than ever that a simple question – am I operating inside of my zone of genius? – can unlock the answers that you need to feel fulfilled, find your flow state and truly be I...

Hurt people hurt people. Post that on social media and you’re sure to get a lot of likes! But is that the most complete sentence? I’ve learned…the answer is no. If hurt people hurt people – and they do! – but we’re ALL hurt people…what can we do to make sure we’re making positive changes and minimizing the hurt we then inflict on others? Let’s dive into it on today’s episode of the Rising Tide Tal...

What does it ACTUALLY mean to be a 6-, 7-, 8- or 9-figure founder? When someone talks about their financial success – what are you NOT being told?  And most importantly…how can you feel confident about your own work, and your own worth, when you’re bombarded with messages about making more while doing less, even from founders or business leaders who operate under a different business model or in a...

Take the leap and build your wings on the way down. If there is ONE phrase or mantra or affirmation that I believe applies to everyone, at every stage of business or stage of life, it’s this one. That includes, by the way, scenarios where you aren’t leaping so much as getting pushed off a cliff – facing a layoff from your job, ending a relationship or friendship, closing a company or ending an ini...

TOFU. MOFU. BOFU. These acronyms sound deliciously confusing, don’t they? They are three components of a marketing and sales funnel, and for many growth-focused companies, they are the KEYS to conversion. We’ll dive into the strategies, the implementation and a few SIMPLE but super effective ways to incorporate these funnel elements into your business. Today on the Rising Tide Talents Show!

What is your personal brand? In the words of Alexander Hamilton, “if you stand for nothing, what will you fall for?” Growth-focused founders and organizations have incredible opportunities to grow BECAUSE of their employees’ and team members’ personal brands and influence, but only if they keep an open mind and a safe environment for creation. Today, I’m sharing my regrets about letting my persona...