Staying Solo

This is a very special episode of the Small Business Boss podcast because it's episode 200 of the show.  When it comes to running an online business, it's nearly impossible to avoid the never-ending barrage of sleazy dude-bro marketers and the glossy leather pant clad coaches that are full of empty promises.  For the 200th episode of the Small Business Boss podcast, I'm doing a very special roundt...

You can't grow without a team. Your income will plateau. You've heard all the myths of a service business before, and in this new episode, we're taking a look at these myths and looking at how they stack up in 2020. Get the inside scoop right here: https://smallbusinessboss.co/growing-a-servic…business-in-2020/

As business owners, most of us are really good at setting big goals for our business. Especially revenue goals, but many times we don't think about what it's going to take to actually reach that goal. I speak from experience as someone with many an ambitious goal that wasn't met because it wasn't grounded in reality. For many people, those big goals are super motivating, but for me, they're soul c...

FACT: I'm not a huge fan of the whole New Year's resolutions thing, But I AM a fan of learning from mistakes and making plans that are actually achievable. 2020 marks 15 years in business for me, and I've learned more lessons than I can count along the way — some of which I wish I'd learned much sooner in my journey. And that's exactly why I'm sharing three of those lessons with you in this episod...

When you run a service-based business, relationships are the name of the game. They are the true currency of your business — not money.  If you've ever wondered HOW to make those relationships happen in a way that feels both organic and REAL, then today's episode is for you. My guest, Lisa Princic, shares what it means to "scale deep" and why focusing on creating relationships that are more meanin...

November was proof that sometimes the best-laid plans go awry when life happens.  In this episode of the Small Business Boss podcast, I talk about taking a pause to prioritize my health while simultaneously dealing with some growing pains and shifts in our client load. I'm keeping it real and sharing what a month that was pretty much "survival" mode looked like. Get the scoop here: https://smallbu...

Planning is a necessity when you run a business, but in the online business world, it's a big old commodity. Planning is seen as the answer to everything, so there's no shortage of courses and services to take your money in exchange for some regurgitated planning advice.  In this episode, I'm talking all about planning with intention (while not falling into the trap of procrasti-planning) and how...

Just because you're an entrepreneur running a business, it doesn't mean you relish being a leader. In this episode of the Small Business Boss podcast, I'm talking to leadership mentor Bekka Prideaux who's helped me refine my leadership style in a way that works for me and is of service to my team. Get the scoop here: https://smallbusinessboss.co/leadership-mindset/

October was all about getting ready to take time off and then actually being away on vacation, so even with 31 days, it felt like a really short month — especially when I was putting together my notes to do this recap!  In this episode, I talk about how I prepped clients and worked ahead while leaning on my team so I could take a week and a half off at the end of the month. I'm also sharing the de...

When I started Scoop, I really had no idea what I was in for as an agency owner when it came to making and managing money. Talk about a learning curve! Over the last four years, I've had to master new money management skills, which is why I wish I'd heard everything that guest Christina Sjahli shares about budgeting, cash flow, and other fundamentals in this new interview.  Get the scoop here: htt...

Have you ever thought it would be nice to have someone to be the peanut butter to your jelly as a business owner? The Rory to your Lorelai? That's exactly what we're talking about in this episode of the Small Business Boss podcast where my integrator, my trusty #2, Sara Freeburn, dishes up everything about her role, what it's really like to work with me, the challenges and growing pains we've had,...

This week, I'm bringing you another behind-the-scenes look at an agency. In this episode of the Small Business Boss podcast, we're taking a peek into Tressa Beheim's boutique agency, where she and her team provide a full range of services to female entrepreneurs. In this episode, Tressa shares how she's gone from a tentative entrepreneur to the boss of a full-service boutique agency, how she built...

It's time for another recap, and September was ALL SYSTEMS GO around here. In this episode, I talk about lead gen, landing new clients, and how all that activity didn't necessarily result in an immediate bump in revenue, as well as a tough decision about Small Business Boss. Get the scoop here: https://smallbusinessboss.co/recap-september-2019/

Nothing, and I mean, nothing beats a real-life behind-the-scenes look at how a business is run. So in this episode of the Small Business Boss podcast, Kate Ahl from Simple Pin Media joins us to share how she's grown her agency, her team, and her client list. In this episode, Kate drops so much knowledge that will inspire you as an agency owner, or any type of service business owner, on culture, le...

New month = a new theme here on the Small Business Boss podcast, and this month we're going deep into the agency model. We hear about agencies as THE way to scale a service business all the time, but there's a lot more to it than hiring some people, getting some clients and being well on our way to multiple 7 figures. In this episode, I'm breaking down exactly what you need to grow an agency busin...

We all know the stereotype of a slimy salesperson who manipulates people into buying their product or service. And that stereotype is something many of us buy into as we sell our own services. We simply don't want to be seen as greedy, pushy, aggressive, or manipulative. So, instead, we fear sales, or worse yet, avoid selling at all. I'm here to tell you in this week's episode of the Small Busines...

Nearly two years ago when I started doing recap episodes, I did it as a way to share what was really happening behind-the-scenes at Small Business Boss and at my content marketing agency, Scoop Studios. After all, aren't we all a bit tired of income claims and all sorts of other BS that's just smoke and mirrors? In the August recap, I'm sharing a peek into 2020 plans, how things are going money-wi...

When it comes to pricing, there's a million different models and strategies, and it can feel pretty freakin' overwhelming. In this episode of the Small Business Boss podcast, guest Matt Baker from Freshbooks shares how to get started with value-based pricing, how to make sure you're pricing so you get paid appropriately, and why pricing should be something you experiment with. You can listen to th...

Back in 2005, when I decided to quit my job and start my own business, little did I know how much owning my own business would push me as a person and teach me countless lessons. As a freelancer, a lot of those lessons were hard, uncomfortable, and at times, incredibly stressful, so in this episode of the Small Business Boss podcast, I share 10 lessons I learned the hard way. Consider this my gift...

Back when I started my business, we didn't have all the fancy lingo and versions of -preneur that we use now. You either owned a business, which basically implied that you had a brick and mortar store or an office somewhere, or you were a hired gun, a solo show that did contract work as a freelancer.  Since then, the world of work has changed dramatically, and where I used to get a raised eyebrow...

Money talk is a double-edged sword. As a business owner, we need to get comfortable with constantly having conversations about money, but what happens when that talk is misleading or downright wrong? That's what I'm tackling with guest Sarah from Yes and Yes in this brand new episode. We talk about the prosperity gospel, redefining success, finding happiness, and escaping the trap of a "fancy" lif...

Newsflash: Scaling doesn't equal success for your business. There's a fundamental misconception in the online business world that scale immediately means more money and that magically scaling up your business is the only way to meet our money goals. Plus, the very definition of what "scale" actually is, well, it's misunderstood. We need to stop chasing scale, and focus in on what most of us really...

If you've been around me for a hot minute you know exactly how I LIVE for summer. That means the July recap giving you the behind-the-scenes scoop of what's happening is really focused on a lot of deep thoughts and this one thing that's on my nerves. In this episode, I share what's up, as well as the question I've been hearing over and over for the last year that quite frankly needs to stop.  Get...

Have you ever wondered why you do the things you do? Or why exactly you're throwing up obstacles in your own path with stories and reasons why you can't do certain things? In this episode, Jo Casey is going to help us unpack this and so much more. You've probably heard that there's no greater self-development journey than running your own business. And I know that's definitely been the case for me...

It's time for another recap. This month, I'm taking you behind-the-scenes of June 2019 and sharing all the ins and outs, ups and downs of the month that was. In this episode I share:  *Why I'm so twitchy right now about the agency and what my game plan is *The big a-ha moment I had after a client asked for help on a specific project  *The new microsite we're spinning out of Small Business Boss  *W...