Spark Good Podcast

What if needing support isn’t a sign that you’re falling short—but a sign that you’re ready to lead your business differently? Entrepreneurs are often celebrated for being independent, resourceful, and able to figure things out. But those strengths can become liabilities when they convince us that we should be able to build and grow our businesses alone. The truth is, most successful people have a...

What keeps your business moving forward when there are always new ideas, priorities, and demands competing for your attention? The previous episode covered the difference between collecting more information and actually using what you already know. But implementation doesn't happen by accident. It requires rhythms that help you step out of the day-to-day, pay attention to what's happenin...

Have you ever reached the end of a program, course, or membership and realized you barely used it? As entrepreneurs, it’s easy to keep collecting information: another program, another podcast, another set of templates, another strategy we’re certain we’ll return to eventually. But there comes a point when more information stops being the answer. Your business may not need more effort—or even more...

What happens when life takes more of your capacity than you expected—and your business plans fall by the wayside? After a month filled with family responsibilities, client commitments, and work related to personal matters, I opened my marketing dashboard expecting to see everything I hadn’t done. Instead, the numbers revealed something different. In this episode, I share what August taught me abou...

What if building a sustainable business isn't about eliminating the chaos—but building a business that can actually handle it? Many entrepreneurs picture a sustainable business as one where everything is perfectly organized, every system is in place, and nothing ever falls through the cracks. But that's not reality. The difference isn't whether challenges happen. It's whether y...

Most entrepreneurs assume that if revenue is growing and clients are saying yes, their business must be healthy. But what if that's not the whole story? In this episode, Stephanie explores a reality many business owners experience but rarely talk about: a business can look successful from the outside while being quietly unsustainable on the inside. Before diving into five common warning signs...

What if creating lasting impact isn't just about building a better business—but about becoming a more sustainable leader? When Stephanie launched Spark Good, she did so with a simple belief: business can be a powerful force for good in the world. Over the years, working alongside mission-driven entrepreneurs only strengthened that conviction. But it also revealed something she hadn't ful...

What if the key to building a more sustainable business isn't working harder—but changing the rhythm of how you work? Many entrepreneurs plan for the year ahead with the best intentions, only to find themselves overwhelmed, reactive, and scrambling to hit goals by the end of the quarter. While The 12 Week Year has long been one of Stephanie's favorite business books, over the years she's made one...

"We're not starting over. We're resetting — moving forward with greater awareness, understanding, and wisdom." - Stephanie Malon-Rufi It's easy to let a busy first half of the year stand in for a good first half of the year. What's harder — and more valuable — is actually stopping to check. In this episode, Stephanie walks through a five-step mid-year check-in built for the halfway point of the ca...

What happens when the business model you carefully designed doesn't work the way you expected? For many entrepreneurs, that moment can feel like failure. But often, it's actually an invitation to pay attention, adapt, and build something even stronger. In this episode of the Spark Good Podcast, Stephanie sits down with Marlee James, founder of Reviving Roots, a holistic mental health and wellness...

It's easy to see the risks that come with change. What's harder to see is the cost of not changing. In this episode, Stephanie shares the story of a business owner who appeared to have a thriving, growing business—but beneath the surface was a pattern many entrepreneurs know all too well: saying yes to every opportunity, staying busy, and working incredibly hard without a clear strategy for growth...

You set the goals. You bought the planner. Maybe you even created the color-coded spreadsheet. And yet... a few months later, you're wondering why you're off track. Most entrepreneurs assume the problem is a lack of discipline, accountability, or a better strategy. But what if the real issue isn't the goal itself? In this episode, Stephanie explores a different possibility: that many business goal...

You're booked. You're busy. Clients are coming in. On the surface, things look good. But if you're honest with yourself, are you building a profitable business—or have you simply created a very demanding job?  In this episode, Stephanie tackles a topic many service-based business owners avoid: profit. Not revenue. Not sales. Profit. The kind that allows you to pay yourself consistently, build a su...

This episode explores the shift that changes everything for service-based business owners — and it's probably not what you think. If you've been stuck trying new tactics, tweaking your offers, or working harder without seeing the traction you want, this conversation will help you step back and look at what may actually be holding your business back. Stephanie shares why so many entrepreneurs stay...

If you've ever told yourself you're "too busy" to look at your business finances — or found yourself dreading that annual tax time reckoning — this episode is for you. Stephanie gets honest about a pattern she carried for years and what it was really costing her, not just financially but in the confidence and clarity she brought to her business every day. In this episode Stephanie shares three pra...

We all start a new quarter, a new season with the best intentions — a solid plan, clear goals, and real motivation to make it happen. But what if the thing slowing you down isn't your strategy or your schedule? In this episode, Stephanie introduces the 13-week cycle framework and her Sustainable CEO Framework to help you set up your next season with clarity, realistic expectations, and the right r...

If you've ever ended a long workday wondering how you were so busy—and yet feel like nothing really moved forward—you're not alone. In this episode, Stephanie Malon-Rufi digs into one of the most frustrating experiences entrepreneurs face: working constantly without seeing the traction, revenue, or momentum you know is possible. She unpacks five common patterns that quietly keep business owners st...

In this episode of the Spark Good Podcast, Stephanie invites you into an honest conversation about something every entrepreneur faces—but few plan for: diminished capacity. Whether it's global uncertainty, community disruption, or personal grief, there are seasons when you simply cannot operate at full speed. Instead of pushing harder or pulling away entirely, what if there was a steadier way to l...

In early 2026, many business owners are navigating an environment where everything feels urgent. Between economic shifts, social disruption, and the everyday pressures of entrepreneurship, it can feel like your attention is constantly being pulled in a dozen directions. In this episode, host Stephanie Malon-Rufi builds on her recent conversation about reactive vs. responsive leadership and tackles...

In early 2026, showing up as a business owner has felt different. Living in the Twin Cities amid increased ICE presence, host Stephanie Malon-Rufi shares she has been grappling with a question many business owners are facing: How do we lead when the world feels on fire? In this episode, she unpacks the difference between reacting and responding — and why that distinction matters more than ever for...

Take courage friends. The way is often hard, the path is never clear, and the stakes are very high. Take courage.  For deep down, there is another truth: you are not alone. By Wayne B. Arnason In this joint episode of the Social Change Leaders Podcast and Spark Good Podcast, longtime collaborators and friends Stephanie Malon-Rufi and Traci Warnberg-Lemm reunite to name the moment we're living in —...

As the year winds down, many entrepreneurs fall into one of two traps — either pushing harder than ever to "finish strong," or checking out completely until January. But what if the smartest CEOs do something different? What if your reset for 2026 actually starts now ? In this final episode of the Q4 Reset Mini-Series , Stephanie brings everything together — from finding focus to building consiste...

Big bursts of hustle can get attention — but consistency builds real growth. In this episode, Stephanie explores what it really takes to move beyond the endless hustle cycle and build steady, sustainable momentum in your business. She shares why those short bursts of energy often lead to burnout — and how small, repeatable CEO habits can help you create stability, clarity, and calm progress instea...

If you're ending the day wiped out — even when you're not working 70-hour weeks — you're not alone. So many entrepreneurs assume exhaustion comes from long hours or hustling too hard. But there's another, quieter culprit that drains your energy and keeps you feeling behind. In this episode, I share the surprising reason so many business owners feel stretched thin, the subtle warning signs to watch...

As entrepreneurs, we're constantly pulled in a hundred directions — by clients, opportunities, and the never-ending to-do list. But what if being scattered isn't just happening to you… what if it's a choice you're unknowingly making? In this episode of the Q4 Reset Mini-Series, Stephanie challenges a deeply ingrained belief about "being busy" and invites you to rethink how you decide what matters...