Better Than Big

Whether you love the idea of a sabbatical or need to plan for a longer break from business due to upcoming life events (like welcoming a new baby), you may find yourself wondering if it's really possible to step away from your work when you're so entangled in the day-to-day. The Copywriter Club's Kira Hug wondered similarly - and found solutions to her questions as well - when she decided she wanted to take a 3-month maternity leave. In this episode of Better Than Big, Kira joins me to share how she set herself and her business up for her break. We talk about where she decided to scale back, about how she learned to delegate to her team and about the importance of trusting that the momentum she'd built in her business could carry her through her leave. We also talk about what she learned during her time away that's changing her role in the business, and creating more time freedom moving forward.  Learn more about Ashley's Time Freedom Coaching program: www.ashleygartland.com/timefreedomprogram   Book a free consult with Ashley: https://ashleymgartland.as.me/discoverycall   Take Ashley's free Time Freedom workshop: www.ashleygartland.com/timefreedom   Learn more about Kira and The Copywriter Club: www.thecopywriterclub.com   Check out The Copywriter Club Podcast: https://thecopywriterclub.com/podcast/

From the very start of her business, communication consultant and coach Hillary Rea held tight to a core belief that she could live life on her terms if she designed her business intentionally. In this episode, she joins me to talk about what “life on her terms” looks like (it involves Japanese lessons and fun exercise classes) and about how she set up her schedule so she could live fully and still run a thriving business. We also talk about the importance of defining your capacity for client work and about scarcity and why it makes us say yes to too many things. Finally, we discuss the importance of holding space for the opportunities you don't even know exist yet.  Learn more about the Time Freedom program: www.ashleygartland.com/timefreedomprogram   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Hillary: https://tellmeastory.info

Conversion copywriter Amisha Shrimanker spent the early years of her business saying yes to everything and reacting to whatever her clients needed. When she realized it wasn't working to be a “keyboard warrior”, she started asking herself some tough questions - questions that helped her see where she could take back control in her business. In this episode, Amisha joins me to talk about the adjustments she made to her services, the boundaries she set with herself and the collaborations she utilized to better her business and create space for what was actually important. We also talk about why Amisha realized that success wasn't just about reaching a financial goal and about why she's baking more me-time into her business in the year ahead.    Learn more about the Time Freedom program: www.ashleygartland.com/timefreedomprogram   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Amisha: https://thecopycrew.com/    Follow Amisha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecopycrew/

Too often, we're told that the best way to schedule our days and plan for our business is to adopt someone else's approach to time blocking or color coding our calendars. But what if that kind of structure doesn't work well for you? That's the topic I'm discussing with my guest, business designer and strategist Michelle Warner, as we talk about how she's designed her business so she can push when it feels right, and rest when it doesn't. In this episode, we talk about when Michelle realized she needed to set her business up around her own energetic seasons and also about what the realization has meant for her service design, client work, marketing and more.  Learn more about the Time Freedom Program: www.ashleygartland.com/timefreedomprogram Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Michelle: www.themichellewarner.com   Follow Michelle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/warnermichelle/

Many business owners start their business because they value choice and autonomy over how they spend their time but sometimes forget just how much they can exercise it. That was the case for writer and stress management coach Justine Sones who, over time, came to realize that she could set up her work and schedule to match her needs instead of just mimicking industry standards. In this episode, we'll talk about the choices Justine has made and tradeoffs she's weighed to create a business that matches her definition of success. We'll also talk about the importance of saying no to something good to make space for something great and about how small changes have helped Justine create a business that better serves her life.  Get the Time Freedom training: www.ashleygartland.com/timefreedom   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Justine: www.justinesones.com   Follow Justine on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justinesones/

If you're a self-described people-pleaser, it might be hard to imagine what it would look like in your business to do less. But in this conversation with Malia Tippets, the founder of Bridgetown Marketing, you'll hear that it is possible to step away from people-pleasing tendencies and run a business that protects your time and energy. You'll hear Malia share how she learned to set better boundaries, communicate clearly and say no. Plus she reveals the two tools she uses to say no to requests in a caring, supportive way. Malia also talks about the assumptions she made with her schedule and the changes she made so she could run her business and make time for her life's work in the theater.     Get the Time Freedom scheduling training: www.ashleygartland.com/timefreedom   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Bridgetown Marketing: https://www.bridgetown-marketing.com/   Follow Malia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearebridgetown/

When Charlotte Isaac first started her business as an operations consultant, she had a lot of clarity around what she wanted her business to provide for her - including time for travel and lots of space to take care of the necessities of everyday life. In this episode, she talks about the unique ways she's created that time and space in her business including her decision to take Mondays off and the boundary she set of only checking email twice a week. We also chat about the importance of knowing what success looks like for you and about the benefits of being realistic, not overly optimistic, about your client capacity. Finally, Charlotte tells us all about how her systems act like the bouncer in her business to protect her energy and time. Learn more about the Time Freedom coaching program: https://www.ashleygartland.com/timefreedomprogram   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Charlotte: www.charlotteisaac.com   Follow Charlotte on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlotteisaachq/

It's easy to define success in purely the financial sense but so important to look at it more holistically and consider what you want your business to create for you emotionally and personally as well. Financial behaviorist Jacquette M. Timmons explores this broader definition of success with her clients, and it's something she lives out in her own business as well. In this episode, she joins me to talk about how she's created a business that deeply serves her life by challenging the assumptions about online businesses and how they need to look. We also talk about the unique factors she considered while re-evaluating her offers and about how reverse engineering her systems helped her find tools that worked for her specific needs. And Jacquette shares a big aha she had around her marketing that allowed her to keep it simple and streamlined instead of overcomplicating it.    Learn More About the Time Freedom Program: https://www.ashleygartland.com/timefreedomprogram   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Jacquette: https://www.jacquettetimmons.com   Follow Jacquette on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacquettemtimmons/

The narrative around doing more and being more and growing more in your business is everywhere - and it gets even stronger as we approach a new year because that's the time when business owners are supposed to set big goals and aspirations. But what if the idea of adding more and more and more is not feeling so aligned for you anymore? What if you've come to realize that staying on the constant hamster wheel of busy is making your life too complicated and stressful? And what if you've realized that the pursuit of more is hampering your freedom and flexibility and costing you something that feels far more valuable than growth...that thing being your time? In this episode, I'm going to answer those questions as I invite you to rethink your pattern of doing more in your business and instead take a subtractive approach. I'll explain what a subtractive approach to business looks like and give you tangible examples that you can apply to your own business. I'll also share why it will help you create more time freedom and flexibility in the coming year.  Book a Discovery Call to learn more about the new Time Freedom Program: https://ashleymgartland.as.me/discoverycall   Discover how to create more time on the private Do Less, Live More podcast: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Connect with Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/

When I first started thinking about trading the classic coaching model for a different type of offer, my brain went wild with ideas. I struggled to figure out which idea to pursue until I asked myself a key question that clarified everything. In this episode, I'm going to tell you what that question was and share how it led me to create a coaching offer that combines the best parts of my past services in an entirely new way. I'll also tell you about what that means for my business in the coming year and about the small shifts I'm making to the podcast too.   Book a Discovery Call to learn more about the new Time Freedom Program: https://ashleymgartland.as.me/discoverycall   Discover how to create more time with my private podcast Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Connect with Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/

Throughout this past year, I've felt a slow and steady pull to rework my services but found myself delaying any sort of action in that direction. I initially thought it was because I didn't know what to do next or what I wanted. But I soon realized that I was stuck because I was questioning whether or not I was allowed to want something better when things were already good.   In this episode, I'm taking you behind-the-scenes of my recent pivot and sharing the fears, questions and doubts I had around making a shift in my business. I'll tell you the options I weighed and explain why, ultimately, I did decide to refine my services and take a break from my signature coaching partnership.   Rework your services in a Simplified Services Intensive: https://www.ashleygartland.com/simplifiedservicesintensive   Discover how to create more time with my private podcast Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Connect with Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/

Years ago, Melissa Dinwiddie got on a call with a competitor in her industry and decided they'd both be better off if they merged their programs and worked together instead of alone. That partnership showed Melissa the power of collaborating with other business owners on programs and products, and it's something that she's carried forward into her business today. In this episode, Melissa joins me to talk about how collaborating on programs and products has benefited her business. She also shares the behind-the-scenes stories about how the collaborations come together, including how she vets potential collaboration partners and how they plan for the project and divide the work.  Get the Time Freedom training + guide: www.ashleygartland.com/timefreedom   Get access to the private podcast feed, Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Melissa: https://creativesandbox.solutions   Follow Melissa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_creative_life/

Years ago, Brandi Bernoskie was a solopreneur focusing on web site development. But the more she listened to her clients, the more she realized they had other needs - needs she could serve if she brought in collaborators from other disciplines to expand and enhance her client experience. In this episode, Brandi joins me to talk about how she knew collaboration was going to be an essential part of her business and about how she finds the right people to bring onto teams for her client projects. We also talk about how Brandi keeps track of all her relationships and how she and her team ensure that things go smoothly for projects that involve multiple people and many moving parts.  Get the Time Freedom training + guide: www.ashleygartland.com/timefreedom   Listen to the private podcast feed, Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Brandi: https://alchemyandaim.com   Follow Brandi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandibernoskie/

When copywriter Melissa Harstine brought her business into the online space, she wondered what kinds of marketing activities would replace the coffee chats and networking meetings that had worked for her offline and allow her to market her business in a personal, intentional way. Strategic collaborations like guest podcast interviews and email newsletter takeovers turned out to be the right fit for her. In this episode, Melissa joins me to talk about why she decided to focus on collaborations and about how she got started with them. We also talk about the steps she takes to help her get a yes on a pitch and about the surprising things collaborations have helped her learn about her business.   Get the Time Freedom training: www.ashleygartland.com/timefreedom   Listen to the private podcast feed, Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Melissa: www.melissaharstine.com   Follow Melissa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissaharstinecreative/

Years ago, I worked with a few mentors who took a prescriptive approach to coaching where they focused more on telling you exactly what to do than on exploring solutions together. That kind of coaching works for some people but I quickly learned it wasn't right for me - not as a client or as the coach - because I preferred a more collaborative approach. In this episode, I talk about the moment I learned that I prefer a collaborative approach to coaching and take you behind-the-scenes to explain how I've made collaboration a cornerstone in my client work. I touch on how I make it clear that I'm in partnership with my clients and share what this approach looks like day to day. I also get honest about the tradeoffs and benefits of this approach for both me and my clients.    Book a Discovery Call with Ashley to learn more about working together: https://ashleymgartland.as.me/discoverycall   Learn how to create more time with my private podcast Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Connect with Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/

It's easy to get caught up in the online world and think there's only one way to design your services or scale your business. In reality, though, there are many paths you could choose - including a path that matches your particular values around how you like to work and how you want to make an impact with your clients. In this episode, my guest Katie Wussow joins me to talk about how she's created offers that align with her personal values. She shares where she went wrong with her offers and walks us through the changes she made to course correct. She also shares why she's happier with her services today than she was when she was pursuing an infinitely scalable model.  Learn more about the SImplified Services Intensive: https://www.ashleygartland.com/services   Get access to the Do Less, Live More private podcast feed: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Katie: www.katiewussow.com   Follow Katie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiewussow/

By the very nature of being in business, you will include some people and exclude others - the choice you get to make is whether you'll do it from a place of intention and consciousness or not. In this episode, my guest Erica Courdae joins me to share how she made inclusivity an intentional and explicit value at her beauty salon and in her work as a DEI coach and consultant. We talk about what it actually looks like to build a business where inclusivity is top of mind including the strategies Erica uses to make sure clients feel welcome and safe. We also talk about why being inclusive is not about perfection, and about why taking an all or nothing approach isn't the best way to build an inclusive business. Get the Time Freedom training + guide: www.ashleygartland.com/timefreedom   Check out the Do Less, Live More podcast feed: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Erica: https://www.ericacourdae.com/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=betterthanbig&utm_campaign=interview   Follow Erica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericacourdae/ 

There's a big difference between having brand values and explicitly living them out in your business. And as my guest India Jackson learned, there's a real benefit to doing so as well. When India started sharing her brand values more explicitly in her brand visibility agency, Flaunt Your Fire, it helped her attract more aligned clients, find more ease in her marketing and drive important decisions in her business. Not to mention, it inspired a second business, Pause on The Play. In this episode, India joins me to talk about how she made the transition to sharing her brand values explicitly and about the domino effect it created not just in her business but in communities around her as well. Grab the Time Freedom training and workbook: www.ashleygartland.com/timefreedom   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Check out the private podcast feed, Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about India: https://flauntyourfire.com/    Follow India on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/flauntyourfire,  http://www.instagram.com/theindiajackson   Listen to Pause on The Play: https://www.pauseontheplay.com/show   Listen to Flaunt Your Fire podcast: https://flauntyourfire.com/show

A few years ago, while doing a rebrand of my business, I realized that my number one value in business was choice. I'm talking about choice in how you spend your time and shape your work, and choice in how you design your business to better support your life. And not only did I want my brand to stand for choice - I also wanted to embody the value of choice in my business day to day. In this episode, I'm talking about why it's so important to me to live out my brand values in my business. I'm also sharing specific ways I've embodied the value of choice in everything from my schedule to my services to my marketing to my client work so you can steal from my ideas if you want to bring more choice into the way you do business too.   Get the Time Freedom training + guide:    Get access to the private podcast feed Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Connect with Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/

When Jill Wise's business took off, she realized she needed to do something to free up her time. Initially, she thought that meant hiring a team member. But as she considered her options from a strategic place, she discovered that it actually made more sense to focus on streamlining her communication demands using canned email templates and smart automations. In this episode, Jill joins me to talk about how canned email templates have helped her save time, better serve her clients and eliminate decision fatigue in her business. We talk about the many (and sometimes surprising) places she uses templates, about how she keeps them all organized and about why using templates can actually help you be more high-touch with your clients, not less.   Get the free Simple Systems Guide: https://www.ashleygartland.com/simplesystems   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Jill: www.wordsbyjill.com    Check out Jill's Canned Email Templates: https://www.wordsbyjill.com/canned-email-templates   Follow Jill on Instagram: www.instagram.com/wordsbyjill

When it comes to things that overwhelm you in your business, there's a good chance creating social media content tops your list. Kinsey Streib felt similarly in her business, Feel Good Social, so she designed a system to help her better organize and plan social media content. In this episode, Kinsey and I talk about the system she designed to organize the social media content, assets and strategy for her business and her client work. We also talk about creating systems to match the way your brain works and explain why it's ok to design imperfect systems to start. Get the free Simple Systems Guide: https://www.ashleygartland.com/simplesystems   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Kinsey: www.feelgoodsocial.com Follow Kinsey on Instagram: www.instagram.com/feelgoodsocial

When your service includes a lot of moving parts, you can't always rely on your brain to remember all the tasks and to-dos. That's where systems come in - specifically a client management system that can help you stay organized and keep your projects on track. In this episode, Sean McMullin joins me to talk about the system he uses to manage complex and ongoing client projects at the podcast production agency, Yellow House Media. We also talk about the importance of evolving your systems over time and about how Sean is using his systems to free up brainspace and better serve clients.   Get the free Simple Systems Guide: https://www.ashleygartland.com/simplesystems   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Yellow House Media: www.yellowhouse.media   Follow Sean on Instagram: www.instagram.com/seandmcmullin/

As someone who places a high value on choice and time freedom, it's a little ironic that I use a scheduling system to help me manage my time. The reason I'm able to do it is because I've created a system that allows me to have structure in my days while also enjoying plenty of flexibility too. In this episode, I'm sharing more about the system I use to help me manage my time and talking about how it's evolved over the years to become even more flexible. I also introduce the tools I use to support the system and talk about why this unique scheduling system works for someone who values choice in how they spend their time.   Get the Simplified Schedule Workbook: https://www.ashleygartland.com/simplifiedschedule   Check out Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Connect with Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/

Whether it's a holdover from a corporate career or completely subconscious, business owners can fall into the trap of working all the time and forget that they can design a business that provides them with ample time off. In this episode, my guest Michael Knouse shares how he's designed his business so he can enjoy an abundance of time off each year to ski and travel and adventure. We talk about the importance of trading busy work for smart work, about how he was able to take a month off to travel without harming his business and about what he wishes more business owners would take advantage of when it comes to their schedule. Check out the Do Less, Live More audio course: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Michael: https://www.michaelknouse.com/   Follow Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelknouse/

So often in business, we design our services based on the industry standard instead of designing them around what feels good and aligned for us. In this episode, my guest Kaitlyn Kessler joins me to talk about the art of creating aligned offers and about her experience testing and tweaking her services in two different businesses. We talk about why personality plays a role in service design and about why a retainer model is a great option for people who love investing in their relationships. We also talk about the mindset hurdles that prevent us from designing services that work as well for us as they do for our clients.  Check out The Simplified Services Intensive: https://www.ashleygartland.com/the-simplified-intensive   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Connect with Ashley on IG: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Kaitlyn: www.KaitlynKessler.com   Connect with Kaitlyn on IG: https://www.instagram.com/kaitlynskessler/

The idea of slowing down your business to scale up feels at odds with the philosophy that business owners should always hustling hard to grow. But in order to pursue growth in a sustainable, life-giving way, sometimes you have to slow down so you can build a stronger foundation in your business first. In this episode, Keila Hill-Trawick of Little Fish Accounting joins me to talk about her experience slowing down to scale up and about the steps we took to help her grow in a more easeful way. We talk about how she knew it was time to slow down, how we built systems and processes that allowed her to build a better business and about why she's so clear that she can grow well with a small team.   Learn more about the Simplified Services Intensive: https://www.ashleygartland.com/simplifiedservicesintensive    Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Little Fish Accounting: www.littlefishaccounting.com   Follow Keila on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlefishaccounting/

n this episode, Susan Boles, virtual CFO, operations advisor and founder of ScaleSpark joins me to talk about the default decisions we make in our business and about why they prevent us from scaling smart. We talked about what she's learned about making decisions after running 4 different businesses and talked about her process for making better decisions. Susan also revealed the most powerful question you can ask yourself if you want to make better, more aligned decisions, and it's as simple as it is smart.   Learn more about the Simplified Services Intensive: https://www.ashleygartland.com/simplifiedservicesintensive   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Susan: https://www.scalespark.co/   Follow Susan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesusanboles/

Letting things be easy may seem like too simple of strategy for creating a more life-giving business but it's among the most important lessons you can learn. In this “best of” episode, I'm talking about why I focused on letting business be easy and share how this approach helped me create a better, more profitable and more sustainable business. I also talk about the beliefs I had to shift in order to create more ease in my business and give you a powerful question that can help you start spotting opportunities to let your business be easy too.   Get access to my audio course Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Connect with Ashley on IG: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/

What happens when you realize you're experiencing burnout because the business you're building isn't actually the one you want to run? That's the question I'm exploring on this week's episode with my guest Cassie Widders, who intentionally took a step back to redesign her business after burnout. In this episode, Cassie and I talk about what wasn't working in her social media management business and about the signs that told her it was time to pivot into a new model with new offers. We also talk about the practical changes and the mindset shifts she made to move from a done-for-you model to a seasonal business that better suits her life. Learn more about Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Cassie: www.cassiewidders.co.uk   Follow Cassie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassiemwidders/

We all dream of spending time unplugged but it can feel impossible to actually take a break from business because we're so enmeshed in the day-to-day. The key, as my guest on the podcast today learned, is to take the time to ask yourself HOW you can take a break instead of just asking IF you can take one. In this episode, resilience and mindset consultant Shulamit Ber Levtov joins me to talk about when she realized she needed to take a month-long stress break from her business and about what it looked like to take that extended time off. We also talk about how she prepared for her time away, and about what the experience taught her about her business moving forward.     Get access to Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Shulamit: www.shula.consulting   Follow Shulamit on Instagram: www.Instagram.com/shulaconsulting

Years ago, La'Vista Jones found herself working in corporate America with little time to rest or eat or care for herself. She was taught to prioritize work over self so she did - until she burnt out. That experience led her to leave corporate and create her own business, 31 Marketplace, where she redefined what work looks like for her. In this episode, she joins me to talk about her experience with burnout and what it taught her about the importance of prioritizing herself above her work. We talk about how she built her agency around this philosophy and about the daily rituals and boundaries that help her keep work and life separate. La'Vista also shares a simple weekly practice that reminds her to ask for support so she can create space to prioritize herself.  Learn More about Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about La'Vista: http://lavistajones.com/   Follow La'Vista on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lavistajones/

The burnout we often talk about in business is burnout with a capital B...you know, the kind that leaves you lying flat on your back in pure exhaustion or that turns into a health crisis that requires you to take a break from business. But business owners can also experience burnout in subtler ways - and that's worth paying attention to because it points to areas of your business that you can refine or improve by making different choices. In this episode, I talk about the “little b” burnout I experienced in my first business and the three areas that caused it. I also talk about the choices I made in those areas to do things differently in my coaching practice so I could make sure that burnout stays a thing of the past.    Learn more about the Do Less, Live More private podcast feed: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Connect with Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/

Selling more to your past clients is a simple and sustainable way to grow your business - and yet, many business owners forget that fact or don't feel like they know how to do it without feeling sales-y. My guest on the podcast today, Michaela Latavanha of Beachside Studio, joins me to talk about how she nurtures her client relationships after the first sale to create more opportunities for her business, and more support for her clients. In this episode, we talk about why selling more to past clients was the right fit for Michaela and about what she offers them as their next steps to work with her. We also talk about how she nurtures her relationships with her clients after their initial engagement in simple and authentic ways.    Learn how to design your signature service or next-level offer: https://www.ashleygartland.com/simplifiedservicesintensive   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Michaela: www.beachside.studio   Follow Michaela on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beachsidestudio/

As service providers, it's easy to focus more on your sales and marketing than on your actual client services because the industry as a whole is geared toward that ‘sell, sell, sell' mentality. But while sales and marketing matter, it's just as important to make sure that your clients have an outstanding experience after the sale. In this episode, Maggie Patterson from Small Business Boss and Scoop Studios joins me to talk about the changes she's made in her businesses to make sure her clients have a great experience working with her. We talk about how she's learned to better manage client communication, about how she paces projects and about the importance of understanding your true capacity. She also gives us her take on what your clients really need from you (hint: it's not a fancy welcome gift). Learn more about the Simplified Services Intensive:https://www.ashleygartland.com/simplifiedservicesintensive   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Maggie: www.smallbusinessboss.co    Follow Maggie on Instagram:  www.instagram.com/smallbusinessboss/

At the start of your business, your onboarding process might have looked like sending out a contract and invoice to your clients. That's a great place to start and also, there are many other things you can do to build a client onboarding process that supports your clients and serves you well. My guest on the podcast today is Tamera Darden and she joins me to talk about how her client onboarding experience has evolved over time at her product photography business, Darden Creative. She talks about how she gets important information at the start of her projects, about the welcome PDF she uses to communicate expectations and boundaries with her clients and about how her software needs shifted as her business grew. We also talk about how refining her onboarding process has bettered her business and helped her establish herself as an expert in her industry.    Learn more about the Simplified Services Intensive: https://www.ashleygartland.com/simplifiedservicesintensive   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Tamera: http://www.dardencreative.com, http://www.thephotoceo.com   Follow Tamera on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/tamera.darden

When it comes to our sales process, it can feel like we only have two options: automate it or go the high-touch route. But there is a middle ground, and my guest on the podcast today joins me to talk about how her sales process has evolved to become both simple and high-touch. In this episode, lawyer and founder of the AWB Firm, Autumn Witt Boyd, and I talk about how she vets prospective clients and about how she's brought her team into the sales process without losing personalization. She also shares why she's able to convert such a high number of prospective clients on a short 15-minute sales call.  Learn more about the Simplified Services Intensive   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Autumn: awbfirm.com   Connect with Autumn on Instagram: www.instagram.com/autumnwittboyd/  

As a service provider, you’ve probably spent a lot of time thinking about the client experience you deliver after someone has bought something from you. But have you thought about the experience you’re providing your prospective clients before the sale? Or about how you want them to feel before they sign on with you? In this episode, I talk about why I decided to start viewing my marketing and lead generation as part of my client experience and about what that perspective shift changed in my business. I share how it brought me more ease with my marketing, better conversations and conversions and a business that feels more aligned overall.    Learn more about Ashley’s Simplified Services Intensive   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Connect with Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/

The thing that prevents us from saying no to opportunities in our business is most often a fear of what people will think - and that can come at a great cost. My guest, designer Allison Burns, knows this well and joins me to talk about how she overcame her people-pleasing and perfectionistic tendencies so she could say no more often. In this episode, we talk about the assumptions Allison had around saying no, about the tradeoffs of saying yes to too many things and about how learning to say no helped Allison run a more aligned business and enjoy more time off with her family. Learn more about Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Allison: www.alliemariedesign.com   Follow Allison on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alliemariedesign/   Learn more about Design Spirit course: www.designspiritcourse.com

When it comes to the boundaries we have in our businesses, we often talk about the boundaries we have with clients to protect our time and energy. Those boundaries are important for sure - and my guest Alisha Robertson and I discuss them in today’s episode - but we also talk about the boundaries you need to have with yourself to make time for what’s most important. In this episode, Alisha talks about when she became aware that she lacked boundaries and about the changes she made in her business - and to her mindset - to become the kind of business owner who could set and honor boundaries with clients and with herself.  Learn more about Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Alisha: www.alisharobertson.com   Follow Alisha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thealishanicole

We often position overdelivering as a good thing in our businesses. But when overdelivering leads to overextending and overworking and overwhelm, it’s a habit you may want to check - especially if you want to create time and space for what’s most important to you. Real estate broker Page Huyette knows this well, and joins me to talk about her habit of giving 200% to her business and clients, and about how it landed her in a state of burnout. In this episode, we talk about when Page realized overdelivering was a problem and about how she stopped doing it so she could create more time and space for herself.  Learn more about Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Page: http://www.montanagoodlife.com/   Follow Page on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pagehuyette/

The problem with most time management tools is that they focus on maximizing your time, packing more into your days and squeezing more out of your schedule. They’re about doing more, and if you’re constantly in pursuit of more, it’s hard to feel that true spaciousness and time freedom you desire. There is a way to create it, however, and in this episode, I’m going to tell you the real way I’ve created time and space for what’s most important to me, which is all about changing the way you think about and operate in your business so you can do less and live more.    Find out about Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Connect with Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/

What if you didn’t need to drastically alter your services to increase your bottom line and find more fulfillment with your work? That’s the question my guest Katie McFarlan and I are exploring in this episode as we talk to you about the small shifts she made to her services, and how those translated into a more sustainable and profitable business. In this episode, Katie and I talk about how she knew it was time to refine her services and about the practical changes she made to each offer. We also talk about the ripple effect this work had in her business and how it helped her market her offers and create 5-figure months with a lot more ease. Learn more about the Simplified Services Intensive: https://www.ashleygartland.com/simplifiedservicesintensive Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/ Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/ Learn more about Katie: www.dakotadesigncompany.com Follow Katie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dakotadesigncompany/

Doing less with your marketing seems counterintuitive in a highly connected world where being everywhere and posting frequently is the gold standard. But that can be pretty overwhelming for a small business owner and, as my guest on this episode learned, it might not actually be necessary to create great results in your business. Conversion copywriter and messaging strategist Christine Blubaugh joins me to talk about the small shifts she made in her marketing that allowed her to do less and get better results. We talk about how to manage the volume of marketing in your business without overwhelm and about how to bring your audience with you as you simplify your marketing. We also talk about Christine’s experience doubling down on one social media platform and about why it worked so much better for her business and life than being everywhere did. Learn more about the Better Than Big Intensive: https://www.ashleygartland.com/betterthanbigintensive    Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Christine: http://christineblubaugh.com   Follow Christine on Instagram: http://instagram.com/christineblubaugh

When it comes to operational shifts, it’s easy to focus on the tactics and systems. But if you want to create more ease, satisfaction and growth in your business, it pays to make small shifts in your mindset too. My guest on the podcast today, Tara McMullin, knows this first hand and joins me to talk about the small mindset shifts she made at her business, What Works, to improve her operations and her capacity to serve clients and grow. In this episode, we talk about the operational shifts that have made her business better, about why small changes are extremely effective and about the places where operational changes and mindset shifts intersect.   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Tara and the What Works Community: http://explorewhatworks.com  Follow Tara on Instagram: http://instagram.com/tara_mcmullin

The truth is that your business doesn't need a big overhaul or need you to make huge, sweeping changes to create a big impact. You’d be far better served to focus on the small shifts because it’s through those small shifts that you can create incredible and lasting change. In this episode, I share why small shifts are at the root of everything good I’ve experienced in my business and explain why they work so much better than big changes. I also share a series of small shifts I’ve made with my operations, my services and my schedule to help you see how simple and effective this approach can be in creating incredible results for you.    Learn more about the Better Than Big Intensive: http://ashleygartland.com/betterthanbigintensive    Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Connect with Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/

One of the things that puts people off about hiring is this idea that they’re going to have to micromanage their contractors or employees. But if you hire the right people and have the right structures in place, you may find that you’re able to lead a team without guiding their every move. Today, I’m talking with Kate Strathmann about the people and structures she’s put in place at her bookkeeping and consultancy practice, Wanderwell, that have helped her lead a team without micromanaging them. We talk about her hiring process, about how she handles employee compensation and team communication and about why she approaches everything in her business through the lens of providing flexibility and great employee care.  Learn more about The Better Than Big Intensive: https://www.ashleygartland.com/the-simplified-intensive   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Kate Strathmann: https://wanderwellconsulting.com/   Follow Kate on Instagram: instagram.com/_wanderwell_

We often talk about hiring a team by focusing on things like the roles we need to fill and the level of investment we’re comfortable with, which are important topics. But there’s another element to team building that’s equally important to talk about and that’s building a team around strong values and a solid company culture. My guest on the podcast today is Kat Araujo, and she joins me to talk about how she’s hired a diverse team and created an inclusive, open team environment at her branding agency, Afternoon Culture. We talk about why she decided to build her team from a values-driven place, about how her team culture empowers her team members to do their best work and about what it’s made possible for her as the creative director as well.  Learn more about the Better Than Big Intensive: http://ashleygartland.com/betterthanbigintensive    Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Kat: www.afternoonculture.com Follow Kat on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afternoon.culture/

So often in entrepreneurship, we think about team as having ongoing support in our business. But that approach to building a team didn’t work for today’s guest on the podcast. It only landed her in burnout. Today, Lydia Lee joins me to talk about how that period of burnout led her to redefine her definition of team and change the way she gets support in her business. In this episode, we talk about the importance of defining success based on your terms - especially when it comes to team. We also talk about where to find great support people in the online space and about the mindset shifts Lydia needed to make before she could create a team structure that worked for her.  Learn More About the Better Than Big Intensive: http://ashleygartland.com/betterthanbigintensive    Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Lydia: https://screwthecubicle.com/   Follow Lydia on YouTube: https://youtube.com/screwthecubicle

When it comes to hiring team support, business owners have a lot of misconceptions - including the idea that you have to hire a big team to make a big impact. My guest Megan Schopieray joins me today to unpack those misconceptions and talk about why you can create a big impact with a small team, and also about how to make it happen. In this episode, we talk about the importance of taking a baby step approach to bringing on support, about why you want to hire generalists and specialists and about the often overlooked benefits of having team support.    Get The Delegation Plan Workbook: https://www.ashleygartland.com/thedelegationplan   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Get Megan’s How to Hire with Ease Training: https://www.whitespace.team/systems/hiring/   Learn more about Megan: https://www.whitespace.team Follow Megan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whitespaceteam/

I was a dedicated solopreneur for almost a decade before I brought on any sort of support in my business so I get that delegating and hiring don’t always feel easy. But bringing on support has made a huge difference in my business and life. So in this episode, I’m sharing all about my journey from wearing all the hats to leading a small team and what it’s created for me. I tell you about the mindset shifts I had to make to come around to delegating and hiring team members. I talk about when I realized it was time to bring someone on, and who I hired. And I share how I discovered what made the most sense to delegate and how getting those tasks off my plate have helped me in ways I couldn’t see at the start of this journey.    Get the The Delegation Plan Workbook: https://www.ashleygartland.com/thedelegationplan   Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Connect with Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/

Today, I’m talking with Dondrea Owens of The Creative’s CFO about how she increased her capacity in her business using systems, team support and a waitlist strategy that’s as smart as it is simple. We talk about how and when she decided to increase her client capacity and revenue, and about the first things she did to free up her time to work with more clients. We talk about how her systems and team have allowed her to scale her business and about the waitlist strategy that’s helped her stagger her client onboarding and bring on new clients in a way that  feels good for her and her team.    Learn more about the Better Than Big Intensive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kmOBvYH7EyXbw-3TKTwGQA8_SR7g92oW/view?usp=sharing    Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/   Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/   Learn more about Dondrea and The Creative’s CFO: https://www.thecreativescfo.com/   Follow Dondrea on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thecreativescfo