Small-Minded Podcast

In the hustle of entrepreneurship, we're often told to say yes—to opportunity, growth, and grit. But sometimes the most powerful move we can make… is to say no. In this solo episode, Molly reflects on five pivotal moments when choosing “no” over “yes” created the space, alignment, and peace she truly needed—both in her business and in her life. From walking away from steady income to turning down the dream office space, Molly walks you through the stories, lessons, and surprising gifts that came with each decision. Whether you're deep in decision fatigue or sensing it's time for a shift, this episode will remind you: “Every time we say no, we're also saying yes—to space, to integrity, to what really matters.” Inside this episode: The early career “no” that opened the door to MKM Why walking away from a client six weeks in felt hard but right Saying no to real estate dreams and big-agency expectations The evolution from service provider to strategic leader The cost (and clarity) of holding onto things that no longer fit Resources Mentioned: Bronnie Ware's Top Five Regrets of the Dying MKM Founder's Field Notes Email List: https://mkm.myflodesk.com/email Follow Molly on Instagram: @mollyknuth Empowerment Communities: https://www.the-restorationproject.com/empowerment-communities/

In this episode of The Found Podcast, I sit down with my friend, client, and total ray of sunshine—Brooke Fitzgerald. As the Energy builder, Coach, and Partner at The Restoration Project, Brooke brings an incredible mix of empathy, authenticity, and actionable tools to her work with individuals, teams, and organizations. Together, we talk about: How change begins with the individual The power of personal growth tools and how Brooke uses them in her coaching What it means to lead with integrity and intuition How to say “no" more and “yes" less Trusting yourself and finding your way to enough Brooke's energy is contagious, her wisdom is practical, and her heart for helping others grow is unmatched. If you're in a season of transition, decision-making, or wanting to better support your team or yourself—this one is for you. Tune in to feel empowered, inspired, and equipped to grow—right where you are. Resources & Links: Learn more about The Restoration Project: https://www.the-restorationproject.com/ Connect with Brooke Fitzgerald: https://www.the-restorationproject.com/our-story/meet-our-team/brooke-fitzgerald/ Follow me on IG: @mollyknuth_mkm

Time of recording: 1:03 PM on Friday, May 23, 2025. And while that might not mean anything to you, it marks a huge transition in my world: my four kids are officially out of school for the summer. For the next three months, my home will be full of extra bodies, extra snacks, and a whole lot less quiet. In this episode, I'm sharing what it looks like (and feels like) to move into summer as an ambitious woman, a business owner, and a mom. I talk about the mindset shifts I've had to make, the lessons I've learned from past summers, and the real-life logistics that help me stay grounded when life gets chaotic. This isn't a step-by-step guide—it's a conversation between you and me. If you're staring down the summer calendar wondering how the heck you're going to do it all, this episode is here to remind you: you're not alone, and you don't have to do it perfectly. What You'll Hear in This Episode: Why my original “just work in the mornings” plan was hilariously unrealistic (yes, sarcasm included) The hard truth: our kids need more structure than we think—and so do we How I've learned to adjust my expectations instead of just pushing through Why this might be a better season for planning than producing What it looks like to make space for rest and fun (even when it's not my natural instinct) The importance of routines, especially for little ones who thrive on consistency Why reduced productivity isn't a failure—it's just a shift If you're a high-achieving woman navigating summer with a full house and a full calendar, I hope this gives you permission to breathe, pivot, and let some things go. And if nothing else, know this: you're doing great. Really.

2025 has been a year of growth, learning, and bold decisions. In this episode, I break down the top five moves I've made so far this year in my business, how they impacted me, and what you can learn from them to inspire your next level.  Spoiler: They're more internal than you might expect. What You'll Learn: Why a beauty upgrade changed how I show up How curiosity and creativity opened new doors The power of connection and letting go of control Why personal growth is often the path to business growth Key Takeaways: Confidence starts with small, seemingly superficial shifts Curiosity leads to serendipitous growth Creativity isn't just a luxury—it's necessary Connection fuels everything Releasing control can be the most strategic move you make Mentioned in the Episode: Strengths Coaching with Arica Ohloff Your Brain on Art (book) The Restoration Project Celebration Days Creator's Club IRDC Experience

She's back! In this action-packed follow-up episode, Amanda Hofman — one of the founders of NYC-based Go To Market Studio — returns to The Found Podcast to talk all things strategic merch. We first met Amanda in Episode 157, where we dove into her career journey and how she built a company rooted in intentional, anti-boring custom merchandise for brands that want to stand out and create lasting impressions. In this 2025-focused conversation, Amanda and I get tactical about: How to make branded merch that actually gets used (and remembered) Why merch should be part of your strategic marketing plan—not an afterthought Specific ways service-based businesses, speakers, coaches, and digital brands can integrate merch into their sales funnels and brand experiences Trends in merch design, sourcing, and storytelling that can help you level up in the new year Actual examples of real businesses and how Amanda would coach them to create and use merch This is a must-listen episode for anyone planning a product launch, team retreat, client gifting campaign, or live event. If you want to grow your visibility and deepen your connection with your audience in a tangible way—this is your episode.

What if marketing your book didn't feel overwhelming, or like you were blindly throwing posts into the social media void? In this episode of The Found Podcast, I sit down with book marketing expert Jenn Hanson-DePaula to talk about sustainable, strategic ways to reach your ideal readers—without selling your soul or spending thousands on fleeting publicity. And while a majority of our conversation is about marketing books (and what we're currently reading!), the skills and strategies Jenn shares are applicable to any listener who is marketing a product or service. With over 24 years in the industry, Jenn has helped everyone from first-time self-published authors to New York Times bestsellers craft marketing strategies that actually work because they're built around clarity, connection, and the author's unique voice. We talk about: The biggest mistakes authors make when launching a book Why you don't need to be everywhere or do “what everyone else is doing” The difference between trend-chasing and relationship-building How to create a book marketing strategy that serves you for the long haul Whether you're preparing for your first launch or trying to revive a backlist, Jenn's wisdom will help you feel empowered, equipped, and excited to connect with the readers who truly need your words. Links & Resources: Learn more about Jenn & her services here: https://jenndepaula.com/ Take the free Author Platform Quiz or access other FREE resources here: https://jenndepaula.com/free-downloads Follow Jenn on Instagram: @jenndepaulabookmarketing Listen to her podcast: Book Marketing Simplified Sponsor Shoutout: Today's episode is brought to you by Hey Sister! — a one-day event created for rural women craving in-person connection, authentic conversation, and fresh inspiration for life and work in small towns. Happening Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Washington, Iowa with incredible speakers, hands-on activities, and tangible takeaways for your personal and professional life.

In this back-to-basics episode (that we're now going to turn into a series called Molly's Must Haves) of The Found Podcast, we're diving into the real, raw, and refreshing marketing moves that have worked for me in 2025. I'm pulling back the curtain on my own strategy for Molly Knuth Media, revealing what's working, what I've let go of, and how you can apply these lessons to your own business. Whether you're in year one or year nine, this episode will help you rethink your approach and give you full permission to market in a way that feels good, grounded, and effective. Here's what we cover: Why 2025 has been a pivotal year for shifts in life, leadership, and marketing The importance of understanding the season of your business The best marketing moves I made this year (and what I quit doing) How to use AI (like ChatGPT!) the right way Why I'm doubling down on podcasting, email, and in-person connection What it means to lead ambitious women through authenticity, not algorithms Key Takeaways: Put your time, energy, and dollars where it makes the most sense for your goals. Let go of outdated rules — especially on social media. Use tools like AI to save time and start strong, not to replace your voice. Know what season your business is in so you can market accordingly. You don't need to be everywhere — just where it matters. Resources Mentioned: Founder's Field Notes email series Descript for podcast and video content ChatGPT and other AI tools for creative kickstarts Action Steps for Listeners: Audit your current marketing strategy: What's working? What's not? Identify what feels aligned and sustainable Give yourself permission to evolve Ready to reimagine your marketing? Tune in now and let's build something that feels really good. Sponsor Shoutout: Today's episode is brought to you by Hey Sister! — a one-day event created for rural women craving in-person connection, authentic conversation, and fresh inspiration for life and work in small towns. Happening Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Washington, Iowa with incredible speakers, hands-on activities, and tangible takeaways for your personal and professional life.

This week, I'm thrilled to introduce you to a dear friend and incredible leader: Sarah Watson. Sarah and I have worked closely together through The Restoration Project,  a coaching and consulting organization in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, helping leaders and teams live, lead, and work with greater meaning. In today's conversation, Sarah shares her gift for creating calm, building intentional community experiences, and empowering others to take their next best step. We talk about: How creating space and connection for leaders can fuel real action The importance of protecting your time, energy, and heart How evolving through different seasons of life and career brings out new sides of ourselves Why listening deeply to yourself is the key to finding your next step The story behind Sarah's journey, including quitting her career twice to find the right fit for her life and mission Sarah's wisdom, warmth, and leadership truly embody the spirit of The Restoration Project and everything she touches, including her newest passion project, the Kick Ass Lady Club (yes, it's just as awesome as it sounds!). If you've been craving more intention, ease, and community in your life, this episode is going to feel like a deep breath.

In this heartwarming episode of The Found Podcast, Molly takes you inside one of Dubuque, Iowa's most inspiring spaces: Convivium Urban Farmstead.  Molly sits down with Leslie Shalabi, co-founder of Convivium, to talk about how their nonprofit uses the power of food to combat disconnection, build relationships, and cultivate community. In this episode, you'll hear about: The founding story of Convivium Urban Farmstead How food can be a universal tool for connection and healing Simple, local actions that create a ripple effect in communities Why creating intentional spaces matters in divided times How anyone can start building community with what they already have Sponsor Shoutout: Today's episode is brought to you by Hey Sister! — a one-day event created for rural women craving in-person connection, authentic conversation, and fresh inspiration for life and work in small towns. Happening Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Washington, Iowa with incredible speakers, hands-on activities, and tangible takeaways for your personal and professional life.

Imagine a place where you walk in and people genuinely ask how your day is, not out of politeness, but because they care. A third place. In today's episode, we dive into why physical, in-person communities matter more than ever for women, especially in our hyper-digital age. In this episode, you'll learn: ✅ What a “Third Place” is and why it matters ✅ The science-backed benefits of in-person connection ✅ How your community shapes your life and business ✅ Small and big ways to engage with your local community ✅ How to create your own gathering space if one doesn't exist Featured Resources: U.S. Surgeon General Report on Loneliness (2023) Harvard Women's Health Watch on longevity and connection Gallup Workplace Study on remote work and isolation Your Challenge This Week: Step out of your routine and find (or create) your third place. Share where you've found community by tagging me @MollyKnuth_MKM on Instagram or leaving a podcast review!

This week on The Found Podcast, we're continuing our conversation on one of the most important ingredients for female entrepreneurs and small business owners in 2025: community. And who better to help us dig deeper into this topic than returning guest and true community-building expert, Emily Reuschel? Emily is a rural wife, mom, and multi-passionate entrepreneur with a heart for growth and connection. From her early career as a teacher and camp counselor to her current work facilitating masterminds and leading in-person retreats, Emily's mission is clear: help women come home to themselves and find belonging with others. In this episode, we explore the many forms community can take: virtual, in-person, and even niche-based (yes, we even have a moment to ooh and aah over the Empyrean series!). Emily brings her grounded insight, tangible advice, and heartfelt encouragement to the table, reminding us that finding your people starts with intention, energy, and a willingness to be seen. If you've been craving real connection this year, or wondering where to even begin, this conversation is a must-listen. And be sure to stick around all the way to the end. Emily's final thoughts are a gentle but powerful nudge to take the next step. In this episode, we cover: Emily's journey from educator to community leader The value and dynamics of virtual vs. local communities How shared passions and niche interests can create unexpected bonds The energy and magic that come from intentional gatherings Practical tips for finding or creating community that fits you How vulnerability leads to deeper connection—online and offline Resources & Links:

Hey friend, welcome back to The Found Podcast! If there's one thing I've learned in my years of business, it's this: You cannot do this alone. No matter how independent, driven, or capable you are, success is never a solo journey. Yet, so many ambitious women hesitate to reach out, lean on others, or build the community they need to thrive. In this episode, I share my journey of discovering the power of community, from my first vision-boarding session with EmpowerHer to the mastermind groups and business friendships that have shaped my success. We dive into why finding your people is crucial and how you can start building your own circle of support today. What You'll Learn: Why isolation leads to burnout (and how to avoid it!) The importance of surrounding yourself with the right people who challenge and support you Actionable steps to find, build, and nurture your community How to let go of the "I can do it all by myself" mentality and lean on others when needed Key Takeaways: You are not alone. Find the right community that aligns with your goals and values. Your community should challenge you. Growth happens when you step outside your comfort zone. Success isn't about doing it all. It's about knowing who to call when you need help. If you're feeling isolated while you pursue your ambitious goals, take this episode as your sign to get started in finding your people.   

This week on The Found Podcast, I'm joined by the hilarious and insightful Lauren Trefethren—the creative force behind the beloved Instagram account Lauren Midwest. If you love Midwest culture, motherhood musings, and content that perfectly balances humor and heart, you're in for a treat. Lauren's journey is anything but conventional (which is what I LOVE). She started as a school counselor, but life had other plans. Now, she's building a thriving online community by sharing relatable, laugh-out-loud Midwest moments while also tackling deeper topics like grief, identity, and the realities of content creation. Oh yeah, and did I mention that as of March 26, you can now catch her on Netflix's new reality show Million Dollar Secret? Yeah, she's on that. In this episode, we dive into: ▪️Lauren's unexpected career pivot from counseling to content creation ▪️The highs and lows of showing up authentically online ▪️The challenges and misconceptions of being a full-time creator ▪️A nostalgic trip back to mid-2000s culture during our small talk round And because we like to keep it real, we're also letting you in on some serious tech struggles we had while recording this episode (Zoom, why must you test us?!). Hit play now and let us know: What's your favorite Midwest stereotype that you 100% live by?

Welcome back to The Found Podcast with Molly Knuth! I am beyond excited for this week's conversation with the one and only Thea Larsen, the powerhouse behind Cowgirls Over Coffee. At the end of 2024, I started noticing a lot of Instagram engagement from a particular account and thought to myself: "There's no way this person is following me." Thea was out there making an impact, building a community, and guiding ambitious women in a way that was inspiring and fresh. How could I have even crossed her radar?  Fast forward to today, and not only did we connect on Instagram, but we recorded two whole podcasts for you to enjoy and learn from! In this episode, Thea and I go beyond business and marketing to talk about: ✨ How we consume social media in ways that serve us ✨ The difference between coaching and facilitating growth ✨ The soft skills that help us live full, well-rounded lives ✨ Developing consistency and rhythms that fit our lives—not just a calendar ✨ Managing the push-and-pull of ambition, motherhood, and personal well-being Thea is a former CEO turned working ranch wife, mom of two, and community builder who helps women find balance, reduce overwhelm, and grow in a way that feels right—without sacrificing their dreams through her Cowgirls Over Coffee community. She's relatable, conversational, and the accountability partner we all need! You're going to love this episode.

Welcome to another episode of The Found Podcast with Molly Knuth! Today, I get to sit down with the incredible Dr. Claire Muselman. I was introduced to Dr. Claire less than a month ago when I attended a women-in-business event in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She was the keynote speaker, and let me tell you, I was immediately captivated. The way she engaged with the audience, energized the room, and encouraged interaction was nothing short of electric. From the very first moments of our conversation, you're going to feel that energy radiate through your speakers. In today's episode, we dive deep into the power of energy and how the energy you bring into a room impacts your environment, your relationships, and ultimately, your success. Dr. Claire shares incredible insights about leadership, innovation, rewiring your brain, and stepping into your fullest potential. So grab your notebook and pen because she is going to be dropping statistics, strategies, and insights that you'll want to capture and implement. Trust me, this is an episode packed with actionable takeaways! What You'll Learn in This Episode: How to choose your energy and use it to influence those around you The importance of rewiring your brain for success and innovation How to enhance communication and leadership skills Strategies for personal and professional growth How to create a lasting, positive impact About Dr. Claire Muselman: Dr. Claire Muselman is passionate about leadership, empowerment, and innovation. Through her work, she helps individuals ascend to new heights by igniting their passion, illuminating their leadership, and helping them radiate the brilliance they already possess. She brings a powerful mix of energy, strategy, and insight that will leave you inspired and ready to take action. Connect with Dr. Claire Muselman:  Website: https://drclairemuselman.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drclairemuselman/

Welcome back to The Found Podcast with Molly Knuth! In this episode, we kick off Women's History Month with a deep dive into the state of women in 2025, the third year in a row of this particular episode format. This week I reflect on the challenges women face in the workforce, access to childcare, pay disparity, and political representation. Drawing from research, statistics, and personal experiences, we discuss how much progress has been made and how far we still have to go. I also explore the importance of finding personal success and working together as women to overcome obstacles and move mountains....because none of us can do this work alone, we were never meant to. Key topics include: The impact of childcare costs and accessibility on women in 2025 The current state of gender pay disparity Representation of women in government and politics The overwhelming nature of social media and how to manage information overload about what women "should" be pursuing The power of women uniting and finding their unique paths to success Resources: Blog post with detailed citations and sources now available at mollyknuthmedia.com/blog. Listen in to explore these critical issues and how we can all contribute to positive change for women's futures!

This week, I'm joined by my friend and creative powerhouse, Ana Dellamuth! Anna and I first connected through Empower Her, a community for female entrepreneurs in Eastern Iowa, and I've been inspired by her joyful outlook ever since. Anna's journey from teacher to creator is a beautiful example of how creativity isn't just about art—it's about community, courage, and joy. She specializes in hand lettering, calligraphy, and brand design, but she also brings people together through her Creators Club, a monthly gathering where women explore new creative projects (and step out of their comfort zones!). In this episode, we dive into: ✨ The importance of creativity in everyday life (even if you don't think you're "artistic") ✨ How creativity can be a tool for connection, confidence, and self-discovery ✨ The joy of trying new things without the pressure of perfection ✨ Why creativity is more about the process than the final product ✨ My (hilarious) experience with finger knitting and how it pushed me past my fears Ana's message is one we all need to hear: creativity is joy. It's not about being perfect—it's about making space to explore, grow, and have fun. Hit play and get ready to be inspired to bring a little more creativity into your life!

Are you creating or just consuming? In today's episode, we're diving into the power of creativity and how shifting into a creative mindset can make your life more fulfilling and productive in unconventional ways. What You'll Learn: Why 75% of people feel they're not living up to their creative potential How creativity is a learned behavior, not just a natural talent The importance of creativity beyond traditional artistic expression What you need to foster creativity: time, space, and inspiration How I'm prioritizing creativity in 2025 The science behind right-brain vs. left-brain thinking and achieving flow The CAT Model (Calm Down, Make Art, Transcend) from Dr. Martha Beck Let's break free from the idea that creativity is a luxury—it's a necessity for problem-solving, innovation, and living a more joyful life. Tune in to find out how you can tap into your creative potential in 2025!

In this episode of The Found Podcast, I'm sitting down with a guest whose words have been inspiring me for years—poet and author Jennae Cecelia. If you've ever found yourself drawn to poetry as a way to process emotions, reconnect with your values, or simply feel seen, this conversation is for you. Jennae shares her journey of discovering poetry as her calling, the role of creativity in personal growth, and how writing has helped her (and so many others) return to themselves. We also dive into the process of writing — how she's structured her days and her life to make room for writing and celebrating life. If you're a woman navigating change, seeking creative expression, or dreaming of publishing your own words, Jennae's story will remind you that your voice matters. In This Episode, We Cover: ✨ Jennae's journey to finding herself through writing ✨ Practical insights into her writing and creative process ✨ How the publishing world has evolved—and what it's like to self-publish a book AND an exciting announcement about something new in 2025! ✨ Why creativity is a necessary part of reconnecting with who you are More About Jennae Cecelia: Jennae is a poet and best-selling author who has been sharing her words with the world since 2017. With multiple self-published collections under her belt, she is now preparing to release her first traditionally published book later this year—a major milestone in her career. Through her work, Jennae encourages women to embrace creativity as a way to process emotions and rediscover themselves.

It's 2025, and I'm kicking off the year (okay, I know, it is February already, but I'm just getting warmed up over here) with some thoughts on what women—especially ambitious moms, business owners, and entrepreneurs—don't need more of this year. Spoiler alert: it's not another free download that's only two pages long, another social media platform, or another "life-changing" productivity hack. In this episode, I'm sharing how I eased into the new year (hello, sauna time and slow workouts) and a download of information that hit me on a random Saturday. We're talking about stripping away the excess and focusing on what really matters: creating instead of consuming, making space for what we love, and redefining success on our terms. Tune in to hear: How I intentionally eased into 2025 Why women don't need more shoulds this year What it really looks like to align with your own values The power of connection, third spaces, and nerding out over what you love Why you were never meant to do life alone as an ambitious woman It's time to stop chasing more and start making space for what truly fuels us. Let's get find ourselves in episode 188 of The Found Podcast with Molly Knuth. Connect with Molly:  Find me and all my business life/personal life shenanigans at @mollyknuth_mkm on Instagram and Facebook. Subscribe to Founder's Field Notes, my weekly email series, where I talk about what I'm observing in life and in business in real time at https://mkm.myflodesk.com/email.

What are you wondering about in 2025? “Wonder” is my word of the year, and over here I've been wondering: What don't I know yet? What do I want/need to learn this year? What does work look like in the months ahead? Where do I need to slow down? What do I need to stop doing? What does my audience need to hear? Want to hear? What moments in my life made me know “wonder?” So I took a little pause on recording and producing new episodes to make space and get perspective, and this episode is the product of all that wondering. The Found Podcast with Molly Knuth will be back weekly in February with more stories and strategies for finding ourselves while founding businesses as ambitious women. Links from the episode: The Daily Stoic Onyx Storm

How did your year go? Honestly. How do you measure the "success" or "failure" of a year? I propose looking at 3 areas of your business and/or life to unpack the past 12 months and make room for how you'd like 2025 to be: Numbers Value Time Listen in to this week's episode for all the details and questions to help you reflect on 2024 and make space for the new year ahead.

You can be transformed by this episode if you let it. I'm 100% serious.   Today I'm sitting down with Money's Mom herself, Gina Knox.   Guys, I'm seriously tingly at the opportunity to share her message with you this week on the pod!    Gina Knox is a financial coach for entrepreneurs with variable income. She teaches entrepreneurs and small business owners how to save $100k with her program Small Business Money School, then she helps her clients create a 7-figure wealth portfolio with her mastermind 7 Figure Wealth. Over her career as a coach Gina has helped her clients save $8,257,123.75 (as of 10-28-24)! Gina's podcast, Small Business, Big Money, is an amazing resource for those who want more financial understanding AND key skills and strategies that will help them get there.   Personally, I worked with Gina since March 2024 to help me build savings at MKM and help identify. And I can personally attest to the fact that her systems work. I have more money on hand than I have in the history of my business' 7-year history, and I know how to put my money to work for me.   In this episode we talk about money systems you can implement (aka: the Cash Flow Waterfall), debt, money mindset, planning for the future, and building wealth. But most of all, I want you to hear the energy and excitement of our conversation and that money can feel this level of freeing for you too.    Trust me, if I can do these things, you can to.   You can be transformed by this episode if you let it.   Key Takeaways “Your financial data in your business is the biggest gold mine of data that your business has. It is such a wasted opportunity when folks ignore it or avoid it.” “What's important about money is that you have some kind of mental model for how to visualize it in your brain.” “Businesses spend money to make money.” “I've worked with over 700 companies, and I've never seen a business that hasn't used debt at one point or another.” “Debt is a business tool.” “Stop waiting for a windfall, solve your actual money problems.”   Key Links Molly's episode on Gina's Podcast Small Business Money School Small Business, Big Money podcast

In this episode...you might get uncomfortable. I know it's only recently that I'm not getting itchy when talking about MONEY with others. But that's exactly why today's conversation is so important, especially for female entrepreneurs and small business owners. You see, the less we talk about money, the bigger it looms over us. The less we talk about money, the more shame and guilt is allowed to grow. The less we talk about money, the more stories we make up in the absence of facts and data. So today, I'm diving in to my personal money story over the course of my life and business at Molly Knuth Media. We'll unpack the money misbeliefs I held for decades and the people and tools that have helped me dismantle those misbeliefs in recent years to build healthy money systems and practices. Links: Managing Your Money Mindset with Sheila Hansen Perspectives from a Failing Business Owner Pricing and Packaging Sheila Hansen CPA Sheila Hansen Profitable Women Podcast Gina Knox Small Business Money School Gina Knox Small Business Big Money Podcast

Today I welcome a past guest, dear friend, and resilience expert to the podcast to share skills and strategies that we can practice to stay resilient in our lives, work, and engagements.   Whitney Sullivan is a speaker, educator, team trainer, and coach with a background in health, wellness, higher education, communications, entrepreneurship and the Enneagram. All these life experiences have allowed her to test and build up her resilience over time and use it to help her current clients and students build what she refers to as their “resilience batteries.” The Resilience Battery   In today's episode, Whitney shares that resilience is like a battery - the more charge you have going into challenges, setbacks and failures, the more capacity you have to thrive in the face of them.   In the interview, Whitney shares that resilience is less about willpower and more about wellness. Tending to your resilience battery will help you stay energized, manage stress, prevent overwhelm and avoid burnout in work, life and leadership.   By practicing self awareness and knowing when our own resilience batteries are in the various color zones, we can be proactive about our wellness and enact interventions to keep us healthy and resilient.   Green Zone: your most energized self. We still experience stressors in this zone, it's just that our challenges are balanced evenly with our comforts. We have capacity to face whatever comes our way.   Yellow Zone: your most stressed self. This is when challenges start to outpace comforts and things feel like they're moving faster than we can keep up with. The signs for needed self-care intensify a little bit, so we want to intervene and address them here.   Orange Zone: your exhausted self. Your mind and body's final call before depletion, and we start to get “emergency alerts” from our body. These alerts might appear as outbursts, reacting to triggers, or feeling the desire to quit or engage in numbing behaviors. We may still be in a good mood and have decent morale, but our highs are higher and our lows are lower.   Red Zone: your depleted self. Your nervous system is overwhelmed and you experience a hard time making decisions, problem solving, and seeing the big picture.    In the interview, Whitney shares stories, strategies and skills to help you identify and move through the zones in your own life to keep yourself resilient and healthy. For additional support, you can grab her Resilience Battery Tracker or her To-Do List Audit at the links below.   Key Takeaways “Owning a business is a masterclass of resilience.” “[Resilience is] not this innate ability, it's a nurtured capacity.”  “[Resilience is] not a matter of willpower, it's a matter of wellness.” “I like to think of resilience as a battery and the more charge you have going into each day, the more capacity you have to thrive, no matter what challenges come your way.” “We have to go on offense with our wellness, not defense.” “I want everyone to not underestimate the power of 10-20 minutes.” “I'm always evaluating what I need to grit and what I need to quit.” “One thing that lead me into burnout was this ‘I never quit' mentality…and it's sneaky because that looks like resilience, doesn't it? …but that actually just exposed me to a lot of harm in my health.” “To grit is staying the course and working hard when the easy, but wrong thing, would be to quit. To quit is letting go of what's not working and moving on when the easy, but wrong thing, would be to grit.” More about Whitney:   Whitney Hinshaw Sullivan is a resilience speaker, Enneagram practitioner, team-builder and coach. Her professional training and coaching business is designed to: Help leaders and teams use the Enneagram to positively influence their relationships, responsibilities and results Support emerging leaders in the development of skills in communication, stress management and self-mastery Deliver keynotes and company webinars on resilience, connection and purpose   With a background in leading health/wellness and student leadership programs in higher education, she has been a professional educator since 2012. Whitney's favorite moments in higher education were always when others stopped by her office and asked, "Hey, Whitney. Do you got a minute?" She loved the coaching conversations and mentorship moments that followed so much, that she opened her own business in 2021 in order to do it even more.   In 2024, Whitney created The Enneagram Studio: a virtual learning platform designed to deliver professional Enneagram trainings, masterminds, coaching and more. Her goal is to demystify the Enneagram and make it an accessible and mainstream professional development tool in leadership, business and higher education settings. She currently lives in Bozeman, Montana with her husband Tim, where she is also an avid reader, outdoor adventurer, and communication professor at Montana State University.   Connect with Whitney at https://www.whitneysullivan.com/ Resilience Battery Tracker: https://whitneysullivan.myflodesk.com/tracker To-Do List Audit: https://whitneysullivan.myflodesk.com/audit

Last week both in our email and on The Found Podcast, we dove into the concept of “resilience” and how the people we surround ourselves with can help us through the highs and lows that come with being small business owners and entrepreneurs.   Our discussion drew upon the Harvard Business Review article entitled “The Secret to Building Resilience” by Rob Cross, Karen Dillon, and Danna Greenberg.   In their article, the authors found that resilience has been shown to positively influence work satisfaction and engagement, as well as improve overall well-being, and lower depression levels.   But they are very clear that resilience isn't just a kind of solitary internal “grit” that allows us to bounce back. Their research shows that resilience is also heavily enabled by strong relationships and networks.   Using that as our model for resilience, I can apply it to many interactions in my personal and professional life.    I can apply it to various seasons in my personal life and my business at Molly Knuth Media, but I also think we can apply it to our business marketing, because Lord knows we need to bounce back from setbacks often when our marketing plans go awry.   So in today's episode of the podcast, I ask the question: “How can we stay resilient in our marketing?”   Molly's thoughts on resilient marketing: People do business with people. You choose the marketing trends, don't let the trends choose you. Tell stories in your marketing content, assets, and channels. Focus on long-term impact, not short-term wins. In today's episode (Number 182 now streaming on iTunes and Spotify), I go into detail about how you can use these resilient marketing methods for your own business in Q4 of 2024 and beyond. More Helpful Links Link to full article: https://hbr.org/2021/01/the-secret-to-building-resilience Submit your Q&A here: https://bit.ly/thefoundpodcastquestions Book a discovery call here: https://bit.ly/30minuteswithmkm

I've been in business for 8 years here at Molly Knuth Media and had this podcast for over 4 of those years, and let me be the first to tell you: it has not always been easy.   There have been successes and struggles. High points and lows. People who've been on my team that are no longer with me. Contracts I've had to cancel with clients. Contracts clients have cancelled with me. Programs I've started and ended. Groups I've joined and quit.   Being in business this long means I've seen some things…and I also know enough to know that I do not and will not ever know it all.   I can just do my best to stay open and stay resilient in the face of it all.   I recently read an article from the Harvard Business Review entitled “The Secret to Building Resilience” by Rob Cross, Karen Dillon, and Danna Greenberg   Resilience is typically described in our society as the ability to bounce back from setbacks, and this ability to stay resilient is often described as the difference between “successful” and “unsuccessful” people. In their article, the authors found that resilience has been shown to positively influence work satisfaction and engagement, as well as improve overall well-being, and lower depression levels.    But they are very clear that resilience isn't just a kind of solitary internal “grit” that allows us to bounce back. Their research shows that resilience is also heavily enabled by strong relationships and networks.    So what can we learn from this today? We can each nurture and build our resilience through cultivating a wide variety of interactions with people in our personal and professional lives. These interactions can help us to alter the magnitude of any challenge we face. Our relationships can also help crystalize the meaningful purpose in what we are doing or help us see a path forward to overcome a setback.   It is our relationships and connections that motivate us to keep going, even in our toughest times.    In this episode of the podcast we explore a little more of the article and apply its resilience exercise to our own businesses. Be prepared to get gritty as we analyze our own resilience and ask ourselves: “Are my relationships broad and deep enough to help support me when me and my business hit setbacks?”   Episode and article takeaways: Resilience is not an individual characteristic through nature/nurture -  but through connections and interactions. “Resilience is not something we need to find deep down inside ourselves: we can actually become more resilient in the process of connecting with others in our most challenging times.” “Collectively, the relationships we develop are a toolbox that we can turn to in our most difficult times, which we can rely upon to help us navigate day-to-day life challenges” Relationships and connections help us in the follow 8 areas shift or manage workloads make sense of people or politics in certain situations find confidence to push back and help self-advocate see a path forward release negative emotions laugh at ourselves and the situation remind us of purpose/meaning maintain perspective If you feel like your resilience needs a little boost, ask yourself: “are your relationships broad enough and deep enough?” In conclusion, we are not resilient because we have survived. We are resilient because we set ourselves up to connect with people that allow us to thrive. Different people in our lives serve to help us in different ways, that's ok and allowable.   More from Molly Link to full article: https://hbr.org/2021/01/the-secret-to-building-resilience Submit your Q&A here: https://bit.ly/thefoundpodcastquestions Book a discovery call here: https://bit.ly/30minuteswithmkm

"And so that's what I think about with resilience too, like, it's not this innate ability, it's a nurtured capacity. And that's something that I talk about a lot, is that, you know, it's not a matter of willpower, it's a matter of wellness...we're all resilient. We just need to nurture that capacity." - Whitney Sullivan Resilience is defined as the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. As women, as business owners, as family members, as friends, as HUMANS, we have all had difficulties that we have had to recover from quickly. We've failed at tasks, missed deadlines, and had unexpected health issues pop up. We've dropped the ball, we've said the wrong thing, we've done the wrong thing, and we've had challenges put upon us by ourselves and others. It's not a matter of if we'll need to be resilient in times where things don't go as planned, but a matter of when and how we will be expected to be resilient. Resilience isn't easy, it isn't comfortable to cultivate, but it is important to become aware of so we can support ourselves and others through hardships. In today's mini-episode of The Found Podcast, we talk about cultivating resilience in regards to this moment in time in the United States, and how we will all need to practice resilience in the days and weeks ahead. My friend and upcoming podcast guest, Whitney Sullivan who is an expert on resilience, shares her perspective on resilience and how to support ourselves in the process.  

I'm not going to get long-winded here, friends. This is THE process I use with every new client here at MKM to ensure that all the marketing foundations are in place for every business I am in touch with: a marketing audit.   In today's episode, you'll hear the steps I take to make sure all my clients' marketing is consistent and driving potential clients and customers in the right direction.   We're auditing: 1. Your Social Media Footprint 2. Your Website 3. Your Physical Marketing   Don't forget: Share this podcast, leave a review and help your business besties with their marketing too! Bonus: get my marketing audit checklist in a handy-dandy printable PDF here: https://mkm.myflodesk.com/auditchecklist   More from Molly: Get the checklist: https://mkm.myflodesk.com/auditchecklist Submit your Q&A here: https://bit.ly/thefoundpodcastquestions Book a discovery call here: https://bit.ly/30minuteswithmkm

Guys, this interview is so much fun.   Today I'm sitting down with a new friend, Madelyn Victoria a local marketing strategist in her small town in Alabama, to discuss all things marketing for local businesses. While we primarily focus on helping local businesses enhance their holiday marketing efforts this Q4 of 2024, Madelyn's strategies and actionable tips are practices you can employ all year round to create visibility and sales for your business.   A few quick tips from Madelyn that you'll hear us break down in detail in the podcast: “Marketing is all about knowing what your audience wants and giving that to them in the best way possible.” Double down on growing community and collaborating with other businesses to maximize your marketing and get in front of new clients and customers. Having limited-time products for the season is a great way to create a special feel for the holidays. For some businesses, like our friends in retail, this is part of your regular business strategy, but any business can tie in limited-time holiday opportunities.  “There's a big lull [for retailers] in January and February, but what helps mitigate that is getting all peoples' email addresses during the holiday time.” Focus your efforts, choose 3 places to show up and spend your energy and your time on only those. This helps you reduce the pressure of feeling like you need to show in all the places at all the times. Helpful links Get Madelyn's Visibility Guide here Episode 108 of The Found Podcast: Holiday Marketing Strategy MailerLite Metricool Notion Canva Full Focus Planner HGTV Hometown Takeover Season 1 Downtown Dickins Christmas event Emily Henry Funny Story book Unreasonable Hospitality book More About Madelyn Madelyn Victoria helps small businesses create a marketing strategy to attract more clients and increase profit while making a local impact.   With seven years of experience in the digital marketing industry, Madelyn uses her knowledge and experiences to help her coaching clients take their businesses to the next level.      Connect with her at https://madelynvictoriaco.com/ or get her “3 Simple Strategies to Become More Visible, Get More Customers, and Increase Your Profit" guide at https://madelynvictoriaco.com/visibility

Quick, answer the following questions: when was the last time you made an actual post on your socials? when was the last time you shared a post that you cared about to your newsfeed? when was the last time you doom scrolled? when was the last time you saw anger and hatred in a meme or in someone's comment section? when was the last time you felt happy after being on social media?   A couple of months ago I was in a conversation with my friend and client, Lindsy, and we were both talking about how draining it felt to participate in social media.   So I had a realization: if I want a better experience when I'm on social media, I have to take action and be part of the solution.   This means doing more creating, purging the accounts and people that drain me, being active and interactive, and practicing Social Leadership.   Let's commit to listening to this episode and afterward, becoming social leaders, owning the power that we have over our algorithms and experiences online and using it for the good of us all.   Quick Tips for Improving Your Social Media Experience: You get more of what you click on. So stop clicking into click-baity, dumb shit. Unfollow. Accounts, people, trends, platforms. Follow: what brings you joy. Make something. Creating brings more joy than consuming.  Be a human. Engage, look for humanity, uplift, educate.  Implement time limits. Apps, bricks, lockboxes. Think critically.  Connect. with others IRL and with yourself. Ask: why do these little digital boxes have such a hold on me?   Next: practice social leadership: 30-day posting my favorite photos to make Facebook suck less initiative. Encourage others to join in.  Have productive conversations, and encourage connection offline.  Put your phones away when you're in a gathering next time.  Critically ask yourself, how am I contributing to the dumpster fire I'm being served? This is especially important if you are using social to market your business. If you are annoyed/aggrieved and generally questioning your presence on socials, be sure your content you release on behalf of your business meets these standards too.  Give people something to care about, not something to scroll past. Support my friend Nicole's Hurricane Helene recovery Amazon wish list. I met her through social media, and I'm using social media to connect her cause with more people who can help.    Connect with Molly: Submit your Q&A here and get your questions answered on an upcoming episode of the podcast: https://bit.ly/thefoundpodcastquestions Book a discovery call here to see how Molly can help your business thrive through intentional, strategic marketing: https://bit.ly/30minuteswithmkm

You are shit. Your ideas are shit. Nobody is going to buy the shit you are trying to sell....   ....sound familiar????   Starting and growing a business is as much a personal journey as it is a professional one.   If you are trying to found a business and have others find the products and services you offer, you will have to come face to face with some hard truths about yourself and that little voice inside your head.   And the worst part of it all...no one is going to do this work for you.   You need to lead yourself through this process.   It's a shitty process, but in order to get the good shit, you need to come face to face with the shit you're carrying around.   I promise you can do it. And this episode will help you get started.   7 hard truths you need to face in order to lead yourself to your next level: “You are shit." Your ideas are shit.  You have some really awesome shit you're a little scared to share with others. You have some shit to own. You have some shit to let go of.  You have some shit to organize. Your timing is shitty.  Connect with Molly Find me and all my business life/personal life shenanigans at, @mollyknuth_mkm, on Instagram and Facebook.    Follow Molly Knuth Media for all the marketing tips and trends at @mollyknuthmedia on Facebook and Instagram.

My challenge for you today, listener: how many giggles did you hear in the duration of the episode?   In today's episode of The Found Podcast with Molly Knuth, you'll hear one of only a handful of in-personal interviews I've ever conducted for the podcast. The level of fun and depth and love in the room is palpable as I sit down with an inspirational woman in business, author, coach, speaker, MKM client, and most importantly, my friend, Lindsay Leahy.   Though she's been on the podcast in the past with her bestie and business partner at The Restoration Project Brooke Fitzgerald in Episode 66 Living, Leading, and Working with Meaning, in today's episode we talk about not just their business, but also the writing of her new book Take It All Apart. The Restoration Process At The Restoration Project, their team of leadership coaches walks their clients, whether individuals, teams, or entire organizations through their signature process of: Building Connection: to self, others, and something greater. Restoring Intention: explore and define identity, vision, intention, and meaning, then build a plan. Inspiring Action: establish new practices, systems, rituals, and routines. Writing a Book As someone who has always enjoyed writing, Lindsay says that she faced challenges she wasn't expecting when writing her first book:  Practically and tactically it was hard to do the writing. Sharing lived experience was hard at times. “What if people think this sucks?” Due to her identity as a writer, Lindsay shares that it feels strange to put her words and writing style on display for the world. Regardless of the struggles it presented, Lindsay shares that writing Take It All Apart has resulted in her feeling more poised in her own practice, more refined in her process of coaching and writing. Connect with Lindsay Lindsay Leahy is a proud wife, daughter, auntie, and friend. She is passionate about Jesus, hugs, dreams, adventures, and deep conversation. She is the creator of the blog Grit, Gratitude, and Grace and the founder and Dream Builder at The Restoration Project, a women-owned coaching and consulting practice that provides experiences, programs, and services to improve organizational health, team and leadership effectiveness and individual well-being.   Lindsay is the author of Take it All Apart, debuting October 2024. Join her book Hype Crew for all the upcoming launch events and details or preorder your own copy here. 

Of course there are hard truths that make business ownership difficult and may complicate your life, but there are some other hard truths you must acknowledge too…   Today, I'm here to share 7 additional hard truths I've learned about running a business in the 7+ years I've owned and operated Molly Knuth Media. If you didn't listen to part 1, then click here to check out last week's episode.   Entrepreneurship and small business ownership is anything but easy, but I do believe that it is the way of the future. Because especially as women/moms/friends I think we need to know how our unique skills and talents can help us earn money and support our families.   I want you to hear in this episode the silver linings of the hard side of business that I wish someone had shared with me when I started my small biz journey in 2017.     7 (More) Hard Truths You Need to Hear About Business   1: You'll never want to work a set schedule again.   2: You'll never want to work for anyone else again.   3: You'll test your courage.   4: You are your own biggest limitation.    5: You will evolve and change.    6: You will be an inspiration to others.    7:  You will be forced to celebrate yourself.   Connect with Molly Find me and all my business life/personal life shenanigans at, @mollyknuth_mkm, on Instagram and Facebook.    Follow Molly Knuth Media for all the marketing tips and trends at @mollyknuthmedia on Facebook and Instagram.

This episode is for a specific listener, friend.    It is specific to the female business owner out there who is wondering if working for herself is all that it's cracked up to be.    It's the woman who is thinking about taking the leap from being a classroom teacher to going full-time in her side-hustle.    It's for the woman who is scared shitless right now because her dream isn't working out just how she thought now that she's 1 1/2 years into self-employment.    It's for the woman who has been building this company for 7 years and now she's wondering if there's something else her heart is calling her to (cue Reba McIntire “Is There Life Out There?”).   It's for the woman who is considering a leap of faith, and I want her to feel validated in her fears and also prepared for what will be expected of her in this next season of reaching.   Today, I'm here to share 7 hard truths I've learned about running a business in the 7+ years I've owned and operated Molly Knuth Media.    In today's Instagrammable world of glamorizing the time freedom, financial opportunities, upward mobility that self-employment can bring, I want this episode to be a resource to talk about the less-than-glamorous side of working for yourself.    Because while it is incredibly worthwhile and the way of the future (I firmly believe it), entrepreneurship and small business ownership is anything but easy. And I don't want you to feel like you are “behind” in life or that someone has the secret to being a woman/mom/friend/business owner all figured out in some secret handbook that you never received.   I want you to hear in this episode the hard side of business that I wish someone had shared with me, so I didn't feel alone and ashamed at various points of my own small business journey.   10 Hard Truths You Need to Hear About Business You need to work Then, you need to work less You will fuck up You will lose people No one owes you their money or their business Not everyone is cut out for this It's ok to quit Connect with Molly Find me and all my business life/personal life shenanigans at, @mollyknuth_mkm, on Instagram and Facebook.    Follow Molly Knuth Media for all the marketing tips and trends at @mollyknuthmedia on Facebook and Instagram.

It's back to school, listener! Back to business school that is, as today we sit down with human resources coach and consultant and small business owner, Kristie McCarthy of Bridge Business Resources.   You will definitely want to have a pen and paper ready as you listen through this episode and hear Kristie's advice on protecting yourself and your team members from common struggles and errors that can occur when employing a team.    With over 20 years of experience in HR, Kristie's goal is to help you bridge the gaps that can happen in the people side of operating a small business. She understands that business owners can be exceptional in their craft and kick ass at making sales, marketing, etc. But when it comes to growing a team, we as business owners can have major blindspots in legal and tax requirements that come along with employment.   Even with the best of intentions, there are pitfalls employers face when managing a team, and Kristie's mission at Bridge is to help you identify and proactively plan for the human side of your business.   In today's episode, Kristie shares the 6 employer danger zones she commonly sees with her clients and how you can take action today to address these areas in your own business.   Danger Zones to Watch Out For Protected Classes of Employees Classifying Employees as Independent Contractors or Payroll Employees Payroll & Time Tracking Employee Safety & Reporting Terminating Employees Protecting Your Business   More About Kristie and her business, Bridge Business Resources Whether you are a small business owner, trying to do it all yourself, or a leader in a larger organization trying to prepare for the next step, it is difficult to do it all.  There are inevitably gaps...whether it is in communication, in what you can offer your employees, or in how prepared you are for the growth you hope to achieve.  Bridge Business Resources is here to fill those gaps, take work off your plate, and allow you to spend time focused on what you do best. Bridge helps you with consulting, coaching, and done for you services including payroll processing, human resources activities, and more. Visit the Bridge Business Resources website or connect with Bridge on Facebook and LinkedIn to see how Kristie can help you thrive. 

Well, we're 170+ episodes and almost 4 years into this podcast journey, and this is the first time I've explicitly tackled this topic on the pod: growing and building a team as a small business owner.   In the past 7 years of operating my marketing business at Molly Knuth Media, I've had a variety of team structures. I was originally a solo freelancer, then I had one person who helped on a mix of tasks as I needed them. Eventually I had a team of 7 people working various hours and skills in their own wheelhouses, and now I'm back to having a very lean team structure.   What I've learned along the way is that there is no blueprint for growing a team.   Damn it. It would be so much easier if there was.    In today's episode, we're going to discuss the successes I've experienced in bringing others on board at my business Molly Knuth Media, the struggles I experienced in leading said team, and how you can know if you are ready to build a team in your own business. My Successes Tackling larger projects Seeing people grow in their skills and gifts Growing myself as a leader My Struggles Growing myself as a leader Making changes Knowing what's right How do I know if I'm ready? Get clear with yourself Make sure your finances align Check out this episode of Profitable Women from my friend and accountant, Sheila Hansen for more on this. Get ready for friction Get more from Molly Knuth Media Reach out at hello@mollyknuthmedia.com to discuss coaching and consulting options from Molly to help your service provider business growth and marketing in 2024.

Hello listener, and welcome back to another episode of The Found Podcast with Molly Knuth.   …and her kids!   My name is Corinne Knuth   And in today's episode we're having a special conversation with Molly, Corinne, and the other three Knuth children. I thought it would be fun to be on mom's podcast and it would be a nice way for Mom and her listeners to learn about what it's like as a child of someone who owns a business.   Some of my favorite parts of our interview were when my little brother farted and when we all sat around and asked mom questions.   After you listen to this episode, try and play a game with your family and spend some family time together.   Key parts: Set rules up front about who gets to talk when What the kids been doing all summer "What is the best part about mom working at home?" "What's the hardest part about mom working from home?" "Would it be better for mom to have a regular job?" "What is mom's favorite part of being a work from home mom?" "Why did mom start this business instead of being a teacher?" "Why can't kids come in the office when mom is trying to work?" "What is the hardest part of working with clients and kids?" "My job is only as good as being able to deliver what my clients need." Helpful Links Episode 88: Motherly Advice Episode 81: The Power of Community with Charlotte Knuth Get more from Molly Knuth Media Reach out at hello@mollyknuthmedia.com to discuss coaching and consulting options from Molly to help your service provider business growth and marketing in 2024.

We've made it.   The dog days of summer.    This time of year, we can have so many of these schedule interruptions or things that happen in life that pull us away from our businesses. Time compressed and condensed: we're outside more, we have more social gatherings, and life just happens at a quicker pace.   With our guest today, Miss Aly Robbins, we're reminded of those foundational pieces of our business that we can put in place, especially for service providers. These six foundational components ensure our business is solid and can run the way we want it to, in order to provide exceptional client and customer experience for the people we serve.   I love that her six-step process is a metaphor that is easy to picture and take action on. Just like doing what you can to make sure your plants can grow (whether you're an indoor plant mama or you're growing your gardens this summer), you need to provide essential elements for your business to grow: leadership - sunlight marketing - water sales - nutrients mindset - soil offer - seeds backend systems and processes - air temperature   Aly is engaging, insightful, resourceful, and I know you are going to connect with her and her message in today's episode of The Found Podcast.   Key Takeaways: 8:26 - Aly's multiple entrepreneurial ventures and what they've taught her to help her clients 13:18 - The importance of money mindset 18:56 - 6 essential components of growing a business 21:30 - leadership (sunlight) 28:07 - marketing (water) 32:29 - sales (nutrients) 35:59 - mindset (soil) 42:10 - offer (seeds) 43:53 - backend systems + processes (air temperature) More About Aly Robins Aly Robins is a serial entrepreneur who helps people like you grow their business and reach their first $50k through 1:1 business coaching and group coaching. Like Aly, her clients are stepping into a new level of confidence and becoming more profitable small business professionals.   Just a few years ago, Allie herself was struggling to land sales because she was brand new to the online world. She was full-time as a rangeland specialist and building her business on the side. But she was experiencing trials and tribulations trying to break through income levels that she knew were possible but were hard for her to attain.  After investing in her business by hiring a marketing coach and working with several business coaches over time, Allie learned so much about not just marketing, but about the foundational components of building a sustainable business using her signature six-step process.   Get more information on her process at alyrobins.com or follow her on Instagram at @alyrobins1.   Helpful Links Aly Robins Website Aly on Instagram Aly's Podcast  Donald Miller Business Made Simple Donald Miller Building a Story Brand Carol Dweck Mindset Chris Harder Money Mindset Episode with Sheila Hansen Molly's Money Mindset & Finance Journey Sheila Hansen's Podcast Gina Knox's Podcast

Starting or growing a service provider business in 2024? Then you will NOT want to miss this episode, my friend. In today's episode of The Found Podcast, I'm breaking down the phases of business evolution into three key parts: Baby businesses - aka: those new businesses that are somewhere from 0 to 1-2 years in, getting the lay of the land, experiencing all that life has to offer, high highs and low lows. Childhood businesses - aka: years 1-3 in business, really learning at a rapid rate and establishing yourself by the rules. Teen businesses - aka: years 3 to 6, where you're feeling like you want to make a name for yourself, where you want to test the limits and test the boundaries, you're considering reinvention and breaking out of norms. Bonus: Young adult business years - aka: years 6+, that I'm in the midst of myself!  For each of these phases of business, I'm going to point out three key components/actions I recommend to business owners in this phase. We're also going to talk about key marketing targets that I would focus on if I was in that phase of business so you can maximize your time, energy, and resources. I'll be telling stories and giving examples throughout from my own experience thus far with Molly Knuth Media, all the highs, lows, and in-betweens. I'm hoping that with your listening experience today, you'll be able to hear some of your own story, regardless of what phase of business you're in. And maybe you'll be able to take away some key moves you can make to facilitate your growth through that particular phase of business. Get your notebooks ready and grab a pen, because today's episode of The Found Podcast is full of actionable, tactical tips for you!   Timestamps: 4:59 Baby Business Foundations + Marketing Tips 22:19 Childhood Business Foundations + Marketing Tips 34:10 Teenage Business Foundations + Marketing Tips 40:26 Young Adult Business Steps   Get more from Molly Knuth Media Reach out at hello@mollyknuthmedia.com to discuss coaching and consulting options from Molly to help your service provider business growth and marketing in 2024.

In this episode format called “Coaching Calls,” a small business owner/entrepreneur is given an opportunity to submit a question they would like me to answer about marketing, business growth, personal development, or anything that's on their mind!   Today's submission is from a fellow marketer in northeast Iowa, Alex Monaghan of MAK Marketing, who asked, “How do you keep up with the algorithm?”   This is a layered question, but it's one I think we all need a reminder of as we promote our products and services, specifically on social media.   Key Takeaways: “The Meta algorithms, so Facebook and Instagram, and those are really driven by engagement. And engagement on those platforms looks like a hierarchy of interactions.” “A video engagement is considered a three-second view.” “What might my ideal audience be looking for? What are the words they're going to use? What are some of the phrases that they might search? And we want to make sure that we include those in our titles and in our captions to help those algorithms serve our content more.” “So I've learned over the years, there is…a very distinct difference between marketing for a product based business and marketing for a service based business.” “My perspective has always been to just give, and the right people will find me.”   Time Stamps:   3:27 Meet Alex 7:04 “What is an algorithm?” 7:47 Meta algorithms 10:09 TikTok algorithm 11:24 YouTube & Pinterest algorithms 13:25 Timing the algorithms 23:03 How much is too much information to share?   A little more about Alex and MAK Marketing Co MAK Marketing Co is a full-service marketing agency that helps rural, family-owned businesses bring their stories to life. MAK helps their clients anticipate market trends and consumer needs, ensuring that they are using marketing strategies that are relevant and effective in the long term.   From creating logos and branding, graphics, and print designs, to email marketing, social media marketing, and the strategy that unites it all, MAK helps their clients innovatively grow and connect agriculture businesses to their clients, one story at a time.   Connect with Alex and schedule a free consultation at https://www.makmarketingco.com/ or reach out to alex@makmarketingco.com.   Be a Guest on a Future Coaching Call If you'd like to ask Molly your business or marketing question on a future episode of The Found Podcast, click the link below to enter your name and burning question: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchWWpkpdlzqnDJI0ocMcGgCXGkBk_8mIEFPKjLwkQ-W1oLYg/viewform

This one is for the ladies out there….myself included.   Over the past few years, I have been on a health journey.    In 2015, I found strength training and really loved how my brain and body responded to weight lifting (more on that in this episode from the Re-Find miniseries of the podcast). Then, in 2018, I dove into nutrition and started paying attention to macro rations, portion sizes, and caloric deficits with the help of my friend Coach Erika at Sweat Inspire Sisterhood (hear from her in one of the very first episodes of the podcast).    But in the years since, with the Covid of it all, different seasons of business, and stressful life circumstances, I've found myself at my heaviest weight ever and carrying a LOT of it in my midsection.   I've been pretty vulnerable sharing about this journey on my Instagram Stories, and thankfully through the magic of social media I was able to connect with Bri Edwards, owner and integrative nutrition health coach at Healthy Foundations Dubuque.   Through her proven Mind Body Nutrition Method, Bri guides women to their healthiest and most vibrant selves.    Because she believes you don't have to continue looking for the next right diet.   You don't have to continue looking for the next right fitness plan.   You don't need to push harder.    You don't need to have greater self control.    You just need to unlearn and relearn the truths about your body as a woman, nutrition and how you can utilize both to transform your life.   In this episode with Bri, you'll learn simple steps to set you up for success each day, ways to manage your stress levels through the foods you're eating, and how to listen to your body in order to understand what you need most.   This is an episode every woman needs to hear. Key Takeaways 4:53 Meet Bri 7:12 Bri's Health Journey  8:47 What Women Were Told about Their Bodies 12:46 Phases of Women's Cycles 20:44 Stress and its Impact on Women's Bodies: 27:56 Stress and Weight Loss 31:10 Nutrition and Stress 35:40 Setting Yourself Up for Success Helpful Resources Book a Clarity Session with Bri Healthy Foundations Dubuque website Healthy Foundations YouTube Channel Flo Cycle Tracking App Do Less by Kate Northrup Episode 137 The Found Podcast with Guest Jada Dobesh

In this episode…chaos ensues. Wardrobe malfunctions, losing my train of thought, jumping from topic-to-topic, this episode and all that happens within is very fluid and unscripted: much like my business and motherhood journey. I'm not exaggerating when I saw that within the first five minutes of this episode, you'll hear the most embarrassing mishap of my podcasting journey so far…and we're over 160 episodes in!   As we open the month of June here at The Found Podcast with Molly Knuth, we are breaking down what I've learned in my 7+ years of business, and how my experience as a woman has largely affected the way I show up as a leader and entrepreneur.   Key Takeaways 10:05 The boobs of it all: minimizing myself, my talents, and my gifts and playing small, much like the pre-pubescent me who wanted to minimize certain “aspects” of myself. 20:40 The bullshit of it all: the structures we still ascribe to in 2024 that were put in place in the patriarchal 1940s and 1950s. From overtly misaligned gender norms to even subtle aspects of our work expectations, women have to handle a lot of extra bullshit as they are building their businesses. 34:20 The burnout of it all: ladies, we simply try to handle SO much. Trying to be strong all the time, trying to feel and look like we've got our shit together, and knowing that it doesn't feel as good on the inside as we sometimes see on the outside can come at a cost. Without properly practicing self-awareness and putting supports in place, we can teeter into the land of burnout when we try to tackle too much on our personal and professional journeys. 14:27 “A lot of what I've been learning in recent years about the choices we make as adults is rooted and grounded in some of the experiences and thoughts that we had as children.” 18:18 “I knew for sure that the people that I saw running businesses or thought of as these, like, great business minds, whether locally or  on the internet, they didn't look like me. They didn't look like a mom who was in her sweatpants and a hat. in her office with three kids coloring on the floor behind her.” 20:40 “What I'm talking about here is the natural way that our bodies work, the hormones and how women operate on a monthly cycle. I'm talking about how we have emotions and feelings and those should not be separate from business. Business is personal.” Helpful Resources Episode 137: “Wholly Herself with Jada Dobesh” Our guest next week, Bri Edwards, teaches women all about hormone health and nutrition Episode 7: “What I Learned from Being a Waitress”

This is one of my favorite things to do ever: take YOUR burning questions and answer them live.    Just last month in April of 2024, I had the privilege of speaking to a group of approximately 150 people at the Young Professionals Association of Dubuque, Iowa. They had me in to talk about marketing and how to get seen by more people, particularly through your digital marketing strategies.   When I went to  this function, I love to share what I know and came prepared with slides, supportive resources, and a 45-minute planned speech. But, as with many programs I've been to before, I felt like the biggest takeaways came from the Q&A portion of the event. When we have an opportunity to ask burning questions from the audience in order to get the perspective of the speaker, it engages the participants and allows for real-time learning and application.   This episode is the result of all those fantastic questions the YP attendees submitted.   Read below for a preview of some of the topics we cover (and my answers) and a few helpful links for more information!   2:37 Question 1: Where did you get your blazer? Answer 1: Old Navy   3:27 Question 2: How do you encourage a client to utilize all parts of the flywheel in their marketing when a decent amount of local businesses have small budgets? Answer 2: So this is a fantastic question. If you want to know what the heck is a flywheel, go over to my episode from the beginning of May, the very first episode, episode 162. That one's going to be all about the marketing flywheel, and how I encourage my audience or sorry, how I encourage my clients to develop a more holistic marketing strategy.   Short story: I would remind you that good marketing doesn't mean you have to pay more for it.  It just means that you are doing things in a way that your audience recognizes and appreciates, and you are meeting them where they are.   For example, in the attraction phase of your marketing, I really do recommend that you're doing things in your strategy that are getting new eyeballs on you. This could mean collaborations. For example, I bring guests onto my podcast. It doesn't cost them any money to come be a guest with me, but it's opening them up to a whole new audience.  If they go and do two podcast guest spots a month, then they're open to two new audiences each month. They're attracting a lot more people in.   It's not costing them money. It's just costing them time. And that's helping them really get clear on where their time and energy and efforts are spent for that attraction phase of their marketing.    12:21 Question 3: Have you ever worked on a hiring campaign for a client? And if you have, what was successful and what was not so successful?   24:19 Question 4: Should a business still be using Twitter/X?   27:27 Question 5: What are your thoughts on Pinterest? Tap here to listen to a recent episode on this very topic!   34:31 Question 6: Besides social media, where else should you market in person events?   40:58 Question 7: Platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn have become flooded with entrepreneurs and businesses competing for the attention of their audience. They've essentially become red oceans (tap here for more info on the blue ocean vs. red ocean analogy). Has the shift away from traditional marketing actually created a large opportunity for some savvy people to leverage it? Helpful Links: Watch this on YouTube Episode 161 Coaching Call: “Should I add Pinterest to my business' marketing?” Episode 162: 3 Things I Wish Small Business Owners Knew About Their Marketing Be a Guest on a Future Coaching Call   If you'd like to ask Molly your business or marketing question on a future episode of The Found Podcast, click the link below to enter your name and burning question: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchWWpkpdlzqnDJI0ocMcGgCXGkBk_8mIEFPKjLwkQ-W1oLYg/viewform

Much like Chik-Fil-A, this week's episode was a pleasure! Sincerely.   Today on the podcast, we welcome not one, but two guests: Jan + Erin Johnson of Trailblazher Co. They're a mother daughter duo of multi-passionate women who have developed the grit, resilience, and gutsiness that comes from the ups and downs of being entrepreneurs over the past 24 years in business - together!   As you'll hear them share in today's episode, Jan + Erin's skillsets complement one another so well, and together they love to create and bring new ideas to life. While they love working alongside one another, their true joy comes from sharing stories of rural women across North America.   Through their work at Trailblazher Co, they not only publish a gorgeous quarterly magazine, host a weekly podcast and connect rural women, but they're inspiring women along the way.  As you'll hear in today's episode, we cover a lot of ground, but the common thread is all about telling our stories as women. And how the peaks, the pits and everything in between can help the next generation of women who want to live rural and who want to grow rural businesses.    This conversation is incredible, and I think you, like me will laugh, tear up, and feel so much joy and gratitude from the lessons Jan + Erin teach us in today's episode of The Found Podcast with Molly Knuth.    Key Takeaways “We are storytellers” “We use the word trailblazher because [the women we feature] have that grit and resilience and risk taking and bravery, and we're astounded, honestly, every week with the women that we talked to and what they're creating in their life and all the things that they have going on. And despite all of that, they're so determined to bring their biggest dreams to life.” “It hasn't been a linear path. It's been messy at times. It's been on our knees like, Oh my gosh, what are we going to do next? But that thread that connects us is this purpose.  and drive to make an impact in women's lives. And where does that come from? I'm not really sure. Maybe it is to grow ourselves into the biggest and best version of who we are.” “No path is linear. No, it just, it just isn't. And that's what makes for great stories, right?” “You have to go through some personal growth, some,  sometimes some dark valleys, sometimes you're at the height of the mountaintop, but it's in that, that you find yourself, you get even more grounded into your purpose. And then you've got these great stories to share with others.” “How many other women have wares or goods like fresh produce that they want to sell and they need help with getting it out there? And so we actually started with, it was called at the time, The Rural Collective, and it was a directory to help rural women list their businesses so that we could find each other and have women in the cities find them rurally.” “Stretch out. Reach out to people who are ahead of you, who could mentor you, help you, advise you, consult with you.” “Every story of every person who you know, they have these same stories of times they tried things. They were gutsy, and they took a chance and they made it took a risk…maybe didn't work, but it gave them the knowledge to try something else or to pivot just slightly into the thing that made it work.” “Inspiration is at the root of creativity, inspiration, joy.”     More about Jan & Erin   Jan is the connector on the Trailblazher Co team. Her jam is content writing and ideas. Whether writing feature stories for Trailblazher magazine, web content or upcoming course materials, Jan is gifted with a pen! She is naturally skilled at connecting ideas in ways that influence the direction of the company. Jan is also a gifted people person and insightful communicator striving always to acknowledge and draw out the unique and highlight what makes people special (shaped by her 30 years as a lifeskills coach). Jan is fueled by exploring what is possible and bridging ideas into tangible, relevant offerings that set the business apart in this ever-changing economy.   Erin is the innovator on the team. Her passion lies in digital and print design and marketing. And showing the behind-the-scenes on social. She can be found spending most of her time at the keyboard creating a new company website, designing the next issue of Trailblazher magazine or brand graphics for Trailblazher Co. Erin brings the synergy to the team with her team spirit and ambitious goal markers for the next growth stage of the company. Apart from her role in the company, she juggles being a work-from-home mom, and caring for 80+ chickens and ducks, some days she manages better than others. Erin thrives on possibility, on pushing the envelope and creating something that's never been done before.    Together, with their tools and programs at Trailblazher Co, they want to help women explore the parts of themselves that are gutsy and resilient… the parts of that have been shaped by life experiences... the parts of that help women to live their life on purpose. If you want to take their quiz to find out what kind of Trailblazher you are, take their quiz here.    Resource The Website: https://trailblazherco.com/ Rural Directory and Content Submission Form: https://trailblazherco.com/rural-women The Trailblazher Podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-trailblazher-podcast/id1708329540 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6poMDcdSDSM37ORka4CiMi The Trailblazher Co Magazine: https://shop.trailblazherco.com/

This might be the most actionable, helpful episode of The Found Podcast I've ever released. Not kidding.   In today's episode, we dive in to the three things I wish all small business owners knew about marketing in order to get people to take action. And I don't tell you to adopt any short-term trends or spend a bajillion dollars to do it.    Nope, we focus on three key components: People do business with people You choose the trends, don't let the trends choose you Everyone has a story to tell   In each of these components we drill down further to help you create a marketing strategy that fits you, your audience, and your business, and we use examples to help you take action just in time for summer.    This episode also comes with plenty of resources, so be sure to tap the links below to access my 100 Story Starters downloadable tool and the slide deck that accompanies this information.   And if you want the help of a strategic marketing expert to walk through this process on behalf of your business, reach out at molly@mollyknuthmedia.com to discuss a 1:1 Strategy Session to give you a clear plan for your 2024 marketing.   Timestamps   2:27: 3 takeaways I want you to have from the episode 3:25 Meet the host, Molly Knuth 8:45 How my eyes opened to social media marketing as a teacher 11:55 People do business with people 14:15 How to approach your marketing in the summer months 16:59 Attract - the first phase of the marketing flywheel 19:13 Nurture - the second phase of the marketing flywheel 21:25 Serve - the third phase of the marketing flywheel 24:45 Choosing your marketing avenues for each part of the flywheel 27:34 Concrete examples of businesses using a marketing flywheel 37:39 Everyone has a story to tell and formatting your marketing content for your audience 38:32 Set a goal 38:44 Develop your serve marketing assets first 39:34 Developing your nuture sequence 39:56 Developing your attract assets using the SEEN model   Links 100 Story Starter Download SEEN Slideshow Amanda Hofman episode about merch Strategy Session Discovery Call link

If you are a new business owner or if you are still reaching for that first $50,000 in revenue for your business, this mini-episode with my friend Aly Robins is just what you've been looking for. In just 7 minutes, Aly shares: the common mistakes she sees brand new service-based business owners making that is preventing them from finding clients and making money strategies for gaining momentum in your business and bringing in leads what you'll get from her new FREE masterclass 5 Steps to Your First $50k happening on May 1, 2024. Register for the masterclass with Aly here. Learn more about Aly and the services she provides at https://www.alyrobins.com/ or follow her on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/alyrobins1  

Have you ever wished you could just ask an expert, “How the heck do I do this…in simple terms?”   That's exactly what I thought as I was planning out 2024 content for The Found Podcast: Why not give entrepreneurs and small business owners an opportunity to ask real questions in real time and get real answers that matter to them?   In this episode format called “Coaching Calls,” a small business owner/entrepreneur is given an opportunity to submit a question they would like me to answer about marketing, business growth, personal development, or anything that's on their mind!   Today's submission is from one of my former coaching clients and friend, Natalie Berning of Berning Acres, who asked, “Should I add Pinterest to my business marketing strategy?”   This is a layered question, but it's one I think we all of us should ask from time to time as we develop our marketing strategy and assess its return on investment. Benefits of Incorporating Pinterest in your Small Business' Marketing Strategy Now, my friend this is a very layered question, and as I go into with Natalie, it's not as simple as just starting an account and saying “Hey, let's Pin!”    I highly recommend that anytime you add a platform to your marketing toolkit you make sure  A: that it is aligned with your ideal audience  B: that you have the time to dedicate to the learning and the growth it's going to take to get started on the platform  C: that you develop a long-term and short-term plan for how this new platform will serve your business D: especially with Pinterest, begin with the end in mind and map out your customer's acquisition journey   That being said, there are lots of reasons a small business could benefit from the addition of Pinterest to their marketing strategy: Visual Discovery:  Pinterest is a highly visual platform where users discover ideas, products, and inspiration through images and videos. Small businesses can leverage this visual aspect to showcase their products or services in a visually appealing way, making them more discoverable to potential customers. High Intent Audience:  Pinterest users often have high purchase intent, with many actively seeking ideas and inspiration for future purchases. By creating engaging and relevant content, small businesses can connect with users who are actively looking for products or services like theirs, driving traffic and sales. Longevity of Pins:  Unlike other social media platforms where content may have a short lifespan, pins on Pinterest can have a long shelf life and continue to drive traffic and engagement over time. This means that small businesses can benefit from ongoing exposure and visibility for their content, even months or years after it's been pinned. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Benefits:  Pinterest acts as a visual search engine, allowing users to discover content based on keywords and interests. By optimizing pins with relevant keywords and descriptions, small businesses can improve their visibility in Pinterest search results and drive organic traffic to their website. Referral Traffic:  Pinterest is a powerful driver of referral traffic, with users frequently clicking through pins to visit external websites. Small businesses can use Pinterest to drive traffic to their website, blog, or online store, increasing brand exposure and potential conversions. Targeted Advertising Options:  Pinterest offers robust advertising options, including Promoted Pins and Pinterest Ads, which allow small businesses to target specific audiences based on demographics, interests, and behaviors. This targeted approach can help small businesses reach their ideal customers and drive meaningful results. Steps for Starting out on Pinterest Pinterest isn't just another social media platform—it's a powerful tool for driving traffic, increasing brand visibility, and connecting with potential customers. If you're ready to harness the potential of Pinterest for your business, here are five essential steps to get started: Create a Business Account:  The first step to launching your Pinterest marketing strategy is to create a business account. This will give you access to valuable analytics and advertising features that can help you track your progress and reach your goals. Optimize Your Profile:  Take the time to update and edit your account's bio section, profile picture, and helpful links. Use this space to showcase your brand personality, share important information about your business, and drive traffic to your website or other online properties. Create Relevant Boards:  Next, create boards that align with your content pillars and target audience interests. Use simple, SEO-friendly titles for your boards to help your content get found in Pinterest search results. Organize your boards strategically to make it easy for users to find the content they're looking for. Curate and Repurpose Content:  Don't limit yourself to sharing only your own content on Pinterest. Curate and repurpose high-quality content from other creators that is relevant to your audience and aligns with your brand. Share these pins on your boards to provide value to your followers and keep your feed fresh and engaging. Create Fresh Pins:  Finally, create your own fresh pins that direct people to your website, sales pages, and email opt-in forms. Use eye-catching visuals, compelling copy, and clear calls to action to encourage clicks and engagement. Experiment with different pin formats, designs, and messaging to see what resonates best with your audience.   By following these five steps, you'll be well on your way to launching a successful Pinterest marketing strategy that drives traffic, increases brand awareness, and helps you achieve your business goals. Helpful Resources for Pinterest Marketing For more information about Pinterest best practices for your business, visit the following links: Jenna Kutcher The Pinterest Lab course Jenna Kutcher The Goal Digger Podcast episode Nicole Saunders episode of The Found Podcast A little more about Natalie and Berning Acres Berning Acres is a second generation family-owned dairy farm located in Menominee, Illinois (halfway between East Dubuque & Galena). There, the Berning family milks 400 cows, 3 times each day, 365 days a year. Their herd consists of mostly Holsteins (the black and white ones!) and in addition, they run about 850 acres of crop ground.    The Bernings have always loved inviting people to come check out the farm and experience what farming looks like in the 21st century. So it wasn't long before they had the idea to add education and agri-tourism to their operation.    Throughout the year, the Bernings host a variety of events, tours, and camps to bring people to the farm and learn about what it takes to make the food we see on the shelves in our local grocery stores. From their kid-friendly Farm Camps and day camps to the adults-only Night at the Farm events perfect for date night, their events sell quickly and get rave reviews from visitors in the Galena, Illinois, area.   Their hope is that you'll leave with some great knowledge about agriculture, farm animals and farm life (and a deeper appreciation for that wholesome nutritious glass of milk you enjoy each day!)     For more information about Berning Acres and to schedule your farm experience, visit https://berningacres.com/ Be a Guest on a Future Coaching Call   If you'd like to ask Molly your business or marketing question on a future episode of The Found Podcast, click the link below to enter your name and burning question:   https://forms.gle/BDjRPRWfmuFeHQZ89

When I started thinking about who to have in as a guest expert on the topics of systems and workflows, I knew exactly who my dream interview would be, so I shot my shot and sent an Instagram DM to Holly Haynes….yes. THE Holly Haynes.   Holly helps female entrepreneurs create simple, scaleable offers and systems to grow to multi-6 figures without relying on the social algorithm.   One of the things I love most about my time with Holly is her authenticity and her willingness to talk about all things business, including: her history in the corporate world and making the transition to side hustler and ultimately CEO getting connected with your community and using their questions and data to help you build a unique framework and business model that is true to your business strategies for scheduling your day and week her favorite tools for getting your time back as a business owner having her Instagram account taken down when she had over 16,000 followers how to “ditch the social drama” and incorporate marketing methods that don't rely on an algorithm   This conversation with Holly is so much fun. You're going to learn incredible amounts of information (as I did!), and I think you're also going to fall in love with Holly along the way.   Key Takeaways “I feel like on paper, it looks like we went from like zero to a hundred really fast, but I always share: it's almost like you have these little nudges along the way, and you like take a step and then you pivot, and then you take a step and you pivot.” “It's all been based on what people are asking, but also, how can we serve based on where people are at.” “I had enough corporate experience where I could just step away for a year. If it like all went downhill, then I could just like go back in the workforce.” “I always say, if you can control your schedule, you control everything, right? It's all about time and where you're spending your time.” “I'm just constantly trying to create this white space because that's where the creativity comes from.” “Consistency trumps talent….so if you could pick the thing that you can be consistent about and then add it into your schedule where it doesn't feel like work, or if it does feel like work, it's for an hour, and then you're like moving on, you're going to see much better results.” “We use social as, I like to call it like a magazine: it's like the sidecar to the main act. So the main act for us is podcasting and email.” “Your home base is usually your email or some sort of nurture sequence or something. Most people get really overwhelmed by setting this up. What I tell them is just pause everything else because this is going to help you so much. When you're on podcast, what do you share? You share this. When you're networking, what do you share? You share this. When you're talking in emails or things like that, this is the thing that's going to do the work for you.” “What if my goal was to help a hundred families change their schedule this year, right? Or a hundred families build their dream business? How would that feel as opposed to: I need 10 more clients, right? It just feels different.” “You can run your business however you want to.” Helpful Links to Items Mentioned in the Episode Jeni's Ice Cream Metricool ClickUp Planner ManyChat ChatGPT Video Ask More About Holly   Holly helps female entrepreneurs create simple, scaleable offers and systems to grow to multi-6 figures without relying on the social algorithm.    An industry expert and featured Thrive and Entrepreneur.com author with a 20-year business consulting background with Fortune 500 companies, Holly built her now 7- figure business while working full-time, retiring herself and her husband.    Holly now runs her strategic coaching business, the Crush the Rush Planner company, and hosts the top 100 Crush the Rush podcast while raising her twin daughters with her husband in Columbus, Ohio.   Holly's FREE CEO Week Challenge: https://www.hollymariehaynes.com/ceoweek   Listen to Holly on the Crush the Rush podcast: https://www.hollymariehaynes.com/podcast

Time to get tactical, my friends.   I love talking about energy and mindset and confidence and habits as much as the next person, but there are seasons for that and there are seasons to work and put your money where your mouth is.   April is about taking action here at MKM.   It's all about setting up the tools, systems, and workflows that will help you run your small business better, and today I'm starting with introducing you to my 10 Favorite Tech Tools that I rely on day-in and day-out in my business.   Disclaimer: These aren't the fanciest, sexiest tools. They aren't going to automate your processes and take you from A→Z in 24 hours, but they are the tried and true tools I've integrated over the course of my seven years in business here at MKM.   As I share my favorite tools of 2024, I also share tools that offer similar functions and features that may be better suited for those who are at an earlier stage of business or prefer a different user experience.   Let's dive in with my 10 Favorite Tech Tools for small business owners.   Slack What is it: Slack is a popular cloud-based collaboration tool designed to facilitate communication and teamwork within organizations. It offers a wide range of features, including real-time messaging, file sharing, project management, and integration with other productivity tools. Overall, Slack is widely used by teams and organizations of all sizes to improve communication, collaboration, and productivity in the workplace. How I use it: Communicating with MKM team members. We love the “Channels” feature that allows us categorize our conversations and file sharing by client. No more losing conversations in long email threads. Everything is easy to find and search and in one place. We operate on the free version of the platform, as it had all the capabilities and functions we needed as a super small team. Heads up: Set up rules, expectations, and boundaries to keep everything on-track and above-board. Link to Slack: https://slack.com/ ClickUp What is it: ClickUp is used by teams and organizations across various industries to increase efficiency, collaboration, and transparency in their work processes. ClickUp is a cloud-based productivity platform designed to help teams and individuals organize and manage their work. It offers a wide range of features and tools to streamline task management, project collaboration, goal tracking, and more. How I use it: Tracking projects, assigning certain team members to projects, assigning and monitoring due dates, time tracking, and project management. There is So. Much. More. you can do with Clickup, and I know I'm merely scratching the surface of its functionality. Heads up: Other apps like Asana and Trello are also helpful for project management. Link to ClickUp: https://clickup.com/ Dubsado What is it: Dubsado is designed to help small businesses and freelancers streamline their operations, improve client management, and enhance productivity. It provides a comprehensive set of tools to support various aspects of running a business, from client acquisition to project delivery and beyond. How I use it: I use Dubsado for preparing, sending and signing client contracts; sending and receiving client questionnaires; scheduling; automated emails; and I used to use it for invoicing and billing. Heads up: Other CRMs like Honeybook, Hubspot, Pipedrive, and Salesforce are also helpful for Customer Relationship Management. Link to Dubsado (and get 20% off your first month or your first year!): dubsado.com/?c=mkm20 Flodesk What is it: Flodesk is an email marketing platform designed to help businesses and creators create visually stunning email campaigns easily. It offers a range of features and templates to assist users in designing and sending emails that are visually appealing and engaging. Flodesk is known for its simplicity, ease of use, and visually appealing email designs, making it a popular choice for small businesses, bloggers, and creators looking to enhance their email marketing efforts. How I use it: I use Flodesk for everything: sending newsletters, sending client emails, creating landing pages, creating sales pages, checkouts for programs, segmenting my audience, and in general, keeping in touch with my clients somewhere off of social media.  Heads up: Other email marketing platforms include Mailchimp, Constant Contact, ConvertKit, and ActiveCampaign Link to Flodesk (and save 50% on your first year!): https://flodesk.com/c/MOLLYKNUTHMEDIA MetaBusiness Suite What is it: MetaBusiness Suite is a suite of business tools offered by Meta Platforms, formerly known as Facebook. These tools are designed to help businesses manage their presence and advertising on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and other platforms owned by Meta. How I use it: Measuring/monitoring my Facebook and Instagram insights and scheduling posts for myself and my clients. Heads up: Other social media schedulers include Hootsuite, Metricool, Buffer, Later, and Planoly Link to Meta Business Suite: https://www.facebook.com/business/tools/meta-business-suite?content_id=ioLzWr9kXf4GlaQ&ref=sem_smb&utm_term=meta%20business%20suite&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrruu_seShQMVCktHAR1q-w6VEAAYASAAEgIEafD_BwE&gad_source=1 Quickbooks What is it: QuickBooks is accounting software developed and marketed by Intuit. It's designed primarily for small and medium-sized businesses to help them manage their finances more efficiently. QuickBooks offers a range of features to help users track income and expenses, manage invoices and payments, track sales and sales tax, generate financial reports, and more. How I use it: My favorite is for sending sales receipts and processing payments. I also use it for bookkeeping, running reports, and sending off-cycle invoices. Heads up: I've heard great things about Wave and FreshBooks too!  Link to Quickbooks: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/ Google Drive What is it: Google Drive is a cloud storage and file-sharing service developed by Google. It allows users to store files, documents, photos, and other data in the cloud, making them accessible from any device with an internet connection. How I use it: I love to use it to create folders for each client and drop in relevant resources to share with them: spreadsheets, documents, videos, photos, etc. I also love Google Forms for creating shareable forms. Heads up: Dropbox is great too! Link to Google Drive: https://www.google.com/drive/ Libsyn What is it: Libsyn, short for Liberated Syndication, is a podcast hosting service and distribution platform. It provides podcasters with the tools and infrastructure needed to host, publish, distribute, and monetize their podcasts. How I use it: I host The Found Podcast on Libsyn. I upload the episode once, and Libysn takes care of distributing it to all the podcasting platforms. I also can access analytics for my show and monetize/add advertising if I wish, all through the Libsyn platform. Heads up: Podbean, Anchor, and Captivate are other podcast hosting platforms that offer a range of features and pricing. Link to Libsyn: https://libsyn.com/   ChatGPT What is it: ChatGPT is a conversational AI model developed by OpenAI. ChatGPT is designed to generate human-like responses to text prompts, allowing for natural and engaging conversations with users. ChatGPT can understand and generate text in multiple languages and can be fine-tuned for specific tasks or domains. It has a wide range of applications, including chatbots, virtual assistants, customer support, content generation, and more. How I use it: Writing these show notes - lol! Not kidding! Getting ideas started, writing captions and blogs, generating SEO-friendly titles, and more. Heads up: business owners of any size can incorporate AI models from customer service to marketing to project management and more. Many of the tools identified earlier in this document have AI-powered features that help you streamline and automate the digital aspects of your business. Link to ChatGPT: https://chat.openai.com/auth/login   Canva What is it: Canva is a versatile and user-friendly tool that caters to a wide range of design needs, from personal projects to professional marketing materials. Create a wide range of visual content, including presentations, social media graphics, posters, flyers, infographics, and more. It offers a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface and a vast library of customizable templates, graphics, photos, and fonts. How I use it: Literally everything. Social media graphics, presentation slides, Christmas cards, business cards, flyers, brochures, postcards, videos, GIFs, QR codes, and more. Heads up: Adobe's suite of products, including Adobe Spark also offer a variety of design tool for small business owenrs Link to Canva: https://www.canva.com/   Honorable Mentions ManyChat Laurel Denise Planner (check out my episode with founder, Laurel Smith here!) My favorite pen My favorite legal pads Curiosity Tenacity Grit Determination   Get in the MKM Book Club In April, MKM is hosting a free resource for entrepreneurs and small business owners who desire community and personal/professional development each month with our MKM Book Club. Our April selection, continuing this focus on systems and workflows, is Do Less by Kate Northrup.   Do Less is a book for working women and mothers who are ready to release the culturally inherited belief that their worth is equal to their productivity, and instead create a personal and professional life that's based on presence, meaning, and joy. As opposed to focusing on "fitting it all in", time management, and leaning in, as so many books geared at ambitious women do, this book embraces the notion that through doing less women can have - and be - more.   To join the MKM Book Club visit mkm.myflodesk.com/mkmaprilbookclub

Today's submission is from an Iowa friend who asked, “How can I create more compelling social media content that converts into sales?”   This is a layered question, but it's one I think we all of us should ask from time to time as we develop our marketing strategy and assess its return on investment.   Tips for making your social media content stand out for product-based businesses   Use multiple images on posts: when viewers see that there are more photos available than they can see from the preview, curiosity takes over and they click through all the images in the post. Each image is logged as one engagement by the social media platforms, and every engagement tells that algorithm that your post is something more people want to see. More clicks = more engagement = more reach. Prioritize candid, real-life images, not just the pretty, curated ones: yes, we live in a world of FaceTune and Photoshop, but what really compels viewers to stop their scroll is something relatable. Think photos that are a little imperfect, backgrounds they recognize from their own community, vignettes that they could picture in their own homes.  Incorporate Video: Using video to share new product arrivals, whether in a post, Reel, or Story, will help your viewers get the full effect. Don't feel pressured to do trendy dance moves or spend hours editing and clipping your videos. Just prioritize being helpful and informative as you display your newest items in your shop via video. Listen to today's episode for even more tips!   A little more about our guest today… Kimberly Kollasch is the founder and owner of 400 RS Home & Design in Whittemore, Iowa. She is passionate about making homes beautiful and cozy, so through her storefront (both a brick-and-mortar shopping experience and an online store) Kimberly offers seasonal decor and giftables. Not only does she offer brand-new items, but she also has a talent for breathing new life into vintage furniture so it looks modern and perfectly at home in 2024. Learn more about 400 RS Home & Design To find out more about Kimberly and what her business offers, visit https://400-rs-home-design.myshopify.com/ or give them a follow over on Instagram or Facebook   If you want to be a guest on an upcoming coaching call Click here to submit your question for Molly: https://forms.gle/LfZzFZgWiDwwehZD7