Start-Up Spark Podcast

Here at start-up spark, we want your business to thrive. We've consulted with dozens of companies over the years and we've started to see a lot of patterns emerge - and while we usually focus on tactics to spark your marketing strategy or shift your mindset, today, Steph's going to share with you 5 common mistakes to AVOID in your business. Profit and Loss Freebie: https://startupspark.activehosted.com/f/13  Ready to become "legally legit?" Visit CreativeContracts.co and use the code "startupspark15" for 15% off any of Brittany Ratelles legal templates!  Don't forget to hit that "follow" button so you don't miss any new episodes!   

Feeling a little burnt out? Well I have some good news! I'm telling you 3 things you can STOP doing in your business today that will help you free up some more time, and releive a little stress, espeically during the holiday season.  Want to feel even less stressed? Check out these FREE 25 Email Content Ideas to help you get a jumpstart on your email marketing!  Follow along with us on Instagram @StartUpSparkco!    

How are you measuring success? Steph's here to change your mind on what you consider "making it" to the top! Stay tuned until the end where she runs you through a thought provoking (life changing!) exercise!  Check out CreativeContracts.co to get your business legally legit! Use the code startupspark15 for 15% off any of Brittany's Legal Contracts. Thanks for listening today! Make sure to hit that "follow" button and leave a quick rating and review below!   

On today's episode we are so excited to be talking with Brecklyn Simmons, the Instagram manager for Six Sisters' Stuff. Brecklyn specializes in building a community of dedicated and engaging followers and today she's telling us exactly how she does it!  Today's links:  History Chicks Podcast The Ed Mylett Show Listen to Brecklyn over on The Bread & Butter Podcast!  Thanks for listening today! Make sure to hit that "follow" button so you don't miss any new episodes from The Start-Up Spark!

Did you hear the news? Our very first email resource is HERE!  Grab the Email Igniter Program today! A complete guide to starting and using your email list to consistently make sales. The perfect email marketing program for small business owners, entrepreneurs, side hustlers, and creators.  This program is only being offered for a LIMITED TIME! Snag your Email Igniter Program before it's too late!  Steph's joining us today to share how easy it can be to make more money using your email list. All of these methods have been implemented into our business, and we know they can work for you too!  Thanks for listening today! We'd love to hear what you think. Leave us a rating and review down below.

Listen up! It's time to start taking email marketing seriously. Our most asked question here at Start-Up Spark is "How do I get started with email marketing?". Nothing makes us more proud! So today we're coming at you with the HOW (as well as a little more WHY in case we haven't convinced you yet!). Steph's walking us through step by step on setting up your email list, your lead magnets, and your first email campaigns.  If this wasn't enough, she also recorded the ENTIRE thing for you to watch as well! Watch our FREE email masterclass HERE!  Not sure what to include in your emails? Check out these 25 Email Content Ideas you can use right away!  Get on our Email Igniter Waitlist! Launching October 3rd! 

Do you find yourself constantly feeling "busy" but not actually seeing the growth and change you want to see? We're talking about busy work and giving some ideas on ways to simplify the "tasks" that need to be done, so you can free up time for things that actually initiate CHANGE in your business!  Ready to start your email marketing journey? Let's do this! Sign up HERE and be the first to know about our brand new Email Igniter Program (COMING SOON!!!) Thanks for listening! We'd love to hear what you think about the show. Leave a quick rating and review down below!   

Join Steph on her Disney marketing deep dive and learn what strategies you need to implement into your business as soon as possible! You may not have a theme park, but your business has endless possibilities and we're here to help you see them.  Need more help? Come visit us @StartUpSparkco on Instagram for all the latest business updates and free tools!  Have you implemented something from the podcast into your business? We'd love to hear about it! Leave us a rating and review down below! 

What kind of boundaries do you have set up around your business? Kendra is talking with us today about the different boundaries she has found to make her work/life balance a little less stressful! As entreprenuers we tend to take on A LOT more than we can handle, setting yourself up with appropriate boundaries will help you avoid that burnout that so many of us run into!  Want to learn more? Find us at www.StartUpSpark.com!  Thanks for listening today! Don't forget to leave a rating and review down below! 

You asked for more help with email marketing, and today we are giving you just that! Let's dive into a few small businesses who are CRUSHING the email game.  1. Sweet Daisy Quilt Shoppe - an amazing lead magnet for a shop with physical product.  2. The Sleep Fairy - a mini course/webinar lead magnet to earn the trust of their subscribers, converting more sales.  3. One Unified Home - a pre-launch lead magnet growing a list of subscribers who are interested in the topic of her products before launch.  4. Everyday Reading - lots of great lead magnets, and extremely valuable content within her emails. (Get on this list!) 5. Jenna Kutcher - the master of valuable and personalized content. Naturally sells her products mixed into amazing helpful information for all business owners.  25 Email Content Ideas (FREEBIE!) Use our link at Active Campaign to get a FREE Trial and a $10 eCredit towards their platform: https://activecampaign.referralrock.com/l/1SNN3DREK65/  Thanks for supporting the Start-Up Spark Podcast! We'd love to hear what you think. Take a minute and leave us a rating and review!     

Have you heard the saying "eat with your eyes"? Making your brand visually appealing is a crucial part of marketing that is not often talked about. We're bringing in our long time food photographer for Six Sisters' Stuff, Michele Lee, to share her best tips and secrets for making your brand stand out above the rest!    Want to learn more from Michele? Find all of the resources she shared HERE!  Improve your Food Photography in 3 Steps  Pinterest Pursuit     We'd love to hear from you! Leave a rating and review down below so we can shoutout your small business on the podcast! 

Reels.... a love/hate relationship needing to stay current with the trends on Instagram to reach new audiences and having absolutely no idea what to film next. In today's episode Kendra is giving her best tips, along with TONS of new ideas to implement Reels into your business. Take 10 minutes and listen to this for some fresh new content ideas, and motivation to keep on going.  You got this! Want to learn more? Visit us at www.StartUpSpark.com!

Q4 already??? YES! It may seem crazy but if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. We start planning months in advance for our "super bowl" aka the months of October-December and today we're telling you exactly how and WHY we do it.  Buckle up! You're in for your most successful quarter EVER!  Need help identifying your ideal customer? Check out our FREE 12-Step Guide!  Get 10% off the beautiful website templates by Hirschi Creative when you use the code "spark" at check out! Want to learn more? Visit us today at www.StartUpSpark.com!  

You know we're HUGE advocates of knowing your ideal customer, but today we're going to (hopefully) show you how knowing your ideal customer can change your business, and how it can actually make you MORE money. Don't know who your ideal customer is? Check out FREE Ideal Customer Worksheet to get started!  Today's episode is brought to you by.... US! We're so excited to be giving you our ENTIRE Instagram strategy to help you ignite your content. Grab our framework at Insta.StartUpSpark.com today!  From one small business to another, thank you for supporting our podcast! We read and appreciate each rating and review!

We are back with more updates on Instagram, but are we really surprised? They are always changing things up on us, but these changes are actually really awesome. In fact, we've been waiting for what seems like forever for one in particular, and we think you and your business are going to be excited about them too! Need an Instagram strategy? You can take ours! Check out our Instagram Igniter Framework!  Want to hear more? Visit us today at StartUpSpark.com! Thanks for listening, we'd love to hear what you think! Leave a rating and review down below! 

It's time we move some eggs into a few different baskets! We're talking about diversifying the revenue streams in your business to bring in a consistent income. With these 4 ideas, we hope at least one strikes you as something you can implement in your business!  Find the full list of today's resources on our blog HERE Today's Book Review: "I Like Me Anyway" - Brooke Romney   Ideal Customer Freebie Profit and Loss Template Freebie  We'd love to hear what you think about the show! Don't forget to leave a rating and review down below! 

So you've launched your product... now what!? We're sharing our evergreen marketing strategies to keep the momentum going AFTER your launch! These methods work for evergreen products, as well as newly launched products in your business. Grab our Instagram Igniter Framework and TAKE BACK your time on social media! Find it here --> https://insta.startupspark.com/ Liking the Start-Up Spark Podcast? We'd love to hear your thoughts! If you have a second, please leave a quick rating and review of the show! www.StartUpSpark.com   

Feeling a lack of motivation? We've totally been there! Some days we feel more like robots than business owners! In this episode Kendra is sharing her 4 tips to FIND your motivation and keep it!  Interested in coaching? Shoot us an email and let's chat! Consulting@StartUpSpark.com or visit us at www.StartUpSpark.com/consulting.  Ready to ignite your Instagram? Steal our content strategy! Find it at  www.Insta.StartUpSpark.com    

We talk a lot about the great things that come with running a business, but tend to leave out some of the more difficult things. Lauren's bringing on her husband, Jon, today to talk about what it takes to support your spouse in running a business. Our experiences may not all be like yours, but we hope this help you feel a little more validated if you've ever struggled with the balancing act that comes with running a family AND a business.  Head to https://startupspark.com/ to learn more! 

We just wrapped up our most successful launch ever on Six Sisters' Stuff and we wanted to share a few things we did a little differently this time that made a big impact on the success of the launch. If you're launching something (or hope to launch something) soon, you need to listen to this. Steal our Marketing Launch Plan --> https://launch.startupspark.com/ More about our launch strategy: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-up-spark-podcast/id1563583721?i=1000553141893  Thank you for supporting the Start-Up Spark Podcast! Leave a rating and review down below to be featured on the show!  Stay in the loop! Visit us at www.StartUpSpark.com 

What is your purpose for using Instagram? If you are truly using it to try and grow your business, having a posting strategy is essential! Kendra's breaking down a few things you'll need to know before you dive into coming up with a strategy of your own! Need more help? Steal our complete Instagram strategy (with a 30 day content calendar!) --> https://insta.startupspark.com/ Thanks for supporting the Start-Up Spark Podcast! We'd love to hear what you think! Leave a rating and review down below and be featured on the show! 

Summer sounds like a lot of fun until you remember you run your own business and you somehow have to manage running that business with everyone back at home!  We're sharing our batch-working secrets that have allowed us to stay consistent in our business over the last 12 years, summer after summer, AND still have FUN!  Snag our Instagram Igniter Framework and let us take care of the brainstorming for you! --> https://insta.startupspark.com/  Stay in the loop! Visit us at: https://startupspark.com/ 

In this episode we're sharing the audio from our LIVE Instagram chat with the one and only Brittany Ratelle. She's an attorney for creators and she's here to answer all of your questions regarding the legal side of setting up your business.  From now until June 12th you can get 40% off of ALL of Brittany's Creative Contracts here using the code startupspark15 --> https://lddy.no/12luu  Not sure where to start? Take this quiz to see what Creative Contracts would serve you best! --> https://creativecontracts.co/pages/quiz  Want to hear more from Brittany? Check out her podcast! Here's our favorite episode all about business partnerships --> https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/business-partnerships-101-5-tips-for-a-good/id1314211690?i=1000443395897 

Combining our two loves today, content marketing strategies and THE Taylor Swift. You'll hear people say when you're trying to get ideas of what type of content to create for your business, to look at other people in your industry and see what's working for them - and while I agree it can be helpful, I think looking at people who are doing well in OTHER industries can help you even more. We're going to dive in to the marketing genius that is Taylor Swift and co on today's episode.  Ready to ignite your Instagram? Steal our ENTIRE strategy with our Instagram Igniter Framework and start making social media work for YOU! ---> https://insta.startupspark.com/     

We've said it once and we'll say it again: Pinterest is NOT dead. As one of the leading sources of traffic to our website, we are sharing WHY you should consider getting your business on Pinterest, and HOW you should do it.  Want help with social media? Steal our Instsagram strategy! --> Insta.StartUpSpark.com Interested in consulting? We can help! https://startupspark.com/consulting/

We're diving into the world of goal setting and tracking those goals using Key Performance Indicators or KPI's. Are you working toward something specific in your business? Give this episode a listen! Find our FREE Profit and Loss Template with an additional KPI tracker here: https://startupspark.activehosted.com/f/13 Need help with social media? Steal our Instagram strategy! --> Insta.StartUpSpark.com  Interested in consulting? Send us an email to Consulting@StartUpSpark.com and let's find a way we can work together! 

You know how we feel about email around here... Today we're taking it a little deeper and giving you some suggestions on how to ORGANIZE those email contacts to see the best results from your list.  If you're not quite ready for this step, check out a few of our other email episodes that will help you get started: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-up-spark-podcast/id1563583721?i=1000518578297 Ready to IGNITE your social media strategy? We're giving you everything we've learned over the last 10 years growing our business using social media in our Instagram Igniter Framework. Check it out here --> https://insta.startupspark.com/ Interested in consulting? Let's chat! Send us an email to consulting@StartUpSpark.com and get on our calendar! 

Today we're sharing a quick recap on the recent marketing conference we attended and the life changing secrets to success that we discovered there.  Ready to take it to the next level? We want to help! Jump on our calendar and let's see how we can help you ignite the spark in your business: https://calendly.com/startupsparkco/start-up-spark-business-consultation  Want more info on our coaching program? Send us an email to Consulting@StartUpSpark.com!  Thanks for listening! If you liked what you heard, please leave a quick rating and review below! 

Spilling all the gossip on the formula we have used for YEARS while writing our Instagram captions. It's time we let you in on the secret to captions that convert your followers, into customers.  Ready to take your Instagram strategy to the next level? We are so excited to finally be sharing our Instagram Igniter Framework. The blueprint for taking your Instagram strategy from nonexistent to consistently bringing in leads. Get started today at https://insta.startupspark.com/     

Introducing.... The Instagram Igniter Framework. The blueprint for taking your Instagram strategy from nonexistent to consistently bringing in leads. A 6-Module Guide (and some important extras!) to help you wherever you're at - just beginning, ready to get serious, or ready to take it to the next level. If you're ready to start making Instagram work for your business, check out the Instagram Igniter Framework at Insta.StartUpSpark.com today!

Are you ready to start selling to those social media followers? From our experience, the best way to do that is to use your platforms to grow your email list. Here are our top tips on using social media to grow that list, turning your dedicated followers into loyal customers.  Need help with Instagram? We have something just for you! Find it here: https://startupspark.activehosted.com/f/11 2021 Revenue Breakdown Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-up-spark-podcast/id1563583721?i=1000551008412 All Things Lead Magnets: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-up-spark-podcast/id1563583721?i=1000539602345 

Have 30 minutes? Then you have enough time to revamp your entire Instagram account to start seeing success and conversions right away. In this episode, we'll tell you exactly how to do it!  Check out our 7 Steps to Instagram Success here: https://startupspark.activehosted.com/f/15 Need more help with your Instagram bio? Listen to this episode! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-up-spark-podcast/id1563583721?i=1000530772967   Thanks for listening! Leave a quick rating and review and tell us how you are igniting the spark in YOUR business!    

One of our most requested episodes has been to discuss how we manage finances as a small business. We're bringing in the big guns today and asking all of your questions to the one and only Andrew Loaiza, the Six Sisters' director of finances.  Grab your FREE P&L template to start organizing your business financials: https://startupspark.activehosted.com/f/13

Feeling a little stuck in your business? This episode is for YOU! We're running through the most common barriers that entreprenuers face in their businesses and coming up with a solution to get you back on track!  Need more help? Let's chat! Snag a spot on our consulting calendar: https://calendly.com/startupsparkco/start-up-spark-business-consultation  To apply for our monthly coaching program, send an email to Consulting@StartUpSpark.com  Listen to our episode on Finding Clarity: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-up-spark-podcast/id1563583721?i=1000537446300 Learn more about lead magnets: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-up-spark-podcast/id1563583721?i=1000539602345    

Keeping up with social media trends can get a little stressful! In this episode Kendra is helping you determine whether or not TikTok is right for your business.  Need additional help? Sign up for a 30 minute consulting call with us and let's talk business! Grab a spot on our calendar here: https://calendly.com/startupsparkco/start-up-spark-business-consultation  Stay in the loop! Visit us at: https://startupspark.com/  Start-Up Spark Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupsparkco/

Getting ready to launch something in your business? In this episode we're sharing our three phase strategy so you can steal it for your next launch!  Check out Hirschi Creative's website templates and get 10% off using the code "spark" here: https://startupspark--hirschicreative.thrivecart.com/pam-prophoto-7-template/  Stay in the loop! Visit us at: https://startupspark.com/  Start-Up Spark Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupsparkco

Did you know, keeping an existing customer can be more beneficial to your business than gaining new ones? Today we're talking all about customer retention and why it needs to be a focus in your business.  Need help? Let's chat! Grab a spot on our consulting calendar for a 30 minute call to get the spark ignited in your business again: https://calendly.com/startupsparkco/start-up-spark-business-consultation  Active Campaign FREE trial and $10 credit: https://ActiveCampaign.referralrock.com/l/1SNN3DREK65/ Source for today's statistics: https://financesonline.com/customer-retention-statistics/ 

Still not sure if Reels on Instagram will benefit your business? We're here to change your mind! Kendra is sharing 3 things you need to know about Reels and why they are crucial in growing your platform.  Need help with social media? We're still offering our FREE 2-minute Social Media Reviews. You can snag a spot here: https://forms.gle/1TY4CfFXtszugmXy8 This episode is brought to you by Brittany  Ratelle's Creative Contracts. For help getting "legally legit" in your business check out all of her contracts, and get 15% off using the code startupspark15 here: https://lddy.no/12luu Stay in the loop! Visit us at: https://startupspark.com/  Start-Up Spark Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupsparkco/

It's time for our Six Sisters' Stuff revenue recap! Last year, in episode 10, we did a full breakdown of how we made money in 2020, and now we're going to do a recap for 2021! If you've ever wanted to know what we do that brings in the dough, this is the episode you'll want to tune into! You can listen to our 2020 recap here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-up-spark-podcast/id1563583721?i=1000526241249  Use the code StartupSpark15 for 15% off any legal template on Brittany Ratelle's website:  https://creativecontracts.co/  For an in-depth look at what we discussed today head to https://startupspark.com/ 

Are you ready to hire help in your business? We're walking you through our process of determining when we were ready, and how we found our dream team! Make sure to make those employees legally legit! Grab the Independent Contractor Agreement we use in our business, for your own! Use the code StartupSpark15 for 15% off any of Brittany Ratelle's creative contracts: https://lddy.no/12luu  Need some content ideas? Get 14 sent straight to your inbox and get posting right away! Snag them here: https://startupspark.activehosted.com/f/1 Stay in the loop! Visit us at: https://startupspark.com/  Start-Up Spark Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupsparkco/

It's time to whip that Instagram account into shape. Kendra's sharing the 5 things every Instagram account needs to succeed, do you have them all?    Want more help with your Instagram bio? Give episode 16 a listen! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-up-spark-podcast/id1563583721?i=1000530772967   Our current favorite podcast -- The Goal Digger Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-goal-digger-podcast/id1178704872    In a rut with content? We have 14 FREE content ideas just for you! Click here to get them in your inbox: https://startupspark.activehosted.com/f/1 

There are so many places to share and sale online. Is it really necessary to have a website for your business in 2022? Steph's diving into all the benefits of having your own “home base” for your business.  Use the code "spark" to get 10% off your website templates with Hirschi Creative! You can check them out here: 

Today we're walking you through the very important steps that will help you identify, relate to, and serve your ideal customer! If you've been here for a while you know how passionate we feel about nailing down your ideal customer before anything else, and we're holding your hand through the process today! No more excuses!  Check out our Ideal Customer Worksheet here: https://startupspark.activehosted.com/f/5  Need help? We're now offering consulting! Snag a spot on our calendar and let's get working on your business, together! Sign up here: https://calendly.com/startupsparkco/start-up-spark-business-consultation  You can listen to the Michelle Gifford Show mentioned in this episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/michelle-gifford-show/id1440084675 

Mistakes, we've all made them! As a business owner, some small mistakes can make big problems farther down the road. Today, Kendra is sharing a few (of the many!) mistakes we've made as a business these last 11 years that we want you to avoid!  Looking for help on your ideal customer? Get our FREE 12-step guide here: https://startupspark.activehosted.com/f/5 Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupsparkco/

In this first episode of season 2 we're running through a few things we are going to start, stop, and continue doing in our business for the coming year. We are so excited to announce we will now be offering FREE social media video reviews! Snag a spot before they are gone! Sign-up here: https://startupspark.activehosted.com/f/9 We'd love to hear from you! If you're looking for a way to support the podcast, a rating and review goes a long way.  Stay in the loop! Visit us at: https://startupspark.com/  Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupsparkco/  

On this season finale of the Start-Up Spark Podcast we are talking all about goals for the new year. With these three goals set in place, you will be well on your way to a successful year! Thank you for supporting our podcast! We'd love to hear what you think. Please leave a rating and review below so we can keep providing you with valuable content in the new year!  Need help finding your ideal customer? Check out episode one of the podcast and get your free guide: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-up-spark-podcast/id1563583721?i=1000518578216  25 Email Content Ideas Freebie: https://sixsistersstuff.activehosted.com/f/37  Stay in the loop! Visit us at: https://startupspark.com/  Start-Up Spark Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupsparkco/      

You hear a lot that you need to “nurture” your list, but what does that even mean? Well, to us it means that you need to send them consistent, helpful content that SERVES them. If you're fresh out of ideas, and not sure even where to begin to send them something - we can help with that. On this episode we're sharing 25 email ideas you can send to your list today!  Check out the full list of ideas here: https://sixsistersstuff.activehosted.com/f/37  

How crazy is it, that we can run an entire business from a small device that we hold in our hand. Obviously there is a lot more that goes into running a business, but there is a lot of action going in and out on your phone, and it's crucial that all of that information stays organized when it comes to your business! We're sharing the 5 apps we consider MUST HAVES in entrepreneurship!  We'd love to hear from you! Don't forget to rate and review this podcast so we can know how to help you take your business to the next level! Stay in the loop! Visit us at: https://startupspark.com/  Start-Up Spark Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupsparkco/

We're answering the question we find ourselves asking almost every single day: "What am I supposed to post about?" After 10 years of creating content we totally understand the feeling of being completely out of ideas. Camille, the content queen, is here to give us 14 ideas for the days when you are feeling particularly stuck!  Want to see the full list? You can find all 14 content ideas here: https://sixsistersstuff.activehosted.com/f/36 We'd love to hear from you! Don't forget to rate and review this podcast so we can know how to help you take your business to the next level! Stay in the loop! Visit us at: https://startupspark.com/  Start-Up Spark Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupsparkco/

Do you work with a partner or team in your business? Navigating teamwork in entrepreneurship can be tough, but it doesn't have to be! We're running you through the same exercise we did just a few years ago that completely changed the way we ran our business. We know it can help you too!  We'd love to hear from you! Don't forget to rate and review this podcast so we can know how to help you take your business to the next level! Stay in the loop! Visit us at: https://startupspark.com/  Start-Up Spark Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupsparkco/

When you're confident in your products, selling them becomes easy! Kendra is sharing her thoughts on the importance of finding confidence in yourself and your business when it comes to selling and serving. You got this!  Stay in the loop! Visit us at: https://startupspark.com/  Start-Up Spark Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupsparkco/