Start-Up Speakeasy

Why is it that every time you start to make headway in your business, you suddenly feel like you have to change everything?  How does pricing our products and services stump us every single time?  What is holding you back from hiring much needed help in your biz? These are just a few instances are insanely common ways that entrepreneurs (and especially creative types) sabotage business and your ability to make money. Can you relate?  Listen in.  Denise shares a great perspective on why this conundrum sneaks up and what you can do to put money blocks back in their place. Show Notes: http://kristyoustalet.com/53 

When you're a solopreneur or even when you have a small team, business mistakes that you make can feel devastating.  I'm sure you've beaten yourself up over what now seems to be a minor hiccup in the scheme of things… we've all been there. Matthew Turner has a new spin on making mistakes, he believes that by making mistakes you're able to uncover your best work and greatest ideas.  In fact, its not only his perspective, he interviewed 163 entrepreneurs (including me) to get their two cents on turning mistakes into success stories.   Tune into this episode to hear what he learned + the book he's currently crowd publishing on his findings… this is so interesting, y'all.

Show Notes:  http://kristyoustalet.com/51 If you’ve ever buried your nose in a few business books, you know that you’re ‘supposed’ to pinpoint your target market and narrow in on who is a perfect fit for your work. But, its WAY more common to go through the motions and really only scratch the surface while the point is to dig deep. So, if you’re like me, and vaguely consider your true target market while rushing between projects and posts- I think Sarah has some info that will make you reconsider... In this episode, we dive into the steps she took to uncover the subtle correlations between her all-time favorite clients, and how you can too. She also lays out some killer insight on her next steps which she credits as the difference between falling flat in narrowing things down and blowing it out the water. SPOILER ALERT: by taking the leap into truly serving her target market she experienced: Her projects are based around exactly what she wants to be working on, which makes her career way more fulfilling because she’s happier and doing her best work, her clients are excited about her work she raised her prices + booked more clients + and is making more money  

Just when you think you're going to implode because your spreading yourself too thin and on the verge of a business overwhelm meltdown... in walks Maya Gaddie and suddenly things seem a bit more simple and sanity washes over your stressed out brain. Maya somehow always has the perfect solution to take you from overwhelm to business automation. Phew! In this episode, Maya dives into:- the five tech must-haves you need to get a solid biz foundation- automation hacks to get take your business to the next level- software suggestions to bring instant solutions for common biz headaches http://kristyoustalet.com/50

We all have time restraints on our business.  Maybe for you its your kids, or your 9-5, or even client one-on-one work gets in the way.  No matter what it is that trips you up, it’s important to use time wisely and not to get caught up in excuses. We all know that launching and growing a business takes a huge investment of time and energy, so here are 4 time saving tricks that I use everyday to carve out time for worthwhile projects.   Turn off notifications + eliminate distractions from others Something happened when I started getting busier… it suddenly felt like everything got really noisy and dings, chimes, unwanted emails and notifications were always interrupting what I was working on. By eliminating these nagging distractions, it enabled me to keep focus on the projects that really matter to me and my business.  To keep up with my favorite blogs, I moved most of them out of email and into Flipboard.  This is an app that lets you keep up with blogs and media by creating your own electronic newspaper.  I also subscribed to podcasts that I regularly listen to on Stitcher and youtube channels that I watch so that the latest show is ready when I am.   Create time limitations + block your own distractions According to Parkinsons’s Law, “work expands to fill the time available for its completion” so sometimes creating an artificial deadline can produce the same quality of work in a shorter amount of time.   I love artificial deadlines, especially when it comes to tasks and projects that can drag on.  Try this:  limit yourself to 30 minute bursts to make things happen distraction-free.  Close down Facebook, don't check emails and set a timer for 100% focus on one task.   Batch like tasks When I first started working independently, I struggled with always feeling busy and strangely not having much accomplished to show for it.  I heard about this simple concept of batching tasks and this concept is so simple yet completely turned around my workflow. Batching similar tasks together in chunks will decrease the amount time you waste transitioning between projects and increase your productivity.  Let’s face it, multitasking is a waste of time and can exhaust and sneaks away time that should be spent on doing more productive things.   Simplify If there is something you find valuable to work on but you just can’t find the time to work on it, maybe its time to reevaluate and tweak your idea into a more simplified version.  I challenge you to find something that you can simplify, focus and rethink your approach.

Show notes found at: http://kristyoustalet.com/48   Wordpress has been known as the one and only platform to build a professional website to build your business, but Squarespace has made a ton of improvements and have positioned themselves as true competitor in the space.   Everyone has their opinion on which is best, but the real question is which is best for you and your growing business.  Let’s dive into the pros + cons in each to help you make the best decision.   Customer Support: Squarespace: is a paid platform that will answer questions and troubleshoot via email or live chat 24/7.  A Squarespace site generally costs $10/mo.   Wordpress: because the platform is free, it does not include support.  For this reason, its important to choose themes that have good support forums and some even have how-to videos.  Googling for answers can also be helpful.   Nat Note: Headway + Genesis themes have great support forums for WP. Learning Curve/Dashboard: Squarespace: has a drag and drop builder which is easier for beginners to jump into quickly, but with less options.  Website updates are done automatically.   Wordpress: has a little bit more of a learning curve because it is more robust and has much more possibilities and more flexible.  Updates are done manually. ECommerce: Squarespace: Creating an online shop in SS is possible, but the store can only process cards via Stripe.  This creates a huge limitation on international sellers as Stripe only processes payments within the US.  Also, you cannot customize the check-out process.   Wordpress: can use multiple payment gateways to sell unlimited items virtually and internationally. Bells & Whistles: Squarespace: doesn’t let beginners get caught up in all the bells and whistles and can create a clean streamlined site.  You have 19 responsive semi-customizable themes.   Wordpress: you have the ability to use plug-ins which are essentially website apps to end endless functionality.  The look depends a lot of the theme to choose from.  You have thousands of themes to choose from Nat’s WP Theme Choosing Tips: pick one that you like the look of out of the box if you’re a beginner read the reviews from other users see how responsive the support forum is look for a theme that has been updated recently Three premium themes for complete customization: Headway, Thesis, and Genesis Theme Forest has thousands of WP themes to choose from   Which one works best for you?  Let me know what aspects of a site works best for you in the comments below.   Did you like this episode?  I would love for you to share it with your friends + subscribe to the show on itunes.  You can easily do that by clicking here.   All show notes can be found at http://kristyoustalet.com/48  

Show notes found at http://kristyoustalet.com/47   This week’s guest is Jackie Johnstone,  a social media specialist who helps passionate entrepreneurs connect with their clients and share their message.  But, in this episode we’re not focusing entirely on social media.  Long time listeners of the show may remember Jackie as one of my very first guests of the show and she’s here to help me celebrate the show anniversary.   Yep, a full year.  Woohoo + Holy crap!   I can’t believe I made it this far… I’ve gotten to pick the brains of so many amazingly ambitious business owners.  How lucky am I?   Honestly, before launching the show, I was jumping around from idea to idea without committing to a game plan.  I flaked on my own business all the time because my next idea always seemed better than the one before.     It was time for a change.   I double doggie dared myself to stick with the show every week for a solid year, and here we are celebrating its first birthday.  Thanks so much for sharing it with me.   Cheers!   Okay, not onto the show…   Jackie has been working crazy hard on her business to make this her breakthrough year.  Looking back, she has some key insight and tips to share:   Things take so much longer than you think.   Everything from writing a blog post, to get your website up, writing a course and launching a course.   Set a date to launch it, especially if you’re deadline driven. No one ever feels ready and yet almost everyone wishes they would have launched much sooner than when they actually pulled the trigger. Pre-sell your class + develop the course as you go.   Real-time feedback is valuable for the long term success and of the course.  Most people have a tendency to include way too much info, and feedback is a great way to determine where to edit.   Promote your offers + webinars in relevant Facebook groups. Graph Search to find groups.  We touch on this in this episode, but we didn’t dive into this topic.  Learn more from Jackie’s blog here.   Your first offer should be a one session taste of what you do. To choose your first offer, make a list of 10 ways to get your idea out in a single session.  Trust your gut, and tweak your offering until it works for you and your clients.  Rule of thumb: Follow what feels fun + what’s working. Make connections with other entrepreneurs and seek support. Celebrate your mini business wins with other people who understand and have a likeminded support system ready for when you need a reality check.     All show notes can be found at http://kristyoustalet.com/47   I would love feedback on the show as we take a break from the traditional format while we re-brand and restructure.  Email me directly: kristy@kristyoustalet.com        

Show notes found at http://kristyoustalet.com/46   Years ago, our guest, Shenee Howard felt frustrated on where her business was and lost about what direction she should take her business.   Today, Shenee is sharing with us the one thing she did to turn the ship around to create killer copy + Hell Yes! offers. In this episode, Shenee will tell us about the 100 people project, why she did it and how you can do it too.   Let’s start here: There’s no substitute for talking to real people. What does that mean?   With all of the Ideal Client Avatar hype, you run into a little problem… they’re not real + its all about the subtleties that you can only pick up on when your actually talking to a potential client. So, Shenee challenged herself to talk to 100 people to turn her frustrating business around and get back on track she appropriately called it the: 100 People Project.   What’s the point of spending all that time talking to people… for free?   It gives you a chance to stop and get clarity on what you want to do, what you like to do and figure out how that matches up with your customers wants + needs.   Based off those conversations she created her first sold out class.   BAM!  That sounds like a turning point if you ask me...   Interested in starting your own 100 People Project?  Here are a few tips:   How to find the people for the project: Make sure you are in Facebook Groups with your clients (not only people in your industry). Find other people based off of momentum. When you start talking to one person in a mastermind group, offer a freebie call to speak to each one. Ask for referrals. When you reach out (post on social media or email directly) make them feel like they its so good they should have been charged. In other words – give value. Don’t make your offer too general, otherwise people won’t ‘get it’ and see the value. The intention is literally to talk to you for research, so be clear that this isn’t a sales pitch. Create regular content so that people want to talk to you and know what to talk to you about. Be sure to ask these two questions: 1. What do you need?2. What are you looking for?   Free consults to pick your potential customer’s brain is technically like working for free, but so is not having any clients for your latest program…Which do you prefer? All show notes can be found at http://kristyoustalet.com/46    

Show notes can be found at http://kristyoustalet.com/45/   Kimra Luna is a Business Coach who practices what she preaches especially when it comes to Social Media Branding.  In this episode, we’re talking about breaking traditional business rules, being yourself and being your own brand.   In today’s boom of solopreneurship and online micro-businesses, our mindset around business has shifted quite a bit.  The focus now revolves around defining who you want to work with and why, but don’t forget it’s necessary to create a business model and solve a problem.   Every business, no matter what business model you choose, is designed to help other people.   When you think of it that way, it’s always good to resort to the answers to these 3 questions:   1. Who we want to help… who do you genuinely care about and want to work with? 2. Why we want to help them? 3. Why we want to build a business in the first place?   With all of the focus on lifestyle design, its uber necessary to keep these tried and true business points in-check (Tweet this!): * You need to understand and clearly communicate what you’re providing customers (think: results and/or solutions).  Your business can/should be fulfilling to you, it must intersect with a need and provide value to others. (Tweet that!)   * Make sure that customers not only want what you’re offering, but are willing to pay for your solution.   Kimra’s Tips to tweak your idea to fit current market and trends: (*ahem* make sure potential clients are willing to buy what you offer) Survey groups and audiences (facebook groups of ideal clients can be a goldmine) Ask questions and test out ideas on social media. Even if you have a small list, ask them for insight.  One or two responses can provide you with a new perspective. Feedback works well for not only defining products and services but also for creating content and ideas. In short… ask them before you spend time and resources on assumptions. All show notes can be found at http://kristyoustalet.com/45/  

  Links found at http://kristyoustalet.com/44   Suzi Istvan (aka: Social Suzi) works new and small business owners craft their brand identity and get their website up and going.   In this episode, we talk about what you should spend time on in the beginning and what to wait on until you gain a little traction in your business.   As soon as you can, ask for help.  When you start investing in your biz and stop DIYing things It helps you to feel more pro, act more pro, and expect more professionalism from your clients. Suzi’s Start-Up Website Suggestions:   1. What exactly are you selling and who are you selling it to?   Make this the focus of your website.  If you’re just starting out, don’t feel like it needs to be perfect.  Think:  What causes results for your clients?     2. Include clear calls to action (CTA) A rookie mistake is to worry about design and clever wording over clear CTA’s and instructions about where you want them to go and where you want them to click.   The key here is to give people really obvious places to identify that you’re talking to them and entice them to click + move deeper into your site.   Quickie CTA Checklist: Who you’re working with? How you help them? Do they have a clear call to action? Is it really simple and really clear?     3. Drumroll please... Your Opt-in area! People don’t just land on a website and ready to buy, you need to build a relationship and let them learn about you and how it would be to work with you before they become a client.   So what does that mean?  Capturing their email allows for you to follow up, build a relationship + keep in touch.   A great opt-in offer/freebie can make a world of difference to building your list.  No one is craving more emails these days, so you need to give them a reason to subscribe.   Don’t stress about your offer!  Keep it simple + ask yourself: What are your clients coming to you for the most? What are your people looking for when they work with you?   What do your people need?     Branding in the Beginning Create a Pinterest board to see what you’re visually drawn to… you probably have a distinct design style that you don’t even realize.  When you corral them all on one board, you’re able to see patterns you may not have previously noticed.     Think of Markets as Conversations What conversations does your business come up in?   Ex: If you’re in the health fitness industry and you focus on getting fit for your wedding, you would likely focus on bridal conversations.  Another fitness professional may focus on losing weight after baby and be in the new mommy conversation.  See the difference?  Same industry and very similar services, but very different conversations.   How do you want your business to come up in conversations? Who do you want your business to come up with- who else is in your field?   Remember:  Narrowing in on dream clients isn’t about excluding or alienating customers, its like giving a big giant YES! to people you want to work with.   Who have you done your best work with?  Who do you get the best results for?  How do you get in front of those people?   Links found at http://kristyoustalet.com/44  

Http://kristyoustalet.com/43   Today’s guest is Farideh who is a musician turned launch strategist launch products and services to entrepreneurs.   First things first, Farideh believes that the only way to find your voice and infuse your personality into your brand is to dive in and start.  Think about it this way, its a lot easier to test out a few ideas while your audience is really small, that way you’re not really risking anything and feeling the backlash.   If you hear that advice and it makes you feel completely exposed, you are not alone in having weird resistance around putting words, thoughts and opinions out into the world.  Here’s the thing, just by putting your work out there helps to overcome the vulnerability that comes along with putting yourself out there.    

Show notes found at: http://kristyoustalet.com/42   Rebecca Tracey helps solopreneurs get clear on what their business actually IS… meaning when you get stuck spinning, she swoops in and helps you get clear on the foundational bits to actually define what you’re doing and to (finally) get moving forward.   In today’s episode, we’re diving into how to get clear on your core message, what is a core message and why you need it in the first place. Your messaging (should) show up in everything you do.  It becomes the common ground between you and potential clients and it describes others what you care about.     How about that for attracting ideal clients? So, what is messaging?  It’s all about the bigger picture of your business and the bigger purpose of why are you doing it + why should anyone care.   ...It’s the piece that really helps you stand out and be a little bit different + everything you do should relate to your core message.   No pressure, right?   Becca’s Tip:  Don’t obsess with coming up with a message, especially in the beginning.  Do the exercise below and narrow in on: ‘What you do’ and ‘Why you do it’ then, let it go a little. Becca envisions creating your core message to be like a diagram of concentric circles (think- bullseye) working from the outside into the more specific core message sweet spot.   Big picture message: Why you do what you do.  What’s the gist of what you care about? What’s the soapbox you’ve been on your entire life? The core of what care about + give a crap about Becca’s Uncaged Big Picture example: A life of freedom and adventure.   Your point-of-view: Fill in the blank: The best way to (big picture message)   is to  (your approach) It doesn’t have to be something completely unique and it especially won’t seem unique to you because your ‘in it’ What are the three things that you really believe that you take a stand on?   Becca’s Uncaged POV example: running your own online business is the best way to freedom and adventure.   Define the Problem What problem are you actually solving in your business? Who in general have this problem.   Center Circle: The How What are you actually doing for people?  Now it’s time to focus on the result. What’s your role in helping your client get from point A to point B? Becca’s Bonus Tips:Drop the industry jargon. Talk to them in the way they think their problems are.  Use your client’s actual language.  Have a conversation with your ideal clients.   Your message should be reflected everywhere… on your website in your social media and in everything you do.   Use your message as an anchor for the direction and core value for your business. All Show Notes can be found at http://kristyoustalet.com/42

The Start-Up Speakeasy Episode #038Show notes: http://kristyoustalet.com/38Guest: Kendrick Shope   Kendrick Shope has blended years of selling experience in a corporate environment with modern marketing to create an online course named Authentic Selling.  Today, she shares some amazing advice on how we can sell our offerings and ourselves without being pushy or sleazy. Online Biz Myth: as long as you have an online offer, people will buy it. Kendrick believes that in order to sell your offer to ideal clients, its important to focus on three things: 1. Tell people why you’re here2. Let the know why they should trust you3. They’re time is super valuable + why they should part with it for you (even for a freebie offer) #1 reason why people don’t buy is: lack of ENGAGEMENT The best way to overcome the engagement barrier is to have individual conversations with your (potential) audience and talk to as many people for free as you can.   This not only helps you understand your clients better than anything else, but naturally circles back to engaging your customers. At first, it can be intimating to reach out to potential clients, but the rewards quickly become obvious.Here’s what happens: - You become even more confident in your ability to serve your clients. An ‘I can do this!’ attitude shines through.- The human connection factor kicks in, and a personal touch is an important part of the online sales process.- It opens up an opportunity to follow-up, which is where 50% of all sales are closed … Which brings us to an incredible sales lesson here- Quick, where’s my highlighter?Let’s think about this for a sec, if 50% of sales happen during the follow-up process, how would following up change your business? What would 2x the amount of sales bring to you and your business? Apparently, less than 10% of people follow up with their clients more than two times. If you’re one of the ones in that small pool of service providers taking the time to following up, you’re in a whole other league than your competition. Chew on that.   Do you see where this is going?  Following-up = more money. I’m convinced, are you?   Now, take action!  Kendrick’s Follow-Up Tips: Create a simple Excel spreadsheet labeled with four rows:  (Name | Date | Last Communication | Notes) Color code your leads according to how likely they are to purchase an offer (for example: a hot lead = blue and a warm lead = purple). Keep track of when you follow up and continue to check in and engage with your (potential) clients. Having this list of interested people gives you a set of possible clients that you can always fall back on and check back in with when you need a couple of new clients or add a new offer. It also gives you a way to establish a relationship + trust with for long term success.  

Start-Up Speakeasy Episode #037Guest: Maya Gaddie   Today we’re talking with Maya Gaddie who titles herself a Digital Mentor and Tech match maker. She tell us all about her biz in the beginning of this episode, but this interview isn’t about tech at all really… After having her own small business for a little over three years, Maya has transitioned her business through various phases of growth. In this episode, Maya is being completely transparent and taking us behind the scenes of some key points in her business that has shaped what it looks like today. We dive into how she grew it to be a great balance between what her ideal clients wanted, how she wanted to interact with them and what she wants her business + lifestyle to look like. Maya provides insight gems sprinkled throughout no matter what stage of business you’re in now. Some of the key points where Maya tweaked and shaped her current business model was: She noticed a disconnect with her biz and the businesses of her customers She felt over worked and under paid Wanted to work more hands-on with other people (not just crank out client work) She realized that she was working with the wrong customers and not in her genius zone   Good points to remember during transition phases: She trusted her gut when she made her pivot Maya frequently 'checked-in' and reassessed where she was and where she wanted her business to go Focused on connecting to other people and other people’s businesses "Your main business is something you grow into and shape over time" -Maya Gaddie (Tweet that!) Maya’s Lessons learned from her first online class: Should have done it faster. Find a balance between planning out the course as well as you can, but it will take on another life when people are actually in it.  Leave room for adjustments. She sold the class before she created it This allowed her to make sure that people were interested in buying the class- tested interest One-on-one conversations guided her curriculum She adjusted the class based on feedback She continued to listen to smart suggestions+ implemented thoughtful changes   How to find 10 people to talk to (even if your just starting out) Directly contact a handful of people you think would be a perfect fit for your next program. Take a look at their website to see what phase they’re in and write them a personal email (or reach out on FB or Linked In) describing the course and that you would be interested in: This is what I’m doing This is why I think it would be great for you Set up a Skype call to jam about what’s going on in your business right now A few key questions to ask:I have this product that I’m thinking might be good… what do you think? Is that something you’d be interested in buying? If you bought it today, what would you think would be a price you’d pay for?        

Start-Up Speakeasy Episode #36http://kristyoustalet.com/36   I've been talking, brainstorming and strategizing with a lot of the Speakeasy audience lately, especially with the launch of my three month mentorship program.   After a bunch of one-on-one conversations with idea-driven and aspiring entrepreneurs, I was shocked at one thing that didn't come up in a single conversation. In fact, it's something I never thought about in the very early stages of my business and once it hit me- it changed my approach to my business and career forever. We'll get to what that one tweak is in a minute, but first, let's dive into the three main ways that entrepreneurs jumpstart business ideas: 1. They stumbled across a problem that they had trouble solving.  Once they got passed it, they realized that they can help others also overcome this situation. 2. They take a talent or special skill they have and turn it into a business. For instance, as a freelancer or service provider such as a graphic designer. 3. They see a unique opportunity or a whole in the market and decide to fill in the niche.Ex: "Wouldn't it be nice if a bowling alley didn't have to be stinky, dirty and dingy?  That each lane has a personal attendant and we serve high-end cocktails..." These three approaches are absolutely common and a completely legit reasons to start a business… but I'd like to add one tweak. This one tweak could dramatically shift your business mindset… 4.  (Bonus!) You start with one of the previous 3 and once you're in the thick of it- you realize that what you really want is something meaningful. Something that is truly satisfying, that fits into your ideal lifestyle design.  A business that focuses all your projects on serving others in a way that truly touches you.   I'm calling it the "Speakeasy Way".  Here's how I see it: I have [what feels like] a trillion biz ideas floating around my head at any given moment.  Some are practical.  Some are crazy.  Some are bigger than I can handle right now.  Most are ideas that if I truly devoted enough time + energy into I could make it a decent business idea. How do I filter what to act on and when to pass?  I ask myself if it's in-line with what I have going on now + Do I truly care about this idea? My theory:  It takes a ton of ambition and what seems like endless consistent action over time to build a successful business.  Truly caring about what you do and the people you serve is the only thing that stands up to really hard times.  When you're crazy busy, somehow broke, seriously burnt out + overwhelmed it's the one thing that keeps you plugging away.   Where you stand on this concept of creating a meaningful business? Is this something you’ve ever thought of? Is this something you’ve ever struggled with? ** I want to hear from you!  Let me know in the comments what you think about creating a meaningful business.  Head on over to http://kristyoustalet.com/36  

Victoria Prozan’s superpower is to help entrepreneurs craft names and taglines to bring the full power of their voice out in their brand. I mean, who hasn’t spent weeks (months?) caught up in the quest for the ‘perfect’ tagline? She also believes that these names and taglines only scratch the surface of what it takes to fully communicate your brand. In this episode, we’re talking visual communication as a whole… Victoria combines her experience in design, visual communication and storytelling to build a solid foundation to craft your businesses message.     How to avoid the: Accidental Copy-Cat Syndrome Be Observant. When you like something that a leader in your brand has created, take a minute to dissect what you’re seeing and specifically what you find interesting. For example, maybe you are drawn to the bright colors, movement in the images or even the layout. Rather than copying that exact design, how can you be inspired by something + reinvent what you like about it in a fun way?    Two tips to find your voice + visual branding inspiration: 1. Create a private pinboard (on Pinterest) and look for things outside of your industry that you like. Color palettes, quotes, products and patterns. Look for trends hidden in this collection. 2. Look right under your nose + be inspired by your home. What’s your style? How can you translate that into your visual communication?   Your visual identity of the brand should reinforce what you say Look at the visual feel of the page from an outside point of view. Try to ignore the words. We take in so much info visually we make split decisions based on what we see… are you sending mixed messages?   When in doubt: Leave MORE WHITE SPACE. Give everything on your page room to breathe. Tip: If you can create a space where people don’t feel so overwhelmed, visitors will stick around and stay a while. Less is more- the less you have going on the more you can visually direct people where you want them to look.   Everything mentioned in this episode is linked up in the show notes over at http://kristyoustalet.com/35         #podcast #videopodcast http://youtu.be/48IXMUFBRyE

Vicky Lyashenko from SmallBusinessGal.com shares with us a few really great tips for getting traction and promoting a local small business.   

Start-Up Speakeasy #033 http://kristyoustalet.com/33 Whether you’re a full time entrepreneur or you have a side hustle business, we all have one thing in common:  being creative takes TIME. ...you can’t always crank something out in an hour. As your business begins to grow- you get busier and unless you work with your right brain train it how to be more productive, you’ll be lost in a sea of overwhelm. Whether you’re a writer, designer photographer, service provider or product creator this quick productivity lesson is for you. To sign up for the 90 Day Challenge visit: http://kristyoustalet.com/33 #podcast

Our guest this week is Miranda Writer- she is a certified financial planner and founder of She & Money.com where she works with entrepreneurs and professionals on Financial Planning. In this episode Miranda and I dive into the top three money woes that entrepreneurs face or the most common questions around money and money management:  when should we spend and invest in our biz… so when are we thinking too small or when are we going over board splurging on our businesses? How to plan for varying income… whether your business is seasonal or depends on a few launch cycles each year- we talk about a great approach to plan for this situation. And whether your just starting out in business or if you're launching a new line or program, what is the best way to set budgets and goals without pulling numbers out of thin air.  

The Start-Up Speakeasy | Episode #031 Show Notes: http://kristyoustalet.com/31   Guest: Liz Lockard Host: Kristy Oustalet   Liz works with small business owners drive the right kind of traffic to their wesbites and get more out of that traffic through online marketing Analytics and SEO Strategies.   Oh, and I did I mention she makes it super approachable?  Hallelujah!   SEO Food for Thought: There are over a billion searches each month on google Think about your own buying process.  How much do you rely on google when making a purchase?       Here's where to start: Make sure that you know what you offer and who your customer is on an instinctive level What words do YOU use vs. What phrases do THEY use? Keyword- the phrases that you type into google   Super Simple Format for SEO- to cover your bases   On-site Methods Doing stuff on your site to better optimize for ideal phrases that customers are searching - use google keyword planner and find your ideal clients keyword phrases - how to optimize a page on the site - use those words in the URL on the page - Use those words in the title of the page - Use it naturally within the post - above all, you're writing for your idea client     2. Offsite Methods: finding websites that are seen as strong by google as well as where your ideal clients are hanging out - guest posting is an easy way - opensite explorer.org put in your domain name and the domain of another site and take a look at their domain authority number to figure out which ones to pursue     Most common SEO mistakes:- choosing 3 phrases to rank for- ideally each page has its own key phrase - operating without a plan- she helps clients walk through with a gameplan and content map to keyword optimize - once you have the plan, it's a matter of taking a min with each post and making sure it fits the efforts of the plan   Top 3 Takeaways: 1. Make sure you know the phrases that your customers are using... if you don't know start eavesdropping in community forums, hosting free calls or send out a survey. 2. Plus those words into the Keyword Planner and see where they match up in volume of google. You're looking for a good balance between relevance of phrases 3. Start to think about what off-site opportunities your have and how they fit   Links mentioned in the show can be found at http://kristyoustalet.com/31  

Episode #030 the Start-Up Speakeasy Guest: Shana LaFore     Shana LaFore started her career in the world of art and furniture design. After managing a high-end design showroom, then later transitioned her sales and business expertise into mentoring other creative types.   In this episode, we talk about how Shana challenges herself to take on big projects and continues to push the limits of her business and the unconventional methods she uses to get the word out and get people on board with her craziest ideas.    6 Steps to Make Your Crazy Ideas Contagious:   1. Step away to get a better perspective on things during the process   2. Tell your story + tell it often   3. Show your passion in your business and others will 'buy in'   4. Be open and honest about it and ask for help   5. Remember, doing what's right on paper doesn't always work   6. Make it easy for your audience + collaborators to share   Walk in their shoes... Make them feel welcome, important and like an honored guest.   -       Make it fun and easy for them    -       see it as having a guest in your home   -       do good work + pay attention to the details   -       Make people feel good when they work with you     Show notes are linked up at http://kristyoustalet.com/30   http://youtu.be/G9I3nQwLiqg #podcast #videopodcast #smallbusiness

Episode #029 The Start-Up Speakeasy (formerly ACE) Guest: Darlene Hildebrandt Host: Kristy Oustalet Show Notes linked up at: http://kristyoustalet.com/29   Darlene has been a professional photographer for over 26 years, her career has evolved through gallery exhibitions, wedding photography and now she teaches others her photo skills.   Before we dive into her photography to use in our businesses, I love the fact that Darlene has continuously grown and reinvented her creative career.  She puts it best by saying, "If you don't try new things all the time  no matter what business you're in... you stagnate."    By challenging herself and experimenting with her business ideas, Darlene has evolved her business to focus primarily on online photography courses and photography excursion courses to places like Cuba and Nicaragua.   Think about it... if you want your business to take you to unexpected places, how can you challenge the direction of your next business move?     As an entrepreneur, photography and creating images have become major factors and we're all feeling the pressure to be 'photographers' for our websites, blogs and various social media platforms.     Lucky for us, Darlene is here to give us a few bootstrapping tips and image alternatives.   First things first: repeat after me: It's NOT okay to grab images off of the internet and use them on your blog, most of the time this includes if you give credit under the photo.  This is a copyright infringement.     Darlene's Guide to Images (the legit way)   A great alternative to Photoshop is picmonkey.com. This website has a lot of photo editing and text overlay capabilities that are user-friendly and free!   Use your own cell phone images when you can and pair them with simple apps like instagram to add filters or text to images.  This way, you never have to worry about overstepping copyright boundaries.   Get images for free properly and legally: purchase stock images or monthly membership packages such as photo  Creative Commons is a non-profit that offers an alternative to using full copyrighted images   Flickr has a Creative Commons account where it is clearly stated how to can use other photos and how to use them properly. 500px -- a photo sharing site provides an embed code to an image so that the it links back to the proper credit to the site. Show Notes linked up at: http://kristyoustalet.com/29  

Melissa Burkenheimer is a graphic designer who after working for a design firm, realized that there was little room for growth… it was time to be resourceful and tap into creative ways of finding her own clients. She started as an ambitious freelance graphic designer with nothing more than a few grassroots marketing strategies up her sleeve.   She rush printed a stack of business cards and headed out to networking events and Chamber of Commerce meetings. She rolled up her sleeves and did the work.  Melissa built relationships, connected with other small business owners and really put herself out there.  Eventually, her old school tactics worked and she gained steady traction in her business. Over time, she expanded her offerings, grew her business and gained a handful of noteworthy clients such as Sean Malarkey and James Wedmore. What happens when you get a few spectacular clients referring you to their friends?  It’s time to upgrade your systems, up your game and work through some growing pains. This week’s episode dives behind the scenes of Melissa dealing with recent growing pains in her business.   Most of the things we chat about are great things to consider when working with clients at any phase in your business. Be comfortable with putting yourself out there + sharing your story Know your worth + Accept that you are worth the prices you charge Figure out how you want to work with people.  For instance: one-on-one, in a group or downloadable products.  Do you want to work with someone for an hour, a month or a year? Know where you get your customers… is it where everyone says they are?  For Melissa, building a list wasn’t a priority- her bread-n-butter came from building relationships.  How can you use your strengths to find customers? Ask them how do they like to work?  How do they like to communicate?  Each customer is different…  “You have to adapt to what works for your clients to get the results that you want”  Ask your customers for feedback… how can I do better? Take your time and figure out the best possible way to do things, then act on them and put them into action. Set business and money goals for growth.  This can be tricky in the beginning, but setting goals makes you hustle and add structure to get your business to the next level.  

Guest: Allie LeFevereEpisode #27   When you’re a solopreneur, putting your business ‘out there’ is equivalent to having your craziest ideas on a platter for everyone to see (and judge).  When you’re the only one working on your business, promoting your business… even talking about your business feels very vulnerable. I mean, you bought a domain with yourname.com ((hyperventilate)).  This shit is real. Are people going to care?Are they going to listen?Do they care what I have to say? My guest this week is Allie LeFevre an amazingly spunky life coach who’s an old pro at tackling vulnerability in business.  In this episode we dive into areas where we’ve each felt exposed with our businesses and what came out of it… the good, the bad, and the ugly.  On the flip-side of feeling like you want to bury yourself alive, some amazing aspects that only being vulnerable can bring out are: Connecting with your audience Showcase your voice Open a dialog to get to know your audience more fully Understand your peeps and truly connect rather than aimlessly create content *Spoiler Alert*Ultimately you're going to find the people that respond to YOU + suddenly you’ll kick your business up to the next level. Convinced? Allie’s 3 Ways to find your voice: 1.  Go beyond the avatar/ ideal client exercises + talk to someone like you know them.Write to them like they’re your best friend. 2.  When you're writing, do a brain dump then circle back and edit. 3.  Don’t be afraid to be raw and real and honest… you’re a work in progress.  (

Episode #026Guest: Lindsay Goldner Brand Strategist + Graphic Designer  Lindsay is a talented, self-taught Graphic Designer and a Brand Strategist and one of her favorite platforms to drive fresh faces to her website is: Pinterest.   With over 130 Boards and 11,000+ pins, she's an avid pinned to say the least.  She's been an active user for the last three years, and today she shares why she loves Pinterest so much and how she uses it as a tool to drive traffic to her site, collaborate with clients, and spread the word about her visual brand. First things first- Set up your Pinterest account as a business: Sign up for a business account (instead of as a personal user) Verify your website (gives you access to analytics and insights)Another way to see insights is through Tailwind, a free program that tracks where you’re getting the most action which pins are directing people to your site.  This let’s you know what people are responding most so you can focus on that and eliminate what doesn't. Add a 'Pin It' button to your siteLindsay talks about the ins and outs of these steps, but if you need a step-by-step tutorial, click here. Lindsay's Pinterest Tips: Create one image per blog post that you can load to interest and link to the post.  When you add that image to your post (on your blog) make the image pinnacle.  It can be as simple as an image with a little text on top. Custom Cover Designs- by creating new cover images, you can link those images back to your site (just change the source of your image).  It also brands your profile and coordinates with your website.  This looks so professional, doesn't it? Cover Image Dimensions: 217x147 Don’t be clever with your titles!  People won’t find you in search results.   Get specific with boards- this helps to keep your boards organized for you to find things, but also good for people to be able to choose the right board of yours to follow. Pay attention to descriptions.  Write clear descriptions of your boards, in simple terms to be searchable. Pay attention to descriptions on your individual pins and even re-pins.    If youre just starting out and need followers:Find a couple of board that have a significant number of pins in the area that you like and start repining.  That will help you get started with content and get you into relevant searches and find you organically.  

Guest: Luz Donahue -  Social MediaHost: Kristy Oustalet A.C.E. Episode #025 Show Notes: http://kristyoustalet.com/25 So, you’re posting on social and trying to get a following…  so you start poking around the web to find other small business owners who are ‘knocking it out the park’.  You take notes + adjust their posting formula to fit your topic + post your heart out. You wait… Then, you hear nothing but sounds of their ‘Like’ notifications ringing in your head like a winning slot machine.  For you, crickets.  Nada. What the?  How come what works for them doesn’t work for me?  Well, you’re not ‘them’ + your peeps want you- not an imitation of them. Now what? My guest this week is Luz Donahue, a Self Promotion Liberator and she’s here to de-stress the process of marketing and have it reflect you + who you are.  Because as we know, when you’re effort is geared towards copying other people- it just doesn’t work. My favorite point in the show is when Luz says: “Social media is not about making all of your followers happy, it’s about you finding the people who are interested in + who you are and in what you do  + have those needs [that you serve]” Luz’s Guided Exercise: “What to post on social media by being you” (and naturally attract the right people) First: Divide your paper into 3 columns :   Me | Them | Us In the ME Column:write down 20 things (no censoring)-  What do you talk to your girlfriends about?  What do you talk to your buddies about?  What are personal things about you?Goal- get all of the things that are important to you (whether you feel like they are related on not) jot them down.   In the THEM Column:Write down 20 things- what else is going on in their life other than what you do.  Focus on what else is going on in their life other than what you do.  Not just the needs that you can meet- what else is going on in their life?  What’s important to them?Anything that you feel like they may be going through or may be interested inRemember: Stream of Consciousness- No second guessing!  In the US Column:  Jot down what problems you exclusively solve, what makes you different?  What is it that you do in your space that would attract people in the ‘them’ column?What can you solve for them?  What do you bring to the table?   The Final Step: Pick between 3-5 from each section. What are you trying to sell right now?  What is most important? Post about things from your list that are relative. Look at what you’re not comfortable with and cross it out. Cross off what doesn’t fit right now.          

Guest: Amanda Lo - CPAHost: Kristy Oustalet  Episode #024Show Notes for this episode are linked up at http://kristyoustalet.com/24   My guest this week is Amando Lo, and she does what we creatives generally find cringe-worthy… she’s a CPA that manages the books and records for small businesses. Lucky for you and me, that there are people like her in the world in that handle these sort of things for us right-brainers. She realizes that small business owners simply don’t have the time to properly keep track of their books, and takes care of it so that you can focus on what you do best + grow your business.  Oh, man.  I feel lighter already…   Amanda walks us through some accounting fundamentals and deductions that likely affect your business. It’s essential to have a business checking account that is separate from your personal.  Not only does it make things easier to keep track of, but co-mingling your accounts can cause the IRS to discredit write-offs. If you work out of a Home Office, keep these factors in mind: to deduct home office expenses, it has to be a defined separate space that is used exclusively for your business (no bed, no tv…) it also has to be the primary place for your business Square footage gives you the percentage of bills you can deduct or: You can claim a flat rate of  $5/sq ft (up to 300 ft) can be a flat deduction without having to show any records Taking pictures of the space is generally a good idea to have proof if you should ever need it. Good-to-know: Hobby Loss DeductionIf you are in your first few years of business and your expenses are higher than profits, you may qualify for a Hobby Loss deduction.  Which means that you can write off the loss as a deduction as long as you can prove that it’s a legitimate business (and not just a hobby).  One of the most common first steps to growth is hiring contract labor (as opposed to hiring an employee).  Remember: If you pay a contract employee more that $600 in a calendar year, then you have to give them a 1099 which can be easily done online. If you're about to launch your business and have no idea where to start, do this: Create a Business Checking account at your bank EIN – Employee identification number that you can get through an online form Create an LLC- you can diy through the Secretary of State website (typically $100)This protects your personal property from liability that your business may have. Need a great accountant?  Here are a few ways to sniff out one that’s a good fit: Having a CPA license generally qualifies someone as being very capable and reputable Ask for recommendations- from biz friends or post in start-up community Facebook groups Look for accountants that enjoy working with micro-businesses and startups Set up meetings with a few accountants to find someone that you jive with

A.C.E. Adventures in Creative Entrepreneurship           Episode #23 Guest: Elyse SkansiHost: Kristy OustaletShow Notes + Links can be found at http://kristyoustalet.com/23 Elyse Skansi is a top-notch wedding coordinator that truly sets herself apart by specializing in design and transforming a venue to into an event that tells the couple’s unique story. Not only does she actualize dreamy jaw dropping settings for her customers’ weddings, but I adore her approach to working with clients + we can all take note from how creates an outstanding experiences from beginning to end for her clients. Her business, Tying the Knot Wedding Coordination, sprouted from a clicking away on a laptop on a twin bed in her sorority house.  Elyse’s first few jobs were working for other event coordinators where she gained experience and was exposed to the crazy wedding industry.   After 3 years, she knew this was what she was 'meant to do' and decided to take the leap and start her own small biz.  We dive into how Elyse organically grew her business: Focused on giving her clients and delivering an experience for not only the wedding day, but throughout the whole planning and day-of process. Started with a mission statement with what she wanted to biz to look like + how she wanted her customers to feel Put the word out and started gaining experience from people show knew She was transparent and honest with her clients that she was starting out + let her motivation for her business win-over her first clients         Networked at every opportunity she could find and went into these meet-ups  ready to talk about her mission and 'sell it' to set herself apart. She dreamed up creative and resourceful marketing campaigns from scratch (such as ‘style shoots’), which got her featured in notable places.Tip: if you want to get featured, you need to submit pitches, photos & content

A.C.E. Episode #022 Guest: Jenny Shih     Earlier in her career, Jenny Shih was a project manager working on multi-million dollar engineer based projects, and later realized that helping online service based business owners grow their businesses was her sweet spot.   Using her trained eye from working with a Fortune 500 company, she spotted the need for small business owners to implement systems to avoid overwhelm and leave room to work on big picture business development.   Let’s get one thing straight… A system isn’t: software you use to keep track of things like bookkeeping or email. Then what is it?   A system in your business is a set of steps that you take repeatedly that has been streamlined into a process to save time and be more consistent.    The result is not spending countless hours keeping up with your day-to-day tasks, and leaving you with more mental space to grow your business and time to be creative.   … That has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?   I’m in.   As you can imagine, there are many areas in our businesses that can benefit from having a system in place.  Today, Jenny walks us through exactly what we need to streamline our client management process.     Let’s do this:   Jenny Shih’s Client System Checklist 5 Steps to manage your clients and prospects effectively:   1. Track your prospects and clients… in your head or your email doesn’t cut it! Capturing their name, email, date, and package they purchased in a simple spreadsheet works just fine.   Bonus points if you add specific session notes, you can learn a lot from the trends that are revealed in these logs.   2. Use an online scheduler & stop emailing back in forth with clients once and for all.  There are plenty of options for $5-10/mo. a few popular options are Acuity and TimeTrade.   3. Have a few questions ready that you’d like to ask someone before they get on the phone for a consult.  Do: create a mini questionnaire you email to them prior to your appointment to get a little background on their business and get to know them. Do: Prepare for your consult by reading questions and determining which package would be ideal for them to continue working together. Don’t: require an application process unless you have a waiting list.  This typically acts as a barrier to working with you. 4. Make it really easy for prospects to commit, hire and pay you by including a PayPal link in the follow up email.   5. Send a welcome email. This is a pre-written note from you with all the info and materials they need for their session.      SHOW NOTES can be found at http://kristyoustalet.com/22  Jenny has also shared with us an amazing free training called “How to Make Money Doing What You Love”          

A.C.E. Adventures of Creative Entrepreneurship Episode #021   Host: Kristy OustaletGuest: Katrina Bress - Mardi Gras ProductionShow notes & links can be found at: http://kristyoustalet.com/21 Mardi Gras in New Orleans is known as 'The Greatest Free Show on Earth' but this week's guest, Katrina Brees gives us a taste of the big bucks that goes into pulling it off and the immense amount of time and energy it takes to orchestrate this two week extravaganza. Don't let the 'free show' fool you, the Mardi Gras industry means big business.  One single float starts at $80k and can easily reach a half million dollar price tag.  Yes, just one. Katrina is an ambitious entrepreneur that handles all things Mardi Gras.  Her small business, I Heart Louisiana, never has a dull moment between: parade production, krewe management, krewe branding, booking entertainment and more.  All of the services her company provides, stays true to her ultimate mission to have the industry support local artists, creative solutions to cut waste and preserving the culture and tradition.   Shocking Mardi Gras Facts: - Mardi Gras festivities results in 50-100 tons of trash per day- Krewes spend an average of $56k per block in throws and most ends up in the trash- When the ports of China opened up in the mid 1990's nearly all of the throws are made cheaply and imported covered in pesticides.  Gross.   The good news is that I Heart Louisiana works year-round to find creative ways to transition us into a more sustainable carnival.  Putting artists first and elevating creativity and design are at the core of her business.  Here's a sampling of her solutions: - Reconstructing previously worn krewe costumes - Sourcing handcrafted keepsake throws, costumes and props by local artists - Partnerships with local food manufacturing- broker for the factories (who doesn't love an edible throw on the parade route?) - An advocate for quality over quantity + putting local artists and economy over importing - Dreaming up new fundraising techniques for krewes rather than the standard mark-up on beads.   #ACE

A.C.E. Episode #020Guest: Leah Kalamakis - Web Designer & Developer   Leah Kalamakis is a Web Designer and Developer who builds websites for women entrepreneurs that understand the value of a great website and are ready to GO PRO in their business.  In fact, she taught herself the ins and outs of the website world just so that she could make a clean break from her repetitive corporate job.    Leah got the education she needed, found a handful of test clients and learned along the way.  Overtime, she created her own little freelancing empire that allows her to continue living in France, frequently travel back to her hometown of Seattle and have a steady flow of income and clients to live the life that she wants. In addition to her website work, she jumpstarted the Freelance to Freedom Project- to inspire other freelancers to create a profitable and fun career. Leah's tips to get you from Freelance to Freedom: Tip #1:  Set a firm quit date.  You'll probably never feel 'ready' to let your security income go, but by setting a quit date you're able to create a game plan and 'make it work' when the time comes.  Most of us need a little push to take the leap. Tip #2:  Stop planning and do the work.  Its amazing what you learn from working with actual clients.  How can you get you first few clients (even if its a freebie for family + friends)? Tip #3:  Seek out collaboration projects and connections that can extend your reach to a new base of clients.  Bundle your services or partnering up and producing a new project with an expert with a similar type of audience makes it an exposure win-win.

Mallory started her artsy career creating reconstructed clothing and selling her custom items at craft fairs and markets. She quickly realized how difficult it was to scale her business by selling items that were so one-of-a-kind, and restructured as she began to think bigger about her small biz. Mallory’s revamp emerged as MissMalaprop.com in 2006 as a blog and online shop to promote her work and other artists and designers here in New Orleans.  Alongside her new online home base, she doubled up on exposure by selling other people’s art in local markets and her handmade jewelry at trunk shows, pop-up boutiques, and art markets. She’s been working both sides of the coin for nearly 10 years and it’s her strategy for getting her products and brand in front of a larger audience.   Mallory seeks out the art markets with audiences that are a perfect match for her products, all while plugging her blog and online shop in addition to web shoppers. Pretty smart, right? With so many makers participating in art markets, I asked Mallory some of her favorite tips from her ebook “How to Make Money at Craft Shows” Miss Malaprop says: Know who your ultimate customer is + ask yourself: would she be at the art market you’re applying to? Having trouble nailing down your target market?  Hint: It’s most likely a version of you. A good profit margin generally falls between 6- 10 times your booth fee.  But, find your sweet spot of what makes it beneficial to you. She keeps up with her numbers and has created a system to take killer notes and keep track of sales and costs. Always think about your business goals and if your current model is able to scale. Generally speaking, multiple streams of income alleviates pressure from any specific one.  Lagniappe Takeaways for any blogger or online storePaying attention to the numbers can be very revealing about your clients: Where people are coming from and into the site The keywords that direct them to the site… use them more! Knowing your most popular blog posts can guide what your audience is really digging and you can easily write more about that subject.  Double bonus points if you add backlinks beween articles.

My guest today is Michelle Ward- a certified coach that works with creative women through career transition.  She's a whiz at helping others see the 'light at the end of the tunnel' when you either: 1.) can't stand your job one more second or, 2.) you're ready to tackle you're dream career but need a solid game plan to see it through. We're not talking: "Leap and the net will appear" kind of mindset… this interview is dripping with real-life tips on how to turn your career around for 'real people' who don't have gobbs of money or investors waiting in the wings.  What to do when you feel like you can’t take your job one more minute… Take 20mins every morning to do something for yourself Get back to doing what you love + making your life doing things that you enjoy Take the lunch hour or whatever time you can for yourself while you're at your day job What is the perfect day job while your building a biz?: Don’t go looking for the Holy Grail of a day job, look for something that Leaves you with energy at the end of the day and gives you the bottom line necessities that you need. Michelle's tips on how to have 'An Effective Escape': It’s not about taking giant leaps off a cliff.  What will make you comfortable and confident to leave your job?  Start you 'own thing' in phases. Finances- going into your financing and spending and prioritize and figuring out the reality of the situation, you may be closer than you think. Talk to you partner/parents/support (because it affects them too).  Instead of dropping a bomb, come up with a gameplan the both of you can be comfortable with.  For instance, Michelle stuck with her day job until show saved up a 5 month severance for herself. Stop waiting for a lighting bolt with the angles singing moment to figure out what ‘that’ thing is.    

Laura Simms #017 Create As Folk.com Creative Career Coach Laura Simms is a career coach specifically for those who want to have a meaningful and a career with purpose.  Often times this situation leads down an entrepreneurial track, but it can be really confusing and downright intimating to figure all that out. In this interview, she walks us through her signature “Your Career Homecoming” process that she uses to guide her one-on-one coaching clients. She breaks it down into 3 main steps:1. You’ve gotta believe that’s possible to do what you love + be able to bring home the beacon.2. Digging deep and defining what gives is purposeful to you.3. Playing around with combinations of your strengths and talents + what you like to do + what people will pay you for… the         intersection of these three things are key to finding your sweet spot.

A.C.E. Adventures in Creative EntrepreneurshipEpisode #016Guest: Gary HirschImproviser + Artist   I was first introduced to this week’s guest, Gary Hirsch, on his biggest improv collaborative performance with the 3,000 member audience at Chris Guillebeau’s World Domination Summit in Portland this past summer.    Whoa.  Improv with 3,001 people… pretty impressive + he pulled it off seamlessly.  As a lead member in the international improv company: On Your Feet, Gary uses ‘applied improv’ with small business and even large corporations to positively affect all sorts of blocks such as: Stepping outside your comfort zone Communicating + Collaborating Keeping an audience engaged Idea generators for growth and even products And even building confidence in the face of uncertainty Geeze… that’s quite a list of things I can relate to.  Right?   So, I began to keep tabs on what he was working on… and stumbled upon his collaborative art project called Bot Joy.   A bot is a little robot drawing on the back of domino that take on little personas to bring things like joy, love, and inspiration to the carrier.  It all stemmed out of the simple need for Gary to doodle, but this mini army of bots really gets around. Its caught on so much that the bots have found their way into some serious swag bags such as the Golden Globes and MTV movie awards, brave bots are at bedsides of children in hospitals, and joy bots are currently being tracked traveling around the world.   I find it hugely inspiring that such a small piece of artwork on a domino has grabbed so much attention from a notably wide audience.    For you all you creatives out there looking to tackle a big project in 2014- I hope it will inspire you to start small + take action.  Gary’s improv inspired presenting + public speaking tips (unscripted): Its not all about you- focus on the audience be as optimistic as an improviser + assume something awesome is about to happen don’t be oblivious to what’s in the room by being over-prepared + lose the script let go + be present + connect with your audience

Today’s guest, Rob Hohne started down the path of Law school and decided to follow his curiosity into the world of urban gardening.  ((record scratch))  What makes a law student dream of having chickens, harvesting crops, and plowing land?  Well, I’ll let him tell you about that…  What I will say, is that he designed a successful kickstarter campaign to make it happen and has since expanded his project to his newest venture to a retail local and online store named Homestead. In this interview we dive into Bitcoin.  Rob accepts this alternative currency in the store and we take a look at how it all works from a retail perspective.  P.S.- If bitcoin hasn’t hit your radar yet, be sure to take a look.  It’s changing the perception of credit card & payment processing around the globe, it’s kind of a big deal.   He also gives us kick-ass strategies for a killer kickstarter campaign (sorry, couldn’t resist the pun).

April Bowles-Olin from blacksburgebelle.com she started out as  jewelry maker and Etsy was her platform of choice to dive into the biz world.  As April learned the business ropes, she picked up marketing skills for handmade products and selling strategies. After realizing that business side of things intrigued her a bit more than becoming a mini jewelry factory, she switched gears and began helping other artist design a business and lifestyle they truly want and enjoy. These days, she translates the latest marketing tips and strategies into tailored guides and advice for creative entrepreneurs. In this interview we talk about the 3 Sure-Fire Ways to grow your creative business (no marketing budget required). 1. Gut Check: Are you undervaluing your work?  April’s pricing tips: If you think you’re not charging enough.  You’re not charging enough. What are your competitors are charging + what makes yours different?  Make sure to communicate to your audience  what sets you apart in your product descriptions.   2.  Do more of what’s working. You need to do more of what’s working and less of what isn’t. Do you know what’s working for your biz?  Look for feedback and monitor your analytics to pinpoint what you’re customers want. 3. Really know your target market.  If you know your target market better than your competitors, you’re going to sell more.  Target what you’re doing to your ideal customer.   Just take an afternoon to do the work and your results will reflect.

Today’s guest is Carrie Liccardi who is the designer for her fashion line Pret-a-Porter.   After leaving New Orleans to learn about the industry in LA through schooling and practical work experience, Carrie returned to her hometown to inspire, launch, and grow her company.  We dive into what it takes to be a fashion designer, and all the lessons she has learned from launching multiple collections, signing on a business partner, and finding investors.

Today’s guest: Justin Shiels is the creator of GoInvade.com which started off as a lifestyle brand and side project to his full time job. He and his team of writers seek out some of the most interesting and sometimes even underground ways to explore New Orleans’ diverse culture scene and has grown a notable following.  But for Justin, it’s only the beginning. As the site started to grow, he saw it as a great opportunity to build revenue through passive income while keeping his full time job (an continues to expand his brand). In the interview, he goes on to talk about what his growing website has taught him: a lot about himself, his skill set, and allows him to see the best opportunities to build off of. 

Julia Hohne on Building Mrs. Vintage  Julia recently opened up a new storefront to showcase her event styling and vintage rentals business.  She takes us back to when Mrs. Vintage was a nugget of an idea and run out of an extra bedroom all while holding down a 9-5.  Julia shares some really great tips on how she pulled off her vision of her quaint vintage empire... while bringing home the bacon.

Collin Ferguson and Cat Todd (today's guests) are the founders of Where Y’Art- a Marketplace + Creative Services + Platform for Independent Local Artists.  They’ve been throwing teaser parties and highlighting artists through their social media campaign, but they are days away from launching their site in time for the holiday shopping season.

Dave Conrey: Media Strategist for Creative Entrepreneurs Dave is a media strategist for creative entrepreneurs + his resume comes with a ling list of experiences that carry creative biz street-cred.  In today's interview, we chat about overcoming resistance and mental obstacles that come along with creative pursuits.  Your takeaway: 3 key pointers to get out of your head and grow your biz.

Brett - handmade community leader Today's guest Brett from I AM THE LAB, clues us in on his killer formula call the Handmade Trifect.  For a successful handmade brand, focus on these things so you can het back to the studio and doing what you do best.

Miriam Ortiz y Pino is a Certified Professional Organizer that helps creative entrepreneurs gain control of their time and space.  Let's be honest, we all need a little help with that- don't we?  In this interview, we chat about why creative entrepreneurs cling to their clutter and Miriam's 'secret sauce' to running your business intead of it running you. Takeaway: 5 scalable systems that all entrepreneurs need to have in place to make our creative biz run smoothly

Loralee Hutton - Her Portable Biz Loralee untangles the start-up process and teaches us to simplify big ideas and swing into action.  After investing in over 50K in programs and products, she scaled way back and started her site on a shoestring budget.  Now she teaches others to do the same.   If you're stuck and your biz is being held hostage by your own excuses- Loralee is here to de-bunk them and rally you to take action.

In this interview, we dive into her insane business launch in 6 weeks and gained 1000 subscribers with nothing but authentic communication, opt-in box and a splash page. We chat about how this launch changed her personal life and the scope of future plans for her business  Throughout our conversation, Nikki touches on tips and tricks that you can implement in your own business.