Still Minimum Wage Podcast

It's our season 3 finale! Sam and Fifa drop back in the podcast to update you on what happened in their entrepreneur journey this year and give a preview of what's coming next in life, and for the Still Minimum Wage Podcast. Fifa shares where she made the biggest strides in her business: from having shiny object syndrome to making hard choices to protect her business. Courtney also confesses what the pivot from solopreneur to being business married to Sam has been like and how she got through one of the most anxious years of her life. But we end on a positive note: Our special guest Lisa stops by for a special announcement too! Connect with Fifa: @feimodern Connect with Lisa: @ellettestudio Connect with Sam: @awesamgram Connect with Courtney: @nowcallingcourtney -------------------- STAY CONNECTED: New episodes on Wednesdays! We want to hear what you got out of this episode: follow us on Instagram: @stillminimumwage Still Minimum Wage is a Swiftly Media LLC. Production. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

What do you say to taking chances? When we signed up for the entrepreneur life, we also signed up to saying yes to a series of risks, chances, and making decisions. Daily there are small and big things that we decide in our business. They may scare us when we don't have anyone to talk them through which is why Fifa Tran of Fei Modern, Joanne Ly of Minima Basics and Sara Vartanian wanted to join the Still Minimum Wage podcast to share their risky experiences, how they make decisions, and how to to get over taking a risk that doesn't pay off the way you hope it will. Fifa also shares how she's grown and changed since episode 2 when she didn't know who her target client was. It's another classic episode where we share the realness of what happens behind the scenes of being a solopreneur. Connect with Fifa: @feimodern Connect with Joanne: @minimabasics Connect with Sara: @saravartanian Connect with Courtney: @nowcallingcourtney --------------------- STAY CONNECTED: New episodes on Wednesdays! We want to hear what you got out of this episode: follow us on Instagram: @stillminimumwage Still Minimum Wage is a Swiftly Media LLC. Production. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

"Community over competition" is a common saying in the entrepreneur space but for the female entrepreneur, community is one important component of sticking with the business and not giving up: because the support through empathy that we can give each other makes us feel less alone. On this episode, Courtney is joined by Maryn Masumiya and Jasmine Ortiz to share how they've each received support as female creativepreneurs, how they have leaned in to help others out, and why we're not really into the boss babe movement. Maryn also shares several resources that help out woman-owned and AAPI businesses. Resources Mentioned: https://www.co-mrkt.com/ https://www.acepopup.com/ https://www.jointhecosmos.com/ https://goldhouse.org/gold-house-futures/ https://www.comcastrise.com Connect with Maryn : @kawaiicraftlady Connect with Jasmine: @jasminemariephoto Connect with Courtney: @nowcallingcourtney -------------------- STAY CONNECTED: New episodes on Wednesdays! We want to hear what you got out of this episode: follow us on Instagram: @stillminimumwage Still Minimum Wage is a Swiftly Media LLC. Production. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

Let's talk money money money today. Landing on your pricing can be a huge source of insecurity and stress for you in your business. We put pressure to get it right: charge to little and you end up burnt out and if you charge too much you could price yourself out. The common advice given to solve that is to "charge your worth" - however, we are questioning that advice and talking about our mistakes with charging for our services with our panel that has over 25 years of combined experience. Sara Vartanian, Kaysha Weiner, Shavavian Allister, Michelle A. Whyte and Courtney Chow each share how they first approached charging for their services, times they regretted giving discounts and how to mentally prepare yourself for getting rejected. We also have two recommendations at the end of the episode for books to help with your own mindset. Connect with Kaysha: @kayshaweiner Connected with Michelle: @themichelleawhyte Connect with Sara: @saravartanian Connect with Shavavian: @shavavian.allister Connect with Courtney: @nowcallingcourtney -------------------- STAY CONNECTED: New episodes on Wednesdays! We want to hear what you got out of this episode: follow us on Instagram: @stillminimumwage Still Minimum Wage is a Swiftly Media LLC. Production. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

Not all launches are equal which means that you don't need a 5 figure launch of a service to be successful. The reality is that launching is a scary part of selling our services and that's why we went to the pro to wrap our mind around how to do it without feeling sleezy or inauthentic. Sara Vartanian is a launch copywriter and shares not only some unique approaches to launching some services but also our we can adjust our mindset about what a successful launch looks like...and the reality is that it can mean whatever you want it to, and you don't have to follow the blueprint of celeb entrepreneurs. By learning to listen and gauge your energy, you can find the motivation to sell your services with heart. Sara also shares her launch playbook as our free resource of the week! Sara's Instagram: @saravartanian Sara's Website: https://www.saravartanian.com/ Courtney's Instagram: @nowcallingcourtney -------------------- STAY CONNECTED: New episodes on Wednesdays! We want to hear what you got out of this episode: follow us on Instagram: @stillminimumwage Still Minimum Wage is a Swiftly Media LLC. Production. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

When you have a million things going on in your head as you try to run your business, how do you keep track of them so things actually get done? Getting organized feels like an obvious need for solopreneurs and today we're talking about one of the ways to do that: which is bullet journaling. Our host Sam nerds out about bullet journaling with Lisa Aihara, the boss-lady at Ellette Studio to talk about the importance of recording your wins and to do it in a way that allows flexibility. We also talk about how to get started with Courtney, a bullet journal newbie by getting tips, which Lisa shares about in her article on bullet journaling here. Connect with Lisa: @ellettestudio Connect with Sam: @awesamgram Connect with Courtney: @nowcallingcourtney -------------------- STAY CONNECTED: New episodes on Wednesdays! We want to hear what you got out of this episode: follow us on Instagram: @stillminimumwage Full episode transcripts: www.stillminimumwage.com Still Minimum Wage is a Swiftly Media LLC. Production. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

We have to do it all and do it for as cheap as possible when we first start is what a lot of us entrepreneurs think. And then when we have “quote un quote” made it we can bring on someone to help us and stop doing all the things. But is that really how outsourcing works when you're an entrepreneur. Gather round our table with our group of service providers, Jeanine Wilson, Nicole Toledo, Fifa Tran and Courtney Chow, who have both outsourced work in our own businesses, and worked with clients in an outsourcing capacity ourselves. Hear the good experiences that helped us in our businesses, which tasks you should outsource, what you need to consider when working with someone on your business, and the important question: "When should you outsource?" Free Resource: Training with Jeanine on how to attract more people with your website is available here: https://www.jwilsondigitalstudio.com/free-website-training Learn More About Jeanine: https://www.instagram.com/jwilsondigitalstudio/ Learn More About Nicole: https://www.instagram.com/itsnicoletoledo/ Learn More About Fifa: https://www.instagram.com/feimodern/ Learn More About Courtney: https://www.instagram.com/nowcallingcourtney/ ------------------------- Have questions or want to reach us? Our Instagram is always open for comments: https://www.instagram.com/stillminimumwage/ Still Minimum Wage is a Swiftly Media LLC. Production. Copyright 2022. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

How do you run a business on both the good and bad days when you are prone to anxiety and struggle to manage your mental health? Does that struggle make you a bad entrepreneur? We don't think so: we just have to learn how to respond to and process our anxious thoughts, and worries and that's why we appreciate the tools and suggestions that business life coach Jazmin Guerrero shares in this episode with Courtney. They talk about how important restorative sleep is, what to do when you find anxiety clinging to you during the day, and how to handle anxiety when you work with clients. Connect with Jazmin: @jazminguerreroconsulting Connect with Courtney: @nowcallingcourtney -------------------- STAY CONNECTED: New episodes on Wednesdays! We want to hear what you got out of this episode: follow us on Instagram: @stillminimumwage Full episode transcripts: www.stillminimumwage.com Still Minimum Wage is a Swiftly Media LLC. Production. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

When you work with people, it's a hard line to walk between being of service and being a people pleaser and that's why we NEEDED this conversation about boundaries with clients. Lisa Aihara, Maryn Masumiya, and Ashley Kang join Courtney to share the ways they've failed to say no to a client and regretted it and what they have learned in the process. With lots of giggles and a dose of group therapy, they also talk about how self-care practice and CEO days help to have a solid perspective on what their boundaries should be and be able to reframe objections. They share responses to asks in a way that isn't scary and prevents overextending themselves as entrepreneurs. Plus, lots of tips on how to communicate your boundaries to your clients! Connect with Lisa: @ellettestudio Connect with Ashley: @ahkbusinessmanagement Connect with Maryn: @kawaiicraftlady Connect with Courtney: @nowcallingcourtney -------------------- STAY CONNECTED: New episodes on Wednesdays! We want to hear what you got out of this episode: follow us on Instagram: @stillminimumwage Full episode transcripts: www.stillminimumwage.com Still Minimum Wage is a Swiftly Media LLC. Production. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

What is it like trying to build a business in a boss babe culture while having parents that know and see your every move: on both the good and bad days? In this intimate interview between biz buddies, Jasmine Marie Ortiz and Courtney Chow, they share the struggles of building and proving to themselves and their families that they have actual businesses. They also reflect on how living at home has been beneficial to the start-up phase of their pandemic businesses and how they respond every time their parents send them a link to a job they should apply to. Connect with Jasmine on Instagram: @jasminemariephoto Connect with Courtney: @nowcallingcourtney -------------------- STAY CONNECTED: New episodes on Wednesdays! We want to hear what you got out of this episode: follow us on Instagram: @stillminimumwage Full episode transcripts: www.stillminimumwage.com Still Minimum Wage is a Swiftly Media LLC. Production. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

You've reached the end of your college career, and you want to pursue your entrepreneurial or corporate career dreams. But should you pursue your passion or pursue your paycheck? Or, do you have to choose? Many college graduates are considering forgoing traditional 9-to-5 jobs and striking out on their own. But if you do decide to go this route, there are pros and cons to consider. To help with those comparisons, explore both sides of the debate. The Still Minimum Wage roundtable guests Lisa Aihara and Wendy Leung join host Courtney Chow to talk about the realities of what entrepreneurship actually is like and share what their journeys have been to entrepreneurship after graduating and doing some career exploration even after they started their careers and give their advice to the class of 2022. More about Lisa Aihara on Instagram: @ellettestudio More about Wendy Leung on Instagram: @wendyleung.co More about Courtney Chow on Instagram: @nowcallingcourtney -------------------- STAY CONNECTED: New episodes on Wednesdays! We want to hear what you got out of this episode: follow us on Instagram: @stillminimumwage Full episode transcripts: www.stillminimumwage.com Still Minimum Wage is a Swiftly Media LLC. Production. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

We take a beat to gather around the Still Minimum Wage studio to process and share our thoughts on the struggles, realities, and opportunities of being a woman of color entrepreneur in America. Collectively we are still figuring out what our opinions are and when to voice our opinions, along with supporting each other during a tragic week in the U.S. But we come together to share our stories as WOC and to share ideas for how we can use our brands and platforms to not just be businesswomen but to be an influence for good as we hold space for each other in processing our feelings. Follow Lisa Aihara on Instagram: @ellettestudio Follow Shavavian Allister on Instagram: @shavavian.allister Follow Ashley Kang on Instagram: @ahkbusinessmanagement Follo Courtney Chow on Instagram: @stillminimumwage --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

There are ebbs, flows, and seasons in small business, and hearing "no" or feeling like things aren't working out can set us back If you ever feel like you're doing it all wrong anytime you hear "No" from a client, this episode will help you. As an entrepreneur of 20 years, Michelle A. Whyte (event planner of Ambiance Events and Chief Etiquette Officer) joins the Still Minimum Wage crew to give us some perspective on what is enough in terms of success and winning instead of absorbing pressure from the world. We talk about how to redefine what we perceive as rejection, to get comfortable with being patient, and review data to help understand what going on before we make big emotional decisions and the fact that you have permission to change your mind about who you are serving and what we're doing. Subscribe for new episodes on Wednesdays! ------- Learn more about Michelle A. Whyte: Michelle's Website Connect with Courtney Chow of Swiftly Media: @swiftlymedia Connect with Sam Masinsin: @awesamgram See the full episode transcript on www.stillminimumwage.com ----------------- Chat with us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/StillMinimumwage Have a pitch or want to be on the show? stillminimumwage@gmail.com Produced by Swiftly Media LLC. Copyright 2022 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

Becoming your own boss doesn't happen overnight. While we entrepreneurs dream of freedom, we don't realize how much our corporate schedule and life have shaped our perspective of working hard, titles, and managing our time to name just a few ways. Learning to be the queen bee and not just a little worker bee to run your own business might sound like a dream but it does take some time and mindset shifts. That's why we're going to be talking about transitioning to a CEO with Fifa Tran, and Jaime Bartol, leadership coach for women. We talk about how Moana was a leader that we admire, why we feel like we're wasting time even though we're not, how we view the leadership titles that we assign ourselves. Connect with Jaime Bartol: @jaimebartol Connect with Fifa Tran of Fei Modern: @feimodern Connect with Courtney Chow of Swiftly Media: @swiftlymedia Subscribe for new episodes on Wednesdays! See the full episode transcript on www.stillminimumwage.com ----------------- Chat with us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/StillMinimumwage Have a pitch or want to be on the show? stillminimumwage@gmail.com Produced by Swiftly Media LLC. Copyright 2022 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

Let's talk about making boss moves: by working ON your business and not just in your business. Ashley Kang from AHK Business Management joins us on this expert episode to give us permission to take care of ourselves with CEO days in our businesses in the Season 3 premiere of Still Minimum Wage. We're back this season and keeping it real with resources and conversations about mindset so that we can set ourselves up to succeed in the long haul. ---------------- Get the show notes & transcript on our website: Episode 13 of Still Minimum Wage Connect with Ashley Kang I AHK Business Management Website Ashley's Instagram: @ahkbusinessmanagement Free Resource: The Time Audit Worksheet Connect with us on Instagram and let us know what you liked the best about our conversation: www.instagram.com/stillminimumwage --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

Whether you call it a Mastermind or accountability, success as a solopreneur can be easier when you have a community of like-minded people to talk shop with. Michelle Kop of Level 28 Media joins this episode to talk about how she went looking for that community and how she came to join our Boba Boss Mastermind. She shares what she's gotten out of our meetings, the types of masterminds she's tried before, what it's been like getting to know us, and what she found when she was looking to help her business. We also share what the most valuable things are that we get out of connecting with fellow female entrepreneurs. Get to know Michelle and access her free resource: How to 10x Your Phone Call Leads Using Google Ads on her website: https://level28media.com/ Want to join the conversation and our community? Follow us on Instagram: Still Minimum Wage (www.instagram.com/stillminimumwage) Interested in being a guest? Email us at: stillminimumwage@gmail.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

Coaching is the path to scaling your business....or so we thought. Join us as we share the ups and downs of our attempt at launching a group coaching program called Tiny Audience Big Impact (a.k.a. TABI) which was intended to help service providers get a grasp of how to make strategic content for Instagram. Spoiler alert: We ended up canceling the program and this episode explains why and what we learned about being a coach and why it's not the right thing for us as a business. ____________________________ STAY CONNECTED: New episodes on Wednesdays! We want to hear what you got out of this episode! Follow us on Instagram: @stillminimumwage This episode is produced by Swiftly Media LLC. 2022. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

If you've heard that digital products are the key to a scalable business but aren't sure where to start, this episode is for you! The queen of digital products, Molly Ho, drops tons of knowledge and insight about the reality of starting to sell digital products, why you still need to work on sales mindset, how much of your success will depend on marketing, and why she values time over money. As creative entrepreneurs who love to make things, we were inspired by all the on-air coaching that Molly did and now know what pitfalls to avoid as we explore adding to our offering suite. You can listen to more of Molly on her podcast, Keep Getting Better, and get connected to her on Instagram at @mollyhostudio. ____________________________ STAY CONNECTED: New episodes on Wednesdays! We want to hear what you got out of this episode: follow us on Instagram: @stillminimumwage Still Minimum Wage is a Swiftly Media LLC. Production. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

How would you spend your next $2K in your small business? In this mini-episode, we, your small biz besties, share how we would use that money and what we would want out of that investment. We talk about coaching programs we have bought into and people we have hired (including each other!) Listen in for inspiration on how to spend your marketing budget, if you're a fellow entrepreneur. ____________________________ Stay connected: follow us on Instagram @stillminimumwage --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

In this episode, we are joined by Hillary Jeanne, brand photographer and business coach to talk about a common struggle among entrepreneurs: imposter syndrome. She shares how she overcame imposter syndrome when she first became a photographer and how that equipped her to not only face it as a new coach but gives practical tips for those of us who question our ability, as creative entrepreneurs, to deliver on our own businesses. Hillary also provides a free resource to photographers at the end of the episode. ------ Learn more about Hillary Jeanne: Website: https://hillaryjeanne.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hillary_jeanne/ Get a link to her free resource on her website Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stillminimumwage/ Want to be a Guest on the show: stillminimumwage@gmail.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

Entrepreneurs chronically want to chase their newest idea or level up to the next thing in business and we are no exceptions. Also known as "Shiny Object Syndrome" refers to both wanting to buy this next new thing that we think is going to improve our life or solve our problems. Or alternatively, it could have been like seeing someone doing something really well and thinking, wow, I could, I should do that. However, for entrepreneurs that are starting out, getting distracted by these new things can set you back financially or in focusing on the important things you need to. In this episode (our first of Season 2!) Courtney confesses the last time she was tempted to invest in something shiny and exciting while Fifa talks about how she invested in something that moved her business forward. Sam gives tips for how to avoid shiny object syndrome and why you need to get the return on the coaches, programs, and things you choose to invest in. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

In this episode, we conclude our first season of the Still Minimum Wage podcast talking about our hopes and plans for the upcoming months as we continue to grow our businesses. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

In this episode, it's a round table where we share the honest truth about where we're at in our business currently. Unlike all the gurus out there who love selling you the dream, we want to share the raw reality of what our day to day looks like and where our mindsets are at currently. Even though we've made some progress, we've got a long ways to go. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

In this episode, Sam is in the hot seat. Her business challenge is feeling burnt out while running her design business and losing her inspiration. It's a trendy topic in the world of entrepreneurship. In this episode, we explore what does burnout look like and some ways to combat it before and after it happens. ____________________________ Connect with us on Instagram and let us know how burnout effects you: @stillminimumwage --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

What do you do when people say they like what you're doing and admire your business but don't quite seem interested in working with you? You might have heard of the friend zone in dating, but it seems this can happen when running your own business too. In this episode, Courtney is in the hot seat. Her business challenge is not asking for the sale due to a disconnect between her current audience and her offer. ____________________________ Have you been friend zoned? Let us know on Instagram: @stillminimumwage --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

We test the advice "The riches are in the niches". In this episode, Fifa is in the hot seat. Her current entrepreneurship struggle is not having a "niche". We discuss the common approach to choosing a niche, and we propose an alternative perspective on niching that allows us to stand out as a unique service provider without shutting out potential clients. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support

We kick off our first episode by introducing our 3 hosts: Courtney, Fifa, and Sam. We also share how our Asian upbringing influences our entrepreneurial journeys and what we learned by not sticking to the same path that our parents may have wanted to for us - and why we don't regret starting our own small businesses. Meet Courtney: Social strategist Meet Fifa: Brand and website designer Meet Sam: Instagram brand designer --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stillminimumwage/support