That's So On-Brand: The Podcast

Introducing Jill Rothenberg! Jill is a pilates instructor and the owner of Movement With Jill, a virtual/in-person pilates studio based in Boston, MA. She's also a mental health advocate and believes that the body and mind go hand in hand and work together. In this episode we talk about... how many people don't workout for aesthetics and that our fitness goals often change throughout our lives how finding a designer who knows your brand and shares your values makes for an even more positive experience how different instructors will be a better fit for you than others and why that's okay how a toxic studio environment and witnessing friends going off on their own inspired her to start her own business how social media makes it so difficult to not compare your body and life to other people how you should ask someone you may potentially work with what their credentials are before committing how the pandemic and quarantine have created many more unique issues for our bodies and that science is always evolving how she handles running a business and having a social media presence with anxiety (and as an introvert!) how depression and helplessness were at the root of her fitness journey, and how sharing her traumas with others has allowed her to build a supportive community and find like minded people how setting app time limits has been helpful in managing time and burnout You can follow Jill on Instagram @movementwith_jill - and if you resonate with her message, check out her on demand class membership on her website movementwithjill.com!

Welcoming Mac Dingle to the podcast! Mac is a content creator, content curator, and vlogger. Most recently she's been sharing her infertility journey so she can connect with and help others going through the same struggles. In this episode, we talk about... how her environment has a big impact on her content's visual aesthetic and how it's always evolving how burnout in the corporate world and poor mental health lead her to explore other career paths how the discovery of Twitch and Zoella's channel on YouTube inspired her to start her own lifestyle vlogging journey what it was like opening up to strangers on the internet for the first time how amazing it has been to connect with other like minded people on the internet and, on the flipside, how tough it can be to deal with negativity how she responds to trolls and "kills them with kindness" instead of starting fights with and wasting energy how important it is for content creators to be paid for the work and content that they make how social media is always changing and how "hopping on trends" can be stressful but often is worth the experiment (her latest experiment being YouTube shorts) how going "viral" should never be the goal because it rarely connects you with ideal clients and so much more! We also reminisce about the good ol Facebook days (remember poking??), and our mutual love for the state of Maine. Mac is a breath of fresh air in this negative, chaotic world! I highly recommend connecting with her on her various channels: just search "Mac Dingle" on Instagram, Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok (she's the only one!)

Welcoming Dr. Sara Gagne, DC, CertMDT, to the podcast! Sara is a chiropractor and the owner of Boston Spine and Performance. She has special interest in disc injuries, extremity pain, athletic recovery, and empowering patients to become the best versions of themselves. In this episode we talk about: how she is proud to be a Bostonian and how she wanted to incorporate that pride into her visual brand. why she included "performance" in the name and how the visual branding process can be long and expensive, but is so worthwhile how burnout as a pre-med student led her to explore different healthcare career opportunities how her pandemic lay off caused her to self-reflect and pushed her to start her own practice how the chiropractic profession is super polarized between "straight" doctors who rely on adjustments only and "mixers" who mix modalities in their care the fact that there are philosophy-based schools and evidence-based schools, and why you should work with a professional who went to the latter how chiropractic schools often integrate learning entrepreneurial skills into their curriculum my own personal experience working with a chiropractor and how it kickstarted my healing from a chronic back injury how building a brand consists of every interaction you have: whether it's in-person or on social media the inherent healing quality of human touch how avoiding burnout as a solo entrepreneur is always a struggle and how outsourcing some of the admin work has been so helpful for her Be sure to connect with her on Instagram @bostonspine, and learn more about her business on her website at bostonspineperformance.com. If you're interested in working with Sara check out her office on Boylston Street!

Introducing Lara Days, a holistic health and life coach whose mission is to dismantle diet culture. She helps her clients feel empowered in their bodies and lives through education, support, and tons of unlearning. In this episode we talk about her musical and athletic background and about her business' transition from being solely nutrition-focused to more deep, holistic health coaching (and how selling intangible healing is not always easy!) We also talked about how doing CrossFit shifted her perspective on what healthy bodies look like, how frustrating it is that we are not taught accurate nutrition information in school, and the fact that people work out for other reasons other than to shrink their bodies and lose weight. So many people think that green smoothies and magic pills will help them feel good in their bodies, but ultimately, "mowing the lawn while your house is on fire" (i.e. doing the fancy/complicated things instead of focusing on good sleep/good nutrients/moving your body) won't heal your gut. She asked me an interesting question about the ethics behind running a business and making decisions that align with your core beliefs, and we discussed how it can be difficult to make a living while also keeping our integrity intact. Lara explains how it comes naturally for her to share her personal side on the 'gram and how it's been a fabulous way to meet and stay connected with people. She believes that if we want people to open up to us, we need to open up to them, and that vulnerability is hard but necessary for deep connections. We end our conversation on a positive note and talk about why she believes a shift is happening in regards to body diversity and acceptance (fingers crossed!) Oh, and we somehow got on the topic of our mutual pet peeve: when clients misspell or mispronounce our names (especially in emails!!! Come on people!!). Be sure to follow her on Instagram @lara.days and be on the lookout for details on her relaunched signature group coaching program called Nutrition Empowerment Project!

Episode 34 is live! Introducing Erica Resha, owner and creator of FITISH Activewear! FITISH sells activewear, loungewear and tarnish-proof jewelry. I've had the pleasure of working with Erica to create some awesome, gorgeous products (that I actually get to wear!) It's been months in the making to get this busy woman on the podcast, and I am excited to finally share her contagious energy with the world! In this episode, we talked about why FITish was created, her blog beginnings, how COVID affected her personally and professionally, and why quality-testing all her products is of the utmost importance. We then dug into the fitness and fashion industries and how you can't tell how healthy someone is just by their appearance, her love for empowering women, and why representation is so important to have in the fashion industry. We talked about how self-reflection and working through her insecurities has helped her build resilience, her love/hate relationship with Instagram, and why it's so important to surround ourselves with supportive people. With the holiday season approaching we should all keep in mind the different ways we can support our friends' businesses without spending money! Follow her on Instagram @fitish_activewear and shop her products on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/FITISHactive. And stay tuned for her new website coming soon!

Introducing Lindsey Singleton! Lindsey is the owner of Lighthouse Coaching & Consulting, where she runs a mental health private practice and does coaching and public speaking! She uses her business as a platform to work with adolescents, adults, athletes, etc. through transitions (whether that's going into college, leaving college, athletes struggling with identity transitions as they leave their sport, and more) Prior to starting her own business, she spent 14 years as a director of a college counseling center. In this episode we talk about: The variety of reasons (such as COVID changing the college landscape) that caused her to pursue her own business The importance of intervention AND prevention when it comes to many mental health struggles How MY transition into college was a tough one (and why finding my "people" was key) Creating spaces in higher education where you can authentically have conversations about hard sh*t while allowing individuals to own their struggles The idea that anyone can be a leader and how she aimed to create more mentors and leaders while working in higher education How we over-pathologize our symptoms and feelings and how that can be harmful to our mental health journey How we can build resilience and strengthen mental health "muscles" by dealing with our emotions The symbolism behind the Lighthouse brand and the enormous impact a previous program by the same name had on her life personally and professionally The fact that things will always change around you that are outside of your control - but you have the power to write your own story and create positivity out of it How designers need to give their clients permission to trust themselves even though they aren't a graphic designer and say "no, I don't like this" How it's difficult to break into the public speaking industry and how politics and money often make it difficult to get in front of populations that need the most help Why it's so difficult lately to find a therapist with openings (!!) Oh, and our mutual beef with meditation. Lindsey is SO passionate about what she does and I can speak from personal experience when I say she is an incredible speaker! Get in touch with her at lighthousecc.info and to learn more about her services (or to bring her on as a speaker!)

Everyone, meet Courtney Schwabe! Courtney is a Brand Designer and the owner of Contraire Studio, a branding studio based in Somerville, MA. Contraire helps clients with brand creation and identity for new businesses as well as brand activation: think websites, marketing materials, package design, and more. Contraire recently partnered with Selma Blair (!!) on a Guided Beauty campaign and Courtney loves working with consumer product brands. In this episode we talked about what it's like working for agencies and how a string of unhealthy work environments led her to start her own studio. We chatted about the branding process and how ultimately getting help from other creatives was key in establishing her own unique visual brand. We dove into our mutual struggles with the concept of work credit and how the right people rarely get the recognition that they deserve for the work they've done (lots of gray area in the age of social media - where are the guidelines for crediting?!) Speaking of social media - we talked about how she's still figuring out how she wants to use her social platforms and the various questions she consistently asks herself, such as ""why am I creating? What is the reason for posting this? Am I just checking a box?"" Having a business definitely adds even more pressure for us to show up online, which can work against our personal needs and desires. We also talked about doing what you truly want to do vs. what comes easy - and the dangers of saying yes to things that aren't the best fit. It was so much fun to reconnect with Courtney (we went to high school together!) and talk about design and business. If you want to learn more about her studio go to contrairestudio.com (and be sure to follow her biz on the 'gram @contrairestudio! Her work is incredible!

Introducing Morgan Davis! Morgan is the creator of Notably Vegan, a vegan and gluten free blog. Morgan and I worked together in 2021 to create her blog's visual brand, and it was SO much fun! In this episode we talked about the branding process and why we went in a direction that was less in-your-face shades of green and more elegant, natural, and earthy. We then discussed her vegan journey and her tips for starting the transition. As a vegan myself, we both agreed that taking it slow and partnering up with someone throughout the process will make it a much more successful endeavor. We also talked about her transition from the corporate world of burnout to a more aligned lifestyle where she is following her passions as well as doing "the thing" even though it's scary! The mental energy it takes to start a business and work through each obstacle is immense, but so worth it! Morgan and I also chatted about how social media has fit into her business and the comparison traps that we all fall into on Instagram. In the end, as long as we are serving our audience, providing value, and asking for feedback we are doing our job! Check out Morgan's amazing blog notablyvegan.com and be sure to follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest @notablyvegan !

Introducing Justin Russell to the podcast! Justin is the Co-Founder of both Digital Philly and Ranked.Legal, and is a Philly-based Search Engine Optimization specialist. In this episode we talked about how he got into the SEO world and what made him finally take the leap to start his own business. We also talked about why "selling himself" has been a struggle from the beginning and about the differences between Zoom networking and in-person networking (particularly BNI). We dove into branding and what that process was like for his two separate businesses, how branding is so much more than your colors/logo/fonts, and how good design is rarely complicated. While digging into the topic of social media I learned that he prefers Twitter the most out of all of the platforms, and that there's a new argument in the SEO world about how TikTok could be the future of SEO! He also expressed his struggles with anxiety at the beginning of his entrepreneurship journey, and I appreciated our conversation about how starting a business is a massive privilege for us both. Need SEO consulting? Go to ranked.legal or email justin@ranked.legal to see how he and his team can help. And if you're on Twitter, be sure to connect with him @JusRusSeo. I really enjoyed this conversation - on top of being a fabulous human that I am so happy to have been connected to, there is so much to learn from him always!

Everyone, meet Traci Townsend! Traci is the owner of Fitness with Traci, a fitness and nutrition coaching business focusing on women over the age of 50. She's here to tell us all that we're never too old, out of shape, or busy for fitness! In this episode we talked about what sparked her desire for a rebrand, how the people around us help us see who we are and why we're special, and how fitness looks different for everyone. Traci spent 33 years in K-12 public education (she just retired!) so we chatted all about what went into her decision to pursue her passion for fitness and nutrition at age 56, as well as about following passions and seeing where it takes you (oh, and our mutual love for Precision Nutrition!) We talked about why trying to do everything perfectly is actually working against your progress, how she has used social media to meet new people and build her business, how social media promotes false realities and makes people feel bad about not reaching their goals quicker, and why building a recognizable brand can take time and lots of patience. We also agreed that following up with people who interact with you in the DMs leads to more engaging conversations, and why it's important to poll your audience and see why they follow you (it may surprise you!). Listen now to hear her school me on calling her an "older woman" on social media (LOL)! Traci is on Instagram @fitnesswithtraci. Give her a follow and be on the lookout for more information on her upcoming webinar in August all about nutrition! She also has availability for 1-1 virtual coaching!

Meet Danielle Kroot - Physical therapist, run coach, and owner of Starting Line, a PT and Run Studio in Portland, Maine. In this episode we covered a lot! I loved talking all about her brand - creating a mark that encompasses ALL of her services, what the rebranding process was like, choosing a color palette, and the differences between branding for an in-person fitness studio vs. an online business. We chatted about how she fell naturally into working with the running community as a PT, how being a running PT eventually evolved into the run studio in Maine today, why the "quick fix" mentality is dangerous, and on the flipside how some PTs make people fearful to get back into fitness after injury. We then talked about why sustainable habit changes make the biggest difference in preventing and treating injuries, why providers need to treat people like individuals within their own personal ecosystems and not solely rely on patterns, and why you need to advocate for yourself (especially as women!) Danielle explains why batching social media content does not work for her, how becoming a new mom has transformed her business and opened up new opportunities, and why comparison traps have been the devil! Be sure to follow her on Instagram @runfitdoc (personal account), @startingline207 (Portland, Maine run studio), and @race.ready.running (virtual run coaching) And moms, be on the lookout for the launch of her Moms Run Stronger Program, coming in October! This 12 week virtual program is perfect for moms looking to get back into running postpartum.

Meet Courtney Beggs! Courtney is a professor at Curry College and owner of Education Together Consulting, where she helps families navigate the college admissions process. This involves SO many steps: asking a lot of questions/getting to know the students individually (and their unique needs, learning styles, and goals), researching and presenting 8-10 schools that would be a good fit, prepping for campus visits, essay writing, financial aid analysis and more! In this episode we talked about how so many students don't fully comprehend student loans and the cost of higher education, how guidance counselors are often outnumbered 400:1 by students (yes, 400:1!), and why college admissions consulting is often financially out of reach for most families (and what she is doing to challenge that!) We also discussed how she came up with the name of her business, and why she purposefully didn't use collegiate colors and a corporate style to brand her services. Courtney also talks about why collaboration is the key to her clients' success, how COVID affected colleges and students, and how one opportunity to work with a student led to this new, exciting career path! A pillar of her core values is social justice, so we also discussed that although going to college is a cultural norm for most rich white people, students of color are often far less encouraged to go to college at all. We wrapped up our conversation talking about stereotypes of female professors, why it's important to not only share feedback AFTER you get results but also THROUGHOUT the process of getting there, how we can reframe our life narratives with the help of outside perspectives, and how word of mouth referrals will always be her best client source. If you have a sophomore or junior high school student or know someone who is anxious about the college application process, email courtney.beggs@curry.edu or call/text her at 774-218-7195 with any questions! And be sure to give her a follow on instagram @courtney_beggs for more inspiring educational content.

Introducing Mike Iamele! Mike helps people map their lived experiences and figure out what they are most sensitive to - so that they can succeed in all areas of their life. Mike has an incredible life story - I'm so honored to have him on the podcast. He went from being an uber successful company partner at age 24 to vomiting blood and totally rethinking his life trajectory. One blog post and failed course launch changed everything! In this episode we talk about the similarities between his work and the branding world, how to figure out what you do subconsciously every time you are successful, how your essence naturally infuses into your business, and why language and word choice is so important. We also chatted about desires vs. needs and why his work is different than values work, where the term "mapping sensitivities" came from, and how your brand can show up differently depending on the medium (think podcasts, on social media, in-person, on your website) but that it should ALWAYS feel authentically you. He considers himself a "bad" millennial and wasn't on Instagram until last year, so we had fun talking about that transition (his reels are fantastic!) You'll also LOVE his advice for anyone who has ever been told that they are too much... and his funny story! Follow Mike on Instagram at @mikeiamele for all the queer shame content, and check out his free Mapping resource at http://www.mikeiamele.com/map!

Everyone, meet Jocelyn! Jocelyn is the owner of Prosperity Accounting. She provides small businesses with accounting, bookkeeping, financial reporting, taxes, and payroll services (what she declares "the boring stuff," though with her bubbly personality it's far from it!) In this episode we talk about her thought process behind the name, and why she decided not to use green in her branding (in an industry where it's used far too often!) We also talked about how to use your numbers and money to drive business decisions, why the traditional ways of doing accounting don't work for the modern business owner, and why accounting and bookkeeping information is gatekept from the average person. We then dove into her early days of working at Market Basket (which led her to the accounting field!) We both agree that showing up face to camera on social media can be tough on the days you just simply don't feel like it, and how it can be hard to balance being an "authority" in the online space while also feeling like you don't know everything. Of course we chatted about how her excel skills come in handy in real life scenarios, why excel is superior to Google sheets, and why we wish we both spent less $$ on dolls, toys, and iTunes songs in our childhood (LOL!) Be sure to follow her on Instagram @prosperity_accounting - and check out her "Taking Care of Business Template Trio" for solo biz-owners who are struggling to manage their business' accounting. She's also taking on new bookkeeping clients for the summer (so jump on it!!)

Meet Corey McMullen, outdoor product photographer located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire! Corey and I graduated from high school together (feels like SO long ago now) and I had the pleasure of working with him last year on his business cards! In this episode we discussed if business cards are truly necessary at this point since so many of us work remotely, how post-production has always been his biggest challenge, what it means to "shoot the edit," how he ended up in the photography field without going to school to study it, how he has combined his love for both photography and hiking into a successful career, and how pricing your services is always nerve wracking. We also talked about how burnout makes it a struggle to dedicate time for social media, how our creative styles are always adapting and hard to define, and why it's great to have connections to other professionals in your industry to refer non-ideal clients to. Oh, and of course we talked about his various sunrise hikes and his favorite peaks in the White Mountains. ;) I highly recommend giving him a follow on the 'gram @coreyoutdoors because his work is INCREDIBLE. You can also check out his website www.coreydavidphotography.com.

Introducing John Griffin, therapist and aspiring rockstar of The Maladaptive (who aspires to make mental health sexy!) In this episode we talk about the meaning behind the band name, the visual direction of their album art, how therapy and music intertwine in his life and how his traumatic background led him down the road to being a mental health professional. We also talk about music and the commercialization of it, the affect capitalism has on the mental health industry, why burnout is so rampant nowadays, and what it's like being a man in a female-dominated industry. John also speaks to his struggles with ADHD and how that affects his life and career, learning how to manage depression and emotions in a world that doesn't encourage men to do so, how social media and technology make us feel like we need to be "on" constantly. Ultimately, when it comes to political debates and disagreements we both agree that it's less about trying to convince people to change their minds in the moment and more about planting seeds so they can come to their own conclusions later. A question for the audience... would you rather be blissfully ignorant or know everything and be angry and depressed? Let us know, we're still trying to figure it out... :) I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation and I know you all will too! Thanks so much for coming on the podcast without even knowing who the heck I am, John! You're the best! Be sure to give him a follow @themaladaptive and to give his music a listen on Spotify, Apple, Bandcamp... wherever you listen!

It was so much to have Ruby Wallace-Ewing, owner of Ruby Jean Photography, on the podcast! Ruby is a photographer with a speciality in creative portraiture. In this episode we chat about why she chose to rebrand her photography business last year, what it was like to pivot from wedding photography to creative portraiture, her signature goddess sessions, and what it's like being raised in an artsy family and being encouraged to explore your creativity from a young age. We also talked about why the fear of pursuing a career in the arts caused her to study psychology in college her freshman year, how Instagram ultimately skyrocketed her business, how she feels that there is enough work out there for every photographer, and her thoughts on the "community over competition" concept. We then talked about her pet peeves, how tools like smartphones and Canva make content creation more accessible to small-biz owners, why she thinks it's important to show your personal side on social media as a photographer (since you spend SO much intimate time together during your sessions), and why showing your face on Instagram stories is one of the best things you can do for your audience growth. I told her that her simple tip for getting good lighting when recording videos was life changing for me when she shared it years ago, and we talked about how her non-business-related TikTok went viral (over 10 million views!) and how that experience was for her. I highly recommend giving her Instagram page a follow @rubyjeanphotography because her work is absolutely stunning! She's also on TikTok @photo.goddess (or @twinfest if you want to see her viral video!)

This week I'm taking a break from my usual programming to make a short announcement: After next week, the podcast schedule will be changing its release schedule. Instead of weekly episodes there will be an episode released every other week. I absolutely LOVE recording podcast episodes, but I've had to reflect on the ways I spend my time each day and have realized that I need to make some adjustments in order to live a healthy life. I've had SO much fun meeting new small-business owners and entrepreneurs! But I only have so many hours in the day and have had to make this tough decision to step back from recording/editing weekly episodes. I hope you all understand - and as I tell all of my clients - everything you do should be sustainable for your lifestyle. I am holding myself accountable to make these necessary changes, and you should take this as a sign to reflect on where you feel stickiness in your life and to reflect. Thank you to all my listeners for the support, and I am SO excited for the next few episodes I've recorded to be released (and for all the amazing guests I have booked in April!) Lots of amazing content to come!

Meet Kristin Archambault, owner of Storybrook Road Creative Agency. Storybrook Road is a one-stop creative shop for businesses looking for videography, brand copywriting, and logo design in the greater Boston area! In this episode we talked all about her recent rebrand, why she chose orange as her main color, what finally made her take the leap into full-time work (which is far more logical than you'd expect!), and why she loves telling brand's stories through branding. We also chatted about how her grandfather exposed her to art as a kid, how society and her teachers ultimately pushed her away from pursuing a career in art, and how the graphic design field has become more accessible and viable over the past 5+ years. We agree that some designers can have a reputation of pretentiousness, that gatekeeping makes it difficult to price your services and learn how to run a business effectively, and how a lack of transparency is ultimately hurting the design industry as a whole. And of course, we chatted about social media! Why it's important to show your face on camera and interact with your followers, why setting boundaries is the biggest struggle when you're a solo business owner, and how some weeks are always going to be crazier than others. Oh... and how she once got trapped in a Sephora??? Be sure to follow Kristin on Instagram @storybrookrd ! Have interest in her services? Email her directly at storybrookrd.agency@gmail.com !

This week's episode features Ben MacDonald, VP of Sales at The Ad King, Inc - family owned and operated promotional products company (think logo printing on mugs, pens, t-shirts, and other memorabilia!) In this episode, we talked about how retro is "in" right now, the beginnings of the business (it's been around since the 1920's, wow!), why college isn't the right path for everyone, and why we both think schools shouldn't push college prep as hard (and how the other options can be great!) Ben talks about how following in his family's footsteps has been so rewarding, but on the flipside how it can be so difficult to achieve work/life balance. COVID-19 has also affected the supply chain so badly (so be sure to contact your promotional product people ASAP when you need to get something done!) We also talked about why word of mouth will always be the most important referral source for small businesses, how it can be difficult to turn away work from non-ideal clients, the fear of social media take-downs, and how his father's death affected both his personal AND business life tremendously. You can learn more about Ben's business on theadking.com - and be sure to follow them on Instagram @theadkinginc ! Interested in ordering some promotional products? Ben can be reached directly at bendmacdonald@gmail.com.

Meet Jason Kaufman and Jeff Ventre of GoodYou Marketing! GoodYou Marketing helps their client's message get in front of the right people at the right time. Whether you need assistance with social media ads, Google My Business, or SEO website optimization, they are here to help. My first duo on the podcast was SO much fun to talk to. We dove right into where the name GoodYou came from, and their unique pink and purple color palette. GoodYou prides themselves on demystifying advertising, and we talked about how in the creative world it can be tough to deliver what the client wants if you don't recommend it! It's also difficult to not take feedback personally when your business means so much to you. On the flipside, it can also be a challenge to keep up with your own social media pages and advertising when you're busy with client work (and that it's okay to do the bare minimum sometimes). We also dug into how COVID affected everyone's career path, why digital marketers can make advertising scary and mysterious so that they can just take your money and run, why it's important to have a strong brand with clear messaging before you pay for digital advertising, and the fact that no one can cheat "the algorithm." You can connect with Jason and Jeff on Instagram @goodyoumarketing and learn more about how they can help your business at www.goodyoumarketing.com.

Introducing my friend Rebecca Sperry! Rebecca is a student, freelance writer, and hiking-through-breast-cancer advocate. In this episode we focused on social media - Instagram in particular. We all know that social media can be an absolutely amazing tool for building a business, but a lot of us forget how it can negatively affect our mental health (and cause unwanted drama!) I asked Rebecca to come on the podcast specifically to chat about her experience with the Instagram community, and how she has a hate/love relationship with the platform. We also talked about her journey into freelance writing, pitching yourself as a brand, the ever changing trajectory of her career path, how her breast cancer diagnosis changed her perspective on where she spends her time, and how the last two years of her life have been a whirlwind. Sharing her breast cancer journey publicly affected her mental health, and she has often felt taken advantage of by corporations and organizations who use her breast cancer story for their own advertising purposes. Ultimately this made her take a step back from having a public Instagram account. Rebecca is an incredible human who has had HUGE hiking goals throughout treatment (1800 miles in a year!!) that can seem like a full-time job. Although posting on social media can help hold us accountable to get things done, we talk about both the extrinsic and intrinsic motivations in accomplishing goals. We both agree that exponential follower growth and going viral should NOT be the goal (it always attracts trolls and non-ideal clients), and that developing strong relationships while focusing on impressing your current clients is ultimately where your future referrals will come from. You can read Rebecca's incredible work on her website www.rebeccasperry.com (and if you're lucky, she'll even let you follow her on the 'gram @rebecca.l.sperry !)

Stoked to introduce my business coach, Naomi Rotstein, to you all! In addition to doing personal training, Naomi also focuses on helping burnt out entrepreneurs build their own online courses and create passive income. In this episode we talked about why she LOVES wearing many hats in her business and how she thinks it's important to be multi-passionate, how starting a blog kickstarted her entrepreneurial journey without even realizing it (hello 1fitfoodie!), and why she feels so strongly that you don't need a logo, website, or visual brand to launch a business (focus on your messaging and ideal client first!) Entrepreneurship runs in her family and seeing that had a big impact on her confidence. We also dove into how so many personal trainers reach burnout at some point in their career, why she thinks scrappiness is the most important personality trait in a biz owner, how you should never have to convince clients to work with you, why she hates money-focused and fear-based marketing, and why there are so many smoke and mirrors in the business coaching industry. We talked about how everyone's businesses are different and require different strategies (what works for you might not work for others), and how opening up on social media and sharing your personal side can be the end all be all in connecting with ideal clients. People are ALWAYS watching even if they aren't liking or commenting on your posts (so don't quit!) - everyone consumes social media differently (so analytics are kinda BS). There isn't only one way to do things, so it's important to work with a business coach who LISTENS and doesn't JUST teach in one way. We've both made huge changes in our businesses over the past couple of years, so we also talked about the struggles and excitement of pivoting (and for her, what it's like to be a new mom AND business owner!) Be sure to follow her on Instagram @naomi.rotstein for tips, tricks, and sassy reels! If you're launching a new product or service this year, she's also just created a new 4-week group coaching course called Love Your Launch! It starts on March 14th and includes 1 call a week for 4 weeks, all focused on the ins, outs, and emotions of launching! DM her on the 'gram if this sounds exciting to you.

Meet Emily Mulvey, owner and creator of XLPR Studios, a branding agency and illustration shop with an outdoorsy focus! In this episode we talk about her refined/minimal/earthy style, niching down, how design programs rarely talk about freelancing as a career option, and the myth of designers not making a lot of money. We also chatted about her move to Colorado and how it pushed her to finally pursue entrepreneurship, and why we both think designers should take business courses in college to prepare for freelancing. We chatted about pricing (and how designers and creatives undervalue their services and frequently undercharge for their work), why you should invest in strategy for your business, why it's important to infuse your personal side into your brand (even if you don't like showing your face), and our qualms with the Instagram algorithm. At the end of the day, we all suffer from Imposter Syndrome - it's realizing that there is NOBODY doing *it* the way YOU are doing it that can help pull you through! It was so fun to chat with Emily and catch up! It's so funny to look back at our work in college and see how far we've both progressed. I always love reminiscing about our design program together as it is such a unique experience. In this episode, Emily also announced new additions to her biz! Her current brand xplrstudios.co / @xplrstudios will be separating into two different businesses - one being her current branding studio, and the other her shop, launching this spring as @xplrmore ! I'm so excited to see all the new apparel, stickers, prints, and other products she releases! In the meantime, go to www.xplrstudios.co to purchase her work (and inquire about working together)

Introducing Hannah Oravec, founder and owner of Lawless Design, an interior design studio! Lawless Design focuses on sustainable and holistic interior design in both residential and commercial spaces. In this episode we discuss how repeat clients are the BEST, the dual meaning behind her (very cool) brand name, why she prefers timeless design or trends, how her upbringing gave her confidence to pursue entrepreneurship, why doing internships during your undergraduate years is so important for building professional experience, and why you should take the plunge before you're ready (pst... you'll never be ready). We also discuss why one of her core values is sustainability, how easy it is to build a habit of working ALL the time in entrepreneurship (#hustleculture), how hiring consultants can help grow your business, and why her family motto is "we'll figure it out!" Oh... and lots of stories about her dog, Kona! You can find Hannah on Instagram at @lawless_design and be sure to check out her GORGEOUS work on her website www.lawless-design.com.

Everyone, meet Aaron Jessee, co-owner of the International Institute of Sport and Movement! I2SM specializes in diagnosing and reprogramming movement patterns to maximize health and sports performance. In this episode, we talk about specialities for correcting movement, how it's worthwhile to pay more for better quality care, what it's like to move and change schools many times in your life, how playing a sport can impact your life trajectory, how a knee injury led to the creation of his business, how posting flashy content on social media can be unsafe for the general public, how your online personality should match your in-person personality to build strong expert to client relationships, why setting work/life boundaries can be a struggle to manage even 5+ years into business ownership, understanding (and demanding) what you are worth, and... REBA?! Learn more about I2SM at www.i2sm.life and be sure to follow Aaron at @mse_ajessee / @i2sm_boston. They are taking on in-person clients in Woburn, MA but also offer virtual options to work together too! If you're in pain... you don't have to be!

Introducing Sam Shipman, cohost of Growing Up Christian (a podcast that reached the top 5% in its first year! Amazing!) We get a little political in this episode, we swear a lot (sorry mom), and we dig deep into some things that may not be typical on an entrepreneurial podcast. I'm excited to share this one, because a lot of people don't put running a podcast in the same category as running a business, but as you'll hear there are so many commonalities. In this episode we talk about shooting your shots in the DMs with people you want to interview, IMDB pro account access (and how easy it is to get access to famous people, L O L), giving those with religious trauma a platform, balancing expressing yourself as a podcast host while still being respectful of others, cancel culture, how changing your mind is a sign of growth, and... Tom Brady? You can listen to Growing Up Christian anywhere you listen to podcasts, and be sure to give them a follow on Instagram @growingupchristianpodcast.

Meet Kristin Halls, owner of InMotion Adventures, a travel company that provides itineraries for adventurous souls! I had the pleasure of working on the branding for Kristin's business just over a year ago, and it was one of my favorite design projects! In this episode we talk about "jumping ship" and pursuing a job that you didn't go to college for, growing a blog into a business, traveling during a pandemic, why classic travel agencies seem to be a dying breed, what it's like to work and live on the road (RV life!), why she's passionate about budgeting, how a business community is the best support system for entrepreneurs, and why the Grand Tetons and Glacier National Park are some of her favorite places she's traveled. Check out her blog kristininmotion.com for in-depth information about traveling, and be sure to follow her @kristininmotion on Instagram for some absolutely amazing photos of her travels!

Introducing Julie Woodbury, artist and creator of Glad You're Here Co! Her artistic style can be described as eclectic, bright, and fun. Julie, like many of us, started her side hustle during the COVID-19 quarantine and quickly built up a steady clientele on her Etsy page. She creates pet portraits, scribble art, and hand lettering pieces. In this episode we chatted about the differences between being an artist and doing design work, curated content vs. being authentic on social media, showing your face on Instagram, resisting capitalism and hustle culture, what it's like to run an Etsy shop, and how asking for help is a relationship strengthener. Oh and... flamingos?! Julie also recently collaborated on a book called "Four Weeks of Radiating Gratitude," a positivity journal made for the classroom! (you can purchase your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Four-Weeks-Radiating-Gratitude-positivity/dp/B09NJHN3F2/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=four+weeks+of+radiating+gratitude&qid=1640881632&sprefix=four+weeks+of+%2Caps%2C257&sr=8-3) You can find Julie on Instagram and Etsy @gladyourehereco, or on Tik Tok @gladyoureheree. Be sure to check out her fabulous work (and purchase a gift for a loved one!!) on her website at www.gladyourehereco.com.

Meet Kymi Heney! Kymi is a freelance copywriter who works with both solo entrepreneurs and larger businesses to create authentic, effective copy for their websites, blogs, email newsletters, and beyond. In this episode we covered a lot! We talked about Imposter Syndrome and the guts it takes to become a freelancer, the difference between good and bad cold emails, ethical copywriting, creating your own work schedule, and how being yourself and showing your quirks on social media can help you find your ideal clients. Learn more about Kymi's business on her website, kymberlyheney.com and be sure to connect with her on Instagram at @kymberlyheney and on Tik Tok at @kymichanga for some straight up hilarious content! & for those of you who haven't heard, I've officially launched my new group coaching course called Launch Your Business Bootcamp! This 10 week program is for aspiring business owners and side hustlers to gain clarity, get organized, and fast-track their journey to freedom and flexibility alongside other like minded go-getters. Whether you're ready to leave the 9-5 corporate world for good, or you simply want to grow and legitimize your current side hustle, this course will help you build with confidence and ease. We start on January 31st, and all podcast listeners get $200 off enrollment just by being a fan! Simply DM me on Instagram or Facebook or send me an email if you're ready to make massive moves in 2022.

Introducing... me, Kristen Mann! It's my turn to speak about my own experience in starting a business, which (spoiler alert) has NOT been free of obstacles. In this episode, I welcome a super-secret special guest host to chat about my entrepreneurship journey - from building a graphic design business, to creating my own branding and Canva course, to transitioning into business coaching. We talk about why you don't need a logo to start a business, how opening up and being vulnerable on social media can help you level up your business, and how letting go of preconceived ideas and identities can propel you towards success. AND for those of you who haven't heard, I've officially launched my new group coaching course, Launch Your Business Bootcamp! This 10 week program is for new and aspiring business owners and side hustlers to gain clarity, get organized, and fast-track their journey to freedom and flexibility alongside other like minded go-getters. Whether you're ready to leave the 9-5 corporate world for good, or you simply want to grow and get your current side hustle organized, this course will help you build with confidence and ease. We start on January 31st, and all podcast listeners get $200 off enrollment just by being a fan! Simply DM me on Instagram or Facebook or send me an email letting me know you're a listener if you're ready to make massive moves in 2022.

Andrea West is the Director of Operations at Signet Education, as well as an Academic Coach. Signet Education offers personalized academic tutoring, standardized test prep, admissions consulting, and organizational coaching for high schoolers, college students, graduate students and beyond. Andrea began her professional career at Signet in an entry-level position and eventually worked her way up to creating a Director position for herself - making for quite a journey! In this episode, we discuss how life's path can be unexpected, why building a solid network often leads to career and personal success, and how supportive work environments promote self-growth and self-advocacy. If you or someone you know is looking for subject tutoring, test prep, admissions help, or academic coaching, contact Andrea at andrea@signeteducation.com - and learn more about what Signet can offer on their website at signeteducation.com.

Meet Sarah! Sarah is a social worker and executive function coach. She helps students & adults with and without ADHD strengthen their executive function skills to reach their academic, career, & personal goals. Whether we know it or not, we rely on these cognitive skills everyday to help us manage our daily lives: planning, prioritizing, time management, and problem-solving are just a handful! In this episode, we chat about Sarah's "slow roll" into entrepreneurship, imposter syndrome, how self-care is the foundation of her business, how joining an entrepreneurship community helped skyrocket her business, and what it's like to switch between her "clinical" and "concrete" hats every day. Looking for help in building strong executive function skills? Give Sarah a follow on Instagram at @executivefunctioningfirst and learn more about her services at www.myacecoach.com.

Alex Vaillancourt is a certified parent coach, educator, nanny, and summer-camp makerspace director! She is the founder of Avail Parent Coaching, where she collaborates with parents to reach their family goals (and LOVES talking about tantrums!) She loves looking at the world through the eyes of a child - they've been on this earth for such a short time. We have so much to teach them, and they have so much to teach us! Alex loves art, photography, baking and decorating cookies, and all things creative. In this episode, we chat about her background in non-traditional education, the difficulties of building a business when you have no business experience, how coaching holds people accountable for creating change, and how creativity should always be embraced. You won't want to miss her funniest story ever - kids really do say the darndest things! Learn more about Alex's parent coaching business at availparentcoaching.com, and be sure to give her a follow on Instagram @availparentcoaching. Alex is currently taking 1-on-1 clients and group coaching clients!

Meet Caite Sunderland, a nurse and health coach with a focus on intuitive eating. She helps burnt-out women find true health by ditching diets, teaching them to trust their body's natural instincts and cravings, and prioritizing self-care, less stress, and mental health. Caite is also the creator of The Food Group Reset, a group coaching program focused on gentle nutrition, intuitive eating, authentic movement, and self-care. In this episode, we discuss her journey into the coaching world, her struggles in simultaneously being a nurse AND a coach, the common misconceptions of intuitive eating, setting boundaries as a digital entrepreneur, and why having a sense of humor is important. You can learn more about The Food Group Reset at https://caite-cutler.mykajabi.com/the-food-group-reset, and be sure to give her a follow on Instagram at @caite_sunderland for all things intuitive eating, self-love, and vizslas!

Jenn Kandrac, the founder of Jenn Kandrac Fitness, is a Certified Personal Trainer, GroupX Instructor, and Pilates and Cycle coach! She's also the creator of her signature group course, The Body Boost Movement! A local Boston resident, she originally discovered her love for group fitness 4 years ago, which quickly snowballed into furthering her passion through private training and Pilates. Jenn is a firm believer in functional strength training, nailing down proper form above all else, and strengthening your core as it is the foundation for all other exercises. She believes that fitness should be motivating, energetic, and above all else, FUN! In this episode, we chat about going all-in on self-employment during the COVID-19 pandemic, why having a community and investing in your entrepreneurship journey is so important, and how difficult it can be to establish a healthy work/life balance. If you're looking for a new fitness routine (and a supportive community to grow with!) Jenn is now taking applications for her next round of the Body Boost Movement! Go to jennkandrac.com to learn more, and be sure to connect with on Instagram @jennkandrac.

Meet Cheryl Hersh, a parent coach, single mother, and lifelong learner! Cheryl excels at helping parents discover more of their own answers, working with them to build on their existing strengths and helping them advance towards their ideal future. Cheryl is also a PCI Certified Instructor and loves the education world! In this episode, we talk about her journey into the coaching industry, the differences between a coach, consultant, and therapist, how she combats ageism, and how following her intuition and doing what feels good is always best. You can learn more about her business, Hersh Parent Coaching, on her website at http://www.hershparentcoaching.com, and connect with her on Instagram at @hersh_parent_coaching and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HershParentCoaching. Be sure to tune into her weekly videos, and reach out if you want to join her monthly mailing list about all things parenting!

Alex Katz is a fitness, life, and nutrition coach, speaker, ninja warrior athlete, and nonprofit director. Alex combines 7+ years of professional experience in the fields of mental health, fitness, and education, with her personal experience overcoming childhood trauma, homelessness, and a broken back to provide a holistic and trauma-focused approach to wellness and behavior change. Alex's intersectional and strengths-based approach allows her to teach and empower women to communicate and act with confidence, set better boundaries, ditch the diets and “should shame” in favor of holistic health, and unapologetically advocate for themselves and others. In this episode, we talk about how she's on a mission to revolutionize the wellness industry and change how we talk about mental and physical health, productivity culture, food, and body image. She loves helping others find strength in their stories, reframe their situations, take action toward their goals, and learn to prioritize themselves and their health. Connect with Alex on Instagram at @iamalexkatz and be sure to check out her new monthly membership, Breakthrough to You!

Dylan Sidor is the owner of Momentum Massage Therapy, a Massachusetts-based massage therapy business. Dylan joins That's So On-Brand to chat about how massage therapy should not only be a self-care splurge, but also be used as a tool for injury prevention and overall health. We chat about the inspiration behind his business name, his inspiration for getting into massage therapy, what it's like to start a business in the middle of a global pandemic, and how being in the minority of his industry has been tough to navigate. You can connect with Dylan on Instagram at @dylaninmomentum, and learn more about his business (and schedule a massage!) at momentummt.com. The holidays are coming up, which means it's time to give the best gift of all to a friend or family member in need... a massage!