The Empower Her Podcast

Hi friend! Welcome back to another episode of the Empower Her Podcast.  I've followed Brooke Talsma of Brooke MT Interiors on Instagram for awhile and just recently got to chat in person. We're fortunate to have her here in Iowa, although she works with clients all over the United States. Key Takeaways Brooke started as a radiology major before transferring to Kirkwood for Interior Design. Although she loved working with her dad, a home builder, she had never considered interior design as a career. It was her dad who encouraged her to try. From her first position as an intern, Brooke worked her way up to her own business, Brooke MT Interiors eight years ago. Although she loves her career, she says it's not all fun and games. Her biggest challenge is not being confident enough and knowing when to say no. Brooke loves online platforms like Pinterest and Instagram. Her favorite accounts to follow are Lindye Galloway (@lindyegalloway), Light and Dwell (@lightanddwell), and Studio McGee (@studiomcgee). Connect with Brooke Brooke has a gorgeous Instagram (@brookemtinteriors)! Learn more about her services on her website (https://www.brookemtinteriors.com/).  

I'm so excited to be here and chat with you for the next couple minutes about what's on my mind: Summer, motherhood, and business. In this exciting season I am giving myself permission to just be present, and I want that for you too. Key Takeaways “I want to be where my feet are” is my mantra for balancing motherhood and business this summer. Entrepreneurs often get to set their own schedule. Here is your permission to enjoy that flexibility. I'm changing my mindset around what I define as productive and how I can be present I'm being firm with my schedule by focusing on what I reasonably have time for There are so many things vying for my attention, so I'm limiting distractions and getting clear about how I really want to spend my time. This summer I'm focusing on my health and wellness with less time on social media and more time in the sunshine. I'm in an especially busy season with a move in July into an apartment building we're currently renovating and managing our new home build. I had no idea this would be like another full time job! Part of being intentional with my time is taking a summer break from the podcast. I look forward to coming back at my best with new empowering content. My parting advice before summer break: I want to encourage you to put those boundaries in place, get clear on your expectations, and go do the thing! Let's stay in touch! I want to hear how you are handling this summer busyness. Send me a message on Instagram or Facebook at @empowerher.co. 

Hi listener! I'm so excited to welcome Lexi Marek Beeler to the podcast today. I got to meet Lexi for lunch in the small town where I live; the same one she grew up in. So much is going on in her life since our lunch date, so it was great to catch up with her in this episode.  Key Takeways Lexi is a 6th generation farm girl raised in Southeast Iowa. She begged her parents for a smartphone and ended up using it to promote her family's business. This led to a passion for agriculture communications, which she studied at Iowa State University. An internship for FarmHer led to a career with the company before she even graduated. She also worked for the State of Iowa Department of Agriculture on the secretary's communication team. Lexi has recently went into business for herself: “ I build experiences for businesses, specifically in agriculture, and those experiences are around digital or event spaces.” “People don't remember you unless they hear about you seven times. How are you reaching them seven times?”: Lexi sees social media as the introduction to the brand. Lexi loves planning great events and works to make every person feel welcome with really good speakers, food, coffee, and applicable content. Blogs aren't dead! They are great for searchable, evergreen content. Lexi is a Des Moines evangelist and recommends Centro as a can't-miss restaurant.  Lexi is currently binging Amy Porterfield books and podcasts. I'm terrible at reading fiction but she insists the Knock ‘em Out series from Lucy Score will get me hooked. Connect with Lexi Marek Beeler Find Lexi on her blog, Instagram, or her new ag communications consulting business website.

Welcome to another episode of the Empower Her Podcast! I'm so excited to welcome Lisa Even, a corporate-culture junkie turned entrepreneur. She's a speaker and coach on a mission to make a million meaningful connections.  She inspires us to pursue joy and connection in our daily lives Key Takeaways Lisa wanted to start a business teaching healthcare leaders how to lead people. Like a lot of us, Covid interrupted her plans, so she reflected on what the world needs: Connection. She reached out and had more than 200 Zoom virtual coffees. Lisa is a keynote speaker, leads workshops, coaches, and hosts conferences. A tip for connecting with people: Start with a question they know the answer to and followup with a preference question. Throw your elevator pitch out the window! Get someone to share about themselves and mirror the nuggets they give you. Be on the hunt for people's heartburn and horizon, and ask how you can help. The heartburn is their challenge of the day and the horizon is what they are dreaming towards. How can you help? Lisa became a “joy connoisseur” when she and her husband, both high achievers, realized they were always chasing the next big thing. They hung a whiteboard in their bedroom and listed ways to bring more joy to their lives. She now intentionally schedules joy. Crappy to happy: When she has to do something she doesn't want to, like dishes, she things of ways to make it better, like listening to music during or looking forward to something after. Connect with Lisa Lisa has a book coming out: Joy is My Job. Sign up for her mailing list, read her blog, and find her social media links on her website. 

Welcome back, listener! This week I'm so excited to bring Leslie Epstein of Your Tanning Bar to the podcast. I first met Leslie as a client and was so impressed by how comfortable she made me feel. You'll see that support and ease is at the center of her business model, and it's serving her (and, of course, her clients) very well. Welcome to the podcast, Leslie! Key Takeways Most people we know love a great spray tan, but when Leslie opened her first Cedar Rapids location 11 years ago, she was one of the first spray tan bars in the Midwest! Your Tanning Bar Iowa offers custom organic spray tans in three locations: Cedar Rapids, Coralville, and Bettendorf. Leslie proposed a spray tan business as a college project and her professor was so confused by it that she got only a C+. Times have changed and she has been a leader in her industry. Leslie is passionate about helping women feel relaxed and comfortable. Experience is key. Leslie loved tanning as a teen but developed skin cancer so started looking for a new way to get the glow she loved. She is a natural redhead but says that a special glow can be formulated for anyone. Leslie has been challenged by letting go of control as she scales her business, but she is getting better at it, especially as a new mom. “If we can't get out of our own way we will cap the growth” Leslie loves podcasts by female entrepreneurs, especially Alli Webb of Drybar. Connect with Leslie Follow Your Tanning Bar on Instagram at yourtanningbar_iowa and follow her Linktree to book at any of her three locations.  

Hey there, listener! Welcome back to a new episode of the Empower Her Podcast! I'm thrilled to bring you today's guest. Every time I'm around her, her smile and energy just radiates. I learn so much from her and how considerate and intentional she is about building not just her business, but a life she loves. I hope you enjoy my conversation today with Erika Christiansen of Tura Lura Co. Key Takeaways Erika is a multipassionate entrepreneur who specializes in thoughtful handmade goods with her company Tura Lura Co. She is an artist, educator, mom, partner, and involved with friends and community. When the pandemic hit Erika had a newborn and two year old. She found solace in her concrete work and candles. Erika earned an artist grant that allowed her to scale her business. March 4 was her business anniversary AND birthday. It can be challenging to balance making beautiful products but make a profit. Online sales are important to Erika but she still values the tactile experience of in-person shopping. She is always adapting and changing her strategy in her product-based business. Erika is also passionate about her role with the University of Iowa's Center for Human Rights where manages programs and teaches undergraduate classes. Erika prioritizes her physical health, which helps her sleep, which helps her mental health. She also has the habit of a healthy smoothie every morning. Erika regularly revisits her values and looks to connect change to what is already happening. Erika loves podcasts: Tend Her Wild, Product Boss, CEO School, and Goal Digger. Reproductive justice is important to Erika. She recommends the book The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World by Melinda French Gates. Connect with Erika Shop, find the links to all of her socials, and news about Erika's upcoming events at TuraLuraCo.com.

With March being Women's History month, I wanted to share women doing amazing things on the podcast. Amy O'Connell of Sprinkled Confections is doing just that. She has built a phenomenal business around her amazing cookies, cakes, and desserts. Her new bakery is such an asset to her small town. I'm so inspired by her and know you will be too. Key Takeaways Amy lives with her husband and three young boys on their farm near Holy Cross, Iowa. In addition to a thriving bakery business she farms O'Connell Organic Acres. Amy grew up on a dairy farm with a mom who was always in the kitchen. She loved helping her mom bake. As a new mom herself she found herself wanting to have goals and contribute to her family's income so she started doing cakes on the side. Amy's son had allergies to dairy, beef, and eggs, so she learned a lot about allergy-free baking. She continues to be an asset to her community making delicious desserts with allergies in mind. Amy worked out of her home and her business grew by word of mouth. When her business seemed to take over her whole house she made plans to build her own bakery.  She built her bakery in a beautiful location with “instagramability” in mind. The building has a gorgeous industrial interior for hosting events and workshops. She is nearly booked solid for special weekend events and is open to the public three days weekly. The bulk of her business is custom work. Amy says it's important to diversify revenue streams as a small business, even more so as a food business. Amy loves her clients who have been with her from the beginning. She loves being part of their events through life. How to price? Amy posts her base prices online so people know what to expect before consulting. Because her work is mostly custom, people are willing to pay for her time and talent, not just the ingredients. How does she juggle it all? Amy says: To be determined. Sometimes she doesn't know, but she appreciates her community and the help of family. She recently switched to a digital planner and recommends Artful Agenda. Amy is offering a royal icing cookie decorating workshop at her shop at the end of the month. Connect using links below and sign up. Connect with Amy Amy's Instagram is filled with beautiful edible art. You can follow her on Facebook and learn more about Sprinkled Confections and booking her building on her website.

Hey there, listener. Throughout life we meet people who totally change the trajectory of who we are by the value they bring. Today I'm super excited to bring you someone who has been that change for me.   Arica Ohloff is a dear friend who I've worked closely with for the last few years and I credit so much growth I've experienced to her. She encourages me to be confident in who I am, what I bring, and who I am supposed to be. I hope she inspires the same for you in today's episode.  Key Takeaways The role Arica is the most proud of is mother to her second-grade son. We spend some time discussing the joys and pains of raising boys. As a coach and speaker Arica's mission is to help people love who they are.  Arica coaches according to the Gallup Test Strengths Assessment. “I believe people want to know that who they are and what they do matters.” “Actually, I can't be world class at every component of this business and so now I'm going to look for who could be good in those roles.” “Confidence backed by humility are the two greatest gifts we can have and then we also create greater engagement from the people around us” “It is a great privilege of mine to come along side leaders and help elevate their people. Great companies invest in the growth and development of their people but also great people invest in the growth and development of themselves.” If you feel like you are the only one struggling with hiring for roles, you are not alone. Arica says many leaders are frustrated with the current hiring climate. Arica is inspired by statistics: “Most experts believe 90% of people go to their grave tapping in to only 10% of their potential.” Arica believes in the power of compound habits. A life changer for her is paying attention to sleep and doing plenty of reading or “fueling the mind”  “Control what we can control and do our best with the rest” Books mentioned Author John Maxwell Rhythm of Life by Matthew Kelly People Fuel by Dr. John Townsend Atomic Habits by James Clear Connect with Arica You can find Arica on her website and find links to her email and social media. 

Hello friend! I'm so excited to bring you Jenny Roth of Jenny Roth Copywriting.  What a better guest to speak on copywriting than the author of my favorite email. Jenny specializes in writing copy for websites and email and is clearly so talented at what she does. Lucky for us, she is also willing to share how to use copywriting to better serve your clients and reach your marketing goals. Key Takeaways Jenny lives in rural South Dakota with her farmer husband and three daughters. She started copywriting just to earn extra money but now loves it as a career. She loved writing and wanted to work from home, so copywriting is perfect. Time and again Jenny says to do what works for you. You don't need an email list if you don't look forward to it! Jenny loves her emails and says “An email list is the after party where people go to get the good stuff.” Before diving into an email list, ask what is the goal of the reader and why should they join? How can an email list help you serve your client? Focus on a high quality “lead magnet” like a digital product to offer people who opt-in to your list. You can build your audience by trading promotions with other entrepreneurs. Jenny loves stories and recommends keeping a “story bank” to take some time each day to write down what you learned. They make great stories when you feel stuck later. Imagine an email like a grocery store run in instead of a novel! Be friendly but get to the point. Knowing your target audience is so important. Jenny has 67 questions to work through with new clients to identify their target customer! Most importantly, Jenny says to just start. Jenny's email list is a favorite! Sign up and get 55+ email subject lines to get an open rate of 40% or higher. If you'd like to write your own newsletter but need some guidance, consider Jenny's Not Your Mama's Newsletter membership. Connect with Jenny Find Jenny on her website or connect on Instagram.   Website: www.jennyrothcopywriting.com   Free 55+ email subject lines to get an open rate of 40% or higher: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63d831f8b4f015f30446e358   Email Newsletter Template Membership: https://jennyroth.podia.com/not-your-mama-s-newsletters

Hello there, listener! I'm so excited to be back again with an interview, especially with someone as awesome as this week's guest.   I'm fortunate to have Molly Knuth as a real-life friend. She's someone who I really admire and respect so much. I appreciate the impact she's making for so many female entrepreneurs. She's someone to pay attention to!   Key Takeaways Molly is usually on the other side of the interview table as host of the Found podcast. She heads her social media agency, Molly Knuth Media, and shares strategy, training, and consulting for female entrepreneurs though her personal online presence.  Molly is a teacher by trade and left to be a stay-at-home mom. In 2016, with four children at home, she needed something for herself and started helping her family's business with administrative work. Their social media really took off with Molly's help and she started Molly Knuth Media with five clients. I love hearing what Molly is up to in personal growth. She says: “It's not always just about what you learn in the program or the workshop or the mastermind that you're in, so much of that is the people who are in it along side of you.” Molly references the baby/teen/adult years of business and has a podcast on this topic: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2fRPEj6hwAON0zjLRZYeN7?si=ZtWygcD0QQyHi8QsWDb3Pg Molly used to focus on strategy with social media, but has taken a SHIFT towards energetics. Her acronym stands for self-awareness, human design, intention, framing (planning), and testing. Strategy is still important! Molly identifies six “levers” of social media strategy that you can adjust depending on what your business (or family, or personal life) needs. Plan, make actual content, manage platforms, interact and build community, leverage, and build legacy content. Molly is looking towards legacy content in what she calls “Social Media 2.0”: “Having a piece of legacy content like a podcast, like a blog, like a website, an email list, those are going to be really big for giving your audience somewhere else to go to consume your content, to interact with you and to help create a legacy that exists beyond social media.” Molly always has great suggestions. Two podcasts she mentions are Guide Not Guru https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/guide-not-guru-with-kelly-brock/id1649236768 Armchair Expert https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/armchair-expert-umbrella-with-dax-shepard/id1345682353 Connect with Molly Follow Molly's business, Molly Knuth Media Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mollyknuthmedia/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mollyknuthmedia  For a personal look at life as a female entrepreneur, social media strategy, business coaching, and more, connect with Molly: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mollyknuth_mkm/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mollyknuthmkm Find the Found podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5YACTbRulN4NooX32NgzgV

Hey friends! Welcome to a new episode of the Empower Her Podcast!    This week's episode is a solo cast sharing my goals and hope for 2023.    Quarter four was a rough one with an incredibly heavy workload and not much margin for fun and relaxation. I was encouraged by a business coach to ask myself why I couldn't have both. It's okay to shoot for big numbers but I can care for myself too.  Reflection and Expansion Workbook Walk through the dual actions of reflection and expansion with this guided workbook. This week's episode shares my responses to some of the prompts. Family: My husband and I had a wild 2022 and we are committing to date afternoons. It's easy to get fully focused on our businesses so we are consciously scheduling more time together. Friends: I love time with my girlfriends and I will try to make it out of the house for at least one night a month for girl's night! I'd also like a couple coffee dates in there, just for fun, not business related. Business: It's been a while since I connected 1-on-1 with a business coach. I don't have anyone in mind yet, but I know it's something I need. Shoot me a DM on Instagram if you've worked with someone awesome. I'm also focusing on this Empower Her community and reflecting on how I can really give value, care, and support. Physical Health: I have made the goal to strength train three times per week. On opposite days I will get out for a walk or use my treadmill. I feel so much better when I limit sugar and dairy, so I will keep an eye on that too. Mental Health: This is the year that I prioritize fun! I'm not great at relaxing so I signed up for a lettering workshop with Lovely Little Lights to make a commitment. I'm going to journal more regularly and make meditation part of my routine. Spiritual Health: My faith is super important to me. I am part of a mentoring program at my church and I'd like to attend a women's bible study or something similar. Financial Health: This year I'm working on keeping a personal budget. I'm already learning so much with Val Marlene Creative's Creative Income Cure course. I want to grow in leadership and will challenge myself to grow and develop my speaking skills. Follow for More Learn more about the Empower Her community on the website or reach out on Instagram. I would love to hear how you made the Reflection and Expansion Workbook work for you. 

Welcome another episode Janene King   Reflecting personally on 2022 Wins, losses, things that were hard Dig in, get vulnerable Share at end of episode Business things… Business growth within Empower Her and within husband and I business Massive growth really exciting Thankful, grateful, blessing Collectives growth, opened in CR & DSM Hosted summit 130 women attended connections, energy, so. much. good. Learned a lot   Something on vision board: Do coaching program with Suzy Holeman (instagram link) Coaching program Forced me to look at parts of life business owner passions callings, deal with junk in life, mindset issues, limiting beliefs, negative energy Not always fun, phenomenal opportunity Opened up to bigger better July sold home, moved into rental, opportunities to pursue real estate investments Storefront in apartment in small town: Construction, rehab  Process of another building purchase New LLC working with bankers, lawyers, contractors, etc really fun really enjoyed Empowering to have knowledge, tools, really taken lead, owned it: Empowering, fun Growth in ability to lean in, lead with confidence, be confident in what I know to be true Andrea from Choose Your Journey around Money Mindset program realized how much work needed, limiting beliefs Husband: Day dates Monthly/bimonthly massages together Schedule and put on the calendar Unofficial mastermind with couple gals in community, one Friday a month   Hard things, challenging With growth, hard moments Growth expands and tests capacity Personell, demands of schedule Realized mental load To do list never end Like things done, orderly Made husband and i realize how much we need help, cannot do it on their own some people's dream, hard to release control tension of giving up, they have tools to do the job Big relationship disappointments: Close friends bumps in the road That was hard Questioning- is it worth it? Good will come, but left with a lot of disappointment Business not all roses and butterflies “Underbelly” Can be ugly, personalities come out, we all bring stuff to the table Didn't hit growth goals and feel some disappointment but incredible gratitude Good to stretch with goals, more to it than just hitting the goal   Felt like maintaining in final quarter of the year Big disappointment, personal level, health goals Started strong personal trainer, prioritizing health, “hell in a hand basket” after move in July Lot of just surviving happening Immense gratitude Part of community, past or current members so lucky so blessed have them here Grateful for listeners, social posts, emails, send a message, incredibly grateful Little family, husband, son God's favor, blessing

Hey friend! Thanks for joining me for another episode of the Empower Her Co Podcast. I'm grateful that you're here and excited to share today's guest.   If this episode seems like a chat between friends, you'd be right. I'm grateful to have Kyla as a respected friend. I always learn so much from her whenever we get together. She's full of knowledge and I appreciate her vulnerability in sharing today. Key Takeaways Kyla is from a small town in Wisconsin and studied Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management. She spent years on the east coast before returning to Iowa to start a business. Kyla opened an event space at the start of the Pandemic and it made her reevaluate her priorities. She realized the toll it was taking on her physically and mentally. She felt like a bad mom and wife. The people she interacted with at work got to see an outgoing, bubbly personality, but it left nothing for her family. Kyla still loves event planning, but now focuses on health coaching. She loves to help others achieve their goals while being able to travel and spend time with family. Kyla works hard to lead a life she finds fulfilling and feels she is a more present family member as a result. She is committed to keeping daily habits that support her long term goals. Daily habits Kyla swears by include waking up before her children and using that time to focus on self improvement with reading, journaling, and meditating. She always incorporates some sort of movement into her day and avoids screens an hour before bed. Kyla reminds us she didn't make changes all at once: She started waking up an hour before her family just ten minutes at a time. Big changes add up! Kyla has read 35 books so far this year! She recommends (and I agree) Your Best Yes by Lisa TerKeurst. Favorite podcasters include Mel Robbins, John Maxwell, and Doug Wood. Connect with Kyla Kyla offers health coaching through Instagram (goodhealthwith.kylamccomas) and Facebook (kyla.mccomas).

Hi friend! Welcome to another episode of the Empower Her Co Podcast. I'm so excited to talk about today's topic and bring you Sheila Hansen, CPA of Hansen LLC. Money is so fundamental to what we do as women in business. Honestly, it's the whole reason we're in business. But our mindset can get in the way of achieving our potential. Sheila is an accountant specializing in serving the creative female business owner. I know my listeners will really relate to her message. Key Takeaways Sheila always knew she wanted to be an accountant and worked her way up to a top role.  Motherhood made her reconsider her demanding schedule. She made the leap to her own firm in 2016 In the last year Sheila has focused in on money mindset. When using a parenting coach, Sheila learned that our beliefs are formed by age 7, which means our 7-year-old selves are making decisions around money! When faced with a money choice, tune in to how your body feels. Notice things like tightness in the chest or burning in your stomach and reflect on when you have those feelings. Get curious: “What is the money story that is happening in my head that is causing that physical response?” Sheila advocates therapy for business owners: “Financial discussions or decisions can really be like a mirror of everything that we need to address about ourselves.” “We give money power in our society but that is not where power comes from. Money is a tool.” Sheila reflects on breaking the belief that time equals money: “What is the value in the eyes of your customer and really focusing on that conversation versus what does it cost me” “The things you do in a recession for your business are the basic foundations of any healthy business.” “If you are employed by somebody else in a recession you have not much control over what happens. If you own your own business in a recession you are in control of your future.” Resources mentioned Book: It's Not Your Money: How to Live Fully from Divine Abundance by Tosha Silver Podcast: Life Coach School episode Recession Thoughts Book: Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth by T. Harv Eker Podcast: Chill and Prosper with Denise Duffield-Thomas Connect with Sheila Find Sheila and sign up for her email list on her website or connect on Instagram.

I'm so excited to bring you today's guest, Casey Curoe. She shares about her coaching business and the importance of exercise, especially for those of us female small business owners. We're known for trying to do it all and can struggle to make time for ourselves.   Coming into holiday season, I know many of us have personal fitness on our list of goals. Casey is a great resource and offers some quick hitters in today's episode. Her enthusiasm for fitness is contagious, so give it listen if that's a habit you'd like to develop! Key Takeaways Casey has always been interested in health and fitness and studied kinesiology in undergrad. She coached college soccer for seven years but struggled to keep up the demanding schedule after she became a mom.  Casey started personal training as a side hustle but has brought it full time in the last year and a half.  Life is stressful enough- don't beat yourself up with a stressful workout too! Casey recommends weight training and walking for the best full body workout.  Why do we struggle to exercise? Casey says women tend to always put others before themselves and struggle to find the time. That's why she recommends adding it to the calendar and scheduling time with a personal trainer to hold you accountable. Ask yourself: How can I be stronger? And not: How can I lose weight? “We have to practice the habit to make it habitual!” Nutrition is much more nuanced than exercise, but Casey says one thing she can confidently say is that you probably need more protein. Women should get .7-1 grams per pound of ideal body weight. She likes Legion protein powder but admits it is one of the more expensive options on the market. For a more budget-friendly option, look for whey isolate powder. Why is strength training so important? It supports longevity and helps balance hormones. Casey offers fitness training virtually or in person from her home. Connect with Casey Casey has a website at CaseyCuroe.com and you can follow her on Instagram at casey.curoe.

Hey friend! Welcome to another episode of the Empower Her Podcast! I'm really excited to bring you my conversation with today's guest.   Welcome Sarah Waldbuesser, an attorney and the creator of Destination Legal.   Sarah provides legal services and templates for coaches and small business owners through her website.   Our conversation today breaks down the fear around this topic and is jam packed with resources. Key Takeaways Sarah started Desintation Legal seven years ago. She loves to travel and wanted a more flexible lifestyle. She is dedicated to providing tangible, affordable legal services. “Having your legal in place really does empower you and give you more confidence” You only need two things to start a business: A way to get paid and a contract. Templates are fine. Check Destination Legal where contract templates are hyper-specific to industry. Trademarks distinguish who provides services within an industry. They must be a unique name or product and have to be related to selling something. “If you got a cease and desist in your email tomorrow saying you have to stop and rebrand within the next three months, how would you feel?” Sarah has a beautiful visual for understanding the trademarking process. Download her Trademark Roadmap here. More legal considerations include being sure your website has a privacy policy and have a terms of service if you are selling anything online. Sarah advises to get an LLC after the first six months to one year of your business once you feel it is viable. It is a legal protection that separates your business and personal assets. Sarah recommends the book Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins and the podcasts “The Chris Harder Show” and “Earn Your Happy.” Connect with Sarah Follow Sarah on Instagram and learn more about Destination Legal on her website.

I'm back in the interviewer's spot after a busy late summer! It feels so good to be back to the fall season with its predictable routines.   I'm excited to introduce my guest Tenneil Register of R7 Reclaimed. We were so fortunate to have her family business provide the beautiful decor for the Empower Her Summit this August. R7 Reclaimed is a multi-faceted lifestyle brand from near Grandview, Iowa. They specialize in beautiful reclaimed home decor and are awesome hosts at The Barn. Key Takeaways Tenneil describes herself as the founder and creator of the “organized chaos” that is R7 Reclaimed, which started as a blog to share DIY projects. Tenneil loved her first vintage market and was hooked. Her first storefront was an “especially cute” apartment building and her current storefront is a reclaimed barn on the edge of town. “See whatever your circumstance in life as something that will be made beautiful” R7 Reclaimed is currently renovating a property in their hometown to be used for design staging and as a future AirBnB. As a big family, Tenneil finds value in products that are beautiful but can stand the rigor of daily life.  Each member of the family helps with the business in their own unique way. On family life with a business: “The challenges that we had then were not as defining as I thought in the moment.” “There are seasons of life when I have felt intense tension and then there are times when there is just enough tension to make us pay attention” “The areas that are hard are the ones we are growing in. Growth and pain go together.” Tenneil recommends Business Made Simple by Donald Miller. She's always looking for her next good memoir to read and enjoyed Jennifer Gray's. Tenneil gives us the fall trend forecast: Anything with natural texture. She says now is the time to take the outdoors in. It's cool to forage outside to bring texture in: Grasses, cattail, etc. Tenneil has one weekend market left in LeClaire, Iowa on October 9. The first two weekends in November will be their top event, Christmas at the Barn. Connect with Tenneil Find Tenneil and R7 Reclaimed on Instagram (r7reclaimed), Facebook (RegisterSeven), or their website (tenneilregister.com).

This week I'm so excited to bring you Grace and Amelia to share their real estate investing stories. Amelia and Grace host the Women Invest in Real Estate (WIIRE) community where they support female business women in their investment journeys. Key Takeaways: Amelia flipped her first house with her parents in 2019 and loved it. She wanted to keep going to replace her full time income with passive real estate investing. Grace's boyfriend flipped his first house when they were still in college and she caught the investing bug. They recommend the BRRRR (Buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat) method to get started. With 20% down you can purchase your first property and use the proceeds to fund your next project. Their portfolio includes 50 doors of long term, short term, and mid term rentals. They love mid-term rentals that offer the higher income of short term without the hard work of quick turnaround. These properties are great for traveling nurses, trades, and business people. They say to avoid analysis paralysis, “research enough to be dangerous” but then get started! You will learn more in your first project than you ever could in a book! If you're not a handy person, get a property that needs only cosmetic work. Overestimate costs, especially with your first project, by as much as 20%. How to find properties in this crazy market? Grace and Amelia find properties through social media, Craigslist, and advertisements. Grace offers a $1000 lead to people who refer a property that leads to a sale. They say to keep good books. Real estate is a numbers game. It's okay to love it, but it is important to get down to the numbers of: Is this a good investment? Yes or no. Both are passionate about personal finance and say to manage your own money first. They struggle to give quick tips or basic ideas because they learn something new every day! It is a tough industry, but very rewarding. “If It were easy, everyone would do it, and there wouldn't be money to be made in real estate!” To attract good tenants they provide good properties. They train them to act how they work. For example, keeping boundaries on when to return a call. They recommend the Bigger Pockets podcasts and books for all things real estate and like Jenna Kutcher's work too. Grace and Amelia have their own podcast too! Women Invest in Real Estate Connect with Grace on Instagram at grace.investing and Amelia at ameliajorei The WIIRE community is on Instagram at wire.community This week I'm so excited to bring you Grace and Amelia to share their real estate investing stories. Amelia and Grace host the Women Invest in Real Estate (WIIRE) community where they support female business women in their investment journeys. Key Takeaways: Amelia flipped her first house with her parents in 2019 and loved it. She wanted to keep going to replace her full time income with passive real estate investing. Grace's boyfriend flipped his first house when they were still in college and she caught the investing bug. They recommend the BRRRR (Buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat) method to get started. With 20% down you can purchase your first property and use the proceeds to fund your next project. Their portfolio includes 50 doors of long term, short term, and mid term rentals. They love mid-term rentals that offer the higher income of short term without the hard work of quick turnaround. These properties are great for traveling nurses, trades, and business people. They say to avoid analysis paralysis, “research enough to be dangerous” but then get started! You will learn more in your first project than you ever could in a book! If you're not a handy person, get a property that needs only cosmetic work. Overestimate costs, especially with your first project, by as much as 20%. How to find properties in this crazy market? Grace and Amelia find properties through social media, Craigslist, and advertisements. Grace offers a $1000 lead to people who refer a property that leads to a sale. They say to keep good books. Real estate is a numbers game. It's okay to love it, but it is important to get down to the numbers of: Is this a good investment? Yes or no. Both are passionate about personal finance and say to manage your own money first. They struggle to give quick tips or basic ideas because they learn something new every day! It is a tough industry, but very rewarding. “If It were easy, everyone would do it, and there wouldn't be money to be made in real estate!” To attract good tenants they provide good properties. They train them to act how they work. For example, keeping boundaries on when to return a call. They recommend the Bigger Pockets podcasts and books for all things real estate and like Jenna Kutcher's work too. Grace and Amelia have their own podcast too! Women Invest in Real Estate Connect with Grace on Instagram at grace.investing and Amelia at ameliajorei The WIIRE community is on Instagram at wire.community

Hey, listeners! This week I'm excited to bring Kaelee Rae to the podcast!  Kaelee started as a virtual assistant and now mentors others to offer their own virtual assistant services.  Kaelee is passionate about helping mothers specifically and that really shines through in our chat!  Key Takeaways Kaelee loved her career but felt frustrated by moving frequently for her husband's job. When she was expecting her first baby she felt called to stay home. She did, and started her VA business when her son was six months old. Over the years her VA services have supported 25 businesses! She loves working with moms to start flexible remote businesses. On juggling it all: “There are days when I have to sit down with a journal at the end of the day and write down everything I did to make myself realize 'Oh yeah, I did get a lot done today!'” She manages with no childcare at all! Kaelee has to be very intentional about her work load and revisits her values and goals frequently. When a close friend showed an interest in virtual assisting she became an advocate for the space. Her business mentor suggested she build a business from helping others build there business, and now that is her central focus. For people interested in virtual assisting, Kaelee recommends investing in a course or program from the start.  For people interested in hiring a virtual assistant, Kaelee says to always hire culture over skill. “Don't hire someone that isn't a culture fit to your company and the community you are building.” If you fear bringing on a VA, that's normal! “If you're making at least $2000 a month in your business you should be able to afford a 10 hours a month VA and it's amazing what those ten hours a month can bring back to you!” Project-based VAs are great if you are not ready for a regular investment. Kaelee lists the Empower Her Co podcast as one of her favorites (!) as well as Craig Groeschel's Leadership podcast. Connect with Kaelee Kaelee has a website (kaeleeraeco.com) and blog and loves making friends on Instagram (@kaeleeraeco).

Welcome to another episode! This week I'm so excited to welcome my new friend, Jenn Trepeck of the Salad With a Side of Fries.    Personal experience led Jenn to seek information on wellness and weight loss and she now pays it forward by sharing nutrition education on her podcast. Jenn built her business as a side hustle while working full time in hedge funds. Now, in addition to her health podcast and coaching, she coaches entrepreneurs like herself to make their side-hustle their full-time job.   Our conversation focused very little on careers, however, and had everything to do with building authentic networking relationships. Key takeaways Entrepreneurship was naturally in Jenn's world as both parents were self-employed. She studied business in undergrad but found herself bored in her first job and started her side hustle. Jenn was introduced to the curriculum she now teaches during a personal struggle with her own weight and health. Jenn worked as a photoshoot producer and was introduced to working in investing through a colleague. She went on to work in nearly every administration position within a hedgefund before leaving to take her side hustle full time. Jenn appreciates her time building her business on the side because it built confidence and financial stability. She cautions against appearing too desperate to potential clients. Jenn used to attend business networking events that she calls “the business card shuffle.” She says the best approach now is to get to know someone first as a person and connect through business later. Recognize what makes you unique and niche down. Avoid identifying your business as seeking “anybody who…” because being too broad can actually backfire. Challenge yourself in conversation to see how long you can go without mentioning a person's career. Jenn's favorite conversation starters include “What's on tap for this weekend?” and “What's good and new?” Your networking group becomes your “army of unpaid marketing avengers” and brings much better clients than a Facebook ad.   Connect with Jenn through her website, Salad With a Side of Fries, or through Instagram at @saladwithasideoffriespod or @jenntrepeck.   Quotes I did the typical thing- Interned at the big companies, went to work full time, and was bored. What's next? I'm supposed to just keep doing this thing every day? Worlds collided after I had such a powerful experience with this program… This, THIS is what I'm going to do. Desperation is like a wall around you. The challenge is to have that behind the scenes and not in a conversation with a potential client. Networking isn't about the person you're talking to. It's about the thousands of people that they know that you don't know. Every person is a window to a thousand-plus people you don't know Going back and forth in paragraph emails does not build a relationship. What makes you different than everyone else out there who does what you do? Wellness for real life

Hi there, listener! It's just me today answering the number one question I get. “I have this idea. I want to start a business. Where do I start?” I'm taking the time to chat on getting started and building that solid foundation. Starting a business can be scary! You are in a vulnerable and sometimes lonely position as an entrepreneur.  Here are my six strategies to get you started on the right path. Mindset is key. Do you know your worth and value? What makes you uniquely qualified and gifted to start this business? Take a strengths test. Have fun with personality tests like the Enneagram. Who are your people? Know who will be in your corner to surround and encourage you. What can you learn from them? What do you know to be true? Write down what keeps you inspired and motivated in the exciting early days of your business, and refer back to them. What type of business will you have? Are you offering a product or service? Get clear on exactly what problem you are trying to solve for people. What product or service will you offer? Get clear on what you will offer and what makes you unique. Set goals. What drives and motivates you? Get some practical goals down on paper for the next one to three years. But dream big, too! Write down those audacious goals for 10 years down the line. I mentioned my getting started in business guide which I will link here.  Of course a big part of success is building community and there's no better place to do that than by joining a local Empower Her collective. Learn more at EmpowerHer.co and don't forget to register for the Summit, happening this month in Tiffin, Iowa. Whether you are just dreaming or you have been in business for years, this is the Midwest's premier personal and professional development conference.

Today I'm happy to bring back two great guests.  We at Empower Her Co are in the thick of prepping for THE event of the year: Our 2022 Summit! (P.S. It's not too late to get your ticket!)   We are taking this opportunity to share some clips of our most popular episodes with Melissa King of Dupaco Credit Union and Katie Merkes of GoodLife Integrative Veterinary Care.    Melissa shares her story of working her way up in financials. She loves to work alongside businesses and guide them to personalized financial solutions. She is an amazing leader in our community but emphasizes the importance of working as a team. Speaking of your team, remember to visit your four key business partners at least annually: Your financial office, attorney, accountant, and insurance agent.   Katie has such an amazing story of following her dreams… but also being open to challenges. She started in equine veterinary medicine, added a small animal focus, and now offers integrative and preventative health solutions for pets. She went from a mobile unit to a brick-and-mortar. She went from a crazy-hours-working vet to a more balanced mama. Such an inspirational model of someone following their passion and finding success even with constant change. Follow for More Follow Empower Her Co on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website Empower Her Summit 2022 Hey friend! Empower Her Co is bringing together powerhouse female business owners in a highly sought after business and professional development experience. Join us for this one day of inspiration and community August 25 at Bella Sala in Tiffin, Iowa. Details are at EmpowerHer.co. See you there!

Hi there, listener! Today I'm so excited to welcome Emily Steele to the podcast. She does so many exciting things, but today our conversation focuses mostly on her role as the founder of tech startup The Hummingbirds.   Yes, tech startup. No, she's not techy. But you'll see you don't need to be. Such inspiring words from Emily. I hope you are empowered by this conversation to dream big and make things happen! Key Takeaways Emily was born and raised in Pella, Iowa, where her understanding of entrepreneurship meant having a bakery. She studied marketing and communications in Des Moines and landed in the nonprofit world because she thought it was the way to make a difference. Through her nonprofit work Emily became interested in revitalization and the impact of small businesses and started to wonder if she could make a change that way. Emily tried a lot of things but has found great success with The Hummingbirds which connects brands to hyperlocal content creators. Emily noticed that just posting about her daily life in Des Moines was driving awareness and sales for small businesses. She created a community of people interested in peer-to-peer marketing. Her original goal was to build community and she used simple tools like Google Forms. With investor dollars she collaborated with a software developer to build software. Their new software integrates social media profiles of members and lists events and opportunities. She is continuing to raise capital to develop new software. Version 2.0 allow businesses communicate with Hummingbirds directly and remove the extra step of acting like a marketing agency. At first Emily thought the Iowa Startup Accelerator just wanted to help small businesses, but now she realizes she had a real, scaleable business model with potential for big future gains. The Hummingbirds has already expanded to Omaha and Milwaukee and will be reaching more Midwest cities in the future. Emily “does it all” by acknowledging that some things just can't be a priority. She celebrates little wins and looks for ways to delegate and simplify. Emily encourages women to seek out venture capital. Know your vision and why you are different, but it's okay to not feel completely ready! Quotes “People power brands and I think it's the future of how brands will do their marketing and really move the needle in terms of authenticity and impact.” “Let's talk about venture capital in Iowa.” “That ripple effect is so powerful… that can literally change someone's life.” “I hate to see when people's ideas just live inside them forever” Connect with Emily Emily is most active on Instagram. You can follow her at emily.steele or learn more about The Hummingbirds at hummingbirdshq. Empower Her Summit 2022 Hey friend! Empower Her Co is bringing together powerhouse female business owners in a highly sought after business and professional development experience. Join us for this one day of inspiration and community August 25 at Bella Sala in Tiffin, Iowa. Details are at EmpowerHer.co and code ehsummit2022 takes $30 off your ticket! See you there!

I'm so excited to welcome Nicole Powers, owner of Simply Organized Dubuque!   Nicole offers luxury hands on decluttering and organizing services to Dubuque and the surrounding areas. Although she's fairly new to her business, she has a lot of insights to share on the show today!   Key takeaways Nicole started her business in April of 2021. She has three children aged 6, 4, and 2. She started to consider life outside of the home after her youngest was born in April of 2020. 2020 made Nicole reevaluate things in life. She worked as a nurse for six years and a nurse practitioner for two, but did not want to return. She considered professional organization and pediatric sleep coaching. Nicole has always been organized! When she babysat as a kid she would organize homes when the kids went to sleep. Nicole loves to organize kitchens and pantries most, then closets. Nicole says Empower Her is one of the best investments she has made. She loves the education and mentorship from women in different areas and levels of business. Nicole took courses to be certified with the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals. She appreciates their mentorship and education. Addie, another organizer, joined the team last November. In the future Nicole would like to add designers and carpenters to offer a more full scale service. She would love a warehouse to store product! Nicole juggles her many responsibilities by limiting herself to three sessions each week, setting boundaries, and learning to say no. Nicole's favorite organizing tips include Maintenance is key! Once a space is organized, it takes maintenance to keep it that way. Edit first, then buy product. Create boundaries for items Be aware of buying habits Organization lowers stress and increases overall happiness! Connect with Nicole Follow Nicole on Instagram or visit her website. Empower Her Summit 2022 Hey friend! Empower Her Co is bringing together powerhouse female business owners in a highly sought after business and professional development experience. Join us for this one day of inspiration and community August 25 at Bella Sala in Tiffin, Iowa. Details are at EmpowerHer.co and code ehsummit2022 takes $30 off your ticket! See you there!

In this episode of the Empower Her Podcast I'm excited to welcome Val Duvick of Val Marlene Creative. Val is a business coach for female creative entrepreneurs and got her start as a small business owner herself.  I learned so much from our chat together and know you will too.  Key Takeaways Val has tried her hand at a variety of creative careers including floral design, wedding planning, and graphic design. This gives her a unique perspective when coaching creative business clients.  Val is passionate about defining individual success. Although many creatives love wedding photography, Val realized it didn't provide the balanced life she wanted. She took a chance on a Facebook ad and took a class to learn how to start her own coaching business. Val encourages you to build a business around your life and uses her Balanced Business Framework as a guide. Success: Clarify and define your OWN vision of success, not what you see on social media. Structure: Have clear and effective systems for prioritizing time, energy, and finances. Strategy: This refers to day to day productivity and growth, but emphasizes putting on your blinders and concentrating on what works for you! Satisfaction includes both client satisfaction AND personal boundaries to prevent burnout. Val lost her Instagram account just days before a big launch! Her community pulled through and it was still a success. Re-building her Instagram has given her a more true audience. Although it was really scary for awhile, she is happy with where she is now. It's a good reminder “not to put all of your eggs in one basket!” Val recommends the book Profit First by Mike Michalowicz and says it made a big impact on sustainable business. Val is currently reading Slow Growth Equals Strong Roots by Mary Marantz and Find Your People by Jennie Allen. Both good picks for finding community! Connect with Val Find Val on her website, follow her blog, or find her on Instagram. Empower Her Summit 2022 Val is attending the Empower Her Summit and I hope you are too! Find details and information on the website.

I'm thrilled to welcome Amanda Skora of AJ's Boutique to the podcast today!   You can find AJ's Boutique on Lower Main in Downtown Dubuque. AJ's offers sizes XS-3X so everyone can enjoy casual clothing with a bohemian twist.   Amanda says her path to AJ's Boutique is not linear, it takes a few different avenues, but it sure makes for a fun episode! I loved hearing her interesting backstory.   Amanda has great style! It's what led her to open her business in 2020 and is a big part of her success. Make sure to follow her on the socials linked below and check out her look. She's one to watch! Key Takeaways Amanda grew up near Dubuque about five miles away in Wisconsin. She graduated from the University of Dubuque after studying business. After some time working in graphic design in Dallas, Texas, Amanda returned to the Dubuque area because “home is home!” Amanda got her start with AJ's Boutique while drawing on her iPad and she discovered her logo. As she says, the rest is history! Amanda opened her brick and mortar shop in downtown Dubuque in November of 2020. She has a great website but loves her physical storefront for breaking through the dense online market space. Amanda is learning to stock what customers will buy instead of what she personally loves. She enjoys that the Midwest is somewhat behind on trends because it gives her time to stock and prepare. She loves the education and seminars at market but says it is easy to overbuy! Amanda says her best investment is size inclusivity which means taking her own photos with diverse models. Things she's loving right now: 90's style, the book Own the Day, Own Your Life by Aubrey Marcus, and the podcast Drama Queens. She's doing 75 Hard which is a very rigorous health discipline and cuts out her beloved chips, salsa, and queso! Her dream for her business is to open another location and maybe design some day! Connect with Amanda Shop online at AJ's Boutique for local pickup or worldwide shipping. Follow on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok Empower Her Summit Friends, I don't want you to miss out! The Empower Her Summit at Bella Sala in Tiffin, Iowa on August 25 will be the. thing. of the year! The speakers and women in the room are downright amazing. You will get so much value, inspiration and motivation! Tickets are live now on the website. Don't miss it!

Today I'm excited to share my interview with Megan Gross!   Megan is not only a nurse midwife, she is a one-woman show running her own practice in Dubuque, Iowa. She specializes in hormone health and loves helping women through different stages of life: Pre-fertility, postpartum, and menopause.   So in addition to being totally brilliant in her field, she also does all of the work of a small business owner! Megan is also mom to three littles ages 8, 5, and 2 1/2. She's definitely in a busy season and loves her community. Key Takeaways: Megan started off studying pre-med, then switched to nursing, then studied to be a nurse midwife. Her husband's job took them to Dubuque, Iowa where she currently has an independent practice. Megan has always been an independent practitioner and has adjusted her business along with her life. Being on call 24/7 for home births just doesn't work with kids at home! Megan focuses now on regulating women's hormones and shares so much interesting information! Did you realize that our society is set to men's circadian rhythm? Or that hormonal birth control completely changes women's hormones? Megan says it is so important to be open about struggles and seeking help. Nothing is TMI or shameful in her office! The Tend and Befriend theory was so cool! Some animals, including humans, regulated stress by leaning on community.  Megan mentions some of her favorites: Girls, Goals, and Gong Shows on Instagram, the Office Ladies podcast, Taylor Swift, and Mines of Spain in Dubuque.  Connect with Megan Contact Megan through her website or on Instagram Empower Her Summit Friends, I don't want you to miss out! The Empower Her Summit at Bella Sala in Tiffin, Iowa on August 25 will be the. thing. of the year! The speakers and women in the room are downright amazing. You will get so much value, inspiration and motivation! Tickets are live now on the website. Don't miss it!

It's finally here!    Well, it's not here yet. But ticket sales are now open for the Empower Her 2022 Conference! We have to wait until August 25 for the big event.   This year's lineup is off the chain, quite honestly. We're welcoming speakers Maddie Peschong, Lindsay Leahy, Jade Boyd, Andrea Mausser, and Arica Ohloff! Laura VandeBerg is our emcee and the whole shebang is hosted by yours truly.    I'm just so excited. I hope you can join us!   Today on the podcasts I welcome two of last year's attendees and we chat about just how awesome this summit is. Ally Billhorn Ally is a food blogger at Sweet Savory Eats and a former EH podcast guest.  Ally says a highlight for her was meeting people she had “kind of been Instagram stalking.” Ally networked and did a collaboration with Chilled Freezer Meals.  The Empower Her summit welcomes women from all industries and businesses with common goals. It's so cool to learn from everyone there! Ana Schmidt Ana is the creator behind Lovely Little Light where she “spreads joy and Jesus with pretty letters and handmade goods.” For Ana, attending the summit in 2021 was “a total God thing.” She won her ticket in a giveaway! Being on a weekday she almost skipped it, but, because it landed on her birthday, she treated herself to a personal day from her full-time job as a teacher. She made amazing connections and feels like it was exactly what she was called to do! Ana shares stories from the day that just kept piling up to make her feel like the Empower Her Summit was just what God intended for her! Seriously good stuff. Join us for the summit! The Empower Her 2022 Summit will be at Bella Sala in Tiffin, Iowa on August 25. I so hope you can make it! Tickets are on sale here. Follow us on all of the socials where we're counting down the days until we meet in person! Follow for More Follow Empower Her Co on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website for more information if you're a woman looking to grow your business in a nurturing community.

I'm so excited to welcome my friend Ally Billhorn to the podcast today! She's the wonder woman behind the recipe blog Sweet & Savory Eats. But she says lots people in her small town still think she's a stay-at-home mom!   She's so great at collaborating. Lucky for me (and other folks who just bookmark recipes for “someday”) she even worked with Chilled Freezer Meals to make a recipe for their April menu! Key Takeaways Ally is one of the O.G. bloggers and started waaay back in 2009. She was lonely in a new town with a new baby and started blogging for a creative outlet! She now blogs as a full time business! Ally started out posting a new recipe every. single. day. Now her readers depend on her for something new every Thursday! She says a lot has changes since she first started blogging and her biggest challenge is photography. People eat with their eyes! She has great people who help with the “backend stuff” of blogging but otherwise considers herself a one-woman show. Blogging success doesn't happen overnight. Consistency is so important. She says her best success comes from considering what her readers need. Collaboration is so important! Ally likes to partner with brands that bring her content to a new audience. But she NEVER shares something she wouldn't actually use, and she negotiates fair pay. She used to think she wanted to publish a cookbook, and she still might, but she is so content with the path she's on! In her free time she loves to read and watch her kids play sports. Of course we're linking to those recipes she mentioned! Ally's on a pizza kick at the moment and has shared recipes for a crab rangoon and cheeseburger version. She also mentioned creamy beef burritos. YUM!   Connect with Ally on her blog or “everywhere” at sweetsavoryeats. 

I'm so excited to bring you my interview with Sarah Knabel of Bob & Lou's Coffee!   Sarah is just 25 (!) but is already doing big things in the tiniest, cutest way. Her business, Bob & Lou's, started in a camper! She has recently added a brick-and-mortar walk up shop in Dubuque and has a team of seven people. She dreams of opening a sit down shop someday and I'll be the first customer in line!   I love having Sarah as an Empower Her Co leader and member. She is such an amazing community builder! Key takeaways Sarah is an Iowa State University grad with a degree in marketing and public relations. She worked in coffee shops through college and has always loved it! After college she moved to LA for an internship and loved visiting the cute shops on the coast. I can totally see why she says her aesthetic for Bob & Lou's was inspired by this time. I love her open, welcoming vibe! Sarah got homesick and moved to Des Moines, Iowa for a job at a large magazine corporation. She learned the cubicle life was NOT for her but she made great friends who encouraged her to open her own coffee shop someday! Sarah's job was downsized due to Covid so she started putting her coffee shop dream to work. Her sister planted the idea of a coffee camper after visiting a Philidelphia farmer's market. Bob & Lou's was born in August 2020! Sarah says her best business strategy is reaching out to entrepreneur friends and building community. She is so proud of her product and spent FOREVER picking the perfect coffee! She wants only the best for her customers and is always accepting of their input. Big events coming at Bob & Lou's including a lemonade tasting and their spring tasting. Be sure to follow them on socials because tickets sell out FAST! Join Empower Her Co   Empower Her now has collectives in four Iowa cities: Solon, Cascade, Dyersville, and Dubuque! If you are in or near these areas (or don't mind a bit of a drive!), come join us! We meet twice each month for about 90 minutes. Our first session will have a valuable training to you as a woman in business. Our second is a roundtable for CELEBRATION, challenges, and real honesty from other female entrepreneurs. We'd love to have you join! Learn more by reaching out to us on our socials or shooting an email to info@empowerher.com Connect with Sarah  Find Bob & Lou's online or follow on Facebook and Instagram.  Follow for More Follow Empower Her Co on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website for more information if you're a woman looking to grow your business in a nurturing community.

I'm thrilled to welcome Sheri Zevenbergen to the podcast today!    Sheri coaches people in her DASH Mindset to help them define and pursue their own version of success. I just love her zeal for life and passion for adventure.   In her 20+ year corporate career she had all of the outside signs of success: A “good” job, happy family (that includes her husband and three sons), a nice home, even the minivan! But she still felt unfulfilled, and guilty that she couldn't help question: Is this all there is?   (Spoiler alert: NO!) Key takeaways Sheri says the dash is all there is between life and death, and she is passionate about helping people make the most of that time.  As a college intern Sheri asked her brother if this is all there is: Go to college, take out a ton of loans, work a ton of hours to pay the loans, etc, and he said YUP! Despite being a hard worker and enjoying her job for the most part, she always felt there was something more. A near panic attack on a return trip from Europe led Sheri to seek out a life coach. She loved her experience and the change she could see in herself. After she was “luckily laid off due to restructuring, she started her own business “about one minute before the pandemic started.” She credits the Empower Her Community for as a great investment in building her business to where it is today! Her travel life is soooo interesting!  Sheri reminds us that success is a pursuit and is different for everyone.   Connect with Sheri Zevenbergen Find Sheri online at the DASH Mindset and on LinkedIn Follow for More Follow Empower Her Co on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website for more information if you're a woman looking to grow your business in a nurturing community.

Listeners, this week we have a treat of an episode for you! My guest is a wife, mother, speaker, author, consultant, entrepreneur, and nonprofit director, who loves small towns and helping them grow. She is truly a woman leaning into her dreams and living up to her potential!   My conversation with Rebecca Undem of Oakes, North Dakota, is full of gold nuggets for listeners of all kinds: women, mothers, entrepreneurs, employers, team leaders, corporate employees, and more. She is full of ideas, and I love the energy she brings to her work as she helps businesses and communities work together better and care for their people.   You will LOVE today's episode friend, and trust me when I say you are guaranteed to smile and learn in today's episode of the Empower Her podcast with Rebecca Undem.

Today I'm thrilled to welcome Melissa King to the podcast!    Melissa is a member of our Empower Her community and has worked for Dupaco Community Credit Union for twenty-two years. Melissa joined Dupaco right after high school after knowing she did not want to go to college and instead entered the working world right away. Over the years, Melissa took opportunities to advance through the company to find personal and professional fulfillment and help more people.   Melissa is full of the best financial knowledge, whether it's personal or business. Her goal is to bring confidence to individuals in their finances, and she loves to work closely with her clients to see them grow and reach their financial goals. Enjoy Melissa's insight and humor in this week's episode of the Empower Her Podcast. Key Takeaways   Melissa credits her first boss at financials for teaching her so much. She shares that she learned quickly, “Small businesses need to be educated and you need to partner with them, not tell them yes or no.” Melissa touches on working with customers and giving them an opportunity without judging a book by a cover. She emphasizes that everyone matters and has their own story, and sometimes people just need tools and support to help them get to the next step with their finances. After nine years, Melissa switched departments to work a stent with the Community Outreach and Education team. This team traveled across the state of Iowa and went into workplaces and community gather spaces. They worked with individuals giving presentations about credit and hearing stories of individuals' downfalls and successes to give them the tools to improve their financial status. “You can't do it all,” Melissa explains she can't do her job all by herself, she relies on other teams to come in and help and educate her in areas she isn't an expert in. Melissa says it's no different with entrepreneurs who need to outsource or bring in support in areas of their business. “No business is the same,” Melissa likes to look at the big picture and sit down and address any concerns. It's really important to have your personal finances in order before you begin pursuing a business loan. You have four key partners in business: your financial office, your attorney, your accountant, and your insurance agent. Melissa says to never go a year without talking to these four entities.  Melissa wants to be invested in her clients and walk alongside them in their pursuits. When she meets with customers she enjoys getting to know them and be their biggest cheerleader. Connect with Melissa King Contact Melissa at mking@dupaco.com and follow Dupaco at https://www.facebook.com/dupaco. Follow for More Follow Empower Her Co on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website for more information if you're a woman looking to grow your business in a nurturing community.

Today I'm thrilled to welcome Andrea Mausser to the podcast!   Andrea is from New Vienna, Iowa where she raises her family of four alongside her husband Joe of 18 years. Andrea recently left the corporate world and focuses now on being her own boss with her business, Choose Your Journey!    Andrea is full of life, harmony, and advocating for women, I can't wait for you to take a listen and hear for yourself, enjoy listeners! Key Takeaways   Choose Your Journey began in March of 2020. In 2019, Andrea started taking coaching class because she felt stuck. She had been checking boxes for everyone else but felt a void inside herself. She took action with her feelings and got certified as a life and health coach. When the pandemic began, Andrea felt a feeling of abundance come over her opposed to what many others were feeling at this time.  Since March of 2020, Choose Your Journey has grown in many ways. Andrea started by connecting with working moms. To have balance means things are in proportion and some days they are not. “Balance is an urban legend, but harmony is what can happen.” Andrea touches on living a life of harmony with her job and family.  Andrea has had some big wins in the past year. She held a social event in 2021 called, “Momma Needs a Night Out.” Over 230 women attended the event and it really stretched Andrea out of her comfort zone. There are plans to have the event again in 2022! Collaborating with other small businesses and being a part of Empower Her has allowed Andrea to grow and understand the “infant stage” of her business. Andrea's goal is to make personal coaching part of their self-care routine. It's about leveling up and focusing on brain health which is vital to how we feel.  “Trust your gut, don't listen to that voice inside your head.” Andrea's biggest advice when thinking of yourself! Connect with Andrea Mausser & Choose Your Journey Follow Andrea on Facebook, Instagram, and visit her Website to see a glimpse of her portfolio of work and updates on new projects and services as she grows!   Follow for More Follow Empower Her Co on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website for more information if you're a woman looking to grow your business in a nurturing community.

Today I'm so excited to welcome Jill Paisley to the podcast!    Jill is the business owner behind Luckythirteen Design, a design studio committed to growing small business and community through thoughtfully-crafted design.    Jill shares her unique story behind her business name, logo, and how her business serves not only her clients but herself and her family. Enjoy today's listen, friends! Key Takeaways   Nearly all of Jill's clients are local, and she loves that! She enjoys being able to support local and also have the chance to meet business owners face-to-face.  Jill grew up in Dubuque, Iowa, on her parent's dairy farm, and it wasn't until late high school where she discovered graphic design was even a “thing.” When she realized it was a career option, she knew it was meant for her. Jill went to the University of Northern Iowa and majored in Studio Art with a Graphic Design emphasis.  Jill's first job out of college was working for a small design shop in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She shares that it was a great first job where her clients were primarily small business owners.  Jill also had her own creative outlet at the time. She designed for friends which led her starting her own Etsy shop. With hardly any thought at all, she shares, she named her shop Luckythirteen Design.  After moving to Des Moines, Jill joined an ad agency where she worked with more corporate clients and experienced a faster-paced work environment.  Five years later, Jill, her husband, and three month old baby moved back to her hometown of Dubuque, and she took a job at a local university.  The job at the university was not fulfilling for Jill. She knew something needed to change, but she didn't want to be a quitter. She stayed a full year as she explored other options. At this point, Luckythirteen Design had been all but forgotten as she transitioned jobs and started her family.  During this time of uncertainty, Jill remembered her work with Luckythirteen Design, she saw the need for a graphic design business in Dubuque, talked with her business friends, and things started to fall into place for Luckythirteen - including a new reason behind the name.  Luckythirteen is now seven years old and at a great place, Jill says. This business built on her terms allows Jill to best serve herself, her clients, and her family.  “Your story is important, part of you, and builds who you are,” Jill reflects on her business logo.  Jill knows starting a new business is daunting, but her advice for anyone considering a foray into entrepreneurship: “Try new things, you'll always be learning. Trust your gut and be still and know”  Connect with Jill Paisley & Luckythirteen Design Follow Jill on Facebook, Instagram, and visit her Website to see a glimpse of her portfolio of work and updates on new projects and services as she grows!   Follow for More Follow Empower Her Co on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website for more information if you're a woman looking to grow your business in a nurturing community.

Today I'm thrilled to welcome Candice Luter to the podcast. Candice is founder and and owner of Candice Luter Art & Interior. Ever since I've been following Candice on social, I've been totally inspired by not only her work, but also her story.   Candice has been featured by West Elm, Midwest Living, and Better Homes and Gardens, to name a few. Take a listen as Candice gets vulnerable with her experience in entrepreneurship! Key Takeaways   Candice calls her business a “happy accident.” She took the path to corporate america and after being unhappy for many years she jumped in with both feet into the world of farmers markets.  After getting more experience with farmers markets, Candice began to market her products on Etsy, and this is where she began to connect with retailers like West Elm.  Candice resisted going full time with her business for so long, she was burning the candle on both ends and was exhausted.  It wasn't until the pandemic hit that Candice lost her job with corporate america and became unemployed. Candice used the down time to go “all in” with her side business.  In the first year of the pandemic, Candice tripled her sales on Etsy.  “Stop trying to put yourself in a box that God didn't design you to be in.” Candice speaks about wanting to be a person of organization and managment but just not having that in her and hiring a team to make her business run smoother.  “We start a business doing the things we love, but with business comes the financial side, delegating and managing people, and our business can suffer when we're not willing to let some of that go.” Focus on where you're gifted and where your stregths lie.  “Just start,” Candice says. Learn as you go and figure it out with trial and error.  “Just because you're associated with a name doesn't mean you're necessarily going to grow bigger.” Candice hits on the importance of knowing what's best for your business and you don't need to agree to every collaboration offered.  Connect with Candice Luter Follow and shop Candice Luter Art & Interior through Instagram, LinkedIn, Etsy and her Website.    Follow for More Follow Empower Her Co on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website for more information if you're a woman looking to grow your business in a nurturing community.

Hi listener, I wanted to take a few minutes in the final episode of 2021 to reflect and review what we have accomplished this past year both at Empower Her and in the King household.    Thanks for being here and happy holidays to you and yours! May your holiday season be blessed with family, friends, and lots of laughs.   Key Takeaways   One of the biggest gifts this year has been welcoming our son Jackson into the world. He has been such a gift that my husband and I are incredibly thankful for.  The arrival of Jackson has allowed me to slow down, enjoy time with him, and be grateful for my entrepreneural career.  “What can we do with the time that we have? How can we get more comfortable with saying no.”  Are questions I have been repeatedly asking myself throughout this transition into motherhood/entrepreneurship. Listen to your gut when you're setting boundaries and considering new things: Ask yourself, do I feel good about this or do I see this as a red flag? Whatever the answer is, be okay with that.  Celebrate! Empower Her Co. launched its second collective this past year, and there are twenty-two members a part of it. I'm so thankful for the community we've created in Dubuque county and in the Corridor. These women are inspiring and true cheerleaders for one another as we pursue our goals. In March, Empower Her Co. hosted it's first summit, and it was truly AMAZING! We were able to gather so many phenomenal women in one space and learn best practices for growing our businesses. We're fourteen episodes into this podcast, and I'm so proud this podcast was able to get off the ground 2021! I had been contemplating a podcast for years, and I'm thankful for the women who have graciously been guests as well as our listeners who've welcomed us into their ears and homes. Lastly, I'm proud of the parternship we have made with The Innovation Lab with locations surrounding Eastern, Iowa in rural communitites. This organization not only has beautiful co-working spaces for businesses to utilize, but coaching and innovation services to guide entrepreneurs through challenges and pursue greatness. “The woman are what makes this so special” Follow along to hear about our BIG goals for 2022!    Follow for More Follow Empower Her Co on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website for more information if you're a woman looking to grow your business in a nurturing community.

In this episode we welcome Mariah Palmer to the podcast!    Mariah owns a custom apparel and design business that believes everyone has the power to design the life they want to live through their clothing, health, home and everything in between. She believes magical things happen when women work together, and works with these women to design life on their terms!   In the episode we share startup stories, personal struggles, and best practices for taking care of yourself while growing a business. I am so inspired by Mariah's story and her gorgeous designs, and I knew she was the perfect guest for this week's podcast! Key Takeaways   Mariah was able to get her name out by working with a local small shop that agreed to sell her products.  Collaborating with other small businesses helped her network and grow, which is a lesson we can all learn in our businesses. When life brought a move, Mariah got a website started to really market her business in a broader way. After having a fifth back surgery, Mariah shares that she found herself in a dark place. She worked through her mental health struggles by going to counseling, and through working with a therapist, she was able to discover Mariah again along with MPrint.  “Know when to say no,” Mariah advises. She is a huge advocate of boundaries in her life and you may even see that messaging cropping up in some of her MPrint designs. Mariah also advocates for connecting with other small business owners along the journey of entrepreneurship.  To make self care a priority (boundaries, remember?) Mariah has incorporated many practices and habits into her life including going for walks, regular counseling sessions, and using sage in her home to clean up the energy.  “I've found my tribe with these other entrepreneurs,” Mariah credits working with other women for helping MPrint grow into the brand and business it is today. “I just want to keep inspiring women to be authentically themselves.” Connect with MPrint Follow and shop MPrint through Instagram, Facebook, and Mariah's Website. Then be sure to tag @empowerher.co and let us know which design you're rocking from Mariah's collection!   Follow for More Follow Empower Her Co on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website for more information if you're a woman looking to grow your business in a nurturing community.

Today I'm thrilled to welcome my friend Susan Stutzel to the podcast.    Susan is a CPA (certified public accountant), and opened her own practice nine years ago. She works specifically with nonprofit organizations, and in the last few years she has expanded her practice to mindset and leadership coaching.    Susan is so inspirational to me and the other women in our Empower Her collective, and I cannot wait for you to listen as we speak about gratitude this very special Thanksgiving week.    Key Takeaways   “I've found I can really have a life I absolutely love,” Susan shares that she loves helping others find that same joy in life by looking inside and being intentional.  “Everything starts with your mindset.” Following a path of gratitude helps Susan start each day, and she credits this daily practice for her business growth as she looks at the relationships she has developed. Susan believes that the biggest benefit from practicing gratitude is overall happiness. It comes down to choice and what our thoughts are going to be. “We truly do have control over our thoughts,” Susan reveals in the interview. She share that we each have the choice to let negative thoughts drive us throughout the day or not.  “Building habits all starts with taking a step,” she shares. Susan breaks habit building down into a three-step process: first decide what you want, second decide why you want it, and then decide on the first step to take.  “Every habit is built through repetition.” Susan says that like anything, gratitude is a practice that we have to choose daily until it becomes routine. Focus on the goodness.  Connect with Susan Follow Susan's work and learn from her by visiting her Website and LinkedIn.   Follow for More Follow Empower Her Co on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website for more information if you're a woman looking to grow your business in a nurturing community.

Today, I'm thrilled to welcome Cat Cantrill to the podcast! I'm fascinated by Cat's work, business, and everything she does!    Cat is an entrepreneur who coaches women with dating. She helps single women find the fun and flirty side and she's entertaining while she does it. This episode is a good one friends, listen in as Cat shares her vulnerability with you all!     Key Takeaways Cat wasn't always in entrepreneurship, it was when she took a corporate job that she realized she was really unhappy. She began to explore what made her happy and where she fit in by trying a variety of things, including a pole dancing class.     While always having a passion for dance, Cat decided to open up a dance studio for adults. It was a scary time for Cat but she kept telling herself, “If it doesn't succeed, at least I know I tried.”  When Cat opened up the studio, she also began a side gig of coaching women on how to find themselves again. In 2016 Cat quit her corporate job and was able to really focus and grow her business.  After Covid forced Cat's business to close it's doors, Cat began coaching full-time.  “I realized I was on the verge of burnout and I didn't know how much longer I was going to be able to go on the track I was going.” Cat shares how she felt while having to close her business in 2020.  Cat has really niched down her business and now only works with single women to find true love.  Cat has big dreams of hosting traveling dating shows and having clients all over the US. Connect with Cat Cantrill Connect with Cat through her multiple social media outlets.  IG - https://www.instagram.com/catcantrill/ Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-FaitOZ6r1y1JnrXItRcSw/videos Website - https://www.singlewomenssociety.com Cat's Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/single-womens-society/id1551679405 Follow for More Follow Empower Her Co on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website for more information if you're a woman looking to grow your business in a nurturing community.

Welcome friends to another episode of Empower Her Podcast!    Today, I welcome Maddie Bamberg, a mom of three, a photographer, and virtual assistant! Take a listen as we dive into Maddie's business journey and listen to her tips on balancing entrepreneur life with busy mom life.    Key Takeaways Maddie bought her first camera in 2018 to take pictures of her children. She thought she would make some money on the side by taking photos for family and friends, and her business has evolved from there! After having her third child in early 2021, Maddie knew she didn't want to go back to her full-time job after maternity leave. After hearing about being a virtual assistant through a friend, she took the plunge by taking a course and getting serious about marketing herself on social media.  Working with a mindset coach, Maddie set a goal to be able to quit her full time job by the end of 2021. After taking on a few virtual assistant clients, Maddie was able to quit in mid-September ahead of her own timeline.  “You can always re-enter the workforce.” Maddie has a great mindset when looking at where she is now and the opportunities she will always have in a more traditional workforce setting.  Maddie began working with a mindset coach right before she had her third baby. She wanted to prepare herself with an entrepreneurial mindset after leaving the corporate world.  Connect with Maddie Bamberg Visit Maddie's Facebook and Instagram profiles to learn more about her life and her virtual assistant services, and stay connected to see her wonderful work! Follow for More Follow Empower Her Co on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website for more information if you're a woman looking to grow your business in a nurturing community.

Hi friends, help me welcome Angie Sigwarth, owner and creator behind Balltown Bits to the podcast. Angie creates magic with furniture and her beautiful work brings many old pieces of furniture back to life.   I'm so excited to have Angie on the podcast and have her share her business journey with all of you! Key Takeaways:  After graduating from Loras College as an English major, Angie worked for a publisher and now works as a freelance editor.  Balltown Bits began in 2014 after Angie's husband encouraged her to share her work on Facebook and start a business page.  In the past year, Balltown Bits has grown into doing construction on furniture, picking paint colors for houses, painting walls, and recycling a lot of treasures.  Angie loves when customers push her and express their needs whether it's a 20-foot fireplace or dumpster diving, it's a job she enjoys every day. “Just go and do it.” Angie speaks about her husband pushing her to begin her business and start a Facebook group.  Shop and Create with Angie Follow Balltown Bits on Facebook and Instagram! Be on the lookout for Balltown Bits at local vendor shows.  Follow for More Follow Empower Her Co on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website for more information if you're a woman looking to grow your business in a nurturing community.

Hi friends, welcome back to the podcast! Today I'm doing something a little different as you may notice…I'm doing this solo!    This past week someone asked me a question that made me pause and reflect. “Why are you so passionate about being a part of community and why do you believe in building community?”    The short answer to this is because of how I was raised. I was raised in an Amish culture and because of that community has always been a big deal. I believe growing up in the Amish community is what has driven me now as an adult to build something inclusive and where all women feel welcome and a part of something.   Key Takeaways:    As adults we all want to feel like we belong. We often find community within spaces like the gym, church, school, etc.  “We were created with a desire to belong.” We saw this last year in 2020 with a lot of isolation and finding ways to connect online and now we are seeing the negative effects of how this has played out.  When we grow, change, and evolve, community is what shapes us.  What are practical ways to build community? You have to be able to rally around a shared mission, vision, or values.  However you choose to give, it will come back to you. Our world and culture tells us to hold everything tight and it's easy to live in a competitive mindset.  I believe the more open handed we are allows us to reach so many more people. You have to invest into your community. Cultivate experiences together and show care for one another.  The four core values of Empower Her Co are: build together, invest in each other, speak with kindness and commit and contribute.    Follow for More Follow Empower Her Co on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website for more information if you're a woman looking to grow your business in a nurturing community.

Friends, help me welcome Maddie Peschong from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I've been following her for years, and I'm so excited to have her in a guest to discuss being a multi-passionate woman and juggling not only her various businesses but also her personal life too.   Maddie is first a brand photographer, meaning that she takes beautiful photographs for personal and commercial businesses to bring visual strategy to their marketing. With her marketing background, Maddie saw how she could help brands get “pretty photos with a purpose” to help business owners tell the story of their business and use visuals to communicate a message to their ideal audience.   In addition to photography, Maddie also has a studio in Sioux Falls.  This is home base for her photography busienss, where she holds photo shoots for her clients. And it's a passive income source that she also rents out to other photographers and small events in the community.   Lastly, Maddie has taken all her skills and strategies and found a way to help other business-minded women get to the next level. With her Confident Creative Mastermind, she helps entrepreneurs grow and scale their business so they run a business that is successful and fulfilling.   Listen to the full episode for all of Maddie's talents and business tips, and be sure to give her a follow on social for updates!   Key Takeaways:    Prune back services to maximize time. Found 1-2 offers that fill her life (and meet her budget needs) so that she can serve people while being intentional with her time. Photography offers are more of investment because of strategic, 1:1 time with clients “I don't think balance really exists. It's more about work-life integration…and understanding that there are seasons where you have to be more focused at work, and times when you have to be more focused at home.” There's a science and an art to social media/digital marketing Sometimes you aren't the most competitve business in terms of skill, but your brand CAN be. Your brand and personality can help get more reach, more loyalty, and more sales and opportunities. Knowing when and how to pivot comes with time and experience. And sometimes you can't even see it coming. It's important to reach out to other entrepreneurs not only online, but connecting with those in your community in real life.   Connect with Maddie That was a great episode, right??? If you want even more from Maddie, check the links below to get all her up-t0-date info:   Website — https://www.maddiepeschong.com IG — https://www.instagram.com/maddiepeschong/ Reels Download — https://www.maddiepeschong.com/get-reel   Find her Take It Personally Podcast: https://podcast.maddiepeschong.com/   Follow WhiteSpace Studio: https://www.instagram.com/whitespacestudio_sf/

Welcome friends to Episode 6 of the How She Built It Podcast, I'm so happy you're here! Today, I welcome Ana Schmidt, owner and creator of Lovely Little Light. Ana shares her journey of beginning her Etsy shop and the birth of Lovely Little Light. Her business has changed, progressed, and grown immensely over the past five years. I'm so excited to be able to share her with you!   See below for a few of my big takeaways from our chat, and listen to the full episode to hear about Ana's business journey.   Key Takeaways Ana shares the challenges of balancing her full time job as a teacher and her business. When you're passionate and love what you do, it's a blessing but it brings challenges with it.  Ana's mom has been her biggest role model and inspiration. She has always pushed her and believed in her ideas. “Go after creating things and enjoy the imperfections of it too.”  The connection and community you can have from owning and running a small business can be powerful.” Part of the growth of Ana's business has come through collaborations and connections with small business owners.  In the next 5 years, Ana wants to continue in both education and her business, but work on streamlining things and balancing both.  The newest collection - The enneagram collection, combines Ana's love of studying the enneagram and art. Bundles include a t-shirt, clay earrings, and a prayer card. You can shop the collection by clicking the link below.    Connect with Ana & Lovely Little Light   Visit her social pages and give them a follow so you can see Ana's work and shop: Lovely Little Light - Website & Store Facebook Instagram     Follow for More Follow Empower Her Co on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website for more information if you're a woman looking to grow your business in a nurturing community.

Welcome back to How She Built It Podcast! Today, I have my friend Katie Merkes sharing her business story with GoodLife Integrative Veterinary Care. Katie's story of following her dreams and handling new roles as a wife and mother with it, is inspirational and motivating. I'm so excited to be able to share her with you!   See below for a few of my big takeaways from our chat, and listen to the full episode for all of Katie's wisdom.   Key Takeaways Katie knew from a very young age she wanted to be a veterinarian. She attended Iowa State University for her undergraduate with a Major in Animal Science and Minor in Spanish. She continued on at Iowa State in Veterinarian Medicine and graduated in 2013. After graduation, Katie moved to California for a year to do an internship in the horse world. After a year of equine knowledge, she moved back to Dubuque to begin her business. Katie's business journey began when she was able to buy a former mobile veterinarian's practice in the area. Although she was hoping to specialize in equine, she saw the demand for small animal services. Her business now focuses on both equine and small animal care.  She credits her husband for his support of the long-term goal of her business.  Challenges with being a business owner: Katie had to go through a huge identify shift when she became a mother. Her priorities and mindset had changed. She could no longer work the crazy hours and had to put her family first. Setting boundaries and communicating the new boundaries was difficult.  “You just have to go for it.” 2020 was a year of growth for Katie's business. After reevaluating the logistics and serving clients further away, she has made the shift to a brick and mortar.  “It feels so good to delegate jobs to other people and I have found a great team. They love when I give them responsibilities and they do a kickass job at it.” Katie shares the importance of having a team and giving up some control.  What advice would Katie give to future business owners? Find something you are truly passionate about and keep going!   Connect with Katie & GoodLife Integrative Veterinary Care:   Visit their social pages and give them a follow so you can see all the services: https://www.facebook.com/goodlifeintegrativevet/ https://www.instagram.com/goodlife_integrative_vet/ https://goodlifevetdbq.com   Follow for More Follow Empower Her Co on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website for more information if you're a woman looking to grow your business in a nurturing community.

I've known today's guest for about 10 years…I really had to dig through my memories to narrow that number down!    When I started this podcast, I knew that my friend Kay Boyer was one of those people who I HAD to interview for this podcast. Not only does she bring a decade of business and retail experience, but her kindness and positivity is inspiring now matter what part of your small business journey you're in.   Her story of finding her passion and turning small starts into big wins is inspirational, and I'm so excited to be able to share her with you!

Friends, I'm so excited to bring you the woman who takes the guessing, stress, and complication out of dinner planning…Lindsy Trotter!    After six years in education, Lindsy decided to leave the classroom and stay at home with her daughters. She began to make freezer meals for her daughter, who has food sensitivities, to make busy night time more convenient. Little did she know she was creating a now very successful business, Chilled Freezer Meals. Chilled is located in Center Point, Iowa but ships nationwide and continues to make lives easier by delivering prepared meals to doorsteps around the nation.    I hope you love listening to Lindsy's drive and entrepreneurial heart. Not only is she a wife, mom, and business owner, she is an empowered woman!    Key Takeaways Lindsy began her business with minimal space in a coffee shop after hours. You may not have everything you need to begin, but putting in the extra effort helps you make your dreams a reality. Setting deadlines and telling people about it has helped Lindsy achieve goals. Hiring a business coach has been one of the best decisions Lindsy made to begin her business.  “You need to be on social media, posting frequently, and showing your face.” Lindsy has made a lot of connections through Social Media and that piece alone has built her business.   “Don't be afraid to be told no.”  You put in a lot of hours as an entrepreneur, but the flexibility is unlike anything else. Connect with Lindsy! Want to check-out Chilled Freezer Meals for yourself? Visit chilledfreezermeals.com or follow her on Facebook and Instagram.  Follow for More Follow Empower Her Co on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website for more information if you're a woman looking to grow your business in a nurturing community.

Friends, help me welcome Ellyse Ungs from Salted Designs. Ellyse is the creative genius behind our branding and all the beautiful things you see with Empower Her Co. I welcomed Ellyse to the podcast not only for her entrepreneurial spirit, but for the way she balances being a mom of four, coach, and business owner.    Ellyse leads her business with passion and joy. I hope throughout this episode you sit back and listen to the ups and downs of entrepreneurship life. Enjoy, my friends!   Key Takeaways:    Ellyse's business began when she became a teen mom and knew she wanted a job where she could stay at home with the kids and be passionate about her work.  Without parent support, Ellyse says she wouldn't be where she is today. Her parents were her biggest motivators and pushed her towards success. It's important to create boundaries as a business owner. It's easy in the corporate world to clock-in and clock-out, but your customers don't realize this when you own the business. Today entrepreneurship is bigger; everyone has more access to information. When Ellyse began she had to be a trailblazer in the entrepreneurial world and help other business owners. The freedom of owning a business has created connections that were hard to make in the corporate world. “Everyday you have to challenge yourself with entrepreneurship.” “When starting a business, never be afraid to ask questions and don't compare yourself to others. “   Connect with Ellyse Follow her on Instagram for her work, designs, and fun reels!   Follow for More Follow Empower Her Co on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website for more information if you're a woman looking to grow your business in a nurturing community.

Today I get to interview one of my dear friends, Janey Stahl.   When looking for a great guest who not only built her own business from the ground up, but could provide tactical tips for you, the listener, I knew Janey was a perfect candidate.   Janey is a strategic financial officer for business owners who want to maximize their profitability and potential. Her Master's in Business and Bachelor's in Finance and Human Resources alongside 9 years of business work experience make her the perfect candidate to help you reach your financial goals.   Janey says her goal when working with clients is to help him or her: “Make profitable decisions in all areas of [her] business. I will not recommend a tactic just to boost the bottom-line; it has to be aligned to [her] vision and values.” “Navigate [her] unique market, manage multiple roles, and achieve sustainable profitability.” “Provide creative solutions so [she] can feel confident and empowered.”   Not only do I admire Janey's business mind, but she is also a wife and mom of two, and the definition of an empowered woman.   I hope you love this interview with my friend Janey of Janey Stahl Coaching.   Key Takeaways Her background as a small-town Iowa farm girl taught her the Midwest work ethic, as well as the importance of making informed financial decisions. With an MBA and background in a corporate setting, Janey took a chance working with a startup and saw the ins-and-outs of entrepreneurship. Starting her own business didn't happen overnight. Janey worked a full-time job as she was growing her own business on nights and weekends. Mentorship and finding community as you grow a business is invaluable. Seek out community and growth opportunities to network. Mindset is key. You need to work in your unique strengths, not the strengths you see others portraying. Everybody has their own path. “There will be days when it's really hard, and if you don't have a strong purpose or strong vision, you will sway with the wind.”  Write down your skills, what you're good at and what you're passionate about, and figure out which of those things you can charge for. “You get to choose your hard.” - this was a good one and you can hear her take on it near the end of today's episode Learn from Janey Want more of Janey's financial advice and business growth guidance? Visit janeystahl.com or follow her on Facebook and Instagram for her tips for business owners. Follow for More Follow Empower Her Co on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website for more information if you're a woman looking to grow your business in a nurturing community.

“When you tell a story, you spark a connection.”   Stories can teach us all so much, not only about the storyteller or the subject matter, but stories can serve as a guide in our own experiences. I believe we can extract lessons, next steps, and inspiration to incorporate into our own journeys as women.   Hi, I'm Janene King, and this is How She Built It, a podcast by Empower Her Co. Here at How She Built It you can expect stories from small-town female entrepreneurs and everyday women as they share their wins, hardships, lessons, inspiration, and encouragement.    A Little More about Me I grew up in Kalona, Iowa, with few examples of female entrepreneurs to look up to. I started my career by following the set path, earning an Associates Degree in Business Management before accepting a management role within the Chick-Fil-A franchise. I quickly fell in love with business development and dreamed of someday opening my own Chick-Fil-A store.   …Then I met Nate.   Nate co-owned King Bros, Inc., a trucking and distribution company, and he challenged me to think bigger. He showed me the unlimited potential of building my own business instead of contributing to someone else's. After we married, I became the VP of Operations for King Bros.   Building Empower Her Co However, as I entered this male-dominated industry, I quickly realized that my need for connection and belonging was not being met. My friends couldn't empathize with the sacrifice and hard work that it takes to build a business from the ground up, and at the time, I was the only woman in our company.   I noticed that even when attending networking events, women were often competing for space rather than embracing each other's strengths and gifts. The entrepreneurial journey felt lonely and isolating.   Out of this desire for community, I planned a small networking event that ended up drawing a dozen driven women who were craving the same community. The energy and excitement were contagious, and I knew we were onto something.   I founded EmpowerHer Co. in 2017, and over the next few years, it grew to serve women throughout Eastern Iowa and beyond. With over a decade of small business management experience, I discovered that being connected to like-minded women is essential to fostering business growth and success.   I am am passionate about helping women to find the support they need to build something great from the ground up. The EmpowerHer Co. community continues to find new ways to serve women near and far, helping them to build smart and own their power, including the How She Built It podcast.   The Podcast Journey I knew that the power of women in community sharing their experiences went beyond the Eastern Iowa collectives we at Empower Her had created. I felt called to create a platform where women could reach a larger audience and inspire other women to take action on the own dreams in their hearts. And thus this podcast was born.   So, what can you expect here at How She Built It?  Join us twice monthly for stories from women who are also passionate about growing small businesses. These stories will be a little personal, a little bit tactical, and a whole lot of inspiring. I hope you'll join me on this journey we start today.   Contact or Follow for More! To make sure you're getting the latest from How She Built It, be sure to follow us on iTunes or Spotify.   And if you'd like more information about our Empower Her Co. services and collectives, we can be found on Facebook and Instagram, or you can visit our website at www.empowerher.co.