The Next Big Thing

"How can my brand get more exposure without spending a fortune?" is one of the most commonly asked questions by founders. And as we all know, building credibility and trust is crucial in the world of marketing. That's where social proof comes into play. Social proof is like having a third-party endorsement, which could be in the form of a quote, testimonial, or, you guessed it, a feature in a renowned publication. Today's guest has mastered the art of scoring features in major publications through good old-fashioned pitching - no fancy PR agencies or expensive promotions needed. Emma Vollrath, the founder of Emma Lou the Label, has managed to get her brand featured in top-tier publications such as Sports Illustrated, Cosmo, Forbes, Marie Claire, and more. Emma Lou the Label is an athletic wear brand that uses recycled thermoplastic fabric to reduce water weight and bloating while enhancing your silhouette. Emma's no-nonsense approach to getting PR for her brand is nothing short of impressive, and we're thrilled to have her on the show to share her exact process with listeners. So if you're ready to steal Emma's scrappy PR strategies and get your brand noticed by the big leagues, then tune into this episode, and don't forget: you don't need a huge budget or fancy connections to make a splash in the media world. Shop Emma Lou the Label: https://emmalouthelabel.com/ Follow Emma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmamvollrath/

Welcome back to a new season of The Next Big Thing podcast! In this episode, we chat about the intersection of design and AI with Lauren DeVane, founder of The Bemused Studio. Together, we explore why many people view AI as a threat to their jobs and discuss how design and creativity can work with, rather than against, this rapidly evolving technology. Lauren shares her insights on why the distinction between art and design is subjective and how AI comes from prompting. We dive into the differences between creativity and technical skills and discuss how designers can build their skills to stay ahead in the industry. Rather than fearing the impact of AI, Lauren encourages designers to embrace learning and to see this technology as a positive tool for their careers. We explore how creativity is essential for staying ahead in the field and how designers can use their skills to create meaningful, impactful work. The power of this innovative tool also extends far beyond design alone. Brands can use Midjourney AI to streamline their product photography process by creating high-quality backdrops without the need for an elaborate photo shoot. We also discuss how product photographers can use Midjourney AI to plan out their own photo shoots by experimenting with different lighting and backdrop options so they can create a clear vision for their shoots. Follow Lauren on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebemusedstudio/ Get on the wait list for Lauren's Bais Camp: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63c75f8fde520bd60dc32e13 Try Midjourney for yourself (not sponsored BTW): https://www.midjourney.com/

Community: it's so hot right now. But are brands and entrepreneurs really building community in a sustainable, thoughtful way that actually nurtures and satisfies members? Today, we're catching up with Grace Blacksea, a community founder who helps modern leaders connect and learn from one another. After feeling burned out and confused in the corporate world, Grace set out to build something AMAZING. Quench Collective is the ultimate values-driven community where founders can be vulnerable, honest, and open. Grace manages this community as well as the brand's Instagram to make sure that every single member has a five-star experience. But what does it really take to build a thriving, incredible community in 2022? And how has community evolved over the last few years? We dive into all of that and more in today's amazing episode with Grace! What you'll learn: The motivation for Grace to create a community - the real tipping point Why we (brands included) need to start focusing on we vs. me What motivated Grace to leave her corporate career for good Why you can't talk about your values without vulnerability What Grace's day-to-day looks like as the founder of Quench Collective The conversation Regina had with the manufacturer - and how she set expectations for her ingredients The trending topics within Quench Collective right now Examples of brands who are doing community right The secret ingredient to a successful community Different types of community, and how to think about community outside of the confines of a dedicated space Grace's timely and thoughtful advice for entrepreneurs Check out Quench Collective - https://www.quench-collective.com/ (https://www.quench-collective.com/) Connect with Grace on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/quench.collective/ (https://www.instagram.com/quench.collective/) Follow TNBT on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/) Contact us - hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com

If you're feeling stressed TF out about the upcoming recession, and you're also a business owner or founder, you're not alone. It's easy to fall into the media trap of constantly feeling like the world is ending and business is going to start to slide. In fact, the fear-mongering from the media makes it even worse, as they highlight the upcoming doom and gloom without giving us as founders and consumers an opportunity to prepare, do things differently, and put our minds at ease. If you're looking for smart tactics for your brand that you can actually implement TODAY to prepare for a recession, you're in the right place. In this episode, we cover three EASY changes you can make right now to start to recession-proof your business. Links: Get the marketing spreadsheet here: https://stan.store/marketingwithsam (stan.store/marketingwithsam) Follow TNBT on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod

What if sticking to your values (and not conforming to the industry norm) actually helped your brand pave its own way in a highly competitive industry packed full of heritage brands? Today, we're chatting with the thoughtful, brilliant, and provocative changemaker from Nemi Snacks, Regina Trello. Surprisingly, Regina got her career start as a lawyer before creating her own snack foods on the side. While her first product didn't work out, she was determined to create something delicious and healthy that also celebrated her Mexican heritage. What stays true to Regina throughout her journey with Nemi Snacks is her ability to put her values at the forefront of the company. From vendor negotiations to branding, she's made sure that her mission is threaded throughout every element of the brand. Regina is a true advocate for self-care and self-nourishment which is such a pleasant departure from the rampant hustle culture that exists in the startup world. She is a true leader and an incredible inspiration for any woman who wants to start their own brand! What you'll learn: Why Regina moved from Mexico City to Chicago How Regina made the pivot from immigration law to her startup Why understanding your values can help guide your trajectory How Regina learned about CPG - without coming from a CPG background The first snack idea Regina had, and why it didn't work out The conversation Regina had with the manufacturer - and how she set expectations for her ingredients Why Nemi has a vendor compliance questionnaire What Nemi means in the Aztec language The flip side of being a startup in the midst of major CPG companies on the shelves Why operating a business can be more challenging than starting a business The beauty of Nemi's nutrition profile for snacking Check out Nemi Snacks - https://neminative.com/ (https://neminative.com/) Connect with Regina directly - hola@neminative.com Follow TNBT on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/) Contact us - hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com

What if you launched a brand in a highly competitive category right before the pandemic hit? And beyond that - what if you built so much momentum that you had the opportunity to go on a major network TV show DURING the pandemic? Today, we're chatting with the vibrant, charismatic, and creative co-founder of Aura Bora, Maddie Voge. Maddie started Aura Bora with her husband Paul in 2019 after realizing that the sparkling water industry had so much more room for FUN. Between bright branding, delicious taste combinations, and a close-knit community, Maddie and Paul have built a brand unlike anything else in the space. From going on Shark Tank to sustained growth post-show, Maddie also breaks down challenges the brand had to overcome in order to establish itself in the fast-paced CPG world. Maddie has such valuable advice on what it's like being a female co-founder, what to do if your brand isn't working, and more. She is a pioneer in the CPG industry - yet anybody will find Maddie's perspective worth a listen! What you'll learn: Why it's so important to attend bigger trade shows (even if they're intimidating) What Maddie and her husband Paul were doing before Aura Bora Why Maddie and Paul became obsessed with sparkling water How these founders were able to launch a brand within a year and a half How living in Denver helped the brand get its start How Aura Bora was able to make its first 1,000 cans How Maddie and Paul came up with Aura Bora's brand positioning How the opportunity to go on Shark Tank came about What happened to the brand after their Shark Tank episode aired What it's like being a female founder as part of a founding duo What it will take for women to get more investment in the startup world Check out Aura Bora - https://aurabora.com/ (https://aurabora.com/) Follow Aura Bora on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/drinkaurabora/ (https://www.instagram.com/drinkaurabora/) Follow TNBT on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/) Contact us - hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com

What if your intuition was guiding you toward a game-changing product idea? Would you listen to what everybody else was saying you should do with your career - or would you tap into your gut feeling? Today, we're chatting with the thoughtful, provocative, and bold founder of Wherewithal, Danielle Rushton. Danielle was a tomboy growing up, but always had a challenge finding a strapless bra that fit properly (hello - don't we all?) Fast forward to her career in the corporate world, where she still wasn't feeling fulfilled day-to-day. Danielle decided to listen to the voice inside her head, buy a sewing machine, and start crafting a solution to the problem that so many women face. In this episode, you'll learn how Danielle stayed resilient among different feedback from family and friends, how she's built a brand that challenges traditional strapless bras, and why Wherewithal is meant to be a household name. What you'll learn: What Danielle really wanted to be when she grew up Why she felt like she had a “dissociation” with her boobs - and why it was so harmful Why Danielle decided to buy a sewing machine How the universe rewards you when you start to go after your purpose Where Danielle started learning how to make garments Why it was important for Danielle to start a company for her - and not anyone else How Danielle left her corporate career How she's taking on the bra industry and carving out a new category What makes Wherewithal a different kind of bra Why this industry was ripe for disruption Check out Wherewithal - https://shopwherewithal.com/ (https://shopwherewithal.com/) Follow Wherewithal on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/shopwherewithal/ (https://www.instagram.com/shopwherewithal/) Contact Danielle: danielle@shopwherewithal.com Follow TNBT on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/) Contact us - hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com

Have you ever thought about launching your own fashion brand - but wondered where you'd ever get the experience to start? Many of us go to college and focus on majors that we never end up using IRL. And sometimes, brick-and-mortar retail experience just isn't going to cut it. Xi Chen went from getting her PhD to realizing she wanted to start her own fashion brand. Her brand Sonderlier is truly a brand all of us will appreciate post-COVID. Focused on every day essentials, Sonderlier is a brand you can shop and feel good about adding extra pieces to your closet. Xi's journey hasn't come without challenges - from learning how to get a fashion brand off the ground, to understanding what consumers value and seek in clothing - Xi has gone through just about every hurdle modern entrepreneurs face today. What you will learn: The conversation that changed everything for Xi Why trade shows are so important if you're starting a fashion brand The steps that Xi took after the trade show to figure out how to launch Why it's so important to find a community you can learn from  The community Xi joined - and how she used it to her advantage Why it's important for Xi to have design control with her brand  How Xi navigated overproduction with manufacturing and identifying the right manufacturers Why overconsumption and overproduction is such an issue in the fashion industry How Sonderlier's fashion for everyday combats overconsumption What Xi believes it's going to take to reduce fast fashion Check out Sonderlier - https://sonderlier.com/ (https://sonderlier.com) Follow Sonderlier on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sonderlier/ (https://www.instagram.com/sonderlier/) Follow TNBT on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/) Contact us - hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com

Talk about a mind-blowing episode (have you heard Sam mention that word enough?) In this episode, Sam sits down to chat with Tesla la Touche, the CEO of Zymonetics. Tesla is at the forefront of psychedelic therapy research and longevity studies. And she is here to share what she's learned in this space. If you've ever been curious about psychedelics or biohacking, or how to live longer, then you will absolutely love today's episode with Tesla. Also, Canadian listeners, represent! Tesla is based in Canada and is spearheading these best-in-class practices there. What you will learn: How Tesla is part of the forefront of this movement How much LeBron spends on health technologies (spoiler alert: it's a lot) How Tesla is trying to change the industry and have these technologies become adopted by major healthcare companies Why psychedelics is the reckoning - and why Tesla got started after a major surgery Why expanding our minds is so critical - and how we need to evaluate that neurological and physical experience The promising research around psychedelics vs. SSRIs (anti-depressants) How Canada is at the forefront of research for alternative therapy How big pharma is reacting to psychedelics and new age therapy strategies How psychedelics can be monetized Check out Zymonetics - https://www.zymonetics.com/ (https://www.zymonetics.com/) Connect with Tesla on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tesla-s-la-touche-a67a7627/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tesla-s-la-touche-a67a7627/) Connect with Tesla via email: tesla {at} zymonetics {dot} com Follow TNBT on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/) Contact us - hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com

In this week's solo episode, Sam tackles a question she answers often: why isn't my brand growing? Let's face it: the last few years have been stressful. If you've been busy running your own brand, you know that it can be hard to zoom out and really see your brand with constructive eyes, especially in the midst of COVID, inflation, evolving consumer shopping habits, and more. That's why in this episode, Sam chats about how you can gut check yourself (and your brand) to ensure you have the forward momentum to succeed. What you will learn: The three biggest reasons why brands don't grow The principles you need to keep in mind so you don't get tunnel vision Why you might not want to blame current events for your lack of growth Why primary consumer research may not always be valuable Why establishing a business objective is so important How you can start to benchmark your brand toward your EOY objective Why all entrepreneurs should have some grace when evaluating growth Follow TNBT on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/) Contact us - hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com

Growing up, women are told that sex, menstruation, and pleasure are private. We're told to be dainty and shy away from "inappropriate" topics so that we don't draw any "unnecessary attention". But it's time to change that conversation. It's time to empower women to feel confident and shame-free shopping for pleasure products, or being open about sex. That's where Jemma Sawyer of ILOH comes in. Jemma comes from the fashion industry and started ILOH as a pandemic business. She's had to overcome so many hurdles along the way, including going up against major corporations to build awareness for her brand. What you will learn: What Jemma was up to before ILOH What inspired Jemma to go into the sexual wellness space Why it's important to support female-created and developed pleasure products What Jemma experienced when she was abroad related to the industry How Jemma's conducted competitive research to see what's currently out there Her strategy for getting the word out despite platform challenges What Jemma recommends every entrepreneur do Check out ILOH - https://iloh.co.uk/ (https://iloh.co.uk/) Follow ILOH on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/_iloh.co.uk/ (https://www.instagram.com/_iloh.co.uk/) Follow TNBT on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/) Contact us - hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com

Here's a fun fact: over 75% of women do not finish their cosmetics. Why does that matter? Because day after day, women (and the broader skincare-focused population) are wasting plastic by getting pulled into the next temporarily viral brand or product. Laurie Mias is looking to change all of that. Her brand MONO Skincare has a patented innovation for developing the first skincare tablet, so skincare lovers can prevent waste through MONO's glass bottles and also get the highest quality skincare the industry has to offer. Laurie's journey hasn't been easy - from tracking down manufacturers to help her fulfill her vision to going up against some pretty big players in the market, this mission isn't for the weak. But Laurie's tenacity and desire to shake up the skincare industry shines bright. What you will learn: Where Laurie's inspiration for skincare comes from How Laurie started to understand the similarities among the major skincare brands How marketing has such a major impact on sales How MONO Skincare's patented innovation works The most common ingredient in skincare products - and why it's part of every product Laurie's favorite product from the MONO Skincare line What "natural" actually means - and if it's good for skincare How hard it is to make the switch to glass from plastic as a brand The book Laurie recommends every entrepreneur read https://www.amazon.com/Great-CEO-Within-Tactical-Building-ebook/dp/B07ZLGQZYC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3NHA5DA07TAP2&keywords=the+great+ceo+within&qid=1646187681&s=books&sprefix=the+great+ceo%2Cstripbooks%2C104&sr=1-1 (The book Laurie recommends) Check out MONO Skincare - https://www.monoskincare.com (https://www.monoskincare.com) Follow MONO Skincare on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mono.skincare/ (https://www.instagram.com/mono.skincare/) Follow TNBT on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/) Contact us - hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com

After taking a brief hiatus to focus on client work and additional projects, we are BACK in March! Get excited for a brand new season full of inspiration! Have a topic suggestion? Want to suggest a specific guest? Please email us at hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com.

The search to find the right speaker for your event or organization can be a real struggle at times .. In Today's episode, our guest has truly revolutionized the process of finding and booking the perfect speaker. Danielle also encourages her community to network and market themselves to one another. While helping run BUILT BY GIRLS in her time at Verizon Media, Danielle Letayf noticed a lack of representation amongst the speakers for her diverse group of mentees at the events they would attend. After taking some time off to travel Southeast Asia, Danielle returned to work, joining Shine. But shortly after, realized that she would much rather pour her energy into her own business. That is when Badassery was born! Badassery is a community-driven marketplace for event organizers to book diverse public speakers within minutes. What you will learn: Why Danielle decided to create her business How to juggle your corporate job and your business while you are within the building phase. When it is time to go full-time within your business and quit your full-time job What makes a good public speaker What it means to bootstrap and not utilize funding from outside sources Whether or not bootstrapping is the best option for you How Danielle markets her business Why having diverse public speakers is so important What is the future of public speaking Check out Danielle's website - https://badassery-hq.com/danielle-letayf (https://badassery-hq.com/danielle-letayf) Follow Badassery on LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/company/badassery/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/badassery/) Follow TNBT on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/) Contact us - hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com

The pandemic changed the way that we ALL interacted with one another, in life and in business .. With the lack of social ques being able to connect through a group zoom call was next to impossible. Cecilia Razak, co-founder of Slides with Friends revolutionized the way that people connected remotely. She saw a need and just went with it!! Cecilia added structure and tools to ensure that those who joined in on the call would walk away feeling like they were in the room vs. just staring at a screen while someone spoke at them. Slides with Friends helps all groups from educational roles, corporate and several different types of communities. SO many can and have built a better connection utilizing this tool. What you will learn: 1) Why Cecilia decided to create this platform. 2) How and why she pivoted her one business to a completely new one so quickly. 3) How the lack of social ques make group video calls very difficult and how adding structure helped tremendously and ensure that people feel more connected. 4) The market research that went into building her platform. 5) The different types of interactive slide options that are available 6) How long it took her to start and officially launch her site. 7) How she positioned and signed her clients. 8) How did Cecilia price her packages. Check out their website - https://slideswith.com/ (https://slideswith.com/) Follow on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/slideswith/ (https://www.instagram.com/slideswith/) Follow TNBT on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ Contact us - hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com

The word postpartum makes many immediately think of postpartum depression .. and in Today's episode, our guests are determined to take back that term and give it the respect and care that it deserves. They have even renamed it the fourth phase! These women believe that the journey does NOT end after the third trimester and women deserve to feel taken care of especially after the baby enters the world. The founders of the fourth phase Marcia Cole and Nana Eyeson-Akiwowo are innovating how the world views postpartum care. These two are paving the road for how postpartum care should look and doing it quickly while partnering with some amazing organizations. Fourth Phase is a social-impact maternal wellness brand. Each purchase of a Fourth Phase afterbirth care gift box allows us to support our charitable partners: African Health Now and their curated Maternity Go Box, which serves a mother and child living in Sub-Saharan Africa, and Passion Meets Purpose and their Every Mom Matters bag, which serves new moms experiencing homelessness in the United States. you will learn: What is postpartum and how to properly care for yourself or a loved one. How to take care of yourself physically in a holistic way after childbirth. How these two launched this brand so quickly and why How these two are getting a new term added to the dictionary The journey of the birth box - how Nana went from filling the box with multiple brands to just using her own products. How the fourth phase is re-centering the conversation around the mother. All of the changes that a woman goes through during pregnancy and birth Resources: Sign the Change.org petition: https://www.change.org/p/add-the-phrase-fourth-trimester-to-all-dictionaries?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=custom_url&recruited_by_id=9acbcba0-397d-0130-41b9-3c764e04a6dd (https://www.change.org/p/add-the-phrase-fourth-trimester-to-all-dictionaries?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=custom_url&recruited_by_id=9acbcba0-397d-0130-41b9-3c764e04a6dd) Follow on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fourthphasebox (https://www.instagram.com/fourthphasebox) Visit the website - https://www.fourthphasebox.com/ (https://www.fourthphasebox.com/) Follow the Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/FourthPhasebox/ (https://www.facebook.com/FourthPhasebox/) Contact them - https://www.fourthphasebox.com/pages/contact-us (https://www.fourthphasebox.com/pages/contact-us) Follow TNBT on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/) Contact us - hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com

In Today's episode we are doing a deep dive into what it really means to be sustainable .. Tamara Laine founder of systemCHANGR tells the hard stories the world needs to hear with her values at the core of everything she does, always finding new and innovative ways to champion human rights, sustainability, and women's empowerment. Ballerina turned into a journalist and producer.. The journey of an entrepreneur is truly remarkable. Each founder that we have come onto TNBT always end up doing one or several major pivots! Tamara is building something that is seriously going to change how we think about sustainability. She is cutting the fluff, holding companies accountable and cultivating a community for those who are passionate about sustainability. What you will learn: How did the beginning of Tamara's career nudge her into her business now What does ESG & SDG mean? How is the sustainability space evolving? What makes sustainability difficult? Different ways that your company can be more sustainability.. How does a brand communicate their sustainability plan without getting bashed by their consumers. How to showcase that you are implementing your suitability practices and track your progress Join the systemchangr community - https://systemchangr.com/ (https://systemchangr.com/) Subscribe - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mind-the-ceiling/id1567078853 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mind-the-ceiling/id1567078853) Follow Tamara on LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamaralaine/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamaralaine/) Follow TNBT on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/) Connect with TNBT - hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com

"When you don't have to hide your weights you will reach for them" - Kodi. In Today's episode, Kodi shares how she is redesigning and disrupting the fitness industry. She believes that beautiful design incentivizes movement! The founder of Equipt is a freakin powerhouse and embodies everything that is entrepreneurship.. Prior to starting Equipt just like many other business owners, Kodi wore several hats including acting and modeling! You'll quickly realize that very few business owners that come on as guests just know what they want to do. What you will learn: What steps Kodi took to create her product the scrappy way. Why she decided to lean into the fitness industry. Why she decided not to create an app. How Kodi decided on the retailers to partner with. How to integrate your life and business. Shop Equipt - https://www.equiptmovement.com/ (https://www.equiptmovement.com/) Follow Kodi on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/equiptmovement/ (https://www.instagram.com/equiptmovement/) Follow TNBT on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/) Contact us - hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com

Former indie movie producer turned sex app creator, Elizabeth Dell co-founder of Amorus was such a joy to interview. We have never had a conversation quite like this one here on The Next Big Thing. Elizabeth had her heart set on creating a fun and safe place for her users to sext and express themselves in a way that you simply cannot do via text message. Between the activities and prompts this app promotes a sex positive environment for those that want to lean into their sexuality. This founder is a great example of someone who pivoted and THEN pivoted again until they found what really fired them up. It is safe to say that most entrepreneurs have to try on a few different hats! There is no cookie cutter method to figuring out your passion or next big idea. What you will learn: How to speak more openly about intimacy and sex. Why you feel uncomfortable speaking about sex. Why porn is not the best place to learn about sexuality What the app Amorus allows you to do and how it works The steps taken to create the app and how Elizabeth created the first version by herself Follow Elizabeth on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/amorusapp/ (https://www.instagram.com/amorusapp/) Download Amorus + other ways to connect - https://linktr.ee/amorusapp (https://linktr.ee/amorusapp) Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/) Contact us - hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com

Are you tired of doing "all the things"?! Most of us left our 9-5s because we were underpaid and overworked... So why as business owners do we tend to put ourselves right back into that stressful corner.. The truth is - it is hard to give up control, it is even more stressful finding the right person, training them, and then hoping that they actually do their job! It's a vicious cycle that ultimately ends up with you being right where you are at now.. overworked and doing tasks that you hate. In today's episode, we had the pleasure of having Kimone Napier come on and share her hiring and HR knowledge with us! SO many golden nuggets (hope to have her on again for a round two!) Kimone pivoted her career from law to HR when she realized how badly people were treated in the workplace, especially women. Since making this pivot she now helps business owners save time, money, and energy by effectively hiring and training employees. What you will learn: 1) The steps that Kimone took to get to where she is at Today 2) What are common fears that keep business owners from hiring an employee 3) Why is it extra hard for women to outsource 4) What you can do to prepare yourself now for when you are ready to outsource 5) What are some best hiring practices 6) What is the best way to on board your new hire 7) Are weekly meetings more beneficial than emails or a slack channel 8) Why micro managing doesn't work Links - Follow Kimone on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/simplykimone/ (https://www.instagram.com/simplykimone/) Kimone's new program : https://kimonenapier.com/rebalanceaccelerator (https://kimonenapier.com/rebalanceaccelerator) Kimone's website : https://www.kimonenapier.com/ (https://www.kimonenapier.com/) Book a call with Kimone : https://kimonenapier.com/contact-me/ (https://kimonenapier.com/contact-me/) Connect with Kimone on Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimonenapier/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimonenapier/) Contact us : hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com Follow TNBT on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/)

Recently almost every business has brought up how they strive to be more sustainable and eco friendly.. But what does that really mean? The Co-Founders of The Good Side Danielle Selig and Anna Niedermeyer have built their brand around the belief that you can be sustainable without compromising the customer's experience. The Good Side was created just a little over a year ago while two friends grabbed a cup of coffee. Since then, these two have seriously set the bar high for putting sustainability and the consumer first. Below you will see a glimpse of what was discussed but when I say "plus so much more" I mean it! You will learn: (Plus so much more!) What goes into naming a new brand. The non negotiables that went into creating their products. How outsourcing can help your business run more smoothly and what they decided to outsource. The difference between prelaunch and the launch. You will learn what goes into both and how it can be challenging if your skill set is more equipped for one vs. the other. You will also lean how to navigate the learning curves. What goes into finding a good manufacture and that it is okay to stand your ground and fire when needed. How this brand continues to stay professional and still give their personal touches, like having conversations with their customers and asking for real feedback. What you can do as the consumer to hold other brands accountable. You are going to hear several ways that you can tweak your business, products and packaging to make it more sustainable and eco friendly. Why they decided to remove certain wording like "anti-aging" from their marketing. Make sure to use the discount and treat yourself to one of their beautiful products - Code - 20% OFF - NEXTBIGTHING Shop - https://good-side.co/ (https://good-side.co/) Follow on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/goodsideofficial/ (https://www.instagram.com/goodsideofficial/) Contact us - hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/)

When you think about marketing, what is the first thing that pops into your head? Social Media.. Right? We are going to expand your thought process on what exactly Marketing is and how you can utilize several tools to give your future clients a better experience therefore they are more likely to purchase from you. Make sure to pay attention, because this episode is FULL of tactical take-aways that you can start implementing today. In Today's episode our Host Sam Ogborn dives into why she left her corporate job, started her marketing agency, launched her E-commerce business and the tools she uses daily to drive more sales. For anyone that has worked in a corporate environment it is safe to say that it can be difficult to learn or to be taught skills outside of your job title. This was a big driving force as to why Sam knew she needed to take her business full time. Sam was interested in the science behind SEO, how to rank in google and how to show up when people searched things. This curiosity has followed Sam from her corporate job to now her two businesses. As a marketing agency Sam wanted to offer other forms of marketing outside of just social media. However she did not have the experience under her belt quite yet. This is when she decided to launch her E-commerce business. This gave her the ability to better understand how to leverage SEO, paid ads and tools that we will list next! In the second half of Today's epsidoe Sam goes over some of her favorite tools and gives personal advice on what she has learned from running her own E-commerce business. https://www.tidio.com/ (https://www.tidio.com/) This is a platform that allows you to live chat with your potential customers. You are able to help them with questions and guide them towards a decision! This option is relatively cheap compared to the other options. Sam's favorite feature is that you can create custom flows and utilize chat bots! If you have not listened yet, check our our interview all about chat bots to better understand how they work : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-you-can-automate-save-time-and-make-more-money-in/id1521182895?i=1000536247240 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-you-can-automate-save-time-and-make-more-money-in/id1521182895?i=1000536247240 ) https://www.dailykarma.com/ (https://www.dailykarma.com/) This platform allows people to donate to charities through your Shopify site! There are several ways that you can set it up. Daily Karma has stated that using this service actually helps with conversion ratios, because your customers love that they are able to give back to the world. https://www.hotjar.com/ (https://www.hotjar.com/) This platform records your website visitors! It allows you to see what people are clicking on and how long they are spending on certain sections. From there you are able to make critiques where needed from the data you collect! You will also learn: How to use paid ads and the different ways to build trust with them. The best email marketing practices and how to successfully catch people when they abandoned their cart with a chat bot. Why having a mobile website is important and how you can simplify the process. How to set up a flow that will prompt your website viewers or customers to leave you a review. Hope you enjoyed this episode!! Like always, please shoot us over an email if you have any feed back or if there is a topic or brand you'd like us to bring onto the show! If you haven't had the chance yet we would greatly appreciate it if you'd leave us a review! Contact us : hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com Follow TNBT on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/)

Are you really paying attention to your calling? Are you ready to build a thriving community of like-minded, passionate individuals? It's safe to say in business, especially entrepreneurship you can feel confused and alone. It can feel like you are going through the ups and downs without anyone to vent to, get advice from, or better yet, celebrate wins with! But, what if you were able to team up with other like-minded driven women that are on the same journey as you? In today's episode Gesche Haas, Founder of Dreamers & Doers shares how she has successfully gathered thousands of extraordinary women into what she calls an "entrepreneurial ecosystem". This membership has continued to grow quarter after quarter. Gesche prides herself on doing things the right way and holding herself and her membership to very high standards. She shares tips on how you can do the same! What makes Gesche's group so impressive is the fact that she encourages the members to work together vs. spamming one another. The Host of The Next Big Thing, Sam gives you a personal testimony on how Dreamers & Doers has impacted her business and allowed her to connect with many other female entrepreneurs! PR opportunities and high-impact resources are just a few other examples of how Gesche takes her membership to the next level. What you will learn: How Gesche grew her membership from only a few women to thousands. The perks and disadvantages of hosting your membership on Facebook. The membership site that Gesche uses and why she decided on that one versus others. Tips on how you can ensure you have a successful group membership. How to know if a group membership is right for you and your business. If you found value in today's episode make sure to screenshot and share it with a business bestie! Better yet, if you share this episode to your Instagram story make sure to tag us so we can say "Thank you!" Your support means the world!! Links: Learn about Dreamers & Doers - https://www.dreamersdoers.com/membership (https://www.dreamersdoers.com/membership) Apply to join Dreamers & Doers - https://dreamersdoers.typeform.com/to/mIh1D0?typeform-source=www.dreamersdoers.com (https://dreamersdoers.typeform.com/to/mIh1D0?typeform-source=www.dreamersdoers.com) Subscribe to the Newsletter mentioned in Today's show - https://www.dreamersdoers.com/digest Follow Dreamers & Doers on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dreamersdoers/ (https://www.instagram.com/dreamersdoers/) Follow Gesche on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/geschehaas/ (https://www.instagram.com/geschehaas/) Contact us - hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com Follow The Next Big Thing on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/)

Chatbots are the future of marketing and e-commerce. Is your brand ready? In this episode, we'll uncover how you can automate, save time and make more money in your business today using bots. School Of Bots Co-Founder Natasha Takahashi debunks so many fears about using chatbots to communicate vs. speaking one-to-one with your customers. She explains how utilizing chatbot technology will actually ensure a more pleasant experience for your customer. Her mission is to accelerate the growth of chatbot marketing and positive customer behavior around the tech. School of Bots is the leading training resource for creating successful chatbots! What you will learn today: What is a chatbot and the different platforms you can use them on. Debunking the fear of "my customers only want to talk to me" and how bots can enhance the experience. How to monetize social media without devoting your entire life. Using chatbots to do market research and troubleshoot where your potential customers fall off in your sales and marketing funnels. We really hope you enjoy today's episode, we sure did! Like always please make sure to share with a fellow business owner to help them grow! In the links below you will find our email, shoot us an email if there is anyone specific you'd like to be featured on our show. We love to hear your feedback! Links: Contact Natasha - Natasha@schoolofbots.co Follow Natasha on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/schoolofbots/ (https://www.instagram.com/schoolofbots/) Visit School of Bots - https://schoolofbots.co/roi-with-chatbots (https://schoolofbots.co/roi-with-chatbots) Contact us - hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com Follow The Next Big Thing on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/)

The twists and turns of Rani's story are remarkable. Rani goes from what she thought was her dream job working at The Food Network to taking her experiences and creating a business that combined her two loves, travel and food. Rani believes that travel should be accessible to all and prides herself by helping everyone enjoy themselves regardless of the type of traveler you are. The only exception is you are NOT allowed to be a picky eater! That is not to say that her story doesn't have a few bumps along the way and you'll appreciate the honesty that this interview brings. What to expect in this episode: 1) Insight into how taking one person's advice slowed down Rani's growth at the Food Network. 2) How to travel without killing your bank account. 3) Rani's advice for the entrepreneur trying to take the more unconventional path. Links - Sign up for Rani's newsletter, sign up for a trip, or reach out for a custom or on-demand trip : https://www.cheemastravel.com/contact/ (https://www.cheemastravel.com/contact/) Follow Rani on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cheemastravel/ (https://www.instagram.com/cheemastravel/) Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/) Email us your episode suggestions - hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com

I am sure that you have heard the term funnel before regardless of what ever type of business you run. But, are you utilizing them to their full potential or simply paying 5 bucks and going about your day hoping someone buys something one day? Melissa Litchfield BREAKS IT DOWN during our interview. She is an Ad Agency Owner who specializes in funnels and ads for course creators. It's safe to say she knows her stuff! She not only gives away tons of juicy tips and tricks, but she simplifies the process and makes it digestible. Melissa and her team help clients have insanely successful launches and in today's episode she shares step by step how you can start using ads and funnels in your business so that you can do the same! What you will discover this week: How to get the most out of your ads. How to use your funnel to take your audience from unaware to ready to buy. What you should do before marketing your product or service with a funnel. What many people do wrong when they start to use ads and funnels. And always if you enjoyed today's episode and found value please make sure to screenshot it and tag us on Instagram @Thenextbigthingpod so that we can personally say THANK YOU!! Follow Melissa on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/litchfieldmedia/ (https://www.instagram.com/litchfieldmedia/) Book a call with Melissa - https://www.litchfieldmedia.org/ (https://www.litchfieldmedia.org/) Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/ (https://www.instagram.com/thenextbigthingpod/) Contact Sam - www.thenextbigthingpodcast.com/

What if one of your hobbies or passions turned out to be your greatest business idea? Especially after 2020, many entrepreneurs are trying to figure out the most "profitable" business based on trends and forecasting. But maybe your side interests could actually materialize into the next big thing. In today's episode, Sam chats with Elizabeth Finkelstein, the co-founder of Cheap Old Houses and Circa Houses about everything from following your bliss to scaling a major brand. You'll learn how Elizabeth's tenacity and persistence helped take what felt like a side passion into a full-blown success story. What You Will Discover This Week: Where Elizabeth's passion for old houses came from. Whether or not Elizabeth believes old houses are money pits. What Elizabeth believes are the biggest old home buying misconceptions. The biggest piece of advice Elizabeth has for every entrepreneur. Subscribe to Cheap Old Houses: https://www.cheapoldhouses.com/ Search The Marketplace on Circa: https://circaoldhouses.com/ Follow Cheap Old Houses on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheapoldhouses Contact Sam: https://www.thenextbigthingpodcast.com/

What if you had a genius idea for a platform that could revolutionize the way people shop - but you didn't have the technical background to bring it to life? This week, Sam chats with Kristine Locker, the founder of Chrome extension Locker. Locker brings your virtual wishlist to life so you don't have to constantly worry about a million open tabs or dead links. In this episode, Kristine shares her journey and how she was able to bring together her idea with developers who filled in the technical gaps. What You Will Discover This Week: Why Kristine studied real estate finance in college. The tipping point when Kristine decided to become a full-time entrepreneur. The worst piece of advice that Kristine received during her entrepreneurial journey. How you can run a technology company without having a technical background. Download Locker: https://www.wantlocker.com Follow Kristine on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinelocker Follow Locker on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wantlocker Contact Sam: https://www.thenextbigthingpodcast.com/

Does your brand know what it takes to build and maintain a community? Have you thought about starting a community but are nervous about backlash, ethics, or bad apples? Today on the podcast Sam chats with April MacLean, Senior Community Manager at Hubspot. April oversees one of the powerful, thriving communities of entrepreneurs online called Trends - and today she's talking about the behind-the-scenes strategy it takes to keep community members happy and engaged. Sam and April also talk about marketing terminology, Seth Godin, and getting an alt MBA. If you're ready to learn more about community management then this is the episode for you. What You Will Discover This Week: How April went from dance to community management. Why Seth Godin has had such a major impact on the way April thinks about marketing and consumer behavior. How to manage a community without having your emotions in the driver's seat. Why Sam Parr of Hubspot's Trends is a fantastic leader. April on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilmaclean Join the Trends community: https://www.trends.co Contact Sam: https://www.thenextbigthingpodcast.com/

Are you getting the ROI from Instagram that you'd like for your business? Do you feel defeated when a post doesn't perform as well as you thought it would? The emotional rollercoaster of Instagram has people reconsidering whether or not spending time on the platform is really worthwhile. And people are leaving faster than you might think. Today on the podcast Sam chats with close friend Sara Alter of Moment Consulting about what's happening with Instagram, how to use the platform to your benefit, and how to consider the impact the app has on your day-to-day. If you're finding difficulty in motivating yourself to use Instagram for your business or even for your personal account, you might find yourself nodding quite a bit during this episode! What You Will Discover This Week: How Sara started her Instagram account and what inspired her business name. What is currently going on with Instagram and why the platform is changing. Whether or not followers really matter and how to prevent yourself from being on the fast track to burnout. How we can all still use Instagram and other social platforms to truly grow. Sara on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/momentconsulting Sarah's website: https://www.moment-consulting.com Contact Sam: https://www.thenextbigthingpodcast.com/

You know that conversation - the one that goes, "Holy WHAT. We're how far into 2021?" It's frightening. It's daunting. And most of us will do absolutely nothing about it. In this episode, Sam wants to flip that mentality on its head. What if we looked at the next six months as an opportunity to refresh our goals and create new habits? Listen to this episode to learn about Sam's approach to crushing the next six months and how you can turn this startling realization into your superpower. What You Will Discover This Week: What we need to let go of to get our mindset in the right place. How really defining our goals can set us up for success (even though most of us don't put a pen to paper on the goals we want to achieve) Sam's three biggest learnings that she's encountered as an entrepreneur, and how you can apply them to your own journey. Why most people fail when faced with learning something new. Contact Sam: https://www.thenextbigthingpodcast.com/

Are you feeling like social media is just a black hole, taking away precious time from what you could be doing for your brand or even your own personal brand (which probably looks a little dusty)? Today on the podcast Sam connects with Eva Jannotta, a Thought Leadership Advisor who has years of experience consulting with authors and industry experts to help them build their own brands. Eva enlightens Sam on what it means to build a true community (that doesn't have to exist on a social media platform) and how you can practice social media monogamy. What You Will Discover This Week: Why it's OK if the major you picked in college isn't what you want to end up doing long-term. How magnetic thought leadership can encompass the core values you believe in that you want to spread to the rest of the world. How you can strategically use social media to grow your thought leadership - without getting sucked into spending hours on every platform. Why creating a women's round table cultivates truly meaningful connections vs. the same old ways of networking. Mentioned: https://www.simplyputstrategies.com/ (Eva's Company Simply Put Strategies) https://www.linkedin.com/in/evajannotta (Eva On LinkedIn) Eleanor Beaton's Email List https://www.thenextbigthingpodcast.com/ (Contact Us)

Today on the podcast, Sam chats with Emily Schildt, a second-time entrepreneur who has started a multi-million dollar business in the grocery space. Emily is flipping brand discovery on its head with her business Pop Up Grocer, an innovative take on grocery shopping. Originally, Emily developed a branding business called Sourdough, but found a major opportunity to help support new brands, and bring new brands to hungry shoppers. What You Will Discover This Week: The driving criteria that Emily follows when evaluating which brands to feature in Pop Up Grocer. How brands are refashioning beloved childhood products and surfacing nostalgia to attract new customers. How proper branding is 100% a non-negotiable and has a major impact on whether or not someone decides to purchase a product. What it takes to be a founder and how having a deep connection to your product helps build a community. Mentioned: https://www.popupgrocer.co (Pop Up Grocer) https://www.instagram.com/popup.grocer/ (Pop Up Grocer on Instagram) https://www.thenextbigthingpodcast.com (Contact Us)

At any stage of entrepreneurship, it's easy to look at other business leaders and wish you could be as productive, focused, and accomplish as much. Sam's guest this week helps entrepreneurs get aligned with their values and in the flow with their energy to be as productive and stress free as possible. Sophie Thorn is a Business Strategist who helps solopreneurs shift from CEO and find (and stay in) their Genius Zone. Sophie shares some golden nuggets of wisdom on blocking out distractions, how to break free from busy work, and finesse your day in a way that works best for you. She also gives us a sneak peak at a day in her life plus some free resources that can help you get more productive today.  What You Will Discover This Week: How Sophie bookends her day with plenty of time to get back to all her messages so they get answered, but don't take up all of her time.  Sophie is highly productive and successful, but she doesn't work 24/7. She shares how she set up her life and schedule to work a 6 hour day.  How Sophie stays concentrated on one thing at a time, and her advice for monotasking.  It's more about being intentional with your time and energy rather than putting arbitrary rules on yourself.  When you set up boundaries for yourself and follow them, other people learn how to treat you.  The Zone of Genius exercise Sophie does with her clients, and the biggest mistake she sees entrepreneurs making at every stage of their journey.  The things that hold us back the most is our mindset and confidence.  Mindset hacks and tools Sophie can't live without.  Quotes:  “I'm very careful of what I allow in my space when I want to be in the flow.” - Sophie “If you don't master your mindset. 9/10 it's not about tactics, it's about mindset.” - Sophie “Mastering your mindset is the biggest component to success.” - Sophie                                                                                                                                                                                         Mentioned: https://www.sophiethorne.co.uk/ (Sophie Thorne) https://asana.com/campaign/fac/do?&utm_campaign=Brand--NAMER--EN--Core--Desktop--Exact&utm_source=google&utm_medium=pd_cpc_br&gclid=CjwKCAjwnPOEBhA0EiwA609RedL4yyOrQU1qA33liEjPB9GZvWqgEF3T5ICHHzUA6kwyB211JvzWxBoCc34QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds (Asana) https://www.xero.com/us/resources/small-business-guides/bookkeeping/ (Xero ) https://www.google.com/ (Google)

Sam welcomes the impressive young entrepreneur Emma Butler to the show this week. At age 23, Emma is the CEO and Founder of Intimately, a company with the mission to empower and amplify disabled voices and help shape an inclusive future. Emma shares how she got the idea for disability inclusive apparel through watching her mother and friends struggle with intimates that provided an extra challenge for those with a disability. She immersed herself in hard work while at Brown University, and wrote a blog post about the subject that then became a Kickstarter and real world product. Emma talks about how she built her team, scaling the Intimately community, and why we need to rethink fashion technology and funding. Emma is proud to be the leader for a sisterhood of beautiful worthy women to come together and talk on platforms about anything including relationships, beauty, sex, and travel.  What You Will Discover This Week: After her mother became chronically ill, Emma started blogging about the best products in adaptive undergarments much due to her noticing the lack of options that were both easy for women to wear and left them with a feeling of confidence. This led to a Kickstarter campaign, and ultimately Intimately was born.  Emma is a Brown University graduate, and attributes a lot of her knowledge to immersing herself in education surrounding business and entrepreneurialism.  Emma explains what adaptive clothing is, and why it's important for disabled bodied women to feel represented in this apparel sector.  Intimately curates pieces that are simple for women who may have issues with dexterity to use, as the usual design of intimate apparel can include a lot of challenging buttons and hooks.  Intimately doesn't sacrifice fashion, and believes everyone has the right to feel beautiful and included.  Emma shares how she built her team that includes a fantastic group of hardworking able and disabled bodied women.  The Intimately community welcomes feedback from its members, and the women are welcome to submit their ideas to designers and watch them come to life.  Intimately not only provides a one stop shop of curated pieces, but also is a safe space to be a place for women to develop a sisterhood and discuss everything from sex, relationships, to travel, and their own professional dreams.  Emma shares what is next for Intimately, including manufacturing and creating their own textiles.  Emma's advice for budding entrepreneurs, and the importance of testing, market research and deep competitive analysis.  A common symptom of living with a disability is feeling isolated. Intimately provides a community for women to digitally come together and thrive.                                                                                                                                                       Mentioned: https://www.intimately.co/ (Intimately ) https://www.instagram.com/intimately.co/?hl=en (@Intimately ) https://selfservice.brown.edu/ss/bwckctlg.p_disp_course_detail?cat_term_in=201410&subj_code_in=ENGN&crse_numb_in=1010 (ENGN 1010 )...

Sam takes this solo episode to discuss Apple's new privacy feature and how it puts more of the control in the consumer's lane, where they will now have the right to decide whether or not a brand can access their data. Sam discusses what this means for brands, and how the more broadly you can demonstrate the relevance of your product, the better off you are going to be. She gives a few practical tips to get started right away so you can take a customer's first approach and be ahead of the game for this new shift. What You Will Discover This Week: How Facebook has been tapping into our social data for a long time, and most consumers really don't know what they are agreeing to in the fine print of the Terms and Conditions. Advertising agencies have benefitted from this data and have targeted people based on personal information collected on their social's, even including their birthdays and interests. Apple's new privacy feature, and why it is such a monumental deal for consumers, brands, and advertisers. Apple is telling apps that if they want to play within their ecosystem and reach their customers, then you are going to have to play by their rules. What does App Tracking Transparency actually mean and what should iPhone users be aware of? A few key ways that brands can get ready for this shift and make sure they are not just relying on FB and IG for reaching an audience. Be where your target audience is. Pinterest may make sense for some, while an online community may be more beneficial for others. Email marketing is 100% ownable and so critical to get your fans to continue their conversation and build loyalty. Ideas on how to broaden your niche and reach a wider audience by spreading your wings on different platforms. As a consumer, you now have the power to decide whether or not you see hyper relevant ads. Consumers are in control!                                                  Mentioned: https://www.apple.com/ (Apple ) https://www.thesocialdilemma.com/ (The Social Dilemma ) https://www.netflix.com/title/70132721 (The Social Network) https://www.netflix.com/title/70132721 (Lashify) https://slack.com/ (Slack) https://circle.so/ (Circle ) https://www.mightynetworks.com/ (Mighty Networks )

In this week's episode, Sam welcomes Siran and Mel, the Co-Founders of the important new tool, Mirza. This app serves a multitude of purposes, from researching fertility options to understanding financial costs, and navigating parental leave for busy working parents. Mirza is for any type of family structure, income bracket, and can be a great resource for the most organized person to someone who just prefers to wing it. Sam speaks with Siran and Mel about why they decided to create Mirza, the staggering statistics on the parent pay gap in the workplace, and ideas on structurally adapting how we ask professional parents to balance their time and energy rather than our current band-aid fixes.  What You Will Discover This Week:  We all seem to know that child care and family expenses may one day be on our horizon, but very little of us plan for it financially.  There is a parent penalty, even when men and women return back to the workplace.  We don't have an equity in how we share household work at home, and we need everyone who touches this ecosystem to be part of this solution.  Siran and Mel each give their backgrounds, and discuss how they became Co-Founders of Mirza, and some takeaways on how to better communicate with your Co-Founder or work partner.  Mirza is a tool for new and prospective parents not just to get by, but to become more financially secure and navigate the very confusing world of maternity/paternity leave and parental pay gaps.  Although Mirza was launched pre-pandemic, we need it more than ever with over 4.6 million payroll jobs lost by women since the beginning of the pandemic in the United States. Of those, 32% of jobless women aged 25-44 cite the reason they don't return as lack of child care.  Supplying gyms at work so we can stay there our whole day is not an answer! Nor is paying for women to freeze their eggs. What we need is more paid time off, more support, and not to come back to jobs that limit our possibilities of financial growth.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Mentioned:...

In the midst of 2020, Sam wanted to make herself better and overcome some limiting beliefs when it came to dating and finding a space for a partner in an already busy life. Enter Dr. Christie Kederian, a professional matchmaker, licensed M.F.T., and dating and relationship therapist. It may sound weird, but it makes sense when you think of looking for love and applying the principles to dating like any successful business endeavor. Christie talks about her experience at eHarmony and Match and what she learned about compatibility and long-lasting love, and what she believes the biggest misconceptions are when it comes to career-oriented women putting themselves on the dating market. She gives advice for women dating in their 30's and above, how dating is more a long-distance run than a sprint, and what to do if you find there are just no good potential men in your city. What You Will Discover This Week: Why Sam decided to enlist a dating therapist, and how she and Dr. Christie has worked through some of her limiting beliefs about relationships and dating! Women tend to not believe they can have it all when it comes to a successful career and healthy love, but Dr. Christie proves time and time again that it is possible, and maybe even easier and less stressful than we think. Christie herself knows a thing or two about not keeping yourself in a box. This superwoman has three degrees and a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership. Some of the biggest takeaways about compatibility that Christie learned from her time at eHarmony and Match. Love at first swipe is possible — just ask Christie and her husband! Singles have more success when they build in dating more like a daily habit such as exercise. Christie's advice for dating during a pandemic! Should you give up on love, or is this possibly a great opportunity? Showing up fully as yourself in dating is important, especially in your 30's, rather than feeling like you need to act a certain way. Mentioned: https://therapyfordating.com/ (Therapy For Dating) https://www.instagram.com/thedatedoctorchristie/ (Christie on Instagram)

Sam discovered Lauren Kane, Founder of VC Worthy Business, on Clubhouse, and was blown away at how she was so able to connect her own experience with female entrepreneurs looking for funding, advice, or even just a point in the right direction. Lauren joins the show to talk about her work as a Pitch Strategist and angel investor, some advice on how to make investors feel connected to you, and her vision on the future of female funding. She also talks about the strides we still have to make in investing so that there is an equal representation and everyone has a seat at the table. What You Will Discover This Week: Lauren is a Pitch Strategist and works with female founders on many aspects of finding the right investor, deciding what type of investor they may need, building their pitch and making sure they are ready to receive the funding. How Lauren went from the corporate world and banking to investment, and why she decided to also branch out and become an angel investor herself. The not so pretty stats of how women aren't getting their fair share of funding! With the lion's share (up to 90%) of venture capitalists being male, Lauren is a thought leader on ways we can shift this and move forward to get women more capital. A few of the missteps and mistakes that Lauren sees women make when going after funding. Key criteria that make a company fundable. Lauren's advice for CEOs that she wishes more people knew! What company is even right for an investor, and how to know when it's time to fundraise. Some honest truths that women need to have in mind when they are going into a pitching scenario. Mentioned: https://goldenseeds.com/ (Golden Seeds) https://www.crunchbase.com/ (Crunch Base) Lauren Kane: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-kane/ (LinkedIn) | http://www.vcworthybusiness.com/ (VC Worthy)

Email marketing is one of the best tactics to reach and grow your audience, yet it is one of the most overlooked practices. But just having an email marketing campaign isn't good enough — you need to know what works, and what doesn't. This week, Sam is joined by Sobrina Pies, the head of marketing at Flodesk, the world's most intuitive email builder. Sobrina talks about what makes a great email campaign, the mistakes she sees marketers make most often, and how to improve your click-through rate in an already existing campaign. She and Sam also talk about using Flodesk along with a few other affordable recommendations to create a beautiful and impactful email that provides value and fosters a reciprocal, memorable conversation. What You Will Discover This Week: Why marketers tend to put email marketing on the backburner and instead focus all the attention on social, and why Sabrina and Sam feel that it results in a lot of missed opportunities. Not only do you have an opportunity to reach 100% of your subscribers and audience with email marketing, but it is the largest organic growth driver. Why Sam is a big fan of Flodesk and their ability to help marketers of all skill levels create stunning emails. Sobrina's advice on creating emails that entertain, inform, provide value, and leave your audience wanting more. Flodesk offers a flat fee, so the rate doesn't go up exponentially as you grow your audience. A little bit more about Sobrina's background in the marketing side of tech for 15 years, and how she combined that with her love of the side hustle to bring the best of both worlds to Flodesk. Some great resources for high-quality photos, copy,  imagery, and pointers on how long an email should be for best engagement. Mentioned: https://flodesk.com/ (Flodesk) https://www.socialsquares.com/ (Social Squares) https://www.replicasurfaces.com/ (Replica Services) https://unsplash.com/ (Unsplash ) https://talkingshrimp.com/ (Talking Shrimp)

Tara Button had an idea of a website and community that put a spotlight on long lasting products and true consumer satisfaction first - and that idea stalked her until she had to create it and launch it for the world to utilize. Her site is Buy Me Once, and it is completely changing not only how consumers find products that are built to last, but how companies are realizing that repair and a warranty are two criteria that are moving up the list for most shoppers. Tara joins Sam to talk about how she saw the need for Buy Me Once, how they changed their business model to now sell directly to consumers, and her advice for building a community around your website. She also gives us a few of her favorite brands featured on Buy Me Once, and how to know when you are really getting quality items.  What You Will Discover This Week: In a world of paid reviews and wanting everything quickly on demand, it can get confusing to know where to shop and what products will last the test of time. Tara talks about why products are meant to break physically along with stylewise, and how it is time for that to change.  What Buy Me Once is, and Tara knew there was nothing of it's kind and greatly needed in the consumer world.  The less we have to buy things, the more we save money for ourselves and keep our environment clean.  What Tara thinks the future is for the Right to Repair Act and companies including life cycle labeling and more transparency about how long their products really will last.  Why Tara decided to change the business model of Buy Me Once from affiliate marketing to selling directly out of their warehouse. Some of her favorite brands and recommendations both in and beyond Buy Me Once.   Who to really seek honest reviews from instead of basing everything off Amazon.  Mentioned: https://buymeonce.com/ (Buy Me Once ) https://www.lecreuset.com/ (Le Creuset )

Most of us have visited one of the many now popular fast casual restaurants and enjoyed the great quality and affordable food ready in a short amount of time. For Sam, her first Chipotle trip is still a great memory, and she was curious and excited to find out that Liz Giorgi was replicating that model and applying it to content creation. Liz joins the show to talk about Soona Studios and how they are changing the game on content delivery, photoshoots, and creative content delivery time. Liz shares how she and her creative soul partner Hayley came up with the idea for Soona while on a hike in Joshua Tree, how clients of all types can benefit from Soona's offerings, and how they pivoted through challenges throughout the pandemic. What You Will Discover This Week: Soona makes it possible to get professional photos and videos from wherever you are, and also have you attend a real-time shoot virtually. Soona also has a la carte options, which makes it super easy to create content for E-commerce, Amazon, social media, or traditional campaigns. Liz explains how she discovered there was a need in the market for fast-casual content creation. Liz's advice for working with a business partner — even better if it's your creative soul mate! Need to brainstorm some ideas and get the creativity moving? Go for a walk! More about the camera to cloud technology that Soona uses to provide flexibility and high quality. Finding your point of view as a business is everything. Liz's mission is to create a great opportunity and legacy for those around her. If you are a busy entrepreneur, it's okay to have downtime and relaxing, peaceful hobbies. How Liz goes to where their customers are instead of feeling pressure to advertise like a traditional business. Mentioned: https://soona.co/ (Soona) https://instagram.com/soonastudios (@soonastudios) https://news.stanford.edu/2014/04/24/walking-vs-sitting-042414/ (Stanford study on walking boosting creativity)

Tatiana Boncompagni is the founder of Eat Sunny, a meal delivery service that focuses on organic and chef-prepared delicious meals that are a complete game-changer when it comes to convenience and health. She joins Sam on the show to talk about how she pivoted from her work as a veteran wellness and beauty writer and used that experience to build Eat Sunny. Tatiana opens up about some of the challenges she faced when launching Eat Sunny, and how the company empowers its customers by allowing them to thrive with meals that provide all the flexibility in the world with no compromise on taste. What You Will Discover This Week: Eat Sunny isn't your typical meal delivery service. It is thoughtfully crafted to provide organic and super nutritious seasonal meals that can also be frozen and saved for later. Tatiana is a customer first. She discusses why she loves the Mediterranean diet as a lifestyle, and how Eat Sunny was made for sustainability and ease. Eat Sunny, as a company, seeks to empower women, give them confidence, and help make healthy eating even easier. Tatiana is proud of Eat Sunny and where the company is now, but they certainly had to overcome some challenges. How Tatiana shifted from being a veteran journalist writing for many top magazines to deciding she wanted to launch and maintain a bootstrap company. Why Tatiana chose these three values for the meals that Eat Sunny provides: boosting immunity, boosting beauty, and providing immense satisfaction. More behind the Eat Sunny brilliant branding to make you feel bright, natural, and comfortable. As Tatiana knows from her magazine days, images matter! Eat Sunny has made a commitment to help their community at all times, but now more than ever while we are in the middle of the pandemic. Mentioned: https://eatsunny.com/ (Eat Sunny) https://www.instagram.com/eatsunnylife/ (Eat Sunny Instagram)

Cole Baker-Bagwell has a mission to make the world a little more kind and to show that it is not only an extra cherry on top of a sundae at work but actually the foundation of what makes a company productive and effective. Cole is a Chief Experience Architect and host of the Kindness Think Tank podcast. She embraces her inner Kindness Nerd and joins Sam to talk about how we can be more thoughtful in our interactions, three practical ways we can be kinder today, and how we can still foster connection while still working from home. What You Will Discover This Week: Brands and companies that modify their culture to be more kind achieve bigger results. Kindness is still very much a work in progress in Corporate America. We have forgotten that outcomes are created by human beings. Honoring yourself and what you need is a form of kindness. Turn on that Zoom camera every now and then! Making eye contact and seeing each other in human form is very important, even if it's virtual for now. Cole took her experience in sales and strategy and used it as a cornerstone to show that no matter what you are doing in business, it's always about people and building authentic two-way relationships. We are all born to be compassionate, collaborative, and generous. We can be emotionally intelligent but not kind, and often it's just about making space for ourselves or for others to pause a moment and choose kindness. Kindness leads to trust, which brings more collaboration and more productivity. The three practical ways to be more kind that will also help you cultivate self-awareness. Mentioned: Cole Baker-Bagwell: https://coolaudrey.com/ (Website) | https://www.instagram.com/kindnessthinktank/ (@kindnessthinktank) | https://www.linkedin.com/in/colebakerbagwell/ (LinkedIn) | https://coolaudrey.com/podcast (Kindness Think Tank)

Ever since Sam laid eyes on the Legally Addictive packaging, she knew it was crucial to meet Laura Shafferman, the founder and creator behind the delicious and oh so creative cookie. She shares the idea behind Legally Addictive cookies, providing tried and true ingredients in a clever cracker delivery style, and more about how this Brooklyn-based company launched in only three weeks. Laura talks about her journey from Real Estate to being an entrepreneur and gives advice to others looking to launch a brand in the space.  What You Will Discover This Week: How Laura came up with the super clever title for Legally Addictive, and the story behind the salted and sweet cracker/cookie treat. The steps Laura took to pivot away from Real Estate and into being an entrepreneur. Laura started making this delicious product herself in her home kitchen, and now they have expanded to many retail stores and an impressive e-commerce shop. Not all businesses can come up with a concept and launch in three weeks, but Laura did! Legally Addictive listens to their customers and really takes into heart what they do want, and what may not be a fit for their taste buds. How Laura created an environment for her team where everyone feels comfortable, heard, and safe. What it has been like scaling in both online commerce and retail. Laura's advice for launching a brand in a similar space, and some tips on how to make friends with your local retailer and first get featured in your neighborhood. Yes, branding and your packaging can be even more important than your product, especially when there is so much competition! Three of the main character traits that greatly help with success as an entrepreneur: persistence, flexibility, and connectivity. Mentioned:  https://legallyaddictivefoods.com/ (Legally Addictive) https://www.dylanscandybar.com/ (Dylan's Candy Bar) https://foxtrotco.com/ (Foxtrot)

Sandra, the founder and CEO of Nopalera, had a mission to make a bath and beauty product that celebrated the Latin culture and displayed the colorful and rich nature of Mexico. She is a true success story, now in 50 stores and a family of Instagram followers and devoted beauty users. She joins Sam this week to talk about why the Nopal cactus is of great use for beauty, how she came up with the idea for a Nopal based bath and beauty brand, and the importance of using your branding and marketing to convey a story of what the brand is and who exactly it's for. What You Will Discover This Week: Why Sandra decided to build Nopalera to pay homage to her heritage and celebrate the Latin culture.  Tips for people looking to start and build a brand in the bath and beauty space.  The Nopal Cactus is a cultural symbol great for multiple uses and is very sustainable and cleansing.  It wasn't always Sandra's plan to be an entrepreneur! She has a background in music and has toured the world playing.  The people that helped out with the beautiful packaging and photography.  How Sandra enrolled in a botanical school to get into a place where she was truly educated about what is (and isn't!) in her Mexican botanical line.  What Sandra has learned since launching on November 2, 2020.  When you launch a brand, you must really understand your margins and the math behind your sales.  Mentioned:  Nopalera: https://www.instagram.com/nopalera.co/?hl=en (Instagram) | https://nopalera.co/ (Website) | https://www.beautyindependent.com/nopalera-new-premium-bath-body-care-brand-proudly-celebrating-latin-culture/ (Beauty Independent Article ) https://formulabotanica.com/ (Formula Botanica ) https://www.amandalopezphoto.com/ (Amanda Lopez Photography)

Jordan Scott, Founder of the Cobble and IDK Tonight apps, joins the show this week. Jordan is a visionary and entrepreneur, and she uses her experience to both encourage others and educate them on how much work it really takes to launch an app. Jordan shares how she saw the need for a service that helped couples plan experiences, lessen indecision, and provide an answer to that age-old question, “I don't know, what do you want to do?” Sam and Jordan also talk about how Cobble has successfully pivoted during the pandemic, how they are growing and widening their audience, and the integration between both the Cobble and IDK Tonight apps. What You Will Discover This Week: What Jordan's experience was like leaving the corporate world to become an entrepreneur. Her advice for people wanting to start and launch an app. Jordan is very open about what worked and didn't work for her, so others could learn both from her successes and challenges. More about her first company, IDK Tonight, and how it provided a solution for couples in the New York area who needed ideas for keeping their dates fun and fresh. How Jordan and her teams have pivoted during the pandemic to add virtual events and at-home ideas, also while expanding the outdoor dining options. A little more about how Cobble works and has the same mechanisms as a dating site, just with the swipes leading to activities and ideas rather than people! Soon you will be able to Cobble with your friends and family, not just romantic partners. The importance of taking a break. Don't underestimate the power of a 20-minute nap! The biggest challenges Jordan has overcome while developing and launching both apps. Don't be intimated! If other people can build an app, so can you! Just get ready for some hard work. Mentioned:  https://www.trycobble.com/ (Cobble ) https://idktonight.com/ (IDK Tonight ) https://www.notion.so/?utm_source=google&utm_campaign=12263085569&utm_medium=118856646913&utm_content=495341253993&utm_term=notion%20note%20app&targetid=kwd-664489245295&gclid=CjwKCAiA65iBBhB-EiwAW253W_vYj1VG_NKf1JVbV6r9bMFDwcMtaP1JohXXU4rdRDb6UFJnBCKpahoC2uYQAvD_BwE (Notion ) https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46473/if--- (Rudyard Kipling - “If” )

Everyone is talking about the Clubhouse app. Is it the next big social networking tool? Is it going to overtake Instagram or TikTok? Is it even worth joining ANOTHER platform when all of these social media apps feel overwhelming? Today, host Sam Ogborn gives you the inside scoop on the app - how it works, why you should join, what the future advertising model could potentially look like, and more. If you've wanted to download the app but have been putting it off, let this episode serve as the nudge you need to try it out for yourself. Email Sam for an invite (limited quantity, first come first serve): hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com

Did you race into 2021, or did you take time to gut-check how you want to be efficient and productive in 2021? Fellow podcaster, former colleague, and project management industry leader Jennie Crichlow joins Sam to discuss tweaks founders and entrepreneurs can make to increase their efficiency and effectiveness in their day-to-day lives. In addition, Jennie also shares her tips on relationship-building and the importance of tapping into emotional intelligence in the workplace. Find Jennie on Twitter: @JenCrichlow Find Jennie on Clubhouse: @jencrichlow Catch Jennie's Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/let-me-back-up/id1533595497 Email us: hello@thenextbigthingpodcast.com

Are you serving your customers in a way that leaves them feeling more connected to the brand and more inclined to stay loyal to you in the long run? Sasha Canady, owner and founder of Servant Marketing, joins Sam this week to discuss why it's crucial now, more than ever to lead with the intention to serve rather than to sell. Sasha talks about what Servant Marketing is, how it helps brands navigate the new challenges of a consumer-centered market, and why she left corporate culture to forge her own path. Sasha and Sam also discuss slimy and click-bait oriented marketing tactics that don't work, and provide resources for you to get started with the powerful tool of Servant Marketing today. What You Will Discover This Week:  How Sasha took the principles of https://www.amazon.com/Servant-Leadership-Legitimate-Greatness-Anniversary/dp/0809105543 (Servant Leadership) and applied them to marketing to help herself and others create a successful brand that seeks to serve before it sells. We have no choice but to innovate and adapt to the new face of consumers — ones that have more power than ever when making choices and picking brands they want to invest in. How working at a big corporate company can sometimes muddle the message of what it takes to really impact the bottom line of your business. Sasha's journey from the corporate world to entrepreneurialism, and why she will always continue to lead with her heart. Everyone wins when brands show their value up front and truly want to make their customer's lives better. Servant Marketing with a data first approach is the way to go for understanding what your customer really wants, and how they respond to what you are putting out.  The biggest marketing pet peeves we see out there now, and how to stop right away! What you may be doing wrong when trying to understand and gauge who your customers really are. A few brands we feel are really doing it right when it comes to Servant Marketing.  Don't get comparisonitis!  Mentioned:  https://www.amazon.com/Servant-Leadership-Legitimate-Greatness-Anniversary/dp/0809105543 (Servant Leadership) https://www.servantmarketingco.com/about (Servant Marketing Co.) Sasha: https://www.instagram.com/bizcoachsasha/?hl=en (Instagram) | https://www.instagram.com/bizcoachsasha/?hl=en (TikTok)

Are you feeling confused about the state of paid social? Do you need help figuring out how to take the first step or even the next step in your ads strategy? Today, Sam chats with Dara Denney, a well-known and highly sought after paid social expert in the startup space. Dara has helped grow and even double brands' return on ad spend with her deep knowledge of this evolving landscape. Learn from Dara how and when to start running ads, as well as strategies you can implement to help your brand gain traction across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snap. Dara's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/daradenney Dara on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daradenney Dara on Clubhouse: @daradenney Podcast email: pod@onceandmore.co