Podcasts about Etsy

Steve & Izzy continue Nic-August Cage, the month dedicated to the greatest living actor, as they discuss 2025's "The Carpenter's Son" starring Nicolas Cage, FKA Twigs, Noah Jupe & more!!! What are our upcoming vacation plans? Why is Jason our religious movie expert? Is Grindr the high ground?!? Let's find out!!! So kick back, grab a few brews, resurrect the Lazarus Locust, and enjoy!!! This episode is proudly sponsored by Untidy Venus, your one-stop shop for incredible art & gift ideas at UntidyVenus.Etsy.com and be sure to follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & Patreon at @UntidyVenus for all of her awesomeness!!! Try it today!!! Twitter - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/eilfmovies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/eilfmovies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Etsy - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.untidyvenus.etsy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TeePublic - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.teepublic.com/user/untidyvenus⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kiera gives three tactical shifts to help practice owners get their time, energy, and life back, while still maintaining a successful business. Episode resources: Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast Schedule a Practice Assessment Leave us a review Transcript: Kiera Dent- Dental A Team (00:00) Hello, Dental A Team listeners. This is Kiera. And today I want to talk about a fun topic that I think a lot of you deal with.   and that's burnout. And I know we've talked about it before, I know we've talked about it in the past, and I know it's not a fun topic, but I think it's a fun one to help people not have.   I think burnout, I was listening to I have a podcast that I really enjoy. It's   Life Wisdom   by Words of Taoism. And I just love different mindsets, different perspectives, and   I think this ties really heavily into today's topic. And he was talking about how, like, so many of us are per burnout, and it's this feeling of like, I'm just spent, I'm just exhausted, like I can't do one other thing. And they were talking about how oftentimes it's not just about the work that we're doing. A lot of times it's not actually the work, it's the mental load that we're carrying or the things that we're carrying behind. And it's that is what I want to talk about today is.   like the burnout and how we can get our life back without sacrificing all of it and what this looks like and work life balance and the cliche around it. But when I started thinking of like all the pieces that we do carry the stress of a team, the workload of actually doing it, stress of our families, conversations, replaying conversations in our mind, wondering if we did things correctly, like did I check the books? Did I talk to this team member correctly? D what do I need to do? There's so much weight.   thinking about how oftentimes like we build these businesses, not to be prisoners of them, but to actually have freedom from them. And I think sometimes it feels cliche and it feels like we're getting the exact opposite of that. And so I wanted to talk about like why we get the burnout similar to that. Like we're caring so much. It's not the workload. I don't think most of us, I think a lot of us are fine. I think it's the how much we're caring, it's the subconscious caring that doesn't ever leave us alone. And so what causes that shift in an   Hopefully just some like three tactical shifts that help you get your time, your energy, and your life back. And burnout is a lot of times a conversation we have with a lot of doctors. And I think having a coach, having a guide, having someone in your corner can help prevent that burnout sooner and quicker because we're gonna be listening to it, watching it. And I think having a safe space where you can say, like, I'm exhausted, I'm tired, like I don't physically think I can do that anymore. And then somebody questioning and saying, All right, like there's other, there's a thousand other paths to do it. Let's look and let's find that solution where you don't have to do it.   But we're able to have other people there with you. and I just I think that burnout, I think stress, I think carrying it, it's at every size of practice. So please don't think like, well, people don't deal with this. No, they do. No, like there's highs and lows, everybody has it, that we've got days we've got more of it, we've got days that we have less of it. and I don't think it's like needing more motivation. I think it's like w what what do I actually do? And so kind of just going through that Dental A Team, we work with hundreds of offices across the nation.   Like we've seen it across the board. I've dealt with it. I'm a business owner. I'm a multi-million dollar owner. I've built practices, I've run dental practices, I've started my own business. I've gone from scratch up. I've sold. I mergers and acquisitions, selling to DSOs, you name it. I've been there, I've done that, I've done it a lot. I've done it in my own personal life. I've built multiple multiple businesses in my own. I've built my own personal brand. The things like let's talk, let's talk as business owners, let's talk about these different things. And so I think one of the biggest things that can help prevent this burnout is to stop being the solution to every problem.   I think that we carry this weight constantly of feeling like, especially founders who have built up from the ground up, feel like they've got to be the solution. You were. That's who you were. You had a GSD to get there. But that doesn't mean that's who you need to continue to be. And I'm I'm guilty of this. I watch Slack and I watch myself. And how often do I just jump in and solve a problem? Or I'm sitting in meetings and I know the answer, but just because I know the answer doesn't mean I need to raise my hand and answer. I need to have a team that can create solutions. I need to have a team that genuinely can do it.   Because I genuinely believe one of the fastest paths is being the answer for everything. team members are like, how to know if this is the case is you got team members who are constantly coming to you. Every decision requires your approval and you are solving problems all day long, even minimal problems. And I know I'm guilty of this in my own company. I watch it and I'm like, why are they asking me for that? Like, how do I give them the permission to not need that? And I need to just let them be dependent. And   Let them be independent and not dependent on me. I think when I see teams very dependent on an owner, including myself, I think people being exhausted. I think the practice that can't function without you, can they handle these decisions without you? But also there you think there's a flip side of can you handle them making mistakes? Can you handle letting go of the control? Can you handle if things break? I remember me and a dear colleague, we were having a very spicy conversation and I was like, what?   You want me like sign off on these things and let our reputation get destroyed? I was very sassy that day. This was just like six months ago. You guys, this was not like young Kiera. This was real life Kiera. And she's like, no, Kiera, we're not like just gonna let our reputation fall apart. She said, but you do need to have things like she sent me a decision matrix and she said, You've got to make decisions like which ones really are going to destroy our business, and which ones do you need to realize are not going to destroy and you need to stop being involved in those.   And to have somebody who's willing to push back on me like that, I was so appreciative of because she's like, Kiera, you're sitting here making decisions about cards and branding. That isn't like we're not gonna destroy it. And she's like, I understand in the past that might not have been the case, but guess what? If something goes wrong, your team's gonna fix it. But you have to let them, you have to trust them. Otherwise, you're forever gonna be held in bottleneck, choke hold burnout. And I think when I hear that, I think about the monkey who.   puts their hand in the hole and they hold on to the nut and they can't get their hand out and they end up getting trapped. And I think about how many business owners with burnout have their hand holding on so tightly to control and wanting everything perfect that they don't let go of it that they end up suffocating themselves and burning out when it didn't necessarily need to be that way. So when I look at like doctors and how much are you answering and office managers, how much are you answering   versus how much is your team able to do? This doctor I was in, we were looking at like etching glass and the team found some cool things on Etsy and the doctor's like, yep, sign off stamp. You guys do it. I know you're gonna do a great job. And it's not something where they're gonna check over their shoulder. No, if it doesn't look good, of course they're gonna say something, but that's such a small decision with such small ramifications versus they're building out the entire construction of the business on the other side. Two very different pieces. Like what is the ramification long term? And so   When you're looking at it, I would say   But number one, when questions come to you, start to ask your team what solutions do you think are we can do for this? And then trust them and let them run with it. Second, for yourself, in meetings, stop being the answer to everything. And then third, just look to see like what's one, two, three, four items that you don't need to give an answer to. Just sit and watch and observe. And I think for me, I almost like have the visual putting my hands, like sitting on my hands and pretend or pretend my hands have glue on them and they're stuck together.   If I couldn't do anything, would my team be able to handle this without me? And I think it's a good test to see how much they're actually able to do. Anytime I go on vacation, I completely check out and I come back and I'm shocked at how good they can do. And I think reminding myself that my team wants to make me proud, that they can answer these things, that I don't need to answer it for them, trusting them they're gonna have better ideas than me. And again, them doing 80% of the work is better than me doing 100% of it. And so I think a great way for you to look at like,   Start asking your team to bring solutions. You can even roll it out that guys, I'm not, I'm not great at this. So please, like everybody, this is my ask. This is my goal for the next six months. Put a bracelet on, whatever you got to do to remind yourself. Like, I literally have a bracelet this year that says no. And that's to remind me, like, no, like, don't do that. Don't say yes to this. Like, let your team flourish. Let go of that control, trust. Because honestly, as a team member, that's the greatest thing your your boss can ever do for you, is to give you the trust and the confidence into.   Let you flourish. That's where people love to work. No one loves to work when they're being micromanaged. And I know I'm guilty of this. So my team listening, I'm sorry. And just know that I'm hyper aware of it, actively participating in letting go of that. And genuinely, I know my team will do far better than I ever. Like they want to make me proud. Our team is such a great team. And your team's the same way. So let them stop stopping the solution to every problem. The second thing to help prevent this burnout that's tactical is.   have boundaries around your time. And this is something I learned early on. I used to work sun up to sundown, seven days a week, on holidays, on weekends. And I think we protect our production time. Like you better believe I ask you for a meeting. Do you how many offices come in? They to coach and they want to solve their problems. But like, but don't do my calls during during production time. I'll talk to you on my drive home. And I'm like, hard pass? No. You're blocking out two hours a month during production time because I know you're gonna be way more proactive. And I'm probably gonna do like   In the morning. You are not running through our meetings and you better be on time to every single meeting. Otherwise, don't sign up for coaching. Like hard and fast. If you can't give me two hours to work on the business, you are not prepared to do coaching because you're not going to implement anything. I'm not talking to you on your drive home. Like, sorry, that's just not where it's going to be. You product your production time, but you don't product your personal time. And both are equally important in my opinion. So, like, are you working through lunch all the time? Are you answering messages at night? Are you h working every single weekend? Do you have this constant mental load that never shuts off on you?   And what I found is you gotta block CEO time where you work on the business during your week. Every time I'm getting stressed out, Marissa and I and Shelbi, we look at the schedule and it's like, Kiera had no time to work on the business. This is why she's stressed out. It's a non-negotiable for me. That is the rock. That is the number one thing that goes in the schedule. Non-negotiable. Then after that, like I have family time. I have a date night. And our team, we made it all like a very conscious effort that like after five, we don't do work. I'm not gonna say it's perfect and I'm not gonna say you have to have that because sometimes working.   Like sometimes I get up at three in the morning and I'm freaking lit and I'm jazzing. It's not depleting for me. That's not burnout. That's working and it's passionate. So it's not a like hard and fast, no one can work. Because sometimes we do want to, but there's there's a conscious shutoff. And so I look at it, I try hard not to send slacks after five o'clock at night. I can schedule those for the next morning. Like shut my email off, take it off of my phone. Don't have Slack and emails on your phone. And really truly be intentional. So   I actually have a box. This came from a friend. she has a really cool box, and that box no longer is being made, otherwise, I'd share it with you. So I bought a like nice $5 box from Target. It's a white box, it's pretty, it sits on my counter, and that's my phone box. So when I'm done with work, so at five o'clock and I have something where I've got to go, like go for a walk with my husband, have something that I'm looking forward to, have a set end time. my phone my watch comes off and my phone goes off and it goes in the box and I leave and I completely disconnect. Now, for a lot of us, I can feel like a heart palpitation.   There's also, I think it's called the brick where you can brick your phone where it turns back into like a brick phone, where honestly there's like calling and messaging, and that's all you have. There's no other apps or anything like that, and you can set it up. for me, I just stick it in the box. And what's really awesome is to be able to disconnect. On the weekends, phone's completely off. Like I'm a princess wife and my husband has his phone and he loves it. And I leave my phone. I leave it plugged in. I don't take it with me.   Because I need a complete disconnect. When I go on vacations, it's a hundred percent offline. I love to go out of the country for that reason because I'm out o offline and I know it's gonna charge me more to to talk to people. Now I know some of you have kiddos and whatnot, but the more you can have blocked family time, blocked CEO time, blocked personal recharge time, and you protect all three of those equally, you will actually feel like like even that, like I feel like this breath of fresh air.   It's and again, it's not about being perfect, it's about being consistent. So you might miss in one week you're gonna have a lot more. But our consultants, they're working for such long hours and we set a quarterly rock that all of us would get out at five o'clock. And every week we actually start asking, like, how is it? And it's shocking. We have seven consultants, and I've been watching all of them start to trend more and more and more to personal life. I've also watched happiness levels increase across our consultant team. I've watched burnout become less and less, and they're still able to take care of their clients, they're still able to work with their   Teams, they're still able to get their things done. We just consolidate. We also started having it where like every Monday people list off how many hours they have available for the week. Like, hey, how many hours do you have? Looking at the schedule, who's got time? And then we're using each other within the department to help each other out. So that way people aren't getting burnt out. We've got people who have hours of time. They're not as busy. You might have an assistant or a hygienist who's not as busy. What do people have on their workload? Can we share the workload with each other? Can we pass out the recare list, the reactivation list? Like, how can we do this to where we all get out at five? We're all committed to it.   Let's all work together as a team. Let's all get our pieces done so that way we're all together. But I think for you, don't answer messages at night. If you knew I'd pay you a million dollars for the next month, okay? Million dollars is on the line. For the next month, you didn't do any work after five. I'll give you till 5.15 because your patients might go. 515 and on the weekends you're not touching work. Would you do it for a month? A million dollars is on the line. And I know every one of you would say yes to me. So if you're gonna say yes to that,   Your life is worth more than a million dollars. Your health is worth more than a million dollars. So you do have a million dollars on the line for you. I'm not paying you. You're paying yourself this. So create those boundaries and dedicate this time. For me, I do have on the weekends. I've got one hour, two hours. I'm gonna block my week on Sundays. Like I do that. That's part of it. I'm okay with that. That's something that I don't take away from my family. Jason knows it. We're good. I've got it. But it allows me to decompress and I'm able to be there present with him. I literally.   Control my calendar. So my calendar doesn't control me. I am actively creating my life and man, I'm not managing my circumstances. I'm creating my life. So for you, I used to think like working harder was better. No, there's a place to work hard and there's a place to play hard and there's a place to sleep hard and there's a place to rest hard. All of those are important. So block your CEO time and guard that. Block your family time and guard that. Block your personal recharge time and block and like honor all three of those equally.   You're doing it with your production, so I know you're capable of doing it. Shut off, be done at five. Go give yourself that freedom. And like even me saying that, I feel this weight come off my shoulders. So I would say schedule those three non-negotiable blocks of time every single week. Treat it like production time, non-negotiable. You will be shocked at the life you will get back and the burnout will go away very quickly. Now, you might be like me, there was one summer I was completely burnt out. I sent I slept 17 hours a day for almost an entire month.   Sometimes we're so far into the burnout phase that we have to give some massive recharge. And like just taking this isn't going to be enough. You might have to schedule in a week off or you just sleep nonstop. But once we get to that point, and I'd say don't wait to that point. Like let's start doing some things proactively now. it is capable, it is doable. And these are some tactical things that I would say put it in now. Let's put some guardrails in and let's protect that very, very, very strongly. And then number three is build a practice that supports your life.   So and we always say that your business should serve your life, not the other way around. And so like I think you should just ask yourself and like it's okay, pull out the crayons, like let's get the canvas back out. What do you want your life to look like? And we do this with our doctors when they start with us, like how many days do you want to work? What kind of a schedule do you want? What role do you want long term, like in one year, three year, 10 year? And then let's put into place and start making your practice work for you. So if you tell me I only want three days, fantastic, let's work for it.   What is our bam? What's our production? Let's build this just a math equation. And I love because math always maths. So let's just build it. What does it need to look like? And what I've watched is when people are living their dream life when they're having it. Now, ego plays. For me, I keep saying, like, I only want to work three days. But my ego is so strong and she really wants to be just important. So I need something to fill that time that's equally as important. I have Jace and I now have a side gig that we do on Fridays together. And it makes it to where like I have a set thing that   full like fuels me, fuels my spouse. and we do it on Fridays together. And so I do. I've got I've got other CEO responsibilities that are not Dental A Team specific. But even if I didn't have something else, that's okay as a CEO. You're allowed to to have your business, serve your life. You do not need to work constantly. You are allowed to have whatever life you want. And so let's let's put those systems into place. Let's have leaders in place that are freaking thriving on it and they want to do this. Let's like make our decisions based on vision, not on guilt.   Like that's what we're gonna do. And so you can reduce your clinical days. We can hire people for that. me and a doctor were working and we just created this like awesome two year vision. I'm so pumped. I was like, okay, in two years, like let's build this. Like, what's your tenure? And I was like, sweet, let's build it into a two year. To be able to help people see it. Sometimes we can't see that. Sometimes we don't think we're worthy of it. Sometimes we I don't know. I think we just get in a rut and robotic and then we just forget that, like, no, no, no, we're the creators of our lives, not the managers of them. You get to create this.   You didn't build yourself a prison. You build yourself freedom. But it depends on which route you're gonna go and if you're actually gonna live it. So you've got to have your practice supporting your life, not the other way around. So I want you to look down, like what your, you can write down what your ideal work looks like, what it's gonna look like in one year, three years, ten years, and then like let's just work backwards. Some of you get so stuck and you're like, I don't know, how do I get my team bought into it? Your team wants you to thrive.   Your ego wants you to just survive. Like it's usually ego that keeps us there. It's not really our team. It's not all those excuses we tell ourselves. It's not that mental load that we're carrying constantly. That mental load is heavy. It's a constant guilt running and guilt's not serving. It's just keeping you stuck. So if you've been feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, trapped, or even none of those, like I just want you to know you're not alone. Let's put into place these safeguards. Let's let's have this where number one, we're going to stop being the solution to every problem. Number two,   We're gonna create those boundaries around our personal time and we're gonna block them like we do our production time. We're gonna honor them, we're gonna value them. It's our CEO time, our family time, and our personal recharge time. Block those. And then we're gonna build a practice that truly supports our life. And we're gonna be so committed and know that we deserve every ounce of this. And we're we are so committed that we're gonna get it. Non-negotiable. Pretend a million dollars, billion dollars, whatever you want, your dream car, your dream vacation, whatever it is, it's on the line. If you'll just show up for yourself. I think so often burnout comes because we're not willing to.   Reduce the load. I think a lot of it is self-induced, and then I think a lot of it is just habit. We've been doing it for so long that we don't know a different path. But I will say that other path is always there. The HOV lane is always open. Let's get over into that HOV lane. Let's start doing things easier. You deserve it. You are a billion dollar asset. Treat yourself like it. You guys have this. You don't have to work harder. You just need to have it be a like we've had one formula and it's been running. There's nothing wrong with it. But if we want a different life, there's another formula that we can start running, and I'd encourage you to do so.   So that's what we do. We help you build leadership teams. We help you build your vision. We help get your team bought into that vision. We could give you the permission to shut off at five. We tell you, like, stop, grab a PA, like a personal assistant, hire this person. Like these things you don't have to do. You're welcome to keep doing it. There's no force on our side. There's no judgment on our side. There's just love and unconditional love to make sure you are taken care of. So reach out. I'd love to help you. You can grow your business and you don't have to sacrifice your life. It's not one or the other. It can be an and. And I hope you choose that. And I hope you know you're worthy of it. I hope you know you're worth it.   And I hope you know that it is possible. So come be a part of it. There's so many of our doctors that live their best lives. I got one doctor who's a million-dollar practice working three days a week, wants nothing more than that, and is so freaking happy and is an incredible leader. I have another doctor. They work four days a week. They got a three and a half million dollar practice. Incredible, incredible. They could build another location. They don't want to. We got it set up for their kids, their life. They're on vacation. They're able to serve and get back to their community. Whatever your life is, it's doable for you. I've got others that have like five locations and they're so happy with it.   Whatever your life is, it's doable. So let's make it, let's create it, let's not manage it. You guys, I'm proud of you. I'm proud of the life you're living. Reach out, Hello@TheDentalATeam.com. And as always, thanks for listening. I'll catch you next time on the Dental A Team podcast.  

Preston was one of my very first Etsy students back in 2021—and has since grown his laser engraving shop enough to replace the income from FOUR jobs! This spring, he and his wife challenged themselves to add 1,000 digital laser files to their already successful handmade shop, and the result was an additional $2K/month in passive income. Tune in to hear how they did it and why adding a digital component to your existing Etsy business could be an incredible way to scale without creating more physical work.  **"How to Sell Your Stuff on Etsy" is not affiliated with or endorsed by Etsy.com    STUFF I MENTIONED:  Join us in Scaling Society: https://www.howtosellyourstuff.com/scaling-society Use code 50SCALE to get your first month for $97.    FIND PRESTON: Website - http://277creative.com/ Instagram - @277creative   PRESTON'S PREVIOUS EPISODES: Ep 156: What happens if you don't give up on Etsy?  https://www.howtosellyourstuff.com/blog/156  Ep 164: Lizzie's in the Etsy Coach Hot Seat https://www.howtosellyourstuff.com/blog/164  Ep 183: Free, Underrated Local Resources That Can Help You Grow Your Business https://www.howtosellyourstuff.com/blog/183  Ep 198: From Hobby Shop to Full Time Handmade Etsy Seller https://www.howtosellyourstuff.com/blog/198   Ep 216: What We Wish We Knew About Etsy—Before We Ever Opened Our Shops https://www.howtosellyourstuff.com/blog/216  Ep 219: How to Think Like A Full Time Etsy Seller  How to Think Like A Full Time Etsy Seller – with Preston Cox    HOW I HELP ETSY SELLERS GROW: ⭐Scaling Society: https://www.howtosellyourstuff.com/scaling-society ⭐"How to Blow Up Your Etsy Shop" free training: https://www.howtosellyourstuff.com/interested-in-blow-up-shop  ⭐Trendspotting: https://www.howtosellyourstuff.com/trendspotting ----------------------

No Pencil Primer this time (part three is coming, promise) — instead, a Fresh Points extravaganza to say bye-bye to summer. Blackwing goes big with a Mickey and Friends collection and the gorgeous Frida Kahlo Volume 143, Andy's wristwatch rabbit hole deepens into designing the perfect podcaster's watch, Johnny hand-binds his kids' planners and stocks up on pastel Musgrave Ceres, and Tim shows off Sharpie Harpy art and a compendium of delightfully weird writing prompts. Plus: Hobonichi szn is upon us, the SF Pen Show, Ian Schon's new dip nib, and a tall stack of books. Patreon subscribers at any level can watch the video version.Show NotesSt. Denis Medical — season 1 on Netflix, season 2 on PeacockAgainst Convenience by Gabe Bullard — out September 15 from Hanover Square Press; preorder it! (More at gabebullard.com)Tom's Studio refillable fineliner penPaper Mate InkJoy multi-pen — surprisingly good company swagThe Land and Its People by David Sedaris — recorded live at his readingsRemarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt — the octopus book, now a Netflix moviethree six five: prompts, acts, divinations by Lucy Ives (Siglio Press) — Tim's beautiful, backordered book of writing exercises (three ribbons!)Field Notes: Is a River Alive? — Tim's favorite Field Notes ever, with art by Stanley Donwood for Robert Macfarlane's bookUni-ball Air Micro — Tim's pocket penMusgrave Ceres — America 250 blue for Johnny, pastels by the gross for back to schoolLevenger True Writer in Sea Glass with Levenger Empyrean bottled ink ("navy blue and teal had a very beautiful baby")Hamilton Khaki Field Murph — the Interstellar watch, plus Andy's musings on military field watch dials and podcaster's-watch designHobonichi Techo season — Weeks, Cousin, and the V&A collabs; see Yoseka Stationery's big walkthrough videoSan Francisco Pen Show — this weekend, bring your elbowsSchon DSGN — Ian Schon's new $68 titanium dip nib, debuting at the showBlackwing x Disney Mickey and Friends collection — soft graphite, $40 a dozenBlackwing Volume 143 — the Frida Kahlo edition: saturated florals, pink metallic ferrule, teal eraser, and the best QC in yearsBlackwing One-Step sharpener — a big responsibility, budSharpie Harpy — Em Varian's Sharpie art on Etsy (you can even license a tattoo)Leuchtturm1917 — Tim's new default notebook gift for normal peoplePencil Revolution Press — Johnny's handmade planners and '90s diskette journalsMusgrave Test Scoring 100 — now with that sweet new ferruleMusgrave Tennessee Red pencils and the Songbird edition — remembering Dolly PartonSupport the show and get video episodes: patreon.com/erasableYour HostsJohnny GamberPencil Revolution@pencilutionAndy WelfleWoodclinched@awelfleTim Wasem@TimWasem

I cover Etsy's new three-attribute listing variations and how they streamline product options for apparel, mugs, wall art, and jewelry. Learn how to set up Etsy listing variations for size, color, style, designs, and variation-specific pricing to reduce checkout friction and improve the buyer experience.  

One of the questions I get asked every single year is... "When should I start listing my Christmas products?" Or Halloween products. Or Thanksgiving products. And the answer surprises almost everybody. Because if you're waiting until October to list your Halloween products... There's a pretty good chance you're already late. Today, I'm going to give you my simple rule for seasonal products, explain why timing matters more than most Etsy sellers realize, and walk you through exactly when I'd have my Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas listings live if I were starting today. Plus - I'll give you a ton of fun holiday digital product ideas you should be getting started on before anyone else does. xo, Jacqueline   | MENTIONED IN EPISODE | ProfitTree https://lifetime.profittree.io/?via=jackie29 | LEARN FROM ME | Etsy Keyword Goldmine https://jacquelinebutler.thrivecart.com/etsykeywordgoldmine/  1-Hour Etsy Shop Mini-Course www.jacqueline-butler.com/onehouretsyshop  Six Figure Etsy Seller www.jacqueline-butler.com/sixfigureetsyseller  5- Minute Mockup Method Mini-Course http://jacqueline-butler.com/5minutemockups  Canva Crash Course www.jacqueline-butler.com/canva  Midjourney Beginner's Guide & 130+ Prompts www.jacqueline-butler.com/midjourney    | OTHER STEPS + FREEBIES | FREE - 5 Steps to a Six Figure Etsy Shop https://jacqueline-butler.kit.com/sixfigureshop  FREE - Secrets to a Non-Sucky Etsy Shop https://jacqueline-butler.kit.com/nonsuckyetsyshop   FREE - Etsy Digital Products Starter Guide: www.jacqueline-butler.com/starterguide  FREE Facebook Community: www.jacqueline-butler.com/freegroup  Get In Touch: jb@jacqueline-butler.com  Instagram: www.instagram.com/jacquelinebutler.co Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jacquelinebutler.co

I show how I use ChatGPT's Etsy plugin to uncover underserved Etsy niche ideas and product opportunities beyond the usual best sellers. Learn how to run Etsy niche gap research, spot solution-based digital product ideas, and use AI to narrow your target buyer for a stronger Etsy product launch.  

Steve & Izzy continue Nic-August Cage, the month dedicated to the greatest living actor, as they are joined by Diana & Ryan of the Happily Ever Aftermath Podcast to discuss 2026's "Spider Noir" starring Nicolas Cage, Li Jun Li, Brendan Gleeson & more!!! Is the black & white or color version better? What is the best part of this 8-episode series on Amazon Prime? Worst part? Will we get a Season 2?!? Let's find out!!! So kick back, grab a few brews, get plaaaastered, and enjoy!!! This episode is proudly sponsored by Untidy Venus, your one-stop shop for incredible art & gift ideas at UntidyVenus.Etsy.com and be sure to follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & Patreon at @UntidyVenus for all of her awesomeness!!! Try it today!!! Twitter - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/eilfmovies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/eilfmovies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Etsy - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.untidyvenus.etsy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TeePublic - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.teepublic.com/user/untidyvenus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are the best Etsy niches to sell on Etsy in 2026? Is Etsy still worth it in 2026?In today's episode, I break down my best advice for beginner Etsy sellers who want tips for opening an Etsy shop in 2026. I'm giving you 3 hard truths that you should know about success on Etsy.Feeling stuck with your Etsy shop? Inside our Ultimate Etsy course and coaching program, we believe there's no one size fits all strategy. Every shop is different. That's why the first step is to book a call with our team so we can understand your goals, identify what's holding your shop back, and help you create a clear path to growth.

Send us Fan MailWe're finally back!After a short break, The Riley Black Project returns with a guest who has been dodging us for years: Kristen Thompson of Kristen Thompson Designs.Kristen joins John and Crystal to talk about her journey from corporate work at Lowe's, to Cricut crafts, Etsy digital designs, sublimation tumblers, laser engraving, full wrap tumbler designs, Photoshop mockups, and building a creative business around the products and designs she actually loves making.We get into the real maker-business stuff too: trying new things, getting over the fear of being on camera, learning full wrap tumblers, selling digital laser files, testing designs, using mockups, making finished products, and why entrepreneurship feels amazing and exhausting at the same time.Kristen also shares how she built her Etsy design shop, why she still loves the analytical side of business, and how selling designs to other makers doesn't take away from her finished product business. It can actually help more people bring beautiful cups to life in their own way.Whether you're a laser owner, tumbler maker, Etsy seller, digital designer, creative entrepreneur, or maker trying to figure out what direction to go next, this episode is packed with laughs, business lessons, and real-world maker experience.FB: The KTD Collection - Lasered By KTDIG: @kthompdesignsTikTok: @LaseredByKTDEtsy: kthomplaserdesigns.etsy.comWebsite: KristenThompsonDesigns.comYouTube: @ShesTheReasonIHaveALaserSupport the showIf you enjoy our content, consider supporting us on Patreon!! You can check out the tier options and perks here: https://www.patreon.com/TheRileyBlackProjectCheck out my Linktree for my social media links & all the different things I have to offer! https://linktr.ee/RileyBlack

I break down what Etsy's $1.4 billion cash infusion and product-and-engineering layoffs could mean for Etsy sellers, platform changes, and seller fees. Learn how to read Etsy's shifting roadmap, investor pressure, and AI strategy so you can prepare your Etsy shop for what may come next. I also share ways to use AI workflows, Etsy SEO, and automation to grow more efficiently.  

Join me as we explore the Sturgeon Moon, from its connection to the ancient, prehistoric sturgeon fish to some of the other names associated with this full moon including the Hungry Ghost Moon. We will delve into the spiritual themes and symbolism surrounding this moon alongside the flowers, trees, herbs and crystals traditionally connected to its energy. We will also explore some of the fae beings linked to water and this time of year including the Nereids, discovering who they are and the mythology surrounding them. From there we will look at ways you might work with the Sturgeon Moon within your own life and witchcraft practice particularly around themes of reflection, legacy, abundance and what you wish to carry forward into the seasons ahead. To finish I share a River Stone Ritual by The Peculiar Brunette along with a collection of journaling prompts and a Tarot or oracle spread to help you connect more deeply with the energy of the Sturgeon Moon. River Stone Ritual - https://www.thepeculiarbrunette.com/august-sturgeon-moon-spiritual-meaning/?utm_source=Pinterest&utm_medium=organic The song referenced is Thank You by Alanis Morisette (I didn't even give the song title properly! Sorry I was on a tangent) ;-) Prayer to the Sturgeon Moon by The White Witch Parlour  ‘I call to the energies of the sturgeon moon, I give thanks for the warmth and abundant crops that summer brought but now I shall begin the preparation for winter, as the battle between light and dark begins, I find my own balance within. I pray the moon heal and calm my emotions for the month to come. As I open my heart to the flow of the universe and the lessons I may need to learn'  Journal Prompts referenced - What am I building in my life right now, and does it reflect the person I truly want to become?What have the experiences of this past season taught me about myself? What am I ready to leave behind as I begin moving towards the next season of my life? Which parts of myself have I previously tried to soften, hide or make smaller — and what would it look like to fully honour them instead? What traditions, practices, relationships or ways of living feel worthy of carrying forward with me? What do I hope will exist because I was here — through the love I gave, the knowledge I shared, the things I created or the people whose lives I touched? Tarot/oracle prompts - What has this season taught me? The wisdom, lesson or truth that has emerged through your recent experiences. What am I ready to leave behind?A pattern, attachment, belief, habit or version of yourself that has reached its natural ending. What am I being asked to carry forward? The quality, gift, practice, relationship or intention that will help shape the next season of your life. What am I building that will outlive this moment? A glimpse into the legacy you are creating through your choices, creativity, relationships or the way you move through the world. Join Me for Our Mabon Coven Gathering If you have ever wanted to experience witchcraft in person, I would love to invite you to our very first Coven Gathering in Lincoln. Together we will celebrate Mabon, the Autumn Equinox through seasonal folklore, magical teachings, practical witchcraft and a guided journey inspired by Baba Yaga's ancient forest. You will create your own Mabon Harvest Charm to take home, receive beautifully illustrated grimoire pages and spend the afternoon connecting with a wonderful community of like-minded witches over homemade herbal teas. Whether you are completely new to witchcraft or have been walking the path for many years, this gathering has been created as a welcoming space to learn, practise and celebrate the turning of the Wheel of the Year together. You can find the booking link below if you would like to join us. I would absolutely love to see you there. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1995695286324?aff=oddtdtcreator Join us in The Hedge & Hollow for a Circe Summer with our August theme - This month we journey to the mythical island of Aeaea to meet one of the most fascinating witches in mythology – Circe. Often remembered as the enchantress who transformed men into pigs however there is far more to her story. Circe is a woman of solitude, exile, herbal wisdom, magick, transformation and self sovereignty. Her island becomes a place of initiation where those who arrive are forever changed. Throughout the month we will explore Circe through mythology, folklore and practical witchcraft discovering what her story can teach us about reclaiming our own power and embracing the transformations life asks of us. Across this month we will look at - A deeper exploration of Circe's mythology - looking beyond the familiar tales to uncover the symbolism and wisdom hidden within her story. A guided meditation transporting you to Circe's island where you will meet Circe herself and discover the messages she has waiting for you. Two Hedge Witch studies exploring the magical folklore, history and correspondences of Hellebore and Cypress. Two plants deeply connected with liminality, death, rebirth and the ancient witch's path. Practical witchcraft including a beautiful Transformation Oil inspired by Circe's magick alongside banishing practices, reflection and spellcraft to support your own personal transformation. This month will lean into embracing our own transformations and moving towards them with courage, wisdom and compassion. I'll see you on Circe's island. Find my Patreon The Hedge & Hollow here - https://patreon.com/TheHedgeandHollow?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Find my Etsy store here for zines, witch boxes, spell candles and altar posters here - https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheWhiteWitchCompany?ref=seller-platform-mcnav Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thewhitewitchpodcast/?hl=en For PR enquiries etc please email carly@thewhitewitchcompany.co.uk   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What's the craziest place you've ever made WHOOPEE? IT'S THE NEWLYGOON GAME! Join Goon sweethearts of 12 years, Trevor & Campbell, as they discover just how well they know each other in this latest installment of our Summer '26 Hellmouth Hiatus series.As we prepare for the launch of Hellmouth High in September, we'll be rolling out bonus goodies here on the main podcast feed every single week. This week, it's a brand new, never-before-heard bonus episode! If you enjoy what you hear, leave a comment with a question you'd like the sweethearts to answer next time they play the NewlyGoon Game.For hours of bonus content, fan art, secret backstories and behind-the-scenes clips, subscribe to our Patreon or check out our merch at our Etsy store!Website: https://www.criticalfayledm.com/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@criticalfayledmInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/criticalfayledm/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/criticalfayledmSupport the show

THIS is exactly how I would skyrocket Etsy sales in 2026!In today's episode, we're talking about the 7 Game-Changing Strategies to use in 2026 to blow up your Etsy shop and increase your sales, average order value, and listing quality score!Feeling stuck with your Etsy shop? Inside our Ultimate Etsy course and coaching program, we believe there's no one size fits all strategy. Every shop is different. That's why the first step is to book a call with our team so we can understand your goals, identify what's holding your shop back, and help you create a clear path to growth.

Watch on YouTube or from this link.  https://youtu.be/PP1NSrXC43g Etsy Shop Growth Strategies: Trends, Add-ons, and Pricing Tips Watch Video If your Etsy shop has started to slow down, don't immediately assume you need to create a bunch of new products. In this video, I'm walking through a few quick changes you can make to help get things moving again. We'll look at: How faster fulfillment can give you an advantage How to use Etsy search results to spot colors and styles that are trending How to stand out without simply copying what's already selling Why Etsy wants variety in its search results How to use add-ons to increase your average order value How to look at your existing customers and figure out what else they would naturally want to buy Simple ways to make more money from the traffic you're already getting The goal isn't to completely rebuild your Etsy shop. Sometimes you just need to look at what Etsy is showing you, understand what your customer wants, and make a few smart adjustments. If Etsy sales are stalling, start here. https://www.skool.com/grow-my-etsy-shop-3051  

Edited Transcript Below for Readers on Substack. A pivotal astrological week centered on the Lunar Eclipse on August 28 and a rare sequence of personal planets (Sun, Mercury, Venus) crossing the South Node and Regulus at 0° Virgo — a pattern Louise frames as accelerating the "fall of kings" and a long-term paradigm shift toward humility, stewardship, and inner work. The overarching theme is surrender, self-care, and transformation amid heightened emotional intensity.Venus Retrograde Heroine's Journey 2026 https://www.louiseedington.com/VenusRetrograde2026Features and Press ReleasesUSA Today! https://www.usatoday.com/press-release/story/39476/louise-edington-launches-landmark-venus-retrograde-program-as-she-approaches-15-years-in-business/https://www.womansworld.com/contributors/louise-edington-fear-astrologyhttps://feedvoice.com/louise-edington-on-why-midlife-women-are-turning-to-astrology-for-self-trust-instead-of-self-improvement/International Business Times https://www.ibtimes.com/louise-edington-reclaiming-language-stars-through-intuition-embodiment-matrifocal-wisdom-3803596Wellness Voice https://wellnessvoice.com/louise-edington-on-reclaiming-the-language-of-the-stars-through-intuition-embodiment-and-matrifocal-wisdom/Red Seeds Tarot https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TheRedSeedsW.I.T.C.H. Oracle Deck https://a.co/d/0bOgiJsrBefore We Dive InA few things before we get into what is — still — an extraordinary week.AstroTheoros has been adding features since I last mentioned them on the lunar eclipse video: chart import (from nearly any source) and export (to CSV), chart folders, chart notes with a timeline, and lovely PDF print options. More is in the works. If you're looking for affordable, cloud-based astrology software that works on any device, go and check it out. Code COSMICOWL at astrotheoros.com — one free month on the monthly plan, or one extra month off the yearly plan.Venus Retrograde: Heroine's Journey — we now have 50 people enrolled. First call is October 1st. The price is holding through the end of August, so this week is your last chance at the current rate. And — this matters, so I'm saying it clearly — I offer partial scholarships. If you genuinely cannot afford the class, please email me at louise@louiseedington.com with a “pay what you can” offer. I do believe in some form of exchange, but I believe even more in this work reaching the people who need it. Please be in integrity — you don't need to give me your life story. Just be honest. louiseedington.com/VenusRetrograde2026My article — “Can We Let Evolutionary Astrology Evolve?” — is on Substack now. I'm not calling for anyone to cancel evolutionary astrology as a whole. I'm calling for patience, grace, and recognition that the practice itself is already evolving — which is rather fitting. I've had people come out of the woodwork in response to it, in good ways, and there will be follow-ups. Subscribe free on Substack to get it in your inbox.Spiral Weave / Spiral Codex membership — $10/month or $90/year — is where we go deeper together. Live calls, community, and the monthly Ask Me Almost Anything. Link below. Membership is OFF Substack going forward.The Big Picture: Three Planets Cross RegulusBefore we move into the week, I want to give you the context that has been building for months — because it reaches a significant milestone this week.Regulus — the Royal Star, one of the four great fixed stars of the ancient sky — moved from Leo into Virgo from our perspective in late 2011. Before Virgo, it spent approximately 2,160 years in Leo. Before that, 2,160 years in Cancer. And before that, Gemini.The astrologer Michael Lutin — rest in peace, a truly lovely man — apparently wrote about Regulus's ingress into Virgo in practically every post after it happened. His words, which I keep coming back to: “Long after this foolish war is over, Regulus in Virgo will produce beings — the future stewards of the Earth and planets. The goddesses.” And he also said: kings in rags.Now here is where we are this week: the three most personal solar system bodies — Venus, the Sun, and Mercury — are all crossing the South Node and then Regulus, one after another, for the first time since the South Node met Regulus at 0° Virgo.Venus crossed first. The Sun crossed last week. And this Tuesday: Mercury crosses the South Node and then meets Regulus.These are the three bodies closest to the Sun — the inner solar system, our most personal planetary energies. In order from Sun outward: Mercury, Venus, Earth. All three crossing that symbolic drain and meeting Regulus in its new sign. Not kings. Something different. Something more humble, more curious, more meaningful, more Virgo.I also want to mention the larger wheel. I believe the turning of the ages began in 1781, when Uranus was discovered — that moment of collective breakthrough also marked the start of the Industrial Revolution. It takes a very long time to turn the great wheel. We are roughly three ages back from when the descent began — Gemini to Cancer to Leo — and now, with Regulus in Virgo, we are at the point between the descent and the return. Beginning to push back up. That is where we are.Three Out-of-Bounds Bodies — and a PrescriptionThis week, the Moon, Mars, and Pluto are all out of bounds simultaneously. That is not nothing.The Moon out of bounds means our emotions are running beyond the normal range — heightened, eccentric, more extreme in some direction.Mars out of bounds (since August 3rd) means protective instincts and defensive reactions have been especially reactive. Mars in Cancer is already sensitive and protective; out of bounds, it's been operating well beyond convention. The good news: Mars comes back in bounds on Friday the 28th, the eclipse day.Pluto out of bounds happens for about three months around this time of year, and will continue until 2035 — after which Pluto never goes out of bounds again in any of our lifetimes. Rosie Finn's book Persephone's Revolution documents the pattern: Pluto out of bounds to the south has historically coincided with people rising up, more peaceful collective energy. Pluto out of bounds to the north coincided with the Second World War. We are in the south-running period. That is, in Rosie's words, the revolution.The prescription for all of this: radical self-care. Not the usual amount. More than you'd normally think necessary. Out-of-bounds planets go beyond the norm — so your self-care needs to go beyond your norm too. Keep your boundaries. Retreat when you need to. Do what genuinely restores you.The Cards — A First GlanceFrom the Red Seeds Tarot and the Witch Oracle: The Hanged Goddess (upright!), Two of Bees reversed, Queen of Seeds reversed, and The Companion.Pause. Inner turmoil. Inner pillars. And your body as the cauldron. Every single card is pointing in the same direction: inward. More at the end.Day by DaySunday, August 23 — Sun Meets Regulus. The Third Great Crossing Begins.The Moon in Capricorn, out of bounds, opens the week by opposing Ceres — the Great Mother, the one I wrote my book on. Self-care first. What are your needs right now, really? Then the Moon squares Neptune — forming a mutable T-square that forces change and says: surrender. Let go. Trust the flow.At 3:12am Eastern, the Sun meets Regulus exactly at 0°11' Virgo. Venus is already past this point, heading ahead. Now the Sun has joined her. Two personal planets past the drain, past Regulus, heading toward what comes next — including the Venus Star Point, the Cazimi in Scorpio, on October 23rd. (That Star Point, incidentally, squares 20° Aquarius — a potent point I'll speak to more in the Venus class.)Venus is now falling in the sky — every morning in the east she rises closer and closer to the rising Sun, descending back toward conjunction. We are in the falling phase of her cycle. The invitation: more humility, more curiosity, more meaning, more Virgo. Less performance, less pedestal energy. Let it go.Happy birthday, Virgo humans. Your season is carrying something remarkable.Mercury in Leo trines Eris — the messenger meeting the original table-turner. Eris does not like artifice. She does not like the glitz and vanity and pedestal energy of shadow Leo. She is the one who says I was created equal and I will not submit — and she says it again now through Mercury. Expect more news of people falling from pedestals. More truth being spoken. More of the old guard losing its grip.The Moon opposes Mars (both out of bounds — very heightened), then conjuncts Asteroid Lilith (talk to the hand, enough) and Pholus (Pandora's box wide open). We've had enough. The lid is coming off more things. There is grief in all of this. There is loss. People are going to be feeling it this week — whether it's playing out in their personal lives or in the collective. Both are real.The Sun in Virgo trines Chiron — an Earth trine. Healing the wounds around being human. Around how we've treated each other. Around our severed relationship with the Earth itself. This is an ongoing theme for the Chiron-in-Taurus years, and the Sun newly in Virgo is making it tangible.The out-of-bounds Moon squares Saturn retrograde — initiating, letting go of old institutions, old rules, old self-limiting beliefs. The structures that are stagnant. They are going.Monday, August 24 — Capricorn Moon. Radical Self-Care. The Inner Crossroads.The Moon is still out of bounds in Capricorn all day — and Capricorn Moons can feel a bit cold, emotionally blunt. With everything going on right now, you or people around you may seem more shut down than usual. That's self-protection, not coldness. Give yourself and others some latitude.The prescription is clear: more self-care than you normally think you need. Out-of-bounds planets go beyond the norm. Match that.The Moon squares Venus — both out of bounds, both in their own way asking: what do we value? What are we creating? What relationships, contracts, and connections need new boundaries? Where are we letting go of the old and building something genuinely different?Mercury trines Vesta — the messenger in conversation with the inner flame. This isn't coming from outside. The flame is within. The article I wrote on evolutionary astrology (link below) speaks to this — the turning of astrology toward helping people explore their interior landscape, rather than telling them what it means.The Moon sextiles Nessus — seeing the toxins within and without. Bloodletting the inherited poisons, the patterns that have been running. Then the Moon squares Pallas Athena — wise strategy, wise justice. How are we going to fight for this? And how do we find the strategy within ourselves first?Mercury opposes Hecate at 28°57' Aquarius. Hecate — the torchbearer at the crossroads, the triple moon goddess — is in the sign of the future, the collective, the Aquarian North Node. Mercury opposing her says: the crossroads is within. The way forward is through the interior, not through the external drama. Tune in.The Moon squares Eris to close the day — tables still turning, within and without.Tuesday, August 25 — Mercury Crosses the South Node. Mercury Meets Regulus. Vesta Stations Retrograde.Three major events. One day.At 5:01am Eastern, the Moon enters Aquarius — back in bounds, or very close to it, stepping into the sign of the future.At 5:04am Eastern, Mercury conjuncts the South Node. The drain. The third major personal planet to cross this threshold since the South Node met Regulus at 0° Virgo.First Venus crossed — love, values, our relationship to all things, our social and material world. Then the Sun — the very core of our solar system, our identity, the ego and the heart simultaneously. Now Mercury — the mind, the voice, communication, the messenger between worlds.Three, in succession. All releasing through the drain. All letting go of old ideas, old beliefs, old ways of thinking about leadership and hierarchy and who gets to be on a pedestal.And then: at 7:04am, Mercury enters Virgo. Crossing from Leo (the voice of the heart) into Virgo (the meaningful, discerning, humble voice). Mercury is strong in Virgo — curious, detail-oriented, wanting to find the meaning, wanting to get it right not for praise but because doing the right thing matters.At 9:26am, Mercury conjuncts Regulus at 0° Virgo.Three planets. Venus. Sun. Mercury. All having now crossed Regulus in Virgo for the first time since the South Node met it. All going down the drain of the age of kings, and emerging — more humble, more curious, more Virgo. Kings in rags. Future stewards of the Earth and planets. The goddesses.I am just like... I love astrology. And I love Michael Lutin for seeing this.The Moon in Aquarius then squares Haumea, trines Sedna (adapt or die, but also — so many kinds of death), and conjuncts Pluto — the basket activation again. The Moon carries the collective emotional energy through the 4° basket degree, four legs of stability, and we are held.At 2:01pm Eastern, Vesta stations retrograde. Vesta — the inner flame, focus, commitment, sacred devotion — goes retrograde. And look at the Aries cluster now: Neptune retrograde, Manwë retrograde, Saturn retrograde, Pallas Athena retrograde, Eris retrograde, and now Vesta retrograde. All those Aries energies — the new beginning, the identity in the emerging aeon — going back, reviewing, revisiting. We are not finished with what Aries has been teaching us about who we are becoming. The retrograde does not cancel the flame. It turns it inward to assess what it's actually devoted to.Mercury in Virgo trines Chiron — and I want to sit with this one. Virgo, in the older traditions, was the healer, the witch, the medicine carrier, the one with the pouch of herbs who knew how to tend bodies and communities. Chiron is the wounded healer, the shaman, the one who becomes medicine through the wound. Together: be the medicine. Not just know about healing. Embody it.The Moon then trines Uranus — the basket activates again, and we are held in it. Still. Despite everything.Wednesday, August 26 — Moon Opposes Jupiter. The Pedestal Shadow.The Aquarius Moon opposes Jupiter and Hygieia in Leo — and I find this potent. Jupiter in Leo is the expander in the sign of kings, of leaders, of the performer. And now the Moon — the people, the collective emotions — is directly across from it, in the sign of the future.What we're starting to see, I think, is not just the fall of individual gurus and leaders. We're starting to see the shadow of how we've participated in putting them there. Not just in them, but in us. The energy of wanting someone to tell us the answers. The hunger for authority figures. The guru culture, the cult-of-personality culture, the tendency to surrender our inner judge to someone else's version of truth. Jupiter expanded all of that. Now we're looking at it clearly.Jupiter will go retrograde at some point soon, which means it will turn back to review that Leo territory more carefully. Watch that.The Moon sextiles Saturn — self-limiting beliefs, old structures. Let them go. And Mercury sextiles Haumea — the Great Mother of regeneration. All three personal planets are now moving toward Scorpio, toward the Venus Star Point, toward the Venus and Mercury retrogrades. It is going to be intentional. The Venus class exists to help you work with this from the inside out — the meditations are channeled, not scripted, so each journey is genuinely different.Thursday, August 27 — Moon Into Pisces. Mercury Cazimi at 4° Virgo. Moon Conjuncts North Node.The Moon moves through Aquarius — sextiling Pallas Athena (strategy), conjuncting Chariklo (the cosmic doula is holding space for the story we're weaving), sextiling Eris and Vesta (burn things off, from devotion and inner flame) — and then meets Hecate at the crossroads. Always. She is always there.And then the Mercury Cazimi — the Sun and Mercury meet exactly, in a superior (exterior) conjunction at 4° Virgo. Mercury is behind the Sun from our perspective, meaning it's on the far side — gathering information from outer space, which it then channels through the solar core. These exterior Cazimis are often moments of receiving rather than transmitting: something is coming in that Mercury will carry forward toward the coming retrograde.4° Virgo. The basket degree, again. Four legs of the table. When the basket peaked in July, the Moon at 4° of Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn each activated the whole configuration in turn. Now Mercury and the Sun meet at 4° Virgo. The messenger is filled with what it needs to carry toward the Venus retrograde and then into its own retrograde in Scorpio. Information from the far side, encoded in the cauldron, to be distilled in the descent to come.At 3:03pm Eastern, the Moon enters Pisces — and the emotional waters deepen as we move toward the eclipse tomorrow. The Moon sextiles Chiron and trines Haumea — a water grand trine still operational, eroding, regenerating. The Moon squares Sedna — adapt, or be changed. The Moon conjuncts the North Node — the Aquarian future, the care-for-each-other energy, the people rising up. Forget the labels. Just vote for the person who genuinely wants to care for people. They are human. They will not be perfect. But listen to what they say.Friday, August 28 — Venus Day. The Lunar Eclipse. Mars Back in Bounds.The full lunar eclipse post and video cover all the detail — please do go and read/watch those. But here's what matters from this forecast's perspective.The eclipse is at 4° Pisces/Virgo — the basket degree, the number of stability. Four legs. We are held.Mars moves back in bounds on this day. He's been out of bounds since August 3rd — erratic, sensitive, defensive, more extreme than usual. Now, at last, he comes back within the established range. You may notice a very slight settling of some of that reactive, overly self-protective energy. Mars in Cancer at its highest is the fierce guardian — protective of home and family, yes, but from love rather than fear.Mercury square Uranus exactly at 5° — number of change. Radical shift in perceptions. Could come as shocking news, shocking falls, or shocking good news. The Uranian energy doesn't telegraph which. Stay awake.The Moon in Pisces trines Ceres — amid eclipse energy, Ceres in Cancer says: meet your needs. Take care of yourself. Your family and community. There may be grief around ancestors, around family, around inheritance. Let the water move through.The Sun in Virgo sextiles Ceres and squares Uranus — more eclipse activation, more radical change in the practical, meaningful sign of Virgo. This is the call to do things differently in the everyday, the ordinary, the somatic. Virgo is the medicine carrier. Be the medicine.The Moon trines Mars (now back in bounds) — water to water, Cancer and Pisces. The guardian and the depths. The eclipse is very emotional. Let it be. Surrender. The Hanged Goddess is upright this week precisely because we need her permission to pause.The Moon also trines Asteroid Lilith — talk to the hand. We are not going back to the old way.Saturday, August 29 — Quiet Close. Moon Into Aries.The Moon in Pisces closes the week quietly — meeting Nessus (the poisons, the inherited patterns, a last look at what we're releasing in this eclipse), then sextiling Juno (contracts, the renegotiating continues).And then, at 10:37pm Eastern, the Moon enters Aries — and we end the week with the Moon about to move through that entire retrograde cluster: Neptune, Manwë, Saturn, Pallas Athena, Eris, and Vesta, all revisiting, reflecting, reviewing, in the sign of new beginnings.As the week closes: Venus, the Sun, and Mercury are the only major planetary bodies on the Virgo side of Regulus and the South Node. All the rest are still coming. It will take a while. This is a turning of a great wheel, not the flipping of a switch.But the three most personal planets are leading the way. Be more meaningful. Be more curious. Be more humble. Be the medicine.The Cards in DetailThe Hanged Goddess — I Am Paused (upright this time):In the Red Seeds Tarot by Linda Hill (find her on Etsy, UK), the Hanged Goddess is Demeter — the Great Mother who, in the myth, became weary of both mortals and gods and withdrew to her newly built temple, closing the door to everyone. She knew that to invoke the powers of healing, she would need silence and isolation. And so she paused.“A change of perspective is much needed. The complexity of life can imbalance us at times, leaving us feeling lost, drained, exhausted. Confusion surrounds us, and we can't see the wood for the trees. Have we forgotten who we are? What has brought us to this point? Is it time to stop and pause? Old cycles, habits, poor self-care may have blocked our way. It's time to surrender to the self and allow the depths of our being to open gently. It is not necessary to hurry or try to direct what should happen next. There is really nothing for us to do but wait. Such a position helps us to see things in a very different light. New perspectives will arise. There is much to come from this.”Herman Hesse: “Within you there is a stillness and sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.”This is Demeter closing the temple door. This is the invitation: close the door. Just for a while. Let the silence in. Let the new perspective arise.Two of Bees (Swords), reversed — Inner Turmoil:This week there may be anxiety, inner turmoil, indecision. Everything feels tense inside. Reversed, this card asks for all the inner work — going within rather than pushing outward, balancing the nervous system, retreating, doing the self-care. The Hanged Goddess gave you the permission. Take it.This is strong energy. The eclipses are strong. You do not have to perform having it together right now.Queen of Seeds (Pentacles), reversed — Inner Pillars:In this deck there are two Queens of Seeds, and they both came out this week. They embrace the Divine Feminine — nurture, healing, generosity, intuition, stability, and service. Like the Caryatids — the sculpted figures from the Eleusinian Mysteries who literally held up the sanctuary — these queens hold things up.“We can be supportive and in service of those in need, whilst always remembering to nurture, support, and stabilize ourselves first. This feminine energy has agency: self-sufficient, strong, kind, empowered, and belonging to no gender. These queens held up the Eleusinian sanctuary for many years, on many levels. These queens hold us up. Know that we are supported and always cared for.”Reversed this week, I read these Queens as pointing you toward the inner pillars of support — the ones that don't require anyone else's permission or presence. And to remember Michael Lutin's words: future stewards of the Earth and planets, the goddesses. That doesn't mean only women. It means the goddess energy — the nurturing, supportive, reciprocal, holding energy — within all of us.The Companion (Witch Oracle):Your body. The cauldron. It has appeared before and it keeps appearing because the message keeps being needed.“Your body, like a cauldron, holds the energy of what you put into it. Are you putting shame, diminishment, or rejection into it? Or acceptance, appreciation, adoration?Science would have you believe your body is an experiment. Religion would have you believe your body is a sin. A witch would have you believe your body is a marvel — a cauldron of celebration, home to spells of delight, healing, and wonder.Your body is a sacred companion. She is the one entity that will never leave you during your journey as a human. She is always working on your behalf to restore, heal, and create the balance that allows you to participate in this life. This kind of loyalty deserves devotion, not diminishment.Shed the weight of expectations. Trim down the thoughts of too much and not enough. Dance like your hips move mountains. Put some magic of unabashed self-approval in your cauldron, and witness how the steam of that self-esteem wafts out into the world — passing on permission for others to feel the same about their unique shape.A witch understands that liking and loving herself, her body, just as it is, in a toxic patriarchy, is an act of rebellion.Be the rebel.”And here is what I want to add: your body is also the cradle. It is the basket. It is the cauldron that is being held in the larger cauldron of these four great outer planets at 4°. You are held. Your body is held. The transformation is happening inside it, and through it, and because of it.Summing UpMercury crosses the South Node and meets Regulus. Vesta stations retrograde, joining the entire Aries cluster in reflection. The Mercury Cazimi at the basket degree of 4° Virgo brings through what needs to be carried toward the Venus and Mercury retrogrades. Mars comes back in bounds on eclipse day. The lunar eclipse arrives at 4° Pisces — held, stable, held.And four cards all pointing inward: pause. The turmoil is real, and it belongs inside where you can work with it. The inner pillars of support are there. Your body is the cauldron, the companion, the sacred rebel.Three planets have now crossed Regulus in Virgo. Kings in rags. Future stewards of the Earth and planets. The goddesses.We are in the birth canal, and we are pushing.Go close the temple door for a while. Let the new perspective arrive.— LouiseVenus Retrograde: Heroine's Journey — price holds through end of August. Partial scholarships available: louise@louiseedington.com. louiseedington.com/VenusRetrograde2026“Can We Let Evolutionary Astrology Evolve?” — now on Substack. Subscribe free for all posts.AstroTheoros — chart import/export, folders, notes, PDF printing, and growing asteroid support. Code COSMICOWL at astrotheoros.com.Code COSMICOWL20 (20% off) or COSMICOWL30 (30% off $99+) at Otter Spirit.Spiral Weave / Spiral Codex membership — $10/month or $90/year. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cosmicowlastrology.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back, witches! Today we're talking about Waste Not, Want Not Magick, because contrary to what the internet may have led us to believe, your spell does not require a pricey bank breaking crystal, a rare herb harvested under a blood moon, and a candle in a color that apparently only exists on Etsy, in order to work.Witchcraft has always been about working with what is around you. The herbs in the kitchen, the weeds growing through the cracks, the stone you found on a walk, the old key in the junk drawer, the candle stub you refused to throw away because, obviously, it still has at least one good spell left in it.In this episode, we're looking at the magick already hiding in plain sight. We'll talk about honoring the natural energies and histories of everyday objects, finding correspondences through intuition and observation, working with the land around you, and turning scraps, leftovers, broken things, and ordinary household objects into useful magical tools.Because being a witch is not about owning the most stuff. It's about knowing how to see the spirit, purpose, and possibility in the stuff you already have.So grab your half-burned candles, your suspicious collection of empty jars, and whatever weird little treasures you've been saving because “I might use that for witchcraft someday.”Today is someday.Got a question? Send the witches a message here!Support the showWant to send us a letter? Witchy things to review?Our mailing address is:Back on the BroomstickPO Box 21Tioga, PA 16946Email: backonthebroomstick@gmail.comYoutube FacebookInstagramBack on the Broomstick Website

In this Mini Episode, Steve & Izzy are joined by Diana & Ryan of the Happily Ever Aftermath Podcast to discuss whether they can guess the star of the movies based on the plot summary & more!!! Are these actors interchangeable in some roles? Would anyone notice a Nic-August Cage with John Travolta in his place? What has Izzy been watching in her free time?!? Let's find out!!! So kick back, grab a few brews, fall & rise again, and enjoy!!! This episode is proudly sponsored by Untidy Venus, your one-stop shop for incredible art & gift ideas at UntidyVenus.Etsy.com and be sure to follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & Patreon at @UntidyVenus for all of her awesomeness!!! Try it today!!! Twitter - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/eilfmovies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/eilfmovies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Etsy - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.untidyvenus.etsy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TeePublic - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.teepublic.com/user/untidyvenus⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's callers: Shawn from Saskatchewan weighs whether brand-building or licensing is best for his card-based party game. Then Shirin in Texas wants to differentiate her graphic stationery in a crowded Etsy marketplace. And Mark from New Jersey works through refocusing his line of craft spirits. Plus, Carlton's recent efforts to pass on his trendspottting talent to the next generation.Thank you to the founders of Youlogy, Honey Bespoke Stationery & Paper Goods, and Little Water Distillery for being a part of our show.If you'd like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode—where Guy and former show guests take questions from early-stage founders—leave us a one-minute message that tells us about your business and a specific question you'd like answered. Send a voice memo to hibt@id.wondery.com or call 1-800-433-1298.And be sure to listen to the Razor founding story as told by Carlton Calvin in 2025.This episode was produced by Casey Herman with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by John Isabella. Our audio engineer was Annlie Huang.You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram and sign up for Guy's free newsletter at guyraz.com or on Substack.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ellie Blake has built a greeting card business that's grown far beyond Etsy, with over 39,000 sales and a thriving presence on Shopify and Faire. In this conversation, she shares the strategies that fueled her growth, what she'd do differently if she were starting today, and practical tips to help you build a business that lasts. No matter what you sell, Ellie's brilliant advice will inspire you and help you push through the messy middle and grow. **"How to Sell Your Stuff on Etsy" is not affiliated with or endorsed by Etsy.com    STUFF I MENTIONED:  Join us in Scaling Society: https://www.howtosellyourstuff.com/scaling-society Use code 50SCALE to get your first month for $97.    FIND ELLIE: Instagram @astoldby.ellie    HOW I HELP ETSY SELLERS GROW: ⭐Scaling Society: https://www.howtosellyourstuff.com/scaling-society ⭐"How to Blow Up Your Etsy Shop" free training: https://www.howtosellyourstuff.com/interested-in-blow-up-shop  ⭐Trendspotting: https://www.howtosellyourstuff.com/trendspotting ----------------------

Day two on the Oregon Coast Trail takes us south from Nehalem Bay for a day dominated by beach walking, a tiny boat crossing, unexpected rain, relentless headwinds and the discovery that not all sand is created equal. What initially looks like an easier day turns into nearly 11 challenging miles, and  convincing proof that MJ and I might actually be backpackers after all. My Tent is Not Viable! Because this pod has become all Oregon Coast all the time (and no, spoiler… more to come) I have to share yet another special creation. Newly minted Pedalshift listener and merch designer Simone was so moved by the Brock and Tim Sprocketshift disaster of night 1 that she created a special design just for the two of us… yes, my tent is not viable has now been memorialized on an ornament. But you have to see it in the shownotes at pedalshift.net. It features the classic line and… because of course… a flooded tent. Plus the new Pedalshift logo, which you might get to see soon on other things! COMING SOON. Super excited to show you what we've been working on! Go check out the special edition my tent is not viable design and more Simone's designs at her Etsy shop… link in the shownotes! Live Show! Friday September 11th, 5pm PT - 8pm ET Topics TBA, but it's a summer closeout and certainly a preview of some stuff coming in the fall. ALSO we're doing a super fun giveaway exclusively for people that make it to the live show itself… there's some incentive for ya! ALSO ALSO, some special previews of all sorts of things. Am I being cagey? YES. Show up anyways! Chat room is fun, live shows are fun… but if you can't make it, it's the pod for the following week. pedalshift.net/live! Email reminders coming too. Maybe some previews of my previews? Who knows? Sign up at the site. Oregon Coast Trail – Part 2   Breaking camp at Nehalem Bay State Park after a less-than-restful first night. The day's route comes with an unusual Oregon Coast Trail feature: a small boat crossing of the Nehalem River. Hiking out the Nehalem Bay spit rather than road walking Highway 101 or relying on another bus. A $10, on-demand boat ride that you essentially hail like a water taxi. Naturally, Tim is delighted. Early beach walking into a surprisingly strong south wind—and the realization that hiking into a headwind can be plenty annoying too. Overcast, cool Oregon Coast weather turns out to be pretty much perfect hiking weather for Tim and James. Then the rain finally arrives. Rain gear gets its first legitimate test as wind, rain and cold hands briefly turn the morning into some genuine Type 2 fun. Reaching the mouth of the Nehalem River, where ocean waves, river current and fishing boats all converge. Calling for the boat and crossing the Nehalem River to continue south. Boat-crossing soundscapes, fishing stories and a little local wildlife discussion along the way. An unexpected rail walk after the crossing, followed by some improvised navigation back toward the beach. The terminology of the trip is established: good sand is firm and easy to walk on; bad sand is soft, energy-sucking nonsense. Continuing south toward Rockaway Beach with sea stacks appearing down the coast. Sustained headwinds approaching 20 mph turn what should have been a helpful prevailing wind into an all-day adversary. Rockaway Beach provides a badly needed break from the wind—and Indian food for the day's big meal. Back into full rain gear for the final push toward Barview Jetty. Headwinds + rain + bad sand = a surprisingly demanding backpacking day. Despite the conditions, Tim and James finish just shy of 11 miles. Another successful test for the new backpacking gear, including Tim's Hyperlite Southwest 40. Arriving at Barview Jetty Campground thoroughly cooked and very ready for dry clothes and tents. The campsite itself gets mixed reviews, particularly when Tim discovers that "level tent site" is apparently more of an aspirational concept. Day two verdict: challenging, fun and another successful proof of concept. Bigger conclusion: Tim and James may officially be backpackers again—and longer trips suddenly seem entirely plausible.   Statistics Miles hiked 11  Nehalem Rivers crossed by boat 1 Prevailing tailwinds received: 0 Headwinds: Yes Sand varieties identified 2 Indian food recs in Rockaway Beach 1 Campground rating: 7 Flats: N/A

One of the biggest pieces of Etsy advice I completely disagree with is that you have to pick your niche before you even start your shop. Apparently, somewhere out there, the Etsy Niche Police are waiting to arrest you if you sell a teacher printable, a wedding invitation, and a meal planner in the same shop. I don't think that's true. In fact, I think choosing a niche too early is one of the fastest ways to build your shop around your own assumptions instead of actual buyer demand. Now, don't get me wrong. I absolutely believe that many successful Etsy sellers eventually become known for something. I just don't think you have enough information to force that decision before you've even made your first few sales. So today, we're talking about why I think the market should have a vote before you decide what your niche is... and why I'm asking you not to call the Etsy niche police just yet.

I break down Etsy Plus, including its $10 monthly cost, listing and Etsy Ads credits, shop customization features, and Marketplace Insights. Learn how to decide whether Etsy Plus is worth it for your Etsy shop by comparing its first-party keyword data with eRank and Alura estimates.  

In this episode, I sit down with Callan Faulkner, founder of The Uncommon Business and the world's leading voice on AI education for entrepreneurs, for a jaw-dropping conversation about how AI is completely reshaping the way we build, scale, and lead our businesses. Callan is scaling to $40-50 million in revenue this year with just 40 humans and over 150 AI employees, and she's here to show us that AI isn't just for tech founders or seven-figure businesses. It's for stay-at-home moms, coaches, plumbers, steel manufacturers, and every woman in between who is ready to stop drowning in manual work and start actually building the business she was meant to build. We break down the exact difference between using AI and building systems with AI, what an "AI employee" actually is (spoiler: it starts with a Claude skill), and how to identify the low-hanging fruit in your business right now. Callan walks us through real examples—from an AI employee that manages school emails and meal plans to Instacart, to the ones that write podcast pitches, run recruiting, and draft content in your voice. We tackle the biggest objections, including "will this replace my human assistant?", "isn't AI going to steal my creativity?", and "what about my data?" If you've ever felt stuck in the weeds of your business, this is your invitation to see what's actually possible—and it all starts with her AI Employee Bootcamp this fall. Liked this episode? Make sure to subscribe to our podcast and leave a review with your takeaways, this helps us create the exact content you want!  KEY POINTS:  00:00 Welcome to Woman of Influence 00:49 Meet Callan 02:21 Why AI Matters Now 03:26 Influence and AI Co-Creation 06:33 From Prompts to Systems 07:29 AI Employee Examples 10:50 Do You Need Seven Figures 11:58 Life Automation Meal Planning 13:36 Boot Camp Behind the Scenes 15:12 What Is an AI Employee 17:22 Skills Connectors Scheduling 20:41 Creativity and Privacy Concerns 21:52 Human Touch vs AI 22:22 Authenticity Over Volume 23:11 Privacy and Data Reality 23:33 Ethics Anthropic vs OpenAI 24:44 Will AI Replace Assistants 27:45 Elevating Humans to Strategy 30:09 Training AI to Your Voice 34:08 Better Editing Workflows 34:47 AI Employee Bootcamp Overview 38:40 VIP Hot Seat Coaching 41:25 Final Invite and Wrap QUOTABLES: “ Humans should be doing irreplaceable work, relationship building, using their intuition, gut checking.” - Callan Faulkner  “   I don't care if you are running an eight-figure coaching business, if you have an Etsy shop, or if you are about to go on maternity leave you need AI employees.” - Julie Solomon GUEST RESOURCES: [JOIN AUTOMATE TO ACCELERATE FALL 2026] Get behind-the-scenes access to how Callan runs her multi-million dollar company with AI employees and learn how to build your own. Save your seat here. Follow Callan on Instagram @callanfaulkner RESOURCES: [UNSCRIPTED RETREAT 2027] Where your voice, your message, and your identity become one. February 4–5, 2027 • Nashville, Tennessee APPLY HERE [THE REVENUE ACCELERATOR] Book a strategy call to explore whether The Revenue Accelerator is the right next step for your business and leadership. Apply and schedule your call today. [ORDER] my book or Audible, Get What You Want: How to Go From Unseen to Unstoppable so you can leverage the power of your own influence. Follow Julie on Instagram! MUST HAVES THIS MONTH: [EASIER BUSINESS, ONE PLATFORM] This tool makes it simple to manage your online store. With everything from inventory management to marketing automation all in one place, you'll save time and grow faster. Try it here. [QUALITY WITHOUT THE MARKUP] From linen to denim, Quince delivers premium essentials you'll wear on repeat without the usual markup. Explore here: quince.com/JULIE  for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. [MARKETING THAT WORKS WHILE YOU DO] Spend less time managing your marketing and more time growing your business. Brevo's automations, CRM, and AI assistant help you connect with customers, personalize your messaging, and streamline your workflow—all from one dashboard. Learn more at https://www.brevo.com/woman.

Oil Reserves taking a hit. Finally getting to the recent high profile earnings. Market Top Calls (again). ALL TIME HIGHS – Then some consolidation (then highs again). Situational Awareness Update. SpaceX Bounces… PLUS we are now on Spotify and Amazon Music/Podcasts! Click HERE for Show Notes and Links DHUnplugged is now streaming live - with listener chat. Click on link on the right sidebar. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? PayPal.Donation.Button({ env:'production', hosted_button_id:'JJJHP2GDEJC7J', image: { src:'https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif', alt:'Donate with PayPal button', title:'PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!', } }).render('#donate-button'); Follow John S. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter Warm-Up - Oil Reserves taking a hit - Getting to the recent high profile earnings - Market Top Calls (again) Markets - ALL TIME HIGHS - Then some consolidation - Lets round out earnings - Situational Awareness Update - SpaceX Bounces... Etsy - Layoffs With Better Numbers - Etsy is cutting about 220 jobs, or 12% of its workforce. - Management said the cuts were not primarily about cost savings or AI. ----- CEO Kruti Patel Goyal stated the restructuring aims to simplify the organization, remove management layers, and speed up decision-making to better compete against massive rivals like Amazon, Temu, and TikTok Shop - Q2 revenue was about $668 million and core marketplace sales improved. - Etsy also authorized another $2 billion share buyback. - Comes after selling Depop to eBay for about $1.4 billion. Polysilicon - Tariffs Plus Price Floors - U.S. policy adds a 15% tariff and minimum import prices on polysilicon and solar products. - Goal is to protect domestic production from low-cost foreign competition. - U.S. share of global polysilicon capacity fell from about 50% in 2005 to under 2% in 2024. - First Solar and T1 Energy jumped on the announcement. ---- The same playbook - rinse and repeat Chipotle - Salmonella Returns - Minnesota officials linked a salmonella outbreak to jalapenos served at Chipotle. - Chipotle removed the affected pepper supply and switched growers. - Shares fell roughly 8%-10% as investors remembered the company's earlier food-safety problems. - This is on top of the lettuce situation with Sweetgreen- look at  STOCK CHART FOR SG Michael Burry - Calling a Major Top - Michael Burry says the market may be near a "major top." - Warned of the possibility of a 1987-style market drop. - He is short names including Nvidia, Palantir, Tesla and semiconductor stocks. - Main concern is stretched valuations and crowded trades unwinding quickly. - This may be the 100th top he has called since the GFC ---- NVIDIA TURNS GPUs INTO AN ASSET CLASS - Nvidia signed preliminary agreements with Apollo, BlackRock, Blackstone, Brookfield, Goldman Sachs and KKR to mobilize more than $500 billion for AI infrastructure. - The Wall Street firms would create dedicated pools of capital to finance Nvidia-based data centers and compute infrastructure at what Nvidia calls attractive rates for customers. - Jensen Huang: “This is really the first time that technology chips have become an investable asset class.” Nvidia says the compute assets now generate revenue and can increasingly be financed like infrastructure. - Nvidia could backstop as much as 25% of individual investments on a case-by-case basis - potentially up to about $125 billion if applied across the full program. STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE BREAKS 300 MILLION - The Strategic Petroleum Reserve fell by 6.1 million barrels to 298.7 million barrels for the week ended Aug. 7 - below 300 million for the first time since January 1983. - The SPR started 2026 around 415 million barrels, meaning more than 100 million barrels have already come out this year as releases were used to offset disruptions from the Iran conflict. - The reserve's authorized storage capacity is roughly 714 million barrels, leaving current inventories at about 42% of capacity. - Oil on the rise last week Earnings and such Toyota - Big Buyback, Better Outlook - Toyota raised its annual operating-profit forecast 13%, helped by the weaker yen. - Announced a share buyback worth up to $6.3 billion. - Quarterly operating profit still fell 9%, hurt by China weakness and higher Middle East-related costs. McDonald's - Value Problem - U.S. same-store sales rose just 0.8%, below expectations and well below last year's 2.5% growth. - Management blamed weak execution of value promotions and fewer digital deals. (and probably because everyone is taking weight loss drugs - see above) - Lower-income customer traffic remains a major pressure point. - McDonald's is bringing back more digital offers and loyalty promotions to drive traffic. Eli Lilly - Weight-Loss Machine - Lilly crushed Q2 expectations as Mounjaro and Zepbound drove most of the growth. - Mounjaro sales hit $9.94 billion; Zepbound brought in $4.93 billion. - Raised 2026 revenue guidance to $85-$87 billion. - Verzenio, its major breast-cancer drug, remains one of Lilly's biggest non-obesity products. - Lilly continues widening its lead over Novo Nordisk in the obesity-drug market. Disney - Parks Keep Printing Money - Quarterly adjusted EPS rose 28% to $2.06, beating the $1.86 estimate. - Parks and experiences revenue increased 10% to nearly $10 billion. - Global park attendance grew 4%. - Disney is selling its 50% stake in A+E Networks to Hearst for an estimated $1.2 billion. Oil - OPEC Adds Barrels, Maybe - OPEC+ agreed to raise September production targets by another 188,000 barrels per day. - The increase completes the rollback of a 1.65 million-barrel-per-day supply cut dating back to 2023. (In other words - planned so not a surprise) - Actual supply remains constrained because several producers are already pumping below quota. - Any normalization around the Strait of Hormuz could suddenly make OPEC+'s additional barrels much more important. Berkshire Hathaway - Greg Abel Starts Spending - Q2 operating earnings rose 16% to about $13 billion. - Berkshire bought $23.5 billion of stocks and sold just $3.7 billion - its first quarter as a net stock buyer in 14 quarters. - Bought back $4.5 billion of Berkshire shares, versus only $235 million in Q1. - Cash dropped from roughly $380 billion to $365 billion as Abel starts putting the massive cash pile to work. - Important shift: Buffett is still chairman, but this is one of the clearest signs yet of how Greg Abel may allocate capital differently as CEO. Situational Awareness - Nearly Blows Up, Investors Want Back In - The fund lost 67% in July after leveraged AI bets collapsed and forced a major stock sale to Citadel. - Despite the blowup, Situational Awareness was still up about 80% for 2026 because of huge earlier gains. - Bloomberg says Silicon Valley investors are already asking to put more money into the fund. - Situational Awareness is currently telling prospective investors it is not accepting new capital. - The fund has also continued making large private investments even after the near-collapse. --- Most recent was a $400B ---- There is some talk that Citadel made out like a bandit on the rescue Mercedes AMG - The Car Literally Brands You - Two Mercedes AMG owners filed a class-action lawsuit claiming the metal AMG logo embedded in the seat becomes dangerously hot in the sun. - One driver says he suffered first- and second-degree burns, with a dermatologist describing the injury as "AMG inscribed." - The lawsuit wants Mercedes to cover damages and remove the metal logos from affected vehicles. - Hard to beat this one: pay AMG money and get the logo branded into your back. Europe's Drought - History Starts Popping Out - Extreme drought and low river levels are exposing things that have been underwater or hidden for decades or centuries. - In Serbia, sunken German World War II warships have reappeared in the Danube. - In Britain, dry ground revealed outlines of medieval buildings; mammoth remains and ancient structures have also surfaced elsewhere. - Serious drought story, but visually one of the strangest side effects of the summer. Golden Toilet - $6 Million Flush - The 18-carat gold toilet was ripped out of Blenheim Palace in a five-minute raid and has never been recovered - but there is a conviction. - Prosecutors used phone data, forensic evidence and planning activity to link the gang to the theft. - One defendant had cased the palace beforehand and photographed entry points; another man had already pleaded guilty and admitted helping move the stolen gold. - Prosecutors believe the 98-kilo toilet was quickly cut up or melted down and sold as gold. - So the conviction was based on evidence of the robbery and disposal - not on recovering the actual toilet. Final Follow Up SpaceX - Space Junk Smashes Into the Moon - A dead SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage crashed into the moon at about 5,400 mph after drifting through space since January 2025. - The roughly 4-ton, school-bus-size object kicked up a lunar dust plume that astronomers detected from Chile. - The impact was accidental - solar activity and gravity gradually pushed the abandoned rocket stage onto a collision course. - NASA and SpaceX are now discussing ways to prevent future lunar crashes as more hardware heads toward the moon. - NEED Space garbage Trucks - something we have discussed on show for years (see next) Space Garbage Trucks - This Is Becoming a Business - Astroscale is building spacecraft designed to inspect, capture and remove dead satellites and other orbital debris. - Its ADRAS-J mission demonstrated close approach and inspection of a large piece of existing space junk - a key step before actually grabbing and removing debris. - ClearSpace is developing similar debris-removal spacecraft, including missions designed to rendezvous with and capture abandoned rocket hardware. - The business model is basically orbital towing: governments and satellite operators pay to remove dangerous junk or service aging spacecraft. - With tens of thousands of tracked objects already in orbit, "space sanitation" could become a real infrastructure business.   Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? PayPal.Donation.Button({ env: 'production', hosted_button_id: 'JJJHP2GDEJC7J', image: { src: 'https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif', alt: 'Donate with PayPal button', title: 'PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!' } }).render('#donate-button-2'); THE CLOSEST TO THE PIN for SpaceX (SPCX) Winners will be getting great stuff like the new "OFFICIAL" DHUnplugged Shirt!   FED AND CRYPTO LIMERICKS   See this week's stock picks HERE Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter

Time to move from unorganized chaos, into... organized chaos!Yep. Sometimes that is what the start of school feels like. I'm Flora McCormick, licensed therapist and parenting coach, and I'm sharing three sustainable parenting strategies to help you start the year with more joy and ease: plan for the worst, start family meetings, and get a life.First, we talk about why realistic expectations are a form of kindness (honestly - to yourself AND your kids). “Plan for the worst” doesn't mean assuming your kids will fail. It means looking ahead at what typically goes sideways, like waking up earlier, missing shoes, forgotten gear, and rushed mornings, and building a simple back-to-school routine that prevents avoidable blowups. When you feel prepared, you're more in control of your response and less likely to swing between overly gentle parenting and overly harsh discipline.Next, we dig into family meetings as a practical Positive Discipline tool. I walk you through a three-part structure: an appreciation circle to build connection and gratitude, one collaborative problem-solving topic so you're not doing top-down rules or inconsistent consequences, and a small repeatable “fun finish” so kids actually buy in. Finally, we get honest about parent self-care. When you're depleted, patience disappears. “Get a life” means finding one doable way to reconnect with what makes you feel like you, which helps the whole family system.✨Want more?  ✨JOIN me in the SUMMER of support:  

Here's what the Etsy witch said... Did you know ANYONE can host a funeral? Here's what I learned from Hayden Panettiere ASK MY MOM Become a Certified Fan! Help support the podcast and get our Thursday show, More Mama's Boy! OR upgrade your support here!  Adopt An Episode! Want to show us a little extra love? Adopt an Episode and get a personal shoutout in an upcoming show! This episode was adopted by the amazing Tina U from Oceanside!  Thank you!! A special thank you to our Boy-lievers for your extra support of our show: Tabatha W, Candy Z, Marci H, Eileen F, Rachelrose S, Donald S, Queen Pam, Erin D, Alexandra T, Deb S, Julie B, Carly C, Karissa R, Sue W, Lucino C, Lisa H, Kayla S, Karen W, Tina U, Lety S, Julia M, Michele K, Angela P, Meghan D and Abby L! Listen to my other podcast, “Kramer and Jess Uncensored”! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're like most people, nobody ever taught you how to money. And if you're a store owner, it's even  worse — no 401k, no automatic deductions, no HR department setting things up for you. So you keep telling yourself you'll deal with it "once the business is making more."  Sound familiar? I talked this week with Chloe Daniels, who's a Money Coach. Chloe teaches people like us how to invest for a secure financial future. Listen in and  learn: Why self-employed people have MORE retirement options — not fewer How to treat investing like a bill, not a leftover The numbers to run so that you can make decisions on facts, not feelings   Because here's the truth: it's hard to be the business leader you want to be if your personal finances are a mess. Don't miss this one.   RELATED LINKS: Find Chloe Daniels at clobare.com How to Scale Without Borrowing (or Breaking Your Business) https://www.thesocialsalesgirls.com/blog/how-to-scale-without-borrowing-or-breaking-your-business-episode-279 3 Things you can do to be more profitable today https://www.thesocialsalesgirls.com/blog/3-things-you-can-do-to-be-more-profitable-today-episode-219 How to create profit goals https://www.thesocialsalesgirls.com/blog/how-to-create-profit-goals-episode-209 Gross Profit: Will you take charge and pay yourself more? https://www.thesocialsalesgirls.com/blog/gross-profit-will-you-take-charge-and-pay-yourself-more-episode-188 -------------------------------------------------- Are you constantly asking yourself how to make your website better or questioning your prices? Do you wonder if you're missing something? If you have made sales in person or on a site like Etsy, I know you can sell more on your site. Get my FREE mini-course that will show you our step-by-step process to grow your sales without spending a fortune on risky ad strategies or discounting your products here: https://learn.thesocialsalesgirls.com/conversion-school/ "Insightful, actionable and engaging! I learn so much every single time I listen. I can't believe this information is free!" - If you feel like this too, I'd love it if you would leave us a review. Reviewing the show will help us reach even more store owners, so we can help them grow their sales. Click here, tap to rate with 5 stars and select "Write a review". Let us know what you find most helpful about the podcast! Also, if you haven't already make sure to follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode! Follow here!  

One of the biggest pieces of Etsy advice I completely disagree with is that you have to pick your niche before you even start your shop. Apparently, somewhere out there, the Etsy Niche Police are waiting to arrest you if you sell a teacher printable, a wedding invitation, and a meal planner in the same shop. I don't think that's true. In fact, I think choosing a niche too early is one of the fastest ways to build your shop around your own assumptions instead of actual buyer demand. Now, don't get me wrong. I absolutely believe that many successful Etsy sellers eventually become known for something. I just don't think you have enough information to force that decision before you've even made your first few sales. So today, we're talking about why I think the market should have a vote before you decide what your niche is... and why I'm asking you not to call the Etsy niche police just yet.

I show Etsy sellers how to use AI more efficiently, from writing higher-quality prompts and choosing the right model to building reusable skills, sub-agents, and AI plugins. Learn how to improve Etsy SEO workflows, product research, and daily shop tasks while avoiding token waste and watered-down results.  

Steve & Izzy continue Nic-August Cage, the month dedicated to the greatest living actor, as they are joined by TV's Travis of the Wait... You Haven't Seen? Podcast to discuss 2025's "Gunslingers" starring Nicolas Cage, Stephen Dorff, Heather Graham, Sly's daughter & more!!! What goes into a Nicolas Cage acting choice? What famous brothers are involved in this movie? Did you know there was a new Kung Fu series? What are Travis' least favorite Nic Cage movies?!? Let's find out!!! So kick back, grab a few brews, talk like you smoke 4 packs a day, and enjoy!!! This episode is proudly sponsored by Untidy Venus, your one-stop shop for incredible art & gift ideas at UntidyVenus.Etsy.com and be sure to follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & Patreon at @UntidyVenus for all of her awesomeness!!! Try it today!!! Twitter - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/eilfmovies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/eilfmovies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Etsy - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.untidyvenus.etsy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TeePublic - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.teepublic.com/user/untidyvenus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

These 6 Etsy Trends are about to blow up in 2026!In today's episode, I break down the top Digital Product trends on Etsy this year and exactly how you can start selling these fast! In this Digital Product masterclass, we cover everything from the best products to sell, the top customers who will actually buy these listings, and the best SEO to use in your titles to increase sales!Feeling stuck with your Etsy shop? Inside our Ultimate Etsy course and coaching program, we believe there's no one size fits all strategy. Every shop is different. That's why the first step is to book a call with our team so we can understand your goals, identify what's holding your shop back, and help you create a clear path to growth.

Kira Hartley Klinger is an entrepreneur, bestselling author, and e-commerce expert who has built a successful career turning overlooked treasures into valuable finds. Since launching her first online shop in 2003, she has become a top-rated Etsy seller with more than 17,000 sales and a devoted following in vintage textiles. Her bestselling Fabric Wars book series shares the remarkable stories behind the rare fabrics she discovers, earning recognition in the antique and collectible textiles category. Her unique approach has also led to a reality TV development deal, speaking engagements at quilting guilds across the Midwest, and appearances on numerous podcasts. When she's not treasure hunting, Kira enjoys life on her hobby farm with her husband, renovating their historic farmhouse, spending time with their eight grandchildren, and inspiring others through her passion for history, entrepreneurship, and finding value where others see none. Links https://www.etsy.com/shop/DodOddity https://www.linkedin.com/in/kira-hartley-klinger-319a68a5/ https://www.instagram.com/dododdity/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553488285041 https://www.ebay.com/str/monnerscloset https://a.co/d/0fJlEdDH If you're enjoying Entrepreneur's Enigma, please give me a review on the podcast directory of your choice. The show is on all of them and these reviews really help others find the show. iTunes: https://gmwd.us/itunes Podchaser: https://gmwd.us/podchaser TrueFans: https://gmwd.us/truefans Also, if you're getting value from the show and want to buy me a coffee, go to the show notes to get the link to get me a coffee to keep me awake, while I work on bringing you more great episodes to your ears. →  https://ko-fi.com/entrepreneursenigma Support me on TrueFans.fm → https://gmwd.us/truefans. Support The Show & Get Merch: https://shop.entrepreneursenigma.com Want to learn from a 15 year veteran? Check out the Podcast Mastery Community:https://www.skool.com/podcasting Follow Seth Online: Instagram: https://instagram.com/s3th.me LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethmgoldstein/ Seth On Mastodon: https://indieweb.social/@phillycodehound The Marketing Junto Newsletter: https://MarketingJunto.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I show Etsy sellers how I create consistent AI product mockups in ChatGPT using a reference image, a reusable mockup skill, and a project folder. Learn how to generate Etsy listing mockups that stay aligned with your brand aesthetic and use a QA sub-agent to refine the final image.  

In this episode of The White Witch Podcast we step into the woods of August to explore two powerful allies of witchcraft, mythology and folklore - Bay and the Wild Boar. We begin with Bay a plant long associated with prophecy, protection, purification and victory. We explore the many ways Bay can be incorporated into your craft, from cleansing and divination to protection and banishing before following its mythological threads through Circe, Apollo and Daphne and into the sacred world of the Priestesses of Delphi. We also work with Bay practically finishing this section with a simple banishing spell using its leaves - ritual can be found here - https://witchesofthecraft.com/tag/bay-leaf/ Then we travel deeper into the ancient forest to meet the Wild Boar, a creature whose image appears again and again across European mythology as a symbol of ferocity, courage, sovereignty, abundance, protection and the mysteries of the Otherworld. We follow the boar through the story of Odysseus before travelling north into Norse cosmology and its connections with Freyr and Freyja including the golden boar Gullinbursti and Freyja's companion Hildisvíni. We visit the great hall of Valhalla where the fallen warriors feast upon the endlessly renewed cosmic boar and explore the animal's possible connections with the earth and mother goddess Nerthus. From there we wander through continental and British folklore, meeting the boar god Moccus, seasonal customs such as the Jouluporsas and the animal's importance within Celtic and Druidic traditions. We explore its links with warriors, death, the afterlife and the Otherworld alongside stories involving Merlin, the Devil, Cerridwen, Manannán mac Lir and the great boar hunt found within the Welsh tale of Culhwch and Olwen. We also venture into Greek mythology with Heracles and the Erymanthian Boar before looking at what the Wild Boar may represent spiritually when it appears within our own lives, dreams or practice. Our book review this month is Circe by Madeline Miller. We finish the episode with a collection of journal prompts inspired by The Odyssey inviting you to consider your own journeys, trials, transformations and homecomings. The journal prompts came from the Instagram page - @the_edit_experience_ What song do your sirens sing? What bow can only you string? What is your Troy? What is your Calypso? What is your Ithaca? Why can't you go back there? Can you forgive yourself for the last seven years? Can you accept yourself? So light a candle, gather your Bay leaves, and come with me into the old woods — where gods, witches, warriors and wild creatures are never quite as far away as they seem. Join Me for Our Mabon Coven Gathering If you've ever wanted to experience witchcraft in person, I'd love to invite you to our very first Coven Gathering in Lincoln. Together we will celebrate Mabon, the Autumn Equinox through seasonal folklore, magical teachings, practical witchcraft and a guided journey inspired by Baba Yaga's ancient forest. You will create your own Mabon Harvest Charm to take home, receive beautifully illustrated grimoire pages and spend the afternoon connecting with a wonderful community of like-minded witches over homemade herbal teas. Whether you are completely new to witchcraft or have been walking the path for many years, this gathering has been created as a welcoming space to learn, practise and celebrate the turning of the Wheel of the Year together. You can find the booking link below if you would like to join us. I would absolutely love to see you there. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1995695286324?aff=oddtdtcreator Join us in The Hedge & Hollow for a Circe Summer with our August theme - This month we journey to the mythical island of Aeaea to meet one of the most fascinating witches in mythology – Circe. Often remembered as the enchantress who transformed men into pigs however there is far more to her story. Circe is a woman of solitude, exile, herbal wisdom, magick, transformation and self sovereignty. Her island becomes a place of initiation where those who arrive are forever changed. Throughout the month we will explore Circe through mythology, folklore and practical witchcraft discovering what her story can teach us about reclaiming our own power and embracing the transformations life asks of us. Across this month we will look at - A deeper exploration of Circe's mythology - looking beyond the familiar tales to uncover the symbolism and wisdom hidden within her story. A guided meditation transporting you to Circe's island where you will meet Circe herself and discover the messages she has waiting for you. Two Hedge Witch studies exploring the magical folklore, history and correspondences of Hellebore and Cypress. Two plants deeply connected with liminality, death, rebirth and the ancient witch's path. Practical witchcraft including a beautiful Transformation Oil inspired by Circe's magick alongside banishing practices, reflection and spellcraft to support your own personal transformation. This month will lean into embracing our own transformations and moving towards them with courage, wisdom and compassion. I'll see you on Circe's island. Find my Patreon The Hedge & Hollow here - https://patreon.com/TheHedgeandHollow?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Find my Etsy store here for zines, witch boxes, spell candles and altar posters here - https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheWhiteWitchCompany?ref=seller-platform-mcnav Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thewhitewitchpodcast/?hl=en For PR enquiries etc please email carly@thewhitewitchcompany.co.uk   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tess joins Hannah Brockway to share her lifelong passion for musical theatre, from discovering it as a child to performing on stage and becoming part of a close-knit theatre community.Together they discuss favourite productions, the creativity behind costumes and performance, the friendships formed through theatre, and the hard work that goes into bringing a show to life. Tess also reflects on navigating rehearsals and performances as a neurodivergent performer, and why musical theatre continues to be such an important part of her life.Find Tess and her work:

Our Summer '26 Hellmouth Hiatus continues! As we prepare for the launch of Hellmouth High in September, we'll be rolling out bonus goodies here on the main podcast feed every single week. This week, we plucked Darkened Tides Ep. 4: Snake Weasel Manor from behind the Patreon paywall and offer it now to all of you! In this episode, our adventurers get in the first scuffle of their journey. It gets...hairy. The first 3 episodes of Darkened Tides are also here on the main feed to get you caught up! If you enjoy our band of seafaring weirdos, new episodes of Darkened Tides are released on the first of every month exclusively on Patreon for subscribers at the $10 Artie's Animal Companions tier and up! For less than the price of 2 iced coffees, you'll instantly unlock a backlog of 17 Darkened Tides episodes and counting, along with so much more!Trevor William Fayle as The DMRhi Agnew as MeyzKay Devine-Jones as Sabina VaniNed Pryce as Claudio Fortuna Rodrigo MontebancCampbell O'Hare as Pippa QuintelpassFor hours of bonus content, fan art, secret backstories and behind-the-scenes clips, subscribe to our Patreon or check out our merch at our Etsy store!Website: https://www.criticalfayledm.com/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@criticalfayledmInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/criticalfayledm/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/criticalfayledmSupport the showSupport the show

These 12 Trends are about to BLOW UP on Etsy in 2026...In today's episode, I break down the top products to sell on Etsy to increase your sales! This video will also teach you how to find Etsy trends in 2026. If you want to start making money on Etsy in 2026, be sure to comment below with your favorite trends that you will be adding to your shop!Feeling stuck with your Etsy shop? Inside our Ultimate Etsy course and coaching program, we believe there's no one size fits all strategy. Every shop is different. That's why the first step is to book a call with our team so we can understand your goals, identify what's holding your shop back, and help you create a clear path to growth.

Bobby talks about the one celebrity he sees everywhere but doesn’t get. Eddie and Lunchbox both go at each other. Bobby gives an update on if anything good has happened as a result of the witch he hired on Etsy. A listener really wants to make the relationship happen that Ray suggested for Amy. A listener calls out Amy for ruining another TV show and she defends herself.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the Commerce Department's retail sales report for July, sales at stores of all kinds were down 0.6%, when a modest increase in sales had been expected. Though some discretionary purchases are up, consumers are certainly tightening their belts. Also in this episode, we look at the decline of Etsy, how businesses near the Canadian border are dealing with fewer visitors, and the staying power of Candy Crush.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.Read the stories in today's episode:Inflation dipped slightly in July, but remains above Fed's targetRetail sales dropped sharply in July as consumers tighten spendingThe AI slop-ification of EtsyFewer Canadian shoppers leave border businesses strugglingThe incredible staying power of Candy Crush Saga

In the Commerce Department's retail sales report for July, sales at stores of all kinds were down 0.6%, when a modest increase in sales had been expected. Though some discretionary purchases are up, consumers are certainly tightening their belts. Also in this episode, we look at the decline of Etsy, how businesses near the Canadian border are dealing with fewer visitors, and the staying power of Candy Crush.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.Read the stories in today's episode:Inflation dipped slightly in July, but remains above Fed's targetRetail sales dropped sharply in July as consumers tighten spendingThe AI slop-ification of EtsyFewer Canadian shoppers leave border businesses strugglingThe incredible staying power of Candy Crush Saga

What can rocks, fossils and meteorites teach us about the past—and could science ever bring dinosaurs back?In this episode of Wes Iseli's MagicLife Podcast, Wes and Natalie welcome geologist, author, fossil researcher and lifelong rock collector Yinan Wang. Yinan shares how finding fossils as a child led him to study geosciences at Princeton University, research gemstones using satellite imagery and help identify new species preserved in amber.We explore the real science behind Jurassic Park, whether dinosaur DNA could survive inside amber, how lasers reveal hidden details in fossils and why today's AI apps often misidentify rocks. Yinan also explains the differences between geology, mineralogy and paleontology in terms that beginners can easily understand.The conversation also covers meteorites, megalodon teeth, ethical fossil collecting, mineral rights, mining claims, crystal healing and the surprising history of gold in Virginia. Could there really be gold hiding along the hiking trails behind our house? Yinan helps us understand what we should look for!Yinan is the award-winning author of books including The 50 State Fossils, The 50 State Gems and Minerals and The 50 State Unofficial Meteorites.LEARN MORE ABOUT YINAN WANG

Watch Video - https://youtu.be/7X07kX06t5w Join Skool - https://www.skool.com/grow-my-etsy-shop-3051 A lot of Etsy sellers create products by guessing. They have an idea, make it, list it, and hope something sticks. But once your shop has traffic and sales, you don't have to guess anymore. In this episode, I break down how to use the data Etsy is already giving you to decide what to create next. We'll look at the searches bringing people into your shop, how to identify directions buyers are already showing interest in, and how to combine that information with the colors, styles, and types of products Etsy itself seems to be promoting. Because the sweet spot isn't just creating what people are searching for. It's finding the overlap between what shoppers want and what Etsy wants to show them. I'll also talk about auditing your existing products, spotting opportunities inside listings that are already working, and maximizing the revenue you get when you finally find something Etsy wants to push. The goal is simple: stop creating randomly and start letting the data give your creativity a direction.

In this special interview, Steve is joined by director Luke Sparke of "Primitive War", "Occupation", "Bring Him to Me" & more!!! How do you properly cross the genres of Dinosaur & War movies? What's it like working with Sam Neill, Jeremy Piven, Hugh Jackman & friend of the podcast Bruce Spence? How can you help bring "Dinosaurs of the Wild West" to a screen near you?!? Let's find out!!! So kick back, grab a few brews, stick around until the end of the episode for a new musical number & teaser of a theme month, and enjoy!!! This episode is proudly sponsored by Untidy Venus, your one-stop shop for incredible art & gift ideas at UntidyVenus.Etsy.com and be sure to follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & Patreon at @UntidyVenus for all of her awesomeness!!! Try it today!!! Twitter - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/eilfmovies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/eilfmovies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Etsy - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.untidyvenus.etsy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TeePublic - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.teepublic.com/user/untidyvenus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when your biggest sales channel changes the rules? In this episode, I break down the revolt among Amazon sellers and why their fight over fees, advertising costs, and shrinking margins is a bigger lesson for every product-based business owner. I dive into why relying too heavily on Amazon, Etsy, or any other third-party platform can leave you vulnerable, why healthy profit margins give you more room to navigate changes you can't control, and why I've been teaching multiple sales channels since the beginning of The Product Boss. Tune in to learn how to diversify your sales channels, build your own email list and website, and create a product business that can keep growing even when the platforms around you change.In This Episode, You'll Learn:00:00 What happens when 400+ Amazon bestsellers push back against the platform?02:15 Why building your business on someone else's platform comes with risk.03:30 How healthy profit margins give you more flexibility when the rules change.05:15 What Amazon's advertising business means for sellers dealing with rising fees.08:45 Why your business shouldn't depend too heavily on one sales channel.10:00 How to build a brand that can move when a sales channel changes.11:45 How much of your business is built on rented land?14:30 Ways to start growing your email list across different sales channels.16:00 What happens when you have an email list but never use it?17:45 The numbers to look at when evaluating your sales channel profitability.20:30 How much of your revenue should come from a single sales channel.22:00 The 2 assets every product business should keep building.Resources + LinksReady to stop guessing and follow a proven system? Book your strategy call HERE!Get business tips sent right to your inbox - join the newsletter!Watch on YouTubeFollowJacqueline on IG: @theproductbosstheproductboss.com

Attorney Paige Hulse is back to break down the biggest legal updates affecting Etsy sellers—from AI-generated products and copyright to protecting your intellectual property, avoiding common mistakes, and staying ahead of rapidly changing laws. You'll walk away with practical guidance to help you confidently use AI while building a legally sound business.  **"How to Sell Your Stuff on Etsy" is not affiliated with or endorsed by Etsy.com    STUFF I MENTIONED:  ➡️ Legal Resources and Playlist of other episodes: https://www.howtosellyourstuff.com/legal-topics  *This is where you'll find links to her educational content, LLC agreement, and other provisions recommended for your Etsy Shop Policies ➡️The Foundry: https://cart.shopcreativelaw.com/the-foundry-membership/?fpr=smiley  ➡️Mockup Freebie: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w13z58ltlYmsB_qAwy4D6LLsCE2_Ykc8/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=102984380730754112714&rtpof=true&sd=true  ➡️ My post on the NY law for AI-generated humans: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYflowMD9GS/?img_index=1    ➡️ Join us in Scaling Society: https://www.howtosellyourstuff.com/scaling-society Use code 50SCALE to get your first month for $97.    FIND PAIGE: Connect with Paige at paigehulse.com or on Instagram at @paige.hulse, @paigehulselaw, and @creativelawshop.   HOW I HELP ETSY SELLERS GROW: ⭐Scaling Society: https://www.howtosellyourstuff.com/scaling-society ⭐"How to Blow Up Your Etsy Shop" free training: https://www.howtosellyourstuff.com/interested-in-blow-up-shop  ⭐Trendspotting: https://www.howtosellyourstuff.com/trendspotting ----------------------

Unpopular Opinion - I know.   But it's true! I haven't meant a single PreK or Elementary Teacher who would tell me they LOVE Gentle Parenting.  But let's be real - teachers don't hate 'gentle parenting' because they want harsh discipline. They hate what it can turn into when boundaries disappear: kids who  can't regulate their emotions, make many demands, and derail learning for the rest of the class.I'm Flora McCormick, a licensed therapist and parenting coach, and I'm pulling together what I've seen for 20 plus years with what educators tell me off the record. We talk about why children are supposed to test limits, how cause and effect drives child behavior, and how our responses can accidentally train more screaming, more negotiation, and less frustration tolerance. You'll also hear concrete “red flag” patterns that often signal gentle parenting has slid into permissive parenting, like hour-long bedtime support, constant emotional processing that crowds out follow-through, escalating picky eating without a medical cause, and disrespect toward adults and other kids.What is a better alternative? Sustainable Parenting - a version of Positive Discipline which focuses on strategies that holds kindness and firmness at the same time. And trust me - I'm only sharing this harsh truth because I was the parenting making the mistakes of overly-gentle parenting.  And I share about that in this episode. If you want a calmer home, smoother transitions, and a child who can handle “no” and recover, you'll leave with a clear direction and next steps, including resources if coaching isn't an option right now.Books I recommend on Kind & Firm Parenting: Positive Discipline (ages 2-12): https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/825309/positive-discipline-2nd-edition-by-jane-nelsen-edd/Parenting a Child Who Has Intense Emotions (ages 5-18): https://a.co/d/04cHYbWrvRaising Mentally Strong Kids (ages 5-18): https://a.co/d/01rZ9F7G✨Want more?  ✨JOIN me in the SUMMER of support:  

Bobby responds to all the hate he has been getting for hiring an Etsy witch. We find out Amy paid money for a crazy ritual too! Oh no, we all owe Amy an apology. She tells us why she is upset with her and we apologize. Eddie thinks he might be getting scammed because someone keeps sending him $1 over and over again. What is going on here?? Lunchbox talked to a lawyer to see if he has a case over his back pain caused from the car wreck he was in earlier this year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Endurance swimmer endures swim across the Baltic sea… Kris Cruz stops by with possible HR issue… Burger King back in second place… Burger King has a way to get a replacement burger? McDonalds has new U.S. president… A look at Powerball drawing… Email: Chewingthefat@blazemedia.com Subscribe to Blaze TV / $20 off annual subscription… www.blazetv.com/jeffy NJ man has stick rammed into his face after fall… Etsy laying of employees due to competition… Neanderthals were sprinters?... Who Died Today: Ben Jones 84 / Mark A Nobles 66… Joke of The Day: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices