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Launch Your Box Podcast with Sarah Williams | Start, Launch, and Grow Your Subscription Box
In this episode, we're talking with Denise Parkes of The Crafty DIYer. Denise and I know each other well. She's a member of Launch Your Box, Scale Your Box, and my Elevate Mastermind. As one of my Mastermind Ladies, I get to see Denise in person 3 times a year! Her strength and the story of the last year in her business inspire me and the other members of our Mastermind. It will inspire you, too. Denise is an artist and a crafter. She is passionate about teaching others to enjoy crafting. Denise serves mainly women over the age of 60 and, by going LIVE six days a week for a long time, had built up a devoted following. When Denise learned about me and my annual Subscription Box Week, she joined right away. During that week, Denise got to know me and my teaching style as well as what she could expect inside Launch Your Box. Denise was convinced a subscription box was the right next step for her. She actually launched during Subscription Box Week (remember she already had a large audience) and got 120 subscribers! Denise's subscription box grew quickly and soon she needed to rent warehouse space to handle inventory and fulfillment. But all was not well inside Denise's business. Denise and her business reside in Canada where shipping costs are prohibitive. She simply couldn't afford to ship to her largely US based subscribers, or even those in her own country. Shipping costs were eating up all of her profits. Denise was also dealing with health issues and found herself stressed and unhappy. Her business in its current form was no longer serving her. She knew she still needed to make an income, but couldn't go on as she was. But Denise is someone who gets back up and figures things out. And during our September 2023 Mastermind Retreat, she did just that. There is power in being in a room with other smart, like-minded businesswomen who want the best for you. Denise realized the way forward was with printables – no shipping required! She'd had a super successful printable lead magnet in place to grow her list and further proved the viability of her idea by selling one-off printables. When she was able to get out of her warehouse lease, Denise felt able to start from scratch again… even though doing so was scary. Starting from scratch for Denise meant “doing everything Sarah teaches.” Building her list Driving traffic to her website Putting effective lead magnets out there The Digital Print Clubhouse launch was a big success – 150 subscribers big. And it has continued to grow. Denise now has more than 400 subscribers and celebrated hitting 6-figures only 10 months after making this major pivot. So what's different now? Less stress More joy Nothing to pack and ship More time and energy to create Denise talks about the importance of being around women who support and understand her – like the ones found inside Launch Your Box. She also reminds us of the importance of not worrying about what anyone else thinks and resisting the urge to compare yourself to anyone else. Pivoting was necessary for Denise's business to survive. And now she's not only surviving, she's thriving… and celebrating hitting six-figures in less than a year! Join me for this episode as Denise and I talk about realizing when it's time to pivot, working through the fear, and coming out stronger… oh, and reaching six-figures in revenue in less than a year! Find and follow Denise: Crafty DIYer on Facebook Crafty DIYer on Instagram Crafty DIYer Website Join me in all the places: Facebook Instagram Launch Your Box with Sarah Website Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!
I was watching my dog Bear completely lose the scent of a fox on the trail, and it hit me differently this time. Foxes don't circle back because they're confused. They do it with full intention, and that deliberate move is exactly what most people skip in their own pursuit of growth. In this episode, I break down the concept of fox trailing and why strategically revisiting your plans, your goals, and even your identity is not weakness. It is one of the most intelligent things you can do. Key Takeaways Circling back is only powerful when it is deliberate, not driven by confusion or second-guessing a decision you already committed to. Reviewing past plans with new information lets you determine what worked, what did not, and what can be made better. The wisdom you gain through experience does not disappear. You can look at old situations through a sharper lens because you know now what you did not know then. Locking yourself into a goal you have outgrown is not loyalty. It is a failure to use the growth you have earned. Pivoting to a bigger or better-aligned goal is not quitting. It is applying new intelligence to the same core mission of building the best version of your life. Action Steps Pick one current goal and ask yourself honestly: does this still reflect who I am and what I know now, or am I chasing it only because I said I would? Pull out an old plan, a draft, a strategy, or an idea you set aside and revisit it with fresh eyes and new experience to see if it can be made better. Before your next major push forward, spend time deliberately reviewing what has and has not worked so your next move is informed, not just motivated. Notable Quote You can look at old situations through a new lens because you know now what you didn't know then.
Ep. 211 - Kimberly is joined by lifestyle entrepreneur, author, and fitness expert Audrey Dunham for an intimate, hilarious, and inspiring conversation about motherhood, marriage, and the realities of building a business from the ground up. Audrey reveals the quintessential Hollywood story of how she met her husband, famed comedian and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham, while working at a restaurant in Studio City—and how she ended up touring the world as his fitness trainer for seven years. And she opens up about her whirlwind IVF journey and the surprise of naturally delivering her fraternal twin boys, Jack and James, 5 weeks early. She shares the raw (and exhausting) reality of navigating the first two years of raising twins all while building her business: Autumn Sons Baking Co. Chapter Timestamps: 01:04 – IVF, Natural Twin Birth, and Surviving the Early Years 04:39 – Hollywood Meet-Cute: Meeting Jeff Dunham 06:04 – Touring Logistics with a Celebrity Husband 08:18 – Pivoting into the Allergen-Free Food Industry 11:24 – Rebranding Peanut's Bake Shop to Autumn Suns 14:52 – Sourcing, Tariffs, and Scaling across the Border 16:47 – The Manufacturing Nightmare: 7,000 Defective Cookie Mixes 18:59 – Overcoming the Seasonal Hurdles of Baking 19:35 – Writing Cookbooks during COVID 21:05 – Future Ventures: Mug Muffins & Outro Follow Audrey: https://www.instagram.com/audreydunham/ Follow Autumn Sons Baking Co.: https://www.instagram.com/autumnsonsbaking/ Purchase Product!: https://autumnsonsbaking.com/?utm_campaign=button_list_Visitourwebsite&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=later-linkinbio Follow Kimberly: https://www.instagram.com/kimberlylovi/ Subscribe: @iconicnationmedia
Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Brian Custer.
Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Brian Custer.
On the Get Reelisms Podcast, filmmakers Madam Chase Rani and Christine Chen interview Austin director Jon Vallet about his new film American Dollhouse, which just premiered at South by Southwest and launched its festival run with an Austin “film family” crew. Vallet says the movie uses a character-driven, proto-slasher approach inspired by films like Psycho and Black Christmas, using modern anxieties about public spaces feeling unsafe and the dissonance of daily life in America as thematic fuel. He shares the logline: a woman inherits her childhood home, hoping to escape debt, but the house is falling apart and a doppelgänger-like neighbor becomes obsessively dangerous, escalating into a Christmas-set slasher. Vallet discusses prioritizing actors' performances, early sound and scoring collaboration, shooting on Sony Venice in 4:3 with natural light and night-for-day, a 15-day December 2024 shoot, a difficult third-act set build, and adapting scripts and schedules to budget and resources. Hosts: Adam Rani (@adamthechase) & Christine Chen (@cchenmtf) About Christine W Chen: Christine W. Chen is a Taiwanese American filmmaker, Academy member (Short Films Branch), and versatile producer, director, and writer known for bold, character-driven storytelling. Through her production company, Moth to Flame, she has created award-winning short films, features, and branded content—including Erzulie, a feminist swamp thriller that had a limited theatrical run and now streams on major platforms. In addition to her directorial work, Christine is a seasoned DGA 1st Assistant Director and co-author of Get Reelisms and ABCs of Filmmaking, as well as the co-host of the Get Reelisms Podcast. For more information about Christine Chen: christinewchen.com About Adam Rani: Adam Chase Rani is a production designer and set dresser working in the Austin film market, bringing a sharp eye for visual storytelling and practical creativity to every project. During the pandemic, he co-founded the Get Reelisms Podcast with Christine Chen to foster community within the film industry. Together, they've built a platform that blends education, candid conversations, and industry insights to help filmmakers connect, learn, and grow. About John Valley John Valley became a prolific music video director in Austin TX before honing in on his debut feature The Pizzagate Massacre, a dark horror comedy that VICE called "A grindhouse Pizzagate satire that perfectly captures a moment in time." His sophomore film, American Dollhouse is a modern take on proto-slasher classics like Psycho and Black Christmas. WEBISODE version of the Podcast 00:00 Actors First Philosophy 00:22 Podcast Intro And Guest 01:41 Origins Of American Dollhouse 04:57 Logline And Setup 06:34 What Makes A Slasher 11:24 Slasher Structure And Metaphor 15:07 Sound Design And Score 17:34 Lessons From First Film 21:21 Crew And Camera Choices 25:05 On Set Trauma And Third Act Build 29:42 Night for Day Magic 30:43 Scheduling as Storytelling 31:54 Budget as Creative Tool 34:03 Practical Effects and Big Punch 37:14 Script vs Set Reality 39:00 Directing Without Attachment 41:39 Next Projects Monster Movie 44:06 Pivoting and People First 46:58 Christmas Theme and Family Pressure 50:28 Austin Film Scene Farewell 52:41 Housekeeping and Sign Off Official Get Reelisms PageGet Reelisms Amazon StoreInstagram
Episode 148 of the Media People Podcast is LIVE Jennifer Lewis–Founder & Leadership Coach at CREATE with Jennifergel. We chat:
What if the real secret to a lasting writing career isn't talent or luck, but learning to thrive in the mess? Why are in-person events worthwhile even if the maths doesn't add up? How do you protect your creativity when the machines never sleep and the community is at one another's throats? With Mark Leslie Lefebvre In the intro, Has AI Already Killed Non-Fiction [Tim Ferriss]; 9 ways that AI would disrupt authors and the publishing industry over the next decade; Pivoting towards The Transformation Economy; and Who do you serve? This podcast is sponsored by Kobo Writing Life, which helps authors self-publish and reach readers in global markets through the Kobo eco-system. You can also subscribe to the Kobo Writing Life podcast for interviews with successful indie authors. This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn Mark Leslie Lefebvre is the author of horror and paranormal fiction, as well as non-fiction travel and books for authors. He's also an editor, professional speaker, and the Director of Business Development at Draft2Digital. His latest book is Stark Realities: Stacked Up Lessons Every Writer Needs to Know About the Business of Writing and Publishing. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. Show Notes Why print and in-person events are making a comeback for indie authors The case for (and against) licensing your voice clone through ElevenLabs Why we keep selling books in person when the numbers rarely add up Measuring success by creative satisfaction rather than money Being honest about author earnings and the fear of being truly seen Managing stress, divisiveness, and the noise around AI You can find Mark at MarkLeslie.ca. Transcript of the interview with Mark Leslie Lefebvre Jo: Mark Leslie Lefebvre is the author of horror and paranormal fiction, as well as non-fiction travel and books for authors. He's also an editor, professional speaker, and the Director of Business Development at Draft2Digital. His latest book is Stark Realities: Stacked Up Lessons Every Writer Needs to Know About the Business of Writing and Publishing. Welcome back to the show, Mark. Mark: Oh, hey, Jo. It's always an awesome time chatting with you. Jo: You've been on the show lots of times over the years, but the last time was in September 2024, when we talked about selling books in person. So give us a bit of an update. What does your writing and publishing business look like at the moment? How do you manage it alongside the day job and everything else you do? Mark: Oh my God. Well, sleep is—no rest for the wicked, maybe. I'll sleep when I'm dead. It's so funny, it was just this last weekend in Waterloo. I was at Waterloo Book Fest, and somebody came up to my table—another author from one of the other tables—and said, “I heard you on the The Creative Penn Podcast. And then when you mentioned something about Waterloo, I said, ‘He can't be from Waterloo.' And then when you mentioned the skeleton, I said, ‘I know where he lives.'” Jo: That's scary. Mark: So I love the fact that there are so many of your listeners all over the world, and that's usually how people know me. No matter what else I've done, it's like, “Oh, you've been on Joanna Penn's podcast.” I'll say, “Yes, I have.” You know what's really funny? The last time I was on the podcast, we were talking about A Book in Hand, which I was supposed to release that year. Jo: Yes. Mark: I just added another 5,000 words to it this morning. Jo: Wait, it's still not published? Mark: No, and it's so funny. I actually have the first 60,000 words of it with an editor right now, and I told her I'd get her the rest of it, which I thought would be another 20,000 words, by the end of June. But I think it's going to hit 100,000. Here's the weird thing that happened with this. This is trying to accumulate my life of book selling, as well as doubling down on doing in-person events in the last several years. I thought I was going to have the book done in 2024. I ran into some issues where I didn't back it up properly. It was an old version, and I accidentally overwrote the only version I had. Jo: So, for everyone listening, Mark—how many decades have you been an author and a publisher? How come you're still missing deadlines and still not backing up your work properly? Mark: Yes, this is a lesson: no matter how long you've been doing something, you can still make boneheaded errors. So if you, dear listener, have made mistakes, just know that this old guy who's been doing this since the mid-'80s still makes mistakes like that. Don't beat yourself up. I probably did something worse. Anyway, that book I thought was going to be maybe 40, 45,000 words, it's going to be bigger than Wide for the Win—close to 100,000 words. Here's a really important lesson I learned in that, Jo. I thought the book would be something. It became something else. Through my own experiences of doing more in-person events, book signings, and library event. Also in talking to awesome folks like Johnny B. Truant, Katie Cross, Todd Fahnestock, and so many other authors I know, and seeing what Ben Wolf is up to, and a whole bunch of different people who are doing in-person events. In creating case studies for how they interact specifically with a bookstore or library, or how they do in-person selling—I really think the book wasn't ready then. It's like the recipe wasn't ready. I still needed to play with some things. I do sincerely have faith, since I got it into the editorial process, that this will be the year the book actually gets released. Jo: As you said, there are some really good lessons there around sometimes the book not being quite ready. I'd bought an early version from the StoryBundle, which is how I got this book as well, actually. Mark: Yes. Jo: That's another tip for people—storybundle.com. You can go and find some great bundles there. I was also thinking, as you were talking, that maybe one of the reasons this book about in-person events has got so big is because that's a real trend in the community. It feels like indies, we've moved… Back in the day, I said, “I'm not doing print. No way.” This was the early days of digital, because print was really hard back then. So I was like, “Oh, and we've got all the advantages doing digital, so I'm just going to focus on that.” It feels like the pendulum has swung, perhaps even more with the ease of mass production of digital with AI. The focus on print and in person is getting stronger and stronger. Do you think that's happening? Mark: Oh, yes, 100%. I did print in 2004. It was really hard back then, so that's gotten easier. I think there are a few reasons. One of the reasons is, yes, digital made it so much easier for indie authors to get out there and break into the community. But the reality is that print books still outsell e-books in general—overall—despite the fact that indie authors can make six and seven figures a year from selling e-books alone on a single platform. So print has never really gone away. It was just never something indie authors attended to. They were in a different business than traditional publishers were in. And second, obviously I've got these gorgeous books that you've created on Kickstarter, because I like the beautiful books. I've never stopped buying print books. I actually buy more print books. I read more because of audiobooks and e-books, but I buy more print books, especially when I can get a nice signed copy. Then the other reason comes back, again, to your advice—something I've been following for the longest time, and you've long been saying. I do repeat this, and I try my best to offer attribution to you every time I use it: to double down on your humanity, particularly in this age of digital generation and the ability for even non-writers to leverage tools to create content. I think it's so much more important for me, as a creative who will never be able to catch up with the machines, to exploit my humanity. I mean, we both have digital voices of ourselves, right? There's a digital Mark Leslie Lefebvre voice that people can use, and I'm making money off it because people are able to license it through ElevenLabs. But when I'm there in person, so far the holograms aren't good enough to fool people. I think I'm not just selling a book to somebody; I want to create an experience where, “Oh, I'm talking to the author, and we're signing a book together, and we're taking a selfie together.” For me, there's that tactile experience that's really enriching. And it may not be something that lines my pockets as easily, because the investment is more significant. For every $10 I make, it costs me six or seven dollars, as opposed to an e-book, where the cost is amortised in the most beautiful way over millions of copies. Jo: There are a few things there. First of all, let's talk about that ElevenLabs voice licensing, because, as you say, I also have a voice clone. Bones of the Deep, the latest book, that's my voice clone. I haven't gone with the licensing, partly because you don't have control over what someone can do with it. So, for example, someone could create Nazi content, or content that I might not agree with, in my voice. So how have you got over that? Because part of me really does want to license my voice, and the other part doesn't. Mark: This is a great question, Jo, and I'm glad you asked it. It's the same reason I don't worry about people stealing my books—adding DRM onto my e-books and things like that. I may as well make some money off it, because let's be honest: you and I, our voices are out there. Thousands of hours of our voices, right? In your podcast, my podcast, in various interviews we've done over the years. The technology exists for someone to make a copy of my voice themselves anyway. The tools exist. They can do it easily, so why not do it myself and at least make money? I'm actually getting money deposited into my account. Not a lot—maybe $30, $18, something like that every week. Again, I've taken a lot of my non-fiction books that I haven't had the time to record myself, as I like to do, and I can at least load those to ElevenLabs and make my voice the default voice. But wouldn't it be great to be able to listen to my book in your voice? It would sound so much better. Because you can do that. When you listen to a book on that platform, you can choose my voice if you'd rather hear it in my voice, or you can choose Burt Reynolds' voice, or some other folks who've licensed theirs. Again, for me, the whole concept of wide publishing has always been important. It's another small revenue stream that's adding to my numerous revenue streams. So I guess that's how I've justified just licensing the voice. If someone's going to do something with my voice that I can't control, they can do it regardless of whether or not I put it out there myself. Jo: I agree with you. That could happen, and neither of us is famous enough that it's likely to happen anyway. I do quite like the idea of people using our voices, say, for other books for authors, because that would make sense—that's where we fit in the niche. I will rethink that, because I think it's interesting. I wanted to come back to print books. You said sometimes there are easier ways to line your pockets, and I think that's funny. So, getting into the book, this leapt out at me quite near the beginning: Why do we keep doing this when the maths almost never adds up? Mark: Oh, I have a perfect example of that from an event I did a couple of weekends ago in Burlington, Ontario. I think it was a $60 table fee. It was a new event. I believe I made $90 or $95 in sales. So even after the costs of printing and all that stuff, I really didn't make money. I made my table back, which is always a good thing. There were a few encounters I had with people who were really excited to find my Canadian Werewolf series of books, and just so thrilled to get started. Among the four of them, they bought one copy, but they were going to pass it amongst each other. You know what? Okay, they bought a single copy, and I was like, “Well, the e-book is permanently free online. You don't even have to buy a copy”—which is anti-selling. I just want them to read the book and enjoy it. But if they read it and pass it along and start talking about it, they could become readers for a long time. It's an eight-book series, with the ninth book coming out later this year. There was another encounter I had that day. A woman and her teenage daughter came in, and they were looking at my traditionally published books that I buy at a reduced price from a local bookstore and resell. They were looking at these true ghost story books I had, and they were pointing: “Do you have that one?” “Yes, I have this one, I have that one.” And the mother's like, “Well, she collects all your books, and she wants to make sure she has them.” We had this conversation, and she was so excited to meet me in person and to get a signed copy of the book. That experience was such a vanity moment for me as an author. We're lonely. I'm a big loser. Nobody's buying my books. We're always down on ourselves. So that investment of time and energy, in order to get that little pat on the back or that feeling of, “Wow, I really connected with someone who likes my stuff”—those moments are really precious. They're difficult to explain if you only look at the world in a financial way. I guess I'm fortunate enough that I do have enough income from numerous streams, including the consulting I do part-time, that it's okay if not every bookish endeavour leads to more money in my pocket at the end of the day. I can still have these authentic connections with people, which I think is one of the reasons I'm a storyteller. Yes, it's the stories I have to tell, but it's also putting the story into somebody else's hands and eyes and heart and mind. Jo: You're very giving like that. You have that sense about you, whereas I'm just a curmudgeon in the corner. Mark: That is not true. Jo: It is, generally. I don't do events like you do for readers. Mark: But that's because it takes a lot out of you. Jo: Yes, but that doesn't matter. Why do I write? I write for me. Mark: Ah, very good. Jo: At the end of the day—just being entirely selfish about this—when people say, “Oh, if you won the lottery, what would you do?” I'm like, “Well, I'd do pretty much what I'm doing now.” Mark: Yes, I'd just do the same. Of course, I'd write more books. Jo: I'd write more books. So this is where I'm trying to get to for people as well: measuring success in a different way. You were talking about measuring success by how that girl loved your books, and how you feel when someone says they love your books. With Bones of the Deep, this thriller I've just done, I feel like I had the benefit of that book before anyone even read it. As soon as it was finished, I made a nice proof copy from BookVault, and I held it in my hand and said, “I made this. I'm proud of the story, I wrote the story, and it's outside my head now.” I feel like I'm creatively satisfied in that moment. Then, of course, the Kickstarter was great, and I love that the books are going out around the world, but— I think the happiest I felt was that moment of finishing—that creative satisfaction of holding the book in my hand. You know what I mean? Mark: 100%, Jo. I cannot agree with you enough. I love so many aspects of writing. Yes, the connection with people is amazing. But I often say this when I'm doing my one-on-one consulting with authors: focus on the projects that mean the most to you, those passion projects. The process of writing, and the painful rewriting and editing and all the things you go through—when you finish that book, like you said, you hold it in your hands and it is a thing of beauty. It's a huge achievement. You've won. Whether or not you sell a single copy, you've won by doing it. Everything else is gravy: the sales, the money in your pocket or not, the reviews, positive or not, the people who say, “Oh my God, Bones of the Deep, thank you for writing this book. I'm so glad you introduced this into the world and into my life.” Anything beyond the creation itself, which is a pure joy—I love it so much. It's just why I get up at 5:30 every morning and write for hours before the rest of my day begins. I try to get stuff done before the rest of the world wakes up. I want to get the writing done first, when I have the most energy to give myself to the page. Then the rest of the day is kind of gravy for me too. Jo: You talk there about giving yourself to the page, but in Stark Realities— You talk about the fear of truly being seen. What do you mean by that, and how do you manage that feeling? Mark: For anyone who has written anything—fiction, non-fiction, memoir in particular, since it's a bit more closely tied to reality—it's exposing yourself to the world. I'll never forget an interview I did with Canadian science fiction author Julie E. Czerneda, who, before being a fiction writer, was writing biology textbooks, but her real passion was science fiction and fiction. When her first novel came out, she said, “It's like standing naked on the front lawn.” When you release a book, even a novel, people look at it and they're going to judge you and rate you. I remember early on, Jo—we knew each other through Twitter, I think, where we initially met, and then interacted with and finally met in person at London Book Fair. I think you and I have a very similar reaction. When people know us as positive and upbeat and out there helping authors in the community, and then they read our fiction, they go, “Well, Jo, you burned a nun alive on page one.” Or, “Mark, what kind of… they're drinking from the skulls of dead people? What the heck is going on with you two?” We are exposing parts of ourselves in our fiction and non-fiction. That's a fear I embrace, but also never get over, if that makes any sense. I write scary stories because I'm a big chicken. So maybe the entire process is just cheap therapy for me. Or not cheap, because it's an expensive pastime, isn't it? Jo: It certainly can be, but I agree. I struggle with fear of judgment still. I think it's also because we do this in public, which comes back to the financial side of things. We do a lot of this in public, and then people judge us on our author businesses too. You could look at Bones of the Deep, which was just on Kickstarter, and compare my Kickstarter to another author's Kickstarter for a fiction book, and judge one or the other person based on numbers. I feel like this is because you and I have done so much in public—for me, almost 20 years, and for you, like 40 years or whatever. Maybe 30 years. You look that old. Mark: Listen there, dearie. Get off my lawn. Jo: Yes, get off my lawn—with those skeletons you have on your lawn. Mark: Yes. They're no longer in my closet. Jo: They're not in your closet. I wonder if that also plays a part of it—the pros and cons of doing this business in public. Mark: Yes, that is a part of it. One thing I try to be very clear about, because there's so much FOMO and so much out there about people thinking that everyone else is making a million dollars from their books and “I'm the only loser who's not”—I try to be clear that I have never made more than a mid-five figures as an author from my author earnings, ever. I haven't yet hit six figures. One of the reasons I try to be transparent in sharing that is I don't want people to think that everyone else is a six- and seven-figure success story, and they're the only one who's only made $100 last year on their books. The reality is, 90 to 99% of the people who are writing and publishing are not going to earn a significant amount of money. I realise I'm also very, very lucky that I've earned this much, and it's taken a long time. I just shared this in a Substack post I posted yesterday: it was 10 years of rejections before I got $5 for my first short story that was published in '92. It wasn't until 2001 that I finally made pro rate, six cents US a word, for a short story that, ironically, Julie Czerneda bought from me back in the day. For me, I've been lucky that it's always been a long, slow slog. It's been a marathon, and I've never instantly sprinted across any dramatic finish line. I've had some really phenomenal moments—doing a book signing in a Costco, walking into Walmart and seeing my books there. Even last night at the Burlington Public Library, going, “Wow, they have eight of my books here—four of my self-published books and four of my traditionally published books, in two different sections.” I was like, “That's kind of cool.” So I've had these amazing moments as a writer, but I've never had the blockbuster—the Brandon Sanderson, or even the Dungeon Crawler Carl, Matt Dinniman, kind of moments. I still think I've had a very fortunate and lucky journey. Even if I wasn't making the money I'm making, I'd still be writing, and I'm sure you would be too. Jo: Oh, yes, for sure. I actually think the thing most of us would probably let go is the marketing. If we won the lottery, we'd carry on with all the creative stuff, the writing, the community stuff, and we'd just literally do no marketing at all. Mark: Well, yes, of course. Or potentially say, “Oh, here, ad agency, here's some money. You just run it, whatever. Let me know if it works or not. I don't care.” Jo: That's a much better idea. Mark: At least I've got the extra disposable income, so I may as well, because I'm helping the world when my books are out there. I know my books will help people. I really honestly think that as storytellers—whether it's fiction or non-fiction, we're still storytellers—what we do in writing and podcasting and all the things we do, the re-sharing on social media, is really helping connect people. I think that is one of the most profound things we can do as writers. And I mean that the writing, in and of itself, is a reward. Jo: Like you said, we met on Twitter when Twitter was what it was back in the day. I do very, very little social media now. But you just mentioned your Substack, and you also have your podcast, Stark Reflections. So how are you balancing what you put on each? I only do this podcast now. I don't even blog. I write books, obviously, and then I do the podcast. So what are you doing differently on Substack to the podcast, and what part do they play in income and marketing? Mark: Great question. I realise most people have never heard of me, or read or listened to the things I put out into the world. And I've been a longtime fan of “reduce, reuse, recycle my IP.” My podcast is not as long-running as yours, but I'm in my ninth year, and I've not missed a single Friday in the full eight years, or eight and a half by now, that I've been doing this. Every week I reflect on what I learned from an interview, or I'll reflect on something you've posted and say, “This episode is not an interview, but Jo said this last week, and I'm going to talk about it.” The podcast itself takes a lot of work. I still do all of it myself, and I know I probably shouldn't, but I like doing it, so it's one of those tasks I enjoy. I also have reflections that aren't going to come out vocally but might come out in writing. Sometimes in the morning I'm not in the mood to write the novel or the non-fiction book I'm writing, but I'm writing some tangent. I just let the creative monster go. I find that re-sharing… I might have reflected on something for a couple of minutes at the end of an interview, but I really want to expand upon it, so I write the Substack article. I try to reuse some of that content. Someone's going to enjoy seeing it on a short video clip I share on YouTube, or whatever the platform is. Someone else is going to listen to it on a podcast, wherever they listen to podcasts, and someone else is going to want to read it. It could be the same information, just shared in a slightly different way, to potentially get it out to other people. So for me, it's part of that wide publishing mentality. I'm trying not to completely duplicate the work, although I am duplicating some of it. I'll give you an example. Hey, Canadian listeners—if you have not registered for Public Lending Right in Canada, please put something in your calendar for February 2027, because the deadline's over. It was May 1st of 2026. Put it in your calendar for next year. I even had somebody at this writers' event I was at this last weekend say, “You mentioned something in a presentation you did for the Canadian Authors Association about Public Lending Right, and thank you, because now I get thousands of dollars a year from this.” So just look up Public Lending Right. I've been saying stuff about Public Lending Right for at least 10 years now. Every time I get my beautiful multi-four-figure cheque from them in February every year, I post on social media and remind authors to check it out. I know it exists in the UK, and it exists in 36 countries in the world—just not the US. Jo: Not the US. Mark: They don't have a programme like this, probably because the big publishers—and probably one of the authors' associations—think that libraries are cannibalising book sales, which is not true. It's been proven time and time again, and that lobbying has prevented it from happening. Whereas here in Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts and the Writers' Union of Canada worked hard to make this happen. Anyway, I talk about something like Public Lending Right and I feel like I must have said this so much that people are sick of it, but every single time I mention it, someone goes, “Oh my God, thanks for saying that. I never heard it.” That's a good reminder, especially for folks like you and me. We know the basics. We know what an ISBN is. We know KDP Select means you can't put the e-book on any other retailer, or even sell it on your own website. We know all these things, but it's hard for us to remember that there are folks coming to this for the very first time who've never heard it, even though we feel like, “Oh my God, I've said this till I'm blue in the face.” I think I got that from retail. When I worked in retail, I recognised that somebody's going to come in and ask for “that blue book that Reese Witherspoon was talking about,” or Oprah was talking about, or whatever. And you do your darn best to help them figure it out rather than mock them. I try to take the same approach when people ask me those questions, because I'm trying to remember what it was like when I honestly did not know the answer, and having someone take the time to help me. I've been very, very lucky that I've had a lot of people take the time to help me. I'll never forget—God rest her soul—Nancy Kilpatrick, a horror writer here from Canada who passed away a few years ago. She gave me a blurb for my very first book in 2004 because she'd acquired one of my short stories for an anthology she'd edited. I was trying to call my short story collection an anthology, and she very kindly took me aside and said, “It's not an anthology if it's a single author. An anthology is a…” Jo: I didn't know that until, like, last year. I got that wrong as well. There are lots of words like that. I want to circle back, because you didn't really answer earlier about the time management. You just mentioned YouTube, on top of Substack and all the things you do. You also have a day job at Draft2Digital—it's part-time, right? You also do part-time at the university, teaching publishing, right? You do all kinds of things. How do you manage your time with all of that? Mark: Well, I mismanage my time more than I manage it, Jo. That's the God's honest truth. Fortunately, most of the things I have that aren't scheduled—like, scheduled to do this lecture at this time, or scheduled to have this meeting at this particular time with Draft2Digital—most of my work is very flexible. I do not work a regular 9:00 to 5:00, Monday to Friday. Well, I never did. I always worked way more. But I have a very flexible schedule. Every single day is a work day, and every single day is a play day for me. So I'm very, very lucky. I do schedule in the very important things, particularly where somebody else is reliant upon me—meetings and connections and stuff like that. Then I make the time first thing in the morning to get the writing done. Everything else is not as important, and it's part of… I guess it's part of playing. You know, like the social media sharing. I don't look at social media as marketing. I just look at it as another way to connect with people, with other creatives, and with readers potentially, all six people who read my stuff. I probably could do a better job of managing my time. I've tried several times over the years to adapt processes to make it better, but I consistently default back to what I do, and so far I guess I've been getting away with it. So I was like, “Do I want to waste more time trying to come up with a process, or do I just want to roll with it?” Because so far I haven't killed myself doing it, and I've been enjoying the journey. So, if it ain't broke… Jo: I think that's the point, if it doesn't feel like it's broken. Having known you for a long time now, and we work together—obviously we co-wrote The Relaxed Author—you do work very, very differently to me. You definitely are a little bit more chaotic. I'm chaotic in some ways too. Mark: Oh, you're very generous. “A little bit chaotic.” Thanks. That was generous, Jo. Jo: You're chaotic in your work practices and scheduling and all that, which I couldn't cope with very well. Even though I feel like a part of my brain is very chaotic—the creative side, I guess, can be quite chaotic—I think I'm actually quite controlling and very scheduled in my work practices. As you say, for someone else on the outside, it might feel to me like you have too many balls in the air. But if you don't feel that, then that's the way of working that works for you. So this is another important thing, isn't it? You can't adapt to what other people say your life should look like. It's what feels good to you. Mark: Oh, for sure. One thing I know about my procrastination tendency is that panic and fear motivate me. So, a deadline—”I have to get this into a publisher by this date, I have to get this manuscript to an editor by that date”—I'm motivated by fear. And I'm afraid of everything, so I guess I'm always motivated. Jo: But I also know that when you hear the word “deadline”—and I know a lot of people who do this—the deadline means you get it in on the deadline, or the day before the deadline. To me, a deadline means I have it ready a month earlier. Mark: I love that. I've done that a few times and shocked myself. I actually had a pre-order up—with the audiobook, the print, and the e-book—a month in advance, and I didn't know what to do with myself. I was like, “Well, what am I going to do now in the next month?” Jo: Work on the next thing. Mark: But I'm so used to working on it up to the last second that I was kind of like, “What do I do?” That actually caught me by surprise, and I honestly felt weird. I was like, “I've never felt this before.” I'm really lucky. I know you have a very supportive and amazing partner, and so do I. My partner, scarily enough, is maybe a bigger procrastinator than me, so she never gives me a hard time. She supports me, and I do the same thing with her own work. I'm up all night with her at the last minute so we can get something turned in. So, fortunately, we really understand one another, and we don't give each other a hard time. We just go, “Well, got away with it again. I guess I'm not going to change my ways.” Jo: We made it. And again, that's the point. You and I could stand up in front of people, both hold up the last book we wrote, and say, “We made this,” and our processes are completely different. Our brains are completely different. We come from different countries. There are lots of things that are different, and yet we both made a book. So hopefully that encourages people. You don't have to do anything that we're telling you, or anyone else tells you. But if you want to be an author, at some point you have to produce a book. Mark: Exactly. As Brian in the classic Monty Python film gets them to say: “Yes, we are all different.” Embrace that difference. I think that's such a powerful reminder that there is no one process for getting anything done. Jo: Given that we co-wrote The Relaxed Author back in 2021—and we did that because we had another show, and we were talking, and we said, “Oh, everyone's stressed and the anxiety levels are really high, and we think there's a better path”—we co-wrote that book, which I think is still a very good book. Definitely people should get it. Interestingly, I think the stress and anxiety might actually be higher now than it was. So what do you think the main stresses are in the community now? You also see a lot with Draft2Digital, I guess, as well. Mark: Oh, for sure. Honestly, Jo, I'm so glad we wrote that book, because I actually pick it up every once in a while to remind myself of the things we tried to help others with. Again, it's therapy for me as well, so I'm so glad we did it. I think we're 10, if not 100, times more stressed. The world events and things going on, the divisiveness—not just in the world in general, in politics and everything else, but the divisiveness in the author community. The witch-hunting that happens, people trying to tear down other authors either because they're successful, or because, “Oh my God, you dared use a new technology.” All of these things are happening, and everyone's at one another's throats. I need to pick that book up and reread it. I'm a lot more stressed than I was. I'm just getting over shingles, which is… Jo: Oh. Which is actually related to stress as well, isn't it? Mark: It is, yes. I was in LA for Writers of the Future—I'm a judge for that science fiction and fantasy conference. I went right from LA, like a week in LA, which was a phenomenal experience getting to mentor the winners. And I mean, come on, it's a free trip to Hollywood, hanging out with Kevin Anderson, having beers and stuff like that. Then I came back to the Toronto Indie Author Conference, run by Tao Wong, here in Toronto. I went right from the airport—didn't even go home—straight to the hotel, because I kicked into another conference. We did a display on how to set up an in-person booth, so I ended up having to hand-bomb boxes, blocks down the street from where I was parked. My chest was really sore when I got home on the Monday, and I thought it was because I hadn't used these muscles, because I'm not in the best shape. Then I took my shirt off and went, “Oh, there's a rash there.” Liz goes, “You have shingles.” Because the pain in my chest, which I thought was the muscle, was actually underneath. I'm one of those lucky people that it's taken the full five weeks, and I'm still in pain even afterwards. So, again, public notice: if you're an older person like me, and there's a vaccine available for shingles, you may want to consider it. Jo: Yep, get it. Mark: Oh my God, it hurts. But, yes, the stress, I think, is higher—even though I didn't know I was feeling it. It was happy stress, right? I was stressed out because I'm there in Hollywood, helping people and doing some good things, and then I'm doing the same thing, interacting with some amazing authors at the Toronto Indie Author Conference. I didn't feel anxious stress. I was happy stress. Is that a thing? Jo: I think possibly… your physical body masks stress, physical stress, because you enjoy all of that stuff. Whereas someone like me, I'll feel it quicker and withdraw. Although I say that, back probably a decade ago, Jonathan would say to me, “You're going too fast, and you're going to hit the wall. And when you hit the wall, it's not going to be fun.” And I did hit the wall. Then, probably in 2021—I mean, that was when I just started going into menopause, and obviously we had the pandemic, and I wrote Pilgrimage, and I was doing all those walks, which I think really helped me. I learned a lot about maybe stopping that before it happened. Becca Syme obviously talks a lot about this too. But I find it interesting with you, because I think you're so positively happy with these events you do that it might mask your physical symptoms in a different way. That's really hard to watch out for. I'll give a tip to you and everyone else listening: schedule the calendar, and look at your calendar and go, “I can't go back-to-back-to-back. I have to put in some rest days.” Mark: Well, thank you. You know, Jo, you and Becca Syme are two of my best unpaid therapists. I appreciate that. Jo: You just don't listen, Mark. Mark: Or sometimes I do. Jo: Just coming back to the community, and the divisiveness there is primarily over AI at the moment, I think that's one of the biggest things. And the arbitrary lines as to what you're allowed to use it for and what you're not allowed to use it for, which is just kind of crazy. Obviously, you know I've opted out of that whole discussion now. How do you think we can move through this [divisiveness over AI], move on? We remember when it was trad versus indie, and then it was wide versus KU. So this will pass—it's just hard, when you're in it, to know when it might pass. Mark: Yes. I think the more generic advice—for whatever may come, whatever has come—is: why are you doing this? Why are you a writer? Heads down, focus on what gives you pleasure, and do that, because everything else is noise. All the marketing tactics and strategies, and all the people yelling at one another. Write your books. Do the things that motivate you. Do the things that give you that intrinsic reward. It's hard to ignore. I get it, it is hard to ignore. I have difficulty ignoring the haters and the yelling and the screaming that happens, but I do my best. Like this morning, when I was in the throes of my manuscript and I looked up and went, “Oh my God, I've got to shower. I'm going to be talking to Jo soon, I should comb my hair”—which I have none of. Because I was so in my book that everything else melted away. That, for me as a storyteller, as a writer, is one of the most beautiful places to be. Jo: I think you're absolutely right. I have a little thing that pops up in my calendar sometimes which says, “If you're feeling all of these things, just go create something.” The moment you refocus on creation—whatever that means to you—things change. It changes the energy. That, or go for a walk. That's my other tip. Mark: Outside. And I have to say, Jo, Pilgrimage is still one of the most profound and powerful books you've written, and you've written a lot of amazing ones. Jo: Oh, you're very sweet. Mark: That one really resonates, not just for me, but with Liz. Because one of the things we often do when we get stressed is go for a walk, ideally in nature. The vitamin N. I think there's something really profound in that, and it really helps me a lot. And again, sometimes going for a walk listening to your podcast, or an audiobook, or sometimes just attending to the environment. A tip I picked up years ago from Brooklyn author Denis Hamill was: go for a walk with your character. Listen to what they see. What do they comment on? How do they approach this environment that you've seen a million times? How do they see it? What do they notice that you don't notice? That's such an incredible experience of creativity—when you're not writing, but writing. That really helps me a lot. Jo: Oh, nice one. Okay, so your latest book is Stark Realities, but you have so many more. Where can people find you and your books and your podcast online? Mark: Jo, you can find everything you want to know about me—and stuff you don't want to know about me—over at MarkLeslie.ca. It links to all the other places from there. Jo: Brilliant. Thanks again for your time, Mark. That was great. Mark: Thanks so much, Jo. Bye-bye. The post Creative Satisfaction, In Person Print Book Sales, And Author Mindset With Mark Leslie Lefebvre first appeared on The Creative Penn.
What if "Never Give Up" is terrible advice?(watch this full interview on YouTube. https://youtu.be/6ROfazVZBco)We've all heard it: Quitters never win. Winners never quit.But what if hanging on too long is actually what's holding you back?In this fascinating conversation, resilience researcher, change strategist and keynote speaker Courtney Clark (https://courtneyclark.com/) shares why adaptability, (NOT POSITIVITY!) is the real secret to thriving in this uncertain world.After surviving cancer four times and discovering a life-threatening brain aneurysm, Courtney learned that resilience isn't about pretending everything is fine. It's about knowing when to persevere, when to change direction, and how to create a new path forward. In this episode: Why adaptability beats positivity The surprising downside of grit When "never give up" becomes bad advice How to know when it's time to change course Why successful people quit more often than you might think The difference between goals and plans How to stop chasing someone else's definition of success Why every "yes" is a "no" to something else (this was my favorite part!)If you've ever felt stuck, burned out, overcommitted, or afraid to change direction, this episode might be exactly what you need.Because sometimes the fastest path forward starts with letting go. Want more from Courtney? It's all on her website! https://courtneyclark.com/GRAB A FREE CHAPTER OF HER BOOK at https://shortcutbook.comCourtney Clark is the luckiest unlucky person in the world. After witnessing the terrorist attacks of September 11th from her office just 18 blocks north, she thought she had escaped unscathed. She had no idea the events of 9/11 would cause her to develop cancer for the first time a few years later.Her experiences caused her to become a recognized resilience strategist and speaker whose national research studies reveal insights into how modern teams face change.She lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and three dogs, all of whom she found at the Humane Society… including the husband.Anne Bonney is a keynote speaker and emcee who helps organizations lead through change by building resilience, emotional intelligence, and courageous communication.
Welcome to The Cashflow Project! In this episode, the conversation focused on making the leap from a decades-long IT career to building a portfolio of over 2,700 apartment units and venturing into industrial real estate. A key theme that emerged was the value of taking risks, leveraging teamwork, and being willing to pivot strategies as markets shift. The discussion explored the journey from small multifamily investments to syndications, the importance of having a strong network, and distinguishing between being an investor and an owner-operator. One concept discussed was the powerful role mindset and coaching play in breaking through personal barriers and achieving both financial and personal growth. Whether you're new to real estate or looking to expand your horizons, this episode offers actionable insights and inspiration for your investing journey. 00:00 Journey to Becoming a Coach 03:35 Balancing Work, School, and Racing 07:13 Switching to real estate investing 10:30 Expanding through partnerships and coaching 14:00 Adjusting to Market Challenges 16:11 Managing multifamily properties 19:17 Focusing on urban industrial sites 23:47 Expanding client base beyond real estate 27:19 Hosting Small Group Events 29:12 Rewiring your mindset for success 35:01 Networking Meetups in Honolulu 35:38 Thanking listeners and call to action Connect with Jens Nielsen! Website LinkedIn Instagram Connect with The Cashflow Project! Website LinkedIn YouTube Facebook Instagram
Mary Clavieres is a Human Centered Leadership advisor and Human Design expert who supports business owners and leaders navigating change by helping them make clear, aligned decisions rooted in self-trust. She is the author of Mind Body Connection Unlocked: Simple Mind-Body Techniques to Rewire Your Mind, Deepen Your Self-Connection and Gently Transform the Way You Live, Forbes Next 1000 honoree, and hosts the Find Yourself, Change Your Life podcast.Visit Mary Clavieres' Website: www.maryclavieres.com
In this episode, we discuss Midjourney's surprising pivot to hardware with their full-body ultrasound scanner, a game-changer in preventative healthcare. Additionally, we explore Anthropic's federal ban turning into a marketing narrative, the drama surrounding Amazon's film 'Artificial', and the competitive landscape of AI chips involving AWS, NVIDIA, and Intel.Chapters00:00 Introduction00:00 Midjourney's Ultrasound Pivot00:25 Anthropic's Federal Ban00:44 Amazon's Film 'Artificial'00:49 AWS and Tranium Chips11:32 Intel's Stock Surge Show LinksGet the top 80+ AI Models for $8.99 with the AI Box MCP: https://aibox.ai/mcpHow I Grow and Scale My Business with AI: https://www.skool.com/aihustleGet the AI Chat Daily Newsletter: https://www.aichatdaily.com/newsletter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
SummaryIn this episode, Tyler Bramlett shares his transformative journey from the fitness industry to building WeShape, emphasizing the importance of inner well-being, authentic service, and long-term vision in business and life.TakeawaysTyler Bramlett's personal transformation and business pivotThe toxic culture of the fitness industry and its impact on mental healthThe importance of purpose and authenticity in entrepreneurshipBuilding a scalable, purpose-driven brand like WeShapeThe psychological aspects of health, fitness, and self-imageThe role of risk-taking and long-term vision in business growthThe significance of core values and company cultureStrategies for sustainable business success and customer trustChapters00:00 Introduction to Coach Tyler and His Journey04:47 The Shift in Fitness Philosophy07:45 Building WeShape: A New Approach to Fitness10:53 The Impact of Diet Trends on Mental Health13:45 Understanding the Psychological Barriers to Fitness16:41 The Role of Insecurity in Fitness Marketing19:48 The Importance of Inner Happiness22:47 Taking Risks in Entrepreneurship25:38 The Challenges of Pivoting a Successful Business29:03 Taking Risks and Building Longevity in Business31:50 The Importance of Authentic Relationships35:26 Core Values and Trust in Business40:48 The Long Game of Entrepreneurship43:49 Scaling with Purpose and Values51:09 The Journey of Continuous Improvement56:47 The Power of Consistent ActionLearn more: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-bramlett-250844114/https://weshape.com/eggsCredits:Hosted by Ryan RoghaarProduced by Ryan RoghaarTheme music: "Perfect Day" by OPM The Eggs Podcast Spotify playlist:bit.ly/eggstunesThe Plugs:The Show: eggsthepodcast.com@eggsthepodcast on X and InstagramMike "DJ Ontic": Shows and info: djontic.com@djontic on twitterRyan Roghaar:rogha.ar
What does it take to become a regenerative farmer with no agricultural background? Recorded live at Regenerative Revival in Salado, Texas, the Soil Sisters sit down with David Deitsch of The Moody Goat to talk about building a regenerative goat operation from the ground up. From growing up in suburban Connecticut to managing a thriving herd in Central Texas, David shares the hard-earned lessons, failures, pivots, and mindset shifts that are helping him create a resilient farm business. Whether you're interested in regenerative agriculture, livestock management, grazing systems, homesteading, ranching, or starting a farm from scratch, this episode offers an honest look at what it takes to keep moving forward. Connect with and shop The Moody Goat: Follow David's regenerative farming journey, learn about his goat herd, and discover Moody Goat meat sticks and swag through The Moody Goat website and on Instagram @themoodygoat_ and @moodygoatmeat TIME STAMPS: 00:00 Welcome to Regenerative Revival 01:14 Why regenerative agriculture came first 04:01 The Moody Goat's origin story 06:41 Finding the land in Moody 07:49 Going all in with goats 10:21 Markets and money lessons 15:00 Raising children on the ranch 20:28 Passing a love of land to the next generation 24:18 Dreaming up a rent-a-goat business 25:58 NRCS programs teaser 26:40 Free USDA assistance available to producers 27:47 Regenerative training opportunities 28:31 Learning through community 31:23 Herd-building strategy 33:10 The importance of rest and deferment 35:07 Pivoting through setbacks 36:02 Creating goat meat snack sticks 38:49 How to connect with The Moody Goat 39:57 Why now is the time to start 43:48 Red flags when purchasing your first farm 45:51 The "don't quit" mindset 49:16 The future of regenerative agriculture 51:48 Pride in producing clean food 53:18 Closing remarks
In this episode, we sit down with Sam Knapp, an Alaskan grower and author of Beyond the Root Cellar, to explore what it means to solve the biggest gaping hole in the local food system: winter food security. We dive deep into his journey from chemical engineering and a formative Fulbright grant in Sweden to establishing a successful, low-overhead storage crop farm in Fairbanks, Alaska. We highlight how Sam built a highly viable business on 1 acre by focusing on low-maintenance root crops like parsnips and utilizing efficient, manual systems instead of heavy machinery. Sam breaks down the structural design of his self-built cold storage facility, tips for managing humidity with Inkbird sensors and thermostats, and the reality of fighting thermal mass in the ground. Finally, we discuss how local growers can build predictable, highly profitable “off-season” revenue, his advice on avoiding the "YouTube Academy" trap by finding mentors, and his ultimate mission to democratize cold storage for local communities.Sam's book: Beyond The Root CellarTimestamps [00:00] Intro.[03:34] Shifting local foods from a summer novelty to reliable winter staples.[07:47] Pivoting from a PhD engineering track to an intense physical farm season in Sweden.[17:43] Arriving in Fairbanks and integrating into a resilient community of transplants.[25:03] Operating an off-grid farm through extreme sub-zero winter temperatures.[36:19] Designing a low-maintenance, part-time farm layout to balance summer field research.[46:13] Breaking down the real economics, gross revenues, and net profits of a 1 acre farm.[55:04] Debunking tractor dependency and utilizing manual tools for market gardening.[01:00:22] Structural mechanics of modern root cellars vs. traditional root cellars.[01:23:46] Utilizing residential cooling units and custom micro-environments to preserve crops cleanly.[01:47:47] Rapid fire Q&A, books, fitness and wellness, and traditional dance.SponsorsDubois Agrinovation: Get 10% off by choosing the promo code ‘MasterClass – Jean-Martin Fortier' when you create an account. Some exceptions apply. https://duboisag.com/Johnny's Selected Seeds: Sign up for Johnny's newsletter to receive the latest news, products, and more. New members get $10 off their next order of $50 or more!http://www.johnnyseeds.com/Start Your Market Gardener Journey Here: https://themarketgardener.com/starthere/Links/ResourcesStart Your Market Gardener Journey Here : https://themarketgardener.com/starthere/Market Gardener Institute: https://themarketgardener.com Masterclass: https://themarketgardener.com/courses/the-market-gardener-masterclass Newsletter: https://themarketgardener.com/newsletterBlog: https://themarketgardener.com/blog Books: https://themarketgardener.com/booksGrowers & Co: https://growers.coHeirloom: https://heirloom.ag/The Old Mill: https://www.espaceoldmill.com/en/Follow UsWebsite: http://themarketgardener.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/marketgardenerinstitute Instagram: http://instagram.com/themarketgardeners Guest Social Media LinksSam Knapp:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/offbeetalaska/ JM:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeanmartinfortierFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeanmartinfortier
Maximizing Fitness, Fat Loss & Running Through Perimenopause
Sometimes your biggest race win is not the time on the clock. It is realizing your body is still capable of surprising you. In this episode, Louise Valentine, leading expert for perimenopausal active women and runners, welcomes Jen back to unpack her unexpected victory at the Cleveland Half Marathon, a race run in brutal heat, humidity, and direct sun. What started as a “just have fun” race turned into a powerful lesson in hormone-supportive training, smarter recovery, strategic fueling and trusting a less-is-more running approach.Louise and Jen share how Breaking Through Wellness's strategic strength training, sleep, nervous system support, pre-race hydration, simple fueling, mobility, and 30-second burst strategies empowered Jen to stay strong when the race got hard. They also talk about redefining what a PR really means, especially for women running through perimenopause, life stress, and changing energy needs. This episode is a reminder that running does not have to feel punishing to be powerful. Sometimes the breakthrough comes when you stop forcing your body and start working with it to unlock its full potential!RESOURCES + LINKSLearn & level up with my free nutrition guide & award-winning 1:1 Badass Breakthrough Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/ Learn & level up faster with a Breaking Through Wellness masterclass here.Get your fabulously fit & moisturized glow on with Element LABS beauty & skincare products here.Take advantage of our podcast listener discount & save 20% off Kion's science-backed clean products. Code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing Check out my FullScript here where you can see my curated favorite supplement picks, by topic, to address your concerns & save 25% off! A small portion of EACH sale goes back to support BTW. Thank you!Save $25 off Function Health comprehensive functional labs here. With every sale, $25 goes back to support BTW. Discount code is “LVALENTINE11” Thank you! Episode Highlights:(0:00) Intro(2:44) Jen's unexpected Cleveland Half Marathon victory(4:06) Redefining what a PR really means(4:22) Pivoting training when life stress is high(6:17) Brutal race-day heat and humidity(7:22) Less running, better hormone support, and nervous system regulation(8:44) Taking pressure off at the start line(12:19) Fueling well without overdoing carb loading(15:14) Heat safety, gels, electrolytes, and mid-race decisions(20:52) Strength training, soreness, and recovery before race day(23:53) The mile 10 decision point(27:02) Crossing the finish line and what the victory symbolized(30:04) Working with the female body instead of against it(33:07) Post-race protein and recovery habits(36:09) Sleep, mobility, and pre-hydration strategies(37:42) The power of running with a friend(38:42) Community, travel, and finding joy through running(58:15) OutroTune in weekly to "Maximizing Hormones, Physique, and Running Through Perimenopause" for our simple female-specific science-based revolution. Let's unlock our best with less stress!I'd love to connect!Email
In this episode #217 of the Self-Care Goddess Podcast UpliftHER Leadership Series, we begin with a grounding heart-coherence practice to gently settle the body and mind before moving into a deeply honest and inspiring conversation on leadership, resilience, and reinvention.I am joined by award-winning media professional, producer, and storytelling consultant Julia Suppa, founder and president of Suppa Media.Julia shares her powerful journey through:✅ Growing up with strong female role models✅ A 15-year career in broadcast media and the sudden loss of professional identity✅ Navigating grief, uncertainty, and self-doubt after a major career disruption✅ Choosing entrepreneurship, vulnerability, and community over fear✅ Pivoting her business during COVID when live events disappeared overnight✅ Recognising burnout signs before the body and mind completely shut downThis conversation is a reminder that leadership is not linear, success is not static, and reinvention is possible at any age especially when curiosity, creativity, and connection remain alive.You'll hear reflections on:✅ Storytelling as a leadership tool✅ The role of curiosity in personal and professional growth✅ Why grief and rest are part of resilience✅ The loneliness of entrepreneurship and how community heals it✅ Burnout red flags every high performer should recogniseWhether you're a leader, entrepreneur, creative, or someone standing at a crossroads, this episode offers grounding wisdom, lived experience, and gentle encouragement to trust your own evolution.#ConsciousLeadership #WomenInLeadership #PersonalGrowthJourney #MindfulSuccess===▸ Toronto Events – Do you live in the GTA? Join us for a transformative in-person Self-Care Breathwork Experience in Toronto with LIVE Music & Sound Bath. RSVP ▸ Ebook – YOU GOT THIS – A powerful read to stop overthinking, self-sabotaging & staying stuck.▸ Healthy Breathing Course – Learn functional breathing to address stress, anxiety & burnout.▸ Virtual Full Moon Breathwork – Harness the power of the moon every month online.▸ Breathwork Barista Espresso Shots – Join our 30-mins functional breathing sessions. ▸ Breathwork Barista Inner Circle – Join a soul-aligned community for conscious growth.▸ Free Resources:– Mental Health Shopping List – 9 Vital Breathing Techniques – Workplace Wellness Calendar Follow & Connect:Instagram | Rita Savoia | Breathwork Barista Facebook X TikTokYouTubeDisclaimer: Content on this podcast is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider for personal health concerns.
Damola Adamolekun, who will be the keynote speaker at ASI Chicago in July, talks about the power of “red carpet hospitality,” building company culture and maintaining consistent messaging across channels.
In this highlight cut from episodes 350 and 351, hosts El Uno and TraB the Wonder dive into deep cultural truths, starting with the unspoken reality of male loneliness, the necessity of digging yourself out of your own holes, and why Father's Day is one of the few times men get recognized for holding it down. They contrast the modern aspirations of traveling the world with older generations whose lives revolved strictly around factory work and raising massive families , before getting into a heavy discussion on how capitalism, power, and changing demographics drive societal control.Pivoting to hip-hop, the hosts break down the definitive end of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef. They analyze how Kendrick dropping "Meet the Grahams" and "Not Like Us" completely stepped on Drake's "Family Matters". The duo celebrates the profound cultural impact of Kendrick unifying rival gang sets in Inglewood on Juneteenth without a single incident , before wrapping up the episode by roasting people who complain about Chipotle portions when they could just be supporting their local neighborhood taqueria.Download Rock Da Crowd TV on apple, android, and roku devices to watch new episodes of The Straight Dope Show00:00 - The Cold Reality of Manhood03:58 - Family Lineage vs. Personal Dreams10:52 - Demographics, Power, and Control18:12 - The Rap Battlefield Fallout24:22 - Juneteenth Unity at The Forum32:44 - The Taqueria Solution
#942 What if the key to scaling your business wasn't working harder — but working with your brain instead of against it? In this episode, we sit down with Summer Ray of Soma Lumin, a digital nomad entrepreneur who built an aura photography software business from a van in New Mexico. Summer breaks down how she designed her entire business around her neurodivergent, "squiggly brain" — from cycle-tracking her calendar to schedule high-visibility tasks during peak energy windows, to using AI tools to audit how she actually spends her time. She shares her frameworks for creating artificial urgency and scarcity as motivation, separating the "architect" from the "operator" in her business, and why imperfect action will always beat waiting for the perfect moment to launch. If you've ever felt like traditional business advice just doesn't fit the way your brain works, this episode is for you! What we discuss with Summer: + Building a business around your natural rhythms + Cycle-tracking your calendar for peak productivity + Using AI to audit how you spend your time + Creating artificial urgency, scarcity, and novelty + Separating the "architect" from the "operator" + Scheduling time to zoom out and grow + Setting boundaries with clients to stay resourced + Imperfect action beats waiting for perfect + Pivoting your business model even when things are working + The "squiggly brain" entrepreneur's approach to burnout prevention Thank you, Summer! Check out Soma Lumin at SomaLumin.com. Watch the video podcast of this episode! To get access to our FREE Business Training course go to MillionaireUniversity.com/training. To get exclusive offers mentioned in this episode and to support the show, visit millionaireuniversity.com/sponsors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jeannette McGill is a seasoned mountaineer and executive leader who, at 52, became the oldest South African woman to summit Everest in May 2025. With more than 30 years of global climbing experience—including leading expeditions across four continents—she knows deeply that the summit is never just about standing on top. Jeannette's journey is a testament to patience, resilience, and the quiet power of backing yourself, no matter how many setbacks you face. Beyond her personal achievements, she is passionate about demystifying the modern-day myths of Everest and advocates instead for the very real challenges mountain terrains face through climate change globally. Having been there herself, she brings an informed, honest perspective on what is truly happening above 8,000m. Today, Jeannette combines her love for high-altitude adventure with leadership on Boards and helping others explore their own limits. She also supports future generations through leading snow camps in the Victorian Alps and mountaineering scholarships, believing that mountains are powerful teachers of courage and humility. Her story is not just about conquering peaks but about becoming the kind of person who dares to try. We first spoke with Jeannette on 7th January 2021 - Jeannette McGill - 1st South African woman to summit Manaslu, the 8th highest mountain in the world *** New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries. Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Your support makes a difference. Thank you x *** Show notes Who is Jeanette Corporate executive, board director and most importantly a mountaineer South African by origin, located in Melbourne and spending up to 5 months in Nepal TGP Episode - January 7th 2021 - - 1st South African woman to summit Manaslu, the 8th highest mountain in the world Her Mt. Everest dream A one day - someday project… How climbing Mt. Everest came to the forefront of her mind To be a real mountaineer you needed to tick Mt. Everest off the list Deciding to go in a different direction in 1995 The pivotal moment - university and having a career or entering the climbing competition Pursuing her career Was Mt. Everest a realistic goal? Growing into the project Adding Mt. Everest to the bucket list after covid Going through a back surgery and perimenopause and deciding that 2023 would be her Mt. Everest year Using Mera Peak as an acclimatisation strategy Getting sick and not recovering well, getting to camp 2 and not being able to continue. Heading back to Australia and deciding to go back in 2024 Deciding to gift herself the power of a mid-life sabbatical Exciting her role in December 2023 and starting to train properly for Mt. Everest in 2024 Joining a small team Mechanical failure on the mountain - her jumar not working and getting word that her house in Australia had burnt down. Getting to the South Col and not being in the right head space. Knowing she was making the right decision to turn around and head back down the mountain Dealing with the frustration and disappointment and why it was difficult Not being in a good head space. Needing to pivot and become nomadic during the winter Floundering and not knowing what was next Deciding that she would regret it if she didn't back herself one final time. Pivoting and making the best of the situation Having flexibility and deciding to do Mt. Everest one last time Figuring out where to do the winter work - in either Scotland or New Zealand Packing up and heading over to New Zealand to do training Doing more mountain work, on the NZ Alps in the South Island How it became a more personal/internal objective/goal What training looked like Working with a mental and physical coach Using Training Peaks Evoke Endurance Coach Returning to Manaslu in the fall of 2024 Muscle endurance - steep hills in NZ out of Queenstown carrying 20kgs Following a structured gym program Her 'A' Team Figuring out through processes and what could derail her Having cheat sheets e.g. a mopey list to keep her focused on her goal and what she needed to do Heading back to Mt Everest in 2025 and wanting to do the Everest - Lhotse Double (having 2 permits) Acclimatising on Mt. Mera Peak Being an older climber and the changes she made Sleeping at camp 3 on her rotation Heading up to the balcony The challenge of the 2025 season Dealing with extreme winds and not being able to stand up Having to turn around - returning to her tent on the South Col and being hit with disappointment. Maybe climbing Mt. Everest just isn't going to happen again - shedding a tear Having her main sherpa needing to head back down to camp 2 Having the opportunity to go for the summit of Mt. Everest the following night Now or never!!!!! Starting to prepare, getting herself together and heading back to the balcony before reaching the summit Reaching the summit - A surreal, glorious moment. Crying on the summit and why she will never forget it The descent back to base camp - dealing with fatigue Being able to look after herself on the descent The afterwards - Relief? Adventure blues? The pressure on herself to achieve the goal Being at peace with herself Needing to rest this calendar year and savour her summit Wallowing in the peace and knowledge of achievement How to connect with Jeannette Final words of advice for other women who want to take on their own mountains and challenges Keep stretching your fear muscle Social Media Website: www.mcgillsmountains.com Instagram: @mcgills_mountains
Armenia's pro-Western prime minister secured an election victory today, despite a pressure campaign from Russia. Also, Mexico's World Cup has become a platform for many protests, including teachers, mothers searching for their disappeared children, anti-gentrification groups and others. And, shipping groups are issuing new safety guidance to their vessels as the Strait of Hormuz remains tightly controlled. Plus, a Japanese band plays a traditional folk song in a bouncy Ghanaian-style highlife melody.Your support is critical in sustaining our nonprofit newsroom. Donate today and your gift will be matched 2:1! Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
This week I Share How Pivoting Isn't Failing [powerpress]
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Most leaders I speak with aren't struggling because they lack skill or experience. They're struggling because when things shift - when the market moves, the strategy stalls, or something just stops feeling right - they don't have a reliable process for navigating that moment well. They wing it. Or they freeze. Or they fall back on what worked last time, even when last time no longer applies.This conversation with Danielle Sprouls cuts right to that gap.Danielle spent over 25 years in commercial real estate, has a background in law, and has been involved in over $20 billion in transactions. Today she's the founder of Unscripted Pivots, an executive coaching and advisory firm, and the author of WTF: Women That Flourish. Her second book, The PIVOT Advantage, is out soon - and in this episode, she walks us through the framework that sits at the heart of it.Three areas we explored...✳️ Reframing disruption before you respond to it - Danielle's WTF framework redefines what's happening before you act on it: Where to Focus, Wake That Flame, Wisdom Through Failure. When you change the language, you change the experience.✳️ The PIVOT Advantage framework - a five-step decision sequence (Pause, Identify, Vet, Outreach, Test) that takes a leader from chaos to clarity without skipping the steps that most people rush past.✳️ The identity work behind operational change - Danielle's observation that most pivots get hired as operational problems but are almost always rooted in identity. You have to treat the person moving through the shift, not just the shift itself.Danielle's amplifiers...✳️ Reframe what's happening - when something disrupts your autopilot, stop and ask whether this is happening to you or for you. The opportunity is often buried in the disruption itself.✳️ Run a 24-hour self-audit - when you're being indecisive, take time to assess what not making a change is costing you - energy, relationships, confidence - not just money.✳️ Use the PIVOT sequence - Pause, Identify, Vet, Outreach, Test. Apply it to any decision under pressure. The steps are simple. The discipline to follow them is where the real work lives.Danielle's website and her book WTF: Women That Flourish.When The PIVOT Advantage lands, she'll be back. Keep an eye out for that one.If this episode gave you something useful, the best thing you can do is follow or subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next.Timestamps00:00 - Introduction00:32 - Welcome and show overview01:47 - Danielle Sproles - background and introduction03:04 - Unscripted Pivots, the WTF book, and what Danielle does today04:03 - Pivoting from commercial real estate - what makes it work05:43 - Selective restraint - why saying yes means saying no07:12 - Moments of impact and why most pivots go badly08:49 - Reframing disruption before you act on it09:58 - The PIVOT Advantage framework introduced13:07 - Why pause leads to paralysis without a deadline15:05 - Pause as strategy, not stillness16:55 - Types of pivots - operational, identity, and existential17:55 - Why the identity work is always at the heart of it20:04 - The competitive advantage of a decision process21:01 - Applying PIVOT to solo businesses and personal decisions22:58 - Outreach as perspective, not weakness25:12 - Asking for help is a gift, not a burden28:02 - Asking better questions - the I in PIVOT29:51 - Full walkthrough of the PIVOT framework33:18 - Strategy as a series of decisions, not a fixed plan35:34 - Fear as a signal, not an obstacle38:21 - Overcoming fear of public speaking - Danielle's own story40:25 - Skydiving, saying yes, and being willing to be a beginner42:00 - Danielle's three amplifiers43:39 - Closing and where to find Danielle----Get your copy of my Personal Brand Business BlueprintIt's the FREE roadmap to starting, scaling or just fixing your expert business.www.amplifyme.agency/roadmap----Subscribe to my Youtube!! Follow on Instagram and Twitter @bobgentleJoin the Amplify Insiders Facebook Community : www.amplifyme.agency/insidersPlease take a second to rate this show in Apple Podcasts. ❤ It will mean a lot to me.
Have you ever felt like what used to work in your business just… doesn't anymore? In this honest and behind-the-scenes episode, Michelle Thames opens up about the real pivot happening in her business right now — from shifting strategies and simplifying offers to leaning deeper into local visibility, community building, and creating a business that actually feels aligned. If you're an entrepreneur, creator, coach, or service provider who feels like you're in a weird business season, this episode is your reminder that pivoting does not mean failing. Michelle shares the truth about evolving as a business owner, why she's no longer forcing old strategies, what she's learning about memberships and community, and how recent viral moments unexpectedly led her into a new season of local visibility and deeper impact. This is a real conversation about business growth, changing seasons, entrepreneurship, and having the courage to let go of what no longer fits. Because sometimes your next level doesn't look like doing more. Sometimes it looks like simplifying. One of the biggest takeaways from this episode: Pivoting doesn't mean failing. Seasons change — and so do you. If you've been questioning your next move, feeling disconnected from your business, or trying to figure out what's next without burning yourself out, this episode will remind you that growth often looks like evolution. In This Episode, We Cover: The real reason Michelle is pivoting in business Why forcing old strategies can lead to burnout The truth about business seasons and entrepreneurship Lessons learned from community building and memberships Why local visibility is becoming a major focus How to know when it's time to pivot in business Why simplifying your business may be the smartest move What alignment actually looks like as an entrepreneur How to stop feeling guilty for changing direction Mentioned in This Episode: Visibility strategies for entrepreneurs Community building & memberships Local visibility and business growth Entrepreneurship mindset shifts Connect with Michelle: If this episode resonated with you, send Michelle a DM with the word PIVOT on Instagram @michellelthames and share what season of business you're currently navigating. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Whitney Heins is the founder of The Mother Runners, host of The Mother Runners podcast, and a UESCA-certified running coach based in Knoxville, Tennessee. I was recently a guest on Whitney's podcast, and I've been looking forward to having her on here ever since.During this episode, sponsored by HUUG and Batch, we talk about:Pivoting from the Carmel Marathon to the Kentucky Derby Marathon after Carmel was postponed six weeks Running through Churchill Downs and why she does NOT recommend the Kentucky Derby Marathon if you're chasing a PRHow her dad — who was told he'd never walk again after being wounded in Vietnam — ran the Marine Corps Marathon every year and is the reason she became a runnerRunning her first marathon as a senior in college, a 3:29, on a Hal Higdon plan targeting 3:30, powered entirely by not knowing any better
Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Amy DuBois Barnett.
Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Amy DuBois Barnett.
The guys shared their frustrations to open the show over a report from ESPN's Buster Olney that the Tigers are so encouraged by their sweep of the Rays that they are now reconsidering their potential plan to trade Tarik Skubal away. They heard from a bunch of the people and then talked about some potential NFL MVPs on an "In Football Today".
Is your voice over business down and nothing you try seems to be working? In this Summer Series episode of the VOpreneur Podcast, UK voice actor James Brown asks the question that a lot of VOPreneurs are quietly panicking about right now: my business is down thirty percent, I'm marketing more than ever, what should I focus on to come out the other side intact? Marc doesn't sugarcoat it. His eLearning business was wiped out by AI in 2025. Trade pressures pulled his US clients. He lost more than sixty thousand dollars in income from clients who disappeared in a single year. And he's been doing the hard work of figuring out what comes next. Inside this episode: Why Marc's longest-standing eLearning clients told him "we hate it, but our competitors are using it" - and what that means for your business The exact pivots Marc made: new coaching, a new commercial demo, a new corporate demo, and why he chose those two genres specifically Why Marc is now marketing into Canada after years of focusing almost entirely on the US market The audiobook genre Marc swore he'd never touch - and why he just booked his first one Why booking rates on pay-to-play platforms are dropping for even experienced voice actors - and what to do about it The "money read" concept: how to recognize when the read that was booking for you has stopped working - and how to find the new one The single question every voice actor needs to honestly answer right now If your business has taken a hit and you're not sure what move to make next, this episode gives you a real, honest look at what one working voice actor is actually doing to level up when the market shifts beneath him.
In this episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast, host Jennifer Alger sits down with Ben Pierce, a sixth-generation family member at the Holt & Bugbee Company, one of the oldest hardwood lumber businesses in the United States. At 201 years old, Holt & Bugbee Company has survived recessions, industry shifts, and the rise of synthetic flooring by doing what it's always done: adapting. Ben shares how the company evolved from importing mahogany from Central America to becoming a premier domestic hardwood wholesaler serving the East Coast from four branches in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New York. You'll hear about what it was like to start working at the family business right as the 2008 recession wiped out 40 percent of their revenue overnight, and how the company held onto its sales team and pivoted toward higher-end, longer-length, wider material for luxury residential projects and architectural millwork firms. Ben talks about the shift from selling truckloads of commodity lumber to filling precise, high-dollar orders for coastal homes and custom molding work, and how COVID unexpectedly rewarded the company's ability to source, produce, and deliver when competitors couldn't. Ben also shares two of the best marketing stories you'll hear on this podcast. First, how he got Holt & Bugbee Company featured on This Old House by donating a white oak floor during their 200th anniversary year. And second, how a chance sighting of a century-old ghost sign on a Boston building during a duck boat tour led to a nine-month restoration project that landed coverage from WBZ, the Boston Globe, and local NPR. Both stories are masterclasses in creative, relationship-driven marketing in an industry where traditional advertising doesn't always apply. Jennifer and Ben also dig into the state of the hardwood industry, from the challenge of competing against synthetic flooring to why the next generation of consumers may actually swing the pendulum back toward authentic, sustainable, locally sourced wood products. Ben closes with advice for anyone born into a family business: get experience somewhere else first, then come back stronger. Chapters 00:00 Meet Ben Pierce and the 201-Year History of Holt & Bugbee Company 04:09 Surviving the 2008 Recession and Pivoting to Premium Lumber 08:11 Selling Strategy: High-End Markets and Custom Millwork 15:33 Marketing a 200-Year-Old Brand in a Modern World 20:55 Getting Featured on This Old House 24:48 The Ghost Sign: A Century-Old Discovery Turned Marketing Gold 29:49 The Future of Hardwood: Authenticity, Sustainability, and the Next Generation 35:37 Advice for the Next Generation in Family Business The Woodpreneur Podcast brings stories of woodworkers, makers, and entrepreneurs turning their passion for wood into successful businesses - from inspiration to education to actionable advice. Hosted by Steve Larosiliere and Jennifer Alger For blog posts and updates: woodpreneur.com See how we helped woodworkers, furniture-makers, millwork and lumber businesses grow to the next level: woodpreneurnetwork.com Empowering woodpreneurs and building companies to grow and scale: buildergrowth.io Connect with us at: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sawmillsnearme/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/woodpreneurnetwork/ Join Our Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/woodpreneurnetwork Join our newsletter: https://substack.com/@woodpreneurnetwork You can connect with Ben at: https://www.holtandbugbee.com/ https://www.instagram.com/holtandbugbee/ https://www.facebook.com/holtandbugbee/
In today's solo episode, Ali and Cindy dive into a theme that feels like it's hitting the collective right now: pivoting. Whether it's in your career, relationships, identity, purpose, or personal growth, we talk about why pivots are often necessary , and why they can feel both exciting and deeply uncomfortable at the same time. We unpack the layered emotions that come with change, the pressure to stay attached to old versions of ourselves, and what it actually means to step into your zone of genius. We also discuss Bethenny Frankel, building a life on your own terms, not being afraid to do things differently, and the energy surrounding the blue moon and this current season of transformation. If you've been feeling the pull toward change lately, this episode is your reminder that sometimes the pivot is the path. If this episode spoke to you, subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform or share it with a friend! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slig…od/id1542525641 Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/slightlyspiritualpod/ Follow Cindy on Instagram: www.instagram.com/revealingsoul/ Follow Ali on Instagram: www.instagram.com/alitmoresco/
What happens when a life-altering accident forces you to completely reimagine your future? Actor Kurt Yaeger discovered that sometimes the most devastating moments become the catalyst for extraordinary transformation. After a BMX crash led to the amputation of his left leg, Kurt didn't just pivot his career-he revolutionized how disability is represented in Hollywood. From professional athlete to acclaimed actor appearing across all four NCIS franchises, Sons of Anarchy, and The Good Doctor, Kurt's journey proves that success isn't about avoiding failure-it's about moving through it with unwavering enthusiasm.Kurt shares the raw truth about navigating career pivots, distinguishing between constructive criticism and limiting beliefs, and why he believes changing society's perception of disability starts with authentic storytelling in film and television. Through his production company XA Films, he's not just advocating for better representation-he's funding it, creating opportunities for talented performers with disabilities to play complex, authentic characters. You'll discover why Kurt believes the entertainment industry's current approach to disability representation is fundamentally flawed and how he's using his platform to rewrite the narrative one project at a time.Want to grow your podcast, land more guest appearances, and save hours every week? The Podcast Growth Partner helps podcasters, guests, and podcast teams create stronger content, prepare smarter, and grow strategically.Start your free 3-day trial: PodcastGrowthPartner.comWant personalized podcast strategy support? Book a free clarity call: MeetwithOlivia.me Connect with Olivia Atkin & Achieving Success:Website: Achieving-Success.comFacebook Community: The Podcaster's Powerhouse Community For Business OwnersFacebook: Olivia Atkin | Achieving SuccessLinkedIn: Olivia Atkin | Achieving SuccessInstagram: @_achievingsuccessConnect with Actor Kurt Yaeger: Website:www.kurtyaeger.comEndowment Link: Fiscal Sponsorship - XA Endowment - Film IndependentInstagram: kurtyaegerBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/achieving-success-with-olivia-atkin--5743662/support.
Burnout is caused by having too much work... or is it? Research shows that most leaders today are exhausted not from workload, but from constant cognitive overload endless context switching, reactive decision-making, and operating on autopilot. In this episode, I share the concept of the "Daily Revolution," a practice of leading intentionally from one's authentic identity rather than from stress or habit. I give you three practical tools to help you pause, reconnect with your values and strengths, and make more conscious choices throughout the day. Top 3 Takeaways: 1. Burnout is more about reactivity than workload. Leaders are often drained not because they have too much to do, but because they spend most of their day reacting without intention. 2. Awareness of your leadership identity reduces decision fatigue. When leaders operate from a clear understanding of their strengths, values, and mission, everyday decisions become easier and more aligned. 3. Small intentional practices can create major shifts. Simple tools like pausing to breathe, asking reflective questions, and using strengths-based affirmations can interrupt autopilot behavior and help leaders respond more intentionally under pressure. Episode Minutes: Minute 2: Reframing burnout: From simplification to intentional living Minute 3: The daily revolution: Living from your authentic self Minute 5: Pivoting with questions: From reactive autopilot to design Links + Resources from This Episode: Take the free 3-minute Authentic Imprint™ Assessment Get a copy of Dana's book, The Internal Revolution: Lead Authentically and Build Your Personal Brand from Within Learn more about The Strengths Journal
https://www.patreon.com/raykump Support the show + get bonus episodes every week.Ray talks about Peter Thiel relocating his family to Argentina, the Freedom 250 concert pivoting to an “America Is Back” rally, the Kennedy Center fight, a proposed $250 Trump bill, Nancy Mace on property taxes for senior homeowners, Mike Pence criticizing Trump, the Iran deal that always seems three days away, Pam Bondi's Epstein files testimony, Palantir, AI war, and billionaire escape plans.
Garrett Klassy has been the AD at Fresno State for almost 2 years and is leading the Bulldogs into the Pac-12 this summer. Expect to hear a lot in this interview, beginning with the evolving profile of the FBS AD position. I asked Garrett if he thinks FBS ADs will always be the key decision-maker for head coaching hires throughout the department or if that will maybe fall off to a deputy AD in the future as the job becomes less day-to-day involvement and more of a big picture role. Klassy is also one of several former ADs that left the chair for a P4 deputy AD job that eventually launched him back into the AD chair at a different level. Has this trend become the norm? He then talks about the relaunch of the Pac-12 and why it makes sense for Fresno State. The conversation ends with some advice for those that may feel like they came up in one area of college athletics and feel typecasted and want to still progress towards the AD job. 0:00 Introduction1:27 Why Garrett Klassy thinks he was the right person at Fresno State two years ago10:14 Will ADs always be the decision-maker on head coaching hires?17:00 ADs becoming Deputies to launch into new AD chair position20:15 Relaunch of the Pac-12 discussion26:55 Pivoting after feeling typecasted to progress towards AD chairAD Vantage empowers athletic directors with comprehensive staff data, performance analytics, and AI-powered candidate insights to make smarter hiring, compensation, and retention decisions in an era where every dollar counts. PILYTIX is an A.I. technology company dedicated to solutions that generate revenue, save time, and reduce costs for universities and sports & entertainment organizations. More Money. Less Time. Lower Costs. Onrise provides complete mental health Coverage for your Athletes. One call. Same-day setup. Your athletes get immediate access to peer support from retired pros, licensed clinicians, and 24/7 crisis care. Less than one in-house FTE. No hiring hassles. No initiative fatigue.Game One is the apparel company that can outfit your teams in Adidas, Nike or Under Armour.
Government contracting tools can either accelerate your business or waste hours of your week clicking between SAM.gov, FPDS, USAspending, and Google Sheets. In this episode Eric Coffie breaks down why most small business contractors are still piecing together free platforms when an all in one system already exists. If you want to know what tools you should be using to grow your federal business, this conversation lays out the new direction and what it means for you. Why piecing together SAM.gov, FPDS, USAspending, and GSA Calc is slowing down your contract pipeline and costing you bids How the Market Intelligence platform delivers daily briefings tied to your NAICS codes and custom keywords The Rule of Two strategy and how aggregated member data can flip full and open opportunities into set asides Why moving from a training company to a SaaS platform changes how small businesses access education and tools How replacing multi step research with one login frees you up to actually pursue and win contracts EPISODE CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Welcome to the Federal Help Center podcast 0:24 - New alert system briefing tool and dashboard announcement 1:00 - Setting up profiles NAICS codes and keywords 1:53 - Pivoting from training company to SaaS platform 2:22 - Rule of two strategy for flipping set asides 3:00 - Subscription model and access to the platform 6:39 - YouTube content shifting to tool based training 7:58 - One login replaces FPDS pivot tables and sheets Mindy gives you the federal opportunities, agency signals, recompete intel, and pursuit briefs that tell you not just what contracts exist, but which ones to chase and how to win them. Sign up for free Daily Alerts and get opportunities delivered to your inbox before the day starts.
In this week's episode, I'm speaking with my friend, Tara Marzuki, who is a modern mystic, energy healer, and past life regressionist. We talk about her pivot from being a fashion and lifestyle creator to now being a spiritual practitioner, and how her Saturn return awakened her to spirituality. We also get into stories she has from giving people past life regressions and how she's built a community around her spiritual work. You can find Tara and all of her work on Instagram @tarmarz or on her YouTube channel.Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction to Tara and her work 02:47 – Tara's background in fashion and as a content creator 07:49 – Saturn return experience and a growing interest in spirituality and past lives 15:15 – Tara's experiences giving past life regressions to people 32:42 – Creating community around spiritual work 36:46 – Practical tips for trusting yourself and your own intuition 42:58 – Pivoting your online content to an entirely new niche 45:10 – Tara's Conscious Clarity cards and other elements of her business Follow Alice on Instagram or Substack.Music is licensed from Soundstripe.Podcast Produced & Edited by Julia Bell at Breaking Thru Productions© 2026 Alice Bell. All Rights Reserved.
Shipwreck is officially over it, and she is not pretending otherwise. Episode 56 opens with a TikTok-fueled deep dive into Mandela effects and timeline jumping (was Ed McMahon ever actually at Publishers Clearing House?), before pivoting into the existential mood of the moment: everything is fake, elections are fake, money is fake, and maybe the answer is just Diet Coke, Jesus, and minding your own business. She unpacks the apocalypse tracker that monitors billionaire jets, muses on whether AI might actually expose the elites instead of enslave us, and gently roasts the people still trying to manifest hope out of the current administration. Then comes the receipts. Paula White's mega-ministry turns out to be a 200-person metal shed in Apopka, Florida, and Shipwreck has thoughts. There is also a calorie-counting glow up, a confession about hitting the neighbor's fence post, an HOA reform candidate worth voting for, and petrified fish from Noah's flood. Plus a heartfelt note about pivoting the show toward food, faith, and culture rather than rage bait. Come for the conspiracies, stay for the rhubarb bars.
Investor Fuel Real Estate Investing Mastermind - Audio Version
Landon Stone shares his journey from retail management to real estate investing and brokerage, emphasizing the importance of team, investor mindset, and adapting to market changes. Discover practical insights on building wealth through real estate, developing projects, and scaling your business. Professional Real Estate Investors - How we can help you: Investor Fuel Mastermind: Learn more about the Investor Fuel Mastermind, including 100% deal financing, massive discounts from vendors and sponsors you're already using, our world class community of over 150 members, and SO much more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/apply Investor Machine Marketing Partnership: Are you looking for consistent, high quality lead generation? Investor Machine is America's #1 lead generation service professional investors. Investor Machine provides true 'white glove' support to help you build the perfect marketing plan, then we'll execute it for you…talking and working together on an ongoing basis to help you hit YOUR goals! Learn more here: http://www.investormachine.com Coaching with Mike Hambright: Interested in 1 on 1 coaching with Mike Hambright? Mike coaches entrepreneurs looking to level up, build coaching or service based businesses (Mike runs multiple 7 and 8 figure a year businesses), building a coaching program and more. Learn more here: https://investorfuel.com/coachingwithmike Attend a Vacation/Mastermind Retreat with Mike Hambright: Interested in joining a "mini-mastermind" with Mike and his private clients on an upcoming "Retreat", either at locations like Cabo San Lucas, Napa, Park City ski trip, Yellowstone, or even at Mike's East Texas "Big H Ranch"? Learn more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/retreat Property Insurance: Join the largest and most investor friendly property insurance provider in 2 minutes. Free to join, and insure all your flips and rentals within minutes! There is NO easier insurance provider on the planet (turn insurance on or off in 1 minute without talking to anyone!), and there's no 15-30% agent mark up through this platform! Register here: https://myinvestorinsurance.com/ New Real Estate Investors - How we can work together: Investor Fuel Club (Coaching and Deal Partner Community): Looking to kickstart your real estate investing career? Join our one of a kind Coaching Community, Investor Fuel Club, where you'll get trained by some of the best real estate investors in America, and partner with them on deals! You don't need $ for deals…we'll partner with you and hold your hand along the way! Learn More here: http://www.investorfuel.com/club —--------------------
Today, we're diving into the four biggest thought loops that are likely costing you serious money in your business every single month, and more importantly, how to break out of them. Because the things that cost us the most in business are often the stories (aka LIES) we tell ourselves! And don't worry, this isn't an episode that's going to leave you feeling like sh*t. We're keeping it real, but we're also keeping it positive!In this episode, we talk about:Why "it won't work because it hasn't worked in the past" is the most expensive story you can tell yourself and how to separate data from your identityThe mindset shift that explains why your energy feels flat even when you're "going all in" on a launchHow to use other people's results as proof that it's possible for you instead of evidence that it isn'tThe "proof list" exercise that gives your brain the safety it needs to believe in a new outcomeWhy your content ideas feeling "too basic" or "too boring" might actually mean they're exactly right to postThe sneaky thought loop that's quietly killing your consistency and costing you clientsWhy you don't know other people's money stories and how that's keeping you from charging what you're worthThe pricing framework: 70% safe, 30% stretchy and why your clients need to be stretched tooThe mental reframe that will change EVERYTHINGEvery single situation in front of you is shaped not by the reality of it, but by the story you tell yourself about it. This episode is here to help you start telling a new one.If you have a desire, it just means the thing wants you back. You wouldn't want something if it doesn't want you back!Listen to Similar Episodes: 235. How to Identify & Remove the Subconscious Block Keeping You From Your Next Level206. It Cost Me $15K to Gain Clarity: I'm Pivoting!166. GlowTFU Fridays: The Top 4 Manifestation BLOCKS & How To Bust Through Them156. GlowTFU Fridays: 3 Not-So-Obvious Things Keeping You Stuck at the Same Income LevelP.S. When you rate and review the podcast, you'll receive my Connect to your Higher Self Visualization as a thank you! Click here to claim your gift. Ways to Work with Nora:1:1 Coaching Waitlist – Add your name to the waitlist to be the first to learn when spots open.90-Minute Intensives Waitlist – Limited openings for deep-dive, high-impact sessions. Join the waitlist to be notified when spots become available.Courses – Explore Nora's signature programs:Full Throttle – The ultimate business strategy courseElite – Business energetics + identity work coursePodcasting for Business Growth – Turn your podcast into profitConnect with Nora – Follow her on Instagram @iamnoravirginia for updates, tips, and inspiration.
What happens when getting a client order feels like a burden instead of a celebration? Business strategist Sunita Kumar shares the exact moment she knew her successful health product business had to end-despite still making money. Her story reveals how our bodies send us signals long before our minds catch up, and why pushing through friction isn't always the answer. Sunita brings a unique blend of Cornell engineering, MBA credentials, and human design expertise to help seasoned entrepreneurs recognize when they're operating from an outdated identity versus their authentic design.This conversation dives deep into the difference between effort that energizes and effort that drains, exploring why so many entrepreneurs get trapped in business models that work on paper but feel misaligned in practice. You'll discover Sunita's framework for recognizing when you're in a 'to-do versus get-to' mindset, her 48-hour rule for avoiding shiny object syndrome, and how she helps clients experience what she calls 'clarity that feels like an exhale.' Whether you're questioning your current path or feeling stuck despite doing all the right things, this episode offers a fresh perspective on building a business that truly fits how you're designed to operate.Want to grow your podcast, land more guest appearances, and save hours every week? The Podcast Growth Partner helps podcasters, guests, and podcast teams create stronger content, prepare smarter, and grow strategically.Start your free 3-day trial: PodcastGrowthPartner.comWant personalized podcast strategy support? Book a free clarity call: MeetwithOlivia.me Connect with Olivia Atkin & Achieving Success:Website: Achieving-Success.comFacebook Community: The Podcaster's Powerhouse Community For Business OwnersFacebook: Olivia Atkin | Achieving SuccessLinkedIn: Olivia Atkin | Achieving SuccessInstagram: @_achievingsuccessConnect with Sunita Kumar: Website: linktr.ee/iamsunitakumarPodcast: Clear Signal: Unfiltered Business Clarity for Entrepreneurs Done With the NoiseBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/achieving-success-with-olivia-atkin--5743662/support.
Yo Quiero Dinero: A Personal Finance Podcast For the Modern Latina
She beat Bobby Flay with her Abuela's Arroz con Pollo. She trained under Wolfgang Puck, Thomas Keller, and José Andrés. She was a Hell's Kitchen finalist. And then she walked away from all of it to build a career entirely on her own terms.Chef Mia Castro is a Puerto Rican chef, cookbook author, food influencer, and TV personality, and her debut cookbook, Cocina Puerto Rico: Recipes from My Abuela's Kitchen to Yours, is already making waves. We're sitting down to talk about her full journey: from her Abuela's kitchen in San Juan to elite restaurant kitchens across Vegas, Miami, and New York, to the 6-year road it took to get this book published.We're talking about first-gen pressure, being the only woman in the room, hiding your identity to fit in, COVID FaceTime calls that accidentally created a cookbook, building a personal brand as a chef, what success actually looks like when you stop chasing the dream someone else gave you — and the dish that beat Bobby Flay.This one hit close to home for me. You know I started my whole digital career as a Puerto Rican food blogger. Having Chef Mia in this conversation was a full circle moment.WE GET INTO:00:01 — Intro + Chef Mia Castro00:50 — What makes Puerto Rican cuisine one of a kind01:57 — The responsibility of writing Cocina Puerto Rico03:32 — What Abuela taught her that had nothing to do with food04:26 — Growing up in la cocina (homework could wait)07:21 — First-gen pressure and choosing passion over the "safe" path08:06 — Starting as a prep cook: the real culinary hustle10:27 — Being the only woman in elite kitchens13:07 — Feeling pressure to hide her Boricua identity in professional spaces14:51 — Reclaiming Puerto Rican food — all the way to fine dining16:25 — Leaving restaurants and carving her own lane18:46 — How COVID + FaceTime with Abuela created Cocina Puerto Rico22:16 — Beating Bobby Flay with Abuela's Arroz con Pollo26:30 — Modernizing recipes for the diaspora without losing the soul29:02 — The 6-year battle to get a Puerto Rican cookbook published32:39 — The recipe that made her emotional: las cremitas34:42 — Shooting the entire book at Abuela's house in PR36:27 — Personal branding advice: treat it like a portfolio37:54 — There is no luck. There is only preparation.40:16 — Behind the scenes of Hell's Kitchen + Chopped43:27 — Success redefined: from Michelin star dreams to time freedom47:49 — The legacy she hopes Cocina Puerto Rico leaves49:06 — The first dish to make from the book (and why it beat Bobby Flay)52:37 — Where to find Chef Mia53:00 — OutroKEY TAKEAWAYSStaying humble and open to learning, at any age, is what keeps you from going stale. Abuela is still asking Mia how to cook things at 90. That's the growth mindset right there.You don't have to hide where you come from to belong in elite spaces. Mia spent years feeling like she had to stifle the Puerto Rican to fit in — and her biggest wins came when she stopped doing that.There is no such thing as luck. There is opportunity combined with preparation. Build the portfolio, show up consistently, and be ready when the call comes.Pivoting is not failing. Walking away from restaurants was not giving up. It was choosing to build a version of success that actually fit her life.Time is the real flex. Making money is cool. Having the freedom to spend it the way you want? That's the whole point.Getting a book published as a Latina author is NOT a straightforward process. It took Mia 6 years, a writing coach, months to find an agent, and two more years from contract to shelf. Know the process before you romanticize it.Consistency is the brand strategy. Not viral moments. Not follower counts. Showing up so that when the opportunity finds you, you're already prepared.CONNECT WITH MIA:Instagram Website Buy Cocina Puerto RicoTAKE THE NEXT STEP:Yo Quiero Dinero Private MembershipRead my book, Financially Lit!Leave me a voicemailThis episode of Yo Quiero Dinero was produced by Heart Centered Podcasting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#919 What do a former oil and gas worker, a bag of masonry sand, and a two-man crew have in common? They're the foundation of a $500,000-a-year lawn leveling business! In Part 1 of this two-part episode, Brandon McClellan of Central Texas Lawn Leveling joins us to break down exactly how he built a thriving niche service business from the ground up — literally. Brandon walks us through what lawn leveling actually is, the custom 80/20 sand-and-compost blend his company pioneered, and the hard-won financial lessons that nearly sank him before he figured out how to price jobs correctly. If you've ever wondered why your business revenue looks great on paper but your bank account tells a different story, this episode is for you! What we discuss with Brandon: + What lawn leveling actually is + Sand vs. soil blends for leveling + How Brandon pioneered the 80/20 mix + Starting with neighbors as first customers + Pricing jobs correctly from the start + Hidden costs most operators overlook + Why revenue doesn't always equal profit + Labor challenges and hiring lessons + Pivoting toward commercial and estate clients + Building a custom calculator to stay profitable Thank you, Brandon! Check out Part 2 of this episode. Check out Central Texas Lawn Leveling at CentralTexasLawnLeveling.com. Watch the video podcast of this episode! To get access to our FREE Business Training course go to MillionaireUniversity.com/training. To get exclusive offers mentioned in this episode and to support the show, visit millionaireuniversity.com/sponsors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hilary Dubin is co-CEO and head of Jones' digital product & behavioral support program. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania magna cum laude, majoring in cognitive science with a concentration in computation and cognition, an honors thesis on the effects of gender, realism, and role of virtual agents, and a minor from Wharton in consumer psychology. She worked in David Brainard's visual neuroscience lab for 3 years and published 4 papers and supplementary materials on illumination discrimination (color perception). After Penn, she was selected as one of ten Americans to be a Ventures Fellow in the Excel Ventures incubator program in Tel Aviv, and continued on to be the inaugural member, and later program lead, of the US Associate Product Manager Program at Atlassian. She worked as a product manager at Atlassian for 5 years, ultimately as Head of Confluence Editions & Admin Experience where she launched Confluence Premium & Free into multi-million dollar product offerings with 2M+ users. She hired & managed two PMs and lead a team of over 30 developers. Prior to founding Jones, she and Caroline founded Cozier together, a sleep & loungewear brand designing ethical, effortlessly chic garments for every/body. Hilary started vaping casually in 2017 when the JUUL seemed relatively harmless and fun. When the world went on lockdown in 2020, her casual vaping habit became a daily crutch for coping with stress and working from home. After over a year of unsuccessful cold-turkey quit attempts, she finally kicked her vaping habit in 2022 when Caroline suggested she try NRT. Outside of work, Hilary loves hiking, backcountry skiing, trying to find the best burger in NYC, and playing with other people's dogs. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [02:34] Creating products from personal pain points [06:52] Sponsor: Klaviyo [08:59] Meeting potential customers where they are [10:47] Adapting products based on user feedback [13:48] Testing market demand with waitlists [16:02] Sponsor: Electric Eye [17:10] Maximizing personal networks for growth [18:34] Gathering behavioral data in early days [19:52] Callouts [20:02] Launching a product to engaged audiences [22:09] Sponsor: Intelligems [24:09] Pivoting marketing to bridge early limitations [26:24] Driving organic traffic with relatable content [30:33] Adding modern value to traditional products Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Nicotime mints and social app to quit vaping quitwithjones.com/ Follow Hilary Dubin linkedin.com/in/hilary-dubin-374156b4/ Follow Caroline Vasquez Huber linkedin.com/in/caroline-vasquez-huber Book a demo today at intelligems.io/ Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect Get your free demo klaviyo.com/honest If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!
Simon Constable describes an idyllic spring in France before pivoting to alarming price increases for diesel, electricity, and natural gas. He warns that inflation is barreling through global economies as an "unleaded tax." (13/16)1900 HAILEY ID
If you're a speaker or coach and that's all you do for a living, your industry is about to be over. It's not just your industry, but many others. No one is going to continue paying $50K-$100K per year to be in a mastermind. Everyone has had to drop their prices, including me. All of this has to do with A.I. Demand versus access. Right now, you have maybe 5 years to really catch traction in something else. Universal Basic Income is going to be a thing. If you're not sure what that is, it's where everyone who is not running a business or working in a needed position that A.I. hasn't replaced will be given a universal basic income. (Think of it as socialism). Heed the warnings. The signs of the time are amongst us and your next pivot is going to determine where you come out in everything. Research. Grow and develop your skills. Change is coming and will not wait for you to catch up! About the ReWire Podcast The ReWire Podcast with Ryan Stewman – Dive into powerful insights as Ryan Stewman, the HardCore Closer, breaks down mental barriers and shares actionable steps to rewire your thoughts. Each episode is a fast-paced journey designed to reshape your mindset, align your actions, and guide you toward becoming the best version of yourself. Join in for a daily dose of real talk that empowers you to embrace change and unlock your full potential. Learn how you can become a member of a powerful community consistently rewiring itself for success at https://www.jointheapex.com/ Rise Above
Award-winning reporter Dejan Kovacevic, a lifelong veteran of the Pittsburgh sports scene, delivers three 'Daily Shot' podcasts every weekday morning, one each covering the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates! Plus three additional 'Double Shot' videos that stream live on YouTube every weekday afternoon starting at 3 p.m. Eastern! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
After next Monday, doctors may not be able to mail people the abortion pill Mifepristone. That would increase barriers, but experts say it won't stop people's ability to get the pills in the mail. Getting abortion pills without a doctor's oversight isn't new—in fact its history begins nearly 50 years ago, in Brazil. Listen to "The Network," Season 24 of NPR's Embedded, about how a loosely connected movement has been helping people access the pills this way for decades:Episode 1: lnk.to/phh5a9 Episode 2: lnk.to/Bw6QHDEpisode 3: lnk.to/MHSBG1See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
“Do you want to be right or do you want to win? I want to win.” -Will Packer When Will Packer pulls up to The Pivot Podcast, the conversation goes far beyond Hollywood headlines, combining sports and business to one of the most entertaining yet educational episodes we've had. Will unpacks the real story behind his rise—from grinding it out as a young mind at at HBCU to becoming one of the most powerful producers in the game. He shares how he built a billion-dollar film resume from the ground up, turning bold ideas into box office hits while navigating an industry that rarely hands out opportunities. But this isn't just about success. Packer gets candid about the missteps, the pressure of managing money and expectations, and the moments where everything could have fallen apart. From producing cultural staples to learning hard lessons about risk, partnerships, and perseverance, his journey is a masterclass in betting on yourself—even when the odds say otherwise. From navigating Hollywood's gatekeepers to creating opportunities where none existed, his path is paved with resilience, ownership, and vision as we unpack the wins, losses, and the pivots in between—and what it really takes to turn ambition into a lasting legacy. He reflects on hits like Girls Trip, Ride Along, Think Like a Man, and Stomp the Yard to life—films that didn't just perform well, but became cultural movements. Along the way, he's collaborated with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Kevin Hart, Ice Cube, Queen Latifah, Tiffany Haddish, and the late Paul Walker. On day one of filming Takers, Will had to step in and defuse a tense moment when Paul nearly walked off set—quickly navigating the pressure to keep the production on track. It became a test of leadership, showing how staying composed and solutions-focused can turn a potential setback into a moment of trust and respect. Filled with inside stories, lessons and advice on staying at the top, this episode is about building confidence as a muscle, taking big leaps, and overcoming rejection in order to get doors to finally open, Will is unguarded and uses humor to share some of his most impactful moments to allow us to see a side of him we haven't before, hoping his story inspires and ignites a fire in others. Pivot Family, comment, like, hit the subscribe button, we enjoy hearing and learning from you- the good and the bad, we want to know! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices