In the EllaMents with Alishia Egenhoff

How I Actually Work From Home With My Kids All Summer (Without Losing My Mind)

School's out. Your kids are home. Your clients still need you. So how do you actually get work done this summer without feeling like you're failing at both business and motherhood? I'm not going to give you the Instagram version of working from home with kids. I'm giving you the real, messy version - what actually works in my house with my 11 and 13-year-old. In this episode, I'm walking you through my actual summer routine, the boundaries I set (and why I don't apologize for needing quiet to think), what I batch before summer even starts so I don't feel guilty taking afternoons off, and the big mistake I made last year that I'm not repeating this summer. I'm also talking about how I handle client expectations without making a big announcement, why I'm not taking on new projects this summer, and the mindset shift that makes all of this actually manageable. Here's what I'm realizing... I can't be the perfect business owner AND the perfect mom. Something has to give. And my business doesn't fall apart because I take afternoons off. But these summer days with my kids? I don't get those back. If you're heading into summer feeling that low-level panic of "how am I going to get anything done," this episode is for you! Enjoying the podcast? Follow In the EllaMents on your favorite podcast platform so you don’t miss anything. New episodes drop every other Monday! If you enjoyed this episode and want to stay connected beyond the podcast, I’d love to have you on my email list. I send 2–4 emails a month where I share honest thoughts on marketing, motherhood, and building a business that actually fits your real life — encouragement, clarity, and things I don’t always share on social media. I also share when new podcast episodes are live, so you never miss a conversation. You can join the list [https://socialellaments.com/contact/]here. You can also find me on Instagram at @socialellaments [https://www.instagram.com/socialellaments/], where I share behind-the-scenes moments and continue the conversation. Thanks for being here — I’m really glad you’re listening.

Should You Let AI Run Your Marketing? When to Use It and When to Keep Control

AI is everywhere. And honestly? It's getting hard to ignore. Meta wants you to use Advantage+. Google's pushing Performance Max. ChatGPT is practically writing everyone's social captions at this point. And look, I use AI too. But here's what's bothering me: everyone's being told to just hand everything over to automation. Trust it. Let AI handle it. But nobody's asking the obvious question - should you? The platforms have goals. Your business has goals. And those two things? They're not always the same. In this episode, I'm sharing the three questions I ask before I let AI touch anything in my marketing, whether that's ads, content, or anything else. I'm also talking about why most business owners aren't actually ready for the AI automation they're being sold, and what happens when you hand over control too soon. If you've ever wondered whether you should be using more AI in your business, or less, this episode is going to help you figure out where that line is for you. AI isn't the enemy. It's also not the savior everyone's making it out to be. It's a tool. And like any tool, you need to know when to use it and when to keep control. Resources mentioned: Daniel Murray's Marketing Millennials Newsletter [https://themarketingmillennials.com/] for the AI guardrails framework. Enjoying the podcast? Follow In the EllaMents on your favorite podcast platform so you don’t miss anything. New episodes drop every other Monday! If you enjoyed this episode and want to stay connected beyond the podcast, I’d love to have you on my email list. I send 2–4 emails a month where I share honest thoughts on marketing, motherhood, and building a business that actually fits your real life — encouragement, clarity, and things I don’t always share on social media. I also share when new podcast episodes are live, so you never miss a conversation. You can join the list [https://socialellaments.com/contact/]here. You can also find me on Instagram at @socialellaments [https://www.instagram.com/socialellaments/], where I share behind-the-scenes moments and continue the conversation. Thanks for being here — I’m really glad you’re listening.

Toddlers vs. Teens: What Nobody Tells You About Building a Business as a Mom (Real Schedules from Two Different Seasons) with Alysha Sanford

Ever wonder how other moms actually fit business into their lives? Like, the real version with toddler meltdowns, school pickups, and zero time to meal plan? Today I'm talking with Alysha Sanford, a brand photographer who's building her business with a toddler at home, while I'm navigating the tween and teen years. We basically have the same name, we both live in Oregon, and we both work in marketing, but our days look completely different. We're pulling back the curtain on what it actually looks like to build a business in different seasons of motherhood. We get into our real schedules, the tools we use to stay sane, what productivity advice is complete BS, and how we're both making it work without sacrificing time with our families. This conversation is practical, honest, and full of systems you can steal.  Resources mentioned in this episode:  Alysha Sanford Photo & Marketing [https://alyshasanfordphoto.com/favorite-resources] for brand photography and to join the waitlist for her marketing course, Metricool [https://f.mtr.cool/MJRGAU ] for social media scheduling and reporting, Capture the Chaos Planner [https://capturethechaos.com/r?id=40osqg] that we both use to stay organized, and FloDesk [https://flodesk.com/c/FKH5K8] for email marketing. Metricool for social media scheduling and reporting, Capture the Chaos Planner that we both use to stay organized, and FloDesk for email marketing. Enjoying the podcast? Follow In the EllaMents on your favorite podcast platform so you don’t miss anything. New episodes drop every other Monday! If you enjoyed this episode and want to stay connected beyond the podcast, I’d love to have you on my email list. I send 2–4 emails a month where I share honest thoughts on marketing, motherhood, and building a business that actually fits your real life — encouragement, clarity, and things I don’t always share on social media. I also share when new podcast episodes are live, so you never miss a conversation. You can join the list [https://socialellaments.com/contact/]here. You can also find me on Instagram at @socialellaments [https://www.instagram.com/socialellaments/], where I share behind-the-scenes moments and continue the conversation. Thanks for being here — I’m really glad you’re listening.

Organic OR Paid Marketing? Why That's the Wrong Question to Ask

Do I really need to run ads? Can't I just grow organically? If you've asked yourself these questions, I need to tell you something: you're asking the wrong question. Because here's what I've learned after years of running ads for clients and building my own business, it's not about choosing between organic or paid. It's about understanding what each one actually does and when your business is ready for both. Maybe you've been posting consistently on social media for months, and your growth feels painfully slow. Or maybe you're spending money on ads but not seeing the return you expected. Either way, something's missing. In this episode, I'm diving into what's really happening with organic marketing right now, why the strategies that worked 10 years ago don't work anymore, and how to know if you're actually ready to invest in paid advertising (spoiler: it's not just about having a budget). I'm also sharing a client story that might surprise you about what happened when we added paid marketing to a business that was only relying on word of mouth. If you've been confused about whether ads are right for your business or frustrated that your organic efforts aren't moving the needle, this episode is going to give you clarity on what you actually need right now. Enjoying the podcast? Follow In the EllaMents on your favorite podcast platform so you don’t miss anything. New episodes drop every other Monday! If you enjoyed this episode and want to stay connected beyond the podcast, I’d love to have you on my email list. I send 2–4 emails a month where I share honest thoughts on marketing, motherhood, and building a business that actually fits your real life — encouragement, clarity, and things I don’t always share on social media. I also share when new podcast episodes are live, so you never miss a conversation. You can join the list [https://socialellaments.com/contact/]here. You can also find me on Instagram at @socialellaments [https://www.instagram.com/socialellaments/], where I share behind-the-scenes moments and continue the conversation. Thanks for being here — I’m really glad you’re listening.

What One Videographer's Rebrand Can Teach You About Knowing When to Change with Sierra of Caravan Content

Sometimes the best business decisions come from the hardest moments. Sierra, founder of Caravan Content, was fully booked, working seven days a week, and completely burnt out. On paper, her business looked successful. But something wasn't right. In this episode, Sierra walks us through her complete business rebrand—from the moment that sparked the change to the practical steps she took to rebuild everything. She's sharing what she learned about pricing, how she chose a new business name, and why scrapping her entire service menu was the best move she made. Whether you're wondering if it's time to pivot your own business or you're curious what a rebrand actually looks like behind the scenes, Sierra's story offers real lessons about knowing when to change and how to do it without losing everything you've built. Resources mentioned: * Caravan Content Website caravan-content.com [https://www.caravan-content.com/] & Social @caravan.content [https://www.instagram.com/caravan.content?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw%3D%3D] * Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller [https://www.amazon.com/Building-StoryBrand-2-0-Clarify-Customers/dp/B0CZ5JF1LY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2HQ4J9GABKOLE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.V2h_vozYelsQ2JYkDS24T5jZ2crdwj7Ek8F5g_cbedwkFhH9hR-4NNjhFB2prv7KhaFj2xNsgTUfRW7968uweJmznwQsSVg7p2n8P-0dioniA0WyxqfoncKjLKe8TBbYEilsWluIQVKCX5kly1rI6mbJwM_bo2wk-vk_tjSF5-527I3ITsmDXABoZ66NVQm38zyNK2kQ3pFxiua5pi8A1NBjShiGgD_PEVL_gIyLbPw.Exq2NRwMDaCA9Dv_-S8aEi-Le4BM3oDeR2xmQPK-Tg4&dib_tag=se&keywords=building+a+story+brand+donald+miller&qid=1774474103&sprefix=building+a+story+bran%2Caps%2C194&sr=8-1] Enjoying the podcast? Follow In the EllaMents on your favorite podcast platform so you don’t miss anything. New episodes drop every other Monday! If you enjoyed this episode and want to stay connected beyond the podcast, I’d love to have you on my email list. I send 2–4 emails a month where I share honest thoughts on marketing, motherhood, and building a business that actually fits your real life — encouragement, clarity, and things I don’t always share on social media. I also share when new podcast episodes are live, so you never miss a conversation. You can join the list [https://socialellaments.com/contact/]here. You can also find me on Instagram at @socialellaments [https://www.instagram.com/socialellaments/], where I share behind-the-scenes moments and continue the conversation. Thanks for being here — I’m really glad you’re listening.