You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know About Running a Biz (And That’s the Point)

Marketing Without the Panic: Why Consistent Effort Beats Desperate Scrambles

If you're constantly swinging on the pendulum between "we need leads NOW" and "we're too busy for marketing," this episode is your wake-up call. We're breaking down why treating marketing like a spigot you can turn on and off is wrecking your pipeline and what to do instead. You know the pattern: projects are rolling, clients are happy, everything feels fine. Until suddenly it doesn't. Contracts end, the pipeline is empty, and you're in full panic mode trying to drum up leads yesterday. In this episode, we tackle the uncomfortable truth that most small business owners avoid: marketing isn't a spigot you turn on when things get dire. It's the consistent exercise your business needs to stay healthy, whether you're busy or not. We dig into why word-of-mouth feels great until it dries up, how to map your buyer's journey so you actually know what's working, and the unsexy-but-essential systems that keep leads flowing without the last-minute scramble. In this episode, we cover: * Why treating marketing like a faucet you can flip on and off doesn't work (and what does) * The real timeline for service-based businesses: why what you do today shows up in your pipeline 3 to 6 months from now * How to map your sales cycle and buyer's journey using data you already have * The difference between vanity metrics (thousands of followers) and an engaged audience that actually buys * Why following up after sending a quote is non-negotiable (and how most people drop the ball here) * What to do right now if your pipeline is empty and you're in desperation mode * How to build marketing infrastructure that works in the background so you're not constantly stressed about where the next client is coming from * Red flags to watch for when someone promises overnight results or guarantees in marketing Links + resources mentioned in this episode: * Big Bad Marketing blog post: How to Get Butts in Chairs Right Now (tactics for immediate lead generation) * Big Bad Marketing podcast episode: The Art of Following Up * Sign up for the Big Bad Marketing newsletter: https://www.bigbadmarketing.com/newsletter * Take our free Growth Bottleneck Quiz: https://sales.bigbadmarketing.com/bottleneck-quiz * Book a free 15-minute intro call: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/15-minute-call-bbm

What to Include in Your Brand Kit (And Why, Yes, You Do Need One Even If You're Small!!)

You've got a logo. Cool. But does your business card match your website? Does your social media vibe align with your email newsletter? If not, welcome to the brand kit conversation. In this episode, we break down what a brand kit actually is (spoiler: it's way more than just your logo), why consistency builds trust and speeds up your marketing workflow, and exactly what to include so you stop reinventing the wheel every time you sit down to create something. Whether you're a solopreneur or building a team, this is the episode that helps you get your ducks in a row. In this episode, we cover: * What a brand kit is and why it's not just for big corporations * How consistency builds brand recognition and trust * Why a brand kit saves you time (and sanity) every time you create content * The difference between visual identity and voice/messaging * What to include in your brand kit: logos, colors, fonts, tone, elevator pitch, and more * How to use your brand kit to train team members or AI tools * Why your brand kit is a living document that evolves with your business * Where to start if you're feeling overwhelmed (hint: one step at a time) Links + resources mentioned in this episode: * Download the free Brand Kit Checklist: https://www.bigbadmarketing.com/brand-kit * Sign up for the Big Bad Marketing newsletter: https://www.bigbadmarketing.com/newsletter * Take our free Growth Bottleneck Quiz: https://sales.bigbadmarketing.com/bottleneck-quiz * Book a free 15-minute intro call: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/15-minute-call-bbm

Stop Pricing on Vibes: Know Your Numbers & Charge Your Worth

Are you running your business on vibes and hoping the math works out?  In this episode, we're getting real about the financial side of running a small business, aka the part that makes most solopreneurs want to hide under their desks. Whether you've been avoiding your books or you're just not sure what you're even looking at when you open them, we're breaking down what you actually need to know to price profitably and grow sustainably. In this episode, we cover: * Why "hoping everything is fine" is not a financial strategy * The real numbers you need to track (and which ones you can ignore) * How to set prices that actually cover your costs and pay you * What to do if you've been pricing based on vibes instead of data * The difference between revenue and profit (and why it matters more than you think) * Where most small business owners leak money without realizing it * Simple systems to stay on top of your books without a finance degree Links + resources mentioned in this episode: * Sign up for the Big Bad Marketing newsletter: https://www.bigbadmarketing.com/newsletter * Business Math Blog & Podcast: https://www.bigbadmarketing.com/blog/business-math-revenue-profit-margins * Take our free Growth Bottleneck Quiz: https://sales.bigbadmarketing.com/bottleneck-quiz * Book a free 15-minute intro call: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/15-minute-call-bbm

How to Find Your Brand Voice (And Actually Use It When Writing!)

You know what you do works. But the content you're putting out? It feels off. Corporate. Stiff. Like a LinkedIn press release you'd skip right past. In this episode, we walk you through how to build a brand voice that sounds authentically like you, so the right people stop scrolling, start trusting you, and actually buy from you. Whether you're a personal brand or a faceless business sitting behind a logo, this one's packed with practical steps to get your messaging right and make writing way less painful. In this episode, we cover: * Why content monoculture is drowning your message (and how to stand out) * The 4 questions to ask yourself before building your brand voice * How to create a brand guide that actually works for you, your team, or your AI tools * Personal branding dos and don'ts (including why being funny only works if you're actually funny) * 5 rapid-fire writing tips: lead with the itch, agitate the problem, sell the vacation, and more * 3 ways to make writing easier, including how to train AI on your voice without losing yourself in the process * Why writing to "everyone" means you're talking to no one * How to use voice memos and transcription to write like you talk (because you literally just talked) Links + resources mentioned in this episode: * Sign up for the Big Bad Marketing newsletter: https://www.bigbadmarketing.com/newsletter * Take our free Growth Bottleneck Quiz: https://sales.bigbadmarketing.com/bottleneck-quiz * Book a free 15-minute intro call: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/15-minute-call-bbm

Read This Next: Books That Actually Changed How We Run Our Business and Our Lives

Some books are great for passing the time, some help you slip into an entirely different world, but some of the greatest books for us are those that shifted our perspective, that taught us to look at the world in a new way. From ancient yoga philosophy to modern time management, in this episode we cover the reads that landed for us and could conservatively be called "books that changed our lives". We're not giving you the same tired business book list everyone recommends (sorry, but no 7 Habits of Highly Effective People or How to Win Friends and Influence People up in here). These are the books we go back to, recommend constantly, and credit with shifting something fundamental in how we run our business and our lives. Some are tactical. Some are deeply personal. All of them are worth sharing with you. Things we mentioned in this episode: Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman How to Do the Work by Dr. Nicole LaPera Excuses Begone by Wayne Dyer The Myth of Normal by Gabor Maté Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter The Yoga Sutras translated by Reverend Jaganath Carrera The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga Be Here Now by Ram Dass Deep Work by Cal Newport Slow Productivity by Cal Newport Smart Brevity (authors not specified in transcript) A Year with Rumi: Daily Readings translated by Coleman Barks The Anxious Generation (mentioned by Brooke) $100 Million Offers by Alex Hormozi $100 Million Leads by Alex Hormozi $100 Million Money Models by Alex Hormozi Sign up for the Big Bad Marketing newsletter: https://www.bigbadmarketing.com/newsletter Take our free Growth Bottleneck Quiz: https://sales.bigbadmarketing.com/bottleneck-quiz Book a free 15-minute intro call: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/15-minute-call-bbm