Embracing the Messy Middle of Entrepreneurship

If I Started My Business Over Tomorrow

Transcript Cleaned up for grammar and punctuation with AI. In today’s podcast, we are going to talk about what I would do if I started my business over tomorrow — the advice I wouldn’t follow and the advice I would continue to follow. This June or July will mark eight years in business, and with how much everything has changed, this conversation is very relevant. I’ve been grappling with how quickly social media is changing and how AI is changing everything. In business, one of the biggest parts of success is understanding that you have to adapt with the times, so I feel like this is a very relevant conversation, and I hope you’re able to get something from it. Let’s take it back to 2018. This is when I officially dove into starting my business. At that time, social media had really taken off and there were a lot of entrepreneurs who were finding a ton of success on Instagram. The way I fell into owning my own business was sort of serendipitous. In 2016, I had decided I was going to start my business because I was working as an elementary art teacher in Phoenix, Arizona. And if you know anything about teacher salaries, they are abysmal. I was working my teaching job, running three clubs for a stipend, and also working a part-time paint job where I would go and set up at restaurants and do wine-and-sip paint classes. With all of those things combined, I was still only making under $40,000 a year. To be exact, the year that I left my teaching job — which was year five — my gross revenue was $37,000. So if that paints a picture for you, you’ll understand why I thought, let me start this photography business. I didn’t actually officially launch my business until 2018. I won’t get into the story of how that came about, but I will link to the origin story of why I finally made that decision to go all in. In the time leading up to it, it just so happened that I became the lead art teacher for all the art teachers in the district, and one of those new teachers was a photography business owner — like I said, serendipitous. I offered her one-to-one mentorship on things like lesson plans, classroom discipline, and designing her classroom for efficiency. In exchange, she talked to me about running a photography business. She came from the world of Instagram, coaches, and all of that, and I fell into that — which, to be honest, was actually a very beneficial thing. I wasn’t immersed in that world and had a lot of mental blocks around what it looked like to build a business. I didn’t even believe I could own a business. In talking with her, she helped me find the world of online education where they teach you how to do exactly that. In one way, it was really great. On the other hand, social media — specifically Instagram — was sort of petering out on audience growth by that time. There was a sweet period when competition wasn’t so heavy, and I was coming in right around the middle, as things were starting to come down. I was also coming in as someone who was not using social media at all. I think I posted to my Instagram maybe once a year, so that gives you a good idea of where I was starting from. Coming into that world without any real frame of reference, my perception of owning and starting a business was simpler than it actually is. A lot of online coaches were basically saying, “Create amazing content, here’s how to show up on Instagram, and the rest will follow.” But as most of us know, that’s just not the case. I genuinely believed, from consuming different content, that hitting the 100K mark was very much within the realm of possibility in the first year of my business. But the reality was that I was coming in very, very fresh, and there are a lot of fundamental building blocks that go into building a business that I simply didn’t have. The biggest misconception I had was that by showing up on social media and posting somewhat regularly, the clients would come. There’s this adage: “Build it and they will come.” This might ruffle some feathers, but I don’t believe that’s true. Building the business is something you have to do — but then you also have to tell people so they can come. No one’s going to find it unless you’re out there talking about it and actively marketing yourself. We also live in a world where people are constantly being asked to give their time, money, and energy, so we have to be very thoughtful about how we’re asking people to engage with us and spend money with us. That misconception of “if I build it, they will come” — or “if I put enough work and effort into it, people will see it, get it, and love it” — is the biggest downfall and roadblock so many business owners face. The reality is that you, as a consumer, are very picky about how and where you spend your money. Just because you’ve flipped into being a business owner doesn’t suddenly change that consumer behavior. It still remains the same. We just forget that when we’re looking at things through the lens of being a business owner, and we take it personally. We think, “Why aren’t more people caring? Why don’t more people like what I’m doing?” For the first two years of my business, the biggest thing I struggled with was this idea that I needed to be on social media as the number one way of attracting new business. I spent a lot of time agonizing over how to show up, how to be consistent, how to look aesthetically pleasing — because that was the era of social media. In a lot of that time and reflection, I’ve come to realize that if you are a small, locally based business, having a social media presence is very important. Having consistency is important. Having a clear brand identity is important. But you do not have to be a content creator in order to build authority. Where that authority is actually going to come from is one-to-one connections, conversations, relationship building, and getting out in your community. I wish I would have spent less time agonizing over social media and less time worrying about the algorithm. So with that said, if I were to start tomorrow, the number one thing I would spend less time worrying about is social media. I would treat it more as an experiment — play around with it, focus on getting clear on what I want to communicate and how I want to show up, and let that be the guiding focus rather than asking, “How many followers am I going to get? Am I growing rapidly?” The truth is, for most of us who struggle with social media, it is not going to be our main source of income. I’ve had clients where social media really is their revenue driver, and for them, it becomes a twofold problem: they want to spend less time on it, but it’s their main lead generation source, so there’s a lot of resentment around that. If you are someone who doesn’t really love social media to begin with — like I came in cold turkey — I would definitely recommend not spending a ton of your time there. You want some presence because it creates authority and signals that you’re a professional and you’re serious. But I wouldn’t spend a ton of time creating a massive amount of content when you could create one really compelling piece of content a week for Instagram, and that’s plenty. Taking that one step further: if I could go back and unhook one negative belief, one mindset block I was experiencing, it would be this idea that I needed to execute perfectly. When we start out, we get locked into this idea that we have to do it perfectly — especially within the model of a lot of online gurus. What I’ve actually found is that the most success and progress comes through putting a plan in place imperfectly, executing on that plan, evaluating what worked, changing what needs to be changed, and then doing it again. This idea of failure for small businesses — which I’ve mentioned in a recent podcast about how celebrating small wins and focusing on data helps us stay resilient — is something that data can actually help you emotionally detach from. When we’re coming from the framework we get from online business people, a lot of those business models are not focused on local small businesses. They are focused on large audiences. When they talk about a $100,000 launch and all the money they made, they rarely talk about conversion rates — and conversion rates are actually really small. Quick example: a 2% conversion rate could be considered really good. If we’re thinking of 500 people in a sales funnel and they’re selling a product at $5,000, that’s a great outcome. But for those of us who maybe have 68 story views and get a 2% conversion rate, that can be very hard to handle. You think, “I suck. Something’s wrong.” But when you look at the data, you realize you’re not failing and you’re not doing it wrong — it’s just that your audience size isn’t the correct size for that metric. I would get more comfortable with the idea of failing and detach from it. I think what it cost me in the first couple of years of my business was growth and knowledge, because I was so concerned about not feeling or looking like a failure to other people. In the last two years, I’ve thankfully come into this “I’m just going to do it” phase. I’m doing things without knowing if they’ll work, and I’m being more transparent about that because more small business owners need to know that we’re all just trying to figure it out. Anyone who tells you they have all of the answers is lying to you — because even well-established businesses with eight years under their belt are still facing the same things you’re facing. So if I were starting tomorrow, I would focus on building both the skill and the mindset. The most important parts of having a business are having a certain level of skill that allows you to sell, and having the mindset and belief that what you are doing — what you have to offer — is worthy. In the year leading up to officially launching my business, I started going to a bunch of networking groups and building my portfolio. A lot of people, especially in the photography world, have strong opinions about offering free shoots. What I did differently is that I wasn’t marketing my business at all. I was really focused on building my expertise — getting comfortable photographing people, learning the ins and outs of communicating, editing, delivering, working on systems, all of those different things. While I did have a background in photography from college, it is very different to sell that service to someone, and I had a lot of learning to go through before I was ready. You don’t want to jump into the water without those foundational pieces in place, because you’ll put a ton of pressure on yourself to make money. There will be this negative feedback loop where you feel like you’re not good enough, and you may end up undercharging or negatively impacting your brand down the road. As far as mindset goes, it’s about getting clear on your worth and your value. There is this myth of the starving artist, especially for creatives. And that starving artist mindset is going to keep you locked in survival mode and will create a lot of resentment. If you can’t push past that, you’re going to peter out. If I were to start today, hot off the press, I would refuse to fall into the idea of content creation for the sake of content creation unless it’s something I genuinely enjoy and am ready to fully commit to. Again, one of the things I fell into was this idea that I needed to spend a ton of time on social media — specifically Instagram — in order to generate leads. And in all that time chugging along on Instagram, most of my clients don’t come from there. Where I have seen success with Instagram is in nurturing this audience that’s just hanging out and seeing my content. When they get into my newsletter and meet me in person, that’s when I’ve seen the actual conversion from “person on Instagram” to actual client. But there’s no real direct way to say, “Yes, it was Instagram that led them to me.” Again, some people are really successful and market their businesses solely on social media — but it takes a lot of work. You have to constantly show up every single day, and you have to have the personality for it. For a lot of us, it’s just not our natural mode. The way I look at social media now is: how can I communicate who I am and what I do in a genuine and authentic way, without stretching myself to fit into a box? The question I used to get locked into was, “Is the algorithm happy with what I’m creating?” Now the lens is: “How am I engaging, building community, and connecting with people I genuinely enjoy and would love to meet in real life?” Okay, now that I’ve talked about all the things I would do differently or wouldn’t keep, let’s talk about the things I would absolutely continue to do. The first thing I would do is get your Google SEO up and running. Too many local business owners sleep on this. It is, hands down, one of the best decisions I made. I knew it was going to take time and that I was playing the long game, but I put a ton of effort into my Google SEO, and it has been one of my main lead generation sources — especially because I came into Pittsburgh with minimal community connections. Establishing my Google SEO allowed me to reach people who maybe aren’t well connected in the community, who are just starting out, executives, people from out of town. We really underestimate how many people still use Google as their primary way of finding businesses. Now, let me caveat that with AI. Obviously there have been a ton of shifts, and there’s been a lot of debate on whether SEO is becoming obsolete because of AI. I’m going to push back on that and say absolutely not. But in order to stay relevant, you do need to stay current on what’s going to help AI drive people to you. People are going directly to these AIs and asking, “What are some restaurants I should go to?” or “What are some great brand photographers in Pittsburgh?” If you are doing things right, AI will pull up your name as one of the top few recommendations. Don’t sleep on SEO. The next thing: get your website looking amazing and focus on user experience. The quality of your website is like a storefront. If someone heard about you from a friend or found you through a Google search, comes to your website, and it doesn’t feel easy to navigate, feels confusing, or looks out of date — a couple of things are going to happen. One, they’re going to bounce off your site very quickly. Two, it’s going to attract price shoppers. If you are looking to offer a premium service or product, you need to make sure your storefront is locked in. The phrase I use is: Walmart prices attract Walmart shoppers. Target prices attract Target shoppers. Prada prices attract Prada shoppers. It’s all about presentation and perception. There’s not one that’s better than the other — it’s simply about what makes sense for you and making sure everything is in alignment. I would definitely continue to focus on website design and user experience because Google SEO and your website design go hand in hand. Another thing I would absolutely continue to do is invest in education. Even though there’s a lot you don’t know that you don’t know, I am a firm believer in continuing professional development. It was something I had to do as an educator, and I think as business owners, we should continue doing it as well. Where I would caution you is to make sure you are vetting coaches and checking whether their business model actually aligns with the type of business you’re running. In the past, one of the mistakes I made was working with coaches who were making recommendations based on outdated strategies that had worked for them but weren’t working anymore. A lot of these people came onto the scene around 2008 to 2010, when social media was brand new and audience growth was much easier. By the time I was working with them — a decade later — their Instagram growth had completely stalled, and they were still giving the same advice from when they started. That said, the biggest benefits of working with coaches and getting educated are that they will give you strategies and leapfrog your learning, so you’re not spending so much time figuring everything out on your own. They also help you get past the limiting beliefs and mindsets that are keeping you from growing. The last thing I want to say — and this is the belief I walked into my business with — is that if you are really interested in building a sustainable, successful business that feels good and is aligned with who you are, you have to operate from a place of integrity. I don’t think that will ever change for me. I hold myself to a very high standard. The expectation is that I deliver on what I say I’m going to deliver on. I don’t assume that people owe me something, and I’m always willing to look at how I’m providing the best service to my clients, because without them I wouldn’t have a business. I always come back to: how does this feel to me? Am I delivering on what I’m promising? Are they getting the results I said they would? It keeps me humble so that I’m always serving my clients in the best possible way. Be integral in your business, hold yourself to high standards, and I promise you — through that process, you are going to build a business you love, a brand you love, and an amazing reputation. The number one thing I wish someone had told me in the beginning — something I think would have been really helpful — is that I am worthy of having a business, and to trust myself sooner. Not to second-guess myself, not to try to be so perfect, and to know that you are going to figure it out. There was a lot of fear and second-guessing in those first two years, and in a lot of ways, I felt like a fraud. I thought, “I have no proof that I’m actually a successful business owner.” It takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there. So if someone had said, “Listen, this is going to be hard, but you’re going to figure it out” — the sooner you can trust yourself and let go of these expectations you’re placing on yourself, the sooner you’re going to find your groove and your balance. If you are someone in the first two years of running your business, year five, or even year ten — because we’re all on this continuous journey — what I want you to know is that if you’re feeling off, if something feels a little disconnected, there is nothing wrong with that. We evolve. We elevate. What I really want to encourage you to do is lean into more of who you are and who you want to serve. So many of us get stuck in “we should do this, we shouldn’t do that.” The more we lean into what we care about, what we value, and what lights us up — while also genuinely benefiting the person we’re doing business with — the quicker you’re going to find your people who want exactly what you have. All right, my friend, that is all I have for you today. I hope you found a nugget of inspiration, something that resonated. If you’re in that in-between phase and want some guidance, there are so many ways we can continue this conversation. The first and most obvious is subscribing to my Substack. I post frequently on the ins and outs of running a business, personal stories, and insights on how to build a brand you love that is heart-aligned while also making money. You can also work with me one-to-one on brand clarity and building a heart-aligned brand. Spots for one-to-one brand strategy are currently open for July. My programs usually run three months long, and we get into everything from the brand foundation — heart, mission, vision, values — all the way to the client journey, experience, and website design. Everything that connects together so people get what you do and say, “Hell yes, you’re the person for me.” All right, that’s all I’ve got for you today. As always, remember — you’ve got this thing. Want to Work With Me? ✨ Upgrade to PaidGet weekly soulful business guidance for just $7/month or $60/year. I share honest, strategy-backed insights to help you build a business that supports both your lifestyle and your soul. 💡 Join the Waitlist for the Moxie & Meaning Collective [https://www.leeannkphotography.com/the-moxie-collective-mastermind]A 4-month incubator where mastermind, coaching, education, and implementation come together. Enrollment is currently closed—join the waitlist [https://www.leeannkphotography.com/the-moxie-collective-mastermind] to be the first to know when doors open again. 🎯 One-to-One Brand Strategy + PhotographyLooking for personalized support? Let’s dive deep into your brand and build a strategy that reflects your essence and sets you up for sustainable success. Book a free 30 minute call to see if this is right for you. 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You're Playing the Wrong Game

I got humbled recently. Someone had to remind me of my own advice, and it’s literally the thing that I say all the time, which is: it ain’t all about you. It was hilarious because I am the queen of “it ain’t all about you.” But here’s the thing — I’m human, and unopened emails, no-shows, and low engagement can all feel personal and make you feel discouraged when you are in the thick of it. I’m going to talk about how and why marketing messes with our heads, why the advice that we are consuming might not even be built for us, and what I am doing differently this year. So let’s get into it. I was in this place in my business where I was feeling discouraged and frustrated because I kept putting things out there and wasn’t getting the traction that I wanted. I didn’t understand why. My friend very thoughtfully and kindly said, “Have you tried reaching out one-to-one to remind them and make those connections?” It was really funny because I thought, “Oh shit, yeah, you’re right. I haven’t done that.” And if I think back to my own experiences, when someone local has reached out to me and said, “Hey, LeeAnn, I have this thing going on — I’d love to see you there,” even though I know they are connecting one-to-one with a lot of other people, it has been a very successful tactic in getting me to show up. Because, one, I respect that person; two, I care about them and want to support them; and three, they’ve taken the time to remind me and connect with me, which makes me feel like a person and not just an invisible participant consuming information. When my friend said this to me, it was very humbling, because — as I mentioned — I tell my clients this all the time. We have to work harder. We have to sit in the seat of the consumer and behave how we would want to be treated as the consumer. In that moment, I realized I wasn’t doing that and had actually gotten a little lazy. Now, I want to be kind to myself and say that I have a lot going on, just like you have a lot going on. When I created this vision for the thing I’m working on, I wanted it to be easier because I didn’t want it to be another item on my to-do list that left me feeling exhausted. In my friend’s response and reflection, I realized there were two ways I could move forward: either A, step up my game, make more connections, and try harder, or B, let go of the expectations and just let it be what it was. In that reflection, thinking about why I wasn’t showing up as much as I could be, I realized that part of it was that I was in the phase of just doing it. And sometimes when you’re in that phase, you aren’t really thinking about all the strategies for how to grow it and best execute on it. For me, as someone who has learned that I need to dive in — because if I don’t, the perfectionist comes out and she will sabotage me — I just have to show up. That’s where I see the most success and growth for myself, because I can prove to myself that I can do this. In that, I realized we’re just in this doing phase, and I need to be okay with not seeing the growth and traction I hoped for, while also recognizing that I’ve done this long enough that I can start taking on more work. This piece of the building is more comfortable and familiar to me now, so it’s easier to do. I can take on more work that is going to continue to grow this project. But let’s talk about why so many of us get stuck and why it still feels personal. It feels personal because we have put time and energy into building it. We feel that it is special. And in some cases, there is this low-level expectation of, “You know me. You know what I’m doing. Why aren’t you engaging?” When that happens — when your email flops, when the no-shows happen, when you get ghosted — it can feel very personal because we’re giving it the good old college try. But when we really take a step back and look at it, are we really giving it the good old try? A couple of questions you could start with: Are you consistent? Posting? Sending newsletters? Networking? Are you consistent with reaching out? Are you staying curious and experimenting with different forms of marketing, but committing to those experiments long enough to actually see results? Or, like a lot of us — myself included — are you hoping that effort equals automatic results? Yeah, I know. That stings a little, because our ego wants to say, “I’ve put in all that effort, so I should automatically see results.” What I’m talking about here is loving accountability — not shame, not shoulda-coulda-woulda, not feeling bad and stopping. But as humans, we are attracted to comfort and control, and running a business is in so many ways out of our control. Here’s the trap I find myself falling into, on and off: I get sucked into the online world, listening to major educational coaches who have been in the game for a really long time — Jenna Kutcher, Marie Forleo, Amy Porterfield — and I’m taking advice from online businesses that have large audiences, years of social proof, and established authority. Then I’m applying it to my business, which has a very small, locally based audience, and asking myself, “Why isn’t this working?” I’m taking advice from coaches and business owners who are selling digital products or masterminds whose business model is based on volume. When I say volume, I mean their audiences are large. They have large email lists. I’m applying their strategies to my little itty-bitty list. Not kidding — I’m currently part of an online business group, because even though I’m aware of the pitfalls, I know there’s still a lot I can learn. Someone in that group said her email list is small. Her “small” email list is 20,000 people. I hope that puts things into perspective, because I don’t think people are talking about this enough. There’s just not enough honesty about it. I am by no means saying it’s not possible for you — or for me — to achieve that. But it’s a different game that you need to be playing. For those of us who are locally based, we’re not playing that game. We are not in that field. To apply those strategies and expect the same outcome, even when data says we should be seeing results, it doesn’t feel as successful or as monumental to us. What I find is that a lot of online business coaches are not being fully transparent about the size of the audience you need in order to reach the revenue goals they’re promising you. So photographers, service-based businesses, and consultants focused on one geographic area — or heavily location-based — are trying to apply high-volume strategies and then wondering why they’re not seeing the same results or the same impact. Local businesses are different in how we need to market, connect, and build. To contrast those differences: online businesses have a large audience, whether built organically through content marketing or through paid traffic. They are scaling through automation, with far less one-to-one direct contact. They have systems in place that automate their process to meet client expectations. They have volume-based visibility — a lot of eyeballs on them — which creates the potential for more conversions. Whereas location-based businesses are working with a smaller, finite pool of people. We are growing through relationships — whether someone finds you cold through SEO and then continues working with you over the years, or connects with you through one-to-one meetings and word-of-mouth referrals. We are building relationships, and our visibility is trust-based. We need to understand that we are playing a different game, but using someone else’s rulebook. I want to caveat this by saying that yes, some of these strategies absolutely have a place in our businesses. But the trap we fall into is thinking those strategies are the only way of doing business, getting locked in, and wondering why we’re not seeing the growth and success we want. So this year, some of the things I’m testing and experimenting with: all the time I would spend creating content specifically for Instagram — which can take quite a bit of time and has a shelf life of maybe 24 hours — I’m diverting to other avenues where I think I’ll see more ROI for my time. Here are some of the things I’m working on. First, personal emails. I’m just getting better at sending emails to past clients and connecting with new people. DMing people, which can potentially turn into real conversations. Commenting thoughtfully on posts on Instagram. Instead of spending so much time creating content, I’m intentionally going in and asking myself, “How can I engage with people who are already engaging with me? How can I engage with other businesses I’m genuinely excited about?” That way, I’m building relationships instead of spending time on content that feels like a hamster wheel. It feels way better because I feel like I’m actually giving something. I’m still posting and creating content — I’m just being more strategic about how much time I spend there and where I can get the most life out of what I’m creating. I’m also focusing on coffee dates. If someone comes to me wanting to “pick my brain,” that’s not the kind of coffee date I’m looking for. The coffee dates I want are ones where I’m having genuine connection conversations — learning about the other person, seeing if we vibe, seeing if we can become friends in some way, and exploring how we can build community to support one another. I’m focusing on referrals — talking to past clients and asking them to share my name if they know someone who could benefit. But I’m also referring people more, because reciprocity, my friends. When we become a referral source, other people will refer us. I believe that wholeheartedly. If we’re only ever asking people to do it for us but not doing it for others, we become like a vampire — just taking, taking, taking. And I just don’t think that’s a great way to operate. And then I’m focusing on strategic partnerships — aligning myself intentionally with others in an ecosystem of support and reciprocity. Different from referrals, this is a partnership where we’re locking in and saying, “Yes, you’re the person I’m going to send people to because I trust you and we align.” If we break this down at a high level: social media is the awareness piece — it’s helping people know who I am and where to find me. Email marketing is one step further into my ecosystem, where I’m nurturing people, helping them learn more about me, and building a deeper level of connection and trust. And then the last and most high-impact piece is the one-to-one conversation, which is the conversion accelerator. It helps people say yes sooner. They can get a sense of my energy — and it’s either a yes or a no. I want to challenge you with this question: where are you hiding behind creating content? I’m also thinking about experimenting with paid advertising. As I mentioned, a larger audience is where you can utilize strategies you’re already doing and potentially see results. So I’m considering paid advertising to grow my email list. The way I look at it, it’s not going to be an immediate ROI, but it’s a way to get new people into my ecosystem and nurture them over a longer period of time to eventually convert into a paid customer. One of the benefits of paid advertising is that it can accelerate the eyes on you, with the goal of eventually turning those people into customers. The biggest thing to know about paid ads is that most of the time they don’t convert into quick money unless you’re offering a low-ticket offer. My goal with paid ads is to drive brand awareness and build my email newsletter. I have no idea how any of this is going to pan out. What I’m really leaning into is experimenting and playing to see what works and what doesn’t. That’s one of the biggest advantages larger companies have that small businesses don’t — they have more capital to get curious and experiment. But once your business has hit a steady revenue where you know what’s coming in, I think the next level is experimenting with other forms of lead generation so that the success of your business isn’t contingent on one traffic source. In order for any of this experimentation to see results, there has to be a level of thick skin and resilience through trying something and failing — or really, experimenting, learning, tweaking, and experimenting again. I watched a YouTube video where the creator talked about how only 15% of people actually follow through with something. That really struck a chord with me. Let’s say 100 people start the same thing. Everyone’s excited and motivated, but only 15 people actually follow through. Mind blown. So the biggest part of this is actually following through. That’s when you start to see results. That’s when you learn whether something is working or isn’t. At first, your competition is 100 people. By the end, you’re only competing with 15. If there’s anything to take from that, it’s to follow through with what you say you’re going to do. Stay the course. When a strategy or marketing effort doesn’t work out the way we planned, it doesn’t mean you suck at business, that you’re bad at what you do, or that you need to burn everything down and start over. It just means you need to reassess and pivot. Maybe you need to try a new channel, change your approach, or focus on depth over reach. But a word of caution before you abandon ship: you need to commit to something for at least three to six months, because you’re not going to see any real data until you’ve fully committed for at least that amount of time. And for a lot of things, it actually takes way longer. To get a true understanding of whether something works, we need consistent effort to get actual data. If you quit and jump to something else, you end up in a perpetual loop of false starts — which circles back to that 15% who actually follow through. Challenge yourself to stick with the thing until you have enough data to make a decision on whether or not it’s working. Earlier this year, I watched an online creator give a full breakdown of all the revenue streams in her business. One of the things she had tried the prior year was TikTok. She had created content, and it basically flopped — hardcore flopped. After a full year, she looked at it and said, “This didn’t work and I’m not going to spend any more time here.” She then looked at a digital offer she had marketed, but not as well as she could have. She knew she could make more money if she focused her marketing there a little better. So she made that adjustment — but it took her an entire year of follow-through to have enough data to make those decisions and tweak for the next year. Okay, let’s end this with some journal prompts that you can either think about or write about — whatever works for you to get your mind spinning on ways to approach the second half of this year. Where are you taking things personally that are actually data-related? Reframing it that way can help take out the emotional charge. Are you over-investing in visibility — specifically social media channels — when you could divert that time to building more one-to-one connections in a way that feels authentic and genuine to you? What would it look like to intentionally strengthen one-to-one connections? How could that fit into your business? How could you make it more fun than, say, creating content for social media? And lastly, what is one strategy you’ve had on your list for 2026 that you haven’t fully committed to, or that has fallen by the wayside because you got distracted by something else? How could you recenter yourself on that original project and create a game plan for the remainder of the year — or, if that feels like too much, just for the next three months? Can you commit to that? Can you strengthen that piece? And at the end of that three or six months, what metrics would you use to evaluate how it did, and what would you change? That’s a juicy question. To wrap all of this up: remember that you are not alone in that “want, want” feeling that happens when you try something and it doesn’t seem to be getting traction. In small business ownership — especially when you’re local, don’t have a team, and don’t have a lot of capital for paid advertising — things take way more time than anyone wants to admit. So remember, you’re not alone. Flops aren’t failures. They’re experiments. They’re tests. They’re learning experiences. It’s all about staying curious. Marketing and stability are a long game — and remember, it ain’t about you. But you’re still allowed to feel cranky every once in a while when you’re not seeing the results you want. As always, take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and remember — you’ve got this dang thing. Want to Work With Me? ✨ Upgrade to PaidGet weekly soulful business guidance for just $7/month or $60/year. I share honest, strategy-backed insights to help you build a business that supports both your lifestyle and your soul. 💡 Join the Waitlist for the Moxie & Meaning Collective [https://www.leeannkphotography.com/the-moxie-collective-mastermind]A 4-month incubator where mastermind, coaching, education, and implementation come together. Enrollment is currently closed—join the waitlist [https://www.leeannkphotography.com/the-moxie-collective-mastermind] to be the first to know when doors open again. 🎯 One-to-One Brand Strategy + PhotographyLooking for personalized support? Let’s dive deep into your brand and build a strategy that reflects your essence and sets you up for sustainable success. Book a free 30 minute call to see if this is right for you. [https://hello.dubsado.com/public/appointment-scheduler/65d603b3106937402d2fbf89/schedule] The Heart-Aligned Brand is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and live trainings consider becoming a free or paid subscriber for $7 a month. When you signup you’ll receive my workbook Embracing Authenticity Online Get full access to The Heart-Aligned Brand at moxieandmeaning.substack.com/subscribe [https://moxieandmeaning.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Build a Business for Your Worst Days

What does leadership really look like when things are hard? In this episode of The Heart-Aligned Brand Podcast, LeeAnn Stromyer sits down with leadership strategist Nayli Russo, founder of Russo Leadership, to talk about leadership under pressure, building a business that reflects who you truly are, and what it means to evolve your brand as you grow. Originally from Venezuela, Nayli built her career navigating systems that weren’t designed for her. That experience led her to develop a powerful leadership philosophy focused on resilience, identity, and navigating bias in the workplace. In this conversation, LeeAnn and Nayli explore the realities of entrepreneurship, leadership growth, and how understanding the “worst version of yourself” can actually make you a stronger leader and business owner. This episode is an honest look at the internal work behind building a business that is strategic, impactful, and deeply aligned. In This Episode We Talk About • The difference between confidence coaching and systemic leadership change• Why Nayli shifted her business model from B2C to B2B consulting• Navigating corporate leadership as an immigrant woman of color• How entrepreneurship forces you to confront your own habits and patterns• Why learning the worst version of yourself can make you a better leader• Setting boundaries in business and saying no to misaligned clients• How to scale a business without compromising your values• The role of curiosity instead of self-judgment when things feel misaligned• Why evolving your brand is a natural part of entrepreneurship Key Takeaway: Optimize for the Worst Version of Yourself One of the most powerful ideas Nayli shares in this episode is the concept of optimizing your life and business decisions around your “worst version.” Rather than planning for your most motivated, productive self, Nayli designs systems that support her when she’s tired, overwhelmed, or unmotivated. By acknowledging those realities, she creates structures that make success easier and more sustainable. This shift has transformed the way she approaches leadership, boundaries, and decision-making in her business. The Evolution of a Personal Brand LeeAnn and Nayli also discuss the evolution of personal branding and how your brand should grow alongside you. Nayli shares how her brand visuals and messaging have shifted over time: • Initially expressing power and authority after leaving a male-dominated corporate environment• Later incorporating a softer, more compassionate leadership presence• Now embracing the full spectrum of both strength and empathy This evolution reflects an important truth for entrepreneurs: Your brand is not static — it grows as you grow. Boundaries, Values & Business Decisions Another important theme in this episode is boundaries in entrepreneurship. Nayli shares a story about walking away from a potentially large consulting contract because the client wanted to use her work to justify a predetermined agenda. Rather than compromising her integrity, she chose to protect the reputation she wants Russo Leadership to have. As she explains: “I would rather be known as the consultant who tells you what you need to hear than the one who tells you what you want to hear.” For entrepreneurs building purpose-driven businesses, these decisions are often the difference between short-term revenue and long-term alignment. Advice for Entrepreneurs Feeling Misaligned If you’re feeling disconnected from your brand or business, Nayli encourages entrepreneurs to approach that feeling with curiosity instead of judgment. Misalignment doesn’t necessarily mean failure. Often, it simply means you’ve grown beyond your current systems, clients, or messaging. Rather than immediately changing everything, start asking questions: • What specifically feels misaligned?• Is it your brand, your clients, or your work structure?• Are you solving the wrong problem?• What conditions help you do your best work? Sometimes the solution isn’t a complete pivot — it’s simply adjusting the conditions that support you. Connect with Nayli Russo If you enjoyed this conversation and want to follow Nayli’s work on leadership and navigating systems in the workplace: LinkedIn:Nayli Russo [https://www.linkedin.com/in/naylirusso/] Website:russoleadership.com [https://www.russoleadership.com/] LinkedIn is where Nayli shares most of her leadership insights and thought leadership content. About the Heart-Aligned Brand Podcast The Heart-Aligned Brand Podcast explores what it really looks like to build a business rooted in authenticity, strategy, and self-trust. Hosted by LeeAnn Stromyer, brand strategist and photographer, the show features conversations about: • personal branding• entrepreneurship and identity• creative leadership• building businesses that support your life Each episode dives into the deeper side of business — where strategy meets personal growth. A simple share goes a long way for small creators and businesses just like this one! If you found this inspiring or helpful pass it along to someone you know or your audience ❤️ Want to Work With Me? ✨ Upgrade to PaidGet weekly soulful business guidance for just $7/month or $60/year. I share honest, strategy-backed insights to help you build a business that supports both your lifestyle and your soul. 💡 Join the Waitlist for the Moxie & Meaning Collective [https://www.leeannkphotography.com/the-moxie-collective-mastermind]A 4-month incubator where mastermind, coaching, education, and implementation come together. Enrollment is currently closed—join the waitlist [https://www.leeannkphotography.com/the-moxie-collective-mastermind] to be the first to know when doors open again. 🎯 One-to-One Brand Strategy + PhotographyLooking for personalized support? Let’s dive deep into your brand and build a strategy that reflects your essence and sets you up for sustainable success. Book a free 30 minute call to see if this is right for you. [https://hello.dubsado.com/public/appointment-scheduler/65d603b3106937402d2fbf89/schedule] Moxie & Meaning is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and live trainings consider becoming a free or paid subscriber for $7 a month. When you signup you’ll receive my workbook Embracing Authenticity Online Thoughts or feelings? I’d love to hear what you have to say about today’s topic of authenticity and strategy in business. Get full access to The Heart-Aligned Brand at moxieandmeaning.substack.com/subscribe [https://moxieandmeaning.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Embracing the Messy Middle of Entrepreneurship

Summary In this conversation, LeeAnn Stromyer and Sara Ann explore the journey of self-discovery and entrepreneurship, discussing the importance of intuition, community support, and the evolution of one’s brand. They emphasize the significance of setting boundaries, prioritizing self-care, and taking action to create a heart-aligned business. Sara shares her personal experiences, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of navigating the messy middle of entrepreneurship, and the power of trusting oneself in the process of growth and change. Thanks for listening The Heart-Aligned Brand! This post is public so feel free to share it. Connect with Sara Ann www.jadescottdesign.com [http://www.jadescottdesign.com/] - almost everything lives here @jadescottdesign - Instagram https://jadescottdesign.myflodesk.com/taskedoptin [https://jadescottdesign.myflodesk.com/taskedoptin] - TASKED./Women, Gathered Transcript Okay, so you are a seeker of understanding yourself. That’s really at the heart of what you do and how you approach life, which is great. I think you and I are very similar in that way. We’re pursuers of deeper meaning, deeper understanding, growth — all of it. That has informed your business and how you’ve transitioned over the years. So let’s talk about when you first started. When did you begin working for yourself? What was that experience like? And how has it shifted to where you are today? High level — if we look at it and say, “This was me when I started, and this is who I am now,” how do you show up differently in your business? Sara Ann (02:58.241)I started my business in 2017 after working in corporate. I was a project manager in the healthcare sector for many years. At the time, I didn’t realize it was a gift, but I was put on a project that was incredibly boring. Weeks would go by before our team was even engaged. I was pregnant at the time, and everything in my life was shifting — becoming a mom for the first time, starting to feel that ick in the corporate world. I had always wanted to start my own business, so I just jumped in, as most creatives do, and started doing it on the side. There was no real business plan. No structure. Just, “I’m going for it.” For the first five years, I was flying by the seat of my pants. I think that’s common and natural. When you’re starting out, you don’t always have the resources — financial or otherwise — to learn “the right way.” And honestly, I don’t love that phrase anyway, because there really is no right way. We need the struggles. We need the bootstrapping. We need the “I don’t know what I’m doing” moments to grow. When you and I first worked together, I leaned on you a lot for direction. I was sending Pinterest images and saying, “I think this could work?” There wasn’t much confidence on my end. I had never been professionally photographed. It was just selfies with my family. There was this meek, quiet version of myself that didn’t really know what she was doing. Now, looking back at our recent branding photos, there’s a huge difference. Even something as simple as knowing my natural smile. The first time, I was forcing it. I’m not someone who shows my teeth in a big grin — I’m more subtle. This time, there was a quiet confidence. Not over-the-top. Just, “Okay. I know this.” You need those moments of not knowing what you’re doing to figure it out. LeeAnn Stromyer (06:28.920)I love what you’re speaking to. There’s so much pressure to have it figured out. But one of the most honest parts of owning a business — especially as a woman — is that there isn’t a clear roadmap. So many of us are making by-the-seat-of-our-pants decisions, and we don’t always feel good about that. There’s this feeling of, “I’m not doing it right.” But your superpower — the magic of your business — lies in who you are. And what gets you there is that uncomfortable middle. The stumbling. The “I think this is the direction, but I’m not sure.” When we worked together recently, there was that acquired confidence. You could just be there. Show up as you are. Sara Ann (08:12.693)Yes. And I think another piece is learning to hear and trust your intuition — your inner guidance. I know intuition is a buzzword right now, but it really is everything. I used to struggle with decision-making. Even something as simple as picking a restaurant was hard for me. That stemmed from childhood — not really having a voice, or having it dismissed. That showed up in my business too. Always looking at what others were doing. Letting that shape me. There’s a place for mentorship and guidance, but it’s about finding people who align with what’s true for you. I’ve worked with the same coach since 2016. And only recently did I realize how important that consistency has been. There’s so much noise. Courses everywhere. Experts everywhere. But my theme this year is: go deeper, not wider. Instead of trying everything, I’m asking: Where can I go deeper? In my business, my personal life, my everyday choices? And there are times I go the opposite direction of what the masses are doing. It feels uncomfortable at first. But every time I’ve trusted myself, it’s proven to be the right decision for me. LeeAnn Stromyer (11:19.810)I love that. So how did you start trusting that voice? If someone listening wants to begin hearing their intuition more clearly, where would you tell them to start? Sara Ann (12:04.702)I studied under Kim Chesney for several years. Her book Radical Intuition is a great starting point. She teaches that everyone receives intuitive guidance differently. Here’s a recent example. After moving twice in two years and buying and selling homes, finances were tight. I wasn’t working much. Interior design didn’t feel aligned anymore. I was in a pause — an intentional pause — for 11 months. One day, standing at the kitchen sink washing dishes, I heard clearly: “Start with the women already on your path.” It just dropped in. That’s intuition. I reached out to two women in my network and asked if they needed support. I didn’t want to get a corporate job again if I didn’t have to. They both said yes. That became my second business — virtual support for women entrepreneurs. In ten months, I built a roster of eight steady clients and a community of 35 women. If I hadn’t acted on that one sentence, none of this would exist. LeeAnn Stromyer (16:21.762)I appreciate your honesty. There’s so much illusion around “overnight success.” But we don’t talk enough about privilege, starting points, pauses, pivots. You moved twice. You were location-based. You had to start from scratch. But you got the intuitive nudge — and you acted. That’s the key. So many of us sit in perfectionism. “I’m still working on it.” It’s rejection-proofing. As long as it’s not launched, it can’t fail. You took the step. Sara Ann (23:30.238)Yes. And that one breadcrumb changed everything. Out of that action, my two businesses now support each other. Mind, body, home — and business. I support overwhelmed women at home and overwhelmed women in business. They weave together. With action comes clarity. Your lived experience is your credibility. You don’t need another certification. You don’t need more training. The reason you lived it is so you can share it. LeeAnn Stromyer (29:48.559)That’s exactly it. Why build a business that isn’t aligned with who you are? If you’re going to be a business owner — which requires discipline, self-awareness, growth — why not build something that feels right? You gave yourself permission to pivot. That’s powerful. Sara Ann (33:32.975)Pivoting was terrifying. After going full-time in interior design, a few months in I realized it might not be what I wanted. I felt like a failure. I sat with that alone for a long time. Eventually I owned it. I like change. I evolve. Some things fall away. Some things become breakthroughs. Giving yourself grace to pivot is everything. LeeAnn Stromyer (39:56.633)Let’s talk about your day-to-day. What does living a heart-aligned business actually look like in practice? Sara Ann (40:45.338)For me, it’s blending personal and professional life. I wake up at 5:30. I give myself 45 minutes alone — meditation, yoga, or just sitting in the dark. Then two hours focused on my kids. After they leave, I reset my home — dishes, laundry, fluff the pillows. Then I work intentionally. I outline tasks the night before. I love a checklist. Mind, body, home first. When those are tended to, everything else flows. LeeAnn Stromyer (43:11.176)That’s countercultural. But we’re always voting with our time. A yes to one thing is a no to another. So what would you say to someone who says they don’t have time? Sara Ann (45:03.832)You prioritize what’s important to you. If you’re constantly overwhelmed, what are you actually prioritizing? Sometimes I skip my morning walk to answer emails. That’s choosing clients over myself. It’s awareness. And then action. Start small. Drink your coffee in silence. Be present. Micro practices compound over time. LeeAnn Stromyer (48:43.022)Yes. Five percent better. Small shifts. Now let’s talk boundaries. How do you protect your time? Sara Ann (50:48.940)Boundaries start with self. My email signature lists my working hours — 10 to 3. My scheduling link reflects that. At home, I communicate clearly when I need to work evenings. But honestly, I’m the one most likely to break my own boundaries. So I call myself out. Awareness without changed behavior is pointless. You have to practice it. LeeAnn Stromyer (01:01:15.046)Me too. Me too. And I want to tap into this piece of it because you’re highlighting something I’m constantly advocating for with my clients: we are kind of the architects of our lives — our future, who we are becoming. With this heart-aligned shoot, one of the things I really loved is that you’re giving yourself permission to be that person. Right? She exists. For all of us. Our version of whoever she is — she’s there. So many of us are just afraid to step into that because of the conditioning, the thoughts, the voices, all of it. And when you can physically see it — because that’s a physical manifestation of the work we did — now you have proof. She is there. She exists. It becomes this powerful reminder. So like you’re saying, when you filter things through, “What would she say? What would she think?” — it’s almost like you’re strengthening her. You’re strengthening that voice that’s always been there but maybe you weren’t ready to let take center stage. And now she is. Sara Ann (01:02:33.955)Totally. Totally. And we talked at the beginning about the first photo shoot we did — gosh, that was right after COVID, so I guess like five or six years ago. That’s two totally different people. Back then, I was afraid to step into who I wanted to become because I didn’t even fully know at the time. I just knew I needed headshots and I needed to play the role of a designer. And that’s what it was — I was playing the role. It wasn’t fully me. I know that now. That’s not to say I didn’t love those photos — I did. Totally. But looking at them retrospectively and seeing the evolution? Game-changing. Totally different person. Way more embodied. Way more confident. Way more bold. Way more visible. All of these really juicy things that I’m just excited to keep building on. Because I feel like — okay, I’m 43. I always have to ask my husband how old I am. I’m always a year off. But I’m 43. And I’m like, wow… I feel like I’m just getting started. Something about 40 was like, ooooh, I still have a whole life to live. I have friends who are afraid of turning 40. And I’m like — I am happy to be done with my 20s. I don’t ever need to go back there. It was fun. I did it. But now? I’m feeling myself. LeeAnn Stromyer (01:04:08.672)Yes. I love that. Okay, to round out this conversation — tell us where we can find you. And then we’ll end on this: if someone is feeling reluctant because they can sense that pull — that their brand isn’t aligned anymore, or how they’re showing up isn’t aligned — what piece of advice would you give them today to help them find the courage to start making that shift? Sara Ann (01:04:46.834)You can find me online at jadescottdesign.com. That’s where everything lives — that’s my hub, my nucleus. You can follow me on social media too, but I’m not predominantly there. The website is best. And for anyone feeling unsure — maybe their brand isn’t jiving with them anymore, or they feel called to shift how they’re showing up — I’d say first, give yourself grace. Maybe even a little forgiveness. Sometimes we put so much pressure on ourselves. Maybe things aren’t working out the way we thought. Maybe we’re afraid. We think our business needs to stay the same, and the idea of pivoting feels overwhelming. I know that’s true for a lot of my clients. They’ll say, “I did all this branding when I first started and it was so much work.” But get yourself support. LeeAnn’s a good start, right? She can certainly help you. And community. That’s been huge for me — finding a place, whether online or in person, where you can share the struggles or the ideas. Whatever they are. Because you’ll realize you’re not alone. Everyone is wrestling with similar thoughts. My lived experience has been this: strong community and seeking support before I feel ready. Because you’re not meant to do this alone. You just aren’t. And that’s a hard lesson for entrepreneurs. A lot of us are perfectionists. We struggle with delegation. We want to do it all ourselves. So find support. Find community. And follow your intuition. If you’re afraid to pivot… you’re probably meant to. LeeAnn Stromyer (01:07:24.023)Mm-hmm. And real quick — you mentioned community. I want to bring up your monthly Women Gathered. How can people join that? Sara Ann (01:07:39.478)Yes! I’ll share the link with you for the show notes — it’s a landing page and a little long to say out loud. But Women Gathered is a free monthly online community we’re slowly growing. We pick a topic each month and it’s just open conversation. We have women who’ve been in business a long time, women just getting started, and women in the messy middle. It’s a space to be seen, be heard, give support, and receive support. So yes — I’ll send you that link so people can sign up. Get full access to The Heart-Aligned Brand at moxieandmeaning.substack.com/subscribe [https://moxieandmeaning.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

The Stereotype That’s Keeping You Stuck in Your Business

Intro Music: https://youtu.be/GXol_sopL-w?si=alchwgnQyOkmboOJ [https://youtu.be/GXol_sopL-w?si=alchwgnQyOkmboOJ] Reference Article: https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-05-06/the-benefits-of-solitude-rethinking-the-loneliness-epidemic [https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-05-06/the-benefits-of-solitude-rethinking-the-loneliness-epidemic] Show Transcript When we start out in business, we’re quickly sucked into a world of “how-tos” and “shoulds.” We need this because without it, we’d feel like Tom Hanks in Cast Away—lost at sea. But one of the biggest hurdles every small business owner faces at one point or another is trusting their inner voice and following what feels right for them. Building a successful business is equal parts strategy and honoring what works for you. The hard part is: a) knowing what you in your business actually looks like, and b) still finding the discipline to implement strategy without losing yourself in the process. Here’s the thing -if you want a successful business that supports your lifestyle and feels like it gives more than it takes, challenging yourself to learn how to do both is the only path forward. There’s a cultural stereotype that creatives are messy, forgetful, scatter-brained, and averse to the technical side of business. This stereotype serves no one, especially the artist. Passion, heart, and soul are beautiful pieces of creativity, but if you had your way, would you rather be Frida Kahlo—known and respected as an artist during her lifetime—or Vincent Van Gogh, only revered after his death? If you ask me, I choose the former. Recently, while deep in thought, I had this revelation: our life experience is really only for us. We come into this world alone, and we leave it alone. Eventually, our memory will fade from the world. If we spend our time fixated on external validation—twisting, contorting, and changing in ways that don’t align with our true values and desires—we’ll end up on our deathbed looking back at a life lived in superficiality. That might sound dismal, but to me it’s actually quietly inspiring and deeply liberating. It gives me permission to stop caring so much about what other people want or think is right for my life. Instead, my compass becomes: Does this feel right in my soul? Am I, more often than not, enjoying my life? Am I content? I bring this up because our business is one avenue where we get to set the terms. And I see too many people setting those terms based on a toxic culture that sees people and the world—as something to exploit for gain as the only way to exist. And when I say this, I’m talking about the obvious...wealth, power, success, but also the not-so-obvious: the toxic culture around productivity, the do-it-yourself mentality, and most notably, the expectations placed on women in motherhood. I was listening to NPR on the way home from an errand, and they had a guest speaker talking about solitude. We often talk about solitude in a negative context, but this woman studies the positive aspects of solitude. I won’t get into the nitty-gritty here, but I’ll link the conversation in the show notes if you want to listen. What stuck with me was when the interviewer said that positive solitude—taking intentional time for yourself is counter-culture. Why? Why is the idea of taking time away to do something that fuels you creatively or spiritually considered radical? In that moment, I felt affirmed. I was reminded that what I advocate for my clients and what I’m encouraging you to do is to reject the idea that you are a resource meant to be exploited. “I’m exhausted.” “I’m busy.” “My kids or my partner depend on all my time, so there’s none left for me.” This is outright bullshit fed to us by a system that benefits when we forgo our humanity. And that’s just not true. So how do we transition our business from a place of “shoulds” to “does this feel right to me?” You start by getting clear on what matters most to you as it relates to your business and your life. Do you care about creating a product with natural ingredients while also giving back to your community? Are you passionate about helping women believe in themselves and translating that into empowered, authentic brands that look and feel like them? (That’s one of mine.) Do you care about uplifting your community by employing people, paying amazing wages, and working in a way that honors their humanity? Are you deeply excited about curating experiences that create lasting memories? What lights you up most about how you do what you love is your path forward. This is the magic sauce, the missing link, when it comes to building a brand that feels like you. This is where the “shoulds” fall away and you come to the forefront. This is where you begin shaping your brand and engineering your business to support your humanity. Here’s an example. If you’re passionate about building a business that supports its community by paying amazing wages, offering healthcare, generous paid time off, and maybe even extended parental leave, what needs to be in place structurally to support that mission? And how do you need to set that example for yourself first? Words are only as good as the actions that back them up. If you don’t do it for yourself, you’re turning yourself into a martyr. We don’t need more martyrs, we need more people proving there is another way forward. I want to leave you with a reflective exercise to get your wheels turning. No, you won’t experience an immediate shift by answering these questions. But what you will do is plant seeds of possibility in your subconscious. Over time, those seeds grow into subtle changes that bring you closer to building a brand rooted in what feels right for you in whatever season of life you’re in. The questions are in the show notes. Within your answers, you’ll find nuggets of truth pointing you toward how you naturally show up, what wants to be brought forward in your branding, and how you run your business. Once you’ve answered the questions and given yourself space to internalize, not intellectualize, what comes up, the next step is action. What does this actually look like in practice? Let’s return to the example of a business committed to a life-first model for employees. Start with an audit: what’s already in place, what needs to be added, and how much permission you give yourself to participate in it. If you want to pay amazing wages but you’re not paying yourself a livable one, start there. If you want to offer four weeks of vacation but you’ve never taken that much time off or when you do, you’re still working - start there. I think you’re catching my drift. Let me know below one thing you want to implement for yourself. Or, if you’ve been on this journey already and this was just a gentle reminder - what have you been working on? Where do you rub up against resistance? Take your time with these. There are no right answers. My top three favorite colors are __________ because __________. What I love most about my job is __________. The best client I’ve ever had was __________ because __________. If I had it my way, I’d only work with people who __________. In order to do my best work for a client, my service must include __________. I feel most like myself when I’m __________. Most people say I’m __________, but what I wish more people knew about me is __________. An ideal day in my life and business would look like __________. An ideal year in my life and business would look like __________. Get full access to The Heart-Aligned Brand at moxieandmeaning.substack.com/subscribe [https://moxieandmeaning.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]