Why Picking Your Niche Isn’t Making Sense (and How to Fix It)

40,000 AI Tools and Counting: How to Pick the Ones That Are Right For You - With Special Guest: Mariana Dalto

This Episode was recorded the first week in September, 2025. On that day, it was reported that 40,000 AI tools had hit the market to date. My guest Mariana Dalto had to update her presentation deck mid-week because the number doubled in a month and a half. No wonder you're feeling overwhelmed. The real problem isn't that AI doesn't work - it's that most business owners are throwing tools at their business like spaghetti at a wall, hoping something sticks. Meanwhile, they're breaking workflows, confusing teams, and wondering why their "AI strategy" feels like expensive chaos. Mariana has been in the AI trenches for two years (back when most people thought it was still science fiction). As both a business coach and AI consultant, she's seen what actually works for YOUR specific business - and what's just shiny object syndrome in disguise. What You'll Learn: * The real reason 98% of businesses fail at AI implementation (hint: it's not about picking the wrong tools) * Why you need TWO assessments before you touch a single AI tool * Mariana's 6-step process for finding the RIGHT fit for your workflow * How to work WITH AI instead of trying to replace your brain entirely * Why ChatGPT 5.0 broke everyone's systems (and how to adapt when tools change every 3-6 months) The Bottom Line: Stop trying to AI-fy your entire business. Start with strategy, pick your battles, and build systems that actually work together. When only 2% of businesses are doing this right, there's a massive opportunity for those who get it - including a 37% ROI boost. Connect with Mariana:  https://marianadalto.com/liz [https://marianadalto.com/liz] Ready to cut through the AI noise and find what actually works for YOU? This conversation will show you exactly how.

Why Picking Your Niche Isn’t Making Sense (and How to Fix It)

Description: If you’ve ever felt stuck in “niche drama” — wondering who you’re supposed to serve, second-guessing your audience, or feeling like nothing makes sense — this episode is for you. Here’s the truth: your niche isn’t just about choosing a group of people. It’s about connecting to your purpose. When you understand why you’re here and what lights you up, your niche grows naturally out of that fertile ground. In this episode, I share: * Why chasing an avatar can keep you spinning in confusion * How Human Design reveals the energetic qualities of the people you’re here to serve * Why your purpose is the soil, and your niche is what grows from it * How to shift from “forcing a niche” to authentically attracting your people If you’ve struggled with niche confusion or felt pressured to force yourself into a box, this episode will help you find clarity and ease by starting with purpose first. ✨ Your purpose is the throughline. Your niche is simply the way it shines. Resources & Links: * 🎧 Listen to the last episode on niche drama [https://open.spotify.com/episode/5TzhZLPHDwLmJxzhKyQOuo?si=cWiTES4FQP6OxSGlDY60rw] for context * 💡 Stay tuned for my upcoming workshop on purpose, voice, and niche

The Hidden Fears That Run Your Business ... Until You See Them (Shadow Series Part 3)

In this episode: Fear isn’t always obvious. It’s not always panic or paralysis. Sometimes fear shows up as: * Perfectionism. * Overthinking. * People-pleasing. * Procrastination. In this final part of the Shadow Series, we explore how fear lives in the body — not just the mind — and how it subtly shapes your business through the Ajna, Solar Plexus, and Spleen centers in your Human Design. If you’ve ever wondered why you keep holding back, hesitating, or clinging to what no longer works — this episode will hit home. * How fear of uncertainty in the Ajna leads to chronic overthinking and obsession with "the right strategy." * Why the Solar Plexus makes us avoid truth to keep emotional peace (and how that blocks authentic leadership). * How the Spleen holds ancestral fear and survival instincts that keep you stuck in "safe but expired" business models. * Real-life patterns these shadows show up as — and how to start unraveling them. * Am I pretending to be certain — when I’m really not? * Where do I tiptoe around emotional truth to avoid discomfort? * What am I clinging to that feels “safe,” even though I’ve outgrown it? * You’re ready to stop building your business from fear and start creating from truth. * You want to understand the real roots of self-sabotage in your design. * You’re craving deeper clarity and alignment — without shame or “fixing.” * Parts 1 & 2 of the Shadow Series (linked below) * FREE Aligned Business Audit → A 1:1 call to uncover what’s keeping you stuck and define your next steps toward growth and clarity. * Listen to Part 1 → Self Sabotage Burnout and the Shadow [https://open.spotify.com/episode/3f1xpKWUdBSqnm2BSX1J7I?si=e90114ad8f324efe] * Listen to Part 2 → [https://open.spotify.com/episode/6blnEaVwJbnsgJqtqdrkki?si=2f4622315f3c4ed2]Are You Building a Business from Your Old Identity? [https://open.spotify.com/episode/6blnEaVwJbnsgJqtqdrkki?si=be791d68d6004731] The shadow isn’t here to block you. It’s here to show you where you’re ready to grow. When you know how fear operates in your body and your design — you stop building from protection and start creating from alignment.

Are You Building a Business from Your Old Identity? (Shadow Series Part 2)

Welcome back to The Liz Forman Show! In this second episode of the Shadow Series, Liz dives even deeper into what shadow really is, how it’s tied to your nervous system and your business strategy, and how to begin a radical, life-changing reclamation of your truth. In this episode, you’ll learn: * How your shadow isn’t a flaw, but a protective adaptation that was once needed—and how it becomes unsustainable over time * The difference between building from truth vs. building from performance, people-pleasing, or protection * How Human Design explains shadow through the lens of the "not-self theme" * Why midlife (aka your Chiron return) brings a powerful reckoning, and why your old ways may be falling apart * What Richard Rudd, Ra Uru Hu, and Joe Dispenza each offer us about shadow, transformation, and identity * How integrating the shadow is the path to the gift and eventually your wisdom Key Topics Covered: * The protector / inner warrior that builds from survival * Not-self themes and conditioning in Human Design * The shadow as the doorway to your business becoming a true expression of you * How the body and nervous system store protective patterns * Joe Dispenza and how we become addicted to emotional loops from the past * Richard Rudd and the idea that each shadow has a gift inside waiting to be lived * What your Chiron return awakens in your identity and voice Reflection & Shadow Work Questions from This Episode: * What am I pretending to be certain about, even though I'm not? * Where do I feel like I need to be "on" or visible all the time? * What am I afraid will happen if I stop performing? * What pain or wound keeps repeating in my life? * What part of my story have I worked hard to hide or fix that might actually be a gift? * What story have I told myself about my pain, and am I ready to rewrite it? * What if the thing I thought made me weak is actually what makes me whole? * What emotions do I repeat, even when I say I want something different? * What am I emotionally addicted to that might be tethering me to a past identity? Bonus Invitation:Book your free Aligned Business Audit with Liz to explore how your shadow might be running your business and how to return to building from truth. Go to lizforman.me [https://www.lizforman.me/free-aligned-business-audit] and book your session. Next Week: We go even deeper into the Human Design chart and explore how your specific conditioning has shaped your identity—and what your unique design is asking you to reclaim now. Remember: The shadow isn’t here to shame you. It’s here to unlock you. Listen to Episode 1 if you haven’t already → Self Sabotage, Burnout, and the Shadow (Shadow Series Part 1) [https://open.spotify.com/episode/3f1xpKWUdBSqnm2BSX1J7I?si=61c7e59ac00a43fb]

Self-Sabotage, Burnout, and the Shadow (Shadow Series Part 1)

In this first episode of The Shadow Series, we unpack the real reason so many entrepreneurs feel stuck, disconnected, or secretly burnt out even when they’re doing everything “right.” Spoiler: it’s not your marketing. It’s your shadow. You’ll learn: * What shadow actually is psychologically, somatically, and spiritually * Why sabotage is actually self-protection in disguise * How your nervous system stores survival-based business strategies * Why your self-image (often shaped by fear, rejection, or trauma) still runs the show * And how to begin reclaiming the business you’re actually meant to build We’ll also explore a powerful idea of how your unconscious programming might be hardwired to seek safety instead of success. This episode is your permission to stop blaming yourself… And start seeing the truth about how you’ve been building. Resources + Links: Book your Free Aligned Business Audit:https://www.lizforman.me [https://www.lizforman.me/free-aligned-business-audit] 📱 Connect on Instagram: @lizformancoaching [instagram.com/lizformancoaching] Previous Episode Discussed: Your Niche Isn't a Problem to Solve, It's a Truth to Remember [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/lizforman/episodes/Your-Niche-Isnt-a-Problem-to-Solve--Its-a-Truth-to-Remember-e35tuuh/a-ac2k206]