800 Subscribers and No Social Strategy: How Karen Gets Clients

Walking Away from Instagram (and Still Booking Clients) with Shannon

Ever felt like you’re supposed to be everywhere online…but you’d rather be literally anywhere else? This episode is basically your permission slip. I sit down with Shannon (https://www.sundaymusedesign.com/), an ordinary but thriving business owner who’s done the unthinkable: she stepped off the Instagram hamster wheel and didn’t disappear into the void. If you’re exhausted by the endless “post more” advice and want a business that works for your actual life (think: client work, family time, naps), you’re in the right place. Today’s chat is about running a design business without making Instagram a second job. I dig into Shannon’s numbers-first approach (spoiler: her 9-grid is now a sales page, not her personal diary), where her clients come from, and what truly happens to your business when you stop chasing likes. If you want realistic ideas about where to spend your precious energy—without feeling guilty or behind—grab your coffee and tune in. → Learn more about The Ordinary Business: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theordinarybusiness.com [https://www.theordinarybusiness.com/] → Enjoy this episode? Buy me a coffee: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/ordinarybusiness⁠ [https://buymeacoffee.com/ordinarybusiness%E2%81%A0] → Peek inside the Nosy Nelly Files: ⁠https://theordinarybusiness.com/nosy⁠ [https://theordinarybusiness.com/nosy%E2%81%A0] Key Takeaways * Track your numbers for at least six months before making big marketing changes—vibes alone are not a business strategy. * Turn your social media into a portfolio or sales page, then actually reclaim your time (permission to NOT talk to camera: granted). * Focus your energy where it really counts—clients still find you when you’re clear and consistent, Instagram grid or not. This podcast is for business owners who are tired of hustle culture and want relatable, honest conversations about running a sustainable business that actually works for their life.

Airtable + Zite: The Client Portal Setup Emylee Uses

This episode is for every ordinary business owner who’s done with juggling too many tools, wants a business that feels manageable, and refuses to trade their nap time for “hustle.” If you’re all about keeping things real (and maybe just a smidge pretty), you’re in the right place. Today, I’m chatting with Emylee Williams (https://www.soldoutservices.com/) about her actual tech stack—including why she’s hoarding over a thousand Airtable tables and why she ditched the usual suspects like Dubsado and Asana in favor of tools that keep things simple. We swap notes on automation, making client experiences less “DIY cold sweat” and more “just click and go,” and exactly how to streamline your business without overcomplicating it. This is for ordinary but thriving business owners who want fewer headaches and more freedom in their day. → Learn more about The Ordinary Business: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theordinarybusiness.com [https://www.theordinarybusiness.com/] → Enjoy this episode? Buy me a coffee: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/ordinarybusiness⁠ [https://buymeacoffee.com/ordinarybusiness%E2%81%A0] → Peek inside the Nosy Nelly Files: ⁠https://theordinarybusiness.com/nosy⁠ [https://theordinarybusiness.com/nosy%E2%81%A0] Key Takeaways: * Ditch unnecessary apps by making one tool (like Airtable) do all the work for your business (seriously, who needs Asana and ClickUp and Dubsado?). * Create smoother (less headache-y) client experiences using tools that are actually brandable, simple to use, and don’t require your clients to remember 47 logins. * Build systems that work for you—not some fictional “7-figures-in-7-minutes” entrepreneur—so you can focus on the parts of business (and life) you actually like. This podcast is for business owners who are tired of hustle culture and want relatable, honest conversations about running a sustainable business that actually works for their life.

How Stephanie Runs a 16-Hour Workweek Without Losing Her Cool

In this episode, I sit down with Stephanie Darby (https://stephaniedarbyrd.com/) who proves you don’t have to sabotage your sleep or sanity just to “make it” in business. If you’re juggling nap schedules and client calls while side-eyeing hustle culture, you’re absolutely in the right place. Stephanie and I dig into what running a business on 16 hours a week actually looks like (spoiler: there’s no secret millionaire playbook here), how she sets boundaries that make room for real life, and why it’s very okay if your business grows at a speed that feels good, not just fast. We also get real about what it means to model healthy work for your kids and yourself—yes, that includes actually eating lunch. → Learn more about The Ordinary Business: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theordinarybusiness.com [https://www.theordinarybusiness.com/] → Enjoy this episode? Buy me a coffee: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/ordinarybusiness⁠ [https://buymeacoffee.com/ordinarybusiness%E2%81%A0] → Peek inside the Nosy Nelly Files: ⁠https://theordinarybusiness.com/nosy⁠ [https://theordinarybusiness.com/nosy%E2%81%A0] Key Takeaways: * Ditch the 9-to-5 guilt by setting boundaries that fit your life (not someone else’s spreadsheet). * Stop waiting for a magical “right time” and instead, make your business match your real season of life—even if that means less growth and more sanity. * Prioritize actual self-care (think: lunch breaks, movement, and end-of-day rituals) because “pausing” isn’t procrastination, it’s survival. This podcast is for business owners who are tired of hustle culture and want relatable, honest conversations about running a sustainable business that actually works for their life.

How Angelina Builds Business Friendships Without Getting Burned Out

Ever feel like finding real business friends online is basically adult trick-or-treating—sometimes you get a full-size Snickers, sometimes it’s a toothbrush? In this episode, Angelina (https://wildwavepodcasting.com/) and I get honest about what it really takes to create actual connections when you’re a regular busy human, not a “networking queen” who collects business cards like Pokemon. From resisting the pressure to pitch (or be pitched) at every coffee chat, to showing up as yourself—even when your “office” is the corner of your kitchen table. >> Thanks to our sponsor, Bright Bunch Designs [https://www.brightbunchdesigns.com/]! >> Grab the Airtable template [https://devinlee6.gumroad.com/l/relationship-database-auto] that Angelina mentioned. This episode dives into the nitty-gritty of making business friends online without any sleazy vibes, why sometimes you have to be the one to reach out first, and how setting up simple systems can save your tired brain from forgetting birthdays, details, and—well—your own sanity. I get into how I use voice notes, memes, and actual human conversation instead of feeling like I need to give a TED Talk every time I DM someone. Spoiler: “Ordinary” connections with ordinary but thriving business owners are way more fun (and sustainable) than just chasing random leads. → Learn more about The Ordinary Business: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theordinarybusiness.com [https://www.theordinarybusiness.com/] → Enjoy this episode? Buy me a coffee: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/ordinarybusiness⁠ [https://buymeacoffee.com/ordinarybusiness%E2%81%A0] → Peek inside the Nosy Nelly Files: ⁠https://theordinarybusiness.com/nosy⁠ [https://theordinarybusiness.com/nosy%E2%81%A0] Key Takeaways: * Start relationships by reaching out first and expecting nothing in return—sometimes your people just need an invitation. * Use easy systems (like a relationship hub) to remember important details and actually show up for your business friends, without becoming a robot. * Drop the performative networking—casual voice notes and real conversation turn acquaintances into supportive business pals. This podcast is for business owners who are tired of hustle culture and want relatable, honest conversations about running a sustainable business that actually works for their life.

Ending the Day with a "Did It" List with Tammie Bennett

In this episode, I sat down with Tammie Bennett (https://itstammiebennett.com/), a totally ordinary but thriving business owner, to talk honestly about shutting down the nightly mental to-do list parade and celebrating small, real wins. >> Thanks to our sponsor, Roop Creative Agency [https://www.roopcreativeagency.com/]! Tammie gives the rundown on her low-pressure “did it list” practice—the most anti-hustle thing you’ll try this week. If you’re tired of performative productivity and want a no B.S. way to actually see your efforts (without weaponizing them against yourself), this episode is basically your permission slip. Think: building confidence, teaching your brain to spot the good stuff, and letting ‘enough’ really be enough, even when your inner critic wants to play manager. → Learn more about The Ordinary Business: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theordinarybusiness.com [https://www.theordinarybusiness.com/] → Enjoy this episode? Buy me a coffee: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/ordinarybusiness⁠ [https://buymeacoffee.com/ordinarybusiness%E2%81%A0] → Peek inside the Nosy Nelly Files: ⁠https://theordinarybusiness.com/nosy⁠ [https://theordinarybusiness.com/nosy%E2%81%A0] Key Takeaways: * Start a “did it list” by writing one small win at the end of each day—yes, even if it’s just surviving the day. * Notice and gently quiet the voice that says your efforts “aren’t enough”—one thing is plenty, your people. * Flip back through your wins on rough days to remind yourself you’re making progress (even when it doesn’t feel like it). This podcast is for business owners who are tired of hustle culture and want relatable, honest conversations about running a sustainable business that actually works for their life.