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

Your Word-of-Mouth Success Might Be Costing You Millions

Your business is thriving through referrals and word-of-mouth. You're profitable. You're getting steady clients. People are talking about you. So why does it feel like something's missing? Here's what nobody tells you: just because your business is working doesn't mean it's working at full capacity. In this episode, I'm talking to the business owners who are already successful and wondering if they actually need marketing. I'm breaking down what word-of-mouth does really well, where it falls short, and the one question that will tell you whether you're making a conscious choice or just defaulting to what's comfortable. I'm also sharing why every business needs a different marketing strategy, how to actually track where your business is coming from, and the honest truth about DIY versus hiring help. This isn't about convincing you to spend money. It's about helping you make an intentional decision, whether that's staying exactly where you are or growing beyond your current network. Enjoying the podcast? Follow In the EllaMents on your favorite podcast platform so you don’t miss anything. New episodes drop every other Monday! If you enjoyed this episode and want to stay connected beyond the podcast, I’d love to have you on my email list. I send 2–4 emails a month where I share honest thoughts on marketing, motherhood, and building a business that actually fits your real life — encouragement, clarity, and things I don’t always share on social media. I also share when new podcast episodes are live, so you never miss a conversation. You can join the list [https://socialellaments.com/contact/]here. You can also find me on Instagram at @socialellaments [https://www.instagram.com/socialellaments/], where I share behind-the-scenes moments and continue the conversation. Thanks for being here — I’m really glad you’re listening.

Entrepreneurship Is Lonely - Even When Your Business Is Successful

You hit your revenue goals. Your business is growing. You should feel amazing. So why do you feel so alone? Nobody warns you about this part of entrepreneurship. The isolation. The decisions you have to make by yourself. The wins you celebrate alone. The doubt that creeps in at 2am when it's just you and your thoughts. The thing is that it doesn't just go away when you become successful. It's part of this journey. But what if there was a different way? In this episode, I'm talking about when that loneliness actually hits, why we default to seeing other entrepreneurs as competition (and why that makes it worse), plus what happened when I decided to collaborate instead. I'm sharing real stories about building friendships with people who could technically be my competitors, and how that changed everything for me, not just in business, but as a person. If you've been feeling alone in this entrepreneurial journey, this episode is for you. Enjoying the podcast? Follow In the EllaMents on your favorite podcast platform so you don’t miss anything. New episodes drop every other Monday! If you enjoyed this episode and want to stay connected beyond the podcast, I’d love to have you on my email list. I send 2–4 emails a month where I share honest thoughts on marketing, motherhood, and building a business that actually fits your real life — encouragement, clarity, and things I don’t always share on social media. I also share when new podcast episodes are live, so you never miss a conversation. You can join the list [https://socialellaments.com/contact/]here. You can also find me on Instagram at @socialellaments [https://www.instagram.com/socialellaments/], where I share behind-the-scenes moments and continue the conversation. Thanks for being here — I’m really glad you’re listening.

Can You Really Run Ads on a Small Budget? What $10/Day Actually Gets You

You've probably told yourself you can't afford to run ads. Or maybe you've convinced yourself that small budgets don't work and you need thousands of dollars a month to see any kind of results. So you're grinding away at organic content instead. Posting constantly. Fighting the algorithm. And watching other businesses grow faster than you. But what if I told you small budgets can actually work? You just need to know what's realistic for the money you have. In this episode, I'm answering the question I get asked more than any other: "How much do I actually need to spend on ads to see results?" I'm walking you through what's possible at different budget levels, the one mistake that will burn through your money fast, and how to know if you're actually ready to invest or if you should wait. Plus, I'm sharing real numbers from my clients so you can see what budgets real businesses are spending a month and how that actually looks in practice. If you've been sitting on the sidelines because you think you can't afford ads, this episode is for you! Enjoying the podcast? Follow In the EllaMents on your favorite podcast platform so you don’t miss anything. New episodes drop every other Monday! If you enjoyed this episode and want to stay connected beyond the podcast, I’d love to have you on my email list. I send 2–4 emails a month where I share honest thoughts on marketing, motherhood, and building a business that actually fits your real life — encouragement, clarity, and things I don’t always share on social media. I also share when new podcast episodes are live, so you never miss a conversation. You can join the list [https://socialellaments.com/contact/]here. You can also find me on Instagram at @socialellaments [https://www.instagram.com/socialellaments/], where I share behind-the-scenes moments and continue the conversation. Thanks for being here — I’m really glad you’re listening.

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

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

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

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