As an entrepreneur, who DOESN'T want to get better clients with bigger budgets? Well in this week's podcast episode, Ilise Benun tells us exactly how she helps her clients do just that. We discuss:

 *  How to bring your creativity to the business side of your biz
 * How being in a different stage of the buyer's journey means adjusting the wording on your platforms to cater to those needs
 * The importance of being clear and creative in who you're serving
 * 3 tools in the simplest marketing plan
 * What you DON'T have to do in order to market yourself and your business 

More About Ilise Benun:
Ilise Benun is a business coach for creative professionals with a focus on mindset, money and marketing. She is also a national speaker, author of 7 books and multiple online courses, including the Simplest Marketing Plan & founder of Marketing-Mentor.com [http://Marketing-Mentor.com], the go-to online resource for creative professionals who want better projects with bigger budgets. 

Connect with Ilise:

 * Marketing Mentor [https://www.marketing-mentor.com/]
 * Sign up for Quick Tips [https://quicktips.marketing-mentor.com/]

Support the show [https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/megaboltdigital]

Win Better Clients and Bigger Projects with Ilise Benun

Jessica Abel's background as an author led her to assume that mass marketing and a large audience was the ONLY way to succeed as a business owner; Thankfully, she finally figured out that her business models needed to first pay her bills, and THEN she could make decisions about audience and marketing style.

In this week's episode, Jessica (she/her) and I discuss:

 * How to think about choosing a business model, and why/when you may choose one over another
 * Choosing a  business model that allows you to make more money in less time
 * Working with fewer clients for more money versus working with more clients for less money
 * Figuring out how social media fits into your marketing - what do you need it to do for you?



Connect with Jessica:

 * Learn more on Jessica's website [http://jessicaabel.com]
 * The Autonomous Creative podcast [https://jessicaabel.com/acpod/]



A little bit about Jessica:
Jessica Abel (she/her) is a graphic novelist, author, creative business coach, and the founder of Autonomous Creative, a coaching company that helps mid-career creative professionals build businesses that can pay their bills AND honor their creativity. Abel founded the company in response to the ever-greater struggle creatives face in making a living. Pushing back on the “starving artist” mythology, Abel focuses on business fundamentals, stripped of jargon and adapted to the unique needs of creative professionals, and puts the tools of making real money in less time—without creative compromise—into the hands of the artists, writers, and entrepreneurs who need them. 

Support the Show. [https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/megaboltdigital]



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit loveatfirstsearch.substack.com [https://loveatfirstsearch.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Choose a Business Model That Is Set Up to Pay Your Bills With Jessica Abel

Jessica Abel's background as an author led her to assume that mass marketing and a large audience was the ONLY way to succeed as a business owner; Thankfully, she finally figured out that her business models needed to first pay her bills, and THEN she could make decisions about audience and marketing style.

In this week's episode, Jessica (she/her) and I discuss:

 * How to think about choosing a business model, and why/when you may choose one over another
 * Choosing a  business model that allows you to make more money in less time
 * Working with fewer clients for more money versus working with more clients for less money
 * Figuring out how social media fits into your marketing - what do you need it to do for you?


Connect with Jessica:

 * Learn more on Jessica's website [http://jessicaabel.com]
 * The Autonomous Creative podcast [https://jessicaabel.com/acpod/]


A little bit about Jessica:
Jessica Abel (she/her) is a graphic novelist, author, creative business coach, and the founder of Autonomous Creative, a coaching company that helps mid-career creative professionals build businesses that can pay their bills AND honor their creativity. Abel founded the company in response to the ever-greater struggle creatives face in making a living. Pushing back on the “starving artist” mythology, Abel focuses on business fundamentals, stripped of jargon and adapted to the unique needs of creative professionals, and puts the tools of making real money in less time—without creative compromise—into the hands of the artists, writers, and entrepreneurs who need them. 

Support the show [https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/megaboltdigital]

By now we know that what works for one, may not work for another. And in this week's episode, I'm talking with Jessica Lackey [https://www.jessicalackey.com/] all about business models, and how sometimes what makes sense for other people may not make sense for you and your business. Maybe the traffic-based business models that we're sold can actually be less profitable than a lower, slower pace of business. 

Jessica Lackey is a strategy and operations advisor who is on a mission to radically disrupt mainstream business culture in an effort to create sustainable businesses with a human-centric approach. With a background in corporate leadership, McKinsey & Company consulting, and a Harvard Business degree, Jessica knows a thing or two about hustle culture and what it feels like to judge success by the bottom line…at all costs. 

Now, she combines her deep experience in consulting, Fortune 500 operations leadership, and coaching to help businesses grow without sacrificing the well-being of their clients, team, and community.

Here's what you can expect from this episode:

 * The importance of community and relationship marketing
 * The "cult-ish" side of social media (in regards to online business)
 * Why you DON'T need to build your business like everyone else
 * Business models and the math behind scale 


Connect with Jessica:

 * Sign up for her newsletter and/or take the quiz "What’s Your Stage of Business?" [https://www.jessicalackey.com/welcome]
 * Learn more about Jessica [https://www.jessicalackey.com/]


Support the Show. [https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/megaboltdigital]



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit loveatfirstsearch.substack.com [https://loveatfirstsearch.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Why a Traffic-Based Business Model May Not Be Right for You With Jessica Lackey

By now we know that what works for one, may not work for another. And in this week's episode, I'm talking with Jessica Lackey [https://www.jessicalackey.com/] all about business models, and how sometimes what makes sense for other people may not make sense for you and your business. Maybe the traffic-based business models that we're sold can actually be less profitable than a lower, slower pace of business. 

Jessica Lackey is a strategy and operations advisor who is on a mission to radically disrupt mainstream business culture in an effort to create sustainable businesses with a human-centric approach. With a background in corporate leadership, McKinsey & Company consulting, and a Harvard Business degree, Jessica knows a thing or two about hustle culture and what it feels like to judge success by the bottom line…at all costs. 

Now, she combines her deep experience in consulting, Fortune 500 operations leadership, and coaching to help businesses grow without sacrificing the well-being of their clients, team, and community.

Here's what you can expect from this episode:

 * The importance of community and relationship marketing
 * The "cult-ish" side of social media (in regards to online business)
 * Why you DON'T need to build your business like everyone else
 * Business models and the math behind scale 

Connect with Jessica:

 * Sign up for her newsletter and/or take the quiz "What’s Your Stage of Business?" [https://www.jessicalackey.com/welcome]
 * Learn more about Jessica [https://www.jessicalackey.com/]

Support the show [https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/megaboltdigital]

Marissa Lawton is an 8-year online entrepreneur and conduit for ancient women’s wisdom who guides feminine seekers to reclaim their divine power and channel it into their businesses. 

As a former licensed therapist who left the medical model of mental health care, Marissa had a behind-the-scenes look into how patriarchal systems and structures continue to diminish women’s ability to co-create the lives and businesses that serve their innate needs. 

And her Work in the world is to change that.

By helping women reconnect to nature’s rhythms, Marissa aims to reintroduce long-denied mysteries and reestablish deep feminine roots in the entrepreneurial space.

In this week's episode, Marissa and I are talking about how you can bring more feminine energy into your business. We discuss:

 * Living from a rooted place
 * Intuitive decision-making for your business
 * Listening to your intuition versus having an analytical mindset when it comes to business decision-making; Can you do both?
 * What does masculine and feminine energy look like in a business?
 * Traditional marketing with a mystical, sacred flare and how you can bring mysticality into your business
 * Redefining your measure of success
 * Some examples of how you can bring more feminine energy into your business


Connect with Marissa:

 * RootedFeminine.com [http://rootedfeminine.com]
 * Rooted Feminine Podcast [https://www.rootedfeminine.com/podcast]
 * Follow Rooted Feminine on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rootedfeminine_/]
 * Marissa Lawton - Side Hustles for Psychotherapists [https://marissalawton.com/]
 * Take the quiz: "What season of “re-rooting” are you in?" [https://www.rootedfeminine.com/quiz]


Support the Show. [https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/megaboltdigital]



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit loveatfirstsearch.substack.com [https://loveatfirstsearch.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Bring More Feminine Energy Into Your Business With Marissa Lawton

Marissa Lawton is an 8-year online entrepreneur and conduit for ancient women’s wisdom who guides feminine seekers to reclaim their divine power and channel it into their businesses. 

As a former licensed therapist who left the medical model of mental health care, Marissa had a behind-the-scenes look into how patriarchal systems and structures continue to diminish women’s ability to co-create the lives and businesses that serve their innate needs. 

And her Work in the world is to change that.

By helping women reconnect to nature’s rhythms, Marissa aims to reintroduce long-denied mysteries and reestablish deep feminine roots in the entrepreneurial space.

In this week's episode, Marissa and I are talking about how you can bring more feminine energy into your business. We discuss:

 * Living from a rooted place
 * Intuitive decision-making for your business
 * Listening to your intuition versus having an analytical mindset when it comes to business decision-making; Can you do both?
 * What does masculine and feminine energy look like in a business?
 * Traditional marketing with a mystical, sacred flare and how you can bring mysticality into your business
 * Redefining your measure of success
 * Some examples of how you can bring more feminine energy into your business

Connect with Marissa:

 * RootedFeminine.com [http://rootedfeminine.com]
 * Rooted Feminine Podcast [https://www.rootedfeminine.com/podcast]
 * Follow Rooted Feminine on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rootedfeminine_/]
 * Marissa Lawton - Side Hustles for Psychotherapists [https://marissalawton.com/]
 * Take the quiz: "What season of “re-rooting” are you in?" [https://www.rootedfeminine.com/quiz]

Support the show [https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/megaboltdigital]

 In this week's podcast episode, I'm thrilled to be speaking with Diann Wingert, a fellow female solopreneur with ADHD.

Diann Wingert became a business strategist, coach, and mentor [https://www.diannwingertcoaching.com/] after a 20-year career as a psychotherapist. Her mission is to help ambitious outliers with big ideas and busy brains get focused, fired up, and flame retardant. Diann is the creator of The Boss Up Breakthrough, host of The Driven Woman Entrepreneur Podcast, and an expert on creative female entrepreneurs with ADHD traits. 

In this episode, we talk about:

 * Therapy vs. coaching: What's the difference, and which one should you seek out?
 * Why the shift from a social media-based marketing strategy to an SEO-based marketing strategy may be the exact thing you need and why many female solopreneurs are afraid to make this switch
 * Rejection sensitivity, confidence, and fear of failure
 * Social media and mental health
 * How ADHD and giftedness in women can be both challenges and advantages in self-employment


Connect with Diann:

 * Learn more about Diann Wingert [https://www.diannwingertcoaching.com/]
 * Connect with Diann on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/diannwingertcoaching/]
 * Listen to The Driven Woman Entrepreneur Podcast [https://www.diannwingertcoaching.com/podcast]




Support the Show. [https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/megaboltdigital]



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit loveatfirstsearch.substack.com [https://loveatfirstsearch.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The Challenges and Advantages of Entrepreneurship with Diann Wingert

 In this week's podcast episode, I'm thrilled to be speaking with Diann Wingert, a fellow female solopreneur with ADHD.

Diann Wingert became a business strategist, coach, and mentor [https://www.diannwingertcoaching.com/] after a 20-year career as a psychotherapist. Her mission is to help ambitious outliers with big ideas and busy brains get focused, fired up, and flame retardant. Diann is the creator of The Boss Up Breakthrough, host of The Driven Woman Entrepreneur Podcast, and an expert on creative female entrepreneurs with ADHD traits. 

In this episode, we talk about:

 * Therapy vs. coaching: What's the difference, and which one should you seek out?
 * Why the shift from a social media-based marketing strategy to an SEO-based marketing strategy may be the exact thing you need and why many female solopreneurs are afraid to make this switch
 * Rejection sensitivity, confidence, and fear of failure
 * Social media and mental health
 * How ADHD and giftedness in women can be both challenges and advantages in self-employment

Connect with Diann:

 * Learn more about Diann Wingert [https://www.diannwingertcoaching.com/]
 * Connect with Diann on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/diannwingertcoaching/]
 * Listen to The Driven Woman Entrepreneur Podcast [https://www.diannwingertcoaching.com/podcast]



Support the show [https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/megaboltdigital]

This is the second part of my 2-part conversation with Briar Harvey about all things social media, online marketing, neurodiversity, mental illness, and accessibility. If you haven't already listened to Part 1, you can listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1887252/13429205

We also talk about our ability to focus,  the importance of our choice of words, and how the average attention span has decreased significantly over the past decade.

About Briar Harvey:

Briar Harvey is a storyteller and systems witch. She believes that everything has a story and exists within a system. The trick then, is figuring out how to change the rules and tell a better story. She is an IDEA Consultant (that's Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) with a focus on Neurodivergence (that's ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, etc). She helps companies create and implement accessibility plans that increase employee retention by at least 50%.

In her free time, she writes stuff and records podcasts. She’s the founder of The Neurodiversity Media Network, a collaborative and accessible media company that is hosting and curating all the news that is relevant to neurodivergent folks. Find her at briarharvey.com [http://briarharvey.com/] and neurodiversitymedianetwork.com [http://neurodiversitymedianetwork.com/]

Support the Show. [https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/megaboltdigital]



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit loveatfirstsearch.substack.com [https://loveatfirstsearch.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

All Things Social Media, Neurodiversity, and Accessibility With Briar Harvey (Part 2)

A podcast for entrepreneurs & microbusinesses looking for sustainable marketing
strategies … without being dependent on social media.

Social Slowdown: sustainable digital marketing for entrepreneurs

Win Better Clients and Bigger Projects with Ilise Benun

Choose a Business Model That Is Set Up to Pay Your Bills With Jessica Abel

Choose a Business Model That Is Set Up to Pay Your Bills With Jessica Abel

Why a Traffic-Based Business Model May Not Be Right for You With Jessica Lackey

Why a Traffic-Based Business Model May Not Be Right for You With Jessica Lackey

Bring More Feminine Energy Into Your Business With Marissa Lawton

Bring More Feminine Energy Into Your Business With Marissa Lawton

The Challenges and Advantages of Entrepreneurship with Diann Wingert

The Challenges and Advantages of Entrepreneurship with Diann Wingert

All Things Social Media, Neurodiversity, and Accessibility With Briar Harvey (Part 2)