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Breakthrough Brand Podcast – Online Business Growth, Website Design Strategies, Grow a Podcast, Motherhood and Business, Passive Income, Christian Faith, Showit Templates

Welcome to The Breakthrough Brand Podcast — your go-to for relatable, raw, and tactical business training designed to help you hit those big goals! I’m Elizabeth McCravy, a website designer and business educator for female entrepreneurs. I’ve built a multiple six-figure web design business in my 20s, and I’m passionate about sharing what I’ve learned so you can do it too. No secrets, just real talk and proven strategies for building a thriving business.

I’m a Christian business owner, mama to two boys (with baby #3 on the way!), and married to my high school sweetheart. I sell Showit website templates at elizabethmccravy.com and teach fellow designers how to build booked-out businesses through my course, Booked Out Designer. I also teach business owners how to start and scale a podcast in my program, Podcast Success Blueprint.

On this podcast, you’ll find solo episodes packed with actionable, easy-to-follow advice and inspiring expert interviews. We’ll dive into everything from online marketing, branding, podcasting, and business strategy, to faith, motherhood, productivity, and scaling your business. Let’s create a business that not only looks amazing from the outside but feels amazing on the inside too. It’s time to build your breakthrough brand!

Latest Episodes:

196: Your Business Doesn't Have to be “Full Time” to be Successful (Why Side Hustles Are AMAZING!) Jan 10, 2023

Show notes

Ever felt the pressure to quit your day job if you’re “really all in” on your business dreams? Maybe you believe you have to hate your 9 to 5 if you’re a “true entrepreneur”? There is a major pressure (in online business especially) on new or aspiring business owners to quit their day job, give 2 weeks notice, and “abandon all things” if you ACTUALLY care about your business dreams. Oh and, of course, when you do all of that — you have to set the goal of making a 6-figure income. That is fine for some people, but I don’t believe everyone is called to that.

Today we’re talking about how you don’t have to be full time to be successful in your business, and why that idea is a fallacy. And additionally, I have 6 reasons why it can actually be a GOOD thing if your business is your side hustle.

So whether you’re dreaming of starting a business, side hustling right now at your 9 to 5, or have been at it for years, this episode is for you. I’m covering it all, and newer business owners, you’ll especially want to tune into this one!

Links mentioned in this episode:

- Get the full show notes: https://elizabethmccravy.com/196

- Hear my story of what life was like when I started my business on episode #165: https://elizabethmccravy.com/5-essential-beginner-business-lessons/

- Reference the side hustles statistics I mentioned: https://www.incfile.com/blog/side-hustle-statistics

- Connect with Elizabeth on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethmccravy/

195: If Being a Mom and a Business Owner Feels Really Hard, Listen to This with Joy Michelle Jan 03, 2023

Show notes

Mama friends, I believe this episode is the encouragement you need as we kick off another year of business, another year of motherhood, and another year of wearing A LOT of hats. I’m chatting with Joy Michelle, she’s a photographer turned YouTuber and business coach. (And a long time listener of this podcast!) She’s got 2 kiddos, Clara and Lewis, and she has been married to her high school sweetheart Felipe for over 10 years. Joy loves sharing all that she has learned about building a business while also being a present mom, and she is someone I have really loved learning from personally in my first year as a mom and business owner. Her podcast Called to Both is AMAZING, and I was a guest on a compilation episode (Episode #17 of her show).

Joy and I are talking about motherhood and business — about the ups and downs, the struggles, the joys, and encouragement in it all. We talk about things like what it looks like to be called to both motherhood and business and how we can navigate that well, what Joy’s work week is like as a working mom, the struggle of time management as working moms and tips there, advice for the mom feeling burnt out on her business or burnt out on motherhood.

Important Note: We actually recorded this at the end of August 2022. So, a few months ago! I’m just airing it now because after the conversation, I had the thought that this would be a great episode to kick off the new year with. But, when you hear us reference our kids ages, just know, they’re all around 4 months older now! I hope this conversation blesses you and that you can step into your calling gracefully as a mama who feels called to both.

Links mentioned in this episode:

- Get the full show notes: https://elizabethmccravy.com/195

- Check out Booked Out Designer: http://elizabethmccravy.com/BOD

- Connect with Elizabeth on her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethmccravy/

- Connect with Joy on her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joyymichelle/

- Connect with Joy on her website: https://joymichelle.co/

- Hear me on Joy’s Podcast, Called to Both - Episode #17 Blog Post | Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Thanks to our podcast sponsor, Haute Stock! Haute Stock is my favorite stock photo company, and I use their images ALL over my business. You can get 15% off your subscription with the referral code: ELIZABETH at checkout or by visiting this link: https://elizabethmccravy.com/hautestock

194: You Could be Banking More of Your Business Income in 2023: Here’s How Dec 27, 2022

Show notes

Let’s talk money, honey — specifically how to keep MORE of yours in 2023. So often as business owners, we overspend without even thinking about it. It’s easy to just spend, spend, spend! Shiny object syndrome is real. And most of us (myself included) did not study finance, accounting, and bookkeeping in any professional capacity. We might struggle to really SEE where our money is going.

As we move into the new year, it’s the perfect time to evaluate what’s been happening in our business financially and what shifts we can make to improve our finances! Let’s look critically at our business’ finances today to see what shifts we can make to increase our profit margins! I am going to show you 4 areas to evaluate in your business finances to get your profits higher and spending lower for the new year!

Think you want more financial tools to track this kind of stuff? Check out my resource, Profit Sheet! This is the tool I created and have used for years to track my business finances. You can track everything from tax payments, to what you pay yourself monthly, profit margins, and so much more! Buy it at https://elizabethmccravy.com/profit-sheet

Links mentioned in this episode:

- Get the blog version/full show notes for this episode: http://elizabethmccravy.com/194

- Get QuickBooks at 55% off: https://elizabethmccravy.com/quickbooks

- Check out Xero (the bookkeeping software I use now): https://elizabethmccravy.com/xero

- Get Profit Sheet for your business: https://elizabethmccravy.com/profit-sheet

- Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethmccravy/

- Shop Showit templates: https://elizabethmccravy.com/shop

- Why You Shouldn’t Use Personal Venmo for Your Business: https://elizabethmccravy.com/88

193: How to Get Paid to Teach What You Know with Laylee Emadi Smith Dec 13, 2022

Show notes

I’m chatting today with fellow educator and podcaster, Laylee Emadi! She’s the host of the So, Here’s the Thing Podcast and the founder of The Creative Educator Academy. I personally really enjoy her podcast, and I was a guest a few months ago. (Links below to that conversation - it was episode #108 on her podcast!)

This interview is so insightful if you are someone who has ever wanted to get into education as a business owner. Whether that is education like speaking at events or being interviewed on podcasts OR things like educational offerings within your business, like courses.

We talk about things like…

- Being a multi passionate business owner

- How to pitch yourself for conferences

- How to get started as an educator

- Do’s and don’ts of online courses

- How to create whitespace in your business

- Laylee’s unpopular business opinions

And so much more!

Links mentioned in this episode:

- Get the full show notes for this episode: https://elizabethmccravy.com/191

- Check out Booked Out Designer: http://elizabethmccravy.com/BOD

- Connect with Elizabeth on her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethmccravy/

- Connect with Laylee on her Instagram: https://instagram.com/laylee_emadi/

- Connect with Laylee on her website: https://layleeemadi.com/

- Hear me on Laylee’s Podcast “So, Here’s the Thing” episode #108 - Blog Post | Apple Podcasts | Spotify - We chat all about diversifying revenue streams in your business!

- Details on The Creative Educator Conference: http://creativeeducatorconference.com/

Thanks to our podcast sponsor, Haute Stock! Haute Stock is my favorite stock photo company, and I use their images ALL over my business. You can get 15% off your subscription with the referral code: ELIZABETH at checkout or by visiting this link: https://elizabethmccravy.com/hautestock

192: How to Use Paid Stock Photography to Completely Up Level Your Brand Dec 06, 2022

Show notes

Today we’re diving into a MUCH requested topic — the visual side of your marketing and business — a.k.a. the images and videos you use on your website and throughout your marketing. This is so important, right? We know that. We are visual creatures and that is true now more than ever. Gone are the days where you can have a website with no images or social media or any other part of your business without using images. The images and videos we use in our businesses express who we are as a brand, they might resonate with our buyers or they might not, and they are a vital part of content creation which we know drives sales.

This episode covers:

- Why your business needs stock photos

- WHAT a stock photo is (and where you might see them)

- How stock photos are different from customized brand photography

- What to look for when using stock photography (and what to avoid)

- My favorite stock photography company (Yes, I’ll just tell you exactly what I use so you can use it too.)

- Where I recommend using stock photography versus photos customized to your brand (and what I do in my own business for this)

- How to integrate stock photos and brand photos seamlessly into your marketing!

Thanks to our podcast sponsor, Haute Stock! Haute Stock is my favorite stock photo company, and I use their images ALL over my business. You can get 15% off your subscription with the referral code: ELIZABETH at checkout or by visiting this link: https://elizabethmccravy.com/hautestock

Links mentioned in this episode:

Get the full show notes at http://elizabethmccravy.com/192

Haute Stock (and 15% off deal!): https://elizabethmccravy.com/hautestock

Shop website templates: https://elizabethmccravy.com/shop

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethmccravy/

Connect with Haute Stock on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hautestockco/

191: The Most Wonderful Time of Year: How to Actually REST This Christmas Season as a Business Owner (Taking Time Off, Holiday Bucket Lists, and Business Dreaming for 2023) Nov 29, 2022

Show notes

Today’s episode is a fun friend-to-friend chat about Christmas, and I am certainly bringing the Christmas ENERGY in this episode. I’m totally a “Christmas person” and I start getting excited about Christmas in July typically (not kidding). But, let’s talk about the elephant in the room… Resting and actually taking time off for the holidays doesn’t always come easy as business owners. There’s often a lot to do to “close out the year” and at the same time you’re ready to dream about the next year in your business, PLUS you have the everyday to do’s of life to keep up with.

That’s what we’re talking about today. I’m sharing with you:

My time-off and rest strategy for Christmas that I do basically every year, and how you can do this yourself as well! (We’re talking practical planning here!)
Holiday bucket list ideas for you to do to strengthen your faith and enjoy the month of December, even in its chaos.
Tradition ideas – I’m totally a NEW mom, and I don’t have tons of traditions to share for with kiddos. But, I am sharing some traditions you could try with your spouse that we do and some family tradition ideas I love!
I’m sharing Advent resources, books, other podcast episodes, and things I think will help you out as you plan your own holiday season.

So, that is our agenda. This is a GOOD EPISODE, if you often tell me that you wish I did more personal content – this is it. I’m excited to chat. Go get a peppermint mocha, a sugar cookie latte, or some wine and let’s dive into it!

Lots of links mentioned today that you can find below:

Get the full show notes at http://elizabethmccravy.com/191

Shop website templates (today is the last day of Black Friday!): https://elizabethmccravy.com/shop

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethmccravy/

Connect with me on my website: http://elizabethmccravy.com/

Check out our sponsor, Haute Stock and save 15%: https://elizabethmccravy.com/hautestock

Advent Devotionals To Check Out:

- The Dawning of Indestructible Joy by John Piper

- Unwrapping the Names of Jesus by Asheritah Ciuciu

- Come, Let Us Adore Him by Paul David Tripp

190: 3 of My VERY Strong Opinions About What Makes a Great Website Nov 22, 2022

Show notes

What makes a great website? What makes a dud? Besides all the obvious things like don’t make your text too small, don;t use 1,000 fonts at once and things like that… What are the major keys?! No matter what you do in your work, if you have a website — you should be asking these questions. Today I’m sharing 3 things that I consider top things to making a successful website, and they are things people often miss. I’m calling these “strong opinions”, but this could also be called “unpopular opinions” because these aren’t said enough. I hope this short and sweet episode gives you some business and website ideas to run with!

Links mentioned in this episode:

- Get the full show notes at https://elizabethmccravy.com/190
- Shop website templates at https://elizabethmccravy.com/shop
- Take the website personality quiz at https://elizabethmccravy.com/quiz

If you're a new business owner who still doesn't have a website yet, I made something for you. It's a free 15-page guide that walks you through exactly what you need to launch your first website — what to skip, what actually matters, and the five steps to go from zero to live. No coding, no big budget, no perfection required. Plus you'll get 20% off my Showit templates inside! Get it FREE at https://elizabethmccravy.com/

189: Stop Saying THIS on Your Sales Pages Nov 15, 2022

Show notes

I’ve got a quick tip for you today about your sales page and one thing you should probably stop saying on it. This thing you’re saying might be hurting the potential customer experience and is a lazy marketing habit. It’s a simple change — will take you just minutes, but will make an impact in your business! This tip comes from a mistake I myself made that my copywriter, Emily, pointed out to me. I think you might be making it too, so let’s fix it!

Links mentioned in this episode:

- Get the full show notes at http://elizabethmccravy.com/189

- Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethmccravy/

- Shop the Showit Sales Page Templates: https://elizabethmccravy.com/showit-sales-page-templates

- Shop all of my website templates: https://elizabethmccravy.com/shop

If you're a new business owner who still doesn't have a website yet, I made something for you. It's a free 15-page guide that walks you through exactly what you need to launch your first website — what to skip, what actually matters, and the five steps to go from zero to live. No coding, no big budget, no perfection required. Plus you'll get 20% off my Showit templates inside! Get it FREE at https://elizabethmccravy.com/

188: From Wealth Manager of 25 Years to Building a Successful Business as a Brand Photographer with Angela Brown (Photography Business Tips, Showit Templates, and More!) Nov 08, 2022

Show notes

Today’s episode with Angela is so fun, so inspiring, and full of nuggets of wisdom about life and business. So, friends, meet Angela Brown — she’s a talent brand and portrait photographer based in Brighton, Michigan. She was a wealth advisor for 25 years before doing a 180 on her career to become a photographer — proving it’s never “too late” to make a major career shift. Angie also enjoys educating other photographers in building personal brands to attract their ideal clients. She’s got plenty of tips for you photographers listening, but we also talk about her awesome career story, her experience with EM Shop templates, and so much more.

Highlights from this interview:

How Angela pivoted to being a brand photographer after 25 years as a wealth advisor
Angela’s experience customizing her EM Shop template - spoiler, she had FUN!
The Showit Blueprint Course and how it guides you through your website build out
Changes Angela made to her template to making it uniquely her own
Why Angela switched from ProPhoto (WordPress) to Showit
Tips and strategies for building a successful business as a brand photographer

Thinking about getting a template from EM Shop like Angela did? Here’s a little blurb with what she had to say about EM Shop: "I am so thankful I found Elizabeth and the EM Shop! As someone who has always hired a designer to customize my Wordpress site, it was a big step to take that responsibility into my own hands. But Elizabeth and her team gave me support when I was stuck. Most importantly, the Showit Blueprint course was simply incredible. I got almost all the answers and best-practices I needed to create my dream site. Even Elizabeth's launch and marketing tips were so helpful! I would recommend EM Shop to anyone looking to up her game!"

Links mentioned in this episode:

- Get the full shownotes for this episode: https://elizabethmccravy.com/189

- Check out EM Shop Templates: http://elizabethmccravy.com/shop

- Get a free month of Showit: https://elizabethmccravy.com/showit-coupon-code

- Connect with Elizabeth on her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethmccravy/

- Connect with Angela on her website: https://angelabrownphotography.com/

- Connect with Angela on her Instagram:

If you're a new business owner who still doesn't have a website yet, I made something for you. It's a free 15-page guide that walks you through exactly what you need to launch your first website — what to skip, what actually matters, and the five steps to go from zero to live. No coding, no big budget, no perfection required. Plus you'll get 20% off my Showit templates inside! Get it FREE at https://elizabethmccravy.com/

Need some extra pages to improve or add onto your Showit website, BUT you’re not in the market for an entirely new template? You need my Add On Templates for Showit! You'll find add ons like speaker pages, podcast pages, quiz lead magnets, favorite things pages, Link in Bio pages, and more.

Use the code “BBPOD”to save 15% on your add on or full site template for a limited time: https://elizabethmccravy.com/shop

187: Real Talk: It's Ok to Not Always Be Growing Your Business Nov 01, 2022

Show notes

This episode is the short encouragement that maybe you need today, and it is the encouragement I’ve needed a lot in my season of business. And that is that it’s OKAY to not be growing your business. It’s ok to stay put. It’s ok to even “go backwards”. It’s ok to say no to really good opportunities. It’s ok to make less money than you did last month or last year. It’s ok to work less. Simply put: You don’t always have to be growing. And, we’re talking about this often “untold truth” on today’s episode. Press play for the encouragement! I hope this blesses you and encourages you in whatever season you’re in right now.

Links mentioned in this episode:

- Get the full shownotes for this episode: https://elizabethmccravy.com/187

- Connect with Elizabeth on her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethmccravy/

If you're a new business owner who still doesn't have a website yet, I made something for you. It's a free 15-page guide that walks you through exactly what you need to launch your first website — what to skip, what actually matters, and the five steps to go from zero to live. No coding, no big budget, no perfection required. Plus you'll get 20% off my Showit templates inside! Get it FREE at https://elizabethmccravy.com/

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