Business

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:

144: Is a Showit Website Template Right for Your Business? (The BIGGEST Questions We Get Asked About Using Templates!) — Part One! Nov 16, 2021

Show notes

If you are interested in a template from me but have some questions first — this episode will likely (hopefully!) answer some of those questions. And, this is a two parter, so in a few days I’m dropping another episode with more questions answered.

I’m explaining everything like friends sitting over coffee chatting web design. And I hope these answers will give you clarity around my templates, what they are, how they work, who they are for and all that good stuff! And if you’re like “I’m not really sure I even want or need a template, but I am curious about how website templates work and how Showit works” … then still totally tune in. I think there’s something here for you as well!

You’ll find time stamps below, so if you want to skip around this episode to find just what you need - you can!

[03:13] What are your templates? What exactly is a website template?
[05:32] What costs are involved with your templates?
[11:44] Can I change (fill in the blank thing) on the template?
[14:58] What is Showit? And how come it looks like Showit only is for photographers?
[20:46] Why does Showit use Wordpress?
[24:39] If I have Wordpress already, will my blogs come over to Showit?

Links mentioned in this episode:

- Get the blog version/full show notes for this episode: http://elizabethmccravy.com/144

- Learn more about WordPress and Showit differences (episode #32): https://elizabethmccravy.com/showit-vs-wordpress-how-to-switch/

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

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

- You can try Showit out for a month absolutely free, no strings attached with my link: https://elizabethmccravy.com/showit-coupon-code

And head to episode #145 right now to hear part two!

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

143: 8 Time-Saving Hacks for Launching Your Website Template FASTER [Recast] Nov 09, 2021

Show notes

So you got a website template or maybe you’re thinking about getting a template, but you want things done ASAP. I’m talking about a 5 day set up then launched! It IS possible, and I’ve had many customers over the years get their sites done in a DAY and even more in a week or a few weeks. In today’s episode, I’m sharing tips for how to customize and launch your website template faster. Whether you have a template from me or someone else, whether it’s a Showit template or a Squarespace template — doesn’t matter, these tips will help you out!

Now, if this topic sounds familiar to you… it’s because the meat of this episode originally aired in 2020. It was a really popular one based both on downloads and feedback from you all. So whether you listened then and need a refresher or you totally never heard that one, but NEED IT… It’s back and here for you to check out. And with a fresh intro where I talk a little bit about what’s been going on with me lately in newborn life!

Your website can’t go to work for your business unless it’s live for the world to see. So, let’s get it live and up asap! Turn the volume up for my top 8 time-saving hacks to get your site up fast!

Get the full show notes for this episode at http://elizabethmccravy.com/143

Watch a tour of the Showit Blueprint Course mentioned in this episode: https://elizabethmccravy.com/course-video

Shop the EM Shop Showit Website Templates: https://elizabethmccravy.com/shop/

See a showcase of what our amazing customers do with their sites: https://elizabethmccravy.com/showcase

Take the website personality quiz: https://elizabethmccravy.com/style

See fun, free freebies and resources for your business: http://elizabethmccravy.com/tools

Hang out on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethmccravy/

As always, thank you for listening! And if you found this episode helpful, I’d love for you to leave a rating and/or review and share it with a friend who this could help!

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

142: Living a Well-Watered Life as a Business Owner with Gretchen Saffles (Social Media Boundaries, How to Study the Bible, Serving God in the Mundane, Motherhood, and the Struggle to “Balance It All”) Nov 02, 2021

Show notes

This episode blessed me so much to record it, and I just know it’s going to bless you right now as you listen to it. So, get ready to be encouraged in your faith and in your business! I’m talking to my friend, Gretchen Saffles. Gretchen is the owner and creator of Well-Watered Women, which is an online ministry and shop that reaches women worldwide with the hope of the gospel. Gretchen is a mom to 2 sweet boys and a wife to her husband of 9 years. And, she’s the author of The Well-Watered Woman, which I am totally loving right now! (And at the time this airs, I will have finished reading!) We cover a wide variety of topics today as you’ll see in the title, but you can get a glimpse into some of what we hit on below.

Some of the topics we’ll cover:

- Gretchen’s business story - starting her business 8 years ago to what it is now

- Practical ways to set boundaries around social media as business owners

- How to study the Bible when you don’t know where to start or feel you don’t have the time

- How we can seek God in whatever season of life we’re in

- How we can lean into God and serve him even in the mundane moments (like folding laundry or the behind the scenes work in your business)

- The pressure to “balance it all” as women and how living a well-watered life is vital

- Why we don’t need “Jesus Plus Coffee” (or fill in the blank) and how we can find our satisfaction in Him alone

- Setting goals as business owners without making them an idol

- How to be in your season of what God has called you to do without comparing yourself to others

… and so much more!

Get the full shownotes with all linked mentioned at https://elizabethmccravy.com/142

Connect with Elizabeth on her website at http://elizabethmccravy.com/

Connect with Gretchen on her website at http://wellwateredwomen.com/

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

Connect with Gretchen on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/gretchensaffles/ and https://www.instagram.com/wellwateredwomen/

And, you can find the Well-Watered Woman book on Amazon here: https://rstyle.me/+SCb1LLWvq-ZTR6rlvT0eqA

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

141: The Single Most Important Change You Can Make on Your Four Most-Trafficked Webpages Oct 26, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, I’m walking you through 5 of the pages that basically every website has, and I’ve sharing my #1 tip for improving each page. If you only did one thing to edit your website and just had a moment to do something on each page — these are the things I’d suggest! It’s hard picking just one per page, but I promised I’ve selected the “most important” and easiest to fix things. You’ll be off to a higher converting site in no time with these tips. We’re covering your home page, about page, contact page, and service page!

And before I get into the tips, I’m sharing a very short personal update. This is the first episode I’ve recorded since having a BABY — my sweet son, Colin Marc McCravy. So more on that coming soon. But if you want to hear a little bit about him, that’s in the intro to this episode.

And, if you want to dive deeper into these pages of your website and even more website tips, then check out the episodes linked below. And be sure to check out my website template shop. These templates will set you up to do all of these tips I’m sharing with EASE!

- Get the full shownotes for this episode at https://elizabethmccravy.com/141

- Take the website personality quiz: https://elizabethmccravy.com/style

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

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

Additional episodes to listen to:

How to Create the Perfect Contact Page: Episode #48 — https://elizabethmccravy.com/create-the-perfect-contact-page/ and Apple Podcast Link
How to Plan an Amazing Brand Photoshoot: Episode #15 — https://elizabethmccravy.com/15 and Apple Podcast Link
Top Questions You’re Asking About Personal Branding Photography: Episode #16 — https://elizabethmccravy.com/16 and Apple Podcast Link

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

140: 6 Sure-Fire Ways to Keep People on Your Website Longer [RECAST] Oct 19, 2021

Show notes

Site traffic is super important, but what’s equally important (or arguably even more important) is how long people stay on your website. A bunch of quick hits to your site from your Instagram or Google search is awesome, but only awesome if those people hang around long enough to get to know your business, what you sell, and how you can help them. The more time someone spends on your site in a single visit, the more likely they will be to return later, the more trust you’re building with them, and the more likely that you’ll convert them into clients and customers. So, in this episode, I’m giving you 6 specific ways to get people to hang out on your website longer.

This episode is a recast from back in November of 2020 (episode #93), and I’m re-airing it because it’s a top hit episode! I got so much great feedback from it when it originally came out, and I know if you missed it originally, you’re going to want to listen in. And, be sure you implement the goodness I’m sharing too! Stay tuned til the end because I recap all 6 of these tips in question form to help you decide which of these to tackle on your website right now! (This is a very “action packed” episode!)

Links Mentioned in This Episode:

- Get the full shownotes for this episode at https://elizabethmccravy.com/93

- Take the website personality quiz: https://elizabethmccravy.com/style

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

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

- Listen to my interview on Rick Mulready’s podcast

- You can try Showit out for a month absolutely free, no strings attached with my link: https://elizabethmccravy.com/showit-coupon-code

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

139: What I Did to Prepare for a 2 ½ Month Maternity Leave as an Online Business Owner (+ My Top Tips for Planning ANY Time Away from Your Business) Oct 12, 2021

Show notes

Whether you’re taking a maternity leave, a long (or short) vacation, a sabbatical, or ANY time away from your business for any reason, you’ll love the tips I’m sharing in today’s episode! This is the episode I was always hoping to find during my pregnancy about maternity leaves, but never found. So, I made it myself! This is a crash course in how I prepared for and planned my maternity leave — as an online business owner with a team. But, I give plenty of tips that will help you even if you’re a soloprenuer.

I’m sharing exactly what I hope my maternity leave will look like, what the plan is, how I prepared myself and my team for the leave, and 6 of my top tips for planning your maternity leave or vacation. I’m recording this at almost 37 weeks pregnant right before my leave starts. You’ll be hearing it as my maternity leave is starting to come to a close. So, you’ll hear what I planned PLUS, you’ll be able to have seen how it was all executed. I plan to come back with a part two of this episode to share what worked and what didn’t in all of this planning. I’m a first time mom, so it’s VERY possible I missed some stuff. But, I feel great about this leave overall.

I hope what I share here today blesses you and prepares you well to leave your business for a break with CONFIDENCE. Let me know if this episode helps you by sending me a message on Instagram or writing a review for this podcast on Apple Podcasts! I’d love to hear from you!

If you missed earlier pregnancy episodes, be sure to go back to those as well! I have tons of podcast episodes and blog content recapping this pregnancy including favorite products, photoshoot outfits, and more. Linking all below!

Pregnancy Podcast Episodes to Scroll Back to:

- #131 Third Trimester Recap

- #118 Second Trimester Recap

- #112 Pregnancy Rapid Fire Q&A

- #107 Pregnancy Announcement with my husband

Pregnancy Blog Posts for you:

- 1st Trimester Product Must Haves

- 2nd Trimester Product Must Haves

- 3rd Trimester Product Must Haves

- Gender Reveal Photoshoot + Party Recap

- 34 Week Maternity Photoshoot Recap (+ outfit links!)

Get the full show notes for this episode at<

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

138: 7 Ways to Use Your Money to Get More Time Back in Your Life (Trading your MONEY for your TIME!) Oct 05, 2021

Show notes

We’ve all heard the advice “stop trading time for money”, and I agree. But today we’re talking about ways you can trade in your money to get more time back in your life and in your business. I’m sharing ways to automate things, get help, set up systems, and so much more so that you can have more time back to do the things you really love! The majority of these things are things I personally do right now, so get ready for an insider peek into some of my systems. Plus, a few of these things are things we don’t do in our family, but I think are totally worth adding in! So, let’s get yourself some time back to do more of what you love in your life!

Links mentioned in this episode:

- Check out Instacart: http://elizabethmccravy.com/instacart

- Check out Amazon stuff I use Subscribe and Save for: http://elizabethmccravy.com/amazon

- Shop my Showit Website Templates: http://elizabethmccravy.com/shop

- Join the waitlist for Booked Out Designer: http://elizabethmccravy.com/bod

Get the full shownotes at http://elizabethmccravy.com/138

Let’s connect on Instagram! I’d love to hear what you think of this episode and if you’ll be adding any of these things to your life! https://www.instagram.com/elizabethmccravy/

And please share this with any friends who you think would be interested in this topic. As always, I’d love to hear your feedback via a review or message me to tell me what you think!

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

137: How to Think Like a 7-Figure CEO with Rick Mulready Sep 28, 2021

Show notes

Today I have the honor of interviewing my amazing client and friend, Rick Mulready! In this interview, I ask Rick #allthethings about what his business and life look like behind the scenes as a 7-Figure/Year business owner. No matter where you are in your business right now, you’re going to learn so much from Rick’s insight into the mindset, habits, thoughts, and actions that have led to his success.

I’ve learned a lot from Rick through having him as a client (I redesigned his brand and website last year!), and fun fact… his podcast was one of the first I discovered when I first started my business years ago. So, this interview is very special for me!

Some highlights we’ll cover:

- How Rick makes money in his business and how that has evolved over the years

- What a “typical” workday looks like

- Major team building strategies

- How parenthood changed Rick’s business and work schedule

- Calendar/scheduling strategies for success

- Working towards a 4 day work week

- Why mindset matters SO MUCH

- How to better track your business data

Links mentioned in this episode:

- Get the full show notes at http://elizabethmccravy.com/137

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

- Connect with Rick on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rickmulready/

- Connect with Elizabeth on her website: http://elizabethmccravy.com/

- Connect with Rick on his website: http://rickmulready.com/

- Shop website templates: http://elizabethmccravy.com/shop

I’ve also been a guest on Rick’s awesome podcast The Art of Online Business! To hear those interviews, click the links below or scroll to episodes #438 and #482

Behind the Scenes: My Newly Redesigned RickMulready.com with Elizabeth McCravy

How She Did It: 5-Figures Per Month On Evergreen With a (Very) Small Team with Elizabeth McCravy

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

136: Real Estate Biz Q&A - Part 3: Strategies for Getting Started, Other Ways to Invest Your Money, How to List Your Properties, and the Challenges We’ve Experienced Along the Way Sep 21, 2021

Show notes

It’s the final episode of our 3 part series on real estate! We’ll have to do a part 4 sometime down the line with updates, but I hope you have absolutely loved these so far and learned a lot from them. If you’re new here and missed the first 2 episodes, highly recommend going back and listening to those as well.

For context on us, we own 3 long term rentals in the Middle Tennessee area. We are far from being “real estate gurus” or anything remotely similar. We’re just regular people, who actually have other jobs outside of real estate investing, who are doing this on the side and learning along the way!

Here’s the scoop on the questions we’re answering today:

- I’d love to know more about how you’ve set it up as an LLC. We have one rental property that we have been renting for 7 years & we want to make the move to owning another in the next year or so, but we don’t have it set up as a separate business currently.

- I’d also love to know the toughest / most challenging aspect of it so far, or something that came up that you didn’t expect.

- How do you find tenants to rent your properties?

- Have you considered two tenant properties? Why/why not?

- Would love to know how you guys went about “studying/learning” about real estate. Books? Course? Google 😝

- Do you think real estate is the best place to invest your money?

- When deciding where to invest money… What other options do you like outside of real estate?

Links mentioned in this episode:

- For all links mentioned, head to the full show notes at https://elizabethmccravy.com/136

- Learn more about my business at https://elizabethmccravy.com/

- Connect on Instagram and tell us what you think at https://www.instagram.com/elizabethmccravy/

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

135: Real Estate Biz Q&A - Part 2: How Much $$ Do You Need, Screening Tenants, Management Companies, Buying Multiple Properties at Once, and Financing! Sep 14, 2021

Show notes

I hope you loved last week’s episode with part one of all of this real estate talk. We’re back today with part TWO of three parts! If you missed part one, go back and listen to it before this one (episode 134) or at least listen to it after. It’s a bit more “foundational” content and here we’re getting into more specifics.

Today to give you a little peek into what we’re talking about, here are the main questions we’re answering:

- How much money should you have upfront when investing in rental properties?

- Do you need 20% down for an investment property?

- Would love to know why rentals vs a flip?

- Would love to know how you found your properties and how you are planning to finance them! - How much are you going to cash flow from each?

- I’d love to hear how much profit you think you’ll be able to make from them!?

- Are you planning to be the landlord/maintenance person or hiring that part out?

- How do you plan to screen tenants?

- Are you furnishing your rental properties?

- I would love to know how you decided to go for two properties right away? We have gone back and forth about whether to do just one or two.

If you’re enjoying this series, please leave a 5 star rating/review, share it with your friends, or send me a message to let me know! I always love hearing from you guys!

Links mentioned in this episode:

- For all links mentioned, head to the full show notes at https://elizabethmccravy.com/135

- Learn more about my business at https://elizabethmccravy.com/

- Connect on Instagram and tell us what you think at https://www.instagram.com/elizabethmccravy/

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

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