Cubicle to CEO

Latest Episodes:

Bonus: Outsource or DIY Your Brand? A Designer’s Honest Answer Nov 11, 2026

Show notes

Most brand designers will tell you DIY branding won’t cut it. Kristina Bleiler teaches it anyway. The founder of Gem Creative Co., a creative brand design studio that also happens to be pro-DIY, Kristina thrives in the duality of DFY brand designer and DIY mentor. Her clients and students across 15+ industries are proof that creative branding makes marketing more effective and gives founders the confidence to make bigger business moves.

In this bonus episode, Kristina breaks down when to invest in outsourcing your branding vs. when it’s smarter to do it yourself, her hot takes on DIY branding, and the most creative ways she and her clients have used branding to grow their businesses.

Connect with Kristina:

Brand Ed: https://gemcreative.co/brand-ed
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: https://gemcreative.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gemcreativeco/
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@gemcreativeco
Newsletter, Gem Reads: https://gemcreativeco.myflodesk.com/newsletter

Loving our bonus content and want more Cubicle to CEO in your ears? Join us every Monday on our subscriber-only premium feed for case study–style interviews with successful entrepreneurs debriefing their real-time growth experiments and results. Subscribe to get insider access to what's actually been working for businesses in the last 3-18 months: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cubicletoceo.co/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you enjoyed today's episode, please:

Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ so we can repost you.
⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our premium feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for case-study style interviews every Monday.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

365. The Founders Growing Fastest Aren’t Growing Alone (Want To Collab Together in 2027?) Nov 09, 2026

Show notes

Run a business that takes appointments? Use code 'CEO' at ⁠⁠⁠https://glossgenius.com/cubicletoceo⁠⁠⁠ for 50% off your first two months of a premium plan.

Experience a preview of the MixerMind at one of Linda’s open houses December 1st, 2nd, or 3rd (Ellen is speaking on 12/1)! Sign up for your preferred Open House date here: https://resources.lindasidhu.com/a/2147961181/HV842Z9z

Ready to skip straight to joining me, Linda, and 100+ other established entrepreneurs in the MixerMind? Lock in your spot for an epic 2027: https://resources.lindasidhu.com/a/2147711406/HV842Z9z

Have a question about my MixerMind experience or want me to personally introduce you to Linda? Shoot me a DM on Instagram @missellenyin

Now for a teaser of today’s conversation on why community & collaborations will be your best business growth levers in 2027:

One founder grew her email list by thousands through more than 60 collaborations in a single year. Two others turned a joint summit into $45K, then co-founded a business together. Linda Sidhu has watched hundreds of partnerships like these play out, and she’s found that the businesses growing fastest have one thing in common: they don’t grow alone.

Linda is a former pharma sales rep and DISC-certified connector who has spent five years helping established business owners find the right partners. As the founder of The Mixer Mind, she is deliberate about who she brings into the room. She looks for diverse founders with validated offers, an existing audience, and a willingness to give as much as they get.

The result is a group averaging $300K+ in revenue, with 1 in 5 founders above $500K, who keep growing because they grow together. When the right founders grow together, one person’s win becomes everyone’s next opportunity.

Connect with Linda:

Listen to Linda's Private Podcast, Superconnected: https://resources.lindasidhu.com/a/2147993262/HV842Z9z
Voxer: @LSidhu891

If you enjoyed today's episode, please:

Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ so we can repost you.
⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our premium feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for case-study style interviews every Monday.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

364. Collabs as a Retail Strategy: How This CPG Brand Is Earning Shelf Space in NYC Nov 02, 2026

Show notes

Run a business that takes appointments? Use code 'CEO' at ⁠⁠https://glossgenius.com/cubicletoceo⁠⁠ for 50% off your first two months of a premium plan.

This is a free preview of a paid episode (48 min), exclusively available on our subscriber-only premium feed. Become a premium subscriber to tune into the full episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cubicletoceo.co/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Questions about our premium podcast subscription? Send us a DM ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo

Most emerging CPG brands start and stay in e-commerce for years, but Madison Vrbnjak—founder of wellness brand JUSTYOU—is running a controlled experiment to ease her way into a new distribution channel early. After just 1.5 years on the market, she used Meta data to find her top three markets and is now debuting in New York City at Pop Up Grocer and The Shelf.

Wrapping up our launch & business expansion series, Madison shares her playbook for turning online fans into in-store buyers. Her collab model averages 300+ new followers per campaign, and now it sends local creators into the store on camera. She’s supplying free product and merch to Manhattan gyms, Pilates studios, and women’s groups, all pointing new brand fans back to shop the shelves in-person. And because the stores JUSTYOU is selling in don’t allow discounts, she had to get creative with an incentive to drive urgency to buy during their pop-up window.

Madison details that strategy in today’s case study, along with proving that shelf space alone doesn’t create demand—it rewards the brands that bring their own.

Connect with Madison:

If you enjoyed today's episode, please:

Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ so we can repost you.
⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our premium feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for case-study style interviews every Monday.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

363. She Burned Down Her Agency & Rebuilt It in 6 Weeks (From -8.2% to 20.1% Net Profit) Oct 26, 2026

Show notes

Run a business that takes appointments? Use code 'CEO' at ⁠https://glossgenius.com/cubicletoceo⁠ for 50% off your first two months of a premium plan.

This is a free preview of a paid episode (45 min), exclusively available on our subscriber-only premium feed. Become a premium subscriber to tune into the full episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cubicletoceo.co/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Questions about our premium podcast subscription? Send us a DM ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo ⁠

For six years, Hamilton Schmid grew Virtual Cornerstone as a one-stop-shop virtual assistant business. Then her bookkeeper’s cost analysis showed the company was running at a -8.2% net profit. Today, Hamilton has (profitably) relaunched Virtual Cornerstone as a strategic marketing microagency for multi-six-figure, woman-owned businesses.

Continuing our launch & business expansion series, Hamilton walks through the six weeks between her decision and the relaunch, including letting go of 9 of her 11 clients and restructuring her team. She breaks down the pricing calculator behind her new 80% gross margin, why her average contract jumped from $1,200 to $3,500 a month, and how the business hit 20.1% net profit in its first month on the new model.

Connect with Hamilton:

Revive your dead email list: www.virtualcornerstone.com/deadlist
IG: @virtualcornerstone
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/virtual-cornerstone/

If you enjoyed today's episode, please:

Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ so we can repost you.
⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our premium feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for case-study style interviews every Monday.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus: From Solo Success to Co-founders: How They Enrolled 200+ Members in Their First Joint Launch Oct 21, 2026

Show notes

Joyce Hamilton (founder of Only Boldly) and Kinsey Soderberg (founder of Authentic AI) each already had an established AI business when they decided to join forces in April 2026. They co-founded Her AI Club—a membership where women online business owners build AI systems that run and grow their businesses—and launched to 200 founding members in the first two weeks. Joyce owns the monetization side, while Kinsey owns systems and automation.

In this bonus episode, Kinsey and Joyce walk through their first joint launch, how they set founding member pricing across monthly and annual plans, and what they discovered people will actually commit to for a brand-new membership. They also share how two previously solo-founders divided ownership without stepping on each other’s toes, and how they decide what belongs in their membership while navigating the ever-evolving landscape of AI.

Connect with Joyce & Kinsey:

Her AI Club: ⁠https://heraiclub.co/
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: @heraiclub & ai.joycechristine & @ai.kinsey
Only Boldly: https://www.onlyboldly.com/
Authentic AI: https://authenticai.co/

Loving our bonus content and want more Cubicle to CEO in your ears? Join us every Monday on our subscriber-only premium feed for case study–style interviews with successful entrepreneurs debriefing their real-time growth experiments and results. Subscribe to get insider access to what's actually been working for businesses in the last 3-18 months: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cubicletoceo.co/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you enjoyed today's episode, please:

Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ so we can repost you.
⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our premium feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for case-study style interviews every Monday.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

362. Why She Spends Half Her Ad Budget in The Final 24 Hours Of a Launch (Turning $150K into $1.1M Sales) Oct 19, 2026

Show notes

Run a business that takes appointments? Use code 'CEO' at https://glossgenius.com/cubicletoceo for 50% off your first two months of a premium plan.

This is a free preview of a paid episode (44 min), exclusively available on our subscriber-only premium feed. Become a premium subscriber to tune into the full episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cubicletoceo.co/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Questions about our premium podcast subscription? Send us a DM ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo

Most entrepreneurs spread their ad budget evenly across their launch window, but Ashley Brock spends half of hers in the final 24 hours. Founder of The Paid Ads Academy and author of the #1 Amazon bestseller How to Win with Paid Ads, Ashley has managed more than $200 million in ad spend and built an eight-figure business in under three years.

Kicking off our launch & business expansion series, Ashley unpacks the challenge launch that turned $150K in ads into $1.1M in revenue, including the $75K she spent in a single day to drive 193 of 409 purchases. She explains how she sets Meta budgets up the day before to force the spend, her current advertising budget split between Meta and platforms like Google and Spotify, and the strategic ticket tiers behind the success of her million dollar campaign.

An evenly spread ad budget assumes that buyer demand is even across the launch window. Ashley proves why this isn’t usually the case.

Connect with Ashley:

Join the next Paid Ads Academy 5-day challenge: https://paidadscoaching.com/challenge
IG: @ads.with.ashley

If you enjoyed today's episode, please:

Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ so we can repost you.
⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our premium feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for case-study style interviews every Monday.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus: She Built a Profitable Conference From Zero. Now She’s Scaling It 10X. Oct 14, 2026

Show notes

Lisa Hansen built the Thriving Women’s Conference from zero, and it was profitable from its very first event. Lisa is a confidence expert, speaker, and creator of the UNSTOPPABLE Mastermind. Her award-winning conference brings women to Raleigh, North Carolina every October, and this year she’s working to scale it 10X.

In this bonus episode, Lisa gives us her playbook for bootstrapping and launching an event from scratch. She covers the non-negotiables she had in place before her first event and the expert advice she ignored that worked in her favor. She also explains how to tell a good-fit sponsor from one who just writes a check, and the mistakes that almost shut the whole thing down.

Connect with Lisa:

Thriving Women's Conference Website: https://thelisahansen.com/thriving-womens-conference-2026/
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: @ThrivingWomensConference & @TheLisaHansen
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisanhansen/

Loving our bonus content and want more Cubicle to CEO in your ears? Join us every Monday on our subscriber-only premium feed for case study–style interviews with successful entrepreneurs debriefing their real-time growth experiments and results. Subscribe to get insider access to what's actually been working for businesses in the last 3-18 months: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cubicletoceo.co/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you enjoyed today's episode, please:

Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ so we can repost you.
⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our premium feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for case-study style interviews every Monday.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

361. She Doesn’t Paywall Her Best Substack Content. Here’s what 1,300 Subscribers Pay for Instead Oct 12, 2026

Show notes

This is a free preview of a paid episode (49 min), exclusively available on our subscriber-only premium feed. Become a premium subscriber to tune into the full episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cubicletoceo.co/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Questions about our premium podcast subscription? Send us a DM ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo

With just 1,300 Substack subscribers and 2,300 Instagram followers, Tish Dignam may technically be a “micro-creator” — but her offers consistently sell out. A founder, brand strategist, and coach with 12+ years of experience, Tish is strategically using Substack as a monetized lead generator while growing Shapes, her education community and newsletter helping entrepreneurs turn who they are into businesses people want to buy from.

Continuing our audience growth series, Tish traces her four years on the platform, from launching with 300 subscribers to ranking #59 in Education on Substack’s Rising List. She breaks down the Notes and creative output cadence driving her growth, the voice notes pulling 800 downloads each, the audience poll that inspired her most viral post, and why her $12/month paid tier centers on live community calls rather than paywalled articles.

When AI can replicate your frameworks, the best differentiator worth charging for is access to you.

Connect with Tish:

Website: www.tishdiggs.com
Substack: https://shapesbytish.substack.com/
IG: @tishdiggs_
TikTok: @tishdiggs_
Tish's Emergent Growth TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tishdiggs_/video/7511469660508884254

Steve Job's Commencement Speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc

If you enjoyed today's episode, please:

Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ so we can repost you.
⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our premium feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for case-study style interviews every Monday.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus: The Last Person Your Business Pays Shouldn't Be You Oct 07, 2026

Show notes

Most women start a business for freedom, then end up the last person paid. CFO Erica Ash says not paying yourself enough is the fastest track to burnout, and is determined to change this pattern with financial fluency. One of her clients went from random $1,200 owner draws to a regularly scheduled $7,500 payday without adding a dollar of new revenue. What changed was building the business backward from her take-home number, which Erica calls your Peace Number.

Erica is the founder of FundHER and author of Talk Numbers to Me. In this bonus episode, she breaks down "owner pay first" (not just profit first), how to price your offers on facts not feelings, and why a $500 offer can beat a $2,000 one once you identify your Effective Hourly Rate.

Connect with Erica:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/talk-numbers-to-me-erica-ash/1151057627?ean=9798994218617

Loving our bonus content and want more Cubicle to CEO in your ears? Join us every Monday on our subscriber-only premium feed for case study–style interviews with successful entrepreneurs debriefing their real-time growth experiments and results. Subscribe to get insider access to what's actually been working for businesses in the last 3-18 months: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cubicletoceo.co/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you enjoyed today's episode, please:

Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ so we can repost you.
⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our premium feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for case-study style interviews every Monday.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

360. The Content Series Experiment That Revived a "Dead" 250K IG Account Oct 05, 2026

Show notes

Stay til the end for bonus premium episode content!

This is a free preview of a paid episode (49 min), exclusively available on our subscriber-only premium feed. Become a premium subscriber to tune into the full episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cubicletoceo.co/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Questions about our premium podcast subscription? Send us a DM ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo

After a year and a half of stagnant growth on Instagram, Mya Nichol had to decide whether to start a new account or revive the one she had. Mya teaches online business owners to build lean, profitable businesses using Instagram, email, and AI, so she put her own account to the test.

Continuing our audience growth series, Mya shares how two Instagram content series did far more than bring her 250K follower account back to life. Her ‘Bought Back by AI’ series grew her email list, fueled a $17,000 launch, and landed her biggest brand deal to date. She breaks down how she tied each series to an offer, the editing structure that keeps viewers coming back for the next part, and what she changed in her strategy for her second content series.

A good series isn't just a reach play. Built right, it's a sales funnel your audience binges.

Connect with Mya: