Soul-Sourced Business Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Opinion Porn Aug 22, 2021

Show notes

Have you noticed? We’re navigating a world where everyone is constantly slapping around thoughts on anything and everything. And it’s screwing up our energy. So today, we’re looking at what happens when thoughts fly out without prior consideration and ways you can reclaim your energy and power in your response to what I call “opinion porn.”

When you’re a Soul-Sourced™ entrepreneur, you are a creator and a thought leader. As the one in charge of managing a team and guiding your clients, it’s important to stay cognizant of where your energy is going.

There are energetic repercussions of being inundated with the world’s thoughts, so let’s look at the nitty-gritty of what opinions really do to our hearts and souls.

Listen in for a story from my early touring musician days that may seem unrelated on the surface but highlights just how tricky we can be to ourselves.

This episode quickly unpacks how projections/thoughts/reactions impact our psyche and ways you can manage your energy and power when you’re participating (or not) in the cacophony of public opinion.

Writing your Own Bio: Do’s & Don’ts Aug 15, 2021

Show notes

Whether it’s your about page, a social media profile, or book jacket, your bio is a key piece of marketing that - when done effectively - requires you to go way deeper than just listing achievements. In today’s episode, I touch on the Soul Track, the softer mindset stuff, before we dig into the Strategy Track, the left-brain business stuff, to help you craft your bio. Sprinkled throughout, you’ll hear a few minor “been-there-done-that” rants, important considerations to make before you put pen to paper, a question from a client, and I even share a recent rewrite of a colleague’s bio. Here we go.

Writing your bio is a daunting task that pushes all your ego and confidence buttons. Even if you’ve hired the best copywriter around, they can’t write your bio without a heavy dose of your input. So before you set off on your great bio writing adventure, it'll serve you to know what you're doing in this activity of writing about yourself.

I’ll address the eternal “do I use first or third person” dilemma, and share my thought process around the choices I made when writing my about page, so you can make decisions about writing yours. As we shift through these do’s and don’ts, you’ll begin to understand the different forms your bio takes depending on where it’s being used.

And as everything makes more sense with real-life examples, you'll hear the answer to a question from our Uplevel Cafe community. A member was recently thrown off guard when asked for a resume, so let's inspect the distinctions between an entrepreneurial bio and a work resume. Spoiler: I've included a response you can use in your business if you get this question a lot.

If you're wondering, "Does everyone else write the perfect bio on the first go?" I've got good news for you - no. No one ever gets this in one shot. To illustrate that, I read the original version of a colleague's bio (with permission, of course) to highlight a common mistake she made and then tell you what we did to fix it.

Listen out for a pro bio-writing tip that’ll help you prevent overwhelm as you get started and an exercise to do before writing that makes the whole process easier. Cheers.

Featured in this Episode

The Sunday Summit Series – RSVP Now! A live experience to awaken your inner wisdom and boost your productivity.
How Not To Behave, from the Wide Awake Album - Listen to the full song on Apple Music or YouTube Music

Unmade Decisions: How to Detox Aug 01, 2021

Show notes

Do you put off decisions? Or maybe just avoid them altogether? We all do this from time to time, but we sensitive entrepreneurs have to be super careful in this arena. Today I want to look at why we do this, how it’s eating away at the limited energy we have, and its impact on our creativity.

Today's episode was sparked by a fantastic share inside our private Uplevel Cafe Facebook Group. After completing several Sunday Summits - a unique ritual for your energy, mindset, and productivity - one of my peeps got a huge a-ha: Unmade decisions were killing her brain.

I loved this for a few reasons. One, she was doing her weekly practice - that's huge all on its own. Two, she was seeing patterns and making small changes that created big shifts for her business.

She realized unmade decisions could no longer be a thing. Today, I want to help you do the same thing.

I'm referring to Chapter 21 from my book, The Soul Sourced™ Entrepreneur. It's a chapter called This is Your Brain On Decisions. And my intention is to create a pattern-interrupt as you listen today!

I'll also share more about The Sunday Summit and how you can put it into practice and experience the power of this tool. Plus, I'm excited about The Sunday Summit Series, where you'll have me there as your coach - live and in-person - for the first three Sundays in August!

If unmade decisions are draining you right now, they're taking away vital energy that could be used to generate ideas and income. This episode is about maximizing the use of your time and creativity and exactly how to do just that.

Featured in this Episode

The Sunday Summit Series – RSVP Now! A special three-part experience to awaken your inner wisdom and boost your productivity.
Seasons Changing, from the Wide Awake Album - Listen to the full song on Apple Music or YouTube Music

The Awesomeness Habit Jul 25, 2021

Show notes

“Never being quite good enough” is a disease that runs rampant in the minds of us secretly sensitive business types. Luckily, there’s a cure… the Awesomeness Habit. Listen in as I identify the true source of these feelings of deficiency, and discover how to create the “cumulative mojo” you need to measure up to (and surpass!) your own standards. Plus, get a fun surprise for August to celebrate our first year of the Soul Sourced™ Business Podcast!

It’s episode 52 of the Soul Sourced™ Business Podcast, which means I’ve followed through on a full year of writing and recording this show!

As a way to commemorate the occasion - and to honor the huge role you play as a listener - I’m going to teach you the Awesomeness Habit.

We’ll cover 3 insights you need to understand before creating your own practice, and delve into the importance of celebrating your accomplishments, no matter how big or small.

I’ll share a comment from our Uplevel Cafe that propelled me to talk about this topic, and tell you the story of the first time I really got the power of the practice. Discover the key to create momentum on your path to mastery… and learn how to stand in your power where you already are today.

Plus! Find out about the cool gift I’m opening up in August that will help make your Awesomeness Habit a habit, while also preparing you for the September “flood of productivity” that comes every year.

Featured in this Episode

The Sunday Summit Series - RSVP Now! A special three-part experience to awaken your inner wisdom and boost your productivity.
The Good You Do, from the Right Outta Nowhere Album - Listen to the full song on Apple Music or YouTube Music

The One About Titles and Subtitles Jul 18, 2021

Show notes

Ever stare at a blank page wondering how to come up with a title or a subtitle? Or maybe you’ve got 100 versions for your book’s subtitle, but none of them hit the spot? Been there, done that. And today, I’m sharing the lessons I learned from hours of investigation, introspection and back-and-forths with my editor that finally helped me create a subtitle I love and that has attracted 1000’s of readers to my best-selling book. Here we go.

Today's episode was sparked by a client who sent me an idea for the title and subtitle of her upcoming book. She was uncertain and wanted my input.

I knew exactly how she felt and the frustrations she'd faced. I could sense the impending hands tossed in the air with papers flying everywhere and her forehead landing on the desk as she stared at her feet, hoping clarity would suddenly strike.

So here we are, and today I'm offering up the accelerated path to writing titles and subtitles that feel good and garner your readers' attention.

You'll hear about the instruction my editors offered. The lessons I learned from inspecting book subtitles I admired, some from best sellers (and a few I'd never read). Hear how I turned inward along with a few of my shitty first attempts that helped lead me to the final selection.

All this effort and energy was well worth it. But my friend, you can take the express lane today. Tune in for some guidance, caveats, and considerations to take into your books, blog posts, email subject lines, and beyond. Enjoy.

Featured in this Episode

Uplevel Café is now open!
A Thousand Girls, from the A Thousand Girls Album - Listen to the full song on Apple Music or YouTube Music

Only 1 person signed up. Now what? Jul 11, 2021

Show notes

Let’s take a walk on the dark side of marketing and look at what to do when things don’t go according to plan. This is tender territory, especially for us Soul-Sourced™ entrepreneurs. And it’s not a popular topic with the gurus who’d prefer to go the “make millions in a month” route - but you and I need a different set of rules. So today, I’ll talk about how to manage your ego when you don’t get the response you expect, plus I’ll give you some strategic ways to move forward with grace.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve discovered over my years of coaching and doing online launches is that sometimes shit just doesn’t work the way you want it to. That’s especially true for people in the beginning stages of their business.

Today’s topic is inspired by a message I received on Facebook that read, “I only had one person sign up for my thing. What do I do now?”

So, I kick this off with a vulnerable story from my early music days. Then, I share the lessons I got that couldn’t have come any other way except the hard way. (Plus, I’ll introduce you to Jim - a janitor I met who became a pivotal touchstone as my music career evolved toward success.)

After, we’ll take a practical look at what to do in your own business when things don’t pan out as expected. You’re going to hear a different perspective on the value of your email list and how you approach it that could shift your business and how you approach sending emails.

I’ll walk you through the choices you have when you only get a couple of sign-ups or only person shows for your event. Plus, I’ll offer a couple of strategies for moving forward so when it happens (because it will), and now you’ll know exactly what to do.

Featured in this Episode

On the Blog: Not Enough Readers, Fans, or Peeps: What to Do When Your Numbers Are Embarrassingly Low
If you liked this episode enough to give the show a five-star review, head over to iTunes and let me know.
Crack of Blue, from the This Time Last Year Album - Listen to the full song on Apple Music or YouTube Music

On Being Consistent (Even When You're Not) Jul 04, 2021

Show notes

We all have great, fiery ideas that eventually fizzle out, but what could your business look like if you actually created that awesome podcast, newsletter or video series you came up with - and then kept it going!?

If you spend more time beating yourself up for not doing the important thing than you do just making it happen, I’m here to help. Tune in for a few strategies to be more consistent in your work, and a few habits that’ll take you from inspiration to realization and beyond.

You know the drill. It starts with, “OMG this is genius!” and ends in self-judgment over your failure to follow through … again. But if there’s anything I’ve learned in my career, both as a musician and a coach, it’s that no matter what it is, consistently doing anything brings consistent results.

Today’s episode is inspired by someone who, from a place of self-flagellation over dropping the ball with their own ideas, asked how I was able to stay consistent with this podcast.

Thing is, because I’ve created two businesses and had great levels of success, there’s a certain perception of me and how I function as an entrepreneur. So, today, first and foremost, I’ll pull back the curtains on my own challenging ADD brain. Then I’ll tag in a few considerations to take in before we jump into the topic of consistency.

We’ll discuss how we’ve all been affected by the collective change in the way the world works these days, and I’ll give you a peek into the way I work with Enneagram and the Kolbe A™ Index to keep myself and my clients on track with their goals.

Tune in to get a clearer understanding of ways you are (and aren’t) motivated or productive on your own, plus I’ll share 3 simple, straightforward strategies I use to stay focused and moving forward … even when it’s (occasionally) the last thing I want to do.

Featured in this Episode:

On the Blog: This is Just What I Do

The Art of Hosting Workshops & Events Online Jun 27, 2021

Show notes

Lots of us are hosting meetings and gatherings online these days. (Hat tip to the pandemic for the new skillset.) Whether it’s Zoom or another platform, there’s an art to doing these well… not just for your business success, but for the impact your content has on your peeps.

Today I’m taking a gander at some big assumptions that come with hosting online events, the kind that get you in trouble and make you fall flat. Then, I’ll share some clear action steps to ensure your success is guaranteed.

Here at Uplevel World Headquarters, we've done our events and retreats online over the last year. Yes, we’ve been hosting virtual events all along, but the big difference these days is they're now all online.

I've been on some kind of stage for over two decades, and each event always provides a learning experience.

From music gigs (back in the day), to creative leadership training workshops for the Federal Government (for reals). Then hosting small retreats here in Asheville with 20 to 30 people. And lastly, our bigger events with several hundred folks in attendance.

Today, I’m taking an unconventional approach - surprise :) And I’m sharing not just what goes wrong - but the mindset behind it that makes it go wrong in the first place.

Then, of course, we’ll peek under the hood of these mindsets to see what’s hiding under there and I’ll show you what action to take to make your online event or workshop or retreat much more powerful and effective.

Featured in this Episode:

The Art of Gathering, by Priya Parker
Breeze, from the A Thousand Girls Album - Listen to the full song on iTunes or YouTube Music

Special: Winging it vs Owning it Jun 20, 2021

Show notes

Feel like you’re always reacting to business situations? Or maybe you toss out that marketing email and ‘hope for the best.’ My friend, this is a risky way to run a Soul-Sourced business. On this special episode, I take a few minutes to share some of the most hard-core (and painful!) symptoms of winging it and then offer up an alternative, that comes with way better perks - if I do say so myself.

Let’s look at the definition of ‘wing it’ to start, shall we…. wing it: to do something with no preparation. I would take that one step further and say, actions taken while winging it lack intention.

When I’ve spoken about this topic previously during our in-person MClub mastermind retreats, this is the point where heads start to turn and I see the look… you know, where everyone asks ‘isn’t winging it normal for a solo entrepreneur!?’

Well my friend, allow me to share one of the key “broken business models” that plagues the typical entrepreneur… this will further expand and uncover some things that may have you privately confessing to have ‘done that.’

But don’t worry, I’m going to share the story of a client who rose above some crazy odds and owned where she was going, and you’ll hear why - as a single mom who found herself jobless when the COVID craziness started - she simple couldn’t wing it.

And you’ll hear how you can follow exactly what she did and how you can use the same tools and resources to attract clients quickly - she had 7 new clients in a week and don’t fall over when you hear how many right-fit clients she had after 3 weeks.

So over to you, hit that play button, and see how you can move away from that reaction energy and uplevel your business and your income and your mindset - and your life. Enjoy.

Featured in this Episode:

Uplevel Café is now open!

Lessons from my 5 Favorite Books on Writing Jun 13, 2021

Show notes

Writers write, as they say. And no matter what form it comes in - warm letter, sales page, Facebook post, your first book - if you write, you're a writer. So there is great value in improving your craft.

Today I’m changing things up. I’m sharing my 5 favorite books on writing, but not as a direct recommendation (they’re not for everybody). Instead, I’m sharing what lessons they offer about navigating perfectionism, distractedness, and other mental gymnastics of the writing process.

I recently hosted a charity breakfast for the Carolina Resource Center for Eating Disorders. After the event, a woman told me she wanted to write her first book. Ever the coach, I quickly shared a few books that helped me most, and it surprised me when she hadn’t heard of them… mostly because they’ve been so ubiquitous in my life.

Afterwards, I was inspired to record this episode and pass on some of the lessons these books handed to me. First, because they’ve taught me so much about writing, and also because they offer so much insight into life in general.

Each book had a tremendous impact on me as a writer (two of them in particular, as you’ll hear on the show), and helped me develop a greater understanding of myself and allow my first book The Soul-Sourced™ Entrepreneur book to come to life.

Soak in the wisdom from these incredible titles, discover some common truths about the writing process, and I’ll even share some tips on how to step out of the perfectionist left-brain world, and go deeper into the flow of your creativity, and the perception of yourself as a writer.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: